Pokémon The Adventures of Raptor Trainer

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"Diglett'zzz Tunnel again? I dunno, bucko...He's a Rock-Type, and the Diglett are both Ground AND Steel-Types. It might be a bit too much!"

{Don't worry, Rotom. It looks like most of the Diglett have gone back underground, so they shouldn't be much of a problem. And the Zubat we run into should be a cinch for him, right? He's got a MAJOR advantage there.}

"Well, that's true. Bzzt!"

A shrill screech pierced the quiet cave atmosphere, and the image of fluttering membranous wings came into view.

{Here's one of those flying pests now. Tyrunt! Show this Zubat who's boss!}

I chucked his Poké Ball, and the scaly brown Pokémon materialized on the ground in front of me, seeming slightly dubious about his opponent.

{I don't like the look of this thing,} he grunted.

{Just do your best against it!} I called out to him. {You're the one with the double type advantage here, so it should be easy!}

{Well...Alright, then...}

He assumed a fighting stance and let out a low, threatening growl at the Poison-Type fluttering before us.

{What kind of moves do you know?}

{Well...I know how to Bite.}

{Let's start off with that, then!}

He nodded back at me, then charged at the Zubat, mouth wide open. Before it could zip out of the way, he clamped down right into the small Pokemon's middle, and it emitted a pained squeak before falling to the ground, completely motionless.

{That's how you do it! Excellent, Tyrunt!}

{Um...What do we do with it?}

{What do we...do with it?} I repeated back to him. {We just leave it. It should get back up on its own soon and fly away.}

{...I don't know about that, Alpha.}

I tilted my head in confusion as I peered down at the Zubat...A crimson puddle was beginning to form around the Pokémon, spilling from the gaping holes in its caved-in middle, which sat without a rise or a fall in sight.

{Wait...Did...did you...?}

"Ah, yup. Looks like it's pushin' up daisies," Rotom confirmed. "Thingzzz like this just happen sometimes..."

{Isn't that what you wanted me to do, though?} he asked me.

{What, I...? No,} I answered him, glowering down at the Royal Heir Pokémon, not at all happy with this. {What gave you the idea to flat out KILL it? You were supposed to fight it and only make it faint, not do something like that.}

"Ah, hey, come on, g-go easy on him, boss, " my PokéDex buzzed. "I mean, h-he's only been restored for half an hour. And that was how Tyrunt fed themselves back then! So a Zubat bit the dust...It could have been worse, right? There are too many Zubat in here, anyway! Besides, lotzzz of other Pokémon eat each other, too, remember?"

I sighed deeply.

{...I suppose you have a point, Rotom,} I decided. {But still. Unless I give you specific instructions to do so, you aren't allowed to kill other Pokémon under any circumstances, Tyrunt. Understood?}

{But...What are we supposed to eat, then?}

{There are lots of things we can choose from. You should see what they have at the Thrifty Megamart. It's a PARADISE of food. And the best part is you don't have to kill anything.}

{Can we go there after this?} he asked.

{Ah...Maybe wait until after the Grand Trial. In the mean time, I guess...well...I guess you can eat the Zubat, since it's already dead? May as well not leave it here to rot.}

{That works alright.}

I watched him, a bit apprehensively, as he picked up the dead Pokémon in his jaws, flung it into the air, and then with one quick snap, slid it down his throat. Something panged deep inside of me, despite my initial concern over the situation.

...Was I right to be upset with this?

It was food, after all.

Don't shun what he was made to do.

...What YOU were made to do.

The phantom voice in my head caught my attention, my eyes still glued onto Tyrunt eating the unfortunate Zubat. That voice...I wished it would just go away and never come back ever again. It'd almost lead me to do terrible things in the recent past...But I'd changed since my days of ripping strange creatures that found their way into the Paddock to shreds. I was a civilized creature, now...Right?

Well, one thing was for sure; whenever I found just what or who was behind me gaining the ability to understand such concepts in the first place, I'd be sure to thank them.

{Alright, Tyrunt. Let's see if we can find more Zubat. But make sure not to KILL anymore, understand?}

{Yes...I understand.}

"Say, bucko. Since we're on the topic of hunting and stuff, I wanted to ask you. What exzzzactly was it like hunting the way you did back in your old home?" Rotom asked, seeming curious about the whole ordeal.

{Well...Usually something would be let out loose into our Paddock...Most often, it was some sort of pink creature that ran around on all fours and...It made the most awful-sounding squeal. Especially whenever we were right on top of them, and when we caught them...We always thought they were stupid, but looking back, it seems to me that those things were at least smart enough to know just how much danger they were in.}

"Oh, wow...How'd you guyzzz do 'em in?"

{We had...a lot of ways of doing it. A bite to the head paired with a quick jolt to snap the neck, a swipe of the hand to the throat, throwing it against the wall...Once it was down, one of us, usually Beta, used the big claw on her foot to slice it's stomach open. She got to eat first; she was the Beta, after all, and Alpha didn't partake in our hunts...He was a human, so he didn't eat in such a manner.}

{And then, when Beta was done, what did you and your old pack do?} Tyrunt asked, sniffing into a crevice and disturbing another Zubat. I sighed at the question, and answered them grimly.

{We...tore whatever was left to shreds like we hadn't eaten in days. Flesh ripped, bones crunched...Blood flew all over the place.}

I breathed in through my nostrils, almost able to smell the heavy, metallic scent of the red liquid that spilled from everything me and my sisters ever killed. What was worse was that the mere thought of it made me hungry.

{To think,} I continued. {At one point in my life, I saw that as nothing more than what I had to do to survive...Now that I know I have other options, I can't help but feel shame over it.}

"Aw, come on, Echo. Sure, it was pretty brutal, but like I said it'zzz how the food chain works! In fact, didn't the Professor feed you with big ol' slabzzz of meat for a couple days while we were there? They probably came from something like a Raticate, or something! Bzzt!"

{Did it?} I chittered.

"Yep! Hey, you know, we actually have a lot of Rattata and Raticate in these partzzz! So much that people are actually concerned they'll overpopulate and eat up all the food. Then there wouldn't be enough to go around for other Pokémon, and they would...um...Well, a lot of them would starve to death, probably. The Yungoos and Gumshoos prey on the Rattata themselves, but...only during the day, when there aren't as many around, so it'zzz not quite as affective as people thought it'd be. Call me crazzzy, but I don't think people would mind you helping to pick some of them off! Kzzrt!"

{You...think so?}

"Wouldn't surprise me! " he exclaimed. "Hey, next time we see one, let'zzz take it out! I don't like those things much myself..."

{I'll...think about that,} I answered. {In the mean time, let's keep it up and battle out way out of the cave.}

"Got it! Hey, there's another Zubat right up there!"

Sure enough, there was, and we engaged in combat. As we continued to fight our way through Diglett's Tunnel, it turned out that Tyrunt did know a few other moves besides Bite; Stomp, Tackle and Dragon Tail to be exact. I was pleasantly surprised at just how powerful his Dragon Tail was compared to his other moves, and it was able to knock out most Zubat in just one hit. The only problem was that with those it didn't one-shot, the Pokémon became disoriented, and flew after us...in the opposite direction we were in. So we got no chance to beat them if they toughed it out. Therefore, we resorted to using the move only after we'd inflicted a bit of damage with his other attacks already, and with every battle, Tyrunt continued to get stronger and more adept to the battlefield.

Zubat weren't the only Pokémon we ran into, however. There were still a few Diglett roaming around, and with Tyrunt having a bad type matchup against them, I opted to return him and use either Red or Dartrix in his place. Being my two strongest Pokémon, they were able to handle them without a sweat. I was pleased by their strength; despite both being part Flying-Type, their Fighting and Grass Type Moves would give Olivia's Rock-Types something to watch out for. Surely at this rate, the next Grand Trial wouldn't prove much of a challenge for us, either, would it?

But a quick stop at the Kokikoni City Pokémon Center would do us some good before the fight; as tough as we'd gotten, I wanted everyone in peak condition, just to prepare for any tricks Kahuna Olivia might have up her sleeve. That, and the fact I needed a drink. And some potions...And maybe some more Poké beans, if the barista had any for us this time around. My to-do list had suddenly become longer again; at that rate, I wouldn't be battling the Kahuna until the evening. Not that it was a bad thing, but if I took TOO long, Olivia might head home for the night and I'd have to wait until tomorrow.

{Rotom, what time is it?}

"According to my internal clock, it'zzz 5:12 p.m.!" he buzzed as we turned down Route 9 and headed into the city again. "Oh, way to time our pit stop; having a battle like the Grand Trial during the hottest part of the day might do a number on ya! Zzt!"

I nodded, then continued down the road and turned into the Pokémon Center. I knew the drill; heal the team, buy some potions, and order something from the cafe. On paper, it sounded like we'd be in and out, but I wanted to take my time a little; I'd rather arrive at Memorial Hiil right at dusk when it started to cool down. With that in mind, I stocked up on more Super Potions than I expected to, and then Rotom and I got into a conversation with the barista on how me and the Tyrunt we'd just restored could communicate with each other and how I could utilize that in the Grand Trial. Upon hearing all of this, I got my wish of having my supply of Poké beans replenished, since he was just as hopeful that I would complete the trial as I was.

{I think I remember someone else saying something about an island where I can collect my own Poké beans for my Pokémon. Is that the case?}

"Oh, the Poké Pelago! Yes, yes, Pokémon stored away in PCs are transported over there, and they enjoy themselves on the islands until their Trainer calls them back out! It's to the far north of Ula'ula Island. You can only get there via flying, though, so it'd be useful to have a glide Pokémon on your ride pager."

{I do have a Charizard I can call; I want to be at Memorial Hill at dusk tonight, so I shouldn't spend too much time walking around in the heat of the day...I might see if I can restock on beans there at some point, then. With five Pokémon on the team, I'm may need a lot.}

"Yep! Frankly, I can't wait until then! Bzzt!"

{I can see that...} I chittered. {Well...It's about time to head down there. Thanks for the drink and beans, mister.}

"Good luck against the Kahuna!"

With that, I headed out the door, turned back south and trotted along the side of the road, leaving Konikoni City once more and taking Route 9 towards Memorial Hill. As we headed towards a curve and into a valleyed section of the road, I caught sight of a maze of hedges up ahead. And when we entered into the maze, I saw that the path was lined with smoothly cut stones in several places, decorated with intricate engravings and flowers placed in front of some of them. They each had someone's name written into them as well.

{So, Rotom. Why exactly is it called Memorial Hill? What are we remembering?}

"Well, Memorial Hill is a cemetery! The old, mighty families of Alola were buried here when they died, so it'zzz sort of a historical landmark, you know?"

{Oh...Is...That what you do with friends and family that've died?}

"Sure is! And there's another cemetery back on Melemele Island, too! A lot of Ghost-Type Pokémon tend to linger around places like those...Probably becauzzze they like to give people the spooks, and graveyards sometimes give off that creepy aura. Especially during the night...Guess it's a good thing Tyrunt knows Bite! That'll teach any Ghost-Type that triezzz to tangle with us, won't it?"

{I would think,} I replied. {...Hey, wait a minute. Didn't you say you were a Ghost-Type too, Rotom?}

"Well, yeah, but I'm not one to find enjoyment in scarin' people out of their skin. Other Rotom, though? I hear they like to sneak into houses, possess whatever machine they can on the sly and play poltergeist! Soundzzz freaky, huh?"

"Eesh..." I hissed, shuddering a bit at the idea of such a thing. {But you're different from them. You wouldn't do that, would you?}

"Never to you, bucko! Now, an unsuspecting Team Skull grunt on the other hand..."

{Ha! That'd be fun to watch!}

"No kidding! Hey, it'd teach 'em for threatening to give me a toaster bath! I might be an Electric-Type, but if this Dex went in that water, I'd be fried with it! Hey, maybe I should possess their toaster! Then they might-"

{Be here right now.}

"Huh?"

We'd just gotten out of the cemetery. Blocking the path were two of those familiar-looking skull grunts, and it looked like two other people had beaten us to a confrontation with them. By the looks of their own uniforms, I guessed that they were members of the Aether Foundation...That gave me some reassurance.

But even so, it didn't look like the grunts would be giving up the Pokémon without some convincing.

"Team Skull! For the last time! Give back that Pokémon!" the first demanded. The squabble must have been going on for a bit before I arrived.

"Lo-o-ow...?"

When I tilted my head to see where the noise came from, I realized that the grunts had a hostage in the form of a Slowpoke: I recognized it by the look of its tail, which I'd seen all over the place in the Thrifty Megamart.

"Hey! Yo! Don't gimmie trouble! I'll reduce you to rubble!"

"That's right! We gon' sell this Pokémon and make bank, and we won't make no bones about it! You want it back? You're gonna have to get past us to take it!"

The one Aether employee was starting to look nervous about the situation, and the other turned to face her.

"Stand firm! Think of what the president would say!" he ordered. He had a bit of a different styled uniform, accented with green, and looking more slick and business-made than meant for field work.

"That's what you always say, Chief, but you don't lift a finger yourself!" she snapped back, seemingly annoyed with him.

"You haven't a clue what you're talking about. Why, I am the Aether Foundation's last line of defense! What would become of it if something were to happen to me now?"

His snobbish aura even captured the attention of Team Skull. They hadn't said anything themselves, but the look in their eyes told how unamused they were better than any words could...And frankly, that was the one thing I'd ever agreed with them on.

The 'Chief' turned slightly, seeming to think for a moment about what he should do, and was quick to spot me out of the corner of his eye. He nearly jumped right out of his lab coat upon seeing me, and once he did that, everyone started looking in my direction.

"Aw, naw..." one of the Team Skull grunts muttered. "That's Scarface, ain't it?"

"Looks it, from what I heard. Hear 'bout what she did to Grunt?"

"Which grunt?"

"The grunt with the marks on his face!"

"What'd she do?"

"She gave him the marks, you bonehead!"

"Oh..."

"You know what this creature is?" the Chief asked them.

"Oh! Allow me to explain, Aether Foundation members!" Rotom stepped in. "Believe it or not, she'zzz a trial-goer! We were just on our way to meet Kahuna Olivia now! Word about us has been spreadin' around the islandzzz lately, so a lot of people already know about her, but if you wanna know more, Professor Kukui is your best bet!"

"Ah...And how strong is your team, Miss, eh...What's her name?"

"Scarface," the other grunt chimed in without skipping a beat.

"Would you two stop with that for once!? It's ECHO! Not Scarface! Get your facts straight! Bzzz...!"

Rotom slid away into my bag for safety before the hooligans had a chance to threaten him again like the last time.

"Echo, you say...Ah...Well, then!" he perked up, regaining his composure. "If you're a trial-goer, and you've made it to Akala Island, that must mean you have a fairly strong team on hand! I ask that you fight in my stead and rout these Team Skull ruffians. I will bestow honor upon you, if you do!"

{I don't know why these thugs aren't afraid of me by now,} I growled. {...I intend to change that, though.}

"Ready to know what defeat tastes like?" the first grunt challenged, pulling a Poké Ball out. "I was born ready for this, yo! Raticate! Show 'em!"

He tossed his fighter out into the field, and upon seeing the Raticate, I cringed. It was worn and battered from previous battles, not to mention quite a bit older-looking than most of the other Pokémon I'd seen in the wild so far. It was safe to assume that its Trainer was not taking care of it right, but knowing Team Skull I wasn't that surprised.

"So who you gonna send out to get beat, huh!?"

{...The newest member of the team. He needs to practice showing you guys a lesson, anyways.}

With that, I tossed the capsule into the air.

{Tyrunt! Let's go!}

The ball opened, and the Royal Heir Pokémon materialized on the ground before its opponent, letting out a sharp snarl of a battle cry.

"Raticate! Take 'em down with Pursuit!"

The Pokémon huffed, then got down on all fours, pursuing its target at a not-so-impressive speed. I wasn't really sure if it was it's natural weight dragging it down or the fact that it barely had the strength left to fight.

It would make it an easy opponent, at least.

{Try your Dragon Tail on it, Tyrunt!}

He turned and readied his tail, and it started to glow purple as he drew it back. The enemy Pokémon was nearly upon him when he sent it flying into its face, and upon the impact, the Raticate was thrown in the opposite direction and rolled to a halt on the ground right before its Trainer's feet.

It got back up within seconds, but it was obvious that it was struggling.

"Come on, Raticate! Don't be such a bag o' bones!"

"Rrrr..." it growled back at him.

"Don't just stand there! Take 'em down with Tackle!"

It started running at us again, and Tyrunt lowered his head as the Raticate approached, readying a headbutt.

{Get up to speed, Tyrunt! Counter-Tackle! You're head is harder!}

At my command, the fossil Pokémon began to charge at his opponent head on. Each of them were readying a collision against the other, skulls pointed forward, and finally, the two fighters made contact.

...There was an echoing CRACK, and with a flick of his head after the initial hit, Tyrunt flung the enemy to the side.

Again, the Raticate rolled limply across the field before tumbling to a stop...But this time, it lay there motionless except for the shallow rise and fall of its middle as it struggled even to breathe.

It tried to lift itself back onto its feet, a dazed, hollow look in its eye, and it scanned the battlefield looking for its attacker. Despite Tyrunt standing merely a couple yards away from it, the Raticate took several long moments to acknowledge his presence. When it finally did, the black and tan Pokémon fell on all fours and stumbled forward, though it seemed to get weaker and weaker every second.

...I knew that glazed look in the creature's eyes all too well.

It didn't have much time left.

It's on its way out.

...Finish the job.

I tensed. No. Not that again. I shook my head in denial of what it was telling me to do. I couldn't do that. It had a Trainer, anyways. I couldn't...It was...Besides, it was only a matter of time before...

...But seeing it suffering like that, getting worse every second...Was that what its last moments were to be like? With increasingly worse pain until it finally lost its last bit of life...?

...Maybe it's not as wrong as I think.

I took a deep breath, and let it out as a shaky gurgle, and I called out to the fossil Pokémon still awaiting my next command.

{Tyrunt...} I chittered.

{Alpha...Is it...?}

I nodded, emitting one more sigh before I gave out the final order.

{...Use Bite.}

He nodded grimly in understanding, then approached the Raticate, locking eyes with it for just a moment as he drew near and placed his powerful jaws on its head.

{...I'm sorry it had to be like this,} I heard him growl.

The Mouse Pokémon let out a sigh of its own, almost sounding content as Tyrunt steadied it with his foot and jerked his head off to the side. There was another crack, and the Raticate twitched its toes ever so slightly before falling completely still.

Everyone stared at the scene playing out on the battleground. The grunts, the Aether employees, me myself...None of us really wanted to believe what'd happened, but we'd all witnessed it with our own eyes.

There was no denying it...That Raticate was dead.

Its owner was staring directly at me now, eyes wide and his form as still as stone. I simply shook my head at him, and he staggered backwards.

"Yo...I...What'd you...?"

"Dude, snap out of it! We ain't got no more Pokémon. She could do THAT to US with her OWN snappy jaws if she wanted, if her puny Tyrunt can do that!"

"Screw it, then! Take your dumb Slowpoke! Good luck and good riddance! Come on bro, let's scram!"

The two grunts scrambled past us and disappeared into Memorial Hill, thoroughly intimidated. The owner of the Raticate didn't even bother paying respects to it; he simply abandoned the dead body where it lay.

The Slowpoke that'd been behind them wasn't really aware of the situation at hand, but Tyrunt approached it anyways, nudging it and examining it with his keen nose just to make sure the Team Skull grunts hadn't done anything to harm it, either.

He nodded back to me, letting me know that it was fine. And to show the (still shocked) members of the Aether Foundation that I meant no harm to this Pokémon, I went over myself, carefully scooped the pink Pokémon up in my clawed hands and brought it over to them, passing it on to the field employee.

"Uh...Thank you. For that," she told me, still a bit shaken. "Yeah...Those Team Skull thugs have been after Slowpoke a lot lately. They...cut off their tails and sell them to try and make a profit, since they're so valuable. It doesn't really hurt them, and they grow back quickly, but...It's still not right to just hack them off without any consideration for the Pokémon. Especially with wild Slowpoke like this one, since they need their tails to fish."

{...You're absolutely right,} I nodded, Rotom re-emerging from my pack to translate for me. {Team Skull couldn't care less about the wellbeing of the Pokémon they train. Or steal, in Slowpoke's case. It seems like they have a history of it, judging by...}

The two of us looked back at the Raticate corpse on the ground, then turned back to face each other. The human sighed, the expression on her face softening.

"...I watched you out there. I-it's not your fault. Really, it isn't. Tyrunt are only so strong, and Tackle isn't a very powerful move anyways. If that Raticate had been well looked after, then you...You wouldn't have had to do what you did. And I'm sorry it came down to that."

{In all honesty,} I chattered. {I'm at least glad that it's not suffering anymore. Not under Team Skull or from that head wound.}

"Yeah...In this line of work, it's not uncommon to see neglected Pokémon having to be put down."

"Hmm...There are too many Raticate on these islands anyways," the Chief remarked, not seeming to care much for the deceased Raticate himself. "And the same goes to their pre-evolved forms. Overpopulation can be just as much a problem as dwindling population, you know...And maybe what you did will teach those ruffians to finally wizen up a bit. As for you...Despite the performance I just beheld, it seems to me that you are a very skilled Trainer who cares deeply for other Pokémon like yourself."

"'Other?' Uh, pardon us, mister, but she'zzz not a Pokémon herself."

He rose an eyebrow at Rotom's claim.

"...No? Well, then what on earth is she?"

"Something called a 'Velociraptor,' according to her. Like I said, the Professor can tell you more about it! He's the one who found and studied her in the first place, after all! Bzzrt!"

"Professur Kukui, ah yes...But anyways, where was I...? Oh. As I was saying, Miss, erm...'Echo,' if I remember right?"

I nodded.

"Well, then. For your vigilance in the face of danger, I should like to reward you. When you complete your Grand Trial, meet me at Hano Grand Resort in Heahea City. From there, we will board a ferry to the Aether Foundation Headquarters, and I shall grant you a tour. Sound good to you?"

{The Aether Foundation Headquarters, you say...? I might be interested. You do help Pokémon, after all, and that's one thing I can get on board with.}

"Excellent. See you there. Come along, Intern! We have things to do!"

"You mean I have things to do..."

The Chief simply rolled his eyes and headed off, the employee following not far behind.

"Hey, thanks again for the help. Good luck with the Grand Trial! Although, I might, ah...do something about that Raticate. I'd take care of it myself, but it seems like the Branch Chief here has other plans for me."

{I'll think of something.} I assured her. {Good luck with the Branch Chief.}

"Heh, yeah...See you, then."

She ran to catch up with the Branch Chief, who was already halfway through Memorial Hill, seemingly unaware that his underling was not following him.

"Well, that wazzz certainly something, " my PokéDex buzzed. "Your thoughts? "

{The intern was okay, but I don't really know about that Branch Chief guy,} I remarked, sending a bit of a glare in his direction. {There's something about him that just rubs me the wrong way.}

"Yeah, I know what you mean. And if what she was saying about him not actually doing anything to help anyone is true, then that's an extra red flag goin' up there."

{It seems that way...Now. The Raticate. Should we bury it in the cemetery, Rotom?}

"I don't think people are being buried in Memorial Hill anymore, much less Pokémon. I don't think it'd be a good idea to disturb the grounds...And another thing; it looks like Tyrunt's thought of another idea."

{What? What do you-}

I turned back, and watched as the Fossil Pokémon rose his head. Both the Raticate's now gaping side and Tyrunt's jaws were spattered with blood.

{...Are you EATING it, Tyrunt!?}

{Yes...What about the conversation we all had in Diglett's Tunnel?}

{Yeah, I remember, but...I was talking about WILD Rattata and Raticate. This one was TRAINED. Eating a trained Pokémon isn't right, is it Rotom?}

"Well, probably not...But to be fair, I don't think that Team Skull grunt isn't coming back for it. And Tyrunt's already started on it, so if you're hungry then now'zz your chance to grab some grub!"

{Well...It'll fill us up and energize us for the next battle, I guess. And didn't you say it was Raticate meat that the Professor gave me in the Lab?}

"That'zzz what I said!"

{Well...Alright, then.}

I shrugged, then approached the already partially-eaten Pokémon, steadied it with my foot and tore a chunk out of its side. I smacked my lips a bit at the sensation of the creature's fur in my mouth; back when we lived in the Paddock, my sisters and I had always eaten the fur on a creature, be it fine or thick. But having not eaten anything that still had fur on it since my arrival in Alola, it looked like it would take some getting used to again.

"So, I'm actually kinda curious myself...What's it taste like?"

{Hm...I'm only now realizing how fatty this is. The actual meat doesn't taste half bad, though.}

"A Rattata would probably be a bit leaner, since they don't sit around their nest all day. Keep that in mind when you start lookin' for stuff in the wild!"

{Why do you ask? Did you want any?}

I tore a small chunk from the Pokémon's ribcage and held it out towards him, but he floated backwards away from it.

"Ah, no, that'zzz fine," he assured. "I'll stick to the beans."

{Once we're done here, I'll have to get those out,} I growled. {...I hope nobody we know sees what's going on here. They'd probably get the wrong-}

"Um...Is this a bad time?"

I rose my head, and there stood none other than...

"Uh-oh."

{Oh, no...} I chattered. {I just...It...It's not what it looks like, Hau.}

He continued to stare at our meal, eyes wide.

{...Okay, it's exactly what it looks like. But it was a mercy kill! I swear! Besides, this is what the Professor fed me while I was at the lab, and...! And...Ah...}

I gave up there, certain that Hau wasn't at all convinced. To my good fortune, however...

"Uh...Well, I mean...You can't live of malasadas, I guess. And the Professor feeds a lot of Pokémon he looks after Raticate meat, so..."

He shrugged.

"Eh. I'm not one to judge."

"Phew..." I breathed. {For a moment there, I thought you were gonna freak out.}

"Well, I almost did," he admitted. "But, like, that's a Raticate. Not a person. No way you'd ever do that to me or Lillie, I know that much."

{Certainly not. Ah...What brings you this way, Hau? Off to battle the Kahuna, too?}

"Actually I heard you were headin' this way over at Olivia's shop, so I wanted to watch the fight! See what you and your Pokémon have got up your sleeves! I probably won't battle her myself until tomorrow morning, so if I can take a few notes while I'm at it, that oughta be good!"

{Not a problem with me. Rotom. You still have the time?}

"The time right now izzz 6:25: p.m.! And according to my internal thermometer, the temperature's starting to drop!"

{Perfect. We'll be on our way, Hau.}

"Awesome!"

{Right after we finish dinner.}

"Oh."

He deflated slightly.

"Eh...You guys are halfway done anyways, so that's fine."

"Hey, Echo. Make sure you clean up your face before we head out. If the Island Kahuna saw you like that, she'd probably have a lotta questions for ya! Kzzt!"

{Noted...But if we walked up to a couple Team Skull grunts like this...}

"Ha! We're terrible, aren't we?"

{To Team Skull? Wonderfully terrible. But to our friends? I'd rather be terribly wonderful.}

"Heh heh...Well put, there, boss."

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

{One more time! Hit 'em with Aerial Ace!}

It turned out there were a couple of Trainers past the graveyard, and I found myself battling one that'd spotted me in the field, and he sent out a sturdy Hariyama as his fighter. Little did he know that I had two Flying-Types to use against him, and the next thing we each knew, Red had struck once, then twice, and the enemy fell to the ground in defeat. The opposing Trainer returned his Pokémon, then congratulated my win.

"Ha! You played that battle well! GG for short!" he told me. "Though if you're on your way to battle the Island Kahuna, I advise that you be careful when using Flying-Types against her. You can hit her Rock-Types with super-effective moves, but they can do the same right back! And they're pretty burly to boot!"

{I have that kept in mind,} I assured him. {I do have an Eevee and a Tyrunt on the team too, so they should balance things out well enough.}

"Tyrunt, you say? Well, well...Fighting Rock with Rock. Sounds like a battle! Good luck to you!"

I nodded, then weaved back through the beaten path among the grass to where Hau had battled someone else. Judging by the huge grin on his face, I guessed that it'd gone pretty well for him, too.

{Did you win?}

"Heck yeah, I did! That guy had a pretty scary-lookin' Gyarados, but all Raichu had to give 'em was one Thunderbolt and it was down! And his Staryu was no problem...We weren't even scratched!"

{Raichu...?}

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Didn't tell you 'bout that, yet," he remembered, extracting a Poké Ball. "Well, I'm about to! Come on back out, Raichu!"

His Pokémon materialized before him, and it turned out to be, quite obviously, the evolved form of his Pikachu. It hovered in midair, sitting on the flat end of its tail and staring up at me with its round, blue eyes. It'd come a long way from the little Pichu I'd first encountered it as.

"Chu..." it squeaked, clenching its tiny fists in attempt to impress me.

{Yeah, you remember me, don't you?} I snickered. {But you're not so scared of me anymore, huh?}

"N'aw, he ain't," Hau nodded. "Hey, check this out?"

I nodded, and Hau bent down to face the Electric-Type Pokémon, reached his hand out and gently rubbed one of its bright yellow cheeks.

Instantly, I detected a scent coming from that spot. I stepped closer to better analyze the aroma, and it turned out to smell something like...

{...How many Malasadas have you been feeding your Pokémon, Hau?}

He snorted, then chuckled.

"That's not malasada you're smellin', pal," he corrected lightly, still overcome with giggles. "That's a pile of maple syrup-drenched buttermilk batter that's been pan-fried to perfection and stacked as high as Mount Lanakila, is what it is. Wafting out right from Raichu's cheeks."

{...A what?}

"You don't know what pancakes are!? Aw man, you really missed out back at your old place, didn't you...? Why don't we all go out for breakfast one of these days and I'll show ya? They're not exactly malasadas, but they come in a close second for me!"

{Sounds delicious...} I nodded, intrigued by the idea. {Tomorrow, maybe?}

"Sure thing! I got time!"

{How about Lillie?}

"The more the merrier!" he answered as we turned and headed up the path. "You know I was about to suggest that myself!"

{Speaking of which...When did you see her last?}

"Oh, I met up with her at the Dimensional Research Lab earlier today! She and the Professors told me about the whole thing with the wormholes, and the DNA analysis stuff, and that freaky-looking thing you went up against from some other world...MAN. That thing's not somethin' I'd wanna run into."

{No doubt about that,} I agreed grimly. {It'd snap you up like a malasada...I should know.}

"Yeah...Well, we don't have to worry about it here in Alola, so that's good!"

{Unless the Ultra Wormhole reopens and it finds its way through...}

"Oh...Well, I...didn't think about that. Huh..." Hau realized. "...But if the hunch is right and something DID save you from certain doom by bringing you here, then I doubt it. You don't need to worry about it anymore. Trust me, alright?"

{Well...If there's anyone I can trust, I know one of them is you.}

"Ah, come on, I'm goin' red, buddy! Hey, let's step it up! It's the Grand Trial or-"

"So...You're the one that Gladion was talking about, are you?"

"...Bust?"

Someone spoke from not far behind us. We turned around to face a...pretty strange-looking human. Female, wore lots of pink and black, didn't seem like the friendly type. And judging by the skull-shaped caps on either side of her head, that signified that she was...

"Hmph...You don't look so scary to me. 'Specially seeing who you decide to hang out with."

{Are you KIDDING me...?} I snarled, not at all happy with the situation.

"Cut the growling stuff," she snapped, rolling her eyes as she approached us. "...I'm Plumeria. And it's my job to keep Team Skull together. I'm like a big sister of some sort to all these numbskulls. They're plain stupid, most of them...But apparently, we both agree that some dummies can be cute in their dumbness."

"You callin' me stupid?" Hau insinuated, not looking very amused either. I shot Plumeria a glare and curled my lips a bit to expose my teeth.

"Yeah, you know what I mean," she answered, standing her ground. "You wouldn't want me picking on your dumb brother...So you can imagine that you picking on all my dumb brothers and sisters is really annoying me, then, right?"

{In case you didn't know,} I chattered, keeping the growl in my tone as Rotom translated, staying behind me all the while. {YOU thugs were the ones bothering other people, and us 'picking on your brothers and sisters' is just us defending ourselves and our Pokémon. Apparently, you're not much brighter than them.}

"And apparently, YOU have the nerve to kill and eat my brother's Raticate."

{It was SUFFERING! And the head injury it sustained from a Tackle attack-just a TACKLE!-It would have killed it anyways because it was in such horrible condition! Maybe it would still be alive if you low lives actually TOOK CARE of your Pokémon instead of letting them get to that point! Why do you think we don't want you making off with our teammates!?}

"Wait, hold up," Hau interrupted. "...That Raticate actually belonged to one of the grunts?"

{Long story. Just know that it was old, neglected and fatally wounded by just a TACKLE attack,} I answered him.

"Oh...Still, that's pretty brutal, gotta say."

"See? Even Mr. Malasada King ain't too keen on that. It's messed up...And now I'm gonna mess YOU up!"

She showed off a Poké Ball and tossed it upwards.

"Golbat! Teach 'em a lesson!"

The creature emerged; an evolved form of Zubat, it appeared to be. Same colors and similar build, but unlike Zubat, it possessed eyes, and it was a LOT bigger.

But I had someone who knew how to handle those just fine, and a bit of an extra challenge would do him some good. I chittered to Rotom to take cover in my bag again, and the minute he went inside, I pulled out my own Poké Ball and threw it in the air.

{Tyrunt! Start this off with Tackle!}

I called out the Fossil Pokémon, and he growled at his adversary before going right in for the attack.

One of the advantages I found with not being able to speak like the humans was that they were unable to understand the orders I gave my Pokémon, and therefore wouldn't know what I told them to do until it'd already been done.

"Oh, no ya don't! Golbat! Fly out of reach and Confuse Ray that thing!"

The Flying-Type cried out eerily, and a strange-looking series of lights emitted from its gaping mouth, surrounding Tyrunt and twirling around him like a swarm of mosquitoes.

When they finally faded, the Royal Heir Pokémon didn't look so concentrated anymore. He kept running, though, and was now heading not for the Golbat, but rather the one COMMANDING it. Plumeria leapt out of the way just before Tyrunt could plow her down, prompting him to finally slow down and shake his head.

"What've you got this thing DOIN'!?"

{Alpha?} he called. {Wha...Where did everyone go? What's going on?}

Something was wrong with him, I knew there was. And it probably had something to do with the Golbat's Confuse Ray attack.

{Snap out of it!} I crawed. {Shake that confusion off!}

He shook his head from side to side vigorously as he tried to clear the fog in his brain. He was vulnerable in that state, though, and Plumeria took advantage of it.

"Now we got him! Poison Fang!"

The Golbat dove in for the attack, fangs bared and excreting a sickly purple substance, ready to attack. But it was at that moment that Tyrunt finally regained his concentration, and looked up just in time to spy his target approaching.

{Counter it with Bite! Quick!}

The Fossil Pokémon growled in understanding, then opened his jaws, leapt up at the enemy and clamped down on its OWN open mouth, locking jaws with it. The Golbat shrieked at the sudden attack, and its cries only got louder when Tyrunt violently shook it from side to side then threw it across the battlefield. The enemy Pokémon tumbled over the ground towards its Trainer, but as soon as it stopped rolling it got right back up.

This Team Skull Pokémon seemed to be in better shape than the Raticate from earlier, so I was at least hoping the same thing wouldn't happen again.

The Golbat flapped its wings and became airborne again, eyeing Tyrunt with an angry glare.

"Try again, Golbat! Confuse Ray!"

{Dodge and try to lure it in from above!}

Tyrunt was able to duck and tumble beneath the Confuse Ray attack this time, and as he approached the spot beneath where the opposing Pokémon was hovering, he barked at it, calling for it to come closer.

{Come on!} he teased. {Too scared to fight me up close!? Coward! I dare you to battle me face-to-face!}

"He's askin' for it, Golbat! Wing Attack!"

It stooped down and started to fly at my Pokémon again. But they had no idea what we were up to.

{Alright, Tyrunt! Stomp! Get it back on the ground!}

He jumped up right in the nick of time, and once the Golbat was right underneath him, he pushed both of his feet down overtop its head, putting all of his weight onto it. Again, the enemy shrieked, and Tyrunt snarled at it from above.

{Excellent! Now, finish it off with Dragon Tail!}

He got off his opponent, letting it stand back up for only a moment before he spun around and whammed it with his tail, sending it hurdling across the field and falling flat on its back.

...And this time, it wasn't getting back up.

Plumeria let out a frustrated growl as she returned her fainted Pokémon.

"So, you've got a type advantage against me..." she sneered. "But I'm not the only one with a bunch of tricks up her sleeve!"

She pulled out her second fighter.

"Salandit! Let's go!"

The Toxic Lizard Pokémon emerged, and let out a threatening hiss upon entering the battlefield. I scoffed at the sight of it, though; my Salandit had not only looked five times prettier than that one, but she had also fully evolved into a Salazzle by then.

And Tyrunt STILL had the type advantage.

{You still game, Tyrunt?}

He nodded back to me with a smile on his face, then faced off against the enemy.

"Poison Gas!"

{Hold your breath and go in for Dragon Tail, Tyrunt!}

He took a deep breath and ran right through the cloud of gas the enemy shot our way, and ran right out of it unscathed as he continued to charge. his tail aglow.

"Dragon Rage, hurry!"

{Duck and tumble!}

He tried to dodge the attack, but at that point, he was too close, and the next thing I knew, he was engulfed in the purple energy, and it was the next moment that it exploded in his face, throwing him off to the side. He tore up the grass as he slid across the battleground, looking like he'd taken a beating.

He got back up, though, and gave the Salandit his best roar. It wasn't much more than a long bark, but it was a battle cry, nonetheless.

"Nice one! One or two more oughta do it! Fire up another Dragon Rage, Salandit!"

It trilled menacingly as it fired up its second attack, but I was ready to counter it.

{Wait for my signal, Tyrunt! Start running!}

{On it!}

He started his approach again, and Plumeria's Salandit continued to fire up its Dragon Rage. And once Tyrunt was halfway there...

"Now! Fire!"

{Jump to the side!}

The ball of energy flew out of its mouth and hurdled towards Tyrunt, but the Fossil Pokémon was able to skid to a halt, kick his leg and dart off to the right of the attack just as it whizzed past him, leaving both Plumeria and Salandit surprised.

{Now keep running and go in for the Tackle!}

He snarled again, and before the enemy had a chance to fire up another Dragon Rage, he charged up his speed and rammed head-first into the opposing Pokémon, then swung his head and threw it off to the side. It crashed into the side of one of the cliffs we were by and slid down to the ground, landing on its stomach. It started to get back up, but it was obviously struggling. We just needed to give it one more push.

{Now use one more Bite before it can get back up!}

"Flame Burst! Maybe we can burn it!"

The enemy Salandit fired up flames in its mouth and shot them at Tyrunt as he approached. But the Rock and Dragon-Type Pokémon was barely even phased by the collision.

And before it had a chance to try and burn him again, he was already on top of it, and he clamped his jaws down on the Pokémon's middle, shook it wildly then flung it back towards its Trainer. The Salandit lay where it landed, motionless except for the rise and fall of its middle.

It was still alive, but there was no way it was getting back up to battle.

We'd won.

{We did it! You did great out there, Tyrunt!}

{I did?} he grinned. {I-I mean, ah...Of course I did! I learned from the best, after all!}

"Oh! Did we win, boss?" Rotom asked, peeking out of my bag. I gave him a nod, and he floated back out, taking a look at the unconscious Salandit on the ground before us.

"Ha! You sure showed them how it'zzz done! Heh...That Salandit's still alive, though, right?"

{It's still breathing; don't worry about it. It should be fine as long as this one at least has the decency to take it to the Pokémon Center.}

Plumeria huffed, then returned her Salandit to its capsule.

{So what were you saying about messing me up?} I teased, Rotom translating for me again.

"Hmph...So you are as strong as he said you were," she acknowledged. "Not too shabby, I'll give you that...But mess with anyone on Team Skull again, and I won't hesitate to show you how serious I can get."

{Oooh, I'm terrified. I might have to use THREE Pokémon instead of ONE next time, and I'll have to use one that'd evolved at least once already. I couldn't possibly imagine anything worse than that.}

"You're not the only one who knows how to train and evolve Pokémon, ya Cretaceous cretin! You know how to kill and eat them, though..."

{And you know how to steal Slowpoke and cut off their tails, as if that's much better.}

"We need the money those tails are worth!"

{Because you're too lazy to earn it the right way like the rest of us do?}

"OH. So that's how you wanna play, huh, Ms. Moral-high-ground? Well, I'll have you know that-"

"Hey, hey, guys, guys! Come on..." Hau interrupted, stepping between us a bit. "This argument's gettin' too heated. Let's chill out, huh? Besides, we-"

"Did I ask for you to preach to us?" she snapped at him. "Why don't you step back down into place like the pushover you are? You're the Melemele Kahuna's grandson, and you're the weakest simpleton I've ever seen in my life...Shameful. I can imagine how disappointed Hala must be in you...And the only reason he doesn't say it outright is probably because he pities you so much. He pities what you turned out to be...And this thing, whatever she is, she probably does, too."

I expected him to laugh it off and call her crazy for ever thinking such a thing, and the same thing was on my mind...But Hau just fell completely silent then and there.

He just looked at me, then at Plumeria, then back to me again. His head lowered, and he backed away from the two of us, then turned away and wandered back into the Akala outskirts, looking like his heart had just been torn clean in half.

I turned back to face Plumeria, and frankly, I was speechless myself with what she'd said to him...But she didn't seem to think much of it.

"What? You know it's true as much as I do," she told me. "And if you don't like it, why don't you scratch me like you did my brother on Melemele? Or did he rub off on you so much that you ain't got the nerve yourself anymore?"

{...That's it.}

"While you're at it, maybe you can prance on down to the Malasada shop and gorge yourselves on-"

WHAM

All it took was a quick spin and she was on the ground.

I hardly even realized what I'd done until the last moment. My claws were clean, and my teeth were white, but Plumeria was down.

{...So THAT'S what it feels like to use Dragon Tail.}

She groaned as she sat back up, trying to regain the wind knocked out of her...She tilted her head up to behold a set of bared teeth and an angry glare. I was able to deal with them threatening to take Hau's Pokémon, and even threatening to beat him to a pulp, since they did that to everyone. But THIS? This wasn't something I was going to let slide so easily.

{...Apologize to my friend,} I snarled, Rotom doing his best to incorporate my angry tone in his own voice. {Then get out of here and never bother us again. And SHUT UP about your 'brothers and sisters' who cause nothing but trouble for everyone around here. Hau is a thousand times the brother to me than any of them could ever be to you, and you don't even realize it...THAT'S what's pitiful.}

"Psh," she scoffed, a smug grin on her face. "I'm not as easy to sway as the grunts, you know. Try and make me!"

{Alright.}

WHACK

"OW!"

That one struck her across the face.

{Are you swayed now? Or should I call out my Hawlucha and have him practice his Karate Chop for the Grand Trial? You'd make a nice rock to smash.}

"...Fine," she finally caved. "But only because you're so insistent!"

I scanned around for Hau, and finally spotted him heading south, about to make the turn back onto the coastal cliff. I barked to get his attention, and he slowly came to a stop, stood there for a moment, and then looked back at the two of us. I called out a couple more times, and he started to head back towards us, his head hung all the while.

...He seemed so lifeless compared to what he'd been just a few minutes ago. He almost looked ill.

{...Well?}

She rolled her eyes and faced Hau, still looking pretty displeased by the situation she was in.

"Alright, alright...Sorry for bein' a jerk, or whatever," she spat, turning back to me. "...Happy now, Scarface?"

WHAP

"AUGH, you son of a...WHAT'S THE PROBLEM NOW!?"

{Just get out of here.}

"Jeez...Professor Kukui wasn't all there when he gave you that Trainer's passport, huh?"

{NOW!}

"Alright, alright already!" she replied as she headed back towards Route 9. "But don't think you've seen the last of me! Either of ya!"

Finally, she disappeared around the corner. I turned to face Hau; he had risen his head at that point, but it was clear that he was still pretty upset by what he'd been told.

{...You do know that's not true, right?} I asked him. {Team Skull isn't anymore honest than they are pleasant.}

"Well...I mean, I hope it's not true," he replied. "They've poked fun at me for stuff before, but...That cut me pretty deep just now, you know?"

{I can imagine...Why do you think I got so angry at her?}

"Heh...Yeah. Guess that's proof enough that YOU don't think that about me," he nodded. "But, like...Someone sayin' something like that kinda does make me wonder if I'm really living up to people's expectations, you know? You ever feel that way about stuff?"

{Hmm...I can't say I haven't.}

"Yeah?"

{Yes...I felt like I wasn't living up to my full potential at one point. But...}

"But what?"

{Well...That was what earned me THIS.}

I raised a claw and tapped at the jagged scar streaming down the side of my jaws.

"Oh. Oh, dang..."

{But I guess you can't try to fight your way to the top without taking a risk of some sort,} I figured. {Besides, I was all on my own trying to achieve that goal. You, though? You're not alone in this. I'm backing you up, and so are the Professor and Lillie. Every step of the way as we go on this Island Challenge. That's my new goal. And it's yours...And since we're both on the same path walking side-by-side, that means I'M not alone, either. And I couldn't have found a better companion to find myself taking this journey with. You're not a disappointment. You're a role model, you're my friend, you're...}

I paused.

{...No. You're not just a friend to me anymore, Hau,} I corrected myself. {If there's one thing Plumeria said that had any truth to it, it's that you...You're my brother.}

His eyes widened a bit, and his small smile grew bigger still.

"...You really think that, huh?"

{I do...Plumeria and her underlings don't have anything on us. Trust me...We'll show 'em one of these days.}

I nudged him with my elbow, and whatever sadness remained in his eyes seemed to fade in an instant.

"...Heh...You said it, Echo," he replied. "Ha ha...You know, if I'm your brother, I guess that makes you my sister, right?"

{It does, doesn't it?}

"Yeah...Guess Rotom here was right when he said I was like, a cool uncle to your Pokémon, huh?"

"Yep! I called it! Ha!"

"You sure did," Hau nodded. "...So, should we keep going? Can't wait to see you go all out against the Kahuna!"

{I was just about to say something along those lines,} I replied, looking at the path ahead and into the clearing. {...Let's go in.}

We headed past the twin statues lining the path and looked up at the entry into the ruins.

{So there are the Ruins of Life, are they Rotom?}

"That they are! The people on Akala Island vizzzit here to pay their respects to the Island Deity Tapu Lele! Kzzt!"

"Yeah...But speaking of visiting, where's Kahuna Olivia at?" Hau wondered aloud. "You think she might've gone inside?"

{Well...There's only one way to find out, I suppose,} I decided, heading closer to the opening in the earth. {Come on. Let's see if-}

"Hey! Hold on, Echo! Hau!"

We both turned and looked behind us to see both Professor Burnet and Lillie coming our way. The latter was pink with embarrassment.

"Sorry to trouble you two," the former told us. "But Lillie got herself a little lost in Heahea City, so I decided to bring her to you guys."

"Oh. Uh...Yeah! Not a problem with us!" Hau grinned.

"Ha ha...Yeah...I got a little sidetracked while trying to find my way here," Lillie admitted sheepishly.

"I'll say," Burnet nodded. "She says she spotted some more of those Team Skull grunts on her way there, and she lost her way while she was trying to stay out of their sight."

{Oh, for the love of peace. Team Skull is EVERYWHERE!} I crowed in contempt. {I just had to deal with them TWICE within two hours! Can't they just pick ONE island to cause trouble on!?}

"I'm afraid they never learn their lesson," she replied, shaking her head and sighing. "I just hope that'll change someday soon...I've gotta go, now, though. The Masked Royal is having a match in half an hour, and there's no way I'm going to miss it! See you fellas!"

She turned and headed back down the pathway, and we turned to face Lillie.

"So, uh, Lillie," Hau said to her. "Echo and I were talkin' about this not too long ago. You free tomorrow morning?"

"I think so," she nodded.

"So, ah..." he continued, turning ever so slightly pink in the face. "You keen on meeting us at one of the breakfast nooks in Heahea City tomorrow for, like, some pancakes and stuff like that? I dunno, just a thought...I mean, if you're busy, then I-"

"Actually, that sounds pretty nice," she answered him. "First thing in the morning?"

"Oh. Uh...Yeah! Ah...Rotom buddy, where's the nearest breakfast place?"

"There'zzz one just in between the Pokémon Center and the Game Freak Office building southeast of the Dimensional Research Lab!"

"Awesome...Hey, what kind of ratings does the place have?"

"Oh, you're doin' your homework on this, huh? I couldn't imagine why..."

"Chill out, Rotom. I'm not gonna want to eat at a place with horrible reviews."

"Because you wanna impress."

"DUDE!"

Rotom burst into a fit of giggles, and Hau just stood there, turning redder still.

"Haha...Heh. According to my database, the place has overall 4.2/5 starzzz," my PokéDex finally answered him. "Not too shabby, if I do say so myself! Bzzt!"

"Thank you...Okay. So, what brings you here, Lillie?"

"I came here for Nebby," she replied. Both of us noticed the tiny gaseous Pokémon trying to escape from her bag again. "Well...More accurately, I was brought here. But you know what I mean...It's funny, really. Nebby's fascination with the Ruins and always wanting to go to them..."

"Pew!"

It'd finally escaped its confines and was now hovering low to the ground among the three of us.

"Why are these Ruins so important to you, Nebby?" Lillie asked it. "What do the guardians mean to you?"

"Pew...?"

It didn't seem to understand, its attention focused on the entrance to the Ruins of Life. All of us looked into the mysterious cavern...

And all of us saw the silhouette emerging from the darkness.

Lillie jumped, unnerved by something so unexpected, and Hau stepped in front of her, Poké Ball in hand. I narrowed my eyes to try and peer into the darkness, but by the time I was able to make out the shape of the figure, it had already stepped into the evening light.

"A-ha! There you are. Perfect timing!"

"Oh..." Hau sighed in relief. "Kahuna Olivia. It's just you."

"So it is," she nodded as she approached us. Lillie beckoned for Nebby to go back into hiding, and when it refused, she stepped in front of it. "Sorry I had to ask you to come all the way here, Echo. Tapu Lele summoned me here to clean up the Ruins some, and I wasn't about to refuse."

{Wait,} I responded. {The Island Deity actually called you to come here?}

"Certainly so. We Kahunas don't just preside over the trials of our respective islands; we tend to the Guardian Deities' Ruins, as well!"

{Erm...How did it call you here?}

"Oh, it usually makes a noise; it's loud enough for all of Akala Island to hear sometimes. Ha! But when it calls, I come...Good thing I'm finally finished with that business. And so are you, regarding the three trials. Right?"

I nodded.

"Well then, I think it's high time we had that Grand Trial, don't you?"

{I've been looking forward to it for hours,} I chattered, already clutching my first pick for the fight.

"So have I..."

She grabbed a Poké Ball of her own, and Hau and Lillie stepped over to the side, watching from a distance.

"You better prepare yourself, Echo! Me and rugged Rock-Types are gonna show you everything we've got!"

The very moment the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, we called out our first Pokémon, and the Grand Trial I'd been preparing for all afternoon finally commenced.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"Nosepass! Show them what you're made of!"

{Kick this off with Hone Claws, Red!}

My Hawlucha landed elegantly on the ground before me, facing off against the enemy as it materialized midair and fell to the ground with an audible "THUD."

"Pass..."

Having already received his first command, Red slid his claws against one another to sharpen them, not attacking just yet. But Olivia saw it as a chance for her to take advantage, and she went in for it.

"Thunder Wave! Maybe we can paralyze it!"

The strange-looking Rock-Type sent out a sputtering jolt of electricity our way, too fast for Red to avoid, and the attack hit him head on...

But he simply shook the Thunder Wave off as if it were nothing, then smirked confidently at the opponent.

"Oh! Thunder Wave doesn't work!" Rotom announced. "Red'zzz ability must be Limber, then! It prevents paralysis!"

{That's good news,} I responded. {Alright, Red! Go in for Karate Chop!}

He kicked off of the ground and into the air, claws glowing red, and shot down towards the opponent at blinding speed. The collision kicked up a massive amount of dust, and through the cloud, I could see the enemy Nosepass. The attack had done a number on it, but it was still standing.

"Use Spark!"

The Rock-Type charged up again, the electric energy now engulfing its entire body, and it charged at my idle Hawlucha at an alarming speed for something so clumsy-looking.

{Counter with another Karate Chop!}

I was a moment too late. Right when he'd finished firing up his attack, the opponent slammed into him, sending him hurdling across the field. It did some damage, but not enough to down him; Red pushed himself back up and brushed off the dust from his feathers before making another intimidating pose.

"Cha!"

"Try your Rock Slide, Nosepass!"

{Take to the air again, Red! And hone in as close as you can to finish it off!}

The Wrestling Pokémon spread his wings and became airborne on my command, and Olivia's Nosepass started hurling enormous boulders into the air out of nowhere. He weaved through two, flew over another, barreled to the left to dodge a forth, one more to the right, and then performed a flashy corkscrew as he readied to dive beneath the last rock...

Only to get his timing off, and the boulder fell overtop of him as it came careening towards the ground.

He squawked in agony as the rock crashed into the earth on top of him, expose hand going limp. Had he fainted?

"Cha...Ru-CHA!"

As suddenly as he'd been struck by the rock, it was in pieces. He'd used his Karate Chop to destroy it, just like we'd done during Mallow's Trial.

Although his fighting spirit still burned, it was obvious that he wouldn't be able to take anymore attacks very well.

{Don't mess around anymore!} I called to him. {We can save the fancy stuff for another battle! Focus! Use Karate Chop one more time!}

He looked back at me, seemingly unamused, but still stood tall and spread his wings again.

"Use Spark again, Nosepass! Maybe we can finish him off first!"

The enemy fired up its Electric-Type attack again and started to charge, but by the time it was close enough to strike, Red had successfully prepared his finishing move.

"Haw...Lu..."

He drew back his glowing hand, and then...

"CHA!"

He struck his target right in the center of its giant red nose.

The Nosepass flew over the battlefield towards its Trainer and landed on its side...And it wasn't getting back up.

She returned the Pokémon, then pulled out her next fighter.

"Not bad... But if Nosepass wore your Hawlucha down, wait until you see what else I have in store!"

She called out her second Pokémon, and it materialized on the ground, emitting a sort of scratching noise of a battle cry.

It actually looked a bit like a Wimpod, but with a few notable differences, such as its two longer front appendages, the red-tipped wings it had coming out on each of its sides.

{Huh...Interesting Pokémon. What kind is it, Rotom?}

"Allow me!"

He zipped around the creature, and it looked at him curiously with its big, round eyes.

"Scanning...Scanning...Scan complete!

"Anorith: The Old Shrimp Pokémon! Said to be a Bug-Type Pokémon progenitor, it uzzzed its eight wings to swim through the ancient ocean, and it was surprisingly quick! However, they wouldn't survive as well in the ocean today, since the water composition has drastically changed since then. Huh...But by the lookzzz of it, I guess they don't do so bad on land, either! Bzzrt!"

{Ancient oceans...So, is it a Fossil Pokémon?}

"That it is! If you'd chozzzen the Claw Fossil instead of the Jaw Fossil, you'd have one, too. Crazzzy, huh?"

{That is crazy,} I agreed. {...But it's not what happened, is it?}

"Alright, Anorith! Smack Down! That ought to finish it off!"

{Use Roost!}

Red took a knee and started to recover his lost health. But by the time he was finished, the rock launched by the enemy was too close to dodge.

...Thankfully, it wasn't all that powerful, and Red had already healed quite nicely by then.

Even so, the fire in his eyes was slowly dying, his fervor draining as he became more exhausted with each move. And Potions didn't recover energy as much as they healed wounds.

I pulled out his capsule, and he turned to me, shaking his head, insistent that he still had enough in him to take on one more opponent...But it was clear that he didn't.

{Return, Red, } I said to him as he was sucked back into his Poké Ball. {You did well enough.}

As I stored him away, I pulled out my own second fighter and tossed his ball in the air.

{It's gonna be Fossil against Fossil, Olivia!} I announced, Rotom staying quiet as to not spoil the surprise. {Tyrunt! Time to shine!}

The Royal Heir Pokémon formed from the red light before its opponent, and gave out his best roar to scare his opponent. But the enemy Anorith simply narrowed its gaze at us.

"Think we didn't come unprepared for enemy Rock-Types?" Olivia remarked. "Anorith! Show them your Metal Claw!"

With that, the creature started to make its way across the field. I was impressed by how fast her Nosepass was, but THIS? If it was this fast on land, I was scared to see just how fast it was in the water where it used to dwell.

{Tyrunt! Roll off to the side and stun it with Stomp!}

{Will do,} he growled back, a faint indication of a smile on his jaws.

Anorith might have been fast on its wings and claws, but Tyrunt had one thing it didn't: well-developed legs. And he used those legs to push himself off to the side just as his opponent was about to slash him with its steely-glowing claws, then to push himself back and SLAM his foot down right on top of the Anorith's head. The creature seemed to emit a surprised squeak as it was struck, and stayed put after the impact, completely dazed.

{Now's our chance! Use Bite!}

He opened his mouth and bore his teeth, readying the attack...

And then, all of a sudden, his fangs started to glow white!

{His teeth are glowing...What is that, Rotom?}

"I'll tell ya what it izzz! It looks like our buddy Tyrunt just learned the move Crunch!"

{Crunch?}

"It's like Bite, but a LOT more powerful! Zzt!"

Olivia looked as though she was about to call out another attack, but before she could give her Anorith another command, Tyrunt let out a snarl and clamped down onto the Anorith's middle. Again, the enemy Fossil Pokémon let out a suppressed shriek, and he thrashed his head about with the creature in his jaws before finally tossing it to his side. It landed on its back, exposing its soft underbelly, before unsteadily pushing itself back up. Tyrunt's new Crunch attack had taken a lot out of it.

{Excellent, Tyrunt!} I called out to him. {You've almost won already!}

{Just following your orders, Alpha!} he smiled back. {We've both almost won!}

{Finish it off with Tackle!}

With that, he started to charge at the Anorith, tail glowing and his yellow eyes focusing on his target.

"Oh no you don't!" Olivia called out. "Metal Claw, one more time!"

Before I could order Tyrunt to dodge, he rammed RIGHT into the attack, and the enemy slashed him once across the legs right when he drew near enough to knock him down, then a second one to the side, and then a particularly powerful swipe right to his face. He let out a bark of pain as the tough, scaly skin on the bridge of his snout broke, and his earthy brown scales began to run red.

{TYRUNT!}

He shook his head from side to side, trying to shake away the stinging pain of the gash on his face with little avail.

"It's distracted!" Olivia realized. "Take him down with Bug Bite!"

The enemy began to advance on Tyrunt, who was still bothered by the wound on his face.

{Snap out of it, Tyrunt!} I hollered. {Hurry! Prepare your Dragon Tail!}

{Huh...?}

{Dragon Tail! You've almost got it!}

{It hurts...}

{Just this last move! I promise! Finish the job!}

Trying to ignore the pain that not only wracked his face, but now his entire form, he fired his Dragon Tail up as best he could, the light emitting from it sputtering a bit.

{Wait for it...Wait for it...}

The Anorith skittered closer, its mandibles now exposed as it prepared its attack.

{SWING!}

He grunted as he spun around and slammed his tail into the enemy as best he could. And it hit once, twice...

THREE TIMES before he stopped spinning and looked at his opponent.

The opposing Fossil Pokémon was on the ground before him, eyes closed and even more badly battered than Tyrunt.

It was down.

She returned Anorith to its Poké Ball, and I took the chance to pull out a Potion and apply it to the gaping wound on my Pokémon's face. The gap closed and the bleeding ceased, but there was still a faint tan mark indicating where the last Metal Claw had landed on his face, obstructing the darker brown scales around it.

I sighed at the sight of it; Tyrunt did bear several of my own traits, such as my eyes and build, but he didn't deserve to bear the scar. I hoped it would go away soon.

{...Did I do good?} he huffed, still fatigued from the fight.

{You did more than just 'good,' Tyrunt,} I told him. {You were amazing.}

{I was?}

"Are you kiddin', buddo!?" Rotom exclaimed. "You RULED the battlefield out there! Bzzt!"

{Yeah...He did rule the battlefield...}

The very moment I said it with my own mouth, it dawned on me.

Tyrunt...The Royal Heir Pokémon...who rules the battlefield like a...

{That's it,} I gargled.

{What's it?} he asked, looking up at me intently.

{Your nickname. I know what it should be.}

His eyes widened, and his jaw fell slightly agape in anticipation.

{You're name...} I gurgled. {...is King.}

He beamed, and proudly stood taller than ever, the white plumage on his neck puffing out as much as he was himself.

{I take it you like that?}

{I couldn't have wished for anything better,} he said to me. {...I'll live up to that name with everything I have in me.}

{I'm sure you will,} I nodded. {...You've fought well. Best you rest for the remainder of the fight.}

{Are you sure? The Potion really helped. I think I can keep going! I...I don't want to stop until I DROP!}

{I don't know, King. It might have healed up your face well enough, but it didn't do much else. Besides...}

I looked up to see Olivia calling out her third Pokémon.

"Your Tyrunt may have beaten Anorith, but he won't fare so well against this! Lycanroc! Come on out!"

The Pokémon materialized, and then rose from its hunched position, tilted its head up, and let out an echoing battle cry.

"Awowwwwwwrrr!"

The Pokémon was taller than either of the last two by a significant amount, and sported a white and blood-red coat of fur, its immense claws and mouthful of teeth gleaming in the light of dusk. This Pokémon not only looked far stronger than the ones we'd already beaten, but the glare in its scarlet eyes told me it meant business.

{...This last one might be a bit much for you to handle.}

Tyrunt pouted, then reluctantly stepped toward his Poké Ball.

{I guess you're right...But when you have your next Trainer battle, can I go first?}

{I'll see to that.}

He nodded in satisfaction as I returned him to his capsule and pulled out a different one yet again.

{Alright, Dartrix! Take over!}

My partner formed in front of me, and he immediately spread his wings to display the blade quills he kept stored in between his feathers.

"Krrrrroooooo!"

"That's how you wanna play, is it?" Olivia asked. "Then we'll play the offensive card on both ends! Lycanroc! Use Rock Tomb!"

{Dodge and counter it with Razor Leaf!}

He flapped his wings and lifted off the ground as the rocks summoned by the enemy came flying towards him, and swerved off to the side just in time to avoid being hit, and then he extended his left wing and shot out three glowing blade quills at the Lycanroc, too swift to dodge. They struck the opponent right in the face, and it snarled as they made impact, the glow of its eyes becoming brighter.

"Use Bite! We'll whittle it down first before bringing out the big guns!"

The opponent got down on all fours and began to advance on us, jaws open and ready to attack.

{Razor Leaf, one more time!}

He fired up his blade quills again, but Olivia saw the attack ahead of time.

"Hard left! Then pick up speed!"

It narrowly evaded our attack, then honed in on Dartrix all the way, having already gotten uncomfortably close. We had no time to avoid its jaws clamping down on my partner's wing and thrashing about with it in its mouth before he was thrown off to side.

{DARTRIX!}

Before he could flap his wings and return to the air, he crashed into the side of one of the cliffs surrounding the Ruins and slid back down to the ground, his wing wet with both drool and the blood starting to leak from the bite wound.

"Kroo...Koo roo..." he hooted as he unsteadily stood back to his feet, shaking the moisture from his wing the best he could before turning back to face the enemy Lycanroc.

There was a fiery glow in my partner's glaring gaze, and it only seemed to intensify the longer I looked at it...I vaguely remembered that look, but I couldn't pinpoint when I'd seen it before.

{Razor Leaf, one more try!}

He let out a deep, ominous-sounding trill, then spread his wings and aimed his attack, the blade quills hidden in his plumage glowing ever brighter. And it was odd, but I could have sworn that they looked bigger than normal, too...

I found out why when he shot one at the opponent.

The long, thin, pointed blade quill landed right at the Lycanroc's feet, having seemed to have narrowly missed its mark. But the very next moment, it burst with energy, exploding right in the enemy's face and forming a strange, clear barrier around it. The Pokémon yipped in both pain and shock as the attack, and I stared on myself, just as bewildered as our opponent.

And it was the next moment that Dartrix landed, and the glow in his eyes grew even brighter, then began to spread over his face, then head, then down to his talons. I finally realized what was happening.

...He was evolving. Again.

From beneath the white light, Dartrix grew taller still; his leafy tail fanned out, becoming bigger and longer than ever before, and the leaves on his facial disc spread all over his head and draped over his shoulders.

The light dissipated, and there stood my newly-evolved partner Pokémon, a Dartrix no more.

"Drrrit twoooo..."

He grabbed one of the vines on his newly-formed leaf hood with the shorter feathers at the ends of his now-spotted wings, then extracted another long blade quill, set the back end of it on the vine, pulled it back, and then let go. The projectile flew at the still-stunned enemy at blinding speed, and it caused yet another explosion when it made impact.

When I unshielded my eyes from the dust that'd been scattered, I saw the enemy Lycanroc lying there in its stomach. It tried to push itself back up, only for its arm to cave in, and it fell once again, wheezing as it collapsed into a faint.

The Grand Trial was complete. We won.

"How lovely..." Olivia remarked, seeming unamused by her loss.

As the Kahuna returned her fallen Lycanroc to its ball, my avian partner turned to face me; now, he was just as tall as I was, and his now red and yellow eyes, leafy hood and dark mask of a facial disc made him a far different Pokémon from the dandy Dartrix he'd been before.

One thing was for certain, though: he looked INCREDIBLE.

{Rotom,} I chittered. {What kind of Pokémon is he now?}

"Guess that'zzz my cue to scan!"

He zipped around the Grass-Type to collect the necessary data.

"Scanning...Scanning...Scan complete!

"Decidueye: the Arrow Quill Pokémon; the evolved form of Dartrix and final form of Rowlet! It can nock and fire an arrow quill at an enemy in just a tenth of a second, and itzzz shots nearly never miss their target! Unlike its Flying-Type pre-evolved stages, Rowlet and Dartrix, Decidueye is a Grass and Ghost-Type Pokémon, so it's completely immune to Normal and Fighting-Type attacks! Bzzt! Nifty, huh?"

Decidueye straightened out his leaf bow, which was now red instead of green, and awaited my response.

I nodded in satisfaction; his new form looked better than I could have ever imagined.

{INCREDIBLE, Decidueye,} I crawed. {You really are an amazing partner!}

"Dwit, dwit!"

He bowed courteously, displaying one of the arrow quills he had tucked in his wing.

{What'd he say, Rotom?}

"He said that he'll continue to make you proud in the days to come! I should agree. Such a naturally skilled archer would certainly know hizzz way around the battefield! Zzt!"

{A what?}

"An archer! Someone who fires arrowzzz and fires 'em well!"

{...That's it.}

"What's it?"

{"Archer"...How about that for a nickname?}

"Not very original with naming thingzzz, are ya, boss?"

{Oh, come on, Rotom. I like it. What say you, partner?}

The Arrow Quill Pokémon nodded and smiled in response. It was all the answer I needed.

{It's settled, then. That's your name, fresh upon evolution!}

"Dritt dwoo!"

Archer seemed more excited simply by the fact he'd gotten a nickname at all than what it actually was. Either way, however, both of us were satisfied.

"Hm...Well...Coal must be pushed to its limit before any sparkling diamonds show through."

Kahuna Olivia stepped forward, no longer disappointed at her loss.

"Evolving mid-battle and downing my partner with its first ever Spirit Shackle...That's certainly one way to pass the Grand Trial with flying colors! You and your team really are something, Echo! Now, you wouldn't mind me seeing your Trainer Passport for a moment, would you?"

I dug the booklet out of my back and handed it to her, and watched as she got out the stamp, pressed it onto the page, and wrote down my accomplishment. She handed it back to me, and I admired the pink completion stamp before reading over the written text beside it.

"Akala Trial Completion"

"With this stamp, all Pokémon up to Lv. 50 will obey your every command."

"Aue! That was AWESOME SAUCE!" Hau cheered. "Man, she may know Icy Wind, but if I wanna step up to your game, I gotta evolve Brionne! Hey, maybe we'll get there when the team and I take on the Grand Trial ourselves! We've done all the other trials, so we could do it whenever!"

"Hmm...Perhaps when the sun shows its face again, Hau, I'll test your strength," Olivia told him. "It seems quite late at this point."

She was right; by now the sky had turned an inky blue-black, and the stars sparkled against it. There was just a sliver of sunlight still shining over the horizon and turning it teal, but soon it would be gone for the night.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Hau understood. "S'pose I should find a place to roost for the night...You wanna bunk, Echo?"

{Sounds like a plan to me,} I nodded.

"Dwit dwoo!" Archer agreed.

"And, ah...How 'bout you, Lillie? Wanna hang with us for the night?"

"Oh...Thank you, Hau," she replied. "Yes, I would. If you don't mind, at least."

"No, no, not at all!" he replied. "Let's head on out, then!"

I returned Archer to his capsule, and we all left the Ruins of Life, bound for the city.

"So, get this," Hau said to us. "Just before I met up with Echo past Memorial Hill, I ran into this weird green guy and his assistant, or intern, or somethin' like that, and helped him out of a Team Skull jam. Said he was from the Aether Foundation, and he wanted me to come to Hano Grand Resort when I finish my trial. Crazy, huh?"

I was surprised enough to not register seeing Lillie tense up out of the corner of my eye.

{Weird...The same exact thing happened to me,} I chittered curiously. {And, ah...You saw the aftermath of that battle.}

"Heh...Yep."

"Ooh, the Aether Foundation?" Olivia marveled. "I wonder what they would want with the two of you?"

"Guess there's only one way to find out!" Hau shrugged as we passed through the cemetery. "Hey, uh, Lillie. You gonna come with us there?"

"U-um, I think I'll stay here!" she answered quickly, seeming on edge. "We'll all have breakfast tomorrow, I'll watch your Grand Trial and then I'll...um...go browse the clothing stores again! Yeah! Got a pretty big to-do list for tomorrow, so..."

"Oh...Okay. Hey, at least we'll all be together tonight and tomorrow morning, right?"

I nodded at Hau, then turned to face Lillie.

{Is...something the matter?}

"Who? What? With me?" she responded, somewhat curtly. "No. Nothing's wrong. Nothing at all."

{Are you sure about that?}

"Positive. I'm just...not fond of Very Large Floating Structures, is all. Not as sturdy as land."

I could tell she wasn't being completely honest, but I decided not to pry into the situation anymore.

{Well...Okay,} I nodded. {Rotom. Any hotels in the area?}

"We could stay at the Tide Song Hotel for the night! It's a tad pricy, but it'zzz really the only place in Heahea City to spend the night. The good news izz that they give a discount to Trainerzzz participating in the Island Challenge! If you three pooled your moolah together, that'd probably turn out alright! Bzzrt!"

"Sounds good to me!" Hau exclaimed as he picked up speed. "Come on, let's step it up!"

{Way ahead if you, Hau!}

"Hey! You guys!" Lillie called out from behind us. "Wait!"

{Hmm...}

I skidded to a halt, and Hau did the same soon after.

{Maybe we should stay together,} I decided as she caught up to us. {I mean, the last thing I we want is to run into any Team Skull members in the darkness of night. Right?}

"Ha...Yeah. No kidding," Lillie nodded nervously. "Hey. A-at least I know you can handle them...!"

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

ANOTHER QUICK A/N: when younger me was writing the first version of this chapter, i was simultaneously getting into the undertale. at the time, i thought it would be funny to throw a little easter egg-type reference into this...skip to today, and now present me doesn't know it it's funny or cringe, so you can decide that for yourself. ಥ_ಥ

~~~~​

"So just four big ol' stacks of our classic pancakes, huh? We'll get right on it then!"

"Thanks for that!" Hau called out as the waiter left the able we were all sitting at.

"So, Echo," he addressed. "How'd you sleep last night? First time sleepin' in an actual bed...Cool, right?"

The room we stayed in at the Tide Song Hotel the previous night only had two beds available, as all the three-bed rooms were immensely popular this time of year with families, and had all of them had been booked already. Hau and Lillie had agreed to bunk in one, leaving the other for me.

And despite it being completely normal for the humans, I found sleeping in a bed to be a somewhat strange experience.

{To be completely honest,} I admitted, trying to keep my tired eyes open. {I think I'll stick to using the ground for my bed. It's a lot firmer, doesn't cost a thing, and I don't get tangled up in the grass like I do in the covers. Not to mention having to risk putting holes in it with my feet...Besides, I had a REALLY weird dream last night, and I think my lack of rest might have had something to do with it.}

"Oh...Sorry to hear that, cousin. Hey, at least we know that now, right?"

I nodded in agreement.

"So, what was your dream about, Echo?" Lillie asked.

"Bzzt? Did it have anymore to do with your old home?" Rotom chimed in, equally curious.

{I...don't think so, really. The place in the dream seemed completely foreign to me.}

"What was it like?" Hau inquired, taking a sip of his Pinap Juice. "Spill the beans, bud!"

{Well, I was wandering around this...sort of a dark marshland. It was damp and cool, and there were glittering stones along the dirt walls.}

"Ooh...Soundzzz kinda pretty, actually."

{So I found this bridge of flowers growing along the water.}

"Uh-huh, yeah..."

{And I followed it over to a smaller part of the marsh.}

"Did you find anything interesting?" Lillie asked.

{There was a bench there. And I look underneath the bench...}

"Yeah, yeah?" Hau urged, dying to know what happened next.

{And there's just...A quiche sitting there.}

"A...quiche?" Lillie repeated.

{Yep. A cold quiche just sitting under the bench like someone left it there.}

"...So didja eat it?" Hau asked.

{I picked it up, but Rotom's alarm started beeping before I got the chance to put it in my mouth.}

"Oh. Heh heh...Sorry, boss. If I'd known, I'd have kept quiet."

{No worries, Rotom. Besides, if I want a quiche then I can always just fly back to the Thrifty Megamart and buy another.}

"Oh, a bit more keen on the Charizard Glide now, are ya?"

{Hey, if I've done it three times already and know what to expect, then it should be fine, right?}

"Heck, yeah!" Hau exclaimed. "You conquer that fear o' heights like you conquer Team Skull!"

{I plan to,} I nodded. {So, after we're done here, we're all gonna go back to Memorial Hill to watch you take on Kahuna Olivia, and then once you're done with that, we'll all head back here to Heahea City, Lillie is gonna go find the Professor, and you and I are going to head over to Hano Grand Resort to see what the Aether Foundation wants, is that right?}

"That's the plan!" Hau nodded. "Uh, hey Lillie. You sure you wanna stay here? I mean, we don't want to leave you in the dust or anything."

I shook no in agreement, still wondering why Lillie seemed so tense whenever the Aether Foundation was merely mentioned, as she was now.

"No, no, it's fine. I don't mind doing things with the Professor for a while," she insisted. "Besides, we'll all meet back up on Ula'ula Island later today anyways, won't we?"

"Yeah, we will, but...I dunno. Guess I just feel kinda guilty about it."

"Hey, Hau, it's okay. There's nothing you need to feel guilty about. Hey, you've already set my day off to a great start by inviting us to breakfast, so you get a pass! Hee hee...!"

"Heh...Okay, I'll take your word for it."

"Alrighty! Four stacks o' classic pancakes!"

Before we even realized it, the waiter had put out three steaming, sweet-smelling stacks of the griddle-cooked goodness before us. And soon they would all be topped with a coat of melted butter and drenched in syrup on top of that.

One thing was for certain: I was NEVER going to get tired of human cuisine.

"So, the forth one, here," the waiter continued, the last platter still in his hand. "Who's it for?"

That was when Hau and I showed off our Poké Balls.

"Well, I wasn't about to let my Raichu miss out on this," he replied.

"Oh, HO, those are gonna be some happy Pokémon!" he grinned, placing the meal on the table. "You folks enjoy! Just make sure they don't cause any havoc, 'kay?"

"Will do!"

The moment he left for another table, we opened up all of the capsules and let out our teammates. Red, Archer and King all ruffled their feathers in anticipation, while Sassafras and Grace wagged their tails in excitement. All of my Pokémon were on the verge of drooling once the scent of their breakfast hit their nostrils.

And so were Hau's.

"Bri..."

"Raiii, Chu...!"

"Noi, noi!"

His Noibat flitted around eagerly, then landed on the table, already eyeing up the fruit-flavored syrups off to its side.

"Ya want the Mago Berry Syrup on yours, Noibat? Comin' right up!"

It landed on his head, turned upside-down over his face and smothered him with affectionate licks.

"'Ey, come on, now! Save that for your breakfast!"

{So, there's more than one syrup flavor here?} I asked, eyeing up the different bottles myself. The three bottles aside from the maple one looked like they were made from different kinds of berries.

"Yep," Hau nodded as he prepared his Noibat's food, the Pokémon hopping up and down where it stood in anticipation. "I still recommend the maple, though; this is your first time eating the stuff, so why not go for the classics before delvin' into the nitty-gritty of it?"

{Fair point,} I nodded, looking to each of my Pokémon to get their preference. {What about all of you?}

Everybody voted maple except for Red and Sassafras; the latter was eyeing up the Razz Berry syrup, and the former was, to our surprise, insisting that he didn't want any syrup on his, simply turning his beak up at the bottles and shaking his head. It didn't look like there were any flavors there he liked.

"Ru, Haw-Lucha."

{What'd he say, Rotom?}

"Huh...He wantzzz to know where the hot sauce is."

The table erupted into laughter, and the Wrestling Pokémon simply rolled his eyes and covered his pancake with butter and cinnamon instead before eating it.

{How about you, Rotom? You and Grace are pretty small, so you can probably split.}

"Same azzz you fellas! Just lemme get outta this thing real quick!"

The last thing I wanted was for the PokéDex to clatter to the tile floor, so I grabbed hold of it just as he zipped out of the device and darted freely around the rest of us.

"Kzzzrt!"

Everything was set up for everybody else in no time flat, and before one could say "bon appetit," we were all munching away.

{Wow...} I gurgled, mouth full. {Now THIS is fine dining.}

---

...

​

---

"I'm gonna ask one more time in case you changed your mind. You SURE you don't wanna come with us?"

"Positive. But thank you anyway, Hau," Lillie answered, perhaps a bit too readily. "Clothes aren't going to buy themselves, are they?"

"Okay, then. Guess we'll be headin' out for now. See you this evening!"

{Good luck here in the city.}

"Yeah! Get yourself somethin' snazzzy, why don'tcha? Zzt!"

She giggled a bit at Rotom, and we parted ways, Lillie and Nebby heading west to meet the Professor somewhere and me, Hau and our teams heading east for the resort, Rotom's map displayed just in ront of us as we went along the paved road.

"MAN," Hau huffed as we headed back along the road. "...Not a good idea to have underestimated that Lycanroc, was it?"

{At least Brionne pulled you through the rest of the way, right?}

"Yeah, but...WOW. I won by, like, a HAIR. Did you SEE that thing's teeth?"

{King's are just as sharp.}

"In that case, I don't wanna battle your Tyrunt anytime soon!"

Hau had just earned a very narrow win against Kahuna Olivia. His Noibat and Raichu were both out pretty quickly once they were on the field, despite being able to take out her Nosepass. It was his Brionne that stole the stage, being able to take on both her Anorith and Lycanroc with her trusty Bubble Beam, although she was also nearly defeated by the Wolf Pokémon's powerful jaws and claws, let alone it's mighty Rock Tomb.

"But hey, still a victory. Just gotta make sure we do a bit more grinding next go around for the Grand Trial on Ula'ula, am I right?"

{Probably a good idea,} I nodded as we continued along the street. {Which way, Rotom?}

"It'zzz not far! Just keep on going straight and we'll be there in no time!"

{Excellent. Come on, Hau, let's pick up the pace!}

"Hey! I can't pick up as much pace as you, y'know!"

I was careful to not let Hau fall behind as we ran down the street, passing the beaten path of Route 9 on our left as we drew closer to the red flag displayed on Rotom's map.

I looked up to see that we were passing over a bridge, a large white gateway on either side of it, and the coarse paved road beneath us smoothed out into sleek tile.

"Welp, here we are!" my PokéDex announced. "Ooooh...Classy-lookin' place, ain't it?"

{Whoa...} I marveled. {It certainly is.}

"No kiddin'."

Hano Grand Resort was something to behold; it had vibrant flower beds, swimming pools, lounge chairs, a boat dock, and even a walkway down to a small beach, and there were people and Pokémon everywhere enjoying themselves to the fullest. I was already impressed by it, and this was just the OUTSIDE. The actual building was MASSIVE, and the pearly white walls were trimmed with bright tropical orange accents. I knew the Aether Foundation wasn't actually treating us to a stay here, but just inviting us to meet them here was something special by itself.

"...Wonder what kinda fortune you need to spend a night here?" Hau wondered aloud. "Ha!"

"Oh, only a small fortune of 10,000₱ a night. Bzzt!"

{That much!?} I squawked.

"Well, it IS an upper-crust place," Hau reminded me in an amusingly exaggerated gentleman's voice. "Therefore, only upper-crust people have the money the hotel needs in order to maintain its upper-crust condition."

I let out a raspy chortle.

{True...Shall we go in, my good man?}

"Ha! Most certainly."

"Wow...If you two looked the part, you'd be some pretty convincing aristocratzzz!"

We all continued to laugh with one another as we approached the door. There were two bellhops manning the entrance.

"Welcome to Hano Grand Resort!" the one on the left greeted us, his gaze diverting to me, then to Hau, then back to me. "...Say, are you two the trial goers that the Aether Foundation said wanted to meet with?"

{That would be us,} I answered, Rotom nodding in confirmation.

"Ah, I figured so! The Branch Chief gave us a...pretty detailed description of you, Ms. Echo...He's waiting for you just inside!"

"Have a Grand time!" the bellhop on the right chimed in, flashing us a smile as we entered through the doors.

It was even MORE impressive inside. The arcs forming the gateway along the entrance bridge were made of wood rather than white iron, and flowers lined the fountain pools flanking either side of the walkway. There were fountains EVERYWHERE; by the seating, in the corners, and one giant one came cascading down like a Waterfall above the front desk. It was certainly a sight for sore eyes.

"...Wow."

{Double wow.}

We finally looked where we were going, and saw a familiar figure standing there before us.

"...So you've come at last," he greeted us.

Hau and I exchanged glances with one another, then approached him.

"Yep. Just like we said we would be."

"Ah, do forgive me. We have met once before, and I have yet to properly introduce myself," he realized, frowning a bit. "...You may call me Faba."

"Well, glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Faba," Hau greeted, extending a hand. I was eager to do the same, and he shook with both of us, the slightest indication of a grimace coming to his face when he made contact with our hands. And he withdrew his own just a bit too quickly. Odd...

"Yes, well," he continued, clearing his throat and attempting to brighten his mood. "I told you before that I would be taking you both to Aether Paradise for the Grand Tour, seeing what you each did to help us before, correct?"

{You did,} I nodded.

"Excellent," he replied, a mildly forced smile on his face. "Now, while we're here, I might as well tell you two a few things about Aether Paradise in advance, shall I?"

We both nodded again.

"You see, as the name suggests, Aether Paradise is a veritable paradise for Pokémon that floats far out into the sea surrounding the Alolan archipelago. It is an artificial island, made entirely from human technology, for the protection and preservation of Pokémon. And as a trustworthy adult who keeps his promises, I will prove to you both that this is the absolute truth with a complete tour of the paradise."

That last part kind of caught us off guard, and Hau and I looked at each other again for a moment. The same thought went through each of our heads.

That's kind of an odd thing to say, isn't it?

Sure, he wasn't some Team Skull hooligan, but there wasn't any doubt that Branch Chief Faba was a bit on the strange side.

"Are we ready to depart?" he asked us.

We shrugged and nodded, ultimately deciding to let his peculiar remark slide.

"Good, good. Do follow me," he told us as he started off somewhere. "Aether Paradise will truly amaze you. So let us enjoy an adventure upon that grand vessel that will take us across the high seas! Ah...By which I mean to say, the ferry. There is one waiting for us on the docks outside."

As he lead us back out the front door, we each stifled laughter again. Yeah, he might have been a little weird, but at least it was funny sometimes.

---

...

​

---

The immense white structure floating on the sea seemed to loom higher and higher above us as we drew nearer and nearer to the entrance. We passed underneath the water way, then towards the dock, which was as pristine and white as the rest of the floating structure. When we finally stopped and got off the boat, Faba turned to face us again.

"Here we are, you two. This is Aether Paradise," he told us. "Now, since this facility is created for the conservation of Pokémon, we have installed the latest technology to ensure their safety and well-being, which includes fenced-in areas which people cannot enter normally, high surveillance of all activity through the latest security measures, and of course, precautions taken to keep the Pokémon sheltered here from being stolen and/or captured by either lowly criminals or overly eager Pokémon Trainers. As a result, your Poké Balls will not work in here, due to the jamming signal broadcasted throughout the facility to prevent them from functioning against untrained Pokémon."

{Huh...Clever.}

"Guess we'll have to wait to add to our team until we get back to the mainland, huh?" Hau teased.

"Indeed so," Faba responded. "Now, follow me once more, if you will."

We trailed behind him, and he came to what looked like an elevator of some sort. It wasn't like the one in the Dimensional Research Lab; it was fairly large, and had glass walls that one could see out of instead of just being a closed-in rising and falling cabin...And it was triangular. An interesting shape for an elevator.

The platform lowered, and someone stepped out of it, turning to face the Branch Chief. A female, it looked like, her white uniform accented with pink in contrast to Faba's green.

"Excuse me, Mr. Faba."

"Yes, excuse you!" he nearly snapped back. "What is the meaning of that form of address? I have a title for a reason! How else will anyone know how important I am?"

Again, Hau and I exchanged odd looks with one another. Maybe he wasn't as amusing as we initially thought he was.

The other human sighed in discontent.

"Yes, Branch Manager Faba," she corrected herself. "As I was saying, what did you call me for?"

"You remember how I said over the phone earlier that I was putting you in charge of the tour for our two guests? The one in particular?"

She peered over his shoulder and spied the two of us. Hau gave her a friendly wave.

"Oh, yes, I see!" she replied, eyes still on me, seeming slightly curious. "Yes, I remember."

"Wonderful. I must go speak with the president about our conservation efforts on Akala. Simply show the children around and give them the rundown, and by the time that's said and done, the president and I should be done with our discussion. You can take them to meet her at that point. Am I clear?"

"All clear, Mr...Branch Manager Faba," she quickly fixed.

"Good. I'm off then. Have a pleasant time here, children."

He bot onto the elevator and disappeared above us before we had time to say anything else. Once he was gone, the second human heaved a sigh of relief.

"Phew...That guy can be a real piece o' work," she muttered to herself before clearing her throat and turning to us, a warm, genuine smile on her face.

"Welcome to the Aether Paradise, Echo and Hau," she greeted us. "My name is Wicke."

"Alola!" Hau greeted. "You know who we are, huh?"

"Yes, I do. One of our employees told me about your meeting on Akala Island," she told us. "Particularly yours, Ms. Echo. And about how quickly word is spreading across the islands about you and your Island Challenge."

{Oh...I see...}

I swallowed, backing away a bit and refusing any eye contact. No doubt if the employee from Memorial Hill had explained everything to her, she'd have included the rather unfortunate incident we had with Team Skull's Raticate. She seemed to catch onto my train of thought, though.

"Oh. The incident with the Raticate, yes," she realized. "She explained to me that it wasn't your fault...I'm much more intrigued by the fact that you saved the Pokémon Team Skull stole. And the same goes to you, Hau, for what you did."

I heaved a sigh of relief myself, and Hau backed me up.

"Yeah, she's awesome, really," he told her, putting an arm around me. "We pretty much hit it off from day one, you know?"

"I can see that," she remarked. "Thank you both very much for your help! Let me show you around. The main entrance is just on the floor above us."

She pressed a button on the elevator pad, and the platform came lowering back down for us to board.

"Shall we zip right up there?"

It was a short but smooth ride up to the next floor, and it wasn't long before I caught sight of a few Pokémon. They were hanging around the two front desks with their Trainers, looking fairly content.

"This is the main entrance," Wicke explained to us. "You can have your Pokémon healed at the reception desk there, if they need it. Do they?"

"Oh, jeez..." Hau hissed, suddenly looking pretty ashamed. "I forgot all about the PMC. And the team just got done gettin' pwned by Kahuna Olivia...Guess it's a good thing there's a place here for that, huh?"

"Oh, don't beat yourself up about it. All Trainers make a slip-up here or there. Besides, at least you realized it."

"Yeah, guess so...Better go do that, then."

While Hau went over to heal his Pokémon, Wicke and I sort of wandered around the elevator as we spoke.

"So, you and Hau," she said to me. "You're both trial-goers? Hoping to become Island Challenge Champions?"

{That's what we're going for,} I confirmed.

"So I suppose you must both be around eleven, right?"

{What...Age-wise?}

She nodded.

{Well, Hau is a yes to that question, but me...} I trailed off, Rotom casting a curious glance my way, waiting for what to say next. {I'm...Well, to be completely honest with you, I'm actually...not a hundred percent sure...how old I am.}

"No?"

{Most of my past before coming to the Alola region is really fuzzy. Except for a few things I remembered fairly recently,} I explained. {I never kept track of how much time passed at my old home. I didn't count the weeks, or months, or years...I only acknowledged the sun and the moon rising and falling as passing days. But I didn't count them either.}

"Huh...I see," she mused. "The Professor's been spreading more information about you through the Alolan officials since the wormhole theory surrounding you got out to the public. He said that he wasn't sure how old you were, either."

{Wait...Does that mean if I'm any younger than Hau, I'd have to stop doing the Island Challenge?} I asked, Rotom gasping alongside me in utter horror at the thought.

"Oh, I doubt that," she smiled. "According to him, your x-rays showed that you were fully mature, but still fairly young. We aren't sure how quickly your species develops from a baby to an adult, but biologically, compared to humans, you're definitely old enough."

"Argh..." I gurgled, relieved to know this. {Thank goodness.}

"I suppose all children must yearn to take a journey of their own choosing when they get to be an age like that. Why, in some fields, they're hardly even children anymore. Especially seeing that Trainers tend to be seen by their Pokémon as parents, or the like."

"Oh, yeah, you'd be right about that!" Rotom buzzed. "You should've seen Grace when she hatched from her egg!"

"Grace?"

{Oh. This one right here.}

I pulled out a Pokémon Ball and opened it, and the small, yet elegant young Eevee materialized on the floor before us.

"Vui?"

{We're at Aether Paradise,} I told her. {This here is the Assistant Branch Chief, Wicke.}

The Evolution Pokémon turned to face her, and her brown eyes lit right up.

"Eievui, eievui!"

She bounced in a circle around the human, then sat down before her. She trusted her immediately.

"Oh, she's a dear. You seem to have a strong bond with your Pokémon."

{That I do. All five of them.}

"That's wonderful. I'm glad to know that you're a dependable Trainer."

"Okay, that's all finished!"

Hau returned from the reception desk, and Grace circled around him as he approached the elevator again.

"Ha! Miss me?"

"Vui, eievui."

"Alright. Now that you're finished healing your Pokémon, Hau, would you two like to see the conservation area on the next floor?"

We both nodded, and we were on our way up again with just one more press of a button on the keypad.

...The conservation area was green with plant life, with various trees and bushes growing outside the fenced-in walkways and a few vines trailing along the walls, and there were even a few manmade water bodies and hills in some places. It was like a specially-crafted ecosystem, sheltered from the rest of the wild world and its many dangers.

"Wow!" Hau exclaimed, thoroughly impressed. "This place is awesome!"

{I could certainly get used to it,} I remarked, admiring the scenery.

"We keep Pokémon that have been harmed or pursued by dangerous people here," Wicke explained to us. "Like, for example, Pokémon that have been targeted by Team Skull."

I snarled at the mere mention of their name.

"I know. It's terrible what some people would do to a Pokémon just to benefit themselves...But it's not just people. Some are simply facing natural threats. Therefore, you may find a lot of rare specimens here. Some species of Pokémon need a little more protection than others...Like Corsola, for instance. They are quite terribly overhunted by a Pokémon called Toxapex. So much so that the latter species tends to leave bits and pieces of them behind at it trails along."

I cringed at the thought of such an image.

"Yeah," Hau nodded. "My gramps is always saying that nature's got its cruel side, as sure as it gives us blessings...But can the Aether Foundation really protect all of the Pokémon that are out there in need of help?"

"Well, nature does still have its own balance," Wicke acknowledged. "Sometimes, it can be difficult to judge how much we humans should try to affect that, can't it?"

"True. I mean, the Toxapex still have to eat something, right?" Hau chortled. "Hey, but the Aether Foundation is pretty amazing! I'm kinda surprised you decided to set up camp in a place like Alola. I mean, it's a pretty small region compared to places like Galar and Sinnoh. Not as powerful, either...What prompted that idea, huh?"

"I couldn't say," she answered plainly, not seeming to know the answer herself. "It's hard to know for sure just what our president is thinking sometimes. She can be a bit of a 'wild card,' as one might put it."

{Huh...So, is she one to make a lot of quote-unquote 'strange decisions?'}

"Well, not always. Once her ideas are explained a bit, they tend to make a bit more sense...You know, since we're on the topic of President Lusamine, if you're ready to meet her then she should be here in the conservation area right now."

"Oh, heck yeah! This should be pretty interesting, huh?"

Wicke nodded and motioned for us to follow her again, and we all headed down the pristine white pathway. There were a few employees along the path, some surveying the area and others tending to Pokémon. There were lots of different species out and about the habitat; a few Grimer exchanging grunts, a Meowth grooming itself in the safety of a tree, a Starmie sitting along the edge of the water with a Corsola...And there was some sort of small, pale blue serpentine Pokémon swimming alongside us. It peeked its head out of the water, the white fins it had for ears perked curiously. Grace, who was still outside of her Poké Ball, gave it a chipper greeting.

"Eie, eievui!"

"Mooouuuuuuh...?"

It tilted its head off to the side, and I stopped to look at it.

{That's an interesting Pokémon,} I remarked. {Rotom. Can you do a scan? They never said anything about PokéDex scans not being allowed here.}

"On it!"

He got a bit closer to the Pokémon.

"Scanning...Scanning...Scan complete!

"Dratini: The Dragon Pokémon! It izzzn't very strong, so it prefers to live on the floors of lakes and riverzzz, eating whatever food sinks down to the bottom. It'zzz constantly growing, so it sheds its skin on an almost daily basis! While it's fairly weak in this stage, it evolvezzz into the sleek and strong Dragonair down the line, which then evolves into the extra powerful Dragonite! Kzzt!"

{Wow...If there wasn't a rule about Poké Balls around here, I might be tempted to catch it. Ha!}

"Hey, Echo! Where'd you go, huh bud?"

{Oh. Guess we stayed put for too long.}

I followed the humans' scent trail to track my party down again, and we continued down the fenced pathway. It wasn't long until we came across a small balcony of sorts, where two other humans were tending to even more Pokémon.

"My sweet Pokémon...I promise I'll keep you safe. I'll protect you with my love..."

Was...that her? She certainly looked different from the other employees, and did have a sense of authority about her. She perked up when she heard us coming up from behind her, and turned around to face us. Wicke bowed lightly, then motioned towards the two of us, and the president nodded in understanding.

"Ah...You must be Echo and Hau," she told us. "I've heard a great deal about you two...Welcome to Aether Paradise: the Aether Foundation's own private island. I am the president of the foundation. But please, just call me Lusamine. I'm so glad we got to meet."

"Pleasure's all ours!" Hau greeted.

{I should say,} I agreed. {Anyone who's goal is to protect Pokémon is on my side.}

"I am glad to know that, Ms. Echo. And I'm glad to know that there are people like you two, who travel the islands to learn more about Pokémon. It's unfortunate that there are people out there not like us, who harm Pokémon for own selfish reasons, or even for profit. Isn't it, though?"

{Erm...What about for food?} I asked, just to be sure of her thoughts on that.

"Oh...The Raticate incident? It just so happens that thinning the Raticate population would benefit the colonies overall. There would be more food to go around for not only them, but other Pokémon as well...Besides, you never really intended any ill will towards the Pokémon, is that right?"

{That is right.}

"Just as I thought...Anyways, that is the reason why I am here. To look after these Pokémon in need...I will be like a mother to them and shower them with love. Even Pokémon from distant worlds, far from the Alola region, are worthy of my love."

"Vui?"

"Oh...?"

She looked down at Grace, who was standing just an inch or so from my foot.

"Is this little one yours?"

{Yes, she's mine. Hatched her from an egg I got at Paniola Ranch. Say hi, why don't you?}

I lightly nudged her with my snout, urging her to greet the president.

"Eie, vui..."

She gave her a strange look, and shrank back, staying fast where she stood.

{What's the matter, Grace?}

She simply shook her head.

"There's nothing to fear, little one," Lusamine told her, bending down and reaching a hand out towards her. "Why, I wouldn't dream of-"

"Eie, VUI!"

She finally sprang forward a bit, but certainly not to be pet. Her ears were pinned backwards, her tail seemed to be twice as bushy as it normally was, and she bore her mouthful of small, but sharp teeth at her.

{Grace!} I snapped.

But right after snapping at the president, her ears drooped, her eyes glossed over with fearful tears, and she shrank back behind me even further.

"Eie, eievui..." she whimpered, still staring contemptuously at Lusamine.

"Oh my goodness...I didn't mean to scare her. I do apologize."

"That's funny..." Wicke thought aloud. "She was really happy to see me."

{I know...Rotom. Any idea what's gotten into her?}

"Uh...No offense, Ms. Prezzzident Lusamine, of course," my PokéDex explained. "But in a nutshell, Grace here sayzzz that she thinks there'zzz somethin' off about you."

The president's eyes widened ever so slightly at the remark.

"Aw, chill out, lil' dudette," Hau assured her, to which she lifted her ears just a bit and relaxed her tail. "She's probably cool. In fact, it's amazing what she's done around here, you know? All of it is, Lusamine! I don't know how you did all of it so quickly! You're, like, not even much older than us, are you?"

"Oh, you sweet boy!" she giggled. "I'm already over forty!"

"Oh, you are?"

I drew my head back in surprise. Over forty? Really? She definitely didn't look it.

It took a bit longer for it to sink in with Hau, but when it finally did he was even more shocked than I was.

"Wait, WHAT?!"

"Oh, you...! The right style does wonders, you know," she replied. "As a matter of fact, yours is a tad bit wanting, hm? Oh, I'll have to take you out sometime and help you pick a smashing new outfit."

"Uh...L-like what you wear?" he asked. "Man...I don't think anyone else would be able to pull off that kind of look as well as you do! Except maybe a friend of mine..."

"Oh, don't you worry. You just leave everything up to me. Trust me-children would all be much happier if they'd only listen to the adults around them. I should-"

She was cut off when a sudden loud noise shook the area, and the entirety of the Aether Paradise seemed to tremble.

We all looked around, suddenly on the alert, once it stopped.

"That tremor..." Wicke rasped. "Did...did something happen on one of the lower floors, perhaps?"

Another noise sounded off, coming from the opposite side of the balcony, and we all turned to come face-to-face with...with...

What on earth was THAT!?!

A gaping hole formed in midair right in front of us, not attached to any surface, as though it was a hole in the air itself. And something floated out of it before us.

Something EXTREMELY strange.

The amorphous creature gracefully glided down towards the ground, its white, semi-transparent form mildly glowing blue, and its flowing tentacles streaming down from its faceless head, which seemed to glitter in the light.

We were all shocked by the sight of it, but Lusamine seemed more in awe than frightened.

"...Did you come," she whispered. "...From another world...?"

"Brr-rrr-rrr..." it garbled, swaying a bit.

"Agh! Miss Lusamine! Get back!" Hau warned her, eyes wide with panic. "That thing's...not right!"

She just ignored him, still drawing closer to it.

"Oh, you poor creature..."

This wasn't good. What was going on? What was that thing? What did it want? Was it dangerous!?

And why on earth was Lusamine just getting closer to it like that when it could possibly ATTACK!?

{Wait, WAIT!}

I screeched for her to stop, and wedged myself in between her and the odd being...

Only to startle it.

And that, in turn, made it angry!

"Brr-RRR-RRR!"

It the blink of an eye, a bright red light exploded from it, and it started to prepare an attack.

The paradise might have been a safe haven for Pokémon, but it didn't look like there was a way out of this battle.

{Grace! Hop to it!}

"Eie, vui!"

She leapt out in front of me to face it, and it launched an odd glowing pink attack. Fortunately, it honed in more slowly than we anticipated, and she was able to dodge it.

{Great! Now, go in for Swift!}

She launched her array of stars at the opponent, and every last one of them made its mark...

But the attack ended up doing very little damage, if any.

{Uh-oh...}

"Eievui..."

In return, the enemy creature fired up a spray of acidic purple fluid, and shot it right into Grace's middle.

"VUI!"

She was flung into the air, dazed and battered by the time she hit the ground again.

{Grace?}

"Eie...vui..."

It was obvious by that display that she didn't have much a chance against it. Of course, she was still the weakest member of the pack, and needed a bit of extra practice, so I decided to spare her from fainting.

{Return, Grace. You did what you could,} I told her as I returned her to her ball. As soon as she was back, though, I called out my next fighter.

{Archer! Show 'em what we got!}

The Arrow Quill Pokémon materialized before his foe, and readied one of his projectiles just before his talons hit the ground.

"Dwit, dritdroo!"

"Brrr-rrr..."

{Spirit Shackle!}

As soon as I said it, the arrow quill shot towards him and made a direct hit. To our good fortune, it did a load more damage than Grace's Swift had.

"Brr-!"

"Dwit dwit!"

{That's it! Now finish it off with Razor Leaf!}

"Droooo, drit-DOO!"

He fired up his sharp leaves and hurled them at the strange being, and it didn't take much else for it to fall in defeat.

{We did it!}

"Drit-twooo!"

He trilled cheerfully as came back over to me, spreading his wing out victoriously.

"Brr-rrr..."

The strange creature we'd just defeated floated back up into midair, then seemed to flicker, becoming even more transparent.

And then, just as suddenly as it was there, the unidentified creature disappeared.

All of us stared at where the mysterious entity had been. One thing was for certain; what had just happened was phenomenal.

"So it's true..." Lusamine whispered to herself. "...I still need that Pokémon...I need to get it back."

"Did you say somethin'?" Hau asked her.

She smiled, but her expression seemed a bit strained.

"...That creature we just saw was undoubtedly an Ultra Beast," she told us, a flash of strange light entering her bright green eyes. "An unknown being from another dimension that suddenly appears from the Ultra Wormhole."

The Ultra Wormhole. The same thing, according to Professor Kukui and Burnet's theory, that brought me here in the first place. I was there when the wormhole opened...Was there a connection to that creature and me, perhaps? Was...I an Ultra beast? It was strange to think, but considering everything else, I didn't put it out of the realm of possibility.

"It looked like it was suffering," Lusamine continued. "Like it pained it to be in this strange place...I can't bear to see that happen. I will save it...And I will love it!"

She turned to the two of us again.

"...Thank you. Both of you...Thank you so much."

{I...didn't hurt it, did I?}

"Dwit, dwit?" Archer chimed in, seeming equally concerned.

"No, no...I believe it will recover," she assured us. But again, there was something about the tone in her voice that wasn't a hundred percent genuine. "Of course, it was natural for you to want to protect an adult like me. Seeing how much we do to protect you children...I will tend to the Ultra Beast in good time."

"Well...Okay, then..." Hau shrugged, seeming a bit off put himself.

"Oh. Wicke," she addressed. "These two are still in the middle of their Island Challenge, aren't they?"

"Yes, Madame President."

"I would like you to deliver them to their next island, if you will. I have to make sure that none of our poor resident Pokémon were harmed in anyway by what occurred...And I will need to speak with Mr. Faba about exactly what happened downstairs. And of course, I will have to start preparing the foundation for our newest and perhaps greatest duty yet: the protection of the Ultra Beasts!"

"Oh, yes ma'am! Certainly!"

"Thank you, Wicke."

"Bye, Miss Lusamine!" Hau bid her, and she waved back before turning and leaving to tend to her duties.

"I'll see you two off to Ula'ula Island, then," Wicke told us as we boarded the elevator once more.

"Man...Never thought I'd see anything like that," Hau remarked as we descended towards the docks. "Dang, we gotta tell Professor Burnet about this the next time we see her! AND Professor Kukui!"

{Good idea,} I replied. {And we'll have to tell them about that Ultra Beast that we faced off against.}

"Yes, I think it would be best if you did that," Wicke agreed with us as we got off the elevator and headed for the boat. "I am very glad I got to meet you both, and I hope you both have wonderous adventures on your Island Challenge. Oh, and I got you each a little something for you to remember your visit by."

She handed us both a bag of familiar-looking treats.

"So I've heard, you're both quite fond of Malasadas. Especially you, Hau."

"Oh, YEAH!" he celebrated. "Thanks a million!"

"It's the least I can do," she smiled. "Remember to share with your Pokémon!"

"Will do!" Hau assured her as we boarded the ferry that was waiting for us. "And thanks again for everything, Ms. Wicke!"

---

...

​

---

"Hoooo, boy...My heart's still kinda racing, you know?"

{What? Over the whole Ultra Beast thing back at Aether Paradise?}

"Yeah...You?"

{My heart isn't racing over it anymore...But I do have a lot on my mind.}

We were well on our way to Ula'ula Island at that point, nothing but the vast expanse of open ocean to be seen outside the window.

"Dang, though...The Ultra Wormhole is real, and so are the Ultra Beasts...The world is just way too biiiiig. And we still have more things to discover on Ula'ula Island, too!"

{I know...We're really small in this universe when you think about it...It can be kinda scary to think about sometimes, can't it?}

"Maybe. But there's still plenty of good things to think about in life, aren't there?"

{That's true...}

"Like malasadas!" he gave as an example, pulling one out of each of our bags. "How 'bout we dig in? It'll ease your nerves as much as it'll fill your stomach!"

{I couldn't have said it better myself.}

"A'ight! Let's chow down!"

He was already starting to eat his when he was finishing his sentence; an amusing thing to witness.

{So...Hate to spoil the good mood we got going on here,} I continued. {But don't you think Lusamine was kinda weird?}

"What? About the whole 'finding me an outfit' thing?" he joked, his speech muffled by the malasada in his mouth.

{Well, not just that. She seemed to be trying a little too hard to be nice to us, and...well, then there were the weird remarks, like you just said. And then the strange things she said about the Ultra Beasts...There's something about her that just rubs me the wrong way. It took me a bit to see it, though...Makes me wish I'd paid more attention to Grace's behavior earlier.}

"Huh...In hindsight, I can see your point," Hau nodded lightly. "But I mean, she IS the president if the Aether Foundation. She's got a lot of stuff on her plate, so she could just be stressed out over everything, you know?"

{I don't know...}

"Hey, come on. Let's not be all grim and gloomy. We've got an Island Challenge to look forward to!"

I nodded, and we both dug into our Malasadas some more.

"Ahhhh, so GOOOD...Aw, shoot, I already ate the whole thing!"

I chattered a laugh. No matter how bad it got, things would never be grim and gloomy as long as Hau was around.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"Land ahoy!" Hau announced as we stepped off the ferry and back onto dry land, heading up the stairway to get a better look at the place.

{So this is Ula'ula Island...I like the looks of it.}

The city we had arrived at had a warm and inviting feel to it, and it wasn't quite as sleek and modern as cities like Hau'loi or Heahea, and especially not as polished as Aether Paradise for that matter. Some of the rooves of the buildings sloped inward, and came to points at their corners and apex instead of just being flat, and the roads were made of cobblestone in place of asphalt. The surrounding nature incorporated itself into the city very nicely, flowers blooming on the trees along the paths and long shoots of bamboo growing up from the ground and towering over us.

"Yeah, it sure looks different from Melemele and Akala Island," he agreed. "...Hey, I got an idea!"

{What's that?}

"What say you and I pitch ourselves a battle here? New island, new challenge, am I right? We gotta prep our teams for the trials ahead!"

{Well...I'd have to run into the PMC over there really quick first. Grace took a bit of a beating. Be right back.}

"Sure thing. I'll still be here!"

A quick dash i and out of the Pokémon Center and I was ready. And it was no sooner than when I stepped out the door that I saw Hau readying his first Pokémon.

"You ready?"

I nodded and let out a confident snarl.

"Alright, then! Let's go, Eevee!"

{Grace, this one should be easier on you!}

Both Eevees materialized on the battlefield. Hau's gave off a low growl, and Grace simply stood her ground and stiffened her form.

"Eievui...!"

"Go in for Tackle, Eevee!"

{Use Swift!}

The enemy Pokémon honed in on us, only to be struck by the array of never-missing stars right in the chest, sending him flying backwards again.

"Ooh, a critical hit right off the bat! You're startin' this battle off with fire, Echo!" Rotom buzzed.

{Good job! Now, Sand Attack!}

She kicked up a cloud of dust and hurled it into the still-disoriented Eevee's face.

"Vui!" it yipped, staggering backwards again.

"Come on, Eevee, you can break through it! Use Bite!"

"Eie, vui!"

Hau's Eevee managed to shake the sand from its eyes, then pounced onto Grace and sank its needle-like teeth into her leg before we had a chance to do anything else.

"EIEVUI!"

"That's it, Eevee!"

{Quick Attack! It's in close range so it should hit hard!}

"Eie, eie-VUI!"

She shoved him off with a swift kick of her back legs, then used them again to shoot herself up and towards him, ramming her head right into his. The enemy Eevee staggered backwards, disoriented by the attack.

"Come on, lil' dude! Shake it off!"

"Eie, vui...Vui!"

He shook his head vigorously, then gave Grace a glowering look, emitting a low snarl at her. She backed up a bit, put off by his display of aggression.

{He's using Growl!} I told her. {Don't let it intimidate you. Counter it with Baby-Doll Eyes! It'll confuse him, for sure!}

"Eie, vui!" she nodded back, and the very next moment, she made her eyes all big and cute-looking, and even fluttered them at the opponent to further throw him off guard.

"Vui?"

He looked pretty put off by her reaction to his Growl attack; probably figured she would be pretty badly scared. But it didn't work as planned for him.

{Now!} I ordered. {Pile on the Swift attacks!}

"Vui!"

She launched her next array of stars, and they made their mark, as they always did; Swift never missed its target.

"Eie!" the enemy hollered.

{Keep it up!}

She shot out two more series of the projectiles, and the opposing Eevee scampered around the battlefield attempting to avoid them, only for them to gain on him even more with each passing second, and before any of us even knew it, they had stuck him again.

Once, then twice, and on the third hit the Eevee lost its footing and skidded to a halt across he ground, completely drained and dazed.

It was out.

{Nice work out there, Grace!}

"Vui...Eie, vui..."

{Grace?}

For the third time, she started to glow, and the faint indications of changes developed beneath the white light.

Again, she was resisting evolution.

{You remember what I told you, right?}

"Vui, vui eievui...!" she groaned, still trying to fight its affects.

{What'd she say, Rotom?}

"She'zzz still not going to evolve, she said! She knows it izzzn't an Umbreon she's turning into, and she's that determined to prevent evolution until she knowzzz she can!"

{Grace, I said it before, and I'll say it again. I DON'T want you to forcefully stop your evolution. If you keep resisting it, then...Well, I don't know what might happen, but I doubt it'll be anything good!}

"Vui, vui...Eie, eie-VUI!"

But just a few seconds after I said it, the glow dissipated, and she heaved out a breath of relief. She'd stopped it.

{Agh...I don't want this to happen again, Grace,} I said to her.

"Vui, eievui..." she mumbled, still steadfast in her decision. I sighed, then pulled out her Poké Ball.

{You did really well, though,} I praised as she was drawn back into the capsule. {Take a rest...You probably need it after all that.}

"Hope she'll be alright there," Hau thought aloud, though still readying his next Poké Ball. "Think you should take her back to the Pokémon Center after this and ask them about what's goin' on?"

{I'm considering it,} I replied, reaching for my second Pokémon as well. {But not before we wrap up this fight.}

"I gotcha, cousin! Noibat! Take over!"

{King! Let's get 'em!}

Both Dragon-Type Pokémon materialized on the battlefield at once. King snarled, and the Noibat screeched.

"Kick this off with Supersonic!"

"Noi, NOOOOIIII!"

The piercing scream of the tiny opponent rang high and loud enough to disorient just about anyone, and especially someone with arms too short to reach up and cover his ear holes. It was so intense for him that he began to bang his tail against the ground, perhaps in an attempt to fight off the horrible sound.

{You can break through it!} I called out, my own gurgly voice muffled by the sound of the attack. {Use Crunch!}

{Wha...}

He caught his thrashing tail from the corner of his eye, and then, without any warning, started to run in circles chasing after it!

{What are you doing!?}

A moment later he'd gotten close enough, and clamped down on his own tail with his powerful glowing jaws. And the next he was screaming in agony at the pain of the damage he had mistakenly inflicted upon himself.

"Ha! A Supersonic attack from something like a Noibat will confuse just about ANY Pokémon!" Hau cheered as his Noibat finally stopped making the awful sound.

King was staggering around the battlefield, looking about ready to fall over. He didn't seem to realize that the noise had stopped, so I made some of my own.

{King!} I cawed. {Try your Dragon Tail!}

{Huh...?} he gurgled back. {Dragon Tail...?}

{That's right! Go for it!}

He shook his head again, a bit more lightly than what was usual, then blinked a few times to assess his target.

"Absorb!" Hau commanded.

Just as the enemy began to approach, Tyrunt's gaze hardened, his bright yellow eyes fixed heavily on their target.

His tail started to glow, and just when the opposing Pokémon was about to latch onto him with its teeth and drain his energy, he spun himself around and whammed his tail right into the enemy.

There was a burst of energy, and the next thing we knew, the Noibat had collided with its Trainer, sending both of them falling to the ground. Hau examined the tiny Pokémon in his grasp, and it hung their limply, its steady breathing the only sign of life in it.

"Dragon Tail, huh...?" he remarked as he returned the fainted Pokémon to its ball. "Yeah...In hindsight, I probably should've taught Noibat a Dragon-Type move before getting too serious."

He shrugged it off, then sent out his third Pokémon.

"Not bad. But let's see how well your Tyrunt there can take this! Raichu! Show 'em what you got!"

The Mouse Pokémon let loose a few sparks as he formed on the battlefield from the glowing red light, and he sounded off a not-so-intimidating battle cry.

"Rai- CHU!"

{King. You still okay to fight?}

{That Pokémon?} he chuffed confidently. {It doesn't look so tough. I can take him on, no doubt!}

I cast another glance at the still-bleeding wound on his tail that he'd given himself.

{Positive?}

{Absolutely!} he barked.

{Well...Okay,} I nodded. {It is a Psychic-Type. See how much your Crunch attack does on him!}

"Use Psychic!"

My trusty Fossil Pokémon bore his mouthful of sharp teeth again, and they started to glow the moment he kicked off into a charging sprint. But in return, the enemy conjured up a pretty decent-sized aura of psychic energy around him, and it glowed a bright fuchsia as he fired it at us. King tried to bust through the energy by leaping forward and into the air towards the Raichu, but that only ended with him being thrown backwards and slammed back onto the hard ground.

"Grack!"

{King!}

He emitted a low, pained growl as he rose back onto his feet. The Psychic attack had apparently done more damage than either of us had anticipated.

{Are you okay?}

{I'm fine,} he insisted, still trying to shake off the mentally-trying affects of the move. {I'll give Crunch one more try.}

{Careful out there, King. That Raichu is stronger than we thought!}

{Maybe...But can it withstand a powerful Dark-Type move!?}

The moment after he finished speaking to me, he charged back up into another sprint, and honed in on the enemy Raichu once more.

"One more Psychic!" Hau ordered. "Don't let him hit you!"

The enemy Pokémon fired up another wave of weaponized energy, and King's fangs glowed white at the same time as he leapt into the air and opened his gaping jaws.

There was a crash, a cry, and a cloud of dust scattered across the arena. The wave of Psychic energy dispersed into the atmosphere from beneath the debris, sending the thick dust off with it.

And there on the battlefield lay both fighters. King was battered, bruised, and clearly knocked out cold, and Hau's Raichu was the same, except sporting a series of bleeding puncture wounds along where the Crunch attack had landed instead of scuffs and bruises.

It was a draw between them.

"Whoa..."

{Wow...}

"...One thing's for sure: your Tyrunt really knows how to fight."

{I should say the same about your Raichu.}

We both returned our fainted Pokémon, glad that we were so close to the PMC.

{Well, King...You did it. And you did good.}

"Great job out there, Raichu. Go 'head and rest up."

But as soon as we finished praising our downed fighters, we each extracted another Poké Ball and called out our next ones.

"Come on out, Brionne!"

{Archer! Let's end this!}

Our respective Grass and Water-Type starter Pokémon emerged from their capsules and onto the battlefield.

"Brrriiiii!"

"Dwitdwit-droo!"

"Start this off with Icy Wind, Brionne!"

{Razor Leaf!}

Archer fired up his array of sharp leaves, readying them for launch, and shot them at the opponent, who had already fired her Icy Wind attack. To our dismay, upon colliding with the cloud of frosty air, the leaves froze solid, and plummeted to the ground.

"Ha! We worked on that one in the Lush Jungle!"

{Huh...Not bad. But let's see how well you handle a Spirit Shackle!}

Archer took the cue to attack, and pulled an arrow quill from his wing, aiming it and shooting it in just a fraction of a second. It twirled around the target, struck the ground, then burst out in an eerie purple explosion. Hau's Brionne was thrown back in an instant.

{Nice work, Archer!}

"Dwit, dwit!" he chippered, turning his head to face me with a grin on his beak.

"Bri..."

The enemy Pokémon slowly lifted herself back onto her front flippers, looking very unamused.

"You okay, girl?"

"Brionne...Bri, bri!"

She called back to him and nodded before turning back to face Archer, an angry glow in her usually docile gaze.

"Alright, then! Icy Wind, one more time!"

{Try another Spirit Shackle!}

The moment Hau saw my Decidueye reach into his wing, he called out one more time.

"Roll off to the side!"

He was just in time. The arrow had already fired by the time he'd finished giving the command, but the Pop Star Pokémon was still able to roll off to the right of the arrow as it hit the ground, and she tumbled out of the way of the impending energy burst. She was quite a bit faster than she was the last time we'd battled. Perhaps Hau had been improving on her speed as well, given that she didn't have much in the way of legs to carry her away from danger.

But he seemed just as surprised as we were.

"Whoa...Nice one, Brionne! How'd ya get so quick, huh?"

"Bri...Bri..."

The glow in her eyes intensified, still locked onto her opponent.

{Wait a minute,} I chattered to Rotom. {I know what that glow signifies...!}

"I know it as much azzz you! Brionne is about to-"

"BRI!"

And just like that, the telltale glow spread down from the Pokémon's eyes and engulfed her entire body.

All of us stared in awe at the sight of it. From beneath the blinding light, the change began. She became larger, more streamlined, just as Archer had. The ruffs on her body spread out, and their colors began to shimmer even more.

The light dissipated, and revealed Hau's former Brionne, which had now become...

"Pri, ra...?"

"Whoooooa..."

I let out a raspy gurgle of amazement as the newly evolved Pokémon turned to face its owner. Her top half was a pristine white, and her long, flowing tail was a deep ocean blue. A streamer of blue hair now flowed gently out from her head in the hazy ocean breeze.

A stunningly beautiful creature, had I ever seen one.

{It's amazing...} I chattered to Rotom. {Can you get a scan?}

"On it, boss! Bzzt!"

He approached Hau's partner, who tilted her head to the side curiously as he gathered the data.

"Scanning...Scanning...Scan complete!"

"Primarina: the Soloist Pokémon! It uzzzes its mesmerizing singing voice as its key weapon in battle, both entrancing opponents and controlling the power of itzzz attacks! The melodies it knows are passed down from one generation to the next, and they say there izzzn't a sight more fantastical than a Primarina leading its colony in song under the light of a full moon. Ahh...Soundzzz relaxing just to think about!"

{It's already a fantastical Pokémon without the moonlight or the song,} I remarked. {Ah, no offense, though, Archer.}

My Decidueye wasn't bothered by my comment. Rather, he seemed just as in awe as we were, staring at the Pokémon with wide eyes. Finally, his expression relaxed, and he nodded, seemingly satisfied by something, then turned to face me.

"Dwit, dwit droo. Trrrrill."

{What's he saying, Rotom?}

My PokéDex turrned towards me as well, a confused look on his screen.

"Uh...He sayzzz he wants to call it a draw."

{What? Archer, why?}

"Dwit, dwit, drrrroo drit dwoo. Troo trrrrril..."

{What'd that one mean?}

"Direct tranzzzlation? 'Tut tut; I'll tell you in good time, Master. Just let this one go..."

I rolled my eyes, but ultimately allowed the forfeit.

{Hau. You wanna call the match off? Archer says he doesn't want to fight anymore right now.}

"No? Huh...Well, okay. But I guess you win by default, 'cuz you still have more Pokémon that can fight!"

"While that izzz true," Rotom pointed out. "Neither of them have a good type matchup against a Primarina! Sassafras is part Fire-Type, which is weak to water, and Red is part Fighting-Type, which is weak to Primarina's new additional typing: Fairy! Kzzrt!"

{She's a Fairy-Type now?} I asked. {What are they like in battle?}

"They're good niche Pokémon against big and tough Dark, Fighting and Dragon-Types! And they can hold their own pretty well in neutral matchups too! Though they tend to attack a bit better than they defend...And they aren't good picks against Steel, Poison and Fire-Typezzz."

{Interesting...I wonder if we'll ever have one on the team.}

"Well, one thing's for sure: Hau beat ya to it! Zzt!"

"Guess so. Ha!" Hau nodded as he approached his starter Pokémon and stroked her snout in praise. "Awesome job out there, girl. You wanna stay out of your Poké Ball and be with us for a while?"

"Ri!"

"I take that as a yes," he grinned. "So, we goin' back to the PMC, Echo?"

{That was the plan,} I answered, already turning to go that way. {Come on. The nurse oughta know how to deal with Grace.}

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________​

"Hmm...So you say this has happened three times over the past few days?"

{That's right. And the last time was just about fifteen minutes ago,} I told the nurse at the front desk. {She seems to get worn down by it every time it happens. I assumed that resisting evolution wasn't very healthy, but I wanted to consult a professional first.}

"Well, might I say that that was a wise decision of you as a Trainer," she nodded and smiled. "While it doesn't happen very often, I have seen cases of Pokémon resisting the process of evolution before. Usually either because they simply don't want to evolve, or because they think they might disappoint their Trainers by becoming something they don't want."

{That's the case with my Eevee here. Back when I was doing the Akala trials, we encountered a wild Umbreon. And seeing how awestruck I was by it, she decided that she was going to evolve into one to please me...I know that Eevee has multiple possible evolutions, so if she's resisting over and over again she must know that she's turning into something other than an Umbreon.}

"I see...The forced resistance of evolution can be physically taxing on a Pokémon, since it uses up quite a bit of energy. Especially in the long run..."

"So, this could be a problem if it isn't stopped," Hau guessed.

"Yes. A fatigued Pokémon is a lot less likely to win any battles, and much more likely to get badly hurt."

"Vui..." Grace whined, not enthralled by the thought of herself being groggy and disoriented on the battlefield.

{That's bad...} I gurgled. {Nurse. In order for an Eevee to evolve into an Umbreon, they have to evolve during the night, right?}

"That is true," she nodded. "But the second key factor is that they have to be particularly close friends with their Trainer as well."

{I see. Well, I know that part is already in place.}

"Eievui!"

Grace sat up straight for a moment, then pushed up onto her hind legs to press the tip of her snout against my own.

{I don't usually go looking for a fight past sundown unless it's something big, like a Grand Trial,} I remarked. {Do you think if I took her into battle more often during the night, that might work?}

"Perhaps," the nurse replied. "But until the right conditions are met, you may consider an Everstone for her to hold."

{Everstone?} I asked. {What's that?}

"This right here," she told me, pulling out a smooth, round grey rock from the desk shelf. "We keep supplies like this on handy for Trainers looking to build their teams a certain way. These stones have a peculiar effect on Pokémon in that they prevent them from evolving if they're holding it. So it may help your Eevee until you can work something out."

She handed me the stone, and I presented it to Grace. She sniffed it curiously, then took it in her mouth and looked back up at me.

"Vui, vui eievui!" she chippered through her clenched teeth, and she proceeded to tuck the stone into the thick mane around her neck.

{You don't think it'll fall out of there during a battle, do you, Grace?}

"That's actually less likely than you might think," the nurse informed us. "An Eevee's mane is fairly good at holding things. It would probably only fall out if she were hit by a particularly hard physical attack."

{Huh...That's convenient,} I remarked. {Thanks again for healing our Pokémon back up.}

"Anytime. We hope to see you again soon!"

All we had to do next was stock up on some more healing items at the PokéMart and we were on our way.

"You didn't buy a whole lot...You get a confidence boost?" Hau asked as we headed out the door.

{No. Just short on cash,} I answered, a sheepish, toothy grin plastered on my face. {Used most of it to buy the Jaw Fossil back on Akala and most of what was left to help pay for the room at the hotel.}

"Oh. Well, at least you got King, now!"

{Wanna know something interesting?}

"Always!"

{When I went to get King restored from the fossil, I was so excited about it that I just...took the fossil in my mouth at the counter and ran over there. And apparently, me having it in my mouth, sort of...Mixed in some of my DNA into his genetic code by accident.}

"Yo, what?"

{Uh-huh. So technically, King is...Part Velociraptor.}

"...Whoa..." Hau rasped. "So, are you two, like...blood related?"

{I...guess so.}

"That's AWESOME!"

{And did I ever tell you that he and I can directly communicate with each other?}

"REALLY? Like, ACTUALLY understand each other word for word?"

{Exactly. Our dialects are a tad different, but it still clicked the moment we started speaking to one another.}

"Man...Wish I could do that with my team."

"You know, I already serve as Echo's tranzzzlator!" Rotom piped up. "If you wanna know what one of your teammates has to say to ya, just ask me!"

"When? Like, now?"

"If you want, sure! That's okay, right, boss?"

I nodded, and Hau smiled excitedly and proceeded to release his Noibat from its Poké Ball.

"So, what's on your mind, lil' buddy?"

"Noi? Noi, noibat...Noi, noi!" it chippered.

"What'd he say, Rotom?"

"He said, and I quote, 'Me? Food izzz on my mind...Can't wait for lunch!'"

The three of us chortled. For such a small Pokémon, Hau's Noibat definitely had a big appetite.

"Ha! Well, it ain't that much further off, so don't worry! In the mean time, how 'bout we do some exploring while we wait for Lillie and the Professor to show up? Get to know the place a bit more, huh?"

{Sounds like a plan,} I nodded. {Rotom. Any places of particular interest on your map?}

"Well, there'zzz the library, the community center...Oooh, the Malie Garden sounds interesting! Bzzrt! It looks really big...And the entrance is just ahead to our right!"

{Well, what are we waiting for? Let's check it out!}

"Hey, wait up, Echo!"

We turned a hard right, and the cobblestone beneath our feet smoothened into stone bricks, and the sidewalks melted into lush, green grass. Before either of us even knew it, the city around us had disappeared, and in its place sat a vast, verdant field, which bloomed with countless plants and was teeming with wildlife. A body of clear blue water wound through the green like a ribbon, gold-lined bridges connecting either side.

It was a paradise. A paradise for people, for Pokémon...For creatures like myself. It was strange and bittersweet, how much the garden already reminded me of my old home.

"Wow...Pretty sweet, ain't it?"

{It's wonderful...} I chattered. {What kinds of Pokémon do you suppose live around here?}

"I'm about to go find out! With all this tall grass, there's bound to be something strong hiding in there! You game?"

{I...think I'll just sort of wander around for now, really,} I replied. {I'd like to take in the atmosphere a bit before engaging in any battles.}

"I gotcha. You wanna meet back up towards the north end once we're done?"

{That's a good idea.}

"Awesome. See ya then!"

He ran off into the tall grass, and I continued down the walkway. As I passed over the bridge, it occurred to me that this seemingly natural landscape was still touched by the hands of man. Perhaps it was even formed by the humans in the first place, seeking a retreat from their daily city lives. It was so peculiar, yet it seemed so normal, how the humans I now intermingled with could shape the world around them, change it...

...Control it.

Were the humans able to control an entire planet in the manner I'd seen so far? Or at least most of it? It had seemed that way for a while back in my old home, where the humans oversaw nearly everything, and they worked to right wrongs and make things go according to a plan. It seemed that way my whole life there...Until the fateful day we were let out of our paddock to go up against that horrible beast. Where did such a thing come from? Owen had presented a ripped-off piece of its flesh to us to smell so we could track it down, so they had obviously known about it. But the humans could make enclosures for us, so that we wouldn't run wild...Why couldn't they have made one to house that monster in? Were they doing it at the time, and it just wasn't done yet? Had it outgrown its old paddock? Had it...

...Had it ESCAPED?

Did they let us out thinking we would help them get it back in?

If the humans could supposedly control an entire planet, but not something that lived on it with them, then...Were they even REALLY in control over the earth in the first place?

And if they weren't, then...who was? Was ANYONE really in control over ANYTHING? What if the concept of control itself was just a figment of-

"Oof-Hey!"

"Huh?"

I'd apparently been so deep in thought and so immersed in the scenic garden that I hadn't been paying much attention to the PEOPLE around me, and I accidentally bumped someone off to my side by mistake. Once the mild shock wore off, the yellow-clad human turned to face me, looking slightly flustered.

"Ah, sorry about that!" he stammered. "Boy, I really need to look where I'm goin' in here more, that's the third time I've...run into..."

He trailed off when he finally processed the sight of me, eyes widening.

"Oh...You...You're the..." he stammered. "You're that Trainer from Melemele Island everyone's been talking about."

{The news has spread this far already?} I chattered. {I didn't think it'd gotten all the way across Akala yet.}

"Yeah, yeah, it has! I've heard it all over!" he informed me. "Ah, and you're the Rotom PokéDex she uses to speak with! Oh, my gosh...Echo, did they say your name was? Wow. I...I-I apologize for the inconvenience, I didn't think it'd be YOU. Ha...This is crazy, I haven't been here for that long, but news has been getting around, and we've all heard of you, and what you look like, but now you're ACTUALLY here. Just...Wow...Y-you're taller than I pictured."

It seemed as though the humans were fairly impressed by me at this point. But if they thought I was tall and fast and smart, then what would they think if they saw someone like Blue, or even Charlie and Delta, if they'd ended up here instead of me?

"Wow..." he continued to marvel. "I...I gotta pitch a battle with you!"

{Me?} I crawed. {You mean...Right now?}

"If you're up for it! Whadaya say? Let's do it!"

Without any further ado, he pulled out a Poké Ball and sent out a fighter.

"Persian! Let's see what we got!"

The Pokémon materialized on the field and struck a fighting pose; it was a sleek, elegant-looking creature, with long, pointed whiskers and a cream-colored coat, and it let out a deep, trilling noise as it rose its head, somewhere in between a purr and a growl.

"Prooowwwrrrr..."

{Wow...What kind of Pokémon is this one, Rotom?}

"That'zzz my cue!"

He zipped around the opponent to gather the information on it, dodging a few curious swipes of its front paw as he went.

"Scanning...Scanning...Scan complete!"

"Persian: the Classy Cat Pokémon! Its lithe muscles and lean build allow it to remain completely silent as it moved around! It's very popular with higher class people, but behind its elegant appearance lies a vicious temper, as it hazzz a tendency to lash out at people for little to no reason. Like its pre-evolved form, Meowth, Persian has an Alolan regional variant, which sportzzz an even softer fur coat and a rounded face! Bzzt! Wow..."

"Ha ha, yeah...He can get a bit uppity sometimes, but he does me good in battle!"

The Pokémon rose its head up higher, enjoying the praise.

{What's its typing, Rotom?}

"Pure Normal-Type, boss!"

{Normal-Type, eh? Well, let's see how well it does against Fire!}

I pulled out a Poké Ball myself, and sent out my own fighter.

{Sassafras! Show 'em how we do it in Alola!}

My equally elegant Salazzle formed on the battleground, and she let out a trilling hiss as she rose up on her hind legs.

"Sssssrrrrrrr...!"

"Alright, Persian! Start this off with Fury Swipes!"

"Grrr-OWWWR!"

{Counter with Flame Burst!}

As the enemy began to advance on us, claws extending, Sassafras fired up the glowing orange flames in her mouth and shot them at the Persian just when it seemed on top of us. It snarled in pain as it flew backwards, but managed to land back on its feet with a nimble flip.

"Mrowwwr..."

"Try a Quick Attack!"

{Dragon Rage!}

The Toxic Lizard Pokémon attempted to finish charging her attack before the Persian could hone in, but it's speed turned out to match our own; a sprint-charged headbutt sent her off her own feet, and the glowing orb of draconic energy burst out in the sky above like a firecracker.

"Now go in for Fury Swipes! You're close enough!"

"Srrrr..."

My Pokémon emitted another low trill of a growl, then stood still on all fours, looking very deep in thought. Even the opponent seemed curious by this behavior.

{What's she doing?} I wondered aloud.

It was the very next moment that she flashed white, just for a split second, then rose back onto her hind legs, looking like she'd just figured something out.

"Sal-RRR!"

"Holy moly, Echo! I think we got a new thing goin' for us!" Rotom suddenly exclaimed. "It lookzzz like our buddy Sassafras just learned the move Nasty Plot!"

{Nasty Plot?} I repeated, the name of the move leaving an odd feeling on my tongue. Sassafras? Plot nastily? It didn't seem like something she'd do. {What does that do?}

"She juzzzt thinks about her next move for a moment, and then the move raises her Special Attack by a whole lot! It'll make her special attacks FAR more powerful! Zzt!"

{Is that so?}

"Yep!"

{Well...} I gurgled, a grin inching its way across my muzzle. {If that's the case, then go in for Flame Burst again, Sassafras!}

"Sal-ar!" she nodded back, looking equally pleased.

"Come on, Persian!" the opposing Trainer called out. "Fury Swipes, hurry!"

The Persian snapped back into concentration, then rose its foreleg for the attack, baring its mouthful of sharp teeth while it was at it.

But it was already too late.

The flames, now glowing with more energy than ever before, shot right into the enemy and engulfed it, burning gold as they collided. Red and white sparks flew out from all sides, and when the explosion finally died, it revealed the Persian on the ground, knocked senseless and its golden coat singed.

"Persian. Return!"

He withdrew his fainted Pokémon, then pulled out another.

"Not gonna lie, that was pretty dang good...But your Salazzle won't do so well up against THIS! Come on out, Marowak!"

{Fighting Fire with Fire, huh?} I told Sassafras, readying for the opposing Ghost and Fire-Type to materialize. {Lets's see how our Dragon Rage does against-}

"Marowak!"

Wait...What?

That didn't look like the Marowak I'd seen at Wela Volcano Park. The bone it carried had no flames burning on its tips. and it was a sandy brown color instead of a deep maroon. It looked more like an overgrown Cubone, really.

"Uh oh...That's a KANTONIAN Marowak, not an Alolan one like the onezzz here!" Rotom pointed out to me. "A pure Ground-Type? Against a Salazzle? This izzzn't going to be very pretty. Bzzrt!"

{We can at least give it a shot and see what she'd got!} I decided. {We can always switch! Sassafras! Dragon Rage!}

She fired up the glowing orb in her mouth without missing a beat.

"Counter that with Bone Club!"

"Rooo-WAK!"

It swung the bone in its grasp at the attack just as it was about to land, and sent the orb flying back towards us. Fortunately, Sassafras was slick and quick enough to weave out of the way in time, and it burst into midair right in front of me, just a yard or so away. I could feel the force of the energy as it exploded, and was grateful that it hadn't gotten the chance to make impact with ME.

"Now, Marowak! Bonemerang!"

{Dodge and use Flame Burst!}

Again, she darted off to the side, but not before the enemy Marowak threw its bone right in the direction she was going. To my dismay, it had predicted our evasive maneuver, and the hard white club slammed smack into my Pokémon's face as it whizzed by, spinning as it went.

{SASSAFRAS!}

"Slrrrr..."

She was badly disoriented by the attack, and struggled to stay on her hind feet. I was just about to call out another attack when the bone twirling through the air made a U-turn, and headed right back for her again from the OPPOSITE direction!

{Look out!}

Again, I was a moment too late. The attack made impact, and it took whatever was left in my Salazzle out, as the very next minute, she was down on the grassy ground, worn weary and knocked out cold.

It seemed as though I HAD overestimated her.

{Return, Sassafras...You did well.}

She was drawn back into her Poké Ball, and I pulled out my next fighter...A pure Ground-Type? Archer would have a hay day.

{Let's take 'em down, Archer! This one should be easy for you!}

The Arrow Quill Pokémon materialized on the battlefield, and flashed an arrow to intimidate his opponent.

"Drit-droo!"

The opposing Trainer seemed flustered by the sight of my Decidueye; perhaps he didn't have much in the way of coverage attacks.

"We do have one thing up our sleeve, Marowak!" he called out to his Pokémon. "Use Fling!"

"Rowww-row-AK!"

It hurled its bone club at us again, but Archer and I were one step ahead.

"Take to the skies and dodge!"

Before I even had to give the order, he had already spread his wings, and just before the bone could collide with him, Archer was airborne, and had already risen several yards above our heads. The Fling attack spiraled, then came back to the attacker, who grabbed the bone as it watched the enemy circle above.

{Now! Razor Leaf!}

"Droooo, Dwit DWIT!"

He summoned his trusty blizzard of leaves around him, and they cascaded down onto the Marowak with such speed and intensity that it seemed to turn the air of the battlefield green itself. There was a cry from under the flurry as the leaves made their mark, and then, as suddenly as it'd rang out, it went silent.

The leaves finally dissipated, and they revealed the Trainer's Marowak lying motionless on the ground, its hide covered in cuts left by the sharp foliage.

"Marowak. Return."

He withdrew his fallen Pokémon back into its ball, then looked up to face us as we approached.

"Ah...That was...incredible! I heard you were pretty good, but...WOW. I still got a ways to go, huh?"

{Well, so do I,} I replied. {We all do...Seems like everybody wants to be the best Pokémon Trainer around here, don't they?}

"A lot of people do. That's what the sport is about! Ah...But there can only be one best, can't there?"

{Who's the best Pokémon Trainer right now? Do you know?}

"The best? In the world? Out of EVERYONE? Wow. Well, uh...The Kanto Champions are both pretty strong. They're always challenging each other for the top spot, so they kinda take turns on the Champion's seat...Been at it for years. And Lance is the Johto Champion, where I'm from. REALLY good with Dragon Types. Steven's got an entourage of Rock and Steel-Types that I hear are near impossible to beat, Cynthia's Garchomp is a MONSTER. Man...I'm not sure I can give you a definitive answer to that. All of the Champions would probably have to take each other on in a battle royal down at the dome to find out! Ha!"

{Huh...You don't suppose either of us could be up there on the level of the Champions one day, do you?}

"Well, it'd be a long, winding road to the top, and not everybody gets there...But never say never, you know?"

{I don't think I will...Not yet. Not after everything I've learned so far...}

"Ah...Well, thanks for the fight. But I gotta run. My girlfriend's down by the tea shop waitin' on me. Catch ya around!"

{Bye.}

He was off in a flash, leaving me, Rotom and Archer standing there in the midst of the garden by ourselves.

"Wow...Even the people around here who AREN'T localzzz are still super friendly! Bzzrt!"

{Rotom.}

"Yeah, Echo?"

{...Do we control our Pokémon in battle?}

"Um...What do you mean?"

{Like...Are we, the Trainers, really the ones running the battle? Or are they the ones in charge during the fight?}

"Well, ghee, I would think the Trainer controlzzz the Pokémon. Granted the Pokémon is willing to listen."

{And if it's not?}

"Uhh...Well, then I guess it would be hard for the Trainer to control the Pokémon if it didn't wanna listen, but with some discipline and negotiation, it wouldn't be impossible to sway it. That's just how it workzzz between Trainer and Pokémon. You both have to work things out side by side!"

"Dwit-droo!" Archer agreed.

"Hrmm..."

"Um, any reason you're asking stuff like this, boss? I mean, no offense, but...It seemzzz a bit out of the blue."

{I don't know. Before we started up that battle, I was...questioning a few things I thought I knew for sure.}

"Oh...Doezzz this have anything to do with your old life back with your sisters?"

{Sort of, yes...}

A long silence followed. There was a lot to say about what I was thinking, but I wasn't sure how to put it into words.

{...Well, I'll think more about it later. Why don't we wander around and train up for our next trial?}

"Oh! Sounds good, boss!"

{Archer. Wanna stay out of your ball and follow us for a while?}

"Drit, drit!"

{I figured you would...Let's go.}

I kicked off the ground and set into the tall grass, my two most trusted packmates close behind. But even as the breeze blew in my face and all of my troubles wanted to simply wash away with the tide, I couldn't shake off what I was thinking of earlier.

The matter of control, and how the world really worked, continued to turn the wheels in my head. What WAS control? How was it attained? How was it supposed to be used? Did it have any real purpose in the big scheme of things?

...Did it even exist at all?

And...Did HUMANS worry about things like this like I was? Maybe I was just overthinking things again; I realized that I'd been thinking a lot of existential things lately. Why did I worry so much about things like that? There was so much more to think about. So much more that was BETTER to focus on. I had a new home to explore, a new and still-growing pack of Pokémon at my side, human companions to help guide me...What made me ponder such things?

A rustle in the tall grass cut my thought off and grabbed my attention.

Archer withdrew an arrow quill. and the enemy waddled out of the grass and confronted us...A Psyduck. Not the most worthy opponent, but it would do for some extra training.

"Psy?"

{Seems like a decent first opponent,} I said to myself, digging out King's ball and releasing him. {Alright, King! Give it a good Crunch!}

{I'm on it!}

As the battle engaged, I finally felt more at ease...I decided to wait to look for answers to the questions I had until I actually needed them.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

{I think...that's enough training for now...Wouldn't you agree?}

"Srrr..."

I knew that a large body of water ran across Malie Garden, so running into a few Water-Type Pokémon was expected. But I didn't think there would be quite THIS many. Even if she was fully evolved, unlike most of what we encountered, she wasn't faring very well against all of the Water-Type attacks being thrown at her left and right. We had just BARELY managed to down a particularly fearsome Araquanid; one more Bubble Beam and she'd have been down, for sure.

Fortunately a few Grass and Bug-Types were in that mix as well, and opponents such as Cottonee and Ledian still honed her battle experience. But at this point, she wasn't in much condition to battle anything anymore, so I made the decision to stop for the day.

{Getting hungry, Sassafras? I'd say it's about lunchtime.}

Her weary head immediately perked at the mention of food, and the twinkle returned to her lavender eyes.

{I figured. I could use something myself about now...How about we check out the tea shop the tourist from Johto mentioned earlier?}

She answered with an excited nod, and she stood tall once more as we made our way through the garden.

"Wow, Boss...Even though you and Sassafras struggled a bit towardzzz the end, I say that we all PLOWED through most of the competition, huh?"

{I should say so, Rotom. Everyone is getting into the upper levels quite nicely,} I answered my PokéDex. {...And I'm especially glad I could pitch a few with Grace up front. Thanks to that Everstone the nurse gave us back at the PMC, I don't see her trying to stop evolving mid-fight anymore.}

"Yeah! Boy, she really took care of that Poliwag back there, didn't she?"

{Two Swifts and it was down, and it didn't even get the chance to attack itself.}

"She'zzz finally getting the chance to catch up to the rest of the pack! You know, I don't think it'd hurt to send her out against a few Trainers here while we're at it. Bzzt! After we grab some refreshments, that is..."

{I second that, Rotom...So can you lead us to the shop?}

"It'zzz situated just northeast of the the garden's center. Pretty big place among the foliage, so ya can't miss it! Kzzrt!"

The ocean breeze blew in from the east as I trotted through the immense garden, Sassafras not far behind. I was thankful for the refreshing wind; without it, the hot afternoon sun wouldn't have felt near as comfortable as it did...It was a funny thing; back when I lived in the Paddock with my siblings, I rarely took notice to how hot it could get in the middle of the day. Looking back now, the temperature there...wasn't much different than what it was here in Alola. Sunny, warm, a bit humid, frequent rainfalls...Maybe it was because I was getting out and about a lot more often here in Alola than I was in my old home. And the Paddock was an enclosed space, and there were lots of trees and shrubbery along the walls and in the corners, so it was easy to find shade and hard to do any excessive running...Here, I was completely free; the only boundaries that enclosed me were the waters surrounding the islands, and those waters could still be crossed. By boat, by Lapras...By Charizard soaring over them. I could see the rest of this big, new world I lived in and loved.

But I would need the energy to do it, and the brains to do it right.

"Hey, Echo! Look who decided to come here too!"

I diverted my wandering gaze back onto the path ahead. The tea shop was right in front of us, and there sitting on one of the benches was none other than Professor Kukui, a piping hot cup of tea in hand.

"Ha! Look what the ocean breeze blew in!" he beamed when he saw me.

{I didn't expect to see you here, Professor,} I chippered, Rotom doing his usual job as translator. {Nice place here, isn't it?}

"I couldn't have said so better myself."

"Ho! Professor Kukui!"

Hau's familiar voice came from the west, and he ran over to meet up with the two of us.

"Ha! Where there's one of you, the other doesn't seem too far behind, you know?" he remarked. "So what's going on with you two? Your eyes are shining extra bright today...Did somethin' big happen?"

"You gotta hear this, Professor!" Hau continued. "We went to the Aether Paradse today, and we actually saw an Ultra Wormhole open up right in front of us! And there are actually Ultra Beasts in there! You gotta tell Professor Burnet!"

His eyes widened.

"You really did...!?"

"Heck yeah!"

"Wow...That IS something. Sounds like an even better reason to train and get stronger on your Island Challenge, yeah! Man...You're right. I gotta tell her next chance I get!"

{Do you think any of these Ultra Beasts come from my home universe?} I asked him.

"Well, maybe!" the Professor responded, still trying to comprehend it all. "Man, we're really gonna have to start looking into this more. This kind of phenomena has rarely ever been seen up close. Let alone long enough to study..."

{...Do these Ultra Wormholes pose any sort of danger to us, Professor Kukui?} I inquired. {When we were at Aether Paradise, I ended up having to fight the Ultra Beast that came out of the wormhole with my Pokémon...It acted pretty aggressive towards us.}

"Hmm...That's a good question. Portals connecting two separate dimensions could cause unwanted rifts in spacetime if they appeared at random, or were formed haphazardly. But we know it takes a LOT of energy to open up a portal like that. So wherever they're coming from, they have to have some sort of massive source. We'll have to look into where it could be coming from."

{I hope this doesn't turn into a problem for us here in Alola...} I gurgled. {I don't want a place like this to end up some sort of...}

I shuddered at the thought...Picturing such a thing was horrible.

{...Inhabitable wasteland, because of these Ultra Beasts.}

"Hey. Don't worry," the Professor assured me. "Nothin's gonna happen to Alola. Not anything that wouldn't be able to be fixed, at least. Okay?"

{Well...If you say so.}

"Just focus on your Island Challenge! That's what you're here for, right?"

{It is,} I nodded, Hau flashing a thumbs up in confirmation. {So, um...Where's the first trial here on Ula'ula Island?}

"The first trial is up on Mount Honulaki," he answered. "You can catch the bus, and it'll take you right up to the top! Just head to the bus stop on Route 10, yeah?"

"Sounds good to me!" Hau answered. "Hey, Echo. I've got a hot date with the Malie City Malasada Shop! You wanna come with?"

{You go on ahead; I'll join you in a bit,} I said to him. {For now, I wanna see what the tea shop here has to offer.}

"Alrighty, then. I'll be back here soon!"

Hau dashed off back into the foliage, disappearing from view.

{So, Professor...What exactly is tea made from?} I inquired. {It smells kind of familiar, but...I can't quite put my finger on it.}

"Well, the process of tea making can be pretty complex. But to simplify it, you basically take dried, edible plant matter, boil it in water, and wait for the essence of the leaves to seep into the water, thus turning it into tea."

{Huh...I thought it smelled a bit like a flower.}

"Well, that's usually what it's made out of; dried leaves or flower petals. You can use all sorts of plants for tea, as long as they're not poisonous."

{I see...What kind is yours?}

"This? It's a green tea; made from jasmine flowers. You wanna give it a go?"

{Well, I do like the smell...} I chittered. {Sassafras. You want some? It should tide you over until we can find ourselves something to eat.}

She swiftly nodded her head in response, and the Professor stood back up from his seat.

"You two gals sit tight," he told us. "It's on me."

It didn't take him long to place an order for another two rounds and head back over to us while we waited.

{Thank you, Professor.}

"No prob. Figured you two could use a drink after everything you've gotten done today...Y'know, tea isn't just a refreshing beverage. It's the staple of a lot of different cultures as well, and different cultures make different teas and serve them certain ways."

{Cultures?}

"Yeah, ways of life. Practices, customs, art...How the society of a region works, basically. Cultures vary from place to place, and every culture is unique in its own way. For example, we here in Alola have a culture based on our strong bond with Pokémon and our ties to the life surrounding us. We value things like peace, and hard work and good will towards both man and Pokémon...That's what our culture is like."

{...So people tend to have different beliefs and priorities depending on their culture?}

"Yep. Just for a few examples, the culture in Galar tends to focus a lot on competition, and in Unova it's more centered around freedom and independence."

{Interesting...}

"Cultural values are passed down from one generation to another over the ages. Some cultures are fairly new, and others have been around nearly ever since the start of written history...But somehow, all of the different cultures we see today have been able to stand the test of time."

{Wow...} I gurgled. {All of these different regions from here, and different ways of life...There's still a lot more I have to learn about this place, isn't there?}

"The more you learn about the world, the less you seem to know about it, yeah?"

I nodded lightly...I'd never been able to comprehend just how complex and varied the world was...Was the world I came from just as complex as the one I was in now? Did the humans living there have different cultures from one another as well? I never got the chance to learn about it and explore it, like I did here in Alola.

...I wondered if I ever would.

Ding!

My train of thought was interrupted by the sharp sound of a bell coming from the tea stand.

"Welp, that's your order! I'll-"

{I can get it. You were kind enough to buy if for me, anyways.}

"Oh. Well, go on ahead! Thanks, Echo."

I stood up from the bench and went to pick up the two clear cups of tea sitting there...The liquid in the cups was a rich shade of gold; not exactly what I expected from a beverage mainly made from something green, but then again, I'd seen stranger things as of late. And it didn't really matter what it looked like. All I knew was that it smelled divine.

I chittered my thanks to the tea brewer, who gave me a light bow and a smile in response, and headed back over to where the Professor and Sassafras were sitting, handing my Salazzle one of the cups before taking a seat beside her again and having a sip from my own...The natural grassy sweetness from the jasmine flowers had slight bitter and sour undertones to it; just enough so that it remained palatable. A perfect balance of flavor, to say the least.

{I've never had anything like it,} I remarked. {...It's wonderful. Thank you.}

"Hoped you'd like it," the Professor remarked. "Perfect for winding down after a long day of training, huh?"

"Srrrl!"

"Ha! Looks like your Salazzle agrees."

I nodded lightly before taking another sip...A few minutes of silence passed, accompanied by the occasional quiet slurp as one of us took a drink from our cups.

"Hey, Echo!"

I nearly spat out my last gulp when I heard Hau's voice suddenly ring out from not far away, and I frantically turned my head to face him.

"Didja know?"

{Who, what, me? Of course I know!} I replied, still startled.

"...But I haven't even told you what it is yet."

{Huh? Oh...Sorry, I got a bit frantic there.}

"Ey, don't worry about it. I'll tell ya; there's an observatory up on top of Mount Hokulani!"

{Really?}

"And you know what they do at an observatory, right?" he asked. "...Hope ya do, because I sure as heck don't."

{Um...If it's called an observatory, wouldn't they...OBSERVE things there?} I guessed.

"Smart thinkin' there, yeah!" Professor Kukui applauded.

"Oh. Yeah, guess you're right...Well, if we're gonna make it to the trial there, you wanna head on out soon?"

{How about you go on ahead of me?} I said to him. {I'm not sure whether or not I'm ready yet; I might do a bit more preparing before I see what it's about. Besides, I have yet to get to know the rest of the island here.}

"Well, alrighty. Wanna meet up back here later today?"

{Sounds like a plan to me.}

"Cool beans! I'm out, guys!"

"Catch ya later, Hau!" the Professor bid him.

With that, he was gone again...And I figured it was time for me to get going myself so I could get ready for the next trial.

"You two are really movin' up the world, you know?"

{It seems that way...But it seems like there's still a lot of it I have yet to learn about.}

"You'll get there, Echo," the Professor assured me. "And when you do, we'll all still be backin' you up. You know that, right?"

{...Always?} I asked him.

"Always," he nodded. "Now you get on out there and show this big wide world just what you're made of, a'ight?"

I nodded in response, then stood up, returned me and Sassafras' cups to the stand, turned and made out way out of the seating area, through the foliage, across the bridge and out of Malie garden, re-entering the city.

...I might have run smack into Lillie when I made the turn had I not seen her coming right out of the corner of my eye just in time.

"Whoa!"

I skidded to a halt a mere few feet in front of her, then chittered an apology.

"Ah...I-it's alright. Really, it is," she told me. "...As a matter of fact, I was just on my way to ask you something."

{You were?}

"Yes."

"Pew!"

The bag she carried with her shook slightly as the sound of Nebby crying out came from inside.

"Oh Nebby, don't make such a fuss...!" she rasped to it. "Oh, I hope no one sees us like this..."

{Were you going to ask me something concerning Nebby?}

"Yes, I was," she confirmed. "...I wanted to take it to the ruins here on Ula'ula Island, but they're located deep in a large desert...I-I'm not asking you to take me there; I've seen what happens to you when it gets too hot out."

I nodded in acknowledgement; if Wela Volcano Park was enough to drain me of most of my energy, I feared what an actual desert might do if I were to traverse it.

"Right now, I wanted to visit Malie Library," she explained further. "There's a book I wanted to find there...Maybe you could help me?"

{A book?} I repeated. {That doesn't sound too hard. Sure, I'll help you.}

"Oh, thank you," she smiled. "I just figured I'd keep you close while I try to find it. Heh...I mean, it's a Library. I shouldn't have too much trouble trying to spot it!"

"If ya do, I can be of assistance myself!" Rotom buzzed. "All I gotta do is calculate the fastest route on my map system and we're good to go!"

He pulled up the map screen of Ula'ula Island and zoomed in on the city.

"According to the map, Malie Library izzz located at the north end of the city. All we gotta do is follow the black-brick road; there are three large bricks along the pathway leading up to it, each a different shape!"

"That's all? Well, that sounds easy enough," Lillie nodded. "Thank you, Rotom. You must be really handy to have around."

His map disappeared to reveal a slightly pink-tinged smile.

"Well, that's what I was set to do; gotta make sure I do my best, zzt~!"

He stayed ahead of us as we followed the directions displayed on his screen, our position indicated by a yellow smiley face icon...It wasn't long until I noticed a large, circular brick beneath out feet.

{Is this the first black brick, Rotom?}

"Sure izz! First the circle, then the triangle and then the square. Huh...I don't know why, but I feel like there'zzz somethin' familiar about that pattern. Does it ring a bell to you?"

{Can't say it does,} I shrugged as we continued up the path and passed over the two other bricks in question. {All I can tell is that they lead us to the library, just like your map said.}

We all looked up, and lo and behold, there stood the Amalie Library...Judging by the size of it, I figured there must have been more books in there than I ever could have imagined.

{...I wonder what kinds of things they have to read about,} I gurgled. {Lillie. What do you think?}

"Well...Besides what I'm looking for, all sorts of things. Fact, fiction, whatever you might be looking for."

{I can't wait to learn more from here.}

"Ne-he-heheheheh..."

A puff of hot air hit us both in the back of the heads, and when we turned around to see what'd made the low whinny, we came face to face with a long brown and red-tipped snout just inches away from us, two large eyes peering at us from just behind it.

"Yeek?!"

Lillie started and scrambled backwards at the sight of the strange face, nearly tripping herself in the process. I jumped a bit myself, then stared right back at the creature and scanned it over. It was tall and earthy-colored with a black mane and tail, and hooves like many of the creatures my sisters and I used to hunt...But judging by the bulk of it, this was something FAR more powerful than anything we'd ever hunted.

{What on earth are YOU?} I gargled at it. {Rotom, can you get a scan?}

"On it, boss! Scanning...Scanning...Scan complete!

"Mudsdale: the Draft Horse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Mudbray! Although a kick from its mud-coated legzzz could easily reduce a car to nothing but a pile o' scrap, itzzz emotional fortitude is said to be even stronger; they remain calm and collected no matter the situation! They mix dirt with their saliva to produce a special kind of mud that'zzz resistant to both wind and water, so it used to be uzzzed as a coating for old houses, bzzt!"

"Well, I hope the part about it being calm is true...!" Lillie whimpered, using me as a barrier between her and the massive creature. "I-I've been around a lot of Pokémon before, but I'm...not used to being around ones as big as this."

"Mudsdale!"

Another voice came from not far behind the massive creature. Just a moment later, a small figure wearing brown and violet turned the corner from behind one of the nearby buildings and approached the massive creature.

"There you are...Trying to explore the city again, huh?"

"Ruhuhuhu..."

"Come on, now, you gotta stay by me when we go out. Not everyone knows you're more gentle than you look."

The Mudsdale nickered softly and nudged the human with the tip of its muzzle as she turned to look at us next.

"I apologize for Mudsdale here; he doesn't mean any harm," she assured us, her gaze diverting towards me next. "...Fortunately, it seems as though he's lead me right to my point of interest."

{Me?}

"Exactly," she replied. "I happen to know quite a bit about you already. You're Echo. You're a budding Pokémon Trainer, you use your Rotom Dex to communicate with us, and the most recent rumor has it that the Tyrunt you're currently training has a portion of your DNA mixed into its genome...Of course, I tend not to follow rumors, but I figured I'd ask; is that true?"

{Wow...You do know a lot about me,} I chittered. {Well...As for King's case, I can confirm the rumor is true.}

I released my Tyrunt for her to see. King shook his head upon emerging and looked up at the strange face before him.

"...He has your eyes," the human remarked. "How was this accomplished?"

{Well, it was kind of an accident. I got excited when I bought his fossil and grabbed it with my mouth to take it to the restoration center, so my DNA entered the mix by mistake...Fortunately, the man at the center said that it wasn't much of an issue, and even that he could be a closer specimen to the original than any other he'd seen.}

{Who is this, Alpha?} King asked me, tilting his head off to the side as he stared curiously at the Mudsdale owner.

{...That's a good question,} I replied to him, my gaze hardening slightly as I looked the human in the eye. {Who are you? And how do you know so much about me?}

"My name is Hapu; my grandfather used to be the kahuna on Poni Island before his passing three years ago," she replied. "And to answer your second question, I must say word about you spreads quickly; news about you only surfaced on Poni two days ago, and already the residents of Seafolk Village await your arrival."

{Poni Island...? Rotom, where's that at?}

"Bzzrt, it's the westernmost of Alola's four main islands. It hazzz the lowest population out of all the islands, but it makes up for that with its rich history and landmarks, bzzt!"

{Wow...I must be a pretty big deal for all of this to spread across the region so fast.}

"Well, it's not everyday a Pokémon trainer like you appears here in Alola," Hapu told me. "...Who might your friend be?"

I turned just in time to see Lillie flush pink with embarrassment.

"Oh, well...My name is Lillie. It's a pleasure to meet you," she replied sheepishly.

"I should say the same...It doesn't seem like you're a trial-goer, though. What might you be up to around here?"

"Oh, um...I'm here to study the Tapu's ruins."

"Well, that's some fine initiative," Hapu grinned. "I'm going to be here on Ula'ula for a little while yet, so I'd be more than happy to show you the way to them whenever you'd like to go. My Mudsdale here is as sturdy as all get-out; he can easily carry two."

The Draft Horse Pokémon let out another low whinny and bobbed its head up and down, as though to confirm Hapu's claim.

"I'll be around the city if you ever need to find me. I suppose I'll be seeing you two around later."

"Thank you for the offer, Hapu," Lillie told her. "And yes, I suppose we will. Travel safely."

Hapu nodded lightly before turning away with her Mudsdale and heading back the way they came.

"Well, that was certainly something," Lillie huffed, seemingly releasing some pent-up tension as we turned towards the library again. "Well...Shall we go in?"

{That was the plan, wasn't it?}

I stepped ahead of her and pulled one of the two glass doors open, then followed her inside...The walls of the library were almost completely covered with bookshelves, and all of those bookshelves were full to the brim with books. There were even small tables and chairs in a few places where people could sit and read them. Wow...It was like everything in the world that one could learn was kept here, waiting to enlighten those who craved knowledge.

...Like myself.

{...This place looks wonderful,} I chittered to my PokéDex.

"Boy, you said it. Heck, I probably wouldn't be here with you right now if not for professors, programmerzzz and engineers stickin' their nozzzes in books and figuring out how to build me this Dex body!" he replied.

{So Lillie. What book did you want to find here?}

"The book that I'm looking for is a very old one. It contains old myths and legends that Professor Burnet told me about as I was settling into the lab on Melemele...The tales seem to suggest that some of Alola's Legendary Pokémon came here from another world."

{From an Ultra Wormhole, perhaps?}

"Possibly," she nodded.

{...Does that make ME Legendary?} I smirked.

She giggled slightly, and Rotom was barely able to hold back the urge to laugh himself as he repeated my remark back to her.

"Well, you're certainly very special if it's true you came from a place like that," she replied. "Maybe we'll learn something about that, too. Let's see...Science, Poetry, Mystery, Thriller...Oh! The sign here says the Folklore section is on the second floor. Let's go see."

I scaled the stairway in a hassle, ensuring that I made it to the top without fumbling; it seemed as though that if I went fast enough, I wouldn't have any trouble with my footing on the small steps. Lillie followed not far behind, and we both eyed up the section she'd pointed out before making our way to one of its shelves.

"Let's see...Hm, no...Not here...I'm not sure whether or not they have it. And even if they do, it must be a very valuable book, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to take it out of the library."

"Is this what you're looking for?"

Another unfamiliar voice came from not far behind us, and we turned to see yet another unfamiliar face accompanying it...Her ragged blue and black dress held together with visible stitching contrasted her playful grin, and she had a book in her hands titled "The Light of Alola" in large, gold-printed capital letters.

"O-oh! Um...I believe so?" Lillie stammered.

{Seems like we're meeting a new face around every corner today,} I chittered to her...Rotom made the mistake of not whispering my remark, but the mysterious human before us didn't seem to mind.

"Sounds like you've had a busy day, huh?" she remarked, setting the book she had down on the table nearest to us. "Here. Why don't we both take a look?"

"Oh. Well, um...Of course," Lillie replied. "That sounds alright...You don't mind me reading it aloud, do you?"

"Not a problem with me. How about you, Echo?"

I might have jumped right out of my skin had I not reminded myself that more people were likely to know who I was now. She was so casual about it, though; it seemed she spoke as though we'd met before.

I simply shook my head in response, then watched as Lillie sat down in front of the book and opened up the cover, cleared her throat and began.

"The empty sky broke asunder,
a hole appearing where had been none.
Two beasts appeared from far within it:
one of the moon, and one of the sun.

The Alolan king, he bowed before them:
the beasts that form the day and night.
The island Tapus fought against them,
but in the end they lost the fight.

Then did the beast that devours the sun
shine its light on the line of kings.
And then the beast, with battle won,
brought nature's gift to bless all things.

And such the beast that brought the dark
cast it pall upon the line.
It marked the path for kings henceforth
to lead them through their ending times.

Beast of moon and beast of sun;
through their union, they brought new life.
And fragile heir, Alola born,
island Tapus would keep from strife.

The ancient kings, they sang their thanks
for the two great beasts with song of flute.
Two tones rang out 'cross alter grand-
a perfect pair, even after mute."

...She stopped there, then turned to look at us.

"Isn't it great?" the mysterious human remarked. "My dad's books are all great!"

{Your dad?} I echoed back, surprised by the notion.

"What? Oh, I mean yes," Lillie chimed in. "But, when you say your father, do you mean... Well...Isn't this book very old?"

"Oh. Ohh, no no, he didn't write it. It just belonged to him once; a lot of these old books did when he still ran the library," she corrected lightly. "It was passed down in our family for generations. I know I probably don't look it, but my family used to be pretty much royalty."

"Oh. I see...I apologize for the mix-up."

"Nah, it was me; I have a thing for playing with peoples' heads sometimes. Hey, if you're interested, I've got lots of other stories about the times of Alolan royalty stored away in the noggin if you wanna hear any!"

"Really? Well, I...Th-that does sound nice," Lillie said to her. "And I suppose I might learn a bit more about the ruins...Sure. I-I'll stay for a little while! Oh, but...Echo, you have a trial to attend to on Mount Hokulani. I don't want to keep you here for too long."

{True...But will you be alright on your own?}

"Well...I suppose I'll be fine," she said to me. "The Professor said something about staying close to Malie Garden, and I think I remember how to get there from here, so I'll know where to find him if I need any help. You go on ahead and complete your next trial. Besides, I have...um...I'm sorry ma'am, er...your Highness...? But I don't think I ever got your name, did I?"

"Acerola," she introduced herself. "Oh, and don't worry about all the formality; the days of the Alolan monarchy are long gone."

"Right. Well...Like I said Echo, I'll be perfectly fine, okay?"

{If you say so,} I figured. {I'll see you later, then.}

"Good luck with your next trial," she smiled, waving a bit.

"Guess we'll be seeing more of each other later!" Acerola chimed in.

I grinned myself, nodded, then made my way back down the stairs with a bounce in my step...Things just seemed to keep getting more and more intriguing as of late.

{Alright, Rotom. How do we get to Mount Hokulani from here?}

"According to my map, if we head southwest and get on Route 10, it'll take us right to the bus stop. That'll take us to the top where the observatory izzz!"

{Sounds good...Let's get a move-on, then.}

I kicked my feet up off the ground and left the library in the dust behind me...I hoped that while I was gone, Lillie would find out what she needed to about Nebby's strange interest the ruins. Did the tiny puff of a Pokémon know something about them that we didn't, perhaps? I could only wonder.

After all, the more we know, the more we understand. And the more we understand, the more we could make right any wrongs.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

{Wow...I wasn't expecting the trainers here on Route 10 to be so strong. Just one Pokémon was enough to do a lot to us.}

"Yeah, bzzt. Officer Mitchell's Growlithe was tough; I'm surprised Grace was able to wear him down that much!"

{Well, with dodging skills like that, she lives up to her name...It's a good thing that nice lady offered to heal everyone up back there,} I remarked as we continued down the path; according to the map, the bus stop was just around the bend now. {We'll need as much energy as we can for the trial.}

"And we racked up some decent dough too! Let'zzz celebrate in Malie City after this; my map says there's a nice fancy restaurant there, so maybe we could check it out!"

{That's a very good idea,} I smiled. {I'll see if i can throw some malasadas in there for everyone, too.}

"Let's not forget to invite Hau, bzzt!"

"So what we gonna do with this thing, huh?"

"It ain't that hard to figure out, ya dumb bag o' bones; just get'cho Raticate out here and have it chew the thing down!"

The familiar tone of the voices made me tear my eyes off Rotom's map and look ahead...There at the bus stop were two figures in familiar-looking black and white outfits.

"Uh-oh. Looks like Team Skull's causing trouble again."

{...You've GOT to be kidding me,} I growled. {Rotom, get in my bag. This might get ugly.}

He swiftly obeyed, and I approached them from behind quietly. I only made my presence known when I was merely five feet away from them.

{Hey!}

They both turned around to face me at the sound of my bark, and started ever so slightly when we made eye contact.

"Well, well, well. Look who slithered in for a visit," the first one sneered.

"What? You never see somebody take a bus stop to go before?" the other one asked.

I shook my head in contempt.

"Try'na steal our bus stop, huh? Well, best go find your own, ya heard!?"

I wasn't about to let them do what I thought they were going to do, so I flashed a Poké Ball and narrowed my eyes at them even more.

"Oh, so you wanna do this the hard way, do ya?" the first one asked me. "Well, the hard way's gonna end with you gettin' beat! You in on this with me, homeslice!?

"In it to win it! Do this for your fallen brother, Raticate!"

"Let's check these fools, Golbat!"

They sent both of their Pokémon out at once...I might not have had Hau with me this time, but I'd fought two-on-two before, so I did the same.

{Grace, King! Let's go!}

They both emerged before their opponents and snarled.

"Vui...!"

{Ready whenever you are, Alpha.}

"Give the Eevee your Poison Fang, Golbat!"

"Raticate, use Growl"

{Swift and Dragon Tail, both on the Golbat! We'll deal with the Raticate later!}

Grace fired up her glowing stars and King's tail started to shine at the enemy honed in with fangs bared. Swift came between Grace and the attacker and made its mark, and King followed up with his Dragon Tail just a moment later...Not quite enough to down it. The Golbat attempted to continue its pursuit of Grace, but she was able to flit out of the way and evade its advances.

Eventually it gave up and opted to go after King instead...But he was more than ready for it.

{Fire up a Crunch, King! Grace, use Baby-Doll Eyes to weaken the Raticate!}

"You still got steam, Golbat! Confuse Ray! Doesn't matter who ya hit!"

The battered Golbat steadied its flight before firing up its spiraling orbs.

{Distract it, King!}

He complied, sending a sharp roar at the Golbat and getting its attention, causing it to fire at him instead.

{Now finish it off before it hits you!}

With that, he charged, eyes remaining locked on the opponent even as the lights swirled around him and clouded his mind. He leapt up at the enemy headfirst...

...Only for it to fly higher and cause him to miss.

When King landed, he was barely able to keep himself from crashing, and I could tell by his wobbly stance that the effects of Confuse Ray had set in.

I knew what would probably happen if I let him keep going in a state like that, so I returned him to his capsule and pulled out another.

{Let's go, Red! Teach these thugs another lesson!}

He emerged and landed with an eager spring in his step, and I could tell by the look in his eye that he'd already set sights on the opposing Raticate.

{Take it out with Karate Chop! Grace, give the Golbat one more Swift!}

"Tackle 'em, Raticate!"

"Golbat! Fire up that Poison Fang one more time and take that Eevee down!"

Red wasted no time making his move; he'd already fired up his Karate Chop by the time the grunt was done giving his Raticate orders, and he bolted towards the opponent and landed his move smack in the center of the Mouse Pokémon's abdomen before it even had the chance to get a good running start.

The black pelted creature was flung backwards, and it skidded to a halt along the edge of the battlefield. It was still very much alive, but it was no longer in any condition to fight.

Grace didn't take the Golbat down quite as easily as I thought, however; the Poison-Type still hung on by a thread as it kept advancing.

{To the right! Sand Attack!}

She darted to the right just before the enemy could nip her with its venomous fangs, and then kicked up a spray of dust into its peering eyes the moment after it turned to face her once again...Had I been a moment too late, she'd have certainly been hit, and she'd have been hit hard.

The Golbat let out a shrill screech as it shut its eyes and tried to shake off the sand...Now was our chance.

{One more Swift! Make it a good one!}

"Eie, eie-VUI!"

With the Golbat incapacitated, it didn't take long for the glowing white stars to land their mark. The enemy was shrouded in the glowing projectiles, and the next thing any of us knew, it was falling to the ground, wings no longer beating and eyes no longer concentrated...It'd fainted.

If one thing was for certain at that point, no matter how tough a team Skull grunt made themselves out to be they were never hard to defeat in battle. Even if there were two of them.

"Vui, eievui!"

"CHA!"

Grace and Red both struck a victorious pose and smiled. I let slip a grin myself; if I didn't have such loyal, battle-ready teammates, I doubted this would have gone as well as it had.

We all looked at the grunts next, our smiles turning to confident smirks. The one who owned the Raticate quickly dug its Poké Ball back out and returned it, eyes widening.

"Aww naw, I heard 'bout what you did to my homie's Raticate! I ain't lettin' you do that to mine!"

{Well, if your homie hadn't let his Raticate get in such a horrible state to begin with, maybe I wouldn't have had to put it out of its misery. Even from the likes of Tyrunt, its head shouldn't have caved in the way it did from a Tackle.}

"...Yo, foshizzle? Thing got done in by a dingy Tyrunt?" he asked, seemingly surprised. "...Man, I told that bonehead to feed that thing more."

"'Ey, what'chu doin', yo!? You ain't sidin' with this scaly scar faced freak o' nature, are ya!? Don't go stupid on me!"

"I ain't goin' stupid, man!"

{Says the two idiots trying to steal a bus stop...}

"Hey, you don't get it, do ya? Think of the bus drivers! If we take this bus stop, they can all chill!"

"I...don't think that'zzz how it works," Rotom remarked, to which I nodded in agreement.

"Man, I'm over this anyway, this pole weighs more than a Golem," the Golbat Trainer scoffed. "Let's just go find somethin' else to make off with before goin' back to livin' it large at the mansion!"

{You make off with ANYTHING, and I'll find out,} I said to them, stepping closer. {...You're smell isn't hard to track down, after all.}

The two looked at one another, then back at me, eyes wide as dinner plates.

"Man, forget this. Let's just scram and head back to base! I ain't gonna end up like that one grunt!"

The other didn't argue, and they both hurried off down the path from which I came...They dropped a few things as they dashed away, and they fell onto the dusty ground.

I looked down and inspected what they'd dropped...It turned out to be what amounted to 900₱; a nice wad of cash, if I did say so myself. Whether or not they'd intended to drop it to get me off their tails or if it'd been an accident was beyond my knowledge, but seeing that I'd beaten them in a battle anyways, it was earned.

"Man, Echo," Rotom buzzed as he fully emerged. "I figured thezzze guys would have learned not to tussle with the likes of you anymore; it alwayzzz ends with them getting swept right under the rug in battle!"

{Well...Maybe one day they'll learn,} I gurgled to him. {...I can hope, at least.}

"Whoa! You okay there, Echo?"

The sound of the Professor's voice came from down the path as well, and I saw him approaching.

"I just saw those two Team Skull grunts run past from this way, yeah? They didn't give you too much trouble, did they?"

{Not too much...this time, at least,} I frowned. {They were a bit stronger than what I'm used to, but not by much.}

"It's a shame, really; a lot of Team Skull members didn't have the best experiences growing up, so they figured they could find their place there...If I could, I'd try to help some of them."

{You mean...help them learn to NOT cause trouble?}

"Bingo...There's only so much one professor can do about that, though. 'Specially with a schedule and duties like mine...I've tried a couple times when I had the chance, though. I really did."

{How did that work out?}

"...Not too great," he admitted. "If there's one thing keeping Team Skull together, it's their sense of kinship; even if they treat one another like...well...boneheads, they still see each other as some form of family. If only I could find a way to use that to my advantage...All I want to do is help get as many people as I can on the right track."

He sighed, then looked off in the direction the two grunts had gone...It was apparent that this issue weighed on him quite heavily.

{Well...You got ME on the right track.}

"Hm?"

{You were the one who decided to take me into the lab after finding me on the beach...Of course, Lillie helped with that, too, but it was your idea. You healed my wounds, kept me nourished while I stayed there recovering...If you hadn't been there for me then, and I'd somehow survived my ribs being broken the way they were, I...I don't know where I might be by now. I wouldn't have met Archer as a Rowlet, or Rotom...I might have met Hau, but even if I had, given the circumstances of our encounter, we...might not have clicked the way we did. I might not have figured out how to train Pokémon, or travel to the other islands beyond Melemele...I probably wouldn't have been as accepted into Alola as I am now if you hadn't spread the word of my arrival.}

I paused to look at him again...His smile had grown, and there was a look of contentment settled in his gaze.

{...I have you to thank for all of that,} I said to him. {Without you, I'd be...nothing.}

"Well...I wouldn't say you'd be nothing," he told me. "But you're probably right about everything else. Guess you're right there, Echo...I must be doin' something right, yeah?"

{I should think.}

"Ghee Professor, I've got you to thank for havin' the two of us meet myself," Rotom added. "I didn't expect all this to be as wonderful as it izzz at the start, but here I am, having the time of my life and having it with the best bunch o' buddies I could've dreamed of."

"Makes me even more glad to know you guys are all looking after one another too," the Professor nodded. "Speaking of which...I think you guys better prepare for the upcoming trial. You gonna take the bus to the mountain top."

"We sure are! Bzzt!"

"Welp, looks like you're in luck. Here comes the bus now!"

The sound of something approaching came from the paved road beyond the gated mountain, and we all looked up to see a large white and orange bus coming down the slope. On the front above the windshield, there was an image of what I figured were the heads of some kind of Pokémon I hadn't encountered yet; they were round and yellow with what looked like leaves sprouting from their heads, and they all sported a goofy looking grin.

The road guard separating the asphalt from the dirt lifted, let the bus come through, then fell back into place. Professor Kukui and I stayed on the grass along the side so the massive vehicle could pass through...It stopped right in front of us, and the side door slid open, revealing the driver inside.

"Welcome aboard the Exeggutor Express!" he announced. "Professor Kukui! Assuming you're here to see the new trial-goer to the top?"

"That'd be the case, yeah!"

{So...This thing is safe, right?} I asked, just to be sure. {It looks...big. And bulky.}

"Now, don't you worry 'bout a thing. Our driving record is one of the best in Alola. Why, I think it's been pushing nine years since we had an incident!"

{Well...That sounds good.}

"Alrighty then, come on and climb in, you two!"

The professor was the first to board, and I stepped up and followed him inside, watching him take a seat in an empty space in the second row...Unfortunately for me, none of the seats had any holes in the backs of them, so there wasn't really any way for me to sit in them.

"Oh. I see..." professor Kukui remarked, catching on to the issue with a glance at my tail. "You can stand on a bus, too; you just gotta hang on to a metal pole or ceiling bar so you don't get tossed around by the turns it takes, yeah?"

He motioned to the vertical pole to his right, and I gladly took hold of it.

"Alright, everybody locked and loaded?" the driver called out. "We're movin' out!"

He honked the horn a couple of times, and then the vehicle started to move again, repositioning itself so that it was pointed back up the slope. The road guard opened back up again, and we started on the steady, winding incline up Mount Honulaki...Out the window, I saw the landscape begin to change; the grass grew thinner and browner, and ground itself darkened. It looked a bit like Wela Volcano Park, but without the glowing splotches of magma scattered across the slopes.

I caught sight of an odd-looking Pokémon as well, perched on the edge of a cliff jutting out from the mountainside. Its folded wings appeared to be made up of numerous metal blades, and its entire body looked like it was encased in even more metal, from the tip of its beak to where its toes ended and claws protruded.

{Rotom. What kind of Pokemon is that?}

"Lemme take a look through my database to see if I can find any matchezzz! It's a little too far away to scan directly...Searching...Searching...Searching...Result found!

"Skarmory: the Armor Bird Pokémon! Although the iron armor encasing itzzz body is sturdy, it's also very lightweight; it can reach diving and even level flight speedzzz of up to 185 mph! Molted feather blades from this Pokémon's wingzzz used to be made into swordzzz during the Middle Ages, and that practice has since evolved into them being made into high-quiality kitchen knives, the sharpness of which hazzz been recognized by the finest chefs!"

{Interesting...I wonder what other kinds of Pokémon we'll find here?}

It seemed that I was going to find out soon; the bus slowed, then braked, coming to a complete stop. I finally stopped staring out the window when I saw Professor Kukui unboard the bus from out of the corner of my eye, and I was swift to let go of the metal rail and follow him out the now open bus door.

...Immediately upon stepping back outside, a chill coursed through me and ran down to the tip of my tail.

"Somethin' the matter, boss? You look kinda wide-eyed there."

{It's CHILLY up here,} I replied to him. {I thought this place would be like the volcano judging by the looks of it, but this feels nearly the opposite.}

"It can get pretty cool up here, yeah," Professor Kukui said to us. "But come over here and check this out."

He lead Rotom and I over to the edge of the road along the steel guard railing, then pointed out into the distance.

...Far beyond Mount Hokulani, jutting out above the clouds out yonder, stood the tip of another mountain.

"Mount Hokulani's tall, for sure, but it's not the tallest," he told us. "That steep, snow-capped mountaintop out there? That's Mount Lanakila...That is THE highest peak in Alola. And it's considered a sacred spot, according to legend; the closest you can get to the Legendary Pokémon of the sun and the moon."

{...From the legends?} I asked. {The beasts who fought the Island Guardians?}

"You read that book, huh?"

{Well...Lillie read it when we visited the library.}

"Looks like you're learning a few things about the history here, huh?"

{A few, yes...What's that stuff jutting out of it? Looks like some kind of building.}

"Well Echo...A new era is dawning here in the Alola region," he said to me. "Usually, after trial-goers partaking in the Island Challenge finished all of their main island trials, they would climb to the summit of Mount Lanakila where the Island Kahunas would all be waiting for them, then battle all four of them in a row in order to be considered an Island Challenge Champion."

{Is that so?} I chittered. {Well...What are they doing there now?}

"Well, after a lot of careful consideration, a few meetings and a few offerings to the Tapus, it's happening...An official Alolan Pokémon League is being established up there, just like most other regions have, yeah!"

{Really?}

"Yep! I've already spoken to the Kahunas about joining an official Elite Four...Not all of them are on board, though, so we'll have to find a couple of other strong Trainers to fill in for that part of the league."

{So...What happens, then, if someone defeats the Elite Four once the league is established?} I asked. {Instead of just being an Island Challenge Champion, would that make them the...official Champion of Alola?}

"You got that absolutely right," he nodded. "Everything's going accordingly. The construction of the league building is almost finished; should just be a few more days now until it's complete and ready to take on the trial-goers."

{...Could I try my hand at the league?}

"Well, I don't see why not, yeah! But I would recommend you strengthen your team up before then. Not to say it isn't pretty darn strong already, but any region's Elite Four holds high standards when it comes to their teams, so they're never a walk in the park."

{Well...All the more reason to go through the Island Challenge and hone my skills, right?}

"Spoken like a true Trainer, Echo. You've really gotten the hang of things!"

{Say...If someone were to take on the Pokémon League, successfully beat the Elite Four, but then couldn't defeat the Champion...Would they still at least have completed their Island Challenge?}

"Well, sure they would; not everyone can take on a Champion and win, but the important thing is you do your best...And at least defeat the Elite Four. Since those two parts were kind of similar, the trial-goers have at least got to do that part, yeah?"

{Yeah. Heh heh...}

"Say, speaking of completing the Island Challenge, partner, don't we have to go check out the one here at the observatory?"

{Oh, yes, you're right Rotom,} I nodded. {Well...We'd better go on in there and see what the next trial has in store for us. Thanks for coming, Professor!}

"Not a problem. I'll be here studying some of the Pokémon in the area if ya need me. Good luck in there, yeah!"

With that, I turned towards the observatory and made my way towards its front doors...Completing the next trial would take us one step closer to moving onto the next island, and we'd be one step closer to completing the main trials...And we'd be one step closer to taking on the Elite Four.

Whether or not becoming the Alolan Champion was out of my league, I wasn't sure. But I knew the only way to find out was to keep on pressing forward and see just how far I could get.

...And I wasn't going to be stopping any time soon.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

Upon approaching the doors to the observatory, I noticed someone standing in front of the entrance...Thankfully not a Team Skull grunt this time, by the looks of it. Was he the trial captain, perhaps?

Well, there was only one way to find out.

I sped up to a trot and approached him, noticing a welcoming smile spread across his face...He was expecting my arrival, it seemed.

"Hey there!" he greeted, his tone relaxed and slightly quiet. "Here for the trial? Professor Kukui told me about you a little while back."

{That's what I'm here for,} I confirmed.

"Echo, right...?" he asked. "I believe that's what he said your name was. My name's Molayne. And I'm guessing this is the Rotom PokéDex the professor gave you?"

I nodded.

"Must be pretty handy to have around; I can see why he thought to pair you two up."

"Hee hee...Well, I do what I can, y'know?" Rotom replied. "So, I'm guessing you're the trial captain up here on Mount Hokulani?"

To my surprise, he shook his head.

"I used to be, but not anymore. Though I do still run the observatory as a whole, along with Alola's PC box system Trainers use to store their Pokémon in."

"Huh..." I huffed. {But then, if you're not the trial captain, who is?}

"Oh, Captain Sophocles is in that position now; I taught him how to manage everything when I was getting ready to leave the position. I guess you could say he's my protégé."

{So...You trained him for the task, so to speak?}

"That's about right. He's pretty busy for someone of his age; tracking the paths of comets, studying the orbits of far-off planets, managing all of the tech equipment...You get the idea, don't you?"

{I think so.}

"Last I checked, he was still setting everything up for the main part of the trial; normally when that's the case, I determine whether Trainers are qualified to take on the trial myself."

{Oh...? How so? Like, with a battle?}

"The Professor wasn't kidding when he said you caught onto things quick," Molayne remarked. pulling a Poké Ball from his cerulean coat pocket. "...I'll gladly show you the skills of a Trainer who toughened up while adventuring alongside Kukui back in the day!"

{Wait...You two used to train together?} I asked. {And travel?}

"Sure did! Some wonderful times we had together, honing our skills and finding our way forward...Sometimes it's hard to believe it was over ten years ago, you know?"

{Wow...That's a long time.}

"Perhaps we can tell you more once you've completed the trial...starting right now!" Molayne finished as he drew his Poké Ball back and prepared to toss it. "Let's go, Skarmory!"

The Pokémon emerged, and when it landed the creature spread its bladed wings and cried out.

"Aeeeoorr!"

This was the same kind of Pokemon I'd seen on the bus ride up here...Judging by its PokéDex entry, I wondered what kind of opponent it would make.

{Rotom. Who do you think has the best matchup against this thing?}

"Sassafras izzz probably your best bet. Steel-Types are Immune to Poison-Type attacks, but they're weak to Fire."

{Thanks for the tip...Alright Sassafras, let's show 'em what we got!}

I called her out, and she displayed her elegance with a mid-air flip before landing on the ground, her feet making barely a sound as she did.

"Srrr-Rrrrl!"

"Not a bad choice...Skarmory here can take a hit pretty well, though. Let's start this off with Air Cutter!"

The armored bird summoned up a flurry of sharp, razor-like projectiles that were seemingly formed by the wind itself and prepared to launch them.

{Off to the side, Sassafras, just after it fires!}

She gave me an understanding look, then diverted her attention back to the enemy just in time to see its Air Cutter attack launch. As quick and slippery as one could imagine, she weaved underneath and around the wind-like razors with nary a scratch.

{Now! Flame Burst!}

She readied the glowing orange fireball from within her open mouth, then launched it towards the opposing Skarmory at an alarming speed.

"Dodge, Skarmory!"

Molayne spoke a moment too late; the bursting projectile made its mark and engulfed it. Being a super effective attack, I could tell just by the look of the armored Pokémon that it'd sustained a good chunk of damage.

One more hit should do it... I said to myself.

"Air Cutter, one more time!"

{Flame Burst again, before it has the chance to fire itself!}

She opened her mouth and fired up another attack...But unlike the last time, the glow in her jaws glowed with licks of red and yellow mixed into the orange, and it appeared to be shining much brighter.

What's going on...?

Finally, she fired...But it wasn't a simple bursting, fiery projectile she launched towards the Skarmory. This was a full, unstopping stream of vibrantly colored flames spewing from her mouth, brighter and stronger than I'd ever seen from her.

...This wasn't a Flame Burst. This was something entirely new.

{Rotom. Is this...a new move?}

"Sure izzz, partner! Looks like she traded out her Flame Burst for a full on FLAMETHROWER!"

{Wow...It looks really strong compared to Flame Burst.}

And it showed; the opposing Pokémon was now very obviously in no condition to battle anymore, lying on the ground with its bladed wings sprawled out and its armor covered in black, burned patches.

The opposing Trainer returned it to its capsule, then pulled out his second Pokémon.

"...If you want to keep your Salazzle going, you better hope you're able to outspeed," he claimed. "Dugtrio, you're up next!"

Diglett's evolved form emerged, its three heads all bobbing with battle-ready anticipation...I knew that this was a bad type matchup right off the bat, so I called Sassafras off the field.

{You took care of that Skarmory really well...Proud of you,} I complimented her as she was reduced to the familiar mass of red energy and drawn back into her ball...It was fine; I had someone with a better type matchup in waiting, and with the needed speed to boost.

{Red! Time to shine!}

Ready and rearing as ever, my trusty Hawlucha stuck his landing as he emerged and struck a taunting pose, looking his opponent right in the eyes of its center head.

{Karate Chop, Red!}

"Diglett! Use Metal Claw!"

I wondered how a Pokémon without any visible claws could use such a move...until I saw the ends of the long, yellow heads of hair on each of their heads begin to glow silver.

As Red honed in, they swiped at him, thrashing their heads around and seemingly having control over the blows as they hit. But despite the onslaught, Red was still able to keep the glow of his open claws intact, and the moment the heads stopped firing their attack, he launched his own smack into the center spot between the three. The Dugtrio froze, then it wavered, and then all three heads fell limp.

"I must say, I'm impressed; my Dugtrio usually poses quite the challenge," Molayne admitted as he returned the fainted Pokémon. "...But even if they can get past it, they usually have to try pretty hard to beat Metang!"

He released his third fighter...Another Pokémon that looked less like a living thing and more like some sort of strange machine; the metal that made up most of its body shone a dull bluish grey, and it possessed sharp silver claws in its two limbs and a single horn between its glowing red eyes.

"Me-Tu."

{It looks pretty sturdy...You think you can take it on, Red?}

He nodded back at me, flashing a confident grin my way, then turned to face his opponent once again.

"Metang! Start this off with Zen Headbutt!"

{Into the air, Red!}

He spread his wings and leapt out of the path of the opposing Pokémon with ease, and the Metang zoomed right beneath him as it tried to attack. But it wasn't about to give up just yet, it seemed; its entire front still glowed a bright fuchsia, and its red eyes were still locked onto Red.

{I'm not sure how high it can hover,} I warned. {Use Hone Claws!}

Just after stooping his wing towards the earth, Red aimed for the ground and sharpened his claws against one another, giving him a much-needed power boost. He continued to dive, and then finally spread his wings again when it looked as though he was moments away from crashing. He did another midair flip, then landed.

"Hone in on him, NOW!"

{Red, WATCH OUT!}

He turned towards his opponent just in time to see it coming at him...And at that point, it was too late. He took the attack head on, and from what I could tell, this was a very powerful move.

"Ru...Rucha..."

A large puncture wound was visible just beneath his left shoulder, and the white feathers around it were painted almost as scarlet as his wings and head. The rest of him looked ruffled, and I could see a few more scuffs underneath his plumage.

{Red...Focus on the fight. Now's not the time to show off,} I told him, to which he narrowed his eyes slightly.

{Come on...You don't want to lose now. Not to...THIS thing, do you?}

He looked at his opponent again, and we each saw that had already prepared another Zen Headbutt...A sigh escaped his beak before he nodded lightly at me and turned to face the Metang again.

"One more Zen Headbutt should do it, Metang! Make it count!"

"Meeeh-TU!"

{Fire up a Karate Chop. And make it a really good one!}

Right away, his clawed hand began to glow again...It didn't take long for the opposing Pokémon to get within range, and when it did, Red lunged forward and landed his open claw right atop its head, just above its horn.

The creature let out a metallic-sounding screech as it was struck and wavered where it floated, disoriented from the move landing in such a crucial spot...A critical hit, for sure!

{One more! While it's still stunned!}

"Come on, Metang! You can snap out of this!"

Red didn't even need to get a running start that time; all he had to do was spring up from where he stood and dart down towards it. Just when Molayne's command had worked its way into the Metang's head and gotten it to snap back into concentration, Red's stiff open claws aimed for the same spot, and the creature emitted another sound akin to scraping metal as the blow was struck.

The red glow in its eyes dimmed, and it sank to the ground...It was down.

"Ha..."

With that, Molayne pulled its capsule back out and returned the strange creature.

"You did well, Metang..." he said to it as it was drawn back into the safety of its ball. "...I must say, Kukui knows a strong Trainer when he sees one, that's for sure."

{We won?}

"That you did. And with flying colors, might I add...Literally."

"Lu-CHA!"

Red smiled, then struck one final pose and bowed, knowing he'd left an impression.

"I suppose I owe you a little something, then," he smiled. "Make sure to stock up on plenty of healing items over the course of the rest of your Island Challenge."

He pulled a fairly thick wad of cash from his coat pocket and handed to me with a nod...3,000₱? That was a pretty good hunk of cash just for passing the first test. I was about to ask him if he was sure he owed me this much, but he declined before I could even question it.

"Oh, don't worry about it; I've got more than enough to spare...And besides, it's clear to me that you're ready to take on the trial. Sophocles is inside...I mentioned the fact you'd be coming here to him, and he promised he would try to clear up a space in his schedule for when you arrived."

{Hopefully, he's ready by now.}

Molayne stepped towards the observatory doors, and they slid open. I followed him inside first, and Red, who was still outside of his Poké Ball, tailed close behind.

"The designated trial arena is just beyond the first door; you'll know it when you see it," the former captain said to us. "I've got a bit of catching up to do with the professor myself. I wish you the best of luck."

I nodded back at him, and he exited the building again and disappeared behind the sliding doors...I wasn't sure how tough the upcoming battles were going to be, so I took the opportunity to spray Red down with a Super Potion while I had it, ridding him of the wounds he'd sustained against Molayne's Metang before returning him to his ball.

"Oooh, I like the aesthetic this place hazzz!" Rotom grinned. "Looks pretty high tech...Bet some of the machines and devicezz they have here are pretty comfy!"

{You can go into other devices besides the PokéDex?}

"Oh, we Rotom can take over a whole bunch of machines; ovens, fridges, heck even lawn mowerzzz from what I've seen. And depending on what we possess, it changes our typings, and therefore changes our prowess on the battlefield."

{Wow...That's pretty neat,} I chittered. {...Did you ever get the chance to go into any of those things back in Sinnoh?}

"Well, there was one time one of the lab workers had me possess a washing machine to see how well I did with the process," he replied. "Guess I did pretty good; there were a lotta smilezzz around the room that day!"

{Do you think they might've been getting you ready for the PokéDex?}

"That'zzz what I figure...They did a pretty good job with this thing, gotta say; the Dex barely weighs a thing, it's easy to work...I even have feet!"

He waggled the two nub-like protrusions at the bottom of his squarish body as though to emphasize his point. I couldn't help but let out a bit of a laugh; it was almost hard to believe that this was the same Rotom who'd been nervous to bits about me and my sharp teeth, claws and scales the first day we met.

...And even more still, that had only been a handful of days ago. The memory felt so much more distant than that for some reason.

But I didn't have time to dwell on such things now. I stepped through the first door, and was immediately greeted with the sight of another...Judging by the obvious trial gate built around it, this was where we had to go.

{Well...Here we go.}

I took another step forward, and the doors slid open, revealing the room inside...The figure that I assumed was Sophocles was seated on the floor, his back turned towards me and his eyes trained on some kind of handheld screen.

"Come on...Agh, turn back to red so I can flee..."

{Um...Hello?}

He snapped his head around to look at me and nearly jumped out of his skin once he saw me there.

"AH! Ah, I...Oh."

As suddenly as he'd started, he put away his monitor, stood to his feet, brushed himself off and straightened his posture...It turned out that Sophocles wasn't very tall; all of the other trial captains I'd met thus far were probably almost a head taller than him, if not that...Then again, he also looked a bit younger than most of them, so maybe he just had some catching up to do.

"I apologize for not noticing you sooner," he began, clearing his throat before continuing. "Echo...I've been expecting you. And your mechanical marvel of a Rotom PokéDex as well."

"Ooh, well, hee hee...Ghee, I'm flattered ya think so, zzt."

"I have great interest in all things technological, as you may find out...I suppose Molayne has already ensured that you're ready."

I nodded.

{It did look like you were busy, though. What were you looking at when I came in?}

"U-um, nevermind that," he stammered. "It's...irrelevant to the trial. Which I presume you're prepared for."

{Well...Alright. When do we start?}

"...Right here, right now."

He straightened himself out even more, perhaps as though to appear taller.

"You summon the Totem Pokémon and prove yourself in a battle against it. That's how most of the trials go...So I figured, instead of going through all the hassle of trying to get it to show up, why not just call it here in the first place and get right to the battle?"

{Without battling any other preceding Pokémon?}

"Yes, yes, you understand what I'm getting at...Now look here."

He stepped off to the side and presented a large machine of some sort. A glowing blue projection of a globe was encased inside a large glass dome, and there was a panel covered in all sorts of differently colored and labeled buttons and switches on the front of it.

"You see, here at the observatory, we also monitor sounds that we detect from outer space. Some of them are inaudible without using the proper equipment, and some sounds can be inaudible to humans, but Pokémon can hear just fine...Perhaps you yourself might even be able to hear certain things that would fall deaf upon the ears of a person such as myself."

{Interesting...}

"On occasion, we will broadcast the sounds we gather terrestrially and monitor the reactions of the Pokémon in and near the vicinity...I've tweaked the settings on this device a bit to make use of this technology in order to summon the Totem."

{And you think it'll work?}

"We'll find out once I run it," Sophocles replied. "...Since we're on the subject, I might as well mention that we've utilized the sounds we've gathered to develop a unique security system here...Well, that was Big Mo's invention, not mine. Just so you know."

I rose a curious brow.

{...'Big Mo?'}

"*snort*...Ya mean Molayne?" Rotom asked, doing his best not to giggle.

{Ghee, and I thought the nicknames I came up with were corny.}

"Wha-I...*ahem*...You know, I'm not sure my older cousin would appreciate you making a mockery out of our companionship."

{Wait, you two are related?}

"Huh...I probably wouldn't have guessed. You two don't really look all that alike, bzzt."

"ANYWAYS, we're getting off topic. This is going to be my first time testing out the new system I put into place, so you're going to be my test subject. I'm going to engage the auditory system right now...Prepare yourself."

He stepped towards the machine, pressed a few buttons and switches, then pulled a larger lever along the side of it.

"Ping Totem Pokémon 2.0, engage!"

As soon as the lever was pulled, I heard the machine make a whirring noise, and the trial Captain turned back around to face me.

"Alright. Now, the Totem Pokémon should be-"

VWOON!

All of a sudden, the entire room was shrouded in darkness, and the whirring of the machine stopped abruptly.

"Huh-!? Ah, no way, did I blow a fuse!?"

{...Was this not supposed to happen?}

"D-don't panic," he replied, stepping towards the direction of the mechanical trial gate. "I just have to go into the front of the building to reset one of the breakers, and-Ow!"

I turned towards him again...It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness better, but once they did, I could see that the door was shut, and it wasn't opening back up for him.

"Did the door lock? Oh boy...Well, it looks like we'll have to turn off the security system before we can continue. Fortunately, the security questions for this particular room aren't very hard, so you should be able to solve them."

{Well, that's good.}

"But we'd better hurry. The Totem Pokémon is approaching. I can sense it...It's not far."

"UNLOCK SYSTEM ENGAGED"

The automated speaker sounded off from somewhere above, and I looked up at the ceiling as though to face the source of the phantom voice as it continued.

"TO DISABLE LOCKDOWN MODE, PLEASE RESPOND CORRECTLY TO THE FOLLOWING AUDIO. WHAT SOUND DO YOU HEAR?"

In stark contrast to the blaring voice, the next noise that came from the speakers above was the same thing I usually heard at the Pokémon Center while I was having my teammates healed.

{...Does it count towards me saying the correct answer if Rotom is the one translating it? Like...how he is right now?}

"As long as it's answered correctly, it doesn't matter who says it."

{Well, alright...This is an easy one then. It's the sound the healing device at each Pokémon Center makes when it's being used.}

"CORRECT ANSWER. UNLOCKING DOOR...LOCK SYSTEM 25% SHUT DOWN."

I heard the sliding doors whiz open...And as soon as they did, the sound of something scurrying across the metal floor made its way inside the trial sight and towards us.

"Grub...Gru-grub? GRUB!"

It didn't sound very imposing. Maybe this was one of the Totem's pawns?

"Sounds like the Totem didn't come by itself. Echo, think you can take it?"

{If we could beat a Metang, this shouldn't be too hard,} I figured. {Rotom, it's kind of hard to make out. Is there a way for you to brighten your screen and light up the room a bit more?}

"Sure izzz! Enabling flashlight mode!"

In an instant, his screen brightened tenfold, casting light down on the Pokémon that'd entered the room...It wasn't much bigger than my foot, and the only parts of it that looked somewhat threatening were its slightly blunt pincers.

"A Grubbin?" Rotom identified. "Ha! This should be a breezzze for ya, boss!"

{Grace. See if you can handle this.}

I tossed my Eevee's ball out and released her. Judging by the brightness of her smile and the spring in her step, she was eager as ever to get back out onto the battlefield.

"Vue, eievui~!"

{Start this off with Swift!}

She summoned her array of glowing stars and launched them. The opposing Grubbin tried to dodge them, but it was struck within a matter of seconds.

Only one Swift was enough to deal considerable damage, so I figured it was best to keep going.

{Fire a few more!}

"Eeeiii-VUI!"

As she fired her next two attacks, the enemy attempted to home in on us, its pincers glowing white as it readied a Bite attack. But by the time it got within striking distance, both arrays of glowing projectiles had made their mark, and it was down before it even had the chance to land an attack.

"Eievui!"

{You're catching up, Grace,} I said to her. {Think you can handle the next opponent if any more show up before the Totem?}

She nodded eagerly, bouncing around in a circle before striking a battle-ready pose, her bushy tail swishing in an almost hypnotic manner.

"Excellent job against the Grubbin, Echo," Sophocles nodded. "Now, it should only be a matter of time before-"

The sound of the doors slamming sounded off again, and I looked back to see that they'd shut once more.

"Hmm...Looks like the system still has a few safety features enabled," he figured. "You may need to answer one or two more questions before they stay open."

I shrugged; this didn't seem all that difficult.

"DETECTED PRESENCE OF APPROACHING TOTEM POKEMON."

...It was getting a bit tense, though, considering the lack of light in the room and the impending arrival of the Totem; with most of the other trials, I either had to locate the Totem myself or it would appear suddenly, without much warning. Knowing that it was on its way long before it actually showed up was unsettling, to say the least.

"TO DISABLE LOCKDOWN MODE, PLEASE RESPOND CORRECTLY TO THE FOLLOWING AUDIO. WHAT SOUND DO YOU HEAR?"

The next audio snippet played...Rotom and I glanced at one another, fully aware of what it was supposed to be.

{Care to do the honors?} I asked him.

"No problem, boss," he nodded. "That'zzz the sound I make when I pull up my PokéDex catalogue!"

"CORRECT ANSWER. UNLOCKING DOOR...LOCK SYSTEM 50% SHUT DOWN."

"I figured you'd be pretty familiar with that one," Sophocles nodded.

{Wait...How does this place have access to the audio Rotom's PokéDex body produces?} i asked. {Professor Kukui said there are only a handful of them in the entire world so far.}

"Well, we here at the observatory provided some of the entries for Alolan Regional PokéDex, particularly those that inhabit Mount Hokulani. Being within such close proximity of them gives us much-needed information about the species that live here."

{Ahh...Interesting, isn't it Rotom?}

"Ghee, I wonder if you guyzzz wrote my entry for Skarmory? It sure paintzz them in a flattering light, hee hee."

"CHARJ!"

Something...moving across the floor somehow made itself known, coming in through the open door. It didn't really sound like footsteps or skittering as much as it sounded like something sliding, but judging by its call, I was about to face yet another Pokémon.

"Looks like we've got another challenger on our hands," Sophocles figured. "Prepare yourself. This one is likely to be more strong than the last."

Rotom tilted his screen down to see what'd entered the room...This one looked perhaps a little stronger and more sturdy than the Grubbin, but not by much.

{What's this one, Rotom?}

"That's a Charjabug; Grubbin's evolved form!"

{Let's see how you do, Grace,} I chittered. {Start this off with Sand Attack to give us the upper hand!}

I wasn't sure how she was able to kick up dust into the enemy's eyes when we were standing on a clean tile floor, but she did, and the Charjabug thrashed its head from side to side for a few moments as it tried to expel the dirt.

{Now, use Swift!}

Charjabug was able to withstand the attack fairly well from what I could see. After our attack had ceased, it suddenly fired up a field of electricity around it, seeming as though to be preparing something.

{What's it doing, Rotom?}

"Lookzzz like it's using Charge; ya might wanna use another Sand Attack or two, because if it lands something after uzzing Charge, it'll deal some pretty massive damage!"

{That's not gonna fly...Sand Attack, one more time!}

Judging by the sparkling determination in Grace's eyes, I knew she wasn't going to let herself lose to this thing so easily. Her attack landed just as the Charjabug conjured another series of sparks, this time in the form of what looked to be an attack.

{Stay out of the way, Grace!}

It flung itself forward at my Eevee, but with its vision impaired and Grace at the top of her game, she was easily able to evade the move.

{Now Quick Attack!}

She slammed into the enemy's side, knocking its square body over and leaving it flailing on the floor horizontally as it tried to get back up.

{Now we've got it where we want it. Pile on the Swifts again!}

The multitude of glowing stars lit up the dim room as they made their mark...It didn't take long for the Charjabug to stop struggling, and its battered body gave in as it huffed out an exasperated, slightly crackly sigh.

"Impressive...Your Eevee certainly displays a high level of skill for such a young specimen," Sophocles nodded. "You must be very diligent in her training."

{Well, she's known me since the day she hatched. I'm going to ensure she's well cared for, of course.}

"Vui, eievui~."

In response to that, Grace rubbed against the bottoms of my legs, circling them as though she were a velvet ribbon.

...And she abruptly stopped when we all heard the doors hiss shut again, starting and turning to face it.

"Eie?"

"There it goes again..."

"TOTEM POKEMON DETECTED WITHIN 100 YARDS."

{...How far away is 100 yards?}

"I'd estimate it's nearing the mountain peak by now," Sophocles replied. "...You're doing splendidly, though. Keep it up, Echo."

"TO DISABLE LOCKDOWN MODE, PLEASE RESPOND CORRECTLY TO THE FOLLOWING AUDIO. IDENTIFY THIS POKEMON CRY."

"CHARJA-CHARJA, VVT VVT!"

...As if we hadn't just heard that noise come from our last opponent.

{A Charjabug, right?}

"CORRECT ANSWER. UNLOCKING DOOR...LOCK SYSTEM 75% SHUT DOWN."

The doors whizzed open again...And I heard the sound of another Pokémon sliding across the floor as it emitted that same familiar cry once again.

{Welp...You know what to do, Grace, don't you?}

"Vui, eie-vui!"

We went with the same strategy as last time, and this Charjabug proved to be no stronger than the last. A few Sand Attacks, a Quick Attack and a barrage of Swifts was all it took, and Grace didn't even sustain a scratch in the process.

{You're on a roll today, you know? I think you're just about caught up with everyone else by now!}

"Vui, vui eievui~!"

"I knew you could pull through that, Echo. If this is what your Eevee fights like, I'm eager to see the rest of your team in action."

Hissss!

"...Aaaand the doors shut again," he sighed. "I'm...starting to think maybe it wasn't a good idea to go through without testing it first. I apologize for the inconvenience."

{Oh, no, no, it's fine. After all, it did give me the chance to get Grace caught up a bit more, seeing that these lower-leveled Pokémon showed up first.}

"Really?"

"Vui, vui!" Grace agreed.

"Hm...Well...Perhaps I'll keep this method from now on, then. Besides, maybe it would have been a bit abrupt for the Totem Pokémon to be the first to arrive."

"TOTEM POKEMON DETECTED WITHIN 30 YARDS."

"Speak of the Distorted One...I think this is the last question you'll need to answer, though. You ready?"

{As I'll ever be,} I figured.

"TO DISABLE LOCKDOWN MODE, PLEASE RESPOND CORRECTLY TO THE FOLLOWING AUDIO. WHAT DOES THIS MUSIC INDICATE?"

...The sound that came from the speakers next sent a chill down my spine.

I wasn't really sure what it was supposed to be; I'd never heard anything like it before. At first, it almost sounded like an insect's wings' buzzing, but then it transitioned into some sort of intense, rhythmic booming.

The buzzing of wings nulled during the second phase...but then became present again, deeper and louder than before. But it wasn't coming from the speakers this time.

...It was coming from right outside the door.

{Rotom...I'm not sure what the sound from the speakers is supposed to be. Do you know?}

"W-well," he stammered, pretty shaken himself. "Here, let me do a quick web search...Searching...Searching...Ah-ha! According to the first rezzzult, the music coming from the speakerzz above is commonly called a 'stinger.' It'zz kind of like a musical cue that helps to further intensify an already tense moment, i-in films, or plays, or...in this case, real life! Usually, it's an indicator for something that'zzz about to happen, or someone who'zzz about to arrive on the scene, such as-"

{The Totem Pokémon,} I interrupted him. {...That's what the stinger is for. It's here...It's here RIGHT NOW.}

Rotom reiterated my answer to the automated voice above.

"CORRECT ANSWER. UNLOCKING DOOR...LOCK SYSTEM 100% SHUT DOWN. REBOOTING LIGHT SYSTEM...TOTEM POKEMON DETECTED WITHIN 5 YARDS."

This was it...The lights in the room flickered back on. The doors slid open again.

...And in hovered the massive, buzzing insectoid Pokémon with pincers longer than its body and a pair of intensely glowing eyes.

"Viiirrrrr, KZZT-KZZT-KZZT!"

"This is the Totem Vikavolt," Sophocles told us as he ducked behind the device he'd used for the trial. "...Now's your time to shine. Good luck."

The Totem's aura flared to life, and it crackled menacingly with electricity.

"Ui-vei..."

Grace backed away from it nervously, and for good reason; she might have been able to down its lackeys, but the Totem itself was an ENTIRELY different story.

{You did a great job out there, Grace. Go ahead and take a break.}

I returned her to her capsule, then pulled out another.

{King, show 'em what you can do!}

He materialized midair, landing on the ground with a heavy stamp of his feet...His eyes widened slightly when he saw his opponent.

{This one looks really strong...Do you think I can take it on?}

{Just do your best, King...Start this off with Crunch!}

He nodded back at me, and his fangs began to glow white as he ran towards his opponent...But the Vikavolt simply flapped its wings faster and zipped higher into the air; even when King jumped to try and grab onto it, he missed.

{Stay on your toes, King! Come back this way...I have an idea.}

He turned and started making his way towards me...And from behind him, I could see the Totem firing up by using Charge.

{What's the plan, Alpha?} King asked me as he skidded to a halt at my feet.

{This might sound a bit risky,} I chattered to him. {...But if you can get that Vikavolt to home in on you in order to attack it, we might be able to whittle it down until it faints.}

{Do you really think that could work?}

{It's worth a shot. You're part Dragon-type, right? Even if you are hit by an Electric-type attack or two, it shouldn't deal too much, even with its aura flaring the way it is. We just need to time things right.}

{Well...If you think we can pull it off,} King agreed.

{I'll be able to tell if we can't. Don't worry.}

With that, he turned to face his opponent again...It was getting its next attack ready, recoiling as it prepared to launch itself forward.

"Here comezzz its Spark attack," Rotom informed me. "Hope ya know what you're doin', boss...!"

Then, it zipped forward, bright yellow bolts flying off its body...It kept getting closer, and closer until...

{Now, jump and use Stomp!}

King wasted no time launching himself off the ground, leaping just in time to get out of the way of the Vikavolt's pincers and slam his massive, clawed foot down atop its head.

The enemy let out a stunned hiss as it lowered to the ground, sitting there for a few moments as it shook its head and tried to regain concentration.

{Dragon Tail while its still down!}

He managed to land his next hit on the Vikavolt just as its wings began to buzz again, and it picked itself back up off the ground before emitting another distressed hiss.

What's it doing...?

It didn't take long to find out. Just a few seconds after it called out, a third Charjabug made its way through the open door, slidin across the floor in an inching motion.

{There are TWO enemies now?} King huffed. {Alpha, I don't know if I can take them both on at once.}

{You already have the Vikavolt weakened. Charjabug aren't very strong from what I've seen, so it shouldn't give you too much trouble. Just focus on the Totem!}

{...I'll do my best.}

The Totem Pokémon fired up another Spark attack, opening its massive pincers as though to intimidate us before firing away.

{Counter that with Crunch!}

King opened his jaws and fired up his sharp teeth, then clamped down on the Vikavolt's left pincer as soon as it was within striking distance...The electricity coming off of the Bug-Type surrounded my Tyrunt as well when the attack landed, and I saw him tense up in pain.

Both attacks ended within a few seconds, and the two Pokémon separated; King looked slightly stunned and a bit singed, but he was still in good shape.

{Maybe we should stick to Stomp and Dragon Tail,} he suggested. {I can land those without worrying about being shocked as badly.}

{Good idea...}

That was when the Charjabug that'd entered the scene fired up an attack of its own and aimed it.

{To the side, King! Fast!}

He pushed himself out of the way of the jolt just in time to see it whiz past him...Judging from the look he gave the Charjabug, he had plans for it once the Totem was down.

The Totem Vikavolt took the opportunity to launch another attack, opening its massive pincers and approaching.

{Hurry and Stomp it, King!}

He crouched and lept, but he was a moment too late; the Vikavolt practically grabbed him in its jaws and clamped down on him over and over.

"GRAWR!"

When it finally stopped, King fell back down onto the floor, barely able to stick his landing...The puncture wounds the Totem's spiked pincers had made began painting the brown scales around them crimson.

{Are you alright?}

{I...I think so,} he assured me. {I don't know if i can take another hit like THAT, though.}

{A Super Potion might do you some good, then.}

He nodded in agreement, then came over as I dug one of the spray bottles out of my pack and doused his wounds with the medicine inside...They vanished in nearly an instant, leaving almost nothing behind.

{Well, that helped,} he nodded. {But I'm not sure if I can hold out like this until the Totem faints. How about I just pick off the Charjabug and leave the Vikavolt to someone else?}

{You're sure about that?}

{Positive, Alpha...I guess I just prefer to be careful about it.}

I nodded understandingly before he turned to face the smaller of the two Pokémon.

{Go all out, then. But watch out for that Vikavolt.}

With that, King lunged at the Charjabug with open jaws and clamped down into its center. The enemy let out a shocked squeak as he flung it away from the Totem with a flick of his head, which he then followed up with a double-hitting Dragon Tail to knock it out.

The Vikavolt had made the mistake of using Charge instead of going in for the attack while King was picking off the weaker Pokémon. With the Charjabug down and King returned to his capsule, I sent out my strongest fighter to finish the job.

{Archer! Finish this off with Spirit Shackle!}

Almost before he'd even fully materialized, my starter reached into his wing and pulled out an arrow quill and drew it back along one of his vines, firing it at the Totem with such speed and accuracy that I barely even knew it'd hit until the attack had swathed the enemy in that familiar dark energy.

That was all it took. The Totem Vikavolt's wings stopped beating, and it slowly lowered down onto the floor in defeat, the intense light in its eyes dimming into near nothingness.

"Dwit, dwit!"

{A perfect shot, Archer,} I gurgled. {Looks like we're having malasadas in Malie tonight.}

"Wow...That wazz intense," Rotom buzzed, seemingly exhausted just from watching the battle. "Guess everything worked out in the end though, huh?"

"Hey, Soffy!"

I turned my head to see Molayne entering the room, smiling ear to ear as he approached the trial captain.

"Big Mo!"

"Ha ha, nice work here, Captain! Ya led Echo through her trial, and your experiment turned out to be a success!"

"Yep, it summoned the Totem alright...I, uh, didn't mean to blow a fuse to the room's power system, though."

"I took a look at the readings during the fight," Molayne said to him. "Looks like your Ping Totem Pokémon 2.0 uses too much electricity when it's only connected to the main power line...But maybe if we could get a little assistance from the Charjabug, we should be able to make a backup system to keep it going."

"Sounds like a good idea to me. How about we start working on that right now?"

"Well, I promised Echo here I'd tell her more about the time Professor Kukui and I traveled together during our own Island Challenges...I shouldn't be too long, though. How about you get us started by gathering the Charjabug and configuring an additional power route?"

"On it!"

With that, the trial captain was off to find the Charjabug again. Molayne lead us back out of the observatory, and we spied the Professor not far away, seemingly fascinated by some odd-looking pink Pokémon that'd wandered out of the grass and was staring back at him.

"His enthusiasm for making new discoveries never gets old," he remarked as we made our way back towards him. "There's a lot to be told about our past, that's for sure."

{...Are you going to tell us how you and the captain got to calling one another 'Soffy' and 'Big Mo'?}

"Hee hee hee hee..."

"Oh, no...Did he let that slip?" he replied, letting out a halfhearted chuckle himself. "We've been using those nicknames ever since he was barely old enough to run."

Another chuckle escaped me, but I said nothing further. It was endearing, really; it captured a sense of comfort that the two must've had around one another.

...I wondered if I'd have come up with such names for my own sisters if things between us had been a bit different.

"Hey, you okay Echo? That big ol' grin just seemed to fade right away all of a sudden."

{Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah I'm fine!} I replied to my PokéDex, plastering said smile back onto my face. {I was just thinking about some things, is all. No big deal.}

I figured I wouldn't waste all of my thinking energy on regrets and wishful thinking all over again at the moment...Now wasn't exactly the best time.

I was about to hear more about other peoples' pasts, anyways.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"Well, to sum things up, it turns out using Hyper Beam to try and counter an oncoming Thunderbolt wasn't the best idea."

"Man, you should've seen the CRATER that made!" Professor Kukui continued in response to Molayne's conclusion. "And the shock wave the blast generated...I can STILL feel it, after all these years."

"You're not the only one, old friend."

"Ghee...Can you imagine something like that going down in a battle between you and Hau?" Rotom asked. "I wouldn't wanna get caught in the middle of something like that, bzzt!"

{I can picture it,} I answered. {...Though feeling the blast for myself doesn't seem like something I'd like to imagine.}

"You'd be right," the professor nodded.

The entire tale of their double battle against the wild Electivire was the last one they told before we finished our hike back down the mountain, and by now we were entering the Malie City limits again. It was still a bit early to go searching for dinner, so I figured it would be best to stop by Malie Garden one more time to see if I was lucky enough to find Hau anywhere. The professor wanted to check up on Lillie's whereabouts as well, so we figured it best to head back to where we started.

All in all, the stories the two of them had told of their own adventures during the Island Challenge from years past were certainly something interesting...I was still thinking about how Molayne had described catching his Skarmory; according to him, it'd been a team effort between him and the professor just to get it calmed down enough to aim a Poké Ball at, and they'd gotten a good number of scratches from its sharp wings as it kept diving in to attack them.

"Ah, man...Good times, huh Molayne?"

"They were among the best, that's for sure," he replied. "...It's always fascinating to look back and compare them to where we are now, isn't it?"

"Sure is...Didn't think we'd be the ones guiding the next generation of trial-goers at the time, did we?"

"I didn't consider becoming a trial captain until a few years after we'd finished the challenge."

"Say, Echo, that brings up the question. You got any plans for after you complete the Island Challenge yourself?"

I didn't answer him. I barely heard the question.

...I was too focused on what was crossing the golden bridge, coming towards us.

"...Echo?"

"Uh...Professor? We've got company at twelve o'clock," Rotom buzzed, finally prompting him to look ahead.

"Yo, Mr. Kukui! Hol' up!"

You have to be kidding me...

Everything had been going just fine, but now that Team Skull had shown up again, I could practically feel the scowl pulling down the corners of my mouth. I was NOT up for another battle after having just defeated the Totem Vikavolt.

"Ho boy...Molayne, how about I catch you tomorrow?" the professor said to him. "I don't wanna bore you with more drama from these guys."

"As much as I'd like to stay and watch you defeat them in a battle, I should probably check up on Sophocles' progress with the Charjabug station, among other things. Let's try to meet up again tomorrow while you're still here!"

With that, he turned out of the garden and left the scene. Team Skull didn't seem to care much about him; they were focused on the two of us.

"Kukui," one of them addressed. "We've been hearin' around that you wanna make a Pokémon League. You got rocks in your skull, or somethin'?"

Considering the situation at hand, Professor Kukui didn't seem very perturbed. He was still flashing that confident smile, and he stood his ground.

"Well, what's the big deal fellas? Every other region has a Pokémon league; don't ya think it's time Alola stepped up to the table with their own iteration of one?"

"What's it gonna do to the place, yo!?" the second one asked, seemingly frantic. "You think people are gonna want MORE high-end Trainers in some Elite Four beatin' 'em down when they already got the Kahunas to worry 'bout? That's nuts, man!"

{Since when do YOU care about what other people think?} I snarled.

"Nobody asked YOU, Scarface!"

When both of them said the exact same thing at nearly the exact same time, they managed to catch me a bit off guard. I stepped back a bit, more put off by their synchronization than the insult I'd heard too many times already.

"Hey!"

That was when the professor's smile faded slightly, and his gaze hardened.

"Alright, you can come after me and my decision making all you want, but you cross a line when you mess with people I care about, you know?"

"You blind as a Zubat, Kukui?" the second one retorted, trying to retaliate with his own perceived confidence. "That thing ain't no person."

"You think what's on the outside means anything to me? Well, then...How about we settle this with a Battle Royal, huh?"

"Yo, for real?"

"For real. I'll have you two down in just a couple Swifts and an Incinerate or two, yeah! And I'm sure Echo here could do a number on you boys too, if she wanted...She's done it time and time again, after all!"

Of course, I knew he was talking about how I was able to defeat them about every time they crossed paths with me. But judging by their faces, it looks like the two grunts thought he was insinuating...the first incident I had with them. And they didn't take it lightly.

"Oh, you wanna go down THAT way, do ya!? the first grunt hollered. "Well, you two and your sorry butts asked for it! We gonna-!"

"You two ain't gonna do nothin'...I'd like to take it from here."

...The third voice came from right behind the two grunts. They jumped at the sound of it, then turned around to face whoever it was, eyes widening.

By then, they'd parted enough so that we could get a better look at the new person. I could tell right away that he was a member of Team Skull by what he wore and the way he'd presented himself, but he didn't look like the average grunt. He was taller, stronger-looking, a bit older than the others...But he had that same angry, detached look in his eyes.

He stepped forward and crossed the bridge, stopping only a foot or so away in front of the professor...Several bystanders on our side of the bridge stepped back when they saw him approach, and judging by the looks on the faces, THIS guy was bad news.

"Yo, take a step back," one of the two grunts said to the other. "It's Guzma."

"The boss has graced us with his presence!"

"That's right," the human in question confirmed. "The boss who beats you down, and beats you down, and never lets up...Yep, it's ya boy Guzma here!"

So, this was the "boss" that the grunts and Gladion had spoken of. The one in charge of the team...the one who'd assigned the grunts to go after me after what happened on Melemele.

I narrowed my eyes at him, and held back the urge to snarl. It was obvious he was up to no good, but the flash of cunning in his unsettling gaze told me not to rush into anything.

"Here we are, Kukui. Fellow rejects who could never become captains, meeting once again...We don't need a Pokémon League here, if you'll let me put it to you straight. Everyone 'round here already knows who the strongest Trainer around is, right?"

The two grunts cheered him on in response, and some of the bystanders gave slight, nervous nods...But the professor simply shook his head, keeping his calm smile on.

"Ah, speak for yourself, Guzma. It's not like I couldn't become a captain. I had other dreams I wanted to pursue. And here I am..."

"That's right. Here you are," Guzma nodded. "Which brings me to my next point. When we caught wind that you and your little band o' trial goers had finally made it here, we started up the search."

"Oh, really? And what's this got to do with them?" the professor asked, his smile falling again...The opposing figure leaned slightly off to the side and looked my way.

"Well, just to clue you in...you could say I got a bone to pick with your scaly friend here."

I had a feeling that was about to happen, so I stood my own ground as best I could and responded to him. Rotom hid himself in my bag again, only his mouth, eyes and head spike peeping out as he translated my garbled code.

"What? 'Cause she's able to put your grunts in their place when they cause trouble?" the professor shrugged.

"A little too well for my liking, Kukui."

He stepped forward and motioned for the professor to step aside...

{What else was I supposed to do?} I said to him. {Sure, there may have been a better way to go about it, looking back on it, but I didn't have much time to think...Only to defend.}

"Oh, what? The one grunt back on Melemele?" the professor chimed in again. "Y'know it's funny, you guys go beating down on other people all the time, yeah, but when someone steps up to fight back you decide that's not allowed. Double standard much, fellas?"

"You said it, Professor!" Rotom squeaked from where he was hiding.

"Ah yeah, and you," Guzma addressed. "You're the little wise cracker that has to tell everyone what she's tryin' to say because she can't speak for herself."

"Y'know," the professor added again. "There are some humans out there who can't speak either, due to mental or physical complications."

"I know that, smart-alec. If you ask me, they shouldn't be allowed to train either. A world like this ain't got any room for weakness. You and I both know that, right?"

{I am NOT weak.}

I finally stepped forward myself, my lips curled up to expose my teeth...I'd been called weak too many times already throughout my life, and now that I was finally disproving that claim, I wasn't about to let someone else try to ingrain it in my mind again. Not now...Not ever.

"Tch...Pullin' the scary face card? Well, you might be able to growl the growl, but can you prowl the prowl?"

That was when he pulled out a Poké Ball, tossing it up and down in his hand.

"Watch closely, Kukui. Someday I'm gonna destroy you...But first, I'm gonna destroy someone you care about."

"You sure you can take him on?" the professor asked me, his certainty fading along with what was left of his grin. "Not sure how many Pokémon he has on him right now; he likes to be unpredictable that way."

{It's worth a shot...Back me up if I start having trouble, though.}

"Will do, Echo. This battle's gonna get red hot, believe me."

"Wanna see what destruction looks like!? Well HERE it is in human form!" Guzma called out as he launched his first Pokémon out onto the field. "Ariados! Give 'em what they're askin' for!"

The creature materialized on the ground before us...It was a large, brightly colored spider-like creature, and it let out an angry hiss upon emerging fully.

{A Bug Type, huh?} I chittered. {Well, if we have to battle, I'm not about to go easy on you. Come on out, Sassafras!}

I called out my Salazzle, ready to dominate the field.

{A Flamethrower or two should be enough to take this thing down!}

She nodded back at me, then fired up her attack, pink flames shooting up from beneath her tail as she readied the move.

"Now's our chance! Sucker Punch this wannabe!"

Before we had the chance to react, the Ariados leapt forward, zigzagged across the field in a blink, then LAUNCHED itself forward and swiped the sharp tip of its foreleg across Sassafras' cheek, sending her falling backwards and onto all fours...Not only had it left a nasty laceration across her face, but it'd also ruined her attack as well.

"Rrrl!"

She shook her head upon regaining her footing, wiping away the red fluid. She glowered at the Ariados, a puff of white smoke rising up from her nostrils.

{Give it another try, Sassafras. But stay on your toes and be ready to dodge; that thing is fast.}

She nodded back at me, then fired up another Flamethrower as she circled the battlefield, waiting for the opposing Pokémon to launch its next attack.

"One more Sucker Punch oughta do it! Aim right for the heart, Ariados!"

The Bug-Type complied, sprinting forward yet again in that same crooked pattern...But by the time he'd called out the attack, Sassafras was ready to let loose her own.

{Now! FIRE!}

Just when the Ariados was about to make its mark, she flung her head forward and crouched, then spewed out the endless stream of glowing flames. The enemy was engulfed, and the air suddenly smelled of charred rubber.

A moment later the flames ceased, and when the attack petered out, the Ariados came back into plain view...It was not only badly burned, but still giving off smoke as well, and it was on its back in a faint. The only way I could tell it was still alive was by its slow, raspy breathing.

"So that's how you wanna do things, huh? Well, your pathetic excuse for a Salazzle won't be able to handle THIS! Grimslice! Show 'em what you're made of!"

He returned his Ariados and sent out his next Pokémon...What emerged on the ground before us was an absolute hulk of a creature; its hunched back was completely covered in the thickest looking armor plates, and the two long, black claws on each of its biggest forelimbs were perhaps double the length of my own, looking as though they could cut through the air itself and make it bleed.

...And there was something familiar about the coloration of its armored hide.

{Rotom. I think I've seen something that looks like this before...This is Wimpod's evolved form, right?}

"You've got that right, boss. Remember you asked about it back on Akala Island?"

{So it must share Wimpod's typing too, right?}

"Yep! Water and Bug, bzzt!"

{Water, huh? That won't end well with Sassafras out there,} I remarked, pulling out her Poké Ball and calling her back. {Excellent work out there, Sassafras! Return!}

As soon as she was back, I grabbed another capsule from my pack and tossed it out towards the battlefield.

{This looks like a tough one, Archer. See what you can do!}

Archer materialized in thin air, landing with every bit of elegance and suave that the enemy Golisopod lacked.

"Dwit, droooo..."

He seemed slightly off put by his opponent, but retained his composure and puffed out the feathers on his chest a bit more.

{I'm behind you all the way, Archer. Start this off with a Peck and see how much that chips off of it!}

He nodded back at me, then flapped his wings and zipped towards the opposing creature, his black beak aimed at his target.

"Give 'em your First Impression."

At its Trainer's command, the Golisopod calmly drew its arms back, each of its palms still facing one another.

{Watch out, Archer. It's got something up its sleeve, I can tell.}

He hooted back at me in acknowledgment as he homed in on his target...As soon as Archer had entered striking distance, the enemy flung its arms forward with a speed I couldn't have thought for such a massive, heavy-looking creature. its first set struck him with its armor and knocked the wind out of my Decidueye while he was still midair, and the next came just a moment afterward, slashing him across the upper chest with its pair of massive ebony claws.

"DROO!"

{Archer!}

He tumbled across the ground several feet before skidding to a halt...When he got up a moment later and faced me, I could see the massive tears the enemy creature had made in his leafy cloak, which extended past the feathers and skin beneath...Thankfully, the bleeding was superficial; Archer's hood had absorbed most of the blow.

{You alright?}

He nodded at me as he turned to face his opponent again, assuming another fighting stance.

{Let's give this another shot, then. Go in for Peck again, but keep a close eye on those claws, Archer! It's faster with them than it looks...}

He launched himself forward again, this time keeping his feet on the ground and running at his opponent, who was already drawing its claws back again.

"Sucker Punch 'em, Grimslice!"

{JUMP!}

Archer spread his wings and leapt out of the way of the Golisopod's claws just in time, and he was now above his target, ready to launch his own attack.

...His beak began to glow an intense white. Far more intense than what I'd ever seen from one of his Pecks before.

"The heck..?"

Even Guzma seemed confused by this...The very next moment, Archer threw his beak forward and dug it right into the enemy's hide, then he did it again, and again and again at a violently fast pace. Upon closer inspection, I could see that Archer was actually managing to chip away at the Golisopod's armor bit by bit.

{This is new...Is it a new attack, Rotom?}

"Sure looks like it, Echo. Seems like our buddy Archer's learned how to use Pluck! That'zzz TWICE as strong as Peck, and it also snags whatever berry the enemy might be holding!"

{Wow...Good timing,} I grinned. {Keep it up, Archer!}

"Come on, Grimslice, get that thing off ya!"

The massive creature swung its claws at the air and up towards its back to try and remove my partner Pokémon, but to no avail. The heavy armor that was meant to protect it was now holding it back, preventing it from being able to reach up towards its top.

Victory seemed just within reach...but Guzma wasn't having it.

"Hang on, lemme at it!"

He entered the battlefield, running towards the two fighters...Was he actually going to try and force Archer off with his bare hands?

Needless to say, I wasn't about to let him try.

{Aw, no you don't! Archer! Fly on up and fend 'em both off with Razor Leaf!}

He flapped his wings in a hurry, then summoned up his array of sharp leaves and launched them down onto the field.

"HOLY-!"

The leader of Team Skull finally ran off the battlefield just before the leaves could hit him...His Golisopod wasn't so lucky. It was nowhere near fast enough to dodge, and was hit with most of the attack head on.

...It didn't have much left in it.

{You know the drill! Finish this off with Spirit Shackle!}

Still airborne, Archer pulled out an arrow quill from his wing, pulled it back in one of his vines and launched it. The quill landed right at the enemy's feet, and then released a deep purple burst of energy that completely swathed the Golisopod in darkness.

...When the residing mist cleared, it revealed the enemy still standing there, but its eyes were glazed over.

And then, just when I was about to call on a final attack, it tipped forward, and the ground around us vibrated slightly as its limp body crashed headfirst into the ground.

...Judging by the look on Guzma's face, those had been his only two Pokémon, and we'd won the fight.

He emitted a growl through his clenched teeth as he returned his Golisopod to its capsule, then tore at his messy head of hair.

"DAGH! What is WRONG with you, Guzma!? You could've had this one in the bag!"

{...So THAT'S what destruction looks like in human form?} I asked him. {Gotta say, I was expecting something a little more...destructive.}

I chittered a bit of laugh, and Professor Kukui chuckled at my response, which only angered Guzma even more.

"I...Y-you shut up! You and your little robot buddy!"

"Pardon me, Mr. Guzma, but it's pronounced 'Rotom.' Zrrt! Hee hee..."

"You's gonna be pronounced DEAD if ya don't SHUT UP like I told ya! THEN who's gonna tell everyone whatever the heck she's sayin'!?"

...That was when we all stopped laughing.

"Well, now you've done it, Guzma," the professor told him. "She doesn't like it when you fellas go after Rotom."

I barely even heard him at the time; things had gone from jovial to serious in a fraction of a second.

I stepped towards the leader of Team Skull as Rotom hid himself further in my bag. His voice was slightly muffled as he translated my garbled language to the human.

{You listen to me. From day 1 since I first ran into your stupid grunts, Rotom's been getting threatened by you hooligans for no reason except for speaking in my place. Those are MY words, not his. And if you have a problem with that, then you can answer to me and my little friends here.}

I brandished my claws at him.

{...Just like your grunt on Melemele did.}

"Jeez Louis...And I thought I had a screw loose."

{Oh, you do. You DO...But I expect even the likes of you to understand that if anyone threatens to hurt my Pokémon, my friends or whoever else might be around in need of helping, I'll do what I have to do to defend them. I might not like it. I might even feel GUILTY over it...But I'll do it. I will.}

Slowly, the unease wore off his face and replaced itself with a glare.

"...It was Echo, right?"

I nodded.

{Tell that to your grunts...'Scarface' is getting old, you know?}

"I see...Well lemme tell ya somethin'. The only reason I didn't beat down on you as hard as I did now is 'cuz I ain't got the whole squad on hand. And the only reason I'm not beatin' you down with my own fists is 'cuz I'm outnumbered with Kukui back there."

{You're not intimidated by me at all? I find that a bit hard to believe, considering the threat I pose to you and your followers.}

"You ain't nothin' but lucky right now. Believe me...I'll prove it to ya next time we cross paths. I can promise you that."

"Come on, Guzma. You've overstayed your welcome here," Professor Kukui remarked. "Think it's best you head on out, yeah?"

"I'll be comin' after you too when I get the chance!" he snapped back, making his way past us with his pair of grunts and heading out the Malie Garden gates. "...And neither of you's ever gonna know what hit ya."

He turned away one more time, and the three troublemakers disappeared into the city streets...I kept my eye on them all the while just to ensure they didn't try to catch us off guard with anything.

"He just doesn't want to learn from his mistakes, does he?" the professor sighed. "...It's a shame."

{I should say so myself.}

"Whoa...Ah...I-I think I did my job okay, but sorry if my voice kinda shuddered back there, bucko," Rotom chimed in, finally emerging from my bag fully.

{You alright, Rotom?}

"Uh...Guess so, now that they're gone," he replied shakily. "Thezzze guys are really crackin' down on us now, aren't they?"

"Looks that way," the professor confirmed. "Echo. You did an awesome job out there, yeah. But while you're here on Ula'ula Island, just keep your guard up. This is where Team Skull's main turf is, so there are more of them here than on any other island.

{I've heard. And I plan to.}

"Hope so, boss...Uh, n-not gonna lie, with things surrounding Team Skull getting worse, it's making me kinda jittery again. You never know when they're gonna show up again, and...At this point, it wouldn't surprizze me if we started seeing more of them around in larger groups, considering this is where their main territory izz supposed to be."

{That could be a problem...Professor. What do I do if a large number of Team Skull members attack me at once? From what I've seen, they're not past playing dirty when it comes to fights of any kind.}

"Well if it ever comes to that, you can use your Pokémon to help defend against the grunts directly. Attacks from Pokémon against humans can deal some pretty serious damage...Hopefully it won't come down to that, though. Rest assured that I'll never be far behind you to make sure everything is going okay."

A grateful smile slipped across my face. Of all the people that could have found me on the beach and taken me in, how was I so lucky for it to have been him?

{...Thank you, Professor,} I gargled. {I still don't know what I did to deserve any of this, it's just...incredible. All of this, my team, the Island Challenge, you, Hau, Lillie, Rotom...All of you. It's amazing what you've all helped me get through.}

"No rush, Echo, but do you think we'll be off this island and onto the next one within a few dayzz from now? I'm probably not gonna sleep as easily till then, bzzrt."

{Oh, believe me, I'll try. Heck, depending on how many more trials we have left until the Grand Trial, we might even be able to move on by tomorrow evening or the morning after.}

"You really think you can pull that off that quickly?" the professor asked.

{I'm not sure, but I'll try...I wouldn't put it past them to try and jump me while I'm asleep at this point.}

"Yeah, me neither...And knowing that Team Skull is in the area, I'd better head out and try to find Lillie. You happen to remember where you saw her last?"

{Oh, yes, I almost forgot!} I replied to him. {Just before I headed up to Mount Hokulani, we met up at the library. Last I saw of her, she was looking at a book about the Legendary Pokémon of Alola on the second floor. I had to leave at that point, but someone named Acerola offered to stay with her and share what else she knew about the legends.}

"Acerola, huh?" the professor nodded. "Oh yeah, she's in good hands."

"Someone say my name?"

The familiar voice came from behind, and we both turned to see both of the humans we'd been speaking of entering the garden side by side.

"Ha! Perfect timing, Acerola!" the professor greeted. "How'd everything go at the library? Echo here was just tellin' me you two were reading up on the Legendary Pokémon, is that right?"

"That's right," Lillie nodded, seemingly perturbed. "We would've headed into the garden earlier, but we saw some Team Skull members go in just a little while ago, so...we decided to keep our distance for a few minutes."

"We just saw them run out and head south," Acerola told us. "Their leader looked pretty mad about something. Details?"

"Oh man, you should've seen it!" the professor guffawed. "Echo tore into Guzma's two Bug Types with just a handful of moves! It was awesome!"

"Um...Isn't Guzma supposed to be their leader?" Lillie asked. "Ah...Y-you mind if I stick with you for a while again, Professor?"

"No problem. They might talk tough, but I doubt anyone's gonna try to jump you if I'm around. Same goes for Echo, according to Guzma himself, yeah!"

I nodded; Guzma had said that was why he held back against me, though I wasn't sure if it was him he was afraid of.

"Ah, well...I gotta head up to Mount Lanakila here in a few hours to make sure everything's going smoothly with the finishing touches on the edifice. I'm sure they won't mind you being around, Lillie."

"That's good, I suppose."

"I got some time to kill until then, though. Echo, you say something about a celebratory dinner at one of the restaurants here?"

{Yes, I did,} I nodded. {...Did you happen to know of any good places around here?}

"Ooh, I know a place!" Acerola exclaimed, suddenly beaming ear to ear with excitement. "How about Sushi High Roller? It's a little up there in price, but if we all go together I could help foot the bill!"

{All of us?} I asked. {Well, I couldn't say no to such good company, could I?}

"Sounds like a plan, cousins!" Professor Kukui smiled. "Oh, but first we should find Hau and get him in on this. Doubt he'd wanna be left out."

"Good idea," Lillie nodded. "...And I think we'd better hurry before he ruins his appetite at the malasada shop."

{Ha! Agreed.}

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"So from what I gather, this is probably your first time eating seafood, Echo," Acerola remarked. "What do you think of the sashimi?"

{It's definitely different from any other meat I've had before. Very gentle; not as hearty.}

"Goes to show it's top-notch quality, yeah?" the professor agreed. "Not sure which I like more; the Seaking or the Barraskewda."

"Man. I knew meals could have three courses, but I've never seen one with nine before," Hau huffed. "Guess it's a good thing they're so small, huh?"

{It does leave more room for variety,} I figured. {...Speaking of which, I don't think I've ever eaten vegetables before until now. Not sure if eating a plant ever even crossed my mind until now.}

"Oh...really?" Lillie asked. "Well, um...What do you think of them?"

{I guess I'd eat them again. Not as good as the sashimi, though...EXCEPT for the orange bits. Those were really good.}

"Ahh man, I'm a carrot person myself," Hau huffed. "You should taste 'em in soup...Not the miso soup, though. I don't know if that'd mix well."

"Dwit dwit~."

{What'd Archer say, Rotom?}

"He sayzzz he actually likes the greens quite a bit...But to be honest, I think I've gotta side with you on this," he whispered.

"Dwhat?"

"Huh? Oh nothin', Archer. Hee hee..."

{I'm glad they let our teams have their own courses as well,} I remarked, looking over at the table beside us, which was reserved specifically for Pokémon...Red was currently trying to convince Hau's Raichu to trade some of his vegetables for a bit more spicy gohan, and his Noibat was nibbling away at the last few berries on its platter. Sassafras and Grace were engaged in some sort of conversation with one another, King was listening in without much interjection, and Archer had since diverted his attention away from us and onto Hau's Primarina, who was seated directly across from him...Not many words were spoken, but it was clear there was something on my partner's mind regarding Hau's.

How peculiar... I said to myself. What's gotten into him? I thought they HATED each other!

"Heads up, trial-goers," the Professor alerted us. "Here comes the last course, yeah!"

My thoughts were pulled away from my starter Pokémon and back to the meal as our dessert platters were placed down before us...Aside from the professor putting my skepticism of the mizu yokan to rest and a few offhand remarks from Hau about his upcoming trial on Mount Hokulani, not too much else was said for the duration of the meal.

All in all, it was well-deserved after the eventful day we'd had.

It wasn't too much later that we split the bill, returned our Pokémon to their capsules and headed back out into the city streets...Dusk was upon us by then, and just a few stars were visible off to the east.

"Welp, I'd say we've got a couple more hours to kill before headin' in for the night, yeah," Professor Kukui surmised. "Unless you wanted to find some place to camp sooner than that, Echo."

"Hmm..."

Given everything that'd happened with Team Skull earlier, I wasn't comfortable with the idea of finding a place to sleep just yet.

{...I think I'll be out and about for a while longer. Not sure what I'll spend my time on, though,} I replied to him. {More than anything, I'd like to finish up the trials here and move on to the fourth island before things between me and Team Skull get too messy.}

"Mind if I make a suggestion~?" Acerola piped up.

{I don't object.}

"The grounds for my trial are down on Route 14 along the island's southern coast. Just to the east after you get on the route, there's an old section of worn road that slopes up from the beach to the top of the hill the trial grounds are on. It's quiet, dark, far enough away from the shore so that the tide won't be a problem...And something tells me that you're the kind who likes the feel of sand beneath them."

{How did you know that?}

"Oh, just a hunch, I guess," she shrugged. "And the best part is, since not many people except for trial goers visit often, Team Skull doesn't show up around the area much either...Then again, that could just be because they're too scared of the place. Not sure which is more likely..."

"Hey, and that also means you can get a head start tomorrow morning with the trial!" Hau chimed in. "Man, I got some catchin' up to do, don't I?"

{Take as much time as you need, Hau. It's not you Team Skull is after, anyways,} I jeered. {...Good idea, Captain. I'll head out that way right now. We've got to rest up for tomorrow...}

"Same here, if I want to get to the trial grounds before you do," Acerola remarked. "I'll be heading back to the Aether House for the night. Oh, and Lillie. If you ever need to catch a break whenever you're out and about the city again, you can stop by!"

"Oh, ah...I-I may," she answered uncertainly. "...Thank you for the offer."

"Get plenty of sleep, everyone!" the trial captain bid us as she went on her way. "Especially you, Echo; you're gonna need to be sharp for tomorrow!"

With that, she turned and skipped off, leaving the rest of us behind.

"I hear Acerola's trial is kinda tricky," the professor remarked. "Think you got what it takes this soon?"

{Well, it's not completely dark yet. I might try to squeeze in a few more wild battles before going to the spot outside the trial site.}

"Smart thinkin', Echo!" Hau nodded. "Say, you mind me taggin' along? The gang and I could probably go for some toughening up ourselves before we hit Mount Hokulani tomorrow."

I nodded excitedly. It'd been a while since Hau and I had trained together, and given all of the stress present, I figured it would help me take my mind off of my worries for a while.

"Well, I guess that leaves you and me..." Lillie said to the professor. "Think we should find a place to stay? It, uh, is getting kind of late."

"Guess it would be a good time to start looking, yeah? We're gonna need to rest up; if all goes well with their trials tomorrow, it's off to Seafolk Village."

"Man, I can't wait to finish my Grand Trial so we can see what the place looks like..." Hau gushed. "Guess we better get goin'. See you guys tomorrow!"

{Be safe, alright?}

"Don't worry, Echo. We'll be just fine," the professor assured me as he and Lillie made their way down a separate branch of the road. "Happy training!"

"C'mon! Last one to Route 12 is a rotten Chansey egg!"

By the time he'd finished speaking, Hau was already making a mad dash through the city and towards the south gates.

{Hey! That's not fair! You got a head start!}

I was just about to dart after him, but just when I was about to sprint forward, a sudden, ear-splitting sound pierced the air and nearly made me jump out of my skin!

"NEEEEH-HEEH HEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!"

I let out a startled screech, then jerked my head around the other way to face the source of the noise...I heaved out a sigh of relief when I recognized the familiar faces of Hapu and her Mudsdale standing there, the latter's mouth still slightly agape from its loud whinny.

{I...oh. It's just you two.}

"Mudsdale, when I asked for you to get their attention, I didn't mean for you to scare them half to death."

The massive Ground-Type snorted in response to its trainer and cast a guilty glance off to its right.

"Once again, I'd like to apologize on Mudsdale's behalf for startling you," she told us. "But I believe this is rather important. I overheard your friend saying that he was heading for Route 12, and I'm not sure whether or not either of you have the appropriate Ride Pokémon equipped to your pagers in order to traverse its terrain. A Mudsdale is required to cross over the patches of sharp rocks scattered across the route."

{Oh. I see...Well, by now he's probably almost there,} I realized. {I guess we'd better catch up!}

"Lead the way," Hapu said as she hopped up and boarded her Mudsdale. "We're right behind you."

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________​

"Sparkling Aria, Primarina!"

{Fire up a Swift, Grace!}

After fighting our way through an overwhelming amount of sturdy Geodude, Graveller and Torkoal, we'd come across something new. Rotom had identified the Pokémon as a Houndoom, and it was clear that it was ready to put up a fight upon encountering it.

Fortunately, we'd been able to dodge most of its attacks, and now both Grace and Primarina had charged up their finishing moves to use against it. The Houndoom came sprinting towards us with a Fire Fang at the ready, but when our own Pokémon launched their attacks the flames were doused by a series of glowing stars and a gush of cold, sparkling water...It was only a moment later that we saw it lying on the ground, jaws steaming and its face no longer contorted into an aggressive scowl.

"Woo-HOO, yeah! We beat 'em!"

"Prii-rah~!"

{Nice job out there, Grace!}

"Vui, eievui!"

That was when the Houndoom opened its eyes again, then slowly pushed itself back up onto its feet, tail tucked between its back legs in humiliation. I couldn't help but feel slightly bad for it as it slunk away; to fall in defeat to a tiny Eevee and a gentle-looking Primarina was probably a hit to both its ego and its reputation among fellow Houndoom.

"Man, that was intense...!" Hau exclaimed as he fished a Hyper Potion out of his pack. "I thought it was really gonna mess us up for a minute there, y'know?"

{It's a good thing we had plenty of healing items to back us up with back there,} I remarked, examining a skinned portion of Grace's pelt on her left foreleg. {...But I think it's about time we made our way out of here. The sun's been down for a while, and we're just about out of Potions and such.}

I rummaged around in my own bag as well, and was lucky to fish out just one more Potion to use on Grace's leg wound.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Hau agreed as we continued down the road, returning his now-healed Primarina to its capsule. "...So, what'd you think of the Mudsdale Gallop that Hapu registered to our pagers?"

{It was definitely a bumpy ride...At least it was close to the ground, though; Charizard took a lot more getting used to than that.}

"Man, I'd love to get a flying Pokémon registered on there...Can ya see me riding something like a Flygon or a Skarmory? That'd be awesome!"

{Hey, at least you're not offput by heights,} I jeered, looking around the surrounding route. Rotom's map indicated that we'd exited Route 12 and were starting down Route 13, and a small motel flanked us to our right...Tapu Village wasn't far off, and from there, I could make my way to the spot Acerola had spoken of to safely spend the night.

{...So, you're going to be doing the trial on Mount Hokulani tomorrow, right?}

"That's right!"

{From what I've gathered, it's a bit different than how it used to be. Sophocles' Totem summoning device...kind of malfunctioned a bit, so we had to do something based on the blackout and security system.}

"Was the Totem tough?"

{It didn't faint any of my teammates, but it came close. It's fast and it can dodge things easily, so try to coax it into coming closer if you want to land a good hit on it.}

"Eh-heie, vui."

Grace chuckled nervously at the mention of the battle. She'd been pretty unnerved by the Totem Vikavolt when she first saw it, and for good reason.

"Grace is really getting on level with the others, huh?" Hau noticed. "Weird to think she only hatched a handful of days ago. She's definitely toughened up!"

{And the Everstone we got from one of the nurses on Akala Island is doing a good job keeping her from evolving too soon as well,} I added. {...What about you and your Eevee? Has he decided what he wants to be yet?}

"Well, the other day before we hit Kahuna Olivia's trial, we were looking at some evolutionary stones she sells at her jewelry shop...So while I guess you can say nothing's set in stone just yet, we've narrowed down our options."

{Set in...? Ohhh, I get it! Ha!}

The laugh we shared would have been a lot longer if not for the voice we overheard just a few moments later.

"You two only have one volume, don't you?"

"Huh...?"

"Hrm?"

It sounded like it was coming from somewhere near the motel, and when we turned to see who it was, I wondered why I hadn't recognized the voice sooner.

"Oh hey, it's Mr. Grumpy face!" Hau exclaimed, more pleased to see Gladion than I was. "It's 'Gladion,' right? Howzit been?"

"Not great," he responded flatly, stepping away from the railing and making his way down the porch steps, approaching us. I tore my eyes off of him just for a brief second to look down at Grace.

"Vui..."

Her head was tilted off to the right, and there was a glimmer of nervousness in her large, brown eyes as she looked up at the approaching human.

{Stay close to me,} I chittered to her softly. {He said he doesn't really like working for Team Skull, but...you never know.}

"If you two keep it up with the noise, it's not gonna be too great for you, either," Gladion continued. "So pipe down and listen up, because this is important."

"What's goin' on, edgelord?" Hau asked, earning him a sharp glare in return before the Skull grunt continued.

"...Team Skull's looking for a Pokémon called Cosmog," he told us, his tone of voice now much more quiet. "You two know anything about it?"

{Cosmog...?} I repeated. The name didn't really ring a bell, so I gurgled quietly to my PokéDex in response. {Rotom, can you see if there's any Pokémon with that name in your database?}

"On it," he whispered as he searched for results. As Rotom went through his catalogue, Hau spoke up again.

"Why are we whispering...?" he rasped.

"Sometimes the boss sends out a couple of grunts to follow me to make sure I'm actually doing my job. I don't think anyone will be too close to the motel since the cops frequent this place a few times daily, but I just want to be sure."

"Uh...boss?"

Rotom had finished his search and had the results displayed on his screen. I took a peek to see what the Pokémon Gladion had spoken of looked like, and I beheld...

{...Oh, no.}

Hau caught onto my onset of fear, and he took a gander at Rotom's screen himself...As soon as he registered the clear depiction of NEBBY displayed across the monitor, his eyes widened and his lips pursed, and we shared nervous looks with one another.

"Uh...Yeah, Gladion, we don't really know anything about any Cosmog Pokémon, or anything," he replied to him, sweat starting to bead along his brow. "O-of course, not that we'd tell you even if we did!"

"...So you DO know something."

Hau's nervous smile faded into a dreadful frown. Knowing that he'd caught on, I stepped forward to face him, Grace still sticking to me like glue.

{What do you think you're going to do with it?} I growled at him, narrowing my gaze at him.

"I'm trying to keep Team Skull AWAY from it, you idiot," he rasped in response. He inhaled sharply to maintain his composure before continuing. "Look...Cosmog by itself isn't very strong, but it has the potential to be able to summon other Pokémon that are so powerful and so destructive, they'd make Mewtwo look like an Abra."

{...I'm guessing Mewtwo must be a strong Pokémon, then?}

"You catch onto things quickly, I'll give you that..." he huffed. "But I digress. If Cosmog falls into the wrong hands and is used for something like that, it would spell disaster for the entire Alola region. And probably the rest of the world, too."

"Well...What do you want us to do, then?" Hau shrugged.

"Protect it-! If you know where it is, make sure it's not kept anywhere in plain view, contain it somewhere, just...keep it safe, and keep it away from Team Skull...!"

Gladion paused for a moment to look over his shoulder and scan the surrounding area, just to ensure that nobody was watching us, then heaved out another sigh.

"...Look. I know that technically I'm working for them right now, so you may or may not trust me on this, but I'm being completely honest with you two," he finished. "If you're busy with the Island Challenge right now or whatever, then at least make sure it's in a safe place."

Hau and I looked at one another again; as far as we knew, Nebby was alongside Lillie and the professor, meaning that it was relatively safe.

{...Cosmog's in good hands,} I assured him. {...I think that's all you need to know.}

"Good...just make sure it stays that way."

"Vui..."

I looked back down at Grace to see her step closer to the human and lock eyes with him...Before I even knew it, she was circling his legs like a short brown ribbon, tail wrapping around them lightly as she walked and the faintest indication of a smile on her muzzle.

In response, Gladion stooped down to better match her level and extended his hand, stroking the top of her head and smoothing down the slightly messy fur atop it. I watched him closely all the while, not putting it past a member of Team Skull to snatch such a rare Pokémon for their own use.

...But he never did anything of the sort.

"Take good care of this one...She just might do the same for you one day."

He stood up straight, then turned and left without another word, heading back up towards Route 12...Hau and I looked each other one more time, and I could tell that he was just as disconcerted by the ordeal as I was.

"Well...Considering what we've seen between the professor and Team Skull, I doubt they'll be finding Nebby anytime soon," Hau figured. "But just to be sure, I might try to find 'em one more time before I hit the hay somewhere."

{And since we know Team Skull might be lurking about somewhere, I'd better head to that spot on Route 14,} I added. {...At least I know I can outrun anyone who tries to follow me.}

"Ha! That's true, ain't it? Ah...Malie is the only major city here on Ula'ula, so they're probably still there. Better head back up Route 12 if I wanna make it there in good time."

{Ride safely, Hau. I'll meet back up with you tomorrow.}

"I'll know where to find you, buddy. See ya then!"

With that said, he pulled his pager back out and summoned the same Mudsdale he'd used during our trek, hopping aboard its saddle and galloping off.

"...Say, didn't Gladion head towards Route 12 too? Bzzr..."

{He did...Guess he'd better hope he has a Mudsdale on his pager too, or else Hau might just have to give him a lift.}

"Ha! Wonder if he'd accept?" Rotom chortled. "He doezzzn't seem to like him, after all...or us either. If he like any one of us, it's Grace, that much I can say."

{He does seem to be good with Pokémon,} I acknowledged. {...Still, I'm a bit surprised that Grace approached him the way she did. Especially compared to how she reacted to Lusamine.}

"Vui, eievui, vui...?"

{What'd she say, Rotom?}

"She asked why you had to bring that up."

{Oh...}

I looked down at Grace again, noticing her brow furrowing ever so slightly.

{Nevermind, Grace. After we left the Aether Paradise, I figured she was a little odd myself,} I assured her as we continued south. {Besides, I don't think we'll be going back there any time soon anyways. If anything else happens with another Ultra Wormhole or the like, we'll see if the professor can do anything about it.}

"I just hope that whatever Gladion was talking about back there doezzzn't end up actually happening somehow," Rotom said to me.

{As long as Lillie and the professor keep Nebby safe and sound, I think things should be fine...Of course, given that Nebby likes to escape from Lillie's bag a lot, they might want to consider getting one that's more secure.}

"Or using a Poké Ball instead, bzzt."

{That would work, too...I wonder why they haven't tried that yet?}

"...Maybe it kept escaping the Poké Ball, too?"

{That could be,} I shrugged. {Speaking of which, how about you go back in yours for the night, Grace? You look a bit worn out.}

"Vui, eievui," she nodded, letting out a small yawn as I pulled out her ball and returned her to it.

{We'll all need the rest for tomorrow,} I remarked, taking a peek down at Rotom's screen. {So, where are we now?}

"According to my map, it sayzzz we've just entered the ruins of Tapu Village."

{It does look a bit like a ruin...} I remarked, taking a gander at the surrounding area and spying several old, crumbling remains of buildings scattered across the terrain. {...At least there's a working Pokémon Center, though. That'll be handy for tomorrow.}

"Route 14 izzz down the next left turn, and it's easily identifiable by its beach consisting of black sand," Rotom continued. "Think we should stop at the PMC first, though? Sassafras and Archer took a bit of a beating from thozzze Graveller and Torkoal."

{You read my mind. And of we're lucky, I might be able to get us some more Pokébeans too.}

"Oooh, soundzzz like a plan! Let's hop to it!"

____________________________________________________________

...

____________________________________________________________​

It was a quick in and out; I healed up the pack, bought some more Potions, grabbed a Lemonade from the café and got ahold of some more Poké beans, then headed right back out. I was able to see the entrance to Route 14 from the front of the Pokémon Center, so I didn't need Rotom's map to lead me there.

The moment I reached the bottom of the slope, the dirt road ended and was replaced with a beautiful scape of ebony granules swathed across the shore, glittering softly in the light of the moon. And just off to the east, I spied it: the old section of worn road sloping up from the beach to the top of the small hill jutting out not far above the shore, just like Acerola had said.

{This must be the place,} I figured, stepping across the soft, black sand and stopping just in front of it. {It does look pretty subtle; you think a Team Skull grunt might overlook it if one came along?}

"Probably. They haven't got much up there in termzzz of brain cells, it seems, so I doubt one would think twice about it. Bzzrt! Well...except for that Guzma guy. I think he'zzz smarter...which makes him all the more frightening, now that I think about it more."

{True...but given what Acerola said about this area, I think we're safe for now. Let's see if we fit inside.}

With that said, I stooped my head down and slipped underneath the broken segment of asphalt...I was pleased to find more black sand underneath it, knowing it'd make for a comfortable place to sleep, and there was no indication of any wild Pokémon taking up residency in the spot; no nests, no burrows...just me, myself, and the team.

{Looks good,} I smiled.

"You think so?" Rotom asked. "I thought it looked a little gloomy myself. Hee hee..."

{Maybe a little...but the darkness will at least help us sleep better, right?}

"That'zzz true, bzzt..." he agreed, stifling a yawn. "Ah, well...Guess we might as well hit the sack then, huh?"

I nodded, then bedded down in the sand and curled up, purring softly as the tiny, mildly warm black grains shifted beneath my weight and collected along the edges of where I was lying. As soon as I'd gotten comfortable, Rotom lowered himself down from midair and tucked himself into the crook of my arm, as per usual.

{If the professor's right, then we can look forward to leaving this island tomorrow,} I said to him. {...I feel guilty wanting to leave so soon, though. It's not that I don't like Ula'ula Island, it's just...not easy to enjoy it right now.}

"...You think things between us and Team Skull will ever cool down?"

{I...}

I paused, then broke eye contact with Rotom as I thought about his question some more.

{I...don't know, to be honest,} I finally told him. {...But that doesn't mean we have to just lay low until they do. We've got an Island Challenge to complete and a world to explore.}

"I hope thingzzz will turn out okay," he buzzed. "...I'm feeling a little iffy about tomorrow, if I'm being honest myself. Do you ever just have that feeling that something bad izzz right around the corner, waiting for you?"

{...I can't say I haven't.}

There was a long, drawn out silence between us. Judging by the look on his face, Rotom knew exactly what I was referring to.

But I shook those bad thoughts of the creature emerging from the trees from my head as soon as I realized I was thinking them.

{Well...If we keep pushing forward the way we've been, we should be fine,} I assured him, huddling up a bit more. {Let's not get ourselves all worked up over it at this hour, though...Sleep tight, Rotom.}

"Yeah...G'night, Echo."

His screen dimmed, and his eyes closed. I lowered my own head and peered up at the sky above and beyond my shelter, taking note of the bluish grey clouds beginning to obscure the glimmering stars and the breeze beginning to pick up...Rain was likely on the way, but the lack of thunder indicated that it at least wouldn't be a storm.

Nonetheless, the building clouds put me in a sense of unease...Was there really something sinister on the horizon, getting ready to happen? Like what Gladion spoke of? Pokémon so strong that they could destroy the entire region?

...Pokémon stronger, perhaps, than the white beast I'd faced?

The thought alone sent a chill down my spine. What would happen if Team Skull somehow got ahold of Nebby? What would they attempt? What would they accomplish?

I swallowed hard, then drew in a long, deep breath and let it out in a gurgly sigh to try and calm myself.

{No...Just like you said, you should be fine. No need to get all worked up,} I told myself. {Besides, Hau said he would warn Lillie and the professor about all of this. If they know about it, then they're sure to take more precautions, right? Right. They're good people. Responsible people. They wouldn't let anything like that happen.}

I heaved in a few more deep breaths, being careful to not be too loud about it, then shut my eyes in an attempt to fall asleep.

Take your own advice... I said to myself. Besides, you've got a trial in the morning, and probably a Grand Trial later on, and you don't want to be tired for it...Yes, yes, think about the plans for tomorrow. That should help me take my mind off those other things...

And so I did. I lay there, eyes shut and body at rest, but my mind active as ever thinking about what kinds of wonderful things could happen on the morrow. Sleep finally came to me after what felt like a long time of thinking and wearing out my brain, and I gladly accepted it.

...But just before I dozed off, I couldn't help but feel that as much as I'd hoped on it, tomorrow wouldn't be much to look forward to after all.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

...When I awoke, the first thing I acknowledged was the steady, ambient sound of falling rain. And when I finally opened my eyes, I saw that the black sand just outside my temporary shelter was wet and packed, and the morning sun was obscured behind a thick blanket of ashen clouds. It was almost hard to tell that it was daytime at all.

Oh no...I didn't oversleep, did I?

I lifted my head up and peered down at Rotom; he was still asleep. Thankfully he'd been able to, given that this shower didn't come with any thunder and lightning...Part of me just wanted to let him be for a while longer and go back to sleep myself, but I knew that time was of the essence.

Maybe on the next island, I said to myself.

{...Rotom.}

I nudged him gently, and that got him to stretch out his blocky appendages, shut his eyes a bit more tightly and yawn. A moment later, his screen brightened up a bit and his large, blue eyes pried slightly open.

"Hm, what...? Is it mornin' already?"

{I think so,} I chittered to him quietly. {Do you have the time?}

"Oh...Yeah, let'zzz see," he replied, yawning again and pushing himself up onto his feet. "According to my internal clock, the current time izz 7:48 a.m. Huh...Ghee, it doezzzn't feel that late. Sun's not shining."

{Yeah, that's probably why we were asleep for so long. And it's raining, too,} I told him as I stood up myself. {Tuck yourself into my bag until I find some shelter, okay? And if you want, you can go back to sleep for a bit longer. I...felt kind of bad waking you up.}

"Hey, don't sweat it, partner. Although I could set an alarm from now on if you want. How'zzz 7:00 in the morning sound for a set time?"

{Huh. Sounds interesting...I guess we'll see how it works tomorrow morning then.}

"Then it's all set! 7:00 a.m. for every weekday! Oh, and you can change it anytime if you'd like," Rotom informed me. "I'll slip into your pack for now to stay out of the rain, but you're probably gonna need me when we find Acerola, so I'll stay awake. You ready to head out, Echo?"

{As I'll ever be.}

The moment after Rotom disappeared into my leather bag, I stepped out from the shelter of the old road section and into the rain...The sand beneath my feet was cool, damp and firm, and the water droplets falling down onto my combined with the lack of the sun's morning warmth sent a bit of a shiver through me.

I supposed it was a bit of a break from Alola's hotter weather, but I hoped that Acerola's trial site would be in a place safe from the shower.

"Well, look who just got up!"

To my good fortune, it seemed like she'd just arrived herself, a dark purple umbrella in hand and her cheerful smile bringing a bit of brightness to the somewhat gloomy weather.

{Perfect timing, Captain,} I remarked, stepping closer. {How are you so good at showing up just at the right moment?}

"I guess it just comes naturally. Hee hee..." she chortled. "You sure you're ready to start, though? I saw you come out from under the pavement, so I'm guessing you haven't eaten anything yet."

{I'll find something once the trial's over with,} I assured her. {I tend to wait a while before eating anything in the morning, anyways. AND I'm in a bit of a hurry, as you're aware.}

"Hey Acerola. Mind if I take a spot under your umbrella? Might be kinda hard to hear me through Echo's bag, bzzt."

"Not at all~! Y'know, I've seen a lot of Ghost-Types, but this is the first time I've ever seen a Rotom up close. They're not native to Alola, after all."

{Rotom says his species is native to Sinnoh,} I remarked, stepping forward to close the gap between me and Acerola's umbrella, allowing Rotom to come back out and hover beneath it. {But I don't think they're very common there either, right?}

"Oh yeah, we're pretty rare in the wild according to what I've heard. But there were quite a few otherzzz at the lab I was raised in."

"Huh...I might decide to find one myself someday," the trial captain remarked. "...But before I can worry about that, we've got a trial to get under way. Follow me up this way, Echo. It's not far from here!"

She started off, and I trailed close behind as we made out way further along the beach of black sand. It wasn't too long before I spied the trial gates up ahead, surrounding a flight of old, concrete stairs. I kept a sharp eye on my footing as we made our way up the slope, and when I finally stepped back onto level ground, Acerola got my attention again.

"Welp, here we are!"

I looked up, and my eyes widened a bit. There before us stood a large building that looked old, worn and forgotten...but at the same time, all too familiar.

{...THIS is the trial site?}

"Yep!" Acerola chirped. "Welcome to the abandoned first location of the Thrifty Megamart!"

"Ghee, it sure lookzzz run down. 'Specially compared to the one on Akala," Rotom remarked. "What happened to this place?"

"So the tale goes, the ground this old location stands on is sacred. Our island guardian Tapu Bulu, angered by the defilation of its land, destroyed it in a mad rage, leaving not much more than what we see here now."

{Oh...oh my,} I chittered. {And...how long ago was this?}

"Eh. Five years ago, I think? I wasn't here to see it, but a lot of the folks around here did, so you can ask them more about it."

{If Tapu Bulu intended to destroy this place, I'm surprised it's still standing at all.}

"Hm...Good point," Acerola nodded. "...Maybe it had more to do with the people coming and going constantly than the building itself?"

{That could be,} I shrugged. {Wait. But if WE step inside, won't that make Tapu Bulu angry again, if that's the case?}

"Well, this is a little different. Trials have been upheld here in Alola ever since its founding, so this is actually something to honor the island guardian with! Besides, I've been holding trials here for quite a while, and nothing bad has happened yet."

{That's a good point, too...Well, as long as the place doesn't fall down on top of us, I guess we're going in. What is it we need to do to complete the trial?}

"Ah yes, the instructions. First things first: does your Rotom's PokéDex come equipped with a camera? Snapping photos is a crucial part of the trial since it gets the Pokémons' attention."

"I sure do!" Rotom buzzed in response. "I'll switch over to the screen tap settings so that you can more eazzzily snap the picture, boss! The default settingzzz kind of require thumbs, bzzt."

{I kind of wish I had thumbs...I could finally hold a pencil right.}

"Hey, I still think you can write okay for a beginner. You just gotta practice, izzz all."

{Well, thanks Rotom, I'm glad you think so,} I grinned. {...So, Acerola. All we have to do is snap a picture of each trial Pokémon to get its attention and then engage in battle?}

"That's the gist of it! You ready to start? Since the sun's not out, the darkness will really enhance the atmosphere!"

{Ready as I'll ever be,} I nodded. {Wish us luck.}

"Will do!"

With all of that said, I made my way towards the sliding doors of the building to pry them open...and to my surprise, it turned out they still worked.

"Huh...I wouldn't have guessed the power for thezzze doors would still be running."

{Me neither...Well, less work for us, at least.}

With the doors open, I stepped inside and took a gander at the trial site...A pit formed in my stomach as soon as I began to process my surroundings, and it grew more and more as I scanned over the remains of what was once a lively store. The paint on the walls was dull and faded, and there were chips in some places. Several shelves were completely knocked over, and scattered piles of boxes were strewn all over the place, blocking some of the isles entirely. The one light that still illuminated the building towards one of the back corners flickered, the music speakers emitted a grainy, eerie-sounding tune from somewhere far off, and the faint smell of decay indicated that whatever food still remained on the shelves had long since spoiled.

It was unsettling and dreary...And it was sad.

{A shame what happened here. If they hadn't built the megamart on these grounds, it'd probably still be in full swing...At least we have the newer one on Akala though, right?} I jeered.

"Uh...Yeah. W-we do," Rotom replied, seeming even more nervous about the situation than I was.

{You alright there? You're shaking.}

"Oh. I-I'm okay, just kinda creeped out by this place...Hey, I've got you here with me, so at least I'm not alone, right?"

{That's-}

Before I could finish my response, I stopped short. A chill made its way up my spine, and I jerked my head back and looked behind me...I could have sworn I saw something yellow dart behind one of the box piles near the farthest cash register.

"Wh-what's the matter, Echo?"

{I don't mean to alarm you,} I said to him. {...But I think we're being watched.}

"Watched...?"

{Stay close to me...Let's find the first trial Pokémon. Maybe it was just one of them.}

"I hope so..."

As we slowly made our way down the front isle, the faint sound of whirring faded into earshot. At first, I thought it was coming from somewhere above, but when we'd made it about halfway down the isle, I noticed that one of the conveyer belts at the registers was running...I could understand a handful of lights just barely being able to stay on, but for a register conveyer belt to be running for no reason, and when all of the others appeared to be off?

...Perhaps this was the work of the first trial Pokémon.

{Rotom. Fire up your camera. I think we've got one.}

"Okay..."

He lifted his screen up to the level of my eyes, then displayed a feed of the register.

"You see anything, Echo?"

I did; it was invisible to the naked eye, but through the lens I could see what looked like some sort of purple cloud of gas, a mischievous-looking grin and a pair of large, pale eyes hidden just behind the fumes. It didn't seem aware of our presence, though...It was too busy having a ball moving the conveyer belt.

{There. I think that's the first one. Can you tell what it is?}

"Let's see...M-my sensorzzz indicate that it's a Gastly. A Ghost-Type...They can be kinda tricky, b-but as long as you pick the right moves to use on them, it shouldn't be that hard to beat."

{Good to know. And Normal and Fighting-Type moves won't work on Ghost-Types, right?}

"That's correct. O-our best bet is to use another Ghost-Type if we want to hit them super effectively, but most other move types also deal decent damage."

{Good to know...Smile for the camera, Gastly!}

I reached out towards Rotom's screen, pressed the large red icon along its bottom edge and snapped the picture...I wasn't sure whether or not the quality of the photos would have any impact on the trial or not, but other than a bit of blurring around the top edge of the Gastly's purple cloud, it came out looking pretty good.

"Gast?"

I looked up from Rotom's screen to see that the Ghost-Type had finally noticed our presence, and it was now visible without the lens. Its smile curdled into a crooked smirk just before it zipped forward in the blink of an eye and challenged us, eyes peering right into my own.

"AH! Ha, oh, jeez. Thezzze things are quick, so be careful boss!" Rotom squeaked as he retreated behind me. In response to the Gastly's challenge, I pulled out King's Poké Ball and called him onto the field.

{Don't make any sudden movements just yet,} I instructed him. {We want it to come to us...}

He nodded back at me, then began walking in a slow circle around the first trial Pokémon, each of them staring right back at one another all the while...Neither of them were keen on attacking first, but after a minute of sparring, King finally broke the silence and spoke to his opponent.

{What's the matter, Gastly? Do I...frighten you? But surely, a Ghost-Type like you wouldn't be so easily scared, right?}

"Gast, gast...!"

Finally, the gaseous creature zipped down in preparation to strike, leaving us only a split second to react.

{Use Crunch!}

He opened his mouth just in time to snag the entire Pokémon in it, clamping them down with a loud snap. There was a shocked squeal that emitted from the creature as King thrashed his jaws around for a good few seconds, and when he finally released the Ghost-Type and cast it off into another register, that same purple vapor that the enemy emitted poured from his mouth and dissipated as it settled onto the dirty tile floor. My Tyrunt held his tongue out, and his scaly forehead wrinkled in disgust.

"Argh, bleugh!" he sputtered. {Urgh, That was awful! It tasted like...like sulfur and smoke!}

{Sorry about that,} I chittered to him. {But hey, it looks like you beat it.}

I pointed over at the floor in front of the register the Ghost-Type had fallen against; it was no longer floating, and now sat on the floor with a dazed look in its once focused, leering eyes.

{That's good...Next time though, can we use another attack besides Crunch? Normally I don't taste anything when I bite into an opponent, but since that one was made of gas it was hard not to.}

I nodded understandingly.

{It wouldn't surprise me if the other trial Pokémon had the same taste to them as well,} I figured. {Can you confirm, Rotom?}

"Huh? Oh, sure thing, Echo," he piped up, coming back out from behind me. "Well, the gaseous element is less obvious in the appearance of Gastly's evolutionzzz, Haunter and Gengar. But they all share the same Ghost-Poison type combination, so I'd say they have that same nasty taste if we were to find any in-"

Skitter skitter

{What was that?}

The scurrying noise sounded like it came from just past the registers, and when we all looked to see what it was, we caught sight of something turning the corner...In that split second before it disappeared, I saw another flash of yellow, and what looked like a bolt-shaped tail darting behind one of the piles of old boxes.

...Only one Pokémon I knew of matched that description.

{Rotom. Was that a...Pikachu?}

"I-I couldn't get a good enough reading to identify it," he stammered in response. "It...did look like one, though. Wh-what do you suppose a Pikachu izz doing in a place like this?"

{I don't know,} King answered for me. {This doesn't seem like the kind of place you'd find one...Weird, right?}

{I should think,} I agreed. {...Why don't you stay outside your ball with us for a while, King? It shouldn't be long until we find the next trial Pokémon.}

He nodded, and the three of us continued down the front isle in search of anything else out of the ordinary.

{...Hear anything yet, Rotom?}

"No...How about you, King?"

{No, but...I think I smell those fumes coming from somewhere,} he answered, his growlish tone heavily hushed. {It's weird. They don't smell the same way they taste. Smells more like...like...some sort of chemical.}

{Hm...I can smell it too,} I acknowledged, taking a whiff of the atmosphere and catching onto the faint, ammonic scent that he was referring to. And it seemed like it was coming from somewhere off towards the west side of the store.

CLATTER CLATTER CLATTER

Sure enough, as soon as I identified the direction of the smell, a loud metallic noise started emanating from there as well, coming from just behind another box pile. Rotom ducked underneath my hat as King and I weaved through the registers and made our way around the pile to see what it was.

When we got to the location and peered around the corner, we saw a shopping cart sitting there, shaking violently and making a ruckus.

"Ghee...Whoever's doin' that must be in a rowdy mood, y-ya think?" Rotom figured, slowly emerging from his hiding spot and floating in front of me again, eyes darting back and forth nervously.

{They should put up a half decent fight, then. Let's see what we have.}

When Rotom booted up the camera again, I could see the culprit plain as day. This Pokémon was bigger than the Gastly, but it had the same leering eyes and a similar mischievous grin. There were more spikes along its head though, and what it lacked in a noxious cloud of gas was made up for in a pair of nimble, clawed hands.

It was floating around in swift circles over the shopping cart, hands outstretched towards it as though to control the object's violent shaking, and too absorbed in its activity to notice us.

{...Seems like it's having fun causing a commotion.}

"Well...Gh-ghost-Types in general tend to like spookin' people, bzzr. 'Course, I prefer to be the helpful kind myself."

{He should be an interesting opponent,} King gurgled softly. {Snap the picture, Alpha. I'm think I'm ready for 'em.}

I tapped Rotom's screen and captured it in the act, and just like last time, the snapping sound of the picture being taken caught the Pokémon's attention just a moment later.

"Haun?"

It's smile drooped for a moment when it turned to face us, but then came back in the form of a massive, slightly crooked grin as it floated towards us and chuckled.

"He he he he he..."

And then, just when it was about an arm's length away, it stuck out its MASSIVE pink tongue at us and screeched.

"HRYAGH!"

Rotom was quick to flit behind me again, but King continued to stand his ground.

{Trying to scare us, huh?} he snarled at it. {Well, I'm not afraid. Show me what you can do!}

"Hya, ha ha ha ha...!"

It accepted King's challenge with open claws, and it zipped down towards him, tongue still extended.

{Fire up a Dragon Tail, King. Stomp and Tackle won't do anything to stop it.}

He nodded confidently and fired up his stubby tail. Just when the enemy Haunter was about to land a Lick attack, King whipped himself around and landed his own move right across the Ghost-Type's sensitive tongue.

It exclaimed in shock, then recoiled, then stuffed its massive tongue back into its mouth where it belonged...Being a Ghost-Type, it seemed fitting that it wasn't able to bleed, but King had managed to injure it to the point where the Haunter was having second thoughts about using it.

{One or two more of those ought to take him down,} he assured himself.

{Think you can manage it?} I asked him. {Something tells me that's not all it has up its sleeve...}

As if on cue, the opposing Pokémon suddenly vanished from our view completely. It was as though it'd simply disappeared into thin air.

{Stand your guard, King.}

There was no indication as to where it could have gone. Had the Ghost-Type simply turned itself invisible, and was right on top of us? Camouflaging with the rest of the old, decrepit store?

...Camouflage...

I was familiar with the idea of the unseen enemy firsthand...It was funny; although that had all happened not even a week ago, the events of that fateful day were beginning to feel more and more like a distant memory.

...The sound of something falling off one of the shelves all of a sudden pulled me back into the battle, and I looked over to see a small container of what probably once held food tumbling down onto the floor, seemingly all by itself.

That might've been the Haunter, I said to myself.

{It can't stall forever. Fire up another Dragon Tail, King.}

He did as told, and something else tumbled off a nearby shelf, this time closer and lower to the ground than before...right to King's left.

{Swing it to the left!}

Emitting a grunt, he obeyed that command as well, and the previously invisible Haunter came back into view.

"HAUN!"

It was slammed up against the shelf and disoriented, and for good measure, King kept his tail aglow and hit the opposing Pokémon one more time with full force.

...The next thing we knew, the ghostly creature was lying there, hands sprawled out at each of its sides and with its massive tongue hanging out of its mouth limply.

{Did...did we beat it?} King asked, still on edge.

"It, ah...looks like ya did, bucko," Rotom confirmed. "You hit that thing pretty hard too, bzzrt."

{Oh, thank goodness. Ah...I didn't think it was going to turn invisible. If these things are capable of doing something like that, then I...H-how will we be able to fight them if one ends up being too strong?}

{We'll think of a way,} I promised him. {That Haunter was clumsy enough to make its hiding spots obvious, at least. But if you'd like to let someone else take on the next battle, you can.}

{Yes, Alpha. I...could use a break after all of that.}

{Agreed,} I nodded, pulling his Poké Ball back out. {Rest up, King. We're halfway to the Totem Pokémon, so we shouldn't be in here much longer...hopefully.}

I returned him to his capsule and stowed it away, then took another quick look around to make sure nothing else strange was happening in the immediate area...This was proving to be the most unusual and unsettling trial so far.

...I hoped the ones on the next island were less dreary than this.

"...Boss?"

"Hm?"

I looked up at Rotom, meeting his large blue eyes with my own.

"I...I-I, um...N-nevermind."

{What is it?}

"It's nothing..."

It was obviously not nothing. And this wasn't the first time Rotom had acted this way, so I already knew what was up.

{...You're still scared, aren't you?}

He gulped, then nodded lightly.

"It's...I-I don't know how to explain it, but it'zzz different from that one time with the thunderstorm. This whole place, th-the other Ghost-Types, the fact that s-something or someone izzz probably watching us, it's-"

He stopped abruptly at the sound of something moving just beyond the isle we were in. We both turned to face the source of the noise just in time to see one of the box piles that's been blocking off an isle topple over and scatter further across the floor, and we caught sight of a pointed, black-tipped ear dart through the next isle and disappear around the corner.

...From what I'd seen of them before, Pikachus didn't normally act so reclusive. It wasn't normal. NONE of this was normal.

I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat. Rotom was right...This WAS getting worrisome.

{Well...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't on edge myself,} I admitted, reaching out and pulling Rotom a bit closer. {...But this is a designated trial site, so Acerola should have ensured that everything is to go according to plan...I think.}

"Yeah...Th-that's true," Rotom agreed. "Heh...W-would ya look at me? An Electric-Ghost-Type that's scared of thunderstorms and haunted buildingzz. H-how much more ironic could ya get, huh?"

I sighed at his response, then nudged him lightly with the tip of my snout to get him to look at me.

{Well, if something like ME is unnerved by those types of things too, I don't think you have anything to be ashamed of. Besides, it's not like those fears are...irrational, even for a Rotom like you.}

"Uh...Y-yeah, that's also true. Zzr..."

{There's something fishy about that Pikachu wandering around here...Maybe it's got something to do with the trial,} I surmised. {Let's see if we can find anything else out of the ordinary.}

"Well, wh-whatever happenzzz, I'll be stayin' right next to ya. 'Kay, boss?"

I gave him a small smile in response, and I lead us past the shopping cart the Haunter had been toying with and followed a pathway east...A lot of the isles were blocked off on at least one side by some sort of rubble or old boxes, forming a maze through the store. A dreary, creepy haunted maze...

"See anything else weird yet, Echo?" Rotom asked as we neared the end of the isle.

{Not yet. But I've got my eye on things,} I assured him. {Let's see...Looks like we're in the frozen section now.}

I took a peek inside one of the glass-covered freezers, and beheld a row of boxes that once contained the Slowpoke tail quiches I loved so much...But what was on the inside of each one had since become a disgusting, dried-out grey heap, so old that now even the mold that'd consumed it was withered and dry.

{Eurgh...Gross. And such a waste, too...}

"Uh, Echo? M-might wanna take a gander to your left."

"Hm?"

I looked in the direction Rotom pointed out, and there on a rack in the corner of the store sat two old, dust-covered Pokémon dolls, one of a Pikachu and the other of some round blue Pokémon that I hadn't seen before. They were shaking where they sat, and the very next moment, they both started to float up from their spots on the display and hover in midair.

{Good catch, Rotom,} I chittered to him quietly. {Fire up the camera; this should be interesting.}

He nodded without saying a word, and did as instructed. I peered through the screen to see what was up to mischief this time, and what I beheld was the biggest trial Pokémon I'd seen yet; it was round and had even more spikes along its back, and this one had all four limbs attached to it, unlike the last two Ghost-Types we'd fought against. It appeared surprisingly relaxed, making the floating plushes spin and dance about with a wag of its finger.

{It's got that same look in its eye as the last two Pokémon,} I rasped. {Rotom, did you say that this one was called a 'Gengar?'}

"That'zz right," he confirmed. "And considering this is the final evolutionary form, it's likely also the strongest."

{We'll be ready for it. Don't worry,} I promised. {Let's snap the picture and see what we can do.}

I captured the Pokémon in the act, and the snap of the camera made it finally perk up and look down at us. But instead of putting on a malicious smirk right away, its smile faded, and it raised a confused brow.

"Gar...?"

When I put the camera down, it faded into plain view, lowered the Pokémon dolls back onto their display and then floated down itself to meet me at my eye level. Its bright red eyes were just as fierce and analytical as my own, if not more so.

{...What?} I asked it. {Is it the way I look?}

Its gaze narrowed even more, and it crossed its short arms as though to confirm.

{Well, I'll have you know we're here to partake in the trial,} I informed it. {And we've already downed the Gastly and Haunter, so you're the last one before the Totem.}

The Ghost-Type looked past my head and down at my leather bag, then at Rotom, and then back at me again...This was the first trial Pokémon thus far that'd taken notice of my different appearance from other Trainers, so it was odd seeing one react in such a human manner.

{...Think you can take me on?}

"Gengar."

{...Translation, Rotom?} I asked.

He gulped and hid himself back in my bag before answering.

"...'Try me.'"

The Gengar cracked its ghostly knuckles, again displaying an uncanny level of human likeness, then landed on the ground and struck a battle-ready pose.

{That's our cue,} I remarked, pulling out my second Pokémon. {Red! Your time to shine!}

Upon materializing, he flipped forward and landed, then made his own intimidating stance. He narrowed his eyes at his opponent to exude his usual confidence, but judging by the sweat beginning to bead along his feathered brow, he was a bit unnerved by the Ghost-Type himself.

{Start this off with Hone Claws.}

He ducked down and scraped his claws together to sharpen them, eyes locked with the Gengar the entire time. It was waiting for something, still braced for an impact where it stood and now finally sporting that massive toothy grin I'd expected of it, but not poised to attack.

{One more Hone Claws, Red. If it wants to take this long, we'll make our first attack worth the wait.}

"Ru..."

He nodded in agreement as he continued to sharpen the razors on each of his hands, still staring at his opponent.

Then, finally, the Ghost-Type jumped up, and before I had time to call out an attack, it'd faded from view, seemingly disappearing right into the floor.

{Stay sharp, Red. This is what the last one did...}

I kept an eye out as well, looking for any signs of the Pokémon lurking about. But I never saw anything unusual.

...Until Red's faded, flickering shadow along the tile floor started to expand and darken.

"Haw?"

And then, all of a sudden, it rose up from the ground and completely overtook him, and the familiar red eyes of the enemy shone through the dark mass. It swirled around Red for several seconds before vanishing in a sudden burst, and it left him shocked and slightly battered.

I was fairly shocked at the sight of what'd just occurred myself...I'd never seen an attack like THAT from a Pokémon before.

The Gengar reappeared in the same spot as before, taking some sort of twisted delight in Red's frightened, dazed expression.

And as it chortled to itself, that was when I saw an opening.

{It's guard is lowered. Hurry, use Aerial Ace!}

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and registered my command just a split second later, opening his wings and darting forward towards his opponent as he fired up his attack.

But the Gengar proved to be more focused than it looked, and it darted out of the way in the nick of time, then fired up its own fist with an aura of energy that glowed a deep shade of purple.

{Counter that punch!}

His wings still glowing white, Red swiftly rose a set of claws and grabbed the Gengar's clenched fist just in time. His hand was engulfed in the dark mass of energy, but he still held on as best he could and locked gazes with the opponent once more.

The Gengar fired up its other fist in response, this time imbuing it with a pure black mass.

{Block it!}

He shot his other wing up in front of him, his own attack aura shielding him from the enemy's. He let go of the Gengar's fist a moment later, flapped his wings and darted backwards, landing atop one of the old shelving units.

The Ghost-Type started to fire up another move, conjuring several glowing particles around it and sending them forth...I recognized this attack as an incoming Confuse Ray.

{Off to the right!}

Red hopped out of the way of the particles and landed back onto the ground...Another standoff between the two Pokémon began, each staring the other down.

We couldn't keep going on like this. That Gengar was too sharp for our usual tricks...We had to catch it off guard with something.

Then I remembered; Red, being the light-footed Hawlucha he was, had a tendency to showboat during a match. According to Rotom, this was usually to the Pokémon's detriment, but if I could use that somehow...

{Red...I've got an idea,} I chittered to him quietly.

"Ru, cha...?"

{Fire up an Aerial Ace and home in on it, but don't land the attack until I give you the word. Let's show this Gengar what your kind is capable of, if it wants to...dance around.}

I flashed him a wink, and the sly grin that formed across his beak told me he knew exactly what I meant. He fired up his wings once more, then leapt forward and made a dash towards the Gengar, eyes darting around it as he looked for its next attack.

It fired up another black fist, and as soon as it looked like it was about to land, Red bolted up and jumped clear over the Gengar's head to land behind it. The Ghost-Type swiveled around to face him again, only to be met with one of Red's glowing wings keeping its fist at bay, followed up by Red leaping behind the Gengar once again before striking another flashy pose.

By now, the Gengar's toothy grin had curved down into a frustrated scowl, its red eyes narrowing at its feathered opponent even more. It fired up another Confuse Ray, but Red was able to easily avoid that as well, along with the three other consecutive series of particles that it sent floating his way.

And with each Confuse Ray it tried to land, Red skipped closer and closer, seemingly dancing around the daze-inducing orbs without any effort.

The Gengar emitted an angry growl, then disappeared into the floor again...But we knew what it was going to do this time.

Red kept a close watch on his shadow as it started to grow, and then it rose up from off the ground and tried to overtake him, the culprit's red eyes glowing a bright red all the while as it readied to pounce.

{Now! AERIAL ACE!}

"CHA!!"

He darted up towards the false shadow, and for just a split second, I saw the Gengar's glowing eyes widen before Red's glowing wings made their mark and sent a burst of white out across the battlefield, cutting through the Gengar's dark aura and lighting up the dark store.

...When the light faded, I saw Red still standing his ground and looking unshaken, staring down at the corner behind the rack of Pokémon dolls...There, I could see one of the Gengar's feet sticking out, and when we dared to approach and peer around to look at it, we saw the creature lying there, battered, bruised and barely moving, obviously in no condition to continue fighting.

...We'd beaten it.

The Pokémon twitched slightly, then pried open its red eyes, which had now lost their intense, frightening glow, and looked up at Red and I.

"It's quiet. Did...d-didja win?" Rotom asked quietly, peeking his top half out of my bag and beholding the scene for himself.

"Gen...gen...Guh, huh huh huh huh..."

We backed away as the Ghost-Type shakily stood to its feet, its smile returning. Red leaned forward defensively in case it was about to attack again, but it simply stood there and grinned, accepting its defeat.

"...Gengar."

{What'd it say, Rotom?} I rasped.

"...'Well played.'"

"Ha..."

We'd done it. Gengar had been our last adversary, and now all we had to do was locate the Totem Pokémon and-

Skitter skitter skitter

Me, Red, Rotom and even the Gengar we'd fought all looked off the other way...A pair of doors leading into another part of the store sat along the back wall, and we saw that familiar bolt-shaped tail disappear behind one of the two doors and shut it behind it just for a split second.

{...That Pikachu's got something odd about it, that I can say for sure,} I gurgled. {You know anything about it, Gengar?}

"Gar, gengar," he replied, brows raising in a cheeky manner. "...Gengar. Gar, gar gengar. Geh heh..."

"He said we'll find out," Rotom translated. "And, uh...G-good luck. We're gonna need it..."

The three of us exchanged nervous glances, then watched as the Gengar disappeared into the shadows of the store.

"Ho, boy..." Rotom huffed. "If Gengar was that tough to beat, then the Totem's probably...Ghee, I-I'm shakin' in my circuits just thinkin' about it."

{At least we only had to use one teammate to beat him,} I reminded him. {And no one's fainted yet, so that's at least hopeful.}

"Yeah...Man, that fella was super creepy even compared to the other Ghost-Types, huh boss? Bzzt..."

{Eh...Not gonna lie, I kinda liked him,} I shrugged. {He put up a strong fight and was a good sport.}

"Oh. Huh...Well, I-I guess that's true," Rotom agreed, somewhat hesitantly. "But enough about that. We should probably head into the back room to see about that weird Pikachu."

{Agreed...Red, how about you go back for a bit? I'll call you back out if things get rough. You look a bit worn out from the last fight.}

"Rucha," he nodded, letting me return him to his capsule without any argument.

{Okay...Let's get this trial wrapped up.}

"Right beside you, Echo..."

Slowly and cautiously, we made our way to the doors. I kept looking over either shoulder the whole time, just in case something tried to jump us from behind; judging by the noises I kept hearing coming from somewhere towards the front of the megamart, the trial Pokémon weren't its only inhabitants.

I pried one open and peered inside...It turned out the room wasn't very big, and save for some pieces of paper taped up along the walls, it was practically empty.

{I know for certain it went in here...Where do you think it could've gone, Rotom?} I asked my PokéDex as I fully slipped inside the room, still keeping him close.

"I don't know, boss. There'zzz not really anywhere in here for it to hide, so I-"

SLAM

...The harsh, loud metallic noise seemed to shake the whole room.

{...Did the door just shut behind us?}

I turned around to face the door...And it wasn't shut.

...It was GONE.

An empty wall stood in its place, as though no door were ever there to begin with. There were no windows in this room. No holes in the walls. No means of leaving whatsoever.

...No. It couldn't be.

But it was...We were-

"WE'RE TRAPPED!!"

Rotom's outburst was just as jarring as the sound of the door, and he darted all over the small room in a panic.

"Ah, ah, there's no way out! What're we gonna do!?"

{I...I-I don't know.}

I was on the verge of losing my cool myself. Beating the trial Pokémon hadn't been too bad, but I hadn't been prepared for this...Nothing could have ever prepared me for anything like this.

{But we can't give up just yet. Like I said, for all we know th-this could all just part of the trial,} I chattered to him.

"What if it'zz not!? Wh-what if we never get out!?"

{There has to be a way to-}

"I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU!!"

{Calm down!}

Just as he zipped past me, I reached out a clawed hand and grabbed him, then turned his screen towards me and looked him in the eye.

...He was trembling worse than he ever had, and his massive blue eyes were glossed over with tears that threatened to spill over at any second. My own gaze softened along with my grip on him, and I let out a sigh of sympathy. I hated seeing him like this.

{...You're not going to lose me, alright?} I told him. {I'm right here. And we're going to figure this out, whether or not this is supposed to be a part of the trial.}

"I...I-I wanna g-go home, Echo," Rotom finally stammered after several long seconds, tears finally escaping his eyes. "E-everything's getting worse here, w-with Team Skull after us, and n-now we're stuck in this old abandoned s-store, and I don't know what'zz gonna happen next, but I don't think it's going to be good, and it'zz all just too much...!"

{I know...I know it's a lot to worry about,} I chittered to him softly, drawing him close and holding him a bit tighter. {And I know things are getting worse with Team Skull...But we can't give up just yet. Not right now, at least. We've got to finish what we started.}

"H-how are we going to do that...? W-we can't g-go anywhere else, Echo."

{I'll think of something...Hey. If this IS part of the trial, then maybe there's some sort of hint somewhere in here that will tell us what to do next.}

"Y-you think so?"

{Worth a shot, isn't it?} I figured, pulling him back slightly to look him in the eye again. He sniffed, then brought one of his blocky arms up to his eyes and wiped away whatever tears still pooled in them.

{I remember you saying your system wasn't waterproof. That's not going to hurt you, is it?}

"Uh...N-no. *sniff* The tearzz are coming out, n-not going in, so...I sh-should be fine."

{Just making sure,} I chittered to him softly.{I might need you to fire up your camera again just in case. Think you're okay to do that?}

"I...M-maybe. Um...D-do you think you could hold me and aim the camera yourself?" he asked. "I'd just...feel a-a little more secure like that, I think. Zzr..."

{Sure thing,} I said to him, holding him out in front of me as best I could while he booted up his camera again. {You should be fine.}

"Mi-wi...?"

I tensed, and Rotom's eyes grew a bit wider...The strange, high-pitched noise seemed to have come from somewhere inside the small room.

"What was that!?"

{I've got you, don't worry...We'll find out.}

The room was lit by a single, weak lightbulb on the ceiling, allowing us just enough light to make out the fine details along the walls...and along the papers lining them.

{Wow...I knew Pikachu was a popular Pokémon, but this sure is a lot of stuff.}

"Huh...Yeah, I-I see it."

Every paper along the walls had a Pikachu depicted on it in some manner. There were contest posters, newspaper clippings showing the Electric-Type in battles, and even several crude drawings depicting a Pikachu alongside some humans.

{I wonder who owns all of these? Some of them look pretty new.}

"Mi!"

The strange cry called out again, as though to answer my question...And this time, it seemed to be coming from right behind us.

I gulped hard as I slowly turned around, increasing my grip on Rotom slightly more in fear of what I might behold. Finally, I looked down at where the bottom of the door would have been if it were still there, and sitting right there was...

"Mimi?"

"Wh-what izz it, Echo?"

{It's...it's what we saw run in here.}

"The Pikachu?"

{Um...I don't think this is a Pikachu,} I told him. {Not a REAL one, at least.}

The figure standing before me did resemble a Pikachu to an extent with its recognizable ears, cheeks and tail, but with no visible limbs, a raggedy texture, a tail made of wood and crude, clearly drawn-on facial features, it was clear that this was some kind of ruse. The real eyes of whatever was underneath the costume sat beneath the false head, peering right back into my own with an equally curious glint in them.

I snapped the picture, then moved Rotom's screen out of the way to see if I could see it without his aid...Sure enough, it was still there.

"See mii?"

It outstretched an eerily long appendage from underneath its cloak that seemed to be made of the shadows themselves, and pointed a claw at itself...As creepy as it was, though, I now found myself more intrigued by this creature than I was afraid.

{...Wow,} I remarked. {...You can speak better than me.}

"Mi-kyu?"

In fact, that high voice it had made it seem...cute in a way?

{We've never seen anything like this before...Rotom, can you get a scan?}

"Oh, o-okay, I'm on it...Scanning...Scanning...Scanning...Scan complete!

"Mimikyu: the Disguise Pokémon! Nobody knows what it actually lookzz like underneath its disguise, but supposedly anyone who'zz ever seen it was so terrified that they died from the shock. Huh...so looks CAN kill. It sayzzz here that they dress specifically as a Pikachu because they know it's a popular Pokémon, and they think it will allow them to approach people and other Pokémon more safely and make friends."

{Well that's unfortunate...If the trial weren't still in progress, I might try to catch it.}

"Huh, that'zz weird. According to my data, most Mimikyu are only 8 inches tall without their costume head, but my sensorzz indicate this one is 1'02". And it'zz got a sizzzeable outfit to boot..."

{Wait. If it's that big, do you think that this could be the-?}

"Kyu, kuee hee hee hee hee hee hee..."

All of a sudden, its aura flared to life and lit up the dim space even more, and the Mimikyu beckoned for us to approach with one of its shadowy claws.

{...Totem Pokémon,} I gurgled, realizing I'd been correct. {Great. Now I'm going to feel bad for attacking it.}

"Hey, it'll probably be okay in the end. Heh heh," Rotom figured. "B-but I'm gonna head back in the bag for now if that'zz okay; something tellzzz me it's not gonna go easy on ya."

He zipped back inside the safety of my leather bag before I even had the chance to respond to him...Well, no matter. If this Mimikyu was the Totem, then I figured I had no choice but to fight it, so I fished out a Poké Ball and sent out my first pick.

{Sassafras! Come out and show it what you can do!}

She emerged with a lengthy trill and a glimmer of excitement in her lavender eyes, but when she saw her opponent, I saw her tense up.

"Srr-!? Surrll..."

{You've got this, don't worry!} I called to her. {Start us off with Dragon Rage!}

She fired up the glowing sphere of energy in her mouth and launched it without any hesitation, and the projectile made its mark on the opponent...But the Mimikyu didn't even flinch when it landed, and looked perfectly fine when it dissipated. It was as though it hadn't taken any damage from it at all.

The Totem giggled in response to our attempt to attack it, and then before I even realized it, the creature had flung out one of its shadowy appendages like a whip, and with one swift swipe, the claws at its end stretched out and raked across Sassafras' front...I saw her flying the next minute, her fragile form slamming right up against the wall.

{SASSAFRAS!}

She fell to the floor limply, and struggled to push herself back up. Her face was contorted into a grimace, and I could see drops of crimson beginning to fall from the place she'd been hit.

I rushed to her side and assessed the damage as best I could...They didn't appear fatally deep, but the top laceration looked dangerously close to her throat, and all three of them were bleeding badly.

{Oh, no...No, no no, y-you don't have to do anymore,} I chittered softly, my breath quickening again. {You can go back, we'll get you to the Pokémon Center and you'll be-}

"Rrrr-RRRRRL..."

She mustered all of her strength just to raise her head, then struggled onto her hind feet and stepped toward the opponent as best she could, doubling over once as she clutched the wounds across her chest.

{Sassafras, no! Y-you can't take another hit like that!}

But she was determined to at least leave her mark before going down. She fell to all fours once again, and just when I thought she was going to collapse, she instead opened her mouth and emitted not a Dragon Rage, but a fearsome Flamethrower, engulfing the Totem Pokémon in the stream of fire...When the attack ceased, I could see a bit of damage done to the enemy. Its rag was badly singed in several places along its edges and in patches across the body and head, and the disguise's head now hung limply off to the side.

...But now, judging by the sound now emitting from it, the Totem Mimikyu had gone from being cheeky to absolutely furious.

"Kyu...KYUU, KURSE YU!"

It extended its claws again, and this time they glowed with a harsh white light as they homed in on their target with the speed of a Thunderbolt. Sassafras made an effort to dodge, but in the state she was in she simply wasn't fast enough.

...She was on the ground a moment later, and other than the slow rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, my dear Salazzle was motionless.

I heaved out a sigh and returned her to her capsule, quietly assuring her that we'd go right back to the Pokémon Center when the trial was over...I was at least grateful she'd been able to make some mark on the Totem before she fainted. Even with four other teammates to back her up with, I could tell that this was going to be a long, uphill battle.

I sent King out onto the field next. Like myself, he seemed more curious about the Totem Mimikyu than he was afraid upon seeing it.

{Is...this was we saw before, Alpha?}

{Yes. It's the Totem; it wears a Pikachu rag as a disguise...And now that its head is broken, it's steaming mad, so watch out for its attacks.}

{I'll do my best...}

The Mimikyu began to skitter towards us, extending its claws once more, and this time imbuing them with some sort of sparkling, pale pink shimmer.

{Stand your ground, King. We'll do this the same way as last time...}

It got closer and closer, and I could hear it emit a high-pitched, yet menacing chuckle as it prepared to lash out at us.

{Now! Crunch!}

He fired up his teeth within a moment's notice, and just before the enemy could land its claws on him, King launched himself forward and clamped down onto the Totem's middle and stuck there. The Mimikyu thrashed about as it tried to make its mark on him, but by then its claws had stopped glowing, and it was flinging them about aimlessly.

Finally, they grabbed ahold of King and managed to pry him off, flinging him backwards. He managed to stick his landing, and he had not a scratch on him.

{Nice job! Looks like you did a good number on it!}

{And this one doesn't taste bad like those others...} he jeered. {That was a critical hit, though. I don't know if I can do that much damage to it a second time.}

"Kyu, kyu-mimikyu!"

The Totem called out into the dark room, its voice bouncing off the walls in an eerie manner...A pair of glowing eyes appeared from within the darkness of a corner a moment later, followed right up by a Haunter appearing from thin air.

{Uh-oh...It's got an ally,} I realized. {King, if you don't think you can down the Totem, let's at least take care of that Haunter!}

To our good fortune, this Haunter was quick to make the first move, opening its mouth in preparation to land a Lick attack. The Totem Mimikyu approached as well, firing up the same pink attack it'd tried to use before.

{Fire up a Dragon Tail, King.}

{I...I feel something, Alpha,} he responded. {Something new, something different.}

He did fire up an attack, but it wasn't his tail that began to glow purple...It was his claws. And the glow around them reached far past where their tips ended.

{This is stronger than a Dragon Tail, I can feel it. Should I use it instead?}

A new move...Well, if it was stronger than Dragon Tail, then I wasn't about to turn it down.

{Very well, then. Use Dragon...um...Claw? That might be what it's called...}

And he did, Just when the Haunter was about to lick him with its disturbingly long tongue, King flung out his glowing hand and slashed right through the enemy's oncoming move, sending it careening into the opposite side of the room it'd emerged from.

{One more should do it!}

He dashed over to where the Haunter had landed, firing up his claws once again and leaping right over the oncoming Mimikyu as he did. Just when the enemy Ghost-Type was up and floating again, King lashed out at it again, emitting an aggressive snarl as he landed his attack and finished it off...The ally Pokémon seemed to fade away as soon as it'd first appeared, defeated.

{Nice work!}

{I did it...!} he exclaimed proudly. {...Now all I have to do is-}

{King, LOOK OUT!}

I spoke up a moment too late. The Totem Mimikyu had never stopped homing in on him, and now it launched its flurry of flying, pink-glowing claws upon him, kicking the layer of dust off the floor as it landed blow after blow upon him. An anguished attempt to roar followed the assault, and a moment later, I beheld King's battered, bruised hide as he lay on the floor.

He struggled to push himself back up onto his feet, then stumbled forward as he tried to maintain his balance...It was a miracle he hadn't fainted; he looked as though if just one more attack landed on him, even a small one, he was finished.

{Alpha...That...that was too much} he growled, wincing as he turned to face me again. {I...I can't...do anymore without...}

If he had looked even just a tiny bit better than he did, I might've suggested using a Potion on him and keep him going. But if one attack from that creature could deal THAT much damage, then I wasn't about to risk another faint.

{...You're right,} I told him. {Return, King. You did well.}

As I returned him, I eyed the Totem again...It was fiddling with its droopy head with one of its long, clawed arms, trying to get it to stand upright again with little luck.

I sighed deeply as I called out Archer; I did feel bad for the Pokémon, but I had to do what had to be done in order to finish the trial.

Being a Ghost-Type himself, I knew that this matchup could either go very well or very badly, but with Sassafras down, King unable to take another hit like that and Grace unable to deal any damage with her Normal-Type attacks, I was running out of options.

When my partner Decidueye before the Totem, it finally stopped trying to fix its disguise and stared the avian Pokémon up and down, Archer returning its gaze.

Then, without warning, it lashed out its claws and leapt up in preparation to slice right through him with a Shadow Claw.

{Hurry, Spirit Shackle NOW!!}

Archer grabbed an arrow quill from his wing, aimed it right at the target and let go of his vine just as the Totem launched a dark set of claws at him.

"KYU!"

"DWET!"

I shielded my eyes from the flash of violet and lavender light that followed, and there was a blast of energy that spread across the room.

...And then, there was nothing. Nothing but silence.

I dared to remove my hands from my eyes and look at the results of the clash, and I gasped.

Archer stood there, his back facing me as he stared down at the heap of tattered yellow fabric on the floor, a tiny bit of black sticking out from the hole at the bottom of it. The false Pikachu head that was attached to the lump was now lying on the ground beside it, and not far away from that lay a broken stick, presumably the one that'd kept the head upright before.

...Was that it? Had it fainted? Had we won?

{Archer...Were you hit by its attack too?}

When he turned to face me, it was revealed that he had three long, bleeding scratches along his stomach, similar to what Sassafras had sustained. But nonetheless, he stood and smiled, flashing me a shaky thumbs up with his forefeathers.

Fortunately, since I hadn't used any during the fight, I was still loaded with Potions, and I was quick to approach him and treat the set of wounds. It took two Super Potions, but the wounds ultimately disappeared once they were doused.

"Dwit, droo..." he sighed, relieved by his lucky win.

{If that attack had been much worse, I'm not sure you'd have been able to withstand it,} I noted. {...Luck was on our side, though, it seems. You did a great job out there.}

"Dwit, dwit!"

"Huh...? I-is the battle over? Didja win?"

After having been silent and hidden for the whole battle, Rotom finally peeked his head out of my bag and took a peek around, eyes finally landing on the fainted Mimikyu across from us.

"Izzz that the Totem down there?"

{It is,} I confirmed. {...Honestly though, I hope it's alright. Archer did a good number on it with just one move.}

"Mi...mi-kyu..."

The creature finally started to come to, one set of claws keeping its rag pulled down and the other pushing itself upright. It stumbled slightly, picked up the broken stick next to it and tried to prop its head back up with it, but it slumped back over again.

"Kyuu..."

It dropped the stick despondently and sighed.

{...Maybe you just need a new stick?} I chittered to it. {There should be plenty outside if you want to look for one.}

"Mi-kyu...?"

{I'm sorry we broke it. I didn't mean to upset you.}

From inside its rag, it tilted its small head off to the right and stared up at me. Rotom zipped behind me again as I stooped down and reached a hand out towards the small Pokémon.

...It reached out its own clawed hand and gently rested it atop my own, as though to accept my apology.

{I'd consider adding you to the team if I could,} I told it. {Of course, it seems like you're doing just fine here as Acerola's Totem Pokémon. You definitely put up a good fight.}

I could only see its eyes from inside the Pikachu costume it wore, but the way the bottoms of them squinted ever so slightly indicated that there was a smile hidden beneath, and I was quick to return it.

"Kyu, mi-kyu~!"

Suddenly it let go of my hand and used it to point behind us. Rotom and I turned around to see what it was directing us to, and I beamed when I saw what sat along the wall.

"HAH! The door! It's back!" Rotom cheered. "Oh ghee, that'zz a relief, if I ever did feel one!"

{Thanks for that, Mimikyu. We...Huh?}

...When I turned around to face it again, it was gone.

{...Huh. Guess when the professor said this trial would be tricky, he meant that in more ways than one,} I figured.

"Seemzzz that way...Should we head back outside before the door decidezzz to disappear again?"

{Agreed.}

I returned Archer to his capsule, then we made our way out the room, through the shelves, down the main isle and finally out the sliding doors...It was still raining outside, but to our good fortune, Acerola was still there waiting for us, and she was more than happy to shield us from the rain with her umbrella.

"Welcome back, fellas! I can check the pictures you took of the trial Pokémon right away so you can get to where you need to be next quickly, alright?"

"Oh, phew. One step closer to safety, bzzrt," Rotom replied, booting up the photos we took. "Take a look and see, Captain!"

She flipped through the four pictures we took, then turned to face me.

"Yep! That's Mimikyu alright! She can be pretty hard to capture on film, so you've got a REALLY good shot here!"

{Wow. Guess we got pretty lucky,} I figured. {...Think she was intrigued by how I looked? The trial Gengar was a little confused by me, too.}

"Hmm, that could be," she surmised. "Of course, once they figured out you were a Trainer just like the others they battle against, they went all out with their tricks, right?"

{They sure did. Mimikyu especially...That little room in the back of the store with the disappearing exit had Rotom in a panic.}

"Back room? Disappearing door?" she giggled. "Oooh, cut it out, Echo! What're ya tryin' to do, scare me? Hee hee hee...! Come on, there's no room in the back of the store! I've been through that place inside and out!"

...Rotom and I exchanged nervous glances, not finding the truth of the situation funny at all.

{You...didn't know about the back room?}

"That place had me scared to tears, I-I'm not kidding," Rotom added.

"But there really is no room back there..." Acerola replied, scratching the back of her head in confusion. "It's just an empty wall back by the-"

Suddenly she stopped short, her eyes widened, and she shivered where she stood.

"Brrr-! I...I feel like I'm getting chicken skin. Like a chill going through me for some reason...I don't know why."

Her smile faded, and the three of us simply stared at one another for several long, silent moments.

"Well...I guess I'd better get back to the Aether House," she finally said. "Have a nice rest of the day, Echo...Maybe I'll see you later."

She turned and left, that look of fear still stuck on her face as she turned and headed down the slope. Rotom darted back into my bag for protection from the rain once the cover of her umbrella was no longer with us.

...From the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw a familiar yellow figure skitter behind the building from outside an old line of fence, but when I turned to look, it had already disappeared.

{Rotom?}

"Uh...Y-yeah, Echo?" he asked me from inside his shelter.

{...What's a 'chicken?'}

"I...uh...Huh. You know somethin', boss? I haven't got the foggiest idea." he replied. "...But I don't think that's the most important question we need answered, izzz it?"

{You don't think she was just trying to scare us over that back door, do you? I mean, maybe she just wanted to add a bit more to the atmosphere. This was a Ghost-Type trial, after all.}

"Yeah...W-well, maybe she could eazzze up a bit on the spooks next time we hang out, huh?"

{Maybe...I don't like seeing you upset to that point. I miss your cheeky smile.}

"Aw ghee, that'zzz real nice of you to say, boss...Either way, I'm just glad that nothing really bad happened to us back there," he finished. "Hey, after we get healed up at the PMC in the village, you mind if we chow down on some of those Poké beanzzz you got last night?"

{I could go for some food by now myself,} I nodded. {That trial really worked up an appetite, didn't it?}

As we made our way down the slope, along the black-sanded shore and up towards Tapu Village again, I felt slightly more at ease. Maybe I'd just been worried about the trial last night, and that was all we had to face. And now with only the Grand Trial to complete, we were finally one step closer to the next island...I just hoped that the road to that destination would be smooth. But as long as we stayed out of Team Skull's radar and ensured that they didn't get ahold of Nebby, it seemed as though we wouldn't have much more to worry about.

After all, even though there were a lot of them, Team Skull grunts weren't very bright or very tough. So they couldn't pull off something too serious, could they?

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"Ahh...Nothin' like some malasadas and Poké beans to recharge for the day, huh boss?"

{You took the words right out of my mouth...I'm surprised by just how quickly Sassafras was able to bounce back. She was in some pretty bad shape before...}

"What can I say? The PMC knows how to do its job! Bzzrt! Hee hee...Anyways, we should be getting closer to the Aether House by now. Hopefully we'll be able to look up where to find the Island Kahuna there and take some shelter until this rain endzzz," Rotom said to me from inside my bag.

{I hope it doesn't rain like this all day. Not everyone might be able to hear you that well from in there,} I told him.

From what I could recall, it'd been raining since before I got up. It had lessened a bit by now, but I had no way of telling if or when it might pick up again.

"The good news izzz it should at least deter Team Skull for a while," he remarked, just barely poking his screen out from underneath the flap. "Besidezzz, I kinda doubt they'd be dumb enough to raid a place like this; there aren't a lot of strong Pokémon here, and it'zzz run by the Aether Foundation, so I doubt they'd try to..."

He trailed off as we looked ahead of us and saw the three figures standing in front of the building at the foot of its steps.

"Oh...Uh, whoops. Guess I jinxed it, huh?"

{You've got to be kidding me. Team Skull's trying to get into the Aether House of all places?! What could they possibly want there?}

"Hey, but look! Hau and Acerola are there too! Looks like a standoff is under way!"

{And THAT looks like Plumeria in between those two grunts,} I identified. {I guess it's a good thing I showed up to even things out...}

I picked up my pace and bit and made my way to the foot of the steps, locking eyes with Plumeria...She looked just as displeased to see me as I was to see her.

"I had a feeling you'd show up here eventually. Word about you gets around quickly, you know."

{Save your breath and tell me what you're doing here.}

"That's none of your business," she replied, flashing a Poké Ball in her hand. "Unless you want to settle this the old-fashioned way."

{Well then, I'll MAKE it my business. Hau, Acerola, can you two take the grunts?}

"I guess we don't have much of a choice, huh?" Hau figured.

I stepped back a ways and pulled out one of my own capsules, watching her intently as she approached and threw her own.

"Golbat, show 'em the new tricks I taught you."

The familiar, bat-like Pokémon emerged and emitted an ear-piercing shriek...But I knew that Golbat were frail, so granted we were careful, Grace had a chance to take it down.

{Your time to shine, Grace!}

Upon materializing, she shot the opposing Trainer an angry look and a bit of a growl...Plumeria didn't seem impressed, but we were about to try and prove her wrong.

"Start this off with Confuse Ray, Golbat. This little scrap doesn't know what it's up against."

{I wouldn't be so sure of that,} I gurgled quietly. {Grace, tumble roll off to the right!}

Confuse Ray was an easily avoidable move, so the quick-footed Eevee was able to pull off the dodge excellently.

{Now counter that with Baby-Doll Eyes!}

As Grace stared up at the opposing Golbat, I took notice of the other battles being waged by the other two Skull members...One of them just had his Salandit doused by Hau's Primarina, and Acerola was wielding some sort of grey Pokémon that looked like it was stitched together, slashing at the opposing Grimer with its razor-thin claws.

...It looked like we were going to have this one in the bag, as per usual.

"Snap out of it, Golbat! Use your Poison Fang, hurry!"

Plumeria's outburst pulled me back into my own fight, and I looked up just in time to see the enemy Golbat diving down towards Grace at an alarming speed.

{Kick up a Sand Attack, NOW!}

She turned around and managed to kick up some dust into the opponent's eyes, but by then it was close enough to land its own attack, sinking its fangs into the mane around Grace's neck...A poor decision on its part, it turned out; with her mane being so thick, the Golbat failed to pierce the skin beneath, as shown by the look of confident relief on Grace's short muzzle.

The attack HAD, however, parted the fur there enough to expose the Everstone tucked securely within it.

"An item hidden under there, huh?" Plumeria noticed. "That's interesting."

{It's not any of your business. It's to help keep her from evolving at the wrong time, is all...}

"Well, as you said, how about I MAKE it my business? Golbat, use Thief!"

{Wait, what, NO-!}

Grace tried to evade the Golbat's lunge, but by then it was too late. It flung one of its wings at her and knocked the grey rock out of her mane and onto the ground, then went to pick it up with its small, but nimble feet.

{Get away from that!}

I tried to stop it, but just when I was about to reach out my claws and grab the opponent, it flew out of reach with the stone in its feet, emitting a pleased snicker as it looked down at me with its squinted, sand-filled eyes.

{You asked for it...} I snarled at it. {Grace, use Swift!}

She stood back up, shook her head to regain her composure, then nodded at me and fired up an array of glowing stars...The Golbat did its best to fly away from them and throw the attack off its tail, but without any success...I knew they would land eventually.

{Fire another one!}

As she launched her next attack, Plumeria called out to her own Pokémon again.

"Pass the stone to me!"

{HEY!}

The Golbat threw the stone down to its Trainer a split second before it was hit by both of the Swifts fired. The attacks gave it some bruises and broke it skin in a few places, but it was clear that it was going to take more than that to take it down.

"Use Air Cutter!"

{Dodge and keep using Swift!}

Grace tried to duck out of the way, but the attack proved to be faster than we anticipated, and she was struck by the series of blade-shaped gusts blown towards her, slashing at her brown and tan pelt.

As she launched yet another Swift, I noticed that familiar white glow beginning to emanate from the tips of her ears, and she was beginning to strain again.

{No, no, no...! Return!}

I begrudgingly drew Grace back into her Poké Ball before the transformation could try to take hold of her again...I wasn't sure what to do. I knew that she needed the stone to prevent herself from evolving into whatever she was about to turn into, but I didn't think it was THAT bad.

"What's the matter? Afraid your Eevee would end up disappointing you without this?"

She showed me the Everstone, a smug grin stretched across her ugly face...I HAD to get that Stone back from her.

{Sassafras! Give this thing a Flamethrower it'll NEVER forget!!}

The moment my lithesome Salazzle emerged, she flung her head back and spewed a magnificent stream of flame, its red glow accented with licks of pink and gold like a vibrant sunrise. The Golbat was completely engulfed by the stream, and it let out a long, agonized screech as it succumbed to the attack.

...When the fire petered out, the now heavily charred Golbat fell to the ground limply, its still-open eyes glazed over and unfocused.

Plumeria audibly gasped, then ran over to her fallen Pokémon to access the damage dealt to it.

{...That's just a taste of what we've learned since our last battle,} I said to her. {Now, are you going to give us the Everstone back, or is this going to turn into a barbecue?}

As she returned her Golbat to its confines, she wiped the look of concern off her face and forced another smirk.

"Good luck burning this. Salazzle, give this wannabe a taste of her own medicine!"

She tossed another Poké Ball, and the enemy Salazzle peered right into the eyes of my own as it materialized, its gaze narrow and condescending.

But Sassafras stood her ground against it, awaiting my next command.

{...Start this off with Dragon Rage,} I chittered to her quietly. {If all goes well, then we can set up with Nasty Plot.}

She snuffed in response, a shot of steam rising up from her nostrils, and she fired up a glowing ball of blue and violet, fell onto all fours and launched it.

"Dodge that and counter with Toxic!"

As slippery as the enemy Salazzle was, the oncoming Dragon Rage proved to be too fast for it to avoid, and when it made its mark, the attack dispersed across its entire form. It tensed up in pain for a fleeting moment before opening its eyes and staring daggers at us, and the next thing we knew, it was preparing to launch its own attack.

{Get ready to dodge, Sassafras.}

"Srrrl..."

Then, the enemy Pokémon shot a burst of deep purple liquid from its mouth, and the missile landed on the ground a few feet away from us and dispersed into a puddle...I snickered.

{I think you missed,} I taunted. {Sassafras, now's your chance to use Nasty Plot.}

"Trust me...I didn't."

Just as Sassafras had finished gathering her thoughts and honing her attacking power, the puddle on the ground before us began to shrink, and from it rose a noxious-looking gas.

I wasn't sure what these fumes would do to us, but Sassafras seemed to know better than me; she inhaled a large gulp of the still clean air around her, then tried to get away from the deep purple mist as it thickened around her. But her holding her breath hadn't been enough; simply being within the fumes proved to enough to poison her, and she doubled over in discomfort as the affliction took its hold.

...Today wasn't being very kind to Sassafras so far, that was for sure.

{Wait. But Salazzle is a Poison-Type...Aren't they supposed to be immune to being poisoned?} I wondered aloud.

"Uh, allow me to elaborate on that," Rotom piped up, peeking out from inside the safety of my leather bag. "Most Salandit and Salazzle have the ability Corrosion, which allowzzz them to poison other Poison-Types, and even Steel-Types."

{Well, that doesn't help us...}

I paused, and then the realization hit me.

{...But it doesn't help THEM either. Sassafras, fire up a Smog attack!}

As the purple fumes began to fade, I saw her fire up a thick cloud in her open maw, and she fired the discharge at the enemy Salazzle...As the Smog attack covered the field yet again, I knew that there was no chance for the rival Pokémon to escape it.

{Keep it up! Try to land it right on top of her!}

Rotom was smart enough to fall quiet again once I started calling out more attacks...If there was ever an advantage that came with my inability to speak, it was an extra dose of unpredictability on the battlefield; nobody knew what I was telling my Pokémon to do until it was almost too late for them to react.

As Plumeria's Salazzle stumbled through the thick, dark cloud, I could tell that the gases were starting to get to it. And then, as suddenly as it'd fired the first time, another shot of the fumes was spewed right into the left side of its face.

The opposing creature let out a startled hiss as it choked on the poisonous gas shrouding it, but Sassafras emerged from the cloud on all fours successfully and approached me...Upon getting a better look at her, it was obvious that the effects of the poison from her opponent had intensified by then; her entire form shook like a leaf in the wind as she tried to stand, and the soft lavender hue of her eyes now looked almost grey.

...But I was well-equipped thanks to our Pokémon Center stop last night. I gave her an Antidote coupled with a Potion for good measure, and a moment later she looked as battle ready as she'd been at the start, her smile returning and her eyes lighting back up.

{Looks like Plumeria's Salazzle is in bad shape. Ready to show them who's boss?}

"Sarrll-lah," she nodded eagerly.

"Don't give in just yet! Try using Toxic again, Salazzle!"

When Sassafras turned to face her opponent again, it was already beginning to fire up another shot of purple ooze in its mouth.

{One more Flamethrower should do the trick!}

She threw back her head without any hesitation, and I could see the fierce red glow escaping her parted jaws as she prepared another stream of spectacular flames. And then, the fire erupted from her open mouth like a volcano, swathing the opposing Salazzle and making it cry out in pain.

...The heat was so intense that I could see licks of blue and flashes of white in it, and I myself had to shield my eyes to keep them from burning as the attack went on.

Finally, the light petered and the roaring sound of the fire died out, and I opened my eyes again to see Plumeria staring in shock down at her own Salazzle as it lay on the ground, its fuchsia and purple accents charred almost as black as the rest of it and its mouth limply agape.

...For a moment, I feared that we may have gone too far, but I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw the rival Pokémon's chest slowly rising and falling...Its breath had a crackle to it, though.

The Team Skull Admin stared back up at us again, a newfound look of awe...possibly even fear in her peering eyes. She looked as though she was about to say something in response, but she couldn't seem to find the right words to respond.

Thus, I broke the silence instead.

{Just...give us back the Everstone and take your Salazzle to a Pokémon Center,} I said to her, watching as she began to approach her injured Pokémon and assess the damage dealt. {It looks pretty bad.}

She forced another confident-looking grin onto her face once I finished speaking.

"...You wanted to know why we were here, right?" she asked. "Well lemme tell you something. Your stupid Everstone isn't the only thing we took. Before you stupid kids showed up, we got our hands on something else."

"That's right, fool!" one of the grunts, who had since lost in his fight against Hau, spoke up. "We done snatched a kid's Yungoos, and we're gonna make some bank off it!"

{What!? You...!}

As much as I was dismayed by this revelation, I was...also a bit confused.

{You...came here, to the Aether House, to steal a Yungoos? A common, easy to catch Pokémon?}

"Hey, we've got our reasons, Scarface!"

"Wait...Oh, no," Acerola realized. "They're talking about-!"

"HEY!"

It was then that I saw the doors to the Aether House open up, and out from them burst a tiny human with an exceptionally loud voice.

"Gimmie back my Yungoos, you mean Skull heads!" she screeched at them.

Alright, so the Yungoos belonged to someone. That was bad...but their reasoning still boggled me. I knew Team Skull was stupid, but I didn't think they would resort to something like THAT just to get a Yungoos, of all the Pokémon they could have targeted.

{You heard her. Give it back,} I growled to Plumeria. {You're all out of Pokémon that can battle, so what are you going to do?}

She stared at me, then looked at each of the grunts that now flanked her, then at Hau, then at Acerola, and then back at me.

"Grunts! Scram!"

Her two underlings sprinted off in separate directions at her command. I scoffed.

{Pfft. Do you really think they can outrun me?}

"They can't...But only one of them has the Yungoos, so if you chase the wrong one then by the time you figure it out, the other will have launched its Poké ball over a cliffside and into the ocean. And we wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?"

...My heart felt as though it'd stopped beating, and was now sitting as still as a rock in my chest.

{...You sick freak.}

"Look who's talking...Oh, wait. Nevermind, it's just your PokéDex, not you."

"Ooooh, you better be glad my thought to speech tranzzzlation system is equipped with a censor function, you bzzzt."

"Wow. I'm really scared...Then again, I at least know better than to take you head on, Scarface. Guess this whole thing explains why the grunts have such a hard time beating down you and your little camaraderie."

{I'm getting that Yungoos back here one way or another, Plumeria,} I snarled at her. {Where are your grunts headed?}

"Hmph. You're supposed to be smart, right? Figure it out yourself...But if you DO decide to try to get that Yungoos back, then you'd better show up alone. Besides, the boss is dying to see you again...So why don't you make it worth his while?"

I didn't answer her right away. For several long moments, all the two of us did was stare at one another, each shooting daggers right into the other's gaze. Even so, when I finally let out my deep, guttural response, she seemed to jump ever so slightly at the sound of it.

{...Tell him I'll be coming, then.}

"Don't worry...I will."

Her Salazzle hanging limply in her arms, she fled down the pathway towards the same Pokémon Centewe'd left not long before...The quietness hung heavily in the air even after Team Skull had cleared the area, only broken by the sound of Hau huffing out an exasperated sigh.

"Ugh...Battles you can't afford to lose aren't any fun, are they?"

"I'm at least glad that nobody inside was harmed," Acerola remarked.

"Uh...Are they gone?"

I looked back up at the doors to the Aether House to see Lillie's ever familiar face peeking out from the cracked door.

"Oh, um...H-hey, Echo. D-did you help...make them leave? I heard a lot of commotion out here, so I thought that maybe they..."

{I didn't know you were here too, Lillie,} I replied to her.

"Well, um...I thought I'd rest here for a bit while the Professor oversees some more things up on Mount Lanakila. Acerola said that I should be safe here, but...I-I had a feeling they might show up."

{I guess it's a good thing I showed up when I did. I don't know if Hau's told you anything yet, but-}

"I know. He did tell me...Team Skull is after Nebby," she acknowledged as she peered down at her bag, voice hushed. "Gladion told you, right?"

{Do you know him?}

"I do. And...I know he's technically working for Team Skull right now, but...You can trust him. I know you can."

{You're sure of that?}

"I'm positive."

"Well, I guess it's good that the guy at least won't try to steal any of our teammates," Hau figured. "But speaking of that...Echo. She said that if you wanna save that Yungoos, you had to go by yourself? W-with no backup?"

I simply stared back at him blankly...The more it sank in, the more dire I realized the ordeal was, and could become. If I went, I would have possibly the entirety of Team Skull after me...but on the other, if I didn't go, the life of that Yungoos could be on the line. Generally, I didn't care for Yungoos, but this one had been taken from someone; possibly snatched from her very hands had she tried to protect it.

...Someone had to do make this right.

And I was the only one who had a chance to.

{Given that their base is here on Ula'ula, my guess is that's where they're all going to meet back up,} I replied. {Acerola, what's the place called again?}

"It's called Po Town. It's up towards the northeast end of the island at the end of Route 17."

{Rotom. Calculate the fastest route.}

"You're really gonna go through with this, boss?"

{I have to,} I said to him. {Targeting CHILDREN'S Pokémon just to try and get back at me? They've taken all of this a step too far now. MANY steps too far.}

"Ugh...And right after Acerola's trial, too."

He reluctantly pulled up his map and showed a path leading up to the town in red.

"Uh, th-this could be a problem, Echo. The fastest route to Po Town goezzz through the water along the island's west coast. And we don't have a Lapras on our Ride Pager!"

{We'll have to use Charizard, then. It doesn't look like that big a distance between here and the other shore.}

"But h-how are you gonna take on that many grunts at a time? There'zz gotta be a lot of 'em in there; th-they'll gang up on you...!"

{Not if we can avoid detection,} I told him. {At least until we find the Yungoos...and maybe Guzma to boot. Once I see what the place looks like in the flesh, we'll start forming a better plan from there.}

"So you're really going through with this, huh?" Hau asked. "Like...now?"

I nodded.

"Well...If we can't go with you, then I can at least do you a favor and heal Grace back up before you leave. I've got plenty of Potions on hand."

When I let my Eevee out of her capsule to be tended to, I took another good look at her...I could tell that she was still tired out after fighting back her body's last attempt to evolve.

And given that Plumeria had refused to give us back the Everstone, this was bound to be a problem again the next time she had to battle.

{...Grace.}

As Hau finished spraying her wounds down, she looked up at me attentively.

{I know we've talked about this before, but...you know that it doesn't really matter to me what you end up evolving into, right?}

"Vui..."

She frowned, sitting down and curling her short tail around herself as she looked away.

{I know, I know I said that I liked Umbreon, but...You could end up becoming something entirely different from one, and it would still be you all the same.}

I bent down to match her level, reaching out and gently tilting her head back towards me to look her in the eye again.

{Nothing will ever change just how much you mean to me. You know that, right?}

She locked eyes with me, her soft brown gaze meeting my stark yellow, and we each stared silently at one another for what seemed like a long time before I decided to speak again.

{And whatever happens, whatever it is you end up becoming...I'll be proud of you nonetheless. We've come this far, we've accomplished so much in such a short span of time...I'm already proud. Of you. Of everyone...And I always will be.}

"Eie...vui..."

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she shut them tightly just when they threatened to spill over. I leveled my head with her own, and as soon as I was within reach Grace reached out with one of her tiny brown paws and placed it against the end of my snout, her own nose following shortly after.

...I recalled those first moments after she'd hatched from her egg. Her smile was as bright as the sun, and she hadn't a care in the world...To see such a contrast in her face now, so afraid of what the near future held, was heart wrenching.

But I couldn't let myself break. Not now...not yet. And especially not in front of Grace when she needed reassurance.

I blinked away the moisture beginning to collect in my own eyes, then chittered to her again.

{If you're still worried, then...I'll see if I can hold off on sending you out to fight until this evening. After the sun sets. Rotom said that in order for you to evolve into an Umbreon, it has to be during the night. That should improve the odds, if you want.}

"Vui...vui, eievui?"

{But don't forget what I told you, Grace. Umbreon or not...You're still you. And I'll love you all the same.}

Slowly but surely, the smile returned to her short muzzle, and she turned her head to rub her velvety cheek against the spot between my nostrils. I ran a finger over her long, pointed ears, and they bent slightly downward under the weight of my claws only to perk right back up the moment I removed my hand.

{In the mean time, you'll be able to rest up for a while...Given we're headed into enemy territory, I don't think it would be a good idea to send you out anyways.}

"Vui, vui eievui," she nodded in agreement.

{IF we're lucky, we might be able to snatch that Everstone back from Plumeria if we find her...but for all I know, she could have disposed of it. I doubt any of those numbskulls would be interested in the idea of keeping their Pokémon from evolving.}

"Eievui..."

{I'd better start heading over that way now. The sooner the better, if we want that Yungoos back in one piece.}

She watched contently as I pulled her Poké Ball back out and returned her to it...I turned back to Hau and Acerola next.

{...Thanks for healing those two, Hau. And for helping to fend off those other grunts.}

"No problem...But I guess you were right when you said that stuff's starting to get too tense with Team Skull. Everyone on my own team got a few chips taken out of 'em. Good thing we both stocked up on healing supplies, huh?"

I nodded.

"I have an idea," Acerola chimed in. "The Po Town Police Station is just past Ula'ula Meadow, not far outside the walls; Uncle Nanu is stationed there, and he might be able to help us out."

{A police officer?} I repeated, a smile stretching across my face. {That sounds great! Maybe he could rally up some others in case we need them.}

"And I had another idea. If things get bad with you and Team Skull, then maybe I could stay at the station and lay low in case you end up needing help. If anyone sees me go in, they might just think I'm visiting him...They don't bother me that much when I come by."

{Wait. You stop by there regularly? When Team Skull is so close by?}

"Oh, I visit almost every other day! A lot of the ones that hang outside the walls most of the time know my Pokémon can sweep theirs up like a broom, so they just leave me be."

{I hope so...If that's the case then, you might want to head up that way first; that way when I come along, they won't immediately suspect that I have some backup.}

"I'd come back you up too, but I think it'd be better for me to stick with Lillie here. I don't think Lillie's keen on being alone if Team Skull's around these parts," Hau chimed in. "Besides, if they see ME coming up that way too, then that might blow your cover."

"Uh, yeah, Hau's got some good points, heh heh..." Lillie confirmed. "But...You have another trial to complete at some point, don't you?"

"Nah, not until a bit later today. I just finished downing that Totem Vikavolt on Mount Hokulani this morning! But if they're still gone by noon, I could probably fetch the professor if you want someone to stick around with you here; I know where to find him."

{Sounds like we've got ourselves a plan for action,} I decided. {Acerola, I'll give you a five-minute head start. As much as I'd like to rush over there right now, this will take a bit of waiting to work properly...But can you get across that water without any problems?}

"Sure can~! I've got a Ride Pager too, y'know; I can take a Sharpedo across!"

{Lucky you...I'll have to see how I can get a proper water-borne Ride Pokémon myself when I have the chance.}

"I'll see if Lana can get you one when all of this is over with...But in the meantime, let's just remember the plan. I'll meet you at the station!"

I gave her a nod of approval, and she took off towards the shoreline...I turned to Hau next.

{You sure you'll have a hand on things while we're gone? I hate to say this, but...it looks like Team Skull might be starting to wise up, given what they've managed to do here.}

"Hey, we should be fine. Besides, Professor Kukui's not too far from here; I'll be able to fetch him if things get rough! Right, Lillie?"

"Well...Yes. And for now, I guess we could just...spend some time together without having to worry about battles for a bit."

"Yeah, I could use some time to wind down myself. It's been a crazy day so far, huh Echo?"

{Unfortunately...And I've got a feeling it's going to get even crazier, at least for me.}

"I wish I could give you a hand in this. Man...I know you're tough, but I'm kinda worried about what might happen out there."

{Don't worry, Hau. You've done more than enough to help me throughout all of this,} I assured him as I pulled my pager from my bag. {For now, just make sure Lillie stays safe.}

"Pew, pew!"

{...And that Nebby stays out of sight,} I added as I saw the Cosmog's curious form emerge from the cracked door.

"Ohh, NEBBY! This is what almost got us caught to begin with!" Lillie scolded it, though it hardly seemed to mind.

"Pew?"

"Well, it's gotta be a little easier if there are TWO people keeping an eye on it, right?" Hau shrugged.

{I would think so myself.}

With that said, I summoned Charizard from the pager, and a smile came to his face when he fully formed on the ground and recognized me.

"Raurrrgh!"

{Charizard. I just need you to carry me across the water over to the start of Route 16. We have an emergency situation with Team Skull, and I have no other way to get across.}

He huffed and nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation, and the massive orange creature bent down for me to board him.

{Just like we said Hau, if I'm not back by twelve then fetch the professor. He probably needs to know about this anyways.}

"Will do, Echo. Be safe over there, 'kay?"

{I'll do what I can,} I chattered to him. {Alright, Charizard. Take us to Route 16...This time, it's personal.}

The Pokémon spread its wings and took off in a hurry, opting to stay fairly close to sea level as we sailed northwest.

"Um...Boss?" Rotom piped up.

"Hm?"

"Do you really think we can do this?"

I let out an anxious sigh.

{We have to,} I told him. {If Team Skull wants to play with fire, then they're going to get burned...But whatever happens, I'll make sure everyone is safe, including you...Especially you.}

From where he sat just in front of me, Rotom turned to look me in the eye, a look of gratitude shining through his worried expression.

"...I'm really glad the Professor paired you up with me."

{Me too, Rotom...me too.}

---

...

​

---

As I eyed the clearing that marked the end of Ula'ula Meadow, I picked up my speed just a bit...The deep red flowers, low fog and ambient sound of Bug-Types singing throughout the tall foliage served as one last calm before the storm that lay ahead, but I couldn't linger there for long.

Speaking of storms, I said to myself. It looks like it might be raining again.

Just before I stepped out of the meadow, I saw the steady stream of raindrops falling from above, soaking the grass and forming puddles along the cobblestone path. It had intensified again, cascading down from the sky in bucketloads.

"Guess I'd better duck and cover again, bzzt," Rotom decided, tucking himself into the safety of my leather bag once again. "Next time we see Professor Kukui, why don't we ask him if we could waterproof me somehow?"

{Good idea, Rotom. That way I can still look at your map if it's raining on us.}

"Oh, and I won't have to worry about anything if you get something like a Lapras or Sharpedo on your pager for water travel! That'd be nice, hee hee. Eh...So, do you see the police station yet? Acerola said it was just outside the meadow, right?"

{I think I see it.}

The Po Town Police Station was a rather obvious white building with blue trim sitting along the left side of the road, and it was easily identifiable via the large sign just outside the entrance.

I sniffed the air for a moment to see if there were any grunts nearby; they had a rather distinct odor about them that smelled like a mix of sweat, dirt and just a hint of ammonia from the Poison-Types they usually wielded...Their smell lingered weakly in the dank, rainy air. I determined that there might be two or three scattered across the immediate area, but most of the grunts were probably in the main town.

"Ready to head inside and see what's up?" Rotom rasped.

{As I'll ever be...}

I puffed out another sigh, then briskly made my way to the doors of the station, turned one of the handles on the twin doors and stepped inside.

"...You're getting the floor all wet."

I looked up to see who spoke, and I beheld someone standing on the other side of the front desk, Acerola standing just off to his right.

{I'm guessing you're Officer Nanu?} I asked him, Rotom emerging to translate my garbled chatter.

"Lucky guess," he replied flatly, his expression about as bright and cheerful as the weather.

{Sorry about the floor. The rain doesn't bother me much, so I never troubled myself to get an umbrella.}

"Eh...Don't get all worked up over it, it's not an emergency...unlike what Acerola told me went on down at the Aether House."

"I told him pretty much the whole story," the trial captain told me.

"Honestly, I've heard about you, uh...What was your name again?"

{It's Echo.}

"Right...No offense, but for a long time I thought the stuff I was hearing about this weird new Trainer with scales and claws was some kinda tall tale or gross exaggeration that the kids came up with, so I didn't do a lot of digging. But then I started hearing about your beef with Team Skull, and it started to pique my interest...and now here you are in the flesh. You and your talking PokéDex."

"Ooh, ya noticed huh? Bzzt."

"I mean, it's kinda hard not to when you're the one doin' all the talking."

{...True.}

"Yeah, I guess that izz kinda true."

"But enough of that...You're here to rescue a stolen Yungoos, right?"

I nodded.

"Honestly, it'd have been way easier just to find the kid a new one. There are too many around here anyways," he smirked.

"Uncle..." Acerola frowned, unamused by his response. "Oh, don't worry Echo, he's just kidding."

"Yeah, sure I am...Besides, since you and Team Skull already have some rough history, I'm guessing I couldn't convince you to give up on this little rescue mission even if I tried, could I?"

{Probably not,} I replied to him.

"Didn't think so...Heck, I don't even know why they decided to mess with you in the first place. For the average thief, it's enough havin' blades on your hands that'd make them wanna scram. But you've got 'em in your mouth and on your feet too, so they must really be losin' their minds now."

{I'd say their minds have been missing for a while if this is how they think they're going to make a living for themselves...}

"Well...everyone has a reason to do the things they do, be it good or bad. That's one of the things you find out when you're in a job like mine," Nanu shrugged. "I've got my own reasons for doing what I do...And I guess you've got a reason to be heading into Po Town yourself...The question is whether or not you're ready."

"Well, I mean...If we don't do it, then no one else will. I don't think anyone else really hazzz a shot at it, either," Rotom said to him.

{And I've got four Pokémon that can take on most of what the grunts throw at us that are battle ready,} I added.

"You think they can, huh? What kinds are they?"

{Well, Archer's my partner Decidueye, then Red's a Hawlucha, Sassafras is my Salazzle and I revived my Tyrunt, King, on Akala Island before the Grand Trial there...I also have an Eevee on hand, Grace, but we're trying to wait until nightfall for our next battle. She wants to try and evolve into an Umbreon, but the conditions won't be right until then.}

"Hm...Not a bad choice," the officer remarked. "Judging by all that, you should be able to take on grunts one or two at a time, but be careful not to attract a whole swarm of 'em at once...If that happens then...well...Unless you plan on fighting back, you're probably as good as dead."

I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat, then took in another deep breath.

"If it does come down to that, don't worry about me putting you behind bars or anything like that. Crazy things happen in there all the time, so a little self defense can't hurt...well, it can't hurt you, at least."

Rotom and I exchanged glances...I didn't want to have to resort to that sort of thing again, but if things went awry, I might not have much of a choice.

"Don't worry, Echo. W-we'll probably be able to find a way to sneak past them if we're careful, just like you said!" he assured me.

{...I wonder how we'll manage that. I'm pretty easy to spot.}

"Well, you know what they say: where there's a will, there's a way!" Acerola cheered us on. "Right, Uncle?"

"Eh...Guess you're not wrong," he figured. "Now...as for how we're gonna get you into the town. That's a conundrum itself, given that the door's usually guarded."

{You don't suppose I could call the Charizard on my Ride Pager back out to drop us off inside the wall, do you?}

"A Charizard? In this rain? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me; if the flame on that thing's tail were to go out mid-flight, then that's two bodies to collect instead of one."

"Ouch. Bzzr..."

{So...bad idea?}

"Yup," he nodded. "...There is one way I think we could get you in, though. I typically only use it for really big emergencies, but I guess this isn't too far off from one."

When I heard that, the smile returned to my face.

{What did you have in mind?}

"Take a look around my office...What do you see?"

I started to scan the room. My eyes fell upon a water cooler, and some seating off to the right of the entrance, and there was a Meowth that I supposed belonged to Nanu lounging on the front desk...and another jutting out from underneath the seats in the front, and another curled up on a rug in the back of the building, and another TWO squabbling over a toy not too far from where the officer and Acerola both stood.

{Um...I see a lot of Meowth,} I decided. {Are they all yours?}

"Yep. Meowth are alright, if you ask me," he replied. "They don't care who you are or anything like that, as long as you give 'em food and an occasional scratch behind the ear...Thing is, these guys in particular like to cause mischief when they're up for some fun. Sometimes they'll go out and steal things right out of a Skull grunt's hands if they find it interesting, even in the rain...I'd say it happens maybe once or twice a week. Three times if I accidentally buy 'em catnip toys instead of the normal ones."

"So your idea is to use one of your Meowth to distract the grunts guarding the doors so that Echo can get in?" Acerola asked him.

"That's about right," he confirmed, making his way over to the Meowth lying on the front desk, waking it by placing a hand atop its head.

"Mrrrp...?"

"Maui. Sorry to wake you, but would ya care to do us a favor?"

"Meeow..."

The pale grey Pokémon stretched out its forelegs, then its hind ones, then finally pushed itself upright and stretched yet again, rubbing the sleep out of its eyes and prying them open.

...That was when it saw me standing there.

"MYAH!"

"Easy there, easy. She's harmless...well...unless someone's askin' for it."

"Myau, meow..." it huffed as it got over its initial shock.

"Listen, Maui...Echo here is in a bit of a pinch. She's gotta go into Po Town to save a Yungoos, but she wants to keep a low profile so she doesn't get swarmed. Think you can keep the guards busy so she can get in?"

"Meowrmm..." it hummed thoughtfully, shifting its gaze from me to Nanu every second or so.

"Canned Veluza for dinner every night if you do."

At that offer, the creature shrugged, then rubbed its paws together as a cheeky grin stretched across its face.

"Looks like he's convinced," Nanu figured. "Stay a good enough distance behind him while he does his stuff, Echo. Once he lures the guards away, you should be able to get in by pressing the blue button on the door.

{Press the blue button on the door once the coast is clear. Got it.}

"Just be careful that when you go in, there isn't someone waiting for you right outside."

I squirmed uncomfortably at the thought.

{...Noted.}

"A'ight, you two...Give it everything you've got."

At that, Maui hopped off the desk, pushed his way through the still partially cracked door and made his way towards Po Town to cause some needed havoc.

"Good luck to you too, Echo," Acerola bid me. "If you need us for anything, just scream, okay?"

{You'll hear me if I do...} I assured them.

"Well...Are we ready to head on out, bucko?" Rotom asked.

I opened my mouth to answer him, but then I stopped...I'd almost forgotten in all of the anticipation that Team Skull had a bit of a beef with Rotom, too. If we were to somehow be separated, and they got their grubby hands on him...

{...Rotom,} I finally replied. {How about you stay here? It'd probably be safer than coming with me into their turf.}

"Stay here? But...what if you get lost in there somewhere? If I stay here, then you won't have a map to uzze."

{I should be able to find my way around. And I know what a Yungoos smells like, so I just have to follow my nose to find it.}

"Well, yeah...But what if you need to say something important, o-or negotiate some kind of deal with them and I'm not there to tell them what you're saying?"

{I don't know if I'll be doing that...}

"Or if you need help, and ya can't scream for it somehow? I know it'zz raining, but I-I can leave this PokéDex and float over the wallzz in the rain if I have to! Thezzze guys will know something's up, even if I can't speak either!"

{But it's dangerous in there. I can't drag you into something like that, Rotom, it's...I-if something happened to you out there, I'd never be able to forgive myself-}

"Echo, listen to me," he interrupted, gaze hardening. "We've been side by side ever since the day after you showed up on the beach, and you've been nothing but good to me. I'm a part of your team too, even if I don't battle. I can't just stick around here while you and the otherzzz go out there and risk life and limb...I know I'm not the boldest of my kind, but this is my fight, too. Just azz much as it is yours. And I'm gonna be there to give you a hand no matter what happenzz."

{...I...but what if...?}

"...Pleazze?"

I took in a long, deep breath of the stagnant office air, then let it out with a descending trill. It was clear that Rotom wasn't about to give in...And my guess was that he got it from me.

{...Alright,} I gave in. {You can come. But please, PLEASE stay inside my bag unless I REALLY need you, okay?}

"Got it, boss. I ain't no Nebby," he agreed as he darted back into my leather bag. "But when and if you do need me, I'll be there."

{I guess both of us are hard to sway once we've made our minds up,} I sighed. {...Alright, enough delay. We've got a Yungoos to retrieve.}

I stuck my head out the door and took a look around...No grunts in the immediate area, so I proceeded slowly out of the police station and back onto the road, looking up yonder along the stony path...I ducked slightly back into the side of the road when I spied some of the grunts lining the street, eyes peeled and Poké Balls in hand.

Further up the road, close to the entrance of the enclosed town was Maui disarmingly approaching the two guards at the door, and I watched intently as he got up onto the tips of his toes, reached his forepaw into one of the guards' pockets and fished something out.

By then, the two grunts had taken notice, and when they realized that they'd been pickpocketed, Maui made a mad dash back down the road from whence he came. And I, in turn, hid myself in the trees growing along the roadside as the screaming mob of thugs approached.

"HEY!"

"Get back here with my gold bottle cap, ya mangy Meowth!"

"Just wait till we get our hands on you!"

"Mnyah, myaw!"

The grey-coated Pokémon seemed to look our way as he dashed by and yowled, looking me right in the eye as I peered out through the bushes for just a split second before continuing to lead the grunts further down the road and right into Ula'ula Meadow, where I assumed he would eventually get them off his tail.

{What'd he say, Rotom?}

"Well, uh...he said 'You're welcome.'"

{Oh...That makes sense.}

One more scan of the area let me know that the coast had been cleared, so I leapt out from the cover of the trees and sprinted up the road towards the north...The rain seemed to get heavier and heavier the closer I got to the entrance, soaking my shirt and sliding down my slick scales. Not even my hat could keep my head dry anymore.

{None of the rain is seeping into the bag, is it Rotom?}

"Nope; the professor must've made sure this thing was waterproof back when he was uzzzing it more, bzzt."

{Good...Keep your voice down now. We're going in.}

I finally made it to the twin doors without being seen, so I pressed the blue button situated on the right door with the curve of my claw to open them...I winced at the sound of the loud, sharp whirr they made as they opened inward, hoping no one would pay much attention.

I slowly peered inside and looked just beyond the doors. There proved to be no one keeping lookout there either, so I ducked my head down and slipped the rest of myself through the doors, making a stealthy entrance...

...Into Po Town.

...Into enemy territory.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"...So we're inside the gatezz now, huh?" Rotom whispered, his voice just barely audible from inside his shelter.

{Well...One thing's for sure; it DEFINITELY looks like Team Skull runs things around here,} I gurgled to him. {No doubt about that.}

Po Town was just as run-down as it was rainy...The cobblestone road was eroded along its edges and lined with patches of moss, and the buildings were all in a state of disrepair, with shingles falling from their rooves and the wood rotting away. Paint had been sprayed along the streets and old houses in all sorts of bright colors and messy designs, several of which I recognized as Team Skull's insignia.

The only things in half decent shape were the plants that grew here, the hedges still green and the grass still alive...albeit somewhat yellowish.

{Where do you think they might be keeping that Yungoos?}

"If I were to make a guess, I'd say it might be somewhere in the Shady House."

{Shady House?}

"The big mansion down at the other end of the town. It's Team Skull's base of operationzzz, according to my map data," he explained. "It used to belong to a rich entrepreneur before Team Skull started their business here, but he up and abandoned the place when he knew the takeover was inevitable, bzzt."

{That's a shame...Wonder what this place looked like before it was overrun?}

"Probably pretty nice. Lotsa thezzze buildings look like they could have been nice homes once."

I nodded, trying to visualize it for a moment...How could anyone let something so wonderful and valued end up in a state like this? It was unfathomable to me.

...And yet, for some reason, it felt so strangely familiar.

{Let's try to stay hidden in these hedges,} I chittered to him. {Maybe we can find a way through them without being spotted.}

I noticed that some of the bushes along the vandalized houses had gaps in the bottoms of them; likely a result of neglect, seeing that nobody here probably bothered to make them look nice...If I could find a path through them that stayed concealed from view, I might have a clear shot at the mansion.

I sniffed the air again...The entire atmosphere of the town was rank with the familiar smell of the grunts, but I could pinpoint a few stronger sources of it coming from somewhere to my right...I crawled through one of the gaps in the hedges and made my way to the other side, took a peek around the corner and then immediately withdrew my head...There were two grunts positioned in the center of the road not far from where I now stood, backs turned away from the town door and engaged in a conversation as they stood guard at a low makeshift wall. With hushed breath, I lent an ear.

"Think it's gonna be much longer till she shows up, yo?"

"Not unless she chickened out. But given her streak, I don't think she's gonna give up on this...Good news is she's easy to spot."

"Yeah, and when she comes in through these doors and challenges us, we'll make us some Scarface soup for dinner."

"Chill out a bit, man; we can't take it too far. The boss just said to rough her up a bit...We'll save our own beat down for another time."

So they were planning to go easy on me...Why, I didn't know, but if that was an order from Guzma then it at least meant I had a little less to worry about if I was found by one.

Still, I didn't want them to see me, so I had to form a plan...I ducked back further away from the corner, reached into my bag, pulled out Archer's Poké Ball and released him, hoping the rain and rumbling thunder above would drown out the sounds of the device as it let him out into the open.

Upon materializing, my partner Decidueye rose his wing to shield himself from the downpour, a frown forming across his beak.

"Dwit, dwoo..."

{Archer, can you fly in these conditions? I think I need your help.}

Although still a bit perturbed by the rain, he looked me in the eye attentively.

{Do you see those two grunts around the corner?}

He peered around the side of the hedge for a moment, then turned back to me and nodded.

{Try to get a bird's eye view of the place and use your arrow quills to distract them. Just be careful no one sees you.}

Upon hearing that, Archer suddenly perked up and grinned. Then, his gaze narrowed, he took in a deep breath...

...And in the blink of an eye, he completely vanished from view, only to return to vision a moment later.

"Dwit dwit?"

{Oh, that's right, you're a Ghost-Type! You can turn yourself invisible!} I rasped excitedly. {I've never seen you do that before...Did you just figure it out?}

He nodded proudly.

{That helps us out a lot...Alright, Archer. Do your stuff.}

He disappeared again, and I just barely saw the dusty purple glow that his arrows gave off as he aimed it diagonally across the low wall and past the grunts. I watched eagerly as the glow suddenly shot down toward the ground, embedding itself within the cobblestone road before letting off an indigo burst and vanishing.

"Hey, what the-!?"

The small explosion caught the attention of the guards, and the moment I saw them turn around, I sprinted out from behind the bush and skidded to a halt behind the ones on the other side. An old, defunct Pokémon Center served as my spot to hind behind, and I darted towards its back and ducked down...That'd worked just fine. If Archer could keep this up and distract more grunts for long enough to provide a clear path to the Shady House, then we were another step ahead of the game.

I peered in through the window of the Pokémon Center that stood before me, hoping that it might serve as some kind of shelter or a place to stock up...Unfortunately, it seemed like the Team Skull grunts had the same idea as me, as there were two of them standing on either side of the counter, and a third one was lying asleep on the floor not far from them...There was no nurse in sight, the PokéMart looked mostly emptied out, and there was no barista at the café where they usually worked.

...It was a sad sight, to say the least. Fortunately they didn't notice me, so I kept my stealth intact.

Keeping my head low and walking around the back of the red and white building, I approached the main road again...The grunts manning the low wall now faced the town's entrance, and their tense postures indicated that they were on the alert and expecting me to come in any moment.

I let slip a pleased grin as I peered around the fence siding the Pokémon Center and scanned the road up ahead...No grunts to be seen in the immediate area, and the odor they carried with them was weak from where I currently stood.

Just as I readied to emerge, Archer reappeared and landed between the fence and the hedge parallel to it, his leafy hood nearly invisible against the bush.

{Excellent work there, Archer...If you'd like, you can stay out of your Poké Ball to help us out if we need you again; just make sure you stay invisible.}

"Dwit, dwit," he nodded.

{Are you sure you don't mind the rain?}

He shrugged, gesturing at his hood. His wings were a bit damp, but he didn't seem as bothered by it as before.

{Alright, then...Follow my lead. And stay quiet.}

He vanished from view yet again after giving me a quick nod. Eyes still wide open and scanning every direction, I stepped out from around the fence and made my way further north, hugging the bushes as best I could. I continuously sniffed at the air, my big toe claws tapping against the cobblestone nervously as I walked, along with Archer's; as he was invisible, they were the only indication I had that he was with me at all. Thankfully, I could barely hear them myself over the ambient sound of the downpour, so it was unlikely that anyone else would as long as we kept to ourselves.

We stayed along the side of the road, close to the bushes along the fencelines. Some of the yards to the abandoned homes were closed off by rusted gates or debris, only accessible through the gaps in the shrubs meant to serve as a wall...Sometimes, the scent of the grunts would grow stronger as we passed by an old house, indicating the presence of one, so I made sure to pass it as quickly as I could. I kept an eye on the opposite side of the road, too; I would catch sight of a grunt here and there, either their bandana-clad heads sticking out from behind a hedge or their entire body staring out towards the town doors...They had no idea I was already here.

But by now my satisfaction was turning into dread. Their odor grew stronger as I went along, more becoming visible...I had already determined that it was only a matter of time until they spotted me.

"Dwit, dwoo...!" Archer rasped, fading very slightly into view as he tapped my shoulder with one of his feathers.

{What is it?}

He used that same digit to point up to an old truck sitting in the middle of the road up ahead, barely ten yards...One of the grunts was standing on its roof, a pair of binoculars hanging from his left hand as he stared out at the town doors, eyes unfocused. My heart skipped a beat, only for a sigh of relief to immediately follow.

{Ah...Good catch, Archer. As dumb as the grunts are, I wouldn't trust him to not see me if we pass him by...In fact, I'm surprised he hasn't seen me already.}

He opened up his wing and drew another arrow quill, knowing what had to be done.

{Go ahead. Aim it towards where we came in; that should prompt him to use those binoculars again and give us the clear.}

He faded from view again, and I could hear the vine along his hood creak slightly as he stretched it. When I heard him let go, my attention diverted right back to the grunt atop the truck.

As soon as Archer's arrow quill hit the ground in front of the door and gave off its purple burst, the grunt's eyes suddenly widened, and he lifted his binoculars up to his face to inspect the situation...I took the opportunity to pass the truck undetected, and I watched as the grunt climbed down from the top of the truck and ran over to the scene, abandoning his binoculars on the roof of the vehicle.

He was gone...

I looked up ahead; just past just one more hedged yard and beyond a short stretch of clear land stood the doors to the Shady House. Right there in front of us!

{Come on, Archer! We're almost there!}

A quiet, but cheery hoot came from behind me, signifying his unseen presence. Ignoring the scent coming from past the hedges to my right, I made a beeline down the cobblestone road towards the entrance and skidded to a halt just in front of the few small steps leading up to them.

{We made it...We made it!} I chattered excitedly.

...And as it turned out, a bit too loudly as well.

"Hey!"

The shout came from not too far behind, and I turned to see a pair of the grunts standing there with Poké Balls at the ready, one male and one female.

"So ya did decide to come, huh?" the latter sneered. "For a while there, I thought you was gonna be a no show."

"Well, that don't matter now," the other chimed in. "Let's rally up the rest of the town patrol and have ourselves a wrestling match...Three dozen on one."

{King, stop them with Tackle!}

The command escaped my jaws before I even realized it, and the moment I threw King's capsule out onto the ground, the sturdy Tyrunt shot out from it towards the male of the two, materialized inches from his middle, then dipped his head down and SLAMMED into the grunt with a mighty thud, toppling his towering form.

The female tried to intervene, but was taken aback when King opened his maw and let out a fearsome snarl, teeth glowing and ready to inflict a Crunch if needed.

{Don't make ANY sudden moves...} he growled, his tone gravelly and threatening.

"Grunt, what're ya doin'!?" the downed party hollered at her. "Call out your Golbat!"

As the female tried to fish out her own Pokémon, Archer reappeared before her, an arrow quill already aimed right at her face from a distance of only several feet. He trilled at her ominously, prompting the grunt to raise her hands in the air.

However, the grunt pinned down by King's massive foot was still able to release his own Pokémon, sending out a Salandit to defend himself with.

"Flame Burst!"

Archer heard the enemy's command, and he fired the projectile at the Poison-Type instead, downing it in one shadowy shot...but also allowing the other grunt to release her own.

A battle was ensuing now...The noise that this would make was sure to blow whatever cover we had left.

{Poison and Fire-Types? You don't know a thing about type matchups, do you?} King sneered at them confidently.

{Everyone's going to send them out against us now...Not just these two,} I lamented.

Suddenly, his gaze narrowed, and he turned his head to look at me with a fierce light in his yellow eyes.

{...No, Alpha,} he said to me. {You and Archer go in and escape them.}

{I...What...?}

What was he saying? Go in? WITHOUT him? And leave him alone against the horde of grunts that was bound to show up?

{No...No, I-I can't do that,} I told him, my own voice still quiet against the sound of the rain and the cries of the opposing Pokémon.

{You have to. Leave my Poké Ball here, I'll take care of it!}

{But you'll be outnumbered-!}

{That doesn't matter! I'll fend them off by myself! Just go while you still have time!}

{But-!}

{I know I can do it! You'll see! I promise! Just GO!!}

He wasn't going to take no for an answer...So reluctantly, I decided to trust his word.

I returned Archer before bolting away from the scene and past the battlefield as King kept the grunts' attention, slipping into the open doors of the mansion undetected by any others.

...The inside of the mansion didn't look much better than the rest of the town. More brightly colored paint smeared the carpet and walls of the structure, and the smells of dust, must and mildew were even more apparent here. What was once probably very nice furniture was scattered across the halls in an unorganized fashion, ranging from dusty wooden tables to quilted chairs with either legs missing or holes in the fabric...It seemed the further I ventured into this forsaken place, the more bleak it all seemed.

But I had a job to focus on, so I shook those distractions from my head as I shut the doors behind me slowly and quietly...I wasn't sure how many Team Skull thugs I was going to find in here, but my nose was telling me there were a LOT. I knew that from this point on, I had to tread even more carefully.

A cold shudder went through me as I adjusted to the indoor climate; I'd been thoroughly soaked by the downpour outside, save for only the top of my head and the inside of my bag where Rotom had taken shelter. But that didn't stop me from keeping my eyes ever peeled, and I scanned over the front hall and foyer carefully.

...There was a grunt snoozing on an old chair off to the right of the massive stairway, and past him there was a mass of old boxes and worn furniture blocking off a clear path to anything that could lay beyond, so I opted not to go that way first...To the left of the stairs, however, the halls were clear, and they branched off into a few different directions with no grunts within eye or ear shot, and the scents coming from those locations were weak.

Perfect! I said to myself, deciding to make my way down the far end of the hall first, reaching towards the back of the mansion and checking the two doors down that way...Unfortunately, no Yungoos musk made itself present; the first room held nothing more than a few old, tattered beds, and the one adjacent from it housed nothing more than a few empty shelves, some more cardboard boxes and...broken glass bottles of many different colors scattered across the floor, some of their sharper edges pointing upwards and posing a painful walking hazard.

I wonder if any stores around here make shoes for my kind of feet, I wondered, glad that I hadn't ventured too far into the room. Those would come in handy for a place like this...

{Rotom,} I trilled softly. {You holding up alright in there? We're inside the Shady House now.}

"Ah...I-I guess that explainzzz the lack of commotion," he replied.

{You're still plenty dry, I hope?}

"Yeah, it's still dry in here...I imagine you must've gotten pretty wet out in the rain though."

{M-hm...I still am, kind of. Hopefully, I can stay inside long enough to dry off a bit before we head back out.}

"Me too, boss. This isn't exactly a good time to catch a cold, bzzt. Heh..."

I made my way back over to the stairs, eyes trained on the sleeping grunt not far from it...He shifted a bit where he lay, but his eyes remained shut. Hopefully, they would stay that way.

The door to the left of the stairway proved to be unlocked as well, and I could smell no grunts just beyond it, so I made my way in...A dusty wooden fireplace stood in the center of the back wall, cold and lifeless. Old vases and pitchers joined the furniture and boxes in the clutter, and a pair of messy tables sat along the far end of the room past the fireplace, each covered in a thick layer of dust...I imagined what the room might've looked like when the old owner still had the mansion; a warm fire must've been lit in that hearth at one point. The clutter hadn't accumulated in the room yet, and the furniture probably looked new and polished. Guests may have sat at the two tables, eating good food and having lively conversation with one another.

...How had it come to this? How did Team Skull get to inhabit this once extravagant place? Why did the old owner abandon it so hastily? Questions and mysteries seemed to surround the Shady House as much as the dreary rain did...Maybe the professor had some answers? It wouldn't hurt to ask when I next had the chance.

Another door sat at the opposite end of the room in between the two tables, and I poked my head through that one next...On the other side was yet another door, sitting along the wall opposite to mine and slightly ajar.

I sniffed again; there were grunts somewhere off in the distance, but not close by just yet, so I decided to make use of the time I had to inspect the next room and darted across the hallway into it.

...The faded fabric and warmer colors of the rest of the house were replaced with cold metal shelves and teal tile floors in this room. A fridge stood just across from the entrance, and a steel table sat in the very center of the room, covered in much less dust than most of the other things in the mansion thus far.

I felt Rotom shift inside his shelter, and he peeked his head out to look around with me.

"Where are we now, Echo?"

{Looks like a kitchen,} I replied, taking another whiff of air. {...Doesn't smell like a Yungoos was ever in here. But I do smell...something.}

I took in another, longer breath. I'd taken in a lot of different scents throughout the mansion so far, be they festering mildew or unwashed laundry. So it came to my surprise that in this messy kitchen, something actually smelled appetizing.

There on the counter next to the sink, I spied it: an old grey mug with steam wafting up from it. Upon approaching, I caught sight of a piece of lined paper sitting next to the cup, and I read the words that'd been hastily scribbled across it.

"Tapu Cocoa for the boss;
gotta find the marshmallows

DON'T TOUCH, ya hear!!?!"

{...Well, that's all I had to read.}

So, I did what anyone else probably would have done in that situation, Team Skull member or not.

...I drank it. Every last drop.

"Ooooh, someone'zzz petty. Bzzt," Rotom snickered as he peeked out from his shelter.

{Hey, I'm the one sneaking around trying to save the Yungoos they stole, so I'm the one who needs something to calm down-}

"Didja hear some kind o' ruckus goin' on outside before, homie?"

I froze at the sound of the voice from outside the kitchen, ears parsing the sound of footsteps drawing near...And not just one set, but TWO.

There was no other way to escape the kitchen, so I ducked behind the counter.

...Just as the door opened.

"Yeah, somethin' was happenin' out there...No news about Scarface showin' up yet, though, so it was probably a couple ding dongs dukin' it out in a Pokémon battle," the second voice replied to the first. "A'ight, you said the cup was ready, so here are the marshmallows."

They were drawing closer. Head lowered and legs bent, I rounded the left side of the counter as they approached from the right. The looming dread of the situation was overwhelming and sudden; part of me hoped that this was all just a dream, and that I would wake up underneath the broken asphalt along Route 14 again, safe from all of this.

...But it wasn't. This nightmare was real...TOO real.

"Yo, what...? What the heck, man!?"

"What's goin' on?"

"It's EMPTY!"

I swallowed hard, ducking down even further as I eyed the door. I was tempted to make a run for it, but it was just a few feet too far away to go unnoticed.

"I put a note right there sayin' not to touch it! Oh, man...When I find out who drank the boss's Tapu Cocoa, they's gonna wish they were never born...Was it YOU, grunt!?"

"I was with you getting the marshmallows, numbskull."

"Oh...right."

I inched closer to the door to further close the gap between me and the escape; if the two grunts just kept talking, then...

"You hear somethin, yo?"

I stopped short, not even daring to breathe.

"Yeah, sounded like somethin' clackin against the floor...Man, maybe someone's Raticate got loose and drank it."

My claws. THEY were what was making the noise.

"You wanna take a look and see if we can find anything?"

No, no NO NO!

They were going to find me now for sure! Desperate for a way out, my eyes darted all over the place, from the shelves, to the walls, to the boxes, the...

...The boxes.

I didn't waste any time. With one swift motion, I flung my tail into the small pile of them on the opposite end of the wall from the door and sent them falling over.

"Hey, what the!?"

I watched intently through the gap above the counter's bottom shelf as the two of them approached the pile and stoop down to look through them for anything suspicious...And with them distracted, that was my chance.

I lifted up all of my toe claws and sprinted out of the room on the balls of my feet, not daring to look behind me as I raced through the still-cracked door to the hearth room behind the stairs and back out the door from whence I came, finally rounding the corner and scrambling up the stairs to ensure they would lose me in the event that they'd spied me trying to escape.

I waited for a few moments to see if they were after me...but I could still hear their distant conversation coming from the kitchen.

"A'ight, somethin's messing around with us here, and I'm gonna dig right down to the bottom of it. You in with me on this, homie?"

"I think we better make a new cup o' Tapu Cocoa first, though...Don't want the boss gettin' impatient with us, do we?"

"Nah, good point...We'll do that, THEN dig down to the bottom o' this, sound good?"

"Sounds good, yo."

They still didn't know...I finally allowed myself to breath again, eyes still wide and unblinking.

"You okay, Echo?" Rotom whispered, peeping his head out of my pack to check up on me.

{We...we were nearly found out,} I huffed, my voice not much more than a raspy moan. {Ah...remind me not to steal Tapu Cocoa ever again.}

"Uh...N-noted," he replied, now looking a lot more unsettled himself. "...Just be careful, okay?"

{Yeah...Careful...} I repeated, almost in a daze from what'd just occurred.

I sniffed the air again, breath shuddering as I tried to calm myself...Just as my eyes started to relax again, I recognized an odor coming from somewhere above.

{I can smell the Yungoos...!} I gurgled.

"You can...!? Where, where'zz it coming from?"

{Somewhere on the second floor...Let's head the rest of the way up.}

The right branch of stairs was blocked off by a fallen chandelier which I probably could have jumped over, but it would've made a lot of noise if I missed the leap, so I opted to take the clear left branch...But I treaded slowly, and not just because of my feet not being used to stairs; the scent of a few grunts also intensified as I made my way up, even more so than the one from the hostage Yungoos.

Head still ducked, I looked beyond the last few steps and scanned the second floor...Sure enough, there was a grunt standing just inside a broken window, and just inside that window I saw what looked like a railing of some sort...I bent down even further when I heard a door open, and I watched as another grunt, female, emerged and approached the one at the window.

"Nothin' yet?" the latter asked her.

"I don't know 'bout our target, but somethin' was goin' on in front of the house before. Couldn't get a good look at anything, but I do think I saw something light up outside."

"S'pose a couple of the homies are pitchin' a battle?"

"Maybe...You don't think Scarface and her team managed to sneak past anyone, do ya?"

"Tch. Doubt it. You can spot that freak from half a mile away."

Still, they didn't suspect...At this point, I was stumped as to how I'd made it this far, given that they were likely speaking about the altercation King had with the two grunts outside before I slipped in. How were things still a secret? And more concerning, how had the fight between King and the grunts turned out?

He must've done SOMETHING to keep the word from spreading, I thought. ...No idea what, though.

My eyes landed on the grunt by the window again...I probably needed one of my teammates to help get him away, like Nanu's Meowth had outside of the walls...But I needed one that didn't raise any red flags. A lot of the grunts knew what my team consisted of, and a lot of them were hard to come by.

Knowing I had only one Pokémon for the job, I pulled out her capsule and released her with a tap of it against the wall...I winced slightly at the whir the release of energy made as Sassafras materialized on the floor before me, but it didn't seem to attract the attention of the window guard.

"Srr...?" she trilled.

{Sassafras,} I gurgled to her, just barely audible. {I need you to distract the guard up there. Get him away from the window somehow so I can get past him; maybe steal something off of him and run away with it.}

"Serrrl..."

Her curious face fell into one of concern.

{I'm nervous about all of this too, but it's our best shot. A lot of the grunts train Salandit, so you probably won't raise any alarm.}

She turned and looked out at the grunt standing in front of the door. Her lips pursed slightly, but then she turned to me and nodded.

{I know you can do it...Do your best.}

With that, she rounded the corner past the stairs and approached the grunt, keeping herself on all fours as she skittered closer and making nary a noise. The guard only noticed her from the corner of his eye when she was almost right up to his feet.

"Hm?"

"Sur-lahh?"

She stood to her hind legs with an elegant, arching motion, then tilted her head as she stared up at him.

"Huh. You ain't Plumeria's Salazzle...Must've evolved from one o' the other grunts'," he figured, squatting down to match her level. "What'cha doin' outside your ball and by yourself?"

Sassafras slid around behind him, emitting a quiet trill.

"Heh. Sorry. Ain't got no beans on me right now. Maybe your-"

Before he could finish, she snatched the bandana off the grunt's head with one quick flick of her head and scurried away from him.

"Wha-!? HEY! Get back here with that!"

She fled to the same door the female grunt from before had used and opened it with one of her slippery hand, making sure to give him one more smirk as she lead him inside...From in the room, I could hear the commotion ensue as Sassafras encountered the female grunt.

"Hey! I told ya to knock-What the!?"

"Sarrr-la-ah-ha-ha-ha!"

And that was when the window guard followed her inside.

"This boneheaded Salazzle's tryin' to make off with my head gear!"

"Who's is it!?"

"Why you askin' me!? I don't know!!"

I didn't want to leave Sassafras behind to fend for herself against them like I had with King, so I decided to make a risky move.

{Come back!}

I barked for her, and the next thing I knew, I heard the familiar whooshing sound of one of her Smog attacks, followed by a sputtering series of coughs from the grunts, and then the door opened and Sassafras slipped back out, closing the door and melting the knob with a hearty Flamethrower before rushing back to me.

I wasted no more time making my way out the open window, and I stepped out onto the balcony, hugging the curved wall as I took another whiff of air...The scent of the Yungoos was even stronger now, coming from the east.

We're not far now...

I took a look in the direction of the scent to find a crudely-built bridge along the wall of the mansion made from wooden planks, somewhat resembling the docks along Brooklet Hill.

{Excellent work with those grunts, Sassafras! Remind me to take you for another visit to a Malasada Shop when this fiasco is over.}

She smiled warmly as I returned her to the safety of her capsule, and I made my way across the bridge...It lead over to a broken window, which lead to part of the hallway adjacent from the one I'd come from that was blocked off by piles of junk inside.

By now, the scent of the Yungoos was so strong it nearly burned my nostrils; it carried a similar ammonic smell that the grunts had, but stronger and grassier.

...It was DEFINITELY close.

One final check around the area proved I was in the clear, so I stepped over the jagged glass of the broken window and made my way inside...The scent was coming from the far door on the very end of the hall, so I made my way over and turned the knob...To my good fortune, I found this room to be unlocked as well, so I stepped inside to see what I would behold.

My eyes first focused on the centerpiece of the room: a large purple armchair positioned atop a large set of drawers, a smaller one serving as a step up to it...It was like a throne. A throne for a nasty, ill-tempered king.

...And that was when the realization hit me. The room's scent seemed to intensify with Guzma's rank odor the moment I made the connection.

{Rotom...}

"Yeah, Echo?"

{This...this is Guzma's room. There's no doubt about it.}

"Uh-oh...Hope he'zz not around."

{Me neither...but it sure smells like a Yungoos is.}

Its musky scent was stronger than ever now, burning my nostrils and stinging my chest. My eyes and ears peeled wide open as I scanned the room...Nothing by the bed, or around the shelf full of old bottles. The chair didn't have anything around or beneath it, and...

...What was THAT?

It looked like a chest of some sort, open and overflowing with a bunch of thin, shiny-looking rocks...My curiosity piqued, and I stepped closer to inspect them.

I reached down and picked one up; it was shiny and pale green, with what looked like the black silhouette of an insect under its surface. Maybe it had something to do with Guzma's affinity for Bug-Types?

I bent back down to stick the rock back in the chest. It probably belonged to someone else, for all I knew; judging by the sheer amount of them, Guzma probably stole these things. And when I lowered myself, I was able to see just behind the box, allowing me to catch sight of...

...A ball of pale brown and yellow fur curled up against the wall.

There! That was the Yungoos! And thankfully, it was still in one piece, too.

{Psst. Hey. Yungoos.}

The sound of my low gurgle prompted its ears to perk, and its head followed suit as its beady black eyes popped open and landed on me as I slowly approached it.

...As was usually the case when I encountered them, the Yungoos bore its teeth and hissed defensively.

"Hssss!"

{Shush-! Quiet, quiet,} I said to it. {...I'm here to rescue you. I'll take you back to the Aether House once we're out of Po Town.}

At that, the Yungoos' snarling grimace faltered, and it rose its head curiously.

{We'll need to be quiet getting out of here, though...Do you have any idea where your Poké Ball is? There's no room for you to fit in my bag the way you are.}

It nodded eagerly, pointing its blunt pink nose up towards one of the old side tables in the room. When I looked to see where it was pointing, I saw the metallic flash of red and white coming from the mechanism sitting there, slightly obscured by a piece of paper laid atop it.

{Excellent...!} I grinned, grabbing it off the table and returning the hostage to its safe confines. {Pfft, those numbskulls apparently don't know how to HIDE things either...}

"Not bad, Scarface."

...I swore in that moment that my heart had turned to stone.

For the sake of my dreading eyes, my head turned slowly, and there were several long moments of dead silence before I finally saw the figure standing just outside the open closet doors, casting a dark shadow across the already dark room.

"Gotta admit, I prob'ly underestimated you," Guzma continued, slowly stepping closer. "...I was expectin' ya to be a lot more black and blue by now, so how you managed to get past my entourage is beyond me."

It was a stand-off at that point...Seeing him face-to-face, my wide eyes of horror crinkled back up into contempt as they masked my fear.

{A lot of things are beyond you, from what I've seen,} I snarled deeply, Rotom's voice just barely audible underneath the leather he was shielded under and the pouring rain outside.

"Ah, so you're callin' me stupid now, huh? Bold. Real bold...Y'know, that's what I like to see in new recruits when we go out and try to find some. Courage. Skill."

{...Well I'm sorry mine went to a better cause than yours.}

"Did it, now? Did it?" he asked, tilting his head condescendingly. "'Cuz from what I'm seein', that courage and skill just made us mad. At you, at your little pack o' friends, at the Professor...Now they're just in more danger. And now you're in a place that you ain't ever gonna come out of in one piece. Because now, it's just you and me."

For just a brief moment, I thought he might've had a point...All of what I'd done and been through against Team Skull thus far had only proven to make them more and more threatening, and not just to me, but to those I found myself to care about.

...For just a brief moment.

Because that was when I realized...

{You're right. It's just the two of us...And I know I can beat you to the door if you try to run.}

His smug grin shrank by just half an inch as my response sank further in.

{I'm not trapped in here with you...YOU'RE trapped in here with ME.}

"...You've got an awful big mouth, even for whatever the heck you are," he said to me, digging into his pocket and fishing out a Poké Ball. "...Did you really think I made it to the top of the pack like this with just two Pokémon?"

A corner of his black jacket slipped as he pulled out his first capsule, revealing another THREE lining his belt underneath...He had my team outnumbered.

I gulped back a nervous trill; I'd beaten Guzma once before, but the circumstances now were far different from what they'd been in Malie Garden.

...I was so close, though. So close to finishing what I'd come for. I couldn't fail now. No...Failure was NOT an option. Not here...not against HIM.

My trill deepened into a snarl as I reached for my own concealed Poké Balls...If it was a fight he wanted, then it was a fight he'd get.

...And the winner would decide the other's fate.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

CONTENT WARNING: Higher levels of violence in this chapter. Specifics are kept somewhat vague, but there's still a lot of blood.

~~~~​

Guzma called out his first choice, releasing a Pokémon with massive feelers on either side of its head...The antennae looked like massive glaring eyes, peering into my own with every intent to destroy.

{What is that thing, Rotom?} I chittered quietly.

"It'zzz a Masquerain according to my data," he replied, peeking out ever so slightly to get a decent look at it. "Better put Sassafras up to the plate; she'zz your best bet."

I followed his advice, letting Sassafras back out into the open after having only been inside her ball for a short period...It didn't take her long to figure out what the circumstances were, and she looked to me for reassurance. I gave her a light nod, and she returned the gesture before tuning back towards her opponent.

At first, she was slightly jarred by the eye-shaped feelers staring right back at her...But the faintest indication of a grin slipped across her face when she acknowledged the type advantage she held.

"Srrrrrrlll..." she trilled eagerly.

"Masquerain, kick this off with Air Slash."

As the opposing Pokémon conjured up a series of air-formulated blades and prepared to hurl them towards us, I called out my first move.

{Dodge those and start off with another Flamethrower. See how much it does.}

She smiled again, ducking down and weaving through the gaps in the onslaught as they hurdled towards her. The moment the blades ceased to fly, she threw her open mouth back and released a stream of her fine flames. Licks of pink and amethyst could be seen among the reds and oranges as the attack engulfed the opponent, which had been too slow to dodge the sudden fiery flood.

When the flames ceased and the light they emitted dimmed once again, we saw Guzma's first pick on the ground, charred and unconscious.

{Only one move to take it down?}

At first I was a bit surprised, but then I remembered our trial at Brooklet Hill; Archer was still only a Dartrix, and he had downed that massive Totem Wishiwashi with just one Razor Leaf.

As Guzma grunted and returned his Masquerain, Sassafras looked back at me and we shared a smirk.

"Gettin' cocky, huh? Well, have fun dealin' with this. Ariados and I have been workin' on a little somethin' that'll put you in place."

He released his next Pokémon: the same Ariados he'd brought with him to Malie Garden when we'd first clashed.

{Good luck getting it to tank a Flamethrower. Sassafras, fire up another!}

She rose her head in preparation to launch another stream of flames.

"Now, Ariados! Use Disable!"

The Bug-Type's eyes emitted an eerie blue glow, and a moment later that same glow was projecting off of Sassafras just as she was readying to launch her next Flamethrower.

...But when she tried to fire the attack, nothing came out. Whatever build up had been preparing for launch in her open jaws petered, only a puff of smoke in its place.

{...What happened?}

"Sur-lah?"

Sassafras seemed just as confused as I was.

"Have fun tryin' to take us down without your fancy Fire-Type attack," Guzma sneered. "A'ight Ariados. Power things up with Swords Dance."

With the legs sticking up along its back and its two forelegs, the Ariados performed some sort of strange dance, its eyes focusing more intently on us than ever before.

{What does Swords Dance do, Rotom?} I chittered quietly.

"It raisezz a Pokémon's attack stat sharply. Y-you're gonna want to do something to counteract that...!"

{Very well...Sassafras, use Nasty Plot.}

She focused her own gaze, her tail swishing along the floor with nervous anticipation as she stared her opponent in the eye.

{Ready a Dragon Rage, Sassafras. If I were to take a guess, he's going to try and hit us with a Sucker Punch once we start up an attack, so stay on your toes and be prepared to dodge.}

The two Pokémon circled the room slowly, eyes locked on one another and Sassafras' mouth slightly agape as the ball of glowing energy readied itself inside. Guzma's hands were placed on his hips, and I could tell by his fingers tapping against them that he was getting impatient...All I had to do was force him to make the first move, and we had our shot.

"So that's how you wanna do things, huh? A'ight then, Ariados. Use Shadow Sneak."

The Ariados' shadow suddenly began to extend outwards, just barely visible against the already dimly lit room as it rushed towards us at a breakneck speed.

{Fire, NOW!}

Sassafras launched her Dragon Rage-It landed, but even so the Ariados hung on and continued with its own move. She leapt up to try and avoid it, but the shadow seemed to escape from the very floor it was bound to and strike from behind.

It shrouded her in its darkness, then exploded around her to leave its mark. She winced and doubled over, then shook her head and refocused her eyes.

{You alright, Sassafras?}

She looked back at me and nodded, despite the scuffs across her grey scaled body...The Ariados didn't look much better; both of them had put a decent dent in each other, that was certain.

{Let's try Smog next. If your Corrosion kicks in, maybe we can poison it!}

The arachnoid Pokémon tensed up and narrowed its beady eyes at me, privy to our plan. Guzma noticed its unease, then looked up at me again, then pulled his Ariados' ball back out and returned it.

"I'll send you back out once we've leveled the field a little more," he told it, fetching another capsule. "Pinsir, take 'em down!"

The sphere split open and released the creature inside...It was no wonder why the Pokémon was called that, given the massive, thorny pincers atop its head. But my eyes were MORE drawn to the pale brown creature's grotesque, razor-lined mouth. It twitched slightly every second or so along with its eyes, which were fixed in an intense unblinking glare...I felt ill just looking at the horrid insect.

But if it made my stomach knot up, then I supposed I'd return the favor.

{Just like we planned, Sassafras,} I said to her. {Try your Smog on it!}

She conjured a good blob of it and spat it at the Pinsir before Guzma even had a chance to give it a command. The Smog made contact and sent the Bug-Type leaning back for a moment, but the poison didn't linger on it...A disgusting trill emitted from the creature's mouth a moment later, and it gave us a stare glazed over with rage.

"That all you got?" Guzma taunted, eerily calm. "Pinsir...use Rock Tomb."

In an instant, the enemy had summoned up a series of glowing, boulder-like projectiles hovering just above the ground, and with one fling of its arm it sent them careening towards us.

By the time I tried to yell for Sassafras to dodge, they'd already rained down upon her like an avalanche, clattering like the mighty stones they took the shape of.

They disappeared as soon as they settled to the ground, revealing a battered Salazzle underneath. Her purple and grey scales were splotched with darker bruises, and her right leg lay with its knee on the ground as he shakily pushed herself back up onto her hands.

She couldn't take another hit like that. This was the Totem Mimikyu's trial all over again, except now the stakes were higher...TOO high.

But along with the bruises and scrapes now adorning her fragile form, something else made itself known...A glow. One that faded into view, then went out with a strong flash before disappearing.

...A grin slipped across her face. Whatever had just happened, she knew what it was, and she was glad of it.

{What're you going to do?} I asked her...In response, a stream of smoke emitted from her nostrils, strong and black, and she opened her maw to reveal an orange glow.

That was it. Ariados' disable had worn off!

...A smile came to my own face as I saw Guzma frown with dread.

{Last attack before I return you,} I said to her. {...Flamethrower. A nice, long HOT one!}

The glow intensified, and with what strength to attack she had left, Sassafras shot out a familiar stream of orange striped with licks of gold and blue...When the fire and smoke faded, they revealed the charred Pinsir on the ground, lying there without so much as a slight twitch in its disgusting mouth...Nasty Plot had been a good call, that was for sure.

A frustrated growl emitted from the back of Guzma's throat as he returned his Pinsir, and he stared at me intensely as I returned Salazzle to her own capsule.

"Hmph...Not bad, gotta admit. At least you're a half-decent challenge," he huffed, teeth close to being clenched. "But let's see just how well you do without your fancy Fire-Type moves."

He dug out another Poké Ball and tossed it, releasing yet another Bug-Type...This one was a shiny metallic red, and the massive pincers on its arms had spots on either side of them that made them look like heads with fearsome jaws.

"Scizor. The fire hazard's been cleared. Kick things off with Focus Energy!"

While the Scizor shut its eyes and concentrated, I fished out Red's Poké ball and called him out.

{Your opponent looks strong, Red. Look sharp!}

When the Hawlucha solidified on the ground before his adversaries, he analyzed the slick looking bug with intrigued eyes, scanning for weak points.

{Use Hone Claws, but be ready to dodge an attack...I don't know what this thing might be capable of.}

He nodded lightly, keeping his eyes trained on the enemy as he scraped his claws against each other; they had to be PLENTY sharp to cut through that metal hide, that was for sure.

And then, The Scizor received its first order.

"Aerial Ace, GO!"

The creature hopped off to the side and landed feet-first on the wall, just inches from the door frame.

{Counter with a Karate Chop!}

I knew there was no dodging an Aerial Ace, so it was our best bet. Red fired up his open claws just as the Scizor shot down towards him at blinding speed, claws open and ready to slice.

The attacks collided with one another, and the two Pokémon strained as they each tried to push the other back. Red stood his ground as best he could, but the opponent had the stronger claws of the two, so the Hawlucha's feet began to slip where they were planted.

"Bullet Punch!"

It threw back its second pincer, imbuing it with a harsh silver glow.

{FALL BACK!}

In a flash, Red flung himself backwards and flipped in midair as he evaded the swing of the massive claw, landing just feet in front of me.

{So that's how he wants to do it, huh?} I wondered aloud. {Alright then. Hone Claws, one more time! It should give us the boost we need!}

"Aerial Ace, one more time!"

The insect zipped forward, its wings propelling it even faster as it lunged, claws aglow. Red tried to counter the attack in time, but the massive pincer caved in his outstretched wing and rammed his white-feathered middle underneath, sending him careening backwards...Red was at least able to hop off the wall and regain his footing alright after the attack, but it was clear that he'd been hurt quite a bit.

{Give it a taste of its own medicine, Red! And stay on your toes!}

"One more Aerial Ace, let's go!"

They both shot towards one another at almost the same moment, claws wound back and ready to strike. Red saw an opening as he made his way forward, ducking and tumbling between the Bug-Type's legs and leaping back up from behind to strike the unsuspecting Scizor...His open claws landed right on the opponent's thin waist, and the creature's eyes bugged out.

And then, the glow of its pincer faded, along with the intense light in its yellow eyes. The Scizor leaned forward and fell off its feet, now showing a massive dent in the metallic coating over its petiole...Guzma returned the fainted Bug-Type to its capsule without so much as a grunt.

"...Strong Aerial Ace you've got goin' on there," he remarked, reaching for another ball. "...It'd be a shame if I took it away, wouldn't it? Ariados, Disable, one more time!"

He called out the arachnoid Pokémon he'd returned before, and it cast its eerie glow upon Red like it had Sassafras...That was fine. I was going to take the chance to heal up anyways.

{Stall a bit until the Disable wears off, Red. Use Roost!}

"Ru, cha."

He nodded back at me, kneeling down and replenishing his health.

"Swords Dance. Gotta get you back up to speed."

His Ariados obeyed, moving its legs in that same, strangely hypnotizing motion as before...I wasn't entirely sure what to do next; Red's only other attacking move was Karate Chop, and even with two boosts to his attack it wouldn't do much against a Bug-Poison type. Maybe I should have come a bit more prepared for a fight like this myself.

"Hrrmmmmmm..."

Maybe there WAS a way to combat this. My Pokémon tended to learn new moves every so often out of the blue; in fact, King had learned Dragon Claw just this morning during the trial in the abandoned megamart. It'd been a while since Red had gotten any new moves under his belt, so maybe now was the time. Wouldn't hurt to suggest it, right?

{Red,} I chittered to him. {Given the situation, you wouldn't happen to have any new moves in mind you'd like to learn, do you?}

"Lu..."

His gaze tore away from the Ariados for a moment to look down at the floor thoughtfully, then he turned his head towards me and nodded.

{Aerial Ace will still probably come in handy. How about you forget Karate Chop and give whatever you're thinking a try?}

Red's feathery eyebrows raised in agreement, a smirk on his beak. He turned back towards his opponent and repositioned his feet to brace himself for whatever would happen next.

"Shadow Sneak, let's go!"

{Watch your back, Red.}

Red watched the enemy's shadow closely as it stretched out. The moment it reached past his feet, he sprang forward and evaded the black mass coming up from behind him.

"Not on my watch. SUCKER PUNCH!"

At first, it looked like Red was going to hone in for a Karate Chop, but then I saw him flap his wings and take to the air...He did a swift flip as he reached his top height, then he folded his wings and SHOT down at the Ariados like a Thunderbolt. One moment he was almost all the way up to the ceiling, and the very next he'd CRASHED down onto the opposing Pokémon, his hooked beak jamming itself right into the enemy's cephalothorax.

Red planted his feet on the ground and leapt back just seconds after the impact, leaving the Ariados stunned. It wouldn't take much more to down it.

{Rotom,} I chittered quietly. {Do you have any idea what move Red just used?}

"My sensorzz indicate that it was Flying Press...That's a special move there, boss. It's both a Fighting AND a Flying-type move simultaneously, and the only Pokémon that can learn it are Hawlucha and specially-bred Pikachu."

He was quiet...I couldn't blame him, given the situation.

{Thank you, Rotom...Alright, Red. Flying press, one more time!}

"SUCKER PUNCH 'EM!"

By the time Guzma called out his counter move, it was too late. Red had already shot up into the air, and he was now careening onto the Ariados once a second time with even more force.

A cracking sound emanated across the room as several hairline fractures webbed out from the site of impact along the bug's exoskeleton. Red planted his feet on the ground and hopped away, watching his foe as its legs caved out from underneath it, limp and slightly twitching.

Guzma's brow furrowed as he recalled the fainted Ariados...And I knew what he would be sending out as his final pick, so I stood my own ground. His Golisopod, "Grimslice" I think he called it, was a force to be reckoned with. And there wasn't much doubt that it'd only grown stronger since our last battle, given what I'd seen with the Ariados.

"...You might have me outnumbered now," he acknowledged. "But now that you're little pack is plenty tired out, you ain't gonna stand much longer."

He showed off his last Poké Ball and hurled it forward.

"The enemy's worn down, Grimslice! TURN 'EM INTO MINCEMEAT!"

The Golisopod landed on the ground with a mighty THUD, bracing itself with one of its massive clawed forelimbs. The noise that came from it sounded somewhere in between one of the Pinsir's sickly trills and a menacing snarl.

{Not sure what he's going to try first, Red,} I chittered. {Use Roost again to get all the way up to speed.}

He nodded and did as told, and as he replenished his health his body flashed again...The Disable from our last opponent had faded. Just in time, too; we might need Aerial Ace if we wanted to beat this thing.

"Fire up a Swords Dance," Guzma ordered his partner. "Let's see just how tough this bird really is."

The massive insectoid beast rose its claws and began to perform the dance. It moved slower than the Ariados, its tiny feet stepping cautiously under its enormous weight.

{You're powered up enough, Red,} I assured him. {Go in for an Aerial Ace and see how much you can do. But as always, watch out for those claws.}

He spread his wings and darted forward, ready to strike.

"Now, Razor Shell!"

The Golisopod's massive armored forearm wound back, a fierce blue glow spurting from the segments in the armor like water jets.

{Jump up and dodge!}

Still flying low to the ground, Red managed to halt and fling himself upwards, evading the massive glowing arm as it sliced forward. Red saw an opening, and darted back down from behind the massive beast with his attack still at the ready.

But the Golisopod saw it coming. Its Razor Shell was still fired up and ready to hit, and the creature's tiny feet made quick work of turning it around to face Red's oncoming Aerial Ace.

RIP

"Chawgh-!"

Red's guttural squawk made my heart skip a beat, and I watched in terror as he crashed against the far wall and slid limply to the ground...The two MASSIVE lacerations running diagonally across him painted his white front feathers a deep, wet crimson.

...How? How was that hulk of a Bug-type THAT fast with its claws?!

This was bad...If it could make such quick work of Red, then...

I shook the notion from my head and pulled out a Super Potion, rushing over to tend to the gaping wounds...One was enough to close them up enough to stop the heavy bleeding, but Red still lay limp and unconscious from the attack.

He couldn't do anymore in this condition, so I promptly returned him to his ball. A trip to the Pokémon Center once this was all said and done would be mandatory...if we managed to get there, of course.

I pulled out Archer's ball next. He could take a Razor Shell or two thanks to being a Grass-type, but it'd be best to stay light on our feet. He was my best hope.

...And my last.

{Archer. It's all up to you,} I gurgled solemnly as I released him from his confines. {...Be ready to dodge at any given time.}

He materialized and appeared facing towards his opponent, his head lowered.

"Dwit, drooooo..." he trilled, his voice low and just as menacing as the Golisopod's.

{Razor Leaf doesn't involve getting too close to it. Start off with that.}

He fired up his array of leaves and sent them streaming towards the opponent. I watched intently as the Golisopod rose its armored forelimb in an attempt to shield itself from the onslaught, too slow to dodge it...Judging by the strained sound the creature made once the flurry was over with, we'd managed to take a chunk out of it. But was it enough...?

Guzma's smirk returned, and he looked at his partner.

"A'ight, that oughta do it. Use Payback!"

"Dwit dwit?"

Archer twittered nervously, and I watched, wide-eyed, as the creature rolled itself into a tight ball and hurdled across the floor towards us, an inky black aura spiking from between the segments of its armor.

{JUMP!}

Archer was already preparing to when I called out to him. His wings opened, and he leapt out of the way with nary a second to spare. The black-imbued shell armor just BARELY scraped the tips of his green claws as the Golisopod rolled past where its target had been standing.

{Go invisible, now!}

He disappeared midair, and I could just barely hear his claws clacking against the floor again underneath the sound of the enemy's armor plates clattering against one another as it uncurled and stood to its feet again.

The Golisopod looked around, confused by its target's disappearance.

"So I'm not the only one who like to play dirty, huh?" Guzma remarked. "Wonder how that'd fly in Kukui's Pokémon League?"

{As if your say on that matters...Razor Leaf, one more time!}

The flurry of leaves appeared overhead, and they careened down onto the Golisopod one by one as they had before, scuffing its thick plates of armor...Unfortunately, the attack had also given away Archer's position to the opponent.

"Leech Life!"

Its black claws now took on a sickly green glow, and the mauve feelers around its mouth followed. The sound of Archer's claws clicking against the floor sounded off just a moment later, and that was when the creature lunged.

Archer came back into view as soon as the attack landed, and he let out an agonized screech as the creature sank its claws into his sides and clamped down on his shoulder with its jaws.

{Use Pluck to break free!}

His head still free from the Golisopod's grip, he bit down onto its head and ripped a small chunk of its armor clean off its neck, prompting the beastly insectoid to let go of him and flail about a moment later. It tried to swing at Archer to get him to let go, but by then he'd already pushed himself away from the menace and planted himself on the floor again.

...Archer was in bad shape, though. His knees wobbled, and the spots where he'd been hit by Leech life were trickling with red. I pulled out a Super Potion and sprayed them down, but even that wasn't enough to stop the bleeding all the way.

{It's not over yet. Use Synthesis!}

"Fire up another Payback!"

Archer ensured that he turned invisible again before leaping up to avoid the oncoming move, and the Golisopod rolled right past him. He could only photosynthesize so well in such a dimly lit room, but when he finished and returned to view again, it'd proved to at least be enough to stop the rest of the bleeding and restore some energy.

{Razor Leaf, one more time!}

He aimed from above once again, stooping his wing and making a sharp turn to face his opponent...But something was different. Instead of a flurry appearing, his wings themselves began to emit a glow. And the light green aura that now engulfed his flight feathers took on a sharp, blade-like appearance.

{Is this...ANOTHER new move?}

"Looks like a Leaf Blade to me," Rotom remarked. "...You guyzzz are on a roll today with the new moves, aren't you?"

{I guess so...We must be leveling up quite a bit,} I grinned. {Alright then, Archer. Give that Leaf Blade a shot!}

"Payback, let's go!"

The Golisopod readied itself to roll up again, but by the time it'd received its command Archer was already on top of it.

The blades sliced across the armor plates and cut them so deep I could see the skin beneath. The creature stumbled backwards and tried to reach behind it to pull off its attacker, but by then Archer was already facing its front and preparing to land another hit. The second slashed right across its exposed stomach, making a disgusting squish sound as it effortlessly cut through the soft tissue.

The enemy Pokémon fell forward, catching itself on its massive forelimbs. It managed to push itself back up, but I could tell it was struggling.

"Come on Grimslice, you just gotta land ONE HIT on this thing and that should do it! We'll use that Hyper Potion once this thing's down, we can't waste it now!"

"Glooooowwwwwwrrr..." it trilled, looking back at its Trainer. Its eyes were filmy and tired, as though pleading for Guzma to use the medicine now so that it still had a chance.

I felt somewhat sorry for it...But I had to finish this if I wanted to get out of here.

{SPIRIT SHACKLE!}

I called out our finishing move. The arrow quill shot from Archer's vine before I even noticed he'd pulled one out, swerving around the weakened Golisopod and landing just at its feet...The deep violet blast that followed a moment later blew the titanic Bug-Type clean off its stubby feet and onto its chipped back, and a thunderous SLAM sounded off as it made impact with the ground...The creature's arms sprawled out limply, and its trilling breath slowed and calmed as its filmy eyes unfocused even more.

...It was down. And that'd been Guzma's last Pokémon. Judging by the look on the opposing Trainer's face. he knew that just as much as we did.

"...You took down Grimslice," he said flatly, hardly any indication of emotion on his face as he stared down into the Golisopod's equally blank gaze. He returned his partner, then looked back up at Archer and I. His eyebrows were fixed in an angry look, but his actual eyes portrayed more surprise than anger now.

...I grinned as I returned Archer to his capsule, savoring the look of denial on Guzma's face.

{Looks like I won,} I told him. {...You know, I wonder what the rest of Team Skull will think when they find out I beat you with only three Pokémon when you had a team of five?}

"Shut up! BOTH of you, shut up!" he snapped, rage surging back. "You don't know nothin' about fighting, and you don't know nothin' about me, ya hear!?"

{I might not know everything about you,} I told him, stowing Yungoos' ball into my bag. {But I do know that you're in over your head with whatever you're trying to accomplish.}

He stopped...The scowl melted off his face, and his eyes settled into an eerie calm.

"...You think so, huh?" he asked, beginning to step closer. "Well lemme tell ya somethin'...That Yungoos is just about as much use to us as a bundle o' sticks. But you still took the bait."

{So you could try to beat me again? Look where that got you.}

"Oh, man, oh man, Scarface...You're missin' the point, and you think we're the dumb ones. If you're here by yourself, who's gonna protect your buddies when good ol' Mr. Kukui's not around?"

{He IS around,} I informed him. {He told me he wouldn't be far from where my friends are staying, so he can easily come and take down whatever your grunts send at them if needed.}

"Can he, though? Can he?"

I scowled at his ridiculous remark.

{Of course he could. What makes you think otherwise?}

He chuffed out an incredulous breath of a laugh.

"Well, ya see Scarface...I would think it'd be hard for him to go ANYWHERE when he's got a second band o' my homies comin' to corner him at the bottom of the mountain with Salandit ablazin'. And even if he DOES beat 'em all down, it'll take him a while. So what do you think I could do with that bit o' spare time?"

{You...No, but he...}

...He was right.

If the professor was jumped, he'd have to spend time...

{...No.}

...It all finally sank in.

"Yeah, now you're gettin' it, huh? Heh...bet you're starting to regret wasting your time coming here."

{No...No, no, you wouldn't DARE go after them again.}

"Why not? You think Hala's grandkid is gonna be tough enough to handle FOUR of my homies at once? AFTER his team took a beating from Wave #1 already? I'd tell ya what's s'posed to happen next, but you're the smart one, right? How 'bout you figure it out...If you think you can take it."

...I was without words.

"Um...Echo?"

"Ah, so ya brought your little Dex buddy with you, huh? So HE can get beat to bits, too?"

This was all a trick.

"I might've lost to your team, but you ain't in great shape either. How you gonna make your great escape now?"

What did they plan to do to Lillie and Hau?

"What? Scared? Tch, I figured...I always knew you were a coward. Thought for a hot minute you might pose somethin' of a threat when ya gave one o' my fellas his own marks, but it turned out that only made ya MORE of a wimp."

...He thinks this is funny.

He's mocking you.

...Don't let him.

"Oh-ho, snarlin' now, are we? Tryin' to intimidate me? You really think...? Hey...hey, hey what do you think you're doin'? That's close enough, step back over there and stop actin' freaky."

"Echo? Wh-what're you doing...?"

"Hey, step off. Step off, get back-AGH!"

I wasn't entirely sure what happened next.

The next thing I heard was a crash, and I found myself back into the hallway. Splinters from the broken door wedged themselves into my skin, and began to sting.

...But that didn't matter right now.

I stood back up just in time to see Guzma doing the same not far from me, even more bruised than I was.

But it still wasn't enough.

He'd gone too far too many times.

He needs to be afraid.

...He needs to SUFFER.

I lunged again.

He grabbed my hands with his own, a surprised huff escaping him. A foot collided with my knee and buckled it, sending me stumbling backwards.

I grunted and regained footing. He was stronger than I thought, given...

...Given what my sisters and I had done to other humans before. Armed humans.

Wait...What was I doing? What'd gotten into me, why was I-?

"NOW YOU ASKED FOR IT!!"

His fists clenched, and he swung at me. I ducked down and dodged, only for him to throw another a moment later. It hit, HARD, knocking a tooth loose.

...Tooth.

TOOTH.

He wound up another punch and swung again.

I opened my jaws, then snapped them shut onto the entire lower half of his arm.

...He screamed.

The rage in his eyes suddenly widened into shock as I swung my own head and tossed him against the wall...The red-weeping holes now lining his arm made it look like he was afflicted with some sort of disease.

Guzma stumbled forward, the obscured light of day from the open window casting a black shadow of him across the hall...His anger flooded back as quickly as it'd disappeared.

"...I don't care WHAT you are. I am NOT losing to a TRIAL GOER!"

He bolted towards me again, wound up his good arm.

THWACK

The snap from my tail connecting with his torso echoed across the second floor, and the next thing I knew he was on his back.

He hissed as he rolled over, pushing himself upright with his right arm...His left arm hung limply at his side, streams of red running down it and dripping onto the floor from his fingertips.

And...that was a big puddle they were making on the carpet. If he lost much more, then...

...

...This was bad.

I needed to leave. NOW.

I got what I came for. I needed to leave this place before I caused any more harm.

A quick look down the nearest staircase and past the collapsed chandelier told me I had the chance to slip away, so I decided to take it before anything-

"HRYAGH-!"

Mid-leap over the chandelier, I was tackled from behind.

Everything around me spun as gravity dragged us down the stairs.

Finally, it stopped...The platform where the twin staircases met, firm, flat. I pushed up and readied to stand.

...A dirty shoe shoved me back down.

"I'm not lettin' you make a FOOL outta me again...!"

He drew it back, toes aimed at my exposed middle...He was foolish enough to remove it from my head.

I took my chance to raise it, mouth opening again and clamping back down on his lower leg.

Another pained scream followed, and he staggered backwards. I scrambled back onto my feet, eyeing the site of the wound...Not as deep as I hoped. He still walked on it.

...And LUNGED on it.

My hands came up. The impact by itself was almost enough to send me back onto the ground, but I stood firm. One set of claws clenched around his good fist, the other pushed against his chest and sank past the thick black fabric of his jacket, past the skin and into the warmth of the crimson fluid beneath.

Things slowed. We pushed against each other, the world around us standing still.

"...Not so tough now, are you?" he huffed. "You might...be able to beat me in a Pokémon battle, but...by yourself, you're pathetic. And pretty soon, everyone's gonna know...just how WEAK you really are."

...

...Weak.

...It resonated in my head like a bell's chime.

Weak...pathetic...worthless...

...Omega.

No. I couldn't take it anymore. Not from HIM.

I can't take it...

...I WON'T TAKE IT.

{I'm...NOT...WEAK!!!}

A haunting shriek resonated in the mansion.

I pushed. I sprang. I slashed.

...I saw red.

The last set of stairs spiraled around us. We landed, and I looked down to see his hands rise to hide his cowering expression.

THAT WON'T HELP YOU NOW.

I stood to full height over him, FINALLY. One foot rested on the floor and the other pressed against his throat, the tip of my big claw just atop one of the mauve veins showing through his sickly pale skin.

...All it took was one firm press.

{So this is what it's come to...And after everything you did to try and STOP me.}

Guzma didn't respond. His hands still covered his face, but I could see one of his eyes staring at me, so wide with horror that it looked ready to pop right out of its socket.

...Look at him. Look what's become of him after what he did to you.

He called you weak, pathetic, SO MANY OTHER THINGS.

He's hurt your friends. He threatened your packmates.

How many had he managed to hurt before you even knew his name? Before you even arrived here?

...He won't stop hurting people until he's-

"Alright...A-alright, you...you win..."

His voice was barely audible, muffled from behind his hands and barely above a whisper.

"Just...Take the Yungoos and go. I can't...don't...please don't..."

...I win?

Oh, no. No.

NOT YET.

YOU WON'T WIN UNTIL HE'S DEAD!

SNAP HIS NECK AND FINISH THE JOB-!

"ECHO, STOP!!!"

...I froze.

My eyes tore away from the creature beneath me and followed the source of the scream.

...It was Rotom.

Wait. Rotom? Sitting on the third stair? What was he doing out of...?

...

...What...

What just happened?

Why was everything spattered with blood? What did I have in my...Who's head was this in my mouth?

...Why did I have Guzma's head in my mouth!?

Oh no. No, no, had I...!?

I dropped it. A wheezing, congested gasp escaped him a moment later, and his hands fell limply to his sides, unmasking the wide eye that shone beneath, still ready to pop right from its socket.

...More than just ready. It already had.

What...what did I do to him? What was I going to do? What'd I already done?

...

{...What have I done...?}

My attention diverted back to Rotom...I was so entrained on his distraught eyes that it took me several moments to notice the scuffs across his PokéDex body and the bend in his head spike.

{Wait, what...what happened to you?} I uttered, my voice not much higher than a rasp.

He took a second to respond...He was having trouble collecting his thoughts as much as I was.

"I...I-I fell out while you were-"

A sharp gasp cut off his sentence, and his blocky appendages flew over his screen as his eyes focused on something behind me. I turned to see what it was.

...Grunts.

LOTS of grunts.

Almost TWO DOZEN of them filled the entire area around the stairs, all staring wide-eyed either down at their fallen leader or directly at me.

They all looked at one another, then at Guzma, and then back to me again. Every single one stared at me with a look of horrified fury in their eyes.

...I knew what was about to happen.

"Grunts..."

One of them stepped out of the crowd, fists clenched...I knew exactly which one he was thanks to the marks across his face, only partially hidden by his bandana.

"...Imma get the boss outta here before anything else happens," he announced, daring so much as to step closer to me and grab a now barely conscious Guzma by the shoulders, dragging him across the floor away from me. "Once I leave the house...give this thing what it's been askin' for. And her little Dex, too, you hear me?"

He was answered with a series of angry nods...This was everything I feared. Everything I'd been dreading. What was I going to do now? Was this it?

...Was this where it all ended?

I found myself staring at the grunt as he made his way to the exit at a painstakingly slow rate, and he lowered Guzma back onto the ground to open the door.

...

...Open the door.

HE WAS GOING TO OPEN THE DOOR.

{Rotom,} I chittered, as quietly as I possibly could. {Don't ask any questions. Get inside my bag. Right. NOW.}

I heard the soft whoosh through the air as he zipped over, my eyes trained on the exit, my legs ready to spring over the mob to reach it. This could be our chance, all we had to do was-!

"THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A BREAK FOR IT!"

We were swarmed.

I leapt. I missed my mark.

...And fell right into the mob.

Pain. Screaming. All over, all around. In an instant, without warning. Salandit and Zubat joined the fray in flashes of red. I could see nothing but the attackers. I could feel nothing but pain and dread.

Blow after blow, slash after slash, flame after flame.

I couldn't fight back.

I couldn't take it anymore.

...

...

...

...I WOULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE.

I snapped.

And I SCREAMED.

It was the loudest sound I ever made. And it was loud enough to stun the grunts on top of me and get them off.

NOW WAS MY CHANCE.

I flailed, I slashed, I bit. I lunged at anyone who came from the front. I whipped anyone who came from the back. The dull colors of the old mansion were painted bright scarlet, and the dusty air was overwhelmed with festering metal.

They were coming in lesser numbers now. I saw some retreat, some lying on the floor, some by the door, leaving.

The door...THE DOOR WAS STILL OPEN!

I took my chance the moment I saw it. I sprang forward and towards the open door.

I charged.

There were more agonized screams, more angry yells, but I kept running.

...Raindrops began to fall.

I WAS OUT!!

There was that truck up ahead. Shouting rang out from behind me, but I couldn't make out what was said. I didn't have the time. I couldn't be distracted by anything.

I cleared the truck in two leaps and kept going. I cleared the low wall...The guards weren't there anymore.

There! There was the door! RIGHT THERE JUST AHEAD!

I looked behind me-no grunts. I smelled the air-the rain doused out most of their lingering scent, but it didn't seem like any were close. Not yet, at least.

The coast was clear...The nightmare was almost over.

We...we'd DONE IT.

"Agh..."

Finally...At last, I could stop for just a moment to catch my breath. Did I have everyone with me? I took Rotom, right? Yes, yes of course I did.

{Rotom...} I huffed. {We...we made it. I just have to make sure everyone's accounted for and then I think we're going to be okay!}

...

...No response.

{Rotom? Y-you're in there, right? I heard you go in, I...}

Static and a crackling buzz sounded off from inside my bag, glitchy and faint.

...

...Oh, no.

No, no no no no no!

I reached in and pulled him out, hovering over him to shield him from the rain.

...My heart stopped.

{...Rotom...?}

He was almost unrecognizable.

So many things were wrong. Cracks, bends, shifting pixels, pieces of screen missing, an arm nearly broken clean off at its base.

Was he...?

No. He wasn't. His eyes still stared right up at me, but they were fuzzy and half closed.

How did this happen? I knew he'd gone inside my bag as soon as I ordered him to, I heard him! He should have been safe inside...

...Inside a flimsy leather hiding spot that'd gotten pummeled as much as I did.

It hadn't helped at all. And now I was staring my failed efforts to protect him right in the eye.

...He was in pain. I could tell he was in pain, I would know that look ANYWHERE.

He needed help.

{I...W-we're leaving. I'll get you to the PMC and we can get you fixed. You'll be alright, I promise...I promise...}

Gently, carefully, I tucked him back inside the present safety of the leather bag. One of its straps was beginning to fray near the base. Maybe I could get a replacement somewhere once we were out of this wretched place.

Now, what was I...? The doors. Yes, the doors! That button panel to their left looked like it would open them, so all I had to do was-

"Initiate the lockdown protocol! PUT IN THE PASSCODE!"

A grunt emerged from around another hedge and began tapping away at some sort of stand to the right of the doors. I knew the rest were probably not far behind, so I was quick to push the button to open the door and.

...And...

It didn't open.

It just...buzzed and flashed red.

I looked at the grunt. She looked back at me, eyes flashing with a mixture of relief and sick satisfaction.

"...You ain't goin' anywhere now."

No...No, NO NO! There had to be another way out somewhere! I scanned along the walls again. Were there any weak spots? Could I call Charizard from the Ride Pager and have him fly us over!? No, but Officer Nanu said that was too dangerous for it to be flying in the rain. What was I going to-!?

"End of the line, Scarface."

...I stopped.

I turned.

There weren't quite as many anymore, but they still came in from all directions. They hopped the low barricade, came in from the sides...Every exit point was now completely blocked off by them.

I was surrounded. There was no way out.

...There really was no way out.

"Don't suppose you recognize me," one of the males stated, stepping out towards the front of the crowd. "I was Grunt numero dos at the Malasada Shop on Melemele Island that day. You remember? The one you didn't make your mark on?"

I didn't respond. I didn't even nod.

"I know you do...And I gotta admit, you've got some real strong Pokémon on hand. A Decidueye, a Hawlucha...a Tyrunt, so I hear. A lotta my homies here would KILL to train somethin' like one o' those, y'know? But I mean...we like to beat people down, but killing is a little extreme, wouldn't you say? So...how 'bout we make a deal?"

No...

"You got five Pokémon on hand, so I've heard. PLUS a fancy, one-of-a-kind Rotom PokéDex. If you step down and hand 'em all over right now, I'll have the doors opened and you can head out. We can do this the easy way, or we-"

{I'LL NEVER LET YOU TAKE THEM!!}

"She picked the hard way," he announced. "Alright grunts, no more messing around! Let's jump this fool ONCE AND FOR-!"

Thud...

...A low rumble suddenly traversed the ground we stood on, shaking the earth ever so slightly. The grunts all looked at one another, obviously confused.

"...What the heck wazzat?" one of the females wondered aloud.

Thud...

It sounded off again. A nearby puddle on the cobblestone street rippled along with the sound.

Thud...Thud...Thud...

We all seemed to forget what we were doing...Our attention was now solely on the rumbling.

They came one after the other in a slow, rhythmic pattern, and they were getting gradually louder. They almost sounded like...

...Like footsteps.

A massive, black shadow suddenly cast itself over the mob. A low, bellowing breath followed a moment later, and the stomping came to a halt as its source towered over ALL OF THEM.

...And over me.

I felt as though my entire body had become stone. I couldn't move, but I wanted to run. Run from the monster, run and never look back. But I couldn't. I could barely even breathe as I stared up into the bright, piercing yellow eyes of the ruddy red beast.

Piercing yellow...Just like mine. And just like...

...Wait a minute.

It was then, and only then, that I finally realized what...no...WHO I was looking at.

{...King?}

The massive beast he had evolved into looked down at me, then gave me the very slightest indication of a grin across his toothy maw.

And then, he looked down at the horde of Skull grunts staring up at him, stepped forward one more time, leaned in...

...And from his open jaws came the loudest, angriest ROAR I'd ever heard.

All of the grunts seemed just as frozen as I'd been a moment later, their multitude of eyes diverting from King to each other over and over again.

And then, the grunt who'd taken charge finally broke the silence.

"...Grunts, forget the beatdown. We need to get outta here, or else someone's gonna end up bein' this thing's LUNCH, NOT IT'S TRAINER!!"

That was all that was needed to turn the mob of determined grunts into a chaotic panicked frenzy, and the screaming crowd dispersed in all different directions.

King snarled and snapped his jaws at anyone who dared get too close to him, his sturdy tail flailing behind him threatening to do almost as much damage as his teeth...He took after me.

And he took after my methods.

The screaming finally faded into the distance as the last of the grunts fled the scene. Now all we could hear was the pattering of the downpour against the cobblestone street...Another bellow escaped King, far deeper than anything I'd heard from an creature before, but at the same time quiet and tender.

{Well...I kept my promise, Alpha,} he reminded me, the harsh glare of his eyes softening as he spoke. {...Did you get what you came for?}

{I did. But...}

By then, the shock had fully worn away, and I remembered why I'd left in such a hurry.

{We need to get out of here and get to a Pokémon Center as soon as possible. It's Rotom. He was...they...}

I trailed off...I couldn't even say it.

{I-it's all my fault. I went after Guzma, he fell out and they all...A-and now they locked the doors, so h-how are we going to-!?}

I didn't get the chance to finish.

Without an warning, King thrust his head forward and charged at the doors. The deafening sounds of cracking stone and tearing metal followed, and the smell of dust mixed in with the pouring rain.

...I now beheld a massive hole in the wall, and the doors that once stood there were now being shredded like wet paper under the crushing pressure of King's jaws and teeth. And a moment later, he flung what was left of them off to the side like they weighed nothing.

It was incredible. Just HOW STRONG had King become upon evolution!? I was amazed by it, it was...fear-inducing, really. He was now far more powerful than I could ever imagine myself having.

...And yet, he still called me his Alpha.

{We'd better hurry,} he grumbled, tossing me his Poké Ball that he carried in his small hands. {I'm not sure how bad off Rotom is, so just return me for now.}

I nodded, the gravity of the situation once again coming back to me as I drew King back into his ball. I wasted no time hopping out of the hole in the wall and fleeing that wretched town, leaving its equally wretched inhabitants behind.

...I needed to run.

I needed to run as fast as I could.

And I couldn't stop until I made it to where I had to be.

Run.

Keep running.

Don't stop!

...I spied Acerola and Officer Nanu up ahead, the former waving me down, shouting for me.

"Echo! You made it!"

But I couldn't stop for them.

I had no time.

I kept running.

I ran past them, left them behind. I only looked at the path ahead.

Everything else in my line of sight was a blur. Even the path ahead was beginning to fade.

I felt so tired. My legs ached, and my right one stung every time I put weight on it. I just wanted to stop...

...No. No, no I can't stop now! I need to get to the Pokémon Center NOW!

Where was it!? I could hardly see anything anymore. Everything around me just looked deep red...Blood? No, no, this was Ula'ula Meadow. I could smell the flowers.

There was a Pokémon Center just south of the meadow, right?

I hoped so. I hoped I remembered right. I had no map to follow anymore.

I only had the road.

Just follow the road.

But hurry. Keep hurrying.

Everything went by so fast, and it was all so blurry now...

There was something up ahead. Something big, a building with a red roof...

THERE! There it was, just up ahead on the left!

I made a sharp turn and skidded to a halt just outside the doors. I was here. I was finally here!

I could slow down now...I HAD to slow down now. I couldn't run anymore, I couldn't. I was too tired...My vision was too blurry. My legs were too sore, my head was too hazy.

I stepped inside. My gait was crooked and wavering. Where was the nurse? There, there she was behind the counter!

I pulled Rotom out of his shelter and put him on the counter.

I tried to scream.

{Nurse...Help...!}

It came out a strained caterwaul. But I knew she heard me. She said...something. I couldn't even make out sound anymore.

I couldn't even make out her face.

Everything was all too fuzzy. And it was getting fuzzier and darker by the moment.

My legs hurt too much. They couldn't even hold me up anymore.

{You have to help me. Please help...please...}

Help...

...

...

...

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"Okay...Eyes on me."

{Where'd it go?} Blue wondered aloud, eyes darting everywhere EXCEPT for Owen. She'd lost track of the squealing pink creature once we made it into the clearing, and now the only trace of it was the scent trail lingering ahead.

"Blue?"

She ignored him, emitting an annoyed chuff as she tried to figure out where our would-be prey went...I could tell he wasn't pleased with her response, and I watched intently as he gave three sharp clicks from his clicker, expression hardening.

"BLUE!"

She finally looked up at him and protested.

{Hey!}

"Watch it."

Charlie was the next to voice her frustration.

{Where's our food!?}

"Charlie, hey!"

{Alpha, give it back!}

She was reprimanded, too...I wasn't sure why my sisters were so impatient; we'd all been doing this for a while now, and we knew Owen would toss us treats after we finished. Really, I was surprised at Blue for being bold enough to ignore him...I knew first hand that it wasn't a good idea to try taking over a higher ranking packmate.

{We're hungry, Alpha,} Delta snorted.

"Delta!"

{I want food!}

"Lock it up!"

A disheartened trill escaped her...I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her; sometimes Alpha wouldn't listen to us. It was easy for us to understand one another with our bodies, but when we tried to use our mouths to be more specific about things, we couldn't really understand Alpha. And in turn, he didn't seem to be able to understand us.

I kept quiet. I didn't want Owen to be upset at me, too...Fortunately, the others decided to follow my example for once, and we all stared up at him intently for several long moments.

"Good!"

A few more clicks came from his clicker before he continued the session.

"And...we're movin'!"

He walked along the metal pathway hanging above the Paddock, hand still outstretched for us to follow. And follow we did...I wasn't sure what the meaning of this odd training session was, but if it meant we got treats at the end I wasn't going to complain.

He stopped and called out...That was our cue to stop, and we all stood in a square formation as we continues to focus on him. I didn't pay much mind to what he was saying, because from the corner of my eye, I spied it...the treat pail! We were almost done!

"Very good, see? Charlie, that's what you get!"

He reached into the pail and fished out a handful of morsels, tossing one to Charlie first and letting her catch it...All of this training had made us pretty good at catching things in the air, that was for sure.

"Echo, here ya go!"

Me next! I leapt up to snag it and snapped my jaws shut just as it landed on my tongue...There was something different about these little bits of meat from what we normally ate. They looked like tiny, TINY little creatures with small legs and long, thin tails. The small bones inside gave them a nice crunch, and the meat had an earthy taste. Different...and delicious.

"Delta!"

She was next, and she snagged her piece with just as much precision as Charlie and I.

"Blue..."

She looked up at him intently, eyes flashing with hunger...I looked away, trying not to be jealous; Blue always got the biggest pieces, but I knew it was because she was the Beta. She needed the extra food to keep up her strength.

"This one's for you."

He tossed it, and she opened her mouth to grab it...Her treat had a lot more fur on it on top of being bigger, so I figured I might not like it as much anyway.

"Ho...! Eyes up!"

We all stared up at him one more time...This was the last bit before we could go run around again, so I waited patiently as he lowered his hand.

"Go!"

And that was it.

We all took off underneath the path he was standing on in a flash, going back to running around and enjoying the day...I could hear Alpha and his assistant speaking to one another from above us, congratulating each other on a job well done.

What exactly that job was, though, I had no clue. What was the purpose of all of this weird training? I couldn't see how it would help us hunt...But Blue seemed to have half a clue. What'd she called it? "Sharpening our focus?" Or a "displinary exercise," I think she referred to it beforehand. Whatever we called it, though, it was still bizarre.

What ELSE was bizarre was the sight of someone new above the Paddock. He'd shown up only yesterday, and he seemed to take great interest is us; why, he was speaking to Alpha right now, right above us! I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but Owen and Barry didn't seem all that impressed with him.

{I don't think I like him.}

It was Delta, coming up right behind me, stating the exact same thing I was thinking.

{Me neither. Alpha doesn't look pleased.}

{What do you think they're talking about?} she asked. {...Maybe a territory dispute? If this is Alpha's home, then I know he wouldn't want any intruders.}

{That makes sense...} I agreed.

{Of course it does, Omega,} Delta snapped. {But in that case, why don't they fight with their TEETH instead of their mouths? That works WAY better!}

{Are you sure this is Alpha's home?}

Charlie butted into our conversation.

{I mean...where does he sleep? Not with us.}

{Well, he can't be bedding down TOO far away,} Blue chimed in. {He comes here every day and stays for a long time.}

{I really wish I knew what was outside the Paddock,} Charlie mused. {Do you think we'll ever find out?}

{You're not thinking about trying to jump over the wall again, are you?} I asked her.

{SHUT UP, OMEGA! I got halfway there the LAST time! If I keep working on it, I'll get out eventually!}

{I've already given up trying to jump,} Delta admitted. {A better idea would be to see if we can squeeze through those doors our prey comes from. They have to come from somewhere outside, right?}

{...Sometimes I wonder, though,} Blue said to us. {What if the reason we're being kept in the Paddock is to protect us?}

{Protect us?} I repeated. {But I've never seen anything bigger than us before. The humans are tall, but only from top to bottom like a tree trunk. They aren't long from front to back. For all we know, maybe...we could be the biggest creatures in the world!}

{I don't know, Omega...Somehow, I doubt that. If we can hardly scale these walls halfway, then why would they have needed to be that high? There could be something out there...something HUGE. Maybe even a whole PACK of creatures bigger than us.}

{Well, if we can't get out and see for ourselves, then we'll probably never find out,} Delta gurgled.

Blue sighed and looked her way.

{...Maybe we aren't meant to.}

We all grew silent...Blue's theory resonated with me. Creatures out there far bigger than us...? what might they be like? Were they solitary? In packs? If we ever found them, could we possibly...merge together and combine our strengths? Or would they see us as prey?

"Hrmmm..."

Us? PREY? The possibility never crossed my mind before...Which begged another question. What did OUR prey eat? Did they eat other creatures, or perhaps something different? Plants? Rocks? There was so much I didn't know, that NONE of us knew...but maybe Blue was right. Maybe we weren't meant to. Maybe it was-

"Pig loose! PIG LOOSE!!"

The sound of squealing derailed my train of thought.

We all looked up towards the hovering path at the human calling out. It was only a moment later that we noticed the sounds of squealing coming from just below him.

{Our prey's back!} Blue announced. {And...what's HE doing?}

The human was reaching some kind of long rod down into the Paddock towards the pink creature as it ran by, a loop at its end just big enough for our target to fit its head in...Delta immediately knew what was going on.

{He's trying to take it from us!} she snarled. {Not on MY watch!}

Without missing a beat, she sprang into action, tackled our prey and snatched it away from the human's grasp JUST as its head went into the loop at the end of the rod. She wasn't deterred by that, though; Delta carried the rod off along with our catch, and then a scream rang out...A moment later there was a THUD, and we all turned to see what'd happened.

The human who'd tried to take our food was now on his back, on the ground...i n the Paddock with us. Delta had essentially pulled him in.

...And now he found himself at Blue's mercy.

{He's inside!} she cawed. {...No one steals our food and gets away with it.}

That was all the convincing we needed. Delta abandoned her fresh kill without any second thought so that all four of us could group together and close in on the thief. He tried to inch away, but we knew he wouldn't have much luck.

{If you STEAL our food,} Charlie taunted him. {...You BECOME the food.}

{Omega.}

I chittered to Blue in acknowledgement when I heard her call on me.

{You stay along the sidelines. Just in case he tries to flee to the left.}

{Of course...What will we do with him?} I asked.

{...You heard what Gamma said.}

I smirked. We would be eating well today...granted I actually got any.

"No, oh no, hold your fire!"

"Hrmm?"

We'd been so absorbed in going after the food thief that none of us had heard the sound of the metal doors opening, and now...Was that OWEN coming our way?

He skidded to a halt right in front of us, arms outstretched as though to protect the thief.

{Alpha!?} Blue exclaimed. {What are you DOING!?!}

"Hold your fire, DO NOT fire!"

A clicking sound came from above...I noticed two other people along the path from the corner of my eye, both of which had machines in hand pointed down at us. What were THEY trying to do?

"You put 12 AMPs in these animals, they're never gonna trust me again..."

{Something's different about this...} Blue trilled.

{I know,} Charlie agreed. {Alpha looks so small compared to when we were young.}

A mysterious glint entered Blue's eyes, and she chittered again thoughtfully.

{...I wonder...}

"Blue. Stand down..." Alpha said to her, his hand still outstretched. "...Stand down."

I expected her to submit without questioning. That was what she ALWAYS did...But for perhaps the first time ever, she decided she wasn't having it.

{Get BACK!}

"Hey, HEY! What'd I just say?"

What was she doing...? After all this time, after everything Owen had ever done for us, was Blue...trying to usurp his position as Alpha? Was that the right thing to do?

...Well, Delta sure seemed to think so.

{You look a lot weaker than you used to...} she snarled.

"Delta, I see you. Back up!"

{Listen to Beta!}

I was afraid for a minute that Delta was going to jump him. She was just as impulsive as she was clever, after all. But the fact that she was so smart was probably why she hadn't given in yet.

"Okay. Good...good."

We all continued to surround him, staring him down and entering a pouncing position...I knew Owen had let the thief escape, and I was just as upset about it as my sisters were. But...something about all of this didn't seem quite right. What were we all planning on doing to him, exactly?

{Why did you let him get away!?} Charlie hissed.

"Charlie...Stay right there."

{Traitor...}

I couldn't say the same for Charlie as I could for Delta. They shared the same impulse...but Charlie lacked the latter's brains. Of course, she was the youngest out of the four of us, but it was still ridiculous sometimes. Even now, I thought that calling Owen a full blown TRAITOR was a little extreme.

"Close the gate."

Barry didn't seem too on board with his request.

"Are you crazy!?"

"Hey, just trust me..." Owen assured him. Considering everything going on, he seemed awfully calm compared to the other humans.

"CLOSE THE GATE!" the food thief called out.

I was the only one on the sidelines, so I was the only one who could clearly see what Barry was doing...He stepped away from the food thief, reached for something on the opposite side of the metal bars and then backed up again.

...The bars began to slide down. They would trap Owen in here with us if he didn't...

Turn, duck and roll in the blink of an eye!

{ATTACK!}

Blue called out the charge, and we sprang forward, Owen inches away.

And a moment later, we all crashed against the cold metal of the closed gate that now stood in between us and him.

{Argh...}

Blue hissed and shook her head as the impact washed over her skull.

{He got away...} she acknowledged. {How did he do it? How does he manage so much when it turns out he's...?}

She huffed in frustration, then turned tail and walked away, Charlie and Delta dispersing soon after...I was the only one who stayed behind. Owen was speaking to the human who tried to steal from us, and I wanted to listen.

"You're the new guy, right?"

"Yeah..."

"You ever wonder why there was a job opening...?"

I watched him intently...He knew what Owen insinuated.

"Hey," Owen continued. "Don't ever turn your back to the cage."

{NEVER try to steal from us again,} I added, ensuring that he got a good view of my teeth when he turned his head to look at me. He shot up and fled without any hesitation after that.

Owen and I knew how to handle enemies. All of us did.

No one would mess with us and get away with it.

---

...

​

---

...







...





...

...Beep...



...Beep...



...Beep...



The rhythmic sound of beeping was the first thing I was able to process...and the pain came in a close second.

I winced, letting the quietest of hisses escape through my teeth, then strained to open my eyes. It took a few moments and a handful of blinks for everything to come into clear view.

...I didn't recognize this place. There was a wall behind me, two pale blue curtains to each of my sides, and a tile floor beneath...Just ahead stood a door that lead to somewhere else, illuminated by the garish light which shone down from above.

Upon more inspection, I found that I myself wasn't on the tile floor, but rather in a bed covered in white sheets. And all around the bed I was in, there were machines. All over the place, lots of them. One of them was the monitor making the beeping sound, beeping in tune with my own heart.

What was all of this...? And how did I get here, and-

The door creaked open.

...In walked the familiar figure of a Pokémon Center Nurse, and I was the first thing she laid eyes on once entering the room. Was this some part of the PMC that I hadn't seen before...?

"Oh, you're awake already...!" she realized, starting a little when we made eye contact. "Ah...Well, that's a good sign. You gave us quite a scare when you collapsed in the doorway, Echo."

{Wh...where am I...? What-?}

My eyes snapped wide open.

Everything suddenly flooded back to me.

...All of my questions followed close behind.

{What happened? What's going on? Where's my bag at? Where...where's Rotom!? What happened to him, i-is he okay!?}

"Easy now...You need to lie back down. You've sustained several injuries, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to be getting up right now."

I opened my mouth to say something else, but only another hiss escaped me. A sharp pain stabbed into my side just beneath my right arm, and I beheld a large, mauve bruise in that spot when I craned my neck down to look...There were a lot of bruises on me, it turned out, along with several burns, scratches and deep scrapes that grazed past the skin and into the muscle beneath, not to mention the stinging sensation I felt along my gums where a tooth was now missing.

I looked around the bed again...My hat was hung up above the bed with a torn ribbon and a missing flower, and my shirt had been replaced with white bandages wrapped around various parts of me...not much different from what the professor had used to heal me when I first came here.

{...You're right,} I nodded. {But...I still need to know what happened. What happened with Rotom when I got him here? Where are my other Pokémon? Are they in the front somewhere? Y-you took care of them right?}

She looked confused.

"I'm sorry, but...I don't understand."

{What do you mean you don't understand!? You're the nurse, don't you...?}

...

I stopped.

...When she said she couldn't understand me, she really meant...

{Oh, no...}

How could I have been so stupid? Rotom wasn't here. Without him, I had no one to translate for me...All the humans heard was a growling, garbled mess. How didn't I realize that sooner?

...How could I have taken him for granted?

But the bigger question still remained...And yet, I couldn't ask it. What was I going to do?

"I've got an idea," the nurse told me. "How about I ask you yes or no questions, and you either nod or shake your head in response?"

I heaved out a sigh to try and relieve the tightening in my chest. That did sound like it could work.

{...Alright, then,} I nodded.

"Well, when you first got here, you handed over your damaged RotomDex to me. Would you like an update on that first?"

I nodded eagerly, emitting an anxious trill.

"Alright...Well, there's good news and there's...not so good news. Would you like the good news first?"

I gulped hard, held my breath and nodded slowly...I wasn't sure what kind of shape Rotom would be in.

And I feared the worst.

"Well...the good news is that your Rotom is in stable condition. Since their bodies are primarily composed of plasma and they're naturally part Ghost-Type, Rotom have a fast healing process when they're in their normal form."

He was...stable?

"Agh..."

The weight of a thousand buildings was suddenly lifted from my shoulders, and I released my held breath in a raspy, relieved sigh...He was going to be okay.

"I can't say the same about when they're possessing an appliance, though," the nurse continued. "That's why yours sustained so many injuries inside the PokéDex, which...I can't say is in very good shape."

My grin fell away again, and I broke eye contact with her...Rotom was going to be alright in good time, that was more important to me, but...that PokéDex was the only one of its kind, and it was probably very valuable.

"Would you like to see him? I can bring him here so you don't have to get up."

I nodded again.

"Alright. One moment, please."

I watched intently as she left and turned a corner into a separate part of the emergency room. I heard some more hisses and descending drones from the machinery around where she'd gone before I saw her come back with what looked like a small, clear plastic box with some tubes and various devices attached to it. And a good number of the tubes on the inside were attached on their other ends to...

{Rotom...Ah...You're here.}

He didn't look...quite as bad here compared what he looked like in the PokéDex. Some parts of his amorphous orange body looked slightly darker and wavered; I guess his species' equivalent to bruising. One of his jittery wings zipped up and down at a much slower rate than the other, and his eyes looked tired and miserable.

{I know we're not in great shape right now,} I said to him. {But...we made it. That's what's important...We both made it.}

He didn't respond verbally. Not even so much as a buzz. That was fine. I didn't expect him to have much energy to make noise himself...What worried me more was that he hardly bothered to look at me.

{We'll...we'll find a way to make things right again. Once we get out of here, alright?}

His eyes shifted to look at me this time, finally...but the blank look on his face opened up a sinking pit inside of me, and I knew what it meant.

I failed him...and he knew that very well.

"I'm afraid I need to take him back to his station now," the nurse told me. "Both of you need the rest if you want to heal quickly."

{Is there a way you can use any Potions on him in order to speed up the healing process?}

"I know, I know you don't want him to leave so quickly. But it's important that we make sure everything stays stable until he's out of the woods."

She didn't know what I was asking...I brought a clawed hand to my face and huffed out a frustrated snarl. BLAST this stupid voice! If I could understand human language, why couldn't I use it with my OWN mouth!?

I watched as Rotom disappeared around the corner again, and the nurse reappeared by herself soon after.

"I have some more news to give you. Good news, this time," she continued. "Po Town police chief Officer Nanu and Captain Acerola arrived here shortly after you did and gave a summary of what happened...You went in there to rescue a trained Yungoos, is that correct?"

I nodded.

"The Yungoos is alright; I transferred possession of its Poké Ball back to Captain Acerola so she could take it back to its owner at the Aether House. In fact, it and your Eevee were the only Pokémon out of all the ones you had that didn't sustain any injuries at all. And furthermore, the rest of your team was mostly easy to patch up, too."

{They were?}

"Well...except for your Hawlucha, I'm afraid," she informed me. "He is awake and stable, but he'll need to rest for a few days...The lacerations on his torso cut deep into his muscle tissue; it was bad to the point where Potions alone couldn't fully fix it, so we had to give him quite a few stitches. Once the bandages come off, he'll need to stay off the battlefield and supplied with regular Potions on the afflicted area for a few weeks if he's to heal properly...Of course, I will take it upon me to care for him for the time being, given that you're in arguably worse condition."

Another heavy sigh escaped me. I supposed that things could be much worse...But what about the people we fought against? What were THEY like right now?

...How badly had I injured them? How many had been slashed by my claws or torn through by my teeth in my blind rage?

...Did they live...?

...Would any of them live, after what I'd done...?

...

...Why was I like this...?

"One more thing. I contacted the professor shortly after you arrived, and Officer Nanu and I explained everything to him...He was very worried about you when he heard that you were placed into intensive care, so I promised him I would let him see you when you were awake and ready. Would you like me to bring him in?"

...

...The professor...

{...Yes,} I nodded. {...Yes, bring him in...I need to settle some things with him. As soon as I can...}

I knew she couldn't hear me, but that didn't matter...I was mainly talking to myself at this point. I needed to make some arrangements...This couldn't happen again...

...I couldn't allow this to happen again. Ever.

"Alright. He'll be right with you, okay?"

She left the room, then appeared to open the door barely a minute later...Professor Kukui crept inside on wobbly knees, then motioned for the nurse to close the door behind him and exit.

...His eyes looked nearly as distressed as mine probably were, but his mouth brandished a smile.

"Hey there, cousin," he greeted. "Ah...Looks like you and Rotom got pretty roughed up while on your rescue mission, huh?"

...I gave him the slightest of nods.

"Man, I'm glad you're not worse off; Nurse Joy said you could've been. Might be in part because you're a little sturdier than the rest of us, but...still."

I shook my head in defeat, turning away from him...I couldn't look him in the eye. I was too ashamed.

"...I know you're upset about what happened in there," he continued, pulling a chair away from the far wall and taking a seat at my bedside. "If it helps at all, I spoke to Officer Nanu out there before coming in; he said he gave you the clear to defend yourself before you even went through the door, so you don't have to worry about the rest of the police coming after you for this. I think he knew you were going to have to fight them back, but...Even he seemed surprised by the fact they actually tried to..."

He trailed off for a moment, then drew in a deep breath and finished, his tone of voice deathly quiet.

"...Kill you in there," he finished. "They've...never tried to go this far to get their way before. I know they wanted revenge for your first encounter with them, but..."

{They changed their minds at the last minute,} I reminisced. {...When they shut the doors on me, the one I scarred said that if I gave them all of my Pokémon, they'd let me go...And then King came and saved me...}

The professor sighed.

"I wish that i knew what you were saying to me," he lamented. "Because I know I would understand if I could, I wish I could. I'm sorry that I can't..."

My eyes were drawn to the spot around the corner where Rotom was being kept...I knew he was back there, and I knew he could likely hear what Professor Kukui was saying. I wished I knew what was going on in his head, too.

But it was my fault that I couldn't. It was my fault that the professor couldn't know what I was thinking...All of this was my fault.

"...Hey. I got an idea," the professor suddenly spoke up, voice invigorated. "I've got a notepad and pen here in my lab coat pocket. I know you can write to some extent, so why don't you jot down what you'd like me to know?"

I didn't muster much but a soft trill to acknowledge his idea...That might work. So I finally rolled over again and dared to face him, taking the open notepad and grey pen from his offering hands.

...First of all, I wanted to know how mad he was about what happened to the PokéDex.

I wanted to write out every word that I wanted to say to him, but when I pressed my hand down onto the paper, a sharp pain shot down my wrist and right to my elbow...Something had happened to my right arm, and when I tried to switch them, it was like my left hand couldn't even hold it right...I couldn't say much, so I opted to show instead of tell.

I gave it my best effort, then handed the notepad back to him...To my relief, he recognized the blocky shape I'd managed to depict on the piece of paper.

"The PokéDex, huh...?"

A heavy sigh followed his discovery.

"Yeah, the nurse gave it to me to look at. It's in bad shape...It might as well have been slammed into a concrete wall, yeah? Heh..." he jeered, trying to make a bit of light out of the situation. "Ah...I'll have to take it back to Melemele and see how it looks on the inside; maybe the hard drive can be saved, among a few other internal mechanisms. But a lot of pieces need to be replaced, from what I can tell right now."

...It was destroyed. I knew the professor was being overly nice to me about this. He had to be...

"Now...what I can say is that I've been keeping in touch with my buddy over in Kalos," he continued. "Clemont's replicated a number of parts for it by now. And he's been tinkering with one of the Beta models to see what kinds of upgrades he could give it. I'm willing to bet Rotom wouldn't mind his PokéDex being waterproof, yeah!"

{...Yes.}

I nodded in agreement. Indeed, Rotom would be happy with a new PokéDex if he got one...He would probably also be much happier to receive a new Trainer to go along with it. Preferably one who was a normal human that could speak for itself without having to burden him with the task of translating every word they uttered.

He would be happier with someone like that...Not some violent, short-fused killing machine.

"...You got something else on your mind, Echo?"

...I turned away from him again, eyeing the leather bag on the floor that the professor had gifted me at the start of my journey. One of its straps was badly frayed in one spot, threatening to come apart at any minute, and it was covered in scuffs, smudged dirt and specs of dried blood.

I grabbed it by its good strap and lifted it up, turning back to the professor to drop it at his feet, along with all of its contents.

It was all his now. I wouldn't be needing it anymore...I didn't deserve any of it.

{...You can have this back, Professor,} I chittered to him. {And everything that's inside...}

He looked confused...I took out the passport and handed it to him, shaking my head.

{I don't need them anymore.}

"Wait, Echo, I..."

He understood now.

"You...you're giving up?"

{...I shouldn't be doing this at all,} I gargled. {I shouldn't even be here...I should be dead.}

My throat tightened, and I turned away from him again to hide the tears pooling in my eyes, letting them fall onto the tile floor instead.

{I...I'm too dangerous. I've hurt too many people too many times. I almost killed someone back in my old home. I might've killed so many people in Po Town. I...I'm a monster, not a person. I never should've been able to take the Island Challenge, I never should've been dropped here, I never should've left my Paddock, I'm sorry Professor, I'm sorry...}

I couldn't handle it anymore. It was too much. It was ALL TOO MUCH for me to take, to comprehend, to even so much as know.

...So I didn't.

I broke. I heaved, and I hollered.

...I cried. I cried like a pathetic hatchling right out of the egg in front of him. I was pathetic. I was vile, and dangerous.

...I was horrible.

I wasn't sure why, but even in the shattered state I was in, I still half expected the professor to say something. Anything. But he didn't. He was silent for a good long while, and I could feel his eyes peering into the back of my head as I lay there wailing.

...I wasn't sure how long it'd been, but after a while my throat seemed to tighten too much to produce any more noise. My tears ran dry, as though I'd used them all up in one sitting. All that escaped me anymore was a long, drawn out wheeze every time I breathed out after a sob. But other than that, I'd gone quiet. I'd spent all of my noise, and now I had none left. And the room fell silent.

...For all of ten seconds.

But it was not me who broke it.

"...Echo," the professor addressed me. "...Turn around and look at me."

His tone was calm and doting. But I couldn't bring myself to face him after everything that'd happened between now and earlier.

"...Please?"

...

...Why?

Why did he WANT me to look at him? Why wasn't he repulsed by this...this ANIMAL that lay on the bed before him? That was what I was, Owen had said. I was not a human, and I was not a Pokémon. I was something lesser than either.

...An animal. An unpredictable, violent animal. And no amount of human reasoning or consciousness could ever change that.

And yet, in this place, I was still treated like something more.

"...Just for a minute?"

I finally caved, slowly turning to face him. I saw his expression fall further the moment our eyes met, a look of pity washing over him.

He didn't say much else. Instead, he reached out with his hand and stroked the bridge of my snout...just like he did my first day here.

"...I know you remember," he said to me. "Because you're good at remembering...You remember how Lillie and I took you into the lab and healed you up after you showed up on the beach?"

I shifted my head up and down along the pillow...It was the best nod I could manage at the moment.

"...What you probably don't know," he continued. "Was that you were...pretty close to not making it at one point during the operation."

...

...It took a moment for his claim to sink in.

My eyes widened slowly as it did, and they focused more on the look of the Professor's face.

{...Really?}

"You lost a scary amount of blood while I was trying to realign your broken ribs so they wouldn't puncture your lungs again," he continued. "And since you weren't anything I'd ever seen before, I wasn't sure whether or not any of the blood I had on hand would be compatible with your type...I settled on a combination of blood types from different members of the Dragon egg group to restabilize you, but by then it was almost too late. If I'd waited another three seconds before I transferred it into your system, you..."

He sighed deeply.

"...You would have died."

He was silent for a while after that. I was silent, too...I knew that the professor had saved me that day, but...I never knew that he had come so close to failing.

...That I had come so close to death. Again.

"But..." he finally continued. "...You did make it. Because I was able to give you that transfusion just in time...But I knew that I'd made a mistake, and that you could've just as easily died right there in front of me. So, once you were all closed up and bandaged, I...made a promise to you. While you were lying there asleep, I promised you that I wouldn't ever give up on you, no matter what. Because I knew that you were special, and I knew how close I'd come to failing you...And I promised the two of us that I would never walk away. No matter what. And I'm gonna keep that promise as long as my heart's still beating. So, please...Don't give up either, Echo."

He put my passport and bag back on the table at my bedside, nudging them closer to me as though to tell me not to surrender them...I continued to look in his direction, blank-faced. I wasn't sure how to respond...I wasn't sure how it was possible that the professor could be so forgiving.

...Even if he did mean all of what he said, I knew I didn't deserve to hear it. I knew that he could have made a promise to someone who did, and not some loathsome creature like me.

"Look...Could you have handled what went down between you and Guzma a little better? Maybe. But to be honest, given what Nanu told me and given how you ended up here, I think some kind of fight between you two was inevitable. But only because Team Skull was brazen enough to push you to your breaking point...They've never done anything like this before...But I digress. At this point, what's done is done...and you can't change it. That's the way life is. If you make a mistake, you do your best to make it right and move on. That's what you did when you first got here, right? And...that's what you've been doing all this time."

I didn't give him much of a response...As much as I wanted to believe him deep down, there was no fixing this right away. Or overnight. And even worse, I still didn't know the fates of all of the skull grunts that I'd all but torn to shreds in the Shady House. Nor did I know the fate of Guzma. Or Lillie and Hau.

...Lillie and Hau...

My heart stopped.

{Oh, no...}

"What's the matter-? WHOA!"

I shot up in the bed. Lillie and Hau were still at the Aether House. And the Professor was here.

...Which meant they were unprotected.

Were they being attacked by grunts as we spoke? By Plumeria!? How long had it been since I left Po Town!? How long had I been lying here being useless!?

...Was it too late?

No. It couldn't be. I couldn't ALLOW it to be...Not after everything I'd done.

I had to make up for it somehow. I had to make up for ALL of my heinous acts somehow, if not to gain back what trust I'd certainly lost then to clear my conscience.

...It was what I'd been doing all this time.

{Professor. We need to go, and we need to go NOW.}

"What's goin' on, Echo?" he asked, eyes flashing heavy concern. "Here, go ahead and jot it down in the notepad."

He handed the pad of paper back to me...I grabbed the pen next, then scrawled out what panicked thoughts I could get onto the pages so quickly that even I could barely read it. But I didn't even care at the time. I handed it back to Professor Kukui in a flash, and he decoded it as best he could within just a few seconds.

"Lillie, Hau...Danger?"

I nodded.

"...Is Team Skull involved?"

I nodded again.

"Oh, no...So that's why they beckoned you into Po Town. It all makes sense now..."

{I learned that a while ago,} I answered, even if my words did fall on unknowing ears. {We need to get there right away...!}

"Wh-whoa, no, no Echo, you...You can't come with me, cousin. I wish you could, but you're in no condition to go up against any more danger."

{But I can't just-}

"Echo...You need to stay here and rest. I don't want you to strain yourself like this when-"

{This is MY FAULT, Kukui! If anyone's going to fix this mess it's going to be me, and YOU CAN'T STOP ME!! STOP FORGIVING ME SO MUCH!!!}

He staggered backwards as I sprang back up onto my feet and screamed at him. Clips strung on cords were pulled from me as I got out of the cursed bed, and several bandages were strained. But I didn't care...I was putting my foot down. I wasn't about to lie around while two of my friends were being attacked by the same people who'd put me here. Not when it was my fault.

...And not when it was my responsibility.

"You..." the professor stammered. "...You're not gonna let me stop you, are you?"

I shook my head, motioning for him to follow me out the door.

"...Heh," he grinned. "...Just like the day you started the Island Challenge, huh?"

He followed me out the door not far behind. There was a limp in my step as I approached the front desk, and splotches of pain scattered across my entire body, but I did whatever I could to ignore it...I had no choice if I was going to make things right.

"What...Echo, what are you doing!?" the nurse exclaimed when she saw me. "You can't just leave the ICU, you're still a Code Yellow patient!"

{Don't care. I need to leave now. I'll need my Pokémon back from holding...please.}

I extended my hands to take them with. She looked at me, then eyed the professor hoping he would assist her.

"I'm afraid her mind's made up, Nurse Joy," he said to her. "What're we gonna do, wrestle her back onto the bed the way she is? I don't wanna break anything else by mistake if we tried..."

She sighed heavily, then handed me my Pokémon back.

"Can you at least return here when you're finished with...whatever you're going to do? Your condition still needs to be monitored."

{I'll see what I can do,} I nodded lightly. {...I know you can't hear me say 'thank you,' so take this instead.}

From within my battered pack, I pulled out 100₱ and slid it towards her along the desk. And then I limped out before she had a chance to deny it, Professor Kukui still tailing me outside. I reached into my bag with my good arm, hoping that my ride pager was still in there...Yes! There it was!

Please don't be broken, PLEASE don't be broken...!

...It was scuffed along its handle. But other than that, it looked alright.

I sighed with relief, then summoned Charizard. He materialized before me and landed on the ground with a loud thud, then looked down at me intently.

"Rrgh...?"

It took immediate notice to my injuries.

{I know. It looks bad. But you have to take us back to the Aether House; someone's in danger!}

"Ruuurrrr..."

It looked at Kukui, then shook its head and motioned at the single seat on its harness.

{There's...no room?}

"No need to panic, Echo," the professor stated. "I don't think I ever mentioned this to you, but I've got myself a ride pager, too! Haven't used in in a while...Hope he still recognizes me."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pager that looked near identical to mine, except with a bit less luster due to its age. He called out his own ride Pokémon, and it appeared in front of him in a flash of light, just as Charizard had.

"Aeuuuur!"

For such a hefty-looking creature, the ride Pokémon landed on the ground quite gently. Aside from its added bulk it wasn't built too differently from Charizard and I, but it had long feelers in place of the latter's horns, a shorter rounder snout and scales that shimmered a soft shade of gold instead of a flaming orange.

"Been a while, hasn't it Dragonite?" the professor said to it. "Go ahead and fly us down to Route 15, buddy. We've got an emergency to deal with."

It nodded, then lowered itself to let the professor climb aboard it's seat. In spite of it's small wings, Dragonite had no trouble lifting itself off the ground, and Charizard and I followed close behind it.

...Hopefully, we weren't too late.

---

...

​

---

"Take it easy there, Echo. Don't want you to make anything worse."

{I know...I know, but I have to.}

I made my way up the stairs towards the Aether House entrance with an unsteady gait, the professor keeping his hands outstretched in case I fell until we made it to the front door. I stumbled towards the door, then reached back into my bag to fetch a Poké Ball.

{Archer...} I gurgled, releasing him from his capsule. {...Look sharp.}

"Dwit...dwit, dwit?"

Upon emerging, he got a good, long look at my battered, bandaged form.

{I'm...alright. Just a little roughed up, is all,} I assured him. {Don't worry about me...You won't have to for much longer, anyways.}

"Droo...?"

{Just...focus and stay on the lookout for grunts as we go in.}

He was hesitant to accept my claim, but he ultimately nodded and peeled his eyes as we entered the establishment...Immediately, the ammonic and filthy smell of skull grunts hit me, and I growled lowly to warn the professor.

"You smell somethin', cousin?"

I nodded.

"...Team Skull?"

Another nod.

"Can you pick up a scent trail?"

I sniffed again...The scent carried on past the entrance and down the right hallway.

{This way.}

I lead the way through the right door and down the corridor, nose to the ground. The tapping of the professor's shoes and the clacking of Archer's talons sounded off quietly behind me; I could tell they were anxious, too...Fortunately, Archer was in better shape than I was; Pokémon Center technology was certainly helpful, that I could say.

As the smell got stronger, I felt my big claws begin to tap against the tile floor anxiously...I honestly didn't know if I could look another grunt in the eye ever again after what had just happened in Po Town. So what would I do when I found them? What would I say, or feel?

...What was I feeling right now? It was a confusing feeling. Rage? Fear? Guilt...? Or...perhaps it was all three. I didn't know. I couldn't tell.

All I knew was that now, the source of the scent was just behind the door at the end of the hall.

I turned back towards the professor and Archer, warning them of the potential danger.

{Stay close,} I chittered, motioning for them to stay close to me with a flick of my head. {They're right in here.}

I pressed a button to open the door and slide it open...There were the two grunts that I smelled, on the other end of the cafeteria that we had now walked into.

...And there was Hau, backed up against the wall with a badly battered Primarina in his arms.

They were trying to steal it from him.

"No...No, stop! I'm not gonna let you take Primarina!"

"And how do you think you're gonna do that? It's not like you got anymore Pokémon that can fight after the two of us and Plumeria beat you down. And Scarface ain't around...She's on OUR turf. And by now, she's probably been chewed up and spat out by the bulk of us. Because they were waitin' for her there...She's not gonna be able to save your hide this time."

{Think again.}

I gurgled my response right into his ear from behind...He seemed to freeze where he stood, taking several long moments to turn his head and look at me. The others followed one by one, eyes wide as dinnerplates as they saw me AND the professor standing there.

"Wh...what the...?"

"You've gone way too far this time," Professor Kukui told them...His tone sent a shiver up even my own spine. "Step away from Hau, and no one gets hurt."

"I...Tch. Come on, you ain't..." the grunt stammered. "Yo, but...A'ight, how the heck did THIS scaly fool come back so soon? From what I heard through the grunt vine, the only reason she ain't dead in a ditch is 'cuz her Tyrunt decided to evolve at the worst time and save her behind!"

So it was true. They HAD intended to kill me. In hindsight, they might've jumped me all over again if I'd made the foolish decision to cave into their little "agreement" for me to surrender my Pokémon in return for their mercy.

...I might not have been any better than them in terms of killing people, but if this was equal footing then at this point it was equal game...That I had decided.

I stepped towards him, doing my absolute best not to limp on my bad leg. If he could tell my gait was off kilter, he might not be so inclined to heed my warning.

{...Get out.}

He seemed to freeze in place, eyes locked with mine in a confused stare.

"I...I don't get it, what're-?"

{GET! OUT!!!}

I could tell from the sound reverberating off the walls that my scream had pierced the walls of the Aether House and made it into the outside world...It was well enough to convince the pack of skull grunts to listen, regardless of whether or not they understood what I said. Like a pack of maniacs, they panicked and tripped over one another's feet as they all tried to scramble out of the same exit at once, finally disappearing around the corner...I could hear them leave through the main entrance not long after.

I heaved out a sigh, then relaxed my bad leg and took the weight off of it...I was happy Professor Kukui was here to add to the intimidation factor, otherwise I might not have been quite so lucky.

"Nice goin' there, Echo," he said to me. "Ha...These creeps will think twice to mess with you when you're with me, that's for sure."

{I hope it stays that way,} I sighed. {...They must be scared of you for a reason, though, if that's the case.}

As curious as the idea of what sort of Trainer Professor Kukui was, now wasn't the time to wonder about it...Our next course of action was to make sure Hau was alright.

We approached him, and I scanned for any potential bruising as we got closer...Aside from a small scrape on his left knee he looked untouched, but he was breathing so heavily after that encounter that I swore his lungs would POP at any moment.

"Looks like we got here just in time," the professor remarked. "You okay, cousin? You look pretty shaken up."

"I...Th-they didn't hurt me, no, but-"

"Okay...Where's Acerola? I know she came back here to return the Yungoos."

"She went to take care of another group of grunts that went down the other end of the building, but she doesn't know that-"

{What about the scrape on your knee?} I inquired, taking a slightly whiff of it. {...Smells more like the floor than a grunt. Did you trip while-}

"LISTEN TO ME!!"

I backed away from him, alarmed...Hau wasn't ever like this.

...Something had to be VERY wrong for him to be so agitated.

"They...Y-you gotta listen to me," he stammered. "They started entering the house only twenty minutes after you guys left. I tried to hide Lillie and I in one of the supply closets, and that bought us some time, but then Nebby got back out again and gave us away. I-I had us locked in but they melted the knob with one of their Salandit, so I tried to hold them off, but there were too many, and...and they..."

I looked around the room as Hau trailed off...The closet door in question was still ajar, and Lillie's subtle scent was still present in the air.

...But she was nowhere to be seen.

{...Oh, no...}

"They took her," he finally spat out. "They took her with them, and I...I couldn't protect her..."

"Don't worry, Hau," the professor assured him. "We're gonna get her back, okay?"

"Y-you think we can?"

{We can...And we will,} I gargled to him, nodding lightly. {...You did everything you could. I can...see the state your Primarina is in, so you had to have put up a good fight.}

I looked over to his partner Pokémon, which was still out of its capsule beside him. Archer had stepped forward to make sure she was alright, and the two were exchanging trills with one another...In spite of my own words being not much more comprehensible than theirs, the look in Hau's gaze as he met mine told me that, deep down...he understood.

"I know...I did what I could," he replied. "Uh...Wh-what happened to Rotom?"

...

...The professor and I looked at one another.

"Oh, no, did they get him, too!?"

"Unfortunately," Professor Kukui answered him. "...Good news is Rotom's gonna be okay, though; he's at the PMC right now. The PokéDex needs some...work done on it, though."

"Aw, jeez...Well, maybe you can still work around it, Echo. But right now we need to focus on Lillie."

He took in a deep breath to calm himself before continuing.

"...When the grunts first came and we were moving down the hallways, Lillie said to me that if they found us and they took her, that the first place we should come looking is the Aether Paradise."

"The Aether Paradise?" the professor repeated. "What would she be doing there if Team Skull were the ones who got ahold of her?"

"I don't know, but...The way she put it makes me think she knows something that we don't. She didn't go into that much detail, since...y'know, we wanted to stay quiet. But that was the bottom line, so I think we should go there first."

{That's all we needed to hear,} I nodded. {Come on. Let's head back out to the entrance.}

We returned out partner Pokémon to their balls and swiftly backtracked up the hallway again and approached the reception room...

...Just in time to see another two skull grunts fleeing from the other side and bursting out the door, screaming to one another.

"Come on, come on, let's scram!"

"Go, go, go!"

They didn't even notice us, they were so frantic...I was about to wonder why, but then I saw none other than Acerola come from the direction they had as well, sided by the same grey Pokémon I'd seen her fight with before.

"Smooth work, Banette," she said to it. "That ought to teach them a lesson."

That was when she looked up and saw us on the other side of the room.

"Professor! Hau! And...Echo? What are you doing here, you're hurt!"

I shook my head.

"I know, Captain," the professor spoke up. "But...that won't stop her. Nothing will, not even us."

"Hau. I got rid of the other grunts," she said to him, approaching us. "What's the situation?"

"I...I couldn't fend them all off. There were too many, and they...They took her, Captain. But she told me some things while we were hiding, and I think I know where we need to look!"

"Not good...Well, wherever that is, we need to get there now. There's no telling what-"

"WHERE IS SHE!?!"

There was a scream, and then the sound of heavy, angry footsteps came barreling into the Aether House, skidding to a halt at the front desk...I recognized the figure immediately upon seeing him.

{Gladion?}

"I came as soon as I caught wind of what Team Skull was up to," he huffed. "Is Lillie still here!?"

"No...I'm afraid she was taken by them," Acerola answered him...prompting Gladion to emit a noise not too different from the ones I made.

"I should've known you two dimwits were gonna screw this up!"

"Hey, whoa, what's this all about?" the professor intervened. "Hau, Echo, do...do you know this guy?"

"Yeah, professor," Hau replied. "Gladion does odd jobs for Team Skull, but he's not exactly a fan of them either."

"You...YOU were supposed to be the smart one, but you were dumb enough to go in there after that STUPID Yungoos," he accused me. "I oughta tear you and your team apart RIGHT NOW after you...!"

He trailed off the longer he looked at me, eyes scanning along my numerous bandages, bruises, cuts and whatnot.

"...Oh. I...I guess they already did, huh?"

"Well ghee, you think so?" the professor retorted.

"Oh, yeah, Echo, you...You look bad. REALLY bad," Hau finally realized. "Are you sure you're good to help us out?"

I nodded.

{I'm the one who helped to make this problem,} I acknowledged.. {...I have to do something to fix it, don't I?}

"Come on. Let's get to the marina," Gladion spoke up. "If they have Lillie then they must have Cosmog, too. And if it falls into the wrong hands, then...we're gonna have an even bigger problem."

"You taggin' along, Acerola?" the professor asked the trial captain.

"I'd like to, but given what Team Skull just tried to pull, I think it'd be best if I stayed here. The ones I chased off tried to take some Pokémon along with them, so I don't want to be gone again if any others come around."

"Thanks anyways, Captain...The four of us should be enough to do this. We'll get back to you as soon as we can, yeah?"

She nodded.

"Alright," Gladion spoke up again. "...Let's move."

We followed him outside, and kept up with him as best we could. As much as my legs ached and the pain in my side twinged every time I took a step, I had to ignore it as much as I could...I deserved it, after all. Most of this mess was my fault.

Therefore, I had to be the one to fix it. ALL of it.

...Because no one would mess with the people I cared about and get away with it.

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

When we first arrived at the marina, we were horrified to discover that all of the ferries on route to Aether Paradise had been abruptly canceled just before our arrival. Fortunately, Professor Kukui still had his old boat on hand, so we opted to take that instead.

"Looks like they're one step ahead of us," Gladion remarked as we boarded. "...As much as I don't really trust this thing to float, it's our best bet for getting in there."

Once me, Hau and Gladion were all aboard, the professor revved up the engine and put on the gas, sending us into the open water as fast as the boat could go...No one said much of anything for the first few minutes we were out on the water. We were all too preoccupied with our own thoughts...many of which were shared between us.

Finally, Hau spoke up.

"Um...Gladion?"

"Hm."

"Would you care to tell us what exactly Lillie would be doing at Aether Paradise if Team Skull were the ones that took her?"

"I..."

He trailed off.

"...I don't like telling other people things like this. I'm not even sure you'll believe me, considering I'm...supposed to be on their side."

"Whatever it is, I'll believe it."

"...I guess that doesn't surprise me. You really want to know?"

"Of course I do! This is LILLIE we're talking about, man!"

"Hau's right, Gladion," the professor chimed in from behind the wheel. "We need to know what's happening so we can plan our next move."

"Fine...But you're not gonna like this," Gladion replied, taking in a deep breath. "...Team Skull and the Aether Foundation are in kahoots with each other."

{WHAT!?!}

I thought for a moment that I'd misheard him. But the look on his face, as well as Hau's and Professor Kukui's, I realized that yes, that was what he had said...Questions swarmed my brain. When? For how long? And...WHY??

"I know...I wouldn't want to believe it either if I were you. But that's the truth."

"But their ideals are completely polarized from one another," the professor acknowledged. "Why would they...?"

"I'll tell you why," Gladion answered him. "It's Cosmog."

"Cosmog? You...you mean Nebby?"

"Whatever you guys want to call it...Hau. Echo. I'm hoping you remember what I said would happen if anyone got their hands on it, right?"

Hau and I exchanged glances, then nodded at him.

"You said it could spell doom for Alola...if not the whole world, right?"

"So you did manage to remember...I hope you guys understand that since YOU were the ones who failed to follow my warning and keep it safe, YOU'RE gonna have to help me stop this whole thing. So you better look like being up to the task."

"Whoa, whoa, WAIT. Hold up just a minute," Hau interrupted him. "...If this was so important and we're so 'weak', then why didn't YOU keep Nebby safe?"

"I couldn't have been seen with Lillie when they knew she had Cosmog! If I did, then I'd have been just as screwed over as she was. Team Skull would have done to me what they tried to do to you, Echo. Probably TWICE over, since they'd consider me a traitor in that case."

I looked down at my bruised, bandaged arms...They would have tried to kill him, too?

"...Well, one thing's for sure," the professor stated. "All of what's going on here can't be kept low anymore. Once we handle whatever's going on in the Paradise, we're gonna have to share this information with...everyone. The Kahunas, the police force...No one knew the Team Skull situation was really this bad. Let alone what's going on at the Aether Foundation."

"Speaking of all that, Professor," Gladion addressed him, rolling up his sleeve to take a peek at his watch. "It's almost on the hour. If we're not too out of range out here, you might turn on the radio and see if you can find a news station. I'd like to know if what Team Skull tried to pull with Echo in Po Town has gotten around to the rest of the island yet."

"I suppose it's worth a try. This old thing hasn't failed me yet!"

He flicked a switch and turned a large grey dial on his dashboard, searching for a station...I watched and listened intently as the noise from the dashboard speaker went from static, to faint voices, to static again and then to back to voices, which were now clear enough to be understood through the lingering static.

"And that's it for tonight's predictions and outlook for the upcoming Silver Conference! Back to you with the latest, Jenna."

"Thank you, Tom. This just in, breaking news coming in from Ula'ula Island regarding the criminal organization Team Skull."

"That's it!" Hau exclaimed.

{Shush, let me listen...!}

"Early this afternoon, local rising celebrity Echo infiltrated their occupied territory of Po Town to rescue a Yungoos that had been reportedly stolen from a young orphan who lived at the Aether House on Route 15. What started out as an act of heroism ultimately turned into what police describe as an absolute blood bath. Here reporting at the scene of the investigation is Dan Herman alongside Island Kahuna Nanu as well as head of the Po Town Police Department, and trial captain Acerola."

Wait...Officer Nanu was the Island Kahuna, too?

"Thank you, Jenna. Kahuna Nanu, you say that you were aware that something like this was likely to happen when Echo met you at your station before going in. Can you tell us what she said before entering Po Town?"

"I tried to dissuade her from doing it...But she's not exactly the type to be dissuaded, y'know? Even over a Yungoos...Of course, she already had a bit of a beef with Team Skull beforehand, so I'm thinkin' they had this planned out for a while so they could exact some kind of revenge...Why they thought it was a good idea to attack something with claws that long is beyond me, though."

"Speaking of which, is it true that before the events that took place inside Po Town, you pardoned her from all potential charges that she might've otherwise faced?"

"Well yeah. You gonna put someone in a cage for defending themselves against that many thugs? You gotta do what you gotta do in a situation like that."

"I see. Over to you, Acerola. I, uh...can't help but notice the gaping hole in the wall surrounding the complex that wasn't there before, do you have any information on that?"

"I was able to catch a glimpse of what happened when I heard the noise from that way...I think her Tyrunt evolved while she was still inside, and it must have helped her escape."

"And...would you care to tell us about her state of health after the ordeal? Last we heard, she was in the emergency room at the PMC on Route 16 recovering from her injuries, and I'm sure the public is very worried. Do you have any updates on her condition?"

"Yes...She's...since left the Pokémon Center. For now, at least...I can't go into detail about what she's doing right now, though. But I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

"So she's alive?"

"More than she probably should be," I heard Officer-Kahuna Nanu chime in.

"Well, that's good news, at least...Jenna, do you have any word coming in from the Malie City Hospital concerning the state of the Team Skull members found at the scene?"

"Hang on. I'm receiving more information as we speak...I see...yes...Alright. First responders on the scene state that none of the usually aggressive Skull grunts tried to barricade them from entering Po Town, contrary to what was expected. A reported thirty-five members of the gang were found critically injured inside the Shady House, eighteen of whom were unresponsive. Among those attacked was the team's leader, Bartholomew 'Guzma' Monocott, whom paramedics say was in the worst state out of all the injured found on the scene."

...My heart sank.

"As of right now, no deaths have been reported, but this is liable to change within the next 24 hours. Our reporters will continue doing our best to keep everyone at home updated and informed. Back to you, Tom."

"Thank you, Jenna. Now, onto our next-"

The professor turned the knob, and the radio went silent.

"Well...That's good news for now, Echo," he said to me. "They're doing their best to fix everyone up over there. Hopefully they can get everyone to make a full recovery...If not for their sake, then for yours, yeah?"

...I didn't answer him. I was too deep in my own thoughts.

No deaths had been reported...I imagined they had scoured the scene, given that this event was important enough to be sent out to everyone and anyone who would listen...But that didn't mean that any of them couldn't still die. That they wouldn't still die...And when they did, it would be my fault.

"Wait," Hau spoke up. "Did...did they say Guzma's real name was-?"

"Bartholomew?" the professor finished for him. "Yeah, that's true. He and I go back a number of years, too...But I don't think now's the best time to have a laugh over it, y'know?"

From the corner of my eye as I stared down at the boat deck, I saw Hau look my way...I could see the concern in his eyes, deep and heartfelt.

"...Hey, Echo?"

I turned my gaze up toward him, but my head just didn't want to move.

"I know that this is...probably really rough for you, given how much you've learned and grown since you came here," he said to me. "But...whatever happens, I'll still be here. Backin' you up, and standing beside you. Because...we're like siblings now, remember?"

...

"Heh...Heck, you even said it yourself!"

...

"...Echo...?"

I turned away from him, limping over to the starboard bough of the boat and slumping down, head hanging over the edge.

"...You're not gonna just...give up, are you?"

...

...I didn't know.

Hau was silent from then on out. He approached me again, leaning his crossed arms across the starboard deck and resting his head on them barely a foot away from me...I finally looked at him again, but still, nothing more was said between us. We didn't need to say anything right now. All we needed right now was to think.

...All I needed right now was to think. About many things.

"Fellas...This is it."

The professor's voice prompted me to finally look ahead, and I saw the massive floating structure that was the Aether Paradise growing closer...I wasn't sure if it was because of the blanket of greyish clouds blocking the sun or if it was my newfound knowledge about this place courtesy of Gladion, but the structure had lost its pearly white luster, now appearing the same tone as the stratus above...Gloomy, unsettling off-white.

The boat slowed more and more by the second as we approached...If all the ferries were canceled then an unannounced boat coming toward the docks would probably raise some alarm, so the last thing we wanted was to be spotted.

"This is the harbor...I remember this is where the boat took us when we came here the first time," Hau recalled.

{What's that?}

A stark black and white boat in the otherwise empty port up ahead caught my attention, and I directed the others' eyes to it with a point of my claw...There was an all too familiar emblem on its side.

"Team Skull..." Professor Kukui whispered. "So it's true."

"What'd I tell you?" Gladion remarked, scouring the platforms up ahead. "...Doesn't look like there's anyone on patrol up there. I think we're safe to dock."

The professor nodded, parking the boat right beside the enemy's and coming to a stop...The walls were low and had no fencing, so we all simply hopped off the boat's bough and onto the megastructure.

"It's quiet," Gladion remarked once we were all off the boat. "...Too quiet."

"So do we have a game plan, Gladion?" Hau asked him. "Like, where in this place do you think they would have taken her?"

"...I have a hunch. The elevator shaft goes through the center of the loading dock, just past the boat harbor. If we can get to it, that should help us out."

"That's a start," the professor remarked.

"But it wouldn't surprise me if there are guards that way; security in this place was already tight before they partnered up with Team Skull. I doubt the employees there will try to fight with their fists, but be ready for a Pokémon battle in case we're spotted."

I looked over in the direction Gladion was suggesting we head, and I peered around the wall...One whiff of the air told me there were at least three people down that way, and I expressed my concern with a low trill.

"Can you smell people down that way?" the professor asked, to which I nodded.

"Hm...You were able to evade detection from Team Skull for long enough to get that Yungoos from what I heard," Gladion said to me. "Not sure what exactly you did, but if you could pull it off a second time that might be useful."

"Hrrmmmm..."

"You sure you're up for it, Echo?" the professor asked me. "You're...still not exactly fit to carry out another rescue mission."

I nodded back at him. This was something I had to do...At least this time I wasn't alone.

With Gladion's idea in mind, I reached for Grace's Poké Ball and released her from it, hoping that the sound of an opening capsule wasn't loud enough to attract any unwanted attention...Grace hadn't been out of her ball much today due to her stolen Everstone and the dangerous territory we were in earlier, but she didn't have to worry about the risk of evolution as long as she didn't engage in battle. Besides, Archer was likely exhausted after everything that happened in Po Town...After all, I certainly was.

"Vui...? Vui, vui eievui!"

Tears welled in her eyes, and she rubbed her velvet cheek against my lower leg. It was clear she knew some of what happened with Team Skull earlier; perhaps she'd heard the commotion from her Pokémon Ball or was told everything by the nurse after the fact. But regardless, she was glad to see me back on my feet. And I was glad to see her, too.

I bent down to return the favor by stroking the top of her head, but the moment she looked up to meet my gaze I shushed her gently.

{I'm glad to see you too,} I assured her. {But we need to be quiet...Something else happened while we were in Po Town, and we need to fix this too.}

"Vui...?"

{There are guards up ahead, Grace...I need you to help us get past them. If you can get the guards' attention and evade them for long enough, we'll have a clear shot to the elevator.}

...She looked skeptical.

{Don't worry; I did similar tricks with Archer and Sassafras during that Yungoos rescue,} I said to her. {Hau, Gladion and Professor Kukui are here, too. We're all right behind you in case anything goes wrong.}

"Eievui?"

Grace looked behind me to see my trio of human companions, and she seemed slightly more at ease.

"You got this, Grace," Hau whispered to her. "Oh. I have an idea. Here's some extra support!"

Hau pulled out one of his own Poké Balls and released his own Eevee...I nodded approvingly; if Grace had an extra hand, that was an even greater chance of success.

"Vui?"

Hau's Eevee looked around its new surroundings, confused. Then he looked to Grace, and then up at Hau for an explanation.

"It's...a long story, little dude. But the gist of it is Grace here might need some assistance in sneaking past these guards up here."

"I hope two isn't enough to blow our cover," Gladion remarked. "...Good news is there IS an Eevee sanctuary closed off from the rest of the conservation center here, so best case scenario is they'll think they escaped."

{That might help us out,} I remarked.

"Wait, how would you know about something like that?" Hau asked him. "Have you been with Team Skull here before or something?"

"No more questions; we can't waste any time right now. Just send 'em out."

I nodded in spite of Gladion's odd response, then looked around the corner again with my head tilted downward to align with the wall and not stick out...One of the Aether employees was just turning around, back now facing us as he continued back the other way.

{Hurry. Head behind that big crate up ahead.}

Grace lead the charge, paws light and near noiseless on the tile floor as she ducked behind one of the bigger crates, Hau's Eevee not far behind.

{How many can you see from there?} I trilled, just barely audible myself over the guards' footsteps...After getting a quick look herself, Grace looked to me and patted the tile with her forepaw four times.

{Four? Just as I thought...Think you two can handle it?}

They both nodded, Grace stiffening her stance and putting on a confident glare to match that of Hau's Eevee.

{Alright...Go lead 'em off.}

They dashed out of their hiding spot.

...And RIGHT into the sightline of another guard before scurrying further down the dock.

"Hey!"

Hau, Gladion and the professor all leaned in and watched alongside me from behind the wall as the first guard caught wind of the situation.

"What's going on?"

"There are EEVEES in here!"

"Eevees? How'd they get down here!?"

"I don't know, but I might need a hand getting them!"

There were two more Aether employees further down, and I saw them look at the floor as the pair went by. The next thing we knew, all four of them were in hot pursuit of the bait.

"Come back! You two can't be down here, it could be dangerous!"

"...It's funny," Professor Kukui remarked. "They're in some sketchy business, yeah. But at the end of the day it's still the safety of the Pokémon here that matters most to 'em."

"They probably don't know what's actually going on," Gladion told him. "And YOU won't either unless we go right now!"

I was the first one to lead us through the shipping area, the others following close behind. My legs still ached and panged with whatever gruesome injuries they'd sustained, but I couldn't let it stop me now. I knew that the Aether employees...probably wouldn't try to physically attack us like Team Skull had. But if they spotted us, I HAD to make sure I handled it correctly this time.

...I couldn't afford to take another risk like that.

"There! That's the elevator!" Gladion pointed out. "Professor, you stand by me. Hau, Echo, get ready to call back your Eevees. It might get us spotted, but they can only keep up their diversion for so long. Let me see what I can do here."

He approached the panel and pressed the "DOWN" button, then input a series of numbers on the keypad and entered them in...I wasn't sure what the numbers were for, but whatever it was didn't work.

"Urgh! Stupid...ugh...I guess I should've expected that. Guest access to the lower levels has been restricted," he explained. "We've got no choice but to go up for now. Get your Eevees back so we can go."

That was our cue...So, head raised, I barked loudly.

{RETURN!!}

I waited...Seconds later, the two Eevees came RACING out from around the far corner with not four, but now FIVE Aether employees in hot pursuit. But in spite of their small bodies and short legs they were able to outpace them, and they both skidded to a halt inside the triangular elevator platform RIGHT when Gladion pushed the "UP" button and the glass walls rose around us.

"It was a diversion!" one of the guards called out. "And...Gladion's back!!"

"And...Professor Kukui? AND Echo?" another one recognized. "What're they all doing TOGETHER??"

"Doesn't matter, we need to sound the alarm and initiate lockdown protocol-!"

"WAIT!"

One of the guards stepped forward...And as she approached the glass walls, I recognized her face.

...That was the intern I'd met at Memorial Hill!

"Everyone stop! It's okay!" she told them. "She helped us save a Slowpoke on Akala Island! I, uh...don't know why she's here, but if Professor Kukui is here too then it must be important!"

"You sure we can trust her to be in here?" one of the other guards questioned. "And what about Gladion? He's on our watch list, y'know!"

"Don't worry...If they're all in a group, then they must know more about what's going on around here than we do. Don't sound the alarm."

There were a few more protests and questions from her fellow guards, but I wouldn't know how it would fare...The elevator was going up now, and we were all leaving the harbor behind.

"...Well, the alarm's not going off just yet," the professor noted. "So even if she can't convince them all we're safe, at least she helped us to get past those guys, yeah?"

{I never even expected to see her again...let alone have her give us a hand,} I shook my head in disbelief. {What a stroke of luck.}

"Vui, eievui," Grace agreed.

{Nice work out there, Grace. Return for now; it'll probably only get more dangerous the further we go.}

She nodded as I returned her to the safety of her capsule, and Hau did the same for his own Eevee before turning to face Gladion.

"Say, uh...Why are you on their watch list?"

"Long story. Rather not get into it right now."

"Hang on, Gladion," the professor chimed in. "If you're on their watch list, that's serious. Only smugglers and thieves are usually reserved for that...Have you stolen Pokémon from here for Team Skull before, by any chance?"

"No...Not for Team Skull, at least," Gladion admitted. "...I stole it for me."

"For yourself?"

"Well if I didn't then he would've been basically put to sleep, so would you have preferred that?"

"I...wait, put to sleep?"

"Pretty much. There's been shady stuff going on here for a lot longer than you realize, let me just say that," he snapped. "And I'm one of the few people in the know that actually wants to put an end to it, so if you want to help out then do us both a favor and don't question me. Deal?"

The professor sighed and shook his head.

"...Sure thing," he said to him. "But when this is over, I'd...like for you to stop by my lab on Melemele some time so we can discuss some things."

"I think the elevator's slowing down," Hau spoke up. "...Say, I recognize this level. This is the entrance we came through on our first visit!"

"Stay sharp, you two," Gladion said to us as the glass walls came back down. "It wouldn't surprise me if we end up running into-"

"The Aether Foundation's last line of defense."

...The voice came from the right of the elevator. We all looked to see yet another familiar face staring back at us.

"It's that Branch Chief guy," Hau recognized. "What's his name again? Faba?"

"Glad to see you remember me, trial-goer," he replied. "I see you and your scaly friend managed to get tangled up with the likes of this ruffian. And...what's this? Professor Kukui as well? Well well...I must say, I expected better from such a prestigious figure as yourself, Professor."

"Look who's talking," the professor retorted, crossing his arms in defiance.

"Might I ask what you three unauthorized personnel are doing up here uninvited?"

"Like you don't know," Gladion said to him, eyes narrowing. "You of all people should know what's going on in this place. Isn't that right, high-and-mighty Branch Chief?"

"Testy today, are we Gladion? My, my...Look at you. The outside world hasn't been kind to you, has it? Or your little friend here, for that matter? Last I saw of her, she at least had a shirt to cover her back."

"Wouldn't surprise me if you orchestrated THAT, too. But I'm not here for small talk, Faba. Since you're here, you might as well give us something to work off of."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. After all, giving out secrets could jeopardize our entire organization. And we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"I'll tell you what I want! I wanna see you get OBLITERATED in a battle! THEN we'll see whether or not you change your mind..."

"Well, well, WELL. Is that a challenge, Gladion? For the Branch Chief of the Aether Foundation to battle against a mere trial-goer? Ha! I accept. In which case, I choose Ms. Echo as my opponent. I'd hate for the battle to be over in one turn, after all."

{Wait, what?}

"It's a deal," Gladion decided.

{I didn't agree to this! I thought YOU were going to take him on!}

He seemed to understand my protest, but he refused to step in.

"Don't worry, Echo. You've got this in the bag...He's only got one."

"If you ask me, one Pokémon is plenty," Faba sneered, showing off a sleek black capsule with yellow stripes. "Hypno, teach these troublemakers a lesson."

He released his first and only Pokémon onto the ground...I grimaced at the sight of it. The creature wasn't exactly pleasing to look at with its yellow pelt and white neck fringe clashing against a grotesque nose and an uncanny human-like stance.

"I know. It's ugly, isn't it?" Gladion remarked. "Just like its Trainer."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, my boy. Speaking of which, when does your friend plan to behold her OWN pick for this battle?"

In all honesty, I wasn't sure who would be my best bet; Rotom wasn't here, so I couldn't ask for information on its type . Nor could I ask the Professor for it, since...well...Rotom wasn't here to interoperate my dialect for him either. All I could tell was that it didn't look especially strong...

...But that alone was enough to help me pick.

{King! Let's see what your new form can do!}

I tossed his ball, and it popped open midair...Faba backed away as the massive Tyrantrum solidified on the ground before him, and the two locked eyes.

"...Not a bad pick," he sneered. "A shame brain defeats brawn. Use Psychic."

The strange creature began to concentrate on its target, and I knew we had to counter it quickly.

{Dragon Claw!}

He was close enough to his target that he didn't even have to lunge. He simply fired up the violet aura around his claws, bent down and took a nice hard SWIPE at the opponent.

...The Hypno went flying in the other direction and landed against a wall before falling to the ground, its attack having petered out. But still, it managed to get back onto its feet again and give King an annoyed glare.

That was when I saw it raise its hand and show something off...A shiny metal ring hanging from the end of a thin thread, swaying back and forth at a rhythmic pace. It was mesmerizing, really.

King seemed to think so, too. His bright yellow eyes couldn't help but stare at it, and they seemed to be growing more and more relaxed with each...

...Wait a minute.

{King, it's an attack! LOOK AWAY!!}

{Huh?}

He looked up and craned his head to meet my gaze, eyes suddenly alert again. The Hypno snarled in frustration before firing up another Psychic attack.

{Not on my watch. King, use Crunch!}

When he realized he'd almost been hypnotized, an angry roar bellowed out from his throat, and he lunged forward with his maw open. The Hypno attempted to launch its attack before it was fully powered up, but...

SNAP

King's razor-lined jaws tightened around the enemy Pokémon, and with a quick flick of his head he lifted it up and then SMASHED it into the ground right in front of its Trainer...Its yellow pelt was now painted red by a steady stream from each hole put in it by King's teeth, and it was motionless save for the uneasy rise and fall of its chest as it struggled to breathe.

{...You don't think that was too much for it, do you Alpha?} King asked me.

{I doubt it. I've seen worse injuries sustained by you and the rest of the team, so it'll probably be fine after a visit to the Pokémon Center.}

He nodded in agreement as I returned him to his ball...In spite of my observation, the Hypno's Trainer was still visibly shaken by his defeat. He stared down at his fainted Pokémon and then back at us with eyes as big as dinner plates.

"Well, Faba. Looks like you got your wish," Gladion said to him. "It took two turns for the battle to end."

"I..."

After another perhaps two seconds of retaining his shocked expression, the Branch Chief suddenly cleared his throat and straightened his posture again.

"...I suppose you've made your point, then," he continued as he returned his downed Hypno. "And since I would hate to have to disappoint such...strong Trainers as yourselves, I am of course obliged to give you a hand."

"M-hm," Hau replied, eyebrows raised. "In that case, would you have any idea where Lillie and Cosmog might be?"

"I should think one of the lower levels. That's where most of the lab work is done. Though I must admit, even someone in such a high position as myself...doesn't know the full extent of the experiments taking place down there."

"I have half a clue," Gladion told him. "So you better look like punching in your password so we can get there. Or should I bring Null out and see if he remembers you?"

"Not necessary at all, my boy. Ha...I'll get right to it."

Gladion stared intently as Faba punched in his elevator code, eyes locked on his fingers as they entered the numbers and pressed the enter button. He stepped back off just before the glass walls came back up, disappearing as we began to descend.

"...Anyone have something to write with?" he asked.

"I've got a notepad," Professor Kukui spoke up, pulling it out. "Do you need a-?"

"Pen? No. I've got one."

He snatched the pad out of the professor's hands and scribbled a series of numbers onto it before ripping the page out and stuffing it into one of his coat pockets...I figured it was probably the elevator code; in the event Faba wouldn't comply if we needed it again, it would come in handy.

The elevator slowed to a crawl before settling onto the bottom floor, and the glass barrier drew back again...So, this was the lab area? There certainly wasn't a lot going on from what we could see.

"Everything still looks the same since the last time I was here," Gladion stated. "Well...it has only been five months, I guess."

"Man. A hidden underground lab, huh?" Hau remarked. "It's kinda like a secret hideout, isn't it?"

"Don't get too excited, Hau...though I guess it's better than freezing in fear. But I digress, so listen up."

"We're all ears," the professor assured him.

"Good...You see this door to our right? There are two separate labs down that way: Secret Lab A and Secret Lab B. Professor, you and I are taking A. Hau, Echo, you two check B. It'll be further down at the end of the hallway. But watch out for more guards...As much as we got him to give us a hand, I wouldn't trust Faba as far as I could throw him. He's probably alerted almost the entire foundation to our presence by now."

"You think so?"

"Trust me, Professor; he can get information around pretty quickly. It's part of his job, after all...The only reason he decided to give us a hand is because we intimidated him enough."

I nodded in acknowledgement. I knew that was true first hand, given my experience with the monster back in my old home. Intimidation worked on us.

...And it apparently worked on the humans as well.

{I have an idea!}

The squawk I emitted garnered everyone's attention, and I stepped away from the elevator as I pulled King's Poké Ball out once again and released him.

{Another fight already?} he asked.

{Not yet...but given what you look like, we might not even need to.}

I turned to my human company...If I couldn't tell them my idea, I could probably SHOW them.

{King. Give them the meanest face you can muster!}

He did so accordingly. His bottom lip curled, his pupils constricted and the frills of white feathers adorning his neck and jaw stood on end, making him look even bigger than he already was. To top everything off, a low and sinister growl emitted from the depths of his throat.

It DEFINITELY worked on them. Even Gladion stepped back in discontent, eyes wide at the sight of the massive Fossil Pokémon's threat display.

"Whoa, hey, heh...Easy there, big guy," Professor Kukui said to him. "What was that all about, huh?"

"Wait a minute...I think I get it!" Hau spoke up. "If we keep King outside of his ball with us, then he can scare the socks off of any Aether employee that we come across!"

"And rightfully so," the professor added. "Tyrantrums' jaws are more than strong enough to shred through METAL, proven by what we saw in Po Town. So any flimsy human would think twice before ticking it off...Granted, I hope you don't intend for King to make any Aether employees you find an actual snack, right?"

Both of shook our heads in vehement denial.

{Of course not,} King told him. {...Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hungry. We never really got the chance to stop and get something to eat earlier.}

{That's true...Hopefully we'll find Lillie and Nebby down here so we can leave quickly,} I said to him. {Alright. Let's move.}

A flick of my head prompted the others to follow us through the door...King was a bit too large to fit through it, but a quick return to his capsule and then a release again on the other side got him through without a problem.

"Guess that's one way to do it," Gladion figured. "Can you smell anyone down that direction?"

I rose my head and sniffed...I definitely smelled other people down the hallway, but I wasn't sure exactly how many; the scent was masked with overtones of rubber and chemicals. Nonetheless, I nodded back at him in confirmation.

"Good to know. Look sharp...Hau, stick with 'em and head all the way down to the door at the end."

"Got it."

He and I stepped forward, King trudging not far behind with his head lowered...I could feel the massive Tyrantrum's breath on the back of my neck, and each puff scent a chill down my spine. I knew he wouldn't do anything to me, though.

...At least, that was what I hoped.

"This must be the door," Hau whispered. "...Can you smell anything better through the cracks?"

I took one more whiff...It was much clearer this time.

{Two,} I chittered, holding up said number of clawed fingers on my right hand for him to see.

"Two people, huh? Do you think...one of 'em could be Lillie?"

I shook my head.

{Scent is too strong.}

"What about Nebby? Or Cosmog? Whatever it's supposed to be called..."

I sniffed one more time...And this time I shrugged.

{I can't really tell. Nebby doesn't have a very strong scent.}

"Don't know, huh? Well...do you think we should go in and look?"

I craned my neck to look back up at King, giving him a wink. He returned the gesture; he knew what to do if the humans caused any trouble.

"I'll do the talking."

{As if you have a choice,} I remarked. {Alright...Open the door.}

Hau pressed the large white button just off to the door's left, and it slid open.

I stepped inside as briskly as my battered legs would allow and announced my presence to the two workers inside with a guttural scream.

I was right; Lillie wasn't here. But two Aether employees were, and they weren't expecting the likes of me.

"AHH! What the...It's Echo!" the first one recognized. "How did you get down here!? This area's off limits!"

"The elevator," Hau replied to them, stepping into the room next. "We had a little help. And now we'd like a little more from you."

"Well sorry to burst your bubble, but intruders don't get guest clearance," the second one retorted. "They get sent away, one way or another."

"Don't worry. We'll leave...as soon as you tell us where Lillie and Cosmog are being kept."

"We're not telling you anything."

{That's a shame...} I grumbled. {...In which case, maybe King can change their minds.}

On cue, King stuck the tip of his snout through the door opening and emitted a loud, fearsome snarl, showing off his razor-lined jaws.

"Ghee. He sounds pretty hungry, don'tcha think?" Hau smirked. "...So what'll it be, you two?"

"I...Y-you wouldn't DARE," the first one snapped.

"You sure about that? Because after what Team Skull did in Po Town, which I'm sure you caught wind of at some point...I don't think Echo's keen on being merciful."

They each took a long look at me once more, taking note of everything from the bruises to the burns I'd sustained.

"Oh...jeez, they...did a number on you, huh?"

{I should think...} I snarled, lips curling to reveal my own set of pearly whites.

"Okay, okay, we get it...Fine," the second caved. "...We were alerted to their arrival at the facility roughly five hours ago. They're both here, but we don't know where; the two of us aren't in high enough positions to know all the details."

Hau and I exchanged glances.

"You got any guesses?"

"Well, they're not in here, as you can plainly see," the first told us. "And she's probably not by the docks, if that's how you managed to get here."

"So then if Gladion and the professor didn't find her in Lab A, that narrows it down to either the entrance floor or the conservation area," Hau realized.

"Or the mansion."

"SHUSH!!"

Employee #1 threw her hand over #2's mouth in an attempt to silence him...But it was too late.

"What's that about a mansion?" Hau asked.

"Nothing. We're leaving. You can try to force our hand with your Tyrantrum, but it's not going to work-"

{STAY IN THERE!!}

It was King who denied their exit with another show of his maw through the open door. The workers staggered backwards, staring the living obstruction in the doorway in the eye for a moment before turning to look at me.

"...They're serious," #2 realized. "...What did those thugs do to her in there?"

"Way more than necessary," #1 told him. "...Alright, fine. If you really think it's worth your time, the president's mansion is located on a peninsula on the north edge of the structure. I don't know why any sort of research activity might be being held in there, but hey, you twisted our arms."

"I think we can work with that information," Hau decided. "Think we should let 'em go?"

{Well...it's something we can use,} I decided, nodding at him. {King! Stand down. We're letting them leave.}

He huffed in understanding as he stepped back and away from the door, and the moment he was out of the way the two Aether employees BOLTED out into the hallway and ran for the hills...Hopefully, they'd know better than to interfere with whatever was happening.

{Good job, King.}

{It's the least I can do,} he gurgled.

"Hey, Echo! Come check this out!" Hau called to me. He'd decided to make himself comfortable in the office chair at the desk in the room, and seemed interested in something on the computer.

"I thought I might take a peek and see if there's anything here that can help us out. Since, y'know...those two workers are gone now. You might wanna take a look at this."

{What is it?}

I made my way over, and took a gander at the screen...There was some sort of research account typed out on the screen.

"It's about Cosmog."

{It IS?}

"Here, let's see what it says..."

---

AETHER REPORT: Cosmog

Cosmog is hypothesized to be a type of Ultra Beast that
hails from another dimension. A dimension that we have
named "Ultra Space." When placed under sufficient stress,
it reveals the power to create and open Ultra Wormholes
in order to escape from its suffering.
We are now working on a device that will allow us to
manipulate the Ultra Wormholes created when Cosmog is
subjected to extreme stress.

---

"Huh...So then that means Cosmog might be some kind of Ultra Beast?" Hau hypothesized. "If it is, it sure is different from the one that showed up the first time we were here."

I nodded.

{Not to mention a lot less aggressive.}

"So this is why Gladion was so bent on keeping it safe...We better find out what's going on with this Ultra Wormhole device they're talking about before they try to actually use it! Come on, let's see if the others found anything!"

He lead the way out of the lab, and we made out way down the hallway just in time to see another squad of Aether employees fleeing to the elevator, the professor and Gladion watching as they left.

"Nice work of that guy's Magneton, Null."

"Not so bad yourself on that Porygon2, ey Braviary?"

"Growwr..."

"Bur-KAWW!"

King's footsteps stomping behind us alerted them to our return from Lab B.

"Find anything?" the professor asked as he and Gladion returned their Pokémon to their capsules.

"Well...Yes and no," Hau answered. "Lillie and Cosmog aren't in there, and according to Echo's nose they never were...But we were able to extract some info out of the employees in there, and they said something about a mansion, so-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Gladion interrupted. "...That's where we're going."

"Like, now? What about the conservation area?"

"Doubt it. If there's nothing down here, then the mansion's where we need to look...There's some pretty advanced equipment in there, too."

"How do you know that?" Professor Kukui inquired.

"I..."

He hesitated.

"...I'll answer more questions later when we have time. At your lab or something like that. But right now we need to focus on the rescue mission, alright? Come on, I'll take us to the right floor!"

We all knew he wasn't keen on explaining things at the moment, so we followed him back to the elevator without another word. King had to be returned momentarily as well; there was no way he would fit inside the elevator without crowding the rest of us.

"Echo," Hau addressed me. "Do you think once we're at the top, you might be able to pick up a scent trail?"

{I'll try,} I shrugged. {Hopefully, these people don't have some way of masking it...}

We reached the top, and the moment the glass walls retracted I rose my head and sniffed to see what I could pick up...

And my eyes widened.

{I've got a scent!}

"What? Did you pick something up?" Hau asked, to which I nodded.

{It's faint. VERY faint. But it's there. Lillie was here at some point, probably when she arrived.}

"Well, don't just stand there and squawk," Gladion ordered. "Follow the smell!"

"NOT SO FAST!"

My attention was drawn away from my peers...and towards the new trio of workers that had now assembled around the elevator shaft, Poké Balls in hand.

"Branch Chief Faba gave us the rundown," one of them sneered. "Says you've gotten ahold of some pretty confidential information...'Fraid we can't let you leave until we can make you forget all of this."

"Uh...can they do that?" Hau asked.

"A lot of Psychic-Types have the ability to erase certain memories from people," the professor explained. "Given all the shady stuff going on, it wouldn't surprise me if that Hypno that King fought against had any experience in that field."

{Well, whatever they try, we're not gonna let it happen,} I growled. {King, get your teeth ready to show off!}

A toss of his ball into midair released him once again, and the moment he faded in from the flash of red, another mighty roar bellowed out from his gullet and into the ears of the half dozen humans surrounding us. They were scared by him, no doubt...But this time, they didn't back down so easily.

"Think you can scare us away, huh?" another one spoke up. "Well, think twice. Mudsdale, show this living fossil some High Horsepower!"

"You help us out too, Pelipper!"

"Alakazam, GO!"

They unleashed their chosen fighters. Alongside the Mudsdale there appeared a blue and white bird Pokémon with a massive bill, and some vaguely humanoid figure with long ears, some impressive whiskers...and a spoon in each hand.

"Not backin' down without a fight, huh?" Hau remarked. "Well, some extra experience never hurt. Raichu, you take the Pelipper!"

"Crobat, you take the Mudsdale!" Gladion called out. "...Echo. Does your Tyrantrum happen to know a move like Bite or Crunch?"

I nodded.

"You take the Alakazam. They don't take physical hits well at all."

{Noted,} I chittered to him. {...Alright, King. Start this off with Crunch!}

"Thunderbolt, Raichu!"

"Poison Fang, Crobat. Let's see if we can whittle it down!"

The three-on-three fight commenced. The Pelipper tried and failed to dodge the bolt of electricity before plummeting to the floor, Gladion's Crobat flitted around the Mudsdale to disorient it before landing a nasty bite on its neck, and King CHARGED full force at the Alakazam with his jaws wide open.

"Use Teleport!"

The very moment before King's glowing jaws came down on the opponent, it disappeared in a flash of purple...But I wasn't a stranger to this trick. Not with the morning's trial still etched in recent memory.

King kept his teeth aglow in preparation to strike; he knew just as well as I did that it would reappear any moment.

"Now! Psybeam!"

Reality seemed to warp and ripple just beneath the tip of King's swishing tail, and it faded to lavender in a split second.

{BEHIND YOU!}

King turned around just as the Alakazam returned in another flash. It readied its attack quickly...

...Not quickly enough.

There was a harsh snapping sound as King's jaws came down onto it, and for good measure he gave it a few good thrashes with a shake of his head before letting go and allowing the Pokémon to crash into one of the walls...Its Trainer ran over to inspect it. He tried to cheer it on, but the Alakazam was too weak and too badly injured to stand back up, and its head fell limply off to the side as it fainted.

...That had been the last one, it seemed; even now, the second Aether worker was returning his downed Mudsdale in the face of the victors: Gladion's trusty Null and Hau's Primarina.

"...Shoot," he muttered. "How're you kids so strong?!"

"That's how things go when you're takin' the Island Challenge," Professor Kukui replied. "Lots of trials and battles will do that to ya!"

"And with that in mind," Gladion chimed in. "It'd be wise for all of you to get out of our way...If we can down something as strong as an Alakazam, you might have a problem on your hands if you decide to stick around."

"I should be saying the same thing about you."

Someone emerged from down the hallway past the elevator...And we were all quick to recognize him.

"Well, well, well. Can't say I wasn't expecting you to have been behind that little ambush, Faba."

"Hm, yes. I'll give you some credit for your perception, Gladion; if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you can read anyone like a book...But that's not going to come in handy much now."

"Ha! Maybe not, but we have something that will," Hau guffawed, pointing a thumb at me. "Echo's keen sniffer! And she's got a scent picked up, so what're you gonna do about it?"

"Oh, does she...? Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but the mansion is locked up tight and under HEAVY hired security at the moment. And I'm the only one who has a spare key to enter the property with."

...The four of us exchanged glances. Even KING raised an eyebrow at this...convenient bit of information Faba had disclosed.

"Man, that must mean you have pretty high clearance, yeah!" the professor egged him on. "Where do you keep something so important so that you never lose it?"

"Why I keep it in my pocket, of course. At all times. It would be foolish of me to try to store it somewhere it could be misplaced by another member of the company.

"Soooo, if you'd just stayed hidden, we would've just been stuck here anyways?" Hau jeered.

"Of course you-"

From beneath his massive green-tinted spectacles, Faba's eyes suddenly widened in realization of his folly.

"Yeah," Gladion smirked...which was probably the first time I'd ever seen him smile. "And now that we know you're the only one with a key to the mansion, which you just confirmed Echo was picking up Lillie's scent from, I don't think WE can let YOU leave without you letting us borrow it."

"...Are you threatening me, young Master Gladion?"

"The Tyrantrum will decide your fate."

On cue, King followed his usual, LOUD routine of scaring adversaries. And this time he made sure to get particularly close to Faba, razor-lined mouth opening just inches away from the human's face...In spite of his shuddering breath and contracted pupils, he still attempted to stand his ground against the massive fossil Pokémon.

"...I'm not intimidated by the likes of this ragged beast. I will have you-!"

THWACK

...A quick snap of King's tail into Faba's face ensured that he fell off whatever ground he had to stand on.

His body, wracked from the sudden impact, shuddered as he pushed himself back onto his hands and knees...A face looked up to reveal a sharp red mark across his right cheek where the tip of the massive fossil Pokémon's tail had connected, scraped by his rough scales and bleeding slightly.

{Stand down, King,} I gurgled to him. {That should be enough...I'll take it from here.}

Lime green eyes met yellow as I stepped closer to the cowering man. My legs ached, my sides hurt and my open wounds stung as they stuck to the linen dressings wrapped around me. There was no doubt I was in more pain than he was...But I had no plans to lay my claws on him.

Hopefully, just the sight of the anger Faba had ignited in me. In ALL of us...would be enough to persuade him to surrender.

"...You..." he huffed. "...I...won't ever be able to imagine...what you were thinking, Professor. When you gave this...creature the right to use a Poké Ball."

Professor Kukui maintained his composure, but he wasn't having it from him.

"Just like how I wonder what the President was thinking when she made you a Branch Chief," he snapped back. "...And yet, here we are."

"Heh...So it seems."

"Hand over the key, Faba. It'll make it a lot easier for both of us...I'm certain the last thing Echo wants is to try and take them off you somehow."

He looked back up at me, and then back at the professor for a moment before caving.

"You're...very persuasive, aren't you Professor...?"

He caved, reaching into the pocket of his white coat and handing over an intricately-graven white key. I curled my fingers around it for only a moment before promptly giving it to Professor Kukui, with whom I knew I could trust it.

"Bring it right over here, Professor," Gladion spoke up, motioning towards the end of the hallway ahead. "There's a slot right in the center of this door, you'll see it."

I kept a close eye on Faba as the professor approached the massive door...We didn't have the time to be outsmarted again. Not if Gladion was right about the stakes of this whole situation.

I heard a mechanical WHOOSH, and I looked up to see that the door was now open. Beyond it lay a white pathway lined along its sides with trees...

...And Team Skull grunts.

"Oh, man..." the professor marveled. "So you were right, Gladion. These two really ARE working together.

"Guess Faba was right about the heavily guarded part, too," Gladion remarked. "...Echo. You think your Tyrantrum can scare 'em off okay?"

{I've done it once already today,} King gurgled and nodded.

{It's a straight shot to the mansion,} I acknowledged. {...You lead the charge, King. Same tricks as the ones you used in Po Town. And just in case the mansion itself is locked, see if you can chew your way in through there, too!}

{With pleasure...}

"So...you think this'll work?" Hau asked.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Gladion told him. "...Guess if the Meowth's gonna be out of the bag concerning who's side I'm really on, might as well do it in style."

{I guess we will!} I gurgled. {King! CHARGE!!!}

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

There was another thunderous cry from King's throat, and what followed next was nothing short of pure chaos. Most of the grunts ran in panicked circles before they spread out and leapt into the trees to evade the oncoming thunder of footsteps. Some were bold enough to call out their Golbat and Salandit, but even their Pokémon wouldn't dare to try and stand in our way. And it wasn't just the obvious type-advantage most of them had which deterred them.

Me, the professor, Hau and Gladion followed him just a few meters behind. And from the trees in which many of the Skull grunts now hid, they called out in shock and dismay at what they beheld.

"Yo, Scarface is back!"

"How'd that thing manage to wriggle outta home base!?"

"And...Yo, WHAT? Izzat Gladion!?"

"Why, you double-crossin' little gremlin...! Now you asked for it!"

A few of them came back out from behind and tried to jump us, but it seemed as though Gladion had prepared for this moment. He called out his Null and Crobat, each firing up their claws and wings respectively.

"Not a step closer, fellas. We're going in there whether you like it or not...This has gone too far this time."

"Ohh-ho, you just got yourself into a real pickle, kid," one of them taunted him. "Just you wait till the boss gets here, then he'll show ya what for!"

"...I got a bit of bad news for you. Guzma's not coming."

"Whadaya mean he's not comin'!?!"

"He's in the hospital, grunt. In critical condition...Guess he should've taken notes from the FIRST one of you guys Echo had to tussle with."

"Wait...wait, are you sayin'...?"

"I think you can figure it out yourself," Gladion finished, gaze shifting to me for a fleeting moment. "Come on fellas, let's see if we can get inside."

As I returned King to the safety of his ball, the hoard of grunts continued to stand there unmoving as they processed the news given to them...All the better for our safety as we left them behind and approached the mansion doors.

"Is the scent any stronger, Echo?"

I stooped down, nose lowering to the hairline crack at the bottom of the door, and sniffed...Lillie was most certainly somewhere on the other side, and I nodded back at Gladion in confirmation.

"Good. Let me get to this door..."

With the keys Faba had reluctantly supplied, he stuck one in the door slot, turned it left once and then right twice, and there was a sharp click as they opened inwards.

"We're in."

I returned King to his capsule once again as we entered the doors...A sense of unease came over me as I looked around. To the unsuspecting eye, the first room of the mansion might look normal, comforting even with its sleek modern elegance, vases of bright gold flowers blooming just inside the door. But there were bars blocking each of the four stairways leading out of the room, as though to keep anyone from going up...and maybe to keep whatever might be upstairs from coming down.

It was like a prison...A fancy, cushy prison.

But there was one direction we could go in: straight ahead. Another pair of doors stood before us inside, and when Gladion approached and pressed his hand against the right one he found it to be unlocked.

He gestured for me to come forward and pinpoint the scent one more time, finger rested over his lips to encourage silence. I did so accordingly...

...And there was no shadow of doubt that Lillie was right on the other side of the door.

"Is she there?"

I gave a hasty nod.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Hau asked. "Let's go in there and get-!"

"Not. Yet," Gladion interrupted him, expression stern. "We don't know if there might be anyone else in there, too. Or if there are other means of security in place...We're going to look through the door and analyze the situation before anything else."

"...And then we get Lillie and hightail it out of here?"

"That's the game plan...Nobody say a word until I give the signal."

Slowly, carefully, ever so gently, Gladion pushed a bit more on the door until there was just enough space for all four of us to peek inside with a single eye and behold whatever lay ahead...

There were no grunts. No employees. No Pokémon to be seen of any sort. But just as I'd expected and just as we'd all hoped, there was Lillie.

...But there also, just across from her, was President Lusamine.

She looks unharmed, I acknowledged. Thank goodness...but why does the president have her in this room alone?

...My question was quickly answered.

"It's almost amusing, your...persistence," the president remarked...There was a sneer embedded in her voice that sent a cold chill up my spine. "...But Cosmog is back where it belongs now. How do you expect to defy me this time?"

"I..."

Lillie trailed off for a moment before continuing.

"...I don't know. But I'll find a way. If I could save Nebby once, I can do it again!"

"Oh, and by 'save,' I suppose you mean 'steal?' I'm certain your friends wouldn't think highly of that when they find out."

"Alright, that's it," Gladion rasped, his last two words coming out as a growl. "We're going in. NOW."

I reached for Archer's Poké Ball and chittered softly to King's.

{You've done an amazing job today...Once this is all over, I'll be sure to go through with that promise of malasadas tenfold.}

That was when Gladion flung the door all the way open, and I let off another loud CAW as we stormed into the room.

"Get those claws ready, Null!"

{You're up, Archer!}

He emerged from his capsule with a toss of my hand and firmly planted his talons onto the ground, reaching for an arrow quill as he sounded off his trilling battle cry alongside Gladion's strange masked partner.

"Dwit, droooooo!"

"Grooowwwwwrr...!"

Lillie and Lusamine nearly jumped out of their skins when they saw the lot of us bursting in. But once the former realized it was us, her shock gave way to a flood of relief and she rushed toward us.

"Echo? Professor, Hau! You...you came to help me? All of you!?"

"You kidding? Once we caught wind of everything, we bolted here!" the professor told her.

"You're okay, right!?" Hau exclaimed, stepping forward from the crowd. "You look okay, but I'm just makin' sure, because there's some weird stuff going on in this place!"

"Give her some space, Hau," Gladion ordered, pushing him aside. "Ugh...Not to say concerns aren't warranted. Nobody hurt you, did they?"

"You...y-you came, too?"

"'Course I did. You didn't think I was gonna let something like this happen all over again, did you?"

A weak smile etched its way across Lillie's face, and she threw her arms around him.

"I'm okay. I promise I'm okay, especially now that I know you are."

"Good..."

Gladion returned the favor, heaving a sigh of relief.

"I've been so worried about you ever since I escaped with Nebby."

"Ahh, don't worry about me, Lillie. I'm holding my own."

I faintly remembered Lillie saying that she knew who Gladion was and that he was trustworthy...But I couldn't have fathomed that they were this close. They were practically polar opposites to one another.

"Ghee. I didn't know you guys knew each other this well," Hau remarked, reflecting my thoughts entirely.

"Of course we do, Hau! He's my brother!"

"He...Wait. WHAT?!?"

I let out a chirp of surprise myself upon hearing the news.

"You can't tell just by looking at us?" Gladion asked him incredulously. "The hair, the eye color, the porcelain skin?"

"Uh...I mean, now that I'm seeing you two side by side, it is a little more obvious."

"I guess I should've mentioned that earlier," Lillie figured. "I don't think I did the first time you brought him up since I didn't want to...well...endanger anyone."

"A lot of good that did you two in the end."

The piercing tone of the Aether president interrupted the reunion, curdling whatever sweetness lingered between us and turning it bitter. Gladion reluctantly broke free from Lillie's hold and turned to face Lusamine, eyes narrowing competitively against hers.

"More than staying here would've ever done," he spat.

"Oh, but of course. Running off to join Team Skull appears to have done wonders for your...appearance."

Her gaze shifted to me, and our eyes locked...Looking at them, I noticed the color of Lusamine's eyes was also not too different from the two siblings. But they had a harsh, almost metallic sheen, like you could see the judgment brewing behind them.

"So you two know each other, do you? An...aspiring Trainer such as yourself getting entangled in the affairs of THESE two? I must say, it doesn't appear to have done you any favors either."

My lips threatened to curl and reveal the rows of fangs beneath; I'd been dragged down by far more than just words so far today, but there was just...something about the way she spoke that was RAGE-INDUCING.

I wouldn't lower myself to that level again, though. I opened my mouth to respond with words, not caring if those words sounded like nothing but a growl to them.

...But Lillie beat me to it.

"She doesn't need your approval, Mother!! And I don't need it either, OR your permission! We're going to save Nebby! ALL of us are, whether you like it or not!"

{..."Mother??"}

Hau's jaw dropped.

Mine followed right after.

What on EARTH was going on?!?

"Wait wait wait, what???" the professor stepped in. "Man, I...I was just getting over the fact you and Gladion were siblings, Lillie! Now President Lusamine's your MOM?!?"

His smile betrayed the exasperation in his voice. In fact, he seemed a bit excited by the revelation, as though pleased to be in the presence of someone so close to his assistant.

...It was clear, however, that Lusamine didn't share his enthusiasm in the slightest.

"I'm especially surprised at you, Professor Kukui. I would have expected someone of such high importance in Alola to keep better company."

His smile faded as soon as it'd appeared.

"And I'm afraid you're mistaken," she continued. "...I do not have any children. Certainly none who would pay back the love I gave them by stealing from me and running off in the night."

"But you're all...but she...Lillie just said-!"

"Don't think about it too hard, Professor," Gladion stepped in. "She's just trying to get to you, like she tries to get to us...But it's not gonna work on us anymore."

"You like to think yourself as awfully strong, don't you?" Lusamine jeered. "Even if that IS true, it doesn't solve what you came here for. How do you intend to 'save' that Pokémon now that it's back where it belongs and ready to be used? Your little accomplice already failed to convince me to give it back the first time. What makes you think YOU can change my mind?"

"Wait...Ready to be used?" the professor asked. "What exactly do you plan to use Nebby for?"

"Echo and I found a report on one of the computers in the lower lab," Hau answered him. "It said something about using it to open up an Ultra Wormhole by...'putting it under stress'."

"An Ultra...? Is THAT why we've been getting all of those odd readings at the lab in Heahea? You've been messing around with opening wormholes!?"

"My, my. I see you've been snooping," Lusamine replied. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it had all the poison of a Golbat's fangs embedded in it.

"I guess you could say that," Hau retorted. "And I don't know what you guys mean by 'putting it under stress,' but we aren't gonna stand around and let it happen!"

"None of us are," Gladion stepped in. His Null growled from under its mask and stood alongside him as they faced the Aether president. "Tell us where we can find him."

...A grin inched its way across Lusamine's face. A cold, unfeeling smile that had no warmth, hardly even any true feeling to it. Even when Guzma gave off one of those crooked grins, there was some sort of emotion behind them, like pride or confidence.

This one was just...empty.

"...I suppose since you're already here," she replied. "You may as well enjoy the show before I have you all...taken care of."

She turned, walked towards the wall and into what looked like an empty elevator shaft, and then suddenly DISAPPEARED into thin air.

"Wh-!? How'd she do THAT now!?!" the professor hollered.

"It's called an ele-porter; something experimental we've had for a while," Gladion replied, unfazed by Lusamine's vanishing act. "They consume a lot of energy though, so they've only been implemented in the mansion for now."

"Agh...So, if I'm getting all of this right, if all of you are like, a family, then that must mean the two of you must've actually...lived here at some point, right?"

"Yes, that...that's true," Lillie confirmed.

"It's hard not to when you've been there your entire life...But that's not important right now. We gotta-"

"WAAAIIT, wait just a minute," Hau cut in. "Gladion, we just got TWO bombshells dropped on us about you guys, and you're saying it's not important?"

"In case you've forgotten, these people have Cosmog hostage and are getting ready to open a wormhole, so can we talk about this later!?"

"It IS later! You couldn't have mentioned some of this on the boat!? We came here to rescue Lillie too, so I think she's just as important as-!"

"Hau?"

Lillie rested a hand against his shoulder, and whatever was left of Hau's rebuke quelled with a short stammer as his head turned to face her.

"It's okay. I promise it is," she assured him gently. "I know it's all a lot to take in, and...I know we kind of left a lot of things in the dark for you. But it was only to keep us safe. All of us, including you, and the professor, and..."

Lillie trailed off as her eyes fell upon me. She must've only now noticed all of the dressings and bruises Team Skull had decorated me with.

"Echo...what..."

She stepped closer. One hand rose to her mouth in horror, and the other reached out again to just barely rest against the side of my snout.

"...What did they do to you...?"

"A lot," the professor answered in my stead. "She was supposed to stay back at the Pokémon Center, but insisted on coming with us. It's...kind of a long story."

Her eyes darted around, as though to look for something.

"Where's Rotom at?"

...My head drooped.

"Oh, no...Professor, what happened to him!?"

"It's okay, Lillie, he's back at the Pokémon Center. Should be alright in a couple days."

"He will?"

"Yeah...Can't say the same for the PokéDex, though. Because of that, Echo's kinda been working off body language."

Her eyes filled with dread.

"This...this is so much worse than I thought. I didn't think they would actually have Team Skull try to..."

"To be fair, I do think Team Skull decided to pull that stunt themselves." Gladion interrupted. "As shady as people are here, 'specially Faba, I don't think the higher-ups want to have any actual blood on their hands."

At that remark, I looked down at my own hands...Lillie's brother was quick to notice, and changed the subject.

"But we can worry about all of that later. Right now, we've got a Cosmog to save...Echo, think you and your Decidueye can back us up first in case the next room is guarded?"

Archer and I exchanged glanced, and he flashed a confident grin across his beak from beneath his leafy hood.

{You haven't failed me yet, old friend.}

"Dwit, drooo."

I nodded back at Gladion, stepping towards the shaft-

"HISSSS-!"

I stumbled. Something gave off a painful twang halfway between my left heel and foot as I pressed it against the ground, which morphed into a sort of deep burning sensation.

"Whoa. Echo, you okay?"

{I...I'm fine, Hau} I nodded. {Probably just stepped on it too hard.}

"Take it easy, cousin," the professor reminded me, a sigh escaping him. "...This is why I wanted you to stay behind. We can't have you getting much worse than this."

"Dwit, dwit?"

Archer looked at my foot as I held it up, then back at me. He seemed just as concerned as the others...In spite of the lingering pain, I flashed them all a reassuring grin and put my foot back on the floor to steady myself.

{It'll be fine, Archer. I'm due to go back to the Pokémon Center once we get Nebby out of here, anyways, so...It will all be fine.}

He tilted his head in doubt...But still, he turned towards my human companions and nodded back at them reassuringly.

"She's sure she's alright, ey?" the professor asked.

"We can't exactly turn back at this point," Gladion pointed out. "...I'd still go easy on that leg if I were you."

"Man, Echo. Today's just...not been good to you, has it?"

{...No.}

I shook my head. "Not good" was probably the understatement of the year...But now wasn't the time to wallow in self pity. I didn't deserve pity anyways...But it turned out that Lillie and Gladion certainly did. And Nebby, too.

...And if what the latter had said was correct, there would have to be pity for all of Alola.

Save Nebby first. THAT was our main objective now.

"That's...weird."

As Gladion looked over the settings on the ele-porter, I saw his expression shift confusedly.

"What is it?" Lillie asked him.

"The floor settings on the control panel. The setting system is the same, but...I don't remember there being a second basement."

"Second basement, huh?" Professor Kukui chimed in. "...Given what they're trying to pull, it wouldn't surprise me if it's a designated holding room for Ultra Wormhole experiments. Odds are they'd want to keep whatever rifts in space-time they open up contained."

"Well, we're about to find out."

He punched in a code, and the machine fired up. He stepped inside, and just like Lusamine he was gone in a flash.

"...Looks kinda freaky, doesn't it?" Hau remarked.

"A little...but it is safe," Lillie assured him. "Just prepare for the sudden change in scenery."

"Think you can fit in there, Echo?" Professor Kukui questioned. "It's not a huge space."

{I'll...give it a try.}

I limped over to it, almost hopping as I tried to keep weight off the bad foot...A futile attempt, since I had to put it back down anyways in order to stand taller so that I could fit.

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping nothing would go wrong...

FWIP!

...I opened them.

Lillie was right; the sudden change of surroundings was a little jarring...But it seemed like she was used to it, because the moment I hobbled forward, she appeared right behind me without so much as a flinch. Archer followed next, then Hau and the professor.

"Whoa, yeah...Guess I better close my eyes next time," the latter decided.

"Surprised the code hasn't changed since the last time I was here," Gladion greeted us. "...Guess she figured I was too scared to come back. Either that, or she was too wrapped up in..."

...He looked around the new section of the mansion we appeared in, eyes tense when faced with the unfamiliar setting.

"...Whatever all of this is."

It appeared to be on the same level as the docks were, as hinted by the water surrounding the walkway leading up to the main platform. He was the first to make his way up the pathway, Archer and I following close behind and our other three companions banded together in the back as we approached the room's center. As we went on, I could see a collection of odd-looking blocks adorning the room, each tinged a whitish blue and slightly translucent with...something encased inside each one.

...In the midst of the collection stood the Aether president. She was standing there waiting for us, that soulless smile still plastered across her face.

"...So you did decide to come. For a moment, I thought you'd finally brightened up enough to turn back."

"Sorry to disappoint you," the professor replied. His voice was calm, but there was a deep anger embedded within it. "...But now that we've made it, I suggest you start giving us some details. What exactly is going on down here?"

"Can't you see, Professor? This is where I keep my private collection."

"Collection? What...?"

Now that we were close enough, we had a clearer image of the blocks around the room...They were made from ice, kept solid in what was a merely cool room via stabilizers located on each top and bottom end. We could finally see just what was frozen inside each one.

...A Slowpoke?

At first, I thought it was a statue of some kind, protected in the ice for decoration...But closer inspection gave way to the fine details of its soft skin, the gloss of its eyes slightly crystalized from the cold. And the smell.

...This was no statue. That Slowpoke was real, trapped inside the cube.

And that was only the beginning of it. Each frozen block encased another prisoner. A Pikachu in one. An Abra locked away in another.

And more. Several, several more. All frozen in time, unmoving, unbreathing.

...They might as well be dead.

"What do you think? Beautiful, aren't they?"

I forced my eyes away. I couldn't bear to look at them anymore...We were aghast, I was aghast, how...? Why? Why would anyone even THINK to do this?

"What...what've you done to them?"

"I couldn't simply let go of my precious babies...So I decided to keep them here. It was the only way to keep them perfect...to keep them from running away. They will be preserved here so that I may love and cherish them for all of my days. As is proper for beings so prone to being...tainted."

She stared down Null, and the creature glared right back at her.

"...But my poor beast," she continued. "What confusion, what rage it must have felt being suddenly brought to our world, only to be forced back by the hands of violence..."

She cast another accusatory glance my way.

"It would not be right to confine its feelings in such a small case as these ones. It needs to be able to express itself...And if it has all of Alola with which to exude its frustration, surely it will know just how much I cherish it."

"Your beast...?" Hau repeated. "...You mean the thing that appeared on the conservation floor when we were here last?"

"You've seen it?" Gladion turned and asked him.

"Yeah, it was this weird translucent thing that was shaped kinda like a Frillish! It didn't have a face or anything, but it sure made some angry noises! Have...have YOU seen it?!"

"Yes...Only once, though. It showed up in front of all three of us, back when...Lillie and I were still here. Then it disappeared back into the wormhole it came from," he explained. "...But she decided once wasn't nearly enough."

He turned again to face his mother, drawing in a sharp breath before speaking.

"I'm going to warn you one last time. If you open up that Ultra Wormhole, those creatures are going to wreak havoc across the entire region, maybe even the whole WORLD if we can't get them under control...Is that what you really want? After all the progress you've made to conserve, and protect, and heal the Pokémon that need us HERE in Alola, you're just going to throw it all away for...this? "

His shoulders slumped, and his strained eyes now stared almost desperately into hers.

"What happened?" he finally asked. "...I don't even know who you are anymore."

...She didn't clap back right away this time. The two of them engaged in what was essentially a staring match, neither even so much as blinking throughout the silence between them. None of the rest of us spoke, either; Hau seemed confused, the professor looked deeply unsettled, and Lillie was frozen in shock...If not for her eyes shifting back and forth between her brother and mother anticipatingly, she could have passed for one of the Pokémon preserved in the ice around us.

...I didn't like this. This kind of quiet only settled in when something was about to go horribly, horribly wrong, I knew that much.

And then, the silence broke.

"...How dare you."

The whisper came from Lusamine.

...And as soon as it did, the storm brewing behind it ERUPTED.

"How DARE you DEFILE ME AGAIN!! After all that I ever did for the two of you ungrateful scamps, after all of the love I ever gave you, you BETRAYED ME! But now the daughter who made off with my Cosmog and the son who stole my Type:Null return to me, only to tell me I cannot do what I have almost accomplished after SO LONG!?"

"I'll tell you what you can't do, and I'll get as many other people as I can across the entire region to back me up!" Gladion shot back. "If you'd just LISTEN to me for once, then-!"

She grabbed him by the front of his jacket.

"You INSOLENT FOOL!! What makes you think that I would EVER, EVER listen to you now!?"

{GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF HIM!!}

...The guttural cry that came out of my open maw put Lusamine's deranged rant to shame, and she let go of him as soon as it hit her ears.

This was all too much, too far, WAY too far. There was a lot I didn't know, still didn't quite understand about this situation, but there was one thing that was very plain to me and it was that this woman, this...DERANGED being was not at all the doting caretaker she masked herself as before.

...She was terrible.

And now that the mask had slipped, so had my patience.

My intervention worked, at least enough for the vile witch to release Gladion from her vice grip and step back. But she didn't fully submit quite so easily. Her stance was still rigid, and now her deathly glare was directed at me...That was fine. Perfectly fine by me. A dirty look was nothing to me right now.

"Spirited today, aren't we...?" she hissed, voice suddenly lowered to barely more than a whisper. "And to think I saw the potential in you to be something marvelous...But here you are, siding with these traitorous mongrels right after you wrought havoc on the population of Po Town."

{A population of THUGS!}

"Did you think I wouldn't know? News about you travels fast, after all. And it only further solidifies the fact that you are in no place to scream at me, you bloodthirsty, scar-faced monster...You should be ashamed of yourself."

...I took a step back.

Only to take another TWO forward, teeth showing themselves once again.

{I don't need the likes of you to tell me that. I'm ALREADY ashamed of myself. But that isn't going to stop me from putting my foot down against your crazed-!}

KRACK

"Gr-AAAUGH!!!"

I fell.

"Echo!"

I couldn't stand back up...I couldn't even THINK to stand back up.

All I could register was the pain, the EXPLOSION of pain in my foot that proceeded the sickening snap and shot out across my entire leg from the source.

And all I could do about it was scream even more.

"Professor, what happened!?"

I just barely made out Hau's voice behind my own cries.

"It's her foot again. It...it looks broken. Nurse Joy showed me a fracture there on the x-ray, it must've gotten worse the more she walked on it!"

"Broken!? Like, FULL-ON broken all the way through!?"

"I'm pretty sure."

They were all suddenly at my side trying to assess the break. I tried to suppress my screams. Tried to grapple the situation as the shock of it wore off...Leg was broken. Couldn't leave, couldn't walk or run, that wasn't good. And we were stuck in this forsaken lab where horrible things were about to happen. That was...bad.

This was all very, VERY bad.

"Dwit, dwit!?"

Archer lifted my head up off the ground in his forefeathers, a deep worry settled into his glowing eyes.

{I...I don't know what to do, Archer. We're stuck here...stuck here until we get thrown out.}

"Dwit, DRRRIT DWIT-DROO!"

His gaze hardened and his trills angered. He didn't want me to give up. Not here, not now. I didn't want to either...but what use was I when I couldn't so much as stand and could hardly even think straight anymore?

"Hm...Not so deadly now, it seems," Lusamine chimed in. "...Shall we get on with the show, then? The power source inside the holding chamber won't do its job by itself, after all."

She motioned to something on the floor at her feet...A small black and blue-glowing mechanical crate, no bigger than an Eevee.

I heard it make a noise...A starkly familiar noise.

"PEW!!"

...Nebby.

Nebby was in there, just FEET away from me!

"Excellent timing. During your little upset, I thought I would also turn on the rift detection map so I could see just how many Ultra Wormholes open up across the region."

"WHAT!?"

Lillie was the one who yelled, and she shot up from where she knelt beside me.

"But of course. A mere sample of Cosmog's gas alone was enough to open one, after all...Just imagine how many more could appear if its entire body were to be utilized. How many beautiful, precious beasts will emerge then?"

"I...Mother, no. You can't DO that!" she plead. "It could barely move for two days after using its power by itself the day we ran away. If you force it to use that much of its power, Nebby could DIE!!"

"A small price to pay for beauty."

...I couldn't let her do that.

For a moment, the pain subsided as I focused entirely on the crate that contained the small puff of gas. I put my arms beneath me and pushed forward. If I could just...crawl a bit closer, reach out and grab it, then maybe...Yes, yes I could snatch it! Almost there...!

"And just what do you think YOU'RE doing?"

She caught me.

Her hand shot down to grab the handle.

Mine came a close second and made a swipe for the sides.

...Only to grasp at the air left behind.

{Argh, no!}

"Thought you could be slick without a leg to stand on, didn't you?" she smirked, taking another healthy step away from the lot of us. "...Don't any of the rest of you get any ideas either."

She reached behind her, then showed off a Poké Ball seemingly out of nowhere. A tap of its button released the familiar swirling light, and it materialized on the floor into a long, serpentine creature with glimmering scales and a cunning glow in its vermillion eyes.

"I doubt Milotic would appreciate her dear caretaker being robbed yet again."

On cue, the Pokémon lowered its head and let out a deep, foreboding hum.

"Dwit, dwit dwoooo..."

Archer wasn't intimidated by it, already reaching for an arrow quill. The Milotic's fishy smell gave it away as a Water-Type, so if he pitched a fight with it he had the upper wing for sure.

"So that's how it is, huh Lusamine?"

Professor Kukui readied one of his own capsules, re-releasing his Braviary.

"Bur-GAAWWWWW!"

"If you think you're gonna threaten us with somethin' as routine as a battle, you've got somethin' else coming."

"Speak for yourself, Kukui...Let's see how well your teams fair against the incredible power of my glorious Ultra Beasts!"

A finger rested on the activation switch.

"Don't, don't do it!"

"MOTHER, STOP-!"

A flash of light.

A cry of anguish from inside the crate.

A glowing orb rose up from it, then BURST into a gaping hole in space-time.

...And only a moment later, a familiar translucent figure began to descend from it.

{No...No, NO, NO!!}

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"Just look at these readings. They're forming all OVER the region. Over Malie City, another over Poni Canyon. Even one above the Hau'oli outskirts...EVERY island in Alola will behold their glory now! Isn't it sublime?"

Gladion was at a loss for words, shoulders slumped and eyes blank as the reality sank in.

I hardly even noticed him shutting down; the pain, the dread, the ANGER of all this drove me to rage, and an order escaped my curled lips.

{LEAF BLADE!!!}

Archer wasted no time firing up his brand new move, launching himself towards the Milotic. Without receiving any command, the serpentine Water-Type launched its defense in the form of a chilly breath of air.

...I recognized that attack as Icy Wind.

"Dwit, dwoo-!"

Icy Wind wasn't a strong move, and Archer's quadruple weakness was no more thanks to his Ghost-typing. But the chilly onslaught was enough to sting his eyes and dim the glow of his wings.

"Droo..."

It wasn't enough to stop him, though. A shake of his head and a flash of his wings brought. his spark back in a wink, and he got a good three strong slices in against the enemy's soft body.

The Milotic shook where it stood partially coiled, red seeping from where the long, clean blows had been struck. But it wasn't down just yet.

{Spirit Shackle, NOW!!}

It fired up another Icy Wind. Archer caught sight of the oncoming attack and took to the air before firing up his arrow quill and taking a shot...The ensuing blast of purple exploded directly in the creature's exposed face, and its coiled body went limp on the cold tile floor.

With the threat posed by the Milotic dealt with, I craned my head up to look at its Trainer...She looked only mildly surprised as she returned her fainted serpent.

"Hm. No matter. Milotic was merely a taste of what I have in store...Clefable. Silence this creature and her rabble-"

"Not on my watch, Lusamine."

"Brrr-KAAAWW, KAWW!!"

The professor's Braviary screeched again, still free from its capsule. It landed beside me and cast a steely glare up at the president before she could summon her next Pokémon.

Hau's Primarina did the same, as did Gladion's Null as he released it beside him. Before I knew it, everyone had gathered around where I lay with their strongest fighter, ready to aid in whatever she might throw at us.

"Stalling's not gonna work," Professor Kukui stated. "As much as I'm sure we could beat you, we have a bigger problem on our hands."

His eyes moved up to meet the translucent blob hovering above us, its many appendages twitching erratically. Lusamine turned to face the creature with a twisted look of desire in her piercing gaze.

"I suppose I can't change your feeble minds. But perhaps once you've gotten to know these precious creatures yourself on the other islands, your eyes will open to their beauty."

The gaping rip in reality above the Ultra Beast began to waver, pulsing violently like an exposed heart as it started to shrink. The president's eyes somehow widened even more with realization at the sight.

"It's closing already...Hurry. Take me, my sweet child, while there's still time! Take me to your home realm so I may bask in your magnificence!"

Its slippery arms rose, and it began to descend towards her. The cold glow from the diminishing wormhole began to burn brighter, stronger, more blinding.

"Wait, wait what're you doing!?"

"Mother, NO!!"

"Everybody stay back!"

Hau and Lillie rushed forward to pull her away, only for the professor to stretch his arms out and block them before they could be taken as well. None of our freed Pokémon dared to approach the rift either.

...Except for Null.

"GLOWWRRR!!"

It swerved around them and leapt into the air, claws outstretched and ready to slash at the monstrosity.

The Ultra Beast grabbed its human prey, and the intense light swathed the room in a white hot flash.

...And then everything became still.

My eyes opened. The light had dissipated. Null had fallen to the floor, claws empty. The wormhole was gone. The beast was gone.

And so was the president.

Everyone was silent. None of us were entirely sure what had happened, except that Lusamine and the creature she sought after so desperately had vanished in mere seconds. But to where? What were her intentions with that beast?

...Or more chillingly, what were the beast's intentions with her?

"P...p...ew..."

A faint cry from the crate on the ground broke the silence, and the bluish glow escaping from its trim faded. From the newfound opening in its top, up rose Nebby from its now opened prison.

{Oh, no...}

But Nebby...didn't look much like Nebby anymore. Its soft gaseous body was encased in a golden shell, and its eyes were shut. Was it dead? No, no, if it were dead, then it wouldn't still be floating on its own like that, would it?

"It...changed form somehow," Lillie observed. "It's not moving...Nebby's not moving. What happened to it, Professor?"

"I can't say for sure. But judging by it still floating and the noise it made before coming out, I'm pretty certain its still alive. Maybe this is some sort of defense mechanism."

"Well whatever it is, I say we still take it with us," Gladion suggested. "And we'd better get out of this joint quick before something else happens."

"Uh...do you think it's safe to go back?" Hau asked them. "If a bunch of other wormholes have opened over the main islands, who KNOWS what might be out there...? Ghee, the people on the islands have no idea about any of this, and..."

He paused, and a look of horror settled into his gaze.

"Oh...Ohh, man. What about my family? Mom, Tutu, they don't know about any of this. And Lusamine said one of those wormholes formed right above the outskirts! We...Professor, we've gotta do something. But what CAN we do? The portals are open, Nebby's not right, and what about Echo's leg!? I..."

If I hadn't known better, I would have thought Hau had broken his own legs with the way they gave out beneath him. He fell beside me, and the fixed look of dread in his eyes that had been there just a moment before suddenly faded into nothing. Not even fear...I had never seen a look on his face like that. I didn't like it. It wasn't him. It was just...

...Despair.

"Man...This...this is bad, isn't it? Real bad..."

Lillie sat opposite to him from me. She would've looked the same if not for the spark of sympathy in her eyes as she looked across from him...I thought Gladion was about to join them too as he looked down in their direction, but as he turned around and began to pace, it turned out to be the floor that he was staring down at.

"Well...don't give up just yet," Professor Kukui spoke up. "Let's get back down to the boat and I'll see if I can get a radio signal. If I can get the authorities to evacuate the islands, then maybe that'll buy us some time to figure out-"

"Hang on, Professor."

Gladion suddenly cut him off, lifting his head up.

"...It's risky, but there still might be a way to fix this without having to evacuate the whole region."

"You think so?"

"Wait, really?"

Hau's head snapped up once he realized what Gladion said, and a hopeful half smile returned to his face.

"Ha...Well don't hold out on us, man! How're we gonna do it!?"

"When research on the Ultra Beasts was first starting out, the foundation started development of a special Poké Ball to catch them with called a 'Beast Ball.' When I left, they were close to being completed, so I'll bet their done by now thanks to...her obsession with them. If we can get ahold of some, then we might be able to find and contain whatever beasts have popped up around the region. And the wormholes won't stay open forever without a power source like Cosmog, so we should be in the clear once they close."

"So that's it? We just find them, wear them down and catch them?" Professor Kukui asked. "Well, that seems simple enough! Then once they're all contained, we just bring them back here and return them to their own realm!"

"Don't get cocky," Gladion warned. "The one we just saw is the least of our worries. There are others we know of that you guys can't even imagine, and they're EXTREMELY strong. Might take your entire team to whittle down just one."

"Sounds like we'll have to make this a team effort, then. How many Pokémon do we have between the four of us? Twenty?"

"But what about Echo?" Lillie asked. "She's...not able to go anywhere. Not like this."

She was right. I knew she was right. I couldn't walk with a broken leg, let alone run. Helping to find and catch these beasts would be impossible, and even if I did cross paths with one, how could I stand my ground against it...?

...

Wait.

If I couldn't stand my ground...what if someone else could? Like a Ride Pokémon...That just might work!

...Except I didn't have anything for ground travel registered to my pager. And even if I did, would a Tauros even be able to carry me if I could topple one so easily? I needed something big, something robust...

Someone I didn't even need the pager to summon.

I knew what I had to do.

"The first thing we should probably do is get her back to the PMC," Hau replied. "...Gladion, Professor, why don't you guys go back the way we came through the ele-porter and make sure none of those Skull grunts still want to butt heads? I'll take it from here with the gals."

"Think you've got a hold on things, Hau?" the professor asked him.

"We should be fine. I mean, I have to step up and be serious about something at some point, right?"

He and Gladion locked eyes for a moment, and the latter's permanently furrowed brow fully lifted for the first time in a long while.

"...Huh. Well, as long as you can figure out how to lift Echo and get her out of here, I guess I'll give you a chance," he replied. "Come on, Professor. We should probably go and find Wicke. If there's anyone here who will give us access to the Beast Balls, it's her."

"Guess you're the expert, Gladion. Let's move!"

They dashed back down the corridor and to the ele-porter, and were gone in a flash. In their place was left an uneasy quiet. None of us said much of anything right away, and even though the room was filled with Pokémon, not a sound came from any of the ice blocks.

None of this was right. We had to fix this.

I had to fix this...

"How're you holding up, Echo?"

Hau's question caught me slightly off guard, and I turned to face him...a little too quickly.

"AUCK!"

Another twinge, this time in my neck. Hopefully that wasn't another break...

"Yeah, didn't think so. But don't you worry, we're gonna get you out of this place. Uh...Lillie, do you think you could give me a hand?"

"Oh. Yes, in just a moment. Just...let me tend to Nebby before we go."

She turned to face the Cosmog's new dormant form, and stared down at it in sorrow.

"...I'm sorry, Nebby," she whispered to it. "But...it isn't over yet. We'll still do whatever we can to help you."

The tiny creature didn't even so much as flinch as she took it in her hands and gently lowered it back into her bag, pausing to look at it one more time before securing the zipper and concealing it from view.

"...Alright," she sighed, turning to face us with a forced look of confidence. "I'm ready. Professor Kukui and I had to carry her into the lab, so I think I know how to do this. Um...You get her shoulders, Hau, and I'll take the base of her tail."

"Got it...Is, uh, that comfortable enough for you, bud?"

I shrugged. It was awkward being carried like a log, but I supposed we didn't have much choice.

"Alright, ready? Here we go...! AGH...!"

They heaved, took maybe four steps then set me back down with a jostle. Hau doubled over, and Lillie took a moment to push the wide brim of her hat back up over her face after the rough start.

"Heh...uh, no offense Echo, but you're...Well, let's just say Professor Kukui is a lot stronger than we are, even combined."

{None taken...}

This wasn't working very well. Unfortunately, neither would assistance from King just yet; he was too big for the ele-porter and the room was too cluttered with frozen Pokémon for him to avoid bashing into one.

"I have another idea," Hau spoke again. "Echo, do you think you can still use your good leg? If you can prop yourself up if we hold you by the arms instead, that might work."

{Let's see...}

Slowly, carefully, painfully I pushed myself up as best I could. Every little shift shot another wave of pain out from where the fracture was, but every flinch got me closer to where I wanted to be. One arm was sprained and the other was badly bruised, and both were covered in cuts, but they worked better than the snapped leg combined as they hoisted the upper half of my torso off the hard floor.

"Here. Lillie, you take her left side, I'll take her right. Echo, on my count, you use your good leg to push up, okay?"

Both Lillie and I nodded in agreement, and she was at my left with my arm over her shoulders a moment later.

"Alright. One...two...three...!"

All three of us strained again as we lifted the heavy killing contraption that was my own body. My better leg was still unsteady even with the bones intact, but with four extra legs backing it up I was off the ground with much more ease. Already, we were making slow steps towards the end of the bridge, each one just a bit bigger than the last.

"This is better," Lillie nodded. "Good thinking, Hau. We should make it out of here and back into the main building just fine like this."

"Yeah...we should be fine..."

There was a sudden drop in his previously confident tone, and it managed to pull my attention away from the electric throbbing above my foot so that I could focus on him. Even in this moment of quiet, I knew he wanted to say something. I knew he was going to say something by the way his eyes scanned over the tile floor, mindlessly wandering as his head searched for the right words to put together before letting them out...If only it were that easy for the likes of me.

"Uh...Lillie?"

"Hm?"

There is was. Lillie turned and craned her neck over my slumped head in order to look at him. I kept my own eyes on him as well, wanting to know what was on his mind myself...Anything else that might distract me from the broken leg just a bit would help, after all.

"While it's still kinda quiet, I just wanted to...y'know...apologize for what happened up at the Aether House."

"Um...apologize?"

"Yeah. I mean, I was supposed to keep you and Nebby safe if anyone decided to show up, and...I failed. Pretty miserably."

You're not the only one, Hau...

So we were both disappointed in ourselves for failing to stop this mess...At least Hau didn't have any blood on his hands. Heck, did he even have the heart to slap someone?

...And if not, did that make him a coward or a saint?

"Hau, that was...It's not your fault," Lillie promised him. "You did what you could."

"Yeah, but it wasn't enough. They were able to take you here, and now Nebby is in weird shape and Ultra Wormholes are opening all over the place..."

His head started to droop, and he suddenly found his shoes interesting to watch as they plodded towards the .

"...Man, if Plumeria hadn't been there, I might've been able to take on the grunts just fine. That Haunter really messed us up with that Hypnosis/Dream Eater combo..."

{Wait...Plumeria?}

Hau caught on to the confusion in my tone and finally picked his head back up to explain.

"Oh, yeah. She was the one who...um...escorted Lillie out of the Aether House, so she was gone by the time you and the professor arrived," he explained. "Oh. Speaking of which, she didn't hurt you at all, did she Lillie?"

"No. Although I assume she was instructed not to," she answered. "In fact, she didn't say much on the boat, either. All she did while standing guard was stare out the window and scowl..."

So, Plumeria had been the one to lead the abduction...Perhaps she'd been in on Guzma's scheme ahead of time and only left the Aether House to secure some half decent backup and lower our guard. She would've certainly needed it after both she and her first pack of grunts got obliterated in battle. Especially her Salazzle...

Her Salazzle...

...Was it okay after that fight? It was in bad shape after that boosted Flamethrower Sassafras managed to muster.

"Well, I'm glad to hear they didn't do anything to hurt you," Hau continued. "But still...I think maybe your brother had a point: I don't take my training seriously enough. Sure, the Island Challenge is fun and all, but what about situations that are...well, like this?"

By then we'd made it to the ele-porter, and Hau took pause as we flashed back into the master bedroom from the unsettling room of frozen trophies...The doors leading out into the foyer were slightly ajar. Gladion and the professor weren't dillydallying, that was for sure.

"Long story short, I need to step up my game," Hau continued. "Not just for the sake of the Island Challenge, but for when danger comes knocking and I've got friends to protect. And I wasn't ready when that time came, so...I'm sorry."

Now it was Lillie's turn to look everywhere but at him, not sure how to respond to his apology. Though to be fair, I wouldn't have known what to say either if I was able. All Hau did was his best in a battle when the odds were stacked against him. Nothing like what I had done...

...It must be hard to forgive someone when there isn't much to forgive.

"Well...it's alright, Hau," she finally replied, a reassuring smile on her face. "Even if you weren't able to stop them from taking me, you did your best," she assured him. "If anything, you at least were able to stall them for a while. If I had been there at the Aether House by myself when Team Skull came back, then...well, they would have gotten me here sooner. Mother would have opened the wormhole long before all of you arrived, and...without you there, then..."

She trailed off.

"...I'm not sure what might have happened. Part of me wonders if she would have even tried to pull me into the wormhole with her..."

Hau shuddered. I shuddered, too. Although I wasn't sure if it was from the frightening implication or the sudden temperature change as we left the climate-controlled mansion and went back outside...By now, the white clouds had deepened into a stormy grey, and the sun's warmth had been replaced by a strong, stinging breeze.

"Well if that's the case, then I'm glad I could at least do something...But now that you bring it up, I wonder what's happening on the other side of that wormhole? I mean...what're we gonna do? Are we going to get her out of that place? I mean, I know she's absolutely nuts, but she is still your mom. I doubt you and Gladion want to just leave her in there...Right?"

Lillie opened her mouth as though to respond, only to deflate instead...Hau summed the president up perfectly. That woman turned out to be as vile as she was vain, and no amount of immaculate skin or sleek clothing could conceal that uncanny look of mania in her eyes that almost made them glow.

"...Well, that's all true," she responded. "After all, she wasn't always like the way she is now."

"No?"

"She only really started acting this way about a year ago when...well...Let's just say the situation we're in has been centered around the Ultra Wormholes from the start. To make a long story short, she...doesn't want to let go."

"Of what, the Ultra Beasts?"

"Yes. In a way. Part of me still thinks I can get to her and convince her that it's a lost cause, but...You've seen how she is now. I'm not so sure anyone can."

"I'm not so sure, either. She isn't even that scared of you, Echo. And she knows what you and your Pokémon can do, especially now!"

{Well...Not like this, she's not.}

If I was still able to walk on my own, that might be a different story. But after everything that had happened so far today, the last thing on my mind was trying to bare my teeth anyone else...

"But either way, she shouldn't stay in whatever dimension those jelly things came from," Hau continued. "Do you guys even know what it's like where they live?, Like, how risky do you think it'll be trying to pull her out of there?"

"You're right...I can't say for sure how dangerous it might be. But I'm certain we can figure something out, right?"

"Hopefully. Once we get this Ultra Beast situation under control, at least. I mean, if a wormhole opened up without using Nebby during our last visit, it can probably be done again."

Gladion and Professor Kukui were ahead of us at the end of the path, only having stopped to reopen the door. By the time we caught up to them, the latter had just unlocked the outer control panel with the same key Faba had surrendered to us, and the massive sliding door opened right back up...

...Someone was waiting for us just inside the doors.

"Oh, thank goodness you're all okay! I knew there was something really shady going on by the mansion when I started seeing Team Skull grunts roaming around the facility."

It was Wicke! Well, if there was ever a face in here I would be grateful to see, it was hers.

"Huh. Good timing," the professor remarked. "We were just about to start looking for you."

"I came when I heard the commotion coming from the mansion, so I suppose we were bound to run into each other here. I know studies on the Ultra Beasts have been prioritized lately, but this whole operation has gone much too far. With the Skull grunts, and Pokémon theft, and...Good gracious. Echo, what's happened to you...!?"

{Long story,} I hissed. {One I wish I could tell you...}

"She's in bad shape. Just barely got out of Po Town in one piece...We need to get back to the islands to get her back to the PMC and try to fix this Ultra Beast problem."

"Wicke. What's the status on the Beast Balls?" Gladion asked her. "Were they ever finished?"

"Technically yes," she confirmed. "While our calculations and design imply that the ball can theoretically contain the massive amount of energy the Ultra Beasts are composed of, we haven't actually tested them on any yet."

"Well, now would be a good time. The president's had her way with Cosmog's power, and those things are dropping into the region as we speak."

The assistant Branch Chief sighed solemnly, turning to face the balcony and staring off into the floor below us.

"...I was afraid this day was drawing near," she remarked. "Things became so much worse after you two escaped from this place. I thought I could keep your whereabouts hidden from her...But then I learned that she'd recruited Team Skull to aid in her hunt. By then, I was encouraged to keep mute on subjects like the Ultra Beasts and wormholes, and just focus on the Beast Ball project...There is still a lot that I don't know about the lengths they went to in order to achieve all of this. Although seeing your friend like this gives me an idea..."

"No kidding," Hau sighed, readjusting his hold beneath my arm. "You suppose we could heal up our teams before we head back out there? The guards were no match for most of them, but if these Ultra Beasts are as strong as Gladion says, we're gonna need all the firepower we can dish out!"

"Of course, Mr. Hau! I will just need everyone to bring their Pokémon up to the lobby where our healing center is located."

"Hmm...Speaking of firepower against these things," Gladion continued. "...Do you know where...?"

He cupped his hands around his mouth and whispered something to her, so quietly that all I could make out was one, just barely detectable pop of the lips. Judging by the looks on the others' faces, they couldn't make much out either. Wicke, on the other hand...

"I see...yes...Oh. Well, I'm not sure...Yes, but...Do you really think so...?"

He stepped away and gave her one more nod of confirmation. I didn't have the slightest idea what he was on about, but for just a split second I swore I saw him look in my direction as he turned around to face the rest of us again.

"Well, if you're certain. You're more privy to their behavior than I am, after all," she shrugged. "...Young Ms. Lillie, do you need anything? I can only imagine that you've been through quite an ordeal today."

"If it's not too much trouble for a glass of water...That plus a moment's rest is all I need for now."

"I'm kind of drained myself," Hau realized. "Is it okay if we put you down here for a minute, Echo?"

I nodded.

"Great. Let's just kinda bend down and lift you off like this..."

Lillie followed Hau's lead, and the two of them knelt down before pushing me off their shoulders and gently setting my upper half down on the ground...The cool tile floor felt good against the swollen muscle above my claws for all but a few seconds before heating up beneath the inflammation.

"You holding up okay there, cousin?" the professor asked.

{I wish...}

I could barely lift my head enough to look him in the eye.

"Guess I'd better start sending out alerts," he sighed, pulling out his phone. "Wicke, the Poké Ball jamming signal broadcasted across the structure doesn't affect things like phone reception or Wi-fi, does it?"

"I assure you it doesn't. In fact, the phone reception in this facility is some of the best in the region. We have our very own cell tower located at the apex of the structure."

"Great. In that case, I'll try getting into contact with the International Police," the professor announced. "So I hear, a few of their agents are stationed here in Alola right now, so that should give them a head start on locating the beasts."

"Oh, see if you can get ahold of Tutu!" Hau realized. "The president said one of the wormholes opened on the Hau'oli outskirts, so I want to make sure everyone back in Iki Town is alright!"

"Will do, Hau. The Kahunas should be able to help get the other islanders to safety if things get rough."

"As for your request, young master Gladion," Wicke chimed in. "If you will follow me down to Lab A, I will access the chamber and ensure everything is stable, after which it shouldn't be long until the chamber is thawed. Lillie, you may accompany us if you'd like."

"What're you two going to do in the lab?" the professor inquired. "Is there some sort of emergency equipment down there that needs to be prepped?"

"You could say that," Gladion confirmed. "Professor, once you make those calls, get the boat ready. Before we can start dealing with these Ultra Beasts, we need to drop Echo off back on Route 17 at the-"

{No.}

He stopped, then stared down at me with a skeptical brow.

"...You don't seem to be a big fan of that idea all of a sudden."

{We don't have time to do it that way. The calls, the lab, then the long boat ride...I can't wait that long to get back there. It will just give the beasts more time.}

Gladion didn't respond. He simply pursed his lips and exchanged a few confused glances with Lillie and the professor, neither of which returned the gesture because they were more focused on me. I snorted in frustrationat my own folly, then locked eyes with the Professor.

{Professor...Open that door back up.}

I brought up a shaky arm and pointed a claw at the direction we came in through.

"What, the doorway?" he asked. "Do you, uh...want me to reopen it?"

I nodded as vigorously as my neck would allow.

"Well, alright," he shrugged, following through with my request with a turn of the key. "Did you drop something back there? I can go grab it if you want."

I shook no, instead reaching into my sack and rummaging in its compartments until I felt the familiar cold steel of an oblong disc in my hand. I pulled it out straight away and immediately landed my eyes on Charizard's icon.

"Is...that your Ride Pager, Echo?"

I nodded, hovering a shaky finger over the familiar Charizard icon. Hopefully the open door would allow us a clear signal; for all I knew, that Poké Ball jamming signal might also impede the pager's functionality.

I pressed it, then inched just a bit closer to the exit and reached my hand out so it would be closer to the opening...A loading icon appeared across the screen, paired with some flashing white text.

Loading...

That was something I'd never seen before. Perhaps the better signal outside and the prohibition in the main building were counteracting each other.

Processing request...

Retrieving Ride Pokémon...

Come on, COME ON...!

The roller started to glow.

The white flash shot out from it and began taking that familiar draconic form.

{YES!!}

The white faded, and Charizard stared down towards the floor and at my relieved grin...The moment it laid eyes on me, the creature reared its head back and pursed its scaly lips in concern; no doubt I looked even worse now than when it last saw me. But I couldn't have Charizard panic and zip me off to some random hospital.

Not yet...

{I know...This looks really bad, doesn't it?} I huffed. {Don't worry, though...I want you to set sights on the Pokémon Center in Malie City. But keep an eye out for anything strange while in the air...We might have some trouble with opening wormholes out on the islands.}

The creature's eyes widened a bit more at the revelation, only to steel again a moment later; it seemed Charizard wasn't completely in the dark on what to look out for.

"Runff."

He nodded rigidly and stooped down for me to board. Hau and Lillie took the signal to bring me over, where I was draped overtop of the sturdy seat.

"You need help getting your other leg onto the other side?" the professor asked.

I shook my head one more time, grabbed the handle bar and slid myself over the saddle until I was aboard, at which moment the Charizard stood up straight and opened its wings...The muscle inside my bad leg felt like it was melting right off the bone as it dangled limply over the left of the seat. But I had to withstand it. Just until we got things under control...Maybe the Pokémon Center over there would have something to kill the pain while we dealt with the Ultra Beasts? If so, then maybe I could hold on for a little while longer...

Anything to buy me more time to help fix all of this...Anything to save the Alola region.

And maybe not just Alola...

 

[GingerTheBarnOwl]

"I, ah...really don't think it's right for me to let you leave like this. Even with the splint and the oxycodone tablet, you still should stay off your feet."

{I'm NOT going to be on my feet, Nurse Joy, I'm using HIS!}

The moment I pointed to the PMC's exit, the sliding doors whooshed open to reveal a massive set of teeth just on the other side, paired with an agitated snarl. The clock was ticking, and I wasn't about to cave to this looming threat.

"Erm...would you like me to deposit your Tyrantrum into the PC and send it to Poké Pelago during your stay?"

"Rrrrr..."

I pulled out my pen and passport again, flipping all the way to the last page and scribbling out a...somewhat intelligible response onto it before tearing it out and slamming it onto the red acrylic.

"What's this... 'Danger in garden' ?" she read aloud. " 'Have to go. Will be back.' ...Does this have anything to do with the mass of dark clouds that have formed over the islands, by chance?"

I nodded.

"I see...Well if you really are going to leave, I recommend you take these with you. They were sent here via the Item Storage System from Aether Paradise, with a note attached that they were for you."

From across the counter, she handed me several of what had to be the strangest-looking Poké Balls I'd ever seen. I may not have recognized them as such without the familiar white button in their center; aside from that they looked much more like what Nebby had turned into with their gold ridges and deep blue center.

The similarity between the two clicked in my head, and I recognized what they truly were...Beast Balls. Gladion and Wicke must have gotten ahold of them shortly after I left, and sent them my way knowing I might run into these Ultra Beasts they were designed to capture.

{...Thank you.} I muttered, stowing them away inside the tarnished leather knapsack. {Wish me luck out there.}

The nurse lifted her finger as though to say something else, but I couldn't spare the time for any more questions; I was already turning tail and hobbling out of the building on one half-functioning leg and a single crutch that was nowhere near wide enough to stabilize my long, dangerous contraption of a body.

Curse this tail, these teeth, these claws...Why couldn't I have woken up on the shore as a human? Why did I have to wake up at all, if I was built to destroy?

...Maybe if I could destroy a threat, it would be worth it.

Maybe...

{So will you be coming back here?}

King was already knelt onto on the ground, small but sturdy arms positioned beneath himself for a quick pick-up as he anticipated my climb.

{Only after we handle whatever was let loose in the garden,} I answered him. {Glad Charizard caught sight of where the wormhole was...It almost looked like a second sun in the sky.}

It took an extra minute to straddle him with a bad leg, now made even more cumbersome thanks to the steel and padding attached to it. But between the grip of his coarse scales and a frill of feathers to hold on to, I knew I would stick fast to him - no saddle or shell required.

{You're sure it's above the garden, Alpha?}

{I'm certain of it; I saw the roof of the tea shop not far beneath it. The garden is through that black and gold gateway around the corner to our right. Let's hurry before these things hurt anyone!}

He pushed his front off the ground and lifted me up along with his shoulders, then rounded the turn and eyed the entrance. His steps started out slow, but quickly built up speed the farther we went, and I held on just a bit tighter as he lumbered down the asphalt and charged through the oriental gateway that was just high enough for us to go through with both of our heads tucked.

...There was a dead calm settled over the garden. The emanant smell of something burning stung my nostrils, and for a moment the dark clouds above almost looked like smoke. No breeze ruffled the foliage, nor did any sun made it sparkle bright green. There was hardly a noise at all except for a deep, ear-shaking hum emanating from...somewhere. Perhaps it was the wormhole hovering by the tea shop making the unnerving drone.

I hoped it was the wormhole...

{Look at this, Alpha.}

King pointed a claw at something on the ground...A broad, parallel pair of burn trails were carved out across the garden, the foliage within them seared black. Judging by the grey fumes still rising up from the twin paths, they were made recently.

{Strange...It's like something used Flamethrower on the ground from above while it was flying. Twice...} I remarked. {Too big to be a Charizard, though.}

{Do you the paths will lead us to whatever made them?}

{It's worth a shot...Be ready to stand your ground, King.}

Slowly, steadily, he trudged forth, head level with the rest of his body as he followed the green center path carved out by the charred ribbons carved into the earth which flanked either side of it. His breath was slow and hushed, and even beneath a layer of thick, jagged scales, I could feel him shudder.

One thing was for certain...Whatever creature made this trail was massive.

...So massive, in fact, that it...

It wasn't hard to spot at all.

{Whoa...that's...NOTHING like the one from the Aether Paradise...}

The ominous droning reared its head again. Up ahead, the burn path widened, and where it bulbed out, there hovered a metal monstrosity that completely dwarfed even King's impressive stature, perhaps the height of TWO Pokémon Centers stacked atop one another. What I assumed was its head was tilted upwards, staring into the sheet of black above with a low metallic groan.

{It's a Steel-Type, for sure,} I concluded, noting the entity's sleek surface glimmering even in the lack of sunlight. {Sassafras is our best bet for this one.}

As I said her name, I pulled out the Salazzle's capsule, gripping it tightly as I anticipated the beast's reaction to our presence...It still hadn't noticed us, its attention glued to the ashen sky.

But not for much longer.

{HEY!! DOWN HERE, YOU HOVERING HULK!!}

When my scream reverberated off its steel body, the behemoth turned to face us as quickly as its lumbering form would allow, scorching even more of the greenery before finally revealing its face. Blank and glowing were its fixed features, as though they had been welded into its head, and they stared right back down at us with an unreadable semblance of an expression.

It wasn't attacking us, which I supposed was a sign that this mountainous creature was more curious towards us than aggressive.

Still, this was a completely foreign entity with foreign mannerisms.

I wasn't about to make the wrong assumption and get us killed.

I chucked Sassafras's capsule to the ground the moment after the entity stopped turning, and she materialized into being right between where King and I stood and where the Ultra Beast hovered. The moment she laid eyes on the behemoth, her eyes widened in shock and terror.

The recoil from her Poké Ball returning to my claws was nothing into comparison of the scene about to play out before us. Seeing how tiny Sassafras was compared to this...this THING, I wasn't sure even a clear type advantage would be enough to whittle it down.

But there was only one way to know for sure.

{Kick this off with Nasty Plot! And stay light on your feet!}

Rising up on her toes, she hunkered down and concentrated, eyes narrowing intently at the beast.

Unfortunately, the creature didn't take too kindly to the pounce-like gesture. Its stiff iron body somehow became even stiffer, and a bright metallic sheen cascaded down like a waterfall from its crown to its hovering base...Judging by the extra payer of coating it gained, I assumed this was a defensive move it had chosen.

{Now! Flamethrower!}

In spite of her unease, Sassafras followed the command, and the immense gush of fire she let loose brightened the cloudy garden like a replacement sun, singing the tips of the leaves around it as the flame's core hit smack in the center of the opposing beast.

The creature was sent flying back. The jets on its arms keeping it airborne sputtered slightly, and when the flames died they revealed a large black spot beneath the base of its neck where they landed, the metallic layers warped slightly from the heat.

{GOOD SHOT!!}

"Sal, RAHHH...!"

A relieved huff escaped her, and the massive open-jawed grin forming on her face indicated that she was just as pleasantly surprised by the outcome as I was.

{One more should whittle it down! Fire things up one more time!}

She charged up her next move, lavender eyes flashing confidently against the harsh sheen of the enemy's steel form...which seemed to be glowing brighter than before, really.

Uh-oh...

{On your toes, Sassafras! This thing is firing up another move!}

She continued to charge, though her hands and feet tensed as they prepared to sprint. From high above, close to the Ultra Beast's head, I could see the telltale signs of it preparing a series of projectiles. Upon fully materializing, they revealed themselves to be large, brown...seeds?? From the barky scent of the surrounding air, it was a clear indication of some kind of Grass-Type move. Well if that was the case, then I thought that meant she would be able to tough it out just fine...

...Until the barrage actually came down.

Each seed was the size of a boulder, and just as lethal as they careened down and put massive craters in the once even landscape. Sassafras stayed on her toes and weaved around them, the energy from her charging Flamethrower dissipating as it all went into dodging the onslaught. King took several steps backwards as the attack threatened to land on US, too, and he snarled in aggravation at the steel giant.

Finally, the seeds stopped coming down. The ones stuck in the earth dissipated, leaving behind a series of rounded pits blemishing the greenery. Sassafras stood at the edge of one of the holes, tail hanging inside the impression as she crouched on all fours, breathing heavily as she continued to peer up her enemy with wide eyes. It stared down right back, carved face blank and expressionless as it began to prepare the same move.

{DRAGON RAGE!!}

As we watched the attack charge, Sassafras hid herself in one of the holes, out of the beast's sight, if it could see at all with its carved-out eyes. From the inner wall, she could charge a sphere of glowing purple without giving the beast the opportunity to aim first.

She clambered out of the hole nearly as fast as she went in with her move ready and fired it at the beast even faster. The glowing ball made its mark along the edge of the warped burn she had inflicted before, and it seemed to burst open and swathe the enemy with its stored draconic power.

Upon being hit, another deep groaning noise emanated from the beast. The sheets of metal comprising the alien Pokémon began to strain under the pressure of the wounds, and it started to tilt off to the right as one of its jets petered out.

If that thing hit the ground, the damage would be catastrophic.

I had to act NOW.

With my better arm, I withdrew a Beast Ball from my bag, wound it back and threw it at the Ultra Beast as hard as I was able. The ball landed right on target - it wasn't easy to miss, after all, and the steel titan went from a colossal falling tree into a small, condensed pack of energy in a matter of seconds as it was sucked into the capsule.

The ball snapped shut, then landed on the charred ground below with a rustle and a clatter as it bounced across the grass.

And then it wobbled.

{Come on...stay inside...}

It jolted again.

And a third time.

Come on, come on...!

Click

The ball stilled, and nothing emerged from it.

{...Did we get it?}

Sassafras skittered over, cautiously putting her nose to the Beast Ball and taking a whiff. She batted it lightly with her hand next, and then mustered enough courage to pick it up and inspect it. Still, nothing came out.

{I think we caught it,} King acknowledged. {I know the sound of a successful capture from when you gave me my own ball. And I'm sure Sassafras does, too...Don't you?}

She nodded in confirmation, and King stooped down until his head was nearly on the ground so that she could transfer the Beast Ball to me. I gingerly took the capsule in my claws, still half expecting the massive creature to escape suddenly as I looked over it. But no such thing ever occurred.

{Hah...We actually got it!} I heaved. {We actually CAUGHT an ULTRA BEAST!!}

{And just in time, too,} King agreed. {Given the damage it caused when it was idle, I'm glad it wasn't too aggressive.}

{I know. This thing only started to actually attack us after we challenged it,} I agreed, turning the ball in my hand and inspecting it. {...Do you suppose it was frightened by us?}

{Maybe. After all, it isn't from here. If there's a brain in that steel skull, it's probably going haywire trying to figure out how to defend itself in this new place.}

...That brought up an interesting question: what exactly was the world these creatures came from like? Given the bizarre appearance of these otherworldly beings, the realms they came from could just as well be equally bizarre. Were they wild and free of human cities? Did they even have any plants? It was possible something made of steel needed air to sustain itself with...And was there even only one? Could these Ultra Beasts be coming from multiple worlds tied to multiple rifts?

Just how many other dimensions WERE there?? If I had come from a separate world, who was to say I wasn't an 'Ultra Beast' of some form? A foreign being trying to navigate a strange new world, learning to survive...but causing so much destruction when the instincts forged in our old homes kicked in...

We don't belong here...

I gave the glimmering capsule one more turn before retiring it to the leather bag straddled over me...The bad strap had frayed more since I woke up in the first PMC. Maybe it was time I got it replaced...

...But would I still even need one after this, if I stopped being a Trainer?

I promised you that I wouldn't ever give up on you, no matter what.

The Professor's oath from earlier came back to me.

So, please...Don't give up either, Echo.

...

...He wanted me to keep going.

I owed the man my very life. If he wanted me to keep going, I supposed it was the very least I was able to do in return.

I couldn't let all of his efforts go to waste. Not now.

Not when we've already come this far...

...

..Alright, Professor. I won't give up.

Not just yet...

{...Do you smell any other beasts around, King?}

The rugged, rusty creature that had humbled himself enough to be my temporary steed lifted himself off the ground, and I held on tightly as he pointed his snout into the cloudy sky and took in a long sniff.

{...I don't think there are any others like what we just captured,} he determined. {I would be able to see them from this height...But I am catching a whiff of something similar.}

{You do?}

He sniffed again, this time broken and more analytical.

{Crisp, airy, metallic...with a hint of must. It's slightly stronger closer to the ground than in the air.}

{Do you suppose that means it's smaller than the last Ultra Beast?}

{I can only hope so...Speaking of smaller...}

His head craned towards the wormhole still glowing above the garden...It was fluctuating more now, and had shrunken considerably - hopefully enough to prevent anything else on the other side from coming in. The think blanket of black clouds above had turned a lighter shade of grey, and I could just barely see the brightness of the sun behind them trying to shine through.

"Srrrrr..."

A concerned sigh escaped from Sassafras as she leaned against King's side. We had downed one Ultra Beast without taking any hits, but there was still another afoot, and there was only so much that King's nose could tell us about it.

{...Why don't you stay outside your ball and help us track down whatever is still out here?} I offered. {If it smells metallic, it could be another Steel-Type. With how you handled that last one, I don't think you'll have any issue with the next.}

The worry across her dainty features gradually lessened, the corners of her snout betraying her internal turmoil with an attempt to smile.

{And I still owe everyone an eventual trip to the Malasada Shop after everything we've been through today.}

{But what about your injuries?} King inquired.

{Agh...If I really end up bedridden, then maybe Hau wouldn't mind taking everyone if I give him the cash. If there are two things I know he loves, they're Pokémon and malasadas. The whole pack deserves a treat and a long break after all of this.}

{...What about Rotom? I haven't seen him since before you went into that big house.}

...

{You said something happened to him when we were still inside the walls. Is he alright?}

{...I don't know, King,} I finally answered. {The nurse said his injuries would heal if we give him enough time, but...I think I've hurt him on the inside in a way that can't be fixed.}

{Did you two discuss anything before we left for the Aether Paradise?}

{Well no, we...really can't right now. His PokéDex was badly damaged during the fight. The professor said he could salvage a few of the parts and have the original inventor send him an upgraded version, but I have no idea how long that will take. And that's if Rotom even wants to talk to me anymore at all...}

King bellowed thoughtfully in response, his tone so deep that I swore it shook the ground beneath him.

{...If he does, then perhaps I could translate him for you while he's outside of his machine.}

{Not if we both have to stay at the Pokémon Center; that back room is small and full of delicate medical equipment. Nurse Joy might not approve of you being released in there...}

{True...Well, whatever the case is, Alpha, I will still try to help as best I can.}

{...Thank you,} I chirped. {...Sassafras. Can you smell whatever King picked up? Something crisp, metallic and low to the ground, he said.}

She lowered herself to all fours in response, nose to the ground as her head craned back and forth. I knew she had the scent when her eyes widened and she let out an eager trill.

"Sal-a-a-a-ah!"

{Lead the way.}

She skittered west towards the other side of Malie Garden, winding left and right along the dirt trail to better pinpoint our target. King and I followed several feet behind as she continued to sniff out the source, the former's own nostrils hovering not far above the ground and sending up grainy clouds of dust with each exhale.

Suddenly, Sassafras stopped abruptly in her tracks and rose to her hind legs, taking in a whiff of the air higher above before leering suspiciously into the garden's lush foliage.

{Got something?} I chittered quietly from above.

She pointed a slick-scaled finger down at the large section of tall grass to our right.

Tall grass that...seemed to be a lot shorter in certain spots.

I scanned the terrain below, finding that there was a thin, jagged path through the greenery that seemed to be cut short. Tall sections once high enough to conceal a Psyduck were now just a few inches high, the sliced portions scattered atop the spared blades and littering the edge of the dirt path we stood on now. Whatever had made this didn't even spare the bushes in its way; they all sat on their sides throughout the messy pathway, the exposed stalks smelling freshly of sap.

A trail of destruction: the same story as the first Ultra Beast, if not quite as intense.

{Looks like we were right about its size, King. Why else would something need to cut through the grass like this except if it was blocking its view?}

{I can't imagine...But with any luck, this trail will lead us right to it, just like the last beast.}

{Sassafras,} I addressed. {Why don't you stay hidden in the tall grass along the edge of the path? That way we might be able to catch this thing by surprise.}

"Surrrl."

She nodded curtly, then got down on all fours and slipped gracefully into the foliage like a flowing ribbon. King slowly shifted his footing and turned right, keeping his feet low to the ground with each careful step as we trekked into the greenery. He kept his head level with the rest of his body, allowing me a slightly less obscured view of what was directly ahead. The distinct odor of freshly-cut grass grew stronger the farther we strayed from the beaten path, which might have been pleasant if not for the notion of what had likely caused it.

And then, we began to hear it. A sharp SWISH followed by a stony impact and a soft clatter. I raised my head and trained my vision farther down the path before us, the cropped sections of grass growing wider and wider until they stopped at the northern wall.

And there it was.

A brightly-colored, paper-thin figure, vaguely resembling a human body with a pair of yellow wings, hacking its thin arms at the garden's sturdy concrete wall in an attempt to break through to the other side, though only slicing away a few small pebbles at a time. It couldn't have been more than a foot and a half tall.

{Ha...THIS is the second Ultra Beast?}

I grinned at just how small and frail it looked. Catching this thing was going to be a cinch!

As soon as the creature heard my geckering, it spun its whole body around and "looked" at me with what I could only assume was meant to be an eye in the middle of its head. The white corners around it folded in tighter, causing its yellow "pupil" to "contract." It almost looked angry like that.

...And it turned out it was.

As soon as I saw its gaze narrow, the creature FLEW forward along the ground, disappeared beneath King's head and then reappeared along our side a split second later.

"RAAURGH!!"

I jumped where I sat and clung to King tighter as he let out a pained snarl, stumbling where he stood. His big step back gave me a view of his right foot beneath me.

...It was bleeding.

The creature's arm had managed to strike a clean cut through the rocky hide just above his toes. It was so thin I might not have known it was there if not for the crimson leaking from it.

{A Steel-Type, no doubt,} he growled. {...And it hits hard for something so small!}

{Are you alright?}

He grumbled again as he slowly, steadily regained his composure.

{Fine, I think. Not too deep...A Super Potion should clear that up.}

{I hope so...Well if it's a Steel-Type, we've still got the edge. Sassafras! FLAMETHROWER!!}

As soon as I ordered the move, there came a rustling in the uncut grass from just to our right. Then like a flash of smoke she leapt out of the greenery, mouth already glowing a hot orange and eyes on the target.

She unleashed her flame in all its glowing glory.

...Only for the Ultra Beast to simply jump up, weave about midair and dodge the entire stream like it was nothing!

{I...Wha-!?}

It rose into the sky, arms becoming swathed in an inky fog-like mass, then came down upon Sassafras in a black and violet blur.

SLASH
SLASH
SLASH

All in quick succession. On the shoulder, leg and finally torso.

It landed just feet away from her. Sassafras leaned backwards. Her eyes were wide and unblinking with shock.

...The metallic scent of her blood hit me before the sight of it leaking from the slices.

And then, she fell backward, eyes still open. The green around her ran deep red.

{...What?}

It all happened so quickly that my mind could hardly keep up. But when it finally did, I realized just what had happened: Sassafras had been downed within a matter of seconds with just a few effortless swings.

And not only had she fainted, she was also bleeding profusely.

Oh.

Oh, no...

I returned her to the safety of her Poké Ball as soon as I pieced everything together, hoping that the reversion back down into energy would stabilize her wounds, perhaps even stop the bleeding. But even if it had, the size of the red puddle left in her place was alarming.

...Maybe this thing wasn't going to be a cinch to battle after all.

I shook my head to rid it of any building dread. We probably still had a decent shot against this thing. Sassafras wasn't exactly a tank, after all; maybe the Ultra Beast had just gotten lucky with a critical hit. It HAD struck three times in a row, after all.

...It's fast, that's for sure.

But I wasn't about to let one knockout throw us off. I withdrew Archer's capsule next and sent him out onto the field below. He was the highest level out of the whole team, so surely he would have better luck!

{Stand your ground, Archer!} I warned him. {This thing is stronger than it looks!}

"Dwit, dwit droo..."

His head turned towards the puddle of crimson that Sassafras had left behind, then rotated fully towards me with a lick of concern in his gold irises.

{Sassafras took quite a licking,} I answered him. {Turns out this Ultra Beast has some sharp blades at its disposal. Hopefully Nurse Joy will be able to fix whatever damage it dealt...}

As miraculous as the Pokémon Center healing stations were when it came to eliminating wounds, even I wasn't fully confident in my own claim. I could only hope this wasn't another case of Red versus Grimslice.

{But we're sharper up here!} I encouraged him, pointing a claw at my head. {Let's have it come to us this time. It's good at dodging, so if it gets close enough, we can catch it off guard!}

He peered back at the thinly-build creature, then narrowed his gaze and nodded back at me with a bold grin.

"Drit."

He spaced his legs further apart and crouched in preparation as he and the Ultra Beast glared intensely at one another. Archer didn't move from his spot except for slowly spreading out his wings and tilting them upward in preparation to dodge anything the enemy might throw at us next.

Finally, it did just that, firing up the blades it sported as arms with a harsh white sheen before sprinting towards us on its pointed feet.

{It looks like this thing knows Aerial Ace. Red's wings glow like that whenever he uses the move,} I recognized. {But you've got a few tricks up your hood that should help keep them at bay. Let's start this off with a disappearing act!}

"Dwit droo!"

With a flashy wave of his wing, he vanished into thin air like an expert magician. The paper fiend narrowed its gaze again, its piercing glare growing nearly as sharp as its arms. Its head curved about almost weightlessly, nearly folding at some points as it attempted to locate its hidden pursuer.

A faint pair of X-shapes silently pressed into the cut grass behind the beast as it continued to panic.

It had no idea he was so close.

{SPIRIT SHACKLE!!}

I called the attack the very moment after I saw the marks of Archer's talons, and the nothingness behind the Ultra Beast suddenly erupted into a swirling burst of purple smoke. An arrow quill emerged from the cloud in a flash...

And IMPALED the target through its orange middle before firing off the second blast!

{Wow! DOUBLE whammy! Nice shot, Archer!}

"Dwit dwit!"

He revealed himself just as he was about to land, planting his feet on the ground right between me and the beast. When the violet smoke cleared, we could see that the attack had sent the enemy into the air itself, and it fluttered weightlessly back to the ground like a feather in a breeze...

...Before forcing itself upright again and planting its feet steadily on the ground.

There was a small hole through its middle where the arrow quill dissipated, and it emanated a sharp odor that landed somewhere between hot metal and burnt leaves. But no blood leaked from the spot. No spillage, no innards, no nothing. It simply stood there and honed its blade-like arms together a couple of times, the folds around its center orifice tightening so much I could barely see the yellow.

How was this thing so resilient? It was just a folded up piece of paper without any organs. Sharp for sure, but still flimsy enough to be carried by the wind. How was it already able to stand back up and bolt right at us with its arms its arms ITS ARMS ARE GLOWING WHITE AGAIN OH NO -

Another loud rip filled the air, and a flurry of white feathers stained pink at the tips ruptured from the first clean slash the beast made, and from the second, and the white turned brown on the third with the edges colored deep red.

There was a thud and a tumble, and a blur of the tan and white spun along the ground, halting motionlessly just before the pool of blood King's foot had spilled. The pristine white feathers on Archer's chest were painted various hues of coral, scarlet and maroon, smeared and shaved to the skin around the slices oozing from out of the living canvas. His left wing was draped backwards over his face; most of its coverts were missing in place of the laceration that stretched from his shoulder to his wrist.

He had tried to block the hit with his wing.

But it had already been too late.

Archer, the highest level Pokémon in the pack, my PARTNER Pokémon, now lay before me in a growing pool of his own gore.

All I could hear was the low thud of a heartbeat. Was it his or mine? Was his heart even beating at all?

A low gurgle escaped from beneath his bleeding wing, and I saw his chest rise unevenly.

He was still breathing.

My hands shook as I reached for his Poké Ball again, and I almost dropped it to the ground below as I returned him...King and I looked to one another. His pupils were just fine lines of dread along the yellow sclera, and mine likely looked the same.

{Alpha...They were the only ones that stood a chance at all,} he grumbled somberly. {...Do you think we can retreat to the Pokémon Center and heal them up?}

We both looked back down at the creature. The faint orange glow that had been about the last Ultra Beast now appeared with this one too, and it was honing its blades once more as it peered back at us with its featureless face.

{What if it follows us out?} I asked him. {If that thing reaches beyond the garden and gets into the city, then...}

How many lives could it take?

This was bad. Worse than bad, it was DIRE. There was no one left on the team who could take it on. Archer was down quick, Sassafras was down quicker, Red was in no shape to fight and Grace wasn't even an option for a myriad of reasons, from age to type disadvantage to the strain of stopping another evolution attempt on her tiny body.

And then there was King, who I was currently saddled upon. With me on board, he would struggle to move his head and be so cautious of me that he wouldn't be able to go all out in the fight.

...

...But what if I wasn't on board?

I looked down. King's foot was still visible; the blood coming from the cut above his toes had already begun to cake, and the ends were scabbing over.

Maybe there was still a chance.

{King,} I addressed him sternly. {Lower yourself so I can get off.}

His already thread-thin eyes somehow shrank even more at the command.

{What?}

{It's up to you, King...We have no choice.}

{I can't just leave you on the ground. You can just barely walk!}

{So what if it means this thing won't get out into the city!? If I stay on, I might hold your attacks back! Just let me down! That's an order!}

He looked at me, then the beast, then back at me again, and then finally let out a reluctant sigh. Slowly, he lowered his head and shoulders, arms stretching out to reach the ground and keep him upright. I leaned over and tumbled off onto my good side, front half landing on the cut grass and back half on the long, cushioning the splint just a bit more than hard ground would. Barely a moment after I was back on the ground, I reached into the old leather bag and brandished a Super Potion before his eyes, and he put his bad foot forward for me to douse with the spray. The thickening crimson line tightened shut, leaving not much more than a fine dent in its place.

{...Are you sure about this?} he inquired.

{Don't worry about me,} I panted, trying to look as bold as possible. {I'm willing to do whatever it takes for us to beat this thing and save the islands...Now, let's start this off with Crunch. If you can tear through a steel wall, this thing shouldn't be hard to shred!}

The beast honed in again.

But this time, King was ready for it.

His head was still near to the ground when the beast started running. When it was mere feet away, the Tyrantrum's massive maw opened up with a white-hot glow and a fearsome bellow.

A loud snap followed.

{YOU GOT IT!!}

He pushed himself up into the air again and thrashed the thin figure around in his serrated stone teeth for several long moments before letting go and flinging the enemy into the very wall it was trying to cut through. It slid down the border and onto the ground, and once it had landed I could see the damage caused: a series of deep dents in its left arm. One even bore a small hole through the center, the second we'd inflicted thus far.

The beast lifted itself back onto its feet yet again, this time with a slight wobble. King had done a good number on it, but it wasn't down just yet.

{Maybe a strong Stomp will incapacitate it,} I suggested next. {Normal on Steel usually isn't very effective, but if you can immobilize it and follow up with another Crunch, that might take it down!}

He nodded valiantly, and this time he made the approach. By the time the Ultra Beast had regained its composure, King had already halfway closed the gap between them, steps slow and eyes locked on the target as he anticipated its next move.

The creature fired up its blade arms again. This time, they shimmered green.

I recognized that move, too...Archer had only just learned it earlier that day.

Leaf Blade...

Its body curved upwards, knee bent and ready to shoot itself up into King's massive head as his heavy footsteps drew nearer.

And then it sprang up.

...Right into a splayed set of ruddy claws as the whole weight of King's leg came crashing down atop it!

{That should be enough to stun it!} I called to him. {Now, one more Crunch! Make sure it's ready to land by the time you lift-!}

I was interrupted by an abrupt roar.

King suddenly rose his head and began to stumble backwards, leaving behind smears of red in the cut greenery. A split second look beneath his toes as he limped revealed the culprit: a parallel pair of clean gashes in the pad of his foot.

It had cut right through his flesh.

He snarled and winced, side exposed to the creature as he once again tried to regain steadiness on an injured foot. It saw the opening and fired up yet another attempt at the same attack

{Counter it with Crunch, HURRY!!}

His head turned towards the foe just in time to see its glowing green appendages slice right into his rocky hide like it was no thicker than the skin of a berry. It floated and tumbled through the air hardly skipping a beat as it landed slice after slice after slice, each blow painting its steely white arms more and more red.

It final blow was an uppercut, landing right in the bottom of King's lower jaw and cutting right through his feathery beard into the scales and through the muscle. The finishing move sent his entire head rearing upwards and backwards.

And his body followed.

From out of King's slack maw came a horrific groan like the walls of Po Town that he himself had destroyed, and then came the earth-shuddering CRASH as he careened into the ground.

...He was down.

Limp.

Fainted.

{...No...}

The sound of it scraping the edges of its arms together was like claws against rust, harsh and piercing as they squealed together blade-on-blade. The blood on its arms sprayed across the grass in flecks, and the folds around its face tightened with more menace than what I'd seen from any creature in this realm with discernible eyes as it staggered towards me with full intent to destroy.

...This was it.

This creature was going to kill me. And then it was going to get out of here. And when it did, it was going to paint the city red with the blood of everything and everyone it came across.

...

...Paint the city...

Red.

I still had-!

But...

No.

He couldn't. Not after what happened with Guzma's Golisopod.

The nurse said he needed to stay off the battlefield until further notice, that there were stitches in the rips the creature's claws had made in his torso. Red was a fighter, a strong one for sure; if not for his last battle, I would have considered him far sooner. But what other choice did I have...?

The Ultra Beast let out an ear-splitting hiss from somewhere in its paper-thin, razor-sharp form, and it looked to be moving quicker now that it'd walked off the limp in its pointed right leg.

My other choice was death, and not just my death, but EVERYONE'S death.

But even if I did send him out, would he be able to stand against this thing at all?

...There was only one way to know.

I jerked my head back and reached into the leather bag with my teeth in desperation, taking hold of the second-to-last unused Poké Ball before flinging it forward onto the field with a frantic caw. It burst open above, and the familiar silhouette of a Hawlucha forming on the ground spooked the beast just enough to get it to stop advancing.

"Hurgh...Cha...?"

His eyes were glazed over, a wing wrapped tightly around his middle as he slowly, carefully pushed himself upright. From beneath the red cape of feathers around his torso, I could see the edge of the linen bandages, the white stained a pale coral color. If the edges were that red, then the bleeding in the center had to have been heavy.

Immediately I knew our odds were next to none. But everyone else was down, and there wasn't any way I could outrun the beast if I were to make a break for the PMC to heal my fallen teammates; it already had its sights set on me as its next victim.

...

...

...I couldn't make it there.

But maybe SOMEONE ELSE COULD.

AND THEY COULD GET THEM ALL HEALED WHILE I DISTRACTED IT.

I rummaged through my items yet again, extracting not just one, but EVERY occupied Poké Ball in my possession save for Red's. A firm tap of Grace's capsule on the ground was enough to pop it open, and out she came a swirl of light.

"Vui?"

Grace had proven to be fast at the Aether Paradise, and the Pokémon Center wasn't far. She might not be able to battle this thing, but that didn't mean she couldn't help us fight.

{Grace...I have a job for you,} I rasped, half afraid the Ultra Beast might somehow understand me. {A very important job...Archer, Sassafras and King are all fainted, and the enemy is too strong for Red right now. If you can carry an Everstone in your mane, you can manage a few Poké Balls, right?}

She nodded, worry seeping into her brown eyes.

{Bring them to the Pokémon Center and have them restored. Just make a left out of the garden gate and it's a short run from there. But hurry. And stay quiet so you don't catch the beast's attention...Red and I will distract it until you return.}

Red turned back to face me, and we nodded to one another in agreement before I turned my attention back to Grace and began tucking the capsules of my fainted team members into the folds of her plush mane.

{Now go. The fate of Alola rests on us.}

"Eievui."

She nodded, the soft features of her face steeling slightly before she turned tail and fled down the cut path in the grass, hugging the edge of the tall foliage to remain concealed from the razor-edged entity.

The creature may not have noticed her either way, however, given that it and Red were currently exchanging glares. He looked a bit better now than he had just a minute ago, gaze sharper and legs steadier; perhaps he had just awoken from a fitful nap upon being released and had just shaken off the initial fatigue.

Nonetheless, I wasn't about to take any unnecessary risks.

{Red...We can't directly fight this thing in your condition,} I gurgled. {But you're more than just a hard hitter, I know that much. Do you think you can still leap and fly around a bit?}

Not once did he take his eyes off the Ultra Beast, but I heard him hum thoughtfully before finally nodding back, and he fully unfurled his wing from his torso and stood taller.

He wouldn't back down, even with a rip through his middle.

What did I ever do to deserve a pack like this?

{It's all for show this time,} I chittered to him. {No landing any hits. We just have to keep it up until Grace and the others get back.}

"Lu-cha."

{Now...Let's see just how light you are on those feet.}

The tips of his clawed toes flexed slightly, and he stretched his legs out from side to side as he and the beast continued to leer at one another. Red was the first to start moving, slowly making his way around the creature in a wide circle as though looking for an opening. But he never prepared to pounce, no...That was the enemy's job. And it appeared to be working, given that the beast's paper thin legs were beginning to crouch. Red noticed it all the same and narrowed his eyes at it, going as far as to prepare for a jump of his own.

And then, the enemy hurdled right at him.

I opened my mouth to call him to dodge, but it was too late. Red had already leapt high above the ground and evaded the swift swish of a blade slicing through where he once stood before cushioning his return to earth with a single flap of his wings and a low lunge.

"Hah..."

In spite of his retained agility, the tightness in the center of his face was a clear sign that the wounds beneath his wrappings were still bothering him. Having him out on the field at all, even just to distract the creature, probably wasn't going to do his condition any favors.

But we had no other choice.

The enemy wasn't about to give up just yet. It drew back its forearms and slashed at him again, and again and again, but failed to actually land any of the blows as Red hopped and swayed back and forth around the swinging blades. The beast tried to slice at him from both sides now, but Red responded with another leap, keeping his eyes trained on the creature as both of his feet and a steadying clawed hand connected him with the ground again.

Whatever the nurse gave him, it certainly worked well enough to keep him agile. Enough at least to dodge whatever this thing hurled at him.

...Except for its Aerial Ace.

A move that CAN'T be dodged, no matter what.

...But Red knew the same move. So if it can't be dodged, then maybe it could be...countered?

{...Let's use Hone Claws while it's standing still! Just in case it gets too close!}

Red nodded back and obeyed, scraping the edges of his ivory claws against one another until their tips were needle-sharp. I didn't know much about these creatures, but from what I could observe, it seemed to like honing its blade arms against one another as an intimidation tactic. If we did the same, perhaps it would submit?

In response to the warning we gave it, the Ultra Beast leaned forward on one bent paper knee and swathed its arms in white again.

Aerial Ace.

Looks like we made the right call at the right time.

{There's no dodging this one,} I warned him. {But we've got the same move on hand. Fire up an Aerial Ace of your own; let it meet you all the way, then use yours to parry the hits!}

He inhaled deeply, and brought his own wings back just as the Ultra Beast made a break for us. The scarlet on Red's feathers began to glow white in defiance against his foe, and just when it seemed the creature was about to slice him in half, a wing shot out to block one of the lethal blades.

There was a fierce WHOOSH from every swipe of each appendage, wing against blade and blade meeting wing several times in just a few seconds. There was only a brief pause as the Ultra Beast reared back, preparing for one final last ditch effort to land a hit against Red's bandaging, and then it struck.

...Only to be met with a sharp set of shining white claws instead, grasping the blade by each flat side and digging into the thin material.

Now it was Red's turn to rear back, and he tossed the weightless creature with little effort right across the garden. It spun through the air and careened into a small tree close to the back of the garden wall, slicing RIGHT through the sturdy trunk of a tree and several bamboo stalks before coming to an abrupt stop as its left arm lodged itself into the much thicker, stronger barrier surrounding the green space. The tree crackled, and then the top half tipped off its lower trunk and came crashing to the ground, scattering a panicked colony of Ratatta and Raticate hidden within the branches across the greenery with a series of horrified squeals as they scrambled to seek shelter elsewhere.

But all the while, Red still stood tall. The blocking of the alien's blades had cost him the tips of a few feathers on each wing, but the skin beneath was still just as intact as it was when he emerged.

We did it. We blocked what would have otherwise been our end.

{Ha...Ha, HA! Excellent work, Red!}

"Hur, CHA!"

He grinned and flexed his wings proudly, but then doubled over a moment later and winced as his wing retracted to clutch his middle. As good as this was going, I knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up for too long.

Hopefully Grace was on her way back by now.

I looked back in the direction of the beast, and found that it was once again hacking away at the concrete wall surrounding Malie Garden, this time in order to free its lodged arm blade. Off-white chunks flew from the wall with each slice, now much more efficient and furious than when we first saw it.

{Now would be a good time to throw it off,} I told him. {We can't exactly disappear like Archer can...but do you see the tree it just cut down?}

He grunted as he gingerly removed his wing from his torso again, then looked back to me and nodded.

{Hide in there while it's still busy. And use Roost just in case that thing managed to take anything out of you with those Aerial Ace blocks. If you can get it to look for you, that should buy us some more time until Grace and the others return.}

"Cha."

He smirked again, then ducked down behind the tall foliage lining the cut pathway and crept towards the fallen tree. The beast had its back turned towards him, having almost freed its arm from the cement as it continued to hack off the chunks surrounding it.

It was now or never.

Red ducked beneath the crown of the tree and dove into its branches, only emitting a soft rustling as he climbed through the leaves. The softer, bluish glow of Roost just barely emitted through its foliage for a few brief seconds and then died back down...

...Just as the Ultra Beast broke free from the wall.

Its small, papery form shot out of the jagged gash it left behind and floated momentarily before regaining its footing. The folded, expressionless face of the creature jerked its head around frantically, scanning the terrain for Red only to find that he was nowhere to be seen...Could it even actually see through that X-shaped crease in the center of its head? Could it hear without any apparent ears? Smell without a nose?

I supposed it wasn't worth questioning; these otherworldly creatures came from places that were apparently far stranger than mine was, so perhaps their senses simply worked in ways I couldn't comprehend. Not yet, at least.

The Ultra Beast jerked its head towards the tree where Red was hiding, and then stilled...Did it know he was in there? Hear him, sense his presence?

Maybe not. It turned away from the fallen branches and looked west, then south-east...

...And then, slowly, towards me.

It stared, still as a statue in the deathly calm air of the garden, for many long moments. I could only imagine what it was thinking, let alone how such a creature's thought process functioned in contrast to anything I was familiar with. But judging by the way its arms were drawing back, one thing was for certain.

...I was its next target.

{Ah...Red? Now is probably a good time to come back out!}

Another grating hiss emerged from somewhere within the beast's body, and it scraped its arms together one last time before crouching for a sprint.

"Haw, lucha! CHAAAH!!"

Red leapt out of the branches and called out to the creature to regain its attention.

But it ignored him. Its sights were set on me now as it dashed forward, FAR more quickly this time in spite of its many dents, bends and holes. Red clutched his bloodstained dressings again and gave chase, but it was already almost upon me.

And I couldn't run.

I couldn't move at all as I stared my own demise in the face.

At least it would be quick.

"V-rr-ii!!"

A shrill scream pierced the eerie silence in the garden, and the Ultra Beast's unmoving pseudo-gaze seemed to waver and look behind me instead of into my soul.

My own eyes turned to see Grace speeding into the scene, one Poké Ball clutched tightly between her teeth and the other two just barely poking out from the beige fur encircling her neck. With a flick of her head, she tossed the one in her mouth, then shook the other two loose from her pelt and kicked them each into the air with her hind feet, tossing up a Sand Attack towards the alien creature in the process.

The beast skidded to a halt just inches in front of me, the harsh light surrounding its arms dimming once the onslaught hit. From within the flying sand, I could make out the red glow each capsule released as it opened midair, and the silhouettes came into full view as the dust settled.

"Dwit, DWIT DROO!!"

"Srr-rr-rrl!"

"GRAAAAUUUURRRRHHH!!!"

Archer.

Sassafras.

King.

The breath caught in my throat escaped in a wheeze of relief at the sight of them. Remnants of the beast's attacks still remained on them as thin, scabbed-over lines, but they were a far cry from the bleeding, gaping slices that afflicted them only minutes ago.

They made it. They all made it, and they were all okay.

...I was going to make sure they stayed that way this time.

{Everyone. No worrying about switch-ins or returns,} I huffed. {Now is the time for an all-out BEATDOWN against this thing! For Alola! For the world! Let's TAKE THIS THING DOWN!!!}

Archer reached for an arrow quill, making him the beast's first point of interest. It reared back and made a break for him, only to be swatted away by the violet rage of King's Dragon Claw like a pesky insect. It bounced off a still-standing tree and made a break for the Tyrantrum towering above it, honing in for a Leaf Blade. By then, Archer's Spirit Shackle had fired, and it swerved around the enemy's approaching form before blocking its path and letting out a burst of deep purple around it. The beast flew back at the force of the explosion, and when it finally landed on the ground it staggered and swayed where it stood, the 'X' in the center of its head pointing back and forth between my two strongest packmates. It seemed as though it couldn't decide whether to pursue Archer or King First.

Ultimately, it chose Archer, and made a herculean effort to fire up a stable Aerial Ace before making a daring sprint...

...Right into the yellow-hot rush of a Flamethrower launched from Sassafras's gaping jaws.

The paper-thin body warped and distorted under the immense heat, and I couldn't tell if the shrill noise coming from it was the twisting of its metal or an actual, anguished scream. When the fire sputtered out into smoke, it fell to the grass below and seared some of it with the heat still radiating off of its steel form...The edges of its blades sported what looked like uneven ruffles, and one foot was now much shorter and thicker at the base, having been melted down. Its pristine white and bright colors were charred black and brown, a rough bubbly texture scarring its once smooth surface.

...All of that damage dealt, and the creature was STILL attempting to stand!

It finally managed to get on its feet without toppling over, and took a shaky step.

King ducked his head above me and nudged me away with the tip of his snout. Sassafras came to my side and Archer called for Red to come over and spread his wings out in front of everyone else as all five of us backed away and gave the Ultra Beast a WIDE berth. It was like watching a corpse rise back up, driven by some supernatural puppeteer instead of its own volition.

Too much.

It was all too much at this point.

Enough was enough.

Once more, with fervor, I dove the tip of my snout beneath the flimsy leather flap of the old bag and sniffed around until I found another Beast Ball. I clamped down on it, pulled my head back out and LAUNCHED it across the chopped greenery with a swift fling of the neck. The ball landed on its target with a sharp TING before splitting open and reducing the beast to that all-too-familiar swirling mass before pulling it inside. The gold-rimmed capsule clattered to the ground.

...And then lurched violently.

Too violently.

{Grace...GRACE, bring it here! BEFORE IT ESCAPES!!!}

She wasted no time darting out from behind the rest of the pack to retrieve it, taking the Beast Ball in her teeth mid-sprint and making a sharp U-turn back towards us. The sphere jerked again while in her grasp and carried her head to the left with it, but she held it fast within her jaws and continued to run until she reached my open claws.

The moment she transferred it to my hand, it jolted again.

I COULDN'T LET IT GET OUT.

The trembling in my arms intensified as I pressed harder on each side of the Beast Ball, desperate to keep it clamped shut. I swore I could hear its blades screeching against the interior, even when shrunken down.

Another jolt to the right.

I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs, feel each pump of blood it sent coursing rapidly through my veins as I stared desperately down at the glimmering capsule.

A shimmy to the left.

Stay in.

Stay in, STAY IN...

{STAY IN THE BALL!!!}

Click

...

...

...The movement stopped.

And with it, so did my breath.

Did we do it...? Was it caught? Was it really, actually caught and inside there and unable to escape?? I waited, expecting the Beast Ball to jolt one more time in my grasp, threatening to break free...

...But it never happened. It remained completely still.

"Ha...Hah...!"

I let go of it, allowing it to fall just two inches to the ground. As my head followed suit and landed beside it, I wheezed and choked out a garbled caw of relief.

{We did it...} I huffed. {We actually did it...! They're gone! They're caught...No more danger...}

"Eie, eievui...!"

Grace pawed at my snout; she probably thought something else was awry with me given the guttural sounds I'd produced.

{I'm alright, dear. Mama's alright. I promise...I just...it's all...}

I could barely string together a coherent response, my head still trying to wrap itself around our victory.

{...It's over,} I finally uttered. {It's all over, Grace. It's alright now.}

"Vui..."

She wasn't entirely convinced...Although I couldn't blame her much for that, between the bandaging on me and the carnage strewn about the field. To be fair, it was still hard for even me to believe; yes, we had successfully contained the beasts, but was there any possibility these otherworldly monsters could escape their prisons before being taken back to whence they came? And if they escaped out in the open instead of the garden, what would they do to Alola then?

...I couldn't let that happen. Even if these beasts truly could not escape their containment, I couldn't risk even a sliver of a chance.

I had to get in touch with the others.

And in order to do that, I needed to get back to the Pokémon Center. Maybe they had some kind of storage system for the Poké Balls that could prevent these things from getting out and causing more damage for the time being?

{...We need to go,} I trilled. {King, how are you holding up after that thing sliced into you? I can tell your stop at the PMC cleared most of it up, but there are still a few marks on you.}

I looked up at him, eyes trailing one of the longer scab lines running diagonally across his belly and stopping below his right arm. Sassafras had a similar one, albeit inverted, alongside the marks on her thigh and beneath her jawline. Archer, though standing tall as always, still looked a bit ruffled; the feathers surrounding his wound remnants were messy, and there was a tired dullness in the red and gold of his eyes.

{...On all of you, really.}

{Yes, we're...still recovering,} King responded. {But I'm well enough to take you back to the Pokémon Center, if you're worried about that. I'm sure that an extra Potion or two on these gashes should further help the healing process.}

{Yeah...hopefully...}

"Droooo..."

Archer nodded in agreement before preening some of the feathers around the crimson line on his wing, carefully combing the tip of his beak around the rough scab. Red flinched at just how long the slash on his wing was, eyes darting between Archer and the bandages around his middle.

"Lu, haw, lu-cha."

He motioned his head towards the garden gate before fluttering up and perching himself at the base of King's tail.

{He's right,} the Tyrantrum grumbled. {We should probably return for the night before the nurse begins to worry too much.}

More carefully than last time and with a slight wince, King knelt down for me to get on board. Archer and Sassafras, in spite of their own injuries, went as far as to help me on board when I couldn't muster the strength to push myself back onto my decent foot.

{Thank you,} I chittered, the scales of King's back doing more to hold me in place as he rose than my own claws did. {...And when we get back to the PMC, maybe we can see what kind of drinks they have at their cafe. I bet everyone could use a Lemonade after that ordeal...}

King slowly rose to his feet and lumbered towards the garden gate. Everyone else remained outside of their Poké Balls; Red was still perched on King's tail, Archer and Sassafras flanked him on either side and Grace trotted several feet ahead of us, glancing behind every few seconds to make sure we were keeping up.

She was the only one left unscathed after the nightmare that was today.

{...In fact,} I continued. {I...think, for now, that it would be a good idea to put our Island Challenge on hold.}

At first, everyone except for King gave me a pair of wide eyes, aghast the mere idea of such a thing. But the longer they looked, the more wounds and bandaging they beheld, and the weary state of our situation sank in.

{So...we're going to stop training?} King spoke up.

{Only until everyone is feeling more up to snuff,} I assured him. {I mean, just look at ME. I can't go trapsing around the region like this. I'll get worse instead of better.}

They all hummed and trilled in solemn agreement. Archer peered up at me from below, and the two of us locked eyes...It had been a while since I'd seen him from this angle. To imagine that he was but a mere Rowlet not too long ago, barely up to my ankles.

To imagine I had Professor Kukui to thank again for being able to meet him...

{Don't worry, partner,} I chittered to him. {We are taking a break...But that's not quitting. Quitting is hanging up everything we've built up towards and taking it for nothing...But this is not nothing. It will never be nothing. It will ALWAYS be something to...}

I stopped.

{No...It's not just something. It's the entire world. This pack, this place, these people...All of you have become the ENTIRE WORLD to me.}

A warm smile spread across the corners of his beak, then spread to the face of each other teammate one by one as they all looked my way. As drained as I was, I could feel a grin of my own stretching across my muzzle.

I wasn't going to give up on them, or myself or anyone else.

Because no one was about to give up on me.

As we ducked back under the gate and left Malie Garden behind us, the sheet of clouds above began to part, revealing the soft blue of the sky fading to gold along the horizon as the sun began its final hours of descent.