Pokémon Radiant Sun


Booyah. Update time.

Slightly late, but this chapter was pretty tough to get through and I'll take the win here. Hope everyone has been doing well. Also, Happy Pride Month! Woooot!

Shoutout to the fantastic folks who reviewed since the last update, which includes Anonymouse, Oragonking, Madame Rodoshe, SolanaLeonhart, a Guest reviewer, RC-DA and a new reviewer known as Aegis120! Thanks for the support as always.

Happy Father's Day to all of the proud Dads and Dad-figures out there. This chapter couldn't have come out at a better time, considering its theme and title. So on that note...

Enjoy...

Warning: The follow chapter will contain dark themes of violence and child abuse. You've been warned.


Chapter 125: A Father's Duty


Many Years Ago…

Seafoam Islands


Ashton shivered slightly as he walked onto the deck, gazing up at the night sky that was practically swirling with stars, the full moon hanging in the sky. Wearing just a robe, the frigid weather that was to be expected around such a well-known cold weather habitat seeped into Ashton's bones, but he chose to ignore the cold in favor of walking over to the railing of his personal yacht.

The years had been quite kind to Aupuni Industries indeed.

However, at the moment Ashton was simply eager to be in the land of the waking, and the cold air helped him focus on something other than the terrible nightmares that had plagued him tonight. Ashton thought that being away from Alola for a few years would help him forget the horrors. The losses. The suffering he went through in that hellhole of a region.

"A vain hope...You can't run from your past. No matter how much I wish I could." Ashton thought bitterly, knowing full well why he was having these nightmares and thoughts, especially on what was supposed to be a happy and joyous occasion.

He and Laura had just gotten engaged a week prior, and Ashton had recently gotten the news that Lusamine had become pregnant with her second child, and that she was expecting a baby girl. Little Gladion would become a big brother, and Lusamine had been crying happily over the phone the last Ashton had talked to her. So why was his head in such a dark place, despite the good news?

It was his 23rd birthday, today. And he always felt like this around this time of the year.

"Ash?" called out a concerned and somewhat sleepy voice. Ashton looked behind him to see Laura pulling on her robe as she walked out onto the deck of the yacht, worry in her eyes as she moved towards him. Laura kissed her fiancé on the lips and looked into his eyes, seeing the exhaustion and terror within.

"More nightmares? Are you okay, honey?" Laura asked worriedly, with Ashton averting his eyes and turning around to lean against the railing, a shaky sigh escaping him.

"Yeah. The one about my Dad again. Sorry...I know it's dumb. More bad memories." Ashton murmured as Laura wrapped a comforting arm around him. She rested her head on Ashton's shoulder, shivering slightly as an icy breeze blew across the cruiser.

"You wanna talk about it?" Laura asked gently, knowing full-well her fiancé wouldn't budge on this.

"I…" Ashton faltered, lowering his head as he peered into the inky black ocean. He stared into the depths of the sea, unsure of what to even say. He adored Laura and trusted her. But opening up was never one of his strong suits, and with what was on his mind, he didn't want to horrify her. So in the end, he compromised, and decided to tell her some.

"I've always hated my birthdays." Ashton admitted quietly, causing Laura's eyes to widen in surprise. She listened intently though, hearing the pain in the man's voice. "My father was...w-was a monster. Politically powerful in my region, enough to get away with scandal after scandal. People flocked to his presence because of his charisma and presence, but it was an act. My father was a psychopath, but blessed with the ability to charm people and make them believe he was a true leader, someone to be admired."

"At home, the charm went away, and I saw him for who he truly was." Ashton hissed as Laura looked down at the strange crown-shaped brand on Ashton's shoulder. He had never said where it came from. Now, Laura figured she had a pretty good guess.

"Ash…" Laura whispered, hearing the audible pain in his voice. The betrayal and anger were there too, but Ashton wasn't done.

"He treated me horribly, but was especially awful on my birthdays. I never understood why, but ever since I left that household I've always tried not to celebrate them. I only did tonight because you wanted me to...I'd do anything for you, you know." Ashton said with a weak smile to his bride-to-be.

"I'm sorry Ash, I had no idea...That's terrible." Laura said as she turned her fiancé around and hugged him tightly. Ashton returned the embrace, holding the woman he had come to love close as he struggled against the maelstrom of terrible memories. In time, the pain faded away as Ashton gained control over himself. Laura had always been too good to him. He appreciated her concern, and loved her supporting him in moments like this.

"I appreciate you not prying into my childhood, honey. It was an awful time of my life, and I just want to move on. Kanto has been a new life for me, full of wonderful people…" Ashton kissed Laura on the lips, chuckling softly. "And of opportunities. My childhood helped me understand something very important, Laura."

"And what would that be Ash?" Laura asked, almost playfully.

"That in this world, there are heroes...and there are monsters. And I refuse to let the monster that is Ano Aupuni ruin my life." Ashton said quietly, cupping Laura's cheek. "I've got money, power, connections and a kickass woman at my side who's supporting me. I decided when I left Alola that I'd become a hero. Help people, save lives, and make this world a better place in memory of those I've lost. In memory of my precious friends."

"And I'll be happy to stand by your side and see you become a hero, dear." Laura said sweetly, kissing Ashton's deeply in return. The couple returned to their room hand-in-hand, with Ashton's bitter memories held at bay for now by the love and support Laura had given him.


Present

Malie City


Lillie couldn't help the small sigh of resignation that escaped her as they reappeared in a small park. The "they" being herself, Borlath, Amber Fontaine and a strange Pokémon that Lillie recognized as Deoxys. The girl also realized that she also recognized the park that they were standing in now, as it was the one that she and some of her friends comforted Vivian in the other day. This meant that they were currently a few miles away from Malie Garden now.

"This is what I get for trying to do things on my own." Lillie thought bitterly as Borlath discussed something with Amber.

Acerola and Lillie were several hours into their research session when the Captain decided the younger girl needed a break, since they had been reading for hours. Lillie decided that she fancied a walk through the city at nighttime, hopefully to clear her head and help her focus on more reading.

When asked if Lillie would like a Pokémon to escort her outside, the Jardin girl refused with a touch of annoyance. Lillie was 13 years old now, and ever since she had escaped the Aether Paradise she almost always had someone watching over her shoulder or holding her hand whenever she went anywhere. Lillie might not have been a Pokémon Trainer, but she wasn't totally defenseless. She could take a walk outside and enjoy the nighttime atmosphere with Nebby if she so desired. She could be independent!

And so Lillie abandoned the comfort and safety of the Library, embracing the night and walking with Nebby through the city and enjoying its comforts. Lillie adored her friends, and appreciated how protective they were of her, but Lillie also wanted to prove that she could do this on her own. That she didn't need to be constantly safeguarded.

Better yet, Lillie decided on the fly that she wanted to get Acerola and the kids back at the Aether House a present for being so good to her. After all, Acerola didn't have to do any of the routinely supportive and thoughtful things she did for Lillie. She was a good friend, and Lillie decided to make her small act of rebellion one that rewarded her friend for her kindness.

This was a mistake.

Lillie had been walking around for nearly half an hour, silently cursing her awful sense of direction, before she encountered the Aether Foundation. Two of them, a man and a woman, as they were exiting a coffee shop spotted Lillie and recognized her instantly, giving chase. Lillie had somehow managed to evade capture for nearly ten minutes before reaching the Malie Garden, where she was eventually caught.

It was only thanks to the intervention of Amber Fontaine of all people that she wasn't being dragged back to the Aether Paradise to face the madness of Lusamine Jardin.

Instead, she was dealing with a different sort of madness.

Borlath had left Lillie under the watch of Amber as he retreated to the Absolution to drop off the Harbinger staff and Tapu Fini, allowing himself to change into a fresh suit and come back with a metallic color with a green chip within it. Borlath attached the collar to Lillie's neck and explained that with her wearing it, she would be unable to be moved via Teleport. Apparently that this was due to a recent breakthrough in transportation technology at Aupuni Industries, which made Lillie even more mad at herself for forgetting in her earlier panic that Nebby could have teleported them both to safety before she was caught by the Aether Foundation.

"I really am useless...And now I have to worry about getting sent back to Mother by Borlath or being used against Sun in some way as a hostage. Why can't I do anything right?" Lillie thought to herself, despairing at her own weakness. Nebby's bag was currently draped over the arm of Amber Fontaine, who was also holding a backpack, which Lillie found odd.

"You seem tense." Borlath remarked as they made their way down the sidewalk, with the man's tone sorrowful as his eyes drifted from left to right, taking in the sights of the city. Lillie wondered what sort of memories were flashing through the criminal mastermind's head at that moment as Borlath walked through the city he had once called home.

"With all due respect, you're one of the strongest people in the world at the front of a massive criminal organization, and the last time I met Miss Fontaine she killed someone I deeply respected." Lillie said in a very small voice.

"Yes...I did." Amber said slowly, as if reflecting on the fact that she had murdered Caleb Jackson, better known as Agent Jackal, for the sole crime of protecting Lillie. Borlath's expression darkened, as if he had been trying not to think about that.

"I have reason to suspect that Amber wasn't as thorough as she usually is on that particular occasion." Borlath said, glancing at the assassin walking beside him. "Either way, I can understand fully why you're wary. If I were your age in this situation, I would've probably started swearing violently at the two of us."

"Should I? After everything you've done. All of the people you've hurt. All of the people you've killed. And...all of the pain you put Sun through. You both should be ashamed." Lillie said quietly, a gentle fury within her voice that caused Borlath to smile fondly at the girl. Amber didn't react aside from a casual shrug.

"You may look like a mini-Lusamine, but you've got Mohn's personality. He wasn't a man who let his temper run wild. I only recall him shouting in anger a handful of times in the many years I knew him." Borlath said with a sad smile, looking down at Lillie for a moment before focusing his gaze forward.

"As for everything else...Well, you're right. I am ashamed. I never did want to hurt anyone, Lillie. I didn't want any of this. It was necessary, though. All of this was. The world is broken, and children shouldn't have to be forced to save it from destruction every time madmen must be stopped." Borlath sighed then, running his hand over the chipped Mega Crown.

Lillie noticed this and wondered if it was normal for items bearing a Keystone to become damaged. Or for the Keystone itself to be so dark in color. She'd have to ask Sina and Dexio, or maybe Zinnia. Or if Acerola came through, she'd be able to research more herself.

"And yet you still did all of those terrible things. Killed all of those people. Brought Cipher back and funded their terror in a crazy plot to make the Pokémon League do a better job of protecting their regions." Lillie responded, her tone bordering on icy. Borlath nodded, putting his hands in his pockets.

"They didn't listen to reason, in the brief span I was Champion of Kanto. So I relinquished the post after a few months and turned my ambitions towards other methods. After seeing the world nearly destroyed again and again, I knew I had to do something, Lillie. Forcing the League to change, or becoming the force needed to safeguard the world." Borlath explained, smiling despite the words coming from his mouth. "It was supposed to be so easy. Instead all I've done is make a mess of things."

"But why do all of this? Was it really just out of a desire to make the world a better place through force and fear? Is that really the kind of world you want Sun to live in?" Lillie asked Borlath, who nodded. "Even at the cost of hurting Sun and ruining his faith in you?"

"Yes. It's better that Sun lives in a peaceful world where he's safe, than a world that is likely to be wiped out because some idiot got his hands on a Legendary Pokémon capable of mass destruction. My own collection of Legendaries at this point is proof of this." Borlath explained as they continued down the road, with Borlath stopping as two white figures suddenly teleported into their path. Lillie shivered with fear as the two members of the Aether Foundation glared them down.

"Give us the girl, or we'll kill you both!" one of the two men shouted, with them calling out a Stoutland and a Jellicent respectively. Borlath simply pulled a Poke Ball off of his belt and called out a Wigglytuff, which grinned widely and got into a fighting pose.

"Zorro, use Shadow Sneak into Night Slash. Puffy, use Sing on Stoutland." Borlath instructed his Pokémon as the Wigglytuff bounded forward, singing a beautiful tune that made the massive hound fall asleep. Zorro leapt into the shadows and reappeared behind the Jellicent, deeply raking its back with two arms cloaked into darkness.

"Keep it up, Zorro. Puffy, Thunder on Jellicent." Borlath continued calmly while the two Aether Foundation members reeled at the swift instructions that was causing their Pokémon to quickly lose control of the situation. Puffy unleashed a massive Thunder on the Jellicent, causing it to cry out before Zorro slammed into it from behind, following up with Shadow Sneak before knocking it out with Night Slash. Zorro landed on the ground and hurled a wave of Water Shuriken at the Stoutland, only for Puffy to dash at the canine at Borlath's command and pummeled it into unconsciousness with a barrage of Mega Punches.

"Dammit…" one of the men hissed as they returned their Pokémon. They dashed down the road as Amber cocked her shotgun and advanced in their direction, but lowered it when they ran away.

"Pathetic." Amber noted casually, returning the weapon to her back. Lillie was surprised she was able to do this, considering the fact that she was carrying both Nebby's bag and a black backpack as well, but she managed it.

"It'll be annoying if Aether continues to try to capture you, Lillie." Borlath remarked, smiling wryly at his own comment. "I suppose I should stop dawdling and actually take the quickest path back home."

"You're stalling." Lillie realized, speaking the thought aloud. "Are you...actually nervous about seeing your parents again?"

"Yes, among many other emotions. Even if logically I know that nothing my father has in store for me can actually harm me, half of my life was spent under his shadow, and I can't help but feel some unease." Borlath admitted, shuddering slightly as the old memories crept back into his thoughts. His ringed eyes darkened to black for a few moments and shook his head, his eyes reverting to their normal grey color. Sun truly did have his father's eyes.

"Sorry. I've been...slipping. I worry I may be truly losing my grasp on things." Borlath apologized to the increasingly disturbed teenager, who remembered how just a few weeks ago Borlath had been in total control of his mental faculties. Ashton Aupuni had been able to correctly guess her true identity with very few hints and had been reasonable, even comforting to her. Now he seemed like he was struggling to keep himself grounded.

"You're not well...are you, Mr. Aupuni?" Lillie asked softly, causing the Cipher Master to look at her with surprise in his eyes. His expression softened for a moment, a chuckle escaping Borlath after he considered the question.

"No. I haven't been for a long, long time, Lillie. But that doesn't excuse what I've done. It doesn't bring both those I've killed. Those whose lives I've ruined. My plans have failed thanks to Roran, and so I'm forced to use my last resort." Borlath remarked, walking forward once more and forcing Lillie to continue following him. "Soon enough this will all be just a bad memory. Now, enough about me. We should really discuss what's going on with your mother, and how if she isn't stopped soon Lusa will probably cause more worldwide damage than I could ever achieve."

"H-how...how much do you know about what's going on with her? I heard that you visited the Paradise recently. What happened?" Lillie asked cautiously, unsure of what to even tell the man.

"Well, to start, she's been supplying me a strange neurotoxin that I'm now convinced she's been acquiring from the Ultra Beasts, which she can summon via some rather strange glass-like orbs she has within her possession. As a sidenote , I use that neurotoxin to help create Umbral Pokémon." Borlath explained to a surprised Lillie, who was shocked to hear that her mother had a hand in creating one of Cipher's most dangerous assets.

"However, to recap, over the course of the past few years she's slowly descended further and further into total mania, to the point where you and your brother had to flee for your lives with valuable assets of the Aether Foundation. And I know that the only person stopping Lusamine from wreaking havoc on the world with an army of interdimensional monsters is a little girl way in over her head...Am I missing any details?" Borlath summarized pretty accurately, much to Lillie's shock. She slowly nodded her head, causing Borlath's eyes to flicker a dark blue color for a few moments before reverting to gray.

"Until Roran's attack on Aether Paradise, me and Lusa had been in sem-frequent communication. I believe Roran attacked the Paradise to isolate me from any allies I had left in Alola. Now then, Lillie...What the hell happened?" Borlath demanded from the girl, who shut her eyes and sighed. "There are lives at stake, Lillie. And with the power Lusamine holds, not even Cipher could stand against monsters like that. Your mother murdered someone just the other day, and I need to know what's going on."

"W-w-what!?" Lillie yelled out, horrified at the news. Her mother...killed someone. "W-who?"

"Dawson. He tried to stop me and your mother from fighting. Tried talking everyone down, reminding us that we were hurting innocent children in our schemes. Lusamine didn't like that and sicced one of the Ultra Beasts on him. Dragged him into one of those vortex things...Just like Mohn." Borlath muttered, causing Lillie to look down at the ground as she tried to process this.

Dawson had all but defected from Cipher at this point. He had been actively helping them stop Roran from hurting others, even while he was still badly injured from the previous attack on the Aether Paradise. He had become friends with Miss Wicke while undercover at Aether. Despite the terrible things he had done, it was clear Dawson that was trying to fix things and make amends.

Now he would never get that chance.

"Lillie...Help me understand what happened to Lusa. Sun doesn't know any of what's going on, and Lusamine might use him to get to you." Borlath said to Lillie, earning a terrified look from the girl. Lillie had been worried about Lusamine gathering information about her from Lillie's friends, but she never considered the possibility that Lusamine could possibly hold Sun hostage against her. To force Lillie out of hiding and to give herself up. That was a new and horrifying thought.

"Mother became obsessed with the Ultra Beasts years ago...I don't know what started it exactly, maybe my father's disappearance, but she became convinced that they were misunderstood creatures that deserved her full attention. She experimented on Nebby, my Cosmog, in an attempt to tear open a pathway to the Ultra Space. However, her experiments weren't entirely successful. She could only open small portals by torturing Nebby, and only for a few moments." Lillie explained to a frowning Borlath, who looked down at the bag being carried by Amber Fontaine.

"That little puffball certainly has some strength to it. That blast it hit me with was something else." Amber remarked, adjusting the bag on her shoulders. "We also saw on the footage from Sun's fight with Roran that Lusamine used a sphere of some kind to tear open a small hole that summoned a tentacle that looked a hell of a lot like those jellyfish things that Lusamine called upon at the Paradise a few days ago. Any idea what's going on with that?"

"No. But...it's possible the Aether Foundation has found a way to harness the leftover energy Nebby left behind after using his power. They've got all sorts of weird gadgets and devices at their disposal. Sun was wondering what was going on during the battle against Roran too, but he doesn't think much of it. Sun and Hau both have a very high opinion of Mother at the moment." Lillie explained to a concerned Borlath, who considered her words for a moment before looking away, troubled.

"I suppose this is as good a time as any to apologize for...Well, not being a part of yours or Gladion's life. A few meetings when you were younger, some gifts here and there and supporting the Aether Foundation financially is one thing...but I could have helped so much more than I did. I could have guided Lusamine through her grief with Mohn, even as I held my own grief. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you or your brother or Lusa all these years, Lillie." Borlath said sincerely, causing Lillie to look at the man with surprise. "After everything your parents did for me, I'm sad to say I never returned the favor. The debt I owe them for saving me is one I can't ever repay."

"Why though? You claim my parents were so important to you, and you're so...nice to me. I don't get it. Why stay so distant from us if we matter that much to you?" Lillie asked Borlath, who frowned as his eyes flickered several different colors before settling on a dark gray.

"Fear, little one." Borlath spoke quietly, crossing his arms. "I feared having any sort of connection to Alola. After what I went through as a young Trainer, I wanted nothing to do with Alola. As much as I try to hide it...I'm probably just as broken as Amber. My mental health has always been a mess, and it was why Mohn chose another family friend in Kalos as your Godfather rather than me."

"Fear, huh?" Lillie thought, recalling how her own fear kept her from confiding in Sun and Hau about her past. She wanted to protect them from her mother's wrath, and that would only come through ignorance. With the knowledge that Lusamine could possibly hold her friends hostage against her, it seemed even more important to keep them in the dark.

"Though, to be completely honest, another reason was simply because I became so caught up in my ambition to save this world from itself that I fell out of touch with Lusamine and Mohn. Raising Sun and later on becoming the de facto leader of Cipher took up so much of my time I couldn't help but drift apart from your mother. I probably could have saved myself a lot of grief if I had confided in Lusamine early on, but I didn't want her wrapped up in my mess. She had been through too much as it was." Borlath explained, his eyes shifting to a darker shade of gray. "Jack thought a similar way to me, actually. Roran and the Council ruined his name and made him a pariah to the older generation of Alola, and he nearly severed contact with everyone he knew simply to ensure their lives weren't ruined as well."

"He mentioned something like that when I spoke to him. Jack was a very good man." Lillie said fondly, remembering how brave he and Gretel the Dusknoir had been.

"He fought well. He reminded me of Borlath in a way. That fierce sense of protectiveness he's always held for Sun." Amber remarked, causing Borlath's eyes to lighten to a soft gray color, with the man's expression becoming thoughtful.

"That's because, at the end of the day, Agent Jackal was a father. And a father is supposed to protect his children. They're supposed to ensure that their children grow up happy and healthy and loved. Ensure that they have a better childhood than you did." Borlath said with an intensity to his words. "Mohn told me many things in that vein the week Sun was brought home, after Team Rocket attacked the hospital the day my child was born."

"They...Team Rocket did what?" Lillie asked, horrified by this news. Borlath let out a dark laugh as his eyes flashed to the insane gaze they held before.

"Why do you think I made sure to crush them beneath my heel personally?" Borlath responded, grinning cruelly at the memory of Team Rocket burning alive as the Executives were brutally murdered. All of this being done on national television to further disgrace Team Rocket.

"Sir, you were saying about Sun?" Amber asked sharply, causing Borlath to snap out of his musings, his eyes reverting to gray as he shook his head.

"Sorry. The point is, Lille...That I may have made some mistakes, terrible mistakes with Sun. But I made sure that he was loved every waking moment I was with him. Every single thing I've done up until now has been solely for the benefit of that boy. To safeguard his future" Borlath explained to the girl, who considered the words carefully.

"Which is why him disobeying you and going after Roran was so upsetting." Amber added, frowning with some annoyance. "It made the sacrifices Borlath made as a result of that promise basically moot."

"And seeing Sun battle against one of the strongest Trainers on the planet who could easily tear him limb from limb, and of course killed my friends decades earlier was...something out of my own personal nightmares." Borlath continued, his tone becoming colder.

"And I've expressly told Sun about the importance of keeping your word. It's why I prefer to talk around the truth, rather than lie flat-out. I've only ever completely broken one promise in my adult life, and it was because Wes was too powerful at the time to make an enemy out of so early on our Unova campaign." Borlath explained, frowning with distaste.

"You shouldn't lie at all!" Lillie said reproachfully, though she knew she was guilty of lying herself. Borlath chuckled softly at the words, looking down at the girl.

"No, I shouldn't. Hence why I'm being completely honest with you now, Lillie. Soon I'm going to die and fix everything. So if you have any questions or need anything, you simply need to ask." Borlath said with a gentle smile, reminding Lillie of hazy memories of her own father.

"Why?" Lillie asked the criminal mastermind behind Cipher, who simply laughed.

"Because I understand exactly what you're trying to do. And I know that you care deeply for my son, certainly more than a friend would." Borlath responded matter-of-factly, causing Lillie to blush despite herself. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. So how'd you two meet, anyway?"

"Sun...he saved Nebby from a flock of Spearow. I was his very first friend." Lillie said quietly, looking down at the ground. "Even though I've kept so many secrets from him and relied so heavily on him, he's never stopped supporting me. He's inspired me so much over these past few months to not give up. That despite my faults, I'm someone worth caring about no matter how many times I've messed up. Sun helps me remember that…t-that I matter."

Borlath looked at the girl with open surprise at her visible doubt, and wondered just what Lusamine had put into her head to believe such horrible things. Sun may have gone through hell because of him, but at least Borlath made sure the boy had confidence. Lillie seemed to almost rely his son for bravery, which was deeply concerning to the father.

"Of course you matter, Lillie. And you are not responsible for whatever your mother has done. Much like Sun isn't responsible for my own crimes. I'm glad that Sun was able to support you as much as he has." Borlath said with a smirk of amusement. "I never did get around to talking to my son about dating girls. Thankfully he takes after Laura, since apparently you're smitten with him."

Lillie couldn't stop the fierce blush that crept into her cheeks as she looked away from her crush's father, who was now teasing her about her feelings for Sun. "H-how could I not like Sun? He's smart, kind and just an overall wonderful person."

"He is…Sun's a good kid. I just wish he'd listen to me." Borlath responded quietly, his smile fading away as he thought about the relationship he currently had with his son, and how bitter Borlath was towards his own child. And likely, how Sun resented him for everything Borlath had done.

"It's a shame you can't follow your own goddamn advice, Borlath." Amber remarked casually, causing Borlath to bark out a laugh.

"Oh, I'm a hypocrite alright. If I could claw out the endless memories of terror, horror and abuse out of my mind the world wouldn't have to deal with any of my bullshit. But humans in general are made of pretty weak stuff." Borlath remarked, shrugging his shoulders. He looked back at a confused Lillie and said, "Point is, Lillie, is that Sun cares about you for a reason. He's always been an extremely good judge of character. If he believes so much in you, it's for a reason."

"But...everyone else around me has been so brave and strong. Fighting against Cipher, helping save the world, and all I can do is…" Lillie trailed off, trying hard not to go into her usual ramblings about how useless she was. How she wasn't fit to stand in the same room as people like Aria and Sun and Ollie and everyone else. She was a stupid, pathetic little girl who could only do-

"Your best." Borlath said softly, causing Lillie to snap her head towards Borlath. The criminal mastermind smiled patiently at the girl. For a moment, Lillie was reminded of hazy memories of her own father, Mohn. "You can only do the best you can, Lillie."

"But...but it's not enough! Mother is getting more and more powerful, and there's nothing I can do about it but struggle to figure something out! And now she's killed someone, and even Cipher can't stand against her!" Lillie practically sobbed, fresh terror gripping her heart as she realized that the situation with Lusamine was indeed worse than she had ever imagined.

"Chin up, Lillie. You're not struggling...You're in the midst of conquering!" Borlath said with a sudden grin, causing Lillie to look up at Sun's father with surprise. "Right now, you're buying everyone more time to make things right. You're doing the right thing."

"I am? But all I did was steal from my Mother. I barely know what I'm doing here…" Lillie admitted quietly, but Borlath wasn't entirely convinced by her words.

"Perhaps. But either way, it was very brave of you to make the choices you have and to risk your life to save another. It's only because you were strong that you could flee the Paradise and strive to solve the mystery of your Pokémon by yourself." The Cipher Master responded to the increasingly upset girl. Borlath wondered just sort of burdens she was shouldering that was currently making her totally lose her composure.

"That doesn't make what I've done right. Mother always said I was useless without her. That I should always listen to adults, because I certainly don't know any better. That I needed Mother to always make decisions for me, because I'd be unable to do anything on my own...And she's right. My Mother hates me right now, and she has every right to." Lillie said quietly, her voice brittle with fear and anxiety.

"I think your father would be very proud of you if he could see you now." Borlath responded, making Lillie's eyes widen in surprise at the claim. She could barely remember her father these days. It had been so long, and she had been so young when he was taken from them. Would Mohn really think that way about his little girl?

"Really? He'd...be proud of me?" Lillie asked softly, looking up at the night sky overhead. Into the heavens, where Lillie hoped her father was watching over her.

"Of course. Mohn adored you and Gladion with all of us heart. He was a humble man, but he prided himself on his sense of right and wrong. His little flower growing up and helping save the world?" Borlath offered the girl a grin, his eyes slipping into gold. "I bet he's cheering you on right now, hoping that you'll be the one to slap some sense into Lusa."

"How can you know any of that?" Lillie asked Borlath, who's smile became somber and his eyes flickered to gray once again.

"Because above all else, Lillie, I am a father. And I know what I would want to tell Sun if he was in your position and I was gone." Borlath said softly, reaching over and patting the girl on the head. Lillie was surprised by how gentle the large man was. "I practically idolized your parents, you know. They were like the older siblings I never had. Some of Mohn's advice to me as a father helped me raise Sun, actually."

"You being a father didn't stop you from hurting Sun, though. My father would never have approved of you doing that, would he?" Lillie pointed out, her voice just as soft as Borlath's. The man regarded the girl for a few moments before facing forward again.

"Maybe. But Mohn did tell me something many years ago that I have tried to live by every day of my life." Borlath responded, looking down at Lillie. "'A father's duty is to protect his family at all costs. As a father, you do everything that you have to in order to keep your family safe.'"

Borlath's expression hardened as he faced forward again, that terrible color of madness returning to his eyes. "Even if it means breaking their heart. I hate what I had to do to Sun. But so long as Sun is safe...I'm happy." Borlath said quietly, gesturing around them.

"But what about Sun's happiness?" Lillie asked. Borlath's eyes narrowed at the question, but he didn't respond right away. And when he did, Lillie realized that he didn't answer her question.

"Soon enough, I'll be done with all of this. Perhaps my wish will fix all of the problems with Lusamine. Or not. Now, do you have any other questions? We're not too far away from the Aupuni residence, and after this you'll be returning to your friends." Borlath asked, glancing back at the daughter of his two closest friends.

Lillie thought hard about what sort of questions she could ask Borlath. What sort of questions would help her friends put a stop to whatever mad scheme of his that would require the Tapu of Alola and result in his death, while correcting his many mistakes.

"What happened to Perfect Kyurem?" Lillie asked, after thinking about it for nearly a minute. "And Regigigas? Considering how powerful those two Pokémon are, why aren't you using them to wreak havoc on Alola?"

"Because they're not needed. I used Perfect Kyurem to show the League that I intended on breaking off my alliance with Neo Team Plasma and Regigigas was only used because I needed an ace against the League when they turned the tables on me. As for where they are, well…" Borlath chuckled, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a beautiful locket that Lillie could almost feel the power radiating off of, as well as a small pyramid-like pedant that she vaguely recognized.

"This is the Eternity Locket, crafted by the two heroes of Unova centuries ago to control Perfect Kyurem. While the mythology of Reshiram, Zekrom and Kyurem is widely disputed, the power of the Eternity Locket is not. With it, you can fuse the dragons together at a whim...And allow them to become their original form." Borlath explained to the girl, who nodded in response. "Only a truly powerful Trainer could handle the might of Kyurem at full-power. It would likely kill someone who was not strong enough to control the creature."

"What's with the other pendant?" Lillie asked. In response Borlath placed a hand over it and Deoxys flickered into existence behind them, causing Lillie to yelp out in surprise.

"Deoxys crafted this as a means for me to summon it whenever I need it. It's my friend, and I treasure it greatly." Borlath responded fondly as Deoxys hummed beside him, teleporting away.

"To answer your other question, Regigigas is safely slumbering away in its Poké Ball back onboard The Absolution, while Perfect Kyurem is located in a cave on Poni Island. I can command it to come to me whenever I'd like, but I haven't needed to use either of them...yet." Borlath amended, shrugging his shoulders. "Hopefully I won't need to. Each of them alone could level Alola with their power."

"Then why don't you? I'm honestly surprised that with the power at your disposal, you haven't done worse than what you have done." Lillie said to Borlath, who replied with a grin.

"Because I never wanted destruction. I wanted change. No matter how much that darker part of me wants to lash out at the world for what it's done to me and my friends, I haven't given in to that all-consuming fury deep down." Borlath said as his gaze wandered around the path they were taking. "No matter how much I want to burn Alola to the ground and salt the earth...I won't."

"And because of that, you're going to take the Tapu and fix this somehow? Is there nothing I can say to you that will convince you to stop this?" Lillie asked Borlath, who looked away from the girl.

"It has to be done. I don't want any more bloodshed. But I will fight if I must. We're so close to the end...so close to making it all stop." Borlath spoke quietly, his tone almost frantic. It was eerie, even to Amber as she watched her boss with a raised eyebrow.

"That honestly sounds...horrifying." Lillie admitted in a whisper, unable to say much else. Borlath's shifts in mood from kind father to determined martyr were genuinely concerning. Amber seemed to think so too, and spoke up once again.

"You don't know the meaning of the word, kid. All of us Admins have disturbing backstories if you're willing to dig a bit." Amber remarked, catching Lillie's attention.

"I'm almost hesitant to ask what your story is...You're literally known as 'Cipher's Angel of Death', Miss Fontaine." Lillie pointed out warily, causing Amber to give her a soulless smile in response.

"Listen to this, kid." Amber said with faint amusement in her tone. Lillie gave the Cipher Admin a look of confusion, but then that expression of confusion turned to absolute horror as Amber explained just why she was such an insane psychopath. How more than ten years ago, the world-famous Dr. Alastor McDowell was murdered by his own Gothitelle, Hazel, who would carve a path of destruction through Johto. Hazel eventually met a young Amanda Faerun and, after murdering her travelling companions, abducted the young Trainer and held her hostage.

Several years of mental torture and murder later, Amber Fontaine was born. Ashton Aupuni would eventually save her, but by then Amber was a killing machine with a damaged mind, unable to feel many of the emotions that any other human felt regularly.

"W-w-who else knows this?" Lillie asked in a small voice.

"Besides Borlath and Roran, Dawson knew. It's a shame he died. I actually was starting to respect the poor idiot." Amber remarked, scowling after a moment "Your mother, President Lusamine, is more dangerous than I could have ever imagined."

"Which brings me back to a point I wanted to raise earlier...What are you trying to achieve here, Lillie?" Borlath asked the girl, looking down at her intensely. His eyes weren't weird anymore, so Lillie figured he was back to normal now. "You are playing a dangerous game, with lives at stake. What is your plan? Short and long-term goals. It sounds like you have a plan, but you're worried about it."

"I...I need to get Nebby home. Somewhere safe where Mother can't reach him and abuse his powers." Lillie explained nervously, looking down at the ground. "I've learned more than I think is necessarily healthy about Alola's mythology, and the terrible secrets of the Tapu. But even so, I have to keep searching for a way to save Nebby."

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" Borlath asked the girl, who bit her lip. She didn't know what kind of help Sun's father could provide, if she even accepted his help in the first place. The man was a dangerous criminal, and she already realized that he knew too much about Lusamine's schemes and Nebby. Lillie already realized that despite his kind words, he had manipulated her into learning what she knew about Lusamine and Nebby.

"I don't think so. Not unless you can keep the Aether Foundation and Team Skull away from me until I figure out Nebby's secrets." Lillie admitted, sighing with frustration.

"Short of killing them all, there's not a whole lot I can do. And I'm sure you don't want me to do that. Maybe after I'm gone, Amber can look into causing them some grief that will throw them off of your trail." Borlath suggested, not seeing a strange expression on Amber's face. Lillie did notice, and wondered if the mind-damaged woman was capable of feeling guilt.

"Please don't kill them...Honestly, I just wish I had more time." Lillie muttered as she looked back at Borlath, adjusting her hat. "Or somewhere safe to go where they can't reach me."

Borlath hummed at that, snapping his fingers suddenly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a perfectly normal black wallet. He pulled out a card and handed it to the girl, who stared at it.

"What is this?" Lillie asked, looking over the metallic card. It was the size of a regular credit card, except it had a tiny button on the back.

"Long story short, a preloaded money card. Nearly indestructible, so don't worry about damaging it. Aupuni Industries has a patent on the technology behind these particular cards that I won't go into, but on that card is enough money for you to flee to another region and live the rest of your life in comfort." Borlath explained as Lillie's eyes went wide. She tapped the small button to see what it did, and her eyes nearly bulged at the money counter displayed on the card. So many zeroes! "It's also enough to take Sun out of the country with you, should you wish to."

"You...why?" Lillie asked the Master of Cipher, who responded with a smirk.

"Roran isn't the only one who likes having back-up plans. Planning ahead is a crucial skill in life, Lillie, and you should start now to get ahead. Besides, I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't provide you a backup plan of your own. Lusamine's influence outside of Alola and Kalos is minimal. Should you run out of time, you now have the means to flee Alola and seek sanctuary elsewhere. Or find a way to keep your little Pokémon safe while you return to Alola to research more. Or never come back and keep Lusamine from ever enacting her plan." Borlath explained to an increasingly astounded Lillie, who realized how truly valuable the card she now held in her hand was, not even taking into account the money on it.

It was a way to escape Alola if things ever got too dangerous. It was a way to escape Lusamine and save Nebby, if Lillie wasn't able to figure out how to get the Comsog home. She had a back-up plan.

Suddenly, Lillie didn't feel quite so trapped as she did before. Some of the all-consuming pressure on her chest seemed to lighten, simply because now she had a way to get Nebby to safety if Lusamine's schemes became too dangerous for them and Lillie ran out of time.

"Thank you, sir." Lillie said softly, pocketing the card with a small smile. It was strange, in a way, but it was comforting to hear someone who knew her Mother and Father so well agreed with her decisions. For Borlath to offer her something so valuable, despite the awful things he had done in the name of peace... Lillie wished that there was some way to get Borlath to come to his senses and just stop being evil.

At this point, they had finally stopped at a respectably-sized house on the outskirts of Malie City, where large palm trees extended high into the air and a large banner showing the sigil of the Aupun family fluttered in the night breeze. The house itself was in a slight state of disrepair, with some of the shingles missing from the roof and the yard looking rather dead due to lack of care. Borlath stared at the house for a few moments while Lillie thought, but she was snapped back to reality by being asked a question.

"Lillie?" Borlath asked the girl, who looked back up at the man. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were dark gray and blue. "Do you still love your mother, despite what she's done?"

Lillie's own expression became one of surprise, but then she thought about it. The years of mental conditioning after her father's death, bordering on abuse, with Lusamine convincing Lillie that she was useless without her mother. Being trapped in a gilded cage for years on end. The constant fear and paranoia that she felt even to this day. And hearing about her mother's crimes and what she wanted to unleash upon the world.

And yet…

"Yes. I do love Mother. I just...wish that she would do better. If she stopped everything that she did and apologized, I would forgive her." Lillie replied, looking Borlath in the eyes as she spoke those words with every ounce of bravery she held in her heart. Borlath stared back at the girl, stopping his stride to consider what she said.

"Sir...Sun loves you. He idolized you, despite your mistakes, before he learned the truth about you being part of Cipher." Lillie said to Sun's father, her tone pleading. "Don't do this...please. Don't hurt yourself or Sun anymore."

Borlath looked down at the girl who was his child's closest friend. The daughter of the two people who he had admired and cared so much for. A girl that he admired, in a way, for her own bravery. Despite her fears and weakness, she was trying to save everyone.

But in the end, all Borlath could do was sigh. "I'm sorry, Lillie. But my mind is made up. Now then. Let's talk with my dear old Dad, shall we?"

Borlath turned to knock on the door three times, and crossed his arms, with Amber scowling softly behind him. After a few moments, Lahela Aupuni opened the door with a shocked look on her face.

"Ashton...So you really have come back?" Lahela whispered, stepping forward to embrace her estranged son. Borlath visibly flinched as his mother hugged him, but slowly returned it after a few moments. His eyes were jet-black, Lillie saw. She knew from her interactions with Sun that it meant true despair.

"I have. I wanted to settle things...Before the end." Borlath said quietly, releasing Lahela as she stepped back, concern on her face as well as confusion.

"I remember...From what you said on the TV, it sounded like you wanted to die." Lahela Aupuni said to Borlath, who simply nodded. "Ashton, you can't! You-"

"And why exactly can I not end my life, if it means fixing the terrible things I've done, Mother? This world can't be fixed! Not even with my power and influence...This world doesn't deserve to be saved!" Borlath hissed back at her, with Lillie seeing the Cipher Master's eyes returned to their color of madness they were earlier. Lahela tried to speak, but Borlath raised a gloved hand to silence her.

"No. I didn't come to argue with you. It's about time we discussed what you two have done. Where is Father?" Borlath asked his mother, who hesitated.

"Lahela! Bring him into the living room, dear." called a harsh voice that made Lillie nearly flinch, while Amber narrowed her eyes, realizing that it likely belonged to their query. Lahela lowered her head and shuffled into the next room, and Borlath noticed that the old man himself was sitting in his favorite chair, an ornate cane draped over his lap.

Ano's eyes drifted to Lillie, causing the girl to shudder slightly, before they drifted to Amber. "So...here we are." Ano remarked with a chuckle, as if he wasn't meeting with the estranged son that he had tormented and abused before Ashton Aupuni had fled the Alola region for over 15 years.

"Indeed. You're still as pleasant and agreeable to be around as ever, Father." Borlath said lightly to the old man, despite the fact that his eyes were bright red with anger.

"Of course I am. My memory is fading, but never my wit. Take a seat...It's late and I refuse to be a poor host." Ano remarked, gesturing to the sofa and chair sitting opposite of him. Lahela joined them and sat down in the chair beside her husband, while Amber directed Lillie to sit on Borlath's left side while she sat at his right.

"Now then...What brings you here?" Ano said with a wide gesture of his hands, his eyes gleaming with poorly concealed malice. Lillie felt uneasy, especially knowing that this man had nearly killed her closest friend for seemingly no real reason. Knowing that he was someone who cruelly beat and abused his only child, oddly enough, made Lillie long for her own Mother. She may have been insane too, but Lillie knew Lusamine would never stoop to the level Ano had.

"Simply put, Father, I want answers. Closure, so to speak, concerning everything between you and I." Borlath responded politely, leaning forward in his chair. Ano nodded smartly and reached into an old blazer he wore, which Lillie thought looked slightly odd.

Ano suddenly pulled out a pistol from his blazer and shot three times at Borlath's chest, hitting him directly all three times as he jerked backwards. Lillie and Lahela screamed in fear while Amber rushed forward and stepped in front of Borlath, her armor blocking the other two shots Ano had fired before Amber disarmed the insane old man.

Borlath crashed against the couch with a surprised look on his face, staring down at the three bullet holes in his suit...but strangely enough, he wasn't bleeding.

"What…" Ano murmured, confused as Amber glowered at the older man.

"You're going to have to try harder than that." Borlath said with a smirk, unbuttoning his dress shirt slightly to reveal that the bullets were harmlessly lodged in the vest he wore beneath it, which Lillie was amazed to see was strong enough to withstand gunfire. To Lillie's continued amazement, the vest slowly began to seal the hole the bullets had left in it, popping the shells off and causing them to fall into the couch cushion.

"You were always crafty, boy…" Ano murmured, weakly lowering his hand to his lap while Amber glared down at the man, her gaze indicating she wished nothing more than to empty the remainder of the gun into Ano's throat.

"You'd really try to kill him? He's your son!" Lillie exclaimed in surprise, only for Ano to laugh.

"I nearly killed my grandson simply for looking like this demon." Ano responded with a dark chuckle, causing Borlath's hands to clench. "It's a shame too. Killing that boy would've kept you from coming to Alola. It's a shame I couldn't have crushed his little throat right then and there."

"Sun has nothing to do with what's going on between you and Borlath! He's totally innocent of any wrongdoing!" Lillie protested, but Ano simply laughed again.

"No one with those eyes is innocent, girl." Ano Aupuni responded, waving a hand dismissively. "I missed out on my chance to kill the kid, so it doesn't even matter now. What matters is that his father is an even bigger disgrace to our family and I should have done my duty and tried harder to end his miserable life before he ever even thought to align himself with a group like Cipher."

"Believe me, Father...I wish I had never gotten involved with Cipher. That I hadn't used my money and influence to make them into such a threat, and to hurt so many people in my plan to save this world. And it's with that desire that I'll fix everything." Borlath responded, causing Ano's eyes to widen in surprise. Lillie simply looked back and forth between them in confusion.

"I see. So that's what your game is...Very well. So, have you gotten the closure you so desperately wanted, boy?" Ano asked, almost sounding bored with the proceedings. "We're here, and I'm not sorry for anything that I've done. Are we going to skip to the part where you murder me in cold blood?"

"I honestly just wanted to try and understand why you abused me so much in the first place. You hurting my son is something we'll get to later, but even that confuses me. He was completely unrelated to your hate for me. It doesn't make any sense, aside from the fact that in the end...You're just an insane old man obsessed with legacy." Borlath spat at Ano, who's smile widened.

"The Aupuni legacy will go on forever, my son. Even with your misguided actions, the name Aupuni will be known as one powerful enough to bring the world to its knees. Our stories will go on forever, even if my story comes to an end." Ano responded, his twisted smile becoming a little bitter.

"But...why though? Why treat your son like this? Why attack Sun? It doesn't make sense." Amber remarked, unable to understand the man's reasoning. Ano simply stared at the assassin before turning his cold gaze to Lillie, who shivered slightly. He then looked into the crimson eyes of Borlath, his son who had been cursed with evil in his heart. Ano had known since the day Ashton was born that he'd bring nothing but suffering to Alola.

"I suppose I may as well explain myself. Simply put, it's because of your eyes." Ano responded, his voice softening to a serpent's whisper.

"My eyes...You did always seem oddly fixated on them." Borlath remarked, recalling all of the times he had been called evil as a child simply because of them.

"Yes. The color-changing eyes. Eyes that can change color on a whim, or when those with them experience strong emotions. Nā Maka o ke Aliʻi. Or Keloliʻana Heterochromia Iridum...Or in basic tongue, the Eyes of the Chief." Ano Aupuni explained, his voice becoming harsh. "The eyes of those who would bring change to the Alola region, and would become powerful figures within our world. Some call them the King's Gaze."

"Is that so?" Borlath said in a tone that indicated he didn't believe Ano one bit.

"It is...Because every single Aupuni male born with the Nā Maka o ke Aliʻi has been the catalyst for change within the world. Some have gone on to become Kahunas, or Chosen by the Tapu to become influential figures in the world as a whole after they leave Alola. And every time, they changed this region. Some for better, some for worse."

"It has come to pass every single time those evil eyes manifest. Every male Aupuni with the Eyes of the Chief changed our world, Ashton. It is documented quite thoroughly in the history books stored, or rather hidden, within the Malie Library." Ano continued to explain, staring at his only son with an intense expression. "The eyes come to male members of those chosen members of the Aupuni bloodline who come of age. Before then, their eyes are just as normal as mine or Lahela's."

"Your eyes, Ashton, came to you when you were younger than what I was warned about. Just after your fifth birthday, your eyes changed. Your emotions were an open book to myself and Lahela, who I never disclosed this information to." Ano said with a glance to Lahela Aupuni, who was staring at her husband with a pleading expression. It was clear that while she had allowed Ano to do all of the terrible things he did, she never knew the motivation for them. "When your eyes manifested, I knew then and there that you would change the very world I had grown up in. The rich culture of Alola, our pride and our traditions and our very way of life...You would destroy all of it. Such is the way of those who bear the Eyes of the Chief. And I refused to let my world, my Alola, change."

"You...That's insane." Lillie whispered, horror thick in her voice. Ano barked a laugh, relaxing back in his chair.

"Perhaps. But I could take no chances. I decided when those eyes manifested in my son, at a much younger age than ever documented in our history books, that I would simply crush such ideas. I feared that not only would Ashton bring change to Alola, but that he would destroy everything that we as Alolans hold dear to us...And I was right. Wasn't I?" Ano remarked, grinning at Lahela, who simply stared at her husband with horror.

"So you decided the best way to make him not change anything was to treat him as terribly as possible?" Lillie asked, still struggling to process the man's logic.

"Of course. I could sense it...behind those terrible eyes was evil. Waiting to be unleashed. I thought that I could control him, and leave him too weak to continue the cycle of change that the Eyes of the Chief perpetuated, but I was weak...I was too weak to kill the blasted child before he could cause irreparable harm to Alola." Ano growled softly, shaking his head with disgust. "It was even worse when I discovered how deeply my own son despised the world we lived in."

"What do you mean?" Amber asked.

"Like I feared, he hated the very idea of becoming a Pokémon Trainer and despised the Alolan way of life. He wanted to walk a different path. He loathed Pokémon Battles and the Island Challenge seemed terrifying to the boy, much to my disappointment. I tried my damndest to beat some sense into Ashton, to force him onto the righteous path all Alolans walk down one way or another...And I succeeded." Ano grinned with triumph as Lillie recoiled at the insane smile of delight on the madman's face. Ano's smile faded somewhat as he sighed, rubbing his chin.

"Though, in truth, I should have just killed him and sired another child." Ano sighed regretfully, shaking his head. "Sadly, me and Lahela were never able to have another child, leaving Ashton to carry on as he did."

"So...correct me if I'm wrong, but that's a terrible reason to physically and mentally abuse your children. And that's coming from someone who-" Amber tried to say before she suddenly gasped and clamped her hands over her head, screaming out in pain as she succumbed to the Curse of Life. Borlath ignored the assassin's distress and pain and focused only on the man who set him down this road to begin with, now finally armed with the truth behind his suffering.

"All of the hell I went through was because you didn't want the terrible state of Alola to change!?" Borlath demanded, standing out of his chair with blazing eyes of hate. "Because you didn't want to lose face to a changing world!?"

"Indeed. It was why Roran detested me so, along with him finding out about my...indiscretions." Ano chuckled as Lahela flinched in her own seat. "Alola thrives on its traditions. It's customs. It's history. Changing to fit the ideals of the other regions would destroy everything that we are. I could not allow my child to become the one who annihilates everything we Alolans hold dear."

"Even when that way of life doesn't fit everyone, and causes untold amounts of strife and misery. Not everyone wants to go through the Island Challenge. And not everyone who goes on the Island Challenge is able to complete it." Borlath said to Ano, who simply responded with a shrug.

"Then it was better off that they die for the glory of the Tapu instead of in dishonor. Our traditions and way of life are unique and have gone back centuries." Ano responded, grinning back at Borlath.

"I still don't understand...I can't understand. How could you do such terrible things to your child? It's obvious he never understood why you were treating him so badly, not that it makes any sense in the first place." Lillie asked Ano, who looked at the girl with consternation for a few moments before responding.

"I refused to allow even a child to threaten our way of life with the greatest of evils to a world such as ours...change. So I attempted to stamp the evil, so to speak. I tried to instill the importance of our world and traditions into Ashton, but he was very stubborn and resisted. And even now...it's obvious my lessons never truly took root, did they? So disappointing." Ano Aupuni said the last part almost tauntingly as he stared down his son, who was shaking from the righteous fury flooding his veins at the moment. Amber staggered to her feet, her eyes bright pink now and wearing an expression of anger and disgust.

"You threw me out the front door with only a Poké Ball and a warning not to disgrace the family further on my tenth birthday." Borlath growled, narrowing his crimson eyes at the man who had essentially condemned him to the life he hated.

"I did. It was a shame you didn't die out there in the Wilds. So much unpleasantness could have been avoided had that bloodthirsty clan of Alolan Golem tore you to shreds. I believe President Lusamine and her late husband saved you...I'm sure they both regret such kindness now." Ano said with a cruel smile, even as Borlath's lips twisted into a snarl of fury.

"Ash...He was only looking out for you. He could see how much talent you had as a Pokémon Trainer. He wanted to see your true potential come out!" Lahela tried to explain, but even Lillie could see through the gaping holes in her argument. Borlath simply looked at his mother with contempt.

"But it was a life I never wanted. I never wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer. And there's not a day in my life where I wish I hadn't become something else instead. But it's my lot in life...But don't you dare make excuses for him on this. He wanted to be rid of me. He tormented me as a child. He wanted me dead. You heard it from the man himself, Mother. Stop rationalizing his bullshit." Borlath snapped at Lahela, who simply looked away. She didn't refute any of her son's accusations. With that, Borlath returned his attention to Ano Aupuni.

"I'm sure you're also just as dismissive of what happened to me on my ninth birthday. When I was beaten to near-death by you in this very living room, and then taken into your little workshop out back and then branded with a hot iron." Borlath continued as Ano simply leaned back further into his chair, his smile never fading. Lillie's mouth was agape in mute horror at the thought of anyone, even someone as deranged as Ano Aupuni, doing that to a nine-year old boy.

"Indeed. It was to remind you of your place. As a child of the Aupuni bloodline, you have a duty to uphold. I wanted you to never forget that it's your duty to be a strong Trainer, even with the tainted eyes you had. I held out some hope that you would become a source of change that would strengthen Alola's traditions and give rise to a true golden age for our region...But that was ridiculous of me in hindsight. You were born a useless wretch, and you will die the monster I always believed you were." Ano responded carelessly, as if his words were nothing to consider.

"Really?" Borlath whispered, his tone eerily calm. "I'm the monster. After what you've done to me? Especially for what you did to me on my eighth birthday…" Borlath's eyes slipped back to crimson, black and white rings of madness creeping into his gaze once again. Amber and Lillie were both surprised by the absolute hate and fury that burned within Borlath's eyes, if only for a few moments. He then shut his eyes, and spoke with a steady voice.

"No...I think Lillie's seen enough. She doesn't need to hear this. She's only a child, and I fear for her safety around you." Borlath said after thinking it over. Lillie looked at Borlath with surprise.

"Amber, return her to wherever she thinks she'll be safe from Aether Paradise. I'll finish things here and return to the Absolution soon." Borlath said as his gaze drifted to Lahela, who was wiping her wet eyes while Ano simply grinned manically at Borlath.

"Sir, I'm not leaving you alone with this man." Amber said worriedly, her pink eyes openly showing how concerned she was for Borlath's state of mind. Ano Aupuni simply laughed again, leaning back in his chair. In response, Borlath pulled out a Poké Ball and tossed it into the air, calling out Damien. The Houndoom's eyes immediately shot to Ano and crouched low, preparing to lunge at the terrible man and tear him to pieces. Lahela threw herself in front of Ano, prepared to shield her husband.

"Damien, hold!" Borlath called to his partner. The massive Houndoom looked back at Borlath, who smiled for the first time since entering the Aupuni household. "Make sure neither of them move. I need to send Lillie on her way, and then we can continue."

"No problem. I'll make sure they're here when you get back. Whether or not they'll still be breathing is another story." Damien responded, barring his teeth as Lahela collapsed onto her knees in fear. Ano simply chuckled at the display.

"Funny...You're still as much of a coward now as you were then, boy. Go. Let your friends leave and we'll settle things man-to-man." Ano wheezed, grinning terribly as Amber led Lillie to the door with Borlath close behind. Amber opened the door and walked out alongside Lillie, with Borlath lingering inside the doorway.

"Well, this is it. I'm sorry about the detour your night has taken tonight, Lillie, but I had to do so for your own safety. Amber will make sure you get back to your friends safely. Hopefully our little detour hasn't been too upsetting." Borlath said amiably to the young Jardin girl. "I'd advise being more careful in the future. Might I recommend disguising yourself, or forming Mind Locks on those you trust so that you can teleport to them in times of danger?"

"I...don't know if Nebby can do that." Lillie admitted, unsure of what exactly Nebby was capable of.

"If Nebby can teleport, it should be able to do that. Maybe you can ask it directly, or have a Pokémon translate for him? I imagine being able to Teleport will do you a world of good." Borlath recommended to the girl, who nodded at the suggestion.

"Nebby's a he, and I'll do that. Thank you, Mr. Aupuni." Lillie said gratefully to the man, who looked surprised at the sudden respect the girl was showing him. Lillie didn't mention that Sun was already helping her train Nebby, since it would likely upset the man.

"It was my pleasure, Lillie. I'm sorry I had to involve you in this mess...Rest assured, I'll make things right. Just, try and do me a favor. Look out for Sun for me, okay?" Borlath asked Lillie, making the girl nod in response.

"Usually he's the one looking out for me…But I'll do my best. I'm sure he'll try and stop you, though." Lillie said to Borlath, who's eyes flickered blue for a few moments before returning to their strange red, white and black color.

"Maybe. Perhaps Tapu Bulu or Tapu Koko will end my life in the next battle. Who can say for sure? Either way, this is likely the last time I'll ever see you. So know this…" Borlath knelt down and placed a hand on Lillie's head, looking into her eyes.

"You are most certainly the daughter of Lusamine and Mohn, and that means you can do anything you set your mind to, Lillie. You are a strong and brave little flower, that is simply waiting to bloom. You can save your Mother. You can save Cosmog. After our discussions tonight, Lillie, I believe in your strength. And you will save everyone from this disaster." Borlath said with complete sincerity to the girl, who looked into the eyes of Borlath with surprise in her own.

Because the teenager openly saw everything that those eyes held. The anguish, the sorrow, and the pure rage flickering behind those strange eyes. But Lillie also saw the pride, the compassion and kindness that dwelled within them as well. The Eyes of the Chief allowed Lillie to see those emotions clearly.

Lillie Jardin knew that this man needed to be stopped. No...this man needed to be saved. Saved from the tragedy that had followed Ashton Aupuni's life for decades before it finally destroyed his sanity, and left behind nothing but a furious Trainer wanting to lash out at the world for the sake of his ambitions.

Just like her mother.

"T-thank you, sir." Lillie said as Borlath stood once again, smiling down at her.

"Now, run along you two. Me and Damien have some work to do." Borlath said as he stepped back into the house and shut the door. Borlath locked the door behind him, sighing deeply as his emotions warred with his mind.

"Bless that girl...I hope you and your brother stay safe, Lillie." Borlath murmured to himself, pressing his forehead against the door. A few moments later he looked up, determination in his gaze, and turned back towards where his parents waited.

"Now then...Where were we?" Borlath asked smoothly as he walked back into the living room, smoothly drawing his magnum as he sat back down in his chair. Damien grinned as Ano Aupuni crossed his arms, his smirk hardening into a sneer of contempt.


Meanwhile…


Amber and Lillie teleported just outside of Malie Library, in a small private garden that was almost definitely someone else's home. Amber looked at Lillie for a few moments before sighing, running a hand over her face, and tucking away the anti-teleportation collar that Lillie had been wearing until just a few moments before. Amber set down the pack that she had been wearing up to that point and opened it, stuffing the collar into it as Avis landed on the ground.

"Alright, kid. I'll level with you. Things are fucked right now." Amber remarked as Lillie looked at the assassin warily. "Right now I'm under Tapu Lele's curse, and I've got to make this count."

"Um...I'm sorry?" Lillie responded, confused. Amber simply stared at her for a few moments before reaching back into the bag on the ground. A few moments later, she pulled out a worn but beautifully designed book. On its faded gold cover were four creatures soaring through the air towards a noble lion-like Pokémon. The lion looked very familiar to the girl.

"This, Lillie, is the source of all of Borlath's knowledge on Alola's Legendary bullshit. It's what Roran used back in the day to learn some of the crap he tried pulling in Alola a few weeks ago. This explains everything that Ashton Aupuni is wrapped up in." Amber said seriously, looking down at the book with a scowl. "It's where he got this crazy idea from. Apparently Borlath had acquired it from Agent Jackal before leaving Alola and held onto it. Needless to say, this book explains Borlath's current plan and what it means."

"What? How...why?" Lillie asked, still completely confused as to why Amber Fontaine of all people was explaining this to her.

"Take this book. Page 97. Makemake o ka Puʻuwai. Borlath will be capturing the other two Tapu within the next few days. Get this knowledge to your friends. Make a plan. And stop him." Amber said firmly to the girl, causing her eyes to widen with shock as Amber placed the book in Lillie's hands.

"You...You want us to stop Borlath?" Lillie asked Cipher's Angel of Death, Borlath's right hand and a Cipher Admin who had caused untold amounts of suffering. Amber offered the girl a melancholy smile in response.

"Thanks to the Curse of Life, I'm just as normal mentally as you or anyone else. And I hate what Borlath has done, what I've done, in the name of peace. Even in my other, usual state, I recognize that Borlath's plan just makes things worse." Amber explained as Avis ruffled her wings beside her.

"Borlath needs to understand that what he's doing is simply going to cause more hurt. Violence is a vicious and endless cycle, Lillie. That's why Borlath is going to kill his parents, for the violence done to him. It's why I kill and hurt so many other people, due to the terrible things Hazel did to me. I'm asking you to take this knowledge and help end this." Amber said to the girl, who looked down at the ancient book in her hands with reverence. She wondered if it contained any information on the Ultra Beasts.

"I don't think any of my friends trying to fight Borlath will do much good. He's very powerful, and he's obviously beyond listening to reason." Lillie responded, only for Amber to shake her head.

"There is another way to end this. Convince him to stop-"

"I tried that earlier!" Lillie protested, but Amber held up a hand and Lillie became quiet.

"I know. And as much as I hate to say it, the only one who can get through to Borlath is Sun." Amber continued, earning a surprised look from Lillie. "I can't really understate how much Sun means to him. Ashton Aupuni adores that boy and wanted to give him the world. It hurt him beyond measure when Sun broke his promise to not go after Roran, even if it was for a good reason. Borlath was already mentally unstable then, but now? You saw what he was like." Amber offered Lillie a smile, but it was a wan one.

"Sun obviously cares about his father, and the bond between them is still strong. Have your friends band together, and stop Borlath before he can complete his plan. Have Sun talk to him, and get him to surrender himself to the authorities. Stop the cycle, Lillie. I'm entrusting you with the book that explains everything. And once I swap back to my other self, I'll likely be trying my hardest to kill you all again." Amber said to Lillie, though she continued to smile.

"Though, and I probably shouldn't tell you this, but...Borlath did make an order that you and Sun are to be spared if encountered. Perhaps you can use that to your advantage. Either way, I'm going to entrust this with you. Consider it my way of apologizing for what happened with Agent Jackal and before on Melemele Island." Amber said to Lillie, who simply looked bewildered.

"Wow...this is a lot to handle right now." Lillie thought to herself, wondering how her life got so complicated. "What's to stop you from tracking me down and stealing back this book?"

"Easy. That Pokémon of yours gives off a strange aura that prevents you from having a Mind Lock put on you, just like those who hold Keystones or Z-Rings, as I've come to learn. It makes dealing with the certain high-caliber Trainers who have those items extremely annoying." Amber remarked, shrugging her shoulders. "It's why President Lusamine hasn't tracked you down already. I'm sure she had a Mind Lock on you at an early age. The Cosmog's aura, or energy or whatever, has rubbed off on you so to speak. No one can track you down with a Psychic-type."

"As a sidenote, Mind Locks are difficult to actually do. For some reason many people these days are under the impression that they're incredibly commonplace, but there are limitations in play." Avis added, sounding somewhat irritated herself.

"Interesting…" Lillie murmured as Amber removed Nebby's bag from her shoulder and handed it to Lillie, who took it with a sigh of relief.

"Get to the Library. I'll keep watch in case Aether is staking the place out." Amber said to Lillie as the assassin walked forward and opened the door. Lillie deposited the ancient book in Nebby's bag, petting the Cosmog on the head as she did so, before zipping it back up and walking past Amber. The girl looked to the assassin one last time.

"I'm not going to say thank you for this, since you definitely tried to kill me and my friends on several occasions, but...I appreciate you doing the right thing here." Lillie said politely to the woman before quickly dashing off towards the Library. Amber rolled her eyes and placed a hand on Avis' shoulders, even as the Xatu wrapped her Trainer in a winged hug.

"So...how much longer?" Avis asked quietly as Amber watched the blonde-haired girl dart into the safety of the library.

"Soon. I just hope that they can make Borlath stop before me and you reach the end. He's getting worse. And meeting his parents might send him completely over the edge." Amber responded before adding, "Come on. Let's head back. Borlath should be wrapping things up soon. Now that the niceties are out of the way, I can't imagine he'd keep them alive for too long."


Meanwhile…

Malie Library


"You what!?" Acerola shouted, earning an annoyed look from the librarian that she ignored completely.

Lillie had just explained everything that had happened that evening before she was kidnapped by Cipher, and urged the Captain to call Kahuna Nanu to stop Borlath from murdering his parents. She doubted that they'd make it in time, but it was worth a shot. Acerola took a few steps away to process this information, quickly grabbing her phone off of the table. Lillie watched as her friend frantically texted someone on her phone.

After this, Lillie explained in depth what had happened over the course of the night. How Borlath had admitted he had just captured Tapu Fini and was more unstable mentally than ever. How he wavered back and forth from being supportive and kind to being driven and sorrowful about events. Acerola's eyes widened when Lillie explained that Borlath had given her a card loaded with enough money on it for Lillie to flee Alola, make a new identity for herself, and then never have to work in her entire life.

"Sun's father is like the weirdest villain ever. He has no qualms with freezing an entire city solid but he also just gives millions away to the girl that his son fancies." Acerola mused with a chuckle as Lillie handed her the old book that Amber had given her.

"According to Amber Fontaine, Borlath is using knowledge from this book to further his current scheme. It's also where the Ritual of the Lost God was written down. We should go to page 97. Makemake o ka Puʻuwai." Lillie explained to her friend who nodded and opened the book, flipping through the worn pages as quickly as she could.

Acerola reached the page in question and began reading it, though Lillie noticed that the girl's expression immediately became one of alarm, with the blood draining from her face.

"Acerola? What is it, what's happening?" Lillie asked her friend, looking at the book. The passage on Page 97 had an illustration depicting a human standing before what looked like the four Tapu, though oddly enough they were bowed towards what looked like a normal human.

"Well, for starters, I'm not sleeping tonight." Acerola remarked shakily, looking at her younger friend. Before Lillie could reply, the front doors of the Library opened and Lillie turned around to see Sun running into the Library. As soon as he saw Lillie, he moved towards the girl quickly.

"Sun, I-" Lillie began to say before the boy suddenly embraced in a tight hug. Lillie flushed pink at the public display of affection and returned the hug, ignoring the squeaking sound the librarian made at such an adorable sight.

"I got here as quickly as I could. Hau's watching over the kids with Hapu. So, Acerola said that you got kidnapped by my Dad?" Sun asked his best friend, concern in his voice. Lillie quickly explained what happened to her friend, minus an explanation of who exactly was trying to kidnap her. She didn't want to draw Sun into her conflict with the Aether Foundation.

"Okay...that's bad. My Dad's about to commit murder tonight...Um, did we call the police?" Sun asked his friends, who both nodded.

"I also warned the Kahuna, though I doubt he alone would be able to apprehend Borlath." Acerola said quietly, shuddering slightly. "And you guys might want to come here and listen to this. It's a doozy."

"What's that?" Sun asked, earning a quick recap from Lillie about how Amber Fontaine had given her an ancient book that his father and Roran had both used to gain insight on the darker history of Alola, as well as some long-forgotten rituals.

"Essentially a history book of sorts that references a load of other books in the Forbidden Archive...And has some seriously messed up stuff in it. But the page that Amber Fontaine pointed out is probably the worst of them. And it spells out Borlath's plan for the Tapu and Alola clear as day." Acerola said quietly, pointing down at the illustration.

"Right here on page 97, just like Amber Fontaine told you. Makemake o ka Puʻuwai…" Acerola translated, exhaling the words breathily. "Desire of the Heart. It's also known as the Tapu's Prayer. That's what your father is trying to achieve, Sun."

"So, what is it? And why is it so bad?" Sun asked, looking down at the picture depicting the four Guardian Deities of Alola bowing to a human as he glowed brightly.

"The Tapu's Prayer was discovered hundreds of years ago when the Tapu freely roamed the islands. During the early days of Alola, when the Tapu were newly formed. Some ancient Chiefs of Alola would regularly do battle with the Guardian Deities to test their strength." Acerola read from the book, her tone hushed as Lillie and Sun listened close.

"It was discovered, however, that defeating the creatures like the Tapu, created through blood sacrifices to combat the threat of the Ultra Beasts, gave them many special abilities that even they didn't fully understand. For example, Tapu Lele discovered it could heal the injured with its magical scales, but that using this power could easily cause people to go insane."

"Despite this, the Tapu eagerly fought all opponents, sometimes even in brutal showdowns to the death. The Tapu reveled in the challenge and fought one another for dominance and even fun. They were Pokémon, after all, and Pokémon thrive on battle."

"One day, a young Chief managed to defeat all four the Tapu in combat with his Pokémon, and in doing so asked the Tapu for a boon as a reward for defeating them. The Tapu, being moved by the young man's skill and seeing his strong heart, obliged. The Chief asked the Tapu to bring his daughter back to life with their mysterious powers. Heal the pain in his heart and return the person he cared about most back to her grieving parents arms. That was his greatest and deepest desire...to save his daughter."

"The Tapu were at first hesitant. The cycle of life and death is a sacred thing indeed, but they were honor-bound by the battles that they had shared with the young Chief. They felt the power was within their command, at least when their might was combined, but the Tapu felt that a sacrifice of some kind had to be made. The Chief was adamant that the Tapu could take anything if it meant rescuing his daughter from the clutches of death. So the Tapu, compelled by the human's wish, allowed their powers to meld and granted the human's request...They brought his daughter back to life right before his eyes."

"But...at a terrible cost."

Acerola fought the urge to shiver as she continued to read. "The young Chief only had a few moments to look upon his newly revived daughter before he collapsed onto the ground, the light fading from his eyes. Yes, there was indeed a price that needed to be paid as a result of asking the Tapu to use their strange powers. Not just one's life...but their very soul."

"Their soul!?" Sun yelped, horrified by this. Lillie simply gaped at her friend while Acerola grimaced.

"The Tapu recognized their error, but saw no reason to discourage those who sought to battle them. Many more challenged the Tapu over the centuries, and some succeeded in defeating all four of them. This very challenge, in fact, became the basis for the final four battles of the Island Challenge against the Kahunas." Acerola explained, looking at her friends.

"Hearing the ancient story of the Chief who sacrificed his soul to have his daughter, others were moved to make the same sacrifice for their desires. Some were desperate, some were angry, and some simply wanted to use their life to better humanity. The Tapu loved their children and wanted what was best for them, and allowed and applauded their sacrifices and their strength. Until one day, when it all fell apart."

"A elderly but charismatic war hero defeated the Tapu in combat, with his men watching the spectacle the entire time. After a grueling contest against the Guardian Deities of Alola, the man demanded from the Tapu a true challenge for his men. The hero was past his prime and thought of battle as the one true way of expressing oneself. He wished for the Tapu to summon the ancient beasts of old to battle with his men in righteous combat. He asked to summon the Ultra Beasts." Acerola explained to the two shocked children.

"The Tapu hesitated at first, but gave in to the man's request. At the cost of his soul, the war hero was able to call forth the Ultra Beasts from beyond and as you can imagine, the old hero's soldiers were slaughtered. The Tapu were too weary to fight the creatures at that moment, and as a result the Ultra Beasts wreaked havoc on Alola before they could all be slain by the Guardian Deities."

"It was at that point that the Tapu realized just how powerful they truly were, and how their power should never be sought out for frivolous purposes. However, they also recognized that they were not invulnerable, and sought to ensure no mortal could ever use the Tapu's Prayer again."

"The Tapu decided to retreat to their sacred resting places and meditate on the past, and swore never to come together again. For the sake of Alola, they promised to remain apart so that no one would be able to compel them for selfish desires once again. The Guardian Deities commanded those who served the Tapu to destroy all records of their powers and to hide what they couldn't. And so the knowledge of the Tapu's Prayer was lost to time...until now." Acerola said before she closed the book, looking up at Sun.

"My Dad is fighting the Tapu and captured them...so that he can sacrifice his soul!?" Sun demanded, standing up angrily as his eyes flickered to red before settling on gray. Lillie simply continued to stare at Acerola in horror.

"Your father is subjecting the Tapu and bending them to his will, one by one, to grant himself the chance to atone for his mistakes. They will grant him one wish, his greatest desire, at the cost of his soul." Acerola corrected her friend, though she looked disturbed as well. "It's suicidal. Though, given what Borlath himself has said, maybe that's the point. He doesn't feel like he has anything left to live for...So he may as well make things right with a wish that'll destroy him regardless. He won't have to live with the guilty anymore."

"That's certainly not much better. Borlath has done so many awful things, and after tonight...I really wish that he could understand that things aren't as hopeless as they seem. That he can still fix things without resorting to such drastic measures." Lillie said regretfully, even as Sun shook his head.

"He doesn't have any faith left in this world. He's even lost his faith in me. Not that I blame him." Sun muttered, though that statement earned him a light smack on the arm from Lillie.

"Don't blame yourself for what's happened to you father, Sun! You saved Hau's life, and did what anyone would do if their friend was in danger." Lillie reassured her crush, who sighed in response.

"Maybe. So...this wish then. What would he wish for? Does it even matter?" Sun asked Acerola, who bit her lip.

"It simply says that it'll grant the one who defeats the Tapu and brings them together their greatest desire. Which is the truly alarming part, because that leaves a lot of wriggle room...and the options are totally terrifying." Acerola responded, making Sun and Lillie exchange a brief look.

"How bad are we talking here?" Sun asked.

"Worldwide destruction or having the world be a Utopia, I imagine." Lillie interjected, but Acerola shook her head.

"The Tapu's power generally will only effect the Alola region and is used for smaller feats. Which is problematic enough, since this wish will cause mass confusion either way. But it gets worse, since we still have no clue how nuts Borlath is. His greatest desire can be anything as simple as fixing all of the damage he's done...Or wishing that he'd never been born. And everything in between. And whether or not it affects just Alola or the world as a whole, this wish could cause untold amounts of chaos and destruction." Acerola explained to her two horrified friends.

"He...he'd probably end up erasing my entire life completely." Sun whispered, his eyes going white from the sheer craziness of the situation.

"He's touched so many lives. Hurt and helped so many people. Borlath could wipe out millions of people we know today from existence, including you and Lillie! It could destroy the world as we know it!" Acerola explained frantically as the two children struggled under the weight of what they were dealing with here.

"Dad's angry and desperate enough right now to do anything...He's going to cause more destruction than he'll fix with a wish." Sun said darkly, his eyes becoming black with sorrow.

"Sun, I was with him tonight. While still a very nice man, he's dangerous and driven to make amends for his sins. He's probably not even stopped to consider that he'd be hurting countless other people and even erasing people from existence in his attempt to make things right." Lillie said to Sun, who sank down into a chair to stop his legs from giving out.

To his surprise, he heard a soft cooing sound and was stunned to see Nebby floating above him, concern on his face. The Cosmog floated down to Sun and nuzzled his face, hoping to cheer up the boy that he had become so fond of. Sun pulled the Cosmog into a hug before looking at his friends.

"So...what can we do?" Sun asked quietly, his tone one of desperation and concern. Not just for their sakes, but for the man who would gladly sacrifice his very soul to atone for the crimes he had committed. And be so blinded by his hatred and guilt that he'd neglect to consider who else he'd destroy on his road to redemption.


Meanwhile…

Aupuni Residence


"Ash...Please reconsider." Lahela begged softly as Borlath leaned back in his chair, with Damien baring his teeth at the woman.

"Alright, how about this? Give me one good reason why I should let either of you two live, when I've killed so many less-deserving people in cold-blood?" Borlath responded to his mother, who hung her head once again, not having a concrete answer. Ano laughed softly at his son's response, earning a harsh glare.

"You enabled your husband to continue acting as he always has. Ano Aupuni isn't just guilty of torturing me and abusing me as a child…" Borlath's expression darkened as his calm faded completely. "There's a lot of other children out there that you hurt beyond measure, you twisted bastard."

Ano cackled with delight at his son's words, putting his hands with a sinister grin on his face. "They'll never talk, boy, and you won't either. You may be the Master of Cipher, but I was a master of manipulation before you were ever conceived. The Council knows who steered them through calamity and who has the best interests of Alola at heart. So they'll allow some small...issues to be buried and suppressed."

Borlath's eyes flickered red and gritted his teeth at the unrepentant words of a man who had indeed manipulated Alola's leadership into burying his many, many crimes. Crimes against Ashton Aupuni, but also against so many others.

There was a very good reason why Borlath was terrified of Sun ever meeting his grandfather.

"You really just don't care who you hurt, so long as you get your sick kicks...Mother, this is the man you've protected all these years. What do you have to say for yourself?" Borlath asked Lahela Aupuni, who looked at her husband for a few moments before returning her gaze to the son she had allowed to be tormented for his entire childhood.

"I...I didn't want to lose Ano. He's a terrible, awful person but he's still the man I love. I'm so, so sorry Ash...You have every right to be furious at us both for what happened to you." Lahela apologized to her son, who simply stared at her in disbelief.

"And what about all of his other crimes that Alola's miserable cabal of leaders decided to merrily sweep under the rug?" Borlath asked his mother, who trembled for a moment before burying her head in her hands. She weakly began to sob, unable to handle the guilt of Ano Aupuni's sins any longer.

"You fail to realize, boy, that the Aupuni legacy is one inscribed in the very fabric of Alola's history. Even with you and your damned eyes, we will live on forever in glory!" Ano responded as his smile grew, a soft laugh of mirth escaping his lips. Borlath considered the words for a moment...before smiling himself.

"Maybe. But your hope that the Aupuni name will live on in glory is a pipe dream at this point, old man." Borlath said as he pulled out a cell phone and gestured to it. "Because by tomorrow morning, all of Alola will know what you've done."

"What...what he's done? Are referring to...what he did to you? Or his other...misdeeds?" Lahela asked, sounding horrified and she looked to her husband. Borlath felt a deep sense of amusement as, for the first time that evening, Ano's smile finally faded away. The awful old man wore a scowl of anger as his eyes narrowed at his son.

"What did you do, boy?" Ano Aupuni asked, his voice soft as the grave.

"This was why I wanted Lillie to leave. Because I didn't want to expose her to what kind of person you really are." Borlath said as he put his phone away. "Before going off to fight Tapu Fini, I made a phone call to your old friend, Councilman Palena. While he was understandably concerned about why I was contacting him, I made it clear that I meant him or his family no harm. In fact, I simply wished for him to make Alola a safer place by unearthing secrets left buried by the Alolan Regional Council over many years."

"You...You wouldn't dare…" Ano Aupuni growled, his scowl becoming something truly terrible. But Borlath simply grinned back into the face of the man who had treated him worse than dirt his entire life. A monster through and through, who deserved what was coming to him.

"Palena agreed to release the hidden records of your crimes and abuse to the authorities and that hotshot news station. It was surprisingly easy to convince him to turn his back on you, Ano. Apparently he's undergone a change of heart as of late, and wants to be a better person. A better father, as he told me." Borlath's smile grew wider, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I respected that and thanked him. By morning, all of Alola will know the real Ano Aupuni, and what you did to me and all the others."

"How did...How did you even find out about everything? Those records were kept secret!" Ano snarled at his son, losing the last of his composure now that Borlath had played his hand.

"It pays to know how computers, Father. Once I ventured to Kanto, I became very good at using them. I hacked into the Council's systems and unearthed the decades of crimes you've committed. Justice will be served, old man, and soon your legacy will go down in flames." Borlath said as Ano Aupuni shook with rage at what his son had done. How thoroughly his own flesh and blood had taken revenge upon Ano in the one way that could have possibly hurt the deranged old man.

By tarnishing the legacy of Ano Aupuni, Borlath had destroyed the very thing that Ano ever truly valued in his life. The glory of the Aupuni household, the history of their family. Though neither Ano or Borlath knew the true depths to which their family was descended, both knew that their bloodline was one of the most noble in Alola. And Ano's crimes would ensure a black mark would always remain.

"I may be a monster. I may have killed many people and hurt countless others...But I did so with the hope to save this world from destruction. To consume the evil and safeguard the innocent. To make this world a truly better place for my son." Borlath said to his father, who continued to glare at the son he had turned into the imposing mastermind known as Borlath. It was he who set his son down the path of destruction, and it was time the sinister old man paid for his crimes.

Borlath looked to his mother, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Mother, move away from father."

Lahela stood up and slowly, hesitantly, walked away from her husband. Borlath rose from his seat and removed the metallic gauntlets that had allowed him to defeat Tapu Fini, stuffing them into his coat pocket. Ano Aupuni stood as well, glaring down his son with fury in his eyes. Borlath returned that gaze of fury, righteous anger burning in his own gaze.

"Everyone will know what you've done. Your crimes. What you did to me…" Borlath said quietly to an increasingly irate Ano Aupuni.

"I should've killed you back then...It was weakness on my own part. I had power, and influence too...But no amount of leeway in the Council could have helped me cover up murder. Now it's come to this. Damn you. Damn your scheme…" Ano's scowl turned into a sneer. "And damn that little monster of yours too. I should have killed him too. If his damned friends hadn't gotten in the way, maybe I would've gotten away with it!"

"Ano, that's enough!" Lahela yelled to her husband, who looked surprised at the rare rebuke from his wife, who never reprimanded him for anything that he did. But then he saw the expression of true anger dancing in the eyes of his son, and for the first time in his life...

Ano Aupuni felt fear.

"So...You did try and kill Sun. I was going to finish by asking you about that, but I'm glad you brought it up first." Borlath remarked in a shockingly calm voice that didn't fool either of his parents for a moment.

"A-ash, he was just upset that-" Lahela tried to say, only for Borlath to raise a hand to silence the old woman.

"I bet it was right when he called me the other day about his Electric Trial. No wonder he sounded so scared. So desperate." Borlath murmured, looking down at the floor. Damien growled angrily at the old man, ready to tear him apart for daring to harm Sun.

"It's funny, boy...As much as you wanted to protect that son of yours, you were too much of a coward to keep him safe from me." Ano said as a smile returned to his face. "It's a shame I didn't have just a few more minutes to strangle the life out of him."

"Your legacy dies tonight." Borlath responded, his voice the epitome of tranquil fury as his head snapped back up. Borlath drew back his fist and suddenly punched Ano Aupuni as hard as he could in the stomach.

The patriarch of the Aupuni Family coughed and wheezed in pain as he staggered back into his chair, coughing painly as blood erupted from his mouth. Damien smiled grimly as the old man tried to move after being struck by his son, but the Houndoom was content to watch as his Trainer got his revenge.

Lahela rushed forward, only to be caught in a tight embrace by her son. Lahela gasped in surprise at the vice-like grip around her neck and chest that Borlath had quickly caught her in, but was even more surprised by the shushing sounds her son was making.

"It's okay, mother...just sleep. You don't have to watch anymore…" Borlath said softly as his mother's vision slowly darkened, due to lack of oxygen. Slowly she stopped fighting, and in less than a minute she was unconscious on the ground. Borlath took a moment to look down at his sleeping mother, a pained grimace on his face.

Borlath then pulled out his magnum and shot his mother in the heart, killing her instantly.

"So...this is how...we meet our ends." Ano remarked with a bitter grin, not even remotely concerned with the death of his wife. Borlath walked back over to his father and looked down at the terrible old man hunched over in his chair. A lifetime of abuse, misery and fear flashed through Borlath's mind as his eyes almost blazed with apoplectic fury.

"A father's duty is to protect his children. And you will pay dearly for trying to murder my child." Borlath said in a soft tone that didn't betray the unyielding rage he felt. Ano wasn't fooled, and tried to smile again despite the pain.

"Give...give it your best-" Ano tried to say, only to be cut off by a hand clamping down on his throat and suddenly yanking him forward.

Borlath sucker-punched his father in the chest with a snarl, causing a spray of blood to erupt from Ano's mouth. The Cipher Master then grabbed the old man's right arm and, with a violent gesture, broke it with a shout. Ano howled in pain, but that noise would only grow louder as Borlath backhanded the man back into his chair and pulled out his pistol once again, this time firing a shot into both of the man's thighs.

"This isn't even close to the amount of pain you inflicted upon me on a daily basis, father...I cannot wait to end your so-called legacy and that of Alola's when I give up my soul for the sake of the world. Goodbye." Borlath said as he reached forward to wrap his right hand around Ano Aupuni's neck, raising him into the air again. Borlath stared into his father's eyes, and for a long moment simply held Ano high and choked the life out of him.

And then Borlath grinned, and allowed the bloodlust that he had been fighting off, shoving down and suppressing...to come forth.

Borlath then drew back his fist and this time, putting every bit of hate and anger and sorrow into his next action, before throwing a third punch right to the side of Ano Aupuni's skull. The Cipher Master's fist struck the old man's temple as hard as he could make it, knocking Ano out of Borlath's grip.

Ano hit the floor with a harsh thud, but he was dead before he hit the ground.

Borlath dropped to his knees with a strangled noise and punched Ano again, knocking loose a tooth. Borlath then swung with his left hand, shattering the corpse's nose. He punched again with his left, and began alternating his punches as he struck Ano Aupuni again and again and again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

Borlath continued to punch Ano Aupuni until his hands actually hurt too much for him to continue. His palms were drenched in blood and as he looked down at Ano's face, it was unrecognizable. Borlath shivered at the rush of emotions that flooded through him at the moment, but at the moment the most overpowering feeling was relief.

"They're dead...They're both gone." Borlath whispered, closing his eyes as he rested his bloodied hands on his pants, staining them with the blood of his father. Damien padded over to his Trainer, smiling at him.

"Come. Let's leave this unhappy place." Damien said gently to Borlath, who nodded mutely nodded as he took in the sight of both of his dead parents.

Borlath rose to his feet and walked through the house, washing his hands and arms of his father's blood. He also decided on a whim to collect a few personal effects (family history books, a handful of Z-Crystals and the like) that he knew were invaluable and that Sun may want to have someday. He stored these items away in a bag he procured in the house before walking out of the front door. Borlath didn't even bother to close it, so wrapped up in his own thoughts as he was.

"I killed my parents...They're dead. Gone." Borlath muttered weakly to himself, still unable to believe it. Damien nodded in satisfaction, grinning at his Trainer.

"And for once, I don't feel awful about it. Though, that's more because of the fact that Ano Aupuni was a miserable excuse for a human being." Damien said as he watched his Trainer look back at the house with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Damien? Can you...Do you mind if..." Borlath trailed off, shaking his head and trying to gather his wits.

"You don't even need to tell me this time." Damien responded as he turned around, lowering his head as white-hot flames ignited within his maw. Borlath inhaled deeply, fortifying himself for this command. Much like Lusamine's own actions several days prior, this would be the point of no return for him, he felt.

"So be it. Damien! Kill!" Borlath bellowed as Damien continued to gather every bit of power he could muster. Eventually, the canine released a surging fireball towards the front door that had been left open.

The resulting explosion of flames completely annihilated the house and created a massive plume of flames that soared high into the sky. Borlath watched with a blank expression on his face as Damien fed the flames further by releasing a deadly Flamethrower to the mix, further destroying what remained of the Aupuni household.

"I'm...free." Borlath whispered, a smile coming to his face. His eyes were jet-black, but now they were slowly dipping into the same strange assortment of red, black and white that had been coming and going all night long. The physical representation of his emotional state, the special eyes that represented a change coming to Alola.

Borlath began to laugh as the finality of the situation sunk in for him. Ano Aupuni and Lahela Aupuni were dead. Gone. Forever. The abusive monster who had hurt him in the worst of ways and that had been a danger to the country for decades and the woman who knowingly let him act that way were now murdered by his hand.

Damien released the flames and grinned at the hellfire alongside his Trainer. "You should have killed them sooner, Ash."

"I know. At the end of this, I'm still too weak. But that's okay. Now then…" Borlath breathed, grinning sinisterly as he felt a great weight suddenly lift from his shoulders. Borlath was not only ready to continue with his plan, but he was eager to fight the God that came next. "Let's finish this, Damien."

"We've got two more Tapu, and then this all ends. We can finally stop." Damien said quietly as he looked up at his Trainer, his smile fading away. Borlath looked back at his Partner, resting a hand on his head with a fond smile. Damien stared into the eyes of his Trainer, and the diminishing nature of them. Damien smiled back at his Trainer before nodding, and with that the two of them began to move down the street.

Unaware they were being watched.

A floating creature that the duo would've recognized on the spot. A floating bull-like Pokémon colored red, yellow, white and black. A bell-like tail drifted underneath the creature as it floated on the night breeze, eyeing the blaze that had destroyed the Aupuni household and killed the two humans within it. Tapu Bulu sensed that their lives had been snuffed out as the Houndoom's flames immolated the house.

Tapu Bulu watched Damien and Ashton Aupuni walk down the road, sorrow filling its ancient bones. A strange creature flickered into existence beside the two figures and teleported them away from the scene, and Tapu Bulu snorted in anger as it thought about what would come next.

It knew that they were coming for it, and when they did Tapu Bulu would face the consequences for both its inaction, and its mistakes. Centuries of mistakes. Of inaction when it had a duty. As all the Tapu did. Still…

Tapu Bulu would give them a fight to remember.


NEXT TIME: Nebby escapes from the bag, Sun tackles the Ghost Trial, and Borlath picks a fight with God (because being clever with the word 'Abundance' is pretty difficult).


Q & A

From: Anonymouse

Alright, since I'm assuming Deoxys doesn't have a Poke Ball, Borlath's team is Damien, Trevenant, Greninja, Toxicity, Hitmonchan, and Regigigas, correct?

Actually, Regigigas and Deoxys aren't a part of Ashton's battling team. He calls upon Deoxys with a special pendant and has the Ultra Ball for Regigigas on hand.

His current team is Damien (Houndoom), Rooto (Trevenant), Bruce (Hitmonchan), Zorro (Greninja), Creed (Toxicity), and Puffy (Wigglytuff).

From: Oragonking

3) When will Sun get his own Pokémon that can Mega Evolve?

What's the fun in telling you whether or not he'll get one that does in the first place? You'll see what his final teammate will be soon enough.

From: SolonaLeonhart

A random question which occurred to me while reading this chapter, what happened to Perfect Kyurem? The last time I remembered it was mentioned was back when Borlath met with the league, I think. It kinda just seems to fade to the background after that.

I actually included the snippet about it in this chapter because you pointed that out. It's been a while since I even mentioned it and while it'll definitely play a role in events to come, as of now it's simply on standby. Thanks for your attention to detail there!

From: Guest

Didn't Tapu Fini was the one who gave Hapu her Z-Ring and chose her as the new Kahuna?

Yes, it does do that.

And poof, like that, we've got another update in the books. I'm going to really try and ramp up things up update-wise over the next few months to meet my own self-mandated deadline. Will I succeed? Who knows? But that's the fun part!

Feel free to review and leave feedback on the chapter if you've enjoyed reading it. And as always, favorite and/or follow the story if you want to get updates, and if you want to ask a question do so in the review section below. Discord invites are available if you PM me on this site.

Take care and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!