Pokémon Radiant Sun
Welcome back!
Are you ready for more?
Because my break was absolutely fantastic (and very much needed) and now that I'm recharged, I'm feeling pretty excited to get back into the fray. We're now on the fourth Act of Radiant Sun, where we reach the climax of the story and conclude the Cipher story Arc (though that's definitely not where this Act ends). And I have some amazing things in store for you all.
On a small somewhat related note, I've also made a change to the official description of the story. After getting some feedback from my homies on the RS Discord, I managed to come up with a viable description that worked better with this story. Check it out and tell me what you think. Is it an improvement? All feedback would be appreciated.
Also, a small update on something I mentioned in my last update. I'm happy to report that my parents and grandparents have tested negative for COVID-19 and have made full-recoveries. Just goes to show you that sometimes all it takes is one slip-up to get sick. So please be safe out there.
Anyways, onto the show.
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes dewlyfrau, Madame Rodoshe, Defender31415, Oragonking, SolanaLeonhart, lolXDDDDDD, SonicIKE, Joey, and two new reviewers known as lightningwhite24 and Muramasa96. You all rock and I deeply appreciate your feedback.
Enjoy.
Pokémon Radiant Sun
Act IV
Return
Chapter 120: Close Your Eyes
Many Years Ago…
Malie City Docks
"So...this is it?"
Commander Jackal, or rather ex-Commander, stood at the docks with a somber smile on his face. As a result of leading the operation that had killed Roran, the Alolan Regional Council had seemingly taken the fallout of Roran's schemes and atrocities and used Jack as a scapegoat of sorts. Jackal fumed inwardly, but his hands were tied. He knew that going after the most powerful man in Alola would have consequences, but that didn't make things any better.
And now...Ashton was leaving. The teen had completed his Island Challenge not too long after the excitement from the Highborn Production Plant settled down. The grieving teen vanished on Poni Island for a year or so before challenging the Kahunas in an effort to become Champion.
As of now, there was no Kahuna for Ula'ula Island, and the Kahuna of Poni Island pulled double-duty for the Island Challenge for now. Ashton had beaten their challenge and was now the newest Island Challenge Champion.
The very next day, Ashton Aupuni had packed up everything he owned and decided to get on the next boat out of the region.
"I've got a lot of thinking to do. I've decided to take an interest in business, after everything that's happened. And I think after everything Tommy did for me, I owe it to him to make his gift to me grow into something special." Ashton said with a sad smile, stepping forward to hug the man who had been another mentor figure to him. Jackal had watched over the young man for years, and would be sad to leave him behind. Gretel slipped out of Jackal's shadow and hugged Ashton from behind with a giggle.
"You sure you'll be okay?" Jackal muttered to the young man, who nodded in reply before the two separated.
"I think so. Since Tommy left everything in his will to me, I've got a lot of work to do. I'm hoping to expand his company into other regions and do some networking. Meet some people. Forget about Alola and…" Ashton's face crumpled as his eyes turned black. Jackal placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Don't let me stop Alola's newest millionaire." Jackal remarked, his tone gentle. "Just...keep in touch. And be good. Okay?"
"Be good...I think I can manage that." Ashton said quietly as he picked up his suitcase and offered a hand to Jackal. The former Police Commander shook it with a proud smile on his face.
"Take care, Jackal. And thanks for everything."
"It was my pleasure, kid. You be safe out there."
A few minutes later, Ashton was checked into his room onboard the large cruiser that would take him out of Alola and to Johto, (Olivine City to be precise). Some of Tommy's business partners were living there, and it'd be good to meet with them to discuss things.
After the dust settled after Roran's defeat, Ashton found out that Tommy had created a will shortly after his parents death. The man had left everything, including control of the family company his parents had owned before their own deaths, to Ashton. The teenager had found himself now richer than he could have imagined, and had spent more than his fair share of time learning how his late friend's business worked. Thankfully, Lusamine and Mohn were on hand to help him come to grips with things, but it soon became apparent that this was something at which Ashton excelled at. Ashton grasped the basics quickly and soon began to study advanced marketing strategies and business tactics.
And now, Ashton was leaving. Off to spread his wings and try his luck elsewhere in the world. Mohn and Lusamine would be returning to Kalos to start a family and continue their conservation efforts. Ashton wished them the best of luck, and promised to stay in touch as much as he could. But for the first time in a long while...he'd be on his own.
The young man leaned against the railing and shut his eyes, listening to the Wingull and Pelipper in the distance. In some ways, he'd miss Alola. It had been his home for all of his life. But he felt more relief than anything else. Relief that he could leave the islands and their traditions behind. Maybe in a sense he was running away from the region, and all of the bad memories there, but he didn't care. He certainly didn't care enough to say goodbye to his parents.
Considering his luck, Ano would have tried to kill him again.
Ashton sighed as a breeze rustled his clothes, brushing against his face. It smelled of wild grass and trees, which he found was odd out by the ocean but welcomed it. He relaxed for several moments before cracking open his eyes.
Only for them to slam open at the sight of Tapu Bulu, drifting above the ocean not ten feet in front of him.
"Tapu Bulu…" Ashton whispered in awe as the Guardian Deity floated in front of the young man, staring into his gray eyes. Ashton's Z-Ring began to glow, and after a few moments he heard the Guardian Deity speak to him through the artifact.
"I AM...SORRY."
"Excuse me?" Ashton sputtered, completely thrown off by this. He was quickly snapped out of his shock at the appearance of the Guardian Deity by his anger at it having the gall to show its face around him. If it had been more active in its role, then a lot of the carnage and bloodshed it had caused would have been avoided. It gifting Roran with that strange power was also troubling, and Ashton would have to look into that at some point down the road.
Thankfully, he had managed to acquire some old books that were found among Roran's effects at his old office, as well as a particular history book that had been found onboard the Endless that Jackal had found. After everything Roran did, Ashton felt he deserved to know what the monster had been up to.
"EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED...IS MY FAULT. I BELIEVED IN HIM. THAT HE WOULD BRING MY CHILDREN INTO A BRIGHTER FUTURE. HE WAS AMBITIOUS AND STRONG...AND YET HE STRAYED FROM HIS NOBLE PATH AND FELL INTO DARKNESS." Tapu Bulu intoned, lowering its head.
"YOU ARE HURTING...YOUR MIND AND HEART ARE BROKEN, MY CHILD. I CHOSE YOU, MUCH LIKE I CHOSE HIM, BECAUSE DESPITE EVERYTHING, YOUR HEART IS STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND SUCH HARDSHIP."
"Am I strong?" Ashton spat, crossing his arms. "Tommy got eaten alive while I watched. Hina died in my arms. Lusamine's Starter died on a warehouse floor and she's given up Pokémon battling forever. And Jackal's entire career just went up in smoke. And I...I can't stay here. This place has brought me nothing but pain."
"YOU ARE STRONG...OF THAT I HAVE NO DOUBT. IN TIME, YOU COULD HAVE BECOME THE GREATEST OF THE PROTECTORS OF THESE ISLANDS." Tapu Bulu responded, causing Ashton to look at the God of Abundance with surprise. "IN TIME, I WOULD HAVE MADE YOU KAHUNA. PROTECTOR OF ULA'ULA. YOU HAVE A GOOD HEART, MY CHILD. PLEASE...DO NOT FORSAKE THESE ISLANDS."
"You wanted me...to become a Kahuna?" Ashton asked incredulously, not believing that this was happening.
"INDEED. WHAT SAY YOU, MY CHILD? WILL YOU STAY? YOU HOLD THE SAME POTENTIAL AS THE LAST...YOUR AMBITION AND HEART COULD HELP THE OTHERS." Tapu Bulu said to the young man, who considered the words of the god for several moments before his frown deepened, his eyes flashing red.
"No...I don't need you or your people to become strong. I'll do that on my own…and as for the people? Forget 'em." Ashton responded coldly, reaching his hand out to show off the Z-Ring on his wrist. He took off the armband and held it up to the Tapu, who seemed taken aback by this action.
"I'll become strong enough to protect the people I care about on my own merits. These islands are terrible, and if I never come back here in my lifetime, it'll be too soon." Ashton remarked as he dropped the Z-Ring onto the deck of the boat. Tapu Bulu stared at the teen for several moments, shocked that a child of Alola would treat a gift from the Tapu so disrespectfully.
It had absolutely no idea what to feel when Ashton suddenly stomped down on the Z-Ring with his boot, shattering the artifact right in front of the God of Abundance. Tapu Bulu made a strange croaking sound of surprise when Ashton turned his back on the Guardian Deity.
"Goodbye and good riddance…" Ashton whispered as he went back inside of the cruiser, unable to hear the sigh of sadness that escaped the God it Abundance before it held out a hand, the fragments of the Z-Ring and its crystals floating upwards into the fist of Tapu Bulu.
The Guardian Deity retreated into its shell and soared off into the sky. Meanwhile, the cruiser sailed onwards, away from Alola and bitter memories best left forgotten.
Present
Malie City
Alolan Regional Council Main Building
Ollie, Anabel, Looker and Nanu stood in a rather strangely decorated office in silence. The room itself was decorated in strangely ornate masks, many of which seemed to have some kind of relation to the Guardian Deities of Alola. Though a few seemed simply for aesthetic purposes, such as ones that depicted flames or water. The walls were painted a rich shade of blue while various knickknacks were on display on small shelves, such as a broken Poké Ball and a piece of a Corsola.
However, the object that seemed the most revered in the officer owner's collection was a very familiar pendant resting on a mantle behind the desk of the man whose office this space belonged to, in a glass casing. The Island Challenge Amulet, given to children who undergo the Island Challenge of Alola.
Ollie wondered about all of that, before he remembered that the occupant of the room had once undergone and completed the Island Challenge as a child himself, and had been proud of his heritage.
As it was, Councilman Palena didn't seem remotely proud of anything right now. In fact, he looked exhausted and strained, with bags underneath his eyes and a pained look on his face as he swiftly scanned through several forms on the desk. Ollie had asked if the man needed some more time to get things in order, but Palena was adamant that it would take just a few minutes to review some final notes.
"Alright...So, first things first…" Palena sighed, rubbing his face for a moment before collecting himself. After a few moments the man rose to his feet, his expression unreadable.
And then he bowed deeply to all four of them, causing Ollie's jaw to drop.
"I am...I can't even begin to express how sorry I am." Palena said, his voice actually shaking. "Everything that happened that night. What that monster did to us. To Malie City. To everyone...All of this was born from the mistakes of the Council all of those years ago. And you have my utmost thanks to helping save the city, and all of Alola."
"I-it was nothing! Really, we were just doing our jobs!" Anabel said nervously, amazed that a man as proud as Palena would ever do something like this. She couldn't have imagined what kind of things the man had been thinking over the past few days to ever get him to do something like this.
Palena stood back up straight and sat down, his gaze drifting to each of them, lingering on Nanu. "Maybe so. But we, the Council, have made mistakes beyond reproach."
"About time someone in your little group realized it. That said, just because you've realized how badly you messed up doesn't mean that you can be forgiven. The Council has much to answer for." Nanu said to Palena, who nodded solemnly. "If we're going to actively start changing shit around here, we're going to need to cooperate."
"You're right. And I'll do whatever it takes to make things right. I can say that I didn't know the extent of Roran's manipulation until he flat-out bragged about it to my face. Back then, when he was Kahuna, I was a young and impressionable young councilman who went with the flow. And even now, with as much influence as I have within the Council, I've still made many mistakes and questionable decisions. I can only hope I can begin to make them right." Palena said as he rested his elbows on his desk.
"With most of the Council dead or out of commision, it falls upon me to lead in their absence. I've been juggling along several projects at once, including the Pokémon League Professor Kukui has created. We've yet to finalize interregional ties with the League proper, but they're understanding of the fact that we have bigger fish to fry at the moment." Palena explained to them, exhaling softly after a moment. "Cipher's presence has all but vanished ever since the raid on their facility, though the Aether Foundation has taken over on the investigation on that front."
"Which doesn't exactly make me feel great. I'd prefer we were the ones looking through Cipher's effects and not a third-party." Nanu remarked, causing Palena to shrug.
"They have the funding and the resources to do this with no further assistance from us, so why not? I trust President Lusamine to keep us informed on any developments. Aether Paradise can be trusted to handle things, Their reputation is beyond reproach and they've been critical in the battle against Cipher." Palena remarked casually, not particularly concerned with the investigation now that Roran was dead.
"You should be concerned...If what that little girl says is true, giving Lusamine more resources and control over Cipher's effects could be very bad." Nanu thought to himself, though he didn't vocalize any of these thoughts
"Now, do we have any word on what Borlath and the remnants of Cipher might be up to?" Palena asked the quartet of IP operatives.
"As of now, we honestly don't know what Borlath intends on doing. By all accounts, Cipher should be finished. The Pokémon League destroyed and killed a large portion of Cipher's personnel and resources, while Roran's betrayal did the rest. The group will likely never be what it once was, so we have no clue what Borlath plans." Anabel remarked, frowning as she leaned against the wall.
"His parting comment during his broadcast suggests that he's coming to Alola, and he's going to meet with son. I've had a discussion with the boy a few days ago, and gained some context for this situation." Looker explained, looking over the notepad he had in his hands. "According to Sun, he broke a promise he made with Borlath to not to try and get involved with his efforts to take down Roran. After watching his child nearly die at the hands of a madman within their base, Ashton seemed to have a mental breakdown and soon made that declaration on TV about not wanting to live anymore."
"I've had some contacts put together a psychological profile for the man." Looker said as he lifted a red file, containing several papers.
"And?" Anabel asked, curious as to what Looker had discovered. She knew it wouldn't be good.
"He's an absolute wreck upstairs, mentally, and this is before taking into account all of the Cipher stuff that's no doubt taxed him emotionally and physically. I've also had the pleasure of discussing his past with both his ex-wife and son before, in addition to getting a recap from Sun a few days ago. Efforts to reach out to Ano and Lahela Aupuni were met with a door slamming in my face." Looker explained, causing Palena to wince and shut his eyes. Nanu noticed this immediately.
"Something you'd like to discuss with us?" Nanu asked, his tone becoming icy.
"I...I may or may not have had a hand in smoothing over some scandals that had broken out over Ano's behaviour over the years. Most of which concerned his son, Ashton Aupuni. Or rather, Borlath." Palena grimaced then, as if tasting something unpleasant.
"I'll not go into them in depth, but they were certainly concerning cases of child abuse. Anyone who met Ashton could see that he and his father hated one another. Ano would always talk about how the boy was a disappointment for not wanting to be a Pokémon Trainer, and that he needed to be whipped into shape or he could die a disgrace. It was also obvious that Ano was mentally unstable and would routinely beat the boy in fits of madness." Palena explained as he leaned back in his chair, reflecting on the various times he could have intervened. Should have intervened. Anabel and Nanu both looked disgusted, while Ollie grit his teeth in anger.
"Well, that definitely contributes to some of Ashton's problems. And probably explains why he's incredibly overprotective of Sun." Ollie remarked, crossing his arms. "Borlath's a bastard, but he adores that boy. He'd die for Sun without hesitation."
"So why didn't Ano get the boot, or at least get punished, for what he was obviously doing to his child?" Nanu asked Palena, who again grimaced, though his expression became guilty.
"Various councilmembers helped cover up the scandal and kicked up a fuss anytime Ano Aupuni was being investigated. I helped, at the time, because I owed Ano more than I could ever hope to pay him back. Looking back now, I should have said something, but…" Palena trailed off, shaking his head ruefully. "Ano was and still is one of my closest confidants in my adult life. He mentored me during my early years as a secretary for one of the older Councilman at the time and vouched for me at various points in my life when unrest kicked up. To do nothing as his political career was savaged by others who didn't understand the method behind the madness was something I couldn't bear to watch. Ano was prone to fits of anger and delusion, but he was brilliant and captivating when he wanted to be. Everything I learned as a politician, I learned from Ano. And I suppose I never wanted to believe the abuse rumors to begin with..."
"Well, congrats. I'm sure Borlath appreciates that." Anabel said dryly, causing Palena to hang his head.
"I've made many mistakes in my life. After facing down the monster of our own making, and seeing my colleagues pay the price, I am more than willing to begin trying to make amends. I simply ask for the chance." Palena said with a heavy sigh, looking to Ollie.
"As I said before, I apologize for everything I've said to you and your associates. But furthermore, what I said to Laura Smiles and Sunshine Smiles during the Festival of Celestial Lights and various other times. The past few days have given me a lot to think about, and I hope our future dealings are more pleasant." Palena said to Ollie, who simply smirked at the man.
"Looks like his near-death experience changed him more than I thought. Everyone has the potential for good or evil, depending simply on how fate twists things." Ollie thought as Palena continued to speak.
"So, can we expect smoother dealings with you and what remains of the Alolan Regional Council?" Nanu asked, narrowing his eyes. Palena nodded, much to their collective relief.
"Yes. I'm coordinating with those of the Council who were simply crippled as opposed to executed, and they're discussing retiring from the Council. It was inopportune that I am the sole member remaining that's still fit to carry office, but I think we were in need of restructuring anyway. I'd like a chance to meet with the Kahunas at a time that suits you to discuss things in the future." Palena said smoothly, as his gaze drifted to Nanu. "On top of that, I've also freed up some more of our funding to go to the various agencies that were held in reserve for Pokémon League and the International Police fund. Once the Alola League installs a Champion, we'll discuss the power structure in depth and see where things stand."
"Then if that's the case, I think we can break for now. Unless you have anything else to address, sir?" Ollie asked Palena, who shut his eyes for several moments, thinking. He opened them a few moments later, his expression almost pained.
"I'm not going to mince words...You all saved my life. And it made me rethink a lot of things about not just how we operate, but also about how many mistakes I've made over my life. And not just in regards to how we've run Alola alongside the Kahunas." Palena said, his voice becoming quieter as he reached towards a frame photograph on his desk. It showed a family of four, including two children, a boy and a girl. The girl held a Fletchling in her arms with a troubled frown, and Ollie realized after a moment that the girl was Sun's friend Demi, who had been estranged from Palena and the rest of her family for several months now. She was now with Team Skull, if he remembered right.
"You know...If you apologized to her, she'd probably forgive you."
Palena's eyes shot to Nanu, who's softened just the slightest bit. "Kids are troublesome, but they're better than us. More forgiving. As much of an ass you are, I'm sure the kid wouldn't mind having her family back. But you've got to be willing to give. And understand where she's coming from. The Island Challenge is important...But so is blood. Family. A lot of us don't realize that."
"I see…" was all Palena said, his gaze drifting back to the photo of his family. It seemed that the man aged ten years right then, the stress of the situation hitting the lone Councilmember right then. Ollie realized that this was probably the end of their meeting, and after a few more words to organize another meeting later in the week, the quartet left Palena to his thoughts as the door shut behind them.
"Demi...I'm so sorry." Palena murmured, shutting his eyes as he reflected on everything that he had done. Not just as a Trainer and a leader within Alola, sworn to upload the ancient traditions of the land and to protect his fellow islanders.
But as a father, who had failed his only daughter.
Palena lowered his head as a tremor shook his body, and a single tear ran down his face at the magnitude of what he had done finally struck home. And for the first time in many years, he broke down in tears over what he had done.
THE PEANUT GALLERY
BestChefEver: WHAAZZZAP!?
CaptainKidd: Heya Mallow. How's it going?
BestChefEver: Good! But I've been a busy bee lately. I can't even go to that sweet picnic today. I'm getting paid extra at the family restaurant, but still.
TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMina: That was today? Huh...Oh well.
BigBadMo: Mina, you really need to socialize more.
TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMina: Meh.
WaterNymph: I'll be there! I'll be late, since I'm watching the twins right now, but I'll definitely be there.
SpittinHawtFiya: I'm out job-searching, but I did swing by to snag some food when it started and to say hi. Your cupcakes are pretty excellent, Mallow.
BestChefEver: Awww! Thanks Kiawe! ^-^
ThePrince: Which reminds me, Mallow, where do you stand on the eternal debate?
#2Spooky: What eternal debate?
WaterNymph: Seriously? Only like, the most important debate ever. One that Alola has pondered for generations.
BigBadMo: It's not THAT serious…
#2Spooky: Well now I'm interested! Tell me!
ThePrince: See, now I'm tempted to just be coy about it.
#2Spooky: How DARE you? After everything we've been through, this is how you reward my friendship? :(
ThePrince: You stole my clothes at one of the biggest parties of the year and made me parade around in my underwear you...you...DEMON!
TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMina: Oh wow, I almost thought you'd make him swear. Was it hot at least?
WaterNymph: Kinda? Ilima's got a pretty decent chest, actually. He secretly hits the local gym like six times a week but doesn't tell anyone because he's certain people will mock him for it.
ThePrince: Traitor! I told you that in confidence!
BigBadMo: Didn't that little display at the Festival cause some girl to ask you out on a date?
ThePrince: Yes, but that's besides the point. And Ashley and me have been official for two weeks, as a matter of fact.
SpittinHawtFiya: Congrats, Ilima! Good stuff, man.
BestChefEver: Yay! Nice job, Captain Charisma!
WaterNymph: Yay! It all worked out then, huh?
#2Spooky: Ilima and her should be added to a list of people who, if they get married, are legally barred from reproducing.
BigBadMo: Well damn.
SpittinHawtFiya: Dude...
WaterNymph: Gonna need a Burn Heal for that one, Ilima.
ThePrince: You know what...I'm better than this. I've got a movie date tomorrow night and I can't be bitter about that. So thank you, Acerola. But if you ever do that again I'll ensure that not even Kahuna Nanu saves you from my wrath.
#2Spooky: Fight me, ho. 1V1 me on Smash. Fox only, no items, Final Destination.
SpittinHawtFiya: You're only saying that because Lillie isn't there to wreck you again. lol
#2Spooky: Touche. Princess knows her way around video games. So does her adorable boy toy. Speaking of, Lana, have you asked Hau for help handling his fishing pole yet?
BestChefEver: I feel like that's a euphemism for something, but I can't say what because the writing staff said this chapter has to be family friendly.
WaterNymph: OMG
#2Spooky: Hey, the Super Rod is complicated. The all-purpose one Lana uses is great and all, but there's a reason SR's catch better things. They require some skill. Also that, yes.
WaterNymph: Holy crap.
BestChefEver: You would look cute in a nurse costume, Lana.
WaterNymph: I don't need any of this! Can we NOT talk about my feelings for Hau for like, a day? The poor guy was laid up in a hospital because of an insane cannibalistic Kahuna! And you're talking about me dressing up as his nurse? What's wrong with you people!?
#2Spooky: I have a list prepared right now. You want me to send it to you?
BigBadMo: Lana, you'll understand when you're older. lol
CaptainKid: Ummm...wat.
WaterNymph: SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP
WaterNymph: This is the third time this week! Can we drop this? I hate the idea of everyone thinking that me visiting Hau is some weird ploy or something. T_T
SpittinHawtFiya: I don't know about that, Lana. I've seen more convenient plot devices around a cartographer's table.
*WaterNymph has changed her name to LanaTheSaltyBanana*
SpittinHawtFiya: Thank you for proving my point. He'll come around eventually. He HAS to get over that crush on Lillie at some point. She's totally smitten with Sun. I think the way you're going about this is fine.
BestChefEver: I BELIEVE IN YOU, HOMESLICE.
BestChefEver: And you know what would make you feel better, Lana?
LanaTheSaltyBanana: Moving to another region and changing my identity? I hear Sinnoh is quite lovely this time of year and I think I'd look good with brown hair.
#2Spooky: Shopping trip?
BestChefEver: Yep. Shopping trip. We could even bring those two girls from Galar along too!
ThePrince: I swear to Arceus, if you try hitting on Piers' sister, I'll never forgive you. He's a foreign diplomat who came here to help us. Leave that Marnie girl alone.
BestChefEver: How...How DARE you!? I am offended by this slander!
LanaTheSaltyBanana: Mallow was absolutely checking them both out yesterday. She wasn't even trying to be subtle about it.
BestChefEver: Since when have I ever been subtle?
LanaTheSaltyBanana: Touche.
ThePrince: I cannot believe this...
Meanwhile
Po Town
Guzma nodded his head in beat to the music as he muttered under his breath, his pen scribbling as fast as he could right. He was in the perfect headspace for something like this.
He was currently in his lair. Or rather, what he called his lair. Truthfully it was a combination of things including his bedroom, throne room, and training room. It was large enough to have a battle in, should he ever feel the urge to. A rather plump king-sized bed with dark green sheets and three firm pillows (just how he liked them), complete with a shelf of top-of-the-line booze from all around the Alola region (and even some imported from others). A large throne filled with thick and comfy purple cushions sat at the top of a few stairs, where a laptop was open playing some beatboxing recorded by one of his Grunts.
A small chest filled with flittering bright green Z-Crystals sat twinkling mournfully in the corner of the room beside a small table, since the room was well-light with four different lamps set up in the corners of the room.
Guzma tapped his chin with a smirk, speaking quietly as he hummed along with the beat and continued to write. He only stopped open hearing a loud boom downstairs, which made him lose his train of thought and caused him to scowl in annoyance. The Boss of Team Skull then sighed and then shrugged.
"Oh well. Made some solid progress today. I'll have a whole album done by next week at the rate I'm going." Guzma said as he stood up and stretched, pleased at how things were coming along. Team Skull was still kicking some tail, he was still devilishly handsome, and things were getting interesting in Alola again.
"Plus we got another shipment of supplies from Aether. Can't be mad about that." Guzma said with a smirk, grateful that his partnership with the lovely Lusamine Jardin was going so well. Now if only he could get ahold of that little brat of hers…
"She'll fall into our hands sooner or later. Man, shit's finally getting exciting in this hellhole of a region. First Cipher, then Wes, and Ultra Beasts. Heh…" Guzma grinned as a memory came to him.
Two Weeks Earlier
Ula'ula Island Cipher HQ
Two more Cipher Peons dropped to the ground as Plumeria visibly shivered, even as more members poured into the hallway, gunfire erupting down the hallway. A harrowing sight for a Pokémon Trainer for sure. After the lockdown had ended, the group was immediately set upon by armed Cipher personnel, who attacked them on sight.
Unfortunately for Cipher, they were dealing with someone who had been beating them into a pulp for a long time.
On top of that, they were dealing with a very mad Guzma.
"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!?" Guzma bellowed as he flipped over a Cipher Peon in midair, delivering a haymaker that knocked the poor man silly and shattered his collarbone. Goliath the Golisopod tanked the gunfire coming from their way down the hallway, grunting as the bullets bounced off of his impossibly strong armor. The Team Skull Boss glanced towards Wes to see how he was fairing, and promptly grinned with delight.
Wes ducked to dodge a shotgun butt and delivered a swift throat chop to the Peon responsible, violently kicking the one behind him and sending her crashing to the ground, before quickly disarming the Peon and brutally smashing them over the back of the head with their own weapon. The former Snagger followed this up by quickly spinning around and firing off the shotgun at the two other approaching Peons and knocking them back. A Shadow Jolteon unleashed a Thunderbolt at the man, who simply kicked off of the ground to dodge it, sticking his legs out and bracing himself in midair while he pulled out a gleaming crossbow from within his cloak and fired it at the Jolteon, which was thrown back as the bolt struck it in the chest. He then took aim and fired it again, burying a second bolt into the shoulder of the Peon as he struggled to his feet with a sidearm in hand. The man collapsed onto the ground with a cry of pain, but he was down for the count.
Wes dropped to the ground in time for a Braixen to finish blasting flames down on a battalion of Pokémon, with Eve the Sylveon lashing out with Moonblasts all the while. Guzma chuckled as he snapped his fingers, which was the signal for Goliath to rush forward and smash into the Peons at the end of the hallway with Aqua Jet, knocking them down. A Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan broke free from the carnage to rush the Golisopod, who fired upon them with Pin Missile and then finished them with Liquidation.
"Clear...Disarm them. Or kill them. I don't care which." Wes said as he reloaded his crossbow and stowed it away, with Pyrrha looking at her Trainer worriedly.
"That was ridiculous…" Plumeria muttered as she watched the Shadow Jolteon weakly rise to its feet, only for Pyrrha to rip out the bolt in its chest with Psychic and then hit it with a Flamethrower, sealing the wound and knocking out the Shadow Pokémon in the process.
"That's fine with me. That means he's taking this seriously." Guzma responded, not bothered in the slightest. With the reputation Wes had, Guzma knew that the man would have no problem storming this place by himself and taking down everyone he encountered. He fought the enemy with speed and brutality.
Guzma liked brutal.
"Hey! You coming?" Wes asked as Guzma snapped out of his thoughts and sauntered after him, followed by a concerned Plumeria and a downright awestruck Bone Brothers. It was hardly surprising, considering that Guzma had been the strongest person they knew, even if his team was still mostly recovering from taking down Amber Fontane's Umbral Rhyperior.
But it was obvious to all of them that Wes was insanely powerful. Guzma wasn't stupid, and knew that this man was stronger than himself. Wes had the reputation as someone who could take down entire criminal organizations on his own and had only gotten stronger and more brutal since then. The video footage of Team Snagem's base exploding as he drove by on a hoverbike, as a teenager no less, was practically a legend to gangs like Team Skull. He was practically a hero to group like them.
The Team Skull members joined Wes in the elevator, where Eve the Sylveon wrapped her feelers around the man's arm while Pyrrha seemed to watch them warily, as if ready to step in at the first sign of violence to keep her Trainer safe. It was almost amusing to Guzma, in a way. After a moment he noticed that the Braixen was wearing light blue dotted stone that was wrapped around her neck with a strong cord, almost like a necklace. Guzma recognized it as an Everstone, and wondered why a Trainer as strong as Wes would be holding his Pokémon back. So long as a Pokémon held an Everstone, it wouldn't be able to evolve.
"So what's the deal with her Everstone?" Guzma asked Wes, pointing to Pyrrha, who glared at the Team Skull Boss. Wes placed a hand on her head to placate the Braixen, and answered Guzma's question.
"She decided she prefers being a Braixen. I got her an Everstone and that was that." Wes responded casually, causing Guzma to narrow his eyes in suspicion. "I respect her choice. Far too often Trainers make life-changing decisions for their Pokémon without even bothering to ask the Pokémon what they think. I'm not like most Trainers."
"That's because you're better." Pyrrha remarked with a smile, causing Guzma to look down at her for a moment before shrugging.
"Whatever. I get what you're saying, but holding yourself back from being the best you can be doesn't gel with my own style. You do you though." Guzma responded before a loud voice interrupted any further conversation.
"WARNING. UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS-" the computerized voice began to say before Wes reached forward and casually punched in a code sequence on the data pad attached to the wall and silenced the voice, causing the door to open at their destination. It was a movement so natural it seemed almost practiced.
"How the hell did you do that?" one of the Bone Brothers asked Wes, who shrugged as he walked out of the lift and made their way down a darker hallway.
"As secure as these facilities can be, they're all the same when it comes down to it. That also comes with having general-use passwords for areas that any Peon can get into. Cipher Peons tend to be a lot smarter than the usual goon, but laziness is still a thing." Wes explained as they made their way into the poorly-lit cell block, ignoring the heavy scent of copper in the room. Guzma quickly stepped past Wes, however, and made his way to the end of the room. There, trapped behind a cage and bound together, were Bone Unit 71.
"Hey! You made it!" Kevin called to Guzma as the Team Skull Boss looked down at the kids trapped within the cage. They seemed a bit beaten up, with some bruises and dried blood on their bodies, but otherwise they were fine. Guzma exhaled softly through his nose, trying not to let his genuine relief show.
"It's the Boss! And Plumeria! Hell yes, we're saved!" Kayla cheered, grinning widely as she wriggled in her ropes. Axen, however, had other things on his mind.
"Can you let us out? If I die in a cage, I lose a bet." Axen asked Guzma, who simply rolled his eyes as he looked over to Wes as the former Snagger examined some of the other cages, where several messy lumps lay rotting.
"You kids alright? The hell happened?" Guzma asked the teens, turning his attention back to them. Bone Unit 71 briefly explained what had happened with the Fossil Man, or rather Roran Rubinara.
"We broke into the Fossil Man's trailer and found Kahuna Hala's grandson there! He was bound and gagged. We were gonna run for help when the Fossil Man attacked us and…" Kayla trailed off, realizing something. "Wait, what happened to Tim? He wasn't with us when we woke up here."
"Use your imagination...He's gone. We're gonna avenge him." Guzma muttered as he snapped his fingers. Goliath reached forward and grabbed the cell door, ripping it off completely as Bone Unit 71 flinched at the display. Plumeria quickly walked into the cell and untied them, looking over them worriedly. Kayla looked down at the ground, trying not to cry at the news of Tim's death. Axen grit his teeth in anger while Kevin sighed, shutting his eyes. Plumeria placed a hand on Kayla's head, rubbing it comfortingly while whispering something to Axen and Kevin. The two of them seemed to look more determined after she was done.
"Always the big sister...You're too good for this place, kid." Guzma thought with a pang as Plumeria helped Kevin to his feet, even as Axen did the same for Kayla.
"So now what, Boss?" Plumeria asked, earning a hum from Guzma in response.
"Truth be told, my plan isn't an in-depth one. We found what we were looking for, and now I'm trying to decide whether or not we explore more or cut our losses." Guzma said aloud, knowing full-well he wanted to delve deeper into the base and help President Lusamine deal with Roran somehow. If the lockdown had ended, then the final battle had been decided.
"To be fair, you don't exactly look like someone who's gonna revolutionize modern thought." Wes remarked as he walked back over to them, shrugging as Guzma grit his teeth in anger. The Bone Brothers stepped forward, only to freeze when Wes narrowed his eyes at them. To the amazement of Bone Unit 71, the hardened trio of thugs backed away from Wes with fear in their eyes. Guzma, however, stepped forward with anger flashing across his face.
"How dare you...I'm Guzma! No one mocks me like this!" Guzma barked at Wes, who didn't look the slightest bit threatened.
"Well, how did you want me to mock you?" Wes asked, grinning at Guzma's furious expression. "I take requests."
"Holy shit…" Plumeria whispered as Guzma growled and clenched his fists, stepping towards Wes and getting right up into his face.
"You have some balls…" Guzma hissed, clenching his fists. Wes grinned as Eve and Pyrrha snickered beside him, with the former Snagger crossing his arms fearlessly. Goliath stomped forward, raising a claw threateningly.
"So I've been told. So, are you going to fight me or should we take this somewhere else? I imagine your friends have more important things to do than watch our dick-measuring contest." Wes remarked, causing Guzma to blink twice in surprise before finally smirking at the Snagger and taking a step back.
"Fine then. No one can claim that the great Guzma isn't a generous man." Guzma said, his eyes flashing with what seemed to be approval. "Consider yourself a friend of Team Skull, asshole."
Now it was Wes' turn to be confused. "Wait, what? How'd that happen? And how much do I have to insult you to get you to rescind that offer?"
"That asshole Roran pretended to be an ally of Team Skull and we're in the market for more business partners. You wanna keep tearing through this place? Then let ol' Guzma and company show you how Team Skull rolls." Guzma grinned darkly, extending a hand to Wes, who was still bemused.
After a few moments staring at him in confusion, Wes considered the man's offer for a few moments. Eventually he shrugged, not really thinking much of it. "You know what? Why not. I don't mind some company who can hold their own in a fight."
"Now you're speaking my language. Bone Brothers, Plumeria, get the kids to safety. Ariados will get you out of the facility. Me and our new friend are gonna raise some hell elsewhere and give you an easy way out." Guzma said as Goliath grunted from beside him. Pyrrha crossed her arms, smirking at the massive Pokémon.
"Try and keep up." Pyrrha responded as Goliath knelt down and glared down at the small Braixen for several moments...before it nodded and stood to its feet, looking to Guzma and nodding again. Eve simply laughed at the exchange good-naturedly.
"This'll be fun...Let's cause some real damage!" Guzma said with a gleeful grin as he made his way out of the room, with the Bone Brothers carrying the weak forms of Bone Unit 71 out of the room a few moments later. Wes sensed some palpable hostility between the two groups of thugs, Bone Unit 71 and the Bone Brothers, but didn't comment on it. Instead he turned to Plumeria and her Salazzle, who were doing a quick sweep of the room.
"So how'd a sensible lady like you wind up with someone as high-strung as him?" Wes asked, jerking a thumb towards where Guzma had departed. Plumeria looked at him with a guarded expression, as if evaluating him.
"I owe Guzma my life." Plumeria said quietly, walking towards the exit herself. "He risked his own to save a sad little girl who didn't know where to go after her family died. In time...he saved a bunch of others. Outcasts and those left behind by Alola and its traditions. All we have is each other."
Wes nodded, seeming as if he understood her. He then left the room, leaving Plumeria alone in the room filled with cells and butchered corpses. Plumeria noticed that the Sylveon had wrapped its feelers around Wes' hand again.
"Interesting. Don't Sylveon do that to soothe their Trainers?" Plumeria mused, crossing her arms. She then shook her head, muttering, "Doesn't matter anyway…When the President finds her little thief, things'll be changing. It's just a matter of whether or not we'll be standing at the end when the smoke clears."
The Admin of Team Skull followed out after Wes and Guzma, who had gone on ahead with the Bone Brothers trailing behind them. It would be hours later before the police swarmed the building, and by then they would be long gone.
Guzma snapped out of his memory by his door opening, revealing Plumeria. She looked half-asleep, but also annoyed as she pointed a finger towards a faraway window.
"Your boys are causing a riot out there, and I had a late night studying. Can you deal with them?" Plumeria grumbled, causing Guzma to roll his eyes, casually shutting the laptop and walking out of his room, which Plumeria closed and locked behind him.
"So what's going on?" Guzma asked, eyeing the never-ending rain outside with amusement.
"No idea. The Bone Brothers were raising hell and I went to get you after-" Plumeria began to say before a loud snarling erupt from outside, causing her to flinch. Guzma's mouth twitched into a smirk, as he recognized that sound.
"That's Lusamine's pet project...So, looks like Gladion got into another fight." Guzma laughed as he peered out of the window, stepping onto the balcony and tucking his hands into his pocket as he watched Gladion battle three Trainers at once while Team Skull whooped and hollered around them. Guzma noticed that the only ones who weren't actively joining in were Bone Unit 71, who were currently restraining a livid Demi who looked like she dearly wanted to knock some teeth out.
To his credit, Gladion was doing his damnedest to hold the trio off. His newly-evolved Zoroark, Golbat, and of course Type: Null were diving in and out of the fray while Gladion barked commands, holding off the swarm of Pokémon even as they were slowly worn down. While all of this was happening, Gladion was trying to deal with the Bone Brothers attacking him with punches and kicks, with the teen already sporting a black eye and what looked like a dislocated shoulder.
Guzma watched as a Thunderbolt from a Magneton finally took Gladion's Golbat out of the air and the eldest Brother's Drapion (which Guzma knew for a fact was their strongest Pokémon amongst their three teams) took down the Zoroark with a Sludge Bomb when it tried to protect Gladion from getting kicked to the ground. Type: Null managed to knock out a Bagon with Crush Claw before dodging a Slash from the Ogre Scorpion Pokémon, landing on the ground and heaving with exhaustion.
The monster glanced back at his Partner in time to see Gladion get punched in the face. As the teen staggered back with a yell of pain, the other two brothers kicked him at the same time, sending him crashing onto soaked pavement. After laughing to themselves, all three brothers began to stomp down on the fallen teen. Demi screamed out for them to stop, but they completely ignored her. The remainder of Team Skull watched, knowing full well that the Bone Brothers would turn their fury to them if they tried to interfere. Guzma watched the display with amusement.
"It's all about strength, in the end. That's all that matters." Guzma muttered as Gladion was picked up off of the ground and sucker-punched into the stomach, causing him to wheeze in pain before being put into a full-nelson.
"Hey Drapion! Let's see if this traitor bleeds red like the rest of us!" the youngest of the Bone Brothers laughed, ignoring the fact that Gladion was bleeding from his nose and mouth already. The two other brothers laughed as the Drapion scuttled forward, raising a glowing claw into the air before Type: Null crashed into it, knocking it down and raking its body with Crush Claw before lunging at a Trumbeak that was soaring at him, knocking it clear out of the air with a Thunder Wave before hitting it with Iron Head.
"Leave him alone!" Type: Null roared, landing back on the ground as the Bone Brothers glared down the monster, even as the youngest brother tightened his grip on Gladion. With that, Guzma finally decided to step in.
"ENOUGH!" Guzma bellowed from the balcony, causing all of them to freeze. The Bone Brother hesitated, but then threw Gladion into the nearest puddle before turning to Guzma. Type: Null glared at the man responsible, then to Guzma, and then to its Trainer as he struggled to his feet again, coughing up blood.
"Now then...Why are you guys trying to murder the little bastard? Catch me up to speed." Guzma said as he casually leapt off of the second story balcony and into a spider web, helpfully fired by his Ariados at the last moment and allowing him to bounce off of it and land on the ground with ease.
"This little shit said he's quitting!" one of the Brothers spoke up. Guzma had never gotten their names, thanks to the brothers themselves never giving them out.
"Quitting?" Guzma questioned as he walked through the crowd, a smile playing at his lips. "Quitting what?"
"Team Skull! Gladion said he's done being our Enforcer! No one walks out on Team Skull." one of the other Brothers called to Guzma, who narrowed his eyes as his grin widened.
"I wonder what brought that on. The brat was so keen on getting stronger. Did I slip up somewhere…?" Guzma thought as he drew closer to the scene of the brawl, where the Bone Brothers had returned their Pokémon and moved away from the barely conscious form of Gladion. "Nah. Impossible. I'm Guzma. Mistakes don't happen with me."
"Well, that's a development." Guzma remarked, chuckling darkly as he approached Gladion and kneeled down to the boy's level as he weakly pushed himself upright. "Come on, kid. Push through it. Get back on your feet like a man."
"Your...attack dogs...make that p-p-pretty hard…" Gladion rasped, getting on all fours, panting heavily as Type: Null made its way towards him. Guzma looked towards the monster and held up a hand.
"You stay there. I will tell you when you can scrap your Trainer off of the road." Guzma intoned with a cruel grin, his words making it clear that if Type: Null moved closer, Gladion would be harmed.
"Now then, kid...What's this about you leaving us? We not good enough for you? Is that it? Or is it something else?" Guzma asked quietly, tilting his head as Gladion looked away from him.
"I...I don't fit in here. Never...b-belonged. Gotta get stronger...You all...are better off without me." Gladion sputtered as he managed to get to one knee.
Guzma grinned widely at that, confusing some of the other members of Team Skull as he leaned forward, his mouth barely grazing Gladion's ear.
"Liar."
Gladion's open eye widened as Guzma pulled away, grinning ear-to-ear. "Tell you what. I like you kid. So if you can get back to your feet like a man after taking your lumps, I'll let your little freak take you out of this town without any fuss. If you fail...Well, it's not like you're wanted anywhere else. Maybe your boi Guzma can just finish the job the Bone Brothers started?"
Gladion winced at those words, but redoubled his efforts on getting to his feet. He managed to get another foot beneath him and eventually, much to the disappointment of just about everyone, managing to stand upright despite the brutal beating he had just endured.
"There...I did it." Gladion spat at Guzma, wobbling on his feet even as he stared down the leader of Team Skull, despite the fact that his vision was becoming blurry. Guzma threw apart his arms and let out a cackle of delight.
"Damn straight! Now...Get your ass out of here." Guzma said as his smile suddenly faded away, nodding to Type: Null before walking away. "If anyone messes with the kid before he gets out of the city, I will personally punish you. If he comes back...Then make sure they never find his body."
"Yes Boss!" came the chorus of replies as Gladion collapsed, only for Type: Null to catch him. The creature quickly made its way to the large door that led out of the town, and the two Grunts standing guard opened it at once, lest they incur Guzma's wrath.
"Good luck!" one of the Grunts called out tauntingly while the other laughed. All the while, Gladion's battered body and frenzied mind were working on autopilot as Type: Null carried him away from the jeers of Team Skull.
"I have to...get out of here. They're...working with Aether. Spies...Damn it. All this time, wasted." Gladion whispered as he struggled to stay conscious, even as the two Grunts standing guard at the entrance of Po Town laughed at him down the road. Type: Null continued to carry Gladion down the rainy path, focusing on getting his Partner to safety. Gladion drifted in and out of consciousness, unsure of what was happening aside from the fact that the creature had suddenly stopped after what was probably just a few minutes. To Gladion's surprise, he heard a familiar, bored voice speak over the rainfall.
"You look like shit, kid."
Gladion looked up in time to see an older man staring at him with a bored expression, his red eyes half-lidded with bemusement. Gladion slumped off of Type:Null and crashed into the mud face-first.
Nanu sighed, rolling his eyes as he stepped forward. Type: Null remained still, sensing that the man didn't have any ill-intentions, even as he picked up Gladion and hefted the muddy and bloodied teen over his shoulder.
"Well, come on, then. May as well get this brat on a couch so he can sleep this off. Just don't fight with my Meowth, you hear me? They're the only things that keep me sane in this miserable world." Nanu said to Type: Null as he walked off with Gladion, even as the monster lumbered after him.
"I promise nothing." Type: Null responded, snorting in amusement as Nanu did the same. The Kahuna looked back at the creature padding alongside him and regarded it for a moment with interest before asking a question.
"How is it that between the two of you, the freak of nature has the sense of humor?"
"Because if I didn't have one, having this helmet on my head would get even more annoying."
"That's fair."
Meanwhile…
Malie Garden
"These are really tasty, Lillie! What's your secret?"
"The secret is that Mallow made them and Professor Kukui paid her, Sun."
"...Huh."
"I appreciate the compliment, though."
Sun blushed in embarrassment as Lillie laughed, tucking away the remnants of their lunch into a trash bag to be disposed of later. Right now the two children were inside of the famous Malie Garden, enjoying a relaxing picnic in celebration of the reconstruction efforts, Cipher's defeat on Ula'Ula Island, and most importantly Hau's release from the hospital.
Sun and Lillie were very happy to have a moment to themselves where they weren't frantically worrying about Cipher's nonsense. Sun in particular was looking forward to continuing on his Island Challenge.
Meanwhile, Sun spotted Finn sparring with Professor Kukui's Incineroar and grappling with the Heel Pokémon. Alastor was simply taking a nap, though anything that dared venture near the Alolan Graveler would get zapped harshly by the antisocial Pokémon. Oliver and Penny were soaring through the skies together, though Sun knew that they were also keeping an eye out for trouble as they flew. As for the final member of Sun's team, he had spotted Brago and Winter (Professor Kukui's Alolan Ninetales) curled up somewhere in the park some time ago, though he hadn't seen them in over an hour.
Of the five Pokémon, Sun worried about Alastor the most. His actions ever since he had been caught were already worrying enough. The Alolan Graveler had been hostile to humans, including Sun, since he had been captured. Despite almost three weeks passing since they had met, Alastor showed no signs of becoming any less cold to either his Trainer or his teammates. His actions during the battle with Roran were even more concerning.
Brago and Penny tried to be civil with their newest teammate, whereas Finn seemed to consider Alastor his new rival after how the Rock Pokémon had knocked him out during the final battle with Roran.
But Oliver and Alastor in particular seemed to hate each other, considering how often they got into arguments. And while Sun was definitely concerned about Oliver, especially his state of mind considering how the bird acted sometimes, Alastor's attitude was more problematic. But Sun couldn't get rid of the Alolan Graveler and Alastor had made it clear that not only was this Sun's fault, but he'd go after Sun's life if the boy tried to get rid of him.
Considering what Alastor had done to Roran, Sun didn't think this was an empty threat. The boy shuddered as he remembered the man after the explosion that had taken off his legs. Sun had ordered Alastor to do that, in a fit of anger. And Alastor had taken that chance. Was he no better than Cipher, then? Attacking another Trainer like that?
Sun had seen his therapist three times since the battle, after Laura Smiles put her foot down. Sun's mother had been far from pleased after she found out what kind of things her child had been up to the past week or so. Sun wondered who scared him more. His mother or his father?
Either way, talking to Doctor Cabela back in Heahea City had been an oddly thoughtful experience. Mostly because of everything he had learned about his family and the effect it had on the boy. Sun talked about his conflicting feelings towards his father, and his concerns about him after his declaration on national TV. Cabela's response as Sun had finished recapping everything was this.
"You can't force someone to get help."
In the end, Sun was left to consider his thoughts. He definitely felt a lot better after talking about his problems, though. He didn't really feel guilty about using Alastor to stop Roran, considering the life or death nature of the battle. Doctor Cabela did warn Sun about keeping a Pokémon like Alastor in check, though. Especially considering his hate of humans.
"It's so weird...After dealing with Oliver's crap as a Rowlet, that anything would surprise me. But nope, I've got a racist Graveler on my hands and have no idea how to deal with it." Sun thought as Alastor shifted slightly in his sleep from the other side of the garden.
"So where's Hau at? I've barely seen the guy." Sun asked Lillie, in an attempt to distract himself from his own thoughts. The girl took off her hat and set it down on the blanket, sure that it wouldn't get blown away by the wind. Nebby cooed softly from within his bag, causing Lillie to roll her eyes and pick the Cosmog up and hug him close. Nebby cried out happily, nuzzling Lillie as the girl cuddled with her Pokémon.
"Training. As soon as he got released from the hospital and got here, he talked Kahuna Hala into helping him train up some more. After lunch, of course." Lillie corrected herself, causing Sun to smirk.
"Sounds about right." Sun laughed as Lillie giggled, agreeing with him.
"Apparently he's caught a new Pokémon. I'm not sure if he's mentioned it before. Plus, I don't think either of us are going to be seeing anyone hiding in the park like this, so it's kind of our own fault that we haven't talked with him much today." Lillie admitted somewhat guiltily as she leaned back and lay down on the blanket beside Sun, sighing as she began to relax.
"Yeah, I think he mentioned it in passing. I don't know what it is. Maybe I'll find out the next time we battle." Sun grinned as he shut his eyes, not feeling the desire to socialize right now or intrude on Hau's time with his grandfather. "I'm looking forward to it."
"I'm glad that recent events haven't done anything to reduce the competitive drive you two have." Lillie remarked with a giggle, amused more than anything else. "Hau's stronger than we give him credit for. Most people would be scarred for life after what Roran pulled. Hau's just as cheery as he always is."
Sun hummed in agreement. That was Hau's greatest strength. Despite everything he had been through, Hau could walk away from a situation as harrowing as enduring the Ritual of the Lost God with a smile on his face and a laugh. It was a testament to his willpower. As much crap as Hau got for not taking things seriously or for being a goof, he was strong where it counted. Sun was still processing everything that had happened to him weeks ago, while Hau was already looking forward.
"No wonder Lana is so smitten." Sun laughed quietly, causing Lillie to smile mischievously in response.
"I'm really rooting for Lana. If only so Mallow stops teasing me and teases her instead."
"Doesn't Mallow tease her anyway?"
"Yes, but if Hau and Lana got together, Mallow would forget about me and you entirely and focus solely on them."
"We can only hope." Sun sighed wistfully as he shifted closer to Lillie, who flushed but didn't shy away from being so close to Sun. After all, they were in a relatively secluded area within the Garden and everyone they knew who would bug them was busy. Right?
Last he saw, Aria and Hugh were having tea at the dining pavilion while Kukui sat with Professor Burnet near the tall grass quite a distance away, his Lycanroc barking at the Pokémon within while Kukui scribbled down notes on a clipboard (actually looking like a Professor for once!). Zinnia, who surprised everyone by actually showing up, was currently sitting on a bench in deep conversation with Zygarde, who had been instrumental in helping defend Malie Library during their operation against Roran Rubinara.
According to Hapu, Sun found out that Cipher actually did attack the Library multiple times the night they went into the Cipher Base. However they were completely repelled by the assembled Trainers there, with Zinnia and Zygarde standing out amongst the groups. Sun had spoken to Zinnia a few times since then and thanked her for helping them.
"Sometimes we spend our whole lives searching for a purpose, kid. My purpose...well, it found me. It's not exactly what I was hoping for, but it's mine. And I'll help everyone I can with the chance I've been given."
Zinnia had even made amends with Aria and was actively working with her and Sun to reclaim the fragments of Zygarde. So far they were around forty-two percent done reforming the creature, according to Sina and Dexio (who had returned to Alola and were thrilled the Draconid had been recruited to the cause). With the reformation of Zygarde looking more promising than ever, and with the big victory over Roran and Cipher, everyone was in high spirits.
Even the Aether Foundation had been involved with the celebrations, albeit in a limited fashion. Branch Chief Faba did not come by, apparently too busy with something President Lusamine was working on, so Miss Wicke and several others came instead.
Lillie, Sun noted, made sure to keep well away from everyone wearing the Aether uniform and figured it was the exact reason they were hidden so far away, instead of wanting to get some privacy from everyone else. Sun didn't call her out on it though. But he remained curious and worried all the same. Speaking of...
"So this is where you two have been hiding out?" came a teasing voice that Lillie and Sun both recognized. The two children sat up and saw Miss Wicke standing nearby, smiling cheerfully at them while looking the faintest bit amused. Lillie scooted away from Sun, blushing furiously, while Sun laughed.
"Yeah. We kinda needed a break from all of the people, you know?" Sun remarked with a shrug while Wicke nodded understandingly.
"Of course. It's nice that we got invited to come here. The Paradise is nice and all, but Malie Garden has its own charms, hmm?" Wicke remarked, smiling as she glanced around the cornerstone of Malie City.
"So, no Miss Lusamine, huh?" Sun asked, sounding disappointed. Lillie went very still, and Wicke focused her gaze solely on Sun as she considered a quick reply.
"She's been very focused on several projects ever since Roran's defeat. Some of which may assist you all in your fight against Cipher, while others pertain to the Ultra Space endeavor. She worries me, but...She's strong. And recent events will only make both her and the Paradise stronger as a result." Wicke finished simply, shrugging after a moment's pause. Sun considered her words, wondering if there was something else hidden within them. He couldn't figure out quite what it was, but Sun felt as if Wicke was warning him.
Little did he know that Wicke has indeed giving a warning. Just not to him.
Before Lillie could respond, an enthusiastic male voice called, "Miss Wicke! There you are!"
"I should be saying the same to you, Knight." Wicke remarked wryly, glancing behind her to see Dawson jogging towards them. Still disguised as a Aether Foundation member, Dawson had been allowed into their party in the Malie Garden.
"What, you don't trust me to behave myself at a party? Is this because I told you that story about me and the-" Dawson tried to say, only for Wicke to suddenly rush forward and clamp a hand over his mouth.
"That story is way too mature for young minds! This is why you're not allowed into the swimming pool anymore, you know!" Wicke said sternly, though it seemed as if she was trying not to laugh. Dawson put a hand over his heart, looking severely offended as he backed away from her.
"What? Have thee no faith in my skills and resolve, madam? You wound me!" Dawson proclaimed as he suddenly hunched over dramatically while Sun rolled his eyes.
"There's so much secret crap going on around me. I really need to start keeping track of it all." Sun thought as Wicke and Dawson continued to trade comments back and forth. Weirdly enough, Sun seemed to sense that the two had become good friends, despite the fact that Dawson was a secret Admin for Cipher.
Wicke finally walked off, giving the two children a wave before saying, "I'm going to get some tea. You two have fun! And behave!"
"Psh. As if you two could actually get up to something. You're so young you wouldn't even...You know what, I'm not going there." Dawson said with a laugh, putting a hand on his hip. "So, how've you kids been?"
"Pretty good. Still working through some stuff, but I'm doing good now." Sun answered honestly, causing Dawson to nod in approval.
"Good. Keep fighting, kid. I'm going to keep an eye out for any news about your Dad. You should know that Lusamine seems to be expecting something from Cipher." Dawson said to Sun, who's eyes widened in surprise. "She seems to believe that Borlath will visit her personally. And, since he's coming to Alola, eventually come to Ula'ula specifically to settle some scores."
"Settle some scores?" Lillie asked quietly.
"Ano and Lahela Aupuni…" Sun muttered darkly, causing Dawson to look at him in confusion.
"Who?" Dawson asked.
"Of course you wouldn't know. They're my grandparents. And they're completely terrible people, and one of the many reasons my father never wanted anything to do with Alola, even as a criminal mastermind." Sun explained to Dawson, who took a few moments to process that.
"That explains...a lot, actually. Hmm. I'll have to think on that. In the meantime, I may as well go bother Wicke some more." Dawson said as he cracked a grin, causing Sun to groan as he facepalmed.
"How has she not slapped you?" Lillie asked, causing Dawson to shrug.
"No idea. She's great though. It's rare that I meant someone so thoroughly beautiful on the outside, and on the inside. It's a shame she's waaaay out of my league." Dawson admitted, causing Sun's jaw to drop.
"Out of your league? Seriously? You're like...you're...You're YOU!" Sun sputtered, causing Dawson to grin again and adjust his cap.
"Yeah. And I'm man enough to admit someone as good as Julia Wicke is totally undeserving of a dashing rogue like myself. Still, it can't hurt to enjoy this while I can. Now, you two enjoy the day. It's really nice out." Dawson said as he tipped his hat to the two of them before walking off after Wicke.
"I don't understand how Wicke hasn't decked him in the face." Lillie remarked, sighing as she crossed her arms. "I couldn't handle someone like that. Even if he is surprisingly nice for someone who kills and tortures people."
"Didn't you cuss out Hau for reading your diary?" Sun reminded Lillie, who blushed scarlet at the reminder. It had been the most angry she had been in years.
"I…I don't want to talk about it!" Lillie said defensively as Sun laughed at her. Lillie opened her mouth to reply, only to let out a yawn. "Or maybe...Maybe Dawson was right. It's such a nice day at. Perfect for a nap outside."
Sun laid back down on the blanket and patted the ground beside him, allowing Lillie to cuddle up to him. Soon the girl was pressed up against Sun's side, causing the boy to grin at his closest friend and crush.
"It's nice to have some time away from it all. We came to Alola to get away from the craziness." Sun remarked, causing Lillie to giggle with mirth as Nebby cooed from somewhere above them. The Cosmog soared into the spot between them, nestling in between the two people it trusted most in the world.
"So what's your plan now, Sun?" Lillie asked quietly, staring into Sun's gray eyes as he considered the question. He surprised Lillie by leaning forward and kissing her on the forehead, causing Lillie to blush bright red in response.
"T-T-T-That's n-n-not t-the answer I was expecting!" Lillie squeaked while Sun grinned impishly at the girl, trying not to laugh.
"I know. But I haven't done something like that in a while. You kinda deserved it." Sun said in a joking tone, causing Lillie to pout.
"Don't make me come over there and cuddle with you. I'll do it."
"Bring it! I'm not scared of you, Princess!"
"Pew pew!"
"You tell her, Nebby!"
"Nebby, I thought you were on my side."
"Pew."
Lillie surprised Sun, and herself, by suddenly lunging at the boy with a grin. She tackled him to the ground and quickly sat on his chest, smiling down triumphantly at the boy. Sun didn't seem the slightest bit bothered by it.
"Whelp, you win your prize. What'll it be, Your Highness?" Sun asked dryly as Lillie smiled down at him, her smile becoming less sure of herself and more shy.
"I demand...Um, I'm not good at this. A hug?" Lillie suggested lamely, causing Sun to laugh and sit upright, dislodging Lillie and hugging her tightly around the chest. Lillie hugged him back, sighing as she relaxed into the embrace. The two children held the hug for a long time.
Long enough for Lillie to think about the obstacles she still had to overcome.
What lay in wait for her back home, should she fail in her mission to save Nebby. The all-too-familiar feelings of anxiety and hopelessness began to overwhelm her. She felt the doubt settling in, along with all of the negative feelings that she had come to associate with her mother.
"If you wanted a nice long hug, all you had to do was ask." Sun remarked, grinning as Lillie looked downwards, avoiding his eyes so that he couldn't see her expression
"I know. But sometimes it's hard to...express stuff like this." Lillie admitted, causing Sun to pull away a little so that he could look at her. "I wasn't exactly a social child, growing up. I never really had friends until I ran away from home."
"Lillie…"
"It's hard, Sun...Sometimes I wish I wasn't so meek. So scared, all of the time. I keep wishing that I could be stronger. That I could be strong enough to stand on my own two feet, like you and Hau do. You're both so admirable. Meanwhile I'm just…j-just a cowardly, insecure little girl who spurned her mother's love and ran away." Lillie murmured, looking away. Sun pulled her close and hugged her again.
"Hey now, enough of that. You're really strong! You're trying to protect Nebby, right?" Sun asked his friend, who nodded slowly as her eyes glistened with tears. Sun wished that his friend talked more about the things that were bothering her. "We're all strong in different ways. We all have different weaknesses too. Even me. So don't beat yourself up, okay?"
Lillie looked down at that, but Sun placed a finger under her chin and made her look up into his eyes. She saw nothing but honesty there. Sun was someone who absolutely believed in her strength. Strength that she herself didn't believe that she possessed.
But she trusted Sun. Trusted him more than anyone else in the world.
"What does he see in me?" Lillie asked herself, biting her lip for a moment before she leaned forward, allowing Sun to hug her again.
"It'll be okay...You'll get there someday. And I'll be with you until the end."
"...promise me."
"Hmm?"
"Promise me. Promise me that you'll never give up on me. Please…" Sun could feel the girl shaking in his arms, and suspected that she was crying now.
"I'm such a weakling, Sun. Even while you were risking your life to save Hau, I just looked for more information about Nebby. I would've been taken during the Malie City attack if it wasn't for you having Brago protect me…" Lillie cried softly, even as Sun began to rub her back.
"She was so close to finding me...I can't hide forever, Sun. And when she finds Nebby, Cipher will be the least of our problems." Lillie whispered, causing the boy to stiffen in surprise as she moved out of his embrace, tears brimming in her eyes.
"Lillie?"
"I'm scared, Sun. She's going to do terrible things. Not just to Alola. But if we don't stop her, the whole world could be in danger. I have to save Nebby. But I'm not strong enough. I c-can't…I can't...I just can't-" Lillie was cut off by the feeling of a finger being placed on her lips, stopping her from speaking further. She looked surprised by this, and was further surprised when Sun leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. Lillie flushed in surprise, feeling warmth rush into her cheeks, and Sun pulled her into a warm embrace yet again.
"Lillie, I'll do whatever I can to help you become strong enough to face whatever you need to face." Sun said to the girl, watching as Nebby floated over to them and nuzzled Lillie's cheek with his face. "See? Nebby has faith in you too. We'll both become stronger."
"You...you'll help me get stronger?" Lillie asked, confused.
"I need to get stronger myself. If Dad is coming to Alola, I need to be ready for him. I think at this point...I may be the only one who can get through to him and whatever crazy scheme he has cooked up." Sun admitted, sighing as he gave Lillie a gentle squeeze. "I can't do that without your help, Lillie. You've helped me so much through my journey. And I can tell you've become a lot stronger in the few months we've known each other."
"R-really?"
"Really. So relax...You've got this. And you're not alone in this." Sun said warmly as Lillie let out a sigh of relief.
"I think I'm ready for a nap." Lillie admitted weakly after a moment, resting her chin on Sun's shoulders. Sun laughed as he separated from his friend, and after a few moments the two children were lying back down on the blanket, with Lillie curled up in a ball beside Sun, who's eyes flickered to gold before he shut them.
And for a while, the two children slept peacefully.
Sadly, not all good things are meant to last, and Sun and Lillie awoke to the sound of someone letting out a squeal from nearby, causing the two drowsy children to sit up and rub their eyes, especially since it was so bright outside.
"Oh my god, they're so cute!"
"Yep. I told you she was in good hands."
Sun cracked an eye open and saw Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet looking at them from just above a nearby hedge, with Burnet holding a camera in her hands. Lillie let out a small scream of surprise and grabbed Sun, who just narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"If I see those pictures on Festival Plaza, I'm locking you in a room with Oliver. And then tell him to go for your eyes." Sun deadpanned, causing Kukui to shiver in fear. That was quite the threat.
"You called, Sun?" came a familiar hoot.
Kukui let out a long, shrill scream of terror and hid behind his wife as the owl in question landed on the ground behind him, with Penny doing the same a moment later and landing beside her teammate.
"Wow. I didn't know humans could use Screech. I'm impressed." Penny remarked, causing Lillie and Sun to giggle in response while Kukui crossed his arms and scowled in annoyance. This was further compounded when his close friend, Molayne, rounded the corner with a worried expression in his face.
"What's going on? I heard a little girl scream and came as fast as I could." Molayne asked, causing Sun to hunch over with laughter as the others snickered at Kukui, who looked ready to suplex his friend through a table. Oliver smugly preened his feathers, looking the happiest he had been in weeks.
"Maybe that's the key. I just need to find someone for him to torment every once in a while." Sun thought to himself before paling and wondering if that was the Dark Side beckoning him.
He resolved to look more into Stars Wars lore later.
"Big Mo, don't you have something better to do?" Kukui asked, earning a shake of the head from his friend.
"Not until my date at 4." Molayne remarked with a laugh, causing Kukui and Burnet to exchange a glance of surprise. "I've also got an update from Acerola, who's been looking into more of Alola's past and trying to figure out what Borlath might be planning."
"We'll sort it out later. Today was supposed to be a day for relaxing. Goodness knows we need it." Burnet said reproachfully, causing Molayne to laugh.
"Trust me, I know. That's why I've got a movie night planned with Soffy and some of our workers once I get back home tonight." Molayne said with a grin, clearly looking forward to it. It was obvious that the researcher treasured the time he spent with his younger cousin. Kukui found their relationship very heartwarming, and knew that Sophocles would become a splendid Captain under Molayne's tutelage. Hopefully he'd also do something about the young boy's weight problem.
"I was originally going to train today, but I think after how hard we've been working on stuff lately, I think this was what everyone really needed." Sun admitted, grinning at the Professor as Oliver and Penny nodded in agreement. As much as Pokémon enjoyed battling, a day off here and there wasn't such a bad thing.
"Yep. So what's your plan then, Sun? You going to head towards the Ghost Trial again?" Kukui asked the Kanto-native, who nodded after a moment of thought.
"Yeah. The way should be a lot easier to navigate now. With Alastor, I can hopefully steer clear of his clan's territory and get through Route 12 and Blush Mountain." Sun responded as Lillie's expression became one of concern.
"The way should be clear. The Aether Foundation has that Cipher Base under tight watch, and you may as well get back to your Trial. The next one is one of the more tricky ones." Kukui said, smirking a little now.
"We haven't lost a Totem Battle yet and we've been working pretty hard. I think we've got this." Sun said with a nod, grinning at his two birds. Penny smiled proudly while Oliver looked away doubtfully, causing Sun to frown. He really needed to have another sit-down conversion with the owl if he was still acting like this.
"Oh, hey Winter!" Kukui suddenly said as Brago and the Alolan Ninetales suddenly emerged from behind some bushes. "I was wondering where you got off too. Mo, you wanna have a battle? It'd be a great way to get warmed up for a little battle I'm gonna have later with one of our Elite Four members later."
Molayne shrugged in response, causing Kukui to do a small fist pump. "I've been wanting to try out a new strategy with Winter. I haven't a chance to battle with her at all in the past two weeks, so I'm hyped cousin! Wooo!"
"Yeah, yeah…Sun can you referee?" Molayne asked the boy, who looked surprised at that before nodding once. That was when Winter sat down and shook her head, much to Kukui's surprise.
"What? You don't want to battle? Why not? You love battling!" Kukui asked, surprised by this. Winter was one of his long-term projects, and had become a core part of his battling team. Alongside Lycanroc and Incineroar, Kukui was pretty excited about his new line-up.
"She doesn't feel well." Brago explained as Winter nodded, nuzzling the canine's warm mane with her snout.
"She has been sleeping a lot more lately. And eating a lot more." Kukui muttered, concerned about the icy fox.
"I mean...I can think of a few things that might be going on." Molayne said with a shrug, walking over to the Ninetales and inspecting her. He instructed the fox to open her mouth and examined her for several minutes before looking at the Arcanine beside her. While this was going on, Hugh and Aria joined them group, looking confused as they held cups of piping hot tea.
"Hey guys. What'd we miss?" Aria asked, taking a tip of the tea.
"We're trying to figure out what's going on with Winter. She hasn't been feeling well and doesn't want to battle." Kukui explained as Molayne stood up, nodding to himself before looking at Professor Kukui.
"Well...Johnny, I don't know how to tell you this. But I think...your Ninetales is pregnant." Molayne said to Professor Kukui, who's jaw dropped in shock. Professor Burnet blinked in surprise while Lillie let out a happy squeal of surprise before she hopped to her feet.
"Winter! You're going to be a mommy!" Lillie cried out as she hugged Professor Kukui's Ninetales, which let out a happy cry of its own before licking Lillie's cheek.
"I'm going to be a grandma before I become a Mom." Professor Burnet sighed ruefully, shaking her head as Professor Kukui stared at his Alolan Ninetales in abject shock.
"I don't understand! How the hell are you pregnant!? Who could have…possibly…" Professor Kukui trailed off, his voice growing faint as he slowly turned to his left, his eyes drifting towards a certain Arcanine.
"Professor? What are...ah." Sun trailed off, nodding after a few moments as he realized what had happened. Sun wasn't entirely clueless when it came to this kind of stuff. "That makes a lot of sense. You really should have seen this coming, Professor."
"After all, I guess Winter definitely did." Aria laughed, elbowing Professor Kukui as his Ninetales moved past him and nuzzled a particular Arcanine that was staring at the Professor, who wore an expression of what seemed to be a combination of horror, shock, indignation, and mounting fury.
Brago's own expression remained completely neutral for several seconds before he suddenly gave a massive shit-eating grin towards the Professor.
"I suppose this means you can call me 'Daddy', huh?" Brago asked Professor Kukui, who let out a scream of rage and sprinted at the canine. Brago ran off, laughing while Kukui let out a primal scream of fury and sprinted after the Arcanine, chased by the sounds of everyone in the garden laughing at Kukui all the while.
"HOW DARE YOU DEFILE MY NINETALES!?"
"Can you really blame me?"
"GAAAAAAAAAAH!"
NEXT TIME: Sun gets back on the road, Lusamine's schemes terrify Miss Wicke, and a certain duo prepares to make the trip of a lifetime.
Alright! We're back, baby!
We're speeding right along with Act IV! We've got some Island Trial story coming your way, along with some other fun stuff.
Q & A
From: dewlyfrau
Thanks for the response! By the way, this chapter's title would't have anything to do with a certain YT channel ending a few months ago, would it? :)
It was actually a reference to Destiny 2, though probably an obscure one. Still, if the shoe fits!
From: SolanaLeonhart
I'm curious about the part where Sun almost used Radiance, it kinda sounded like there was special requirements to use it or something. Maybe I had it wrong?
There are specific requirements to actually use Radiance. There's a reason the art was lost before Roran utilized it in his efforts to control Alola. Sun actually meets most of those requirements and was trying to talk himself through the steps during the battle with Roran, though in the end he was unsuccessful. I plan on explaining this in-depth later, but rest-assured, if Sun does manage to pull off Radiance it will not be an easy feat, nor will he be able to abuse it like Roran did.
That's all for now folks. I'm wrapping up in the next few days, so this gravy train is gonna keep on rolling.
Please make sure to review and leave your feedback on the chapter if you've enjoyed it. As always, favorite and/or follow the story if you want to get updates, and if you want to ask a question do so in the review section below.
Take care and stay awesome. Wear a mask.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!