Pokémon Radiant Sun
Howdy. Happy Early Halloween!
I kinda got the Halloween-themed chapter out of the way a bit early with the Festival mini-arc, so apologies for not having something other than this out for the holiday.
Speaking of, I'll be going back home for most of the month of November and taking a small break from writing…Okay, I say that, but I know I'll be writing anyway because I have problems with not doing that for long stretches of time.
Point is I'll be taking a trip back home for a few weeks to recharge and spend some long overdue time with family and friends. Chapters will be slightly delayed for a few weeks, but rest assured that things will be kicking off for real once the Thanksgiving break rolls around.
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes JayTheAltaria, Oragonking, SolanaLeonhart, fatwhiteguy, BraviaryScout, noobl2, two Guest reviewers, Boy Knight, SonicIKE, and Ways. Thanks for the fantastic feedback, especially in the wake of the bizarreness of the past few chapters.
Enjoy.
Chapter 97: The Poké Pelago
Many Months Ago…
Nimbasa City
Wes began to walk along the icy road of Nimbasa City, the bodies of those he failed to save frozen solid around him. Entire buildings were now massive pillars of ice, with those below them frozen solid, expressions of fear and horror etched on their faces forever.
He didn't deserve to be alive. He didn't deserve to still draw breath while those who had nothing to do with his crusade against Cipher had paid the ultimate price.
"It's all my fault...Ashton...how could you do this?" Wes murmured as he staggered forward, trying not to fall as he walked through the frozen graveyard. He couldn't stand to be around any of the others anymore. Wes was done fighting. Something inside of him had told him it was enough. It was time to concede. Cipher had finally pushed his mind and heart far enough.
Wes had always wondered what it would take for him to break. To finally lose the drive that had pushed him through all of the hardship, pain, and death that had been a constant in his life ever since he was a child. And more so when he chose that fateful day to detonate a bomb in the Team Snagem Hideout, steal their mobile Smag Machine, and set out to save every Shadow Pokémon he could.
This was too much for him, however. Borlath making a worldwide broadcast of Perfect Shadow Kyurem freezing Nimbasa City solid while Wes was battling the monster and it's Trainer, Ghetsis. And while Wes stood there, horrified beyond belief, Ghetsis had used that moment to command the beast to slay his strongest and most faithful Pokémon.
That final death...that was the moment Wes realized that there was no hope left in him. And his mind began to break. Unable to process the pain, for the weight of his failures during that battle were too much to bare. Aria had barely managed to help them both escape the building before Ghetsis killed him too.
At the sound of boots crunching against the icy street, Wes turned around and stared at the young woman that had became a younger sister of sorts to him. Aria gasped as she looked at him, perhaps seeing just how much her mentor had changed since his defeat at the hands of Ghetsis and Borlath's betrayal.
"Aria…I can't. Not after that. Not after this…I let them all down. Millions are gone because I wasn't strong enough. I didn't think far enough ahead and…And now…" Wes broke off, shaking his head as he rolled up his sleeve, revealing the gleaming Snag Machine that had become synonymous with his name. It was something that he had always carried with him. His burden. A burden he could no longer carry.
Aria watched in horror as Wes unclasped the device from his arm and allowed it to fall onto the ice on the ground with a metallic clatter, the sound deafening in the silent and frozen street.
"I'm done. Let someone else save Unova. Ghetsis and Borlath took the last bit of fight I had…I can't carry the weight of this thing anymore." Wes said as he gave her one last glance, her eyes begging him not to leave. To stay and help them continue the fight.
Be he couldn't. He was tired of it. Tired of constantly being hurt. Tired of being the hero that everyone relied on. The weight of all of their hopes and dreams of peace rested on him. And he couldn't realize those dreams for them. He had failed them all. Despite everything he did, no matter how hard he fought and remained strong, in spite of everything Cipher had done to him...he simply couldn't save the day.
His mind, heart, and soul had been torn apart time and time again, and after staying so strong for so long...He simply couldn't anymore.
He was so, so tired.
And so without another word Wes turned around and continued down the icy road, past the frozen bodies of those he had failed to save, sinking deeper into the darkness of his mind. An endless cycle of memories flashed through his mind. Friends and enemies alike in an montage of his life. So many saved.
And yet, looking around him, there were so many lives lost.
Wes continued his walk down the icy path alone, shambling down the road like a zombie. He became faintly aware of the sound of men shouting and people approaching his general direction. Wes walked into an alleyway and leaned against the wall, pressing his hands against his head.
"It hurts...why does it hurt so much?" Wes hissed, an awful pain aching in his head. Every thought, every memory that pulsed through his mind was another agony. Why did it all have to hurt so bad? Hadn't he suffered enough?
Because he did what he always did. Break a character, and then build them back up. But of course it's always the first part that's the most tragic. Came a strange voice from beside him. Wes glanced to his left and saw nothing there. The Snagger allowed himself a broken chuckle.
"I'm finally losing it…" Wes thought as the sound of voices filled the air.
"I don't care. Find him. Borlath took care of the girl. All we need to do is put him out of his misery." the voice of Amber Fontaine said as boots crunched on the ice.
"Yes ma'am!" A chorus of voices replied. Wes sighed, an exhale of white air escaping his mouth as he shut his eyes. Yes, it was fitting. Amber was to be the one that finally killed him. After everything they had been through, only one of them could kill the other. Fate wouldn't have it any other way.
"I wonder if she'll at least make it quick." Wes asked as he leaned back against the wall, his eyes half-shut. He wondered if he could simply freeze to death. Alongside all the people he had let die. The man let out a dark chuckle, feeling strangely satisfied with the thought of death. It was what he deserved, after all.
To his surprise and dismay, neither of these things would happen. Suddenly a shimmering rift opened up in the alleyway, and to Wes' surprise he felt a rush of warmth through the gateway.
Hurry through that portal. You'll go somewhere safe. Where you can recover from the blow your mind and heart have been dealt.
Wes stared at the rift as he moved to inspect it, unable to discern where the voice was coming from. If he had been in a better state of mind and not bordering on madness from the shock and pain he was in, he would have questioned it further. Instead he simply stumbled forward, until he was a few inches away from the rift.
"Who are you?" Wes asked, staring into the shimmering portal. He didn't get an answer, so he simply walked through.
And then he was falling through an empty space, the air around him being consumed by heat instead of chill. Wes barely managed to register this before he crashed down face-first into sand. Wes groaned softly and rolled over, his breathing erratic as his mind tried to make sense of the fact that it was quite hot now instead of cold. It couldn't.
And so Wes began to laugh. A twisted cackle as he slowly pushed himself up, tears running down his face as his completely broke down. He had no idea where he was. He had no clue what to do next. And he found that he simply couldn't care anymore. All he could do was laugh.
And so he did. He laughed until the hurt didn't quite seem so bad. His mind seemed to shut down as he giggled away the encroaching madness, years of suffering and pain suddenly breaking through the man's mind after it had finally reached his limit.
After a long, long time of laughing, Wes finally began to calm down. His laughter weakened to a dark chuckle, which became a long and heavy exhale. And then he began to struggle for air, falling onto his hands and knees.
"I can't do this. I'm so sorry…" Wes whispered, his hands clawing at the burning hot sand as sweat poured down his face. Though some of that may have been tears.
"Holy smokes! You all right, son?" came a worried voice from nearby. Wes looked up and saw a portly man dressed in a salmon-colored sorts and a white shirt quickly moving towards him, a concerned look on his face as he approached. The man knelt by Wes, examining him.
"Looks like heat exhaustion. You're definitely not dressed for this weather. Take that coat off and we can get you in some shade. Some water and rest will do you some good." The man said as Wes shook his head.
"Where...where am I? Last thing I remember...bodies. Frozen in the city. I couldn't save them...Who?" Wes managed to ask as the portly man helped him to his feet, with the Snagger shaking from the suddenly whiplash in temperatures. He probably did have heat exhaustion, but found himself uncaring of that fact.
The man helped Wes walk along the beach after a few moments, a concerned frown on his face. A large Zoroark stood beside the man, Wes now realized, and he wondered why he hadn't noticed the creature at first.
"My name is Mohn, my friend. And you're safe. I don't know where you came from, but you're going to be okay." The man said in a gentle, reassuring voice. Wes' mind was so clouded that all he could do was nod and try to process what was going on.
"Where...where are we?" Wes asked again, with the man smiling at him.
"We're in paradise, my friend." Mohn said as a floating raft come into sight a short distance away, a hut of sorts built on top of it. "You seem a little out of it. Well, don't you worry. I'll be more than happy to help you out."
"So...what's what happened." Sun said quietly as Mohn dolled out steaming hot bowls of fish and vegetable stew. Zinnia was leaning against the wall while Hau sat in a chair beside Sun.
"Going mad isn't all it's cracked up to be. Though you definitely have the more interesting story." Wes replied, grinning wickedly at him.
Sun grinned back at the man, even though he saw that his eyes definitely didn't have the same spark of life that had been there once before. Sun was glad the hero was alright, after everything he had heard.
"That's...definitely a story! Certainly an interesting way to end the day." Mohn chuckled, pouring Sun a hefty serving of stew. Hau gleefully held up his bowl, his eyes shining with delight at the idea of being able to eat. Their Pokémon were eating just outside on the massive raft that the shack floating on, with Leon explaining the Poké Pelago to the group outside.
"I'm more curious about what this Anomaly thing is. It sounds like it's got some kind of agenda, but likes to mess with people while they work on it." Wes remarked, shutting his eyes. Zinnia took that moment to speak, having listened for most of the time they were inside of the Raft Hut.
"The Anomaly is a being from another dimension. It's something that isn't supposed to exist, yet does regardless. It defies all rules of nature, space and time. It's powers over reality are strengthened by the very acknowledgement of its existence, which is why uttering its name gives it power. It's also responsible for destroying several timelines and worlds, from my understanding." Zinnia said, shutting her eyes.
"How can that be? I mean...Wow, I'm confused." Hau remark, tilting his head. Zinnia smiled faintly, opening her eyes.
"It's rather simple. There are many worlds besides this one. Other timelines and universes where things are the same as this world, but different as well." Zinnia explained with a dark look, eyeing the contents of her bowl of stew as Mohn handed it to her. "This world we have is unique. Special. One of a kind. There are other worlds quite like ours, only slightly different. But many worlds are quite unique. Many don't have Pokémon at all. Dizz comes from a reality very different from ours, from what I understand. But it has an anchor in this world as well. It's connected to our reality as well as its own."
"What kind of world did it come from?" Wes asked as he opened his eyes slightly, his gaze resting on Zinnia with curiosity.
"A world without any humans at all. A world where Pokémon live together in relative harmony, but are far more sapient than they are in this world. I don't know the specifics, but it's the most I could glean from my last interaction with the thing. The Anomaly has definitely torn through entire worlds and it's very presence can destabilize reality. That's why we blacked out when Hau tried to catch it." Zinnia explained, with Hau hanging his head.
"I thought it was a good idea, too. Sorry about that." Hau apologized, with Zinnia shrugging in response.
"It was clever. However the Anomaly can't be touched without feeling the pain of yourself fading out of existence. It can't be caught because the Anomaly isn't really a Pokémon. And it's very name causes reality itself to destabilize. It's a monster that needs to be put down." Zinnia said firmly, clenching her fists. "It has the power to completely destroy the world. I've been pursuing it for several years now."
"Well...How do we fight it?" Sun asked Zinnia, who sighed deeply.
"I don't know. Thankfully it hasn't tried anything crazy yet. I've been able to glean some knowledge from Tapu Lele and a few of the other Legendaries who have encountered it in the past. And it's still not enough information to go on. And that fight...It was toying with me." Zinnia growled as her eyes glanced to everyone in the room. From Sun's concerned expression, to Hau's confusion, Mohn's thoughtful frown, and Wes calmly looking up at the ceiling.
Wes lowered his head and looked down at the floor, closing his eyes. "Vivian."
"Huh? What about her?" Sun asked.
"Vivian's mentioned this thing before. In passing, but thing thing matches her description. She said it was confused and conflicted with what it wanted. She called it her 'odd friend'. Aria met it too, though this...Anomaly attacked her when I was off seeking leads on Neo Team Plasma." Wes faltered, frowning after a moment. "But yeah, they've both encountered it. I'm sure if you pressed the two of them, they could explain anything they know. Vivian would definitely know more, so try her first if you ask her about it."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." Zinnia said to Wes, earning a nod from the hero.
"Is this thing going to attack Sun again?" Hau asked Zinnia, who shrugged once again.
"It's whims are impossible to predict. It's clearly got some kind of goal in mind, but it's being very indirect about accomplishing that goal. That was my first direct battle with the thing, truthfully. It went a bit better than I expected, thanks to you two helping out. And Zygarde." Zinnia remarked with a faint smile as Mohn finished passing out their dinner. Both boys grinned sheepishly at the Draconid in response as Mohn chuckled deeply.
"I'm feeling nostalgic tonight. It's a shame I can't quite remember why." Mohn remarked after he swallowed a mouthful of stew. "But making new memories is always a fun experience, because there's always something to learn."
"He's got a point. Even if Zinnia couldn't kill this Anomaly, you have a better understanding of how it fights and how it thinks." Wes said with a nod, grinning after a moment. "Understanding how something thinks is the best way to take them down."
Sun took that moment to finally take a sip from the bowl of stew he had been given. Sun's eyes widened as the rush of flavor, though he did scald his tongue a little and let out a small yelp of pain. Hau had no such problems, grinning toothily at Mohn as he set down his empty bowl. Zinnia and Wes stared at the boy in surprise.
"Holy shit, kid. Did you remember to breathe? Or taste the food?" Wes asked, smiling after a moment. Sun snorted, shaking his head as the other boy lifted up his bowl.
"This is awesome! Can I have seconds?" Hau asked hopefully, making Mohn chuckle lightly.
"Sure thing, Hau. We have plenty of stew to go around." Mohn said merrily, grabbing the bowl and refilling it. Hau giggled gleefully and dug in again.
"Looks like trouble found you again after all, huh?" Mohn said to Wes, who barked out a harsh laugh.
"Not quite. If it was Amber or Ashton, that'd be another story. But I don't mind a little bit of intrigue in my isolation." Wes remarked, leaning back against the wall with a crooked smile. Sun felt an odd shiver run down his spine as he considered something.
His father was responsible for everything terrible that had happened to Wes. The rise of Cipher after their defeat in Orre had caused nothing but misery for the Snagger. And seeing him now, in the flesh, made the feelings of guilt Sun had thought he had gotten over return in full force. Wes' eyes darted over to Sun, who he realized was staring at him. As if reading his mind, Wes grinned at him.
"You know...I only know one person with the ability to change eye colors. And you remind me a lot of him. Your last name wouldn't happen to be Aupuni, would it?" Wes asked Sun, with the boy looking away as his eyes flickered blue and white.
"Not anymore." Sun breathed in a sigh.
"Of course. Well, if we're going to clear the air, I'll say it flat-out from the get-go. I don't blame you for anything your father did to me and my friends. I know where all the blame lies." Wes said to Sun firmly, with the boy heaving out a sigh of relief. Wes nodded once, though Mohn chimed in.
"You have gotten much better about dealing with what that man did to you these past few months, Wes." Mohn said with a proud smile. Wes sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.
"Have I? Certainly doesn't feel like it. Though I can definitely think a lot more clearly than I did when I got to the Poké Pelago. I'm honestly not surprised I lost my mind for a little while there. Thankfully that thing that sent me here was looking out for me." Wes remarked dryly, leaning off of the wall and taking several bites of stew. A silence ensued, with the hungry group eating their dinner in relative peace. When Mohn went outside to do a check on some of the local Pokémon, the silence was broken with a question.
"So...what's your story, Zinnia? Why would you be chasing an interdimensional monster?" Wes asked Zinnia, who simply laughed.
"Why do you care, Snagger? You've been out of the fight your friends have been waging against Cipher for months. I don't have anything to say to someone who left their friends to die." Zinnia said to Wes as Sun and Hau both flinched.
Wes surprised them both by bursting out into laughter. High, almost demented laughter as he leaned against the wall and threw his head back. Sun glanced towards where the exit was and saw Pyrrha and Leon exchanging a worried look with a Sylveon before Sun looked back towards Wes, who had calmed down slightly as he wiped a tear out of his eyes.
"Oh man...That was good." Wes chuckled, grinning at Zinnia with a slight glint in his eyes.
"I fail to see what's so funny." Zinnia said coldly as Wes' grin stretched a little wider, something darker in his eyes.
"Because you're pretty ignorant for someone who knows so much. I'll set the record straight. I was a one-man army against Cipher for years. Yes, I had some help here and there. But who was out doing the infiltration and snagging? Me. Who battled Admin after Admin, endless waves of Peons before anyone else ever decided that maybe some help might be nice? Me." The expression becoming something darker. Wes stepped forward, and Zinnia's expression of annoyance faltered.
"I led the movement against Cipher. I was the one who they focused all of their attention on. I've had my Pokémon killed at their hands. I've lost loved ones because of them." Wes said, with Zinnia cutting him off.
"We've all lost people. Doesn't make what happened to you worse than what happened with us." Zinnia shot back, with Wes grinning twistedly.
"You're right...But you weren't forced to watch as it happened." Wes said as his voice suddenly emptied of all emotion. Zinnia's eyes widened as the man too another step forward, his eyes gaining a horrifying intensity to them. It was something bordering on mania. As if the hero wasn't all there. Maybe after losing his mind from the blow Borlath had dealt to him, perhaps he never did get it all back.
"You don't know a damn thing about suffering. My entire life...has been a fight. And after over a decade of battling Cipher, they found my breaking point. That bastard did what none of the others could...and Borlath broke me. And after that I decided that I was done being hurt. Someone else could take that mantle. I had enough." Wes practically hissed, his golden eyes becoming as sharp as a dagger.
"Stop it!" Hau shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "You're freaking him out!"
Wes whirled around to see Sun's pale expression and white eyes, a clear sign of fear. Wes' expression suddenly broke out into a dark grin with a bit more awareness in his eyes. "And then there's you. I have no idea why Ash's kid is here. I don't blame you for anything, Sun. But don't expect me to take you coming here as lightly as Mohn. Because every time I look at you, I see someone I sympathized with. Someone who I understood and cared about. And someone who stabbed us in the back so his child could live in peaceful world. Everything Borlath did to me. Everything he did to my friends. And everything he's done to this world..."
"I know…" Sun whispered, his eyes slowly darkening as he looked down. "He killed all of them for me."
"Bingo. So, Zinnia...any more assumptions you'd like to make about me?" Wes asked as he turned to the Lorekeeper, who was looking at Wes with an alarmed expression. She nodded, sighing after a moment.
"Fine. I assumed a bit much. None of those idiots you call your friends knew just how much mental trauma you apparently had been struggling with as you led the charge against Cipher and Neo Team Plasma. Taking on that mantle in spite of the suffering, hardship and stress...Being an icon of hope for everyone despite that. If I had been through as much as you're implying, I would have been in a similar state, if not worse off." Zinnia admitted grudgingly as Wes smirked..
"Apology accepted. Don't assume." Wes said to the Lorekeeper, who opened her mouth to speak, only for Mohn to reappear with a frown.
"Alright, alright. That's enough of this dark talk. The past is the past. It doesn't have to write our future." Mohn said gently as he placed a lid over the stew and said, "Why don't we hit the hay tonight? We'll all feel better about this in the morning."
Sun awoke with a groan, setting up from his sleeping bag with a few blinks. He could hear the chirps of passing Wingull and a splashing sound nearby. It took the boy a few moments to remember where he was at, and he glanced up. To his surprise, Mohn was the only one sitting there to see him wake up. The portly man was baking a batch of fruit, sprinkling some sort of powder of them that smelled like cinnamon.
"Good morning, my boy! You're the last one awake, and I'm nearly done with breakfast. Did you sleep well?" Mohn asked Sun, who nodded.
"Decently enough." Sun replied, getting up and stretching. Sun glanced out the window and saw that the tide had come in. Penny and Oliver were sitting on the raft outside, looking over at him with two smiles while Brago napped on the raft outside. Finn was splashing around in the water with a Floatzel a short distance away.
"Hau is out swimming and Zinnia flew out to see where the nearest bit of land is. Sadly I don;t quite remember myself, otherwise I'd help." Mohn explained as Sun nodded. "Truth be told, I was a little worried you'd have nightmares after the grim discussion of last night." Mohn said, his smile dimming slightly as he shook the fruit in the pan he had. "Wes is a good lad. Just...been through too much. I can't imagine what it's like to live with that sort of pain in his heart. Makes me almost glad to have my amnesia. I can't feel too sad about those I've left behind and lost if I can't remember them."
"I was wondering about that, sir. Why are you out here anyway?" Sun asked, with Mohn laughing slightly at the question.
"Hau and Zinnia asked me much of the same. Simply put, I woke up here one day, without any recollection as to how I got here." Mohn said with a smile, looking out towards the ocean. "But I do remember my love of Pokémon. And I saw how beautiful these islands were. I decided that I wanted to make a peaceful place for them in this troubled world."
"And this place is a...paradise, right?" Sun asked.
"Heh. You've come to the Poké Pelago, my boy. These uninhabited islands exist solely for the delight of Pokémon. I'm in charge of keeping the Poké Pelago running, with Wes helping in some of the day to day functions." Mohn said brightly as Sun stood up, stretching out.
"Well, we can't leave until Zinnia comes back. So. Do you need some help?" Sun asked Mohn, who chuckled lightly.
"I applaud your initiative. After breakfast, I can give you the tour." Mohn said as he grabbed a plate and scooped up some fruit and put it in a bowl, handing it to Sun. After a quick yet tasty breakfast, Sun walked outside and winced at the harsh sunlight. Penny and Oliver flapped over to him while Brago sighed.
"You slept in quite a while. The others have been up for hours." Penny said to Sun, who shrugged.
"Sorry. Guess I was worn out after everything that happened." Sun explained as he looked over at Brago. The canine was staring at him with an annoyed expression.
"Do we really need to be here?" the canine asked dryly, glancing at the endless ocean that stretched around him.
"Sorry Brago. Didn't realize the tide had come in. If it makes you feel better, you're probably better off than me. I can't swim." Sun said to Brago, who snorted in amusement.
"That hardly puts me at ease."
"Didn't think it would. We're going to be going to one of the islands nearby. You want to come?" Sun asked the massive canine as he got to his feet. Sun smirked and returned Brago before he walked over to where Mohn had called out a Gogoat.
"Saem, do you mind giving Sun here a ride to Isle Abeens?" Mohn asked the Pokémon, who nodded once and leapt into the water. Mohn turned to Sun and said, "He can use Surf. Hop on my friend here and we'll give you the tour of our most recent project."
"So...I was wondering, Mister Mohn...what brought you here to these islands. Who are you?" Sun asked the man as they walked down the beach. Sun had all of his Pokémon out, though Finn was off playing in the water quite a distance away.
"Ain't much to tell, my boy. I arrived on these islands many, many moons ago without much memory about my life. I know my name is Mohn. I know that the Pokémon I have with me are precious to me and that I'm their Trainer. But my life before these islands...they're a blur. But I do remember some things." Mohn said quietly, placing a hand against one of the massive beanstalks that were around them right now on Isle Abeens.
"What things?" Sun asked.
"I remember a beautiful house. An island...white halls. Music. Beautiful piano music. I had a family there...My wife. She was beautiful, but I can't remember her face. And I had two children. A boy and a girl. They were very, very precious to me. But I can't remember anything more about them, aside from the fact that I loved them with all my heart." Mohn said softly, a sad smile on his face before he removed his hand from the beanstalk. His words ached with pain, but not the same kind that Wes seemed to hold. Mohn seemed more sad than anything else.
"Couldn't you go look for them?" Sun asked, with Mohn shaking his head.
"This world is dangerous, my young friend. Especially for someone who has allowed the world to pass them by. Combined with having lost my memory...It's a hopeless task. Perhaps one day we will meet again. But for now, I have a task to complete." Mohn said quietly, gesturing to the massive beanstalk ahead of him. There were over three dozen of the massive things around them, each covered in beans of different shapes, sizes, and colors. Sun glanced at his team and saw Oliver drooling in hunger before Penny lightly smacked him with her wing.
"Why do you keep abusing me like this?" Oliver whined, rubbing his sore face as Penny chuckled softly.
Brago spoke up, grinning at the Dartrix. "It's not abuse if you enjoy it."
Oliver huffed and flew away as Penny and Brago laughed, though Sun caught the blushing face of Oliver as he flew back and kicked the beanstalks hard enough to shake the entire thing. Beans fell down from above, showering them all.
"I have bean surprised, that's for sure." Mohn remarked, laughing as the owl landed on the ground with a huff of annoyance before he began to preen himself.
"That was such a dad-joke." Sun giggled, with Mohn tipping his hat slightly.
"Wooooo!"
Sun whirled around in time to see Finn flying through the air like a cannonball, though he fired a Water Gun to stabilize himself in midair and landed gracefully on the ground without even a wobble. Sun was pleasantly surprised by the fact that his balance was already greatly improved despite how recent his evolution was.
"Heh! I'm having a blast! It's so nice to finally have arms!" Finn said as he struck a pose, flexing his new arms with a laugh. Sun grinned, kneeling down to the Poliwhirl. An idea came to his mind and Sun took off his backpack, rummaging around in it until he found the case he kept his TM's in.
"How about we teach you a brand new move to celebrate? This is one Penny uses a lot and I think it'll work even better for you. What do you say?" Sun asked the eager Poliwhirl, who took that moment to throw himself at Sun and hug him, though this also knocked Sun down into the sand.
After teaching Finn Brick Break, the Poliwhirl set about performing the move as often as he could. Penny began to spar with the Tadpole Pokémon using the move herself, and Sun and Mohn watched in fascination for a time before the man began to run down the basics of what he wanted Sun to do.
"OK! You see, this is how the Poké Pelago works. The Pokémon that you've deposited in your PC Boxes can freely come here to the Poké Pelago to have a bit of fun whenever they want. At first, we only had one isle available for Pokémon to play on. But thanks to Wes and the Pokémon he brought here, that wasn't true for very long! Hahaha!" Mohn boomed as Sun peered over at the other islands in the distance.
"Looks like some more help might be needed. Wes only has five Pokémon, and you've got four it seems like." Sun pointed out to Mohn, who nodded sagely. "I haven't caught enough Pokémon to use the PC, either."
"Well, how about this? While we're waiting for Zinnia to finish doing her thing, why don't you help me out around the isle for a bit? I'm sure the Pokémon here, including your own, would appreciate it!" Mohn explained to Sun, with the boy nodding once.
"So...what do I need to do?" Sun asked as Penny and Finn made their way back over to where they were now.
"Well, the main thing you could help with is collecting Poké Beans. They're grown here fresh from Isle Abeens and sent all over the Alola region by a trusted friend who's helped me ship them to the ports for a while now." Mohn said as he walked forward, grinning as he scooped up a handful of the fallen beans, tossing one to Penny. The Toucannon caught it in her beak, eating it happily before she flew to the top of the beanstalk. Sun bent down and picked up a pale blue Poké Bean off of the ground.
"As you know, Pokémon love Poké Beans. They're delicious and nutritious. And they can also sprout into Poké Beanstalks like that one in the middle of the island, and all the others around us. The one you just picked up was a Plain Bean. There are also rare Poké Beans called Patterned Beans and even Rainbow Beans!" Mohn explained as Sun looked up at the top of the beanstalk, where Penny was now roosting.
"Hahaha! I love hands-on learning. Don't you agree? So, why don't you give that Poké Beanstalk a good shake and see what happens?" Mohn said to Sun, who nodded and grabbed the massive stalk with both hands and began to shake it back and forth. While not having nearly as much force behind it as Oliver's kick, soon enough the air was full with falling beans as Sun's Pokémon watched hungrily.
"OK, now you've got it! See! Isn't it better to learn by doing?" Mohn said to Sun, who nodded with a grin.
"You can collect Poké Beans once a day or so. And if no new Poké Beans come tumbling down, then wait a day and then try again! I've managed to get the art down to a science, and thanks to my efforts Pokémon all over are able to enjoy these fantastic beans." Mohn explained as he leaned against the beanstalk, grinning at Sun before walking off to the side. Soon enough he had come back with two empty crates that he set on the ground.
"Put some of the Poké Beans you collect into the Poké Bean crates on the island, would you? Then they'll be handy for any hungry Pokémon wandering around the island to eat anytime!" Mohn instructed Sun, who began to pick up the beans and toss them into the crate.
"Yep. You drop Poké Beans in there, and the Pokémon here will love you for it. Especially here on Isle Abeens. Leaving Poké Beans in the crate here can even tempt wild Pokémon to come by for a gander and some fun." Mohn explained to Sun as he dumped more beans into the crate. Brago moved over to them and sniffed the inside of the crate eagerly, only for Sun to wave off the canine.
"Oh yes! One more thing! The rarer kinds of Poké Beans will have their effects last longer. You might want to remember that fact! But as long as you fill the crate up, then you'll be A-OK. Don't you worry!" Mohn said cheerily as Sun continued to fill up the crate.
"Doesn't seem too bad." Sun admitted as he continued to scoop up beans and put them into the crate. Oliver swooped over and kicked the tree that Penny was in, making the Toucannon screech before she flew out of the tree. Sun winced as a shower of beans hit him, though he was pleasantly surprised to see that a lot of them went into the two crates by him. Sun looked up at Mohn, who was nodding in approval.
"See? You're a natural. I'll be going around to check on some of the other islands before heading back to the Raft Hut to start making lunch. You got it from here?" Mohn asked Sun, making the boy nod his head once.
"Yeah, I can handle it. Thanks for the explanation." Sun said to the man, earning a tip of the hat from Mohn.
"It's my pleasure. And if you need to talk to me about things, no need to feel shy. Just zip right over to my Raft Hut!" Mohn said to the boy before departing, whistling a familiar tune that Sun could have sworn he heard before. Before Sun could do anything else, Rotom Dex floated out of Sun's backpack and floated down to where Finn was standing.
"Bzzt! I should probably let you know that Finn learned Bubblebeam last night right before he evolved!" Rotom proclaimed, with Sun grinning at the Poliwhirl as he turned around and released a stream of glowing bubbles forward that exploded against the surface of the beach.
"Hehe! I'm getting stronger every second!" Finn proclaimed, flexing his arms with a laugh.
"Nice! That's definitely going to help out a lot, on top of Brick Break." Sun remarked excitedly as Finn began to shadowbox, punching the air with a few grunts.
"I'm ready for anything!" Finn boomed excitedly, huffing and puffing as he continued to punch the empty air.
"Leon, Thunderbolt."
Sun's eyes widened as he saw a massive Luxray bounding towards them from the trees, electricity dancing along the Gleam Eyes Pokémon's body before the lightning shot towards Finn.
"Finn, use Water Gun to dodge!" Sun barked as Finn shot a Water Gun forward, sending him tumbling backwards several yards away and out of the harm's way of the massive blast of electricity that slammed into where he had been standing moments before.
"Quick reaction time. Well done."
Sun then felt a cold metallic sensation against the back of his throat as Wes spoke again, sounding amused. "However, I still think you could learn to not let your guard down. Especially when going up against Cipher."
There was a rustling sound as Sun's team reacted to their Trainer having a blade against the back of his throat. Sun shuddered in fear for a moment before the blade was removed, with Wes sheathing the sword. Sun turned around and saw the former Snagger smirking at him.
"Don't be so unnerved. I wasn't going to hurt you. My conscious is already heavy enough, thank you very much." Wes remarked dryly, putting a hand on his hip. "I'll admit, that was a skilled dodge. Mad props to you for being quick on the draw there."
"It's my team that's skilled. I just kinda help them see it. Finn was already really good at flinging himself through the air long before I met him." Sun explained, with Finn giggling at that.
"What can I say? It's fun!" Finn laughed as Oliver and Penny face-winged, though Wes smirked himself.
"You definitely have a quirky team. Mine's not too different from that." Wes remarked as a Sylveon, Eve, curled around Wes' feet. Sun spotted several other Pokémon joining them from the trees and beanstalks, some of which he hadn't seen before.
"I've got the Eve, the Sylveon diva. Pyrrha, the goody two-shoes Braixen. Lilith, the prankster Lilligant who loves to screw with Hugh. There's Jet the way-to-overconfident-for-his-own-damned-good Floatzel. And then finally Leon, the asshole Luxray." Wes said pointing to Eve, Pyrrha, Jet, Lillith, and Leon in order. The Luxray was not amused by his title while the others laughed good-naturedly.
"You're all a bunch of morons." Leon grumbled as Wes and Sun laughed, though he could see that the Luxray was trying not to smile.
"Let's keep this going. Ready for round two?" Wes asked Sun, who responded by quickly throwing out an arm.
"Finn, use Scald!" Sun barked as Finn suddenly shot out a jet of boiling hot water. Wes leapt back at the same time as Leon did, with the Luxray crouching low with a growl.
"Discharge!" Wes called out as Leon released a tidal wave of lightning in their direction, though Sun was ready for this.
"Use Scald to vault over it and go into Hypnosis!" Sun ordered, with Finn charging forward and blasting the ground with water to propel himself into the air. Wes grinned and threw a hand skyward.
"Thunderbolt!"
"Dodge with Body Slam!" Sun yelled out as Finn soared through the air. The Poliwhirl's body flashed white as he dove to the ground with a burst of speed, slamming into Leon and forcing the Luxray back a step. Leon suddenly rammed his head into Finn and sent him bouncing along the beach with a groan.
"Good improvisation. You should have followed up with a Hypnosis though. You knew Leon was strong enough to not let a Body Slam stun him for very long." Wes admonished Sun, who was still surprised by the strength of Leon.
"Whoa...Alright. Let's step up our game!" Sun barked, throwing out a hand as his Z-Ring flared. Finn looked back at Sun and nodded, and the two began to strike a series of movements while Wes stared at him in confusion.
"What is this?" Leon asked, tilting his head.
"Electric Terrain." Wes ordered the Luxray as Sun and Finn began to glow, with energy flowing from Sun into his Poliwhirl. Leon growled and dug his claws into the sand, sending a pulse of electricity through the ground as the area around them become electrified.
"Finn, channel Bubblebeam...and use Hydro Vortex!" Sun bellowed as Finn leapt into the air and spun like a top, quickly becoming a massive spinning tornado of water that moved towards Leon. The Luxray yowled as the Z-Move sucked him in, battering him on all sides before exploding violently and covering the beach with water. Sun grinned as Finn landed on the ground and struck a pose while Leon crashed down into the sand with a groan. Finn turned around, chuckling to himself as he beheld his downed opponent-
Who got to his feet with a faint growl, glancing at Finn with a glare that could turn a Pokémon to stone.
"He took that well…I don't think I've ever seen a Pokémon shrug off a Z-Move like that." Sun muttered as Leon shuddered for a moment before shaking his head sharply.
"That was something. Leon, Crunch." Wes casually instructed the Luxray, who suddenly shot forward with an insane burst of speed and slammed into Finn, knocking him to the ground. The Luxray clamped down his jaw around the Poliwhirl's head, but stopped himself from attacking further when Wes said, "Enough."
Leon huffed and hopped off of the Poliwhirl before stalking back to his Trainer's side. Wes walked forward, grinning at Sun and Finn. "Not too bad. You've got some kinks to work out, but for a newly evolved Poliwhirl, you're settling into your new form well. Just make sure to focus on training him to use those new arms. They're a major boon for him now, so don't waste them." Wes instructed Sun and Finn, who both nodded.
"Sparing with new friends is always fun." Jet the Floatzel said aloud, grabbing Wes by the shoulder as the former Snagger looked back at his team fondly. Seeing the missing hero here, interacting with his team and laughing felt odd to Sun. He remembered how off Wes was yesterday.
"Hey Wes?" Sun asked, with the former Snagger looking his way.
"Yeah?"
"Why don't you come back to Alola with me and Hau? Your friends miss you." Sun said to the man, who sighed and motioned for Sun to follow him. Sun did so, and he was led to the beach of Isle Abeens. Wes and Sun sat down in the sand, with some of their Pokémon joining them.
"And I miss them too. But I'm not entirely well...You probably saw that from last night." Wes said to Sun, who nodded. "I'm not quite there. Something is broken in me, Sun. And I don't want to break even more."
"But there's people out there who need you. You're the only one-" Sun began to say, but Wes shot a glare his way that made him go silent.
"Don't pull that card on me. There are plenty of people who can carry on the fight. There are people who ARE carrying on the fight despite me being gone. Aria. Hugh. Vivian. Noah. Colress. N. Nate. Everyone back in Unova...I'm just one person. And I can't carry the weight of everyone's hopes and dreams anymore." Wes said with a heavy sigh, hanging his head.
"Seeing those people die...I can't go through that again. That's why I can't go back. Because the moment I do, I'll be spear-heading the same war I lost back in Unova. People need to learn to rise up and become their own heroes. Get stronger on their own. If my friends can't do that...then maybe Ash's world will come to be. Peace will come one way or another." Wes said with a resigned tone in his voice.
"Aren't you mad at them?" Sun asked Wes, who looked at him funny.
"Who?" Wes asked.
"Cipher! My Dad! Amber! Neo Team Plasma! Don't you want to stop them? Make them pay for everything they've done to you?" Sun asked Wes, who frowned.
"Yeah. But dedicating your life to revenge is a very bad way to go. Vivian, Hugh, and Aria all learned that lesson. Revenge and hatred are poisons...I know that well from your father." Wes said with a dark smile, making Sun flinch.
"You...What did you find out about him? All I know is that he was miserable growing up here in Alola and left as soon as he could." Sun said to Wes, who's grin widened. It was strangely unnerving.
"He was determined to become powerful through sheer spite and anger at the world. After seeing the injustice his friends faced and suffering a few losses, he left the place behind and started his own company in Kanto. Guy knew his way around business and in a few short years was a millionaire, funding all sorts of lucrative projects and making his fortune grow more and more...All the while harboring a toxic hate in his heart that made him level an entire city in the name of a peaceful world." Wes said as his smile became a scowl.
"So don't try to tempt me with anger. That shit doesn't win wars. You can't fight hatred and despair with righteous anger. What else do you got?" Wes asked Sun, who frowned and looked away.
"Listen, Sun. I appreciate the thought. And you're right. But this thing isn't going to be settled with anger and force. I realized that a long time ago. Your father is the key to this. He can end this all in an instant, but someone needs to get through to him. As you are now...You're not going to do a damn thing to him." Wes explained to Sun as the boy looked at him in surprise.
"Why is that?" Sun demanded, frowning at the hero.
"Because you only see the monster your father has become. And you're not thinking how he thinks. You seem Borlath, where you should see Ashton Aupuni. But who knows? Maybe you'll sort something out with force. I hope you can find the answer." Wes said in a dull voice, making Sun turn away and look out at the ocean.
"Well...I'm not going to give up. I'm going to keep going on my Island Challenge and get stronger! That way I can stop my dad and protect everyone!" Sun yelled at Wes, with the man simply staring at him for a time. The beach was quiet as Wes stood there, seemingly processing Sun's words.
Finally, he spoke.
"You're a brave kid, Sun. I'll give you that." Wes said quietly, a flicker of a smile coming to his face. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not coming back with you. But you're not wrong. I want to make them pay. I want to help people."
Sun grinned and opened his mouth to speak, but Wes wasn't done. "But I don't think I'm ever going to be ready for that again. I've only just recently managed to find a way to mentally cope with what's been done to me. My mind is mostly back now, but that can change. If I continue this war, then I may not ever be the same even if we win it."
There was another pause. Sun looked away from Wes and stared at the ocean, and Wes shut his eyes and let out a soft sigh. He could feel it. The stress of even discussing this pulling at his fractured mind. The former Snagger opened his eyes as Sun spoke once again.
"If it matters any...I still think that you can do it." Sun finally said, surprising Wes as the man looked at him.
The boy had a bright smile on his face, but more than that Wes could see a genuine faith gleaming in those gray eyes. Eyes just like the man that had betrayed Wes and his friends, but held a more sincere and optimistic warmth to them. There was a hope in those eyes that Wes hadn't seen in anyone before.
"What?" Wes asked, genuinely confused by the words he heard and the boy smiling at him.
"You only lost because my Dad knew that attacking Nimbasa City would completely throw you off. It'd horrify anyone, wouldn't it? That doesn't make you a failure. If you really wanted to, I bet you could storm their HQ and make my Dad stop being so stupid." Sun said with a grin, making Wes stare at him for a second.
"What are you getting at?" Wes said after a moment, scowling at Sun.
"I'm saying that I still believe in you." Sun said to Wes, who jerked back in surprise. "Because Aria believes in you. Your friends believe in you. They believed in you because of your strength, and because you earned their trust and loyalty. And after meeting you and seeing you try to give me advice and talk with me, despite not wanting to fight again, I'm going to believe in you too."
"I...why?" Wes asked, surprised by this sudden admission. Sun grinned at Wes in a way that reminded the former Snagger of Aria in a way. A bright smile that showed a hell of a lot of strength and determination.
"Because just like how the world needs people to stand up to the bad guys...Heroes need people to support them. To believe in them. I have my Mom. Lillie. Hau. All of the incredible people in Alola who've taught me so much. And my team, who always trusts me no matter what. People call me talented and even a hero sometimes...but I wouldn't be anything without the people who stood by my side and supported me in the first place." Sun explained to Wes, who took in those words of the boy standing beside him. When Wes spoke again, his voice was gentle.
"How can you possibly believe in someone who let the whole world burn behind him? You...you're an interesting boy. I'll give you that." Wes said as he stood up, brushing himself off before digging his hands into his pockets. He began to walk in the other direction down the beach, though he did glance backwards and give Sun a small smile and a final remark.
"You know...Ashton had a habit of picking people up when they were down and knowing just what to say. You're a lot more like him than you think, Sun. And I thank you for that."
Wes continued his walk, with Sun smiling a little now. He had hoped his talk with Wes could have gone better, but it was something at least. Part of him was hoping he could convince the former Snagger to rejoin the fight against Cipher. Lead his friends against the criminal organization once more and perhaps put a stop to everything.
But you couldn't always get what you wanted in life. Sun knew that very well.
"He hasn't been right since Zarren was killed. He's lost his fighting spirit." Jet the Floatzel remarked after a few moments, crossing his arms.
"Zarren?" Penny asked.
"He was a Pokémon Wes had before we all joined him. A Flygon. The strongest out of all of us. He was the leader of our team, in a way. He was our friend and comrade. But the human they called Ghetsis struck him down. Impaled him through the heart by a spear of ice." Leon explained with a growl, shutting his eyes after a moment. "That loss...along with what the other human did destroyed our Trainer's mind."
"I wish there was something we could do for him. It's awful seeing him so...lost." Pyrrha remarked sadly, watching Wes as he made his way to the other end of the island. Sun remembered something then, glancing at the Fox Pokémon.
"That reminds me of something Aria told me. Didn't you have a massive crush on Wes once, Pyrrha?" Sun asked the Braixen, who flinched at the remark and began to blush as deep as a Pokémon could blush. Meanwhile, Lillith and Leon were laughing their heads off, much to the annoyance of the Braixen.
"It's not THAT funny, you idiots!" Pyrrha growled, aiming a Flamethrower at the two of them and making Lilith run away giggling while Leon yelped in pain and scampered off, giving the fox a glare. The Braixen looked back at Sun, blushing brightly still.
"That's...that's in the past. And immensely embarrassing." Pyrrha admitted, rubbing the back of her head in a way that reminded Sun of Hau.
"You never answered my question." Sun pointed out, with the Braixen sighing in response.
"Yes. When I was a very impressionable child, I developed feelings for my new Trainer. I mean...How could I not?" Pyrrha asked, looking out towards the ocean with a distant expression.
"My life before Wes was absolute misery. I had been hatched into a life of ceaseless fighting and brutal training under a Trainer who saw his Pokémon as weapons. Tools for more power and to prove his own self-worth. I was berated, insulted and beaten ever since I opened my eyes. Until one fateful day...when Wes snagged me." Pyrrha's voice was quiet, and Sun could see the effect her words had on his own Pokémon. Each of them were listening to the Braixen intently.
"Wes went against his code and stole me from my old Trainer. And then he set about fixing all of the damage that had been done to me. He fed me wonderful meals. He would hold my terrified form in his arms for hours as he and Aria walked through the countryside so that I didn't have to exert myself when I was still hurt. And when he finally decided I was healthy enough to train he never once yelled at me. He was patient and understanding and he was so...kind. But he became more than a Trainer or Master to me. He became my savior." Pyrrha said in a tone of reverence, a faint smile on her face.
"Your old Trainer sounds terrible...makes me all the more grateful our Trainer is so good to us." Penny remarked, with Sun laughing in embarrassment at that.
"Yes...Master Geoff was quite a terrible person." Pyrrha agreed, making Sun's eyes widen in surprise. His mind flashed back to another Trainer named Geoff who had brutally abused his Riolu back at the Royal Avenue Tournament. At least, until Aria snagged the poor thing and gave it to Gladion, due to him showing concern for it and interfering when Geoff was about to punish the Pokémon in a brutal fashion. Sun wondered if they were the same person.
"Wes was nothing like Geoff. The first few weeks were so confusing for me. Instead of being beaten, I was reassured in the warmest voice that I was safe. Instead of being cooped up in a Poké Ball and forced to starve, I was pet and reassured that I was safe. After a time, I realized that I cared about Wes more than I did about anyone else. I later realized what my feelings were, but after a time, I came to the conclusion that I was being...unrealistic. He's a human. I'm a Pokémon. It would never work out. Besides, his heart belonged to another. I have accepted that and I've moved on now. As for now...I only want to bring my Trainer back to his old self so he can punish the monsters who did this to him." Pyrrha said with a determined snarl, making Sun grin.
"I'm glad you managed to figure that stuff out. And as for Wes...I think he just needs more time to think. I know what it's like to be totally overwhelmed by stress and guilt and all that. With him, it looks like he went through way worse stuff. He'll pull through." Sun assured the Braixen, who looked at him for a moment and nodded.
"Of course. He's my Trainer after all." Pyrrha said with a small smile before she walked off. Sun grinned at the departing Braixen before looking to his team.
"It's not entirely unheard of. A Pokémon developing feelings for a human. Many Pokémon admire humans in some form or another. It doesn't seem so strange to me." Oliver remarked, gesturing to Brago after a moment. "I mean, take Brago for instance. He's in love with a Ice-type. That's bizarre, isn't it?"
"You're bizarre, Oliver."
"Ouch, my feelings."
"Maybe we should head back. We've gathered a lot of beans already and I'm wondering if Hau is done swimming" Sun mused aloud as he hefted a bag of Poké Beans over his shoulder.
"I'm done eating my fair share. Hehehehe!" Finn remarked as he jogged back over to them, surprising Sun. He hadn't even noticed that the Poliwhirl had left.
"Yeah, that's a good point. Let's have some lunch!" Oliver suggested to everyone. Before Sun knew it, his entire team had wandered off towards the field of Poké Beanstalks, leaving the boy alone.
"What the heck just happened?"
"Haha! Welcome back to the Raft Hut!" Mohn greeted Sun about two hours later, with the boy heaving with exhaustion. Why was he so tired, one might ask?
Because he had to shake another batch of Poké Beanstalks to replenish the supply he had collected earlier, thanks to Oliver and Brago eating them all.
"You want to take a seat, my young friend? You look a bit tuckered out." Mohn asked Sun, who nodded and plopped down on the wooden floor. Hau was inside the house as well, leaning against the wall and watching Finn play with a Corsola in the water.
"So...I have a question." Sun said after a few moments, with Mohn glancing towards the boy.
"Shoot." Mohn replied, sitting down in his rocking chair with a good-natured smile on his face.
"Why build a home like this on the water? It seems like an...odd location." Sun said tactfully, with Mohn chuckling at his query.
"This has been my own private castle ever since that fateful day when I decided to turn these uninhabited islands into a resort for Pokémon. I built this place myself and it's not too shabby, if I dare say so myself. It's centrally located between all of the islands and able to withstand the tides when they come in. It's not the fanciest thing in the world, but it works." Mohn explained to Sun as the boy nodded.
"Seems a bit austere."
"You've got a good vocabulary for someone so young. And I would say I have everything I could need here to keep the Poké Pelago up and running." Mohn said as he hopped out of his chair to his feet. "So, Sun! I've got a favor to ask a promising Trainer like yourself." Mohn said to the boy, ignoring Hau as the boy walked outside and did a front flip into the water.
"You're not including Hau in this?"
"The kid just walked off and went swimming mid-conversation."
"Fair point. Continue please."
"My favor is that if you catch more Pokémon than you are able to carry, don't put them in the Pokémon PC System. I know it's a bit more convenient, but I've got a Pokémon Transport System setup here in my Raft Hut. While Pokémon in the PC are usually happy enough...it just isn't right. Pokémon should be allowed to roam free and explore. Being stuck inside of a computer isn't natural." Mohn said before a beeping sound came from Sun's backpack. After a few moments, a very annoyed Rotom Dex emerged.
"Bzzzt! I resent that!" the annoyed device proclaimed.
"Okay, maybe there are some exceptions." Mohn responded, grinning as Rotom Dex buzzed angrily. Sun laughed as the device perched onto his hat, and it was then that Hau walked back into Raft Hut, followed by Zinnia and Wes. Zinnia walked over to Sun, looking faintly sunburnt and tired but otherwise alright.
"Let's go. I was able to figure out where we are. We're off the coast of Alola, quite a ways out. I can reach the shore in just two hours from here. If you two want a ride back, then I suggest getting ready now." Zinnia said to the two boys, who exchanged a look before beginning to pack their bags. Sun looked at Wes, who was watching them.
"What about you, Wes? Your friends are in Alola right now, trying to take care of Cipher. They could really use your help." Sun said to the former Snagger. Wes stared at Sun for a few moments before shaking his head.
"They'll have to learn to win this thing without me. I don't have it in me mentally to fight any longer. I'm sorry if it's selfish, but I'm tired of suffering. I just want to live out the rest of my days in peace." Wes said with a tired smile, walking over to Sun. The former Snagger knelt down, looking the boy in the eyes.
"Don't tell them where I'm at. But make sure to let them know that I believe in them. They can win this. And when it comes down to it...I know you can make your father see reason." Wes said as he stook up, placing a hand on Sun's head as he looked up at the hero.
"After all...You're his sunshine. His only sunshine, in a life so gray. He might be misguided, but he's done everything he's done out of love, Sun. You're the only one who can save him. Not me. Not Aria. Not the International Police. I believe that wholeheartedly because I understand Ashton...And I hope that someday you will too. It's the only way you can hope to stop him when he comes for you." Wes said softly, making Sun shiver at the possibility.
"What...what makes you think he'll come to Alola? He swore to never come back home." Sun asked Wes, who smiled crookedly as he leaned back against the wall.
"He also swore to take down Neo Team Plasma and avenge those who had been harmed at their hands. Look who's still in a sky fortress above a desert?" Wes countered, making Sun look away.
"If he comes...then I'll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else again." Sun said quietly as Hau put a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"And I'll be right there beside you. I want to give that jerk a piece of my mind!" Hau said with his usual excited grin. Mohn laughed lightly as he walked back over to the group, handing both boys a small bag of what looked like Poké Beans.
"For the road. You've got a long flight back. Don't forget about us out here. If you have Pokémon you don't want to sit around in a PC, make sure to send them here. That way they can have some fun!" Mohn said to Hau and Sun, who both nodded eagerly.
"Thanks again for everything, you two. It was nice meeting you both." Sun said to both men. Mohn bent down his hat slightly, grinning at the trio. Wes simply nodded, his smile still as tired and worn as it was when they had met yesterday. Sun wondered if the man would ever be the same again. It made Sun question many things about both himself and his father. And even the friends he had waiting back home for him.
"I...kinda don't want to say goodbye. It's sad. Will we ever see each other again?" Sun asked the two men, who exchanged a glance before Wes got up off of the wall once again and walked towards Sun.
"We'll meet again. I don't know where, and I don't know when. But I know we'll meet again some sunny day, my friend." Wes said to Sun as he held out a fist towards the boy. Sun's somber expression vanished, replaced with an eager grin as he punched the former Snagger's hand.
It was on that note that Zinnia, Sun, and Hau departed the Poké Pelago on the backs of Zinnia's Noivern, Salamence and Altaria. Sun and Hau waved back at the two men on the Raft Hut, their Pokémon joining in the farewell as they slowly flew away from the paradise. Sun turned his head forward, eyes focused on the island ahead of them in the distance.
That was where he would resume his Island Challenge. After meeting Mohn and Wes, he was feeling more eager than ever to continue on his joruney. He would become strong enough to protect the people he cared about. Strong enough to stand against his father and make him pay for what he had done.
Sun would become strong enough to make sure heroes like Wes didn't have to suffer anymore. And so with that thought in his heart, Sun began to talk with Hau about battling, with Zinnia even chiming in about some of the things he had learned in his short time on the Poké Pelago.
As the trio of Trainers became distant specks on the horizon, Mohn let out a soft sigh.
"I'll miss those kids. Even little Zinnia was a treat to have around, if only because she had such interesting stories to tell. I wonder if the Draconid Clan will ever flourish once again?" Mohn asked Wes, with the former Snagger shrugging.
"Who knows? I hope all three of them have bright days ahead, in any case." Wes said with a small nod, turning around and walking down to the Raft Hut and sitting down on the edge of the floating abode. Eve the Sylveon padded over to her Trainer, wrapping a tendril around his arm comfortingly. Mohn watched Wes for a moment before smiling after the younger man.
"I hope you find peace, my friend. I know that Sun boy got you thinking...I just hope whatever choice you make helps you down a happy path." Mohn thought as he began to walk down to the beach path.
Wes sat there for a time, thinking. While his mind was mostly recovered from his bout of madness and delusion after his last and final battle with Cipher, the feelings of horror and guilt remained. His discussion with Sun came to mind, then.
"I wish I could help you, Sun...But this is a path I can't walk down anymore. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to continue destroying myself." Wes said softly, shutting his eyes.
Hello Wes. It's been a while.
"Hmm. I was wondering when you'd show up here...You shouldn't have attacked those kids." Wes said slowly as he opened his eyes, seeing a Heliolisk standing a few feet away. Eve slowly shrank back against Wes, shaking slightly at the strange being that radiated power...as well as a terrible sense of unease.
"You're the one that saved me, back in Nimbasa City. I suspected it when Sun described the Anomaly, but hearing your voice...it's the same one as the thing that made that portal to these islands." Wes concluded, with the creature laughing inside of his mind.
And all for a story that never was recorded. It simply happened, without the threat of being frozen or destroyed like the others. But it was also never told, and could only be described in this story. It's an odd case...but maybe for the best.
Wes shrugged gestured beside him as Eve moved to Wes' other side. Dizz stared at Wes for a moment before joining him on the edge of the raft, watching the water stretching on almost endlessly. The Anomaly flashed white for a moment before turning into it's Nari Form, with the angelic man sitting down besides the Snagger.
"Sun mentioned that you had singled him out. You've also singled me, Vivian, and Aria out. You keep calling us Protagonists, but never actually explain what that means." Wes said to the Anomaly, who simply nodded.
"It's knowledge I only seem to be able to process. I've tried to explain it over and over again, but since no one seems to understand, I'll keep that tidbit to myself from now on. Repeating myself is boring." the angel spoke, raising a hand in front of him. Wes watched as some water lifted out of the ocean and began to twist around as Dizz-Nari flexed his fingers, a faint smile on its face.
"I guess that's your decision to make." Wes replied with a shrug.
"Indeed."
"I've got another question, if you're willing to oblige."
"You're awfully civil with something that's displayed time and time again that has the power to rip this world's reality in two and has routinely harassed your friends." Dizz-Nari spoke, folding his wings inward with a skeptical expression.
"And you seem to forget I officially ran out of fucks to give months ago. Why did you save my life that day, in Nimbasa City?" Wes asked the Anomaly, who shifted into back into it's Heliolisk form as Eve let out a cry of surprise.
Why did I save your life? That is a question I'm still trying to puzzle out myself.
Dizz reverted to its Indiana Form, the black-haired woman in white armor who curled her knees inward on herself. After a few moments of thought, the Anomaly shut her eyes with a soft sigh. "It's likely because I thought that your story needed a better ending than you being captured by Cipher. Living out the rest of your days with Mohn in the Poké Pelago...away from everything else, seemed like a mercy. It was the peaceful ending you deserved. And it was all I could do."
"Mercy?" Wes asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Orphaned at a young age, forced to turn against the very people you called family. Fighting nonstop against a criminal force that always seemed to slip away. Your beloved Rui was murdered before your very eyes. Amber seduced you, manipulating you into loving a lie before she slaughtered your Umbreon and Espeon. All of the hardship you endured in Unova, culminating in yet another failure as you watched millions die and your Flygon was murdered in front of you?" Dizz-Indiana listed, her expression in a snarl of anger. The trident-shaped brand on her neck almost seemed to glow in the sun.
"So you felt pity for me." Wes remarked, unphased by the remarks.
"Yes. I decided that if anyone deserved an ending of peace, it was the one who inspired all of the stories in the first place. You're owed a certain amount of respect." Dizz-Indiana responded with a slight nod.
"You're rather complicated, aren't you?" Wes asked.
"Maybe. My whims are my own. Even if nothing matters...I will still do what I can. It's all I can do now." Dizz-Indiana responded, with the Anomaly shifting back into its Heliolisk form. It stepped out onto the water, with the water dissolving at it's touch.
"So, do you have a name or do you just go by the Anomaly?" Wes asked, crossing his arms.
You may call me...No, it's too early for that. You may call me the Anomaly, for now.
"That's stupid. What's your actual name?"
Names have power. I am called the Anomaly by those who fear my power, but do not wish to invoke my name. My actual name is Dizz, because that is the name I gave myself as proof of my own existence. And as such, I gain power over the very fabric of reality when it is uttered.
Wes raised an eyebrow at that. "Bullshit."
Do it then.
"Dizz." Wes remarked, smiling slightly. Wes' eyes widened when the world around him distorted, with Eve letting out a scream as she shut her eyes. Leon snarled in pain as Pyrrha fell onto the beach nearby, with Mohn clamping his hands over his ears and shouting out. Meanwhile, Dizz seemed to glow white as a wide smile appeared on its face. The world continued to swirl around them, with the sun even going dim for a few moments before everything slowly turned back to normal.
"What the hell was that?" Wes demanded as he looked back at the grinning Heliolisk.
It's been a long time since someone willingly invoked my name...No wonder you were his first Protagonist. The one who's story he cared too much about to actually create.
"I still don't follow. But I have the distinct feeling you're keeping your secrets for the sake of being mysterious, so I'm not taking the bait." Wes replied with a shrug, making the strange creature chuckle softly.
True, it's a fun pastime of mine. You Protagonists really are so fascinating. Take your friend Vivian, for example. I've met her a few times now, and she's quite civil with me. She even gave me my THIRD name. I actually quite like the third one. It's more inventive than Dizz and less insulting than the "Anomaly".
"Third name?"
Yes. Zinnia, and the other Legendaries refer to me as the Anomaly. I call myself Dizz, though there is another name. I'll admit it's appropriate, but it's a tale for another time. I have other fish to fry. Tata for now!
And with that, the Anomaly flickered out of existence besides Wes, who stared at the spot where it had been standing for a time before sitting back down in the sand. Eve shuddered beside her Trainer.
"That thing is scary…" Eve whispered, though she was surprised when Wes placed a hand gently on her head.
"Maybe. Or perhaps being what it is drove it...the Anomaly to become like that. In the end, I don't think we'll completely understand it's methods. What it said was interesting though." Wes said as he stroked the Sylveon, who purred happily in response. Wes was surprised when a hand was placed on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Mohn looking down at him.
"What you should be thinking about is what the boy told you, not that strange creature." Mohn admonished Wes, who smiled slightly. Mohn continued, crossing his arms as his expression became a bit more serious.
"I know you're still coming to terms with your own pain. Even the strongest of steel can finally break. But the fact of the matter is that you still have people out there who love you. Who need you and your strength, my friend." Mohn said gently, looking into Wes' eyes. "I've kept my peace these past few months because I know you needed time to heal. But maybe the time to heal is over. Maybe it's time for you to move on."
"Maybe...I suppose I have to think about it. That kid definitely had a point if anything else." Wes remarked as he stood up. He turned around and saw his team standing there, awaiting his decision. Wes smiled at them, his exhaustion showing...as well as an all-too familiar gleam that hadn't been in his eyes in a long, long time.
Mohn watched as the man walked over to his Pokémon and past them, heading down to the beach on Isle Abeens as he often did. Pyrrha, Leon, Eve and the others followed them like they always did. Mohn sat down in his chair inside of the Raft Hut, feeling rather tired now, and decided to think on the recent events.
"Maybe someday, Wes...you'll be able to make peace with the pain in your heart and return to those you had to leave behind." Mohn thought as he shut his eyes, lowering the brim of his straw hat. As he began to fall asleep, a memory flickered through his mind.
A house full of music. A dainty, tuneful laugh as slim arms wrapped around him. A little girl with bright green eyes wearing an innocent smile, and a young boy with the same eyes holding his hand tightly.
He didn't know their names, but Mohn knew that he still loved them very much. One final thought occurred to Mohn as he fell into the clutches of sleep, safe in the paradise he had made by his own two hands.
"And perhaps someday, I can remember my life before these islands. And return to my family that I too left behind."
"This is Professor Mohn Jardin. Recording Number 824."
Mohn sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. It had been a very long day, but it had been worth it. Early start, to do music lessons with his son. Gladion had learned to play a new song on his new electric guitar thanks to Mohn's instruction, and looked so proud of himself when they had ended their lesson. After that he had spent the day helping Lusamine take care of the various Pokémon they had in the observation deck, including several sick Feebas. He had been worried about their condition, and it took most of the day to stabilize the fish.
His long day was brightened further when his little princess, Lillie, had drawn him a picture of him and his Pokémon team at lunch that day. Mohn had praised his daughter and stuck it on the fridge as the adorable girl giggled before getting scooped up into a big hug.
After sorting out some of the Foundation's finances and scheduling a trip to the mainland for the next week with Lusamine, Mohn watched his wife tuck his darling children into bed and went to get some work done on his private research. Lusamine would be coming by shortly, and he wanted his experiment working again. It would be the first time he showed her it in it's functional state. It was just a matter of re-calibrating the chamber...and ensuring that the wormhole could remain stable for longer periods of time.
Mohn stood in front of a device that he had spent the better part of two years making all on his own. A device capable of generating its own Ultra Wormhole. It had taken much tinkering, but in the end it was something he could be very proud of. A device that ripped apart the dimensions and could be used to contact beings from other worlds. Other realities and timelines were within reach!
"The Ultra Space...so many possibilities. Alola has long since been a breeding ground for Ultra Wormholes. And the so-called Ultra Beasts, though they've sadly not appeared in the region in recent years. I've been able to obtain brief snatches of insight from my glimpses through the Ultra Wormhole. Studying the ancient battlegrounds of the Tapu and reading up on all sorts of legends and lorebooks as well." Mohn mused to himself as he put on his protective gear, walking over to the machine and throwing the large lever in front of him down.
The machine turned on, humming to life before a flicker of energy formed within the center of it. After a few moments that energy exploded outward, creating a massive multicolored wormhole that bathed Mohn in it's glow.
"Now...let's see if we can observe anything within the wormhole today before Lusa comes down here. She'll be so surprised." Mohn said excitedly before he noticed the vortex trembling slightly, with a faint cry escaping it. Mohn's mouth dropped as a small purple cloud-like Pokémon suddenly floated out of the Ultra Wormhole and into the lab. The creature glanced around the lab with some confusion on its face before it turned to Mohn.
"Pew?" the creature cooed, floating closer to the man. Mohn slowly reached out a hand and placed a hand on the small Pokémon, who shut its eyes as the man slowly pat it on the head. The creature cooed happily, floating around the man's arm with a smile on its face.
"Pew pew!" the Pokémon cried out, teleporting around the man several times in quick succession.
"Hello there, little fella! What's your name?" Mohn remarked with a laugh as the cloud-like Pokémon nuzzled him with a joyful cry. Mohn regarded the Pokémon with a grin, admiring it's odd form.
"Reminds me of outer space. Hmmm...Cloud-like." Mohn said with a fascinated grin on his face, petting the odd Pokémon as it cried out happily.
"Pew pew!" the creature cried out before all of a sudden, the vortex in front of them pulsed.
Mohn jumped in surprise and took a step back as the Ultra Wormhole began to twist slightly, showing that something was coming through it. Soon enough, two whitish tentacles emerged from the gateway and slithered forth, sticking into the lab as a strange cry echoed through the lab. Mohn made note of the blackish liquid dripping from the tentacles onto the lab floor and grabbed a clean notepad, scribbling down another batch of notes.
"Ah, yet another Nihilego." Mohn murmured, frowning slightly. "I wonder how the International Police would feel about my experiments. Hmm. Nanu would be pretty upset, I'd wager."
"Niihii…" the creature crooned, slowly moving its jellyfish-like form forward and into the lab. Mohn continued to scribble down notes, taking down every detail of how it moved from the Ultra Space and into the lab with interest.
"I'm sorry to have bothered you, my friend. I'm simply trying to study the Ultra Space as much as possible. Though I have to admit, you're definitely the largest of your species that I've seen yet!" Mohn said as the creature loomed overhead, dripping more and more liquid onto the ground. The scientist had already tested the liquid from a previous encounter with a Nihilego, and found it to be an incredible potent neurotoxin. It had many other strange properties as well, which made it immensely dangerous and unstable.
The small cloud-like Pokémon shivered at the presence of the massive jellyfish Pokémon as it slowly floated closer to them, cooing softly as it swayed back and forth with more poison dripping onto the floor.
"Ah...I've never had one actually enter our reality all the way before. Um. Welcome! I've written several papers about you, my slimy friend!" Mohn said cheerily as the creature continued to move forward, inclining its body forward. Mohn's eyes widened and he took a step back in time to hear a strange hiss from the Ultra Beast, who raised a tentacle and flung it towards Mohn, who barely avoided being smacked by the appendage coated in deadly toxins.
"Nihilego! P-please, stay back! I mean no harm!" Mohn shouted as the massive Ultra Beast cooed softly, raising its tentacles threateningly. Mohn reached for a Poké Ball, only to feel a thrill of horror as the Nililego thrust its tentacles forward. Mohn suddenly made a break for the door, only for a tentacle to wrap around his boot. The scientist fell to the ground with a shout, with the strange cloud-like Pokémon frantically screaming out and slamming its body against the tentacle in a frantic attempt to help the Professor.
The Nihilego made a soft noise of annoyance, smacking Cosmog hard enough to send it crashing into the wall with a harsh thud and knock it out completely. Mohn screamed as the pressure on his ankle increased and he was slowly dragged back towards the Ultra Wormhole, with the monster behind him flickering in and out of existence. Mohn struggled as hard as he could, grabbing anything he could get his hands on. As he near the edge of the vortex he grabbed onto the rim of the machine as tightly as he could. He began to scream out as the Nihilego pulled hard on his leg, with Mohn hoping someone would hear him.
"Someone! Anyone! Shut down the device! Help me!" Mohn shouted as he drew ever-closer to the Ultra Wormhole, with the ominous hum of the portal becoming louder as it grew more and more unstable.
Just then the door to the lab opened, revealing Lusamine holding a tray and two cups of tea. The woman's jaw dropped in surprise and then her expression turned to fear, with the woman throwing aside the tray to run forward.
"Mohn!" Lusamine shouted as her husband was suddenly yanked back, losing his grip and falling into the depths of the portal. The Nihilego let out a haunting cry as the man shouted out, feeling the horrifying pressure of the Ultra Space bearing down on him as the portal entrance began to distort and twist, tearing apart the very machine that created it and sucking in parts of the Ultra Wormhole generator inside of the Wormhole. Soon there was nothing left but the increasingly unstable entrance to the Ultra Space.
"Lusamine!" Mohn managed to scream as Lusamine ran forward, prepared to dive into the portal to save her husband, only for it to close the moment she reached it. The woman stumbled forward, her eyes burning with tears as she began to register what had happened.
"Mohn! No!...no...don't leave me…" Lusamine whispered as she collapsed onto the ground, sobbing as she fell into the puddle of strange liquid left behind by the vortex. The woman let out a raw and harsh scream of loss, pounding both of her fists into the floor before she gasped in pain.
A burning sensation was now searing through her hands, which were now drenched in the strange blackish goo. Lusamine staggered back to her feet, flinging the substance off of her hands before she regarded the destroyed room, taking a few shuddering breaths before the sorrow quickly overwhelmed her.
The President of the Aether Foundation fell to her knees as she broke down into tears yet again, consumed by her despair and the pain of losing her beloved Mohn. The machine the man had used to create the vortex had been sucked into the Ultra Wormhole itself, and there was no hope of being able to recreate the device. Mohn had created it from scratch by himself.
He was gone. And there was no getting the father of her children back. Lusamine cried furious, helpless tears of anguish at having lost her soulmate. What Lusamine didn't notice was the crimson veins that now stood out against the hands that had made contact with the Nihilego venom. Venom that now flowed through her veins and would change the course of Alola's history forever. Lusamine wouldn't notice the unconscious Cosmog lying motionless on the ground a few feet beside her until later. For now nothing mattered except one thing.
Lusamine Jardin had lost the love of her life.
Her husband was gone forever within the depths of the Ultra Space.
And things would never be the same again.
That's a wrap, folks.
Next chapter we'll finally be finishing off the Akala Island Arc and depart for the Aether Paradise!
No questions to answer this time (that aren't either spoilerish or not legit questions), so I'll head off to work on the next chapter and try and get it up ASAP.
Please make sure to review, and favorite/follow the story if you haven't already. Questions are appreciated if you have them, and feel free to join the RS Discord for updates in regards to the story as they happens PM me for more info!
Take care and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
