Pokémon Radiant Sun


Over 400 reviews…and 10,000 views on this story in just this November alone…

You all are fantastic, you do know that, right?

It just stuns me, is all. This story isn't even a year old and RS is at over 400 reviews. We've got so much more to go, and the amount of support, love, and feedback this story gets continues to amaze me. A lot of you may know this, but it's worth repeating. A bit of feedback every now and then can seriously just make my entire day and just gives me more drive to make this the best damn story possible. It makes this story what it is.

So thank you, again, for everything.

Interesting responses from the poll. Turns out most people enjoy Grass and Water-types as their starters, as the poll showed both options tied with Fire-types receiving no votes. Which is interesting because I only pick from Fire-types on my first go around in a new Pokémon game. Except this time with Ultra Sun, because Rowlet is awesome and because Oliver is one of my favorite characters in this story. Again, don't judge me. I'm a nerd, I know. Or judge me anyway, because that means you're reading this message and still put up with my nonsense. Thanks for the feedback and participation!

So, here we are! Gladion's official appearance in the story! I've had a pretty good week, so I'm uploading a day earlier than planned! Damn it I'm hyped for this. I think I managed to do the battle justice, as it ended up about as long as I wanted it to be and was a lot of fun to do. I may have added a few little things to the battle to make it a bit more exciting than it was when I actually battled Gladion in my current playthrough of Pokemon Sun...because seeing Tackle again and again is boring as all hell.

Also, since I can't seem to find the official ruling on this, I'm just going to go with what makes sense for the discussion of how the Island Trials function in this beginning bit. If someone feels like finding the confirmed information and can give me a source, feel free to do so.

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Technetium2, Madame Rodoshe, skyguys, Consumer of Fantasy, BraviaryScout, Angelfir3, Gokan123, Cottonmouth25, BouncingFish, sceptilezeno, GeekyGamer314, DarkestShade73, Ways, and Sai Og Sus, as well as a new reviewer known as Nightbat.

Special shoutout to GeekyGamer314, who was my 400th reviewer! Cheers for the support and feedback, because it's bloody awesome and helps make this story awesome.

Also, a quick little note. To those who have pointed out the rather consistent mistakes in the story, regarding misspelled words or sentence flubs, thank you so much for pointing them out. It helps me find them later, and let's me know how bad the problem is. While I do re-read chapters several times before I officially post them, I'm liable to miss a few errors no matter how thorough I am. I apologize for this, but I'm just not the best at spotting these problems right away, as these chapters aren't exactly small, and fresh eyes always spot things easier than me. I plan on re-reading through the entire story soon and fixing errors that I've noted and that reviewers have noted as well, so please don't think I'm ignoring the feedback you've all given. It's just not something I can just hop online to quickly correct with as busy as I am.

Anyways, back to the AN proper...Actually that was it.

I'm really glad people have been enjoying the fluffiness of the past few chapters. It's been really fun to write, in all honesty…heh.

Damn it…I am a terrible, terrible person sometimes…

Whelp. Here's the chapter.

Enjoy.


Chapter 41: Renegade


"Home sweet home."

Lillie sighed as she sank into her old bed. Nebby cooed somewhere above her, landing lightly on her stomach and flailing his arms happily. Lillie giggled and pet Nebby, making the Cosmog sigh happily. The room was one of the many spare ones within the Dimensional Research Lab, but this one was Lillie's room and she felt at ease here. It was the first place since running away that had she felt safe in.

The little girl curled into a ball and closed her eyes, sighing as she grabbed Nebby and hugged the Cosmog close to her, the small Pokémon cooing with pleasure as he closed his eyes. The two runaways lay there curled up on the bed for a long time, simply enjoying each other's company. Eventually Lillie grabbed a book and laid down next to Nebby and read silently about Alolan Regional Variants.

"Hey Lillie. You got a sec?" Lillie sat up as Aria leaned into the doorway, a book in her hand.

"Um, yes. What's the matter?" Lillie asked the older Trainer.

"I had a few questions about Alola, actually. I don't feel like bugging the Professors and Hugh is gone. Figured a book-smart girl like you could help me out with the details." Aria asked the smaller girl, who smiled at the compliment.

"I've done a lot of reading with Sun regarding the culture of Alola, and Hau has explained quite a bit of things as well. What did you have questions about, Aria?" Lillie asked the Snagger.

"So, this Island Challenge thing. What is it exactly? Mallow explained a bit, but I'd rather hear about it from someone who isn't really involved. They'll tell it to me straight, you know?" Aria asked Lillie. The girl smiled at the question, knowing how best to answer it. Lillie launched into a lengthy explanation of the Island Challenge, describing the Captains and the Kahunas who watched over each island and the deep-rooted significance of the Island Challenge within the culture of Alola. She also touched upon the Z-Rings and Z-Crystals of Alola and what they were capable of. As Lillie explained the Trials themselves and how young Trainers would have to battle against the Totem Pokémon to finish the Trials, Lillie saw Aria frown from her chair.

"That sounds…Pretty dangerous, actually." Aria said after a moment as Lillie paused in her explanation.

"Dangerous?" Lillie questioned.

"Are wild Pokémon attacks not a thing here? Having kids fight super-powered Pokémon seems kind of crazy. Gym Battles are intense, but they're way safer than just pitting a kid against a super Pokémon of some kind." Aria said as she crossed her arms. "I've run into my fair share of rogue wild Pokémon while in Unova. Even if they're trained up, these Totem Pokémon are still wild Pokémon at the end of the day. Very strong Pokémon trained to fight harder and better than other Pokémon of their species…It just feels unsafe to me. And I've battled Shadow Pokémon for most of my time as a Trainer."

"Oh, well...there are precautions that are put into place. Obviously the Totem Pokémon are usually stronger than what Trainers would normally run into, but the Totem Battles and the Trials themselves are supervised by the Captain in charge of said Trial. They step in if things get bad." Lillie explained to the Snagger, who nodded.

"That said, despite being trained, the Totem Pokémon are still technically wild. I can't imagine what it's like handling the strange power that they hold. I wonder if it ever gets to them." Lillie mused, putting a hand under her chin.

"This whole Island Challenge concept is interesting in general. I've been doing some reading on it, and the whole Z-Move thing you can do seems like another edge we can use against Cipher. Hugh says he and Noah were doing the Trials to get stronger…" Aria murmured, crossing her arms.

"The cutoff age for the Island Challenge is eighteen. Adults aren't usually allowed to undergo it, or become Captains. And only those who have completed the Island Challenge are allowed to be chosen to become Kahunas. Or at least, that's what the data says regarding who the Tapu have picked to be Kahuna. Of course, it's always possible for there to be an exception...If I recall, Sina and Dexio mentioned earlier today that they wanted to give it a try." Lillie mused softly as Aria closed her eyes, in deep thought.

"Good enough for me, because I'm seventeen. I'll ask Kukui about it once I'm feeling a bit better." Aria said to the little girl, even as Aria's eyes flashed green and the Snagger leaned against the door frame, her mouth open in a silent scream of pain. Aria snapped out of it a few moments later, sighing.

"Seriously…Don't ever get thrown through time, Lillie." Aria said to the girl, who nodded slowly.

"Noted. Though I'm curious about what my future holds…" Lillie admitted, trailing off. Aria gave the girl a pained smile and walked forward, holding out a hand. Lillie looked at it for a moment before she slowly reached out and grasped it. Aria waited a few moments before she felt the small surge of power bubble up within her and then-


Lillie was running through the rain, the storm overhead a writhing tempest unleashing its fury. Oliver swooped past her, determination burning in his eyes as he shot into the sky alongside Penny, leaving Lillie to pound down the slick muddy path with Brago racing beside her. Aria saw that each of the Pokémon were wearing Colress' translation collars around their necks, which explained why Aria was able to understand Brago as he spoke to Lillie.

"Do you really think you can get through to Alpha, Miss Lillie? He was…not doing well when he left." Brago growled to the girl, his nose twitching rapidly as he tried to track down the familiar scent of his Trainer. The rain was likely making it difficult for him to do this.

"I hope so. I helped him last time. It was raining then too, come to that…No one deserves to go through what Sun is going through alone…That father of his is a monster, no matter what he says. What man could do what he did and still call himself a good person?" Lillie said with a rare note of anger in her voice.

"You're a good friend to him. He cares about you more than he can express." Brago said to Lillie, who looked at the dog in surprise.

"You and him…the both of you are similar souls. You understand each other so well. Even we can see the powerful bond you two share, Miss Lillie. If there's anyone who can ease the suffering his young heart is going through, it would be you." Brago said in a low voice before he suddenly stopped in place.

"Got it. He's this way!" Brago shouted as he suddenly took off through the trees and off the path they had been following. Lillie sighed and ran after the canine, wincing as the trees and branches scratched and clawed at her. Aria couldn't help but feel proud of the little girl as lightning crackled above, the storm raging around her as the girl tore through the foliage to get to her friend.

"I've spotted him! He just went into a cave!" Oliver shouted as he dove through the trees, with Penny swooping down beside him a moment later.

"Thank goodness…I was so worried." Penny sighed with relief as she flapped her wings to avoid a branch.

"Good! Because I think this dress is ruined and I'm going to slap your Trainer for that…before I hug him and never let go, of course." Lillie added after the fact. Oliver and Penny laughed while Brago's face twitched into a grin as they neared a small cave in the side of a cliff-


Aria was thrown out of the future and collapsed onto the bed, panting as Lillie watched on with worry. Aria pushed herself up and gave Lillie a small smile.

"I saw you running with Sun's Pokémon, trying to chase him down in a thunderstorm. I don't know why, but it had something to do with Sun's father." Aria explained to the girl, who frowned.

"That…does sound similar to a situation that happened a few months ago. When Sun saw Celadon City burn, he was overwhelmed from the stress of the situation and ran off. I suppose something equally awful happened to make him run away again…he's gone through a lot in such a short span of time." Lillie mused, a pang of worry in her heart for her friend.

"Well, you can't run away from your problems. I've tried. Doesn't work. You've got to face them head-on if you really want to overcome them." Aria said with a tired shrug. "So what's the deal with his Dad?"

"It's…not my place to say." Lillie said quietly. On top of that, Lillie had no idea how Aria would react to learning that Sun was related to one of the leaders within Cipher. That likely wouldn't end well. Come to think of it, none of the others from Unova knew either…

"That's alright. I won't pry, don't you worry. I'm here for the both of you if you need anything, though. Okay?" Aria said to the girl with a smile, easing Lillie's nerves.

"Thanks, Aria. I know how tiring this is for you, and I appreciate you telling me about the future." Lillie said gratefully to the older Trainer. Aria gave the girl another smile in response, ruffling her hair before she walked out of the room, thinking about what the young girl had told her. Lillie was likewise deep in thought about what the time-traveler had said…What could happen to Sun that was bad enough to drive him to that state?


"Hello. My name is Lana. I'm the Captain of the Trial of Brooklet Hill."

The blue-haired girl regarded the duo before her with her usual smile. In front of her stood a cheerful girl with dark skin in a colorful dress and a rather handsome boy of similar skin color wearing a black shirt and equally colorful yellow pants. Both of them were grinning at her.

"Nice to meet you! The name's Hau." The boy greeted her, holding out a hand. Lana shook the boy's hand, feeling a bit of heat rise to her face as she let go. Lana did the same for the girl beside him, who gave Lana a knowing look that made her nervous.

"I'm Demi. We're both here for the Trial, but I'll be going first." Demi explained to the Captain in front of her.

"Then with that, I'll head back to the PMC and await your victory." Hau said as he did a small fist-pump.

"Don't wait up. This Water Trial thing takes a little while from what I understand." Demi said to the cheerful boy. Hau chuckled and walked back towards the Pokémon Center, with both girls watching him depart with matching smiles on their faces. Lana jumped when Demi put a hand on the girl's shoulder, still watching Hau as he vanished from sight.

"I saw you checking him out. Sorry to say, I've got a claim on him." Demi said to the Captain, a teasing yet friendly smile on her face. Lana blushed, but smiled back at the Trainer.

"I understand…um…You have good taste, Demi." Lana laughed quietly as Demi walked alongside her.

"Yep. He's a sweetheart. Can't stay serious to save his life, but he's got an awesome personality. Thinking after we're done here we might actually go on a date." Demi said with a smirk before saying, "Let me guess. Too shy to get a guy of your own, Captain Lana?"

Lana blushed a darker shade of red and looked the other way, not meeting Demi's eyes. "Um…Something like that. I've gotten a bit better with talking to boys since I became Captain a few months ago, but even then I…Ahem. Well, I'll improve."

"Of course you will. Just takes practice and a bit of confidence. Take a stand and let a guy know you're interested. It worked for me, and it'll work for you!" Demi said bracingly to the Captain, who beamed at the friendly girl. Lana and Demi continued to talk as they approached the Trial site, where Demi stopped at the water's edge and took a deep breath before clenching both of her fists. Lana remained quiet, watching Demi with interest.

One of Demi's Poké Balls opened at her waist, releasing her partner and starter, Feya the Fletchinder. The Shiny bird nuzzled Demi's head as she fluttered to Demi's shoulder, murmuring softly words only the dark-skinned girl could understand after being together with her starter for so long.

"I believe in you…You'll do great out there." Feya said softly, yet the words were encouraging despite that. Demi nodded slowly, exhaling her pent-up breath and feeling calm enter her.

It was time to prove herself against the Trials of her homeland, once again.

For her family…

For her Pokémon…

For herself.


"What do you think? Too flashy?"

"Beeaaak!"

"Dar."

Brago just shook his head at Sun, who was wearing a chain with a gleaming golden coin attached to it. The boy chuckled as he took off the chain and Rotom popped out of his backpack, buzzing with amusement.

"Looks like you found an Amulet Coin, buddy! Thatzz a major discovery!" Rotom said as he floated around Sun.

"What's does it do?" Sun asked.

"Well, if you use a Pokémon in battle thatzz wearing an Amulet Coin, the person you're battling givezz you double the prize money, zz-zzt!"

"That seems sketchy."

"Searching for more data…Hmm. Turnzz out the Amulet Coin item is legal to be used, but they're part of a special mind-control Held-Item thingy that originated out of Hoenn yearzz ago. Not even going to go into the horrible science involved, but there were so few of these thingzz made that the Pokémon League never actually had them banned…Which begzzz the question, where did thizzz one come from?" Rotom mused.

"How the heck is this legal? Mind-control items that make people give you more money? That's crazy."

"Hey, I'm just a Pokédex. A sexy, sexy Pokédex, mind you. But still just a Pokédex. If you have a problem with it, complain to Game Freak…Or the other freak writing the story."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. But if it's legal to use this, then I'm going to get free money." Sun said with a shrug as he pulled out an Attachment Collar and clipped it around Brago's neck. The Amulet Coin clipped onto the collar with ease, with Brago snorting in amusement.

"Hey, it looks good on you." Sun said to the Growlithe, who shook his head slowly. "And I'm going to use you more so I can have you catch up to these two birdbrains."

Penny and Oliver exchanged a look and shrugged as best as they could. They were fine with Brago receiving a good bit of Sun's attention as of late, due to the Growlithe being weaker than them. He needed to be trained up.

After Lillie, Hugh, Aria, and Kukui had left, Sun had taken the next full day to get to Route 5. Now, he had spent the morning exploring a series of cliffs and battling the Trainers along them, giving Brago more experience. He decided to teach Penny the move Hidden Power, though. He also stumbled upon TM41, which was for the move Torment.

Sun leaned against a rock, sighing with contentment as his Pokémon rested beside him for a break. It was nearing afternoon now, and Sun was starting to wonder how much further until they arrived at the next Trial. More worrying was the increased Team Skull presence in the area. He had spotted some of them doing squats nearby, to his bemusement, but wondered if there were more lurking nearby. Sun wouldn't let down his guard, even if the group was silly at times. He was secretly glad Lillie wasn't with him, even if he did miss her.

"Travelling alone really does give you way too much time to think." Sun muttered as he glanced over at the Eevee Egg he set down nearby. Sun could feel something bubbling up from within him, but he shoved it right back down where it belonged. No point in having things from the past bother him now. Best thing he could do was pawn the Pokémon Egg off on the first person he could and leave what was in the past in the past.

"Uhh…Sun? You good buddy?" Rotom asked worriedly, seeing the brooding look on Sun's face.

"I'm fine…" Sun replied quietly, hating that it was a lie. Thankfully Rotom Dex accepted that and didn't push the issue.

"How about some radio? Zzzt!" Rotom Dex suggested to Sun. Sun nodded slowly as Brago walked over to him, giving him a worried look. Sun patted the Growlithe on the head as Penny and Oliver flew over to his spot and sat beside them. Rotom landed in front of Sun as he picked up on Alola's radio stations. One of them, anyway.

"-out there in radio-land. This is Adrian Battlestorm live from Channel 9 News. Alola's Premiere News Station of Awesome, bringing you the best news right here at the top of the hour!" Adrian Battlestorm said with his usual gusto. Sun recalled the interview he had seen with Mallow and Lana, and knew that while the man was a bit silly, he was dedicated to his job of providing quality news and information to the people of Alola.

"We have an update on the medical condition of beloved pop music icon Clara Ho'omaha, who was in a deadly motorcycle accident just last week at Royal Avenue. For those not keeping up, Clara's injuries were severe and due to the head trauma that she sustained, has been in a coma since the accident. Today we've received confirmation that the family has decided to, after much deliberation, pull the plug on her at the Heahea Medical Center…Clara's daughter, Sonya, died at the scene of the crash while the husband of Mrs. Ho'omaha, retired Police Commander Caleb Jackson, managed to escape the crash with minor injuries…Ahem. I think I speak for all of Alola when we say…Thank you, Clara, for giving our people a voice in the world. Alola will be a little less beautiful when you're gone." Adrian's voice was somber, as if it pained him to speak those words. Sun knew that Alola was more of a tourist destination to most people, despite the rich culture and the exotic Pokémon, and realized that famous people like Clara Ho'omaha helped spread Alola's identity around the world. Sun wondered if Hau knew of this pop singer, and decided that he would ask Hau about it later when he caught up with him and Demi.

"And onto some breaking news out of Akala Island, where we have confirmed reports that the bandit known as Night Slash is still in the area, having attacked yet another Trial-goer yesterday morning. He is considered armed and dangerous. Those who are travelling in the vicinity of Lush Jungle and Brooklet Hill are advised to exercise caution and not to travel alone. If you have any information on Night Slash, please inform the local authorities or a Trial Captain. Authorities do not urge Trainers to confront Night Slash in person, as he is confirmed to possess a high-level team and is once again, armed and dangerous." Adrian said seriously to those who were listening.

"Freaky." Sun thought to himself, frowning at the idea of a robber attacking people. He knew that the idea of robbers and bandits on the road wasn't exactly a new one, but it still bothered him. Apparently in Hoenn and Unova they had been quite the problem, but it was something fairly rare in Alola considering this was the first robber he had heard of that wasn't affiliated with Team Skull.

Sun listened to the radio for a good while longer, enjoying the music of Alola after the news segment had ended. Apparently there were quite a few pop stars who got their start in the tropical islands. One of the most prominent was the previously mentioned Clara Ho'omaha, who sang a wonderful jazz tune called "Fever Dance", which Sun enjoyed quite a bit. Sun silently prayed for her and her family, knowing that they were going through an awful time right now. He couldn't imagine what he'd do if something like that happened to his mother or one of his close friends.

After a little while, Sun continued onto the Route, battling two children as he traveled along the trail. After healing his team up, he spotted a familiar cheerful boy up ahead talking to another boy, so Sun recalled his team and approached the two of them.

Hau grinned as he healed Cassy, the Brionne twitching as her injuries vanished. Hau returned his starter and chuckled to himself, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes as he regarded the opponent who had just defeated him.

"Hahaha! Man, I lost again!" Hau said cheerfully, brushing off yet another loss with his usual good grace. Sun couldn't help but smile at the attitude his friend had when it came to defeat. He accepted it so well, and used that defeat to improve. He never let it bother him, which Sun admired…especially because Sun was a bit of a sore loser himself. That was one of the few bad traits he got from his mother.

Sun then saw Hau's opponent, and slowly raised an eyebrow at the young man standing opposite of his friend. The teen that had defeated Hau was a slim and pale young man, with blond hair stylized into square-like strips. He had bright green eyes, one of which was covered by his blond bangs. The teen wore a grey hoodie with red slashes in it, with black sleeves and black pants with rips in both. A red bag was wrapped around his waist and he wore red shoes with grey soles. He seemed to be only a year or two older than them.

"Are you even taking this seriously?" Hau's opponent growled, his hands on his hips and indignation gleaming in his eyes.

Hau laughed in response, lowering his hands and stuffing them into his pockets. "I am! So seriously! I'm seriously enjoying it!"

The teen in black closed his eyes, calming his annoyance with visible effort as he murmured, "…Enjoying it?"

The strange teen opened his eyes again, fire in his gaze. "You can enjoy Pokémon battling when you put everything you have into it…which you clearly haven't."

Sun, sensing an argument building up, decided to step in and back his friend up. Sun approached the two boys and stopped by Hau's side, surprising his friend.

"Whoa! Hey, Sun!" Hau said with a wide smile. His expression became a little more thoughtful as he turned to his friend and said, "This guy is plenny scary!"

The strange teen's eyes widened slightly in surprise before he put a hand to his chin, a contemplative look on his face. After a moment, he asked the Kanto boy, "You're Sun?"

Sun smirked at the boy's seriousness and decided a little snark wouldn't be amiss. Sun and Hau exchanged a brief glance before Sun said, "Who?"

To the teen's credit, he didn't seem bothered by the remark. If anything, a small flash of respect flickered in the teen's green eyes. The young man crossed his arms as he said, "Hmm. So you have enough sense to be wary. Not bad…"

"HOLD THE PHONE!"

All three boys jumped as Rotom Dex popped out of Sun's backpack, wearing a massive grin.

"I've been waiting forever for this. It'zz time to bust out one of the best themezzz in my library. DJ Rotom strikezz again!" Rotom declared as it began playing a rather intense bit of music with a guitar riff in it. Sun looked at the teen across from him, who's expression lightened somewhat as the music played in the background.

"I figured an edgy guy like thiz deservezz an edgy theme. You like it?" Rotom asked the strange boy in black.

"I give it a eight out of ten." The teen said to Rotom, who buzzed happily as he floated besides Sun, still playing the music.

"So, since we're standing around here, I guess I'll introduce myself. The name's Sun." The Kanto-native introduced himself to the other teen. Hau, seeing an opportunity to have fun, spoke up.

"Actually, his name is Sunshine Smi-OOF!" Hau doubled over as Sun elbowed him as hard as he could in the gut, bowling him over.

"I am Hau…hear me roar…"

"Ignore him, he's being a twat again." Sun said to the other teen, who rolled his eyes at the silliness of the two friends. However, he did finally introduce himself to the two boys.

"I'm Gladion." The teen said to Sun, his tone formal. "I battle for my partner, Null, to make it strong."

"Really? That's…cool." Sun said diplomatically, thrown off by how serious the teen known as Gladion was despite this being casual conversation. From the way he spoke, it sounded like he was carrying out a noble mission. As if everything he cared about rode on this one objective of just…getting stronger.

"Hmm. I say that, but most of our time gets used up doing small jobs for Team Skull." Gladion admitted as he sighed, shaking his head slowly.

"You work for Team Skull? I am so sorry." Sun said with a small chuckle, earning a sharp look from Gladion.

"You're familiar with them, then?" Gladion asked the Kanto-native.

"I've run into them a few times. They're harmless but annoying, in all honesty. I've had a decent conversation with one or two before. If they could stop harassing people for five minutes they'd be somewhat alright." Sun admitted, making Gladion raise an eyebrow at the description of the Alolan gang.

"If that's the case then…Battle me. I won't take no for an answer." Gladion said as he grabbed a Poké Ball from his belt, the fire in his eyes becoming a fierce blaze. Sun grinned back at the teen, grabbing a Poké Ball as well. Sun could feel the other teen's strong resolve, and knew that this would be a different battle than what he was used to. Excitement burned within him, overriding the dread that the Eevee Egg had brought him over the past day.

Hau looked at Sun with a worried expression on his face. "Sun, be careful. This guy isn't like normal Team Skull Grunts. He's tough. And he's got this freaky Pokémon-"

"Stay out of this!" Gladion barked at Hau, who shrank back. "You already lost. This is between me and Sun. Now move aside."

Hau backed away from the two Trainers, though Sun was glaring at Gladion now. He'd put this guy in his place for yelling at Hau like that. Gladion looked back at Sun, seeing the Kanto boy's anger, with a glimmer of amusement sparking in his familiar green eyes…

Why were they familiar?

With an audible click, Rotom Dex's music changed into a far more intense song that Sun admittedly thought sounded really cool, but seemed to make the upcoming battle far more intense. Gladion moved a hand to his forehead and crossed his other arm over his chest, striking a pose as his eyes radiated a ferocity to them that Sun was thrown off by.

"I'll start this off. Zubat, prepare for combat!" Gladion called out, throwing out a Poké Ball and releasing a familiar blue and purple bat that hovered next to his trainer. Gladion moved his right hand to his left arm, clutching the area above his left elbow. The teen's face grimaced in pain as his left hand trembled, but Gladion's expression became even fiercer.

"Alright then. Brago, let's go!" Sun called forth his Growlithe, who landed on the ground with a grunt and glared down the Zubat, using his Ability, Intimidate, to weaken the other Pokémon's attack.

"Zubat, use Wing Attack!" Gladion shouted. The Zubat shot forward with surprising speed, both of its wings glowing bright white before it slammed both of them into Brago, knocking the Growlithe back a few steps.

"Brago, hit it with Flame Wheel!" Sun ordered. Brago nodded and charged forward, pouncing into the air and somersaulting forward as fire erupted from his mouth. The end result was a revolving ball of raging fire that slammed into the Zubat, knocking it out of the sky and onto the ground. Brago landed on the ground as the fire dissipated, a feral grin on the Growlithe's face. Sun could feel the joy coming from the dog at finally becoming strong enough to stand on his own without his teammate's assistance. Sun was proud of how far Brago had come in such a short time.

"Zubat!" Gladion called out to his Pokémon, a note of worry in his voice. The Zubat flapped its wings hard and returned to the air, flying somewhat shakily now. Sun was surprised at this, considering how powerful the attack had been, and saw Gladion relax somewhat before narrowing his eyes at Sun.

"So…unlike the other kid, this guy takes battling seriously. He'll be good experience for us." Gladion thought as he threw out a hand. "Wing Attack again!"

"Ember!" Sun commanded, punching forward with a wild grin. Brago nodded sharply and shot a burst of fire from his mouth skyward at the incoming Zubat.

"Dodge it and keep going!" Gladion shouted. The Zubat tucked in its wings and dove under the flames, flaring out its wings and smashing into Brago with another Wing Attack. Brago skidded backwards, an annoyed growl coming from the dog.

"He's definitely a step up from the usual Team Skull dorks. Doesn't mean we can't take him. Brago, Ember again! Widespread!" Sun commanded the Growlithe.

"Wing Attack, Zubat!" Gladion called again. The Zubat rushed forward, but this time Brago was ready. The canine inhaled deeply, holding the flames within him for a few moments longer than usual before releasing a large burst of fire that enveloped a far larger area than a normal Ember. Gladion's eyes widened as the flames smashed into his Zubat even as it tried to dodge, the flames knocking it downwards and sending it spiraling to the ground, only for the Zubat to halt its descent a mere two feet above the dirt, looking very battered.

"Damn it. Come on, Zubat! Show them…Wing Attack!" Gladion barked, clutching his left arm with gritted teeth. The Zubat rushed forward a fourth time, its wings shining bright as it faced down Brago.

"That Zubat is one tough customer…Brago, wrap this up! Use Bite!" Sun called to the Growlithe. Brago nodded and waited for the Zubat to speed closer before he leapt into the air to meet it, taking the third Wing Attack head-on and wincing in pain. However this didn't stop him from biting down on one of the bat Pokémon's wings, making the Pokémon screech. Brago spun rapidly in midair, twirling the Zubat around before releasing his grip and throwing the Zubat into the dirt, knocking it out.

"That was awesome, Brago!" Sun cheered the Growlithe, who barked happily as he landed on the ground. Gladion returned his Zubat and looked down at the Poké Ball with a thoughtful expression.

"You did well. Thank you." Gladion muttered, clipping the Poké Ball to his belt and drawing forth his second and final Pokémon. Gladion looked down at the ball in his hand, feeling his left arm ache more, and then looked up at his opponent.

"Brago, you think you can handle his next Pokémon too?" Sun asked the Growlithe. Brago nodded as he crouched down on the ground, preparing himself for whatever was to come.

Gladion watched the display for a moment. He then raised the ball upward, prepared to release the beast within, a simple whisper escaping him as he closed his eyes…

"Alright partner…lend me your strength."

"GO! TYPE: NULL!" Gladion bellowed, hurling the Poké Ball forward with a wild look of absolute ferocity on his face. The Poké Ball exploded and released the Pokémon inside with a burst of white light-

Sun gasped.

What crashed onto the ground, glaring him and Brago down could only be described as a...creature. It was a quadruped, with a body that was best summed up as an amalgamation of sorts of other animals. It wore a horrifying metallic helmet that encased its entire head, though a pair of grey eyes gleamed from within the mask and two ears poked out as well. A mane of grey fur covered its neck and shoulders while short black fur covered its torso and legs, with the bottom of each of its feet green and purple. The creature had a blue fish-like tail that swished slightly as it regarded its opponents, a low groan coming from the monster as it glanced back at Gladion, and then to Sun and Brago.

"Rotom…What is that exactly?" Sun quietly asked the Rotom Dex, who lowered the music and scanned the Pokémon as it glared at the device.

"Searching…searching…Data not found!? Zzzt! Sun, I have no idea what that Pokémon izz! Be careful!" Rotom warned Sun, who nodded.

"We've got this. Right Brago?" Sun said to the Growlithe, who fearlessly nodded. Gladion clutched his left arm with a scowl on his face, feeling the pain deepen. But it reminded him of what he fought for.

"Null, use Tackle!" Gladion yelled out. The beast before him growled in response, lumbering forward but slowly picking up speed as it drew closer.

"Ember!" Sun commanded his Growlithe. Brago nodded and inhaled deeply before spewing out a burst of flames, but the monster known as Type: Null slammed through the attack head-on and smashed into Brago, sending him into the dirt with a yelp.

"Brago! Are you alright?" Sun asked his Growlithe, who shakily got to his feet, panting heavily in pain. Sun sighed with relief, but looked up at the mysterious Pokémon known as Type: Null. He had no idea what kind of tricks this thing had in store for him, so their best bet was to end this quickly.

"Flame Wheel, Brago!" Sun commanded his Growlithe. Brago nodded and forced himself into the air, unleashing fire as he did so and becoming a spinning ball of flames.

"Null, meet him head on! Tackle!" Gladion bellowed, throwing out an arm as Type: Null roared, leaping into the air and colliding with Brago. The two Pokémon clashed for a few moments before Brago was sent flying backwards, crashing onto the ground heavily in front of Sun. The Growlithe tried to push himself back up, but collapsed after a few moments, his breath coming in short gasps. It was clear the Growlithe was unable to get back up and fight.

"Brago…" Sun murmured as he returned his Growlithe. Sun smiled at the Poké Ball. "You were awesome out there. I'm proud of you. Get some rest, okay buddy?"

Sun clipped Brago's ball to his belt and pulled out another. Gladion watched him like a hawk, eyeing how kindly this kid treated his Pokémon with a lighter expression on his own face.

"Penny, let's go!" Sun called forth his Trumbeak, who let out a joyful cry upon release. Penny landed on the ground and cocked her head in confusion at the strange Pokémon before her.

"Be careful, Penny. This thing is…different." Sun warned the Trumbeak, who nodded. The calculating gaze of the Trumbeak focused on Type: Null, who groaned as it crouched on the ground, prepared to attack at the command of his Trainer.

"Null, use Tackle!" Gladion called out. The strange Pokémon charged towards Penny, who readied herself.

"Use Pluck!" Sun said to Penny, who darted forward to meet the strange Pokémon. Both of them collided, creating a shiver in the air as the two Pokémon struggled for dominance. Both were forced away from each other and a shockwave erupted from their clash, with them both sporting damage.

"Penny, hit it with Hidden Power!" Sun commanded. Penny nodded and a strange glow emitted from the Trumbeak before she opened her mouth, releasing a golden-brown pulse that crashed into Type: Null. This wasn't enough to deter the beast from slamming into Penny with another Tackle and sending her into the dirt. Penny shot the beast an annoyed look and darted into the air, glaring down at it.

"Looks like Hidden Power did next to nothing…Use Brick Break!" Sun ordered the Trumbeak. Penny nodded and shot towards Type: Null. Before the beast could move, Penny slammed her glowing beak into the monster's chest, knocking it to the ground and making the Pokémon roar in pain.

"Now THAT got a reaction…So, Brick Break is super-effective, maybe? Let's go with that. I wonder…Type: Null might be a Rock, Steel or Normal-type…I'd go with Normal, since it's only used Tackle so far." Sun thought with a small smile. Sun's smile fell as he heard the next move commanded by Gladion.

"Use Payback!" Gladion called out as Type: Null was enveloped in a black and purple ring of energy. The beast let out a roar before the energy blasted outwards, crashing into Penny and sending her tumbling through the air.

"Dang…Payback does double damage if the Pokémon's been hurt recently…Alright, use Brick Break to finish it off, Penny!" Sun called to his Trumbeak as she steadied herself in the air, nodding in response before she shot towards Type: Null.

"Not going to happen! Use Thunder Wave!" Gladion shouted, making Sun's eyes widen in surprise. This moment of hesitation was exactly what Gladion needed, as the electrical attack erupted from Type: Null and washed over Penny, sending her to the ground as she shivered in pain as the paralysis set in.

"Penny, use Brick Break!" Sun called to Penny. The Trumbeak didn't respond, however, instead continuing to shiver as the paralysis immobilized her.

"Null, Tackle!" Gladion shouted as the beast he commanded snarled in response, charging towards Penny who was struggling to move.

"Use Supersonic!" Sun yelled desperately as Penny struggled to flap her wings. The Trumbeak opened her beak and released the burst of sound from her mouth, but Gladion was ready.

"Dodge to the left and hit it with everything you've got, Null!" Gladion barked as Null snarled, weaving to the side and barely dodging the blast of sound before smashing into Penny head-first, sending her to the ground. The Trumbeak remained still in the dirt, swirls in her eyes. Sun returned his Trumbeak, eyeing the Pokémon before him and the strange teen glaring him down. They were such an odd duo, the two of them.

"Penny, you were great. Now I've got a better understanding of just what this thing can do. Rest up, okay?" Sun whispered to the Trumbeak within her ball. Sun clipped it to his belt and drew forth his final Poké Ball.

"Alright then, Gladion. Let's see if you can handle my kind-of evil starter. Oliver, let's show them how it's done!" Sun yelled out as he released Oliver, who hooted as he fluttered down to the ground. Oliver began grooming himself as Type: Null growled a warning to the Dartrix. Oliver barely spared him a glance, which seemed to annoy the strange monster.

"Null, calm down. He's not worth it. Use Tackle!" Gladion commanded Type: Null, who rushed forward as Oliver calmly preened.

"Oliver, fly into the air to dodge and hit it with Razor Leaf!" Sun called to Oliver. The Dartrix nodded, but continued to preen as Type: Null pounded towards him. Just before the beast collided with the owl, Oliver flapped his wings and shot into the air, surprising both the monster and his Trainer. Oliver let out a hoot before releasing a barrage of spinning leaves, all of which sliced through Type: Null and made the creature howl in pain.

"Null, hang in there!" Gladion yelled out, concern in his voice. "Use Thunder Wave!"

"Oh no, not a second time! Oliver, use Protect!" Sun shouted as Type: Null released an electrical wave of energy. Oliver screeched as a shimmering blue shield flashed into existence, rendering the electrical wave harmless. Oliver released the barrier and shot towards Type: Null, a screech erupting from the owl as he plunged downwards.

"Oliver, wrap this up with Tackle!" Sun called out.

"Null, meet it head-on! Tackle!" Gladion shouted as Type: Null dug its claws into the ground before leaping upwards, colliding with Oliver. Both Pokémon shimmered white as they met in midair, much like how Penny and Type: Null did before. However after a few moments of struggle, Oliver let out a triumphant screech as the monster it faced let out a snarl, with both Pokémon separating. Type: Null crashed into the dirt roughly while Oliver calmly hovered in the air, a smug look on his face.

"That thing is tough, but it's tired. Oliver's fresh and he's my strongest Pokémon. Sorry to say, but I think we're done here." Sun said with a smile to Gladion, whose scowl deepened.

"We'll never give up. We can't afford to…Null, use Tackle!" Gladion barked, throwing out a hand as Type: Null roared in response. The beast leapt into the air, fury in its eyes.

"Razor Leaf, Oliver!" Sun cried out as Oliver swooped low to avoid Type: Null's attack. Oliver hooted as he spun around in midair and flapped his wings hard, releasing another barrage of leaves that tore through the hide of Type: Null, making it roar in agony. However, when the beast landed on the ground, its legs gave out. The strange Pokémon collapsed in front of Gladion, shuddering in pain.

"Null…" Gladion muttered, watching as the beast tried to get to its feet, only to drop to the ground again. Type: Null snorted in fury and with a great snarl, forced itself back to all fours, glaring down Oliver as he waited for the monster's next move. Type: Null took a single step forward…And then trembled before slowly falling onto its side, its injuries and exhaustion catching up with it.

"And that's that, I guess." Hau said with a wide smile, a small chuckle escaping him. He wasn't the slightest bit surprised that the Kanto-native had prevailed where he hadn't. Sun was his friend and rival, after all. He had to be awesome.

Hau looked over at Gladion as he returned Type: Null, and couldn't help another laugh at the expression on the weird teen's face. Gladion clutched his head in absolute shock, taking a step backwards before throwing his hands downwards, staring down into them.

"How annoying!" the teen hissed, his voice thick with irritation. Sun chuckled as Oliver soared over to him, with Sun ruffling the bird's feathers affectionately. Oliver screeched in response, pecking at Sun's fingers before beginning to frantically groom himself while Hau chuckled nearby at the Dartrix's distress. Gladion ignored all of this, instead moving an arm across his stomach and bringing his right hand to his head.

"Hmph…It's not like me to slip up like that." Gladion said quietly, but not quietly enough for Sun and Hau not to hear him. Rotom switched back to the previous music it had been playing.

"We all lose sometimes. You were really good there. That Null thing took out two of my Pokémon by itself. Be proud of that." Sun said to Gladion, who scowled at him.

"You wouldn't understand. Neither of you would. You haven't had to fight for your lives or truly struggle." Gladion practically growled at them, fire in his eyes. "I've got to keep fighting stronger opponents. Looks like I'm still not ready…"

"Strong opponents?" Sun questioned. Gladion answered by lowering his hands and gesturing to Hau.

"That kid there. His Pokémon aren't weak." Gladion said to them both. His expression softened slightly, but the edge to his voice was still there. "And sure, it's fine to enjoy battling…"

"But this brat…" Gladion's next words dripped with sheer frustration, his teeth grinding for a moment before he continued. "He's just using that as an excuse not to try hard because he can't beat the Kahuna. Because he can't beat Hala when he's serious!"

Gladion shrugged at the end of his tirade, but Hau was smiling at his words, putting his hands behind his back. "Heh. You know gramps?" Hau paused for a moment, considering Gladion's words further. "So you think I'm strong?"

The teen in black sighed in response, and opened his mouth to reply before an unfamiliar voice cut through the air.

"Awww, look at you, little Gladion! Aren't you just a real cool guy? Heh heh heh…"

Gladion whirled around in time to see two Team Skull Grunts approaching, one male and one female. The female had pink-dyed hair instead of blue, but seemed to hold the arrogance of Team Skull just as well as her male partner. Both of them struck their poses as Gladion sighed in annoyance.

"I guess it's no surprise a homeless kid would turn out spineless, too, huh?" Grunt B said with a chuckle, her voice dripping with scorn. "No worries! We've got enough backbone to cover for you!"

Sun regarded Gladion with a small pang of sympathy. The guy was homeless, and had to deal with these idiots? No wonder he was so serious and…unhappy.

The male Team Skull Grunt moved past Gladion, his hand moving to the single Poké Ball on his hip, but Gladion cut him off with an exasperated, "Just give it up already, Tim."

"Huh?" Grunt A, also known as Tim, questioned as he looked back at the teen in black. Gladion glanced back at him, a sharp look in his eye.

"You know you can't beat me. You'll just get your Pokémon hurt for no reason." Gladion said to Tim, making the Grunt cross his arms at the teen. Gladion looked back at Sun and Hau, a small glimmer of something that may have been respect in his eyes now as he regarded the two Trainers.

"They're good Pokémon. Yours as well, Tim and Kayla. It's just senseless violence at this point, so drop it." Gladion said quietly, looking away from all of them. Both the Team Skull Grunts scoffed at the remark, but it seemed that was all Gladion had to say on the subject.

"We came all this way, and for what? For a big fat waste of our time, thanks to you." Kayla said to Gladion, anger laced in her tone. "If you hadn't gotten in our way, we could've stolen the Totem Pokémon from Brooklet Hill!"

"Right, and I'm going to sprout wings and fly to the Gravy Dimension." Sun thought dryly, rolling his eyes.

"Let's get out of here. Look, the Murkrow are crying, and it's time we should be flying. Axen and Kevin are waiting for us anyway, so get a move on." Kayla said before turning on her heel and walking away. Tim sighed angrily before looking at Gladion.

"Listen up good, Gladion…The boss does like you. That's true…But you're just some hired help we keep around for when we need you. You aren't a part of Team Skull, not really. And you never will be. Got it? You better get it." Tim said firmly to Gladion. Gladion's eyes snapped open, an expression of fleeting hurt on his face that was gone the moment after it appeared. The Team Skull Grunt walked away, leaving Gladion behind. The teen remained still for a moment before shaking his head and following the two gangsters, leaving Hau and Sun behind.

The teen in black returned to the rendezvous point in silence, even as Tim and Kayla chatted up their newest scheme to mess with the Trial Captains. He caught the nods that Axen and Kevin, the two Team Skull Grunts who had accompanied him to Melemele Island, sent his way and he nodded in return.

Gladion reflected on the battles he had just gone through, his thoughts briefly dwelling on Sun. The boy was talented, but he was also kind to his Pokémon and his friends...Gladion couldn't afford that luxury…

After all…There was strength in pain and suffering.

He and Null knew that too well.


"Poor guy…" Sun muttered. Even if he wasn't exactly friendly, no one deserved to be talked to like that. Especially since the guy already looked pretty miserable to start with.

"Thanks Sun." Hau said with a relieved sigh. "It was a good battle!"

"Dartriiix!"

"Yeah, just accept the compliment…evil owl."

"Play nice you two." Sun said to the two of them, earning exasperated looks from the both of them.

"Well…Phew…" Hau chuckled as he put his hands behind his head. "Looks like I've gotta train up my team if I'm gonna take on the Trial at Brooklet Hill next."

Hau reached into his bag, smiling at his friend. "Here, Sun, take these with you. We're gonna beat this Island Challenge!"

Sun grinned as Hau pressed a few Revives into his hand, which Sun put away into his bag.

"Thanks man." Sun said gratefully, appreciating his friend's generosity. After all, Revives weren't cheap.

"No problem. Wanna head to the PMC with me? I'm waiting for Demi to finish up her Trial. I was trying to get some last minute training in when I ran into Edgelord and battled him. Wasn't expecting to get wrecked but…eh. It happens." Hau shrugged as he and Sun began walking.

"Have I ever told you how much I admire your attitude? Seriously, man. You have the most refreshing outlook on life. Like, I try to keep smiling despite everything, but you genuinely have an awesome attitude and I appreciate that." Sun said to his friend with complete sincerity. Hau laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"It's not all great. People get on me because I don't take things seriously. Tutu and Mom have been telling me that for years. Even Demi was getting annoyed with it. Speaking of...She kissed me, dude!" Hau exclaimed, suddenly remembering what had happened the other day.

"Seriously? That's awesome!" Sun said with a wide grin. Hau held out his fist with a giggle, and Sun tapped it with his own.

"Heh. You're telling me. I felt all nice and warm and flustered. It was weird, but…nice." Hau explained awkwardly, but with a wide smile. Sun laughed with his friend and clapped him on the back, proud of him. Hau was his closest friend next to Lillie, and Sun was glad that Hau and Demi were working out.

As the two friends neared the Pokémon Center, they slowed down, with something seeming…off, to them. And then-

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU STUPID BITCH!"

Hau and Sun froze at the words, a furious shout coming from somewhere up ahead. The two boys shared a worried glance before sprinting ahead, recognizing the voice that had yelled out. To their alarm, they saw Demi running towards them, carrying something in her arms. Sun then saw the girl's expression.

Demi was crying. Her expression was a mixture of pain, grief and anger as tears streamed down her face. She was drenched in water and had a long cut down her arm that bled freely, her body heaving with fatigue at having ran a considerable distance.

"What happened!?" Hau yelled out, sprinting past Sun and approaching Demi. The girl stopped moving and fell to her knees, breaking down completely as she clutched what was in her arms even tighter.

"H-hau…that monster…it…it killed her…" a broken-hearted sob cut Demi off, even as more tears slipped down her face. Close behind her was Lana, the Captain that Sun had met just the other week. The Captain was limping, and Sun saw the look of distress and guilt on the blue-haired girl's face, and this made Sun's heart sink lower.

"I'm s-so sorry! It…It was an accident! The T-totem Pokémon d-didn't mean to hurt anyone!" Lana stammered out, her hands over her heart as she shuddered behind Demi. The dark-skinned girl shot Lana a furious look that made the blue-haired Captain take a step back in fear, but Demi shook as another sob wracked her body, loosening her grip on the object in her arms. Sun finally caught up with the group and gasped in horror as he saw what exactly the girl was holding so tightly to her chest.

In Demi's arms was an unmoving Fletchinder that had finally stopped shining.