Pokémon Radiant Sun
Holy cow, lot's of gaming news hit us this past week, huh?
My thoughts on the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass are...hell yes. I'd much rather get that than a copy-paste of the same region with a marginally different story. It all looks great and I'm honestly psyched to see what Game Freak has in store for us in the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra.
As for the other news...MYSTERY DUNGEON IS BACK, Y'ALL!
I was over the moon about this news. This is something I've wanted for a while, and it's finally coming true. March is gonna bleed my wallet dry, and I have no regrets.
However...Let's get to business. This chapter is pretty long.
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last chapter, which includes Defender31415, Oragonking, SolanaLeonhart, Joey, SonicIKE and BraviaryScout. Thanks for the feedback and support, as always!
There are depictions of intense and graphic violence in this chapter. You've been warned.
Enjoy.
Chapter 103: Long Live the King
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM US!"
"Raah!"
"I can't understand you! Just keep running, Damien!"
Ashton knew that he was tempting fate by traveling through the wilds without a Pokémon, but without a regional Professor on the island or with a Captain to assist (they were quite busy most of the time and he had no way of getting in contact with them anyway), the boy had to set out catching his first Pokémon on his own.
Surprisingly, he was successful. It took about a day's worth of trekking, but the exhausted and hungry boy managed to catch a young Houndoor prowling around in the dark on Route 12. The canine was a rather surly one, but behaved well enough, which Ashton was thankful for. Ashton thought for over an hour about what to possibly name the Houndour, but he had never been good with names. So he simply went with Damien, since it was the first name he could think of.
However…the boy would learn that stumbling around in the dark with almost no way to defend yourself was a deadly mistake.
Ashton wasn't aware that a section of Route 12 was infamous. Most Trainers on Akala Island knew not to wander blindly through the wilds, and to definitely not do that on Route 12. And that while stumbling through the dark cliffs, Ashton stumbled into the particularly aggressive clan of Alolan Golem that lived there.
The group of Alolan Golem, Graveler and Geodude wasted no time trying to attack Ashton and the newly named Damien. The boy jumped down from a high rock and landed on the ground, wincing in pain for a few moments before continuing his sprint down the mountain, barely avoiding a Rock Blast from massive Golem as it tried to crush him.
"Run, Damien! Come on!" Ashton urged his Pokémon as he bolted down the path, glancing over his shoulder to see the mob of furious Pokémon still chasing them. Damien let out a bark of agreement, pushing himself harder.
"HELP! SOMEONE, HELP US!" Ashton shouted as a rushing sound filled the air. The child looked behind him in time to see a storm of lightning barreling towards the two of them, as several Alolan Golem fired off a Discharge at the same time. The boy and the dog didn't have a chance to move out of the way, and were thrown through the air as the lightning blasted them off a small cliff and made them land harshly into the ground, screaming in pain.
For a few moments Ashton simply laid there, his mind consumed with agony. Eventually Ashton managed to open a single eye and saw Damien trying in vain to stand and protect him. It was incredible how, even after only having known each other for an hour or so, the Pokémon was attempting to stand against impossible odds for his new Trainer. Ashton sighed and shut his eyes as the snarling of the rock monsters above drew closer. This was it. This was the end of him.
At least he didn't have to deal with his parents anymore. Ashton opened his eyes and saw several Alolan Golem looking down at him with murder in their eyes, electricity surging around their bodies, all too prepared to use it.
And then...
"Milotic, use Hydro Pump!"
"Fiaro, Solar Beam!"
The clan of Golem looked surprised for a moment before a jet of water suddenly blasted them, knocking several of the Rock/Electric-types out effortlessly. The ones who hadn't been hit were taken aback and didn't dare move further, now that more formidable opponents had seemingly arrived.
Ashton tried to move from where he was at on the ground, but couldn't manage much more than rolling onto his back. It was then he saw who his saviors were.
A rather husky blond-haired man wearing a cap and dressed in a floral shirt and shorts was standing beside a Kantonian Ninetales as it unleashed a massive Solar Beam, ripping through the Alolan Geodude, Graveler and Golem that hadn't been knocked down by Milotic's Hydro Pump. The beam swept through the cliffs, creating several large explosions as the Pokémon were blasted back.
The other person was a woman, wearing a yellow and white sundress and rather stylish boots, her long blonde hair billowing behind her as a scowl crossed her beautiful face, her green eyes gleaming with emotion as she ordered her Milotic to fire another Hydro Pump.
"Lusamine, what's the plan here?" The man asked as the Rock/Electric-types were being hosed down with water, which served to make them back off a bit further. They were definitely more angry than ever though.
"Get the boy to safety, Mohn. I'll be two steps behind you." Lusamine replied, glaring at the horde of Alolan Pokémon eyeing her with hate. Mohn nodded and walked over to the downed form of Ashton, who was still struggling to move.
"Come on, kid. I've got you." The blond-haired man said kindly, scooping Ashton up in his arms with a grunt. It was alarming how beaten up the boy looked, and was surprised when the child spoke.
"D-Damien…" Ashton muttered, looking at his fallen Houndour. Mohn looked down at the Houndour and picked him up with a noise of exertion, placing him on top of the child before beginning to jog down the path. Ashton could hear Mohn muttering to himself something about lifting more weights.
"Lusa, come on!" the man shouted to the Champion as she battled the Alolan Golem with her Milotic, though she did run after the man once a few seconds had passed, her Pokémon trailing behind her. Ashton could hear the roars of fury from the clan of Pokémon, but they didn't dare try to come down the cliffs to face them.
For what seemed like an eternity, the two adults dashed through Route 11 with Ashton and Damien, looking over their shoulders for any signs of the murderous clan of Pokémon. Finally, after far too long, the two adults came to a stop.
Mohn gently placed Ashton and Damien on the ground before collapsing onto the ground himself, trying to catch his breath. Lusamine was winded as well, though she was far more composed.
"W-who...who are you?" Ashton rasped as he tried to move off of the ground, failing as he fell into the grass. Lusamine walked over to the boy and carefully lifted him into a sitting position. Ashton was surprised by how gentle she was.
"My name is Lusamine. This is Mohn. We're visiting these islands for the time being, and we happened to notice you needed some help back there. What's your name?" Lusamine asked kindly as she dropped a backpack onto the ground and rifled through it.
"I'm...I'm Ashton. Ashton Aupuni. That's Damien." The boy said grudgingly, gesturing towards the Houndour that Mohn was healing with a Full Restore and a Revive. Soon a cluster of medical supplies littered the ground as the boy 's arms and legs were sprayed with disinfectant and medical spray , helping treat Ashton's burns and scratches.
However, when Lusamine tried to get Ashton to remove his shirt to help her better treat his injuries, he refused to do so.
"If I can't get to them, then they'll keep hurting." Lusamine said, her tone becoming stern.
"And I'm not taking my shirt off. I don't care if I'm in pain! Not like it's anything new, anyway." Ashton growled, trying to get to his feet before his lost his balance and fell into the grass.
"You're definitely a stubborn one." Mohn laughed, shaking his head.
"You also don't look like you're prepared to be out on a route like this. Please...Let us help you. We're not going to hurt you." Lusamine said quietly as her Milotic slithered forward, cooing softly. Ashton stared at the serpent, feeling a sense of calm slowly come over him. While he wouldn't know it until later, Milotic was renowned for his ability to calm raging hearts. The boy's eyes drifted to each of them in turn, his hostile expression slowly becoming more neutral.
"I know we kinda came out of nowhere to save your skin, but seriously kid...It's alright. We don't bite." Mohn said as Damien padded back over to Ashton, nudging the boy's arm with a grunt. Ashton sighed deeply, though he did take a moment to scratch Damien's head as he shut his eyes in thought. Ashton was surprised (and alarmed) when he felt someone place their hand on his own head. Ashton opened his eyes and turned his gaze towards Lusamine and saw that it was her. Lusamine's smile was warm and kind. It was so...odd.
"How can I trust you?" Ashton asked, his voice very small. It was such a strange thing to Lusamine and Mohn. How could a child be so distrustful of them? It seemed so strange to the two adults that this child looked at them both with so much suspicion.
"Considering the fact that we risked our lives to save yours? Give is a little benefit of the doubt, sport." Mohn said with an easygoing smile, which Ashton found reassuring after he thought about to. The man wasn't wrong. They had clearly helped save Ashton and Damien and treated their injuries.
"You're safe now. I swear to you, Ashton, that nothing will harm you here. So just rest...okay?" Lusamine said to the boy, patting him gently on the head. Ashton looked back and forth between Mohn and Lusamine, a flash of emotion running through the boy as his eyes suddenly flickered colors several times in quick succession. Mohn and Lusamine started at this, though the colors finally settled on a dark gold color as the boy hugged the Houndour in his arms and let out a sigh of relief and shut his eyes.
"Thank...thank you. So, so much." Ashton murmured, keeping his eyes shut. After a few moments, his body seemed to go limp and his head lolled backwards, with him resting against the rock.
"Poor kid. Looks like all that excitement wore him out." Mohn remarked lightly as Lusamine let out a sigh, rubbing her forehead. "He just needs a bit of rest and he'll be right as rain, I bet.
"Well, it's way too late to keep wandering around in the dark. Let's set up camp for the night." Lusamine said to Mohn, who nodded once. Meanwhile Ashton slept on, exhausted by the efforts of the day. The Houndour in his lap rested as well, though it kept one eye open to watch the strangers that had helped him.
Some things would never change between Ashton and Damien.
Giovanni grit his teeth as Damien, now a Mega Houndoom, lunged at the Team Rocket leaders. They had all been betrayed by Cipher. Team Rocket had been standing atop the world mere moments ago, and not that was nothing but a bitter memory as thousands of personnel burned in an inferno right behind him.
Proton stepped forward, throwing out a hand as his Corbat soared forward. "Acrobatics! Kill that damn mutt! We have to protect Lord Giovanni!" Proton bellowed, a harsh grin on his face as his trusty Crobat swooped past, slamming into Damien in mid-air with a cry. To Proton's surprise, the two Pokémon simply hung in midair for a moment, despite Damien not even using an attack.
Borlath smiled, and then gave the order.
"Thunder Fang!" Borlath shouted as Damien reared his head back, sinking his electrified fangs into the Crobat. The Bat Pokémon screamed in agony as Damien dropped to the ground, slamming the Crobat onto the floor harshly as he bit down harder, blood streaming from its wing.
"Crobat, use Cross Poison! Hyper Beam! Come on, fight back damn it!" Proton shouted as Damien simply released the Crobat's wing, leaving its twitching form on the ground. He then inhaled deeply before releasing a jet of flames into the back of the Crobat, making it hiss loudly as the flames engulfed it.
Soon the hisses faded.
"Try again." Damien said coldly as he padded forward, leaving the burning mess that had once been Proton's Crobat behind. The Executive in question took a step back, a rare expression of shock on his face.
"He...he k-killed my Crobat. With just two moves he…" Proton rasped as Ariana and Archer stepped forward, scowls on their faces.
"Vileplume, use Stun Spore!" Ariana barked, with the Flower Pokémon grinning darkly before releasing the yellow spores.
"Flamethrower, Houndoom!" Archer ordered his own Houndoom, who released a torrent of flames directly ahead.
"Get airborne with Flamethrower, then Inferno!" Borlath called to Damien. The Mega Houndoom laughed as he bounded forward, throwing his head down towards the ground and releasing a Flamethrower at the floor. The flames propelled the canine high into the air, much to the shock of everyone present. Damien then released a wave of blue flames that rushed towards the Team Rocket Executives, prompting Archer to retaliate.
"Inferno to block!" Archer shouted as the flames descended from above. Houndoom's fire rose to meet Damien's, making blue flames coat the stage all around them.
Borlath continued to smile, his crimson eyes of pure hatred gleaming madly in the firelight as Damien laughed softly, making his way through the flames with ease. Archer took a step back as Ariana called out a Murkrow and a Arbok and sent them forward.
"Dark Pulse! Poison Jab!" Arianna shouted as her two Pokémon rushed Damien as the Houndoom bounded forward. Damien snarled as the Arbok lashed out with it's tail, smacking him in the side and sending pain lancing across his body, though Damien returned the favor with a Fire Fang to the snake's tail that made the Arbok hiss in agony before Damien slammed it again and again onto the stage, swinging it around like a chew toy before throwing its limp form away as the horrified Murkow flew away, eyes wide in sheer terror.
"Damn it. He's toying with us!" Archer barked, his tone full to the brim with fury and indignation. Ariana returned her Arbok, with the snake clearly having been knocked out by the attack. Ariana's Murkow landed on her shoulder, visibly shaking as they stared down the approaching Houndoom. However, after a few moments Ariana and Archer smiled.
Borlath halted in his steps forward, realizing that he hadn't been paying as much attention as he should have been, and whirled around in time to see Proton lunging at him. The two men fell to the ground, struggling with one another as Damien looked towards his Trainer with concern.
'Dark Pulse!" Ariana and Archer shouted, with their Pokémon blasting Damien back with the two beams. The Dark Pokémon scowled as he was knocked back a step, the double attack serving to do some damage to the canine. Meanwhile, Proton and Borlath wrestled on the ground.
"How dare you! We were on top of the world! And you had to stab us in the back! For what, huh!?" Proton spat as he drew back his fist to punch Borlath in the face, only for a punch to the gut to suddenly stop Proton in his tracks. The Executive sputtered as the wind was driven out of him, which allowed Borlath to suddenly slam his skull into the other man's skull and knock him to the ground.
With that, Borlath rose to his feet with a grim smile of fury, a small trail of blood dripping down his forehead. He moved towards Proton as the man rolled to his feet, scowling before throwing himself at the Cipher Master. Borlath was more prepared this time, sidestepping the punch with surprising swiftness and slamming a fist into Proton's throat to once again stun him. Borlath then moved behind the man as he struggled to breath and calmly grabbed one of his arms before violently wrenching it to the side.
Ariana flinched at the resounding crack and as Proton found the ability to scream. Borlath kicked Proton in the back to send him to the ground, with Borlath spitting onto Proton's groaning form before turning his attention to the two remaining Executives. Damien had knocked out Ariana's Murkow with a Flamethrower, leaving Archer's Houndoom and Ariana's Vileplume the only Pokémon standing against Damien.
"Last time I fought Team Rocket, I had to watch as you tried to take the only woman I have ever loved hostage. I'm a stronger man than I was then." Borlath growled as he walked towards the two criminals, who both took several steps back as the red-eyed man approached. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect this world and the people I love."
"How is this happening...How is he making a joke out of us with just one Pokémon?" Ariana hissed, shaking slightly as Damien laughed softly, his razor sharp teeth glistening with blood in the hellfire's light.
"I was once a Champion of my homeland. I won the Championship here in Kanto. Neither of those titles mean anything in the long run, but it's still worth noting. Damien is the only Pokémon I need to destroy Team Rocket." Borlath intoned as Damien laughed softly, padding forward as his claws seared the stage he stood on.
"Someone has to watch out for this idiot...May as well be me." Damien growled, crouching low as the three Executives prepared themselves for another round with Damien. However-
"Rock Wrecker."
Damien was suddenly smashed into by a mass of orange and black, which sent him hurtling into the wall with a howl of pain. The Mega Houndoom fell to the ground, shaking his head slightly as Giovanni and his Rhyperior advanced, a Persian prowling nearby.
"You may have taken down Proton, but you'll find me a tougher opponent." Giovanni said coldly, snapping his fingers. "You three, wait for an opening. Rhyperior and Persian...Hyper Beam."
"Damien, Fire Blast!" Borlath shouted as Damien rose to his feet, growling softly. Rhyperior and Persian released their attacks, with two massive beams of raw energy soaring towards the Mega Houndoom as he fired off a star-shaped blast of fire.
Archer took that moment to run forward, rousing Proton as Ariana helped the man to his feet. The trio then shuddered as the attacks collided, creating a shockwave of sheer power that actually cracked the glass separating everyone from the inferno that had consumed Team Rocket and filled the room with smoke.
Damien was thrown back, landing harshly onto the ground before he rolled to his feet and into a crouch. He then dove into the smoke and out the other side, tackling Giovanni's Persian with a ferocious snarl.
It was at that time Giovanni noticed that Borlath wasn't where he had been before. The mafia lord turned around in time to get a fist to the face. Giovanni dropped to the ground, stunned, as Proton, Ariana and Archer gasped. Borlath stood tall beside Giovanni, his fist raised as a manic smile slowly spread across his face.
Without a word, Proton and Archer rushed forward while Ariana hesitated, with the woman joining her comrades after a moment. However they were soon stopped by an unexpected obstacle in the form of Mask.
"Sorry to halt the rescue, but seeing if Borlath can actually murder someone with his own two hands is something I'm not gonna let get interrupted. So you can try your hand against me. Don't worry. I'll make sure the result stays the same." Mask said as his Claydol teleported in behind him. Proton scowled at the man, his right arm hanging loosely at his side as Archer and Ariana held their ground, prepared to do battle against the Cipher Admin.
Mask suddenly threw back his cloak, revealing a row of syringes hidden away on his person...along with a very long and sharp-looking serrated knife. The masked criminal pulled out one of the syringes and drove it into his arm with a giggle, pushing down on the plunger as the three Executives watched in surprise
"Aaaaaahhhh...Yes! That's some good shit, right there!" Mask moaned as he removed the needle from his body, shuddering slightly before tossing away the syringe. Team Rocket, or what was left of the group, took a step back in horror as the man continued to laugh maniacally, his voice twisted by the mask that he wore.
"Now...Let's make you three sing. Shall we?" Mask remarked, rolling his neck as his body twitched erratically as the drugs flowed through his veins. "Well, I don't suppose screaming really counts as singing, but I'm sure I can make a symphony out of it all the same."
Meanwhile, Giovanni was scrambling to his feet as a dribble of blood flowed from his mouth. Borlath grinned darkly as he advanced towards Giovanni, The crime lord finally staggered to upright, glancing towards his Pokémon. Both his Rhyperior and his Persian were battling with the Mega Houndoom and were being held at bay by a Flamethrower. Giovanni scowled in anger, seeing his two strongest Pokémon being unable to put down one single dog.
"I have more than one Pokémon, you fool. Dugtrio! Nidoking! Nidoqueen!" Giovanni shouted, grabbing three more Poké Balls off of his belt. However, before he could call them out a shot rang out and Giovanni fell to the ground, screaming as a bullet penetrated his shoulder. The man crashed onto the ground, gasping in pain as his life fluid flowed freely from the hole in his shoulder.
"Idiot...Did you forget I had a gun?" Borlath asked as he scooped up the three fallen Poké Balls from the ground and pocketed them with a smirk. Persian hissed angrily and leapt towards Borlath, though Damien quickly stepped in front of the massive cat with a dark grin. "Damien! Dark Pulse on Persian!"
"SUFFER!" Damien bellowed as he fired off a massive criss-crossing beam of darkness that blasted away the Persian, sending him flying high into the air and crashing down hard onto the stage.
"Rock Blast, Rhyperior!" Giovanni shouted as he pressed a hand against his shoulder, trying to stem the flow of blood. Rhyperior opened fire on the Houndoom with Rock Blast, making him snarl in pain as four waves of the attack smashed into the Fire/Dark-type.
"Wear it down with Will-O-Wisp, then use Return!" Borlath ordered Damien as the Houndoom leapt to the side to avoid another Stone Edge. Damien breathed out a tongue of purple flames that enveloped Rhyperior, badly burning the rock-hard body of the Drill Pokémon. The Mega Houndoom then shot forward as a white aura surrounded him, slamming into the Rhyperior hard enough to knock him over.
"H-how...urk!' Giovanni gasped, trying to speak through the pain. Borlath leveled the magnum at the man's head, his smile widening.
"You're not allowed to die. Not until you've watched every last one of them perish." Borlath spoke quietly as Damien slunk towards Persian, who was slowly rising to his feet. The massive feline hissed at Damien before suddenly lashing out with a Slash. Damien took the attack head-on, wincing in pain as the claws raked his face hard enough to draw blood.
Damien returned the favor by swiping at Persian with his own claws, making the cat scream as the immense heat of the Mega Houndoom's claws seared its skin. Damien leapt forward, smashing into the cat with a Faint Attack before he went for the neck with a Crunch.
"NO!" Giovanni shouted, with everyone going still on the stage. Giovanni shuddered, his breath coming in jagged gasps as he watched his longtime partner…as his Persian...
"That's the second Persian I've torn apart." Damien remarked idly as he rose from the Persian's unmoving corpse, his teeth dripping blood as he flashed Giovanni a smile. "Unlike Padma, he deserved to die."
"Raaaah!"
Damien turned his head head towards Rhyperior, which was slowly getting to his feet with an expression of sheer anger on his face. Damien turned to face the Drill Pokémon, his eyes narrowing. "Don't worry. You're next."
Meanwhile, Mask was having the time of his life fighting the Team Rocket Executives. Proton was hanging around, glaring at him while Archer battled him with his Houndoom and Ariana with her Vileplume.
"You kids never learn from your mistakes, do you?" Mask asked as his Claydol fired off a Psybeam at Vileplume, who leapt to the side to dodge and released a powerful Petal Dance in retaliation. The Clay Doll Pokémon teleported to dodge and reappeared in midair, firing off an Ice Beam that struck the Petal Pokémon and sent it reeling back.
"I'll admit I was hoping for more of a fight. If this is the best you've got, I'll just start killing you." Mask remarked as he twitched, suddenly moving towards them with a sense of purpose.
"Like we're gonna let you. Vileplume, Hyper Beam!" Ariana shouted as her Vileplume quickly charged up the attack and fired it at Mask himself. The man stopped in his tracks, letting out a bark of laughter before his Claydol reappeared in front of him, vanishing a moment later as the attack sailed through them.
"Damn it! Stop teleporting!" Proton shouted angrily before he suddenly felt an arm wrap around his neck.
"Hmmm. You're a bit older than what I'm used to, but I'm sure you'll taste just fine." Mask remarked as he yanked out a syringe from his cloak and jammed it into Proton's neck. The man was then thrown forward by Mask, stumbling slightly before he whirled around. Proton opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly fell to his knees as he body began to shake uncontrollably. Everyone except Mask felt horror run through their veins as bright green veins began to spread through the man's skin, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.
"Proton!" Archer shouted, though Mask cut him off with a laugh.
"I just pumped him with enough drugs to put a Copperajah to sleep. To a human...He's got roughly ten seconds to live." Mask said as his snapped his fingers. Claydol released a massive wave of Psychic, blasting them all away from Proton as the man let out a strangled scream before suddenly falling onto the ground. Foam began to form in the man's gurgling mouth as the light faded from his eyes.
Mask walked forward and watched as the man died, laughing softly to himself. He stood there for a few moments, looming over the body before he reached into his cloak, drawing out the long serrated knife hidden within. He grabbed one of Proton's arms and placed the knife against it. "And now I collect my prize."
Everyone's attention, even Borlath's and Giovanni's were drawn to Mask as he swiftly began to remove Proton's right arm from the man's body. The man worked quickly, as if he had done this hundreds of times before.
"You sick bastard!" Ariana screamed as Mask finished his terrible work, raising his bloodied knife in one hand and brandishing Proton's severed arm with the other.
Mask laughed at her in response, reaching up to his mask and tapping the jaw of the device. To their surprise, the lower portion of the mask retracted, freeing the man's mouth and allowing everyone to see the terrifying grin of delight on his face. Mask raised the limb into the air and opened his mouth, allowing the dripping blood to fall into his mouth.
"He's...he's drinking Proton's blood." Archer hissed, shuddering despite the heat in the room. This was like fighting something out of his nightmares. Ariana looked like she was about to be sick. After a few moments Mask lowered the arm and moved it away from his mouth, tapping his mask once again to make it suddenly extend outwards to cover his entire face once again.
"He needs more iron in diet. Well...needed. You know, cannibalism gets a really bad rep." Mask remarked, laughing as Arianna and Archer watched in abject horror. "Thankfully that drug I killed him with is only active for...eh, thirty seconds or so once it enters the human body. After that, it's harmless."
Borlath stared at the man in sheer disbelief, though he quickly refocused his efforts on Team Rocket. While the Executives were distracted, Borlath would take advantage. With that he thrust an arm forward, a smirk coming to his lips.
"Damien! Dark Pulse!" Borlath shouted as Damien opened his mouth, a spasming sphere of darkness forming within moments, only to fire out a massive black beam towards Ariana and her Vileplume. The Flower Pokémon was struck and sent flying backwards across the room, colliding hard with the thick glass wall and smashing through it, allowing the flames to finally begin to pour onto the stage. Ariana had to stifle a gasp as her Vileplume fell into the inferno that had consumed their loyal followers, a scream of pain coming from her Pokémon before it too fell silent.
"N-no...No!" Ariana screamed, falling to her knees. She didn't even notice Archer screaming at her to move, so great was her distress.
That distress was ended once Mask placed his knife across her throat and jerked sideways.
Archer felt his body sag as Ariana's dying body hit the ground, twitching as Mask cackled with delight. The madman placed his hand on her head for a few moments, patting it mockingly, before turning his attention to the final Executive. Archer and his Houndoom growled in sync at the masked monster that had slewn his comrades..
"Come on, big boy. Show me what you've got!" Mask cackled, gesturing mockingly as he rolled his head erratically. This only served to incense Archer, who was already livid. Borlath nodded at that before noticing that Giovanni's Rhyperior had risen once again, and so he turned his attention to the Drill Pokémon.
"Damien, Flamethrower! Full power!" Borlath shouted as Damien faced down Giovanni's Rhyperior, who was charging forward with a Rock Wrecker. Damine opened his mouth and spewed a tidal wave of black and red flames, which made Rhyperior falter as it shouted in pain.
"Stone Edge!" Giovanni shouted before Borlath kicked the man hard in the chest, making him cry out. Damien was knocked back by the Stone Edge, wincing in pain before he suddenly fired off a Dark Pulse. The Rhyperior couldn't move out of the way fast enough and was blasted backwards onto the ground, where it finally fainted.
"And that...takes care of that." Damien breathed, turning towards Borlath and Giovanni. The Mega Houndoom padded towards Giovanni, his smile matching his Trainer's.
"Shadow Ball!" Archer shouted as his Houndoom shot forward, releasing a sphere of raw darkness at the Claydol. The Clay Doll Pokémon teleported on the spot and slammed down on the ground, creating an Earthquake. However to Mask's surprise, Archer's Houndoom leapt off of the ground and sank his teeth onto the head of Claydol. Not only did this have the effect of him dodging the attack, but the Houndoom managed to knock out Mask's Claydol with Crunch.
"Take that, you son of a bitch!" Archer snarled as his Houndoom landed on the ground. "Now, Houndoom, kill him! We have to save Lord Giovanni!"
"If it wasn't for the fact that these drugs make me capable of breaking your skull open like a candy bar, I'd stop using them. The hallucinations are very distracting." Mask remarked casually, shrugging as Archer spit in his direction. "Either way, kudos! Not bad at all. Return, my loyal Claydol. Cloyster, end him!" Mask said as he recalled his Claydol and tossed out another Poké Ball, with this one being a rather small Cloyster. "Hydro Pump that thing away from me."
Cloyster grinned before she fired off a high-pressure blast of water at the Houndoom, catching him in midair and throwing him across the room. Archer watched in dismay as his trusty Pokémon crashed down hard onto the stage, twitching slightly before finally fainting. Archer turned back around and found Mask standing two feet away from him.
Archer swung at the man with his fist, but Mask simply caught the punch and laughed. He then moved behind Archer, yanking his arm violently enough to dislocate it like Borlath had done with Proton. However, Mask added a kick to the back of Archer's left leg that hard enough to break it. Archer let out a shout of pain, but that was silenced when Mask's knife suddenly plunged into his spinal column.
Mask allowed himself a hidden grin, twisting the knife sadistically and severing Archer's spine before throwing the unmoving man onto the ground. Archer twitched several times, his breath coming in shuddering gasps as he tried in vain to move, blood streaming from his back.
"Don't worry. I hear burning to death is the most painful way to go." Mask said cheerily, bending down and patting Archer on the head. "But I can come up with something worse if you want."
"You...bastard…" Archer rasped weakly, with Mask laughing again at the insult.
"Oh, very well. I spoil you kids so. Cloyster, come here." Mask said to his Pokémon, which floated over to him. Mask spared Borlath a glance, seeing that he had Giovanni beaten at this point, and then turned his attention back to Archer. "Place yourself on top of Archer and use Self-Destruct."
"W-w-what!?" Archer sputtered, reaching his arm forward, only for the weight of Mask's Cloyster to suddenly drop down on his already maimed back. Archer howled in agony as Cloyster chuckled, closing its body as it began to glow. Mask walked away, whistling through his mask as Archer begged him not to do this.
And so Archer too met his demise, going out with a literal bang.
Borlath glanced at Mask, who returned his unconscious Cloyster while laughing as he picked up Proton's fallen arm off of the ground. The Cipher Master then returned his attention to the fallen form of Giovanni, who was panting heavily on the ground. The mafia boss stared down the barrel of Borlath's magnum, a disgusted look on his face.
"Well...Just like how Team Rocket tried to take my world away from me. I took your world away from you. And now...the world will see you for who you really are." Borlath said quietly, grinning with triumph as Giovanni's eyes flicked to each of his fallen Executives, and then to the flames that had consumed his followers.
"You're no better than me. Even if your intentions are for the best, as you say. You're still killing, stealing, and filling the world with fear. Continuing the cycle of violence." Giovanni breathed, shaking his head. "You're pathetic."
"Maybe so. But I've grown tired of hearing you speak. Goodbye, Giovanni. Enjoy hell." Borlath said before he pulled the trigger, firing off a single shot into Giovanni's skull. The infamous leader of Team Rocket crashed onto the ground, crimson pouring from his skull as his eyes drained of life.
With that, Giovanni was dead.
Borlath exhaled deeply, shutting his eyes. For a few moments, all that could be heard was the sound of the fire as it slowly began to spread to the stage.
Finally, Borlath turned to the cameras, which were still rolling. He stepped towards them with a small smile, his eyes bright yellow with delight as he laughed softly.
"You're welcome."
Borlath tapped his cuff link, which switched all the cameras in the room off. Mask sauntered over to Giovanni's body, searching it. After pulling out the man's wallet and taking all of the money within it, he tossed it to Borlath.
"Several keycards in there. I can't tell what for though. Being high as a kite kind of makes reading hard." Mask remarked as he continued to frisk the corpse of Giovanni, taking a moment to grope the dead man as he did so. Borlath scowled in disgust, but chose to ignore that as he pulled out several keycards.
"About what I expected. I'll delve into Team Rocket's assets. The fool planned to subjugate Mewtwo to his will and turn it into a Shadow Pokémon, so we'll do the intelligent thing and leave Mewtwo alone." Borlath remarked as he pulled out several keycards, examining them.
"Something as violent and powerful as Mewtwo would be pretty fun to wreck stuff with." Mask remarked, shivering slightly as he moved away from Giovanni's body, making to smack him in the face with Proton's severed arm. Borlath shuddered, trying to ignore the demented man as he watched the flames spread all around them. Damien padded towards Borlath, his Mega Evolution fading with a flash of white light.
Damien collapsed onto the ground, panting from exhaustion. Borlath ran over to his Partner, kneeling down to him. "Are you okay?"
"I've...been...better. Just need to catch. My breath." Damien wheezed, trembling slightly from the sheer pain he was in. Borlath nodded and snapped his fingers before all of them were pulled into their shadows by Borlath's Greninja, who had been lurking in Borlath's shadow the entire time.
Soon enough the group was standing at the edge of a cliff about a mile away from the burning building, with Amber Fontaine and a squad of Cipher Peons watching the blaze. Borlath sighed deeply, eyeing the blaze for a time before he closed his eyes. The Cipher Master smiled, a small laugh escaping him.
"For the first time in a long time...I feel good about what we've done. This was right. This is what I've been wanting to do all along." Borlath spoke softly, relishing the moment. Several cheers went up behind him, making Borlath grin.
"I'm amazed you actually did it. You shot the man dead as you stared him in the eyes. So….How's it feel to do the deed with your own hands?" Mask asked Borlath, earning a look of confusion from the man.
"Don't act so surprised. I've done terrible things in the name of peace. What makes this so special?" Borlath asked Mask, earning a distorted laugh in response.
"Because for someone so idealistic...You're really not as clever as you think you are. Killing someone like that tears the soul apart, and yours is already fractured, little boy." Mask responded, swiping Proton's severed arm through the air much to the disgust of the Cipher Peon's standing nearby. "Take it from someone who's done a lot of killing in his time."
"You don't know me, so keep your mouth shut. Or you'll be having a reunion with Team Rocket." Borlath snapped at the man, his smile vanishing. Mask simply laughed before he called out his Claydol, wiping a bit of Proton's blood from his mask.
"Whatever. I've got to put this on ice for a snack later. I assume you can deal with this mess?" Mask asked Borlath, who simply waved him away. Mask let out a laugh before he teleported once again, leaving Amber and Borlath standing there watching the flames with the Cipher Peons.
"The next time he reports in...I want you to rip that mask off. I'm tired of his secrets." Borlath said quietly to Amber before placing a hand on Damien's head, scratching it for a moment. The Houndoom sighed in pleasure, happy to have something to help get his mind off of the pain of Mega Evolution.
"I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. Though I could probably manage about fifteen yards." Amber mused before she removed the mask over her face, her eyes glowing bright pink. Borlath was surprised to see the Tapu's curse in effect right now.
"What we just did doesn't bother you in the slightest. Why?" Borlath asked the woman, receiving a smirk in response.
"Because Team Rocket deserved this. I mean, so do we, but...They take pleasure in it. Hurting people. Just like that other part of me does. So I don't feel bad watching them suffer." Amber remarked, lowering the mask after a few moments. The two continued to watch the flames burn, with Borlath smiling after some time. For the first time in a long while, his heart felt lighter. He had accomplished one of his many goals tonight. For once, those who he had set his destructive sights on had been people deserving of his attention.
And now Team Rocket would be scattered to the winds.
"Sun...are you okay?"
"Obviously not, Lillie."
"Hau, you're not helping!"
The broadcast had indeed gone worldwide the previous night, and everyone was talking about the destruction of Team Rocket. Many were condemning the actions of Cipher, calling them disgusting and violent. However there were some who voiced approval of the manner in which Team Rocket was annihilated.
Sun and his friends were unfortunate enough to have seen the broadcast live. Sun had been horrified beyond belief at what his father had done, and yet at the same time couldn't help but be amazed at how perfectly he had executed his betrayal of Team Rocket. Nothing was left of the building that had been Team Rocket's new base of operations, and no one had escaped the place alive.
All this did for Sun, however, was leave him with more questions than answers, and with more stress he didn't exactly need at the moment. So when his friends began to bicker about him as they walked down the sidewalks of Malie City, the boy let out a growl of annoyance.
"Shut up!" Sun said as he turned to the two of them, his eyes flashing red. Both of his friends fell silent as Sun sighed, rubbing his face. Both children knew that their friend from Kanto hadn't slept at all last night, after watching his father kill Giovanni. Sun's eyes returned to their gray color, though they seemed darker than they had been before the broadcast. It was hard for Sun to get any of it out of his head.
Borlath wearing that terrifying smile as Team Rocket burned to death.
Damien tearing apart Giovanni's Pokémon with ease, the power of Mega Evolution making him a truly unstoppable monster.
And then there was Mask, literally tearing apart the Team Rocket Executives while having the time of his life.
It was all beyond terrifying to Sun…
Because Sun knew this was all done for his sake.
"I'll be fine. Team Rocket...They deserved what they got. What's done is done. Now, what's our plan for the day? Let's not discuss this." Sun said, his thoughts going to the phone in his backpack. The phone he had gotten from Lusamine that would allow him to contact his father without being tracked. Sun wondered if he could trust it. But if he could...maybe he could dissuade his father from further violence.
"No. I shouldn't even consider trying to talk to that man." Sun thought to himself, shaking his head.
"You're still going to meet the Professor in Malie Garden, right?" Lillie asked her two friends, receiving nods from the two of them as Sun snapped out of his thoughts. "If that's the case, I'm going to do some sight-seeing."
"Do you want me to lend you one of my Pokémon?" Sun asked Lillie, making the girl look at him in surprise. "I'd feel a lot better knowing you weren't walking around unprotected with Team Skull and Cipher lurking around."
"Plus, Ula'ula is Team Skull's home turf." Hau chimed in, making Sun look at him in surprise. "Po Town is their base of operations. Meaning more boneheads than ever will be in the area."
"That actually sounds like a good idea." Lillie admitted sheepishly, making Hau snicker at her. Lillie stuck her tongue out at the boy, making Sun laugh. That got Hau and Lillie to smile, glad that their friend wasn't dwelling on the atrocities of last night.
"Any preferences of who you want?" Sun asked his crush, who thought about it.
"I'll take Brago." Lillie decided after a moment. Sun unclipped the canine's ball from his belt and called out the Legendary Pokémon, which looked at all of them before nodding.
"Brago, I want you to go with Lillie as she explores the town. Me and Hau are going to the Malie Garden, but as soon as we're done we'll try and find you both, okay. Keep Lillie safe for me, okay?" Sun said to Brago as Lillie walked over to the canine and patted his head, a soft smile on her face.
"Of course, Alpha. I'll protect her with my life." Brago promised, nodding at his Trainer before suddenly arching his head back, sighing softly in delight as Lillie began scratching his ears.
"Awww, who's a good puppy?" Lillie cooed as Sun fought to smile, seeing Brago's dopey expression of pleasure.
"Meeee...I'm a good puppy...a little more the left?" Brago asked, his hind leg kicking slightly, much to the amusement of everyone present. Lillie giggled as Rotom Dex sneakily floated out of Sun's bag and snapped a quick picture, laughing to itself before hiding away again.
"Lillie, are you playing favorites with my team?" Sun asked teasingly, which made Lillie smile guiltily before she hugged Brago, pressing her face into the large dog's fuzzy mane. Sun didn't blame her, since it was warm and comfortable. Brago made for an excellent pillow sometimes.
"I can't help it! He's so warm and fuzzy and adorable!" Lillie replied happily, separating herself from the canine before she heard an indignant cry from the bag she carried. Lillie looked down and saw Nebby giving her a glare, which made the girl sweatdrop.
"Nebby, you know I love you-" Lillie began to say, though she was cut off by Nebby.
"Pew pew pew!"
"He's NOT happy. He said he's adorable and fluffy too." Brago remarked, clearly trying not to laugh. Lillie was surprised when Nebby flew out of his bag and into her arms, giving her the most angry look they had ever seen on the puffball.
"Looks like Nebby's jealous." Hau said as stifled a snicker. Sun was quietly laughing as well, though he realized that they were still taking quite a while and that they still needed to have a talk with Professor Kukui in Malie Garden. He calmed himself down after a few seconds and spoke.
"I think we should leave you three to sort this out." Sun said as he took a few steps backward, with Hau catching on and mimicking his friend after several moments. Lillie caught on too late as Nebby circled around her, crying out loudly.
"W-w-w-wait, don't leave me here like this!" Lillie protested as the two boys turned around and began walking away, leaving a flustered Lillie behind with an amused Brago and a furious Nebby.
"So that's what it's like to be Professor Kukui." Sun remarked, crossing his arms. He began to speak in an overly loud voice, "Woo boy, cousins! I sure do love abandoning young people who can't defend themselves for no good reason! Oh yeah!"
"Wow. That's was kind of scary how spot-on that was, Sun."
"I'm I wrong, though?"
"Nope."
Malie Gardens
"Wow...this place is beautiful." Sun said quietly, eyeing gardens with a small smile as they entered. It was certainly a breathtaking sight.
A lush green garden stretched out almost endlessly ahead of them, with stone pathways stretching out here and there to other sections of the garden. Elaborate golden bridges crossed the expanses of crystal clear water, decorated with various Pokémon found in the Johto region like Mareep. Sun spotted several pagodas standing tall in the distance, and noticed many wild Pokémon crawling through the taller grass and swimming in the water. It was a paradise of sorts in his opinion.
Hau bolted ahead of Sun, standing atop the bridge ahead with a wide smile on his face. "I heard that they serve tea somewhere here in Malie Garden…" the cheerful Trainer said, crossing his arms. "I'll start my search from the bridge here. Why don't you start from around the edge of the garden?"
"That actually makes sense, Hau. I'll do that." Sun agreed with a nod, walking towards the right as he called out Finn. Hau nodded and smiled before he caught what Sun said.
"Hey, what was that supposed me to mean!?"
Sun walked away, giggling softly as he dug out Rotom Dex and said, "Alright, Rotom. Let's try and find and Professor in the most roundabout way possible."
"Zzzt! Right-o! Oh hey, a Trainer!" Rotom pointed out, gesturing towards a man approaching Sun. Sun smirked as Finn began to pound his fists together, walking towards the approaching man with purpose.
After a swift battle that ensured the Tourist wouldn't have enough money for souvenirs, Sun continued his trek around the garden. He admired the serene atmosphere and called out Penny as well so she could enjoy the garden. Sun refrained from calling out Oliver just yet. He was saving that for later.
"It's such a wonderful day out. Sunny skies, a nice breeze, and a wonderful place to fly!" Penny practically sang, swooping past Sun as the boy walked through the grass.
"Malie Garden is really nice. After this, maybe we should spend some time here. Have a picnic or something." Sun agreed as they reached the water's edge. After picking up a Grassy Seed, Sun eventually began to make his way back towards the entrance of Malie Garden, where Hau was still watching someone swimming in the water. Sun pointedly ignored this, instead choosing to explore the garden a bit more.
"So...Why are just the two of us out?" Penny asked after a while had passed. Finn was fending off an Ariados, blasting it with Bubble Beam and knocking it out after taking a few hits.
"Brago is off on protection detail. He's making sure Lillie stays safe while I'm off doing this. And as for Oliver…" Sun trailed off, unsure of how to describe what had happened with his Starter.
"What about him?" Penny asked, sounding concerned. Sun almost smiled then, but kept his expression neutral.
"He started acting strange during a battle with Hau. He acted really aggressive and part of me wonders if he's really okay after hit with that weird poison from the Ultra Beast." Sun explained as he continued to walk through the grass, watching as Finn smashed into an Alolan Meowth with Brick Break. Sun took that moment to pick up a Luxury Ball, stuffing it into his backpack as Penny hovered nearby, looking worried.
"This is all my fault. Everything about that monster just felt wrong, and Oliver got hurt trying to protect me." Penny said quietly, looking down at the ground. Sun surprised the bird by suddenly pulling her into a hug, making Penny squawk.
"Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. What matters is that Oliver is okay physically, but something weird was going on during that battle. I'm going to have a talk with him later, and then have a group meeting about it." Sun said to the bird as he set her on the ground. Penny stared at Sun for a few moments before nodding.
With that being said, Sun couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just Oliver acting up. The Dartrix was a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he always listened to commands. Sun also remembered how Faba mentioned something about abnormal behavior from Oliver, and that if he noticed anything odd, that Sun should correct it.
Well...Sun would do just that. He knew that Oliver could work through this.
The trio continued their trek through the beautiful garden of Malie City, with Finn clearing a path through the grass with gusto. Penny continued to stew in her guilt while Sun tried to simply relax and think about recent events. Aether Paradise, Team Rocket's destruction, his feelings for Lillie, and his Island Challenge in general.
"These experiences, both good and bad, are making me who I meant to be. Dad tried to stop all of this. Even if Miss Lusamine explained some of it to me, I don't think this is the true story. Dad...what are you trying to protect me from? Is it really the evil of the world...Or something else?" Sun thought to himself as he crossed a masterfully crafted golden bridge, the crystal clear water below him gently moving in the afternoon breeze.
After making his way across a narrow path in the water, Sun and his two Pokémon spotted Professor Kukui sitting on a bench in a pavilion of sorts that looked like something out of a Johto-region postcard, though Sun soon realized it was a restaurant. There were several signs boasting about the tea there, which Sun noticed Professor Kukui was drinking from. The Professor looked surprisingly relaxed.
Sun almost didn't want to bother him, but the arrival of Hau made that point moot. "Ho! Professor Kukui!"
Professor Kukui jumped slightly, though he managed not to spill his tea. He then greeted the children with a bright smile. "Hey there! What's going on with you two? Your eyes are shining extra bright today. Did something big happen?"
Sun grinned at the man as Rotom Dex chuckled above him. "It sure did! Hau, you wanna fill him in?"
"Professor! Professor, you gotta hear this!" Hau gushed, his excitement firing on all cylinders. "The Ultra Wormhole opened up, like, right in front of us, and there really are Ultra Beasts in there! You've gotta tell Professor Burnet, too!"
Kukui jerked back in surprise, shocked to hear that. So much for them being far away from the source of trouble at Aether. It sounded like the two boys had a front row seat to the action!
"Woo! You got to see the Ultra Wormhole and an Ultra Beast? That IS amazing, oh yeah!" Kukui remarked, smiling at the two boys. "It's a treat to be able to witness something like that."
"You're telling me. That thing was really tough to fight. Oliver got hurt pretty bad by it in the struggle." Sun explained to the Professor, who hummed thoughtfully with a frown on his face.
"Is he going to be okay?" Kukui asked, concerned.
"Maybe. Physically he's fine. But he's been acting weird." Sun explained as Hau scoffed at that remark. Sun gave his friend a glare, which Hau rolled his eyes at. Kukui was taken aback by the display between the two boys who usually got along so well.
"Sounds like an even better reason to train hard, yeah, on your Island Challenge. That way next time you deal with a Pokémon like that, you can lay the Smack Down!" Kukui said, his smile returning as Sun and Hau both turned towards him nodded. "Maybe someday we'll all be able to go through the Ultra Wormhole!"
"That'd be something. Maybe someday either Professor Burnet or the folks at Aether Paradise will make a breakthrough." Sun replied, making Kukui grin at the boy.
"I'm sure Madeline will appreciate the vote of confidence!" Kukui boomed, though he leaned back and sipped his tea once more. "All right! Your next Trial is up on Mount Hokulani!"
"Bzzzt! It's the second-biggest mountain in Alola, second only to Mt. Lanakila!" Rotom added helpfully, floating beside Sun and landing on Finn's head, much to the Poliwhirl's amusement.
"What's the best way to get up the mountain? Sun asked the Professor, earning a chuckle in response.
"You can catch the bus to get there. Just head to the bus stop on Route 10, yeah?" Kukui said to Sun, though to their surprise Hau shook his head.
"You guys can go ahead without me, Professor. I've got a hot date with a malasada shop!" Hau said loudly, earning an annoyed look from Penny. "Visiting every last one of them is my own personal Island Challenge, yeah?"
Sun frowned at his friend's words and opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by Professor Kukui as the man stood up from his chair. "Roger that, good buddy!"
Kukui then turned to Sun and said, "I'm actually planning on heading up there myself tomorrow. How about we meet at the bus stop tomorrow afternoon and ride up there together, Sun?"
"Sounds good, Professor." Sun replied, feeling a bit of excitement return to him. He was more than ready for his next Trial. Hau tapped Sun on the shoulder, making the boy look at him in surprise.
"Hey, Sun, did you know?" Hau began to say, but Sun cut him off.
"Of course."
"...I haven't even finished the question yet." Hau said, looking very unimpressed. Finn and Penny exchanged smirks of amusement as Kukui stifled a laugh.
"There's an observatory up on Mount Hokulani! And you do know what it is they do at an observatory, right?" Hau asked Sun, making the boy pause. Didn't observatories observe space through telescopes? Sun wasn't sure.
"Hope you do, 'cause I sure as heck don't." Hau admitted with a good-natured chuckle, putting his hands behind his head. Professor Kukui began to answer that question, though he was cut off by a familiar and unwelcome voice.
"Hokulani Observatory does all sorts of interesting things. Next to the Mossdeep Space Center in Hoenn, it's one of the biggest contributors to space research in the world. It's also full of total nerds who study space monsters from beyond our realm, which I find much less interesting."
Sun turned his head to see the Fossil Man walking towards them, his orange eyes twinkling with amusement as he tossed a berry up and down in his hands. The trio noticed that the bright gold-colored berry in his hands glistened and shimmered in the sun, which struck them as odd. Though that berry was quickly chomped down on by the insane fossil fanatic, who devoured it as he reached them.
"Not many people outside of those interested in astrology or the Ultra Space know much more than that." Kukui noted, sounding impressed.
"You'd be surprised what I know, Professor." The Fossil Man said merrily, dusting off his overalls as he finally reached them. Sun took several steps back while Hau simply looked confused. Penny and Finn stood in front of Sun protectively, which the Fossil Man took note of with a smirk.
"Aww, that's precious." The madman cooed at Sun's team before turning to the Professor. "You know, some even speculate that the Z-Crystals we've got here in Alola come from outer space! Or the Ultra Wormholes! Either or!"
"Z-Crystals coming from the Ultra Wormholes? That's crazy!" Hau remarked, sounding shocked as the Fossil Man nodded sagely. Kukii stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"I don't think I've ever actually met you, though I've heard about you for a while. You're the Fossil Man, right?" Kukui asked, with the Fossil Man laughing at the man's words before nodding. "I've also heard accounts of you terrifying my young friends on more than one occasion."
"Don't believe what you hear. Otherwise you'd believe I'm some kind of weirdo." The Fossil Man warned Kukui in a conspiring whisper, though this made Sun point a finger at him accusingly.
"That's because you are some kind of weirdo!" Sun proclaimed, with Rotom buzzing beside the boy.
"I'm more interested in the strange berry you had in your hand. My recordzz are showing that it isn't something currently registered in my databanks!" Rotom interrupted, floating closer to the Fossil Man as he shrugged, though the man did examine his fingers after a moment.
"Oh yeah. That's a Ho'ōla Berry." The Fossil Man explained, licking his fingers with a wistful expression on his face.
"Wait, that's a Ho'ōla Berry? I thought they were considered extinct after the Malie City fire way back?" Kukui asked the Fossil Man, who waved an arm dismissively.
"Any historian worth his salt knows how to preserve something special. I've been working on breeding the trees that bear the fruit and bringing it back into Alola's ecosystem, but it's slow going. I'll get it eventually." The Fossil Man shrugged, though this made Hau and Sun more curious. The Fossil Man turned towards the two boys, grinning at them. "To explain, the Ho'ōla Berry is a berry found only on Ula'ula Island, and was rare even when it was flourishing. They have healing properties, and were fiercely protected by Alolans on this island. At least until that rotten Kahuna from way back destroyed all of them out of spite."
"So why do you have one?" Sun asked.
"Because he obviously didn't get all of them! This berries are full of history! So they're worth protecting! And they're great for hangovers...and making sure you don't die from an overdose." The Fossil Man muttered the last part under his breath, but it was loud enough that they all heard it anyway.
"Considering the fact that we've never heard of this berry until now, I'd say you're not doing a good job of bringing them back to Alola." Hau noted, which made the Fossil Man sigh dejectedly.
"It's hard, alright! I'm not even a berry expert, I restore fossils and shit! It's like...like...rocket science or something! Or trying to fuck a tree stump without the appropriate level of enthusiasm!" the Fossil Man declared with a huff, making everyone stare at him in sheer bewilderment.
"Do I have the call the police?" Kuikui asked the man, earning a shrug in response.
"I mean, you could. But I'd be out of prison in a day. You can't convict someone for being weird, and they've never found proof of the drug charges." The Fossil Man said with a wink, making the Professor roll up his sleeves threateningly. Sun was surprised that the Fossil Man was succeeding in riling up the usually jolly Professor.
"Beat it. Don't make me ask you again." Kukui said in a low voice, getting fed up with the Fossil Man's shenanigans. With a heavy sigh, the large man hung his head and slowly walked away. But not before…
"If you're looking for a sexy time, don't be a stranger Professor!" The Fossil Man sauntered off with a cheery wave, making Sun and Hau shudder in response. The man was just unsettling.
"And on that horrifying note...Now I'm out! After all, I've got malasadas to eat!" Hau said to the two Trainers before dashing away, though he did take a moment to wave to both Kukui and Sun before he jogged out of the garden.
"You know, Hau's one of my best friends...But it really bothers me how he has no ambition. Or drive at all." Sun sighed, shaking his head. Kukui surprised Sun by clapping him on the shoulder bracingly, a wide smile on his face.
"We all have our different paths through life, cousin. The Island Challenge is about many things. Strengthening your bond between your Pokémon. Becoming one with nature. The rich history of Alola...But mainly it's about improving yourself. You learn so much on this pilgrimage, Sun. Just as you are learning and growing, Hau is doing the same. Don't begrudge him this chance to learn and better himself." Kukui said wisely, looking into Sun's eyes with a kind smile.
Sun thought about the Professor's words and realized he was completely right. Kukui chuckled and said, "Think about it. I'll be heading back to the Dimensional Research Lab tonight, so I'll see you at the bus stop tomorrow."
"What about Lillie?" Sun asked.
Kukui chuckled, adjusting his hat. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about her. Acerola is doing me a favor and helping Lillie get a feel for the island, as well as explore it a little since I'm so busy right now. Once the craziness I'm dealing with settles down, I'd like to explore the Ruins of Abundance with her and Nebby. So for now, Acerola is helping me look after Lillie while I deal with this stuff on Ula'ula."
"I guess that makes sense. I've got Brago with Lillie now, just to make sure she stays safe." Sun explained to the Professor, which made him sigh in relief for some reason.
"Good. That means he won't be trying to seduce my poor Ninetales." Kukui muttered darkly, making Sun very confused.
"Seduce?"
"Bzzt! It means to entice someone or something into sexual activity!" Rotom said helpfully, making Sun blush in surprise while Kukui facepalmed.
"Thanks for the assist, Rotom Dex," Kukui said dryly.
"Anything for you, Professor Kukui! Zzzzt!"
"If Brago and Winter are mates, wouldn't what they do not matter? Like, that's up to them, isn't it?" Sun asked.
"Normally I wouldn't mind, but Winter is one of my main battling Pokémon now. I can't afford for something to happen to her while Cipher is around and my plans for Alola are still in the works." Kukui admitted, shaking his head. "Anyways, I should be heading off. Take care, cousin. I'll be seeing you soon!"
With that, Professor Kukui walked off, leaving Sun by himself in the garden. Sun sighed, taking off his cap and running a hand through his hair before putting his hat back on.
"Alright. Here comes the hard part." Sun said as he returned Penny and Finn, clipping their balls to his belt. Thankfully for him there was no one nearby at the moment, which was good. Sun wanted this conversation to be a one-on-one affair.
After powering down Rotom Dex, Sun called out Oliver. The bird shuddered after a moment, for a reason Sun couldn't determine. Sun sat down on the bench and patted the seat next to him. After a few seconds, Oliver fluttered to the seat beside Sun.
The two of them, Trainer and Pokémon, remained silent for a time. Sun took that moment to inspect the owl physically. He had to admit that Faba and his team did a good job with Oliver. There were no overly noticeable signs that Oliver had ever been injured, save for a few feathers missing out of his chest where the Ultra Beast had struck. With that curiosity satisfied, Sun moved away from the owl and looked Oliver in the eye. The owl looked away from his Trainer, unable to look him in the eyes.
"Oliver." Sun said to his Partner. His Starter. His very first Pokémon, and the one that had been with him since the beginning. The Datrix still didn't look at his Trainer, instead choosing to look upwards instead.
"What happened back there?" Sun asked the owl, concern visible on his face. Oliver sighed as he looked down at the ground, chancing a glance at Sun's face before looking back down.
"I can't explain it. I just...I'm always so angry at that stupid little seal whenever I battle her. Usually I can hold myself back and just battle her like I would anyone else. But during that battle ...I couldn't restrain myself anymore, Sun." Oliver said quietly, with Sun becoming more concerned.
"What do you mean?" Sun asked.
"I feel strange. Off. I don't know why. But I feel as though I can say and do whatever I feel like and...it feels amazing. Beating Cassy senseless felt so good, even though I know I hurt that stupid friend of yours and I disobeyed an order. And I'm sorry I did. It's complicated. And confusing." Oliver admitted, shaking his head.
"Did you ever feel this way before fighting the Ultra Beast a few days ago?" Sun asked Oliver, earning a shake of the head.
"Ever since I evolved, I've been able to control myself a lot easier. Resist impulses to lash out or misbehave, like I used to, even though I still want too." Oliver answered quietly in response.
"But now?" Sun asked.
"Now I feel like I did back when I was a little Rowlet. I couldn't control myself, at all. It felt too good to give into those urges, Sun. I don't understand. What's happening to me?" Oliver asked Sun, turning to face him finally. Sun could see the genuine confusion in the owl's eyes. No malice or deception or anything in there. Oliver truly didn't know what was happening to him.
He was scared.
"I don't know. But whatever it is, we'll work through it. We're Partners, aren't we? It'll take a lot more than this to set us back." Sun said to Oliver, making the Dartrix smile at him in what seemed to be relief.
"Alright. Yes, I'll do what I can to work on resisting my urges. That sounds so odd to say, but I don't want to mess up like I did against that Kahuna again. I want to get stronger just like everyone else seems to be." Oliver said to Sun, which made the boy frown.
"But you are getting stronger. Why would you think you aren't?" Sun asked Oliver. In response, the Dartrix sighed deeply and shook his head.
"Because...I feel like I'm failing you. Like I'm not good enough anymore." Oliver said softly, hanging his head. He was surprised when he felt two arms envelop him, with Sun hugging him tightly.
"If you feel like that, then it just means that I'm the one letting you down." Sun said to Oliver, making the owl's eyes widen in surprise. "My job as a Trainer is to bring out the best in my team. If you feel like that, Oliver, then I need to work harder."
"No, it's not that. I just feel...I-I feel…" Oliver clamped his beak shut, letting out a muffled squawk of sorts. Sun looked at him in confusion as the owl shook his head, though he eventually opened his beak again.
"I shouldn't have said any of that! Why can't I stop myself!?" Oliver demanded, shaking his head furiously. Sun placed a hand against the owl's head, making him go still for a moment.
"Just calm down. Okay? Deep breaths." Sun said to the Dartrix, who obeyed his Trainer. And for a time, the two of them sat there in the calm garden of Malie City. Just a boy and his bird.
Oliver remained silent as he tried to process everything that had happened. Something was wrong with him. Like he wasn't in total control of himself, and it was genuinely terrifying to him. But worse than that was the feeling that he was letting Sun down by being weak like this. That the others would continue to surpass him. How had he let himself slip so far behind the others?
"I'm sorry, Sun." Oliver said after about twenty minutes had passed. Sun wrapped the owl in a one-armed hug in response.
"I'm sorry too. Let's both work harder and do better. How does that sound?" Sun asked his Starter, making him smile at him once again.
"Deal." Oliver replied, earning a pat on the head from Sun and a grin. The duo sat there in Malie Garden for a long time, enjoying each others company. No, not all of their problems had been solved here. But it was a start.
After exploring Malie Garden for another hour, and finding a Zygarde Cell hiding in the grass, Sun excited Malie Garden to find yet another Zygarde Cell and Lillie waiting for him outside. Brago sat next to her, alert for any danger.
"Hey you two. Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." Sun said to them, somewhat surprised to find them waiting for him. He thought Lillie was going to go sight-seeing?
"Not at all." Brago remarked, padding towards Sun and sitting beside his Alpha. Lillie saw this and smiled at the large canine fondly before turning to Sun.
"Sun? Do you mind if I ask you something?" Lillie asked, earning a cry from Nebby as he wriggled within his bag. Sun frowned at the nervousness in his friend's voice, but could guess what she wanted to ask.
"You want to go to the ruins?" Sun asked Lillie, receiving a nod in response.
"Yes. I want to take Nebby to visit Ula'ula's ruins, but they are located deep in a large desert. I don't want to ask that much of you." Lillie said with a small sigh, though she was surprised to see Sun smiling widely at her.
"Sounds like a challenge. I'm in." Sun replied, making Lillie's jaw drop. The girl recovered quickly, smiling at Sun.
"Even in the face of a challenge like that, you really do look out for me no matter what, huh?" Lillie asked Sun, which made the boy smile even wider at her before he walked by her.
"Come on, Princess. Let's walk around the city." Sun said to Lillie, making the girl frown for a moment as she crossed her arms. Nebby cooed questioningly, making Lillie sigh.
"I wish I had the confidence that boy does." Lillie mumbled before she hurried after Sun, catching up to the boy easily since he hadn't gone too far.
"So, what's on your schedule for the day, Lillie?" Sun asked.
"Right now, I'm planning to visit Malie Library. The largest library in Alola, and home to countless tomes about Alola's past." Lillie explained as they walked, an interested gleam in her eyes. "There's a book that I want to look for there. Maybe you'd even be willing to help me?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Sun asked, which made Lillie laugh. Her expression grew determined, then.
"I know that Malie Library is here within the city of Malie somewhere…" Lillie muttered, looking down at the ground and stopping. Sun looked at Lillie in confusion. "Even I should be able to find it. I can do this!"
Sun was surprised when Lillie suddenly walked off without him, leaving Sun to stand there blinking in complete confusion. Sun wordlessly pointed Brago forward, which made the canine chuckle before following Lillie into the city.
"I guess I'll just explore more and meet up later." Sun remarked, sounding a bit dejected. He shook his head, dispelling the negative thoughts, and focused on what he would do to fill his stomach. He was surprised when Rotom Dex suddenly shot out of his backpack, buzzing loudly in sheer joy.
"Professor! Bzzzt!" Rotom shouted, drawing Sun's attention towards a familiar-looking man with tanned skin wearing a tropical shirt.
"Why, hello there, Rotom! Are you feeling nice and comfy there in that Pokédex of yours?" the man asked jovially, smiling warmly at the two of them.
"Never better! Zz-zz-zz!"
The Professor then turned his attention to Sun. "Oh, well, hello there! Good to meet you. I'm Oak - Samson Oak. I'm a Pokémon researcher by trade, and I'm looking into the regional variants found around here."
"Wow. That's pretty interesting. I've run into a few of them myself." Sun replied, his interest being piqued. "I've met another Professor Oak, back in Kanto. Are you related? You look alike."
Oak laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "We're cousins! Both dedicated to learning as much as possible about Pokémon! And I take it you must be Sun, huh? Young Kukui mentioned you to me." Oak remarked, patting Rotom Dex on the head as it floated closer to the man. "Rotom, you be sure to help this fine young boy on his trip around the islands, all right?"
Rotom buzzed at that. "Who d'you think you're talking to? Zzt! Of courzzze I'm doing that!"
With that, Rotom Dex dove back into Sun's backpack, grumbling to itself. Sun smirked as he looked back towards Oak, who was also smirking at Rotom Dex's silliness.
"And you, Sun! I'll be trusting you to keep Rotom safe, as well." Oak said to Sun, his tone becoming a bit more serious. "That young fellow from Kalos who helped invent that Pokédex put a lot of work into it. And as much love and care as any parent!"
"I will sir." Sun said immediately, earning a nod from Oak.
"With that being said, I must be off. I'll be in the Malie Library if you ever need me. Feel free to stop by and chat anytime." Oak said to Sun before suddenly laughing out loud. "If you're having trouble finding the library, just follow the black-brick road! Meaning the patterns on these paths, of course. Black circle, black triangle, black square. Follow that pattern and it'll get you there!"
"...Did you just rhyme?"
Oak turned around and walked away, leaving Sun standing there bewildered. Rotom buzzed from within Sun's backpack, giggling to itself.
"Yeah, he doezzz that sometimes. His cousin is way worse about it. His haiku'zz...kinda suck."
"Ugh, what are you thinking Lillie? There's no way you'd ever get the nerve to wear something like that!"
"Not with that attitude. I think it suits you."
"Pew pew!"
"See, even Cosmog agrees. He also wants out of the bag."
"Nebby, you know why I can't let you out."
"Pew pew pew pew pew!"
"I'm...I'm not going to bother repeating back what he just said. I feel dirty even hearing it." Brago remarked as they exited the apparel store, with Lillie now holding a new bag on her arm that contained a white bundle wrapped in paper.
"I'm just going to drop this conversation then. We're close to the library anyway." Lillie said as she walked alongside Brago, looking around the rather beautiful city as she did so. While she usually tried (and failed) to find places on her own, having her own personal watchdog to keep her safe made sightseeing quite a bit more relaxing. Sun was a fantastic Trainer and all of his Pokémon were strong. Lillie knew Brago wouldn't let anything touch her.
Soon enough, the trio made their way to a large two story building with a sign that informed them it was indeed the Malie Library. Lillie gave the sign a dirty look before sighing, shaking her head dejectedly.
"I really am hopeless, aren't I?" Lillie mumbled to herself. Despite what the others would say, Lillie knew that she hadn't changed one bit from the day she arrived on that beach in Heahea City. She was surprised when Nebby suddenly flew out of her bag, crying out loudly before floating up to nuzzle her cheek.
"He's right. You're much stronger than you realize, Miss Lillie. If you can't believe it yourself, at least trust in us. Pokémon are innately sensitive to the inner strength of those around us. It's why weak-willed Trainers cannot command stronger Pokémon." Brago said to the girl, his tone rather gentle. Lillie stared at the canine, surprised at his words, and slowly shook her head.
"It's so hard, though...I'm such a screw up. I'm not brave. I'm not very smart. And I'm not particularly skilled in anything, really. What makes me so great in your eyes?" Lillie asked Brago, who sat down on his hind legs.
"It's the same sort of strength I see in my Alpha." Brago said by way of reply before pointing behind her with his paw. "Speaking of…"
"Lillie!"
The blonde turned around and spotted Sun jogging towards her. Rotom Dex was floating overhead, reciting what sounded like a poem of some sort that Sun seemed to be trying his best to ignore.
"Sun…" Lillie muttered as the boy approached, wearing a smile on his face now. She looked at the ground, which Sun noticed right away and made him immediately concerned.
"What happened?" Sun asked his best friend, who sighed and shook her head. Brago rolled his eyes, though he wore a smile regardless.
"We had to make a few detours before coming here. Her sense of direction isn't the best." Brago remarked, nudging Lillie forward with his snout. Lillie tumbled towards Sun, glaring at Brago for a moment before looking back towards Sun, hanging her head. It was then Sun seemed to notice the extra bag Lillie had.
"I'm sorry...I ended up getting lost, yet again…" Lillie muttered before looking up at Sun, blushing furiously. "I wandered around completely lost until I ducked into the apparel shop…"
"So that explains the bag." Sun replied, which made Lillie blush harder.
"Y-yeah...And then I saw this outfit, and they said it was the last one they had in stock, so I bought it…" Lillie then looked even more embarrassed, drawing herself inwards. "Even though I don't think I'd ever have the guts to wear an outfit like it...Hah…"
"Well, hopefully I'll get to see you in this new outfit of yours. I bet you look great in it." Sun said to Lillie, making her smile become a bit less awkward and more warm.
"You're sweet." Lillie said fondly before turning to the large building beside them. "However, there was a point to that little story. At first I was using that building to take a breather. But the woman working at the store did tell me where to find the library! So I guess you could say that it was all for the best."
"Huh...I'm guessing this is it?" Sun asked, eyeing the large structure ahead of them.
"...Y-yeah...Apparently the library was actually right past the apparel store, if I'd just kept going." Lillie replied with a sheepish look on her face, making Sun giggle at her. Lillie was about to reply when suddenly the two children heard a loud snorting sound, followed by several loud thuds.
The two of them turned around to see a massive horse stomping towards them, making Sun's eyes widen in surprise while Lillie shrank back in sheer terror.
"Yeek!?" Lillie screamed, flinging herself behind Sun and clutching him like her life depended on it. Sun pulled out a Poké Ball as Brago leapt in front of them, growling furiously at the massive horse. Nebby chose that moment to dive back into his bag, somehow zipping it up behind him.
"Ho there, boy! No need for any of that!" came a familiar voice Sun hadn't heard in a while. Sun and Lillie then noticed that the massive horse had stopped a few yards away from them, pawing at the ground. Sun peeked around the Pokémon, with Lillie still holding onto him, and spotted Hapu standing there.
"Sun. Been a while, friend." Hapu greeted Sun, an easy smile on her face. "Looks like your Island Challenge is coming along favorably, if you've made it to Ula'ula Island. That must be pleasing to the Tapu."
"Hapu! Good to see you again! And that means…" Sun trailed off as the massive horse lowered his head, which Sun patted after a moment. "Sorry about that, Mudsdale. I didn't recognize you in the heat of the moment. It's been a while!" Mudsdale snorted in response, though he did rub his head against Sun's chest for a moment before raising it proudly once again.
"That's all fine, my young friend. It happens to the best of us!" Hapu grinned, walking towards the boy with an outstretched hand. Sun shook it, once again marveling at the strength of the young woman. Hapu then seemed to notice the girl cowering behind Sun, clinging to him still with a terrified expression on her face.
"So, Sun, who might this be?" Hapu asked, peering around Sun. Lillie seemed to realize just what she was doing in public because she leapt off of Sun, a fierce blush on her face as she bowed to Hapu.
"Oh! Hello...My name is Lillie." The girl greeted Hapu, glancing at the powerful steed standing in front of her before returning her gaze to the short woman ahead of them.
"My apologies if Mudsdale spooked you just now." Hapu said, sounding a bit embarrassed. "Usually he's a lot better behaved. We noticed Sun here and were coming by to say hi when he just bolted towards you two."
"It's f-fine. It happens." Lillie replied, making Hapu laugh out loud.
"Yep. What can you do?" Hapu remarked before she seemed to realize something, taking a moment to inspect Lillie. "Hmm. Doesn't seem like you're a Trial-goer. What are you up to?"
Lillie seemed startled at the question, and Sun knew exactly why. While Hapu was a nice enough person, she wasn't exactly someone they knew very well.
"Oh. I'm actually, um, studying the Tapu's ruins. For...various reasons of my own." Lillie responded after a moment, looking at Hapu as the young woman scrutinized her. To their surprise, Hapu gave them both a wide smile as she put her hands on her hips.
"Well, that's some fine initiative. Alola's got some really interesting history if you know where to look. Ula'ula Island is probably your best bet if you're studying the Island Guardians." Hapu replied cheerily before jerking a thumb towards her chest. "Well, any friend of Sun's is a friend of mine. I'd be happy to show you the way whenever you'd like to go."
"W-wait, what? Really? But you don't even know me…" Lillie remarked weakly, completely thrown off by this. Hapu laughed yet again, amused by Lillie's confusion.
"We here in Alola like to help each other out. It's as simple as that. My Mudsdale here is as sturdy as all get-out. He can easily carry two." Hapu offered to Lillie, who thought about it for a moment before smiling at Hapu and nodding.
"Thank you for the offer. I was hoping to eventually visit the Ruins of Abundance, but they're in a rather difficult to reach location. Though I suppose researching them before the trip is necessary...and the entire reason I wanted to come to this library in the first place." Lillie replied, turning to Sun. "Shall we check out the Malie Library?"
"Yeah, absolutely." Sun replied with a smile, turning to Hapu. "Thanks for looking out for Lillie. I appreciate it."
"Anytime. What else are friends for?" Hapu said with a smirk, walking towards her Mudsdale and patting him on the side. "Now, you two run along. I'll probably run into you both sooner rather than later, so until then please take care. I've got an empty belly to fill up before I take care of some business myself."
Hapu and Mudsdale began to walk away, with Sun and Lillie bidding the young woman farewell. Sun and Lillie walked then into the Library, matching smiles on their faces as Hapu watched them from afar from over her shoulder, a wistful expression on her face. The young woman sighed, shaking her head.
"Wish I could find myself a girl like that...Sun, you're a lucky boy." Hapu lamented before shrugging, earning a snort of amusement from Mudsdale. With that, the young woman walked off to get something to eat, only for a tremor to suddenly knock her flat to the ground.
Mudsdale snorted in alarm, his head jerking around quickly as it sensed something was amiss. Tiles clattered and objects fell over and shattered as the ground quaked.
"W-w-what was that?" Hapu muttered as several people nearby shouted in surprise and fear, though to their relief the ground stopped shaking. Hapu hopped to her feet, a feeling of unease gripping the young woman's heart.
"Something's not right…Ula'ula doesn't get tremors like that." Hapu said quietly, placing a hand against Mudsdale, calming her Partner. "Come on, boy. Let's take a gander around town. I smell trouble."
Hapu walked away from the library just in time for an armored figure in silver armor to suddenly drop into the street from the shadows, looking at the Malie Library. The Copher Peon smirked and tapped his helmet.
"The Prince has been sighted, Admin Mask."
"I want a squad keeping tabs on the boy at all times, Smith...Off the record, of course. His father's getting antsy, and with that will come some hasty decisions. That boy will be instrumental in what comes next, and that means keeping Borlath under my control." Mask responded into the Cipher Peon's helmet, receiving a nod in response. "Also, be advised that the tremors will worsen. A prelude to a much more fun event coming very soon, as you very well know."
"Of course, sir. It surprised me just as much as it did the locals."
"Naturally. Return right away, Smith. I'll be looking forward to your report."
Cipher Peon Smith turned around, preparing to call out a Pokémon to teleport away. He was stopped in his tracks by a man dressed in black with white hair, grinning at him in amusement. Smith took a step back in surprise, not having heard the man approach him.
"Sup bitch?" Guzma asked the Peon before lunging at him, knocking him to the ground. Smith tried to overpower Guzma, but the man swiftly dodged a punch aimed at his face before ripping off Smith's helmet and headbutting him hard enough to knock Smith out.
"Dude, did you get your combat training on Opposite Day? That was pathetic." Guzma muttered, standing up once again. He took a moment to kick the man in the groin, waking him up again before Guzma called out his Ariados. Plumeria watched from behind him, observing with a small smile.
"The President will be pleased you captured one of these Cipher members so quickly. They've been very elusive until now." Plumeria remarked as Guzma offered her a shrug.
"Tie him up." Guzma ordered his Ariados, who obeyed. Soon the Cipher Peon was totally wrapped from head to toe in webbing, making it easy for Guzma to carry him over his shoulder, holding the Peon's helmet loosely in his hand.
Guzma cracked a grin as he glanced back at the street, placing a hand on the back of his Ariados before the three of them Shadow Sneak'd away. Plumeria nodded once and walked out onto the street, whistling an old song as she made her way through the city.
And that's all, folks!
Also, shoutout to Anasazi Darkmoon, who sort-of guessed what was going to happen to Team Rocket. I laughed like a madman when you mentioned Giovanni being set on fire, but I obviously couldn't spoil the surprise.
Next chapter, more lore reveals!
Q & A
From: Joey
1) This question may probably get misinterpreted and this question may have spoilers (and thus getting a response saying so), but what will be left in the story following the Cipher Arc? I think you said something about Sun still in the middle of his Island Challenge once the Cipher is defeated in an earlier chapter though I am uncertain.
2) How come Lillie doesn't recognize Commander Jack's real name when he first introduces himself as Caleb Jackson back in Chapter 48?
The Cipher Arc will end partway through the Island Challenge on Ula'ula Island, and what remains after the fact is Sun finishing his Trials on Ula'ula and getting embroiled in the conflict with Team Skull, which will go into the rest of the plot of the story. There's still a lot of threads and loose ends that need to be tied up along the way, but after the Cipher Arc is done it's mostly going to be the main Sun/Moon storyline that gets focused on. I have many fun twists and turns planned without the Cipher stuff going on, don't you worry.
And as for your other question, it's pretty simple. Lillie and Commander Jack hadn't seen each other in many years, and Lillie was a small child back then, so it makes sense that they didn't recognize each other even though they knew each other's names. Imagine meeting a relative or family friend that you hadn't seen since you were a toddler. You definitely wouldn't be able to recognize them right away. Also, Jack wasn't a frequent visitor to the Aether Paradise on top of this, since he was dealing with his own problems, which also didn't help them recognize one another.
Lillie also makes a note in Chapter 85 that her parents called Jackal "Caleb" (his first name) instead of Jack or Jackal, which is what most people call him nowadays. It wasn't something she really registered until later, which she admits. Hope that makes it a bit more clear!
That's all for now folks. I'm gonna try and get more writing done and not waste all my time playing Stardew Valley. Please drop some reviews in the section below to support the story and give me feedback on what you thought. Favorites and/or follows (if you haven't done so already) are very much welcome. Questions that are asked in the review section will be answered in the next update, and I of course have a Discord chat for this story that you can be a part of as well.
Take care and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
