A storm had come in over the police station as tension was rising. Looker was pacing back and forth having lost all communication with his agents in the field. Rechecking his watch Looker was running out of patience ready to run into the fray and take on whatever evil was lurking.
"Easy Looker, I know that look," Anabel warned walking in with a stern smile. "I understand your concern all too well."
"I know, mam, it's just. I didn't feel comfortable recruiting children for such a dangerous task. It should be us out there protecting the innocent. I feel so useless just standing around."
Anabel paused sitting down and sipping on her coffee. "I know that feeling all too well. I agree, that the way we handled the initial situation was poor and I blame myself in that regard. However, recruiting Y/N and Zinnia was our only ace."
"It was?"
"I knew from day one that our enemy was beyond just the copycat. Someone is pulling the strings." Anabel said still seeing the doubt in Looker's eye. "Has Y/N received the requested Pokemon?"
"He has, yes."
"Good. In that case, round up a small task force and we'll meet them to arrest our culprit."
A sense of relief met Looker as he nodded ready to move. "Yes, boss." Rounding up the force the storm was only getting worse, but that was the least of their problems.
"Looker! This isn't good, we're getting reports of a sudden flux of Wormholes appearing!"
"Now all of time!?" He barked running over to the monitor checking. "Do we have confirmation on where they are appearing?"
"S-Sir... It's right above us."
Looker stepped back running for the entrance as the building began to shake under the pressure. The windows shattered as Looker was thrown around the station trying to see the scope of the action. As he managed to power through to the entrance he was caught off guard seeing a Nidoqueen at the entrance charging a hyperbeam. Diving to the ground the police station was blown up smoke pouring in.
Coughing Looker glanced up seeing a swarm of people taking control of the floor. Struggling he crawled just out of sight as they were rounding up any stragglers who weren't down from the explosion. "We've infiltrated the main task force base with little to no resistance. Inform the boss, that all is going to plan."
Looker managed to stand up gathering his second wind and running into the open shouting. "Hold it there! I won't allow such a horrific takeover of this establishment. Surrender immediately."
"Nidoqueen, show some hospitality, hyperbeam now!"
Looker dived over the table as the wall to the main office was blown away. Pinned down Looker gritted his teeth readying his Pokeball. "That uniform, the way of thinking. You're Team Rocket, but that's impossible. We took down your organisation years ago together alongside Giovanni, is this some kind of comeback!?"
"How interesting, to think they fell in this dimension? No matter, we're not the same weak Team Rocket you know. This station is ours and soon all the Poke Centers and Islands will follow. Alola and soon the world will belong to Team Rainbow Rocket!"
"Not so fast," Anabel ordered standing against the horde of Team Rainbow Rocket grunts adjusting her tie. "I will not let invaders from another world make a mockery of us. The people of Alola rely on us to keep them safe and I will keep to that promise. You will go no further."
"Lady, if you think you're the first to stand against us, think again. Oh, we're going to enjoy beating you and Looker again into submission. Team Rainbow Rocket is law, get with the programme."
"Looker, your assistance please." She requested gripping an ultra ball tightly and adjusting her earpiece which glinted a Mega Stone. "We cannot waste any time on such criminals. I'm counting on you Latios!"
Standing back to back Looker nodded his partner at the ready. "No evil shall go unpunished. Justice is always true, I'm with you, boss."
****
There was a constant low hum. A low hum matched with a strange sensation tingling through my body. This wasn't like the times I was in New Driftvale City. It was far worse.
I was in Ultra Space.
Shivering, I rubbed my arms looking around the barren chasm which seemed to stretch on forever. Running my hand over the crooked rocks I quickly ducked down as a group of strange jellyfish-like creatures flew past. There weren't any Pokemon I recognised. Gaining my composure I let Zorua jump on my shoulder as I nodded along. "I know girl, first Area Zero, then the Distortion World and now Ultra Space. We have a knack for sticking our noses in places we don't belong. But this... This is a whole different story."
Spotting Lillie in the corner of my eye on the floor I rushed over to help her up. "Easy, take your time."
Now standing Lillie looked around just as dazed as I coughing. "T-This... This is the place that took my mother? It's so empty."
"I know that feeling... Come on, Gladion can't be far. We shouldn't stay here any longer than we should."
Catching up with me Lillie gripped her pokeball tightly fumbling with the smoothed red portion mumbling. "You didn't even think twice about helping me, why? Why risk possibly never coming back just to help me?"
I didn't even need to think it over as I sighed trying to keep a brave face. "I know how it feels to lose your family. Feeling like you could have done more if you were only that bit older, stronger. For me, it was my father."
"What happened?"
"He was the greatest member of the Survey Corps. When the Galaxy Team had a task he was their number one pick. My mother hated the idea, the danger and risk it posed to him was high and at the time the corp was small with very few members. It means most of the time you'd be working in pairs or even alone. I wasn't old enough, but I wanted to join so badly, I wanted to be like my old man." I chuckle looking back fondly. "The morning of his latest task he shook my hand and promised next time he would take me with him. I was excited beyond belief. But he never came back. His partner lost sight of him after getting an Alpha outbreak to follow him so everyone else could get to safety. An outbreak of Zoroark."
I looked to Zorua deflated rubbing her chin. "I waited on the edge of Jubilife village to be the first one to see him home. I knew he would come back, he had to. Days turned into weeks. Those weeks into months. Eventually, I stopped counting. If I was there maybe I could have. I might have. No, I would have. I don't want anyone else to go through that if I can make a difference here and now, I feel like I'd be doing him a service. Honouring his memory."
This got a slow-winded clap. A mocking one as we turned around to find the man of the hour standing on a pathway above us.
The other me.
Continuing to clap Y/N nodded along. "What a beautiful story, truly one for the ages."
"Lillie, keep going I'll catch up. Find Gladion and get back home."
"No, he took Nebby. I can't just walk away."
"Trust me, I'll get your partner back. Go."
Y/N taunted Lillie wiggling his fingers ushering her along. "You heard Y/N, run along Lillie. Run along and let the adults talk."
Clearly against the idea Lillie finally agreed running ahead. Zorua was growling at the other me as he began to walk hands behind his back slowly. I soon followed never letting my eyes off him. "You've got quite the list of achievements since coming here, haven't you? Saved Paldea from an outbreak of Paradox Pokemon, fought against fate closed the Time Space distortions and most recently put down the attempts of an invasion of Shadow Pokemon at the hands of a crooked madman. In another time I too might have followed in your footsteps. The contrast is so, interesting."
"You were stolen from your time too right? The far future, you're a wanted terrorist there."
"Freedom Fighter. I much prefer Freedom Fighter. I did nothing wrong, they blame me for... No that was never me and they know it." The other Y/N insists on stretching while still walking. "I was working to clear my name when I was stolen by Professor Sada's time machine. Her husband Turo had been lost to the future and she was willing to tear the world apart to get him back. I escaped but only barely. On my last legs, my hope fell into place as one man saved me. A man from another dimension looking to bring his order to the vast multi-verse. His name was Giovanni."
"The former leader of Team Rocket."
"In this world yes. But in another, he was never defeated. He ruled over all regions with an iron fist and soon spread his reach to the worlds beyond. He learned of my predicament and promised me a way back home only if I joined his crusade. I accepted."
Stopping the tailing I crossed my arms furious. "You'd sell your soul to Team Rocket, stealing the livelihoods and hope of countless overs at a promise to go home? How could you!?"
The other Y/N scoffed at this looking down on me with such malice. "I'd hope you all of people would understand, but I should have known. Your so-called achievements to me are nothing more than errands and the world takes advantage of us. Always solving the problems of the small people while losing sight of the bigger picture. What I do isn't very nice, but in the grand scheme of things if it gets me back home. So be it."
"Do you honestly expect such an evil man to uphold his end of the bargain? He's using you and once that use runs out he'll toss you aside."
"Yes. I'm aware of that."
"What?"
"Which is why I stole these." Holding up Lillie's Pokeball and another strange device, the one reported on weeks ago by the Aether Foundation. The N-Solarizer. "I was sent to this world to ready the troops for the invasion. However, during my time I decided to do my research, research into the travel of Ultra Space. If Giovanni has no intention of sending me home, I'll do it myself. Together with the power of Lunala and the legendary Necrozma, I'll be able to achieve such a goal. I'll return to my homeworld and put a stop to the abomination that decimated my future. I was brought to this world for a reason and I believe it to be to change the future."
"If you think I'm going to let you get away with this..."
"Oh other me. Oh poor innocent sweet stupid other me. I'm counting on it." He chuckles aiming his wrist device at me firing a hologram just before me. Stepping back I was soon face to face with one of his Paradox Pokemon. It was a spitting image of my Goodra yet its shell was frozen over with an iceberg the goo on its face and hands frozen icicles. "While I would love to stay and chat time is of the essence. If I'm correct Team Rainbow Rocket should be attacking now and Giovanni will soon be hunting me down for betraying him. I intend to be long gone before then. Hold the line as you always do Iron Dragoon."
The other Y/N stepped back into the darkness disappearing leaving me to fend off against such a monster. Iron Dragoon roared making me stumble back. I looked at Zorua nervously before nodding. "We didn't come this far to run with our tail between our legs. It doesn't matter what Paradox Pokemon is sent our way, we'll keep fighting until victory is ours. Together until the end. Let's do this Mimi!"