Pokémon Radiant Sun


So this site has had a really crap week. Hence why I re-uploaded last chapter a second time, because people haven't been getting notifications and everything is all screwy.

This Totem Battle was a blast to write. Like, best one yet. I imagine that they'll be even more hardcore once Sun gets another Pokémon or two. I'm proud of this one, and I hope you all enjoy it. Because in the game, I lost twice to the Totem before finally being able to put it down. Hence the problems I mentioned I had from the last chapter. Also, I did get some questions from last chapter, however, they'll be answered in this chapter so I won't do a Q&A thing for them.

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes Anasazi Darkmoon, Cottonmouth25, hafizsyaraf5, Madame Rodoshe, Sai Og Sus, BraviaryScout, Gokan123, SonicIKE, and a new guest reviewer known as You Know Who. Thank you all so much for your support!

Enjoy.


Chapter 51: Totem Battle! A Will of Fire!


"He doesn't trust me one bit. Understandably, of course, considering who I said I will be working with soon." Colress thought as he reviewed the equipment at his disposal. Gladion and his Pokémon watched the scientist from the other side of the room with a guarded expression. They were inside the, thankfully air-conditioned, mobile lab that had been established by the Aether Foundation.

"What is all of this stuff?" Gladion asked in a low voice, his eyes not drifting away from the man in front of him. Colress chuckled softly, turning around to face him.

"The device I'm currently preparing to use allows me to perform detailed scans of a Pokémon's cellular structure. There's a bit more to it, but that's just to start off and I'll not bore you with a lengthy explanation you wouldn't understand. I'm hoping to get a general background of what sort of Pokémon Type: Null is, and then we'll go from there."

Colress turned around and regarded Type: Null thoughtfully, in particular paying attention to the strange helmet the beast was wearing. "This Pokémon really is quite something. Powerful. Slow, but capable of overcoming that weakness with that right training. Did you get it from the Aether Paradise?" Colress asked the teen standing across from him, earning him a hard look.

"How do you know all of this?" Gladion demanded. Colress' smile faded and he looked away, sighing.

"If you must know, it's mostly because of your sister. The rest was an assumption. Based on that response you just gave me I was correct." Colress replied, glancing at the boy as his expression turned to shock.

"Lillie?" Gladion whispered, his voice shaking slightly. "She's here?"

"If by 'here' you mean away from the Aether Paradise, than yes. She is. She's currently in the care of some friends of Miss Wicke, safe from those who wish to bring her home. Meanwhile, I have been enlisted to help that brave little girl save her family." Colress explained to the teen, who just stared at him.

"How…" Gladion trailed off, unsure of how to take in this information about his sister. On the one hand, he was glad that Lillie had managed to escape their mother's grasp and was within the care of friends of Miss Wicke. Gladion knew that the woman was one of be few trustworthy people he had left in his life. If Lillie had escaped the Paradise, she definitely would have used the same person to help her leave that he did. If Colress knew all of this, then maybe Gladion could trust him for now.

On the other hand, he was worried that if Lillie were found, she'd be in danger. When he had left, his mother's mental state was declining. He shuddered to think what it was like now, nearly two and a half years later and after losing control over both of her children.

"Rest assured that your sister is safe. She's made many friends who are more than willing to protect her from those who wish her ill will. Including me. I know a good deal of your story and wish to help how I can. It was Lillie who told me who you are. Tracking you down was simple after that." Colress said to the teen, who visibly relaxed.

"Does that ease your suspicion of me?" Colress asked the boy, receiving a scowl in response.

"Yes. If Lillie trusts you...then I'll do the same. But rest assured, if you hurt Null during any of this, I'll kill you. That goes for also ratting us out to the Aether Foundation. You mentioned you were helping them with something." Gladion said to the man. He was shocked when Colress burst out laughing. The scientist braced himself against the wall, giggling as he struggled to catch his breath. Eventually he calmed down and noticed the angry teen glaring at him.

"What's so funny?" Gladion demanded.

"The fact that after all I've been through, a child like you thinks they're capable of killing me. I have too many things to help fix. Too much to do! I won't allow myself to die, Gladion. I'm sorry, but you wouldn't stand a chance against me in a Pokémon battle or an actual fight." Colress explained with a wide smile.

"You want to bet?" Gladion challenged the man, stepping forward. In response Colress raised a gloved palm that flickered with a crimson light, forming into a ball of energy as a low hum filled the room. Type: Null and Zubat moved protectively in front of their Trainer, who growled in anger at the scientist.

"Not at all. I have no wish to kill you. But keep in mind, you really shouldn't goad someone who is stronger than you. As you saw a short while ago, I can easily defeat you with the weakest Pokémon on my team, and I dodged your initial attack with ease. It'll take a lot more than a teenage boy to kill me." Colress said to Gladion, though the scientist smirked and added, "Even if I have been defeated by a child in the past. But it was for the best, anyway. Nate taught me a valuable lesson that I have used to better myself."

Gladion didn't answer to that. Instead, he was in thought as to what he had learned. Lillie was away from the Paradise and in the care of trusted friends. Gladion couldn't help a small sigh of relief as he reflected on that fact. Lillie was away from their mother and was safe. Gladion was seriously debating asking the scientist for Lillie's location, so he could see his little sister, but he decided against it. It was better she wasn't involved, since things would get dangerous for him once he confronted those at the Foundation.

And as much as he missed her...

He couldn't afford to be distracted. He had to harden his heart and become stronger, and believe that his sister could survive the trails to come without him. He'd stop their mother on his own and bring their family together again. And for that he needed to learn more about his partner…he couldn't do this without Null being as strong as possible.

So he would have to play along with Colress, for now, and trust that for once something would go right in his life.


Wela Volcano Park

Totem's Den


The volcano shook as the Totem let out a bellow of fury, even as Rotom Dex began playing the intense music that always accompanied these battles. The beast stood on two legs, towering above Sun as it narrowed its eyes. The Totem then fell to all fours, letting out a screech of fury as it's tail thrashed about behind it, pink flames flitting along the length of it before the Pokémon stood once more, a powerful aura suddenly exploding forth from the massive lizard that sent Sun skidding backwards with a grunt as Oliver struggled to remain upright in midair.

"Rotom, what is that thing?" Sun asked, glancing around as he saw dozens upon dozens of Salandits all watching him and Oliver with narrowed, focused eyes. As if awaiting a command.

"Zzzt! I've got your back buddy! Scanning...Got it!" Rotom yelled out as it flipped towards Sun.

"Salazzle. The Toxic Lizard Pokémon. For some reason, only females have been found. It creates a reverse harem of male Salandit that it lives with. Filled with pheromones, its poisonous gas can be diluted to use in the production of luscious perfumes. That Totem just got a massive boost to her Special Defense thankzz to her Z-Power!" Rotom explained to Sun, who nodded and turned his head forward.

"That thing looks like big trouble. Even more so than the other Totems. Anything special about it?" Sun asked the Rotom Dex, who buzzed for a moment.

"Zzzt! Well, I know that itzz a Poison/Fire-type and that it's pheromonezz are super strong. Male Pokémon and even humanz can be affected by it. So be on your guard!" Rotom warned Sun as the boy smirked.

"Really...Man, we got our work cut out for us here. That's why it's all the more important to start out strong!" Sun yelled out as he held up his Z-Ring, which shimmered and then began to glow. Oliver let out a screech as energy suddenly engulfed him, filling him with Sun's thoughts and emotions. He was almost overwhelmed by the amount of confidence and faith that his Trainer had in him for this fight. Sun and Oliver began striking a series of poses in perfect sync, surprising David and Kiawe as they watched on.

"He's using a Z-Move already? What is he playing at?" Kiawe muttered, crossing his arms. David chuckled, putting his hands behind his head.

"I think get it. He knows that his Dartrix is weakened a bit from the Trial, and doesn't stand a good chance against the Totem. So he's planning on dealing as much damage as he can with Oliver, his Pokémon with the biggest disadvantage against the Totem, before he gets knocked out. It's pretty clever. He planned this all out well." David explained with a wide grin. Kiawe's eyes widened at this, but then he smiled as well. Sun completed the Z-Move as Oliver let out a screech, energy flowing from Sun into the Dartrix.

"Oliver, channel Tackle...and use Breakneck Blitz!" Sun yelled out as Oliver hooted loudly, sprinting along the ground as quickly as it could, quickly drawing close to the Totem Pokémon. Salazzle roared and opened her mouth, preparing to unleash a blast of fire, but it was too slow. Oliver slammed into the chest of the beast , creating an explosion of force that sent the massive lizard flying backwards with a loud hiss.

"Alright! That's how we do it!" Sun yelled out with a laugh, with Oliver shivering as the energy he was given dissipated and left him. Oliver hooted as he watched the Totem Pokémon rise to her feet, flinching in pain and holding her chest. The Totem snarled softly before she opened her mouth and fired a torrent of purple liquid at the Dartrix.

"Oliver, dodge!" Sun yelled out, but the owl was too slow to dodge the disgusting fluid racing his way even as he tried moved out of the way, the liquid washed over him. Oliver landed on the ground with a hoot, eyes widening in pain as he tried to flick the liquid off of himself with a frantic look in his eyes.

"Oliver, focus on the fight and use Pluck!" Sun yelled to the owl. Oliver didn't show any sign of hearing him, and Sun realized just how distressed Oliver was at being coated in a toxic fluid. "Oliver! Knock it off and get back in there!"

"Zzt! Dartrix are known to be sticklers about their appearance and their feathers. I don't think Oliver is any different. They get really, really upset if they're not looking their best at all timezz. It can distract them in battle. He probably hasn't even noticed that he's been badly poisoned." Rotom explained as Oliver desperately tried to preen out the liquid that had seeped into his body, only to get more poison in his beak.

"Oliver, stop it!" Sun yelled to his Starter, who continued to ignore him. Sun looked ahead at Totem Salazzle, who was watching with amusement. The beast then let out an echoing roar, and one of the many Salandits slithered forth to join their mistress in battle.

Sun scowled at that. He needed Oliver back into the game, but that wouldn't be possible with him acting like this. Sun quickly dug out an Antidote, sprinted over to Oliver, and sprayed it over the Dartrix. The owl stiffened in surprise as the medicine took effect and managed to calm down, his eyes returning to their normal state as the poison on him vanished.

"Oliver, you can't freak out like that. This is a Totem battle!" Sun said to Oliver, who flinched at the scolding. Nevertheless, Sun sighed and looked over at the Totem staring them down from across the battlefield.

"Just stay focused, okay? I'm counting on you." Sun said to his owl, who stared up at him for a few moments before slowly nodding. Oliver took flight again, soaring towards the two lizard Pokémon waiting for them. Both of them opened their mouths and released blasts of fire at the owl, who dodged the first one from the Salandit but couldn't dodge the Flame Burst that smashed into his chest and exploded, making Sun scream out in concern as the owl plummeted out of the sky.

"Oliver!" Sun screamed out. The Dartrix crashed onto the ground with a thud, but was moving not soon after that, panting in pain from the battles it had already been through and being hit with such a strong attack. The Dartrix screeched at the Salazzle, which let out a sound that could only be described as a laugh before closing her eyes and sighing deeply. Pink poison suddenly began seeping out from the Toxic Lizard Pokémon's body, filling the air around them and making all of the Salandits around her stiffen in response.

David and Kiawe exchanged a look and David pulled out two gas masks from his pack, which the two of them both donned. Sun raised an eyebrow in confusion, not seeing this, but pointed at the lizard despite the incoming gas.

"Oliver, Leafage! Blow that gas away!" Sun called to his owl, who clapped his wings hard and released a leafy blast of wind that made the gas disperse. "Follow up with Pluck!"

Oliver shot towards Totem Salazzle, slamming into the massive lizard and making her snarl in pain. The Totem opened her mouth and released another blast of toxic liquid, drenching Oliver again and poisoning him. The Dartrix screeched in horror once again as he was badly poisoned for a second time, but that was before the Salandit released a series of purple liquid blobs from the markings on its back, hitting the distracted Oliver in the chest.

Oliver's screech from before was nothing compared to the scream of agony that Dartrix released as he went soaring back towards Sun, who watched the owl hit the ground beside him. Fear gripped his heart as he rushed over to his Starter as the Dartrix thrashed on the ground, yelling out Oliver's name in worry.

"Sun, that attack wazz Venoshock! It's a Poison-type attack that does twice the damage on an opponent that's already poisoned, zzt!" Rotom informed Sun, who felt the horror in him intensify. Oliver was a Grass-type who was already weak to Poison-type moves. Add onto that the damage he had already taken…

Sun then blinked as, Oliver, to Sun's amazement started to stand back up. The Dartrix was eyeing the Salazzle with agonized fury burning in his one eye that was open. The Dartrix was surprised when Sun stepped in front of his Pokémon.

"You're not battling anymore. Not after that." Sun said firmly to Oliver, who hooted angrily in protest, but swayed on his face, shuddering as he fought against the poison in his system. Sun turned to Kiawe and said, "Can I leave him out so I can treat him? I won't use him again."

"I'll allow it. However he cannot assist you or your other Pokémon in any manner or you will forfeit the battle." Kiawe replied as he looked over to Totem Salazzle, who had been approaching the owl with flames dropping from her mouth. "Salazzle, that Pokémon is being withdrawn. Stand down."

The Totem Pokémon straightened up and huffed at that. The Salandit at her feet rubbed his head against her leg, receiving a small pat in the head in response. Sun wasn't paying attention any of this, though, and was treating the heavy damage his Starter had taken and healing his poison. Oliver was shaking with indignation at being removed from the battle when he was still good to fight, but then he caught sight of the worried look on Sun's face as he stood up.

"I'm sorry. I've been relying on you way too much lately. Worst yet, I've been putting you against Pokémon that having huge advantages against you. Just...let the others finish this. Okay?" Sun said to the owl, who watched him for a few moments before slowly nodding. Sun faced forward, eyeing the Salazzle with the burning aura that was eyeing him with annoyance.

"Brago, let's go!" Sun yelled out, calling out his loyal Growlithe. The Puppy Pokémon crouched and growled at Salazzle and the horde at her beck and call, hitting them all with his Intimidate ability.

"Bite on Totem Salazzle!" Sun yelled out to the canine, who rushed forward. Salandit and Salazzle snarled in response, firing off streams of toxic liquid and globs at the canine.

"Flame Wheel! Burn right through those streams and keep on going!" Sun commanded as Brago raced forward, a fierce glint in his eyes as flames surrounded him, allowing him to smash through the Venom Drench and Venoshock that had been sent his way and allowed him to land right next to the Salandit. Brago lunged forward, grabbing the smaller lizard by the tail with his teeth. The Salandit screeched in pain, but this soon stopped as Brago whirled around and threw the Salandit into Totem Salazzle, who had been approaching with a mouth full of flames. The Totem roared in protest as her minion smashed into her chest and knocked her to the ground.

"There we go! Nice work, Brago!" Sun yelled to the canine, who barked happily at the praise. The canine then crouched low as Salazzle rose to her feet, fury in her eyes as she threw aside her fallen Salandit and rushed forward, hissing furiously.

"Brago, watch out!" Sun warned the canine, who leapt back and avoid a slap from the lizard's massive tail. The Salazzle released a Flame Burst at the canine, knocking him backwards as the flames exploded beside him. The Growlithe landed on his feet, gritting his teeth in pain but otherwise showing no sign of damage.

"Use Thief!" Sun yelled to the Growlithe, who nodded sharply before his eyes glowed black, with the canine leaping forward as a black trail of energy followed his wake. Salazzle swung her tail at Brago, but the canine managed to drop to the ground to dodge it before jumping into the air and snatching a berry held in Salazzle's other hand with his teeth. The canine dropped to the ground and gobbled the berry whole, grinning at the Totem who's item he just stole and ate.

Needless to say, Totem Salazzle was not happy about this. The beast roared, with two Salandits joining the battle along with their mistress. Brago scoffed in response before crouching low, not intimidated in the least. Both lizards scuttled towards the Growlithe, who bared his fangs and looked up at Salazzle, who winked at Brago. Sun blinked in surprise as several pink hearts appeared the Totem Pokémon and floated towards Brago, who's eyes widened in horror.

"Isn't that…" Sun realized what was going on and yelled, "Brago, use Ember on those hearts!"

Brago responded by spewing forth fire at each of the hearts, determined not to let a single one effect him. However, despite his efforts two of the hearts ended up hitting the canine, making his entire body stiffen in response to the move.

"Agh...Now he's infatuated thanks to Attract. Just great." Sun muttered, face-palming. He had learned about this move during one of his many reading sessions with Lillie. Attract was a pretty annoying move, and could be used to devastating effect. Sun watched as Totem Salazzle approached the canine and drew back of her arms, her hands glowing light green as her claws elongated, a massive grin on the Totem's face.

"Brago, dodge! That's Dragon Claw!" Sun screamed at the canine.

Brago was currently in his own little world right now. The overwhelming wave of sheer happiness he was feeling right now was indescribable. He was beside the most beautiful creature in existence, and she loved him. And he loved her. He'd happily let her win the battle they were fighting. It didn't really matter all that much to him anyway. They could spend time together after the battle, perhaps. Yes, there was no other Pokémon he would rather be with-

Wait...No, that wasn't right.

Brago's mind partially regained control as the thought of another Pokémon came to his mind.


Brago sighed in contentment as the sounds of the waves crashed in the distance. He was currently lying down in contentment, enjoying some time off after training and recovering from the assassin's attack on him. He could see his Trainer, his Alpha, speaking with the loud friend and the cheerful friend of his, while the quiet friend of his Alpha currently sat beside him and another Pokémon that was currently curled around him.

"You seem happy." Winter murmured, opening an eye and looking at Brago as the canine regarded her with a small smile. The Alolan Vulpix seemed to be trying to take a nap, but couldn't manage it. Understandable, considering the heat of the day and the loud noises being made by the children nearby.

"I am happy. I am alive. And now I get to travel with new allies and a Trainer who shows a great deal of strength." Brago admitted, smiling at the Alolan Vulpix beside him. Professor Kukui's newest Pokémon had become a quick friend to the canine, for reasons he wasn't sure of. He had never met an Ice-type Pokémon before, and he always imagined he wouldn't like them should he ever encounter one. However, he was admittedly quite stricken by the icy fox curled around him.

"Fair enough...I will miss your company though, Brago. The Professor is pretty erratic and a voice of reason after dealing with all of that is so refreshing." Winter sighed, closing her eyes. Brago thought about her words for a time before he smiled to himself. The canine moved closer to the Vulpix, making her open her eyes slightly before she released what Brago had done. The snowy fox smiled and nuzzled the canine beside her, enjoying the warmth his body gave her just from being in close proximity to her.

"I will miss you as well, my friend. But let's just enjoy this moment together, hmm?" Brago murmured, closing her eyes. Winter hummed in response, smiling happily at Brago's words. She closed her eyes just in time for Sun to join Lillie underneath the umbrella, so that they could all enjoy each other's company.


Brago's mind was torn. On the one hand, Totem Salazzle. The other, the endearing Vulpix that he called his friend. Brago crouched low as flames whirled around him and the canine lunged forward, slamming into Totem Salazzle before she could unleash her attack. Brago landed on his feet, shaking his head back and forth as he focused on thinking about Winter. To his relief, the intrusive presence of Attract began to fade and the Growlithe was released of his infatuation as he continued to think about the Alolan Vulpix.

"Ha...Now that's impressive." Kiawe mused, smirking at the Growlithe.

"How on earth did he break free from Attract?" David asked, amazed at this development.

"Some Pokémon are affected worse by Attract than others. On the other hand, some are able to break free from its effects with sheer force of will, or if their hearts are committed to another. I'm not sure which applies to Brago, but I do know that Totem Salazzle is going to have to try something else." Kiawe explained as the canine barked out in anger at Salazzle. The Totem roared in response, rushing forward as her claws glowed green.

"Dodge and use Flame Wheel!" Sun yelled out. Brago jumped back as Totem Salazzle attacked, lashing out with a series of swipes and slashes as the beast snarled in fury that her spell over the canine had been broken. Brago was grinning the entire time, enjoying the Totem's frustration as he dove forward and delivered a flaming tackle to the chest of the Totem. Salazzle staggered backwards, but lunged forward and raked her claws against Brago's side, making the dog howl in pain as he went soaring across the stone stage they were on and crashed heavily on the ground thanks to the power of Dragon Claw.

"Brago, are you alright?" Sun called to his Growlithe. Brago was slow to reply, shakily getting up as he winced in pain at the powerful attack he had just taken. The canine looked to Sun and nodded before focusing his glare on Totem Salazzle. The massive lizard hiss softly, and at her command her two Salandits rushed forward to attack Brago.

"Use Bite and get those lizards out of your way! Then use Bite on the Totem!" Sun yelled to Brago, who nodded and charged forward. The two Salandits rushed for Brago, with the both of them raising their claws and raking the dog's body with two Scratch attacks while Salazzle watched from afar, snarling softly as her underlings attacked the canine.

Brago growled in fury as he sank his teeth into the nearest Salandit, making the lizard screech in pain before he swung the lizard into its partner, knocking the first one out and sending the second to the ground. Brago used Thief on the second Salandit, knocking it out as the other Salandits hissed at him in displeasure.

"Saaaahhh!" Totem Salazzle roared, her aura burning even more brightly than before. The Totem suddenly swung her tail at the ground, smashing the rock beneath it as the creature breathed a massive plume of fire.

"Sun, that thing knowzz Flamethrower! Watch out for that!" Rotom yelped as it hid behind Sun, who grit his teeth in worry. He didn't like having Brago get so close to that Totem, but his Fire-type attacks were little to no help and his Fighting-type attacks like Reversal didn't do much damage either. Thief and Bite were the only attacks that actually left an impact.

"Brago, use Flame Wheel to get close and then use Bite!" Sun yelled out to the canine. Brago leapt into the air, fire coalescing around the dog as he whirled towards Totem Salazzle, who opened her mouth and released a massive plume of flames at the Growlithe. Both Totem Salazzle and Brago struggled for dominance, but in the end the power of the Totem proved superior and Brago was suddenly thrown through the air and blasted by the fierce Flamethrower, landing harshly against the rock when the attack finally ended. The canine slowly rose again, panting from the pain he was in but determined not to fall against such an opponent. After all of his training, all of his efforts to catch up, he was hell-bent on not letting Sun down.

Totem Salazzle hissed in frustration, her tail whipping back and forth. The Totem then smirked and sighed deeply, releasing a pink gas from her pores and willing it towards the Growlithe and his Trainer.

"Zzzt! Sun, watch out! That's Totem Salazzle's pheromones!" Rotom warned Sun. Sun's eyes widened in horror and the boy opened his mouth to issue a command to Brago, but the fast-moving gas had already swept past his Growlithe and was quickly coming towards him. The boy shut his eyes and held his breath as the gas blew past him, and he struggled not to breathe it in. Eventually the boy had to take a breath, and to his dismay, he felt a horrific shiver run down his body. The boy clutched his skull and fell to one knee as his vision began to...change. The world went fuzzy and his body began to feel very odd indeed.

"What...I don't…" Sun hissed, eyeing the Totem ahead of him. Brago was facing a similar crisis, the poisonous gas he had inhaled was making him snarl and he struggled to remain in control of himself much like his Trainer.

"Why am I fighting this Pokémon? What did it ever do to me? Such an incredible Pokémon shouldn't have to fight a disgusting male like me...I should forfeit. Yeah, right now. That'd be sure to make things right between me and the Totem!" Sun thought, a small smile coming to his face. Oliver watched on helplessly, unwilling to make Sun lose the match thanks to his interference.

Meanwhile, Brago howled in frustration, shaking his head back and forth and refusing to let something like pheromones make him lose. Thankfully Salazzle was content to watch the display, having seen dozens upon dozens of Trainers succumb to her little trick. The Growlithe could feel the pheromones messing with his senses, his mind. He could feel himself wanting to give himself to the Totem, much like the horde of male Salandits that served her. The thought revolted him, but at the same time it seemed so appealing to him. This was even worse than being hit with Attract! Brago opened his eyes, glaring down the Salazzle with hate as his mind became more clouded, and wondered if there was a way to break the spell that he and Sun were under…

Brago grunted as he fell to the ground, seeing Salazzle practically strut over to him with a smug look on her face. The Growlithe shuddered as the pheromones nearby increased, making him almost completely white-out. The Growlithe was only holding on by sheer pride, but even that was quickly failing him. Out of desperation, the dog swung his head downward and smashed it onto the ground as hard as he could, hoping the pain could clear his mind.

Oliver flinched as Brago head-butted the ground, and saw that the canine had cracked his skull wide open. Totem Salazzle had stopped in her tracks, completely caught off guard. The Growlithe shuddered slightly before slowly looking up at the Totem with a feral grin, crimson trailing down his face. Salazzle screeched as the canine leapt towards her, hitting her in the chest with a Flame Wheel before following it up with a point-blank Ember, knocking over the beast and landing on the ground with a grunt.

Oliver screeched in approval, ecstatic that his teammate had circumvented Salazzle's pheromones. The owl wondered how the dog would help Sun come to his senses, as the boy was on his knees now, clutching his head while wearing a big smile on his face. Brago grit his teeth and shot a burst of flames towards the Kanto-native, which exploded at his feet and set his clothes on fire.

"Yikezz! Sun, snap out of it! You're on fire! Literally! Where's a washing machine when you need one!? Brago, why on earth did you do that!?" Rotom screamed as it flew around and around Sun, who shuddered as a new sensation began to register with him. Slowly but surely, the flames that had flew onto him began to hit his skin, burning the boy's skin. Even in his stupor, Sun began to realize what was going on.

"Wha…" Sun murmured, his vision clearing slightly as the pain on his legs and stomach began to increase to a level that almost made him scream out in pain. And then, suddenly, it was like a veil had been lifted over the boy and the daze was gone and the boy realized he was partially on fire. Sun screamed, ripping off his shirt and beginning to beat off the flames licking at his pants and chest. Oliver managed to grab a water bottle from Sun's bag and the boy ripped it open, dumping water over the fire that was on him.

"What...How…" Sun panted, wincing in pain at the shining burns on his legs. Sun looked at Rotom, who was hovering beside him worriedly.

"What happened?" Sun asked the device. Rotom quickly recapped what had happened as Sun watched Brago and Salazzle thrash about on the battlefield, with the Growlithe snarling in fury as the Salazzle frantically tried to fend off the furious canine. Sun was almost horrified...He had never seen Brago so angry before, wincing as the canine sank his teeth into the chest of Salazzle. The Totem ripped off the dog from her body and threw him across the field, where the canine hit the ground hard.

"Brago, you alright?" Sun asked, worried about the blood coating the Growlithe's head and the heavy amount of damage the dog had received. Brago nodded, his eyes never leaving the lizard now glaring him down.

"How did he snap out of it, though? Those pheromones were strong." Sun wondered aloud, amazed that Brago had overcome Salazzle's influence. He then noticed the bloody smear on the ground and on Brago's face, and remembered the burns that Brago had inflicted on him.

"He used pain to block out Salazzle's influence…even now, that stuff is trying to mess with me, but the pain is overpowering it." Sun realized, a small smile on his face even as the boy bit back a groan, looking down at his burned legs and charred pants and shoes with a pained expression on his face.

Brago was currently ignoring Sun's dilemma, instead focusing on the lizard that had proven to be quite the opponent. However, he was now angry and wanted nothing more than to put this beast in her place, a loathing glare in his eyes as a snarl escaped the canine.

It was one thing to hit him with her pheromones.

It was an entirely different matter to attack his Alpha. And for that, she would pay dearly.

"Alright...Then get close and hit her with Reversal!" Sun commanded, wincing in pain as he tried to step forward. Brago nodded and leapt forward, but Salazzle was ready. With a snarl the Totem swiped at Brago, who tucked his head forward and dodged the attack. However, just as he was about to hit the Salazzle, one of the Salandits jumped in front of her and took the attack for her, knocking the smaller lizard out cold.

Sun yelled out, but it was too late. With a triumphant gleam in her eyes, Totem Salazzle drew back one of her claws, which began glowing purple, and punched Brago in the chest. The Growlithe's eyes widened in shock and as went flying through the air, and for a final time he hit the ground and was completely still.

"Brago…" Sun muttered, feeling horrible about how much pain the canine had endured because of him being affected by the pheromones of Totem Salazzle. Sun returned the dog and smiled sadly at the Poké Ball in his hands. "Thank you so much. You were amazing. And I'm so proud of how far you've come. Take a long rest, buddy."

"That wazz Poison Jab! Lookzz like Kiawe taught Totem Salazzle some tricks! Flamethrower, Dragon Claw, AND Poison Jab! Yeesh...talk about overkill. You've got to be careful, Sun!" Rotom Dex warned Sun as it settled on his shoulder. The boy nodded as he clipped the Poké Ball to his belt and called out his final Pokémon, who let out a loud cry as she flew into the air. Penny's eyes widened as the horde of unconscious Salandits and the blood coating the battlefield. She looked at her Trainer and saw Oliver standing beside Sun, looking exhausted.

"Oliver can explain later. Right now, you're up Penny. You ready to finish this together?" Sun asked the Trumbeak. Penny nodded before whirling around to face Totem Salazzle, who growled angrily at her new foe.

"Zzzt! Totem Salazzle's tricks won't work now! Penny's a female Pokémon, meaning Attract and her pheromones are useless!" Rotom Dex yelled out as Sun adjusted his cap, his gray eyes gleaming.

"Penny, use Pluck!" Sun commanded the bird, which shot towards the Totem Pokémon with a loud cry.

Totem Salazzle growled softly, annoyed that she wouldn't be able to use her usual methods to beat her opponent. Worse yet, the Totem was sporting some heavy damage after her two previous opponents. She couldn't let the female bird get even a single attack in, or she could be finished.

Penny rushed at Salazzle, who leapt backwards with a snarl and dodged the initial Pluck attack. The Totem opened her mouth and unleashed a Flame Burst at Penny, filling the air with flames and hitting the Trumbeak directly with the attack. The Totem seemed to have finished playing around and wanted to end this now.

Penny straightened herself as she fell out of the air and swooped downwards, her beak glowing white as she shot towards Totem Salazzle. The Totem roared as four Salandits slithered forth, hissing before releasing a series of Venoshocks at Penny.

"How is this fair, Kiawe? I'm used to a two-on-one fights, but five-on-one fights? Seriously?" Sun asked the Captain, who grinned at him from beneath his gas mask.

"My Trial may be a bit too easy, that's true. But you're foolish if you didn't think the Totem Battle wouldn't be anything less than brutal to balance the two out. As for facing more than two opponents, how is this any different than being attacked by a horde of Pokémon on the road or being jumped by criminals? Every Trial and Totem Battle is different, Sun. As a Trainer, you must adapt. To be unable to do that means you will not succeed here." Kiawe explained as Sun faced forward, watching Penny frantically dodge the barrage of attacks from the horde of Totem Salazzle.

"Penny, hit those things from a distance...Hidden Power!" Sun yelled out to the Trumbeak. The bird allowed a brown-colored energy flow forth from her before unleashing it at the nearest Salandit. To Sun's amazement, the attack made the creature fly backwards with a screech pain and land unconscious on the ground.

"Wha...Alright, so her Hidden Power is strong against these things? It's brown, so...Rock. It's got to be a Rock-type Hidden Power. Of course it is...Keep using Hidden Power and then focus on that Totem!" Sun yelled to Penny, who responded by unleashed the attack at yet another Salandit, blowing away the lizard.

Salazzle snarled in anger and leapt into the battle again, swiping at Penny with Dragon Claw as the Salandits attacked her. Sun couldn't help but smile as he saw Penny weave in and out of the hectic battle, dodging every slash from the Totem and attack the Salandits with Hidden Power, knocking them both out and leaving just Penny and the Totem. Her expression was one of fierce determination, her eyes gleaming from the excitement of battle.

"Use Echoed Voice on the Totem and then make some distance between you and her!" Sun called to Penny, who responded by unleashing a blast of sound at Totem Salazzle before quickly flying away from the Totem and landing on the ground a short distance away.

"Roost!" Sun called to Penny. The Trumbeak sat on the ground and folded her wings in, closing her eyes and sighing as she began to glow white.

Totem Salazzle snarled and shook her head, wincing in pain from the attack. She then saw Penny sitting down a short distance away and smirked, seeing an easy target. The Totem opened her mouth and released a Flame Burst at the Trumbeak as her injuries healed up. The glowing ended and Penny's eyes shot open, her health now fully restored.

"Penny, use Hidden Power on the flames and then dodge the rest of it!" Sun barked out. The Trumbeak got to her feet and flapped her wings hard, soaring into the air and releasing Hidden Power as the flames rushed towards her. The blast imploded, making the flames fly everywhere and filling the air with fire. Penny frantically dodged the fire and made her way back over to Sun, who was grinning at her.

"Way to go, Penny! You're doing great out there." Sun praised the Trumbeak as she glared down the Totem Pokémon that was currently giving her an equally fierce glare. Oliver hooted something to Penny, receiving a surprised look from the Trumbeak. Oliver hooted again and pointed forward, to which Penny nodded and faced the Totem ahead of her.

"Not going to pretend I understood what just happened...But let's finish this. Penny, use Pluck!" Sun commanded the Trumbeak, who shot forward with a cry.

The Totem Pokémon of Wela Volcano Park let out a hiss, with three Salandits leaping into the fray and firing off three streams of Venoshock at Penny. The bird dodged underneath them, slamming her beak into the largest Salandit and knocking it to the ground while knocking out the other two with Echoed Voice. Penny shot towards Salazzle, who looked smug as she inhaled deeply and spat out a gush of purple liquid.

"Dodge it, Penny!" Sun yelled out. Instead, the Trumbeak opened her beak and blasting the liquid with a blast of sound. The attack overpowered Toxic after a brief moment and sent the liquid splashing all over Totem Salazzle, who's eyes widened in horror and made the Totem Pokémon scream in agony.

"What...what just happened? Salazzle's a Poison-type, isn't it? Why would her own Toxic hurt her?" Sun asked Rotom, who was grinning at this latest development.

"Zzzt! That's usually true. You can't poison a Poison-type Pokémon. Except Salazzle and Salandit can! That's their Ability, Sun! It's called Corrosion! It allows them to be able to poison both Steel and Poison-type Pokémon. And...I believe that Ability just worked in your favor instead of Totem Salazzle's! It ended up badly poisoning itself when Toxic was sent back at it!" Rotom explained as Penny landed on the ground. Totem Salazzle was currently on all fours, her tail lashing back in forth as she shuddered in pain. Sun couldn't help but smile at his Trumbeak.

"That's brilliant, Penny. Using Echoed Voice to blast the attack right back at the Totem...heh. Use Echoed Voice again on the Salandits and then focus on Salazzle! Let's end this thing here and now!" Sun yelled to his faithful bird, who replied with a piercing screech. Oliver hooted encouragement to his teammate, receiving a determined nod from the Trumbeak before she shot forward. Salazzle rose to her feet, panting heavily before she swept her arms wide, six Salandits leaping forth to protect their mistress.

Penny screeched again and released a massive blast of sound, which whipped past the Salandit horde and blew them away, knocking each of them out as Penny swooped past, zooming towards Totem Salazzle. The lizard roared as her aura burned a darker color of orange before she unleashed a massive blast of flames at the Trumbeak, hitting her directly with Flamethrower. The Trumbeak struggled in the flames for a moment before opening her mouth, releasing Echoed Voice again and blowing apart the flames, releasing her from the attack.

"Echoed Voice gets stronger every time it gets used. That's something I really need to remember more often. Too bad that Totem has boosted Special Defense, otherwise I'd end this with that move. So...Penny, let's get that Totem! Pluck!" Sun yelled to his Trumbeak, who flapped into the air and shot towards the massive lizard with a elongated glowing beak. The Totem snarled before she leapt forward, her left arm glowing purple as she used Poison Jab. The beast swung her left hand downwards and Penny reached her, with both attacks meeting each other at the same time.

"Come on Penny!" Sun bellowed as the two female Pokémon struggled for dominance.

"Dar dar!" Oliver hooted out while Rotom just flew around Sun and the Dartrix in circles, increasing the volume his music was playing at. Meanwhile the two Pokémon, Penny and Totem Salazzle, were in a deadlock. Salazzle then winced in pain as the poison seeped deeper into her body, and that's when Penny made her move.

The Trumbeak swung her beak wide, throwing off Salazzle's balance for just a moment while she was distracted. The Trumbeak then shot forward and stabbed the Totem Pokémon in the chest with her shining beak, knocking the massive lizard backwards as she snarled in agony. The beast stumbled backwards several steps before falling off the platform they had been battling on as the Salandits let out cries of dismay. .

The Totem crashed onto the ground with an almighty thud, with the horde of Salandit watching on in horror. Totem Salazzle twitched a few times before finally collapsing. With a screech, the horde of Salandits fled, leaving Sun and Penny staring at the downed Totem Pokémon.

"We...we did it!" Sun yelled out as he ran forward and hugged Penny tightly. Penny sighed with relief, the bird closing her eyes as her heart filled with joy at having been able to defeat such a powerful opponent for her Trainer.

"Whoa! S-spectacular!"

Sun turned his attention to Kiawe, who was watching him and Penny with his arms crossed. The Captain stepped onto the platform as Totem Salazzle slowly stirred. Kiawe reached into his pocket and handed the Totem a Sitrus Berry, which the beast gobbled down before scurrying off, casting a backwards glance at Sun, but focusing on Penny. The Totem seemed to smirk before giving a nod to Penny. The Totem Pokémon then leapt off of the top of the volcano and departed. Kiawe's three Alolan Marowak joined him on the platform and began to dance behind him.

"With your keen observations, you were able to see even fine differences in our dances. And you defeated the Totem Pokémon with such ease!" Kiawe said before he bent down and plucked a bright red crystal off of the ground, showing it to Sun.

"The Totem Pokémon was carrying a Firium Z. It is yours now." Kiawe said to Sun, who stepped over to the Captain and received the Z-Crystal, grinning widely. After doing his victory dance and being shown how to use the Firium Z properly, Sun stowed the valuable gem away.

Kiawe turned to his Marowak, a fond smile on his face as he called to them, "Thank you, my dear Marowak!"

All three of the Pokémon stopped their dancing and turned to face Kiawe. The trio then bowed to Kiawe, who in turn bowed to them before recalling them to their Poké Balls.

"David, you mind throwing me my bag?" Kiawe asked his friend, who replied by giving him a wide smile and tossing him a small backpack. Kiawe dug through the bag before handing Sun ten blue and yellow Poké Balls.

"For when you meet a Pokémon that you would like to make your companion, take these! They're known as Quick Balls, and work better the sooner they are used during a battle." Kiawe explained as Sun put the balls in his bag. The boy then called out his Pokémon and began to treat their injuries, thanking them for their hard work in the battle. Sun and Kiawe worked together to treat Brago's head injury, wrapping bandages around the head of the Growlithe. Oliver seemed particularly animated, talking to Penny excitedly and making the bird look down bashfully.

"It seems your Dartrix was impressed by your Trumbeak's skill in battle. Not many can break free from a Flamethrower like that. Your Growlithe was also incredible, breaking free from both the pheromones and Attract." Kiawe noted as he smiled at Sun.

"They're all fantastic. I couldn't have won without all of them putting in every bit of effort they could." Sun said, shooting the Captain a grin.

"Indeed...Oh, I should probably tell you. You can now use the Ride Pokémon Charizard. I generally grant the use of a Flying-type Ride Pokémon when a Trainer receives the Firium Z, but you were particularly impressive. I believe Charizard will consent to lend you his strength, and with him, you will be able to go anywhere you have been in no time at all." Kiawe said as Sun handed him his Ride Pager. Kiawe then let out a hearty laugh, smiling happily.

"What a wonderful way to end the night. Two fantastic showdowns by two amazing Trainers. I'd love to battle you both someday." Kiawe said to Sun as he began returning his Pokémon. "It is late, though. I'd advise you stay at one of the caves here on the volcano instead of travelling down the cliffs at night. It's dangerous, as you can probably guess." Kiawe said to Sun, receiving a nod in response.

"Sounds like a plan. Anything else I should know? I know you'd probably like to get home soon." Sun said to Kiawe.

"Not much more. The Firium Z you now hold...You should show it to the Trial Guide outside the Captain's barricade at the bottom of the mountain. They'll open the path for you." Kiawe said to the young Trainer, extending a hand to him. Sun shook it, grinning up at the older Trainer.

"I wish you well on your journey, Sun. For now...It is time for us to return to our dance. The feelings of the Alolan people and our Pokémon. That is the true nature of Z-Power…" Kiawe said as he suddenly jumped backwards, striking a pose with his friend David.

"The answers lie in our dance! And so we must all dance on!" Kiawe proclaimed, beaming at Sun as he began to dance. Sun watched the two friends dance together for a time before bidding them farewell, returning his Pokémon and walking back down the path to see his friends, who had actually set up camp while he had been away.

"So...how did it go?" Lillie asked, looking up at Sun. The boy showed her his Firium Z, making her beam at him.

"Nice job, buddy. Looks like we're both good to head to the next Trial. After dinner, of course!" Haun declared with a massive grin at the pot of soup he and Lillie had made. The children ate their dinner, with Sun and Hau's Pokémon receiving a bunch of treats for their hard work during the Trial.

Eventually the topic turned to the Trial itself. Sun and Hau both discussed what had happened. However, as discussed they Alolan Marowak's and their dance, Lillie went quiet and looked down, making Sun and Hau look at her.

"You okay, Lillie?" Sun asked his friend.

"Ghosts…" Lillie trailed off, remembering something from the other day. Lillie looked at Sun and said, "Hey, Sun. Can I ask Rotom Dex something?"

In response, Rotom Dex popped out of his backpack and landed on the boy's head. "At your service, Mizz Lillie! How can I help you?" Rotom asked the girl, who giggled at the device.

"I was wonder what you could tell me about the Pokémon Dusknoir. Commander Jack had one the other day and it could speak Common, so I wanted to know if you could help me figure out why." Lillie said to Rotom Dex, who beeped in response. Common was, of course, the common language that was mostly spoken in all of the regions. Alola was one of the few regions, next to Kalos, that had its native language still be heavily used in this day and age.

"Oh, well that's an easy one. First off, some basic information!" Rotom yelled out, pulling up the Pokédex info.

"Dusknoir. The Gripper Pokémon. It is said to take lost spirits into its pliant body and guide them home. The antenna on its head captures radio waves from the world of spirits that command it to take people there." Rotom explained to the trio of children.

"Whoa...Cool." Hau said with a smirk, petting the baby Eevee in his arms. Lillie frowned, as that didn't answer the question she had.

"So, how was it able to speak to us?" Lillie asked Rotom.

"Um, well...I've heard once about a Pokémon that was apparently able to learn how to speak your language. There's other ways Pokémon can talk to humans as well. Psychic-types can communicate via telepathy and Ghost-types can possess stuff and speak to folks in dreams. Some have help, like with Colress' translation collars or me using this Pokédex!" Rotom explained to Lillie, who sighed in response.

"You're dodging the question."

"You really, really don't want to know why that Dusknoir could talk to you, Lillie."

"I do, Rotom! That's so interesting! Why would I not want to know?'

"It'll scare you. Zzzt!"

"I can take it!"

"Well...Dusclops and Dusknoir do have the ability to speak in a way that allows them to communicate with humans. That'zz not very well known, but it is documented. But, they can only do that with species they consider prey. As in…um, things they wish to eat." Rotom slowly explained to Lillie, who's green eyes slowly widened in realization and abject horror.

"She...Gretel wanted to eat me!?" Lillie screamed, waking up Kaha and making Hau and Sun burst out into laughter at Lillie's horrified reaction to her question being answered.

Soon after this, the trio of children fell asleep under the stars. They awoke the next morning and made their way out of Wela Volcano Park, to head to the beach and enjoy the cool waters after their time at the blistering hot Trial Site…


"They should be here any minute. We're certain there's no trace of Lillie's presence here at all?" Kukui asked the assembled group of Sina, Dexio, Aria, Vivian and Noah.

"Non. Though I'll admit to being confused as to why we have to hide that she has lived here." Dexio remarked with a confused frown. Sina was sitting down beside him wearing a similar expression.

"Doesn't matter. If it's to keep that girl safe, we've got to do whatever it takes." Aria remarked, flexing the hand encased in the Snag Machine. Vivian and Noah watched the display, eyeing the device with wariness. Aria had been practicing with the...enhancements that were hidden with the the device, and that made the Snagger all the more lethal.

"Well, let's hope this goes well. First priority is purifying Celebi. Pretend Lillie doesn't exist and has no connection to us, and we're golden." Professor Kukui explained to the young Trainers. Professor Burnet, a well-built woman with tanned skin and white hair tied into a ponytail stood beside Kukui wearing a lab coat. None of the group assembled could figure out how the two were husband and wife, since they were radically different than each other, but just decided to roll with it.

"They should be here...Ah, here comes Julia now. She said she would be the first one up here." Burnet said as she strode forward, walking forward to greet the woman who had just exited the elevator. She was a rather beautiful woman with voluminous mauve-colored hair and a curvaceous body, but the warm smile on her face was enough to illuminate a room. Burnet stepped forward and embraced the other woman like a sister, turning around and introducing her a moment later.

"Everyone, this is Julia Wicke. She's the Assistant Branch Chief of the Aether Foundation." Burnet said to everyone, with Miss Wicke giving everyone a small wave.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. Faba and the President are right behind me, so you'd best prepare yourselves." Wicke warned the others, who all nodded in response. Wicke and Burnet moved aside, and not even a minute later the elevator door opened to reveal a man and woman, who both entered the room and approached the group.

"It's been a long while since I've been here. Not much has changed." The man spoke, his tone somewhat nasally. He wore a elegant lab coat with yellow glasses obscuring his eyes, which were narrowed in amusement.

"Why change perfection? The Dimensional Research Lab does wonderful work, as you well know. Stop nitpicking, Faba." The woman admonished the man, her tone teasing.

"Of course, Madame President. I was just...musing, after all." The man apologized, inclining his head to her. The woman beside Faba was strikingly beautiful. She had a slender frame and looked no younger than any of the Trainers in the room. She had styled blonde hair that extended down past her waist and a white and yellow dress that had a large blue and black diamond on her chest. She had white and black leggings with high-heels of the same color.

"So you all are assisting the Professors with the Shadow Celebi? Your generation of Trainers really does know how to leave their mark. Especially with Mister Dexio and Miss Sina being so helpful in helping us re-establish our place in Kalos after their work with us." The President turned to Wicke, smiling widely at her. "Wicke, you've proved invaluable yet again, helping arrange this meeting. Poor Faba should watch out, because you may end up taking his place."

"Like hell she will…" Faba muttered darkly.

"What was that?" Wicke asked Faba sweetly, her warm gaze becoming very cold. Faba and Wicke exchanged glares while the President walked forward, ignoring them both. The woman sauntered forward, her calculating green eyes drifting over everyone in the room. Her eyes lingered on Aria, a small smile coming to her face as she noticed the Snag Machine on her arm.

"You must be the one who captured Celebi. Your reputation precedes you...Aria, was it?" The woman said to the Snagger, her smile widening. Aria smiled in response, unable to say much else.

"That's me. And not really, ma'am. Wes was the one who did all of the impressive stuff. I just helped catch an annoying time-traveler, President…?" Aria trailed off pointedly, earning a scowl from Faba and a hidden smile from Wicke.

The blonde-haired woman laughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand briefly before extending it out to Aria. The Snagger shook the woman's hand, looking into her startlingly familiar green eyes as the woman spoke. "My name is Lusamine Jardin. President of the Aether Foundation."


Boom.

So yeah, I finally got around to that last name reveal drop. Nice backstory stuff happening next chapter, so stay-tuned.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I had loads of fun writing it, with the best Totem Battle I've done yet. Next chapter we've got some heavy plot stuff and some fun stuff happening! Huzzah!

No questions were submitted in the review section, so that's getting a pass this week. Turns out everyone who voted on the poll wanted the AMA Question thingy done at the end of chapters in a second AN, so that's what'll happen.

As always, thanks for reading. I'd appreciate the hell out of you if you left a review telling me your thoughts on the story. And if you haven't already, please consider favoriting and/or following the story and show your support. Plus, if you've got a question about something, feel free to ask in the review section below. Just remember to offer feedback before your question, because that's how this thing works and stuff. I'll see you all next weekend with another update!

Stay safe and stay awesome.

Until next time, FlygonNick out!