Pokémon Radiant Sun


Alright, so I'm gonna start this off by saying that this story has officially become a Sun X Lillie fic, due to many reasons.

One, it's pretty much the ship teased throughout the entire story of Sun and Moon. Yeah, Hau has a crush on Lillie (as does Hapu from the looks of it at times), but from a story standpoint her relationship with the main character grows from friendship to something much deeper by the end of it.

Two, I just find the ship adorable as hell and its fun writing the material for it. It's the gift that keeps on giving and there's so many chances for cute scenes between Sun and Lillie that I'd be an idiot not to make the most of them.

Three, overwhelming reviewer request and support for every Sun X Lillie ship moment so far. Easily the most mentioned thing so far, next to Oliver being a prick to Sun, which is also very fun to write.

So yeah. That'll be happening a lot more. That said, I'm not going to let fluff or bonding moments overpower the rest of the fic. Lillie can't exactly be around all the time and the focus will still mainly be on Sun and his adventure, but Lillie will be featuring much more than she did in the games for sure, but I had planned that from the start already.

Also, I'd like to make a comment on a concern that was brought to my attention involving the tone of the story for the future. Personal shoutout and thanks to il2swim57 for bringing up some really good questions that I do believe should be addressed.

So…Most people can assume at this point, based on some of the comments in the story, that this story won't be all a cheerful one the whole way through. In fact, a low point for this story isn't too far off.

This story will be getting pretty dark in a few places. It will possibly deal with themes of depression, parental abuse/neglect, personality disorders, crime, corruption, Pokémon abuse and some other themes too vague at the moment for this list. It will indeed get quite serious and dark at times. It'll even get pretty damn gruesome. And if you're discouraged by that, then I would just like to warn people that I've got a MUCH darker fic that runs alongside this one that I haven't even officially started yet.

More on that later, though.

Yes, this story can get and will be dark at some points. This will not tarnish what I have in mind for this story. Along with the dark parts of the story…

There will be times of triumph. Of celebration and joy and yes, tons of adorable fluff because damn it I think it's about time I write a story that isn't knee-deep in sorrow for all of its characters. This story won't be all doom and gloom. Not by a long shot. I'm going for a generally positive story this go around, something much lighter than my previous fics. I want that to be noted.

So basically what I'm saying is just keep reading. Yes, things will get dark at some points in the story. But it won't be like that all the time and if you know the outcomes of the game, then you already know how this all will end more or less. All I'm doing is adding my own little twist on an already amazing story of friendship and growth. I want this to be a story that inspires others or just entertains people in general, so I wouldn't worry too much about things getting super bleak all the time. I just ask that you keep reading and let me know what you think, since this story improves based on your feedback/support/suggestions.

Alright, now that we've got that out of the way. Onto other stuff.

For those wondering how Sun's team dynamic will work out…I'm sorry, but I'm not saying anything about that. I really don't want to spoil anything about his team, but I will say every Pokémon on his team can be obtained in-game for Pokémon Sun and Moon. If you feel like guessing what'll be on the team, then by all means go ahead. It'll make you look awesome if you get the guesses right!

Also, to answer another question (I'm on a roll), as to whether or not I'll have a few OC Captains within the story for the Z-Crystals that aren't given a trial in the story…I'll have to think on that. I mean coming up with some OC Captains was something I didn't even consider and would be an admittedly really cool idea, but it'd have to be worked in carefully. I'll get back to you all on that eventually, because I'm 50/50 on it at the moment.

Also, a quick sidenote. I do proofread these chapters at least once before publishing, but I do tend to miss an occasional flub here and there that I don't catch until I read it over again a bit later on. I'll admit straight up that it's an issue I have, but I've gotten much better with it as time has gone on. I do plan on going back over previous chapters to correct flubs I've seen so far, so no worries there. But if you do see any mess ups within the story and feel like letting me know about them, by all means mention it so I can correct it later. And thanks in advance for your help.

Shoutout to the wonderful folks who reviewed last chapter, which includes danlagunas14, Cottonmouth25, Ways, My Wunderwaffle iz missin, Sai Og Sus, a Guest reviewer, and as a new reviewer known as il2swim57. Thank you so much for all of your support!

If this chapter seems a bit short or lackluster, it's because this was supposed to be part of last chapter, but the whole thing got to be too long. But I think that despite that, this one turned out pretty decent!

Enough author's notes. Onto the story!

Enjoy.


Chapter 11: Getting School'd


It took the better part of two hours to track down the other two children, mainly because the campus was huge and partly because Sun wasn't all that comfortable being around so many lively kids his age.

Nevertheless, Sun shook the hand of the student he had just beat, a boy named Joseph, and met up with Lillie in a small patio area off to the side of the school, holding the TM to Work Up in his hands. Rotom informed Sun during the walk that Penny had just learned Echoed Voice, a move that got stronger each time it was used. Definitely a good move for his newest bird Pokémon, who had gotten much stronger over the course of the day.

"You beat all four of them?" Lillie asked as Sun set down a tired Oliver and a poisoned Penny.

"Yeah. Joseph was really tough. I'm glad I spent so much time training up Oliver beforehand, otherwise I would have been in serious trouble." Sun admitted as Lillie healed up Sun's team completely.

"So what have you been doing while I've been running around the school?" Sun asked Lillie.

"Mainly sitting here with Nebby. The Professor has one or two of his own Pokémon keeping watch for anyone suspicious, so that I can spend some time with Nebby outside and not have to worry about something happening." Lillie replied, smiling at him as Sun sat down across from her.

"I wonder what kind of trainer the Professor is." Sun wondered aloud, putting his hand on his chin.

"The Professor doesn't really train in the usual sense. He takes his work quite seriously, focusing on raising and training many Pokémon out in the field in order to learn as much as possible. He doesn't train Pokémon to make them stronger, he trains them so that he can learn from them and help others better understand Pokémon in general. Because of this, however, the Professor is a very tough opponent. He knows the best moves to counter any opponent and can ensure every hit deals the maximum amount of punishment…I also have reason to suspect that he's a pro wrestler, but I'm unsure of that last part."

"Wait, what?"

"Yes, you heard me. He's a pro wrestler, I think."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"…Professor Kukui sure is an interesting person."

"That's putting it lightly."

Sun and Lillie remained quiet after that, simply just enjoying the peace and quiet of the day. They were far enough away from the chaos in the courtyard to where they could relax with their Pokémon. Penny and Oliver napped on Sun, slumbering quietly while Lillie silently pet Nebby in her arms, making the cloud-like Pokémon coo softly in delight.

"So, out of curiosity, where did you find a Pokémon like Nebby? You mentioned that it was rare before, right?" Sun asked Lillie, who looked at him in surprise. Lillie opened her mouth to speak when a bell began to toll around the campus.

"Good afternoon, students! Could I please have Sun come to the office on the 2nd floor of the main building? Sun, please come to the office on the 2nd floor of the main building please." Miss Daniels called over the intercom, much to the surprise of Lillie and Sun.

"Oh my. What…what could you have possibly done to get called to the office so soon?" Lillie asked Sun, looking worried.

"Well…you know…" Sun trailed off, smiling at Lillie's horrified look as she realized the implications of what that meant.

"So you did do something!?" Lillie gasped in surprise.

"No, I was just messing with you." Sun giggled at Lillie's exasperated look, though she shook her head with a smile and Sun made his way back into the building and went up the stairs, where he was surprised to find that Miss Daniels was waiting for him there.

"There you are. I wanted to have a discussion with you, young man." Miss Daniels said sternly, making Sun's smile vanish off of his face. What had he done? Surely nothing that was wrong. He only battled the four students earlier that he was supposed to, right? He even helped out in a lesson. What could he have possibly done wrong?

"I can't believe that you…beat all of my students! That's fantastic!" Miss Daniels finished, breaking out into a grin. Sun sagged with relief, shaking his head slightly that the teacher had been messing with him.

"And now, after all that…I think I'd like to battle you myself. I've got a few new Pokémon I've been trying to train up. What do you say? Do you think you're ready to take me on?" Miss Daniels said to Sun, who thought about it for a moment before nodding. Even if he lost this battle, he would feel no shame in losing against a woman who taught students about Pokémon and the like for a living. That said, he knew his team was getting stronger and after learning everything he had that afternoon, he was feeling confident.

"Excellent! As a teacher, I've got to see just what kind of trainer was able to beat four of my prized students. Let's head outside and get this show underway." Miss Daniels led Sun back down the steps and outside of the building, where a small crowd of children had gathered to watch the guest to their school battle one of their teachers. Soon Sun and Miss Daniels were standing opposite one another, Poké Balls at the ready.

"Go, Magnemite!" Emily Daniels called, releasing a strange floating metal Pokémon that Sun recognized from Kanto. Sun frowned at that, realizing that this was a Pokémon he wouldn't have an easy time with no matter which of his birds he picked. He wished for a moment he had a Fire-type available, which would make quick work of the Magnemite.

"Go, Penny!" Sun pointed forward as Penny flew off of his shoulders and landed on the field as the crowd watching them both cheered.

"Alright, use Thunder Shock!" Miss Daniels yelled out, throwing out an arm as the students cheered for their teacher.

"Use Echoed Voice!" Sun called to his bird. Penny didn't even have time to open her beak before a burst of lightning slammed into her, knocking her senseless to the ground as Penny let out a screech of pain.

"What!?" Sun yelled out, running towards Penny, who was completely knocked out. Sun picked up the Pikipek and cradled it in his arms, eyes wide and trembling slightly. Guilt filled him, knowing that she had been hurt like that because of him.

"I'm so sorry, Penny. Just…just rest a bit." Sun muttered, returning his Pikipek. Oliver rotated his head and glared at the Magnemite across from them, making the Pokémon's eyes widen in horror.

"Oliver, let's go!" Sun said to his starter, gritting his teeth.

"I'm no pushover, Sun. Keep that in mind before you get mad at yourself over a simple mistake." Miss Daniels warned Sun, smiling understandingly at him. Sun sighed harshly and nodded, reigning in his anger for now. It was still no excuse for such a misstep. He'd have to do better.

"Oliver, use Leafage!" Sun shouted at his Rowlet.

"Thunder Shock!"

Oliver launched himself into the air with a hoot, twirling around and unleashing a torrent of leaves at his opponent. However, they didn't seem to do all that much damage, and when the lightning flew from the magnet Pokémon a second time, Oliver hooted in pain and dropped slightly in midair.

"No…Wait, it didn't hurt Oliver nearly as much as Penny. I wonder if it's because he's a Grass-type too…" Sun muttered before yelling, "Keep using Leafage! Wear it out!"

"We'll keep up the pressure as well. Thunder Shock until that little birdie's wings are clipped!" Miss Daniels shouted, grinning now. Oliver and the Magnemite hurled leaves and lightning at one another for several minutes as the children watching them cheered excitedly. Finally, Oliver ended up getting paralyzed after one of the Magnemite's attacks, and after releasing another burst of leaves and at the other Pokémon, Sun decided to heal his Pokémon.

"Oliver come back!" Sun called to his Pokémon, pulling out a Potion. Some of the children booed him while Miss Daniels smacked herself in the forehead, laughing out loud.

"I totally forgot to bring Potions…Children, let this be a lesson to you all. Always come prepared, like Sun is. While some trainers don't like it when others use items on Pokémon in a battle, it's absolutely allowed. Some trainers even use it as a strategy. Just be aware that it gives your opponent a chance to get an extra hit in," Miss Daniels said to her class as Sun finished spraying the Potion. Oliver still looked tired and was having a hard time flying, but he looked better than before.

"Use Thunder Shock, Magnemite!" Miss Daniels shouted as Oliver flew back onto the field.

"Finish it off with a Leafage!" Sun shouted. Oliver shuddered as he flew into the air, shutting his eyes tight with effort before dipping low in the air, dodging the Thunder Shock and releasing a barrage of leaves that finally knocked out the resilient Steel-type Pokémon, sending it falling to the ground with a clang.

"Well played. Your Rowlet is certainly tough. But here comes my second pick! Meowth!" Miss Daniels released an Alolan Meowth, which regarded Sun and his tired starter with distaste.

"Meowth, use Bite!" Miss Daniels shouted. Meowth sprinted forward, gleefully launching itself at the weakened bird and chomping down on Oliver's wing. The Rowlet hooted in pain, vainly trying to pull away from the cat Pokémon. Sun then caught sight of a strange green glow surrounding Oliver, and realized what he was seeing was Oliver's ability, Overgrow. It only activated when a Rowlet was weak, but it powered-up all Grass-type moves greatly as long as it was active.

"Oliver, use Leafage!" Sun shouted to his starter. Oliver narrowed his eyes at the Meowth and spun around on the ground like a top, dislodging the Meowth and unleashing a massive whirlwind of leaves that slashed and tore at the cat Pokémon with increased force.

"Not bad! Meowth, use Bite again!" Miss Daniels instructed her cat Pokémon as it crouched low on the ground, lunging forward.

"Use Peck!" Sun yelled to his starter. The Rowlet suddenly flared his wings and used them to propel himself into the air, out of range of the Bite attack. Oliver then dropped downwards, his beak glowing bright white as it slammed into the back of the Meowth and knocked it completely out.

"That…Wow. Sensational!" Miss Daniels laughed, clapping as Sun ran forward to check on Oliver. The exhausted bird shut its eyes as Sun brought it in for a hug, amazed that his starter had overcome the odds and won.

"That was pretty impressive. I'll admit it was a rough start, with me knocking out your Pikipek like that, but your Rowlet is quite well-trained. And for such a new trainer too…You'd make a fine instructor for the children here, that's for sure!" Miss Daniels walked forward as Sun picked up his owl and extended a hand towards the boy. Sun smiled and shook her hand, feeling relieved that the battling was done for now. He really wanted both of his birds to rest up now, after battling for so long today.

"I've also got a little present for you for beating me. Think of it as a memento from your time with us here at the Trainer's School." Miss Daniels ended up giving Sun five Great Balls, explaining they were better quality Poké Balls that were much better for catching Pokémon with than the standard ball. Sun then heard clapping from behind him and turned around. He saw Professor Kukui and Lillie standing there, clapping for him with smiles on their faces, as well as a tan-skinned boy with pink hair standing beside them. He seemed just a few years older than Sun, but maybe by only two or three.

Sun made his way over to them, and Lillie began healing Sun's Pokémon while Sun looked at the boy that was standing beside the Professor, looking at him with an analytic eye. Finally the boy smiled at Sun, waving a hand at him.

"Greetings! I'm Captain Ilima." The boy said, putting a hand on his hip as his smile widened slightly. "I've been watching some of your battles here on campus. I'll admit, I was impressed with what I saw. For a newbie, you're quite good."

"Oh…Uh, thanks." Sun replied as Lillie revived Penny. The bird let out a rather sad chirp before Sun picked up the bird and said, "You did great out there. Don't feel bad about getting knocked out in one move. We just have to work on that next time, alright? If anything, I'm sorry I sent you out there against an opponent like that. Next time…I'll do better. OK?"

Penny nodded and nuzzled Sun with a chirp as Oliver let out a hoot as well. Sun returned both Pokémon and clipped their Poké Balls to his belt. Ilima chuckled as Professor Kukui said, "This is Sun. He just moved here from the Kanto region just last week. As you can see, he's already showing the beginnings of a fantastic trainer."

"I can tell. It's obvious he has potential, and on top of that, how you treat your Pokémon is also worthy of praise. They may be young, but it's obvious that both of those birds are quite fond of you." Ilima said to the younger Trainer. "I look forward to seeing how you three do in my Trial."

"Trial?" Sun asked, confused.

"Indeed! As Captains, it is our job to administer and monitor the Trials that you will face on your quest to face the Island Kahuna. I sincerely look forward to seeing just what you're all capable of." Ilima said to the Kanto-native before looking to the Professor.

"That said, I do have to take care of some business back in the city. I'll see you soon, Sun. Take care everyone!" Ilima said to the crowd of students, who cheered and waved to the Captain as he departed the school grounds. Sun watched the boy leave for a few moments before turning around, where he was surprised to see all of the students he had encountered standing in front of him now, smiling at him.

"Sun, I think it goes to say that we wish you luck on your journey. It may not be easy or fun all the time, but I hope that you use it as an opportunity to grow." Mr. Stevens said to the boy, offering him a warm smile.

"Yep! We don't usually see too many trainers run through our little gauntlet, so color me surprised when we got a trainer that not only beat all of our volunteers, but beat me as well. You're going places, young man!" Miss Daniels grinned at the boy. The children behind the two teachers shouted goodbyes and encouragement to Sun, who stared at them with dumbfounded amazement. Was…all of this really for him? They barely knew him, and yet here they were wishing him the best of luck.

"Do something!" Lillie muttered in Sun's ear, jarring him into action. Sun offered them all a smile back in reply, trying to force back his nerves at being the center of attention for so many people.

"Um, thank you everyone! I'll remember what I learned today and use it to get better!" Sun said to the children and teachers.

"Good to hear. Now, everyone, we should get back to our classes. Say goodbye to Sun one last time!" Miss Daniels said to the children.

"GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK, SUN!" Sun shivered at the force of the yells but it served to only replace Sun's nerves with a strange sense of joy. The children were sheparded back towards the school, leaving Sun alone with Professor Kukui and Lillie.

"So now what?" Sun asked Lillie, who moved from behind Sun and shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other.

Lillie smiled at the question and said, "Well…since we've come this far together, why don't I show you some more of the city proper?"

"That sounds good. We've got some light left, so we may as well," Sun nodded in agreement.

"Come on, the path is just this way. There's lots to see, so please keep up." Lillie said as she began her way down the path. Sun followed the girl, catching up to her within a few seconds. Kukui watched them depart with a small chuckle before walking back towards the school.

"Wait…Did I give Sun the EXP Share?" Kukui said aloud, stopping in his tracks. "Uh…No. No I didn't. Well, I'll have to do that the next time I see him then!"


"You know…I was really impressed with you back there, Sun." Lillie said after a few minutes. Sun looked at her and saw she was wearing a little smile on her face, looking skyward. "Heh. Even back when you weren't a Pokémon Trainer, you were able to save Nebby…You were chosen by Oliver without even needing the ceremony to do it. I think…I think I understand now-" Lillie began to say as she looked back down before she stopped suddenly, yelping, "Oh no, I forgot about the Tauros!"

The bull Pokémon ahead of them let out a bellow of fury, but was actually not moving from its spot in the road. Ahead of them, Hau and Kahuna Hala were standing next to the beast with amused expressions.

"Hey you two! How's it going?" Hau greeted them cheerfully, grinning widely.

"Ah, Sun and Lillie. I apologize for scaring you both. I was simply trying to convince my friend here that it was time for him to get on home." Hala chuckled before he looked towards Sun.

"So you calmed him down? Thank goodness," Lillie sighed with relief, sagging slightly.

"Why don't you give him a little pat first, Sun? I'm sure he'd like that." Hala suggested, backing away from the Tauros with a small smile on his face. Sun gave the man a 'you what mate?' look before eyeing at the massive bull Pokémon in front of him. Sun took a tentative step forward, the Tauros watching him intently. Sun took a deep breath and exhaled before taking a few steps forward and putting a hand on the bull's head, giving him a light pet on the head. Sun was surprised that the Pokémon seemed to close its eyes in contentment for a moment, nuzzling his hand with a soft moo. Sun couldn't help the smile that came to his face.

"Aww. That's really cute," Lillie said quietly, grinning at the scene in front of her.

Hala simply laughed, putting a hand on Tauros' back and saying, "You see that? The rascal already likes you, Sun. Pokémon become so much happier when you just show them a bit of care."

"Duly noted, sir." Sun replied to the man, nodding in agreement.

"Ha! Oh, I expect great things from you, my boy. That places that you'll go…And as you go about, you'll be sure to meet more and more people and Pokémon that will enrich your life. That I know for sure…Until next time, you three. Be safe out there." Hala said to the trio, nodding at them before turning around and heading back down the road, walking alongside the Tauros while whistling a faint tune.

"Isn't Tutu the coolest? Those Kahunas sure are something else…Able to calm a raging Pokémon without even needing to battle? So awesome." Hau remarked, waving goodbye to his grandfather. "I mean, I like Tauros as much as the next guy, but it's still kinda scary! I don't want to ride on it, that's for sure!"

"I probably wouldn't want to ride on one either…" Lillie admitted quietly.

"I might." Lillie and Hau both looked at Sun in surprise, and saw the boy grinning at them. "I mean, it's crazy and I'd probably get hurt, but if the conditions were right, I'd maybe try it at least once."

"You're crazy." Hau laughed, though he was obviously joking. "So, where are you two off to now?"

"Well, I was thinking that I should show Sun around Hau'oli City a bit. It'd be good for him to at least get a tour of sorts from someone familiar with the area. Especially since he's on his Island Trial." Lillie explained to Hau, making the child grin wider somehow in excitement.

"Nice idea! Look at Lillie, always on top of things!" Hau laughed, doing a little fist pump. "After all, Sun just got to Alola last week, right? May as well show him how great this place is!"

Hau calmed down (or at least decided to stop jumping up and down in excitement), and asked, "Hey, can I tag along too? Giving Sun a tour of the city sounds like fun, and besides, I wanna go get something to eat!"

"Sun?" Lillie said, turning to the boy.

"Yeah, I'm fine with that. The more the merrier." Sun said with a shrug, matching Hau's smile with his own. Lillie smiled faintly at the two boys, shaking her head slightly.

"All right. Then let's all go together," Lillie replied. Hau quickly began running ahead of them, much to the chagrin of the other two children.

"What are you waiting for? This way, you Slowpokes! Come on!" Hau called, laughing back at them as he made his way further down the road.

"Oh Hau…" Lillie muttered under her breath. She then said a bit louder, "I guess we should go catch up with him before he gets too far, Sun. Hau'oli City is the biggest city in Alola, after all. We all may as well stick together."

"Sounds good. Let's go." Sun replied to the girl, casting one last glance back at the Trainer's School. He then turned forward, seeing Lillie walking ahead of him with Hau waiting impatiently down the road and followed her, laughing quietly as he began his trek to the city.