Pokémon Radiant Sun


Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans and happy Thursday to everyone else! I figured I'd drop an early update on you all so…boosh. Hope you like it!

Man…Chapter 40. Wow. We're officially a 1/5 of the way done with this story. And I've got a lot more fun stuff in store for you all.

Seems like a lot of people enjoyed last chapter, especially the perspective change with Oliver and the fluffy bit at the end. Fun fact, that ending was completely rewritten twice.

I originally had something else entirely planned for the ending, which ended on a dark but touching note, but decided to save that for later. Then I was going to do a thing with Tapu Lele showing up that I scraped, and then decided on the scene that ended up in the chapter. I think this ending worked out best, because Sun X Lillie is my ship and it's gonna sail into the damn sunset.

Things are definitely coming together at this point in the story and I'm really liking with how this arc is coming along. So yeah, let's keep the good times coming. Or at least as good times can come in a fanfic written by yours truly.

Speaking of, here's my thoughts on Pokémon Ultra Sun so far. Non-spoiler (sort of) review as of beating the game, including post-game content. Or at least the RR Episode. Also, feel free to message me questions about the game and all that stuff now. Thank you for being patient and allowing me to enjoy the game without having anything spoiled. You all were very understanding and I appreciate the respect you all showed me.

So, my thoughts on the newest games. Sort-of non-spoilerish review.

-The fact that Lillie's Theme plays more than once in this game made me very happy. It plays in the very beginning and several times after that. Yas.

-Up until you battle Lusamine, this game is a slightly different retread of Sun and Moon. After that, the game switches a lot of things up which I enjoyed, but ¾ of the game is basically the same as its predecessor. Again, this was incredibly annoying and super disappointing when I realized this.

-The new Totem Battles are interesting and were pretty good. Water Trial and Electric Trial were the highlights for me.

-The new Elite Four member was a great touch. On top of that, the modified teams for the Elite Four were really well-chosen and challenging.

-The twist with defending your Championship the first time at the end of the game…Was damn near perfection. I was grinning the entire time. Loved the remixed theme too.

-Hau's development in the game was fantastic. His character is even more awesome than in the original games and while it may have came at the cost of Lillie's development in the game (as well as scrapping two of her best moments in the games), I appreciate what they did with Hau in this game. I truly do. They gave him an amazing team that actually gave me trouble at times and made him a legit rival as well as your buddy in the game. I'm considering going back on what I've said before and making his USUM team his RS team, just because it's so much better than his team here. It's my biggest gripe about Hau as a character, is that his team is lacking a bit. USUM fixed this wonderfully.

-They made up for Lillie getting her two best scenes scrapped because of the post-game content. I'm okay with this, because Lillie is not only adorably awesome, but she shows that she's a badass too.

-Ultra Necrozma is…Well, it's pretty damn cool. Its theme is also the coolest theme I've heard in a while. The design, is just...hehehehe...That battle was fun and very, very awesome.

-Post game…imagine Delta Episode, but with more fanservice. I enjoyed every moment of it, even if I was under-leveled and used every trick in the book when it came to defeating the past villains. Their teams, themes, and schemes were so awesome. ESPECIALLY MY FAVORITE VILLAIN, GHETSIS.

-Glad to see Colress getting a little bit extra prominence. I was really happy to see my favorite scientist being weird yet awesome, as he only can be. Madame Rodoshe, you will be very happy to hear this has inspired some future scenes with Colress. Maybe not a thing with Porygon-Z, but definitely some more Colress content to come down the road thanks to USUM.

-All in all, I don't know if should recommend the game or not. I had fun, I enjoyed the new content an insane amount, especially the post-game, but a solid portion of the game is literally just replaying Pokémon Sun and Moon again with new Pokémon and some modified trials here and there. As of now, I'd say get it, maybe don't buy both games like I did. Or do. It's up to you. It was fun, and has me even more inspired to keep this story going strong, but on the other hand I feel a bit let down because I thought that all of this new stuff wouldn't be relegated to the last 10 hours of the game and the post-game. It was fun and awesome, but disappointing and definitely not a Black 2/White 2 situation, where the sequels were better than the originals.

Final Team: Oliver (Decidueye…Don't judge me), Zane (Zoroark), Aaron (Ampharos), Jet (Vaporeon), Belle (Salazzle), Hail (Alolan Ninetales).

I would've had Flygon on my team, but it's damn near impossible to get some of the more fun Pokémon in USUM. It's making me seriously reconsider Sun's sixth and final Pokémon because I know it'll also be a bitch and a half to get in-game…

And no, Sun's final Pokémon isn't Flygon. Didn't even consider doing that. And don't ask what it is because you won't find out for another like, two and a half years.

Also, in regards to seeing the Poké Pelago and the appearance of Mohn in the story…I'm still undecided. I know that they're important, and I have a very good idea in mind of how to explore that, but I'm still trying to decide on if I should do it or not in the way I have in mind. I do have a plan for Festival Plaza, to an extent, but dealing with the Poké Pelago is another matter entirely. I'll let you all know if/when I decide on a course of action with it, but know it won't be explored on this island for sure unless I have some kind of breakthrough in brainstorming on it. It's not something I can do lightly or flippantly.

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Madame Rodoshe, The Dragon Legend, Infinite Nexus, Angelfir3, sceptilezeno, DarkestShade73, BraviaryScout, a Guest reviewer, Cottonmouth25, TyForestGames, Ignaci0, and Consumer of Fantasy. Thank you all for the support and feedback!

Sorry about the super log AN. Sometimes those are necessary.

Enjoy.


Chapter 40: Pleasant Days


"Torch, use Flame Wheel!" Demi shouted with a wide smile, her Quilava nodding sharply as he let out a growl at his opponent. Feya the shiny Fletchiner cried out encouragement to her teammate while a floating Litwick watched on silently from above.

"Zubat, dodge it yo!" the Team Skull Grunt yelled out desperately, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Hau couldn't help but whoop with glee as the speeding and flaming Quilava slammed into the Zubat, knocking it out of the air and onto the ground senseless. Demi did a fist pump of sorts and called, "That all you got, bonehead? Hit me with your best shot!"

"Stupid girl. Grimer, go get 'em!" the Team Skull Grunt shouted as he released a greenish-colored blob that glared at Demi and her Quilava. Hau stood beside the girl, nodding slightly at the new arrival.

"Think Torch can handle it? He's knocked out like, five Pokémon now." Hau asked his friend, who chuckled.

"My Torch can handle a lot more than that! Isn't that right?" Demi asked her Quilava, who let out a cry as his flames burned brighter.

"Grimer, use Bite!" the Grunt called out. The Grimer slid forward with surprising speed, baring its glowing teeth.

"Get into the air and use Quick Attack!" Demi shouted. Torch nodded, waiting for the Alolan Grimer to approach. It then leapt high into the air, dodging the snap of his opponent's jaws, before it suddenly sped downwards and smashed into the pile of goo, making it snarl in pain as the Quilava bounded away.

"Finish it off with Flame Wheel!" Demi commanded, grinning with triumph.

"Use Poison Gas!" the Team Skull Grunt yelled out, but it was too little too late. The Quilava burst into a rotating wheel of fire and sped forward, slamming into the Alolan Grimer and knocking it to the ground, where it slowly oozed with a groan.

"Shit…This girl's good." One the female grunts muttered, backing away.

"We thought grabbing that shiny bird she had would be easy but…screw this, let's bail!" the trio of grunts sprinted down the road, leaving Demi and Hau alone.

"Wooooo!" Hau cheered as Demi knelt down and fed her Quilava a Poké Bean before patting him on the head.

"You were awesome, Torchy. You're be caught up with Feya in no time." Demi praised her Quilava before turning to her Litwick.

"Aou, see that just now? You've gotta just…you know what, I don't even know. But you'll get into the passion of battling soon. Okay?" Demi said to the floating candle Pokémon. It just gave her a blank look in reply.

"Still no drive, huh?"

"Yeah…I don't know what to do about it. He really hates battling, but I mean…I dunno." Demi sighed before she perked up, grinning. "But that was still fun."

"You were awesome out there. Three-on-one and you showed them up with class." Hau said to his friend, grinning at her with pride. She was definitely quite a battler, that was for sure. He wondered if she would be able to beat Sun, but then pushed the idea out of his head for now. They had a Trial to focus on! And Sun was his rival, darn it! He was supposed to be the one to defeat him!

"Thanks." Demi said as she leaned Hau's shoulder, chuckling. "Shouldn't be much longer to Brooklet Hill. Maybe another day or two."

"Sweet. So…let's get going?" Hau asked his friend, who was leaning against him and was making no effort to move. Demi hummed for a moment, her expression thoughtful.

"Sure." Demi leaned up and kissed Hau on the cheek, making the boy's eyes widen in surprise. Demi backed away from Hau, blushing furiously but looking very pleased with herself as she turned her back to Hau and skipped away, laughing softly.

Hau held his cheek, blushing pink with surprise as he watched the girl saunter ahead of him. Demi looked back at the boy staring at her, winked at him, and began walking while whistling cheerfully.

The boy behind Demi caught up with his friend in a few seconds, smiling so wide he thought his face would burst with joy.


Lillie whistled a happy tune as Aria walked alongside her, watching the countryside with a content expression on his face. Sun waked ahead of them, battling anything that came into sight, with Brago again getting assistance from Penny and Oliver. Since he was focused on this, Lillie and Aria were able to talk without the boy listening in, which the older girl made use of a few hours into their traveling for the day.

"So, I've got a question for you."

"Um…shoot."

"Are you and Sun a thing or…?"

"You've only been in this time period for a few days, and already you're starting with that." Lillie huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance as a blush crept onto her face.

"I mean…You and him were alone together for a while last night. He's a cute little kid, you're an adorable little girl. And from the way you're blushing…well." Aria winked at Lillie, who flushed a darker shade of red.

"I will say nothing about the subject. It's our business, not yours." Lillie retorted with a huff, making Aria chuckle.

"I can't judge. I had a crush on Wes for months before I realized it wouldn't work out."

"Really?"

"Oh god yes! Hugh was sooooo jealous back then because I couldn't stop fawning over my teacher. It's so embarrassing looking back on it, heh. Wes let me down gently and explained some stuff and I got over it." Aria remarked with a small laugh.

"I bet. I know I start to feel annoyed when other girls flirt with Sun." Lillie admitted with a small sigh. She hated the idea of her being jealous over girls giving Sun attention, because she had no right to feel that way. Sun was her friend, and he should be allowed to interact with other girls however he wanted to.

"Well, that's natural. You should let him know that you're interested though."

"Maybe…I'm still sorting out how I really feel. I want to be sure of both my feelings and his before I risk changing our friendship. It means too much to me to mess up with carelessness."

"So you DO feel something for him!" Aria cried out triumphantly, wearing a wide grin. Lillie sighed and hung her head, ashamed for falling for Aria's trick. Aria laughed softly and was about to comment further when a familiar shout caught their attention.

"About damn time I found you all!"

"Hugh!" Aria yelled out happily, looking around them. She then looked up and grinned. A green blur rushing towards them from above alerted them to the Unovan's appearance, with the young man leaping off of his Flygon and tackling Aria in a fierce hug as soon as he got close enough to the ground. Both friends fell to the ground, laughing as they wrestled on the ground, struggling to remain dominant in their tussle. Aria managed to pin Hugh to the ground, a grin on her face. Hugh leaned up and kissed the Snagger on the lips, making her eyes widen in surprise before she leaned into the kiss, pressing her body against Hugh's.

"So…that's a thing?" Sun said awkwardly as he walked back to Lillie. She didn't have an answer to that, lost her in own thoughts as she looked skyward.

"Sun?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to tease Aria about Hugh."

"…Okay?"

"Want to help me?"

"Sure. Maybe give them a little bit, though."

Soon enough, the group continued moving forward, with Hugh and Aria leading the way as Lillie and Sun trailed behind and enjoyed each other's company, allowing the two Unovan's to catch up.

"So, any news?" Aria asked Hugh as the two walked alongside each other.

"Well, Kukui is nearly done with preparations for Shadow Celebi and studying Lillie's little friend. Cipher is completely unaware of your presence here and that Shadow Celebi has returned from the past. You're safe. Though I was warned by Professor Burnet to keep an eye out for a robber who's been sighted near the Lush Jungle."

"A robber?"

Hugh nodded, though he shrugged as well. "So idiot with a Gothitelle. Oddly enough, he has no affiliation with the local crime group, Team Skull. This loser calls himself Night Slash, and he targets lone Trainers travelling near this area. Wears a red mask and carries a machete. Pretty stupid in all honesty, but the fact that he's sent four people to the hospital this month alone is enough for people to be worried." Hugh explained, sounding unconcerned. After what they had been through, some robber didn't exactly rattle them.

"Sounds like someone who loves cliché horror movies. Should we look around, see if we can find this guy?" Aria asked.

"On an unfamiliar island with you having trouble keeping your mind level? No. Give it a week or two and if no one's stopped this creep, we can look around." Hugh said to Aria, who nodded slowly.

"Usually I'm proactive about this. I hate being sidelined."

"I know…How've you been feeling? Seriously." Hugh asked Aria, who sighed deeply.

"Tired. Sore. I can't travel as fast as I'd like, and I know those kids have noticed. They're pretty smart. I'm not sure if I'm having nightmares or flashes into the future, but sleeping is horrifying. Moving isn't fun either, come to that. There's no respite for me." Aria said as she rolled her shoulders, wincing at the movement. Colress's famous Heal Pulse Treatment worked wonders, but it had its limits. Some injuries could only be healed with, ironically, time.

"You're going to be okay…right?" Hugh asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I think so. Just…don't let go of me. I'm actually still scared this is just another vision from the time-stream and I'll wake up adrift in the Passage of Time." Aria said in a small voice, a rare note of fear in her voice. She started as Hugh wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him.

"The day I let you go again is the day I die." Hugh murmured to his friend, a small smile on his face. Aria couldn't help but laugh as she wrapped an arm around Hugh and walked side-by-side with her best friend.

"So what did you decide?" Hugh asked Aria after a few minute of comfortable silence.

"…I want to be with you. You're already in enough danger from Cipher and I'm sick of being alone while everyone else gets to be loved." Aria sighed, feeling a headache coming on. She tried so hard, but so felt so tired. Maybe agreeing to explore the wilds with Sun and Lillie was a mistake. Maybe she really did need to take it easy for a bit.

"You were always loved. It just took you a while to see it." Hugh said quietly, looking away from her as he blushed at his own words. Aria felt a warmth in her at his reassurance, however. She was nervous about all of this, but…screw it. She was determined to see this through and act on her feelings.

Hugh felt a hand on his face, slowly turning him towards his friend before she kissed him on the lips, making him feel like he had swallowed a flame, spreading warmth through him. Hugh closed his eyes, savoring the moment, before they separated. Hugh then started as he remembered something, and reached under his shirt to pull out two pendants, one of topaz and the other of ruby. Both in the shape of hearts, though the ruby one was damaged.

"Holy…You have it! I was wondering where it had gone!" Aria stated in shock as Hugh separated the two necklaces, handing Aria her own pendant back. The woman slipped it around her neck, smiling widely.

"Nate found it a little while ago. It must've fallen off when Celebi attacked you." Hugh explained to his friend, only to be stopped short by another fierce hug.

"You held onto that for me? Damn it, I don't deserve you." Aria muttered as Hugh stopped the returned the embrace. Hugh laughed at that, but didn't reply. He didn't need to.

Sun and Lillie watched the display with small smiles, glad that the two friends were being so sweet to each other. After a moment, the older Trainers separated and continued walking, hand in hand.

"So, have you had any more of those future flashes?" Hugh asked Aria, who shook her head.

"I'm taking precautions. Long-sleeve shirt and only touching people with the Snag Machine arm. It hurts to do that, anyway, so I'll just keep-"

"Making out with Hugh, right?" Aria flushed pink as Sun and Lillie suddenly appeared on either side of them, both wearing wide smiles. Hugh looked at the two children with a confused expression while Aria sighed inwardly. These two had a long way to go when it comes to teasing people, but she'd give them this one…

This was going to be a long afternoon.


By the time the quartet arrived at the Paniola Ranch, which they had been advised several times by the locals in the town to go to, all four of the travelers were blushing and a little annoyed at each other. Lillie and Sun weren't making eye contact with one another and Hugh hadn't stopped blushing in over ten minutes. Because you better believe if the older Trainers were going to be teased for being in a relationship, they were going to tease the two children for the same thing.

"You kids are the best. I say that to counteract the next statement…You both suck." Aria grumbled, crossing her arms and pouting that two adorable kids had managed to get her flustered. The group was snapped out of their individual musings by a man standing at the front of the ranch they were approaching. The man in question pointed at Sun, who was leading the pack.

"Oh! You've got to be a Trial-goer, right? Well, you've got a good sense of timing!" the man said to them. Sun glanced at Aria, Hugh and Lillie, who all shrugged. Sun stepped forward with a smile.

"Uh, sure. Is everything alright sir?" Sun asked the man.

"Everything's going fine! It's just that the Captain's actually here now, so come on!" the man said, leading the group to the pasture proper. A large pink cow Pokémon stood in front of them, looking expectant.

"The name's Wesley, by the way. What can I call you four?" the man said with a friendly smile.

"I'm Sun. This is Lillie, Hugh and Aria." Sun introduced the three of them. Lillie, Hugh, and Aria greeted the man, who regarded the cow in front of them.

"Go on, lead these kids to the Captain." Wesley said to the Miltank. The Pokémon mooed in response and ran off towards the other end of the pasture, where a familiar girl with vibrant green hair was patting another Miltank on the head. Mallow turned as the quartet approached, grinning widely and waving them over.

"Thanks for stopping by!" Mallow said happily to them. Mallow noticed the new faces to the group and introduced herself to Aria and Hugh, the former of whom seemed confused as to who she was.

"New around here?" Mallow asked with an understanding smile.

"Something like that." Aria said with a sheepish laugh. Mallow gave the Unovan a quick explanation as to the mechanics behind the Island Challenge, as well as who and what the Captains and Kahunas were. Aria seemed interested, and Sun had a feeling the Captains would have another Trial-goer on their hands soon.

"Fascinating…So what brings you here?" Aria asked.

"Heh! I'm just double-checking a few things for business stuff. As well as keeping an eye out for trouble!...And maybe eating lunch along the way." Mallow said with a giggle, rubbing her stomach. "You know, the Moomoo Milk from Paniola Ranch is the best. It's so rich and creamy when you use it in white sauce and other things…Mmm! The taste can't even be described!"

"I'm hungry now. Thanks Mallow." Sun admitted, chuckling softly. Both of the Miltanks mooed in response, making Mallow laugh as well. The girl then became a bit more serious.

"By the way…Since I was lucky enough to run into you here, I'll do you a little favor." Mallow walked over to Sun and asked to see his Ride Pager. The Kanto boy obliged, handing the device over to the Captain. Mallow fiddled with it for a moment before laughing in triumph, handing the device back to Sun. While Hugh explained the mechanics of Ride Pokémon to Aria, who seemed excited, Sun looked over the device and saw that a new option was available for him to select. Stoutland Search.

"See, Stoutland can sniff out items for you that are buried in the dirt where you can't even see them!" Mallow explained with a wide smile. "Get up there and try it! There's all kinds of stuff laying around waiting for you to find it!"

"Sounds handy." Sun admitted, holding the device in his hand and grinning. "Thanks for the upgrade, Mallow."

"Anytime." Mallow said with a wink. The Captain glanced at Lillie, who was giving her a glare. Mallow giggled and returned her attention to Sun again.

"So. If you go all the way down to Route 5, you'll come out on Brooklet Hill. My friend Lana, as you might recall, is up there." Mallow said to Sun, making the boy nod.

"She seemed pretty cool. She didn't tease me nearly as much as you did." Sun said pointedly, making Mallow laugh with delight.

"Come on, I have to get my kicks somehow." Mallow said with a shrug, smirking like crazy now. "When you do get down to the Trial, say hi to Lana for me when you see her!"

"Sure thing." Sun said to the cheerful Captain. To Sun's surprise, Mallow bounded forward and hugged him tightly, making the boy blush in surprise. Sun returned the hug after a moment, and Mallow separated, grinning widely. Mallow fist-bumped Aria and Hugh and then hugged Lillie.

"You better make your move, girl. He's a nice catch." Mallow whispered into Lillie's ear.

"Back off. He's my knight in shining armor. Not yours." Lillie replied with a hiss. Mallow bounced back with surprise in her eyes before she beamed at Lillie.

"Good! You need to stake your claim and make a stand. I'm happy for you, girl. He's all yours. Make sure to keep in touch, okay?" Mallow said happily to her friend. Lillie smiled at the response, knowing that despite the Captain's teasing, she was just looking out for her. Mallow was a flirt, but the Captain wouldn't ever mess with a friend in that way. With another wave, Mallow jogged off.

"She's energetic. I like that in a local leader though." Aria said as they watched the girl leave.

"You're making all kinds of friends. Just remember that you still need to keep a low profile. Technically you're in this region illegally. Kukui is sorting out the details, but just keep things on the down low." Hugh muttered to Aria, who shrugged. The two turned around and were surprised to see Sun wearing a bright outfit and sitting on a massive Stoutland, with Lillie handing him a helmet.

"Onward, my noble steed!" Sun declared before he suddenly took off on the Stoutland.

Lillie giggled at the sight of her friend rampaging through the ranch, finding a finding a Repel, a bottle of Moomoo Milk and a bottle of Fresh Water. The group questioned how healthy drinking those items were, considering they were found in the middle of a ranch, but video game logic, it was fine.

What wasn't fine was when Sun passed by a very angry Tauros, who roared at the Stoutland he was on and spooked the large dog into fleeing as the Tauros pursued them. Eventually the bull chased them next to a small pond, where it stopped running after them and just glared at the boy and hound.

"Bwo! Bwo! Bwooorrrrrr!" Tauros roared, stomping down on the ground furiously.

"Jeez, calm down big guy." Sun said as he hopped off of Stoutland, who was slowly backing away from the ornery bull. Wesley jogged over to where Sun was, as did Aria, Lillie, Hugh, and a young female ranch-hand that Sun learned later was named Sally.

"I wouldn't tease that one. If you do, he'll buck and kick you." Sally warned Sun as the group approached. Sun looked back at the Tauros.

"Tauros are generally known as spirited Pokémon, but this fellow is pretty feisty even for a Tauros." Wesley said with a small shake of the head. "But I guess it's not that surprising, considering how new he is to the ranch."

"So, why keep him around and not just release him into the wild if he's being a big bother to you?" Aria asked.

"Because…I'd like him to train and become a Ride Pokémon." Wesley admitted, crossing his arms. "But I can't even put him through his paces if he bucks at every little thing like this."

Sally smirked, an idea coming to her. "I guess we'll need the mistress's skill for this one!"

"Is that you?" Sun asked, confused.

"Dude, you're like ten or something. You shouldn't be asking girls to be your mistress." Aria said with a chuckle. Lillie flushed pink, as did Sun, but Wesley shook his head with a smile while Hugh and Sally just started cackling.

"Oh man…That's a good one. Me? Ridiculous! Hahahahah!" Sally slowly calmed down, putting a hand on her hip. "You think the mistress is some weak little girl?"

"Weak? This girl looks like she could break my arm with no effort." Sun sweat-dropped, eyeing the girl's toned arms before he realized he was staring.

"Right then. It's time we called the mistress!" Wesley said with a nod before he whistled loudly. A loud moo echoed throughout the ranch, and Sun caught sight of a massive Miltank pounding down the path with fire in her eyes. It was no doubt that this Pokémon was the boss around here, given the steel in her eyes and the small scratches on her body that showed she had been in many a fight.

"Here she is…the mistress of the ranch! Miltank!" Wesley said theatrically as the mistress stopped in front of them. The Miltank stomped down with a snort, letting out a fierce moo.

"One roar from Miltank and even the most ornery Tauros is instantly as quiet as a little Litten!" Wesley bragged proudly as the mistress stomped repeatedly, sending small quakes through the earth. Sun started as a flash of light erupted from nearby, but he saw that Aria had released her Jolteon.

"She can translate for us. I figured it was a good idea." Aria explained, gesturing to the translation collar on the Pokémon's neck. Sun stepped out of the way as the powerful Miltank stepped forward, eyeing the Tauros. The distinguished cow Pokémon mooed several times at the massive bull, who's eyes narrowed in anger. The two engaged in a shouting match of sorts.

"So, what's the verdict?" Wesley asked Sophie, who was watching the argument between the two Pokémon with a growing look of horror on her face.

"…I don't think there's a human equivalent as to what was just said. And I don't want to try and repeat it. I feel dirty enough having only heard that." Sophie said softly, shuddering slightly.

"Rotom? Care to translate?" Sun asked. The Rotom Dex just beeped from within Sun's bag.

"Sun. Buddy. I don't want to have to bump thizz story up to an M-rating just because of a translation." Rotom said simply, before going back to sleep.

"Well, they do say the stronger the Tauros is, the harder it is to control." Wesley sighed, crossing his arms again. "Looks like even the mistress is having a tough time with this one."

"So what now?" Lillie asked.

"Maybe if he burns off a bit of excess energy, it'll be a bit easier to bring him to heel…" Wesley mused, looking over at Sun. "What do you think, Sun? How about taking on Tauros in a battle?"

"Sure, I'll battle. Anything to help out." Sun said with a smile, already thinking of how to reign in the massive bull.

"Then don't hold back! Go all out against this one!" Wesley said with a wide grin as he slowly walked to the other side of Tauros, pulling out a Poké Ball. The group cleared off, leaving Sun alone against the Tauros and Wesley.

"Alrighty, Tauros. Let's get him!" Wesley said to the bull, who lowered his horns and growled in response.

"Heh. Not likely. Brago, let's go!" Sun sent out the Growlithe, who crouched and sent a piercing look to the Tauros, hitting it with Intimidate and weakening its attack power. Tauros took a step back while Bargo bared his teeth.

"Go, use Ember!" Sun commanded the dog. Brago nodded sharply and opened his mouth, spewing a burst of flame at the massive bull. Tauros snorted in pain, backing away from the fire.

"Tauros, hit 'em with Rage!" Wesley called out. Tauros snarled with fury, it's body glowing red as it charged at Brago, who stood his ground and was knocked back by the massive bull as it slammed into him.

"Brago, Ember again!" Sun called out.

"Alrighty, Horn Attack!" Tauros roared furiously, slamming into Brago with glowing horns as the dog spat more flames at his sides. Brago went airborne this time, but righted himself in midair, snarling in anger and pain.

"Ember again! Spread outward!" Sun called out, remembering how Sina had used the move to great effect against Celebi. Brago opened his mouth wide and held the fire in for a few moments longer before a larger blast of flames spewed forth, covering the grass the Tauros in fire and making the bull bellow in fury.

Sun pulled out a Poké Ball and said, "Brago, that was awesome. Return."

"Hey now, you can't just up and leave now." Wesley said with a smirk.

"Wasn't planning on it, pardner. Penny, let's go!" Sun released his Trumbeak, who let out a cry as she soared into the air.

"Ah, now I see. This is one of your heavy-hitters, eh?" Wesley asked Sun. He received a wide grin in response.

"Use Rage, Tauros!" Wesley roared. Tauros snarled in response, charging towards Penny and slamming into her as its body glowed red.

"Use Supersonic, Penny!" Sun called out to the Trumbeak. Before the bird could use the attack, Wesley called for another Rage attack that hit Penny and sent her tumbling into the dirt. The Trumbeak got to her feet with fury in her eyes. She wouldn't let some overgrown bull get the better of her!

"Tauros, go hit it with a Horn Attack!" Wesley bellowed as Tauros did the same. Penny let out a piercing screech of fury and shot towards the bull as Sun grinned widely, the thrill of battle rising.

"Brick Break!" Sun barked as Penny raised her beak into the air. Tauros slammed into Penny, making the bird cry out in pain, but then she brought her glowing beak down onto the back of the massive bull, knocking it into the dirt. Penny tumbled through the air before she soared high into the air, putting distance between it and Tauros.

"That thing's quick and strong. Tauros, use Scary Face and slow it down." Wesley commanded the ferocious beast. Tauros snorted and gave Penny a horrifying glare, but to the bull's surprise Penny was falling towards it with her eyes closed. Scary Face had been rendered completely useless thanks to the Trumbeak's quick thinking.

"Brick Break, Penny! Let's wrap the battle right here and now!" Sun called to Penny as the bird plunged downwards, her beak shining bright white. Tauros let out a startled bellow in response, but couldn't move quick enough to dodge Penny's strike, which knocked the massive Pokémon down on its side. After a few moments, the Tauros collapsed, panting heavily.

"Looks like Tauros is done. The winner is Sun!" Sally declared, gesturing to Sun. The Kanto-native chuckled as he walked over to Penny, who had soared towards him.

"Good job. You sure showed him, huh?" Sun said, patting the bird on the head. Meanwhile Lillie was beaming with pride at her friend, proud of him as always.

"He's got a lot of talent." Lillie turned around and saw Aria looking thoughtful. The Snagger smiled and said, "He's new to this, but he has so much heart. You can tell the love between him and his Pokémon runs strong, too. I can't wait to see where this kid would be in a year or two."

"It's a shame this place doesn't have a League." Hugh remarked with a small sigh. Lillie smiled knowingly, a small giggle escaping her.

"I know something they don't know." Lillie thought to herself before she started at the sound of Wesley laughing loudly.

"Ahh, refreshing!" Wesley said with a happy sigh, returning the Tauros.

"Heh. Looks like you worked up a fine sweat! I think Tauros feels pretty satisfied, too." Wesley said with a laugh, clapping the massive bull on the side. The Tauros let out a bellow of agreement, sounding rather happy as Sally treated its injuries. The Miltank mistress mooed at the Tauros, who replied with a soft snort.

"Even Tauros couldn't stand up to the combined powers of the pair of you and Miltank." Wesley said with a wide smile. Sally walked over and patted the Miltank on the head.

"Thanks, sweetie. Just what we expect of the ranch's mistress!" Sally said proudly. The Miltank did a chest bump of sorts, mooing loudly in response. Sally and Wesley turned back to Sun.

"Thanks to you, I think we can finally start on this fellow's Ride Pokémon training. I hope you'll take this!" Wesley reached into the small fanny pack on his waist and pulled out a strange eye device that confused Sun.

"What is it?" Sun asked as Aria, Hugh and Lillie approached.

"That's a Scope Lens. It helps Pokémon land critical-hits. It's a pretty good Held Item." Aria explained as Sun stored the item away.

"Indeed." Wesley said as he pet his Tauros on the head, receiving a gentle moo in response. "With Ride Pokémon, even people who aren't Pokémon Trainers can enjoy a convenient life."

"And that's why we've got to appreciate them and treat them with compassion. Pokémon are our partners and friends, after all." Sally said with a small smile, with the mistress Miltank nodding in agreement. The group of ranch-hands invited the quartet inside for lunch, where they had homemade pizza using some of the fresh ingredient's from the ranch, including the white-sauce that Mallow had mentioned before. Sun thought it was all amazing, and had to stop himself from eating a third helping of food so he didn't feel sick later on that day. Of course that didn't stop him from having a few fresh cookies with fresh Moomoo Milk afterwards.

After lunch, the quartet said farewell to their new friends and departed, ready to continue their journey.

They spent the night in the fields, enjoying each other's company. The stars were on full display that evening, with no clouds obscuring them and allowing everyone to see them in their true astral beauty. Lillie and Sun played their flutes around the campfire while Hugh and Aria listened. After a while, Aria playfully danced with Sophie and Nebby as Sun and Lillie preformed their latest duet, with the duo receiving a round of applause from the two older Trainers and their Pokémon.

It was a wonderful night to be with friends.


"Zzzt! Lookee there, Sun. Brago just learned Flame Wheel!"

"That's how we do it!" Sun cheered as Brago let out a happy bark, sitting down on the ground and swishing his tail in glee. After finding more items on Stoutland and recovering another Cell of Zygarde, Sun was feeling pretty good about their progress as they approached a large house beside a fenced in enclosure, holding a variety of Pokémon playing with each other.

"Looks like Brago is almost up to par with everyone else." Hugh noted as they continued along the fields, hands in his pockets.

"Absolutely. He's putting in a lot of hard work." Sun said with a wide grin. He turned around to face the building ahead and asked, "So what's with that place?"

"It's the Day Care Center. There's usually one in every region, somewhere. This is where the one in Alola is located." Lillie explained to Sun, who nodded in understanding. Sun had read about the topic of Pokémon Breeding and the history of the Day Care system the week before he left for Alola. It was definitely a place he was interested in.

"You feel like checking it out?" Hugh asked Sun.

"Sure. Are you all just going to wait out here then?" Sun asked the three others.

"You go on inside alone. I'm gonna check in with Kukui and see what's up. From what Hugh told me, he's expecting us three to be at the lab today." Aria said to Sun, who nodded and entered the building.

After getting TM10 for Hidden Power from someone standing nearby, Sun approached the counter and got an explanation of the Day Care Center worker about just what the facility did for Trainers and Pokémon. It was certainly more interesting hearing about it from the point of view of someone who worked there than it was reading it in a book. As Sun said farewell to the woman at the counter, she stopped him before he could get out the door.

"Excuse me, but do you want one of the Eggs I found here at the nursery recently?"

"Umm…Sure?" Sun said uncertainly, surprised at the sudden offer.

"Thanks for taking it off my hands! And don't go trying to crack it just because you want to see what's inside!" The woman said way too cheerfully for the dark remark she made.

"Oh god, no! That's terrible." Sun shuddered at the implication, making the woman at the counter laugh.

"Heh. I've never heard of a Pokémon Egg cracking except when it's ready to hatch. If you carry a Pokémon Egg around with you, it will hatch into a Pokémon."

"Seriously? And here I was, thinking it would hatch into a three-legged grandpa."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Maybe a little bit."

"Just…get out."

Sun walked out of the nursery with a smirk. After all, Pokémon Eggs were pretty expensive and there was no telling what kind of Pokémon was inside. And it'd be interesting taking care of a Pokémon Egg. It was a decision made on a whim, but maybe the Pokémon within would be a perfect fit for his team.

"So, find out anything interesting…You have an Egg." Hugh trailed off, eyeing the brown and crème–colored Pokémon Egg with confusion. All three of Sun's companions were surprised at this latest bit of information, but the surprise soon faded. Hugh smiled, crossing his arms as he wondered what was within the small Pokémon Egg. Lillie was grinning softly at the thought of Sun being a daddy. Aria was staring at the Egg with a knowing little smirk.

"What are the odds…" Aria thought, looking down at her Jolteon. She knew exactly what was in the Egg Sun was holding. After all, she had hatched Sophie's Egg herself before she departed on her journey.

"It seems like you're having an eggcellent day, Sun." Lillie said quietly, making Sun giggle at the pun. No matter how awful, he just couldn't help himself.

"Anyways, the verdict is that Kukui is heading here now to pick us up. He's prepared to study Shadow Celebi and Lillie needs to have a talk with him and Professor Burnet." Aria explained as she shoved her phone in her pocket. As if on cue, the Professor himself showed up in a flicker of teleportation.

"Alola, everyone!" Kukui said with a cheerful wave.

"Time to go already?" Lillie asked sadly. She had forgotten the Professor could Teleport, noting the Kadabra beside him. She was hoping he would take a little while to get there. Kukui gave the girl a small nod and Lillie sighed. She turned around to say something to Sun but found that the boy was walking towards her, and pulled her into a fierce hug. Lillie stiffened, a blush creeping onto her face, before she returned the gesture. The two children separated, and Sun turned to Hugh and Aria, who were both smiling at the display of affection they had just seen.

"Thanks for everything, you two. Keep me posted on what happens with Shadow Celebi, alright?" Sun said to the two older Trainers. Aria grinned, holding a fist out to Sun, which the boy punched. Hugh did the same with Sun, offering the boy a wide smile as Sun picked his new Egg Incubator back up off of the ground.

"Show that Trial who's boss. I won't be too far behind you." Hugh said to his friend, his eyes gleaming with excitement. It was obvious that the older Trainer was eager to battle the Trial himself. Sun nodded and turned to Kukui, who was grinning.

"Hey Sun, if you feel like meeting up in a little while, you should swing by Royal Avenue in a week or so. There'll be all sorts of fun battling events going on there." Kukui suggested to Sun, who shrugged.

"I'll see if I can check it out. First things first, I have a Trial to take care of." Sun said to the Professor, who smirked.

"Just show them your Strength and believe in your team. Do that, and you're golden, cousin!" Kukui said to the boy, giving him a wide smile and a thumbs up. Aria and Hugh drew close to the Professor and Lillie, preparing them for a Teleport. Sun waved to the group goodbye, but not before one final surprise.

"Have fun with your Eevee Egg!" Aria said with a massive grin, earning an annoyed look from Hugh before they all vanished with a small flash. Sun blinked in surprise before looking down at the Egg in his arms, a smirk on his face as he began digesting this bit of information. Sun released his team, now that he was back outside. They admired the Egg with curiosity, while Sun just thought to himself.

"So, an Eevee Pokémon Egg, huh? That's pretty cool." Sun admitted as he admired the brown and creme-colored Pokémon Egg in his arms, smiling at it.

And then-


"Our little secret-"


"Don't let him find out!"


"I'll name her Nova! Fits, doesn't it, Mom?"


"Ua kaumaha loa wau. Sun…Someday you'll understand."


Sun fell to his knees, his mouth open in a silent scream as a collection of memories slammed into him with the force of a freight train. Oliver, Penny, and Brago rushed to him, worried that he was hurt. But they saw the look of absolute horror on his face, and they realized that something far worse was happening to him. Something not physical, but mental, and enough to disturb Sun beyond comprehension. Sun slowly set the Egg down, his breath trembling as he tried to gain control of his emotions. He was failing miserably. Sun began hyperventilating, his breath ragged and strained as he clutched his face, his thoughts going haywire.

"NO. NONONONONONONONO! Thiscan'tbehappening! Not here, not now! It's not…It's gonna be okay. It's going. To be okay. This is a different one. He can't…No. I have to get rid of it. I can't think of it. It didn't happen. It's going to be okay. It didn't happen. It…did…not…happen…" Sun's thoughts ran wild, watching the Eevee Egg in front of him with growing terror. His mind rebelled and clawed at him, horror and rage and a scramble of emotions swirling within him as he tried to keep his grip on his sanity.

"Daar?"

Sun snapped his eyes open, seeing Oliver standing in front of him with a concerned look in his eyes. The sound of his starter's voice helped everything fall into place, reminding Sun that he was here in Alola. He was safe. He had his Pokémon. And this was a different time.

"Oliver…" Sun sighed as his Dartrix landed beside him, looking up at him with concern. Sun gestured for his Pokémon to come to him and he hugged them all tightly to him, trying to gain some comfort. Sun had no idea how long had passed when he finally let go of his Pokémon, shaking with the effort of remaining calm. Sun picked up the Egg and sighed deeply, trying his best to keep composed. All three of his Pokémon seemed very alarmed, which was understandable considering the breakdown Sun had suddenly had.

"I'll just give it to the first Trainer I meet or something. Maybe the Pokémon Center. Just…I can't keep this." Sun explained to his trio, who nodded understandingly. Maybe not quite understanding why Sun was deciding to suddenly give up the chance to nurture an Egg, but understanding that the Egg was causing him pain and that it needed to go.

Sun continued down the trail, his heart sinking as he continued to push that particular set of memories back. Forcing them to return to the deepest reaches of his head where they belonged. By the time night fell, Sun felt better and was back to normal, or at least normal enough to maintain the façade of being okay.

But he knew that this Egg was not going to be in his care much longer. He couldn't bare it…

Some memories were too painful to remember.


I wonder what that was all about…

Alrighty folks, we're forty chapters in! And that means I've got another poll coming your way!

So, here's my latest question.

What is your preferred starter Pokémon type? Fire, Water, or Grass?

I generally go with one specific Pokémon every time I start a new generation Pokémon game. I'm curious as to what you all will choose, so I'll end this author's note here. Next chapter we'll have the battle and official appearance of Gladion, which I'm looking forward to very much. And maybe another surprise.

Also, feel free to share your opinions on Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon in the review section, PM's, and all that good stuff. It'll take some time to digest the information I have now to see whether or not I'll include stuff from the game into the story, but I will get back to you all on that. I definitely have some ideas in mind.

As always, thanks for reading. If you could offer some feedback or support for the story in the form of a review, PM, favorite or follow, that would be fantastic. As shown with the perspective change bit with Oliver that a lot of you enjoyed last chapter, your suggestions and feedback make this story improve and grow.

Take care and stay awesome.

Until next time, FlygonNick out!