Pokémon: Ultra Journeys

Chapter 14: History Worth Learning

Four humans.

Two pokemon.

It was almost comical how much confusion was there during that time. Sun was gazing at Tapu Fini, half with awe and half with pure confusion. Gladion had his hands on his hips and frankly crossed about how he is still soaking wet thanks to Tapu Fini's 'magnificent' entry. Lillie was throwing uncertain gazes at both pokemon presented in their wake. Only Moon was sensible enough at the time. At least sensible enough to talk.

"Umm...Hello! Uhh...I'm Moon and err...Can you please tell us why we're here?"

Moment of silence.

Gladion caught himself rolling his eyes, carefully avoiding Lunala's gaze. The Moon Pokemon had been peculiarly odd ever since they were kidnapped away from Aether Paradise.

As if she expected to get an answer! He thought sarcastically, eyeing Tapu Fini, who was hovering several feet above them.

Perfect, just perfect, we'll probably get stranded here not knowing what will happen, plus the fact how we were just dragged across the ocean by a giant flying bat! Maybe I'll just---

His thoughts came to an alarming stop as he realized large tendrils of fog were creeping across the ground.

The sight looked so ghastly it would've fit perfectly in a horror movie. Gladion's instincts kicked in, and he immediately grabbed Lillie, who had also just realized the fog.

"Sun!" Lillie said, quite urgently. Thanks to Sun's slow brain reflexes, the fog had already folded in, and the world around them disappeared into nothing but misty whiteness. Gladion could see nothing except for Lillie beside him.

"MOON!" Sun's voice was heard followed by a series of footsteps.

"Sun, whatever you do, do NOT move!" Gladion yelled into the fog but was met by dead silence. Frustrated, confused, and facepalming at Sun's complete and total failure, "Does he ever follow instructions?"

"Guess not," Lillie replied.

Sighing, Gladion turned on the spot. It didn't do much. Everywhere he looked he saw endless whiteness.

"Okay, so we're experiencing Tapu Fini's mist again," He concluded. Lillie nodded.

"I'm going to take out Silvally," Gladion reached for the pokeball, "If that's alright with you."

Lillie nodded vigorously.

"Come out, Silvally!" The pokemon appeared and surveyed its surroundings.

Ah, I see, fog again!

Gladion rolled his eyes. Previous experiences flashed in his mind. That time when everyone thought father was dead, and he going through Tapu Fini's fog for the first time. The time when he discovered that Mohn wasn't dead.

Father isn't dead...so what's with Tapu Fini and Lunala forcing us through this fog?

The siblings moved through the fog as if they were blind. Both were clutching onto Silvally, who had a why-me-I-can't-see-anything-either expression on its face. Gladion was having an especially difficult time with this, and he could tell Lillie was too. He keeps on imagining that they will crash into a tree or something.

"Maybe we should stop," Lillie suggested, "We'll end up miles from where we started if we keep on going like this."

"Good idea," Gladion sighed. Silvally pawed the ground, clearly annoyed. Gladion patted its neck mindlessly.

Only people who have lost loved ones can get lost in the fog...Lillie and I are together, so that leaves Sun and Moon...He thought, sighing again. He looked towards Lillie, who seemed to be deep in thought as well.

Have those two experienced that?

Suddenly, Silvally roared and reared up. Lillie screamed and jumped back. Gladion did the complete opposite.

"Silvally! Calm down!" The blond yelled. Silvally sidled down but tilted its head at the fog in front of them.

"What the---"

"Gladion, look!" Lillie cried from beside him. Pure confusion dawned upon him as he looked up. The fog was swirling into a giant fog storm. Both trainers backed away, but before they could even but any distance between them and the crazy fog, it formed an illusion-like image.

A meadow was blooming around them, the fog clearing. Everywhere you looked there was life. Flowers waving in the breeze, strands of clouds floating lazily across the sky. But more of all, the air was filled with warmth and happiness and endless light that stretched endlessly across the world.

Gladion was sure his mind hadn't failed him. This was Ultra Space. Despite the little it looked like Ultra Space, it was. The second the illusion formed, he knew. There was something in the air that radiated with energy that just didn't happen in the normal pokemon world.

A sudden gust of wind blew over the two. Gladion was positively gaping at the sights he's witnessing. A large shape the size of a mini airplane flew over them. As it flew, it cast no shadow, for it was the light itself. The pokemon was shrouded with the bright aura, the equivalent of a disco ball made out of the sun. The dragon-like pokemon let out a shrill roar, and its wings practically radiated the sun's rays.

"What the---" Gladion started, even though he knew he wouldn't make the effort to finish that sentence.

"The Blinding One..." Lillie whispered, "Can it be? Is that really what Necrozma is?"

Gladion wanted to know that too. The light-flaring pokemon in front of them didn't seem like the one they fought several hours ago.

Another roar came from behind them. Both Siblings and Silvally turned around to see two pokemon fly out of an Ultra Wormhole. Lunala and Solgaleo stood proudly by Necrozma's side, beaming down at the ground below...

Then...

There was the slightest sound in the air...

All eyes turned to the skies above...

The meteorite pushed through the atmosphere, hurling itself at maximum speed towards the ground below.

Both Solgaleo and Lunala let out a warning cry.

Speeding down, the meteorite flared with fire as the tension increased.

Gladion and Lillie both ducked down, but there was no need. They couldn't feel anything from this memory.

Necrozma stared up at the meteorite with a superior gaze coated with years and years of knowledge. It flared its wings and ascended upwards, closing up on the meteorite.

Solgaleo and Lunala sped upwards to help.

Gladion and Lillie looked up just in time to see Necrozma's dark silhouette against the bright meteorite...

Right before the world exploded.

They were brought back to Earth. Gladion felt colors exploding like fireworks in his mind. Lillie fell to the ground beside him. Everything happened too quickly for their minds to register. Everything ended too quickly for their intuition to allow.

It wasn't the ending they thought they'd see. Necrozma protected the whole of Ultra Space...by sacrificing itself.

Lillie looked up at him, trembling, "How can it be though? Such a--a magnificent pokemon turn into..." She ended her sentence by shaking her head.

Gladion was confused. Tapu Fini's mist makes people see lost loved ones, but Gladion and Lillie had never even met The Blinding One until just seconds ago, and even if they did, it was Necrozma.

The fog unwounded itself from the air, clearing the atmosphere and leaving the siblings in a foreign meadow. Looking around, the meadow they currently were in looked similar to the one they had experienced in the illusion.

Something approached them from behind.

Lillie gasped as Lunala loomed over them.

Gladion looked up and stared straight into the depths of its dark pink eyes.

"So it was your memory."

Published: 2020-01-30
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