Pokémon Radiant Sun


So last chapter was nonstop destruction and mayhem. Let's take it down a few notches.

This chapter ended up being way longer than I wanted it to be. This happened mainly because I genuinely wanted to capture all of the feelings going through everyone after what happened last chapter. There will be many running themes I want to explore in this story, some of which hit close to me as a person and as a writer. I think I've said this before, but I feel like its worth repeating.

Speaking of last chapter, I have to say that the reception Cipher's inclusion has received has been pretty awesome. It's really great seeing so many people who also enjoyed the Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness games as much as I did. It was interesting, the responses I received as a result of what I did last chapter, and I have to say I'm looking forward more than ever to what I have in store for the future.

And in case you're wondering, I did in fact have the biggest shit-eating grin on my face reading some of the horrified reviews you sent in. Yes, I am that kind of asshole. Some of my longtime readers know this very well.

But I would like to make one thing clear. Well, two things.

One is that this story, despite some darkness, will be one that reflects the light and admittedly inspirational tone of the game it is inspired by. Yeah, for some of you not accustomed to some of my more intense work, last chapter was probably horrifying beyond belief. But it's not all going to be doom and gloom, like I said before. It's only when we've hit our lowest point that can we truly look at ourselves and become something better than we ever were before.

I know this lesson firsthand.

Two, is that this story does have one motif running through it I would like to hammer home for folks, if I haven't already. Just because the story focuses on Sun, Lillie, Hau, and others…doesn't mean other people aren't experiencing their own journey. Their own quest of self-growth, of hardship, and of becoming the very best in their own right. Just something I'd like to stress before moving on, because this is something incredibly important.

That said, I'm happy to announce that after next chapter, we'll be back on track with the main story stuff. I am already grinning at the Team Skull stuff I have in mind, because…well, its Team Skull. Duh.

Shoutout to the fantastic folks who reviewed since the last update, which includes Cottonmouth25, danlagunas14, Dunka99, My Wunderwaffle iz missin, Dario Flaman, and Sai Og Sus. Oh yeah, and the six new reviewers from last update (which is amazing, BTW), which includes simba71999, SpoonyAzul (one of my fellow writers from the Freelancer Collaboration), Raikou927, DriveByGhoti, daniel13w, and Wings of an Eternal Blaze. Thank you so SO much for the feedback and support.

Now, I've toyed with this idea for a little while now. But let's see if it gains any traction, before I cut off here.

Now, I don't know if I speak for everyone who writes on this site, but music plays a huge part in getting into a writing groove. Because of that, I do have a collection of songs that I believe fit certain moments in my stories, even to the point of me having the song play in the story itself.

This is a chapter that this definitely applies to a lot more than others. Lillie's Theme works for the latter half of it, honestly, but the best theme I've found that works for this chapter is Xion's theme from Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Remix. If you want to find the link that I'm talking about, just google "Everglow Xion theme" and it's the first thing that shows up. It's a longer version of the song that really fits with most of this chapter. If you do choose to do this, let me know what you thought of the song and how it fits with the story.

ONE FINAL NOTE before I cut off here. The title of this chapter is an Avenged Sevenfold song, and I'd seriously recommend checking out the lyrics to this song at some point. I didn't even plan this out or anything, because I liked the title, but holy hell are the lyrics fitting for this chapter. Pretty cool stuff.

I also really need to work on shortening these author's notes, but…that's something for future me to deal with. That said, I'm putting off playing "Breath of the Wild" on my Nintendo Switch so I can finish this chapter up. So I think it's a fair trade-off.

Enjoy.


Chapter 14: Warmness on the Soul


"He really needs to work on handling his emotions…Though I wouldn't be surprised if a kid like him has ever actually felt hatred before in his life." Vivian mused, putting a hand on her hip and shaking her head. Her smile had returned now, but it seemed weak compared to the confident grin she had before.

"Seriously, what is your deal? How do you know so much about those guys who attacked Celadon City? And about Sun?" Hau said to the girl, a rare bit of anger seeping into his voice as he turned around to glare at the older trainer. Vivian looked surprised at his outburst, as she blinked once before replying.

"Because I lived through it, little boy." Vivian replied lightly, her smiling becoming something a bit darker. "It's just like someone who lives in a paradise like this to forget that the rest of the world has to deal with real threats. Real problems, aside from some posers who wish they were something really dangerous."

"What do you mean?" Hau asked, her anger turning to confusion.

"She's talking about Nimbasa City…Aren't you?" Hau turned around and saw Lillie looking at the two of them, her expression somber.

"Nimbasa…That's in Unova, right?" Hau asked, looking back at Vivian, whose smile was slipping away.

"Yep. And you want to know what happened, Hau? I got to see an entire city get wiped off the map." Vivian said to the boy, her smile now entirely gone now, her words hollow. "Millions upon millions of people lived in that city, Hau. Now imagine an entire city with that population frozen solid. An icy graveyard, filled with spires of ice trapping the citizens who couldn't get away in time forever in their frozen hell. And guess what? I just saw a repeat performance of the worst night of my life tonight."

"Celadon City's destruction was nothing more than a move to scare Kanto. A display of power to instill fear in the common masses. It's exactly what they did to Unova." Vivian said very quietly. A deep sigh escaped the girl as she suddenly picked her bag up and slung it back over her shoulders. Vivian took a few steps towards where Nurse Joy was standing at the counter before turning around, facing the two children with an unreadable expression. And then she began speaking again.

"I have seen the evil of Cipher. I have seen so much destruction at their hands. We couldn't stop them, me and my friends…And now look. Cipher is expanding. Growing. Getting stronger while we try and pick up the pieces." Vivian said to them, shifting her bag on her shoulder.

"What do you mean…that you couldn't stop them?" Lillie asked softly.

"I mean that me and my friends were supposed to be the big heroes that put them down in Unova. We were so close to ending their plans, to ending them for good…But then they played their trump card and we lost our…leader, I guess you could call him. What I saw as our backup plan vanished without a trace not long after that, and we were left to wither away. Gotta admit…I really miss those two dorks," Vivian admitted in a very tired and defeated voice. Gone was all of the bluster and bravado, she sounded genuinely despondent recounting all of this. As if all hope had just been torn out of her. It was a bit startling.

"And…That's all happening in Kanto now? You're sure of this?" Hau asked the older Trainer.

Vivian nodded, looking at the two of them. "What you just saw was Cipher just expanding. Unova's already under their foot, so now they're looking to Kanto to dominate. Johto is next, since its right next door. Then…who knows? Fact of the matter is that they're just going to keep growing and getting stronger, while those who fight them die and fall. Trust me…I've seen it all happen before." Vivian said bitterly, pulling out a Poké Ball and releasing her Alakazam.

"Speaking of seen it all…Someone needs to go get Sun. He doesn't know the city and with the weather this nasty, it's not exactly safe for him to be out there." Lillie said to the two other Trainers. Vivian opened her mouth to speak before she suddenly stopped and pulled out her phone. She began texting someone with a rather worried look on her face, but began talking again.

"As much as I like the kid, I'm not going out in that storm. If I had Decres put a Mind-Lock on him, I'd just have him grab Sun and bring him here, but I didn't think I'd need to do that yet." Vivian replied with a small shrug. Lillie sighed but nodded, understanding her plight. Lillie looked to Hau who didn't look all that eager to run onto into the storm either. Knowing what the only option was, Lillie dug into her bag and brought out a white umbrella.

"Lillie, there's got to be a better-"

"If you are not feeling up to doing it…Then I'll find him. I'm supposed to look out him, after all. Hau, can you please look after…you know who?" Lillie said to Hau, handing him her Poké Ball bag. Hau looked surprised at this, but nodded in reply. Lillie handed Hau her hat as well and held out her umbrella, looking determined.

"Good luck, Princess. That's a nasty storm and I don't envy you at all." Vivian said to Lillie, though she added a moment later as she slipped her phone back into her pocket. "I think I'm done with this place for tonight. I just a text from my friend Noah that he's at the hospital, so I'm going to go see how he's doing. I'll probably crash there tonight, though if I actually got sleep tonight after watching that horror-show I'd be shocked."

"Oh…Um, is your friend alright?" Hau asked, surprised by this.

"It happens a lot with him. He'll be fine, though. Noah's strong, you know? Anyways, I'm going to see if Nurse Joy is alright with me giving you lot my room. That way Lillie can stay there while you and Sun can chill in the room you already have." Vivian remarked as a small smile flickered on her face.

"Thank you, Vivian. That's really nice of you." Lillie said with a smile of her own.

"Eh, not really, but hey, thanks for the thank you. Just make sure to get the key to the room from Nurse Joy when you get back. You all take care now, alright? Stay safe." Vivian said to the two kids before walking over to Nurse Joy. Within the next minute the violin girl had teleported out of the Pokémon Center.

"I don't know whether I like her or can't stand her." Hau muttered, crossing his arms.

"Some people are like that. But…" Lillie sighed quietly before she turned to Hau. "Remember, Hau. Guard that bag at all costs. I'll be back as soon as possible."

The young girl made her way to the door to meet the howling rain, opening her umbrella as she did so and stepping out into the storm. Hau sighed and looked down at the bag, about to say something to Nebby, when he noticed that the bag was now open.

Hau looked up in surprise, and saw that Nebby was flying towards the open front doors and had caught up with Lillie outside.

"Nebby and Lillie…man, those two are something else." Hau collapsed into his chair, unable to help the smirk on his face. He knew that determined pair would be able to find Sun and get him back here. So there was nothing to worry about, as always…

And yet he couldn't help but think of what had happened in Celadon. The city was a battleground filled with fire and destruction at the hands of two criminal syndicates, one growing more powerful by the day and the other seeking to regain its foothold in Kanto. And apparently this was the second time the group had done something like this…

He hoped Lillie would be able to find Sun quickly…After a night like this, he wanted everyone together in the same place, at least for the sake of safety.


Sun barely registered the wind hitting his body or the rain slapping him in the face as he pounded down the soaked streets of Hau'oli City. He didn't register the lightning arcing across the sky, creating a deafening rumble. Sun didn't even register the cold that quickly settled on him after only being out in the thunderstorm for a minute.

He was focused on other things. The rapid pounding of his heart. The fire that was still reflected in his mind's eye on that TV screen. The screams of the dying and the suffering as flames raced around them and a deadly bird of fire soared overhead, spraying more burning fury on those below.

Sun kept up his frantic pace, not knowing or caring where he was going. Anywhere was better than being in that Pokémon Center, where he might have to watch more of that broadcast. Hadn't his mother warned them about Cipher? Hadn't they prepared for something like this? Then why…Why did his home get destroyed in the fashion that it did? Why did Miss Erika get killed on live television? Why hadn't anyone been able to save her? Why? Why!?

WHY?

Sun felt a burning feeling within him that he had never felt before. It was a white-hot sensation that overloaded his mind and made him shake with emotion. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see. All he was aware of was the boiling rage threatening to be unleashed. His body was trembling, like a spring wound tight and as he continued his furious stride.

And then…

"Yo, yo, yo. Look what I see! A small fry running through the rain!"

Sun stopped in his tracks and whirled around to see two teenagers walking up to him, both of them wearing black outfits with bandannas covering their faces, both of them with dyed blue hair covered by a white and black cap. One of them chuckled and reached out to Sun-

Before getting decked in the mouth by the angry 11-year old.

"OW! What the heck, dude? Not cool!" the teen whined, holding his jaw as he and his comrade backed away from the child. Sun didn't even deign to keep looking at them both, instead just turning around and continuing his hurried pace through the city, his thoughts going a mile a minute. He didn't care that he had no idea where he was going, he didn't care that he was running through a rainstorm with lightning darting across the sky overhead, and he didn't care that he had just punched someone much bigger and older than him right in the jaw…

There were other things to worry about.

Eventually exhaustion won out, and Sun slowed his stride and simply remained standing still on a sidewalk some ways into the city. The Kanto boy put his head in his hands, letting out a frustrated growl that quickly becoming a yell. Sun fell to his knees and let out a long scream that echoed through the empty streets even as the storm raging around him. There were so many emotions coiled up within his yell, that he couldn't have even named them all.

Fury, anguish, sorrow, grief, guilt, shame, frustration, terror…and sadness.

Sun knelt there in the rain, staring up into the storm as tears rolled down his face and mixed in with the water falling from above. The boy wept for Kanto. He wept for the innocents that died tonight. He wept for the kind Gym Leader who had been stabbed in the back on live television. He cried for Celadon, his once home now turned into a ruined and fiery battleground at the hands of a bunch of criminals.

Sun just stayed there on his knees and cried his heart out, wondering why this all had to happen. After a while, his tears finally stopped flowing and the boy simply stayed on the sidewalk, uncaring that he was being drenched from head to toe from the raging storm around him. He was beyond caring about such little things at the moment. He reflected on the events before he left for Alola…When he did, he felt another rush of anger at those who had destroyed his home.

And then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It took a while to find you, didn't it?" Sun almost winced as Lillie's hand touched his healing injury from the Plank Bridge. The young girl held her umbrella out so that it now protected Sun from the downpour. She bent down to him and said quietly, "Can you stand up for me?"

Sun remained still for several long minutes as Lillie patiently remained by his side, unmoving as she waited for Sun to reply. The boy finally rose after five whole minutes, his movements slow, but it was progress at least.

"There…Um, I really don't have much of an idea where we are, admittedly. I asked a few people who had seen you running by and heard your scream so…Anyways, let's just find some cover. This storm is something else." Lillie said quietly as she glanced around the street they were on. If she were a betting girl, which she wasn't, she'd say they were on a road near the city museum. Nevertheless, Lillie grabbed Sun's arm and began to slowly lead him down the street with an umbrella over both of them.

"Pew!" Nebby greeted Sun happily, the Pokémon having been hiding on Lillie's head to protect itself from the rain.

"Yeah, yeah, you little troublemaker. You better hope no one sees you in this downpour." Lillie said to the Cosmog, smiling despite herself. Lillie was surprised at her own boldness this evening, she reflected, as she dragged Sun down the street. The boy seemed content to be led along by Lillie, still trying to process everything that had happened. Lillie, however, wondered why she had done this.

It was stupid, she had realized, to run after someone in a thunderstorm when you had a terrible sense of direction. Especially after all of the risks she had taken and the things she hoped to do. She couldn't afford a slip up…

But seeing Sun's horrified and pained expression as he ran outside…She realized she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she hadn't checked on the Kanto-native. She may have been timid, but…that doesn't mean she couldn't ever be brave!

Besides, after what he had done for her, she just felt that it was the right thing to do. Sun was kind, intelligent, and brave, and had done nothing but treat her with respect and courtesy. Truthfully, she admired the boy quite a bit…Lillie's cheeks gained a pink hue as she denied to herself that it went beyond that.

Eventually she chanced upon a gazebo with a large overhang hidden with a park area and led herself and Sun over to it. She retracted her umbrella and sat down on the bench under the cover that was mercifully dry. Sun stared at her dully for a moment before joining her on the seat.

"So…How are you feeling?" Lillie asked Sun very quietly, watching his face for any hint of emotion. She saw nothing on his face at the question. No smile, no anger, no nothing.

"Sun…Are you going to be OK?" Lillie asked, bending slightly and looking into the grey eyes of the other boy. Sun averted his gaze then, looking away from her, but she received a very stiff nod.

"I can't imagine I know what you're going through. That was your home. Those were people that you once shared a city with being killed in cold blood. Those were criminals…no, monsters that were destroying the place…And I'm so sorry. I'm sorry you're hurting right now, and I'm sorry there's nothing I can do to help but try and support you."

Sun took several seconds to respond to that, but he did so by looking over in her direction with a confused look on his face. Lillie took that as a sign to continue, so she took a fortifying breath and kept going.

"Sun, I know what it's like to feel that way. Scared. Hurt. Confused…desperate." Lillie whispered the last part, closing her eyes. She opened them a moment later and continued. "What I'm trying to say…is that if you ever need a friend, I'm here for you. OK? After everything you've done for me and Nebby, it's only right that I help you however I can in a dark time like this."

"Friend…" Sun said quietly, speaking up for the first time since Lillie had found him. It took a while, but he had finally regained a bit of sense within himself as the girl had spoken. Sun sighed then, deeply and harshly, before looking up into the sky ahead of him. He was still furious at those who had attacked his home, but now the anger had subsided into a smoldering rage that was overwhelmed by sorrow. Still…Lillie's words caught him by surprise.

"Of course…We're friends, aren't we?" Lillie replied as Sun looked at her. His bloodshot grey eyes and distraught expression met kind bright green eyes and a patient smile.

"I don't know…I've never had a friend, Lillie, so I wouldn't even know what it's like…God, I'm so weird." Sun muttered hoarsely, shaking his head as he looked forward and coughed slightly, which Lillie took to be as an attempt at a laugh of some sort.

"Well, if you've never had a friend before…Could I have the honor of being your first friend?" Sun looked back towards the girl, who was looking at him with that same smile but with a bit of determination in her eyes. Sun wondered why that was, before he considered her words. A friend. Someone who genuinely wanted to be his friend. He had never had one before…And now he had someone asking him if they could be his very first friend. Sun thought about it for a moment, trying to focus on the question before realizing he had no idea why he wasn't answering her. Lillie was gentle, intelligent, and pleasant to be around. She had been incredibly helpful and even braved the storm to come and comfort him…

If that wasn't something a friend would do, then Sun truly didn't know what was.

"Yeah…I'd like that. You know…me and you being friends." Sun said quietly, a lopsided, weak smile appearing on his face. It wasn't much of a smile at all, but it was something. Lillie nearly sighed with relief at that, but instead beamed at him and nodded.

"See! There we go! Now as your friend, I'm going to ask you if you can try and get your mind off of the bad things for a little bit. Just so you can calm down. OK?" Lillie said to Sun somewhat less confidently. Sun nodded and tried thinking of something to try and distract himself from the images of fierce Pokémon tearing into each other and never-ending fire.

"OK…I'll try. How about you tell me a bit more about yourself?" Sun said to Lillie, fighting a shiver as a breeze hit the both of them. Sun was considerably more soaked than Lillie was from the rainfall, so that was understandable. Nebby let out a soft coo as it wriggled out of Lillie's grasp, looking at Sun with concern. Sun silently reached forward and pet Nebby, making the Pokémon look at him worriedly.

"I'll be alright, Nebby." Sun said quietly, though he looked back at Lillie, who was watching the exchange with a smile. No one besides her could draw Nebby's attention like Sun was right now. He was something special alright.

"Well…I'm twelve years old. I love to read, though I prefer fantasy books above all else, I will admit I enjoy reading about history and Pokémon facts and the like. Reading is an escape for me, I suppose…It's so easy for me to get lost in a book and get wrapped up in another world, you know?" Lillie explained quietly, with Sun listening intently.

"Anyways, I have quite a sweet tooth when it comes to food. I'm also vegetarian, and my favorite food is…well, it's a bit lame really." Lillie admitted with a sheepish laugh.

"Well…what is it?" Sun asked the girl, now a bit curious.

"…Grilled cheese sandwiches."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, I know it's a bit of an odd choice, but-"

"No way, grilled cheeses are awesome." Lillie blinked in surprise at that and grinned at the other boy as he said that. Sun seemed a little bit less down as he said that, his frown less pronounced as Lillie beamed at him.

"Well, I'm glad someone else agrees. Hau thinks they're boring, since they're not laced with sugar and come in a variety of flavors, like his beloved malasadas are. I never had one before a few months ago, when Professor Burnet made them as a quick dinner after a night out in the field with Professor Kukui. They dragged me along with them out on the route to study Lillipup and everyone was too tired to get takeout and neither Professor wanted to make a huge meal. So we had grilled cheeses that night, and the rest is history. I had never eaten something so simple yet so tasty!" Lillie blushed slightly before laughing, "Sorry about that. I got a bit carried away there."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm a cheesecake fanatic, so I can't judge at all." Sun said with a small shrug.

"Cheesecake? What kind do you like?"

"Any kind. Chocolate-topping, strawberry, Castelia-Style. I love cheesecake no matter what kind. Donuts are pretty awesome too. I try to keep an open mind though, so I'm happy to try anything that's out there and see if I can add new favorites to my food lists. I have a feeling that with Hau in our little group, I'll be gaining a bit of weight with all of the food stops we'll be taking." Sun said dryly, earning a giggle from Lillie.

"I try to be that way too. Keeping an open mind, I mean, not devouring everything in my path like Hau. With all of the people and Pokémon you can meet, you're bound to meet some people who will help you look at things in a new light." Lillie remarked, thinking of some of the people in her own life that had done that. Professor Burnet. Professor Kukui. Nebby. Hau. Even people that had just entered her life, like Sun, were influencing her and making her think and react in ways she never would have had she never taken the first step on her own little journey.

"Anyways, I enjoy listening to music as well, when I'm not reading or learning about Pokémon. Mainly classical music or jazz, but I've currently developed an obsession with metal."

"You what, mate?" Sun looked at her with the most bewildered expression Lillie had ever seen on someone. It was even weirder considering Sun had been wearing a dead expression for the better part of the half hour it had taken for them to find shelter.

"Yes, metal. I enjoy it quite a bit." Lillie repeated, almost bursting out laughing at Sun's unrestrained surprise. The boy then shrugged and said, "Hey, whatever works for you. I mean, I grew up on country and hip-hop, thanks to my Mom, so I can't really judge. Any favorite bands?"

"Crimson Dawn are my favorite band right now, especially since the lead singer, Zoey, is so awesome." At Sun's confused look, Lillie explained, "The lead singer of Crimson Dawn is a world-class Pokémon Trainer and Pokémon Coordinator. She can even harness the power of Mega Evolution! She's the absolute coolest! She's currently touring in Kanto I believe."

"Mega Evolution huh? I've heard of that myself a few times before from my Dad. It'd be awesome to have a Pokémon that could do that." Sun mused for a moment before he snapped himself out of his thoughts. "Go on."

"Um…And I really like playing the flute too. I haven't had a chance to really play recently, since I don't have access to any of my music or my instruments. I'd love to be able to play again sometime." Lillie lamented for a moment before she added, "I've also kind of wanted to play the electric guitar as well. But that's just more a recent thing, really."

"It's a pretty cool instrument, so I guess it'd fit a pretty cool girl like you quite well." Sun remarked, looking forward and not paying attention to the fact that Lillie was blushing at the compliment.

"Thank you, Sun." Lillie replied with a small shy smile. Sun looked back at her with a bit of a lighter expression on his face.

"Hey, you ran into a thunderstorm just to check on me. I think that makes you a really cool, if not awesome, person." Sun said to her, attempting a smile again but not quite succeeding, his expression becoming more neutral than anything else. Lille frowned a bit at that. She needed to try harder.

"So, where are you from, then? I don't know why, but I get the feeling you're not from Alola. Or that you mentioned it before and I'm having a brain fart and can't remember if you mentioned it or not." Sun said to the girl, earning another giggle from her.

"I'm from another region, one very far away from here. I was raised in Alola, with my mother, father, and brother. We lived on an island, our own little utopia, I guess you could call it." Lillie began, her voice unsure of herself as her smile faded. She knew she couldn't tell Sun everything, but…maybe getting some of this off of her chest would not only help draw Sun out of his downcast mood, but maybe help ease her mind as well.

"We helped Pokémon whenever we could and lived like a regular family. My parents were quite wealthy, and used that wealth to help others, especially Pokémon. They even had their own research team and crew of scientists dedicated to improving and protecting the lives of Pokémon all over the world…" Lillie trailed off, lost in the memories. Sun watched her silently for a few moments before Lillie snapped out of it.

"And for a while…we were happy."

The two friends watched the rainfall ahead of them in silence after that. Sun knew that there was more to this than Lillie was explaining to him, but he was also willing to hear her out. She had a strange, sorrowful look on her face as she reached over to Nebby and pulled it into her lap, petting the Pokémon for a few moments before she spoke again very softly.

"And then one day everything went wrong."

"My father vanished into nothingness, one sunny afternoon, with no traces left behind as to where he went. Our friends and family were devastated, my mother worst of all. Soon after that my big brother left our home. I don't know where he is. I haven't talked with him in years, now. I wish I knew how he was…if he's safe. If he's happy…I wish I knew." Lillie whispered, hunching over and hugging Nebby tightly as tears threaten to fall from her emerald eyes.

Sun felt something within him tug at the sight of Lillie looking so upset. In a matter of minutes, the girl was reduced to near-tears just recounting whatever had happened to her family. From what Sun could tell, it looked as if Lillie was trying her hardest to keep everything all bottled up and contained. That she was trying so hard to keep everything together, all the while trying to comfort him as well. Sun scooted closer to the girl and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze. Lillie tensed at his touch, but moved closer to Sun sighed deeply.

"I'm so sorry Sun…I came out here to help you, and look at me. Unloading all of my issues on you like this. And there's so much more that I can't say," Lillie said quietly, shaking her head slightly, brushing a tear from her eye.

"Don't be sorry." Lillie started at Sun's voice, but more so at the intensity of what he was saying. She moved away from him enough to see that there was a spark within him now that had been absent since he had seen the Celadon broadcast.

"Never be sorry for the things that make you sad…Just work on making yourself happy. Sometimes it's OK to be selfish. As much as I hate to say it, my Dad did occasionally have some good advice." Sun admitted with a small sigh, patting Lillie on the back. Usually he'd feel a bit weird and embarrassed being so close to her, but after the emotional roller-coaster he had been on tonight, he just didn't have in him to be awkward about it.

"Sun…Can I ask a question?" Lillie said softly, looking at him.

"You just did, but go ahead." Sun replied. Lillie felt a smile tug at her mouth, but decided to ask her question since she was more curious than anything else.

"Where is your father?" Lillie asked Sun.

For a time, the boy remained silent, his neutral expression being replaced with a more thoughtful one. The sound of rainfall was the only thing audible around the children, the wind howling around them both. Lillie shivered slightly, crossing her arms and inwardly hoping that she could convince Nurse Joy to maybe turn up the heat in the Pokémon Center when they returned. She nearly jumped when Sun spoke up again.

"Have you ever had someone you looked up to before, Lillie?" Sun asked finally. After a beat he looked at her, his eyes reflecting the storm that swirled overhead. Lillie thought about his question before nodding once.

"Well, what happens when someone you thought was the greatest person in the world…Someone who was once your hero…Turns out to be not good at all?" Sun asked as his voice dropped down to a whisper.

"What do you do when you find out that your hero hurts people? What do you do when you try everything you can think of to make that kind of person proud…And then realize that you're just destroying yourself in the process for someone who just wants to use you?" Sun said in a perfectly neutral tone, though there was something much darker to the words he was speaking.

"Tell me…What do you do, Lillie?"

Lillie, for her part, was silent. Her mind was racing at Sun's questions, confusion clouding her mind. However, she, like Sun, was quite an intelligent child and began to make sense of what he was implying.

"Sun…"

"I don't want to talk about him, Lillie. I think I'm still trying to figure out just how I feel about that man right now. Especially after seeing what happened on TV a little while ago. My thoughts are mixed up and muddled and…I'm so, so confused." Sun said with a sigh, shaking his head for a moment before he continued.

"He and Mom got divorced a few months back, after we found out some stuff about him. Bad things, Lillie. Even after he showed us just what kind of person he really was, well…I almost went with him instead of my mother…because I idolized my dad, you know? I learned all about his business and happily decided when I was younger that I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. So when he came back to the house for me the night after my parents' divorce was done…I almost joined his side."

"But I just couldn't. My father is a very, very bad person." Sun said in a very quiet voice. Lillie just remained silent, letting Sun continue. She had a feeling that she wasn't the only one holding things back. A moment later, her thought was confirmed.

"He's friends with them, Lillie…He's pals with those monsters that destroyed my home. The group that calls themselves Cipher. He's no better than them, Lillie…That's why I'm here in Alola. I'm here because me and Mom ran away from Dad. From Cipher. We had an idea of what Cipher was planning and we made sure to get out of there before we got hurt. Professor Kukui arranged some things and here we are, living in a tropical paradise with wonderful people while the city I grew up in gets torched by a Moltres." Sun said to the girl, who remained silent at this. What could she say? She could hear the raw pain and anger in Sun's voice, directed at the criminals that had orchestrated the destruction of Celadon and Nimbasa City respectively. She could hear the hate dripping from the boys voice towards those who had killed Erika and countless others.

She could hear the betrayal in Sun's voice in a way that only she would know. She knew exactly what Sun was going through, because she had felt what he was going through now. Sadness, anger, and hurt at the hands of a loved one.

"I hate them, Lillie. I hate every single one of those people. I hate Cipher with every bit of my heart. They ruined my life in Kanto, to the point where we had to run from them. I hate them because they somehow made my father start helping them. And I hate them because they hurt so many people just for their own gain. They hurt Pokémon in the worst possible way…I hate them, Lillie. I want to hurt them. I want to make them suffer…But I can't. I'm too far away and not strong enough to do anything to them. If the Elite Four and the Gym Leaders can't stop them…then who can?" Sun asked in a voice so soft Lillie could barely hear him. Lillie didn't have an answer, but she knew the boy needed to hear something.

"Sun, I wish I knew. But…sometimes you have to have faith that things will work out." Lillie said quietly, attempting a smile that she wasn't feeling. Sun didn't even look at her as he continued.

"And the worst part of this is that…I still love my Dad. My father was the person I looked up to growing up. But now…It's so complicated, Lillie. Does it make me a bad person to still love someone who's bad? Someone that would willingly support those who would kill and destroy others for their own gain? Or does it just not matter…do I even really love my Dad anymore? I just don't know…" Sun finished, hanging his head and allowing silence to envelop the two of them.

"Just because you may love your father, doesn't make you a bad person." Lillie said firmly, making Sun look at her in surprise. "He's your father, and still is. He's just a person who has made very bad choices, but that has nothing to do with you, Sun. I know it's complicated, but just because you're confused about this all doesn't mean you're at fault. You're just a kid, despite everything."

"That's what my Mom said. That I'd 'figure things out' someday. I try so hard to be positive and keep up a smile, even though I just feel this weight on my shoulders. I don't know what it is, Lillie, but it makes it hard to enjoy what I have now. Before all of this, I would have been so much more excited to be exploring a new region and have my own team on my very own journey…But it doesn't seem nearly as great as it should have been, because of this sinking feeling in my heart."

"I just wish I knew what to do. What this feeling is and what to do about my Dad. And on top of what Cipher did to Celadon? I feel like I need to stop them, Lillie. Like I need to go back there. But what could I possibly do? I'm halfway across the world and I've got two young birds for my entire team." Sun said to the girl, hanging his head and sighing deeply. To his surprise he felt a hand on his shoulders and glanced over to see Lillie.

"Sun…I don't have all the answers. I wish I did…But I just don't. To be honest, I'm in a similar boat as you at the moment. However, I might be able to answer that feeling you're having, though. That sad feeling you're having that you described." Lillie said to the boy, who seemed to perk up slightly at that. "A few years ago, a friend of my mother's described to me something along the lines of what you described to me. Granted, she can explain this much better than me, but I think I can explain enough of this. You might be suffering from some form of depression, Sun."

"Depression? I…I've heard of it before, but is this really what it is?" Sun asked Lillie, surprised. Was this constant, gnawing feeling within him really was it was like? Why the nightmares he had seemed so much more terrifying than they should be…Was this all part of it? All of the events that had happened over the past few months, could they have really made him depressed? He wasn't sure…

"I believe so. You described something similar to what Miss Wi- I mean, my mother's friend told me about it. I think you are handling it fairly well, all things considered, but I think this may be something you should talk to Miss Laura about to get you possibly checked out by a doctor or a psychologist. Honestly, after what you've described to me, it makes a bit of sense. Whatever happened with your father and with you having to move from your home on top of that? And now, your home getting destroyed like that? Sun, if that wouldn't make someone depressed I don't know what would. It's absolutely understandable to feel a bit down." Lillie explained quietly, and as Sun looked at her she smiled at him again.

"Again…My knowledge with this is somewhat limited to my own experiences. I don't think I've ever felt depressed, admittedly, but I know there's professionals to talk to here on Melemele Island and if you can't speak with them, Professor Kukui and his wife, Professor Burnet, are both certified Professors here in Alola. I'm sure either one of them would be more than willing to help you out with what you're feeling. You may not even be suffering from depression, but just going through a rough patch. Either way, you are not alone in this." Lillie said to Sun, who looked away from the girl for a time before smiling a little. Not much, but enough for Lillie to feel happy about.

"Alright…I'll get it looked into. I'm just surprised about all of this…I make such an effort to be positive and to always keep a smile on my face, but…To think this sinking feeling inside of me is just me feeling depressed. Never thought that was it, let alone something like that effecting me." Sun mused, shaking his head slightly at the thought of it.

"I believe depression can effect anyone, Sun. All you can do is try to keep going on and try to work out what you're feeling. Talking it over with peers, trained professionals, and even friends can help so much." Lillie replied quietly to the other boy. Sun remained quiet for a time, before he finally spoke up.

"I am talking about it with a friend, aren't I?" Sun said slowly, looking at Lillie with a small smirk instead of a smile. Lillie couldn't helped a laugh, but nodded in agreement.

"Yes, you are." Lillie replied cheekily, trying not to laugh more. She was glad that Sun was at least getting out of his dark mood. She wasn't really sure if her friend was actually suffering from depression or anything of the sort, but it seemed plausible. Maybe if they were lucky Sun would be able to talk this out with some adults and feel a bit better about some of the events that had befallen his family over the past few months.

"Guess I should tell you some stuff about me now that may actually steer this conversation in a positive direction." Sun said as he smiled thinly at her, this time a bit more genuine.

"I'd like that." Lillie replied, offering him her own shy smile in response. Sun surprised her by slowly rising to his feet, stumbling slightly, before he reached a hand down to her.

"The rain is dying down a bit. I say we make our way to the Pokémon Center now while there's a lull in the storm." Sun said to the girl on the bench. Lillie nodded and grabbed Sun's hand and was quickly pulled up. She lightly bumped into Sun, however, and let out a small yelp as she hastily backed away from the boy, blushing slightly.

"Um…We can share my umbrella." Lillie mumbled, extending the umbrella out and holding it over her head. Sun nodded and sidled up to her as Nebby leapt into Sun's arms.

"Comfortable?" Sun asked the small Pokémon, receiving a happy cry in response.

"It looks like Nebby really likes me." Sun remarked with a small smile, the biggest smile he had given her all night.

"I can tell. It's usually only that friendly with me. I guess that just means that it trusts you, Sun." Lillie said as the two of them began moving out into the storm, which had thankfully lessened over the course of their talk.

"Well…I grew up in Celadon, like I said before. My mom was a teacher from Kanto and my Dad was a businessman from Alola, with ties in Sinnoh and Kanto. I lived in our house, I guess it was more like a villa, for a lot of my childhood. I didn't leave the house all that much, except for when my Mom decided to become a Pokémon Trainer and took me with her whenever she was at a city. Dad wasn't a fan of letting me get too close to that kind of life, but Mom was firm. She wanted me to see her battle."

"How was it? Watching Miss Laura battle?"

"Really, really cool. My Mom had a team of incredibly strong Pokémon and even battled the Kanto Champion for the title back when she was an active Trainer on her journey. That's on top of home-schooling me and teaching me all sorts of things that my Dad didn't." Sun had been smiling at that point, but his smile faded somewhat. "…She does so much for me. She's really silly, but after everything that's gone on the past few months, I've realized I don't do nearly enough for her in return. She's protected me so much, loved me so much…I just don't get what I did to have a Mom like mine, Lillie. All she wants is for me to be happy. That's it. I just don't get it."

"Most parents…well, good parents are like that, I think. Again Sun, I'm not sure what to say to that, admittedly. I haven't spoken to either of my parents in a long time." Lillie said quietly, though she smiled a moment later. "I am glad to hear that your mother is as great as the person she seemed to be. Despite the teasing, it's obvious that she loves you dearly."

Sun didn't have a response to that either, so he just nodded and continued sharing a few more details about his life before Alola. Recounting some of the times he had spent in boardroom meetings with his father discussing things too complicated for him to understand and spending hours at the local Gym with Erika.

"I learned that despite me wanting to be like my Dad…I wanted to be a Trainer. I wanted to have my own Pokémon. Go on my own journey. I wanted to find out more about myself, like my Mom told me that she did." Sun laughed a little then, shaking his head as he said, "It's so weird…This little trip has barely started out and I'm already dealing with life-changing events and the like. It's like something out of a bad story."

"If it's a bad story, then the writer is a giant jerk."

"Sounds about right."

Eventually the duo made their way back to the Pokémon Center and entered the building, shivering as the AC smacked right into them. Sun and Lillie both began shivering as they made their way further into the Pokémon Center. Hau quickly found them both and soon enough, the two children were in warmer, dryer clothes and were enjoying a hot dinner courtesy of the staff of the Pokémon Center. Sun was surprised at how the food tasted from what was basically an all-you-can-eat buffet at a place that was open all day, but he wasn't complaining. It tasted like heaven to him, after spending a few hours in the pouring rain.

Once dinner was handled, Sun was led by Hau to his room. He stepped into a rather cozy room complete with a desk, two nightstands with a small lamp each, two comfortable-looking twin-sized beds and a small but clean bathroom.

"I call the left bed!"

"Hau, I…You know what, I'm not even going to ask, man."

With that, Hau gleefully leapt across the room and bounced on the bed, giving Lillie and Sun a wide cheery grin that both children couldn't help but giggle at. Sun put his stuff away, grateful that he hadn't taken it with him in the storm, and released Penny and Oliver. The boy grabbed both birds in his arms and hugged them both close to him, with both of his birds returning the gesture as well. They weren't sure why they were being hugged, but they hugged their trainer back regardless.

Hau was quickly caught up on most of what Lillie and Sun had talked about. Hau and Lilie, in turn, discussed what Vivian had talked about earlier. At the end of their talk, Sun had his eyes closed in thought.

"We need to track down that girl and get some answers. Even if I can't do anything about Cipher from Alola…I just want to know more. If there's anything I can do to help stop them. Anything." Sun said quietly but with a glint of determination in his eyes.

"She said she was at the hospital for the night. I'm sure we'll run into her at some point. If not, I don't think it'd be hard for Nurse Joy to help us find a way to contact her if we need to. I kinda hope we don't. That girl is kind of annoying, to be honest." Hau admitted with a sheepish smile.

"Well, I'm willing to put up with it to get an explanation. Even if my dad was involved with them, I don't know much about them other than the rumors. Some facts and some stories would be really helpful right now." Sun admitted before he let out a yawn.

"Until that time, however, we should focus on recovery. Tonight has been a very rough one for all of us. I saw we relax tomorrow and do a small tour of the city, with a bit of shopping here and there. Something to help us forget the bad things for at least a little while. How's that sound?" Lillie asked Sun and Hau, receiving an eager nod and a smaller more hesitant nod in return.

"Everyone ready to turn in, then?" Sun asked his friends. Hau nodded again and Lillie hopped off of Sun's bed, with Nebby following with a tired 'pew'. Lillie grabbed the Cosmog and hugged it for a moment before bidding both boys goodnight as she stepped out into the hallway, after carefully making sure the coast was clear, of course. The girl walked over to her door and had just opened it, just in time for the door she had just exited to open up. Lillie was surprised when Sun stepped out and walked over to her, wearing a small smile.

"Alright…Um, this is going to be a bit awkward, but…" Sun said slowly, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish smile for a moment. Lillie was very surprised when Sun suddenly threw his arms around her, hugging her tightly. Lillie let out a small gasp, stumbling a little backwards at the unexpected gesture. But she returned the embrace after a moment, hugging Sun tightly around the middle in response. For a few moments, the two children held each other in their arms.

"Thank you. For everything tonight. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate what you did for me, Lillie." Sun muttered into her ear, making the girl shiver slightly at the rather intimate contact.

"What else are friends for?" Lillie replied quietly, though she was admittedly feeling her face heat up a quite a bit. She was very surprised that Sun had done this, but she guessed that after everything that they had talked about, they were a bit closer than before. The pair went to their respective rooms afterwards, after bidding each other goodnight, with Sun entering his and Hau's room in deep thought. After everything that had happened that night, he was feeling his exhaustion finally catch up with him and collapsed onto his bed.

"Long night, huh?" Hau remarked from his bed.

"Something like that…" Sun muttered, willing himself to crawl underneath his blanket. Penny and Oliver flew over to him and he allowed both birds to sleep on top of him, both of them huddled close to the boy for warmth and comfort. Both birds took a moment to move over to their Trainer and nuzzled Sun, chirping quietly to him before moving back to their original position.

"Goodnight everyone!" Hau said way too brightly, jumping up and flopping down onto his bed, somehow pulling the blanket around himself all in the same movement because of course he did. With that, the two boys and their Pokémon began to drift off, one by one, eager to sleep away the fatigues of the day and tackle tomorrow well-rested. Sun prayed that the nightmares wouldn't be so bad tonight, but he kept his Pokémon close just in case.

Out in the distance, however, a lone Pokémon stood atop one of the tallest buildings in the city. It had been flying in the storm the entire night, but now as it stood alone in the night, its thoughts turned to a dark feeling it had within itself. That bad things were coming for those who resided on the island that it called home. Its eyes narrowed at the feeling, lightning crackling into life as the Pokémon let out a faint growl of defiance.

Tapu Koko shook its head then, a sharp gesture. It would never allow evil to make it way here. It was a proud and wild Pokémon, blessed with many incredible powers. Its fighting spirit was unmatched by anything it knew.

Evil could try and come to this island…

But it would strike them down without mercy.

With that, Tapu Koko let out a soft cry and leapt into the air, firing into the clouds with lightning trailing behind it.