Pokémon Radiant Sun


Alright, so it took longer than I would have liked, but I'm back on schedule with a weekend update. I studied like crazy this past weekend and it paid off, so I can't complain, but not meeting my schedule is annoying.

However, this upcoming week is my final week of training. Which means that I'll have some time to decompress and relax come next weekend, meaning I should be able to get ahead on chapters again. Which is good, because the next few chapters are going to be very interesting indeed.

But all my chapters are interesting. So that's a moot point! Muahahaha!

However, THIS weekend I'll have to study like crazy again so that I can finish my last tests and become an Airman in full. So I'll keep on kicking ass and make you all proud!

That said, I'm happy about the reactions I got from last chapter. Jack's an OC I've been eager to properly reveal for a while. I came up with him while I was at Basic Training, so having him finally debut as who he really is makes me pretty happy. On top of that, I'm glad people seemed to like the decisions I made regarding Lana and Hau's Eggs, regarding the names and the species of Lana's infant Pokémon. I kinda felt like nothing except a Popplio would work for her. And besides, it's freaking adorable. And you'll be seeing a bit more of Crasher Wake and Nanu down the road.

And as for my little side-thing from last chapter, it actually got the reaction and feedback I was hoping for. Yes, that little snippet was from what would have been a novelization of RS with no Cipher involvement and if Sun's team was altered.

I've decided to, occasionally, explore alternate paths the story would have taken if things had played out differently. As I've said before, I am constantly changing plans and altering events to fit with whatever I believe will work best for the story. Just from the feedback last chapter, I'm debating changing a major story event that greatly affects some of the main characters.

So, every once in a while, I'll reveal some of the paths the story could have taken. Whether that be a change in choice, a different Pokémon on Sun's team, or even something major like a character death. I've scrapped a lot of plans, which includes Mimi.

Believe me, I wanted to have an Eeveelution as one of Sun's Pokémon. I adore all of them and had an entire thing planned out with Mimi being Sun's little baby for a good while in the story, but decided against it because it would have lessened the importance of the relationship Sun has with Nebby, which is ultimately more critical to the story. Besides, I came up with a better solution, and it's much more fun. Hau gets his Eevee, and it provides a bit of intrigue.

Anyways, I do have to answer a question, though, about whether or not RS will delve into the post-game at all. I'll answer with a firm yes. Maybe not in-depth due to how far off the ending to this story is, but the beginning of the UB Missions and the battle with Guzma at the beach will be covered. Anything else is up in the air. And depending on some...things, I may extend the adventure for something special…

But I'll explain more in, say, fifty one chapters. Besides, I actually have something special lined up for the next update, and by that I mean I'm going to try something with this story that I seriously should have done a while ago. I'm hoping that it becomes an effective way of dealing with a problem I've been having and will make quite a few people happy and maybe clear up some things.

Anyways, shoutout to the lovelies who reviewed since the last update, which includes Angelfir3, GeekyGamer314, SonicIKE, hafizsyaraf5, Madame Rodoshe, Cottonmouth25, BraviaryScout, BouncingFish, Sai Og Sus, DarkestShade73, Ways, and Gokan123. Thanks for the feedback, support, and the birthday wishes! You all are fantastic, as always.

Enjoy.


Chapter 49: Why Do You Fight?


Sun walked through the hallways of the massive building, bored out of his mind. His father walked alongside him, smiling slightly as he ran a hand through his spiked jet-black hair, his silver eyes shining with triumph.

"Everything's going exactly as planned, Sun. Thanks to that little bit of sweet-talking, it's opened the doors for the Telethought Project to officially begin." Ashton said to his son, who raised an eyebrow and snapped out of his daze.

"Dad, I'm not going to lie. That name sucks, and I stopped paying attention part-way through. It's just...Mrs. Nonsa is really boring and her voice puts me to sleep." Sun admitted while his father chuckled at the remark. Damien snorted with amusement as Sun's comment, receiving a pat on the head from the boy as they walked through the hallway.

"Admittedly, she's pretty tough to listen to. But her funding and support are vital to the project's success. Soon enough, a Trainer will be able to communicate with their Pokémon with a mere flick of their thoughts. It was mainly designed for use by handicapped Trainers, but I can think of a market for something like this. It can help a lot of people." Ashton explained as they turned a corner.

"It sounds pretty cool. Being able to talk to a Pokémon with just your mind. Man…"

"You think that's cool? Heh. I really shouldn't show you, but since you're showing a aptitude for this whole thing and you're my kid...I'll show you some of the cooler stuff my company has been working on."

"Really?" Sun asked, grinning now. Ashton grinned back at his child, snatching off his hat and ruffling Sun's hair with a laugh.

"Why not? So, what'll it be? Tech? Weapons? Hybrid berries? I mean...We've got our hands in just about everything, so take your pick." Ashton said to his child, who seemed surprised as Ashton placed Sun's hat back on his head.

"You make weapons?" Sun asked his father, who nodded.

"As well as armor and other things. Not just weapons, but they're definitely something we've managed to improve upon and add our own flavor too. When I started this business, I wanted to innovate as much as I could. I brought together some of the brightest young minds I knew of and began to invest and improve things. Now I stand as the owner of one of the world's most powerful companies. I can give back to the world and take humanity and Pokémon to the next level. We've helped pioneer new medical treatments. Made leaps and bounds when it comes to unlocking the mysteries behind Legendary Pokémon known as little more than myths. And...Well, so much more. Plus, we do make some pretty cool weapons. I'm not a gun nut by any means, but I can't help but admire what they can do." Ashton admitted with a chuckle as Sun grinned up at him.

"I guess we can check out the weapons, then." Sun said to his father, who nodded and lead his Sun down the never-ending hallways and to an elevator. Soon enough, they were inside of a massive lab that doubled as a shooting range of sorts. It was entirely empty, though.

"They're out at lunch, right now. I think it was someone's birthday...Hmm." Ashton pressed a button on his watch, and a sharp voice spoke from it as a small hologram appeared before him, revealing a burly man wearing a neat suit of grey. He was rather plain, but had a fantastic and bushy mustache.

"Yes sir, what do you need?"

"Kennedy, can you check who's birthday from the Kanto Weapon R & D Team is today? I want to say Matt, but I'm drawing a blank." Ashton asked the man speaking from his watch. Sun knew the man was his father's primary secretary, working tirelessly to keep up with the ambitious man Sun called his father.

"It was Matt. He's 32 today. Did you want to do something for him, sir?" Kennedy asked.

"Company fruit basket and drop a bonus off his way. The usual." Ashton replied as he leaned against the wall. Kennedy nodded and faded away as Ashton walked forward, snatching up a silver-colored piece of body armor.

"This is the result of two years of research. Thanks to our efforts, we've created some of the strongest body armor in the world. We're hoping to partner with local police and emergency responders to give them a bit of extra protection out in the field, but it's a work in progress." Ashton explained as Damien padded over to his Trainer. Sun was grinning in excitement. He knew his dad was the mastermind behind some awesome stuff, but seeing some of the secret things he was helping fund and develop was just too cool.

"Complete with neural links and...well, a lot of other things, this armor is some of the best protection money can develop. It adapts to protect the wearer and to help them live through life-threatening injuries should something get through the armor. Even an unprotected blow to the head that can kill you would be reduced in lethality thanks to the armor. It's not completely finished, but when it is…" Ashton trailed off, a little smile on his face as he saw Sun hanging onto his every word.

"Sounds pretty awesome!"

Ashton stiffened in surprise and Damien growled as a man stepped out from behind one of the pillars in the room, grinning at them. He was a handsome man with bright blonde hair and twinkling green eyes dressed in a silky blue pair of dress pants, with a black cloak covering his upper body. He wore a black fedora that was crooked slightly, though from the smarmy look on the man's face it was likely done on purpose.

"Who...are you?" Ashton asked, his voice low as he stepped forward, putting a hand on Sun's shoulder. The man opposite of them chuckled, tipping his hat to the trio ahead of him.

"Not a warm welcome, but...eh. I'll roll with it! The name's Dawson. The Dashing Rogue of Hoenn, at your service!" the strange man proclaimed as he bowed low to Sun and his father. Sun felt the grip on his shoulder tighten slightly, and Sun saw exactly why. A strange-looking pistol was attached to the Dawson's waist in a holster.

"Right. And why are you here?" Ashton asked the odd man, receiving a shrug in response.

"Well, I was supposed to chat with this Borlath guy about joining his crew, but apparently he's busy. So I'm just wandering around." Dawson replied as he flapped his cloak behind him.

"Well, this room is off-limits. How on earth did you get in here?" Ashton asked as Damien crouched low on the ground, ready to pounce given the command.

"Snagged a key-card off of a woman walking by with an absolutely lovely pair of tits. I could play the song of my people on them." Dawson remarked with a laugh as Ashton scoffed at the man's attitude.

"Well, he's certainly not down here. Now get the hell out of here before I call security, and give me back that key-card." Ashton commanded, receiving a shrug as the man flung the key-card at Ashton, who caught it in his hands with little effort.

"Fair enough. I'll be back sometime soon, then. Later folks." Dawson said as he sauntered out of the room, leaving a bewildered Sun and his father behind, with Damien still growling after the man.

"Sometimes...I truly do wonder how some people haven't been smacked upside the head more than they do in life." Ashton sighed as he crossed his arms, scowling now.

"Yeah, that guy was...Kind of a weirdo." Sun agreed with his father, thrown off by the odd man that had randomly shown up and had just as randomly wandered away.

"Agreed."

"So, who's Borlath?" Sun asked his father, who just laughed softly as he removed his child's hat and ruffled his son's hair again. Sun ducked away and snatched his hat away from his father, who grinned at him.

"A business partner of mine, but you'll likely never meet him. He's pretty busy himself nowadays. Now, let's grab some lunch with Laura and drop you off to her. I'll be in meetings for the rest of the day, and you're going to be really bored with them. Old man Verich's getting cranky and I'm not going to subject you to his tirades." Ashton said to Sun, who sighed but accepted this. If his father was telling him that this meeting would be boring for Sun, then it was going to be a boring one for his father as well. With that, the father and son walked down the halls and eventually out of the building, into the shining sunlight.


Sun, Hau and Lillie continued their trek to Wela Volcano Park, but had to stop on Route 7 due to how late in the day they had started moving. Thankfully, making camp was an easy matter of just finding a spot that wasn't in the main path. And thanks to their preparations at the Thrifty Megamart, dinner was a delicious and lively affair, with Hau being the center of attention thanks to his newborn Eevee.

Kaha was a bit shy at first, but warmed up to everyone easily enough. Sun kept his distance, but that didn't stop him from petting the little Eevee whenever it wondered near him. Baby steps, after all. He wasn't going to let what happened affect him forever.

After it's initial shyness, the Eevee became a constant source of entertainment for the trio of children, scampering around their legs and happily mewing as Hau pointed out things to the small Pokémon that usually was carried in Hau's arms. The trio of children were all smiles as they woke up the next morning, ready to confront the next of the Island Trials on their way. It took until about mid-afternoon before they reached the entrance to Wela Volcano Park, eyeing the beautiful ocean nearby that twinkled in the shining Alolan sun.

"We should do another beach day when we get the chance." Hau remarked as they watched the ocean from the path. Sun and Lillie nodded in agreement, the shimmering water looking very inviting as the heat of the afternoon smothered them.

Onwards our heroes marched...


"~Ooooh! We're halfway there! Ooooh! Eevee in my hair!~" Hau sang as Lillie and Sun burst into giggles. Kaha yipped happily from atop his father's head, wagging his tail happily as Duke and Cassy laughed from Hau's shoulders. Rotom happily popped out of Sun's backpack as they entered an area filled with dry grass and rocky terrain, the temperature noticeably going up as they walked past a sign telling them that they had entered the Wela Volcano Park.

"Man...Just when I thought I was kind of getting used to this heat, it somehow gets hotter." Sun muttered as he took his hat off, fanning himself. Nebby popped out of the bag with a cry and hopped into Lillie's arms, apparently just as much of a fan of the heat as Sun was. Lillie pulled out a bottle of water from her bag and gave Nebby a drink, her expression thoughtful.

"I'm glad I decided on one of my lighter dresses today. Still, maybe we should make our way straight to the top to meet with Kiawe." Lillie advised her friends, though Hau frowned at that.

"And pass up the chance to train with some of the Fire-types in the area? Not a chance. Sun, you're with me, right?" Hau asked his friend, who thought about it. While getting out of his heat would be nice, training up his team a bit more sounded even better. After all, the Island Trials were nothing to scoff at. They were tough, and Sun needed as much preparation as possible.

"It'll probably be late afternoon by the time we get to the top. Let's train a bit as we go. I'm sure there's Pokémon all over the place we can battle with. Maybe even a few Trainers." Sun said as he called out Oliver, Penny, and Brago. Lillie sighed in mock dismay, though she smiled regardless.

"Alright, team...So we're here at the Trial Site. Time for some last minute training." Sun said to his crew of Pokémon, receiving three eager cries. Hau rolled his eyes while Lillie giggled as Oliver hooted and launched himself into the air, darting towards the nearby tall grass.

"Razor Leaf! Draw some Pokémon out!" Sun commanded Oliver, who responded with a barrage of leaves that sliced through the grass. Several cries of anger rang out, and several bursts of fire shot out of the dry grass in response to Oliver's 'friendly greeting'. Four red Pokémon with long snouts emerged from the grass, eyeing Oliver with anger.

"Zzzt! Even if the attack wasn't very effective, it sure did rile them up. New Pokémon detected!" Rotom cried out as he floated ahead of Sun.

"Magby. The Live Coal Pokémon. Many of these Pokémon can be seen in areas with volcanic activity. Feeding can get them so excited, they exhale flames of 1,100 degrees F. A famous potter lives with a Magby. Apparently its soft flames produce fine work." Rotom Dex explained as the furious quartet glared at Oliver before they unleashed a volley of Embers into the air at Oliver.

"Use Protect, Oliver! Brago, use Bite! Penny, hit them with Pluck!" Sun called to his Pokémon. Oliver created a shield to protect himself from the blasts of flame that were racing towards him, allowing Brago and Penny to make relatively short work of the Magby.

"Nice job you three. I wonder what else is in the area." Sun mused before he saw a strange black, grey and red-colored lizard emerge from the grass, looking at the trio of Sun's hungrily. Rotom spoke up again, facing the creature before turning to Sun.

"Salandit. The Toxic Lizard Pokémon. Volcanoes or dry, craggy places are its home. It emanates a sweet-smelling poisonous gas that attracts bug Pokémon, then attacks them. It burns its bodily fluids to create a poisonous gas. When its enemies become disoriented from inhaling the gas, it attacks them." Rotom explained as the Salandit licked its lips before lunging at Penny. Oliver dove forward and slammed into the lizard without a command, knocking it back with a hiss. Penny charged forward and delivered a Pluck to the Salandit's chest, knocking it out.

"I've read about Salandit. They have a very interesting background. Apparently because of the pheromones the females can produce, Salandit can control male Pokémon and even people. However, I've also read that because of this and how the male Salandit are effected by this, male Salandit cannot evolve because they're usually weak and malnourished due to them giving all of their food to the female Salandits." Lillie explained as the Salandit rose to its feet, weakly crawling back into the grass.

"That's weird...But it sounds like a cool Pokémon. Definitely one to watch out for." Hau noted as he stroked Kaha's head, receiving a happy purring sound from the little Pokémon.

Sun continued to use his Pokémon to battle the local Pokémon in the area, which included another Pokémon that Sun actually recognized from Kanto. Cubone. Oliver would have to weaken any Cubone he saw and then allow Penny and Brago to finish it off so they would get experience from the battle. Thanks to this method, Sun's Pokémon began to level up rather quickly.

This ended when Oliver missed a Razor Leaf attack on a Cubone and the Lonely Pokémon let out an echoing cry. Oliver flinched and knocked out the Cubone with a Leafage at Sun's instruction, but the massive nearby roar made everyone flinch as a loud stomping sound filled the area. And then…

"Whelp! Lookzz like we've got company! And one maaaaad mama!" Rotom yelped as it hid behind Sun. The boy took as step back as a massive brown-colored beast carrying a smaller purple Pokémon in her front pouch stepped forward, eyeing the children and their Pokémon with rage.

"You would be the one that pisses off the Kangaskhan, Oliver." Sun sighed, smiling a little despite the situation.

"...trix."

The furious mother let out a bellow of fury as her fists glowed white, thrumming with power. Sun grinned as Oliver swooped low, awaiting a command. Sun held out a hand to Oliver and looked over at Brago and pointed the Growlithe forward.

"Standby, Oliver. Brago, let's take her on! Flame Wheel!" Sun called out to the dog, who nodded and leapt into the air and called forth his fire, spinning as a raging whirl of flames that slammed into the chest of the beast and made her stagger backwards. The Kangaskhan suddenly grabbed Brago before he could move and slammed him into the ground.

"Brago, use Ember and keep your distance!" Sun commanded the canine, who leapt backwards to dodge a Mega Punch and shot a burst of flames at the monster, receiving a scream of pain and anger from her. Lillie cringed at the roar while Hau let out a whoop, seeing the fierce battle on display as Brago ran around the area, firing off Embers while he kept his distance from the furious beast, though eventually she caught up with him. The Kangaskhan roared as its body burned red before it charged at Brago, smashing into the Growlithe and sending him crashing into the dirt. The Growlithe staggered to his feet with a growl, his eyes showing his refusal to allow the enemy to get the better of him.

"There we go, Brago! Now use Reversal!" Sun called to the canine, who's eyes glowed bright red as his body glowed a harsh red and white color. The dog rushed forward and slammed his head into the chest of the mother monster, receiving an anguished scream of pain from the beast and knocking her over and onto the ground, unconscious.

"There we go!" Sun called out with a wide grin. Brago landed on the ground with a fierce grin, his mouth frothing with flames. The dog barked as he suddenly discharged some of the flames from his mouth, blinking in surprise.

"Zzzt! Sun, I think Brago just learned Fire Fang!...Zzzt! Actually, that'zz exactly what happened!" Rotom called to Sun, who just grinned as he bent down and pet Brago, receiving a sigh of contentment from the dog.

"Good work, Brago." Sun said to the canine, who looked back at Sun with a happy smile. Sun laughed softly before he looked at Penny and Oliver.

"I think Brago's earned a rest. You two, get back in there and show them what we're made of!" Sun said to his two birds. Oliver hooted and shot off like a bullet towards the grass while Penny followed at a more reasonable pace. Hau and Lillie both flinched as a chorus of wails and roars echoed from the area they were in as Penny dive-bombed into the grass while Oliver released Razor Leaf into the grass again and again, hooting joyfully as he repeatedly knocked out opponents.

"That owl is the absolute worst." Hau muttered, hugging Kaha. The Eevee mewed happily, eyeing the two birds with interest. Meanwhile, Cassy and Duke were watching Oliver with horror. That remembered vividly that Oliver was not only stronger than the two of them, but he also had a sadistic streak. They'd prefer to just stay out of his way, thank you very much.

"We're going to train up ahead. You wanna come, Lillie?" Hau asked his friend. Lillie glanced over at Sun, who seemed to be really into his training, and looked back at Hau.

"Sure. You're going to take your Trial first this time, right Hau?" Lillie asked. Hau nodded, and Lillie added, "Then maybe we can scout the area ahead? Maybe see if there's anyone around who could shed some light on what to expect."

"Nah, I don't think I'm gonna do that. It's more fun if I'm surprised, right?" Hau said cheerfully as he walked ahead. "Yo Sun! I'm going to train up ahead while Lillie watches Kaha for me. You cool to stay back here?"

Sun grinned at his friend and gave him a thumbs up as he continued to apply Potion to Brago's injuries. Hau chuckled and walked alongside Lillie was Kaha wriggled out of Hau's grip and landed on the ground, bounding ahead.

"Jeez, little guy! It's dangerous around here!" Hau yelped as he ran after the infant Eevee, pushing past a young woman standing next to a cave entrance that led into the side of the rocky bluff. Lillie followed as quickly as she could, huffing as Nebby floated happily alongside her.

Hau scooped up Kaha right before the end of the tunnel opened up, and looked at the Eevee in his arms. "You really need to be careful. You're only a day old, little guy. You can't be running around on your own yet!"

Cassy and Duke added in their two cents by informing the child that the area was dangerous for a child like him, to which the Eevee cocked his head in confusion before yipping and nuzzling Hau's neck. The boy laughed softly and pet Kaha, hugging the little Pokémon against his chest.

Hau sighed, smiling despite himself. "Man, you're a troublemaker. But you're just a baby, so that makes sense. You really don't know any better, but that's okay. I'll just keep a close eye on you when you want to play. That's all!"

"Hau...can we...take a break?" Lillie asked as she hunched over, panting as she wiped her sweaty face, her hair becoming slightly more frazzled. Hau shrugged and sat down on top of a nearby rock as Lillie joined him, with the two friends drinking water and making sure their Pokémon stayed hydrated as well. Hau pulled out his Pokémon Refresh and began grooming Kaha, Duke, and Cassy. As he ran a comb through Kaha, the little Eevee sighed with pleasure.

"There we go...You like that, don't you Kaha?" Hau asked with a giggle, though he blinked when he heard snoring from his lap. "Maybe a little too much. Poor thing's tired out."

"Remember Hau, he's just a baby. He'll need a lot of sleep for a good while. From what I learned back home, some Pokémon are able to battle even after just hatching, but others require a bit of time before they should fight anything. It just depends on each Pokémon. Though I would do a check of what moves Kaha can use." Lillie suggested to Hau, who pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the Eevee.

"Huh. Nothing out of the ordinary, except that Kaha knows the move Detect. That'd actually help him out a whole lot, no matter what he evolves into later." Hau remarked quietly as he stroked Kaha's back. The two friends sat there and quietly talked while Kaha took his nap. Eventually the Eevee woke up and began to play with Cassy, Nebby and Duke under Hau and Lillie's watchful eye. Hau decided that he'd train later, seeing as how everyone was having fun playing around.

Sun eventually joined them, looking a bit worse for wear and sporting a burn on his left hand. With that, the trio had lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which resulted in much hilarity when Brago got his mouth stuck thanks to the sticky substance. After more time than Sun would have liked, Brago got his mouth free and was forced to wash his mouth out with water to flush the substance out…

Only for him to get his jaw stuck again two minutes later when Lillie fed Brago a chunk of her sandwich.

After even more time, the group set off again. Sun found a TM for the move Rock Tomb, which wasn't really of use to him right now, so he just pocketed it for later use. Sun and Hau battled against a few of the Trainers and Trial-goers training on the volcano, with Lillie cheering them on. Needless to say the two boy's managed to defeat everyone in their path. Sun even collected another Zygarde Cell along the way.

That wasn't to say that they spent the entire time battling. The trio of friends chatted about recent topics as well. Such as what the strange Commander Jack was up to and whether or not Professor Kukui and Crasher Wake were college friends or something. They also discussed Cipher and Pokémon in Alola and even what sort of places they wanted to visit when they arrived at their next city or town.

Sun took pictures of a flock of Fletchlings as they soared overhead, chirping happily as they rose higher into the air. The Kanto-native smiled as he observed a Charizard napping on a nearby rock, a saddle on its back.

"A Ride Pokémon, maybe? So cool." Sun mused aloud as Rotom buzzed beside him.

"Zzzt! Flying on Charizard is one of the most popular wayzz to get around in Alola. They may be one of the Starter Pokémon of Kanto, but here in Alola they've certainly made their mark. There's not a whole lot them in Alola, however, but there'zz loads of other cool ways to fly around in the skiezzz! Like on Garchomp or Pelipper!" Rotom explained as the Charizard's eyes flicked open. The draconic Pokémon snorted, a burst of flames erupting from its nostrils, before the Flame Pokémon returned to its nap.

"Charizard may be cool, but I've already got a Fire-type that's way cooler." Sun said with a grin as he looked over at Brago as the Growlithe smashed into a Magby and knocked it out with Reversal.

"Yep! All of your Pokémon are pretty interesting characterzz, zzt! And that includezz me!" Rotom cheered as it zoomed around Sun. Sun grinned and held out his hand and the Rotom Dex gave Sun a high-five in response.

Soon enough, however, the trio and their Pokémon arrived at the summit of the volcano, where the Trial Gate stood tall as the sun began to set on Alola. Sun and Hau healed both of their teams up and returned them, and watched the path for a few moments before they turned to each other.

"Good luck, man. Show them what you're made of." Sun said to his friend, extending his fist out. Hau tapped it with a wide grin before he looked at Lillie.

"Keep him out of trouble while I'm gone, alright?" Hau said with a teasing smile to his friend. Lillie laughed in response as Nebby flailed happily in her arms. With that, Hau began his trek to the top of the path ahead, where Kiawe awaited him.

"I guess we'll just have to wait here for him." Sun said as he sat down on the ground. Lillie nodded and silently joined him, hoping the ground wouldn't stain her dress. To Lillie's surprise, Sun called out all three of his Pokémon again.

"Alright, you three. I have no idea what to expect, but this is the Fire Trial. Meaning we need to strategize. We don't have a clear advantage over this one. If anything, we're at a disadvantage since Brago's fire won't do much and Oliver is weak to fire. Meaning it'll come down to Penny doing a lot of the work." Sun said to his Pokémon, with Penny nodding nodding once, a gleam in her eyes. Sun knew the Trumbeak was very driven to prove herself to him, and knew that she wouldn't let him down. He knew none of his Pokémon would.

"So...here's my plan." Sun said to the three assembled Pokémon, who listened to his plan with rapt attention. Lillie couldn't help but be impressed at the level of trust Sun's Pokémon had in him. Whether it was seeing the emotion in Penny's eyes, the firm nod Brago gave as Sun relayed his plan, or Oliver's surprised but accepting expression as Sun told him his role in the upcoming showdown. Each of them had the utmost faith in their Trainer, that he would lead them to victory. And Sun's plan was quite well thought out. It took the better part of an hour for Sun to explain everything, and he switched around a few items on his Pokémon's Attachment Collars as well. Oliver was given the Normalium Z while Penny received a Sharp Beak, which increased the strength of Flying-type moves. Brago kept his Amulet Coin.

Sun returned his Pokémon and leaned back, satisfied with his planning. He was confident in his Pokémon and in his strategies, and knew that the only thing left was to get up to the summit and defeat the beast that awaited him. He was knocked out of his thoughts when he was wrapped up in a fierce hug. Sun felt a burst of warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the volcano he was currently on.

"Lillie?"

"S-sorry, Sun...um, should I-"

"N-no, it's fine. Just...surprised me, is all."

"I'm trying to work on being more friendly with the people I care about. More expressive...I want to be strong, Sun. I want to prove that I'm better than what others think of me. That I can stand against my weaknesses and be better." Lillie explained as she moved away from him, frowning as she looked off in the distance. Sun understood what his friend was talking about. When he had first met Lillie, the girl was much more reserved and shy than she was now.

At times, Sun felt like he was just looking at a reflection of who the girl really was. It was hard to explain and he didn't really understand it himself, but he knew that Lillie was strong and would work out her shortcomings, whatever she though they were.

"Alright. Well, I'm pretty proud to have you as my friend. And if you want to improve yourself, then go for it. I'll be cheering you on the whole way." Sun said with a grin as Lillie looked back at him, blushing despite herself.

"I don't understand. What does he see in me? How does he believe in me more than I ever have believed in myself? I don't...I don't deserve to be his friend. I don't deserve any of this…" Lillie thought as she looked away from Sun. Suddenly she felt arms around her stomach, making her squeak in surprise.

"Nope. If anyone's going to be gloomy around here, it's me. And you all have been trying to get me to stop doing that, so I'm not letting you be sad either." Sun said to Lillie, who relaxed after a moment and shut her eyes with a soft sigh. She truly did love getting hugs from Sun. There was just something special about being embraced by him that just made her heart flutter with joy and-

"Seriously?"

Hau's voice snapped Lillie out of her reverie and she scooted away from Sun, who was blushing much like she was. Hau was smiling at them, though he seemed to be forcing it slightly. Kaha barked out from atop the cheerful boy's head, happy as could be.

"Why is it every time you too are alone, you're hugging? Or cuddling. Or...actually, I'm gonna stop right there because I'll probably regret the tangent my mind will go on." Hau remarked as he dug his hand out of his pocket and flashed his newest Z-Crystal.

"Nice!" Sun said to his friend, grinning at him.

"Well done, Hau! I bet Kahuna Hala would be so proud of you if he was here right now!" Lillie praised Hau, who blushed bright pink and laughed as he stowed the precious gem in his pocket.

"Man, Kiawe and that Totem made me work for it. Kaha liked seeing his big brother and big sister battle, though. Little guy looked like he was ready to jump in!" Hau laughed as the Eevee on his head squirmed and cried out, happy as can be.

"Any idea when Kiawe will be ready for me?" Sun asked his friend, receiving a wide grin in response.

"Right now. Kiawe made me wait until he had everything set up again before heading back down. Go get 'em, Sunshine." Hau said to his friend, extending a hand to him. Sun clasped his friend's hand and was pulled to his feet.

"See you in a bit Lillie. Make sure Hau doesn't fall off the volcano while I'm gone, okay?" Sun said to the girl, who put a finger to her chin thoughtfully.

"Are you sure I can't push him off of it and make it seem like an accident?" Lillie asked Sun.

"Nah, it's not worth the paperwork."

"...You know, I'd respond to that, but I have a baby Eevee I can keep playing with. So I'm gonna do that."

"And I'll watch. You being a daddy to Kaha is so adorable. I've got to send some pictures of you playing with Kaha to Mallow and Lana. They'd love them." Lillie said with a small laugh as she looked over to Sun. "Good luck, and do your best!"

Sun nodded and turned around, facing the massive slope ahead, wondering just what was ahead. Hau had already bested the Trial, and now he was next. Could he overcome it like the others? Or would this one prove too much for him?

"Alright...Let's do this." Sun said as he adjusted his hat and walked up the slope, where Kiawe was waiting for him with a smirk on his face and fire in his eyes, ready to see the power and heart of this newest challenger for himself.


"Welcome back to Lavender Town, Mister Dawson. How was your flight back to Kanto?"

"Not bad. Kinda odd we're meeting here instead of the Celadon or Pallet Town bases, but...eh. So where's Borlath?"

"He's out at the moment. Miss Amber is waiting for you in the first floor conference room. She'll be your guide until Mister Borlath returns from his business in town." The woman at the front counter said to the Dashing Rogue of Hoenn, who was dressed in his finest red outfit and black cloak. The man flashed the woman a smile and walked ahead, showing his ID to the security guards in the lobby.

Getting to his destination was easy, though Dawson was unprepared for the beauty that awaited him in the conference room. Tall, gorgeous, and with way more weapons on her person than he could count.

Score.

"So, you're the famous Amber Fontaine." Dawson remarked as the woman looked over at him with a bored expression on her face. Clearly the Admin wasn't happy that her current task was guiding the new guy around.

"Charles Dawson, I presume?" Amber asked the man, who showed her his card.

"Yeah. And you're Amber Fontaine. I guess I made more of an impression on Cipher than I thought, if they're sending the Angel of Death to greet me after all this time away." Dawson said to Amber, receiving a dull look in response.

"First off. Don't bother with the cutsy shit. I am not interested. Now if you're done being stupid, I'll show you around. Borlath will be back soon and he's going to interview you himself, along with Greevil and a few others."

"Will you be there?" Dawson asked with a winning grin. Amber scoffed and walked away, her hand resting on the dagger at her belt.

"I'll take that as a yes." Dawson said as he jogged after the woman. The assassin and the rogue made their way through the facility, and all the while Dawson's mind was racing. He had been looking into the secretive crime syndicate known as Cipher for nearly a year now, and was astounded by the overwhelming amount of wealth, power, and technology they had. It was no small wonder how they had come to acquire such a feared name, nowadays. Dawson wondered how he had caught their eye all the way in Hoenn.

Perhaps it was because, despite his at times ridiculous demeanor, Dawson was a thinker at heart. He contemplated and schemed and just...thought. And he wanted to know more. His ever-growing curiosity was his best trait, in his own opinion, and maybe that was what led him to meeting Borlath and joining Cipher as their newest Admin.

"So, what all do you know about me?" Dawson asked Amber as they exited one of the many 'secret' rooms within the base they were in.

"You're the best bounty hunter in Hoenn and you're wanted in three regions. That said, you're really not that great of a Trainer in your own right. You've never even completed a Gym Leader circuit, but that hasn't stopped you from pulling off some things that give me reason to believe you're not a total fool." Amber replied smoothly as they walked down the hallway.

"Huh. Interesting. Well, I'm no fool. A bit of a dick, yes. But not a fool. Anyways, I've definitely heard a lot about you, Amber." Dawson replied as he adjusted his hat so it was slightly crooked.

"Likely all horrifying." Amber replied as Dawson smirked in response.

"To the weak-hearted, yes. To me, not so much. I'll admit, if I didn't know already that you could kill me right now, I'd blow out your brains and collect the fortune of a bounty on your head." Dawson admitted, with Amber rolling her eyes in response.

"Go ahead and try. I've got little to no humanity left and what little of it I do have is burned away with each passing day as more and more sin weighs down on me. Living nowadays is an absolutely misery to me." Amber replied with a note of bitterness in her voice, making Dawson raise an eyebrow.

"How so?"

Amber stopped and turned towards the bounty hunter, giving him a cold look. But he could see it in her eyes, and knew she was speaking the truth.

"No happiness. No joy. Nothing. The only thing that brings me any satisfaction is killing. Suffering. Bloodshed. And that's only because…" Amber grit her teeth and whirled around, stalking away. Dawson ran to catch up with her.

"One way or another, I'll keep fighting because it's all I can do now." Amber said quietly, her grip tightening on her blade. Dawson's mind raced with the implications of what she had said, and wondered what sort of hell had she been through to make her think like this. Or turn her into such a horrible person? Maybe she was born this way?

"Hmm...Mind if I ask you another question? Besides this, of course." Dawson said to Amber, who shrugged as she walked ahead of him.

"Why do you fight at all?" Dawson asked Amber, who cast a glance back at him. "So much bloodshed. So much suffering. You yourself have admitted that you're only killing what little humanity you have left in your heart, even if it's the only thing that brings you satisfaction. Why do you keep going?"

"Why…" Amber said quietly, looking away. The assassin offered the rogue a shrug, looking back at him. "Because of Borlath, honestly. I owe him a life debt. I promised that I would help his dreams become reality, no matter what. And so I fight. I kill. I sabotage. I'd burn down the world and kill the gods themselves if he asked me too."

"So he means a lot to you? Even when you're as broken as you claim to be?" Dawson asked Amber, receiving a nod in response. "That's nice. Horrifying in a way, but nice."

"Not really, but I don't think that'll change your mindset." Amber said, increasing the speed of her walking. Dawson had to put effort into keeping pace with the assassin now.

"You don't like talking about your past, do you?"

"Not really. I've already said far too much, and it doesn't concern you, anyway. You're here because you're competent, you can actually fight, and most importantly because Borlath sees potential in you." Amber replied curtly to Dawson, who simply raised an eyebrow.

"Odd that Borlath makes that decision, when it's Grand Master Greevil who's in charge. Borlath seems to be doing an awful lot of the big things around here too...He ruined Unova, orchestrated the downfall of Wes, and is spearheading the efforts of the Umbral Project. So where does Greevil fit in here?"

"He leads us."

"And...that's it?"

"Yes."

Dawson stopped where he stood, and it took several steps before Amber did the same, glancing behind her to see the cloaked man eyeing her with a guarded expression. For a cheerful rogue, he was certainly much more intelligent than he let on. Amber realized then and there exactly why Borlath had chosen Dawson like he had chosen her. Dawson's next remark confirmed her suspicions.

"So that leaves me with one question...Who's really running the show, here?" Dawson asked Amber, who simply smiled at the man before a blur of silver was sent hurling his way. Dawson reacted just as quickly, ripping his pistol free from his jacket and blasting the throwing knife out of the air. Amber lowered her hand, though her other was holding a silver pistol aimed at Dawson's heart. Both of them could hear the sound of pounding footsteps, racing to their location, but the two ignored them.

"Good reaction time. A lesser man wouldn't have been able to counter that." Amber said to Dawson, who just scowled at her.

"So, that's how it is. A power struggle…a clash of ideals?" Dawson whispered, his eyes widening in realization. The man then smirked and stowed his weapon, with Amber doing the same a moment later. The Dashing Rogue put a hand on his hip and said, "Well played, Miss Fontaine. If this is what I've signed up for, then let's have at it. One way or another, we'll change this world with shadows and blood."

Amber offered a sharp grin that held no mirth, only an eagerness of what was to come. "Naturally. And it seems that we've got company."

"So...You two met." Dawson whirled around and saw a large, powerfully built man with mismatched eyes (red and blue respectively). His long black hair was tied in a ponytail, and he was watching them with a sense of faint amusement.

"Yep. Looks like this whole show is something I'm definitely interested in being a part of. I'll admit to being confused on some things, but I'll figure it out. I always do." Dawson replied with a cheery grin, receiving a small smile from Borlath.

"And that's why I recruited you. I imagine if I sent you and Amber out on a mission together, the two of you would be quite the force to be reckoned with. But that's quite some time away from now, and we have other matters to deal with. Grand Master Greevil has requested that we meet with him and the others to discuss your place within our group. He's running a little late, so we'll have to wait a bit when we get upstairs." Borlath said to Dawson and Amber.

"For a Grand Master, he doesn't seem to be on top of the ball." Dawson remarked, earning a frown from Borlath.

"He does his best, given his circumstances. Just remember that he's the one in charge, and that you're not to talk to him as casually as you normally do with people. Greevil's temper is something to be feared." Borlath said to Dawson, receiving a casual shrug in response.

"I mean, I'm kind of a dick regardless. But whatever. I'll work with it." Dawson replied to the Senior Admin, who gave stared at him before remembering that there was a squad of grunts aiming weapons at Dawson and Amber.

"Stand down. Return to your posts." The grunts scattered at the Senior Admin's orders, leaving the three of them standing there in the hallway.

Dawson grinned at Borlath and said, "So, Borlath. Amber here told me her reason for this mess...How about you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Why join Cipher? You weren't one of the ones who was here in the beginning, like Venus or Dakim. You joined Cipher later. So why do it? You know why I joined. But I never got around to asking you the same question, Borlath. Why do you fight?" Dawson said cheerily, grinning at the man in the white suit that had commanded so much respect. Even the respect of a monster like Amber.

The tall man leveled his gaze as Dawson, who regarded the Dashing Rogue that was staring back at him with no fear, only eagerness. Borlath shut his eyes for a moment, sighing deeply. When he opened his eyes, one of them was green while the other was blue, but both were filled weariness, but also a glimmer of determination that was stronger than any Dawson had seen in his entire life. "To change the world and become the darkness...That is why I fight. Now the both of you, follow me. After Dawson's interview, we have work to do."

"What happened?" Amber asked Borlath, who scowled in response.

"We've received confirmation that the Kanto Champion, Lance, has taken out one of our outposts. Greevil plans on giving him a taste of his own medicine, and has ordered me to ensure that Lance regrets his act of aggression." Borlath said before he walked past them, with Amber following behind the Senior Admin. Dawson stood there for a moment, smiling to himself as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Change the world? Become the darkness? My, my...What have I gotten myself into?" Dawson murmured as he began to walk down the hallway after the two other Admins, wondering just where Cipher's destructive path of carnage would lead him.