Pokémon Ultra Luna.

by Lieral

Chapter 12- Last goodbye

"YOU DID WHAT?" I yelled and put both my Pokeball on my belt.

"I... Huh..." Kukui gave three steps back in an attempt to get away from me. "I kinda... Lost Lillie around route 3 and..."

"SO YOU DO LOST HER!"

"Hey, I'm not to blame if her sense of direction is horrible..."

"YOU ARE A PROFESSOR AND THE ONE IN CHARGE OF HER!" I yelled and he gave another step back but this time his arms were elevated in a futile attempt to calm me down. "SHE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!"

"Aren't you going to say something? You know, just for protection," Ilima asked from behind a couch where he is knelled.

"I would love to!" Kukui answered as I gave another step forward.

"AND WHY DO YOU NOT SAID IT BEFORE?"

"Well, it's like I was hit with Amnesia, and you were so mad I..."

"Forget it," I said and walked toward the exit passing right by his side. "I will go search for her around the route 3, you will see if she is back to your lab, and Ilima will stay by here watching everyone that just RESEMBLE her, are we clear?"

"YES, MA'AM!" Both Kukui and Ilima answered while beating continence

I left the pokemon center without looking back.

---

Okay, I may have overreacted...

But I think this is expected. I am the Vice-Principal of a school, it is MY responsibility to take care of kids like Lillie and even older ones, and that is why when Kukui said he lost Lillie I panicked.

Moon and Midnight seem to be in perfect sync with my mood, every battle, be it against a trainer or a wild pokemon, finishes as fast as it started.

I walked through the many ways of the route 3 while searching for any sign of Lillie or Nebby, but I had no sign of them for almost half an hour until I got into a big place.

The scent of the air changed dramatically to the familiar scent of flowers, and as soon as I open my eyes I understood why. At first, I thought it would be a cavern, but the sky is still clearly visible above, and all the floor is filled with too many yellow flowers for me to count.

"Nebby, Nebby, Come back," My heart almost skipped a beat as I heard a very familiar voice calling for a very familiar name. Lillie was just at the edge of the sea of flowers searching for Cosmog with her eyes. "Oh, LUNA!" She quickly turned to face me, but she blushed a little and avoided my eyes in shame. "Nebby... He got out of my bag again..."

I scanned the place searching for the little troublemaker and saw him getting into a small cave. "What does he want there? What if he got attacked by a wild pokemon? He has no moves he can use for battle!"

That was all I needed to hear. I ran faster than many pokemon toward the cave he went in, and after a single second, I got into the cave too.

I expected it to be a small place with barely space enough for Nebby, but I was wrong. It opens like a castle formed by the very nature until I can see another entrance somewhere far away from me.

I saw Nebby not far away from the entrance and I soon got near him. He looked at me and smiled with an PEW.

"What an elusive target, indeed," I looked toward the origin of the voice and saw Phyco and his partner getting closer.

"Target?" I asked with a tone that let clear that I am not happy with this term.

"Soliera, test this one," Phyco said with authority. "I also would like to check the functionality of that Poke Ball we tried making in the image of the device used by these alolan people. Now that we finally succeeded in using one to capture an alolan pokemon specimen,"

"Yes, sir, I will do it at once!" Soliera took a strange patterned poke ball and sent out a Furfrou, a dog-like Pokemon with a troublesome fur that halves the damage of physical attacks.

I sent out Moon as my answer.

"TACKLE!" Soliera yelled with a strangely sharp voice.

"Balloons," I ordered with a voice far calmer than her's, after all, I learned enough to know how well a pokemon can feel his trainer. If I am nervous Moon will be nervous too.

Furfrou attacked but it did not hurt much, and in response Moon did five huge balloons, each one of a different color and hiding behind one of them.

"TACKLE AGAIN," Soliera ordered again for my surprise. Is this really her first battle? Attacking an opponent when she is clearly setting a trap is not a good idea no matter the world.

The Furfrou attacked straight on the balloon that sent him flying toward another one, and this continued until all the five balloons had given a really decent amount of damage. "Aqua jet and then bubble beam!" Moon got covered in water and did our already characteristic strategy, hitting the Furfrou with enough force to send him flying upwards, and then followed him and finished the battle with her bubble beam. She landed already bowing as if she just had performed a small show.

That was... Fast. I could not help but think that way while scratching the back of my head.

"I see, so that is what a pokemon battle is! I suppose if there are strong trainers like yourself around, we may not need to play any great role in this endeavor," Phyco is still playing with his mustache.

"So then we do not need to bother with the girl I assume," Soliera said not louder than a murmur, but I listened loud and clear (years of practice trying to stop stupid students to do stupid students things).

"Leave Lillie out of this," I said with a warning, and Moon howled to mark my point. However, Phycos just nodded ignoring me.

"That one you have come to collect... You must know it is able to warp away in an instant when threatened," Phyco looked at Cosmog that hid behind my leg scared. "You should remember, though, that the holes that are created when it does so leave a path open to dangerous things,"

"We should be going, sir. The president is waiting for us and our report," Soliera said and at the mention of this 'president' Phyco's face darkened and he nodded agreeing.

"I hope one day we may be able to help you with your problem," Phyco turned his back to me and walked away with his partner by his side.

_{"I hope too,"} I took Nebby in my arms and walked away toward where Lillie is waiting for me.

---

My heart was a mix of emotions when I saw Luna walking toward me with Nebby within her arms keeping the few sightseers around from seeing him.

Part of me is happy and wanted to hug Luna tightly for taking Nebby back safely, and part of me just wanted to dive into the middle of the sea of flowers and hide myself. Look's like every time she sees me I am in need of help. She'll never trust me to do anything at all like that.

She silently gave Nebby back to me. "Thank you Luna," I put Nebby inside the bag before he could even say pew. "This time I'm not letting you go," She was not looking at me, and her expression was like she just had received some really bad news. "I- Iguess we should be going, the professor will probably be worried after the way we just disappeared on him," For some reason that brought a smile to her face.

"Yes, I think he is..." She looks just like a snake remembering when she ambushes a pray... Actually, I never saw a snake remembering when she ambushes a pray, but I bet she would do exactly that expression.

"D-did something happened?"

"Nope," She answered with renewed mood. "Not at all!"

I guess I'll have to wait until I meet the professor to understand...

---

"LILLIE!" As soon as we stepped inside Kukui's lab he received me with a loud expression of relieve. "I'M SO GLAD NOTHING HAPPENED TO YOU!"

"What?" Now I don't know what's happening. "But professor, I already got lost before, why you're so worried this time?"

"Because my life never was on the line before..." He stared Luna that avoided eye contact and walked toward the stair that led to the second with her checks scarlet, and she was taking something on her boot before climbing, but I don't know what is.

"What happened on the last hour?" I asked.

"Well, the thing is..." As soon as Kukui started to explain something (from luna's direction) flew with too much speed for me to understand what exactly it is and hit his glasses taking it away from his eyes within a second.

Both of us slowly and trembling turned our heads toward the wall where now there's an pair of glasses impaled by a knife.

We turned our heads trembling in fear toward the second floor, where we saw as she pulled her leg and disappeared from view. "Hum... Did she had that with her all day?" I asked with a gulp.

"I... Have no idea," Kukui straightened himself and coughed once. "I was thinking if she was going to do her Grand Trial today, but I don't think she's in the mood right now. Actually..."

"Actually?"

"Actually she's acting like that since she dismissed Ilima earlier,"

"What?"

"When she finished her trial she said she would like Ilima to take her to the pokemon center, but a minute after that she said she would like to stay behind a little more and dismissed him," Kukui looked at the second floor again. "I know there's a lot she's hiding from us, but I think something serious happened this time,"

I sighed. "So you think like that too," I put my bag on top of the emended couch and walked to the stairs.

"Wait, Lillie, I don't think..." I turned my face toward him smiling confidently. He sighed once and scratched the back of his head. "You know, I have no idea what we should do, so, let's do this your way," He walked toward the fridge, took a cup of a purple liquid I recognize as wine, just like the one my mom always drink, and walked through the door leaving us alone.

When I got on the second floor I was expecting to see almost anything, except what I saw. Luna was sitting at the writing desk with depression clear on her face. Her hand moves faster than even I can write while she writes what I can only presume its a letter.

She finished the letter and folded it with a tired expression, and if I look into her eyes I almost can see them watering up.

"Luna..."

"It was a big day," She stood up and without facing me she went to her improvised bed. "I will take a nap now," I looked at the sky, and it is already late night now.

"Good night," I took my hat away. "See you tomorrow,"

There's no answer.

---

It is no secret I am a night person, everyone that meet me can confirm that. I waited for Kukui and Lillie to fall asleep just like I did last night and silently went toward the door, but this time I left Moon and Midnight behind me.

I opened the door slowly and went outside where the sea breeze and the faint moonlight are waiting for me. Not far from me there is a log that one day was a big tree now lies on the beach where anyone can sit.

And that is what I did. I sat down while taking the letter I had written a few hours ago. Usually I am not a sensible person, something that my sister jokes but is not happy about, but this time is different.

The only 'grant' I had that would be able to take me home already said it is not going to help me, and that is the reason I wrote down this...

It is actually a simple letter, but explains almost everything, and makes sure that a few points are passed: I am fine, I am trapped in another world and... I am sorry.

I looked down at the letter. All I want is to be sure that Celestia will be able to live her life fully if the worst case happens and I never manage to get back home.

The only problem is, even now there is no way I can deliver this letter. I wrote it most for myself, and if someday the slightly chance of sending it appear I will be ready.

Silently, but with the speed of a lightning a presence appeared in front of me. I looked at the only pokemon I know that can move that fast. "If you want me to challenge you, that is not the time..." I turned my gaze toward Tapu Koko.

He looked at me for a few seconds. "I think I should thank you," I said without emotion in my voice. This may be rude, but I never was one to low my head just because of an deity. "Without you, both Nebby and I would be dead by now," He continued staring me. "But tell me, why do you saved us? Or better, why do you wanted to save Nebby?"

He turned his neck to the left for a second. "I am not stupid to think I am a strong trainer yet, but even I can say how weak Nebby is even in normal conditions," I stood up and looked straight into his eyes. "Phyco said he can left an opening for dangerous creature, but this is not your reason is it?"

Tapu Koko continued staring me for a few seconds without doing any movements. He looked at my hand and pointed toward my letter. I looked at my letter and then back at him. "Why do you want this?" I asked.

He did not answered but pointed at it once more and an idea crossed my mind. "Can you... Take this to my world?" For my surprise he nodded once. I gave him the letter with trembling hands. "Make sure this will reach her," He looked at me for a few seconds. We are almost the same height so I can clearly see his eyes, and the fire I saw in them the last time we meet had not vanished at all, but this time they are filled with a feeling I do not really understand. Is it pity? Or he is... Sorry for something.

With a quick glance above my shoulder he turned away and flew toward the sky as fast and silently as he came. I sat down and waited for the small steps on the soft sand that I am sure is going to come in a few seconds.

Lillie sat by my side silently. Her pink pajama is not made to endure the cold of the night, so she have a small blanket above her shoulders. She looked at the trace left behind by Tapu Koko and I waited for her to ask about it, but she did not asked, instead she just stood by my side for a while.

I am grateful for that. Now that I know the letter is going to reach my sister I feel like I had finally said my last goodbye, and this weight is crushing me. I do not know if I can talk about it now without letting more tears come to my eyes.

We stood there for a while watching the ocean reflecting the moon. The fresh air of the night is a gift I do not have where I live, so it is also really welcome now. With a quick glance I saw that Lillie is going to ask something, so I prepared myself to the worst.

"So that's how Midnight and Moon learned their new attacks without me or the professor knowing. You had been training them while we are sleeping," For my surprise she did not asked about Tapu Koko, and instead she discovered my trick easily. I smiled.

"I am a night owl," I answered simply.

"I see," She do not looked at me, but I can see that she is smiling. "Tomorrow is you battle against Kahuna Hala, isn't?"

"Yes, it is," I was thinking in finishing my phrase here, but she is trying to comfort me, and it would not be fair to simply stay silently while she do all the job. "Is he strong?"

"All the Kahunas are," She finally looked at me. "But they use only pokemon that are a close the level of the challenger. Since you're starting your Island Challenge here, he'll use only pokemon that he know you can fight against, but if this is the last Island of a challenger then he'll use far stronger pokemon,"

"Sounds fair to me," I am getting tired. I gently leaned my head on Lillie's shoulder. I am not used to such direct expression of affect, but I think I am fragilize now, and she had already proved she is a trust worth person. "Hey Lillie,"

I expected her to jump out of the contact, or blush as if there is no tomorrow, but she did not, instead, she took part of her blanket and put it above my shoulders, keeping both of us warm. "Huh?"

"You are a good friend," I closed my eyes and allow myself to just listen the sounds of the waves reaching the sand, and for the first time since I arrive, or better, since I was a teenager, I felt... Peace.