1. Ash's Story (Part 9: Alola)

Chapter 89: Beasts Beyond the Rift

The night after the Lanakila Conference became one long celebration, but victory did not make the road feel finished. By the time we returned home, thoughts of the Elite Four sat at the edge of everything, and each morning carried a little more focus.

Melmetal trained carefully in the yard, still learning how much force its new body carried. Pikachu ran circles around its feet, helping it practice smaller turns. Lillie's Silvally sparred with mine under her guidance, both of them moving without helmets, while Snowy watched every exchange with quiet pride.

A crown did not make anyone finished. If anything, winning the first Lanakila Conference made every mistake feel more visible. The whole region knew my name now, but my partners still cared more about whether I noticed their timing, fed them properly, and trusted them when pressure returned.

Lillie understood that better than anyone. She had lost the final, but she trained like the battle had opened another door instead of closing one. Her Silvally moved with new confidence, and every time it changed direction without the old mask's weight, Lillie smiled like she had won something no trophy could hold.

We were in the middle of that practice when Anabel and Looker arrived at the door. Mom let them in before I could ask why International Police officers were visiting before breakfast. Her expression told me she had expected them.

"So," Mom said, folding her hands. "How is the investigation going?"

Anabel answered first. "It is progressing smoothly. We have established contact with several necessary groups."

I looked between them. "Mom, what is going on?"

Mom turned to me, and the seriousness in her eyes changed the whole room. "After the Necrozma incident, I asked Looker and Anabel to form a specialized Ultra Beast Task Force. When Necrozma opened the wormhole, Ultra Beasts appeared across Alola. Some caused damage before the Tapus and Kahunas drove them away."

Looker bowed quickly. "Forgive me, Ash and Lillie, but did you indeed encounter UB-01 Symbiont?"

"UB-01 Symbiont," Lillie repeated. "You mean Nihilego, correct?"

Anabel nodded. "The International Police uses code names for Ultra Beasts. Symbiont is the creature connected to the reports involving Lusamine."

Lillie's face tightened. "Mother did not fuse with Nihilego in our world. Did someone report the Ultra Dimension version as if it were ours?"

Mom's voice softened. "I trusted them with enough information to understand the danger, but Lillie is right. Our Lusamine was not fused with Nihilego. We need to be exact."

That precision mattered. Lillie had fought too hard to save her family from other people's assumptions. Hearing Mom correct the record helped the tension in her shoulders loosen, though only a little.

Anabel accepted the correction without argument. "Understood. That distinction will be recorded."

Mom took a breath. "What I am about to explain is classified. Ultra Wormholes are still appearing in scattered locations. As long as they remain open, Ultra Beasts can move between worlds. They are living beings, but their powers do not always follow the logic of our world."

Looker clasped his hands behind his back. "Our mission has three parts. We investigate their ecology, protect civilians from harm, and decide how to handle each Ultra Beast safely."

"Handle," Serena repeated from beside Alice. "That sounds like a careful word."

Anabel's expression darkened. "If an Ultra Beast poses a severe threat and cannot be contained, higher authorities may order its elimination."