Pokémon Radiant Sun
ULTRA. SUN. AND. ULTRA. MOON. LOOK. AMAZING.
Seriously, go look up the latest trailer now. Right now. This chapter isn't going anywhere, so go do it…
Yeah, freaking awesome, right!?
So finally, we are here. Akala Island. And man, I'm excited. Mainly because so much happens with this island, but also because I get to expand on a lot of characters and their backstories and experiences. Thankfully this arc is nearly double the length of the last one.
Seriously, as of now this arc ends at chapter 89, and that's not including the chapters at the Aether Paradise and even then this is scheduled to change depending on what I do. This arc is pretty well planned out, so I doubt much will change. I hope you all like this island, because it won't be done until like…next year or something. Plenty of cameos and such as well. And maybe one super special one if I can definitively include them in the plot, but it's a bit iffy right now. I'm honestly tempted to try my hand at a contest to see if someone can guess the character I have in mind, but maybe I'll save that for later.
And another strong point of note. Now…I've thought long and hard about what to do with Zygarde. Honestly, I never even bothered with the Zygarde questline in any of my playthroughs of Sun and Moon. Just didn't care to do it, for whatever reason. However, in this story, it will be included. Though not in the way you'll think it will be. At first I had no real plan for Zygarde in this story either, but I realized that it could work out quite well in the end if I included it. Besides, people have asked about it and at this point it's expected that I address it.
You all may be surprised with how things will play out. That's because I have some major issues with how the games handled the Zygarde thing, as is shown by the end of this chapter. So I added my own twist to it. I have done this for several reasons, mainly because Sun will be within Heahea City for a few chapters, so bear with me while it all plays out.
Also, the result of the poll was pretty much unanimous. And I'll be the one to say that yes, this chapter will influence how Lillie reacts to battles in the future and even things beyond that. And due to some concerns, I'll explain why I asked people what they thought in the first place.
I did this because I wanted to gauge interest on a moment that could lead to a serious development for her character. See, I always thought it was weird that towards the end of the game Lillie was totally on board with becoming a Trainer, despite her severe reservations about battling at the beginning of the story to the point where she flat out says it to you just minutes after you become a Trainer.
The entire reason I decided to focus on such a scene, Lillie being involved in a battle, was because when you return to Heahea City to speak with Professor Burnet, you see Lillie trying to instruct Nebby to use Splash…in a manner just like the player character would. Like a Pokémon Trainer. That scene just stuck out to me, and I figured that such a transition in her character required some buildup to that moment. Even if she was just pretending for a moment, such an act would imply she's not as opposed to Pokémon Battles as she was before.
So…Let's see what happens, shall we? I know I go into rants about why I do things all the time, but I do like people to know that I listen to concerns and try to address them in my story. It's why that feedback I go on and on about in the AN's are so important.
And to answer a comment made in the review section, Lillie will NOT be staying idle in Heahea City for the entirety of the arc. Don't you worry, I learned my lesson on Melemele Island. There'll be sections of it where she won't be around, but the whole thing? No. I've already come up with ways for her to stick around with Sun and co. and not feel too shoehorned in. That's the benefit with doing my own spin on this.
I also got some fantastic feedback last chapter. Both quality of feedback and review count-wise, in which you all broke my all-time highest review count within an update period. Definitely some good suggestions out there, and I appreciate everyone who left their thoughts and took time out of their day to send this story some love.
Shoutout to those who have reviewed since the last update, which includes Madame Rodoshe, Cottonmouth25, Anasazi Darkmoon, BouncingFish, AKhaos, BraviaryScout, Technetium2, Ignaci0, Sai Og Sus, Gokan123, bigboy9969, Xehanorto, Consumer of Fantasy, GeekyGamer314, DarkestShade73, as well two new reviewers known as Infinite Nexus and Mrgamerandwatcher. Seriously, like...my god, thank you all so much for the support.
Enjoy.
Chapter 35: Welcoming Committee
Heahea City
Sun carefully helped Lillie down from the boat, quickly letting go of her hand as soon as she was safely ashore. The girl thanked Sun before she turned around and saw Hau beaming at them from the boat, hands on his hips. He then took a great leap from the boat and landed on the dock they were on, grinning even wider in sheer excitement.
"Land ahoy!" Hau shouted, making Nebby wriggle in response within Lillie's bag. "All right! Akala Island, here I come!"
Lillie couldn't help an exasperated look at Hau, smiling weakly at him. "Isn't it a bit late to declare 'land ahoy' after you've already arrived onshore?"
"What a stick in the sand!" Hau seemed taken aback and sent a pleading glance to Sun, who was amused at the situation as a whole. "Help me out here, Sun! It was funny, right?"
"Wait, it was supposed to be funny?" Sun asked, pretending to be confused. Lillie burst into giggles while Demi just stifled her own mirth by pressing her hands against her mouth. Hau just gave Sun a look of the utmost disappointment before slowly turning to Professor Kukui, who was just smirking like crazy.
"What about you, Professor?" Hau asked in a dead tone, making the Professor sweat-drop in nervousness. Nevertheless, the Alolan Regional Professor cracked a grin.
"The land is certainly ahoy, oh boy!" Kukui replied cheerily. Lillie's jaw dropped in amazement that someone had agreed with Hau's terrible joke. She was even further surprised when Nebby let out a loud cry of happiness from right beside her.
Outside of the bag it had just escaped for the 145th time.
Lillie sighed as the others laughed at the amusing situation, with Lillie kneeling down and petting Nebby on the head. "You're something else, you know that right?" Lillie murmured to Nebby, who soared up to the girl and nuzzled her face.
"I love you too, but seriously, you have to start listening to me." Lillie said as she stroked the Cosmog, with the Pokémon floating away from the girl with a coo. Lillie then let out a yelp as an unfamiliar voice yelled out to them, surprising her and the others, who turned around to where the street that led to the city was.
"Still haven't managed to find a shirt that goes with your lab coat, hmm, Kukui?" came an amused voice from ahead of them. Sun watched as two women walked down the street wearing smiles as they regarded the new arrivals.
One of them was a taller woman with dark skin and short black hair, with dark brown eyes that bespoke strength and kindness in equal amounts. She wore a pink midriff top with pink shorts, as well as jewelry all around her body that sparkling in the shining moonlight. She was a very striking and attractive figure, but Sun's attention was focused on the Z-Ring that was around her left wrist.
The other girl was closer to Sun's age, but seemed a few years older than him. She had tanned skin and bright green hair that matched her eyes, which gleamed with excitement not unlike Hau's often did. The girl herself wore a pink sleeveless shirt with teal overalls and shorts with green shoes little green bows on top and a green clover badge on her waist. Sun stared at the girl for a few moments before he realized what he was doing and looked away.
"I've told you you're gonna scare off strangers looking like that…" the taller woman stated, putting a hand on her hip with her smile turning to an amused grin.
Lillie had been frozen in surprise, but had now moved in front of Nebby, blocking it from the sight of the two strangers. Lillie turned her head slightly, and said in a very firm voice. "…Nebby. Back into the bag."
"Don't sweat it Lillie." Lillie turned to Kukui, who offered her a comforting smile. Lillie stared at the man in surprise before turning around to face the two women again.
"Why hello there. Nice to meet you all – I'm Olivia." The taller woman said to the group, her smile becoming warm and friendly as she addressed the children. The teenage girl beside her beamed at them.
"Hey! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Mallow, one of the Captains here!" the green-haired girl declared, taking in each of the children. Her gaze lingered on Sun for a moment, but not too long for him to notice. Lillie, however did. Olivia's words distracted Lillie from this development however.
"I was on my way to see who was pulling into port and ran into Mallow here while she was out on a delivery." Olivia explained, gesturing to the Captain beside her. Mallow laughed and stepped forward, looking even more excited.
"Yup! My Trial will be a chance for all the fine ingredients that make up your team to shine!" The girl declared, shutting her eyes and nodding happily. She then opened her eyes and stepped forward, eyeing the two young boys with an appraising eye. Her gaze drifted to Lillie, who shook her head very slightly. Mallow turned her attention to Sun and Hau, amused.
"Especially you two! Your Pokémon look ready to cook with gas!" Mallow praised them, earning a smile out of Sun and making Hau put his hands behind his head with a cheesy grin. Demi just rolled her eyes, though Lillie looked worried now.
"And Mallow isn't the only Captain here on Akala Island, of course." Olivia remarked before regarding the children before her. "So, what's the plan, kids?"
"Yeah, that's up to these kids. It's their Island Challenge, after all!" Kukui laughed, striding forward. Olivia closed her eyes, her smile fading somewhat as her expression turned to one of deep thought.
"Yes…I suppose so." The woman said quietly, opening her eyes a moment later. "OK, then. Enjoy your time on your Island Challenge, kids, along with your Pokémon. I'll be waiting for my chance to face you in battle when the time comes."
Kukui chuckled as Sun and Hau's expressions turned to surprise. Olivia nodded at their surprise, shutting her eyes with a wide smile as she put her hands on her hips. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you've got!"
"Absolutely." Sun said to the woman, giving her a grin. Olivia's eyes opened again and she turned around, taking a few steps down the road.
"Let's go Mallow." Olivia said as she departed, leaving the group without so much as a backwards glance. Mallow nodded at the woman before she whirled around to face the group, beaming.
"You all are gonna love it here. You'll be here for a few days, right?" Mallow asked them.
"Most likely. I'd like to see the sights a little before getting back into the wilds. I just spent a week rampaging around Melemele on the back of a Tauros, so I wouldn't be opposed to looking around here," Sun admitted, shrugging.
"Psh. Laaame. I'm gonna hit the nearest Trial up as quick as possible." Hau remarked, making Mallow giggle. Demi's eyes narrowed at the friendly girl, but was polite when Mallow looked her way.
"I'll probably be heading out soon myself. I'm from around here, so I don't need to sight-see." Demi replied smoothly, earning a nod from the cheerful girl.
"It is good to see you again, Mallow. I hope you're doing well." Lillie said quietly to the Captain, who flung herself at the girl and enveloped her in a massive hug.
"It's so good to see you again, Lillie! I was worried about you, you know! And I've been doing great, by the way. But have you been doing alright?" Mallow asked rather quickly, pulling away from Lillie as Lillie smiled at her friend.
"I've been doing well. Sun and Hau have been looking out for me." Lillie replied, earning a wide grin from the girl.
Mallow leaned in and whispered in Lillie's ear. "Looking out for you, huh? They're both cute you know…"
"Back off. I'm not dating either of them right now." Lillie whispered, her eyes growing wide as Mallow backed away and shook her head, wearing a teasing grin.
"Never. It's my job to look out for people! And I'll continue my hard work until my wonderful friend finds her Romeo! All it takes is the right ingredients!" Mallow declared, laughing as she chased after Olivia. Sun and Hau exchanged a look before looking at Lillie for an explanation.
"Me and Mallow know each other from back when I lived on Akala Island with Professor Burnet. I wasn't a very good friend to her, but after becoming friends with Hau and Sun a short time ago, I began talking with her again and we became real friends after that. This is the first time I've seen her since then." Lillie explained sheepishly. "However…she's become obsessed with getting me a boyfriend…to be honest it's beyond embarrassing." Lillie admitted, sighing a little but smiling despite it. She had missed her friend and was glad that she was doing well. She was looking forward to spending time with the Captain down the road, to hopefully make up for how she had failed to see the girl's previous attempts at friendship that Lillie had ignored due to her fear of others at the time.
Professor Kukui laughed at that, walking forward before stopping, putting a hand on her chin in thought. "And I'm sure Olivia wanted to come to see that you made it here alright…But she'll never admit it to you. Hah!"
"How do you mean?" Hau asked. "Is she kind of hard-headed or something?"
"Oh yeah. Rock-solid. Heh. That's Olivia for you. But she's a kind Kahuna, deep down." Kukui explained, giving the four of them a light smile. Sun felt a shiver roll through him. That meant that at the end of his path here on Akala Island, it was her that Sun would be facing.
"There are three Trials here on Akala Island. If you two decide you want to take on the Trial straightaway, head up Route 4 there and keep on goin' until you get to Paniola Town." Kukui explained to Hau and Sun.
"I'm here too you know."
"Sorry Demi. I figured you already knew that, though." Kukui said sheepishly, though Demi smirked at the older man.
"Nah, you're right. Continue!"
"I was done, actually."
"Shoots, I know where I'm going first, and that is straight to the Pokémon Center!" Hau declared, though he chuckled a moment later. "I wonder what kind of malasada they make on Akala, eh?"
"How you're not a hundred pounds heavier is a mystery to me, dude." Demi sighed, smirking at the hungry boy. Sun shook his head with mirth, but looked over to Lillie. The girl had picked up Nebby and was holding it in her hands.
"Maybe I'll see about some shopping of my own…" Lillie said quietly before she looked down at the sleepy Cosmog in her arms, a smile appearing on her face. "And I should find out about the ruins for Nebby's sake, too…"
"Before we all do that, however, it's getting really late." Kukui stating, motioning to the moon in the sky. "I understand you all are all raring to go, but we've had a long day and I'm sure you'll appreciate the rest."
"Then let's sleep off today and head out tomorrow!" Hau declared, stepping off down the road. The children followed the boy while Kukui called out an Abra and teleported away, with a promise to see them tomorrow.
"He likely went to Professor Burnet's lab. I should head there myself soon, but it is on the other side of town and it's late, so I'll stick with you three for now" Lillie remarked when the children wondered where the Professor had gone.
The four children got rooms at the Pokémon Center and settled down for the night. Sun and Hau passed out right away, exhausted from the events of that day. Lillie and Demi however stayed awake, watching the TV in the room with their Pokémon dozing, exhausted from a day of fun in the sun.
"And this is the most prominent news station here on Akala Island?" Lillie asked Demi. The dark-haired girl nodded, a small smile on her face.
"In all of Alola, actually. Channel 9 News. Alola's Premiere Station of Awesome." Demi explained as they both watched a handsome man in a dazzling blue tuxedo beam at them from the screen. He had slicked back black hair and seemed fairly young, about in his mid-twenties, with gleaming blue eyes. The man had just wrapped up a report on Team Skull and was now regarding the camera with a bright smile that showed off his perfect white teeth.
"This is Adrian Battlestorm live from Alola's number one news station, bringing you the latest news with the best new anchor in the region at the top of the hour." The man said to the camera as the clock struck midnight.
"Alolan officials gave given the confirmation that Akala Island's Royal Avenue will play host to a grand tournament in a few months' time. Already we have several iconic guests attending, including the legendary Masked Royal and the Sinnoh Region's Champion, Cynthia. Sounds like a fantastic time for everyone going to the event. Especially if Cynthia is involved." Adrian winked at the camera, and Lillie rolled her eyes. She was surprised when a woman with short black hair walked into the path of the camera and slapped the man in the face, knocking him out of his chair.
"What…she just hit that man!" Lillie said in surprise, making Demi giggle.
"Oh yeah. Adrian Battlestorm owns the entire news network and all that stuff. Everyone there works for him, but he still does the news reports himself because he loves doing what he does. Meaning he can say and do whatever he wants and he can't really get in trouble for it. Apparently because of that, he has an open policy that his staff can do whatever they want to him while he's on camera, especially if he's offended them or hurt their feelings in any way. It's led to some of their best segments, and the ratings the station gets is insane." Demi explained with a cheery grin as some of the people off camera laughed at their boss's expense.
"So…he's a jerk, but he's a fantastic boss?" Lillie asked Demi.
"Oh yeah. He's a kind of a prick, but he's funny and makes news interesting. My cousin worked at that station for a few months as an intern and said the guy was super friendly." Demi explained as Adrian staggered to his feet, chuckling as his employee flipped him off before walking off-camera.
"You've been working on your slap...Anyways, onto the weather forecast for the week!" Adrian said with a dazzling grin, despite the bright red handprint on his face. Lillie shook her head in dismay, wondering how such a station even functioned. Demi bid Lillie goodnight, leaving the girl sitting on the floor watching the TV, eager for news. Sadly, nothing of note popped up, and Lillie trailed off into her thoughts.
"How…do I do this? There's way more of them out on this island than on Melemele. Can I even get to the ruins without running into any of them…or my mother?" Lillie thought, hanging her head in despair before she rose to her feet.
"No. I've got my friends watching out for me. And I…I won't let the odds dismay me. I'll save Nebby…I swear it." Lillie whispered to herself, clenching her fists as she looked over at her sleeping Pokémon.
"For those of a nervous disposition, you may be disturbed to know that your television is off…And that I'm speaking to you from inside your own head." Lillie whirled around and stared at the TV in horror, where Adrian Battlestorm was grinning at her. What on earth was going on!? She…she…
Adrian burst into laughter a few moments later, even as someone off camera sighed deeply. Lillie sagged with relief, as Mister Battlestorm wiped his eyes and began reporting on a new law that the mayor of Heahea City was trying to pass. Lillie turned the TV off, deciding enough was enough for the night.
She slipped underneath her blanket, where Nebby was already snoozing. Lillie pulled the Cosmog close to her, receiving a sleepy coo from the Pokémon. The girl smiled and shut her eyes…
It was good being back.
To Sun's not-surprise, Hau and Demi left the next morning after breakfast. Hau was itching to explore and train so that he'd have no problems with the Trial while Demi was just eager to get on with her Island Challenge. When asked if she wanted to swing by her home on the island, she just shook her head. Sun didn't want to pry, but he was worried about whatever problems Demi was having with her family. However that did leave him with a conundrum. What was he going to do?
As of now, he was wondering through the city and enjoying the sites. Rotom Dex was floating alongside him, giving him a guided tour of the city as it gave him a history lesson. According to Rotom, Heahea City was founded by people from Kanto and Johto, so the place was given an odd blend of cultures from the two nearby regions of the world. Sun found the atmosphere of the place relaxing to an extent, and found the smaller city more laid back than Hau'oli City. Rotom floated alongside Sun as he explored, explaining the history of the city and how the culture of both Johto and Kanto shaped it into what it was today. Sun found it all fascinating.
As Sun approached the docks where they had arrived at, he spotted Lillie hanging out next to a clothing store with a thoughtful expression on her face. As Sun approached, Lillie noticed him with a surprised look on her face.
"Oh! Sun…" Lillie said as she swung her bag around, with Nebby giving Sun a confused look.
"Pew?"
"Hey Lillie. Alola." Sun greeted his friend, spreading his arms in the traditional greeting. Lillie did the same, and then Sun turned his attention to Nebby.
"Hi Nebby. You having fun with Lillie?" Sun asked the Cosmog. Nebby cried out happily, floating up and nuzzling Lillie's arm. Lillie scratched the head of the small Pokémon, making it sigh with happiness.
"You looking for new clothes?" Sun asked his friend, gesturing to the sign beside them. Sun had already changed into a new outfit himself. He now wore a black and red tank-top with black capris and his black and blue cap from home. Lillie noticed this as well, looking the boy up and down with an appraising eye before she realized what she was doing and stopped.
"Well, yes, I was doing that, too." Lillie admitted with a small cough, sounding embarrassed. "But this little fellow will hardly sit still…I think Nebby might be interested in visiting the Ruins of Life."
"I can imagine. I wonder why though." Sun wondered, regarding the small Pokémon in front of him.
"Apparently they house the sacred guardian of Akala Island. A creature called Tapu Lele." Lillie explained, though this made Nebby let out another cry.
"Pew?" Nebby looked back and forth between Lillie and Sun.
"I um…I wondered if you'd like to come with us when we go to visit the ruins…" Lillie smiled as she gestured to Nebby. "I mean…little Nebby here seems to like you quite a bit, Sun…"
Nebby happily floated down to the ground, bouncing through the air with a happy cry.
"I'll be at the Tide Song Hotel if you decide you want to come." Lillie added, shifting her bag to her other shoulder. "I'm supposed to be meeting someone there…Someone very important to me…"
"Do you want me to come with you to the hotel?" Sun asked, a bit of worry creeping into him. It wasn't that Sun didn't think Lillie couldn't handle herself, it was that he just worried about her. As if sensing Sun's concern, Lillie turned around and faced the other way.
"I'll…I'll be all right. I can see the building from here, after all. Even I shouldn't be able to lose my way. I think." Lillie turned back around to see Nebby bouncing around still, happily looking ahead at Sun.
"Pew!" Lillie looked down at Nebby, approaching it from behind.
"And you! I'll have you stay in your bag, mister!" Lillie said scoldingly to Nebby. The Cosmog flailed unhappily, obviously not happy at the instruction. Lillie's expression turned to a pout and she shook her head.
"Nebby you're such a scamp." Sun remarked, chuckling as the Cosmog cast a look his way. Nebby looked ahead at Lillie, giving her a wide smile as it flailed its appendages again. Lillie smiled down at her Cosmog and nodded, opening her bag. Nebby soared into the bag and Lillie zipped it up. She turned around and took a few steps away, but slowed to a stop.
"I've heard that there is a group of terrible people around who try to steal Pokémon. A group called Team Skull, if I recall." Lillie said quietly, looking over at Sun.
"I've run into them a few times and so have we. Right before we met Hugh." Sun reminded Lillie, who nodded slowly as she recalled their scary encounter with the criminals. She looked down at the bag draped over her shoulder, holding the precious Cosmog within.
"We need to be careful if we want to escape the notice of such a collection of villains…isn't that right Sun?" Lillie's words confused him, and he wondered what she was getting at. Then he noticed Lillie's expression. It was firm look that showed the strength of her resolve to protect the Pokémon in her care, and Sun realized exactly what she was talking about.
"They won't get past you. It'd take a lot more than those goons to do that, Lillie." Sun said to his friend, giving her a wide smile. Lillie looked back ahead, but not before Sun caught her smiling at her friend's confidence in her. The girl made her way to the grand hotel in the distance, which caught Sun's attention.
"You know…Zzzt. You can go check out that place to and keep an eye on Lillie." Rotom suggested, slipping out of Sun's backpack.
"I know…But she wants to do this on her own."
"And? She can do that. But you can keep an eye on her too. If she spots you, tell her you're checking out the sights. That hotel is one of the biggest and grandest buildings on the island. From my data on it, people just check it out all the time." Rotom explained to the boy. Sun shrugged, knowing that one way or another he'd be tagging alongside Lillie. Not that he minded, of course. So Sun set out towards the Tide Song Hotel, with Rotom floating alongside him. He caught sight of a few familiar goons in get-ups as he walked down the road, and felt a stab of worry for Lillie. He quickened his pace to the hotel.
To his surprise, the girl was walking back towards his way when he finally reached the building. She wore a somewhat downcast expression, but looked up at him in surprise.
"You followed me?" Lillie asked, frowning.
"Rotom suggested checking this place out. Looks interesting enough, so…" Sun shrugged after a moment. Lillie nodded slowly in response before she looked down.
"My friend was…my friend had to cancel today. She'll be back at the hotel tomorrow. I was really hoping to talk to her today, but I understand that she has work and is busy most of the time." Lillie sighed deeply, trying not to let herself sound too disappointed. She had been looking forward to this meeting for a while. Sun put a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Hey, don't sweat it. We'll be here for a while and I'm in no hurry. Me and you can spend some more time in the city and you can come back by here tomorrow. I'll hang out with you and make sure Team Skull doesn't try anything they'll regret. After that, we can check out those ruins for Nebby. Sound good?" Sun offered to Lillie, who beamed at Sun with gratitude.
"Th-thank you, Sun. That means so much to me." Lillie said to her friend, who grinned in reply. With that, the duo began walking away from the hotel, eager to-
"Stop right there!"
Sun and Lillie jumped in surprise, with Sun grabbing Lillie's hand and whirling around to face whoever was speaking to him. He then relaxed when he saw it was just two tourists, sporting sunglasses and classic Alolan T-shirts for those who had recently arrived on the islands. One of them was a blonde-haired man with a yellow Alolan Exeggutor short, blue jeans and a fedora. The other figure was a girl with dark purple hair around her partner's age, wearing a white top with a black top underneath and blue jean shorts. After a moment Sun realized he was still holding Lillie's hand and let go.
"Ah ha ha! We didn't mean to surprise you. You must be doing your Island Challenge." The young man said pleasantly, his accent doing a perfect job of showing that the man was not from around here. Oddly enough, it reminded him faintly of how Lillie spoke. Sun became acutely aware of Rotom playing a strange tinkling, cheerful theme in the background.
"I'm Dexio." The young man said, gesturing to himself. The young woman stepped forward, lowering her glasses slightly and regarding the two children with a small smile.
"My name's Sina! A beautiful name for a beautiful lady!" the woman said, giggling now.
"Uh…Nice to meet you both?" Sun offered as Dexio extended a hand forward. Sun shook the man's hand, as well as Sina's. Lillie did the same, though she kept her silence.
"The pleasure is ours." Sina remarked lightly, pushing her glasses into place. "Cet endroit est très différent de la maison. Mais dans le bon sens!"
To their surprise, Lillie replied back to her in the same language. "Vous aurez tous les deux un bon moment ici. Les gens ici sont gentils et la culture est riche."
"Oh? You speak Kalosian?" Sina asked, sounding delighted. Lillie gave a small nod, smiling slightly. Sun looked back and forth between his friend and the foreign duo.
"What did she say?" Sun asked.
"That the people here are kind and that the culture here is rich. And I agree with her. We're seeing the sights in Alola, you see. We are originally from the beautiful region of Kalos. We're here on a little...expedition of sorts. We're sampling the local culture while we do so." Dexio explained, smiling a little wider. "Alola's unique tradition of the Island Challenge…It's pretty fascinating, I've got to say. And that's on top of the great new Pokémon and the exotic landmarks."
"Oh, I've got an idea!" Sina declared, surprising them all. "You and Dexio should battle!"
Dexio shook his head. "And why should we do that?"
"Because it's fun?"
"Well…crap, I hate it when you're right." Dexio sighed, shaking his head with a rueful smile.
"Nah, you love it." Sina teased, giggling at her friend. "I've been itching to battle myself, but you can have this one."
"I might as well test my skills. Is that all right with you, Sun?" Dexio asked Sun, who paused for a moment. Sun then nodded, making the foreign duo beam at him.
"Then I'll let my partners go wild!" Dexio yelled out, grinning widely as he reached for a Poké Ball.
"Actually…I think I do want to battle both of you." Sun said to the duo, surprising them and stopping Dexio.
"Both of us? I don't think that'd be fair. Two of us and one of you. I like showing off every now and then, but I don't like unfair battles." Sina pointed out. Sun frowned and put a hand on his chin, deep in thought. He wasn't very good at commanding multiple Pokémon at once, like what was needed in a Double Battle. That just came down to lack of experience on his part. But on the other hand, there were two of them and he wanted the practice having two of his Pokémon out at once. It'd be weird fighting just one of them…His gaze fell on Lillie, standing nervously behind him at the new arrivals.
And then it hit him.
"Lillie?" The girl started as Sun spoke to her, looking at the girl with a wide smile. She could see the excitement in him, the thrill of preparing for yet another battle. She marveled at how much being a Trainer had changed her friend. She had seen him grow so much, even in the short time they had known each other. What was it about being a Pokémon Trainer that made people…stronger?
"Y-yes?" the girl asked, curious as to what he friend wanted.
"Can you battle with me against these two?" Sun asked the girl, making her take a step back in surprise. Was he…was he seriously asking her to battle with him!? She knew how much she didn't like battling, or fighting at all! Was he being serious? Was he playing a joke on her?
"You…I…Huh?" Lillie couldn't even process the request let alone give Sun a reply, but Sun's smile widened in excitement.
"I want to battle these two, but I can't really control two Pokémon at once all that well. So…I can loan you one of my Pokémon, and we can take on these two together. What do you say?" Sun asked his friend, who took another step back and slowly shook her head.
"S-sun…I…I couldn't. I'm not a Pokémon Trainer. I've never commanded a Pokémon in battle. And I… What if I seriously hurt one of their Pokémon? What if your Pokémon gets hurt? I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for it. I'm sorry Sun, but…" Lillie said quietly, slowly stepping away from her friend. Sun's smile faded and he gave her a neutral expression, sensing her discomfort.
"If you don't want to, I won't make you." Sun unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt and offered it to Lillie, who stared at it.
"But…I'd never blame you if something did happen. I just figured this could be something fun we could do together. Plus it lets me challenge both of these two. Nothing on the line, nothing at stake. Just a battle for fun." Sun explained with a small shrug, somehow not mad at her for not going along with it. She was acutely aware of the confused looks Sina and Dexio were giving each other. Lillie was very aware she was making a scene now. And she was aware she was letting her friend down even now by not helping him like the many, many times he had selflessly helped her.
"But I've never battled before! What if I mess this up? What if I let you down!? What if…" Lillie took another step back but stopped when she saw Sun's unwavering expression of understanding, and she realized who she was talking to.
Sun would never be mad at her even if she did mess up. Even if she did let him down. He was asking her to spend time with him, doing something that he enjoyed. He had agreed to help her with her stupid, dangerous journey against forces Sun didn't even understand…And here she was, telling him no because she didn't like Pokémon battles.
But…even if she didn't like them, she couldn't deny that they were exciting at times. And seeing her friend's expressions of joy and excitement during them made her happy to see. But seeing the Pokémon involved get hurt still made her uncomfortable…She didn't know if she could do it.
"Would you be willing to do it for Sun? After everything he's done for you?" a little voice asked her in her head. Her answer was an uncertain one. Would she be willing to go back on her morals just to help a friend that she harbored some affections for? Would she be willing to try commanding Pokémon to hurt one another just for the sake of a simple battle, that she knew that she would mess up due to her lack of knowledge on how everything worked?
"But have you ever given it a chance?" asked the voice. Lillie considered that and felt a guilt bloom in her chest. She hadn't. Her upbringing had made her abhor Pokémon battles and she had always disliked them because of the violence that the Pokémon involved had endured. The pain that they went through. Seeing injured Pokémon throughout her life had made her intensely dislike the pain that those little showdowns dealt on those involved...
But spending time with Hau and Sun had shown her the other side of being a Pokémon Trainer. The bonds that could be formed. The strength that could be found by testing yourself against overwhelming odds. The joy in victory and the sadness of defeat, both of which helped Pokémon Trainers grow. And the love between Trainers and Pokémon. She only had to look at the boy in front of her to see how much he had benefited from becoming a Trainer. She had seen both sides of it…but again…
Could she take up the mantle this once for her friend?
"Will you be my partner?" Sun asked Lillie, his voice soft as he took a step back. He wasn't pressuring her, he wasn't trying to reason with her. Just a question, and that was it.
He just stood there with a patient and neutral expression while she had her internal crisis. Lillie looked down, her hat obscuring her face. Nebby let out a faint cry from within Lillie's bag, and with that the girl looked back up with Sun, her expression clearing as she gave a very small nod.
"I'll do it. I…I've got your back, Sun." Lillie said quietly, extending a shaking hand and accepting the Poké Ball from Sun. She was surprised when Sun tackled her in a hug, making her let out a yelp of surprise.
"Thank you so much." Sun whispered as he let go of his friend, grinning as he pulled out another Poké Ball. Sun turned around to face Sina and Dexio, who had observed the scene with interest.
"Fantastique! Let's move off to the side over here and begin!" Dexio said as he jogged over to a large open space where they could battle and not bother anyone. Lillie stood next to Sun, trailing her fingers over the Poké Ball, wondering which Pokémon was inside. Soon enough Sina and Dexio stood across from them, both of the Kalos-natives looking excited. Sun looked over at Lillie and, seeing her nerves, tried one last time to calm his friend.
"You know…If there's anyone I know that can control the Pokémon inside that ball, it's you Lillie. You'll do great. I know you will." Sun said to his friend, surprising her with the faith he had in her. She had never battled before or commanded a Pokémon in combat. But he still believed in her like this?
"I…I have to try this. Even if I'm scared. Even if I might hurt whatever Pokémon Sun entrusted to me…I have to do this for Sun. He's counting on me." Lillie thought as she clenched the Poké Ball tightly in her hand.
"I'll start this off! Go Slowpoke!" Dexio called out.
"Delibird, let's show them our stuff!" Sina called out.
"Rotom Dex, you want to give us the scoop on that Slowpoke?" Sun asked the floating device.
"Absolutely. Bzzt! Slowpoke. The Dopey Pokémon. Alolan home cooking involves drying Slowpoke tails and then simmering them into a salty stew.Its long tail often breaks off. It doesn't really feel any pain, though, and the tail grows back, so Slowpoke isn't particularly bothered." Rotom explained as Sun regarded the Pokémon ahead of him. He looked at the Delibird, remembering when he was dragged through the dirt by one to assist it in defeating Team Skull at a berry farm.
Sun released Penny, who let out a loud cry as she took flight. Sun explained the situation to her as well, receiving a nod in response from his loyal bird. Sun looked over at Lillie, who seemed nervous still. The girl was clutching the Poké Ball in her hand tightly, her bag swaying on her shoulder.
"Alright…" Lillie took a shaky breath before holding out the Poké Ball and tossing it into the air, releasing the creature within. Lillie blinked in surprise when she saw a massive owl standing before her, giving her a curious look. Lillie looked over at Sun in amazement, stunned that he had seen fit to give her his very first Pokémon, as well as his strongest.
"Oliver, we're doing a Double Battle. I'll be commanding Penny, and Lillie will be in charge of you." Sun said to the owl, who looked at Lillie. Lillie stared into the Dartrix's eyes, and she wondered if the owl would even listen to her. Lillie bent down until she was level with Oliver.
"I…I hope I won't let you down, Oliver." Lillie murmured as she reached forward, patting the bird on the head. Oliver shut his eyes and nuzzled Lillie's hand, surprising her. Oliver then fluttered into the air and turned around to face their opponents, letting out a loud chirp.
"Looks like you both are all set." Dexio said, an eager grin on his face.
"Yep. Let's start this off. Penny, use Echoed Voice on Delibird!" Sun called to his bird. Penny nodded and soared ahead, opening her beak and releasing a blast of sound at the bird in question.
"Rotom, give Lillie a crash course in what Oliver can do." Sun said to the device, who floated over to the girl and brought up a list of attacks that Oliver could use. Lillie scanned the list quickly before she looked ahead, taking a deep breath as Sun engaged the two other Pokémon with Penny.
"Oliver, use Razor Leaf on both Delibird and Slowpoke!" Lillie called out to the Dartrix. Oliver let out a cry and flapped his wings, releasing a barrage of spinning leaves down onto the two Pokémon. Lillie winced as she saw the two Pokémon cry out in pain as the attack dealt damage to them both. Penny swooped down on the Delibird and released a blast of sound at it, knocking it to the ground.
"Ah, a quick start. You won't get the drop on us! Slowpoke, use Confusion!" Dexio barked, throwing out a hand. The Slowpoke's eyes flashed blue and Oliver suddenly crashed onto the ground, shrieking in pain. Lillie gasped in horror, placing both hands over her heart as she saw the Pokémon flail on the ground and felt guilt creep through her.
"I…I can't do this…" Lillie whispered, doubt setting in now. She wasn't a Trainer…no matter how much she wished for the strength of one, she was kidding herself if she thought she could command Pokémon as well as Sun.
"Use Present on Trumbeak!" Sina declared, pointing at the bird in question. The Delivery Pokémon fluttered into the air and hurled a glowing cube at the bird in question. Penny let out a screech as the box exploded violently against her, sending her hurtling backwards. She caught herself in midair, glaring at the other bird.
"Penny, use Pluck on Slowpoke!" Sun called to his bird. Sun looked over to Lillie, seeing the girl standing still with a worried look on her face. Sun took a deep breath and called to her.
"Lillie, come on! Bounce back! Oliver's counting on you!" Sun called, even as Oliver took flight, albeit unsteadily.
"Oliver use…um…" Lillie hesitated, watching the battle ahead of her and trying to calm her own panic.
The moment of pause cost her as a blast of water slammed into Oliver. The bird screeched in response before a glowing cube tossed from Delibird exploded into him from below, sending him tumbling through the sky and crashing harshly onto the ground with a sickening thud right in front of Lillie, making the girl take a step back in horror at what she had done to the poor bird.
"Now…let's take out that Trumbeak!" Sina declared, a fierce smile on her face as she threw out a hand and her Delibird began lobbing Presents at Penny, who swerved and dodged as quickly as she could while firing off Echoed Voice as often as possible. Sun looked over at Lillie, who seemed horrified and distressed that Oliver had been hurt so badly. He needed to reassure her that Oliver was okay and get her back into this. Sun knew couldn't defeat the duo on his own with just Penny, and using Brago was out of the question because he was still much weaker than everyone else on his team.
"Lillie, stay focused! Oliver's strong. He won't let you down." Sun said to the girl, giving her a confident smile as he looked back ahead and commanding Penny to shoo Delibird away with Echoed Voice.
Lillie couldn't help but be amazed at that. Sun had so much faith in his Pokémon, and in her. Lillie shouldn't have been surprised when Oliver rose to his feet, shaking his head but otherwise fine.
"Oliver, I'm so sorry you got hurt. I…I…" Lillie trailed off, shaking her head. Oliver turned his head around completely and just stared at her. No trace of anger was in his eyes. No judgement or scorn that her lapse had caused him pain. Only worry about the friend of his Trainer, and the resolve to keep on going until the end of the fight. His expression reminded her so much of the owl's Trainer, that Lillie felt the worry and guilt ebb away. The Dartrix's expression softened a moment later.
"Dar dar triiiix." Oliver chirped softly at her before rotating his head around and getting into a flying stance. Lillie couldn't understand the bird like Sun seemed to, but she understood that Oliver was ready to keep battling alongside her, despite the fact that she was so inexperienced. The battle ahead seemed to have taken a turn, with Penny getting overwhelmed at the barrage of attacks being sent her way. Sun was having Penny dodge as often as she could, but the bird was tiring. Lillie took a shaking breath, steeling her nerves.
"Okay Lillie…Okay. Oliver, hit Slowpoke with Peck!" Lillie called out. The Dartrix shot into the air with a cry before soaring downwards with a glowing beak, slamming into the side of the Slowpoke with a screech. The pink hippo tumbled onto its side and remained still, making Dexio laugh in delight. Lillie stared at the Slowpoke in amazement before she broke out into a smile.
"I…I did it." Lillie whispered, amazed at the development. Oliver swooped back to her side, giving her a chirp. Lillie ran forward and hugged Oliver tightly, surprising him.
"You did it! We did it! We beat one of their Pokémon!" Lillie hopped to her feet, amazed. She had helped Sun and managed to actually beat one of the other Trainer's Pokémon. She felt elated that she hadn't messed this up. She…she could do this!
"My flower…You won't leave me, will you? You're not like Mohn or your brother…You wouldn't disobey your mother. You don't chase stupid dreams like they do. You're a good girl, Lillie…you wouldn't break your mother's heart like they did…"
Lillie couldn't help the wince that came to her at the words. She felt her smile falter, and Oliver looked back at her. She was so caught up in the moment…She had deluded herself if she had forgotten why she was so terrified to control a Pokémon in the first place. Even worse, she had hurt a Pokémon to the point where it passed out.
"No…I've seen Pokémon get hurt way worse than that. Dexio will just heal Slowpoke and it'll be just fine." Lillie said to herself, shoving away her guilt. Sun glanced over at Lillie, seeing her lost in her own little world. He frowned at that, but looked ahead and decided to call out an attack while Sina was likewise distracted.
"Penny, use Pluck!" Sun called out. Penny swooped down and crashed into the other bird with her beak, knocking the Delivery Pokémon senseless.
"Well shoot. That's what happens when you get distracted." Sina sighed, though she wore a smile on her face regardless.
"Thanks for the assist, partner." Sun said to his friend, giving her a bright grin and a thumbs up. Lillie laughed shakily as she snapped out of her musings, giving Sun a thumbs up in return before looking forward, her expression becoming one of focus. The battle wasn't over yet, after all. She couldn't dwell on the past and her own insecurities. Not when Sun needed her now.
"Well done, Miss Lillie. But can you handle my next Pokémon?" Dexio asked, recalling Slowpoke and drawing out another Poké Ball. Sina did the same.
"Espeon! Come out!"
"Show them what we're made of, Glaceon!" Both of the Kalos-natives threw their Poké Balls skyward, releasing two fox-like Pokémon that Lillie recognized as the Psychic-type and Ice-type Eeveelutions respectively. And she knew these two would be much harder opponents than the previous two Pokémon. Lillie quickly reviewed the attacks Oliver could do and took a deep breath, steeling her nerves.
"You ready for this Lillie?" Sun asked his partner, a wild grin on his face as Penny soared past him, letting out a loud cry and preparing herself for battle. Meanwhile, Lillie was doing the same, feeling something click into place as she considered Sun's question. It wasn't a question of worry, but a playful one of camaraderie. She could almost feel the faith Sun had in her, and that gave her strength to express her feelings aloud.
"I can do this." Lillie whispered to herself. After so long of being scared and of constantly worrying about failure…to be able to throw yourself into something like this where victory was actually within reach made Lillie feel something she couldn't even describe. But she knew she wanted this win. If not just for Sun's sake, then her own. She would do this.
It was her decision to make. She had spent so much of her life having every little thing dictated for her. From what she ate, to what she wore, to what music she listened to, down to the very things that were allowed to bring her happiness. One by one, she had lost the people she loved until she was all alone. She had been a prisoner within her own home, living in the shadow of the person who had once mattered most to her. Doomed to lose her to the monsters she chased...
But Lillie had chosen to step away from that life. She was on her own now. She had her friends and her own path to follow.
The first step was saving Nebby.
The second step…would be braving her fears and winning something that her mother had always told her to never be a part of.
"Penny, use Brick Break on Glaceon!" Sun barked out, throwing an arm forward. Penny shot forward with a cry, soaring towards Sina's Pokémon.
"Use Icy Wind!" Sina cried out.
"Oliver, use Leafage and block the attack!" Lillie yelled out. Oliver nodded and shot forward, releasing a leafy whirlwind that slammed into the Icy Wind, creating an explosion of ice and shredded leaves. Penny darted through the mist and rammed her beak into Glaceon's side, sending the Pokémon to the ground with a squeal.
"Thanks!" Sun said to Lillie, but the girl was cut off from her reply when Penny screeched in pain and was slammed into the ground as Espeon attacked it with Confusion, sending the bird crashing up and down onto the ground.
"Oliver, use Leafage! Then dive through the attack and use Peck on Espeon!" Lillie called out as Penny shook her head as the attack on her ceased, though she was now obviously suffering from the effects of being confused from her dazed expression.
Sun's eyes widened as Oliver flared his wings and released Leafage, a swirling blast of wind and leaves towards Espeon. Oliver then cried out and flew forward into the maelstrom, becoming a literal tornado of fury that slammed into Espeon and sent the Pokémon hurtling across the battlefield and crashing onto the ground with authority. Dexio and Sina both watched the display with shock, but Sun was beaming with pride.
"Lillie, that was amazing! You're teaching me new things about battling!" Sun yelled out, astounded that his friend had been able to combine two moves like that. Lillie gave Sun a bright smile, delighted at the praise, but she looked forward again. Dexio's Espeon slowly rose, its limbs shaking with effort while it hissed at Oliver, who hissed right back, making the Psychic-type Pokémon nervously back away.
"Penny, snap out of it!" Sun called to his bird, who smacked herself several times in the face with her own wing in confusion. Oliver flew over to the bird and slapped her in the face with his own wing, several times, back and forth, again and again, until her eyes gained awareness in her surroundings. Penny snapped out of her confused status at that point, but decided to slap Oliver in the face in retaliation, sending him toppling to the ground, dazed.
"I never get tired of those two being complete dorks to each other." Sun admitted with a chuckle as Oliver got back up, glaring at Penny who glared back at him.
"Use Icy Wind!"
Oliver let out a shriek of pain as the ice-cold blast of wind slammed into him from behind, making him tumble to the ground in pain as the Glaceon rose to its feet again. Lillie gasped in horror, knowing the move had dealt an incredible amount of damage on the Grass/Flying type. She made a move to run onto the field to check on Oliver, but she saw the bird rise to its feet with a pained expression. He locked eyes with Lillie, his expression fierce and undeterred. The Dartrix nodded at the girl as it rose to its full height, letting out a fearsome screech that made the Glaceon back away. The message was clear.
I won't give up on you, so long as you don't give up on me either.
Lillie slowly nodded at the bird before she pointed behind him, where an Espeon was bounding towards him. Lillie took a deep breath and moved her finger skyward.
"Go high into the sky and hit them both with Razor Leaf!" Lillie called out. Oliver nodded and launched himself into the sky, quickly soaring above the field.
"Penny, hide in the panic and then hit Glaceon with Brick Break!" Sun added after a moment, with Penny soaring around Glaceon as it launched an Icy Wind at her. Penny barely dodged the attack, since she was sporting heavy damage, and even then winced as the attack nearly hit her in midair. Penny strained to gain altitude, but after a few moments the Trumbeak rose higher into the skies to regroup with her partner. Oliver's expression was horrific glee as he rained down leafy disaster upon the two other Pokémon from high above, making them both cry out in pain and making the Espeon finally fall over in exhaustion.
"Now Penny!" Sun called to his bird. Penny nodded and pulled her wings close to her body, dive-bombing down to the ground and slamming into Glaceon from above with a brutal Brick Break. The attack finally made the powerful Ice-type succumb to its injuries, and the Glaceon collapsed alongside its ally. Sina and Dexio stared at their two downed Pokémon in surprise before exchanging a glance, the two of them breaking into smiles.
"I get it…Facing Trials helps you grow close to your team. I think that's absolutely wonderful." Sina said as she regarded the two children ahead of her with happiness in her eyes.
"That it is." Dexio agreed, nodding with a chuckle.
"New encounters help people and Pokémon grow and mature!" Sina added, crossing her arms. "I imagine this is what Professor Sycamore meant when he said we would learn and grow despite our work here."
"Seems like it. Alola Trainers have a different charm than those in Kalos!" Dexio remarked, even as he returned his Espeon. Sina nodded in agreement, returning her Glaceon.
"Absolutely. That was fun. Even if we were using our new teams, the talent of those two are unquestionable." Sina replied, grinning widely now.
"That's what I should expect from a Trainer doing the Island Challenge." Dexio added after a moment, smiling as well. "I felt the bond between you and your Pokémon. I feel like I've been able to have a glimpse of the Island Challenge. Let me heal your Pokémon as thanks."
"You and your Pokémon are the ultimate team! No doubt about it!" Dexio praised Sun, who chuckled as both of his birds finished getting healed. "This battle reminded me of us in the past…and that group of five young Trainers."
"You thinking what I am?" Sina asked Dexio.
"…Regarding the Cube? I'm…considering it." Dexio admitted, making Sun's expression turn to confusion. What were they talking about? Sun was then distracted by the sound of Lillie suddenly exhaling deeply next to him before taking in a deep breath and letting out a shaky breath.
"I can't believe you actually convinced me to do that…and that we won." Lillie's eyes slowly widened in realization.
"Oh my goodness…I won a Pokémon battle. With Sun! I…That…That felt incredible." Lillie said quietly, looking over at Oliver as he soared back over to her. Lillie walked forward and pet the bird on the head, receiving a happy chirp from him.
"You were wonderful, Oliver." Lillie whispered to the Dartrix, who happily hooted at Lillie, nuzzling the girl's hand.
"Why can't you act that good all the time?" Sun wondered, receiving a cheerful hoot from Oliver. Sun shook his head, but was drawn to Lillie's next words as she spoke again. Not to anyone in particular, if anything, she seemed to be speaking to herself
"It…it wasn't all good, mind you…I was terrified for a good bit of that. It was all so much to take in. But I won. I got to battle with Sun, and I didn't hold him back. I wasn't a burden. I…" Lillie trailed off, feeling herself get choked up, her emotions getting the better of her.
"Lillie?"
The girl turned around saw Sun giving her a concerned look. Sun was surprised then when the girl started to laugh. Slowly at first, but soon she was breathless with giggles. Sun walked over to his friend, extending a hand out to her. She recovered somewhat and saw what Sun was doing, and after hi-fiving him eagerly, her smile returned as she composed herself once again. He was then surprised when Lillie tackled him into a fierce embrace.
"Is that what it's like for you every time you battle?" Lillie asked Sun, beaming at him with a joyful smile. He could see the rare look of pride on her face at what she had accomplished. Sun couldn't help but smile at her. Mainly because she looked so happy at her triumph, but also because she looked incredibly cute with the excitement from the battle gleaming in her eyes. Truthfully, he was amazed she had done so well, but he knew he wouldn't regret making the offer to her.
"Yeah. It's an incredible feeling, isn't it?" Sun replied as he hugged Lillie back, making the girl laugh in reply. Sun relished the warmth he felt holding his friend close, and couldn't stop smiling at her happiness.
"I've always thought Pokémon battles were senseless showdowns! I was terrified about Oliver getting hurt, but then I saw how much he was into the fight and…But I felt…like I was one with Oliver just then! I commanded him and he did what I asked, and we won! I didn't hold you back. No one got hurt…I didn't bring you down or mess it up." Lillie explained, trying to convey her feelings about something she had, up until now, detested. Even now she was trying to process what she was feeling.
"You were amazing out there. I'm so proud of you, Lillie." Sun said to Lillie as they separated, with Lillie brushing her hair out of her face, a bright blush on her face.
"I couldn't have done it without you, Sun." Lillie replied softly, unable to get rid of the silly smile on her face. "Though I don't think I'll be doing that again. It was fun to battle with you, and I liked winning, but I don't think battling is for me right now. I don't know if I can handle that much excitement again. Besides, I really don't like how I had to hurt Sina and Dexio's Pokémon. That's a lot to wrap my head around…but it was still fun."
"Fair enough. Thanks for giving it a shot. It means a lot to me." Sun admitted to his friend.
"You two are so adorable." Sina remarked, making both of the children's faces flush (in Lillie's case an even darker shade of red). Dexio chuckled, adjusting his sunglasses.
"We may be adorable, but we also creamed you both." Sun shot back, his grin becoming smugger. Maybe it wasn't a good idea, but overcoming two foreign Trainers with Lillie had put him in a great mood.
"Ah! You Alolans are full of surprises. Your comeback was impressive, Lillie. You made me and Sina look like amateurs." Dexio said in mock distress before bursting out into laughter.
"You two have a great day. We've got things to do, so we'll catch you around." Sina said cheerfully, giving them a little wave.
"Ahem. Yes. We'll be taking our leave now! Bon voyage!" Sina said to the two children. Sun and Lillie bid the duo farewell, with the four of them exchanging the Alolan farewell, and walked back down the street with their heads held high after their victory. Sun and Lillie walked down the nearby sidewalk, the both of them smiling in triumph as they began to talk about what had happened during the battle. Sina and Dexio exchanged a glance, smiling.
"They've both got talent. I couldn't really tell that the girl had no battling experience towards the end there. And that Leafage-Peck combo? Incredibly resourceful of her. I wonder what she'd be able to do with a Pokémon of her own at her side." Dexio wondered aloud, smiling at the thought.
"And that boy…he's a damn prodigy, fending us both off at the same time like that while the girl struggled. I can't believe those two beat us with just two Pokémon." Sina remarked, putting a hand on her hip. "Maybe they can help with the project?"
"Perhaps. But it would also be incredibly irresponsible of us to just throw the Zygarde Cube into the hands of some random child who happens to be able to beat us in a battle." Dexio replied, earning a bob of the head from his companion.
"Yeah. We're not irresponsible morons who would just hand off a device that allows someone to recreate a legendary from the ground up to a child. That'd be silly." Sina said with a small laugh.
"So…recon?" Sina asked, a smirk coming to her mouth.
"Recon." Dexio agreed, chuckling lightly a moment later.
"I'm excited now. This is gonna be a blast. We haven't done this since Team Flare." Sina remarked, her smirk turning into a grin.
"Then let's follow them and see what happens next. Professor Burnet sent us into town for a reason, after all, and you know we can't let Doctor Colress down. He's counting on us not to fail. Lives hang in the balance, my friend." Dexio said as he reached into his bag, eyeing the mask inside with his eyes burning with purpose. The two young adults dashed into the hotel and within a few minutes, came dashing out again clad in their infamous disguises, ready to keep the peace as they had in Kalos.
And they would start by following this promising young Trainer and the girl at his side.
