Pokémon Radiant Sun


Alrighty, we're back with another chapter. Yesh.

First off, a quick note.

Mister Oliver, AKA Ollie, AKA the human Oliver...is NOT Looker.

That was a joke at Looker's expense, considering how odd the nickname is. A few people got confused about that last chapter, so I'm clarifying it now. Ollie is an OC that I'm very happy to finally be able to get to exploring in depth, even though he technically made an appearance in the story in Chapter 13 when he saved Erika from a Scyther (I think).

Anyways, shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Madame Rodoshe, Moonlight Butterfree, jonesyboy456, Cottonmouth25, SonicIKE, Angelfir3, Sai Og Sus, GeekyGamer314, a Guest reviewer, BraviaryScout, Gokan123, operettaoceanic, Dario Flaman (good to see you again!), Ways, as well as three new reviewers known as JasperCFZ, rexmaster56, and FlygonNick. Thank you all so much for the feedback and support. Your reviews seriously make my day and put a smile on my face, so I thank you for that.

Special shoutout to FlygonNick for being a fucking moron and reviewing his own story when he meant to review "A Hui Hou Kakou." Yeah, that happened and I'm still annoyed at myself for it.

Anyways, enough of my blatant stupidity.

Enjoy.


Chapter 59: A Shocking Twist


"Alpha, I feel like we may have dodged a bullet there."

"No kidding…

Sun and Brago took some time to catch their breath while Gladion just watched with faint amusement from his position on the ground nearby, yawning softly.

"I'm assuming you beat the Totem?" Gladion asked, standing up and walking over to Sun with Golbat and Type: Null in tow. Sun dug out his Grassium Z and Gladion nodded, as if he expected nothing less from his rival.

"So...now what?" Gladion asked Sun, who shrugged.

"Gotta fight the Kahuna now, I think-" Sun began to say before suddenly, a man wearing a labcoat suddenly appeared beside the two of them.

"Hey there, cousin and scary-looking cousin. How's it hanging?" Professor Kukui greeted them cheerily, with an Abra sitting on his shoulders looking bored.

"Pretty good. Me and Gladion just beat the Totem, so we're trying to sort out a course of action." Sun said to Gladion, turning to the other boy. "By the way, this is Professor Kukui. He's the regional Professor of Alola, and studies Pokémon moves."

"Nice to meet you! Any friend of Sun's is a friend of mine." Kukui remarked, flashing the two younger Trainers a bright smile.

"We're not friends. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Professor. I'm Gladion." The fierce boy said quietly, putting a hand on Type: Null beside him. "This is my partner, Null, and Golbat. They help me on my quest."

"So...this is her brother. He seems like a rather unhappy sort, doesn't he? The Jardin children may look a lot alike, but their personalities are totally different. Maybe because he's been on his own for so long, according to Lillie...interesting." Professor Kukui thought, before he directed his thoughts towards Abra. "Set up a Mind Link with this boy, Abra. I want to be able to find him later if I need to."

Abra nodded and Kukui addressed the two boys, though he was distracted by the smell of something coming from Lush Jungle, crossing his arms and breathing in deeply. "Woo! What's that sweet smell I smell, driftin' my way!? Could it be a tasty Mallow Special?"

"You mean something so awful it made the other two Captains sprint out of Lush Jungle? Yes, that was it." Sun replied, shuddering at the thought of whatever it was that Mallow had made them taste.

"Well then! You say you beat Mallow's Trial? All right then, I have a present for you!" Kukui said as he dug into his coat and pulled out a gray disc. A Technical Machine.

"That little TM right there is Smart Strike - a move that will never miss!" Kukui said as he handed TM67 to Sun, who admired the disc for a moment before putting it in his bag. Gladion watched with a bit of envy, looking away as Sun thanked Professor Kukui for the gift.

"There'll be all kinds of discoveries and new experiences to make your adventure brighter, cousin! Say for example...There's a facility, yeah, that I want you to check out on your Island Challenge. The Dimensional Research Lab! Let's get on over there with Extreme Speed!" Kukui said to the boy, grinning widely.

"It's about time I actually visited that place. It'll be interesting seeing it after how much our favorite Princess talks about Professor Burnet and the lab." Sun remarked, earning a chuckle from Kukui.

"Yes, she's missed you a lot. Expect a massive hug from her when you do arrive. And remember, no funny business! I've heard what you two got up to when she stayed the night over at your house!" Kukui chided the boy with a knowing smile, making Sun blush profusely at memory of sheer embarrassment. Getting a face full of boobs from a girl you had a crush on wasn't a memory you were soon to forget after all.

Meanwhile, Gladion was beginning to grow irritated. He had no idea why, but for some reason this discussion about some girl he didn't know made him feel like punching Sun repeatedly in the face. However, he repressed this urge, wondering why it came up in the first place.

"You know, I guess I should congratulate you on clearing all three of Akala Island's Trials…" Kukui trailed off, with Sun smirking at what was to come. Kukui didn't disappoint, throwing his arms apart and yelling, "Congrats! Looks like it's time for you to take on Kahuna Olivia's Grand Trial!

"Olivia is an expert user of Rock-type Pokémon. You're gonna want to catch some more Pokémon to add to your team if you want to hang with that rock-hard Trainer." Kukui suggested to Sun, who shook his head.

"I think I'll tough it out. After all, I've got an awesome team with me. We haven't lost a Trial yet! But I do think we'll try and get some more training in. We could still use a lot of work." Sun said to the Professor, who nodded in agreement.

"Whenever you're ready for the Grand Trial, come see me at the Dimensional Research Lab! It's down past Route 6, yeah, but just ask Rotom if you need some help! See you soon, Sun! And it was nice meeting you, Gladion!" Kukui said to the boys with a wide smile, waving to them before vanishing without another word.

"That man is way too weird to be as well-respected as he is." Gladion remarked as Type: Null laughed quietly from beside him, shaking its head.

"All of you humans are strange." Type: Null remarked, earning a bark-like laugh from Brago.

"Pokémon are pretty strange too, you know." Brago retorted, making Sun smile at that. The boy then unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt and stared at it for a moment, thinking hard.

"Oliver...that's the third time you've freaked out during a major battle about your feathers. I don't know why you act so badly when it comes to that, but one way or another this crap is going to end. I'm counting on you to do most of the work against Olivia, and I can't have you distracted by stupid stuff." Sun thought as he clipped his Starter's ball back to his belt and returned Brago.

"So now what?" Sun asked Gladion, earning a shrug from the teen.

"I'm heading back to my hotel. I'm going to focus on getting Golbat used to its new body and training Null with some new moves to make him more versatile." Gladion explained, turning around and beginning his trek down the path. To his surprise, Sun followed him with a small smile.

"Why are you following me?" Gladion asked Sun, who just shrugged.

"I figured I was supposed to walk back to your hotel with you, since you waited for me. Besides, I'm not in a huge rush to get back in civilization. I kinda need to figure out what to get my friend for her birthday." Sun admitted to Gladion, who nodded.

"I just don't know what she would like. She's got plenty of clothes, even if she doesn't like to wear anything besides her special dresses. Maybe I could write her a song or play something for her on my flute, but that seems kinda tacky." Sun said, mostly thinking aloud but also kind of hoping Gladion might have suggestions.

"Sorry." Gladion remarked, shrugging. "I'm not good with gifts. I haven't properly celebrated my birthday in years, and I don't have any friends to give gifts to anyway."

"That's really sad, you know. You've got to have some idea." Sun said to Gladion, who looked ahead. He thought about it, and actually did have an idea.

"I'd recommend a book, if they're into reading. A book about something special to them or something they enjoy. I like to read in my downtime, when I'm not training or wasting time with Team Skull. Maybe your friend would like that." Gladion suggested, earning a wide smile from Sun.

"Wow, that actually helps out a lot. I forgot that she's a total bookworm like me. Alright...I'll be on the lookout for other things, but a really good book would be right up her alley. Thanks Gladion." Sun said to the other boy gratefully, receiving a simple nod in response.

Sun tried to keep up the conversation with the teen as they made their way back to the Pokémon Center, where they got their Pokémon healed and treated by Nurse Joy. Gladion wasn't very talkative, but he was at least civil, which Sun appreciated. After they received their Pokémon again, Gladion led Sun to a hotel room and produced a simple key-card, unlocking it and letting himself and his Pokémon inside. Sun followed, looking around the room. It was rather stereotypical of a hotel room, with not much really standing out besides the massive Pokémon bed on the floor next to the single bed in the room.

"So, this is where you stay, huh?" Sun asked Gladion, who nodded.

"I've been here for about two years. I paid the hotel owners in advance so I wouldn't have to worry about it later, though that time is probably going to expire soon. I need to work on getting more money so I can afford another year." Gladion muttered that last part to himself, realizing that while he still had a considerable sum of money, it wasn't enough to keep him in the hotel for much longer without leaving him broke.

"You'll figure something out, I'm sure. If anything, I'm sure you could just go beat a bunch of rookies and get easy money off of them." Sun suggested jokingly, making Gladion scoff.

"There'd be no point. We want to get stronger, not waste our time with kids who haven't battled long enough to be a challenge." Gladion retorted, though Sun's smile widened in a way Gladion didn't like.

"Really? Because I'm a kid who hasn't been battling that long, and I still beat you." Sun retorted, making Gladion blink before hanging his head in mock-distress.

"Alright...That was a pretty good rebuttal. Now...Get out." Gladion responded after a few moments, making Sun chuckle before exiting the room and leaving Gladion alone with his Pokémon.

The teen took a deep breath and sighed before walking over to his bed and collapsing onto it. Type: Null and Golbat moved over to their Trainer, with Golbat fluttering to Gladion's side while Type: Null sat on the floor.

"You did well, Gladion." Type: Null said, sounding amused as Golbat chittered beside them. "Golbat believes so as well. You haven't lost your temper at all while traveling with Sun, and you were much more sociable than usual."

"It wasn't easy. I'm trying, Null...Even if its a waste of time, I'm not going to be nasty to people just for the sake of it." Gladion said with a groan as he rolled onto his back, putting his face in his hands. "I just can't do this. I spent so much time avoiding people that I can't even socialize anymore. I feel weird. Off. Am I just a freak now? I don't know...I don't even know why I let Sun come with me back here."

Golbat made a noise and Gladion looked at the newly evolved bat before Gladion turned to Type: Null, who had settled onto its bed on the floor, but was still looking up at him.

"You're hurting. And despite what you say, wish for someone to help you. You're just very stubborn. That is why you traveled with Sun. Because he understands." Type: Null said to Gladion, who slowly rose from his bed with a look of anger in his eyes.

"So what you're saying is that I'm weak." Gladion said to the monster, who snorted in amusement.

"Foolish. You'll never stop her if you can't learn to understand yourself." Type: Null replied as it shut his eyes and rested its head on the ground. Gladion clenched his fists and scowled, fury building up in him before he realized how worked up he was getting. The boy unclenched his fists and slowly exhaled, trying to steady himself. Suddenly, his phone rang, snapping him out of his efforts. He dug out his phone and stared at the number, with Gladion cautiously hitting the accept call button and put the phone on speaker, leaning back. "Who is this?"

"Well, hello to you too." came Demi's voice, chipper as always. Gladion felt his mouth twitch for a moment, amused at the remark before he frowned.

"Right. I guess you finally got a new phone. Well, what do you want?" Gladion asked, closing his eyes.

"I was going to apologize for leaving you behind the other day. The others didn't want to come back to take you to your hotel and I was kinda overruled there. Sorry." Demi remarked, sounding a little embarrassed.

"Well, I'm glad you're all gone. I've gotten my training in and can spend a day resting before I go back out and train some more. Team Skull shouldn't need me for a little while, after Hau destroyed them." Gladion remarked, allowing himself a small smirk.

"You know, he destroyed me as well." Demi stated, sounding amused if anything else. Gladion was admittedly impressed that she had recovered from that fiasco of a battle.

"Yeah, I remember. I had been wondering how you were dealing with that. I actually enjoyed you going off on him." Gladion remarked, earning a sigh from Demi on the other end of the phone.

"I didn't want to do that...He just doesn't understand. Life isn't rainbows and cupcakes. Bad things happen, and when they do you have to deal with them. You can't just gloss over it and move on. Besides, I'm actually worried that I'm not as good as I thought I was." Demi admitted, sounding somewhat nervous.

"What do you mean?" Gladion asked, interested.

"Well...Today marked the beginning of Po Town's rainy season. And I just couldn't go outside. I felt so uneasy about all the rain outside. I don't want why, but I couldn't make myself go outside of the Shady House so far today. I don't want to...I can listen to the rain outside, but that just makes me feel really upset." Demi admitted, sounding rather morose about this.

"Maybe you're just having an off day?" Gladion suggested. In response, the phone beeped, showing Demi was requesting video permission. Gladion sighed and pressed a button, turning on his phone's video chat and showing a rather downcast Demi sitting in one of the rooms within the Shady Manor dressed in her Team Skull outfit. Gladion felt a small kick of adrenaline at the sight of the other teen as she shut her eyes, sighing softly before speaking again.

"I don't know. Thankfully there's not a lot of rain this week since the season just started, but it'll get worse later. I'm kinda worried about that, honestly." Demi said quietly, and Gladion noticed the barely audible note of fear in her voice. She was scared.

"You'll get through it. Somehow. I'd talk with some of the Team Skull members who you're friends with and talk with them about what's bothering you. I'm not really an expert on this." Gladion said to Demi, who looked down at the ground. It was so odd, seeing how someone who could be so full of life and so bubbly reduced to such a state of sadness. Then, she spoke up and completely surprised Gladion.

"I'd like to think that I am talking to a friend about what's bothering me." Demi said as she lifted her head up, a weak smile on her face as a Quilava hopped into her lap, grinning happily as Demi pet his head. Gladion took a moment process what he had just heard before frowning at Demi.

"Let me make this clear, since you're new around here. I don't need you. I don't need Team Skull. I don't need anyone. Friends will only slow me down from getting stronger. They are distractions. You're a part of Team Skull now, so you wouldn't understand what I'm fighting for. So do everyone a favor and stop trying to be nice to me. It'll only get yourself hurt and you'll just be in my way" Gladion said to Demi, who's eyes widened at the remark before an expression of profound hurt appeared on her face.

"But...I'm just trying to be nice. I want to be friends with everyone, and that includes you. You're so alone, Gladion. You're a good guy, but you always push people away, even when you're even more sad than I am." Demi said wearily, making Gladion grit his teeth in anger.

"I'm just fine on my own, Demi! Remember that before you ever think of giving me any of your goddamn pity!" Gladion barked at the girl, who jerked back in surprise before her eyes began to glisten with tears. Demi slowly nodded before looking away from Gladion.

"I guess I overestimated how much it would take for her to give up trying to be nice. She's really struggling right now, huh?" Gladion realized with a pang of guilt. "I shouldn't have said that. I just made this worse for her…"

"You don't have to be such a jerk, you know! I was...just trying to be n-nice." Demi muttered before she hung up, though Gladion caught the tear that rolled down her cheek before the video cut out. Gladion scowled at the phone as he threw it onto the floor, staring at it for several long seconds. The boy lowered his face into his hands before slowly collapsing onto his pillow, letting out a soft groan of despair.

"That was foolish."

"I know, Null. Don't remind me."

"Then why do you do it, knowing it was foolish?"

"Because I don't deserve friends. I don't need any of that crap either. Not when there's a job that needs to be done. Afterwards...maybe. But right now, I have to focus. I can't be distracted. Besides, I don't even know how to let people in anymore. It's weird for me. She'd be better off without me in her life, as would basically everyone else. I'm not worth it, Null. Not as I am now. I have to become better. Stronger. Nothing else matters." Gladion said softly, bringing his knees up to his chin and shutting his eyes. Type: Null sighed beside him, though Golbat shuffled over to Gladion and nuzzled his shoulders, receiving a small sigh from the boy as he reached over and patted the Pokémon on the head.

"I'll save Mother and the Paradise with just you two. I don't need anyone else's help."


Sun arrived back in Heahea City late in the afternoon two days later. He had briefly encountered Hau on his way to the city by Paniola Ranch, but the boy had taken off before Sun could say too much, though he promised to meet him in Heahea City at the Dimensional Research Lab later.

After getting directions from a woman on a Ride Stoutland, the boy managed to eventually reach the building and was surprised to see a familiar face standing just outside of it.

Sun couldn't help the smile on his face as he saw Lillie and Nebby, the latter of whom was floating off of the ground slightly as Lillie took a few steps away before turning around. She pointed forward and called out a command, not unlike how she had once done in the Double Battle she had helped Sun win against Sina and Dexio.

"Go, Nebby! Use...use Splash!" Lillie called out, her voice echoing in the empty lot. Nebby looked back at Lillie, confused at what Lillie was doing. The girl in question smiled and looked down at the ground, thinking hard.

"Heh...I was just acting like I was Sun." Lillie mumbled to herself, blushing slightly before she looked up again and walked over to her Cosmog, who was watching her in bemusement. "You...You always seemed to end up getting hurt, Nebby. So I never really liked Pokémon Trainers or thought that I would want to be one myself. But when I see Sun and Hau…"

Lillie picked up Nebby, cradling the Pokémon in her arms as she looked up into the sky, which was a miasma of blue, pink, and orange as the sun began to set upon Alola, creating a wonderful scene in the sky above.

"It's like they've thrown open some door that I always thought was closed...They stride right through it towards the future...it seems so...amazing somehow…" Lillie whispered, hugging Nebby tightly to her chest with her smile not fading at all. It made her introspective, seeing how far her two closest friends had come in their lives.

"Pew?" Nebby cooed, spotting Sun watching them. The Cosmog slipped out of Lillie's grasp and floated to the ground, eyeing Sun with excited eyes before floating towards the boy. Sun grinned and caught the puffball, hugging Nebby happily. Lillie had turned around and gasped in surprise, but this didn't last long as she walked over to her friend with a happy smile on her face.

"Nice to see you again, Nebby. Have you been good for Lillie?" Sun asked the Cosmog, who to Sun's surprise, nodded in response. Sun looked up at Lillie, who seemed both happy and nervous at the same time. Sun wondered why that was, but brushed that aside.

"Um, oh, Sun. Hello. I feel like it's been a while since we last met. Even if it was just a few days ago." Lillie said awkwardly, to which Sun chuckled.

"Lillie, do you want a hug?" Sun asked his friend, who hesitated for a moment before looking around them. Upon seeing no one, Lillie nodded and Sun stepped forward, with Lillie throwing herself at Sun and hugging him tightly.

"I missed you." Lillie whispered as she tightened her embrace, with Sun feeling rather warm at the remark. He couldn't explain why, but hearing that from her made him really happy. To know someone he cared about so much actually missed him being there with her. The two friends held each other for a few moments before Sun responded.

"I missed you too, Princess." Sun replied as the two of them broke apart, with Sun lightly blushing. Lillie naturally didn't notice this because Nebby had suddenly flown over to them, happily crying out to Sun in greeting again. Sun opened his arms once more and Nebby flew into them, nuzzling Sun's chest as the boy hugged the Cosmog.

"We didn't forgot about you, Nebby. Looks like you've been doing well." Sun said to the strange creature, who beamed up at him with joy in his eyes.

"He's missed you too. I'm glad you're safe, though. After what happened with Cipher, I've been really worrying about you." Lillie said to Sun, who frowned a bit at that.

"No worries, Lillie. I've got my team watching my back. If Cipher tries that crap again, I'm ready for them." Sun said with a grin, making Lillie smile a little.

"I see...Well, I'm glad you're not letting them worry you. Maybe it's just me being silly…" Lillie muttered, though she was surprised when Sun hugged her again, making the girl squeak in embarrassment, even as she melted in the boy's arms, happy to have him so close to her again. She felt so safe in his arms.

"None of that, now. So, where's this Dimensional place Professor Kukui and Hau mentioned? Do you know, Lillie? And what were you doing out here?" Sun asked Lillie, who coughed slightly, trying to break out of her thoughts about the boy currently hugging her.

"Th-there's a laboratory here that studies the dimensions, did you know? And the Professor is waiting to meet you!" Lillie managed to say, gathering her composure. "By the way, how was your Trial with Mallow? It must be quite trying to do three in a row, in such a short span of time." Lillie asked Sun as the boy let go of her, the girl blushing again as Sun grinned at her.

"It was really tough, admittedly. Each of them pushed me and my team to their limits." Sun admitted, chuckling as he scratched his head. Lillie giggled at that, shaking her head slightly.

"I would think so...But still! You made it through all three! I think that explains it…" Lillie trailed off, making Sun give her a look of confusion. "The reason you look more content and understood so well by your Pokémon when you're with them. They all trust you without reserve and respond so well to your commands. I can't help but wonder but it'd be like…" Lillie trailed off, her smile fading as she looked away.

"Could I do it? Could I make that leap? Am I strong enough?" Lillie wondered, her doubts creeping back into her mind.

"Lillie? You okay?" Sun asked his friend, who snapped out of her thoughts and laughed nervously, looking back at Sun.

"S-sorry. I've been distracted lately. Come on inside, everyone's waiting for you!" Lillie said as she turned around and walked towards the nearby doorway. Sun followed his friend, slightly worried about what had been on Lillie's mind to trouble her so.


Sun followed Lillie into the elevator located in the lobby and traveled to the third floor, where he ran into Professor Kukui. The man cheerily greeted Sun and Lillie before walking them over to the main lab area and waved over to a woman standing next to Lillie in quiet yet excited conversation.

"Hey there, honey!" Kukui hollered to the woman, who looked towards her husband and grinned.

"Oh, hi!" the woman responded, putting a hand on her hip and walking over to the two Trainers with Lillie in tow. She had yellow eyes and spiky white hair, clad in a gray tank top and black pants. She had a silver necklace with a ring connected through it.

"This here's Professor Madeline Burnet. She runs the Dimensional Research Lab, yeah...And she's also my wife!" Kukui said happily, to which Burnet smirked.

"You're Sun, right? Lillie told me about you." Burnet remarked, glancing at the girl in question who blushed slightly.

"Oh? What did she say about me?" Sun asked, smiling at the girl in question who slowly tilted her hat downwards, though Sun caught the blush that was spreading across her face. Sun was now even more curious about what she had told Professor Burnet for her to get so embarrassed about this.

Thankfully, Professor Burnet came to her rescue. "She said you were the reliable sort."

"I try to be." Sun admitted, shrugging after a moment. Lillie sighed in relief, making a mental note to thank Professor Burnet once the day was over.

"Well...almost eight months ago, I found Lillie lying on a beach. Cosmog in her bag was also unconscious." Professor Burnet began, though she glanced around the room and frowned, as if she had just noticed something.

"What's wrong, dear?" Kukui asked.

"Hm? No Hau today?" Burnet asked Kukui, confused. "I would have thought he'd be here by now, since Lillie and Sun are both here."

"Hau? He's out doing his own thing. But he'll be the real deal someday...He could even become a Kahuna, just like old Hala before him!" Kukui said with a wide grin, though he was interrupted by a loud voice yelling out behind them, making Lillie and Sun jump in surprise.

"You really think so!?" Hau said as he burst into the lab, beaming like a madman. Sun grinned at his friend, holding out his fist for Hau to tap with his own, which he did. Hau stepped forward into a hug from Lillie, who was happy to see her friend again. Hau let go of Lillie after just a moment, making sure not to make the embrace last too long and make her uncomfortable. He had no desire to be kicked in the balls again. Kukui spoke up after the children had finished greeting each other.

"Well...yeah, Hau. I really do." Kukui said to the boy with a more serious expression, his smile one of confidence. Professor Burnet stepped forward, also addressing the Kahuna's grandson.

"It's good to see you again, Hau! It's been a while since I last saw you." Burnet greeted Hau, receiving a wave in response before Kukui turned his wife's attention back to the reason they had wanted Sun here in the first place.

"Anyhow, I brought Sun here because I wanted you to tell him about some of the mysterious phenomena here in Alola." Kukui explained to his wife, receiving a nod in response.

"I'd be happy to. So, the mysteries of Alola, huh? Then you've got mean the...Ultra Wormhole!" Professor Burnet exclaimed, though she still wore an amused smile at the surprised expression on Sun's face.

"You see, it's extremely rare, but sometimes a hole opens in the sky over Alola. It appears that this rift leads to a different and unknown dimension. The reason that people think there may be a mysterious dimension is because of the legends of fearsome Pokémon appearing from the Ultra Wormhole." Burnet explained to them all, but was cut off when Nebby suddenly let out a cry, shivering slightly.

"Are you cold, Nebby?" Lillie asked the Cosmog, picking up the small Pokémon. Nebby shut his eyes and sighed in Lillie's comforting embrace, making everyone else smile at the touching sight. Burnet gestured over to the massive glowing light-blue monitor across the room, which had several small maps on display along with lines of text in both Common and Alolan.

"It's very weak as proof, but I can't ignore it. There is also plenty of evidence already in the Pokédex for the existence of different dimensions, right?" Burnet remarked, with Rotom Dex popping out of Sun's backpack.

"Too true! I can tell you all about it, but then I'd just be telling you what you already know! Zzt!" Rotom cried out as it rested atop Sun's head.

Hau turned to Professor Kukui, a little awed. "Fearsome Pokémon...?"

"Even normal wild Pokémon sometimes attack people, right? But the Pokémon that appeared from the Ultra Wormhole went way beyond that." Kukui explained, with Professor Burnet continuing on.

"They were called Ultra Beasts. And they were feared. Their power was immense, and normal Pokémon would be hard-pressed to survive in battle against an Ultra Beast, If the stories are to be believed, the Guardian Deities of the islands fought desperately against them." Burnet explained, making the children think about the possibilities of Pokémon from another world attacking them. It was a terrifying scenario to them, which Burnet seemed to realize because she added a moment later, "But like I said, it's all legends and folktales. It's hard to know how much is true."

"But there's an old saying that all legends and myths are true, at least in part. Isn't that what we're looking for, after all?"

The group turned around and spotted Hugh and Aria watching them from one of the desks nearby, holding an old and complicated book between them. Aria stood up and stretched, walking over to them and smiling at Sun, extending a fist out to the boy who punched it with his own.

"Good to see you again, Sun. And you're Hau, right? I'm Aria." The Snagger introduced herself, shaking Hau's hand with the Snag Machine attached to her arm.

"Whoa...Feels cool." Hau remarked, grinning at the older Trainer who just laughed.

"I get that sometimes. Professor Burnet has a ton of great reading material about inter-dimensional studies and reports. It's some really cool stuff when you get down to it." Aria said to them, exchanging grins with Professor Burnet.

"But I would be very happy if I could somehow unravel the mysteries of the Ultra Wormhole by studying dimensional disturbances!" Burnet said with a wide smile, putting her hands on her hips. Sun realized that Burnet and Kukui were a bit alike, in regards to their general enthusiasm for their work and their kindness. Maybe that's why they had gotten married?

"That's why you enlisted Colress' help, right?" Sun asked Burnet, who nodded.

"Yes. He's a genius who has a knack for making breakthroughs where others have come short. Already we're making some headway into our studies thanks to some of his contributions at the Trial Sites, though he's admittedly too busy with Shadow Celebi and his own research to delve too deeply into our studies on the Ultra Space...Unless working at the Aether Paradise has him investigating all three at once. I imagine the Doctor is being stretched thin." Professor Burnet remarked, chuckling softly.

"We've recorded several known relationships between Pokémon and different dimensions in books. You can find them on the bookshelf in this lab over there. Hugh and Aria have already begun searching through them, and Lillie has become quite well-versed in dimensional research thanks to her own studies here." Burnet said proudly, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders.

"I try…But it's really thanks to all of the hard work you and your team has done that I know as much as I do." Lillie said modestly, making Sun grin.

"So not only are you super good at music, but you're also an dimensional expert studying stuff that kids like me and Hau could barely wrap our heads around? You know you're awesome, right?" Sun said to Lillie, who lowered her hat again to hide the blush that had appeared once more, making Sun chuckle at her embarrassment. He liked making Lillie flustered. It was really cute.

"You kids feel free to take a load off. I've got a bit more work to do today before we wind down. Lillie, make sure to catch up with your friends. Okay?" Burnet said to the girl, who nodded with a smile. Burnet stepped away and began chatting with a nearby assistant, walking back to a small side office that was clearly hers.

Aria walked back over to her book while Hugh decided to begin talking with Hau and Kukui, leaving Sun to chat with Lillie. The boy stepped forward, curiosity burning within him. "So, Lillie, I have a question." Sun began to say to the girl, but Lillie cut him off.

"You want to know what happened eight months ago?" Lillie asked Sun, who nodded. He was genuinely curious about where Lillie had come from, and wanted to know more about his friend.

"Well...I'd wanted to learn more about Nebby...I mean, about Cosmog. So I decided to come speak to Professor Burnet. But I got lost along the way...And ended up wandering about until I collapsed on the shore, where Professor Burnet found me…" Lillie began, trailing off after a few moments, her smile fading as she lost herself in the memories. "She listened to my story, staying up all night to hear it all. And then she even got her husband, Professor Kukui, to lend me his loft to stay in. And then she told him to help me investigate Nebby's origins, too."

"Professor Burnet has been so kind, and she's still helping me find a way to get Nebby back to its own home. She's been like...a real mother to me." Lillie whispered, a sad smile on her face as she said those words. The girl sniffed and wiped her eyes, which were shimmering with tears. Sun put a hand on the girl's shoulders, making her smile a little wider.

"Thank you. I'll be okay. I have you all to depend on. I'll make it through this. Thank you, Sun." Lillie said to her friend, who just grinned back at her.

"How about that, Sun?" Kukui remarked, crossing his arms and drawing Sun and Lillie's attention over to the other group speaking. "If the Ultra Beasts are really out there, I wonder what kind of moves they can use…"

"Who knows? It'd be really cool to see one in person though." Sun replied, the Professor's enthusiasm making him excited as well.

"Hey Sun." Hugh spoke up, catching Sun's attention. "You beat the Grass Trial, right?" Sun nodded, and Hugh continued with a grin. "Nice work. I'll be getting back on the Trial path soon enough. Aria's coming with me, but we'll be there to watch you battle with Olivia in the Grand Trial. How's that sound?"

"Sounds awesome, Hugh." Sun said gratefully, happy that the older Trainers would be there to support him against what would likely be his greatest battle yet.

"Absolutely!" Kukui boomed, punching his fist forward with a manic grin. "You've finished all three of Akala Island's Trials. Woo! And now comes the big match against Olivia - the Island Kahuna! It's the biggest and baddest Trial of them all here on Akala - the Grand Trial!"

"You know...I'm here too. And I beat the Trials as well." Hau said dully, earning a wince from Professor Kukui as the man looked awkwardly at the Kahuna's grandson.

"Hau I…"

"Nah, it's fine. It's because I don't wear shoes, isn't it?"

"What?"

Hau grinned at Professor Kukui's thrown off expression, but was interrupted from his remark by Aria yelling, "Ha! I knew it!"

"What's going on?" Professor Burnet asked, walking back into the room. Aria grinned as she held up the book she was holding.

"What's that book?" Sun asked, curious.

"It's a book of about Unova's history, and I found a section that discusses the origins of the Legendary Pokémon in the region. Or rather, it's an abridged version. But this works, because I found what I've been looking for!" Aria said excitedly, looking down at the book and reading the passage aloud.

"However, just as their quarrel had divided the Original Dragon, the twin heroes that founded Unova knew that they would have to devise of a way to make it whole once more. So, they set to work with the greatest minds of their time, and created a device that allowed those that were now three to become whole once more. That single, nigh-indestructible beast that protected Unova during the earliest days of its existence. The strongest dragon of all."

"Today, this device is known as the DNA Splicers, safeguarded in secrecy by those well-versed in Unovan dragon-lore. However, it should be known that a second device created at the Twin Heroes instruction known as the Eternity Locket has been lost to time. This device allowed the brothers to contact the Original Dragon, also known as Perfect Kyurem, and connect with its heart. The brothers could speak to it from anywhere in the world, as their souls resonated with its own."

Aria lowered the book, grinning widely. "Like I told the others, I had a plan to try and stop those bastards back in Unova by helping Kyurem. Problem is, there's so many conflicting stories about the origin of the three legendary dragons of Unova. Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem, that it's hard to know where to begin. However, this is a step in the right direction. This is what Drayden talked about!"

"What are you talking about?" Hugh asked, confused.

"I had a talk with Drayden just after a beat him. He told me about the DNA Splicers and how Neo Team Plasma would fight to get them back. And he told me that there was something that could help us reach out to Kyurem, from the old days of legend. If we had this Eternity Locket, we could speak to Kyurem and maybe have it separate, or fight against Ghetsis' control! Think about it! Then we'd only have to fight Shadow Kyurem in its regular state, and not the Perfect Form that Wes fought!" Aria said as she set the book down, grinning.

"You're saying that the Kyurem has achieved its original form? No wonder Wes lost…" Kukui trailed off, shivering slightly. Aria blinked and then swore loudly, face-palming.

"I forgot...I wasn't supposed to let people know about that. Shit." Aria muttered, looking up at the ceiling. "Whelp. N is going to be pissed. That was supposed to be a secret until I could find out more about what the Twin Heroes' second treasure was. Oh well."

"So...what now? You know about that treasure, but does that book tell you where it is or how to use it?" Hau asked the Snagger, who sighed softly.

"No. But its a start. Drayden, the Dragon-type Gym Leader of Opelucid City told me to find someone even more skilled with dragon-lore than him. Someone who could help us save Kyurem and stop Neo Team Plasma and Cipher. I've heard about someone like that roaming the world, meddling with those that interest them. I plan on tracking them down and getting their help in finding the Eternity Locket. That's my plan." Aria said as she placed a bookmark in the book, closing it shut.

"You've got access to any of my contacts if you need to make some calls." Kukui asked Aria, who nodded.

"I'll be talking with Colress and then...ugh, Iris. I might need her to do me a favor and talk with some of the Champions. Maybe they can help me look. I doubt it, but considering how bad things have gotten, maybe they'll decide to help out." Aria said in reply, offering the Professor a grin.

Sun started as his phone began to ring, catching everyone's attention. The boy grinned sheepishly as he pulled out his phone and looked at it. Seeing it was his mother, Sun stepped away and answered the phone. "Hey Mom."

"Sun, you're inside the Dimension Research Lab, right?" Laura Smiles asked her child.

"Yeah, why? What's going on?" Sun asked his mother.

"Well, I think it'd be a good idea to come outside. After all, it's been awhile since I've seen you and I was hoping we could have dinner tonight. You could invite your friends too, if you want." Laura replied, with Sun's eyes widening in surprise as he realized what his Mom was saying. Sun bolted to the Elevator, and tapped the button to close it. To his surprise, Lillie managed to squeeze into the elevator with him, a worried expression on her face.

"Is everything okay?" Lillie asked, but was relieved when Sun nodded, a smile on his face. The elevator opened on the bottom floor, allowing the children to exit the building a few moments later. Waiting for them was Laura Smiles, grinning at them both and waving beside a massive Pidgeot and a Meowth that was sitting on the ground.

"Mom!" Sun yelled out, running forward and embracing his mother in a tight hug. Lillie smiled at the reunion, though Lillie's gaze traveled upwards as she saw a strange flicker in the clouds above. Her thoughts wandered, drifting back to the idea of Pokémon from other dimensions traveling to Alola and wreaking havoc.

"That's what she wants to do...I can't let her succeed with her plans. I have to stop her. I have to save Nebby. I have to be strong. Just like Sun and Hau...Somehow, I'll get through this and save everyone " Lillie thought to herself, looking back to her crush and his mother. Another thought crept into Lillie's mind, making her frown thoughtfully.

Lillie wondered if her mother missed her.


"Welcome to the Vermilion City Gym! "

Amber smiled as she and her disguised cohorts walked into the Gym, eyeing the familiar battlefield with a detached sense of amusement. Each of them had weapons hidden away on them, with a squad nearby ready to attack at their signal.

Ahead of them was a large cluster of sailors and what looked like ex-soldiers, with the largest of them standing at the back of the Gym. He was a massive man, dressed in military fatigues, sporting a blonde buzz-cut and a thick leather jacket that bulged underneath the man's muscular frame.

"That's interesting. They usually only have three Gym Trainers on hand for the Gym during normal operation. Why do they have the full twelve here? Our reports said Surge was paranoid, but this is excessive." Amber wondered to herself, smiling a little wider. "I'll have to ask Surge about it before I shoot him in the stomach. Or head. Honestly, I'm flexible."

"Looks like you rolled out the red carpet for us." Dawson remarked, grinning at the retired soldier ahead of them. The massive man known as Lt. Surge chuckled softly as he crossed his arms, looking down at the trainers from a small podium he was standing atop.

"You kids look a bit older than what I'm used to battling. But that doesn't bother me one bit. You see, I've learned a lot from my time in the Army and my time as a Gym Leader. Lot's of important lessons about life and about people." Lt. Surge said to the group of what seemed to be regular Pokémon Trainers. The retired Officer couldn't help his smile widen a little as he continued his speech, the Gym Trainers moving away from the man and allowing him to walk forward.

"There's one lesson that I've learned a while ago that never stops proving to help me and others in battle. Any idea what that may be?" Lt. Surge asked the gaggle of Trainers. Dawson frowned at the man's question, though Amber smiled hollowly at the remark.

"Does it have to do with never giving in when things get bad?" Amber guessed, making the massive man bark out a laugh.

"Absolutely not. That's important, yeah. But the important lesson is that karma's a wonderful thing." Lt. Surge explained as his smile widened, with Amber's smile vanishing as she realized what had just happened.

He knew.

Amber heard the sound of something rushing through the air, but even she was surprised when two armored Cipher Grunts suddenly plummeted from their positions above them and crashed onto the ground next to them with blood leaking from their necks, their sniper rifles clattering uselessly to the ground. Before any of the Cipher members had time to react to this development, a loud buzzing sound crackled around them before the floor underneath the disguised Trainers suddenly surged with electricity, making each one of them scream in pain and fall to the ground. Even Amber fell to a knee, wincing in pain and slowly forcing herself into a standing position as Lt. Surge slowly drew a magnum from his jacket and the other Gym Trainers called out their Pokémon.

"Damn them...They knew. It was a trap." Dawson gasped, jerking on the ground as the electricity surged through his body without mercy. "Oh god, I...I should've...worn t-that s-stupid armor after all."

"I...told you…" Amber hissed as she stood tall, gritting her teeth as several more Cipher Grunts began to stand as well. Despite them not being in full armor, what the members of Cipher wore underneath their disguises was enough to keep them from being totally incapacitated like Dawson.

However, a loud gunshot rang out from above, and the grunt next to Amber dropped to the ground dead from a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Amber forced herself to look up and scowled at what she saw above her. Amber then shouted out in pain as a round suddenly slammed into her shoulder, going through her armor and sending her crashing to the ground with blood streaming down her body.

Above them all, standing atop one of the rafters in the ceiling was a tall man with short blond hair dressed in all black, decked out with body armor and weapons. He had a runner's build, slim but able to hold the massive weapon in his hands with relative ease. The man wore a blue bow-tie on his neck, oddly enough, but despite that he looked quite fierce regardless. The man locked eyes with Amber as she glared back at him, the man's expression one of fury.

"That was for Erika, you rotten bitch!" Oliver barked as he racked back the bolt and discharged the round from the chamber, adjusting his aim before firing a second shot aimed at Amber's heart.


Next chapter, Lt. Surge and Mister Oliver vs. Amber, Dawson, and a bunch of Cipher guys! Also. Sun and Hau try to plan birthday stuff for Lillie and more things happens! Huzzah!

Q&A

From: jonesyboy456

Are the beast talking cto Lusamine DIRECTLY!?

Yep. It gets much creepier, trust me.

From: Angelfir3

The issue is, I wonder if that wouldnt be allowed, considering what Oliver might to do Hau may be considered maiming?

Nope, though Oliver would happily attack Hau a bit before Sun can step in to stop him. I've got that one written down, because it's pretty funny.

From: JasperCFZ

Why Greevil as the head of Cipher? I thought he turned over a new leaf with Eldes leaving Ardos with a revenge plot in a game that would never come out

True, but then again, XD was originally supposed to be about Wes turning evil and taking control of Oore and Michael having to battle him, from what I remember.

This is just another part of a long list of things that I haven't explained yet and depending on how things go with the second half of the story, will either be explained later or I'll have other things planned.

But to answer your question, I actually thought I had explained this in an earlier chapter. If not, I'll have to do some flashbacks if I haven't.

Let's just say Sun's father can be pretty persuasive and helped Cipher get back on its feet, and Greevil's two sons followed their father despite the difference in ideals. It didn't work out well for them in the end. This bit is explained in Chapter 31, to an extent. But it will be covered in depth later.

That's all for now, folks. I'm gonna get some lunch/breakfast and finally try to get through Doom and Metroid: Samus Returns.

In the meantime, please show your support in the review section below by telling me what you thought of the chapter! And if you haven't already, please favorite and/or follow the story to help the story flourish evermore!

If you want to submit a question to be answered, that can also be done in the review section. All I ask if that you leave some sort of feedback in the review itself when you ask your question.

We've still got two more chapters until Lillie's birthday, so feel free to submit Truth or Dare suggestions for that segment in the chapter! I've gotten some fantastic ones so far that actually work well with my own ideas, and even help transition into some development down the road. Remember that all ideas must follow the guidelines from Chapter 58, and will receive credit for your suggestions in Chapter 61.

That said, I'm done here.

Take care and stay awesome.

Until next time, FlygonNick out!