"How can this be? How can another Ultra Wormhole open up?"

Gladion scanned through the data Faba had brought him. It just doesn't add up. We sent the Ultra Beasts back to their own dimension and pulled my mother out. So why are the beasts appearing again?

His thoughts were interrupted by the static of his earpiece. "Sir, this is Team One," a male voice said. "We've spotted a Nihilego on Melemele."

"What?!" Gladion yelled in surprise. "I was just there earlier! If I'd known, I could've handled it!" He sighed. "Please tell me it's not around a populated area."

"No, sir, it's at Melemele Meadow. We're in pursuit now. "

"Good. Drive it back through a wormhole if possible. If not, capture it and bring it here until we can send it back."

"Yes, sir." The man's voice cut out and fell silent.

Gladion sighed in frustration and started going through the old files on the computer in front of him. He hoped to find some information or clues, anything really, to help explain why this was happening again.

~~~~~

Chloe grinned, looking over each of her pokemon. Salazzle wore a rhinestone choker, Espeon had a light blue bow on one of her ears, and Ninetales had a pearl necklace around her neck. All three of them checked themselves out in a mirror, approving of their new looks.

"You girls look great! This was a fun little shopping trip, huh?"

They cried happily in response. Ninetales was especially grateful, bouncing around Chloe, her usual shyness gone for the moment. She jumped up to nuzzle against her trainer's cheek.

"Nine nine, taaales!"

Chloe giggled, petting her soft fur that was cool to the touch. "You're welcome, Ninetales." The girl returned Ninetales and Espeon to their pokeballs, then looked to her partner. "Now how about we treat ourselves to some malasadas? I'll pick up enough for the whole team."

Salazzle enthusiastically nodded. "Salazz!"

Chloe left the Apparel Shop with her partner by her side. Salazzle seemed to really like her new accessory. She was practically flaunting her pretty choker, holding her head high and letting the sun catch the rhinestones, making them sparkle. Chloe liked seeing her pokemon happy---she liked seeing all pokemon happy. For as long as she could remember, she'd always loved pokemon, and they loved her. She just had a way of...connecting with them. The redhead abruptly stopped in her tracks, spying a familiar trio near the Malasada Shop.

There was a guy with blue hair, a girl with pink hair, and a short, chubby guy. All three of them wore the signature Team Skull uniforms. Salazzle quietly hissed, glaring their way. Chloe was quick to dart down a side street, causing her partner to scramble after her. Fortunately, the grunts hadn't noticed them, much to Chloe's relief.

"I thought Team Skull had been disbanded," she said to Salazzle. "Why are there still grunts wandering around?"

Salazzle shrugged. "Lazzle..."

Chloe sighed. "Guess that means we'll have to get malasadas another time. I'll have Braviary fly us out of here. Return for now, Salazzle."

She returned her partner to her pokeball, then released Braviary. The bird pokemon stretched his wings and ruffled his unusual blue feathers. He had a small saddle strapped to his back, one which Chloe had gotten just for him since he acted as her pokeride. Braviary was a strong and speedy flyer, making him perfect for the role.

The girl climbed onto the large bird's back, gripping the handles of the saddle. "Let's get away from here, Braviary. I don't want any of these Team Skull idiots to find us."

"Brav."

Spreading his wings, Braviary took off, flying high into the air and away from Hau'oli City. The wind blew Chloe's hair around, and she glanced back down at where those grunts were. Why are they still around? Guzma disbanded Team Skull, I'm certain he did. Maybe there are still stubborn fools who refuse to accept that. Or maybe they have a new goal in mind. I swear, if they're up to no good, I'll fly right back and...

Chloe gasped, an all too familiar feeling washing over her, silencing her thoughts. It was an overwhelming mixture of confusion, longing, and fear. She hadn't felt anything like it in months, not since the Ultra Wormholes had popped up and brought Ultra Beasts to Alola.

"No... This can't be... They can't be back..." She immediately started tilting and steering her pokeride in the direction she wanted. "Quickly, Braviary! This way! Something's going on and we need to find out!"

The bird pokemon nodded and sped forward, following his trainer's directions. Chloe didn't know exactly where it was coming from, but she could feel something calling for her...calling for help. They soon closed in on Melemele Meadow, where the feeling seemed to originate from. Braviary landed amongst the fields of yellow flowers, and as soon as Chloe hopped off, she thanked him and returned him to his pokeball. Salazzle suddenly popped out of her pokeball on her own, rejoining Chloe to wander through the flowery meadow. Salazzle often came out whenever she felt Chloe needed her, that's how strong their bonds were.

The girl abruptly paused. "There. I see it."

Up ahead, they could see a white creature similar to a Tentacruel. It was a Nihilego, also known as UB-01 Symbiont. But it wasn't alone, there were two people, a man and a woman dressed in white Aether uniforms. The man had an Arcanine while the woman had a Butterfree, and they appeared to be battling the Ultra Beast. Chloe could sense how afraid and confused Nihilego was, and pulling it into a battle was only making it worse.

"Arcanine, use Flamethrower!" the male commanded.

Chloe and Salazzle were sprinting toward them right as fire shot out of Arcanine's mouth. "Salazzle, intercept it with Dragon Pulse!"

The lizard pokemon shot a multicolored beam from her jaws that collided with the Flamethrower, causing a small explosion. Chloe and her partner were quick to get in front of the Ultra Beast. They both glared at the Aether employees, the redhead standing defensively while Salazzle was on all fours, hissing.

"Stop it!" Chloe yelled. "You're just going make things worse!" The pair stared at her in shock. She then turned to face the Ultra Beast, smiling gently. She reached her hand out toward it. "There, there, it's okay now. No need to be so angry." Her tone was calm and soft to appear friendly.

"Hey, what are you-" the woman's voice was cut off by an angry hiss from Salazzle, as if ordering her to be quiet.

Chloe carefully advanced closer to the beast. "I know how you feel, Nihilego. You just want to go home. I can help you get back to your world."

She could feel the beast's fury and fear dying down. It made a strange ghostly noise, as if trying to speak to her, but then it suddenly flew away, quickly disappearing. Chloe scanned the sky, but could no longer see it. She slowly turned back around to the two Aether employees, who both stared in complete shock. Neither of them had seen or heard of an Ultra Beast being calmed like that. The man suddenly brought his hand up to his ear, and the redhead noticed that he had an earpiece.

"Sir, this is Team One," he said. "There's a girl here. She knows of the Ultra Beasts, and she actually...calmed down the Nihilego. Unfortunately, it escaped."

Chloe narrowed her eyes. The nerve of these guys. They don't have to go and snitch on me. I don't want all of Aether on my back.

The man nodded after a moment. "Yes, sir." He set his gaze on the girl. "Our president would like to meet with you."

Chloe crossed her arms. "That's too bad, because I'm not going anywhere with you. I want nothing to do with Aether."

"Sorry, but you don't have a choice," the woman said. "Butterfree, Sleep Powder."

The Butterfree moved in front of Chloe and Salazzle. Before they could react, the bug type flapped its wings, scattering blue dust into the air around them. They both instantly grew weary, wobbling on their feet as their eyelids drooped.

"Salazzle..." Chloe slurred. "Use...Flamethro..."

She collapsed, falling fast asleep. Salazzle followed, completely unconscious as she lay next to her trainer. Once the sleep-inducing dust settled, the woman went over to take Salazzle's pokeball, returning the lizard pokemon and stuffing the pokeball back into the girl's bag. The man then lifted Chloe up and slung her over Arcanine's back. The pair then made their trip back to Aether with the redhead, taking her straight to the place she'd been trying to avoid.