Pokémon Radiant Sun


50,000 views...What the actual hell...

I'm just stunned, truthfully. This story has almost as many views in less than a year than my last full story has had in more than five years.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for the views, favorites, follows, reviews, feedback and support. It's because of that stories like this one do as well as they do. They'd be nothing without you all.

So, onto the proper and planned AN.

This week has been god awful. Hopefully you all have been doing well. I'm heading off now to pick up USUM. So hopefully that'll improve things.

I also completely forgot you battle Hau on your way to the Water Trial…And I follow another Sun and Moon novelization story that's further along on the story than me, so how the hell did I mess that one up? And it's because of that this chapter ended up 30% longer than it should have been.

The song depicted in the scene later in this chapter is a portion of the song "This Life Is Mine" by Jeff Williams. I do not own the song, but I do think it's wonderful and I absolutely consider it to be a song that reflects a lot of Lillie's struggles and her growth as a character.

Also, to respond to a few comments from last chapter, I am a huge fan of RWBY. I actually went to the RWBY Panel at RTX back in 2016. Fun times. And I'm a new fan of SVTFOE, and have been reading StarCo fanfics like crazy lately. By the way, just in general, feel free to message me regarding stuff like that if you want to. It may be surprising, but I'm pretty approachable when it comes to just talking with people. Answering questions about the story, advice, or just chatting. I'm fine with whatever. I'm just another person at the end of the day, and it's always fun talking with readers about other fandoms or even Pokémon. So yeah, go for it. Just please respect the fact that I'm busy with school and may not be able to respond right away.

Due to a request from a few chapters ago, I decided to go with a chapter from a…different perspective, or rather series of perspectives. This is why feedback is important. Because it does nothing but help a story improve. Thanks go out to Infinite Nexus, who suggested the idea a few chapters ago. Hopefully this turns out as well as you hoped!

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes The Dragon Legend, sceptilezeno, Madame Rodoshe, Consumer of Fantasy, Cottonmouth25, BraviaryScout, Gokan123, Technetium2, Sai Og Sus, Ways, and two new reviewers known as Angelfir3 and Antex-The Legendary Zoroark. Thank you all so much for the support!

Also, quick little note.

PLEASE DO NOT POST SPOILERS FOR ULTRA SUN AND ULTRA MOON IN THE REVIEW SECTION. OR ASK ME ABOUT IT, OR ANYTHING. I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE GAME RIGHT AWAY AND DO NOT WANT STUFF SPOILED FOR ME.

Or PM me about the game, or anything like that. PLEASE don't be that person, is all I ask. It'll be a while before I'll be able to complete the game and there are people who occasionally read the review section, and I just don't want things spoiled for anyone. If people want to discuss things with me regarding the new games, please wait until I post a chapter and say that I've beaten the game. Then by all means, go nuts.

And as far as incorporating USUM things into Radiant Sun, I'll just have to say that nothing will happen as of now, because I have no idea what the game will introduce aside from what was shown in the trailers. So just give me time to play and beat the game and I'll let you all know.

And on that note, enjoy.


Chapter 39: Small Rebellions


Oliver couldn't help but let out a piercing screech as he slammed into a Lillipup, delighting as the dog Pokémon went soaring into a tree, and then falling to the ground unconscious. The Dartrix laughed as he swooped back towards Sun, who was grinning at his starter.

"Zzzt! It looks like Brago just learned the move Helping Hand!" Rotom Dex said as he floated by Sun.

"If we keep this up, that Totem Pokémon won't know what hit it. Good job you two." Sun said as he tossed a green Poké Bean at the Dartrix, who snatched it out of the air. Sun fed a red bean to Brago, who gobbled down the treat, but seemed annoyed despite this.

"I still don't like how Oliver has to keep interfering in my fights. I should be strong enough to stand on my own." Brago grumbled, snorting out a burst of fire.

"Yeah, but you're not. We've been with Sun way longer than you. Of course we're way stronger. And we're in a place with much stronger Pokémon. Teaming up to take on opponents like this is how weaker Pokémon get strong. One of the ways, anyway, so stop complaining." Penny chided the Growlithe from her perch on a nearby tree. Brago rolled his eyes and just continued on the forest path.

The group had been travelling for most of the day, with the three of Sun's Pokémon out of their Poké Balls and training along the way, slowly getting stronger. Their Trainer was the happiest they had seen him in quite some time, with hope burning in his eyes. He still carried the sadness inside of him. The weight that seemed to drag him down. The pain that came from within...but there was a spark of hope inside of him, and that's what burned the brightest.

It made them happy to see him happy, and so they battled even harder against the poor Pokémon that wandered into their path.

Sun was currently focused on getting Brago up to par with everyone else. This usually involved having Brago come out to face a Pokémon, and then have Oliver or Penny switch places with him and finish the fight. And while the Growlithe was making great progress, he still struggled against the stronger Pokémon of Akala Island.

They had gained a new travelling companion in the form of the time-traveler, Aria, as well. She had spent the past few days explaining various elements of traveling to Sun and Lillie, as well as giving odd tips here and there concerning battling. Even Lillie, as a non-Trainer, had listened to the woman's advice. The most useful bit of advice was telling Sun that travelling with all of your Pokémon out and battling everything in sight was not only one of the most efficient ways to power up your team, but also the most fun in her eyes.

When asked why Aria wasn't doing that herself, she explained that she was trying to keep a low-profile and the only Pokémon that wouldn't look out of place here in Alola was her starter, Sophie. Oliver shivered at the thought of more Pokémon as strong as that Jolteon, but comforted himself with the knowledge that the Eeveelution was the peak of the time-traveler's team. Starter's were almost always the strongest member of a team, after all.

Though, Oliver had to agree that being out of the Poké Ball with his teammates was delightful. It was nice being able to fly alongside his Trainer and his teammates. He wondered how the Brionne owned by that Hau boy coped with not having a Trainer as great as his own. Oliver realized he was being a little biased, but then realized he didn't care that much.

So, the Dartrix turned his attention away from the Growlithe as Penny swooped past him. Oliver watched the bird, entranced for a moment before shaking his head.

"See something you like, birdbrain?" Penny called back to him.

"Not if you were the last bird on earth, beaky!" Oliver shot back, amused at the remark. They often squabbled, but it had become a game of sorts between them. They'd annoy each other, push each other, and argue, but they remained teammates that had each other's backs. Penny was a good friend.

Oliver flapped down to Brago's eye level, seeing the dog grumbling in annoyance. While the Growlithe had fit well into their little cast of misfits, he seemed to be annoyed with being so weak compared to them. Oliver couldn't think of anything to alleviate the canine's annoyance, which bothered him slightly. Oh well. They'd either figure something out, or Brago would just have to get stronger.

"It is nice to see how they're all working together." Lillie remarked, reaching down and petting Brago. The Growlithe tensed at the girl's touch, but relaxed as his head began getting scratched.

"Such a good boy." Lillie cooed while Oliver and Penny laughed. Brago couldn't give a care, though. This girl had magic fingers.

"Mama?"

Oliver's eyes narrowed as Nebby suddenly poked his head out of the large bag that he was always carried in. The Cosmog's voice was always childish but curious to them, like a hatchling still discovering the world around it. Lillie looked down and reached into the bag, pulling out the Cosmog.

"You slept in late today, didn't you?" Lillie said as she hugged the Cosmog with a happy smile.

"Can't help it…I was sleepy." Nebby tried to pout, but it was ruined by the Pokémon sighing with joy as it was being hugged by the girl who had taken care of it for so long. Oliver couldn't help a faint smile on his face at the display of love between the two. Lillie had earned the respect of each of them with her kindness to them and the close friendship she shared with their Trainer. And it was that respect for her that allowed Oliver to trust the girl when she had commanded him in battle just a few days ago.

"Sleepiness is one thing. Being lazy is another." Brago said to the Cosmog, who pulled a face. Oliver swooped down and examined the Cosmog, who seemed content to be in his caretaker's arms. The strange Pokémon had always confused him, truthfully. It seemed like something from another world. Something extraordinary, which was odd because it seemed to only be able to exist. It had no moves to speak of, no abilities that made it special.

But Oliver could feel his power. Dormant, yes…But very much there.

Penny shared the same sentiment as him. The Cosmog confused her and made her uneasy, but she admitted the Pokémon was just a child and should be protected. That Oliver agreed with, as did Brago when they broached the topic with the Growlithe. It was instinct, for them. Pokémon children were precious and must be kept safe. The humans believed that too.

"You have a good mother, Cosmog." Penny said to the strange Pokémon. Nebby opened its eyes, smiling at Penny.

"I have the best Mama." Nebby said proudly, wriggling in Lillie's grip and flying free. With a happy laugh Nebby soared around the group and tapped Brago on the snout, surprising the canine.

"Play tag with me!" Nebby called as he soared ahead.

"Nebby, come back!" Lillie called to the Cosmog. Oliver and Penny shot after Nebby, quickly stopping its progress in the air. Brago leapt into the air and grabbed the Pokémon in his mouth, landing on the ground roughly. He slowly padded back to Lillie, with Nebby wriggling in his grip. Not hurting the small Pokémon, but definitely ensuring it wouldn't flee.

"I just wanna play! Come on!" Nebby whined. Soon enough Nebby was grabbed by Lillie, who thanked Sun's trio for their help, and put Nebby back in its bag for a little while. That was just about the most exciting thing to happen for the remainder of their third day in the wilds, so when the sun began to descend they decided to stop on the edge of a small cliff.

"We'll make camp here and make it to the town by tomorrow morning." Aria said to the two children. Lillie and Sun had no complaints. The new Snagger had kept them going at a much quicker pace than what they were used to, but allowed them to have way more breaks from walking than they would have usually gone for. Oliver was curious about why this was, but he realized the new Snagger seemed unwell and tired, and was struggling to keep the pace she was obviously used to.

Soon enough the group was settled for the night, with a pot of stew cooking over the fire. Oliver and Brago ate their kills while Penny ate birdseed their Trainer had packed. Nebby was hand-fed as always by Lillie, while Sophie the Jolteon nibbled at some fish.

"So…Aria?"

"Yeah Sun?"

"What's going to happen now? You know, with you and your friends?"

The three Pokémon of Sun looked at the strange Trainer that had come through time as her expression turned thoughtful. She considered the question for a few moments before she crossed her arms.

"Recovery. And then we plan. I have a little plan of my own, to tell the truth, but there's no point in considering it because I'm in no state to deal with any of that. I'm still adrift…So I'm going to get my head on straight. Let Colress and the others figure this out for a bit. They've got something going on with Zygarde, so we'll focus on that for now." Aria explained quietly, flexing her hand. The girl hissed as her eyes suddenly flashed green, sending her rocking forward for a few moments before she recovered, shaking her head.

"Ugh…That sucks." Aria grunted, brushing her long black hair out of her face with a strained grin.

"And the Snag Machine?" Sun asked. Aria looked down at the device attached to her arm, which was attached to the hand she had been flexing. Oliver wondered what was going through the time-traveler's head.

"I guess I'll take Wes's place. He only taught one other person how to use it…me. I'm willing to take on that mantle. After everything, I am not going to give up on beating those idiots. My friends are already looking to me to figure something out and…I'm not going to let them down." Aria said quietly, but the conviction in her voice left little doubt that she ever would give in.

"We all need a hero." Sun said with a small smile. Lillie smiled at the remark, and Sun's trio of Pokémon could tell by the little girl's expression that she was looking at her own hero as their Trainer spoke. Aria slowly nodded, pulling out the Master Ball that contained Shadow Celebi.

"It starts with this. We purify Celebi. We recruit Zygarde to our cause. And we kick in Cipher's teeth." Aria breathed, her grip on the Master Ball tightening. Oliver couldn't help but feel satisfaction at the girl's words. The group had been the source of his Trainer's misery. The Dartrix hoped that the entire group burned for what they had done.

Oliver had fought Shadow Celebi and Amber's Shadow Rhyperior. He had seen the suffering in their eyes. The agony they went through just to exist. And the evil that manifested in an aura around them. It was a crime against nature, what the group known as Cipher had done.

"I wish I had the chance to tear apart those fools myself." Brago growled, his tail swishing slightly.

"After last time? They'd tear you apart." Penny said to Brago, who bared his teeth.

"All the more reason to get stronger. So that way, next time it's them who go down." Brago said as he closed his mouth, instead laying on the ground. Penny and Oliver quite liked the dog, but he certainly was a proud one.

"Wait, what's that?" Sun suddenly spoke up, pointing to something just out of their sight. Oliver soared into the air and saw his Trainer jogging towards a strange wriggling green worm-like creature. Sun regarded the creature with confusion before he suddenly dropped his backpack down on the ground and pulled out the strange device he had received the other day. The Zygarde Cube, Sun had called it. Without any prompting the strange creature was sucked into the device and Sun looked down at the Cube in confusion.

"Hey Aria, I think I found a piece of Zygarde!" Sun called to the older Trainer. Aria gave him a thumbs to the boy as she inhaled more of her stew. Lillie watched on silently, eyeing the Zygarde Cube with interest as it glowed faintly in Sun's hands. Oliver and his teammates had listened to the conversation the three humans had been having as of late, and knew that the strange device was the key to reforming a god-like being. Zygarde, they had called it.

It was not one of the Pokémon deities Oliver was familiar with, but he knew the name held great power. The Dartrix ruminated on this before he felt a wave of tiredness hit him. He had been awake for too long, again. He landed on the ground, his eyelids drooping.

"Get some sleep." Oliver looked over at Penny, who was watching him with worry. She was usually the one who reminded him to rest, and tonight was no different.

"Right…Thank you." Oliver murmured as he shut his eyes, allowing himself to recover from the events of today. Oliver drifted peacefully off to sleep, knowing his teammates would keep watch in his stead.

Penny guarded the camp with Brago well after the humans had retired for bed. The older one, Aria, had at first insisted that someone stay up to keep watch. But the children had soothed the girl's paranoia and insisted she was safe in Alola. What she didn't know is that Sun's three Pokémon had recently started keeping watch anyways. Oliver kept watch at night and slept in the day, while Penny and Brago stayed alert in the daytime. Oliver often ended up awake more often than he should have been, but he never complained. Despite everything, his loyalty to Sun trumped everything else.

And so, when Oliver awoke and took watch, he maintained unyielding vigilance. He wasn't sure quite why he kept watch like this. He had done this long before he and his teammates had chosen to keep watch. Tonight, he decided to ponder this.

Was it because he was a trained Pokémon? Or because he was Sun's starter? His first Pokémon. Oliver had never been caught, like the others. No...

He and Sun had chosen each other. They were partners.

That was why Oliver did what he did, the Dartrix realized. He protected Sun with everything he had, because they were bonded. Because of Sun, Oliver had become stronger. He had been able to evolve, thanks to the love and care he had received from the young boy. And in return, Oliver…well, Oliver certainly enjoyed teasing his Trainer. He wasn't exactly a nice Pokémon, per say, but he had fun at the expense of others and as long as no one was seriously harmed, he didn't really care.

But despite all of that…Oliver cared. He wanted the best for his Trainer, and cared for his happiness. And because of that, he would never stop fighting for his Trainer. He had prevented Sun's untimely demise twice now, at the hands of Cipher, by putting his own self in harm's way. And he would continue to protect his Trainer however he could until the time Giratina called for him.

Oliver was startled at a sudden burst of moment as Lillie bolted upright, gasping as she clutched her chest. Oliver's head tilted in confusion as the girl gasped for air, looking around with a horrified expression on her face. The girl seemed to realize where she was, because she sighed deeply as a tremor rolled through her.

"A dream…it's just a dream, Lillie…" Lillie said quietly to herself, but not quietly enough to keep from rousing Penny and Brago. Sophie opened a single eye, but when she saw the other Pokémon awake, the Jolteon decided to return to sleep.

Oliver's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Lillie cry softly to herself, shaking as she struggled with whatever had awoken her. Oliver had watched his own Trainer sleep enough times to know that she had suffered from an awful nightmare. The three Pokémon could see the tears streaming down her pale cheeks, the raw fear and pain in her green eyes. The owl cast a look at Penny, who seemed sad at the girl's suffering and shuffled slightly from her perch. The Trumbeak then fluttered over to Lillie, who sniffed a few times, trying to calm herself. The girl then noticed the Trumbeak beside her and scratched the bird's head.

"Thank you." Lillie whispered to Penny, casting her gaze to Brago and Oliver. "All of you."

"So stupid…Letting something like that get the better of me." Lillie sighed as she got to her feet, stretching. She wiped her face and began rummaging through her bag, pulling out a small device. She inserted two…things into her ears and Oliver's head cocked in confusion as he heard music begin playing from the strange items in the girl's ears. Lillie sat down on the ground, closing her eyes and attempting to calm herself.

"Just like Trainer…her heart hurts." Oliver said quietly to Penny, who looked up at him. Penny didn't reply, but that was mainly because Lillie had begun to sing quietly to herself.

Mirror…Can you hear me?

Do I reach you?

Are you even listening?

Can I…get through?

There's a part of me that's desperate for changes…

Tired of being treated like a pawn.

But there's a part of me that stares back,

From inside the mirror.

Part of me that's scared I might be wrong…

That I can't be…strong…

Oliver could feel the surprise from his teammates, even from his perch. The girl had a surprisingly wonderful singing voice. They had heard her play the flute with their Trainer before, but this was the first they had heard her sing. Lillie opened her eyes, holding a loud and hauntingly beautiful note for several long seconds before she shut her eyes again, listening to the remainder of the song in silence, feeling emotion bubble up within her as she trembled where she sat.

"Being back on Akala is doing this. It was where everything started for me. When all of my doubt and pain was fresh…" Lillie murmured as she finished listening to her song. Out of all of Jeff William's masterpieces, this was one that truly spoke to her. Crimson Dawn sure had one amazing producer.

Lillie started as a groan rang out from camp and Aria sat up, rubbing her eyes. She spotted Lillie and gave the girl a sleepy smile, but that vanished when she saw the girl's troubled expression.

"Hey. You good?" Aria asked as she crawled out of her sleeping bag and stretched, looking at the trio of Pokémon that were awake and watching them.

"At ease, you three." Aria said lightly as she walked over to Lillie, who slumped her shoulders but scooted over so that Aria could sit down next to her.

"What's up? You look sad." Aria asked the girl gently. Lillie didn't reply, instead closing her eyes. She always managed to mess things up.

"It's nothing…"

"We both know that's not true. I may be new to this place, but I know someone who's just had a bad nightmare. Wes had them all the time. I still do." Aria said softly, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I…Yes, it was a nightmare. About my mother. I…I can't help but fear I'll mess up. I'm so scared that I'm not strong enough, not good enough to do what I have to do. Everyone believes in me, but I…I can't even break my old habits from home. How am I supposed to help Nebby if I can't even stand as my own person?" Lillie despaired, hanging her head in her hands. She knew she was supposed to keep all of this bottled up. This was all supposed to be a secret, so that no one would get hurt…but right now she just didn't care. It was too much to handle for her. She needed to talk to someone about this. To the Lillie's surprise, she felt two arms wrap around her, pulling her into a comforting embrace.

"Wow, that's a lot. Information overload…" Aria laughed a little, but her expression became serious after a moment.

"So…You've gone through a lot, from what I can tell from that little outburst you just had. And I don't know your whole story, so there's only so much I can advise you with. But if you're trying to deal with breaking the chains people ensnared you with, whether it's from an abusive boyfriend or parents controlling their kid's every damn move, I think I can offer you some advice." Aria said to the girl, releasing her from the hug. Lillie nodded slowly, listening to what the woman had to say.

"So, what's the basic situation? Don't tell me specifics, just give me a ballpark to work with. That little tirade didn't really explain much." Lillie hesitated, unsure if she wanted to say anything. But…this was someone new and unburdened by as many problems as Sun had. Hau didn't and couldn't understand, but maybe an older friend would.

After all, as Hau always said…You could never have enough friends.

"Um…It's concerning a parent who dictated every little thing I did for many, many years. I ran away from home, but I can't seem to break out of the mindset I grew up with." Lillie said quietly, sighing at her own weakness. This wouldn't be easy for her.

"Hey, enough of that. So…Every little thing?" Aria asked quietly.

"Yes. What I wore, what I ate, what I listened too. What I was allowed to think. How I behaved. Her views on the world became my own. Even her views on my own self-worth became my own beliefs…I ran away after taking Nebby from her. Since then, I've been trying to help Nebby get to its true home, as well as discover who I truly am." Lillie said haltingly, but her voice became a little stronger as she finished what she was saying. It felt good to articulate what she really wanted.

"Hmm…Alright. So you want to break those chains your mom had on you? Okay. So, let's start with what you've done. You've already done some things to go against your controlling mom, right? You ran away from home. That's a good start. What else?" Aria asked Lillie, who nodded.

"I eat all sorts of things my mother would hate. I get to read whatever books I want and listen to whatever music I want. I get to stay up past my pre-approved bedtime, and I even get to buy my own clothes." Lillie explained to Aria, who grinned at her.

"There we go. That's progress!"

"But…I can only do small things like that. I can't bear to wear anything besides my dresses from home. The ones my mother loved to have me wear. They helped make me beautiful, in her eyes…" Lillie trailed off, shaking her head. "I can't seem to break out of this mindset that this is all for naught. She always said that I was weak at heart. A coward. That to be loved, I had to be perfect. A proper lady that obeyed when called upon. She said so many things about me, about my character and who I am, that I still believe the things she told me even though I know they're not true…I hope they're not true…"

"…"

"According to her, I had to stay at home for my own protection. Once, I asked her if I could have my own Pokémon for company, she told me that becoming a Pokémon Trainer was for idiots who wanted to harm them. That Trainers who battled for fun were sadistic and cruel. I…I don't believe that quite so much, but I still can't take the leap and decide to become a Trainer on my own. I want to, Aria, but I just can't…" Lillie hung her head, feeling drained at this outpouring of emotion. She knew she shouldn't have thrust her problems into the hands of another. Especially someone who was struggling with recovering from an incredibly painful event, but the nightmare had rattled her. She just…wanted someone to talk to. She didn't want Sun to always be the one she ran to for help. It wasn't fair to him. His friendship meant too much for her to tarnish with her problems.

Even though she knew he would listen anyway.

The older Trainer remained quiet at the information. Aria had a bit of a stifling upbringing herself, but certainly not to this extent. The Snagger felt a rush of gratitude towards her parents for being loving and supportive her entire life. Aria thought hard about what to say to Lillie, before recalling a book series Hugh had shown her. It was one of her favorites, and she recalled a certain chapter that applied to this situation…sort of. But it made sense to her, damn it!

So she took the plunge.

"Have you ever heard of a small rebellion?" Aria asked Lillie, who shook her head, confused.

"What is that?" Lillie asked.

"Well, the concept is simple. But I call it that because it's the title of a chapter I read in a book once. In a book about magic and swordplay and dragons. Freaking awesome stuff, but anyway! It was in the last book of four. One of the main characters, a woman who had become the leader of the resistance against an evil king, was captured by the enemy and brought to their capital city. Cut off from her friends and with little resources at her disposal, she racked her brain time and time again for some way to fight back. To resist. To rebel is some small way, to do anything to show that she was her own person still. That her spirit wouldn't falter. That she wouldn't give up, despite how hopeless her situation was."

"And…how did she fight back?"

"Well, she managed to steal a spoon that was brought in with her dinner. She sharpened it into a knife of sorts and used it to kill the servant that brought her food every night. She managed to kill two guards as well in an escape attempt. It was completely pointless, because she was captured a few minutes later. But still, the act of trying meant everything. It showed that her spirit wouldn't be beaten without a fight." Aria explained to a disturbed Lillie.

"That sounds…very violent."

"Well, yeah, but the book is amazing. Besides, when you're stuck in the enemy's stronghold and want to escape, you'll do whatever you have to. Hell, I've killed people before. It's…awful, but necessary."

"Oh…"

"It's not something I want to dwell on either. Wes got over it. So did I. But we're getting sidetracked. Lillie, if you want to really work on breaking all of those chains still wrapped around you, you've got to start and continue with the small rebellions. So keep expanding your comfort zone. Break the rules. Dance in the rain or something, I don't know. Just keep working at it. And don't stress about not being able to handle the big things. They'll come in time." Aria said with a shrug. To her surprise, Lillie actually smiled.

"I…Heh. Dancing in the rain…" Lillie smiled finally, a small burst of happiness within her at the fond memory that surfaced. One of her happiest memories. She held it in her mind for a moment before it faded, bring her back to reality. She knew what Aria was talking about and decided to consider it deeper.

She had already made many small steps, hadn't she? She had stolen Nebby. She ate unhealthy food every now and then. She spent time with boys (scandalous!) and listened to music that was quite unladylike. She had traveled outside much more than she could have ever dreamed to back home. She had also developed an attraction to someone, which her mother had been very against over the past few years. Ever since her father…

"Oi."

The little girl snapped out of her musings again with Aria smiling at her. "You're a strong girl. I can tell. You just need to take some time and sort all of this out. Vent. Get things off of your chest. And break every single one of the stupid rules you don't like that your mom came up with into little pieces."

Lillie couldn't help a defiant grin on her face. "I'll try. Some things will be easier to work on than others, but…I want to be my own person. I don't want to be that perfect little girl. I want to just be Lillie."

"Good. I'm rooting for you." Aria pulled Lillie into another hug, surprising the girl, but Lillie returned the embrace after a moment. It was warm and comforting, but strong and firm. Aria let go of Lillie and stood up, stretching.

"I'm going back to sleep. You should too, so you're good for tomorrow." Aria advised Lillie, who nodded and went back to her sleeping bag.

"Goodnight Aria. And thank you."

"Goodnight Lillie. Sweet dreams, kiddo."

Lillie turned around and waved at Penny, Oliver, and Brago and told them goodnight before she slipped into her bag and wrapped her arms around Nebby, who cooed softly in his sleep.

Thankfully, her dreams had calmed down and allowed her a few hours of comfort before the sun rose once more.


"Holy crap, it's like we're a low-budget movie…and it's amazing."

Sun had a similar reaction, though he didn't voice that aloud. After four days, they had arrived at Paniola Town, which was an old-fashioned country sort of town. It looked just like one of those cheesy movies out of Pokéstar Studios. Wooden houses, dirt instead of concrete and the smell of manure lingering faintly in the background. It was a quiet and peaceful town that-

"HEEEEEEEY!"

And then everything changed when the Hau Pakelaai attacked.

Or showed up. Whichever you prefer.

"Hey! Sun! Glad I ran into you!" Hau said cheerfully, putting his hands behind his head.

"Dude, why are you here? I thought you'd be at the Trial by now with Demi." Sun asked his friend, who chuckled.

"Well, me and her decided to grind in this area. Now my team's waaaaay strong. So…we can see who's stronger now, Sun!" Hau declared, pulling out a Poké Ball. Sun saw the shining bracelet on Hau's wrist and Sun's eyes widened in surprise.

"Heh. I see your surprise, sir! My gramps must've thought I did good enough in my Grand Trial, 'cause he gave me a Z-Ring, too!" Hau said proudly, doing a fist pump.

"That's wonderful Hau. I'm happy for you!" Lillie said to her friend with a wide smile on her face.

"If you want to battle, Hau, then I'm game." Sun said with a grin, crossing his arms. Hau laughed, bouncing up and down on his feet.

"Ah yes! Having a battle in a place like Paniola Town feels like we're in a real old-fashioned Western showdown or something, right? This is so cool!" Hau said with a laugh.

"You should do corny accents and pretend to shoot each other." Aria suggested with a chuckle, putting a hand on her hip. Hau raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who's this chick?" Hau asked.

"Aria. I'm from Unova. Nice to meet you." Aria said, extending a hand to Hau. The cheerful boy grinned and shook her hand, always happy to meet new people.

"Same with me! Welcome to Alola!" Hau said to the woman, who laughed a little as the group began walking towards the center of the town. Sun noticed a prancing girl in a bright blue sundress coming towards them and beheld a cheerful Demi grinning at him. Feya the Shiny Fletchinder soared above her, chirping a greeting to Oliver and Penny.

"Though if we're real honorable cowboys, we've gotta make sure our teams are healthy first." Hau said with a small laugh. Lillie stepped in to heal everyone on Sun's team, patting each of the Pokémon on the head and wishing them good luck. Sun returned them and thanked Lillie before turning to Hau, who led him to a vacant spot in the town that seemed to be cleared just for battles.

"So…who do you think is gonna win? Hau's put in a ton of extra effort training. He's good." Demi asked Lillie, who nodded.

"That may be, but Sun hasn't lost to him yet. And Sun's been working all of his Pokémon out these past few days. It'll be interesting." Lillie replied to Demi, as she shifted her gaze to Aria. Demi's eyes widened in surprise, pointing a finger at the time-traveler.

"Wait…You're that super cool chick from Unova! I saw you do an interview last year with Roxie!" Demi shouted, only for Aria to clamp a hand on the girl's mouth.

"Yes, I'm Aria. I'm keeping a low-profile." Aria said to Demi, who nodded in understanding. Aria released the girl, who beamed widely.

"I met a celebrity today. Awesome."

"Not really a celebrity, but if it makes your day better, think whatever you want." Aria said as she stuffed her hands in her jeans. She really should've gotten a new set of clothes back in the city. Oh well.

Soon enough, Hau stood across from Sun, beaming as he put his hands behind his head and shut his eyes. Sun took a calming breath before exhaling, feeling the thrill of battle creep into him. He smiled as Hau spoke up.

"Awright team! Let's show this newbie what Alola's got!" Hau declared.

"Has he forgotten I've beaten him three times now?" Sun asked no one in particular as Hau snatched a Poké Ball from his belt and tossed it forward.

"Duke, let's roll!" Hau called out, releasing his Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon landed on all fours, a spark rolling through its body.

"Alrighty. Brago, come on out!" Sun called forth the Growlithe, who let out a loud bark upon release. The fierce canine gave Duke a sharp look, making it take a step back. Hau smirked at that, knowing that Intimidate had just hit his Pikachu. But he knew Brago wasn't nearly as strong as Sun's other Pokémon. This would be an easy win.

"Duke, Electro Ball!" Hau shouted to his Pikachu. Duke dashed towards Brago like a blur, leaping into the air and spinning around while a ball of electricity charged up at the tip of the Pikachu's tail. With a cry, Duke unleashed the raging ball of electricity towards Brago.

"Dodge, Brago! Then hit Duke with Bite!" Sun commanded the Growlithe. Brago nodded and dashed forward, but not quick enough to avoid the ball of lightning. Brago snarled in pain but tanked the hit regardless, rushing forward to meet the Pikachu as it landed on the ground. Brago lunged at Duke, opening his mouth wide to clamp his teeth down onto the chest of the rodent.

"Piiikkaaaa!" Duke screeched as Brago thrashed the Mouse Pokémon around, snarling furiously. Brago then let go of the Pikachu suddenly, grunting as a surge of electricity surged through him and made his muscles seize up.

Sun winced, realizing what had just happened. Brago had been hit with Static, Pikachu's Ability. Sun knew that the weaker Growlithe wouldn't be able to stand up to the Pikachu much longer. But…

"Brago, let's wrap this up. Ember!" Sun called to his Growlithe, who nodded sharply.

"Duke, use Electro Ball!" Hau shouted, unsure of what Sun was planning. Both Pokémon released their attacks, but the fire and electricity collided in the middle of the battlefield, creating an explosion of smoke and force.

"Brago, return." Hau's eyes widened as the smoke slowly cleared, with Sun holding a Poké Ball and recalling his Growlithe with a glow of red light, wearing a smirk.

"Awww! Lame!" Hau pouted as Sun gave his friend a shrug.

"Brago's getting better, but I only got him a little while ago. Don't judge me for using your Pokémon as experience for him." Sun pointed out as he pulled out another Poké Ball.

"Just so long as you don't send out that sadistic owl just yet, I'm game for whatever."

"Right…About that…"

"Sun, please don't. I'm begging you, buddy."

"Nope. Oliver, let's go!"

"Daaartrix!"

"…Crap."

Demi looked at Lillie and asked, "What's with Hau and Oliver?"

"Oliver has single-handedly beat Hau's entire team three times now. He is Sun's strongest Pokémon and he has a type-advantage of sorts over Cassy and Duke, so that makes sense. But Oliver's also a bit of an eccentric Pokémon, and so…all of Hau's Pokémon are basically terrified of him." Lillie explained as Oliver flapped into the air, eyes gleaming as Duke the Pikachu slowly backed away in fear.

"Alright Duke…Let's give this thing a beatdown, Hau-style!" Hau declared, punching his fist outward. "Use Electro Ball!"

Duke leapt into the air and released a ball of lightning at the Dartrix, who let out a trill as it dove at the Pikachu. The owl smashed into the attack with a wince, and Sun called out, "Use Razor Leaf, Oliver!"

"Electro Ball again!" Hau shouted desperately as Oliver drew closer. The Pikachu let out a cry and spun around, discharging another ball of electricity at the approaching owl, hitting it yet again. However, this didn't stop the barrage of leaves that rained down from the sky, slicing into the Pikachu again and again until it crashed onto the ground, swirls in its eyes.

"Whelp, knew that was gonna happen. Once again, one freaking attack." Hau sighed, smiling dryly as he returned Duke. "Good battle, buddy."

Hau put the Poké Ball away and pulled out another, looking down at it. "Come on, Cassy. Let's put this thing in its place!"

The cheerful boy released his Brionne, who landed on the ground with a jubilant cry, throwing her arms wide in joy-

And then she saw Oliver.

Cassy looked back at Hau with a deadpan expression on its face. Hau just shrugged, and Cassy hung her head and sighed before turning back around to face the Dartrix.

"You know, if you caught another Pokémon you wouldn't be stuck in this position, dude." Sun said before he held up Oliver's Poké Ball, recalling the bird.

"Hey, I've tried! I just don't wanna catch a whole bunch and have them waste away in the PC. If I'm gonna catch something, I think I'll take a bit more care in it." Hau explained as Sun pulled out another Poké Ball.

"I feel you there. Brago, come back out!" Sun called forth the Growlithe, who winced in pain from its paralysis. Hau grinned widely, thinking he'd be able to knock out the weakened Growlithe in one hit.

"Alright, Cassy! Let's-"

"Brago, return."

"You suck!"

"That's what she said!" Demi called out to Hau, who face-palmed as Sun gave Demi a massive grin. Lillie just shook her head while Aria snickered with mirth.

"Penny, come on out!" Sun called forth his Trumbeak, who let out a cry upon release. Hau grinned fiercely, knowing that this was a more even fight.

"Cassy, use Disarming Voice!" Hau called out, throwing out a hand. Cassy nodded and opened her mouth, releasing a sound-wave of pink energy that slammed into Penny, knocking her out of the air for a few moments before she caught herself.

"Penny, use Pluck!" Sun commanded as the Trumbeak rose high into the air. Penny shot downwards like a bullet, her beak glowing like a beacon before she slammed into the Brionne, sending Cassy tumbling and rolling in the dirt.

"Cassy, you okay?" Hau called to his Brionne. Cassy pushed herself up, letting out a cry as an affirmative. Penny landed on the ground, flaring her wings out.

"Good! Use Disarming Voice again!" Hau called out to his starter.

"Match it with Echoed Voice!" Sun commanded Penny as she opened her beak. Both Pokémon released a soundwave of energy that rushed towards each other, culminating in an explosion of sound and energy that made both Hau and Sun wince and cover their faces as dirt kicked up around them.

"Hey Sun!"

"Yeah?"

"Knock knock!"

"Who's there?"

"Z-Move."

"…Z-Move who?"

"Dude, why are you asking? There's more important stuff going on! Like how I'm gonna use a Z-Move!" Hau said happily before he began to strike a series of poses. Finally, after watching his grandfather for so long…He would be able to harness the power of his people.

It started small, at first. Like a candle's flame. But it began to increase in strength, becoming a massive inferno that suddenly exploded outwards in his body, enveloping his Brionne before him. Cassy's eyes widened at the sheer power flowing through her. A fierce joy bloomed through her and gave her an incredible burst of strength and confidence. She and Hau felt their hearts and soul become one, possible because of the close bond they shared.

"Cassy, channel Pound…and use Breakneck Blitz!" Hau shouted as the smoke finally cleared. Cassy let out a yell and slapped the ground hard with her tail, sending her rocketing towards Penny as she soared through the dirt cloud. Penny's eyes widened in horror as the Brionne collided with her, creating a sonic-boom of force and sending the Trumbeak hurtling backwards into the dirt.

"Penny!" Sun shouted in horror.

"Heh! Not bad for a first attempt!" Hau said proudly, crossing his arms as Cassy bounded back over to him. Hau patted his Brionne on the head, but then he saw the Trumbeak they had been fighting slowly rise from the dirt, shaking in pain but still plenty able to fight.

"Dang…Ah well. Cassy, knock it out with Aqua Jet!" Hau called out, pointing a finger at the weakened Trumbeak. Cassy let out a cry as water engulfed her, making her race towards Penny quicker than the Trumbeak could react. The Brionne collided with Penny, knocking her high into the air.

"Penny! Correct yourself in midair and swoop down with Pluck!" Sun called to the Trumbeak as she reached the height of her ascent. The Trumbeak's eyes snapped open and she flared her wings out before tucking them into her body and diving downwards. Cassy looked up at her opponent, her eyes widening in horror before Penny slammed into her with a glowing beak, sending her tumbling into the dirt. The Brionne rolled several times before she finally stopped, completely knocked out.

"Aww, man…Just like usual, you came through with the win." Hau laughed as he scratched his head, returning Cassy. Penny soared back over to Sun, who beamed at the Trumbeak.

"You were amazing. You took that Z-Move like a champ." Sun said to Penny, who chirped with happiness as Sun patted the bird on her head.

Aria couldn't help a smile as she saw the scene. Hau's cheerful attitude despite losing, as well as the love Sun showed his Pokémon, made her feel a warmth of sorts.

"It's nice having something to smile about again." Aria thought as Demi and Lillie ran to their friends, with her slowly following behind.

"Ma-a-an, that was some kinda battle! Our Pokémon all look like they had a blast, too!" Hau said with a laugh as he put his hands behind his head again. He then closed his eyes, taking in the moment, before opening them again and reaching into his backpack.

"Right then. Here. I'll share my bit of good luck with you, Sun." Hau said to his friend, pulling out a small capsule. Sun recognized it as a Dire Hit, and pocketed it.

"Thanks, Hau." Sun said with a grateful smile. Hau chuckled, putting his hands on his hips.

"You know how the Totem Pokémon are all, like, surrounded by some aura type of power? Well, if you use a Dire Hit on your Pokémon and manage to land a critical hit, that aura won't mean a thing!" Hau explained to Sun, who nodded. He'd keep that information in mind.

"Thanks for the heads up," Sun said to Hau.

"Heh. No problem. You know…" Hau glanced at Demi and Lillie, his smile widening at the sight of his two female friends. "Pokémon battles are just like, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But you're only a loser if you don't have any fun while you're at it. Right?" Hau said to his friends.

"Debatable. I mean, some battles have to be serious. But having fun is important." Sun said to Hau, who stuck out his tongue at him.

"I agree. But hey, you do you, man." Aria said to the cheerful boy.

"Meh. Anyway, I'm heading off to Paniola Ranch! Demi, let's get a move on now that these Slowpokes have caught up!" Hau said cheerfully as he jogged off to the next Route, waving happily to them. Demi sighed, muttered something under her breath, and departed with a smile and a wave.

"He seemed really nice. So did the girl. I'm guessing those two were the friends you kept talking about?" Aria asked Sun.

"Yep. Hau and Demi. They're two regular balls of energy. Lillie thinks they're going to hook up."

"S-sun! It's not polite to gossip!"

"It is kind of fun though. You wouldn't believe how many newspapers I had to burn when people thought me and Roxie were a lesbian couple." Aria said casually, earning two bewildered looks from the children. Aria looked back at them with a wide grin.

"Long story short, don't trust Vivian with anything important." Aria replied to the two children's questioning gazes.

"…Why?" Lillie asked.

"Well…the last time we did, Nimbasa City got frozen and millions died because she forgot she had the Master Ball on her. She's the reason our mission failed, along with Borlath's betrayal. She and Noah didn't come to the hospital to see me for a reason. She's too scared to face me." Aria said with a small sigh, rubbing her temples as her smile faded.

Sun and Lillie exchanged a look of horror, wondering what would happen should the two women run into each other. This definitely explained Hugh's annoyance with the violinist, that was for sure.

"But we're getting sidetracked by negative crap. So. Pokémon Center. And then, a drink. Lillie, what are the Pokémon Centers here like?" Aria asked as Lillie walked towards the building, with her and Sun following slowly, trying to wrap their head around the idea that Vivian had been the reason the final fight against Cipher had ended badly.

"Comfortable. Relaxed. There's a café in every one, on top of the amenities that all Pokémon Centers have." Lillie explained as they approached the building in question. The group decided to restock and have lunch at the building, with Aria declaring she was in love with Alolan Pokémon Centers. Lillie and Sun both pulled out a book to read while drinking Moomoo Milk. Aria decided on Pinap Juice, and ordered cookies and Poké Beans for their Pokémon to enjoy. Before Sun could thank the woman, Rotom Dex popped out of Sun's backpack with a giggle.

"Ahh. Now thizz is a mighty fine place. A Pokédex could get used to living in a place like this, pardner." Rotom said as it floated out of Sun's backpack, its voice somehow gaining a country twang to it, making Lillie giggle.

"I'd like to at least stay the night here." Lillie said as she pulled a sleeping Nebby out of its bag.

"I think that's not a bad call. Hugh should be catching up with us in a little while, so…yeah. There's that to look forward too." Aria said casually, though Sun picked up on a faint blush on her cheeks.

"How did that happen, anyway? From what Hugh said, he didn't know how you felt towards him before you vanished." Sun asked Aria, who chuckled.

"True. I was confused on it myself, for a while. I knew I liked him, but I didn't know if there was more there. We're birds of a feather. Compassionate. Determined. Hot-headed. I knew he was nuts over me, but I wasn't sure if I was ready for a relationship with him. I was…admittedly scared it'd make him a target for Cipher. But going through time made me realize how much I missed and cared about Hugh. How much I depended on him. He's my best friend. He's helped me through so much and has always supported me and I…just realized I felt something more there. I knew for sure when I started crying in his arms back at the hospital. That's when I knew I wanted something more than friendship. He means too much for me not to want to be more with him. He told me he loved me, back there in the hospital room, and I realized that's what I felt too. Its hard to explain..." Aria said quietly, a small smile on her face.

"That's so romantic." Lillie sighed, dreamily closing her eyes. The Snagger blushed, laughing awkwardly. Sun just sipped his Moomoo Milk, making sure not to meet Lillie's eyes as he considered what Aria had said about realizing her feelings for Hugh. Sun still remembered the thought of wanting to kiss Lillie from the other day, and was startled by how much he wanted to do that.

"She's your friend. And she's way out of your league. Our relationship is nothing like that of Hugh and Aria's. Keep focused." Sun chided himself as Aria and Lillie continued to talk. The trio got rooms at the Pokémon Center for the night and decided to explore the town, which despite not having a lot to do, at least had some colorful scenery and friendly locals. Rotom Dex led them throughout the area.

Lillie had decided to go shopping with Aria, deciding on getting a few clothes that went with her dress. After having Hau look up her skirt, she decided to just wear shorts and a tank top under her dress from now on, which Sun thought was a very practical and big move on her part. Sun decided to buy some souvenirs, including a clay statue of a Miltank, and paid for them to be shipped to his mother back on Melemele Island. Aria had acquired a cowboy hat and a plaid long-sleeve shirt to cover the Snag Machine on her arm, as well as a pair of tan shorts. She fit right in, according to Lillie, which pleased the older Trainer, though she admitted later it was just a relief to get clothes that didn't make the Alolan heat worse for her. Night inevitably fell upon the town and the heroes retired for the evening, glad to be in beds after a few days of hard travel.

Sun and Lillie decided to spend some time reading together, as the night wore on. Aria had retired early, which wasn't surprising. Despite the older Trainer keeping them going at a fairly intense pace, she wasn't at her best after going through the Passage of Time. Sun was fine with that though, because he wanted the woman to recover and be at her best. Once again, he had made another friend in Alola.

"So…what do you make of all of this?" Sun asked Lillie quietly, making her look up at him in surprise. The girl hummed quietly in response.

"We'll see…I'm worried about Team Skull's activity. Hau and Demi are giving me daily updates on their progress and being adorable all the time. And Aria is a really strong woman. She's straining to keep up that strong look though, and doesn't want to see how badly the time-travel thing is bothering her." Lillie said thoughtfully, folding a page down to mark her spot as she looked at Sun.

"I think all we can do is just try and be her friend," Sun said quietly.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. She was quite patient with me the other night when I was having some confidence problems. Her advice to me was very helpful, even though I still worry about…some things." Lillie said to Sun, her mouth curling into a frown.

"Hey, enough of that. You're awesome and you'll always be awesome." Sun said to his friend with a sincere smile as he set his book down. Lillie couldn't help but grin in return. He was so handsome when he had those kind of smiles on his face. The true, happy ones. And it was because of her that he was smiling, which made her even happier.

"Sun, can I have a hug?" Lillie asked softly, looking away from Sun as heat rose to her cheeks. Sun chuckled and turned around, moving his arms around Lillie's stomach and making the shy girl squeak in surprise before melting into the embrace. As usual, Sun's arms around her sent a simple joy through her heart. She felt warm, happy, and safe. The girl twisted in Sun's embrace and hugged the boy back, sighing. They remained like this for several minutes until Sun spoke up.

"Lillie, you're weird."

"How so?"

"Because you are way too happy about me hugging you."

"Please…You have the best hugs."

"Is that so?"

"Yep. And you said back in Melemele Meadow that I can have hugs from you whenever I like. It's so embarrassing in public…BUT we're alone, so I'm collecting on that promise."

"I spoil you, Princess."

"That's because Hau's a guy and you're too awkward to do this with any other girl."

"True. Very true."

"And I'm happy with this. Because I can have all your hugs for myself."

Sun chuckled at that, though he reflected on this exchange. Here he was, practically cuddling (again) with one of his closest friends and just chatting casually about it. Again Sun felt a maelstrom of confusion as he considered his friendship with Lillie. His incredibly pretty friend that he would do anything for. That he tried to help as much as possible, just like she had helped them through his own struggles. He wondered if Hau felt a similar way about Lillie. He had mentioned that he had a crush on the girl himself. Hau had said that he liked Lillie. Maybe Sun felt the same way.

"It's time like this I wish I could talk to Dad. He'd straight up tell me what I was feeling, instead of have myself figure it out like Mom…" Sun thought before he shuddered. What was he thinking? He didn't want his father anywhere near him.

Lillie was surprised when Sun tightened his embrace around her, pulling him closer to her for comfort. The warmth she had felt before felt like an inferno as she realized how close their faces were. Lillie thought back to her own feelings concerning Sun, and remembered what Miss Wicke had said.

"Truthfully, the best way to proceed is to figure out what you want, Lillie. Do you wish to pursue a romantic relationship with your friend Sun? Or do you simply wish to be friends? Is what you feel just a passing interest? Or do you think something deeper is developing? Do you love him?"

Lillie considered Wicke's words, as she hugged Sun a little tighter. She knew she felt something for him. As far as she knew, it was a crush and that was it. But as she thought about it, Lillie realized that maybe that wasn't quite all.

"The best way to proceed is to figure out what I want…But what if I'm not sure what I want? Maybe in time I'll figure out my feelings. No…I know I will." Lillie thought to herself, smiling a little wider. "Well, for starters, I know that I don't want this hug to end. And I want to spend as much time as I can with Sun."

To Lillie's delight, the hug lasted for another ten minutes. And she enjoyed every second of it. She didn't care if she didn't know her feelings towards her friend.

Nebby was safe. Lillie was still free to explore the world and learn about herself. And she knew that she was with someone who made her happy...

And so she'd continue to rebel with everything she had.