The same rhythm filled the infirmary of the Aether Paradise – a beeping sound that seemed to bounce off the somber wall of white and gold. Five figures surround a lone bed occupied by a four-armed Pokémon. Wires and monitors beeped above its head as the professor-in-charge spoke quietly to a pink-clad nurse at the far-end of the room. The door slammed open and the twenty-year old heir to the Aether Foundation burst into the room.
"I got Faba's call!" Gladion announced. He was tired and sweaty from his rush to return to the artificial island but he strode in the room with purpose and focus. "What happened?"
Lusamine regarded her son. "A lot happened." She motioned for him to approach, stepping aside to give him a better view. "Another Pokémon went berserk during Melemele's Grand Trial. We already had the Pokémon in one of the isolation chambers but..."
Gladion stepped forward and followed his mother's gaze. Lying on the bed was Hala's Machamp. Three, deep slash wounds ran diagonally from his left shoulder to his right hip. The wounds were unusual themselves; all three glowing in a deep purple. Machamp has his eyes closed but the pain in his face was more than evident. "What in the-?"
"We're still investigating the incident." Lusamine said. "But according to Hau and Lillie, a trial goer used some kind of black Z-Crystal before his Pokémon ran amok. It severely injured the kahuna's Machamp and attacked its own trainer. Hau and Decidueye managed to knock it out before calling the foundation." Lusamine crossed her arms and sighed wearily. "We tried recalling it back to its Pokéball but for some strange reason, it wouldn't work. We have to transport it here using one of the helicopters."
"Where's the kahuna?"
"Tutu brought the trial goer to the hospital and entrusted us Machamp." He nodded to the ailing Pokémon. A grim look on his face. "Once the trainer got an all-clear, the authorities will be holding him for a throughout investigation."
Gladion turned to his mother. "You said something about a black Z-Crystal? Where is it?"
"It was missing." Lusamine shook her head. "When the police came in for an initial search in the hospital, the Z-Crystal was not with the trial goer. We also had Iki Town checked but came out empty-handed. They're still searching for it as of the moment."
Lillie casted a worried look. "Do you think...it is connected to the one in Poni Island?"
"We cannot disregard the possibility." Elio has just finished speaking with Nurse Joy. He approached them as Nurse Joy walked to the edge of the bed with bandages on one hand and began carefully wrapping around Machamp's wounds. "If it will be case, there will be more to come."
The professor passed Lusamine a clipboard. "The wounds are not something we have seen before. Nurse Joy already ran some tests ahead of time and results were negative of any infection or poison. Unless we uncover what it is, making a cure would be difficult."
"How about the Alolan Persian that went berserk?" Hau exclaimed. "There something we could do, right? Pokémon do not attack without reason!"
Gladion could understand Hau's concern. He was right, after all. Pokémon do not attack unprovoked. However, this might not be the case right now. There was the issue with the missing black Z-Crystal that the trial goer used. What is it really? Where did it come from? If it is really the cause for the pokémon to lose control, it might as well be the key to reversing the effect.
Professor Elio placed a hand on the Champion's shoulder and smile kindly. "Do not fret. We will find a way to help these Pokémon and we will do it with all we have." He squeezed his shoulder firmly. "You should do the same. This region is counting on its Champion. It needs you more than ever."
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The Guardian of Alola
FanfictionShe was the First Champion and Hau is the next. She was her protector and now Lillie is the one who protects. She was once at his reach but now Gladion can only chase after her phantoms. Two years they spent growing together and five years spent mou...
