Chapter Seventy Two

The door to the ward flew open and Macro dropped the ball he'd been holding. It fell from his mechanical paw onto his lap, then rolled onto the floor. It finally came to a stop at Jumper's feet. The frogadier stepped around it and held out his computer to Macro.

"We've got a clearer picture," he said. "I thought you'd want to see it."

Macro took the computer in his organic paw and frowned down at it. It wasn't much clearer than the other pictures he'd seen. Over the past five days he'd been handed photo after photo and it was always the same. Seed City, covered in a dome of purple fire. What he could see of the city was as much a blur as the previous photos had hinted at. Buildings twisted like corkscrews. Ground pulled up to form seamless walls dotted with ruins. Some of those 'walls' were littered around the dome, allowing a clearer perspective into the ongoings inside what pokemon were calling 'The Warped Zone'.

One thing was for certain, however.

"It's spreading." The words left Macro's mouth before he'd even finished thinking about them.

"I fear it is," said Jumper. "Unfortunately no one can get close enough to even take a decent picture, let alone deal with it."

Macro handed the computer back and met Jumper's eye. "Why do I feel like you're going to ask me to stay away from it?"

Jumper sighed and tucked the computer away, but not before giving the photo one last, scornful look. "Because you know I'm worried about you?"

"I'm fine."

Jumper's eye went to the mechanical paw. "Just because you survived your last run-in with this entity-"

"Look, Gov." Macro lifted his paws to silence him. "I'm goin'. I've got a job to do."

"You're a braver 'mon than I, Macro."

"Hey, I won't lie," said Macro. "I'm absolutely terrified. But someone's gotta stop it, and I'm not alone. I've got my crew, along with Annie and a load of other 'mon."

He pushed himself up slowly and retrieved the ball before reaching for his scarf. A black one, washed and pressed by DL. The one Switch had bought him had been reduced to tatters.

"Where are you going?" Jumper asked.

"Lunch. I've got a date."

"Ahh, with DL I imagine?" The frogadier smirked.

"No, actually." Macro handed him the ball and moved past him. "This one's with Time Archeops."

Jumper's jaw dropped and he watched him leave the room before scampering after him. "So you actually have a plan?"

"It ain't my plan," Macro explained. "Webber came to me with some crazy idea and I've been stewin' over it for days. Finally decided to pull myself together and get the ball rollin'."

"I have to say, I'm pretty curious."

"I wish I were. Instead, I'm terrified. It involves those Ultra Beasts."

Jumper stuttered and his eyes almost bugged from his head.

Macro chuckled and waved him off as he turned towards the elevator. "Exactly. Now you know how I feel inside." He tapped a mechanical claw to his temple.

Jumper sighed heavily and nodded to the doors. "This one's on you, I'm afraid. I think I'll take the stairs."

Macro watched him leave then climbed into the elevator. Once the doors opened again, he turned to his left to head into the cafeteria. Annie and her crew sat around a large table beside the window overlooking the garden. The horsea fountain gurgled away, spraying water from its nose into the pool around it. Given the window was open, the noise was audible over the voices of the cafe's few occupants.

Poipole sat beside Webber, clutching a small cake in both tiny paws. He froze and looked up as Macro pulled up a seat beside him. Annie stared back at the mawile, her claws folded neatly before her. It took a moment for him to realise she was imitating Waveform, faking a stoic expression. It melted away when she spotted Macro's paw and she scrambled across the table to grope for it.

Waveform grabbed her by the scruff and dragged her back into her seat. "Manners."

"I just wanna look," she whined.

"Look with your eyes." Waveform turned his attention onto Macro and nodded. "Good to see you're getting the hang of that paw."

Macro clutched his real one over it as he began to grow rather self conscious, but the warmth from the Z-Crystal placated him before it really kicked in.

"Yeah, it's fine," he said. "But that's not why I'm here. Webber suggested something to me a few days ago and I really think, if it's gonna work, we need to get things movin'."

"She told me the same thing." Annie spread her claws. "I agree. That Distortion fellow isn't goin' anywhere so we've gotta make him."

"To put it bluntly, yes," said Webber.

"I could put it blunter," muttered Trojan.

Macro looked about the table and grunted. "Hang on. Aren't there meant to be six of you guys? Where's the goldeen?"

"Having treatment," said Web. "Jumper was quite concerned about his stitches. He's been taking sitrus pills and basking in medical water for the past week. But he should be fine to leave with us when we're ready to go."

"He'll just up and leave anyway," said Annie. "That's our Zip! Always eager to help! Although... he's pretty gutted he's missin' this meeting."

"Which really should be under way," said Trojan. "So... Ultra Beasts. They seem pretty dangerous, so how do we recruit them without getting ourselves killed?"

"We smack them with Z-Moves!" Annie grinned.

"No," said Macro. "You don't. You do not harm the Ultra Beasts, understood?"

Annie pouted and folded her wings. "Fine. But trainers weaken pokemon in my world before we catch 'em! Same thing 'n' all that jazz."

"That's not how it works in my world," said Poipole. "But Ultra Beasts can communicate with one another just like we're doing now. So you're best bet is to establish an alliance through me."

Despite him still munching away at his cake, his mental voice sounded perfectly clear and unobstructed. It made Macro fell rather uneasy.

"I still think it won't work," said Trojan. "Does anyone have a better idea?"

"Z-Moves," said Annie.

Macro clenched his teeth together. "Here's an idea. How about savin' them for Distortion, eh?"

"I'll talk to them," Poipole went on, ignoring Annie and Macro. "If we start with those Ultra Beasts I'm more familiar with, we'll have a better chance of recruiting them."

"How so?" Annie leant towards him until her nose was almost touching his.

The little Ultra Beast backed away slightly, puffing noisily on his toxic tank. "Because if I were to approach one more alien to me - one that might never have met a poipole - they might see me as a threat. Like he did." He nodded towards Macro.

"He's got a point," said the mawile. "If those kartana attacked me because they saw me as a threat, then this little goop ball doesn't stand much chance, does he?"

Trojan scoffed. "From what I heard, he put up a better fight than you!"

"Oi!" Macro flashed a canine at the scrafty. "If we're all gonna get along in this little partnership, there has to be less snarkiness."

The two pokemon glared across the table at each other and Trojan balled his paws into tight fists. Web narrowed her eyes at him and he backed down, sinking into his seat and muttering to himself.

"I think we should start with the celesteela," said Poipole. "That way, we have a strong ally when we approach the kartana. After that, we'll recruit them as we find them."

Macro shuddered at the thought of the two Ultra Beast species. The screaming celesteela and the sharp, deadly kartana... would they really work alongside pokemon to stop Distortion and BackDoor? He shook it off and leant forward on his elbows.

"Might I suggest," he said slowly, "that after you get those two, you go for the xurkitree in Meta City? If they're still there, at least."

"Why?" Annie asked around a mouth full of cake.

"Because they're closer," said Macro. "If you scatter about going too and fro all over System then it will take forever to get them all."

"Scatter about..." Trojan parroted.

"Pardon?" Macro looked up at him.

"It's a good point," said Trojan. "If we break up, we'll cover more ground."

Macro pointed a claw at Poipole. "But you need him!"

"After we've got the others!" said Trojan. "Split us up. Take some of the beasts. Go and recruit more beasts. Split up. Find them. Recruit them. And so on and so forth."

"That's a fantastic idea!" Web beamed from ear to ear. "If the Ultra Beasts split up and hunt down more as well, then it will speed things up a lot!"

"And we've got our Z-Moves if they prove to be stubborn!" Annie cheered.

Macro and Poipole leant towards her. "You don't use your Z-Moves on the Ultra Beasts!" they roared.

Annie blinked a few times and fell back in her seat, looking between Poipole and the space pirate.

"Okay," she squeaked.

"I think it would be a good idea if we went on ahead," Web told Macro. "We can take our ship to Pulse City and recruit the celesteela there while you finish recovering."

Macro nibbled on a claw as he mulled this over. It certainly seemed like a good idea, and he wouldn't have to face the celesteela... although if it didn't agree to their terms...

No, they would be fine. They were strong pokemon, and Poipole knew more about it than any of them.

He nodded and turned to Web. "That sounds like a plan. How long do you need?"

"How far is Pulse City?" Poipole asked, still munching on his cake.

"About a half-day's flight in my ship," said Macro. "I dunno about your pyukumyuku, though."

"Yours has hyper drive, right?" asked Trojan.

"Yes, it does." Macro narrowed his eyes, speaking slowly as he dreaded the scrafty's next question.

"Then if we use your ship," said Trojan, "we could do it in less than a day, and still be back here before dawn tomorrow."

With a celesteela in tow. Macro swallowed audibly and glanced to the window.

"Look, if you're worried about us wreckin' your ship, it ain't gonna happen," said Trojan. "I tend to be a bit ship proud, which surprised me actually."

"Yeah!" Annie leaned forward all too keenly. "If any harm comes to your ship, it wont be from our claws! It'll be from that 'steela thing."

Macro grew a little faint. He sank back in his seat, trying not to stare at the archeops.

"Fine," he muttered. "You can use my ship. But on one condition!"

Annie inclined her reptilian head on one side. "And what's that?"

"You take Anchor."

She blinked. "Why do you want me to take an anchor?"

...

Trojan marched on ahead of Annie and her crew, his paws tucked behind his head and each step a hefty stomp.

"Lends me his ship and doesn't even trust me to drive the jackin' thing," he muttered.

Anchor glanced at Annie and cleared his throat. "You sure this is really okay?"

"Yeah!" she waved a dismissive wing. "Macro leant us his ship, you heard it from the horse's mouth."

"Horse?" Anchor's muzzle creased and he raised an eyebrow.

"It's a metaphor," said Annie. "Besides! This is gonna be fun! We'll fly off to Pulse City and catch us a celesteela!" She paused and twirled to face him. "Got any pokeballs?"

Anchor's jaw went slack and he shook his head slowly. "Pokeballs?"

She waved a wing again and continued marching towards the docks. "Guess it's just a human thing then. We'll have to catch it in a big net."

"We won't need a net," said Poipole. "Once it understands, it should come with us freely just like I'm doing now."

"Except it's the size of a freakin' city," said Anchor. "Where are we gonna put it?"

"It's only thirty feet tall," said Poipole.

"Yeah, how small are your cities?" asked Annie.

Anchor sank slightly. "All right, fine. I exaggerated. But still, thirty feet ain't exactly somethin' to scoff at. We're like joltiks to that thing."

Annie cocked an eyebrow. "What's a joltik?"

Anchor paused beside Wildcard Gamma and gave Annie a confused shake of the head. He said nothing as he opened the door and nodded for them to climb on board. A little buzz reached his ears and he looked up to see Matrix vanishing into the cockpit.

"Oi!" Anchor scrambled on before Waveform, eliciting a startled hoot. The granbull skidded into the cockpit. "Matrix, what do you think you're doin'?"

The ribombee looked up from the navigation deck. "Navigating."

"Did Macro tell you to navigate?" Anchor growled.

Matrix shrugged and twisted back to the deck, keying in the co-ordinates for Pulse City. "You need one, so here I am. Pulse City all keyed in."

"Leave him?" Annie flopped into Macro's chair and kicked her talons up on the dashboard. "Ooh, you've got seat belts!"

Anchor sighed and moved towards his seat. He had to shoo Trojan from it, much to the scrafty's displeasure.

"Somehow, I feel like this ain't gonna go well," muttered the granbull.

"What was that?" Annie fixed one eye on him.

"Nothin'. Just silently scoldin' my captain for this crazy idea."

"It were Web's crazy idea," said Annie.

"Aye, and where is she right now?"

"Lettin' Zip know were leavin' on a short trip."

"That ain't gonna go down well," said Trojan. "But I guess it's a good thing he ain't comin'. This ship ain't got locks for his feet, and I doubt Hunter's gonna want water spillin' all over his ship."

"He doesn't go by Hunter anymore," said Anchor. "He's Macro to anyone who listens."

"Sorry, but I ain't used to that."

"Well, get used to it," said Anchor. "He hates that old alias. And now Socket's outta the picture, Hunter's definitely gone."

Trojan snorted and cast his eyes around the cockpit. "Only three chairs, eh? Where do you expect us all to park our tails?"

"I dunno, kitchen?" Anchor nodded towards the cockpit door. "Cookie will probably appreciate the company and cook you up some nice pancakes."

"Ooh!" Annie flew from her seat and darted for the kitchen, grabbing Waveform by the wing and dragging the startled decidueye after her.

Anchor nodded to Trojan and waved a paw to the now vacant seat. "There you go, problem solved."

Web clattered onto the ship and glanced towards the kitchen as she entered the cockpit. A small smile played at her lips and she settled herself down in the middle of the room.

"A bit lax on seats in here, huh?" she said.

"This ship were designed for a crew of three," said Anchor. "A crew of three plus our chef, and he spends all his time in the kitchen if he ain't sleepin'." He looked over at Web as the ship flared to life. "How's the little goldeen?"

"Zip? He's fine," said Web. "Just a little sad he can't come with us. I think he's had enough of the hospital now."

"So he'll make a full recovery then?"

The schooling wishiwashi left the docks, turning slowly towards Pulse City. When Web didn't answer, Anchor looked back at her.

"I'm not sure," she said quietly. "They've not done medical work on a fish pokemon before."

"You kiddin' me?" Trojan scoffed before Anchor could respond. "It's a city full of water types! And they're mostly vegan!"

Web looked up at him. "It's not Cyan City at fault, dear. It's the bigwigs in the medical industry. If medicine isn't created for use on a fish, then it doesn't exist. What Cyan City is doing is very experimental."

Somehow that didn't bode well.

Wildcard Gamma was a safe enough distance from Cyan City for a quick hyperdrive burst. Anchor called to the cockpit to brace themselves before pushing it into hyperdrive. Web's claws dragged across the floor as she fought to stay in place, crouching low to the ground. A 'whoop!' came from the kitchen followed by a clatter, splashes and a distressed squeal from the ship's chef. Anchor grimaced at the mental image of a sticky archeops sprawled over the remains of Cookie's lunch menu.

The granbull shook his head slowly. Hyperdrive or not, this was going to be a long journey.

...

Macro strolled down the corridor towards the rehabilitation ward. DL was already there, chatting to Jumper and one of the doctors. The male dewott tapped at the computer's touch-screen keypad, their conversation long under way before the mawile had even had chance to tear himself away from Annie and her crew.

He pushed his way through the door, violet eyes scanning over the various chambers adorning the wall. The room was massive, and each chamber sported a bug pokemon. The rooms they occupied were three times their length in width and depth, but Macro still felt they were too small. In the corner, back to the wall, sat Switch in his human form. He'd seen him before, but not in this ward. His eyes were as empty as the previous time, and it made Macro feel hollow inside.

"Any joy?" he croaked as he joined Jumper's side.

"None," said Jumper. "And it's somewhat ironic... given Switch was one of the researchers behind this issue with the bug pokemon."

"I want to know how Luma City got hold of the technology," said DL, "because Socket didn't hand it out."

"Hackers," said Macro. "Or someone who worked for her sold it."

"Either way, it doesn't help us," said the dewott. "What we need are the raw files his memories are on."

"I already told you," Macro said through clenched teeth, "they're either deleted or stored on the computer Socket's crony used. And if it's the latter, that's currently holed up in a possessed mansion. And we can't be sure the computer wasn't destroyed in all that chaos!"

Jumper nodded slowly and leant against the wall. "It leaves us in a rather... dire situation."

"Us? What about him?" Macro waved a paw at Switch. "He's out of his own world, Gov, and he's gotta go back like this! Who knows how that will affect the time-line? His life? It were almost a thousand years ago, they won't have this kind of technology!"

DL looked up at Macro, her eyes wet with tears. "There's nothing we can do right now."

"No..." Macro slumped against the wall beside Jumper and folded his arms. "I suppose there ain't."

"Just like the bugs, we can teach him to be a living being," said the dewott, "but we can't teach him about who he is. Not without extensive research dating back to his childhood years."

"Even System wouldn't have that," said Jumper. "I'm under the impression he was an adult when he arrived."

Macro bit his lip as his eye drifted to the human. Switch hunched forward with an arm hanging over one knee, staring blankly at the door. Macro hadn't even tried speaking to him. He'd been told it was pointless, and to focus on recovery.

"Maybe it's like amnesia?" he suggested.

"What do you mean?" the dewott asked.

"Well, you don't have any of these bug types' families, do you?" Macro shrugged. "We don't even know if they were hatched normally. These bugs could've been lab grown for all we know. So... what if someone Switch knows were to talk to him? It might help jog some memories."

"He has none," said Jumper. "We've quizzed him-"

"Who's to say everything's been taken?" Macro asked. "It might be a long shot, but I suggest we try! System needs him, and not just to chase off some monster building!"

DL looked up at Jumper and pawed at her ear. "He has a point. It's worth a shot."

"Would it have worked on you?" Jumper asked.

DL shrugged her shoulders and huddled into herself. "I don't know. There's no one from my childhood..." She trailed off, her eyes going distant and watery.

It ate Macro up inside. He shook his head and let out a slow sigh. "Just give me a shot, doc."

The dewott waved a paw. "Go ahead. Try."

Macro kicked back from the wall and approached the human. Seeing him sat like that caused a lump to rise in Macro's throat. He froze part way and glanced back over his shoulder.

"I think I'd rather you weren't hangin' around," he told the dewott.

"I'm the doctor," the dewott protested.

"So? I think the results would be pretty clear after, eh?"

The dewott sighed and grabbed his Clipboard, then he strutted from the room. Jumper wasn't far behind him. He paused by the door and gave Macro a pointed look.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he said.

Macro shrugged his shoulders. "Would you?"

The door closed behind them, leaving just Macro and DL alone with the human. Macro's claws twitched as he braced himself to approach Switch, unsure of what to say or do.

DL's meek voice reached him from beside the computer. "Do you want me to leave?"

Macro thought about it for a moment, straining to push the lump back down his throat. "No."

DL gave a quiet 'okay' as she huddled into the computer chair.

Macro gave himself a mental shake and pushed himself on until he was close enough to place a paw on Switch's arm. Nothing. He reached behind his head and flicked the switch. The human stretched languidly and his blank eyes flitted to the mawile's.

"Are you Socket?" he asked.

It already felt dire.

"Switch?" Macro said quietly. "Remember me?"

"My name is Download Database," said Switch. "I am programmed only to serve Socket."

That lump shot straight back up into Macro's throat, strangling his voice.

"No you're not!" he whined. "You're a human! You ain't some computer! You have a life, a family! Remember?"

"Family is irrelevant. I am just a database. Please shut me off. The first pokemon I see must be Socket."

"No! I'm not gonna turn you off like some computer! You're my friend!" Macro dug his claws into Switch's arm, causing a visible wince. "See? You feel! You're not just some computer! Search that database of yours and see if you can find who you really are tucked away in some little void!"

Switch's eyes went distant for a brief moment, then fixed back on Macro. "No such information. Please switch me off. The first Pokemon I see must be Socket."

Macro bit his lip so hard he tasted blood. His eyes filled with tears and he slumped forward, burying his face into Switch's sleeve.

"Please..." Macro sobbed. "Say something snarky. Make a joke. Tell me I'm a jerk. Sass me! Wink!"

Switch said nothing. Macro felt him shift, but when he looked back up Switch was just staring back at the door. Eyes empty. Tears flowed freely from Macro's eyes and he huddled into the human's arm.

DL's soft paw grabbed his shoulder and pulled him towards her. He released Switch and looped his arms around her neck, sobbing into her fur.

"I've failed him," he said. "I was meant to get him home..."

She hugged him tightly and trailed a paw over his back. "You've not failed him."

"I have! I let this happen..."

"No. You didn't." DL's voice sounded thick with tears. "It's not your fault, please understand that."

He shook his head, choking back a sob. Part of him knew she was right, but he couldn't help but blame himself. Even if he hadn't personally failed him, it sure felt like it.

...

To say Pulse City had seen better days would have been an understatement.

The air was close to freezing as a breeze blew through the shattered dome. Frost peppered the ruined walls and froze moisture into slippery patches over the tarmac. Green vines grew up through the cracked floor, glinting with frosty dewdrops like an adornment of pearls. It would have been a pretty sight if they weren't penetrating walls and squeezing rubble, reducing the former city to ruins. Buildings lay in tatters, bricks and mortar strewn about the apocalyptic wasteland. Neon boards flickered erratically as they strained to clutch on to what precious electricity remained to fuel them. The only sounds came from the distorted mechanical voices that had advertised former entertainment arcades, and the occasional grunt from a small, green sewaddle as he strained to lift a stone slab with his head.

"Need a paw there, Worm?" Anchor came to a stop at his side.

Worm looked around with a squeak, dropping the stone slab back in place. A pained yelp came from deep within it, washing away Worm's surprise with a look of remorse.

"Is there someone under there?!" Anchor barked.

"Keep your voice down!" Worm hissed.

Anchor froze and glanced around at the vines. One or two twitched, causing the rubble they encased to crumble, trickling powdery residue onto the tarmac.

The sewaddle frowned up at the granbull before returning to his task. "You should know better than to sneak up on a pirate in a place like this!"

Anchor looked around at the wasteland and shrugged. "I ain't never seen a place like this."

Worm said nothing, grunting as he craned out his neck to lift the stone slab. With a final jump, the slab pivoted on its edge and fell backwards onto the street with an almighty clatter. What had lay beneath it was a black and yellow striped leg. Anchor shook himself and leapt to the bug pokemon's aide, hoisting a large rock from its captive.

"It's been like this for weeks," Worm explained. "This fellow was tryin' to rebuild this apartment so those of us stuck here have somewhere to stay, but the wall caved in."

Anchor froze, holding up the large rock with one paw. "Why are you stayin' here?"

"Ships got wrecked," said Worm. "And no one's comin' here to save us, so we thought we'd make do. That giant fellow is happy enough now its roots have set in. We just gotta learn to live with it, haven't we?"

Anchor tossed the rock beyond the rubble and reached for another, larger slab pressing on its victim's torso. "How many of you are left here?"

"About a hundred or so," Worm explained. "We've been livin' in the black market, but it ain't home. We decided we aught to just make do and try to live alongside our new 'friend'. I mean, it ain't that bad so long as you keep your distance. Those that get too close get whacked by one of its cannons. Eek!"

Worm curled into a ball, his wide, black eyes fixed on Poipole. The alien drifted from side to side, examining the rubble curiously.

"Is someone stuck there?" Poipole asked in his telepathic voice.

Worm uncurled, fixing the Ultra Beast with a look of confused terror.

"Don't worry yourself, Worm," said Anchor. "This here is Poipole. He's a friend."

"F-f-friend?!" Worm squeaked. "Like that vine-cannon-monster?"

"Celesteela," Poipole corrected.

"I beg your pardon?" Worm rose to his feet and gave Poipole an accusatory glare.

"That's the creature's name," Poipole explained. "Celesteela."

"It has a name?!"

"She."

Worm blinked in bewilderment, but Poipole turned his attention to Anchor.

"Once you've freed your friend," said Poipole, "I have something I need to show you."

"Hang on!" Worm clambered onto the rubble, oblivious to the trapped Pokemon's protests, so he could look Poipole in the eye. "I think you need to explain a little more. How much do you know about this creature that destroyed my home?!"

"Her destruction of your home was not an act of malice," said Poipole. "As for why she hits you if you get too close... that is because you are climbing into her nest."

Worm stuttered, blinking rapidly. "Nest?"

Anchor scooped up the stunned sewaddle, setting him back onto the road. Then he lifted the last of the largest rocks from the trapped pokemon. The smaller ones fell away as an electabuzz pushed himself up so he was sitting. Anchor grabbed his paw in both of his and hoisted him to his feet. The electabuzz grunted with the effort and clutched a paw to his chest. The other paw hung limply at his side, useless.

"Think that cracked a few ribs," he gasped.

"You got a medic?" Anchor asked.

The electabuzz shook his head. "Not as such, no."

"Then I'll send you to my ship. Our chef knows a thing or two about first aid. He'll fix that arm in a splint and check your ribs while he's at it."

Poipole's large, purple face popped up between Anchor and the electabuzz. "I must show you something quick."

"What's the hurry?" Anchor asked. "This 'mon needs help."

"Annie knows scotch about patience."

"Oh, that." The granbull nodded his understanding and turned to Worm. "Show your friend to our ship and let Cookie know what the problem is."

"You're gonna allow strange pirates onto your ship?" Worm scoffed.

"Time of need, Worm," said Anchor. "Besides, you can't fly it and your friend's only got one workin' arm. Matrix and Cookie would be more of a match for either of you."

Worm shook his head. "Forget it. I'm not interested in your ship. I wanna know what the deal is with this monster."

"Celesteela is not a monster," said Poipole. "They're usually quite placid."

Worm spat the word 'placid' as though it were poison.

"If you wanna come along, fine." Anchor nodded to the electabuzz. "But he needs help gettin' to our ship."

"I'll be fine," said the electabuzz. "I wouldn't mind knowing what's goin' on either."

Anchor watched the electric pokemon flinch as he staggered around the mound of rubble.

The granbull shook his head and waved a dismissive paw. "Suit yourself. Can't say I blame you, I'd be curious n'all. Lead the way, Poipole."

The purple Ultra Beast did a somersault and took off ahead of them at the speed of knot. Anchor had to trot to keep up, leaving a protesting Worm and limping electabuzz to follow after him. Part of the granbull hoped desperately they'd give up and go to his ship. Poipole didn't have to lead them far, however. They reached the back alley of Moonlight Lounge, where Annie was crouching beside Web. The archeops stared intensely at a tangle of tiny, slender vines growing beside a drain.

Anchor joined her side and followed her gaze. "What are we lookin' at?"

"This." Annie pointed a claw at a small, sharp thorn. "Cute ain't it?"

Anchor ducked closer, unsure as to why a thorn would be thought of as cute. Then he spotted it. A tiny face in a tiny bamboo protrusion at the pinnacle of the thorn. His jaw dropped.

"A hatchling?!" he squeaked.

Worm stopped beside him, gasping for breath. He was about to berate the granbull when he spotted what all the fuss was about. His jaw almost hit the floor and his cry of despair rose into the air.

Anchor snapped his head around and hissed at the sewaddle to shut up. Once the echo had faded, the vines began to shift. The tiny celesteela opened its mouth and let out a shrill scream.

"Oh good job, bug!" Annie snapped. "You've only gone and woke it!" She turned back to the baby Ultra Beast. "Hush now, little'un. Go back to sle-"

A deep, eerie scream filled the city. Annie leapt to her feet, stepping back from the baby. The larger vines surrounding it shifted, sending rubble raining down from what was left of the tall apartment blocks. The celesteela's bamboo face rose above them, searching the streets with its tiny eyes.

"Oh great, now we gotta book it!" Annie turned to flee, but Web grabbed her by the scruff. She turned her neck to raise an eyebrow at the skuntank. "Whatcha doin'?"

"We can't just leave!" said Web. "We've got a job to do!"

Annie pointed at Poipole as he shot up towards the celesteela's face. "Yeah, and he's doin' it. Let's go."

She snatched herself free and ran towards the main road. Waveform and Trojan rounded the corner, the latter almost colliding with the archeops. He steadied himself by placing his paws on Annie's shoulders.

"There's gotta be hundreds of them!" he gasped at Web. "All over the city, growin' on them vines!"

The screams reached a deafening crescendo. Amongst the chaos, Anchor could pick out shrill, child-like cries. The celesteela raised a cannon, aiming it into the back alley. The opening lit up red, and even at such a distance they could feel the intense heat radiating from it.

"Celesteela, stop!" Poipole screamed, waving his tiny arms before her face. "You have to listen to me!"

The massive Ultra Beast's tiny eyes fixed on him briefly before going once again to the space pirates.

"They are no threat to you or your children!" Poipole went on. "But there is a threat out there, and we need your help!"

The cannon froze, still aimed at the space pirates, still radiating a threatening heat.

"Please, listen to me!" said Poipole. "These are not your enemies! They want to send you home, to send all of us home. But they can't because of The Altered One!"

The red heat from the cannon vanished, washed away immediately by the frosty breeze. Celesteela's eyes went back to Poipole. Wide, alarmed, and prompting an explanation. Slightly threatening. A low wail came from deep within her throat, chilling the space pirates to the core.

"I'm telling the truth," said Poipole. "He's taken over a mansion in this world, and has destroyed a city to control it. His control will spread throughout System if we don't stop him, and then we'll never get back home. Never get back to our trainers."

Celesteela shook her head slowly.

"You might not have a trainer," Poipole went on, "but surely you want to go home? To raise your babies somewhere safe... and warm?"

Celesteela looked back down at the alley. The small thorn-like children had stopped screaming. The one beside Annie's feet had begun to snore. The Ultra Beast turned her attention back to Poipole and gave a curt nod. A brief silence passed between them, then Celesteela broke it. With a long, shrill screech. The purple Ultra Beast wasn't remotely afraid. He shot back down towards his friends and hovered before them.

"She'll help," he said. "But first she needs to make sure her children are okay."

"All right," said Anchor. "How long do they take to grow up?"

"That's not what she meant."

The celesteela's eyes were fixed on the space pirates. A deep gnawing feeling spread through Anchor's gut.

"What does she want?" he rumbled.

"Someone needs to care for them." Poipole turned to Worm. "I heard you say there were about a hundred of you living here?"

Worm blinked at the Ultra Beast and shuffled his feet on the ground. "Why do I have the horrible, gut-wrenching feeling you're gonna ask me to baby sit?"