Inner Demons

Chapter 5

Lunala led them to a midnight purple sky with purple rocked islands. It landed on one, letting even deboard it.

Rotom-dex snapped pictures, before it rang. "Bzz! Bzz! Alert! Alert! Multiple ultrabeast alert!"

A Nihilego buzzed by them, and Sophocles whimpered in its presence.

"What are those..?" Lana asked, curiously.

"Their Nihilego, the ultrabeast that took Ash," Lusamine answered.

"Nihilego?" Lillie looked at her mother.

"After some research, Aether decided to call it Nihilego. But we still need to collect data on it, this will be the perfect opportunity..."

Gladion sucked in a breath, and everyone turned to see what he was looking at.

A Nihilego stood there, but it contained a little person inside it. It had almost black purple liquid in its tentacles. But in the bell was someone that they couldn't ever not recognize. Ash. But his eyes were a strange yellowish green color.

"Ash!?" Everyone gasped.

Ash turned to the commotion, and his eyes widened. "What are you doing here!? You're not supposed to be here!" He cried immediately.

"We're here to save you!" Lillie stretched her arm out to Ash, but he backed up even further.

"N-no... You can't be here! I always lead my friends into danger! I won't do it again!" Tears formed in his eyes, as purple rocks rose up around him and blocked everyone.

"Ash isn't acting like himself..!" Lillie whimpered.

"I'm afraid he slightly is..." Lusamine corrected.

"What do you mean!?" Everyone's attention directed right towards Lusamine.

"He would have never said that if part of him wasn't speaking. He would just be saying 'Don't take me away' or something like that... He probably feels like that."

"But that's not how he is, though! Kiawe defended.

"He's been in every other region, Kiawe," Gladion corrected. "Who knows what he had gone through there?"

Lillie could feel tears in her eyes. Why didn't he ever tell me about this..? She shook her head. "These are rocks..."

"Maybe Silvally could break it with high horsepower?" Lusamine offered.

Gladion did as she said and the rocks crumbled.

Ash scooted farther away, hurt and annoyance laced in his eyes. "I'm trying to save you guys! Go away!"

"But Ash-"

"No! Go. Away!" He threw one of his poké-balls, and his Toracat came out, purple trimmed under his eyes. He hissed slightly, extending it's claws.

"Is that-!?" Lillie gasped.

Lana hopped off of Lunala. "I got this!" She said. "Go! He's getting away!"

They turned to see Ash hovering away. Lillie cast Lana a nod and patted Lunala's wing, signalling it could take off.