Pokémon Radiant Sun
So…There was a Nintendo Direct this week.
First off. Hell to the yes for Gold and Silver being re-released on virtual console. Gonna do me a regular run and then a Nuzlocke run on both games. So much hype. They were my favorite Pokémon games for a very long time, and I have a lot of fond memories with them, so I'll happily buy them when the time comes.
And then…there's Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon.
Now, as per usual, the Internet lost their crap over the games. People wanted one thing and Nintendo did another thing. It happens, and people will get over it.
My opinion? Well, I'll admit to being disappointed but not really mad or anything. I would've loved a Sinnoh remake, just because I haven't played in that region in ages and OR/AS was a grand time, so I'd love to see what they could do with it.
Pokémon Stars/Eclipse would have been amazing on the Nintendo Switch, but I can see why they're holding off on that. Maybe once the Switch has some time on it and the Mario and Zelda furor calms down from this year they'll do it. That's what I'd do. It's a brand new console and they've got all the time in the world to get Pokémon on it.
Instead, what they did was pull a Black 2/White 2. Two sequels to very popular games by combining the third member of a legendary trio with the mascots of Sun and Moon. Add a bunch of new Pokémon and places and a fresh plot and bam, new game. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because when B/W pulled the sequel game the sequels ended up better than the original games in my opinion.
Sun and Moon are fantastic and a sequel just gives us more time to spend in the wonderful land of Alola. But I'll admit to being disappointed because I just wanted other stuff more than a sequel so soon after Sun and Moon. I've got a lot of friends who still haven't beaten the game (for whatever reason) and now there's a sequel coming out. So…We'll see. I mean, it'll be awesome. It'll hopefully expand the story and maybe we'll get to see Lillie return from her journey as well as see where some of the others are after a time skip, maybe.
And as for incorporating US and UM into the story in any capacity? I have no idea right now, because we know so little about what's even happening with it. I'll get back to you once I'm posting regularly on the story again and we have more info.
However, I planned for this and I'm not worried about treading on ideas Nintendo might have in mind for the sequel.
See…I've been kinda screwed over twice now by publishers being on the same wavelength as me when it comes to the plots of their games. This has ruined two stories of mine, actually. Nintendo did it with Super Mystery Dungeon and Activision did it with releasing the COD Zombies Comics, but the point is that I was done with fighting with creators over ideas that they decide to do later.
So I decided, to ensure that this didn't happen, to create a plot-line that compliments the Sun and Moon plot-line and is so intricate that it couldn't possibly be done in a million years by anyone. Hence Cipher's involvement in the plot at all and the other small plot-threads that will occur later that make this story unique in its own right. Of course, there's a whole load of other reasons why things are happening that I'll go into later, but that was a big one of it. I anticipated getting messed up again with the next Pokémon game, so I took measures to prevent this from happening.
Don't believe me? Pokémon Radiant Sun...Pokémon Ultra Sun.
Anyways, that's my thoughts on it. I'll likely find out more once I get out of Basic, which I leave for in less than 8 days. Next chapter will be up next Monday morning, right before I leave. It should leave this story on a good note for a two month break before I can hop back into the thick of things.
On a fun note. This is my longest chapter to date for this story. It really should've been two chapters, but screw that. I'm leaving soon and I'll give out nice big chapters if I feel like doing it!
Shoutout to those who reviewed since last update, which includes Anasazi Darkmoon, skyguys, Raikou927, Sai Og Sus, Ways, Cottonmouth25, Madame Rodoshe, Gokan123, BraviaryScout, a Guest reviewer, BouncingFish, NullSilver2005, as well as a new reviewer known as Martial Arts Master. Thank you all so much for the support and feedback.
Enjoy.
Chapter 27: Receding Shadows
Sun felt the air shiver with energy, this time from the strange dark pink ribbons of light blasting out from the Absol in front of Colress, with energy also radiating from the ring the man wore on his wrist. As for the Absol in front of him, the Pokémon was now consumed in a pink ball of light that suddenly exploded forth, revealing a Pokémon much different than the one that had been there previously. The Pokémon's fur had grown outward, giving it a wild yet regal appearance that was highlighted by the wing-like fur that had grown from its mane while its horn had become more twisted and intimidating.
"Excellent work, Dusk. For your first time Mega Evolving, that went well. Now, use Night Slash!" Colress ordered, his smile widening as the Mega Absol nodded, leaping into the air as it's horn glowed jet black. The Pokémon swung its horn downwards, releasing an massive surging arc of darkness that soared towards the Xatu across from them that barely managed to throw up a Protect to block it.
"There sure is a lot of Pokémon that know how to use Protect." Hau remarked as he crossed his arms.
"That's because so many Pokémon can learn it. It's quite helpful, and you'd be amazed at what you can achieve with a simple strategy using Protect or Detect. It's common for most high-level Trainers to have at least one Pokémon on their team that knows the move just in case of an emergency." Colress answered Hau, glancing back at the child for a moment before turning forward.
"Smash that shield. Use Slash!" Colress ordered, throwing out an arm as Dusk bounded forward, gritting her teeth as she lunged through the air and slashed downwards with her glowing white claws, ripping through the Protect shield and slashing Avis the Xatu deeply, spattering the ground with crimson as the powerful claws of Dusk tore through the bird. Amber fell off of her Xatu with a yell, glaring at the Mega Absol that flinched at the harsh glare of the assassin as the Xatu recovered in midair and let out a screech, followed by a massive Hyper Beam.
"Dodge with a jump and use Ice Beam!" Colress yelled out. The Mega Absol kicked off of the ground elegantly, propelled by the strength of her Mega Evolved state and opened her mouth, charging up an icy blue beam of energy as the first Hyper Beam exploded close to them, though the group was shielded by another Protect. On the ground Avis landed, eyeing the Absol with a furious look before opening her beak and charging up another black ball of energy that flickered for a moment before gaining strength. Both Pokémon fired their beams that collided midair, creating an explosion of force within the sky that resulted in an immediate stalemate between the Ice Beam and Hyper Beam.
"Ugh! That Absol would be dead if I wasn't so exhausted. This is hardly a fair fight!" Avis complained, panting now as she tried to recover her energy even as more red dripped onto the ground. Dusk landed on the ground lightly, ready for her next order.
"All's fair in love and war, and you're an idiot if you don't we're at war…Weren't those your exact words, Avis, back in Unova when we last encountered one another?" Colress asked politely, his smile never wavering even as the Xatu chirped furiously. Amber however was smiling widely at the remark, as if thrilled.
"Evenly matched…Not looking good…Talk about Alola being a fantastic vacation spot! I'm having a blast on this little adventure." Amber declared with a laugh, bending over and coughing, though she wore a wide smile even as she braced herself against her Xatu.
"Vacation? Is that what this is to you?" Colress repeated, completely surprised by the statement.
"Why else would I be on this backwater Island? I mean I'm on a recon mission, but it's basically a vacation for me. I figured it'd just be a boring couple of weeks of murder and then back to the status quo, you know? But I just got to fight a legendary, one of my Pokémon actually got killed, and I don't even know if I'll survive the teleport back to base! I haven't felt this excited since before we destroyed Nimbasa, and even then I only got to watch that happen!" Amber breathed out excitedly, even as Lillie shivered in fear of the woman who spoke of absolute madness. Not a battered eye for her dead Infernape. Uncaring that she could die as a result of her injuries. But she was excited at the thought of possibly dying because it was something different?
"So…Is that why you were so careless back there? I was wondering how on earth three children managed to survive your grasp. Even if Kukui got involved. Are there any more of you on this Island, Amber? Or are you just acting alone?" Colress asked, reigning in his astonishment and receiving a nod from the Cipher Admin, who smirked a moment later.
"Oh, I'm the only one from Cipher here. They have no interest in Alola. Why would they? I just came here to kill, since I'm failing at the whole trying to not be a murderous psycho thing." Amber laughed weakly, clutching her chest painfully.
"It's never too late to do the right thing, you know. As terrible as you are, there are things you can do to help make things right. Look at how far I've come." Colress replied, crossing his arms after a moment. Amber shot him an almost pitying look before she shook her head, dropping her arm.
"I know. Trust me, doctor, I know. I'm so broken at this point that anything that piques my interest if worth investing effort into. Killing is killing at this point, etched into my soul. I enjoy it. Even if some part of me does want to go back, I think I passed the point of no return years ago." Amber admitted with a twisted smile, wincing as she clutched her chest. "Now I see why Borlath has so much fun with his acting. Being over the top…it was kinda fun. Instead of doing things the usual way, I got to be dramatic just like he does. Might have to try it again next time, except without the whole 'everyone lives' thing."
"Except there won't be a next time. Dusk, use Dark Pulse!" Colress commanded the Mega Absol, who opened her mouth and unleashed a pulsating blast of raw darkness at the assassin and her Xatu. Avis threw up a Protect, but it was so weak that it shattered completely after a few moments and the bird squawked as the attack hit them and created a massive explosion.
"Is it over?" Hau asked quietly, shivering a little despite the heat of the night.
"Once more, through the smoke! Dark Pulse!" Colress said in reply, making his Absol fire another attack off into the smoke ahead of them. "No. Amber is notoriously wily and quite tough. If this attack doesn't kill her, I imagine she's fled the island for good now. Cipher has no reason to be here, based on our current projections, and Amber is many things but she's not usually a liar. She prefers to tell horrifying truths instead…"
The Dark Pulse cleared away the smoke, revealing absolutely nothing standing where the assassin and her Xatu had been just moments before.
"Might be best to cut out losses and regroup. We have no way of tracking her down. I believe for now she isn't a problem, but if she returns however…Well, maybe we can stop her for good next time." Colress remarked before a loud screech caught their attention. Tapu Koko soared back over to where they were, covered in purple liquid that looked a lot like blood and with a furious expression on its face.
"She's gone, Tapu Koko. I managed to drive her away for good. She may return, but I doubt it will be anytime soon. Thank you for your assistance." Colress said to the legendary protector. Tapu Koko bristled at that, it's fury manifesting in crackling lighting and a humming in the air that seemed to be pick up out of nowhere that-
Vanished in an instant. Tapu Koko was suddenly calm, as if nothing had ever happened. The Pokémon nodded to each of them before soaring into the air without a sound.
"I hear that even though Tapu Koko's temper is quite bad…It'll often forget about what made it angry and calm just as quickly." Lillie said after a few moments. All of a sudden a bright light erupted from behind them, making Lillie scream out in surprise, but it turned out to be just Dusk the Absol reverting back to her previous non-Mega Evolved state. Her eyes were wide and she began shivering, giving Colress a fearful look.
"I…I can't maintain it. I'm so sorry, Master, I just c-can't…" the Absol hunched low, her voice getting even less comprehensible as she stuttered out more apologies with a terrified whisper. Colress smiled and knelt down to the Absol, reaching forward and making the Pokémon flinch, before gently setting a hand on the Pokémon's head.
"I suppose I may have been asking you a bit too much to attempt Mega Evolution so soon after joining my team. I apologize for that, Dusk. I will try not to rush into something you're not completely comfortable with." Colress said comfortingly to the Absol, making the Pokémon look away silently. Colress patted the Pokémon on the head before turning to the three children.
"Are you three alright?" Doctor Colress asked the three children as he returned his Absol. Sun wondered what the story with that Pokémon was. The Absol sounded so…terrified. Colress's question snapped him out of his thoughts.
"This Growlithe is dying." Sun replied right away as he held up the Poké Ball containing the brave canine Pokémon, and Colress nodded in response.
"Best to get to the hospital then. Hau'oli Medical Center doubles as the main Pokémon Hospital in Alola. If there's anywhere that Pokémon is in good hands, it's with them. Now, please grab my hand and prepare for teleportation." Colress instructed the three children, extending a hand to them. Lillie grabbed the man's hand with Hau joining in. Sun hesitated, but did the same and with that the group vanished into the night.
When a strangely-dressed man and three children, two of which were covered in blood, teleported into a crowded hospital lobby, you would imagine it'd gain a lot of attention…
And you would be correct with that assumption.
Colress quickly got Sun, Hau, and Lillie situated in their own room and began filling in a nurse as to what had happened. Sun was the worst off of the group, so he was checked over first, though he thrust the Growlithe's Poké Ball at the nurse.
"This Growlithe is dying! Help it!" Sun demanded the woman, who accepted the Poké Ball and examined it for a moment.
"Of course. What happened to it?" the Nurse asked quickly as leaned over and back typing at a small data pad attached to the wall.
"It was shot in the chest and had a knife thrown into that same spot it got shot at. It lost a lot of blood and…please, just help it. It was trying to protect a Pokémon from a killer in the woods." Sun explained to the woman, who seemed shocked at the description.
"A killer? Has Officer Jenny and Kahuna Hala been informed about this?" the nurse asked.
"Yes, they are both aware of Amber's presence on the island. I can explain more later but that Growlithe is clinging to life at best." Colress pointed out to the woman, who nodded and hurried out of the room after another few taps of the data pad. Sun sighed with relief, slumping over and feeling some exhaustion set in. Lillie pat Sun on the back, making the boy wince in pain.
"You three are fine, though? No serious injuries?" Colress asked the three children.
"Our Pokémon are all knocked out and Sun got hit by Psychic pretty badly but other than that I think we're okay." Hau said shakily, exhaling after a moment.
"Doctor Colress…Where's Professor Kukui?" Lillie asked quietly.
"Professor Kukui is currently being prepped for emergency surgery. He lot a great deal of blood and despite him being in exceptional shape, being stabbed in the chest will not do any favors to his health. He managed to contact me as soon as his Starmie teleported to the hospital and I managed to find you all just in time. I haven't talked to him since then, because was taken into the Emergency Room shortly afterwards." Colress replied as he sat down in a nearby chair, adjusting his glasses and smiling a little.
"However, I wouldn't worry. Kukui is a very strong man and wouldn't let something as trivial as being stabbed stop him from continuing on with his research. Now, since it may be a while before the nurse returns to properly do a check up on you three, could we go over what exactly happened?" Colress asked the trio of children.
"Before we do that…Who are you?" Sun asked the man, making Colress chuckle lightly at the question.
"I suppose that's a good place to start. My name is Colress. I am a scientist and inventor who has traveled this world in search of answers to questions that I have been pondering for my entire life. My travels have allowed me to befriend many fantastic people and go to many wonderful places, with Alola being one of them. I'm here to assist Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet in regards to the studies of the Ultra Space, as well as assist Professor Sycamore in an undisclosed secret project that may help tip the scales in Unova and Kanto to our favor. I came to this land to hopefully be able to end the villainous plans of some individuals and bring peace to those regions once more." Colress explained to Sun, making the boy's eyes widen in surprise.
"Unova and Kanto…You mean the fight against Neo Team Plasma and Cipher?" Sun asked.
"Correct. You're likely unaware of this, but I once led Neo Team Plasma in their second foray into world domination. We were stopped by the actions of many brave people and through their actions I saw the error of my methods. One brave boy became the catalyst for me to turn my life around in a completely new direction." Colress replied, his smile turning into a frown as Hau and Sun looked at the man in shock, having casually admitted to being a criminal mastermind. "I have hurt many people in my quest for knowledge…I continuously pushed aside my morals for curiosity, to prove a thesis that wasn't worth the collateral damage by any means…Now I walk my own path, seeking an answer to a question that, if I am correct, will benefit both human and Pokémon alike forever. But I will do so through the right methods and on my own terms. And maybe right some of the wrongs I committed in the name of science."
"…What's the Ultra Space?" Sun asked Colress, frowning as the term didn't ring any bells for him. He realized a moment later that Lillie had mentioned the term yesterday, when saying that Kukui needed to meet a "Doc" somewhere on the island because of something to do with the Ultra Space. Sun quickly remembered Lillie calling the man in front of them "Doctor Colress" and realized that this man and "Doc" were the one and the same person. Sun was snapped out of thoughts by the man speaking.
"Good question. But sadly I'm going to have to stop there, because the nurse has returned." Colress replied, pointing a gloved hand to the woman standing at the door with a Gardevoir. A glance at her name tag identified her as Sandra, with a Gardevoir standing behind her.
"Doctor Colress, it's good to see you again. Have their primary guardians been notified?"
"Of course. Hala and Professor Burnet will be here soon, if they aren't already on their way here. As for Miss Smiles, she should be coming here right away. She was fairly distressed when I told her that her child was in danger." Colress explained to the nurse, receiving a nod.
"We should probably get our Pokémon healed while we're here. Is that possible?" Sun asked Nurse Sandra, receiving a sharp nod.
"Of course. Please, hand me your Poké Balls and I'll ensure that they get a full-check up." Sandra said to the children, who handed over their remaining Poké Balls. Lillie didn't have to hand over Nebby since the Pokémon was never in danger in the first place. The woman pressed a few buttons at a nearby panel on the wall and after a minute, a younger man in lab-coat came by and took the balls away from Sandra with a nod.
"Hau'oli Medical Center may seem like a regular hospital from the outside, but it's one of the best hospitals in the world, especially when it comes to medical innovations. It's world famous for the technology they utilize to bring comfort and healing to their patients." Colress explained to the bewildered children as they stared at the panel on the wall that was lighting up with all sorts of buttons.
"Yes it is. Though we have you to thank for that to an extent, Doctor Colress. You have done much with your inventions and they've helped us so much." Sandra said to the doctor with a nod of respect before another nurse came into the room, holding a file of information. The nurse flipped it open and her mouth quirked into a small smile for a moment before fading.
"Alright, let's start with you. Up on the seat." Sandra instructed Sun, who obeyed the woman. Lillie and Hau moved aside while Colress simply sat back with closed eyes.
"Alright…Let's go over your information. Sunshine Smiles, correct?" the nurse addressed the Kanto-native, who felt his face suddenly heat up with embarrassment.
"Yes ma'am…" Sun muttered, looking down as the woman began confirming other bits of Sun's personal info with the hospital.
"Wait…what?" Hau asked, completely confused as Lillie blinked a few times in surprise. Lillie looked at the nurse, and then to her friend that was now blushing furiously and not meeting anyone's eyes.
And then it clicked.
"Wait, Sun…Your full name is…Sunshine Smiles?" Lillie asked slowly, a small smile creeping onto her face. Hau blinked a few times before his mind processed what was going on...and then the boy burst out laughing.
"Hau, I swear to Arceus, I'll make sure you end up in the ER if you don't shut up!" Sun yelled at the boy, fighting and failing to show his embarrassment as he got to his feet. The nurse stepped in front of him with a stern look, so Sun backed away, still angry and embarrassed as he sat back down on the seat.
"Sun, you…Why didn't you ever tell us what your name was?" Lillie asked the boy curiously, though she couldn't help a small giggle. The name was pretty silly, after all.
"Because of that." Sun said grumpily, pointing at Hau, who was on the floor pounding the ground with his fist while tears rolled down his face. Rotom chose that moment to pop out of Sun's backpack.
"Zz-zz-zzt! Yep, he got his name changed a few weeks back. Heh. Wasn't too happy about it either. Sun's Mom sure does have a great sense of humor!" Rotom said cheerily as he floated over to Sun, who was sulking and not living up to his name.
"Ah, hello there Rotom. I was wondering where you were." Colress chimed in as he opened his eyes, smiling at the device.
"Heya Doc! Good to see you again! Did I ever say thanks for the new body? It suits me, I think! Zz-zzt!" Rotom said cheerily as he floated around the room.
"Wait, you know him too? WAIT…You made the Rotom Dex!?" Hau asked, bewildered.
"Oh no, of course not. It was a collaborative effort between me and a few of the regional Professors. I did assist with a bulk of the work, but it wouldn't have come together without Professor Kukui and the others." Colress said modestly, holding out a hand for Rotom.
"Well, either way, I'm having a blast with Sun and his friendzzz!" Rotom replied as he landed in the Professor's hand.
"I'm glad to hear it. You're the first of your kind, Rotom. If you continue to impress in the field, then you will herald in a new era for Pokémon Trainers everywhere." Colress said to the device, who just buzzed happily in his creator's hand. Colress turned his attention to Sun and said, "I wouldn't be embarrassed by your unusual last name, Sun. I go by Colress, after all. There's no shame in a name that doesn't line up with normal ones."
"Sunshine…freaking…Smiles. You are NEVER living this down, Sunny boy! Good Giratina, that's the most ridiculous last name ever!" Hau giggled as he bent his head down and broke down into laughter again. Lillie was now giving Hau an annoyed look that Sun ignored, hanging his head and closing his eyes.
"I wonder if it's too late to get that assassin back here to kill me…or Hau. At this point I'm kinda flexible." Sun thought with an inward sigh.
"Well, I like it!" Lillie said with a huff, walking over to her upset friend and sitting beside him on the chair. Sun's furious blush returned, though he seemed a bit less unhappy at the compliment as Lillie put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Oh my…I can't breathe…This is the best day of my laugh…life…whatever…" Hau coughed, wiping his eyes and looking over at Sun with a wide smile, giggling breathlessly as Sun scowled at the boy.
"Oh yeah, ha ha ha…What's your last name then, huh?" Sun asked the boy beaming up at him from the floor.
"Hau Pakelaai. You know, a name that doesn't sound ridiculous." Hau replied with a smirk, making Sun grit his teeth. His mother would be getting an earful from him later.
"What about you, Lillie?" Sun asked the girl, who's expression became unreadable after a few moments.
"I…I can't say." Lillie replied after a moment, looking away from Sun.
"Huh?" Hau asked, tilting his head in confusion. Lillie's expression shifted to a guilty one as she sighed, looking back towards Sun and Hau.
"I can't…I can't say, alright!?" Lillie said angrily, surprising both Hau and Sun as she looked at them with a flash of anger in her eyes before storming out of the room. Sun and Hau exchanged a look of worry. Sun made a move to go after Lillie but the nurse held him back.
"Not until you're done with this exam, young man. Hau, can you please wait outside? Maybe check on Miss Lillie while you're at it?" Sandra asked the young boy. With a small nod Hau headed outside, leaving Sun with his nurse and her Gardevoir.
"I wonder why she freaked out like that…" Sun muttered.
It didn't take long for Hau to catch up with Lillie. She had stormed away and was hiding behind a pillar, shaking visibly. Hau saw her reach into her bag to pet Nebby, trying to calm herself down. Hau slowly made his way over to his friend and leaned against the pillar she was on, remaining quiet.
"You're going to be alright…right?" Hau asked.
"Yes…I just…Need a few minutes. Today's been so awful and I…Hau…You know how much I hate keeping secrets from people, right?" Lillie whispered, walking away from the pillar.
"Yeah. But you have a good reason for that, though. Is that why you didn't want us knowing your last name?" Hau asked Lillie, catching up with the girl within moments.
"Yes…I…I'm currently in hiding, Hau. You know that much. What you don't know is that if the wrong people found out who I am and where I am…the entire world could be compromised." Lillie whispered, withdrawing her hand from her bag as Nebby peered up at her with worry in its eyes. Lillie looked down at the Pokémon with a sad smile.
"Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet are helping me try and fix things, but its not as easy as I'd like it to be. Things are so, so complicated Hau. And each day that passes makes me even more anxious that I'll slip up and then things will go bad. Very, very bad."
"Well…I think you can do it. So does Sun. We've got your back, you know?" Hau said simply, offering his friend a wider smile. Lillie looked at him almost pityingly and sighed.
"I wish it was that easy. Just…Please don't push me about my past. I'm scared to talk about it and even then, it's dangerous because I don't know what'll happen and I…" Lillie had said that all in a rush and paused, stopping herself and taking a breath to calm herself. Hau put a hand on her shoulder, genuinely worried. He hadn't seen her this bad since the first week she had come to live with Professor Kukui.
"Lillie…It's okay. We're okay. Professor Kukui is going to be okay. You are going to be okay." Hau said as he grabbed his friend's shoulders, turning her towards him and trying to get through to her by staring into those green eyes he often found himself lost in. Lillie stared at him for a good while before sighing deeply, taking a fortifying breath of air a moment later.
"Thank you, Hau. I needed that. I just…I get so worried. So scared that I'll mess up and that I can't do this." Lillie muttered, only for Hau to lean against her with a giggle.
"No worries, Lillie. Just don't forget you're not alone. Let your friends help shoulder your burden and you'll be right as rain!" Hau declared cheerfully, leaning off of Lillie and taking a few steps forward. Lillie regarded the cheerful boy for a moment. There were times where he came off as creepy and annoying, but he truly did care and she would've had a much harder time adjusting to her new life if Hau hadn't helped her as much as he did when she arrived on Alola's shores. He truly was a wonderful friend.
"Thank you, Hau." Lillie said after a moment, smiling at him. Hau chuckled as he put his hands behind his head, a faint blush coming to his cheeks.
"Not sure what for, but you're welcome." Hau replied as he and Lillie walked back to the room where Sun was being checked out by the nurse. Lillie looked down at her skirt and grimaced at the state of her dress, covered in dirt and blood. She sighed inwardly and decided that things could be worse, so she just dealt with it. She could change later.
Lillie knocked on the door and after a moment it opened, allowing Hau and Lillie to step into the room, where Sun was sitting on a chair with his shirt off while the nurse's Gardevoir carefully manipulated his arms, ensuring that there was nothing broken while the nurse took notes. Sun winced occasionally and the Gardevoir stopped whenever this happened.
"Man, that looks painful. Right Lillie?" Hau asked his friend, eyeing the newly forming bruises on Sun's body. After a few moments of silence he glanced at his female friend, confused as to why she didn't reply. That's when he realized that she had a bright red blush on her face and that she was staring at Sun with her mouth slightly open. A shirtless Sun.
"She's absolutely freaking out over the fact he doesn't have a shirt on! Really!?" Hau pouted, crossing his arms as he lamented his plight. Sun seemed to be oblivious to the situation, though he did look over at them with a confused expression on his face. Upon noticing that he had noticed them acting odd, Lillie chose to turn around and read a poster at a wall (her blush reddening one notch) while Hau walked over to a nearby chair and flopped down into it, a little annoyed but calming down quickly. Colress watched the antics of the children with veiled amusement while he tapped away at a datapad, sending off a few messages while documenting the battle from earlier.
"So…Mega Evolution is tied closer to the bond between Trainer and Pokémon than I imagined. It IS the bond itself, proving Sycamore correct. But do the Z-Moves work in the same fashion? I must learn more…But for now, we focus on the matter at hand." Colress mused as he fired off a final message and stowed his data pad. He began paying attention to what was going on again, as the nurse was making notes.
"Well, your body is certainly in quite a bit of stress. Getting hit with that bad of a Psychic attack and then getting thrown about like you did sure left a lot of bruises, some internal." The nurse noted as a notepad was floated over to her.
"So what's the plan?" Colress asked.
"Oh, for something like this we can do a Healing Procedure. Thanks to yours and Professor Kukui's efforts we can work on healing the damage directly, at least to the point where Sun can heal on his own with minimal discomfort. Adjusted Heal Pulses can repair the serious damage he's sustained, but I would still recommend nothing strenuous for the next week or two, even after his treatment. Sun will also be kept here overnight just as a precautionary measure. We want to completely ensure there's no serious internal injuries before sending him on his way." Sandra explained as her Gardevoir nodded in confirmation.
"What about us?" Hau asked, pointing to him and Lillie.
"I'll have you both checked out separately, but you both seem fine and won't likely need to be here any longer than necessary. Though you are more than welcome to keep your friend company." Sandra explained before her Gardevoir spoke up.
"I'm needed in Surgery A3. May I?" the Pokémon asked. Sandra nodded and the Pokémon bustled off.
"Looks like that Growlithe was in worse shape than we thought." Sandra said quietly, shaking her head.
"Is he going to be okay?" Sun asked, almost getting up out of his chair in worry but caught himself just in time.
"That dog got a bullet and a knife in the chest. It is most certainly NOT going to be okay. Will it survive, though? I…don't have an answer to that. By all rights, it should be dead. Even looking through its memories with Gardevoir, I'm astounded by how much willpower that Growlithe had in him. He's a fighter, and that's the only thing that kept him alive. Otherwise, this conversation wouldn't be happening. You caught yourself one tough Pokémon." Sandra replied to Sun, a smile coming to her face. Sun blinked at the implications of what she said. Technically he did catch that Growlithe. He guessed that made it a part of his team now. But did it even want him to save it by catching him in a Poké Ball? Would he be okay with being on his team?
Sun wondered about that for a few moments. He had a strong love for Flying-type Pokémon and birds. This would kind of mess up his plan of having a Flying-type Pokémon team. Sun then thought about it and wondered if it was wise to go that route in the first place. If he ever encountered someone like Amber again, and he used a team that was all the same type, the outcome wouldn't have been pretty. That assassin had two Pokémon, an Electivire and a Rhyperior, that both would've laid waste to his team. That DID lay waste to his team. Maybe…maybe a balanced team would be a smarter option.
Sun thought back to the Growlithe and smiled. It would be pretty cool to have that dog on his team. It was tough and very brave, and was willing to risk its life protecting others, based on how Sun had seen him standing over that Rattata while under the aim of Amber's gun. Distracting the woman long enough for the rodent to escape.
Sun would have to talk to the Pokémon about it. And he hoped the Growlithe's response was a positive one.
Two hours went by, with Hau and Lillie being checked out and being given a clean bill of health after the trio of children explained to Nurse Sandra and Colress the details of what happened that evening. Sun went down to the food court with his friends and Colress, who tagged along partly to give the children a sense of protection and mostly because he was hungry, you insensitive monsters. Man's a scientist and saved a bunch of children, the least he deserves is a damn sandwich…
But I digress.
Sun and Lillie had just finished giving an in-depth account of their evening, having given the nurse the broad version, and left the mysterious doctor/scientist/inventor frowning.
"You three truly were lucky to escape that situation with your lives. Amber's notorious for being a murderous lunatic. She's one of the main reasons it's been so difficult to take down Cipher, from what I understand." Colress said after a small pause, taking care to wipe his face with a napkin before continuing.
"How can we stop her?" Sun asked the scientist, who offered Sun a small smile.
"You remind me of an old friend of mine. But to answer your question, you can't. Amber is ruthlessly tough on her own. She usually has a powerful team backing her up on top of that. The only person who was ever able to stand up to her properly was Wes, and he's gone now. Aria used to give her a run for her money, but she vanished along with Wes. If you run into Amber again, your best hope to get help or distract her somehow to escape. Aside from that…I don't have any more advice I can give." Colress admitted with a small shrug, surprisingly nonchalant about the topic.
"But…I don't understand. Why hasn't she been apprehended?" Lillie asked Colress.
"Because she has friends in high places and despite her being famous for all of the wrong reasons, she's smart enough to be able to get around with being detected. Something you have some experience in, Lillie." Colress remarked with a small smile, making the girl smile slightly.
"How do you two know each other, anyway?" Hau asked, looking to Colress and Lillie.
"Doctor Colress is friends with Kukui and Burnet. He's been helping them investigate some stuff in return for their help with some research. He comes around the lab every now and then. He's even promised to help me find out about Nebby's past!" Lillie answered as Colress smiled in response.
"I will certainly try. That Pokémon is quite special, but fragile in some regards. Thankfully we will be able to return to Akala Island soon and perhaps be able to run some tests there. Goodness knows that some clarity would help your situation greatly, Miss Lillie." Colress replied as Nebby suddenly erupted from its bag, letting out a happy cry.
"Eep! Nebby! Get back in the bag!" Lillie yelped as she grabbed the Cosmog and quickly stuffed it back in the bag.
"Quite the rebellious one, isn't it?" Colress asked, chuckling while Sun and Hau laughed.
"You have no idea…"
"So…Doctor Colress. Do you have an update on the Growlithe we brought here? Is he okay?" Sun asked the older man, who returned to his tablet and took a few moments to reply. Sun had been waiting patiently, but he was now growing nervous. The Unovan scientist regarded Sun for a moment, looking into the worried grey eyes of the boy before replying.
"The Growlithe you speak of did manage to survive its surgery and is currently sleeping in the PICU of the hospital. It's…still in critical condition and will be closely observed for a few days. You might be able to see it in once it's condition improves. But know this. You saved that Growlithe's life, Sun, and risked your own to help it. Be proud of that. Those are traits of a strong Pokémon Trainer, as well as that of a good person as well." Colress said seriously, a measure of respect coming to his eyes as he nodded at the young Trainer.
"Hey Doc! There you are!"
Sun turned around and saw Hugh walking towards them, wearing a cheery grin with his hands in his pockets. Sun noticed that he was wearing two pedants on his neck, a yellow heart and a red broken heart.
"How've you all been…Wait, are you all alright? Is that blood? And…what are you even doing here in the first place?" Hugh asked, his smile fading and looking at them in worry.
"Have you not checked your phone?" Colress asked Hugh.
"No. Mine's been dead for an hour. What happened?" Hugh asked.
"Amber attacked these three on their way back to Iki Town." Colress said to the young man. His reaction was immediate. His face paled for a moment, and then his fists clenched and his surprised look turned to fury.
"Where is she? I'll kill that bitch myself!" Hugh snarled, rage leaping into his eyes as he took a step forward.
"She's gone. Calm yourself and watch your language. Children are present." Colress said calmly, glancing at the three children watching them with interest. Hugh flinched at that and his rage cooled after a visible force of effort from him. Sun noticed Vivian and Noah walking towards them from across the food court, hand in hand and smiling.
"Hey you lot, what's…uh, that's a lot of blood..." Vivian noted after a moment, staring at Sun and Lillie's battered outfits before she blinked and worry spread across her face. "Oh god, are you three alright?! What happened?"
"Oh hey, she does care." Hau remarked, earning an exasperated look from the violinist as she broke her grip from Noah's hand and inspected the children.
"We're fine. Roughed up, but still okay." Sun reassured the older Trainer, making her sigh with relief.
"Maybe we should've changed before coming here." Lillie remarked, feeling a little embarrassed as the worried girl looked them over.
"What happened to them?" Vivian asked Colress.
"You still have your bags on you. There's a bathroom down there. I'll explain what happened to these three while you're gone." Colress offered, smiling at them before returning his attention to the three older Trainers. Sun and Lillie shrugged and went off to change. Sun settled into a pair of brown cargo shorts and a bright green T-shirt, forgoing a hat. Sun walked out of the bathroom and patiently waited for Lillie, who exited the bathroom not long after in a white dress similar to the one she had on before but much less fancy, though she kept her hat. Sun smiled at his friend, who returned his smile, and the duo walked back over to where their friends were.
"-don't like it. But it really just sounds like it's an isolated incident." Noah was saying, sitting down next to Colress while Hau, Vivian, and Hugh listened.
"So you all know each other then?" Sun asked, looking at all of them.
"Yep. Doc here's been around for a while, helping us out. He's the one who suggested we come to Alola to regroup after Wes and Aria vanished. I mean, I love the place and I'm having a blast. These two are doing their Island Trial thingy to get stronger and kill time. Meanwhile, Colress does all the actual work." Vivian explained with a laugh.
"I still don't like you all that much." Hau replied to Vivian, earning surprised looks from everyone.
"Meh. Can't please everyone. I am glad you all are okay though!" Vivian said sincerely, grinning at them.
"Yeah. Amber's scary strong. I'm glad none of you were seriously hurt. Next time I see her...well, you know." Hugh added after a moment, smiling a little.
Sun opened his mouth to reply before he was suddenly plowed into from behind and was embraced in a bone-crushing hug that made him nearly cry out in pain. However the hug was broken and he was turned around to see his Mom looking at him with a worried and relieved expression. Sun smiled up at his Mom and hugged her tightly, with his mother returning the embrace.
"I missed you." Sun mumbled, fighting back some tears as he felt more relief flood him. Everything was alright now. His mother was here, he and his friends were safe...It was going to be okay.
"And I missed you. Every single day." Laura replied warmly, bending down to better look her child in the eyes. "Thank goodness you three are alright. I got the message from Kukui only a little while ago and I got here as quick as I could and then I had to find my way through this maze of a hospital and…Anyway, what happened?"
"Long story short, they were attacked by a Cipher Admin." Colress said to Laura, who blinked in surprise.
"Cipher…why would they be here? Why are you here, Doctor? Last I heard you were in Kalos after your falling out with…" Laura's eyes drifted to the three children and said, "We'll discuss this later with Kukui and Burnet. I want an explanation though, Colress. Especially if Cipher is involved."
"And you'll get one. We can discuss this with my friends here and the Kahuna. He's currently meeting with Tapu Koko to try and heal the Pokémon's injuries. I suspect that the Island Guardian will allow him to heal his wounds, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Pokémon just flew away. It's…unpredictable, sadly." Colress said with a shrug.
"How's Kukui?" Laura asked.
"He just got out of surgery." Colress replied, pulling out his tablet from within his coat. "He is expected to be in the hospital for another week and on light duty for another two weeks. Thankfully Kukui's research regarding Heal Pulse and linking minds with other Pokémon paid off."
"And here I thought he was a nutcase who enjoyed getting beaten up. Maybe there is a method to his madness." Vivian replied with a small laugh, making Noah and Lillie chuckle as well.
"Oh? More friends of yours, Sun?" Laura asked Sun, looking to the Unova group that Sun and his friends had also made friends.
"Yeah. Hugh, Vivian, and Noah. This is my Mom." Sun said, introducing everyone with a smile on his face.
"Nice to meet you all. Call me Laura or Miss Smiles." Mom replied cheerily, giving them a smile as well as Sun's faded.
"Which reminds me…Why did you give me that terrible last name? Were you drunk or something!?" Sun demanded from his mother, who began giggling.
"To answer your questions in order…Because I thought the last name was pleasant and I think we all need more smiles in our lives. And as to whether or not I was drunk when I came up with that idea, that may or may not have been the case." Laura replied as Noah and Vivian cracked up laughing. Sun face-palmed as he sat down, with Lillie and Hugh patting him comfortingly on the back, though both were smiling with mirth. Colress laughed quietly, shaking his head.
Hau just ran up and high-fived Laura with a wide grin on his face.
Amber hoped that when she teleported into HQ, there wouldn't be a commotion. That maybe she'd be able to crawl into the Recovery Room and just lie there for a while.
Instead she teleported onto the table in the middle of a meeting. Crashing onto it and sending feathers, water, and blood everywhere. She heard a series of voices but was fading in and out of consciousness, only catching snippets of conversation.
"If she dies you all will follow! MOVE QUICKLY!" That was Borlath. Guy would be super mellow until the time came. If she hadn't know what he was capable of, she would've never believed such a good guy was one of the higher ups in Cipher.
"She's barely alive. What on earth did she do in that place?...So much for being the best of the best!" came a more sinister-sounding voice. Greevil. Grand Master of Cipher and a nasty little old man. If Amber had her way, she'd have killed the man years ago because he had lost his touch.
Sensations swirled around her and soon enough she managed to open her eyes again, this time strapped down to a bed with a tube going into her, helping her breathe. Borlath and two nurses were peering down at her with worry in the eyes of the former and interest in the latter pair.
"We nearly lost you. Your body was mostly paralyzed, your heart was going nuts and...You went into cardiac arrest and…What happened out there?" Borlath asked the assassin, curiosity and concern in his voice. Amber offered him a shrug the best that she could and decided to sleep this off like a bad hangover. However, the words spoken next jolted her awake.
"Make sure she stays here. No matter what. I don't care if she has to be sedated the entire time. Until she's full recovered, she is not to leave this area unless I say so. Is that clear?" Borlath ordered the two nurses, receiving two terrified nods in reply. Amber noted that with some amusement. She gathered a reputation because of her deadly abilities, but Borlath's influence and power was just as effective in cowering the peons that served the cause.
With that, the assassin closed her eyes, reflecting on the events that put her in this state and feeling oddly okay with just sitting there in recovery. She'd likely be facing some kind of permanent damage when all was said and done. She smiled inwardly at the idea of damage that lingered, and thought back to the exciting battle she had been in. While she would likely be busy with things here in Kanto…She had to admit returning to Alola had it's appeal. She smiled twistedly at the thought of battling that Professor or Tapu Koko again…
"Maybe the next time around…But the outcome won't be the same. Trust me on that." Amber thought as she closed her eyes, feeling a strange emotion within her that she couldn't identify before finally drifting off and allowing her body to heal.
The group decided to stay the night at the hospital, mainly because Hau wanted to stick with Sun and the rest of the reason was because Lillie wanted to stay with Professor Burnet and Kukui. Laura didn't fight the children on this, and instead brought them blankets and pillows so that they could rest comfortably in Sun's room. The nurses didn't fight this both because they were all technically patients and because they didn't want to begrudge the children a night's comfort.
Sun received further treatment and was released the next day officially by the hospital, with most of his injuries feeling much better and just suffering from general soreness that would go away on its own. According to the nurses there was only so much healing via Heal Pulse a human could take at one time, so either way Sun was grateful.
Kukui managed to wake up that evening, and Sun got a chance to see him when his wife (who Sun never got to actually meet for whatever reason) went to the Food Court to eat dinner. Sun had spent the better part of the day sitting beside the still-sleeping Growlithe that had fought alongside them the other day. It had yet to wake up, but that was to be expected, considering how bad off it had been. Still, Sun was beyond grateful that the dog would survive. Sun wanted to talk with it, but knew that would come later. He was just glad the nurses had allowed him into the area where the dog was being held. Sun suspected Colress had something to do with that.
"Hey there cousin…How are you holding up?" Kukui said weakly from his sitting up position on the bed. Lillie was sitting beside him wearing her signature dress again, smiling at Sun as he and his mother walked into the room.
"Better. I guess I have you and Colress to thank for your awesome advances in medicine. I didn't even know Heal Pulse worked like that." Sun mentioned to Kukui, causing the Professor to smirk at him.
"Normally doesn't. It took a lot of trial and error to get it to work, and even then…Well, Heal Pulse isn't designed with humans in mind. Pokémon don't know enough about humans to know what to heal. This hospital is well-known for being an innovator, and that's what saved my life." Kukui replied cheekily, earning a glare from Lillie.
"You're going to be taking it easy when you get back to the lab, Professor. No training until your bandages come off." Lillie almost growled, making Sun privately glad that the girl liked him. Because she seemed scary when mad.
"Aww…Fine. But I don't have to wear a shirt." Kukui replied, wincing slightly as he tried to shift his position on the bed and succeeded in causing himself a bit of pain. Sun realized than that this was the first time he had seen the Professor and not been able to see his fantastic midriff. He was wearing a plain white shirt, along with some black sweatpants.
"Yes you do. You need to keep that area safely protected." Lillie shot back, putting her hands on her hips.
"Seems like your girlfriend has some fire in her, Sun." Laura remarked idly, leaning against the door-frame as Sun and Lillie both looked at her, then at each other, and then blushed as they looked in opposite directions.
"Heh. No worries, Lillie. Even I'm not dumb enough to disobey orders from the Doctor. I'll probably be unable to do serious field testing for a while, maybe a month at best before I'm back to fighting-fit shape, but I can do easier stuff in the meantime." Kukui replied with a good-natured laugh, reaching over and patting Lillie's head.
"How's Starmie doing?" Sun asked the Professor. Kukui's expression hardened, and he sighed after a moment.
"Starmie will be...okay. It just barely managed to survive surgery and they're working on repairing the area that was destroyed but...It will never be able to battle again. That Shadow Rhyperior effectively crippled it. We got very lucky." Kukui explained quietly, a note of guilt entering his voice. The room remained quiet for a few moments before Kukui spoke again.
"But that's a discussion for later. It's possible Starmie will recover to a degree, but it's too early to tell." Kukui turned to Lillie after a moment. "However, I'll be here for a little while. Lillie, I want you to stay somewhere else until I'm out of this hospital." Kukui said to his assistant, a bit more seriously. Lillie blinked in surprise and opened her mouth to protest, but Kukui cut her off.
"I know you're my assistant and you feel obligated to be by my side in my time of need. But you're also a child who doesn't need to be cooped up in a hospital for a week. It's not good for your mental health to constantly see me in this state either. I'd just let you stay at the lab, since Doc Colress is looking over it for me, but I know you don't like being alone with people you don't trust without reserve. You wouldn't feel comfortable staying there with just him." Kukui said to Lillie, who looked down for a moment, knowing that he had a point. She still wanted to be with the Professor though.
"If you want, Lillie, you could stay with Sun and me until Kukui's better." Laura offered after a moment. Lillie looked up at the woman in surprise, and then at Sun, and then at Kukui, who seemed thoughtful.
"You would be able to be with a friend to keep you company. And Laura is a seasoned Pokémon Trainer. Between her and Sun, you and Nebby would be pretty safe." Kukui said to the little girl, making Laura purse her lips after a moment. She'd be sure to ask about that later.
"I…" Lillie trailed off, looking down. "If you think that's best."
Sun walked forward and put a hand on the girl's shoulder, making her look at him. He offered her a comforting smile and she managed a small smile back, making both of the adults smirk in the room.
"Don't you worry. We can come right back up here in the morning during visiting hours." Laura said to the Professor's assistant, receiving a small nod in return. After a little bit more small talk, the nurse came in and told them that visiting hours were over and Kukui needed to take more medicine. With that, they quietly extracted themselves.
Lillie walked silently behind Sun and his mother, exiting the hospital after saying goodnight to their friends. Noah was still staying at the hospital and promised them that they'd keep an eye on Kukui to make sure nothing happened while Lillie was away. The girl felt grateful for that, and felt a little of her worry lift off of her shoulders, but she worried still.
She was snapped out of her reverie by a hand gripping hers. Lillie looked up to find that Sun had grabbed her hand, looking concerned. Lillie gave him a questioning look before he gave her hand a small squeeze, followed by a smile. Tired, hurt, and probably just as scared from recent events as she was…But still he smiled. Lillie felt her admiration for Sun soar right then. The boy had been so…brave, during the fight against Amber. Yes, he had been acting a bit reckless and she was terrified for him, but he never stopped fighting. And when she was in danger, he had tried his hardest to get to her. To protect her, even if it meant that he got hurt. She felt blessed to have such a wonderful boy care so much about her.
"Thank you, Sun." Lillie murmured, squeezing the boy's hand in return.
Sun felt his smile widen at that. He wasn't sure exactly how to help Lillie feel better, considering the recent events, and decided that taking a step forward into her personal space might have been a necessary risk. He was worried that she might have felt weird about him grabbing her hand, but thankfully she had responded well. She walked closer to him and leaned her head against his shoulder, surprising Sun, and closing her eyes. After a few moments she finally relaxed for the first time he had seen her since before their fight with Amber. And that made him happy.
"She'll be okay…She's strong like that, even if she doesn't know it." Sun thought as he and his friend continued following his mother, who thankfully hadn't noticed what had gone on. They really didn't need any more teasing going on. Sun then realized that Lillie hadn't quite let go of his hand, and was still holding onto it and still so close to him. He felt warm again, almost jittery upon this realization, but again forced himself to remain calm for Lillie's sake. She needed his support.
After a few minutes Sun's mother caught both of their attention by pulling out a Poké Ball and saying, "Jace, come on out!"
Lillie let out a small scream, latching onto Sun and pressing herself against him in fear as a massive and absolutely horrifying-looking Pidgeot erupted out of Laura's Poké Ball, letting out a piercing screech that made both of them flinch at the noise.
"Piiiiiiiigot!" the massive bird cried out, flapping its wings for a moment before folding them and watching Laura calmly.
"You done? Because you terrified the children." Laura said, jerking a thumb to the girl and boy behind her. Sun smiled weakly and put a hand on Lillie's head.
"Lillie? That's my Mom's Pidegot. Totally harmless, just kind of…intimidating." Sun said apologetically, laughing a little. His mother's Pidgeot still scared him sometimes, despite it being quite friendly to everyone.
"Sorry you two. I should've warned you both. Anyway, I'm letting Jace here patrol the skies overhead while we head home. If there's any trouble, Jace will spot it." Laura said, giving them both a reassuring smile that made both of them feel better. Sun fondly remembered his mother's days on the Gym Circuit, and remembered the Pidegot's skills in action. He figured that Jace being so big and scary and cool was one of the things that made him love birds so much.
It was an easy ride back to Sun's home after that. A quick taxi trip later and Lillie was cautiously following Sun and Laura inside of their house.
"Make yourself right at home, Lillie." Mom said as they entered the house, with Meowth greeting them from the couch and padding towards them. Lillie smiled at the small Pokémon and bent down to give it a small pat on the head, making the Pokémon purr with pleasure.
"Feel free to look around and make yourself comfortable. I'll throw something together for dinner and we can unwind a bit." Laura said as she walked over to the kitchen. Lillie stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of where exactly to go. She hadn't been inside the home before, and she felt a little odd being inside-
"Hey. You alright?" Sun asked quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder. Lillie looked over at Sun's grey eyes, worry evident within them, and nodded.
"How about you go play your flute in your room, Sun? I think a bit of music before dinner sounds wonderful." Laura suggested from the kitchen as she began rifling through the pantry.
"Hey Mom, just a heads up. Lillie's a vegetarian." Sun said to his mother, who gave her son a thumbs up in reply. Sun shook his head with a small before walking forward, glancing back and giving Lillie a 'follow me' gesture. Slowly, she followed her friend into his room and examined it with interest.
"Yeah, it's not much, but…This is home now. I guess I haven't kind of made it feel like home, since I started out on my journey right after we got here." Sun admitted with a small laugh, rubbing the back of his head. He then released Penny and Oliver, who both cried out upon being released and looked at Sun.
"You two relax for a bit. After everything that's happened the past few days, we should rest a bit. Then back to training so we can take on Hala. But…you both did so well back there. I'm proud of you both!" Sun said to his two birds, both of which nodded with joyful looks in their eyes, already prepared for the true test of their skills to come soon. Sun walked forward and hugged them both, taking care to pet Penny on the head and marveling at the proud Trumbeak that stood where a Pikipek had once before.
"You're…going to challenge the Kahuna? So soon after everything that's happened?" Lillie asked, surprised.
"Life doesn't stop, even when bad things happen. The world doesn't stop turning, even when it feels like it. We got attacked. We managed to stop her. So we're going to keep going with our journey. Along the way…we can get stronger. And if we run into Amber again, we'll try and stop her again. Maybe next time for good. We…we just have to keep moving, Lillie. Even when it hurts...Isn't that what you and Hau told me the other day?" Sun asked his friend with a tired smile. Lillie stepped forward and hugged Sun tightly, and Sun returned the embrace, relishing the contact with his friend and enjoying the warmth she gave him.
"Thank you for being my friend, Sun," Lillie whispered.
"He mea iki, ko 'u hoa." Sun replied to his friend, surprising her and making her separate from Sun and give him a confused look. She certainly hadn't expected that reply.
"I've been trying to learn some Alolan while we traveled. I know a little." Sun admitted, blushing a little as he sat down on his bed. Lillie giggled at that and sat down beside him, giving him a happy smile.
"Mahalo oe…no ka mea a pau. E 'oe i Laila,ono." Lillie said quietly to Sun, bowing her head for a moment. Sun didn't know what to say to that, as he had only learned enough words to say a few sentences. He knew 'mahalo' was 'thank you' and that 'ono' was…'sweet'?
"What does that mean?" Sun asked, curious. Lillie looked away from him, and Sun could have sworn she was blushing slightly.
"It meant thank you and…something else. You'll have to figure it out for yourself if you want to know the rest." Lillie replied, glancing at him before setting her bag on the floor and releasing Nebby, who flew out of the bag with a joyful cry.
"Nebby, we're going to be guests here. Make sure you're on your best behavior, okay?" Lillie said in a motherly voice. Nebby replied by flying over to Sun, nuzzling him, before settling itself in Lillie's lap. Oliver and Penny flew over to them.
The duo, instead of playing their instruments, just sat and chatted while their Pokémon lounged with them. It was certainly a nice way of catching up further, despite their time in the meadow the other day. Soon enough they were eating dinner with Laura and turning in for bed at her request. Considering Sun and Lillie were both yawning and barely staying awake at that point, neither child protested.
Lillie slept on the couch that night, and to her dismay she couldn't sleep at all. Nebby slept within its bag, slumbering without a care in the world, but the small girl couldn't find rest no matter what. Her mind was still on overdrive despite her exhaustion. She was in an unfamiliar place, despite being with friends and being protected. Sun's mother had her Pidegot sitting on the roof of the house, watching over it while two more of her Pokémon lurked nearby outside on guard duty as well, ready to attack should anyone try to enter the home.
Lillie eventually sat up and sighed, deciding to click on a flashlight and read a book. She continued her studies regarding a book written on the culture of Alola, and was just beginning properly when a small light turned on in the room, startling her. Lillie turned around and saw Sun standing by a lamp, looking just as tired as she felt but smiling at her.
"You shouldn't read like that. It'll hurt your eyes." Sun said quietly, walking over to the fridge and opening it.
"Can't sleep?" Lillie asked Sun as he pulled out a jug of chocolate milk and poured himself a glass. Sun hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"You want a glass?" Sun asked the girl, who shook her head. Sun shrugged and stood there, drinking his glass of milk while Lillie watched him. She worried about him, despite how strong and brave he was. He was just a child, like her.
"Sun…What's exactly keeping you awake? Is it nightmares?" Lillie asked her friend as he put down his empty glass in the sink. He didn't reply right away, instead putting the jug of chocolate milk away and walking over to her before joining her on the couch, with the young girl scooting aside to make room for her friend.
"Yeah…I've got a nightmare problem. My mind can't seem to stop dwelling on the bad things. Cipher. My Dad. People I care about getting hurt…" Sun trailed off, sighing. Lillie felt a pang in her chest. She wanted to comfort him, somehow.
"I…have nightmares too. They're probably not as bad as yours, but…I still have them. They make me so scared I can't go back to sleep. They remind me why I have to be careful, why I have to help Nebby." Lillie said quietly before stopping herself. She didn't want to go too in-depth and reveal something she shouldn't have. Plus, Sun had enough to worry about right now. Even then, the boy looked concerned.
"Lillie, you-"
"I'll tell you later. Sun, I just…Like I told Hau, I can't tell just anyone what's going on yet. But I promise you, one day, I'll tell you everything. Okay?" Lillie said to her friend, her green eyes shining with some emotion that Sun couldn't place. Nevertheless he nodded with a smile, confident in his friend and knowing that he could trust her to explain whatever she needed to when the time comes.
"Okay." Sun said simply, leaning back on the couch and giving Lillie a smile. The girl returned it, and for a while they sat in silence, at least until Lillie picked up her book again and began reading silently, her smile never leaving her face.
"Um…Quick question."
"Yes Sun?"
"I haven't gotten a chance to read that one. Can you…er, scoot over?" Sun asked sheepishly. Lillie blinked in surprise before beaming at her friend, scooting close to him on the couch and opening the book wider so that he could read along with her. And so it went for several hours, with the two friends taking comfort with each other and the books they often found solace in, despite the shadows that lurked around them. Both of them felt heartened by the other's presence, and soon enough the two children began to drowse.
Lillie drifted off first, yawning softly and leaning back in her seat and resting her head against the couch for a moment while Sun blinked sleepily. He watched Lillie for a moment before he saw her relax slightly and saw her breathing slow after a little while. Sun sluggishly set the book on the floor and rested his head against the couch as well, shutting his eyes to rest them for a few moments. He then felt something shift next to him and opened his eyes to see Lillie's body slowly drifting towards him, and soon enough she was slumped against him on the couch.
Sun felt a small surge of adrenaline shoot through him, his face flushing again as Lillie's head pressed against his neck again. He could almost feel her heartbeat, she was so close to him. He was tempted to move so that she could sleep lying down and so that he could go to bed, but he didn't want to wake her up. So instead he shifted his position so that he was more comfortable but also so that she didn't hurt her neck. Sun sat there, wondering about the strange feelings the girl sleeping on him invoked, which made him even more certain that it wasn't something just involved with being friends with her.
Despite the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind, exhaustion soon won out, and Sun felt himself nodding off with his friend sleeping on his shoulder. And for the first time in a long while…
Sun's sleep was free of nightmares. As were the dreams of the little princess in white sleeping beside him. The comfort the two of them shared at one another's presence was enough to repel the darkness, at least for one night as the children found peace within their sleep.
Laura was, unlike her Sun/son, an early-riser and enjoyed it.
Now, that wasn't to say she wasn't lazy and slept in. But she normally woke up early and enjoyed her mornings in peace, especially since Sun was a fairly quiet child who enjoyed things on his own. When he left on his journey, she thought that not having her child around wouldn't make a huge difference.
However, she couldn't have been more wrong. It was the small things. The cautious playing of a flute before breakfast. Seeing her boy curled up on the couch with his nose buried in a book, sometimes passed out and needing a blanket thrown over him. The fact that she hadn't been nagged about doing chores around the house that he couldn't do. Which is why she was thrilled that not only was her baby boy back home, but that he also brought his adorable friend along that she was certain he had a crush on.
She awoke that morning as she usually did. With a glass of orange juice and wondering where on earth she had gone wrong in her marriage. Once she got over the small bit of horror she felt within her, she heard the faint sound of snoring from the couch and walked over to investigate…
And almost screamed out.
Not because she was scared. But because her son was so adorable right now.
Her little boy was currently curled up on the couch, mouth slightly open and in his pajamas while looking very peaceful. An equally adorable girl was also sleeping on the couch. However, the two of them were sleeping right beside each other with tranquil expressions on their faces.
"They're absolutely cuddling! This is so cute!" Laura almost squealed as she moved closer, trembling with parental glee. Lillie currently had her arms wrapped around Sun's chest, snuggled nice and close to the boy as the two of them slept comfortably with Sun's chin resting on the top of Lillie's head. Laura, despite all of the teasing, was quite happy that the two children had grown so close. Lillie, the poor girl, looked like she needed more people to confide in and trust and Sun, on the other hand, needed people to help him grow and learn in all the ways Laura couldn't. She was glad Alola was helping her baby boy grow into a stronger person, and couldn't be more proud of him.
Laura almost woke them both up just because the expression on their faces when they found out they were snuggling together on the couch would be hilarious, but decided not to. Her child didn't get enough sleep at night and she wouldn't ruin one of his few chances to get some decent rest in. So instead she fetched a comforter from the closet and gently draped it over the two of them, smiling warmly at the cute children on her couch. Lillie shifted slightly, mumbling something before she sleepily nuzzled Sun's neck with her head before returning to the depths of sleep.
Laura took a few pictures of the two children being adorable without realizing it, smirking like crazy as she sent them to Kukui before putting her phone away and walking back to her room, deciding to sleep in for today. She glanced back at the couch for a moment with a small giggle, leaving the two children cuddling on the couch as they slept serenely, the first rays of sunshine beginning to peak out from the inky black horizon just outside.
