Chapter 63: Welcome to the Ultra Jungle
"You can't be serious. Boss, I beg of you to refocus on today's objectives, the ID3I's progress is near completion," Arc was in OZone's office, resuming some important matters involving what had happened in the Ultra Ruins. The man sat there, his face expressed he had other important tasks to handle, but OZone had to pick up where they left off after the major encounter with UB: Glutton. "We must resume our final steps before you set off onto the next world to capture the next Ultra Beast. If I may personally speak, you shouldn't concern yourself about my past. It's not a big deal."
When Arc said that it was not a "big deal" OZone just watched his most loyal admin with disbelief. His eyes strained and his head gently sweated to Arc's lightly taking the situation.
"No big deal? Arc. I'm going, to be honest. I'm not using the word 'disappointed' to explain how I feel about your... Err... 'Solution' to your issue. I am disturbed by your decision."
Arc groans in stress when OZone brought up his concerns. He actually thought he was off the hook when he moved on with Mitsuki's mission to capture UB: Symbiont. Turns out, OZone saved it for another day, which is currently here. The man in charge informed Arc of his concern, showing him that the choice he made was a grave mistake.
"Arc... How could you pass that just like a pat on the back? You-you committed-"
OZone slowly choked on his own words, uncertain on how to approach the conflict firsthand, especially one that took place over thirty years ago. His own traffic of his own words made him feel off, like in a way that made him feel like a fool, worried that he wasn't getting anywhere with the very man in front of him. On the other hand, the problem in Arc's perspective wasn't the fact that OZone didn't know what exactly to say next, but the fact he was still on the topic.
"Yes, sir. I did commit an attempt at murder. I understand it wasn't exactly something I'm proud of, but I'm fine now 30 years later. Please, can we just resume our duties?"
The constant request of dismissal of the second in command of Cosmos Corp. only made the one in charge feel even more uncomfortable. OZone clearly understands that Arc just wants to move in from the discussion of Arc's decision to push a group of students off of a cliff. They both were frustrated for different reasons. So he took a deep breath and remembered who was in charge of the organization. He shook his head, his game faces back on track, the same one everyone in the building recognizes.
"No. I need to get something straight about your little "stunt". Not only it wasn't right, but... How can you sleep at night knowing you possibly took some lives? Arc. You can't-Why-?.."
Arc's hard look on his face softened, he looks down to think about his actions, but he looks back up to him, his face read no regret, no remorse, or any self-guilt for his dark actions. He stuck to his guns.
"Sir, I won't deny what I did. No matter how annoying or useless some people on the planet may be, it is not okay to do what I did. It's been 30 years since then, and I moved on from my past self. If I may, I'll be excusing myself to handle today's duties-" At this point, OZone had it, he still wasn't done, he put his hand on his desk and shared what he thought of Arc's statement.
"Is that so? You fully moved on from yourself 30 years ago? Then how about your continuous scowling? I can understand why you get upset with your fellow admins, but I'm not convinced that you are a new man. You may feel new, but you still hang onto your grudge to others. Arc," After a pause to himself, OZone had made a decision, one that he might regret. "Look. I'm not letting you go, yet. After my goal is complete, I have no choice but to do so for your shameless act, and the possibility of doing it again. I'm sorry."
For the first time in a LONG time, Arc frowned in a sad mood rather than to crunch his face in anger, one that clenched his teeth so hard, you can his teeth compacting together over the sound of his heavy breathing. Arc didn't like OZone's decision, but it was one that he was to groan about for another day.
"... ... ... I understand, sir. If that is your final decision, I have nothing to object to. Anything else you would like to cover while we're still here?"
Finally hearing other than the constant permission to leave, OZone finally relaxed himself to get back on track.
"No, return to your post and be ready before our next meeting."
"Understood."
An hour of secure measurements of a familiar but intense situation has dimmed down to the point where all of the Admins gathered in the same meeting room to discuss their next Ultra Beast to capture. OZone took place in front of the projection screen where he usually stood for the meetings, while Arc this case was quiet. Not in the way he was trying to pay attention, but he was really down from his private conference between him and his boss, so he didn't have as much in him to quiet down the chattery Admins or to bring order so OZone didn't have to do so himself.
"Everyone, I thank you for completing your daily tasks both efficiently and quickly, as I have our next Ultra Beast on our radar."
OZone clicks on a button that's connected to the projector, implementing a picture up on the screen just like a slideshow. The next slide was a photo that the ID3D had taken. The photo was blurry and it was hard to make up the exact details of it, but the next UB was big, red, and was getting around with wings.
"What in the world is that?"
Tony tried to get a closer look at the unidentified Ultra Beast but still couldn't get any ideas on it.
"Hmm... it seems to be hovering on the ground, but those wings are because of it. With some on the back, it couldn't be a Flying-Type."
Belle sat and thought about the possibilities of what else it could be. This is when Serenity crossed put that it could be a Dragon-type since there are some Pokémon with scaly wings on the back creating a Dragon.
"Perhaps it could be a Dragon-Type Pokémon, they tend to have big scaly wings on their backs."
Several heads nod to Serenity's thought on the blurry Beast, but there was at least one person among the group who had his own idea on what typing it could be.
"Maybe a Bug-Type, anyone?"
No one said a word, looking directly at the crowd, Serenity drops her view onto her table space, while Daichi doing the same when Buzz mentioned his favorite Pokémon typing. The scrawny man flicked his head left to right, not hearing a word to his suggestion.
"What?! None of you could think it could be a Bug-Type Ultra Beast??"
The man was at a loss for words, but everyone was getting off track. This is the part usually where Arc would set everyone straight back to the focus on the boss for further directions, but he lost his sense of authority.
"Buzz. Does it really matter what it could be? You and I both know what really matters is capturing it... for our objectives..."
Arc zoned out, leaving his answer there to pass it off hoping everyone would take their eyes off of him. Everyone but you know who was a little taken back on how he wasn't his stone-cold self and his focus on the daily mission, but the one to notice the biggest change is none other than Molly.
"What-what was that, Arc? I couldn't hear your whispering since you're always raising your voice."
The man didn't even have the energy and anger to deal with Molly and her childish shenanigans. Cypher places his hands on Molly's back, warning her not to poke a stick at him when he's in this defeated feeling.
"Don't even try it, Molly. It's the quietest he's been since as long as I could remember. You mean no harm, but please don't."
The youngest of the group held back a pout, but she glances over to the defeated assistant, which she nods back.
"Yeah, any day where he's not at my throat is already a good start."
Needless to any guidance, it was time to get back on track. OZone asked who was the volunteer to be acceptable of taking the Ultra Beast under their wing, as Buzz stood up. There wasn't any competition for it with the thought of it being a giant bug Pokémon, it was just a turn-off.
"Come on, people! Lighten up! There is no reason to turn heads just because the Ultra Beast could be a Bug-Type! It would be inspiring to research such a big creature under my favorite typing! No time to waste OZone! Let's pack up and be on our way!"
Buzz eagerly fast-walks out of the room, while leaving everyone in a mix of surprise and disturbance. OZone himself was the first to break the silence.
"Is it me or is Buzz ironically the most fired up I have ever seen him before?"
Mitsuki nods, but it was kinda nice to see someone else among the group be up to high spirits, and the usually most motivated at a crashing low.
"I... I'm pleased to see Buzz looking forward to his part of the mission. Although seeing Arc so down worries me as well."
Arc didn't respond to her concern, as Rōzu sat next to her and whispered not to tick him off, similarly to how Cypher warned Molly.
"I wouldn't worry, it's way too good to be true that he'll be down like that for a while. He's probably gonna get back on the high horse first thing tomorrow."
Turning around to his right, was a Daichi lost in thought, worried about Buzz's certainty of what the Beast can identify as.
"You okay, Daichi?"
His friend asked, who slowly looks up with a slight nod.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just... Not a fan of Bug-Type Pokémon, you know that."
Suddenly he feels a pat on the back from their boss, making sure if he was feeling okay before resuming their daily duties.
"That concludes today's meeting. Buzz and I will return shortly, please help the staff if they have any questions or issues."
Everyone nods while OZone headed out the door. Belle stood up, keeping his eyes on the door, one of the only admins who was hoping Buzz was right.
"I can't help but wonder what a Bug themed Ultra Beast would look like."
Just before OZone and Buzz set forth into new territory to capture the same beast that was caught on camera, OZone waved to the rest of the admins before they were dismissed to handle work in the other levels of the building. Buzz was still pretty gleaming to hit the road which seems a bit odd knowing the place they were stepping themselves into, or lack thereof. In fact, when the entrance opened for the ID3I, Buzz was the first to step in before OZone did. He may have been eager, but thankfully he didn't step into the world carelessly as that is where his life could've been at an end.
Taking a second to acknowledge their surroundings, this Ultraspace was a lot more beautiful in comparison to where both UB-Gluttony and UB-Symbiont. The sky was as clear and blue as it was back home, and the trees were so high, you couldn't see the ground below.
"This world... Is just as nice as the Alolan region. Fascinating..."
He turns away from the very bizarre trees that were connected to each other with vines to a man whose breath was taken away.
"Fascinating?? Sir! This is astonishing behind my wildest dreams! Look at that luscious jungle where that volcano lies! The common jungle is a paradise for Bug Pokémon! Despite the bird Pokémon that also live here, but sir! It's more than fascinating! It's a dream!"
Buzz has spun around almost as a girl would and heads to the large vines that held the two trees together. He was beginning to cross as OZone tried to contain him from being way too risky.
"Buzz! Wait! Don't look down! Don't look down!"
For the first time in years, he felt like he was hanging on a thread trying to keep up with his own employee. Yes, he had just a teeny bit of trouble trying to keep up with the buzzing force to be reckoned with. Getting used to crossing these vine bridges, OZone had something on his mind that he probably should've asked a long time ago, for some reason, it had never come across his mind until this second.
"... Buzz. Where did your obsess-I mean, your fascination with Bug-type Pokémon come from?"
Crossing another vine bridge, Buzz kept his eyes on the volcano lightly letting loose a trail of smoke in the sky and answered the question in the air.
"Did I never tell you, sir? My apologies. You know my cousin who works man-made island in the middle of the ocean in Alola, Aether Paradise. Faba? Yeah! We used to spend a lot of time indoors when we were little kids. He always informed me about what was going on in his big brain of his, and he didn't hold back any punches. He corrected just about everything I did, He would correct me whenever we played any board games and he claimed how he was the smartest boy on the block."
Buzz frowned rethinking back to those old days when he was a boy, but then he smiled. That's when OZone figured he was getting to the good part of the story.
"But this one time his family was staying over at my place, A Grubbin burrowed from the ground like a Yungoos, scaring Faba so bad, he wet his pants!"
The man held a laugh, feeling like he shouldn't be going around to tell that story, but since he and his boss were literally the only ones around, there was no need to hold back.
"I didn't like bug Pokémon back then, but Faba though... He couldn't stand them any better than I did. So I kept that very Grubbin to scare Faba every time he would correct me on anything. He eventually stopped when we hit middle school, but me... I kinda got hooked on that Grubbin."
He held a Pokéball tucked into his lab coat, containing a Pokémon that he was just speaking of, a grown stage of it.
"The more time I spent in that backyard with Grubbin, the better friends we became. That's when I started collecting even more bug Pokémon when I was old enough to explore outside. I made great friends during those years. Middle school wasn't all that fun since everyone called me 'Bug-eye Buzz.'"
His boss turned from a little weirded out by his hobby of studying Bug-type Pokémon to a rather pleasing state where he was proud of Buzz for letting nothing in the way of what makes him personally happy.
"It's been like that since the bigging of high school to the end of my college years. And that's where I settled my career working at Cosmos Corporation. Making the world a better place, with you, OZone."
The man smiled down, as he gave a pat on the back to Buzz. Happy to hear someone who loves typing Pokémon regardless of how creepy they appear to be. One last question rose on OZone's mind before they reached the end of the bridges made up of trees and vines.
"Was there any particular reason you came to Cosmo Corporation?"
Buzz nodded as he stopped in his footsteps and answered the man.
"Why yes, there is! Your corporation first hand sounded like it would tackle nature environment issues and science on the Pokémon who inhabit the forest or jungle. Being paid to study bug Pokémon is a real dream of true! But it seems like it was more than that."
Buzz shrugged, not that upset he was just one of the many people who were dragged into the mission of capturing extraterrestrial beasts was kind of not what he's been contracted to assist his boss with. OZone felt like he should apologize for the whole mess, but there was no time for that. A horrible echoing from somewhere that the men couldn't spot. The constant echoing turned into a buzzing as if a Pokémon from afar was using a nasty Bug Buzz that was causing the noise. What caused it was something totally left field.
Hovering above the tall muscular trees, a very bulky and red insect with wings landed on the same tree they were on and flex its large muscles. It was so outrageous that the very volcano erupted behind them. OZone gulped as an insect that hovered above the tree could just be the death of the men with little ways of escape. Thankfully, Buzz's reaction was a lot more jaw-dropping compared to what was going on in OZone's mind.
"A-Amazing! I was right! It's not a dragon, it's an insect! A glorious Bug-type Pokémon!"
Before this giant bulging Ultra Beast could attack with a Dynamic Punch, OZone sent out his Incineroar to collide such overwhelming forces with its Cross Chop, Incineroar wasn't doing so well. With the beast's ultra aura flaring to its aid, Buzz had to be a little diverse if he wanted to overthrow this beast than just relying on brute strength.
"NO! INCINEROAR!"
Before the giant beast could harm either OZone himself or his injured Pokémon with a Dynamic Punch that will no doubt land, Buzz sent out his Vikavolt and landed a heavy Air Slash right on the back. Buzz couldn't rely on keeping a slow Pokémon to keep hits a minimal as possible. The red beast darted towards Buzz, and that's when it was thrown in a loop when he sent out his Scizor.
"Double Team!"
Shadow copies of the metal red bug multiplied, the Ultra Beast hurled itself with a Mega Punch, only to hit copy after copy. As soon as Incineroar reenters itself back into the fight, it lands a Flamethrower right onto the back. Copies of Scizor were spawning, as Incinaroar drained the beast of its energy until it flew down to Incineroar for a Dynamic Punch, right before Buzz swapped his Scizor for Vikavolt again, as it blasted another Air Slash, pinning the beast to the ground after a major impact on the tree.
"Alright! Here we go! Baseball throwing lessons don't fail me now! Beast Ball!"
Scooping up the beast and fighting back just a little bit, the capsule was sealed and the beast maintained. OZone slumped down to the ground, fighting something with massive muscles did frighten him a bit, but it is clear that it has major weaknesses.
"... Well done Buzz. You truly had my back on this one. Oh-Buzz?"
The man held his Beast Ball close to his face, the fact of possibly the tallest and heaviest insect Pokémon he had ever encountered in his possession, he can now die a happy man.
"... I knew looking for the best Bug-type Pokémon had to be on a trail where few can travel. Something... Out of this world..."
OZone awkwardly smiled, just unbalanced by the facts he was closely killed by a giant bug beast, and Buzz's obsession overall blinding his own fear, but oh well. It was caught and that's all that matters.
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