Pokémon Radiant Sun


So this story had another big delay. Sorry about that, but considering the following news, I think that'll be forgiven.

So this past week, I went through MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) and am now proud to say that I passed it with flying colors, and that I have been sworn into the United States Air Force. After 7 months of dieting, working out, and dropping 35 pounds I have finally achieved my goal.

So I'm feeling pretty good about that.

Now, as for when I'll be leaving to go in, I don't know. I'll find out more soon, but I figured I should let you all know what's going on in regards to that. Again, thank you so much for all of the support and well-wishes.

Now, back to story stuff.

In regards to some of the questions posed in the review section, it should please you all to know that these are exactly the kind of questions that I enjoy being asked about the story and that in due time, you'll get your answers. Some sooner than you'd think.

And in regards to making sure that the new plot-lines being interwoven into the existing Sun and Moon story don't mess up the main plot, I say don't worry too much about it. I'm taking some great lengths to ensure the two plot-lines complement one another and do not overshadow each other, though the main plot of Sun and Moon will of course take precedence. This story is going to be a long one, even with weekly updates. So keep that in mind.

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Cottonmouth25, Raikou927, Madame Rodoshe, Sai Og Sus, NullSilver2005, Dunka99, and Ways, as well as a new reviewer known as ShadowDragon9000. Thanks for the love, support, feedback, and general awesomeness that you throw my way.

Enjoy.


Chapter 18: On the Road


Sun quickly learned a few things during the first hour of travelling.

One. Proper footwear was essential. While he had done a lot of walking in his time at Hau'Oli City, that was on smooth pavement and not the rough trail that winded through the western side of the island. Sun resolved to get some supportive boots or shoes of some kind that would make walking easier. Hau didn't seem bothered, nor did Hugh, but Sun was starting to ache after just an hour on the rough road.

Two. Alola was hot. Yes, Sun had already known that before coming to the island region, and knew that after his second week in Alola. However, being out and about on the trails away from the wonder that was air-conditioning was more than enough to make the boy sweat bullets. So he made sure to keep drinking water. Hau seemed to have little issues with the heat, but then he was used to it by now, having lived in Alola his whole life.

Three. Alola was beautiful. Sun had been blown away before by the epic sights of the tropical region, but somehow being in a more wild setting seemed to give the sights around him an extra bit of depth. The Pokémon watching them curiously from the grass and trees, and water crashing against the cliffs in the distance, and the cry of the Wingull's above them made it very clear that they were quite a ways from civilization at this point. It made Sun nervous, in a way, but also excited to finally feel like his adventure had finally begun.

Hugh pointed out that they were pretty much alone out here on this side of the island, which Hau confirmed. There was a cemetery, a berry farm, a hotel, and a few houses in between their current location and the Pokémon Center on the northern section of the island. Aside from those spots, there was nothing but wilderness all around them.

The trio did little but walk, stopping only to battle or to point out an interesting sight. All the while, Hugh kept up a running conversation about how to live out in the wild, eager to teach the two younger trainers what he knew. He was quite happy to hear that Sun was very well-supplied for his journey, and that his mother had been able to prepare for him to survive away from the cities.

Over the course of their morning walk, Hugh explained several ways to find one's bearings and warning signs to look out for when it came to aggressive Pokémon. Between him, Rotom, and Hau, Sun was almost overwhelmed at the amount of information coming his way regarding simple survival outside of civilization. Hugh laughed when Sun admitted this to him and Hau. Sun eventually decided to start taking notes as the two Pokémon Trainers talked, though Rotom helpfully explained that it could just listen to what Hugh and Hau were saying and record notes automatically.

Sun was very grateful for this.

It was nearing noon when the trio of Trainers decided to take their first break. Hau and Sun had battled a few Trainers along the way, of course, with Hugh observing most of the time. Thankfully those that the two greenhorns battled were unable to overcome Sun and Hau, so the two boys managed to get a couple of wins under their belt after just a few hours. Hugh would always offer a bit of wisdom or advice after each battle, usually offering another way to have done something or a recommendation for the next time they battled. Sun and Hau intently listened to the older Trainer during these times, keen to learn from someone much more seasoned than they.

When Sun and Hau sat down in the grass, sighing with relief, Hugh couldn't help but laugh. The teen was just leaning against a tree, drenched in sweat himself, though this was more from the intense heat of Alola rather than just walking around in the heat of the day. He was amused at the sight of the two boys exhaustedly resting in the grass, and couldn't help but comment on it.

"You two have done pretty well on your first day out!" Hugh said to the two rookies, grinning down at them. "So we'll hang out here for an hour. Let our Pokémon out so they can enjoy the day a bit and then get back to it. If we keep up this pace, we'll be at the Verdant Cave in two weeks."

"Sounds like a plan…come on out!" Sun released Penny and Oliver, who both fluttered over to their Trainer and landed on his lap. Hau released Duke and Cassy, who both relaxed in the grass. Hugh pulled out four Poké Balls and released his Pokémon as well.

Samson let out a snort as he was released, the Samurott taking in his surroundings for a moment before looking over at Hugh. The spikey-haired teen opened his mouth to speak to his starter when a large bird behind him let out several tweets and chirps, flaring its wings. It was a mixture of grey, black, pink, and green and eyed the smaller birds in Sun's lap with interest for a moment before returning its attention to Hugh. Sun took that moment to use Rotom to scan the Pokémon.

"Bzzt! Unfezant. The Proud Pokémon. Males have plumage on their heads. They will never let themselves feel close to anyone other than their Trainers." Rotom piped up as the bird eyed the device with suspicion.

"Yeah, Faolin, you can scout the area if you want. Just be back here in an hour. And keep out of trouble." Hugh advised the bird, who nodded and launched itself into the sky. Hugh looked over at his two remaining Pokémon, a green and red dragon with round red eyes and a large green monkey wearing a wide grin on his face.

"Rell and Sage, do whatever you want, but stay out of trouble and be back in an hour." Hugh advised his two Pokémon. Sun had Rotom scan both of them, and after a moment Rotom spoke up.

"Flygon. The Mystic Pokémon. The flapping of its wings sounds something like singing. Those lured by the sound are enveloped in a sandstorm, becoming Flygon's prey." Rotom explained as the dragon glanced over at them before shooting off into the sky as well, though it was in the opposite direction as Hugh's Unfezant. Sun turned to the grass monkey that had taken to sitting against a nearby tree and closing its eyes.

"Simisage. The Thorn Monkey Pokémon. It attacks enemies with strikes of its thorn-covered tail. This Pokémon is wild tempered." Rotom explained as Hugh finally looked over at them.

"I meant to ask, what's up with your Pokédex? I've never seen one like that before." Hugh asked as he sat down next to his Simisage and Samurott, leaning against the side of the latter of the two.

"It's a special Pokédex that Professor Kukui got for me since I'm new to the region. It's called the Rotom Dex, since it, well…Has a Rotom living inside of it." Sun explained as the Pokédex flew back out of his backpack and waved over at Hugh. The older Trainer grinned at the Pokédex and waved back.

"That reminds me, though. Rotom, what happened to you the other day? You freaked out when that Team Skull guy insulted you." Sun asked the Rotom Dex, who's reply was a shrug.

"Hey, if someonezz gonna make fun of me, I'm gonna scare the living daylightzz out of them. As best as I can in this body, anyway. Bzzt!" Rotom replied almost sassily, a small smirk on its face.

"Scare? What you said to them was horrifying! Does Professor Kukui know you get like that when mad?" Sun asked the device.

"Nope. Well, maybe. If he did, he certainly didn't tell you, now did he?"

"Well, can you not do that anymore? That seriously scared us, you know." Sun said to Rotom, to which the Dex replied with a mechanical beep.

"Sun, I wouldn't waste your breath. Ghost-type Pokémon can be really to control sometimes. It looks like Rotom likes you and seems to be happy to help you out. But if Rotom got mad for being insulted by someone, I think it's something that it can't control all that well. You may just have to roll with it, or at least have Professor Kukui or Doc look at the Pokédex for you." Hugh replied to Sun.

"…Doc?" Sun asked.

"Eh, never mind. You'll probably never meet him anyway." Hugh remarked before continuing. "Just a heads up, there's a few Pokémon types that are harder to control than others, and I'd recommend holding off on capturing these types until you're stronger as a Pokémon Trainer."

"What types would that be?"

"Dragon-types for one. Dragons are incredibly hard to train for the most part, and are immensely prideful. It takes a skilled Trainer to keep a Dragon-type Pokémon under control, and I definitely don't recommend getting one yourself until you have a few more Pokémon under your belt." Hugh advised, patting the Poké Ball that likely had contained his Flygon for reference. "Dark-types are something I'd avoid as well, at least for a little while. They're not nearly as rough to handle as dragons, but they can be a handful and it's difficult to get a Dark-type to listen to you. They also tend to be a bit more violent at times, though this can be curbed with time. Ghosts are the same way, in a sense, but a bit easier to get used too. They're more mischievous than anything else and rarely get violent."

"Mischievouzz? I am insulted by this slander being hurled my way!" Rotom declared, ruining its statement by giggling.

"All in all, I've got to say, your Rotom Dex is pretty cool. I heard that those are going to become the standard for Pokémon Trainers in a few years…Man, it's crazy the kind of tech we've got nowadays. Still, nothing beats being out and about in the wilds with just your Pokémon and your wits." Hugh remarked as he closed his eyes. Sun decided to do the same, and for a time the trio rested in the shade of the trees around them.

Sun was snapped out of his reverie by the sound of something buzzing around him. As he glanced around, he caught sight of a small bug Pokémon soaring overhead and landing in the grass nearby. The Pokémon then looked towards them before flying towards some nearby flowers, curiously looking at the trio of Trainers.

"Huh…Hey Hau? What's that?" Hugh asked, pointing towards the small Pokémon watching them from the small patch of flowers within the grass.

"Looks like a Cutiefly." Hau remarked as Sun opened his backpack and pulled out the Rotom Dex. After the device woke up, it cheerfully scanned the Pokémon watching them.

"Cutiefly. The Bee Fly Pokémon. It feeds on the nectar and pollen of flowers. Because it's able to sense auras, it can identify which flowers are about to bloom." Rotom said as the Pokémon warily adjusted its stance.

"Interesting…" Hugh said as he got to his feet with a grunt. The teen took a few moments to stretch before pulling out a Poké Ball that was blue and white with red grooves on top.

"My Pokémon are all way too strong for this area. So I think I'll do this a different way." Hugh said as he walked towards the Cutiefly, which buzzed softly as he approached. Hugh smiled as he stopped about twenty feet away from the small Pokémon before throwing the Great Ball at the creature. The Cutiefly let out a squeak and was unable to fly away in time before the ball lightly bounced off of its head, sucking the Pokémon sucked into the device as it fell to the ground. The ball shook three times before an audible click sounded out.

Hugh walked over to the Great Ball and picked it up, admiring it for a moment before releasing the Pokémon within. The Cutiefly buzzed around in the air before stopping level with Hugh's face.

"Hey there. Sorry about surprising you like that." Hugh remarked as he held out his arm. The Cutiefly let out a soft noise before fluttering to Hugh's arm.

"Hmm…I'll have to come up with a name for you." Hugh mused as he reached up and gently patted the Bug/Fairy-type. The Pokémon closed its eyes and made a soft noise, which made Hugh smile. "There we go. Alright, you two. Let's get moving!" Hugh said as he grabbed his backpack off of the ground. At that point he had already returned all of his Pokémon except his Samurott, who was returned as Sun and Hau picked up their packs and began walking out of the area they were in.

As the day went on, Sun and Hau continued to battle the odd Trainer and Pokémon that they came across. Both of the younger Trainer's kept their Pokémon out, since it wasn't too much of a bother and Hugh didn't mind.

Nothing of note happened until Hau decided to battle a friendly Hiker, who happened to be one of the more experienced Trainers on the route. After knocking out Cassy, Hau found himself battling a very tough Machop with just his Pichu. As the battle reached its climax, both Pokémon were battered and exhausted, but Hau wasn't going to give up just yet.

"Machop, use Brick Break!" the Hiker yelled to his Pokémon, which let out a cry before dashing towards its opponent.

"Hit it with Charm!" Hau called out to his Pichu, which just nodded mutely in reply as the Machop sprinted towards it. The Pichu put on an adorable face and looked at the Machop just as it leapt towards him. The Machop winced at the move, allowing Duke to dodge the attack, slipping behind the Machop.

"Machop, behind you!" the Hiker called out, knowing what would happen next.

"Thunder Shock, now!" Hau yelled out, smiling widely. The Pichu took a deep breath and became engulfed with electricity before unleashing its attack on the Machop as it slowly turned around. The Superpower Pokémon let out a scream of pain as the attack hit it directly, and as the attack was released it tumbled backwards, having finally fainted.

"Hehe! Nice one Duke!" Hau scooped up his Pichu, spinning around and laughing with joy. Duke joined in with the laughter, happy to have been able to bring his Trainer a win despite the tough opponent.

And then the Pichu began to glow.

"Whoa! What's going on!?" Hau yelped, holding the Pichu further away from him. The Pokémon was silent, save for the high-pitched hum of energy focusing around the Pokémon, who was glowing bright blue and shining, it's body slowly growing larger with its tail and ears growing longer.

"That, my friends, is what we call evolution." Hugh said with a wide grin as the glow finally began to die down, revealing a brand new Pokémon that each of them knew very well. Gone was Duke the Pichu, and in his place was a more yellow and larger mouse wearing a wide smile on his face.

"Pika Pikachu!" the Pokémon cried out happily, throwing his arms apart. Hau laughed happily and hugged Duke the Pikachu tightly, giggling happily. A now-awake Cassy leapt up and joined the Trainer and Pikachu in what became a group hug of joy.

"I'm so glad for him. That's so awesome." Sun said with a grin, watching the three laugh at their accomplishment.

"It goes to show that, while he may lack…urgency, Hau really does love his Pokémon. For a Pichu to evolve that early on in its life and level? That shows a very close bond with his Pokémon. I can appreciate that kind of thing," Hugh remarked, wearing an approving smile.

The trio continued to trek ever forward, with Duke the Pikachu riding proudly atop Hau's shoulder while Hau beamed like a madman, his face in danger of breaking from sheer excitement and joy. The group was in pretty good spirits by the time the sun was beginning to set, which was when Hugh decided that they should set up camp for the night. Hugh decided on them stopping in a small clearing beside a small cliff face, surrounded on all sides by trees and well off the beaten path. Hau and Sun were panting and drenched in sweat by the time this happened, so they were grateful for the reprieve. Hau and Sun gratefully set down their bags before they saw Hugh release his Flygon.

"Your turn for dinner tonight." Hugh said to the dragon, who looked at him for a moment before shrugging and launching itself into the air.

"What do you mean by that?" Sun asked as he began releasing items from their item capsules.

"Rell's going to kill some stuff for us to have for dinner." Hugh explained as he grabbed some of his own stuff.

"Oh…" Sun said, feeling a bit uncomfortable. He had been wondering a little bit how that worked out on the road, but had never really considered that hunting Pokémon for food was something that happened, or at least happened so often, since this was their first night out in the wilds.

"Yeah, trust me. Never stops feeling a little wrong. But that's how life works, and there's no beating yourself up over it. People and Pokémon have to eat, right?" Hugh asked Sun, who mutely nodded. Hugh turned to Hau, who shrugged.

"Stay away from Rattata. Got food poisoning once from eating one of them with Tutu." Hau simply commented, not really bothered by the idea of hunting. Sun imagined that, as the Kahuna's grandson, he had been out in the wilds before and had probably eaten freshly killed Pokémon before. Sun found himself bothered by the idea of it, but understood that it was just something that happened as a Trainer.

Rell the Flygon quickly caught a few local Pokémon for them to eat, in a dinner augmented by some of the supplies Sun had brought with them. Hugh showed Sun and Hau how to skin, clean, and properly cook Pokémon (a Smergle in this case) and explained the ins and outs of preparing meat. Sun made sure that Rotom was recording the information because Sun was trying not to throw up, so he wasn't paying that much attention.

Dinner itself was actually pretty good for Sun, once he got over enough of his disgust. Penny didn't partake in any meat, but Oliver did. Hugh continued his never-ending stream of training wisdom but stating that having sauce for whatever you hunt in the wilds is paramount above everything else you did as a Trainer.

Once the BBQ sauce was brought out, the Kanto-native had a much easier time of eating.

Eventually, the food was eaten and the group simply sat around the campfire. Sun was practicing his flute, once he was assured that it wouldn't bother the others, and he managed to learn how to play a new short song on his own. It was harder to play in the limited light around them, since the campfire wasn't exactly great for keeping light on a paper, but Sun managed well enough.

Sun, to his surprise, found himself missing Lillie. Her constant companionship over the past week had been something Sun had taken for granted, and now that that she was gone, Sun missed having her around. He decided that the next time he saw her, he'd make sure they play their flutes together in a duet or something. She seemed to really like the idea of being able to share her love of music with someone else.

"Hey Sun?" Sun snapped out of his thoughts as Hau looked over at him, looking fairly sleepy. "You should probably call your Mom before bed, shouldn't you? I know I'm about to hit the hay myself." Hau remarked with a yawn.

"That's probably a good idea. I'll head out a little ways over there," Sun said to Hau and Hugh, pointing to a clearing a short distance away.

"Alright. Yell out if you need anything and keep your Pokémon with you." Hugh said to the young Pokémon Trainer, staring into the flames of the campfire with a distant expression on his face. Sun nodded and began walking out into the trees, with Oliver and Penny fluttering off after him. Sun pulled out his phone and thought for a few moments about what exactly to say to her, but then remembered that this was his Mom and that he was being silly for being nervous about calling her. So he did so.

"Hello?" came Laura's voice after two rings.

"Hi Mom." Sun said as he leaned against a tree, keeping his voice level.

"Hello, dear. How's your trip been so far? I want to hear all about it!" Mom gushed, sounding fairly upbeat. Sun couldn't help a smile at that. At least his mother was staying strong. Sun recounted everything he could remember over the past week or so, explaining everything he could. Of course, this led to him being teased a few times over the time he spent alone with Lillie, but he was expecting that.

"Sounds like you're having a wonderful time. You said it'll be about two weeks before you get to the Verdant Cavern, right?" Mom asked Sun, who nodded…and then replied yes when he realized that she didn't see the nod.

"Well, I'm glad you and Hau are sticking together. And that you found someone who's a bit more experienced in outdoors stuff to show you the ropes. Hopefully your first hunting trip went better than mine." Laura chuckled before adding, "I swore off meat for a month after my Padma brought me a Pidgey to eat for dinner. By dropping it on my brand new shoes. Leaking blood still. On my brand new shoes."

Sun giggled at that, imagining the shriek of horror from his mother at such an event happening. Laura laughed at that as well, and for a moment all was smiles and laughs. But, like with all things, the happy moment came to an end.

"Mom, didn't you want to talk to me about Celadon?" Sun asked his mother. Silence reigned, but it was broken by a long sigh.

"Yes. As you can imagine, this week has been pretty rough on me. On us, really. I know that because of your father, you didn't get out as much into the city, so you have limited experience with it…but I know seeing what Cipher did the other night had to have been nothing short of a nightmare for you, Sun." Laura said quietly, her own pain and loss raw in her voice. Sun knew that his mother had lived in Celadon for years, and had been born in the city decades ago. Seeing so much death and destruction like that had been painful to watch to say the least.

"It was terrible…All those poor people. All of those poor Pokémon…And Miss Erika…" Sun trailed off, his voice unable to continue.

"Erika went down protecting her people. She wasn't the violent type, but if she had to die, she would have been proud to have gone down helping others. She loved Celadon, she loved the people there and loved the flowers that bloomed within the city most of all. But…I can't believe that they could do something like that. I'm still in shock that it happened. To such a wonderful person…But…that's what I've come to expect from Cipher." Mom said, a bit of bite coming to her voice.

"Mom…When they did what they did, I felt so mad. So frustrated…And really sad. Like…a sadness that went down to my bones. I don't know what's going on, Mom. Lillie thinks I might be depressed from all the stuff that's been happening lately. I've been feeling like this for a while, but it's really hard to explain." Sun said to his mother, who went quite for almost a minute.

"It's possible." Laura said tentatively. "After everything your father pulled, and with us having to move, and then with you seeing that broadcast, I wouldn't be surprised if you were feeling depressed about it, dear. That said, you are a very joyful and strong boy, Sun. You're so much stronger than you think you are, and you brighten up a room with your smile. From the sound of it, you're dealing with this situation and your feelings in a very mature way, and I'm proud of you for that. Who else have you talked to about this?" Mom asked.

"Lillie. When Celadon got attacked, I ran out into the storm so I could be alone. I needed some time to just figure something out. I was so mad and frustrated and upset that I didn't know what else to do but get away from that TV. So Lillie went after me and we talked for a while. I explained everything I felt and she suggested I talk to some people about this to see if it was depression." Sun explained quietly, sinking to the ground and sitting down in the grass.

"I'd tease you about Lillie, but now's not the time for that. But I will say that her suggestion is a very good one. Once you clear your Trial and beat the Kahuna, which you'll do because you're my awesome son, then come on back home and we'll see if we can talk to some people about what's going on. Okay?" Laura said to her child, who smiled a little to himself. Despite everything going on, the torrent of emotions roiling through him, he felt better knowing that he wasn't alone in all of this. He may have lost his Dad to Cipher, but he'd always have his cheerful and goofy mother always looking out for him.

"Thanks Mom…But what about Cipher? What about Dad? They might come after us, won't they? What if they come here and start hurting people?" Sun asked his mother, who thought about his question for a few moments before replying.

"Sun, they have no reason whatsoever to come to Alola. Your father despised living here. He hated the culture of Alola, he looked down upon it and everything it stood for. Even when he became an Island Challenge Champion, he held little happiness in his heart at his accomplishment. Its' an attitude a significant amount of people hold towards Alola and its customs, for one reason or another. I believe a group called Team Skull is founded on such ideals." Laura remarked, musing for a moment before continuing. "Your father Alola the place as soon as he thought it was appropriate, after proving that he was above it…At least that's how he explained it to me. He'd never think to look for us in his old home. Trust me." Laura remarked, a small bit of humor in her voice. Sun thought about the logic in her statement and realized that it was true. His father may have been an expert trainer and a cutthroat businessman, but he did have a habit of overlooking the little things. Maybe that would keep them safe.

"So here's my advice to you, my little Sunshine. Enjoy yourself. Become strong and enjoy your wonderful new home in the best way there is out there. Spend time with your friends and meet all kinds of new people. Alright?" Mom said to her child, sounding a little choked up. Sun managed a small smile and nodded before, again, realizing that she couldn't see the gesture.

"Y-yeah. I'll kick some butt out there on my Island Trial. And I'll try not to think about Cipher too much. It's hard, but…If you say that we're going to be okay from them, then…" Sun began to say before his mother cut him off.

"If they come, they come. We've done all we could. If that's still not enough, then we've got an Island Guardian, a Kahuna, Professor Kukui, and myself to contend with Cipher's nonsense and your father, should he come calling. Don't think I've been completely idle in my time here, Sun. I'm working on getting stronger myself, just in case your father comes knocking at our door. But I seriously doubt he'd care about Alola, Sun. He's got too many other problems to deal with." Sun was surprised at the lighter tone his mother's voice had taken.

"What do you mean?" Sun asked.

"Let's just say that…Even when up against some pretty heavy odds, there's some people willing to take a stand against people like Cipher. I've been talking to some of my old friends back in Kanto, and…well, let's just say that Cipher will have their hands full dealing with the fallout from their attack on Celadon and allying themselves with Team Rocket. Maybe you'll see what I mean soon enough on TV. I'm sure the news will get out sooner or later," Laura replied, her voice a bit more upbeat. Sun opened his mouth to speak, but his mother wasn't done.

"So don't worry. Keep smiling and being strong, dear. And know that whatever happens, I am so so proud of you, and that I love you with all my heart." Sun smiled into the phone, laughing a little as his mother laughed as well.

"I love you too Mom. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yep. Goodnight Sun! Sleep well, sweetie."

"You too Mom. Bye."

Sun hung up his phone and looked over at his two birds, who were watching him with interest from a nearby tree branch. Oliver flew over to Sun, with Penny following him a moment later. Sun held out his arms and Oliver flew into them, as did Penny. Sun looked down at both of his Pokémon, loyal and growing stronger every day, and grinned down at them.

"We just have to keep moving forward, don't we? If they come…We'll show them. If they don't…Maybe someday we'll be strong enough to stand up to them. I shouldn't be stressing out about them though, not when I have an Island Challenge to work on." Sun said as he began walking back towards the camp. Penny chirped lightly in response, looking at Oliver, who shrugged. Sun grinned and hugged both of his birds tightly, with both Oliver and Penny returning the gesture after a moment. The trio returned to camp, where they found Hugh watching the fire with a tired look on his face.

"Your talk go well?" Hugh asked Sun as the boy began pulling out his sleeping bag. Hau was already out cold, snoring with his mouth wide open.

"Yeah. I feel a little better about everything. Not a whole lot, but some." Sun said to the older Trainer.

"Good. No one should have to feel the weight of something like that on them. Trust me, I know." Hugh said with a smirk before adding, "You should get some sleep. We'll be up again bright and early in the morning."

"What about you?" Sun asked.

"I'll be heading to sleep shortly. Just trying to figure out some stuff." Hugh explained as shifted his position against his slumbering Samurott. Sun shrugged got ready for bed, with Penny and Oliver watching the fire all the while with drowsing eyes.

"Alright, if you say so…Goodnight Hugh."

"Goodnight Sun."

Sun slipped into his sleeping bag with a small yawn, with Oliver and Penny fluttering over to the boy and landing on top of him.

"Heh. Goodnight you two." Sun said with a laugh and a smile, closing his eyes as his Pokémon chirped at him.

Hugh watched the younger Pokémon Trainer fall asleep with a small smile before closing his own eyes, feeling the weariness seep into him. He heard the rustling of leaves above him and glanced up, only to see Sage the Simisage keeping watch above him.

"Keep an eye out, alright? It's just like Wes used to say…Never let your guard down. Especially at night." Hugh said to the Simisage as it shifted its stance. The monkey saluted his Trainer with a wide grin, making Hugh chuckle before he leaned back and observed the two slumbering Trainers for a few moments.

"Yeah…They'll do just fine out here. They're great Trainers and love their Pokémon. Heh…Reminds me of Aria." Hugh closed his eyes with another soft laugh, reflecting on his friend.

"I miss you, you know. More than I can say…I never did get the chance to tell you…" Hugh trailed off, shaking his head. There was no use wondering what could have been or reflecting on things you couldn't change. She was gone, and there was no changing that. Vanished into the shadows, along with her teacher. Hugh had given up hope seeing his friend alive again months ago.

"But maybe with my time here in Alola, I can get strong enough to make sure no one else has to disappear like she did ever again." Hugh thought as he shut his eyes, resting his head against Samson.

Soon enough, the older Trainer had fallen asleep with a sad smile on face, unaware that his Simisage was watching a figure floating in the sky with alarm. Sage's eyes narrowed as the figure flew towards the small campsite, silently weaving through the night like a specter from beyond the grave. The Simisage locked eyes with the strange Pokémon that had drifted into the area, but with a nod, the Simisage decided to continue his watch, deciding that the Pokémon in question was a trustworthy one based on what he had heard about it…though he'd still be watching the visiting Pokémon nevertheless.

Tapu Koko dropped down silently to the ground, undetected by any of the young Pokémon Trainers slumbering away. The Guardian Deity turned to Hugh and watched him for a few moments, thinking as it gazed upon the fierce Trainer from Unova.

With a satisfied nod, it turned to the tanned boy from Alola. Hau's snores were almost deafening to the sharp senses of the lightning warrior, who took several steps towards the boy and almost snorted at him. With a small shake of the head, Tapu Koko slowly turned to look at the Kanto-native amongst the trio. The one who had caught its attention the most.

The protector of Melemele Island glided forward, electricity humming around it as it moved towards Sun. The boy was sleeping peacefully for the first time in over a week, his Pokémon resting on top of him. Tapu Koko continued moving towards the young boy, its eyes narrowed slightly. It wondered exactly what this feeling was within it. The feeling that this boy was greater than he knew. That this boy may very well one day prove to be someone who changes the world…

Truthfully, the Guardian Deity wasn't sure what these feelings were, but it knew this boy was something special. It'd be keeping a very close eye on the child, that was for sure. If nothing else…it'd be interesting to say the least to see what this child would become, in time. Tapu Koko was always a curious Pokémon, after all.

Tapu Koko drifted silently back into the air, back to level with Sage the Simisage and nodding to it, before soaring off into the night. With a twirl and a growl, Tapu Koko flew into the clouds, a cloak of lightning trailing behind it and deep in thought about the events to come.