"Sometimes after I work through the night, I look into the mirror and I seem to see a stranger staring back at me..." - Professor Burnet

Ultra Space; a vast maze of ins-and-outs. Is it a part of our universe? Or...is the opposite true? To enter a realm where you can exist, yet phenomena natural to us are foreign. Is that place existing in the same Space as us, existing far, far away? Or...does it exist in a different Time, far, far away? And for that matter, is Ultra Space what we see up above? What we call Space...is it different, or the same? Is it the between? A tunnel or a tear? Or is it all of those things? Can it even be? And for that matter, what can manipulate it? We can cut our way into it, but can we bend it?

"...which brings us here, dear Champion. I wish for your permission to conduct my research into the relationship between your three legends and this new unknown."

Beaming rays illuminated the land around them, bouncing between the towering metal pillars piercing into the deep blue sea above. Busy streets, busy days. Such was life in Jubilife. Where they sat, however, life was permitted to slow down. Situated dead center, the Grand Park granted citizens much needed reprieve. Beneath the protective parasol, Cynthia, champion of Sinnoh, sat across from a young visitor. His hair was short and white, skin tan, eyes a tenacious teal. His dressing tread the line of casual and formal, and hanging from his neck was a flower-shaped pendant. Each petal was a different color; yellow, red, pink, purple, and white. The yellow petal was oddly-shaped. On his wrist was a clearly customized teal Z-Power Ring. Beside him, joining the two in their tea party, was the young man's partner; Knuckles - a Kommo-o. It delicately held the tiny plate between its claws as it sipped from the tea cup.

Cynthia smiled warmly at her guests. "My, what a fascinating discovery. Our museums are open to the public, and Rowan would surely be happy to share his findings with a fellow researcher. You asking me for permission must mean you have intentions of going to Spear Pillar, don't you?"

The young man returned her smile. "Why yes, yes I do. With the fracture created by Cyrus, I'm certain I can find some form of data up there."

"I'm sure you could, too," she replied as she held the cup to her lips.

Before her was a young professor named Cladis. He began his career at the age of sixteen and, over four years, has contributed quite substantially to the studies of the Ultra Wormholes, Z-energy, and Ultra Space. He became well-known for his accelerated influence over the field and overall passion for research as a whole. The theories he crafted eventually brought him to Sinnoh with the purpose of studying the dimensional dragons. In some shape or form, they had a relation to Ultra Space - he was sure of it. The knowledge that was available to the public was severely limited - it wouldn't offer him much. He had to go beyond the public, and so, in a stroke of luck, he attempted and managed to get in touch with Cynthia in hopes that she would grant him passage to the epicenter - the place where a foolish man nearly tore the fabric of reality apart. Remnants of that incident could prove fruitful to Cladis and his partner.

As a Hakamo-o, Knuckles had taken a liking to Cladis while he was studying the changes in the Z-energies surrounding the Totem Challenges. They became inseparable quite fast, mostly due to Knuckles's own curiosity being the only one to rival Cladis's. So much so that he made it a point to see everything first hand - not from the confined space of a PokeBall. A point that Cladis has respected and admired.

Cynthia set her cup down. "Very well. I see no qualms with your request. You will have to give me time to obtain the proper permissions and permits. By word, I may say it is okay, but we must make everything official to avoid any conflicts."

Cladis chuckled. "Completely understandable. I can respect the need for documentation." Knuckles nodded alongside him.

Cynthia joined him. "Oh ho, witty, too! But yes, this is something new in response to our other guests. I'm sure you've heard of Team Aqua and Team Magma, correct?"

"From Hoenn? Yes, I've heard of them. Their retribution and their new-found reputation. They will be working here, too?"

"That's right. Team Aqua is coming to make sure our lakes are still safe after what Team Galactic did to them, but also to demonstrate some of their new advancements to water treatment and such. Team Magma has requested to study Mt. Coronet's interior after some explorers discovered some resource veins. The council decided we must begin documenting these things just in case something happens."

Cladis and Knuckles nodded in sync. "Better safe than sorry. I hear you loud and clear. How understanding were they?"

"Very, actually."

"That's reassuring. I have the utmost faith in their turn-around."

"Really? Why's that?"

"Well, you see one of my-" the young professor paused as he gazed on beyond his host.

Not too far from them stood two individuals in blue-and-white striped attire with blue bandanas. Both of them were rather tan and thin with dirty-blonde hair - his shaven, hers shoulder length. The male was lanky with a small soul patch on his chin while his female companion was of average height with an off-centered black ring piercing on her bottom lip. If their uniforms didn't give a hint of who they were, the A sigil on their bandanas surely provided the answer. They were surrounded by three individuals, all wearing despicable scowls and gritting their teeth. Their insults and accusations grew louder as time went on. The male grunt showed no signs of caring for their words, but the female...Cladis could see it was getting to her. Her face wasn't showing it, but the tension in her muscles was obvious to him.

"Hm?" Cynthia turned her head. "Oh dear. It's a shame some people aren't as forgiving as you - though I suppose I can't blame them after all that's happened, can you?" She turned back to face Cladis. A hint of frustration was beginning to blemish his stoic demeanor. Knuckles wore the same feeling, only with much more pride. "Oh my," she said with a smile.

The young professor released a breath. "Sorry," he said and regained himself, "that was unbecoming of me. I just can't stand to see that. I mean, not only are they trying to do good now, but they're just henchmen at the end of the day - they just do what they're told."

"There are survivors and then there are fanatics," Cynthia commented. "Do you believe the fanatics would've stuck around?"

"I don't think either of us do."

"Is that so?" she grinned and rested her chin on her wrist, "what makes you so sure?"

"Because you let them in. You're too sensible to willingly let in a bunch of crazies."

Cynthia laughed. "What are you trying to do with all these compliments?"

The two looked back at the commotion, curiosity getting the better of them. The male was trying to pull the female away, but the aggressors weren't having it. They brandished Pokeballs, sending out three Pokemon that looked just as pitiful as they did. The female grunt reached for her hip; the other made an attempt to stop her. She shot him a glare, which caused him to roll his eyes and reach for his belt.

"Hmm...well that's no good," Cynthia commented, "three on two. Maybe you should do something."

"Huh?" Cladis looked at her suddenly.

"Well it's obvious you and your friend want to. And besides," she turned back to him and winked, "I want to see some of that Alolan strength I sense coming off of you."

He chuckled and side-eyed his companion. "See that, Knuckles? She's got us figured out already. That's a Champion for you." The two placed their hands on the table and climbed to their feet. "If you will excuse me, Ms. Champion."

"Have fun," she cooed as they walked past her.

They arrived just as a Vaporeon and Mightyena formed in front of the grunts. "Excuse me," Cladis called.

"What do you want?" one of the troublemakers barked, "You got a problem?"

"Yes, actually. I'd like to battle you."

"Can't you see I'm busy?!"

"I do. I see you're about to fight an unfair fight. I'd like to make it fair."

"Oh, I get it - you're one of them! I ain't scared of you and your overgrown lizard! Honchkrow!" The Big Boss Pokemon circled around and landed between the professor and its trainer.

Cladis looked up at his friend. "You ready?"

Knuckles cracked his knuckles and shook his scales, sending a somewhat pleasant jingle into the air. He positioned himself in front of his partner and took on a battle stance. He shook his scales once more - this time, the sound was much more menacing.

"Go! Dark Pulse!" Cladis's opponent called out.

Honchkrow took off into the air with a loud crow. With a large flap of its wings, it shot waves of evil energy out towards the ground. Knuckles grunted, smirked, and crossed its arms. In an instant, he pushed out and vibrated his arms, using Clanging Scales. The soundwave met the energy, dissipating it and pushing through. Honchkrow dove out of the way, dashing down and into its foe. Knuckles winced as its wing collided with his temporarily softened scales.

Cladis grinned. "Your bird's fast, I'll give you that. We'll just have to get faster. Dragon Dance!"

Knuckles began to move with a rather interesting flow as a red aura began to form around him. Honchkrow dashed in for another attack, but this time Knuckles ducked his arm under and grabbed Honchkrow by its legs. In a flash, the bird was slammed into the ground and swatted away by his tail. The bird tumbled to its trainer's feet. It slowly regained its composure, tipped its hat before soaring back up into the air. It came back down with an immense speed burst and a golden glow around it. It charged beak first into Knuckles with a fully charged Sky Attack. Knuckles stood its ground and, much to the growing crowd's surprise, prepared to catch his foe. He grabbed both wings, but couldn't keep steady for long. Treds were made in the ground as Honchkrow pushed with all its might. Knuckles growled as the energy began to burn his claws, which had been glowing silver for some time. He had begun to charge a Flash Cannon and used the intense metallic-in-nature energy to resist the strength of the Sky Attack, but it was starting to become too much to handle. With great effort, he managed to leverage his foe to shoot off into the sky.

The gathering grew larger now, cheering at the intense show playing out before them. The other set of battles even came to a pause as they, too, stared at the spectacle. Cynthia hung back behind the audience, observing. Both the Kommo-o and Honchkrow were matching blow for blow, but she could see something the crowd couldn't - Cladis and his friend were holding back.

"Who is this guy?" she heard the male Team Aqua grunt say.

"Someone butting in," the female grumbled.

Knuckles pumped his shoulders after successfully knocking Honchkrow down one more time. "I think that's enough, don't you?" Cladis called out.

"Fat chance! Boys!" The other two agitators ran up beside him with their pokemon. "I ain't losing to some nosy nobody!"

"Nobody?" Cladis chuckled, "I'm hurt. Let me show you what a Nobody can do."

The female grunt stood up beside him suddenly. "Finish what you started before you run away!" she growled.

"Uh, hey sis, step back a sec," the male grunt said, standing on the other side of Cladis, "let him have this."

She scowled, but ultimately took a step back.

Cladis turned to her. "Sorry. I don't want you getting in trouble is all." Her glare shot through him as he turned back to his foes. In a swift motion, he pulled the yellow petal out from his pendant and slotted it into his bracelet. He crossed his arms and began to glow. He pumped his fists out and pulled them back over his shoulder. All the while, Knuckles was clanging his scales together while not only matching his trainer's movements, but dancing an ancient dance. With a roar from Knuckles, Cladis pushed his hands forward once more, this time mimicking a dragon opening its maw. The energy shot out of him and into his Pokemon. "Now! Unleash your Clangorous Soulblaze!" he called out. The golden aura now swirled around Knuckles. He founded his knuckles together, leapt up into the air, and fired a massive multi-colored shockwave through the three Pokemon, knocking them clean away. Knuckles roared once more as he landed, followed by the roaring applause from the crowd as the three troublemakers ran off. Cynthia, sufficiently impressed, smiled at her guest. That's the passion I wanted to see.