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White as Bone - Sun and Moon Fanfic

Discussion in 'Literature Library' started by Pixel, Apr 9, 2017.

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  1. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    Hey guys, [member='Chris'] here with a little something I wrote during the Christmas break of 2016/2017. It's called White as Bone, and it follows the story of Aura, a teen who works for Team Skull, and suddenly gets promoted to work with the Aether Foundation because of his mysterious ability.

    I originally posted this onto my Instagram account, and the story has 3 endings; the Good End, the Bad End, and the True End. I'll post all 3 endings here, but the True End is still currently incomplete, it'll just be the Good End and Bad End for now.

    Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it!
     
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  2. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    CHAPTER 1 - CLEAN SLATE

    I walked slowly as I made my way through the front entrance of the Aether Foundation. Everything was so pristine and white, I had to squint a bit as I looked around. It was definitely much different from where I had been just a few days ago...

    My name is Aura, and I live in the Alola region. For a long time, I've been a member of Team Skull, a group of petty wrong-doers working under the payment of the Aether Foundation. It started out as a way to get money and somewhere to sleep, but I soon became attached to the place. Even though I knew what we were doing was wrong, it somehow felt like it was OK with Team Skull. Everyone treated each other like family; everyone was my brother or my sister, and nobody was above or below anyone else, except for Plumeria and Guzma of course. But a few days ago, I was called into Guzma's office, which was already strange as it was.

    "Aura, I've got something to tell you. You're a great part of this team, y'know? Obedient, diligent, and cool as an Avalugg. But, it's time for you to move on..."

    "Guzma, sir, what are you-"

    "You've been chosen to join the other side." Guzma said.

    I was shocked. I had no idea what to think. "Y-You mean, Aether?"

    "Yup. Madam Prez asked for you herself. Something 'bout 'potential', I dunno." Guzma shrugged.

    "But I don't want to leave! This place is like my family; Team Skull is my family!" I protested. But Guzma wouldn't have any of it.

    "You're going to Aether, and that's final. I'm sorry Aura, but as long as the name on our cheques is Aether Foundation, we gotta do what they say."

    So I packed my bags and got shipped off to Aether, which is why I'm here now.
     
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  3. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    CHAPTER 2 - THE NEW KID

    As soon as I got inside the Aether building, I was immediately given odd looks by both visitors and staff alike. That was, of course, most likely because I was still wearing my Team Skull uniform. They were the only clothes that I had, and they weren't even that clean so it wasn't like I had options. To top it off, no matter how hard me and my brothers tried, we couldn't get all of the blue dye out of my hair, so it was a mix of faded blue and brown at this point. I approached the front desk, where the employee behind the counter gave me a friendly smile.

    "Hello, and welcome to Aether. I assume you're here as the new recruit?" she asked. I gave a quick nod, feeling a bit flustered.

    "Come this way then, I'll help get you sorted. I'm Zara by the way, nice to meet you."

    "H-Hi, I'm Aura..." I managed to splutter.

    "You seem nervous, but I understand. When I was first starting, it was a bit nerve-wracking, but you get used to it. However, since you're from Skull, it might be a bit... different for you. But there's nothing to worry about." Zara smiled. Once again, I simply nodded in response.

    As Zara guided me through the hallways, I was given a few more sidewards glances, but also a few more smiling waves and "welcome"s, which made me feel a bit better. Eventually we arrived at the showers.

    "Here are the showers, where you can, uh, shower. If you'll get undressed and put all your belongings in a bag, I'll keep them at the front for you. Oh, and here's an ID card; you'll need it to use the Uniform Machine."

    After doing as Zara instructed, I made my way into the showers. I nice, long one was just what I needed to calm my nerves. However, as I tried to relax, a group of older boys came in and surrounded me. There were about six of them, and all around 20 years of age or above. Me? My 17th birthday was only a few months ago.

    Suddenly, one of them shoved me.

    "Hey, who're you, and what're you doing in our spot?" He asked.

    "I-I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that there were reserved areas. I'll just-"

    A different boy approached me and pulled my hair, forcing me to look up at him. The other boys sniggered, but this boy sneered in delight.

    "Hey boys, look; blue hair."

    "Oh, he's from Skull, is he?"

    "He must be the new kid that Miss Lusamine asked for personally."

    "Hey, kid, don't think you're better than us just because the President favours you."

    "I-I don't, I-" I stammered.

    "Oi, this kid's tryin' to talk back to me!"

    "Let's teach him a lesson!"

    Those were the last words I heard before everything went dark. When I next woke up, it was still dark, but only because it was night and I was outside.

    "Wait... outside? How did I get outside? I was in the shower before this..." I thought. That's when I realised I was still stark naked, and out in the open. Even though nobody was around, I still tried desperately to cover my privates. I didn't know what to do. I called for help, but no one came, and it was too dark to find my way back because I didn't know where I was. So I just sat there, sulking quietly to myself.

    "Why... Why me? Why did this have to happen to me..." I muttered. Suddenly, I felt something heavy, yet soft, fall onto my shoulders. I opened my eyes to see that a light was being shone from behind me. I turned around and noticed that it was a woman, holding a torch. I could see her face, and she seemed very cross.

    "Who are you?"

    "M-My name is Aura..."

    As soon as I said my name, her face relaxed. She stretched out an arm for me.

    "My name is Lusamine, President of the Aether Foundation. But you can just call me... Mother."
     
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  4. GiratinaMissingNo

    GiratinaMissingNo ~Renegade Glitch~

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    I don't want to make too big of an interruption in this AWESOME story, so this is going in a spoiler. It's pretty awesome how you portrayed Aura, as someone who genuinely loves Team Skull and (currently) isn't too big of a fan of Aether. It's nice to see it from this perspective, very refreshing. Good work, and keep going!
    #MissingNo
     
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  5. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    CHAPTER 3 - MOTHER

    The next thing I knew, I was inside Lusamine's house, wearing nothing but underwear as a tailor measured all my limbs.

    "Uhm, is this really necessary? Can't I just use the Uniform Machine to get changed?" I asked. Lusamine smiled as she replied.

    "Nonsense, my sweet Aura. There's a reason I hired you, so you'll be getting a special uniform. You won't be a lowly grunt like the others. You're going to be something... special."

    I gulped audibly as the tailor took the last of his measurements, before giving me a set of clothes to wear while he made my 'special uniform'. Before I could put it on, Lusamine told me to follow her to the bathroom.

    "I can see that you were trying to remove the blue dye from your hair. I can help you, but I've only got blonde. Is that OK?"

    I stopped to think. I did want the blue of out my hair, and I didn't mind being blonde. So, I smiled and nodded.

    "It's fine. I'd still like to keep some of my hair brown though."

    "Of course, I can dye the parts that are blue-er than the rest." Lusamine smiled back.

    -​

    As I sat quietly while Lusamine applied the colouring product to my hair, I started to feel a little awkward, so I tried to make some small talk.

    "Uh, Miss Lusamine?"

    "Please, call me Mother."

    "A-Alright, Mother Lusamine, can I ask why I was chosen, out of all the people in the world, to have this special role here at Aether?"

    "Well," Lusamine began, "Guzma told me you had a very special ability, which I think would be of good use here at Aether."

    I nodded; it was true. I don't know why but, for some reason I can't explain, I can talk to Pokémon. Well, talk isn't the right word, more like communicate. Whenever a Pokémon speaks, I can understand what they're saying as if they're speaking like humans. It is nice to have this ability, but I didn't think that Guzma would tell anyone about it after I told him. Then again, Lusamine is his boss.

    "Yeah, I can understand Pokémon speech."

    "That sort of skill would be very useful here at Aether, since we have lots of sick and injured Pokémon here, and sometimes weren't not sure what's wrong, so I was hoping you would be able to assist us."

    I nodded. Being able to use my ability for good was all I ever wanted, but everywhere I went people thought I was crazy. Except Team Skull, and now Aether.

    "That's a good boy... And now we're done!" Lusamine smiled. I turned to look in the mirror. The blonde that had been added to my brown looked nice, and all of the blue had disappeared. I changed into the clothes I had been given earlier; a polo top with a small Aether logo on the right side, shorts, socks and volleys, all in a pristine white colour.

    "Thank you, Mother Lusamine. If it's alright, I'll be heading to my room now."

    "Of course. Sleep well, sweet Aura."

    As I made my way outside, a familiar face was waiting for me. It was Zara, and she still had my bag.

    "Oh, Zara! Thanks for taking care of my stuff for me, and sorry I took so long. I ran into... some trouble, and Mother Lusamine had to help me out."

    "That's alright~ Hey, let's go back to your room and chat. It's a bit cold out here. Oh, but we gotta stop past mine first, and that'll be a good chance to show you around!" Zara smiled. I nodded in response, also smiling.

    "Sounds great, let's go!"
     
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  6. JadeFox

    JadeFox Valor Veteran

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    I really like this! I thin it's interesting how Aura doesn't really seem to like calling Lusamine "Mother", and the fact that she recruited him is cool. I wonder what he is gonna do after this though... and maybe figure out why those people who beat up Aura doesn't like Team Skull...
     
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  7. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    CHAPTER 4 - CAITLYN

    After Zara and I had visited her room so she could slip into something more comfortable, Zara led me to my room. It was well-furbished, and I didn't have to share it with anyone. Zara noted that it was odd for members to get single rooms, especially newbies.

    "So, are you gonna tell me what happened? Give me all the gossip~" Zara cooed, practically throwing herself onto the bed. I sat in an armchair beside it, which was surprisingly comfortable.

    "Well, after you left, I was taking a shower, and then six guys came and, well, beat me up I guess."

    "B-Beat you up!? Ooh, I bet it was Ace and his group of nitwits. They're always picking on the new guys."

    "Good to know." I said sarcastically. Zara gave an over-exaggerated pout, and I continued.

    "Anyway, I woke up outside, Arceus knows how they managed to drag me outside in the nude and not get caught, and that's when Lusamine found me."

    "Oh, you met with the President? That's why you were at her house."

    I nearly choked on my own spit. "T-That was her house!? It was huge!!"

    "Well, she is the President." Zara shrugged. I kept talking.

    "So she took me inside, got some tailor guy-"

    "Taylor? I don't know anybody named Taylor..."

    "No, not Taylor, tailor. Like, a clothesmaker."

    "Ohhh. Continue."

    "Like I was saying, this tailor was measuring me up for some special uniform, then Lusamine helped me get the blue outta my hair. After that I left, and that's when you came."

    "Ah, I see." Zara nodded. "So, what did you and the President talk about?"

    "Well, we, um..." I began, before stopping. Was I really going to tell her my secret? Two people already knew, I thought that was too much already.

    "What, come on, please~?" Zara pleaded, giving me Baby-Doll Eyes. This was the first time I was able to get a good look at her. Her ebony hair complement her dark complexion nicely, and her deep, brown eyes were wide with intrigue and curiosity.

    "A-All right, all right, I'll tell you. I... I can understand Pokémon speech." I said. Zara just stared at me, then burst out laughing.

    "Aha, good one Aura! I didn't know you had jokes like that!" Zara wheezed, in stitches.

    "I'm serious, and I can prove it too. Here, look." I said as I walked over to my bag. I took out a Premier Ball inside and sent out the Pokémon. It was a Vulpix, and she sparkled as she leaped into my arms. I saved her from being auctioned off, since she's a Shiny Pokémon and people were going to pay stupid amounts of money to keep her locked up as some sort of trophy. I got in big trouble for doing that back at Skull, but it was worth it.

    "This is Caitlyn, and as you can see, she's a Pokémon. Now, I want you to take her outside and tell her 3 things. They can be anything at all."

    "Heh, alright." Zara agreed, taking Caitlyn outside. I could hear Zara's voice, but it was very muffled by the thick walls, so I had no idea what she had said. A few moments later, she walked back in with Caitlyn.

    "Alright, impress me."

    I nodded. Caitlyn sat in my lap, yapping a few times. I nodded understandingly, and Zara scoffed. Then, I looked Zara directly in the eye.

    "You told Caitlyn these three things; "Orange is my favourite colour", "8192", and "Fairy-types are cute". Did I do well enough?" I smirked. Zara sat there, her jaw almost touching the ground.

    "W-Wow, you weren't kidding. Alright, I'll believe you, and I promise I won't tell anyone." She smiled with a wink. After about an hour more of casual chatting, Zara got up to leave.

    "It's getting late, but this was fun. Hey, if you're ever feeling lonely here, just come find me at the front desk!" Zara smiled. I nodded, then she left with a wave, closing my door behind her. I collapsed onto the bed, Caitlyn making herself comfortable on my chest.

    "I think I'm gonna like it here after all..." I yawned. I soon felt my eyelids start to droop, and then I was out like a light.
     
  8. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    CHAPTER 5 - PARASITE

    It's been about 3 months since I first joined Aether, and things have been going well for me. I've been going to the Observation Deck of the Aether Paradise everyday and just talking to the Pokémon, getting to know them.

    I also got my special uniform, although I'm not sure what's so special about it. It's just this hooded jacket I wear over my regular clothes, but it's got these two cute thingies on the hood, kind of like ears, and these golden drawstrings. The inside of the hood is this nice and bright orange colour, and the sleeves are really long and wide at the bottom.

    Anyway, one day I was doing the rounds of the Observation Deck, when I noticed Mother giving a tour to some Pokémon Trainers, a boy and a girl. I decided I'd introduce myself to them, so I happily ran over to Mother.

    "...and here we have the Observation Deck, where we-"

    "Mother!" I squealed, giving her a tackle-hug.

    "Ah, my sweet Aura, you surprised me!" Lusamine smiled. "I was just giving these Pokémon Trainers a tour of Aether. Why don't you introduce yourself?"

    I nodded eagerly. "Alright. My name's Aura, and I guess I'm in charge of monitoring the health and happiness and state of health of the Pokémon here on the Observation Deck."

    "Nice to meet ya, Aura! My name's Hau!" one of the Trainers, the boy said. Then he pointed at the girl. "And this here's Moon!" The girl gave a small wave. She didn't seem like the chatty type.

    "It's nice to meet you both." I smiled. Then I turned to Mother. "I guess I'll get back to work, yeah?"

    Lusamine smiled, bringing me in for a hug. "Make me proud, my sweet Aura." I smiled and hugged her back, then turned to leave, before a strange feeling swept over me. Suddenly there was a burst of light, and then this, well, hole appeared in the sky. I stumbled backwards towards the others, and something started to emerge from the hole. It was... I'm not sure what it was, to be honest. If I had to describe it, I wouldn't call it a Pokémon, but it certainly wasn't human. It had a bunch of tentacle-like appendages, and a big head that looked similar to a wide-brimmed hat. It looked almost like a young girl that was also a jellyfish of some sort.

    "W-What is that!?" Hau stammered. I'm not sure why, but I slowly approached it. It was saying... something, but I couldn't understand it at all.

    "Who are you?" I asked it, reaching out towards it. It seemed to reach out to me, but I had this sudden flash of realisation and quickly threw myself to the side, because the creature launched a spray of purple liquid right where I was standing, the substance hitting the floor and eating right through it. That's when the Trainers took action. Hau stood protectively in front of Mother while Moon sent out her Pokémon, a Brionne, to try and force it to flee. She tried all different attacks, and I noticed that the Water-type ones were causing the creature to react the most.

    "Moon, it's weak to Water-type attacks!" I called. Moon nodded, and the bracelet she had on began to glow.

    With a wave-like motion from her arms, power seemed to burst from her and into Brionne, who created a huge sphere of water, trapping itself and the creature inside. Then, Brionne swam in a circle, creating a huge vortex, which sucked the creature in. I could hear it cry out in pain. Then, the sphere of water burst, sending water flying everywhere and the creature back into the hole it came from.

    After that, we all just sat there, and nobody said anything. All I could think about was what that thing was, why it attacked me, and why it appeared at Aether.
     
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  9. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    CHAPTER 6 - HIM

    A few days after the incident, I was still left in the dark on the major details. I now knew that the thing that had appeared was called an "Ultra Beast", but that was all that Mother told me. Although it was very little info, Zara still wanted to milk all the details outta me during her lunch break.

    "So, do you have any more gossip for me?" Zara asked excitedly. Her eyes were literally sparkling.

    "Zara, I've already told you all I know, and you know that I wouldn't lie to you." I sighed.

    "Alright, alright... Anyway, my lunch break is nearly over, you busy later?" Zara asked. I shook my head.

    "Not particularly."

    "Well, some Skull grunts are coming here this afternoon. Maybe you can man the desk with me, you might run into some old friends of yours!" Zara smiled. Happy memories flooded my mind, and I nodded eagerly.

    "Sure, sounds fun!"

    -​

    As the Skull grunts all filed in, I gave them a small wave and a friendly smile. The first few awkwardly waved back, but after that, they either shot me a dirty look, or ignored me entirely. I could feel Zara's hand rubbing my back sympathetically.

    "Hey, it's OK. I bet they just don't recognise you. Remember; before this you wore an outfit like them and had bright blue hair. What you look like now is a lot different."

    I sighed. "I know, but... Some of those guys were my best friends... It's just a little dishearten-"

    "A-Aura...?"

    As I heard my name, I looked up and saw a familiar face looking at me. I felt the heat in my cheeks as he walked closer. I couldn't believe he was here.

    "Aura, this is where you've been?" He asked. I nodded silently, unable to produce words.

    "What's your room number?" He asked.

    "96-B." I stammered. He nodded, grabbed my arm, and ran off, dragging me with him. He had excellent lay of the land, as if he'd been here before. We reached my room in record time, and that's when he threw me across the room. I crashed into my wall, collapsing back-first onto the bed and almost squashing Caitlyn, who had jumped off at the last second. Then he came over to me, pinning me onto the bed. He had one knee on my chest, the other in-between my legs, and his hands on my arms. He glared at me with his bright green eyes, which seemed to flash red with anger from behind his oddly-styled blonde bangs.

    "What the Distortion World are you doing here?" He asked, his volume quiet but his tone furious. We had been in this position many times before, although for a very different reason. Memories of that time came back to me, causing my blush to grow darker.

    "G-Gladion..." I began, before he slapped me across the face. It stung like a super-effective Twineedle attack.

    "ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!!" Gladion screamed.

    "I-I work here! Lusamine wanted me, I had no choice! P-Please don't hit me again!!" I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut. There was nothing for a while, then I felt this huge weight suddenly fall on me, as well as a set of fingers intertwining with mine on my right hand.

    "You stupid idiot..." Gladion mumbled into my hoodie. "I thought I'd lost you..."
     
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  10. JadeFox

    JadeFox Valor Veteran

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    Nice chapter! It's nice to see Gladion come out of his shell a bit, and to see more character development of Aura. I'm really liking Zara's character, and I'm halfway hoping that she doesn't turn evil or anything! XD
    Good job Chris! Keep up the good work!
     
  11. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    CHAPTER 7 - COMMUNICATION

    "So, what's it been like in Po Town since I left?" I asked quietly, breaking the long silence that had lingered in the air.

    "...Lonely. Nobody would tell me where you went, because... I don't know. Not even Guzma or Plumeria would tell me. I never thought I'd see you again..." Gladion replied. I chuckled softly.

    "Gladion, I know we're not... together anymore, and I don't know if you're finding it hard to cope or whatever, but you're still my best friend. I would have always come back, you know that."

    "I know, but... why here?" Gladion said, looking up. I could see the sadness in his eyes, but also fear.

    "What do you mean? I, uh, didn't have a choice. The Aether Foundation basically owns Team Skull, so we have to do whatever Mother wants."

    "Mother?" Gladion said, backing up a bit. "You refer to Lusamine as... Mother?"

    "Yeah, because she told me to." I said, as if it were plain as day.

    "Aura, you need to get out of here. Lusamine, she's just using you!" Gladion warned, standing up.

    "Using me... No, Mother loves me. She tells me every day! Besides, how do you even-"

    Suddenly, an alarm started blaring. It was loud and piercing, and I could hear Caitlyn wimpering in the corner. I quickly grabbed her, covering her tiny ears to block out the alarm.

    "This alarm... This means that the Aether House is under attack... Mother!" I gasped. Still holding Caitlyn, I ran to my drawers, grabbed the two Poké Balls that were inside, and ran straight for the Aether House, leaving Gladion by himself in my room.

    -​

    As soon as I got there, I was shocked. Just like before, when Hau and Moon were visitng, there was a weird portal in the sky, except this time there were two. As I got closer, I also noticed two more weird creatures, the "Ultra Beasts" attacking the doors to the Aether House. One was red, and had huge, bulging muscles, while the other was white with a slender, feminine appearance. They both looked like they could be Bug-type Pokémon.

    "Hey, get away from there! Leave Mother alone!!" I screamed. They both turned to look at me, and then... they spoke.

    "Mother... Mother... Must see Mother..." they said. Even though there were two of them, I heard a million different voices flood my head. It was a horrible discord, and I could barely make out the words, but I'm glad to see my ability wasn't being wasted.

    "I don't know what you two want, but I'm not letting you lay a finger on Mother! Abyss, Ruben, I need your help!" I called, holding out the two Poké Balls in front of me. They opened, and two Pokémon phased out; Lucario and Talonflame. Abyss stood on the ground, firmly holding his stance, while Ruben flapped his wings and screeched. The two Ultra Beasts approached my Pokémon, obviously accepting my challenge. I don't know why, but I had this overwhelming urge to fight, to kill, to do anything I could to make sure Lusamine... to make sure Mother was OK.

    "I will protect Mother, no matter the cost!" I roared, and that's when the fight began.
     
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  12. Pokémist

    Pokémist Trashcan

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    Chapter-1: It was a nice starting. The love of Aura for team skull was displayed there. Its starting attracts people to read more. After the chapter 1 I really wanted to read it all, yes all chapters XD

    Chapter-2: The introduction of Aura to Aether was there. Nice and I like the writing style. Its beautiful. Also the last part gave story a nice touch.

    Chapter3: I really liked the mother part when she says "call me mother please" also when she said sweet Aura, it indicates her lil care for Aura

    Chapter 4:- I'll write a intergrated review from now lol. It is hard XD

    Story is nice. Its written in that way so that reader enjoys and finds it interesting. Also its not too hard to understand what's going on and it makes story more enjoyable. You did a great job up so far and I am really lookin forward to story.

    Thank you for writing this XD


     
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  13. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

    Thamill
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    CHAPTER 8 - CONFRONTATION

    The Ultra Beast to my right, the feminine one, was the first to attack. It lunged its body towards my side of the field with blinding speed.

    "Abyss, Quick Guard!" I commanded. Abyss raised his paws, and a protective barrier formed in front of him and Ruben, repelling the Ultra Beast's attack.

    "If they're Bug-types like I think they are, then Ruben's got an advantage as a Fire-and-Flying-type. Ruben, Flame Charge!"

    Ruben let out a fierce cry, backing up a bit before launching himself forward, his wings outstretched and his body cloaked in flames. It made direct contact with the feminine Ultra Beast, flinging it back towards the Aether House, where it collided with a thud. It seemed that this Ultra Beast was fast, but also quite frail, meaning a few powerful hits would knock it out. Ruben circled back around to Abyss's side, the excess flames on its wings absorbing themselves into Ruben's body. This caused Ruben's speed to grow. Suddenly, the muscular Ultra Beast charged towards Ruben, using its small wings to gain air and them slammed its fist down on Ruben, smashing it into the ground.

    "Ruben!" I cried out. "T-That was Hammer Arm, a Fighting-type attack... Is this Ultra Beast a Bug-and-Fighting-type...? Argh, gotta focus. Abyss, help Ruben out with a Heal Pulse!"

    Abyss nodded, running over to Ruben, who was laying on the ground, struggling to get up. Abyss's paws began to glow a faint pink, and it rubbed them all over Ruben's torso, where it had taken the attack. I took the time to try and think of a plan of attack, but that lasted about one second when I suddenly heard Abyss cry out in pain, then look up and see that the feminine Ultra Beast had recovered from Ruben's earlier strike, and was now kicking Abyss mercilessly. One on his left, one on his right, and one right in the center of his chest, launching him straight back towards me. I felt his body collide with mine as we both flew backwards. Then I felt my head hit something hard, and the last thing I thought before I passed out was that the attack that the feminine Ultra Beast had used was Triple Kick, meaning it was also a Bug-and-Fighting-type.

    -​

    I woke up, gasping and sweating, in my bed. I looked around wearily, but the only thing that moved was Caitlyn, who had been sitting at the foot of my bed. She trotted up to me, nuzzling into my chest. Her cold fur was sort of refreshing.

    "Hey Caitlyn..." I smiled, feeling the initial shock fading and being replaced by the pain in my head, chest and arms. I looked at myself and noticed that I was covered in white bandages in those areas of my body, kind of like a mummy.

    "Oh, Aura, I'm so glad you're awake! It's been 3 days since you got here..." Caitlyn yipped happily.

    "Three days!? Have you had anything to eat?" I asked, the forcefulness of my tone causing my head to pound. I lent back to rest against the wall, gingerly rubbing my head.

    "Yes, I'm fine. That nice girl came and fed me twice every day you slept, when the two lines on the clock were on top of each other." Caitlyn explained.

    "Midday and midnight..." I muttered, looking across the room at the clock. It was 11:45, and considering how dark it was, that meant it was night, and Zara would be here soon. I sighed in content, but that was short-lived, as my eyes trailed to what, or rather who was laying on a set of wheelie-beds; Abyss and Ruben. I gasped, tearing my sheets off and hobbling over to the light switch, then my two Pokémon.

    "A-Abyss, Ruben? Are you two OK?" I cried out. They had both been sleeping, but Ruben stirred. His torso was bandaged tightly.

    "Ah, Aura, you're awake. I'm so glad you're not hurt." Ruben smiled.

    "I'm glad you're OK, too." I smiled, giving him a scratch on the side of his head. "But... what about Abyss..."

    "He took the attack from Pheromosa pretty hard, that Lusamine woman said he'd be out-of-action for at least a week." Ruben explained.

    "Pheromosa?"

    "Ah, yes, the identity of one of our attackers. The white, feminine one was called Pheromosa, and the muscular one was called Buzzwole. Lusamine was the one who called them that, I believe. I also believe she was able to detain them somehow, using some sort of Poké Ball I'd never seen before."

    "Ruben, are you sure?" I asked. "That doesn't sound like something Mother would do..."

    "I swear to you on my life, those were the last things I saw before I was drugged and taken into the infirmary." Ruben said. I could tell he wasn't lying, but... would Mother really do that?

    "Alright, thank you Ruben. You can go back to sleep now." I smiled. Ruben nodded, lowering his head to sleep again. I hobbled back over to my bed, lowering myself slowly. I decided I'd lie down until Zara came in to feed Caitlyn, which would be in about 10 minutes. I felt Caitlyn make herself comfortable on my chest. Her weight was painful on my already injured chest, but her cold fur was soothing, and I could feel her heart beating in time with mine.
     
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  14. JadeFox

    JadeFox Valor Veteran

    Manchot
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    Premier Ball ★Beast Ball ★★★★Park Ball ★★★Mewnium Z  ★★★★★GS Ball ★★★★★
    Aaaaaaand he's out for the count XD.

    This is interesting. So Buzzwole and Pheromosa both invaded the Aether House, and basically knocking out Aura. Wakes up three days later, and makes me wonder of the whole 'Mother Beast' thing has already happened or not... Either way, I'm really looking forward to the finale(s)!

     
  15. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

    Thamill
    (Larvitar)
    Level 16
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    Ice Stone ★★★★Lucarionite ★★★★Dawn Stone ★★★★Decidium Z ★★★★★Galladite ★★★★
    CHAPTER 9 - THE CHOICE

    It was only a few minutes of silence and peace before Zara entered the room, right on schedule.

    "Alright, Caitlyn, I've got your food and..." she began, before noticing that I was awake. She dropped the food she was holding.

    "A-Aura... you're..."

    "Sorry I made you worry." I said with a weak smile. Zara walked closer to the bed, her eyes glistening with tears.

    "Zara, a-are you OK?" I asked. Zara sniffled a bit, then nodded.

    "I'm just... so glad you're OK..."

    -​

    After she gave Caitlyn her food and put her down to sleep, Zara and I chatted for a while. It was mostly about what had happened in the past three days, and what Zara told me wasn't much different to what Ruben had told me earlier. I took a second to glance over at the clock, noticing that it was almost 1 AM.

    "Z-Zara, it's pretty late, you should get back to your room now." I said, trying not to sound rude. Zara took her turn to look over at the clock, and nodded in agreement.

    "Yeah, you're right. You should be resting, anyway." Zara sighed. As she got up and collected her things, she looked over at me. I felt our eyes lock together. Then, without warning Zara suddenly leaned in, and before I knew it I was having my first kiss with a girl. It only lasted about two seconds, and Zara quickly pulled away from me her face as red as a Tamato Berry, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't any better. Rushing to the door, and with a quick 'bye-bye', she was gone.

    -​

    I could still feel the burning in my cheeks and the tingling on my lips.

    "I can't believe it... Zara likes me..." I said quietly to myself.

    As I looked around for something to hold on to, to try and calm myself down, I notice a light-blue stone of some sort on the bedside table, and I was confused that I hadn't noticed it earlier. Underneath it was a note, which I read to myself.

    "Aura, please come back to Skull. It's not safe, Lusamine will only hurt you. I know things about her that you don't, and you know that I wouldn't lie to you. Please, I miss you, Aura. I need you to be safe. -Gladion."

    My heart started to beat faster now as the memories of my past relationship with Gladion rushed through my head.

    "I had a feeling he might still like me, but... the way he treated me before, I don't think I could deal with that type of relationship again. But I know he wouldn't lie, so am I really in danger if I stay here? What about Zara, what am I supposed to tell her after what just happened?"

    "Wh... What should I do?"
     
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  16. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

    Thamill
    (Larvitar)
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    Ice Stone ★★★★Lucarionite ★★★★Dawn Stone ★★★★Decidium Z ★★★★★Galladite ★★★★
    Alright, now it's time for the 2 alternate endings to my story! Both of these aren't what actually happens, but I decided to create both a happy and sad ending! However, I won't tell you which is which, so you'll have to read them for yourself~ ;)

    ENDING 1
    "I'm sorry, Gladion, but I can't..." I sighed aloud, letting my hand drop beside me, with the stone still in it.

    Without me knowing, Caitlyn had woken up, and was interested in the stone. She trotted towards it, giving it a small sniff, before her nose bumoed the stone. Suddenly, a blinding light began to fill the room as Caitlyn's body shone brightly. She began to grow and change, until the light disappeared. I looked at Caitlyn, and I was almost brought to tears. She was... beautiful.

    "Caitlyn, you... you evolved!" I gasped, unable to take my eyes off of her. Her fur was a beautiful pastel purple that still sparkled as she moved, and her eyes a deep shade of orchid.

    "W-Wha? Oh no! How do I change back, how do I change back!?" Caitlyn yipped.

    "Change, but why?" I asked, confused.

    "Because... Because now that I'm bigger, I'm not cute anymore, and you'll probably just get rid of me..." Caitlyn said quietly, her eyes filling with tears.

    "What? Why... Why would you think that?" I said with a worried tone. Caitlyn had never acted like this before.

    "I-I heard it from the humans who tried to sell me. 'Make sure it doesn't get in contact with an Ice Stone', they were saying. 'She'll lose her cute factor'."

    "Oh, I see..." I said. But my mind was in other places. When Caitlyn had said 'Ice Stone', it reminded me of something that happened a long time ago...

    -​

    "Oh, Gladdy, you're back~" I cooed as I heard the front door open. But my happiness was instantly transformed into worry when I heard a loud thud instead of a reply. I made my way out of the kitchen to see Gladion lying on the ground, shivering and covered in frost.

    "G-Gladion!" I yelped, helping him off the ground. Not only was he freezing cold from all the ice on his body, he was also soaking wet, since it always rained in Po Town.

    "A-Aura..." Gladion spluttered, his eyes opening slightly. I could see the life fading away from them.

    "Hold on, I'll... I'll..." I stammered, my words escaping me. Instead, I carried Gladion to the fireplace, where he continued to shiver on the floor. I grabbed some firewood and chucked it in, then whistled loudly. Ruben, who at the time was only a Fletchinder, flew into the room.

    "Ruben, please light this wood on fire!" I pleaded. Ruben didn't say a word, and shot a weak Ember attack at the wood, easily setting it alight. That's when Abyss, who was just a Riolu, and Caitlyn, who I'd only rescued a few days earlier, ran into the room.

    "What's wrong with Gladion?" Caitlyn asked.

    "He's cold, and I need to warm him up fast." I explained. I took a second to think of what else I could do to help Gladion. "Caitlyn, go with Ruben to get the blanket from our bedroom. Abyss, I need you to tell me how he's doing; scan his aura."

    Caitlyn and Ruben immediately left the room, but Abyss stood there, looking down. I said his name a few times, but he didn't respond.

    "Abyss, please help me!" I said, my voice getting louder. I didn't realise that the stress was getting to me.

    "M-Master, you know I can't... I can't read auras yet." Abyss said quietly. I sat there, feeling horrible. Most Riolu can read the auras of people and Pokémon, but Abyss was one of the few who hadn't learned how to do it yet. I knew this, and yet I made my Pokémon feel bad by shouting and getting angry because of something it was unable to do. I took a moment to take a deep breath and calm down.

    "You're right, I'm sorry." I apologised, rubbing Abyss head. He gave me a small smile as Caitlyn and Ruben came in with the blanket. I covered Gladion with it, and after a few minutes, his eyes began to open.

    "Gladion, you're OK! What happened to you; why were you covered in ice and stuff?" I asked.

    "I was... out. Doing something important. You don't need to know." Gladion replied with a flat tone. He didn't sound very grateful, especially when I had just saved him from getting really sick.

    "Oh, alright then..."

    After that, we began to drift apart for some reason. Every day we had huge fights over the stupidest things. Gladion and I stopped sleeping together, then he decided to sleep on the couch, and finally he left the apartment we lived in. We still saw each other a lot, but I could never talk to him.

    About a month before I left he spoke to me again, asking if he could move back in for some reason, to which I declined. He asked everyday for about 3 weeks, and I said no every time still, but if I had stayed behind, I feel as if I would have said yes, because I still have feelings for him, and I could see that the reason he had gone out that day was most likely to try and find this exact Ice Stone.

    -​

    "Alright, I've decided... I'm going to trust Gladion." I said, outloud. Caitlyn and Ruben looked over at me, both of their eyes telling me that they trusted my decision.

    "Now, I need to find a way to get out of here..." I wondered. "Better start by preparing my things."

    I started to gather my few belongings, when I noticed I had 3 different outfits to choose from; my Skull uniform, the clothes Mother had given me when we first met, and my special hoodie. I decided that my Team Skull uniform was the mos appropriate, and changed into it. Then I returned Abyss into his Poké Ball and carefully placed it in my pocket, since he was still recovering inside.

    Once I was prepared, I left the room as quietly as I could, Ruben perched on my shoulder and Caitlyn following behind me. We stealthily made our way to the main entrance, which was unguarded. However, there was a giant metal door that stood between us and freedom.

    "Damn, how are we going to open this door. My ID card doesn't open this one..." I muttered to myself.

    "Well, perhaps we could help." Ruben suggested. "The door looks too tough to melt, but I bet Caitlyn freezing it before hand would make it possible."

    "Sounds like a plan, you in Caitlyn?"

    "Of course. My powers are at your service." Caitlyn nodded.

    "Alright." I said, pulling my bandana over my face. "Let's wreck this door up, yo!"

    Caitlyn started by shooting a powerful Blizzard at the door's base, slowly aiming upwards to freeze the entire door. Once she was done, Ruben began blasting at it with Flamethrowers. It took a few minutes, but eventually the door caved and one of Ruben's Flamethrowers burst straight through, creating a gaping hole in the door. This, however, caused an alarm to trigger, and Aether employees were approaching by the dozen.

    "Team Skull member! Whatever business you have here, you are not welcome during these hours! Please come with us peacefully." One of the empolyees boomed.

    "I didn't just get here, I'm trying to leave. Your boss is crazy, you betta believe! Now that I've spent long enough here, it's time for me to disappear!" I called out, causing a chorus of aggrivated roars and the entire group of employees to start charging towards me.

    "Don't worry Aura, we got this! Just have my Poké Ball ready!" Caitlyn called, jumping in front of me. As I fished my pockets for Caitlyn's Premier Ball, she blinded the employees with a Dazzling Gleam attack.

    "Alright, I got it!" I called to Caitlyn. She nodded, then blasted thick mist from her mouth, creating a distraction. I returned Caitlyn into her Premier Ball, then felt two strong talons grip my shoulders as I was lifted through the mist and through the hole Ruben had created.

    "So long, numbskulls!!" I called out as we flew away.

    It didn't take long for me to reach Po Town, since it's in the western-most area of Ula'ula Island. It was still dark when I arrived, and we had to land outside of the Po Town walls, since the rain only seemed to fall within the walls. I returned Ruben into his Poké Ball, giving him some much-needed rest.

    Approaching the giant gates to Po Town, I pressed my amulet into a secret slot onto the wall. It was shaped like the Team Skull logo, so any member could gain instant access to the town. There was also a rack for umbrellas, so I took one because I knew I'd need it. As soon as I was inside, I walked down the lonely footpath, the creepy silence being interrupted only by the loud, sexual moaning coming from a few of the houses, which I'd forgotten was commonplace here. I headed straight towards the main base, and was surprised to see Plumeria standing at the front doors. At first I thought she was waiting for me, but she simply seemed to be taking a break outside, which she did often. As I approached, she spoke to me.

    "And what business do you have with Guzma at this hour?" she asked. I closed my umbrella and removed the bandana from my face.

    "I wanted to see... if there was any way I could rejoin?" I replied, smiling. Plumeria was surprised at first, but then she just smirked.

    "Well, I'll be damned, Gladion was right after all... Well, come on then, Guzma's in his office." Plumeria said. I gave her a big hug, which would normally mean big punishment for me, but she hugged me back, and then made me swear not to tell anyone that she did that, or she'd have to 'take care' of me.

    "Guzma, sir, I've got a grunt here who wants to see you." Plumeria said, standing by the door.

    "What, at 3 AM? Is it important, I'm busy here." Guzma said, not bothering to turn around from his desk.

    "I wouldn't bring him here if it wasn't, sir." Plumeria replied. There was a bit of a pause, before Guzma sighed, got up from his chair and opened the door all the way.

    "Look, what's the big idea coming up here at freaking 3 AM, you stupid piece of-" Guzma began, before he realised he was talking to me. He stopped, blinked a few times, then put his hand on my head and rustled my beanie, just as usual.

    "He told me you were probably going to stay, but I'm glad to see you back." Guzma smiled.

    "Speaking of 'he', where is Gladion?" I asked.

    "Horny as ever, you little ball of hormones." Guzma sighed, trying to hide his grin. I punched him in the arm, but the blush on my cheeks sold me out. Sure, I was excited to see Gladion again, and tell him how much he meant to.me, but I had other things on my mind too.

    "He's at your old place." Plumeria explained. "You go now, rest up and tell us everything in the morning."

    I nodded, and made my way to my old apartment. The door was unlocked, and it was exactly as I remembered when I walked in, except cleaner. Gladion was lying asleep on the couch, a troubled look on his face. I slowly walked over to him, giving him a little tap on the forehead. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked at me disappointedly.

    "Great, this dream again..." he mumbled. That's when I leant down, pressing my lips against his. This kiss felt different to the one I had with Zara. Sure, that one felt good, but this one, with Gladion, it felt... right.

    As I pulled away, I could see Gladion's face turning bright red.

    "It's... it's really you..." he said quietly. I nodded.

    "I'm sorry, Gladion, about everything. I know why you came home frozen that day, you wanted to keep it a surprise. I'm sorry I pushed you away, I'm s... sor..."

    I suddenly felt this wave of dizziness pass over me, and I remember my legs giving out. Gladion caught me, and I could hear him calling my name, and saying something about blood, but that was all before I passed out.

    It was a few hours later when I regained consciousness, lying on the couch in the living room. The early morning sun was streaming through the window, right into my eyes. On top of that, my head was pounding, and I could see that the wounds on my arms and legs had reopened, since the bandages were slightly soiled. That was probably why I had fainted, and I didn't notice last night because it was so dark.

    "Gladion..." I moaned, covering my eyes. I heard his footsteps coming from the bedroom.

    "Coming, coming. Sorry, I was tending to Abyss's wounds since he woke up first." Gladion said, closing the curtains over the window. I sighed with relief, uncovering my eyes. Gladion pulled a stool over to my side, but I felt bad so I began to lean up to let him sit next to me. He pushed me back down.

    "No, you need to stay down. You... lost a lot of blood last night when I was changing your bandages." Gladion said as he moved my arm onto his lap. He unwrapped the dirty bandage and replaced it with a clean one, then did the same to my other arm and my chest, which I did have to sit up for.

    "Is there anything else I can get you?" Gladion asked.

    "Something for this freaking headache..." I groaned. Gladion nodded, heading to the kitchen.

    "Uhh, we don't have anything for headaches. Looks like your just gonna have to deal with it, sorry." Gladion called from the kitchen. I groaned even louder; this headache was literally killing me. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

    "Gladion, someone's at the door."

    "Geez, such a needy person." Gladion said, rolling his eyes. I smiled a bit, his sarcasm always made me laugh. Gladion opened the door, and Guzma walked in, followed by Plumeria. Guzma made himself comfortable in the armchair beside me, Plumeria leant against the wall casually and Gladion went back into the bedroom to check on Abyss.

    "Alright kid, start talkin'. I wanna know everything that happened, to the last detail." Guzma said.

    "Fine, fine." I sighed. I then spent the next hour explaining everything that happened at the Aether Foundation. About the Ultra Beasts, about Zara... about Lusamine.

    "I don't know why, but I kept calling her 'Mother'. Looking back, it's really creepy..." I said with a shudder.

    "She'll do that to you." Gladion said quietly, sitting down the stool. "I should know, she was my Mother..."

    "Gladion, you didn't tell me you worked at Aether." I said with a chuckle. Nobody laughed along with me, and I began to grow worried.

    "W-What?"

    "Gladion didn't work at Aether. He lived there. He was her son, her birth son." Guzma explained.

    "No, there's no... she's only a few years older than us!" I argued, refusing to believe what I was hearing.

    "Aura, my mother is at least 40. It's shocking, I know. I'm not sure how she stays so young, but she's looked the same for as long as I remember. What has changed, however, is the way she acts."

    I looked over at Guzma and Plumeria, who glanced at each other, then got up and left.

    "Gladion, is there something you want to tell me?" I asked, sitting up so he could sit next to me. Gladion looked up at me and nodded silently. He sat next to me, and it was quiet for a bit, before he spoke.

    "It all started after my father disappeared. Back then, they were both researching the Ultra Beasts, but in a more curious way. One day, father found an Ultra Wormhole, and decided to investigate it himself. We haven't seem him since. My mother was most affected by this; she locked herself in her room for days. When she finally came out, she had... changed. All the research she and my father had conducted was now being used to try and destroy all the Ultra Beasts. She became a nasty person, but somehow hid it under her old persona. I... I couldn't handle it, and one day I snapped at her. We had this huge fight, and I decided to leave and never come back. That day that I saw you there... that was the first I've been back since I left." Gladion explained.

    "Gladion, I had no-"

    "That's why I needed you to leave. I know she seems nice on the outside, but in the inside... she's twisted and cold. I couldn't see you subjected to that, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself, or her."

    I could see Gladion getting angry, his clenched fists shaking. I grabbed one of them, and he calmed down a little.

    "It's OK, Gladion. I'm here, and she's not. I'm safe now, and it's thanks to you." I smiled.

    "But what if she comes back for us!?" Gladion cried out. "She knows we both work here, she'll probably do something really terrible to Team Skull if we don't go back to her... She might even hurt you, just to get back at me."

    "Then we leave. We'll go somewhere else; another island, another region! We can get part-time jobs, or study, or become full-time Pokémon Trainers and take on different leagues! Gladion, there's so much we can do, we don't have to hide from her. We can live our own lives..."

    I pulled Gladion in really close. Our eyes were mere centimetres apart.

    "...together."

    Suddenly, Gladion started crying. I was shocked; I'd never seen Gladion cry, ever. Sure, he'd get angry and even sad at times, but he's never cried in front of me. I instantly felt guilty for causing this to happen, but I also felt proud. Gladion wasn't one to show much emotion, and that was probably his only flaw.

    Once Gladion had calmed down, he looked at me, smiling through his teary face and sniffles.

    "Alright, let's do it. Let's go live our own life, together."

    -​

    And that's how my life, my real lfe began. A few days after the incident, Gladion and I retired from Team Skull and moved to the far-away Sinnoh region. We soon became the first Gym Leaders of Celestic Town, where we ran the gym as a couple and specialised on Double Battle tactics. I also became a part-time research assistant to the Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia, while Gladion would run the Gym full-time. Looking back on my choices, I'm glad I decided to give Gladion a second chance. I feel that this was the good ending to my story.

    GOOD END​

    ENDING 2
    As I sat and thought a bit longer, I remembered the horrible way Gladion treated me. Tightly clenching the stone, I threw it across the room. It shattered into a million pieces, and I tore up the letter in anger.

    "Yeah, like I'm going to go back to him. What does he know, anyway?" I grunted as I collected the ripped-up letter and put it in the small tin can I used for rubbish. Then I rolled over and covered myself with the blanket, trying to let the anger fade away with sleep.

    -​

    I woke up late the next morning, my head still sort-of groggy. I could still feel the anger from last night, and I knew that was going to bother me for the rest of the day. Grumpily, I got up and changed into my special hoodie that Mother made me, and headed to the cafeteria for lunch with Zara, as usual. I was hoping that her perky attitude would brighten my day a little.

    As I walked in, I saw Zara sitting at our usual table, rolling a Leppa Berry around with a pair of chopsticks. She looked distressed, so I sat down next to her without getting any food.

    "Zara, is everything OK?" I asked. It seemed her Leppa Berry was so interesting that she didn't see me sit down, so when I talked to her, it gave her a bit of a fright.

    "A-Aura! Sorry, I'm just thinking about last night..." she said, blushing a bit. I felt the heat tingling on my cheeks too.

    "Did you want to... talk about it?" I asked. It was an awkward thing to say, but I felt that talking about it was the best way to decide what was going to happen between us from that point on.

    "Y-Yeah, that sounds nice." Zara said quietly. "But, can we do it in my room? I don't want anyone eavesdropping on us."

    "Sure, I'm OK with that." I smiled, although it was a bit of an odd request. Zara usually wanted to crash in my room, since she shared hers with someone else, but I guess she wanted to be somewhere that made her comfortable.

    -​

    It was a bit of a walk to Zara's room, and a thick silence hung in the air the whole way there. When he entered, Zara invited me to sit on her bed, and she entered her closet to change into something more comfortable. I sat on the bed, awkwardly fiddling with my fingers, before she exited wearing a thin, white dress. She also had her hair down, where it reached to about the same place her breasts rested.

    "Wow, Zara, that looks great on you!" I smiled. She just looked back at me with a blank expression.

    "Uh, are you OK?" I asked. Zara continued to be blank and silent. She sat herself down on my lap, out faces quite close. I felt that same heat returning to my face, but Zara didn't seem to react the same way. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around me.

    "Well if you wanted a hug, all you had to do was a-"

    I suddenly felt a sharp object pierce my back. I thought I was screaming in pain, but no sounds came out of my mouth. I couldn't feel anything, but I could still see. I could see Zara get off me, I could see the sharp syringe she had in her hand. I wondered how she had managed to hide it from me, and it was the last thing that I thought of before I blacked out.

    I woke up in some sort of lab, my head spinning from the effects of whatever Zara had stabbed into me. I looked around, and had no idea where I was, but I knew it was still somewhere in the Aether Foundation. As I tried to get up, I realised that both my wrists and my ankles were strapped to the table I was lying on.

    Suddenly, I heard an all-too-familiar voice.

    "Oh, so you're awake." Zara scoffed, walking into my field of vision.

    "What do you want from me?" I asked, trying my best to cover my fear with my anger.

    "What we want from you is your co-operation." Another voice spoke. I turned my head to see that it was none other than Lusamine herself.

    "M-Mother!? What is going on, why am I chained to this table?"

    "It is just as Zara has said; we require your co-operation here at Aether."

    "But I already work here!!" I shouted.

    "No, we need you for something... different. We need you to be the bridge of communication between us and the Ultra Beasts."

    "The Ultra Beasts?" I asked. "But why them specifically?"

    "Because I need to learn how to become their ruler." Lusamine said, a wicked smile crossing her face.

    -​

    "The Ultra Beasts, they are not of this world. From what research I've already conducted, they seem to be just like Pokémon from our world, capable of battle and capture. The only difference is that they're immensely strong compared to most of our Pokémon. I want them all, Aura. I want them ALL to be mine. I want to protect them, love them with all my heart. That's why I need you and your ability."

    "No, I refuse! I'm not just some tool to be used, I'm a human being! I have feelings, and I hate when people toy with them!" I screamed. Lusamine just chuckled slightly, then nodded at Zara. I turned my head to the other side, and saw Zara wheeling a cage into my field of vision. Gladion was locked inside, his face battered and bruised. He didn't make a sound, and looked scared for his life.

    "G-Gladion!? What have you done to him!?" I shouted.

    "I found this pipsqueak roaming the halls when Buzzwole and Pheromosa attacked, and captured him." Zara said with a snigger.

    "Yes, this was another child of mine, one who also had a tendency to disobey me. Zara, why don't we show sweet little Aura here what happens when you disobey me." Lusamine said as she grabbed my head, forcing me to watch as Zara flipped a switch on the cage. The entire thing became engulfed in an electrical current, Gladion included. He screamed for his life, as did I. After about a ten seconds of this, Zara flipped the switch again to turn it off. Gladion fell back to his knees, lifeless and unmoving.

    "Now, I'll ask you again; help me become the ruler of the Ultra Beasts. If you decline, his punishment will only get stronger, and once his body gives in, it's your turn next." Lusamine said in a monotone voice. I looked at her, then at Gladion, then back at her, nodding slowly.

    "Excellent. Zara, administer the drug." Lusamine commanded. Zara swiftly plunged a syringe into my arm, and I instantly passed out.

    -​

    That was the last memory I ever remember having. Nowadays, I just sort-of exist. Zara and I are a couple now, but I feel no emotion towards her. I've helped Mother communicate with the Ultra Beasts, but they always seem to ask if I'm OK. Of course I'm OK, because Mother is looking after me.

    BAD END​
     
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  17. JadeFox

    JadeFox Valor Veteran

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    SO MUCH HYPE FOR THE TRUE END!!!

     
  18. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    TRUE END - PART 1

    I looked back a forth between the door and the note. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't choose between them. Sure, Gladion had treated me poorly, but I knew he could still trust him. Zara, on the other hand, was a new person in my life, and if what Gladion was saying was true, then she could have also been in danger. I made a mental note to make sure to talk to Zara first thing the next day, before putting the stone and the note in my drawers and lying back down to sleep.

    I woke up pretty early the next morning, but I wasn't too tired. I also felt a bit better about the decision I had made the night before. Feeling motivated, I changed into the casual white polo that Mother had given me and headed to the front desk. As I made my way over, an odd-looking employee approached me.

    "Uhm, can I help you?" I asked.

    "Uh, yes! I am here to collect you and take you to the President." The employee said with an uncomfortable salute.

    "Oh, Mother wishes to speak to me? Of course, lead the way." I smiled, following the employee. He lead me down a path I hadn't used to reach the Aether House before, which is when I realised that he wasn't leading me to the Aether House.

    "Um, sir? This isn't the way to the Aether House..." I said.

    "Yes, of course! The President is... somewhere else! Somewhere secret." The employee explained, not sounding too sure of himself. We kept walking until we reached an elevator. It was just a regular elevator, not like the large triangle one that lead to the Observation Deck on the ground floor.

    We both headed in, and the employee pressed a button, making the doors close. I felt the elevator kick into gear, but I wasn't sure if we were going up or down. I turned to smile at the employee, and he smiled back. I turned away, then turned back to ask him something, and for some reason he was wearing a gas mask.

    "What the.. a gas mask?" I asked. Then, I decided to breath in with my nose, and a powerful aroma filled my nose. My eyelids started to droop, and before I knew it I was falling to the floor. The last thing I remember was the employee catching me, and the words:

    "It's OK, Agent. You're safe with us now."
     
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  19. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    TRUE END - PART 2

    I woke up in an unfamiliar room, lying down an extremely comfortable couch. If it weren't for the fact that I was scared for my life, I could easily go back to sleep on this couch.

    I took the time to look around. As I sat up, I noticed that my clothes felt different, and that's because everything I was wearing had been changed. Long gone were the stark white clothes given to me by Lusamine, instead I was wearing an expensive-looking suit-and-tie set, with everything in a nice mat black colour except for the undershirt. There was a large mirror in the room, so I walked over to it. I had to say, I looked really good in the suit. It was as if it was made for me, and I'd worn it hundreds of times before. As I continued to admire myself, I noticed that there was a metallic earpiece in my left ear. It was quite lightweight; I hadn't noticed it until now.

    "Master Aura, you are awake." An elderly voice said. I turned in surprise to see a butler, somewhere in his eighties, waiting by the door.

    "M-Me?" I stammered, pointing at myself sheepishly.

    "Yes. Come, your belongings are in that box. We must make haste." The butler said. I nodded, walking over to the box. Inside of it was the light blue rock, Gladion's note and my 3 Poké Balls. It was sort of depressing to think these were the only things that belonged to me.

    "Alright, I'm ready." I sighed, stuffing everything into my pockets and clipping the Poké Balls onto my belt, before following the butler out of the room and down Arceus knows how many hallways.

    "I'm sure you've got many questions, Master Aura. Do not fret, all will be answered in due time." The butler explained. I nodded, not really sure what to say, and just kept walking.
     
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  20. Pixel

    Pixel Aether Child

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    TRUE END - PART 3

    The butler eventually stopped in front of two large doors.

    "The answers you seek lie in this room." He said with a polite bow.

    "Thanks, uh..." I smiled, leaning in to read the name on his badge. "...Alfred."

    "Not a problem, Master Aura." He smiled back, walking away. I turned to look at the big doors. With a gulp, I pushed them open, and was welcomed to a room that was like a library. Huge shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, at least ten times my height. There was a large fireplace at the other end of the room to where I stood, and I could see people sitting in chairs near it. I approached the people, still craning my neck to look around at all the books.

    When I reached the people, I could finally tell who they were. One was an elderly man, younger than Alfred but still past his prime, and the other... was the strange employee from Aether, but he was wearing a trenchcoat and what appeared to be a suit similar to mine underneath.

    "H-Hey, you! What's the big idea, taking a guy into an elevator filled with sleeping gas!?" I shouted at him.

    "My apologies, Aura. It was the safest way to bring you back." The strange man said.

    "Bring me back? But I've never been here before!" I exclaimed. The strange man was about to retaliate, but the elderly man held up his hand, the strange man falling silent. Then, he pat the seat beside him.

    "Come, sit my child."

    I did as I was instructed. Once again, the couch was extremely comfortable.

    "So, you say you've never been here before?" The elderly man asked.

    "N-No, at least I don't remember. And I'm sure I would remember being in a place like this..." I said.

    "What is your earliest memory?"

    "Uhm, probably when I joined Team Skull, 3 years ago. Everything else before that is, well, I don't know... I can remember being lost for a long time, until I eventually wandered into Po Town, and they took me in." I explained.

    "Ah, I see. Well, what if I told you I knew where your memories go, further than you know?" The elderly man asked, handing me a device. I took it from him slowly. It was a Holo-Caster, they were popular in Kalos. I pressed the button to turn it on, and was horrified with what I saw.

    It was... me, but a few years younger. I was running around, beating up people with an amazing set of punches and kicks, saving people and Pokémon from burning buildings, there was often a second person with me, but I couldn't see past their arm. After the set of clips of me being heroic, there was one where I spoke directly to the Holo-Caster.

    "Alright, this is it. We're finally going into the Ultra Wormhole. This will be the most important mission of my career."

    I turned away from the camera for a moment to call out to someone else.

    "Hey, Annie, are you ready? Alright, we'll go in a bit, lemme finish this up."

    I turned back to the camera. As I watched this, I wondered who Annie was.

    "If... if something happens, I'll make sure she gets home safe. Even if it means putting myself in danger, I promise Annie will come home. If something happens to me... show this to her."

    After that, the hologram faded away. I lowered the Holo-Caster.

    "T-Tha... That was... me..." I stammered.

    "Yes, it was. This is the International Police Headquarters. You used to be a part of it, in the Child division. After you went on that mission, something happened on your return. We assumed you'd... passed away, but it turns out you were sent to Alola, where you also lost all of your prior memories." The elderly man explained. I could feel myself shaking.

    "A-Air... I need... some air..." I stammered, getting up. I ran, well it was more of a stumble, towards the door, pulling them open and running out the room. I had no idea where I was going, but I kept running. I just needed to go outside, to tell myself I wasn't dreaming. As I ran, a girl with purple hair in a suit almost identical to mine, stopped me.

    "Sir, what's wrong?" She asked.

    "P-Please, how can I get out? I need some air..." I stammered.

    "R-Right, of course. This way, there's a rooftop terrace right this way." The woman said. She took me by the wrist, guiding me there, asking me if I was OK every few seconds. All I could manage to do was nod. As we ran, I couldn't help but notice that she was about my age, if not slightly younger.

    We made it to the rooftop terrace, and I took the biggest gulp of air in my life. There was a grassy area, so I left myself fall onto it, taking deep breaths.

    "Sir, are you alright?" The woman asked once I'd calmed down. I nodded, getting up to sit on a chair. She sat beside me.

    "It's just... I've found out that I had a whole different life, and I'm not sure what it all means..." I sighed.

    "W-What do you mean?" She asked.

    "Well, I..." I began, turning to face her. Then, something inside me snapped, like a lock that someone had been pulling on for years that finally decided to give up and break. This... this position, on this bench, with this girl... I had been here before, many times. Everything I saw on the Holo-Caster was true. And I knew who this girl was.

    "A... Anabel..." I stammered. The girl's eyes grew wide with shock, and instantly filled with tears.

    "Aura... N-No, it can't be, you died after that mission. But it is..." she said quietly.

    We stared at each other for a while. Then, as if we had planned it, leaned in to kiss each other. These lips, these were familiar too. I was crying as I kissed her, and I could feel her crying as well. When we pulled away, I couldn't help but give a little smirk. Everything was coming back to me, and I was just so filled with emotion.

    "I'm sorry it took me so long to come back, Annie..." I whispered, taking her hand and holding it tight.

    "I promise, I won't let it happened ever again..."
     
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