"We won!" Ash yelled, shooting a fist up into the air. Cheers rang out from everyone as they celebrated their victory. Ash picked up Pikachu, cradling him gently in his arms. "I'm proud of you, buddy." Ash slowly pulled out Pikachu's Pokéball. "I know you hate getting in this, but please. Get in there. I'll get you to Nurse Joy and you'll be good as new."
Pikachu relented, tapping the ball and getting absorbed into it. Ash put the Pokeball with the others as he returned every other mon except for Greninja. "I'm proud of you too, pal. Now give me a hand with Lusamine." Ash said as he and Greninja hoisted Lusamine up.
"What do we do about that?" Gladion asked, jerking a thumb back towards Nihilego, laying on the ground.
"Just leave it." Lillie said. "Hopefully we'll never have to deal with an Ultra Wormhole again, so we don't have to deal with it ever again either."
Ash felt inclined to walk away, but deep down, he knew that it just wasn't who he was. He passed Lusamine fully over to Greninja, before walking over to Nihilego. Gladion and Lillie watched, cautiously. But also curiously. As Ash got closer, he saw that the gelatinous jellyfish was hardly alive. It was covered in bruises, parts of the gel around its head were cut, it was shivering from being frozen, and unable to move with it's tentacles. Despite the sinister intent it had, Ash couldn't help but feel bad for it. So he did the only thing he thought to do. He pat it gently on its head, letting his hand run over the cold, jello-like body of Nihilego. "Gladion, you wouldn't happen to have anything, would you?" He asked.
"You can't be serious, Ash." Gladion said, placing a hand on his hip. "That thing just tried to kill us. Why would we- what part of you thinks that healing it is a good idea?"
"It's done some horrible things, I know. But it's still a living thing. Look at it." Ash said, holding the jellyfish's head up. "It's... not gonna make it if we just leave it. Nothing deserves to die like that. Alone, scared, in pain. It's wouldn't be right."
Gladion turned to Lillie. She shrugged. "Maybe he's right?" She said. "Nihilego is obviously a rather intelligent Pokémon. I'm sure that it's learned the hard way not to try and abduct people now. Maybe we can just help it be able to at least move around?" She proposed as she knelt down beside Ash.
Gladion shook his head and sighed, pulling his hand up to his forehead. "Fine, fine. But I swear to Arceus..."
"It won't happen, Gladion." Ash interrupted. Gladion nodded before he pulled a few bandages and a Hyper Potion out from his bag.
"I swear you two and your bleeding hearts are gonna be the death of me one of these days." Gladion said as he sprayed the Hyper Potion over the more severe wounds as Lillie put a few bandages and wraps over others. Once they finished, Nihilego slowly raised. It tested out movement of some of its limbs and the rest of its body before it turned up to look at the three Trainers. Though it couldn't speak without Lusamine anymore, it was obviously confused.
"Yeah, we helped you, even after all that." Ash said. "Don't make us regret doing so, though. No more kidnapping people, yeah?" Ash smiled as the jellyfish nodded. "Good. Alright, you're fine." Ash pat the jellyfish on the head a few more times. "Alright, off you go now." Ash shooed Nihilego away. The jellyfishes floated away into the distance.
"Okay, let's get back to the Wormhole now." Gladion said, as Ash finally returned to give Greninja a hand with Lusamine. Gladion turned to scan the horizon. "One of you two remember where it is?"
"I do." Lille said.
"Great, my Pokémon we rode on are in my pocket, mind letting them out?" Ash asked. Lillie reached in and pulled the three Pokéballs out, releasing Charizard, Staraptor, and Noivern. Greninja and Ash hoisted Lusamine up onto Charizard's back as Ash hopped up behind her after returning Greninja for his rest. Gladion and Lillie got onto Staraptor and Noivern, and Lillie and Noivern led them all back to the Wormhole. Ash and Gladion pulled Lusamine down and Ash returned his three flying Pokémon, thanking them for their help.
"Alright Lillie. Ladies first." Ash said. Lillie stepped through the Wormhole as Ash and Gladion followed behind her with Lusamine.
...
"You kids are alright!" Faba shouted, pulling the two other blondes into a hug. "Man, you guys had me worried. You guys were gone for so long! But I kept that portal open the whole time, because I, Faba, do not lose faith!" Faba rambled.
"Waitwaitwait." Gladion interrupted. "We were gone for a long time?"
"Yeah!" Faba said. "You were in there for three whole days! It's March 20th!"
"There days!?" Lillie yelped. "It only felt like we were in there for a few hours!"
"I guess time just moves way slower in Ultra Space?" Ash guessed, before he suddenly gasped. "Oh crap! KUKUI! I told him I'd only be gone for a few hours!" Ash ran his hand through his hair, knocking his hat off center. He turned to Lillie and Gladion. "You guys are fine if I leave you here? I need to take Pikachu to Nurse Joy, send Charizard, Staraptor, and Noivern back to Professor Oak, then get back to Kukui asap!"
"Yeah, we've got this. Faba, mind giving me a hand taking Lusamine to her bad in the fourth floor?" Gladion said as he and Faba picked up Lusamine and took her away.
"Go, Ash, go." Lillie said, fixing his hat on his head. "You better go make sure Professor Kukui and Burnet aren't having a heart attack because you've been gone for so long. And..." she hesitated, before she quickly pecked Ash on the cheek. "...Thank you so much Ash."
Ash snapped out of his daze, giving Lillie a small, awkward smile before turning and running after Gladion and Faba to the elevator. Lillie turned to the Ultra Wormhole and the small machine underneath it. She took the fire extinguisher off the wall, and swung it down on the small machine the Ultra Wormhole came from, destroying it. She dusted off her hands, satisfied, before picking up the broken machine and leaving the room.
...
As Lillie waved bye to Ash as he flew away on Charizard. She pulled out the small Ultra Wormhole machine, her eyes glazing over the busted contraption. "Well? What now?"
Lillie turned to see Gladion walk up behind her. "Is Mom...?"
"She's in bed. Faba and Wicke are with her. She's in good hands." Gladion answered. "So? What are you gonna do with this thing?" Gladion asked, pointing to the broken machine.
Lillie looked at it, before she smiled, and chucked it as hard as she could into the water. "Busted, and now on the seafloor. No more Ultra Wormholes anymore." She said.
"Hmm." Gladion hummed. "Probably for the best. Anyways, Mom will be just fine now. You and I..." Gladion patted his sister on her shoulder. "...Should probably go check in on old Hobbes."
"Oh my god, he didn't know we'd be gone for so long either." Lillie gasped. "Poor Hobbes might be having a panic attack."
"Can't blame him if he is. Which is why we better go make sure he's fine. Come on, we'll take one of the boats." Gladion said.
...
Ash knocked on the door to Kukui's house. Kukui opened it after a moment and froze when he saw Ash and Pikachu. Ash, with a sheepish smile, pulled his hat off his head, holding it in front of his chest. "Hey Professor. Sorry I've been gone so long."
Kukui sighed like a load came off his chest. "Good to see you're okay, cousin. Had all three of us worried." He said as Burnet ran up and gave Ash a hug.
"Wait, all thre- uuff!" Ash asked before he got crushed by Burnet. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder to avoid the squeeze.
"Thank Arceus you're alive!" Burnet said. "Let's... not do that again. Please." She said as she let go of Ash. "For my mental health. And so I don't have to ever call Delia and tell her that... ugh I don't even want to think about it."
"I'll try, Burnet." Ash said. "But what did you mean all three of you guys, Professor?"
"Ash!" Ash turned only to be crushed in a hug again, this time by none other then Dawn.
"D-Dawn!?" Ash asked once Dawn let him go. "I...I-I thought you went home? To Sinnoh?"
"Well, I did... but then I... kiiiind of snuck away from home and came back." Dawn said, picking up Pikachu.
"I... huh. So your mom...?"
"Is probably freaked out and worried sick?" Dawn asked, she sighed. "Yeah, probably. I... it didn't feel right leaving you. I mean, I hyped it up like it would be a fun adventure for us to have in a new region before we even came, and then I suddenly have to just up and leave? It didn't sit right, and my mom didn't want me to leave again, so I just followed my gut, and came back. I don't know how I'll explain it to my mother, though."
"Well, I'll tell her with you. Deal?"
"Thanks Ash. Anyways, back on topic... Three days, huh?"
"Huh?"
"You just randomly go missing for three days, leaving no one here any sort of warning that you might be gone for days? And from what I heard, in another dimension!? Ash, I know you're brash, but it's getting borderline suicidal at this point! I mean, honestly, one of these days you'll..." Dawns scolding faded out as she dragged Ash with her out of the kitchen.
Kukui chuckled as Burnet leaned against the kitchen island. "That Ash... sure is something, huh?"
"Yeah. But that's why he attracts so many people to him." Kukui said. "Every days a breath of fresh air with him."
"Heh, reminds me of you quite a bit, Kukui." Burnet joked. Kukui broke into a small sweat.
"Heh heh, I-uhh... Don't know what you mean." Kukui said. Burnet raised an eyebrow at Kukui's expression as the man made a feeble attempt to hide behind his coffee mug.
"What's wrong? You look on edge."
Kukui sighed. "Uh, w-well... I'm..." he peeked over to the doorway where Dawn dragged Ash away from. He set his coffee down, moved beside Burnet and whispered into her ear. Burnets eyes shot open as she backed away from Kukui to look him in the eyes.
"You're-!"
"Shhshhshh!" Kukui put a finger up to Burnets lips as he shushed her. Burnet pushed Kukui's finger away with her own finger.
"You're Ash's uncle?" She whispered.
"Yeah. I'm Delia's older brother. Last time I saw Ash before he came to Alola, he was a toddler."
"So why doesn't he know? Why haven't you told him?" Burnet asked.
"Well, last time we saw each other was... well over a decade ago, dear. I'd be shocked if he remembered me."
"Okay, and you haven't told him because...?"
"I... don't really know. I'm a bit nervous to, I guess?" Kukui sighed as he picked his mug back up, taking a drag from it. "Delia and I have been out of touch for so long, and I never really had anything to do with Ash until now."
"Hmm. Well... my lips are sealed. Telling Ash about this is on you, hun." Burnet said. "Just... make sure you do tell him, okay? I'm pretty sure that Delia is all the poor kid thinks he has for blood family."
"That's for the best." Kukui said. "Pardon my Kalos, but Fergus was an asshole. I don't want Ash following in that poor excuse of a father's footsteps. And for never really being around for Del when Fergus walked out makes me no better."
"Kukui, you did all you could. You couldn't leave Alola when it happened. Not while you were so busy with your own life."
"I sent Del a message that said "I'm sorry about Fergus" and that's it. Nothing else. I could've at least found time to go check up on her."
"You can't keep beating yourself up over that, Kukui. It was almost 16 years ago by now. I'm sure Delia was happy and appreciative to get a message from you." Burnet said, putting her hands on Kukui's shoulders. "Why not give her a call tomorrow? I bet she's be thrilled to hear from you."
"I..." Kukui smiled, then sighed. "I guess you're right. I'll tell Ash about everything before he goes back to work on the Trials and call Delia after." He finished what was left of his coffee, putting the mug in the sink, as he gave Burnet a quick hug. "Well, I better get back to work. If you need me, I'll be out back in the sanctuary!" He called as he left the building.
...
Kukui took a step down and looked over his little yard full of Pokémon. Pikipeki and Fletchlings fluttered around, Charjabugs and Caterpies crawled up and down trees, Pikachus and Togedemaru ran around in the grass, and an Incineroar curled up for a nap in a sunny spot. Ash and Dawn were sitting and talking in the shade of the large tree in the corner of Kukui's yard. Ash's Pokémon were all relaxing around them as well. Greninja and Torracat were resting on some low branches on the tree above, Pikachu was curled up on Ash's stomach, Lycanroc was laid out across Ash's legs, and Rowlet sat upon Ash's head. Dawn stood up and walked away as Ash leaned further back against the tree and set Rowlet onto the ground beside him so he could pull his hat down over his eyes and drift off to sleep, Meloetta singing a soft tune to assist him.
Kukui chuckled as Dawn walked past him and went back inside. He whistled, and Rotom-Dex popped out of Ash's bag and floated over to Kukui. "Alright Rotom, we've got some Yungoose that came by the yard. Mind helping me get some data?"
"Absolutely, Professor!" Rotom said. "Kzzt~ I'll take more pictures then my memory of 5 Terabytes can handle! Just you watch!"
...
Dawn took a deep breath as she reached for the phone. She put in her mom's number as she held the phone up to her ear. After it rung for a moment, her mom picked up.
"H-hello?"
"H-Hey, mom..."