Pokémon Radiant Sun
(Revised as of 5/21/2018)
So. Horizon Zero Dawn? Fantastic game.
Like, I've been on a role with beating games lately. DOOM. Metroid: Samus Returns. Undertale...though I guess I can't truly count that. I mean I beat the True Pacifist Route, but I couldn't beat the final boss in the Genocide Route.
Let's just say after getting wrecked 13 times in a row and not even getting remotely close to the halfway point in the battle...I was having a bad time, and decided to give up on that endeavour.
Now I'm shooting robot dinosaurs, and it's definitely shown because I could've had this up on Friday but am having to upload Sunday because every bit of free time I had this week was spent running around with a bow blowing up stuff and looking for more stuff to loot. It's nice to get back into gaming like this, though.
That said, we're back with another chapter. And man...The next ten chapters will be nonstop with action, romance, and drama! And even a few major story twists that are definitely a lot more shocking than the title of the last chapter, which was a pun. Not because the twist was surprising. I kinda stated it in the chapter beforehand that something going to happen, with Oliver flat-out saying he was waiting in the Gym with a sniper rifle.
Honestly, most of my chapter names are either a joke, a reference, or something really cool sounding on the off chance I can't think of anything. Speaking of reference, this is a cameo and character heavy chapter! Which means some interesting new arrivals, and the reappearance of some old faces!
Sorry. Rambling again. Though most of this chapter is a big fight, there's still some fun stuff happening too.
One last sidenote. Yes, Professor Mohn will be discussed, but not in this chapter. It will happen before Sun leaves for Konikoni City, just to address questions about it.
Shoutout to those who have reviewed since the last update, which includes Madame Rodoshe, Cottonmouth25, MoonlightButterfree, JasperCFZ, SonicIKE, EL Hunter (Good to see you again!), a Guest reviewer, Omegastar327 (also good to see you again!), Sai Og Sus, BraviaryScout, operettaoceanic, Gokan123, and DarkestShade 73. You all are amazing and I thank you for your support. It's also really awesome to see a few people I haven't seen in a while reviewing again. I have a pretty good memory when it comes to that kind of thing, so don't think I don't remember those who support this story with their feedback. Always great to hear what you have to say, even if its not all the time.
Special shoutout to Sai Og Sus, who's lucky reviewer number 700! And reviewer number 699! I have indeed seen what you've done there, and honestly? It's awesome, because I'm a self-admitted review whore and I appreciate the support. Especially from those of you who routinely review and offer feedback.
SPEAKING OF...DID I MENTION THAT THIS STORY HAS OVER 100,000 VIEWS!?
I cannot even describe how happy this makes me. None of my other stories have accomplished this. In the span of a year and a half, this story has over 100,000 views. I never thought I'd hit this incredible milestone with a story as new as this, overcoming all of my previous accomplishments on this site. So…
Thank you so much. For making this hobby of mine all the more awesome, and by helping keep this story plugging along. You all are fantastic.
Now, onto the chapter.
Enjoy.
Chapter 60: Circuit Breaker
Amber forced herself to roll onto her stomach just as Oliver fired his rifle, making the bullet embed itself in the ground beside her. The Admin fought back a groan of pain as her shoulder seeped blood and white-hot agony rippled through her.
"Calebs! Call out your Marowak!" Amber shouted to one of the Cipher Grunts that had managed to get to a kneeling position, who released the Bone Keeper Pokémon with some effort. To their collective relief, all of the electricity stopped zapping them and surged into the Ground-type, rendering it useless thanks to Marowak's Ability.
"Damn it! They've neutralized the trap. Go!" Oliver barked into his earpiece, reloading his rifle as he did so. To his dismay, Cipher seemed to be calling out their Pokémon, even as Lt. Surge shot another Grunt in the throat, leaving their number down to five including both Admins. The Cipher Grunts had unleashed all of their Pokémon and were now in a fierce firefight with Lt. Surge and Oliver, who was sniping from above. Meanwhile, the Pokémon on both sides were in an all-out brawl, tearing into each other with a vengeance. Amber looked up and saw Oliver taking aim at her again, singling her out.
"Avis!" Amber shouted, and with that her loyal Xatu appeared and threw up a Protect around herself. Amber fell to one knee, panting in pain as more and more crimson leaked from her shoulder wound as multiple shots from the sniper rebounded off of the shield, though large cracks were left on the energy barrier.
"This armor should have withstood that shot. He must be using some kind of special ammo...Agh…" Amber groaned, feeling the wound and seeing that the shot went through and through. "No good. Dawson, I need a medic, or I'm not going to stay conscious for much longer."
"Yeah, I've got your back!" Dawson called back as he sidestepped a shot from Lt. Surge and leapt backwards, landing just outside Amber's shield as he sent out a Manectric and a Roselia. Avis allowed Dawson into the shield by dropping it just for a moment, though the bird let out a cry as attacks began to pound against the barrier.
"Protect the shield!" Amber ordered the remaining forces of Cipher, who hastened to obey the Admin as Dawson called out a Slowking.
"Heal Pulse." Dawson ordered the Royal Pokémon, who held out his hands and began to heal the wound in Amber's shoulder.
"I cannot do much, but I can stop the bleeding." The Pokémon spoke into Dawson's mind, which made the man nod. Amber sighed with relief as the wound slowly shut, and she stood, only to sway on her feet and fall against Dawson.
"Oh baby, I knew you'd be all over me someday." Dawson remarked before getting punched in the head. Amber took that moment to slice apart her disguise, revealing her silver armor and the weapons she had hidden on her person. The Admin pulled out an SMG with a grunt of pain, checking it over before looking down at the stunned Admin.
"Idiot...I lost a lot of blood. It'll be hard to fight, especially with all of this heat. International Police and all of these Gym Trainers? We're not exactly in a position to fight." Amber remarked, though her mouth turned into a sadistic grin as she looked up, seeing Oliver call out a Swellow, Noctowl, and Braviary while a Gallade teleported to his side in the rafters above.
"Won't stop me from killing as many of them as I can. Avis, lower the shield and kill Agent Quill." Amber said to her Starter, who nodded and released Protect, only to unleash a massive wave of Psychic that the birds above avoided, but Oliver did not. The Gallade and his Trainer were knocked off of the ceiling and plummeted to the ground. Oliver tumbled through the air, but was caught by his Swellow. The bird then dove down at Amber who laughed as the man approached her.
The Admin opened fire on the man on the bird with her SMG. The Swellow dove down to avoid the bullets aimed their way and suddenly shot towards Amber with an inhumane burst of speed, which Amber realized was Aerial Ace. The attack slammed into Avis as the Xatu teleported in front of Amber to shield her, sending the two birds tumbling off in another direction as Oliver leapt from the bird and slammed a fist into Amber's cheek, knocking her back. Oliver lunged as Amber raised her SMG to fire, ripping the weapon free and tossing it to his Gallade, who caught it and vanished from sight as Oliver turned back to Amber, who was panting with a bloodthirsty grin on her face. Oliver kicked away his sniper rifle, which was badly damaged from the massive fall it had taken.
"Congrats, Agent Quill. You're really good at annoying the hell out of us, aren't you?" Amber asked as she ran her tongue over her teeth, tasting blood. The sniper scoffed, ripping out a long knife and a pistol from his belt.
"I'm not going to play the banter game, Fontaine. I've got more than enough reasons to kill you right now." Oliver replied shortly, offering the Amber a grim smile before he fired at the assassin.
Amber rolled to the left, gritting her teeth as more pain shot through her shoulder as she hurled a throwing knife at Oliver with her good arm. The knife embedded itself deeply into his pistol, making the man swear as he threw the now useless weapon to the ground and rushed at Amber, slashing at her throat. Cipher's Angel of Death leaned backwards and kicked the man in the side before hopping away, grinning as the blood-lust in her rose.
"You know, even if my armor and that weak Heal Pulse is keeping me from bleeding out, you've really set us back. It'll take a while before this heals properly. And that blood loss isn't going to make fighting here easy...But I like a challenge. Let's see if you put up a better fight than Erika did!" Amber snarled as she lunged at Oliver, who's face contorted with fury at the remark. The two crashed into each other, exchanging a fierce series of strikes and kicks with one another. Oliver caught Amber's fist with his arm and jammed a knife into a small part of the armor next to her elbow of her injured arm, making the woman hiss in pain. Amber slammed her knee into Oliver stomach and grabbed the man by the head, punching him in the jaw and knocking him away. Amber pulled out her pistol and aimed it at the man, only to be whirled around and punched in the face by a massive and angry Gym Leader.
"I'm gonna enjoy making you scream, Miss Fontaine. Erika was my friend, and you bastards have hurt enough people. Time for this soldier to put you down." Lt. Surge growled as he released his entire team, with a massive Raichu standing in front of him with a sadistic grin. Amber struggled to her feet, her good arm shaking with effort as she forced herself up, though she still smiled at the two men and drew her pistol using her good arm.
Amber looked back and forth at Oliver and Lt. Surge before letting out a soulless laugh. "Alright then. Bring it on." Amber remarked as she shot at Lt. Surge with her pistol, only for a Pachirisu to leap in front of the man and threw up a Protect, shielding its Trainer.
"Thunder!" Lt. Surge bellowed, with all five of his Pokémon letting out cries and releasing a massive wave of lightning that darkened the entire Gym. Amber had to time to call out her Breloom, and was about to issue a command when all of the lightning suddenly veered to the right.
"Don't leave me out." Dawson remarked as Lt. Surge snarled in fury, due to the Manectric standing in front of Dawson that was drawing in all of the lightning that had just been unleashed. Dawson called out a Hariyama to join the Manectric, Slowking, and Roselia already standing by him.
"Get them!" Dawson yelled out as he sprinted forward, pulled out a sickle from beneath his cloak and leaping into the fray. The ensuing battle became a massive brawl, with attacks of all sorts flying around. Dawson's Pokémon engaged Lt. Surge while Oliver fought Amber. The Admin's Breloom attacked without mercy, launching a Sunny Day into the air before shooting Solar Beams at Oliver's birds, who retaliated with tactical dive-bombs and ranged attacks that the Breloom barely managed to continue dodging.
"Now, where were we?" Amber asked Oliver as she leveled her pistol at the man's head, only to hear Dawson swear. Amber turned around and saw that all of Dawson's Pokémon were knocked out, with Lt. Surge chuckling softly.
"That was nothing. I've fought kids stronger than this dick." Lt. Surge laughed, earning a middle finger from Dawson as he returned his Pokémon.
"Already? Dawson, how the hell do you kill anyone if you're an such an awful Trainer?" Amber demanded, with Dawson shrugging.
"Hey, I beat five Gyms back home! I'm sorry I'm not as strong as a damn Gym Leader going all-out!" Dawson yelled back at Amber, but then turned around as a squad of International Police members burst through the front of the complex. It was at that moment Amber and Dawson realized that the remaining Cipher grunts had been overwhelmed and were lying unconscious or dead on the Gym floor, leaving them to fight against everyone else all alone.
"Damn it! The plan's a bust! Avis, get us out of here!" Amber barked to the Xatu. However, it was clear Avis had her hands full as Oliver's Swellow and Gallade (who was riding atop the Swellow) were giving her issues as she soared through the air, fighting the two of them. Amber looked down and pointed at Lt. Surge and Oliver, ordering her Breloom. "Use Seed Bomb!"
"Loom!" the Pokémon replied, throwing a barrage of exploding seeds as Lt. Surge's Raichu and Electivire lunged at them. The two Pokémon backed off, and Amber turned to Dawson.
"Dawson, hold them back!" Amber ordered the other Admin, who grinned as he revived his Roselia and faced the International Police.
"That's it? You underestimate me. Roselia, Stun Spore!" Dawson barked as he drew out his signature weapon, a strange-looking and rather massive revolver with a glowing blue circle on the outside. The Roselia in front of him staggered to its feet and held out its petals, spraying the area in front of them with large burst of Stun Spore and halting the advancement of the police.
"Quick, blow it away!" Oliver ordered his Swellow as it smashed into Avis in the air, knocking away the Xatu and sending her crashing to the ground. The Swellow flapped its wings hard, blowing the powder into the air, which made Dawson grin.
"Cheers for that." Dawson remarked before he raised his pistol and fired it. A wicked boom erupted from the gun and what looked like a small blast of raw energy erupted from the gun, hitting one of the many spores in the air. The spore combusted instantly and exploded, which quickly resulted in a massive chain of explosions that consumed half of the Gym. Dawson whirled around and leapt back into the fray, kicking Lt. Surge in the chest while he was staring at the carnage.
"Don't ever count Dashing Dawson out of the race!" Dawson declared as he leapt back to avoid a punch from Oliver, who suddenly hurled his knife at the former bounty hunter from Hoenn. Dawson casually blasted it out of the air and pointed his Roselia forward, with the Thorn Pokémon firing off a barrage of Poison Sting at Lt. Surge. The man howled in pain as the attack struck his body, slicing through his skin and burning the wounds, before a Noctowl swooped down and blasted the Roselia with Psychic, knocking it out with ease.
"Aw shit…" Dawson hissed as his last Pokémon fell, with him returning it after a moment. He pulled out a sickle from his cloak and flipped it in his hands, glancing at the other fighters.
"Looks like I'll have to take them both on!" Amber snarled as she called out her Kingdra and Electivire to even the odds as Lt. Surge commanded his Pokémon forward, with Oliver doing the same and calling out a Dodrio. Amber rushed forward and ducked under a bolt of lightning to kick Lt. Surge in the face, leaping into the air as she did so and dropping to the ground, gritting her teeth in pain as she avoided a bullet to the face from the former soldier. Amber dodged a punch and delivered a series of swift kicks to the Gym Leader that did little but piss him off. Surge then grabbed the woman by the throat and hurled her across the floor, sending her crashing to the ground. Then, a bolt of lightning slammed into her, making her howl in agony and collapse onto the ground, her body twitching in pain.
Oliver lunged as Dawson and began to exchange blows with the man, his last knife clanging against Dawson's sickle. Despite his skill, the International Police member was surprised to find that Dawson was pushing him back, forcing him to defend after but a few brief moments of fighting.
"You want to know why they recruited me? Because unlike most of the other Admins, I know what it's like to take a life with your own two hands. And I know just how pointless this all is. So I'll kick your ass, save Amber's lovely ass, and then get my ass out of here!" Dawson remarked cheerily before Oliver suddenly kicked the man in the chest and threw his knife at Dawson, who dodged it with a laugh.
And then was promptly knocked to the ground by an angry Dodrio.
"Thanks partner. Now, we can-" Oliver began to say before an overwhelming wave of force suddenly washed over everyone, sending them all to the ground. Oliver staggered to his feet as Amber's Breloom helped the assassin up, with the two Trainers watching the source of the blast with awe. Avis and Oliver's Gallade were standing apart from one another, their eyes glowing like beacons as the air around them rippled. It was clear they were in a standoff of sorts, with the two being evenly matched in terms of psychic powers.
Amber grinned as she looked at Oliver before raising her pistol and shooting Oliver's Gallade in the chest.
"No!" Oliver screamed as his Gallade jerked back with a gasp, but that was all Avis needed. The Xatu flared her wings with a screech and the Gallade screamed and clutched his head before it began to twitch and shudder...And then it collapsed to the ground with blood dripping from its mouth, dead.
"Gallade...No." Oliver whispered, clenching his fists before whirling around to see Amber grinning evilly at him. "Lt. Surge, with all due respect. I'm killing her first."
Avis teleported beside Amber, seemingly smug. "You are strong, as is your team. But I won't fail Amber. I'll die before I let her down."
"Happy to oblige." Oliver snarled as he threw out a hand, with his Noctowl rushing forward alongside his Dodrio. Amber fired another shot at the Noctowl, who flapped its wings to dodge and fired a Shadow Ball at Avis. The Xatu teleported behind it and reappeared behind Oliver, who screamed as Psychic energy surged through him and flung him into the air. Oliver's Pokémon looked up in horror, which allowed Amber to call out commands to her Breloom, Xatu, and Electivire. Oliver's Noctowl saw the attacks streaking towards its Trainer as he fell to the ground again, with Swellow and Braviary rushing to save him. The Owl Pokémon flew as fast as it could, throwing itself in front of the barrage of attacks and attempted to divert them away with Psychic. However, it was quickly overwhelmed and every attack struck the Noctowl, who dropped to the ground with a sickening crunch that told Amber she had killed another of the man's Pokémon, even as he swooped down on his Swellow to the ground once again.
"Aerial Ace!" Oliver bellowed, with Dodrio, Swellow, and Braviary rushing forward and assaulting Amber and her team, knocking out her Breloom and forcing her Electivire to take massive damage, with even Avis having to Teleport away to avoid the bird's onslaught. Electivire released a Thunder on the Dodrio as it pecked him, knocking out the Triple Bird Pokémon and forcing Oliver to recall it.
"Dawson, you still managing?" Amber asked the other Admin as she stumbled backwards, trying to block out the pain she was in. Dawson been holding off Lt. Surge's Pokémon at bay with his pistol and with some backup from Amber's Kingdra, who looked ready to drop. However, she was pleased to see that half of Lt. Surge's Pokémon were down, with one of them looking quite dead if the circular hole in the Pachirisu's head wasn't a clear giveaway.
"Sort of. We're not going to hold out much longer, and those International Police guys are getting up!" Dawson yelled to Amber, who turned around to see that what the other Admin was saying was true. Plus, it looked like the regular police had just showed up as well. Amber turned back towards Oliver and was surprised to see him call out his final Pokémon, a strange sword-like Pokémon that held a shield in its hands.
"You ready for this?" Oliver asked the Aegislash floating beside him. The Royal Sword Pokémon simply hummed in response, which Oliver nodded to. Oliver sprinted towards Amber as his Pokémon were flung backwards with Psychic, sending them all to the ground as an exhausted Xatu collapsed next to her Trainer.
"I need time to recover. That took a lot out of me!" Avis warned Amber, who nodded and took a shuddering breath, glancing down at her mangled shoulder and the knife still embedded in her arm, with fresh blood streaming down it. Amber smiled, taking in the pain before looking to Oliver with an awful smile.
"Electivire, use Thunderbolt!" Amber commanded, with the Thunderbolt Pokémon unleashing its attack at the man running to them. Oliver stopped in his tracks and held out a hand.
"King's Shield!" Oliver hissed, with a hexagonal blue barrier springing up around him and his Aegislash, blocking the attack with ease. Amber's smile faded as Aegislash floated around, dropping the shield and rushing at Amber herself. The Royal Sword Pokémon forced the Admin back a few steps, slashing wildly at her before her Electivire stepped in, hitting the Pokémon with Thunder. The Aegislash powered through the attack and managed to deliver a Shadow Claw on Electivire. To the Admins' fury, she saw her Kingdra fall to the ground out of the corner of her eye, with Dawson swearing loudly and running back over to her as Amber returned her fallen Pokémon.
"Just Electivire and Avis left, and they're both exhausted from the looks of it." Dawson noted, with Oliver's Aegislash looming ahead of them and his birds circling overhead. Lt. Surge was slowly getting up, holding his bleeding leg and standing next to a very dead Electrode.
"Shit...Alright. Time for Plan B!" Amber yelled out as she sheathed her knife and pulled out an Poké Ball from her waist, looking down at it for a moment. Oliver and Lt. Surge saw that it had a glowing black crack running down the middle of it, and felt a strange sense of fear welling up from within them.
"Umbral Rhyperior! Slaughter them all!" Amber yelled out as she threw the ball skyward and released the beast within. A purple jet of let erupted from the ball as it opened, with the light forming into a creature that didn't...quite look right.
While it was indeed a Rhyperior, it certainly wouldn't be considered a normal Rhyperior. For one thing, the entirety of its body was now a dark purple color, mutated to a horrifying extent. The horn on its head was now adorned with twisted red grooves and spikes, with the normally reddish-orange eyes of the creature now completely white.
"What the hell is that thing?" Lt. Surge asked aloud, scowling.
"That's your backup plan!? Are you nuts!?" Dawson barked at Amber, who just shrugged.
"Sort of. Long story. But yes, Dawson, this is my ace in the hole. Umbral Rhyperior is untested, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to give this thing a trial run." Amber responded as she tapped the breastplate of her armor, which released a white glow of sorts. Rhyperior stiffened slightly, but otherwise continued to stare forward, as if nothing was out of place.
"Rhyperior. Kill all hostiles in sight." Amber ordered the creature, who didn't move an inch, save for a slight intake of air Amber barely heard.
"It...can hear you, right?" Dawson asked Amber, who nodded.
"Curious...I'll have it use a move then. Rhyperior...use Umbral Uprising!" Amber commanded the monster in front of her, with everyone else frozen in horror at the abomination before them. The Umbral Pokémon didn't respond right away, instead it continued to breath in and out deeply, ignoring the command.
"Electivire, use Brick Break!" Lt. Surge barked, not taking any chances with this new weapon Amber had called out. The Thunderbolt Pokémon rushed forward with a glowing hand, roaring as it swung down its hand and connected with the chest of the Umbral Rhyperior. The beast didn't even register the attack, despite it knocking the creature back a step. Electivire leapt back, snorting as a shiver ran down it.
"What's it doing?" Dawson asked, genuinely confused.
"Looks like you're little pet monster is defective." Oliver remarked as he pointed forward. "Swellow, Braviary. Steel Wing!"
"Oh, it's not broken. We're pretty sure that this is an attack that requires a charge up. Rhyperior, if you would?" Amber asked the creature standing beside her, a devil's grin on her face.
To everyone's collective horror, Rhyperior seemed to shudder to life, its head snapping up robotically as the two birds shot towards it with great speed. The monster couldn't react in time to stop the double Steel Wing attack that made it stumble backwards again, but the beast simply let out what the onlookers took to be a strangled roar of pain before it's eyes began to burn with shadow-like flames, a wraith of darkness suddenly enveloping its arms as well.
The beast then swung its down its arms with a furious scream, the impact shaking the floor of the entire gym. The moment the Drill Pokémon's arms hit the ground, roughly a dozen jet black portals opened up on the floor and massive black pillars of spiked rock columns erupted out of the ground with startling speed, allowing the police and Gym Trainers no time to avoid it. Each of the spikes shimmered and were razor sharp, easily slicing apart flesh and metal like they were nothing and coating the floor of the Gym with crimson as dozens were slashed and impaled.
"No!" Surge yelled out, throwing himself to the side as he watched his precious Gym get destroyed by the criminals. The Gym Leader fired his pistol at the Umbral Rhyperior, but the bullets did nothing to the Drill Pokémon, nor did the electricity surging into it from Lt. Surge's remaining Pokémon.
Oliver's Aegislash floated in front of the man and called forth King's Shield, which held back of the spikes of the attack before shattering the shield and hitting the Aegislash, throwing Oliver back and knocking out the Royal Sword Pokémon. Oliver slowly got to his feet, watching with cold horror in his heart as Amber's Umbral Pokémon destroyed everything in its path with more roaring from the beast as it summoned more and more spiked pillars, slaughtering everything it could see. The deadly spires tore through the floor, ceiling, and anything that was remotely near it, impaling both human and Pokémon alike and leaving nothing but destruction behind. The only thing audible as metal and earth was ripped apart was Amber's mirthless laughter at the sight of her latest weapon's power.
"Borlath...You've outdone yourself this time. Kanto is ours." Amber whispered as she surveyed the destruction, taking note that there were a few Gym Trainers and officers that had managed to escape with minor injuries, sending out more Pokémon to attack the Umbral Pokémon and put a stop to the carnage.
"What the hell...What have they done?" Oliver whispered as he looked across the destroyed Gym, eyeing the slaughter with growing anger and disgust. He pointed at Umbral Rhyperior, which had snatched up an Arbok by the tail and throwing it around like it was a plaything, though the Pokémon was already a dead, bloody mess.
"Kill that thing! Use everything you've got to put it down!" Oliver ordered his birds, who nodded loyally and shot towards the Ground/Rock. Oliver grit his teeth as his birds attacked from afar, knowing that they couldn't do very much damage to the beast due to their typing and knowing that if they got too close, they'd be killed without much effort.
"You all knew this was coming. And yet you still think we wouldn't have a backup plan?" Amber asked as she gestured to Oliver's birds. "Electivire, use Thunder Wave to bring them within range so Umbral Rhyperior can kill them."
"Not a chance!" Oliver barked as he pulled out two Poké Balls and returned the birds from afar, clipping the balls to his belt and swearing softly. He then noticed that Umbral Rhyperior had dropped the dead Arbok in its hands and was trembling, its entire body quaking for some reason. Then, the beast fell to its hands and knees, panting labored breaths.
"Damn. It needed more time to recover. Dawson, sound the retreat. Without Rhyperior we really don't stand much of a chance here as injured as we are." Amber sighed as she returned her Rhyperior, with the Umbral Pokémon vanishing into its ball to the collective relief of everyone. The assassin fell to one knee, panting as her wounds began to take their toll on her.
"Amber...Is my Shadow Torkoal really going to become something like that? That was horrific...That was awful." Dawson asked, giving Amber a hard look.
"It's necessary. And I'll admit, amusing as hell to use. I don't know what Borlath used to stabilize the process for making these things, but whatever that venom was, its effective. Who would've thought a neurotoxin would've done the trick?" Amber asked Dawson, who scowled, but didn't have time to respond as a gunshot rang out and Dawson cried out as a bullet slammed into his leg, sending him to the ground. Amber whirled around and saw Surge sprinting towards them, his Raichu and Magnezone racing alongside them as lightning shot towards them. Oliver swooped down as well, each of his birds using Aerial Ace.
"Protect!" Amber snarled as Avis teleported to them again, conjuring a shield. The slew of attacks smashed against the shield, nearly breaking it instantly, but it was enough time for the two Admins to be teleported away by the Xatu, leaving Oliver and Surge behind with a destroyed Gym.
"I tried to warn you, Surge." Oliver began to say, his head swiveling around in case another attack was coming. He made a move to send out his Gallade, before remembering how his trusted friend had fallen thanks to Amber. Oliver felt his heart crack, nearly stumbling forward as he tried to keep his composure.
"Gallade...Noctowl...I'm so sorry." Oliver thought as he took a calming breath, reigning in his emotions. There'd be time to grieve later. For now, there was work to do. He took a moment to think about his fallen teammates before returning Aegislash and the two corpses.
"Yeah, I know. Bitch killed half my team, most of my Gym Trainers, and what looks like most of the crew we had set up for this trap. Now all that's left to do is figure out what the weird Pokémon Fontaine used was. Looked like no Rhyperior I've ever seen, that's for sure." Surge remarked as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a carton of cigarettes. The man snagged one free from the box and lit one, inhaling softly and blowing out smoke a moment later. "I'll kill her. Slowly and painfully. I don't care what it takes."
"Trust me, after what Amber did to Erika and my team, you're getting in like right behind me, my friend. That said, it is weird that they attacked in such a fashion. If I didn't know any better, this kidnapping attempt felt more like they were trying to kill you rather than take you." Oliver remarked, making Surge shrug. Both men flinched as the stone pillars around them crumbled away into darkness around them, causing the bodies of the slain to drop to the ground.
"Well...I'm going to have nightmares tonight." Oliver declared as he rubbed his temples, his Swellow and Braviary nodding in agreement.
"Our plan worked and threw them off. Even if we suffered loses, that pair probably won't be able to do much for a while, even if they survive their injuries. Besides the two Admins, every other Cipher member died today." Lt. Surge said as he turned to one of the few surviving Gym Trainers. The Gym Leader opened his mouth to speak when an alarm started beeping around the Gym.
"SECURITY BREACH. RED ALERT. SECURITY BREACH. RED ALERT. SECURITY BREACH. RED ALERT."
"The hell is that?" Oliver asked, but the Gym Trainer answered.
"This Gym isn't just a Gym, as you know. It's a bunker of sorts. It's not only where we've been holding that Shadow Moltres, but we've also been protecting people and housing them in the facility underground." The Gym Trainer answered, shrugging.
"Meaning...Someone just tried to break in." Oliver responded, with Surge slowly looking at him in horror before sprinting to the back of the Gym. Oliver caught up to the man as he got to the wall and pressed his hand against it. The wall shimmered and vanished in a flash of light, revealing an elevator that they hopped into. The two Trainers descended downwards, with Surge swearing under his breath.
"Why would they try and take back Moltres is they were trying to kidnap me?" Lt. Surge asked Oliver, who shook his head.
"I think it'd be dumb to try and kidnap you in the first place. You've got an infamous reputation." Oliver replied, but he frowned after a moment. "Laura said that Cipher had plans for a kidnapping and attack on the Vermilion City Gym. But she didn't say who they were kidnapping. Maybe they're going after someone else here?"
Oliver looked at Lt. Surge, and was alarmed to see the hardened soldier's face suddenly turn to horror and go deathly white.
"What is it?" Oliver asked the man, who walked over to the control panel in the life and jammed his finger against the down button, which oddly enough actually did make the lift go faster.
"I've been sheltering people in witness protection for years down here. But more importantly, this is where my home is. My wife and son are down here too!" Surge responded to Oliver, who swore softly and pulled out his pistol, handing it to the Gym Leader.
The lift arrived at its destination a few moments later, with Lt. Surge speeding out of the elevator and down the hallway. Oliver tried to keep up with the man as they turned down a series of hallways, arriving at a room decorated with stars and lightning bolts. Lt. Surge opened the door and said, "Sam, is everything…?"
Lt. Surge trailed off, staring into the room with a terrified expression on his face. Oliver peered into the room and went cold as he heard a sob coming from the blonde-haired boy in the room that had to be the Gym Leader's son…
That was sitting on the floor beside Amber Fontaine with a silver knife at his neck.
"Shh...don't cry." Amber whispered, slowly pressing the blade into Sam's neck. One of her eyes was shut, with the other barely open, as if she was about to fall asleep. Amber's armor was drenched in her own blood, but she still managed a demented joyless smile. Lt. Surge took a step back as blood begin to flow from the small cut Amber had made to his son's neck, and the assassin lowered her knife slightly, though the child in Amber's grip shivered in sheer terror.
"D-dad...it hurts." Sam whispered, his voice trembling.
"Sammy, it's going to be okay." Lt. Surge said weakly to his son before looking at Amber. "You bitch...I'm going to tear your throat out." Surge snarled, clenching his fists and nearly breaking the magnum in his hands. Dawson was sitting on the child's bed, his expression pained.
"Don't make a move, or the kid dies. Please don't do it, man. Amber doesn't give a shit and doesn't need a reason to kill your son." Dawson said to Lt. Surge, almost pleadingly. Amber chuckled softly, drawing the attention back to her.
"You think we wanted to kidnap you? Hardly. We just need some leverage. Bring Shadow Moltres to...to the Kanto Superdome in two weeks time, the night of the big Crimson Dawn concert. Me and Sam are going to be attending the show, because I assure you it will be one to remember. Feel free to bring as much backup as you want. You'll need it. Or come alone. Your choice." Amber replied with a evil smile, her Xatu laughing softly above her.
Before the Gym Leader could do or say anything, the killer, her Xatu, her accomplice,and his son vanished before his eyes. The soldier fell to his knees, staring forward in shocked horror before he suddenly let out a scream of fear, anger, and sorrow. Oliver put a hand on the man's shoulder while radioing in to his superiors. Things had just gotten a little more complicated.
"Nanu, you're really hitting it hard today, huh?"
"If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked, Jackal."
Commander Jack watched with mild amusement as Nanu slammed down another drink, something called the Captain's Demise. Oddly grim, considering the fact that Acerola was technically under Nanu's care and the girl was a Captain, but who was he to try and talk sense into Nanu?
"I'm just saying. Take it from a guy who tried to drown his sorrows and found the experience lacking." Jack replied, though that wasn't to say he hadn't had a few drinks already. Good thing he wasn't planning on driving today.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Jack and Nanu looked behind them to see a Olivia standing behind them, wearing a scowl of disapproval at the sight of the two men drinking in a bar together.
"I leave you two idiots alone for ten minutes and you're getting drunk? We have things to do!" Olivia nearly shouted, barely restraining herself as Jack offered her a lopsided smirk.
"I don't see what the problem is. Too bitter souls are sharing a drink together. What's so bad about that?" Jack asked the Kahuna, who rolled her eyes and took a seat beside them.
"What's bad is that you two are supposed to be looking into leads regarding Cipher, and you're here drinking. Like...I can't even wrap my head around this! Cipher is prowling around on this island right now! We've had confirmed reports of five sightings and two Pokémon thefts because of them. We've got to get on them now before people start dying!" Olivia yelled at the two men, who both shrugged.
"Again, you're asking a lot of me. The only reason I came with you in the first place was so I could keep busy, and not think about losing everything I ever loved." Jack replied darkly, making Olivia flinch in response. For a moment, she had forgotten what Jack had lost and knew that asking anything of the old hero was asking quite a bit, even if she was the Kahuna of Akala Island.
"Alright. Good point, sir. But Nanu! You should know better by now. You think Acerola likes seeing you do this to yourself?" Olivia asked Nanu, who offered her a dull look.
"You think I'm going to stop my occasional drinking because of her? Fat chance. She knows better than that." Nanu replied, making Olivia sigh angrily in response.
"You're hurting her when you show how much you don't care. You know that, right?" Olivia asked the older Kahuna, who shrugged.
"I know. And honestly, I don't care. I hurt everyone I'm around. It's why I'm best to be left alone. So no one has to suffer with my presence. You wouldn't understand, Olivia. Barkeep, another drink." Nanu replied as Olivia shook her head in disgust.
"Don't feel so bad, Olivia. He cares about Acerola. He just hates showing it. If anything happened to that girl, the old man wouldn't know what to do with himself. Just like me." Jack replied with a broken grin. Olivia honestly didn't know what to say to that. While she was familiar with Nanu's background, she didn't know why the man had such a dour outlook on life. And as for Jack...Well, she didn't blame him for wanting an end to his misery. If she had endured what he had, she wouldn't know how to cope either.
"By the Tapu...actually, fuck that saying." Nanu began to say, realizing how he was starting his thought off. "Anyways, as I was trying to say, this conversation is getting way too touchy-feely. How about we turn that over to you, Jack?"
"Me? Nanu, you've had too much to drink and so have I. I shouldn't be doing anything except ordering more...Speaking of…" Jack turned to the barkeep and signalled to him that Jack wanted another drink, which the man received. Olivia rolled her eyes, but ordered a water and joined the two men at the bar.
"Now that we've all got something to water our throats, I've got a question for you, Commander Jack. Now that you've reached the breaking point, that point where you question your worth and wonder why you even bother anymore...Why do you?" Nanu asked softly, leaning his head down. His eyes were unfocused, but when he turned his head towards his friend there was an alertness to them that Jack hadn't seen in a while.
Jack thought about it for a few minutes, with Olivia sitting silently beside the two old gunslingers, now sitting in a bar trying to keep the bitter memories and weight of the past off their shoulders. Jack shook his head, unable to come up with an answer.
"You should know my answer better than anyone, Nanu. After the Ruby Raiders were gone and the lovebirds left to make the Aether Paradise, I was kind of alone to deal with the fallout. Once my career was over and I quit the International Police, I kept going because of Clara and Sonya. And now they're gone...So what do I live for? What's the point in going on?" Jack asked with a bitter smile, downing the rest of his drink with a shudder.
"All I have left is to fight. I'm going to fight...because life's unfair. This world is a terrible place, and there's innocents I can help somehow. Just like with that girl the other day. Sweet little thing that just wanted to help her little Pokémon. Made me remember my oath, even if that's from my old life." Jack responded to Olivia, who looked surprised. She had heard about Jack encountering Professor Kukui's assistant, Lillie, the other day after saving her life from Team Skull, but she was surprised the girl had left such an impression on the jaded old veteran.
"I'm miserable, depressed, and just waiting for something to put me out of my goddamn misery already, but until that joyful day I'm going to fight for other people. Call me soft-hearted if you want, Nanu, but it's the truth. I'm going down swinging because its all I have left." Jack said to the Kahuna, who looked forward and didn't respond except by finishing off his drink and ordering another, swaying slightly on his chair.
"Well said, Commander. Although I'm not familiar with the...Ruby Raiders, myself. What were they like?" Olivia asked the man beside her, who sighed.
"Not a memory I want to revisit. Let's just say that before Team Skull, we had an actual crime problem with some idiots who fashioned themselves as pirates. They stole Pokémon and loved to cause trouble, and did it all with swords and Pokémon. They wore ruby-colored outfits and made my life hell. Hence the name the Ruby Raiders. While the Ruby Raiders were a nasty bunch, they weren't stupid and made some interesting enemies. And putting them down, while the highlight of my career, also became the last thing I did." Jack muttered the last part that Olivia frowned at.
"How so?" The Kahuna asked, with Jack shaking his head.
"Turns out the guy in charge…Ugh, no. I'm not revisiting this." Jack decided, making Olivia blink. Jack ordered another drink while Nanu laughed softly beside them.
"The guy in charge was a traitorous piece of shit. Before Alola was the tourist hotspot it is now, it was struggling to find a place in the industry many years ago. That is, until a business tycoon named Roran Rubinara sunk millions upon millions into kickstarting hotels, promotion, and all sorts of stuff. The guy was a hero to a lot of people and made the country the number one tourist spot in the world...And then it turned out he was in charge of a group of cutthroats, and running the show in the criminal underworld of Alola. Jack here made a ragtag team of sorts and ended the Ruby Raiders, but Roran slipped away, and used every bit of power he had left to destroy Jack's law enforcement career. That's the story in a nutshell, but there's a lot more to it." Nanu explained as he leaned back, blinking a few times. "Well...Looks like I'm not driving home."
"You weren't driving regardless, Nanu." Jack muttered, shaking his head with a rough chuckle.
"True. Very true." Nanu agreed, leaning forward and pressing his head against the table. A few moments later the Kahuna had passed out.
"Wuss." Jack muttered as he waved at the bartender. "We're done here...Put it on my tab."
"Great. Now we have to get him home and explain to Acerola why she's got to take care of this drunk prick the whole day." Olivia remarked before a massive ghost suddenly leapt out of Jack's shadow.
"It's better than making sure the Commander doesn't act out his desires and do something harmful to his health." Gretel the Dusknoir remarked, shaking her head as she floated to Jack, who laughed softly.
"Yeah, yeah...Olivia, we're taking a rain check for today. If you want Cipher shit, go find them. Can't be that hard." Jack mumbled before Gretel pulled Jack into a hug, easily lifting up the massive man.
"I do apologize for this, Miss Olivia. I'll keep him safe, if you can get Mister Nanu back home. I wish you the best of luck in your investigation. Once the Commander is back on his feet, he'll be helping out again. I assure you." Gretel promised before she sunk into her shadow, leaving the two Kahuna's behind. Nanu stirred somewhat, waking up from his brief nap with a groan as he lifted his head up, gagging slightly.
Olivia face-palmed, sighing deeply before she turned to Nanu and grabbed the man by the shoulders, pulling him towards her as she prepared to make a phone call to Acerola to pick up Nanu.
Nanu delayed that call by promptly throwing up on Olivia.
Lillie hadn't felt this happy in quite some time. And not just because she hadn't been thrown up on by a drunk old man, like a very unhappy Kahuna had been during the last scene.
She knew it was selfish of her, but she couldn't help it. Lillie was happiest when all of her friends were with her, instead of on their journeys. She loved being able to talk with Hau and get hugs from Sun, and spend the evenings learning about Aria's adventures in Unova with Wes, Vivian and Noah, and staying up reading with Professor Burnet while curled up on the couch with Nebby while he slept. She couldn't stop smiling from sheer joy, surrounded by all of these kind people who cared about Lillie because she was Lillie, and not because she was a living object to be displayed for the sake of beauty.
That was why she was going to make the most of the time she had to spend with them. She almost didn't want to sleep at night, thinking it was a waste of time she could be using to spend time with her friends. However, Professor Burnet and Kukui shot down this line of logic, pointing out that she'd just be tired come daytime and Lillie wouldn't be able to enjoy that time.
The day before Lillie's birthday, Lillie overheard Sun talking to Hau about how he needed to take drastic measures in order to find Lillie a special gift that stood out. According to Sun, he had already bought his friend two gifts, but he wanted a really special one that would really make her happy. Lillie felt guilty that her crush was going so far out of his way to make her happy, but on the other hand…
She hadn't properly celebrated a birthday since her father had vanished. Since then, she and Gladion and only had each other to celebrate each others birthdays, and could only do so much. Once Miss Wicke had joined the Aether Foundation, she had helped the children celebrate their birthdays properly, but even then...without their mother or father present for them, it just wasn't the same.
Mother had always dismissed the idea of celebrating birthdays as superfluous nonsense. Considering that she was into forties and passed for a teenager at a glance, maybe this was understandable. But still...Lillie missed the large parties her parents had used to throw, and the times of happiness that her family had shared together.
"Lillie?"
The girl in question snapped out her daze as she saw Sun and Hau looking at her with concern. Lillie smiled sheepishly and said, "Sorry. I was spacing out again. What were you saying?"
"I said that my Mom is taking me to see the psychiatrist in three days, and that after that me and Hau are going to go to Konikoni City to meet with Olivia. You know, to schedule our Grand Trial?" Sun said to Lillie, who nodded in reply.
"So if that's happening three days from now, what do you two want to do today?" Lillie asked, knowing full well Sun and Hau wanted to get her gifts. However, she wanted to see what kind of excuses they would use to try and hide the surprise.
Sun coughed awkwardly, being put on the spot. "Well, I think me and Hau are going to do some...well…"
"We're buying you presents." Hau stated, earning a glare from Sun. "Dude, I don't have all to watch you try and fail to make up a reason. She knows anyway, don't you Lillie?"
Lillie grinned and nodded, with Sun sighing softly and saying, "Fine! That's what we're doing!"
"You both really don't have to-" Lillie began to say, but Sun held up a hand, cutting her off.
"We've discussed this. You're getting presents. And we're going to have an awesome party and you're going to be happy. Deal?" Sun said in a businesslike tone that made Lille laugh a little.
"Of course, Mister Smiles." Lillie replied teasingly, making Hau burst into giggles as Sun sighed.
"I hate my name." Sun stated before he turned around and began walking over to his Pokémon, who were currently embroiled in a big game of tag.
Apparently the second and first floor of the massive Dimensional Research Lab contained a large area that resembled a grassy plain, complete with grass, trees, flowing water and plenty of room for Pokémon to frolic and enjoy themselves. This was where Sun and Hau's teams were indeed enjoying themselves, with Nebby also floating around the room with a joyful smile on his face.
"We've been doing some searching as of late, but with the storm going on outside, I can't really find a third gift that really stands out." Sun remarked before he stopped himself, realizing Lillie was frowning at him. "No, it's no bother! Don't give me those sad eyes!"
"Sun, you really don't have to go so far out of your way for me." Lillie said quietly, but was cut off when Sun stepped forward and hugged the girl, making her squeak and blush in reply.
"Yes I do. Because you'd do the same for me and Hau." Sun let go of the sputtering girl and leaned over to mutter to Hau, "What did you get her, anyway?"
"Like I'd tell you." Hau replied, smirking as Sun stuck his tongue out at the other boy.
"Anyways, it's not like I can go through the city right now as it is with that nasty storm going on outside." Sun remarked, referencing the storm that had been going on for about three hours now. As if on cue, thunder boomed overhead, making the trio flinch slightly.
"I was planning on going for a run through the city after lunch. But this rain put a stop to those plans." Sun remarked, with Hau scoffing.
"No kidding. What kind of psychopath would go running through a rainstorm like this?" Hau demanded, crossing his arms.
At that moment, Professor Kukui walked into the room drenched to the bone and wearing a tracksuit, looking slightly out of breath. All three children stared at the man for a few moments before Hau turned back around with a deadpan expression on his face.
"Okay. What kind of psychopath would go running in a storm like this, besides Professor Kukui?" Hau said to the two children as the Professor walked past them to call out his Pokémon.
Meanwhile...
As the rain poured down on Akala Island, a large man dressed in blue pants and wearing a blue mask jogged down the sidewalk with a Floatzel, Poliwrath, and a Quagsire running alongside him, humming loudly to accompany the man's singing, which went a little something like this.
Oh my name is Crasher Wake!
My singing makes my foes quake!
This rain feels like a lake!
Uh...I really like eating cake! Wahahaha!"
"So, you kids having a powwow until the storm blows over?" Kukui asked as he walked over to them, watching as Winter the Alolan Vulpix ran over to Brago and began to chat with the Growlithe. Kukui narrowed his eyes slightly with he saw the two Pokémon nuzzle each other, but decided to ignore it for now and address the two Trainers and his assistant.
"We're discussing Lillie's birthday presents. Mainly because Hau has no tact." Sun remarked, with Lillie and Kukui nodding in agreement while Hau rolled his eyes.
"Well, the storm should blow over in a little while. I got loads of new move info about Water-type moves, so now now I'm able to focus on some fun stuff for a while, yeah!" Kukui boomed happily before he sat down on the ground.
"But first. I'm going to use Rest and take a well-earned nap." Kukui stated before he shut his eyes and laid down on the ground. Within moments he was snoring softly, to the bewilderment of Hau and Sun.
"He does that a lot more frequently than you think. At least this time he's not standing up." Lillie remarked with a small smile.
"Right...Well, I guess we'll head out after the storm is done then." Sun remarked with a small sigh, trying to rack his brain for ideas.
Sun wanted Lillie to have the best birthday possible. That's why he had settled on getting her multiple gifts for her birthday, instead of just one. Hau hadn't gone that route, settling on one gift. However, he did like Sun's plan for Lillie's gifts and encouraged him to find one final gift. Sun's plan was to get Lillie a bunch of new books for her birthday, and while he had found two that he thought the Princess would enjoy, he wanted to find a very special third book.
Sun had been searching all throughout Heahea City for books about the Tapu and their Ruins as his third gift. After all, it would assist Lillie with her quest to help Nebby, and he knew that it would make her happy. And that was the most important thing to Sun.
So, after bidding farewell to his crush and Hau, Sun began to wander the streets of Heahea City with his Pokémon traveling alongside him. Brago was annoyed at this, since he had been enjoying a nap with Winter before being whisked away for an endless walk through the city, but wherever his Alpha went, he followed.
"I wish there was a way I could track down more bookstores here. You'd be amazed at the lack of serious knowledge about the Tapu that isn't at some library at Malie City. Which doesn't help me, since its on the next island over." Sun grunted as he kicked a can that was on the ground.
"Perhaps you should reconsider your gift? Maybe give her something shiny?" Oliver suggested with a laugh as he swooped by.
"He wants to help her with the Cosmog child. That's what you said, right Trainer?" Penny asked Sun, who nodded. "So something shiny would be useless."
"I bet showing her your interest in her would make her quite happy as well." Brago remarked with a small laugh, earning a glare from Sun.
Yes. His Pokémon knew all about his crush on Lillie. The worst part was that he told none of them about this. They had all figured it out on their own. It was even more embarrassing because none of the Pokémon knew about the subtleties of human courtship. And while Sun wasn't much better off, he knew that there were some things you couldn't do to win a girl's heart.
"I'm not going to do that now. Not on her birthday. She needs to have the best birthday possible, and I'm not going to risk ruining it by telling Lillie about my crush on her." Sun replied to Brago, who just grinned back at him.
"Very well." Brago relented, though Sun wasn't happy that the canine was still smiling.
"How are things going with you and Winter, anyway?" Sun asked Brago, who's smile widened.
"Well. She was receptive to my feelings and returns them. And...It's nice getting to spend time with her again. Though I'll admit, it's a little embarrassing to try and battle her. As lovely as she is, I am no match for a daughter of the mountain snow." Brago explained with a small shiver, remembering how the Alolan Vulpix had beaten him soundly in a battle the other day. Not his proudest moment. Oliver snickered at Brago, who snapped at the bird with his teeth and made Oliver fly away with a laugh.
"Keep laughing, Oliver! Last time I checked, Penny thinks your feathers looked withered and ugly!" Brago yelled to Oliver, who's eyes widened in horror and anger.
"I do NOT think that." Penny said pointedly to Brago as Oliver dove down to them, ready to unleash owl fury. At Penny's words, Oliver looked at his friend in surprise and stopped in his tracks.
"Really? So what do you think of them?" Oliver asked, seemingly very interested in Penny's opinion now. Sun and Brago were both laughing now, as Oliver was moving closer to Penny who was looking distinctly uncomfortable by the situation. Brago spotted something behind Sun and nudged his Trainer.
"Alpha, I believe I see friends of yours." Brago pointed with his paw behind Sun, who turned around to see Sina and Dexio crossing the street and approaching him, both of them smiling at him.
"Alola!" Sina and Dexio greeted Sun as they waved their hands. Sun smiled at the two older Trainers from Kalos and greeted them in kind.
"What are you two doing out here? I figured the storm would have chased you two back to the hotels?" Sun said to the Masked Heroes of Kalos.
"Not a chance! Besides, a little bit of rain never hurt anyone." Dexio remarked with a grin, thought Sina sighed in response.
"Didn't hurt you maybe. You're not the one who wore white today and got caught in the rain." Sina lamented, making Sun and oddly enough, Dexio blush at that mental image.
"A-anyways, my young friend, what brings you here? And with your Pokémon no less?" Dexio asked the boy, who sighed.
"I've been trying to hunt down a bookstore so I could find a special book on the Tapu. You know, to give to Lillie as a birthday present. But I'm having no luck." Sun explained to the duo, who nodded understandingly.
"That is a quandary. After all, you wish for your petite amie to have the best birthday possible, yes?" Sina remarked, putting a hand on her chin with a teasing smile on her face while Sun scowled at her. Petite amie meant girlfriend in Kalosian, and the only reason he knew that was because Lillie had already translated that phrase for him the first time he had heard Sina and Dexio say it.
"Are you two coming to the party?" Sun asked, curious about that and shoving aside his annoyance for now. The duo were frequent visitors to the Dimensional Research Lab and were friends to everyone. It'd be a shame if they missed out.
"Naturally! We have also procured gifts for Mademoiselle Lillie. However, I do not think that any gift we get will outdo you, my friend." Dexio replied with a smile, putting a hand on his hip.
"I don't know about that. Say, have you two seen any good bookstores around the city?" Sun asked the two Trainers before quickly rattling off a list of stores he had already been too.
"Non! None that you haven't already been to. But I have an idea. I do believe there is a small series of shops and stalls and the like by the docks that are celebrating some small local celebration. Perhaps you can find a shop amongst the stalls that deals in books?" Sina suggested, making Sun grin in response.
"That's better than wandering around aimlessly. Thanks you two, I'll check it out!" Sun said to the duo before he charged off, leaving the foreign Trainers behind.
Sun arrived at the docks in record time, but then had to spend a portion of that time drinking some water and sitting down to catch his breath. After making a promise to work out more, he began to search through the dozens of tents and stalls that had been erected on the street with the ocean glistening in the background.
Sadly, a quick look through the tents and wares didn't reveal anything he thought would help him. Certainly no books, that was for sure. That wasn't to say there weren't food vendors he didn't buy from and fed to his team while they helped him search, but he didn't find a single person there that sold books. Even when he asked them about the Tapu, none of them could give him information that wasn't common knowledge.
"Man...I'm never going to find Lillie's book at this rate." Sun sighed angrily, taking off his cap and wiping the sweat from his brow. He had returned his team at this point, since the crowd had thickened and people were giving him glares for hogging the road. Sun was about to turn around and head back to the Dimensional Research Lab in defeat when a loud, cheerful voice called out to him.
"Book huh? Well, come on over here then!"
Sun turned around and saw a small stall he hadn't noticed before. It was surrounded by crates of books, though that was hardly the only thing there. The stall had the contents of what looked like an antique store there, with all sorts of baubles and trinkets draped over the table that glimmered and shined in the Alola sun.
Seated at the stall was a woman wearing a tattered tan cloak, a hood obscuring most of the woman's face. Sun walked over to the woman, smiling at her and noticing that a large tent was set up behind the woman and that there was someone rummaging around inside of the tent, at least from what Sun could tell.
"Well...You got my attention. Weird place to set up an antique stall." Sun remarked, before a shout made him jump.
"It's not antiques! I worked hard to find these, I'll have you know!" came another woman's voice. Sun blinked as a woman slipped out from the tent, with dark skin and dressed in blue jeans and a black t-shirt, but what stood out was the black and pink hair the woman had and the electric blue eyes she possessed. Sun couldn't help but feel, as the woman locked eyes with the boy and smiled, that this woman was not someone you should cross.
"Layla, you're scaring the boy." The cloaked woman remarked, earning a scoff from the other woman.
"I doubt someone like me could scare a Trial-Goer. So, boy...I'm going to educate you. My little business here collects treasures from all around the world and studies them. What we can't glean information from, we sell. Books, gems, art, you name it. Layla's got the best of all of it." The owner of the stall proclaimed, a weird grin on her face. Sun couldn't place it, but something felt off about the woman.
"So if she's Layla…" Sun turned to the cloaked woman, who laughed softly in reply.
"You may call me the Lorekeeper. My name is of no consequence to you...Yet." The woman replied, grinning underneath her hood. Sun saw that the woman was probably in her early twenties, with black hair and gleaming crimson eyes that bespoke incredible mischievousness.
"Yet? That's not totally ominous or anything. Man, why do I feel like...both of these women are terrifying in their own ways?" Sun thought with a shiver before Rotom Dex suddenly hopped out of his backpack.
"Zzzt! Sun, I'm sensing a new kind of Pokémon nearby, but something interfering with my functionzz! Something's going weird!" Rotom declared as it landed on Sun's head.
"Huh. Haunted Pokédex? That's a new one." The Lorekeeper muttered, cocking her head for a moment before shaking it. "Distracted. Anyways, little guy, I've got plenty of books for you to look at! Anything in particular you're looking for?"
"Old legends, fairy tales, stuff like that. Especially if it has to do with the Tapu in any way." Sun asked the woman, who turned to Layla with a hidden grin.
"Say anything, and I'm smiting you." Layla remarked, with the Lorekeeper turning around and pouting.
The Lorekeeper smiled and said in her cheery voice, "Well, we've got a few books on that, actually. Sinnoh storybooks, Unovan legends, and some super old stories about the Tapu and the Ruins as well."
"Wow! Soundzz like you've got a treasure trove of knowledge on you!" Rotom declared excitedly, buzzing with energy.
"I'll take that last one!" Sun said to the Lorekeeper, but Layla interjected.
"Why do you want to know about the Ruins and Tapu?" Layla asked suspiciously, crossing her arms.
"My friend's birthday is tomorrow, and she's really interested in anything she can learn about the Tapu. It's really important to her. And because of that, I'm looking for books or information to help her." Sun explained to the two women, with the Lorekeeper bursting into giggles.
"Sounds adorable. But I can help with that. Especially since you're a Trainer with power, and that always interests me." The Lorekeeper replied as she began sifting through her books while Sun looked at her oddly.
"How can you tell I have power? Is it because of my Z-Ring?" Sun asked the Lorekeeper, but it was Layla who answered.
"Seasoned Trainers, much like Pokémon, can sense power. Even if it is untapped potential, much like what we both can see in you, young one." Layla replied, her unnerving smile widening. "It's odd. Your mind is a complicated one, full of pain. But also with endless kindness and a forgiving heart. Be wary of your darkness, child, and don't let the pain consume you. If you allow yourself to wallow in your suffering, you will become just like Alola's fallen child."
"W-what?" Sun asked, thrown completely off by the woman's random burst of foresight.
"She's rambling. Ignore her." The Lorekeeper said before she pulled out a small leather book four small jewels on the front of it. "I found it! Nā Waiʻi o Alola: He Mōʻaukala."
"Which means?" Sun asked.
"The Ruins of Alola: A History." Layla translated, with the Lorekeeper sighing in relief.
"Thanks. I can't speak Alolan, so I had no idea what that said." The Lorekeeper admitted with a small laugh, making Layla giggle as well.
"That's why it's so funny when I give you bad translations and watch you make a fool of yourself when you try to socialize like a normal person." Layla remarked, earning a glare from the Lorekeeper.
"Giving wrong translations...Like what?" Sun asked, worried that Hau might someone acquire this idea and start messing with him.
"Oh, it's fantastic. I made my friend here say that she enjoys eating farts when she was trying to order a sandwich the other day." Layla cackled, with Sun bursting into giggles at that. The Lorekeeper rolled her eyes and handed Sun the book.
"I hate you both." The Lorekeeper remarked in a bored tone. "Anyways, since I'm feeling generous, that book is free of charge."
"Hey! That cost me money!" Layla barked at the Lorekeeper, who smirked at her.
"I know. I'm the one who paid to acquire it, and you're the one who pays me. But if you think I care, you're mistaken." The Lorekeeper said before she turned around and leaned forward, peering into Sun's gray eyes with her own red ones.
"Yes. You remind me of the other boy from back home. Except you have suffered far too much for a child. But don't let the woman behind me scare you. Just because bad things happen, doesn't mean you can't get back on your feet and forge your own destiny. Take it from someone who's been there." The Lorekeeper said as she reached up and patted Sun on the head. Or rather, gently removed Rotom Dex from Sun's head, patted Sun's head, and then put Rotom back.
"I have a feeling we'll see each other again. Sun, right?" The Lorekeeper said to the boy, who nodded. "You keep on fighting."
"And always make sure to brush your teeth before going to bed." Layla remarked, earning a confused look from Sun. "Someone has to counteract her sappy advice with something random."
"I think I'm going to go now...But thank you both." Sun said to the two women, who both nodded to him. Sun walked away from the stall, his mind racing with thoughts as he reflected on the two women. Layla and the Lorekeeper, both of whom seemed to have some capacity for insight. The Layla woman in particular...it was as if she could see right through him.
Sun shivered and continued on his way, clutching the old tome in his hands that would serve as a perfect birthday present for Lillie, unaware that the two women he had just acquired said present from were watching him as he walked down the street.
"So Zinnia...You are aware you could have just handed that boy some information to give to the Snagger girl and made their lives easier, right? Or told him any of the ways to access the hidden chambers in the ruins? Or literally any of what I have told you?" Layla asked, crossing her arms as her pink and black hair billowed in the sea breeze.
Zinnia removed her hood and whirled around with a grin, her crimson eyes gleaming with delight at the question. The Lorekeeper rose to her full height, looking up at the owner of the stall.
"You're one to talk. You're basically a god, but instead of being kind and loving you're just as sadistic as the new bad guys prowling this island are. But I can't really judge. I'm really no better." Zinnia responded, throwing her hood back on. "That said, I have things to do and not a lot of time to do it in. It's what brought me here, after all."
"Right, right. Well, you have fun doing your thing. It's just about closing time anyway, so I don't need you for a bit. Just remember to keep this arrangement between us. If anyone finds out how I'm doing this, I'll paint the Ruins of Life with your blood." Layla responded dryly as she leaned against a nearby pole. Zinnia giggled at the threat and waved her hand dismissively.
"Yeah, yeah, don't tell people their god is living amongst them for kicks. Gotcha. Now, onto the fun part!" Zinnia declared as she buttoned her cloak and sprinted from the docks, a mad grin on her face as she weaved in and out of the bustling crowd, leaving Layla behind. The 'woman' simply smiled and sighed, shutting her eyes for several moments before opening them, with her bright blue eyes now glowing with a horizontal pink slash running across them.
"Tapu Koko can worry and interfere and get hurt all it wants. Those fools wouldn't dare disrespect me on my island. And if they do…" Tapu Lele allowed itself an awful smile of malice as it spoke aloud. "Well...I'm not the merciful Guardian Deity. I'll have to show them why that is before they're removed from this world forever."
The being then blinked before sighing softly.
"I have got to stop talking to myself..."
Alright, so lot's of things happened in quick succession.
Cipher got their ass kicked, Umbral Pokémon are terrifying, and Surge is now dealing with a kidnapped son, who was the intended target and not the Gym Leader himself.
Sun now has his present, and has run into a familiar face that some of you may recognize. Honestly, I was debating not putting Zinnia into this story because she acts a bit like Vivian, but then I realized how well she fits into the greater narrative. Plus, she's awesome and has two of the best themes out there.
And Tapu Lele has made its appearance, though not in the manner you think. And don't bother asking why it's disguised as a human, that will be explained in the very first scene of the next chapter. Rest assured the Guardian Deity of Akala Island will be making more appearances from here on in, which is a major complaint I've received several times (rightly so).
I have a feeling many of you will like the explanation for how this happened anyway.
Q & A
From: DarkestShade73
Which brings me to my last question (I just noticed this review is 600 words, lol. Maybe I overdid it). IDK what happens in USUM if you fight Lusa or not, since my 3DS have had battery problems and I've had a boatload of other things to do (besides improving my own writing) but if that does happen, what will you do for Clefable's golfdeltad Metronome spam?
It'll be based on the battle itself that I have when I get to that point in my playthrough of the game that I've been doing as RS has progressed. If it doesn't work out well, I'll pick and choose what moves Clefable uses. Lusamine won't be a cakewalk for Sun, I assure you.
That's all for now, folks. Next chapter is Lillie's birthday and the showcase of the Truth or Dare game, which considering the combined amount of ideas I have at my disposal, will be pretty awesome. Keep in mind you can still submit ideas, but keep in mind I'm writing the chapter over the course of the next week and at this point I'll only use things I can make work with what I have already.
Thanks again for the incredible amount of feedback and support. Seriously, we've hit two massive milestones with this story over the past week and I have a feeling the surprises won't stop anytime soon. With that, I'm gonna get some sleep and try to resist the urge to play more Horizon Zero Dawn.
In the meantime, please show your support in the review section below and if you haven't already, please favorite and/or follow the story if you've enjoyed what you read. Feedback is awesome, helps the story grow, and makes me smile every time I see emails regarding notifications about the story.
Oh yeah, and you can submit questions too. Don't forget that. Just offer feedback in the question or I'll likely ignore it.
You all take care and keep being awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
