Foul Play [Continuing from Proboards version!]

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Hi, and welcome to Foul Play! This is my Grimsley and Nanu being bros fic that I've been working on since 2017 woozers.

I decided to continue the updates from the old proboard forums instead of reposting for a few reasons.

1) I'm actually on the last arc of the story and it supposed to be ending about 35 chapters. Reposting the 27 chapters would take a while and probably not ideal when I'm this close to finishing. Remember when I said it would end in eight chapters?

2) While the early chapters could use some polish, I'm not up to doing a huge rework on them at the moment.

If you're reading Foul Play for the first time or want to catch up, I'm fine with you commenting on the earlier chapters through this thread, AO3, or FFnet! Just know that the first 10 chapters or so I'm already aware of the pacing issues and that some chapters would've been better split up, etc.

With all that out of the way, next post will have Chapter 28!

Chapter Twenty-Eight
Hyperspace Fury

Nanu and Acerola had left the police station late in the morning to go to Malie City. The air was cold at first but warmed up the further they went. Both were riding on Xatu, fairly fast fliers.

Once they reached Malie City, Nanu and Acerola had their Xatu land at the Pokémon Center. After Nanu talked with one of the nurses and arranged for him to look over the Ride Pokémon, he and Acerola went for lunch.

The Sushi Roller was usually busy during this time, with half of the tables already occupied. Nanu's nose wrinkled at the scent of raw fish and soup. He went up to Enzo at the front, who grinned at him.

"Kahuna Nanu! It's been a few weeks!"

Nanu gave a single nod. "Nice to see you too, sensei. Iokua should be here now. Can you take me to his table?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Enzo said and led Nanu and Acerola to Iokua's table.

Iokua and his wife Cora sat at a table that was some feet away from the bar. Cora's pregnant stomach was showing, her hands resting there. They greeted him with warm smiles.

"Alola, Uncle Iokua! Alola, Aunt Cora!" Acerola greeted them with the Alola Rainbow sign with her arms, and Iokua and Cora did the same.

"Glad you can make it, you two," Iokua said. "I know you just came back from Poni Island, Father. You must be tired."

"A little bit, but at least Po Town is quiet for a bit."

"Oh right, I heard that several of the Team Skull grunts are gone," Cora said and giggled. "You must be relieved now, huh?"

"You can say that." Nanu paused for a second. "So, how are you and the baby doing?"

"We're doing great, thanks. To think, seven more weeks and then our baby girl will be born."

Acerola gasped with her hand close to her mouth. "You guys are having a girl?" She squealed in delight. "Thought of any names yet?"

"We're set on Karla right now," Iokua said, his face softening. He squeezed his wife's hand, and the two shared a quick kiss.

A small smile formed on Nanu's lips, only for it to disappear. He used to be like that with Iokua's mother, Commnelia. Working in the International Police had put a strain on their relationship, and the two separated when Iokua was young. He genuinely hoped Iokua and Cora's relationship would last.

Eventually Enzo came to their table to get their orders. After everyone told him what they wanted, he went to the chefs to have them prepare their meals. It was half an hour until their food was ready, which consisted of ramen soup for Cora and sushi for everyone else. Nanu had his usual, the Z-Kaiskei: Ronin set.

"So is Grimsley still in Alola?" Iokua asked after he swallowed a piece of his sushi.

"He's actually on this island right now. He claims to know two Z-moves, but I want him to show me one of those first."

"Iokua had told me he's a very strong trainer from Unova," Cora said. "An Elite Four at that!"

"Maybe you'll get a chance to meet him, honey."

"Oh, oh! I want to see him use Never-Ending Nightmare!" Acerola said, beaming.

Nanu took another bite at his food and gazed down. He remembered Grimsley had talked to Iokua about his past, and his heart sank. He took a deep breath.

"Iokua, I'm sorry that I haven't been a decent father to you," he said, and that caused everyone to stare at him. "I have many regrets, and not being there for you or your mother is one of them."

Iokua gave him a small smile. "I was glad when you retired from your last career and settled back here. And at least you'll get to spend time with your granddaughter."

A crooked smile formed on Nanu's lips, and he snorted. "I don't have the energy to deal with kids these days. But in all seriousness, I think you'll be a great father."

"Thank you, that means a lot," Iokua said, his smile growing.

Nanu had found himself having more free time than he ever had while working for Interpol. Tapu Bulu was much more laid back as a boss despite being a powerful guardian. He didn’t get to spend much time with Iokua due to feeling ashamed of being a bad father, but perhaps this was a great opportunity to fix that.

While taking a sip of his water, he overheard an argument between a man and woman from the table behind him. They seemed to be a couple just about to finish their date.

"Come on, just for an hour," the man said in a smug voice. He slid a hand on top of hers, making the woman turn her face away from him. "We can get to know each other a little more."

"I appreciate the offer, but I really have to leave now. Maybe next time." The woman rose out of her seat, but the man immediately grabbed her wrist and she gasped. His face darkened.

"You're coming to my place with me, and that's final."

"No! Let me go!" she screamed, struggling to let go of his grip.

Several people stared at the couple. Nanu's lips curled and he swallowed hard. He couldn't stand seeing that man harrass that woman anymore, so he rose out of his seat and approached their table. Acerola called out "Uncle Nanu?", but he ignored it.

"Hey, you." Nanu tapped on the man's shoulder, who turned back and glared at him.

"What do you want?" he asked in a bitter tone.

"The lady here clearly doesn't want to go back with you. Let her go."

"And what if I don't?"

"You don't know who I am, huh? Does Kahuna Nanu ring a bell?" A smirk formed on his lips. Several people in the restaurant whispered to one another, excited that the kahuna of Ula'ula Island was here. He rarely went around announcing his title, but in this case he was going to have some fun.

"Wait, you're Kahuna Nanu?" the man asked in disbelief. He grunted and let go of the woman's hand. "Even if you are, this is none of your business."

"It is since I'm responsible for the well-being of everyone on this island." He paused, his lips twitching. "Tell me, what is your name, young man?"

"Um, Nigel."

"Nigel, huh? I'm not only a kahuna, but a police officer too with connections." He flashed Nigel his police badge, and his face turned pale. "I'm here quietly having lunch with my family, and I hear you threatening this woman. Care to explain yourself?"

"I, ah, well, you see..." Nigel stammered, his eyes darting back and forth. "I offered Lee to come to my place, but..."

"Thought so. Now, as both a kahuna and an officer, I don't take this kind of behavior lightly. Right now I'm deciding if I want to bring you to my friends over at the police station down the street."

Nigel chuckled weakly and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, er, that's a bit harsh don't you think..."

"Tell you what, how about a compromise? You hand me your ID since I don't want you running off on me, and you go see Sensei Enzo at the counter and settle the full bill with him." Nanu shrugged. "Or we can go with the first option, your call."

"No, no, that won't be necessary!" Nigel handed him over his ID to Nanu and quickly went to the counter where Enzo is at. Nanu pulled out a small notepad from his jacket and began writing down Nigel's details.

"Sorry for intruding there, Miss. Looks like you needed some help there. I can arrange something with the guys at the police station and we can take this further."

"Oh no, that won't be necessary," the woman, Lee, said. "I wanted to leave earlier, but Nigel insisted we go to his place and that creeped me out."

"Men like that aren't worth your time." After Nanu finished writing down Nigel's information, he put his notepad away and faced her. "Would you need a ride back home?"

Lee smiled and said, "Thanks for the offer, but I can have my sister pick me up."

“That’s good to hear. You can stick with me while you wait for her.” He then asked, “How did you end up with that guy?”

Lee crossed her arms and frowned. “One of my friends from the Kantonian Gym set me up on a date with him. She warned me that Nigel can come off strong at first but to give him a chance. Ten minutes into our date and I already know that we’re not compatible.”

“Kantonian Gym?” Nanu blinked in confusion. There was one Pokémon “gym” that opened a while back here, and he heard how one strong trainer there specialized in Dragon-types. “Oh, you meant that building with the gold roof a few blocks from here?” he asked, and Lee nodded.

“Yes, I’m one of the trainers working there. Ryuki knows how to pump up the crowd with his music and Dragon Pokémon. Just several days ago, he went against Grimsley from Unova’s Elite Four.”
Nanu’s eyes shot wide open. It shouldn’t surprise him that Grimsley would be partaking in some battles here. A part of him was curious how that battle went, but he brushed that aside.

He looked towards Nigel and Enzo at the counter. Enzo handed Nigel his credit card back. “Looks like Nigel finished paying off the bill.”

He and Lee went to them. Nanu gave Nigel his ID back and asked that he never get near the woman again. Nigel responded with a “Yes, sir!” and hastily retreated outside. Shaking his head, Nanu was glad to finally be rid of him.

"Wow, I never thought of you as the heroic type," Cora said. She, Acerola, and Iokua approached them.

"You standing up to that woman is awesome, Uncle Nanu!" Acerola cheered.

"Eh, as I said it's my duty as both kahuna and police officer to help everyone here."

Iokua chuckled. "I knew that you care for the people on this island."

Nanu couldn't help but smile a little. There were some kahuna duties that he skipped, like traveling to the Ruins of Abundance on a regular basis. He wasn't like Hala or Olivia who enthusiastically went to each citizen like a politician vying for votes.But despite not wanting this title, he took it upon himself to watch over everyone here.

This peaceful moment he was having with his family was cut short when a booming noise was heard. Several people screamed and jumped out of their seats, some of them running towards the door. Nanu did the same with his family and Lee followed him behind.

As soon as Nanu stepped outside, his heart almost skipped a beat. Three bug-typed Ultra Beasts were terrorizing the people, scaring them off. One had large antennas, high-heels as its feet, and a slim figure. The other Ultra Beasts were large mosquitos with solid physiques that could rival the Masked Royal.

Back in Interpol, they were codenamed UB Beauty and UB Absorption.

“Are you okay, Father?” Iokua asked with a worried look on his face.

Nanu’s jaw tightened, and he took a deep breath to relax. Now was not the time to stand there like a fool.

“I’m gonna deal with those things while you guys go to safety.”

Iokua regarded him for a moment, and gave him an understanding nod. “All right. You stay safe yourself.”

“I wanna help!” Acerola said with a determined look, which was unusual for her. “My Pokémon can handle them.”

“I’ll help, too,” Lee said, pulling out a pokéball from her bag. She smiled. “I wanna repay you back for saving me from that jerk earlier.”

Nanu regarded them for a moment. “Okay, you two can help, but stay close.”

He, Lee, and Acerola went towards the Ultra Beasts while Iokua and Cora rushed in the opposite direction. Nanu released Honchkrow, Lee a Cinncino, and Acerola Nori, her Dhelmise. The latter was a dual ghost-grass type that resembled an anchor wrapped in sticky seaweed and a wooden ship wheel attached to them.

“You two take the big guys while I’ll deal with the fast-looking one,” Nanu said in a low voice. Both ladies hummed and nodded.

Nanu had gone against Beauty a few times before. They moved elegantly and in a blink of an eye, probably faster than an Extreme Speed. His Honchkrow flapped his wings and visible purple airwaves darted towards the Ultra Beast, but it dodged those easily. Beauty jumped up on the roof of a building, giving a judgmental look at Honchkrow and Nanu with its hand on its side.

“Try a Steel Wing this time!”

Upon Nanu ordering that move, Honchkrow’s wings glowed and he dived down at Beauty but missed. That gave the opportunity for the Ultra Beast to launch at Honchkrow and kick him three times on the chin. Honchrkow became dazed for a few seconds but quickly recovered.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” someone asked. Nanu turned real quick to see a man with unruly hair and tight clothing that made him wonder how he managed to breath through it. He carried a guitar case with him, and another trainer with him.

“Ryuki!” Lee called out his name. Her Cinncino jumped up and launched several glowing stars on both of the Absorption’s faces.

“Geez, whatever these things are, they need to get out this instant.” Ryuki turned to the trainer with him. “Eric, help Lee and the other girl out!”

The other trainer, Eric, nodded and released his Pokémon, an Arcanine. He and his Pokémon went to where Lee and Acerola were.

“Oh you’re that dude that hangs around the Kantonian Gym around a lot.” Nanu had heard about Ryuki whenever he visited Malie City, but never bothered to watch him in action. He turned back to see Beauty landing another kick on Honchkrow’s face. Nanu grimaced, not liking how his Pokémon was already getting his butt kicked by a bug posing as a model.

“Yup, that’s me. Looks like your little birdie is in trouble.” Ryuki grabbed a pokéball and released a Garchomp with a cord on his neck. Nanu blinked at that accessory but then noticed a Garchompite stone on it.

“Your Garchomp can Mega Evolve?” he asked.

“Hell yeah, he can. Dirk and I are gonna put on a spectacular performance!” He pulled out his guitar from his case and grinned at his Garchomp. “Ready to make some noise, Dirky boy?”

Ryuki’s Garchomp, Dirk, grunted and nodded. Grinning ear to ear, Ryuki opened his case and pulled out his guitar. He played several notes that resembled rock music, and both the guitar and Dirk’s Mega Stone were covered in multicolored sparks. Nanu at first wanted to ask him if his guitar was on fire but realized that a keystone was attached to it.

Dirk lifted his head and roared in triumph once his Mega Evolution was completed. The way Dirk’s head changed shape made him uglier, but the scythes and longer spikes on his body made him more menacing.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!” Ryuki exclaimed while playing his guitar. “Help the man’s Honchkrow and strike at that thing on the roof!”

With lightning speed, Dirk flew up to the roof. His scythe grew purple, and he struck Beauty on its midsection. When Beauty backed away a few steps, Honchkrow spat a Shadow Ball behind its head and that caused it to twirl around. The Ultra Beast had to divide its attention between Honchkrow and Dirk, dodging and blocking their assaults.

Ryuki continued to play his godawful, ear piercing music while the residents scrambled to get out and Acerola’s group barely held off the two Absorption. Some of the people covered their ears as they escaped. Nanu gazed up to see Dirk’s claws missed Beauty and she kicked him on the stomach, which caused him to shoot out of the roof and crash on the pavement.

“Dirky boy!” Ryuki dropped his guitar and rushed to his Pokémon’s side. As he lifted his Garchomp’s head, Dirk gave out a low growl and he returned to his normal self. “You did fabulous, buddy,” he said in a low voice and returned him back to his pokéball.

Nanu bit his lips. If that Ultra Beast could beat down a Mega Evolved Pokémon like that, his Honchkrow couldn’t stand a chance unless he used Supersonic Skystrike. He pulled out the Flyinum-Z crystal from his jacket’s pocket and slipped it inside the slot of his Z-Ring. All he needed to do now was perform the Z-Pose...

“Buluuuuuu!”

At that moment a large figure came in a blur and rammed Beauty into a nearby building.

“What the?” Nanu jumped and he gazed up to see a deity with a shell shaped like bull horns and a tail bell swinging lazily. There was no mistake--

“Is that Tapu Bulu?” one of the bypassers asked.

“It is, and it came to save us!”

Like everyone else, Acerola noticed Tapu Bulu. With a beaming face, she jumped and waved at Tapu Bulu. “Oh, hey Tapu Bulu!”

Nanu snorted and shook his head. Leave it to Tapu Bulu to be late to the rescue. “Hey Tapu Bulu, think you can handle these pesky bugs for us?”

Tapu Bulu narrowed their eyes on him and grunted. Nanu knew the big guy was upset with him.

“Yeah, yeah, I didn’t do my job as a kahuna to prevent this from happening. I’ll make it up to you later, but right now I can really use your help.”

Tapu Bulu seemed to regard Nanu for a moment before they hummed and turned around. As Beauty charged and began a low kick at them, Tapu Bulu dodged and struck behind its back with their horns. That caused Beauty to scream and attempt another low kick, but Tapu Bulu withdrew into their shell to protect themself.

Noticing that Tapu Bulu was here, both Absorption turned their attention away from Acerola’s group. All of the Ultra Beasts kicked and punched Tapu Bulu’s shell, only for them to not budge.

“Looks like Tapu Bulu attracted the attention of those things,” Acerola said. She and her group joined with Nanu and Ryuki.

“Good, so that our Pokémon can take a breather,” Ryuki said.

“Ah oh, looks like Tapu Bulu is very mad now,” Lee said, pointing at the scene. As the Ultra Beasts continued to beat up Tapu Bulu, the deity’s shell began to glow. Nanu’s eyes grew wide.

“Everyone back away!”

Nanu grabbed Acerola’s arm, and everyone moved away as fast as they could. Tapu Bulu opened their shell and released a burst of pink energy, shocking the Ultra Beasts and pushing them away. The lampposts got broken in half and some foundations of the nearby buildings crumbled. The whole group stared at the damage Tapu Bulu had done.

“Tapu Bulu sure put up a show there,” Ryuki said.

“That looks like Nature’s Madness,” Acerola said in awe.

“It is. I saw Tapu Fini use it against Hapu.” Nanu turned back at the battle to see Tapu Bulu go against Beauty while the two Absorption went against Honchkrow and Acerola’s Dhelmise, Nori. He glanced down at his Z-Ring, remembering he was about to do a Z-Move before Tapu Bulu showed up. With a whistle, he glanced up at his Pokémon. “Hey, Honchkrow, are you ready to do our Z-Move?”

When Nanu had asked that, Honchkrow dodged one of the Absorption’s punches and scratched its face with his claws. He flew up and cawed in response. Meanwhile, Nori spat out a green energy ball at the other Absorption’s chest. Those pests needed to be taken care of now.

Nanu began his Z-Pose for Supersonic Skystrike, and both his bracelet and Honchkrow lit up brightly. His Pokémon launched himself to the skies and a blast of hot air hit Nanu’s face. As Absorption jumped up with its fist up, Honchkrow dived down and they collided.

“Let’s do our Z-Move too, Nori!” Acerola immediately did the Z-Pose for Never-Ending Nightmare, and Nori released a wave of dark energy and tentacles at Absorption. One of the creepy tentacles grabbed the Ultra Beast and pulled it into the shadows.

A large explosion occurred upon those two Z-Moves being used. As soon as the smoke cleared, both sides took deep breaths and glared at one another. Everyone but Nanu gasped.

“Just what the hell is that thing?” Eric asked.

“These are Ultra Beasts that Aether had warned you guys about,” Nanu said. It didn’t surprise him that it would take more than Mega Evolution and Z-Moves to defeat those things. “Acerola, you help me take down Absorption One while you two deal with the second one.”

“Okay, Uncle Nanu,” Acerola said with a serious face. Meanwhile, Lee and Eric hummed in agreement.

Nanu commanded Honchkrow to use Nightslash at Absorption One. Honchkrow flapped his wings and flashes of purple air struck at Absorption One’s sides and chest. The Ultra Beast jumped up and kicked Honchkrow’s face, causing him to squawk in pain. Honchkrow retaliated by having his wings shine like metallic steel and dived down at him. Absorption One’s back hit a nearby building and left some small damage there.

Acerola took this opportunity to have Nori use Energy Ball, which they did and it hit the Ultra Beast’s back. Absorption One charged at Nori with its fists covered in cold mist, only for Acerola to call for them to watch out. Nori disappeared into purple shadows before Absorption landed a blow on them, and several seconds later slammed into the Ultra Beast and caused it to crash into the ground.

Just as Absorption picked itself up, Acerola urged Nori to use Anchor Shot, their signature move. Nori shot out a large anchor chain and had it wrapped around the Ultra Beast’s waist and shoulders. After struggling for a bit, Absorption managed to break free from the chains, spun around, and lunged at Nori with full force. That made Nori crash into one of the nearby lampposts and damage it. When her Pokémon didn’t respond, Acerola gasped and returned her Pokémon.

“You did great Nori, you can rest,” she whispered to Nori’s pokéball.

Nanu bit his lips, feeling bad for Acerola and her Pokémon. He briefly checked to see Lee’s Cinncino use Aqua Tail and Eric’s Arcanine use Flamethrower at Absorption Two. After being hit with both attacks, the Ultra Beast slammed its fist at the Cinncino. When Lee’s Pokémon cried in pain and collapsed, she returned her Pokémon to her pokéball. Meanwhile, the Arcanine got hit by Absorption Two’s Low Sweep and fell on the ground. The Arcanine picked himself up and roared, but Nanu could tell he was getting exhausted.

Did those pests get stronger since the last time he went against them? Nanu got distracted from his musings when Absorption One struck an Ice Punch straight at Honchrow’s chest. Honchrow screeched, engulfed himself in flames, and dived down towards the Ultra Beast. Absorption countered with another Ice Punch, and both attacks collided, causing a small explosion.


Once the smoke cleared, Absorption One was still standing and stared at Honchkrow. Due to the recoil from Brave Bird, Nanu’s Pokemon took deep breaths and his gaze slightly dropped off.

While Nanu and Acerola were distracted with Absorption, Tapu Bulu withdrew themself inside their shell and allowed Beauty to abuse them once more. After several more hits from Beauty, Tapu Bulu opened their shell and slammed into the Ultra Beast. Beauty flinched for a few seconds and then shook it off. It swung its leg and kicked Tapu Bulu’s side, which caused them to flinch and be dazed for several seconds. Enraged, Tapu Bulu yelled and let out another Nature Madness that struck Beauty like electric bolts and pushed her back. Beauty kept gasping, her chest rising and falling.

At that moment, Tapu Bulu made his final move. They shook their tail and the bell rang, which made ominous chimes. Nanu’s stomach dropped.

“Those bells sound like a warning to us,” Acerola said  in a worried voice.

Before Nanu responded, he inhaled and felt sweat rolling on his forehead. “You’re not wrong there, kid.”

Thick vines and roots burst out from the ground, lashing at Beauty like whips. The Ultra Beast kept kicking them away, but one of them grabbed Beauty’s leg and threw it in the air. Beauty crashed down on a tree that then collapsed and it was several seconds until it picked itself up.

Another set of vines and roots grabbed both Absorption’s wrists and waists. They struggled to get out as more vines would just trap them. Tapu Bulu took this opportunity to charge and slammed them with their horns, leaving them with puncture wounds. The Ultra Beasts were barely standing, their arms and legs shaking.

An Ultra Wormhole appeared, which caused Beauty and the two Absorption to look with relief at it. Once Tapu Bulu opened their shell back, the three Ultra Beasts gave them a glare and jumped inside the wormhole. Everyone stared dumbfoundedly at the scene for a moment.

“That Tapu Bulu is one hard rocker,” Ryuki said.

“I know, right?” Acerola said with a grin. She gazed up at Tapu Bulu and waved at them. “You were awesome out there, Tapu Bulu!”

Acknowledging Acerola’s thanks, Tapu Bulu made a happy noise and nodded.

“Those Ultra Beasts are the real deal, huh?” Lee asked.

“Yes. Trust me when I say they’re not to be taken lightly.” After he finished saying that, Honchkrow approached Nanu and pecked at his shoulder. A small smile formed on his lips. “You did good there, buddy. Take a break.”

Nanu returned Honchkrow inside his pokéball. At that instant, his smartphone rang and he picked it up.

“This is Officer Nanu of Po Town Police speaking.”

“Nanu! Thank goodness I’m able to reach you.”

“Kukui? Is something the matter?”

“Yes. A few Ultra Beasts had invaded the Aether House. Grimsley and Kahili helped me deal with them, but they then disappeared.”

Nanu’s mouth twitched. He recalled Grimsley going to train at the Aether House. That meant more Ultra Beasts popped up.

“Same thing happened to me in Malie City. Did you talk with the other kahunas?”

“I haven’t yet, but I’m about to after this call, yeah. Do you think you can come back to the Aether House real quick?”

“Yeah, I can. Acerola and I can be there now.”

“Okay, good. Will see you soon, then.”

Once Kukui hung up, Nanu put his phone away and looked down at Acerola. “Kukui just called. He wants us at the Aether House now.”

“I overheard that something happened there. Is everyone all right?”

“Kukui didn’t say anyone got hurt, so I think so.”

“That’s good to hear!” Acerola faced Ryuki and beamed at him. “Thanks for helping us out there!”

“Not a problem, little lady,” Ryuki said with a grin. “Dirk took quite a beating, so he’ll need some rest.”

“My sister is waiting for me, so I should be heading out,” Lee said and smiled at Nanu. Thanks again for saving me from that creep earlier.”

A small smile formed on his lips. “It’s the least I can do. You take care.” He faced back at Acerola. “Come on, let’s go get our Ride Pokémon back at the Pokémon Center.”

Both he and Acerola set off to the Pokémon Center. As they headed there, a sinking pit filled inside Nanu’s stomach.

Author's Note:
A bit later than intended in releasing Chapter 28, but it's here! Nanu confrontation with Nigel I based it off from one reddit post where one police officer saved one lady from going home with a slezzy guy. I can totally see Nanu do this haha.

Part of me is thinking I'll get Chapter 29 out sometime next month while at the same time try to get the story finished for July Camp Nano, or at least get a few more chapters written. Real life stuff is in the air atm, but I'll try my best at chugging the final chapters through. Thanks to bobandbill for the beta as always.

Chapter 29
Max Darkness (Part One)

Shortly after everyone went inside the Aether House, Kukui made some calls to the kahunas. He first talked with Nanu, who told him that a few Ultra Beasts had invaded Malie City. When Grimsley heard that, his stomach dropped. It sounded like he and Acerola were fine though, so that was a relief.

Right now Kukui was on a conference call with Hala and Olivia through his tablet, Grimsley and Kahili standing behind him while he spoke with them. Both kahunas had also dealt with some Ultra Beasts on their respective islands.

"So you went against an Ultra Beast that can have its head explode?" Hala said in shock through the tablet. He was in his room while Olivia was inside her jewelry shop. "Sounds like the same one my grandson and I ran into earlier."

"If that's the case, then there's probably more of those," Kukui said, and Hala hummed in agreement.

"Hau, Ilima, and several other strong trainers are preparing in case another Ultra Beast invasion comes."

"My captains and I are doing the same," Olivia said. "How about Nanu and Hapu? Have you heard from them yet?"

"I wasn't able to reach Hapu yet, but I did talk with Nanu earlier. Some Ultra Beasts were running around Malie City."

"So the Ultra Beasts had also landed on Ula'ula, too?" Hala shook his head. "This is far worse than I thought."

"Tell me about it. He and Acerola are on their way to Aether House now."

"That's good to hear," Olivia said. "I have to go back to work, I'll keep you posted."

"I need to head out myself and speak with Hau and Ilima on our next plan of action," Hala said.

"Thanks, you two for taking the time to speak with me." After Kukui ended the conference call, he put the tablet back on the receptionist desk and faced Kahili and Grimsley. "The kahunas are having their hands full with the Ultra Beasts right now."

"That's really bad," Kahili said as she crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. "They mentioned they're having strong trainers help them?"

"They did, yeah. I'm afraid that more Ultra Beasts will come and overwhelm everyone."

"Those alien Pokémon were super scary," Gracie said with her head down. She sat on one of the sofas, holding her Yungoos.

"I don't like those things either," Hunter said. He and Elekid also sat on the same sofa as Gracie and her Pokémon. "They look like they can eat us for sure!"

Grimsley frowned upon hearing the children's statements. He didn't blame them for being frightened as he was caught off-guard himself.

In that instant, the door automatically opened. Grimsley turned to see Nanu and Acerola stepped inside.

"Acerola!" Both Gracie and Hunter screamed in joy. They hurried to her, and Acerola greeted them with an embrace.

"Are you two all right?" she asked before letting them go.

"We are," Hunter said. "Professor Kukui, Uncle Grimsley, and Aunt Kahili took care of those scary Pokémon."

"Well, you guys are safe and that's all that matters." Acerola had her hands on her sides and glanced around the room. "Uncle Nanu and I need a moment alone with everyone."

The children nodded in understanding. They picked up their Pokémon and went to their room. Kukui approached Nanu and Acerola.

"I talked with Olivia and Hala earlier. Akala and Melemele Island also got hit hard with the Ultra Beasts."

"Really?" Nanu groaned and scratched the back of his head. "Those Ultra Beasts love being pests, huh."

"After Kukui called you, he told me and Kahili about it," Grimsley said. "I'm glad that you and Acerola are safe, though."

Nanu raised a confused brow and snorted. "Are you really worried about me? Or is it because you're afraid our battle would be delayed?"

Grimsley grimaced and he gave him a stern look. "I was seriously worried, especially with Alola now having a crisis."

"So what happens now?" Kahili asked.

"I know a couple of people that can help us. They should be staying at Aether's headquarters now."

"I can lend you my tablet and have you contact them."

Kukui grabbed his tablet and gave it to him. Nanu opened a call conference application, punched a phone number, and the screen lit up showing Looker, Anabel, and Wicke.

"Nanu!" Looker said in surprise. "We are in a dire situation here!"

"If it's about how the Ultra Beasts are running amok, I already know. I went against a few of them in Malie City earlier."

"We just found out about that from the data Professor Burnet sent to Aether," Wicke said. "Several other cities have been targeted."

"Ah, so you're the Assistant Branch Chief Wicke that Magnolia had told me a lot about, yeah," Kukui said, flashing her a grin. "I'm her husband, Professor Kukui."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Wicke said, returning a grin of her own. "She tells me nothing but great things about you!"

"Oh, has she?" Kukui rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks flushing. His face turned back to serious when he continued, "Anyways, I noticed you have some company with you."

"Ah, yes!" Wicke gave a quick glance at Looker and Anabel, the both of them nodding at her. "They're agents Looker and Anabel from the International Police. Aether has been working with them on the Ultra Beasts."

"Nice to meet the both of you." Kukui looked over his shoulder at Grimsley, Kahili, and Acerola. "Besides Nanu, I have three other exceptional trainers with me, yeah!" he said, pointing at them.

"Fantastico!" Looker said. When he spotted Grimsley, his grin widened. "I noticed that Grimsley is one of those trainers! We've met quite a few times before."

"It's nice to see you too, Looker," Grimsley said in an indifferent tone. At that moment, he wondered how the Ultra Beasts came to Alola in the first place. "You know what caused the Ultra Beasts to suddenly appear?"

"Selene and Lillie went to the Altar of the Sunne with some supervision," Anabel said. "After they played the Moone and Sunne flutes, Aether's President Lusamine Jubert and Team Skull leader Guzma fell out from a wormhole."

"The legendary Pokémon Solagelo and another strange Pokémon appeared in addition to that," Looker continued. "The two Pokémon got fused, and that was what caused so many Ultra Beasts to pop up."

Acerola gasped with her hand close to her lips. "Wait, Solagelo? Strange Pokémon? I never thought those Alolan tales would come true."

"Alola's Light, right?" Nanu asked with a raised brow. Grimsley stared at him, surprised that he knew of that story.

"Ah huh. According to the story, Lunala, Solgaleo, and a third Pokémon called the 'Blinding One' showered Alola with light. After the Blinding One used up all of their light, Lunala and Solgaleo shared their light with them, and then the Pokémon flew back to their original home."

"Yeah, you told me that story a bunch of times before." Nanu turned back to the screen. "You mentioned that the girls had some supervision. Who else was with them?"

"Trial captain Mina and Kahuna Hapu were accompanying them through Poni Vast Canyon," Wicke said. "They then met with Dr. Colress Antimony and he joined them."

Upon hearing Colress's name, Grimsley's stomach dropped. "I'm not sure that was such a good idea having him with them."

The two agents exchanged brief glances at each other, and then Anabel spoke. "Looker and I understand your concern as we haven't forgotten what you told us about him. He confirmed with us that he's working on a device to take care of the Pokémon from the Ultra Recon Squad's planet, Ultra Megalopolis."

"It was Selene that convinced us that his machine is the key to unfuse Solagelo and the other Pokémon. That other planet the chief mentioned is where Lillie and Selene are right now."

"Hold up," Kahili said with a furrowed brow. "You're telling us a mysterious Pokémon is the cause of all the Ultra Beasts all over Alola? And that Lillie and Selene are in another world?"

"Essentially, yes," Anabel said with a nod. "Mina and Colress are with the girls and are keeping us up to date on what's going on at Ultra Megalopolis."

"What about Lusamine and Guzma?" Kukui asked. "Are they okay?"

"Hapu is taking them to the Pokémon Center in Seafolk Village right now," Wicke said. "They should be fine, though."

Frowning, Acerola said, "I'm guessing the Ultra Beasts must be stopped somehow. Is there a way to do that without killing them?"

"The most humane procedure is to capture them with a special pokéball called the Beast Ball," Anabel said. "Both Aether and the Ultra Recon Squad have been working on that project for a while now and just recently began testing them."

"That does sound like the best approach there," Kahili said. "How are we gonna acquire those Beast Balls, though?"

"Um, if I may jump in," someone said. Everyone turned to see Becky and Headmaster, the Oranguru joining the group. While Kukui was busy talking to the kahunas, she made some contacts of her own. "Aether has recently given its employees the Beast Balls in case something like this happens. I have them here, hold on."

Becky gazed up at Headmaster, who grunted and headed towards the receptionist desk. Shortly afterward, he returned with a box and opened it to reveal the blue pokéball-like devices. Grimsley recognized those were the same ones Dulse had used for the Ultra Beast Adhesive.

"Oh, I've seen those balls before!" Acerola said, beaming. "That Dulse guy had one with him!"

A grin stretched across Looker's face. "Ms. Wicke, Anabel, and I grant permission for you guys to have a Beast Ball with you as an extra precaution."

Once everyone grabbed a Beast Ball, Grimsley stared at his own. The ball's surface was cold against his palm. He put it away inside his bag while Anabel spoke.

"Looker, Lusamine's son Gladion, and I will be heading to Tapu Village to help the people there to safety. The other UB Task Force teams will help out on other islands."

"Tapu Village is very close to here, so I'll go there myself." Nanu paused, and then said, "Hey, Anabel. Do be careful out there, okay?"

Anabel's face fell and she gasped. Shortly after, a small smile formed on her lips. "I will, thank you. We'll see you soon."

As soon as Anabel hung up and the screen turned black, Nanu handed Kukui his tablet back and rubbed his eyes. Grimsley frowned, musing that the kahuna must be exhausted.

"So. Besides Nanu going to Tapu Village, what's next?" he asked.

"I'll contact Molayne and see if he'll watch over the observatory," Kukui said. "Kahili and I can watch over Malie City." He looked at Kahili, who gave him a nod of agreement.

"The rest of you should come with me to Tapu Village as it isn't safe here. Tapu Bulu will be joining us too."

Hearing Tapu Bulu's name caused Grimsley to tense and raised a brow. "Wait. Did you just say Tapu Bulu is here?"

"They are, yes!" Acerola cheerfully said with a raised fist. "Tapu Bulu is resting outside right now!"

Grimsley exchanged shocked looks with Becky, Kukui, and Kahili. He stepped out of the building with everyone else following behind.

Tapu Bulu was indeed outside, sleeping next to a nearby tree. Everyone cautiously gathered around the tapu and stared at them. With an amused grunt, Kukui grinned.

"I shouldn't be surprised Tapu Bulu is here. Olivia and Hala mentioned their respective tapus had helped out also."

"The last time I saw any of the tapus was when I became Island Champion," Kahili said. "They became spectators on my back-to-back matches against the kahunas."

Still staring at Tapu Bulu, Grimsley's breathing slowed. They looked just like the picture from the book he had read back in the library. He didn't expect to see the guardian of Ula'ula Island at all. The same could be said for Tapu Fini.

"Nanu and I both saw Tapu Fini when we were in Poni Island, though at different times."

Nanu snorted and put his hands inside his pocket. "Meeting with Tapu Fini was an experience, that's for sure. Anyways, I'll need to wake up Tapu Bulu now."

"You sure?" Acerola asked, frowning. "Looks like Tapu Bulu is resting up after their fight with the Ultra Beasts."

"I see your point, but we might need them when we head to Tapu Village." He approached Tapu Bulu, gently knocking on their shell with his fist. "Hey, Tapu Bulu. We're going to Tapu Village."

Several seconds passed until Tapu Bulu stirred from their sleep. They blinked and stared at Nanu briefly.

"Tapu... Bululu?"

"Yes, Tapu Village. I know we had passed there already, but Ultra Beasts had come here too and we need to bring everyone to higher ground. You're okay with that?"

Tapu Bulu seemed to regard Nanu's suggestion. After a moment, they offered an understanding hum and nodded.

"I can take us to Tapu Village in my jeep," Becky said. "The kids can stay with the villagers for a bit."

"Looks like we're settled on Kahili and me going to Malie City while everyone else heads to Tapu Village," Kukui said. "You guys stay safe, yeah?"

"Same goes for you and Kahili!" Acerola said, beaming.

After Kukui and Kahili gave her appreciative smiles, they pulled out their pokéballs. A Brivary and Mandibuzz were released, cawing and flapping their wings. They hopped onto the Pokémon and took off into the skies.

"You guys go ahead into the jeep while I'll go get the kids." Becky went back to the Aether House while everyone else did just that.

A heavy burden sunk inside Grimsley's stomach. Everything was moving at a fast pace, and he was certain it wouldn't slow down anytime soon.

xxx

Right after Becky had grabbed the children, she drove the jeep and took everyone to Tapu Village. Tapu Bulu followed, flying above them.

The first time Grimsley stepped foot in Tapu Village, his guide Hannah told him about Alolan forme Pokémon and the village's history. Upon arriving there were several white vans and helicopters parked outside the village. Some of the men and women were dressed in white Aether uniforms, the same one Becky was wearing. They escorted the panicked and confused villagers from their homes and into the helicopters.

"Are those people in white also working for Aether, Becky?" Gracie asked as she tugged her pants and gave her a sad look. Hunter wore a similar expression.

"They do, I recognized some of them." Beck offered the children a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, they're nice people. Come on."

"I'll come too!" Acerola said, raising her arm up.

As Becky and Acerola took the kids to one of the Aether employees, Grimsley looked around his surroundings. Looker, Anabel, and Gladion were nearby talking to each other. When Looker spotted him and Nanu, he grinned and waved at them.

"Grimsley, Nanu! So glad that you can make it!" he told them as they approached the group.

Grimsley grunted and said, "I noticed several Aether employees are here. Are they evacuating the people from here?"

"They are," Gladion said. "The people are being taken to Akala Island for shelter."

"Looks like you guys are wasting no time here, which is good." Nanu shifted his gaze away for a second, then he faced Anabel and Looker. "I need to talk with you two in private."

The two agents exchanged knowing glances, and then Anabel said, "Of course."

Grimsley watched as Nanu and his colleagues moved to a farther distance. He faced Gladion, who crossed his arms and gazed down.

"So..." Grimsley started, scratching the back of his neck. "I didn't expect you to come here."

Gladion looked up at him with an indifferent expression. "I was watching over Aether's headquarters while Wicke was away on Poni Island. When she returned with Agents Anabel and Looker, they asked me to join the UB Task Force."

"And you agreed to that easily?" Grimsley asked, raising a brow. That led Gladion to stare at him for a moment.

"Not exactly. You remember my Pokémon, Null, right? Well, the three knew about them. After a long discussion with them, they agreed to not take Null away from me and let me use them against the Ultra Beasts."

Grimsley rubbed on his chin, contemplating what Gladion had said. He had seen firsthand how strong Null was, but could they stand against an Ultra Beast? He'd wager that they could.

xxx

Nanu had taken Anabel and Looker just outside the Pokémon Center. He glanced and frowned at the Aether employees still escorting the people from their homes. While he rather had them be safe, it upset him that the Ultra Beasts made such a mess of things.

"Are you two all right?" he asked, facing back at his friends. Both had dark bags under their eyes.

"I'm a bit tired, but otherwise I'm fine." Anabel stopped to yawn. "The other UB Tasks Forces have been doing the same."

With a worried frown, Nanu said, "I know you guys have your hands full, but don't over-exhaust yourself." He looked over to see Becky, Acerola, and the children talking with two of the Aether employees. "So, Interpol is working with Aether, huh? I find it kinda ironic considering you guys have been keeping an eye on them."

"Your concerns over us working with Interpol are valid," Looker said. "However, Aether has some of the best technology that Interpol can take advantage of."

After regarding them for a moment, Nanu sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess you guys have no choice.”

"Charlotte and Professor Burnet from the Dimensional Labs have been very helpful in tracking down the Ultra Wormholes." Anabel turned around and her eyes grew wide. "That is a Pokémon I don't think I've seen before."

"Huh?" Nanu also turned around to see several people gathering around Tapu Bulu. "Oh, that's Tapu Bulu. They joined my group, too."

"I noticed they have similar shells and markings as Tapu Fini," Looker said. "Are the two connected?"

"They are. Alola has these guardians called the tapu who then choose someone as the kahuna. Tapu Bulu and I are partners for life, kinda."

With a hum, Anabel gave a single nod. "Fascinating. Would you consider the tapu to be legendary Pokémon like Lunala and Solagelo?"

"They're all important in Alolan folklore, so yes I do." Nanu looked back at Tapu Bulu entertaining the crowd. The deity dropped a few seeds on the ground, and a large tree magically appeared. As everyone cheered at that, Nanu furrowed his brow and grunted.

At that moment, the sound of thunder boomed and Nanu's heart almost skipped a beat. He and everyone else gazed up to see the skies turning gray and two Ultra Wormholes appearing. Three Ultra Beasts popped up: two resembled an electric Christmas tree while another one had many smaller blocks stacked into a larger one on all fours. He and his friends exchanged tense looks.

"That's UB-03 Lightning and UB-08 Assembly," Looker said.

"UB-08? I don't remember us seeing that Ultra Beast." Nanu had remembered Lightning and how powerful their electric attacks were. This was his first time seeing Assembly, however.

"Assembly is a recent discovery," Anabel said. "We've determined that they have the same moves and biological components to rock and steel types."

Nanu grimaced, not thrilled at the possibility of more Ultra Beasts yet to be discovered. The two Lightning fired off electric currents that caused some of the trees to burst in flames while Assembly chased the screaming villagers away. He, Anabel, Gladion, Grimsley, and Acerola immediately released their own Pokémon: Krookodile, Pablo the Salamence, Null, Dice the Scrafty, and Pebbles the Palossand respectively. Pablo in particular wore a bracelet with the Salamencite on its front right leg.

"Ahhhh, it's those things again!" Hunter yelled as he and Gracie clung to each other.

"Becky, you and the kids go with the villagers!" Acerola called out urgently. After giving her a nod, Becky grabbed the children's hands and hurried off. The other Aether employees had also been trying to get the villagers to the helicopters.

Grimsley and Acerola had their Pokémon go against Lightning One. Dice attempted to slice the Ultra Beast with his claws infused in green flames, only for Lightning to dodge and kick him away. Acerola commanded Pebbles to splash sand onto Lightning's face, which she did. The sand got stuck on Lightning's face for a second before it wiped that out and shot a burst of electricity at Pebbles. That was too bad for the poor pest as Pebbles stood there unscratched due to her being immune to electric attacks.

Meanwhile, Gladion, Null, and Tapu Bulu focused on Lightning Two. Null's claws clashed with Lightning's hands that crackled with electric energy, and the two exchanged several blows with one another. Null dodged one of Lightning's punches and charged at its midsection at incredible speed. After the Ultra Beast recovered, it lashed its wires at Null, who backed away with whipped marks on their side. Tapu Bulu took that opportunity to ram into Lightning with their horn and pushed them away.

Believing the three had things taken care of, Nanu turned his attention to Assembly. The block-like Pokémon kept shooting hard rocks at Pablo, but the Salamence was able to dodge them and spat a flamethrower straight at one of Assembly's eyes in the middle of its stone-wall body. Nanu commanded Krookodile to use Earthquake, which he did by stomping on the ground several times and shaking the earth. A chasm opened up below Assembly and caused it to slip and fall down there.  

"A great opportunity to catch Assembly now!" Looker pointed out.

"Right." Anabel pulled out a Beast Ball and threw it at Assembly. The Ultra Beast got sucked into the ball...

...And after two shakes, it popped out of the ball. Nanu, Anabel, and Looker jerked their heads back and gave out incredulous stares.

As Pablo and Krookodile approached closer, Assembly's eyes turned red and swung its arms around at them. Both Pokémon fell down but quickly got up. Krookodile jumped and grabbed Assembly's leg, sinking his teeth onto it. Assembly grunted in pain and shook Krookodile off.

"That thing looks like one tough cookie to beat," Nanu said as Assembly continued to be unfazed by Krookodile and Pablo's blows.

"I agree," Anabel said, gazing down at the pin with the keystone attached to her. "In that case, I'm going to need to Mega Evolve Pablo."

"Are you certain?" Looker asked in concern. "Mega Evolution can drain you more than you can handle."

A sad smile formed on Anabel's lips. "I understand why you're worried, but I can handle this."

His stomach sinking, Nanu couldn't help but feel the same. However, Anabel needed no one to babysit her. He offered her a lopsided grin.

"You're a grown woman, so I won't stop you. Just watch yourself, kid."

Anabel hummed. She gazed up at Pablo, who kept firing flames at Assembly.

"Pablo, I'm gonna need to increase your power. Are you ready to Mega Evolve?"

After dodging two flying rocks from Assembly, Pablo responded with an energetic cry. Anabel closed her eyes, inhaled, and touched the keystone. Golden light cascaded over Pablo and his body changed to his Mega form. His wings merged into one crescent-shaped wing, and his underbelly changed into an aerodynamic, vest armored frame. Nanu had seen Anabel Mega Evolved Pablo a couple of times before, but each time he couldn't take his eyes off his intimidating form.

Pablo let out a stream of green flames while Assembly countered it with a blast of steel energy. The two attacks collided, causing a small explosion between them. Assembly shot out several sharp rocks, only for Pablo to cut them in half with his wing. The dragon Pokémon fired off a Flamethrower, which hit and left a burnt mark on Assembly's head.

Assembly swung its leg at Krookodile once more, but the crocodile Pokémon dodged and swung his tail at its leg. The Ultra Beast flinched for a second, but then it jumped up and crashed down on Krookodile, trapping him inside. Nanu and Looker grimaced upon seeing that.

"Pablo, get Krookodile out of there!" Anabel called out.

With a roar, Pablo flew straight through Assembly at top speed. His crescent-shaped wing sliced half of its head, which dropped down with a heavy "thump". He grabbed Krookodile with his arms and dropped him down before flying back up. Assembly meanwhile moved like a blindfolded person, going in all directions.

Nanu watched Assembly closely before making his next move. His instincts were right when the sliced portion of Assembly's head exploded into several different lifeform pieces. They emerged with the rest of Assembly's body and its head regrew to normal—

—and Assembly turned towards Anabel.

"Run, Chief!" Looker shouted.

As Assembly got closer, Anabel gritted her teeth and fell to her knees. Nanu's throat grew dry, knowing that was the side effect of her being a Faller.

Sensing his trainer was in danger, Pablo swooped in and gathered Anabel as he did with Krookodile earlier. Nanu took this opportunity to have his Pokémon distract Assembly. Krookodile did so by grabbing onto Assembly's leg again and sinking his teeth, crackling with electric energy, there. A burst of electricity engulfed Assembly's body, and once Krookodile let go the Ultra Beast groaned and stumbled.

This time Nanu threw the Beast Ball. One shake, two shakes, three shakes...

Click.

Nanu wiped the sweat off his forehead and sighed in relief. He picked up the Beast Ball, feeling heavy under his palm. Looker, Anabel, and the Pokémon gathered around him.

"Assembly's capture is a success," Looker said.

Nanu gave the Ultra Ball to Looker and faced Anabel. "How about you, Anabel? Are you all right?"

"A little exhausted, but Pablo and I should still be able to help out with the rest of the Ultra Beasts." Behind her, Pablo growled in agreement.

Nanu turned to see everyone else still dealing with the Ultra Beasts. He didn't want to push Anabel too hard and for her to lure those Lightning either, but Pablo's Mega Evolution would only work with her around. While not as drained, her Pokémon also deserved some rest. He offered her a small smile.

"You've done enough today. You and Looker get started on researching Assembly while I go help the others."

After pondering Nanu's suggestion for a moment, Anabel nodded and hummed. "All right, good luck out there."

"Thank you." He turned to Krookodile. "You're ready to go, boy?"

Krookodile responded by roaring and raising his arms. Nanu grunted, and the two hurried off to where the other Ultra Beast invasion was taking place.

xxx

When the three Ultra Beasts landed in Tapu Village, Grimsley's stomach dropped. He and Acerola had their Pokémon focused on one of the Xurkitree, or so Gladion had told them its name. Xurkitree's electric attacks were useless against Pebbles due to her part-grounding typing, but it still was able to use other attacks to bypass that.

As Gladion and Tapu Bulu took care of the other Xurkitree, Grimsley was impressed at how powerful the tapu's horns and grass-type moves were and how much those could push back the electric-type Ultra Beast. Null was just as strong, their claws able to leave deep cuts on the Xurkitree's body.

Dice and Xurkitree had exchanged several blows with Dragon Claw and Power Whip respectively. Eventually, the Ultra Beast changed its tactics, fired off sparkling pink lights at Dice straight at his chest, and caused him to fall. A lump formed inside Grimsley's throat, aware Scrafty in general wasn't able to stand fairy-type attacks that well. Pebbles spat out purple sludge at the Ultra Beast's back, who screamed in pain from that.  

"Dice, can you still fight?" he asked in a concerned tone. A few seconds passed until Dice barely got up and winced. Furrowing his brow, Grimsley knew Dice doesn't have much strength left. "If you can, go for an Ice Punch!"

Dice gave a brief glance at Grimsley, and then he charged at Xurkitree. He jumped up, punching the Ultra Beast's face with his ice-energy-infused fist. Xurkitree stumbled for a moment, but quickly recovered and began charging electricity. Before Grimsley could call out a command, a Krookodile jumped in between them and absorbed Xurkitree's Thunderbolt. Grimsley's face fell, and he turned around to see Nanu with his usual bored-like expression.

"Uncle Nanu!" Acerola cheered and beamed. "Did you and those Interpol agents take care of the other Ultra Beast?"

"We did. Agents Looker and Anabel are now gathering data for it." He faced Grimsley. "How is your Scrafty holding up?"

Before responding, Grimsley glanced at Dice who was breathing hard and barely able to open his eyes. He frowned.

"Not too good. That thing can use fairy-type attacks, which Dice can't handle well."

Nanu grunted and gave a single nod. "Krookie and I can finish it real quick." He turned to his Krookodile and called out, "Use Aerial Ace and then Crunch at that thing!"

Krookodile roared and rushed at Xurkitree in a blink of an eye. When their bodies collided, Krookodile pinned him to the ground like a professional wrestler, grabbed one of its legs, and sunk his teeth into the cords. That caused the Xurkitree to scream and push Krookodile away. The Ultra Beast countered by blasting pink energy at Krookodile's face, which made the crocodile Pokémon screech in pain and rub his hands there.

"Help Uncle Nanu with Earth Power, Pebbles!"

After giving out a hum, Pebbles' body glowed a golden aura. She slammed her fist on the ground which led the earth to open, with bright light flooding out. The golden cracks traveled underneath Xurkitree, which made the Ultra Beast wobble and fall down. Grimsley remembered Acerola having Pebble use that against Kukui and Chavo, and like before he and the others almost lost their balance from the aftershock.

"Finish off with Dragon Tail!" Nanu called out.

After Xurkitree had gotten up, Krookodile slammed his tail on its midsection and caused it to fly and crash into a tree. The Ultra Beast groaned in pain, not getting up.

Nanu turned to Grimsley and asked him, "Do you have a Beast Ball or two with you?"

"I have one, yes." Grimsley already figured out that he wanted him to catch that Xurkitree now. He threw the ball and watched as Xurkitree got sucked into it in red light.

After three shakes, it was caught.

Grimsley wiped his forehead and sighed in relief. He picked up the Beast Ball, which was warm and heavy against his palm. Dice joined and gazed up at him.

"You did well, Dice. You deserve some rest," he said with a small smile. He pulled out Dice's pokéball and returned him.

"I think Gladion and Tapu Bulu are almost done with the other Xurkitree!" Acerola said as she bounced her feet and pointed at the last battle taking place, which Grimsley and Nanu turned in the direction of.

Both Tapu Bulu and the other Xurkitree fired off pink blasts of energy at each other and an explosion occurred between them, pushing them back a few steps. Xurkitree then blasted off a green beam at Tapu Bulu, which hit them squarely on the face and blinded them for a moment. Gladion ordered Null to use Iron Head, which they did by slamming into Xurkitree with their helmet head. Just as the two collided Null's wooden helmet cracked and exploded into tiny pieces, revealing their face.

Null's face was covered in a silver mane and they had fangs on their lower jaw. They wore a feather crest on top of their head, and Grimsley couldn't help but be mesmerized by their silver eyes. Metallic drives were attached to each side of their head. Tapu Bulu hummed in approval while everyone else including Gladion stared in amazement at what just happened.

"Is that how Null really looks?" Acerola asked.

Nanu grunted and a half-smile forming on his lips. "Looks like the pup finally broke out of its mask."

"Null..." Gladion said in a soft voice, His hand shook, and his expression changed to a determined one. "No, Silvally! You ready to finish this?"

Gladion's Pokémon, now named Silvally, growled in agreement and hurried towards the Ultra Beast. As Silvally approached Xurkitree, their claws glowed in green bug-type energy and they left a deep cut on the Ultra Beast's chest. Xurkitree stumbled for a moment and released a Thunderbolt, only for Silvally to dodge and pounce on in. They held Xurkitree on all fours, and they lifted one paw to have their claws slash on its face. Xurkitree screeched and pushed Silvally off from its body.

For the finale, Gladion commanded Silvally to do one last Iron Head, which his Pokémon obliged. Silvally rammed into Xurkitree and pushed it at a nearby stone pillar. Xurkitree collapsed on the ground, now unconscious.

"Catch it now, kid!" Nanu yelled at him.

After responding with a grunt, Gladion threw the Beast Ball and Xurkitree was sucked inside it. One shake, two shakes, three shakes...

There was a clicking sound and the Beast Ball stopped wobbling.

A pensive look crossed Gladion's face for a brief moment before being replaced with a small smile on his lips. He picked up the Beast Ball, approached Silvally, and petted them.

"Great work, buddy," Gladion said, his smile widening. Silvally growled happily and licked his cheeks.

"Looks like we got all the Ultra Beasts!" Acerola said, beaming. Next to her, Pebbles cheered and raised their arms up.

"Good." Grimsley grunted and crossed his arms. "I may love a thrilling battle, but these Ultra Beasts are annoying to take down."

"For once, we agree on something," Nanu said. He looked away for a second. "Anabel and Looker are gathering information on the other Ultra Beast. We should have them look at these two also."

After everyone hummed in agreement, they followed Nanu to the Pokémon Center. As they headed there Grimsley looked over his shoulder to see Tapu Bulu resting next to a tree, likely exhausted from all the battling. He turned his head back, pulled out the Beast Ball, and gazed down. It was still heavy in his palm.

xxx

Tapu Village was a fairly small community with occasional visitors, so the nurses, trainers, and Pokémon in the Pokémon Center were easily evacuated. The building was empty, save for Grimsley's group and the Interpol agents. Everyone gathered around the lounge with Anabel, Looker, and Nanu sitting on one side and Grimsley and Gladion on the other. Silvally stood still next to Gladion, sitting on the floor.

"Your Null was able to break out of its helmet and defeat the Xurkitree?" Anabel asked.

"It's Silvally now, but yes they did," Gladion said with a proud smile. Silvally lifted their head and barked. "Silvally can take down any Ultra Beast in their path."

A grin stretched across Looker's face. "That's magnifico! Your Silvally will surely turn the tides of this Ultra Beast war we're having now."

"I don't know about turning the tides, but I agree that the kid's Pokémon was a big help," Nanu said. He turned to Anabel, who was holding a tablet. "Any info on that Ultra Beast blockhead? You mentioned they're classified as dual rock-and-steel type."

"You mean Stakataka? Apparently, they have 150 life forms that get stacked together and create a stone wall, hence its designated name. The Ultra Wormhole it came from is different from Xurkitree's."

"Wait, 150 life-forms?" Grimsley asked with a raised brow. That was way too many life-forms for his liking.

"That's what the Ultra Recon Squad's captain told us," Looker said and shrugged.

"There were two other Ultra Beasts that I ran into before. One looks like a bug-type Pokémon with a muscular build and the other had a ball as its head that can explode."

"You're talking about Buzzwole and Blacephalon," Anabel said. "Buzzwole has superhuman strength and can suck Pokémon's fluids. Blacephalon is also a recent discovery like Stakataka. It likes to use its head to create explosions and scare people."

Grimsley responded with a grunt and nod. He usually liked a challenge, but these Ultra Beasts he had encountered so far were troublesome.

"What's gonna happen to the Ultra Beasts?" Acerola asked.

Looker furrowed his brow and pressed his lips. "Protocol calls for them to either be killed or taken to Interpol." His lips formed a small smile. "The chief and I will do the latter and make sure that they're treated properly."

Acerola beamed. "I think that's the best approach! Killing them would be too cruel."

Grimsley hummed and crossed his arms against his chest. "Even though they were annoying, they would be better under your guys' care."

There were a few seconds of silence when an explosion suddenly occurred, causing everyone to jump and get up from the couches.

"What was that?" Acerola asked with a confused look.

"It's most likely another Ultra Beast," Anabel said.

After having a few sniffs, Silvally raised their head and barked. Gladion grunted and petted their fur.

"I think Silvally senses it too. Come on."

Everyone hurried out of the Pokémon Center. Upon stepping outside, Grimsley and the others froze.

A large crab-like beast stood in front of them, raising its large pincers up. It had a large head and a smaller one with eyes glowing the same color as its insides. It opened its jaw, which was stuck in the middle of its torso, and let out an ear-piercing screech. Grimsley's stomach dropped at the sight of that monster.

"No, it can't be..." Anabel muttered. The group watched as the monster grabbed Becky’s jeep, swallowed it whole, and screamed once more.

“What kind of Ultra Beast is that?” Grimsley asked as he faced Nanu, whose face fell for the longest time. When the kahuna froze and didn’t respond, a lump formed inside his throat. “Nanu? Nanu?”

Author’s Notes

It's been a couple months since the last update, huh? I paused on progressing Foul Play due to my muse wanting to focus on other ideas for a while and also distracted with gaming. I'm actually fairly close to finishing Chapter 30, then after that that's the last of my backlog. I'll try to have Chapter 30 ready sometime in September.

After that, even though I'm only a few chapters away from finishing, updates will still be spontaneous as those last chapters will wrap up plot threads, and I hope you guys look forward to it. Thanks to bobandbill for betaing as always, and catch you on the flip side!

Chapter Thirty
Max Darkness (Part Two)

A feeling of dread filled Nanu's stomach when he learned that the next Ultra Beast was sighted in Poni Meadows. That wasn't the first time Ultra Beasts were found in Alola, but reports of this Ultra Beast being more dangerous than the other ones he and his team had encountered left Nanu worrying over Sana and KR. But this was the order from Director Clarkson, so he couldn't reject the request.

According to the report, Glutton was hiding in Resolution Cave. Not too many people except for more experienced trainers went down there, and already the Ultra Beast had eaten several Pokémon. As the team trudged through the cave, Charlotte, the Pokémon Biologist, had been communicating with them through their headpieces and letting them know if they were close to their target.

They found Glutton at the end of the cave. The crab-like creature opened its jaws and Nanu’s nose wrinkled at its bad breath. The Ultra Beast’s two heads stared at the group, raised its arms, and screamed. He stared at it both in awe and in terror.

“Oh, that must be Glutton!” Charlotte called over from Nanu’s headpiece.

"Does that beast have to be killed?” KR asked. “It is inhumane."

"As hideous as it is, I agree with KR,” Sana said. “Whenever we kill those Ultra Beasts, we never get the chance to understand them."

"We've done this many times, and only now you two are questioning the morals of it. Interpol's protocol, so we have no choice."

“Triples is right, you all have this mission to fulfill,” Charlotte said in a sympathetic voice. “Do be careful, everyone.”

The hideous creature screamed again and stomped on the ground, causing the earth to shake and small debris to fall. They each sent out their Pokémon and had them attack it.

Nanu ordered his Persian to fire Power Gem at it, but Glutton swallowed those up like pokébeans. Persian's fur bristled and she launched a series of glowing stars, targeting Gluttony's face. The creature flinched for a second, but it then roared and smashed Persian's side with its tail. Persian crashed on the ground but picked herself up quickly.

Sana's Mightyena, Jackie, sank her teeth into the Ultra Beast's leg, but it easily pushed Jackie aside. When that happened, Sana had Jackie jump and go for Glutton's throat. Glutton screamed and punched her, causing Jackie to fly towards the wall and collapsed on impact.

"Jackie!" Sana called out urgently and returned her to her pokéball.

KR’s Crogunk, Dewy, leaped with his fists glowing purple and he jabbed at Glutton's knee. Glutton roared in pain, and Dewy punched at its back next. That caused the Ultra Beast to almost stumble.

Nanu called for his Persian to launch another Power Gem, which she did. The gem on her forehead glowed and Glutton was hit with glowing rocks, which made Glutton recoil. Dewy attempted several punches on Glutton's legs and back and Glutton wailed in pain.

At that moment, Nanu glanced at KR to see him gazing at Glutton with a sympathetic expression on his face. Dewy stopped and looked at his trainer with concern.

"KR! KR!" Nanu yelled.

KR still locked his gaze at Glutton, as if he was feeling sorry for the poor Ultra Beast. As soon as Glutton calmed down, it faced Sana with a hungry expression. At that moment, Charlotte asked through Nanu’s headpiece if everything was alright, but he didn’t respond. When a terrified look crossed Sana's face, Nanu's stomach dropped.

"Run, Sana!"

Sana didn't move, her whole body tensed.

Glutton grabbed her with one of its pincher hands and she screamed.

xxx

"Nanu? Nanu?"

Hearing Grimsley's voice snapped out of Nanu's daze. He turned around to see both Grimsley and Acerola giving him concerned looks.

"Are you alright, Uncle Nanu?" asked Acerola.

"Huh?" Nanu turned around to see Tapu Bulu, Gladion's Silvally, and Anabel's Salamence, Pablo, going against Glutton. The Ultra Beast was able to counter their attacks either with its arms or by swallowing any moves that didn't require physical attacks. He felt that flashback crawling in the back of his mind, so he mentally shook that off and grunted. "Sorry, I froze there for a second."

"Is that an Ultra Beast you dealt with before?" Grimsley asked.

Nanu dragged out a deep breath. "Yes. Back in Interpol it was known as Glutton."

Anabel had called for Pablo to use Flamethrower. The dragon Pokémon opened its jaws and let out blazing flames that hit Glutton's eyes and caused it to roar in pain. The Ultra Beast raised its arm and slammed Pablo’s side, making him lose balance for a bit. At that instant, Anabel fell to her knees and gasped. Everyone rushed over to her side.

"Chief, you shouldn't exert yourself!" Looker said and Anabel gave her a weak gaze. He helped her get up.

"I know, but we need to do something about Glutton."

Nanu regarded Anabel for a second before he turned to see Silvally go at Glutton in a blink of an eye and landed a hit on it. The Ultra Beast retaliated by swiping them with ghost-infused energy and that caused Silvally to be pushed back. Glutton attempted to reach Tapu Bulu next with its claws, only for the guardian deity to tuck themselves inside their shell for protection.

They need to lure Glutton out before this area took any more damage. Nanu’s forehead shot up, an idea hitting him

"Anabel, do you still have Raikou? I'll need to borrow them for a bit."

With a suspicious brow, Anabel asked, "Why do you need Raikou?"

"I'm going to lure Gluttony into the desert, and I'll need a fast Pokémon for that."

"Wait, you have a freaking Raikou?" Gladion asked with wide eyes.

"She does," Looker said. "There is no other partner better for Raikou than the Chief."

Anabel's forehead was squeezed into a furrow, but she seemed to consider Nanu's plan. After a moment, she nodded.

"Promise that you'll bring them back," Anabel said, and Nanu responded with a grunt of agreement.

She pulled out an Ultra Ball and Raikou was released in a flash of light. The sabertooth-tiger-like legendary stretched their neck and roared, which rumbled like thunder. Their fur crackled with electricity, and their purple mane bellowed like a curtain in a breeze. Everyone gazed at the beast in awe.

"I've heard stories of Raikou from my mother and others that were lucky to catch a glimpse of them,” Grimsley said. “This is my first time laying my eyes on them."

"Same here!" Acerola exclaimed. "It's so cool that you have Raikou!"

Not too many trainers owned a legendary Pokémon, so Nanu had taken a double-take when he first saw them under Anabel's possession. Interpol let her keep Raikou, Alakazam, and Snorlax while her Weavile and Salamence were given to her. Her Raikou was a powerhouse against Ultra Beasts, and there was no doubt they could handle Glutton. Still, Nanu would need some help and so he turned to Grimsley.

"I believe your Pokémon can distract Glutton for a good while. Will you help me?"

A smirk crossed Grimsley's lips. "Of course."

"I want to help too," Gladion said. "Silvally was created to go against Ultra Beasts."

Nanu's stomach lurched. A part of him was hesitant in bringing in a kid to help with Glutton, but knowing Gladion he would be too stubborn to listen.

"Alright, you can come too but stay close with us."

"Before you guys go, take these goggles!" Acerola took out three goggles from the bag she had been carrying and handed them to Nanu, Grimsley, and Gladion. Nanu mused that she must've still carried Becky's goggles with her.

"Thank you, Acerola. This will help out a lot."

Nanu put on the goggles, as did Grimsley and Gladion. He gazed up to see Glutton turning his attention to Tapu Bulu now. A dark aura surrounded Glutton's claws and it swiped Tapu Bulu's side. Tapu Bulu retaliated by slamming into Glutton's back and making it fall down on the ground. That caused the ground to shake and everyone almost lost their balance. Nanu whistled and that brought Tapu Bulu's attention.

"Hey, Tapu Bulu. I'm gonna lure Glutton into the desert!"

Immediately Tapu Bulu let out an agreed "Bulu!"

Nanu acknowledged Bulu's response with a low grunt. He turned to Looker and placed one hand on his shoulder. "Watch over Anabel and Acerola, Jean."

Looker flinched over Nanu saying his real name, and his face softened. "I will make sure that they are safe."

"Looks like Glutton is still down, now is your guys' chance to run," Anabel said. She gazed up at her Pokémon. "Pablo, you can take a much-deserved break."

Pablo let out a roar and Anabel returned him inside his pokéball. Nanu and Grimsley hopped on Raikou's back while Gladion went on Silvally's. Grimsley wrapped his arms around Nanu's waist, which caused him to flinch.

"Never felt a man's arms around you before?" Grimsley asked in a teasing voice, and Nanu's ears burned. Oh hell no, he wasn't going to fall for that.

"This isn't the time for jokes, vampire boy!"

After he snapped at him, Glutton roared and picked itself back up. Crap, they need to make a run for it now. Nanu gazed down at Raikou and patted on their side.

"Go, go, go!" he urged, and immediately Raikou took off with Tapu Bulu and Silvally following behind.

They needed to get through Route 13 first in order to reach Hania Desert, which luckily wouldn't take too long. When Glutton picked up speed, the Pokémon did too. Both Nanu and Gladion took out Honchkrow and Crobat, who evolved from Golbat recently it seemed, respectively.

Gladion had ordered Crobat to use Cross-Poison, so Crobat's wings glowed purple and he dived down to slash Glutton's face and caused it to scream in pain. It swung its arm at Crobat and smacked him, but he recovered quickly and let out sharp gusts that hit Glutton's eyes and blinded him for a second.

Meanwhile, Honchkrow and Tapu Bulu let out dark airwaves and pink electric bolts on Glutton's back which left several scars there. Glutton swung its claws at them, but they dodged and continued to throw their attacks at it.

"Looks like the Pokémon are distracting Glutton well there," Grimsley said as he watched over his shoulder.

"Yeah, but not for long. We're getting closer to the oasis just before Hania Desert's entrance."

"Some of the Aether employees went there earlier to have the people and Pokémon evacuate with the Tapu Village people," Gladion said as he and Silvally picked up Raikou's speed. "We shouldn't worry too much about other people getting hurt."

It wasn't long until the group reached the oasis and caravan. There was no one outside, and the food stands and shops were closed. The PokéRide ranch was also closed with the open field empty. Up ahead was the entrance to the Hania desert.

Nanu looked over his shoulder to see Glutton still chasing them. It swung its larger arm at a nearby palm tree, breaking it in half. Its tail also hit one of the food stands, destroying the top roof. Crobat, Honchkrow, and Tapu Bulu continued to dish out various attacks to distract it from gaining on Raikou and Silvally.

"We're almost there!" Nanu announced, and that led Raikou to pick up the pace.

After passing the oasis, caravan, and businesses, the group finally made it to Hania Desert. The sandstorm picked up, but despite the reduced visibility both Raikou and Silvally managed to push through fine. Nanu was glad that Acerola had given him googles as it would be hell to have sand in his eyes. Just a little more...

Nanu glanced over his shoulder to see Tapu Bulu used its horns to ram into Glutton's back. Gladion ordered Crobat to use Air Slash, which Crobat did by letting out airwaves that slashed at Glutton's legs. Both of those assaults led Glutton to scream in pain.

Glutton retaliated by slamming its arm straight at Tapu Bulu and Crobat's faces. Crobat squealed and flapped his wings frantically while Tapu Bulu flinched and needed a few seconds to recover.

Nanu narrowed his eyes, not liking that Glutton was getting dealing of damage to the Pokémon. He called Honchkrow to use Steel Wing, who swooped down with glowing wings. Before Honchkrow reached the Ultra Beast, Glutton grabbed the bird's waist with one of its pincers and crunched his right-wing.

"Honchkrow!" When Honchkrow squawked in pain, Nanu's heart almost skipped a beat and he bit his lips. Raikou stopped so that Nanu and Grimsley could hop off.

"Roulette, go save Honchkrow!" Grimsley pulled out his pokéball and released his Absol, who had a necklace with the Absolite attached to it. As soon as she was out, he touched the keystone that was attached to his scarf and it glowed alongside the keystone.

As expected from a Mega Evolution, her appearance changed with the back of her fur standing out like wings and her horn widened. Nanu had seen Mega Absol several times before but not Grimsley's, so he gazed at her in awe due to how majestic she looked.

A dark aura surrounded Roulette's claws, and she leaped up to swipe at Glutton's eyes. The Ultra Beast screamed in pain, causing it to open its mouth and let go of Honchkrow.

Roulette jumped up and caught Honchkrow's neck with her mouth before he fell to the ground. As soon as they landed, Roulette gently put Honchkrow down and Nanu rushed to his side.

"Are you alright, Honchkrow?" Nanu picked him up, noticing his right-wing was badly damaged. Honchkrow would need to be taken to the Pokémon Center as soon as possible. When his Pokémon let out a low squawk, Nanu smiled a little. "You actually did great there. Take a rest."

After he returned Honchkrow back into his pokéball, he looked up to see Tapu Bulu and Silvally dissing out Wood Hammer and X-Scissor at Glutton. The Ultra Beast screamed when it got hit by those attacks and swiped them with its shadow-infused claws. Both Tapu Bulu and Silvally were left with deep scratches on their horns and side respectively.

A loud howl caused Nanu's heart to race. He turned around to see Raikou stretched their back and immediately dark clouds gathered. The sandstorm changed into rain within seconds, the droplets of water soaking humans and Pokémon alike. That led Glutton to stop fighting with Silvally and Tapu Bulu and be distracted by the rain.

"Raikou can learn Rain Dance?" Gladion asked.

"Anabel had Raikou use it a few times before," Nanu said. "I have an idea what they’re doing next."

Right on cue, Raikou roared and large streams of electricity surrounded their body. The Thunder attack struck Glutton, stunning them for several seconds.

"Try to stun Glutton too, Tapu Bulu!" Nanu urged. "Follow up with Shadow Ball, Raikou!"

Tapu Bulu let out a mighty scream and their horns glowed. They slammed into Glutton's back, the horns digging into the Ultra Beast's skin and leeching some of its lifeforce. Glutton cried in pain and pushed Tapu Bulu away with its elbow. Before Glutton could take a moment to breathe, Raikou spat out several crimson-colored balls that hit its eyes and made it stop to rub its eyes.

Grimsley ordered Roulette to use Night Slash and Aerial Ace. The Absol's horn glowed and she leaped up to slash at Glutton on the back of its neck. The Ultra Beast jerked its head and attempted to swipe at Roulette but missed, giving Roulette the opportunity to rush forward and ram into Glutton's side.

Glutton almost lost its balance, but once it straightened itself up its body flared up in a blue aura and slammed Roulette like a truck. Roulette crashed on the ground and picked herself up, her fur soaked with mud from the rain still falling.

"Cut through that Ultra Beast's legs," Gladion ordered, gesturing his arm forward.  Silvally's claws glowed and they swiped at Glutton's lower leg. Glutton cried in pain, so it retaliated by slamming its fist into Silvally and knocking him out for a few seconds. When Silvally picked themself up, they shook the mud off their body.

Satisfied with that blow on Silvally, Glutton changed their attention towards Raikou. It used its arm to try to grab the legendary beast, but they kept dodging. Raikou soon released a burst of electricity straight at the Ultra Beast, stunning it.

Tapu Bulu took that chance to use Nature Madness by letting out a stream of pink energy at Glutton's mouth. Glutton made a bleching sound and flailed their arms around. A blue aura surrounded the Ultra Beast, and it rushed towards Tapu Bulu. When their bodies collided, Tapu Bulu was pushed back at a fair distance and dazed for a second.

Once Tapu Bulu recovered, they screamed out "Buluuuu!" and the earth pulsed with green light. Thick vines sprouted out from the ground, wrapping around Glutton like a lasso. The vines pulled Glutton down, who screamed and crashed on the ground. Tapu Bulu took deep breaths, likely a little exhausted from pulling the Ultra Beast down.

When a few seconds had passed and Glutton hadn't gotten up, Nanu threw a Beast Ball at it. Glutton was sucked inside the ball with Nanu, Grimsley, and Gladion waiting with bated breath.

First shake.

Second shake.

Third shake.

Nanu was ready to sigh in relief, only for the Beast Ball to break and Glutton to burst out. The Ultra Beast screeched and stomped on the ground.

"Shit," Nanu said through gritted teeth. "Just when things were turning around for us."

"Well, I'm not ready to fold yet." Grimsley turned his attention to Roulette. "Try to wear it down a bit more, Roulette!"

After making a bark of acknowledgment,, Roulette's horn glowed. She jumped up and slashed  Glutton's back, leaving another deep cut there. Roulette dodged several of Glutton's Shadow Claws, but one landed on her and she got swiped on the face.

Both Raikou and Silvally took action also. With electric sparks crackling onto their teeth, Raikou crunched Glutton's foot and stayed there for several seconds until Glutton shook them off.  

Before Glutton could act, Silvally rushed in at incredible speed and collided with the Ultra Beast. Glutton slammed its claw down, only for Silvally to counter with their own claw. They attempted to push their claws at each other until Silvally managed to outdo Glutton and slashed at Glutton's lower jaw. The Ultra Beast screamed in pain and punched Silvally on the side, causing them to fall on the ground.

"Silvally!" Gladion rushed to his Pokémon's side and helped them get up. Silvally assumed a stance and growled.

Grimsley narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips. "That hideous beast just won't go down easily, huh?"  

Nanu was about to respond but stopped and his mouth hung open when a thundering noise was made. It wasn't from the rain that was still falling; instead, an Ultra Wormhole appeared and a creature came out. It seemed to be an Ultra Beast with black armor and wings that resembled the crescent moon. That thing just came right on time.

"What the hell..." Nanu stared in awe. He couldn't help but feel like he recognized that Pokémon before.

At that moment, the mysterious Pokémon screamed and its wings glowed, releasing several moonbeams at Glutton. After being hit with those, Glutton made sweeping arm gestures but recovered and swiped them with its ghost-energy-infused claws.

"Wait," Grimsley said, his eyes widening. "That's Lunala!"

"Lunala?" Gladion said in shock. "But hadn’t Nebby turned into Solagelo?"

"I think that's the same Lunala I saw the Ultra Recon Squad with. But why is it in armor? Unless..."

This was the first time Nanu had seen Lunala up close, only knowing of the Moone Legendary from stories and pictures. He didn't remember reading Lunala having dark armor, however. That other Pokémon released a large stream of dark energy at Glutton, hitting its back. Glutton surrounded itself in a blue aura and punched the dark-armored Pokémon with its large pincer arm.  At that moment, Nanu figured something out.

"That's not Lunala," Nanu said and faced Grimsley. "Necrozma is the Pokémon the Ultra Recon Squad folks mentioned, right?"

"Yes," Grimsley said. "Colress told me that Necrozma and Lunala can fuse together, so that must be it. This is Black Kyruem all over again."

While Necrozma and Glutton continued to dish out ghost and dark-type energy at one another, Tapu Bulu took action by firing Nature's Madness at both Glutton and Necrozma. Both Pokémon flinched and Necrozma released its pillar of moonbeams at Tapu Bulu, pushing it back several feet. Upon seeing that, an idea hit Nanu and he faced both Gladion and Grimsley.

"I have an idea, you two. We're gonna unleash our Z-Moves at Glutton."

"But Roulette can't use Z-Moves now due to being in her Mega form," Grimsley said. He furrowed his brow, as if unsure of this plan.

"And that is why you'll bring out another Pokémon that can. How about you, Gladion? Does Silvally know any Z-Moves?"

"Silvally can, yes," Gladion said.

"Alright, then. Then get ready, everyone."

Both Grimsley and Gladion grunted in acknowledgment. Grimsley took out Raz's pokéball and once released she stretched out her whole body.

Nanu pulled out a Z-crystal from the pocket of his short-sleeved jacket. It wasn't his usual Darkninum-Z, but instead a Tapunium-Z with the Alolan guardian engraved on it. He couldn't remember the last time he used it, as it wasn't often that he and Tapu Bulu worked together. Now was as good as any.

With a small crooked smile, Nanu glanced at Glutton, who went back to battling both Tapu Bulu and Necrozma. If this idea succeeded, he would have his payback at Glutton.

"Hey, Tapu Bulu!" Nanu called out their name, which grabbed the guardian's attention. "Are you ready to show off Guardian of Alola?"

Tapu Bulu regarded him with a stare, and after a moment hummed in approval.

Both Grimsley and Gladion prepared their own Z-Moves first. After Grimsley performed the Z-Pose for Never-Ending-Nightmare, Raz screamed and the ground burst into purple flames with liquid oozing out. Tendrils also burst out, grabbing Glutton's arms like chains.

Meanwhile, Gladion did the Z-Pose for Savage Spin-Out. Silvally howled and unleased large amounts of silk which covered up Glutton's waist. With both arms and waists covered, Glutton struggled to get out.

After Nanu slipped the z-crystal inside the slot of his z-ring, he inhaled and did the z-pose for the fairy type. He felt both his and Tapu Bulu's energy in sync, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long while. Just then a large chasm opened and a muscular being climbed out from there. Tapu Bulu floated up and attached themselves onto the giant as its head.

While all of this was happening, Necrozma pulled away at a distance and simply watched, as if immersed with the light from the Z-Moves

Nanu finished off the Z-Move by lifting his fist and slamming it on his palm. Tapu Bulu did the same and slammed their fist onto Glutton. A small chasm opened beneath the Ultra Beast and engulfed it in golden light. Once the light faded, Glutton collapsed and fainted.

Tapu Bulu let out a proud roar before turning back to normal. Exhausted, Nanu dropped to his knees and he took deep breaths. It really had been a long while since he had done this.

"Nanu, are you alright?" Grimsley asked in concern as he and Gladion approached him.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me."

Nanu picked himself up and glanced at Glutton, still unconscious on the ground. His palm touched the Beast Ball attached to his belt, but he stopped there. For ten years that Ultra Beast was the source of his and his friends' nightmares and sorrows. And yet, it didn't feel right for him to do so. He looked up at Grimsley.

"I think you should be the one to catch Glutton."

Grimsley's eyes grew wide. "What, me? But why?"

A smirk formed on Nanu's lips. "Us getting through Glutton is good enough for me. Now, if you'll do the honors?"

After regarding him for a moment, Grimsley hummed in understanding. He pulled out the Beast Ball from the knot wrapped around his waist and threw it at Glutton. The Ultra Beast was sucked inside the ball--first shake, second shake, third shake.

There was a clicking sound, and Glutton was caught.

Author's Note:
So this chapter took several months on and off writing it and why this is the last of my backlog. Starting to losing steam, real life obligations, and my muse wanting to write other ideas is why I struggled for a while.

I contemplated to end this portion with capture of Guzzlord and Necrozma events mentioned in background, but decided that next chapter will wrap up the Necrozma stuff as I did set some pieces for Necrozma's appearance. Upfront this will be slightly different from the games and inspired more from the anime's version. Nonetheless, I hope you guys will look forward to that.

Since I exhausted my backlog, it might be a while until a new update comes. I'm actually going to focus on a few other fanfic projects for now, so consider this another short hiatus. After I finish those projects through I hope to come back to this. Thanks to bobandbill for betaing as always!