//------------------------------// // UB-03 Lightning // Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World // by Amarvax //------------------------------// Alola. Akala Island. Diving Peak Tunnel. The Pokemon Festival. Afternoon. Here at Diving Peak Tunnel, Zeraora spotted the familiar faces of Daybreaker's forces, letting her anger get the better of her. But that anger, while still prominent was tempered a bit after seeing Rainbow Dash in this group. But of course, this was only the Rainbow Dash of another world. Seeing her caught Zeraora off guard for obvious reasons. "Why's she looking at me like that?" Rainbow Dash noticed Zeraora's gaze. It was mainly locked onto her and only briefly looking at others. "I know why." Spitfire could answer that. Caught up with the information of what occurred back at the Diamond Domain, the Captain of Daybreaker's Aerial Forces. "Where's all that rage you're always carrying By now, you would've lunged in." "Ze...!" That riled Zeraora up some more, but it wasn't quite enough to let her loose. The existence of Rainbow Dash is what was leaving Zeraora in this state. The one time she wished she could let her rage get the better of her, it wasn't happening. It was just like the Diamond Domain situation all over again. With that smile staying on Spitfire's face, at that very moment, an Ultra Wormhole opened up. The sudden appearance of an Ultra Wormhole interrupted the charged atmosphere, diverting the attention of both Zeraora and Daybreaker's forces while Spitfire kept her focus on the Thunderclap Pokemon. The swirling portal shimmered with otherworldly energy, casting an eerie glow within the tunnel. "Right on cue," Spitfire commented. "That's our first step to forcing them out. As for which Ultra Beast leaves that wormhole? We'll have to wait and see. But you might not be around to see it all happen since we're taking you back to Queen Daybreaker." "Zera!" Zeraora finally took action, knowing she could just avoid Rainbow Dash and target everyone else. As Zeraora lunged forward, determined to thwart Daybreaker's forces, a resolute figure intervened, descending from the shadows in the ground. Golurk, standing as a stalwart guardian, intercepted Zeraora's advance. Zeraora's Plasma Fists were immediately negated by Golurk's presence due to his Ground-Typing. "Ze?!" "Gol!" In response, Golurk used Hammer Arm, swinging at the Thunderclap Pokemon. "Ze...!" With a swift reaction time, Zeraora managed to evade Golurk's direct hit, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the attack. The Thunderclap Pokémon couldn't just lunge in and call it a day. But it wasn't the only Golurk. Emerging from the ground were more of them. Groups of Golurk who were a part of Daybreaker's Forces would emerge. Zeraora's sharp instincts picked up on the emergence of additional Golurk from the ground, each one a stalwart guardian aligned with Daybreaker's forces and a perfect counter to her. The Thunderclap Pokémon was already outnumbered but she might also be outmatched. Zeraora, no matter how angry she was, couldn't hope to easily power her way through this. It wasn't just Princess Celestia who had a bunch of Golurks as her guards. Daybreaker's world was no exception from the looks of it. These Golurks all had their own Trainers who immediately gave out orders to catch Zeraora. The Gourks would close in on Zeraora with their hands out, ready to snatch her. Zeraora didn't have many options for these Ghost-Ground-Types. Her best attacks would be ineffective. She one move in her arsenal that she could use and that was Fire Punch. While it wasn't the best move against the Golurk, it could at least touch them. By igniting her fists, Zeraora throwing a blazing punch at the Golurk with all of her might, only to accomplish nothing. The impact of this one Fire Punch seemed weak despite packing a lot of power that was enough to create violent sparks. The Golurk in front of her would stand there, barely budging. "Ora?!" Zeraora was stunned. How did that not at least push it back Just this one interaction was enough to gut her spirit. The Golurk, practically unaffected by Zeraora's Fire Punch, stood firm against the powerful strike. The Thunderclap Pokémon, momentarily taken aback by the seemingly minimal impact, felt a wave of frustration washing over her. The realization hit her that her usual arsenal of Electric-type moves was ineffective against the Ground-type Golurk, leaving her with limited options and one of those options didn't seem that impressive. The coordinated efforts of Daybreaker's forces were evident as the Golurk closed in, their ghostly presence and sturdy forms making them formidable adversaries. Zeraora, despite her strength and determination, found herself at a disadvantage. As the Golurk prepared to restrain her, Zeraora's mind raced for a solution. She couldn't overpower them with her usual attacks, but she needed to break free and protect her new home. Before she could be grabbed by the other Golurk in front of her, she leapt off its chest, evading the incoming grab. "Zeraora!" Zeraora tried again, swirling in the air and going for another Fire Punch. She switched her focus to the next Golurk. She brought the punch down, targeting the head of this Golurk and letting more sparks fly. "Golurk!" The Golurk that received a blow to the head made a sound but it wasn't one of pain. Instead, it was the Golurk retaliating with an Ice Punch. "Z-Ze!" Zeraora couldn't avoid this next one, receiving a chilling blow to her stomach. She was sent flying straight towards another Golurk who went to hit her. The goal was to weaken Zeraora so that she was unable to fight back and an incoming Hammer Arm from another Golurk would solidify that. She couldn't find the right time to properly recover, resulting in another fierce hit that would knock her away. And this would persist with the other Golurks taking turns. Zeraora, despite her attempts to break free, found herself caught in a relentless assault from Daybreaker's Golurk forces. The Thunderclap Pokémon, now battered and dealing with the combined efforts of the spectral troops, struggled to maintain her composure. As she was sent flying toward another Golurk with outstretched arms, ready to seize her, Zeraora's instincts kicked in. Midair, she twisted her body, narrowly evading the clutches of the approaching Golurk. However, her evasive manoeuvres were cut short as another Golurk seized the opportunity and lunged at her with a grab. "Ze...ra!" Zeraora grunted as she was caught in the firm grip of the Golurk, their ghostly presence adding an eerie dimension to the struggle. Despite her resilience, Zeraora found herself restrained, her options dwindling as the Golurk forces closed in. Soon, the other Golurks would grab onto Zeraora's legs and arms, making sure sure wouldn't go anywhere. "Excellent." Spitfire nodded at this wonderful sight. "It's a shame you're not as mad as you used to be. Because you don't want to risk hurting her, don't you?" "Rrrr...!" The Thunderclap Pokemon growled as she was sandwiched by the Golurk. She aggressively shook her head as that was the only body part that she could move. "Queen Daybreaker is going to love it when we bring you back. But we need a way to restrain you..." Spitfire removed her glasses, knowing Zeraora wouldn't go down so easily. She still had her Poke Ball, meaning throwing another Poke Ball her wouldn't do a thing. But with another smile forming on her face, Spitfire had the perfect response. Despite this, Zeraora fought back with all that she had. She knew that her electricity wouldn't do a thing to the Golurk, but she wasn't oblivious to what else it could do. The Thunderclap Pokemon would unleash a flare of plasma from her body, deciding to try her best as the Golurk stood there unphased. But her plan wasn't to hit the Golurk with the plasma. It was to hit the environment Zeraora's plasma attacked the Earth, whipping and crackling against it with intensity. And by doing so, she generated an electrical shockwave that would rupture the ground. It was enough to push back the Golurk, allowing the Thunderclap Pokemon to break free from their grasp. Spitfire merely frowned at this. "Zera...!" Zeraora took a deep breath, managing to keep herself in this. After breaking free, Zeraora would zip forward, approaching Spitfire's group while she still had the chance. However, it was once again, not that easy. Once she had the chance to use Plasma Fists, her legs were grabbed. The Golurk weren't so easily stopped, unfortunately. Looking back, Zeraora was then pulled away, almost hitting Spitfire's face. The electricity didn't even latch onto Spitfire like it normally would. Pulled back, Zeraora was then thrown against one of the rocks, flying right through it. The Thunderclap Pokemon was in a rough spot at the moment, tumbling and rolling on the ground as her opponents were plentiful and healthy. Zeraora laid there on the rubble of rocks, groaning and looking up at the Automaton Pokemon that approached her. "You were much better back in your world. It took a lot of Team Plasma to stop you. But it looks like you've gone soft." Spitfire pointed out, taunting Zeraora in her moment of weakness. "Rrr!" Zeraora snarled at the group who were laughing at her. Multiple laughs came from each of the troops, looking down on the Thunderclap Pokemon. All that rage meant nothing to them. They weren't even intimidated. To Zeraora, this was rather humiliating. So humiliating that all that pent-up anger was essentially being negated. Above her, the ships that Spitfire and her group were in charge of revealed themselves. Concealed by magic, they blended in with the azure skies, having the perfect form of camouflage. Zeraora looked up to see the ships that were above her, powered by magic and aimed directly at her. In the end, she was disgustingly outmatched, all thanks to her spotting Universe 11's Rainbow Dash. But this was just the beginning. At last, a Pokemon was emerging from the Ultra Wormhole. Zeraora gasped, hearing the sound of the Ultra Wormhole vibrating as an Ultra Beast was about to emerge. Emerging was an Ultra Beast with a body made of electrical wiring and a mesmerizing glow. It was an Ultra Beast that resembled a vaguely humanoid mass of electrical wiring. Its 'head' is a white, brightly glowing electric spark with numerous points and no visible face. Below its head is a mass of black cables for its torso and limbs; there are white bands resembling zip ties throughout its body. It was none other than UB-03, Lightning. Also known as Xurkitree. Zeraora's eyes widened as an Ultra Beast would emerge within the tunnel, immediately creating an electrical surge upon entering. This was the one electrical entity that startled Daybreaker's Aerial Forces. "That's our cue." Tempest Shadow spoke. They weren't just going to open this Ultra Wormhole for Solgaleo and Lunala. The plan was to also capture the Ultra Beasts. As soon as Xurkitree emerged, Tempest Shadow's group would use their magic against the Glowing Pokemon. Her group consisted of mainly unicorns, who collectively used magic. Magical rays of various colours were sent out, catching the Ultra Beast off guard. Xurkitree, who has just now entered this world, was caught off guard. The magical rays, unleashed by the unicorns, converged on Xurkitree, disrupting its initial movements and catching it off guard. The Ultra Beast, accustomed to its home world, was momentarily stunned by the sudden barrage of magical energy. "What? Did you think we didn't hear your movements? You leave the sound of thunder behind, of course you were stalking us. So I made sure Team Plasma focused on Xurkitree's home world." "Zera?" "It's to keep you in check. Since you can absorb electricity, this Pokemon will help us rob it from you." Spitfire informed. The revelation struck Zeraora like a bolt of lightning, the ominous implications of Daybreaker's plan sinking in. The Ultra Beast Xurkitree, a living mass of electrical energy, was not just a powerful adversary for Daybreaker's forces but also a tool designed to exploit Zeraora's unique abilities. After all, she was once used to power the technology for Team Plasma and the Twilight Imperium. And as an extension, food for Necrozma. Unova. Harmonia Kingdom. And it was all heading back to the Harmonia Kingdom. The resources of Team Plasma were highly beneficial in all of this. While Colress did something else, the rest of Team Plasma focused their efforts on opening up Ultra Wormholes. Far easier to access than a Gateway. On the many screens, the Ultra Wormhole leading to Xurkitree's home could be seen, but it wasn't the only one. There were other Ultra Spaces that they had planned. After all, they were the ones responsible for Ultra Wormholes appearing in Equestria in the first place. As the screens flickered with the mesmerizing images of Ultra Wormholes, the coordinated efforts of Daybreaker's forces and Team Plasma reached a critical juncture. The convergence of magic and technology painted a vivid picture of conquest and exploration, with the Harmonia Kingdom at the epicentre of these interdimensional endeavours. The Thunderclap Pokemon stood up, attempting to try a second time. This time, trying to save Xurkitree. The Golurk and the ships stood in her way, but regardless, there was a strong sense of bravery in her. Due to the events unfolding, Zeraora's rage wasn't the most controlling factor right now. She was actually maintaining a form of control. Spitfire found it endearing but pointless at this point. Especially since she's succeeded in getting Xurkitree out here. As the magical onslaught subsided, leaving Xurkitree vulnerable, the Ultra Beast succumbed to Daybreaker's forces. Its once-unpredictable movements are now aligned with the intentions of the captors. The glow from Xurkitree's electrical wiring shifted subtly, indicating its shift in allegiance. Spitfire, standing amidst her troops and the captured Ultra Beast, grinned confidently. The success of their plan seemed assured, and the unfolding events marked a significant triumph for Daybreaker's ambitions. "We just need the one Xurkitree. The rest will come later. And we'll start by having it take all of your electricity." Spitfire stepped forward. "Golurk. Keep at it. And let Xurkitree finish things off." "Gol." Understanding the orders, the Golurk would approach Zeraora once more, giving her something else to worry about. Now, if she gets restrained once more, she would end up losing her electricity, leaving her incredibly vulnerable. At that moment, the limbs of Xurkitree would fly forward, bypassing the Golurk and going straight for her. Zeraora gasped, seeing the black cables flying in, attempting to grab her. Quickly, she would use Plasma Fists against them, swiftly knocking them aside and avoiding an attack on her. The black cables were moved back before taking some of the plasma Zeraora had gathered, granting it to Xurkitree. "Zeraora!" But of course, Zeraora wasn't forgotten about by her friends. In the distance, she could hear it. The voice of Rainbow Dash. Zeraora, even in the midst of her struggles, found solace in the reminder that she wasn't alone. The bonds forged with Rainbow Dash and her friends resonated, offering a glimmer of hope in the face of overwhelming odds. "Hm?" Spitfire would hear this voice which was familiar to her as well. Just ahead, a dust cloud could be seen forming and the cause of it was Rarity's Pheromosa and her incredible speed. She got here just in time. "Zera!" When seeing her Rainbow Dash, the brightest smile formed on Zeraora's face. Another reason for her rage to slowly die down. The Lissome Pokemon came to a screeching halt once she spotted the Thunderclap Pokemon, spotting the number of Daybreaker's forces up ahead. The sight of them made the eyes of Rainbow Dash and her friends widen and almost bulge out. "Oh geez...What did you get yourself into?" Rainbow Dash nervously said when hopping off Pheromosa's back. "And...what is that?" Naturally, the appearance of Xurkitree also stood out to her and the others. The unexpected appearance of this Ultra Beast caught them off guard. They've never seen a Pokemon like that and the Ultra Wormhole was helping them realize that it was not of this world. "Xurkitree. The Glowing Pokemon. One of the mysterious life-forms known as Ultra Beasts. Astonishing electric shocks emanate from its entire body, according to witnesses. It appeared from the Ultra Wormhole. It raided a power plant, so people think it energizes itself with electricity. Although it’s alien to this world and a danger here, it’s apparently a common organism in the world where it normally lives." "Is that...me?" It also didn't take long for Rainbow Dash to spot her counterpart from another universe. She would also see Spitfire among the group, recognizing some faces here. In fact, when looking at them, Rainbow Dash noticed that a majority of them looked like they came straight from the Wonderbolts which caught her off guard. The group then looked up, seeing the ships in the air which caused them to grimace. While they picked the best time to show up, they also showed up at the worst possible time. "An Ultra Beast and an Ultra Wormhole? What's going on here?" Rarity questioned. "Don't worry about it." said Spitfire "It's only Zeraora's concern. And since you're with her, she might spill it to you. If she gets out of here, that is." "I don't know why I'm surprised you're on Daybreaker's side..." Rainbow Dash grumbled upon seeing all these familiar faces wearing uniforms that showed their allegiance to the Solar Empire. "I don't know why you would think otherwise from the start. After all, it's always been our duty to serve our Princess. Well, Queen now." Spitfire proudly said, followed by the other troops nodding. "No matter the world. But to be honest, I feel a bit nostalgic, seeing you like this. How long has it been since you've all had those looks?" She referred to all four of them. In her world, they have drastically changed. Almost to the point where they looked unfamiliar. Years have passed in Daybreaker's world where so many ponies have changed. Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were no exception. "That's Chief Pilot Rainbow Dash to you." She quickly corrected her counterpart. "Isn't it great that I got this role and-" "Yeah, whatever." But Universe 1's Rainbow Dash cut her off. "I know you're gonna try and take Zeraora away with you and that's not gonna happen! But what's your plan with the Ultra Wormholes?!" "Like I said. Don't worry about it. What you should worry about is showing up here at the worst possible time. Outside of our own world, we have the absolute right to strike down anyone that gets in the way of Queen Daybreaker's plans." As soon as Spitfire said that, the magical ships above could be heard making noise. Rainbow Dash's group found themselves in a staggering scenario with greater numbers. Zeraora held her arm which took some damage during this battle. "Pheromosa...Grab Zeraora and let's leave. At once." Rarity would much rather avoid confrontation. Pheromosa nodded in understanding, knowing what to do be done. This was one battle that they should 100% avoid. At that moment, the cannons from the ships revealed themselves. The ships were equipped with special cannons that harnessed the power of concentrated light magic. These cannons would emit focused beams with incredible precision, moving at the speed they were expected to. Right before Pheromosa could make a move, these light beams came crashing down, targeting Zeraora. "Zera!" Zeraora took the hit, receiving a shot of light to her arm. Rainbow Dash gasped but before the name of the Thunderclap Pokemon could be called, the other ships would start raining down their light magic. Rays of light came crashing down, attacking the landscape. The onslaught of magical light beams from Daybreaker's ships descended upon the landscape with a relentless force. The radiant energy struck the surroundings, causing explosions and upheaval. "Audino!" Already, Audino had the correct conscious to use Protect, forming a green barrier above her friends at the right time. Right as a light beam came flying in, it would crash onto the shield, but it wasn't the only one. More and more would start raining down, damaging the area repeatedly. But Zeraora wasn't protected. The barrier didn't reach, unfortunately, causing her to be caught in most of the mess. The Thunderclap Pokemon's only choice was to try and outrun them. But that wasn't all. The Golurks were ordered to use Hyper Beam to continue this onslaught. The Automation Pokemon would release concentrated beams of Infinity Energy to further tear everything apart. The air resonated with the chaotic symphony of magical explosions and the roars of Ultra Beast Xurkitree, reacting to the disturbances. Amidst the turmoil, the friends realized the urgency of the situation. Retreat became the only viable option as no one was willing to tackle all of this. Audino's barrier was excellent in guarding them, still staying up since it didn't have time to take a break. All of these attacks that were repeatedly hitting it counted as one, allowing the barrier to stay active. Pheromosa looked over at Zeraora who was still away from the barrier, receiving most of the damage. "Nothing wrong with excessive force here." Captain Spitfire proudly said while the outbursts of energy went off. "After all, your universe is one big threat in so many ways. You took down the Twilight Imperium. Defeated the Dread League and you single-handedly merged two universes and made an entirely new one. We have all the reason in the world to go all out on you. Even if I don't have everything with me." "D-Dino!" Audino's barrier was starting to falter. It could be seen cracking, showing signs of failing. "We can't reach Zeraora like this!" Rarity covered one eye in the midst of this mess. "What do we do?!" "Oooh! I know!" Pinkie Pie brainstormed the perfect response before looking at Mew. Mew nodded in understanding, knowing what had to be done. "Go for it, Mew!" "Mew...MEW!" Mew would close his eyes, going for a transformation. The Genetic Pokemon was about to transform into the right Pokemon for the job as his body was glowing a radiant light. The Pokemon he was choosing was considered the biggest of them all and the only one who could really disrupt all of this. Audino gasped as her eyes bulged, seeing her friend undertake a colossal transformation in this barrier. Mew was choosing Wailord for this transformation. Spitfire and her group witnessed this transformation as their eyes widened as well. The shimmering light subsided, revealing the massive aquatic form now present in the midst of the turmoil. Mew, now in the form of Wailord, emitted a resonant cry, echoing through the chaotic battlefield. The massive Pokémon floated above the ground, his colossal body providing a shield against the magical onslaught from Daybreaker's forces. Not only that, but he would also touch the ground, causing a shockwave and tremor to appear. "Mmrrgh!" Spitfire grumbled due to the force of this shockwave. The dust could be seen rising thanks to Wailord's massive size, covering a good chunk of the area. This would also push some of the Golurk back as there was something to budge them. But of course, this would also affect Zeraora. The ships in the air felt the pressure that Wailord's impact left, causing their light beams to misfire elsewhere. Audino's barrier shattered thanks to this as her body was on top of Wailord. So was everyone else. Zeraora was picked up by Wailord's massive body, finding some relief away from the onslaught. "Time to go! Quick, Mew!" Pinkie Pie hollered. Now was a good time to flee the scene with this advantage. Mew wasn't exactly the fastest as a Wailord but he would at least be able to shield his friends from all the attacks thanks to this massive body. "No, you won't. It's your turn, Xurkitree." But this only allowed Xurkitree to take action. With Spitfire's command, the Glowing Pokemon unleashed some of the plasma it took from Zeraora, using it against the group. And with Mew appearing as a Wailord, it was a bad time to be a Water-Type. Right as Wailord ascended, reaching some of the ships which prompted them to move out of the way, Xurkitree built up a Thunderbolt around its body. From its body, Xurkitree shot a blast of 100,000 volts, laced with plasma too. Poor Mew took the damage since he was the biggest target at the moment. "WAIL!" Mew cried out in the body of Wailord, taking a super-effective blow. But it wasn't just him, everyone else but Zeraora took the damage. "Ghhh!" As the volts coursed through their bodies, the group grimaced and cried out in pain. The sudden assault left them reeling from the intense electrical shock, their muscles tensing and nerves jolting with each passing moment. Rainbow Dash tried to power through it, but she felt the brunt of the assault either way. The pain surged through her like a torrent, leaving her temporarily incapacitated. The others, too, struggled to withstand the unexpected attack, the aftermath of Xurkitree's Thunderbolt rippling through their forms. It was far worse for Mew, whose movements were disrupted because of this. So disrupted that he started falling. His body was paralyzed by just one hit and yet he tried to maintain some balance. The ships did not relent, firing rays of light at Mew whilst he started falling, making sure that he would drop. Everyone tried holding on, but their bodies were still feeling the effects of Xurkitree's attack. Wailord could still get them out of Diving Peak Tunnel and the one place he could take them was the sea. Mew spotted it, doing his best to turn his body to the side while it was falling. He was so glad that Wailord despite being absolutely colossal, was somewhat lightweight. More and more rays would batter his body while he fell, but he had to endure it for all of his friends. Zeraora would grip her claws into Wailord while also grabbing onto Rainbow Dash to ensure her safety. Spitfire watched as Wailord and the others would drop into the sea near Diving Peak Tunnel and the two Routes in between it. Upon crashing, a massive splash was caused thanks to Wailord's massive body. They all entered the sea as they found their method of escape. But it was not a pleasant one. Instead of rising to the ocean, they sank despite Wailord's appearance. This was because Mew left the form of the Floating Pokemon as soon as they crashed. "Mmm..." Spitfire narrowed her eyes as she wasn't one to give up so easily. "As if it's that easy. Don't let them escape with Zeraora." The sea, though offering a momentary respite, was not an ideal refuge. It wasn't over yet for them. Spitfire's team wasn't about to let them get away with Zeraora. Not when this moment was so ripe and golden. For now, Rainbow Dash's team managed to escape, but for how long? They were unable to stand against these numbers, even if they weren't the most plentiful out there. That didn't change the fact that they had quite the firepower with them. And now, they had an Ultra Beast on their side. Specifically Xurkitree. But this would not be the only Xurkitree. Plans to summon more were already decided. All for reaching Solgaleo and Lunala which would eventually lead to Necrozma's potential satisfaction. As the journey continues. Chapter 375 End.