Pokémon Radiant Sun
The following chapter title is brought to you by the King's Fall Raid coming back to Destiny 2.
On an unrelated note, life has been bloody hectic lately. I'll keep the details to a minimum, but needless to say I had to take some time for myself this past month and I appreciate your patience in waiting for this latest chapter to come out.
Hoping things will calm down as I get through the last of the nonsense in the first half of September. In the meantime, I've got an update for all of you cool cats as Sun begins the road to Po Town and we enter the Aether Arc at long last.
In the meantime, shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update which includes Oragonking, Anasazi Darkmoon, PigniteGamer29 and a new reviewer known as BlazingIncineroar! Thanks for the feedback and support folks.
Enjoy.
Chapter 143: Regicide
Meanwhile
Aether Paradise
Lusamine leaned back in her chair, enjoying the silence as Wicke struggled to make a move. An ornate chess board sat between the two women, with gentle piano music playing in the background of Lusamine's study/music room. Wicke finally smirked as she moved her black knight into position, taking down one of Lusamine's white rooks.
"You've improved, Julia." Lusamine remarked with a soft laugh, eyeing the board and considering her next move.
Wicke laughed as well, crossing her arms and leaning forward. "Considering how much you played against Faba and Mohn back when he was around, I'm somewhat proud I've lasted this long! But yes, I've been practicing in my spare time against some of our coworkers. It's quite relaxing!"
"I imagine you'd give Faba a run for his money. He's skilled, but his impatience eventually gets the better of him." Lusamine chuckled softly, amused despite herself. Chess had been something Mohn had gotten her into many years ago, but she had fallen out of playing once he had vanished and all responsibilities of the Paradise fell onto her shoulders. It was only recently that she had picked the game up again.
Lusamine reached a dainty hand forward and used her Queen to slide across the board, taking down the Rook Julia had moved a turn before. Wicke frowned at the move, clearly set back by losing the valuable piece. That was when Lusamine's phone began to ring on the nearby table, and the Aether President grabbed it to see who was calling her.
"My apologies, Julia. I have to take this." Lusamine said to Wicke, who nodded as she considered what her next move would be. Lusamine brought the phone to her ear and said, "Yes?"
"The extraction team is prepared, ma'am." came a familiar male voice over the phone, speaking quietly as if to not be heard by those besides his intended recipient. "I've also ensured our distraction teams are in position and adequately prepared to cause as much chaos as possible over the next few days."
"But are you prepared? This is a big step for you." Lusamine responded, her tone serious enough to cause a concerned expression to flicker across Wicke's face.
"I have been waiting for this moment for a long, long time. I'm not backing out now. The other teams are currently on standby, ready to act as soon as you give the word. I'm also coordinating with Guzma, who has already succeeded in drawing the Aupuni brat away from the Aether House. Everything looks good for Team Skull to begin extraction once he's reached Po Town."
"Double check everything and then proceed as planned. You know my time-table by now, so stick to it." Lusamine said with a frown, despite inwardly being rather excited. Everything was finally coming together.
"It shall be done. We'll both get the retribution we desire so much very soon." The voice laughed harshly before hanging up the phone.
"Is everything alright, ma'am?" Wicke asked, raising an eyebrow. Lusamine chuckled softly, eyeing the board in front of her. The Aether President's frown turned into a smile once again as she set aside her phone and considered the board.
"Everything is just fine, Julia. Just fine." Lusamine replied airily, reaching a hand forward as she moved the white Queen yet again. This time she took down a bishop and moved herself into a position to take the black King, which shimmered slightly in the bright light of the room. Of course, Lusamine envisioned something else as she removed her hand from the Queen and grinned up at Julia Wicke's face.
"Checkmate."
Meanwhile…
Alola Route 15
Sun walked down the path, his thoughts churning as he considered this new development. Team Skull had broken into the Aether House and stolen a child's Pokémon. They then personally called Sun out, instructing him to come to their stronghold in Po Town alone, in order to get it back.
The boy's eyes flashed from gray to blue to red, and then back to gray as he reined in his emotions and considered the consequences of indulging Team Skull and playing into their hands. He could call up his friends and have them help him save the stolen Yungoos. Aria, Wes and the others would be more than willing to help him. It would be so easy…
But at the same time Team Skull had made this personal.
And for some reason Sun couldn't identify, he was almost eager to confront the gang on their home turf and give them a crash course on why not to mess with him or his friends. There was also Guzma's attempt to murder Ashton Aupuni back at Iki Town. Sun couldn't let that stand either.
"This may be a trap, but I'm more than ready!" Sun thought to himself, adjusting his cap as he looked up at the Alolan sun overhead. The boy realized he still had a few hours of daylight left, so with that he made his way down to the beach and soon he was walking across the sand.
"Acerola said to be on the lookout for a guy in a kimono…and there he is." Sun muttered to himself, somewhat surprised to see exactly the strange sight that Acerola had mentioned to Sun before he departed the Aether House. The boy made his way towards the man in the kimono, questions forming in his mind.
The man was tall, his posture lazy as he stared out at the setting sun with a tired but amused expression, dark bags around his eyes and white streaks in his dark hair despite looking no older than his late twenties. And much like Acerola had said, he was wearing a rather fancy white kimono that looked extremely expensive.
"Man oh man…What is going on today?" The man remarked, his voice holding an accent that Sun recognized as the same kind Hugh and Aria had.
"Someone actually bothered coming to this kind of sad place?" The man continued, placing a hand on his hip before turning around to face Sun. "Well, no matter. I'll take you on. Keep you company."
"Huh?" the boy responded with confusion.
"Tell me. Uncle Grimsley is going to flip a coin. Will it be heads or tails?" The man asked with a strange smile, which made Sun raise an eyebrow. But he chose to answer the man's challenge despite his bewilderment.
"Heads." Sun responded, and with that Grimsley tossed the golden coin skyward. As it came back down to earth Grimsley caught it with a practiced swipe and slapped the coin against his arm. The man laughed under his breath, shaking his head after a moment.
"Astonishing. You just took a stab, like some kind of prophet." Grimsley remarked softly, his gaze sharpening as he looked over Sun with a calculating gaze. It was then that Sun realized what was bugging him.
"I recognize you…You're Grimsley, the Dark-type Specialist of the Unovan Pokémon League's Elite Four." Sun said to the man, who's smile slipped away.
"I used to be. Not that it matters anymore. So, how can I help you?" Grimsely asked as he expertly rolled the coin between his fingers in a way that made Sun secretly jealous, since it reminded him of a pirate movie he, Ollie and his mother had watched recently.
"Captain Acerola said you could help me get to Po Town. Is that true?" Sun asked the man, who opened his mouth to respond, only for a loud cry to cut him off.
"Sooool!"
Sun and Grimsley turned towards the main route to see a familiar-looking Absol bounding towards them, stopping short of Grimsley holding a note in its mouth. Grimsley grinned and accepted the note from the Pokémon, which Sun concluded must have belonged to the veteran Trainer.
"Wait a sec…You're the Absol I've been seeing!" Sun realized as the Absol regarded him stoically for several moments. It then nodded as Grimsley laughed, patting the Disaster Pokémon on the head.
"Yes, this one is mine. I actually have several of my Pokémon exploring the island on their own. Some I keep close by in case of trouble. But my Absol has been most interested in you as of late. I believe it senses the tendrils of fate swirling around you. Danger and peril loom around you like storm clouds, which draws Absol's attention because of its power. And yet despite that…Right now, you and your Pokémon are shining brilliantly." Grimsley remarked, pocketing the coin and putting a hand on his hip again. "A loss is a loss."
"I didn't even see the coin result." Sun pointed out, causing Grimsley's smile to widen. The Absol snorted softly, but Grimsley took that in stride.
"I'll give you Sharpedo's info for your Ride Pager then. Ride it to victory." Grimsley said, extending a hand out to Sun blinked several times in confusion. He pulled out his Ride Pager and the man updated it just like he said he would.
"With the Ride Pager system down, it's been hard to get Sharpedo out here to surf. This one was already nearby, so he shall aid you in your journey." Grimsley said as he pressed the button on Sun's Ride Pager, calling forth a Sharpedo that happened to be swimming nearby with the Ride Gear on. It swiftly swam over to the beach and let out a soft snarl.
"Bzzzzt! Time for a Pokedex entry!" Rotom Dex chirped, floating out of Sun's backpack and hovering a few feet above the sand as it flipped to the appropriate entry.
"Sharpedo. The Brutal Pokémon and the evolved form of Carvanha. It has a sad history. In the past, its dorsal fin was a treasured foodstuff, so this Pokémon became a victim of overfishing. It pursues its prey at speeds of 75 mph and finishes them off with fangs that can crush iron. It is known as the bully of the sea." Rotom explained to Sun as the boy stared at the rather intimidating Pokémon with an awed expression.
"Sharpedo are powerful and reliable Pokémon. I prefer riding them to Mantine, but I'm also biased." Grimsley remarked, laughing as he walked over to the Ride Pokémon and patted it on the head. The Sharpedo closed its eyes and grunted softly, making Sun smile.
Grimsley then pointed out over the water, his finger directed at several large rocks out in the distance. "Maybe you don't need to hear this from me, but I'm going to tell you anyway. You can instruct Sharpedo to jet forward and smash through rocks like those over there."
"That's…really, really cool." Sun admitted, grinning now with excitement. He had a feeling this was going to be a little dangerous, but really fun. "Thanks for the help, sir."
"Think nothing of it. You saved the world from your Dad." Grimsley said dismissively, waving aside Sun's thanks. "And here's a bit more unwanted advice."
"What would that be?" Sun asked.
"Po Town lies at the other end of Route 16 here. But it's thoroughly occupied by Team Skull. You shouldn't go there unless you want trouble." Grimsley warned Sun, who tilted his hat downward with a grin.
"I didn't want trouble. Team Skull picked a fight, and I'm not going to let them get away with hurting someone who can't fight back. They called me out and I'm going to make sure they learn to regret that." Sun explained to Grimsley, receiving a nod of acknowledgement.
"If somebody wins a battle, then without a doubt, someone else has lost the battle. That's the way of battle." Grimsley said in a tone that was far more serious than Sun thought such a statement would be. The boy wondered if there was something to it he was missing.
"I hope I might battle you someday." Grimsley said with another dark smile, extending a hand out to Sun. The boy looked down at the offered hand before shaking it firmly, still confused. Grimsley's smile twisted into something more amused.
"You stopped the non-stop violence that had been rampaging around the world." Grimlsey said to the younger Trainer, stepping backwards and bringing a hand to his chin. "I quit the Elite Four so that I could try and do some good in the world. When I came to Alola, it was to take the fight to Cipher myself so that they wouldn't do to these islands what they did to my home. And yet in the end, a child did what the adults could not."
"I wasn't able to stop Borlath by myself." Sun said quietly, staring the veteran Trainer in the eyes. "My friends supported me the entire way, and my team gave it everything they had. And…I believed in the good that my Dad had left in him. Anyone can change, you know?"
Grimsley stared at Sun for nearly a minute, his gaze becoming something calculating. After that…the man grinned at Sun, a genuine smile of mirth on his face.
"I think the world could use a little bit more hope." Grimsley remarked, crossing his arms as Sun smiled back at him. Grimsley pulled out a card from his sleeve and handed it to the boy. "I work for the Pokémon League in a more loose capacity now, but I also reckon I owe you a favor. If you need to get in touch or want some advice from a gambling addict, let me know. For now, I'm choosing to bet on you, Sunshine Smiles."
"Bzzzt! Isn't advice from a self-admitted gambling addict kinda…bad?" Rotom Dex asked the older Trainer, who shrugged.
"First step is admitting you've got a problem." Grimsley said, flashing a winning smile. He then pointed out towards Sharpedo, who was patiently waiting for them. "Now get on your merry way, kid. Stay alert, watch the shadows, and be aware that a lot of people are watching your story unfold. Both good and bad."
Sun looked at the man with confusion, and when he tried to ask what Grimsley meant the man refused to elaborate. Sun decided to simply continue on his way, but couldn't help but look down at the business card of the former Elite Four member and wonder who was keeping an eye on him.
Meanwhile…
Aether House
Lillie let out a soft sigh as she rubbed her temples, feeling a headache was coming on as she sat down at the kitchen table. Nebby gently nuzzled her cheek, and Lillie pulled the Cosmog into a hug.
Acerola looked at her with some concern as she finished the final touches on some milkshakes she was making for them all. Hau was in the other room keeping the children happy by watching cartoons with them.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Acerola asked her friend, who simply sighed again. "You know, sighing is not an answer, Lillie. Though it is indeed a big mood, as the kids say."
"Acerola, you're only a few years older than me." Lillie pointed out dryly, causing the older teen to smirk.
"Meh. Age is just a number. Besides, you're too pretty to be so angsty, my friend. So what's going on?" Acerola asked a very bewildered Lillie.
"I…I'm confused. Are you hitting on me or giving me a compliment?" Lillie asked owlishly, trying and failing to process what Acerola had said.
"Yes!"
"Are you even bi? I know you've dated a few guys in the past."
"Nah. I just like messing with you!" Acerola chirped as she spun around on her heel, her dressing billowing out around her as she laughed. Lillie couldn't help a smile at that, and considered the original question she had been asked.
"I'm anxious. Things have been going well lately, today's events notwithstanding. But I had a conversation with Sun the other day about himself and Hau, and I'm…considering telling them the truth. About me. About Nebby. About everything." Lillie admitted to a surprise Acerola, who leaned forward with an interested expression.
"I'm honestly stunned. What brought this about?" Acerola asked, sitting down at the table with a concerned frown.
"Sun told me that he and Hau have been frustrated with my secrets. And yet despite that, they've never really pushed me about them. I can't even imagine how much that must bother them, but they've just accepted it and supported me anyway. They're so good to me, even though I don't really feel like I deserve such unconditional friendship. It's not fair to them…I feel like I should come clean and tell them the truth." Lillie admitted to Acerola, who's expression became pensive.
"I don't know just how deep this rabbit hole goes, Lillie. I only know so much about the secrets you're keeping." Acerola admitted, leaning back in her chair. "But I do know that you've got a reason for what you do. You've been trying to protect your friends all this time from the harsh truth of the darkness you've been trying to keep back all this time. Knowledge can be really dangerous."
"But I also know that I can't do this on my own. Sun showed me that sometimes you just have to rely on your friends, no matter how strong you are. I think that, maybe with the help of my friends, maybe I can make progress where before I was impeded. I wouldn't have made it to the Ruins of Abundance without them." Lillie responded, her voice quiet. "I don't want to be like Mr. Aupuni or Mother. I'm tired of it, Acerola. My friends are everything to me. You all deserve the truth, no matter what it may bring."
Acerola had to stop herself from hugging the girl in response to that statement, but she did tear up a little as she beamed at Lillie. The Captain hopped to her feet, clapping her hands together.
"I'm proud of you, Lillie. You've really grown in the past few months." Acerola said warmly to the other girl, causing the blonde to flush with embarrassment.
"Maybe. I've definitely changed my perspective on a lot of things since leaving home. Even Pokémon Battles don't bother me much anymore. Sometimes they can even be exciting." Lillie admitted as Acerola's smile twisted into a mischievous smirk.
"Especially when a certain gray-eyed boy we both know is the one doing the battling." Acerola replied, making Lillie's cheeks flush harder.
Lillie surprised herself and Acerola by nodding in agreement. "You're not wrong. I…really like Sun. A lot. He feels the same way, and I…want to be more than friends with him. But I don't know if now's the right time. Helping Nebby and stopping Mother is too important. Especially with the Tapu giving out warnings about terrible things happening."
Acerola's smile faded and was replaced with a somber look at her friend. "Life's short, Lillie. If you don't make the most of it, it'll come back to haunt you. You and Sun both want to be together, right? Then you should really have that conversation. You both are a fantastic team and I think you'd make a wonderful couple."
Lillie managed a small smile at that, thinking about how Sun passionately kissed her back in Hau'oli City. She remembered how the boy had told her to flee to safety, and how she had defied that request to save her hero from the Cipher Captain Naps.
The girl also remembered several other times when she had mustered her courage and did things that she never could have imagined she'd ever be doing. Battling alongside her mother and brother at the Battle Royal Dome, helping Sun battle against Borlath, as well as several other times when she had been brave and did what she needed to despite being terrified and weak.
"Acerola, can you go get Hau? I think I need to talk with him." Lillie said to her friend, who smiled back at Lillie and nodded. Acerola departed into the other room, and less than a minute Hau walked in looking somewhat concerned.
"Hey Lillie, everything okay?" Hau asked, putting his hands behind his head.
"Hau, can I talk with you for a little bit?" Lillie asked her friend, who shrugged with a grin.
"Yeah, why not?" Hau said as he walked over to the table, though he was concerned with Lillie's pensive expression. "What's on your mind Lils?"
"When Sun comes back, I want to sit down and talk with you both. About me. Nebby. My family. Everything." Lillie said haltingly, and seeing Hau's confused expression she clarified what she meant. "I'm tired of keeping secrets from my two best friends. It's not fair. Not after everything you two shared with me."
"Lillie…are you sure? You don't have to tell us if you're not ready." Hau said gently, sitting down at the table. "Me and Sun are curious, yeah, but you've got your reasons. You're trying to protect us, right? You said that a while ago when I asked about it, and even Professor Kukui and Tutu said something similar when I asked them about your past."
"Yes. I've been trying to deal with a situation that could result in disastrous consequences for the entire world, especially if those I'm working against knew I was spreading the truth around. Some people know the truth, but that number is a very small group of trusted individuals. But I'm tired of that." Lille explained to Hau, who's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm tired of hiding things from my two best friends in the whole world. I wouldn't have made it this far without you and Sun, and you both tell me everything. You both deserve to know the truth."
"If that's what you want, then yeah, let's have a talk and figure stuff out. Once Sun gets back with Yungoos, we can hash out the truth." Hau said with a cheery grin, giving Lillie a thumbs up. Lillie smiled warmly at her friend, nodding back at him.
"I'd like that. Hopefully Sun comes back sooner rather than later. I'm worried about him dealing with Team Skull all on his own." Lillie admitted, sighing softly as her smile faded. "I wish there was more that I could do."
"Hey, don't sweat it. Me and Acerola are holding down the fort here and Sun's on hero duty. He's even beaten Guzma in a fair fight! You've got nothing to worry about!" Hau said bracingly, making Lillie smile again.
"He's right. I can always count on Sun to pull through somehow…Please be safe." Lillie thought to herself, wondering how her crush and best friend was doing.
One Hour Later…
Route 15
Sun whooped as Sharpedo smashed through another boulder in the water, reducing the large rock into a shower of pebbles and rubble instantly.
The boy was initially worried about using Sharpedo as a battering ram, but it seemed that smashing into the boulders wasn't bothering the massive shark in the least. So with that lesson learned, Sun decided to let loose and have a bit of fun. He called out his birds and Finn so that they could get some fresh air as they traveled alongside him.
"You're enjoying this quite a bit, aren't you?" Penny asked her Trainer as Sun laughed, giving his birds a thumbs up.
"Well, yeah! I've never ridden a Sharpedo before! And it's awesome!" Sun yelled back as he urged the Ride Sharpedo to put on a burst of speed, sending them both surging over the crystal clear waters along the oceanside route. Several Wingull and Pelipper tried to bother them, but Oliver rather brutally dealt with them by attacking them with tactical Spirit Shackles.
Sun later learned that Oliver's cackles of delight could be heard as far as the Tapu Village, and that Hau would occasionally have nightmares of the giggles from hell that he could hear from over the waters.
"I always enjoy flying over the ocean. The sea breeze is so refreshing after dealing with the heat every day." Penny admitted, swooping past Sun and watching as Oliver lashed out with a Shadow Claw to knock out a Tentacruel that had slowly risen from the depths and had been floating towards Sun.
Penny smiled at the Decidueye for several moments before turning her attention back to Sun, who had been watching her. The boy smiled almost knowingly, causing Penny to let out a soft chirp of surprise before suddenly flapping her wings and rising skyward. Sun laughed quietly as he steered towards a nearby island, thinking that he could use a few minutes to stretch and let the Ride Sharpedo take a break.
Sun had a quick battle with a Cool Trainer, using Brago and Alastor to wreak havoc on their team. Our hero also found the TM for Wild Charge nearby, and after Oliver and Penny finally rejoined him, Sun had a picnic lunch with his team.
Tetra seemed very excited about the ocean, since she had lived in Haina Desert for most of her life and hadn't ever been too close to it. The young dragon's wide-eyed enthusiasm for the new things she was seeing definitely seemed to be having an effect on the team, as everyone was more than happy to teach Tetra what they knew about the ocean. Even Rotom Dex got in on the action, and two hours passed as Tetra had her very first swimming lesson.
She was also very excited to meet the Ride Sharpedo, for obvious reasons. To Sun's relief, the Sharpedo greeted the land shark cordially (at least according to Finn, who translated the exchange for Sun).
Eventually the boy returned his team and continued his trek down the watery route, smashing through quite a few more rocks and even battling a few Trainers swimming along the way. Sun made sure to battle the couple training on the beach and picked up a few trinkets littering the beach while searching for the proper path that would lead him to Po Town. As the sun began to set, Sun finally spotted a Pokémon Center and began walking towards the building, hoping he could grab a warm drink and a shower.
"Oooh! Berries!" Tetra pointed out suddenly, gesturing towards a nearby Berry Tree that had a mound of various berries sitting at its base. The excited Gabite ran over to the tree while the others watched on with some amusement, though Sun remembered something important and began walking after his excitable dragon.
"Wait, Tetra, before you eat any of those you-" Sun began to say, only for Tetra to reach down and grab a Sitrus Berry from the top of the pile and open her mouth wide to snap it up.
"Crabababab!"
Tetra squealed in surprise as a Crabrawler leapt out of the pile of berries, lashing out with a Bubblebeam. Tetra screamed as the bubbles forcefully pelted her, with her teammates quickly making their way over to her as the Crabrawler continued to attack.
"Tetra, use Dragon Rage!" Sun called to the Gabite. To his surprise, however, Tetra was too busy panicking to actually heed Sun's command. Brago took the initiative to rush forward and take out the feisty crab with a Fire Fang, knocking it out. Tetra huddled on the ground, shaking and staring fearfully at the Berry Tree.
"She doesn't seem to like surprises, now does she?" Alastor remarked, unable to help the humor in his voice.
"You jerk! Don't laugh at her!" Oliver chided the Alolan Golem, unable to help his own chuckles of amusement at Tetra's childish distress as Sun healed her with a Potion. The poor dragon looked absolutely terrified, staring at the tree as if more evil crabs would attack her.
Alastor stopped laughing at the Gabite and looked at his Decidueye teammate with a droll expression. "You're laughing at her too, you stupid ghost."
"Well yeah, because it was funny. I never said I wasn't a jerk." Oliver pointed out, causing Penny to face-wing and Finn to snicker quietly at the exchange.
"Tetra, are you okay?" Sun asked, kneeling down to the dragon as she slowly calmed down. The Gabite nodded, shivering after a moment.
"I wasn't expecting that. Sorry." Tetra apologized as she hung her head in shame. She was surprised when Sun patted her head comfortingly.
"Don't worry about it. Just try and be more careful in the future. Now come on, let's get some berries." Sun said as he walked over to the tree, picking up a Chesto Berry and an Oran Berry. Tetra walked over to the Berry Tree and picked up the Sitrus Berry. She then tore it in half and offered a chunk to Brago, who smiled at her.
"Thank you for saving me." Tetra said quietly as Brago snapped up the fragment of berry, with Tetra devouring the other half.
"Don't worry about it. We're a pack. A family. We protect one another as the Alpha guides us. You simply need to watch and learn from the rest of us, as well as listen to the Alpha's instructions while in battle, and you will be fine." Brago said to the young dragon, receiving a little nod in response.
"That's not bad advice at all." Alastor admitted, drawing everyone's gaze. "Each of us fights in different ways and has different experiences with this world. You would do well to observe and try to soak up as much insight as possible."
"I'll do my best!" Tetra said to Alastor, raising a determined claw in response as she smiled at the Golem. Alastor rolled his eyes in response, but to Sun's relief didn't respond with any of his usual ire. If anything the Golem took the answer in stride because he walked over to the unconscious Crabrawler and pointed at it.
"See? This one has the command of water, despite not being one of water. It has the typing of fighting, like how you possess the typing of the earth and of the dragon. I would have some trouble defeating it with my rock attacks, but I could easily crush this one with my electricity." Alastor explained to Tetra, who nodded slowly.
"You know…I don't really like fighting all that much." Tetra admitted, earning a surprised look from Alastor. "I used to fight a whole lot when I was even smaller, but I wasn't very good at it. I wonder if I'll be better at it now that I'm with you all now."
Tetra's voice had become very quiet towards the end, and all the Pokémon surrounding her had become noticeably concerned about her, with even Alastor looking rather alarmed. That was when the Gabite grimaced harshly and placed a claw to her head.
"Are you well, child?" Alastor asked, his tone serious as he took a single step back, exchanging a glance with Oliver. The Decidueye took a step forward, his expression concerned as Tetra shuddered, a soft snarl escaping her before she seemingly gained control over herself again.
"I-I'm fine! Just fine!" Tetra said as her eyes snapped open, her expression becoming one of panic. "Keep going! I want to learn!"
"We can go over more stuff later. Let's get to the Pokémon Center and rest up. I think we're going to have a long day tomorrow traveling." Sun said to his team, who nodded and were quickly returned to their Poké Balls. Sun stood there for several moments, looking down at the Luxury Ball containing Tetra with concerned thoughts rising to the surface of his mind…as well as a certain suspicion about his newest Pokémon.
Sun walked over to the Pokémon Center, but his plans changed when he noticed a familiar white building further down the road. Curious, he walked past the PMC and headed towards a grassy area by the water and called his team back out.
"An Aether Lab. Haven't seen one of those in a while." Sun remarked, walking over to the large white building. Sun then noticed something shining on the ground out of the corner of his eye hidden behind a large rock. Sun walked around the outside of the building and found a small tunnel that led to the other side of the building and found the TM for X-Scissor.
Brago asked Sun why he didn't just ask one of them to grab the disc for him, and Sun simply shrugged and let the Arcanine trounce the nearby scientist who was lurking in the grass.
Once that was dealt with, Sun returned his team once again and knocked on the front door to the lab. When the door opened for him, he was greeted by the smiling face of Sina, who welcomed him into the lab.
"Sun! How's it going?" Sina asked, flashing the boy a cheery grin as she gestured around the lab. "Welcome to Aether Lab Charlie."
Meanwhile Zinnia and Dexio were observing a whirling mass of cells within a large tube while two Aether Foundation members took notes on their data pads. Sun wasn't able to match his Kalosian friend's smile as he was reminded just how his day had gone thanks to a certain group of boneheads.
"Not great. Team Skull stole a little girl's Pokémon and called me out directly. I've got to go to Po Town by myself to deal with them." Sun responded to the surprise of his friends. He then explained how Team Skull had been harassing them as of late, revealing that Plumeria was behind the attack at the beach and the ambush in the desert.
"I don't like this. It's the most obvious trap in the world. Are you sure you don't want some backup?" Zinnia asked, frowning as she considered how she could help. Sun shook his head, resigned but determined.
"I can't risk them hurting that little girl's Pokémon by not doing what Guzma wants. Besides, Team Skull has been more and more active lately, attacking people and wreaking havoc wherever they go. If I can go to their base directly and beat them at their own game, maybe it'll keep them quiet for a while." Sun replied, much to the chagrin of the others.
"We understand. Please let us know if we can assist in an indirect way. Not that we don't have faith in you, after the battle in Hau'oli City you certainly proved your strength, but…This situation leaves me feeling uneasy." Dexio remarked, sighing softly with frustration.
"Zygarde feels the same way, actually." Zinnia admitted, drawing a surprised look from Sun. "That's why we're here. We've currently got 75% of Zygarde's body back, and we're looking into powering him up to face whatever's coming next. Tapu Lele is very concerned about something. Something big. It wasn't able to give me the details, so we're just going to have to be ready."
It was then that the door to the lab opened and Colress strode in, his usually affable smile looking somewhat strained as he walked over to the trio of Trainers, who were very surprised to see him.
"Colress? I thought you were-" Sina began to ask, only for Colress to interrupt with a shake of the head.
"No time. There's been a Cipher attack on Akala Island." Colress said to Sina and Dexio, whose faces both paled in horror. Sun felt his blood run cold at those words, unpleasant memories surfacing in his mind.
"What? How!? Borlath has been taken care of! He disbanded the entire group!" Sina asked the scientist, who responded with another shake of the head.
"I don't know. There's been coordinated strikes against businesses and homes in Paniola Town and one of the Trial Locations, Brooklet Hill, has been vandalized by a group of people wearing Cipher's armor. It's fairly distinctive." Colress responded, placing a hand against his chin. "Why they would lash out like this is beyond me though. Cipher is usually more careful about its targets."
"That's when they had leaders at the helm. If this is a rogue series of attacks by the stragglers, then they can afford to be more random." Sina replied, gritting her teeth angrily. She then looked to her boyfriend, who nodded in silent agreement.
"Colress, we should join the effort and deal with these clowns before things get out of hand. Professor Kukui is relying on us to help keep things calm while he finishes setting up the League." Dexio remarked, drawing Sun's attention.
"Professor Kukui is away from Alola?" Sun asked, receiving a nod from both Sina and Dexio.
"The Professor is away from Alola for the next two weeks or so, finalizing things for the Alolan Pokémon League. He asked us and our friends from Unova to keep an eye on things for him while he was away." Dexio answered as Zinnia walked over to the capsule containing Zygarde and opened it with a button press. The cells swirled and reformed into a large wyrm, who looked at Sun with a measured gaze.
"You seem conflicted, child." Zygarde noted as Sun looked away from the ancient dragon.
"You're not wrong…I'm supposed to be heading to Po Town to deal with Team Skull, and yet the first thing I want to do right now is help deal with Cipher. Especially if there's any chance Dad is involved." Sun admitted, sounding genuinely frustrated with himself.
"No, Sun. You've done enough. We imagine these are stragglers who want to cling to some semblance of power. We can handle this." Colress said firmly to the younger Trainer.
"We also don't believe Ashton Aupuni is involved at all. He's been plenty forthcoming with information about Cipher and while we haven't told him about this latest development, he's been stuck in prison and is monitored around the clock. Besides talking to himself and annoying the guard outside of his cell, Borlath's been a model prisoner." Dexio explained to Sun, who looked somewhat concerned that his father was talking to himself. It was then that Sina pointed something more important out.
"You've still got a Yungoos to save. You're the only person who can get it back right now, and I wouldn't put it past that Guzma guy to hurt an innocent Pokémon. You need to help those kids and put Team Skull in their place. Cipher is our problem." Sina said pointedly, smiling to Sun and patting him on the head.
"If it's as urgent as you made it sound, Colress, we'll head out now. You guys cool with closing up?" Dexio asked the two Aether Paradise members working at the computers in the back of the room.
"Yeah, it's no problem. Take care and be safe!" one of the men said, looking up from his computer and offering the Trainers a thumbs up. Sina and Dexio departed from the building, followed closely by Zinnia and Zygarde. Colress, however, lingered for several seconds and regarded Sun with a calculating expression.
"I guess…I'll keep heading towards Po Town." Sun said quietly, unable to help the concern in his voice. Colress shrugged, catching Sun's attention.
"It's simply the way of things, Sun. Trust us, and we'll resolve this as soon as possible. Those kids are counting on you, and you've done enough in this battle against Cipher. Let us do some of the heavy lifting." Colress responded, smiling fondly at the boy. "However, I do have to ask you a small favor."
"What's that?" Sun asked.
"Before I depart, Sun, I've got a prototype upgrade for the Rotom Dex I wanted to give you." Colress said as he pulled out a flash drive and a small pair of bright red headphones. Rotom Dex flew out of Sun's backpack, intrigued. "I completed it only a few days ago, and since you've been so helpful in my studies recently, I wanted to give you the chance to use the modification first and provide some valuable feedback for me."
"Oooooh! A shiny new upgrade for me, boss? You zzzhouldn't have!" Rotom Dex cried out joyfully as Colress snatched the device out of the air, attaching the headphones into a small back-panel of the device and causing Rotom Dex to squeal in surprise.
"Oh my! I didn't know you were into this kind of stuff-BZZZZRRRT!" Rotom beeped loudly, cutting off the rest of his sentence much to the relief of a disturbed Sun. Colress handed the boy the flash drive and continued to speak.
"It's a Universal Translator Mod to the Rotom Dex. It allows you to understand the speech of any Pokémon while it's activated. Please keep in mind that it's a prototype, and you have to be connected to the Rotom Dex to properly use it and have the headphones on. I have a tutorial set up on the installation drive, so please watch it when you can." Colress said with a pleasant smile, nodding to Sun before he followed the other two Trainers out of the door. "Farewell, my friend!"
Sun stood there in the Aether Lab for several minutes, trying to compose himself as he struggled with the news that Cipher wasn't done as well as the strange request from the enigmatic scientist. Added onto that was the fact that he was being kept out of this latest fight by the adults…Sun couldn't help but feel frustrated.
The Kanto-native scowled angrily and stormed out of the lab, his eyes flashing red as he tried to think how and why Cipher would resurface so soon after his father's defeat.
But never would he have realized the true depths to which they were all being deceived.
Later That Night…
Malie City Maximum Security Block
"Something is wrong."
Ashton Aupuni's eyes flickered open as Tapu Bulu's voice whispered within his mind, jostling him from his sleep. The former leader of Cipher remained silent as he felt a strange shiver roil through his body.
"Do you feel it too?" Tapu Lele hummed.
"Yes. I can feel something tugging at the threads of this realm. Demanding entrance…How strange." Tapu Koko remarked, curiosity and a hint of eagerness in its voice.
"Why are you all waking me up to talk?" Ashton asked sourly, sitting up and stretching with a grunt.
"You serve as a focal point between the four of us. It's easier to communicate through you as a conduit than to try and project our voices across the entire region." Tapu Fini explained as Ashton crossed his arms. "Only Tapu Lele can do that with any ease. It exhausts the rest of us since our version of telepathy is so limited."
"Fine. Then why are you all so antsy?" Ashton asked pointedly, tapping his bare foot on the concrete floor. "You interrupted my beauty sleep."
"Because all four of us at once sensed something terrible coming. We are currently attempting to divine what exactly will happen, but we are certain it involves the monsters from beyond. They are coming…and we must be ready." Tapu Lele explained to Ashton, who's eyes widened and flickered to white.
"You mean the Ultra Beasts. Dammit. Lusamine must be growing closer to her goal. I was hoping Jackal would have been able to throw a wrench into her schemes, but maybe that was hoping for too much." Ashton remarked with a small sigh. "I hope the kids are safe…Alright, so what do we do?"
"You are to remain locked up in jail. We will prepare ourselves to defend the region as we are sworn to do. I only hope it will be enough." Tapu Bulu responded, with Ashton nodding ruefully in agreement. It wasn't like he was able to assist, even if he was free to do so. His Pokémon were kept under lock and key and he was cut off from the outside world.
It was then that Ashton heard a commotion from outside of his cell. It was muffled, since the grate that allowed him to speak with the guard was currently closed. However, he did hear a faint scream before silence followed…and the grate opened once again. To his shock, it wasn't his guard looking back at him. But a familiar silver helmet that he recognized at once.
It was the helmet of a Cipher Peon.
The steel door suddenly opened and revealed a squad of Cipher members standing in front of his cell, the prison guard lying on the floor unconscious. Ashton jolted with shock at the armed squad of soldiers that should have not been here.
"They shouldn't have known where I was. This is all wrong!" Ashton thought as he fought the urge to panic, instead remaining calm as he stood and drew himself up to his full height, staring down the squad of armored soldiers behind the metal bars.
"Good morning, everyone. I believe I ordered every member of Cipher to stand down." Ashton said quietly, settling into an at-ease position as one of the Cipher Peons, a slimmer one with a slightly hunched posture, strode to the door with a Hypno beside him. The Hypno's eyes glowed and the cell door slid open with a blue glow surrounding it. The slim Peon looked back at the unconscious guard on the ground, a soft chuckle escaping him.
"Take him to another cell. Make sure he's secured, then return here." The one who was seemingly the leader instructed the nearest Peon with a voice filter on to mask his identity. The other Peon nodded and went to follow the slim man's orders.
"What is the meaning of this!? Get out! Cipher is done!" Ashton shouted at the men, stepping forward despite every single one of the Peons aiming a weapon at the former Cipher Master.
"What is this? What do you want?" Ashton demanded, staring down the group of familiar-looking soldiers that stood before him in gleaming silver and white body armor. All of them were armed to the teeth, with the slim leader holding a single pistol in his hands as he chuckled lightly. It made no sense!
"Your reckoning...Borlath." The leader said as he raised his pistol, tapping it lightly against his hand. "You will pay for what you've done. Even if Alola has seen fit to see your story with sympathy, I see nothing more than a man who became a monster. A monster I will now put down…before achieving my destiny."
Ashton's mind raced as he considered what on earth would possess the remnants of Cipher to try to track him down and break into his cell. As far as he knew, all Cipher personnel in Alola had been captured. The former leader of Cipher then remembered what Jackal had told him the other day and his heart filled with dread…because he then realized who had led this effort.
"Are you afraid, Borlath?" the slim man asked Ashton. Another distorted laugh escaped the disguised man, but his hidden glee was palpable. "Please, tell me you at least feel uneasy!"
"I would feel uneasy if this wasn't such a pathetic attempt to end my life. The Pokémon League tried and failed. Roran tried and failed. The Aether Foundation and Lusamine couldn't manage the job. Even the Gods of Alola couldn't stop me." Ashton remarked, allowing a dark grin to flash across his face as the Cipher Leader recoiled in surprise.
"I don't appreciate being called out like this."
"Be quiet, Lele! This is serious!"
"After everything you've done, you still have the gall to make light of this!? To insult us like this?!" the Cipher Peon barked, the arm holding the pistol shaking with fury. Ashton's smile widened with satisfaction as his suspicions were confirmed.
"Of course…Tell me, Branch Chief Faba, did Lusamine send you to do this? Or are you acting of your own accord?" Ashton asked casually, grinning disarmingly at the Cipher member in front of him. The slim figure remained still for several moments, as if stunned. He then tapped the side of his helmet, and an audible click echoed throughout the room and the helmet depolarized to reveal a scowling Faba beneath the helmet.
"I knew it. Only Aether Paradise acting under Lusamine would have the nerve to try and attack me while secured in the best jail Alola has. So what? Are you here for-?" Ashton began to say only for Faba to suddenly raise his handgun and shoot Ashton directly in the arm. Ashton screamed in agony as he staggered backwards, clamping a hand down to stem the flow of blood.
Faba smiled widely, savoring the man's pain.
"Ashton! Are you alright?" Tapu Lele asked as the man hit the back of the wall, clutching his bleeding arm with an agonized snarl.
"Yeah…I'm just fucking dandy!" Ashton snapped back as Branch Chief Faba scowled at him, holding a slightly smoking magnum in his left hand while the disguised Aether Foundation members strode into the room behind him, assault rifles aimed at the man who had once led Cipher in a rampage across Kanto, Unova and Alola and was ultimately responsible for countless lives being lost.
"W-w-well…Branch Chief Faba. This is…a surprise. So…I'm guessing you're not here to-" Ashton tried to say, only for a second gunshot to erupt from the scientist's handgun and cause Ashton's right leg to buckle as a bullet tore through it, splashing the ground with more crimson as the criminal screamed in agony and collapsed.
"I have waited a very long time for this, Borlath.. Face your demise with dignity and look me in the eyes!" Faba breathed, raw hatred and vitriol dripping from his voice as he advanced towards the bleeding form of Ashton Aupuni. The former leader of Cipher writhed on the ground in pain, his blood beginning to pool around his body.
"Don't…do this." Ashton gasped, his body twitching as he began to go into shock. Faba sneered hatefully at the man who had called for the destruction of the Orre Research Lab and attacked the Aether Paradise. The man who had slaughtered thousands upon thousands in the name of his own ambition.
The man who nearly condemned the entire world to ruin.
"You have the nerve to ask me for mercy?" Faba hissed at Ashton, infuriated and astounded. To his surprise, however, the bloodied man shook his head.
"No. You…If you k-kill me, it won't matter. I'll come back…But you will have committed murder. And it'll darken your soul. V-violence leads to more violence. It won't solve anything. It's a brutal cycle that never ends." Ashton grunted, his eyes shifting to a darker blue color. "I don't deserve forgiveness…But don't lower yourself to this, Elias Faba. Be…better than me!"
The Branch Chief of the Aether Paradise considered the man's words. It was true that the act of killing made the disposition of those who committed such terrible acts darker. Tears apart their minds, and makes them more likely to commit violent acts.
But on the other hand…vengeance.
Faba smiled cruelly down at Ashton Aupuni, who had slowly forced himself upright against the nearest wall and turned to look at Faba before collapsing onto the ground again with an agonized howl.
"Begone." Faba whispered as he strode up to Ashton's crumpled body, the critically injured man looking up at Faba with pleading eyes. Faba then aimed his weapon directly into the face of the last Aupuni, who sighed regretfully.
"Don't say I didn't warn you…give it your best shot!" Ashton said with a pained grin to Faba, who's mouth twitched into a furious scowl. The scientist then pulled the trigger, and his pistol fired directly into Ashton's skull.
The Tapu collectively screamed out in horror as Ashton jerked back, the merciless bullet tearing through his forehead. For a moment Ashton's eyes drifted from Faba to the hole in his forehead, crimson pouring from the fatal wound. And then his body collapsed against the wall and slowly slid down to the floor with a sickening thump.
Branch Chief Faba slowly lowered his pistol with a sinister grin as he watched the life finally leave the former Cipher Master's eyes...and Ashton Aupuni died in the confines of his cell.
NEXT TIME: Sun continues his journey to Po Town and a long-awaited romance finally blossoms.
Q & A
From: Oragonking
What do you think of the new Terastal Phenomenom? While I like the Pokémon crystalized bodies, the headdress is a bit much. It may suit young and cute Pokémon, but for others...
Anyway, will Sun learn more about the League from Grimsley? And whe still have yet to know about Damien and Greninja. And will Sun fight Deoxys?
1. It's interesting, but it seems too similar to Dynamax for me to really get too invested. I'm going to wait and see before I offer a definitive opinion on it.
2. Yes and no, as you saw in this chapter. Grimsley has left the Unova Elite Four and now works directly as an operative for the Pokémon League. He also has a contact with them now.
3. They're secured in the prison with their Trainer, kept separately of course.
4. That's spoiler territory, so I can't say.
From: PigniteGamer19
Also, the Tapu were once human? I don't remember if that was in one of the Pokédex entries or some game dialogue. Was that something you came up with? Or does it have some canon basis? Either way, excited to see where that goes!
Yes, the Tapu were once human and sacrificed their humanity in exchange for the power to protect Alola. They used blood rituals that have thankfully been (mostly) lost to time.
And it was something I came up with. Something that I thought was severely lacking from the Sun and Moon games was more background info on the Tapu. You don't even meet three of them until the Post-Game. I thought the idea of them being leaders who became Pokemon (something that's happened many times before in Pokedex entries) would be an interesting twist on things. Especially if they have some memories of those times.
From: BlazingIncineroar
So I recently started rereading from the beginning and i happened to notice in chapter 95 that Lusamine gets a letter prior to going to the hospital to see a friend, this wouldn't happen to be Jackal would it?
Very good eye! That's correct. Lusamine's known about Jackal surviving the Battle Royal Dome attack for a few months now. She kept it a secret due to the man having a target on his back in Alola, and because she thought Borlath might target him personally down the line.
It was also honestly a way of me keeping Jackal's return secret until I was ready for it. He was supposed to come back about twenty chapters ago, but I couldn't find a way to bring him back in a way that made sense and didn't crowd an already full batch of chapters. When I decided on the Tapu cursing Ashton for his crimes, I realized exactly how Jackal should be used in the story now that Gretel is gone and he's back working with the International Police.
That's all for now folks! Please leave a review, Favorite and/or Follow the story to show your support and stay updated with my nonsense. I also have a Discord server for the story and I answer questions in the review section below.
Stay safe and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
