(3rd POV)

Gladion dodged as Nihilego grabbed at him, his limbs starting to hurt from scraping them against the floor and fast movements. His breath was ragged, though that was to be expected.

"Why do you run?"

Gladion paused, eyebrows furrowing as his eyes flickered around the cave "Who said that?"

"Why do you run?" The voice repeated. It was a soft feminine voice "Whether you fight or not, the results will come out the same. So why? Why fight it?"

The boy gasped, head snapping towards Nihilego. It had stopped moving around, and seemed to be staring directly him. It couldn't be...

"Let me catch you, and your suffering will end." The voice spoke again, and Nihilego held out a tentacle "You belong here."

Okay that was totally it speaking!

Gladion took a step back, shaking his head with a scowl "No way in hell do I belong here! I belong on earth, with my friends and family! That's why I'm fighting!"

"Forget them." Nihilego inched closer "This is your destiny. You will rule. Doesn't that sound better than your life now?"

'Ye- no! It doesn't. It's just trying to manipulate you like with your mother. Don't listen to it!' Gladion screamed to himself in his head.

... Why was he moving closer to the beast?

Putting one foot in front of the other, he began walking closer to Nihilego in some sort of daze. He tried recoiling, but he seemed to have lost all control he had over his body. His hand reached out towards the beast to meet with its outstretched tentacle.

"Join me... Join us... In our perfect world..." Nihilego chanted, its tentacle coiling around his wrist.

'No no NO!' Gladion screamed in his head 'Don't let it take you!'

Another tentacle took hold of him. And another. And another. Until all four of his limbs and his waist were in Nihilego's coils. He tried to stop it- he tried to fight it, but just like before his body just let it lift him off the ground and towards its head.

"Stay with us..." Nihilego forced him into its see-through head, and he slowly began to black out.

"Forever..."

Gladion woke up from the nightmare, just like he had done all the nights before. Only this time he didn't gasp, or look around, or seek comfort from his girlfriend. All he did was sit up slowly, pull the covers off himself, and climbed out of bed. He reached for his hoodie and slipped it on, followed by his shoes, before walking over to stand by Megan's side of the bed. He stared down at her sleeping form, emotionless.

"Nihilego's waiting for me..." He whispered, almost robotically as he turned away from her without another glance.

"Therefore... This is goodbye..."

---

"What do you mean he's not there?!" Megan yelled down the phone. Her knee was bouncing up and down at rapid speed, as her anxiety was starting to really kick in.

"What do you need a freaking dictionary or something?" Rose spoke on the other line, clearly panicked too "He's not here. He's edgy ass is nowhere in Po Town."

Megan made an angry noise, and her fist smashed down onto the mattress "So what, he just disappeared into thin air?!"

"It's too early to assume that, Meg," The brunette stated, trying to keep both the vice-president and herself calm in this situation "For all we know he may just be taking a stroll--"

"Rose, Gladion doesn't just get up early and leave an artificial island to simply 'take a stroll'. Not without leaving a note or some shit to prevent me from freaking out. News flash! There's no note! Nada! And I am very much freaking out!" Megan was close to tears "He's just... Gone..."

Rose was silent, listening as her friend slowly lose her composure over the phone. She remembered Gladion's state when Megan went missing; how he became an empty mess after holding in his worry for too long. That wasn't the case here; Megan couldn't keep her cool, no matter how much she tried. She was breaking down, and Rose knew it.

"I'm gonna get Guzma and Plumes, and we can send the grunts out to look for him." She spoke softly, trying to sooth the girl "We'll do whatever it takes to make sure he's found. And if he IS just taking a stroll, so help me Arceus he'll have to answer to mine AND Plumeria's wrath."

Megan wiped away her tears, giving a weak smile even though she knew it couldn't be seen "Thank you, Peanut..."

"Anytime. I'll leave you be now."

"Okay, bye..."

Click

Megan let out an angry cry, hands gripping her hair as she hunched over on the bed. Tears fell to the floor as she sobbed. She knew Gladion was having a tough time with nightmares. She knew he was getting paranoid. And what did she do about it? She told him they were just dreams and basically told him to grow the fuck up. How comforting!!!!

The door opened and Sun walked in, only to see his sis in her condition and froze. His eyebrows pulled downwards as he walked over to her, kneeling down in front of her and lifting her head up. Her eyes were swollen and her lip was quivering, which made his heart sink even further.

"Meg..." He whispered, pulling the girl into an embrace. She cried into his chest as he ran a hand through her hair "We'll find him, I promise."

His jaw tightened. Megan had already been through so much, and now Gladion had basically pissed off! What was he thinking?!

"Sun?"

He turned his head, eyes landing on Hau and Lillie as they stood in the door. Both of them stared back, the look of horror visible in their eyes.

"We may know what happened to Gladion." Hau continued, his jaw tight. Both he and Lillie stepped aside, allowing a man in a brown coat to walk in. Sun's eyes widened. Looker.

The man nodded to the boy, who had moved to sit next to Megan on the bed. His arms were still around her, and her head was on his shoulder as she stared at Looker sorrowfully. He cleared his throat and began to speak "I'm sure you remember the event that happened four years ago concerning the portals connecting to Ultra Space."

The four teens nodded.

"Well... A portal has opened on Melemele Island. And... UB01, or Nihilego has been sighted."

Instantly Megan stood, alerting everyone in the room. There was a look in her eye, one her friends had never seen her possess before. The look of pure rage. Her fists were clenched, her jaw tight, and her eyes dark and shadowed.

"Where...?" She spoke, voice low and threatening.

---

"So... You're saying they have an actual weakness to this?" Hau asked as he held up a water pistol, which was filled with vinegar. He also had a belt around his waist with refills attached if needed. Sun, Lillie and Megan had the same equipment.

"Yep, tests proved this." Looker confirmed "You'll be able to keep the beast away if it tries to attack."

"Perfect." Megan said as she attached her gun to her belt. She still had that look in her eye, and Lillie seemed to have aquired it too. She nodded to Sun, and both of them pulled out Pokeballs.

"Go, Charizard!"

"Draco, time to assist!"

The two fully evolved Pokemon stood, ready to give the trainers their strength and ability of flight. Megan and Hau rode on Draco, while Sun and Lillie took Charizard. Looker bid them good luck, and they took to the skies for Melemele Island.

"Wela Volcano." Sun instructed, and the two creatures increased their speed. They knew they had to make haste; Gladion was their friend too.

Upon arriving at the volcano, Sun and Megan retrieved their carriers before sending out Prince and Setsuko. Lillie and Hau did the same, calling out Dana and Raichu. They all agreed it would be best if they kept a Pokemon by their sides at all times, in case things got messy with Nihilego or even just a wild Pokemon ambush. They could've been panicked with the Ultra Beast activity or something. In any case, it was best to stay prepared.

The eight of them walked down the volcano path, eyes peeled for anything suspicious- or better, signs of their friend being here. There was a chance he wasn't anywhere near Nihilego, which to be honest Megan hoped was the case, but she had a feeling he was involved. And it wasn't a good feeling.

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

Everyone flinched, and Lillie yelped. That was definitely the cry of the beast. They exchanged glances, nodding determinedly before running in the direction the cry came from. They came across a cave, one that didn't seem very earthly. Their Pokemon began growling, stances defensive.

"You think it's in there?" Hau asked, gripping Lillie's hand tightly.

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

The group flinched again. "Yup." Sun popped.

Without wasting a second Megan ran in, ignoring the shouts of her friends and Pokemon. She had to find the beast. She had to know if Gladion was with it. Her friends glanced at each other, sighing in defeat before running in after her. The atmosphere was similar to Ultra space, except it was easier to breath as they were still on earth. Lillie hugged Dana close to her chest, worried about what was ahead as Hau guided her through the cave. Meanwhile Sun kept stealing glances at Megan, noticing how tight her expression was. He was worried about her more than anything else. If Gladion were to be behind this, Arceus forbid, would she have the strength to fight him?

Would she get hurt trying to bring him back, like she did with Lusamine?

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

The cries got louder.

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

And louder.

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

Until-

There was an opening in the cave, showing an area illuminated in blue light. There was moss covering parts of the floor and walls. And there was a hole in the ceiling with rays of sunlight shining through. The most noticeable feature though, was the portal located in the middle of the area, and the two figures standing in front of it.

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

"Calm down my friend, we're alone."

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

"What?"

"BRR-RRR-RRR!"

"Somebody's here?!"

Megan didn't want to believe what she was seeing. She didn't want to believe the person standing there was actually present. It... It couldn't be.

But it was. The boy talking to Nihilego, was none other than Gladion Aether.

The boy and beast turned around, finally noticing the trainers that had ever so rudely trespassed and even proceeded to eavesdrop on their conversation. Gladion seemed shocked when he saw his friends a few feet away, which gave them hope that he had come to his senses. Standing next to an Ultra beast, what was he thinking?!

But much to their dismay, their friend proceeded to give them the most disgusted scowl they had ever seen him give.

"Oh," He hissed "It's you."

"Gladion what are you doing?!" Lillie shrieked, staring at her brother in horror "Get away from that, it's dangerous!"

"What, the portal or beast?" Gladion spat, sticking his nose up "Suppose it doesn't matter anyway, neither will bring any harm to me. Though, you on the other hand might want to watch your step."

The way he spoke to them... It was so cold. And the way he looked at them, so hateful. There was no way this was Gladion, right?

"Take a good look," The boy spoke up again, this time wearing a devilish smirk as he gestured to the portal behind him "Right here is the start of the new, perfect world. One where beasts will rule over all else. One where human filth no longer touches the surface."

"W-What?" Hau's eyes widened "You summoned that?!"

"That I did, Hau." Gladion nodded, his smirk growing wider- and crazier.

"How?!" Sun yelled.

Gladion threw his head back laughing, and out of his hoodie pocket he pulled out something familiar. The Sun Flute "Being friends with a legendary Pokemon can be deemed useful after all. I just had to convince poor naive Nebby that it was for a good cause. Well, it is for a good cause- on my part anyway."

"Brr-rrr-rrr." Nihilego frilled about next to him, seeming to be agreeing with him.

"Gladion you gotta stop this!" Megan suddenly screamed, taking a step towards him "This is wrong, and you know it! This is what you were afraid of; making the same mistake your mother did!"

Gladion sent her a glare so cold, it made her stumble backwards "I'm finishing what my mother started, darling!" He hissed, spitting out the word 'darling' like it was the most distasteful thing ever "The only mistake she made was allowing herself to get defeated by a bunch of kids! Granted, I was one of them, but I opened my eyes. Something you'd be wise to do as well!"

"What... What do you mean?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" His maniacal laughter filled the cave "You still look at me as if I'm still the Gladion you claim to 'love'. I'm not, so snap out of that little fantasy of yours. I don't love you anymore; I was a fool for doing so, and it won't happen again! I only love the Ultra Beasts, and their awesome power!"

Megan stood frozen, tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared at the boy she cared so deeply for. The boy she wanted to spend her life with...

... The boy who had just ripped her heart out, crushed it, and threw it away like a piece of trash.

"THAT IS ENOUGH, GLADION!" Sun yelled, eyes filled with fury "THIS ISN'T YOU! YOU'D NEVER SAY STUFF LIKE THIS! YOU'D NEVER PUT THE LIVES OF YOUR FRIENDS AT RISK! YOU'D NEVER LOVE THE ULTRA BEASTS- NOT AFTER WHAT THEY DID TO YOU'RE FAMILY! YOU'D NEVER..." He looked down, his hair falling over his eyes "You'd never lie about not loving someone... especially to Megan. So quit this bullshit and come home with us! Better yet, send that beast back where it came from and close the portal!"

"Sun's right, Gladion!" Hau continued, eyes teary "You have to come back! We want our friend back!"

"You have to fight Nihilego's hold on you!" Lillie cried "You can't end up like mother! You just can't! You're our friend! You're Megan's lover! You're- You're my brother! You can't leave us for the beasts- I won't let you!"

Gladion listened, not saying a word as the fifteen year olds screamed all that sappy shit at him. His face remained unchanged, emotionless as his eyes travelled to Megan. She was staring directly at him, hoping her friend's words would bring him back.

Heh, well... Time to rip her of that hope once and for all. And perhaps her spirit while he was at it.

"ENOUGH!" He yelled, shutting the teens up immediately. With a smirk he held up a hand, and snapped his fingers. Nihilego floated towards him and lowered itself so it was above his head- No!

"You think this isn't me?" He laughed, as his body began to fuse with the beast's

"We'll see what you think when I rip you to shreds!"

(I don't own this picture)