Pokémon Radiant Sun


Boosh. Fresh update coming at you!

Not much to report on, honestly. Aside from some cool stuff from the Nintendo Direct that definitely has me interested. Also a title for the new Zelda game, thank goodness. May 2023 cannot come soon enough.

Shoutout to the lovelies who reviewed since the last update, which includes BlazingIncineroar, Oragonking, Muramasa96, a Guest reviewer and a new reviewer that goes by tsougrhs.59. Thanks for the support everyone!

Enjoy!


Chapter 144: Flock Together


Malie City Maximum Security Block


Faba looked down at the corpse of Borlath and slowly exhaled from his mouth in a controlled breath. The villain's blood slowly seeped into the cell, staining Faba's boots as the man stood there, trembling slightly as he gazed at the corpse before him.

Borlath. The man who had been responsible for the deaths of thousands and who had nearly erased their world's reality as they knew it. The man who had nearly toppled four entire regions with Cipher's help…The Grand Master was finally dead by his hands.

"I've avenged you, my friends. This world will be safe now." Faba whispered, lowering a shaking hand as he considered the true extent of what he had just done.

Elias Faba had committed murder. He had slain a defenseless man in cold blood, breaking into a jail cell and assaulting a prison guard. Faba recoiled at the thought of what he had done and shivered, bile rising into his throat. Faba fought back the urge to vomit right then and there. After several moments of calming himself down, he found a thread of logic that kept his mind together.

"No. Not murder. Justice. I killed someone who killed thousands upon thousands. He deserved this. I-" Faba was cut off when a faint hint of light caught his eye. The scientist turned around and saw a shimmering multicolored light enveloping Borlath's corpse. Yellow. Pink. Red. Purple.

Lines of energy suddenly surrounded the motionless corpse of Ashton Aupuni…and the hole in the middle of the man's head began to slowly heal before Faba's eyes, the skin muscle and tissue and skin knitting itself back together. The other wounds that Faba had given him were healing the exact same way, glowing with strange lights as a gentle hum filled the room. Soon enough the bullet hole was gone…And Borlath's eyes snapped open, with the man letting out an anguished scream.

The Cipher Master who had been dead mere moments prior collapsed onto all four legs, panting heavily even though he had been shot in the head. The Aether Foundation members slowly backed away from the man who had defied the laws of nature before their very eyes. Faba simply stared at Borlath in mute horror.

"Your efforts are meaningless." Borlath panted, flashing a bloody grin at Faba, slowly pushing himself into a standing position.

"What on earth is this?" Faba hissed, staggering back in fear from the man who had come back to life before their eyes. The APT members beside Faba were likewise terrified by the dead man who now stood and breathed before them.

"The Tapu cursed me for my crimes against the world. I can never leave Alola…and I'm effectively immortal. No matter what you do to me, I'll always come back." Borlath laughed at Faba, pointing at the scientist. "I'm sorry for what I've done. And now I have an eternity to make things right. But killing me won't accomplish whatever you want to do."

"Shut up." Faba spat, aiming his pistol at Borlath again and shooting him in the chest, causing the Cipher Master to stagger back with a strangled yelp.

"D-didn't…I just say that it's pointless!?" Borlath snarled back, speaking through the agony he was in even as his lungs began to fill up with blood. Borlath coughed up crimson onto the floor of his cell as he fell down to one knee, and that was when Faba put a second bullet into his skull. Borlath's body hit the cell floor stone cold dead for a second time…and then the light returned once again.

"The Tapu truly did get their revenge. Astounding…" Faba breathed, his body trembling at the thought of a villain like Borlath being immortal. Someone who would outlast all of them, and eventually commit more heinous acts once they were all gone. Standing before Branch Chief Faba was an evil that literally couldn't be stopped.

Or could it?

"You may be immortal, but I am a scientist first and foremost." Faba thought to himself with a grim smile. "Secure him. Even if he can't die, he can still be contained and studied." Faba ordered the Aether Foundation members, who eyed the slumped over corpse warily. "Just do it!"

Soon enough Borlath was bound and gagged, even as he suddenly returned to life and glared at Faba, his eyes flashing red with anger. Faba breathed softly in relief, a smile returning to his face.

"There. Now let's move. We should return before anyone suspects something is amiss. The region will be panicked due to the breakout of one of the world's most dangerous criminals. Just the kind of smokescreen the President needs." Faba remarked softly, even as his disguised comrades grabbed Borlath and hurried him out of the cell. Faba chuckled as he locked the cell door behind him, ignoring his conscience as he walked over the unconscious form of the guard that they had knocked out to get to Borlath in the first place.


Later That Night…

Alola Route 15, Pokémon Center


"~Brush the dragon, brush the dragon, brush the dragon!"~"

"You're an idiot, you know that right?"

"And you're ruining our fun. See, look at Tetra! She's enjoying it." Sun said to Alastor, not stopping as he continued to brush his new Gabite's scales as she sighed softly in contentment.

Alastor rolled his eyes, deciding not to indulge in his Trainer's silliness as he brushed the large lizard and instead retreated to his side of the room. Brago was already dozing, having been brushed by Sun before Tetra. Oliver and Penny were awake, also getting groomed by their Trainer though Penny was starting to nod off. The Toucannon was leaning slightly against Oliver for support as her eyes drooped from drowsiness. Not the owl seemed to mind in the slightest.

Finn, meanwhile, was doing one-handed push-ups and grunting softly as he did so. Alastor simply sat down and closed his eyes, deciding to enjoy the quiet.

Sun was trying not to focus on what had put in him a bad mood before. Cipher coming back to cause more trouble, seemingly without any of the enigmatic Admins who had caused so much mayhem in the past. Sun was frustrated he couldn't do more, but he had to trust that his friends and allies would handle it. Besides, he had to deal with Team Skull. They were becoming too much of a problem.

The Kanto-native had tried to puzzle out Colress' translator upgrade that the scientist had handed to Sun before leaving the Aether Lab, but Sun couldn't make heads or tails of it. Rotom Dex was likewise baffled by the instructions, and promised Sun that it would figure out how the upgrade worked in time.

"How are you feeling, Tetra?" Sun asked the dragon, lowering his brush and getting a bright smile of joy in response.

"It feels great! Can we do that again tomorrow, Sunny? Please?" Tetra asked as Sun laughed at the dragon's eagerness, patting her on the head.

"Sure thing." Sun agreed with a grin, glancing at his team who were watching the exchange with various expressions of amusement. It was strange how much of a difference a Pokémon like Tetra was having on them all.

The Gabite's bright personality and childish nature were something the older Pokémon seemed to take in stride, as each of them took a chance here and there to teach Tetra different things about being a Trained Pokémon. Even Alastor was coming out of his shell, so to speak, by gruffly answering Tetra's many questions. Sun was proud of his team for helping the newest member of the team adjust to her new life.

However…Sun knew that there were still some hurdles to get over despite the progress they were making. Tetra was still having issues adjusting to battling, and there was still the matter of the strange voices that the dragon heard. She seemed to be trying to work through it, but Sun was still concerned.

"I think before we head to sleep, I'm going to take some time to teach you guys some new moves. I went shopping the other day with Tetra and I think these'll really help us out later." Sun said as he pulled out his backpack, digging out his TM Case. His Pokémon watched on with curiosity, especially Tetra.

Sun ended up teaching Swords Dance to Oliver and Penny, as well as Aerial Ace to Penny (having her forget Hidden Power), Brago and Tetra. He also taught Wild Charge to Brago (having him forget Thief) and Bulldoze to Alastor and Tetra. After teaching Low Sweep to Finn and Shadow Claw to Tetra, Sun put away the TM Case and let out a sigh. It had been a long day.

"Are you alright?" Oliver asked, concerned for his Trainer as Sun walked over to Brago and laid down against the warm and fluffy side of the Arcanine.

"Just tired. Team Skull and Cipher's crap has me stressed. I'll be alright." Sun took a fortifying breath before smiling at his team. "After all, Cipher is nothing right now. Our friends have got this on lock."

"And in the meantime, we can finally deal with those idiots once and for all. They've been a thorn in your side for some time, haven't they?" Alastor asked Sun, receiving a nod from the boy.

"It's about time someone taught Team Skull a lesson." Sun remarked, shaking his head. "It's not fair that people have to live in fear because of a bunch of thugs. I feel bad for Team Skull, but crime is crime."

"I'm looking forward to the coming battle. It'll be nice to let loose. You all better not slow me down." Alastor remarked, grinning darkly as he flexed his claws, an ominous crackle of electricity flowing between them. Oliver and Brago rolled their eyes while Finn chuckled.

Alastor glared at the Poliwrath. "Something funny to you?"

"Yeah. I'm amazed you didn't insult us. Looks like you're finally getting used to us." Finn pointed out to Alastor, receiving a growl of irritation in response from the Alolan Golem.

"Just because I've promised to behave myself does not mean I've become complacent. Remember that I'm capable of destroying you whenever I wish." Alastor snapped at Finn, who laughed even harder. Sun walked in between the two Pokémon, looking at them both.

"Calm down, you two. Finn, don't instigate. Alastor, don't let words like that get to you. You're supposed to be one of the more mature members of our team." Sun pointed out, even as the Golem's eyes narrowed dangerously at the comment. Alastor's eyes drifted to Oliver, who nodded at the Alolan Golem, and then back to Sun. Alastor nodded and simply returned to his resting spot.

"We've come a long way since meeting Alpha." Brago remarked, opening a single eye and looking at Alastor.

"Just because I've grown stronger under the Human's care doesn't mean I can't resent being shackled in the first place. But this is my path, now, and so I must accept it." Alastor responded, causing Brago to snort softly but not respond to the Golem. Instead, he opened his other eye and looked at the nearby Gabite that was watching the exchange with interest.

"By the way, Tetra, you weren't surprised to see the TM's or learn moves from that weird device." Brago pointed out, causing the dragon to blink twice in surprise at the statement.

"I…I have seen them before." Tetra said slowly, causing Finn to look at her with confusion. Alastor's lip curled into a snarl as his eyes flashed.

"I thought you were in the desert for your entire life?" Finn asked the Gabite slowly. Tetra looked away from the Poliwrath, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"Tetra…I'm not your first Trainer, am I?" Sun asked gently, causing the dragon to freeze in terror. Tetra slowly looked around the room, seeing that all of the Pokémon were looking at her.

"It's okay. I'm just asking because I've noticed a few things here and there. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to." Sun said quietly to the young dragon. Tetra remained completely silent, and her team waited for her answer to Sun's question.

Finally, the Gabite gave a response. Her voice was no more than a whisper, tinged with horror and pain.

"I had a Trainer before you. They were not a very good person." Tetra finally said as she hung her head, shaking slightly as she cast her mind to a time before Haina Desert-

Suddenly the Gabite opened her eyes in surprise as Sun walked over to her and wrapped two arms around the dragon, hugging her tightly. Tetra's face was one of complete surprise, and she had no idea how to respond.

"What…what are you doing?" Tetra asked Sun, who pulled away for a moment.

"I gave you a hug. You looked like you were really struggling there to answer." Sun remarked, sitting down beside his Gabite. "Tetra, you were a Trained Pokémon before we met. Does that mean your last Trainer released you?"

The answer was even more quiet. "Y-yes."

"You said that they weren't a very good person. Did they…hurt you?" Sun asked quietly, his tone low.

"I…I wasn't good at fighting. I deserved it." Was the dragon's response, her cracking voice barely audible as tears filled her eyes. The implications hung overhead, with each of them taking in the sight of the scared dragon, a child, who had been mistreated by their previous Trainer.

Sun gave the Gabite another hug, and this time the dragon responded by slowly wrapping her own arms around her Trainer. Meanwhile the expression's on Penny and Alastor's faces hardened, with Oliver's eyes narrowed as Brago grit his teeth, with Finn's expression becoming troubled.

"It's okay now. You're with us now. And everything is going to be okay." Sun consoled the dragon, even as Tetra rested her head on Sun's shoulder, not fully understanding why they were all being so kind to her.

Oliver slowly walked over to the Trainer and the Gabite, wrapping them both in his wings. Tetra looked up at Oliver, and saw a gentle smile of understanding. Penny then fluttered over to them, covering Tetra with her wings as well. Brago padded over to the group, resting his large head on Sun and Tetra's heads. Finn and Alastor exchanged a brief look before they both walked over to the group, placing their hands on Tetra's shoulders.

The Gabite broke down in tears, completely overwhelmed by the display of support. She simply didn't understand why they had been so good to her. She simply didn't deserve it…but she could feel it. She felt their genuine concern. Their affection for her, despite being so weak and strange.

She felt their love. And so she wept tears of sorrow…as well as joy. Because for the first time in her life, she understood that she was now part of a family. A team that would support her no matter what.


The Next Morning…

Malie City


"So, what's up Demi?"

Demi sat down on the bench, looking up at Bone Unit 71 as they watched on with concern. The teen had called her friends and asked them to meet with her here in Malie City, stating that it was important. And here they were.

"I'm…I'm scared, guys." Demi admitted, causing the group to exchange looks with one another. Kayla sat down next to Demi on the bench while Kevin and Axen called out their Pokémon, which made Demi confused for a moment since there was a Hypno standing where Axen's Drowzee should've been. The teen noticed her confusion and laughed, placing a hand on the Hypno's head.

"My buddy here evolved the other day! Just because you've been busy doesn't mean we've been slacking on our training." Axen remarked as Kayla nodded.

"We've made way more of a name for ourselves lately thanks to you. Raking in more money for Team Skull and busting more heads." The other girl remarked, leaning back on the bench. "But you didn't call us here for a status report, yo. What's got you scared, Dems?"

Demi sighed, crossing her arms. "A lot. I told you guys how my Dad wants me to go to dinner with him, Mom and my little brother, right?"

"I remember saying you should flip the dinner table or something." Kevin remarked, earning a round of nods from the other Team Skull Grunts.

"I'm just nervous about being with them again. Dad says I don't have to go if I don't want to, and part of me doesn't but…part of me really does want to fix things with my family. I miss them. But I'm scared because if I start fixing things with my family, I might not…" Demi trailed off, looking down at the ground.

"Might not what?" Kevin asked.

"Might not be welcome in Team Skull anymore." Demi murmured, and was surprised when Kayla suddenly hugged her.

"Screw that crap! You're part of the squad now! Just because you've got a chance to fix stuff with your folks doesn't mean you're rid of us that easily." Kayla said bracingly as she let go of Demi, causing Demi to smile at her friend.

"Hell yeah, man. Maybe you can work with your Dad to get us a second Team Skull base set up in Malie. That'd be dope, yo." Axen remarked, clapping his hands together. "All the rain in Po Town gets annoying, you know?"

The group of Team Skull Grunts laughed at that, and soon the discussion turned to Alola's odd pockets of random weather. However after a few minutes, the conversation lapsed into a comfortable silence. It was eventually broken by Kevin.

"You said you were scared about a lot of things. Not just reuniting with your family." Kevin spoke up, causing Demi averted her gaze. She wondered how she would talk about this.

"I think Team Skull's about to get involved in something really bad. And I'm worried…I might not be able to follow that path." Demi finally admitted, hugging herself.

"What do you mean?" Axen asked, confused.

"Guzma had me meet with him the other day. He warned me not to go back to Po Town and explained a little bit of his past to me. It was honestly shocking. I didn't think he knew exactly what I've been through." Demi said quietly, sighing softly. "But I'm scared. I've been helping Gladion with some stuff lately, but that might conflict with Team Skull's goals."

"So this has nothing to do with you having the hots for Gladion?" Axen said evenly, causing Demi to blush bright red.

"Oh come on! It's super obvious!" Kevin laughed, as Demi buried her face in her hands.

"Pretty sure this isn't a one-sided crush either. I've definitely noticed him checking you out." Kayla chimed in, causing Demi to let out a muffled scream of embarrassment before she looked up again.

"Aside from my crush on Gladion, no, that's not the only reason I've been looking out for him. He's trying to stop something terrible from happening, and I think Guzma and Team Skull are about to get really involved in it." Demi finally said as she looked up at her friends, who all looked surprised.

"Um…how terrible?" Kevin asked.

"World-ending terrible." Demi responded, causing the other Team Skull Grunts to look at her with surprise.

"That's pretty terrible." Kevin admitted, scratching his head.

"So you're convinced Team Skull is about to get involved in some next-level badness that Gladion has been trying to stop, and you're asking us what you should do?" Axen asked Demi, who nodded. "Well shit, wasn't expecting this."

"What were you expecting?" Kevin asked.

"An invite to eat at the Waffle Mansion? I don't know, dude."

"Moving on from this grand slam of stupidity…" Kayla muttered, turning back to Demi. "How sure are you that this isn't some big misunderstanding?"

"Absolutely certain. Guzma himself warned me. You ever think it's weird how Gladion just randomly quit Team Skull? It's because he found out something that Guzma didn't want him to." Demi explained to her friends, who exchanged glances.

"And that something is leading to this really bad thing that's about to happen?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know exactly what. But Guzma is about to lead Team Skull into something terrible and I don't know exactly what, but it'll only end in disaster. And I don't know what to do." Demi admitted softly, wiping her eyes as a note of frustration entered her voice. The other Team Skull Grunts exchanged a few glances with one another.

"Objectively, you should probably just stick with Gladion." Kayla said after a few moments, surprising Demi. "We don't have a clue what the Boss wants. Sounds like Gladion is involved in some crazy stuff and you're getting dragged along for the ride."

"But what if Gladion has to go against Team Skull?" Demi asked desperately. "I don't…I can't fight my friends. Team Skull has been like a family to me. You guys, Plumeria, and even Guzma have been looking out for me. I want to do what's right, but I don't want to…"

"Don't want to what?" Kevin asked.

"I feel like if I keep going down this path, it'll be like betraying Team Skull. And I can't do that." Demi whispered, hanging her head. Silence enveloped the park as the other Team Skull Grunts exchanged looks and considered Demi's situation-

"Nah, don't worry about it homie." Axen said lightly, waving a hand dismissively.

"W-w-what?" Demi sputtered, looking up at Axen in surprise. The teen shrugged carelessly as Kevin chuckled.

"I think what he means is that Team Skull really doesn't sweat the details, yo. You're our friend, Demi. You think you gotta take care of something big that'll go against Team Skull? Do it. Do what you gotta do. Maybe you're right and the Boss is wrong." Kevin remarked, stunning Demi. "The guy's an absolute badass, but he's human, right?"

"Unless this is all just a play for you to get into Gladion's pants." Kayla chimed in, causing Demi to cover her face again as she blushed bright red. "Just kidding. Seriously though, you're overthinking it. We ain't gonna kick you out of Team Skull or Bone Unit 71 just because you've got some stuff to take care of. If it's that important, well…We'll keep an open mind."

"Really?" Demi asked, not daring to believe that this was genuine. To her shock, her friends all lowered the bandanas covering their faces, something that they'd never do in public. They were all smiling at her.

"Friends forever, yo. We got your back." Kevin said as he extended a fist to Demi. Demi laughed and punched it with her own. Axen and Kayla joined in, laughing as well.

No matter what happened in the coming days, Bone Unit 71 would remain strong.


Later That Day…

Ula'ula Meadow


"Wow…it's so pretty!" Tetra said excitedly as she ran ahead of the group, with Sun lowering the Rotom Dex as he looked towards the Gabite.

"Tetra, don't run ahead with us!" Penny called to the dragon, who stopped in her tracks and looked up at the bird, nodding. Sun smiled softly before returning to what he was doing, raising the Rotom Dex to his face and taking a picture of a faraway Ariados that was scuttling around in the grass.

"Pretty good picture, Sun!" Rotom Dex remarked, uploading it to his Festival Plaza account. Within moments several comments popped up on Sun's upload, which he found bewildering. Did people just lurk online waiting for people to upload pictures?

"The internet is a weird place." Sun remarked as Rotom Dex floated away from him.

"Amen to that! Zzzzrt! You know, your account got a lot more popular recently." Rotom Dex pointed out to the boy.

"Probably because of all the attention I've been getting since beating Dad. All of the TV appearances and interviews and stuff." Sun remarked, shrugging after a moment. "I'm not a huge fan of the popularity to be honest. It's not my thing."

"Bzzzt! Such a humble hero!"

"Oh god, stop that." Sun grimaced at the praise, flushing in embarrassment.

"Never!"

Sun continued to walk down the dock as he bantered back and forth with his Pokédex, stuffing his hands in his pockets and eyeing the fields of bright red flowers. The gentle mist drifted around him, providing a respite from the relentless heat that filled most of the island. Storm clouds lingered in the distance, but luckily for Sun there was no rain yet.

"The calm before the storm." Sun remarked, smirking a little to himself. "It feels nice though."

"I agree." Penny remarked as she swooped past him, hovering beside her Trainer. "A break from the heat is always welcome. The mist feels wonderful."

"And for once I don't need to wear sunscreen." Sun joked, glancing down at his arms that refused to tan despite all of his time outside.

"I want to eat the flowers. Can I?" Tetra asked Sun suddenly, causing the boy to turn around and see the dragon eyeing several of the flowers that were growing closer to the wooden walkway. Sun thought about it for several moments before shrugging. Tetra turned around and snapped up several of the red flowers, grimacing at their flavor before spitting them out.

And then suddenly, birds attacked.

Tetra screamed in surprise as the Oricorio flock suddenly flew out from the red flowers, bombarding the dragon and causing her to flee towards her Trainer. That, of course, had the effect of bringing the birds right to the boy as the panicking dragon hid behind Sun. Penny's beak began to glow and she flew right in front of Sun, shielding him with her body and also burning every single Oricorio that attacked them. The resulting Beak Blast that erupted from the Toucannon flung several of the stunned birds back into the red flowers.

"Tetra, calm down and use Aerial Ace!" Sun yelled out as the Oricorio swarmed them, screeching loudly and pecking them both. Tetra snarled softly and suddenly rushed forward with a great burst of speed, a white trail of energy trailing behind her as she smashed through the horde of birds.

"She'll defend herself, but she really doesn't like battling, huh?" Sun thought as he pointed forward, shouting, "Penny, Rock Blast!"

The Toucannon fired off five waves of rocky pellets, taking down several of the agitated birds while Tetra continued to speed back and forth amongst the flowers, slamming into the distracted Oricorio. To their relief, the furious birds stopped swarming and finally fled.

"Bzzzt! It's been a while since you got attacked by birds, huh?" Rotom Dex asked as it popped out of Sun's backpack. The boy glared at the device, who simply grinned cheekily back at him, but gave no verbal response.

Sun instead exhaled deeply and leaned against one of the wooden walkways posts, wiping his forehead and noting that he was bleeding on his arms. With a sigh of annoyance, he walked back onto the catwalk and pulled out his backpack as Tetra and Penny followed him. The boy quickly healed his two Pokémon, feeding them both a Poké Bean, before slapping a few band-aids on his injuries.

"S-sorry about that. I didn't mean to cause trouble." Tetra said quietly, hanging her head. Sun smiled and placed a hand on the dragon's head.

"Don't worry about it. I didn't stop you from eating the flowers." Sun said soothingly to the dragon, causing her to look up at the human. "Now we know not to mess with the flowers Oricorio likes. We learn from our mistakes and use that experience to get better. Okay?"

"Y-yeah. Sounds good." The Gabite replied, nodding in agreement.

Penny then chimed in. "Bird Pokémon can be very territorial at times, and it's very easy to agitate the entire flock to come to the defense of one of their own. Those particular birds aren't the strongest on their own, but together are a much bigger threat."

Sun laughed softly at that as Tetra tilted her head. The Gabite then smiled brightly at the Toucannon, flashing her teeth. "We're the same, aren't we? We beat those birds together."

Penny smiled back at the young dragon. "Exactly. Together we're strong. Our team has overcome countless challenges thanks to working together and our Trainer's leadership. And we'll keep becoming stronger."

Sun patted Penny's head as he walked past her, smiling at the praise that his Pokémon had given him. Tetra began to follow her Trainer, but was surprised when Penny began to walk alongside her instead of flying.

"Tetra." Penny said quietly, causing the dragon to look at her bird teammate. "I know your last Trainer was not a very good human, but your new one will ensure you become strong in the best way possible. You're okay now."

"Thank you…Fighting isn't very fun for me yet. But I'll keep trying. Maybe if I get better at it, I'll enjoy it more." Tetra said to Penny, who placed a wing against the other Pokémon's back comfortingly.

"Getting more comfortable with battling will definitely help you enjoy it more. Simply watch me and the others as we battle and listen to our Trainer. We'll be more than happy to help you until you find your wings. We're a family. We help each other grow." Penny said before she took flight again. "Now come. Trainer is waiting for us."

Tetra and Penny rejoined their Trainer, who was currently laughing at something. As they drew closer, they could hear a familiar voice talking to Sun over the Rotom Dex, using the video call feature.

"You're not allowed to be so cute while I'm not around!" Lillie complained, trying to hide the laughter out of her voice. Her face was in an adorable pout, which only made Sun more smug.

"To be fair, you're cute all the time, so how do you think I feel?" Sun asked Lillie, whose face went bright red at those words. Sun's own cheeks flushed, but he grinned as Lillie smiled back coyly at her best friend. Tetra and Penny watched the exchange over the device, and the Toucannon felt a twinge of envy in her at the clear display of affection between the two of them. It was so obvious what they held for one another. How could humans be so oblivious to their desires?

"Just for that, I'm hugging the heck out of you when I see you again. Promise me you'll be safe until then?" Lillie said to Sun, who gave her a thumbs up.

"Of course. I'll be back before you know it." Sun said to Lillie, receiving a small nod in response before Lillie looked behind herself. "I'll be there in a minute!"

Lillie turned back around and said, "Acerola is requesting I get back to helping them with the kids with their pillow fort before Hau makes the whole thing collapse again. Talk to you soon?"

"I'll talk to you soon. Take care, Princess." Sun said warmly before ending the call. Sun sighed softly, as Rotom Dex floated away from the boy.

"Someone'zzzz in love!" Rotom Dex remarked, earning a swat from the boy. Sun didn't exactly deny that notion though.

"I'm absolutely taking her out on a date once I get back." Sun said aloud, grinning to himself and taking great pleasure in the fact that he had that effect on a girl he liked so much. He looked over at his Pokémon, with Tetra staring at Sun while Penny simply looked up at the sky, seemingly deep in thought.

Sun spent the better part of the afternoon wandering through the docks, battling the few Trainers that happened to be out and about. He even had Tetra participate in the battles, though that was just to get her some experience battling. Sun struggled to really get her to do more than protect herself, even if she managed to knock out a few Pokémon on her own. In fact, she ended up getting enough experience to learn the move Dragon Claw, which Sun thought was just about the coolest thing ever. Penny also ended up learning Bullet Seed, which she used to shoot at the Oricorio multiple times as they trekked through the flowers.

As night began to fall, Sun decided to set up camp just on the edge of the meadow, far enough away from the main road so that Team Skull wouldn't be able to see them if they passed by. Either way, Oliver would be keeping an overnight vigil just in case.

"We should be at Po Town tomorrow." Sun remarked quietly, thinking to himself what exactly his plan for tackling Team Skull's stronghold would be. He'd probably have to sneak his way in. That being said, he wouldn't be opposed to just storming the place and knocking some heads together.

"You could always…what's the human expression?" Oliver mused aloud, placing a feather-like finger on the tip of his beak. "Wing it?"

"Was that a pun?" Sun laughed, shaking his head. Oliver's snicker was his answer while Alastor groaned and shut his eyes.

"I would appreciate it immensely if you both kept your mouths shut." Alastor groused, crossing his arms.

"What's the fun in that? You know that they'll just keep being like that either way." Finn chimed in, chuckling at the Alolan Golem.

"Because if I didn't at least ask, you'd both keep making comments that make me yearn for the embrace of death."

"My joke wasn't that bad…was it?" Oliver asked Brago, who looked confused.

"Why are you asking me?" the Arcanine asked.

"Because sometimes I think you're hiding a wonderful sense of humor underneath all that fur. You certainly don't mind laughing when something silly happens." Oliver pointed out, making Brago roll his eyes.

"Just because I enjoy humorous events happening doesn't mean I'm a joke. Like you." Brago shot back, this time smirking as Oliver's expression soured. Alastor cracked a smile at that while Finn chortled at the dig.

"Hey, I'm all for jokes and stuff. Life can be really rough sometimes, so why not enjoy yourself? You never know what tomorrow is going to bring." Sun said to his Pokémon. "After our adventures dealing with Cipher, I've definitely started to appreciate things more."

"Hmmm. Life is short. It shouldn't be lived with any regrets. It's part of why I haven't killed that stupid owl yet." Alastor remarked, earning a flat look from Sun.

"That's not what I meant. No team-killing." Sun said sternly to Alastor, returning to stirring his stew and adding a little flour to the mixture.

Alastor grumbled quietly under his breath. "I never get to have any fun…"

"Alastor's not wrong though." Oliver spoke up, his voice quiet as he considered the Alolan Golem's words. "Life is short. You never know when your time on these islands will be cut short. Perhaps it's time we take more risks."

Sun looked down at the vegetable stew that he was making, considering the words of his Pokémon. He thought of Lillie, and their interaction earlier. His heart grew warm as he pictured the blonde-haired girl's shy smile of joy, her laughter. He thought about how much he admired her gentle strength.

Sun smiled softly to himself, stirring his stew and losing himself in his thoughts as the minutes trickled by.

As for his team, Oliver was currently leaning against a nearby tree, his eyes closed deep in thought. Alastor was doing something similar, curled up into a ball. Finn was doing sit-ups while Brago napped. Tetra was watching Sun cook with a fascinated smile on her face, asking questions about what he was doing in the way most human children would.

As for Penny, she was currently flying away from them all.

The Toucannon soared for the better part of a half hour, simply enjoying the misty air and the hint of danger lurking within the thunderstorm nearby. However, when that became tedious, Penny landed in a clearing about a mile from the camp, perching herself at the edge of a pier just above a sea of bright red flowers. The Toucannon released a pent up breath and allowed herself to relax, enjoying the solitude.

"Sometimes it's simply too much…I hope they don't mind." Penny murmured to herself as she closed her eyes, slipping into a silent trance as she simply enjoyed the gentle wind and the smell of the flowers around her, the gentle fog wafting through the air. It was rare that they camped in such a beautiful location. She was too used to fighting, to the cramped spaces of the humans, and to her Poké Ball.

She wondered if the others had the same problem.

"Are you alright?"

Penny sighed inwardly as Oliver landed in the clearing, his larger wings creating a strong downdraft that simply wasn't present in his previous form. He was far stronger now. Complete. Capable.

"I'll be alright. I just need some time alone." Penny responded like she usually did when everything simply became too much.

"...Do you want some company?" Oliver asked quietly, concern in his voice.

Penny shook her head. "That defeats the purpose of me getting away from the others. Today I was more…social than usual, in trying to help Tetra become more comfortable with the team. I need time. Maybe an hour, like usual. I'll be fine."

"That didn't answer my question, Penny."

The Toucannon smiled despite herself. Oliver knew her better than anyone else alive, and knew that she certainly didn't mind his company even when she needed some peace and quiet. This had become a routine exchange between the two of them. Oliver was never a bother to her when she wanted some time alone. If anything, his presence was reassuring. She trusted him above all others, aside from her Trainer.

Penny nodded and Oliver walked over to the other bird and stood beside her while she shut her eyes, exhaling deeply to center herself again. And for a short time, Penny and Oliver simply stood together amongst the flowers. They simply just…were.

Penny was jolted out of her meditation by Oliver when he ruffled his feathers, and when she opened her eyes saw that the Decidueye was looking skyward.

"Rain. The storm is coming closer our way." Oliver murmured, narrowing his eyes and pulling slightly on the drawstrings of his leafy hood. "I sense something else too. Danger."

"Is this because of your new typing?" Penny asked, her curiosity washing away the brief annoyance of having her silence interrupted.

"Yes. I'm not a true ghost, not one who has passed on and returned. I simply have gained many characteristics of them. And that allows me a sort of…sixth sense, I believe the humans call it. I can perceive certain things before they come to pass, though I cannot divine them. According to Sun, it also means I'll live for a very long time." Oliver remarked, shrugging as best as he could. "But that doesn't change the fact that it'll rain soon."

Penny hummed slightly at that. "I'm not done here. You can return to camp if you don't want to get wet. I'll be fine."

"Hmmm…Or I can simply do this." Oliver remarked lightly before stepping close to Penny and stooping low, wrapping the Toucannon within his wings so that only her head peaked out. The Toucannon squawked in surprise at the sudden embrace, with Oliver's larger body pressed against hers.

"There. Now you won't get wet." Oliver said with a small laugh, seemingly oblivious to Penny's quickly mounting anger.

"Oliver! W-w-what is the meaning of this?" Penny asked, unable to help the embarrassment and shock in her voice despite the fiery rage filling her veins. Oliver laughed softly at Penny's flustered outburst.

"What has gotten into you?!" Penny demanded, her beak heating up dangerously. "Answer me or I'll blast you across the flowers!"

Oliver hummed softly, seemingly unconcerned about the threat. "It's simple, Penny. It's…because I love you."

Penny froze at those words, her eyes wide in shock as Oliver spoke them. So casually, with such a confidence he didn't have before he evolved and became what he was now. The Toucannon's beak slowly cooled down, and Penny and Oliver were enveloped in a silence that only the gentle wind disturbed.

"You…I…what?" Penny whispered, unsure of what she was really hearing.

"I love you." Oliver repeated, his tone light as he leaned down and rested his chin on Penny's head. "As much as it pains me to admit, Alastor was right. Life is short. Too short to have regrets. And I'd always regret never telling you how I truly feel for you, my precious friend."

"You…feel this way? Since when?"

"Hmmm. Quite a while. I believe it was slow for me. I've always found your form pleasing, ever since we met on that oceanside hill and battled."

"You're teasing me."

"Maybe a little." Oliver admitted, laughing again. "But it was slow. I denied it for a long, long time because I was simply too busy dealing with my own ego. Now that I've become final, and can think more clearly than ever, I realize that I fell in love with you months ago. You've always been a precious friend to me. One who I can always count on to be flying beside me. The question shouldn't be when I fell in love with my closest friend. The question is why wouldn't I?"

Penny felt like her face and beak were going to explode, and not from using Beak Blast. This was more than she could have ever imagined. Oliver taking the first step in admitting his true feelings regarding their relationship was something she didn't see coming. She knew that he had regained his confidence since evolving, but this had taken her by surprise.

"Well…I suppose I should admit that the feeling is mutual." Penny said quietly, raising her head and nuzzling the bottom of Oliver's neck. The owl stiffened in surprise much as Penny had, but he recovered far quicker, laughing softly as he nuzzled her back.

"Since when?" Oliver asked, unable to help the unrestrained happiness in his voice.

"I knew for certain when you saved me from that monster. The one that was not from this world." Penny explained, referring to their battle against the Ultra Beast at Aether Paradise. "You didn't hesitate to take the hit for me. And when you were hurt, poisoned in both body and mind by that monster. I realized that day how much I cared about you. How precious you were to me. We do have a habit of protecting one another in battle, too. Don't tell me you never noticed that."

"I wondered about that. After dealing with that monster, you were so patient with me when I was dealing with what came next. Even when I didn't deserve it, you were kind to me." Oliver remarked softly, remembering those days with a shiver. He was snapped out of his brief reverie when Penny nudged his chest with her head.

"And despite that, you never gave up. You faltered, but kept fighting. That's why you lead our team, and why you were the one who saved us alongside our Trainer when we faced his father." Penny remarked, closing her eyes and enjoying the feathery embrace of her closest friend. The fact that the Decidueye she trusted so much returned her feelings, after all this time, was such a monumental relief to the bird. She felt truly at peace now.

"If it wasn't for you all, I wouldn't have been able to manage it. And it was Sun's emotions and faith that allowed me to find the strength to use that power." Oliver demurred, though he did sigh contentedly. "I admit, it's a wonderful thing to finally admit all of this. Perhaps we are a pair of birdbrains."

"I've never understood that human saying. But I've never been fool enough to ask Trainer about it."

"I'll ask Sun when we get back…So what's next for us?" Oliver asked the Toucannon wrapped gently in his wings, pressed closely against his chest. Penny smiled at that question, but didn't answer.

At least, not verbally.


Meanwhile…


"Where are those birdbrains? The food's nearly done." Sun grumbled as he put the lid back on the stew he had been making.

"Somewhere in that direction. I can hear them faintly in the distance." Brago supplied, with Sun considering sending one of his team to retrieve the two birds. "Considering the hour, we should retrieve them before long."

Sun looked up, seeing that the sun was indeed setting. The mixture of nearby storm clouds mixed wonderfully with the Alolan sunset, creating a canvas of orange, yellow, blue and pink amidst a sea of dark gray. There was a striking beauty to it that momentarily distracted Sun. He then shook his head slightly, snapping himself out of his reverie.

"Oliver and Penny do have a habit of flying off together. Maybe they finally realized what everyone else did monthzz ago!" Rotom Dex chimed in, causing Sun to roll his eyes.

"They're more stubborn about denying liking one another than me and Lillie." Sun pointed out before he could stop himself. Something Rotom Dex was quick to capitalize on.

"So you do admit it!"

"Yes. I openly admit that I have a massive crush on Lillie and that I'm going to ask her out on another date the next time I see her." Sun confirmed, unable to help the fierce blush on his cheeks while Rotom Dex flew around the campsite, beeping loudly.

"VICTORY SCREECH! BZZZZZZZZT!"

"You do realize that we've had a few, um, kisses here and there right? We figured out we liked each other a while ago. It's just…um, really embarrassing to admit." Sun said bashfully, causing Finn to laugh softly while Brago grinned.

"You two are good mates for one another. You've helped one another grow so much over the course of our journey, Alpha. You should be honest with your feelings." Brago said sagely, making Sun smile at the Arcanine.

"You all are so wise." Tetra finally chimed in, finally turning away from the delicious-smelling stew Sun was making to look at the others. "Will I get smarter too just by traveling with you?"

"Wisdom comes with experience, Tetra." Alastor responded, nodding to the dragon. "With each battle we grow stronger. With each passing day, we gain another handful of new experiences that contribute to what we know."

"Wow…Is that what passes for wisdom, Alastor?" Brago said to the Alolan Golem, earning a nasty look from Alastor before he rolled his eyes, but Sun noticed that the surly Pokémon was wearing a little smile.

"I'll go grab 'em. No reason for Oliver and Penny to make us wait." Finn volunteered as Sun nodded in acknowledgment at the Poliwrath. Finn jogged off in the direction Brago had indicated earlier.

The Poliwrath was only running for about two minutes when he felt the patter of rain wash over him, sending a wave of refreshing energy through his body. Finn grinned internally and broke out into a run, empowered by the rain. He then spotted Oliver through a small break in the foliage up ahead and increased his speed, blasting himself into the air with a Scald. The Poliwrath flipped in midair and landed boldly in the clearing, pleased that he had found Oliver and Penny so quickly.

That pleasure swiftly turned into absolute horror as he made eye contact with the two birds, who were frozen still in surprise. Several things registered in the brain of Finn before he did the most sensible thing anyone could do when catching two of his friends in the middle of a dance as old as time.

Finn bolted out of the clearing twice as fast as he had been running before, screaming at the top of his lungs with his eyes as wide as saucers. Soon enough he was back at the campsite, where everyone was staring at him with confusion and concern.

"You look terrible." Tetra remarked, seeing the usually boisterous Poliwrath looking absolutely distraught.

"Finn, what happened?" Sun asked the Poliwrath as he stumbled back into the camp, his eyes wide in horror at what he had just witnessed.

"I…I don't wanna talk about it." Finn mumbled as he walked over to a nearby tree and curled up into a ball, shaking slightly.

"Well, were Penny and Oliver alright? They've been gone for a while." Sun asked the Tadpole Pokémon, only for Finn to make a retching sound. "Can you even throw up?"

"I don't think I want to learn about that." Tetra remarked, causing Alastor to snicker before he could stop himself. Finn shot the Alolan Golem an annoyed look before crossing his arms and rolling over the ground. It was at that moment that two distinctly ruffled birds returned to the camp, both drenched from the rain. For some reason Oliver looked supremely smug and Penny looked exhausted, but was smiling with satisfaction.

"Where the heck were you two? It's about time for us to eat." Sun asked the two birds, who both suddenly looked very embarrassed. Brago began sniffing the air, recoiling slightly in surprise before looking at the Toucannon and Decidueye.

"You both reek of…" Brago trailed off, glancing towards Tetra, who was paying attention to the conversation with a bewildered expression. The Arcanine then shook his head and turned to Finn, saying, "Do you mind washing these two fools off with a Scald? I don't think the rain will be enough to clean them off."

Finn, unfortunately, was too busy huddled in the corner trying to block out the memories now burned into his brain. So Brago sighed and looked back at the two birds as Oliver preened.

Can you feel the love tonight?

The peace the evening brings.

"I don't see what's so objectionable about it. You and Winter seem to have a lot of fun." Oliver pointed out, causing Brago to smirk back at the Decidueye.

The world, for once, in perfect harmony.

With all its living things.

"True. I guess I can't really judge. So long as you both have fun and keep away from Tetra, you have my blessing." Brago remarked, causing Penny to give him a flat look.

"Oh, thank you Great Canine of the World. We appreciate your approval." Penny remarked sarcastically, making Oliver snicker and Sun to look at them each in turn as his brain tried to piece together what everyone present wasn't outright saying.

What wasn't helping was Rotom Dex singing in the background!

Can you feel the love tonight?

You needn't look too far.

"What…what happened here? I don't think I understand." Tetra remarked, tilting her head in confusion. Alastor wasn't able to hide the smirk on his face as Finn gagged again, punching himself in the face to knock away the bad memories. It was at that moment that Sun realized just what his two birds had been up to, and his face practically glowed with embarrassment.

Stealing through the night's uncertainties.

Love is where they are!

"Oh my god, you two finally…" Sun couldn't bring himself to say the words aloud, again because Tetra was right there, but he looked up and grinned at the two of them. Despite being fairly shocked at this development, he couldn't mask his genuine joy. "I knew you two birdbrains would finally figure out your feelings. I'm happy for you. Just…please promise me one thing."

"What would that be?" Oliver asked, smiling at his Trainer.

"Don't have any Eggs in the near future. Arceus knows that I can barely handle you. Plus, Professor Kukui would never let me hear the end of it." Sun deadpanned to the Decidueye, who burst into laughter. Brago joined in, and even Finn and Alastor managed a chuckle. Tetra simply sighed with resignation, knowing she wouldn't get any answers.

As for Penny? The Toucannon leaned against the side of her closest friend and newfound mate, smiling softly at the intense warmth of love she now felt within her chest.


NEXT TIME: Sun does some recon, Alastor tells his team a story and Ashton has a distinctly bad time of things.


"Can You Feel The Love Tonight" is by Elton John and works so well for the ending to this chapter.

Yes! Penny and Oliver finally confess their feelings! It's been a long time coming, but this chapter was a fun payoff to what's been over a hundred chapters of teasing it.

Also, look back at the title of the chapter Penny debuted in. You might notice something kinda neat. Talk about long-term story-telling!

Q & A

From: BlazingIncineroar

Another great chapter. I can't help but wonder who Lusamine was speaking to? Perhaps Suns therapist?

Nope, it was Faba. Lusamine was making sure Faba was alright with committing murder, since she thought he was too soft for it. Clearly she was mistaken since Faba did kill Ashton Aupuni multiple times.

At one point I was tempted to have Dr. Cabella have a bigger role in things, but decided against it in the end. This story is already too convoluted for its own good.

From: tsougrhs.59

can you put the Pokémon at your profile and not only just the names?

I could, but I won't. Part of the fun in this story is seeing what team Sun will eventually get and how the story will unfold. Yeah, you can probably figure out what kind of Pokemon are on his team based on their moves and abilities and all, but for the casual reader who stumbles upon my profile, they're warned that there's spoilers there for the story and if they don't want the surprise ruined, they can simply skip past it.

Sorry if it's a little inconvenient, but I'm not budging on that. Readers of the story know what Pokemon are on the team. If you want to find out for yourself, read the story. Though, if you're reading this response, then you already know.

That's all for now! Please leave a review, Favorite and/or Follow the story to show your support and stay updated with my no. 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!