A/N: Sorry this one took longer than normal, but it's really important for things going forward, so I wanted to make sure to get it as good as it could be.

Lillie took in her friends practically skipping as they headed for Route 2. "You two really are excited for this, aren't you?" she asked.

Sun smiled, so relaxed now compared to the aftermath of his bout with Team Skull. "Being a trainer and traveling, that's been my dream as long as I can remember," he explained. "I can do all that, and I can have all my pokémon out with me? It's like two dreams come true all at once."

Lillie tilted her head in confusion, causing Sun's old hat to tilt slightly. She'd heard Sun talk about his wish to travel and be a trainer long enough to know how important it was to him, but what was this about having all his pokémon out with him?

Hau must've been wondering the same thing because he asked, "What's so special about having all your pokémon out with you? Can't you do that whenever you want if you're outside? Heck, most shops are okay with it if they have room."

Sun didn't answer for a moment, looking over his pokémon one by one. "In Kanto," he began, "things work a bit different. They used to be the same as Alola but when the Rocket Syndicate rose to power, there started being a bunch of rules about how many pokémon you could have out of their pokéballs at a time in public. But traveling like this, with my pokémon free to walk around with me and seeing other people able to do it to, it's just the best!"

Hau nodded eagerly. "It's the best part of traveling," he agreed. "Anyone can do it around here, but still, just think of all the pokémon we'll get to meet when we leave this island!"

Sun offered Hau a fist bump which the energetic boy happily returned. "I know, right?" Sun agreed, joy in his eyes. "So may pokémon we've never seen before are waiting for us to come find them!"

They're incredible, Lillie thought. They haven't even completed their first trial in Verdant Cavern and they're already talking about what waits beyond this island.

"When we both finish Ilima's trial," Sun told Hau, "me and you are gonna have another battle. Loser treats the winner to malasada!"

Hau chuckled. "You're on!" he agreed. "And we're gonna win the battle and the malasada, right guys?"

"ROW!" agreed Bowtie.

"Pichu!" Puka cheered in agreement.

Prince jumped up on Sun's head to look down on all of them. "Meowth!" the dark type denied.

Sun chuckled. "Looks like Prince isn't interested in us losing," the Meowth's trainer noted. "Of course, neither am I. Those malasada are mine!"

Lillie giggled. "Sun, are you more concerned about the malasada than winning?" she asked with amusement.

Sun gave her a catlike grin. "Nah," he replied. "But battles are fun, and malasada are yummy. So no matter how it goes, we're all getting some enjoyment out of it, right?"

Lillie nodded thoughtfully. "You really like battling, don't you Sun?" she asked.

Sun's smile could've outshone his namesake. "Battling is so much fun. Right, guys?" he asked his crew to answering cheers from all his pokémon.

Lillie felt her bag shake, as if Nebby wanted to join in on the fun. Unfortunately for the little Cosmog, it couldn't battle. The only moves Nebby knew couldn't even be used to protect itself. Lillie felt her smile slip a little.

"People in Iki Town always say Tapu Koko loves pokémon battles," Hau said. "So battling is pretty popular on Melemele. A lot of people start their Island Challenge here, even if they aren't from Melemele as tribute to that."

Lillie looked at her bag and then over at Sun. "If we could meet Tapu Koko again, do you think we'd find the answer to why it saved you and Nebby, Sun?"

"Pew?!" Nebby chirped from her bag, straining towards Sun.

"Maybe it wants to battle us," Sun suggested. "Once we get stronger, obviously."

Hau grinned. "How cool would that be?" he asked enthusiastically. "Battling a tapu? I mean, my gramps has battled Tapu Koko before, but that was a long time ago."

"Zpeaking of your grampz," Dexter piped up from Sun's pocket. "My zenzorz are picking zomething up. Zomething I really didn't want to zee again! Zzt!"

"Oh, it's Kahuna Hala," Sun said in surprise. "And Tauros!"

"Hello you three," Hala said as they made their approach. "I've got this ornery creature calmed again, for now. Want to try giving him a little pat again, Sun? That's the only way he'll get used to you."

"Not that I mind sir," Sun began, "but he's your pokémon, why would he need to get used to me?"

Hala's eyes twinkled. "I saw how you were eyeing him last time we met, lad. You want to ride him, don't you?"

Sun blushed. "Y-Yes, sir," he replied. "I would love to ride Tauros."

"Go on then," the kahuna urged the young man with a smile. "Stroke his mane like before, he seemed to love when you did that."

As Sun went on to do as instructed, stroking Hala's Tauros and talking to it like a friend, Lillie and Hau hung back and watched with Hala.

Hau gave his grandfather a knowing smile. "What are you doing out here, tutu?" he asked. "Besides bringing Tauros here so that it's used to Sun by the time you let him register ol' Tauros as a Ride Pokémon."

Hala chuckled. "Truthfully," he began, "I'm looking for a home for the third pokémon of the batch your Bowtie and Sun's Nero came from. She's getting a bit lonely, with her friends having departed and no trainer of her own."

Lillie's eyes widened. "The Popplio that was raised with them?" she asked, receiving a nod in turn. "A trainer still hasn't chosen her?"

Hala sighed. "Truthfully, there haven't been as many people setting out on the Island Challenge this year. I had hoped that one of the trainers Kukui had mentored would choose Popplio, or perhaps one of the children at the Trainers' School, but it seems they aren't ready to begin traveling just yet."

Lillie frowned. That was so sad. She remembered how cute the Popplio at the Trainers' School had been, it was a pity this one couldn't find a good home.

Hau looked like he'd been struck with a bolt of inspiration, though. "Lillie, why don't you raise Popplio?" he suggested. "Bowtie's with me, Nero's with Sun, and you're with us."

Lillie opened her mouth to deny the idea, but hesitated. She'd watched Sun and Hau shine with their pokémon. She'd been helpless when Nebby needed help, requiring Sun to rush in. She hadn't been able to help when Team Skull had threatened her friends' pokémon, even if they'd turned out to be no real threat. So, she nodded. "As long as Popplio's okay with it," she said, "I'd love to be her trainer."

Hala smiled widely. "Well said Lillie," he agreed. "Let us see if little Popplio is equally eager!"

He released the little water type from her pokéball, and Lillie crouched down to meet her at eye level, as she'd seen Sun do when first meeting Nero. "Hello," the young woman said, smiling at the adorable pokémon. "My name is Lillie and I'd love to be your friend."

"Bwark bwark!" barked the little water type clapping her flippers. She bounced over to Lillie, hopping into the girl's outstretched hands.

Hala smiled. "Ah so Popplio has chosen you as well," the old man said. "Amazing…" he added softly.

"I'm gonna call you… Bubbly!" Lillie told her new Popplio getting an excited bark in return as her new partner licked her face excitedly.

"What's amazing, tutu?" Hau asked, curiously.

"Pew?" Nebby asked from Lillie's bag.

"All three of the pokémon in this set chose their trainers so readily. Bowtie chose you as immediately as you chose him, Hau. And Nero, despite Litten normally being so standoffish, chose Sun without the lad saying so much as a word to him. And now Lillie being so suited for the last… Is this all chance… or perhaps destiny making its move?"

Neither Hau nor Lillie knew what to say to that, so they turned to Sun who was now gently brushing dirt out Tauros' mane with one of the brushes he used to groom his pokémon.

Hau whistled. "Sun's not afraid of Tauros at all," the energetic boy mused, deeply impressed. "He's stroking it and talking to it as if he'd been the one to raise it himself."

Lillie nodded. "I think Sun is used to aggressive pokémon like Tauros," she mused.

"How do you mean?" Hau asked, curiously.

Lillie shrugged. "He mentioned getting trained in a brutal way when he was younger, and from how he was talking he didn't mean the pokémon. I have a feeling taking care of a pokémon as fierce as Tauros is familiar to him."

"Kahuna Hala," Sun called from where he was wrapping up grooming Tauros, "I think Tauros is pretty relaxed now."

Hala smiled, stepping closer to the boy. "Maybe ol' Tauros can feel your love for pokémon," the kahuna suggested, pleased. "He sure seems happy to know you."

"It's nice getting to know him too," Sun replied, still stroking Tauros. "You're a sweetheart, aren't you Tauros?"

"Moo!" the normal type lowed, basking in the attention.

"And yet…" Hala mused. "It still seems to me like Tauros wants to stretch his legs on his own Island Challenge! Haha!" Sun moved aside so Hala could tend to his pokémon, only for Tauros to bolt for Route 2. Hala laughed harder. "What?! You want to play tag now, eh? The Melemele Kahuna never loses, friend!" Waving goodbye to the trio, Hala pursued his Tauros a huge grin on the old man's face.

"Let'z make trackz like Tauroz, gang!" Dexter cheered from Sun's pocket. "I want to zee everything up on Route 2! Zzt!"

"Wait, what's that you're holding Lillie?" Sun asked.

"I guess you were too caught up with Tauros to notice but look Sun I've got my own pokémon! Meet Bubbly!" Lillie said, holding her Popplio up.

Nero rushed forward, staring at Bubbly. "Mrar?" Sun's fire kitten asked.

"Bwark!" Bubbly confirmed, and the two nuzzled against each other.

Sun grinned at Lillie. "Now you're a trainer like Hau and me!"

Lillie nodded. "Yep, although I think I'll leave the battling to you two for now at least."

Sun shrugged. "No big deal," he replied easily. "There's a lot more to raising pokémon than just battling anyway."

"Come on guys!" Hau said. "Let's make tracks for Route 2 like Dexter said!"

Hau dashed on ahead of them, and Lillie and Sun looked at each other. "He did it again," Sun said, amused. "Do you think this'll keep happening?"

Lillie giggled. "Oh definitely. It doesn't matter where we go in Alola, he'll always be rushing off."

Sun nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, "you're probably right. Well, let's try catching up to him again."

"Wrap it up with Bite, Emperor," Sun declared before his Grimer took a huge bite out of his opponent's Gastly.

Lillie and Bubbly both clapped excitedly as Sun's pokémon took the win and then Lillie tossed a potion over to the young woman Sun had been battling, so that the Gastly could be healed.

"Grimer!" Emperor cheered, hugging Sun's leg.

Sun smiled crouching down to hug the poison and dark type. "Good work buddy," Sun praised, carefully dusting debris from his Grimer. "You and Prince are catching up to Nero and Baron super quick."

Prince purred from atop Sun's head, deigning to pat his slimy retainer. "Meowwwth."

Emperor seemed to glow from the praise, hugging Sun harder. "GRIMER!" he cried happily; glad his friends were proud of him.

Lillie smiled down at Sun. "Is that why you've been working with those two so much?" she asked. "To give them a chance to catch up?"

"Mmhm!" Sun hummed. "I got to work with Nero and Baron for an extra day Emperor and Prince didn't have, so we're a little more in sync and I've had more time to understand how they like to battle."

"Mrar!" Nero complained, spitting fire.

Sun sighed. "I know buddy, I know," the trainer agreed. "I want you to have a chance to fight too. The next battle is yours; I promise."

Lillie pointed at a rapidly approaching pokémon. "I think that might come sooner than you think, Sun."

"Okay, get ready Nero," Sun agreed as his Litten shifted into an aggressive stance. But once the pokémon neared, Sun recognized it as a very nervous Delibird. He stuck an arm in front of his partner. "Wait a sec, Nero. I don't think this guy's looking for a fight."

The Delibird gave a loud cry and tried to tug Sun off to the right. It seemed on the verge of panic.

"I think it's trying to take you to the Berry Fields, Sun," Lillie said. "Delibird are normally a very calm pokémon, so to be in such a state something must be threatening the fields or their caretakers."

"Zomething iz happening in the Berry Fieldz?" Dexter asked. "Get in there Zun! We need to keep our berry ztock zafe!"

Sun grinned at Nero. "Come on, partner," he said. "Looks like we might be going to the fight this time, instead of waiting for it to come to us. Lillie are you and Bubbly coming?"

Lillie looked down at Bubbly's clapping paws and gave Sun a serious nod. "Let's go!"

Lillie took in the sight of two Team Skull grunts gesturing bizarrely in front of an elderly man. "You got a lame bunch of berries," one said. "Now Team Skull's your adversaries. Takin' berries off your hands is just the start of our plans, yo!"

"Let's get Figy with it!" the other agreed. "Watch while I Nanab me some berries!"

The old man didn't look very impressed, nor amused. "I'll share my berries for free with any pokémon, but you'll not have a single one from me!"

"So… So what? You sayin' I'm lower than a pokémon?!" the first member asked, getting up in the old man's face, who didn't even blink. "I already got self-esteem issues man!"

Sun and Lillie dashed in front of them, kicking up dust. "Admin Lillie," Sun said, "prepare to deal with some numbskulls."

"And what are you looking at, huh?!" the Team Skull guy asked glaring at them both. "Huh? Huh? HUH?!"

"A couple of numbzkullz! Zzt!" Dexter chirped. "Trying to rob an old man, have you no shame?"

The Team Skull guy seemed to have a double take as he glared at Sun. "Yo, hold up, you're-!"

"The guy who helped kick your butts last time?" Sun asked. "Why yes, yes I am."

"You got a bone to pick with us, homie?" the second Team Skull guy demanded. "You and Cap and happy boy may have beat us in Hau'oli, but you won't be so lucky if we get serious, yo!"

"I think we sent you running off with your tails between your legs, actually," Sun said.

"I appreciate your concern, lad," the old man said. "But these Team Skull punks do nothing but talk big and act small. You carry on with your Island Challenge. Don't give them a moment's notice."

"Yo, we're standing right here!" the first Team Skull guy complained. "At least act a little bit afraid or something, y'know?"

"Sun, maybe we should just leave this to the gentleman here," Lillie offered. "He doesn't seem too concerned and wants us to stay out of it."

Sun opened his mouth to reply but never got the chance.

"Yo, you tryin' to run away?" the second Team Skull guy asked. "We're gonna hafta take your Popplio along with the berries!"

They wanted to steal Bubbly? Lillie's blood boiled. "On second thought," she said. "Let's get them off our backs."

"Yo, check out how hardheaded Team Skull Grunts can be!" their opponent shouted, loosing a Drowzee.

"Lemme tag in too," the other said, tossing out a Mime Jr.

"Which do you want, if any?" Sun asked Lillie, completely lacking fear.

She took a deep breath. "Bubbly and I will take Mime Jr."

Her Popplio jumped out of her arms and took a position beside her, barking aggressively, "BWARK BWARK BWARK!"

Sun nodded. "Alright then. Nero, we're going up against Drowzee."

"MRAR!" Sun's Litten roared, spitting fire.

"Now then," Sun said, "let me introduce myself properly this time, since you didn't get it last time. The name's Sun, and I'm going to beat you now. Nero use Ember!"

Sun's Litten spat an Ember-hairball at the Team Skull guy's Drowzee. "Block it with Confusion!" the first Team Skull guy said.

"Drowzeee…" intoned the Drowzee, holding out its hand and blocking the hairball with the psychic attack.

"Bubbly use Water Gun!" Lillie declared, pointing at the Mime Jr.

"Poppli!" squeaked Bubbly, blasting a stream of water at her opponent from her mouth.

"Use Copycat, Mime Jr.!" shouted the Team Skull guy.

"Mime mime mime!" agreed the enemy Mime Jr. doing a flip and launching a blast of water of its own to counter Bubbly's.

Lillie looked at Sun, who was rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We need to change our tactics," he mused.

Lillie nodded, understanding his point. If they kept at what they were doing all it would do is leave room for their opponents' attacks.

"Yeah, you keep tryin' to think of somethin' kid!" the grunt Sun was facing retorted. "We'll be attacking! Drowzee use Headbutt!"

"Like my homie said, girlie we'll be attackin' you now!" the grunt Lillie was facing agreed. "Mime Jr. use Copycat again."

Both pokémon, Mime Jr. with a flip, began rushing at her Popplio and Sun's Litten. Sun grinned widely. "Great choice… for us! Nero, use Bite!" Sun declared proudly and his Litten bit down hard on the Drowzee halting it and holding it in the feline's fangs.

"Bubbly…" Lillie tried to think. Something helpful… Something helpful… Wait… Like at the Trainers' School! "Trap Mime Jr. in one of your big bubbles!"

"Bwark bwark!" barked Bubbly releasing a big bubble from her nose as opposed to the blast of water that had spewed from her mouth. Mime Jr. rammed straight into the bubble, trapping the psychic and fairy type.

"Now, use Ember with Drowzee still in your fangs!" Sun told Nero.

Nero's mouth became alight with fire much to the chagrin of the Drowzee trapped by his fangs. The fire type's eyes sparkled as viciously as his trainer's as he blasted the Ember infused Drowzee out of his mouth

"Drowwwwzeeee…" their opponent groaned, falling over.

Lillie knew she and Bubbly had an opening they need to exploit before their opponent found a way around it. "Use Water Gun on Mime Jr. Bubbly," she declared.

"Poppli pop!" cried Bubbly blasting away at their trapped opponent.

"Mime Jr. use Copycat to counterattack!" the member of Team Skull commanding the small pokémon cried, but despite his command there was no counter blast of water which meant Bubbly's attack hit hard.

Lillie smiled. "Did you think your Mime Jr. did all that flipping just for show?" she asked. "A pokémon has to flip to use Copycat and there isn't room in that bubble!"

Sun turned to her. "That was brilliant!" he complimented. "How did you know that?"

Lillie blushed. "It wasn't anything that impressive. Professor Kukui studies pokémon moves, so I read a lot of books on them the past few months to help with his research."

Bubbly clapped. "Poppli," she cried.

"She thought it was impressive," Sun pointed out before turning to their opponents. "So are you guys gonna leave now or…?"

"Yo, for real?!" the grunt Lillie had been fighting asked. "You best stop trying to act hard, kid!"

Sun groaned. "Dude, we only fought you because, twice now, you picked a fight with us."

"And you threatened to steal our pokémon," Lillie pointed out.

"Why're you reminding us we lost to you before?" the grunt Sun had fought asked. "You think you're better than us or something?"

"Yo, I'm so annoyed right now, homie!" the one Lillie had battled said. "Let's go mess with Ilima again!"

"Guys you lost to me twice," Sun pointed out, "I don't think picking a second fight with Ilima will go any better for you."

But like the numbskulls they were, they just ignored him. "Aww yeah, let's do it!" the one who Sun had beaten agreed. "Verdant Cavern is pretty close by anyway."

The two idiots dashed away, heading the direction Sun and Lillie had already planned on going.

"You two make quite a team with your pokémon," the old man said warmly. "As I mentioned, I didn't really need your help, but that doesn't mean I didn't appreciate it."

"Thank you, sir," both teens said appreciatively.

"Honestly if they'd just asked politely, I would've gladly given them berries for their pokémon," the old man mused. "Berry trees are easy to come by in Alola, they sprout up like weeds."

Sun sighed. "I think those guys just like causing trouble," he said sadly. "They don't even seem all that bad, I don't think they'd know what to do if they pulled off one of their 'schemes'."

The old man nodded sadly. "A lot of young people with nowhere to go end up in Team Skull. Orphans and runaways and the like. I don't know all the details, but it started on one of the other islands for exactly that reason but somehow it devolved into them just causing trouble."

Lillie tried to imagine meeting Team Skull and being welcomed to live with them, instead of the professors she'd met that fateful day. She couldn't see herself trying to steal pokémon, but to hear Sun and the gentleman here tell it, they never expect to succeed in the first place.

Either missing the somber mood or choosing to ignore it, Dexter chose that moment to interject. "Enough helping people and feeling bad for thoze numbzkullz," the Rotom-Pokédex cheered. "Let'z get onto your trial already Zun! Zzt!"

"Dexter's right, Sun," Lillie said. "That's why you came all this way, right?"

Sun gave them both a small smile. "Thanks guys," he said sincerely. "Lillie, do you mind waiting here for a minute? I need to give my mom a call."

She nodded and watched in slight concern as Sun walked away.

Sun heard the phone ring for a few seconds before his mother picked up. "Sun!" she greeted cheerfully before seeing the look on his face from the other end of the video call. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Mama…" Sun started, trying to find the words to say it. "you know how much I've been looking forward to all of this…having my own pokémon, the journey, the Island Challenge…?"

"Yes, of course Sweetheart, but that's obviously not what's bothering you. So, what is it?"

"I'm worried about my battling."

"Oh Sun, you needn't worry about that. You've been doing great. I'm very proud of you. You've won so many of your battles, haven't you?"

"Mom…yes," he stumbled hesitantly. Then the words just ran out of him. "I've been battling like Uncle Gio taught me. I didn't mean to! But twice now people threatened to steal my pokémon and my friends' pokémon, too. I got scared, and then I got angry, and then I fell back on how he taught me to fight!"

Sun's mother took a deep breath. "Elio Ray," she started, "did you try to cause irreparable harm to your opponent?"

"No, I-"

"Did you threaten your own pokémon to get better results from them?"

"No-"

"Then you didn't do anything wrong, my little sun," his mother said. "I know you're afraid that because he taught that battling style to you, it's evil, but it's not. It's aggressive. It's about dominating the battle through power. And that's what you're good at Sun, you learned it from training with your uncle, but you've also learned it through watching me battle all these years."

"He was the leader of the Rocket Syndicate!" Sun protested. "You're-"

"Sun, who do you think taught me to battle?" Andrea Ray asked. "Your uncle started his journey when I was just a little girl. Who do you think caught Meowy for me, so that I could become a trainer? Are we evil?"

"Of course not!" Sun cried. "But-"

"As long as you remember what I taught you, you'll be fine Sun," his mother promised.

"'Put everything you have into winning, but don't be cruel,'" Sun repeated, words that he'd long since committed to memory.

"Exactly," Sun's mother confirmed. "Sun, sweetie, you have to remember that while your uncle was the leader of the Rocket Syndicate, there was more to him than that. He taught you because he cared about you. Please remember that. Take what he taught you and do good with it. I know you can."

Sun took a deep breath. His mother was right. Still, he had to ask, "Do you think he was hoping I'd join him, Mama?"

"I can't say, Sun," his mother replied. "Only he'd be able to tell you that. But that wasn't why he taught you, that I'm sure of."

Sun's pokémon huddled around him, trying to comfort their trainer, all giving cries of concern. "I'm okay, guys," Sun said, giving his crew a smile. "Thanks."

"Pikipek?" Baron asked, perching on his shoulder, and offering him an Oran Berry which Sun obligingly ate.

Sun's mother smiled at the affection Sun's pokémon showed him. "You get along with your pokémon so well, reminds me of your father," she said proudly.

Sun tilted his head quizzically. "Is that true?" he asked. "I mean, pokémon like him, but I've never noticed it being any different for him than anybody else."

Andrea smiled. "That's because you've only seen him interact with pokémon he was already close to," she explained, "but yes, your father has always had a much easier time getting along with pokémon than most. Pokémon tend to love him practically instantly. Just wait until he meets your team, you'll see what I mean."

Sun nodded, then realized how long they had been talking as the sun had begun to sink while they spoke. "Mama, I've gotta catch up with my friends. Thanks for helping."

"Any time my little sun, you know that," she promised. "Keep me updated on your travels, okay?"

"I will," Sun promised, turning to head back to the berry fields and moving to hang up.

"One more thing, Sun," his mother said. "Since I know you'll want to tell your friends about your uncle at some point, I'm telling you now, it's okay with me that you tell them."

Sun smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart."While Sun had been discussing the past with his mother, Lillie was thinking about the future. Battling with Bubbly hadn't felt as bad as Lillie had worried it might, but she hadn't found it exhilarating in the way Sun and Hau always seemed to. I could always keep helping Professor Kukui with his research, she mused as she waited for Sun to come back. Helping in his lab has been a lot of fun, the past three months. But there has to be more to living with pokémon than battles and research, right?

"Hey Lillie," Sun called, standing at the entrance to the berry fields. "Sorry I took so long, I'm ready to go if you are!"

"I'm ready, yes," Lillie replied. "Come on, Bubbly, let's go!"

Her Popplio hopped up into her arms, snuggling against her. "Popppliiii…" Bubbly sighed contentedly.

As they made their way back to the road, Lillie turned to Sun. "Are you okay?" Lillie asked her friend. "I know you felt off after battling with Team Skull last time."

"Yeah," Sun replied with a sheepish smile, "I'll be fine. They just brought back some bad memories is all. That's why I had to give Mom a call. Sorry if I made you worry."

Lillie shook her head. "We're friends, Sun. If you're worried about something, I'm here for you too."

Sun looked contemplative. "Thanks Lillie, I'll bear that in mind." He looked like he wanted to say something more, but he didn't.

They walked in silence until Sun found his next opponent, and she was very relieved to see him freely enjoying the battle.

Nebby watched excitedly from the duffle bag as Nero dominated a battle. Fire flew from the Litten's mouth as he lunged at the opposing Butterfree. Mama Lillie didn't like battles, but Mama's Sun and his pokémon seemed to live for them. Sun and his pokémon never shined brighter than when facing an opponent. Nebby wanted to battle alongside them and shine as brilliantly as they did!

"Great job, Nero!" Mama's Sun cheered. "We won!"

"Here, let me heal your Butterfree for you," Mama said gently spraying the defeated bug type with a potion.

As they walked away, Mama smiled at Sun. "We're almost to Verdant Cavern, do you know who you'll start off the trial with?"

"Pew!" Nebby cried, shaking the duffle bag. Nebby wanted to help Mama's Sun with the trial! Just like Mama's Sun had helped it!

Mama's Sun chuckled, resting a hand against the duffle bag. "Sorry little one," he said, as Nebby basked in his warm aura, "but I don't think Lillie would want me to take you with me."

Mama Lillie giggled. "Nebby, I think Sun has to use pokémon he's caught for the trial."

"Pew!" Nebby pouted but it cheered up slightly when Baron dropped an Oran Berry in the duffle bag.

"Pikipek!" Baron declared emphatically, landing on Sun's shoulder.

Sun chuckled. "You want to go first, huh?" Sun asked his Pikipek.

"Pik-i-pek!" Baron agreed, spreading his wings.

"There'z a pokémon center up ahead. Zzt!" Dexter chirped from Sun's pocket. "Why don't you ztock up on zuppliez before challenging the trial? Zzt zzt!"

"Sounds like a plan," Sun agreed. "Let's grab something to eat once we're in there."

Standing just outside the pokémon center was Hau. His aura was almost as bright as Sun's.

"Hey, Hau!" Sun said, bumping fists with his friend. "Hope we didn't keep you taking too long."

"Howzit, Elio, Lillie?" Hau asked, beaming at them both. "Your pokémon doing alright?"

"Yeah, they're in pretty good shape," Sun replied. "We were just thinking about grabbing some supplies and a meal before the trial."

Hau nodded. "Well, my team needs to rest up a bit, but I wouldn't mind grabbing dinner with you guys while I wait."

As Nurse Joy healed Hau's pokémon, the energetic boy sat over in the café with his two friends.

"Verdant Cavern is just up ahead," Sun said glancing at Dexter's map display, too excited about the trial coming up to be paying much attention to his food. "I can't wait."

"I can't wait to watch you both complete the trial!" Lillie said, and Hau winced.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Lillie," Hau said. "But that Verdant Cavern place is kinda, like, sacred to Tapu Koko. People aren't even allowed to go into it unless they're on the Island Challenge. Well, people who have already completed the challenge are allowed in, and so are the captains, but in those cases, they're usually maintaining it so the Island Challenge can happen."

"Ohh…" Lillie said, looking disheartened. "Sorry, I didn't realize."

Hau shook his head. "It's an easy mistake to make," he reassured her. "Most of the other trials aren't in places sacred to the tapu, so anyone would be allowed in to watch the Island Challengers participate in them."

"Hau, am I allowed to take pictures in there?" Sun asked. "I had been planning to take some to send to my dad, anyway, and this way we could let Lillie see what it's like."

Hau shrugged. "Dunno," he replied honestly. "You'd have to ask Ilima before the trial. I only know that Verdant Cavern is sacred to Tapu Koko, and the rules about entry, because Gramps is the kahuna."

"Are you going to challenge the trial together?" Lillie asked.

"I don't think we can," Hau replied, before grinning at Sun. "And, even if we could, we want to make sure we both get as much stronger as possible before we battle, right buddy?"

Sun grinned back at him. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied. "So… Which of us goes first?"

"Go on ahead, Sun," Hau replied. "I want to train a bit with my pokémon first, so I'll probably challenge Ilima's trial in the morning."

Sun nodded. "Sounds good," he agreed and then he gave a loud whistle causing all his pokémon to snap to attention. "Alright, Team Sun, let's make sure we're all ready!"

Nero licked his paw, looking up at his trainer. "Mrar!" the little fire type said, heat leaking off of him.

Baron perched on Sun's shoulder, eyes gleaming with a vicious light. "PIKIPEK!"

Prince jumped up on top of his trainer's head, looking down on his subjects. "Mewhehehe!" the dark type Meowth chuckled evilly, already planning to use advancing through the trial with his retainers to dominate the region.

Emperor snapped a salute with a "Gri!" before hugging Sun.

Lillie's bag shook a bit and she giggled, turning the hat Sun had given her backwards. "Bubbly and I will hold down the fort here, Boss," she told Sun.

Sun chuckled. "Alright then, the rest of us will head out."

"Sorry if I kept you waiting," Sun said to Ilima as he stepped into Verdant Cavern. The cave was full of plants and grey stone.

"It was no trouble at all," Ilima assured the trial goer. "However I'm going to have ask you to return all your pokémon but one to their pokéballs. You may only have one out a time for the duration of my trial."

Sun nodded, not entirely surprised since most gyms enforced similar rules. "Okay guys, you heard him," the trainer said. "Baron, I promised you'd get to battle first so you can stay out but the rest of you, return."

Sun's pokémon, other than Baron, grumbled a bit but obeyed their trainer all the same. Baron remained perched on his shoulder, looking about the cave. "Pikipek!" he cheered.

"Very good," Ilima said, pleased. "Now then, let me formally welcome you to Verdant Cavern! I am your captain, the one and only Ilima!"

"It's a pleasure to be here," Sun said with a grin, his Pikipek nodding in agreement.

"Allow me to explain the basics of my trial," Ilima said. "What you should attempt to do is defeat three of the pokémon that lurk in the dens here."

Ilima pointed to a black and white pokémon that darted in and out of one what Sun assumed to be one of the dens. The pokémon seemed familiar to Sun, but he wasn't sure why.

Sun tilted his head, in thought. "The way you said that… Are there more than three pokémon living in the dens?" the Island Challenger asked.

"That's correct," Ilima agreed, "but you probably won't be seeing any. The ones you'll face tonight are nocturnal, while the others are diurnal. Your friend Hau will likely face those, since he doesn't wish to challenge my trial until tomorrow."

"That's fascinating," Sun said sincerely. "There was never anything like that in the gym challenge in Kanto, people faced the same opponents regardless of the time."

"Truthfully," Ilima said, "it's not the norm here in Alola, either. But knowing the differences between diurnal and nocturnal pokémon is something of a specialty of mine. I thought it was only fitting to implement it into my trial. Anyway, once you've defeated all three pokémon, you'll have to seek out the pedestal deep within the cave and seize the Z-Crystal that's within!"

Sun beamed. "It sounds like something out of one of those classic actions," he mused with a grin. "This is awesome!"

Ilima smiled at Sun's enthusiasm. "Don't get ahead of yourself," he warned, mostly out of obligation. "You'll need to be completely in sync with your pokémon to succeed. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Not about the trial itself, you've explained it very well," Sun complimented. "But I did have one: Am I allowed to take pictures? I wanted to send some to my father, but I didn't want to take any without asking you first, Hau already told me that Verdant Cavern is sacred to Tapu Koko and that only people on or that have completed the Island Challenge are allowed inside. Besides the captains, of course."

Ilima looked thoughtful. "There's no harm in it, I suppose," he replied. "Just don't give away any information to Hau, since he's on the Island Challenge the same as you. They're called trials for a reason, after all."

"Of course," Sun agreed. "Thank you very much."

"KI-KI-KII!" shrieked something from out of sight.

"What was that?" Sun asked, startled, and looking around. "A pokémon?"

"Oh dear me," Ilima said, in what Sun believed to be feigned surprise. "I almost forgot to mention. Many strong pokémon make their home in this cave, but one stronger and more fearsome than all the rest, known as a Totem Pokémon, also resides here!"

"A Totem Pokémon, what's that?" Sun asked.

Ilima gave Sun a sly smile. "It will be the greatest obstacle you face as you attempt to clear my trial!" he replied which didn't really answer the question, but Sun suspected would be the best answer he'd get for now. "This is but one of the seven trials you'll face during your Island Challenge, and it begins now! The trial of the one and only Captain Ilima!"

"Thoze pokémon are fierce little things!" Dexter chirped, slipping out of Sun's pocket and floating beside him ready to photograph his friend's trial. "Good luck beating them all as you get through the cave!"

"Thanks buddy," Sun replied, already moving for the first den. "Baron, can you give me a hand?" he asked his Pikipek.

"PIKIPEK!" Baron cried, shifting into an aggressive stance.

"Not that!" Sun yelped, and Baron glared at him. "Not that yet, I mean," Sun corrected. "We're going to have to draw the pokémon out, so can you get me a berry?"

Baron, realizing that his trainer wasn't trying to keep him from fighting, gave a chirp of "Piki!" to show that he'd understood before flying about the cave to scavenge a berry for Sun's plan.

In about two minutes, the Pikipek returned to Sun dropping a Sitrus Berry into his palm. Sun gave the Woodpecker Pokémon a proud smile. "Great job," he praised settling the Sitrus Berry in front of the den, "now we just set it and front of the den and wait."

They wouldn't be waiting long. No sooner had the berry touched the ground than the pokémon Sun had spotted before dashed out, seizing the berry in its paws. "Rattata!" it cried, nibbling at the berry, which Dexter quickly snapped a picture of so that Sun would have it for later.

Now Sun understood why it seemed familiar, Rattata were commonplace in Kanto. While this was clearly an Alolan Rattata, black and grey where purple and white should be and standing upright instead of on all fours, the general shape and appearance of the pokémon were very similar. Knowing how speedy these pokémon were, Sun knew they had to act quickly. "Baron, use Rock Smash on Rattata!" he called, slashing his hand at the opposing pokémon.

Baron rushed at the Rattata, beak gleaming with the orange energy of the fighting type move, but their opponent was faster, striking Baron with a powerful hit. Still, Baron's attack struck home knocking the Rattata sprawling, along with the Sitrus Berry which it then ate.

Sun groaned. "That Alolan Rattata must have used Quick Attack," he mused. "That's the only way we could have attacked first and been preempted like that. And thanks to that Sitrus Berry, it's probably as healthy as it was before we attacked it."

Baron screeched next to Sun, glaring at their opponent. "PIKIPEK!" he screeched, the Rattata shuddering a little.

"Good idea, Baron!" Sun encouraged, recognizing what his flying type was trying to do. "Use Echoed Voice to disorient it and then get in close with another Rock Smash!"

Because they were in a cave, Baron's Echoed Voice bounced from the walls all around them. While it didn't make the move any stronger, it did greatly disorient the Rattata which had an acute sense of hearing. Which gave Baron plenty of time to bash it with two Rock Smash attacks. Baron flew back and perched on Sun's hat. "That's one down, two to go buddy," Sun told his Pikipek. "Great job!"

Baron flew over to Sun's other shoulder, pleased. "Piki!"

"Now," Sun mused, scanning the area, "we just need to find the next den…"

Baron flew ahead of his trainer, indicating the den by gesturing with his beak. "Pikipek, piki!"

Sun was going to tell his Pikipek to help him find another berry so they could draw out their opponent, but this time the Rattata leapt out of the den at Baron. "Whoa," Sun said surprised. "I guess this one's feistier! Use Peck to hold it off, buddy!"

Baron's beak glowed white and he slashed it against the Rattata as it sped at him in a Tackle. "Pikipek!" he cried.

"Rattata!" retorted their opponent, biting into Baron's beak.

"Use Rock Smash to hit him against the ground!" Sun shouted.

Baron's eyes which had been squinting in pain, opened wide at the command. The Pikipek's eyes gained a harsh light as he smashed the Rattata against the rocky ground! "PIKIPEK!" he screeched aggressively and triumphantly, flying proudly over his opponent.

"That's right, Baron!" Sun agreed, with his other pokémon rattling in their pokéballs. "We're all going keep getting stronger, together! Now, we've only got one more to find and beat and then the Z-Crystal and the Totem Pokémon will be waiting!"

The nearest den was through a crawl space, so Sun laid on his stomach and pushed himself through on his stomach, Pikipek following behind him. As soon as they got close, a pokémon that was much larger than the Rattata they'd fought before dashed out of the den before dashing back in and popping up out of a den deeper in the cave. "I think this one wants us to chase it," Sun told Baron, receiving a nod in response. Sun grabbed the side of the cave wall, pulling himself up near the other den. Only to hear something like a snicker, and the pokémon they were chasing came out of a different den on the far side of the cave.

"Pikipek," grumbled Baron, staring angrily at the den.

"I've got an idea," Sun told his Pikipek. You wait here, and I'll go to the other one. Maybe we can corner it?"

Sun ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the other side of the cave, trying to draw their opponent out only to get a screech from Baron who was nodding to den where they'd started their hunt for the last pokémon. "It's over there?" he asked his Pikipek, receiving a nod in return. Sun rubbed his chin thoughtfully, trying to figure out how to handle this when he was only allowed one pokémon out when he heard a voice he was becoming far too familiar with.

"Yo, yo, yo!" shouted one of the guys from Team Skull he'd battled earlier, stepping into view out from the shadows.

"It's your berry thief boys, back, back again!" the other Team Skull guy shouted. "Remember us?!"

"Sure," Sun agreed. "You're the guys my friends and I beat earlier."

"Whoa!" the first one said, seeming honestly impressed. "Even though we look identical? That's pretty impressive, actually!"

"Why are you complimenting him, homie?" the second asked. "We're here to mess up his trial, yo!"

"Oh yeah, that's right!" the first said, facepalming and releasing the Drowzee that Sun and Nero had fought earlier. "Yo, let's get that pokémon, homie!"

Sun groaned. "I am so not in the mood for this! But if you want a fight, you got one! Baron, it's time to crack some Skulls!"

Clearly very angry at the interruption to the trial he was working through with Sun, Sun's Pikipek swooped down and fluttered in the air beside his trainer, before starting to glow. Within the glow, Baron started to shift and change.

"No… No way…" Sun whispered. "Is… Is that?"

"It iz!" Dexter agreed, snapping a picture. "Baron iz evolving! Zzt!"

Baron, no longer a Pikipek, but still very angry parted his beak wide screeching triumphantly, letting the world know he had arrived. "TRUMBEAK!"

"Dexter, after me and Baron complete this trial I'll want everything you've got on Trumbeak, okay? But for now… Use Echoed Voice at full power, Baron!"

Baron released a blast of sound that wasn't even a screech, just a pure cacophony of noise. The poor Drowzee didn't even have a chance to fight back just collapsing to the ground groaning.

"Just evolving out of the blue?" the Team Skull guy Sun had defeated twice now said. "And handily beating my Drowzee? What's up with that?"

"For real, though?!" the other agreed. "I can't get my skull around it! This kid's mad strong, yo!"

"Can you guys just leave now?" Sun asked, far more politely than they deserved. "You can't beat me, and I kind of want to get back to my trial."

"Maybe we should do what he says," the Team Skull guy Sun and Baron had crushed said. "This kid's straight up dangerous, homie!"

"Naw," the one Lillie had fought back at the Berry Fields replied. "We're not going out like that! We gotta get our revenge! Go stand in front of that den so the pokémon he's looking for can't come out, then we'll mess up his trial, yo!"

Sun and Baron exchanged looks. These two numbskulls were about to solve their problem for them. "Please don't do that," Sun bluffed, "if you do I won't be able to complete my Island Challenge!"

The two idiots did exactly that, however, trapping whatever pokémon Sun had been chasing in the last den it had run to. Sun crawled through the crawl space while Baron flew over, and no sooner had Sun arrived then, "RATICATE!" shrieked the pokémon that rushed out to face them.

"Zun," Dexter piped up, "I know you don't want to look over all of Trumbeak's records until the trial is over, but you might be interested to know that Baron learned Brick Break after evolving!"

Sun grasped the implications immediately. "Excellent…" the trainer mused. "Hit that Raticate with your best Brick Break, Baron!"

Baron's beak slammed down hard on the Alolan Raticate, much fatter and heavier than its pre-evolved forms or cousins in Kanto. Speed was no longer an advantage it possessed. Still, it slammed into Baron with an attack that could only be Tackle which the Trumbeak blocked by spreading his wings, minimizing the damage.

"Okay, Baron," Sun said, chopping his hand towards the Raticate, "wrap it up with Rock Smash!"

Baron's beak glowed orange before smashing into the Raticate with a screech. "Trum-Trum-Trumbeak!" he screeched victoriously.

"We did it!" Sun cried, hugging his pokémon. "That's all three!"

His Trumbeak poked him gently with his beak in affection. "Trumbeak!" Baron squawked, accepting his trainer's affection.

"We'll heal everyone up after we complete the challenge," Sun said, "but for now let me heal you up, okay?"

"Trum!" Baron agreed perching on Sun's shoulder so his trainer could heal him properly.

"Great!" Sun said. "You're in good shape!" The two dashed for the deeper part of Verdant Caverns, only for Sun to stop before he reached the passageway. "Hey, you boneheads from Team Skull! Thanks for blocking the dens for me, I couldn't have cornered that Raticate without you!"

"Trummmmbeaaaak!" Baron sang mockingly as they rushed deeper into the cavern.

Despite being considered deeper in the cavern, this spot actually seemed to be out in the open air, with moonlight and starlight shining down. It made the whole area feel slightly ethereal, and Baron calmly and silently rested on Sun's shoulder. They looked and looked for the pedestal, until Dexter called out, "Zun, I can zenze the Z-Crystal. It'z just up ahead! Zzt!"

"Trumbeak!" cried Baron, leaving Sun's shoulder and landing on said pedestal. "Trumbeak beak beak!"

"This is it, guys," Sun said, cautiously stepping forward. A chill ran down his spine, someone or something was watching them from somewhere nearby. "The Z-Crystal is right here. All we have to do is take it… but… where's the Totem Pokémon? Ilima warned us about it, he wouldn't have mentioned it for no reason."

Perhaps growing impatient, perhaps knowing exactly what would happen, Baron went to grab the Z-Crystal and a loud cry of "RATICATE!" came from somewhere above them. Flipping through the air, alight with a glowing aura, it came… Totem Raticate! It was, as Ilima had hinted, much larger and seemingly stronger than the Alolan Raticate they had bested earlier. Unfortunately for Baron, it came crashing down right on top of the flying type, crushing him beneath its considerable bulk. They would be starting this battle in a hole. Sun groaned.

"Baron," he called, "if you're okay, if you can still fight, flip him off of you with Brick Break!"

"Trum… beak!" groaned Baron, mustering all the strength he could to shove the opponent off.

"Rat-i-cate…" growled their opponent, before throwing back its head and giving a louder cry. "RATICATE!"

From back in the cavern, a Rattata came scurrying standing faithfully beside the Totem Pokémon.

Baron did a lot of damage with that Brick Break attack… Sun mused looking at Dexter's display of their opponent. Even with that strange aura boosting the Totem's defensive capabilities, it looks like we did pretty good damage, which means Baron probably landed a critical hit. But now Baron's low on health and it's two against one since I'm only allowed one pokémon at a time…

"TRUMBEAK!" shouted Baron, breaking through Sun's strategizing and nodding seriously.

"You're right, Baron," Sun agreed. "We have to keep going!"

"When you're facing an opponent bigger than you-" the memory of his uncle reminded him

"-destroy their footing!" Sun finished. "Baron, use Rock Smash on the ground beneath their feet!"

His Trumbeak seemed confused but was willing to obey. His beak glowed orange smashing the ground, sending dirt flying at both of their opponents. The Totem Raticate stumbled, falling to his knees, but the Rattata rushed at Baron with an airborne Quick Attack.

"Baron, block it with Peck!" Sun shouted.

"Trumbea-ea-ea-eak!" the Trumbeak shouted, beak aglow and doing his best to fend off his attacker.

"Now that we've got it on the back foot, use Brick Break to send Rattata right at Totem Raticate!" Sun commanded with a fierce smile

Baron's eyes gained a vicious glint that matched his trainer's as he smashed the Rattata against the Totem Pokémon with a SMASH!

"Ratt… a… ta…" the Rattata groaned, slumping against the Totem Raticate.

"The ally Rattata iz out of the battle! Zzt!" declared Dexter.

"And you're looking pretty worn-down Baron," Sun said, looking at his Trumbeak. "Do you mind if I let another of the crew tag in, please?"

"Trum… Trumbeak!" Baron agreed after giving some thought, willingly returning to his pokéball on Sun's belt.

Sun took a deep breath. "Alright then," the Island Challenger said, turning back to the Totem Raticate. "You'll be facing my first pokémon now. C'mon out Nero!"

"MRAR!" Sun's starter roared, heat emanating from his coat.

"RATICATE!" the Totem snarled, finally finding it's footing on the unstable ground.

"Jump on top of Raticate and use Ember!" Sun called out to his first pokémon.

"Litten lit lit ten!" Nero hissed, lunging at Totem Raticate and scorching it with his fire.

"Ratic…" Raticate groaned, aglow with red flames, but it still lunged hard at Nero in what was clearly Tackle.

Nero groaned, but he didn't seem as damage as Sun would've expected. Then the young man grinned. "Great work, Nero!" Sun cheered. "You've burned it! We've got Raticate on the ropes now so let's wrap this up! Use Ember one more time!"

"LITTEN!" Nero agreed, rushing forward to blast their opponent with more fire, causing it to slump down.

"Rat… i… cate…" the Totem Raticate groaned, before nodding towards the Z-Crystal Sun had been instructed to grab.

"I can take it?" Sun asked, getting another nod in reply. "Okay then… We did it Nero, Baron, we got our first Z-Crystal!"

"Most impressive," Ilima said from behind Sun, "You even defeated the Totem Raticate that I had trained to such a powerful state…"

"Thank you," Sun replied earnestly. "Your Totem Raticate really gave us a run for our money."

"Litten!" Nero agreed, and Baron's pokéball rattled in seeming agreement.

"Working in harmony with your pokémon, you have cleared the trial of the one and only Captain Ilima! You're a phenomenal trainer!"

Sun blushed. "Th-Thanks Captain Ilima," he replied. "But my crew deserve most of the credit."

"As my Raticate told you, that Z-Crystal is yours now. Congratulations my friend!"

"As you can probably tell by the name, the Normalium Z is the normal type Z-Crystal," Ilima explained. "And if you let a pokémon that knows a normal type move hold it…" Much to Sun's confusion he then crossed his arms before holding them at odd angles and then held them in a z pose on his chest. "And then strike an elegant pose like this one, you will be able to strengthen a normal type move by unleashing Z-Power!"

"Do all Z-Moves require that pose?" Sun asked, somewhat lost.

"Oh no," Ilima replied. "It will be different for each one, though there may be some overlap between certain types and special Z-Moves that can only be performed by specific pokémon."

Sun nodded thoughtfully. He'd have to make sure Dexter kept a record of each Z-Move so he could practice them properly.

"Also, to clear up any confusion I may have left you with earlier there will be a Totem Pokémon involved in any trials performed by a captain. Like my Raticate they will be much larger and stronger than a typical pokémon of that species. And, also like my Raticate, they will most likely summon allies to aid them in battle to shore up their offense."

Sun nodded thoughtfully. "I think I remember something like that in the stories of one the heroes from Pallet Town, back in Kanto. His first day as a trainer, he got into a fight with a Spearow which called in its whole flock to battle him and his Pikachu."

"Truly?" Ilima asked with raised eyebrows, surprised but taking Sun at his word. "I'd heard the tactic was normally quite rare outside of Alola. At any rate, our Totems will only call in one ally at a time, so you won't have to worry about being overwhelmed by pure numbers."

"That's fair," Sun agreed. "Thank you again for letting me take part in your trial, and letting Dexter here take photographs."

"It was my pleasure," Ilima assured him. "Oh, and don't worry about tending to the pokémon of my trial, I've already seen to that. Can I see you and yours back to the pokémon center?"

"That would be most welcome," Sun replied. "I've got some friends waiting for me there, including the one who'll be challenging your trial tomorrow."

When they finally made it to the pokémon center and Ilima bade him goodnight, the first thought Sun had after healing his pokémon was calling his dad. He wanted to give his father a call, let his dad meet his pokémon, tell the man all about Lillie and Hau and the Trial, but it would be first thing in the morning in Galar. Even if his dad was awake, he'd be busy prepping for his workday. So instead, he just texted his dad some of the pictures he'd taken along with a request that his dad call him when he got the chance.

Then he texted his friends, grabbed some pokébeans and a nice Tapu Cocoa from the café, and waited.

"Heyyy Sun!" called Hau, waving enthusiastically at his friend with his pokémon perched on his shoulders.

Lillie wasn't too far behind, his old hat still on her head and Bubbly still cradled in his arms. "Did you overcome the trial?" she asked excitedly, Bubbly clapping her paws.

Sun smiled sleepily. "Sure did!" he agreed. "It was awesome! No hints for Hau, though. Sorry buddy, Ilima's orders."

Hau shook his head dismissively. "I wouldn't want 'em anyway! It would take all the fun out of it." His pokémon gave cries of agreement from their perches on his shoulders.

Sun smiled at his friend's way of doing things. "I agree with you. No telling me if you ever get a trial done first, even if the captain says it's okay. However, I can tell you guys one thing that happened during the trial… or rather show you. C'mon out Baron!"

Sun's Trumbeak flew up from behind him and perched on the young man's shoulder. "Trumbeak!" he greeted enthusiastically.

"Sun, Baron… Baron evolved!" Lillie exclaimed excitedly. "Congratulations, both of you!"

"That's so cool!" Hau cheered. "Maybe my pokémon will evolve during our challenge tomorrow!"

"When you complete your trial, and after we both make sure our pokémon are fighting fit," Sun said, "we're still having our rematch, right?"

"You know it!" Hau agreed. "Those malasada will be mine!"

Lillie yawned, much to her embarrassment. "Do you mind if we head to our room now?" she asked. "I'm getting tired, and we all will need rest for tomorrow."

Both boys nodded, and they followed Lillie back to the room she'd reserved for them all at the pokémon center.

As Lillie was settling down to sleep, keeping her duffle bag with Nebby close enough that she'd be awoken if someone disturbed it and Bubbly resting beside her, she watched as Sun cuddled up with all four of his pokémon in the loft bed opposite hers. He stroked his two cat pokémon, humming a tune that was unfamiliar to her.

"Sun," she asked shyly, "what's that tune you're humming?"

"Oh sorry, was I bothering you?" he asked quietly, trying not to disturb the people in other rooms and Hau in a bed on the floor. "I can stop if you need."

"No, no I don't mind!" she exclaimed, a bit louder than she intended considering Hau's groan beneath them as he pushed his ears into the pillow. "I was just curious. I'd never heard the tune before."

"It's a lullaby from Kanto," Sun explained still stroking his pokémon. "Mama would sing it to her Meowth when they were traveling and then me when I was little, and then sometimes when I was sick even after I got older."

"Can… Can I hear it?" Lillie asked. "I-I mean, if you don't mind."

"It's no trouble," Sun replied, still quiet out of concern for those around them. "You can sing it to your pokémon, too, if you want." Sun took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice, singing was a little harder than humming after all.

"Close… your… tired eyes," he sang softly, a calm smile on his face, stroking Nero and Prince as all four of his pokémon cuddled against him. "The gentle breeze and the… twinkling stars. The moon's in the sky, shining bright. Da… Dada da…"

"Lit… Litten… Lit… Litten… Lit…" Nero mewed, doing his best to keep time with his trainer while the rest of Sun's pokémon just soaked in their trainer's affection.

So, copying Sun as best she could, Lillie sang to the pokémon with her too, stroking Bubbly and resting a hand in her duffle bag for Nebby to cuddle against. "Close… your… tired eyes," she sang, feeling her own eyes drifting closed. "The gentle breeze and the twinkling stars. The moon's in the sky, shining bright. Da… Dada da…"

Bubbly didn't join in, simply because the little water type had already drifted asleep under her hand. But Nebby tried its best. "Pew… Pew pew pew… Pew… Pew pew pew… Pew…" the little Cosmog squeaked, nuzzling against her hand.

"You sing really well Lillie," Sun said with a sleepy drawl to his words. "Thanks for travelin' with Hau and me. 's great havin' you aroun'."

"It's been lots of fun so far," she replied honestly. "Can't wait to travel the whole region."

"Yeah," Sun agreed. "G'night Lillie. G'night everybody."

"Good night, Sun," Lillie replied, along with soft cries from all of their pokémon.