Pokemon Radiant Sun
Alrighty...We're back. Seriously. I mean it this time.
And what a way to do that on. Just barely past a year and we're at over five hundred reviews. That's incredible. We're not even a fourth of the way through the story and we're already well on the way to a thousand reviews.
Thank you.
So yeah, this past week has been...rough. Losing my computer, having a very challenging week in class, and then coming down with a terrible case of food poisoning that left me bedridden for almost 24 hours (I wish I was kidding). Thankfully this current week has been loads better, and I'm still rolling into 2018 with high spirits since I passed two important tests this week and I'm super excited about this chapter.
Shoutout to the glorious people who reviewed since the last proper update, which includes TheOneWhoSaysMeep, hafizsyaraf5 , Madame Rodoshe, Cottonmouth25, Angelfir3, a Guest reviewer, BouncingFish, BraviaryScout, DarkestShade73, SonicIKE, GeekyGamer314, Sai Og Sus, Gokan123, AncientHero200, and a new reviewer known as TheWhiteKnight2K16. Thank you all so much for the love and support. It seriously helps me with improving the story and brightening my day. Thanks for being so patient with me while I sorted out all of this computer stuff. Even if I'm only two days late, I apologize for the nonsense that's happened. Hopefully we'll be good from here on in, but I'll be sure to let you all know if anything else comes up.
I'd like to give an addtional shoutout to the fantastic BraviaryScout, who was the 500th reviewer for this story. Thanks for the continued feedback and support, bud, it's definitely appreciated.
So much so, I'm gonna plug your story.
Yeah, so there's this awesome fic by BraviaryScout called "A Hui Hou Kakou", which is a novelization of Pokémon Moon. It follows the travels of Elio (Sun) through the Island Challenge and the bonds he makes along the way, especially with a certain blond-haired heroine through the lens of Lillie's own thoughts. It's a fantastic ride that showcases the colorful culture of Alola with a twist that certainly goes above and beyond what I've seen in Sun and Moon stories so far. And that's including the fun and unique cast and great narrative going on as well. Anyone who enjoys RS should absolutely check out this one.
Also, I realized that I couldn't just include everything I wanted in the Battle Royal section of this story into one chapter, meaning I'm moving the cameo I had planned to next chapter, as well as some other stuff. Apologies, but it just works better that way in terms of keeping everything coherent. And because there was way more focus on Lillie and Gladion than I intended in this chapter.
Also, apologies for the absolutely terrible chapter title name, but just calling this chapter "Battle Royal" made me die a little inside. So I made something way worse.
I also had to upload the chapter twice because I forgot to delete the update I posted about my computer problems. So I uploaded the chapter, deleted both it and the update notice, and then re-uploaded this chapter. My bad for the confusion.
Now, let's get 2018 rolling properly with my longest chapter yet.
Enjoy.
Chapter 47: Royaling Some Battles
Lillie couldn't help her wide smile as Sun sat down next to her and Nebby happily cried out, flying around the room. Sun reached his hands out and Nebby flew into his arms, cooing a greeting to Sun as the boy hugged the Cosmog.
"Hey, little guy! Long time no see!" Sun said to Nebby, petting the odd Pokémon as it wriggled in his hands. "Have you been good for Lillie?"
"Surprisingly so, actually. He may very well be learning to behave himself after all this time with me. Now if he'd just stay in the bag…" Lillie muttered as Sun released Nebby and the Cosmog bounced around the room, overjoyed at having two of his favorite people in the same room.
Sun was surprised when Lillie scooted over to him and after a moment's hesitation, hugged him tightly around the chest. Sun felt warm spread through him and felt his face burn as Lillie hummed, her hair tickling his neck and her body pressing against his. Sun's mind went blank for a moment before he did the intelligent thing and returned his friend's embrace, hugging Lillie back.
"Like I said. You have the best hugs." Lillie said happily as they broke apart before she frowned, looking at Sun's flushed face. "Are you alright?"
"Fine. Just um...Kinda tired. It's been a long day. Traveling, dealing with Team Skull. Spending a bit of time here sounds good, to be honest." Sun admitted, hoping to deflect Lillie's concern. To his relief, it worked, with Lillie scooting up to the wall and nodding in agreement.
"I can imagine. Do you just want to sit and relax a bit? It's been a little while since we've read together." Lillie asked Sun, smiling at him. The Kanto boy nodded and reached into his backpack, pulling out a storybook he had grabbed from home and with that, the two children were happily reading in a comfortable silence.
Lillie wasn't exactly sure how much time had passed before she decided to stop for the night. She didn't want to put down her book, though, because it could possibly make Sun stop reading, and she didn't want him to move quite yet. She liked where he was, very close to her, and wasn't in a hurry to make him get up. So instead, she just daydreamed, thinking about the next few days. Sun and Hau would probably spend a good bit of time here, and with her, and that would be fun. She wondered what it would be like to travel like they did. She...had to admit the idea appealed to her, to an extent. And that surprised her. Maybe her friends were rubbing off on her. Lillie shook herself out of her thoughts and began to hum softly to herself. Crimson Dawn, her favorite band, had released another song just last week and it had gottenq stuck in her head.
Sun was just about to finish up the chapter he was on when he heard a soft whisper from beside him. He realized that, oddly enough, it was singing. And that Lillie was the one doing it. If that wasn't strange enough, Lillie was singing in another language, and what he was hearing was absolutely beautiful, even if he didn't understand a word. Sun glanced over at Lillie in shock and saw the girl had her eyes closed, fingers softly tapping out a beat to a song while she sang quietly to herself. Sun watched the girl, mesmerized, and forgot he needed to breathe. It was...spellbinding. Almost magical, in a way.
Lillie eventually ended her song and opened her eyes, and noticed that Sun had been listening to her. She was surprised that she wasn't embarrassed by this, like she figured she might have been. If there was any person she felt comfortable singing around, showing that part of herself to...It was the brave boy from Kanto that she cared so much about.
"You sing?" Sun asked after a few moments , surprised at this sudden revelation. Lillie nodded slowly, gazing away from him and looking thoughtful. Her shining green eyes took on a faraway quality, and Sun knew she was thinking back on her life before Sun. Before Hau. Before Nebby. The life she had run away from, much like he had fled from his own.
"Back home, I'd sing all the time. My...my mother taught me how to sing. She was overjoyed with how well I took to it. Better than I took to playing the flute. Her beautiful, singing princess. I'd sometimes spend entire mornings just singing with my mother while she worked in her office on paperwork and listened to the radio..." Lillie's voice ached with pain, her loss clear as day. Sun moved closer to the girl and wrapped an arm around her waist, giving her a gentle squeeze. To his surprise, she rested his head on his shoulder. Lillie may have been lost in her memories, but Sun wasn't. His heart was racing, and he and Lillie were close enough that he could feel Lillie's own heart beat beside him. He felt his chest bloom with warmth as Lillie sighed next to him, taking comfort in Sun's company as she struggled under the weight of her own pain.
"I wish I could see them all again...I miss them so, so much Sun." Lillie whispered, unable to help the tears forming in her eyes.
"Yeah...Life sucks like that, Lillie. I mean, despite everything he did, I miss my Dad sometimes...I miss him a lot, actually." Sun said quietly, surprising even himself to admit it. "He's a bad person, but he was still my Dad. He raised me. Taught me how to think. He didn't just teach me about running a business Lillie...he and Mom taught me how to be a good person. He's part of the reason I am who I am."
"Really?" came Lillie's voice, curious. Sun pressed on, eager to keep her from dwelling on painful thoughts of the past. Even if it meant that Sun would be dwelling on his own instead.
"Yeah. One of the things that sticks out the most is that he taught me that you should always treat your Pokémon like your family. Show them respect and kindness, and they'll show you the same in return. That's where their true strength comes from. That's why my Dad was such a good Trainer. He was powerful because of his love. I...Try to treat my Pokémon like that. Even when Oliver is being difficult, I treat him like I would a friend or family member, you know? Me and Oliver don't act all that different than Dad and Damien, really."
"Damien?"
"He's my Dad's starter." Sun explained, earning an understanding nod from the girl. Lillie remained quiet for a moment, thinking about Sun's remark. How he still had trouble figuring out his feelings about his father. There was still love there, Lillie could tell. Sun's father had been his child's world until a short time ago. Ashton had been Sun's hero. His idol. His inspiration. Then those dreams turned to dust and Sun's father's darker side was revealed, a villain lurking behind a smile and lies that he told to those who trusted him the most. Sun's home of Celadon City had paid the price because of this, and Sun would never forgive his father for what he had done to not just the innocents who had been consumed in the fires of Cipher...but to himself and his mother as well.
"He sounds...I honestly don't know what to make of your father, Sun. I mean, he was such a big part of your life and you're such a good person. But he did all those terrible things, and he abused you and I just...No one is that good of an actor, Sun. He sounds like a good person turned bad. Maybe he just made a bad decision?" Lillie said to Sun, who just sighed.
"I don't know Lillie...Can we change the subject, please? I don't want to think about him anymore." Lillie nodded, happy to do so. She didn't want to upset Sun, after all.
"I like that idea though. Treating Pokémon like equals. Friends. It's a good way to handle a team. I wonder...no…" Lillie trailed off, biting her lip. She shouldn't even entertain the idea, but it was one that oddly appealed to her. Especially if it meant that she had the chance to spend more time with Sun...
"What's up?"
"I can't help but wonder...what it'd be like if I had my own team. My own Pokémon."
"Lillie, it'd be so awesome if you had your own Pokémon team! We could have a battle and travel around and it'd be-" Sun cut himself off as Lillie began giggling softly, and the boy blushed in embarrassment. Maybe he had gotten a little carried away.
"Sun, you're more excited about this than I am. It was just a thought." Lillie admonished Sun, trying to stop herself from laughing. She was happy to see that he was already coming out of the dark mood that discussing Cipher or his father usually brought to him. She loved seeing him like this. Happy.
"Heh...Well, Princess, maybe the idea of traveling around with you sounds like fun!" Sun said as he crossed his arms. Nebby cried out an affirmative...or at least that's what Sun hoped it was. Sun enjoyed spending time with Lillie, but the idea of going on an adventure with her sounded amazing. Maybe along the way he could tell her how he felt…
He could do it right now. Sun could just tell her that he had a crush on her. That he thought she was a brilliant and wonderful person who meant so much to him. But...the thought was shoved back where it came from. He didn't want to ruin their latest reunion with something like that.
Lillie pulled away from Sun, smiling widely at him. "Well, Professor Kukui says that I can travel with you and Hau for a little while. He's working with Professor Burnet on the business with that rogue Totem Pokémon and Shadow Celebi, which he doesn't need me for. So that lets me travel with you and Hau for a little while!"
Lillie of course knew the real reason she was supposed to be traveling with Sun and Hau. She didn't need to be anywhere near the Aether Foundation and whoever they would send when Colress contacted them. It would be better for her and Nebby if she was in the capable hands of Sun and Hau. Despite their youth, both were shaping up to be adept Trainers and were more than able of protecting her should they need to. Besides...She loved spending time with her two closest friends. And she knew the feeling was mutual because of the massive smile Sun gave her before hugging her tightly.
"Seriously!? That's awesome! We're heading to Wela Volcano next! You can watch me and Hau do our Trial! This is going to be great!" Sun gushed excitedly, beaming at her. Lillie found it absolutely adorable, and couldn't help a giggle.
"Well, I'm glad you approve. I hope it isn't too much of a bother to have me tag along. Me and Nebby can't do much on our own and-" Lillie was cut off by Sun shaking his head.
"Nope. Don't wanna hear it." Sun said as he hugged Lillie again, laughing as Lillie squirmed in his grasp, laughing despite herself. Lillie eventually just gave up and settled into the hug, happy to be wrapped up in her crush's warm embrace again as she rested her chin on his shoulders.
"I missed you, you know." Lillie remarked quietly, with Sun laughing softly into her ear. The girl shivered slightly as Sun replied.
"We saw each other only a few days ago. Maybe a week?"
"Doesn't matter. I still missed you...That's okay, right?" Lillie asked, uncertain. Maybe she was being a bit clingy? Could she even be that way with someone she wasn't romantically involved with? She had no right to be. But she couldn't help the fact that without Sun around, she felt a pang of loneliness in her heart. His presence just made her heart beat a little faster and she felt a lightness in her step. She felt more brave with her shining knight standing beside her, urging her onwards. Telling her that no matter what she thought of herself, he knew that she was better than she thought she was. That she was strong.
Lillie and Sun were snapped out of their thoughts when the door was suddenly kicked in and a booming voice yelled, "Holy Arceus, I am one sleepy...Uh...That's about what I should have expected."
Lillie and Sun both jolted apart and looked at the boy in the doorway, who had his hands on his hips while a Pikachu and a Brionne laughed from beside him. Hau's face showed amusement and some other emotion that neither child could recognize.
"Should I leave you two alone?" Hau asked with a knowing grin. Lillie and Sun exchanged a look, blushed crimson, and then looked away from each other after scooting to opposite ends of the bed.
"Well, I just died a little inside." Hau thought to himself. Despite this, he grinned and said, "I've gotta say, Princess, it's great to see you again. Can I have some hugs for myself though? I mean, I thought we were friends too!"
Lillie hopped out of the bed and hugged Hau fiercely, and the boy admittedly felt a little bad at his choice of wording. He knew that Lillie would feel bad about showering Sun with all of this attention and ignoring him, but on the other hand, he couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. It really wasn't fair to him. But then again, life wasn't fair. So he had to just roll with it, as he always did, and enjoyed the fact that such an incredible girl was hugging him.
"I missed you too, you know." Lillie muttered to Hau, making him feel a little worse. Hau returned the hug with a chuckle, sticking his tongue out at Sun. The boy returned the gesture, grinning at his friend.
"I know. I just like messing with you." Hau remarked as he and Lillie separated and Hau walked over to his bed. The boy set up his Egg incubator on the nightstand and flopped down on his bed.
"Hau, you really should clean up before doing that." Lillie recommended to Hau, who just waved a hand dismissively.
"They clean these rooms every day. It's fine for one night." Hau replied carelessly, putting a pillow over his face. "Huh. This pillow smells like farts. Why?"
"Sun, any idea how to make him see sense?" Lillie asked Sun, who grinned as he pulled out a Poké Ball and released Oliver. Lillie smiled mischievously and gestured for Oliver to come closer to them.
"Go tell Hau hi, Oliver." Lillie said to the owl, who silently rotated his head to the boy lying down on his bed. Oliver then looked down at the Pikachu and Brionne nearby, who both backed away from the horrifying owl and shook their heads pleadingly. Oliver naturally ignored their concerns and flew over to Hau's bed before landing on the pillow resting over the boy's face, pressing his weight down on it and effectively smothering the boy. Hau frantically flailed about while Oliver hooted happily, with Lillie and Sun rushing to their friend's rescue. Lillie couldn't help the smile she wore the entire time…
She was back with her dearest friends, and couldn't be happier.
Lillie and Hau dragged Sun out of bed and forced him to go downstairs for breakfast that next morning. Feeding everyone's Pokemon became an interesting affair, considering Oliver kept giving Hau supremely smug looks while the other boy glared back at the owl. It was only when a familiar Trainer with crimson eyes sitting down next to them that this odd moment was broken up. Penny smacked Oliver upside the head and eventually the owl continued to eat.
"Hugh? What are you doing here?" Sun asked the older Trainer, who shot the children a grin.
"Training, of course. Aria's out with Noah and Vivian catching up and I had some free time. I figured I should check out the Battle Royals they have out here. Apparently they let just anyone sign up for the ones earlier in the day, but the ones at night are reserved for big name Trainers and those who have defeated at least three of the Kahunas in battle." Hugh explained as he crossed his arms, smiling at the excited expressions of Sun and Hau.
"Sounds like something both rookies and seasoned Pokémon Trainers can enjoy." Lillie noted before taking a sip of Moomoo Milk.
"Exactly. Usually it's tourists and those on the Island Challenge passing through who do the early stuff, while those wanting prize money or to show off do the later shows. I was planning on doing one myself sometime this week." Hugh admitted with a grin, showing how much the idea appealed to him.
"I think there's a big tournament coming up in two months or so." Lillie replied, thinking back. "It may very well be held here at Royal Avenue. It's definitely a good place for it, aside from the stadium back at Hau'oli City."
"Sounds like fun. I know Aria would want to get in on that. She had so much fun at the PWT with Wes back when it was around in Unova." Hugh said with a fond smile, making Lillie smile at the sight. She had seen quite a bit of the crew from Unova over the past few days, and it was heartwarming to see Hugh reunite with his long-lost love. It made her hope for her own prince to come along and…
Lillie realized where her train of thought was going and fought to keep herself from blushing. Or look at the boy from Kanto sitting beside her who absolutely fit that description like a lock to a key.
"Hehe, now I'm getting hyped. I wonder what kind of people we'd get to battle in a huge showdown like that?" Hau pondered with an excited grin on his face. Sun nodded, his own smile becoming eager for the upcoming tournament.
"And in a place like Alola, it'd bring in all sorts of people from all over the world." Sun remarked, adding a moment later. "Lana said that there was a Water-type specialist hanging out in the area."
"Really? Hmm...There's a lot of people who could fit that description. Probably a foreign Gym Leader. Only one way to find out, right?" Hugh said with a smirk, crossing his arms. At that moment Hugh's eyes drifted to the TV to their left and his expression turned from excitement to confusion.
"What the hell…" Hugh muttered as the three children turned around. Shown on the screen was a collection of people standing in a gladiator-style stadium, surrounded by a roaring crowd. The MC seemed to be a man in a bright pink suit carrying a massive inflatable bat while a Machamp stood beside him. Of course, a colossal wheel stood in the center of this odd scene, jet black and metallic and looking incredibly out of place. What made Hugh make the comment he did, however, was the fact that the MC had suddenly kicked the nearest contestant in the stomach.
"Oh hey, Wheel of Calamity is back on TV. I was wondering how that lawsuit thing worked out." Hau said with a chuckle, earning two horrified looks from Sun and Lillie.
"Lawsuit?" Lillie asked Hau, receiving a nod in response.
"Oh yeah. People kept complaining about the injuries and some eventually sued. The folks in charge of the show managed to talk their way out of it." Hau said as he watched a horrified man in a suit spin the huge wheel, eyeing the Machamp with fear.
"Is this one of those shows that humiliates and injures the contestants for laughs?" Hugh asked Hau as the wheel landed on some odd symbol that made the man let out a yell of anguish to the roar of the crowd.
"Oh yeah. Wheel of Calamity was super popular in Hoenn, and then they brought it to Alola. I'm just familiar with it, though. I don't watch much TV. I'm too busy being outside and having fun." Hau chuckled as Lillie and Sun laughed. Hau didn't seem like the kind of boy to sit inside and watch non-stop TV.
"Makes sense. Still, if this is what passes for quality TV in Alola, I'll have to say no." Hugh stated with a shrug, earning a playful glare from Hau.
"Hey, is the programming back in Unova any better?" Hau shot back at Hugh. The young man opened his mouth to speak, and then thought about his answer for a moment before he sighed and nodded, conceding that Hau had a point.
Hugh watched as the contestant in a suit was grabbed by the Machamp and hurled towards a rotating target several hundred yards away. The man slammed into the target which exploded into a cloud of confetti, leaving a dazed man covered in glitter and somehow, whipped cream, on a pile of mattresses. The crimson-eyed Trainer scoffed and asked, "What kind of sadistic retard watches this crap?"
"Guzma, Wheel of Calamity is on!"
"Damn it! I'm still making the popcorn. Plumes, record that shit pronto. I'm not going to miss the Nut Shot Challenge, you hear me?"
"Yeah, yeah...I'm recording it."
"We really should start heading over to the Battle Royal Dome. Mallow and Captain Kiawe are getting there early, and we shouldn't keep them waiting for too long." Lillie piped up, earning a nod from her male companions. With that, the group departed the Pokémon Center, stepping out into the blazing Alolan heat.
Conversation was kept light as the quartet of heroes made their way to the massive gleaming dome in the distance. When Sun asked if the people here were local or tourists, Lillie supplied him with information about his query.
For the most part, it was generally half and half. Locals were plentiful in the area, with many selling trinkets and merchandise that Sun had come to recognize after having lived on the islands for several months now. Trainers would spend time in the area and hone their skills or watch the battles that would go on in the hope to learn something from their peers. The path of the Island Challenge took Trial-goers through the city regardless, and that resulted in many local Trainers hanging around as well, taking in this welcome rush of civilization from the rough wilds they were used to.
On the other hand, many tourists came through the area, tending to keep away from the Routes and the paths that were generally taken on the Island Challenge. Only those approved by a Kahuna could undergo the Island Challenge in the first place, so it wasn't something often done by tourists. So the incoming people would flock to places like Hau'oli City and Royal Avenue for a good show and a colorful atmosphere.
Sun could see why people would enjoy this place. He could practically feel the excitement in the air, the roars of the crowd in the distance. Despite the blazing Alolan Sun overhead, multicolored lights blared in the distance as the monolith of a stadium rose above them. Sun was jerked out of his almost trance-like state when he felt Hugh tap him on the shoulder.
"Any chance I can chat with you for a sec?" Hugh asked Sun. The boy nodded and turned to Hau and Lillie.
"We'll get seats. Don't take too long, though. We don't want to miss any of the action! Come on, Lillie!" Hau said excitedly, charging forward. Lillie took a step after Hau, glanced back at Sun for a moment before she turned around and ran after her friend.
"That guy never slows down, even for a minute." Sun said with a small smile, shaking his head.
"It could be worse. He could just collide into you every other time you walk into a town or city and then fine you a bunch of money for the inconvenience. Or he could be a total prick. Or maybe even a collection of one-dimensional losers who do almost nothing for the plot of an otherwise fantastic game."
"Zzzt...Man, FlygonNick really doesn't like the X and Y rivals, does he?"
"But that's besides the point. I figured since you asked about it, I could give you an update on what's going on with Shadow Celebi." Hugh said to Sun, receiving a nod in response. He had almost forgotten about the battle he, Sina, Dexio, and Aria had against the corrupted Legendary. Sun had wanted to be kept in the loop regarding any information regarding it due to obvious reasons. As far as Hugh knew, it was because of Sun's vendetta against Cipher for attacking his home in Kanto. The real reason was something Sun wasn't sure if he was comfortable letting the Unovan heroes know about...how would they react to learning his father was one of the bad guys?
"Anyway, I won't beat around the bush. It isn't going very well. Colress and Professor Kukui aren't having any luck purifying Shadow Celebi. It's too dangerous to have awake, and that isn't getting us anywhere. Doesn't help that anyone who's involved with helping heal Shadow Pokémon are either missing or dead because of Cipher, and this Celebi in particular was the one who helped do this the old-fashioned way. So we're stuck." Hugh explained to Sun, who sighed angrily. "But, we've got a new lead that may help us out. The Aether Foundation."
"The Aether Foundation? Who are they?" Sun asked.
"I'm honestly not too informed about them myself. I just know they're big here in Alola and have influence all over the world. Apparently, they're good guys who help protect and rehabilitate Pokémon. Colress is going to try and get them to help us out and keep an eye on them while they do so. In the meantime, we need you and Hau to watch over Lillie since she can't be around the lab while these people are around." Hugh explained to Sun, whose expression of interest turned to confusion.
"Wait, why?" Sun asked, earning a shrug from Hugh.
"It's not my business. I respect that, so I don't ask questions. I wouldn't recommend bugging Lillie about it. From what I can tell, the girl doesn't like talking about her secrets that much. I think the only reason Colress knows what's going on is because Professor Burnet promised Lillie that the man could help her and Nebby. I think there's trouble brewing, but I have no idea what." Hugh said to Sun as he crossed his arms. "I'd say just focus on making sure Lillie has fun with you guys. We'll handle Shadow Celebi. Alright?"
"Sure thing. It's fun having Lillie hang out with us." Sun said to the young man, who gave him a grin in response.
"Oh really? And why is that?" Hugh asked with a chuckle, making Sun blush at the insinuation. Sun turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Hugh to jog after the younger Trainer while he laughed at the boy's embarrassment.
"Hmph...Why do I do this..."
Gladion eyed the rising stadium directly in front of him, scowling as yet another slack-jawed tourist carelessly bumped into him. He couldn't help but feel the excitement bubbling within him at the cheers of the crowds and the thought of battling stronger Trainers. It would definitely help him and Null on their journey...Perhaps that was why he was drawn here, despite the crushing despair that seemed a bit heavier than usual today.
"Every time something brings me down, I end up coming right back here again…" Gladion murmured, reaching down and placing a hand on the helmet of Type: Null. The beast itself was eyeing the crowd with unease, a soft growl coming from the strange Pokémon. Whether or not Gladion's hand on the creature's head was for his own comfort or for his partner's was something only he would admit.
He had been on his own ever since Demi had departed with Team Skull the previous night. Joining Team Skull wasn't exactly an easy affair, though Gladion didn't know the details himself, so it'd be a while before he'd see any of the Grunts that usually tagged along with him.
Gladion was a little disappointed at her decision, but wasn't shocked that Demi had decided to join the group. Considering her heartbroken and distressed state of mind at the time, finding solace in a group who knew her pain and offered her kindness and sympathy was understandable. She was a good person who had been given a bad hand in life, much like a good deal of Team Skull.
Though he was surprised to find that he missed the girl's company.
Having someone around who didn't feel the need to constantly belittle him was actually nice. Demi was pleasant and had been very civil to him despite how obvious it was that the rest of Team Skull hated him. Null had even liked her, surprisingly enough, and Null just about hated anyone who wasn't him. That said, it was probably better that she wasn't around him. This was his mission. He'd see it out alone. Anyone else getting involved would just be a distraction. And Demi had been quite distracting in just the short time he had known her...
Gladion had never been a people person. Much like his sister, he was comfortable around those he trusted and was sociable then, when he was younger. He had been safe on the island within the Paradise. He had been safe under the loving eye of his parents as they worked together to make the world a better place for both humans and Pokémon. He had been safe playing music alongside his little sister as the hallways of their home rung with the echoes of their joy.
And then his world fell apart.
Now he was alone, save for an experiment and his own determination. He would save them. He'd return home and make them see sense. He would bring his family back together. He had no other choice but to become stronger so he could face her down and end the insanity. Nothing else mattered.
Not even his own happiness.
"Come on, Null. Let's bury our sorrow in the crowd." Gladion said with a growl as he pulled out Null's Poké Ball and returned the creature, allowing Gladion to easily part through the crowd and enter the building proper, his shoulders slumped as he descended into his own lonely despair.
Sun saw Gladion slipping through the crowd, and Sun wondered just what sort of trouble the teen was up to. If he was lurking around, Team Skull wouldn't be too far behind. And with Lillie around...Sun knew he'd have to be extra careful. Hugh seemed to pick up on the strange teen's presence as well, watching him as he walked out of sight.
"That guy sticks out...Hmm." Hugh remarked lightly, receiving a nod from Sun.
"I met him the other day. He's with Team Skull, but I don't think he's...bad, necessarily." Sun said to Hugh, who nodded. The young man had met similar types before. Colress had given him the same vibe, truthfully. Not bad, but also not someone to be trifled with.
The duo made their way into the stadium and Sun was blown away by the shine and splendor on display in just the main lobby. Several massive monitors hung overhead, showing live footage from bouts earlier this particular week. A peculiar emblem of four fists (red, blue, yellow, and green) punching outward was decorating the floor and many colorful flags hung around the area, alongside the national flags of Alola and Akala Island respectively.
Sun had seen the Alolan national flag many times in his travels, but never bothered to ask about its significance. It was decorated in the colors of the sunrise, a beautiful mix of orange, blue, pink, with green embroidery around the edges and a single yellow flower in the middle. Akala Island's flag was pink with several flowers in it, intricate symbols flowing down the side of each of the flower petals.
Sun was snapped out of his gaze as he caught sight of Gladion leaning against a wall, glaring at his phone. He cursed under his breath and shoved it back into his pocket before he saw Sun watching him from nearby.
"Oh great. If you're here, then that cheerful annoyance of a friend of yours is lurking nearby as well. Just when my day couldn't get worse." Gladion sighed as he closed his eyes, not seeing the expression of anger on Sun's face. Sun glanced to his side and saw that Hugh was oddly gone, but that just meant that Sun could settle this one-on-one with Gladion…
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about my friend like that." Sun said firmly to Gladion, who scoffed.
"Hmph. Some friend. He doesn't have an ounce of self-respect for himself or anything that he does. A light-hearted idiot like him couldn't be serious even if someone's life depended on it." Gladion replied, though he stopped when he caught sight of Sun's glare.
"Just because Hau lets himself enjoy life, unlike your miserable butt, doesn't mean you get to talk about him like he's trash. He's my friend, and last time I checked I beat you handily. So I'll ask again. Stop talking that way about Hau." Sun said to the teen, stepping closer to him. Gladion glared down at the younger Trainer, his green eyes matching Sun's intense gray stare. After a moment Gladion shut his eyes and stepped away, shrugging.
"If it means that much to you, I'll lay off. Don't see why it does, but whatever." Gladion muttered as he returned to his spot on the wall.
"You don't have many friends, do you?" Sun asked the serious teen, who shook his head in response.
"I don't need friends. I don't need anyone. I have a mission and I have to become stronger in order to see it through to the end. Everything else is a distraction." Gladion growled aloud, though it seemed more to himself than anything else. Sun frowned at the teen's words, because...that was so sad.
Sun had been like that himself, to an extent, though not entirely from his choice. He had been so absorbed in his father's world that he had neglected himself as a person because of that. It was only when he was brought to Alola that he had understood what he was missing out on. Friendship. It was what spurred him on. Comforted him. Helped him grow. To see someone isolate himself willingly from such an important part of life in the pursuit of strength was really sad to hear.
"It really isn't. You'd be amazed at what good a few friends can do." Sun said with a small smile to Gladion, who scowled at Sun in response and stepped forward.
"I can't afford that luxury. Someone like you and that Hau brat wouldn't understand what real suffering is like." Gladion growled at Sun, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the wall.
"Oh really? Wanna bet?"
Gladion's eyes snapped open as anger burst into his heart, his mouth opening to retort, but his words died on his lips as he saw the expression Sun was giving him. Sun's storm-gray eyes now showed a deep sorrow to them that Gladion knew very well, a sorrow that was hidden from sight behind a facade of happiness. It was the same sort of gaze that Gladion saw looking back at him whenever he looked into a mirror. Somehow, this little punk knew exactly the kind of hell that Gladion had been through. The suffering of watching someone you loved become a monster and ruin everything you once held dear. Gladion's expression softened and he shoved his hands into his pockets, watching Sun thoughtfully. He closed his eyes, swearing under his breath. Finally he opened his eyes and addressed Sun.
"You understand." Gladion said quietly, and Sun couldn't quite tell what all was in those words. Relief? Sadness? Anger? Pity? Contentment? "I...Right. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed."
"I'll take that as an apology, and it's fine. You didn't know. But...seriously, man. Think about what I said." Sun said to Gladion, who shut his eyes in response.
"Glad you could make it!" a familiar voice boomed from above, startling Gladion and Sun and making both Trainers look up in surprise. Grinning down at them from above was a tan-skinned man wearing a pair of black pants with white knee-high boots, a colorful belt of Poké Balls around his waist. His mask was blue, green, yellow and red and showed nothing but the man's mouth and excited black eyes.
The man walked down the stairs, hands on his hips, and joined them on the ground floor. He turned to the two Trainers and said, "I'm here today, yeah, to spread word about the Battle Royal! Oh yeaaaah!"
The man jerked a thumb to himself, his smile widening to an almost frightening degree. "They call me...the Masked Royal! Woooo!
"Professor Kukui?" Sun asked, surprised to see the Professor in such an odd outfit. Okay, maybe not surprised. More like mildly confused and wondering whether or not he could exit the stadium without coming off as rude.
The man shook his head in response, his smile fading and becoming a bit more serious. "The Masked Royal! I'm here to teach you, oh yeah, about the ancient and fierce battle format passed down in Alola for generations. The Pokémon Battle Royal, woo!" Royal said as he approached the two Trainers, regarding them with excitement.
"Sir, can we get to the part where you abandon me defenseless in the middle of nowhere again?" Sun asked the man, this time earning a twitch of the eye from the Masked Royal. Gladion looked at Sun in surprise before looking at Kukui.
"Wait, he did what?" Gladion asked Sun.
"My first day here in Alola, he left me to fend for myself on Route 1 while he sprinted off ahead. Thank Arceus the path had no wild Pokémon, but the fact remains this guy has a really bad track record when it comes to keeping an eye on children." Sun explained to Gladion, who shook his head in disgust. He was certainly glad that no close family members of his were under the direct supervision and care of this masked weirdo-
Oh wait.
"You know, interrupting people is rude, yeah?" Royal said in a deadpan tone, eyeing Gladion and Sun with an expression that implied bad things would happen if they continued giving him grief. So Sun and Gladion decided that being silent may be good for their health.
"'But Royal, what's the Battle Royal?' You may ask." Masked Royal said, smiling slightly. "Well, that's an easy one."
"Four Trainers!" Royal was grinning again, his excitement in just speaking about a battle almost palpable. "Four Trainers pick three Pokémon for one big Pokémon Battle, oh yeah! When one Trainer's team can't battle anymore, yeah, the Battle Royal ends. Whichever Trainer has taken out the most Pokémon and has the most Pokémon left on their team will emerge the winner, woooo!"
"That sounds really fun. Is that all there is to it?" Sun asked, smiling a little.
"Of course not. Here at the Battle Royal Dome, you can switch up the battle to include all kinds of rules to make every showdown a challenge. Different arena styles, weather condition simulators, the works. This is a state-of-the-art arena, cousin, so be prepared for a wild ride. First thing's first, though. You've got to take the step and give it a shot! Pick a Pokémon and let's do this!"
"I'm in!" Sun said with an excited grin.
"About time you got here, Slowpoke!" Sun looked up to see Hau grinning at him from above. "I left our favorite girl with Mallow and Kiawe so I could come find you! Whatcha doing hanging out with that stick in the mud?"
"Bite me."
"Dude, I wouldn't let my Pokémon bite you. I'm scared they might catch whatever nastiness crawled up your ass." Hau shot back, surprising Sun and even Royal with the vulgarity in his language. Hau then caught sight of the Masked Royal and his jaw dropped, an excited gleam coming to his eyes as he leaned up against the railing and grinned.
"Dude, is that the Masked Royal?" Hau asked.
"No, it's Professor Kukui." Sun replied, making Hau blink in response.
Gladion stepped away from Masked Royal, who was silently fuming in anger. Maybe it would be a good idea to stop antagonizing a man who could break their limbs with ease. Sun seemed to catch onto this as well, and said to Hau, "No man, I'm kidding. You should join us, though!"
That seemed to placate the Masked Royal, because he smiled slightly and looked over at Gladion. "You there! Come join in on the fun!"
The man then pointed at himself, chuckling softly. "Of course, I'll be in the mix too. So now we have our foursome! Woo!"
Hau let out an excited squeal of joy and hopped up and down on his feet. Sun grinned at the excitement of the upcoming bout. Gladion just sighed, wondering if it was still too late to just leave.
"Discovery! New experiences! Adventure! It's all yours if you want it! It's time for a Pokémon Battle Royal! Reeeeeady...Fight!" Masked Royal proclaimed as he ran ahead of them into the main tunnel. Sun jogged after the man while Gladion followed at a more sedate pace. Hau of course sprinted down the stairs, fell down the last three, and then ran after them while laughing the entire time.
"You enjoying yourself, Lillie?" Mallow asked as she passed the girl in question her nachos. Snacks were a must when it came to events like these. And when you were rolling with Mallow, they were even more essential. Somehow.
"I like the atmosphere. It's different, but nice." Lillie replied with a smile and a nod. Lillie looked over at the dark-skinned Captain wearing red pants sitting on Mallow's other side and asked, "You're familiar with these events, aren't you Kiawe?"
The Captain responded with a nod. "Of course. I'm a regular here. It's a good way to represent Alola to the tourists coming through as well as scout out talented Trainers."
"Speaking of, when's Lana coming by? She's late!" Mallow grumbled, looking around for the blue-haired Captain.
"She's a busy girl. She'll come, though. She hasn't let us down yet." Kiawe said firmly before he gestured to the battlefield ahead of them. "Instead, we should focus on the battle."
The MC in charge of the Battle Royal today had already explained the rules and such to the audience. Today's showdown would have the following rules. Each Trainer would be using one Pokémon each and the battle wouldn't end until there was just one team remaining. Last Pokémon Standing, was what the MC had called it.
"Now here come the contenders for our latest Battle Royal!" the MC boomed, with the crowd roaring in excitement.
"Coming in first is a Trainer hailing from the far-off region of Kanto. Taking the Island Challenge by storm in his new home, this boy is becoming another one of Alola's shining stars! Give it up for Sun!"
The boy waved to the crowd from the Green Scyther Corner, with Brago standing in front of him. The dog was eyeing the other Pokémon on the field with a cool expression, ready to show them the power of himself and the boy he called his Alpha.
"Next off, we've got another equally bright Trainer who greets life with energy and joy! Give it up for Melemele Island's pride and joy, Hau Pakelaai!"
Hau laughed as Cassy bounced up into the air beside him, with the boy and his Pokémon exchanging a hi-five as the crowd cheered for the Alolan-born boy in the Yellow Haxorus Corner with much more intensity than they had Sun.
"We've got a celebrity gracing the minor leagues this morning, folks, with a man who's battling spirit is only rivaled by his even more incredible midriff! The Masked Royal!"
The man struck a pose with a wide grin, letting out a battle cry as his Rockruff happily barked to the crowd, who exploded with excitement and adoration for the Alolan celebrity standing in the Red Charizard Corner. Lillie couldn't help but smile as she saw the happy look on the man's face. It was clear that while he loved his job, he loved being a hero for Alola even more. The Masked Royal was gaining more and more popularity with every passing week, making a name for Alola in the world.
"It's nice to know that even a man as strong as him can still chase his dreams…" Lillie thought happily before she turned her eyes to the final contestant and-
Lillie's eyes widened in absolute shock, her body going rigid as the next contestant stepped into the Blue Gyarados Corner. He had grown taller since the last time she had seen him, his clothes were ragged and his hair had grown out to an alarming degree...But it was still him.
"And finally, we have the mysterious Trainer who commands an even more mysterious Pokémon. This fierce young man looks like he means business, folks! Give it up for Gladion!"
Gladion crossed his arms as the Pokémon beside him let out a feral roar that made the audience cheer in response, eager at seeing such an impressive and intimidating beast ready to battle.
Lillie gripped her knees tightly, her knuckles going white as hot tears streamed down her cheeks, with Kiawe and Mallow looking on worriedly. But she didn't care about them. The only thought that was going through her head was that her big brother was safe.
"He's okay...thank Arceus he's okay." Lillie thought as she hugged herself tightly, a sob escaping her with a broken smile on her face as watched Gladion glare down the other opponents. She was unable to hold back the overwhelming sense of relief. She had thought that the name Sun and Hau had mentioned just the other night was a coincidence. But it wasn't. He was here. He was okay. He was safe.
But why did he look so unhappy? And why did he have one of those strange monsters from the Paradise with him? Was that what he had stolen? No wonder mother had been so angry...
"I'm so sorry I'm late!"
Lillie barely registered Lana's arrival, which was met with a hug from Mallow and a smile from Kiawe. Lana sat down beside Lillie and cocked her head as the girl slowly wiped her eyes, a sad smile on her face.
"So what was that about?" Mallow asked Lillie, leaning forward as the girl in white grabbed a nearby bottle of water and took a sip, attempting to calm herself.
"It's...it's a long story." Lillie said quietly, folding her hands in her lap and preparing herself to watch the showdown below.
"The Battle Royal starts...Now!"
"I'll start this one off, boys. Rockruff, use Rock Throw on Growlithe!" Royal yelled, going into a stance more fit to wrestle someone than to battle. The dog barked in reply and released a barrage of rocks that went hurtling towards Sun's corner.
"Brago, dodge and hit him back with Ember!" Sun ordered Brago as the dog bared his teeth at the attack coming his way and raced towards it, dodging and weaving and managing to avoid every single rock before releasing a burst of fire that slammed into Rockruff, dazing the Pokémon but not doing much damage.
"Null, get in there! Tackle!" Gladion barked as he clutched his arm, wincing in pain as his expression darkened. Type: Null bellowed in response, lunging forward and slamming into Rockruff, knocking the dog aside. The rock hound flipped in midair and without a command releasing a barrage of rocks at the monster, who took the attack head-on.
"Brago, use Bite on Type: Null!" Sun called to Brago, who rushed forward and clamped down onto the beast's hide leg, swinging him down to the ground with a massive heave of effort to the roar of the crowd. Brago growled as Type: Null swiped at him with its claws, rushing forward and hitting the Growlithe with a powerful Tackle.
"Aqua Jet, Cassy!" came a shout from Hau, and Sun grinned as a Brionne smashed into Type: Null from above, knocking the beast sideways before flipping through the air and landing gracefully onto the ground.
"I ain't letting you have all the fun. Cassy, Water Gun on Rockruff!" Hau called out to his starter, who shot a burst of pressurized water at the nearby canine, receiving a yelp of pain from the dog.
"Psh. We're not wet behind the ears, Hau. Why'd ya have to do that?" Royal joked before he snapped his fingers. "Stone Edge!"
Rockruff landed on his feet with a growl and howled, creating a series of glowing spires of rocks that shot towards the Brionne and knocked her high into the air.
"Null, get that Brionne! Use Aerial Ace!" Gladion barked, throwing his hand out. Type: Null crouched low before charging forward, a white glow surrounding it before the beast shot into the air faster than anything Sun had ever seen, smashing into Cassy and sending her crashing onto the ground with authority.
"Brago, hit that thing with Flame Wheel!" Sun called to Brago, who nodded and called forth his flames, rolling towards Type: Null and hitting it from the side. Brago landed on the ground with his teeth barred, only to get bitten by Rockruff and thrown into a nearby pillar of rock from earlier.
"Use Reversal on Rockruff!" Sun called to Brago, who nodded and rushed towards the other canine. Meanwhile, Hau was just trying to take in the scene of absolute mayhem about them, with Cassy watching the fight carefully, waiting for a command as she panted slightly from the beating she had taken.
"Man, this is like, organized chaos...And it's awesome!" Hau boomed, laughing gleefully as he bounced on his feet. He punched his fist outwards, his Z-Ring flashing in the lights. Cassy back-flipped through the air and landed beside her Trainer, beaming happily as Brago dropped to the ground, panting and struggling to get back up and Rockruff and Type: Null clawed and bit at each other.
Hau began striking a series of poses in perfect sync with his Brionne, waving his arms in a swaying motion before he let out a yell, the energy flowing between them and uniting their souls for one powerful attack.
"Cassy, channel Aqua Jet...and use Hydro Vortex!" Hau bellowed, his bright grin never wavering as his Brionne shot into the air with a joyful cry, water flowing around her and as a massive twister roared to life around the Pop Star Pokémon.
"I wasn't expecting that!" Sun yelped as Brago growled at the swirling water as it loomed above. The roar of the crowd begged to differ, however, as they were absolutely loving the Z-Move on display.
"I call a momentary truce. We survive that Z-Move!" Gladion called to Royal and Sun. Sun scoffed at that. He'd rather Hau win than either one of the other Trainers. Royal seemed to have no such reservations, because he gave the fierce teen a thumbs up.
"Haha, not so fast Hau! Stone Edge!" Royal called out, punching outwards as Rockruff howled loudly. Brago and Type: Null crouched low as Rockruff created blue pillars of stone to protect them from the water rushing towards them.
"Full-power, Cassy! Let's wash out these dorks!" Hau cheered as Cassy collided with the blockade of rocks, smashing through them with ease and washing past all three of the other Pokémon. Brago had enough sense to run in the other direction while Type: Null and Rockruff braced themselves for the hit, allowing Cassy to deal direct damage to both of them. Type: Null crashed onto the ground with a howl but forced itself upright with a great heave of effort. Rockruff was knocked out completely, leaving the competitors down to three.
"What an upset! Hau has defeated the Masked Royal!" the announcer boomed as Hau giggled to himself, crossing his arms.
"What was that about me being second-rate?" Hau asked Gladion as the teen watched Royal return his Rockruff in shock. The fierce boy snapped out of his gaze and turned to Hau, scowling.
"I never said you weren't good. You're still a sorry excuse of a Trainer. Null, Tackle!" Gladion barked as he threw a hand out. The monster roared in response and lunged forward, quickly making his way towards Cassy, who had landed on the ground and was panting slightly. The Brionne's eyes widened before the beast slammed into her, knocking the Pop Star Pokémon skyward.
Type: Null leapt into the air with a great burst of speed, hitting Cassy with Aerial Ace before slamming down onto the ground, walking over to the Brionne and pinning her to the ground. The monster took a Water Gun to the face, but it just applied pressure to the Pokémon's chest.
"Come on, Cassy! Shove that thing off!" Hau yelled to his starter, who squirmed as Type: Null growled at the Brionne. Then, all of the fighters were surprised when a raging ball of flames suddenly smashed into the side of Type: Null, sending the Pokémon toppling to the ground.
Brago landed onto the ground next to Cassy, giving the Brionne a friendly bark in greeting. Cassy slowly rose up, giving the Growlithe a grateful look in response before both turned forward, preparing themselves as Type: Null rose to its feet with a groan.
"Thanks for the assist, buddy." Hau said to Sun, laughing as he bounced on his heels.
"What else are friends for?" Sun said to Hau, giving him a thumbs up. Gladion grit his teeth at the blatant double-team going on threw out an arm.
"Fine! Me and Null will take you both out! Null, use Aerial Ace on Growlithe and Thunder Wave on Brionne!" Gladion barked out, with the monster roaring in response and charging forward with a great burst of speed.
"Brago, withstand the hit and use Reversal! Dig in deep!" Sun yelled to his Growlithe, who took a deep breath and braced himself. The strange Pokémon hit the canine with the force of a speeding car, sending the canine skidding backwards across the arena. Brago lowered his head, falling to the ground for a moment before catching himself, throwing his head up and revealing two crimson glowing eyes.
"That's so wicked...Now return the favor! Reversal!" Sun shouted. Brago charged forward and let out a snarl, his body flaring red and white, and slammed into Type: Null. The beast howled in agony as the super-effective attack, which had only hit harder because of how weakened Brago was at this moment. Type: Null tumbled to the ground but rolled to its feet awkwardly, panting slightly.
"Water Gun, Cassy!" Hau shouted.
"Null, dodge and use Aerial Ace on Growlithe!" Gladion yelled to his beast, who charged forward with a great burst of speed, easily dodging the gush of water sent its way. Brago was sent crashing senseless to the ground before Sun or Brago could react, and that was enough to end his run.
"Ouch, and with a display of speed and power, Gladion has eliminated Sun from the contest! Now we're down to a one-on-one match!"
"Looks like we've got a rematch." Hau breathed excitedly, his smile not wavering. Gladion didn't reply, instead just gripping his arm, his expression pained.
"Null, get in close! Full-power Tackle!" Gladion snarled, with Type: Null doing the same as it charged forward. Cassy and Hau remained still, allowing the monster to get closer. Sun and Royal watched the pair, wondering what they were waiting for.
Hau grinned, snapping his fingers. As if following a cue, Cassy slammed her tail into the ground and flung herself high into the air, twisting like a ballerina as the lights shined down from above.
"I've been itching to try this out! Cassy, use Toxic!" Hau shouted to his Brionne as she flipped in midair, having dodged Type: Null's attack with ease.
"What!?" Gladion shouted as Cassy's mouth opened and a purple gush of liquid erupted forth, coating Type: Null below from head to toe. The beast snarled in response, its body glowing faintly as the foul substance began to seep into its body.
"I like to switch things up a little sometimes. No one would ever suspect a Fairy-type to have a Poison-type move, huh, Edgy?" Hau teased the boy with a wide grin as Cassy landed on the ground. Gladion hissed in fury as Type: Null groaned, shaking its head slowly as if to clear it.
"Null, hang in there. Use Thunder Wave and follow up with Aerial Ace!" Gladion called out to the beast, who responded by releasing a loud roar and releasing a shockwave at the Brionne, who couldn't dodge the move in time and was hit directly by the attack. Cassy winced as the paralysis kicked in, but cried out as Type: Null slammed into the Pop Star Pokémon and sent her flying across the stage.
"I didn't expect you to go down without a fight. Man, this is fun…" Hau breathed, feeling his heart pumping like crazy. This was the kind of thing he lived for. But man…
Did he really want to put this jerk in his place.
"Cassy, how're you holding up?" Hau asked his Brionne, who responded with a happy cry, even as her body began to glow a harsh blue color. This showed Hau that not only was show pretty low on strength, but that her ability, Torrent, had activated.
"Let's wrap this up. That big dumb freak of his is on its last legs." Hau said perhaps a bit too loudly, because Gladion gave him a nasty look.
"Don't you dare call Null a freak!" Gladion bellowed, stepping forward with a look of absolute hate on his face. Type: Null growled weakly, twitching as the poison flowed further and further into its body.
"Gotcha. I'll just wrap this up instead. Cassy, use Aqua Jet!" Hau yelled to his starter. The Brionne inhaled deeply, struggling against the paralysis that had set into its body. Water then flowed around the Pop Star Pokémon, propelling it forward through the air.
"Intercept with Aerial Ace!" Gladion roared as Type: Null took a shuddering breath and dashed forward, leaping into the air to meet Cassy. The two collided and a shiver of force reverberated through the arena as the two Pokémon struggled for dominance. Gladion and Hau watched on, silently hoping for the victory that proved them right in this battle of wills. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the power shifted.
Type: Null let out a groan as its body twitched in pain from the toxic fluid running through its veins, giving its opponent the opening she needed. With a cry, Type: Null was shoved backwards, with Cassy smashing into its stomach and sending the beast toppling through the air and crashing down onto the ground. Gladion yelled out to the beast, worry on his face, but it was clear that the monster was out cold. Cassy landed on the ground with an exhausted yet happy smile on her face, with Hau whooping from his position in the Yellow Haxorus Corner.
"And with a magnificent clash, we have our winner! Hau Pakelaai, ladies and gentlemen!" the MC yelled to the roaring crowd as they cheered for Hau. Royal and Sun clapped enthusiastically for the boy as he ran forward and hugged his Brionne, holding her up and waving to the crowd as they shouted his name.
"Why…" Gladion said softly to himself, returning his Pokémon. "Why is it never enough...What's wrong with me? It can't be Null. It tries so hard. I've given up so much. What else much I sacrifice to get the strength I need?"
"Ooh...Gladion." Lillie muttered, seeing the shocked and upset look on her brother's face. He had always been a bit of a sore loser. She hoped he wouldn't take the loss too personally. It was just a bit of fun.
"That was incredible! Mallow, did you see Hau pull off that Z-Move! He did it perfectly!" Lana gushed excitedly as she stood up. "I haven't seen a Battle Royal like that in months!"
"They were definitely something. I look forward to seeing that same burning passion during my own Trial." Kiawe said with a chuckle, rising to his feet as well. Mallow threw her arms around her three friends and said, "Kiawe, why don't you go down to greet them? Give them your whole deal. Me and these two adorkable gals have some boy teasing stuff to take care of."
"B-boy teasing stuff? What for?" Lana asked, sounding terrified. Lillie was scared as well, because Mallow could be relentless when it came to her jokes. Especially when it came to boys.
"Yeah, there's no chance in hell I'm staying behind for this. Lillie, it was nice to see you again. Lana, I want a text when your Egg hatches. I know you'll do just fine with it." Kiawe said as Lana hopped up and hugged her friend, who returned the favor. Kiawe flicked Mallow on the nose, earning a yelp in response, shook Lillie's hand and wished her luck before he walked off.
"Ow...meanie. Anyways, speaking of…" Mallow's face turned into a horrifying grin, and right now the two younger girls wished they were anywhere but within her grasp right just then.
The quartet of Trainers emerged from the tunnel and walked into the lobby, with Sun exchanging a fist bump with Hau and laughing.
"When did you teach Cassy Toxic?" Sun asked his friend, who giggled.
"Honestly, I got the idea from Demi. She said that after watching Oliver kick my butt, that I needed a good counter to him. So she loaned me a TM or two and here we are." Hau explained, earning a surprised look from Gladion.
"So...You're her friends then. I guess I was right. Small world." Gladion muttered, an odd look coming to his face. Hau caught this and glared at the boy.
"Yeah, dude. Friends. I know its a foreign concept, but its a thing." Hau said dryly to the boy, making Gladion step up to Hau with a snarl escaping his lips.
"Kid, I'll drop your ass right here. I don't even need a Pokémon to do it." Gladion hissed before Royal and Sun pushed the two boys apart.
"Hey, calm down there you two. We had fun out there, right?" Royal said with a laugh, trying to downplay the situation. Sun and Hau both nodded while Gladion stepped away, still scowling at Hau. "See, it's easy to have a fun time with Battle Royal. Woo! You even have a shot at beating real tough opponents this way, yeah? The three of you were outstanding out there. Real Island Challenge Champions in the making, I think."
"You were on fire during that battle."
All four Trainers turned to see a red-haired Trainer with dark-skin watching them with a passive look on his face, though a small smile was visible. He wore red and black sandals and a pair of red shorts, leaving his muscular chest bare. An ornate necklace was wrapped around his neck.
"I hope you bring that fire with you and burn up my Trial. It'd be disappointing to see anything less after a showdown like that." The young man spoke, his calm voice clearly showing the power and respect this Trainer commanded despite his youth. Sun had a feeling who this man was, but just waited for the introduction to come. As expected, the young man walked over to them and said, "By the way, the name's Kiawe. I'm the Fire Captain."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sun. This is Hau and Gladion. And the Masked Royal." Sun introduced the rest of their group.
Kiawe nodded and said, "You can get to Wela Volcano Park through Route 7. I'll be waiting at the peak for your Trial. If you plan to see your Island Trial through to the end, then climb to the top with your strongest team!"
"We can handle the heat. You and your Totem better be ready for us, Kiawe!" Sun shot back to the Trainer, who chuckled at the retort. With a wave, the Captain departed. The group watched the young man leave, but before he had even exited their line of sight Masked Royal swung around with a wide grin.
"Man, what a great day! I'll be doing these battles all day long, so to start the day with such a great match makes me pumped!" Royal boomed, laughing loudly. This was met with a chorus of cheers from fans in the lobby, who Royal waved to.
"I'll be signing autographs outside in twenty minutes!" Royal called to the fans. This too, was met with more cheers. The masked man turned to the young Trainers next to him and said, 'So, Sun. Hau. How are your Trials going? I hope you and your Pokémon have been working hard and having a blast!"
"But Mr. Masked Royal...How did you know that we were doing our Island Challenge right now?" Hau asked, cocking his head in confusion. He then blinked and grinned, "Oh! I know! It's because you saw our amulets, right?"
"Absolutely." Royal remarked, grinning back at the boy.
Hau laughed, putting his hands behind his head. "Well, I'm having a blast! But…" Hau's expression of happiness faded and he crossed his arms, looking over at Gladion. "Why are you even here? Why would you even wanna do a Battle Royal?"
The fierce teen walked away, seemingly brushing off Hau's question. However, he stopped a few feet away and moved his bangs aside with his hand, staring off ahead as he sighed deeply.
"Because...Null and I have to make it on our own. And I don't want to forget that." Gladion said quietly, turning around to face them. "Strength is all that matters. This is the path we have to follow. We didn't have a choice. We didn't have a say. But...this is our life."
Gladion turned around and took another step forward, but had one last thing to add.
"By the way, Team Skull is getting more active in the city around here. There's even some of the nastier people from their group hanging around. The Bone Brothers in particular have been targeting people all week in violent attacks. You three are strong, but...Stay away from them. They're not to be trifled with." Gladion warned them, glancing back at them and showing them with his eyes that this was a sincere warning.
He walked away without another word.
"Wow...You're just a ray of sunshine, eh? I bet you'd have a lot more fun if you just let yourself have a good time like everyone else." Hau muttered, a small smirk on his face. Hau's attention was diverted by the arrival of Lillie, who was bolting down the stairs with a manic look on her face. She ran over to them, her eyes darting all over the place.
"Where...No...I missed him?" Lillie sagged her shoulders, sighing unhappily. Sun and Hau exchanged a look as the Masked Royal hummed behind them and slipped away, thinking about the exchange he had just seen. He'd be asking a few questions around town.
"Missed who?" Hau asked, curious.
"No one…" Lillie muttered, straightening up and shaking her head. She gave her friends a smile, though, and said, "You two were wonderful. Hau definitely stole the show, though. Teaching Cassy Toxic? Ingenious!"
"Demi gave me the idea. I've gotta say, it's something I definitely plan on working into some strategies. Sun's got a few cool tricks up his sleeves too, from what I heard from Lana. Something about Oliver defying the laws of reality and using Protect as an attack?" Hau asked the boy with a skeptical look on his face.
"Hau, I still don't get it either. It's Oliver, okay? This crap just happens." Sun replied, earning a roll of the eyes from Hau and a laugh from Lillie. Sun caught sight of Lana and Mallow walking down the stairs and waved them over to join them.
"You two were hot stuff out there!" Mallow said, greeting both boys with a hug. Lana did the same, blushing slightly as she broke away from Hau.
"You two were holding out on me and Washua! And Hau, you mastered my Z-Move perfectly! It was incredible!" Lana praised the tan-skinned boy, who chuckled softly.
"I mean, it was Cassy who did the work. I just did the dance thingy. But I'm glad you liked it." Hau said to the girl, who nodded. "So, here's my question. Who wants lunch?" Hau asked the group. Sun declined, not really feeling like eating. Lillie and Mallow had eaten snacks during the battle, so they both politely said no. Lana, who had gone straight to the Battle Royal Dome from her duties as Captain, accepted as she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Hau and Lana bid the group farewell, with the two of them walking off in quiet conversation.
"I absolutely ship those two." Mallow said happily, a goofy grin on her face.
"Hau and Lana? Really?" Lillie asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you mentioned it earlier, but I don't see it."
"Lana hasn't shut up since she got Hau's phone number and Hau was a sweetheart to her when she was dealing with the whole Totem crap. I'm going to do everything in my power as Lana's bestie to help her win Hau's heart and get her first boyfriend!" Mallow declared loudly before Sun interjected.
"Or just let it happen naturally and leave them alone? I mean, Hau's a good guy. Maybe he'd just learn to like her on his own." Sun pointed out, with Mallow crossing her arms with a pout.
"Damn logic...So what are you two going to do now?" Mallow asked her friends. Sun had no ideas, and Lillie suggested shopping, which was an idea Mallow was all over.
And that's how Sun got dragged into going on a shopping spree with two adorable girls.
Lillie was about three hours into their shopping spree before she had to take a breather.
Though she felt a bit bad for leaving Sun alone with a frenzied Mallow, who had been making Sun carry all of their purchases, the white-wearing girl needed a bit of time away. She liked to look and see what places had to sell, but rarely did she indulge and buy things for herself. Mallow, however, wouldn't have any of it. Thanks to the Captain, Lillie had bought several scarfs, a pair of sunglasses, and a new swimsuit despite the fact that she had just bought one a short while ago. Lillie also got a few new books and more sheet music so she could practice her flute with Sun. And of course, she got Nebby's favorite Pokémon food and a few snacks for her favorite little ball of joy.
Lillie walked down the sidewalk, taking in the day. Cloudless sky, blazing sun, and a cheerful atmosphere. She walked down the path, humming to herself with a smile on her face. She was having a wonderful day so far. She had spent the entire day with her friends. She had gotten to watch an admittedly exciting show and learned that her brother was okay after all this time. And best of all, she got to go traveling with Sun again!
So as passerby saw the girl walk down the sidewalk, they saw her beaming with happiness as she ordered a smoothie from a nearby vendor and sat down in a chair outside a store, enjoying the shade of the umbrella she was underneath. With a cry, Nebby wriggled his way out of Lillie's bag and hopped into the girl's lap. Normally Lillie would be annoyed, but Lillie was in too far good a mood to be cross at the Cosmog. Instead, Lillie offered the Pokémon a taste of her drink. Nebby happily accepted, but made a face when he tasted the drink.
"Huh. Not a fan of Banana Splash? I learn more about you every day." Lillie giggled as she hugged Nebby close to her, not seeing that a Murkrow was eyeing her and Nebby with greedy eyes overhead. The bird flapped away, leaving the them alone.
It wasn't much longer before Lillie threw her empty cup away and began her trek back to Sun and Mallow, feeling refreshed and ready for more shopping. She felt a little guilty for not getting them smoothies as well, but they would have been pure liquid by the time she reached her friends and that wouldn't have been good for anyone. She'd just buy them a snack later, she decided, as she began to make her way down the sidewalk back to the main shopping district of the city.
However, Lillie forgot one very important thing.
She was a magnet for trouble.
"Back into the bag you go, mister. We've got to get back to Mallow and Sun. I can't leave him with her all day...He's my hero, not hers." Lillie said with a soft laugh to Nebby, poking the Cosmog on the head from within her bag. Nebby cooed in agreement as Lillie zipped up her bag. However, as she passed an alleyway, a foot stuck out and tripped her, sending the girl toppling to the ground. Nebby's bag hit the ground, making the Pokémon cry out in distress. Lillie yelped as she hit the ground but looked up, alarmed at Nebby's plight. The girl got to her feet with a wince of pain and took a step towards her bag, but three figures suddenly cut her off. Lillie looked up at them and gasped, taking a horrified step back.
It was obvious that whoever these jerks were. They were part of Team Skull. They wore the ensemble that the group wore, and had the skull symbols and everything, but what was unusual were the tattoos inked on their arms and the fact that they wore long-sleeve shirts with broken and mutilated bones displayed. Each of the Team Skull members were much taller than her, and with a start Lillie realized that unlike most of Team Skull, this identical trio was comprised of adults. One of whom scooped up Lillie's bag containing Nebby, chuckling softly as he did so.
"Gotta say, bros, picking off the losers from that last Battle Royal was a great idea. Some easy Pokémon, whatever nice stuff they had on them. Good stuff. Now we can add whatever's in this bag to our loot from today." Grunt A remarked, shaking the bag his partner was carrying. He was surprised when Nebby cried out from within the bag, making the three brothers laugh in delight.
"Never heard a Pokémon like that. Boys, I think we may have made bank." Grunt C laughed as he checked his watch. "And we still have an hour before we meet Axen's crew with the new girl and head back to Po Town with that Teleport."
"I hope the Boss taped Wheel of Calamity. I love that show!" Grunt B said excitedly, earning two nods of agreements from his brothers. With that, the trio of thugs turned to Lillie.
"Heh, we'll thank you kindly for your bag, girly." Grunt C said with a chuckle, slinging the bag around his shoulder. Lillie lunged for her bag desperately, but was pushed backwards onto the ground harshly by the man in question.
"Seriously? Like, you think your pre-teen ass can handle the Bone Brothers? We're the backbone of Team Skull, little girl. The hardest, roughest of the group next to the Boss himself. So do yourself a favor. Run. And maybe we won't have to hurt you." The Grunt growled, bending down and making a very rude gesture in Lillie's face with his middle finger before he stood to his full height and turned away. The three men ran down the road, with Lillie watching them in mute horror for a moment before she hopped to her feet and gave chase.
"Come back!" Lillie called to the Team Skull Grunts, who laughed as the hurried down the sidewalk. Lillie forced herself to run faster than she ever had in her life, even as her legs burned and her lungs gasped for air as she sprinted after the criminals. She had to save Nebby. She had to stop them from taking her precious Cosmog. If Nebby was hurt because of her, she'd never be able to forgive herself. To Lillie's surprise, she actually managed to catch up to the trio as they slowed down to take stock of where they were.
"Weren't we supposed to meet here?" Grunt A asked his brothers.
"Hell if I know, yo."
"Damn, this is-" Grunt C yelled out as a girl suddenly threw herself at the bag dangling from his shoulder, trying to snatch it back from him.
"This girl's got spunk!" Grunt A remarked as Lillie and Grunt C had a tug-of-war of sorts with her bag. This ended when the Team Skull Grunt ripped the bag from Lillie's grip and laughed in her face as Lillie tumbled forward.
"Please, give me my bag back! It's important to me!" Lillie yelled as she got to her feet, her expression pleading. The Grunts laughed in her face, with Grunt C putting a hand over the strap of Lillie's bag to ensure it wasn't ripped from his grasp again, with Nebby crying out in distress.
"You know...I don't appreciate little kids who don't know their place." Grunt A said lightly, though the glare he was giving the girl standing opposite of them told her that his intentions were anything but.
"Whatcha thinking, yo?" Grunt C asked his cohort, earning a soft laugh in response.
"Let's teach this brat a lesson in respect, boys." Grunt A said as he cracked his knuckles. The man's brothers nodded in reply and advanced towards the girl, who was quickly shoved to the ground as the trio laughed at her. Lillie shut her eyes, and-
"Don't you idiots have better things to do than threaten a little girl?"
Lillie opened her eyes slightly before they widened in surprise. Standing between Lillie and the thugs was the man that Lillie had encountered twice now. He was a massive monster of a man, clad in a torn leather jacket and worn clothes with barely healed scars all over his body, but he seemed in control of himself this time. It didn't make Lillie any less scared of her current situation, however.
The three Team Skull Grunts eyed Jack with thinly veiled surprise and what Lillie realized was fear. One of them even took a step back, letting out a small groan of annoyance.
"Not good…" Bone Brother B muttered, crossing his arms.
"Shit...Nah, who're we kidding? We've got this!" Bone Brother A breathed with a cocky gleam in his eyes, drawing three Poké Balls from his belt. His two brothers turned to him with a horrified expression.
"Yo, are you serious? That's the goddamn Commander! You think we can take him on?" Bone Brother C asked, sounding nervous. Lillie just listened on, her mind racing at the scene playing out before her.
"Absolutely. Don't forget all the extra training we've done, guys. Guzma would be so proud of us if we picked off Commander Jack." Bone Brother A shot back, giving Jack a cruel grin. The man himself eyed Team Skull with a bored expression, before he glanced back at Lillie. Jack regarded Lillie for a moment, recognizing her now as his haunted eyes widened slightly.
"You were with the Professor the other day. Hmm...You. Girl. Did they steal that bag from you?" Jack asked Lillie slowly, carefully, as if he was still considering what to do. Lillie managed to nod in reply, and Jack looked back at the three Team Skull Grunts.
"Didn't I warn you that there were dangerous people on this island, girl? I told you to watch your step. Kids these days never listen, even when you go out of your way to give them advice. Team Skull loves easy targets just like you." Jack muttered, sticking a hand into his pocket and sighing deeply before addressing the Team Skull Bone Brothers.
"I can't very well let you morons walk away like this. Hand the girl back her bag and be on your way. I've got an old friend to meet in a few minutes and I'd rather not be late." Jack said to the trio of Grunts, who stood their ground. Jack shook his head with a small sigh. "I warned you."
Jack strode right up to the three men without a moment's hesitation, reaching out and ripping the bag from the Team Skull Grunt's shoulders. The thug let out a yelp and tried to grab the bag back, but a swift kick to the chest sent the man to the ground, a crack sounding out.
"Agh...m-my chest...shit!" Grunt C hissed, quickly getting helped to his feet by his brothers. Lillie wasn't an expert, but she was almost certain that the Grunt was sporting some cracked ribs. She wondered if she asked Jack nicely, he'd kick the Team Skull Grunt again so he'd break a few more...
"Last warning. Get out of here." Jack said to the surprised gangsters before he turned to Lillie, offering her the bag with Nebby inside. "Here. Take your bag and get to a safe place. Preferably one full of people so these clowns won't try anything bold."
Lillie accepted the bag and let out a sigh of relief. She unzipped it slightly and saw Nebby looking up at her in confusion and fear, but a pat on the head from Lillie comforted the small Pokémon and showed him all was well. Lillie looked up in surprise as the three Grunts drew closer, anger flashing in their eyes.
"Hell no! We stole that fair and square!" Bone Brother B growled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small switchblade. Lillie felt cold fear creep into her at the sight of the weapon. Jack seemed unphased, however.
"Maybe. I stole it right back. Now leave. Or else." Jack said simply, eyeing the three men with a tired expression. Lillie wondered what was going through the man's mind right now. After seeing him so angry and upset the last time they had met, it was odd seeing the man helping her against Team Skull, and so calmly too.
"Yeah right, old man! There's no way you're in any state to battle the backbone of Team Skull! Drapion, Trumbeak, Magneton! Let's show this broken dog who really owns Alola!" Bone Brother A barked, releasing three Pokémon at once. All three of the thug's Pokémon took up attack positions. The man's other two brothers exchanged a glance before they stood beside their brother and released their teams. Bone Brother B had a Scyther, Torracat, and a Golbat while Bone Brother C had a Gumshoos, a Bagon, and a Tentacruel while a Murkrow landed on his shoulder. The Pokémon all prepared themselves to attack the seemingly defenseless man, who eyed the Pokémon with dull interest.
"It's true...Right now, the last thing I should be doing is battling. I'm in a pretty bad place, I'll admit. But I've never been good at doing stuff that's good for me." Jack shrugged in reply, sighing deeply and looking down at the ground.
"Girl. You should really get out of here. This may get a little rough." Jack breathed as he looked back up at the Bone Brothers, a wicked grin coming to his face that sent shivers down everyone's spine as he put his hands into his pockets, making no move to defend himself from the gangsters. Lillie took a step behind the man who had saved Nebby from the clutches of Team Skull, unable to tear herself away from whatever was about to happen. Jack laughed softly, glancing back at Lillie with a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
"Another laugh out of me. Not bad, little girl. Don't you worry none. This battered dog still has some bite left in him." Jack said to the girl before he turned forward, his smile widening deviously. The man's shadow beneath him suddenly twisted and distorted as it began to expand outwards from him, forming a sinister face with a single glowing red eye narrowed evilly at the criminals standing in its way.
