Pokémon Radiant Sun


Hey, this chapter is JUST AS LONG AS THE LAST ONE. I really don't learn my lesson, do I?

So, let's have a discussion regarding feedback.

I go on and on and on about how important it is, but seriously. It makes this story better.

Take Chapter 61 for instance. I got a review explaining several things wrong with a certain aspect of it. I thought about it, looked over the section in question and agreed that it could be made better, and made some changes to improve it. As a result, Chapter 61 is a bit more realistic and Amber acts like how someone who sustained the awful injuries she did in the chapter should act. Barely able to move, let alone fight well.

I got a review last chapter, telling me that Sun and Lillie hugged way too much and that the fluffiness was a bit too much last chapter. I thought about it, looked it over, and decided that Sai Og Sus (NAME DROP) was right and decided to take out a Sun/Lillie hug in the chapter that wasn't necessary for the moment (taking the number down from three to two, which I agree was excessive.)

The point to this is that constructive criticism is important as hell. And as much as I love people singing the praises of this story (because who doesn't enjoy being complimented?) feedback that tells me what I can improve on or what is messed up is what helps the story get better, and helps me get better at writing. So, thanks to those who aren't afraid to let me know when I'm being daft. And thanks to those who praise the story and me in general. I'm losing track of the plot here, aren't I?

Last chapter was long but funny as hell to write. I'm hoping to continue the magic this chapter, where TOD concludes and the plot continues. And yes, for those wondering, Professor Mohn will be explained a bit next chapter. Also, I take back what I said a little while ago. The Tapu Lele speaking and looking like a human bit will be explained next chapter as well. That happened with the scene shuffle I had to do when TOD became a two-parter, so everything got mixed up.

Sina and Dexio's sudden relationship reveal was also a talking point from last chapter. I've planned their reveal for a while, but figured it'd be a fun way to close out the first part of TOD. Don't worry, we'll get a bit of time to see them sorting our their feelings soon.

Speaking of people wearing masks, I just want to say that Lillie getting a mask from them may just turn into one of the best running gags of all time in this story. That's all I'll say for now, because I'm literally laughing as I write this.

Beware of the cuteness, because it's returning with a vengeance this chapter. Only two Sun/Lillie hugs though. After this, there's going to be a bit of a lull in fluff for them for a little while.

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Madame Rodoshe, GeekyGamer314, MoonlightButterfree, Cottonmouth25, BouncingFish (huzzah, you've returned!), Angelfire3, RC-DA, Okamiden14, SonicIKE, DarkestShade73, TheOneWhoSaysMeep (welcome back!), BraviaryScout, Gokan123,Sai Og Sus, and Ways (greetings and welcome back!), as well as a new reviewer known as Defender31415. Thanks for the support and fantastic feedback. I've also realized I have kinda just started a thing where I welcome back those who haven't reviewed in a while, since I kind of just assume people have stopped reading the story if I haven't heard from them in a while. So yeah, welcome back and I hope you're enjoying the chapters and stuff.

Special shoutout and thanks to those who had Truth or Dare suggestions chosen for the chapter, which includes Cottonmouth25, MoonlightButterfree, JasperCFZ, SonicIKE, Sai Og Sus, DarkestShade73, and BraviaryScout. Thanks go to out to all of those who submitted ideas that didn't get picked either. It was fun reading through them, and thanks for taking part in the fun.

Enjoy.


Chapter 62: Demi's Deal


Demi hissed in pain as the cold metal cut into her neck, but had to take a few moments to recover from Gladion's punch to her gut to reply.

"I don't know why...I ever liked you." Demi spat at Gladion, which caught the boy by surprise.

"What?" Gladion stated, completely confused.

"You are such...a hardass. No wonder Team Skull can't stand you. You treat everyone like shit, like you don't even know how to act around other people...I feel like an idiot for thinking that there was any kind of good inside you." Demi grunted with anger pulsing through her voice, with Gladion looking down at the floor at the girl's words in shame. He then shook his head and reapplied pressure to Demi, forcing her back to the floor.

"Stop distracting me! I want answers! How do you know Lillie?" Gladion growled at the teen, who hissed in pain.

"We were friends before Brooklet Hill. Now get off of me or else!" Demi panted, with Gladion scowling at the words.

"Or else what?" Gladion asked the Team Skull Grunt. Demi surprised Gladion when pressed her neck into the blade with a yell. Gladion jerked back and moved the blade away from the girl to prevent her from slashing her own neck open further. Regardless, the drip of blood was now a trickle.

"Or else that. You think I really care whether or not you hurt me, Gladion? I don't have a family, my team is gone except for Torch, and I'm hardly of any use to Team Skull while I'm here because of this rain thing happening! But...I don't think you have it in you to kill me anyway, so just get off of me so we can talk about this like actual people!" Demi nearly yelled at Gladion, who scowled and considered the girl's words. Wordlessly he hopped off of Demi and stepped away, with the girl struggling to her feet. Eventually she just sat against the wall, gritting her teeth in pain as she clamped a hand over her neck.

"Talk." Gladion commanded the girl as he pointed the knife at Demi, who sighed deeply, thinking about what to tell the boy. Instead, she decided to turn the tables and get some answers herself.

"How about you tell me what she means to you? Because based on that reaction to just me knowing her, she's important to you. So maybe fill me in, so I know what I can tell you about her, because I'll be damned if that girl gets hurt because of me." Demi said to the fierce teen. Gladion shut his eyes and crossed his arms, sheathing his knife at last and thinking hard about Demi's words.

"She's your sister, isn't she?" Demi guessed, with Gladion's eyes snapping open in surprise. "It's not like its hard to figure out. You both look similar and Lillie mentioned her older brother a few times in passing, but not by name. It makes sense, in a way. But I think there's a lot more to the story I don't know here."

"And you'll continue to not know it. There's a reason I stay away from her even though I know she's safe. Team Skull follows me and Guzma tracks my movements, and with thugs like Team Skull, there's no telling what they'd do to Lillie if they came across my little sister. If she ran away from home, it's best she stay hidden for now and lay low so she isn't captured. So I stay away, because it's best for everyone." Gladion responded, but Demi scoffed in reply.

"Why? To get stronger? That's total crap." Demi replied, with Gladion giving her a hard look that showed he was reaching some kind of threshold to his levels of stress. "The only thing you're doing with this solo act thing is hurting every single person who cares about you. Or wants to care about you. Is that really what you tell yourself when you push people away and treat them like garbage? That you're protecting them by making sure no one gets close to you?"

"You don't know what she's capable of! She's become a monster!" Gladion spat, a deranged pall falling over the boy that actually scared Demi. Gladion was almost losing it now. "You think I like having to do any of this?! That I've had to spend over two...entire...years, all by myself trying to tame a beast that hated me for waking it up and reminding it that its entire purpose was to be a weapon!? Not knowing who I could trust because any one of them could stab me in the back and doom the world to whatever hell that woman has in store for it!? And that's not counting what she'll do to me if she gets ahold of me and Null! If Mother somehow got ahold of Lillie, it'd be even worse!"

Gladion was almost screaming by the end of his trade, and looked close to tears. Demi had no idea what to make most of what he was saying, but could see the true fear in his eyes. He didn't look like a hardass that thought everyone was beneath him, right then.

He looked like a terrified boy who didn't know what to do anymore. Gladion truly believed that his actions, no matter how miserable they made him, were necessary to stop something awful from happening. Demi could almost feel her anger at Gladion fading as she beheld what truly lay beneath the edgy exterior Gladion had created around himself.

"Is that it then?" Demi thought, thinking back on all of their previous interactions together. It always came down to Gladion wanting to become stronger. Was this it? To save those precious to him by any means necessary? To save the world from some unknown threat?

"No...his Mother. He's been all alone for over two years, trying to train Type: Null so he can fight his mother? What could his mother be doing to make Gladion so scared for not only the life of him and Lillie, but the entire world?...He's had to bear this burden all alone. No wonder he's such a hardass." Demi thought, feeling sympathy for the teen in black who seemed to almost collapse inward, his strength seemingly leaving him.

"Yes...Lillie is my little sister. And...and I don't care what I have to do to protect her. She's the only family I have left." Gladion said quietly, looking down at the floor. "You say you're her friend, but you're also in Team Skull. I don't know why they're looking for her, but I have to ask you...please don't tell Team Skull, and especially Guzma, about Lillie. She's not a Trainer, and they would tear her apart. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Anything."

"Team Skull tearing Lillie apart? Not likely. Especially if Sun is there to protect her. He'd die before Lillie got so much as a scratch." Demi thought, though she didn't vocalize the thought. Instead, she said, "So why'd you run away from home? Where even is home for you? I've always wondered where Lillie came from. She almost never talks about her life before she started staying with...well, the people she says with."

"I...We live here in Alola, but not on any of the main islands. I can't really tell you more than that, because if people start digging, they get curious. And bad things happen when that woman starts sniffing in people's business." Gladion replied, crossing his arms and looking deeply uncomfortable.

"Alright then. Let's make a deal." Demi said to Gladion, who looked over at her with a concerned expression on his face. "I'll promise not to tell any of Team Skull about Lillie. Not where she is, what she does, nothing. It'll be like I never met her. I'll even try to contact her so I can try and warn her about Team Skull stuff should it come up. But in exchange...You drop this renegade crap, tell me what the hell is going on with you and Lillie's past, and stop treating me like shit and more like a friend. And...let me decide whether or not to help your melodramatic ass, since what you're talking about sounds important."

"Where do you get-" Gladion began to say, but Demi cut him off.

"Because if you keep going down this road...You're going going to fail at whatever it is you're doing. No one can succeed with anything all on their own. Whatever you're doing, if its this important...You've got to let someone help you shoulder this burden, Gladion. Because it's literally tearing you apart." Demi told Gladion, with the boy blinking in response to the statement before scowling for reasons Demi couldn't know, but Gladion did.


"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's words rang out to Gladion, who grit his teeth at the memory. Was he really wrong? Is this what Null had meant? Would having someone like Demi really help make his quest easier? She would definitely be a distraction, and she was a member of Team Skull. He didn't know what to do…


"Foolish. You'll never stop her if you can't learn to understand yourself."


"What? So you want to help me now? After what I just did to you?" Gladion asked, not believing the words of the dark-skinned girl as he recalled the words of his partner, stinging his pride because he was starting to see the truth in its words. He was surprised when Demi nodded in response to his statement.

"It's called forgiving people and showing some empathy, Gladion. Maybe try it some time, instead of being an asshole." Demi stated dryly, making Gladion jerk back in response. Demi knew that she was just being salty because of how Gladion treated her the other day and because of how he had overreacted a few minutes ago, but on the other hand...Being sassy was fun, and this guy deserved to be knocked down a peg, even if his attitude was understandable now that she knew a little of the story. Gladion looked down, looking a bit ashamed of himself.

"I'm...I'm sorry." Gladion mumbled, crossing his arms. He seemed to be in deep thought, as if struggling with himself over something. Demi really couldn't believe that someone like this guy existed. After about two minutes of silence, Demi saw Gladion's hand clamp down on the crook of his elbow, with the boy wincing in pain for a moment before he dropped his arms down to his sides, sighing raggedly as he struck one of his poses. "Fine. We have a deal. I don't know why you'd want to help me at all, but if it protects Lillie, I'll do whatever it takes. She has to stay safe no matter what." Gladion said quietly, with Demi smiling a little at that.

"I guess I can forgive you, if you promise to cut that crap out…" Demi said to the teen, before adding. "At least I can say that you're a good big brother." Demi said to the boy, who shook his head.

"No, I'm not. In hindsight, I should've taken her with me, instead of leaving her with that woman. I can take some comfort in the fact that Lillie's with people who can protect her from Team Skull, at least while I train Null to take down my mother's pet monsters." Gladion replied, with Demi throwing up her arms.

"See!? If you just told people what was going on, and stopped being a jerk, they'd help you and you wouldn't have to stress so much! I barely even know what's going on and here I am making deals with you to keep your little sister safe." Demi said exasperatedly to Gladion, who crossed his arms, still looking down at the ground. He honestly had no idea what to do and Demi had the upper hand here. All she had to do was shout, bring Guzma downstairs, and tell him the location of Lillie. Or any of the Team Skull Grunts, who wouldn't hesitate to look good in front of the Boss. Gladion couldn't kill her even if he wanted to, and he had no way to ensure her silence other than her word. And that wasn't even going into what Demi was saying about giving him some assistance.

Instead of exploiting this information to further herself in Team Skull, Demi was offering to hear him out and maybe help him. But on the other...He genuinely didn't know if he could handle having her help. No matter what he did, he hurt people. Gladion had hurt Demi multiple times in his anger and frustration, and yet here she was, with an offer to protect Lillie because they were friends. Just like with Colress, Gladion had to put his trust in another and hope for the best.

"I can't afford any distractions, but...Maybe this once, I can't help but deal with this one. We'll see how it plays out, even if I don't understand her motives." Gladion thought before he asked Demi a question.

"Why?" Gladion asked Demi, looking up at her. The girl could see the confusion on his face as he asked, "Why forgive me? Why help at all? I don't understand. You're putting yourself in harm's way for no reason if you plan on helping me!"

"Because, Gladion...All it takes is a little bit of understanding, you know? You want to know why I was so nice to you, even when Kayla and Axen were jerks to you and you kept pushing me away time and time again? Because you saved my life, not them. You offered to take me with Team Skull when you saw I couldn't fend for myself and I was scared, regardless of whether or not they approved. You showed me that even if you were a jerk, you were capable of being kind and helping someone at their lowest point. And I've never forgotten that, even after all the times you treated me like dirt when I was trying to be a friend. I might be a failure to everyone I know...but one thing you can say about me is that I'll always be loyal to those who are kind to me. So I gave you way more chances than I should've because, honestly, I can tell you're a good person in a bad spot. And it turns out I was right. So yeah, I'm willing to forgive you. But you've got to earn that forgiveness."

"Loyal to those who are kind to you...And yet look what you've done to Hau. What he did and said to you is nothing compared to what I did." Gladion pointed out, with Demi flinching as she realized he had a very valid point.

"That...It's complicated. Someone like you couldn't hope to understand what romantic feelings are. Hau became the first person I ever really confided in. I thought he understood, and then...I guess he didn't. I turned all of my anger at myself towards him. I guess we're not so different after all, Gladion...Next time I run into him, I'm apologizing. Maybe we can work something out." Demi said quietly, with Gladion scowling at that.

"Do whatever you want. Just leave me out of that conversation. That boy gets on my nerves." Gladion remarked, with Demi laughing quietly at that.

"Well, I feel the same way towards you, Edgelord. I might be willing to hear you out and forgive you, but if you try hurting me again, I'm stealing that knife from you and castrating you with it." Demi said to Gladion, who flinched at the threat. The boy's expression changed to a more thoughtful one after a moment.

"Fine. Just don't tell Team Skull or anyone about my sister. What...what do you want to know, Demi?"

Demi held up a hand and said, "First, we need to get out of here. You know, find somewhere we can talk in private, because I doubt we'll be alone in here for much longer because of the yelling and crap. I'm genuinely surprised we haven't been interrupted yet."

"That may have to do with the fact that Plumeria told the Team Skull Grunts that if anyone bothers you while you're cleaning, they'll be helping you with it." Gladion replied, making Demi chuckle at that.

"Well...I do have to finish cleaning the bathrooms. But I guess since you interrupted me, you can help me!" Demi said with a sudden smile, making Gladion blink twice before scowling.

"Absolutely not." Gladion replied, but Demi shook her head.

"Consider this repaying me after you punched me and threatened me at knife-point. Now come on, we've got stuff to discuss." Demi said as she walked over to a closet and reached inside, pulling out a mop and handing it to Gladion, who's right eye twitched. Demi gathered the rest of the cleaning supplies and walked down the room, with Gladion muttering darkly under his breath as they made their way through the house.

"So...How are you friends with Lillie, again?" Gladion asked Demi in a low voice, with the girl looking over at him with a grin. Not only was Gladion her bitch for a few minutes, but now he was obligated to at least try and act like a civil human being around her. Definitely an improvement, all things considered.

"I met her at Hau'oli City, and we became good friends pretty quickly. Me, Sun, and Hau are all friends with her. She's the sweetest girl I've ever met, and adorable as hell." Demi explained as the two of them made their way down the hallway, but Gladion caught onto only one word in that entire explanation though.

"Hau!?" Gladion nearly spat, with rage instantly flaring up within him. "That idiot knows my sister?"

"Knows? The guy's had a crush on her since the moment he met her." Demi laughed in reply, making Gladion's eyes nearly glaze over as sheer anger filled his body. Demi almost felt bad for him as his entire body began to shudder before a scream that shook the entire town erupted from the teen.

"WHAT!?"


Meanwhile…


Hau shivered.

"Why...Why do I feel like someone who doesn't like me just found a reason to inflict severe bodily harm on me?" Hau asked as he watched Professor Kuku walk into the room carrying more snacks, which drove the thought from his mind as he hopped to his feet. Hau sat back down as the game began to start back up, after a short break to get refreshments considering the game was running past an hour now, though Sun was talking with his team in the corner of the room discussing strategies for the battle against Olivia.

"Dude, come on! We've got a game to play!" Mallow called to Sun, who rolled his eyes and walked back over to the circle of people. Surprisingly, his team walked over to him and sat down beside him and Lillie. The girl in question reached forward and pet all of Sun's Pokémon, receiving a happy bark from Brago.

"Oh come on, what, are they joining the game now?" Hau asked, eyeing Oliver with distaste. Oliver slowly turned his head towards the boy in question, blinked and then slowly rotated his head 360 to stare back at him before shrugging.

"I have no idea what's going on. Care to enlighten us, Sun?" Oliver asked his partner, who just grinned. However, when he opened his mouth, Rotom suddenly chimed in and explained the rules of the game anyway.

"Just gonna say, I'd love to see Sun's Pokémon play Truth or Dare." Laura remarked with a small laugh while Sun looked at his Pokémon.

"Up to you three. We can discuss more strategy and stuff tomorrow. Having fun on Birthday Girl's special day is more important right now." Sun said to his team, making Lillie smile despite herself.

"I won't back down from a challenge. I'm in." Brago said surprisingly.

"I won't turn down a chance to dare Hau or the Professor...heh. I'll play as well." Oliver said with an evil gleam in his eyes that made the two Alolans in question shiver in fear. Everyone looked to Penny, who sighed and nodded, a sign that she would play as well.

"Adding three new players, while subtracting Sina and Dexio from the game!" Rotom yelled out, buzzing for a moment before beeping. "Spin time! It hazz landed on Brago and Laura!"

"Truth or dare, Brago?" Laura asked the Growlithe, who thought about it.

"Dare. I'm ready for anything."

"I dare you to balance this rice ball on your nose." Laura said as she snatched a rice ball from the platter that was nearby, holding it out to the canine. Brago stared at the rice ball before sighing and leaning forward, picking it up and carefully balancing it on his nose.

"How the heck is that dog so cool and yet so adorable?" Lana asked, with several of the others chuckling. Brago grit his teeth in annoyance.

"I'm a warrior. Don't any of you forget that." Brago growled through his teeth, carefully keeping the rice ball on his nose. Lillie giggled as Rotom spun the wheel again, with it landing on Vivian and Aria.

"Alright. Truth or dare?" Aria asked her friend, who considered it for a few moments.

"Truth. I doubt you could come up with anything that'll get under my skin." Vivian said with a confident grin, though that faltered as Aria returned her grin with a more sinister one.

"Oh really? Then...I guess you wouldn't mind describing the first time you had sex with Noah?" Aria asked the violinist with a small laugh.

The reaction was immediate. Vivian's entire body went rigid and her face flushed a deep shade of crimson. The violinist slowly curled into the fetal position while sitting upright, her eyes slowly looking downward at the mere thought of that. Noah watched his girlfriend with amusement, wrapping an arm around her.

"She got you good, Vivs. You want to tell them about it? I mean, our first time wasn't too bad, was it?" Noah asked Vivian, who buried her face into his shoulder and let out a muffled scream. Hau was giggling the entire time.

"Who would've thought someone so pretentious would end up being so...flustered when it comes to stuff like having a boyfriend?" Hau said as he continued to laugh, earning a red-faced glare from Vivian, who then looked at Aria who was still waiting for her answer.

"I...We…" Vivian began to say, but the words died in her throat. She then sighed and hung her head before standing up.

"I quit. Let's go back to the hotel, Noah." Vivian said quietly, walking towards the door.

"Jeez. I guess reminding you about it has gotten you into the mood, huh Vivian?" Aria teased her friend, who's blush turned a notch darker and earned a frustrated scream from Vivian who then bolted from the room.

"She's so adorable when she embarrassed." Noah remarked as he stood up, stretching. "I guess that's it for me as well. I'll see you all later." Noah then turned to Lillie, saying, "And again, Happy Birthday, Lillie. I hope it's been a good one."

"It has been. Have a good night Noah!" Lillie said to the older Trainer, who gave everyone a wave before leaving after his girlfriend. Rotom Dex removed the couple from the game, but not before Sun had a question for Aria.

"Hey, that reminds me. If you lied to Sina and Dexio about their wedding, then what did you really see in your vision of the future?" Sun asked the Snagger, who shrugged.

"I saw them, me, Lillie and you speaking to some weird green and black dog thing in some city I haven't been to. I didn't make much sense of it." Aria explained with a small frown. Sun nodded, and Rotom spun the wheel, which landed on Hau and Sun.

"Alright, Capri Sun! Bring it on! Dare me!" Hau said as he hopped to his feet, giving Sun a wide smile that the boy didn't return. Instead Sun just slowly shook his head before a cruel smile crept onto the boy's face.

"I dare you go without malasadas for an entire month."

"..."

"..."

"...Pass."

Sun hi-fived Hugh and Lillie while Hau collapsed onto the floor, mimicking Vivian and curling into the fetal position. Lana patted the boy on the head while Rotom Dex spun the wheel again.

"Zzzt! Alrighty, next we've got Professor Kukui and Hugh!"

"Truth or dare, Professor?" Hugh asked the man, who grinned.

"Truth."

"Why do you go without a shirt all the time?" Hugh asked the man. Everyone except Professor Burnet perked up at that, since they had all wondered about that themselves at some point.

Professor Kukui laughed and crossed his arms, grinning at Hugh. "Hugh, I live in a series of tropical islands with hot weather almost every single day, and I work outside training just as many days of the year. Why would I bother wearing a shirt if I don't have to?"

"That is...A very valid point actually." Hugh admitted, with several other people nodding in agreement.

"That doesn't mean you can't just put on a shirt every now and then. Especially when you're inside. You just like to show off your abs." Lillie muttered under her breath. Rotom spun its spinner, which landed on Oliver and Lillie.

"Truth or dare, Oliver?" Lillie asked the bird.

"Truth." Oliver decided after a few moments thought.

"Okay...um, tell us your honest thoughts about everyone in the room." Lillie said to the bird, who hummed in reply.

"Well...I have respect for Aria, considering the strength she and her Jolteon showed when battling Celebi. As for the Snagger girl's friends...I really can't say much of, since I don't know them that well. Nor the Captains, except for the fact that I don't like the red-haired one that isn't here right now." Oliver explained, ruffling his feathers. "However, I'll talk about my teammates. Brago tends to be way too serious and stuck up for his own good, but I enjoy having him on the team and like his company. As for Penny, she's very fun to play with and I consider her my closest friend. I also think her feathers are very nice."

Brago nearly dropped his rice ball from laughing, while Penny looked away in embarrassment. Sun could have sworn the bird was blushing, but he couldn't tell.

"As for the humans, well...I have great respect for Lillie, thanks to her treating me and the others with kindness, as well as looking after my Trainer when he is feeling sad. When she commanded me in battle, I obeyed Lillie without question because I sensed the strength she holds within her, which equals Sun's in scale. I also think that Lillie would make a wonderful mate for Sun." Oliver stated, with Lillie and Sun both blushing furiously while everyone laughed. "I'm of the opinion that Hau is a happy idiot that can't take anything seriously, and that's why he loses all the time to my Trainer."

"Screw you too."

Oliver snapped his beak in Hau's direction, making the boy let out a squeal in horror while flinging himself at Lana, who was giggling at the display of fear from the boy. Oliver nodded and continued. "As I was saying...Sun's mother is a very kind and powerful human that I hold much respect for. Professor Burnet also earns that respect, as someone who tries to understand the mysteries of the Great Father, Arceus, though not as much because of her association with Professor Kukui."

"Hey, what's wrong with me?" Kukui asked the bird, who gave him a glare.

"You and that Kahuna hated me, that's what!" Oliver almost snarled at Kukui, with the man blinking in reply. "I might not the most gentle or well-behaved Pokémon, but that doesn't mean I have to be shunted aside so the perfect Rowlet's all got to go to Trainers! Do you know how long I waited to be chosen? To create the bond you and the Kahuna speak so highly of? Since the day I was brought into his care...Nearly my entire life. And when I met Sun, I...I had to take action. I could sense something with him. Something special. He was the Partner I wanted. Together, we'll do great things and become strong enough to protect the ones we care for from those who wish them harm. And I was right..." Oliver turned to Sun, his expression truly happy, his words stated as pure fact. "Because with Sun, I'm more than I ever was. He chose me, and I chose him, and that's all that matters. Sun cares for me and my teammates, and treats us with kindness and love and has helped us all become strong. Because of that, I would lay down my life for his."

Sun just stared at Oliver, too stunned for words. He knew had had a pretty good relationship with all of his Pokémon, but considering how Oliver acted sometimes, Sun wondered just how strong their bond truly was. It appeared that, in Oliver's eyes, Sun was the ideal Partner for him and he wouldn't have it any other way. Sun put a hand on the bird's head and scratched him gently, receiving a happy sigh from the bird in question. Rotom spun the wheel again.

"Next up! Sun and Mallow!" Rotom cried out, with Sun and Mallow exchanging grins.

"Truth or dare, Sun?" Mallow asked innocently, with Sun thinking about it. He couldn't play truth all the time, because that wouldn't make showing up Mallow at her own game nearly as fun. So with that…

"Dare."

"Finally! I dare you to kiss Lillie!" Mallow yelled triumphantly, with Sun and Lillie both blushing bright pink while everyone in the room smiled. The two children turned towards each other before looking away. Laura, Aria, Mallow, and Professor Burnet all pulled out their phones to snapshot the moment.

"S-sun, I…" Lillie trailed off, unable to speak. Sun took a shaky breath before he scooted towards Lillie and grabbed her hand.

"Lillie...remember what we talked about before the game started?" Sun said to the girl, who slowly nodded.

"Remember. We have to think smart and be brave if we want to beat Mallow." Sun said, glancing over at the girl in question, who scowled.

"So, you two are working against me! That's fine! I'll retain my crown as the Queen of Truth or Dare all by myself!" Mallow proclaimed before her evil smile returned. "But now...You two better pucker up."

Lillie gulped and turned back towards Sun, but was surprised to see the boy grinning at her. Lillie's heart leapt into her throat as her crush slowly leaned towards her, bringing the two children closer together…

Before Sun suddenly brought Lillie's hand up to his mouth and kissed her on the back of her hand, wearing a massive grin on his face.

Lillie stared at Sun in shock, before realizing what he had done and breaking out into a grin. Meanwhile, everyone else had lowered their cameras with sad sighs, knowing that their desire to see the two children finally kiss had been dashed because of Sun outsmarting Mallow once again. After all, she had never clarified where Sun had to kiss Lillie. Speaking of Mallow...

"All of my hate!" Mallow screamed, clutching her head as Sun and Lillie laughed at Mallow. The girl became the third person to fall to the floor into the fetal position, only this time Lana was poking Mallow's head while wearing a wide smile.

"Mallow, I don't think I've ever seen you this salty. Maybe that's what you can add to the Mallow Special so that it doesn't cause intense gastrointestinal distress followed by a nice cleansing puke." Lana said cheerily while Mallow began to smash her forehead into the floor.

"Zzzt...As much I enjoy the pain and suffering of otherzz, I think I'm going to spin the wheel again." Rotom said aloud, earning a surprised look from everyone. Meanwhile, Sun was looking at Lillie, who he thought would be smiling. After all, they had outsmarted Mallow yet again, didn't they? So why did she look so...disappointed?

"Did she want to kiss me?" Sun wondered, thinking about it.

"Next! Spinning wheel...Next up is Penny and Hau!" Rotom yelled out, making Hau chuckle.

"Alright, Penny. Truth or dare?" Hau asked the bird, who considered it.

"Truth seems the smart option. So I'll go with that."

"Ha! Do you like Oliver?" Hau said triumphantly, making Penny blink slowly while everyone looked at her. Oliver turned towards the female bird and began staring at her directly, making it very obvious that he was paying close attention to her answer. Penny was thinking of a...tactful way to answer the question.

"I do like Oliver. He's the first trained Pokémon I've ever made friends with and he's the reason I'm here at all. I wouldn't have tried to battle Sun in the first place if he hadn't been so nice and convinced me that being a trained Pokémon would make me grow into a better Pokémon. And...I'll admit I care about him. He's the only other bird on the team and I've known him for a while."

"Zzzt! Inconclusive answer!"

"Shut it, you blasted specter!" Penny snapped at Rotom before looking away, embarrassed at being called out by the device. "However, on terms of having feelings for Oliver, which I believe is what this question is trying to determine, then the answer is a maybe. We are still young, even by the standards of Pokémon. I'm still learning and growing, as is he. I enjoy being around Oliver and I hope we can spend many years battling alongside each other to see what fate has in store for us."

Nearly everyone was smiling at the statement, which wasn't exactly a declaration of love but it was an interesting insight into the thoughts of the most normal Pokémon on Sun's team. Oliver hopped over to Penny and seemed like he was considering saying something to her, but decided not to, instead choosing to sit beside his fellow bird. Sun suddenly pulled all three of his Pokémon into a big hug, dislodging Brago's rice ball and making Oliver screech in surprise.

"You all are the best." Sun stated happily as he let go of his Pokémon. The wheel spun again and it landed on Hau and Oliver, which made the boy in question go pale in horror.

"Truth or dare?" Oliver asked with a look of pure evil in his eyes.

"Well, either way I'm screwed. Dare." Hau said with a small sigh. Oliver let out a small chuckle that made everyone shiver.

"Well, since I can't hurt you, I can only torment you. I dare you to call out Cascade, your Brionne." Oliver said to Hau, who blinked in confusion. Wordlessly he pulled out his Starter's Poké Ball and called her out. The Brionne appeared in a flash of light, striking a happy pose as she held out her hands with a wide smile-

"You're soul is mine!" Oliver screeched as he lunged at the Brionne, who let out a scream of sheer fear so high-pitched it cracked the windows and made everyone wince in pain. Cassy leapt into Hau's arms while Oliver just cackled with glee, falling onto the ground breathlessly while everyone watched on in annoyance. Hau just glared at Oliver while Cassy quaked in terror in Hau's arms, blubbering incoherently.

"Sun, your Starter is a monumental asshole." Aria said dryly while Sun returned Oliver, Penny, and Brago, deciding they were done with this game for the night. Laura Smiles gave Aria a dark look for cursing but relented because she knew the statement was absolutely true. Hau returned Cassy after he got her to finally stop crying, making a promise to get Oliver back for this.

"I agree. So, who's next Rotom?" Sun asked the device, who beeped and spun its wheel.

"Well, let'zz see...Lillie and Mallow!" Rotom yelled out, with Lillie gulping in fear while Mallow grinned evilly.

"Truth or dare?" Mallow whispered to Lillie, who took a shuddering breath. She needed to do this. Face the beast head on, with no fear.

"Dare."

"Heh. Let's try this one again, but worded differently. I dare you to play out the remainder of the game in your underwear." Mallow said to a horrified Lillie, who wrapped her arms around herself. Silence enveloped the room, as everyone knew Lillie probably didn't think far enough ahead to outsmart Mallow twice on basically the same dare. Burnet and Kukui glared at Mallow again, and just when Lillie opened her mouth to reply to Mallow-

"Pass."

Everyone looked to Sun, who had spoken. Mallow blinked twice and said, "What do you mean, 'Pass'? It's not your turn."

"I'm using my pass on Lillie's dare. There's no way I'm going to have her do that here in front of everyone." Sun said firmly, glaring down Mallow while Lillie just stared at Sun with relief. She had been just about to use her pass, but Sun had taken the bullet for her and protected her from a dare that would have left her very, very embarrassed.

"Zzzt! I'll allow it!" Rotom declared, floating over to the boy he assisted.

"Sun, you really ruined a lot of hard work here." Mallow growled at Sun.

"I don't care! I'm not about to let a friend debase herself for your twisted amusement, Mallow!" Sun yelled at the girl, who suddenly grinned.

"Your dedication to your girlfriend is adorable, Sun."

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"Zzzt! We've got a game to play, people! Next up! Professor Kukui and Hugh!" Rotom cried out, with the Professor hopping to his feet with a grin.

"Seeing so much boldness has inspired me. Hit me with your best dare, Hugh!" Kukui said enthusiastically, which made Hugh smirk. Hugh leaned over to Aria and whispered in her ear, making the girl burst into giggles before Hugh returned to his seat, grinning up at Kukui.

"Alright Professor. I dare you to yell out the most vulgar swear you know." Hugh said to the man, who suddenly paled. Johnny Kukui slowly looked over to where Laura Smiles was sitting. Laura frowned at the man and made a theatrical display of cracking her knuckles, which made Kukui flinch when they popped. He had to restrain himself from shielding his family jewels out of sheer instinct.

"I...um, I'll p-pass." Kukui said weakly, sitting down on the ground. Professor Burnet put a hand on her husband's shoulder, giggling softly.

"Zzzt! Now it's Professor Kukui and Sun! Look at that!" Rotom cried out happily. Professor Kukui returned to his feet, striking a confident pose as Sun also stood up, mimicking the Professor with a grin of equal confidence.

"Truth or dare, Professor?" Sun said a bit louder than what was probably necessary, though he oddly enough sounded like Professor Kukui. Needless to say, Kukui decided to take that opportunity to act even more like a total dork than usual.

"Ha! Alright, cousin, there's no way I'm backing down from this challenge! I'm gonna Close Combat this thing and get ready to Howl to the moon! Woo! Hit me with the best truth you got, yeah!" Kukui bellowed, crossing his arms.

"Oh, don't you worry! I've got one great truth for you!" Sun yelled, equally as loudly with a wide grin on his face.

"Good! Then bring it, oh yeah!" Kukui shouted, enthusiasm pounding through his voice.

"Consider it brung, Professor! Because you're gonna get hit with the hardest truth there is! Oh yeah!" Sun roared, pumping his fist while everyone watched in horror. Hau was simply shaking his head in disgust.

"It's almost creepy how accurate his impression of Professor Kukui is." The Kahuna's grandson muttered under his breath.

"...Hau, I'm scared."

"We're all scared, Lillie."

Kukui changed his stance and pointed at Sun, his grin widening. "Then hit me with your best shot, Sun!"

"You ready for this!?"

"Oh yeah I'm ready!'

"You sure Professor!? I don't think you are!"

"I'M SO READY! HIT ME WITH THE BEST TRUTH YOU'VE GOT, SUN!"

"ALRIGHT! HERE IT COMES!"

"YEAAAAAH! GO FOR IT SUN!"

"Are you the Masked Royal?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Fuck this shit. I'm out."

Professor Kukui got to his feet, walked over to the door and exited the room before Laura could hop to her feet and suplex him through the window for cursing in front of the children. Professor Burnet burst into giggles as she stood up, shaking her head.

"I haven't seen him that let down since the Go-Rock Quads canceled their Alola tour last year. I think I'm going to go help him mend his broken pride." Burnet said to the others, waving to them. "That said, it was nice playing with you all. Lillie, I'll be up for a while so don't worry about locking the front doors once the last guest leaves. I've got it."

"Okay Professor Burnet." Lillie said to the woman with a smile. Madeline Burnet walked over to Lillie and knelt down, pulling her into a hug which Lillie returned fiercely, trying to convey her gratitude for everything the woman had done for her in just one gesture. With that, the woman departed to comfort her husband, leaving their number down two.

"Man, that was...brutal." Aria remarking, reaching over to Sun and fist-bumping him. Suddenly the world went white for Aria, as present and future met.


Sun was sprinting down forest path, drenched to the bone as lightning lanced through the air and thunder roared in the heavens with rain pouring down from him from above. Sun didn't care though. He didn't want to care. He was done being hurt. He was so, so tired of carrying the weight of the past and of sins that were not his own crawling down his back. The boy finally, mercifully broke through the trees and found a cave, which he stumbled into. He ignored the cuts and scrapes he received and instead chose to walk as far as he could into the cave, plunging himself into near-pitch darkness.

In the darkness, Aria heard Sun speak.

"I can't take this...it's too much." Sun whispered as he collapsed against the cave wall, his eyes almost black with despair as he fell to the ground, curling up into a ball. Aria could almost feel it, within the air. Something bad had happened. Something absolutely terrible, that finally pushed the boy past the point of no return. All of the fear, pain, and stress had culminated in Sun being reduced to a state where she could feel the misery radiating off of him. What scared Aria most was, much like the vision she had before regarding Sun, the boy didn't have his team with him and there was a storm raging fiercely outside.

"The two visions...The one I told Lillie about and this one. They're linked." Aria thought as the vision continued. Aria turned her attention back to Sun, who looked up slightly as the sound of pounding footsteps became audible. Out of the nearby forest burst out Dartrix and a Trumbeak, followed by a Growlithe and a drenched Lillie covered in dings and scraps with her dress torn in many pieces. The girl quickly bolted into the cave and she smiled with relief at seeing Sun, and took a moment to catch her breath. Once she did, she looked back up at Sun and then that smile faded as she saw how bad of a state Sun was in. The boy slowly rose to his feet, his eyes darkened with sorrow as he glared down Lillie and his team.

"Didn't you hear me back at the Pokémon Center? I said...Get. The hell. Away from me. Or you'll die just like they did. Because that's what I do to people. They get hurt because of me. I'm a monster, Lillie. Just like my father." Sun finished in a hopeless whisper, shutting his eyes and making the world go to black.


Aria gasped and fell to the floor, shaking in pain as she struggled for air. Hugh was at her side right away, with Aria trembling in his arms as he pulled her close.

"That...something...happened. It's bad. Something bad is about to happen." Aria coughed, trying and failing to get to her feet. Laura walked over and helped the young woman to her feet with Hugh's help, considering Aria was having trouble breathing and couldn't stand properly.

"She needs to go to a hospital." Laura said to Hugh, who shook his head.

"She's been like this before. She just needs to get some rest." Hugh said to the Laura, who sighed.

"Then you better watch over her. Come on, let's move her." Laura said as she and Hugh began to move Aria. Sun hopped to his feet, but Laura looked at Sun and shook her head.

"You kids keep having fun. We've got this handled. Sun, when you're done here, just go back to the hotel. Be safe on the walk back. And again, Happy Birthday, Lillie. I hope you enjoyed your special day." Laura said warmly to the girl, who beamed at Laura Smiles and hopped to her feet as well, walking over to the group of three Trainers. After giving each of them a hug, the trio departed, leaving just Sun, Hau, Lillie, Lana, and Mallow.

"And then there were five. Wow, five people gone just like that. You all wanna give up now?" Mallow asked, grinning at the others.

"Nope. We're going to bring you down." Sun vowed, exchanging a smile with Lillie. Mallow rolled her eyes and Rotom spun its wheel, which landed on Lana and Mallow. Lana gulped while Mallow chuckled darkly.

"Truth or dare, bestie?"

"Truth."

"Describe the most inappropriate thing you've ever done." Mallow said with a wide smile, knowing exactly what that was. Lana blushed bright pink and assumed the fetal position, though she thankfully continued sitting upright.

"I...Um. Fine. Sometimes...When there's no one around and there's no more Trials going on for the day...Sometimes I like to...go skinny-dipping in the water at Brooklet Hill." Lana said quietly, her face slowly growing redder the more she spoke. Lillie and Sun both gaped at that revelation while Hau just stared at Lana, his mind trying to picture the scene she had just conjured up for him and-

"Gah! My nose!"

"Really Hau?"

"How am I supposed to help that!? Lana's the one who swims naked!" Hau called out through his nosebleed, making Lana squeak in protest.

"You didn't have to yell it like that!" Lana muttered, wishing for the sweet embrace of death right then and there. Instead, Mallow helped Sun clean up the blood on the carpet while Lillie judged Hau really hard. Rotom spun the wheel, with it landing on Hau and Lana. Hau, once he had stopped bleeding, went with Dare.

"Alright...um...Hau. I dare you, to...um…" Lana trailed off, unsure. "I can't think of anything."

"You could dare him to go on a date with you. You know, like you wrote about in you're diary." Mallow suggested, with Lana whirling around and tackling Mallow to the ground, glaring at her best friend.

"Stop calling me out on the fact that I have a crush on him! It's annoying!" Lana yelled at a laughing Mallow before she suddenly stiffened, realizing what she had just said. Lana got off of Mallow and looked down at the ground, not realizing that Hau was staring at her in dumbfounded surprise.

"Well...at least I was right. Still, that's gotta be embarrassing." Hau thought as his mind tried to process this information. So. Hau had a crush on Lillie, who had a crush on Sun. Sun had a crush on Lillie. Meanwhile, Lana had a crush on him, and he…


"Dude, you do know there's plenty of girls out here in Alola, right? Plus, you're super nice. And cute, mind you. You would have no problem getting a girlfriend in these islands if you set your mind to it."


Hau didn't know what to think. Lana had become a very good friend of his, and was not only a strong Trainer but a Trial Captain as well. Plus, she was admittedly pretty cute. Not as cute as Lillie, but still really cute. Hau thought about, and recalled something he had been told the last time he was in this position.


"Instead of focusing on just one girl, you should broaden your horizons. Keep your eyes out for other ladies that interest you and are interested in you and…I dunno."


Hau shut his eyes, thinking about what Demi had told him on the beach back in Hau'oli City. She was right, of course. Even if they weren't friends anymore, Hau could still take her good advice. Lillie hadn't shown any interest in him and Demi was out of the picture with Team Skull...Maybe he should just move on. He didn't think his feelings for Lillie would fade any time soon, but that didn't mean he couldn't give other people a chance.

Hau nodded to himself, smiling at Lana.

"Alright. I'll do the dare." Hau said, with Lana's head snapping up in surprise.

"W-what dare?" Lana asked quietly, not meeting Hau's eyes.

"Taking you on a date. Sounds pretty generous, really. Mallow's going soft." Hau shrugged as Lana stared at the boy, with Lillie and Sun exchanging grins. Lana's blush faded somewhat as she sat up normally, just confused.

"But...Hau, I…" Lana trailed off, unsure of how to vocalize her feelings.

"I'll admit, I'm a bit thrown off by this, but that doesn't mean I'm going to treat you any less differently, Lana. You're my friend! If you like me, then why wouldn't I at least give it a shot? I'll go on whatever date you want me to. Whatever happens, happens!" Hau said cheerily, with Lana staring open-mouthed at the boy. Hau chuckled at the surprised look on the girl's face. Lana was even more surprised when Hau got up, walked over to her, and hugged her.

"Seriously?" Lana said quietly, not moving at all. "This is happening. I'm not dreaming?"

"Yep. I'm not gonna let the past drag me down, like it does with Team Skull. Gotta keep facing forward, you know? So why not give you a chance?" Hau asked the girl, who slowly began to blush again. Regardless, she returned Hau's hug and the two held each other for a moment as Rotom discreetly took pictures of the scene, with Mallow doing the same a few moments later. The two friends separated, with Lana smiling with sheer happiness while Hau looked pleased with himself.

"Any ideas for your date, Lana?" Lillie asked the bluenette teasingly, glad to not be the one getting it this time.

"Nope. I'll have to think about it." Lana said with a dreamy sigh, shutting her eyes. Hau giggled at the girl's reaction, putting his hands behind his head with a wide smile on his face. Sun gave his friend a thumbs up while Lillie fist-bumped Hau, who returned the surprising gesture with a laugh.

"Next up...Zzzt! Mallow and Hau!" Rotom declared, with the two children grinning at each other.

"Dare me, bitch!" Mallow whispered, leaping to her feet.

"Hmm…" Hau thought about it, before a thought slowly wormed its way into his mind. He tried banishing it, but it kept coming back. Hau shrugged and decided to just go with it.

"Mallow, I dare you to make out with Lana." Hau said to the girl, who jerked back with a horrified look.

"W-w-what!? But she's a girl! That's...I mean…" Mallow looked down, a blush creeping onto her face and shocking Sun, Hau, and Lillie. Lana was likewise flustered, but not nearly as bad as Mallow was. She looked almost scared, which really threw them off.

"You already used your pass. Either you make out with her, or you lose your crown. Simple as that." Hau said firmly, his silly grin not leaving his face. Lana gave Hau a questioning look, but the boy shrugged in response.


Meanwhile…


"Hmm…"

"What is it, Kahuna Hala?"

"I don't know, Tim. But for some reason, I think I'm going to call Hau tomorrow and tell him that I'm very proud of him."

"But sir...He already knows you're proud of him. Anyone can see that!"

"I'm aware of this. But I'm also proud of who he is becoming! I'm not sure why...But I believe he has just done something I would very much approve of. Call it a grandfather's intuition!"

"Sir, permission to speak freely?"

"Go ahead."

"You're weird, sir."

"I'm aware of this. Now let's get to the store. It's far too late for me to be shopping, but I need my pudding, damn it!"


"So...make with the making out." Hau said with a laugh while Lana and Mallow exchanged a quick look. Lana sighed and opened her mouth to say something to Mallow, but found that her friend had leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. Lana just froze, not making a single movement other than stare at Mallow in horror.

Mallow on the other hand…

"She's...really getting into it, huh?" Lillie said with a small cough. The girl looked at Sun, who she was a little annoyed to see what watching the two Captains make out with a fascinated look on his face while a small leak of blood dripped from his nose. Lillie turned to look at Hau, and almost punched the supremely smug look off of the boy's face.

Lillie turned back to Lana and Mallow, the latter of whom was still making out with Lana even though Lana wasn't doing anything back. The Grass Captain was sporting a heavy blush and had her eyes closed. It wasn't too much longer before Lana finally had enough and shoved her friend away with a yell. Mallow fell to the floor, panting heavily and looking dazed.

"Hau, you're some kind of twisted, I swear." Lana said to her crush, who laughed as he fell onto the floor. Lana turned back to Mallow, who was slowly collecting herself, though she was now wearing a horrified expression.

"Um...Mallow? You okay?" Lana asked her best friend. Mallow looked at Lana and then blushed dark red, looking away from her friend. After a few moments of silence, Mallow got to her feet, grabbed her bag and bolted from the room with a small scream, slamming the door as she left.

"...What was that about?" Sun asked, just as confused as everyone else.

"I have no idea." Lillie replied, at a loss.

"Me too. I don't know why she was so upset. She's made me and Kiawe do way worse." Lana stated, though she looked at Hau who was slowly sitting up, giggling.

"You think if I messaged her on Festival Plaza and linked her that 'I Kissed A Girl' video from a few years back, she'd get mad?" Hau asked the others, who looked at him with very unimpressed looks. "Figured. Rotom, if you would?"

"Spinning! And...Sun and Lillie!" Rotom yelled out, with the two friends grinning at each other.

"Dare me, Birthday Girl!" Sun called to the Princess, who laughed softly at the declaration.

"Alright. I dare you to throw hot sauce on Oliver." Lillie said happily, with Sun going pale at the thought. Oliver would be incredibly angry at him if he did that...but on the other hand, he didn't want to quit the game, even though Mallow was gone. Wordlessly, Sun walked over to the nearby table where there were a few bottles of condiments. Sun grabbed the hot sauce and pulled out Oliver's Poké Ball, calling out the owl.

"Already? Wait...what's going on?" Oliver asked, confused at the sight of the children from before. Oliver rotated his head to look at Sun, who quickly unscrewed the bottle of hot sauce and dumped it over Oliver, who's eyes widened in horror before-

SPLAT.

"...Sun...I'm going to tear you apart now."

Sun returned Oliver just as the bird lunged at him with a predatory screech, bloody murder in his eyes. Lillie walked over with a very amused smile on her face as she and Sun began to clean up the mess of hot sauce on the ground.

"I'm going to have to work on having him forgive me all day tomorrow, Lillie." Sun sighed as they returned to their seats, where Hau was still laughing at Oliver's misfortune.

"I'd start by giving him a bath." Lana said with a small chuckle, though Sun wasn't amused. Lillie reached over and patted the boy on the head, receiving an annoyed grunt from the boy despite the fact he was smiling.

"Zzzt! Alrighty, we've got Lana and Hau!" Rotom declared, with the two friends exchanging a smile.

"Alright. Truth or dare?" Hau asked the Water Captain.

"Dare!" Lana said, emboldened by the fact that her feelings for him were out in the open and that he had agreed to go on a date with her. No, it didn't necessarily mean he returned her affection, but he was giving her a chance and it was more than enough for her.

"Alrighty. I dare you explain to me something. Every time you do the Water Trial, you're not bothered at all by the rain, even though you usually wear a white shirt. Why is that?" Hau asked the girl, who blinked, having not expected the question.

"I...I just wear a one-piece bathing suit underneath my clothes whenever I have to go to Brooklet Hill. I learned early on that rain will always fall on Brooklet Hill during a Trial, and that's really embarrassing to deal with usually. Especially when Mallow's there, making fun of the fact that she can see my bra through my shirt and-" Lana trailed off, shaking her head. "Anyway! It's kind of embarrassing to admit, but it's just a way to make things easier...Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Sun and Lillie looked over at Hau, who was sporting another nosebleed. The boy laid down on the ground and tried to get it under control. Rotom, naturally ignored this and continued the game.

"Nezzzzxxt up! Lana and Sun!" Rotom declared, with Lana sighing inwardly.

"Dare again. I trust you won't do anything too evil, Sun." Lana said as she moved her eyes from Hau to Sun, but in doing so she shrank back at the sinister grin on the Kanto-native's face.

"I wouldn't say that. I dare you to read aloud to us the first page in your diary that has Hau's name on it." Sun said to the Water Captain, who went pale. She reached over to her bag and pulled out a small green notebook with a badly damaged water-shaped lock on it. Lana quickly flipped through the book and found the appropriate entry, before she shut the book with an 'eep' and quickly stowed away the book.

"I pass. Actually, on the off chance you pull a Mallow and find a way around that and dare me to read aloud my diary again? I quit." Lana declared, standing upright and sighing deeply. "Well. I guess it couldn't be helped. But at least we beat Mallow, so I'll consider that a win. But I'll be damned if anyone but Mallow reads this book. The secrets it contains would ruin me."

"Yay...we did it everybody!" Hau declared happily, falling back onto the ground.

Lana looked down at the dazed Hau and said, "Do we need to check him into the hospital? I think he's a bit out of it from all the nosebleeds."

"Nah. He hates hospitals anyway. Just splash some water onto his face and make sure he gets back to the Pokémon Center." Sun said dismissively as Lana helped Hau to his feet. Hau wrapped his arms around Lana, who blushed but didn't mind this in the slightest.

"I'll make sure he gets there alright before heading home myself. You both have a good night! And Happy Birthday Lillie." Lana said to her friend with a smile. Lillie held the door open for the two departing Trainers before she closed the door. After a moment's thought, she locked it.

"So...it's just us." Lillie said to Sun, walking back over to him and sitting across from him.

"Yeah...So, you want to just end this here? It's only us now." Sun asked the girl, who smiled adorably at him.

"And pass up the chance to see which one of us would win this? Either way, Mallow loses. I think we should keep going." Lillie said with a happy smile. Sun nodded in reply, waving to Rotom Dex.

"Rotom, go offline." Sun ordered the device, who buzzed before shrugging and landing on the ground. The device powered down and Sun stuffed it in his backpack before he looked over at Lillie. The two friends sat in silence, watching each other for a while.

"Truth or dare, Lillie?"

"Dare!"

"I dare you...to undo the braids in your hair!" Sun said to the girl, who blinked in surprise. Slowly, carefully, she reached up to her head and began to carefully undo the skillful braids that she had learned to do several years ago...


"Look at the way your hair twirls and twirls in its braid. Such lovely, blonde locks. You look so beautiful with your hair like this, darling."

"Really Momma?"

"Absolutely! You'll be even more beautiful than me or your father at this rate, dear."


Lillie ripped herself out of the memories, forcing back the tears as she undid the last of the braids, allowing her hair to come fully free. Lillie moved her hair aside and looked at Sun, who was smiling at her.

"Wow. It's different, but I like it." Sun said to Lillie, though he noticed her downcast expression. "You okay?"

"I just...I've always done my hair in a braid. Ever since I started doing it, no matter what, I've had my hair done like this. Always. She loved styling my hair. Even when she started turning dark, she said that braiding my hair reminded her of happy times." Lillie whispered, looking down at the floor. The girl then sighed before looking up at Sun with a sad smile. "I'm okay. I'm remembering the good times, while hoping the future will be better."

"Okay...Your turn."

"Truth or dare, Sun?"

"Truth."

"Who's the most important person to you right now?" Lillie asked Sun, who blushed brightly at the question. He could just give any answer to her, now that Rotom Dex was no longer able to lie-detect stuff. Speaking of which, he had no idea that the device could do that in the first place and planned to ask it about that later. But for now...what should he tell her?

And then he seriously thought about it. And knew what answer he should tell her.

"It's you. Happy?" Sun said to the girl, who beamed at him even as she blushed bright pink.

"Are you just saying that to make me happy?" Lillie said to Sun, who shook his head.

"I mean, I can lie now that Rotom's gone. But why bother? You've helped me through some serious stuff, Lillie, and you've been an amazing friend. You and Hau are like…beyond friends. The closest friends a person can have." Sun tried to figure out a way to explain it.

"So we're your best friends, then?" Lillie said to Sun, who nodded.

"That fits. You though...You understand me better than Hau does. We connect a bit better, I guess. So you're the most important person I have in my life right now, Lillie. And I'm going to do whatever it takes to help you get Nebby home. And I'll keep you safe, no matter what it takes." Sun promised Lillie, who's smile dipped a bit.

"Thank you Sun. I...can't tell you how much I appreciate that." Lillie said quietly, her smile returning a few moments later. "Your turn."

"Truth or dare, Lillie?"

"Truth!"

"Okay. Earlier, when I evaded Mallow's dare by kissing you on the hand...Were you disappointed?" Sun asked the girl, who blushed dark red at that.

"Oh my...How I can answer this without selling myself out like Lana? But on the other hand, I don't want to lie." Lillie shut her eyes, thinking hard on this. Finally…

"Yes. I was disappointed."

"R-really?...um, why was that, Lillie?"

"That wasn't the question. My turn, now. Truth or dare?" Lillie said, her smile turning mischievous.

"Truth." Sun replied, with Lillie's smile fading and her expression becoming neutral.

"I think after everything I've revealed tonight, it's only fair you do the same. What happened to the baby Pokémon you had before you came to Alola?" Lillie said in a firm voice, sending raw terror down Sun's spine. His mind cracked and his soul shivered as the memories began to creep back into his mind.

"I...I can't, Lillie." Sun muttered, crossing his arms and looking down at the ground. He wasn't expecting this. How could she spring this on him like this? He thought they were friends...

"Yes, you can. Hau told me what you said to him back at the Brooklet Hill Pokémon Center. Something terrible happened to you before you became a Trainer. Back when...Back before your father attacked you and your mother." Lillie said to the boy, who flinched.

"Sun...what did he do to you? What did that man do to hurt you like this? Please...tell me. Tell someone." Lillie pleaded with the boy, who slowly shook his head.

"I...I...What makes you think my father did anything?" Sun said quietly, not meeting Lillie's eyes.

"'I can't even think about what he did', were your exact words, according to Hau. You heavily implied that you took care of an Egg in the past, but something happened to it. You said you couldn't let another innocent die. What happened, Sun? Was it your father?" Lillie asked Sun, seeing the boy literally tearing himself apart to avoid even thinking about it. It was so strange, seeing the brave and heroic boy being reduced to such a state by a few mere questions.

"Sun...I'm asking because I'm worried. You're under a lot of stress, and keeping it bottled up is terrible for you. Trust me, I know. Please...you can trust me. I can help you." Lillie said quietly to Sun, who shook his head furiously.

"N-no...I can't even think about it Lillie. Do you know what it's like? Having to hold onto something like this? It's better off as a memory...Something I don't have to think about. It's for the best." Sun said quietly, hyperventilating and making Lillie worry horribly about him. Sun looked at her then, and Lillie nearly gasped at what she saw. Sun's eyes were...different.

Normally, Sun's eyes were a lovely shade of gray that reminded Lillie of the clouds in the sky after a rainstorm. They usually were filled with kindness and made Lillie...feel safe, she supposed. However, the eyes she was looking into were not the same she was used to. They were much darker, now. Resembling more like storm clouds brewing in the sky, preparing to unleash a thunderstorm.

"I...I'm doing to Sun what other people do to me when they push for answers about my past. This is hurting him, but...He can't keep holding onto this pain. A pain so deep that even the mere thought of it threatened to drive Sun to madness." Lillie thought to herself, feeling guilt well up within her. And then, Sun spoke.

"I...I...I quit." Sun said, hanging his head. Lillie blinked in surprise at the response, remembering that that they were playing a game a few moments later. Sun looked down at the ground, shutting his eyes and sighing deeply.

"Sun...I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. If anyone should be, its me. I don't want to hurt anymore, Lillie. But I can't think about this right now. There's too much going on. It hurts too much. I need more time. Please, just drop it for now. I promise...Someday I'll tell you all about it. You will be the first person who knows about Nova." Sun said to the girl, who blinked.

"Nova?" Lillie asked, but Sun flinched.

"Another time. So...I guess you win. Congrats." Sun said weakly, giving Lillie a small smile. Lillie smiled widely, realizing that she had indeed won the game of Truth or Dare.

"You want to take a picture together to send to Mallow and rub it in?" Sun asked the girl, his smile becoming a bit more genuine. Sun and Lillie scooted together and took a selfie together, sending it to Mallow. Oddly enough, even after a few minutes of waiting, Mallow didn't even open it.

"I wonder what's wrong with her." Lillie muttered, closing her phone and rising to her feet.

"Who knows? We can ask her tomorrow." Sun said with a small shrug. Lillie nodded and began helping Sun tidy up the lounge that had been used for the Truth or Dare game. Lillie was in thought the whole time, though. About what had happened today. Her birthday. Meeting Zinnia at the beach. Receiving the gifts and being overwhelmed by the kindness of her friends. And finally winning Truth or Dare and avoiding embarrassment, showing herself that even someone as weak as her could be brave when she needed to be. But…

Lillie looked at Sun, who was dumping some of the trash into the nearest bin, and wondered about what he had said and done. She knew that Ashton, Sun's father, had done something to Sun to make him like this. To have done something so terrible that it caused Sun actual pain to think about it…

"That's what Mother wants to do to Nebby. I...This gives me another reason to protect Nebby with everything I have." Lillie thought to herself, nodding with a small hum. This caught Sun's attention, and he smiled at her determined expression.

"You good, Princess?" Sun asked the girl, who smiled at him.

"Just fine. We're about done here, anyway. I guess this is...goodbye then." Lillie said quietly, kicking at the ground awkwardly. Truthfully, she didn't want Sun to go. She was worried about him, and she had really enjoyed his company tonight.

"Well, I can at least walk you to your room." Sun offered, with Lillie nodding with a smile. The two children left the lounge and made their way down the hallway as Sun slipped his backpack on his back. In no time at all, they were stopped outside of a nondescript door.

"Well...here's my stop." Lillie said quietly, stepping away from Sun and smiling at him.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Sun said just as softly, reaching past her and brushing her hair out of her face. Lillie's smile widened at the gesture, with Sun laughing quietly.

"Goodnight, Sun. Thank you for being my friend." Lillie said to the boy, who's smile turned to a grin.

"Goodnight Lillie. It's an honor to be your friend." Sun said to his friend, taking a step back. The girl saw Sun's expression falter a little after a moment, and Lillie noticed his smile had faded. It seemed as if he was suddenly conflicted about something. Lillie was about to ask Sun what was wrong, when he suddenly stepped forward and leaned towards her...

And kissed her on the cheek.

Sun pulled away from his friend after a few moments and Lillie's green eyes were as wide as saucers, staring at Sun in surprise as they both began to blush bright pink. The two children stared at each other for a few moments, enveloped in a deafening silence before Lillie spoke up.

"Sun...what was that, exactly?" Lillie asked in a whisper, with Sun laughing softly in reply, embarrassed at his own daring. He didn't believe he had actually managed to kiss Lillie.

"Well...You seemed really disappointed about that dare earlier, and I mean...um...S-sorry, that was probably way too forward, wasn't it? Sorry Lillie. Maybe I should've asked first." Sun apologized, looking away from his friend. To his surprise, Lillie flung herself forward and hugged Sun tightly, nuzzling his neck.

"It may have been a bit forward, but that doesn't mean it wasn't welcome." Lillie said quietly with a shy smile, her face feeling like it was on fire. Especially the mark on her right cheek, where Sun's lips had touched her skin. Lillie's heart was pounding rapidly, like it was about to beat out of her chest. Sun had just kissed her! Her very first kiss ever was from her crush! The boy that had inspired her and protected her had just kissed her!

"So you're not mad?" Sun asked Lillie, who giggled as she tightened her embrace.

"Nope. I most definitely liked it! Now hug me back!"

"...Okay. But only because you asked nicely."

"But, um, Sun...This won't...change anything between us, will it?"

"Not if you don't want it to. No matter what, you're still my best friend."

"I...Sun, I…"

"What? Lillie, is everything okay?"

"Y-yes. Everything's fine. I just...Never mind."

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Lillie looked up at Sun, seeing the concern in his eyes. They seemed to have returned to their normal color of cloudy grey, but Lillie was still worried. They had both gone through some awful things, but while Lillie was managing better these days thanks to the support of her friends, Sun seemed to be clinging to the pain, unable to let it go. The pain was festering, thanks to Cipher's arrival on the islands and the worry that they would hurt those he cared about once again. Lillie was concerned, because she knew what happened when you couldn't let go of the hurt inside of your heart.

Her own mother was proof of that.

"I know, Sun. And the same applies to you as well." Lillie replied quietly, closing her eyes and just enjoying the feeling being held by her crush. She was kicking herself mentally for not telling Sun about her feelings for him, but she just couldn't find the nerve to do it. Regardless...Her getting a kiss from him definitely seemed to support Professor Burnet's point. Maybe she was worth loving after all, even if she wasn't the beautiful and perfect girl her mother wanted her to be.

Sun hummed in response, not really wanting to answer her. He knew he could definitely trust Lillie with the worries that troubled him, and that she understood on some level what he was going through. But on the other hand, he didn't want to burden her further. Hadn't she suffered enough?

Sun compromised by resting his chin on the girl's head and whispering, "You know, we should probably be heading to bed sometime soon."

"Do I have too? You're really warm. I...I like being held like this. By you." Lillie replied, her voice muffled in Sun's shirt, embarrassed at the admission, but she really didn't want the moment to end.

"As much as I like hugging you, I do have to go. I need to head back to the hotel before it gets too late and Mom starts worrying." Sun replied with a small laugh. Lillie sighed and pulled away from Sun, though she held onto his hand and pulled him to the door to her room, instead opening it.

"No you don't. You can say goodnight to Nebby, and then you can go." Lillie insisted, with Sun laughing softly in reply as she walked with him into the room. Lillie was admittedly stalling for time, not wanting her time with Sun tonight to end. Mainly because she was repeatedly stuck on one moment of the night so far.

"I can't believe he kissed me. Sun kissed me!" Lillie's thoughts sang, with the girl nearly wanting to throw herself at Sun and hug him again. She had restrain herself, though. Meanwhile, Sun was taking stock of Lillie's room.

Not so surprisingly, it was painted all white. Several nicknacks and the like were neatly set up on a nearby nightstand, which included several photos. One of which was Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet standing with Lillie at the beach, the three of them smiling widely as Nebby squirmed in Lillie's hands. The next was one of Sun, Hau, and Lillie in Hau'oli City, the photo Rotom Dex had taken and surprised them with. And the final one was, oddly enough, lying facedown on the nightstand. Sun tore his gaze away from the pictures and looked over at the large bookcase in the room, filled with various titles. The books Lillie had received from Sun were sitting neatly on top of the pile of gifts she had received earlier, ready to be read as soon as she was able to get to them.

Lillie nearly skipped over to Nebby and gently unwrapped him from his position in the thick and comfortable-looking pink blanket and pulled the Cosmog into her arms.

"Pe...pew?" Nebby mumbled tiredly, opening a single eye.

"Tell Sun goodnight, Nebby." Lillie said happily to the Cosmog, who shut his eyes regardless and went back to sleep. Lillie shook her head in mock dismay while Sun reached forward and pet the small Pokémon on the head.

"Goodnight Nebby. Sleep well, little guy." Sun said to the Cosmog as Lillie carefully set him back on her bed and wrapped him up in the blanket again.

"So. Anything else you want to stall me with?" Sun asked with a chuckle. Lillie crossed her arms, thinking about it. After thinking about it, she smiled.

"A hug?" Lillie asked, opening her arms.

"Lillie, you're going to overdose on hugs after all the one's I've given you today." Sun said with a small laugh, but despite his words, Sun stepped forward and pulled Lillie into another hug, which Lillie returned fiercely.

"Happy Birthday, Princess. Goodnight." Sun muttered into the girl's blonde mane, with Lillie laughing softly in delight. For some reason, she secretly delighted in hearing Sun call her the nickname that oddly had followed her from one life to the next. She didn't mind it though, because it was used as a term of endearment instead of a title that demanded perfection and beauty at all times.

"Thank you for everything, my brave knight." Lillie replied softly, with Sun surprised at the remark. Sun smiled after a moment as Lillie separated from him, grinning with joy at how the day had gone. She had spent time with those who cared about her, and had all but received confirmation that her crush returned her feelings. All she needed to do was find the courage to express herself to him. But that would require a bit more courage, and that may take a little bit longer. She was alright with that. They had all the time in the world to sort things out, didn't they?

"Goodnight Sun! Thank you for everything today!" Lillie said to her crush, who grinned back at her.

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow!" Sun said to Lillie before he turned away, knowing that if he didn't leave now Lillie would stall him even more. Besides, he had other things to think about.

"I kissed her...She seemed to really like it. If that doesn't prove that she likes me back, then I don't know what would. Once we're done with this psychiatrist thing tomorrow, I'll tell her. I'll tell her how I've been feeling about her." Sun decided, his smile growing in size. He had no idea what would happen then, but all he knew was that he wanted Lillie to know. He wanted to become closer to the girl who had become so important to him.

Meanwhile, Lillie collapsed onto her bed with a happy sigh, waking up Nebby for the second time and receiving an annoyed sigh from the Cosmog. Lillie laid there for a moment, shutting her eyes and allowing the moment to sink in. All of the moments of today, weighing down on her right now.

She was happy. Truly happy, for the first time in years. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she didn't feel like she wasn't good enough. That she was a bother. That she wasn't worth it.

"Best. Birthday. Ever." Lillie whispered to herself as she got up, crawled into bed, and pulled the blankets around her and pulled Nebby close. The sleepy Cosmog let out a tired cry before huddling closer to Lillie. The girl fell asleep with a smile, her heart filled with happiness knowing that despite her imperfections, she was loved all the same.


So, Sun finally took the first step. While it may not be a confession of his crush on her, Lillie knows that her feelings may just be returned after all. Yeah, it's obvious to us, but for two very awkward and sheltered children who are close friends with each other, it's not quite so apparent.

What happens next for the two children as they try to figure out their own feelings and just admit them to each other already? Who knows? Stay tuned! This is probably the most fluffiness we'll see for a good little bit, which balances out what's to come. Heh.

Next chapter is Sun's visit to the psychiatrist, and the beginning of Sun's journey to battle the Kahuna of Akala Island!

Q & A

From: GeekyGamer314

Is the pink backpack that Sun's mother got for Lillie the same one that Lillie wears in her Z-powered from later?

Yep. I figured Lillie could get that earlier in the story, since it's stated she gets her Z-Powered Form outfit in Malie City. However, I thought it odd that she'd buy a backpack for her outfit when it was clear she wasn't very enthused with it when she bought it. *shrug*

From: Cottonmouth25

Could it be? There is another who ships Dexio and Sina? I thought I was forever alone! I could cry!

Oh, I absolutely ship them. I've had plans for Aria to have a vision of their future wedding since chapter 38 or so, but couldn't find a way to do it that didn't feel forced. And then I had some ideas change and...Well, it worked out. I'll expand on them later, don't you worry.

From: Angelfir3

You explained that Ambers team is made up of 50s and 60s level Pokémon, right? How high of a level are these Pokémon compared to the other top tier trainers in your story (champions and such)?

Amber could maybe beat some Champions but struggle against others. Without Umbral Rhyperior, she battles at a Champion level, though this is more due to the fact that she gets very involved in battles, shooting her guns and attacking alongside her team. In a straight up one-on-one battle, she'd probably lose to any of the Champions, except for probably Iris due to her being a new Champion. With Umbral Rhyperior, however, she could probably beat Steven, Wallace, and maybe Lance.

Use that as a measurement of how'd she fare in a battle with characters like Kukui and Oliver and Hugh and so on. There's a lot of factors at work when keeping into account a character's strength as a Trainer.

From: Okamaiden14

Although i do have to ask, how long do you plan on making this story? It's already at chapter 61 and its only now reaching rouughly the halfway point of pokemon sun and moon. Also will you include any elements from ultra sun and ultra moon? Like ultra necrozma, the alola photo club, and mantine surfing?

This story will be 200 Chapters, baring anything crazy happening. Yeah, we're reaching halfway point in the game's story (sort of), but we've got a long ways to go before we get to RS's halfway point, which I believe is a short while after the Electric Trial.

As for USUM elements, I've already included a few here and there, but as for things like the Pikachu Village, Alola Photo Club, and Mantine surfing...Maybe. I can absolutely see where I can throw in some references to them, but they're not getting a lot of focus. Necrozma will be featured in some manner, but as to whether or not it gets to the point of becoming Ultra Necrozma is something to be decided later.

From: DarkestShade73

If you'll recall from the Delta Episode, Zinnia left both Aster and her Salamencite in the care of the Player Character. However she does have her Key Stone still during the battle you have with her, which I actually just remembered as I'm writing this. Anyway, needless to say I needed to give her another Mega Evolution to use, and Altaria seemed like a good choice.

This chapter took way too long to do, and I'm honestly glad TOD is done. I'm happy to get back to the journey to battle Olivia, which I promise will be a very interesting encounter.

If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave your thoughts in the review section below, and if you have questions feel free to ask them! Also, if you could favorite and/or follow the story if you haven't already, that'd be fantastic. I'm gonna try and get a few hours of sleep now, since I've stayed up way too late editing.

Take care and stay awesome.

Until next time, FlygonNick out!