Pokémon Radiant Sun
Howdy folks.
So this week has been very, very busy for me. Needless to say it was hard to get this chapter done thanks to my lack of free time, but I managed.
I even managed to finish my Alpha Sapphire Nuzlocke somehow, though that was mainly due to my internet being down, which means I can't get anything productive done.
My Final AS Nuzlocke Team:
Gretel the Gyarados
Hansel the Dusclops
Xi the Magnezone
Elise the Vileplume
Zap the Manetric
Olivia the Flygon
It was the first time I managed to keep an entire team through the Elite Four and the Champion. Highlights of the run included losing my Blaziken to Archie due to his Corbat's Acrobatics OHKOing him, and catching a Shiny Sableye on Victory Road while grinding for the Elite Four.
My next Nuzlocke will likely be on Pokémon Moon, but it won't be for a while due to me being so damn busy, and because I have a massive catalog of games I need to get through beforehand. I'll probably announce that at some point when I don't have anything for my author's notes.
Anyways, rambling. Back to the reason you're here!
So this past update allowed this story to break 200 favorites, which is absolutely bananas. It's awesome that so many people have favorited and followed this story, and I thank you all for your support. It never stops being incredible to me, so again...just thank you.
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Madame Rodoshe, a new guest reviewer known as Okamiden14, GeekyGamer314, Sai Og Sus, Cottonmouth25, Angelfir3, MoonlightButterfree, BraviaryScout, Gokan123, and SonicIKE. Thanks for the feedback, questions, and support!
Also, a quick note. As mentioned a few chapters ago, Lillie's birthday is coming up in the story. Of course, I'm going to have a chapter dedicated to that because seriously...Why would I not? The reason I'm bringing this up because I want you all to have a part in the chapter. It'll be interactive, in a way, and I have high hopes for it. I'll explain more next chapter, but I'm gonna say this is all going to be quite fun.
Enjoy!
Chapter 57: Grass Trial! Welcome to the Jungle!
"Vitals are falling. Intriguing, but also alarming. Faba, what do you make of this?"
"I believe the Z-Power is finally breaking it. I give it another week before it succumbs." Faba responded as he considered the data before him, glancing over at the massive spider that was slumped in a containment pod, for its safety more than their own. Faba's Hypno and Colress' Klinklang were present, just in case something happened while dealing with the rogue Totem Pokémon from Brooklet Hill.
Ever since Colress had departed his little lab and said farewell to Sun and his friends, he had been hard at work with Faba trying to unravel the secrets of Z-Power and other things. Their newest lead came in the form of a Totem Pokémon that had attacked a friend of Sun's. The beast had to be subdued and re-captured by Captain Lana before being turned in to the Kahuna. Olivia had entrusted the Totem Pokémon to Colress when the man had told her his plans to spy on the Aether Foundation and purify Shadow Celebi.
He had also briefed all three Kahuna's about the dangers of Cipher, and was pleased to see they were quick to react. The Kahuna's had their own Pokémon scouting the islands for danger, with the Trial Captains and the local authorities also on high alert. Already there were reports of Captain Acerola battling against Cipher Grunts on Ula'Ula island to protect the Ghost Trial site, having managed to defeat them but being injured in the process.
"We have to work quickly." Colress thought as he observed the Totem Araquanid slowly opened an eye, which had several jet-black veins within it. "How could Z-Power corrupt it like this? I wish I could devote more time to this mystery, but this is a mere break from our ceaseless efforts on Shadow Celebi."
"Doctor Colress, we should get back to work. President Lusamine will be stopping by shortly and I'd rather have something to report to her, rather than tell her how we've yet to discern anything new." Faba said to Colress, receiving a small shrug from the other man.
The two men left Totem Araquanid and walked over to the small imp-like Pokémon lying in a small pool of water, unconscious. Shadow Celebi twitched slightly as its eyes opened for the first time since its battle in Heahea City, and found that it was staring at a very familiar face.
"Colress…" Celebi hissed weakly, extending a tendril of barely connected thought to the scientist. Colress questioned the wisdom in allowing the contact, but then realized he didn't give a damn and knew that if he wanted to, he could kill Celebi should it try to harm him.
"Yes, I am Colress. And you've been a massive pain in my side for a long time. However, this is the part where I'm going to say that soon enough, your pain will end and everything will be well. So rest, Celebi. Me and Faba will take care of everything." Colress said with a small smile, a hint of smugness in it. He had run into Shadow Celebi more than once in Unova, and remembered that those encounters had not ended well for him. To see Shadow Celebi in such a weak state and totally at his mercy was...admittedly satisfying for the scientist.
"We should put it back to sleep for now." Faba advised Colress, who nodded and pressed a few buttons on a nearby console. Fluid flowed through an IV attached to Shadow Celebi, who's eyes began to droop.
"I'll kill you someday." Shadow Celebi hissed as it fell asleep once again. Colress smirked as he knelt down, placing a hand on the creature's head.
"We will save you. And from there, our true work begins. But until then, sleep...you little bitch." Colress said happily as he stepped away from Celebi.
"Was that last bit necessary?" Faba asked, raising an eyebrow at the bit of vulgar language.
"No, not at all. But it definitely made me feel better! I hate being thrown out windows." Colress said to the other scientist, whose eyes widened.
"I expect to hear that story in full later." Faba said to Colress, who just shrugged.
"Perhaps. We should return to work though. I'd like to have a replica Purify Chamber built sooner rather than later." Colress said to Faba, receiving a nod in reply.
"You seem confident."
Colress and Faba turned around to see Lusamine walking towards them, flanked by Miss Wicke. Faba bowed to Lusamine while Colress looked the woman in the eye, trying to see something that wasn't there.
"I guess that goes to show I'm not the only one skilled at keeping up a facade." Colress thought with an inward smile as Lusamine addressed him.
"Any progress?" Lusamine asked the two men, receiving a shrug from Faba.
"We've had more luck with the Totem Pokémon than we have with Celebi, but that's only because there's less of a story to tell with it than the Legendary." Faba explained to Lusamine, who frowned.
"Can we save it?" Lusamine asked quietly, slowly stepping towards Totem Araquanid.
"I'm afraid not, ma'am. It'll be dead within the week. It's Z-Power has yet to fade, becoming something else entirely. I'm sure a much stronger Pokémon could withstand the non-stop Z-power, but a simple Araquanid couldn't hope to survive this." Faba noted dryly, causing Wicke to sigh sadly at the news. Lusamine, however, seemed thoughtful.
"Maybe not a regular Pokémon...But perhaps something else could." Lusamine remarked, a small smile on her face.
"An Ultra Beast, perhaps, would be more used to the energies of the Ultra Space." Colress replied as he crossed his arms, tapping away his thoughts on his data-pad. "Faba even believes that it could call upon Z-Power at will, like the Totem Pokémon have learned too. But with a greater strength and with no drawbacks. But that's just speculation."
"By all means, I'd love to hear your theories." Lusamine remarked, giving both men a wide smile.
"As important as our work with the Ultra Space is, understanding the properties of Z-Power is just as crucial. After all, can we harness it ourselves? Promote the lives of Pokémon with it? It's definitely interesting." Miss Wicke remarked, earning a grin from Lusamine.
"I'd like to see a day we could harness Z-Power. Perhaps if we achieve our goals and uncover the secrets of the Ultra Wormholes, we can find out from the Ultra Beasts themselves!" Lusamine said as she turned to Colress, excitement gleaming in her eyes...along with something else that Colress couldn't identify.
"Perhaps, President Lusamine. My TACV's have allowed me to bridge the communication gap between humans and Pokémon. However, I don't believe it'll work with an Ultra Beast. After all, the Foundation has never managed to recover one and it's likely the devices won't work on something so foreign and unusual, much less a Pokémon from another dimension." Colress reminded Lusamine, who's smile faltered.
"We'll see about that. I will find one, someday, Doctor Colress. And when I do, I believe it will be the beginning of something wonderful for both Ultra Beasts and us humans. After all...A Pokémon from another world? Isn't it an amazing thought?" Lusamine said softly, a note of wonder in her voice.
"It is. But that being said, we have to focus on the present and what we have here. Totem Araquanid must be studied while its still alive so that we can understand Z-Power and the energies from the Trial Sites better. This'll prevent another incident. And there are many people who are counting on us to heal Shadow Celebi so that it can help us against Cipher." Colress reminded Lusamine, who's expression darkened for a moment before she sighed deeply, calming herself.
"Right. Sorry. Sometimes I get a bit too into my work with the Ultra Beasts. Thank you for reminding me of the present, Doctor Colress. Is there anything else I can do to help you two?" Lusamine asked Faba and Colress.
"Not yet. I'll keep you informed, ma'am." Faba replied with a smile to the President, who crossed her arms, as if a thought had just occurred to her. She slowly walked over to Shadow Celebi, taking in the creature's meager form.
"I'll save you...Somehow, I will." Lusamine whispered, her voice full of emotion. Faba and Colress exchanged a brief glance, and Miss Wicke stepped forward, hoping to snap the President out of her thoughts.
"Ma'am, your conference call?" Wicke spoke up, making Lusamine snap her fingers.
"Ah, yes. I nearly forgot. Thank you, Miss Wicke. Keep up the hard work, gentlemen. I'll be by again in a few hours. I have business to take care of." Lusamine said to the two men, turning on her heel and walking off. Colress looked at Miss Wicke, who had glanced at him. Miss Wicke sighed and shook her head before following the President, leaving Colress with his thoughts.
Sun walked through the jungle path for about five minutes before he came across Mallow, who was standing next to a sign wearing a wide grin.
"Thanks for stopping by!" Mallow said cheerily, stepping forward and giving Sun a hug, which the boy returned with a slight blush on his face. The two friends broke apart and Mallow gestured to the area around them, her smile not fading.
"Welcome to Lush Jungle, the Trial grounds for me, Mallow!" Lana said as she threw apart her arms, beaming at Sun.
"So, is your hair natural or what?" Sun asked Mallow, who's smile faltered as confusion appeared instead.
"Huh?"
"Well...Lana, Kiawe and you all seem to have color-coordinated hair corresponding to the type of Trial you have and the kind of Pokémon you use. I was just wondering if that was intentional or not." Sun asked the girl, who just gave him a thousand-yard stare.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Mallow said after a few moments, a smirk on her face.
"Very much so."
"Well too bad! Anyways, let's get back to why we're here."
"Fine. I'll found out someday."
"Not a chance. You know, I knew it the first time I saw you and your team…" Mallow said, her smile widening. "You've chosen only the finest ingredients! That's why I'm gonna make you me-er, no! I mean, um...That's why you should try my Trial!"
"Mallow, if you wanted to do a cookout or something, all you had to do was ask." Sun said in a dull tone, though he smiled a moment later. Mallow grinned, clapping happily at the remark.
"Yes! We're gonna have so much fun! We can include Lillie and Hau and everyone else and it'll be such a blast!" Mallow said excitedly before the girl remembered who she was and what was going on. Mallow stood up straight and her expression became more serious, though she still wore a smile.
"You are the one who got a Sparkling Stone straight from Tapu Koko, aren't you? You're so totally ready for this!" Mallow cheered as she looked behind her, taking in the jungle and allowing a silence to fall between them. The wind rustled the trees and the cries of Pokémon echoed throughout the jungle. Sun wondered where the Totem was.
"Ah, the breath of the jungle…" Mallow whispered, shutting her eyes. "I can tell just what today's special should be..."
Mallow opened her eyes, wearing a Sharpedo's grin. "Yup! It's gotta be! My personal specialty: The Mallow Special."
"Zzzt. Soundz kinda dirty."
"No one asked you, Rotom."
"I know. But the joke had to be made regardlezz!"
Mallow was of course laughing during this short exchange, and hopped forward to pat Rotom Dex on the head. The girl jumped back to her spot, giggling still. "I'm gonna need you to, heh, find four ingredients for me!"
"Sure thing. What all do you need?" Sun asked his friend.
"I'll need a Mago Berry, a Tiny Mushroom, a Revival Herb, and a Miracle Seed!" Mallow said, reaching into her backpack and pulling out a small satchel of sorts. She then handed it to Sun, who took it in his hands with a curious look on his face. "Here you go! I brought you a Forage Bag to hold all the ingredients gathered for your Trial."
"Awesome. But why do I need this when I can just use my own bag?" Sun asked Mallow, who just laughed in response.
"Because if you put the Trial ingredients in your bag, they'd get mixed up with your stuff, right?" MalLow replied, though she seemed to remember something and added as an afterthought. "When you're hunting for ingredients, you're gonna want to rely on Stoutland's help. It'll help you find things that you don't see, after all. There's a few Ride Stoutland hanging out in the Lush Jungle, so it'll be easy to get one of them to assist you. You remember how to ride them, right? I gave you the Stoutland Search back at the farm."
"Yeah, I've used it a few times." Sun replied, smiling at the girl. He was getting excited now.
"OK, so one more time! There are four things you need to get for me to clear your Trial! A Mago Berry, a Tiny Mushroom, a Revival Herb, and a Miracle Seed. You got that?" Mallow asked Sun.
"Yep. Not too hard to remember. Thanks Mallow." Sun said to the girl, who grinned and leaned forward, giving Sun a small pat on the head.
"OK, then here in Lush Jungle...It's time for Mallow's Trial to begin!" Mallow declared as Rotom began playing the intense guitar music that usually accompanied these Trials. Mallow started bobbing her head to the music as Sun made his way down the path. The boy changed into his Ride Gear behind a tree as soon as Mallow was out of sight, since he knew he'd need to use Stoutland to help him with the Trial.
To Sun's surprise, he felt as ease in Lush Jungle. Yes, the heat was oppressive and the Pokémon watched him intently from the trees, but he enjoyed the atmosphere of the place. In the distance, Sun heard an odd trilling sound from within the trees and wondered if that was the Totem Pokémon he was sensing.
Sun spotted a small copse of large and small mushrooms growing in a small side path to the right, and grinned as he jogged over to them, stopping as he looked around.
"I needed a Tiny Mushroom…" Sun muttered as he reached down and plucked a mushroom from the dirt. He stowed it in his Forage Bag, smiling. That smile faded when Sun heard a hiss from one of the Big Mushrooms, which rose and whirled around, swiping at Sun with its pincers. Sun jumped back with a yelp as Rotom Dex floated about him.
"That's a Parasect, right?" Sun asked Rotom Dex as he called out Brago. The Growlithe hit the ground with a growl, making the weird Pokémon back away slightly as Intimidate struck it.
"Zzzt! Lemme check my data…Boop! Got it!" Rotom yelled out, moving closer to Sun.
"Parasect. The Mushroom Pokémon and the evolved form of Paras. The large mushroom on its back controls it. It often fights over territory with Shiinotic. It scatters toxic spores from its mushroom cap. Once harvested, these spores can be steeped and boiled down to prepare herbal medicines." Rotom Dex explained to Sun as it floated beside him, making the boy shiver at the description.
"That's freaky. Brago, use Fire Fang!" Sun called out to the dog. Brago nodded and lunged forward, his mouth filled with raging flames as he sank his teeth into Parasect's back, making the bug hiss in pain and stumble backwards, falling to the ground with a groan.
"Wow...That was really easy." Sun remarked as he pet the Growlithe's back. The canine grinned at his fallen opponent, sitting down.
"It's good to know all my hard work paid off. Now I don't have to rely on Oliver or Penny to help me win." Brago replied, baring his teeth at the Parasect as it shakily wandered off.
"Oh wow, that was quick!"
Sun whirled around in surprise and saw a grinning Captain looking at him. Mallow waved at Sun, who waved back at her. Mallow put her hands on her hips and said, "Hey, it's me Mallow."
"I'm aware who you are. You're the perky girl who enjoys cooking and teasing Lillie."
"Yeah...She makes it so much fun. Love the girl to death, though. Anyways!" Mallow said, shaking her head and getting back to her point. "You found a Tiny Mushroom. Which is great!"
"Yeah. Not that exciting though." Sun admitted, shrugging his shoulders.
"You know...There's a secret to why they're so popular with some people. You'll have to try one to find out what it is!" Mallow said teasingly, and Sun shook his head in response.
"I'm not really a mushroom guy. Pass."
"Booo! You can't expand your palate if you don't try new things!" Mallow pouted as she crossed her arms, though she was still grinning.
"I have tried them. They're gross. My Mom hates them especially." Sun admitted, earning a small sigh from Mallow.
"I guess that's alright then. Anyways! There's still three ingredients left to get! We still need a big helping!" Mallow said to Sun before she skipped off, leaving a bewildered Sun and Brago behind.
"Alpha, I have a question." Brago stated, and Sun looked down at the dog beside him with a curious expression.
"What's up?" Sun asked.
"Can I be used for the entirety of the Trial? Penny and Oliver have been able to experience these in depth while I have not. Now that I'm stronger, I want to fight as much as I can for you here. Is that alright?" Brago asked slowly, unsure if this was appropriate of him to ask. He was surprised when Sun knelt down to him, giving him a grin.
"Absolutely. Me and you are gonna beat this Trial together. This time, we can do the Trial with just the two of us. At least until we fight the Totem." Sun said to Brago, who nodded happily. Sun called upon a Ride Stoutland and the two of them began to ride through the jungle atop the massive dog, taking a northern path through the forest.
"Looks like the path keeps going this way." Sun said to Brago as he urged Stoutland forward. Brago leapt down and bounded alongside the massive hound, his eyes darting all around for any hidden threats.
"Wait stop!" Sun called out to Brago, who stopped in his tracks, growling softly.
"What's wrong?" Brago asked, crouching low. The dog heard a distinct snapping sound and slowly turned to see Sun taking a picture of something he couldn't see from atop Stoutland, grinning.
"I really need to use this more. Rotom, what was that anyway?" Sun asked the device. Rotom giggled as it flew ahead of Sun, floating above Stoutland.
"Comfey. The Posi Picker Pokémon. It attaches flowers to its highly nutritious vine. This revitalizes the flowers, and they give off an aromatic scent. Baths prepared with the flowers from its vine have a relaxing effect, so this Pokémon is a hit with many people." Rotom explained to Sun, who nodded.
"That's cool. We should get back to the Trial, though. Right Brago?" Sun said as he turned to see the dog giving him a deadpan expression. Sun laughed nervously, realizing that he was throwing them off track here.
"Sorry Brago. I'll pay attention now. Let's go." Sun said to the other dog, who just shook his head and continued forward, with Sun and Stoutland following him. However as they passed a large tree covered in vines, it began rustling and creaking, showing that something was within it. As Sun looked up at the tree, a small green and pink blur suddenly rushed from the tree and lunged at Sun, knocking him off of Stoutland and earning a snarl from Brago as the Growlithe leapt forward, slamming into the small assailant and sending it tumbling away.
"Alpha, are you alright?" Brago asked, shooting an Ember at the small creature ahead of them. Sun staggered to his feet, clutching his aching head.
"Y-yeah. Rotom, what is that thing?" Sun asked the device, who beeped happily as it scanned it.
"Fomantis. The Sickle Grass Pokémon. During the day, it sleeps and soaks up light. When night falls, it walks around looking for a safer place to sleep. They give off a sweet and refreshing scent. Cutiefly often gather near the tall grass where Fomantis are hiding." Rotom explained as the small creature hissed at them.
"Brago. Make that thing hurt more than it hurt me." Sun said with a wince, standing behind the canine as he crouched low.
"With pleasure!" Brago growled and leapt forward, using Fire Fang. The canine caught the screaming Fomantis in his teeth and scorched the Pokémon as it tumbled to the ground. To Sun and Brago's surprise, the Fomantis rose to its feet and unleashed a whirlwind of leaves that slashed at Brago, making the canine snarl in annoyance.
"Use Bite and send it sky-high!" Sun commanded Brago, who rushed at the Sickle Grass Pokémon and chomped down on the Grass-type, throwing it into the air where it screamed shrilly before landing in the trees far away.
"That was annoying." Brago growl, spitting out a burst of flames from his mouth.
"Yeah. Man, my head hurts." Sun muttered, rubbing his aching head. With that, the group made their way further into Lush Jungle. Stoutland let out a bark a short time later, and dug into the ground at Sun's command, unearthing a berry. Sun leapt off of Stoutland and picked up the berry, patting the large dog on the head.
"There we go!" Mallow suddenly dropped down from a tree, because that makes sense. "Congrats on finding that Mago Berry!"
"Thanks. Now, why were you in that tree?"
"Oh you know. Anyways, the bigger and more twisted a Mago Berry, the sweeter it will taste!" Mallow said, brushing aside Sun's questions.
"You're weird." Brago stated, earning a happy pat on the head from Mallow. "Still two more ingredients left to get! Just a little more left to find!"
"Got it. Come on, Brago." Sun said to the Growlithe, hopping back on Stoutland. Brago followed, as did Mallow surprisingly.
"Come on, scoot up!" Mallow said to a shocked Sun, who just shrugged and let Brago sit in his lap while Mallow sat behind him, strapping on a helmet that she produced from seemingly nowhere.
"So, what, you're going to be following us through the Trial?" Sun asked Mallow, who grinned at him.
"Absolutely. Do you know how boring this Trial can get? Some people take hours to get through Lush Jungle and get the items. I kinda just tag along sometimes and annoy people as they go. It's fun!" Mallow chirped as Stoutland made its way down the path at a much slower pace, with three riders now.
"Well, if the Trial is just a scavenger hunt through the forest, I don't know what you were expecting. I mean, Kiawe had the dance thing which was really weird, but interesting. Lana had the fishing thing, which was actually really neat. A scavenger hunt through the forest might take a while, so I'm not surprised you get bored. Maybe you should switch it up a bit?" Sun suggested, earning a shrug from the Captain.
"Maybe. But this works for me and it's not too crazy. After what happened with Lana, a lot of us are wary of changing things. It upsets the locals who are sticklers for tradition too." Mallow explained as Sun returned to the original path he had been on, deciding to go to the east. Eventually the trio came across an area covered in massive rocks, baring their progress.
"These weren't here before. Weird." Mallow said with a tilt of the head. Sun hopped off of Stoutland and Brago followed. The boy checked the forest on his Ride Pager and found that there we two Ride Tauros within the area, so the Kanto-native called upon the Wild Bull Pokémon. Sun hopped on Tauros as soon as it arrived within the Jungle and made quick work of the rocks, smashing through them all with a grin on his face.
Sun thanked Tauros for its help and sent the bull on its way with a Poké Bean. Brago walked over to Sun as the boy noticed something within the rubble of the rocks. It turned out to be Stardust, which Sun pocketed. He also found X Attack nearby as well. The trio hopped back onto Stoutland and began searching the area, and soon enough Stoutland found a small seed buried within the ground underneath where the southernmost rocks were. Stoutland dug out the send and picked it up with his mouth. Sun grabbed it and showed it to Mallow, earning a grin from the girl.
"Yup! That's a great Miracle Seed! Did you know that Miracle Seeds are bursting with nutrition? They're a really miraculous gift from the jungle." Mallow said as Sun put away the seed in his Forage Bag. "Just one ingredient left, Sun! Let's get back there and find it!"
Sun and co. made their way down the path and returned to the entrance of the Lush jungle, finding a Big Root as he led Stoutland through Lush jungle. After about thirty minutes of searching, Sun found a northern path he hadn't taken yet and ventured down it, with Mallow keeping up a chatter the entire time.
The area Sun found himself in was filled with tall grass, and Mallow laughed as Sun cast his gaze around the area.
"You've gotta find the Revival Herb and we're all done. Get to it!" Mallow said as she hopped off of Stoutland and put her hands on her hips, grinning at him. Sun nodded and stomped off with Stoutland into the grass, with the massive dog sniffing the ground for the final item they required.
Eventually, Stoutland barked out at the ground. Brago translated the speech by saying, "Stoutland has found something buried here, but isn't sure if its the item we need."
"Then let's pull it out and see." Sun said as he hopped off of the Stoutland, with Brago following. Sun knelt down to the grass and saw nothing special about it. He pulled it out anyway and stared at it.
"Rotom? What's the verdict?"
"Zzzt. Just grazz, Sun."
"Grass or grazz?"
"Hey! I can't help my speech impediment! It'zz not nice to tease someone about that!"
"Sorry Rotom. Couldn't resist."
"Apology accepted. Oh, by the way, another Fomantis izz about to attack you." Rotom Dex said to Sun, who whirled around in time to see a small Pokémon lunge at him. Luckily, Brago leapt in front of Sun and slammed into the creature, knocking it to the ground.
"You stay away from him!" Brago snarled as the Fomantis rose to its feet, hissing angrily.
"Brago, Flame Charge!" Sun called to the loyal canine. Brago felt flames engulf him, much like they did with Flame Wheel. However, unlike that attack, these flames were much less intense and seemed to help him move quicker, seeing as how he was able to easily cross the distance to Fomantis and slammed into it, sending the Sickle Grass Pokémon into a tree and knock it out cold.
"That's how we do it!" Sun cheered as Brago turned back to him with a grin. With that, they hopped back on Stoutland and continued their search through the area, stopping at a large rock covered in moss. Brago leapt down from the back of Stoutland and sniffed the base of the rock before he looked up and cocked his head.
"Strange." Brago stated, sitting down on the ground.
Sun looked down at the dog and asked, "What's wrong? It's just a rock."
"No. I can feel power coming from this rock. It's confusing." Brago stated, turning his head the other direction. Sun smiled at the admittedly adorable sight, as did Mallow as she sauntered over to them.
"You both found the Moss Rock, huh?" Mallow asked, putting her hands behind her back.
"Brago said he can feel power coming from this thing. What's up with that?" Sun asked the Captain, who grinned at him.
"Oh yeah, the Moss Rock is special. You can find them in just about every region, but they're rare. They hold a special sort of power within them, and as a result allow Eevee to evolve into Leafeon when they're near it." Mallow explained to Sun as boy's expression turned thoughtful.
"Isn't there an ice equivalent to this as well?" Sun asked the Captain, receiving a nod in response.
"Yup! There's an Ice Rock that can evolve Eevee into Glaceon! Not quite as good as Leafeon in my opinion, but still awesome! I think there's an Ice Rock at Mt. Lanakila." Mallow explained to Sun as the boy reached forward and placed a hand on the rock.
"Weird...the rock feels soft." Sun murmured as he removed his hand. The boy shook his head, smiling now. "We keep getting distracted. Come on, Brago. Let's find that Revival Herb."
Brago nodded and followed Sun as he hopped back onto Stoutland and continued his search while Mallow just smiled and observed. She usually didn't have such a hand in the Trials, but Sun had proved he was a friend worth keeping due to his closeness with Lillie and how he and Hau helped Lana in her time of need. Plus he was fun and nice, which was definitely a plus.
Speaking of, she was wondering if Lana would be bringing her boy-toy to their picnic later. Lana would deny it, of course, but she saw how hard she was crushing on the cheerful grandson of Kahuna Hala.
She wondered what Sun's thoughts on this were.
"Hey Sun!"
"Yeah?"
"What do you think of Lana and Hau?"
"How do you mean?"
"Just answer the question!"
"I don't know. Lana's really nice and Hau gets along really well with her. I asked her to talk with him the other day because of how close they've gotten lately. Hau told me it helped and that they're traveling together for a bit." Sun replied to Mallow, who's smile widened.
"I know! I saw them walking off together after Hau beat the Totem. My plan of hooking up Lana with a cute boy is coming to fruition!"
"Zzzt! Kinda surprised you know how to use that word, Captain Mallow."
"Man, you are some kind of snarky, aren't ya?" Mallow asked the floating Rotom Dex, who just giggled as it landed on Sun's helmet.
"You get used to it." Sun said dryly, crossing his arms with a smile. "But yeah, I'm happy to see the two of them hanging out more. I don't know if it'll lead to something more, but if it does then I want no part in it. If something happens, then it should be on them. Not because I helped make it happen."
"Oh? Then why'd you tell Lana to check on Hau?" Mallow asked.
"Because Lillie's in danger, Demi's mad at him, and I didn't think he'd listen to me. Hau became really good friends with Lana, and I figured that she could help him. And it worked." Sun replied to Mallow as he urged Stoutland forward. "I'm not going to say I'm an expert at this kind of thing. Kind of the opposite, since it took me so long to figure out this stuff about Lillie."
"Lillie stuff?" Mallow said with a grin, skipping forward to look at Sun. The boy was blushing slightly, but his expression was serious.
"Yes, Lillie stuff. If you want the best for Lana, you should let it happen naturally. I don't know if they're the best for each other because I don't know that much about liking people. Or crushes. Or even love. I don't know, Mallow, but I do know that pushing an issue usually ends badly. So I'd stop it if you really wanted Lana to find love." Sun said to Mallow, looking over at her. The Captain stopped in her tracks, thinking about Sun's words as the boy and two dogs searched for the Revival Herb.
"You are wise for your age, Sun." Brago commented as he hopped into the grass. Stoutland found another patch of grass, which Sun hopped down to pull up.
"More grazz? That won't do!" Rotom yelled out, eyeing the grass with distaste.
"Yeah, mainly because its grass. Not grazz."
"Sun, don't make me zap you."
"Watch out!" Brago barked as he jumped in front of Sun, taking a blast of leaves to the face that would have hit Sun if the canine hadn't stepped in. A wild Fomantis leapt from the grass, hissing at them.
"Brago, use Flame Charge!" Sun commanded the canine. Brago summoned forth flames around him and rushed forward, slamming into Fomantis and sending it reeling back. The Sickle Grass Pokémon unleashed a whirlwind of leaves at Brago, but with a well-timed call from Sun, the dog managed to dodge the attack and knocked out Fomantis with a Bite attack.
Mallow stepped forward and rejoined Sun, her expression thoughtful as she said, "Still haven't found it?"
"No. You're sure there's still some Revival Herb around here, Mallow?" Sun asked the Captain.
"Absolutely. I've got a hidden stock of them in the Jungle and I plant some here every weekend. Just keep looking!" Mallow urged Sun, who sighed and hopped back onto Stoutland. Brago bared his teeth and charged into the grass.
"Brago? Where are you going?" Sun asked the canine.
"I will not be defeated by grass! Now come, Alpha!" came the dog's shout from the grass. Sun just shrugged and made Stoutland follow the Growlithe, who was sending a small horde of Fomantis away with several bursts of Ember.
"Sounds like Brago's getting cranky." Mallow noted, though Sun shook his head.
"Not really. He's super proud, though. I think he's just frustrated that we're having so much trouble finding something here when the other parts of the Trial were easy." Sun said to the Captain before Sun entered a small clearing, where Brago was sniffing the grass.
"This area is different." Brago noted, looking over at Sun with his tail wagging. Mallow bounded forward and pet Brago on the head, giggling.
"It's so funny to see such an adorable puppy be so serious! By the way, why can he talk?" Mallow asked Sun, who blinked several times before face-palming.
"How did you just now notice that I was speaking in your language?" Brago asked, his voice filled with amazement. Mallow stuck her tongue out at the dog, which he didn't appreciate. This was why he spat a burst of fire in her direction and set her pants on fire, making the girl yelp and run off, patting her butt to put the fire out.
"Brago, when we run into her again you're apologizing." Sun said to the canine, who just grinned at him.
"It was worth it. Hmm. I wonder if this is what it's like to be Oliver?" Brago mused as Sun hopped down from Stoutland and picked the grass, noticing it was different from the grass he had been picking for the past half-hour or so. Sun suddenly whirled around and yelled, "Flame Charge!"
Brago mimicked his Trainer, calling forth fire and slamming into the Fomantis that had been charging at them from behind with anger in its eyes. The surprised Grass-type was knocked out cold by the Flame Charge, landing on the ground in a crumpled heap.
"Good. You're learning, Alpha." Brago noted, smiling as he sat on the ground. Sun nodded as he put the Revival Herb into the Forage Bag. Sun looked up and saw Mallow walk back into the clearing, wearing a plain pink T-shirt and faded blue jeans, looking annoyed.
"That was my favorite outfit!" Mallow whined as she stormed towards Sun and Brago, where the canine sighed and looked down.
"I'm sorry for burning you. It was out of line." Brago said to Mallow, who shut her eyes for a few moments before grinning at Brago, kneeling down and hugging the dog.
"Awww...it's okay little puppy! Just be careful from now on, okay?" Mallow said to dog as she hopped to her feet, earning a nod from the canine. Mallow turned to Sun and said, "And it looks like you found some fine Revival Herb! You know, even though it's got a really bitter taste that is pretty shocking to Pokémon, I think that adds a lot of depth to the flavor."
"So is this it?" Sun asked Mallow, who nodded.
"Yep. Looks like you've got everything!" Mallow said happily, putting her hands on her hips. "Looks like we can finally start cooking, so come on back to the entrance of the jungle!"
Mallow ran off into the trees, leaving a bemused Sun and Brago behind. The boy sent away Stoutland with a Poké Bean and a thank you.
However, before Sun returned to the entrance, he and Brago investigated a nearby tunnel. This tunnel lead to a hidden area that allowed Sun to find TM86, which was for the move Grass Knot. Sun healed Brago and made his way to the entrance of Lush Jungle, which took a while. He also stopped to change out of his Ride Gear and back into his regular clothes, returned Brago, and met up with Mallow who greeted him with a smile.
"Hey Sun! Now that we've got all of the ingredients, we just need…" Mallow trailed off, her smile widening as she looked past Sun. The boy turned around and saw Kiawe and Lana walking towards them.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I had to stay a bit later than I would've liked for work today." Kiawe said with a small sigh as he stopped next to Sun.
"That's fine, Kiawe. I know you're swamped." Mallow said with an understanding smile to her friend. She turned around to get hugged by her best friend, Lana. Mallow returned the hug happily before the two separated.
"How are you, Mallow?" Lana asked the Grass Captain.
"Pretty good. Thanks for bringing me more supplies for the Trial. I was really running low, since I had some guy have to redo the Trial twice this week." Mallow said with a small sigh. Her smile returned quickly though.
"Good to see you're still in top form, my friend. I've brought a Thick Club and a Rare Bone for Sun here." Kiawe said to Mallow, brandishing both items.
"And I brought you some Fresh Water and the usual Rocky Helmet. Try not to ruin this helmet like you did the last one" Lana said to Mallow with a teasing smile.
"Lana, you do not want to bark up this tree. I know that Hau is waiting back at the nearby Pokémon Center for you!" Mallow shot back at the other Captain, receiving a deep blush from Lana, who shut up. Mallow giggled, patting her friend on the head.
"Gotta say, I'm jealous. I wish I could find a guy like Hau. You keep on being awesome and I bet he'll be all over you soon enough!" Mallow said to Lana as she accepted the ingredients from her friends and set them down on a pink blanket that was on the ground.
"Seriously though. Thanks, Lana! Thanks, Kiawe! Now we've got everything we need!" Mallow said happily before she looked over at Sun, who had been watching the proceedings with a small smile. "You're up next, Sun! We're going to cook up a storm and lure out the Totem Pokémon of Lush Jungle!"
Sun pulled out his Forage Bag and set it down on the blanket, where Mallow opened it and dumped out the contents. She then began to carefully inspect everything, making sure it all was in order.
"Let me see what you've got for me...One Mago Berry, check!"
"One Tiny Mushroom, check!
"One Revival Herb, check!"
"One Miracle Seed, check!"
"And one incredibly smexy Captain, check!" Mallow said with a bright grin, earning a giggle from Lana and a facepalm from Kiawe as Mallow put everything back into the Forage Bag. "Perfect! Just what the recipe calls for. Now we can make the Mallow Special! The aroma of this tasty dish will draw that Totem Pokémon right to us! Are you ready to start cooking, Sun?"
"Absolutely." Sun replied, his smile widening as the usual excitement filled him. Mallow happily clapped, showing how excited she was to proceed. The Grass Captain turned to Lana, who was smiling at her best friend patiently.
"Miss Lana! Could you flip that Rocky Helmet over and pour some Fresh Water into it?" Mallow asked the other Captain, who gave her friend a small salute and did what she asked. Lana picked up the helmet with the water and handed it to Mallow.
"Here you are, Mallow." Lana said to the girl, who dumped the contents of Sun's Forage Bag into the helmet. Sun thought he saw the mixture shimmer for a moment, but he wasn't entirely sure.
"Alright! Then in go the Mago Berry, the Tiny Mushroom, the Revival Herb, and the Miracle Seed…" Mallow said as she turned to Kiawe, who was smirking at the proceedings.
"Kiawe, you mind letting us use the Thick Club and that Rare Bone for a minute?" Mallow asked her friend, who handed the items to Mallow.
"Here you are. Let's see if your skills have improved since our last cookout." Kiawe remarked, crossing his arms and examining the contents of the improvised bowl with interest. Mallow set down the bowl on the ground and held out the Rare Bone and the Thick Club to Sun, who stared at them in bemusement.
"Okay, Sun! Grab the Thick Club and the Rare Bone and pound it all to a pulp!" Mallow said to Sun as he grabbed both items. The boy grinned and knelt down, banging the Thick Club and the Rare Bone into the Rocky Helmet and mashing everything inside apart as frantically as he could.
"Crush it!" Mallow commanded, her grin widening in sheer joy. Kiawe and Lana laughed at the display, though they could hear a small shudder in the air. The Totem was aware of their efforts, they could tell, as Sun pounded away at the mixture.
"Grind it!" Mallow declared as Sun changed the way he was smashing the mixture, which was becoming an odd paste of sorts and was creating a very odd smell. Sun felt a shiver run down his spine as he inhaled the fumes of the substance he was crushing.
"Turn it to goo!" Mallow yelled out happily, and Sun obliged. He put all of his strength into smashing and pounded the contents of the bowl into pure liquid, and found that after a minute or two he had succeeded. Sun stood up, grinning tiredly at the contents of the bowl, even as a strange and unique aroma began to fill the air.
It was at this moment Rotom Dex began playing the creepy music that Sun attributed to the Totem's arrival. He could also feel the piercing gaze of something powerful upon him, though from where exactly he couldn't say.
Kiawe's face turned to one of surprise, with the young man taking a step back. Lana's face became one of worry, with the girl also moving back in horror. Mallow's expression turned to one of annoyance and Sun started becoming worried. Especially when he heard the sound of heavy breathing behind him. Sun slowly turned around, and beheld a horrifying sight.
Before him stood a tall and slender pink mantis-like Pokémon, with massive scythe-like arms and a pink and white head. Its red eyes were narrowed as it opened its arms, ready to strike at Sun. The Kanto-native jumped back as the massive beast swiped at him, letting out a furious cry that shook the forest and made the three Captains standing behind Sun flinch.
"Hey! You're not supposed to hurt him!" Mallow shouted at the Totem Pokémon, who waved an arm dismissively at Mallow and turned its red gaze back to Sun, hissing softly. Sun grinned at the Totem Pokémon as he pulled out a Poké Ball, preparing himself against this powerful foe.
Because sometimes even Totem Pokémon have a sassy side. Next chapter, Sun battles the Pajama Pokémon for his next Z-Crystal! I managed to do battle with the beast in my current playthrough of Pokémon Sun about an hour ago, and let's just say that it ended up being just as climatic as I could have actually written. Meaning that it'll be a great battle to write about.
Q&A
From: Sai Og Sus
I am curious, what drives Sun to make Gladion as his travelling companion in the first place? Or did you tell us already in the previous fic?
Honestly, it was mainly because they're both going in the same direction and doing the same thing. Also, both Sun and Gladion are very socially awkward and just figured that they'd travel together since Gladion is incredibly lonely and interested by Sun, and Sun doesn't care since he can coexist with most people without too many problems. Unlike with Hau, Gladion doesn't dislike Sun. And Sun isn't pushy with things and isn't trying to invade Gladion's comfort zone, like Demi has been, so Gladion has no reason to not travel with Sun.
And no, since that previous fic doesn't exist. I also seriously need to delete "Symphony" considering it isn't canon within my universe anymore. Especially since I messed up and forgot Flygon doesn't learn False Swipe. Whoops.
From: jonesyboy456
Can Sun get a Fossil Pokemon? I would love to see his face! Also,Is Necrozma going to be a little more important than in sum?
It's possible, considering he's got three more Pokémon to fill on his team (in the main story). As for Necrozma, I believe I've already said that it'll have a more important role in this story than it did in Sun and Moon. However, that depends on what I decide to do after this story is done. I'll explain in like, a year or so because it's way too early to go into that stuff.
From: Sai Og Sus
By the way, I don't know if this was explained before but are you planning to include Moon in the future?
How are you able to review a chapter multiple times? Whenever I try that on stories I read, the site doesn't let me.
And as of now, I have no plans to incorporate Moon. Though that could change, of course. The only reason I haven't done so already is that I've already got a full cast and adding another main character might complicate things.
From: Cottonmouth25
And Dakim confirmed. All that's left is Ein and the Gale of Darkness admins, and the whole Cipher gang will be here! Ooh, that reminds me - will Miror B. show up, at least as a minor character?
Hehehehe...Let's just say that one of my favorite scenes in the entire goddamn story concerns your question. Music will be required for what you speak of.
That's all for now, everyone! Next time we've got more plot development and an awesome battle! Hopefully I'll have more time on my hands to write, but hey, we'll see.
I'll see you all next weekend. In the meantime, it'd be amazing if you could favorite, follow, or review the story and show your support. It means the world to me.
If you have questions about the story, plot, characters, other works of mine or even about myself, please let me hear/see them in the review section below! Just remember to leave feedback with your question, and know that I can only answer one question per review. If I don't answer your question in the chapter (which tends to happen very often) for some reason, feel free to PM me or just ask again next chapter.
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
