Pokémon Radiant Sun
Man, June has been a complete dumpster fire of a month.
I'd go into it, but I'm not going to waste your time recounting how bad things have been lately. Instead, I'll say something else.
Keep on pressing for a better future, because it's up to us to create a world of acceptance and peace. Also, wear your goddamn mask. Watching the US from across the world is like watching a car crash that never ends!
Sorry...Had to get that out of my system...I'm good now.
So, I'd like to offer some apologies on the delay for this one. This chapter ended up being longer than the last, and it was pretty tough to write. On top of my computer crapping out on me, a promotion test I needed to study for, as well as other drama...like I said. June was a dumpster fire.
But we're done talking about that! We're talking about this!
Shoutout to those who reviewed the last update, which includes Oragonking, SolanaLeonhart, BraviaryScout, SonicIKE, and two new reviewers known as Moosicorn and TaquetoCagy. You all are wonderful and I appreciate you all.
Special shoutout to TaquetoCagy for being one of my best friends and a complete badass. Thanks for humoring me and supporting the story. You freaking rock, friendo.
Enjoy.
Chapter 110: Keep Your Faith
Many Years Ago…
Malie City
"He's late…"
"There's no reason to get so anxious. He's strong for his age. He'll be fine."
"He's meeting with those awful parents of his though, Tommy! That's more than enough reason to worry. I mean I've never met them myself, but you all told me how bad they are!"
"You're right. We should be worried, because Ash's parents are awful. But there's no reason to dwell on it, Hina. Sit down and relax until the kid gets back."
Tommy leaned back in his chair further, his one good hand holding up a book titled "Advanced Stock Trading" by Joshua Keenan, his dirty blond hair tied into a tasteful ponytail. His blue eyes seemed to hold a somber gleam to much-younger girl standing opposite of him fretted nervously, adjusting her glasses with a worried frown.
Although a recent addition to their little group, Hina had become a near-constant fixture to Ashton's side as the boy traveled Alola. After being saved by Ashton a year or so previously, she had become close friends with the teenager. Some of the adults in their circle of friends would frequently comment that the girl hero-worshiped Ashton, which the girl would actually agree with, since he had saved her from a terrible fate and she had seen him help many other people. An inspiring Trainer herself, Hina had been taken under Ashton's wing and had learned quite a lot from the teen, which only added to her admiration of the boy with the changing eye colors.
But it was NOT a crush, no matter how much Commander Jackal teased her about it.
The black-haired girl quietly fumed about that moment in question, and as a result was surprised when the door opened suddenly. Hina grinned as she recognized Ash walking through the door, but gasped in horror when she saw that the boy's face was covered in blood and one of his eyes was swollen shut, a nasty bruise already forming by it. He was leaning heavily against Damien, who was limping slightly but was in far better condition.
"Shit!" Tommy swore as he hopped out of his chair, leaping forward to help the younger Trainer as he staggered into the room, waving off his friends before collapsing into the chair Tommy had just vacated.
"Ash, are you okay?" Hina asked worriedly, hovering by the teen for a moment before kneeling down to Damien, who had taken that moment to drop onto the floor with a sigh, shutting his eyes.
"I'm alive…" Ashton murmured, a ghost of a smile on his face as his one visible eye flickered black.
"I thought you said you were going to see your parents! How'd something like this happen?" Hina asked, bewildered by something like this. Tommy flinched, knowing exactly why something like this had happened. He would have gone with Ashton himself, but Tommy was still sorting out his parent's affairs after their recent deaths.
"To be blunt, I'd rather not go into my father's latest attempt to murder me." Ashton replied to Hina, who recoiled in shock. Tommy quickly fetched a bottle of pills from the dresser and put a few in Ashton's hand forcefully.
"Take those. It'll help with the pain a bit." Tommy instructed Ashton with a concerned frown. The teenager grimaced before he tossed the pills into his mouth and swallowed them dry.
"Hina, can you treat Damien for me? I should have some supplies in my bag." Ashton asked the girl, who nodded and scrambled quickly to get what her friend needed. Soon enough the Hina was applying Hyper Potion to Damien's injuries and wrapping them in bandages, as well as giving the canine a few Poké Beans, which earned her a grateful lick on the cheek, making her giggle in response. Ashton watched the exchange with a faint smile before turning to Tommy.
"Ano needs to be put in jail. What he's done to you is completely inexcusable." Tommy growled, with Ashton shaking his head.
"He's one of the idiots on the Alolan Regional Council. Even if they launch another investigation into him, he's just gonna slip out of it like the other times. That new Palena guy seemed starstruck by my father...They're all terrible." Ashton muttered, lowering his head.
"I wish we could have Commander Jackal look into this stuff." Tommy mused, making Hina look towards him in surprise.
"Are they really that bad?" Hina asked, confused.
"No, only some of them are. But the culture here in Alola has been rather toxic for the past few generations. Kids live and die on the Island Challenge, where winners are celebrated and losers are insults to their family name. My parents were an example of both. My father managed to finance his company thanks to the good will he garnered due to being an Island Challenge Champion and made millions in the decade after he succeeded. My mother was kicked out of the house at 16 after losing to Totem Dhelmise three times in a row and asking her parents if she could come back home to consider a teaching position at the schoolhouse in Po Town." Tommy explained, his voice holding an odd pitch to it as he spoke. Hina and Ash exchanged a look, concern in their eyes.
"Which reminds me...Tommy. How're you holding up?" Ashton asked quietly, with his best friend giving him a sad smile.
"The viewing was...alright. I cried a bit, but that was expected. Sorry you couldn't go, but they just wanted family there for that first night. You're more than welcome to come to the funeral tomorrow. Both of you." Tommy said with a weak grin that Ashton saw right through, and the boy's eyes flickered to red. Everyone in that room knew exactly why, because of who exactly had been behind the death of Tommy's parents.
The enigmatic and unknown leader of the Ruby Raiders had emerged from the shadows at long last, and was striking down prominent members in the communities of each major town and city in Alola. Tommy's parents had been their most recent victims, and were burned alive in their mansion with the Ruby Raiders flag planted at the front gate of their estate.
Which left Tommy an orphan, and the sole recipient of their massive fortune and their company, which was mostly centered around developing land in Alola and investing into small businesses and helping them expand into larger chains.
"We'll both be there." Hina said as she walked over to her friends, putting a hand on Tommy's shoulder while smiling at Ashton, who had leaned back in the chair with a sigh.
"Did I miss anything interesting while I was gone?" Ashton asked as he glanced over at the book Tommy was reading. Idly, he picked it up as Hina began talking.
"Well, you missed the benefit concert Kahuna Roran held in Heahea City. They televised the whole thing...I didn't know he could sing so well!" Hina remarked with some excitement. Ashton grinned at that, revealing that he was missing one of his front teeth now.
"He's a showman at heart, I've learned. He thrives off of the energy of a crowd and loves being the center of attention. He'll deny it to his dying day though." Ashton laughed as he opened the book and began to read it, which made Tommy's eyebrows raise.
"Ash, you actually find stuff like that interesting?" Hina asked, surprised. The teen shrugged as Damien snorted in amusement, which scared Hina because she thought that the canine had fallen asleep.
"It's mundane, yeah, but it's good knowledge to know. I actually read one of Joshua Keenan's other books on selling real estate and enjoyed it. Besides, I like learning stuff. Don't judge me." Ashton replied, smirking at his closest friend. "Especially if it doesn't have anything to do with being a Pokémon Trainer." Ashton remarked as Tommy grinned, sitting down on the bed in his hotel room.
"Well, my parents taught me everything they knew about the family business. Once you've got this Island Trial nonsense sorted out, maybe I could take you under my wing. God, that'd make my parents laugh so damn hard. Their rebel brat of a son and his kid friend running the business!" Tommy laughed, throwing his head back as his laughs soon became a hearty cackle of delight. Ashton smiled at that...though he also noticed the tear running down the young man's face as he laughed.
Tommy was surprised when he was pulled forward from his chair and into a crushing embrace. After a moment, he realized that Ash had hugged him. A moment later, Hina had joined him and hugged Tommy from behind. Tommy couldn't help the next laugh that escaped him. Or the tears that followed as he broke down and wept, held closely by his friends.
Present Day
Kanto Region: Indigo Plateau
"I have to admit, you've got some big balls to barge into a League HQ like this." Kahili remarked as everyone stared down Borlath, who stood above them with his silver magnum gripped in his hand. The man in question chuckled, shrugging after a moment.
"Maybe." Borlath conceded quietly, a smug smile coming to his lips. The Cipher Master allowed a silence to pervade through the room, taking in the glares of hate, but also the barely masked expressions of fear. Deoyxs floated in the center of the room above them all, cutting a menacing figure in its Attacke Forme.
"So, you have your captive audience, Borlath. What do you want?" a red-haired man asked in an annoyed tone, earning the Cipher Master's attention. Borlath frowned, regarding him with an unsure expression.
"You're Silver, correct? Son of Giovanni?" Borlath asked, earning a stiff nod from the man.
"And you're the one who killed my father and destroyed Team Rocket. I suppose I should thank you for that, since you saved me the trouble." Silver remarked, his voice harsh. Borlath considered that for a moment before nodding.
"I'm almost surprised you're not angry about that. But then I remember that he left you to fend for yourself at a young age and had little influence on your life that was positive. I feel like I can relate to that feeling of anger, but that's a conversation for another time. In any case, I hope his death brought you peace." Borlath said as he turned to address everyone else in the room.
"Now, you may be wondering why on earth I've rudely interrupted your meeting like this. And to tell the truth, I was planning on doing something entirely different and far more violent. However, I was kindly asked to do something more civil...I want to make a deal." Borlath said as he finally sat down, though his hand never let go of the pistol in his hands.
"What sort of deal? And why be civil now? You killed Lorelei and destroyed Celadon City! What could have possibly made you do something as insane as barging into the HQ of the organization you're trying to destroy?" Lance asked, his tone one of both anger and disbelief. Borlath leaned back in the chair, considering how to explain this to them.
In the end, he simply decided to be truthful.
"Because my son asked me to." Borlath said, leaning forward again, his eyes turning to a light blue color.
"Sun? What does he have to do with this?" Kukui asked, suddenly concerned. Borlath hesitated for a moment before deciding to go all in on this gambit. After all, if this turned out to be a waste, then none of it mattered anyway.
"Everything, actually. He found some way to contact me the other day with a phone I couldn't trace. After rightfully getting angry with me for what I've done in the past, he made me promise several things to him. One of which was that I try to do things the right way with the Pokémon League. And by that, I mean peacefully discussing our problems and what might be done to overcome them." Borlath said calmly as those assembled looked at him with surprise. Borlath grinned at their stunned expressions.
"You all may forget that while I've done terrible things and made many mistakes, I still consider myself a pretty good father. My son's well-being is paramount to me, and the entire reason I went down this dark path to begin with." Borlath went on, walking a few steps around the table.
"Why the hell would we even try to negotiate with you?" Blue asked, raising an eyebrow.
Borlath shrugged in response. "I was of the same mind. I warned Sun that you people wouldn't be very receptive to my requests. I tried doing this once when I was briefly the Kanto/Johto Champion, but that went nowhere. Sun asked for me to talk to you all and give peace an honest chance...and so I am."
"Alright then. So what are your demands?" Lance asked, his tone holding a prominent note of suspicion. Borlath nodded and pulled out an envelope, neatly sealed, before throwing it at Lance with a careless gesture. The dragon-type master caught the envelope easily and tore it open, scanning the document as he pulled it out.
"Well…?" Leon asked, impatiently wondering what Borlath actually wanted from them.
"I'm reading." Lance growled, continuing to go through the paper. After another minute, with his eyes widening a few times, he shot Borlath a look.
"I'm waiting for the punchline here. This can't be all you're demanding from us." Lance said to Borlath, though not before passing the paper to Diantha, who began to read it.
"These are my conditions as things stand. I'm willing to compromise if you're willing to open up further discussions, but part of me is genuinely wondering whether or not you're even willing to go this far." Borlath said before being cut off again.
"But what do you want, exactly?" Steven Stone said in an annoyed tone, eyeing the paper with distaste. Borlath leaned forward in his chair, causing it to creak slightly. Amber adjusted her stance, her cold gaze drifting to each of the Champions as Borlath began to speak.
"Fine, I'll skip straight to it. First and foremost, I want you to do your jobs. Police your regions. Stop threats before they become threats. Strike down any growing movement that commits crimes with swiftness." Borlath said firmly, his voice holding an edge to it. "I can understand why groups must mobilize for change, like with Team Plasma and even Team Aqua and Magma. After all, 'Protests and riots are the language of the people. So let them sing'. But any group that routinely commits genuine crimes and hurts people need to be stopped in their tracks."
"That was a quote from Ghetsis." Diantha said with some distaste.
"It is. From his first-ever rally. But it's an accurate one. But to go to the lengths of threatening people, stealing and causing acts of genuine terrorism is going too far." Borlath continued, frowning more now. "Maintain better control over things like this. It's possible to keep an ear to the ground and yet have a hands-off approach that doesn't cause people to complain about their liberties being infringed on."
"True...Keeping that balance is key. Alright, that one I can agree with. Next?" Lucian said, almost eagerly, as if he was waiting for the next act in a play.
"I want an increase in the funding for the Gym Leaders, community support groups and specialized training for the police forces in all of the regions." Borlath said, surprising all of them. "Gym Leaders need to be able to handle problems at the local level. That includes coordination with law enforcement that is capable and trained to handle intense scenarios with the training prowess to stand up against real threats." Borlath went on, standing once again and walking around the room.
"That goes hand in hand with another thing. Champions need to be present within their regions and actively doing their job. Representing their region, stopping problems and easing tensions, and helping their region grow. Coming up with solutions before the problems even emerge. Some of you do that job splendidly, whether it be through yourself or through representatives. Others do not. I also have a problem with how there hasn't been a new Champion in about ten years now." Borlath remarked, casting a glare towards the Champions seated.
"What are you talking about? Several of us have been defeated and dethroned-" Lance began to say, but Borlath cut him off with, "And how many of those people are here now?"
Silence reigned, and Borlath spoke again. "For one reason or another, the old Champions reclaimed their titles soon after losing them. But that's not really something I actively think needs to be changed, at least for now. New blood wouldn't hurt though." Borlath said as he stopped pacing, looking towards the ceiling with a faint smile. "My next request is that the age of becoming a Trainer be increased to 16 years of age across all regions."
There were shouts of outrage from most of those present, which Borlath withstood easily. Steven Stone actually stood, drawing the gaze of Deoxys.
"Having children wait most of their childhoods to become Trainers is...absolutely ridiculous! What good could possibly come of delaying the start of their journeys so much?" Steven demanded, with Borlath calmly staring at him for a moment before his gaze sharpened.
"Preparation. The world is a cruel and awful place. I myself have witnessed the very worst that can be thrown at an unwary Trainer who wasn't prepared to fight for their lives. Natural disasters, thugs, would-be rapists, feral Pokémon and more. Instead of shunting hapless children out into the wilds at the age of ten, only to end up in the obituaries two months later, I'd recommend something different. Special programs for children who want to enter the world of Pokémon to prepare them for their paths. Teach them life skills and survival techniques and expose them to the world and ensure they are capable enough to withstand the Wilds instead of sending them out with a Starter Pokémon and hoping for the best." Borlath said, his tone becoming colder with each word. "In the end, I'd like to change the culture of training. As a child, I was forced to become a Pokémon Trainer. Those who do not wish to go down the path themselves shouldn't become pariahs as a result."
The Champions considered the Cipher Master's words, but it was Leon who seemed the most thoughtful. Mostly because his best friend had quit being a Pokémon Trainer years ago, after an accident in the Wilds and a run of poor luck in her Gym Challenge. She now lived with her grandmother as a part-time assistant, unsure of what she wanted to do in life.
Leon had never quite shaken off the guilt of becoming a Champion while Sonya was forced to fade into the background and give up on her dreams. Maybe if the two of them were a bit older and more prepared, then she could have been able to achieve her goals as well.
Maybe things would be different.
"These are...actually not as bad as I was thinking." Lance admitted quietly, after taking a moment to reflect. Borlath hummed at that, with Amber sighing beside him.
"Is that because his ideas make sense? Or because he could slaughter you all with a single thought right now?" Amber asked, earning several glares.
"Please forgive Amber. She's just annoyed because of a certain pest we've been trying to deal with lately." Borlath said, giving Amber a look. The assassin sighed again, rolling her eyes while Deoxys watched the exchange with interest.
"There's more, naturally, that can be done, but this is simply to open up more negotiations in the future. Take these steps, and I assure you that the world will begin taking some very important steps forward. In time, should things proceed in a manner I'm satisfied with, I will consolidate Cipher's influence and remove our presence from each region until eventually...even we would eventually disappear. My goal for this scheme will have been accomplished, and that will be the end of that." Borlath said as Diantha passed the letter to Lucian, who scanned the document with ease.
"You would seriously just let it end like that? Make the world a better place for your kid and then just...let go of all of that power?" Silver asked bluntly, causing Borlath to bark out a laugh.
"Why else would I have done all of this? Before this mess, I was already richer than most men and I was becoming more powerful by the day thanks to the influence I've had on the developing world." Borlath said, grinning at them as his eyes flashed silver. "The day my only child was born, I nearly had him and my then-wife taken from me in a place they should have been safe. And since then, the world has been threatened by global disaster multiple times. We must take active measures against the next big threat...and the Pokémon League has shown to be completely ineffective against handling these threats. Call me a monster. Call me a villain. But at the end of the day, I am still a father. And I will protect my son with my life. No children should be called upon to save the world when there's an organization of adults who should be already working on the problems before they ever become an issue."
"Who're you calling ineffective!?" Lucian demanded, slamming his hands down on the table.
"The Champion of Kanto and Johto before Blue did absolutely nothing about Team Rocket's initial conquest of Kanto, and it was only thanks to Red that they were stopped. Giovanni infiltrated the ranks of the Gym Leaders and went undetected for years before he was discovered by a mere child. The Pokémon League had absolutely nothing to do with stopping the crime wave taking the region by storm. And even after Red and Blue's incredible rise to the top, nothing of note was done." Borlath stated, his gaze turning to each of them in turn. "Which led to Team Rocket's resurgence in Johto. It could have been curtailed beforehand, but it wasn't."
"Though, Lance got his act together and helped stop them in Johto." Amber noted helpfully, with Borlath nodding in agreement.
"Yes, he did. Your operations against them in Johto do somewhat make up for your inaction against them a few years earlier. Then we come to Hoenn, where an eco-terrorist group was allowed to have free-reign with a sacred artifact, allowing them control of a beast that could have drowned the planet." Borlath said, his gaze going to Steven Stone. The Hoenn Champion glared down Borlath, anger burning in his gaze.
"In the end, it was a child who was tasked with saving the world not once, but twice in Hoenn. Not the man who pledged to defend his home. Don't forget about your actions during the Delta Crisis, where you would have condemned another world to destruction if not for the timely intervention of the Lorekeeper, Zinnia." Borlath said coldly to the Hoenn Champion. Borlath then smiled, his eyes flickering red. "You're not as bad as Cynthia, who stood idly by while Team Galactic threatened the very fabric of space and time. Who, despite her legendary strength, spends half of her time in Sinnoh and the rest vacationing throughout the world and ignoring her throne."
"It's not like that!" Steven barked, with Borlath flashing him a menacing grin.
"Is that so? Then explain it to me, because I've watched for over a decade how the ones sworn to protect their regions have failed time and time again, with increasingly dire circumstances. Alder tried to protect Unova from Team Plasma, but he was took weak to do so properly. He allowed his grief to consume him and continued to hold the post of Champion hostage while he wandered the region. Instead of doing the proper thing and giving it up to someone who could shoulder the burden he could not. In the end, it took a child to once again save the region from disaster. Sadly that child couldn't remain Champion because they departed the region shortly afterwards...which allowed Iris to take the mantle herself."
Borlath glanced around the room, sneering in a show of contempt. "Iris was completely useless as a Champion, failing to even be a factor in stopping Neo Team Plasma. And she didn't even have the nerve to try and protect her region once Cipher began its efforts in Unova. Instead she fled with Alder to parts unknown as a disgrace."
"She's just a child!" Diantha spoke up, trying to at least defend the Champion of Unova. Borlath's gaze snapped to her, anger burning in his eyes.
"Weren't you close friends with Lysandre? Before he enacted his scheme to kill all humans in the world by abusing the power of a Legendary?" Borlath asked Diantha, making her flinch in response. "Even when he announced his evil aims, the Champion of Kalos did nothing to protect her region. Instead the job fell to a group of children instead…"
"Wait, what about me?" Leon asked, surprised that he had been left out. Every Champion had been mentioned at this point, but the youngest Champion had never been pointed out by Borlath.
To their surprise, the Cipher Master actually smiled at Leon. "I actually have nothing but praise for you, Leon. Ever since you've claimed the mantle of Champion as a young Trainer, you've been incredibly active in your role and proactive whenever any problems crop up. Galar is a region I've never even considered getting involved with, due to it already being in good hands. By all means, continue the good work."
"Oh! Um...thanks." Leon replied slowly, completely taken aback by the fact that the world's most wanted man just gave him glowing praise like that after brutally ripping into every Champion present.
"I'm definitely gonna have to tell Hop this later. Poor kid's gonna flip. What a weird day this has been." Leon thought, smirking inwardly as Borlath turned his attention to everyone else.
"Are you sensing the pattern, here? Almost every time there's been a major criminal disaster in the world for the past decade or so, the Champions were not there to answer the call. Whether it be from negligence, incompetence, or just simple immaturity...the children you were supposed to protect were forced to take up the reins instead. And as a father, I find that fact unforgivable. I refuse to live in a world where those in power choose to do nothing and allow innocent children to risk their lives time and time again!" Borlath boomed, the red color of his eyes deepening into something more twisted. Deoxys shifted uncomfortably as Borlath glared down the Champions, his anger palpable and thick, choking the air.
"You act as though you're entirely blameless. You became a criminal, Borlath. You're a murderer as well. Don't forget the blood you have on your hands." Chairman Rose finally spoke up, his voice soft but firm. Borlath's eyes flickered to black, with the man sighing raggedly and sitting down once again.
"I know...I'll never forget that. I've done many terrible things in the name of peace. For the sake of a better tomorrow. But perhaps that can lead to something that'll save even more lives in the long run. Hence why we're even having this discussion." Borlath said, gesturing to all present. "I was simply pointing out the facts up until this point. So I offer a better method. Nip evil in the bud early, and secure the safety of the regions. That's all I ask."
Borlath checked the watch on his wrist, grimacing. "This is taking too long. I need to get back to hacking into the Alola Cipher Base systems…the longer this takes, the less time I have to stop Roran before he does something horrible."
"However, since I'm on a busy schedule, I'll proceed to the next manner of business. Making good on another promise I made to my son, and offering the League a gesture of goodwill." Borlath said, standing up and allowing a pleasant smile coming to his face.
"Goodwill?" Diantha remarked sarcastically, with Borlath offering the Kalos Champion a shrug.
"Call it what you will, but I think it's just easier to call it that. I will be making two gestures of goodwill to prove my sincerity. The first of which…" Borlath reached into his jacket and pulled out a small remote, clicking it at the monitor in the room. After static flickered onto the screen, it suddenly cut to a clear image of which looked like a desert wasteland. What caught everyone's attention, however, was the floating castle several thousand feet above the dunes, its shadow resting over a series of ancient buildings.
"That's Unova's Route 4 and the Desert Resort…" Blue remarked, recognizing the place.
"And Neo Team Plasma's floating castle. Their base of operations." Leon added, looking interested as to where all of this was going. Borlath stepped over to the monitor, flashing all of them a winning smile.
"Correct. This is currently where Neo Team Plasma resides in Unova. I supported their recent efforts while I was in Unova expanding on the Monarch Corporation, a subsidiary of Aupuni Industries, and while they were quite useful...If I'm to be a man of my word, I will have to make a decision. And so I have." Borlath said as he reached into his shirt pocket, pulling out a strange-looking necklace.
The object was, upon closer inspection, a locket. The chain around the locket was made of a white and black chain with interconnecting links, while the locket itself was made of silver. Three small crystals were embedded within the locket itself, but what stood about them were what lay within the gems.
Within one of the crystals burned a white flame. Within another, a jet-black spark of electricity danced within the gem. And the other let off an icy aura from within and out. The artifact seemed to radiant power, and every one of them felt it.
"This, my friends...is the Eternity Locket." Borlath said as he dangled the artifact from his hand, grinning widely with triumph. "It allows the user to speak with the Legendary Pokémon of Unova from anywhere on the planet, as well as exercise control over them. It connects to their hearts, and will overcome what was done to Shadow Kyurem."
While all of those present watched on with interest, Professor Kukui stared at the locket with an expression of complete horror.
"That's what Aria and her friends have been searching for! The thing that was going to help them defeat Borlath...and he's had it all along!" Kukui pankicked internally as Borlath raised the locket to his hands, causing it to shimmer within his hands.
"Now then...Let's make this world a better place." Borlath said quietly, his eyes flickering gray before he moved the Eternity Locket close to his mouth.
"Perfect Kyurem...My friend. Destroy Neo Team Plasma. Wipe their castle off the face of the earth and ensure there are no survivors." Borlath spoke, his words soft, yet carrying the tone of someone in absolute control. Who held all the cards and had just played a deadly hand.
Suddenly a terrifying roar echoed out from the monitor as a massive beam of energy erupted from the top of the castle, causing some...thing to erupt from the top of the floating structure, flapping its massive wings and releasing yet another powerful roar to the heavens. Storm clouds began to form in the sky around the castle, and within moments bolts of lightning were striking the base of Neo Team Plasma on all sides while Perfect Kyurem bombarded it with flames and ice, roaring all the while.
And then, slowly but surely...the castle began to fall to earth.
However, as the castle plummeted, Perfect Kyurem drew back its head and fired a beam of raw darkness down at the falling castle, tearing through the center of it and causing the entire fortress to explode, sending a shockwave of force across the entirety of the desert. The Champions and those assembled watched on in awe as the remains of the castle fell, crashing onto the ground some distance away that the camera wasn't able to catch. Perfect Kyurem floated in midair, watching the rubble before releasing another blast of flames and ice from its mouth at the same time, with bolts of lightning dropping down from the heavens to strike the ruined wreckage of Neo Team Plasma's castle.
"Well...that's the end of that particular venture. Ah well." Borlath shrugged, looking at the room with a satisfied grin. As if he took a form of immense pleasure from killing thousands of criminals at once. "It was easy to convince Ghetsis to call all of the Neo Team Plasma forces back to their HQ for the opportunity to have more power. He was always easy to manipulate."
"You...you killed all of them…" Lucian whispered, his eyes wide with horror. Borlath's grin widened, seeing the fear visible in the eyes of the mighty Champions of their world.
"I did. I put a stop to the evil that no one else was able to. And as a gesture of good faith, I'll even fix one of my greatest sins." Borlath spoke as he raised the Eternity Locket to his mouth again, invoking the power of the artifact.
"My friend...return to Nimbasa City. Release the city from your spell and end their icy slumber."
Perfect Kyurem let out another piercing roar before flying off into the distance, going off screen. Borlath tapped his remote and ended the transmission, causing the screen to go black again.
"It's like I said before...If I wanted to destroy everything, I would have done so. But I don't want to. I don't want to hurt more people. I don't want to cause more suffering. And I certainly don't want to kill anyone who doesn't deserve it if it can be I will if I must. If that's what it takes for the leaders of this world to take notice and begin to make changes." Borlath said quietly, putting the remote back into his coat and wrapping the Eternity Locket around his neck, allowing it to rest on his chest. The Cipher Master sat down, taking in the shocked expressions of those present.
"What...what did you just do?" Blue asked, his mind and the minds of many in the room going haywire. Because they knew exactly what the state of Nimbasa City was right now. A frozen hellscape that hadn't thawed in over a year of ensnaring the city, with millions trapped within. And now…
"I'd recommend sending some of your people to calm the masses there. I imagine after losing a year or so, there's going to be complete pandemonium. But that's not really my problem." Borlath said easily, leaning back in his chair with a smile.
"You...you're going to free the people of Nimbasa City. They're not dead?" Steven Stone sputtered, sounding completely baffled. In his defense, most of those in the room were as well. This was the last thing they had expected Borlath would do. He was effectively handing Unova back over to the people and releasing them from the oppressive fist that had been crushing it down for over a year now.
And in an instant, Borlath had the wiped slate clean.
"I did free them. There's not much I can't do. Consider these acts of goodwill, like I said before. I know I've been making a mess of things, but now I have your undivided attention. And I'll say this...things need to change. Because the world can't continue on like this." Borlath's voice took on a more serious tone, with the man shutting his eyes.
"Our world is a wonderful disaster of sorts. The clash between truth and ideals is a never-ending one. However, I do believe that it's not too late for us to start making changes for the better. To safeguard the future against the evil that will inevitably come, I'm asking for your cooperation. Because my way of going about things is absolutely evil and I want the bloodshed to stop just as much as you all. So I'm asking you this...Consider my requests. Be proactive and begin to truly protect the regions you swore to keep safe." Borlath said as he stood again, his voice full of emotion. It was almost as if he was pleading with them to genuinely consider his words.
"Help make this world a safer place. A place where children like my son can have the future they deserve. A world where he can become a Trainer and prove his foolish father wrong. Help me make a future where I don't have to worry any longer." Borlath said with a sigh, his eyes flickering dark blue as the Champions exchanged several looks. Despite what every single one of them thought of Borlath, it was obvious that the words he spoke were genuine. They were coming from a father that was Ashton, not the criminal that was Borlath.
Granted, that didn't mean that they could ignore what the businessman had done in the name of his goals. But he brought up many good points about the Pokémon League and the world in general. Things couldn't remain the same. All it would take is for one insane scheme to actually succeed, and then the world would be possibly ruined forever.
"We will...consider things. This is an unprecedented move, by all accounts. We obviously can't trust anything that comes out of your mouth, but even I have to admit that things need to change." Lance sighed, shaking his head.
"You can't seriously be considering listening to this lunatic!" Steven barked, with Lance glaring at the man.
"I am when someone speaks sense. Age restrictions on becoming a Pokémon Trainer aren't anything new, and providing some of these other reforms, while annoying, will definitely improve things. Some of these are even changes that have been suggested in the past, but were shot down for one reason or another." Lance responded, his tone becoming cold. "And if making a few changes that'll improve things anyway is a way to get Cipher to go away, then I'm willing to consider these changes."
"So am I. Training's a dangerous thing, you know?" Leon said with a nod, though he wore a frown. "My little brother is coming of age in Galar pretty soon. And I can't help but remember a few close calls I had on some of my early adventures. I wouldn't mind Hop being more prepared and the world being a bit safer when his time comes to take that first step."
"Borlath...We're going to obviously have to take some extra time to discuss these recent events and your requests." Diantha said to the Cipher Master, who simply responded with a smile.
"I'll be completely honest, that's more than I could have ever expected. Thank you for actually considering my words instead of mindlessly brushing them aside, calling me some childish names, and then making me leave with a headache." Borlath responded, earning several eye rolls.
Lance grimaced at that, glancing at Deoxys for a moment. "While I do despise you, I have to admit that I don't want things to continue as they are. If Cipher is willing to stop its plans, then it's our job to end it by any means necessary. A few minor changes here and there and a greater workload is a price worth paying for peace."
Borlath opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a scream of agony from beside him as Amber began to clutch her head, her eyes glowing bright pink as everyone present watched in horror.
"Make it stop! H-h-haven't I suffered enough?!" Amber screamed before Borlath snapped his fingers. Amber's entire body glowed bright blue and was flung into the wall, where she remained fixed. Deoxys' eyes shined bright as it turned its gaze to Borlath.
"Thank you, my friend." Borlath said to Deoxys, nodding at the Legendary before returning his gaze to the surprised Champions. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I forget that Amber's curse has incredibly poor timing. Thankfully I've come up with a way to keep her from harming herself during the transition."
"Curse?" Steven asked, horrified by what could be causing someone as dangerous and insane as Amber Fontaine genuine pain.
"It was a curse thrust upon her by Tapu Lele, the God of Life." Borlath said, his distaste evident in the frown he wore, his gaze drifting to Kahili and Professor Kukui. "Instead of killing Amber or healing the immense mental damage she has, Tapu Lele instead chose to torture her. She reverts to the person she could have been if not for certain events in her past."
Amber took that moment to suddenly go limp, causing Borlath to nod to Deoxys and cause the Legendary to drop the woman to the ground, where she fell to her knees. Amber slowly rose to her feet, taking several deep breaths as she used the wall for support to pull herself back to her feet.
"W-why does it hurt more and more with each change?" Amber asked, opening her now-glowing pink eyes. Her voice actually held emotion to it now, sounding rather annoyed and apologetic. "Sorry about that. I have no control over when that happens."
"Don't worry about it, Amber. Take a moment to recover if you need to." Borlath said to the woman, who nodded. Meanwhile the rest of those assembled in the room watched on with awe.
"I knew that Tapu Lele was a healer of sorts, but I didn't know it was capable of cursing people." Kahili remarked, sounding almost impressed.
"The Tapu have a plethora of abilities that the world doesn't know about. It's almost as if the information was suppressed somehow…" came a twisted voice from the front door, which then opened with a loud boom. Borlath levelled his pistol at the intruder, his eyes flaring crimson with hatred as he stared down the cloaked figure standing in the entryway of the room. The figure wore a gleaming metal mask, a softly distorted chuckle coming from his mouth.
"You…" Borlath hissed as Mask, or rather Roran Rubinara, stared him down from behind Chairman Rose. The masked man threw apart his arms dramatically, his Claydol floating silently in behind him. The fact that Roran had a pistol aimed at him was completely ignored with the usual confidence the madman carried.
"It's incredible how bullshit science and teleporting can take you so far, am I right? You really should have locked the door." Roran remarked with a chuckle, placing his hands on Rose's shoulders with an easy air, causing everyone in the room to stiffen.
"Chairman Rose…" Oleana said worriedly, with the man glancing towards Oleana with a calming smile. Everyone present had seen the broadcast of Team Rocket' destruction. While they knew that Borlath and Damien alone were enough to stand against any of them individually, Mask was more of an unknown...and arguably just as deadly. After all, he did massacre the Team Rocket Executives in a three-on-one battle. Though what was more interesting was the brief expression of uncertainty and fear on the face of Borlath.
"I gotta admit, Ash. This was a play I wasn't expecting from you. Killing off Neo Team Plasma and freeing Nimbasa? That's something I hadn't been counting on." Roran said with disguised amusement as Ashton tightly gripped the pistol within his grip. Deoxys floated towards Roran, sensing the violent intent coming from the man, but Roran gestured towards the DNA Pokémon.
"I'd call off your pet Legendary, Ash. You know what'll happen if I decide not to play nice anymore." Roran said, tapping the collar of his cloak.
"Have you managed to figure out a way to manipulate people using your powers yet, Deoxys?" Ashton asked the Legendary with a thought. The DNA Pokémon floated back towards the Trainer that had earned its loyalty.
"No, I have not. I couldn't cripple his mind if I tried. He has something within him that is blocking my efforts. There's nothing I can do to him that would be able to call off those who wish your child harm." Deoxys replied mentally, landing beside Ashton.
"If you're willing to keep things civil, I can as well. This was a peaceful meeting before you entered here, Roran Rubinara. Just because you're not blessed by the Tapu as a Kahuna anymore doesn't mean you can't show decorum." Ashton said smoothly, making Mask bark out a laugh before the confused Champions.
"Wait...what?" Kahili muttered, glancing back and forth between the two of them. Kukui was likewise dumbfounded, stunned into silence.
"Roran Rubinara…?" Lance muttered, his eyes going to the masked Admin, who simply chuckled.
"Oh, you're no fun. That's petty of you, Ash." Roran said as he tapped his mask, causing the bottom part to retract slightly with a hiss. Mask removed his disguise, revealing his face to the Champions with a twisted grin on his mutilated face.
"How...you're supposed to be dead." Kukui asked, his tone filled with genuine shock. As well as horror, because he remembered exactly why Roran was infamous in Alola. And also why there had been a concentrated effort to remove his name from any written record. No one wanted to remember what the man had done in his position of trust.
"Let's see, how do the youngsters say it these days...I lived, bitch!" Roran laughed as he looked around the room, a terrible smile on his face.
"Why are you here? And why are you so insistent in being a constant fixture in my life?" Borlath demanded, growling slightly as Roran's smile began to fade, until it was replaced by a look of coldness that chilled them all to their bones. The old ex-Kahuna wore an expression of the utmost loathing on his face as he raised his hand and gently brushed the burned side of his face, his Z-Ring rustling slightly on his wrist as he did so.
"Because, Ash, every single day that I continue to live is in complete agony. And I will never forgive you for that. You were the catalyst for my downfall in Alola, and I will ruin you for that like you did me." Roran said as he stepped forward, walking around the table as his Claydol floated behind him. Deoxys hummed softly, eyeing the duo as the ex-Kahuna walked towards the Cipher Master. Borlath matched his pace, with the two criminals circling the table as if about to duel. The Champion's gazes drifted between the two opposing forces, unsure of who would exactly come out on top. Roran spoke again, his voice soft as silk, but carrying a terrifying dose of venom to it.
"For those not educated on the matter...Here's a fun fact about Houndoom. If you happen to be unlucky enough to be burned by the flames they produce, the pain caused by those burns will never go away. The burn shall never heal, and you will be forced to endure it...forever." Roran said coldly, a rare note of anger in his voice as he glared down Ashton, his face stretching out terribly as he scowled at Borlath, who continued to stare him down with crimson eyes of hatred.
"Ever since that day at the Highborn Production Plant, I've been in pain. Agonizing, searing pain that will never fade. That's on top of the fact that you helped the International Police ruin my operation and spurned my generous deal." Roran said as Borlath scowled at the man, pressing his hands against the mahogany table as though he were prepared to lunge at the other man. "Alola would have been a utopia by now under my guidance, instead of rotting in obscurity because of those fools who cling to the past. My methods were terrible, but they're what made Alola grow. But because of you and your friends, all those years ago, my efforts have slowly wasted away."
"Believe me, I wish I had managed to do the job properly last time. Especially after what you did to my friends. Once I make sure you can't lay a hand on my son, I'm going to tear you limb from limb. That's a promise." Borlath said quietly to the other man, who barked out a laugh.
"Yes, yes...Remember what happens if you try to move against me in any way." Roran grinned sinisterly, his orange eyes gleaming with malice. "In fact...please try something. Give me an excuse to kill Sun. I bet he tastes wonderful."
"It'll be a cold day in hell before I let you lay a hand on my child." Borlath growled, causing Roran to cackle with delight.
"Lay a hand on him? I've met him, boy. He's a good kid with more sense than you ever had as a child, Ashton. But I'm going to tell you right now that there's not a damn thing stopping me from snacking on the brat." Roran shrugged, ignoring the horrified looks of the Champions.
"Is...are you actually insane?" Diantha asked, clear disgust in her voice.
"Cannibalism gets a horrible rep, but it's pretty great." Roran defended himself, turning to smile at the woman who felt her skin crawl. "Children tend to taste the best. There's more than one reason I had my boys back in the day kidnap as many as we could. And it wasn't just for selling them to the highest bidder."
"That's...you…" Lance seemed beside himself with rage, but Roran flashed him an even wider grin.
"Heh, you can't talk. Some of my buyers were from Kanto. And some served on the very same board as the Kanto and Johto League Chairmans." Roran said before turning to Borlath, who never stopped glaring at him. "Going back to what you're trying to pull here. There's not a fool alive who'd be willing to make a deal with you. Not after what you've done...And what you're trying to do. Cipher does nothing but stab people in the back. Why would they trust you?" Roran asked Borlath, who sneered at Roran.
"Why would they ever listen to a madman who's worse than I could ever become?" Borlath retorted, causing Roran to let out a cackle of delight as he swished his black cloak.
"Because I'm a bastard and don't give a damn who gets hurt by what anymore. Everyone can suffer for all I care! It's so liberating, Ash. To let loose all of my anger and hate freely. You all should take some notes. Here, have my card!" Roran said as he pulled out a card from within his cloak, flourishing it for a moment before casually sticking it into Chairman Rose's coat pocket. Oleana looked scandalized while Rose glared at the Admin in annoyance.
"With that, I'll leave you kids be. After all, I have more lives to ruin. Especially since someone had to let the cat out of the bag...oh well. Alola for now!" Roran said cheerily before teleporting on the spot with his Claydol, causing the atmosphere of the room to change somewhat.
"I can't believe that Roran is alive...No wonder he was able to do so much damage at Royal Avenue." Kukui breathed, looking towards Sun's father as he shut his eyes for a moment, recalling how old Hala had been nearly killed by the man there.
"Roran was always a ruthless battler. Even in his advancing age, he's able to pump himself with concoctions to the point where he's more physically strong than myself. It's vexing, but...I'll sort him out." Borlath sighed again, shaking his head as his crimson eyes faded to black. Kukui was struck by how much he was reminded of Sun then, when the boy was stressed out.
"It's incredible that for all of Cipher's talk of stamping out the evil of the world and becoming the darkness of the world, you can't deal with one rogue operative." Steven Stone mused, making Borlath smile ruefully.
"Yes. I'll admit, if I could rewind time I'd kill Greevil myself for recruiting Roran to Cipher. The old man had no idea what he was messing with, and neither did I until it was too late. As for dealing with Roran, it's a work in progress. But now that Roran has proven that he'll be a hindrance to any of my plans going forward, I'll be focusing all of my efforts on destroying him utterly. So you all may rest easy for now." Borlath said as he stood up, stretching for a moment before turning to Amber.
"Or don't. I mean, I wouldn't blame you one bit." Amber remarked with a shrug, smirking a little as her eyes continued to glow pink.
"At least you're self-aware." Silver deadpanned, with Borlath smiling a bit at that.
"Quite. I'm very well aware of the injustices and evils we've committed in the name of peace. But my intentions are sincere, and will only benefit the world in the long run. And I genuinely hope that you'll ignore Roran's interruption. He's hell-bent on ruining as many lives as possible, and I'll be working hard to end his life sooner rather than later." Borlath said as a hard note crept into his voice, which made some of them shiver slightly.
"Is Sun really in danger from him?" Kukui asked Borlath, who turned to the man and considered him for a few moments. The two knew each other from before all of this, as Kukui had become good friends with his wife years ago and Ashton had even battled him once. Kukui was an honest and good man, and one capable of holding his own against any of the Champions assembled here.
"Yes. I've ordered Cipher to leave Sun alone for now, considering everything going on. Sun's actions at Royal Avenue proved that he's stronger than I could've possibly imagined he could become...He's much like me in that regard. Always exceeding our father's expectations." Borlath smiled, shutting his eyes and shaking his head sadly. Kukui was surprised to hear the note of pride in his voice when speaking about the child that Kukui had become so fond of. Kukui then noticed a particular part of that statement and raised an eyebrow.
"...for now?" Kukui repeated, with Ashton shrugging.
"For now. Who knows what the future will bring. I want my son to be safe and happy, but his safety comes before his happiness. Even if I have to do things I'm not proud of, I will ensure that my boy is safe. Roran's interference wouldn't have happened if Sun was under my care, instead of being allowed to roam the wilderness of Alola." Ashton said with an annoyed frown before shaking his head again, his eyes becoming a light blue.
"Alola does have some major security problems." Lance admitted, sighing after a few seconds. "It's been difficult to get the Alolan Regional Council to approve of more resources and measures to improve the region's defense. They're adamant that the small police force, Captains, Kahunas and Tapu are more than enough."
"Stubborn lot of old geezers." Diantha muttered, earning a chuckle from Borlath.
"An accurate assessment. They don't want interference from other regions. They've always been like that. I'm sure the Professor has had his hands full sorting out his new League and dealing with their nonsense." Borlath said with wry smirk, with Kukui nodding after a moment. It was an accurate enough statement. Borlath stared at the Professor for a few moments before he crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful.
"Considering you're the one who helped him begin his journey, perhaps I should ask you a question, Professor. How is Sun doing, Kukui? No details, of course, I don't want to pry into his affairs and make things more complicated for him. But is he okay? I talked with him only briefly the other day once he met my parents, and he was more concerned with me than he was himself." Ashton asked Kukui, who genuinely thought about not answering the man's question. After all, he had done many terrible things to both Sun and Laura, and he had no right to be a part of their life anymore. That being said...Kukui saw no reason aside from spite to not give him an answer to a question that any concerned father would ask.
"He's managing. Finding out about his grandparents was incredibly unsettling to him, and to the rest of us. It's not surprising that you hid the bulk of their abuse from Laura. It explains some things about what could have led you to become so overprotective of Sun." Kukui said to Ashton, who's eyes flickered to black. "That being said, he's a tough boy. He actually defeated my longtime rival Guzma in a battle the other day. By all rights, he's a prodigy Trainer and I can't wait to see how much more he'll grow over the course of his Island Challenge."
"I was hoping he'd never have to meet my father. He's...well, I don't have the words for it. Please don't leave Sun alone with that man." Borlath said to Kukui, who didn't respond. "I can only hope that he doesn't have the same experiences I went through as a Trainer. My Island Challenge was...traumatic to say the least. Especially with the Ruby Raiders running around unchecked. And from what I hear, these days it isn't much better. I recall hearing about Councilman Palena's daughter having a near-death experience at Brooklet Hill."
Kukui coughed at that, knowing that he couldn't refute the incident with Demi. "It's something we're looking into. The Totem was replaced and President Lusamine is looking into how it went rogue."
"Lusa's looking into it? She has her plate full these days." Ashton said with a nod before adding, "I appreciate your honesty, Professor. Please continue to watch over my son. He means everything to me."
"Just so long as you continue to leave him alone, he'll be fine." Kukui said to the man, who simply nodded in response before looking back towards the Champions that had been watching them. It was so odd, seeing the man that had launched a crusade against them and had taken control of a terrorist organization asking sincere questions about his son's well-being.
"I think that's quite enough for our first meeting. I urge you to consider my words and actions today and hope that we can work together for a better tomorrow. A world where the government and those who have sworn to protect their people are able to quickly take actions against those who mean the world harm. To safeguard the future of the innocents who rely on you. I don't want to have to escalate things further, and all I ask is for you to do your jobs. Protect the people you were sworn to. And help me make this world a better place. That's all I ask." Ashton said quietly, his words sounding almost as if he was begging them to do the right thing. To make it so he didn't have to make things worse. To carve more gashes into his soul with additional bloodshed. As he had made very apparent today, he could have killed them all without much effort on his part.
He chose not to, however, out of respect for his son's wishes. A child's hope for peace to prevail.
Deoxys floated over to where Amber and Borlath stood and teleported the duo out of the room, and like that the Cipher presence was gone. The room exploded into conversation, though it was mostly people yelling at one another. Kahili simply walked over to the sack that Amber had been holding and was going through it.
Diantha had her head in her hands while Steven Stone remained quiet, fuming silently as some of the shouting died down. Red and Blue exchanged concerned looks while Silver's expression became a stone-like mask. Lance wore an expression of contemplation while Wallace and Lucian seemed thoughtful. All the while Kahili was rummaging through the sack of their belongings and was handing out everyone's phones and trying to sort out whose items were whose.
None of them were paying attention to Chairman Rose, who was leaning back in his chair with calculating frown. The man blinked then, remembering something as he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out the business card Roran had slipped inside of it. To his surprise, on the back of the card was a tiny device of sorts. The only thing of note about it was that it had a small blue screen displaying a set of rapidly changing numbers on it. The numbers finally stopped changing after a moment and Rose's eyes widened when he realized what the numbers were.
"Coordinates...But why?" Rose thought before glancing towards his longtime friend and most loyal ally. The only person he could trust in a situation like this, as the other Champions shouted back and forth on what to do. Most of them were actually considering Borlath's conditions from what it sounded like. After all, none of his demands were anything unreasonable, except for the drastic power shift and increase in responsibility, which was nothing any of the Champions could protest in good faith.
That being said...
"Oleana?" Rose muttered, with the women leaning down slightly.
"Yes sir?"
"These coordinates...look them up for me." Rose said as he handed the card to Oleana, who accepted it with a nod.
Oleana nodded and began tapping away on her data-pad, an eyebrow rising as she stared down at the device. "Sir, these are the coordinates to the Aupuni Industries Celadon HQ." Oleana said with some surprise, with Rose smirking to himself.
"So the Rook has moved in to take the King. But what of the Bishop, who moves so unconventionally and has his own motives?" Rose thought, shutting his eyes for a few moments as the shouting increased in volume. For now, they would consider their options. And then respond with the appropriate measures.
While he couldn't afford to show his true hand so early...it didn't hurt to eliminate threats to Galar ahead of schedule, now did it?
Several Days Later…
Aether Paradise
President Lusamine really did try to keep her anger in check.
She had become adept at maintaining a mask of politeness and serenity. That perfect picture of motherly affection she carried was a mere mimicry of what she once was, before her family had been scattered to the winds by a combination of tragedy and her own actions.
"No...No, they chose to leave me, despite my love. Those brats will pay for defying me in such a manner." Lusamine thought darkly, her green gaze sharpening as she continued her walk through the halls. But that wasn't what was making her so angry. No, angry didn't quite cut it.
She was livid.
"Ashton, you stupid, selfish boy...I won't allow you to stop me from reaching the Ultra Space. I'll tear the world apart if I have to!" Lusamine screamed internally as she punched in the code for the lift, leaning over to the railing and shutting her eyes. A pounding headache threatened to make her head spin.
"Calm...I'm calm. In...out. Think of them. This is to save them. Remember that." Lusamine thought to herself, shaking her head slightly as the pain receded to a dull throb that pulsed through her skull. And as Lusamine lifted a hand to her forehead, she saw that her veins were showing on her entire arm. She ignored this as she rose to the top floor of the Aether Paradise, the Conservation Area.
"You're late, Madam Prez. You shouldn't keep a guy waiting like this. People might talk…" a familiar man drawled from the floor nearby, where a Golisopod sat beside the man's form on the ground, quietly meditating.
Lusamine rolled her eyes as Guzma grinned at her, the Boss of Team Skull lying down on the ground in what might have been interpreted as a provocative manner, a rose clamped within his teeth. Lusamine was tempted to kick the man in between his legs, but figured that she'd at least humor him.
"I'm surprised you're in such a good mood. Considering your loss to Sunshine Smiles, I figured you would be more angry, Guzma." Lusamine noted, causing Guzma's smile to vanish within moments as he spat out the rose.
"Well, I was actually trying not to think about that. So thanks." Guzma said dryly, making Lusamine smile with amusement.
Lusamine had made sure that everyone would be kept out of the Conservation Area for roughly an hour or so, as Lusamine had to perform a "special inspection" of the area for her own peace of mind. Naturally that was a lie so that she didn't have to talk to Guzma in that cramped room within her mansion, and could instead enjoy the beauty of nature while discussing business. Especially because Guzma had pushed for this meeting, claiming it was important.
"So…what exactly required such urgency, Guzma? You know I'm a busy woman." Lusamine asked, with the man in question grinning at her.
"Well, to start with, let's walk and talk. I hate being still, unless I'm knocking down fools." Guzma said as he laid down on his back and did a fairly impressive kip-up, landing on his feet with a slight huff. With that, he sauntered off with his hands in his pockets. Lusamine followed, gritting her teeth as she caught up with the man.
"How's the prisoner?" Lusamine asked Guzma, who smirked in response.
"He's told me all about Cipher's hidden base. Fucker's built it into the side of Blush Mountain, and the door's hidden inside of a deep tunnel. State-of-the-art security, and you can only get inside if you have a particular keycard." Guzma said as Lusamine listened intently.
"Any weaknesses we can exploit?" Lusamine asked, with Guzma grinning.
"Their boss is the bastard who attacked you all the other day. He's not around often, and apparently he has an intricate disguise that he uses to walk around Alola in broad daylight. No idea who it is, though. The Peon we captured didn't know it himself." Guzma explained as Lusamine sighed, a small sign of her frustration.
"That's a shame. But it's something at least."
"He was very clear that this guy didn't care if people know that Admin Mask was really Roran Rubinara. Apparently the guy only cares if his true disguise is discovered." Guzma said to Lusamine, who looked confused.
"I don't understand. Why would that be more important than who he really is?" Lusamine wondered aloud, with Guzma crossing his arms at that.
"Because if shit goes tits up, he can hide away again in his disguise with no problems in another region and start again. It's hard to make a disguise that'll actually hold up against checks and authentication, Madam Prez. Being connected to the Alolan underworld has taught me that. Mask, or Roran or whatever, relies on that disguise more than anything else. We take that away...and he's done. It's a mental thing more than anything else." Guzma breathed, grinning nastily. "I wanna be the one to break him."
"Get in line, Guzma." Lusamine remarked, chuckling after a moment. "Good work, though. I knew I could rely on you."
Guzma blushed as Lusamine walked past him, with the man grinning at the praise. He tried to deny it, but the rare comment of confidence in him made everything worth it. It was like a drug that pumped dopamine through his brain.
"Which reminds me, Guzma. How on earth did you get him to admit all of this to you?" Lusamine asked the Team Skull Boss, making Guzma snicker in response.
"Well, it took longer than expected, but after a few days of the Team Skull Nonstop Crab Rave, he was ready to tell me whatever the hell I wanted." Guzma tried to explain to an increasingly confused Lusamine, who stared at him with one of the more odd expressions he'd seen from her. Guzma still thought she looked hot.
"'Team Skull Nonstop...Crab Rave?" Lusamine asked, making Guzma's smile widen evilly.
"Yep. He's still stuck there, by the way. Just in case I need to get more info outta him. And because it's funny." Guzma said with a small shrug, uncaring that Lusamine was staring at him in confusion.
Meanwhile, at the Shady House…
"Wooooo! Damn skippy!"
"Yoooooo!"
"Hell yeah, dude! Get it! Dance like a mofo!"
"Jump on the table, hahaha!"
"This beat is wild, man! I love the Crab Rave, yo!"
"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, KILL ME!"
"I'm such an asshole." Guzma thought as he began walking along the path yet again, with Lusamine following behind as she tried to comprehend what Guzma was going on about. After a few minutes of puzzling, she decided she didn't really care that much so long as she got the information she needed.
"Continue probing him for information. We'll see about finding out more information in the meantime. How's Gladion?" Lusamine casually asked the leader of Team Skull. Some part of her wondered why she even cared about her estranged and traitorous son, but some part of her that had been strangely quiet as of late still wanted to know. Regardless, Guzma's smirk slipped slightly and the man offered the Aether President a simple shrug.
"Better than he's been usually. Bone Unit #71 reported to me that he's been really depressed lately. To the point where they stumbled onto the kid cutting himself." Guzma scowled for a moment, remembering instances where members of Team Skull had fallen into depression over their lost dreams and woeful situations. With the entire world against you, you wanted to lash out. But when you were too weak to lash out...You could only turn that pain onto yourself.
"How many times have I had to talk those poor kids outta doing something drastic...or worse, killing themselves. Worst part is when even the big bad badass Guzma can't save 'em." Guzma thought bitterly before he focused back on the current topic, trying not to think about the boys and girls too broken by Alola to protect.
"He's doing better now, though. Less tense, from what one of my boys said. He's getting close to Councilman Palena's daughter. Demi was her name, I think. So that'll be interesting…" Guzma trailed off, suddenly smirking. "I forced the two of them to room together because I wanted to be a dick. I wonder if that kid'll actually score thanks to me?"
Lusamine casually smacked Guzma on the back of the head, making the man wince as he glanced at the annoyed mother. "If I wasn't so sure Gladion is currently a lost cause right now I'd be more furious about you being such a terrible influence on him. Now...Do you have any word on the whereabouts of Lillie?"
Guzma opened his mouth to speak, though as they passed a corner of the Conservation Area, the Team Skull Boss spotted something that made him blink several times in surprise.
"What the hell is that?" Guzma asked, leaning over the railing and pointing to somewhere off to their left. A small machine nearby was blowing freezing cold air where Guzma pointed, with the area in question covered in light snow. Lusamine sometimes forgot that part of the Conservation Area was retrofitted for Ice-types to recover in, much like the Pokémon Guzma had pointed out, which was a small white worm-like Pokémon with ice sprouting from it's back.
"It's a Snom. They're native to the Galar region. The one in question was found badly injured near the Heahea City docks last Tuesday, and has been recovering here ever since." Lusamine explained as Guzma walked over to the railing, staring at the Pokémon with an intense grin on his face.
"Holy shit...that thing is adorable as hell!" Guzma remarked as he hopped over the railing, making Lusamine's heart rate nearly double.
"Get back here Guzma!" Lusamine shouted, which had the effect of waking the Snom up. It noticed Guzma walking towards it, a smirk on his face. Lusamine watched in surprise as the man easily scooped up the Pokémon and held it up into the air, where it promptly blew a burst of snow into Guzma's face, making the man burst out laughing.
"Well, ain't you just the cutest thing! Hehehe! The name's Guzma, little guy!" Guzma boomed as Guzma placed the Pokémon on top of his head. What was even more confusing was when the Snom wriggled a bit in Guzma's hair and shut its eyes, returning to it's sleep. Guzma's grin almost broke his face.
"Guzma, that Snom is recovering from a heat stroke, among other injuries it had. You have to be gentle!" Lusamine scolded the man, who crossed his arms as a scowl appeared on his face.
"And if anything else happens to it, I'm killing everyone in this building and then myself." Guzma stayed bluntly, making Lusamine's eyes widen in surprise, with the woman taking a slow step back as Guzma's eyes went to the small bug in his hair. "Nah, just playing. Aww, she's sleeping. See? Guzma's the hardest guy around, but he's also someone a badass with a heart of gold." Guzma asked cockily as he stood up, gently hopping over the railing and rejoining a stunned Lusamine, who didn't respond right away.
"Galar's got some crazy stuff going on if they've got a Pokémon as awesome as that. Hell, ya boi might have to head there sometime...What were we talking about again?" Guzma asked Lusamine, who seemed to have become incapable of human speech.
"After almost ten years of being completely sober, I might resort to drinking tonight. It's a shame Guzma is so useful. Otherwise I think I may have killed him by now." Lusamine thought angrily before taking a steadying breath. She wondered if the alien poison flowing through her veins was making her more violent. She quickly dismissed that idea.
"Guzma, what's the status of Lillie? If you don't have anything else to report, then kindly leave. I'm still doing damage control and looking into both my daughter's whereabouts and trying to figure out what to do about that psychopath Kahuna running loose." Lusamine snapped, with Guzma's expression becoming serious.
"Is he really that bad?" Guzma asked, crossing his arms.
"You battled Amber Fontaine yourself a few months ago. This man is just as dangerous, but for many different reasons. And not just because he can freely harness that power you used back at Royal Avenue. He's ruthlessly intelligent and is as cruel as the ocean is deep. And considering the fact that he's only become more dangerous in the years that have passed...Maybe I should return to the mainland for some time. Look into a few things myself. Faba can look after the Paradise for a time while I investigate." Lusamine mused, crossing her arms and ignoring the crimson veins flowing down her left forearm.
"What about that Wicke lady? The one you're suspicious about?" Guzma asked, with Lusamine letting out a soft sigh in response before replying with words.
"She's looking after those injured in the attack along with Colress. The losses were...great." Lusamine said quietly, clenching her fists in anger hard enough for them to go white and to make Guzma raise an eyebrow.
"How could you do this, Ashton? After everything we've been through...How could you work alongside someone who's hurt you so much?" Lusamine thought, her mind trying to figure out how this could have happened. She couldn't determine an answer. And so she decided to focus on other matters. Sort of.
"If I had been there, I would've smacked down this fool no problem. Don't you worry about the kids, Madam Prez. Guzma's on the case." The Team Skull Boss remarked, flashing her a grin.
"I'm aware, Guzma. Especially since you've decided to abduct my Snom and waste my time. I was hoping you had some update on Lillie's whereabouts." Lusamine said in a bored tone, which made Guzma's eyes narrow.
"I mean that honestly, Prez. And I spotted your daughter just yesterday evening in the crowd after I battled that kid, Sun." Guzma said to Lusamine, who's eyes went wide. "Didn't I mention that earlier?"
"You saw Lillie!? In Malie Garden? Why didn't you capture her?" Lusamine demanded, her temper flaring at the mere thought of such incompetence. Guzma scoffed, shaking his head.
"Too many witnesses. Plus there was International Police coverage there. And with Kukui there too? That'd bring every one of the Kahunas down on Team Skull at once, and that's something I can't deal with while my team is busted up. That girl's got friends in high places, and it'll take a bit of doing to pull off that kind of job." Guzma explained, a note of bitterness in his voice. Lusamine knew how much pride meant to Guzma, and she knew what it took for the man to admit that he couldn't brute force his problems.
"I see...I suppose I'm letting the stress of my current situation get to me." Lusamine then sighed, shaking her head as she leaned against the railing. "Continue, Guzma. Please."
Guzma straightened up slightly, even as the Snom on his head began to nibble on his hair. Guzma fought the urge to hug the bug in front of Lusamine and focused on the task at hand. "Seems like your suspicions about the little brat were true. Lillie's hooked up with Hala's grandson and the son of that Cipher leader, and has them keeping an eye out for her."
"I knew it." Lusamine sneered, a victorious grin coming to her lips. After Hau's slip about Lillie during their visit to the Paradise, Lusamine suspected that she was involved with the two children there. Now that it was confirmed, Lusamine wondered if fate was at work here.
"Ash's precious little boy and my rebellious flower becoming friends...What are the odds?" Lusamine thought before Guzma spoke again, bringing her back to reality.
"She's also been making friends with the Captains. Acerola has been sticking to the girl like glue lately, and even if she seems like an air-headed idiot, I know better than to trifle with that girl without a team that can back me up." Guzma said as he crossed his arms, growling slightly. "Old Nanu's been taking care of that girl for years now, and my boys have reported on her enough to know that trying to go for the direct approach is a bad idea."
"I'm surprised you're taking this so seriously, Guzma. It's a testament to your experience and intellect." Lusamine praised the man, earning a smirk from him.
"Maybe. I've got a few ideas in mind to possibly lure the Captain and any possible hindrances away from the girl for a time, but it's a work in progress. I think the key is the Kahuna's grandson." Guzma said with a shrewd smirk.
"Hau? What about him?" Lusamine asked, but Guzma waved a hand dismissively.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it, Madam Prez. Just let Guzma take care of things. Maybe take some time to sort your thoughts out. Things get all muddled when you can't make sense of stuff. And if things are as bad as you say…" Guzma trailed off before shrugging. "Can't hurt to take a day off."
"There's wisdom in that. I'll cancel my appointments for the day and head to Malie City. I mentioned looking into some things, but maybe I can instead spend some time with Sun himself. Even if the boy's father is an insolent brat, Sun himself was quite endearing." Lusamine remarked, a smile coming to her face.
"Plus you can probe him for info." Guzma chimed in, making Lusamine's smile darken in a way that the man liked oh-so very much.
A few hours later, Lusamine found herself walking the streets of Malie City to search for the boy in question, under the pretense of boosting the Aether Foundation's PR due to being seen. She was accompanied by someone she hadn't planned on joining her, but welcomed regardless. She even told her intentions to find Sun and spend the day with the child, citing an interest in the Trainer who defended the Aether Paradise from the Ultra Beast.
"Alola's weather never ceases to fascinate me. It's a shame I'm not adjusting to the heat as well as I thought I would be. Ah well." Colress remarked as the two walked through the city.
"You'll get used to it. Though, even then, it's fairly brutal." Lusamine drawled, smirking as Colress grinned.
"Perhaps. Thankfully my suit protects me against such temperatures. I've actually developed a vest prototype that achieves the same effect, though it's considerably less bulky." Colress admitted, earning a grin from Lusamine.
"Are you considering using our mutual young friend as a test subject? How bold. And I thought you came along simply because you enjoyed my wonderful company." Lusamine teased the man as they rounded the corner.
"I wouldn't call Sun a test subject. Merely a child I have a vested interest in ensuring he survives the ordeals to come. And if I'm struggling still in this heat, a traveling Trainer like him that's new to Alola would benefit from the same advantage I possess." Colress responded before grinning in delight. "And there he is now!"
Lusamine's eyes caught onto the boy in question after a moment or two. It seemed he was walking down the sidewalk with Captain Oliver of the International Police, though the man seemed to be wearing casual clothes rather than his uniform.
"He must be off-duty. His presence will make it more difficult for me to pump information out of Sun." Lusamine thought as she and Colress walked down the sidewalk.
"You did mention wanting to spend a bit of time with him if at all possible during our time on the island today. Should we call out to him?" Colress asked Lusamine, who was about to answer when the sound of shouting cut her off. Lusamine noticed that Sun was now on the ground and Captain Oliver was now glaring down a rough-looking young man with a pink Mohawk.
"I said excuse me! That doesn't give you the right to throw me to the ground!" Sun shouted at the teen, making the Sinnohan teen known as Geoff scoff in response.
"And I said I don't give a damn. Now back off." Geoff growled to Ollie, who grinned at the young man.
"I think I remember you. My girlfriend kicked your ass in that tournament at Royal Avenue. You're Geoff Kekdil, from Sunyshore City, right?" Ollie remarked, making Geoff scowl as his face flushed pink at the slight jab. Sun took that moment to hop to his feet, his eyes flickering red in anger.
"He's also a complete jerk who abused his Riolu to the point where it nearly died. I can't believe you'd treat a Pokémon like that." Sun said hotly to Geoff, crossing his arms. The teen took a step back, looking at Sun intently for a few moments before he shook his head.
"Tch, you don't get it. I've been a Trainer for years, kid. And I've gotten strong over that time. Yeah, I lost a battle. So what? It happens. But don't mistake that for my weakness. It's on the Pokémon who weren't able to bring out their best during the fight. That Riolu got what it deserved. It's not the first Pokémon that I've released for being a failure, and it's not gonna be the last." Geoff remarked, making Ollie frown now.
"That's such a counterproductive mindset. It's also clear you aren't nearly as good as you think you are, considering you abused that Riolu to the point of near-death because it wasn't becoming stronger...when any halfway competent Trainer would know that Riolu evolve based on the bond they share with their Trainer." Ollie said pointed out as Geoff's eyes widened in surprise, showing he was ignorant of that fact. His gaze then narrowed.
"It sounds to me like you want to pick a fight." Geoff said quietly, clenching his fists.
"Not really. I'm just reminding you of your mistakes. Also of the fact that it's only because I'm off-duty that I can't arrest you for disturbing the peace and for 1st Degree Pokémon Abuse. Though I guess who can tack on there physically assaulting a minor as well." Ollie casually rattled off, with Geoff taking another step back. Sun smirked at that, as it seemed the teen knew that what he had done was fully punishable by the law and that Ollie was completely within his rights to press charges.
"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" spoke a cold voice from behind Ollie and Sun. The two turned around and saw, to their combined displeasure, Councilman Palena striding towards them, a small bag in his hands and a cold expression on his face.
"Not at all, sir. Simply ensuring that this young man knows how impolite it is to shove other people to the ground. I decided to let him off with a warning, since I'm just that nice of a guy. I might press charges too for assault. You know how these things go." Ollie said with a winning smile as his gaze flitted to Geoff, who looked distinctly uncomfortable.
"I see. I do hope that the International Police is making headway on the Cipher case, Captain. It wouldn't be pleasant for there to be another incident for you to explain to the Council." Palena said stiffly, his gaze going to Sun. "I see you're still out and about...You must have no sense of shame."
"Neither do you, sir. After all, you're perfectly happy to hide what my grandfather tried to do to me the other day." Sun countered, making the man grit his teeth in fury.
"Your grandfather has been a patron of the Alolan Regional Council for over forty years and is a distinguished citizen of Malie City." Palena said to the two of them, making Ollie's mouth twitched.
"He's also an abusive monster who I suspect is cause of why Ashton Aupuni is so mentally unwell. But that's neither here nor there." Ollie said easily, his professionalism masking his distaste for the man who had threatened both Sun and Laura multiple times now. And considering the fact that he was currently covering for an insane and dangerous man like Ano Aupuni made this worse.
"We all have our demons, Captain." Palena demurred, with Sun frowning at that. He wondered if the cold man considered his treatment of Demi as one of those demons. Palena moved around the two of them and stood beside Geoff, who looked at the older man warily.
"I can imagine." Ollie said dryly, looking as though he was fully tempted to say more but was forcing himself to be civil. Geoff opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped when two hands clamped down on both his shoulder and the shoulder of Palena, pulling them backwards into the clutches of someone Sun recognized after a moment of surprise. That surprise was increased tenfold by what the figure holding both men hissed into their ears loud enough for everyone present to hear.
"I need you both inside my asshole."
Palena and Geoff let out shouts of surprise and horror as they yanked themselves out of the powerful grip of the whisperer. Sun's jaw dropped as the Fossil Man gave them all a wide grin, letting out a cackle of delight as Palena clutched his frantically beating heart while Geoff looked like he was ready to leap at the man and start punching.
"Aww, you two look so shaken up." the Fossil Man remarked with a crooked grin, though as he gave it Sun noticed it looked strained.
"S-shut up! Who the hell says that to people!?" Geoff demanded, his cheeks burning red and pointedly ignoring the fact that Ollie was silently laughing at the two of them. Councilman Palena seemed to recover then, brushing imaginary dust off of his suit before scowling at the Fossil Man.
"I could charge you for-" Palena began to say before the Fossil Man took a step forward, his grin becoming something more twisted, which made Sun shrink behind Ollie.
"By all means, threaten me, Councilman Palena. We'll see who breaks first...and it won't be me. After all, I'm not part of the group that has been burying their dirty secrets for decades…" the Fossil Man crooned, making Palena's expression turn to one of absolute horror.
"What...what does that mean?" Ollie said, his gaze flickering to each of them. Unbeknownst to all of them, Ollie was recording the current conversation for future use. Alola didn't have any laws against recording someone without their permission, and after not having been able to do so against Ano Aupuni, he would ensure he had evidence of any wrongdoing here.
Palena remained silent, though a bead of sweat dripped down his neck, with Sun practically seeing the gears turning in the man's head. Geoff wasn't so dismayed, however. "I don't have to take that from some psycho!" Geoff snarled, earning a chuckle from the Fossil Man as he turned to the younger Trainer.
"By all means, keep insulting me. I'm sure I could let my old friend Byron back in Sinnoh know that there's this hotshot Trainer going around causing all sorts of trouble. It wouldn't be very hard to convince him to pull your Trainer's license for all of the nasty things you've pulled lately, huh?" the Fossil Man said lightly, gesturing vaguely at the young man who silently fumed.
"I'll...leave you all to it." Palena said stiffly before quickly leaving the scene, ignoring the Fossil Man blowing kisses in his direction while Sun tried not to roll his eyes at the man. Despite being thankful for his intervention, the Fossil Man was still weird.
"Tch. Typical Alolan bullshit." Geoff hissed, turning back to Sun. "I don't need to prove anything to any of you. You've been a Trainer for what, a few months? I've been one for years. That Riolu wasn't the only Pokémon I've ditched in Alola. And I bet sooner or later, even someone like you will realize it's so much more practical to get rid of a Pokémon that's not working out. It's just common sense."
"I would never give up on any of my Pokémon. No matter what problems they had, no matter if they win or lose...My team has never given up on me, and I'll never give up on them." Sun said fiercely, stepping up to glare Geoff down.
"I don't believe that for a moment. This is reality, kid. Not everything works out, and sometimes you've gotta get rid of what doesn't work to keep the machine running. If that happens to seem cruel, then oh well." Geoff shrugged, though he was surprised when Sun's eyes flashed red again, with the boy's gaze hardening considerably.
"That's a promise. Because I'm better than that. And I'm better than you." Sun said quietly, his voice completely filled with conviction. He would never give up on any of his Pokémon, no matter what was going on.
Geoff's cold gaze bored into Sun's for a few more moments before he whirled around and stormed off. The group watched the man leave before Ollie turned to Sun with a proud smile.
"That's how you do it, Sun. And that's a great mentality to have. Trainers shouldn't just give up on their Pokémon like that, and should try to work through the problems that come their way." Ollie said to the boy, who's eyes flashed back to gray as he smiled at Ollie. He then noticed Colress and Lusamine standing nearby, watching them all, and waved at them. Lusamine and Colress joined the trio, with the Aether President wearing a bright smile.
"Hello again, Sun. I'm glad to see you're doing well." Lusamine said to Sun, surprising the boy by sweeping him into a rather comfortable hug. Sun stood there, surprised, but returned it after a few seconds. Lusamine released the boy and looked to Ollie, nodding to him. "Agent Quill, I presume? I've heard good things about you and your coworkers here in Alola, sir. Thank you for your service."
"We live to serve. Thank you for the wonderful work Aether does. Your dedication is to be admired." Ollie said respectfully in return. With that being said, Sun turned to the Fossil Man, who was watching the exchange with boredom.
"Um...thanks for the help." Sun said to the Fossil Man, who brushed aside his remark with a wave. The plump man puffed out his chest slightly, a smug smile on his face.
"Don't worry about it. Sticking it to the Alolan Council of Grand Morons is always fun to me, kid. Besides, I don't mind lending a hand to Trainers every now and then." the Fossil Man replied, his smile becoming a bit more sincere.
"I've heard of you before. I appreciate your donation of Fossil Pokémon for Aether's study, sir. Though do you actually have a name?" Lusamine asked the eccentric man, which earned her a booming laugh.
"Truth be told, I don't remember my name these days! Just that I've got a dream! A dream that the past will return to the future, and that Fossil Pokémon will get to explore this world and have a second chance at life! Isn't that a wonderful dream?" the man proclaimed, crossing his arms as he threw back his head and let out a booming laugh. Lusamine looked at the man oddly, while Colress nodded in agreement.
"Allowing Pokémon to have a second chance at life is a wonderful goal. You might be somewhat unstable, but your heart is in the right place." Colress said to the Fossil Man, earning another laugh from him.
"Always nice to get a professional opinion, Doctor Colress. I see a real doctor for that, though! And I've heard all about the fantastic stuff you've been up to. Might need to see if some of my friends can contact your people and maybe we could make some magic happen!" the Fossil Man mused before shrugging. "I'm rambling. Ignore me. Anyways, if that's all, I've got things to do and people to bother."
The Fossil Man walked off, with Sun and the others watching him walk out of sight with equal expressions of bemusement across their faces. Sun then snapped out of it and turned to Lusamine and Colress.
"So what brings you both here?" Sun asked.
"Truth be told, I'm taking a short break from the goings-on at Aether Paradise. What with Admin Mask's attack, I've been incredibly stressed lately. I was advised that a day off would do a world of good for me. I then realized that it had been a while since we last spoke, and I figured that I should rectify that. Colress offered to join me, and here we are." Lusamine asked lightly, chuckling daintily as Sun nodded.
"That makes sense, I suppose. I was about to head to Malie Cape for some training before I head to the next Trial at Tapu Village." Sun explained to the two adults. The boy then noticed Ollie looking at his phone with an annoyed expression, so Sun turned to him. "Everything okay?"
Ollie sighed, stuffing his phone into a pocket. "Unfortunately Maiden wants me to meet with her and some of your friends from Unova at Malie Library. I'd rather not leave you on your own, though."
"I can handle myself." Sun said with a grin, though that did nothing to assuage Ollie's concerns. Kukui had informed him of what Borlath had said when he infiltrated the Indigo Plateau and warned them about Mask's true identity. The fact that Mask was threatening to kill Sun if Borlath left him alone was horrifying to say the least. Ollie didn't want to take any chances, so he had been spending as much time with him as his work would allow the Captain to get away with in order to help protect the boy.
Sun was likewise stunned that his father had actually been a man of his word and tried to talk things out with the Pokémon League. According to Professor Kukui, things were still being discussed, but he was hopeful that things could reach a peaceful conclusion between the two sides. Sun wasn't entirely sure what to make of this development, especially since his father had once again set back his own plans simply to appease him. And killed several thousand people with Perfect Kyurem for the sake of ending his alliance with Neo Team Plasma.
Sun needed some time to process these recent events.
"If you're worried about the boy's safety, Agent Quill, then perhaps myself and Lusamine could accompany him to Malie Cape in your stead. I'm more than capable of protecting Sun with my own strength." Colress offered to Ollie, which the man considered.
"I'm not too rusty in battle myself if worst comes to worst, Captain. Go sort out the details of this Cipher mess." Lusamine said lightly, turning her head towards Sun. "What do you say, Sun?"
"I think it's a good idea. I can catch up with Miss Lusamine and Doctor Colress and you can get back to work. Win-win." Sun said to the man, who still looked concerned. However, he finally gave in. After Sun surprised him with a hug, Ollie went on his way, leaving Sun with Lusamine and Colress.
"Now, let's depart for Malie Cape. I believe that there's a waste treatment facility at the edge of the cliff these days." Colress remarked as they began their trek to the edge of the city, with Sun and Lusamine following close behind.
"Yes. It was built on the wreckage of place known as the Highborn Production Plant. Many years ago, it made all sorts of trinkets and baubles for tourists to Alola to buy. It burned to the ground and the treatment facility you spoke of was built in its place." Lusamine explained, a pained grimace coming to her beautiful face.
"I sense a story in that somewhere." Colress noted, picking up on what Sun noticed as well.
"My apologies, but I don't wish to discuss the past. Sometimes it's too painful, and I lost some people very dear to me that night. But I will say that it's something Sun could probably find out from his father. He was there the night the Highborn Production Plant burned down." Lusamine said, with Sun turning away at that.
"I've been thinking about calling him again. I found what he said about me to the Champions. And what he did to Neo Team Plasma, and the people of Nimbasa City." Sun said quietly, pulling out his Poké Balls and calling out Penny, Finn, and Oliver.
"I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to him again. I myself have considered completely cutting ties with him. But I also know how terrible of a person Roran is and I could completely believe that he'd keep your father at bay by threatening your life. I suspect Ashton found this out only recently, much like I did." Lusamine remarked, making Sun look down at the ground.
"He's doing all of this for my benefit. He went to the League because I asked him to talk things out with them. I asked him to cut his ties with Neo Team Plasma, and he killed them." Sun said quietly, looking up into the sky. "And now Roran is using me to hurt my Dad."
"Borlath has always cared deeply about you, Sun. Back when I considered him a friend in Unova, he spoke very fondly of you. He told me that he tried so hard to expand technology and support groups because he believed that because he had so much power and influence, it was his duty to ensure the future you grew up in was as bright as possible." Colress noted calmly, though he did take a moment to pull out a familiar collar.
"This was one of the last innovations I developed while utilizing his resources. You may have this one, as part of our little deal." Colress said to Sun, who was momentarily confused.
And then Sun vividly recalled the time when Colress vaporized a squad of Cipher Peons and his father's secretary in a battle on Route 8. Sun accepted the device, but was surprised when Colress pulled out an Item Capsule and tossed it into the air. The device exploded into a cloud of smoke, revealing a silver briefcase.
"That being said, I'd like to sweeten the deal somewhat. Sun, how would you like to be a test subject for a device that could revolutionize the world?" Colress asked Sun as the boy put away his newest TACV in his backpack, with Rotom Dex popping out of his backpack with a beeping sound.
"That'll depend on what the device is and what's in it for me." Sun remarked, smirking at the man as Colress grinned. The scientist opened the briefcase and pulled out a small vest of sorts with a small dial attached to the upper part of the garment.
"This is a...well, I haven't decided on a name for it yet. But this vest is based off of my own coat, which allows me to withstand the blistering heat of Alola with no problems. I've modified the design of the prototype you see here to run off of a method of power that'll most likely...well, I won't go into the specifics because it'll likely be too complicated for you to understand. But this vest will allow you to withstand temperatures above or below what the human body isn't comfortable with. Does that make sense?" Colress asked a surprised Sun.
"It's not like the author can explain it either, so that's okay Doc!" Rotom Dex remarked, getting ignored by everyone present.
"So what you're saying is that I could wear that and have no problems with thigh temperatures around here that never seem to end ?" Sun asked Colress, looking up at the sun. Yes, it was an everyday occurrence, but Sun always had to worry about overheating and heat stroke from the intense...well, heat of Alola. Being able to ignore it would be incredible!
"Or the cold. It'll essentially make it seem like the weather around you is a comfortable even temperature of 21 Degrees Celsius. I can imagine you could stand on the peak of Mount Lanakila with absolutely no difficulties...if the garment works as it should. Would you like to test it out?" Colress asked Sun, who grinned at the man.
"Sure thing! But I want a free commercial model of it. Wait, should I get a lawyer?" Sun asked, turning to Lusamine, who looked very amused.
"Perhaps. It does seem like a good deal. Colress is a world-renowned genius, after all." Lusamine said as Sun turned back to the man.
"I want a five percent cut of the profits too." Sun haggled, with Colress bursting out into laughter.
"That's delightful! Is this a negotiation? Very well, my friend. I accept your terms." Colress chuckled jokingly, handing Sun the vest. It was a simple white color, except for the bright blue dial just below the neckline. Sun took off his shirt and put on the vest, though he heard Lusamine clucking her tongue behind him.
"Taking off your shirt right in front of a girl. Your parents taught you better than that, Sun." Lusamine said as the boy put on his own shirt. The boy blushed, remembering who he was with.
"S-sorry Miss Lusamine." Sun apologized, with Lusamine smiling ruefully at the boy.
"Imagine doing something like that in front of a girl you liked. Imagine how they would feel." Lusamine said to the boy, inwardly wondering if she could try to get him to mention something about Lillie. Unfortunately, she was correct, but not in the way she could have imagined.
"Um...I've had a few girls see me shirtless before. Like, when I've gone swimming. I didn't ever think much of it. One of my closest friends actually enjoys it a bit, to be completely honest." Sun admitted with a blush, making Lusamine's eyes widen in shock. Sun reached into his shirt and turned the dial on the vest he now wore, and let out a yelp as a shock suddenly reverberated through his body and the vest began to hum very quietly. However, the amount of heat outside seemed to decrease with each passing moment until it finally settled on a somewhat warm temperature outside, despite the midday sun bearing down on him.
"Oh wow, it works." Sun said with some surprise, turning to Colress. The man nodded with a satisfied smile on his face, pulling out a small black charger from within the briefcase before closing it again and storing it in his item capsule. He handed the charger to Sun, who accepted it with a smile and stowed it away
"Of course it did. Now, I will warn you that the vest has a five hour battery life and requires two hours to charge. If you have any problems with it, please let me know right away. Do you understand? It's still just a prototype, so it may very well have some bugs to sort out." Colress asked Sun, who nodded in reply. "Good. Now then, shall we proceed?"
The two Trainers began walking towards the grass, though they both stopped when they realized President Lusamine was not following them. A quick glance behind them revealed that she was standing stock-still, a horrified expression on her face.
"President Lusamine, are you alright?" Colress asked the woman, who snapped out of her trance with a sigh, holding a hand against her head.
"I'll...I'll be fine. Please, go ahead. I'll be just a moment." Lusamine said to the two male Trainers, who exchanged a glance and wandered towards the tall grass. Lusamine waited until they were out of earshot before clamping both of her hands over her mouth and screaming.
It wasn't so much the fact that she strongly suspected that the girl Sun was talking about was Lillie, but it was the fact Lusamine suspected that it meant that her rebellious little flower might have been romantically interested in Ashton's estranged son.
"You're reading too much into things. You need more information before you make any rash decisions or jump to conclusions." Lusamine chided herself before walking after Colress and Sun, who were both chatting near the tall grass with three of Sun's Pokémon.
"I was going to get some training out here myself. Hence why everyone's out of their Poké Balls. I don't really think the escort is necessary, but if you all want to stick around then I won't say no." Sun explained, gesturing to Penny and Oliver, where the former was trying to get the latter to talk to her.
"Speaking of, don't you have an Arcanine? Why is he not here?" Lusamine asked Sun as she approached them, with the boy offering her a small shrug in reply.
"He had something he needed to tend to." Sun said with a little smile as Rotom Dex popped out of Sun's backpack.
"Bzzt! Meaning that he wanted to see his girlfriend and Sun let him have a day off!"
"Rotom, it's not too late to trade you in to GameStop and get two dollars."
"I'll be good...Though I still can't believe you loaned her Brago. Zzzzrt!" Rotom Dex said to Sun, who looked at it with a pout.
"I did what any good friend would do. Now let me focus." Sun said before looking at Finn. "Let's get you some more practice with Psychic."
"Sounds good to me!" Finn boomed, jogging forward and following Sun into the grass, where they began to battle some of the local Pokémon. Meanwhile, Penny fluttered over to Oliver and nudged him.
"Are you okay?" Penny asked quietly, though Lusamine was just able to hear her voice.
"I'll be fine. I'm not worth worrying about, Penny." Oliver replied, not looking at the Toucannon.
"You're not fine. And you're also definitely worth worrying about!" Penny protested, with Oliver giving her a sharp look. The slash on his chest had healed by now, and the missing feathers had been expertly groomed by Oliver to the point where it seemed like the owl had never been injured. His pride however...that was another story entirely.
Oliver's quick knock-out at the hands of Goliath had a profoundly negative impact on the Dartrix's already erratic behavior as of late. He had been distancing himself from everyone else on the team, even Sun, and seemed to have trouble sleeping as of late. Penny was deeply concerned about her friend's health, but physically and mentally.
"Am I worth worrying about? Because as of late, I keep wondering about that more and more." Oliver replied before flapping his wings hard and taking off, leaving a surprised Penny behind. The Toucannon sighed, hanging her head as Lusamine watched the Dartrix soar away.
"He seems to be going through a rough time." Lusamine noted as the Toucannon looked at her, nodding in agreement a moment later.
"He's lost his confidence. He used to be the strongest of us. Unbeatable in battle. But after having suffered a few losses, he has begun to question himself. The poison affecting his mind does not help matters...I'm worried." Penny said as Lusamine bowed slightly, placing a comforting hand on the bird's head.
"We all go through hard times, little one. The best thing that you can do is support him while he figures things out." Lusamine said gently, scratching the bird's head in a manner that Penny quite liked. Lusamine withdrew her hand a few moments later and walked away, giving Penny time to reflect. She joined Sun and Colress, who were discussing strategies regarding Psychic as Finn defeated a Gumshoos with the move. However, they were all surprised when they heard a loud, yet familiar, shout from somewhere within the grass.
"Hey, do you mind!? Some of us are trying to sleep!" a female voice yelled out, causing Sun to blink twice in surprise before turning to Colress, who also recognized the voice.
"Is that Aria?" Colress asked, frowning as they walked closer to the hidden figure as she suddenly let out a scream of absolute fury before going silent. Ahead of them, the head of a Jolteon popped out of the tall grass, which Sun recognized as Aria's Starter, Sophie.
"Looks like it. Let's see what's going on. She sounds really upset." Sun said, jogging ahead into the tall grass with Finn. Lusamine followed, her longer legs easily allowing her to match Sun's pace.
Colress walked slowly and leisurely, because such things were beneath him.
The group reached a grumbling Aria, who sighed and sat up from her resting place in the grass. The Snagger looked at the odd trio with some surprise, pulling Sophie into her lap and hugging the Jolteon.
"What brings you guys out here?" Aria asked grumpily.
"Training. What happened? You sound really upset." Sun asked Aria, who sighed and shut her eyes.
"Your dad is what happened, Sun." Aria responded, huffing in annoyance.
"Well, that's rude." Rotom Dex remarked from Sun's backpack, earning a glare from Aria.
"I meant that literally! Me and the others heard from Professor Kukui what happened the other day, and what Borlath did with Perfect Kyurem. And that he has the Eternity Locket, which allows the user to speak with and basically control the thing. And so that means my whole big plan is completely...utterly...pointless!" Aria shouted, falling back to the ground. Sophie squirmed a bit in her grasp, but Aria didn't relent.
"It definitely isn't good. But that doesn't mean things are hopeless." Sun remarked, with Aria giving him a dull look.
"Mask killed Shadow Celebi, your father has the Eternity Locket and probably a Regigigas at his disposal by now. And this Mask psycho is on the lose and even Borlath can't stop him! It's like one step forward and twelve steps back! Ugh...It is that bad, Sun. And I don't know what to do." Aria muttered, shutting her eyes and resting her chin against Sophie.
Sun thought about that for a time, before he decided to take the bold approach.
"Suck it up and make things better." Sun remarked, earning a glare from Aria.
"What did you say?" Aria challenged, sitting up.
"I said make things better. You're so determined to help people, Aria. You went through absolute hell and decided to keep up a battle that is seemingly impossible to win. Don't give up hope now." Sun said to the Snagger, reaching down a hand to her. Aria stared at the boy for a long while, seemingly searching for something within Sun's eyes as she finally set down her Jolteon.
Finally, she smiled.
"You're right. Pouting solves nothing. What I need to do is train harder than ever." Aria said as she grabbed Sun's hand, with the boy helping her back up. Aria dusted herself off and picked up Sophie, hugging the Jolteon.
"Sorry you had to deal with me moping again." Aria apologized to her Partner, who responded by nuzzling her cheek.
"It's fine. I'm used to it." Sophie said quietly, though she was grinning. Aria pouted again at that, though she smirked a few moments later and hugged her Jolteon again.
"Glad to see that even more experienced Trainers have to deal with snark from their Pokémon. Even though I think Oliver is just about the only one who...wait, where is Oliver?" Sun asked, glancing around. Lusamine stepped forward, catching his attention.
"He flew off a little while ago, a bit upset. I believe he seems to be having some kind of mental struggle with himself." Lusamine explained to Sun, who looked concerned.
"I told him he was fine though...That we were both at fault. Why does he blame himself for that?" Sun muttered, looking upwards and trying to find his Dartrix in the sky.
"I suspect he'll be back soon enough. In the meantime, why not continue to train Finn in the meantime?" Colress advised Sun, who nodded after a few moments, though he looked conflicted.
"As much as I hate to say it, maybe some time alone to think is what he needs." Sun said quietly before lightly slapping the sides of his cheeks. "Alright. Now, onto Finn. I want him to work on using Psychic since it's such a useful move and helps give him extra type-coverage."
"It's pretty smart. It's why I taught Sophie Shadow Ball." Aria chimed in, smiling a bit as Sophie nodded in agreement. "Teaching your team a variety of different moves for widespread coverage is a tactic used by many Champions these days. It's smart."
"My dad taught me that, actually…" Sun replied, surprising them. "Back when he battled seriously, he had a team that covered any situation. Defense, attack, convenience, and type-coverage, and probably more things that I didn't understand at the time. But he did always stress having a team that was as diverse as it was powerful." Sun remarked, his frown becoming more pronounced.
"For someone who hated being a Pokémon Trainer, he was remarkably skilled. His advice is sound as well." Colress agreed, with Lusamine and Aria both nodding.
"When I was Champion, I tried to get rid of the type-exclusive mentality most of the Elite Four had in Kalos. Sadly, it's persisted to this day." Lusamine shrugged before she suddenly flinched. Sun had a moment to wonder this before he suddenly caught wind of a terrible stench, recoiling sharply. Aria covered her nose while Colress grimaced.
"What a terrible smell." Colress muttered, shooting the distant garbage treatment facility a look. Aria however pointed into the grass a short distance away, where a Pokémon emerged from the tall grass. It resembled a trash bag with eyes and a mouth, with two little arms sticking out of the side.
"Truuub!" the Pokémon cried out, glaring at them.
"Well, that explains it." Aria muttered as Sophie hopped out of her arms, her spiky yellow fur crackling with electricity. Finn struck a fighting stance as Rotom Dex floated forward, grinning widely.
"Hey Rotom? What is that thing, and why does it look like what happens after Mom forgets to take the trash out?" Sun asked the device, who let out a digital laugh.
"Bzzt! The following Pokédex entry is brought to you by Raid Shadow Legends! Play today and-" Rotom tried to say before Aria tried to swat at it with her hand.
"Rotom, you sell-out piece of shit! Do your job!" Aria barked at the device, who hid behind Lusamine with a wide grin on its screen. After a few moments, it flipped to the appropriate entry.
"Trubbish. The Trash Bag Pokémon. Unsanitary places are what they like best. They can be spotted in Alola, often with Grimer in hot gorges on trash until its stomach is full. Then it belches toxic gas. An unlucky whiff of gas will put a person in the hospital." Rotom explained before dashing into Sun's backpack, with Lusamine and Colress watching in in amusement.
"Well, we may as well get some training out of this." Sun thought as he pointed Finn forward, with the Poliwhirl leaping into action. Aria pulled up her shirt a bit to cover her nose before stepping forward, talking to Sun as he tried to focus on battling, with Colress studying the two of them intently.
Lusamine watched on silently, a nostalgic smile on her face as she remembered happier times. When her husband stood beside her as they coached a boy who looked very much like the kind child standing in front of her.
Meanwhile…
Malie Library
"She's so adorable."
"I know, right?"
"I just took a picture for the Trial Captain chat. It's great!"
"The poor girl has enough crap to deal with, Acerola. Let her sleep."
While Sun was heading towards Malie Cape, the Unova crew was setting up shop in Malie Library and getting a meeting underway. Aria was absent for the moment, citing a need to take a day off from things and go scream at clouds.
Hugh chose not to include the several expletives Aria added into her reasoning and gave an abbreviated version of her explanation.
Everyone present agreed that this meeting needed to take place. The most concerning issue at present was what happened during the Pokémon League meeting that occurred several days prior.
The group honestly didn't know what to make of something like this, because for all intents and purposes they sympathized with Borlath on this issue, at least as far as Kukui explained things to them. Even the Champions at their meetings agreed that Borlath's conditions for ending the conflict would likely make things considerably safer in the regions, if implemented properly and certain obstacles could be overcome. But for the moment, the Unova crew would be discussing what their next plan of action would be. And currently, they were smiling at one of the most adorable things they'd ever seen in their lives.
What exactly had them all smiling happily and taking pictures with their phone was the sight of Lillie curled up in a ball and sleeping peacefully with Nebby in her arms, resting her head on a book about Alolan mythology in a corner of the library. Brago the Arcanine and his mate Winter (Professor Kukui's Alolan Ninetales) were coiled up protectively around the girl, with Winter's tail providing an incredibly comfortable blanket of cold and Bargo's fur being a warm pillow for the girl to use. The normally timid assistant of Professor Kukui looked completely at peace, which was why none of the group had raised their voices above so much as a whisper.
"I mean, it's a smart move." Hugh remarked, grinning as he turned his attention back to his friends. Noah, Vivian, Acerola, Captain Oliver and Agent Maiden (AKA Anabel) of the International Police were currently sitting around a table on the second floor of the library. "Sun's a capable Trainer and that Arcanine of his is arguably the strongest member of his team right now. I like how he's trying to do everything he can to make sure that girl is safe in times like this."
"Brago's also her favorite Pokémon on Sun's team. The girl tries, bless her heart, not to play favorites, but she adores that dog. And Winter is her favorite Pokémon that Kukui has out of all of the Pokémon he owns. And neither one would let anything happen to that girl, so I think she's pretty much untouchable right now. Especially with us around." Acerola chimed in, grinning mischievously as she sent the picture of Lillie sleeping to the Captain's chat. Mallow was fangirling like crazy, typing in all caps how "totally adorbs" Lillie was and that Sun better put a ring on Lillie soon.
"They're entire friendship is literally the most wholesome thing ever." Noah agreed, smiling softly as he shut his eyes, leaning onto Vivian's shoulder. The violinist looked at her boyfriend with a touch of concern, though after realizing he was just being affectionate she relaxed and smiled at him, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Me and Laura have made a bet to see which one of the two confesses their love first. She thinks it'll be within the next six months. I personally think they'll hold off for another year or so, since they're taking things slow to see what their feelings really are." Ollie said diplomatically, though he couldn't help a smirk.
"While it is adorable, shouldn't we return to the crux of the matter? Frankly, with the disturbances in the Ultra Space and this Cipher menace lingering around, I seem to have a headache that never ends." Anabel lamented, rubbing her temples. Ollie nodded, crossing his arms.
"The situation here in Alola is becoming more precarious by the day. The Council is getting more antsy and harping on us for results. Even with the Aether Foundation assisting our efforts, we still don't even know where Cipher's base here in Alola is." Ollie continued, with Hugh grimacing.
"This is a new setup, so I can't imagine they'd have more than one. Even with the insane amount of resources Greevil and Borlath have and had at their disposal, sometimes it's just not possible." Hugh said, leaning forward as his red eyes narrowed. "That doesn't mean they're not predictable."
"True...We do know that they're likely here on Ula'ula Island. And that Roran is in charge of their operations here. Maybe we could lure him out…" Noah mused, with Acerola giving him a surprised look.
"After what he did to Aether Paradise? I don't think that's a good idea." Acerola remarked, frowning at that in a rare show of unease. "I don't think that guy's gonna show himself until he's ready to attack. And he's proven strong enough to be just as deadly as that Amber lady."
"They're dangerous in both similar and different ways. Amber's dangerous because of how all-around deadly she is and how good she is at using her team. Roran is dangerous because he's unpredictable and can use that strange power, though like Amber he's intelligent enough to abuse the strengths of his team to defeat his enemies." Noah countered, though he caught the uncomfortable expression on Acerola's face when he mentioned Roran's strange power.
"Acerola, you look like you want to say something." Vivian noted, drawing more attention to the purple-haired Captain. Acerola waved her hands back and forth frantically, looking nervous.
"N-no I don't! I was just thinking, that's all! I don't know anything about what's going on!" Acerola said rather loudly, not really convincing anyone present. It did have the effect of waking up Lillie, who lifted her head up and let out a little yawn.
"Oh my...I didn't mean to fall asleep. Did I miss anything?" Lillie asked quietly as her friends smiled at her.
"Not really. We're just bashing our heads together to figure out a plan of action since Roran and Borlath pulled the rug out from under us in their own ways." Noah explained with a wry smile.
"You're welcome to join us, Lils." Acerola said to the girl, who thought about it for a moment as Nebby cooed softly in her arms. Winter decided the matter by nuzzling Lillie's cheek, which made the girl giggle softly before shaking her head.
"I think these three want to cuddle a bit more." Lillie replied with a smile, picking up her book and beginning to read again. The group watched her for a few moments, with Anabel in particular staring at Nebby with an odd expression on her face before she snapped back to reality.
"So, the fact remains that we're stumbling in the dark here. The International Police presence here in Alola is minimal and there's not a lot to work with. Obviously finding Cipher's hidden base or uncovering the false identity of Roran Rubinara is paramount, but I'll admit I'm at a loss here." Anabel said quietly, looking rather dejected. The silence that followed was absolute, as none of those present really knew what to do. Even Aria had been at a total loss for ideas, since it turned out Borlath had been holding on to the Eternity Locket the entire time she was searching for it and any clues about it, therefore meaning her plan with Zinnia was meaningless.
And while recruiting Zygarde was still an option, the Order Pokémon had made it clear that it wouldn't help unless it had its chosen partner with it.
"Anyone have any ideas? Come on, someone's got to have something." Hugh muttered, sighing deeply as he leaned back in his chair. Vivian hummed loudly, her expression thoughtful.
"What's up, darling? Something on your mind?" Noah asked Vivian, who blushed brightly at the affectionate name. Vivian nodded, however, her eyes taking on a twinkling quality.
"I could just ask Dizz where the Cipher base on Ula'ula Island is. It'd probably know." Vivian offered, causing everyone present to give her an odd look.
"Dizz? Who's that?" Acerola asked, tilting her head in confusion.
You rang?
Everyone present shivered violently as a horrifying presence crept into each of their minds. A few moments later, a swirling mass of particles flickered into existence and took the form of a Heliolisk that Lillie remembered seeing at the Festival of Celestial Lights. All of them clutched their heads as a searing pain flared into the base of their skulls, the inherent wrongness of the Anomaly's presence causing the pressure they all felt. A few moments later, the pain faded.
"Wait a sec, that's the thing that messed with Aria that one time!" Hugh called out, pointing a finger at Dizz as it swirled amorphously. Vivian smacked Hugh upside the head, glaring at him.
"Don't call it a thing! That's really insulting!" Vivian said hotly, surprising them all. Vivian getting angry was an incredibly rare occurrence. She hardly ever even got annoyed, except for when people tried to do anything to Noah.
"Alright then, so...is this the Anomaly Sun and Aria mentioned? Lillie, didn't you say it appeared the other day at the Festival back at Konikoni City?" Acerola asked the girl in question, earning a small nod.
Truth be told, the term "Anomaly" is quite rude as well. But I also haven't decided I care enough to give anyone except Vivian the name I like to go by, and I'm quite sure none of you are dumb enough to use the name I gave myself. So Anomaly it is.
"You mean…" Lillie stopped herself, remembering exactly what invoking the name of the creature before them did. Namely, strengthening its presence in their reality.
Thank you for showing a shred of intellect, little heroine. Now then...What exactly was going on here? I was watching an Ultra Wormhole open near Melemele Island before I heard my name. Twice.
"We're trying to figure out what to do about Roran, Borlath and Cipher. Plus their hidden base on this island. I was wondering if you had any ideas?" Vivian asked the Anomaly, who flickered into another form. The tall form of a pale black-haired man in a trench coat, with two blood-red eyes and a sinister grin on his face.
"Perhaps." Dizz spoke in the deep and terrifying voice of Harvey Yena, his smile widening in a manner that made Lillie huddle against Brago in terror. "But why should I give the heroes a shortcut? It'll ruin the suspense and their development. And ruin things for those watching at home."
"...at home?" Ollie asked, but Vivian waved away his concern.
"Nothing to worry about, Captain Ollie. But seriously, though, Dizz. We need a hand here. All of our plans are going up in smoke, and if things are as bad as you warned me about the other day, we've got to come up with something." Vivian explained to Dizz-Yena, who put a hand to his chin.
"True. It'll be quite the bloodbath. But I don't see how that's my problem. You'd be amazed at how well things work out if you decide to do nothing and wait. Though considering what's to come, perhaps not." Dizz-Yena remarked, its form shuddering and becoming a woman with short black hair, blue eyes and wearing white and blue body armor. A horrifying trident-shaped scar was burned into her neck, almost like a brand.
"You're starting to annoy me." Hugh growled, standing up in his chair. Dizz laughed softly in the form of Agent Indiana, the kindly woman regarding Hugh with amusement.
"There's not a single form I can take that wouldn't leave you a bloody smear on the floor." Dizz-Indiana warned the Trainer, flashing him a sweet smile. She glanced at Vivian and shrugged. "But I do know exactly where Cipher's base is. It's as cliche as it is impressive, actually."
"So...you know where it is? Tell us!" Anabel said to the Anomaly, who scoffed as she leaned backwards, summoning a swirl of particles to sit down on.
"Again, why? What's in it for me? You're a bit player in the story, Miss Anabel. And this isn't even your original world, so why should I tell you anything?" the Anomaly remarked, her gaze drifting to each of them in turn.
"So is there anything we can do that could convince you to assist us? Or did Vivian waste our time?" Hugh asked, making the Anomaly's smug expression become somewhat annoyed, before quickly returning to a smile.
"Absolutely not. Why should I? So you can be cut down with ease and ruin my fun? Try again." Dizz-Indiana giggled softly, making Hugh even more annoyed.
"So you're just happy to sit there and laugh at us while condemning an entire region to a madman, just because you don't feel like helping!" Ollie snapped at the Anomaly, making it grin even wider. Vivian suddenly stood up, her expression one of fury.
"Hey, leave my friend alone! Dizz doesn't owe you guys anything! If it wants to help, then it'll help when it decides to!" Vivian yelled, surprising Anabel and Ollie. The group watched Vivian as she glared the two International Police members down with fury in her gaze, though none of them were looking at the stunned expression of Dizz-Indiana. Noah was the first to notice this.
"You look surprised." Noah said to the creature, who blinked twice before reverting to its Heliolisk form, its tail swishing behind it as it stared at Vivian.
Friend...I don't think I've ever been called that before. Not in any timeline or world. And not in what feels like an eternity.
"Really? That's...rather sad." Acerola remarked, frowning as the Heliolisk's expression became thoughtful.
I've been called many things. Monster. Abomination. Demon. Anomaly. Defiler. Heretic. But never a friend. That's a new one, I'll admit.
"Well, then you haven't met anyone as odd as Vivian before." Hugh remarked sarcastically, earning a sharp look from Noah. The Anomaly still looked very confused, looking at each of them in turn. It then vanished in a flicker of light, leaving everyone present baffled. They then heard its voice.
Fine. You'll find the base eventually. Focus on building your strength for the impending disaster in three days. Someone you're associated with knows exactly where it is, but is currently hiding the information for themselves. You'll even gain the means to infiltrate it in time, though the source will come from the person everyone least expects. An unlikely ally of sorts who walks an uncertain path. However, if you'll even survive up to that point is...unlikely. I really hope I'm wrong about what happens next, if only for Vivian's sake.
Dizz's presence vanished completely, his advice causing everyone to try and process what he meant. Vivian was the only one present smiling, though she caught the look of admiration her boyfriend was giving her and flushed with pride. Because despite her oddities, Vivian remembered one important fact that was true about anyone, no matter who or what they were.
Everyone needs a friend.
And it seemed that Dizz had found one in Vivian.
Meanwhile...
Sun put away the Twisted Spoon he had received, waving the father and son who owned the garbage treatment plant farewell. After an afternoon of training, the boy had gained the attention of the owner of the garbage treatment plant and had been enlisted into helping his Alolan Muk work off some stress with a battle, which Penny won handily. After battling the owner's son, the squabbling pair made amends and Sun walked away with a handy item that was used to power up Psychic-type moves, which Sun found incredibly convenient.
Lusamine had watched Sun handle the entire situation quite well, which impressed her. Aria seemed more focused on the eccentric scientist at their side though, who had been quiet for some time, now that he wasn't helping Sun train. The boy had battled Dusk, Colress' Absol, at one point for some more intense training.
"What's on your mind, Colress?" Aria asked, a bit surprised by the genuine frown on the man's face. It wasn't his usual thoughtful expression, but one of unhappiness. It was impossible to think that anything actually bothered Colress.
"My apologies, friends. I was just reflecting on the losses at Aether and that of Shadow Celebi. It bothers me that so much work might very well go to waste. And the loss of life there is simply tragic." Colress explained, attempting to smile like he usually did. It was horribly strained, however. "Perhaps I'm finally feeling sadness for the first time? Who knows for sure. But while Sun was battling that father and son, I thought about the people I worked with who lost their lives. The families they'll never get to return to. It's so needlessly tragic, and I wasn't there to help."
Colress looked away, attempting to process these new emotions as he felt them, but was surprised when Aria hugged him, followed by Sun. Lusamine watched on as the scientist simply stared forward, trying to understand what was going on. Dusk padded over to them and nuzzled Colress' leg affectionately.
Colress allowed himself a small smile, shaking his head. "How odd of a human being am I? Dozens slaughtered by an insane Kahuna and I'm here trying to figure out emotions."
"You'll figure it out." Sun said confidently, stepping away from the man. Aria did the same, clapping a hand on Colress' shoulder.
"You're quite huggy today, Sun." Lusamine said, sounding very amused. Sun caught the note of pride on her voice, though, and smiled back at her.
"Maybe so. But I don't think it was a waste. Feel any better, Doctor Colress?" Sun asked the scientist. Colress pondered that for a moment, and then realized the budding emotions building in his chest had faded somewhat.
"Perhaps...I somewhat worry if I will ever be able to properly feel. The events at Aether the other week were deeply shocking and horrifying. I worked with those people. I memorized their names. Made sure to greet everyone I saw whenever I met them. I remember every single one of their faces and it makes me...feel. But it's muted." Colress remarked, sounding disappointed now. "Perhaps I'm reading too much into it."
"Of course not." Lusamine protested, putting a hand on her hip. "You shouldn't deny the emotions you feel, even if you're not sure what those emotions are. I hope you'll find out what they are someday, my friend. And rest assured we will make sure the sacrifice of my brave employees will not be in vain."
Colress grinned at that, returning to his usual self. "I agree. I will assist however I can. I believe that in time I can solve this strangeness within myself."
"Absolutely. Self-improvement is a hard thing for anyone, especially for someone who has trouble feeling anything in the first place." Aria said to Colress, earning a lighthearted shrug in response.
"I suppose. However, I should perhaps point out that the sun is setting. Perhaps we should return to Malie City?" Colress said as he pointed towards the horizon. The sun was indeed descending, casting the sky with a beautiful array of colors. Blue, orange, yellow and pink streaked across the sky in various hues as the sun began to touch the water in the distance.
"Have you gotten your fill of training for the day, Sun?" Lusamine asked the boy, who turned to Penny and Finn. Both were looking pretty exhausted, but Sun was more than happy with the results. Finn had become much more comfortable using Psychic in his spar against Wild Pokémon and against Penny and Dusk, which was about what Sun was hoping for. However…
Oliver had yet to return.
"I'm going to find Oliver. I've given him all day to come back, and now I'm really worried." Sun said to Lusamine, receiving an understanding nod in reply. Colress tapped his datapad a few times before his usual smile widened.
"He's a short distance away, by the cliff-side. Follow me." Colress said as he began walking away, leaving the rest of them to stare at his retreating form with surprise.
"That human is really weird." Finn noted, crossing his arms as Penny nodded silently in agreement.
"So you're saying this is normal?"
"Of course! All Pokémon go through rough times in their lives. People do too. I'm going through one myself, even if I don't like to admit it."
"I feel like this is different..."
"We all feel that way. Maybe the poison is making you act more erratically then normal, but maybe it isn't. It's totally okay to feel like this though."
"So what should I do?"
"Keep working hard. Your Trainer loves you. I've seen him battle. When a Trainer battles, they reveal their true selves, in a sense. And that boy is about as good as it gets. He'll never give up on you. And neither will your friends"
"I know that...But then I begin to doubt myself again. I can't keep failing him like this!"
"Then push through that doubt. What are you fighting for? Why do you want to get stronger?"
"To make Sun happy. He wants to be a Trainer, and he wants me to be the best Pokémon I can be. I chose him, and he decided to accept me for who I am. I can't ever repay him for that."
Zinnia smiled at how earnest the Dartrix was being with everything and reached out, scratching the bird on the side of the head gently. Oliver tilted his head slightly at the wonderful sensation while the Lorekeeper pondered her current situation.
She had come to these cliffs for some self-reflection. Things were getting more intense by the day here and the Draconid wondered if there was any wisdom in staying in Alola. She knew it would be stupid, because if things got any worse than she might get involved in more drama than she felt comfortable with.
However, her goal of trying to track down the Anomaly and destroy it was encountering a very odd roadblock she had never run into before. For some reason, the Anomaly was staying in one place. And for much longer than it usually did.
"I usually move on from a region within a month or two...why is this thing sticking around in Alola? And more importantly, why has it not destroyed something?" Zinnia wondered aloud, sighing as she shook her head.
"I have no idea, but can you go a bit more to the right?" Oliver asked, with the Dartrix sighing as Zinnia adjusted her hand with a smile.
"I think you'll be okay, little one. You clearly want to improve and your heart is in a good place. I believe in you." Zinnia said kindly to the owl, who opened his eyes at her words. Zinnia knew that this strange Dartrix had basically barred its soul to her in some fit of anxiety and frustration, explaining to her in-depth what a failure he was and how he was slowly becoming obsolete as his team became stronger and better than him and that he was a terrible Pokémon for even thinking like that.
Never before had she identified with a Pokémon so much.
"It'll be okay. Not everyone grows at the same pace, and we all suffer road bumps." Zinnia said as she hopped to her feet, looking down at the Dartrix and smiling down at him. "What matters is what you do next? Will you mope and do nothing? Or will you try harder next time and succeed?"
"I'll become stronger than ever!" Oliver hooted, with Zinnia doing a small fist-pump in response.
"Who says I can't motivate people when I want to? You got this!" Zinnia said brightly before she heard a rustle of movement behind her, causing her to turn around. She wasn't entirely surprised to see Sun stumble through the trees, though she was caught off-guard by the arrival of Colress, Aria and Aether Foundation President Lusamine Jardin.
"You!" Aria barked, pointing an accusatory finger at Zinnia.
"Oliver!" Sun called, running over to his owl and surprising him by kneeling down and hugging him tightly. Oliver tensed at the sudden contact, before sighing and relaxing, pressing his head against Sun.
"I'm so sorry...I'm…" Oliver trailed off, unable to say anymore. Sun simply hugged him harder, which told the Dartrix that his Trainer wasn't mad at him in the slightest. He was surprised when a hand was placed on his head and then a hard beak rested against his neck. Oliver shut his eyes, knowing it was Finn and Penny who had joined in to comfort him.
Oliver ducked his head down so that none of them would see his tears.
"So, are we going to keep playing this game or what?" Aria demanded, putting her hands on her hips while Zinnia leaned back, flashing her a disarming grin.
"That depends. Are you wanting the ass-kicking today, or do you want me to beat your boyfriend down again?" Zinnia shot back, causing Aria to grit her teeth in fury. While all of this was going on, Colress was quickly taking notes on his datapad while Lusamine watched on with interest.
"This is becoming quite the eventful afternoon" Lusamine mused, smirking to herself. "I wonder who else I'll get to meet today?"
The wind began to howl.
Everyone present shivered, though the Pokémon reacted more than the humans, with Finn huddling against himself while Penny flared her wings. Oliver reacted by throwing a blade quill into the forest at seemingly nothing, only for the quill to suddenly explode in a cloud of green flames.
"I have returned." growled a voice from within the trees, a pair of glowing green eyes flashing in the darkness of the trees, watching them all carefully.
"What...was that?" Colress murmured, lowering his data pad and staring at the quadruped slowly emerging from the forest, growling softly at them. Sun and Aria recognized it right away as it emerged from the shadows, its body glittering in the light of the setting sun.
"Zygarde?" Sun questioned as the forest-green colored canine lumbered forward, its gaze directed right at Sun. Aria stepped protectively in front of the boy, preparing to command Sophie to attack, but instead the Order Pokémon went around the two of them…
And sat down in front of Zinnia on the other side of them both, with the Order Pokémon staring at her intently. Sun and Aria both exchanged an expression of surprise before Zygarde spoke again, this time to the red-eyed woman standing by the edge of the cliff.
"I have been looking for you." Zygarde spoke quietly to the Draconid, its eyes boring into Zinnia's. The Lorekeeper stiffened at the words spoken by the Legendary, a horrible feeling of terror creeping into her spine that she could only describe as fate.
"Looking...for me?" Zinnia questioned, taken aback.
"The natural order of the world has been threatened. It has been so for quite some time. We chose to split ourself and venture to these islands, where the distortion of the wards is more pronounced and where we sensed destiny was converging. But it was also a place we knew we would find someone...a special someone who would not seek to use the power we hold for their own benefit. But to help wrong the wrongs of the world and restore the balance." Zygarde intoned, its voice full of purpose and respect as it bowed its head towards the stunned woman who stood before it.
"Zinnia...Last of the Draconids. We have been searching for a soul like yours for quite some time. A kindred spirit in this lonely world. With the proper partner, we can be used to our full potential and can begin correcting the evil in this world." Zygarde said as it raised its head, looking up at the Lorekeeper who continued to stare at the Order Pokémon like it was crazy.
"You're telling me Zinnia is the person you've been looking for!? Your chosen partner? The only one you'd follow into battle if you were to help us fight Cipher...I give up." Aria sighed, throwing her hands up into the air before collapsing into the grass.
"I can vouch for her character. She was quite nice to me." Oliver said very unhelpfully, causing Zinnia to snap out of her surprise and give the owl a glare before transferring it to Zygarde.
"We are pleased to finally have the chance to meet you. Will you join forces with us?" Zygarde said formally, its tone regal and filled with the power and authority that comes from an ancient Pokémon like Zygarde. Sun, Lusamine and Colress looked at Zinnia expectantly.
"Hell no." Zinnia responded, crossing her arms as Zygarde nodded, as if satisfied by that.
"Good. Then we don't have a moment to lose-wait, what?"
Zygarde looked at the Lorekeeper in absolute shock, with Zinnia frowning down at the Order Pokémon. Meanwhile, Aria burst into laughter, pointing a finger at Zygarde.
"How's that feel!?" Aria laughed while Zygarde continued to stare at Zinnia. If those watching didn't know any better, they would have said that the Legendary looked completely bewildered by this turn of events.
"W-what? We could have...But you're the one we have sought out! The one who can help bring balance back to the world in this time of crisis. How could you simply reject that call?" Zygarde asked, sounding genuinely confused. Zinnia gave the Legendary a sharp smile, laughing softly.
"Because I've already had my life upturned by a pompous green dragon once. I'll be damned if it happens again." Zinnia snorted then, shaking her head as her ruby red eyes flashed. "Rayquaza chose May, even after my entire life spent in service to the Lord of the Sky. I'm not going to go through the same pain again. Not after I lost everything I cared about for a cause that was never even mine to take up. Find yourself another hero, Zygarde. I'm not going to be a pawn for someone else's journey again. I walk my own path."
Zygarde bowed its head, as if thinking. Sun and Lusamine exchanged a brief look, though Colress seemed fascinated by the entire exchange. It seemed like the Order Pokémon was going to speak again, but it was cut off by the sound of an explosion.
The group looked towards Malie City, where a massive fire had suddenly erupted from the city, along with a terrible cracking sound as the ground began to shake violently. The quake sent everyone to the ground except Zinnia, who crouched low and grit her teeth. Zygarde shut its eyes as a green pulse surrounded them, allowing them to suddenly find the strength to get back on their feet despite Ula'ula Island's entire foundation moving so suddenly.
"What was that!?" Finn demanded, holding on tightly to Oliver. The Dartrix shoved Finn away and gave him a dirty look. He then turned to Penny to see if she was alright before checking on Sun, who was slowly pushing himself up as everyone else did the same.
"It seems there's been another earthquake. It's registering as a 6.7 on my readings." Colress said tersely, his eyes narrowing as he began to tap his fingers along his datapad. "The most severe one yet. How interesting that each subsequent earthquake has been slightly increasing in power."
"The balance has shifted. Something is terribly wrong!" Zygarde snarled, its head shifting towards Malie City as the smoke from the city filled the air. It was then that lines of energy flared to life along the body of Zygarde, causing the creature to shudder. "Come! We will go ahead!"
Zygarde sprinted ahead as the group of humans exchanged a brief series of glances before hurrying after the Order Pokémon, with Lusamine at the head of the group and Sun close behind.
Zinnia lingered behind, clenching her fists. Every single fiber of her being urged her to stay away. To not get involved. To not get her hopes up again…to not let her soul be broken once more.
"But it's just like we discussed at Mount Hokulani...That masked freak is messing with Blush Mountain. And the quakes are only the beginning! And if what Colress says is true and that the quakes keep increasing with each pulse, then it's only a matter of time before...this entire island is doomed. Wes and Mohn were right!" Zinnia realized as fresh horror settled into her gut. She wished she could confer with Wes and Mohn again, but they had gone off on their own to investigate things further. Zinnia would have to get involved herself if she wanted to ensure thousands, if not millions of people weren't killed by Mask.
"Damn it!" the Lorekeeper hissed as she dashed after the group, calling out her Salamence. Within moments she was soaring towards the city, where a large glowing crack had surfaced within the heart of Malie. Flames and lava poured from the mighty crack in the earth, sending plumes of thick, suffocating smoke into the air.
Zinnia swore softly before zooming off towards the source of the flames, the wings of her Salamence slicing through the night with ease.
NEXT TIME: Sun gets a new teammate, and the flames of revenge reignite.
Q & A
From: Oragonking
1)Um... you didn't respond the first three questions except the fourth.
2)Is this Hina girl another friend of Borlath, right? She must be dissapointed in him.
3)And again, Pokémon can get out of their Pokéballs. They must be really irked that their Trainers are in danger and they wouldn't simply stay inside their Pokéballs.
1. Because a lot of the time you just make statements, and I can't answer a statement very well. I don't count those as questions. Sorry.
2. Yes, Hina becomes a close friend of Ashton's during his Alola days.
3. Case and point. Also, some Pokemon do and some don't choose to stay in their Poke Balls. The show only does this for comedic effect, though, and it's almost never done in a serious instance. I think they've done it once in the first season of the show when Ash was in the blizzard, and that's it.
From: SolanaLeonhart
Nice work, that battle was awesome. I gotta admit, the more you reveal about Borlath's past, the more curious I get. By the way it's interesting to hear how Sun's journey would've been like if he was in Kanto. Would you be willing to write that story?
It'd be interesting, but I'll pass. If I ever do another story, it'll be something far less time-consuming and grand then trying to expand on the plot of one game while inserting elements of a superstory I've had in my head for years now. I love this story and how ambitious it is, because it's a fun challenge, but it does get draining at times and I long for something easier to write sometimes. Remember when this was supposed to be 3-7K chapters?
Truthfully, I can see myself doing a Nuzlocke-based story sometime after RS, thanks to some ideas I already have. I'd love also to write something for Persona, but that's far less likely.
From: Moosicorn
Also now that you mentioned Silver, how did he react to Giovanni's live execution?
I actually added him into this chapter as an answer of sorts to this question. Mainly indifference, considering Giovanni had little to do with his upbringing and was by the end of it just glad to no longer have that shadow hanging over his life.
That's all for now! Thanks for bearing with the delays, folks. While I can't promise that this'll be the end of them, especially because July is going to be insanely busy for me in terms of military stuff going on, I'm feel pretty motivated to keep working on the story! Especially since we're getting to the fun stuff!
As always, please be sure to review and share your thoughts on the chapter. Reviews help me stay motivated and give great feedback for how the story is doing. Favorites and/or follows are also very much appreciated. I also answer questions and I have a Discord chat. Message me on this site to find out more.
I'm gonna head out now, because exhaustion is kicking in. Oh, and one more thing.
Black Lives Matter.
Stay safe and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
