Pokemon: Bounty Hunter Alex

Eternal Eclipse.

It was the name given to the disaster that had befallen Alola, transforming the once-vibrant region into this desolate wasteland. Based on Rotom's research, it was a perpetual eclipse that permanently shrouded both the sun and the moon as they rose over the region. The phenomenon was entirely localized, leaving the rest of the world untouched.

At first, the disaster seemed almost harmless, but as the years passed without sunlight, its cumulative effects became severe enough to bring Alola to the brink of collapse. The result was a barren land of desperation where only Dark and Ghost type Pokémon truly thrived.

Worse still, it continuously drained the vitality of humans, inducing a crippling lethargy that gradually robbed people of their motivation to live. Powerful trainers like Hapu and Alex were largely unaffected, but the general population suffered immensely. Eventually, there was no choice but to evacuate them to other regions, forcing them to abandon their homes, culture, and traditions for the sake of survival.

According to the additional reports, the dimensional barrier separating Alola from Ultra Space had always been unusually thin. In the aftermath of the disaster, it had been left unattended, allowing Ultra Beasts to cross into the region unchecked. Free to roam without opposition, they plunged the already devastated landscape into even greater chaos.

And now, Alex was being asked to put an end to it.

“I believe I asked you before what was being done to fix this situation, but you didn't really give me an answer,” Alex pointed out.

“Yes. At the time, I did not deem you worthy of knowing the measures we had taken, though everything I told you was the truth. We are being punished for our greed,” Kahuna Hapu said with a sigh.

“The Z-Crystals and Sparkling Stones, Alola's greatest treasures that we have gradually shared with the people, are fragments of the Giver of Light itself. Long ago, it shed pieces of its power across the islands, scattering them like falling stars. We accepted those blessings without understanding the price.”

“To end this disaster, we have spent years searching for and collecting every Z-Crystal and Sparkling Stone we can find. Most have already been recovered. All that remains is to find the Giver of Light itself and return what was taken, hoping it will restore the sun and moon to Alola in exchange.”

“We have sent many of our strongest trainers through the Ultra Wormholes to search for it, but none have returned. We believe they simply weren’t strong enough to survive what lay beyond.”

Her gaze settled on Alex with deep hope.

“But someone like you, someone who has endured the harshest environments and returned with great power, may succeed where they failed. So I ask you... no, I beg you. Venture beyond the Ultra Wormholes and find the Giver of Light so that we may return its stolen blessings and free Alola from its punishment.”

“Sounds like a suicide mission,” Alex said. “The kind where I end up dying alone in some strange, inhospitable land.”

“That is true,” Hapu said, looking down with guilt. “We can only blindly hope that, in this darkness, you will succeed in bringing back our light.”

Alex sighed, realizing almost immediately that he was probably going to accept. On one hand, there was little left for him to do in this world besides wandering through dreary ruins in search of rare materials or hunting Legendary Pokémon and earning their ire. Compared to that, investigating the Ultra Dimension and discovering what resources or secrets it held was a far more worthwhile use of his time.

“Fine, I’ll be your ritual sacrifice to the sun god or whatever, but I’m not doing it for free.”

“What do you want?” Hapu asked with mild skepticism.

“Legendary Pokémon materials.”

“We don’t have access to anything like that!” Hapu exclaimed. “We don’t even have Legendary Pokémon in this region. How are we supposed to collect their materials?”

“Aren’t you part of the Pokémon League? I’m sure they have plenty of valuable resources stashed away specifically for situations like these.”

“We aren’t part of the Pokémon League, though.”

“What?” Alex exclaimed, turning toward Rotom. “Is that true?”

“Affirmative. Due to the disaster, Alola no longer has a functioning government, and as such, it was never invited to join the Pokémon League.”

“Bummer. Alright, whatever. Where do I need to go?”

“To the center of the Alola region. The Aether Paradise Ruins, where the highest concentration of Ultra Beasts can be found,” Hapu answered. “There, you will find Ultra Wormholes constantly appearing and disappearing. Hopefully, one of them will lead you to the Giver of Light. You must subdue it and bring it back through the same path.”

“Fine. I’ll head there after I drop you off.”

“Thank you. Once you return with the Giver of Light, we will apologize and return its light in the hopes of appeasing it.”

“Sure.”

Alex doubted things would go that smoothly. Ultra Space wasn’t a single location where everything was conveniently arranged like a normal world. Instead, it consisted of countless worlds and dimensions, each with their own environments where different Ultra Beasts could be found in their natural habitats.

On top of that, he needed to locate Ultra Megalopolis, where Necrozma was supposed to reside. If he didn’t find the right place on his first attempt, he’d be stranded in Ultra Space until it was time to return.

Still, there was a silver lining. An entire dimension beyond the known world was bound to contain countless rare resources and unknown discoveries. Even if the mission proved difficult, it’d still be a worthwhile journey.

With his destination decided, Alex mounted Mantine alongside Hapu and flew south, taking in the desolate landscape below. The devastation was even worse than he had expected. The once-lush islands of Alola had been stripped of their greenery, leaving behind a barren wasteland where only patches of strange mushrooms and alien moss clung to the land.

Pokémon had adapted to this harsh new environment however they could. Some hid deep within burrows, avoiding the dangers that roamed the surface, while others scavenged desperately for scraps among the ruins of their former habitats. The most numerous species were the Alolan Raticate, whose relentless survival instincts and opportunistic nature had allowed them to thrive where countless others had perished.

However, they were far from the apex predators of this new ecosystem. Despite their numbers, Alolan Raticate still retained their scavenger mentality, only becoming truly dangerous when gathered into large groups. Across the wasteland, Alex spotted Umbreon, Mimikyu, Alolan Muk, Sableye, Crobat, and Mightyena roaming freely, hunting the isolated Raticate that strayed too far from their nests.

Finally, in the distance to the east beyond the canyons, Alex noticed a brilliant blue light piercing through the darkness. Its source remained a mystery, but it was something he would eventually investigate on his way to the Aether Paradise.

Eventually, Alex reached the Ancient Poni Path, where a small settlement surrounded by extensive farmland still remained. Unlike the rest of Alola, this area showed signs of life. Ground type Pokémon guarded the fields, using moves like Rain Dance and Sunny Day to create artificial conditions that allowed crops and plants to continue growing despite the darkness.

The sight was a stark contrast to the desolate wasteland he had traveled through. Even under the Eternal Eclipse, humanity had managed to cling on and find a way to survive. It seemed that, no matter how hopeless things became, there was still a chance for humans to endure.

“Thank you for bringing me home,” Hapu said as she leapt off Mantine. “And I apologize for placing the fate of the region on your shoulders when it was never your burden to bear.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Alex said. “Just understand that I might not be any different from the other trainers you sent through the Ultra Wormholes. I don’t think this is simply a matter of strength, but location. Still, I hope that someday, you and the other Kahuna can come up with a better plan than just blindly hoping for a better tomorrow.”

Mantine slowly ascended into the sky, turning east toward Aether Paradise. Hapu watched Alex disappear into the distance, tears silently forming in her eyes at his words. Despite how harsh they were, she couldn't deny the truth behind them.

For years, they had placed their hopes on finding someone strong enough to survive the Ultra Wormholes, yet they had never truly explored other ways to end the disaster. Perhaps Alex was right. They had become too dependent on the possibility of a miracle rather than seeking every opportunity available to them. If they wanted to end the Eternal Eclipse, they needed to do more than simply send others into the unknown and pray for success. They needed to find another path forward and do everything within their power to restore Alola.

Alex, meanwhile, continued northeast toward the Poni Plains on his way to Aether Paradise. The endless darkness of the Eternal Eclipse surrounded him, yet something ahead broke through the gloom.

In the distance, beyond the canyons, a brilliant blue-white light pierced the sky. It was unlike anything Alex had seen since arriving in Alola, standing out like a beacon in the dead landscape.

He had no idea what it was, but in a region where even sunlight had vanished, anything producing that much energy was worth investigating.

Alex adjusted his course and flew toward the unknown light.

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