Pokémon Radiant Sun
And so, the day of days has come.
I'm leaving for Basic Training with the United States Air Force today.
I can't believe this day is here, to be honest. A couple years back, I made the official announcement on the final chapter of DOTD that I was planning on going into the Air Force when the conditions were right. Fast forward two jobs, more family drama than you can shake a stick at, and the revival of the Freelancer Collaboration and we're finally here.
I'd like to take a moment and say thank you for all of the support for me along my journey. It's been a long time for me, and it's been awesome having my readers standing behind me as I go into the most difficult period of time in my life. Two months of training to become a United States Airmen.
Now, as I've said before, this will mean I'll effectively be cut off from the outside world. No communication, no PM'S, nothing. Meaning that this story will have to take an official hiatus until I am all set once again to post for this story, and hopefully continue to do so regularly for a few years until it's done.
I'm going to take a second and apologize for the delay in the first place. I had mentioned a while back that I was going to try and get chapters pre-done before BT and have a friend of mine upload them. Sadly, I overestimated my ability to get work done while trying to juggle drama, dead relatives, and endless amounts of chores and renovations and stuff, so that didn't happen.
However, many of you have already stated that any delays that happen are okay in your books. And that's…Damn, I cannot thank you all enough for that. Thank you for showing patience and understanding, because trust me, if I could post chapters from BT you better believe I'd do it.
I'll talk more about the details of when I'll be back at the post-chapter AN. This thing is probably going to be the longest chapter yet, as I'm still writing as of this author's note. So we'll see. (NEW LONGEST CHAPTER FTW)
Speaking of the Freelancer Collaboration from a few paragraphs ago, I'd like to take a moment and plug them because I haven't done that yet in this story.
For those unfamiliar, there is a collaboration of writers that I am a part of known as the Freelancer Collaboration. They write a number of stories on this site as a massive group, the most popular of which is our group Red vs. Blue stories known as "Phase One: Genesis" and "Phase Two: Betrayal."
I write for the collaboration, taking the mantle of Agents Minnesota and Indiana within the story, as well as writing for many other characters from time to time. If you happen to be a fan of Red vs. Blue and feel like checking out some really great work by me and my fellow writers, then please check out our stuff. It'd be awesome to see any of you checking it out, so be sure to share your thoughts if you do take a look.
Back to business. This chapter is also stupidly long, much like the last two have been. That's mainly because I'm cramming enough material for eight chapters into three chapters, hence the length and the reshuffling of some ideas. However, the end result ended up fantastic anyway.
Please keep in mind, I'm going to be taking some creative liberties with the Kahuna battle. Hala's team may not function as they do in the game, per say, but I think tweaking a few things to make the battle more enjoyable is something no one will have problems with since they make sense, at least to me.
What tweaks have I made? Well that's for you to find out!
Looks like a lot of you enjoyed Sun's name revelation. It took me a very long time to come up with a last name that made sense, and I'm glad you all got a laugh out of it. Hau's last name is actually pretty funny if you're able to sort out what I did to it and what it really means. Lillie's last name will also be discussed down the road, for those curious. Not quite yet though.
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Cottonmouth25, Madame Rodoshe, BraviaryScout, skyguys, Gokan123, NullSilver2005, Raikou927, Sai Og Sus, and BouncingFish, as well as two new reviewers known as Zygarde Dupain-Agreste and bigboy9969. Thanks for all of the feedback and support.
LET'S GET THIS FIGHT UNDERWAY!
Enjoy.
Chapter 28: Kahuna Battle! Z-Power Unleashed!
Laura returned to her living room a few hours later to see the two adorable children still being adorable. With a small giggle, Miss Smiles decided to make everyone pancakes to celebrate her son being home and them having a guest over. Especially since that guest was currently cuddling with Sun on the couch and being cute.
Meowth slunk around her as she hummed a soft song, stirring the batter quickly before glancing over at Sun and Lillie and wondering if either one cared if she just did plain pancakes this morning. She decided to wake them up and ask them herself, so she walked over to the children and opened her mouth to speak.
And then she saw the…unique position they were in and couldn't help bursting out laughing.
Somehow, Lillie had positioned herself underneath Sun and was sleeping on her back, snoring quietly with her arms around Sun. However, Sun had slipped further down the couch, so Lillie had her arms wrapped around Sun's head and was pressing it close to her…specifically her chest. The fact that Sun was face down and was actually snoring now made the whole scene even funnier. As if the fact that Sun was snuggled up against a girl with his face her breasts wasn't already hilarious.
"My little boy hasn't even asked her out yet and here he is motor-boating Lillie in his sleep…He definitely takes after me." Laura thought as she struggled to breathe. Meowth was currently shaking his head, unable to find the humor in this.
The laughing mother did manage to wake Lillie, however. The girl's eyes fluttered open and she tried to get up, but couldn't due to a pressure on her chest and a heavy weight on her body. Lillie looked down and let out a strangled squeaking sound as she realized just why someone (who she realized with some detached horror was Miss Smiles), was laughing at her. Sun was not only sleeping right on top of her, but his face was pressed right up against her…chest area. Lillie felt her face light up crimson as her heart began to beat furiously. Some part of her actually didn't have a problem with this at all, but the rest of her was about to die of embarrassment. Lillie tried to prod Sun with her fingers and shrug him off, but he was in too deep of a sleep to respond. Lillie let out a loud squeak as Sun shifted slightly, rubbing his face against her chest and making Laura actually fall to the ground giggling.
"SUN! Wake up!" Lillie finally shouted, making the boy's eyes open wide and made him roll off of her and onto the floor.
"Ow…What happened?" Sun asked, looking around. He caught sight of his mother, looking about ready to pee herself from laughing so hard, and Lillie, who was blushing harder than he had ever seen anyone blush before and was clutching her chest.
"What did I miss?" Sun asked the two of them. Lillie didn't reply, instead looking away. Laura staggered to her feet, chuckling.
"I wish I had gotten a picture. Oh man…dear, you were cuddling with Lillie all night. On top of that, you just used that little girl's boobs as your pillow." Laura said with a smirk as her child registered her words and his face slowly began to glow red.
"Now Sun, go brush your teeth. We'll have breakfast before we go to the hospital today." Laura said to her child, who was still staring into space.
Sun then turned to Lillie and stammered, "Lillie, I'm…I just…I'm so sorry that I…"
The sight of her friend looking so ashamed of what had happened, even though it wasn't his fault, was enough to make her get off of the couch and smile at Sun understandingly. He hadn't meant to do it and certainly felt bad that it had happened in the first place. She didn't hold any ill will against him, even if it was embarrassing.
Sun took that as his cue to go to the bathroom, so after a look at Lillie he went off to his room, leaving Lillie alone with Miss Smiles as she continued to make pancakes with a cheery smile.
"I'm glad you took that in stride, Lillie. It's nice to see someone so understanding." Laura said to the girl as she slowly walked into the kitchen.
"It was an accident, right? Sun would never do anything like that to me on purpose. Hau on the other hand…" Lillie trailed off, shaking her head.
"Well, just make sure that if they do try anything, you kick them so hard in the balls that they drop to the ground and cry like babies." Laura said with a shrug, ignoring the amazed look of Lillie as Laura poured several glasses of milk for them.
"Anyway, I'm curious about how Sun will take this. He obviously has a ton of respect for you if he was apologizing like that. I'm glad that boy knows how to treat his lady friends right." Laura continued, smiling proudly at her little gentlemen of a son.
"He's a wonderful person," Lillie agreed, smiling now.
"Yep. Though I'll admit that if he doesn't ask you out within the next six months, I'll have to consider disowning him. You two are so adorable together." Laura replied, making Lillie blush red again with a squeak of embarrassment. Laura chuckled and continued cooking in silence. Lillie heard the sound of Sun talking to his Pokémon in the other room, and decided that now was as good of a time as any to ask a few questions she was curious about.
"Um…Miss Smiles?"
"Yes, Lillie?"
"Can I…um, ask you a question?" Lillie asked hesitantly, almost scared to ask. Laura looked over the girl and smirked at her.
"Is it about Sun?" Laura asked shrewdly, her voice slipping into a teasing tone that made Lillie blush at the implications. However, she couldn't say anything because if she wasn't so shocked by what happened earlier, she could have easily remedied the situation herself by waking Sun up sooner somehow. However, despite her fierce blush, Lillie powered on.
"Y-yes. I've spent a lot of time with him recently and I wanted to ask you something." Lillie said a bit more confidently.
"Well, what is it? Spit it out." Laura laughed, turning away to flip the pancake.
"What is Sun's father like?"
Lillie wished she could have foreseen how the older woman would have reacted when she asked that, otherwise she wouldn't have asked. As it was the woman noticeably winced as if burned, nearly dropping the frying pan in her grip. The woman looked sharply in Lillie's direction with an almost fearful look that smoothed over into a more relaxed although guarded expression, though when she spoke her words were surprisingly calm.
"What has Sun told you about his father, Lillie?" Laura asked quietly, slipping a pancake onto a plate.
"That…that he idolized his father. But his father was a really bad person in reality, and that because of him and Cipher you two had to flee Kanto." Lillie replied quietly, feeling nervous as Laura began another pancake.
"That is…true to an extent. My ex-husband, to answer your question, is a very complicated man. On the surface he was the perfect husband. A wonderful partner to me, a hero to his child and someone who wanted to make a positive impact on the world wherever he walked. He named his only child Sunshine because he wanted a child who could brighten the world and make it a better place like he dreamed to…like the Alolan sun he walked away from."
"However, Lillie…There are wonderful people in the world who make awful, awful choices. People who decide to go down a dark path and hurt others. Even those they love." Laura said softly, looking over at the girl beside her who seemed to understand her far too well. Lillie's green eyes gained a sad gleam to them that Laura understood right away.
"You know exactly the kind of person I'm talking about, don't you?" Laura asked with a sad smile. Lillie couldn't help herself and nodded, her own eyes began to glisten at the memories that threatened to break free from her mind. She was reminded of what she had lost and what she had to save before it was too late. Lillie was surprised when Laura reached over and patted the girl's head affectionately, comforting Lillie and offering her a happier smile.
"Regardless…my ex-husband sided with Cipher and has been helping them with their world domination scheme. He had been for years, apparently. He turned his back on us, Lillie, and acted very selfish. That's something you'll learn in life later on, if you haven't already…adults aren't perfect. They make really stupid, evil mistakes that just hurt everyone they once cared about…"
"And that's why you and Sun moved to Alola?" Lillie asked, her voice a whisper.
"Yes. Kukui helped with the move, as did some friends of mine from Celadon, and now we live in a wonderful place full of sun and kind people. And should Cipher come calling again…" Laura's smile turned to a grin as her eyes gained a steely edge to them before she turned back around.
"They'll have a very, very bad time." Laura finished as she placed another pancake on a different plate.
"You were a Pokémon Trainer once, weren't you?" Lillie asked the woman.
"Of course! Sun grew up watching me burn through the Gym Circuit. His father was a master tactician while I'm just plain awesome." Laura giggled, making Lillie smile at the remark. "I'm getting back into the swing of things thanks to Kukui. I think my team loves being able to get back into fighting. I can tell they missed it."
"Missed what?" Sun asked, walking out of his room as he pulled a grey T-shirt on. Lillie blushed as the boy walked in, though he also blushed upon looking at her.
"I shouldn't even give you breakfast, young man. After all, you had a very nutritious breakfast of pre-teen boobs just a little while ago!" Laura said to her boy, making both children blush scarlet once again.
"I said I was sorry!" Sun said almost pleadingly, still not looking at Lillie but feeling so embarrassed. He almost wanted to just run outside and jump into the ocean to forget about what he had unconsciously done earlier. To Sun's surprise, he felt someone hug him from behind.
"It's okay, Sun…You were sleeping and I…um, should've woken you up sooner." Lillie said as she stepped away, still blushing hard.
"So we're okay?" Sun asked his friend. Lillie smiled at him and nodded, and Sun sighed with relief and hugged Lillie in return. He was glad that he hadn't made her feel bad or had hurt their friendship with something stupid. Even if he wasn't conscious for it, he still felt bad.
"Next time? Wake me up better, okay?" Sun muttered to Lillie, stepping away from his friend. The girl nodded with a small smile as Laura broke down into laughter, leaning against the counter as the current pancake she was on began to burn. Sun sighed, pulling out a chair for his mother as he finished cooking the pancakes.
"So Sun, what's your plan for the next few days?" Laura asked as they sank their teeth into delicious pancakes. Sun swallowed his food and grinned at his mother in reply.
"Well, I thought about it and I think it might be better to battle Kahuna Hala sooner rather than later. Maybe in like three or four days. I'll train in the meantime so we'll be totally ready." Sun replied, surprising Laura and Lillie.
"So soon? You should probably rest a few more days, Sun. You're not recovered from what that assassin did to you," Lillie said softly.
"That's true, but I also think we could use something to distract us from the bad things that've happened this week. I can't stop thinking about that battle, anyway. I'm…Oh god, I'm turning into Hau!" Sun realized, clutching his face in horror as Lillie burst out laughing and Laura watched the two children with an amused smile.
To Lillie's relief, the next few days with the Smiles Family passed with no further problems. After her first night of comfortable sleep, Lillie managed to rest easily without Sun by her side. She assumed that because she felt comfortable there, with Laura's constant cheer and having someone she could trust without reserve like Sun nearby.
Nebby enjoyed it as well. The little Pokémon was safe within the home, so it constantly flew around the house and played with the other Pokémon around. It became quite good friends with Meowth, which made Lillie very happy to see. Lillie and Sun would play their flutes together and spend quite a bit of time together in general, even when they went to visit Kukui in the hospital. Sun contacted Hala over the phone and organized a day to do their battle in Iki Town.
On the day of Sun's battle with Hala, which was the fourth day after Sun was released from the hospital, Sun found himself walking down the hallway of the PICU (Pokémon Intensive Care Unit) to see the Pokémon that he had tentatively caught the other day. Lillie was currently with Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet (who Sun STILL hadn't met), having coffee with them as they discussed top-secret stuff. Sun decided to leave them to their work and mentioned that he was going to see the Growlithe, getting a hug from Lillie before she went to meet with the people who had taken her in.
To Sun's surprise, when he arrived at where the Growlithe was, he saw Doctor Colress standing in front of the dog with his Absol, putting away his data pad. Sun then spotted a black collar on the neck of the Growlithe, and was even more surprised that the dog was completely awake and alert and sitting upright.
"All vitals read normal, so it should only be a few more days before you can be released. What happens after that is up to you." Colress said to the dog, who didn't reply. Instead Colress looked over at Sun and smiled at the boy, gesturing him forward.
"Good to you again, Sun. As you can see, the Growlithe you saved the other day is recovering quickly. Today he has regained consciousness and I've placed one of my TACV's on him so that we can easily communicate with him if need be," Colress explained.
"TACV?" Sun asked.
"Translator Attachment Collar Variant. As I said before, I am an inventor at heart. I have spent many years devising ways to bring out the true power of Pokémon. My life's work will bring me to an answer of that question…Anyway, during my extensive research, I have come across many avenues to foster better communication and strength between Trainer and Pokémon. One of the greatest things I managed to do after the fall of Neo Team Plasma was create a way for humans and Pokémon to speak to one another. Hence, my translator collars. Simply attach one to a Pokémon and they will be able to speak to you. It's not a perfect science, quite yet, as some Pokémon are known to speak variants of their own speech in foreign languages but…" Colress shook his head, laughing.
"I apologize. I'm rambling. Long story short, I created the collars thanks to the efforts of the Devon Corporation and with the help of some friends in Unova. After their massive success in that region, I've been working with Kukui and Hala to get them developed here so that Alola can benefit from them too." Colress continued, making Sun smile finally.
"That'd be really cool. But it also sounds super expensive." Sun remarked, earning a nod from the scientist.
"They're a bit pricey, but they are expensive to create. However, I think the price is worth being able to communicate with your partner." Colress said as he leaned against the back counter.
"I'd like to be able to talk with my Pokémon. It's getting a bit easier to understand Oliver and Penny, but it'd be a lot easier if I had one of those collars." Sun admitted wistfully as Colress laughed again.
"Well, my main little setup is on Akala Island. If you can catch me there, I might be willing to let you have a few at a reduced cost." Colress replied as he crossed his arms and made Sun look at him in confusion.
"Reduced cost?"
"I'll discuss it another time. I believe that Growlithe wants to speak with you. I'll leave so you two can talk privately. However, I do have one more question."
"Um…yeah?"
"When do you plan on battling the Kahuna? Hau mentioned that both you and him were going to battle the Kahuna soon," Colress asked.
"Later today. I decided on the spot to do it now rather than wait a few more days." Sun explained to the doctor as he nodded in response.
"I'll have to come to that. I have yet to see a Grand Trial due to my field work. I'd like to see your skills in action." Colress remarked with a smile. He then bid Sun farewell and left the room, leaving Sun with the canine he had saved just a few days prior.
"How're you feeling?" Sun asked the Growlithe as it watched him warily, unmoving.
And then he spoke.
"I…am recovering." The Growlithe's 'voice' was surprisingly deep voice and rather rough. It sounded much older than Sun had thought it would sound, but according to Colress as Sun found out later, it all depended on the Pokémon itself as to what it sounded like.
"Good. I…Thanks, back there. For your help with Amber. You didn't have to try and fight like that. Especially since you were hurt so bad." Sun said to the Growlithe, but the dog narrowed its eyes slightly in response, making Sun shrink back.
"I may not have had to fight that monster, but I do so anyway. And so did you. I could not stand by and watch her kill innocents. The fire within me roared at the chance to take down such an evil being." The small dog replied, baring his teeth. Sun began trying to get a feel for the dog's personality. It was odd, being able to speak directly to a Pokémon and expect an answer back.
"But in the end I couldn't stand up to her. You took up the fight in my stead. And when I was injured, you saved my life...By catching me." Growlithe replied, with Sun nodding in reply. For a time the two stared at each other, enveloped in silence. Sun slowly pulled out the Poké Ball he had caught the Growlithe with and set it on the small elevated table the dog was on. The hound observed it for a moment before turning his gaze to Sun, and when the Growlithe spoke, his words were deliberate.
"Despite the respect most Pokémon share for humans…not all of us desire to be bound to you. I have heard tales of Pokémon locked within invisible vaults like trophies by some of your kind, and I abhor such a fate. So forgive me for being…apprehensive of being shackled to one of those Poké Balls." The Growlithe said quietly, shifting slightly and wincing in pain. Sun moved closer to the dog, worried. A soft growl made Sun back away.
"You…however, are one of the good humans. You're not like the dark-haired monster I tried to stop the other day. You had no reason to help me when I was hurt. You had no reason to protect me during the battle. And you had no reason to save my life by capturing me and bringing me here…And yet you did. Again and again you showed compassion and bravery for a Pokémon you did not know. Why is that?" Growlithe asked, opening his eyes a little further. Sun looked into the smoldering eyes of the brave Pokémon that he had battled alongside and thought about his answer. It was simple, really.
"Because it was the right thing to do. You were hurt and needed help. If I'm able to help someone…Then I should try to help them. Right?" Sun asked the Puppy Pokémon, who thought about his response.
"I believe we share a similar mindset…I had been tracking that monster for some time. She had been killing many Pokémon in her time on the Island. I found her after she killed a small nest of Rattata and Ratticate. I had no reason to be there, or to fight her but…My instincts told me she was evil and needed to be put down, so I followed her. And even when I was injured…I just couldn't let what she had done stand. I had to continue to fight, even if it cost me my life." Growlithe then growled, a bit of smoke escaping its mouth.
"So…honor is pretty big with you, huh?" Sun asked the dog.
"I would like to think so." The Growlithe replied with a small nod, adjusting his position with a wince.
"…Can I pet you?" Sun asked, surprising the dog. The Growlithe thought about it before slowly nodding. Sun grinned and slowly reached forward, stroking the dogs head. The dog closed his eyes for a few moments, and Sun found himself surprised by how warm the fur of the Pokémon was. He wondered if it just radiated heat in general or just when it was injured. Sun stopped a few seconds later, smiling widely now.
"So what now?" Sun asked the dog. The Growlithe hung his head for a moment, deep in thought.
"I'm…uncertain. I am recovering still, but I am unsure at this moment what the future holds." The Growlithe admitted, looking away from Sun.
"Would you consider…joining my team?" Sun asked quietly. The Growlithe didn't answer him right away, but did look back at him.
"I am considering it, truthfully. There are many benefits to having a caring Trainer such as yourself. I could grow stronger. See the world. And maybe even evolve, should the time come. However it is a lifelong commitment and I do not want to make a hasty decision. Many Pokémon Trainers snatch Pokémon away from their homes and families, uncaring of the consequences. I have my own family I would like to see before I do embark on such an adventure." Growlithe replied quietly, though to his surprise Sun nodded.
"Yeah, absolutely. If you have some things you needed to take care of or Pokémon you need to say goodbye too, we can totally go around the island so you can do that. I don't think we're going to the next island for a little while anyway. Not after what Amber did." Sun said to the dog, who had surprise in his eyes.
"You'd be willing to let me do all of that? It might take a while."
"Why not? I don't want to hurt a Pokémon like that and you raise a really good point. I'll ask Penny later if she wants to see any of her family on the Island so that they know she's okay. I'll make sure to ask her after we battle the Kahuna later today." Sun replied with an easy smile, surprising the dog further. Just then, however, the nurse entered and informed Sun that it was time for the Growlithe to get some rest and that Sun could see him later.
"Well, goodbye then. I hope you'll think about joining me. It'd be awesome to have you." Sun said to the canine sitting on the bed, looking contemplative.
"You mentioned something. That you were battling the…Kahuna, today, yes?"
"Yeah. I've got to go to Iki Town later and meet him for a battle. Why do you ask?" Sun asked the dog, who didn't reply verbally but instead laid down on its table.
"No reason. Goodbye for now." Growlithe said quietly, closing its eyes tiredly as the nurse prepared the dog's medication. Sun quietly exited the room and found Vivian and Noah waiting for him. He figured again that this was Colress's doing.
"Can you keep an eye on him for me? I'm going to be busy this afternoon and I can't hang around here all day." Sun said to the couple, earning two grins.
"Sure, why not? What's the occasion?" Noah asked.
"A battle with the Kahuna."
"Ooh…nice. Well, kick that man's wrinkly butt, Sun. Just keep an eye out for his tricks. He's old, but really strong." Vivian warned the boy, sauntering past him and patting him on the head as she walked by. Noah shook his head and joined his girlfriend, leaving Sun behind for a moment to catch up.
Sun spent the next hour or so hanging out with the crew from Unova, along with Lillie. Sun was curious as to where Hau was, but when told he was training for his own fight against Hala, Sun understood. This fight against his grandfather was the most important thing ever to Hau. It was understandable that he want to get as much practice as possible.
Eventually Sun left the hospital and got a taxi ride with Lillie and Laura back to their house. As the car drove off, Laura turned to Sun and Lillie and grinned at them as her Pidgeot swooped down to greet them with a piercing cry, making Lillie flinch. Sun just walked over to the bird and stroked his back with a smile, making the Pidegot coo softly.
"I've got to clean up the dishes from this morning, so you two go ahead on Jace and fly to Iki Town." Laura said to the two children, but Lillie cut her off.
"But we can't fly on Pokémon that aren't registered Ride Pokémon, Miss Smiles." Lillie pointed out, but Laura grinned mischievously at her.
"What they don't know what hurt them. Besides, Jace can get you halfway to town in ten minutes. He can just drop you off halfway and you can walk the rest of the way without anyone being any the wiser." Laura said with a dismissive wave of the had. Sun and Lillie looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Laura.
Ten Minutes Later
"That was…windy."
"That was amazing. Thanks for the ride, Jace!"
The Pidegot nodded in reply and took off into the air, creating a powerful downdraft that made Lillie and Sun yell out as it buffeted them. Rotom took that moment to pop out of Sun's backpack with a static-like giggle.
"Zz-zzt! Let's get ourselvezzz down to Iki Town so we can have that showdown with the Kahuna…You know, if you dare to, that is!" Rotom said with a wink as it zoomed ahead. Sun rolled his eyes as Lillie giggled, but otherwise neither had a reply to Rotom's snark. Rotom sighed dramatically and returned to Sun's backpack and the comfortable silence enveloped the two friends.
Lillie wondered why that was. When she spent time with Hau, any silences that happened in between conversation between him and her were always rather awkward. As if she couldn't find anything else to say and he didn't know what to say. But with Sun, it was okay if there was nothing more to say. There was a comfort to the silence, as well as a sort of reassurance that if Lillie did need to talk, Sun would immediately listen and understand.
The blonde-haired girl silently cursed herself for viewing one friend more highly than the other. She cared dearly about both boys, but was forced to admit that she felt differently for Sun than she felt for Hau. Lillie decided that she needed to ask Professor Burnet about this. She would know what to do.
"Hey, you okay?"
Lillie jumped at Sun's question, and saw the both with the stormy grey eyes regarding her with some concern. Lillie shook her head, a small smile coming to her face a moment later.
"I'm fine. Just…lost in thought." Lillie replied softly, before asking, "How about you? Are you nervous at all about facing Hala?"
"Not really. I have the type-advantage and I have a lot of faith in Penny and Oliver. I think we're ready for this. We'll find out sooner or later. We're coming up on Iki Town right now." Sun pointed out as the town came into sight. Lillie and Sun quickened their pace and entered the village, walking up the steps and entering it proper.
"You want me to do…what!?"
"You heard me. I want a way out of this place to see that battle."
Vivian and Noah stared at the Growlithe on the table in front of them, his tail wagging slightly in excitement that he couldn't hide. Noah cleared his throat and said, "You're pretty badly hurt. Why should we risk your health like that?"
"Even if it is awesome you want to see Sun's Grand Trial." Vivian chimed in, grinning widely at the thought of Sun's unofficial Pokémon wanting to see him battle the Kahuna. True to their word, Vivian and Noah had checked on the dog a few hours after Sun had left.
And that was when the dog made his request.
"I say we do it." Vivian said to her boyfriend, giving him an eager look as she held out Decres' Poké Ball. Noah sighed and closed his eyes, thinking about it.
"Fine. We get you to the battle, and then you go right back here. Deal?" Noah said to the Growlithe, receiving a small smile from the canine.
"Deal."
To the surprise of the children, Professor Kukui was waiting for them already as Rockruff ran circles around Kukui. Lillie quickly took her place alongside Professor Kukui, who was grinning cheerily at Sun. Sun just stared at the man before smiling at him, glad to see the man finally up and about.
"How're you feeling, Professor?" Sun asked the man, earning a chuckle in reply as Kukui pulled out a Poké Ball and returned Rockruff.
"Right as rain, cousin! I'll be out of the hospital officially in a few days. They're letting me hang here for a bit before I head back, because you better believe I wouldn't miss this fight for the world." Kukui said as he gave Sun a thumbs up.
"Thanks Professor. I'll do my best!" Sun promised, meeting the Professor's smile with his own smile.
"I expect nothing less, cousin! I see you're looking like you're in top form, like a raring to go Machamp after using Focus Energy! I'm sure lookin' forward to seeing what moves you and your Pokémon will pour your soul into, now that you've gone and cleared your first Trial, Sun!" Kukui said enthusiastically.
"It's true, you know…I mean, I'm not a Trainer, so I'm sure I don't really understand how hard it must have been…but even I think it's a great achievement Sun! I know that you can beat the Kahuna!" Lillie said haltingly, gaining a little bit of confidence towards the end, smiling at her friend. Sun grinned at her in reply, feeling warm at the combined praise of the two. Lillie suddenly yelped as Nebby wriggled within its bag, letting out what Sun took to be a cry of agreement. Lillie quickly placated the Pokémon and Kukui began talking again.
"Now…The Melemele Kahuna is strong, cousin! He's a Trainer who can use Fighting-type Pokémon to the fullest, yeah. Keep an eye out for surprises, because you know Hala's packing plenty of them. It's probably a good thing you got two swift and strong Flying-types that got your back!" Kukui said, giving Sun another thumbs up before stepping off to the side, revealing Hala standing down the path with his back turned to them, which made Sun wonder if that was done just for dramatic effect.
"We'll be waiting by the arena, cousin! Go kick some tail!" Kukui said with an even wider smile, walking down a side path that Sun assumed led to where the battle would be taking place. Lillie watched the Professor slowly walk down the path for a few moments before turning to face Sun.
"I...um…Do your best, Sun. Okay?" Lillie said quietly, offering Sun a shy smile and fidgeting slightly.
"Absolutely, Lillie. You'll be cheering for me, right?" Sun asked lightly. Lillie's smile widened as she nodded once, and the silence between them returned. Sun wondered why Lillie hadn't left yet, as the girl continued to fidget in one place, and was about to ask her what was up before Lillie quickly walked forward and hugged Sun tightly.
"Good luck!" Lillie whispered in Sun's ear as Lillie stepped away before he could return the hug, with the girl blushing bright pink and as she whirled around and jogged after the Professor. Sun watched her go for a while before a small buzzing sound alerted him.
"Warning. Fluff Detector has reached a critical point!" Rotom declared, giving Sun a massive grin that Sun ignored as he blushed at the Pokédex's teasing. Instead, he walked towards the Kahuna that was waiting for him in the distance. As Sun approached, the man turned around and greeted him with a smile.
"Ah, Sun. I am glad to see you standing before me, smiling and healthy. What with that business with the assassin the other day, a lesser Trainer would have held off on a battle such as this. But…I believe you are not ordinary Trainer, you who was chosen by Tapu Koko." Hala said rather formally, crossing his arms as Sun straightened up slightly.
"I must also say this. Congratulations on clearing your Trial in the Verdant Cavern. Good work. I suppose you're here to battle the Kahuna?" Hala asked, his smile quirking into a smirk. "You think that you and your team are ready for me, Sun?"
"Definitely!" Sun said, grinning up at the Kahuna with confidence.
Hala chuckled in response. "I have been waiting for this! Come, join me on the battlefield and we shall have a match to remember."
The next thirty minutes were a blur to Sun as a crowd quickly formed and word spread that an official battle with the Kahuna was about to take place. After getting a hug from his mother, who had joined the crowd shortly after Sun had arrived, Sun made his way up the steps and onto the main stage where official battles with the Kahuna took place. Hala stood in front of him, wearing an eager smile.
"Ho! I have been expecting you, but now the moment has arrived for the two of us to do battle." Hala said, his voice swelling with the power and authority that came with his prestigious position. The crowd was dead silent, with every single one of them hanging onto the words of the veteran Pokémon Trainer that watched over the Island alongside the Guardian Deity.
"Allow me to properly greet the young adventurers that stand before me, that are embarking on their Island Challenge. I am Hala, the Kahuna of Melemele Island." Hala intoned as he shifted his stance to a more casual one, his smile returning.
"Shall we begin? The final Trial here on Melemele Island will be a Pokémon battle against me, the Kahuna! It is known as the Grand Trial!" Hala continued as Sun shifted his own stance, reaching for a Poké Ball without even realizing it.
"Well, Sun! You have been entrusted with the Sparkling Stone by Tapu Koko…Now…" Hala trailed off, closing his eyes for a moment and allowing nothing but the soft breeze to be heard over the entire town.
"Show me you and your team's full power!" Hala bellowed, a fierce grin flashing into the face of the man, who assumed a battle stance with his arms in front of him. "Old Hala here will also be going all out! Let the Grand Trial begin!"
"Sounds good to me! Don't hold back." Sun replied, making the Kahuna bark out a laugh as Rotom floated above Sun. The device began playing a very intense song with loud beats to it, but Sun felt completely in the zone.
The crowd roared at that words shared between the combatants and when Rotom's music began playing, it made the atmosphere surrounding the two Trainers rise to fever-pitch.
Laura took a deep breath and screamed, "Go get him, Sun! You can do it baby!"
"Do your best!" Lillie called out as well.
"Both of you do awesome, because I have no idea who on earth to root for in this fight because I kinda want you both to win!" Hau added, shouting just because he could.
Hala threw a hand forward, and Sun winced as he felt the very air in front of him snap with some sort of invisible force. Sun felt a small bit of nerves in him as the old Trainer drew an Ultra Ball, a yellow and black Poké Ball, and regarded it for a moment before releasing the Pokémon within.
"Mankey, let's fight!" Hala declared as a Mankey landed on the round with a loud screech, throwing several punches before crying out again.
"Oliver, let's go!" Sun yelled out, releasing his starter, who exploded out of the Poké Ball with a loud hoot. Oliver soared to the ground before glancing back at Sun as Rotom's song became a bit more upbeat and cheerful.
"Let's do this, alright?" Sun said to the owl. Oliver hooted in reply before reaching out a wing and flicking out a few feathers with one sticking up, giving Sun a gesture that he realized was the bird's equivalent of a thumbs up.
"Let's start this off, Mankey! Karate Chop!" Hala ordered, stepping forward as his Pokémon nodded in reply before dashing forward, almost too fast for Sun to follow. Before Oliver could even react, the monkey Pokémon drew back its hand and delivered a powerful strike right to the forehead of the Dartrix, making the owl stagger back with a screech of pain.
"Oliver, Razor Leaf!" Sun commanded as Oliver brushed his hair aside and growled at the Mankey as it back-peddled away. The furious owl flung out its wings, releasing a powerful storm of leaves that raced towards the monkey.
"Dodge it by rolling on the ground!" Hala commanded the monkey as the leaves flew towards it. Mankey stood its ground, beating its chest with a howl of fury before the Pokémon dove to the ground, rolling underneath the Razor Leaf and dashing towards Oliver as Sun stood there stunned by the agility of the small monkey. Sun was then surprised with the command Hala gave the Mankey.
"Hit it with Poison Jab, then follow up with Focus Energy!" Hala ordered the Mankey as it drew close to Oliver. Mankey drew back a fist that was glowing purple and jumped into the air to catch Oliver as he tried to dodge the attack, but the monkey still managed to hit the Dartrix with its glowing purple fist and make Oliver screech in pain.
"Oliver is a Grass-type and weak to Poison-type attacks…Not good. Razor Leaf now, while it's close!" Sun yelled out. Oliver reacted instantly as the Mankey fell to the ground, releasing more leaves that quickly slashed at the monkey Pokémon below, making it screech in agony at the cuts it was sporting all over now.
"Stay calm, Mankey." Hala called to the monkey, who was stomping its foot in anger. The Mankey looked at Hala for a moment before noticeably calming down. It then began to glow bright blue, which Sun realized was Focus Energy.
"Oliver, use Peck!" Sun yelled out to his Dartrix, who shot forward with a loud screech.
"Use Poison Jab!" Hala commanded his Mankey yet again. The Monkey leapt forward and swung its fist, connecting with Oliver's beak and creating an explosion of force as the two attacks struggled for dominance. Both Pokémon suddenly broke away and Hala laughed aloud, catching Sun's attention.
"I have to admit, I don't usually use the TM moves my Pokémon know. But you're hanging tough, my boy. And that's good. But can you keep up?" Hala asked, his smile turning into a smirk.
The Growlithe slipped through the crowd easily enough, thanks to them being distracted with the proceedings. He made a vow to thank the strange girl who allowed him to escape the confines of the room he had been recovering in just so that he could see the boy who saved him in action against the renowned Kahuna of the Island.
The dog slipped through the legs of the humans with little effort, wincing slightly as he moved due to his chest. It would be a while longer before he could fight again, but he would not miss an informative fight like this for anything. So he quietly made his way over to a familiar girl garbed in white and sat on the ground next to her, ignoring the amazed look on her face as she looked down at him.
Sun matched the Kahuna's smirk with a wide smile, feeling the fervor of battle seep into him. He was happy. He was excited. And he believed in the Pokémon he had at his side.
He was going to win.
"You bet, Hala. Now make your move, Kahuna!" Sun called to the man as Oliver flew towards Sun, soaring around him before flying towards Mankey.
"Very well. Use Pursuit, Mankey!" Hala yelled out, making the Mankey leap forward as its arms glowed jet black. As Oliver drew close to the Mankey, Sun's grin widened.
"Dodge now!" Sun yelled out as the Mankey swung both arms downwards, releasing a wave of black energy from its arms. To the monkey's surprise, Oliver effortlessly swooped below the attack at Sun's command, dodging the attack completely.
"Now bring it down with Tackle!" Sun ordered the Dartrix, who darted backwards for a moment before slamming into Mankey from behind, sending the Pokémon hurtling across the arena and crashing onto the ground. Everyone watched as the Mankey stirred briefly before remaining still, groaning slightly.
"Mankey is unable to battle. Dartrix wins!" the referee called, gesturing towards Sun and Oliver as the Dartrix soared over to his Trainer. Hala returned his Pokémon and smiled down at the ball that contained it.
"Well done. Thank you for your hard work." Hala said, stowing away the Ultra Ball in his jacket.
"Awesome job, Oliver. You really showed him." Sun murmured to his starter, ruffling the feathers on the Pokémon's head. Oliver flinched at that and began carefully grooming himself while Sun chuckled.
"Man. Not a bad start." Hau remarked, putting his hands behind his head.
"Of course not. But keep in mind, Hala is the Kahuna. And he has decades of experience. He won't make this an easy battle for Sun, that's for sure." Colress said quietly, shifting slightly as he began tapping on his notepad. Lillie and Laura watched wordlessly, too enthralled to pay attention to the conversation.
"Well played, Sun. But let's see how you deal with this Pokémon. Go, Makuhita!" Hala yelled out, calling forth an unfamiliar Pokémon. It was rather large, with big glove-like hands and grinned at them cheerily. The crowd screamed in excitement again as the new Pokémon entered the field.
"Hey Rotom, can you tell me what's up with this Pokémon?" Sun asked the Rotem Dex as it hopped out of his backpack.
"Sure thing, zz-zzt! Makuhita, the Guts Pokémon. It was originally brought in from another region, but now Makuhita from Alola are more famous. Their daily routine consists of training together first thing in the morning, eating and napping in the afternoon, and then more training afterwards." Rotom explained as it floated above Sun's head, the boy himself watching the newest arrival on the field.
"Alright then…Oliver, use Peck!" Sun commanded, throwing a hand out as the Kahuna chuckled.
"Use Protect, Makuhita." Hala ordered calmly. The Guts Pokémon grunted as it held out both of its hands, a bright green force field surrounding the Fighting-type as Oliver rushed close and slammed into it with his elongated beak, sending reverberations through it.
"As good as your Dartrix is, Sun, my Makuhita is safe. What will you do now?" Hala asked crossing his arms.
"Razor Leaf! Keep up the pressure!" Sun said to Oliver, who replied by flapping his wings downwards and releasing a barrage of razor sharp leaves down onto the shield that the Makuhita was hiding behind. The Pokémon growled as the shield began to crack and splinter before finally shattering, allowing in the torrent of leaves that sliced into the Guts Pokémon and made it cry out in pain.
"Stand your ground and use Bulk Up!" Hala ordered the Pokémon. Mahuhita nodded and flexed, allowing a crimson aura to erupt around him as the muscles of the Pokémon suddenly grew larger.
"Use Peck now!" Sun called out as Oliver hovered above the Guts Pokémon. The Dartrix nodded and shot downwards, his beak glowing as it extended outward another foot.
"Dodge it and use Arm Thrust!" Hala called out to the Makuhita as it took a step back. Oliver drew closer and the Guts Pokémon did a somersault forward as Oliver raced by, barely dodging the attack and managing to hit the owl twice with its own attack, making Oliver fluttering away with a wince.
"Come on, you two! Is that all you've got?" Hala asked, crossing his arms and giving them a very Hau-like smirk.
"No way…Oliver, use Tackle! Don't let it dodge anymore!" Sun yelled to his starter as it flew towards the Makuhita.
"Bulk Up again!" Hala commanded the chubby Fighting-type in front of him. Makuhita obliged, increasing its attack and defense as Oliver drew closer with a loud horrifying screech that made the other Pokémon inwardly cringe in fear. Oliver slammed into Makuhita, who actually grabbed onto the bird as it collided with him, despite the damage being done to it.
Sun then saw Hala grin and knew that something was wrong.
"Now we've got him right where we want him…Use Ice Punch!" Hala bellowed as Makuhita drew its arm back, triumph gleaming in its eyes before its fist glowed bright blue, glistening with icy energy. The eyes of the Dartrix went wide in horror. Oliver screeched in agony as the fist made contact with its chest, sending the Pokémon soaring backwards with a screech of pain, the Pokémon tumbling through the air as it crashed onto the ground. Sun yelled out at the sight, but then felt horror grip him as he saw that a large amount of ice had now formed around Oliver's chest, making the bird frozen and basically immobile. Worse still was Oliver couldn't attack at all from his position.
"Now, Makuhita, finish it off with-!" Hala began to say.
"Oliver, return!
Hala chuckled as a beam of red light hit the larger bird, recalling it into its Poké Ball. Sun grit his teeth, surprised that the Makuhita before him was so good. He certainly wasn't expecting Ice Punch. He needed to be better prepared for surprise moves like that.
"Naturally, as a Fighting-type specialist, I encounter my fair share of birds. As such I'm prepared to defeat such Pokémon. Now. Choose your Pokémon." Hala ordered Sun, who clipped Oliver's Poké Ball to his belt, frowning as he thought of how to deal with the Makuhita before him.
Kukui chuckled at the battle before him, drawing the attention of everyone.
"You seem amused, Kukui." Colress noted, a small smile on his face.
"This is one red-hot battle and it's got me hyped, cousin. But more importantly, Hala and Sun are neck and neck in this thing. And neither one have busted out a Z-Move yet…" Kukui mused with a wide grin.
"Well…Sun's about to send out Penny. Let's hope she's able to turn this battle back around for Sun." Lillie said quietly, smiling at the others before looking down at the Growlithe next to her, who was completely still and focused on the battle ahead.
"What the…what's he doing here?!" Kukui stammered in surprise, amazed and horrified that the injured Growlithe who had been shot a week ago was there with them and not in a hospital.
"I don't know…But I think it may be wanting to see Sun's Grand Trial against Tutu." Hau suggested after a moment, earning a look from the Pokémon in question.
"I want to see for myself what kind of person he is in battle. Through combat, our true colors are shown." The Growlithe replied quietly, turning his attention back to the Grand Trial.
"Penny, let's go!" Sun called out, releasing his Trumbeak with an explosion of light erupting from the Poké Ball as the crowd cheered for the new Pokémon.
"Beeeaaak!" Penny trilled happily, fluttering to the ground.
"Alright Penny. Oliver's worn this guy down. But we can't get overconfident. That Ice Punch is brutal and it'll do bad damage to you. We've still got Oliver if something happens, but he's mostly frozen and he's hurt bad, so I don't want to resort to using him and having him get even more hurt. So keep sharp, okay?" Sun advised his Trumbeak, receiving a small nod in return as the bird's calculating eyes turned to the battlefield.
"I'll start this off. Bulk Up!" Hala yelled out. Makuhita replied by letting out a yell and flexing, allowing a crimson aura to engulf it and boost its stats.
"Use Echoed Voice!" Sun yelled out as the Trumbeak took flight, letting out a small shock-wave of sound that slammed into the Fighting-type from above. Makuhita grit its teeth and endured the attack, slowly getting pushed back by the sheer force of it.
"Attacking from a distance won't do you much good. Bounce into the air and hit that Trumbeak with Ice Punch!" Hala ordered the Guts Pokémon. Makuhita kicked off of the ground and soared into the air, but Trumbeak didn't move.
"Supersonic!" Sun yelled out, making Hala gasp in surprise as the Trumbeak out an echoing screech that enveloped the Guts Pokémon, making it miss its mark completely as it swung an icy fist five feet to the left of where its opponent was flying.
"Makuhita, snap out of it! Use Arm Thrust!" Hala commanded the Pokémon as it landed on the ground, looking around with a dazed look in its eyes.
"Not gonna happen. Finish this thing off with Peck, full-power!" Sun ordered Penny as the Trumbeak flared her wings, darting forward as the Makuhita stumbled on the ground, punching itself in the face. Penny smashed into the Guts Pokémon from behind with her glowing beak, making the Fighting-type cry out in pain before falling to the ground face-first as Penny flew back to her Trainer. After a few moments, the referee raised his flag.
"Makuhita is unable to battle. The winner is Trumbeak!"
"Alright Penny, awesome work…Now we have one more to go." Sun breathed, excitement in his voice palpable as Hala returned his Makuhita.
"Well played. However, my last Pokémon is the child of my strongest Pokémon, and is proving to be quite adept in combat. I wonder how you'll fare against it…Crabrawler, show them your strength!" Hala roared, releasing his final Pokémon onto the field. Sun regarded the blue crab with the large boxing glove-like hands with unease, knowing that this was the strongest of the trio of Pokémon Hala was going to throw at him. Sun eyed the dark orange Z-Crystal attached to Crabrawler's left fist and took a shaky breath as the crowd roared one more time.
"And now…We have a very interesting fight on our hands." Kukui said as he crossed his arms, wincing slightly as his grin widened.
"Rotom…One more time, buddy. What's the deal with Crabrawler?" Sun asked the Pokédex, who slipped out of Sun's backpack and gave Hala a wave before replying.
"Crabrawler. The Boxing Pokémon. While guarding its weak points with its pincers, it looks for an opening and unleashes punches. When it loses, it foams at the mouth and faints. It punches so much, its pincers often come off from overuse, but they grow back quickly. What little meat they contain is rich and delicious. Zz-zzt!" Rotom explained cheerily, watching the crab Pokémon from across the battlefield.
"Alright then…Penny, use Peck!" Sun commanded the bird. Penny nodded sharply and darted forward, her beak glowing brightly as she soared into the Crabrawler, sending the crab Pokémon skidding backwards with a snarl of pain.
"Use Leer and then follow up with Rock Slide!" Hala commanded, throwing out an arm as the Crabrawler foamed at the mouth, giving Penny a horrifying glare. It then threw out its arms, creating half a dozen portals above them that showered the field with rocks.
"Penny! Use Echoed Voice to blast the rocks away!" Sun called out to his bird as she soared around the battlefield, screeching in surprise as the boulders fell around her. Penny nodded and opened her beak, blasting apart a few rocks falling ahead of her and reducing them to hundreds of pebbles.
"Well-played. Use Power-Up Punch!" Hala ordered as the Crabrawler drew back its hand, a harsh orange glow infusing it before the Boxing Pokémon decked Penny in the face and sent her to the ground, wincing in pain.
"Supersonic!" Sun yelled to Penny, who responded by releasing another soundwave that washed over Crabrawler, making the Pokémon confused much like his partner Makuhita.
"Crabrawler, use Pursuit!" Hala yelled out to the Crabrawler, who lunged forward with to glowing black arms but completely face-planted far away from Penny.
"Use Peck!" Sun yelled to Penny as the bird dropped out of the sky and crashed down into the crab Pokémon from above, jamming her beak into its back. Crabrawler's eyes suddenly regained focus and it spat a series of bubbles at Penny, who flew away and landed on the ground.
"Bubble, full-power!" Hala ordered as Crabrawler sunk low to the ground, hissing at Penny as she flared her wings, preparing herself for whatever the other Pokémon was going to do.
"Meet it head-on! Use Echoed Voice!" Sun yelled out as the flurry of bubbles flew towards Penny. The Trumbeak screeched out another blast of sound that smashed into the wall of bubbles, creating a watery explosion in midair as the two attacks cancelled each other out.
"Go through the explosion and use Peck!" Sun commanded, pointing into the mist. Penny kicked off of the ground and flapped her wings, barreling through the mist with her glowing beak and vanishing from sight.
"Use-Power Up Punch!" Hala yelled out to his Pokémon. A loud banging sound rung out and after a moment, Penny soared out from the mist with a cry as she crashed onto the ground, wincing in pain as the mist finally cleared, showing a Crabrawler sporting a large cut on its chest.
"Leer again, Crabrawler!" Hala commanded the Boxing Pokémon, making Penny shrink back at the awful glare the other Pokémon was giving it even as she rose to her feet. Sun scowled at that. Hau used the same tactic on him from before. By weakening his Pokémon's stats, he'd effectively make them much easier targets. And Sun knew that the Crabrawler had Power-Up Punch and was regularly using it, and he knew that attack only made the user stronger with every successful hit.
Sun needed to wrap up this fight quickly.
"Use Echoed Voice!" Sun called to Penny as she flapped her wings and rocketed into the air. The bird chirped a reply before releasing a blast of sound at the ground, hitting the Crabrawler and making it screech in pain.
"Your Pokémon are well-trained, Sun. I am not surprised, though. You are my grandson's rival after all." Hala remarked, his smirk turning into a smile before he suddenly shifted into a squatting stance, rolling up his sleeve and revealing a very old and battered Z-Ring. As if on cue, Crabrawler let out an echoing cry before its body suddenly flashed orange. A burning flaming orange aura erupted around the Pokémon, giving off no heat but raging like a wildfire around the crab Pokémon.
"Let me show you, child…The power of the bond that I share with my Pokémon!" Hala bellowed, striking a series of punching-like poses that ended with him throwing a massive fist forward, with the Pokémon in front of the Kahuna mimicking every movement perfectly, as if they were the one and the same being.
Crabrawler screeched in fury before leaping into the air at the star-struck Penny, who was too stunned to dodge. Sun was too enthralled to even issue a reply, instead watching in mute shock as he witnessed the power of a Z-Move being unleashed by the mighty Kahuna.
"Crabrawler, channel Power-Up Punch…And use All-Out Pummeling!" Hala roared as Crabrawler's fists exploded in a raging energy and it began throwing its fists outwards. Penny screeched in pain as the fiery orange fists rushed out from the fists of the Boxing Pokémon with incredible speed, each one of them into crashing into Penny and knocking her further and further into the air. With each punch Sun felt the air crumple with sheer force, almost taking his breath away as Penny was beaten senseless by the fierce Crabrawler. The fists slammed into her again and again, each blow jolting the bird through the air before finally, mercifully, the attack ended with a small flash of white light and the Crabrawler landed on the ground, shuddering slightly. Sun snapped out of his trance then, looking up at the Trumbeak that was frozen in the air.
"PENNY!" Sun screamed out as the bird slowly tilted forward, her eyes shut tight in pain as she plummeted towards the ground. Penny smashed into the arena and remained completely still.
"No…" Sun whispered, horrified at the state Penny was in. Her entire body was covered in dark black charred marks, still steaming from the sheer fiery power of the Fighting-type Z-Move she had been hit with.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Penny didn't know what to do. She was in so much pain. She was barely clinging to consciousness. She didn't want to give up. To leave the entire fight on the hands of her injured teammate. She wanted to be able to stand on her own two talons and show Sun she could be just as good as Oliver…Right?
"Come on, Penny! You can beat that thing! I know you can!" Penny's eyes slowly opened in surprise at her Trainer's words. Did he really believe that? That she could defeat her surprisingly powerful opponent, even after taking such a blow?
She thought about her Trainer. How much he had suffered lately. How much fear and pain he had gone through and how it was she and Oliver who had been trying to support him through these hard times. It was the least they could do for the human who showed them nothing but love and kindness. Her Trainer was strong…and so was she! She didn't want to let Sun down! She had to keep fighting!
"Trumbeak is unable to battle! The winner is…" the referee was about to raise a flag in the direction of Crabrawler and the Kahuna, but all three of them were surprised when Penny slowly shifted on the ground and used her wings to push herself off of the ground and into a standing position, panting heavily and shutting one eye completely, but still very much conscious and able to fight.
"Penny…" Sun whispered, feeling proud of the bird in front of him. Sun grinned, feeling a rush of confidence in the both of them. Penny wasn't done just quite yet, and Sun had a few tricks of his own left to use.
"You both show resiliency. I applaud the two of you. But can your Trumbeak handle much more in its current state?" Hala asked as Crabrawler threw out a few punches in the air, hissing at them.
"Absolutely! Penny's not going to let me down! She's going to win this battle right here, right now!" Sun declared, fist-pumping as the Z-Ring in front of him flashed for a moment. Hala grinned at the boy's spirit and flung out an arm.
"Very well, then! Crabrawler, use Power-Up Punch!" Hala commanded, the crab Pokémon nodded and lunging towards the panting Trumbeak ahead of him that was making no effort to move. Hala raised an eyebrow as the Crabrawler drew closer and closer-
"Now! Supersonic!" Sun called out, grinning even wider as Penny's eyes widened and she let out a powerful screeching soundwave that smashed into the charging Crabrawler, who let out a groan as it fell to the ground and hurt itself in its confusion.
"No, Crabrawler, get up!" Hala called to the Pokémon, who was struggling to do just that. Meanwhile, Penny flew over to Sun and landed in front of him, her body heaving with the effort of just standing upright. She then felt a hand on her head and looked up to see Sun smiling down at her.
"Let's end this together. Alright?" Sun said quietly, raising his Z-Ring slightly. Penny nodded and hopped forward, standing even more upright and proudly showing the Normalium-Z that she had attached to her.
"Alright…Penny, let's do this!" Sun shouted, taking a deep breath and focusing intensely as he held out his Z-Ring, which suddenly began glowing. Sun channeled his energy into the ring, feeling his very soul reach out to the Trumbeak ahead of him and allowing them to connect on a level that would allow them to combine their strength and unleash an attack stronger than the two of them combined.
Penny's eyes widened as she felt a suddenly flow of energy flood through her veins. She felt the hope and faith that her Trainer had in her. The pride he had for how hard she was trying and the love he had for her as one of his Pokémon almost overwhelmed Penny, but she instead felt her Trainer preparing to move.
Sun began to strike the poses that Captain Ilima had shown him what seemed like an eternity ago, with Penny mimicking him with her wings, both of them moving in total sync just like the Kahuna before them. They ended the sequence of poses both of their arm/wings crossed. Sun's smile widened as he felt a strange surging energy flow through him and outward into Penny, who let out a loud screech as she felt strength return to her. The strength given to her by her Trainer for her to carry out one final attack to end this fight. Penny eyed the struggling Crabrawler on the ground and narrowed her eyes.
"Go Penny! Channel Echoed Voice…and use Breakneck Blitz!" Sun yelled out as Penny crouched slightly, the aura around her becoming more fire-like than before. Hala's mouth dropped in surprise as the Trumbeak began charging towards him and Crabrawler with a trail of dust erupting behind the frenzied charge of the Flying-type Pokémon, eyes completely focused on bringing them down. Crabrawler's eyes widened in horror even in its confused state as Penny drew closer, a horrifyingly loud screech erupting from the mouth of the Trumbeak before she collided with with Crabralwer. The collision created a massive explosion of light that blinded everyone watching the battle and sent a shock-wave of force that sent Hala skidding backwards with a yell and making him cover his eyes.
The Kahuna sighed as the light faded and he looked up, seeing a sight that made him shiver for a moment. His Crabrawler had been sent flying out of the arena and was now stuck inside of a palm tree about twenty feet behind him. It was wedged within it, but was very clearly knocked out, its body sporting heavy damage and a very battered-claw. Hala looked back ahead of him and saw Penny the Trumbeak standing close by, panting very heavily and looking ready to drop but still able to battle.
"Crabrawler is unable to battle…The winner of the Grand Trial is Sun!" the referee declared after a few moments. The crowd's earlier cries were nothing compared to the roar that came from them now, fresh off a very intense battle that they didn't get to see very often.
Sun stood there, amazed for several moments before he grinned widely and ran onto the battlefield, making sure to slow down as her neared Penny. The Trumbeak turned around, giving Sun an exhausted but happy chirp before being hugged tightly by her Trainer. Penny returned the embrace, finally collapsing from exhaustion and allowing her Trainer to hold her.
"I'm so proud of you. We did it. Me, you, and Oliver. We beat the Kahuna!" Sun said to his bird, feeling his eyes starting to tear up with emotion. He felt so many things just then. Pride, happiness, relief, and overwhelming sense of satisfaction.
They did it. They had won their Grand Trial. And were one step closer to becoming the Island Challenge Champion.
Hala smiled at the display of affection from the two. He watched Sun released Oliver and break him free from the ice with Penny's help before he began healing his two Pokémon, sharing laughs and more hugs as the two birds were healed. The Kahuna turned around and returned Crabrawler, thanking it for a hard-fought battle. The Kahuna turned back around and saw Sun waiting for him, both of his loyal birds standing in front of him looking much livelier now that their injuries had been healed. Hala didn't even bother trying to hide the wide smile of joy on his face at the sight.
"Hoho! Well played!" Hala laughed, rubbing the back of his head in a manner not-unlike how his grandson often did. Hala then calmed himself, allowing the seriousness of the situation to envelop the battlefield yet again.
"The results come as no surprise to me." Hala stated, his powerful voice radiating with respect for the young child before him. "What a fine Trainer…and what fine Pokémon, too!"
A loud piercing cry from above suddenly rang out.
"Tapu-ko-ko-ko!" The shrill scream that Sun recognized on the spot made the boy shudder in response as the Pokémon in question suddenly flashed into appearance just above the Ruins of Conlfict in the distance, staring directly at him before vanishing in a flash of lightning.
"Ho! And our mighty Tapu Koko agrees!" Hala declared with a laugh as the crowd around them murmured amongst themselves. Hala continued, "Perhaps Tapu Koko is hoping that a day may come when you will grow strong enough to battle it as well…"
"That's definitely a day I look forward to." Sun replied quietly, smiling as he looked over towards where the Island Deity had vanished.
"However…I believe there is another who has recognized your strength. Turn around, Sun." Hala instructed the boy, gesturing for Sun to look behind himself. Sun did as the Kahuna asked and his jaw dropped in surprise to see a familiar canine slowly making its way towards the stage.
"What…what are you doing here?" Sun whispered, with even Oliver and Penny stunned at the proceedings. None of them would have ever expected the badly-injured Growlithe to show up here…But here it was.
Sun watched the Growlithe slowly approach him and his two birds with his eyes burning with emotion. Which ones those were, however, Sun couldn't place. The crowd watched silently as the dog gingerly made his way up the steps and made his way over to Sun and looked up at him, covered in bandages and looking rather exhausted but still holding itself proudly.
The Growlithe shifted slightly as Sun crouched down to his eye level, confusion clear on his face. Sun then heard the Puppy Pokémon growl softly before it spoke in its soft deep voice.
"I have made my decision. You lead this pack and I will follow where you do. My strength is now yours, as yours is mine, Alpha." Growlithe said with a small nod to Sun, who remained silent at the declaration of loyalty from the canine. Sun blinked in surprise when the dog moved forward and licked him once on the cheek, leaving a trail of very warm dog slobber on his face.
Sun's face then broke out into a wide grin as the moment sank in for him and the Growlithe padded over to where Penny and Oliver were watching him. He resolutely sat down on the other side of Oliver, taking his place on Sun's team.
"It seems as though the strength that allowed you to overcome the Kahuna of this Island...Has proven to another that you are worthy of following." Hala said to the child before him as he turned back around to face the Kahuna. Hala was beaming of course as he reached into his pocket and offered a Z-Crystal to Sun.
"Accept this Z-Crystal! It allows Trainers to share their power with their partner Pokémon!" Hala said as Sun reached forward and grabbed the gem from the Kahuna. Sun laughed softly as he felt the energy of the crystal thrum through him, prompting him to do the same pose he did when he had defeated the Totem Pokémon of the Verdant Cavern. The crowd around Sun cheered the boy on as he held his prize, the Fightium-Z, skyward as a burst of energy erupted from the Z-Crystal. Oliver hooted joyfully while Penny chirped, fluttering into the air. The Growlithe let out a loud bark that wasn't picked up by the translator, but the sentiment was the same.
Sun and his team had just defeated the first Kahuna after a hard-fought battle. And now with the Grand Trial of Melemele Island completed, more adventure awaited the young boy and his team of three, now bolstered by a brave and fierce Growlithe.
What new adventures awaited Sun and his team on the next Island, where more Trials and an even stronger Kahuna awaited him?
Only time would tell.
End of Act I
Reprise
There we have it folks. Sun's defeated his first Kahuna and we are nearly done with Tutorial Island! And Sun has officially added a Growlithe to his team!
And we've still got 171 chapters to go!
However, this is where I'll have to leave you. I'm literally about to leave home for the last time and I'm leaving to head down to MEPS one last time before I go. I actually leave in just a few hours. Basic Training starts for me tomorrow, and I'll be cut off from the outside world for a good long while. Two months at the absolute least, if everything goes well. Meaning it'll be a while before I can get back to a computer and start working on more chapters.
So I'd expect, from today's date, about ten to twelve weeks in total before I'm all set to upload chapters again. Meaning anywhere from August 26th to September 10th for an update on RS. Maybe sooner, but I don't know quite how everything will work in Tech School and I may need time to adjust before I can start writing again. I'll also need a good bit of time after Basic to re-read the story and fix small errors that people have pointed out and that I've marked myself. It'll also help me reacquaint myself with the story after a two-month hiatus. And I also have to write the next chapter on top of everything else, so yeah, might take a bit.
So for now, I'm going to leave on this note. Thank you, readers and reviewers, for supporting both me and this story.
Through good times and bad this year, you all have been absolutely fantastic. We've already come such a long way, and I've got a lot more action, adventure, hilarity, and romance coming your way down the road. I just ask that everyone continue to be patient while I go through this next phase of my life. Hopefully everything works out and I'll be back in no time, but with how unpredictable things in the military can be, I can't promise anything.
Have an awesome summer, and as always, be sure to show that love via review/favorite/follow/or PM. Feedback, like I say, makes stories all the more stronger and it's how this tale even got to this point.
So stay safe and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
To Be Continued in Act II
Repercussions
