Pokémon Radiant Sun


*Includes Gloria in the story as a fun cameo*

*Pokemon Masters EX includes her in the game, complete with English voice-actor*

Well, this is why I can't have nice things. Oh well. It's not like I really give a crap what Pokémon Masters does, because it has no bearing on what I do in the story unless I feel like making it matter. So onto more important things!

I decided to split this chapter into two separate ones, mainly because it was taking too long and I'd rather do two shorter chapters then do another 20K beast. That basically happened anyway, but...whatever! Here we are!

That of course means I'll be putting off my big reveal until next chapter, but hey, that means more time for folks to speculate on what it could be.

In the meantime, shoutout to the fabulous folks who reviewed the last chapter, which includes JDunks896, Gs33022, Baistro334, SolanaLeonhart, Madame Rodoshe, oragonking, SonicIKE, and a new reviewer known as The Dragon Legend. You all rock. Just sayin'.

Enjoy.


Chapter 115: Sinner's Prayer


Many Years Ago…

Malie City


"Ash, we're trying…"

"TRY. HARDER!"

Roran leaned back in his chair as he regarded Ashton and Hina, his injured hand in a cast so that he didn't have to move it. It had been two weeks since his attack on Malie City, and the Kahuna of Ula'ula Island was still feeling the repercussions of that night.

Ashton had been on the warpath since, using any time that he wasn't training to try and hunt down Tommy. Which was a moot point, since Roran had his Ruby Raiders kidnap the young man during the big attack. The boy wouldn't find anything if Roran had anything to say about it.

"Just a bit more support. If I can hold on...The people are rallying behind me after the attack on the city. The Council is falling in line. I'm nearly there." Roran thought to himself, trying to focus his straying thoughts. Roran adjusted the sunglasses he wore and regarded the furious boy before him, his own orange eyes ringed with bags and a clear sign of his exhaustion. The curse has been tearing away at him every single time it activated, flaying open his mind and giving him terrible urges, and it was only because of his recent isolation from everyone that he hadn't been found out.

After all, glowing orange eyes were a kind of a giveaway that something was amiss.

"Come on, Little Monarch. Give me some credit. I've heard some whispers about some big activity on Poni Island and the Kahuna there is looking into it. Just…" Roran clutched his head for a moment, shuddering in pain. Ashton's expression of anger turned to concern. Hina chose that moment to put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Ash...I'm sure Roran is doing everything he can to find Tommy." Hina said placatingly to the angry teen, who grunted as he crossed his arms and looked away. Hina squeezed Ashton's shoulder while looking at Roran. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"I've got the police looking into any and all available leads, but right now I have to focus on the rebuilding efforts and dealing with the Ruby Raiders. Trust me, the second we get a whiff of anything that sounds promising, you can bet I'll be on it." Roran said reassuringly to Ashton while inwardly thinking. "So that I can squash it. If anyone caught wind of what's really going on, it'd be the end of me. I just need time to think...to make sense of what's happening to me. The hunger is slowly driving me mad...I can't resist it for much longer. "

"I'm counting on you, Roran. Please...bring him back." Ashton said quietly to the Kahuna, who offered the teen a pained smile as he leaned back in his chair.

The Aupuni boy turned on his heel and stormed out of the Kahuna's office, with Hina looking after him with concern. She turned to Roran with an apologetic look as the Kahuna sighed and shook his head in dismay.

Ashton burst out of the building and let out a scream of frustration before he felt a hand clamp down on his mouth, cutting off his yell. The teen flailed for a moment and pulled away from whoever was holding his mouth, and was surprised to see it was Commander Jackal.

"You're really loud, Ash. You know that, right?" Jack remarked, smirking at the boy as Gretel the newly-evolved Dusknoir floated out from behind Jack and went over to Ash, hugging him. The boy sighed, hugging Gretel back, before glaring at Jack.

"That monster has my best friend, Jackal. I'm not resting until we've found him." Ashton growled, clenching his fists as Gretel patted his hand consolingly.

"Tommy is a tough one, Ash. We'll find him and everything will turn out okay." Gretel said kindly, though Jackal wasn't exactly of the same mind. Instead, he moved closer to Ashton and made a 'follow me' gesture, which is how the trio found themselves at the beach a few minutes later.

"So what's going on? Aside from you wasting my time." Ashton said grumpily, calling out Damien. The Houndoom appeared in a flash of light, smiling a bit at the ocean before looking at his Trainer. The boy's expression lightened a little, glad that his Partner was happy. Damien always enjoyed going to the beach, even if he wasn't a fan of the water. Maybe it was the warm sand.

"That entirely depends...is acting on some tips about the Ruby Raiders that I've managed to scrounge up a waste of your time?" Jackal asked dryly, earning a shocked look from the boy.

"B-but Roran said he hadn't found anything yet!" Ashton said in surprise before grinning at Jackal. "What're we waiting for! Let's go-"

Jackal cut the boy off by gently smacking him in the back of the head. "Calm down there, kid. One step at a time. Roran's looking into things, but finding bad guys is my job. The police have a few leads here and there and I've taken point on the investigation. And my own snooping around has found some troubling rumors about some shady stuff happening down by the docks."

"What kind of shady stuff?" Ashton asked, curious now.

"I'm talking about possible sightings of Ruby Raiders and a lot of cargo getting moved on ships that are sending up some red flags. I'm hoping it's nothing, but hope in one hand, shit in the other. Guess what fills up first?"

"That's disgusting."

"Maybe, but it's accurate. Anyways, I'm gathering up some forces for a night-time job. Might need an experienced hand or two to help out if there is something happening there. You in?" Jackal asked Ashton, who looked excited at the prospect of possibly finding his best friend.

Ashton spoke quickly, pumping his fists as Damien watched on with amusement. "Of course! Should we get more people? Mohn and Lusamine can-" Jackal cut the boy off again by shaking his head, earning an annoyed growl from the teen.

"We're keeping this small and within just Alola's circle for now. Getting politicians from other regions involved in our mess isn't the best idea, even if they're our friends. We're not going in there to make arrests or kill people. We get some info, find out how bad things are, and get out. You want in?" Jackal said to the teen, who didn't even hesitate for a moment.

"What's the plan?"


Present Day

Kanto Region

Celadon City: Cipher Main HQ


"You said they were working with us, Borlath!" Venus screamed out, taking a step back in horror as she hopped out of her chair, her eyes wide at the sight just outside of the window. Dakim swore loudly, pounding a fist on the table. Amber made a move to call out her Xatu, but realized that the bird wasn't with her. Instead it was on a recon mission elsewhere.

And all Ashton could do was close his eyes and lament his idiocy.

Things had been going so well. That should have sent up warning signs from the get-go. But Borlath had gotten complacent. He had put faith in the Pokémon League that they would do the right thing. He entertained the idea that he could still do the noble thing and allow them to do their jobs.

He was a fool.

The Admins and the Cipher Master fled from the meeting room that they had been in, even as flames and raw energy ripped through it. The entire building shook as explosions rocked it from every direction, the swift and brutal attack taking all of them by surprise. Cipher of course had defenses in the building, but nothing to stop it from getting blown up in the middle of the city.

The group emerged into a hallway that was littered with debris as the entire building shuddered. Damien growled as his head swiveled back and forth, unsure of what exactly to do. Venus turned to Borlath, who held the phone to his ear, knowing his son was on the other end of the line listening to all of this. Borlath despaired internally, knowing that he deserved all of this. After all of the awful things he had done, he deserved to die at the hands of those he had hurt.

But that didn't stop it from still seeming so unfair to the man. He watched with a hopeless expression as, outside the window three Trainers and their Pokémon flew up to the window, giving the leaders of Cipher looks of fury. Those Trainers were Steven Stone, Red, and Blue.

Ashton simply sighed into the phone, shutting his eyes as three Hyper Beams charged up and prepared to blow apart the entire floor they were standing on. There wasn't time to escape, nor was there time to call upon Deoxys or any of the other resources at his disposal.

That was what he deserved, after all. To die. To have everything he ever worked for fall all around him. His only regret?

"Sun…" Ashton spoke quietly into the phone, trying to keep his voice steady as the trio of Trainers finished charging up their attacks. How could you figure out what words to say to the most important person in your world? The one you had hurt so badly, even though all you wanted was for them to have the childhood you never had? In the end...Ashton went for the simple approach, and just said what he felt in his heart of hearts.

"I love you. And no matter what happens, I will always love you."

Three Hyper Beams suddenly ripped through the building, tearing through it with ease as the entire floor the Admins were on exploded. Dakim and Venus shouted as the attacks swept through the room. Amber braced threw herself to the ground as she jammed her helmet on.

The last thing Borlath knew was pain and then darkness.

"Sir...was this the right thing to do, regarding Cipher?"

Galar Pokémon League Chairman Theodore Rose considered that question for several moments, glancing over at his ever-loyal secretary, Oleana. He smiled at her in a knowing way before turning back towards the building as several Hyper Beams erupted from the Pokémon all around the street, attacking it from every angle.

"It depends on what you're asking. Was it the right thing to do and overstep boundaries and protocol to deal with this issue? No. Is it right to backstab someone who extends an olive branch to you? No. However, if you were to ask me whether or not it's right to stop a worldwide threat by any means necessary? Then that answer is yes. We can deal with the fallout later. For now, we focus on ending Borlath's life." Rose explained as his Copperajah snorted beside him. He continued to watch with faint amusement as the Champions and various Elite Four members completely obliterated the Cipher HQ with various attacks, though they were mostly Hyper Beams from the signature Pokémon of the Champions.

"There's a time and a place for ambition, Borlath...I'm sorry it had to come to this. But time waits for no man." Rose thought as the building came crumbling down. Some of the Champions began walking away from the rubble, though Steven Stone and Drake lingered to fire off some attacks into the wreckage of the building in a manner that was likely therapeutic to them both. At this point, the impressive tower that stood as a monument to the power and influence of Ashton Aupuni had been reduced to rubble, with the dust from the building's destruction filling the street.

"Well, that was satisfying." Wallace remarked, stroking his Milotic as Steven Stone continued to stare at the building, a hooded figure standing beside him with a Lucario and a Garchomp.

"Maybe. Something about this leaves a bad taste in my mouth though." Leon remarked, sighing as he adjusted his cap. "Doesn't this feel off to you guys?"

"A little. But Borlath and his Admins were there, just like Chairman Rose said. If it got us the bad guy in the end, can we complain if the result ended in the best way possible?" Blue asked the Galar Champion, who didn't respond.

"It's a shame events had to play out like this. I considered Ashton a friend once...I hope he'll forgive me in ending his life, and that he finds redemption in the next." A rough voice of emotion spoke out from behind Rose, the owner of the voice being a man wearing a tan T-shirt and faded cargo pants. However, his fiery mane of hair and the Volcarana fluttering beside him was unmistakable.

"About time you showed up, Alder. Is your disgraced Champion with you?" Rose asked, with the Chairman turning around. To his surprise, a young girl in a blue and white dress with a serpentine dragon flowing down the length of it was standing beside Alder. Her purple hair was tied in a ponytail, and the Haxorus standing behind her was a stark contrast to the girl's cutesy appearance.

"Chairman, with all due respect, please shut up." Iris said tiredly as she stepped forward, giving a passing glare to Oleana which the woman returned with twice the intensity.

"I don't see why you're so angry with me. I'm the one who helped lead this team together to bring down one of the world's greatest threats." Rose said with a hurt frown, causing Iris to shake her head. Alder looked apologetic, at least.

"Sorry guys. She's been looking forward to dealing with Borlath ever since he froze Nimbasa City over a year ago." Alder said with a small laugh while several of the others shrugged in response, not particularly caring that the girl was there in the first place. After fleeing Unova with Alder and going into seclusion, she had forfeited any right to be called Champion in the first place. At best, she was a bit of extra firepower in case any of the trash made it out of the building.

Speaking of which…

A flurry of whirling shadows caught the attention of the group, who were surprised when a disheveled figure in a white suit was thrown out of the shadow of a lamppost crying out in pain. As the man slowly rose to his feet, most of the assembled group collectively felt a spike of raw anger ripple through them. Those that weren't angry were simply awed that their main target had survived the coordinated onslaught in the first place.

"How the hell did he survive that?" Blue asked as his Pidgeot touched down on the ground, with Red doing the same beside him. The answer became clear within moments as a Greninja stepped out of Borlath's shadow, panting heavily as it checked on its Trainer. It then gave the Champions a glare if loathing as its Trainer slowly got to his feet, staring at the wreckage of his building with an expression of absolute horror.

"No matter. This is still a prime chance to deal with him." Lance said with a nod, glancing at his Dragonite as Red wordlessly threw out a hand. However, they were surprised when a sudden yell pierced the night.

"What the fuck was that!?" Borlath shouted, his gray eyes darkening into a deep crimson. As hard as he tried to keep his composure and hold back the simmering rage he felt bubbling underneath, he just couldn't even try to contain his anger now. "You have no idea what you've done! You...you...YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!"

"Oh really? And what exactly did we ruin, Borlath? Your attempt to overthrow the Pokémon League and have Cipher rule the world? Your conquest of the regions through some fit of insanity?" the hooded figure beside Steven Stone shouted, her feminine voice filled with anger.

"I was trying to do your job! You sit around on your asses pretending to protect the regions! But you haven't done a goddamn thing. I was inches away from stopping Roran's plan to destroy Alola! I was so close...but naturally, you idiots screwed it up!" Borlath spat back at them, unable to even summon the will to be polite anymore. He was furious and looked at the building beside him with a torn expression of guilt.

"I just wish I didn't have to drag everyone down with me…" Borlath muttered, knowing that he was likely one of the few survivors of that attack. If anyone else had made it out of the building, it wasn't immediately obvious.

"It's too late for that. Can you imagine how that your son feels, knowing what you've done? You say you do all of this for him, but how much of that is really true? We're doing what we have to in order to protect everyone." Alder remarked with anger thick in his voice. Iris simply glared at the man who had betrayed her entire region to Neo Team Plasma, clenching her fists.

"It's all true. I don't want any of this. That's why I gave you all a chance. A chance to take the reins...To prove me wrong. But we're talking in circles. You people clearly don't believe me, and I'm not going to waste my breath. You're not worth it." Borlath responded, shaking his head. "My only true regret today are the people who worked inside that building who had nothing to do with Cipher. I hope you can justify their deaths at your hands."

Silence filled the street as Borlath's words registered with each of them. The mastermind's eyes flickered black for a few moments, and Ashton Aupuni continued by saying, "While Cipher's main HQ was in fact within the Aupuni Industries Kanto HQ, there were still hundreds of employees who worked there who had nothing to do with my schemes. Innocents who simply wanted to work at a company that would continue to advance the world and better it."

"Chairman Rose...You said that it was just Cipher's headquarters. That's it." Leon slowly said as he looked at the Chairman, who looked shocked. The man closed his eyes, placing a hand on his face. "If what he said is true, we just killed a bunch of people who had nothing to do with Borlath!"

"Curse him...It seems Rubinara outplayed us." Rose murmured, shaking his head. Truthfully, he had assumed that the entire building had been filled with nothing but Cipher members. The fact that there were innocent civilians inside of the building that they had just obliterated was a complication he hadn't considered.

Upon receiving a business card from Roran during the League meeting not too long ago, and examining the tracker attached to the back of the card that showed him Borlath's location, Rose convinced the Champions to mount a full-scale assault on the Cipher HQ. A swift and deadly attack that would leave no survivors.

So naturally, the only survivor was the man that the Pokémon League was most desperate to kill.

Rose then addressed the Champions and the others assembled to take down Borlath and his forces, a force of nearly 30 Trainers. "It doesn't really matter, in the end. We have a job to do. To protect the world from Cipher's evil. If innocents died as a result of our actions, then it would be Borlath's fault for endangering his own ex-employees by using his company HQ as a hideout."

Borlath scowled, spitting on the ground in Rose's direction. "Spoken just like a politician. If I die tonight, then there's no chance of anyone else being able to stop Roran before he completes the Ritual of the Lost God."

"Ritual of the Lost God?" Lance remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are we entertaining this? We should kill him now before he has a chance to escape." Koga remarked as he flipped a kunai in his grip. Several of the others nodded as Borlath suddenly barked out a laugh.

"I didn't want to hurt any of you, but if you insist on making me angry, then I'll show you exactly why you never cross an Aupuni." Ashton said as he held out his arms to his sides. He then began to chant softly, "E ʻoluʻolu...E kala i kēia keiki a nā aliʻi kahiko no nā hewa āna i hana ai. I ka inoa o ka Tapu, a me ka poʻe e kiaʻi ana i nā mokupuni laʻa, e aloha mai i kāu keiki nalo a ʻae iā ia e loaʻa ka maluhia. E kiaʻi i kaʻu keiki, a pale iā ia mai ka poʻe makemake iā ia e hōʻino...I mālamalama ka lā a me ka mahina."

"What did he just say?" Diantha muttered as she crossed her arms, only for the hooded woman beside her and Steven Stone to speak up.

"Please...Forgive this child of the ancient kings for the sins he has committed. In the name of the Tapu, and those who watch over the sacred islands, have mercy on your lost son and allow him to find peace. Watch over my child, and protect him from those who wish him harm...May the sun and the moon shine bright." The hooded woman translated, shaking her head as she looked towards Steven. "A sinner's prayer if I've ever heard one. We need to kill him now."

"This shouldn't be much of a fight. Without the other Admins and Amber Fontaine, Borlath himself should be easy pickings." Blue remarked with a grin as his Blastoise and Pidgeot let out battle cries. Borlath suddenly burst out laughing at that, his eyes flashing back to dark red.

"I may have lost most of my original team to my ambitions, but you're deluded if you think I'll be making this easy for you. Damien on his own is more than enough to stand against any of...and show me your strength!." Borlath said as he crossed his arms, his scowl turning into a small smile for a brief moment. It had been years since he had addressed the Tapu in prayer, but given recent events, he felt compelled to. Perhaps they would grant him this one kindness.

"Draco Meteor!" Iris suddenly cried out as her Haxorous and Hydregion both opened their mouths, firing off a stream of meteors at Borlath. Steven's Metagross, Lance's Dragonite, and Alder's Volarana fired off a trio of Hyper Beams as well at their commands. Borlath's mouth twisted into a snarl at the display of overwhelming power.

It was a good thing that Borlath had taken Roran's jeering to heart, all those years ago, and had fallback plans of his own.

"Come!" Borlath shouted as he touched his hand to the strange triangle-like necklace around his throat. With a flicker, Deoxys teleported in front of the man and shifted into its Defense Form, throwing up a powerful purple barrier around the three of them. The trio of Hyper Beams and the two Draco Meteors slammed into the barrier, which cracked heavily but withstood the onslaught. To the group's surprise, the barrier began to repair itself after several seconds as Deoxys shivered at the immense effort it took to withstand such power.

"You deserve this. To watch everything you care about fall around you. And to die with the scum that followed you in your quest for world domination." Steven Stone said with a cold scowl on his face, even as the figure beside him stepped forward. After a moment, she threw back her hood, the figure's blond hair spilling out around her neck.

Cynthia had certainly seen better days, with a number of scars covering her face and neckline. Her gray eyes were hard as they regarded Borlath with anger, her Lucario and Garchomp standing beside her both glaring hatefully at the mastermind behind Cipher. Borlath was somewhat surprised to see her standing after what Dawson had done to her, but at the same time, was disappointed she had come back.

"If you all want to kill the bad guy so badly, then I'll oblige. Try to kill me. Please. You'll be doing me and the world a favor. But I won't make things easy for you." Borlath said in a businesslike tone, his gaze drifting to everyone assembled before him once again, this time with a harsher gleam in his eyes.

"You don't seem to want to deal with the father who simply wanted a better world for his child…So you'll get the villain you so desperately want." Borlath said as he shut his eyes, taking a shaking breath as he unclipped an old Poké Ball from his belt and called out Damien, who crouched low and growled angrily at them as he appeared in a flash of light.

"Damien...Things have taken a turn for the worst." Borlath spoke quietly to the Dark Pokémon, causing the canine to grit his teeth in fury.

"I know. I'm sorry things didn't work out. I know how badly you were hoping to avoid this." the Houndoom replied before letting out a booming howl, causing everyone present to shiver. Such was the effect a Houndoom's howl had on people. "I'm with you until the end, Ash."

"Thank you, Partner. I'm sorry to put you through this. I really am. Just bear with me for a little longer." Borlath said to the canine, resting a hand on his head before brushing past Damien, glaring down the Champions and those who had chosen to stand against him. The shield surrounding them held strong, but his mind was already thinking of a strategy.

"Everyone...attack at will. Crush him." Cynthia spoke coldly, making a gesture with her hand as her Garchomp roared, releasing a Draco Meteor towards Borath. Deoxys let out a pained cry as the shield continued to get pummeled as the other Champions and Elite Four members unleashed attack after attack. As this happened, Borlath reached into a coat pocket and pulled out two shimmering gloves, coated with links of gleaming metal, and slipped them on. He then shrugged off his suit jacket and then undid his dress shirt, all the while thinking of a strategy.

"I cannot...hold for much longer!" Deoxys cried out mentally to Borlath, who tossed his dress shirt to the ground. Above the waist, he only wore a gray tank-top with a sigil of Aupuni Industries emblazoned on it. And with the jacket off, the branding that was seared into his shoulder was now clearly visible, showing off the same symbol on the tank top. A testament to what Borlath swore he'd never become.

"None of you will stop me from protecting Sun from Roran. There's nothing I won't sacrifice to ensure he survives. Even the lives of others. Even my own life!" Borlath said as he allowed himself a sharp smile, delighting in the fact that now he could let loose a little. "I'll risk it all to keep him safe."

"We're almost through!" Wallace called out as his Milotic fired off a Hydro Pump, but at that point Deoxys released the barrier, with Borlath thrusting out a hand at the same time. A wave of Psychic rippled across the street as Deoxys changed to its Attack Forme. The Champions marveled at the strength of the DNA Pokémon, but that was only the beginning, as the Mega Crown glowing brightly on Borlath's head and the Houndoomite shining like a star on Damien's chest filled the street with their light. The Champions and those assembled winced at the almighty light that poured from the both of them, and soon enough Damien stood proudly before them in his Mega Houndoom form, gritting his teeth as an immense heat poured from his body.

"You promised Sun...not to kill them. Remember that." Damien reminded his Trainer through gritted teeth, causing the man to let out a soft laugh as he rested a hand on the increasingly hot head of his Mega Houndoom, taking in the furious and concerned expressions of the Champions assembled before him.

"I wouldn't worry about that, Damien. I made a promise to Sun. No more killing. That being said..." Borlath trailed off as his eyes slowly began to turn a deep red color, a dark smile coming to his face at the thought of crushing more opponents who dared stand against his ideals. Those who had chosen Roran's lies over his offer of peace. Those who had chosen to strike at him in his most vulnerable moment.

And those who may have just doomed his plan to save his child from a man who sought nothing but the destruction of everything around him.

Borlath's smile widened into something terrifying as he pulled out two Ultra Balls. His Greninja nodded slowly, slowly going into a fighting stance.

"By the time I'm done here...they'll be begging me to let them die." Borlath spoke softly as Deoxys hummed next to him. Borlath strode forward and said, "The orders will come fast. Prepare yourselves."

"Just did already!" Iris shouted as her Hydregion fired off another Hyper Beam. Borlath walked towards the attack, a dangerous smile on his face as Deoxys, Zorro the Greninja and Damien followed behind them. The group tensed, preparing themselves for an attack of some kind.

"He's walking right into the attack?" Leon muttered, watching as the raw beam of energy raced towards Borlath, who simply held out his right hand towards the attack with an air of supreme confidence. The Hyper Beam was mere meters away, and struck Borlath's outstretched hand directly as Damien, Zorro and Deoxys braced themselves...

But the attack was sucked into Borlath's glove, vanishing with a brief flare of light.

Borlath's smile widened, taking in the collective surprise and confusion of the Pokémon League.

"You know...I was going to turn myself in, after we dealt with Roran. Once I saw enough, and I was satisfied that the Pokémon League was willing to improve. I would have happily begun sharing some of my achievements and breakthroughs with the world that I've been holding back for a while...Like this." Borlath remarked calmly, still holding out his palm with that same dark smile. A small orb of light began to charge up at the center of the glove that had absorbed the Hyper Beam.

Everyone collectively felt a thrill of horror roll through them before Borlath's hand exploded with energy, sending a Hyper Beam right at the assembled group and blowing apart the street. Borlath lowered his hand and called, "Smokescreen. Deoxys, go cause some trouble. Keep them busy."

Damien opened his mouth and exhaled, causing a harsh black smoke to fill the area in front of them. Deoxys teleported above the mass of Trainers, most of whom were getting to their feet while a few lay on the ground unconscious from the unexpected attack.

"So he can throw our attacks back at us? What kind of shit is that…" Blue hissed as he pushed himself upright, bracing himself against his Blastoise.

"Aupuni Industries has been working on developing all kinds of advanced technology. They're responsible for things like the TACV's and various breakthroughs in medicine in Unova and Sinnoh. And I'm betting they developed the bulk of Cipher's armor and new toys." Lance explained as his Dragonite ruffled its wings, glaring at the smoke that now filled the streets. "It seems as though he's truly fighting us instead of fleeing."

A flash of light erupted from the smoke, and to their surprise a massive Pokémon emerged from the smoke with a mighty cry. It's large form was unmistakable despite the smoke obscuring Borlath and his other two Pokémon.

"REGI...GIGIGIGIGIGI!" Regigigas boomed as it raised its hands into the air, with everyone present staring at the Titan Master with horror in their eyes. Borlath grinned as Damien poured more harsh smoke into the street, with Deoxys teleporting above them all and releasing a Psychic that smashed into Lance's signature Dragonite and sent it flying into a nearby building. Red and Blue had their Pikachu and Blastoise throw attacks at the DNA Pokémon, but it shifted into its Speed Forme and easily dodged the attacks.

"Damien, use Sunny Day." Borlath instructed his Houndoom as the Dark Pokémon sighed with resignation, knowing what came next would be very painful. But his resolve hardened and he held his head up towards the morning sky, firing off a shining orb of light that exploded in the air and filled the street with harsh sunlight.

"Gah...Sunny Day. That's gonna make that Houndoom of his even stronger." Cynthia hissed as she covered her eyes, with her Garchomp firing off a Dragon Pulse at the speedy Deoxys as it peppered the mass of Trainers with attacks, even as some of them warily watched Regigigas stand in the street immobile. "Thankfully Regigigas will take some time to actually become a danger to us. It's Ability, Slow Start, reduces its power and speed for quite some time at the beginning of a battle, so it shouldn't be a threat for the moment. We should focus on killing Borlath and stopping Deoxys."

"I keep forgetting how well-versed in lore you are." Rose remarked with a faint smile, though his eyes drifted back towards the smoke ahead of them, which was clearing. "Some of us should corner him from behind instead of attacking him directly from the front."

"Um...why is that Houndoom on fire?" Misty asked, pointing towards Damien. Some of those well-versed in Mega Evolution suddenly felt horror creep into them at the sight of the powerful Houndoom, who's bone-like armor was glowing brightly in the sunlight as flames drifted off of its body. The sheer amount of heat powering from Damien now was sweltering, even at the considerable distance they were from him.

"That's Mega Houndoom's Ability, Solar Power. It becomes immensely stronger in intense sunlight, at the cost of damaging itself over time. But...considering that Sunny Day already makes a powerful Fire-type much stronger, and you add Mega Evolution and Solar Power on top of that…" Diantha trailed off as her eyes widened in horror at the sight of Damien suddenly inhaling and rearing his head back. It suddenly registered to all of them just how much stronger Borlath had made his signature Pokémon, and just what kind of move was coming their way.

"Brace yourselves!" the Kalos Champion screamed as Damien opened his mouth and unleashed a Fire Blast at the Champions. The star-like attack, however, was so massive in size and power that it filled the entire street and burned so hot that windows on both sides of the street exploded from the sheer amount of heat coming from the move. The attack eventually exploded and the Champions cried out collectively, with not all of them able to shield themselves from the intense flames and several dozen Pokémon were knocked out at once. Borlath then made his move.

"Smokescreen again, Damien. Deoxys, create a barrier to stop them from interfering. I need a minute." Borlath mentally instructed his Pokémon as he grabbed a Poké Ball off of his belt and called out a sinister tree-like Pokémon, a Trevenant.

"Rooto, Skill Swap on Regigigas." Borlath instructed the Grass/Ghost-type Pokémon, who looked up at the massive titan above it and nodded. It held out its hands and a shimmer of greenish light ran through Rooto and then flowed towards Regigigas, enveloping the Legendary. Trevenant groaned as it swapped Abilities, with Regigigas gaining Natural Cure and Rooto gaining Slow Start. The massive Pokémon stood up tall and shifted, now able to move and feel it's full power yet again.

"Rock Polish, three-fold." Borlath instructed the Colossal Pokémon as he returned his Trevenant, glancing at Zorro and Damien. "Very well then. Shall we?"

Damien growled wordlessly as Zorro dragged both the Mega Houndoom and his Trainer into the shadows, leaving Regigigas behind. The Colossal Pokémon continued to increase its speed, glowing a shimmering white as the smoke slowly began to clear once again.

"Where did Borlath go?" Diantha said with some concern, her Mega Gardevoir tensing beside her.

"And why is Regigigas glowing?" Oleana remarked, confusion in her voice. Beside her, Chairman Rose hummed thoughtfully before sighing.

"It doesn't matter. Strike it down and find that man. I doubt he's going to run and hide like-
Rose began to say, only for Regigigas to suddenly let out a powerful booming cry and hunch over, the glow finally fading.

"That move it was using looked kinda like Rock Polish." Blue remarked, frowning as Regigigas took a slow step forward, causing the Champions in brace themselves. Overhead, Deoxys teleported onto a nearby rooftop, switching into its Attack Forme.

"That won't matter. Even as strong as Regigigas is, Slow Start will make it easy pickings for us. Now, let's coordinate our-" Cynthia began to say, only for Regigigas to let out an even louder cry that cut her off. To everyone's collective surprise and terror, the massive behemoth suddenly sprinted at the cluster of Trainers with an incredible burst of speed. Blue and Lance swore loudly and called out attacks, as did several members of the Elite Four, but Regigigas was soon upon them, smashing into the street with its fists and scattering the Trainers.

"REGIGIGIGIGIGIGI!" Regigigas boomed as it held out its hands, firing two Hyper Beams at once at the Pokémon now rushing it from all sides. Some of them found that their teammates were being thrown back by Deoxys, who had teleported onto Regigigas' shoulder.

"YOU SAID IT WAS SLOW!" Blue screamed as he narrowly avoided being crushed by Regigigas, thanks to his Pidgeot swooping in to save him at the last second. Red wasn't as lucky, as he and his Charizard were swiped out of the sky and the man was thrown clear off of his mount and fell into the street, landing badly on his shoulder.

"What the hell…how did he manage this?" Steven Stone hissed as his Metagross blasted the Titan Master with Psychic, allowing several other attackers to strike the massive beast. Regigigas groaned in response, unable to attack for a brief moment even as Deoxys lashed out at their Pokémon, taking several hits itself.

"Where's Borlath? He can't have just abandoned his Legendaries?" Wallace questioned as he and his Milotic and Ludicolo whirled around, trying to find where the mastermind would attack them from. He was answered when a strong blow to the back of his head sent him crashing to the ground dazed as Borlath leapt out of the Water-type specialist's shadow. Borlath whirled around and levelled his pistol at Lance, firing a shot at the Kanto/Johto Champion that he barely dodged.

"Dragonite, use-" Lance began to say, only for Regigigas to groan loudly, launching an Ice Punch at the Dragon Pokémon before it could do more than cry out in surprise. Lance watched in horror as his prized Dragonite was sent crashing into a building. He was even more surprised when Borlath was suddenly in front of him, grinning maliciously as he punched the Champion hard enough in the face to knock out a tooth. Lance reeled back, stunned, before Borlath grabbed his head and slammed it as hard as he could into his knee, knocking the Champion to the ground in a daze. As the criminal turned around, firing off a shot to ensure Cynthia and Alder didn't try to attack him, he locked eyes with Leon, who looked conflicted.

"Come on, mate...There's a better way than all of this!" Leon said to Borlath, who lowered his pistol as he considered the Galar Champion's words. He then redirected his aim at Koga, who was leaping through the air with a kunai in each hand and fired. Koga managed to twist through the air to avoid the first bullet, but the second hit him in the stomach and he crashed onto the ground with a shout of pain. Borlath then holstered the gun, his eyes flickering to black.

"There was a better way. You people didn't want it. So we're doing things the bad way. I'm sorry, Leon...I really do wish that we could have all figured this out peacefully." Borlath said as Leon adjusted his hat, his trusty Charizard snarling softly beside him as Regigigas caused absolute mayhem all around them, with Deoxys and Zorro the Greninja rapidly attacking anything that even tried to approach Borlath.

"Yeah...Just understand. I've got people back home I have to protect. Hop, Mom, Dad and everyone else. They're counting on me." Leon said as his Charizard flared his wings. "Let's both have a Champion time!"

"From Champion to Champion, I wish you good luck. Dark Pulse into Thunder Fang!" Borlath shouted as Damien lunged forward, firing off a rippling wave of darkness from his mouth with incredible speed. Leon was ready, flashing the criminal a fierce grin.

"Dragon Claw!" Leon shouted with all the authority the "Unbeatable Champion" could muster. Charizard kicked off of the ground with a mighty flap of his wings, twisting into the air to dodge the Dark Pulse before soaring towards Damien and swiping at it with its claws that burned with green fire. Damien leapt at Charizard and the two battled in midair for dominance, with Damien clamping its Thunder Fang down on Charizard's neck while the Flame Pokémon clawed at Damien's back and sides with its own attack. Borlath was impressed at any Pokémon could stand alone against Damien in this form, and knew this was a testament to Leon's strength.

"Sludge Bomb right in the face!" Borlath shouted as he snapped his fingers. To Leon's surprise, Borlath's Greninja leapt through the air and threw a series of Water Shuriken at the back of his Charizard, causing it to roar in agony as the attack sliced open its back from behind. This allowed Damien to blast Charizard in the back and away with Sludge Bomb. Charizard flapped away from the canine and retaliated with a Dragon Rage that struck Damien directly, sending him crashing to the ground harshly, even as Charizard landed on the ground with a snarl.

Zorro landed on the ground beside Damien and fired off an Ice Beam at Charizard, which the Flame Pokémon easily blocked with a Flamethrower. Zorro leapt away from the attack while Damien took the brunt of it, growling angrily as he fired back with a Flamethrower of his own. Leon's eyes widened with shock as Damien's flames began to quickly overpower his Charizard's, and threw himself to the ground to avoid the explosion of flames as his Charizard was thrown backwards after getting overwhelmed in the standoff between the two Fire-types.

"Ash...I can't keep this up!" Damien barked to his Trainer, barely able to speak through the pain his Mega Evolution was causing him, on top of the damage he was already taking from their opponents. Damien then looked to his Trainer and his eyes widened in surprise.

His gaze was drawn to the Mega Crown Borlath wore on his head, and the fact that the Mega Stone embedded within it had become a dark shade of purple. A flicker of black static crackled along the length of it, and for some reason Damien was filled with dread.

"What...what was that?" Damien asked before wincing in pain, shaking his head. Borlath opened his mouth to speak, only for a figure to throw himself at Borlath and kick him in the stomach and then punch him in the mouth.

"How dare you!?" Steven Stone bellowed furiously, throwing the man backwards even as his Metagross and Aggron joined the fray. Damien growled and lunged forward, breathing more flames as the two Trainers fought beside them.

"How dare I?" Borlath grunted, his eyes darkening with absolute fury as he grabbed both of Steven Stone's hands, much to the surprise of the Hoenn Champion, who didn't realize that the Cipher Master that they had "betrayed" was quite strong physically. Certainly much physically stronger than himself, which was why Steven was rather easily thrown into the side of a nearby parked car. The Champion cried out in pain as the metal crumpled against him, only for a fist to suddenly connect with his throat and cut off his airflow.

"I've poured every ounce of my will into becoming strong enough to protect those I care about. My family. Even if it meant selling my soul. Even if it cost me my life...I would build a world with my own power to safeguard their futures." Borlath hissed, hate burning within his voice. He then grabbed Steven by the head with a shout of anger as Cynthia cried out in concern, though she was unable to stop what happened next.

"Look what you've made me do!" Borlath roared as he smashed Steven's head into the car window, cracking it heavily. Steven screamed as glass embedded into his head, causing blood to drip down his head. This was made worse by Borlath slamming Steven's head repeatedly into the window, screaming the entire time.

"Idiots! Idiots! Idiots!" Borlath bellowed before suddenly throwing the writhing Champion to the ground, only for a Lucario to suddenly rush the Cipher Master, kicking him in the chest. Borlath crashed onto the ground with a gasp of pain, even as Deoxys rushed forward to help him, only to be struck with a Dark Pulse from a Spiritomb and be sent flying through the air.

Cynthia scowled as she strode past Steven Stone towards Borlath, glaring down at the man who had ordered her to be tortured into giving Dawson the key to Snowpoint Temple. She placed her foot on the downed man's throat, glaring down at him.

"Should I feel guilty about ending your miserable life?" Cynthia wondered aloud, bitterness in her voice. "No. Only that I can't draw things out and make you suffer."

Cynthia was suddenly thrown backwards as a Greninja appeared from out of nowhere and grabbed her with her tongue, tossing her towards Steven. Zorro then spun around in midair and hurled a wave of Water Shuriken struck Spiritomb directly, knocking out the already-damaged spirit as Borlath shakily got to his feet, grinning now. He walked over to Zorro, who looked at his Trainer in the eye.

"That's what I was looking for. Battle Bond! Go!" Borlath intoned, clamping down his hand on Greninja's shoulder as he turned around, eyeing the Trainers that were unleashing a wave of attacks at him even as Deoxys teleported back to Borlath and summoned a shield to block the attacks.

The Ninja Pokémon nodded, its eyes glowing bright red before it suddenly let out a cry. A vortex of water suddenly erupted from the ground, enveloping the now-glowing Greninja before exploding outwards. Zorro now looked noticeably different, with red cheeks and black fins, along with a lighter blue skin. Most notable was the fact that its eyes were now the same color of gray that Borlath's were now. Borlath grinned fiercely as he reloaded his magnum, and both his eyes and the eyes of Ash-Greninja shifted to red.

"He's able to use Bond Phenomenon on top of Mega Evolution!?" Diantha cried out as she returned her Tyrantrum, with Borlath chuckling.

"Zorro...Let's show them the strength of those left behind." Borlath said quietly as Zorro nodded, quickly grabbing Borlath and pulling him into a Shadow Sneak. A moment later, the duo reappeared in the midst of the Trainers, with the Ash-Greninja lashing out with Blizzard throwing back several of the Trainers and knocking out two of their Pokémon. Borlath simply rushed at Diantha, pistol-whipping the Kalos Champion in the face before turning around and firing a shot off at Blue, who barely avoided the bullet.

Diantha's Mega Gardevoir screamed in anger, only for the distraction to allow Damien to fire off another Flamethrower and knock it out, causing Diantha's signature Pokémon to revert back to its normal state.

Borlath fired off several more shots, causing the Champions to back away and for their Pokémon to rush forward, only for a literal Inferno to suddenly erupt all around them. The Pokémon began to drop, collapsing onto the ground as Damien dashed landed on the ground, his body shining with heat and power as he aimed a Flamethrower at Blue's approaching Pidgeot and blasted it out of the sky.

"Rain Dance!" Wallace shouted to his Ludicolo, who fired off a misty ball of energy into the air and caused a sudden downpour of rain to begin falling on the street. Damien's Solar Power Ability faded, much to the canine's actual relief. That relief was short-lived when Wallace's Ludicolo fired off a Water Pulse that struck the canine and sent him skidding back with a snarl of pain.

Zorro rushed in to help, only for a massive Copperajah to crash into the Ash-Greninja and sent him flying across the street with Heavy Slam. Borlath howled in agony as Zorro slammed against a light-post and collapsed onto the ground, writhing in pain. To his credit, the Cipher Master managed to stay standing, though this was ruined when a blast of water struck him hard enough to knock him to the ground. Several of the Champions turned their attention to subduing Regigigas, who had Red's Charizard in a Crush Grip and was squeezing the life out of it. Borlath struggled to get up off of the ground, pain coursing through his body through the bond he shared with Zorro.

"Excellent work, Wallace." Chairman Rose remarked as he walked forward, clapping softly. "Now then, Borlath-"

A wave of flames suddenly smashed down from above, cutting off the Chairman's words. Rose, Oleana and Wallace stepped back in surprise, even Damien leapt through the air and landed beside his fallen Trainer. The Mega Houndoom was heaving with exhaustion and looked badly hurt, but his determined glare was more than enough to tell them that it'd take a lot more than that to put him down.

"Ludicolo, use Water Pulse!" Wallace shouted as Borlath slowly recovered, glaring hatefully at his opponents. Elsewhere, the sounds of Regigigas fighting the other Champions was accompanied by the sound of Deoxys rejoining the battle.

"Dodge by going airborne! Then Sludge Bomb!" Borlath shouted as he stumbled to his feet, sliding a fresh clip into his pistol and firing a shot at Wallace, which tore through the man's shoulder and sent him crashing to the ground. Borlath shifted his aim to Chairman Rose, only for Oleana to step in front of him protectively.

"You won't hurt him!" Oleana shouted, her visage of calm replaced by a face full of emotion. Borlath simply grinned in response. Meanwhile, Damien put down Ludicolo with a Sludge Bomb from above, having used Flamethrower to get airborne. Damien landed on the ground with a growl, baring his teeth.

"We'll see." Borlath said as Damien nodded, inhaling deeply as Oleana and Rose braced themselves.

"Copperajah, use Protect!" Rose cried out as his faithful Pokémon charged forward, summoning a shield to protect him and Oleana. Damien let loose the attack, causing the shield around them to immediately crack from the strain.

"Garbador, Milotic! Use Sludge and Hydro Pump!" Oleana shouted, with her two Pokémon unleashing their attacks at the immobile Houndoom. A rush of Blizzard erupted across the street, diverting their attacks just enough for them to miss Damien and Borlath. Oleana's gaze drifted to the Ash-Greninja, who limped towards the battle.

A shattering sound drew Oleana's attention back to the current battle, where Copperajah's Protect had failed at last. The massive Pokémon cried out in pain as the Flamethrower struck it, causing Rose to sigh and shake his head in dismay.

"You really think you can keep this up?" Rose muttered as his Copperajah dropped to the ground, fainting as Damien snorted and fired off a Dark Pulse in the other direction, causing Steven's approaching Skarmory to dive to dodge, but be unable to dodge the Fire Punch from Regigigas that knocked it out. Damien spat a burst of fire towards Oleana, forcing her away from Rose.

"I don't need to. I could've escaped as soon as Zorro saved me from that building. They say that business comes before pleasure, but in this case, I'm willing to make an exception." Borlath said with a small shrug, stepping towards Rose as the man backed away from him. Borlath then lunged forward, punching the man in the jaw and knocking him to the ground. Borlath's face contorted into a vicious snarl as he stomped on the man's stomach and chest repeatedly in his expensive shoes. Oleana called out to Rose, only for Zorro to suddenly leap forward and lash out with Ice Beam, causing ice to spring up around her and Milotic and Garbodor, blocking them from helping Rose.

"Idiots! All of you! You have no idea what Roran is capable of, Theodore! And now...Now I might be too late to save Sun! He's stuck in that damable place with a madman on the loose!" Borlath snarled with each strike, ignoring the gasps of pain from Chairman Rose.

"That's not our fault! If anyone's to blame, it's you for forcing him and your wife to flee to Alola in the first place!" Rose shot back, causing Borlath to narrow his eyes in anger. "Let's not mince words, Ashton. You're a failure as a father! Just like Ano Aupuni was to you!"

"So you say…" Borlath replied gently, even as Deoxys teleported to Borlath's side and used Psychic to lift the man into a standing position before whirling around and unleashing Psychic Cut upon Cynthia's approaching Lucario, sending it hurtling backwards with a snarl.

"But nothing you say will hurt me as badly as I'm about to hurt you, Chairman." Borlath hissed with loathing as he clamped his hand down on the man's throat, tightening it hard and restricting the flow of air to his lungs. Rose tried in vain to pry the man's hand off of his throat, even kicking out at Borlath, but the Chairman's attempts were futile at the hands of the furious father. Oleana cried out as she tried to come to the Chairman's aid, her Milotic leaping over the ice with an Aqua Tail.

"Thunder Fang! Take down the other one with Flamethrower. Keep her away." Borlath snarled as he continued strangling Chairman Rose, his eyes narrowed as he whispered, "All I needed was a few more days. I would've happily ended all of this. But no...You just had to kick me down one last time."

Meanwhile, Damien had leapt into the air to meet Milotic, catching the Water-type's Aqua Tail in his mouth and then clamping down hard on its tail with Thunder Fang, causing the Tender Pokémon to scream in agony. Damien dropped to the ground, swinging Milotic down towards the ground and making it hit the concrete hard enough to knock it out. Garbador roared in anger, firing off a Sludge Bomb at the Mega Houndoom. Damien opened his mouth and fired off a Flamethrower that incinerated the attack and struck the Garbodor directly, knocking it out with ease.

"Pathetic." Borlath hissed as Oleana took a step back in fear, her Milotic and Garbador collapsing onto the ground as Damien growled, taking a step towards the woman.

"Don't interfere." Damien warned the woman as Borlath suddenly felt something crash into him, causing him to drop Chairman Rose and crash onto the ground. Damien looked towards his Trainer in surprise before being knocked into the air by a sudden Stone Edge. The Cipher Master stumbled to his feet, drawing his magnum with a snarl...only to have his eyes widen, turning white with fear. Damien lightly landed on the ground, catching himself with a Flamethrower to halt his descent, though he too was stunned by what he was.

Standing behind Chairman Rose was a figure Borlath and Damien knew very well.

Dressed in a tattered and bloodied cloak with a Claydol that looked badly injured by his side, Roran Rubinara looked as if he had been put through hell. He wasn't even wearing his mask. Regardless of that, the former Kahuna grinned toothily at his old friend and offered him a wave.

"YOU!" Borlath roared as Damien barked at the madman, slowly rising despite the damage he had sustained at the hands of the Champions. Roran simply offered Borlath a smile, hefting the unconscious form of Hau over his right shoulder, since his left shoulder had a massive bloody chunk missing out of it.

"I'm a busy man, but I can always find time for my little protégé." Roran said as he offered Borlath a terrifying smile. This was compounded further when Roran's entire body jerked violently, his eyes suddenly burning with a harsh orange light. The man screamed in pain for a moment before relaxing, releasing a harsh breath before calmly staring down the man that had once seen him as a teacher. A mentor. A friend.

"But I'll leave you to this mess. It's like I said before, Ash. I've been manipulating people since before you were even born. No one is beyond my touch. And with my persona, no one can ever even tell it's me manipulating them." Roran laughed then, a demented cackle of delight. "Did you really think I couldn't find a way to bend the Pokémon League to my will with just a few lies, Little Monarch?"

"DAMIEN! KILL!" Borlath screamed as he levelled his pistol at Roran and emptied the entire thing as the madman snapped his fingers, causing Thanatos to throw up a barrier. Damien bounded forward, snarling in fury, only for a Dragonite to suddenly smash into the Mega Houndoom and send him flying across the street. Borlath turned towards its owner, Lance, who was limping down the road with a furious expression.

"You both...are something else entirely. To think you could manipulate us into doing all of this..." Lance hissed, anger palpable in his otherwise calm voice.

"Yeah, ain't I the worst?" Roran remarked with a wink, even as he calmly stepped over the weakly stirring form of Koga on the ground. Roran looked down at the blood-covered ninja and licked his lips for a moment before shaking his head. "Nah. I shouldn't spoil my appetite. I've got quite a few captives still, and that should hold me over until the end."

"What are you planning!?" Lance demanded as his Dragonite turned to face the former Kahuna, who suddenly burst out laughing.

"Yeah! Right. Like I'm telling you!" Roran giggled, causing Lance to shudder at the level of genuine insanity in his voice. Whereas before he at least seemed civil if not mocking, now with the Curse of Abundance in effect, Roran seemed genuinely deranged.

"It's a shame our little game is coming to an end...Once I've consumed Kahuna's grandchild and ascended to my proper place in this world, everything else will become irrelevant." Roran said lightly, shutting his eyes for a moment. "If I felt any trace of my humanity right now, I'd feel a little sorry for you. Losing everything, and to die at the hands of the people you wanted to help all along."

"You…" Borlath growled as his Greninja stepped out his shadow, panting with exhaustion but still ready to fight and take down the monster in front of them.

"Don't worry though. I'll keep an eye out for Sun. It's not like his daddy ever did much to protect him anyway!" Roran laughed as his shining eyes opened again, his mouth twisting into a cruel grin.

"You leave him out of this! This is between me and you!" Borlath boomed as Greninja suddenly leapt into the air, throwing down a dozen Water Shuriken at the former Kahuna. Roran yawned behind his Protect, shaking his head sadly.

"Goodbye, Ash. I hope they at least make your death quick. It's the only kindness I'm going to grant you." Roran thought at Borlath, causing the Cipher Master to grit his teeth with rage before Roran, Thanatos and Hau vanished from the street with a teleport.

"Damn him...We were completely played." Lance hissed as Borlath suddenly went still. It was then that the Cipher Master dove into his shadow, causing Lance to curse in frustration as the criminal and his Greninja reappeared where Damien was slowly rising to his feet.

"We need to get out of here, Ash. I can't keep this up for much longer. We have to retreat." Damien growled as a badly-damaged Regigigas bellowed out from the building it rose out of, firing off two Hyper Beams at Leon and Red's Charizards and knocking them both away. Meanwhile, Lance was hopping onto his Dragonite while Cynthia and Steven slowly made their way to them, with the rest dealing with Regigigas. Deoxys had rejoined the fight now, and was using its powers to lash out at the Trainers to keep them from attacking Borlath, though it was clear that the DNA Pokémon was exhausted. Borlath knew that they really had no chance of defeating the force assembled to kill him, especially if he was refusing to kill them (he was confidant that Koga would survive that gunshot wound. Besides, it was self-defense.)

"Ash...We have to save Sun. We have no way of knowing who that monster is pretending to be back in Alola. And if he's got the Kahuna's grandson…" Damien trailed off, causing Ashton to sigh angrily.

"Then it's a matter of days, if not hours, before he completes the Ritual of the Lost God. And if that happens we might not ever have a chance to bring him down." Borlath said as he looked down, shaking his head. "We'll do it onboard the Salvation. Zorro, bring us to Regigigas. We're retreating."

The Greninja dragged Borlath and Damien into its shadow and they reappeared next to the Colossal Pokémon, which hummed as Borlath placed a hand against it before returning it. Deoxys teleported to Borlath, surprised that it had recalled the Titan Master before the fight was done.

"We're regrouping. We have to stop Roran. We'll deal with these morons later." Borlath explained to Deoxys, who responded with a nod after a moment of thought.

"ASH!" Damien suddenly screamed out, causing his Trainer to snap his head up in time to see a streak of meteors suddenly dropping down towards him from the sky while four Hyper Beams streaked out towards them. Deoxys cried out in surprise and shifted into its Defense Forme, but the attack was upon them within moments, not only enveloping them but also destroying the building that they had been standing beside, burying the street with rubble within moments.

"Got 'em." Steven said coldly as he shakily stepped away from his freshly-revived Skarmory, limping towards the site of the building's wreckage and coughing as dust filled the air.

"Did we kill him though? Or did he escape?" Iris asked with just as much venom, her Hydregion snarling softly in response as it soared through the air beside her. As the Champions made their way towards the rubble, Chairman Rose trailed behind, rubbing his throat. His expression was troubled.

"Ashton Aupuni and Roran were much more cunning than I originally thought. I'll have to be more careful in the future. If this little showdown happened in broad daylight instead of the early morning, I shudder to think about how many people would have been caught in the crossfire." Rose muttered, shaking his head as Oleana returned her Pokémon and began to follow her boss.

"Sir...you realize the fallout from this will be disastrous, correct?" Oleana asked Chairman Rose, a note of concern in her voice. Rose chuckled after a moment, surprising his secretary as he turned around.

"Oleana, you underestimate me yet again. Cipher's done all the work for us, after all. Leave the fallout to me, and everything will be fine." Rose said as he walked down the street to speak to the other Champions. Oleana bit her lip, worried that such a costly mistake would cost them their ambitions in Galar.

"No...I must believe in the Chairman, like always. He's never steered me wrong before." Oleana thought to herself, brushing aside her worries and allowing calm to wash over her once more. The unmovable secretary of the Chairman walked after Theodore Rose, her expression not betraying the hidden fear within.


The Next morning…

Malie City Pokémon Center


"This is immensely frustrating…"

"Tell me about it."

Sun rubbed his temples, trying to force back the migraine that was developing. Lillie sat beside him, quietly sipping her Moomoo Milk with a worried expression. Meanwhile Hugh and Aria were quietly discussing possible plans to deal with Roran and save Hau.

According to Hala, the madman had broken into his home during the middle of the night coated in blood and threw Hau's Island Trial Amulet at him before teleporting on the spot, but not before warning Hala that his grandson would be sacrificed as part of Roran's schemes. What that meant, however, was unclear.

Aether President Lusamine had taken charge of the situation and was currently organizing a strike team to infiltrate Cipher's HQ in Alola and save the boy before Roran could finish his ritual. Right now she was coordinating with many of the Trial Captains, as well as the Kahunas across Alola and the International Police.

"Sun, maybe we should step outside for some fresh air?" Lillie suggested to the boy after a while, causing Sun to sigh as he leaned back in his chair. The boy looked at his crush with a small smile, and debated doing just that.

"Fresh air is always a good thing. Helps you get a little bit of perspective when your brain is all clogged." remarked a familiar voice with a chuckle. The two children turned their heads to the left and noticed that the Fossil Man himself was standing nearby, using two sets of crutches.

"Jeez, what happened to you?" Sun asked, taking in the man's haggard appearance. His left foot was completely wrapped in gauze and his head was bandaged. He also seemed to be missing a tooth. The Fossil Man grinned at the boy's question.

"Picked a fight that I probably shouldn't have. What can I say? I'm crazy. I think I left a lasting impression on those idiots." the Fossil Man replied, making a motion that was intended to be a shrug but instead made the man wince. Sun wondered if he hurt one of his arms or shoulder blades.

"Um, do you want to sit down? We can move." Lillie timidly offered to the Fossil Man, who waved a hand dismissively.

"Nah. You kids enjoy yourselves. You're not young forever, and I'm so drugged up on painkillers right now that the only reason I can speak coherently is because I'm so used to functioning like this." The Fossil Man admitted, causing Sun to raise an eyebrow. The weird man's eyes were a little unfocused.

"You're really weird, you know that?" Sun said to the strange man, who grinned at the boy in a manner that made him shiver.

"You don't know the half of it, Sun." The Fossil Man responded, and it looked as though he was going to expand on that topic, but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Team Skull bursting through the front doors. Three of the teens, one with a boombox on his shoulders playing music, began to shout in the lobby.

"Yo yo! Check it!"

"Make way for the boss! The baddest man of the hour!"

"The beat's bumping! Big bad Guzma is here!"

Sun scowled as the man himself strolled into the Pokémon Center with a cocky grin on his face, hands in his pockets. Weirdly enough, a white worm-like Pokémon was sitting on his shoulder that looked incredibly out of place, but Guzma didn't seem to think it was weird in the slightest. Guzma's grin spread ear to ear as he regarded the Trainers in the area with clear disdain.

"Greetings, my pathetic public. I've decided to grace this building with my presence, so kindly shut your faces." Guzma remarked as he approached the front counter. "Man, you all look like shit. Guess this is what happens when Guzma isn't around to save the day, huh?"

"Oh no...it's him." Lillie whispered softly, huddling behind Sun with a fearful expression. Sun grit his teeth at the man, not knowing what exactly Lillie feared him so much, but knew that if the Boss of Team Skull tried anything, Sun would make sure Lillie was protected.

The Fossil Man glanced between the two of them for a moment before smirking. He bent down slightly and muttered in a low voice, "When he's distracted, get out of here." The Fossil Man slowly made his way to Guzma, with Sun looking after him in surprise.

"I guess he's choosing to be helpful instead of creepy today." Lillie muttered under her breath, and Sun couldn't help but agree with that statement. Sun stood up as Lillie huddled behind him, with Aria and Hugh stepping in front of the girl as well to provide a wall of sorts from Guzma's eyes.

The Boss of Team Skull noticed the Fossil Man right away and sized him up, a grin on his face. "Well well, look what we've got here. I haven't seen your wrinkly ass in ages, old man."

"I think that was back in Heahea City. Did you ever get over your hatred of pancakes?" The Fossil Man asked, causing Guzma to grimace, though he was still smirking in amusement. Sun and Lillie gaped in surprise. These two knew each other?

"Hell no. It took me weeks to get that stuff out of my hair. Plumeria still has nightmares. Ugh." Guzma groaned, shaking his head back and forth. "So what the hell happened to you?"

"It's a long story. One I don't feel like telling, because I'm currently not feeling like telling it." The Fossil Man burst into giggles for some reason, earning a bemused look from the Team Skull Boss.

"Why do I feel like you've had about four bowls today, and that only one of them contained cereal?" Guzma asked the Fossil Man, who raised his hand to protest that statement, but then realized that it was completely true.

"You know what, I'll concede on that one. So tell me...How does it feel?" the Fossil Man asked, a smirk coming to his lips. Guzma's smile faded, not liking the smugness of the older man's expression right now.

"How does what feel?"

"Oh, you know…" the Fossil Man trailed off, causing Guzma's eyes to narrow in annoyance.

"Know...what, exactly?" Guzma grunted, crossing his arms as the Fossil Man prepared to speak, but stopped himself.

"You know what, I'll stop here. I know how you get when you're all riled up, and I don't think you can take it." the Fossil Man said dismissively, which was the exact wrong thing to say to Guzma. The Team Skull Boss stepped up to the injured man until he was mere inches away, scowling in fury.

"You wanna go asswipe? You wanna just be destroyed by the man who beats you down and beats you down and never let's up?" Guzma hissed, with the Fossil Man chuckling at the man's threat.

"See, now that just sounds sexual." The Fossil Man responded, causing Guzma to jerk back in surprise.

"W-w-what?" Guzma sputtered, completely confused. Sun and Lillie didn't even bother hiding their shock now. The Fossil Man was playing the leader of Team Skull like a fiddle right now, and Guzma didn't even realize it. If they weren't so surprised, they might have started laughing at the scene. As it was, Guzma recovered his composure surprisingly quickly, blinking twice before his usual expression of disdain returned.

"Go fuck yourself." Guzma growled before turning his back on the man and walking over to the counter of the Pokémon Center. The three Team Skull Grunts looked back and forth between the two men, completely confused as to what was happening. In their defense, everyone else was just as confused.

What made matters even more confusing was when the Fossil Man cracked a grin at that and called, "Fuck me yourself, you coward!"

Guzma whirled around and got back into the Fossil Man's face, and it was at that moment that Lillie and Sun slipped out of the Pokémon Center and scurried down the street, with the sound of Guzma shouting being cut off as the doors closed behind them.

"Who'd have thought the Fossil Man would have come through like that?" Sun asked Lillie, who looked at Sun with a worried expression.

"Sun, that man is deeply mentally disturbed." Lillie said to the boy, earning a nod in response.

"I get what you mean. He's really weird and erratic. But at the end of the day, he's been more helpful than not, so I'm choosing to believe in him." Sun said to his best friend, smiling a little. "Even nutcases have some good in them. If Team Skull can not be total jerks for ten minutes, then the Fossil Man can be a good guy when he feels like it."

"Sun...I know you always look for the good in people. But sometimes you're too good of a person." Lillie thought with a hint of exasperation, though she smiled at her crush all the same.

"Any reason you're so worried about Guzma?" Sun asked Lillie, knowing that she was always concerned about Team Skull. But Guzma's arrival had sparked complete terror in the girl. Lillie's smile faded as she looked away, unable to meet Sun's eyes. Mainly because she still felt guilty about hiding secrets from the boy who had told her all of his own.

"Because he's strong enough and smart enough to get to me if I wasn't surrounded by friends strong enough to keep him away from Nebby. It's best if he doesn't know where I am...less dangerous this way." Lillie said quietly as Sun called out Brago, as well as Penny and Oliver. The two children made their way towards the Malie Garden in a matter of minutes, thinking that would be a good place to get far away from Guzma and Team Skull. Perhaps they could maybe get some tea and enjoy the gardens together.

This hope was quashed the moment they arrived at the pavilion where food and drinks were sold to the patrons of the Garden, because as they arrived, Sun and Lillie noticed several members of Team Skull huddled beside the building holding bottles of water. Sun recognized them as Bone Unit 71 and relaxed, while Lillie was naturally scared and held the bag containing Nebby close.

"Oh no…" Lillie whispered as Bone Unit 71 looked at them with surprise. Sun put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a smile, before looking towards the teens and hopping down from Brago. Sun extended a hand to Lillie, and after a moment of hesitation, helped the girl down from the Arcanine.

"Hey guys. What're you up to?" Sun asked the teens, keeping his tone casual. Brago moved towards Lillie, ready to protect the girl should the teens attempt anything.

"Nothin' much, homie. Taking a break from training up our squad. Glady-locks and Demi were helping us run through some stuff. They had to bail for some reason or another, so we're just chilling for a bit." Kevin replied, shrugging after a moment.

"Let's be real, they're probably making out on Route 11." Axen joked, snickering at the thought.

"Glady-locks?" Sun asked, confused by the name.

"Gladion. You know him, right? Emo kid? Weird blond hair? Is so edgy that he can slice a hair in half if you dropped it on him?" Kayla explained, causing Sun to smirk in amusement while Lillie pouted.

"He's not edgy! He's just...misunderstood." Lillie thought inwardly, thinking back to her last interaction with Gladion at Royal Avenue. While it was obvious that the past two years hadn't been kind to Gladion, he had still been a kind brother to Lillie. She then thought about him and Demi "making out" and blushed slightly at the thought of her brother doing that with anyone, let alone a friend of hers.

"Interesting. So he's been training you guys? That's good to hear. Just so long as you're not causing too much trouble, I guess." Sun remarked as Oliver began to preen beside him, all the while giving the teens a glare that made each of them shiver in fear.

Sun looked down at Oliver for a moment before shrugging. Oliver was gonna Oliver, after all. If that ensured that Bone Unit 71 didn't try anything, then Sun was totally okay with the owl using his terrifying powers of intimidation. It was better than the owl getting depressed again about how awful he was, which was becoming more and more worryingly common these days.

"I'm guessing you came out to have a romantic day out in the park?" Kayla asked the two children, her voice holding a teasing edge to it. Sun and Lillie both flushed at the accusation, but Sun was the one who replied in an even voice.

"Not really. Your Boss decided to show up at the Pokémon Center and we didn't feel like getting in between a rap battle or whatever between him and the Fossil Man." Sun remarked, causing all four teens to stare at him in amazement.

"Dude, I'd pay to see a rap battle between them two." Axen remarked, chuckling as he leaned back. Kevin hopped to his feet and cupped his mouth.

"EPIC RAP BATTLES OF POKÉMON!" Kevin shouted as Kayla, Tim and Axen stared at him in surprise and annoyance. Meanwhile Sun shook his head while Lillie just looked confused.

"Moving on...You said Fossil Man is at the Pokémon Center, right?" Kayla asked, earning a nod from Sun. She hopped to her feet and stretched. "Then that's where we're heading next, yo. Come on, dorks. Let's roll."

"You don't have to leave just because we showed up." Sun remarked, earning a series of shrugs. Tim walked past Sun while Kayla and Axen lingered, though Kevin walked up to Sun and offered him a fist, which the boy tapped with his own.

"Keep an eye out, man. Shit's gonna get wild sooner rather than later, yo. That's why we've been hanging with the Fossil Man so much. He's been helping us just as much as Gladion and Demi have been. And it's exactly why we're gonna hang out with him later tonight." Kevin said to Sun, who nodded slowly in reply. It was weird getting a warning from Team Skull of all people, but Sun knew that Bone Unit 71 wasn't really all that bad, so long as they didn't mess with him and Lillie too much.

Team Skull were a bunch of troublemakers that needed to be set straight. Many of the members had been let down by the system in place in Alola and it was only by turning to crime that they found any kind of place to belong. Sun didn't like Guzma one bit, but the man did seemingly look out for a bunch of kids that didn't have anyone else looking out for them.

Bone Unit 71 departed, and with that the two children were able to relax a bit. They sat on a nearby stone bench while Sun called out the remainder of his team. Alastor scowled in anger as soon as he rematerialized, but it was Finn who caught Sun's attention, because he looked away from Sun instead of excitedly punching the air or yelling out. It was very rare for the Poliwhirl to not show any sort of enthusiasm, and that sent up red flags for Sun.

"I'll address that in a sec...we really need to have a talk about what happened last night." Sun thought as he pulled out a few Poké Beans and considered how he would go about this. Lillie took out Nebby and began to pet the Comsog, feeling safe in Sun's presence.

"You think everyone's going to be okay?" Lillie asked Sun, who snapped out of his musings for a few moments to consider her question.

The aftermath of the events of last night were still hard to grasp. Several of their friends had been injured last night, including Colress and Acerola. And just as many had been killed during the attack, only to have their deaths be undone by the power of MissingNo reversing time.

Sun thought about the strange creature, and all of its cryptic warnings and remarks. It had been completely right about when the attack would happen back when it had spoken to them at Malie Library. And it had seemed confident when it assured them that they would be able to stop Roran. Or rather, it seemed to know that once they found Roran, they'd be able to corner him and kill him.

Sun wasn't sure if he had it in him to kill the madman at all. But he did know that after what Roran had done, he wanted to make sure that the Cipher Admin could never hurt another soul again.

And then there was the apparent attack on the Aupuni Industries Kanto HQ, which had apparently been Cipher's HQ the entire time. Not entirely surprising, but what was surprising was the fact that the Pokémon League had banded together to deal with his father, and Sun found himself surprisingly angry at them. He knew that he shouldn't be, considering the awful crimes his father had committed and how many lives he had ruined. And after what the man had done to his family and friends, he deserved nothing but a swift end.

But at the end of the day, Ashton was still his father, and had been trying to fix things. To truly make things better for not just the world and future generations, but for Sun as well. And he had been seemingly killed by the very people he had wanted to work with all along.

Sun had cried last night, upon hearing the news of the attack. But upon learning this morning that Ashton's body had not been recovered and that the League hadn't confirmed his death...Sun wasn't sure whether or not he wanted his father to have survived the attack or not.

"Why does everything have to be so complicated…?" Sun thought before turning his attention back to his team, who was assembled before him. They all knew he wanted to discuss recent events, but he decided to start off with the most important thing.

"Alright. So as you all know, we've got a new teammate. Alastor." Sun said, gesturing towards the Alola Geodude. The Pokémon in question rolled its eyes at Sun and the awkwardness that now permeated through this conversation.

"I don't like you." Oliver said bluntly to Alastor, who looked at the bird with a bored expression.

"If it wasn't for this blue moron right here, I'd explode and kill all of you." Alastor said with an annoyed edge to his voice. "But leaving isn't an option for any of the Clan who have been captured, so now I'm without any other option than this. For worse, I'm stuck with you all. Unless the human chooses to release me, at which point I'll kill himself myself."

"You dare threaten him?" Brago snarled, stepping forward as Geodude crossed his arms.

"The rules are clear. Once someone of the Clan has been captured by a human, they are bound to their will. The shame alone is almost unbearable, but I am a proud son of the clan. My father is the one who has led us for many moons. I will grow powerful and make the best out of my newfound misery."

"And I'm sorry about that. I know you didn't want to be captured by a human and it's a disgrace in your eyes." Sun began to say, but Brago took that moment to interject.

"Maybe you should think about the risks before trying to kill someone who wanders into your territory. If they started attacking you, I would've understood. But if you get captured by someone trying to defend themselves, you have no right to complain." Brago remarked, causing Alastor to growl in anger.

"Shut your mouth! I won't be insulted like this!" Alastor shouted, floating towards Brago, only for the canine to suddenly move closer to the Geodude and glare down at him.

"Try me. You may have the type-advantage, but I will beat some respect into you." Brago snarled at Alastor, who met the canine's glare with one of his own. Sun was surprised by the Alolan Geodude's fortitude. When met with the fierce glare from a Pokémon like an Arcanine, most Pokémon would show some form of unease or fear.

Alastor didn't seem to care one bit. He held Brago's gaze for several minutes, until finally Oliver hopped in between the both and hooted loudly, causing them both to turn to the bird.

"Can you two give this a rest? We have bigger problems to deal with than this jerk's hate problems." Oliver said as he glared at Alastor, who grinned nastily at him.

"After I put the Arcanine in his place, I'm coming for you little birdie. But for now, I'm stuck with you. And even though I despise my situation, I'm going to make the most of it. And that means becoming stronger." Alastor responded, looking at each of the Pokémon in turn before his gaze landed on Sun.

"We're all going to get stronger. I'm the one who caught you, and releasing you isn't an option. So you're my responsibility." Sun sighed then, but knelt down to look the Geodude in the eyes. "I really do hope we can learn to work together, Alastor."

"I sincerely doubt that'll happen, but feel free to keep dreaming." Alastor remarked in a bored tone, causing Sun to sigh again as he stood up.

"Alright, I'll take it. Now then, next on the agenda. That battle last night. I managed to have Nurse Joy look over everyone while Rotom Dex was getting fixed by Colress, and you all seemed totally fine." Sun said to his team, who didn't respond right away. Sun noticed this, especially since everyone but Brago and Alastor seemed uncomfortable about something.

"Guys? Um...am I missing something?" Sun asked his team, only for Penny to speak.

"We watched you die out there, Trainer. We weren't strong enough to stop that horrible man from ending your life. And were it not for that...thing, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Penny explained to Sun, who nodded as he sat down on the grass and looked at each of his Pokémon.

Brago growled softly, shaking his head. "I find it hard to believe that something out there has the power to undo what has been done. The power to change what is real…"

"We're not talking about MissingNo. We're talking about where we go from here." Sun said to Brago, who nodded. The others didn't respond to that, and it was then Sun understood.

They were ashamed.

Ashamed that they had let their Trainer down. Ashamed that they couldn't protect Sun from the madman that was Roran Rubinara. Ashamed that in the end, they were powerless...and could only watch as Sun's life was snuffed out before them.

Sun had been a wonderful Trainer to each of them. Even to Alastor, who openly hated Sun, the boy had treated with kindness. And in the end, they couldn't protect him from the madman who had actually killed the boy.

"I should have done more. I...I'm sorry buddy. I'll do better." Finn said quietly, his voice subdued as he put his hands behind his back. It was rather startling, seeing the exuberant Poliwhirl so subdued. Oliver and Penny weren't much better off.

"I knew how weak I was, but I still wasn't able to...Well, next time. Next time, I'll end his miserable life myself." Oliver said in a low voice, anger palpable as he began to preen his feathers yet again. Sun's eyes widened at the admission, but then after thinking about it for a moment, found that he didn't blame the bird one bit. Sun had felt just as angry when Ollie had been senselessly killed in front of him, and even more so after Roran had killed and hurt several other friends of Sun's.

"He's a monster through and through, and he needs to meet his end. One way or another." Penny agreed, ruffling her feathers as she looked to Sun. "If that means he dies, then that's simply how it has to go."

"See, now that's something I can get behind." Alastor remarked, nodding with approval. "With what he was able to do just on his own against us, it's obvious he needs to die. It anything, just so he doesn't kill all of us when he tries to murder the human again."

"When you say 'human', are you referring to Sun? He does have a name, you know." Oliver remarked, earning a pointed look from Alastor but no actual response.

"I just can't get over the fact that even as hard as I fought, it didn't matter much in the end. What can I do to get stronger?" Finn asked Sun, almost pleadingly. Sun didn't really know how to respond to that. He had been training his team whenever he could, but it seemed like that wasn't enough for Finn.

"Finn, we were fighting a former Kahuna and a Cipher Admin. This guy was able to take down Trainers with years of experience. The fact that we kinda held our own for a little while should say a lot about how far everyone has come." Sun said to the Poliwhirl, who looked down at the ground in response. He remained silent for several moments before looking up at him with a determined look in his eyes.

"I want to evolve. Just like Brago did." Finn said to Sun, causing the boy to blink twice in surprise. Where did this come from?

"Evolve? I mean...That'll definitely make you stronger, but why are you asking me?" Sun asked the Poliwhirl, but it was at that moment that a thought occurred to him, and Sun dug into his backpack and pulled out Rotom Dex and powered it on.

"Colress fixed Rotom Dex late last night, didn't he?" Lillie asked Sun as the boy held out Rotom Dex, who floated into the air with a beep.

"FOOOOOOOOOOL!" Rotom Dex screeched as it drifted higher and higher into the air before frantically zooming around and around the group. It finally came to a stop on top of Sun's hat, causing the boy to smirk at it. It then pointedly looked at Alastor, who was glaring at the device.

"Guess what? I lived. Bzzzt!" Rotom Dex said cheerily to the Rock/Electric-type, who didn't even bother to respond to Rotom's goading.

"I missed you, buddy. How're you feeling?" Sun asked.

"Great! Doctor Colress gave me a few updates and fixed my circuits, so I'm good as new! I hope I can help you out next time, my friend! Now what's up?" Rotom Dex asked Sun, who gestured towards Finn.

"Finn's asking about evolving. I know he has two evolutions, but I wanted your advice on it." Sun asked the device, who beeped and hummed.

"Well, Finn can evolve into a Politoed or a Poliwrath. Politoed requires a King's Rock to evolve, as well as needing you to temporarily trade the Pokémon in question. Politoed izzz a pure Water-type and is generally more balanced as far as its usual stats go. Zzzzrt!" Rotom explained to Sun, who nodded at that.

"Then there's Poliwrath, who is more geared towards physical attackzzz and gainzz a Fighting-type to its Water-type. I'd say this one would give Finn more of an edge in battle, as opposed to Politoed, but it also comezz with being weak to Fairy, Psychic and Flying-type attacks. On the other hand, evolving Finn to Poliwrath is easy, since it just requirezz a Water Stone. I think I remember you picking one up a while back." Rotom explained to the boy, who nodded slowly as he thought about the pros and cons to both forms. Sun dug into his back and found that he did have a Water Stone, and held it up as the gemstone gleamed in the afternoon sun.

"I don't have a King's Rock and I don't know how to get one." Sun remarked, sighing as he shook his head. "This is really something I should have thought about in advance."

"Maybe. Bzzzt! Finn, what do you think?" Rotom Dex asked the Tadpole Pokémon, who looked at Sun, and then the stone in his hand.

"I think...I think Poliwrath might be the way to go. I want to get stronger. And that'll give me more of a boost than becoming a Politoed. I might not be able to jump around as well...but I can make it work if it means getting stronger." Finn said slowly as Sun got on his knees, smiling at the Poliwhirl.

"You're sure? I'm sure if I ask Olivia, she can probably get me a King's Rock. You don't have to do this now." Sun said to the Poliwhirl, who shook his head and stepped towards the boy.

"No. If we wait, and I'm not at my best, then I might not be able to stop that monster. I got knocked aside like I was nothing during that last battle. I heard that explosion go off. And saw your friend get stabbed…" Finn trailed off as he looked away, guilt thick in his voice. "If I was there, that explosion never would have happened. Next time, I'll be there. I will protect you, and all of my friends."

Finn looked back at Sun, determination in his eyes. "Please, buddy. I want to evolve, and be the best Pokémon I can be. But I can't do that without you."

"Well said." Penny remarked, nodding with approval at Finn. Oliver shrugged and continued to preen, though he didn't bother hiding the smile he wore, showing that he completely agreed with Finn's statement.

"Evolution doesn't solve everything. But if it makes you stronger, then you should proceed." Alastor advised in an even tone, which surprised some of those present. Coming from a Pokémon that had shown nothing but disdain to them all, it was almost shocking to hear.

"My evolution was definitely an incredible experience. I hope you make the most of it." Brago said to Finn, who nodded as he turned back towards Sun. The boy smiled and nodded, extending his hand to Finn, holding out the Water Stone to his Pokémon.

"If you're sure, then let's do it. We'll all get stronger together, and make sure none of this happens again." Sun said to Finn, who laughed at that and clasped Sun's outstretched hand with both of his own, shaking it.

"Deal." Finn said as a bright light flashed from the stone they both held. Sun felt a rush of water suddenly erupt from the stone and released it, causing Finn to step back as the Water Stone in his hands flashed repeatedly as water poured from the stone and swirled around Finn.

His body began to glow a bright blue color, filling the garden around them with the shining light of evolution. Finn began growing in height, with his arms in particular showing the most change. After a few moments, the shine faded and Finn suddenly struck a pose, letting out a loud cry as the air filled with the last sparkles of evolution.

His body hadn't changed as drastically as it had during his change from a Poliwag to a Poliwhirl, but the difference was still substantial. The Pokémon standing before them was a taller and bulkier version of a Poliwhirl, with the muscles and obvious strength to match. Sun also noted that his fists were much larger than before, and resembled oversized boxing gloves.

"Congrats Finn." Sun said with a smile as the newly-evolved Poliwrath began to flex and go into several different poses, laughing all the while. Everyone else smiled at the display, except for Alastor, as Finn's enthusiasm at evolving seemed to spread.

"Rotom, will you do the honors?" Sun asked the device. Rotom soared back over to Sun, spinning around the boy in question.

"With gusto, my friend!" Rotom Dex beeped as it floated down to Finn, pulling up the appropriate entry.

"Poliwrath. The Tadpole Pokémon and the final evolved form of Poliwag. Its percentage of body fat is nearly zero. Its body is entirely muscle, which makes it heavy and forces its swimming prowess to develop. Poliwrath in the Alola region are strong swimmers that use the breaststroke. Many children learn to swim by imitating Poliwrath." Rotom Dex explained as the newly-evolved Finn began to flex his muscles with several grunts.

"How's it feel?" Brago asked, curious as to how the change was suiting Finn. The Tadpole Pokémon dropped to the ground and began to quickly do push-ups at a speed that Sun could barely follow. He pushed himself back up to his feet with a loud whoop, shadow-boxing the air.

"I feel great! Like I could take on the world!" Finn boomed in a deeper voice than before, flexing his muscles again as he let out a booming laugh. Sun grinned at Finn's renewed enthusiasm, kneeling down to the newly-evolved Poliwrath.

"We'll all work together and bring that monster down. And make him pay for all of the people he hurt." Sun said as he extended a fist out to the Poliwrath, who looked at him for a moment in confusion before slowly reaching his fist forward. Sun tapped it with his own, causing Finn to chuckle.

Sun also decided this was the time to get Alastor a few new moves. He already had a decent number of them, since he was caught at a much higher level than the rest of his team was, but there was some additions to be made. Sun taught the Alolan Geodude Rock Tomb and Brick Break to expand his move pool. Sun was also informed by Rotom Dex that Finn had learned the move Submission upon evolving into Poliwrath, which was also a nice surprise.

"The last thing on our agenda for the day is...well, me dying. I know we've mentioned this before, but...Yeah. It happened. We got lucky that one of our friends is best friends with a reality-warping demigod of some kind. Next time we won't be so lucky, so we've got to make sure something like that never happens again." Sun said as Lillie looked away from the boy. She had heard about how many people had their deaths undone by the power of MissingNo turning back time itself, but it was still not an easy thing for Lillie to process.

It made her wish that she wasn't so defenseless. Maybe if she was a Trainer, and Sun hadn't needed to send her off with Brago, he could have survived against Roran's attack.

"It was horrible." Oliver muttered, shaking his head. "I didn't know what to do. When I saw your body hit the ground like that. When I saw the life leave your eyes...I just snapped. Went right for Roran, even though I knew he could crush me like I was nothing."

"And so he did. That's what running in like an idiot gets you. You have to be smarter when exacting bloody revenge." Penny replied, causing Oliver to slowly turn his head to look at her in surprise. Penny gave him a smirk, adding, "Give me time. I'll think of a good plan. Something painful for such a terrible creature.

"Trust me. If I get the chance, I'll Self-Destruct right by him. When something that isn't as tough as a Pokémon is close enough, it's usually fatal." Alastor explained with a dark smile, causing Finn and Penny to look at each other warily while Brago growled softly at the Alolan Geodude.

"You can't do that if I'm around." Finn pointed out, with the newly-evolved Poliwrath stepping towards the Alolan Geodude.

"He's right. Maybe that's something I need to keep in mind for the future, like if we're in a double-battle or something." Sun mused, thinking about it. He then looked at Alastor, his expression becoming serious, his eyes flashing red for a few moments before he shut them.

"You wouldn't be opposed to me killing him? Surprising." Alastor noted, sounding almost amused. Sun shrugged carelessly, his eyes darkening slightly. Lillie shivered slightly, seeing a coldness come to Sun's eyes that had never been there before. She wondered if it was because of what happened to Ollie and others, right in front of Sun.

"I'll never condone killing. I don't care what happens, but I'm not a murderer. Even if someone deserves it." Sun said firmly, even as he clenched his fists. "But making someone wish they were dead? Well, that's something different."

"What did you have in mind?" Alastor asked, almost mockingly. Sun smirked in response, knowing he genuinely had the Geodude's interest.

"Grab him by the legs so he can't escape and blow up. It probably won't kill him, but it'll definitely hurt him enough to where he can't get away." Sun suggested to Alastor, who looked surprised for a moment before grinning at the boy.

"That's rather clever. I'll keep that trick in mind. Granted, I'd have to do it when this big idiot isn't around." Alastor remarked, giving a pointed look towards Finn.

"I'm just happy to be here." Finn remarked cheerily, causing Alastor's brief smile to fade. It was then that a voice called out to Sun, catching his attention.

"Ah, Sun! There you are!" called a familiar voice. The boy turned around and was surprised to find that Miss Wicke was standing just around the corner, looking at him with a smile. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment, stunned that Lillie was with the boy, but smoothed over the shock so quickly that Sun didn't even notice.

"Miss Wicke! How've you been?" Sun asked as he walked forward, with the Assistant Branch Chief of the Aether Paradise regarding him with fondness over the question.

"Doing as well as I can be, all things considered. The President is currently busy coordinating an infiltration team with the International Police and local authorities, but we're running into obstacles." Wicke remarked, her smile fading. "Things don't look good, Sun. And with poor Hau's life hanging in the balance…"

"We'll save him. I'll save him." Sun said in a low voice, his eyes darkening red with anger as he clenched his fists. On top of everything Roran had done, the boy had found out that morning that the Pokémon League had attacked the Aupuni Industries HQ in Celadon City, killing everyone inside the building. They were unable to confirm whether or not they had killed his father, so Sun assumed that he had escaped. Or rather, hoped he had escaped.

Sun still didn't know what to think of his father. It was really, really frustrating and confusing at the same time. He did know that Roran was currently holding one of his best friends hostage, and that he'd pay dearly for what he had done.

"I'm sure things will be alright in the end. Faith is a powerful thing, in times like this." Wicke said kindly, walking over to the boy. Her eyes darted to Lillie, who subtly shook her head. Wicke smiled inwardly, wondering if she should even say anything. Luckily, Sun noticed the woman looking at his crush.

"Oh yeah, this is Lillie. She's been helping me on my Island Trials. You couldn't ask for a better friend." Sun said fondly, grinning at the girl as she blushed at the boy's praise. Wicke beamed at that, happy to be able to see the two children interacting together at last. Lillie had told her much about Sun during their meeting in Heahea City.

"It's very nice to meet you, Lillie. I'm Julia Wicke, Assistant Branch Chief of the Aether Foundation." Wicke said formly, reaching out to shake the girl's hand. Lillie smiled then, glad that Wicke was pretending like she didn't know Lillie, and shook the woman's hand.

"So what brings you to Malie Garden, ma'am? I thought you'd be with Miss Lusamine and Branch Chief Faba discussing some kind of infiltration plan." Sun asked the woman, earning a small frown in response.

"We're running into some problems. The Aether Foundation has decided to take point on the investigation into Cipher's recent attacks in Alola, in an attempt to make things easier for the International Police. We have plenty of powerful Trainers on hand, more than ready to make Cipher suffer. The problem is that the entrance to their base is very well-guarded and we have no way of entering the facility without being cut down by their defenses." Wicke explained, shaking her head in dismay.

"That is a problem...So what does that have to do with me?" Sun asked, earning a surprising shrug from Miss Wicke.

"To tell the truth, I have no idea. I was explaining this exact situation to a friend of mine, who suddenly insisted upon meeting with you as soon as possible. He hopes that a solution can be reached sooner rather than later." Wicke explained to the two confused children.

"I might be Borlath's son, but I have no idea what kind of defenses Roran has set up in the Cipher HQ here. And I'm good, but I'm not any more capable as a Trainer than Hugh or Aria or any of the others." Sun said to the woman, who smiled at his humility.

"True. But you're a smart boy with a knack for dealing with situations like this. Though, my friend is taking a bit long to get here…" Wicke walked around the corner of the building and smirked at something they couldn't see.

"I told you that we could have gotten you a wheelchair." Wicke said teasingly to someone hidden from view, earning a laugh in response.

"You try getting stabbed by some nutty maniac and see how spry you are afterwards...yeesh!" called a vaguely familiar voice that made Brago growl faintly, a warning sign that something was off.

It was then that Wicke walked back towards Sun, and that a man stepped into view. Sun's jaw dropped in surprise, actually recognizing him despite the fact that his hair and eyes were different colors than they were the last time that they had met. And it was someone that Sun had not at all expected to be wearing the uniform of the Aether Foundation, being introduced to them like they were a good friend of someone as kind and intelligent as Miss Wicke.

"Hey there, kiddo. Long time no see." Charles Dawson remarked casually, tipping his cap to Sun with a wide smile. Brago snarled in anger, crouching low to the ground as Oliver fluttered in front of Sun, throwing up a Protect around him and a confused Lillie. The Cipher Admin rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

"Alright...so I'm sensing some tension in the air. So I'm gonna cut to the chase, Sun. I need your help, Sun." Dawson said with a smile, putting a hand on his hip as the boy stood up, defiance in his eyes.

"I know you're not entirely awful, like Amber, but you've hurt a lot of people. What kind of help could you possibly need from me after what you guys have done? And why would I want to help you?" Sun asked the gunslinger, who's smile turned into a darker smirk that reminded Sun of Alastor earlier. With a flourish, Dawson reached into his pocket and pulled out a bright green keycard.

"That depends. I hear that a certain mask-wearing asshole is planning on burning down the entire island and killing everyone." Dawson said casually, flipping the card in between his fingers. Sun saw just enough to see that it was emblazoned with the Cipher sigil and showed off the status of Admin on the side in red text. "And I just so happen to have the means to bypass all of his defenses. But I can't get to Roran myself in this state. But if I had a team of really strong Trainers backing me up...I imagine we could make quick work of his scattered forces."

Sun stared at the keycard for a few moments, his attention then going to Miss Wicke, who seemed very shocked, and then to Dawson. The Cipher Admin continued to smile as he pocketed the card with a smile. Sun thought about it, running over the implications in his head.

"Alright then. Let's talk business." Sun said as he crossed his arms, with Lillie looking at the boy in surprise while his team watched the Cipher Admin warily. Dawson's grin grew as he clapped his hands together, pleased that Sun hadn't brushed him off.

"Excellent. I'm glad you're willing to be reasonable, Sun. But first thing's first...I'm gonna grab some tea. That stuff smells amazing." Dawson said as he turned as his heel and walked around the corner, leaving the two confused children and Sun's team behind. Miss Wicke looked equally baffled.

"Why do I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of context here?" Wicke asked, confusion evident in her voice. Lillie simply sighed by way of answer and Sun patted her back in response.

"It's a long story, ma'am. A really, really long story." The boy responded as Dawson rounded the corner yet again, holding a cup of Malie Garden's famous tea in his hands.


Damn right it is.

NEXT TIME: The rescue team is formed, Marnie gets embarrassed, Acerola answers everyone's questions about the Curse of Abundance...and I reveal my favorite plot twist of the story.


Q&A


From: oragonking

Anyway, if Gloria is here, those that means she has those Pokemon? and that she's the same age as Sun?

She has her own team, but she's definitely not the same age as Sun. Different regions have different ages where children can become legal Pokemon Trainers. Galar's is 14, whereas Alola's is 11.

Gloria is also not the Protagonist of Sword and Shield, in this universe. Victor is. Gloria is her own character with her own story. If I ever get around to exploring that Nuzlocke story, then I plan on covering more. If I don't...well, it was nice while it lasted.

That's all for now. There were a few questions concerning the fate of MissingNo, but I don't want to delve into that too much because it's gonna be covered in the next chapter and things are running long.

For now, please be sure to review the chapter and tell me what you thought! Also make sure to Favorite and/or Follow the story if you haven't already, and feel free to ask questions as well. We also have a Discord for the story, so PM me if you're interested in joining the conversation.

We're heading into the holiday season folks. Wear your masks, social distance, and for God's sake be kind to each other.

Stay safe and stay awesome.

Until next time, FlygonNick out!