Pokémon Radiant Sun
Alright, so I'll start these off with a brief apology for the short delay on the chapter. Been getting more involved in some of my Freelancer Collaboration work while trying to get things going again. Mainly through sheer determination.
Thankfully there's been some progress within the group and the wheels are turning for the first time in a long while, and even though I've had to take on a few extra chapters, I couldn't be more pleased in some of my fellow writers and I have hopes that we'll be updating again by the end of the summer. Of course, this is just me hoping, and I've been let down before.
But I'm trying to stay optimistic.
If you are interested in checking out some of the collaboration that I participate in and feel like reading an amazing Red vs. Blue Project Freelancer story, then check out "Phase One: Genesis" and "Phase Two: Betrayal" by the Freelancer Collaboration. The writers involved are insanely talented and I can't recommend it enough.
On top of that and on an unrelated note, I've had a bit of a work schedule change that's taking some adjustments to get used to. As a result, I'll be moving my bi-weekly updates to Friday instead of Wednesday.
Aside from that, not much else to say! Shoutout to the wonderful people who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, Madame Rodoshe, PigniteGamer29, Oragonking, Anasazi Darkmoon, a Guest reviewer, and Joey. Thanks for being amazing!
Enjoy!
Chapter 122: Life Will Change
Goldenrod City
Many Years Ago…
"You know, this would be a whole lot easier if I hadn't forgotten the guy's name." Ashton lamented to himself as he regarded the older man sitting across from him thoughtfully.
It had been almost a year since the young Trainer-turned-businessman had moved to Goldenrod City. In that time, the business that Tommy had given Ashton had flourished in its new setting. Ashton had also learned that, away from Alola, he was able to talk easily to people and charm them with little effort. Naturally this helped his business efforts immensely. Lusamine had told him it was called charisma, which Ashton wondered about, but he respected his friend enough to accept her word for it.
Which brought him to today. The most important meeting yet in his career, with the President of Silph Co.
"I appreciate you being so thoughtful, sir. We're still small compared to Silph, but I'd like to think we'll have a good stake in the market in a few years time. Johto has been kind to us." Ashton said as he flashed the man a grin, one which the President returned.
"Of course, my boy. I've done a bit of digging into your background. Talented, driven, and with a good head on your shoulders. Plus, plenty of friends in high places. It's no wonder the Monarch Corporation is doing so well in Goldenrod City. I've even heard you're setting up shop in Olivine City and Violet City by the end of the year!" The much older President of Silph Co. said jovially. He was a man in his late fifties with graying hair and a thick mustache, but he was renowned for his patience and kind heart. A rarity in the world of business and politics.
"You hear correctly, sir. Business has been good lately, and expanding while we're doing well seemed prudent. Which is why I'm confused as to the meeting between us in the first place." Ashton remarked, causing the older gentlemen to chuckle.
"Silph Co. is preparing to expand heavily in the next five years. Improvements on everything under the sun. We're prepared to offer you a partnership, young man. And a deal of sorts." The President of Silph Co. leaned forward, smiling. "I've seen how you operate, and how you invest in small businesses that seem promising. Already, there's talk of your support for restarting the Pokéathlon with a grand stadium near our fair Goldenrod City itself."
Ashton inclined his head, smiling slightly. "I've always been fond of the idea that there's other ways to express our love of Pokémon besides battling, sir. The Pokéathlon started in Johto, after all, and even if it has gone international to places like Sinnoh...Well, shouldn't we have a stadium to match our ambitions?"
The Silph Co. President laughed at that, taking a sip of his coffee. "See, I like that. You remind me a lot of myself, back when I was younger. And from what I've heard of your exploits, you're a determined lad. That's why I wanted this meeting today, my boy. I'd like to offer a partnership of sorts to the Monarch Corporation."
"There it is…" Ashton thought as the President continued. "What are your terms, sir? And what would we get out of it? Compared to Silph Co., we're not much."
"Not yet. But you could be. And while I may be a billionaire, my boy, I'm interested in innovation. Changing the world. Making life better for everyone. And so are you." The President responded, grinning now. "My terms are this. You move the main branch of the Monarch Corporation to the Kanto region, while keeping your fledging branches here. Celadon City is my suggestion."
The two businessmen continued to talk and discuss this possible deal. Essentially, the Silph Co. would buy the Monarch Corporation and for three years they would be under the larger company's umbrella. In that time, Ashton would rapidly expand, develop, and invest. Silph Co. would expand as well and rake in millions if everything happened as the President predicted it would. Ashton would take on a liaison role within Silph Co., providing insight on the Silph Co. Board of Directors.
Ashton winced, shutting his eyes even as they flickered to Orange. It was a risky venture. He was doing well so far in Johto, and was seeing clear growth in his company. Moving to Kanto would be risky. But Silph Co. was a massively influential company these days, a company worth millions upon millions. A partnership with them, even for the short-term, would mean rapid growth and money. Lots and lots of money. And becoming close to the leadership of such a company was an incredible boon.
"That's definitely one hell of a business proposition. Kanto might just be what this business needs to really get to the next level." Ashton thought as he rapped his fingers along the table. Ashton flashed the Silph Co. President a grin and stood up, extending a hand to the older man.
"Kanto, here I come." Ashton said as the President of Silph Co. stood up as well, laughing jovially as he shook Ashton's hand, sealing the deal.
Present
Alola Region, Route 11
"Rock Blast!"
Alastor scowled as he held out his four hands, with each of them glowing bright orange before firing off a wave of bright white bullet-like rocks at the Ariados as it rushed forward with Bug Bite. The Rock Blast struck the Ariados and stopped it in its tracks, and the next two waves of the attack caused it to drop down into the ground with a pained hiss.
"Pathetic." Alastor scoffed as a second Ariados appeared out of the grass, firing off a String Shot at Alastor. The Alolan Graveler allowed the web to strike one of his arms, but before the web could do more than that Alastor grabbed the string with one of his other hands and yanked it towards him. The Ariados let out a cry of alarm as it soared towards Alastor, who punched it as hard as he could with a Thunder Punch before tossing it into the air hitting it with a Rock Throw.
"Nice work. You've really grown into your new form." Sun complimented the Alolan Graveler, who flexed his hands for a moment before clenching them into fists. Nearby the two Ariados twitched in pain, unconscious.
"Of course I have. And I'll only grow stronger in time." Alastor agreed, though he turned his attention to the two birds soaring overhead. "Unlike some of us, that is."
"I understand you hating me, but I really don't get why you're so mad at everyone else." Sun remarked as he began walking down the path. Brago and Finn were nearby, chatting with each other and taking a break from training while Sun worked with Alastor.
"Because they're trained Pokémon. That's enough of a reason for me to hate them. They've lowered themselves down to your level...That's enough." Alastor responded, his tone dipping into anger. "I have no choice but to sully myself with your presence. Soon I will become...tame. Civilized. Forget the ways of my clan…"
Sun bit his lip, not sure what to say to something like that. Luckily, he didn't have to. Finn and Brago had fallen back and heard the end of this statement, and Finn looked distinctly annoyed.
"Just because we're with a Trainer doesn't make us any less of a Pokémon!" Finn said angrily, causing Alastor to chuckle as he turned towards the Poliwrath.
"Do I need to teach you another lesson?" Alastor asked with a dark grin, causing Finn to grunt as he stepped forward, getting into a fighting pose.
"Guys, stop it. There's no reason-" Sun began to say before Alastor threw a Thunder Shock at Finn, who ducked to dodge it. Sun let out a yell as he threw himself to the side to avoid being shocked as Finn sprinted to Alastor and used Brick Break on the Alolan Graveler, who curled into a ball to shield himself from the blow. Alastor then rolled forward and smashed into the Poliwrath with Rollout, sending him flying backwards with a shout of pain.
"Stop!" Sun shouted as the two Pokémon got to their feet and traded attacks, with Alastor throwing more rocks at Finn while the Poliwrath continued to expertly dodge. Finn managed to get close a second time, but Alastor chose to meet him head-on this time and delivered a double Thunder Punch to Finn as the Poliwrath tried to deliver a second Brick Break. Finn shouted in pain as the super-effective attack sent him stumbling backwards, but his eyes and stomach glowed a harsh blue color and Alastor had only a moment to be surprised before being blasted backwards by a harsh Psychic blast.
"Stop it!" Sun shouted as Alastor rolled backwards with a shout, skidding to a stop as he shuddered in pain, panting as he tried to recover. Looking up, he saw Finn charging towards him again, and hurled four lances of electricity at Finn. The Tadpole Pokémon vaulted over them with a spray of water to the ground and flipped in midair, charging up a Brick Break as he descended towards Alastor, only for a Smack Down to strike him in midair and send him crashing to the ground hard.
"RAAAAGH!" Alastor roared as he held out four arms once again and blasted Finn with four Thunder Shocks from each hands, which made the Poliwrath scream in pain before going limp on the ground. Alastor approached Finn as the Poliwrath slowly forced himself upright, fighting off paralysis as it set in. With a cruel chuckle, Alastor drew back all four of his hands as they crackled with electricity and delivered four Thunder Punches to Finn.
Finn fainted and dropped to the ground unconscious as Alastor stood over him, laughing softly as he flexed his hands once again, marveling at his own strength. "Despite my misgivings...my growth is unquestionable. Now then...Who's next?"
"Enough! We're done with this!" Sun called to Alastor, who ignored Sun and moved towards Brago as he padded forward.
"How about you?" Alastor demanded of Brago, who stared at the unruly Graveler with annoyance rather than anger.
"You're not going to goad me into a fight. It's not worth wasting energy over a childish grudge like the one you seem to hold." Brago remarked as he grabbed Finn's hand with his mouth and with a grunt of effort, flung the limp Poliwrath over his back. Finn groaned in pain, opening a single eye as Brago added, "Now, we should keep going."
"He's right. I'd like to at least get close to the Trial blockade thing right before Route 12. That way we have plenty of daytime to get through Route 12 tomorrow." Sun said to his team, turning to his newest member and bracing himself for a negative response to what Sun had to say next. "Alastor, do you think you can navigate us through the area? I really don't want to get in a fight with your clan again, so having someone who knows where to go and not go would help out a lot."
"I...can assist." Alastor said with some reluctance, gritting his teeth in anger for a moment. "As much as I wish I could return to the place I was born, I am no longer welcome there. Truthfully, if we did find ourselves within my clan's home again they would likely kill me before you or the others."
"Would...would they really do that?" Finn asked, a note of horror in his voice that Sun felt.
"Our righteous anger runs deep. Not even kin are safe from the wrath of the children who sleep upon the mountain." Alastor responded, his voice heavy with...shame? "I will lead us through part of the coming path. Once we pass my clan's home, you will likely be as safe as you are here."
"Thank you. I appreciate that." Sun said sincerely, earning a scoff from Alastor. Oliver fluttered to the ground, glaring at the Alolan Graveler.
"You could show just a little more respect, you know." Oliver hooted angrily at the Alolan Graveler, who scoffed again at the owl while raising his hands in a threatening manner.
"I'd rather jump into the ocean. Do not try my patience." Alastor warned Oliver, who flared his wings and prepared to launch himself at their newest teammate, only for Penny to step in between them.
"Enough! Don't make me beat the both of you down." Penny warned the two Pokémon, who continued to glare at one another with obvious hate.
"I could crush you with ease." Alastor laughed darkly, causing Penny to turn to him with narrowed eyes of anger. Alastor continued to stare at her for several moments before his smile began to falter and Penny's eyes narrowed down to slits, causing him to slowly take a step back.
"Even if he's a big jerk, I'm glad at least Penny can keep him in line." Sun thought as Penny turned her glare to Oliver, who backed down immediately. The boy really did appreciate Penny a lot in times like these. Brago too, for not rising to Alastor's taunts.
"Come on, everyone, let's at least try to get along." Sun said as he walked on, sighing as Penny launched herself into the air and soared past him. Finn weakly raised a fist in outrage to the Alolan Graveler as he chuckled darkly, with Oliver soaring into the air as well.
"He'd be dead before he even got the chance." Alastor remarked with a cold smile. Sun didn't know what to say to that, so he ignored it and pressed on.
The next morning was a smoother affair, but only because Sun kept Alastor in his Poké Ball for a large portion of the day, ostensibly to let him rest up after training so hard yesterday, but truthfully it was for Sun to get some peace on the road.
Despite the weather being annoyingly hot, Sun focused on training up Oliver and Penny, and to his delight Oliver ended up learning Fury Attack while defeating another Trumbeak, which made Penny oddly happy.
Sun wondered if that wild Trumbeak he defeated was female.
Sun arrived on Route 12 by early afternoon that day, and after a brief wait to get a Ride Mudsdale, continued his journey. Sun made sure to keep a tight grip on the reins, because he sure as heck didn't want to fall into the jagged rocks that made up most of the craggy route.
To his surprise, Sun actually found a few Trainers here and there along the mountainside. He'd later learn from Acerola that it wasn't uncommon for Trainers to stay out in the Wilds for weeks at a time, honing their skills or hoping to gain a deeper connection to nature. Sun realized that Geoff, the jerk of a Trainer he had run back into the other day, had likely been doing something similar out here.
Why he was still in Alola, despite being a visiting Trainer from Sinnoh, Sun wasn't too sure on. But he was sure he didn't want to run into a Trainer like him again.
Sun did report to Aria and Zinnia a few Zygarde Cell locations as he traversed the mountainside, and after another day of traveling he made his way to the Geothermal Power Plant. Along the way he did see several Aether Foundation members patrolling the entrance where the Cipher Base had been located, and Sun waved to them as he passed by. They recognized the boy who was friends with their boss and cheerfully waved back.
Sun took the tour of the Geothermal Power Plant, learning about how the facility powered many of the homes on Ula'ula Island and was actually a mostly underground facility. Sun wondered how Cipher had kept their massive base hidden from another nearby facility that was underground, but decided that these were questions best left forgotten. Either way, Sun learned something and got a few souvenirs for his Mom at the gift shop before making his way down the path to the route. An hour or two later Sun stopped for the night, having made it further along the path than he did last time. He quickly set up camp and as his Pokémon took up positions around the camp, Sun rested his sleeping bag next to Brago as Penny and Oliver landed nearby to keep watch. Finn rested against Brago, falling asleep almost immediately. Alastor simply sat down on the ground a short distance away, staring a them all as they began to chat about the day. Oliver was excited to be somewhere new while Brago reveled in being in such a warm craggy area. Finn wasn't a fan, but Sun comforted him by saying that there was a beach up ahead that they could relax at for a bit. Penny was happy to be out in the wilds again, since being in the city made her uncomfortable.
Alastor remained silent the entire night. Sun noticed him looking out into the distance, back the way that they had come. The expression of sorrow on his face was unmistakable, and Sun felt guilt creep into his heart.
Because he knew Alastor was looking towards the home that Sun had taken him from.
Two Days Later
Malie City
"Wow! Incredible!"
"Sir, um...Are you going to buy something or simply gawk at the display?"
"Oh, sorry! I'll take the funny one in yellow, please!"
"Mohn, what are you doing?"
The amnesiac turned around from his seat at the bar and turned around to see Wes looking at him in confusion, while Pyrrha and Leon stood behind him. Wes' confusion was understandable, considering that they were currently standing at a very well-known bar and grill restaurant called Castaways. Currently the restaurant was fairly empty, since it had just opened for the day, but it wouldn't be that way for much longer.
Hence why Wes was currently frowning, not exactly wanting to be out and about. Cipher was lurking in the shadows and he hadn't uncovered the rest of their secrets yet. While the world was celebrating their downfall, Wes was concerned.
Because he knew that Ashton Aupuni, AKA Ash Kingston, AKA Borlath was a determined man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Even if that goal was to end his own life and correct the mistakes he had made. If going to Alola would help him accomplish these goals, then Wes needed to be ready, and not have to go hunting down Mohn in Malie City in the middle of the day.
"I'm enjoying a drink! Not much of that stuff on my islands, you know? I vaguely recall alcohol being enjoyable to some extent, so here we are." Mohn replied merrily, though Wes looked doubtful.
"I didn't think I'd find you at a bar of all places." Wes remarked, glancing around the mostly empty place. Mohn laughed and patted the seat beside him, causing Wes to join him. The bartender swiftly made Mohn his drink and asked Wes if he wanted anything. The former Snagger simply asked for a root beer, which he received within a minute, before the woman returned to cleaning. She did wink at Wes, which the former Snagger returned with a smirk.
"Well...I came here because I had a flash of insight." Mohn said as he dropped his voice slightly, looking to his younger friend with a wan smile. "What time I haven't spent helping you handle things has been spent enjoying civilization once more. I still prefer the islands I've called home all these years, but the city life has its charms."
"So what insight did you get?" Wes asked, curious as to what Mohn had learned.
"I was walking around the city when I spotted this establishment. I didn't realize it was a bar at first, but I walked into this place because...well, why not?" Mohn chuckled, looking down into his drink after a moment.
"And it was at that moment I...remembered." Mohn said as he took a sip of his drink, shutting his eyes. "Laughter. A blonde-haired woman, laughing beside me. Her voice was beautiful, almost musical. I didn't see her face."
"Anything else?" Wes asked, leaning towards his friend intently. Mohn's amnesia was something that had always bothered him, because it was such a strange thing. Who wakes up in the middle of a bunch of islands with no memory of who he was? Wes had tried speaking to the man's Pokémon, who told a much different story. A story of a man who had a loving family and who traveled the world with his wife, and spent many years in Alola protecting other Pokémon.
However, Mohn's Pokémon didn't have any names for these family members, oddly enough. There was a girl and a boy that they called son and daughter, but to their dismay any further memories of the children or Mohn's mystery woman were fogged up with amnesia. Wes was fascinated in something that could make an entire team of Pokémon forget most of their lives like that.
"Sadly, no." Mohn responded ruefully, shrugging after a moment. "It's all fine, though. This was to satisfy my curiosity. I'm happy where I'm at right now, my dear friend. It's you that I'm worried about."
Wes blinked twice at that and took a sip from his drink, considering that statement. Leon snorted in amusement, causing Pyrrha to thwack him on the head with her stick. Wes considered that and chuckled softly.
"Got me there. Yeah, I'm kind of a mess, huh?" Wes remarked, earning a frown from Mohn.
"You really should take things easy, kid." Mohn advised the younger man, sipping his drink for a moment and savoring the burn in the back of his throat. "You're not all there...You don't have to do this."
"I don't have to do a lot of things. This is the kind of thing we needed back in Unova, when Cipher was really stirring up trouble. I can't stop right when I get started, Mohn. You know that. Lives are at stake."
"Yes, they are. And there's a lot of people currently working to deal with them. You don't have to do this all on your own."
"Who said anything about being alone? I've been in talks with Zinnia and Molayne. They're feeding me information about the investigation-"
"Wes." Mohn interrupted, his voice holding an odd note of harshness to it. Wes stared at the man who had looked after him during his mental breakdown and nursed him back to health. Mohn had shown him nothing but kindness, and he was now looking at Wes reproachfully.
"You need to stop pushing yourself. That's what made you snap in the first place." Mohn warned Wes, who looked down into his root beer. "You kept on putting all of the burdens on yourself. Doing the hardest tasks, taking the responsibility of the world and setting it all on your shoulders, killing and fighting a war against a criminal organization that has thousands of members."
"If I don't do it, who will?" Wes demanded, causing Mohn to meet his gaze for a few moments before tossing the drink back and shivering.
"Strong. To answer your question, you share the burden. You let other people be involved, but in the end you always save the day. You always stop the bad guy. Share the glory, so to speak. You don't want anyone else to get hurt or deal with any of the horrors that you've gone through." Mohn replied, causing Wes to look away and consider the man's words.
It was true. Everything he had gone through in Orre. Sinnoh. Unova. And even now in Alola. He was the one who did the bulk of the planning, fighting, killing and stealing that it took to hurt Cipher the most. And the knowledge that he was the one who could do that kind of damage the best was what made him assume responsibility for putting them down for good.
He'd protect everyone else from their evil, no matter the cost. Even his own sanity.
"I don't want them to get hurt...Aria and everyone else would be overjoyed to see me again, but they'd get hurt if I shared the burden of dealing with Cipher." Wes remarked, causing Mohn to stare at him.
"You're joking. Wes, they've been fighting Cipher head-on for months. Zinnia told you that Aria battled them several times, and helped take down one of their insane Admins who tried to destroy the island. What you should do is reach out to your friends and have a talk. Explain to them how you feel." Mohn suggested to Wes, who looked down at the ground and considered his friends words.
"I...Don't know if I can. I broke down. I ran away from it all. So many people died because I wasn't strong enough to stop Borlath and Ghetsis." Wes muttered as Mohn placed a comforting hand on Wes' shoulder.
"Son, you can't do everything on your own. You're amazing person and an even better Trainer. But you can't do everything alone. Do some thinking. Look in your heart, and see what it tells you." Mohn said gently, smiling at his friend. "Your friends probably miss you a lot, though. And you miss them. Way I see it, there's one solution to a bunch of problems right there."
"I...I'll think about it. I need to chase down some other leads, but I'll give it some thought." Wes said slowly, sounding unsure. It was such a strange thing to see someone who fearlessly tackled insane criminals and evil so unsure about things so simple. But Mohn knew that if he had been through as many terrible things Wes had, he'd probably be in a far worse state.
Wes hopped out of his chair and slapped some bills on the counter before walking out of the bar with his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. With that being said, Mohn pulled out his notebook again and began to write.
"I'm worried…" Pyrrha remarked quietly, watching as Mohn continued to scribble down notes in his notebook. Leon looked at her for a moment and then sighed, nodding in agreement.
"He has the heart of a warrior, but even someone as strong as him cannot bear everything he has been through. I have concerns he is simply unable to handle all of this alone. Even with us by him, his mind will crack like it did before." Leon responded gruffly, his tail lashing behind him.
"So am I. Duty is a very heavy thing. But…" Mohn trailed off, taking another sip of his drink and shuddering slightly. No memories came to him, but it tasted good. Mohn turned back to the concerned Braixen. "Wes is strong. And in the end, he's not alone. It's up to us to remind him of that. Now go after him, would you?"
Pyrrha nodded and darted after her Trainer, with Leon following soon after, leaving Mohn to continue enjoying his drink. His eyes drifted to the only other people in the bar, two people wearing white uniforms. One was a beautiful young woman with voluminous purple hair while the other was a handsome young man with black hair. Mohn watched the two for a while before paying his tab and exiting the bar, whistling a tune. If he had stayed just a little longer, he would have seen the man in white suddenly burst out laughing.
"Wait, wait, wait...You're serious!?" Jack Knight laughed as Wicke's expression turned sour, obviously annoyed that what she had said to Knight didn't get the proper response. After a few moments, Knight's expression slowly became one of absolute horror.
"Holy shit...You're telling the truth." Knight said slowly, leaning back in his seat. "So that little girl with Sun…?"
"Is the only person keeping President Lusamine from destroying the Alola region and unleashing chaos upon the world. I watched a talented young man struggle against one of those things, Knight. One of his Pokémon still hasn't recovered from its fight against it, from what Miss Lillie has told me." Wicke explained quietly as Knight looked down, trying to process this bombshell.
"And you're...trying to guide them? Protect them? Lillie and Gladion, right?" Knight asked Wicke, who nodded.
"Those two wonderful kids are trying their best to stop their mother before she does something terrible. But the Aether Foundation grows more powerful by the day. Their reputation in Alola, and the world at large, is immaculate and President Lusamine is looked to as a hero and a role model by many. Worse still, most of the Foundation have been essentially brainwashed by her." Wicke continued, shivering slightly. "She's become someone truly terrible in these past few years. Someone who doesn't care about who she manipulates so long as her ambitions are reached. I don't really know what to do anymore, Knight. I'm trying my hardest to protect Miss Lillie and Master Gladion, but it's not enough."
"Very well then...Miss Wicke, we seem to find ourselves in the same situation. So how about I repay your story with one of my own?" Knight said with a smile, though it was a strangely somber one. Naturally, Wicke's curiosity was piqued, especially due to the normally upbeat man's change in attitude.
"What kind of story?" Wicke asked, leaning forward as Knight grabbed his drink and downed the rest of it in one go. He didn't even flinch as he looked towards the bar and called for a server to bring him a much stronger drink.
"It's the story of two boys and a terrible freak storm...And a man who hopes that he can somehow make up for all of the mistakes he's made." Knight said with a crooked smile as he leaned back, resolve shining in his eyes.
And with that, he began his tale.
At the end of it, Wicke had questions. Understandably so...but not for Jack Knight.
She had many questions for Cipher Admin Dawson, who answered them. Every single one, truthfully. And then….the two adults began to make a plan.
A plan to stop the madness that consumed those they worked for, before more innocents could be harmed by their selfish goals. To protect the children that had been hurt by their parents for far too long.
The Next Morning…
Ruins of Life
Borlath entered the clearing feeling a sense of trepidation. Damien stood beside him on his right while Deoxys stood at his left. The spear was held tightly in Borlath's hands, held tightly in the metallic grip of the strange gloves he wore. The same gloves he had used against the Pokémon League just a few weeks ago.
"Deoxys, run intercept position. Stay close, but don't interfere." Borlath said as he examined the clearing, with Damien growling softly.
"Nothing nearby...But I can feel it. Tapu Lele is close." Deoxys responded as Borlath nodded, looking towards the entrance to the Ruins of Life.
"Then let's start this...Tapu Lele is known as the God of Life. One who is renowned for its healing abilities and also it's innocent sense of cruelty." Borlath recalled as he began to walk towards the entrance. "It's also the first of the Guardian Deities I'll-"
"What are you doing here?"
Borlath whirled around in surprise to see a young woman standing behind him wearing a frown. She wore a white sundress and had dark skin, but her hair was pink and black. Her electric blue eyes were narrowed slightly.
"Who are you?" Borlath asked, turning towards the woman properly.
"I am Layla, custodian of the Ruins of Life. I come by here every morning...Do you even know what you're trying to do with that?" Layla asked, pointing to the spear in Borlath's hands.
"Yes. This is a spear I had one of my Peons make. I call it Harbinger." Borlath smirked in response, hefting the spear into the air before jamming it hard into the dirt. Layla's expression darkened with anger as Borlath turned towards the ruins.
"Tapu Lele! As a child born of these Islands...I challenge you! For everything under your domain, with my life on the line! To battle!" Borlath shouted as his voice echoed across the clearing, drifting into the distance. Layla scowled at his words, clenching her fists.
"Do...do you have any idea what you've just done!?" Layla demanded, her tone furious. "That was a direct challenge to the God of Life itself! A fight to the death! Are you insane!? It'll tear you apart!"
"Maybe." Borlath admitted, walking into the depths of the Ruins of Life. Within were several large cube-like stone blocks that Borlath snorted at. With a gesture, Deoxys shifted each of the blocks so that they fell into the correct slots as Borlath walked through the room, never even stopping his stride. Layla followed behind, visibly frustrated.
"This is insane. Suicide. Why are you doing this? What do you hope to achieve?" Layla asked, a note of desperation to her voice.
"I hope to make everything right. I will make the Tapu submit, one by one, and then offer my very soul to them in exchange for what I desire most." Borlath explained as he continued making his way through the Ruins of Life. "The Makemake o ka Puʻuwai...It's the only chance I have now."
"Is it really…? There's no other way?" Layla asked softly, pleadingly.
"I question the wisdom of someone who follows someone willing to challenge the God of Life to a fight to the death." Borlath remarked, glancing back at Layla as she scowled in annoyance.
"I question the wisdom of someone willing to throw away their life against Tapu Lele. You do realize that this will result in it killing you, right?" Layla asked as Borlath, Damien and Deoxys entered the main antechamber that held the shrine dedicated to Tapu Lele. The room itself was empty, however, which didn't seem to bother Borlath one bit.
"Not at all. Truthfully, I'll be dead at the end of this anyway, so I may as well do some good in the world. This will start here, and I'll keep going until the gods of Alola submit to my will. Now leave...This won't be pretty." Borlath warned the woman, who crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.
"Last warning. You really don't want to test Tapu Lele's patience. It'll be back here soon." Layla warned Borlath, who shrugged helplessly.
"I'll take my chances. I appreciate your concern, but I've gone too far to be stopped now. Tapu Lele has to accept a direct challenge such as this…" Borlath then paused, a small smile coming to his lips as something occurred to him. He directed a thought to Damien via Deoxys, and the Houndoom sniffed. Damien shook his head, and Borlath's smile widened.
"But with that being said...I'm talking to Tapu Lele right now, aren't I?"
Borlath turned around to face Layla, who regarded Borlath with an expression of fondness before it turned to sadness. "So much wasted potential. You would have been the greatest hero Alola had ever known."
"I used to think of myself as a hero. Now I'm nothing but a monster now...No amount of delusion can hide my crimes. That's why I need your power. You will submit." Borlath said firmly as Tapu Lele slowly shook its head.
"Your ambition and love would have eclipsed all others. Now...Now it's my duty to stop you." Layla said as she sighed, holding out her hands as a whirlwind of pink scales drifted into the room, causing Damien to suddenly leap in front of Borlath protectively, with Deoxys shifting into its Defense Forme as well and summoning a barrier around its Trainer.
"Challenge accepted...Your life is forfeit, my child. Should you win, I will submit to your will. But for the sake of these islands, I will not allow you to throw away everything you hold dear!" Tapu Lele said as the disguise melted away from it completely,
"Alright. Here we go." Borlath said as Damien suddenly shot forward, quick as a whip. "Dark Pulse!"
Damien opened his mouth and released a beam of darkness at the Guardian Deity, who blocked the attack by summoning a wave of glittering pink scales. Tapu Lele held out its hands and fired off crackling beams of pink energy that Damien leapt back to dodge, but was thrown backwards regardless as the ground exploded beneath him. The Houndoom landed lightly on the ground, head held high as he stood his ground against the God of Life.
"If you wish for a fight to the death, little monarch, then you shall have one!" Tapu Lele bellowed as a shockwave of force erupted from the Guardian Deity. Ashton snarled as he was blasted backwards across the antechamber and braced himself against the gale, with Damien growling softly beside him.
"Damien...Kill." Borlath instructed the canine as he crouched low, preparing to pounce as Tapu Lele's eyes burned with pink flames, its body glowing faintly with ancient energy.
"By the end of this, my child...You will feel the joy that life can bring. Only before I take it away from you." Tapu Lele whispered as a lance of pink light formed overhead and soared straight at Borlath, only for Damien to blast it out of the air with another Dark Pulse. Tapu Lele held out its arms as a whirlwind of pink petals materialized around it, even as Damien released a massive blast of deadly flames at the Guardian Deity of Akala Island.
The showdown was on.
Meanwhile…
Secluded Shore
"Alright, we can take a breather here."
"Wooo! Look at that beach!"
Sun smirked as Finn hopped off of Brago and jogged towards the beach, belly flopping into the water with a gleeful whoop. Sun hopped off of his Ride Mudsdale and dismissed the the massive horse, feeding it a treat before bidding it farewell.
The afternoon had been particularly good for the purposes of training. Thanks to the amount of Trainers on the road, Sun was able to get his team plenty of time to battle. Brago had even learned Extreme Speed, which Sun knew to be a move famously linked to Arcanine. Brago was proud to have learned the move, saying that it felt right to him.
Sun also reported another few sightings of Zygarde Cells to Aria and Zinnia, the former of whom actually visited Sun on the route thanks to a teleport from Anabel. The Snagger gave Sun a hug and thanked him for helping her before teleporting away, which Sun appreciated.
Hugs were always awesome, after all.
Sun sat down on a hunk of driftwood as Finn splashed around in the waters. Brago went after him, though he didn't go out very far. Penny and Oliver were content to roost in a nearby tree while Alastor buried himself in the warm sands, shutting his eyes.
It was a welcome moment of peace.
That moment was shattered about ten minutes later when Oliver decided he was bored and began chasing the Slowpoke that was relaxing on the beach. By the end of the ordeal, Sun had to apologize to the traumatized police officer and to the Slowpoke while Oliver looked supremely smug about the entire fiasco. Penny back-winged him as he snickered from the Berry tree, which Sun found amusing, though he was still lowkey annoyed at his Starter for starting trouble. Sun decided now was a good a time as any to have a talk with him about his recent attitude.
Sun asked Oliver to come over to him and he noticed right away that the owl was nervous. Sun had him sit on the fallen palm tree that Sun himself sat on and as the boy pulled out his Pokémon Refresh Kit he began to comb Oliver's feathers carefully, hoping to get the owl to relax a little.
"So...We need to talk." Sun started, causing Oliver to tense up. Sun let that remark linger for a moment before realizing that he was maybe making things worse by starting their talk in such a manner.
"About what, exactly?" Oliver asked warily, shutting his eyes and releasing a sigh of relief as Sun began to groom his Starter. His Partner.
"Well...Some of the things you've said and done lately. We've had a few talks about it, but I can tell it's still bothering you." Sun asked Oliver, who looked down into the sands. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"I...Don't even know what to say." Oliver said quietly, his voice thick with guilt. Sorrow. Sun knew it was because the owl thought he was a failure. That he was weak. That he was holding Sun back.
Sun thought about how before his first battle with Olivia, Oliver was practically unstoppable. He wasn't sure if the owl had been knocked out in a battle before then, aside from maybe dealing with Amber. And then after that...things went downhill for the Dartrix.
His battle with the Ultra Beast, where he was exposed to the poison. His failure to deal with Totem Vikavolt, losing to Guzma in a single strike, and worst of all…
Letting Sun die.
Yes, Sun's death had been undone thanks to the powers of MissingNo., but for a few terrible minutes, Sun was dead and all Oliver wanted was for the man responsible to die. Because Oliver owed that boy everything and his heart had been broken beyond repair. And then a miracle happened, and suddenly everything was okay again.
And then he let Sun down again. During the battle with Roran, Sun had attempted to use the power of Radiance through the connection that they had. Sun's determination and drive to defeat Roran was completely in sync with his own. The boy was chosen by Tapu Koko, and their hearts had been one…
And then Oliver remembered. He remembered the burden he was on Sun. He remembered how weak he had become as of late. He remembered that he allowed his Trainer, the one who chose him, to be murdered by a madman.
Naturally, the bond between the two that had powered the Radiance had been shattered at that moment. The rush of strength Oliver had begun to feel was nothing compared to the fear and doubt the owl had felt in the moment, and it forced Sun to use Finn to battle back Roran's Radiance-powered golem instead.
"What are you feeling?" Sun asked his Dartrix after a time. The owl didn't respond to Sun's question verbally, though Oliver did look out towards the ocean. Sun continued to groom the bird, even feeding him a Poké Bean while he thought about it. After a few minutes, he finally decided to ask a question.
"Why...Why do you bother with me? The others are becoming stronger than I am. I keep letting you down. You deserve so much more than me...So why?" Oliver asked, turning his head towards Sun. The boy could see the insecurity in the eyes of the Dartrix. His fear, frustration and guilt were plain as day.
Sun moved forward and hugged the Dartrix, causing him to still for a moment before relaxing in Sun's arms. "Because you're my Partner. You're my Pokémon. I will never give up on you, Oliver, or any of my Pokémon. I love you, and we'll get through this together...I promise."
Sun had actually taken the advice of his mother when thinking of what to say to Oliver. Laura had mentioned to Sun once, long before they had come to Alola, that life is a very short and fragile thing, and that you should always make sure people know how much you mean to them. And that included saying a particular three word phrase that held all the meaning in the world. Especially at a time like this.
Sun wasn't surprised when the owl suddenly began to cry in Sun's arms, unable to understand why. Why he was such a broken disgrace of a Pokémon. Why he continued to let everyone down. Why he was so weak these days, when before he had been so confidant and in control. Why he was so unhappy with who he was. Why being in control of himself was so difficult these days.
And unable to understand why he deserved such a wonderful boy as his Trainer. He didn't understand why he was given chance after chance, after mistake after mistake. He didn't understand why this child, who had gone through so much pain and suffering, continued to believe in a worthless bird who was best left forgotten.
Oliver didn't understand these things...But he knew that Sun was telling the truth. He felt the love his Trainer had for him. And he knew that Sun was speaking what he felt. And that's what brought the owl to tears. Because he knew that despite all of his failings, all of his insecurities, and all of his mistakes…
Sun loved him.
Oliver's tears faded over time and the bird took a short flight to clear his thoughts and gather his composure. Sun and his team didn't stay at the beach much longer, though Sun did find a few scattered items in the sand that he knew would be good for some easy cash later. He also noticed Oliver's mood seemed a little bit lighter after their talk, which made Sun happy in turn.
It was a short time later that Sun entered Route 13, where he saw several buildings sitting along the cliff that he later learned were hotels. Indeed, the sign that was posted alongside the Route Marker read "Route 13: One last oasis before the desert sands."
"Well, at least that crag crap is done with." Sun thought as he made his way down the path, having returned his Pokémon for the most part, though he did keep Brago out just in case. He was surprised when he heard a voice call his name from behind.
"Sun!" The boy in question glanced backwards and saw Hau jogging up from behind him. The other Trainer ran past Sun and stopped in his tracks with a stumble, grinning at his best friend.
"Hey Hau, how's it going?" Sun asked.
"Never better! It's great to finally get back on the road." Hau laughed, though his expression became a bit more serious. "Oh yeah, and I heard the news from Sophocles! Why didn't you mention that before?" Hau asked Sun, who looked at him in confusion. "You helped him out with testing da kine, yeah? That Totem-calling machine or whatever?"
"Yep. It was a thing. Caused a blackout and everything. Definitely made for a fun challenge." Sun said with a nod, causing Hau to chuckle.
"I guess I was test subject number two! But I managed to get through the Trial."" Hau explained, shutting his eyes. "Maybe even managed to get a bit stronger, eh?"
"Definitely." Sun agreed, grinning at Hau. "After everything you've been through lately, you kinda had to get stronger."
"No doubt." Hau agreed, digging into his pocket. "Here, Sun! I want you to take this!"
Hau handed Sun a Max Potion, which Sun definitely welcomed. Hau watched Sun pocket the potion and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by someone else interjecting.
"You only have one volume, don't you? Haven't you ever heard of the expression that silence is golden?" spoke a familiar voice, drawing both of their attention to a blond-haired teen dressed in black. Gladion looked at the two of them with his typical flat expression, with Hau jerking back in surprise with horror on his face.
"Gah! He's back!" Hau yelped as Gadion walked forward, his expression looking rather grave.
"Hey. Um...you okay?" Sun asked, taking a moment to actually look at the state Gladion was in. He was walking with a limp and his clothes looked slightly more ragged than usual, and seemed to be grimacing in pain. He was also sporting a few faded cuts on his face and hands as well.
"I'll live. I have something more important to talk with you two about." Gladion said as he looked at Sun and then to Hau, who frowned and crossed his arms.
"About what?" Hau asked, sounding suspicious.
"Hau, stop. He hasn't done anything to you. There's no need to be rude." Sun chided his friend, who sighed and looked away. Gladion leaned back slightly, shaking his head.
"Look, Team Skull is looking for a Pokémon called Cosmog...Do you two know anything?" Gladion asked, causing Sun's eyes to widen in surprise.
"What!?" Hau yelped, looking just as surprised as Sun felt. "N-not that we'd tell you!"
Gladion took a moment to process that before shutting his eyes. "So you do know something."
"Maybe, maybe not. What's Cosmog to you, Gladion?" Sun asked the teen, who remained silent for a moment.
"Look...Cosmog isn't even a strong Pokémon. But it has the potential to summon Pokémon so terrifyingly strong that you don't even know." Gladion said quietly, his tone grave enough to make Hau look at Sun with a concerned expression. "If something like that happened, it would be a disaster for Alola…"
Sun frowned at the warning, wondering if Lillie's concerns and Gladion's warnings were related. Hau interpreted those musings by saying, "A disaster? Like...a real disaster? Then what're we supposed to do about it?"
Gladion's eyes snapped open and he returned his gaze to them. "Protect it! If you do know where Cosmog is or if you do find anything out...just keep it safe! I know I might be working for Team Skull right now, so you may not trust me or care but...I'm going to tell you just once."
"You have to protect Cosmog...no matter what!" Gladion said with a note of urgency in his voice, looking to the two of them before sighing and suddenly walking off. However, Gladion stopped after a few feet.
"I still don't even understand how Team Skull found out about Cosmog in the first place…" Gladion muttered, knowing full well this was a lie. He wasn't even in Team Skull anymore. However, the less people involved with the danger of what his mother had in store, the better. However, he did find out that the two of them were rather close to his mother and had been exploring Alola. One of them was an annoying brat. The other was far more reasonable, and Gladion hoped that he could be trusted.
"What do you mean? No matter what? You just gonna leave us hanging?" Hau exclaimed as Gladion ignored Hau and walked off, causing the Alolan to sag with dismay.
"Sun…" Hau said quietly, causing Sun to look at his best friend. He looked very, very worried. "If they're really looking for Cosmog, then...is Lillie gonna be okay?"
"We'll have to look into this. There has to be a reason Team Skull is looking for Cosmog." Sun thought out loud, but Hau was thinking differently.
"I don't really get what's going on, but we've just got to keep the both of them safe, right?!" Hau said to Sun, who simply nodded. Lillie and Nebby's safety was definitely the priority here.
A determined look came to Hau's face as he looked down the path that led further down Route 13. "Then I know what I'm gonna do...Take on my next Trial so I can get even stronger!"
"That's the spirit, Hau. We'll both get so strong that Team Skull won't even think of trying anything." Sun agreed, grinning at his friend. Hau beamed at that, feeling more confident and even excited again. He certainly didn't let himself stay down for long.
"I'm gonna complete my Island Challenge, and I'm gonna get Tapu Koko to recognize my strength, and I'm gonna be the next Island Kahuna!" Hau proclaimed, which just made Sun smile even more.
"That's an awesome goal to reach for, Hau. I bet you'd make a great Kahuna!" Sun laughed as he walked past Hau, clapping him on the shoulder. Hau laughed, nodding his head a few times.
"I want to make sure more and more people can have fun battling to see who wins or loses. Sun! Let's both try to become real champions!" Hau said as Sun nodded in agreement. Hau then bolted off down the road, leaving a bemused Sun behind. He then ran back to get his friend, looking rather sheepish.
"You know...we are kinda going the same way. You wanna make the rest of the trek together?" Hau asked his friend, who simply smirked and walked past him.
Sun continued down the path with Hau at his side, unable to shake the feeling of unease the was presently nestled in his heart. Gladion's warning already increased the concern he had for Lillie given everything she was fearful of. But Sun also had the strangest feeling…
The feeling that something bad was about to happen, and it didn't have to do with his worry over Lillie and Nebby.
Meanwhile…
Ruins of Life
"This was a mistake."
Tapu Lele thought this as it blocked another deadly stream of flames by calling upon a whirlwind of petals, only for a powerful beam of darkness to rip through the gale and blast it backwards through the smoke. The God of Life launched itself forward, charging up a Moonblast and firing it off towards Damien as the Houndoom leapt forward through the smoke. Damien yelped in pain as the attack sent him flying back, but the canine righted himself in midair and landed on his feet, growling softly.
Tapu Lele knew that someday, the fallen child would return to Alola. And when he did, they would pay for the mistakes that they had made over the hundreds of years that the Tapu had spent watching over Alola. They had done so much good over the years, saving lives and assisting where they could. But at the same time...
"You all have made many mistakes. Now it's time to correct all of them. I can do this...So please, let me. Let me fix everything that I've done!" Borlath demanded as Damien crouched low, baring his teeth. Inwardly Borlath was grateful that their little showdown had taken them back outside of the ruins, if only because he had more room to maneuver. However, he also knew there was a chance he could be interrupted.
"Never! We swore to never again come together! To someone as broken as yourself, the world would be in jeopardy! I'll fight with everything I have!" Tapu Lele shouted mentally as a whirlwind of scales flickered into existence around the Guardian Deity.
"Flamethrower!" Borlath barked as Damien sprayed flames at the God of Life, who tanked the attack but was thrown backwards, the scales protecting it fading away slowly as the flames washed over the forcefield of scales.
Tapu Lele then flickered and vanished, reappearing in a great flash of light behind Damien and bringing down an arm to blast the ground with a pink lance of energy, throwing Damien backwards. The Houndoom snarled in pain as he crashed into the ground, but to the amazement of Tapu Lele he rose to his feet with a snort of annoyance.
"Damien is one of the only things left in this world who hasn't let me down…" Borlath said with a genuine smile of fondness as the Houndoom glared down the God of Life, who narrowed its eyes at Ashton Aupuni's signature Pokémon.
"And I'll continue to do so, even if I fear at the end of all of this there will be nothing but sorrow left in your wake!" Damien responded as he fired off a surprise Dark Pulse that slammed into Tapu Lele, tearing through the scales and blasting the God of Life backwards. The Guardian Deity recovered by pushing away the attack with a supreme rush of energy, but was surprised to see Damien leaping through the air towards it.
Instinctively the God of Life tried to repulse the Houndoom with its psychic powers, which did nothing to Damien and allowed him to hit it point-blank with a Sludge Bomb, causing Tapu Lele to shriek in pain as it wavered in the air. Damien aimed his head downwards and released another Flamethrower at the ground, using this one to soar into the air above Tapu Lele and put himself into position for another direct attack.
"Flamethrower!" Borlath shouted as Damien released another plume of white-hot flames directly upon the Tapu, blasting it into the dirt with authority. A shockwave of scales blasted apart the flames, revealing a heavily charred Guardian Deity. However, even as it rose back into the air its injuries began to seal and heal before their eyes. Damien landed on the ground with a slight huff, nodding in satisfaction. Borlath was also pleased with how the fight was going so far.
"Tapu Lele is arguably the Tapu Damien fares the best against. It's Psychic-type moves are useless against him and Fairy-type attacks were only normally effective. Plus, Damien has poison and Ghost-type moves at his disposal." Borlath thought as Tapu Lele regarded them with fury in its gaze.
"Fools, the both of you...I can heal any damage you deliver unto me. This is a hopeless endeavor." The God of Life intoned, holding out its hands as another whirlwind of scales kicked up.
"Yes, yes you can. The question is...How long can you keep this up?" Borlath asked, his smile deepening with malice as he raised a hand and gestured to his Mega Crown, which gleamed in the fading light of day. Tapu Lele didn't respond verbally. Instead, the God of Life let out an ethereal scream of fury as its body flashed pink. It then thrust out its hands and a fiery orange glow erupted around it, sending a ripple of force through the clearing. Borlath's eyes widened in surprise as he was blasted backwards, nearly toppling over as Tapu Lele drifted into the air.
"It's calling upon Z-Power...I didn't even know the Tapu could harness it on their own. No matter. Damien! Mega Evolve!" Ashton barked as he held out his hand, causing the Keystone on the Mega Crown to glow in sync with the Houndoomite on Damien's chest. The canine sighed with resignation as the transformation began.
Tapu Lele lashed out with a blast of energy as the pink shell of power shattered around Damien, revealing the Mega Houndoom as he let out a powerful howl that echoed for miles. The Houndoom stepped forward, his paws scorching the grass he stood on. Damien fought back a groan of pain as the transformation wracked his body with agony, on top of the cheap attack Tapu Lele hit him with while he was transforming.
Damien looked back and saw Ashton shutting his eyes tightly, clutching his head. He opened his eyes and stepped forward, drawing another Poké Ball from his belt. "Damien, get ready!"
"SUFFER!" Tapu Lele bellowed out it lashed out with another wave of pink energy, causing the ground beneath it to explode violently. Rocks lifted into the air and floated for a moment before shooting towards Damien, who roared as he released a colossal blast of flames from his mouth to incinerate the boulders as they flew towards him. Tapu Lele held its hands together as it floated through the air, charging up a bright blue sphere of energy before firing it off towards Damien. The attack struck the surprised Mega Houndoom and sent him flying backwards with a howl of pain, much to Borlath's shock.
"Focus Blast? How…?" Borlath trailed off, surprised by this. Tapu Lele let out a laugh as charged up a second Focus Blast.
"I have lived amongst the Alolans for a not-insignificant amount of time now, using technology gifted to me by a friend. He may have also shared with me another gift that humans use to increase the strength of their Pokémon. I believe they're called Technical Machines." Tapu Lele responded before firing off the second Focus Blast, only for a Hyper Beam to erupt from Damien's maw and blast the attack apart. Tapu Lele forced itself downwards to avoid the beam, but Damien simply adjusted his aim and swept the attack downwards, catching Tapu Lele and sending the Tapu reeling backwards into the destroyed field that had been there before.
"Zorro! Rooto! Help Damien!" Borlath called as he tossed the Ultra Ball he had in his hand outwards, sending out a Trevenant. While he did this, a Greninja leapt out from Borlath's shadow and dashed at Tapu Lele, who drifted steadily in the air with a pained expression on its face. The Greninja lunged at the Tapu with two glowing purple blades of energy gripped in his hands, but was blasted away by a blast of force as the Tapu struck the Greninja with a rush of scales, slamming him hard into the ground. That however left Tapu Lele vulnerable to the Shadow Ball that smashed into its back. Tapu Lele cried out in pain, which allowed Damien to retaliate with a Flamethrower that knocked the God of Life out of the sky and into the dirt once more.
"You all had this coming...I didn't want to come back home. I really didn't…" Borlath said as Tapu Lele rose once more, healing its injuries, and charged up lightning around its hands. Borlath recognized the move as Thunderbolt, and Tapu Lele hurled it at Zorro. The Greninja dodged with a leap but was thrown into the ground by a harsh gale that kicked up around the clearing. Tapu Lele then swooped down to avoid a Flamethrower from Damien as the Mega Houndoom panted from the pain of using its Mega Evolution.
"How could you let him do this!? Do you even know what this will do? What happens when you bring us together with this sort of desire in your heart!?" Tapu Lele demanded as it deflected two Shadow Balls from Rooto and retaliated with a Moonblast that made Borlath's eye widen slightly.
"Phantom Force!" Borlath shouted as Rooto's eyes flashed purple, with the Trevenant sinking into the ground via a portal that had opened up in the ground. Tapu Lele hissed softly in anger as the attack exploded against the trees before whirling around and unleashing another Focus Blast at Damien as he lunged at the Tapu. Damien was blasted backwards, crashing hard on the ground as he rolled through the dirt. Tapu Lele was surprised when the Mega Houndoom was back on his feet a few moments later, growling softly.
"I made a promise." Damien said heavily, gritting his teeth as he unleashed another deadly blast of flames. Tapu Lele let out a scream of fury as its eyes exploded with blue energy, stopping the flames in its tracks with Psychic. A mercilessly cruel laugh echoed around the clearing as Tapu Lele forced back the attack to the surprise of a shocked Damien, only for Rooto to appear from behind Tapu Lele and slam into it with Phantom Force.
Surprisingly, the Psychic attack tore apart the flames and Damien released the attack, bounding forward as Tapu Lele blasted Rooto backwards with Psyshock, knocking out the Trevenant. It tried the same thing to Damien but he clamped his jaws onto Tapu Lele's body and delivered a brutal Crunch, causing the God of Life to scream in agony before the Z-Power around it exploded outwards, knocking away Damien.
"Night Slash!" Borlath shouted as Zorro the Greninja leapt out of Tapu Lele's shadow and stabbed it directly in the chest with two Night Slashes, causing the Guardian Deity to cry out before retracting into its shell to trap Zorro's arms. The Greninja struggled, but was spun around in midair by the Tapu before the shell retracted and sent the Greninja crashing into a heap beside Borlath, who had just revived Rooto with a Max Revive.
It was then that Borlath saw purple blood drip steadily onto the ground as Tapu Lele shuddered in the air, clutching its chest as its eyes shut tightly in pain. It then opened its eyes and fired off Nature's Madness at Damien, who dodged by firing a Flamethrower off to the side to force himself away.
"It's stopped healing itself...Tapu Lele doesn't have much strength left." Borlath noted with a cold smile, with Tapu Lele tensing at the words. With a supreme effort, the God of Life rose once more high into the air before extending its influence as far outward as possible.
"He's back! He's back and he's hunting us! He's too strong for me! Do NOT let him win!" Tapu Lele cried out mentally, hoping that the strength of its cry could reach the three other Tapu scattered across Alola. Just like they had all feared, Ashton Aupuni had come back for vengeance.
And Tapu Lele feared that not even their immense strength could stand against the hatred of a man who had lost everything, and had finally given into his rage.
"Damien, Rooto! Shadow Ball! Rapid fire! Zorro, Shadow Sneak into Night Slash!" Borlath barked as Damien bounded forward, charging up a sphere of ghostly energy before firing it off at Tapu Lele right as Rooto charged up two Shadow Balls in each hand and hurled them at the God of Life. Tapu Lele exploded in a shadow of scales and reappeared on the ground, throwing an arc of energy at Damien and blasting the Houndoom backwards, only for Zorro to suddenly hit Tapu Lele with a barrage of Water Shuriken, distracting it and allowing Damien to rush forward with a Fire Fang. Tapu Lele realized that the orders didn't match the moves Borlath had called out, and realized it was a trick.
"Will-O-Wisp!" Borlath shouted as Tapu Lele repulsed Zorro and Mega Damien with a scream of fury, sending them both to the ground once again. Tapu Lele whirled around to throw an arc of energy at Borlath, but was struck by the ghostly purples flames that created harsh burns along the body of Tapu Lele. The God of Life shuddered in pain and tried to heal its injuries, but it couldn't muster the energy to use its scales, even with its Z-Power.
"I think it's about time we wrap things up." Borlath said quietly, smirking cruelly as he walked forward, throwing out a hand. "Damien, Crunch! Zorro, Night Slash! Rooto, Hex!"
Tapu Lele snarled as its hands crackled with electricity, which it sent towards Zorro as he sprinted at her. The Greninja skillfully leapt into the air and then dove to the ground to avoid two volleys of the attack before lunging at Tapu Lele, who blocked the attacks with its shell before battering away the Greninja with a Draining Kiss.
Zorro flew backwards and crashed onto the ground harshly, twitching in pain. However, while Tapu Lele was dealing with Zorro, it failed to take into account Damien dashing around the clearing and attacking it from behind with another Crunch, which dealt even more damage and coated the ground with purple fluid. Damien then swung his neck and threw the God of Life towards Rooto, whose eyes were burning with red and purple flames as it held out its hands.
The Trevenant created a sphere of flickering ghostly energy that surged towards Tapu Lele, striking it directly in the chest and causing the entire island to shake from the force of the shriek of pain Tapu Lele let out.
Borlath fell to one knee, wincing as he wordlessly pointed to Damien. The Houndoom noticed this and nodded, rushing forward as Tapu Lele fired off a full-power Psychic and attacked Rooto hard enough to knock it out with a single attack.
"Zorro, hold it with Psychic!" Borlath shouted as Damien bounded forward, blasting himself into the air with a powerful Flamethrower as Zorro held out his arms to strike the stunned Tapu Lele and hold it in place, even if it was for just a moment. The Tapu snapped out of the daze of pain it was in and began to struggle, though soon it realized just how dire its situation was when it realized how close Damien was now.
"FIRE BLAST!" Borlath bellowed, a mad grin on his face as Damien fell towards Tapu Lele, opening his mouth as a sphere of white flames crackled within. Tapu Lele broke Zorro's hold in time for Damien to release the attack right into the face of the God of Life.
Borlath covered his face with his arm as a explosion of flames rocked the clearing that they were in, filling the sky with hellfire as the attack landed directly upon the Guardian Deity. Damien landed on the ground with a pained gasp, wobbling slightly for a moment before he exhaled and rose again. He then looked up at the Tapu he had just attacked as the flames slowly faded away from its unmoving form in midair. To their surprise, as the smoke cleared, they all saw that it had hidden away within its shell. But, that shell was heavily damaged with flames and several places within were bleeding freely.
With a rasp of pain, the Guardian Deity emerged from its shell and wavered in midair, its eyes blearily looking around the clearing before slowly turning towards Borlath and Damien, with Zorro standing beside them. Tapu Lele slowly raised its arms, as if to attack, only to sudden stiffen in midair.
"No...N-no…" Tapu Lele whispered as it wavered in the air before drifting down to the ground, shaking in pain as purple liquid continued to seep down its body, coating the ground below. The God of Life collapsed onto the earth as Borlath began to clap, with Damien frantically shaking his head as if trying to clear it.
"You fought well, Tapu Lele. I commend your efforts. But I will not allow my ambitions to falter. Not this time." Borlath said as he reached into the backpack he had brought along, and pulled out a gleaming purple Poké Ball with pink circles and a white bottom half. A white letter "M" was emblazoned on the front of the capsule. The sight of the ball filled Tapu Lele with intense dread, especially as Borlath tossed the ball up and down in his hands.
"This is a Master Ball. It will catch any Pokémon without fail. No matter their strength. I have three more just like it in my possession. You will be the first I'll catch. And then I'll catch the others...And bend you all to my will. You know what comes next." Borlath said slowly and carefully, and Tapu Lele saw clear as day the tragic insanity within the man that had fallen so far.
"Reconsider...think of the people you will hurt...Even if your desires come to fruition...It will create untold chaos. You'd be giving up your soul...for nothing…" Tapu Lele whispered as Borlath drew closer, his mouth twisting into a snarl.
"Maybe people should have thought about that before hurting me again and again and again. Now?...They can live with a little pain." Borlath responded before he hurled the Master Ball at the Guardian of Life, who tried to force itself to move but no longer had the strength to. The Master Ball struck Tapu Lele and sucked it within the device, and it landed lightly on the ground as Borlath's two conscious Pokémon moved towards him.
One...two...three...click.
Borlath grinned as he knelt down and picked up the Master Ball containing the Guardian Deity of Akala Island, returning Rooto and releasing a sigh of relief. "Even without my true team, this new one is preforming well. That's one Tapu down. Excellent work you three." Borlath said as he glanced around the clearing for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and then looking back down at the Master Ball in his hand.
"Together...We'll make things right." Borlath whispered as he looked towards the moon as it shined brightly down upon him, Damien and Zorro.
"So...what now?" Damien asked his Partner, who considered the question for a few moments before nodding.
"Rest for a few days. After that, we'll pay Lusamine a visit at the Aether Paradise. Considering what I know of her operations here in Alola and the fact that a neurotoxin she's been providing me is a key component of the Umbral Project, I think seeing my old friend should be my next move." Borlath answered as they began to walk out of the clearing. Borlath returned Rooto as they made their way out of the clearing, clipping the ball to his belt. "According to her daughter, Lusamine is planning something terrible with this missing asset of hers. I owe it to Mohn to figure out what's going on...and to protect those two kids. Poor Lillie sounded genuinely terrified when I spoke to her and Sun a few weeks ago-"
Damien suddenly tensed, and a few moments later Borlath did the same. It was the sound of shouting, and a few moments later they were surprised to see a dark-skinned woman sprint into the clearing along with a small crowd of Trainers. Damien growled softly, but Borlath stilled him with a hand on his head, which thankfully no longer burned to touch.
"Borlath!" Olivia shouted, calling out her Probopass. Several of the others behind her called out Pokémon, much to Borlath's amusement.
"Hello there." Borlath said pleasantly to Olivia, his smile one of twisted amusement as he yanked Harbinger out of the ground and tossed the Master Ball containing Tapu Lele up and down. Olivia stared at the ball, recognizing what it was. A Poké Ball capable of catching any Wild Pokémon without fail. "Tapu Lele will no longer trouble your island, Kahuna. Have a pleasant evening."
Borlath stepped backwards as Deoxys teleported into the clearing, unleashing a Hyper Beam directly at the Kahuna and the Trainers that were arriving on the scene. Borlath let out a bark of laughter as Deoxys drifted down to him and Damien, humming softly. Within moments the trio had teleported out of the clearing just as Olivia stumbled through the smoke, sporting several burns and scratches as her Probopass surged forward. The two looked around the empty clearing for several moments before Olivia swore softly under her breath. She looked back and saw several of her Trial Guides and two police officers lying unconscious on the ground, though at a glance it didn't seem like any were dead. Olivia felt the freezing cold sensation of dread creep into her gut as she realized what had just happened.
"This is bad...this is very, very bad." Olivia whispered as she pulled out her phone and punched in a few keys and ran into the depths of the ruins. Within moments, the line picked up.
"Hala! Borlath is here. And he's captured Tapu Lele!" Olivia spoke urgently, inwardly wondering just how badly things were about to get for Alola now that Sun's father had finally arrived.
Alola's God of Life had fallen, and the others were in danger.
Three remain.
NEXT TIME: Sun and Hau have a reunion with Lillie and Acerola, and Lusamine reaches the point of no return.
Q & A
From: SolanaLeonhart
Wicke sure has it rough, really hope Dawson would help her. Just to check, has Faba been brainwashed? I wouldn't think so but I'd like to be sure...
Those new games seem brilliant. I'm especially happy because Sinnoh has been one of my favorite regions and I like a whole bunch of the pokemon there.
Thanks for the hard work.
Faba hasn't been brainwashed, but Lusamine has him completely under her thumb much like she does with Guzma. Appealing to his pride and his desire to expand his legacy.
From: PigniteGamer29
Been awhile since I read this, but it's still as awesome as ever!
My English class has taught me to look at everything with double meaning, soooo... is MissingNo coming back? (Rhetorical question - don't want spoilers here)
And that Leaf segment at the end was great. Keep up the great work, man!
Good to see you again! I'm glad you're still enjoying the story after all this time. And naturally I won't answer the question, but I did enjoy throwing Leaf into the story and her annoying Blue and Red will no doubt make me laugh in the future. Also, I don't plan on adding Moon or Hilda or any other MC's into the story.
From: Anasazi Darkmoon
So...what in the blueberry fuck was that sofa? Was that some Ghost-type trying to lure in prey, or was that another being like Dizz?
And what poor soul did Borlath turn into the last of the Umbral Pokemon? Am I at least safe in assuming not a legendary or a mythical, at least? Please don't tell me it's a damn Mewtwo, because that big bastard is OP enough on its own!
On a final note, imagine how horrifying the Umbral forms of the Galarian Fossils would look! I mean, the poor freaks of nature are already disturbing as it is!
1.) That's actually an inside joke from within my Discord group. So beware of further jokes that might make absolutely no sense. All hail the sacred sofa…
2.) It's not a Legendary or Mythical Pokemon, and it's definitely going to be horrifying in its own way.
From: Joey
I was surprised when you decided to have Gladion leave Team Skull at first, but then I remembered that he learned about Team Skull working with Lusamine to get Cosmog before the Ghost Trial in the games. It will be interesting to see what happens next, especially now that Borlath is back home and about to fight some gods with a magical(?) spear. Few questions:
1) Since Cipher has now successfully produced a fifth Umbral Pokémon, what happened to the others? (Besides Amber's Rhyperior and Roran's Torkoal since they're dead)
2) If Roran had succeeded in his ritual to become a Tapu, what would his Pokémon typing be?
3) What was with that sofa?
1A.) The spear itself isn't magical, but it is deeply symbolic. This chapter gave some hints as to why that was.
1B.)
Jojo the Umbral Hypno died in Unova at the hands of Wes.
Greevil's Umbral Noivern was killed by Blue and Red at the concert in Vermillion City (resulting in Greevil's death).
Umbral Rhyperior died at Royal Avenue at the hands of Guzma.
Umbral Torkoal was killed by Finn during the showdown in the Magma Basin.
And the last one is a secret for now.
2.) Fighting/Fairy
3.) I plead the fifth.
And that's it for another update! Please make sure to review and leave feedback on the chapter if you've enjoyed reading it. And 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. Discord invites are available if you PM me.
Take care and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!