Art and below vignette both done by  Mewscaper. Is also a followup to another commissioned story of mine which can be found here: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/36105113/.

---

"Do you want to go back?"


The purple Ultra Beast blinked, glancing at his partner, who looked equally perplexed. They stared upon the golden Poipole, who, for the first time in a very long time, looked pensive.


"What do you mean?"


"I mean..." The golden Poipole drew her hands together, head stooping. She spoke to her chest. "Do you... want to go back? To being a human. To being a Popplio."


Silence fell. The hollow ambience of Ultra Space echoed all around them. The harsh rays of infinite portals glared through them.


A wisp of dark smoke wafted from one of the purple Poipole's needles. "Where's this coming from all of a sudden? Why now?"


She forced herself to look up. "It wasn't fair, when we first met. I tried to take your human from you; I ended up taking both of you. You remember."


"Yes. I was a Popplio named Sally." Her ethereal eyes pierced through the golden Poipole's. "But even now, even after all this time, I'm still Sally. Yes, I haven't forgotten."


She maintained her stare for a moment more. She then drew her gaze to her partner, unsure. "G-George?"


"Yes." She breathed a relieved sigh, as George spoke up. "I remember, too. I'm still me."


Silence again. The most quiet the three had been since that fateful day. They contemplated, purple haze of a poisonous friendship swirling around them.


"W-Well..." The golden Poipole stammered, finally continuing. "Me, too. And I want to make things right." She peered into the portals shimmering in the velvety dark. "I figured out how to do it. Throughout all the worlds and dimensions we've dipped into, explored and played in, I realized there is always a way to go back. I looked into it, and discovered how. You can be a human again, and Popplio again. A-and, I mean, if you still want to, I can show you, too."


George and Sally each knew it was plausible. They had popped in and out of the world, numerous times. They had ted lands of the most vivid of imaginations, observed and mingled with people and Pokemon of all kinds, and even grazed the stars. Surely, a way back existed.


"I'm..." The golden Poipole breathed deeply. "I'm sorry."


Sally shook her head, body dipping a little, legs like lead. Altogether at a loss for words -- not in disdain, but surprise. Surprise to hear such an apology from the one who had transformed them, who made them so.


"You've grown quite a bit." George said, slowly. "It seems like just yesterday you were dragging us from one world to another, wanting to show us everything you knew. Always excited. Always wanting to get to the next thing. Never wanted to slow down or stop. Or think about that day."


"I... I just wanted..."


"You wanted a friend. I get it. Back then, you didn't know how."


She put her hands together and nodded, eyes lowered. From her, there was nothing more to say. What had happened, happened. And yes, she had grown enough now to take responsibility, to make it right. Any moment now, she would lead them to the place where they could revert, she could guide them back home, and that would be it.


She was almost ashamed she had had so much fun, being with them. Their company was truly wonderful. It had made for such a rich and fulfilling journey, which, at a long last, was at its end.


But George was not done.


"Let's keep going on adventures."


The golden Poipole looked up. Geroge was smiling.


"Even if I could become human again, I don't think I can go back to the ways things were. I've seen so many things that I never would have been able to see as a human. I've done things that many beings can only ever dream of. This journey has just been too much... fun."


The golden Poipole heaved, barely managing to choke back a sob. "I... I'm so glad! An-and I've had a lot of fun, too! G-George. S-Sally!"


"And it's not like I left loose ends from where I came from." George remembered his parents' reactions when they realized their son was now an Ultra Beast. It was quite a sight to see, especially when they had him wait outside the house because he had not yet learned to control his needle vents. And yet from that day he was always welcome home. "I am still me, after all. You helped Sally and I realize some things about each other. And as for these bodies..."


George suddenly bounced up and hovered, arms spread. He then somersaulted in the void, extending a hand towards Sally. Sally giggled, even blushing a little, and scooted up to him, joining him in a celestial dance. He took her by the hand, and twirled her gracefully.


The air shimmered and glowed, and for a moment, the golden Poipole thought she saw a Primarina winking at her.


The duo descended to the golden Poipole's level, breaking contact. Sally spoke, suppressing her giggles. "Okay, I admit. I do rather like this form! Though..."


She tilted her head. "You know. I'd still like to evolve someday. Being a dragon-type sounds regal!" She floated over to the golden Poipole, and tapped her on the head. "We'll have to go somewhere to learn Dragon Pulse, though."


The golden Poipole pipped up. "But I already know how to use Dragon Pulse!"


"Oh good, you can teach me, then! We'll have time. Time to learn. Time to play. So, where to next?"


The golden Poipole looked at Sally and George, and saw how happy they were. She beamed, and, rather shyly, raised both hands, offering each to her playmates.


"Friends?"


George and Sally raised their heads, gazing upon the worlds waiting before them, but with new life in their eyes. The lights and colors of many faraway fantasies reached out to them anew, to warmly welcome them into a lifetime of play and companionship.


They nodded. Sally enthusiastically grasped Poipole's right hand, and George gently snugged her left. They smiled.


"Friends."


Sally and George drew their hands together, completing the circle. All three of them floated upwards, eyes aloft, calmly spinning towards the nearest portal. They spouted small puffs of smoke in unison, happily anticipating their next adventure, just beyond the light.
--