Pokémon Radiant Sun


Congratulations!

You've reached the halfway point in "Pokémon Radiant Sun"!

What started as a neat little novelization designed to expand on a game I quite enjoyed turned into this massive epic of a story. Roughly double the length of my next longest story and with the highest review, follow and favorite counts out of any of my stories, I can safely say RS has been a huge success.

And that all comes down to you all. The humble reader. From those who just try the story out and leave part of the way through, or the MVP's who've stuck it out until now and are riding this crazy train along with me. This awesome part of my life that's allowed me to continue to do what I do best has only flourished in these past three years thanks to your views, reviews, and general support.

Writing for this story, as well as having you all support it, has honestly gotten me through some really rough times. As you can probably guess, life in the military isn't exactly a cakewalk and I have my fair share of bad days. But getting an uplifting review or hearing someone explain how my story has inspired them to write or draw and so on can honestly be some of the most uplifting experiences I've gone through.

So thank you.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for sticking it out with me until chapter 100. We've got a hell of a ride left in store for our cast of characters, and I honestly can't wait to show you all what I've got in mind. From the conclusion of the Cipher Arc to storming the Aether Paradise to the Sun's ascension as Champion, I've got an awesome second half of the story waiting for you all.

So let's do this.

On that note, shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Oragonking, BraviaryScout, Boy Knight, Xim the Despot, a new Guest reviewer known as FlameDaJudge, PigniteGamer19, SonicIKE and a Guest reviewer. Thanks for the feedback, as always.

And another, more general thanks to all of my readers.

Here's to another 100 chapters of absolute insanity.

Enjoy.


Chapter 100: E.T.S.D.


Many Years Ago…

Lumiose City


Mohn Jardin glanced down at his watch for the umpteenth time and let out a sigh.

"Thirty minutes late...I hope she's alright." Mohn remarked quietly, swirling around his coffee a few times out of boredom. It was a bright and sunny day in Lumiose City, and the saxophone player had managed a brunch date with Lusamine Lareine, the Champion of Kalos. The two of them had become fast friends over their love of music and had spent a bit of time together. Mohn had invited Lusamine out to a cafe he frequented once or twice a week, to which she accepted. However she was running late.

"Oh well...she has her reasons. No point in getting upset about it. Besides, it's a nice day out and I've got a well paying gig in a little bit. Today's a good day." Mohn said to himself, smiling now as he looked into the pure blue sky. A few puffy white clouds littered the sky above. Mohn watched the clouds for a time as his Ninetales, Fiaro, sighed from the ground.

"Now now, we don't know what could have happened." Mohn said to the his Partner, who simply scoffed. Mohn then spotted a familiar figure turning around a corner, hurrying as fast as she could in her heels and looking very flustered.

"Hey there, Lusa. How's it going?" Mohn said cheerfully scooting out of his chair and taking a few steps towards the Champion as she approached. Lusamine looked very out of breath and had a slightly red face, so she needed a few moments to catch her breath before she could reply.

"Stupid paparazzi...wouldn't stop following me. Had to get...away...whew!" Lusamine said as she wiped her forehead with a handkerchief as Mohn chuckled. Meanwhile Fiaro let out a small huff. Lusamine caught this and looked at Mohn with a sheepish expression. "I'm sorry I'm late. You weren't waiting too long, were you?"

"Not at all." Mohn said as he walked her over to their table, pulling out his friend's seat. Lusamine smiled as she sat down, with Mohn pushing in her seat before he walked over to his spot and sat down himself. Lusamine gazed over the menu hungrily, something Mohn took note of.

"You're looking a little frazzled there. Did you even get a chance to eat today?" Mohn asked, glancing at his watch. He knew Lusamine was an early riser, and it was nearing noon.

"No. I'm starving, to be totally honest. The League has been running conferences and meetings all week." Lusamine replied with a tired sigh as the waiter came to take their orders. Lusamine ordered two strawberry and Pecha Berry crepes with a cup of tea while Mohn ordered a sandwich with more exotic fillings than Lusamine could remember.

"I can't imagine what for. Kalos has been peaceful for some time, thankfully. We've got our stunning Champion to thank for some of that." Mohn said with a chuckle, making Lusamine smirk at the man. She then elaborated.

"Some cult in Sinnoh is acting up, there's unrest and fear in Alola, and there's some rumblings in Kanto that's making everyone nervous. It's a shame there's so little we can do with the smaller regions of the world." Lusamine remarked, leaning forward as she pursed her lips. "I...I wonder about my life after I'm dethroned."

"You mean once someone beats you as Champ? Well...At least you're thinking of the future. So what does that entail?" Mohn asked, leaning forward as well.

"I'd like to travel the world and help Pokémon. Use my money and influence to make a difference in the world." Lusamine remarked, shutting her eyes. "Poachers, criminals, thieves trying to make a quick buck. I want to create a place where Pokémon in trouble can be safe."

"Wow. Go on." Mohn said, sounding interested. Lusamine explained a little more, smiling a bit wider as her tone became thoughtful. She began to imagine a perfect future for herself.

"But I don't want just me. I want a team of people who work tirelessly to save Pokémon, no matter what kind they are. Big or small, they all are deserving of comfort. Of protection." Lusamine opened her eyes, a harshness coming to her gaze. "I am powerful. And I've seen even here, in Kalos, what mankind has done to the wonderful creatures that inhabit the world alongside us. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always loved Pokémon deeply. I want to give back to Pokémon."

"You want to repay them for everything they do for us." Mohn remarked with a smile on his face. Lusamine nodded in response, taking a sip of the tea that had just been brought for her.

"Yeah. I've always been passionate about protecting the Pokémon of the world. I've helped push that agenda as much as possible here in Kalos. I've even personally endorsed the Pokémon Rangers in Hoenn and Sinnoh. I've been trying to get a branch of the Ranger Union opened up in Lumiose City I just...wish I could do more. I know there's Pokémon all over the world that are suffering. And I know there's people who share my vision of a world where Pokémon can live happy lives in peace." Lusamine explained to Mohn, who leaned back in his chair with that charming smile of his.

"It sounds like a wonderful dream, Lusa. I'd love to see a world like the one you're talking about. We humans do so much harm to the world and to Pokémon...I'd like to reach out that helping hand myself. And I agree that there's a lot of people would do the same." Mohn said thoughtfully, making Lusamine beam at him.

"I'd like to hope so. That world...A world where Pokémon can be safe. A world where the love of humanity can safeguard Pokémon who need help. That is a world I wish to create." Lusamine said softly, shutting her eyes. "For now it's just a dream. I'm stuck playing politics and trying to fix what I can while being as proactive as possible. It's exhausting work, but I'm making progress. I know I am."

"You've been good to Kalos. That said, you're really stressed. I say you need a vacation." Mohn said as he sank his teeth into his sandwich. Lusamine blinked in surprise. She hadn't even realized the food had come.

"Perhaps. The Chairman was remarking just yesterday how Alola is wonderful this time of year and that he was debating whether or not to send them a delegation from Kalos to try and convince them to start a Pokémon League of their own." Lusamine remarked before taking a bite of her crepe. Her eyes lit up and she began eating the desert as quickly as her manners would allow her.

For a time, the two friends simply ate and enjoyed one another's company. To Lusamine, simply being around Mohn allowed her to relax and decompress. Meanwhile Mohn just enjoyed the company of the delightful woman he had come to know as a friend.

"So what's after this?" Mohn asked Lusamine, earning a snort from the woman.

"I was going to ask you where your life was heading in the future." Lusamine said playfully, smirking as she took another bite of crepe.

"No clue. I'd definitely like to do something more than what I'm currently doing. I'm not too worried though. What comes will come." Mohn replied as he wiped off his hands, having finished his lunch. "So again I ask, what's after this for you today?"

"Just a short briefing with Ramos and Olympia regarding a few attacks on their Gyms. I should be free to come out to your show later tonight, once you're done playing at your friend's benefit concert." Lusamine said, smiling at Mohn. "I think it's really sweet that you're helping your friend like that."

"His daughter's cancer is spreading faster than we expected. If I can help out the family just by playing a few songs and raising some money, then I'll play until my lungs explode." Mohn said, shrugging after a moment.

"I'm the same way. I didn't have many friends growing up." Lusamine remarked, making Mohn blink in surprise.

"Really? But you're so...You. Who wouldn't want to spend time with you? How could you not have very many friends?" Mohn asked, confused.

"You don't many friends with a privileged upbringing like mine. I had a very stifling upbringing. I couldn't even become a Pokémon Trainer until I was 18. After that, I was finally able to reach out to people like I had always wanted to but never could." Lusamine explained, frowning after a moment.

"I bet it was hard for a while. Or maybe it wasn't. You mentioned your family was absolutely loaded, thanks to their lineage, so maybe you took some speech classes to help you talk to people despite your lack of experience." Mohn guessed, with Lusamine nodding in response.

"Clever guess, Mohn. It was still a bit awkward at first, but eventually did find some companions who I became close to. And the friends I have made in the few years I've been a Trainer are precious to me. I cherish them." Lusamine said quietly, taking another sip of her tea.

"Am I one of them?" Mohn asked, trying to sound casual. He couldn't help the hopeful note out of his voice though, which made Lusamine grin at him. He was so adorable sometimes!

"Of course. Besides, after that wonderful display of chivalry I'd be stupid not to count you as one of my close friends, even if we've only known each other a few months." Lusamine admitted, grinning at Mohn. She almost giggled watching him get flustered at her compliments.

"You really are so cute when you're getting praised." Lusamine remarked lightly, unable to help herself from chuckling. Mohn actually blushed then, though he smirked in response.

"Well, you're beautiful all the time, so it's hardly fair. What I did really wasn't all that special." Mohn protested, though Lusamine shook her head in response.

"You held a seat for me even though I was running late. After my last date, I appreciate the consideration and your patience. You clearly care." Lusamine said quietly as Mohn blushed a shade darker, rubbing the back of his head.

"You give me way to much credit, Lusa. I was just being a good friend. What kind of friend leaves lunch before it even begins?" Mohn asked the woman before he glanced down at his watch. His eyes widened in surprise before he suddenly rose to his feet.

"Oh darn it. I've got to fly!" Mohn yelped, grabbing his cup of coffee and downing the remainder of it. He swiftly returned Fiaro before turning back to his friend. "That benefit concert starts in an hour and I've got to be on the other side of Lumiose by then! I'm sorry about this!"

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you later tonight." Lusamine said lightly, grinning at her friend. Mohn surprised Lusamine by leaning over the table and kissing her on the cheek before pulling away, a grin on his face. "Let me know your briefing goes. Good luck! I'll see you tonight!" Mohn said as he bustled away from the stunned Lusamine.

Lusamine jerked out of her trance and reached a hand up to the cheek Mohn had kissed, a bright pink blush creeping onto her face. After a few moments Lusamine smiled softly, watching as Mohn grabbed a taxi halfway down the block.

The Champion watched as Mohn managed to grab a cab and zoomed off, though he still had time to wave at Lusamine as he drove away. The Kalos Champion laughed softly, her smile widening as she waved back at him. With that, though, she began to think.

A few minutes later Lusamine stood up, intending on walking down the road to a telephone booth, a smile still on her face. Lusamine figured a phone call was in order. After all, Mohn was right.

Lusamine needed a vacation. Maybe not now, but soon.

"Maybe somewhere tropical...That'd be nice. I haven't been to a beach in quite some time." Lusamine mused as she glanced down at the table, spotting several bills where Mohn had been sitting. More than enough to cover their meal. Lusamine then realized what had happened.

Even in his rush to leave, Mohn had made sure Lusamine didn't have to pay the bill.

Several passersby glanced towards the cafe, confused as to why the Champion of Kalos was laughing uncontrollably outside a cafe. The woman couldn't help it, because of how utterly silly Mohn had been, yet at the same time she was touched by his actions.

Perhaps, since he had kissed her...perhaps Lusamine would return the favor tonight?


Celadon City

Present


"Amber, I asked you a question."

"..."

Borlath's glare intensified, with the man staring at Amber as she hammered away at a punching bag, hitting it hard and fast with a barrage of jabs. The man simply stared at the woman while Damien exchanged exasperated glance with Avis the Xatu nearby.

"How long has she been doing this?" Damien asked Avis, who simply sighed.

"Forty two minutes." Avis said, sounding concerned.

"Are you going to respond?" Borlath asked the assassin as she continued to punch away.

"..."

"Amber, I don't appreciate being ignored." Borlath remarked, crossing his arms and taking a step forward.

"..."

"You know, this is the sort of thing I'd expect for a child. You know what you did was wrong." Borlath said to the woman as she continued to ignore him. Avis sighed and shook her head, earning a glance from Borlath. He turned his gaze back to the Cipher Admin a moment later.

"Amanda...I said...answer me." Borlath growled before Amber whirled around, both of her eyes glowing bright pink. The leader of Cipher jerked back, surprised to see that Tapu Lele's curse was in effect at the moment.

"And I don't have anything to say to you. Come back when that monstrous bitch returns." Amber growled as she continued to pummel away at the punching back, making Ashton raise an eyebrow. After a few moments the man sighed, running a hand through his long mane of hair.

"I won't say I didn't have this coming for a long time now. When you're normal, you're too broken to care about what you're doing. You thrive off of the blood-lust. But now...You realize just how badly you're hurt. How much you've destroyed in my name." Borlath said quietly as Amber began to hit the punching bag with even greater force.

"My soul is broken. I'm irreparably broken. Hazel started it. You continued it. And now that...That Guardian Deity has flayed open my mind. I have all of my emotions back, all of my feeling and empathy and I can barely breathe because of all of the terrible things I've done. And then I'm back." Amber whirled around suddenly, breathing hard and her body glistening with sweat and shaking from how upset she was. "Back to that monster. Back to not feeling or caring about my actions because I barely feel any positive emotions."

Borlath's eyes flickered blue for several moments, his expression one of sadness before his gaze became gray once more. "I'll fix this. I just need more time, Amanda."

"I can't keep living like this, Ashton. I can't. I can't bear all of this pain and death and suffering. What I've done...Yes, your cause and what you're transforming Cipher into is amazing, but I can't keep doing this. Not now that Tapu Lele has given me the ability to feel again…Now that I'm back to what others would call normal." Amber said before she spun around and decked the punching bag hard enough to send it swinging backward.

"I deserve to die for what I've done. I deserve to burn forever for the countless sins I've committed. And when she comes back...I'll happily paint the walls with blood in your name. Because all that'll be left is someone utterly loyal to you, who still believes that there's some good in me. Even though I've proven I'm nothing but a monster now." Amber hissed, clenching her fists tightly.

"I see before me someone who was dealt a terrible hand in life, and wanted to make the most of the power that they had been given. You may have reaped the lives of thousands, Amber, but you have also saved so many more through your actions. You killed so many criminals in the world before I ever got this Cipher scheme into my head. You may not be the person you wish you could be, but I believe you are at your core someone who is good. After all...What I'm seeing right now is what I've always seen in you." Borlath said gently, placing a hand on Amber's shoulder as the woman stared at Borlath in surprise.

"I'm sorry." Borlath said after a moment, shutting his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I should have looked further into what exactly Tapu Lele's powers were capable of. Having been born on Ula'ula, I wasn't aware that the God of Life would be able to restore your mind back to the way it used to be, even if it did it out of cruelty. I'll be looking forward to killing both it and Tapu Bulu in particular."

"I deserve it though…" Amber whispered, looking down at the ground. "Everything I've done. All of the lives I've torn apart. So much suffering, Borlath, and for what? A dream built upon even more bloodshed? What the hell was I thinking? I deserve Tapu Lele's curse...I can't bear the weight of my sins anymore."

Borlath expression softened as Amber looked away, but after a moment he wrapped his arms around the woman and hugged her. Amber stiffened in surprise, genuinely surprised and overwhelmed by the gesture. It was a comforting embrace.

"You know better than that. I am here. I will always be here, until the bitter end. Whether you're the monster or the sinner, you are still that girl I found on that snowy road in Johto." Ashton said quietly as Amber slowly returned the hug.

"You are still you...This is why I've never given up on you. At the end of the day, you are still Amanda Faerun." Borlath said to the woman, who felt her eyes began to sting with tears. After a few moments, the assassin broke down completely in Borlath's arms. Avis watched on, with sorrow in her eyes, while Damien simply looked on in shock. He had never seen the assassin cry before.

"It's okay...it's going to be alright. You'll see." Borlath said gently, resting his chin on the woman's head. Amber continued to sob in Borlath's arms as the man tightened the embrace. "How I wish things were simpler, my friend. How I wish I could have found a way to fix your mind before it became tainted by Tapu Lele. How I wish I could save this world without drenching the soil with the blood of innocents...And how I wish I could see my family again."

"Y-yeah, I know that feeling." Amber said quietly as Borlath released her, with the woman taking a step back from the man. "You know…I hope my parents gave up looking for me, after Hazel kidnapped me. I doubt that they'd recognize me anyway, but I don't think I could ever face them like this. I'm a monster now. A living weapon molded into a psychopathic killing machine by a twisted Gothitelle. Best part is I know I'm going to die soon. I don't know where or when, but Tapu Lele saw my future and laughed about it." Amber remarked bitterly, shaking her head.

"The future isn't set in stone. It's a fluid thing." Borlath said firmly, making Amber look to him in surprise, her eyes glowing an even brighter color of pink. Borlath quirked an eyebrow at that. "Your eyes are-"

Amber suddenly started screaming as her eyes suddenly flashed white, with black flames of energy burning from them as the assassin clutched her skull and fell to her knees. Borlath swore in alarm, watching as Amber screamed and writhed on the ground. Borlath knelt down, watching Amber with a somber expression on his face. Even Damien looked horrified as he watched Amber's curse continue to drive her through a living hell, reverting her back to her "normal" state.

"JUST END IT! I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS ANYMORE!" Amber bellowed, hunched over on the ground as she clutched her head.

"Those gods are beyond twisted...Tapu Lele should have just killed her." Damien remarked quietly as Borlath's eyes narrowed.

"Hold on, Amber. It's nearly done. Fight through it!" Borlath muttered as tears rolled down the woman's face, with her letting out a guttural scream.

"KILL ME!" Amber shouted as she suddenly reached forward, grabbing ahold of the Borlath's magnum hidden on the inside of his jacket and yanking it towards her. Amber jammed the pistol into her mouth, preparing to squeeze down on the trigger-

Before Borlath smacked the gun out of her hands and lunged forward, pinning the woman to the ground by her throat. Avis let out a startled cry and moved forward to help, but she was swiftly stopped by Damien, who stepped in front of her with narrowed eyes. The two Pokémon stared each other down as Ashton's gun clattered to the floor, with their two Trainers struggling against each other.

"Fight this! You're better than that thing! You're stronger!" Borlath shouted as Amber weakly struggled under his suffocating grip, the black flames finally receding. Borlath let out a sigh of relief as the flames finally faded after about another minute and Amber shut her eyes.

Amber opened her eyes to reveal they were light-blue again. Borlath released Amber and stood again, backing away as the woman went limp onto the ground, rubbing her eyes and breathing in gulps of air now.

"It's getting worse...whatever that thing...did to me, it's tearing my mind apart." Amber whispered, taking a shuddering breath before she opened her eyes again. She saw Borlath extending a hand down to her, his expression one of concern with his eyes blue. With that, Cipher's Angel of Death began to rise.

"And that...right there, is why I'll stand with you until the end." Amber panted as she staggered to her feet, only to fall to the ground. Amber's body trembled as she clutched her head, the woman shaking in pain and exhaustion. Borlath offered her a small smile before he reached out further. Amber reached up and grabbed his hand, and the leader of Cipher pulled her upright.

"When my darkest hour came...You saved me. And even now, you're here supporting me even as I fall apart at the seams. It all comes down to loyalty. Even when everyone else told you it was a smarter option just to have me killed." Amber said tiredly, looking into Ashton's now jet black eyes. Amber saw his despair at seeing her beginning to crack. Borlath genuinely wanted to help her so badly, and Amber understood that. It was why she fought and killed and destroyed in his name.

Because she knew he was still a good person, and that this world needed to be fixed. Borlath's intentions for this world, while not without pitfalls, in the end was a better ending for the world then allowing some other madman to destroy it.

"Because I know it's not your fault. And that there is good inside of you." Borlath said softly, squeezing Amber's hand. "There are so few people left in the world I can count on. We can change the world, Amber. We must suffer, though, for what we seek. Please...just a little longer." Borlath said quietly, releasing Amber's hand. The assassin nodded before she turned around and continued to batter away at the punching back with a greater intensity than before.

"So. Catch me up to speed. I've only just got out of recovery today." Amber said to Borlath, earning a smirk from the man.

"Dakim and Venus are working on our next big operation in Kanto. Mask has been hard at work gathering any ancient information on the Tapu and the Ultra Beasts he can gather. I've been considering asking Lusamine for assistance on that front, but I'm...reluctant to bother her. Especially due to the undercover mission Dawson is taking on now."

"I'm surprised you didn't wring his neck." Amber remarked, a note of dull surprise in her voice. It was so odd talking to her now that she had all of her emotions stripped away. Her voice was so much more monotone now. Borlath snapped himself out of his thoughts and responded.

"Dawson is a good man. Probably a better man than myself. I can't fault him for deciding enough was enough. Especially with Sun in the picture…" Borlath smiled faintly, his pride in his son showing. "Being able to win the heart of the free-hearted sharpshooter...Sun is definitely my child."

"You do have a way with words. It's not surprising the kid was able to talk Dawson into stepping down and retreating. He's a good Trainer, too. That didn't stop me from soundly beating him and taking him out." Amber remarked with a shrug before delivering a swift kick to the punching bag. Damien scowled in anger as he prowled over to Borlath's side, but the man rested a hand on his head.

"Which reminds me. Going to back the subject I wanted to talk to you about before we got sidetracked by Tapu Lele's curse. Could you turn around real quick?" Borlath asked Amber, shutting his eyes for a moment. Amber stopped punching the bag and turned around to face Borlath-

Only for a iron-like fist to suddenly connect with her stomach.

Amber's eyes widened in pain and she clutched her midsection, letting out a sputter as the air was driven out of her body and she dropped to her knees. Borlath towered over her, his eyes bright red as Amber coughed and wheezed.

"Alright, so I'm not going to say you completely deserved that but...you know." Damien remarked, smirking as he watched Amber go limp onto the ground, her eyes wide in pain. Avis screeched in fury and lunged at Borlath, only for Damien to suddenly hit her with a Dark Pulse, sending the bird flying across the room and collapsing into a heap on the ground. Damien advanced towards the Xatu, who struggled to rise.

"So...strong…" Avis hissed as she glared at Damien, who simply grinned.

"Just because your Trainer is a killing machine doesn't mean you are." Damien growled at Avis, who shot forward with an Aerial Ace. Damien was knocked back a single step as the bird's head connected with his forehead, the two of them pressing their skulls against one another while growling in anger. Meanwhile, Borlath was ignoring them and focusing on Amber.

"That was for breaking Sun's ribs. Why the hell did you think that was alright!?" Borlath demanded as he grabbed Amber by the back of her neck and picked her up off of the ground, holding her in midair before throwing her across the room and onto the floor. Amber slowly rolled onto her stomach, pushing herself up off the floor. She aimed a dark grin at Borlath as the man crossed his arms, fuming angrily. Borlath glanced to his left and saw Damien pressing a paw down on the neck of an unconscious Avis, who was sporting several large burns now.

"I got caught up in the moment...And I thought it was a better idea to...neutralize the child and bring him to you, than leave him to get shot in the battle. Now, onto other matters...That really hurt. You've been working out again, haven't you?" Amber asked as she got to her feet, panting slightly as she walked over to her punching bag again.

"Naturally. I can't let you and Dawson have all the fun. Back to my point. Leave Sun alone. I've instructed all Cipher personnel, especially Mask, to stay away from him and his friends. We have other concerns. In a few days, we'll begin our real work." Borlath said as he smiled, his bright red eyes becoming something else. A much darker color that Amber had never actually seen on Borlath before. And she had seen many of his eye colors before.

"What's that one mean?" Amber asked Borlath, who's eyes reverted to gray.

"What do you mean?" Borlath asked.

"That really dark shade of red. Don't think I've seen that one before. It wasn't the usual red." Amber replied, with Borlath shrugging.

"Red is anger and emotions tied with fury. I'll have to test it with a mirror or something and let you know what the shade of red is and what exact emotions I'm feeling. But that's a discussion for another time." Borlath said as he crossed his arms. "What matters is that we're ready for what's to come, Amber. We're so close. Our Alola operation is coming along well, and soon we'll have Regigigas in the picture. Everything is falling into place."

"And soon...We shall know peace. The shadows will consume everything...Even the darkness itself." Amber said softly to Borlath, who responded with a grin.

Amber grinned then, a terrifyingly cold smile of bloodlust before whirling around and punching the bag hard enough for it to break free from the chain and fall to the floor. Amber flexed her hand a few times while Borlath just stared.

"That looked like it hurt." Borlath noted as Amber gave him a look.

"It did. A lot. It seemed...I don't know. Appropriate." Amber remarked with a shrug.

"Or dramatic. Just try not to break more of my stuff in the future. That costs money, you know. Meet me in my office once you're cleaned up. We've got to inspect staging facility ourselves before our little plan goes off. I want to make sure everything goes perfectly this time. So when their time comes, Team Rocket will burn like the brightest star." Borlath said with a dark chuckle as he walked out of the room, excitement in his voice. Damien mimicked his Trainer and wore a wide grin, knowing what was coming. He had a starring role in the upcoming surprise. And it was one the Houndoom could genuinely say he was thrilled to be a part of.

Amber watched the two depart for a moment, with Ashton grabbing his magnum off of the ground and stashing it away in his jacket once again. She then swore silently, rubbing her knuckles before walking towards Avis and her gear. With a quick shower taken care of, Amber strapped on her newly repaired gear after it had been ruined at Royal Avenue. By that time Avis had come to, shaking her head with a groan.

"How is one dog so powerful?" Avis muttered as Amber walked over to her faithful bird and pulled out a Full Restore, spraying it over her injuries. "So...I've already seen what happens with Team Rocket. It's glorious. And it's just a few days before the fun begins." Avis noted with some amusement, with Amber grinning widely in response as her eyes shut. A faint chuckle of genuine amusement escaped her.

"Yeah. And I can't wait...All of this began with Team Rocket. It's only fitting that this ends with Team Rocket as well. Or rather, the beginning of the end." Amber responded, as she twirled a knife in her hand before slamming it into a sheath. With that, she strode out of the locker room with her faithful Xatu floating behind her, practically grinning with excitement at Cipher's next course of action.


Dimensional Research Lab


"So, Colress, how's Aether been treating you?" Kukui asked the man as they sat down in their chairs, taking a break from their work. It was late in the afternoon by now, and the two men had poured over various different bits of research and findings regarding both the Ultra Space and the ancient lore surrounding it, as well as other things.

"Working with Aether has definitely been...enlightening, to say the least." Colress said as he took a sip of tea, with one hand resting atop Dusk's head scratching it. The Absol had a look of contentment on her face, her eyes shut as her Trainer considered the question.

"They've been very reluctant to share anything with me that doesn't have anything to do with the Purification Chamber. Me, Faba, and a few of the redshirts have been working almost nonstop on the machine. It's simply awaiting some test subjects and a final run through before we attempt to purify Shadow Celebi. We want to be absolutely sure it works before we proceed with something as difficult as purifying a Legendary." Colress explained, rubbing his face and allowing himself a yawn.

"You should probably take a day or two to rest once you're back at the Paradise." Kukui noted, with Colress nodding.

"My sleep schedule has been erratic. I'll get a days full rest, and then stay up for 36 hours at a time." Colress admitted with a small chuckle.

"Sounds like me after the Tournament attack. I have so much new data to work with, but my workload is already so heavy...And all that reading was pointless! I still don't have anything!" Kukui cried out, flopping down further into his chair. Professor Burnet looked up from her computer to glare at her husband for doing that, and then resumed her work.

The scientist and the two Professors had been hard at work studying disturbances within the time-space around Alola. Fluctuations that were far too frequent to write off as circumstantial. They had also been simply catching up on recent events. Colress was interested by some new breakthrough Kukui had mentioned a few times, but never went in depth about.

"When I was battling Amber alongside Guzma...That technique he defeated her with, and killed her Umbral Rhyperior. What was that? How did he use an entirely new Z-Move using only a Buginium-Z? That was something different than a Z-Move. A new kind of power that I have to understand." Kukui remarked, with Colress nodding in response.

"I understand that struggle. Remember the subject of my own research." Colress replied, smiling pleasantly at Kukui as the man grinned at him.

"Bringing out the full power of Pokémon. Their true potential. Z-Power and Z-Moves definitely go along with my research. Which is why this new development is so confusing. Guzma hasn't used a Z-Ring in years. And the second he had the chance, he destroyed his Z-Ring even though he had just opened the doors of so many different possibilities. What sort of power can do that much?" Kukui asked, leaning back in his chair and sighing.

"The power of will." Colress responded, making Kukui look at the man oddly. "Guzma, though I do not know the man personally, has a very powerful will. He is someone who Team Skull looks to as their leader. He was, and still is from what I've heard, your rival. If he was able to fight and kill an Umbral Pokémon then he is certainly a skilled Trainer. But being able to bring out that sort of power in his Pokémon? That requires a very special kind of will. At least, that is my hypthesis."

"He did seem particularly passionate when he used that attack...And that Golisopod that he channeled that power through has been with him since the beginning. They've been through absolute hell together. I doubt you'd find a pair closer than those two." Kukui mused, looking up at the ceiling. His mind flickered through several memories of a black-haired boy chasing a Wimpod around a muddy field and battling weaker Pokémon, a crooked grin of joy on his face despite the bruises and scratches on his body.

"Perhaps it may have to do with the Z-Ring itself, as well as Guzma. We both received ours from the Taou, all those years ago...Just like Sun did." Kukui said quietly, frowning at his own words.

"Really? That's interesting. I thought the Tapu choosing a to gift a Trainer with a Sparkling Stone was a unique happenstance?" Colress asked, curiosity in his eyes.

"It is. I've only heard of it happening a handful of times in my lifetime. Kahunas are gifted them personally by the Tapu when they are chosen. But for a Tapu to gift someone that is not a Kahuna with a Sparkling Stone means that they see immense potential in them. At least that's how I understand it. Maybe that's it." Kukui mused quietly, rubbing his chin.

"Then perhaps you should investigate this power a bit more, Professor. Maybe make amends with Guzma and study him?" Colress suggested, making Kukui bark out a harsh laugh.

"Impossible. Even if part of me wants too, Guzma hates my guts. There's too much bad blood there. And after what he's done, I don't know if I'll ever be able to treat him like my best friend again." Kukui said quietly, shutting his eyes and sighing. Colress watched the man for a few moments, wondering just what to say.

"We're back!"

Kukui and Colress turned towards the voice that spoke, and saw Mallow and Lillie walk into the room holding a bag of takeout food each.

"We decided to grab some dinner for everyone!" Mallow chirped, grinning widely. "I made it myself, by the way."

"I got to help!" Lillie said cheerfully, looking rather proud of herself. Colress and Kukui stood and walked over to the girls, taking the food and spreading out the different containers over the nearby counter. Kukui spotted several of the scientists in the room eye the food with hunger, making him chuckle. The Professor couldn't blame them. The food smelled fantastic!

"Thank you, girls. Madeline's been busy, and me and Colress have been-" Kukui began to say, but he was cut off by his Professor Burnet letting out a startled scream of surprise.

"W-what the hell!?" Colress and Kukui looked over to Burnet, seeing her frantically tapping away at the keyboards in front of her while the monitors above her began to suddenly display several charts and graphs that fluctuated wildly, with a red circle appearing around an island a considerable distance away from the other main islands. Meanwhile, Dusk the Absol stiffened and let out a soft snarl of anger.

"Meddler! Monsters from beyond...What am I sensing!?" Dusk demanded as Colress looked at his Absol in surprise, though his attention went back to the monitors after a few moments.

"Whoa...These readings are off the charts!" Burnet shouted, a note of concern in her voice as she began to calm down. "This is more than just fluctuations within the time-space. This is a massive...This is an Ultra Wormhole opening directly into Alola! I haven't seen readings like this since the Aether Incident and when that Necrozma appeared at Ten Carat Hill."

"Aether Incident?" Mallow asked, confused.

"And guess where that Ultra Wormhole is." Colress said with a pleasant smile as he walked over to the monitors, tapping the screen with a finger. Kukui's eyes widened, realizing what the island out in the middle of the ocean was. The Aether Paradise. Lillie let out a horrified gasp as she realized what Colress was saying.

That was where Sun and Hau were right now.

"Those boys...I hope they're okay." Burnet muttered, taking a step back and eyeing the readings. "Based on these numbers, it's of a similar strength as it was last time Aether had something like this happen. There's of course been Wormholes opening here and there in Alola since then, but this one...This is strong enough to let something through, just like the other two."

"Sun and Hau are quite the capable Trainers. I doubt they'll come to harm. Besides, who knows if they're anywhere near the Ultra Wormhole." Colress remarked, sensing how much everyone was stressing about this development.

"Right. Right! Those boys may be trouble magnets, but they're talented. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about!" Mallow said cheerily, wrapping an arm around a worried Lillie. The girl nodded slowly, though she seemed to be wrapped up in her thoughts.

"I'll return to the Paradise right away. I'll make a few calls and get a Ride Charizard to come grab me. But I wonder whether or not Aether instigated this...Or is it just the folds of the time-space in Alola just being that malleable?" Colress mused as he shut his eyes, grinning now. "How interesting."

"All we can do is hope for the best." Dusk said quietly, with Colress nodding silently in agreement to his Absol's remark.

Hope was a useful commodity, after all.


"Here it comes!" Sun shouted as the Ultra Beast let out a powerful shriek, with strange poison splashing onto the ground as it floated ahead of them. Hau stood in front of both Wicke and Lusamine protectively, with Duke and Kaha ready to attack anything that came close. They hoped Sun would be enough to repel the strange monster.

"Zzzt! A-are we really gonna fight a Pokémon like that? That...that thing?" Rotom Dex asked, sounding genuinely scared as the Ultra Beast let out an ethereal scream of fury as it drifted overhead menacingly. "Bzzzz...I'm gonna document thizzz then! Photozz and videozz all around! I bet the Professor'zz will appreciate it!"

"Oliver, Razor Leaf!" Sun barked, throwing out a hand as the massive jellyfish let out another screech. The Dartrix flapped his wings hard, releasing a wave of spinning leaves that sliced across the strange skin of the Ultra Beast. The creature let out a screech that sounded odd to all of their ears, though Sun had no idea how much damage the attack had done to the monster. In response, the Ultra Beast floated lower to the ground and summoned a series of glowing stones from out of thin air. With a hiss, the monster thrust its tentacles forward and sent the boulders hurtling towards Sun and Oliver.

"Protect! Follow up with Pluck!" Sun barked as Oliver threw apart his wings to shield them both from the rocks, which slammed against the barrier and cracked it heavily. It held firm though, and once the rocks dissipated Oliver released the shield and darted forward, smashing into the monster and making it jerk backwards. However it didn't seem to do that much damage.

"If this thing is a Pokémon, then it's got to have a weakness of some kind. Flying didn't do much to it, so use another Razor Leaf!" Sun called as Oliver flapped his wings hard, releasing a wave of spinning leaves at the Ultra Beast.

The monster twitched as the leaves slashed against its skin, making it cry out. The creature then reared back and fired off a stream of purple liquid at Oliver that knocked him out of the air. The owl slammed into the catwalk, screaming in pain.

"Bzzt! That looked a lot like Venoshock! And that Rock-type attack earlier seemed to be an Ancient Power!" Rotom Dex piped up, floating beside Sun as the boy ran towards his Pokémon.

"Oliver!" Sun cried out in worry as the Dartrix tried to force himself up. The Ultra Beast hummed as it swayed closer and Sun turned towards it. This was when Sun noticed something odd about the creature.

The longest two tentacles of the Ultra Beast were gently dripping a strange black liquid of sorts, as opposed to the rest of the tentacles which did not. Sun was snapped out of his observation when the creature let out a shudder and swooped down from above towards him. Behind Sun, Oliver finally rose to his feet and shot into the air to meet the monster.

"Counter with Protect Charge!" Sun shouted to his Partner, who threw apart his wings and called forth his barrier. The Ultra Beast rammed into the barrier hard, making it suddenly veer away with a pained wail.

"Follow up with Leaf Drive!" Sun called to Oliver. The Dartrix released a whirlwind of leaves in the form of Leafage and then dove into it with Pluck, becoming a drill-like tornado of leaves that collided with the top of the Ultra Beast. The monster let out a snarl of sorts before floating away and sending a wave of Ancient Power towards Oliver, which knocked him backwards through the air. The owl managed to right himself before her hit the ground and flapped his wings a few times, soaring past Sun and landing on the catwalk next to him.

"This thing...hits hard. Really hard." Oliver panted, shaking slightly from the repeated super-effective hits he had taken. Sun looked towards the Ultra Beast, wondering just what exactly the strange creature was.

"Is this really a Pokémon?" Sun wondered aloud as the creature swayed overhead, cooing softly before it threw back its tentacles and fired off a Venoshock at Sun and Oliver.

Sun threw himself to the side of the catwalk while Oliver dove into the air, releasing a Razor Leaf that the Ultra Beast blocked by throwing another Ancient Power at him. The owl then shot towards the creature, only to be rammed into by the Ultra Beast and sent back down to Sun once again.

"Oliver, take a breather. This thing is a bad match for you." Sun said to the badly damaged owl, but Oliver shook his head and flared his wings. The Dartrix glared down the monster above, a glint in his eyes.

"I'm not done yet!" Oliver screeched as his body began to radiate a green aura, with Oliver's Ability Overgrow kicking into effect. Sun grit his teeth in frustration as the creature ahead made a strange tinkling sound, almost like a girl's laughter. Oliver flew back into the air to meet the monster once more.

"This thing is really strong...Penny! Back Oliver up! Brago, support!" Sun shouted as he called out his Toucannon and Arcanine. Brago landed on the ground, crouching low as Penny exploded into the air with a cry. Both were surprised at the battle taking place above them and the state of Oliver.

"What on earth…?" Brago asked, confused as he watched Oliver get smashed out of the air by the Ultra Beast. The owl struck the ground with a nasty crunch, letting out a pained cry. Penny fluttered over to her friend, landing beside him with concern on her face.

"Are you alright?" Penny asked Oliver worriedly as he slowly rose to his feet. The Dartrix glanced towards Penny and nodded before facing forward.

"Be on your guard. This thing...is unlike anything we've faced before." Oliver tired warned the two before flying into the air once again.

"Razor Leaf! Hidden Power! Flame Burst!" Sun shouted as he held out a hand. His trio of Pokémon all unleashed their attacks towards the Ultra Beast as it let out a hiss, swinging its tentacles in a wide arc and releasing a massive spray of acid before flying higher into the air. Sun's eyes widened as the creature forced his Pokémon to dive for cover while at the same time avoiding the onslaught of attacks coming towards it.

"Don't hurt it!" came a scream from behind Sun. The boy and his Pokémon whirled around in surprise and saw Lusamine running towards them, an expression of alarm on her face. Hau and Wicke were a short distance behind her, begging her to come back.

And this was just the distraction the Ultra Beast needed.

With a cry the monster rushed forward, slamming its body into Penny and knocking the bird to the ground. The Ultra Beast reared back, the two longest tentacles on its body dripping a black liquid, and sent both tentacles speeding towards Penny's stunned form. The Toucannon shut her eyes, her beak beginning to burn brightly as she gathered heat. If she couldn't avoid the hit, she'd make sure the monster paid for it.

"NO!"

Penny opened her eyes in surprise when a green blur slammed into the tentacles, knocking them away from her.

Oliver landed on the ground in front of Penny, eyeing the monster ahead with fury before suddenly seizing up. Penny's eyes went wide in horror as she saw a large bleeding gash on the side of Oliver's chest, a spattering of black poison soaking the wound as blood dripped onto the ground. The Datrix had been grazed by the tentacles when attempting to help her.

"Oliver!" Sun shouted at the bird, who suddenly let out a scream and fell to the ground, writhing in agony as the strange black poison seared the wound. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he continued to thrash on the ground, screeching incoherently.

The Ultra Beast cooed softly, raising several tentacles into the air as it prepared to finish the owl off. Sun ran forward, but Brago was faster and slammed into the Ultra Beast with a wraith of flames around him, making the monster back away.

Sun ran over to his Starter and dropped to his knees, inspecting Oliver as the owl screeched and squirmed on the ground. The boy dug into his backpack and pulled out a towel to try and wipe away the poison. Sun succeeded, but he wondered just how much of the poison was already coursing through Oliver's body after the scratch was exposed to the poison. The way the owl was currently twitching in made Sun worry, though eventually Oliver fainted from the pain. Despite this, his body still twitched occasionally.

A sudden explosion of force ripped through the air as the red aura surrounding the Ultra Beast began to burn even harsher. The creature hummed softly, drifting through the air as everyone stared at it in horror.

"Rotom, what's going on?" Sun asked the device, which was cowering behind the boy.

"I don't know! Zzzz! It'zz Defense just skyrocketed!" Rotom cried out fearfully as the boy got back to his feet, with Brago poised to attack nearby. Penny stared at Oliver's downed form for several moments before turning her furious gaze to the floating jellyfish.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!" Penny screamed as she flew forward, her beak burning with heat as she smashed into the Ultra Beast. Despite everything, the creature was sent tumbling backwards through the air by the sheer force of Penny's fury. Sun and Brago watched in awe as Penny began to beat back the Ultra Beast.

"That bird is terrifying sometimes." Brago remarked dryly, glancing towards Oliver himself before turning towards the battle overhead. "Alpha! Let's take this monster down!

"R-right. Brago, use Flame Burst! Penny, use Hidden Power!" Sun commanded as Penny broke away from the Ultra Beast to blast it with a brown-colored pulse of energy. Brago sent a wave of flames at the monster as well, driving the Ultra Beast further and further back. However, Sun noticed that none of their moves were doing much damage to the monster despite this.

The Ultra Beast released a wave of Ancient Power that smashed into Penny, knocking her out of the sky. It then floated forward, releasing a violet-colored stream of liquid from its underside that struck Penny as she fell.

"That wazz Acid! If that thing poisonzzz one of your Pokémon and followzz up with Venoshock…" Rotom trailed off, vibrating slightly.

"Then it'll do a massive amount of damage." Sun finished as Penny rose to her feet, shuddering slightly as a strange pale came over her. Sun grit his teeth at the awful luck.

"I'll be fine. I...ack! Poison is nothing! I refuse to back down!" Penny cried as she flew back into the air, making Sun sigh.

"Alright...Let's bait it. Burn it with Blast Beak and keep whittling down its strength." Sun said to himself, nodding after a moment. "Penny, get its attention and then charge up! Brago, Helping Hand!"

Brago nodded and let out a roar, with a bolt of energy flowing from him into Penny as she soared up to the Ultra Beast, her beak burning with energy. To their surprise the Nihilego's tentacles shot out and wrapped around Penny, squeezing down on the Toucannon in a powerful vice. Penny smirked despite the pain, as the Ultra Beast suddenly let out a groan and released Penny, thanks to the terrible burns on all of its tentacles. Penny then released a massive blast of heat that sent the monster floating away with a coo of displeasure.

"This thing has to have a weakness. It's taking damage, but it's made of some strong stuff" Sun remarked as the Ultra Beast released a wave of Ancient Power at Penny, who dove towards the ground to dodge the attack. The Ultra Beast shot towards Penny, chasing after her. Sun decided to put a stop to this.

"Penny, use Rock Blast! Brago, Flame Wheel!" Sun shouted as Penny turned her head backwards, firing off pellets of energy into the back of the quickly approaching creature. The Ultra Beast jerked back as three waves of Rock Blast struck it, followed by Brago slamming into the creature from the side with Flame Wheel.

"That's how we do it!" Hau cheered as he watched Sun's two Pokémon battle against the creature.

"Who would have thought an Ultra Beast could be so powerful?" Wicke murmured, biting her lip in worry as she watched the young boy fend off the monster with his team.

"Yeah, but Sun's got this!" Hau said with a fist pump, his smile returning to to his face.

Lusamine remained silent, watching the battle with her green eyes narrowed.

The monster hissed in anger, it's red aura flaring before burning white. If Sun had to guess, the Ultra Beast seemed to be waiting for something.

"Brago, use Flame Burst! Penny, Rock Blast!" Sun instructed the two Pokémon, who both unleashed their attacks. To the two Pokémon's surprise, the attacks struck the Ultra Beast and seemingly vanished into nothingness upon striking the creature, with the aura surrounding it having made the attacks dissipate.

"W-what!?" Brago growled, taken aback as the creature's aura continued to burn wildly around it. The Ultra Beast gave off a soft shudder before the aura expanded even further.

"Whoa...That aura izz going crazy! It'zz Defense dropped, but it totally neutralized those attackzz! Bzzt!" Rotom Dex yelped as it continued to record the battle. Sun gritted his teeth in frustration as Brago leapt back to avoid a Venoshock, with Penny soaring overhead.

"It protected itself with it's aura…" Sun murmured, both amazed and worried as the Ultra Beast let out another hiss of fury, it's aura spiking erratically again. Then, the aura suddenly exploded outwards the streaked towards Penny, who was caught off-guard by the surprise attack and was knocked out of the air as the raw energy smashed into her chest. The Ultra Beast swooped forward, only to be cut off by Brago hitting it head-on with a Flame Wheel, driving the monster back for a brief moment as it's aura returned in full force.

"It can attack with it's aura and protect itself. We need to end this fast!" Sun thought to himself as he saw Penny take flight once again, this time dodging an Acid attack as the jellyfish began to chase her again. Brago prepared to attack from behind, with Sun calling for Flame Burst, but this time the Ultra Beast was ready.

All of a sudden the Ultra Beast whirled around the threw an Ancient Power at Brago, knocking the canine backwards with a snarl as he took the super-effective hit. Penny stopped flying away and soared forward, ready to help. The Ultra Beast floated forward, releasing a spray of Acid at Brago's stunned form before the monster turned around and flew right into Penny, knocking her backwards through the air and catching her off-guard.

"Did that thing just fake us out?" Sun asked as the Ultra Beast suddenly flew towards Penny as she tried to catch herself in midair, though the poison made the bird wobble unsteadily in the air. This gave the Ultra Beast the time it needed, as when the Toucannon aimed her beak at the Ultra Beast it crashed into her again, this time sending her to the catwalk with a harsh thud. The jellyfish then fired another Venoshock at the downed bird, knocking out Penny.

Sun and Brago winced as the Ultra Beast let out another haunting cry, it's aura burning an even darker color of red. Sun couldn't help but wonder if it was some strange kind of Z-Power.

"It's stronger. We've got to figure out a way to deal some real damage." Brago grunted as Sun looked back at Penny's unconscious form beside Oliver. The boy looked ahead, glaring down the monster as it's aura burned harshly around it. The boy nodded once, his silver eyes burning with intensity as he drew his final Poké Ball from his belt.

"Brago, fall back! Finn, back him up!" Sun shouted as Brago leapt back behind Sun, ready to run interference as Finn landed in front of Sun, already going into a fighting position.

"Stay alert, Finn! If you go down, it'll get stronger! That's got to be some kind of strange Ability! Zzzt!" Rotom Dex Warner the Poliwhirl, who glanced at the downed form of Oliver before turning ahead.

"Gotcha. Let's go, little buddy! Let's thrash this thing!" Finn boomed at Sun, leaning forward as his Trainer punched forward.

"Get airborne and hit it with a Body Slam! Then back away by hitting it with Scald! Brago, get behind it and use Flame Burst!" Sun commanded the Poliwhirl as the monster ahead of them let out a piercing screech. Finn didn't seem the slightest bit intimidated, instead letting out a small laugh before dashing forward.

The Ultra Beast lashed out with its tentacles, sending a wave of acid towards Finn. Thankfully the Poliwhirl avoided the Venoshock by kicking off of the ground and vaulting up and over it, using the power of Body Slam to hurtle downwards and smash into the monster. The Ultra Beast recoiled from the pain, letting out a sharp cry as it wriggled back from the blow.

This was nothing compared to the room-shaking scream it made when Finn blasted it close range with Scald, hitting the monster directly while propelling himself away from it. The Ultra Beast snarled in fury, swiping at Finn as the agile Poliwhirl soared out of range of its Wrap attack.

Brago took that moment to release a massive Flame Burst from his mouth, which exploded against the back of the monster and made it droop in the air slightly, shuddering for several moments before it released a strange hissing sound.

"That definitely got a reaction! Bzzt! Keep at it Finn!" Rotom shouted as Finn landed on the ground, throwing a few punches at the air.

"Interesting...It's weak to Water-type attacks. Maybe it's a Poison-type and a Rock-Type? That explains why it's been shrugging off all of our attacks! And if that's the case, then let's keep battering it! Bubble Beam Finn! Brago, use Flame Burst again!" Sun shouted as Finn released a massive stream of bubbles that soared straight towards the Ultra Beast and made it reel back as they popped painfully against its body, with the monster letting out a soft cry before releasing another Ancient Power at Finn.

The attack knocked the Poliwhirl back with a grunt of pain, though he managed to keep his footing. The Ultra Beast then whirled around as flames exploded against the monster once again, making the creature direct its fury at Brago. The massive hound glared down the imposing creature, his fearless eyes narrowed.

"Stay away from my family!" Brago snarled as the Ultra Beast screamed, swooping towards them. Brago shot forward, and at Sun's command used Flame Wheel to barrel past the Ultra Beast and return to their side. The jellyfish halted in its tracks, backing away slightly with a strange titter. Brago snorted as he took stock of the battle around him, mainly the splashes of poison around them and the two unconscious teammates nearby.

"This thing feels...wrong." Brago growled, glancing down at Oliver as he twitched on the ground. Sun nodded and ordered Finn to release another Scald attack, which managed to hit the Ultra Beast in the side. As Sun suspected it would, the creature let out a shriek of agony and drifted further backwards, which told Sun everything he needed to know. This thing had a weakness that he was absolutely going to exploit.

"Brago, use Helping Hand! Finn, hit it with Scald!" Sun ordered his Pokémon as they braced themselves, the Ultra Beast screamed in fury as it released another wave of Ancient Power towards them. Brago and Finn shared a quick glance before they turned their gaze towards their opponent, with Finn hopping atop Brago's back and aiming his chest right at the Ultra Beast.

"TOGETHER!" Brago and Finn shouted as Finn released a torrent of painfully hot water. However as he did this, Brago let out a roar as a white outline of energy surrounded him and a bolt of said energy flowed into Finn. Sun watched as the torrent of water doubled in size and punched through the approaching rocks, slamming into the Ultra Beast and making it squeal in response, flying backwards across the Conservation Area.

"We've got it on the ropes. Finn, let's finish it for good! Brago, keep it distracted by hitting it with Flame Charge, and then getting away from the Z-Move! Get ready!" Sun shouted as he held up his Z-Ring. The device glowed as Finn leapt back towards Sun, with the two of them striking a series of movement in complete sync with one another. Energy flowed through Sun into Finn, thus allowing them to achieve a higher power.

"Finn...channel Scald...and use Hydro Vortex!" Sun bellowed as Finn punched his hands together, letting out a wild laugh before leaping high into the air. Finn spun like a top as a massive influx of water swirled around him. Soon enough he was a raging cyclone of water that was surging towards the Ultra Beast. The creature tried to flee from the incoming attack, but Brago slammed into the creature from behind with Flame Charge and sent it right into the attack. Brago dashed away while the Ultra Beast pulled in by the move and was soon being battered on all sides. It's shrieks of pain were audible over the sound of rushing water, and when the attack exploded outwards Sun covered his eyes for a moment before he dared to peek.

Finn landed lightly on the ground, striking a pose as he did so with the water falling in a light drizzle around him. The Ultra Beast drifted slowly towards the ground and slammed into the ground, twitching much like Oliver was.

"Is...is it dead? No, it's moving...What is that thing?" Sun asked quietly.

"Bzzt! No. Not dead. Only stunned. Just like it takezz a lot to kill a Pokémon, it takezz even more to destroy an Ultra Beast. These thingzz are renowned for their strength and ferocity, told through the ancient folklore of Alola." Rotom Dex whispered, its voice low as the creature ahead of them twitched violently. The Ultra Beast slowly rose from the ground, trembling in pain as Sun, Finn, Rotom Dex and Brago stared down the monster.

"Brr-rr-rr!" the Ultra Beast crooned, wriggling its tentacles for a moment before it began to flicker in and out of the air and then just like that...it was gone.

"So it's true...I still need that Pokémon."

Sun turned around and saw Lusamine approaching him, though her gaze was locked on the spot where the Ultra Beast had been. Her eyes took in the damaged catwalk and the splashes of poison drenching the area, as well as the Pokémon that had defeated the creature that had attacked them.

"I need to get it back." Lusamine muttered, clenching her fists tightly. Wicke shivered at the declaration, having heard it loud and clear. Hau did not.

"What? Miss Lusamine, did you say something?" Hau asked, tilting his head in confusion. Lusamine turned away from the boy, a wide grin crossing her face for the briefest of moments before it settled into a determined expression.

"That creature we just saw was undoubtedly an Ultra Beast…" Lusamine's smile returned, and Sun took a step back from the woman in response. The intensity of her gaze, and strange excited smile on her face...It was unsettling to the boy.

"An unknown being from another dimension that suddenly appears from the Ultra Wormhole…" Lusamine breathed, a small laugh escaping her before she seemed to sober up, her expression becoming sad. Beautiful as always, but her expression was one of sorrow.

"It looked like it was suffering…" Lusamine murmured, glancing down at the ground. "Like it pained it to be in this strange place…" Lusamine's head snapped up, her strange grin returning. "I can't bear to see that happen! I will save it. And I will love it!"

"What about Oliver?" Sun asked, crouched next to his Partner. Penny was slowly coming to, weakly getting to her feet and peering at Oliver's poisoned scratch as Sun began to heal her with an Antidote and a Super Potion.

"I've sprayed it with Antidote and a Max Potion, but it's not going away." Sun said worriedly as he inspected the bloody scratch that was stained black. Lusamine and Wicke exchanged a brief glance. The Aether President nodded after a few moments.

"It was thanks to you both that the Conservation Area and ourselves remained safe and sound. It would be remiss of me to send you both on your way like this...Please, allow me to lend you the services of the Aether Foundation. Let us restore your Dartrix back to health, as thanks for his bravery." Lusamine said with a kind smile, making Sun feel a bit more at ease. It was almost enough for him to forget how odd the woman had been acting just a few moments before.

"You're right. It may take some time though...How about this? In the meantime, we can allow you to stay here at the Paradise. We have accommodations for occasions such as this." Wicke offered to the two boys, who both exchanged a look. Lusamine nodded in approval at Wicke's suggestion.

"I don't mind. This place is really neat! I bet there's a bunch of cool stuff we can see. And we get to play tourist for once!" Hau said excitedly, making Sun smile lightly.

"Maybe. As long as Oliver's okay, I don't care what we do." Sun said, turning to the two adults. "If you don't mind letting us stay here until Oliver's healed. I really appreciate this."

"It's nothing, dears." Lusamine said sweetly, reaching forward and patting Hau on the head with a smile. "After all, you protected the Aether Paradise in its time of need. I don't forget those who help me."

"I can arrange rooms for the two of them at the Sanctuary Inn." Wicke offered, earning a nod from Lusamine, who turned to Sun and addressed him.

"Rest assured we will do everything in our power to help your Pokémon. He was injured protecting the Aether Paradise, and we will do everything in our considerable power to help him. I expect he'll be back to normal within the week, though this is merely a guess. But until then, you are welcome to the Aether Paradise and all its splendor." Lusamine said with a warm smile on her face. While Sun felt better upon seeing it, he wasn't totally assured. He was worried about Oliver.

"He's strong. I wouldn't worry about him too much." Sun turned around and saw Brago watching him, the canine resolute as always. Even Finn seemed to catch on and walked over to Sun.

"Oliver's gonna be alright. And even if it isn't, we'll be there to help him through it." Finn said bracingly, thumping Sun on the arm hard enough to nearly send him to the ground. Sun nodded, smiling at his two Pokémon.

"I hope he pulls through…" Penny murmured, making Sun kneel next to the bird and hug her. "Oliver got hurt protecting me."

"That's because he's really hot-headed and cares about us. And he'll pull through." Sun said quietly, pulling away from Penny and smiling at the bird. He then addressed his other two Pokémon.

"You were all great out there. Especially you, Finn. You've really come into your own on our team." Sun said to the Poliwhirl, who simply laughed good-naturedly.

"That's all because you all kept training with me! Now that I can hold my own, I'm gonna make sure we all get tougher!" Finn boomed shadow-boxing the air as Brago chuckled beside him.

"His enthusiasm certainly hasn't waned since he evolved." Brago noted, grinning at the Poliwhirl. Penny didn't say anything, still worried about Oliver's health.

"Your team certainly is colorful." Lusamine noted fondly, her smile widening. "I'm feeling quite nostalgic. Why don't we drop off your remaining Pokémon to be looked at by our team while we sit down and relax for a little while? I think a discussion about what just happened is in order."

"That sounds good." Sun said, returning his Arcanine, Toucannon and Poliwhirl. After a moment Sun returned Oliver as well, looking down at his Poké Ball with concern. Hau grinned as he returned Duke and Kaha, putting his hands behind his head.

"So, where we gonna go Miss President?" Hau asked cheerily, making Lusamine laugh softly.

"Oh, just a little sitting room I use to entertain personal guests. I can have some refreshments brought to us in the meantime. I'm sure you boys must be famished by now!" Lusamine said before snapping her fingers, seemingly realizing something.

"On second thought...I will need stay here for a few minutes. In all the excitement, I almost forgot myself. After all, I must ensure that no harm came to the poor residents of the Observation Area." Lusamine said with a sheepish expression on her face as Wicke chuckled. "I'll also need to speak with Mr. Faba about exactly what happened downstairs. And of course..."

Lusamine began to laugh, making a hand gesture of sorts as she did so. "I will have to start preparing the Foundation for our newest and perhaps greatest duty yet: the protection of the Ultra Beasts!" Lusamine said to the two boys, though Miss Wicke piped up a moment later.

"Ma'am, would you like me to take these boys somewhere to get dinner first? And then bring them by to see you in the Saxophone Lounge later? That way they can relax a little and you can take as much time as you need to sort things out." Wicke suggested, making Lusamine nod with a small smile.

"Excellent suggestion, Miss Wicke." Lusamine before turning to the two boys. She took that moment to bow to them both, her smile never fading.

"Thank you...both of you...Thank you so much!" Lusamine said brightly as she straightened up. She extended her hand out to Sun, then. "If you don't mind, I'll take your Dartrix's Poké Ball. Faba and my teams in the labs will begin working on cleansing the poison from his body at once."

Sun nodded and handed Oliver's Poké Ball to President Lusamine, who accepted it with a nod. "I'll be off then. I'll meet you downstairs as soon as I am able too. Wicke, thank you for chaperoning them for a short while."

"It's not a problem, ma'am." Wicke said with a smile. Lusamine walked off then, leaving the two of them with the Assistant Branch Chief. The woman glanced towards the sky, seeing the sun beginning to set. With that Wicke turned back towards the two children.

"Let's drop off your Pokémon to get treated and get some dinner. Our treat." Wicke said cheerily, her smile kind. Sun and Hau nodded, and with that Wicke led them down the elevator to the central hub of the Aether Paradise.

"Now, within the Paradise itself we don't have any of the things I mentioned earlier. That is all outside of the main building. It's a short walk, but with Alola's wonderful weather that's hardly a bad thing." Wicke remarked as the trio began to walk along the path, with Rotom Dex hovering above them taking photos all the while.

"Rotom, did you ever send the Professors that footage of the Ultra Beast fight?" Sun asked the device, earning a nod in response.

"You betcha! And I even got a response. Colress izz already on hizz way back to the Paradise and Professor Burnet izz working to analyze the footage and photozz as we speak. Kukui and hizz favorite assistant are working hard to help her!" Rotom said to the boy, who smiled in response. He'd have to text Lillie later and let her know about what happened. Sun hoped his friend wasn't too worried.

"It'll be good to have Colress back. With him returning, we can finally attempt to purify Shadow Celebi. Faba has been running checks and double checks of the Aether Purification Chamber…" Wicke then realized what she was saying and chuckled to herself. "I'm sorry, you probably don't want to hear about that. We're nearly at the restaurant anyway."

And so they were. "A Taste of Paradise" was artfully emblazoned on the front of the two-story white building, where several tables rested outside containing hungry tourists and even a few Aether Employees who had just finished their shift. Several of those workers shouted greetings to Wicke, smiles on their faces as the Assistant Branch Chief waved back at each of them. It was very apparent that Wicke was well-liked and respected by her colleagues.

Inside of the restaurant they were seated immediately and eventually settled into a comfortable booth. The inside of the restaurant was rather modern-looking. A bronze statue of what Sun recognized as a Victini was standing in the middle of the restaurant, flashing a victory pose. Aside from that, the place was rather modest and comfortable, with wooden floors and warm lighting. Sun expected something much fancier, but was pleasantly surprised. The waiter came by and dropped off several menus, as well as three glasses of water.

"We have a few restaurants on our little island. All of them have vegan and vegetarian-friendly menus." Wicke explained to Hau and Sun as their waiter dropped off a loaf of dark bread. "Miss Lusamine strives to ensure that we leave as little of a negative mark upon the Pokémon world as possible."

Hau carefully cut a piece of bread and took a bite of it. The boy let out a wide grin of delight as he quickly chewed it, swallowing the piece of food after a moment. "It's chocolate bread!"

"Yep! And with the hazelnut butter, it's delicious. Try it Sun. It's really good." Wicke said to the boy, who shrugged and did just that.

The trio had a great time eating at the restaurant, which lived up to the hype Miss Wicke promised. Apparently the head chef was from Unova, having been trained by the Gym Leaders of the Striaton City Gym, which Sun found impressive. Cilan, Cress and Chili were world-renowned chefs in their own right, owning one of the most top-rated restaurants in the world.

After they were finished eating, the trio departed from the restaurant and returned to the Paradise proper. Miss Wicke led them past a locked door that she needed to use her key-card for and into a long white hallway.

"The President wishes to keep this conversation private. There's a lot to the Paradise that isn't accessible to the general public." Wicke explained as they made their way down the hallway, their feet creating thuds that echoed down the halls. After several minutes of walking, Wicke swiped her key-card again outside of a nondescript door and opened it.

"Please, after you." Wicke said with a pleasant smile as she held the door open. The two boys walked into the room and beheld a comfortable sitting room decorated in white, red and gold. The couches within were plump and comfortable-looking, seeming as though they had been freshly cleaned just moments ago. Several portraits adorned the walls, depicting several landscapes of the world. Sun recognized Meteor Falls and the Seafoam Islands in two of them, but couldn't figure out what the rest of them were. Another oddity to the room was a well-polished saxophone adorned the mantelpiece above the fireplace, which Sun thought was odd.

Lusamine sat in a chair in front of them, arms folded as she watched them enter the room with a faint smile. She gestured to the couches beside them. "Please, take a seat."

Both boys obliged, with the two of them letting out sighs of relief as they practically sank into the cushions. They were nearly as comfortable as their beds! Lusamine and Wicke giggled at the two children.

"Wicke, could you gather some tea and cookies? I feel like we may as well get comfortable." Lusamine asked Wicke, who nodded and hurried out of the room. Lusamine leaned back in her chair, holding her chin with a thoughtful expression. Her eyes rested on Sun, who fidgeted slightly under the woman's green-eyed gaze.

"For the second time in two days, I'm wondering...why does someone I'm just now meeting remind me of someone I know?" Sun wondered to himself.

"Now, allow me to provide you boys on an update of things." Lusamine said to the two of them, her voice becoming slightly less pleasant and more businesslike. It was the voice of a leader, and made the two of them sit up a little straighter on the couch.

"The damage to the Observation Deck was swiftly repaired. We've determined that no Pokémon were harmed as a result of the Ultra Wormhole opening. Thanks to Sun's efforts, the damage was minimal across the board. Because of that, you have my thanks." Lusamine said, her smile returning as Sun grinned at her. Lusamine then turned to Hau.

"And we of course can't leave out Hau's efforts to ensure me and Miss Wicke were safe during this incident. Your level-headed thinking helped prevent something from possibly happening to the two of us. Again, you have my thanks." Lusamine said to the boy, who blushed and laughed nervously.

"W-we were happy to help!" Hau replied merrily, though Sun's smile faded quickly. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the return of Miss Wicke. The purple-haired woman bustled into the room, carrying a plate of piping hot cookies and a kettle of tea, along with several porcelain mugs.

"Wow...Those smell delicious!" Hau said eagerly, eyeing the cookies hungrily. Sun looked at his friend in surprise.

"Dude, how are you not a hundred pounds heavier? You just ate!" Sun remarked as Hau sat back in his chair, pouting.

"I'm a growing boy! I can't help it!"

"When your metabolism stops working, it's going to hit you like a Machamp." Sun warned the boy, who simply shrugged.

"Some ladies like a man with some meat on his bones." Lusamine remarked, giggling at the two of them. "Though I wasn't quite finished. I have an update on your Dartrix, Sun."

"How is he!? He is okay?" Sun asked worriedly.

"He's in stable condition, but still fighting through the poison of the Ultra Beast. It made direct contact with an open wound, and though you managed to clear away most of the poison, some of it still made it inside of his body and into his bloodstream. Thankfully he is young and healthy, so he should be able to pull through." Lusamine said quietly, with Sun looking down at the floor with a sigh.

"Oliver…" Sun murmured as Hau put a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

"I suspect his behavior after this battle will be erratic for a time. The poison of this particular Ultra Beast is not something we're unfamiliar with. I can go into it later, once we have a more clear picture of his health. In the meantime...Let's have a chat about your father, Sun." Lusamine said as she crossed her arms, eyeing Sun as the boy's eyes darkened in color and went wide in surprise. Wicke tilted her head in confusion while Hau adopted an expression of worry.

"Sun's father? Did you know him, Madam President? What does this have to do with anything?" Wicke asked, earning a nod from Lusamine.

"I've wanted to have this conversation for some time, ever since I learned of Sun's presence in Alola. It's only fate that we meet now, and in such a fashion as this. And it's important because Sun's father is a man the entire world knows for the wrong reasons. His father is Ashton Aupuni, otherwise known as Borlath, Grand Master of Cipher." Lusamine said as Sun flinched and Wicke gasped in surprise.

"Yeah...that's him." Sun said quietly, looking away.

"But going back to your other question, the answer is yes. I knew Sun's father. For many years, in fact. Though once Ashton left Alola, we grew a bit distant. Nevertheless, he was one of the Aether Foundation's biggest supporters. Even if our Alolan branch was based in a place he promised he'd never return too, he was always ready to help us help others whenever possible. My son and daughter never met the man, though that didn't stop him from sending them the occasional gift every now and then." Lusamine said with a fond smile as she looked at Sun. "You bear a striking resemblance to him, Sun. Except you don't carry the same anger he does. You're a lot more happy than he was, and is, I suppose. I can tell from your eyes...though yours seem just as sad as his was. Why is that, I wonder?"

"Dad...he never talked about his home. About Alola. I didn't even know which region he was born in until recently." Sun replied quietly, looking down at the floor. "I've heard about you before in passing, but not that you were a friend of my Dad. Why?" Sun asked Lusamine, looking at the woman with some suspicion. If they were friends, was she loyal to his father? To Cipher?

Lusamine's smile faded, and the woman let out a small sigh. "I suspect it's because your father was trying to protect you. Alola is a veritable paradise nowadays, but once upon a time it was not so. As many wonderful people and Pokémon that Alola has living here, there are others who are not as good. Team Skull is an example. And back then, Alola was in the midst of one of it's darkest periods of time. Ashton, from what I understand, wanted you to live a life far away from the place where he experienced so much suffering." Lusamine explained quietly as Miss Wicke took a seat beside her, looking interested.

"If you know more about my father...If you can tell me more about him, then maybe I can find out why he is the way he is." Sun said softly, his eyes lightening slightly. Sun looked at Lusamine and said, "Please, ma'am. I want to know everything you know. What my Dad tried so hard to keep from me and Mom. I need to know. Maybe it'll help me stop him."

"Very well. It's a long tale and it may take a few days to tell properly. After this, you may not view your father the same way you do now. Are you alright with that?" Lusamine asked Sun, who nodded. Hau had a question though.

"Miss Lusamine, how did you know Borlath in the first place?" Hau asked the older woman, a note of curiosity in his voice.

Lusamine sighed after a moment, a small smile coming to her face. She looked upwards, her gaze seeming faraway. Lusamine cast her mind back to days long past. In her mind she saw a boy so much like the one who sat before her now. Her smile became sad as she shut her eyes, considering how to answer Hau's question. While the past was a painful thing...perhaps within its depths lay some manner of closure. After a while, the Aether Foundation President spoke.

"Let me tell you a story…" Lusamine began softly, her smile becoming one that seemed rather sorrowful. "Of a Champion and her beloved boyfriend, and their meeting with the most unhappy boy in the world."


Dun. Dun. Dun!

Alrighty, that's where I'll end it for now. Next chapter, more backstory and exploration of the Aether Paradise! Hopefully you all enjoyed my more dramatic take on the showdown with the Nihilego.

Q & A

From: Xim the Despot

So I'm on the fence about getting a Switch and a copy of Sword/Shield. Would you say that its worth it or not?

Absolutely. The Switch is a must-buy anyway, just because it's so handy. As someone who travels a decent bit and is away from home often, being able to play games on the go like I can is fantastic. The Switch has a lot of great games of all kind on there. I totally recommend it.

As for Sword and Shield, I'd say its worth getting. It was probably the most fun I've had with an installment in Pokemon since Black and White. I might even go so far to say that I enjoyed it more than Sun and Moon. It has its problems, of course, but I think it was great.

From: PigniteGamer19

Can't wait to see Sun battle Nihilego! Also, are you going to expand on the whole Lusamine-in-Kalos thing? And (not saying you have to, but you could) maybe you could make a team for Victor/Gloria(Male(Victor)/Female(Gloria) protagonists of Sword and Shield)? And what game they're in?

Note to fellow readers:

Don't criticize FlygonNick because of his choices for the team. Please.

Thanks for that. I remember last time I indulged people's curiosity about teams and the deluge of requests and so on that I got.

I absolutely plan on expanding the Lusamine in Kalos thing. However that's two-fold. One is explaining the backstory of her, Mohn and Ashton in the past. After some time, I'll begin expanding on the formation of the Aether Paradise, Lillie and Gladion being born and their upbringing in Kalos, before moving onto them creating the Aether Paradise branch in Alola.

As for your second question...I don't know. Mainly because I'm still unsure where in the timeline Sword and Shield takes place. But even more so by the fact that part of me wants to do a Sword and Shield Nuzlocke novelization down the road (if I decide that I can do one more story). Which, considering that three years later I'm only halfway through this one...Yeah.

However, I'll oblige anyway. Because why not?

Gloria (Shield): Cinderace, Corviknight, Drednaw, Appltun, Boltund, and Galarian Rapidash

From: SonicIKE

Glad you're enjoying Pokémon Shield. I'm already halfway through it and it's so awesome. I agree with the exp. share being a con. I dislike that that only way to get around it is to put the Pokémon you aren't training in the PC.

What are your thoughts about the wild area though?

I really like it. It's different and offers a lot of different options for exploration. I didn't mess around with it too much, but I did enjoy it. I really do need to do another playthrough sometime.

From: Guest

Dude you should do a joke where someone asks Blue who he is and Red says his name is NUTSACK. That'd be a funny callback of everyone calling Blue a mean name since he was a Dick. And it'd be the only time Red would talk.

Not gonna lie, this one made me laugh. I'll definitely consider it. If Red doesn't do it, maybe another character will.

That's all for now, everyone. Thanks again for sticking with me for a hundred chapters and more than a million words. This story is still going strong, and it's all thanks to you.

On that note, I have some questions for you all!

What has been your favorite part of Radiant Sun? What moments from the first half of the story stick out to you? What do you think the story could improve on? And finally…

What are most excited to see in the next one hundred chapters?

Please don't forget to favorite and/or follow the story if you haven't already. And as always, please review in the section below to show your support and offer feedback. It's the reason this story has been able to grow and develop as much as it has been. I also answer questions, if you want to leave them.

I also have a Discord! PM me on this site for the link to join the conversation.

Take care and stay awesome.

Until next time, FlygonNick out!