Pokémon Radiant Sun
Guess who's finally back?
Sorry about the delay, folks. Things have been stupidly hectic lately and on top of finally getting my hands on a PlayStation 5, my writing time has been severely cut down as of late.
That being said, I'm hopeful that over the next few weeks we can start barreling towards the true climax of the story as we continue through the main story plot of Pokémon Sun.
As always, thank you for your patience.
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, BlazingIncieroar, Oragonking, two Guest reviewers and two new reviewers that go by Northstar Pokeshipper and Delta6697. Thanks for the support everyone!
Enjoy.
Chapter 145: Chasing Storms
The Next Morning…
Aether Paradise: Secret Lab A
Ashton Aupuni awoke to pain.
"Fascinating. Even beheading doesn't seem to end your miserable life." Faba's voice said cheerfully, gleefully, from somewhere in front of the former Grand Master of Cipher. Ashton's eyes slowly refocused and he saw that he was strapped down to a table, surrounded by several scientists sporting bloodied lab coats. Ashton's head slowly looked up and he saw that Faba was sitting down in a chair off to the side, grinning wickedly at him.
"How does this make you feel…Does this make the grief bearable? Lowering yourself to my level. I thought you were better than that." Ashton hissed, shaking his head slightly to gather his bearings. He had been killed dozens of times in the past few hours since becoming a prisoner to Elias Faba, meaning he was likely somewhere at Aether Paradise. Which meant that his chances of being rescued were essentially zero.
Ashton knew that the Aether Foundation's reputation was pristine and beyond reproach. No one would ever dream that they were involved in the breakout of Ashton Aupuni. And even more remote was the possibility that someone would realize that the former leader of Cipher would require rescuing in the first place.
"Not at all. You underestimate how much I loathe you, Ashton Aupuni. And so I'm going to kill you again and again, until I figure out how to end your life forever." Faba responded coldly, grinning in a way that seemed familiar to Ashton. It was the smile of someone who had become used to bloodshed and was eager to shed more. Internally Ashton sighed, knowing that this was only going to hurt worse.
"With each kill, you'll only stain your soul more and more, Faba. Even if it's your flunkies here wielding the knife, you're the one giving the order. Is this what Professor Krane and the others would want?" Ashton asked harshly, and for a moment Faba seemed conflicted. "I was defeated. I'm powerless in Alola and the Tapu will never stop watching me. Your fallen friends and colleagues wouldn't want you to become a killer like me for their sake.
"No. They'd be horrified at what I'm doing if they were here right now." Faba answered softly, his smile fading away. His expression hardened however as he stood out of his chair and added, "But they're not here. Because Amber Fontaine murdered them all! And I'll kill you as many times as it takes to avenge them."
"Then you're already lost…For what it's worth, I'm-" Ashton began to say, only to be cut off with Faba strode over, snatched a knife out of hands of the nearest scientist, and jammed it violently into the throat of Ashton.
"Save your apologies, you bastard! I'm done hearing you talk." Faba snarled, stepping away from the table and eyeing the bloodstains spattering his coat with irritation. "Get more blood samples and see if you can get a sample of the Tapu's energy when it revives him.
"Y-yes sir!" came the chorus of startled voices around him before Faba stormed out of the examination room.
"You are not alone, Ashton. We stand with you." Ashton heard all four Tapu whisper within his mind, trying to reassure the man as the scientists drew closer with their scalpels.
Outside of the lab, Faba listened to the man's scream of anguish before the door closed behind him. The Branch Chief of the Aether Foundation took a brief moment to collect himself
"Now then…I think I'll make myself a sandwich. Vengeance makes me hungry." Faba chuckled at his own joke as he walked down the hallway back to his own private office, shutting the door behind him. He quietly washed his hands in his restroom and splashed water on his face, staring at his own reflection for several moments in the mirror before exiting the restroom.
"I have to say…I'm surprised how right you were." Faba said aloud, smiling as he walked over to the small mini-fridge he kept in his office and pulled out the lunchbox he had packed that morning.
The Voice returned, its voice stronger than it was yesterday.
"I had a feeling he would wriggle his way out of justice. I was correct. I'm happy that you were able to stop him before it was too late." came the gentle feminine whisper, a soothing voice that unsettled Faba at first but it was one he had become used to over the past few days. Despite him ignoring the Voice for a time, it continued to speak to him. So eventually, Faba spoke back.
"Not so much as stop as contain. He's under my lock and key now, and even if I can't manage a way to kill him, I can break his will." Faba grinned maliciously at the thought of killing Borlath more in the coming days.
"He does bring up a point I have to consider. Would my friends…my deceased colleagues…would they approve of my actions? Would they be okay with me enacting vengeance on their behalf?" Faba asked himself quietly, feeling a sense of doubt creep into his soul. The Voice scoffed softly, and Faba felt a strange sensation wash over him. His doubts were now gone, replaced with a grim sense of vindication.
"Nonsense. Your friends wouldn't be afraid of Ashton Aupuni. You have him in the palm of your hand. Only you can discover how to neutralize his immortality and finally bring his miserable life to an end." The Voice spoke, its tone briefly shifting to abject fury before resuming its calm demeanor. "The world is waiting for you to deliver them justice, Elias Faba. Are you going to make them wait?"
"No." Faba said after a brief silence, rubbing his temple for a few moments as he felt a headache coming on out of the blue. "Ashton Aupuni will suffer forever for his crimes. I'll find a way to kill him and get us both the justice we deserve."
It was with those words that Faba turned to look at the source of the Voice. Even though it was hidden behind several walls of reinforced glass, the Poké Ball that housed the final Umbral Pokémon of Cipher sat there immobile. But the being within, an Umbral Medicham, was more than strong enough to reach out to him with its mind.
Most would be concerned that such a powerful being could contact them in any way. Especially one created for the expression purpose of being a killing machine. But Branch Chief Faba was a proud man, and so he brushed aside the concerns that would plague most other people.
"Yes. Do make him suffer. For what he did to me and countless other Pokémon. Thousands died in the Umbral Program. More died in the creation of Shadow Pokémon in general. Ashton Aupuni must die. Die, die again until he dies forever." The Voice spoke, its voice gentle but holding an unmistakable tone of unbridled wrath.
"On that, I agree. I'll end his miserable life if it's the last thing I do." Faba agreed, clenching his hands into fists. "Borlath will die by my hand forever. I'll ensure it."
"I have faith in your abilities, Faba. Make pay for his crimes. Only you can do this." The Voice urged the scientist, who chuckled softly as he sat down in his chair and sneered at the Poké Ball across the room.
"Hmph. Do you have a name? It's strange speaking with someone who hasn't introduced themselves." Faba asked the Umbral Pokémon mockingly. And for several moments, silence enveloped the office. And then the Voice answered him.
"Before I became a monster…my name was Hope." The Umbral Pokémon spoke quietly, with Faba smiling at the Poké Ball for a few moments before turning around and returning to his work. His role in the plan was mostly complete. Ashton Aupuni was out of the way and was now under his control.
Now all Faba had to do now was wait for the "guest of honor" to finally arrive.
Meanwhile…
Akala Island, Heahea City
"Pyrrha, use Mystical Fire!" Wes barked as three Cipher Peons ordered their Shadow Pokémon to attack at once. The Delphox let out a shout as she waved her wand, unleashing a blue inferno of magical flames upon the small horde of opponents rushing at once. The five Shadow Pokémon were blasted backwards with shouts of pain as the Cipher Peons slowly backed up, aiming their weapons at Wes and Pyrrha.
"Thunderbolt, Sophie!" came a shout from behind them before the Pokémon and Trainers were being shocked like crazy, courtesy of Aria and her Jolteon.
"Such teamwork! We should follow their example, non?" Sina asked Dexio coyly, even as her Glaceon cooed softly beside her before Sina pointed a finger. "Ice Beam!"
"Funnel it around the Cipher Peons and their Pokémon with Psychic!" Dexio ordered his Espeon, who's eyes shone with energy. As soon as the electricity around the criminals vanished, an arcing beam of glowing blue light struck the street around them, freezing the Pokémon solid and trapping the Cipher Peons.
"Nice work everyone. It would seem that we got all of them." Colress said with a pleased clap of the hands as he observed the street, which was rather worse for wear. The Cipher Peons had attacked suddenly and viciously, unleashing several Hyper Beams into the nearby buildings and streets before help could arrive.
Cipher had been disturbingly active for a group that was completely leaderless according to Wes, Aria, Colress and Borlath himself. The fact that the Grand Master of Cipher had escaped from prison and was unaccounted for was extremely alarming to those who had helped end the group's reign of destruction mere weeks ago.
The group of heroes made a point of contacting Laura Smiles and having her stay with Captain Ollie for her protection. While they wanted to do something similar to Sun, there was an unusual spike in communication issues with the cell towers and getting ahold of the boy was currently impossible. Getting in touch with people in general was difficult, which meant coordinating any kind of offensive against Cipher's resurgence was easier said than done. Currently the highest priority was crushing what remained of Cipher before something terrible happened. It was likely they were behind the source of the issues happening at the moment anyways.
"At least these idiots are dealt with." Hugh remarked, placing a Revive against the chest of his unconscious Simisage.
"But why are they attacking like this in the first place? The comm issues, the Cipher attacks, Borlath breaking out of jail…It's connected. But it doesn't make much sense." Wes admitted with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. "This isn't a Cipher move. They'd go underground, consolidate their resources. Move to another region and start again after losing in such a decisive fashion. They wouldn't randomly lash out like Team Skull does here in Alola."
Sina and Dexio both hummed at that, considering Wes' words. Considering he was the expert of Cipher's movements and strategies, they took his words to heart. Something was certainly odd about the recent events that were currently plaguing the islands.
"I'm glad Sun isn't involved in this nonsense. Poor kid doesn't need any more stress." Aria remarked, walking towards the icy block where the struggling Cipher members were trapped with their Pokémon. It was then that a loud beeping sound suddenly began to ring out from within the ice, causing them all to still.
"Aria, hit the deck!" Wes bellowed as Pyrrha instinctively threw up a Protect over herself and her Trainer. Aria barely had time to throw herself to the ground when a shockwave of glowing force erupted from the ice, blasting freezing shards across the street and throwing everyone back. Aria and Sophie were closest, and were both sent crashing harshly into a nearby car, hitting the ground with a rough thud.
"Aria!" Hugh screamed as he scrambled to his feet as Wes clenched his fists in anger, only able to keep his calm through sheer force of will as he gazed at the icy prison the Cipher Peons had been held within-
Wes' scowled with tranquil fury at the sight of the broken piles of ice, as well as the dead Shadow Pokémon currently lying on the ground in various states of being vaporized, some with their bodies charred and others little more than piles of ash. The Cipher Peons however were nowhere to be found.
"They teleported away! How!?" Sina demanded in shock as Wes and Hugh checked over Aria, who was weakly moaning in pain. Blood was gently trickling down the side of her head, scratches coating her arms. Sophie was slowly getting to her feet and limped over to Aria, gently nuzzling her Trainer.
"That seemed to be a combination of stored psychic-energy and electromagnetic force. Fascinating that it could be channeled into a way to simulate a Teleport. And one with such force." Colress muttered, casting his mind back as he considered this sudden development. "I remember working on something like that when I was in Unova."
"That was an invention of yours, Colress?" Sina asked.
Colress nodded slowly. "I briefly worked with the Monarch Corporation in Castelia City to help with their innovation division within the company. With their assistance, I was able to churn out many experimental devices, many of which were used to assist a great deal of people in the Unova region and helped me perfect the TACV."
"Looks like we'll have to watch out for Cipher busting out the gadgets and stuff they've been saving for a rainy day. Seems rather wasteful, but then again, we've already established these attacks are atypical." Wes remarked darkly as he gently tapped Aria enough to get her to awaken once again.
"Colress!" a familiar voice suddenly boomed within the mind of the scientist, causing him to flinch. The others were preoccupied with securing the street and making sure Aria was alright, so they paid no attention to the scientist as he focused his thoughts.
"Tapu Lele? To what do I owe the pleasure?" Colress thought within his head, knowing the Tapu would hear him. He was surprised to hear how panicked the God of Life's voice was.
"Ashton has been kidnapped from his cell! Several people dressed like Cipher members broke into the jail he was being kept in two days ago and killed him several times before taking him away." Tapu Lele told the scientist, who blinked several times in surprise.
"And why are you telling me this now, as opposed to two days ago?" Colress asked, his mental tone surprisingly mild.
"Because when you've lived for several hundred years, time gets strange. And because since then me and the others have been desperately trying to determine where he is. We can't get a lock on his location. We need your help finding him. He's still in Alola somewhere, but not on any of the islands. It doesn't make sense to us." Tapu Lele explained to the scientist, who hummed softly. He had a suspicion, but it was a grim one.
"Do you all mind if I depart? I have some private concerns I need to look into." Colress spoke up, drawing everyone's attention on the street.
"What's on your mind, Doc?" Wes asked, confused. Colress sent his young friend an affable smile and shrugged.
"I have a lead to pursue regarding this mystery that, unfortunately, only I am able to get access to. Don't worry yourselves about it. If I'm correct, I'll return later tonight and discuss my findings." Colress explained as he called out his Magnezone and placed a hand on it. "Please get Aria to the hospital as soon as possible. That blast may have given her a concussion."
"And if you don't come back?" Aria questioned, concern evident despite the strain in her voice. Colress' smile widened as he waved to them all, teleporting instantly to parts unknown.
"He could've at least told us where he was going." Sina huffed, crossing her arms. Dexio laughed softly, putting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.
"That is simply the way of our strange friend, mon amour." Dexio remarked, looking towards a troubled Wes as the former Snagger crossed his arms. "Wes, you seem uneasy."
"Of course I am. Because I have an idea of where that dork just vanished off too…and I really hope I'm not right." Wes remarked before turning on his heel and departing down the street with Hugh calling out his Flygon to quickly fly Aria to the hospital. Sina and Dexio exchanged a brief glance before following Wes, questions racing in their minds.
Several Hours Later…
Alola Route 17
"Damn it, yo! I got thrashed!" a Team Skull Grunt complained as he returned his Golbat, throwing down a wad of bills at Sun's feet before bolting in the other direction. Oliver preened his feathers as Sun collected his winnings for the battle, wondering if he should feel bad for how much stronger he was than the average Team Skull Grunt.
The boy had finally arrived at the infamous Po Town, or rather the route right outside of the town. It was every bit as rainy and dreary as Sun had been told. The road was drenched and the grass was soaked, with the nearby rocky cliffsides being fairly muddy as well. Sun wasn't looking forward to traversing the area, but he knew going straight up to the town itself was a stupid idea.
For starters, there was a massive white wall that surrounded what Sun assumed was the entire town, rising well over two hundred feet into the air. Sun marveled at the design of the wall for a few moments, feeling as if he had seen something like it before. He felt a strange sense of familiarity-
"So what's the plan?" Oliver asked, turning his gaze towards the white enormous wall that surrounded the building and snapping Sun out of his thoughts. "I imagine me and Penny could fly you over the wall, but that would be quite the undertaking."
"We'll scope out the area first. I don't want to risk something bad happening. It's just us versus all of them, after all." Sun replied, earning a laugh from Finn as he punched his fists together. It had taken all night for the Poliwrath to finally get over seeing Penny and Oliver in such a…compromising position, but he was back to his usual self again.
"I can't wait. With all this rain and all these opponents, I'm pumped for this battle. Bring it on!" Finn boomed enthusiastically, causing Oliver to chuckle.
"Considering how long we've been dealing with Team Skull, I can't help but agree." Oliver nodded, adjusting his hood as the trio continued down the path. Sun nodded, sighing softly as he considered the plight of Team Skull and how frustrated he was that they kept pulling stunts like this. He felt bad for them, but they kept making things difficult.
As Sun approached the town, he spotted a run-down police station off to the left side of the road. That struck Sun as odd, since the police should have been arresting Guzma on sight and keeping Team Skull in check. The boy wondered if the building was abandoned like Po Town, and was also under the control of the gangsters plaguing Alola.
The Kanto-native did spot a Team Skull Grunt standing outside of the building, leaning against the building's overhang with an Alolan Meowth standing beside him. Sun approached the teen warily, with Finn and Oliver ready to intervene if needed.
"Yo." The Team Skull Grunt greeted Sun, who raised an eyebrow at the teen.
"We, uh…gonna battle?" Sun asked the Grunt, who shook his head.
"I'm actually not all that good in fights." The Team Skull Grunt admitted sheepishly. "But no one will pick fights with me as long as I'm in Team Skull, you know?"
Sun nodded in understanding. "Fair enough, I guess. So the police are cool with Team Skull just overrunning this whole area? Where are the cops at?"
"Nah man. That building only has one cop in it, and old man Nanu is usually chill as hell. That being said, we definitely don't want to cross him. Dude's scary sometimes." The Grunt warned Sun, who glanced at the gloomy-looking building. The name Nanu rang a bell, but he couldn't place it off the top of his head.
"Well, I'll wait a bit before dealing with that. Uh, thanks dude."
"No prob, yo."
"It's weird how often I forget that most of Team Skull consists of teenagers who are down on their luck. Zzzzrt!" Rotom Dex chimed in from Sun's backpack as the boy continued to make his way down the rainy path, eyeing the massive walls that surrounded Po Town.
"Even if they are, that doesn't excuse what they're doing. I need to get Yungoos back. Now then…How the heck do I get past their security?" Sun wondered, looking at the guarded door that looked reinforced and had two Grunts keeping watch.
"Maybe there's another path somewhere?" Oliver suggested, earning a nod of agreement from Finn.
"I wouldn't be surprised if these guys had somewhere they could sneak out of. They're kinda bad like that." Finn remarked, causing Sun to smile. It was funny how even his Pokémon could agree that the group of gangsters were sketchy.
With that in mind, Sun turned his attention to the nearby rocky cliffs and decided that he should get a better vantage point of the area. Of course, that involved battling some of the local wild Pokémon. Sun even spotted a few items alongside the cliff.
"Bzzzt! Sun, don't pick up that Lemonade! It's covered in mud and wet! Who knows how long it's been there!"
"Rotom, I've been picking up and using random stuff I find on the ground for like eight months now. Why are you choosing now of all times to warn me?"
"Bzzzzt…I don't know."
Sun continued to make his way up the slopes, inwardly thankfully he brought a raincoat with him but wishing he had brought some shoes he didn't care about to wear instead of his current ones. They were definitely going to need a wash after this was all over. As Sun reached the top of the cliffs overlooking the area, a Team Skull Grunt spotted him.
"No one has lost today. What a lovely, good day!" the Team Skull Grunt said with a dark chuckle, advancing towards Sun and calling out his Golbat.
Sun pointed Finn forward and called, "Use Scald!"
The Golbat snarled as it was blasted backwards out of the air, missing with its Air Cutter. Finn followed it up with a Psychic to end the fight. Sun smirked as the Grunt fled down the hill, leaving Sun to continue exploring. He soon found himself battling another Team Skull Grunt as he descended from the cliffs, hoping to actually find a secret entrance of some sort.
It worked in the movies, right?
"Hunh? Everything around here seems like a Team Skull paradise?" the female Team Skull Grunt muttered to herself as Sun sent forward Oliver, with the Grunt taking a step back and calling out a Mareanie.
"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't have a witty response for that one. Oliver, use Spirit Shackle!" Sun called to the owl as Oliver took flight, charging up a shadowy arrow and firing it off at the other Pokémon. The arrow danced through the air before veering downward and exploding, knocking out the Mareanie.
"Dang…Fomantis, deal with him yo!" the Grunt shouted, returning her unconscious Pokémon and sending out another. Sun couldn't help a small smirk.
"Oliver, Pluck."
And like that, the battle was over.
"I might really go to paradise now that I've lost!" the Grunt wailed, throwing a stack of bills at Sun. "Aaah! I wish I had taken the Island Challenge more seriously!"
"It's never too late to start fresh, you know. I don't know what kind of stuff you've been through, but there's still hope for you guys." Sun remarked, feeling slightly bad about pocketing the young woman's money while he said those words. Despite that, the female Grunt crossed her arms, thinking about it.
"Maybe. Good luck with the rest of us, kid. You'll need it." The Grunt remarked before walking down the slopes, leaving Sun to his thoughts.
After exploring more of the rainy slopes and fending off several wild Pokémon, Sun found a TM sitting in the mud. He wiped it off and discovered it was TM84, Poison Jab. He also encountered another Team Skull Grunt, which kicked off another battle.
"I hate serious people, yo. I am serious about being a Team Skull Grunt, though!" the Team Skull Grunt shouted, throwing a Nest Ball forward and calling out a Salandit. Sun had Oliver knock it out with a Spirit Shackle, ending the fight before it could even get properly started.
"Even if you work seriously, you won't always get results!" The Grunt groaned, putting a hand to his head and shaking it.
"I guess that's right. Sometimes things don't work out." Sun agreed with the Grunt, who looked at Sun for a few moments before nodding.
"Hmph! Since you're serious, lemme give you a tip, yo." The Team Skull Grunt offered amicably, with Sun nodding at him a moment later. "Yo, yo, ya don't stop. Even if you lose, ya don't stop."
"Uh…thanks, yo?"
"Anytime homie. Now I'm gonna go take a murderously intense dump. Keep it real."
Sun decided that maybe it was time to take a break. His recon of the area had told him everything he needed to know, and now it was time to get the heck out of the rain and figure out a plan.
The boy decided to go into the police station, mainly to figure out why a bunch of gang members were loitering around the area with complete freedom. Sun was extremely disappointed to find the inside of the police station was indeed abandoned, except for nearly a dozen Alolan Meowth staring at the boy with bored looks.
"The place looks like it's at least…lived in?" Sun remarked quietly, eyeing a mostly full cup of coffee and a half-eaten sandwich nearby on the table. "Hello? Anyone there?"
Sun quickly found out that there was no one else in the building except for the Meowths. So he called out his team and after talking with the cats, settled himself onto one of the couches with a sigh. After a few minutes of interest, the Meowth all returned to their positions throughout the building and fell back asleep.
"They say that their Trainer is out running errands, but won't mind if you stay for a while. Apparently it's just the one human who lives here." Penny explained to Sun as the boy walked over to a nearby stove, smiling to himself. He quickly used what supplies he had on him to make a small mug of hot cocoa, and after changing into dry clothes, sat on the floor and leaned against Brago. The boy, not for the first time, was very grateful for the warmth of the fluffy Arcanine.
"So what's the plan, Alpha?" Brago asked Sun, who hummed softly as he considered it.
"We need a surefire way inside the town that'll allow us to come and go as needed. Flying over the wall again and again with Penny and Oliver is asking for a sneak attack of some kind." Sun admitted, having considered that plan for a while now. "Blowing a hole in the wall might work, but I'm not really excited about causing huge property damage. Even if it's to a place occupied by Team Skull."
"So what, we walk up to the front door and knock? Zzzzrt!" Rotom Dex asked from its place on the nearby table.
Sun snorted softly with amusement. "I could always dress up like the pizza delivery boy and just get in that way. A lot of the Team Skull members would easily fall for that."
"It never ceases to amaze me how lively this group is at times. There's never a dull moment, for better or worse." Alastor remarked from his position on the floor, his eyes closed as if he was deep in thought.
"In a good way or bad way?" Tetra asked Alastor, who opened a single eye.
"I just said, for better or for worse. It varies. Being in the Wilds was far more peaceful than dealing with these morons. But it was also a bit less interesting. I guess." Alastor admitted, causing Sun to grin at the Alolan Golem.
"I wouldn't know. I was bred to be a Starter for Trainers, so I never knew what it was like to be in the Wilds. I barely even knew my parents." Oliver remarked with no small amount of bitterness.
"That's right. You lived with Kahuna Hala. I know you don't like them very much." Sun said to his Partner, who's expression darkened.
"You're correct. But that's because the Kahuna and Professor Kukui weren't very fond of me. I was always a…wild child, I believe the term is."
"That's an understatement." Sun remarked, grinning at his Partner. Oliver chuckled softly in response, seeing Sun's point. It took a while for Oliver as a Rowlet to stop randomly attacking Sun in the beginning of their adventure. The owl had come a long way since then.
"Penny, you were in a flock, yes? What was that like?" Brago asked the Toucannon, who seemed surprised by the question. "I traveled in a pack with my family, but nothing seems noteworthy about that. Family and friends came and went and we traveled across the island as one. Was it similar for you?"
Penny seemed to look uncomfortable at the questions, glancing at her Trainer and then Oliver for a moment before looking back at Brago. "I…well, I left my flock at an early age. I've always preferred my own company. I wouldn't be able to describe what my flock was like."
"Really? I didn't know that. I guess you are a lot more calm than most birds I've encountered." Sun remarked, thinking back on his experience with Penny. She had always been extremely well-behaved, though she did occasionally have moments where she would lose her normally impeccable composure. Those moments were generally pretty scary.
"I've never liked crowds or large numbers of things around me. Too much noise, too much happening. It's overwhelming." Penny admitted, closing her eyes. "It's always been easier out on my own in the wild than a flock you can't count on to understand. I'm happier on my own than I ever was in my old flock."
"Yeah but then a certain owl convinced you to join my team instead." Sun replied with another grin, causing Penny to look away with embarrassment.
"...he was cute, okay?" came the mumbled reply, causing Sun, Finn and Brago to burst into laughter at her response. Oliver wrapped his wings around his newfound mate, laughing softly himself. Alastor looked on with bored expression, though he did have to fight the urge to smirk at the Toucannon's unease in answering.
Sun glanced over at Tetra and saw her smiling, and decided to not ask her about her past. Given what Sun knew of her situation, the Gabite would only be upset with having to think about her previous experiences.
"How about you, Finn? When I found you, it was just you harassing us from Brooklet Hill. What was your family like?" Sun asked the Poliwrath, who simply laughed in response.
"Nothing special, little buddy. My parents were caught by Trainers a few years back, so I was on my own for a while. I was never lonely, though. Plenty of great Pokémon back at that lake, and eventually I found you all." Finn explained with a shrug, even though Sun's expression dampened a bit at the response.
"Wow. I didn't even consider that most of the time when Trainers catch Pokémon, they're taking them away from their families and friends to parts unknown. That's really sad when I think about it." Sun murmured to himself, looking down at the floor.
"Most of you humans never do consider the consequences of your actions." Alastor responded quietly, his tone one of tranquil fury. The other Pokémon exchanged various looks with one another. Sun however, seemed contemplative.
"You know…I'd really like to hear about your clan sometime, Alastor."
Alastor's head snapped to look at Sun, complete surprise on his face. However, he saw that Sun's expression was completely serious. He didn't see any signs that the child was mocking him.
"Why?" was all Alastor said.
"Because you're my Pokémon. You're part of this family too, Alastor. And your clan is something important to you. I'd like to learn more about it. I think the others would too." Sun explained to the bewildered Golem, who frowned at the boy. He then saw that his teammates were looking at him expectantly, waiting for his response to that statement.
"Fine. I suppose there's no harm in describing them to you." Alastor relented, his tone slow and halting. "My clan is…quite unique. These days I don't believe there are many of the older Pokémon clans left. Alola is becoming a smaller and smaller place for Pokémon to live. At least, that's how it seems to us. For as long as I can remember, me and my clan hated humankind and the Pokémon slaves under their control. We were safe from humans so long as we were on the mountain. And if a human ever captured us in their evil machines…then we were to be considered worse than dead." Alastor explained to the other Pokémon, who looked stunned at his words.
"Tell us about your family, Alastor." Brago asked the Golem, who didn't answer right away. His expression did soften slightly.
"I had a large family. My father was the leader of the entire clan. Nizbel the Bold, he was called. He was powerful, firm and harsh as a leader and has guided us for many years. He taught us all the dangers of humans and how they destroy everything they touch. My mother was of a similar disposition, and taught me and my siblings the value of cunning. I take after her more than my father."
"Your siblings?" Penny questioned.
"Yes. Two brothers, four sisters. I was the second eldest of my family. My older brother is in line to become leader once my father dies. I was expected to help train and protect the others, not to lead the clan in any way. My place was to teach them and help them grow into Pokémon strong enough to withstand this cruel world." Alastor explained, his expression becoming wistful. Sun wondered if the Golem knew how obvious it was to the rest of them that they could tell Alastor dearly missed his family. It made Sun's feelings of guilt grow.
"I would teach my younger brother and sisters how to fight. How to survive on the mountain and the best way to get the upper hand against the other wild Pokémon. I fondly remember showing the younger ones how to channel the power of lightning that flows through our bodies. I even taught them the history of our clan, and the battles we fought on the mountain, along with what scraps of our old language that I knew."
"Old language?" Oliver asked.
Alastor nodded in response, continuing to speak. "My clan is hundreds of years old. This device around my throat might allow my words to be heard by humans, but if I spoke in the tongue of our clan from ages past it wouldn't be able to be understood. Even my name is unable to be understood by this thing. I've tested it several times."
To demonstrate, Alastor then let out a rasping growl of sorts that sounded like static when put through the TACV on the Pokémon's neck.
"So…what is your real name then?" Penny asked the Alolan Golem, who genuinely thought about it, since he had to translate the language into something that made sense in his mind.
"I think the closest word in this language would be…Storm-Chaser." Alastor finally said, surprising Sun with the answer coming in the first place.
"Sounds pretty cool, honestly. Um, do you want us to call you that from now on? You don't have to go by Alastor." Sun asked the Alolan Golem, who considered the question. He then shook his head.
"That part of my life is over now. Like it or not, I'm a Trained Pokémon. I've evolved into my final form and become far stronger than I would have naturally. I've left my family, my home and my clan behind." Alastor said, his words bitter but lacking the scathing edge that they held before. "Like it or not, I'm Alastor now. Whoever I become from here on out will be that Pokémon. Not Storm-Chaser."
It was at that moment a loud rumble of thunder reverberated throughout the sky, causing Sun and Brago to flinch and Tetra to shriek in surprise.
"Tetra, do you want to go in your Poké Ball for a bit?" Sun asked the startled Gabite, who quickly nodded. Sun returned Tetra, smiling softly at the Poké Ball.
"I should've thought about this before we got here. I kept hearing how the area around Po Town was constantly raining. I should have realized that meant thunderstorms too." Sun mused, frowning at his lapse. There were a lot of things he'd have to teach Tetra about since her life had been so isolated before. She was doing better, though and displayed a clear desire to learn and grow.
"She's young, and if she's been living in the desert for most of her life, likely hasn't heard the boom of thunder before. She'll adjust." Alastor remarked with a snort of amusement.
"You're being awfully understanding of Tetra's behavior." Brago pointed out, opening an eye as Alastor narrowed his own with annoyance.
"She's just a child. I may hold disdain for you all being a pack of idiots, but I still have standards. Besides…she's suffered enough." Alastor's words turned darker then, and a flicker of rage entered his gaze. The expressions of the others hardened while Sun leaned against Brago, holding the Luxury Ball that held the Gabite in his hands.
"If I ever meet the monster who was her Trainer before Sun, I'm plucking their eyes clean out." Oliver murmured grimly, lowering his head.
"You know…I did realize something even worse about Tetra's past the other day." Penny chimed in, drawing everyone's gaze.
"And what would that be?" Finn asked, crossing his arms.
Penny remained silent for a few moments before sighing gently. "Tetra is still quite young. Innocent, despite the scars her body and soul have withstood. However, she's been on her own for quite some time if what she says is accurate. Which makes me wonder…How young was she when she was last under the guidance of a Trainer? And how long did her suffering continue until she was left behind in the desert, covered in injuries that would result in the scars she once had before evolving?"
The implications sent chills throughout the room.
"She was newly-hatched when her abuse started. She was just a baby and someone decided to treat her so badly as to leave the kind of scars only evolution could heal." Sun realized aloud as he looked down at the Luxury Ball again, a growing sense of sorrow filling his soul…as well as a smoldering fury that promised retribution on the monster responsible for hurting the young dragon. "Tetra, who did this to you?"
"No one deserves to be hurt like that. Poor kid." Finn murmured, crossing his arms and looking down at the ground. Brago growled softly in anger at the thought of anyone hurting a Pokémon as sweet as Tetra, especially as a baby. Penny and Oliver simply exchanged a look, their expressions equally troubled.
"Now you see. That is why I am gentle with her. Even now, she is little more than a hatchling who was cast out to die in the wastelands by an uncaring Trainer. The fact that she can find it within herself to smile, let alone trust others, is proof of her strength." Alastor said quietly, his words lacking any of the frustration or anger that seemed almost always present in his voice. "Besides, she was able to beat me on multiple occasions. I am not so arrogant as to not recognize strength and talent when I see it. It is our duty as her elders, and as what will likely become her form of family, to help her grow into a strong and happy Pokémon."
"So you see her potential too." Sun remarked, smiling at Alastor as the Alolan Golem looked at him with a sneer. It only lasted a moment before Alastor nodded in agreement.
"Yes. And I believe we should do what we can to support her. If that means being a little nicer than I truly am…then so be it." Alastor replied, earning several astonished looks from the group. Alastor's mouth curled into a snarl at that. "You morons do realize we had children in my clan as well, right? We might hate everyone else, but we treated those within our group with respect. Especially the young who must be taught and protected."
"Sorry Alastor, it's just…surprising coming from you." Penny admitted, laughing softly as the mood in the old building became somewhat lighter.
Alastor scoffed, but didn't reply to that. He was surprised when Sun took that moment to return everyone except him, leaving the Golem and his Trainer alone.
"What?" Alastor demanded, glaring at the Trainer who was looking at him with an unreadable expression.
"You've grown." Sun said, finally smiling warmly at the Alolan Golem, who gave Sun a deadpan look for several moments as he tried to come up with a response that didn't undermine his pride. "It's only been a few days since the Ghost Trial, but you're really living up to your word. You're actually cooperating with everyone and not being so outwardly angry."
"I have accepted my lot in life. And gained some respect for those I find myself shackled too. As I said before, fighting this will not make my life any easier. So I will simply focus on becoming strong enough to proudly call myself a child of my clan even as Trained Pokémon." Alastor said to Sun, looking away from him.
"Well, whatever it is, I appreciate it. You're a part of this team, Alastor. And that means I'll be counting on you just as much as everyone else." Sun said as he grinned at the Golem, who turned back to his Trainer.
"Save your gratitude. We have something important we need to do, don't we?" Alastor asked Sun pointedly, causing the boy to nod as he got to his feet and began to put his hoodie back on, while also adding a poncho that he had packed as well. The Trainer returned his Golem and walked back into the rain, turning his focus back to the hidden town that was protected by the massive wall on all sides.
As Sun was making his way down the path, his thoughts briefly turned to his father and the recent series of odd events that had been happening lately. He had tried texting Hau and Lillie that morning to check in on them and found that he had no service, which gave the boy a sinking feeling.
He was snapped out of his daze when he nearly collided head-first into a female Team Skull Grunt, who shoved the boy back with an annoyed huff.
"Sorry about that." Sun apologized, though he realized that he now had a battle on his hands when the teenager pulled out a Poké Ball. Sun quickly called out Oliver as the Grunt chuckled softly.
"I'm a grand Grunt. The Pokémon Carnivine is my fave." The female Team Skull Grunt said as she called out a Rattata, much to Sun's confusion. Sun didn't even need to make an command, because Oliver just rushed forward with Pluck and knocked out the smaller Pokémon with one hit. The Grunt then sent out a Raticate, which tanked a Pluck and replied with a Crunch that made Oliver scream in pain.
Sun frowned, remembering that Oliver now had a weakness to Dark-type moves as a result of his evolution. He'd need to keep that in mind.
"Razor Leaf to finish it off!" Sun called to the now-annoyed Decidueye, who knocked out the Rat Pokémon with a wave of spinning leaves.
"Yep, I lost. I got crushed." The Grunt sighed, shaking her head and handing Sun some pocket change.
"I was kind of expecting you to have a Carnivine." Sun pointed out, causing the Grunt to shrug.
"I'm a grand Grunt. Carnivine is my fave, but I don't have one."
"...I guess?"
Sun walked past her with a confused expression, and to his dismay things didn't get easier when he finally reached the front of the wall where the two Grunts were standing guard.
"Yo, what's up? You wanna join Team Skull?" Team Skull Grunt A asked, sounding rather cheerful. Sun looked at him with a disappointed expression, causing the Grunt to take a step back.
"Hold up…Is that a Z-Ring?" said Team Skull Grunt B, her voice tinged with irritation.
"For real!? You're actually on the Island Challenge?" Grunt A asked, becoming angry.
"Yup. Any chance you guys want to move? I have a meeting scheduled with your boss." Sun said to the Grunts, crossing his arms. The Grunts exchanged a brief look before readying a Poké Ball each.
"All right then…I get it…Came to laugh at us losers who gave up on the Island Challenge, huh?"
"You showed up so suddenly and got the nerve to laugh at me!?"
Sun sighed inwardly as both of the Grunts called out a Haunter and a Drowzee respectively. Sun called out Alastor and Tetra, the latter of whom seemed nervous battling Trainers. Especially very angry Trainers as Team Skull continued to shout and pose.
"I…I'm not sure if I can do this." Tetra said quietly, taking a step back fearfully. The dragon winced at the rumble of the storm overhead, but still when Sun placed a hand on her head.
"Of course you can. You simply don't believe in yourself." Sun said to Tetra, his tone gentle with the younger Pokémon.
"Huh?" the Gabite responded, surprised by the statement from her Trainer.
"I agree with the Human. If you really tried, you could crush them both on your own with little effort. It simply requires you to have confidence in yourself." Alastor remarked with a scoff as he held out his hands, crouching slightly as his back-cannon began to spark and crackle. "You can do anything you set your mind to. Now do it, Tetra! Hit that blasted Haunter with everything you've got."
"Yo, if I wanted to hear a motivational speech I would've read an Agent Indiana chapter." the Team Skull Grunt shouted out as she pointed forward. "Shadow Ball on the Gabite, Haunter!"
"Haun haun haun!" the ghost laughed as it swept through the air, charging up a sphere of darkness within its hands before firing it towards the dragon. Tetra's eyes widened in horror the brief moment before the Shadow Ball struck her hard, sending her crashing onto the ground in a crumpled heap. The Gabite got back to her feet, panting slightly from the attack.
"Bzzzt! There's like two people who'll get that reference!" Rotom Dex shouted out angrily at the Team Skull Grunt, the device clearly miffed at the statement on my own behalf and the cheap shot to the newest member of the team.
"Tetra, get that Haunter! Shadow Claw!" Sun shouted as Tetra looked up with a flicker of anger on her face before she lunged forward, her claws suddenly engulfed in shadowy energy. Tetra leapt into the air and delivered a single swipe of Shadow Claw to the Haunter, who dropped like a rock and fainted immediately.
"Haha! That's more like it! You took that blasted ghost down in one hit!" Alastor laughed, very pleased with Tetra's show of power. The dragon looked to Alastor with a smile, beaming joyfully at the praise she was receiving.
"Guess it was a little too much to ask for to have Alastor drop his fear of ghosts. But I'm glad he's really trying to help Tetra battle." Sun thought with a smile as he watched the exchange.
"Psybeam on the Gabite, yo!"
Sun snapped out of his thoughts in time to see the Drowzee sending a Psybeam at Tetra before anyone else could respond to the attack. Tetra was blasted to the ground with a pained scream, fainting after a few moments.
Sun cursed himself internally, returning Tetra and whispering an apology to the dragon for getting distracted. That was when a low furious growl of anger snapped Sun out of his thoughts. The boy realized a brief second later that the growl was coming from an irritated Alastor, who had clenched his fists with fury.
"You'll pay for that." Alastor hissed, much to the horror of the Drowzee and both Team Skull Grunts. Alastor quickly rolled into a ball and slammed hard enough into the Hypnosis Pokémon with Rollout that it was sent hurtling backwards into the faraway patch of grass. It tried to retaliate with a few Psybeams, but Alastor continued to batter it with Rollout until the Drowzee was out cold.
"You're on a whole other level than me. I've just got to laugh at myself…" Grunt A remarked, slowly stepping away with horror and returned his Drowzee.
"Ack! The Island Challenge has made you way too strong!" Grunt B added with a hiss. "Not fair! I hate strong kids like you! I'm not letting you in!"
Sun blinked twice at that, and before he could even respond the two Team Skull Grunts dashed over to the door, opened it and slipped inside, closing it quickly as Sun ran over to the door and began pounding on it.
"Well, that's about par for the course." Sun remarked, sighing as Alastor snorted with amusement. Sun took that moment to Revive Tetra and heal her, all the while thinking about what to do about the situation.
"You there, boy."
Sun jumped at the sudden voice and turned around to see a somewhat familiar face. It was the strange police officer who had worked with Commander Jackal back in Royal Avenue. A man with dark red eyes and graying hair, with a tired face wearing a loose-fitting uniform of sorts.
"Oh, uh, hi. You're Officer Nanu, right?" Sun asked the man, who ignored his question and walked right over to the closed door.
"Seems to me you're trying to get into Po Town. You sure you've thought this through?" Nanu asked Sun with a bored tone, not looking at him. "You'd better be ready if you're thinking of coming in here. Ready to live as Team Skull. Or ready to take on Team Skull."
Nanu then turned around, his crimson eyes narrowed. "You really think you're ready for that?"
"I am!" Sun said with a determined expression, looking up into the man's face. Nanu looked back at Sun's unwavering resolve and sighed softly.
"I guess everyone has their own reasons." Nanu said to the boy, his frown deepening. "I've got reasons, too, for doing what I do."
"Um…okay?"
"I'll have them let you in." Nanu added, surprising Sun completely. "If you don't make it, I'll make sure your remains at least get back home."
"The Human isn't allowed to die yet, sadly." Alastor chimed in, smirking at Nanu's sense of humor.
"Bzzzt! Well, that escalated quickly!" Rotom Dex said Sun's backpack as the boy stared at Nanu. The man quickly typed in a keycode to the door, much to Sun's confusion a few moments later.
"I thought you were going to have them let me in?" Sun asked Nanu, who shrugged.
"Changed my mind. I'm feeling antisocial today. Don't die in there, kid." Nanu said as Sun walked over to the door, which was now slightly ajar. He then shivered as the rainfall intensified around him, with the wind also picking up and blanketing the route in water.
"Well, thanks anyway, sir…huh?" Sun looked back at the strange man, only to find that he was gone.
"Where did he go?" Tetra asked a surprised Alastor, who only shook his head in response. Sun turned back towards the now-open door that would lead into Team Skull's stronghold and adjusted his hood. He then took a deep breath and went through the door with his Pokémon behind him, ready to face the rebellious gangsters on their own turf.
NEXT TIME: Sun and his team storm Team Skull's hideout!
No questions this go around! We're approaching the turning point for the story, folks, and things are already taking a darker twist. What other surprises lay in wait?
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Until next time, FlygonNick out!