Pokémon Radiant Sun


So...Remember how I said I felt like crap last update? That kinda escalated to the point where, besides going to work, I was basically bedridden and did nothing but sleep because I got so sick last week.

Sorry about the delays, everyone. As much as I hate to say it, if I'm just not physically feeling up to it, I'm not going to force myself to write. Even if it's for chapters I'm excited as hell for. The good news is that I'm feeling much better and I've had a long weekend to get a little better and some time to hammer out this chapter, and make sure it turns out well.

Also, on the topic of delays, I decided on something. Due to a comment made in the reviews last update, it made me realize something. As much I'd like to ensure every chapter comes out on time, it's just not something that's going to happen. Something will come up, or the chapter might require more work than usual or there's an emergency so...If it it happens, it happens.

That's really all there is to it. I'm going to try my hardest to keep this story going on a weekly update schedule by posting on the weekend, but if I miss that window then I'll just update the following weekend. Rushing a chapter and not making it as good as I want it to be because I rushed it is something I want to avoid at all costs, you know?

This update doesn't count. I refuse to make everyone wait a week because I couldn't find a stopping point that felt natural. Besides, I'm technically off today thanks to a holiday.

Thanks in advance for your patience and continued support. It's awesome to see, and even more so because there's more and more people returning to the story after me having not updated in a few months after the hiatus.

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes RC-DA, SonicIKE, Anasazi Darkmoon, Zombiesguy115, SpoonyAzul, Sai Og Sus, BraviaryScout, trevhall19, Doger 32, Cottonmouth25, and a Guest reviewer. You all are awesome.

Here's another stupidly long chapter! Which is also really dark! And it's not because of Cipher!

Be advised, it gets somewhat brutal.

Enjoy.


Chapter 76: Drowning


"About time I found you."

Dawson wasn't happy that his first night in Alola was spent hunting down Amber Fontaine, after the assassin had vanished from their hotel. They were supposed to be making their way to a small hideout within Heahea City to meet with Mask, but the woman he had been partnered with had vanished into the night. After several hours, he finally found her sitting down on the beach with a thoughtful expression on her face.

It had been three days since their last meeting with Borlath. Dawson had never seen the man lose control like that, but considering the fact that Amber had nearly murdered his son, he wasn't surprised he did. Even if his methods were questionable, Dawson knew that Borlath loved his child.

Dawson watched as Amber stood up and brushed the sand off of her before continuing to look forward, her Xatu standing beside her. Avis glanced at Dawson and then looked at Amber, but said nothing.

"You didn't have to look for me. Even if my arm is still unusable, I can protect myself." Amber said in a dull voice, making Dawson look down at the cast the woman's arm was in. Despite the wonders of modern medicine these days, getting shot in the shoulder with a high-powered sniper rifle was something that couldn't just be patched up. It'd be a number of weeks before the assassin could use her injured arm again at all, but Dawson was fine with that. If Amber was crippled, it meant that she wouldn't be doing reckless things.

"I'm well aware. But that I've still got to keep an eye on you. After all, Borlath put me in charge of the next phase of our plan here. It'll be me, you, and Mask here in Alola and we've all got to be on the same page." Dawson said flatly, crossing his arms.

"I genuinely couldn't care less about that masked moron. All of us can tell that he's not sincere in anything that he says." Amber said with a shrug, flinching slightly.

"Truth be told, I could say the same about you." Dawson admitted, sighing after a moment.

Amber glanced back at Dawson, who stared at her with an unreadable look in his eyes. As idiotic as she found the man, she couldn't dispute the fact that he was at least a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. He wasn't one who relied solely on his Pokémon team, which made him a rare commodity amongst most Trainers nowadays. Even within Cipher, only half of their Admins could be relied on in an actual fight, including Amber herself.

But that didn't distract her from the fact that Dawson had become increasingly distrustful of her. He had apparently complained more than once to Borlath himself of how Amber took things too far and went against orders...which wasn't exactly true, nor was it entirely false. Amber did what was necessary, and didn't really care if what she did didn't mesh with everyone's plans. That said...she hadn't really cared in quite some time now.

"Can I help you with something?" Amber asked the man, who uncrossed his arms. Avis shuffled her wings from behind the assassin, glancing around the beach at the few passerby some distance away. Thankfully for them, even Heahea City and it's beautiful beach had a lull in activity within the dead of night, allowing those with looser morals to come from the depths.

Dawson sighed, shaking his head before putting a hand to his forehead. "Not really, I just...I don't get you."

"And...what? Is that supposed to be a problem?" Amber asked.

"Like it or not, we're supposed to be figuring out this Alola shit together. We can't trust that masked jackass, so it's just the two of us. Just...work with me here! How can we expect this to work if we have no relationship or trust?" Dawson asked Amber, who shrugged.

"You're really barking up the wrong tree, Dawson. Trying to expect emotional investment from someone who can't feel anything is pointless." Amber responded, turning around and facing the ocean again, unable to see the confusion in Dawson's eyes.

"Can't...Wait, what do you mean 'you can't feel anything'?" Dawson asked Amber, receiving silence instead. Dawson turned to Avis for an answer, getting a soft sigh in response from the Xatu.

"It's as she said. Amber cannot feel most emotions. It's the main reason she is so...aloof." Avis tried to explain, a pained expression on the bird's face.

"That's one way of putting it." Amber said with a humorless laugh, an empty gesture that seemed to be more out of habit than anything else from what Dawson could tell.

"What do you mean you can't feel most emotions? Everyone feels something. Even crazy or evil people feel emotions." Dawson said to Avis and Amber, making the assassin look back at him with a smile that held no warmth or coldness to it.

"That's true, Dawson. But I don't. I know what it's like to feel those emotions and I recognize they exist, but I can't feel them personally. I have a few negative emotions, but that's it. For the most part I just...feel empty. It's a terrible existence, as you can imagine. The only positive thing I can get out of this awful life is amusement." Amber explained dully, shrugging after a moment.

"Amusement?"

"Yes. And weirdly enough, one of the few things that amuses me is fighting. Killing. Bloodshed. I know it's wrong. I know it's terrible. Some part of me wishes I could go back to how I was before all of this, but I can't. I've become something else now...Something terrible, but something more than I ever was."

"I'm not crazy. I am quite sane, even if there are others who would call me a psychopath because of how blaise I am when it comes to what I do. But the fact of the matter is that I just don't care, Dawson." Amber explained to the man, who looked even more disturbed now.

"Amber, you don't have to talk about this to an idiot." Avis said to her Trainer, glaring at Dawson. The man scoffed and put his hands behind his head.

"I'm not an idiot. Well...Based on that and some musings I've heard from some of the others, I imagine that there's a reason you can't feel most emotions." Dawson said to Amber, who nodded before looking directly at Dawson.

"How about this? I'll answer any one question you have truthfully, no matter what it is. It's been a long day and we have much to do over the next few weeks if we want to capture a Champion." Amber said to the mercenary, who smirked for a moment.

"Well, as much as I'd like to ask something wildly inappropriate, I'm going to be smart about this. Man...any question, huh?" Dawson muttered, putting a hand to his chin and smirking slightly.

"Any question. You're right in the fact that we need to work together, and that some level of trust is important. Especially if Mask tries to pull the trigger on whatever he's planning before we can take him out." Amber responded with a small tired sigh.

"Alright…" Dawson shut his eyes, thinking about it. Anything he could ask about the strange assassin that claimed not to be able to feel most emotions. Such an odd thing to proclaim. Everyone felt something, after all. Maybe that was why some of the others called her 'broken'.

That said, he definitely wanted to learn more about her. She was a fellow Admin and it was a good idea to be on the good side of someone who could easily kill you with no qualms. Just one question though...he had to make it a good one.

It took some time for Dawson to find a question that was good enough for him. Amber hadn't moved from her spot, and neither had the loyal Xatu that remained by her side. By the time Dawson had found the question he wanted to ask, the the first wisps of sunlight were beginning to peak out from the horizon, illuminating a pitch black sky.

"What is your greatest fear?" Dawson finally asked, crossing his arms with a satisfied smile. Amber gave him an odd look, as did Avis.

"My greatest fear?" Amber echoed, with Dawson nodding in response.

"Yep. What is the one thing you fear most in the world?" Dawson replied, nodding slightly.

"That's what I want to know."

"My greatest fear...Hmm. That's a simple question with a simple answer. But I do have to ask a question for your question. Why ask that question, of any that you could have asked?" Amber responded, earning a grin from from Dawson.

"Because fear is powerful. It can be an incredible motivator, you know? I mean...Take me for instance. My greatest fear is the ocean. Well, drowning to be specific, but the ocean scares me." Dawson admitted, looking out at the sea with a faint scowl. "It's been over ten years, but I still hate the ocean and Team Aqua for what they did."

"And what exactly was it that they did?" Avis asked, her curiosity piqued. She could tell Amber's was as well, but said nothing.

"Heh...They tried to flood the entire world, the idiots. It was bad all over the world, but in Hoenn it was a nightmare. Torrential flooding and storm surges...I was at the beach with my little brother at the time. Use your imagination for what happened next." Dawson said, his voice a hate-filled growl.

"You and your brother were caught in the raging waters. You survived, he didn't." Amber guessed, with Dawson nodding.

"I used to be scared of water for a while. But I conquered my fears and realized that Team Aqua did this to me. Anger came after that, and I decided to make it my mission to punish them for their crimes, since the world as a whole deemed fit to forgive them." Dawson said, his smile becoming darker. Amber knew why, of course. Dawson had been able to single-handedly kill about half of the remaining group that was Team Aqua, including both Admins, before Borlath had recruited him into their group.

"I never figured you would be the righteous anger sort of person." Amber noted, realizing that Dawson wasn't quite what she thought he was.

"Me either. I'm not a good person. But I'll be damned if any psychotic bastards try to destroy the world just to fit their needs. It's why I joined Cipher, after all. To put them all down and protect this world. It's all worth it in the long run." Dawson explained with a grim smile, earning a small nod of from Amber.

"Alright. I can actually respect that. Now, onto your question. What is it that I fear most in the world? Considering I don't actually feel fear...Well, I guess it doesn't matter." Amber mused before shaking her head and looking at an expectant Dawson.

"What I fear most in the world is Hazel." Amber finally answered, shutting her eyes as a small smile crept onto her face, with Avis shivering slightly in response to the name.

"Who?" Dawson asked, confused, though Amber ignored him as she shared a knowing look with Avis. The Xatu shut her eyes tight, as if trying to suppress a bad memory.

"Yes, it'd definitely have to be Hazel. That Gothitelle...Even if she's gone now, I can't help but wonder if I could escape her again if she were to somehow come back." Amber remarked with soulless smile. "I imagine if I had the ability to feel normal emotions that I'd terrified if I saw a Gothitelle again, thanks to her. Even without fear, I don't like them very much."

"Hazel...I haven't heard that name in years." Avis whispered, opening her eyes and folding her wings. Amber acknowledged her partner with a nod before turning to a confused Dawson.

"Now if you don't mind, I have things to do." Amber said, looking skyward thoughtfully. "Try and figure out a way to fix my arm quicker, investigate the legends of the Tapu of this island...I should probably find a replacement Fire-type Pokémon to replace the one the last Tapu killed."

"I...what?" Dawson stated, still reeling from this sudden outpouring of information.

"You really are naive. Do you really think humans are the only ones capable of evil in this world? No. No, they're just as bad as we are. Now, I hope that answered your question and makes you a little less unwary of me. If it doesn't, then...I don't really care either way." Amber remarked with a sadistic smirk before she and Avis teleported away from the beach, leaving Dawson alone in the sand.

"A Gothitelle is what she's scared of the most? Just who the hell is Hazel?" Dawson muttered, staring at the spot where the assassin and the Mystic Pokémon had vanished into nothingness. The mercenary from Hoenn shut his eyes for a moment before plopping down onto the sandy beach and smirking to himself as he looked at over the shimmering ocean, moonlight dancing off of the shifting tides below it. How he hated the ocean, but he refused to be ruled by it. He'd make the world a better place in his own way, and it would continue with their plans in Alola.

"What on earth did I get myself into?" Dawson wondered aloud as he laid back into the sand, adjusting his hat and deciding that now would be a good time for a nap and some self-reflection.


"It's not fair! I can't break his stupid barrier!"

"Jeez, she's really getting mad, huh?"

"Yeah Mom...She's kinda got a mean streak."

"Yes. She's not taking it well."

"Poli pol…"

"Not entirely uncommon with Flying-types, actually. Some can be really nasty if you manage to really make them mad." Ollie remarked as he casually sipped his Roserade Tea, his Swellow nodding in agreement beside him.

Laura, Sun, and Ollie were currently enjoying a picnic on Route 1 while watching Oliver and Penny spar, which had become a recurring pastime ever since Sun had returned home. Since Sun had left Akala Island two weeks prior, he had gotten a chance to return home and relax, allowing the remainder of the stress from the past few days to roll off of him. Being home with his mother and surrounded by his team helped with this, though the inclusion of a certain International Police Captain helped matters.

Initially, there was a bit of confusion between the man and the Dartrix who's name was inspired by him. When Oliver had this revealed to him, he had been hopelessly confused.

"But...it's MY name. You can't have it!" the bird had said, indignant. Eventually, the group decided to just let the Dartrix be called Oliver like usual and just called Mister Oliver by the nickname Laura usually called him, Ollie.

Laura Smiles chuckled as Oliver dissipated the shield and darted forward, slamming into the exhausted Penny with Pluck and knocking her out. Penny hit the grass with a heavy thud and Ollie walked over to the bird with Sun, inspecting her for a moment.

"And once again, I win." Oliver said smugly, preening himself as Sun revived Penny, who shuddered awake.

"You shouldn't be so reliant on Protect to help you win, Oliver." Ollie said to the bird, who blinked at the man in surprise. "I'll say that you're really good at using it, and using the move to tire out an opponent is clever. Protect is a very helpful move, and can even be life-saving. But if used too many times, the shield becomes weaker and weaker. It will fail you eventually. Protect is not infallible."

"I...understand. I'll work on not using it so much, then, so that it does not become something I rely on." Oliver said slowly before he looked at Penny, who was glaring at him. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Penny said icily, flaring her wings. "Now prepare yourself!"

Oliver barely had time to react before Penny was upon him, stabbing at him with her glowing beak and attempting to hit the Dartrix, who was barely managing to dodge. Oliver flapped into the air before releasing a barrage of leaves, pelting Penny with them before the Trumbeak shot into the air after him, releasing a burst of sound that crashed into Oliver and sent him tumbling through the sky before he righted himself and swooped by.

"I have said it once and it merits saying again. The moment these two get past their stubbornness, you're going to have so many Pokémon Eggs that you'll put every breeder in Alola out of business." Brago said with a smirk, earning a surprised look from Laura and Ollie while Sun snorted in amusement.

"They're best friends." Sun remarked, patting the canine on the head. Nearby, Finn dozed in the shade of a nearby tree, exhausted from his training with Brago a short time beforehand.

"I can see. Reminds me a bit of me and Laura when we first met. She wouldn't stop picking on me." Ollie lamented with a small sigh, earning a punch in the shoulder from the teacher in question.

"You deserved that and you know it. Even if I don't remember why you annoyed me so much." Laura laughed as she shifted a little, crossing her legs. She had doned her usual dress and had gotten off of work only an hour ago.

It had become part of a routine. Laura went to work while Oliver and Sun trained together, working on fixing weaknesses and improving strengths. Sun had yet to come up with any useful strategies against Olivia, though. Eventually Finn became the main focus as he was significantly weaker than his teammates, though Ollie assured them the gap would close in time, especially when Finn evolved.

Sun wondered on that as well. It had been a long while since Penny and Oliver's evolutions. He wondered when the time would come for his team to take on new shapes and abilities.

The boy was startled out of his thoughts by his phone buzzing. The boy pulled it out and smiled, seeing a text from Lillie. He hadn't seen her since they had departed Akala Island, considering the fact that she had been traveling back and forth between the two Islands with Kukui and Burnet. She would still text him every day, often times sending him pictures of Nebby sleeping. He missed her, though.

Professor Kukui wants to tell you about his latest development on Z-Moves. And...Nebby's been missing you. Just like I have. Can you come over to the lab?

Sun's immediate response was to say yes and head right over there, but was knew that he couldn't just drop what they were doing so that he could do this. Sun felt a tap on the shoulder and looked to see his mother looking at him with a quizzical expression.

"It's Lillie. She said Professor Kukui needs to talk to me about something." Sun explained as he stowed away his phone. Laura raised an eyebrow.

"Just that? I feel like you're holding out on us." Ollie said with a teasing grin, making Sun blush slightly.

"We're just friends." Sun protested, though at the flat look Laura, Brago, and even Finn gave the boy he relented. "Really, really good friends."

"Right, and me and Winter are acquaintances." Brago said sarcastically, making Ollie cackle with delight.

"Haven't heard a Pokémon use sarcasm like in a while. Why don't you go visit your friend. I can keep an eye on these two birdbrains. Dodrio can keep them in line." Ollie said with a smirk as a three-headed bird stepped into view, having been observing from within the shade of another tree.

Sun looked at his mother, who made a shooing motion. "Go see what the Professor needs. I'm sure Lillie will be very happy to see you too. If Penny manages a breakthrough, we'll let you know."

The boy hopped to his feet and tapped Finn on the head, waking him up. Brago rose to his feet, stretching, before he smiled a little. With that, Sun made his way down the Pokémon Lab with his two Pokémon in tow, while Penny and Oliver continued to beat each other senseless.

Ollie watched Sun leave with a small worried expression on his face. "It's so weird, seeing him be so independent."

"I know what you mean. Me and Ash coddled him so much when he was younger. He didn't have any friends, because well...All he needed was us. But he always wanted to go out there and spread his wings. Become a stronger person, just like his parents. That's why I'm glad we got a fresh start in Alola. Sun's becoming the person he's always wanted to be." Laura said with a happy sigh, leaning back against the tree.

"I'm glad. After all that boy has gone through, he deserves to be happy. Though, the same applies to you." Ollie said, looking over at Laura. The woman shut her eyes, smiling a little.

"I am happy, Ollie. Some days are better than others, but I made this move to Alola for Sun." Laura said to her friend, who responded with a soft smile.

"Psh...I remember back when you were pregnant and you thought you'd be an awful mother." Ollie remarked, with Laura glaring at the man,

"Don't make me punch you. You still called me fat during my baby shower."

"It was a joke! You know I'd never seriously call you fat. Speaking of, have you lost weight? What's your secret?"

"CAN YOU KEEP IT DOWN, I AM TRYING TO CONCENTRATE!" Penny screamed as Oliver dodged a blast of sound with an amused hoot. Penny shot towards him into the air while both adults laughed, sharing a comfortable moment of silence between the two of them as they considered what had been in the past...And what would become of them in the future.


"Poli po pol poli."

"I agree. If I had my way, I would have set him on fire, but I don't make the rules around here."

"Guys, I can't just set Hau on fire because he snores loudly in his sleep sometimes. Besides, that's illegal."

The walk to the Pokémon Lab was an interesting one. Finn battled everything that they ran across while Sun and Brago chatted about Penny and Oliver's spar and a variety of other random topics. Soon enough they had arrived at the Pokémon Lab, and Sun knocked on the door three times and waited patiently for a moment before hearing a familiar voice call out, "Coming!" The door opened and Lillie stood there, surprised at seeing her best friend. The surprise lasted a moment before Lillie broke out into a shy smile, blushing slightly.

"Hey." Sun said with a smile. Lillie glanced behind herself for a moment before she opened the door and crashed into Sun, hugging him tightly. Sun felt a rush of warmth as he returned the embrace, his heart rate increasing as Lillie rested her head on his shoulder. The two friends held each other for a few moments, relishing the comfort that the other's presence offered them, before they broke apart. Both of them were a bit pink in the face, but they both wore happy grins.

"It's really good to see you again. How's everything been at home?" Lillie asked, letting Sun into the lab. He was greeted by a flying puffball that flew into his arms with a happy cry.

"Aww, hi Nebby. I missed you too." Sun said fondly, hugging the Cosmog as it nuzzled him. He looked over at Lillie and said, "It's been really good."

"Where's Penny and Oliver?" Lillie asked, surprised that just Finn and Brago were here. Sun scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously.

"Well…"


"ALL. OF. MY. HATE!"

"You know you love me deep down, Penny."

"GAAAAAAH!"

"Very, very, very deep down."


"I see...You think she'll figure out a way around Oliver's Protect? He's gotten really good at using that move from what I've seen." Lillie asked as she sat down on the couch after Sun explained the details. Sun joined her, with Finn hopping up to join them. Brago sniffed the air a few times, grinned to himself, and then slunk off down the hallway.

"I think so. She's really determined to figure out a way around it. Plus she's really smart, too. I have faith in her." Sun said with a smile, making Lillie return it.

"How's everything been, though? Is Ollie still staying with you two?" Lillie asked Sun, who nodded as he handed her back Nebby.

"He'll be heading to Akala Island in two days, now that his apartment is all set up. I get the feeling he doesn't want to leave, but his job is wanting him to get back to work. He says he'll swing by a bunch and hang out." Sun said with a small shrug, though he wore a smile. "It's been a lot of fun though. I forgot how awesome he was."

"Considering how much you praised him before he came to Alola, he must be pretty awesome indeed." Lillie said with a teasing note in her voice, making Sun stick his tongue out at her. Nebby pewed happily in response, wriggling the appendages on his head.

"I mean, it's still true though. Plus Mom really likes having him around. I haven't seen her this happy in a really long time...And that's the most important thing." Sun said quietly, his smile fading a little.

"After she found out the truth behind Dad, she...Well, she became a bit like me. Trying to keep a happy front for everyone's else's sake. Ollie tries to make sure she takes care of herself, too. Mom has friends and stuff, but she doesn't have people like you or Hau, Lillie. Ollie can be that person for her. That's why I'm really happy he's here." Sun explained to his friend, who nodded in understanding. It hurt a little bit for the girl to hear, as it reminded her of her own mother.

Despite this, Lillie smiled at Sun and said, "I'm glad thing's are looking up for your Mom, Sun. She's a wonderful person and deserves to be happy. Does this mean that you're really okay if her and Ollie start...um, dating?"

"Yep! I mean, it'll be weird for a while, but I'm totally for it. Ollie's been a family friend for years, anyway, so it's not like he's a total stranger." Sun said as Finn shifted in his lap, peering interestedly at the Luvdisc in the tank nearby.

"I see...Well, I'm glad."

"How's everything with Professor Kukui and Burnet?" Sun asked Lillie as the girl stroked Nebby in her lap, making the Cosmog coo happily in response.

"Quite well. They've been very busy over the past two weeks, what with traveling back and forth between Akala Island the Melemele Island, but despite that we've enjoyed spending time together again." Lillie said happily, with Nebby crying out in agreement.

"Where are they now? They didn't leave you here alone, did they?" Sun asked, glancing around.

"Oh no, they're downstairs. I needed a break from things and...w-well…" Lillie's cheeks flushed as she mumbled, "I kinda just wanted to spend some time with you by myself."

Sun blushed in response to this, though he quickly grinned and scooted closer to the girl, dislodging Finn and making the Poliwag glare at him from the floor. Lillie made a squeak of surprise, though she sighed happily as she wrapped her arms around Sun, ensnaring him in another hug.

"Better?" Sun asked, giggling in amusement.

"Much. I know it's only been two weeks, but I really do miss you when we're apart." Lillie said quietly, leaning on Sun's shoulder and sighing softly.

Sadly, this touching moment was interrupted by a Rockruff bursting upstairs with a happy bark, making the two children separate with two yelps. Professor Kukui appeared a moment later, wearing a knowing grin. "Sun, were you canoodling my assistant?"

"I...Canoodling?" Sun asked, exchanging a brief glance with Lillie. Like him, she was sporting a massive blush and was looking at the floor in embarrassment. To make matters worse, Rotom Dex popped out of Sun's bag and buzzed happily.

"Canoodling means to kiss or cuddle amorously. Which is what you two were about to do before Professor Kukui inter-" Rotom tried to say before Sun snatched up the device, powered it down and then shoved it into his backpack.

"Stop teasing them, dear." Burnet chided her husband, though she too was wearing a smirk. "Besides, we already know about their...little talk."

"Oh my god, Lillie, please tell me you didn't..." Sun muttered, looking at the girl in question. Lillie's face become a shade darker red in response, and she continued refusing to meet his eyes.

"She did. And while I think you both are so adorable about all of this, I have to commend you for your maturity as well. If I was your age, I would have risked my friendship to pursue a chance at having a boyfriend. You too care for each other so much that you want to avoid that at all costs." Burnet said to Sun, her smirk becoming more of a smile as the two adults walked over to them.

"How much did you tell them?" Sun asked Lillie, who made a awkward cough as Nebby wriggled in her arms.

"Most of what happened in the cave. I...It was a lot for me. I confided in Professor Burnet, and Professor Kukui happened to overhear and...I'm sorry." Lillie mumbled, with Sun sighing softly in response. While they did discuss talking this over with some of the adults they knew to get some romance advice, Sun didn't think Lillie would do it so soon. Maybe he should broach the topic with his Mom. Or maybe Ollie?

Kukui's expression softened as he joined Sun on the couch, with Burnet taking up the armrest. "Hey, don't stress about it, cousin. It's perfectly normal. Lillie's a wonderful girl and I'm very proud to have met her. It's an honor to have her help me with my research."

Burnet nodded in agreement, pulling the blushing girl into a one-armed hug. "It's true. She become the daughter we've always wanted, in a way. Compassionate, brave, smart. It's no wonder she became such good friends with a kind, talented, and determined boy like you. You share a very special bond of friendship, and I absolutely understand not wanting to risk losing that by rushing unfamiliar feelings."

"You do? So...what should we do?" Sun asked the two adults.

"Keep doing what you're doing, honestly. I kinda just fell in love with Madeline and everything worked out. Before that, I had never dated." Kukui admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"Alright, well...We agreed to go on a date. That festival thing is happening in a few weeks, and we're going to see what happens during that." Sun explained, with Kukui grinning widely.

"Oh yeah, that's gonna be a load of fun! I tell ya, I had to miss the last one because I had a mat- I mean...I had a meeting a had to go to. I missed out on a lot that night, let me tell you." Kukui said wistfully, sighing after a moment.

"Is that your biggest regret, dear?" Burnet remarked, chuckling.

"Nah, that's still Guzma." Kukui responded before he flinched, shaking his head. Burnet offered him a pitying look, though Lillie and Sun were both confused.

"Who?" Sun asked, but Kukui waved his hand, though he seemed worried about the apparent slip.

"Nothing. Forget about it." The Professor said quickly, his expression hardening for a moment before it cleared, making Sun even more confused. "Anyway, do you two want to come downstairs and talk more? Madeline made some of her Oran Foran Tea and it's fantastic." Kukui said dismissively, hopping off the couch and heading downstairs. Burnet sighed, rising from the armrest as well.

"He never did like talking about the past. Always the future." Burnet said apologetically, shrugging. "He wasn't lying about the tea, though. Come on, you two."

Sun and Lillie got up and made their way downstairs, with Nebby cradled in Lillie's arms and Finn following Sun, nearly tripping down the stairs as they made their way into Kukui's actual lab, as opposed to the living area above. In this time, Sun turned Rotom Dex back on, after which the device gave him a glare but said nothing.

Though, when the two children arrived downstairs, they saw a rather furious Kukui pointing angrily at a Growlithe and Alolan Vulpix that were curled up on a cushion together.

"I refuse to allow that kind of crap to happen! Winter's strong enough to be my main Ice-type with a few more months of training! If she got hurt fooling around with you, that'd set me back in my research!" Kukui nearly shouted at Brago as Sun ran over to them, looking back and forth between the two.

"What's going on here?" Sun asked, with the man blushing slightly.

"Um...W-well, Sun...I caught these two doing...Erm, well they were having…" Kukui trailed off, leaving the job to Rotom as the device beeped several times.

"Intercourse. Zzzt! Sun, I know your Mom has had this talk with you!"

"Wait, Brago and Winter were...ew!" Sun recoiled, grossed out at the thought.

"I fail to see what's gross about it. We were both having a good time before this fool interrupted us." Brago remarked, looking very smug as Winter nuzzled him slightly.

"They're so adorable together!" Lillie squealed internally, hopping up and down on her feet in a way that made Professor Burnet wish she had a camera.

"Well, you shouldn't have been doing that kind of thing in the lab! You could've broke something, or maybe Sun or Lillie could have seen you! That's inappropriate for kid's their age, yeah?" Kukui argued, with Brago rolling his eyes in response.

"It's perfectly natural. Just because the idea of you procreating is terrifying beyond all belief doesn't mean that the rest of us have to be so reluctant to the idea." Brago remarked as Winter stared at him in shock, as did everyone else.

"Holy shit." Kukui stated, his entire body sagging. "I just...got owned."

"Good puppy." Lillie said, breaking the silence and walking over to Brago and Winter, petting the former several times before petting the latter. This, naturally, ended with Lillie being on the floor while being licked and nuzzled by the two furry critters. Rotom took this moment to take a picture of Lillie, which it sent to both Sun and Professor Burnet after a moment.

"One's really warm while the other is really cold!" Lillie laughed as she writhed on the floor, with Nebby flying overhead with a happy smile on his face, much to the bemusement of everyone.

"One of these days, she's going to have to tell me the secret of how she can be so adorable at all times." Burnet mused as she poured the four of them a cup of tea, leaving Lillie's cup to the side while she played with Winter and Brago. Meanwhile, Finn was having a very animated conversation with Kukui's Poliwhirl, which Sun made note of. Sun took a sip of the Oran Foran Tea, shivering a little at the odd taste before continuing to slowly drink it. Despite the strange tanginess to it, the tea was pretty tasty.

"So much is happening in the next few weeks. I'm glad we've managed to get a lot of research taken care of, lately. Especially since you're helping organizing that tournament soon." Burnet remarked, sipping her tea. "When was it again?"

"This upcoming weekend. And the Konikoni City festival is happening the week after." Kukui said, grinning widely.

"But what exactly is it? The festival we keep talking about, that is. I really don't know much about it." Sun asked Kukui, who crossed his arms and chuckled.

"Why, it's a special festival celebrating Tapu Lele! Just as Iki Town has a festival celebrating Tapu Koko every year, Konikoni City celebrates the Guardian Deity of Akala Island around this time of the year. It's a huge party that takes place all over the entire city, and it's always a blast." Burnet said, inclining her head somewhat. "It's calledʻO ka Hōʻailona o nā Lā Lani."

"'The Festival of Celestial Lights.'" Lillie translated after a moment, pausing from petting Winter. This earned her a proud grin from Burnet. Lillie flushed slightly, especially when she caught Sun's impressed expression.

"Sun, you said you plan on having a rematch with Olivia after the Alola Grand Royal Tournament?" Kukui asked the boy.

"Yep. By then I'm hoping to have Finn up to par with the rest of the team and maybe work out a few new ways to make sure Olivia doesn't stand a chance against us next time. Thanks to Mom and Ollie, I think we're already in good shape." Sun said excitedly, with Kukui giving the boy a thumbs up.

"That's what I like to see, cousin! If that's the case, then let me make a suggestion. During the Festival of Celestial Lights, Olivia allows a Trainer to go through their Grand Trial during the festivities as a sort of main event of the evening. Why don't you ask her if you can take that spot? If you think you can handle being in front of a massive crowd like that." Kukui asked Sun, who thought about it.

"It would be really cool. Being in front of all of those people doesn't really bother me all that much...Yeah, I'll do it!" Sun said as Finn let out a cry, bobbing up and down beside Sun on the floor nearby. Sun looked over at Lillie, with the girl giving him a small thumbs up, making the boy grin widely in response.

"Heh. Figured you would. I'll ring up Olivia and let her know. I doubt she has a challenger in mind two weeks out, though it doesn't hurt to be careful." Kukui said as he pulled out a rather sleek cell phone and tapped a few keys before getting the Kahuna on the phone. Surprisingly, Olivia had no problems with letting Sun undergo his Grand Trial during the Festival. In fact, she seemed very excited and wished Sun well before hanging up.

"I can't wait to see what's going to happen for this Festival. The one we had in Iki Town was very nice, and I'm curious as to what we'll get to see in Konikoni City." Lillie admitted as she walked over, holding Winter in her arms.

"It's quite a spectacle. Between this and that big tournament Kukui set up, you kids are in for a fun few weeks." Burnet explained, crossing her legs with a knowing grin.

"That reminds me. You said you had a development in your Z-Move research, Professor Kukui?" Sun said to the man, before adding, "Not that it's not interesting, but I have ask...Why have me come over to talk about it?"

"Truthfully, it's because a see a tremendous amount of potential in you as a Trainer. Both you and Hau are some of the brightest Trainers I've seen in a long while. And as such, I feel as though I can share with you a special secret of mine. And that secret is one of the main reasons I decided to devote time to the study of Pokémon Moves." Kukui said to the boy, smiling at him.

"And...what is it?" Sun asked the man, who's smile widened. Lillie had rejoined them at this point, sitting down in the chair beside Sun and sipping her tea while Kukui explained.

"As you know, Z-Power and Z-Moves are a very special thing unique only to Alola. It hails back to the Age of Shadow, centuries and centuries ago when the kings of Alola battled and bickered and all that stuff. And while I spend the bulk of my time studying Pokémon Moves and Z-Moves and discovering the nuances to them, the real reason I study moves is because of something greater. A power that runs deeper than just Z-Power. Something more." Kukui explained, his tone oddly calm as he shut his eyes.

"A power that comes from not just the bond between human and Pokémon. It comes from the bonding of two powerful hearts, having a tie that carries down to their very souls. And this power is something I've been trying to uncover the secrets to for most of my life, and as a result I've contributed much to our collective knowledge of Z-Power." Kukui said, opening his eyes and smiling. "I believe this is an advanced form of Z-Power that is the result of a human and Pokémon having an incredibly powerful bond of friendship, similar to that required for Mega Evolution. I call it...Ultra Z-Power!" Kukui proclaimed, striking a pose as everyone collectively sweatdropped.

"That name is awful, dear." Burnet spoke up, making Kukui's face drop.

"Oh come on! I just dropped all of this interesting information about an incredible power and all you can focus on is the name! Can't we move past this?" Kukui asked, smiling a little.

"No, it needs a better name." Sun insisted, with Kukui's grin faltering slightly.

"Look, can we move past the name bit?"

"You can't just throw Ultra onto something and make it creative." Lillie chimed in, sipping her tea. Nebby nodded in agreement, also thinking the name was ridiculous.

"Zzzt. We could always let the reviewers come up with something!"

"...What?" Sun asked

"Uhhhh...Nothing! I said nothing! Bzzzzt!"

"The fact of the matter is that I've come across some research detailing the most recent use of this phenomenon and I decided to tell you about it." Kukui said, grinning at the boy.

"Go on." Sun said, deciding to humor the man.

"Well, the research details the account of the mayor of Malie City some twenty years ago, during an attack by the Ruby Raiders on the city." Kukui said, making Sun frown.

"Ruby Raiders?" Sun asked, confused.

"History lesson time, then. Long story short, they were a group of criminals that plagued Alola over twenty years ago. They're nothing like Team Skull. These people were thieves and killers, who had no qualms about who or what they hurt as long as they got what they wanted." Kukui said as a frown appeared on his face. "I remember horror stories when I was a child, warning me to be careful when I played with my friends in the city because of the fear surrounding that group. The Ruby Raiders committed terrible crimes across all four islands. Even worse is the fact that the man behind all of the bloodshed they caused is still hailed as the man who brought Alola into the modern age." Kukui said with a scowl, sighing softly.

"Roran Rubinara." Burnet noted, with Sun giving her a confused look.

"Who?" Sun asked, though to everyone's surprise Lillie responded.

"Roran Rubinara was a millionaire and business tycoon who helped revolutionize Alola's tourism industry. He basically put the region on the map and helped the region become famous worldwide. He's heralded as the man who saved Alola through sheer ingenuity and wise investments." Lillie explained quietly, though she wore a frown the entire time. "Despite this, it was found out he was the leader of the island's main source of crime. He single-handedly obliterated Melemele Island's entire police force and nearly destroyed Malie City after using the power of a Legendary Pokémon to reawaken Ula'ula Island's volcano." Lillie explained quietly, her expression thoughtful. "He was killed in a huge police sting in Heahea City over many years ago, though. It was a huge scandal."

"How do you know all of that, Lillie?" Burnet asked, surprised. Lillie looked uncomfortable about this, looking away.

"I was told about it when I was younger by my..." Lillie trailed off, looking down at the ground and biting her lip. Burnet and Kukui exchanged a quick look of concern while Sun grabbed Lillie's hand underneath the table, giving it a comforting squeeze. The girl smiled gratefully at him in response, and the boy let go.

"Anyways, back to my point. It turns out there was an showcase of this special Z-Power being used during the crisis in Malie City that the Ruby Raiders has caused. A group of Trainers rose up against the bad guys and fought against them, with the city becoming a battleground." Kukui continued, smiling slightly as he noticed Lillie and Sun hanging onto his every word.

"During that crisis in Malie City, a Trainer used this Ultra Z-Power to stop a terrible fire that was raging through the city. Oddly enough, he used a strange white fire to smother out the flames that were hopelessly out of control. Fire that obeyed the will of the Trainer and acted as a safeguard for the innocent people caught in the blaze. Word said that after the flames fell, the boy went on to save the city from the Ruby Raiders, as well as defeating Roran Rubinara in a showdown at the docks." Kukui explained, with Sun frowning in thought. He hadn't known that the Alola he knew today had such a dark history. He'd have to look into it further.

"Why didn't the Guardian Deity step in?" Sun asked.

Kukui frowned and said, "Tapu Bulu is...rather unique, in the fact that it's the most isolated of the Guardian Deities. Even the Ruins of Abundance are rather difficult to get to. On top of that, Tapu Bulu is known to rarely get involved in the affairs of those who live on its island."

"It's really lazy and hates conflicts." Burnet stated, earning a look from Kukui. "Hey, I'm telling it how it is."

"You mean telling it how old Nanu tells it." Kukui responded, shaking his head.

"Anyways, that's just brushing against the topic. I figured you'd find the history interesting. And that's why I called you here!" Kukui said cheerily, leaning back in his chair. "You never know where you'll find an awesome discovery. I was too young to accurately remember the Ruby Raiders and all the bad things they did, so reading about them years later is incredibly interesting. If I have another breakthrough, I'll be sure to let you know."

Burnet smirked, though she nodded in agreement. "He is right about finding discoveries in odd places. You'd be amazed at where you'll find fascinating discoveries, even in my research in regards to the Ultra Space. For example, Ten Carat Hill is a fantastic site with both history and constantly intriguing readings."

"Ten Carat Hill?" Sun asked.

"It's an old Trial Site, about an hour's walk through the tunnel in the cliff by this lab." Kukui explained, grinning at the boy. "There's a load of cool Pokémon out there. I'd especially recommend going out there if you want to train your team somewhere with loads of Rock-types."

Sun met Kukui's grin with his own. "That sounds like fun, actually. I can't believe there's a place like that I haven't been to yet on this island."

"The day is still young, cousin! You could probably grab your Pokémon, make it to Ten Carat Hill and get some solid training in before sundown." Kukui suggested, with Sun hopping to his feet with a wider smile as he looked over at Finn and Brago. Both of the Pokémon looked ready to roll, with Finn hopping up and down eagerly in anticipation.

"Getting some extra practice battling Rock-types would be ideal. And I could power Finn up a bunch that way too...Would it be rude if I left now to go get my two birdbrains?" Sun asked, with Kukui laughing in reply.

"Of course not! Lillie, do you want to go with him?" Burnet asked the girl, who frowned thoughtfully before nodding. She exchanged a brief smile with Sun before Nebby floated onto her head, cooing happily.

"Nebby, you better be on your best behavior!" Lillie said in a firm voice to the Cosmog. The others laughed as Nebby pulled a face and flailed on Lillie's head.

"Peeeew! Pewpewpewpewpewpewpew!"

"...I'm wasting my breath, aren't I?"


And the day had been going so well for Demi, too.

It started so normally. Wake up, do her hair, hang out with Kayla, run into the guys later, and just hang out. The newest member of Bone Unit 71 had even convinced her friends to take up training so that they could become stronger and more effective members of Team Skull. Gladion would even show up every now and then, offering the occasional bit of advice. Today had started like that as well, with Demi managing to beat Axen with Torch, though she had been soundly defeated by Kevin's Tirtouga.

Thankfully Team Skull had enough money to keep the Pokémon Center running for the day, so after healing their Pokémon, they returned to the Shady House to watch "Wheel of Calamity" and just enjoy their day.

However...

"We have breaking news from Heahea City, where we're reporting that there has been an attack at the Heahea City Corrections Department, resulting in the escape of three highly dangerous criminals." Media icon Adrian Battlestorm explained on the news in a grim tone, drawing Demi's attention as the others complained about the report interrupting their show. The TV then showed the mugshots two women and a man, the last of whom made Demi let out a small scream of horror. Tim put a hand on the girl's shoulder while Kayla gaped under her bandanna, the scowling man on the screen being very familiar to them all. Considering the fact that it was them that turned the man into the police, it was no surprise that they recognized him.

Night Slash.

"Isn't that the guy who we beat when we met Demi? How'd he break out?" Kevin asked, crossing his arms. As they listened, It was said that the prison itself was attacked by a powerful psychic Pokémon that decimated the guards on site, seriously injuring six and allowing the bandit to escape with two other inmates.

"Didn't he have some kind of creepy Psychic-type Pokémon with him when we fought him?" Kayla asked, rubbing her temples.

"That's not a surprise, actually. We did kinda just leave that guy's Gothitelle knocked out in a clearing…" Kevin remarked with a nervous laugh. There was a very palpable silence, in which Demi face-palmed.

"We completely forget about his Gothitelle. Of course it was going to wake up later and try to free its Trainer from prison. Oh god...What if he comes for us?" Demi asked, worried about the bandit wanting retribution.

"Don't worry about that. This place is Team Skull territory, and ain't nobody gonna hurt you with us watching your back." Kayla promised with a thumbs up, making Demi smile at her friend in relief. Even if she was still nervous, knowing her friends had her back was a relief.

"I should probably warn Sun and the others too." Demi thought to herself, deciding to do just that later that night. Aloud she said, "Thanks you guys. Still, that's really scary..."

"Yeah, but don't sweat it, yo. We got this." Kevin assured her as he got up and stretched.

"That freakbag better not try anything funny. If he does, we'll mess him up!" Axen growled, punching his open palm with a hidden scowl. Demi looked at her friends and grinned back at them, lowering her bandanna a little so that they could fully see her happiness with them. In return, they did the same, and she could feel the genuine warmth of their friendship within her. Even if they were rough around the edges and wannabee criminals…

They were her family. They had saved her when she had lost all hope. And for that she would always be grateful.

However, the heartwarming moment was shattered when a soaked Team Skull Grunt burst in through the room, looking at them with a panicked expression on her face.

"Yo guys, come out quick! Gladion's battling the Bone Brothers!" the female Grunt yelled to them, running back out into the hallway. Bone Unit 71 glanced around at each other worriedly, but Demi was already hopping to her feet and running out the door.

It was just as the Grunt had said. Rain poured down in sheets, drenching everyone as a massive circle of Team Skull members watched Gladion battling one of the Bone Brothers, with a massive Drapion hissing angrily as Zorua and Type: Null dashed at it.

"Null, Zorua! Aerial Ace!" Gladion barked, gripping his arm tightly as his face grimaced in pain. The two Pokémon rushed forward, slamming into the Drapion and sending it skidding backwards with a snarl, the beast clutching its chest with a wince.

"You may have knocked out my other two Pokémon, but my Drapion can't be beat, yo. Give it up!" the man jeered, crossing his arms before calling out, "Ice Fang!"

Drapion lunged forward, icy energy surging into its maw as it rushed Zorua and clamped its jaws around the small fox as it shrieked, thrashing as ice and pain surged into its small body.

"Null, Crush Claw! Free Zorua!" Gladion yelled out, even as Drapion lumbered closer, laughing through the mouthful of fox that now hang limply in its mouth.

"Why are they fighting!?" Demi demanded, not moving from the awning underneath the Shady House so she could avoid the rain. To their surprise, Plumeria glanced their way and moved closer to them, shaking her head sadly.

"The Bone Brothers challenged Gladion to a battle. Gladion refused, knowing that he couldn't win, and because of that they started giving him shit. That's what started this mess." Plumeria explained as Type: Null slashed and clawed at Drapion, who was covered in bloody cuts and scrapes. This didn't stop the Ogre Scorpion Pokémon from lunging forward and slashing Type: Null in the side with a black wave of energy, knocking the beast and sending it crashing down into a puddle.

"And just like that, poor Glady loses yet again!" the Bone Brothers who hadn't battled cheered, laughing at the boy who fumed in fury. Gladion stormed forward, glaring at the Drapion, who hadn't released Zorua, who had fallen unconscious a whole minute again.

"Let him go! We're done here!" Gladion barked at the beast, who snorted and responded by backhanding Gladion, sending him crashing to the ground with a yell of pain.

"Oh shit...not good." Axen breathed, seeming worried as Gladion rose to his feet, eyeing the monster ahead of him.

"Maybe he doesn't want to let go. Maybe my Drapion is kinda hungry. Zorua meat is supposed to be good for you, isn't it?" the Bone Brother asked, walking forward with swagger as the other two brothers joined him, cracking their knuckles. Gladion snarled and pulled out a switchblade, charging forward. Drapion swung at him again, missing as Gladion ducked under its arm and sank his knife into the beast's chest. Drapion opened its mouth as it roared, releasing Zorua as it snarled in pain before smashing a claw into Gladion's side, sending him flying backwards with a scream of agony and into the nearby bushes.

"Gladion!" Demi screamed out, stepping forward. She hesitated because of the rain and looked on as the Bone Brothers reached the boy, ripping him out of the hedges and throwing him onto the drenched ground.

"How dare you...how fucking dare you…" the thug snarled, lifting up his boot and bring it down on Gladion's spine. The boy yelled out, crashing into the wet concrete again. The three thugs surrounded the boy and began to stomp down on him, shouting curses at him.

Demi shut her eyes, torn between what to do. She opened her eyes and saw her friends looking away, with Kayla and Kevin looking worried as the beatdown continued. Demi was snapped out of her thoughts as something warm nudged her leg, and she looked down to see a determined Quilava staring up at her.

The dark-skinned girl sighed, gathering her nerves before she clenched her fists. What kind of friend would she be if she let this awfulness continue? She was the only one here that actually cared about Gladion, and she couldn't let this continue. Even if the rain made her uncomfortable, she had to fight through it.

With that, the girl sprinted into the deluge, feeling the dread grow as soon as the rainfall surrounded her. The cold rainfall drenched her instantly and she grit her teeth, trying to stem the tide of terrible memories and the despair that-


She couldn't do this.

The rain showed no signs of letting up as Demi fought back a shiver, stood atop her Lapras and trembling as the Totem Araquanid screamed in fury as Feya spat flames at it. Torch barked out encouragement to the Shiny Fletchinder as she ferociously fought against the massive spider, despite how aggressively it was fighting back. Aou meanwhile huddled against Demi, looking downright terrified of the showdown taking place. Understandable, considering it had already been knocked out once.

"F-feya, hit it with Aerial Ace!" Demi shouted, with her bird nodding and darting downwards, flaring her wings and skimming along the twisting water beneath her. Totem Araquanid snarled in response to the approaching bird, its Z-Power-induced aura darkening slightly before Feya smashed into the creature's face, making it stumble backwards with a chitter of pain. Feya then squawked in pain as a stream of bubbles flew towards her, exploding against her side and making her wobble in the air as she struggled to get away.

Aou made a cooing noise beside Demi, shuddering slightly. Demi put a hand against the candle-like Pokémon and said, "I'm so sorry. I know you hate this, Aou. I hate it too."

Feya chirped as she spat flames at Totem Araqanid, but the Dewpider continued to pepper her with attacks, ensuring she couldn't attack the Totem again. Demi groaned, shaking her head and trying to gather her nerves. Just a bit longer and they'd all be safe on shore. Still...

"Ugh, first that Masquerain and now that little pest...Feya, knock it out! Aerial Ace!" Demi commanded, gripping the neck of the Ride Lapras she was riding on tightly. Feya darted towards the small bug and smashed into it before it could even react, knocking it out and down back into the water.

The effect was immediate.

"NISSSSAAAAAGHHHH!" Totem Araquanid roared, it's Z-Power flaring up like an inferno around it. Lapras and Aou screamed in terror while Torch crouched low, ready to fight. Meanwhile, Totem Araquanid fixed it's gaze on Demi, and to her horror she saw nothing but murder in the beast's eyes as it-


-struck Gladion in the chest, again and again. The Bone Brothers yanked Gladion to his feet before throwing him into a puddle, laughing at his pain. Demi stumbled forward, her vision blurring slightly as the despair mounted. She was cold. She was so, so cold and so, so scared and she just wanted it all to stop. Why did they have to hurt him? Why couldn't they all just get along? Why did...why did her best friend have to die like that? Why did she have go through so much heartache just to belong somewhere? Why…?

Demi approached the thugs, scowling as she shouted, "Stop it! Leave him alone!"

"Aww, your girlfriend trying to protect you, Glady? Cute. Drapion, shut her up." Bone Brother A remarked, pointing at Demi. The beast hesitated for a moment before nodding, moving towards a surprised Demi as she took a step back. Torch lunged forward, its body coated in flames at it slammed into Drapion, knocking the monster back with a roar. Drapion hurled two Sludge Bombs at the Quilava, who launched a barrage of stars at the beast in retaliation. Sadly, it was caught by a Dark Pulse from Drapion and sent crashing senseless to the ground, whereupon Drapion turned its attention back to Demi.

Gladion slowly rose from the ground, his entire body in agony. Through his one visible eye, he saw the monster advancing on an increasingly disoriented Demi and cursed his weakness. "Don't...you dare...hurt her. Null! Attack Protocol!" Gladion shouted desperately, with the effect being immediate.

Type: Null slowly rose from the ground, shaking in pain before it's eyes glowed red. It let out a harsh growl before bounding forward, smashing into the surprised Drapion and knocking it away from Demi. The girl sprinted past the two battling Pokémon, glancing back as she saw Type: Null fighting far more ferociously than she had ever seen it. The monster clawed and scratched, with each move using far more power than what she had seen it use before. However, before it could get more than a few good shots in, Drapion blasted it with a Sludge Bomb and knocked Gladion's partner out for a second time.

At that point Demi had reached the Bone Brothers, even as her vision threatened to dim completely. One of the men had picked Gladion up and punched him in the face again, and with that Demi lunged at the man, wrapping her arms around his neck with a harsh yell. The girl was easily picked up and thrown onto the ground before being picked up by the neck, the Bone Brother easily managing the feat.

"And just like Glady, you're pathetic as shit." The man leered at her, drawing back a fist-


-as Totem Araquanid slid across the water, charging up an Ice Beam and firing it at Demi. In response, Torch shot an Ember at the blast of ice, making it explode in midair and send ice chunks falling into the water. Totem Araquanid snarled furiously, making the already turbulent waters roil angrily beneath them and making Demi scream in fear and shut her eyes. After all, she already had a fear of drowning and couldn't swim. Add onto the fact that both Aou and Torch were in danger out here as well, and she was well beyond terrified. Demi opened her eyes and saw Feya circling overhead, as well as seeing Lana try and get her attention from the shore. Demi quickly turned her attention back to her Starter, who dodged a Ice Beam.

"What's with this thing!?" Demi whispered, shivering from the cold and from fear. Demi then saw the Totem Pokémon's gaze drift to the bird overhead, who had swooped low to hit it with Aerial Ace again. Demi felt cold horror grip her heart. She had a terrible feeling about what was going to happen next.

"Feya, get away!" Demi screamed as the Totem Pokémon roared, its aura suddenly burning a harsh red color. If Demi hadn't been so terrified, she could have noticed the look of agony on the face of the spider as it slid across the water towards her. Totem Araquanid hissed before it fired a jet of boiling hot water at Demi, who let out a scream of horror before Feya dive-bombed the beast, stunning it for a brief moment and stopping the attack.

The bird chirped a warning to Demi, telling her to get to safety. Before the Fletchinder could do anything else, Totem Araquanid turned its gaze to her and leapt into the water, a jet of water surrounding it. Demi screamed and reached out a hand towards her bird, but it was too late.

Totem Araquanid slammed into Feya with Waterfall with the force of a speeding truck, sending the bird tumbling through the air and into the rocks near the cliff face opposite them. Demi screamed as Feya came falling back down, only to crash down on top of a particularly jagged rock neck-first.

The resulting crack seemed to reverberate through the entire lake as Feya broke her neck on the rock, hitting it with enough force and at such an angle where death was instant. The bird hung there for a moment before slowly sliding down the slippery rock and falling limply into the water.

Demi broke then.

Her eyes glazed over. She swayed on her feet, nearly falling into the water. Torch whimpered softly beside her, while Aou just started forward with a terrified expression on his face. The shock of seeing her closest and most precious friend die in front of her shook the girl to her core, her heart filling with despair and agony as boiling hot tears streamed down her face. She vaguely noticed the Totem advancing towards them and turned towards it, a dark feeling of anger bubbling up within her.

"Quill!" came a shout from beside her. Demi tore her gaze away from Totem Araquanid to see Torch staring towards the rocks where Feya had landed, and Demi spotted her beloved bird being tossed around in the water, her limp body a plaything of the raging tide. Demi shut her eyes, her heart rebelling against the sight, before she opened her eyes.

"Lapras, go over there! I need to save Feya!" Demi managed to choke out, with the scared Lapras moving to obey her command. Totem Araquanid wasn't going to let that happen, and began to slide forward across the water, hoping to head off the girl that dared to-


"-oppose us? Look at her!" the man shouted to the Team Skull Grunts around him, unaware of Demi's unraveling grip on reality. She didn't see a town anymore. She only saw a storm-torn lake. She saw her best friend lying dead on the water. She saw a terrified Litwick and a scared yet-determined Quilava standing his ground. She saw only a monster that wanted her dead. She felt nothing but fear and despair. Absolute hopelessness that threatened to swallow her whole.

"Where…" Demi whispered, shivering as the rain mercilessly poured down on them all. Gladion stared up at her in horror at the expression on her face and realized now why she was so scared of the rain. He saw what it was doing to her and was terrified for her.

"I'm cold. I'm so cold...I'm so sad. It's weighing down on me like a...I can't even breathe. I can't...stay awake…" Demi thought to herself, her vision flickering between sight and blindness, and in one of the few moments where she could see she-


-caught sight of the monster approaching and pointed a trembling finger at it. She'd be damned if she didn't save her fallen friend from this monster's stupid lake.

"Swift! Shadow Ball! Keep that thing away from us!" Demi commanded her two remaining Pokémon as they neared the shore, her voice trembling as much as her body was. Aou and Torch complied, sending out their attacks and pelting Totem Araquanid with the attacks.

"NISSSSAAAGHHH!" the Totem roared, thrashing its head as its Z-Power flared again. Lana began shouting from the shore, calling out an Araquanid of her own and hopping atop the spider. However, the beast slammed its legs into the water and called forth a massive wave that smashed into Demi and her team, knocking the three of them off of Lapras.

Demi tumbled through the water, opening her mouth to scream and letting water fill her lungs. She sank through the water, lost and dazed and terrified before she felt something hard beneath her. Finally, the water seemed to recede and Demi pushed herself to her hands and knees, coughing harshly to expel the water from her lungs and realizing that she was on rocks she had been trying to reach. Demi looked up and saw an exhausted Torch keeping Totem Araquanid at bay with repeated Swift attacks while Aou lay nearby, unconscious. Demi returned her Litwick with a pang before she stumbled forward, wincing in pain as she gripped her arm.

"Blood?" Demi muttered, seeing the bleeding scrape on her arm that turned the water on the ground sanguine. Demi ignored it for now and limped forward, gritting her teeth before she caught sight of Feya drifting in the water, her eyes completely lifeless. Demi choked back another sob as she approached her bird, only to see a series of stars fly in front of her and explode against a gout of boiling hot water that had been aimed at her.

"That thing...It killed Feya, and now it's trying to kill me!" Demi realized dazedly, taking a step back as Torch stepped in front of Demi, determined to protect his Trainer despite the odds. Araquanid suddenly snarled in pain as an Ice Beam struck it from the side, and Demi saw Lana approaching them from atop her own Araquanid, her spider taking pot shots at the Totem Pokémon and making the beast even more angry.

"Demi! Run!" Lana shouted as Totem Araquanid retaliated, firing off a massive beam of icy energy and sweeping it across the lake, creating a massive wall of ice that cut Lana off from them. Totem Araquanid slowly turned back towards Demi and Torch, hissing softly before its aura exploded outwards, almost dyeing the air itself red with the energy it contained.

"Torchy...this is it." Demi whispered, taking a step back. The Quilava nodded, but opened his mouth and released a torrent of flames as Totem Araquanid slammed down its legs, releasing another Surf attack. A colossal wave of water rose from the lake, sweeping Demi and Torch off of the rocks and into the lake itself.

Demi coughed as she kicked and flailed her arms, unable to keep her head above water from more than a moment. She spotted Feya's body floating beside her and the girl pushed her body to its absolute limits, moving it just enough in the rapids for her to grab Feya's corpse and pull it close.

"F-Feya! I'm...I'm so sorry!" Demi managed to say before the water consumed her, dragging both her and the dead Fletchinder down into the depths. Demi tried to swim to the surface, but she was already exhausted and in pain, so the fruitless efforts expanded what energy she had left. In the end, as the darkness slowly began to creep in and her lungs screamed for air, Demi hugged her fallen friend close…

And she drifted into unconsciousness as the water swallowed her, falling deeper down.


"Aww, look everyone! She's sleeping!" Bone Brother A remarked, lightly shaking Demi's unconscious form several times before slapping the girl hard in the face, dislodging her bandanna and making blood drip down her mouth as she hung in the thug's grip, her eyes completely devoid of any emotion or light.

"You...stay away from her!" Gladion rasped, forcing himself into a kneeling position, his eyes filled burning hate as he tried to rise to his feet. He got a boot to the face for his efforts, knocking him back down the ground as he remained still, his rage unable to keep his body upright any further as his glazed eyes struggled to stay open.

"Don't tell me what to do. It's about time you learned your place, runt." Bone Brother B remarked before he casually kicked Type: Null in the side, making the beast grunt in pain. Bone Brother A shrugged before throwing Demi on the ground, her limp form hitting the ground with a dull thud next to Gladion, who barely managed to see her out of his non-swollen eye.

"D...D-demi…" Gladion groaned as he tried to rise to his feet again, especially now that the three Bone Brothers were drawing ever-closer-

"Stop it!"

Gladion rolled onto his back and was surprised to see Kevin standing in front of him, glaring down the three men. Axen quickly stepped up beside his friend, as did Tim and Kayla.

"What's the goddamn point of this, yo!? You won! You proved that you all are the biggest and boniest guys in Team Skull! Do you really gotta beat the crap out of the guy!? And Demi's one of us! The hell you attackin' her for!?" Kevin demanded, with Bone Brother A walking right up to the teen's face and scowling at him. Kevin shivered in fear, but didn't falter.

"It's about respect. And about making sure that you all know your place. It's as simple as that. And this one…" the man spit down at Demi's unmoving form, making Kayla clench her fists in anger. "Tried to stop us from dishing out some harsh lessons. Guess it didn't matter anyway. She had her little freakout and now she's taking a nap. Pathetic."

"She's not pathetic, yo! She's our friend! She's family!" Axen yelled, bowing up as Kayla knelt down to Demi and lightly began to shake her, trying in vain to wake her up. She was promptly smacked away from Demi by Drapion, who hissed in fury as Kayla tumbled across the soaked concrete.

"Shit! You...you goddamn-" Kevin snarled, lunging at the nearest Bone Brother before being hit with a wicked haymaker, sending the teen to the ground with a howl. The man chuckled darkly, glancing around the seeing the rest of Team Skull looking at them with fear, with some of them unable to meet their eyes.

"You…bastards!" Axen muttered darkly, clenching his fists as Tim looked back and forth between his injured friends and the thugs that had seemingly snapped. Kevin rolled onto his back as Gladion crawled to Demi, weakly shaking her.

"Get up...Come on, Demi...please?" Gladion pleaded with the girl as the Bone Brothers shook their heads in disgust.

"Looks like the new girl is pretty popular around here, if little Glady seems to care about her. Good to know!" Bone Brother C remarked with a hidden smirk, shrugging his shoulders. "That said...We won't stand for insubordination. You runts wanna fight? Then we can fi-"

"ENOUGH!" came a sharp voice from nearby. All of the heads turned and Plumeria was suddenly in front of the Bone Brothers, her face contorted with fury.

"You might be strong, but that doesn't mean you can throw around the others like that! These people are your family! You're ohana, damn it! You can't have forgotten that in your time away from Po Town!" Plumeria shouted at the thugs. While this was happening, Axen carefully helped still-dazed Kevin to his feet. The two Grunts worriedly looked down at Kayla as she clutched her stomach in pain.

The three men glared down Plumeria, who stood her ground and glared right back at the trio. The rest of Team Skull watched on, holding their breaths. Gladion could sense the fear in them. They had seen what had happened to him. What had happened to Bone Unit 71. They were examples. If anyone else stepped up to those bullies, they too would be smacked down into the dirt.

Plumeria held firm, her eyes burning with the protective defiance that every single member of Team Skull knew. It was why she was so beloved and respected, just as much as their leader. She was their big sister, and even if they were just idiots…

They were HER idiots.

"Fine...Not worth the trouble." Bone Brother A muttered, turning on his heel and walking down the road. His two brothers exchanged a glance, shrugged, and followed him. The Drapion lingered for a moment, hissing at the group before scuttling after its Trainer. One of them started whistling a happy tune, to Gladion's disgust.

"Hey bro, you alright?" Kevin asked, kneeling down to Gladion. Gladion nodded mutely in reply, not trusting his voice, and Kevin snorted in amusement. "Bullshit. You look like shit, yo."

"Get him and Demi inside. I'll let Guzma know what those morons did." Plumeria said tersely to some of the other Grunts, who hastened to obey the Team Skull Admin's orders. Gladion barely managed to see two Grunts helping Kayla to her feet, with Axen and Kevin carrying Gladion over their shoulders to help him walk as Plumeria picked up Demi, looking worried.

"She was fine...But she collapsed just like that? She fainted from the rain...She had told me about her fears, but for them to be so great as to make her fall like that?" Plumeria scowled, her eyes narrowed. "Damn Captains...This is what happens to those they fail to protect."

The group began to make their way inside, even as the rain pouring down on them intensified. Gladion tried to walk where he could, though he kept his open eye trained on Demi. She had protected him, despite everything, and had paid the price. And the others...They had stuck their necks out for him and Demi as well.

None of this would have happened if he had been strong enough to stand against the Bone Brothers in the first place.

"I have to get stronger…" Gladion thought before he stumbled, his vision growing hazy. A pair of arms caught him before he passed out, and with darkness consuming his vision. His last thoughts before oblivion hit him was how much he wished he was at home with his family again.

He missed them so, so much.


And that's another chapter down.

Q and A

From: Anasazi Darkmoon

I just thought about this, but did anything interesting happen with Demi's Litwick after she released it? Or did it just revert to being a wild pokemon?

Also, there's a weird mess-up with Rotom's recitation of Tangrowth's 'dex entry. "does not trouble vines grow" I believe that there was supposed to be a separation into two sentences there.

Mask is the kahuna who originally founded Team Skull and got smacked down by Tapu Bulu, isn't he?

Seriously, if the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, I'm pretty sure Borlath's got himself an eight-lane freeway set up.

And Lusamine...is she just insane, or is she actively being controlled by the Nihilego? Either way, she's freaking creepy.

1. I'll admit, I'm quite happy someone remembered Aou (Demi's Litwick) after all this time. Ironically enough, this chapter is Aou's first appearance since Demi released him in Chapter 46.

As for your question, I'll be able to show you what's happened to Aou in a few chapters. This next batch of chapters are going to be very, very fun indeed.

Thanks for the heads up about the Dex Entry, by the way. Didn't catch that in the final read-through.

2. Now that...Is a very interesting idea.

3. I would say she's being heavily influenced by the Nihilego. Not quite controlled, but she's definitely not who she truly is at heart. Hence why I really don't like how she is in US/UM. She's still crazy as shit, but they completely just ignore all of that subplot. According to the game, she still tries to hunt down her children, acted like a terrible person in general, and froze many Pokemon just for the sake of it and not under the influence of an Ultra Beast? Right.

On another tangent, it's annoying how they changed what really happened to the Aether Foundation personnel from S/M to US/UM. I'll explain how later, because spoilers, but it's really irritating to be honest.

From: Sai Og Sus

The Mask character, he reminded me of Pryce in the Pokemon Special manga. Are you perhaps inspired by him?

Nope! I haven't read the manga, though I probably should.

From: trevhall19

1. I found it funny that Borlath has spies watching Sun, but they fail to notice that Lillie is with him. Why is that?

2. Is Borlath hiding under the Game Corner?

3. I'm guessing Oliver is a flying type trainer?

1. Because Lillie wasn't with Sun when the Cipher Grunt back in Heahea City spotted him. On top of that, Hau is quite a bit more recognizable than Lillie is. Even Borlath would have trouble recognizing Lillie because he hasn't seen her in years. Cipher has no clue who Lillie is. To them she's just another girl.

On top of that, as Mask stated, the International Police has been digging into their affairs and they've had to back off of trying to tail Sun. Looks like they're finally good for something, eh?

2. Nope. Just a building in the city. You'd think he'd spend less time brooding in a room with a giant window, what with skilled snipers being a thing in this story.

3. For the most part, yes. It's part of why Sun thinks he's awesome and why they bonded so quickly back in Kanto. Sun may have (and will end up having) a diverse team, but he still loves Flying-types.

From: Doger 32

I remember a while back you saying this story was going to go to 200 chapters and i was going to ask something but at the time i had forgotten it(my wonderful memory everybody!) and i just now remembered it, how do you plan on getting this to 200 chapters? I mean, Usum/SM's story isnt THAT long and i mean yeah its already established that there is a lot of original ideas but im just curious is all. And for the chpater, again, like every other one, great chapter!

Well, it's mainly because I do have a lot of original ideas. Yes, I can get a lot of mileage out of the Island Challenge, but I also have many ideas about exploring Alola's past and how it's trying to develop into something more. Backstories like for Guzma, Kukui, Team Skull, Lusamine, Mohn, Kahunas and Captains and all that are also something I can easily expand on. Not to mention the character arcs of each of Sun's Pokémon, which will be focused on much more in the next three Acts of the story.

It also helps that I have an outline for the story and have all of the chapters planned out into six Acts. This is probably my last story for the site, so I want to make it a fantastic one. The question I could probably ask myself in turn is...Can I tell the story I want to in JUST 200 chapters?

Nope. But I'm going to try anyway, and make as many people happy as I can along the way.

Thanks again for bearing with the delay for this week. I'm definitely feeling much better, even if I'm still pretty worn out.

Next week we have some serious fun, as well as probably the best cliffhanger I've had yet in this story.

Please let me know your thoughts by stating them in review form in the section below. And if you haven't already, favorite and/or follow this story as well! Why? Because that stuff makes me happy!

Stay safe and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!