With Aiden's intervention, after some discussion, the misunderstanding between the International Police and the Aether Foundation was resolved.
The two organizations' attitudes toward Ultra Beast invasions were basically consistent to begin with. It was just that the Aether Foundation had concealed an unrecorded Nihilego, and this Ultra Beast's existence happened to be discovered by the International Police.
Since the conflict could be directly addressed, it wasn't really a big deal.
Lusamine simply explained its origins and guaranteed that she would strictly supervise it and ensure it wouldn't harm anyone.
Since the Aether Foundation had already made concessions, Anabel naturally couldn't say much more.
The matter was easily resolved this way, and under the witness of Professor Kukui and Aiden, both sides quickly reached a new consensus.
However, there was another matter that needed confirmation immediately—"How about we call the newly established cooperative organization the 'Ultra Guardians'?"
Aiden smiled as he proposed his idea.
Facing those monsters, besides the Island Guardians who could temporarily transform into "Ultraman" using Z-Moves, humans indeed needed a defense organization as well.
"A very fitting name."
"I have no objections."
Naturally, neither Anabel nor Lusamine would refuse Aiden's proposal.
Rather, it was indeed quite appropriate.
The International Police of the Ultra Beast Response Division would remain active on the front lines against Ultra Beasts, while the Aether Foundation would serve as the logistics department, responsible for recovering Ultra Beasts and finding suitable opportunities to return them to their original world.
At the same time, they would also utilize their powerful scientific research capabilities as much as possible to provide support for the International Police.
After the division of labor was completed, Aiden suddenly thought of another question, so he asked Lusamine: "By the way, would it be convenient to reveal how you repatriate Ultra Beasts?"
Initially he hadn't reacted, but when he had time to think, he remembered——
Logically speaking, there was only one method to freely create stable Ultra Wormholes connecting the two worlds, and that was utilizing the power of "Nebby"—Cosmog.
If the Aether Foundation had a way, wouldn't that indicate Nebby had already traversed space and come to this world?
But why hadn't there been any intelligence about it until now?
Suspicious, very suspicious.
And facing Aiden's question, Lusamine also appeared somewhat embarrassed for a moment. After thinking for a long time, she let out a heavy sigh.
"Actually, all Ultra Beasts that have appeared in the past three years have been temporarily preserved by us."
"As Teacher Azure suspected, we are indeed currently missing the key to sending them back to Ultra Space."
"However—we have actually known its whereabouts for quite some time already."
After hearing this, Aiden raised an eyebrow.
If following the anime timeline, Nebby shouldn't have been sent by the Sun and Moon deities yet at this point.
But if following the game timeline, it would make sense.
Approximately three years before the main story events, Lusamine's daughter Lillie discovered "Nebby" inside the Aether Foundation and realized her mother was using it as a test subject to research the secrets of Ultra Wormholes.
Therefore, kind-hearted as she was, she decisively took Nebby and ran away, eventually arriving at Professor Kukui's research institute and becoming his live-in assistant.
"Is it related to Lillie?"
Aiden simply asked this question directly.
Not just Lusamine, but even Professor Kukui immediately looked at him, their expressions clearly carrying some surprise.
Regarding this matter, probably fewer than ten people knew——
Why would Aiden, a Paldea Gym Leader temporarily invited to Alola, know about this?
But combining it with his various previous performances, Professor Kukui suddenly felt it made sense.
After all, Aiden seemed to have never concealed the fact that he knew many things. Many incidents were discovered by him first, and he came up with solutions.
For example, this Buzzwole crisis—his "intuition" was even more accurate than the Aether Foundation's instruments.
So, it was still fairly normal.
Lusamine quickly calmed herself and nodded calmly.
"Lillie—she developed some misunderstandings about Ultra Beasts back then, and because of certain matters, she no longer trusts me as her mother."
The past events she spoke of were probably related to that Nihilego that looked somewhat like Lillie.
When he heard Lusamine mention Nihilego earlier, Aiden already had related conjectures, but he hadn't expected the developments to differ somewhat from what he imagined.
Moreover, with such an important Nebby being taken away by Lillie for three years, the Aether Foundation actually hadn't made any response?
It felt somewhat subtle.
Seemingly noticing the confusion in Aiden's eyes, Lusamine thus glanced at the attic above the research institute and continued speaking: "Cosmog seems to like Lillie very much. Perhaps letting it accompany Lillie in place of myself, an unqualified mother, would be a better choice. That's why we haven't taken any action."
"But if we want to repatriate the Ultra Beasts, Cosmog's power is necessary. Perhaps I should find an opportunity to have a good talk with Lillie."
Mentioning her daughter, Lusamine's face soon showed obvious sadness.
For her, family had always been the most important existence.
But why were they all gradually leaving her?
Her husband Mohn went missing due to researching Ultra Wormholes. Although she learned from Aiden and the International Police that he was probably still alive, searching for someone who had lost their memory in such a vast world was easier said than done—
It might be no different from finding a needle in a haystack.
Even so, this was her last lifeline now.
Once she found her husband, the runaway Gladion and Lillie would certainly return to Aether Paradise, restoring their complete family.
At least Lusamine was absolutely certain of this.
Aiden followed Lusamine's gaze and looked up, similarly looking toward the attic direction, and immediately spotted a strand of golden ahoge hair.
Was Lillie still hiding from Lusamine?
He suddenly had a misconception—why did it feel like besides the protagonists, parent-child relationships in the Pokémon world were all quite awkward?
However, Aiden certainly didn't plan to arbitrarily interfere in their family matters.
For him, knowing that Cosmog had already appeared and was being protected by Lillie was sufficient.
"Nebby"—Cosmog.
A rare Pokémon called the "child of the stars" by the ancient Alolan royalty, its true identity was the juvenile form of the Sun and Moon deities.
It was said that every hundred years, a Nebby would come to this world through dream-sending.
It fed on light, especially enjoying absorbing the Ultra Aura from Necrozma, and grew robustly in this manner until its body reached its limit.
At that time, Cosmog's originally light gaseous body would suddenly contract, forming a protective shell for itself. Its originally negligible weight would soon reach one ton.
This was the "Star Cocoon" recorded in written texts.
In this state, it would remain dormant until all the energy accumulated within its body was fully transformed, at which point it would evolve into either Solgaleo or Lunala.
Continuously cycling through this process, completing the life cycle of the Sun and Moon deities.
Because Necrozma had once descended upon this world, the Alola region possessed abundant Ultra Aura that hadn't diminished in the slightest even after countless epochs.
Energy abundant, locals extremely friendly to it, and no need to worry about Ultra Beast threats.
Even if the occasional Ultra Beast would smell its way through space-time and descend, they would be defeated by the diligent Island Guardians.
For Cosmog, this was the most ideal growth environment.
The one chosen by this generation's Cosmog was indeed this outwardly fragile yet inwardly incredibly strong little girl——
Aiden couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
On the very night the Ultra Guardians were established, Aiden suddenly had a strange dream after a long time.
Probably due to having lived two lives, he had rarely dreamed all along, let alone a dream like now where he maintained clear consciousness and could obviously sense something was wrong.
Aiden only felt darkness before his eyes, his body seemingly floating in mid-air. Although his consciousness remained within his body, he completely couldn't control it.
Even so, he didn't show any panic, but instead seemed to realize something, quietly waiting for what would happen next.
Sure enough, he soon regained control of his body and subconsciously opened his eyes.
Before him was a vast river of stars; he seemed to have come beyond the universe.
Besides the various galaxies he completely couldn't name, indeed the two big fellows before him were more important.
Aiden looked up at the two massive figures in the sky.
One was pure white, resembling a lion with abundant fur. Just gazing at it, one could clearly feel a scorching heat like sunlight;
The other was primarily pale and dark blue in color, resembling a bat in appearance, with an aura completely opposite to the lion, carrying bone-chilling coldness.
(Solgaleo/Lunala)
When he saw them, Aiden immediately confirmed his guess—
He had indeed been dream-sent by Nebby's parents?
It sounded quite mystical, but in the Pokémon world, nothing was impossible.
Even controlling dreams had been specifically divided into the two Legendary Pokémon Cresselia and Darkrai.
"Is there something you need from me?"
If it were an ordinary person, suddenly experiencing such a situation might cause them to react poorly.
But for Aiden, dealing with Legendary Pokémon was already commonplace, so his heart remained completely calm.
He even felt a bit like ruffling the lion's fluffy mane.
"Roar—!"
Above the sky, the "Beast That Devours the Sun" Solgaleo let out a roar, and simultaneous mental communication transmitted into Aiden's heart.
[One chosen by the Creator, why have you appeared in this place?]
It certainly wasn't referring to this starry sky, but the Alola region.
Aiden immediately understood and thus answered: "Just commissioned by the professor to come here as a guest judge."
He hadn't told a single lie.
Although Arceus had assigned him a task, it hadn't given a time limit, so he wasn't in a hurry at all.
This time coming to the Alola region was purely a coincidence———
He really was here on vacation!
And he hadn't expected that with Cosmog having already descended, the Sun and Moon deities would still proactively dream-send to him.
However, since he was already here——
He might as well complete Arceus's task along the way.
"I know what you're thinking, but rest assured. Under Lillie's care, Nebby will certainly grow up healthy and strong."
Aiden spoke with a smile, then suddenly changed the subject.
The Sun and Moon deities were born from the first light of the world's creation and had countless connections with Necrozma, thus naturally also counted as creations of that Creator God.
Originally he had been troubled about how to contact the three of them, since they had long since left the Alola region.
As a result, the Sun and Moon deities had delivered themselves to his door?
"By the way, is there any wish you would like fulfilled? The Creator God asked me to satisfy one wish of yours as much as possible."
Solgaleo and Lunala appeared somewhat surprised, but after exchanging a glance with each other, they quickly returned to their previous serious demeanor.
Simultaneously, another mental communication transmitted over.
[Since it is the Creator's will, then————]
[Please take good care of the growing Nebby. That is our wish.]
"No worries, no worries."
Aiden nodded decisively.
Truly worthy of cosmic beings residing in outer space—their wishes were so simple, almost equivalent to nothing.
He might not even need to take action himself; Lillie would already raise Nebby to a sufficient level for evolution.
When Nebby evolved then, it could conveniently take all the Ultra Beasts that had invaded Alola these years and pack them away together—job done!
All according to plan!
However, before Aiden could celebrate, Solgaleo's voice soon transmitted again:
[This time the situation is different, messenger of the Creator.]
[We can feel that the one who has long slumbered is gradually awakening, and the only thing it will do upon awakening is——]
[To seek to reclaim the light it once lost.]
[So please, be extremely careful.]
After speaking, the two Legendary Pokémon turned and left without looking back, disappearing into the sea of stars.
Aiden's smile instantly froze.
But before he could speak, he instantly lost consciousness.
He didn't know how much time passed before he slowly woke up and discovered he was in his resort room.
Recalling the last words he heard in his memory, Aiden only felt a wave of regret:
He had been too careless, unknowingly digging a pit for himself.
Originally thinking it was just an ordinary childcare quest, who could have known that Necrozma who had lost its light was also about to arrive?
The difficulty of contending with that thing could probably rank in the top three among all crises encountered in the entire Pokémon world—
After all, even the most extreme villains in the Pokémon world only wanted to destroy the world and establish a new order.
But if taken down by Necrozma, the result would be the Ultra Megalopolis from the games—
Even more desperate than the world where the Ultra Beasts lived, to the point where people there had to traverse space-time to this world searching for solutions.
"What the hell is all this!"
Aiden scratched his head.
However, according to what they said, there should still be some time before Necrozma awakens.
So he could probably prepare in advance?
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