Chương 188: Chapter 183

Using the surge of trainers as a way to push my team to new heights? Sure, that sounded great on paper. In reality, it was hell. It started simple enough. As Hope and I left the Pokémon Center, one of the trainers who I fought off the day before challenged me again. Not in a rush, I beat him in a simple 3-on-3 match then headed off. Later, two more trainers appeared, with only one of them being familiar.

I fought and beat the one who challenged me first, then, somehow, off to the side, the other one figured out Hope had a stone too and then they fought. After that, it was like someone dumped a bucket of chum into the ocean, and we were the chum, and the other trainers were Sharpedo. Within an hour, there was almost a constant stream of trainers rushing to our position, running off, and bringing back more people.

There was something about having not one but two separate challenge stones in the same group that sent all nearby trainers all into the equivalent of a feeding frenzy. My team was strong, but against a constant stream of high-level trainers, they wouldn't last. We moved off route. The other trainers followed. Lillie was pushed to her limits too due to the harsh environment and higher level Pokémon. We had to slow down to not overwork her, but that just meant more trainers could catch up.

We tried disguising ourselves, but it was too late. Some of them had Psychic Types that memorized the telepathic signatures of the others' minds. They couldn't detect mine, but they could detect both Lillie's and Hope's. I was hyper-alert, exhausted, and I definitely needed a break. Rapidash and Gardevoir were out of their Pokéballs full time, just to help hide us.

The dense foliage of the jungle assisted with that, and the hike between here and the nearest Pokémon Center meant that somehow, after hours of fighting, we had managed to obtain a break,"See anyone?" I whispered, keeping my voice low just in case anyone was keeping watch.

"No. Tropius hasn't reported seeing anyone underneath the foliage," Hope replied. With that, I breathed out.

"I think we can rest, at least for the next few minutes, then," I said. I wasn't exaggerating when I said everyone collapsed. This level of effort half reminded me of the trauma that was my Ace Trainer training. If it wasn't for the fact I had to leave in a week, we could have gone slower and maybe attracted less people. Instead, we had to rush, and I was already half-considering changing around our schedule.

"We should skip Kahili for now. She'll understand," I said.

"Should we? Isn't it our job to test her, though?" Hope replied.

"Don't do that! Skip Brooklet Hill's Trial, instead!" Lillie interjected.

"Just because it's close by doesn't mean I have to do it now!" It didn't make sense to skip the area of the Water Type Trial, despite Lillie's almost guilty insistence. All three of us needed to visit, and looping back wouldn't work unless we were willing to wait a full month. No, we would continue heading there and hope not too many other trainers would bother us along the way. Being around a Trial site with weaker trainers means that others would be mandated to stay away, right?

I let out a moan as we laid on our backs under the vast canopy of the jungle. Hope had some of her Pokémon out to shift the plants as needed and block any lines of sight to our hastily constructed camp. Bends in the trees changed directions, and a few bushes nearby grew to hide us even more. We were safe for now, and man, did I want to take advantage of that and sleep.

"Someone's coming," Hope suddenly said. In response, I shot up from where I was laying on the ground, ready to send out a Pokémon for a fight. However, my movement went to waste; it wasn't a trainer. It wasn't a wild Pokémon, either. From above the trees, the branches broke open, and a Pelipper with a blue cap flapped to land on the jungle floor.

"How did it find us?!" Lillie said, aghast.

"It's a mail Pokémon. Finding trainers off of routes is kind of their job," Hope replied. With a reluctant sigh, I pulled out a spare berry. I exchanged it for a letter, and then the hatted pelican Pokémon flew off to deliver more letters to other roaming trainers. Vines from Venusaur's back pulled the canopy back together as it left, and I had a brief flash of horror when I imagined someone using the mail Pelipper to track us down. But, that probably had to violate some law.

If anything, I could rent a temporary mailbox and redirect everything there. It wouldn't do me good to stress about every possibility. It'd be better to just focus on the things I could see.

"So, what's it say?" Lillie asked. Cosmog used his puffs to pull himself over her shoulder and lean forward. I sighed again. I really didn't know how the pair had such boundless energy.

"I don't know. I'm still opening it up. Give me a minute." The letter was addressed to me, but the envelope itself didn't have much more than my name, and it had no embellishments. I rarely ever received letters, so the tear to open it up came out staggered and jagged. Still, I was able to pull out a mostly intact letter and give it a quick read. There was only one line, and it wasn't even signed with a full name.

"Room 4, Roadside Motel, Route 8, Akala Island. Come by yourself. -G."

"Oh," I said, upon reading it outloud. Reaching that site would require a bit of backtracking, but not enough that it was too far out of the way to ignore. Considering all the people I've sent a letter to recently, as well as those that might want to send one back, there was only one person that "G" could be.

"Gladion wants to meet," I said.

"Gladion?!" Lillie replied. She stared at me with wide eyes, and I shook my head.

"I sent him a letter recently, the day after you saw him. Wicke asked me to give him information about a Pokémon on his team. So, I told him that stuff and told him about you while I did. I guess a letter wasn't enough. He wants to see me in person and discuss, I think." Lillie's mouth opened up, then she closed it, then she opened it up and closed it once more. Her gaze fell towards the forest floor as she rubbed her cheek.

"Okay," she said, mumbling.

"Okay?"

"You can meet him." I blinked several times when I realized she had just given me permission, but Lillie didn't say anything more. Instead, I gave her a small smile and said, "Thank you." I then looked to Hope.

"If I need to head back, we should go with a different strategy. Traveling south as a group like this isn't really working out."

"Oh?" she asked.

"What's the plan, then?"

"Let's split and meet back up at Brooklet Hill. On Rapidash's back, I can move a lot faster than you all. If he takes me to the motel where Gladion is and you head south, I should be able to make myself obvious enough to lure trainers away. That'll clear out a path for you to travel a lot quicker, and once I'm done with the meeting, I can fight or ride my way back down."

"But, Alex, won't you get bogged down by battles?" Lillie asked, worry clear in her voice. I shook my head.

"On Rapidash's back? He'll outpace most people just by using Agility. Having our two challenge stones in different places should discourage having so many followers, too. This is the only plan I can think of to get us to Brooklet Hill, and Lillie, you need to do your Island Challenge. Hope, feel free to test Lana without me, too." I asked for any suggestions or improvements to change up my plan, but the two of them weren't able to provide anything major.

With Rapidash's speed, a direct route would be too fast, so I'd need to take more of a looping route to draw the attention of as many people as I could.

"Gardevoir," I said, turning to the Pokémon I mentioned by name.

"Do you mind if I leave you here to keep protecting Lillie and everyone's minds? You'll be a big help to keep other trainers away. And if any Ultra Beasts show up, I trust that you're strong enough to take one out." Gardevoir smirked at the praise and easily agreed. For most Ultra Beasts, the same strategy he used to take out Tobias's Darkrai could work once again.

The only problem is that he'd lay fainted on the ground after Misty Explosion, but if I left his Nest Ball, either Hope or Lillie would be able to return him. With one last, short discussion, the plan was set and I readied myself to head out. To help us move through the jungle, Hope passed over the Pokéball containing her Bellossom, and I temporarily traded Gardevoir's Pokéball away in exchange. This wasn't a true trade, only a hand off.

We still had our carry limits to mind, and their Pokéballs were digitally registered to our trainer ID number, anyway.

"Brooklet Hill is two days out, which means I'll plan to meet up with the pair of you then," I said, fitting a saddle to Rapidash's back.

"Once caught up, we should be able to push south back to Heahea City pretty quickly if we travel in a straight line. From there, we'll have a day or two to figure out how to get past the Konikoni barricade, then hopefully by going straight to Olivia, I'll be able to battle her then head out."

"And Kahili?" Hope asked. I paused.

"Maybe when we're in Heahea? I don't know. It'd be a stretch."

"We'll work it out when we get there. See you at Brooklet Hill, Alex," Hope said.

"Good luck! And don't let Gladion be too mean to you!" Lillie shouted. I laughed at that and waved to them goodbye. Hopping onto Rapidash's back, I sent out Hope's Bellossom. She climbed onto Rapidash's head and took up position, grabbing his horn, intent on helping us navigate. Then we were off. Vines from Hope's team opened up the tall foliage and Rapidash blasted forward. I felt the faintest of warmth on my mind as Gardevoir tried to telepathically communicate goodbye.

Trees passed us by, and Pokémon on their branches watched as Rapidash ran through the jungle. He was agile, and he was fast. One nearby trainer attempting to track us down yelped in surprise as Rapidash darted past. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. It wouldn't actually take a full day to get back to Route 8 and the Roadside Motel, but the longer we took and the more obvious we were, the easier it would be for Hope and Lillie to head south.

I felt as though my team's Pokéballs were burning on my belt in excitement. Despite all the exhaustion we'd been through, back-to-back battles felt a bit more tolerable with a dedicated purpose like this. Rapidash continued to run, and I started to see the first signs of other trainers following. At that, a grin grew onto my face.

"Catch us if you can, losers!" I yelled to taunt them as we moved north. The sun had already set when I finished off the most recent challenge of ours in the motel parking lot. Carbink's attacking moves were getting better and better, and the team of Ice Types that faced us were summarily crushed (at times, literally). Most of the other trainers who I had led this way had already retired for the night, and I applauded myself on the foresight of calling ahead to reserve a room during the trip north.

I managed to secure the last one available, and by stepping up onto a small walkway that was a part of the hotel, I was officially "out of bounds." For the next eight hours, as long as I was in the hotel with the intention to rest, no challenges would count as official challenges, though this was the only time of the day that would let us take a break. Rapidash was passed out in his Dream Ball—he had expended a lot of energy to bring us this far away.

After retrieving my room key from the front counter, I deposited my stuff and sent him and the rest of the team out once I reached the rented bedroom. When Togepi came out of her Pokéball, too, she immediately ran up to his side and climbed into his pastel mane to use as a bed. I took a few minutes just to relax. Eevee jumped up in my lap, and I brushed his fur.

Cutiefly nested in a small potted plant in the window, and Tinkatuff stayed awake to tinker with her hammer that was once more starting to increase in size. I turned to the three Pokémon I'd be taking with me for this meeting, three Pokémon that were tired from all the battles but not quite exhausted.

"Ready for this?" I asked. Ninetales, Carbink, and Hope's Bellossom gave me a nod. I drank some water, giving my team a few snacks as I did, and then I left my room to head to the previously mentioned room four. The eyes of a trainer in the parking lot went wide at the sight of me, but they seemed to be more surprised due to recognition rather than any intent of a challenge. Once I reached the door, I knocked. Then, I waited. On the other side, something shuffled around.

I could feel footsteps slowly approaching the entrance. I swayed back and forth on my feet, the movement an attempt to keep myself awake. The footsteps shifted, then there was a quick yelp, and I heard a few objects clatter to the ground. There was a bit more shuffling, and a minute or two passed. Eventually, I heard half a dozen locks click to unlock on the door, and the room finally opened up.

"Gladion?" I asked. Standing on the other side of the door was perhaps the edgiest teen I'd ever seen. He wore a sleeveless jacket over a black, long-sleeved shirt, and that shirt's sleeves looked as if someone had taken a pocket knife and cut out lines. His hood, too, was ruined, to an extent. The edges of it were cut and frayed to stand up like spikes. His pants had slices in them, and he wore no socks.

A pair of green eyes bore into me from the darkness of the room, and I confirmed his identity via the blonde haircut that hung over half his face.

"... Why are you standing in the darkness?" I asked. His eyes narrowed at my question.

"I was asleep," he said tersely.

"Oh."

"Who are you supposed to be, anyway?" At first, I wanted to just say "Alex" straight out, but there was something about how he kept glancing suspiciously that told me I shouldn't. Instead, I went with a different method. Seeing as Gladion wasn't considering this a basic meeting, I went with something more clandestine.

"I'm your contact," I said. He snorted.

"At least you have the sense to not say your name outright, unlike someone I know. Come in," he said. The door creaked as it opened wider, and Gladion stepped back, the darkness hiding him from view. I kept a hand near my Pokéballs just in case as I stepped into the room, and the door closed behind me. It took a second for my eyes to adjust, but I quickly saw that Gladion wasn't alone.

While I could at least tell the place was rather messy and filled with stuff, the actual, specific contents of the room weren't clear save for a bulging wardrobe, but I was at least able to make out the members of his team. Hanging from the ceiling was a Golbat, wrapped up in its wings and staring down at me with a pair of sharp eyes. Behind me, something huffed, and I caught a glimpse of a red-maned Zoroark lurking in the darkness.

On the bed itself, half illuminated by the moonlight, a sole Riolu sleepily rubbed its eyes and looked up at me in confusion. I did not see Type: Null in the room. However, Gladion was keeping one Pokéball in particular in his hands.

"So why did you call me here, anyway?" I asked cautiously. I knew Gladion was kind at heart, even though he looked ridiculously edgy. I doubted he would attack me here, and my team would win, even if he did.

"Cosmog," Gladion said truthfully.

"I wanted to warn you personally. You know what it can do."

"Do you mean open Ultra Wormholes, or do you mean evolve into Solgaleo and Lunala, which can travel through Ultra Space at will?" He sent me a tired glare. He flinched slightly at that second thing, though, implying he hadn't been aware of the Pokémon's potential.

"Cosmog is dangerous," Gladion hissed.

"The wrong person gets their hands on it, and there's no telling what they can do. With its power, countless Ultra Beasts could be unleashed upon Alola, far too many for any Island Guardian to hold them back."

"You're talking about your mother, then. You're worried that's something she'd do." Gladion's annoyed expression continued as he scoffed, turning his head and causing the hair hanging over his face to flip up slightly.

"Sure. You got me," he said.

"I'm concerned about what Lusamine would do with Cosmog, alright?"

"Lillie and Nebby are safe. Tell me about your mother, instead." There was a full half a minute as Gladion just stared at my face, bemused, as we stood in the darkness of the room.

"What are you, some kind of therapist?" he asked.

"No, but I'm someone who was attacked by Faba's minions two years ago, and I've been wary of the Aether Foundation ever since. I was the person to warn the Pokémon League of your mother's potential obsession, and I was the one to warn them of what Cosmog might be able to do." I took a step forward.

"I've already promised to protect Lillie and Nebby, and I've done so before. Even now, I have one of my strongest team members with her ready to get them to safety if needed." Gladion watched as I moved over to a desk to pull out a chair. I was interrupted by his Zoroark, who emerged from the shadows to retrieve the seat for me. I paused briefly, but I didn't flinch. I'd hung out with Thomas for long enough and been scared by Phoebe's team enough to not jump or yelp.

Zoroark did see me tense, though, and the Pokémon snickered at the sight. Once the chair was pulled out from a desk, it shifted back to hide in the darkness. I sat down without further comment, waiting for Gladion to speak. He just groaned and went to sit on the bed next to his Riolu.

"Fine. I'm only telling you this because I know Lillie wouldn't be traveling with you unless you're a good person. Same for Cosmog, for that matter. I trust Lillie, not you, and I'm only revealing this stuff for her benefit, got that?" I nodded. He scoffed.

"Plus, I've done some research into your background, and while there's a lot that's unclear, everything you've said lines up with what's in your file. You haven't lied to me yet, and you're experienced enough, I guess. Helped a lot of people in the past, if that stuff is real."

"Anyone would have done the same," I easily replied. Gladion grimaced and shook his head.

"No, not everyone," he said.

"Look. This whole thing started with my father. He and Lusamine were researching Ultra Beasts. More specifically, Ultra Wormholes. Dad was interested in the science behind it, whereas, back then, my mom was more interested in helping out the Ultra Beasts return home. Those that wander through one get stuck, you know. The reason they go after Fallers is because the Ultra Beasts think they've detected a way home." And that explains why they go after Nebby, then.

"Continue," I said.

"It all went wrong when Dad..." Gladion sucked in a breath, and Riolu subtly tried to comfort him by patting his arm.

"Dad got sucked into one of those holes. That broke Lusamine, and she threw herself into work, even going as far as to dedicate an entire branch of the Aether Foundation to continue that research.

"From there, things got... they got worse," he said.

"It all blew up. Metaphorically. Figuratively. Literally, sometimes, too, I guess. Lusamine's focus was centered around Ultra Beasts more and more, and that creepy guy, Faba, kept whispering in her ear. It got to its peak a few years ago, when someone in the company heard something about a Blinding Light Pokémon, or something else."

"Ultra Necrozma," I breathed. Gladion twisted up his face in the same way Lillie would do when she focused hard in thought.

"Sounds about right," he said before he continued.

"Anyway, they got word of Ultra Necrozma, and then some group contacted them through an Ultra Wormhole, but instead of helping them travel through, the Aether Foundation forced them to stay there. Something about conflicting interests, based on the memos I could 'find.' With everything I know, I think Lusamine wants to use Ultra Necrozma for... something. And she needs Cosmog to do that. I called you here because I wanted to warn you. She can not get that Pokémon."

I kept my face perfectly level as Gladion finished his explanation, but one point stuck out in my mind.

"That's all good to know, but quick question: when did they hear about Ultra Necrozma?"

"Like..." he furrowed his brow.

"Two years ago?" I had to fight a war in myself to not show any sign of reaction. Gladion didn't notice how that date lined up with something I'd already mentioned, but I did. Don't tell me my desperate hints back in Sea Mauville helped encourage Lusamine's obsession to grow deeper than it should have. If what he's saying is true, there's a chance we might have had a more peaceful Lusamine if she didn't hear about Ultra Necrozma so early. Something in my stomach twisted, and I did my best to ignore it for now.

"Damn," I said.

"It's a lot, right?" Gladion replied. All I could do was nod my head.

"Thank you for that information," I said hoarsely.

"I'll do my best to make sure none of that comes to pass. Do you have anything else to share? Or need to know anything else from me?" Gladion paused for just a moment.

"No," he said all too quickly. He put the Pokéball he held in his hand behind him. I half wanted to question him more about that, especially since I was confident that ball likely contained his Type: Null, but I didn't want to do anything to freak him out. This was a meeting to establish trust between me and him, even though I already trusted him based on his actions in the game. Being too nosy might make him suspicious, so I figured now was a good time to leave as any.

Besides, I needed to process everything he just dumped on me. So, I stood up, pretending to be satisfied with what had been discussed, moving as if I wasn't experiencing a mild case of inner turmoil.

"Thank you again," I said.

"I need to head out to rest before I get back to Lillie."

"You do that," Gladion replied, moving to the door.

"Make sure she stays safe. You understand what's at stake." I do. I really do. I did my best to give Gladion one last smile, and I stepped out of his darkened room. The door didn't close behind me, though; he hesitated, and his hand lingered on its edge.

"Are you okay? Are you sure you don't have anything else you want to say?" I asked. Gladion stared at me in silence before he shook his head.

"No, just that Plumeria, Team Skull's second in command, is annoyed with Lillie for messing with her 'brothers and sisters.' Keep an eye out for her. She might try to track Lillie down."

"What." Gladion closed the door before I could say anything else, and I stood there, staring at the closed entrance with my mind spinning.

"Why not bring that up earlier?!" No response came from inside the room. I walked back, each step coming out more robotically than I'd like. The night's air was warm, and I could hear the sounds of waves lapping at the nearby shore. When I entered my bedroom, half of my Pokémon jumped up, excited to see me back. The rest were either asleep or working, and I smiled and greeted those who were still awake. The news from Gladion was a lot, but I couldn't just sit around and stress.

I was allowed to worry about the outcome of a past mistake, but I couldn't allow that worry to hold me back. Now, more than ever, did I understand the importance of protecting Cosmog and training Lillie, too. There would be a risk once he evolved—Necrozma would be much more likely to hunt him down to absorb the power his fully evolved form granted. But, if I trained Lillie, I could train Nebby, too. And with him trained, he'd have a much higher chance of fighting back against anyone that would do him harm.

I steeled my heart as I laid back down on my bed. The rest of the Pokémon with me were released, and everyone found a place to settle down into sleep. It was an informative night, one much more than I expected. From here, what actions I take would likely define the future, and perhaps the future of Alola. I scoffed.

"Yeah, sure. I can't forget about Elio, though. He and Hau are probably doing stuff in the background. Just got to worry about Nebby and Lillie for now, and do my part to train them up." I rubbed my chin, head on a pillow and the rest of my body pinned to the mattress from the sheer number of Pokémon laying on me. In my mind, I started to plan out a more indepth regimen for her, but the knowledge that my time in Alola was limited hung in the background like an ominous cloak.

There was a Pokémon Center not too far away from the motel, and I timed an early morning alarm and stealth trip over to reach it safely. Bellossom was a big help, since she was able to help grow foliage to better cover my position whenever I stopped. My team was all checked over and given an all clear for their health before I headed out once more. Word of me being back on Route 8 likely spread at this point, and I hoped by disappearing so quickly, I would cause a level of confusion.

For this stretch, Rapidash stuck to the roads and we traveled as quickly as we could. The sooner I got back with everyone else, the sooner I could discuss everything I'd learned. With the use of Agility, we outpaced most attempts to chase, and we were only forced to take part in three battles overall. Ninetales and Carbink made quick work of our opponents, as by setting up screens, they were able to focus on pure offense. Our only trouble was when someone sent out a Greninja that knew Taunt.

Thankfully, I had Hope's Bellossom with me, and the trainer did not expect the non-Fairy, Grass Type on "my" team. Eventually, through Rapidash's speed and by taking a straight route through the jungle, I made it to Brooklet Hill, a series of raised ponds located right on the coast of Akala that drained out into an ocean bay. It was late afternoon when I arrived, almost night, and there weren't too many people around, only a handful of new trainers preparing themselves to take on the Water Type Island Trial.

The captain here, Lana, didn't show up, but a local League employee in a sky blue T-shirt recognized me and waved me forward.

"Your friends are waiting inside. They've acquired a fishing pass," he said.

"Fishing pass?"

"Yup. For a small fee, or free to Trial victors, you can fish for Pokémon here and battle or catch them as you please." I thanked him for the information and headed inside. Rapidash was returned to let him rest, and without his psychic detection, I kept an eye out to make sure no one would ambush us with a surprise challenge. Thankfully, what I dreaded never came, so I was able to locate my friends relatively quickly. Lillie stood on a sandy shore, fishing rod in hand.

In front of her, Morelull was practicing Grass Type moves against a Poliwag she'd hooked on the rod.

"Hey!" I shouted. Lillie turned around excitedly, right as Morelull put Poliwag to sleep.

"Alex! You're back!" she yelled right back.

"Yup. Did you win?" Lillie held up a blue Z-Crystal and gave me a wide smile. To add to that, she sent out a Pokémon, and I paused. It was Cleffa, except it wasn't. The pink Pokémon was now larger with a puffier tail.

"Congratulations on your victory. And to your evolution, Clefairy." Lillie beamed, and Clefairy bowed its head, then Lillie turned back to her match. I looked at Hope, who hadn't greeted me, and whose expression was completely blank.

"What?" I asked. I watched as she struggled to fight down a smirk.

"What do you mean?" she replied, attempting to stay as nonchalant as possible.

"I know that expression, or at least the lack of one. What are you hiding?" She snorted, either amused or annoyed, and her eyes seemed to sparkle for a similar, unclear reason.

"So, you know how Cosmog can lure in an Ultra Beast?" she asked.

"Yes?" I said cautiously.

"Wait—no. No! Did one show up?" I didn't see Gardevoir around, but Hope had his ball at her waist. When I glanced down towards it questioningly, she didn't seem either solemn or proud. If anything, she seemed excited, and the widest grin I'd seen soon bloomed onto her face.

"Surprise!" she shouted, throwing up her arms. I was confused at first, but what happened next caused me to choke. From behind her back, a Pokémon floated in the air, but calling it a normal Pokémon by any means would be a lie. It was small, hand-sized, as it resembled a folded piece of paper. It moved into the air as if being blown by a light breeze, and it almost seemed like it wasn't alive in the slightest. A wild Kartana. Notably, it was the same wild Kartana from the beach.

The Ultra Beast remained next to Hope, sitting in the air without the faintest sign of aggression at all.

"Tell me what I missed," I said. Hope gladly complied.