Pokémon Radiant Sun


I'll keep this short, because I'm sick, in pain, and I don't have much to chat about this week. Though I'll admit, Persona VR: The Royal was announced this weekend, which made me very excited. More into to come next month, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

Shoutout to OragonKing, BraviaryScout, and Sai Og Sus, who were the only ones to review last chapter. Thanks for the feedback and support, folks.

I'll admit, the lack of feedback from last chapter was genuinely shocking. As in, last chapter was the lowest review count a chapter has ever gotten since I started this thing. Made it kinda hard for me to get motivated this week, but I still managed it. Pretty happy how this one turned out, despite how rough I'm feeling right now. So...boosh! Perseverance and shit.

Special thanks go out to Epicocity, who inspired me to include LaserbladeShipping into my story. Thank you for introducing me to that ship. You rock.

On that note…

Enjoy.


Chapter 81: A Prelude


"No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No-

"Gladion, please calm down."

"NO!" Gladion yelled, stepping forward and glaring at them. "What the hell is Guzma thinking? Is he experimenting with drugs again?"

"No, not after he woke up naked in a pasture spooning a Sharpedo." Axen said dismissively, waving a hand.

"Then what the hell?" Gladion demanded, making Demi sigh heavily. Gladion turned to the girl and said, "And what about you? Surely you don't want this!"

"I don't, because I knew you wouldn't react well to having your personal space being violated like this. I don't have much of a choice though. Guzma's orders." Demi said morosely, with Gladion gritting his teeth.

"Why? I don't understand how this is even a thing!" Gladion barked as Type: Null poked its head through the door frame, growling.

"After shit hit the fan yesterday, Guzma had a long talk with the Bone Brothers. Now they're re-assigned to Royal Avenue to start scoping things out for this thingy happening there. Alola Grand Royal Tournament Spectacular or some crap." Axen explained with a shrug. "We figure we can cause some trouble, steal some Pokémon, and get some free press coverage."

"There was also discussion about what happened with you. Obviously you're not a part of Team Skull, but a few of us got hurt trying to help you and Demi. So Guzma's ordered you to stay out of Po Town for a while. While he could keep the Bone Brothers on a leash, he'd rather not, since they're the strongest members of Team Skull." Kayla explained, sighing despite this. "Total assholes though. I can't believe they actually attacked us."

"I'm not. They've always been scumbags. Even by Team Skull standards." Gladion muttered, earning annoyed looks from all of them. "What? You're criminals. Accept that."

"Anyway, the biggest point here is what the Boss said about Demi. Turns out that there's a reason she's so freaked out by rain. Something's messed up in her head." Kevin said as he crossed his arms with a small sigh. Demi shifted uncomfortably.

"I noticed. The way you passed out...What happened?" Gladion asked Demi, who tightened her hold on the Quilava in her arms.

"When I ran out into the rain, I only half-experienced what was going on. My body was in Po Town, but my mind was back at Brooklet Hill, doing my Water Trial." Demi said in a whisper, shutting her eyes. "I could see Aou's fear. I felt the horror in my heart as the Ride Lapras rocked on the waves, threatening to send me into the water. I saw Torch fighting back against the Totem with everything he had. I remember Lana trying to get to me...And then Feya…"

Demi's voice broke then, a single tear sliding down her face as Gladion's expression softened. He began to move forward, but Kayla beat him to it, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulder.

"She remembered her best friend dying." Kayla tried to finish, but Demi wasn't done, though her composure crumpled, since all of the wounds that had been healing were ripped open once more.

"I could hear her neck breaking over the sound of the rain. She was trying to save me, and she died...Her eyes were like glass. I...All I could do was watch. I couldn't save her. I was too weak…" Demi said in between sobs, with Tim and Kevin hugging the girl as well. Axen looked concerned, but looked to Gladion.

"So yeah. She's all kinds of traumatized from what happened with her Trial. Whenever she's in the rain, she passes out after reliving one of the worst experiences of her life. So...That kinda makes living in a place that rains nine or ten months out of the year kinda hard. And no one in Team Skull has their own place away from Po Town except you. So Guzma made a decision. For what it's worth, we tried to see if there was another solution." Axen said to Gladion, who pursed his lips.

"My room isn't exactly big. And I can barely afford to keep myself here." Gladion said, but Kayla spoke up.

"She can contribute to the room cost. If anything, she can battle people for spare cash. Come on dude, don't be an asshole." Kayla said to Gladion, who scowled and ran a hand through his hair, his arm and ribs aching at the movement.

"You don't have a choice either way. Guzma told me if she doesn't stay with you, he'll come deal with you himself." Axen said with a small sigh. Gladion grit his teeth, clenching his fists before sighing heavily, feeling his chest sear with pain.

"Fine. Get in here." Gladion muttered, opening the door further behind him. Demi broke away from the other grunts and walked over to Gladion.

"So...You said you were going to take it easy for a few days. Think you'll be ready for the weekend?" Kevin asked the teen, who gave him a look.

"Why?"

Kayla answered by saying, "Because of that Tournament thing. Guzma's going to be there himself, since that damn Professor dude is running this thing. And that means Team Skull needs to be there. Plumeria's already entered the Tournament and we've already signed you up for it too."

"Thanks for asking my permission." Gladion said sarcastically, shaking his head. He was getting a migraine and wanted to end this quickly. "When does the thing start?"

"Noon on Friday. It's a three-day event. Looks like a good place to start some trouble, since a lot of the Captains and Kahunas are gonna be there." Axen chuckled darkly.

"Right...Well, if that's the case then I'll need the rest of the week to rest up. I'll meet you all around then sometime, I guess." Gladion said as he stepped back. "But me and my team need to rest. We're still really battered."

"No worries, dude. We get it. Just take care of Demi, alright?" Kevin said to Gladion, who stared at him for a few moments before he nodded once.

"If he gives you any trouble, call me. I'll sort him out." Kayla said to Demi, with Tim cracking his knuckles loudly behind them to emphasize the point. Gladion stepped back and shut the door in their faces before he pressed his head against the door.

"Why is my life nothing but suffering?" Gladion sighed, shutting his eyes.

"Join the club." Demi muttered, glancing around the room. Save for the large cushion on the floor that she presumed was for Type: Null, the place itself didn't seem out of the ordinary. Then Demi had to remind herself that this was a motel room Gladion paid to use in advance, and wasn't a room he was renting.

Gladion scowled and moved away from the door, limping over to his bed where he flopped down on it. Demi set down Torch, who began sniffing the room. Zorua ambled over to the Quilava and yipped a greeting, with Golbat watching the girl warily. Type: Null decided to return to its cushion. A very awkward silence ensued then, and after five minutes of nothing Demi finally had to speak.

"So...what's the plan?" Demi asked awkwardly,

"I hate everything right now. That's the goddamn plan." Gladion seethed, clenching and unclenching his fists.

"I know. I'm sorry. If I was stronger I'd-" Gladion cut her off with a hand gesture, still lying down on his bed without looking up..

"Don't say another word. I'm too pissed for that and I've already got enough to deal with right now. I'll handle you later. Miss Wicke, feel free to come out!" Gladion said tersely, with the Aether Foundation employee walking out of the bathroom with an expression of concern. Demi yelped in surprise.

"W-what the heck? Gladion, she's with the Aether Foundation, isn't she? What's she doing in your bathroom?" the girl asked, with the woman smiling at her in response.

"I see you've made an ally since the last time we spoke, Gladion." Wicke said quietly, though she was wearing a proud smile. "Good morning. My name is Julia Wicke. And yes, while I do work for the Aether Foundation, my loyalties lie with Master Gladion and Miss Lillie."

"W-what? But...Why?" Demi asked the woman, who sighed softly.

"I have watched a loving family fall apart, bit by bit. I was unable to stop a good friend from falling into madness. I've seen a little girl withdraw so deeply within herself that she essentially became someone else entirely. And I saw a kindhearted boy surround his heart in jagged ice to protect himself from the hurts others would surely inflict on him." Wicke said softly, sorrow laced within her words. "I've seen many terrible things during my employ at the Aether Paradise. And I refuse to stand by any longer. I helped Master Gladion flee at the risk of my life. And gladly did the same with Miss Lillie, because I believe that they can set things right. I believe that they can save Madam Lusamine before it's too late. And for that, I am and will always be loyal to them." Wicke finished, looking over at Gladion as he stared at the two women.

"Like I said...We're up against a lot. And I have no idea what Lillie is up to, but it's best we stay apart for as long as possible. It's not safe." Gladion said, but Demi cut him off.

"Ignoring the fact that she misses you like crazy from what I remember and I know you feel the same." Demi said dryly, a bit of her old self coming back. Gladion settled at giving her an even look. Instead, he looked at Miss Wicke.

"It looks like we can have a meeting here, and figure out where to go from this point on." Gladion said to the two women, who both nodded.

"Madam Lusamine is currently deep in talks with the research team and Faba. Apparently something odd happened at Ten Carat Hill and they couldn't test their Ultra Sphere, due to an attack from some strange entity." Wicke said to the two teens, though Wicke added, "I didn't get much out of the rest of the conversation. Faba definitely seemed spooked though. Seemed to think there was another group of people trying to muscle in on the Aether Foundation's research."

"Interesting...Can you or Colress dig around some?" Gladion asked Wicke, who nodded.

"He's already looking into it. However, work with purifying Shadow Celebi is nearing a conclusion, so he's focused on that. Celebi could prove to be the tipping point in ending a global conflict. It's only natural he's focusing on that more than our problems." Wicke said with a small sigh.

"I thought this guy is supposed to be a genius." Gladion grumbled, with Miss Wicke giving him a sad smile.

"Master Gladion, what you fail to realize even now is that we are only human. You can only achieve so much on your own, despite your drive and determination. Just like Colress can only accomplish a finite amount of things at one time, despite his skill." Wicke said quietly, smiling at the two children.

"But despite that, we must continue to do our best. Otherwise, those with darkness in their hearts will prevail."


Lillie hummed as she stirred the ice in her lemonade, though her eyes were on Sun as walked back with their sandwiches, sitting down on the table with a small sigh.

"That took a while. Long line?" Lillie asked the boy, who grimaced.

"Yeah. With the Tournament happening tomorrow, everywhere is packed." Sun replied as he handed Lillie her grilled cheese and spinach sandwich. Sun hungrily sank his teeth into his ham sandwich with melted cheese. The boy shuddered at first, some of the spices used on the sandwich being unusual to him, but he got over the oddness and continued eating what was otherwise a very tasty sandwich. Sun looked up saw Lillie enjoying her sandwich quite a bit, and remembered that her favorite food was grilled cheese. He'd have to try his hand at making one for her sometime.

It had been several days since the battle against Necrozma, and was now the Thursday afternoon before the Alola Grand Royal Tournament. Sun had went ahead to Akala Island while his mother worked back at the school, though she would use her weekend off to participate in the Tournament, having signed both herself and Sun up in it earlier that week. Kahuna Hala had questioned such a decision, saying it would draw Cipher's attention to them, but Laura was firm.

"They're already here. I won't cower and hide from them anymore. If they come, we'll deal with them." Laura had said, her eyes becoming hard as steel.

In the that time, Sun spent most of his time training up Finn and spending time with Lillie. The girl had been rather downcast lately, since Nebby had yet to reawaken from his slumber. Lillie had been worried sick about the Cosmog, so Sun had taken it upon himself to spend as much time with his friend in order to cheer her up.

"It'll be interesting to see the Trainers from other regions." Lillie said, smiling a little. "Professor Kukui mentioned that he was expecting some to come over to the lab today."

"Really? Anything special about them?" Sun asked.

"Apparently one of them is an expert on Mega Evolution. Professor Kukui wants to see how moves with a Mega Evolved Pokémon work, since they receive a massive boost in strength from the change. Professor Sycamore couldn't make it, so he's sending someone just as experienced in his place." Lillie explained to Sun, taking a sip of her lemonade before she returned to her sandwich.

"Couldn't they just ask Mom? She can use Mega Evolution." Sun asked, with Lillie shrugging as she finished off her food.

"Perhaps he just wanted a professional opinion? Miss Laura may be able to use Mega Evolution, but I don't think she could call herself an expert." Lillie remarked, with Sun nodding after a moment. That made sense to him, at least. "Though, pardon the change of subject, weren't we supposed to meet Hau soon?"

"We were supposed to meet him for lunch, actually. He's late-" Sun began to say, only for the boy in question to suddenly burst out from around the corner, sprinting at them. Hau hunched over, panting heavily and drenched in sweat, before offering his friends a tired smile. His hair was disheveled and he looked exhausted, even if he hadn't been running around in the intense Alolan heat.

"H-hey...guys...how's it...How's it hanging?" Hau wheezed, with Lillie digging around her bag as Sun giggled at him.

"Dude, you look horrible. What happened?" Sun asked.

"I've been up since the crack of dawn, got like no sleep last night, and I got roped into exercising with Mallow and Lana this morning. And I just ran for another mile trying to get here. Of course I look like crap." Hau whined as he collapsed into a chair.

"They work out?" Sun asked, surprised. Lillie nodded smartly as she handed Hau a bottle of water, which the boy excepted without a word and chugged.

"Hau, drink slower. You're going to-" Lillie stopped as Hau began to choke on the water, pounding his chest repeatedly as he sputtered and gagged, nearly dousing Lillie in spit-water. As soon as he recovered, he smiled sheepishly before drinking the water at a more sedate pace. Lillie turned to Sun and said, "And yes, they do. Or at least Mallow does. Lana usually just swims laps at Brooklet Hill instead, but they've been wanting to start going to a gym for a while now, from what I understand."

"Hmm...Good for them." Sun said with a small smile. He then looked at Hau, who was still breathing heavily. "So how'd you get roped into that?"

"Apparently I have a hard time saying no to pretty girls." Hau admitted with a weak chuckle, making Sun smirk while Lillie rolled her eyes.

"So are you going to order something, Hau?" Lillie asked.

"Nah. I'll have malasadas later. Too tired to eat right now."

"What's the point of working out if you're just going to...You know what? Never mind. I forgot who I'm talking to."Lillie remarked with a small smile as Hau shot her a wide grin. Sun meanwhile was cracking up in his chair, threatening to fall out of it. When the boy had finally calmed down, they trio got up and began walking down the sidewalk, enjoying the beautiful day around them. Though Hau was understandably making the group walk slowly, but they were fine with it.

"So, have we decided on a plan for the Tournament?" Hau asked his friends, with Lillie looking at him.

"You signed up, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then the plan is for us to stay at the Pokémon Center. Professor Kukui got us a room there for the weekend, which is the only way we would've managed to get it in the first place. All of the nearby hotels are booked full and the Pokémon Center will be at maximum capacity for the entire week." Lillie explained, opening her bag slightly and reaching inside. She gently patted the still-sleeping Cosmog, and felt the familiar pang of worry in her heart.

"Nebby, wake up soon. Please." Lillie thought to herself before a shout snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Come on, Clemont! You're so slow!"

"I'm running...as fast as...I can, Bonnie!"

The group turned around in time for a little girl to collide into Sun, nearly knocking her to the ground, though Sun managed to grab the girl's hand before she fell.

"Ouch! Guess I should watch where I'm going. Thanks, mister!" the girl said happily at Sun, looking up at the older boy with a wide smile. The girl was about seven or eight years old, with golden blonde hair tied in a side ponytail and with curious bright blue eyes. She wore a brown shirt, a white skirt and black shorts, along with pink shoes and a yellow shoulder bag. The girl definitely stuck out, so Sun assumed she was a tourist of some kind.

"No problem. Just watch where you're going next time, okay?" Sun said to the little girl as he let go of her hand. The girl nodded in response.

"Alola!" Hau said to the girl, spreading his hands through the air. Sun and Lillie did the gesture as well a moment later. The little girl blinked, cocking her head in confusion before grinning at him.

"I don't know what that means. But hi anyway!" the girl said happily, waving her arms erratically through the air in an attempt to copy them. Hau noticed that the girl had a definite accent, similar to the one that Sina and Dexio had, though not as thick as theirs. Sun and Lillie chuckled at the adorable display, with Lillie crouching down slightly to be eye-level with the girl.

"Alola. Are you lost?" Lillie asked kindly, with the girl shaking her head.

"Nope! I'm right where I need to be!" the girl replied, grinning again. Sun was about to ask about that when he caught sight of a someone slowly jogging down the street, panting heavily with a bright red face and drenched in sweat. The girl sighed, shaking her head in mock distress.

"Seriously, my brother is such a Slowpoke." The girl lamented with a shrug, suddenly sounding ten years more mature. "What can you do?"

"Bonnie! What have I...said about...not talking...to strangers?" the boy wheezed as he approached the group, only to topple towards the ground. Sun caught the boy before he faceplanted, earning a grateful smile from the overheated boy.

"T-thanks. Bonnie knows I...erk, can't r-run that fast. Especially in this heat. You Alolans are really tough if you can deal with this every day." The teen remarked as he tried to remember how to breathe.

"Will you be okay?" Hau asked as Lillie handed the boy a bottled water from her bag. The teen accepted it wordlessly, drinking it slower than Hau did, and Sun took in the boy's appearance as he did so.

The boy seemed to be several years their senior, probably around sixteen years old. He was a little bit taller than them, with bright yellow hair (including a lightning bolt-shaped tuft of hair sticking out of the center of his head. He wore a mostly blue jumpsuit with a yellow collar and stripes, along with a white pack of sorts on his back and yellow glasses. Like the girl, he had bright blue eyes. Around his waist were six Ultra Balls, which told Sun that this teen was a Pokémon Trainer.

"I'll be okay...thank you." The teen panted as he took several breaths of air. "I don't do well with physical activity. Adding insane heat doesn't help."

"Amen to that, brother." Hau said, wincing in sympathy. "Mallow ran me into the ground today. My legs feel like I got worked over by a Machoke."

"We're getting a bit off topic here." Sun remarked, with the little girl giggling at the silliness going on.

"Anyways, my name is Bonnie! And this slow guy is my big brother, Clemont!" the girl cheerfully said to the two of them. Lillie offered the girl her hand, which she shook with a grin.

"A pleasure to meet you both! Are you from Kalos?" Lillie asked as she shook Clemont's hand as well, with Bonnie nodding.

"Big brother mentioned that people can tell where we come from thanks to our accent. I don't see what he's talking about." Bonnie remarked with a shrug as Clemont finished chugging his water, panting slightly.

"Sorry about that. And it's great to meet you all." Clemont said to them all, sounding considerably more composed now that he had caught his breath.

"No problem, dude. Where were you two off to in such a hurry, anyway?" Hau asked, with Clemont blushing bright red.

"Um...To m-meet with m-my...m-my…" the word's died in the Kalosian's throat, with Hau frowning at that.

"Did you want to buy a vowel?" Hau asked, smirking somewhat..

"My...girlfriend." Clemont finished in a whisper, his face resembling a miniature sun. Bonnie sighed, patting her brother's side.

"He's really bad when it comes to women. Luckily, said girlfriend is coming this way. And she's a keeper!" Bonnie said happily, pointing down the street. Coming their way on a pair of roller-skates was a girl a few years older than Lillie, wearing a red and white skater outfit, complete with a helmet. She had long, cream-colored hair formed in a thick, fluffy ponytail. Her grey eyes shined with excitement as she barreled towards them, with a Lucario sprinting alongside her.

"Whoa. She's really cute!" Hau remarked, earning a small glare from Lillie.

"That's your girlfriend?" Sun asked, raising an eyebrow. He considered that very surprising, considering how awkward and nerdy Clemont seemed and how pretty the girl approaching them was. Every movement she had was of confidence, grace, and-

"No! Bad Sun! Stop it!" Sun thought to himself, shaking his head. Besides, the girl approaching them seemed much older than him anyway.

"Y-yeah, that's my girlfriend." Clemont confirmed as the blonde-haired girl sped their way.

"No fucking way." Hau stated in a dead voice, earning a punch in the stomach from Sun and a slap in the back of the head from Lillie. Meanwhile, the blonde-haired girl beamed when she spotted them, pile-driving Clemont into a hug and knocking him to the ground. Her Lucario snickered at the display, hefting the luggage over its shoulder, though it did pick the two teens up.

"You found me! Or, I guess I found you? I was wondering when you two would make it!" the girl chirped, kissing Clemont on the cheek before she skated around and hugged Bonnie, making the little girl giggle.

"I made some new friends! They said that they can take us to Professor Kukui!" Bonnie proclaimed as Korrina ruffled the girl's hair.

"Nice! Good job, Bonnie!" Korrina said to the girl, who nodded happily in response. Korrina moved to the side and said, "Hi there! I'm Korrina! And this is my best friend, Lucario!"

The Pokémon in question simply nodded, though Rotom took that point to introduce itself. "Zzzt! New Pokémon detected! That's my cue!" Rotom proclaimed as it flew around the group before landing on Sun's hat.

"Lucario. The Aura Pokémon and the evolved form of Riolu. It concentrates its mental energy and fires off mysterious waves called auras, which can crush boulders of large size to can detect the species of a living being—and its emotions—from over half a mile away. They control auras and hunt their prey in packs." Rotom explained to the group, with the Kalosians watching Rotom Dex with awe.

"Aria has a Lucario as well. I wonder which one is stronger." Sun mused before Clemont hopped forward and grabbed Rotom Dex, making the boy yelp in surprise.

"Astounding! I've heard all about the Rotom Dex model of Pokédex for months! I've always wanted to see one up close!" Clemont said excitedly as Rotom Dex struggled in his grasp. The device suddenly let out a massive blast of electricity into Clemont, sending him to ground as everyone yelled out in surprise.

"Swiper no swiping! Swiper no swiping! Swiper no swiping!" Rotom cried out as it floated around a semi-conscious Clemont.

"Oh man…" Clemont wheezed as Korrina slowly helped him up, laughing sheepishly.

"Sorry about that. Clemont's a huge nerd, but he's also an awesome inventor. I guess he couldn't help himself when he saw such a cool piece of technology." Korrina said as Rotom landed on Sun's shoulder.

"It's all good. Rotom, do you have anything to say to them?" Sun asked the device.

"Zzzzt...Not really."

"Dude, you just shocked the crap out of him? Just apologize."

"Nope! He didn't respect my personal space."

"...Alright, I'll give you that one." Sun remarked as Bonnie and Hau giggled at the discussion while Korrina tried to reawaken Clemont, succeeding after a moment.

"Wow...Fascinating! So it seems to have some range of combat abilities despite having made a permanent home out of the Pokédex itself!" Clemont said excitedly, adjusting his glasses. "I'll have to ask Professor Sycamore if I can get a spare Pokédex or two to mess around with."

"You know the Kalos Regional Professor?" Lillie asked, with Clemont nodding.

"Naturally. I am the Lumiose City Gym Leader. And Korrina here is the Shalour City Gym Leader." Clemont explained, with Korrina flashing them a wide grin.

"And Mega Evolution expert!" the teen chirped, doing a fist pump with her left hand. Sun spotted the Key Stone shimmering within the glove and his eyes widened.

"Wow...Wait, Lillie. Didn't you mention the Professor was waiting for some Mega Evolution expert to show up?" Sun asked the girl, who nodded.

"Yes, though he neglected to tell me the details. You know how he gets. It's fortunate we ran into them beforehand." Lillie said to Sun before turning to the trio from Kalos.

"So you're the assistant Professor Kukui talked to me about." Korrina noted, leaning back on her skates. "My Grandpa is the actual Guru on Mega Evolution, with me being his Successor. However, he had some medical complications and I had to take his place on this trip. And Professor Sycamore has a regional conference to attend, so he couldn't come here himself, even though his specific field is Mega Evolution research and Pokémon change. And while I'm learning everything there is to learn about it, I still have a long ways to go before I'm a true master." Korrina ended that with a bit a frown on her face, but Clemont hopped forward, offering her an encouraging smile.

"But you'll be one someday! Look how far you've come since we started dating." Clemont pointed out, with Bonnie giggling from the side as Korrina wrapped an arm around the other blond's shoulder.

"That'll forever be my greatest accomplishment." Bonnie said, clapping her hands and doing a little hop that Lillie found really cute.

"I feel like we're getting sidetracked again. Do you three want an escort to the Dimensional Research Lab? That's where Professor Kukui and his wife, Professor Burnet are working right now." Sun asked the trio, who all nodded. With that, they began to made their way to the lab, which was thankfully nearby.

"So, you two are Gym Leaders, right? Does that mean you've got Gym Badges and all that?" Hau asked, earning odd looks from the new arrivals.

"Of course they do. Don't you all have them?" Bonnie asked, making Clemont chuckle as he put a hand on her head.

"Nope. Alola is special, Bonnie. They have something called the Island Challenge, a rite of passage for Pokémon Trainers in Alola. It's quite an ordeal, or so I'm told. I don't know the details myself, but I do know that Trainers going through the Island Challenge have to take on powerful Pokémon in special trials before taking on a leader on their island called a Kahuna." Clemont explained to the two other blondes walking alongside him.

"Sounds really interesting!" Korrina said with a grin, looking at her Lucario. "Doesn't that give you the traveling itch?"

The wolf grunted in response, smirking as he nodded. Korrina skated forward and said, "Tell me more about it."

"Hau, I think this is a job for you. You're the grandson of a Kahuna, after all." Sun said playfully to his friend, who chuckled. With that, Hau began to explain what he could of the Island Challenge to the Kalosians, who were fascinated by the uniqueness of the culture. Both Hau and Sun showed off their Z-Rings, which Bonnie thought looked really cool. The group was in good spirits when they arrived at the Dimensional Research Lab and went up the elevator, where they found Professor Kukui deep in talks with Colress and Professor Burnet.

"The way he was talking, it was nothing short of a god. It temporarily stopped time around them, Madeline. We haven't accounted for whatever this thing is at all." Colress said to the woman, who pinched the bridge of her nose.

"We can't discount the possibility of it being an Ultra Beast. But there's nothing in any of our data that talk about a shape-shifting monster capable of ripping apart reality. What's more important is this Necrozma thing." Burnet said to the man, who sighed.

"I really don't have time to handle anything else. Between Celebi, the Purify Chamber, dealing with Faba's nonsense, and trying to determine what the Aether Foundation is up to, I can't handle some unpredictable monster that can do whatever it wants." Colress said, with Burnet's eyes suddenly widening.

"Wait a moment...That woman on the beach. She talked about something just like this. A Heliolisk that can defy reality. She called it the Anomaly. What she talked about sounds a lot like what Faba seemed to be describing." Burnet said quietly, sounding worried.

"What woman?" Kukui asked.

"A strange woman with black hair and a cloak. Red eyes. Went by the name of Zinnia." Burnet said after thinking about it.

"What about her?" Lillie asked, announcing herself. Burnet and Kukui smiled, while Colress hummed thoughtfully, not paying attention. The man blinked when he saw Clemont and Korrina and stepped forward.

"Ah. I remember you. Clemont, was it? I remember seeing footage of your win at the Inventor's World Expo last year." Colress said to the teen, shaking his hand.

"W-wow. It's good to see you again, sir! I heard rumors about you doing stuff in Alola now. I guess they were true." Clemont said with a wide and eager smile.

"Hi! I'm Korrina! I have no idea who you are, but it's nice to meet you!" the Fighting-type Gym Leader said happily, making the scientist chuckle. Meanwhile, Kukui and Burnet walked over to the group they knew better, with Burnet looking relieved to see them.

"Good to see you're back, Lillie. And see you've found our friends from Kalos. Well, more friends from Kalos." Kukui chuckled as the group began to make themselves comfortable on the couches.

"Wow...this place is so cool!" Bonnie proclaimed as she bounded around the lab, hugging a nearby Magnemite. The Pokémon buzzed happily as it floated around, carrying a giggling Bonnie through the air.

"How embarrassing…" Clemont muttered, sighing as he walked over to his sister and snatched her off of the floating Pokémon. Bonnie crossed her arms and pouted, with Clemont sitting her down back on the ground.

"Back to the topic of this Zinnia person, didn't Aria and the others deal with someone with that very name a few days ago?" Colress asked Burnet, who nodded.

"She gave them the slip, and they haven't see her since. Apparently she knows about some of the stuff back in Unova. We don't know much about her, though. Olivia mentioned that the woman is friend's with Tapu Lele, though with how angry the Guardian Deity is right now, I'm not even remotely interested in bugging it with questions." Burnet said to the scientist, who sighed.

"Then we'll have to track her down the old fashioned way. Or rather, our friends will. I'm juggling enough stuff as it is. Maybe we can get some information out of her somehow." Colress said before he turned his attention to Sun and his friends.

"Ah, Sun, Lillie, and Hau. Good to see you all again. My apologies for not greeting you sooner. Things have become more complicated in our recent ventures since we last met." Colress said with a small sigh. "That's part of the reason why I haven't been able to help much with Kukui's joint Mega Evolution research, though I have lent what notes I have on it to him."

"It's more than enough, Colress. Seriously, thanks for everything." Kukui said to the man, who smiled faintly. Sun noticed that the man seemed rather exhausted.

"You're welcome, my friend. Which does remind me…" Colress turned to Sun and said, "I heard you caught another Pokémon."

"Yeah, a Poliwag." Sun said to the man, who nodded and reached into his coat. He pulled out a black collar, which Sun recognized as the TACV. Sun called out Finn, and held him still while Colress fit the device around the neck(?) of the Tadpole Pokémon.

"So, Finn? Can you talk?" Sun asked the Pokémon, who swished his tail through the air.

"Feels kinda funny." Finn remarked, though he flinched at the sound of his own voice.

"I bet. It's probably because you don't really have a neck for the collar to fit on." Sun remarked, shrugging.

"I...Whoa! You can understand me?" Finn asked, a note of awe in his voice.

"Yep. Hopefully this will-" Sun began to say before Finn began to hop around the room.

"Yes! Wow, this is awesome! I'm just like the others now! I was wondering what it would take for me to get one of these things! Yes!" Finn said excitedly as he bounded around the lab.

"Ah, I'm guessing that's one of your TACV's?" Clemont asked, smiling as the Poliwag bounced and flipped around the room with Sun desperately trying to catch the creature. Colress was spared from answering by a low cooing sound coming from Lillie's bag. The girl let out a gasp and unzipped the bag, pulling out a yawning Cosmog.

"Nebby! Are you okay?" Lillie asked worriedly as the Cosmog opened its eyes. The Pokémon blinked a few times before wriggling its arms, beaming up at Lillie.

"Pew!" Nebby cried out, flying up into Lillie's chest and nuzzling her as Lillie hugged the Cosmog tearfully.

"Thank goodness...I was so worried." Lillie whispered, holding the Pokémon tightly. Sun used the distraction of Nebby's awakening to return the hyperactive Finn to his Poké Ball. Sun sat down next to Lillie and pet the sleepy Cosmog, who happily flew to Sun and nuzzled him while a relieved Kukui and Burnet watched the children happily play with Cosmog.

"Aw, I wanna play with it!" Bonnie pouted, adding, "It looks so cute Clemont."

"Ask later, Bonnie. We don't want to impose at such an emotional time. We came to the lab for a reason, after all." Clemont said to his little sister.

"Oh yeah!" Korrina said, hopping to her feet. "So how did you want to do this, Professor? Studying the Key Stone? A practice battle? Come on, we're ready to go!"

"Hold up a sec." Hau said, catching everyone's attention. "So what's with Mega Evolution? Like, I've seen it before with Doctor Colress, but how does it work?" Hau asked Korrina. Before she spoke, Lillie chimed in.

"Try to explain it like you're talking to Bonnie. Otherwise, it'll go through one ear and out the other." Lillie said to the older girl, making Korrina crack a grin while Hau pouted. Bonnie was fighting a fit of giggles.

"You'd be surprised. Bonnie's the smartest kid her age I've ever met. Simply put, Mega Evolution is a temporary evolution some species of Pokémon can undergo, allowing them access to their greatest strengths and tapping into their true potential. The effects of Mega Evolution can have both negative and positive short and long-term effects, so it's not something done lightly. Trainers entrusted with a Key Stone and a Mega Stone have to understand the risks involved." Korrina explained, crossing her arms.

"Mega Evolution also requires four things to work. One, a Pokémon that is capable of Mega Evolution. Not all Pokémon can do it. Two, a Pokémon that holds the proper Mega Stone so it can Mega Evolve. Three, a Key Stone." Korrina held up her glove, with the Key Stone shimmering in the light. "This resonates with the Mega Stone a Pokémon holds, allowing the strength of their bond to manifest in power. And that brings us to the fourth and most important component in Mega Evolution...a powerful bond."

"Why is that so important?" Hau asked.

"It is the bond we share with Pokémon that allows them to perform better in battle than their wild counterparts. It is with our cooperation that human and Pokémon merge their strength and excel in ways neither could before. Mega Evolution is that bond incarnate. The stronger the bond, the more smooth the connection and the transition is during Mega Evolution." Korrina explained, sounding much older as she explained the information. Colress took that moment to chime in.

"Which is evidenced by myself and the bond I share with Dusk. Despite my problems, I do share a positive bond with my Absol, and she cares for me greatly. Thus, thanks to our bond of trust, we were able to achieve Mega Evolution." Colress explained to the others. "It's difficult for me though. I imagine those without a strong bond with their Pokémon would never be able to do it."

"Wow...that's way more complicated than I thought it'd be." Hau muttered, crossing his arms. Sun chuckled softly while Lillie shook her head, though she was more focused on Nebby being awake again.

"It's not that much to take in. It gets a lot more simple if you just have strong bonds with all of your Pokémon and don't throw around Mega Evolution like an idiot. After all, doesn't Z-Power have the same drawbacks?" Korrina asked Professor Kukui.

"Yes, though more on the Trainer than the Pokémon. Trying to use a Z-Move without a strong bond with your Pokémon will cause the Z-Move to fail or make it weaker than usual. Those without any kind of emotional connection to their Pokémon will simply be unable to use Z-Moves." Kukui explained, his expression becoming more serious. Kukui looked to Colress, adding, "If I recall, you're completely unable to use Z-Power, right?"

"Yes. I have a bond with my Pokémon, but it's not nearly enough to use Z-Moves. The emotional connection for me just isn't there." Colress explained, shrugging. "People who are generally apathetic might just have problems using them. Who knows? It's just one of the many mysteries I plan on uncovering someday."

"Another point to note is that Z-Moves are physically draining. That's why there's a rule that a Trainer can only use a Z-Move once per battle. Doing two in such a short time span could put a Trainer's body through an intense amount of strain. It could possibly even kill someone, if they're not careful." Kukui went on, making Sun and Hau pale. "Just know your limits. I imagine the only people in Alola who could pull off multiple Z-Moves in the same battle is me and maybe the Kahunas."

"You're that strong?" Clemont asked, surprised.

"Heh. Maybe." Kukui said with a small laugh. "Sun, Lillie, Hau, would you perhaps like to go check out Royal Avenue? I'll be there myself in a few hours. Professor Burnet needs to coordinate with our Unova friends on a way to track down Zinnia and I have some work with Korrina and Clemont I need get started on." Kukui said as he hopped up, looking to the children.

"I wouldn't mind some time to see the sights." Lillie mused as Sun got to his feet, with the boy holding out a hand to help the girl to her feet. Hau yawned and chose to kick his sandals off and lay down on the couch.

"Nope. Is it cool if I crash here? I think I'm done for the day." Hau asked Kukui, who chuckled while Bonnie and Korrina snickered.

"Sure thing. Though might I recommend using the shower we have in the other room? You're a bit sweaty." Burnet said to the boy, who sat up and sniffed himself and flinched. With that, Hau walked to the other room with his backpack while Sun and Lillie shook their heads.

"Looks like I'll catch you two sometime tomorrow. Maybe we'll face off in the tournament." Korrina said as she extended a hand to Sun, who shook it. She had a surprisingly strong grip.

"Yep. May the best Trainer win." Sun said with a smile before looking at Clemont and shaking his hand as well while Lillie shook Korrina's hand. "I'm really looking forward to seeing you guys in action."

"And we're looking forward to seeing just what you Trial-goers are all about. After hearing so much from Sina and Dexio, I expect nothing but an excellent showcase of skill." Clemont said with a smile, adjusting his glasses.

"And I'll guess we'll be there to cheer our friends on, right Bonnie?" Lillie said to the little girl, who nodded smartly and shook the girl's outstretched hand.

"Absolutely! Someone has to support my big brother. He's hopeless without me, after all." Bonnie said with a small sigh, making Clemont facepalm and everyone else laugh.


"Wow...this place looks totally different." Sun stated as he and Lillie flew over Royal Avenue on his Ride Charizard. The place had undergone a transformation in the days leading up to the Alola Grand Royal Tournament, which was all the more visible with an aerial view. Whereas before the place was a colorful, exciting place where fun battles awaited those who entered the main arena, it was now completely transformed.

Around them, signs of a massive event were evident. Banners showcasing powerful and unique Alolan Pokémon engaging in combat were shown, with statues and lights surrounding them. Carnival rides and tents were being erected wherever they could be, and there were thick crowds of people below looking around at the place that would showcase some of the greatest Pokémon battles that Alola had seen in ages. A chance for Alola to finally take center stage and show its worth to the world. Promo videos were playing on massive monitors set up around the avenue, showcasing some of the participants past battles in order to drum up more hype.

"Wow...Professor Kukui went all out." Lillie muttered into Sun's ear, making him shiver. The boy nodded and decided to land the Ride Charizard nearby. After thanking the Flame Pokémon and giving it a pat on the head, the beast took off, leaving Sun and Lillie to traverse the crowds of people.

The duo took in the sights and sounds of the pre-tournament festivities. Music filled the air and the area was abuzz with excited chatter in different languages and laughter. Sun and Lillie kept up a quiet conversation about people and things that stood out.

Lillie spotted Crasher Wake battling three Trainers at once in a parking lot. The Sinnoh Gym Leader was laughing loudly with excitement the entire time. The two children had to skirt around the battle to avoid getting wet from a wayward water attack, though they did watch the battle through to the end, which saw Wake's Floatzel knock out all three Pokémon at once with a massive Surf attack.

"Incredible...Those Gym Leaders sure are something." Lillie commented, leaning slightly against Sun. The boy looked at the girl for a moment, and the moment she caught his gaze she blushed heavily, though she didn't move.

"Yeah, they are. I wish Erika was here…She'd be taking a nap in the park, surrounded by all of the pink flowers there. After that she'd be ready for a good battle." Sun said quietly, watching the crowds with a somber expression. The boy was surprised when he was whirled around and pulled into a tight hug.

"I know it isn't much, but this is all I can do." Lillie murmured, holding onto the boy. Sun returned the hug, sighing shakily. It had been quite a while since he had thought about Erika. She had been a close friend of Laura and had protected her city to the bitter end. The memory of how she was cut down by Amber on live television during the Celadon City attack made Sun sick to his stomach, so he tried to avoid thinking about her. But…

She had been one of the few people Sun could have probably called a friend, back in Kanto. Granted, Lillie had been Sun's first true friend, but Sun could have figured people like Erika, Dawson, and Ollie would have been good friends of his as well if he had known what friends were back then.

Sun released Lillie, who looked at him sadly. Sun offered her a weak smile before taking the girl by the hand and guiding her through the crowd, with Nebby cooing softly from within her bag. With that, the duo continued to take in the sights of the area, even getting lunch from an muscular man they happened to be walking by. Sun learned that it was a man named Chuck, who happened to be a Gym Leader from Johto. Despite being a large and intimidating man, he made a rather mean bowl of ramen and wished the two children a good afternoon with a heart laugh.

A sight Sun wasn't happy to see came into view about two hours after they had arrived. Team Skull, lurking around the outskirts of the area. Whenever the boy saw the thugs, he would move a bit closer to Lillie until they got far enough away.

The final thing that caught Sun's eyes was a white-haired girl playing on an electric guitar while surrounded by several enamored tourists. What caught his attention was the obvious skill the girl had in the instrument, her hands dancing around the length of the guitar with obvious ease.

"Wow...she's really good." Lillie said, smiling faintly. "Reminds me of my brother."

"Your brother?" Sun asked, looking at his best friend. Lillie nodded, her smile widening.

"Big brother was very proud of his skill on the guitar. Father bought him an electric guitar shortly before he...vanished." Lillie said, her smile fading somewhat. The girl shook her head before smiling at Sun, who was looking at her worriedly. "I'm fine. Just lost in thought for a moment."

Sun nodded and then looked back to the girl, who at that point had noticed them. The white-haired girl stuck her tongue out him before offering a grin to the boy. Sun waved at the girl along with Lillie, and the two continued their walk.

"Any idea who that was?" Sun asked.

"Not at all. Though I do spot someone we do know." Lillie said as she pointed forward, where Sun saw Olivia speaking to Adrian Battlestorm, in what seemed like an interview.

"It'll definitely be a hard match. After all, Cynthia has only lost one battle in her time as a Champion. But I'm determined to give it my best shot no matter what." Olivia said with a smile, making Adrian chuckle.

"And there we have folks, from our very own Kahuna! Next up, we'll have your weekend weather forecast!" Adrian proclaimed, giving the camera a wide grin while Olivia gave a small wave behind him.

"And you're clear." the camerawoman said as Olivia sighed with relief.

"I never get used to that." Olivia muttered, making Adrian chuckle.

"You should work on that. After all, you'll be in the main event of the final day. We'll be kicking off the semifinals with your exhibition match with Cynthia before we get to the nitty gritty." Adrian said merrily before he spotted Sun and Lillie. "Hey there you two!" Adrian boomed, sauntering over to the two children. After a moment, the camerawoman and Olivia followed behind them.

"Hey there, Mister Battlestorm. Hey Miss Olivia. How's everything going?" Sun asked the media mogul, who cracked a wide grin.

"Couldn't be better! We've just finalized the tournament bracket and we're all set for tomorrow. The Tournament begins at high noon, so don't be late! I made sure all of Kukui's friends got great seats for the action." Adrian said with a small chuckle, making Lillie bow after a moment.

"Thank you. Even if I'm not much of a fan of battling, it'll be nice to get a good view of the event. Especially when Sun wins." Lillie said, giving Sun a shy smile. The boy blushed slightly, with Adrian and Olivia chuckling at that.

"Looks like you've got little Lillie in your corner, Sun. You'll do fine. This Tournament is mostly to show off the strength of Alola's Trainers and get the world to focus on us for a time. For fun, you know? It's more of a chance for people from all walks of life to enjoy the Alolan culture and see what our region has to offer." Olivia said to the two children, putting a hand on her hip.

"And it also gets us plenty of global media attention. More attention means more publicity, and that's key. Plus the massive influx of tourists is really helping local businesses as well, which is what I was worried about for a bit." Adrian said as his smile faded slightly. "This has to go well. Especially if we're wanting Kukui's big project to take off. Alola has to be taken seriously, and the best way to do that is for us to show off the high caliber of Trainers we have. That's mostly why I made sure we had Miss Kahili come back home."

"How's she doing?" Sun asked the man, who smiled.

"Better. Still having trouble walking, but she'll recover in time. After what she told me, I think we're looking at another Island Challenge Champion. It takes a lot to get praise from someone like her, you know. I'm looking forward to seeing your skills myself, Sun." Adrian said with a smile, with Sun grinning back at the man. After a moment, Adrian looked back at Olivia.

"We've already settled away everyone from Sinnoh, Hoenn, and Kanto. How much time do we have before meeting with the embassy from Galar?" Adrian asked Olivia, though it was his assistant who answered.

"Two hours, sir." The blonde replied, adjusting her glasses.

"Thanks Kelly." Adrian said to the woman, receiving a nod in response. "If that's the case, then we have time to find Professor Oak. I swear, that man goes missing every time i want to chat with him."

"I think he was catching up with his cousin." Kelly said to the man, who sighed and shook his head.

"Whatever. We'll catch up later. Until then, we've got more details to iron out. Olivia, you mind dealing with my nonsense a bit more until everything is good to go?" Adrian asked the Kahuna, who smirked and crossed her arms.

"Of course. Lead the way." OIivia said before turning to the children. "Have fun you two. And be safe, okay?"

"Way to jinx it." Sun said, with Olivia giggling and walking away.

"I'm sure we won't have that bad of luck. Oh! I have an idea!" Lillie said excitedly, looking at Sun. "I believe Kiawe is at work right now. Let's go say hi!"

"That sounds good. Maybe I can get some extra supplies, just in case. Ugh...I bet the Thrifty Megamart is packed right now and working with all those people probably sucks." Lillie admitted with a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, dealing with tons of people like that...I hope this Trainer thing really pans out in the long run. I don't want a real job." Sun said with a shudder, though he was wearing a smile.

"Me either. Though I will say, working in the field with Professor Kukui after spending an entire childhood being waited on hand and foot in opulence is...jarring. But humbling, in a way. It makes me appreciate everything more in life." Lillie said as they began walking down the sidewalk.

"Same. Though my Mom did get a ton of money in the divorce from Dad. Technically we'll never have to work a day in our lives. But Mom doesn't want to ever stay idle and neither do I." Sun said to his friend, who beamed at him.

"Yes...Sun, what do you see yourself in the future?" Lillie asked the boy, who frowned. Where was this coming from?

"Why do you ask?" Sun asked the girl, who flushed bright pink.

"Just curious. All this talk about the past. But the future? Think about it. Maybe once this Cipher business is taken care of and I can get Nebby home...Where do you see yourself in a few years?" Lillie asked, making Sun think hard on that.

"Well...I definitely want to beat the Island Challenge and become the Island Challenge Champion. After, I'll want to explore Alola as much as I can. After that...I don't know." Sun admitted quietly, looking up into the cloudless sky above them.

"I've had the past always hanging over my head ever since I got here. My father. Cipher. Nova. All of it...Getting free of everything and being able to focus on myself is something I've never thought much of. I guess in the end, I...I want to be happy, Lillie. I want a future where I'm happy with the family I've come to make here in Alola." Sun said firmly, looking to Lillie for approval. She seemed very happy with what the boy said, as she was beaming at him.

"I like that. You deserve to be happy." Lillie said fondly, with Nebby pewing softly from his bag in agreement.

"How about you?" Sun asked his friend, who's smile faltered. She looked down at the ground, and Sun felt a stab of worry that maybe putting her on the spot had been a bad idea. She was the one who brought it up, after all.

"I'd like to...I'd...I don't know." Lillie whispered, shaking her head. "I have no idea where my future will take me. Between Nebby and the problems with my family, I don't know what my life will be like in a few years from now. I could become a researcher like Professor Kukui or Professor Burnet. I could become a musician, sort of like what Vivian does. I could even be a Pokémon Trainer for all I know!" Lillie exclaimed, sounding frustrated. "I just...don't know."

Sun put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "And that's fine. You don't have to worry about the future. Worry about the now. And right now, it's just the two of us heading to the local store to bug a friend at work." Lillie smiled wanly at that, but nodded. After a moment, Lillie took stock of their surroundings and frowned.

"Sun...Where is everyone?" Lillie suddenly asked. Sun looked around and realized that the entire street was deserted. Sun tensed and gripped Lillie's hand, though he suddenly heard the sound of laughter that made his spine tingle.

"Looks like you all didn't catch the memo...This street is Team Skull territory." came a rough voice from a nearby ally. To their horror, three men wearing modified Team Skull uniforms walked out of the alleyway. Each of them were a good two feet taller than Sun, and sporting ugly tattoos.

"Sun! It's the Bone Brothers!" Lillie hissed, pulling Sun backwards. Sun had no idea who they were, but he stood his ground, pulling out a Poké Ball. Sun spotted a few more members of Team Skull lurking around, waiting in the shadows., though his attention was on the three massive men standing in front of them.

"Where's the extra security this place is supposed to have? Team Skull shouldn't be able to be here in these numbers!" Sun thought worriedly, though he scowled and drew himself up as much as he could. "I'm not scared of you creeps. Back off!" Sun said to the men, who chuckled darkly.

"Kid, I've taken shits bigger than you." One of them remarked, crossing his arm.

"Kinda rude though...Everyone kinda left when they heard we were around. Makes me wonder if they're scared or something." Another one remarked, cracking his knuckles. The last one stared at Lillie, his eyes narrowed.

"Hey there Princess...Why don't you leave the hero and get with the zeroes?" the man chuckled, cracking his knuckles while the lead Bone Brother called out his Drapion. "You got away last time. Not happening again. Guzma wants to have a very long discussion with you. Now come with us. Or we start breaking bones."

Sun took a step back as the Ogre Scorpion hissed darkly, flexing its pincers as the brothers spread apart, trying to surround him. Sun could tell at glance this Drapion was strong enough to knock out his entire team. That said…They clearly wanted Lillie. It was possible they wanted her for Nebby, or for some other purpose. Either way, Sun wouldn't let them anywhere near her.

"Lillie, run!" Sun barked, drawing two Poké Balls and preparing himself to battle. Lillie shook her head, her body shaking with fear, but then she looked behind her and her mouth dropped.

"S-Sun!" the girl tried to warn the boy, but he was distracted by the thugs ahead of them.

"Just run Lillie!" Sun said to his friend, calling out Penny and Oliver. The Bone Brothers grinned as they approached Sun, though they slowed their advance as they spotted who Lillie was talking about.

"It's always something, dammit. Yo, asshole. You wanna back off? We're just gonna knock out this brat, steal his Pokémon, and take this little girlie back to Po Town." The center Bone Brother remarked, looking at somewhere just above Sun's shoulder. In response, Sun heard a familiar chuckle chuckle and then a click behind him, followed by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Not a chance. Borlath would be pretty pissed if you hurt his son." Sun froze at those words, and slowly looked behind him to see a familiar face grinning at him.

"Hey there, kiddo. Long time no see." Dawson said cheerfully as he stepped in front of Sun, raising his glowing hand-cannon at the trio of gangsters. "Now...Back off. I believe these kids are coming with me."


Cliffhanger!

How will this turn out? Stay tuned and find out next week.

Now, for something else.

I will be formally taking requests for cameos, appearances and ideas for battles you'd want to see in the Alolan Grand Royal Tournament. I've got quite a bit of stuff already planned, but I'm only one guy and you all have fantastic suggestions that could possibly work better than anything I have planned. So, feel free to drop suggestions! (Naturally, if your ideas are used, you get a shoutout in the chapter they appear in and full credit.)

I'll stop taking suggestions after Chapter 85 is posted, so feel free to leave some suggestions if there's some characters you want to see throw down in the Tournament or just pop up for some shenanigans.

I will state that the confirmed people who will be there in some capacity are as follows:

Crasher Wake (who cameo'd twice, I believe), Korrina, Clemont, Hala, Olivia, Chuck, Roxie (two points to anyone who recognized her) Cynthia, Professor Oak, Kahili, Gladion, Plumeria and Team Skull in general, Lana, Mallow, and Kiawe. Many more will follow, but again, I know people love seeing some characters more than others, so I'm willing to add or substitute characters if they work better.

In the meantime, please show your support by dropping a review and giving me some feedback on the chapter, and favorite and/or follow the story if you haven't already. These next few chapters will be off the chain and include some of the most badass scenes in the story, so you won't want to miss an update.

Take care and stay awesome.

Until next time, FlygonNick out!