Pokémon Radiant Sun


So I've come to realize something, over the course of planning out the major events of this story.

With some of my fics, there's generally a few themes or messages I like to get across. None of these have ever been done purposely, and were just byproducts of the story itself.

With DOTD, one of the themes was the significance of friendship, and what their support can do for you in trying times. Another was that loss is an incredibly powerful force, one that can either motivate someone to change the world or make them crumple into nothingness.

With Jak IV, there were many themes of letting go of the past, and of past hurts. Of acceptance and love, usually. I feel like despite everything, that's a happier story than DOTD was.

With this story, however, I've decided to settle on a few themes that hit very close to home for me as a person and themes that I believe would work well within the story the game presents the player. Over the course of the story, we'll see just how these themes and messages will come into play.

Quick note, for those who may be wondering. I'm still undecided with what I'm going to do with the Festival Plaza. I may introduce it later, I may not. I genuinely don't know, since I didn't use it much in game and it's not super important.

As for the Poké Pelago? I have no idea how I could possibly incorporate that, since I have no idea how to since the guy who runs it (avoiding spoilers) is kinda important and it's not explained why he's there and how you can get there, or really what the place is. It makes no sense to me at all. If someone can come up with a reason that makes sense or more info is revealed about what's up, I'll see what I can do. At this point, however, I'm just skipping it.

Anyways, shoutout to the lovely folks who reviewed since the last update, which includes Ways, Cottonmouth25, Dunka99 and Sai Og Sus. Thank you so much for the support and feedback.

Enjoy.


Chapter 7: The Festival


The morning of the Festival was surprisingly dull, with Sun helping his mother around the house. Meowth watched lazily from the couch while Oliver was flying around like mad, attempting to either help or hinder them as much as possible. A knock at the door jarred everyone out of their frenzied attempts to get the moving in process finished.

"Wanna bet it's the Professor?" Sun asked his mother.

"The last time I made a bet that stupid, I ended up riding a Lapras through a thunderstorm while wearing a clown suit. No deal." Mom replied dryly as she finished putting up a few knickknacks on a shelf. A small silence followed this, making Mom look behind her and see her son giving her a very very confused look.

"Just get the door, dear." Sun's mother laughed nervously as her child slowly shook his head.

"He's just going to throw it open like he's done the past few times. Why should I even bother?" Sun asked his mother, trying to get his brain to focus again after that particularly odd mental image.

"Sun, I sincerely doubt the Professor would do that for a third time-"

"Hey there, Sun! You ready to head out to the festival?" Kukui asked cheerfully as he walked into the house, grinning widely in excitement. Sun's expression changed from confusion to amusement as he slowly turned around to see his mother staring at Kukui with an unreadable expression, though her left eye was twitching somewhat.

"Kukui…Why bother knocking if you're just coming in anyway?" Mom asked the Professor, who seemed taken aback at the question.

"Uhh…Huh. I just realized that I do that a lot. Sorry about that." Kukui apologized sheepishly as Mom sighed, shaking her head for a few moments before she brightened up a little.

"So, what brings you here, Professor?" Mom asked the man.

"I'm here to bring Sun to the Festival, of course." Kukui said to the boy, grinning at him.

"Oh. Alright. I forgot that we were supposed to get there a bit early." Sun admitted before turning towards his Mom, who was making a playful shooing motion.

"Have fun at the Festival, sweetie! I'm sure you'll have a good time with little Oliver!" Mom then flashed Sun a grin and said, "Me and Meowth will be sure to unpack every last box here before we head out ourselves. You'll see."

"I think the only thing I'll be seeing is boxes, Mom." Sun received an embarrassed look from his mother in reply, but was simply given a hug before the boy made his way out of the door and followed the Professor outside, where the man was waiting patiently for him.

"You look like you've toughed up a bit since the last time we met, cousin!" Kukui said to the boy, reaching over and petting Oliver on the head as he spoke. The owl Pokémon hooted in pleasure, closing his eyes for a few moments before Kukui moved away.

"We spent a good while training on Route 1." Sun explained as he tossed a green Poké Bean up to his partner, who snapped it up out of the air. The Pokémon quickly scarfed it down and hooted happily, ruffling its feathers.

"Yeah, that's how it's done. I'm still a little surprised you don't have any other Pokémon though. You sure you didn't want to catch just one other Pokémon?" Kukui asked Sun, who shook his head.

"I'm just starting to be able to handle Oliver. I don't want to throw more Pokémon into the mix-" Sun began to say before Oliver flew off of his head and tackled Sun from behind, knocking the boy to the ground. The bird landed lightly on his trainer's prone form while the Professor watched on in horror.

"OK…So I take back what I said about being able to handle Oliver. But he's getting better."

"…I don't believe you."

"No seriously, he's been getting much better. "

"I'm having you checked out for a possible concussion." Kukui said with a weak grin, helping Sun to his feet as Oliver landed on the ground, chirping and hooting in amusement.

"Laugh it up, bird-brain." Sun muttered as the Rowlet hooted in reply. The bird flew up to Sun's head as the two began making their way down the road, with Sun wincing in pain.

"Back to what I was saying though. Me and Oliver are making a lot of progress. He's already way stronger than he used to be and he listens to me a lot more now," Sun explained to the Professor.

"I can tell...sort of. That's good though, cousin! Maybe that's why the Kahuna decided to choose you to be part of our ceremonial battle this evening." Kukui said to the young boy walking alongside him.

"Ceremonial battle?" Sun asked.

"Oh yeah. There's a Pokémon battle at the end of every Festival we do, done in honor of Tapu Koko. Hala decided to choose you as one of the participants in the contest. Should be fun, yeah?" Kukui said to the boy, receiving a surprised and horrified look from Sun in response. The boy ran ahead of the man and blocked his path.

"Wait, what!? Seriously!? You want to me to fight at the ceremonial battle tonight? In front of all of those people!?" Sun nearly yelled, feeling panic well up inside of him. He was still a newbie! He had only been training for a week! Why would they have him fight in such an important setting like that!

"Well…yeah, cousin. The Kahuna requested that you participate in the battle. It only makes sense, after all. Tapu Koko itself saved you the other day. Not something that happens frequently, you know?" Kukui replied as he walked past the boy, patting him on the shoulder as he passed him. Sun stared at the Professor for a few moments before charging after him, determined to find a way out of this mess.

Long story short, Sun failed.

The walk to Iki Town was uneventful, aside from Kukui assuring Sun that he would be fine. When they arrived, however, Sun was downright amazed at the sight of the village that seemed to calm and reverent a few days ago.

"Wow…This place looks so…festive."

"Well duh. It's a Festival!"

"…I remember that now."

Sun couldn't help but admire the overhaul the town had gone through, though. Colorful flowers and decorated banners were carefully arranged everywhere throughout the town. Pieces of artwork, such as intricately-made wooden carvings, were out on display and would be featured later on tonight during live sessions with Alolan professional sculptors. Unlit torches were embedded into the ground everywhere, ready to be set ablaze at a moment's notice. Citizens were scurrying about, cleaning the place up as much as possible while men and women lined up at the buffet table, frantically preparing for the feat of feeding an entire town plus many more.

"How many people show up to the Festival, Professor?" Sun asked.

"Not as many as you'd think. A few dozen people usually show up every year, generally the same folks and maybe the occasional few tourists. Now, what do you say we help out the others as much as we can, eh?" Kukui asked the young boy. Sun offered the man a smile and a shrug before the two of them hurried off to assist in the preparations as much as possible.


Several Hours Later…


Lillie wasn't much of a fan of parties.

She was a reserved person at heart. She liked to be curled up with a good book, alone in her room. Instead, she was amongst a crowd of laughing and cheering people as Alolan dancers performed ceremonial dances that were admittedly quite impressive, but not quite her speed.

"Pew?"

The girl glanced down at her bag and saw Nebby peering up at her. Lillie reached into the bag and petted the strange Pokémon, receiving a happy coo in response from it.

"Don't worry, Nebby. I'll let you out to have a bit of fun later. Just not the entire night, though. We still have to be careful, even with the Kahuna and the Professor here." Lillie explained to the Pokémon. Nebby nodded slowly before shutting its eyes, deciding to nap instead.

Lillie began to make her way around the festival, taking in the sights and sounds around her. A local band was preforming on stage, with a trio of drummers pounding away furiously on their instruments while two dancers glided across the stage, playing two flutes rather skillfully. Lillie smiled at the display, having always had a soft spot for music. It had been a while since she had last played…She wondered if she could justify heading into the city and buying a few replacement instruments for the ones not available to her? Probably not, no. She had to be careful with her money...or she had to try to be, anyway.

The girl watched the festivities from the fringes of the crowd, passively observing people dancing and laughing and carrying on. Professor Kukui was holding a lesson on Pokémon care to a crowd of amazed children, showing off a rather bored-looking Litten that he had recently obtained from Hala for study. She turned her gaze elsewhere and saw Hau dancing in the middle of the crowd, looking as happy as can be. Lillie's steps took her even further away from the Festival, where the noise was lessened and the people were fewer, and her mind began to wander.

Lillie thought of the past…Of what she hoped to do. Hoped to change, before it was too late. How she had to sort out the secrets of the Pokémon within her bag before bad things befell them all. Her thoughts turned to the events earlier within the week, where Nebby had attacked by Spearow. How she had been petrified with fear and had been unable to step onto the rickety bridge to save her Pokémon. And then she thought of the brave boy who risked his life to save Nebby from the Spearow.

"Odd…I haven't seen him yet here. I could have sworn Hau said that the boy would be here." Lillie thought with a brief bit of confusion.

"You look really lost." Lillie gasped in surprise and whirled around to see a familiar boy grinning at her, his stormy grey eyes gleaming in the firelight. The friendly grin he had on his face, much like last time, startled her and took her aback for a moment.

"Everything alright?" Sun asked Lillie, a bit of concern on his face at her reaction to him.

"Oh…Um, yes. Sorry. I'm a bit out of my element." Lillie said with a small laugh, rubbing the back of her head and feeling embarrassed.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm not much good at parties either. I'm actually…well, kinda nervous about being around so many strangers, myself. If it was up to me, I'd probably either be practicing my flute or trying to get more training in with Oliver-" Sun stopped himself at the look Lillie was giving him.

"You play the flute too?" Lillie asked, smiling now. "You're the first person I've met here that even plays an instrument."

"What about those guys over there?" Sun asked, pointing at the stage where the performers just ended their show.

"I don't actually know any of them." Lillie said dismissively, asking a moment later with a bit of enthusiasm, "So how long have you been playing the flute?"

It was Sun's turn to be taken aback. Lillie was pretty shy until she got excited about something, that was for sure. Regardless, Sun shrugged and said, "I'm still learning, but I can manage a few of the scales and a few songs. I've been playing for about three months. I'm nowhere near as good as the people that just preformed, that's for sure."

"Do you teach yourself or do you have someone tutoring you?" Lillie asked Sun. The boy opened his mouth to respond before he stopped himself and held up a finger.

"Let's walk and talk. Hau's already gotten on me for not socializing and enjoying the Festival. If we're moving and chatting, then he won't get worked up over it." Sun said to the girl, who nodded in reply, smiling thinly. The pair began their slow way around the crowd, continuing their conversation.

"I'm self-taught, for the most part. My Mom's bought me a few books, but for the most part it's just me figuring it out for myself. How about you, Lillie?" Sun asked.

"I've played since I was little. My family was pretty big on everyone having a well-rounded education, so everyone naturally knows how to play an instrument. I ended up getting pretty good on the flute. I can play a bit on the drums, too." Lillie admitted, tilting her hat slightly.

"That's awesome. Maybe you could give me a few pointers sometime." Sun said as he drew his flute out of his bag, twirling it in his fingers for a moment while Lillie watched him with another surprised look on her face.

"You brought yours with you?" Lillie asked.

"Yeah. May as well get some practice while I'm out." Sun remarked with a shrug, playing a few notes that seemed out of tune. The boy frowned and played again, with better results.

"Practice makes perfect. Just keep it up and you'll be amazed at how well you can do." Lillie said encouragingly, grinning at the boy.

"Pew!" Lillie yelped as Nebby suddenly wriggled within her bag, knocking her into Sun. The boy stumbled forward and was caught by Hau, who had actually wandered towards them.

"You OK?" Hau asked Sun as the boy regained his balance.

"Nebby…You little troublemaker." Lillie sighed before she turned to Sun and said, "I'm so sorry about that. Nebby really wants to come out and play, but…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine." Sun replied to Lillie, grinning back at her before he turned to Hau.

"Sorry about that. You're good, right?" Sun asked Hau, receiving a cheery nod in reply.

"Yep! Never better! How's it going, you two? Having fun?" Hau greeted them properly, beaming at them with his eyes shut.

"I'm doing well, Hau." Lillie replied politely, smiling at the other boy's endless good mood. It felt different from Sun's positivity though. She couldn't quite place the reason why.

"Pretty good. How about you? Having fun?" Sun asked Hau.

"Sure am! Right now I'm just waiting until the end of the night when I get to battle an opponent in honor of Tapu Koko. I got picked to take part in the ceremonial battle." Hau said with a small excited laugh.

"Looks like that makes us opponents then." Sun said as he shifted his stance, grinning a bit wider now.

"No way! They picked you as my opponent for the battle? That's awesome!" Hau did a little hop in excitement, pulling out two Poké Balls and said, "We're going to show everyone our stuff. You better bring your A-game!"

"Absolutely." Sun said as Hau extended a hand towards the other boy. Sun shook it as Lillie watched on, smiling at the two boys despite herself.

"Well, we don't have much longer to wait for your battle. I believe it was after the ice-carving competition and that's after the storytelling event right now." Lillie said as she leaned to the side to watch the proceedings on the stage. She leaned back towards the two boys and said, "It should be any minute now. I would get ready."

"Sounds good. See you both in a little bit! I'm off to find Tutu!" Hau said as he ran off in the other direction. Sun shook his head slightly, though he was still smiling regardless.

"He's so carefree. Must be nice." Sun remarked after a brief moment of silence. To his surprise, Lillie sighed deeply and nodded in agreement a moment later, looking a bit down. Sun was tempted to ask her, again, if she was OK, but he decided not to. After all, he didn't want to pry.

"You want to head to the buffet? I haven't really had a chance to get there since this place is so packed." Sun asked Lillie, receiving a mute nod in response before the pair headed towards the main food area. Sun let out Oliver out during this time and asked the Rowlet which items, if any, he wanted to try.

Five minutes and a slew of apologies to the cooks and attendants later, Oliver was hosed down and returned to his Poké Ball by a sheepish Sun.

"At least it didn't ruin the pudding." Lillie commented as Sun sat down on the ground, slightly winded from the ordeal.

"I would like to hope not. That's my favorite treat, I'll have you know." Sun turned around at the sound of the Kahuna's voice, with Hala watching the two with an amused smile and a large plate of pudding in his hands.

"I thought you were waiting by the stage?" Sun asked, slightly confused.

"I was." was the Kahuna's reply.

"…And you're here now."

"Yes I am. Sun, I may be a Kahuna, but I also enjoy pudding. Lots of it. I'm getting up there in years, so I can indulge as much as I want too." Hala proved this true by putting a large spoonful of the stuff into his mouth.

"I can see that, sir." Sun remarked, his eyes drifting to the man's rather large belly. Lillie stifled a laugh at this while Hala openly cackled at the remark.

"You've got a sense of humor, lad! Kukui's found another good one, absolutely. That said, I wanted to let you know that the ceremonial battle will be taking place soon and that you need to be sure you're ready to go by the time I come back. Do you understand, Sun?" Hala said to the boy, getting a nod back from him.

Hala nodded in satisfaction, walked back over to the buffet table and began stuffing more pudding onto his plate.

"So we're just going to pretend he didn't just do that and that he's still a super cool authority figure, right?" Sun whispered to Lillie, who was still trying not to laugh. To their surprise, Hala walked back over to them and bent down towards Sun.

"By all means keep doing that." Hala said quietly, grinning as Sun paled slightly at being heard by the older gentlemen.

"Umm…So, Mister Hala. Or, Kahuna. What is the real significance of the Festival? Like, why is it so important? I only know a little about it, honestly." Sun admitted to the older trainer. The older man took a bite of pudding and began walking away, though he gestured for the two children to follow him.

"Hmm…Well, as you are no doubt aware, the Alola region is made up of four islands. And each island has its own guardian Pokémon, just like our very own Tapu Koko. The Festival held today is done to express our gratitude towards these Pokémon guardian deities for remaining by our sides and watching over us." Hala explained as Lillie and Sun walked behind him. Hala stopped himself for a moment, chuckling.

"What is it, sir?" Sun asked.

"Well…I call this a Festival, but it's really just a small party. But…" Hala turned around, grinning at the children as his mustache wrinkled slightly. "Just because there isn't very many of us, doesn't mean that every last one of us doesn't go all out!"

"Just like me and Hau will have to in the battle later on." Sun commented, smiling slightly.

Lillie sighed next to Sun, though she too smiled a little. "As I said before, I don't like seeing Pokémon get hurt. But I'll be sure to watch you and Hau and cheer you both on."

"Thanks Lillie." Sun said with a grateful grin, making Lillie smile a bit more in return. Hala chuckled at the exchange and said something under his breath that neither child caught.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Lillie yelped as Hau suddenly appeared over their shoulders, grinning widely. Sun had simply flinched in surprise, but turned around and met the boy's smile with one of his own.

"I hope so. I've never been on stage in front of so many people before. That's…not going to be very good." Sun muttered, shuddering slightly as his smile took a hit.

"What's wrong? Do you have stage fright?" Hau asked the other boy, receiving a short nod in response.

"I'm not…really all that good with being in front of people. It wasn't so bad back in Kanto, because I only really left the house for short trips with my Dad or to go watch my Mom battle the Gym Leaders a few years ago. My Mom home-schooled me growing up, so...yeah. Crowds and me don't mix too well." Sun explained, stuffing his hands in his pockets and blushing slightly. It was a bit embarrassing to say the least.

"You didn't get out much in Kanto, did you?" Hau asked with a raised eyebrow. Sun looked at him for a moment, but just remained silent.

"I'm sure it'll all turn out just fine. You both have a bit of training under your belts, right? Everything should be alright as long as you both give it everything you've got." Lillie said encouragingly to Sun as Hau grinned at them both. Hau blinked then, as if remembering something.

"Which reminds me. I was wondering if you wanted me to help you train Nebby so that it can get stronger That way you can protect yourself if you need too." Hau said a bit more seriously to the girl.

"Sadly, Nebby doesn't seem to be able to learn any moves. Aside from Splash and Teleport, that is. No one knows much about it, so until we do, I'm just keeping it safe. I don't want to risk something happening just for the sake of trying to get it stronger." Lillie asserted as he put a hand on her bag.

"No one's making you do anything you don't want to, Lillie. I think he was just suggesting it." Sun said as he looked over at Hau, who was frowning for the first time since he had met the child.

"If I may interrupt?" The children turned to Hala, who had remained quiet for a few minutes now. "I believe it is time for the ceremonial battle to begin. Hau, you healed up your Pokémon before the festival, correct?" Hala asked the boy. Hau nodded, still looking a bit thoughtful. Hala nodded in response before turning to Sun.

"Now Sun…Are you ready for this Pokémon battle?" Hala asked formally, looking down at Sun with the power of the Kahuna radiating in his voice.

"Yes." Sun said firmly, pulling out Oliver's Poké Ball.

"Good! Then come this way, so that we may finally begin." Hala said to Sun and Hau. Both children followed behind the elder trainer as he led them through the crowd, leaving Lillie behind.


The sun had finally begun to set by the time the crowd had arranged around the center stage within the middle of the village, painting the sky above Alola with a serene display of fiery orange, light blue and rosy pink colors, the clouds accentuating the beauty of the sunset. The sound of torches crackling was the only audible sound heard within the town, so silent were its inhabitants. When the Kahuna took the stage, all were to fall silent to hear the words of the one chosen by the guardian deity of the island.

Hala regarded the crowd with an unreadable expression. Each of them could feel the authority and power behind the large man. The Kahuna silently watched the crowd for a time, with every one of them waiting for the renowned trainer to speak. Hala's mouth twitched for a moment, becoming a slight smile, before the smile vanished and was replaced by the man's mask-like expression.

And then he began to speak.

"For all life on our islands…and for those who undertake the island challenge with joy in their hearts. We pray for your protection…for them and all MeleMele. You who watches us from the sky with lightning coming at your call…We thank you for your assistance and companionship. May this Pokémon battle be an offering to our island's guardian deity – Tapu Koko!" Hala declared, his voice forcefully echoing through the town and into the wilderness surrounding it, as if he was attempting to ensure it reached all corners of the island so that the guardian who watched over them could hear his words. Hala then gestured to his left, where Hau was standing still and seemed oddly calm, though a small eager smile was on the boy's face despite everything.

"Before you stands Hau – grandson to the Kahuna. A gifted and eager young boy who holds a love of Pokémon and of life within his heart." Hala said to the crowd, a noticeable trace of pride within the older man's voice being just noticeable under the surface of his tone. Hau slowly made his way up the steps, standing alone on the right side of the stage as he stared down his opponent waiting for him.

Hala then lowered his hand and gestured to his left, where Sun was standing still and observing the proceedings with a growing sense of nervousness clawing at him. He had only a few hours worth of serious training under his belt. Could he really defeat Hau for a second time? In front of all of these people?

"Yes…I believe in Oliver. We've worked hard ever since we met. We've got this. Just ignore the crowd…and focus on the battle!" Sun thought to himself firmly, some of the anxiety fading away. Hala spoke then, jolting Sun out of his reverie.

"Before him stands Sun – One who has met with Tapu Koko." Hala said to the crowd, sending a wave of surprise through them. Sun made his way up the stairs slowly, glancing over at Lillie just to his left, watching him nervously. Around Sun, however, the crowd was murmuring.

"What!? How could that be? He's just a child!"

"What a curious little thing Tapu Koko is! That's just about what we'd expect from it!"

Sun was surprised of this reaction from them, sending a fresh bout of nerves through the boy. This was quickly driven away from Sun just as soon as it had appeared when a familiar voice yelled out from the crowd.

"Oliver! You take care of my little Sun! I know you two can do it!" Mom yelled out, waving at her child with a wide grin.

"Nervous still?" Hau said to Sun, smiling at the boy for the first time since the silence fell on the crowd.

"A bit. Feeling better now, I guess," Sun replied quietly.

"No need to feel nervous. As long as we both have a good time, then I think we can call it a great battle, eh?" Hau said to the other boy, laughing a little. Sun smiled then, feeling a bit more of his nervousness leave him at the boys words. This was just for fun. A show for the crowd and to the Pokémon that had saved him earlier that week.

"Yeah…Let's give them a fight to remember." Sun said to the other boy, making Hau grin with excitement.

"Sun! Hau! Bring forth the power of your Pokémon!" Hala declared, stepping away from the two of them and waving his hand downwards, signaling the beginning of the battle. Sun unclipped the Poké Ball from his belt, gripping it tightly as he held it out in front of him.

"Oliver! Let's go!" Sun shouted, tossing the Poké Ball forward and releasing the Rowlet. Oliver hooted cheerfully, flying into the air before landing on the ground. A cheer went through the crowd as the owl Pokémon was released.

"Heh. Alright! Duke, you're up!" Hau said as he snatched up a Poké Ball from his belt, tossing it into the air and catching it before hurling it forward. A small yellow mouse with black accents on its ears was released, letting out a faint cry.

"Pichu…That's the pre-evolution of Pikachu, isn't it?" Sun muttered, frowning slightly. He wasn't expecting to have to deal with a Pokémon that would be able to do serious damage to Oliver. He'd have to knock it out quickly then.

"Oliver, go! Use Peck!" Sun commanded the bird, which took off into the air with a hoot as Hau and his Pichu watched on.

Hau smirked and called, "Hit him with a Charm!"

The small mouse Pokémon scampered forward as Oliver shot into the sky, his beak glowing bright white as it filled with energy. The Rowlet then dove down towards the Pichu, whose eyes widened in horror before the speeding owl smashed into it, driving its beak painfully into the mouse's chest. Oliver turned around, hooting in triumph as Duke rose to his feet. The Pichu looked up at the Rowlet with a pained yet adorable expression, its eyes going wide. Oliver hooted in confusion for a moment before shaking its head frantically.

"Don't let that cute face stop you, Oliver! Tackle it!" Sun said to his starter. Oliver hooted in reply, shooting towards its opponent again and ramming into the Pichu's side, sending it crashing onto the wooden stage with a cry.

"Tail Whip! Weaken it a bit more!" Hau urged his Pichu. Duke rose to his feet with a wince and darted forward, leaping into the air as Oliver turned around and smacking the bird in the face with its tail. Oliver winced at the attack, flying a bit higher now.

"Finish it off! Leafage!" Sun commanded the Rowlet. Oliver nodded as it thrusted out its wings, a series of glowing green leaves erupting from the body of the owl. Oliver began spinning rapidly in midair, willing the leaves down towards the Pichu in a swirling vortex of greenery. The small mouse Pokémon was quickly pelted by the attack and was knocked out, having taken just too much damage.

"Pichu is unable to battle! Hau, please bring forth your next Pokémon!" Hala commanded the young boy. Hau returned his Pichu, muttered something to it, before he slipped the Poké Ball into his pocket and brought out another.

"Cassy! Let's show them our stuff!" Hau yelled out as the Popplio burst out of its Poké Ball, balancing on its tail and cheerfully letting out a cry.

"Oliver didn't take any damage from the Pichu…But that doesn't mean he's not a bit worn out. Plus with those stat-lowering moves he got hit with, it may make dealing with Hau's Popplio a pain." Sun thought as Oliver landed on the ground in front of him.

"Use Tackle, Oliver!" Sun commanded the owl Pokémon. Oliver flew straight at the Popplio, hooting bloody murder and making the seal Pokémon's eyes widen in horror.

"Use Growl! Show him you mean business!" Hau yelled out. Oliver tackled Cassy to the ground, hooting loudly, though he was still within range of Cassy's growl that made the bird shudder visibly in midair.

"Hau's got a good strategy going on. He knows I've got just one Pokémon, so he's weakening it as much as possible…But it's not a perfect strategy. I've still got a type-advantage over him!" Sun thought as his smile widened slightly.

"Use Leafage, Oliver!" Sun yelled out. Oliver called forth another barrage of leaves and willed them downwards, assaulting Cassy with the leaves. However, it was obvious that the Growl and Charm attacks had worn Oliver down, as Cassy was noticeably able to shrug off the attack with little more than a pained wince.

"Growl again!" Hau commanded, his grin widening as the Popplio let out another furious growl at the bird.

"Leafage, one more time!" Sun yelled out, feeling a bit of panic welling up within him. Oliver obeyed, sending another series of leaves at the sea lion Pokémon. As the attack was hitting Cassy, Hau yelled out, "Now, use Water Gun!"

The attack erupted from the Popplio's mouth, blasting apart the leaves and gushing towards Oliver. The bird had time for its eyes to widen in surprise before the Water Gun knocked it out of the air and onto the ground, where the Pokémon winced.

"That was really strong for just a Water Gun. What gives?" Sun wondered as Oliver rose to his feet. "Oliver, use Tackle!"

"Cassy, hit him with Pound!" Hau called in return. Both Pokémon charged at each other and collided in the middle of the stage, though after a few moments Cassy managed to shove Oliver to the ground with a cry. Oliver fell onto the stage with a hoot of pain before it stumbled to its feet.

"Leafage, Oliver! One more time!" Sun ordered the Rowlet. Oliver released another rush of leaves from within its feathers and sent them forward. Cassy let out a howl of pain as the attack hit her again, though when she fell to the ground this time, she didn't get back up.

"Cascade is unable to battle…Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with the winner of the ceremonial battle, Sun!" Hala shouted, gesturing to the Kanto-native with a smile on his face. The crowd around them erupted with applause as Oliver fluttered back over to Sun as he grinned back at the crowd.

"What? It's already over?" Hau remarked as he returned Cassy, laughing as he rubbed the back of his head. "That really was an awesome, Sun!"

Hau stepped forward, extending a hand towards Sun. He shook the hand of the other boy, grinning back at him.

"You were really good there. Those stat-lowering moves really do take a toll, don't they?" Sun said to Hau, earning a giggle in response.

"Really, though. I had such a blast fighting you! We need to fight again soon!" Hau said to the boy as he stepped away, laughing a little more.

"It was a good battle." Both children looked towards Hala, who had been watching the display with a smile. "Both of you showed great heart and strength. Sun, you have taken to becoming a trainer unlike anyone I have seen in quite some time. And Hau, while you may have lost, you have showed tremendous improvement and have obviously been working hard to improve yourself and your team. Between the two of you, I would imagine that even Tapu Koko-"

"Ko-ko-kooo!" The Kahuna was cut off by a loud cry that echoed throughout the town. Everyone looked up to see a streak of lightning soaring above them. The guardian deity stared down from above, electricity surging around it as it did a few spins in the air. It then vanished as quickly as it appeared, soaring off towards another part of the island.

"Ho, ho, ho! You heard it yourself, my children. Tapu Koko's song of approval." Hala said to both of the boys with another prideful smile, stepping forward and clapping both of them on the shoulder. Hala then snapped his fingers, as if remembering something, which turned out to be the case.

"I nearly forgot! Ha! Sun, I believe it is time that I returned this to you." Hala said to the boy, reaching into a jacket pocket and pulling out a grey armlet. It had several small gauges in it, as if something were to be placed within the slots. It looked somewhat familiar, and gave off a sense of power. Sun took the object with confusion, though he realized what it was supposed to be a moment later and slowly slipped it on his left wrist.

"So…what is it?" Sun asked the Kahuna.

"That is a Z-Ring. A mysterious armband that can draw out the power that lies deep within Pokémon. It can bring forth their Z-Power!" Hala explained to the young boy. "We Kahunas are able to make them by refining stones like the sparkling stone that you received from Tapu Koko. Take good care of it, my boy."

"I will sir. Thank you." Sun said quietly as he marveled at the precious gift he had been given.

"Though…Until you collect more Z-Crystals during your Island Challenge, you will not be able to draw out the Z-Power of your Pokémon," Hala continued, his expression turning thoughtful. "And yet you have already received that sparkling stone…It seems as though Tapu Koko has taken a liking to you, my boy. Or perhaps…It has a mission for you. Maybe it sees something special within you."

"So in other words…" Sun, Hau, and Hala turned around to see Kukui standing next to the stage, grinning like a madman. "It's time for you to get out there and start your Island Challenge!"

"Island Challenge? What's that?" Sun asked Hau, who simply grinned back at him. Sun looked back to Kukui as he brought up his hand, holding four fingers up.

"Four islands! Over the course of the Island Challenge, you will have to travel to each of the four islands here in the Alola region. The Island Challenge, Sun, is about aiming to be the strongest Trainer out there - the Island Challenge Champion! If you visit every island, Sun, maybe you'll figure out what this mission from Tapu Koko is. And even if you don't, it's a great way to experience everything Alola has to offer!" Kukui explained with excitement pounding through every word.

"Yeah…Sounds interesting, that's for sure." Sun muttered, looking back down at his Z-Ring.

"I believe that discussion is one that will have to wait for another time. The night is upon us and we must conclude the festival, Professor." Hala said to the other man.

"We'll talk about the Island Challenge later, don't you worry. You do your thing, Kahuna." Kukui replied, giving the man a thumbs up. Hala nodded and gestured for the children to depart from the stage. Hala concluded the ceremony by formally thanking them for coming, and thanking Tapu Koko for its continued protection.

All in all, Sun had to admit that this was definitely a party he would be coming to again in the future. It may not have been his thing, but he enjoyed it nevertheless. A good portion of the townsfolk were cleaning up now, and even more had departed for home or were just chatting. Sun was following Professor Kukui and his mother, both of whom had begun walking out of the town to head for home.

Sun followed the two adults, taking his time walking as he ran a Tyranitar-shaped comb through the feathers of Oliver. The owl Pokémon cooed softly, shutting his eyes as he visibly relaxed.

"You really do like that, don't you?" Sun asked Oliver, receiving a quiet yet happy hoot in response.

"Hey Sun?" The boy in question glanced to his left and saw Lillie walking alongside him, smiling at him.

"Oh, hey. What did you think of the battle?" Sun asked Lillie.

"It was quite good. You and Hau are really talented, even though you haven't been trainers all that long. I wonder what Tapu Koko thought of your battle?" Lillie wondered, her expression becoming thoughtful.

"I hope it enjoyed it, honestly. Hau wasn't easy to beat," Sun admitted.

"Well…I hope I can meet it again someday and thank it for saving Nebby. I'll never forget what Tapu Koko did for us." Lillie replied quietly, patting the bag hanging from her shoulder. Nebby took that moment to wriggle around in its bag, letting out a "Pew!" of agreement.

"Yeah. Me too." Sun agreed, running the comb through Oliver's feathers once again. Lillie nodded in reply, taking a moment to calm Nebby down before speaking again.

"Yes…It saved you as well, didn't it? Plus it gave you that sparkling stone…the one that became your Z-Ring." Lillie continued, gesturing to the armband on Sun's wrist. "Even though you're a stranger to this place, the guardian deity deemed fit to give you a wonderful gift like that."

"Hey!" Lillie winced in surprise as a loud voice cut her off. Both children looked ahead and saw Professor Kukui waving at them from about thirty yards ahead of them. "I suppose it's time to get you kids home, yeah?"

"We'll go on back, Professor. I know you wanted to have a word with Hala before you headed back to the lab." Mom remarked as the two children made their way over to them.

"Then I suppose this is goodbye…" Lillie said with a small note of sadness in her voice, though she smiled at Sun and added, "You have a safe trip back, OK?"

"Same to you. Have a good night." Sun said to Lillie, meeting her smile with a grin of his own. After saying farewell to the Professor, Sun and his mother began their trek back to their home.

"So…What did you think?" Sun asked his mother.

"What did I think? Of what?" Mom asked, pretending to be confused for a moment. Sun rolled his eyes and opened his mouth before his mother cut him off by saying, "Oh, you mean the battle?"

"Yes."

"I thought it was wonderful, of course!" Mom replied excitedly, breaking her confused facade. "Ooh, I was just captivated to see my own boy out there fighting in perfect sync with his Pokémon!" Mom said as she pulled her son into a one-armed hug.

"Hehe, thanks Mom. I couldn't have done it without Oliver though. Right partner?" Sun asked the Rowlet. Oliver hooted in agreement, nuzzling Sun's chest in response.

"Though on that note…You know what Professor Kukui said, right? About that Island Challenge thing?" Mom said to Sun. "Maybe it would be a good idea for you to try it…After all, its only something that you can do in Alola. Right?"

"Yeah…I'll be going to go find out more about it tomorrow. I'm definitely going to learn about as much as I can, that's for sure." Sun replied as he and his mother continued their walk.

"Well, that's for tomorrow. Right now I've got a date with my bed." Mom giggled, with even Sun snickering at the remark. "Hey, unlike you, I danced my feet off at the festival."

"And unlike you, I don't like parties all that much. Don't forget that when we get home, we've got boxes to unpack."

"I'm not cancelling my date. It seems as though the boxes must wait another day." Mom replied with a faux dramatic sigh, though her son simply snickered in response as the mother and child made their way home as the sun above them finished its decent over the horizon.