Pokémon Radiant Sun
Alright, so the Indigo Disk DLC kicked ass.
All in all, I think Gen 9 was a pretty fantastic ride. I'm really looking forward to exploring it more in AS and other stories later on, and maybe touching on some things in RS for it, but as a whole I really enjoyed my time in Paldea. I'm hoping the DLC Epilogue coming up in a few weeks puts a nice bow on an otherwise great entry in the series.
If you played through Scarlet/Violet and the DLC's, let me know what your thoughts on the games are now that the second DLC is out. I'll hold off on specific thoughts on certain characters and plot moments for now.
Shoutout to the amazing people who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart and BraviaryScout. Thank you both so much for your feedback!
Chapter 168: You Are My Sunshine
Three Days Later…
Aether Paradise
"HEY! You dorks gonna do some work or are you gonna keep making out!?" Kayla demanded as she shook an annoyed fist in the general direction Gladion and Demi had been walking towards roughly ten minutes ago. There was a distinct ruffling of leaves that was followed by a loud swear from Gladion, and then a giggle from Demi.
The group were currently in the Sanctuary of the Aether Paradise, otherwise known as the large garden located at the top floor of the facility. Bone Unit 71 (plus Gladion) were helping take care of the Pokémon who were recovering within the comfort of the Paradise from various injuries, illness or disaster that had befallen them. Thankfully, despite the severity of the fighting several floors below, the Sanctuary was completely untouched from the battles from almost two weeks ago.
Gladion and Demi hopped over the railing and back onto the walkway, walking towards their friends. Bone Unit 71 all raised their eyebrows as one, with matching smirks on their faces. Gladion scowled at the trio as his face burned red while Demi took a few extra moments to straighten up her sundress, looking completely unbothered.
"We're back. God forbid I enjoy myself for five minutes." Gladion grumbled as he began refilling several food bowls with Sitrus Berries from the crates of food that they had brought up earlier.
"Nothing wrong with enjoying yourself, dude. Just don't scar the Pokémon here even more." Kayla remarked, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively as Gladion's scowl became more pronounced. Demi giggled beside him, enjoying the back and forth.
"Gladion's so cute when he's flustered." Demi thought as Gladion took a step forward, his green eyes narrowed in irritation.
"Hey! What me and Demi may or may not do is none of your business." Gladion shot back at the other former Team Skull Grunts, who all collectively shrugged. None of them bought it though.
"We weren't even doing anything that exciting." Demi finally spoke up, causing Gladion to look at her with a surprised expression. Demi laughed again, hugging Gladion around the shoulders. "I can't help it! You're so cute when you're embarrassed!"
"So long as you use protection. God knows your insane family doesn't need to spread any further." Axen remarked with a shit-eating grin, earning a middle finger from Gladion.
"He's out of pocket, but he's right." Kevin interjected, causing the blond-haired teen to turn on his heel and walk over to another batch of Pokémon that were slowly approaching them. Thankfully for Gladion, the group was able to focus on feeding Pokémon for another twenty minutes and helped some new arrivals get situated.
Gladion sighed as he wiped his forehead, thanking one of the Aether personnel that had helped carry an infant Komala into the tree-dense area of the Sanctuary. He was happy to see business going on as usual, and that even if it had a long way to go before it could truly make things right, Aether Foundation could at the very least continue helping Pokémon.
"Hehe! This little guy is really friendly!" Kevin remarked suddenly, causing them all to turn around and see Kevin feeding a Sitrus Berry to a Zubat that was hanging from underneath Kevin's outstretched arm. Gladion was somewhat surprised by this development. Normally the Pokémon of the Paradise, while usually docile, rarely trusted humans until they were more familiar with them. It usually took months of care for that to happen.
"You know, this little guy kinda looks familiar." Axen remarked, crossing his arms. "Kinda reminds me of the Zubat you used to have, Kevin. Didn't the Boss…uh, I mean Guzma. Didn't Guzma send him off to get helped after he got hurt way back?"
"Yeah, that's right! Guzma said he was going to send your Zubat to rehab!" Kayla interjected, also remembering that particular conversation as the Zubat fluttered to the top of Kevin's head.. "And since he was in league with the President, then it makes sense that it's here now?"
"Holy shit…is this…my Zubat?" Kevin asked as he stared at the Pokémon with surprise. The Zubat chittered softly in Kevin's hair, and he looked around in amazement. Gladion called out Type: Null and asked it to translate Zubat's speech. After a moment of listening to several of the chirps and hisses coming from the Bat Pokémon, Type: Null nodded.
"That is indeed your Pokémon. He's very happy to see you again." Type: Null translated for the Bat Pokémon, causing Kevin to grab the Pokémon and hug it close, laughing with delight.
"Guzma said he sent Zubat away to recover from that beating it took, but I never knew he sent him to the Aether Paradise." Kevin responded with an awed voice, slowly petting his long-lost Pokémon on the head with tears in his eyes.
"Haven't seen that little guy since that one battle we had with Sun and that short chick." Axen remarked, thinking back to the moment in question. "It's been a really long time."
"Sun did this?" Gladion asked, shocked by this announcement.
"No no, it wasn't Sun who did it. It was that Hapu girl using her insanely strong Mudsdale!" Kevin laughed as Zubat took off and flew around his head merrily. "Hit my buddy here with a Heavy Slam and really hurt it. Not one of my better moments…but this definitely is!"
Axen and Kayla grinned at the sight while Gladion and Demi exchanged a brief glance. Gladion smiled faintly and grabbed Demi's hand, earning a kiss on the cheek from the former Team Skull Grunt.
Things were looking up.
Ancient Poni Path
"Come on, y'all! Rise and shine!" Hapu yelled out, her words echoing through her home and waking Sun and his team up, much to their annoyance.
Brago flinched at the noise and got up with reluctance while Finn kipped up to his feet, letting out a whoop of excitement to greet the day. Tetra yawned widely, showing off her razor-sharp teeth before she got up and gave everyone a bright smile of happiness. Oliver glared at the source of the noise before closing his eyes, swaddling Penny closer within his wings as the Toucannon made no effort to open her eyes or move.
Alastair remained immobile despite all of the noise.
"I'm getting up, I'm getting up…" Sun grumbled as he rolled out of his sleeping bag.
"Good morning!" Lillie said brightly, running a hairbrush down her golden locks from a nearby chair. Sun wondered how he hadn't woken up beforehand but waved away his concerns when Lillie got up from her chair and walked over to him, still running the brush through her hair.
"Are you ready to head out today?" Sun asked, earning a happy nod from his friend as she hugged him, which the boy returned without hesitation. The two of them held each other for several moments until Hapu came into the room.
"You two gonna sleep in…um, am I interrupting something?" Hapu asked with a raised eyebrow, smirking at the two of them as Lillie and Sun suddenly split apart, both blushing as they scrambled to pack their things. Hapu chuckled under her breath as she walked out of the room.
Ten rather embarrassing minutes later and after eating a hearty breakfast made by Grandma Kai, Sun and Lillie were riding Mudsdale with Hapu through the Poni Wilds.
The past few days had required Sun and Lillie to adjust their plans for acquiring the Sun Flute. This was due in part to a particularly bad batch of thunderstorms sweeping over Poni and Ula'ula Island. Hapu was firm in making sure that Sun and Lillie didn't head out onto open waters or attempt to fly to Exeggutor Island in such rough conditions, and so they waited until the weather cleared up somewhat.
When Sun asked why they couldn't just use a Ride Charizard to get there and back, Hapu explained that due to how remote Poni Island was there were very few options available for the Poké Ride system to choose from. Generally there were a handful of Ride Pokémon who were kept track of within Vast Poni Canyon, but aside from the few Ride Machamp the options were slim out in the Poni Wilds. It was just easier to use your own Pokémon or just walk instead of waiting on a Poké Ride.
"Which reminds me!" Hapu said as they trundled through the Poni Wilds. "You guys be careful on the way back here. There's been some attacks and killings around these parts lately."
Sun and Lillie looked at the woman with visible concern. Lillie chose to vocalize them by saying, "W-what do you mean by killings?"
"Trainers have been getting attacked and robbed in the local area." Hapu answered with a grim expression, nodding her head. "Some have had their Pokémon slain after being attacked. One of the attacks was fatal and two Trainers were killed. Everyone who's survived says they were ambushed and it happened so fast that they couldn't defend themselves. Wanted to warn you about it just in case."
"I don't suppose you have anything like a police force out here, huh?" Sun asked warily, earning a shrug from Hapu.
"No, but don't worry. Once I see you two off, I'll be personally looking into it. I've also contacted Kahuna Nanu and asked him if he could help. Poni doesn't get a whole lot of visitors, and I'd rather those that do visit not get jumped. This place is dangerous enough as it is." Hapu grumbled with some annoyance, but she shook her head and smiled at them.
"It's quite concerning, but I have faith in you Hapu. I'm sure we'll have nothing to worry about." Lillie said as she smiled back at her friend, earning a warm chuckle in response.
"I'll get it under control. After all, I'm a Kahuna now. You two just focus on going about your mission." Hapu said as they approached the Seafolk Village. Within minutes they were clopping along the docks, and coming to a stop a short distance away from where they could see Chief Banjo standing a short distance away.
Hapu jumped down from her mount with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times while Sun awkwardly hopped off of the Mudsdale. He then helped Lillie down from Rolf while Hapu patted the side of her Partner.
"Thank you, Hapu! And thank you, Mudsdale!" Lillie said to the duo, rubbing Rolf's snout affectionately and getting a joyful snort from the mighty steed in response.
"That's what friends do." Hapu said with a simple smile. Lillie seemed stunned for a moment at the words before bounding forward and hugging Hapu tightly. The newly-crowned Kahuna seemed surprised for a moment before smiling and returning Lillie's hug. When they separated, Lillie did a small fist pump, looking even more motivated than before.
"Thank you, Hapu! I will not give up, no matter what!" Lillie said brightly, giving her friends a dazzling smile. Hapu chuckled softly before raising a fist to Lillie, who tapped it with her own.
"To journey to Exeggutor Island, you should speak with Banjo, chief of the sea folk. I shall be wishing for your safety!" Hapu said to Sun and Lillie as Mudsdale neighed loudly behind her, seemingly agreeing with his Trainer's statement.
"We'll be back soon." Sun assured the woman before grabbing Lillie's hand and jogging with her towards the end of the docks, where they both could see Chief Banjo standing and admiring the view. The Pelipper hovering beside him let out a soft squawk and caught his attention, with the Seafolk Chief glancing at the duo as they approached.
"Did you find her?" Banjo asked as Captain Sassy the Pelipper chirped a greeting to the pair. Sun and Lillie came to a stop a short distance away with excited smiles, happy to finally have a lead.
Lillie nodded, beaming at the Seafolk Chief. "Yes! And Hapu was made the new Kahuna!"
Chief Banjo matched the girl's smile with a grin of his own. "Oh-ho! Now that's a joy to my ears. Her old grandfather must be smiling down on us."
Lillie nodded, her smile fading as she considered something. "Yes. Hapu will do her best for her late grandfather…as I must do my best for my mother's sake. And for Nebby's, as well."
Sun put a hand on Lillie's shoulder, which seemed to snap her back to reality. The girl flushed and continued speaking. "A-and so! There's a place that we need to go."
"Exeggutor Island. Hapu was pretty insistent that you could help us out, sir." Sun added, with Chief Banjo raising an eyebrow of surprise.
"Exeggutor Island…? Oh, you mean where the flute is!" Banjo said with a laugh as Sassy landed on his shoulder. "Most people don't even know it's called that."
Banjo then considered the request for a few moments before shrugging his shoulders. "Well, you two did meet the Kahuna already…and Poni's Captain ain't around anyway, so I guess there's no point in waiting on any Trials…"
"Poni has a Captain?" Sun asked, realizing that very odd fact as Banjo trailed off in thought. Lillie opened her mouth to answer Sun, but Banjo finished his thought with a fist pump and a grin.
"All right! The S.S. Magikarp will have you there, and you'll think you're sailing in a dream!" Banjo called out, turning around and walking over to the Magikarp boat that was moored nearby. Sun and Lillie followed the chief of the seafolk with some excitement, eager to get to the island and continue on with their quest. Even the storm clouds out in the distance weren't enough to dampen their spirits.
Exeggutor Island
"Hah…Here we are at Exeggutor Island!" Banjo huffed, mooring the boat as Sun and Lillie watched from a nearby rocky ledge. Sun and Lillie started glancing around the deserted island, with Sun eyeing the approaching storm coming from the west. It wasn't something Sun had thought to be concerned about immediately, since they had all thought that the storm was now moving away from Poni Island. But apparently the area would get one last dose of rainfall before the storm system moved away completely.
"We should probably hurry. We don't want to be caught out at sea in that. Plus the sun will be going down soon." Sun remarked quietly, earning a nod from Lillie as she glanced at the setting sun, which was casting the stormy sky into a myriad of colors.
"I heard that this place used to be a Trial Site, though that was a long time ago now." Banjo remarked before suddenly shaking his head. "Bah, I'm rambling. You go on. Good luck to you both!"
"If you want, you can head back to Poni, sir." Sun said to the Seafolk Chief, surprising him. "That storm might hit before we know it and I don't want all of us being at risk like that. Who knows how long it could take to track down the flute."
"Smart, but what about you two? You okay with being stuck here for a few hours?" Banjo asked, concerned for the two of them out on their own. Lillie decided to chime in, nodding in agreement with Sun as she considered the issue as well.
"Sun's team is super strong and I'm sure we'll be okay if we get caught in the storm. It's not the first time we've been out in rough weather." Lillie answered as she glanced at Sun, causing the boy to grin at the girl's confidence in him. Banjo considered it for several moments, obviously uneasy about it, but accepted the wisdom in that choice. Being on the open sea in a storm was far more dangerous than being on the island itself in the rain.
"If you're sure. I gave you both all of the emergency contact numbers for the Seafolk Village on the trip over, so don't be afraid to reach out if you need anything. I'll come back in four hours for you, storm or not." Banjo said to the two of them before smiling. "Now get to it!"
"Let's go find that flute! Right!?" Lillie said to Sun, who smirked back at his friend before nodding. Lillie giggled and added, "Trainers really can go anywhere as long as they have their Pokémon, can't they? I think I'm beginning to understand the appeal."
Lillie dashed up the hill while Banjo chuckled softly, unmooring his boat and glancing back at the duo as they ventured into the untamed Wilds of Exeggutor Island.
By the time Sun caught up with his best friend, Lillie was stopped in front of a massive coconut tree. The girl turned around, facing Sun with a determined expression. "I feel like Trainers can open up the door to any future as long as they have their Pokémon. That's what it looks like to me when I see you, Sun. And Hapu and Hau, too!"
The excited girl turned around and took several steps past the tree, peering outwards, only to freeze as she heard the sound of leaves rustling. Sun glanced around for several moments before looking up…and then sprinting forward and grabbing Lillie, yanking her out of the way before the tree ripped itself out of the earth and stomped down where the girl had been seconds before.
"Ahhh! What is that, Sun?!" Lillie screamed in horror as she clutched Sun's arm, shaking in surprise and fear at the furious Pokémon.
Sun scowled at the strange Pokémon that looked vaguely familiar, but so weirdly different that he knew at once that this Pokémon wasn't what he thought it was. It was as if the full-sized coconut tree had come to life and sprouted multiple heads and a little tail, which only partially matched the description of one Pokémon he knew about.
"Bzzzt! Rotom to the rescue!" the device in question cheered as it flew out of Sun's backpack, grinning widely. It quickly pulled up the appropriate Pokédex entry as the new Pokémon glared down at them menacingly.
"Exeggutor. The Coconut Pokémon and the final evolved form of Exeggcute. Alolan Regional Variant. Alola is the best environment for this Pokémon. Local people take pride in its appearance, saying this is how Exeggutor ought to look. As it grew taller and taller, it outgrew its reliance on psychic powers, while within it awakened the power of the sleeping dragon." Rotom explained as Sun pulled out a Luxury Ball off of his belt and sent out Tetra.
"Sounds like this'll hurt it a lot then. Tetra, use Dragon Claw!" Sun called to the Gabite, who growled as she held out her claws. Emerald flames exploded forth and consumed them, and with that the dragon darted forward and delivered a brutal slash to the mid-section of the Alolan Exeggutor. Greenish sap-like fluid oozed from the gaping wound the claw left upon the tree monster.
"Toooooor!" the Coconut Pokémon roared in agony at the super-effective hit, staggering back several feet before suddenly glowing bright green.
"Tetra, dodge it! That's Wood Hammer!" Lillie called out, but unfortunately the Gabite was a second too slow to heed the warning. Tetra cried out as she was crushed by the powerful Grass-type attack as the Coconut Pokémon slammed its body down on Tetra, smashing her into the dirt. The Alolan Exeggutor moved its body away and twitched slightly, its multiple faces contorted in a painful grimace as red static crackled around its body. Sun realized that it had been damaged by recoil and was likely a single hit away from going down.
Tetra picked herself up off of the ground, panting hard from the mighty blow she had taken. But Sun knew his dragon wasn't down yet, and so he gave the command.
"Finish it off with Aerial Ace!" Sun shouted as Tetra nodded, sprinting forward as her body glowed bright white. The Gabite suddenly put on a burst of speed and collided with the Exeggutor once again, this time causing it to topple over and collapse onto the ground in a crumpled heap.
"And stay down!" Tetra roared, raising a claw into the air at the downed Pokémon. Sun patted her on the head, earning a rather adorable giggle from the young Gabite as she hugged him. Sun hugged Tetra back, smiling proudly at his dragon.
"Thanks for the help, Tetra. Take a breather." Sun said as he returned her. By that point Lillie regained her composure, also taking a big breath and letting it out.
"That was an Exeggutor, wasn't it?" Lillie clarified with Sun, who nodded. "I think that the good weather in Alola has let it grow a bit more vigorously than I'd prefer."
"You're telling me. I grew up watching these things on TV! You have no idea how weird it is seeing them like that." Sun remarked, shaking his head ruefully. Lillie stared at Sun for several long moments before bursting into laughter at the bewildered expression on his face. Sun laughed along with Lillie, shaking his head at the strangeness of their situation.
They made their way further into the island, keeping an eye out for any more surprise Pokémon. However, they both stopped when they felt several droplets of water hit them both from above. Sun and Lillie looked up in surprise and saw that the storm had finally arrived.
"Oh! It's started to rain…" Lillie muttered as she glanced around, wondering what to do. Sun hummed and considered it, taking a few steps ahead, only for Lillie to dash past him and grab his hand. Thankfully for them both, Lillie had spotted a nearby cave for them to hide from the rainfall.
"It's a bit cramped, but it'll do." Sun remarked as they ducked into the small opening in the rock face, seeing that there was maybe enough room for them both to sit if they wanted to. They had just enough room to stand together as it was.
"Rain in Alola, huh…" Lillie remarked, watching the storm before glancing down at her new skirt with some annoyance. "My skirt got a bit wet…"
"Yeah, my shirt got soaked." Sun grumbled as he took off his hat, wiping some of the rain off of his head before putting the cap back on. "We can dry them at the Pokémon Center later, I guess."
Lillie nodded silently, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Looking out at the rain like this…reminds me of this one time when I was little."
"Tell me about it." Sun said to Lillie, grabbing her hand. Lillie didn't look at Sun, but she did squeeze his hand gently. There was a long silence between them as Lillie cast her mind back several years. Back before Sun had arrived in Alola. Before the Ultra Beasts. Before Nebby. Before her family was torn apart by madness and tragedy.
"I'd seen it in a movie…" Lillie began, her words just soft enough to be heard over the rainfall. "This man singing and dancing in the rain. It captivated me so much that I had to try it for myself."
"That's pretty silly." Sun remarked with Lillie nodding in response, a gentle smile now on her face.
"My mother spotted me out in the rain, and she was so shocked that she ran right out after me without even bothering to get an umbrella…" Lillie laughed then, her smile widening with happiness. "And then…she smiled…and danced with me in the rain."
"That's sweet." Sun replied, smiling along with the girl.
"Of course we both ended up catching cold." Lillie admitted, causing Sun to laugh. "She let me sleep in her big bed with her. I was so happy that I kept waking her again and again, just to be sure it wasn't a dream…But…then she changed."
The warmth in Lillie's words faded away. "And all she would think about was the Ultra Beasts. And Null and Nebby…They both ended up suffering so much…and I couldn't do anything…"
"Lillie…" Sun murmured, hearing the pain in the girl's voice. Lillie didn't respond to that verbally, but she sighed deeply and rubbed her eyes. To Sun's surprise, Lillie then turned towards him with a beautiful smile of happiness as she stared at him for several long seconds.
"But you know what, Sun?" Lillie said to the boy, stepping closer to him. Sun was surprised at how quickly his friend had closed the distance between them, because now they were practically touching chest to chest. "Whenever I feel like there's nothing I can do, you seem to show up and…you do something."
"Every time, you've shown me that it's possible…to do something." Lillie emphasized that point, turning away from Sun with a chuckle. Sun continued to listen to his closest friend speak, wondering where she was going with all of this.
"Even the first time we met…Nebby was being attacked, and all I could do was look on in horror. And at Aether Paradise…all I could do was wait for you and the others to save me." Lillie went on, her voice gentle. Sun was surprised to not hear any of the doubt or frustration in her voice that was usually there when she made comments like this. These seemed more like observations than anything else.
"Whenever I'm in any sort of trouble, you're always there…I…" Lillie trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. Sun looked at her with confusion, waiting for her to keep going. Lillie then turned towards Sun, her expression almost…unsure.
"Um…Sun? What are you going to do…once you finish your Island Challenge?" Lillie asked the boy, who genuinely considered it. After the Test of Hope, Sun was now trying to determine what came after clearing his Trials. Now that he was done dealing with the shadow of Cipher and had made peace with many of his demons, he felt like he could do whatever he wanted. And after hearing Tapu Fini's words at the Ruins of Hope and reconsidering his journey so far, he had warmed up to the idea presented to him during the test.
"Get stronger." Sun responded, smiling at his closest friend. "Strong enough to protect everyone. Strong enough to give people hope. Strong enough to bring people closer together. I want to become the Champion of Alola."
Lillie smiled fondly at Sun's answer. It was so very like him. "It must be nice, knowing what you want to do. I really admire that."
"What about you, Lillie?" Sun asked the girl, who stiffened in surprise at the sudden reversal of the question. "What do you want to do?"
"I think…" Lillie found herself blushing before offering Sun a shy smile. "I'd like to become a Trainer, too. And travel together with you, Sun…"
Sun stared at Lillie in surprise, a flush coming to his cheeks as the two of them stared at one another. Sun knew the girl had been reconsidering her thoughts on what it was to be a Pokémon Trainer, but for her to want to actually become one? And travel with him?
Sun finally responded with a wide grin of excitement before pulling Lillie into a tight hug. "That's awesome, Lillie! Traveling with you sounds amazing!" Sun said as he held the girl close, with Lillie happily returning the hug. "We can have Kukui get you your own Starter Pokémon and go on an adventure together!"
Lillie beamed with joy at the response and hugged Sun back even tighter, laughing happily. "I was so nervous asking that! Thank you, Sun!"
"Of course! Professor Kukui and Hau and everyone else are going to be so excited when we tell them! You're going to be awesome as a Trainer, I just know it!" Sun gushed excitedly, grinning at the thought of going on another adventure with Lillie. The blonde-haired girl savored the warm embrace of the boy who meant so much for her, and who without a second thought had agreed to go with her on her own personal journey through Alola.
"You know, I'm a pretty lucky girl." Lillie remarked quietly, separating from Sun and giving him a demure smile. She looked away from the boy, gathering her nerve for what she wanted to say next. "Having someone so supportive in my life. Someone so totally happy to spend time with me. Helping me without hesitation any time I need anything. Doesn't hurt that you're handsome and just about the sweetest person ever. I have no idea what I did to deserve someone so wonderful."
Lillie looked into the storm and the rainfall overhead, and she thought back to everything that she had done over the past few months. On the adventure that was almost over, and the next one on the horizon. However, she couldn't hide the nervousness that she felt because she knew. Now, of all times, was the time. And so Lillie took a fortifying breath and spoke again, turning towards her closest friend and looking him right in the face.
"That's probably why I fell in love with you, Sun."
Sun froze upon hearing those words, looking back at Lillie in total shock. The girl was blushing profusely, but her eyes were staring right into his with complete seriousness, a small smile on her face.
"S-sorry if that came out of nowhere, but it's really hard to admit something like that. But, you know, we're all alone here and stuck. No distractions, no excuses, no interruptions! Just you and me. And we've got a while before this storm lets up, so…I think it's better if we're honest here." Lillie said to a still-surprised Sun, smiling shyly at the boy who had always been her friend. Her inspiration. Her hero. "Sun, you're such a truly wonderful person. And I want nothing more than to spend the remainder of my days here in Alola with you. Growing, learning, and seeing what kind of adventures we can get wrapped up in."
Sun still seemed completely stunned by the girl's revelation, and Lillie responded by kissing him on the lips to snap him out of it. It actually worked, with Sun shaking his head slightly before flushing as he considered what Lillie had said.
"Lillie, you…You're in love with me?" Sun whispered, heart beating wildly. Sun knew that they had been meaning to talk about their mutual feelings for one another, but he hadn't considered the idea that Lillie would broach the subject first while out at Exeggutor Island.
"Yes. Before I met you, Sun…those were some of the darkest days of my life." Lillie recounted, closing her eyes as she spoke in a soft murmur. "I was surrounded by friends and allies, yes, but they would be powerless before the full might of the Aether Foundation and the cunning of my mother. She was beloved by everyone and I would never be believed if I went public with her crimes. Once Lusamine found me, it was all over. And I knew in my heart of hearts that she would remove any and all obstacles to achieving her goals. She was crazy enough to kill if that was what it took. I was terrified of actually letting all these people who cared about me get too close, because all it took was a whisper of news about me getting back to Mother for it all to end. I kept everyone at arm's length because I was scared that they would realize who I really was and doom us all."
"Every day was spent in fear, Sun. I was terrified every moment, fully believing that I was unable to do anything under my own power. A lifetime of being mentally and psychologically abused had taken its toll on me. I was a scared and pathetic little girl who was too scared to do anything on her own….And then you just walked into my life and changed everything." Lillie looked at Sun, offering the boy a sweet smile. "You saved Nebby, even without a Pokémon. You became my friend even when I had nothing to offer in return. You became a role model for me, and inspired me to do something."
Lillie laughed, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "I think we both started feeling something back on Melemele Island, huh?"
"Y-yeah, I'd say back on Melemele when we were hanging out. I felt bad thinking of you like that because you were my first friend, but at the same time, I didn't realize how important to me you had become." Sun responded, smiling back at the girl. Lillie stepped forward until her nose was almost touching Sun's. "I was embarrassed to ever admit it, but I liked being around you like that. And I liked the idea of you feeling the same way back."
"It goes a little further than that, though, Sun." Lillie responded, taking his hands into her own. "You became my hope. My light. In a world full of darkness and having grown up believing the toxic lies of my mother, you showed me just how strong I truly can be."
Lillie's voice softened as she squeezed Sun's hands gently. "When Cipher attacked Celadon City and you told me about your father that night in Hau'oli City, it changed something in me. I was always so guarded. So worried about letting people get close because I was scared to hurt them, just like Mother always said I would. And then you let me in…you let me get close. And you showed me that was okay! That was when I started to really start to make friends. I started trusting people because you gave me that trust one stormy night. I've never forgotten that, Sun. You've helped so many people even while you yourself have grown, and I owe you so much for that."
"How do you think that made me feel?" Sun responded with a joyful laugh that made Lillie's heart skip a beat. "You risked yours and Nebby's safety to comfort me that night in Hau'oli City. You were the first real friend I ever had after being so sheltered by my father for so long. You showed me how great having friends in the first place was, Lillie. You've been my rock since the beginning of my crazy journey in Alola."
"I-I really was just doing my best to help out when I could…" Lillie said bashfully, only for Sun to give her a dry look.
A few moments later he smirked and said, "Do you think I could've done any of the crazy things I've done without support? Without you in my corner, standing right beside me? Lusamine would have killed all of us if you hadn't been giving me tips on her team! Dad would've beat me without you and Nebby helping me out! What would I be without you standing beside me?"
Sun then remembered what exactly Lillie had confessed, blushing again as he truly considered it. And his own feelings as well. "And you…you love me?" Lillie nodded sheepishly as Sun looked back at her, amazement on his face. "But why?"
"Besides all of the things I said earlier?" Lillie remarked, causing Sun to blush at the very good point she had just raised. "How about the fact that you've never thought for a moment that I was some weakling to be sheltered. You have always encouraged me, and believed in my own strength and ability. Even when I didn't. No...Especially when I didn't."
She let go of Sun's hands and placed her hands over her heart. "You empowered me to do my best. Until I finally stood up to the woman who had raised me, and who was my own worst nightmare. You helped show me who I can truly be."
Lillie's cheeks flushed as her emerald green eyes stared into Sun's own eyes as they slowly shifted from storm-gray to gold, which told Lillie everything she wanted to know about how Sun felt about her confession.
"Sorry, I'm just…Surprised. Amazed. You're the best person I know, but I didn't know you felt that way, Lillie. Thank you. Thank you for telling me how you feel." Sun said quietly, shaking his head as a smile came to his face. The girl laughed softly, embarrassed by how completely honest she was.
But she had left so much unsaid for so long, and after the recent battle against Lusamine and the Test of Hope, Lillie wanted to bare her soul to the one person she knew accepted her wholly and completely. Sun was fortunately an open book to her, and so she knew already that she had made the right decision in revealing her feelings to him like this.
The question was…did he return those feelings?
"I know it's a lot all at once, b-but I had to tell you Sun. You deserve nothing but honesty from me after all of the lies. So I-" Lillie tried saying, but was interrupted when Sun kissed her on the lips, making her eyes fly open in surprise. Sun moved away from Lillie's blushing face and raised a hand to her cheek, smiling at the girl.
"Lillie, we have our whole lives ahead of us. Our whole lives to figure out whether what we feel is love or friendship or whatever. Right now? I can't think of anyone else I've ever cared about this way. Hearing that someone as amazing as you feels so strongly about me makes me feel like I can take on anything." Sun admitted, a nervous laugh escaping him.
"Tell me…how you feel." Lillie whispered to Sun, who nodded and continued. The young woman hung onto the Trainer's every word as he too bared his soul.
"My heart is beating like crazy. And I-I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you love me. Because I…" Sun took a breath to calm himself, aware that he was rushing his words a bit now. Lillie simply watched her friend with a patient smile.
"I want you to be happy. I want… Sun trailed off for a moment, but he saw that Lillie's eyes were watering now, overcome by Sun's heartfelt words. "But I also want to be the one who makes you even happier. I want to see you grow and learn and become the person you've always wanted to be. Because you're one of the most important people in my life, Lillie."
And then Sun's next words completely stole her breath away.
The boy reached up and brushed the tears out her eyes, a warm smile on his face. "Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you too. I can't think of where I'd be without you, Lillie. And I can't imagine a life without you in it. I can't imagine how I feel towards you being anything but love."
"S-Sun!" Lillie cried out, leaping forward and hugging the boy, her heart bursting with sheer joy. Sun hugged the girl back, holding her against him as he let out a laugh.
"You kept going on and on about how amazing I am, but what about you? How many times did you run off on your own and help me? Twice in a big storm just like this!" Sun reminded the girl as he pulled away from her, smiling at her. That nearly made Lillie break down into tears completely, because it was then that she truly recognized the pride Sun had in her.
"You're not a Pokémon Trainer and yet you've done so many amazing things! You helped me save the world! You helped me with my team and supported me at my lowest moments! You're the sweetest, smartest and most beautiful person I know!" Sun said to the girl as she blushed bright pink in embarrassment. But Sun wasn't done.
"You're my first true friend. I know that I'm only twelve, but I'm not dumb. I know how much I care about you and I know I feel something special when I'm around you. What I feel for you is nothing like anything I've ever felt before." Sun confessed to the girl, who nodded silently and waited for him to continue. "Maybe it's not love, but maybe it is. But I want to find out, Lillie. Through the bad times and the good times and everything in between."
Lillie was now crying, tears of happiness trickling down her cheeks as she smiled at the incredible Trainer who considered her just as amazing as she thought he was. Sun stepped forward and pulled Lillie into another embrace, and Lillie returned it.
Because it had finally happened.
Sun and Lillie had finally opened their hearts to the person who had become everything to them in the span of almost a year. They had learned, laughed, fought and seen incredible things together. And now, at long last, they had finally confessed their feelings and the love they held for one another in their hearts.
And for a moment they hugged one another, savoring the moment and the sheer joy they felt just being with one another…before Lillie suddenly separated from Sun, a confused look on her face.
"Wait, so are we dating now?" Lillie asked Sun, who blinked in surprise.
"I don't know. Is that how it works?" Sun asked Lillie, who just stared at him blankly. And for several awkward seconds, the sound of rainfall was the only thing that could be heard. Then, after what felt like an eternity to Sun and Lillie, the two of them burst into laughter at the absolute silliness of the situation combined with their own happiness.
"I guess we'll have to figure things out as we go! But I am really happy!" Lillie said as she got her giggles under control. "Confessing my feelings like that was really nerve-wracking!"
"I wasn't expecting it either. I wanted to talk to you about it after we got back from Ultra Space, but you beat me to the punch." Sun admitted as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he regained his composure. "Seriously though, Princess. You're amazing and I hope you never forget it."
"And you're a selfless hero who's going to be an amazing Champion once we're done knocking some sense into my bitch of a mother." Lillie said just as happily, causing Sun to burst into laughter at the sudden use of profanity. "What? If anything I can blame Professor Kukui. He swears like crazy when no one's around."
"You're so awesome." Sun chuckled, clutching his stomach as he tried to catch his breath. Somehow Lillie swearing so suddenly had completely caught him off-guard. "So, I guess I should ask officially, if that's how it works. Lillie, do you want to be my girlfriend?"
Lillie responded by letting out a squeak of surprise at the sudden question, the girl's face going crimson. Sun then realized after several long seconds exactly what he had just asked her, and soon his face matched Lillie's. For a few moments Lillie just stared at Sun in complete shock, but then she suddenly grinned from ear-to-ear and pile-drived the boy with a hug.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Of course!" Lillie practically yelled, unable to contain herself as Sun wobbled unsteadily. Unfortunately Sun lost his balance and the two of them fell on top of one another awkwardly, with Sun ending up half out of the cave and getting soaked again by the rain. The boy scrambled back into the cave as Lillie yelped in surprise and barely avoided getting drenched herself.
Lillie apologized profusely as Sun finally remembered he had towels in his bag and dug some out for the two of them. As soon as the boy was somewhat dry, he dropped a dry towel down on the floor and sat on it, patting the covered ground beside him. Lillie sat down beside Sun, who wrapped an arm around her waist. Lillie did the same, crossing one of her legs over Sun's.
"Let's just stay here a while. Okay?" Sun murmured with a gentle sigh, his new girlfriend happily nuzzling his neck as she scooched closer to him. Sun laughed and rested his chin on her head, his heart beating wildly with excitement at the warmth he felt for Lillie.
They had all the time in the world to figure things out. They had a mission to complete and still needed to find a way to help Nebby. Confronting Lusamine and dealing with Guzma in Ultra Space wouldn't be easy. And then there was whatever came after.
But for the moment, Sun and Lillie held onto one another tight as the storm passed around them. The two of them were absolutely content in the knowledge that they were in the presence of someone who loved and accepted them unconditionally.
Sun eventually dozed off, lulled to sleep by the sound of rainfall and an early wake-up call that morning. He was snapped awake sometime later by something jostling him, and as the Trainer blinked awake he realized Lillie was getting to her feet excitedly.
"Ah!" Lillie suddenly called out as she ran out of the cave. That was when Sun realized that nightfall had come, but the rain had stopped. Even more incredible was the meteor shower taking place above them, with streaking lights racing across the sky. On top of that, since Poni Island was so far removed from everything and was so sparsely populated, light pollution was nonexistent. This meant that the two of them had an untarnished view of the skyward spectacle that shimmered above.
Sun walked outside to join Lillie, and for several minutes the two of them stood there beneath the night sky. They were completely at peace, watching the beautiful ribbons of light shooting across the heavens as thousands of stars twinkled above. Sun looked over at Lillie, and found the girl was giving him a smile bright enough to light up the night sky all on her own.
"Maybe there really are good omens sometimes, wouldn't you say?" Lillie said warmly, intertwining her fingers with Sun's. The boy responded with a smile of his own, nodding in agreement with his new girlfriend.
"Nothing's gonna stop us now, Princess. Come on, let's get that flute!" Sun said with a fist pump, earning a giggle from Lillie. The duo began walking down the path that wound alongside the island, bolstered by the sight of the meteor shower above and the love for each other in their hearts.
NEXT TIME: An old acquaintance makes his long-dreaded reappearance…and an unlikely friend has something to say about that.
It's finally happened! Ahhhhh!
Seriously, you all have no idea how nervous I was about this chapter. It was such a hyped up moment for the story and doing it justice was something I was really concerned about. I think it turned out pretty good, though!
Massive shoutout to my good friends BraviaryScout and Xehanorto for beta-reading this chapter for me and offering their feedback. You gentlemen rock and I appreciate your help!
Q & A
From: SolanaLeonhart
It was nice to see Noah, and that Hapu is finally the kahuna. Great way to show how far they've come. So they go to ultra space after getting the sun flute right? Or am I missing something here?
I had actually written out a response explaining it in-depth, but I also realized that would basically spoil things to come. You're basically right, but there's some other stuff that happens between now and then. We're not too far off from the Ultra Space though. Sorry if that's kind of a nothing-burger of an answer, but I can say we've got less than dozen more chapters before we reach Ultra Space.
That's all for now. We've got some awesome character-focused chapters coming up before another fantastic battle chapter that I've been really looking forward too. Stay tuned for more insanity!
Also, be sure to check out my new Pokémon Scarlet story that's live on both this site and AO3, "Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet". Any and all feedback, reviews, kudos, favorites and follow are appreciated!
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!