It's been 3000 years...but seriously though, I've been really busy with a lot of things in real life. I hate it how I don't have time to write the stories. All the ones I'm currently working on right now, I seriously want to finish. But again, real life unfortunately has to take priority. Still, I'd try my best. But anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter. You could probably guess what would happen in this chapter considering that my story is still following the Sun and Moon plot pretty closely. But once again, I assure you I have a couple of surprises waiting to be sprung. With that being said, hope you guys enjoy.
Gentle on the Goodz!
"Looks like you're all set for your first Pokémon journey, aren't you, Sun?" Nova asked with an amused albeit slightly sad smile. Said boy looked up to return the expression.
"Yup. I've got everything I need. Just need to walk out the door." He swung his backpack over his shoulders, feeling the symbolic weight of the journey through it. Another weight suddenly loaded his shoulders and prompted him to look. Sun's smile widened as Cloud chirped excitedly. His mother nodded several times as a wistful light colored her eyes.
"Seeing you like this reminds me of my own journey," she mused, the memories of traversing through the Kanto region flooding back to her. As if in silent agreement, mother, son, and Pokémon looked over to the kitchen counter where a small picture stood. Four children, three males and one female, all the same age, stood in a line to smile and pose for the camera with their respective starter Pokémon. Well…at least young Nova and the Pokémon posed. One of her friends remained stoic as ever, the second had an annoyed yet smug look on his face, and the last smiled uncertainly. All in all, Sun always got a laugh whenever he looked at it. This time, though, he wondered whether he would be able to meet his mother's friends again, or his uncles as he liked to address them. For sure one of them he would be seeing again, considering that that friend was his father. Nova's voice suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts, prompting him to look at her. "I'm just glad that you're already making friends. That Lillie girl and Hau boy would do you good."
Sun mockingly rolled his eyes, his smile twitching slightly. "I can't believe you ever doubted me. I am your son after all."
"It's specifically because you're my son that I worry. I was lucky that I grew up with them and happened to meet your father. Otherwise, say good-bye to you and Cloud!" Nova laughed.
"Pi?" Cloud questioned. Before Sun could reply to either Nova's jest or Cloud's inquiry, a knock sounded from the door. All of them looked to the door keenly, half expecting Professor Kukui to barge in like he did the other two times. When nothing happened for a few seconds, Sun finally moved towards the door to open it. Who he saw on their porch made his smile widen.
"Hello, Lillie. What brings you here?" he asked the blonde girl. Cloud greeted her with his own smiling cry and a paw outstretched. Sun opened the door wider to let her enter. He watched his friend shuffle in just centimeters away from the door. He wondered idly whether Nebby was in her bag currently. Probably, considering how she brought the strange creature to a very crowded festival yesterday. Lillie never seemed to like to keep the strange thing out of sight despite how Nebby liked to run, or rather, float, off.
"Oh. Um…the professor asked me to get you," Lillie explained. "He said something like, 'Hey there, Lillie! Bring me that great new Trainer. Woo!'"
"That's a great impression of Kukui," Nova laughed. Sun had to agree. His friend did a good job mimicking the professor's excited nature, even if she didn't seem to exhibit that same energy herself. The sound of the woman's laughter seemed to calm Lillie down somewhat, although she tightened her grip around her bag. It didn't go unnoticed by Sun that coincided with the bag wiggling slightly. Fortunately the boy blocked his mother's view of the reaction, else she might have questioned it. When the girl spoke again, there was some more confidence in her voice.
"So, I'm here to show you the way to his Pokémon lab, if you'll come with me." Lillie looked away shyly. The left side of Sun's mouth twitched in thought. He wondered what the professor could want with him. The boy betted that the man simply wanted to see him off, which Sun didn't mind. Maybe he could get a map of the islands from Kukui. He learned from Nova that a map was a Pokémon trainer's best friend, right after their Pokémon and a number of other important items. In answer to Lillie's, and to an extent Kukui's, request Sun nodded his answer.
"Sure. I'll come along," Sun agreed. "Did he say what he wanted me for?" Even before he finished the sentence, Lillie shook her head.
"He didn't say."
"Well, you won't know if you continue to stay here!" Nova said firmly. "It's high time you get out there, both of you!" Her warm smile belied the rough handling Sun received. The woman shoved her son out the house, galvanizing the girl to also hurry out. Cloud gave a startled cry when he felt the bumpiness of his trainer regaining his balance after tripping down the stairs. Both trainer and Pokémon simultaneously released sighs of relief once the worst was over. Sun looked over at his mother as Lillie shuffled to his side. Through some miracle he managed to retain his smile albeit it twitching it slightly. Nova only chuckled at that. Like Cloud, she knew exactly what her son was feeling through his smile's movement. Despite Sun's clearly expressed (in only a handful of people's eyes) aggravation, she didn't let it bother her. Nova placed her hands on her hips. "Don't keep Kukui waiting!"
"Yes, yes," Sun said impatiently. He waved a hand in front of him. "But you didn't have to push me so hard."
"Yes, I did! Now go out there and make us proud! It's your time to shine!"
"Got it!" Sun called back. He then looked at Lillie who was patiently waiting the whole time. "Sorry about that. I'm ready to go." She gave him a grin. Truth to be told, she didn't mind watching the interactions between her new friend and his mother. It was nice to see that not everybody had the same issues with their mother as her. Lillie's smile faded slightly at that thought but she quickly shook it away before hopefully Sun noticed.
"Then I'll show you to the Pokémon Research Lab." The two children began walking down the slope towards their destination. Yet Nova had to say one more thing before her son disappeared for what might be a long while to partake his significant Pokémon journey:
"Good-bye, Sun! And good luck! Make sure you call your father and me every once in a while!"
"Yes, Mom!" Sun shouted back. "I'll try and visit too!" He raised a hand in farewell and continued to wave good-bye even though he stopped looking in her direction. Nova smiled one last time before retreating back into the comforts of her house. She needed to tell her husband of today's grand events. Once Sun deemed that he had waved goodbye enough, he dropped his arm and sped his pace slightly to walk alongside Lillie down the slope. They took only three steps before Lillie stopped to still her wiggling bag.
"Come on, Nebby. You can't go out yet," Lillie muttered to the bag. The strange Pokémon protested with a sharp "pew!"
Sun looked from the bag to the girl. "Why not let the little guy out? There's nobody really in sight at the moment." He honestly could only guess that there was something special about Nebby that would make Lillie fearful of showing others the Pokémon. He wondered what the little creature could do to warrant such secrecy. Perhaps he could ask Lillie about it later, if she would even elect to tell him.
"I would love to, but we'll be going through the tall grass here to the professor's lab and there are Pokémon trainers everywhere. This is the only way to get to his place," the girl added.
"I see…" Then the full impact of Lillie's statement hit Sun. His smile twitched slightly on its left as he crossed his arms with his head tilted to the side. "I'm assuming you don't have any Pokémon other than Nebby. So how did you get through?" Lillie smiled at the question, hearing some note of concern underneath.
"I've got plenty of repels to help me with that." At the sound of that specific word, Cloud shuffled noticeably. Sun quickly calmed down his pikachu with a soft touch. Yet his own smile moved slightly. He told himself that if the girl dared use one of those revolting things, he would join the other wild Pokémon in their escape and there wouldn't be anything Lillie could do to bring him back until the smell dispelled. Her smile faded slightly when a thought struck her. "Although…understandably Nebby doesn't like the smell of it. Since you're here, is it all right if…?"
"Of course," Sun said. He chuckled to himself, a sound that had the slightest tone of relief if one listened closely. "Besides, like Pokémon, I somehow find that smell nauseating." That statement had Lillie confused.
"Really? But it's not supposed to have an effects on people."
"I know. I still don't like it though. So as long as you don't use those things, I would be glad to be your escort again."
A firm line of determination set on Lillie's face. "Of course. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable." That made Sun's smile widen.
"Thank you for your consideration. Let's get going then." The two kids started forward into the grass. Both were careful where they placed their feet, the long grass making their traverse a bit more slow-going than empty ground. Wild Pokémon were less prone to attacking people if they didn't bother the creatures. They walked for a little while longer until Sun held up a hand to stop Lillie. When the girl looked a question, the boy pointed to another girl racing towards them. Sun already knew what was about to transpire and sighed quietly in annoyance, his expression unchanging.
"Hey! I know you! You're the new kid who beat Hau!" the girl shouted once she came near. She tossed a pokeball into the air before catching it as it fell back down. "Let's battle!"
"…why not?" Sun shrugged as he unclipped a pokeball from his belt. It was on the tip of his tongue to refuse, but that would have been extremely rude. His mother had taught him that should anybody ask for a battle, he should comply. Besides, it was a good way to gain experience. Sun was well-aware that battling trainers reaped more experience than battling wild Pokémon. Despite the friendliness of the islands so far, Sun would rather have a strong team of Pokémon to back him up when exploring an area even unknown to his mother.
Those reasons didn't lessen his annoyance though. Sun looked at Lillie with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Lillie. I'll try not to take too long." Before he could even finish his sentence, Lillie was already shaking her head.
"It's fine. Take all the time you need."
Sun simply smiled at that before facing his opponent. He tossed the pokeball into the air with the words, "Blue Doll, come out."
"Let's go, Wingull!" the girl responded with her own throw. Lillie tightened her grip on her bag as the familiar churning returned to her stomach whenever she watched a battle. Although she understood that most Pokémon lived for battles, she couldn't help but feel fearful for each Pokémon's condition during each fight. Battles might be great for the Pokémon overall but the possible injuries they could sustain always made Lillie wince. It was a bit ironic that she didn't like to watch Pokémon battles, considering how she was the assistant to the Pokémon professor researching Pokémon moves.
Just as the two trainers began calling out their first command, she felt Nebby move again. Lillie's eyes flickered down to check on the little Pokémon. She saw one of Nebby's limbs sticking out and she worked to put it back as comfortably as she could manage. Once that was done, Lillie looked back up again. Surprise colored her face when she noticed the red beam strike the girl's wingull to call it back while Sun wiped down his popplio. Did…did the battle end that quickly? She was quite sure that it didn't take her too long to ensure that Nebby didn't float off. She wondered how that was possible as the girl started to walk past them. Sun patted Blue Doll on the head and scratched his chin once more before returning him into his pokeball and straightening up. The boy extended a hand towards his opponent. While his opponent accepted the sportsman gesture, Lillie thought she saw a slightly bitter light in the girl's eyes. The trainer then abruptly left the pair without so much as a farewell. Despite that Sun waved his own good-bye, although Cloud knew that that gesture was more mocking than friendly. The pikachu shook his head at his trainer's behavior with a sigh.
"Well! I'm glad that didn't take too long," Sun said with his smile twitching slightly on the right. He patted Cloud's head, earning a squeak of agreement. Then he turned to Lillie, his smile widening a bit. "Shall we continue then?"
"Wait, what happened?" Lillie asked in a slightly fearful tone. "Is the battle really over?" Sun and Cloud exchanged a slightly amused look before turning their attention back to Lillie. They both nodded in confirmation. The girl stood stunned. It took her a moment to find her voice again. "But that was so quick!" Lillie protested. "I've never known a battle ending in a few seconds!"
"But you don't like watching battles, so you couldn't have seen too many battles," Sun said as he tapped a finger to his chin and looked at the sky. His smile remained but the air around him suddenly turned cold as his eyes looked at Lillie slyly from their corners. "Am I right?"
"Um…yes, but…"
"Battles could end quickly, you know. It's not common, but it is possible. One trainer just has to use the right moves."
"I suppose that makes sense…" Yet the tone in Lillie's voice told Sun that she still wasn't entirely convinced. The boy shrugged mentally. Judging from her question, he believed that she had missed basically the entire battle. Truthfully he was glad for that. If Lillie didn't like to watch Pokémon battles, better to make every battle on this trip quick.
"If anything, you could ask Professor Kukui about it," Sun hinted. That seemed to snap Lillie out of her reverie.
"Oh, of course. We should be on our way then."
Sun's smile twitched on its right in amusement before he began walking down the road with Lillie by his side again. Despite his trainer's expression barely changing, Cloud knew exactly what he was thinking. If every trainer on this route was like the first they encountered, then every battle they have would be quick. Though the pikachu was by no means as arrogant as the boy, even he had to admit that the beginnings of the journey would be far too simple to the point that Cloud might not see some action until much later in their journey. Yet when that time came, he would indeed be ready for whatever came their way. Perhaps by then, his teammates would reach the level he was currently now. Cloud made a mental note to train himself whenever he could.
The trainer and pikachu's prediction turned out to be correct. Two more trainers challenged them, and two more times Sun defeated them easily with Blue Doll. Similarly to the first battle, Sun tidied Blue Doll up afterwards, showering the popplio with so much affection. He only offered the sportsman hand to his opponents once he finished caring for his Pokémon. This time though Lillie watched carefully. Her eyes widened both times Sun's popplio knocked out the opposing Pokémon as if they were nothing. She didn't remember Blue Doll being this powerful during the festival. Did Sun manage to train Blue Doll to this level already shortly after the festival? When she asked him that question, he simply shrugged. His answer of "just fought against some wild Pokémon" did not satisfy Lillie at all. She also knew that gaining experience was easier through trainer battles than wild battles. Was it possible that Sun had been holding back against Hau? Or maybe Hau was better than the trainers here on the route? Lillie wasn't sure. Either way, her initial unease from when she met him returned, much to her dismay.
There was something about Sun that made her want to run away from him in fear, something she couldn't explain. Yet for some reason nobody else seemed to share the same sensation. Not Professor Kukui, Hau, or even Kahuna Hala. They all seemed to be reassured by his carefree attitude and bright smile. Perhaps she would have felt the same way about Sun if she hadn't seen him attempt to capture Tapu Koko at the bridge. She had to wonder though if anybody else had the same thought as her whenever they saw Sun:
Has he ever stopped smiling?
Perhaps Sun's constant grin was part of the reason why he made Lillie nervous. It moved from time to time but the boy never dropped it in her sight. Pondering the matter further, Lillie had a sinking suspicion that only in the worst situations would her new friend stop smiling. That would not bode well for anybody in the nearby vicinity, even if they happened to be on Sun's side.
As she thought about Sun and his powerful popplio, Lillie remembered something she'd been wanting to ask her new friend after he and his mother left. Although it shouldn't been seen as her business, she felt a small sense of responsibility for it, despite what Sun might think. Lillie opened her mouth for her question but a small voice made her hesitate. From what she observed of Sun, if she asked what was on her mind, the probability of the discussion not turning out well skyrocketed. Perhaps it would be better to leave things as they were.
With that thought she sealed her lips and prevented her question from being answered. However the girl thought about the subject of her inquiry and felt that the matter had to be raised for his sake. Lillie steeled herself for what might come. She reached into her bag and touched Nebby for reassurance. The girl also felt a can of Pokémon repel. Although her logic told her that Sun was not a violent person, her anxiety persuaded her to be on her guard. She stopped in her tracks, prompting Sun to also stop when he realized he heard only one, traversing pair of shoes. The boy and his pikachu looked back at her curiously. Seeing as she got their attention, Lillie gathered her thoughts before plunging forward:
"I was just wondering…are you still battling with Gaffe?"
Almost immediately, despite the usual warmth offered by the sun, the air around them chilled Lillie to the bone. She had no idea that that was even possible in Alola's natural climate. The girl visibly shivered as Sun's smile twitched slightly. With an anxious expression, Cloud shifted on Sun's shoulder, and even Nebby let out a nervous cry as it rustled in the bag.
"…eventually," the boy responded rather calmly despite the menacing air around him. He looked away from her and sighed dramatically. "You remember how he acted during the festival. I can't have my Pokémon disobeying me like that in the middle of a battle. So I'm…giving him some time to cool off before using him in battle again."
"O-oh…I see…" For some reason, Lillie didn't like the sound of that. She dropped her eyes from Sun's gaze. However, he must have seen the apprehensive look in her eyes because his namesake seemed to melt the icy atmosphere that had enclosed them.
Lillie looked up in surprise when Sun chuckled lightly, the sound helping to ease the tension somewhat. Curious, emerald eyes met mischievous, steely orbs. "Don't worry, Lillie. I promised you that everything would just be fine with Gaffe. And I always keep my promises."
"Pika pi." Cloud nodded in agreement. Lillie looked from the boy to his pikachu. Cloud smiled reassuringly to her, making her smile in return.
"Okay then…" Although the doubt was still there, Lillie felt a bit better. Not just from Cloud's extra comfort but also from Sun's reassertion of his promise. She might be slightly fearful of her friend but her instincts also told her that he could, and should, be trusted. The same something that told her to be wary of him also told her that despite all that, Sun was true to his friends. She could already see it in the way he interacted with his Pokémon (most of them).
"Okay, now it's my turn to ask a question!" Sun said happily, surprising Lillie. He clasped his hands behind his back as he looked at her with bright eyes, his smile twitching slightly on its left. "Can you tell me about Nebby?"
Lillie actually stepped back a pace in shock at the abrupt question. She instinctively held onto her bag and shielded it away from Sun. A surprised "pew!" could be heard from that action. Both Sun and Cloud tilted their heads to the side in curiosity at Lillie's sudden jumpiness. They saw an apologetic look cross the girl's face as she forced herself to relax. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "It's just a force of habit." She was about to continue when Sun swiftly held up a hand to stop her.
"I don't want to make you uncomfortable. If you don't want to talk about it, then we won't."
"No, it's fine. I can tell you," Lillie insisted. "Nebby's…actually a cosmog. It seems to be a very rare Pokémon that came from far, far away and has a very strange power…It used that power to save me once when I was in danger." The girl's face contorted as unpleasant memories resurfaced. "But some…other people want cosmog for themselves, to use that power. That's why only the professor and Kahuna Hala and other people I can trust know about it…"
"And you trust me?"
"Yes, I do."
"But you're also suspicious of me." Sun's smile twitched on its right side as he said that.
Lillie blinked in surprise at that statement. Out of all the things her new friend could have said, she wasn't expecting that. She stuttered, "I…"
"Heh. There's no need to lie, Lillie. I know you feel a bit uneasy with me. " Sun scratched Cloud's chin. The pikachu squeaked in appreciation. "The people who do usually know what's up."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, now that is a secret," the Pokémon trainer chuckled as he slyly placed a finger to his lips. Before Lillie could respond to that answer, Sun already turned back to the road. "Come on. I think we've kept Professor Kukui waiting long enough." It was obvious that he closed the conversation with that statement. The two children wasted no more time smelling the roses. Thankfully they didn't run into anymore trainers. They did run into one yungoos but after Sun used Blue Doll to dispose of the pest, it seemed as if the other wild Pokémon steered clear of the area. Lillie wondered whether they witnessed the swift battle between the popplio and yungoos. Perhaps they saw what Lillie saw, an unrelenting power emitting from Sun and his Pokémon. It was possible as Pokémon had far more developed senses than humans. They could sense that maybe something wasn't well with this boy, something was very different from the other trainers they usually fought with.
Soon the two children reached the beach where the professor's rugged shack stood. As they moved closer to the door, the whole place seemed to shake and groan as the obvious sounds of a Pokémon attacking reached their ears. Right after that, they heard an all too familiar voice:
"Oh yeah, Rockruff! Let's go! Give it everything you've got! My body is ready. Woo!"
"Ahh…There they go again…practicing some moves," Lillie muttered just loud enough for Sun to hear. "Hopefully they won't tear down the building this time. Although it's a bit on the worn side, the Pokémon Research Lab still has its own unique charm." The girl looked at her friend, who nodded in agreement.
"That it does." His quick eyes scanned the place over. He could make out the random boards nailed to various parts of the house. At some of those specific spots, Sun saw the jagged wood of a broken board. He had to wonder to himself why Professor Kukui would even practice Pokémon moves in the place he rested. After all, he had a great beach right underneath his house where he could practice without becoming homeless in a millisecond of a powerful attack. Sun shook his head after that thought. He simply concluded that he would never be able to understand that man nor did he care enough to spend energy exploring. Lillie's voice brought him back to the present:
"I've actually been, um, imposing on the professor here for the past three months. I'm not much of an assistant, but it's the least I can do to pay him back for letting me stay. Maybe I'd be more help if I were a real Pokémon Trainer, too…" Speaking her mind, Lillie didn't realize that Sun had moved slightly closer to her. She jumped a bit at something gentle landing on her shoulder before turning to see reassuring eyes gaze into her own. While Sun's smile didn't change physically, something about it just made it seem a bit warmer, a bit friendlier.
"You're doing a great job, Pokémon Trainer or no Pokémon Trainer," Sun comforted her. With him smiling like that, Lillie couldn't help but smile back.
"I suppose so…"
Sun shook her shoulder slightly. "You should know so." He then swept his arm forward, beckoning Lillie to walk before him like a true gentleman. "Ladies first, before he does any more damage."
As if on cue, the rockruff inside growled loudly, "Raaaa-ooooohhh! Raff ruff!"
"You're right," Lillie giggled as she walked up the stairs across the porch. "I don't want to try and mend his lab coat. I'm no good at things like that." The girl turned the doorknob to emit them in. As one would do in a stranger's house, Sun and Cloud immediately began to scan the room. The place was nice enough with a TV coupled with couches on the right and a water tank with luvdisc swimming here in the front. When Sun noticed the stairs leading down to the basement, he had to raise an eyebrow at that. He didn't expect of all houses this one would have a basement considering its rather shaking foundation. Still he wasn't living here so it wasn't his decision.
Professor Kukui was laughing as the two children and Pokémon came in. Two pink Pokémon, one Sun recognized to be a snubbull, peered from the living room to see their guests. They recognized Lillie once she walked in, and they hurried over to greet her. Sun and Cloud watched in amusement at the girl trying to keep her balance as the two Pokémon ran around her feet excitedly. The commotion seemed to have drawn Kukui's attention because he glanced up from his rockruff with a huge smile on his face.
"Hey there, Sun! Thanks for getting him for me, Lillie!"
"Of course. However I can be a help…I am supposed to be your assistant, right?" the girl replied with a smile on her face.
Sun then asked, "So what were you doing, Professor? From what I heard outside, you were having quite a lot of fun with Rockruff." The boy grinned easily. If the other two people in the room heard the sly tone in his voice, they didn't show it. Rather, Professor Kukui just laughed.
"Rockruff's moves were just so stylin', and I was making good progress with my research. Just couldn't contain myself."
"Ah, I see. So what is it that you called me for, Professor? I was just start about to explore the island." If it had been anybody else, they might have asked the professor to share some more details about his work, just to be polite. However Sun was itching to be on the road now. He wanted to get started on his Island Trial right away.
The older man laughed, "That excited to start, yeah! Then lemme see your Pokedex just for a second, yeah?" Professor Kukui held out his hand for the device. Sun immediately complied. At that point, the two pink Pokémon stared curiously at the unfamiliar person. Cloud jumped from his trainer's shoulder to squeak a greeting. Soon the three Pokémon were chasing each other around in a small game of tag. Sun and Lillie watched them briefly before realizing that a fourth Pokémon, Nebby, had actually joined them. Out of instinct, the girl was about to call the cosmog back into her bag but she restrained herself just in time. Sun's smile twitched on its right when he saw Lillie pursed her lips together. Then the professor caught his attention again with a curious statement, "You know that there's been a rotom in your pokedex, right, Sun?"
The trainer looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "Really? Why wasn't I made aware of this fact when you first gave it to me?" The tiniest amount of annoyance crept into his voice, and Professor Kukui probably didn't hear it because he laughed jovially without a care in the world.
"It was a surprise! You know Rotom, right?"
"It's an electric-ghost type Pokémon from the Sinnoh region that likes to reside in machines."
"That's right! And to put that crazy skill of Rotom's to work, we made this pokedex. It's the next generation of pokedexes, but it's only complete once Rotom has gone into it. A whole new way for Pokémon and people to communicate. Woo! And there's only a few of these beauties out in the world so far!"
"Then I'm extremely lucky trainer, aren't I?" Sun's smile widened.
"Hahaha, oh yeah! Now if I power up your pokedex with the parts that I just got in…" Kukui turned around and quickly went to work. Sun thought it a bit odd considering how he didn't think the man would hide his work like that. Yet he didn't ponder on it too much. He and Lillie waited patiently until they heard a strange "kzzzt!" sound. In a flash, said Pokémon appeared before them with a large smile. The four Pokémon who were playing in the living room noticed and came right over.
"Pika! Pika pi!" Cloud squeaked a greeting to the floating newcomer. It looked at the pikachu, and the electric mouse was oddly reminded of his trainer. It must have been the smile the rotom had.
"Kzzzt!" Rotom replied.
"Hey now! Sorry 'bout that, Rotom. Guess I surprised you, huh?" Kukui apologized. "But here, boy! I powered up your favorite 'dex! Give Sun here a Helping Hand, yeah?" The rotom seemed to ponder that request for a short moment before nodding in response. With a loud zap, it zoomed right back into the pokedex. Kukui then resumed his upgrading. Before long he stopped. Sun blinked in surprise when he saw his pokedex, now possessed by the rotom and had arms, fly around. It then landed in front of him, and Sun could see the rotom's face on the screen of the pokedex. Its own smile reflected on Sun's face.
"Zzzzzrrt! Nize to meet you, pal! Gentle on the goodz, OK?"
"Hello, Dexter," Sun named the rotom. "Welcome to the team!"
"Zzzzt zzzt! Glad to hear that, Governor!"
"See, Sun? Now Rotom can talk right to you!" Kukui chuckled. "And from what I can tell it looks like it has taken a liking to you!"
"That's Dexter to you, Profezzor!" Dexter flew in front of the professor's face to emphasize its point. That caused the man to laugh again.
"All right! Dexter it is then!"
"How will this help Sun?" Lillie asked, her curiosity peaked.
Professor Kukui looked at her seriously. "Sun hasn't been here in Alola too long yet. Not only would Ro-I mean, Dexter, register every Pokémon Sun meets, it could also help him navigate with its installed town map."
Ah, there it was, one of the most important things a Pokémon trainer could have. Sun had to admit that this was extremely convenient for him. Most likely Dexter would hang around outside like Cloud unless the rotom wanted to go to sleep. The trainer wouldn't have to go through the trouble of unrolling a paper and study it to get his bearings. Dexter would simply float in front of him and let him check where to go next. "Thank you very much for this, Professor Kukui." Sun thanked sincerely.
"Yeah, thankz, Profezzor!" Dexter echoed.
"No problem. You guys look after each other, yeah?" Kukui nodded towards Cloud to include him in as well. The pikachu smiled in appreciation before climbing back up on Sun's shoulder. Dexter became curious about the electric mouse and floated over to examine him a bit more. Cloud held out a paw and squeaked a greeting. Before they could get further, Professor Kukui continued, "Since you're starting your island challenge, there are some important things you need to know about it. It's your chance to become the strongest trainer around—the island challenge champion, woo! There are four main islands that make up Alola, and a kahuna for each one of them. You have to clear seven trials before the kahunas see you worthy of that title.
"It's a great adventure for you and your Pokémon to go on together! I want you and your Pokémon to get out there and give it a shot! You were able to fully use your Pokémon's moves in your very first battle. I think you must have a talent for drawing out Pokémon's strengths, yeah. As someone who's dedicated my life to studying Pokémon moves, I really want to see you out there meeting all kinds of Pokémon on your island challenge!"
Sun's smile twitched on its right side at the professor's enthusiasm. Even if he didn't say that, Sun would have tried out the island challenge anyways. It didn't look like there were the usual gyms that were so common in the other regions. Using the word "trial" for it also put in Sun's mind something entirely different from normal gym battles. They hinted that he would have to prove himself, which he was confident that he would have no trouble doing. "You can count on me, Professor."
"That's what I'm talking about, woo! It'd be great if you also stop by the Trainers' School! They'll offer you all kinds of advice on the basics of being a Pokémon trainer through Pokémon battling. It's a long road to becoming the island challenge champion, and the Trainers' School is the first step. Lillie, why don't you accompany Sun until he gets used to Dexter's map?"
"Of course. Ready to go, Sun?"
"Ready whenever my Pokémon are."
"Pika!"
"Letz get thiz show on the road!"
Sun's smile widened at his Pokémon's eagerness. He looked at his friend, and Lillie could have sworn that at that moment, Sun lived up to his namesake. "Then let's get going then!" They quickly said their good-byes to Professor Kukui before retracing their steps back up the hill. Their trek took a little less than half the time it took them to get to the lab due to them having encountered only a slowpoke and another yungoos, both wild Pokémon being easily defeated by Blue Doll. Dexter squealed in delight at seeing those Pokemon. Right after Sun finished his battles, the rotom flew towards him to show off the data it collected:
Slowpoke, the dopey Pokémon. Its long tails often breaks off. There's no pain involved, another tail grows back, and Alolan home cooking has dried slowpoke tails simmered into a salty stew.
Yungoos, the loitering Pokémon. It did not originally live in Alola but was imported from another region. It wanders around in a never-ending search for food, only falling asleep where it stands once dusk falls.
"Great job, Dexter," Sun praised. The rotom glowed with pride at that. It excitedly floated around them, zipping off rapid comments that its trainer answered to. Cloud also gave his opinions on those matters, and it was obvious that Dexter respected the pikachu. They became fast friends, something that their common typing of Electric might have contributed to. Sun would try to get Lillie to join in on their conversations to not leave her out. They soon passed Sun's home, pausing to let the moment last for a bit. When Sun hurried them along, Lillie questioned why he didn't go visit his mom.
"Because she would tease me about homesickness causing me to return so soon," Sun had replied. "I'd rather not. Not until I make her really miss me."
The next stop they got to was the Pokémon center in Hau'oli City. They just arrived there when Lillie asked if Sun was going to heal up his Pokémon. He answered yes immediately and both entered the building. The young trainer was a bit surprised to see how huge the building was. He then realized after a look around that not only did the Pokémon Center contain the hospital itself, it also accommodated a pokemart and a café. It was almost like a mini shopping center. Sun was pretty impressed as he was used to having the Pokémon center separated from the pokemart.
"I'll be over there," Lillie said quietly, pointing over to the café. Sun nodded.
"I won't take long." With Dexter flickering back and forth behind his back, Sun strolled over to the counter. Thankfully, nobody seemed to have gotten into reckless battles recently as no line formed. The nurse smiled at the boy as he placed his two pokeballs on the countertop. Cloud, on the other hand, gave Sun a slightly confused look when the boy placed him there as well. "Could you please examine my Pokémon?"
"Pika?"
"Just to make you're in top shape, Cloud. Who knows what might happen?"
"Chu…"
"Of course. I assume you're starting your first trial?"
"Yup. But I have to go to the Trainers' School first."
"Oh, to improve your battling? Good luck, both at the school and your trial!"
"Thanks." Although I seriously do not need it at all. But Sun kept that thought to himself. Instead, he peeled himself away from the center to head over to the café. He saw Lillie sitting at a table with a frosty glass of something creamy. Another glass stood waiting. Judging by the liquid, Sun could only guess that it was Moomoo milk. However he knew there was a possible chance of being wrong. Alola was different from both Johto and Kanto in many ways. The availability of types of drinks could very well be one of those ways. The girl waved her friend over.
"I wasn't sure what you wanted, so I just got you what I like. I hope you don't mind Moomoo milk," Lillie said once Sun arrived. His smile widened as he sat down in the empty chair.
"Not at all," he replied. He took the glass and tasted the drink. Mhmm, he never had Moomoo milk like this before. It was much different from the usual liquid he was so used to back at home. He could get used to the way it was made here.
"There are cafés like this in every Pokémon center. I read in a tourist guide that each café serves a different selection of drinks. I think it would be fun to try out all the different flavors they offer."
"That does sound like fun," Sun agreed.
"Az long az they have zomething electric-friendly!" Dexter giggled.
They continued to chat with each other about general topics on Pokémon, Lillie giving Sun some poke beans to feed his Pokémon. Dexter attempted to steal another one after Sun already gave it one. However the trainer was well aware of what his rotom might do and slapped the pokedex's hand away. He chuckled jokingly at Dexter's whining before apologizing with the bean it wanted to steal. While Sun placated a scolding Lillie on his seemingly-cruel behavior, the same nurse who took his Pokémon walked over with Cloud riding her shoulder.
"Your Pokemon are all healed up, young man. And your pikachu is in tip-top shape as well!"
"Oh, thank you very much." Sun stood to accept his pokeballs back. Cloud quickly made his way back onto Sun's shoulder, nuzzling the boy's cheek with his own. A small jolt of electricity went through Sun's body as he clipped his pokeballs onto his belt. The small group waved good-bye to the nurse, allowing her to return to her duties.
"Welcome back, Cloud!" Dexter grinned.
"Pikachu," Cloud responded with a nod. Sun's grin widened as he scratched his starter's chin. The electric mouse squeaked in delight at the affectionate gesture. The trainer also gave him a yellow poke bean. Although Cloud initially hesitated at the sight and smell of an unfamiliar food, he swiftly scarfed it down after the first lick. Although it didn't compare to the malasada Sun bought during the festival, it was still very delicious. "Pik pi."
"You're welcome. Ready to get going?" Sun asked Lillie.
The girl nodded and stood from her chair. "The Trainers' School isn't far from here."
"Lead the way."
The two children left their glasses on the table and exited the building. Some people entered while they exited while others joined them in leaving. Sun and Lillie walked down the street towards their destination. As they walked, Sun noticed how Lillie held onto her bag nonstop. She would flinch sometimes when she saw somebody get a bit too close to her. That had Sun's head racing for any possible reason Lillie had to be so jumpy. Perhaps the girl knew more about Nebby's power than she let on. Yet Sun quickly waved this small theory away, Lillie wasn't that type of person. Even if she wanted to lie, she would give any sharp eyes a good physical reaction to know that the girl was indeed lying. She was just probably worried for Nebby's life. As a result, Sun casually made his way to shelter his friend from the strangers walking all around them. Once again the bag sandwiched between the two kids, preventing anybody from grabbing it easily. Cloud and Dexter also helped with Cloud keeping a lookout on Sun's shoulder closest to Lillie and Dexter floating just behind the bag.
At one point, the rotom actually attempted to scan Nebby for any possible information. However it became puzzled when it came up with nothing at all on the little guy. When Dexter whispered that to Sun while Lillie wasn't looking, the trainer nodded thoughtfully. He had hoped that perhaps Dexter might have found something about the strange Pokémon, but that didn't seem to be the case. Sun was fine with it though. He had a suspicion that they would learn more about the cosmog eventually. Time had a way of providing answers for them, his mother taught him.
The group soon arrived to their destination. Sun looked it over quickly, noting the giant wall fencing the school courtyard. That was a good thing as practicing Pokémon moves willy-nilly could result in destroyed towns. As if in some unspoken agreement, they stopped just before entering the gates. Lillie turned to Sun.
"Are you ready to go in?"
Sun looked at the building for a moment longer. He then looked at Cloud and Dexter, their expressions mirroring his own. The young trainer faced forward again with a hand on his cap's bill. "They won't know what hit them."
Now that is a serious understatement, Sun. You know you're going to wipe the floor with them...thanks to my awesome author powers! But anyways, we're going to get to the nitty-gritty soon. Because if you guys all remember, you meet a certain special someone during your time in the school...but you gotta wait until next time to find out what would happen! I'll see you guys next time.