Pokémon Radiant Sun
Alrighty, not a whole lot to say aside from a big thank you to those who reviewed this past two weeks.
Seriously, this week was not great for me. It was a massive drain on me mentally and the reviews of support were really wonderful to see, especially for a chapter I was very worried about the reception too. So thanks again for being amazing.
Aside from me getting hooked on "Fire Emblem: Three Houses", there's not much to report this go around. Let's get to it.
Shoutout to those who reviewed this past update, which includes Anasazi Darkmoon, Oragonking, two Guest reviewers, BraviaryScout, Aerithmo, SomeCallItKye, SonicIKE, and a new reviewer that goes by Drake Vaillion. Thanks for the feedback and support, my wonderful people!
Let's deal with the tasty fallout of the Tournament Mini-Arc, shall we?
Enjoy.
Chapter 91: Aftermath
Three Days Later…
Cipher Celadon HQ
"Dawson…"
"Borlath."
The Dashing Rogue of Hoenn stared down the so-called Master of Cipher. Borlath's flickered between colors with every blink. It was unnerving to say the least, but Dawson stood his ground.
The two men stood at the top floor of the building that housed Ashton Aupuni's company HQ as well as the Cipher HQ. The highest floor in the building was a massive battlefield of sorts for Trainers to come practice and blow off steam. As much as he hated the fact, Borlath was indeed a Pokémon Trainer and had to maintain his strength. More importantly, Borlath had been training up his new team to replace the one that he had sacrificed for the sake of the Umbral Project. While they were all talented Pokémon, they all had a very long way to go before they were anywhere close to the caliber his old team was. Thankfully, he hadn't lost his touch.
"You do know I saw that entire broadcast, yes?" Borlath asked slowly, crossing his arms as Dawson allowed himself a small smile, shrugging after a moment.
"I don't know what you want me to say. Your kid has a way with words. And he reminded me of my conscious. The only reason I came back was to try and convince you to drop this entire thing." Dawson said with a small sigh. "But you're adamant on staying the course."
"Of course I am. I love my son, but I'm not going to let him stop this. Nothing can stop this. We either succeed, or the world will be destroyed."
"Or someone stops you."
"Oh...Is that someone possibly you? Could we have a betrayal with Cipher?"
"Maybe. Depends on whether or not I don't just vaporize your face." Dawson shot back, stepping forward.
"Don't underestimate me...I could destroy you in an instant." Borlath said with a cold smile.
"Is that a challenge?" Dawson asked, gritting his teeth. Borlath shut his eyes, crossing his arms behind his back.
"Go for it."
"What?" Dawson asked as Borlath stood there, not even bothering to move or do...anything.
"End my misery and shoot me right in the heart. Or face. I might even thank you for it. The world would definitely thank you for it. Arceus knows that I deserve this and more for what I've done." Borlath said in a tone far too serious for Dawson's liking. It was downright scary to say the least.
"Alright...Have it your way." Dawson said as he drew Justice with his good-hand, grinning as he leveled the hand-cannon at Borlath's heart and fir-
A webbed hand struck the weapon right as it went off, sending the blast of energy surging away from them and into the side of the room. Dawson jumped back as a Greninja leapt out of his shadow, eyes narrowed in anger at the Dashing Rogue as he snatched up Justice and clipped it to his belt. Dawson called out Roserade, Hariyama, Slowking, and Manectric and pointed forward.
"Get 'em!" Dawson bellowed, with Greninja hissing angrily and getting into a fighting stance.
"Return to me." Borlath said calmly, opening a single blue eye. Greninja hissed again before silently walking over to its master, with Borlath smiling as he opened his other golden eye. Dawson aimed Justice right at the Cipher leader, his entire team standing beside him.
"Your sense of justice, much like my own, is absolutely tainted. How many people do we have to hurt, Ash? How many have to die before we meet our goals? By the time we get there, we'll be worse than the things we've been trying to fight!" Dawson barked, with Borlath smiling sadly at him.
"I know." Borlath said quietly, shaking his head. Dawson lowered his aim slightly, his expression softening as he heard the sorrow in the man's voice. The genuine amount of pain and self-loathing that made his earlier actions all the more obvious. "Trust me when I saw that I wish there was another way. But we don't have the time. And I don't have the will to wait. Now...hand over that key."
Dawson grinned, glancing down at the key hanging from a chain around his neck. The Snowpoint Key, capable of releasing the seal on Snowpoint Temple and allowing the user to enter the sanctuary of Regigigas. Dawson looked up at Borlath and said, "No dice. But I'm willing to part ways with it if you can agree to a deal."
"A deal?" Borlath said smoothly, though Dawson could tell the man wasn't impressed. Dawson just shrugged, grinning at him.
"Yeah. I'll hand you the key if you agree to pull out of Alola." Dawson said as Borlath's eyes widened. "Yeah, we've got a set-up there, but at the same time you and I both know that everything you're doing there is hurting Sun. And after the kid made me realize some things, I'd rather not have anything else happen to him."
"Interesting proposal...Well, here's what I have to say to that." Borlath said gently, taking a step back. His smile widened into something that made Dawson shiver in horror, taking a step back as Borlath's eyes became bright red.
"Damien...Kill."
Dawson spun around in time for a massive Houndoom to slam into his stomach, sending him flying backwards as Damien attacked from out of nowhere. The canine's powerful strike sent Dawson crashing to the ground with a scream of pain, especially considering a cracking sound came from Dawson's chest as the man rolled to his feet, clutching his chest with a pained expression.
Damien stood proudly across from him, wearing an annoyed expression. Dawson's team converged in front of him, ready to attack at his command and protect their Trainer. Damien simply snarled at them, not even remotely phased.
"I'm sorry...But no one hurts Ash." Damien growled, eyeing the Dashing Rogue with annoyance. Dawson scowled, cursing himself for not seeing Damien lurking around. He knew about Greninja, but was hoping to blast Borlath before it interfered. Damien, however was...more problematic.
"Roserade, Hyper Beam!" Dawson commanded, throwing out a hand as the Bouquet Pokémon crouched low, placing both of its hands together before releasing a massive beam of energy at the Houndoom. Borlath didn't command Damien, nor did the Dark Pokémon try to avoid the attack in any way. Hyper Beam simply engulfed Damien, who's outline could be seen through the attack.
And then Damien took a step forward.
"Wha...no way…" Dawson whispered, taking a step back as Damien began to walk through the Hyper Beam, the powerful blast of energy not hampering the canine in the slightest. After about twenty seconds, Borlath decided to finally issue a command as Roserade continued to blast the Houndoom with Hyper Beam.
"Use Return on Roserade." Borlath said with a bored tone, putting his hands in his pockets as Dawson glanced towards the man in surprise. He was wondering if Borlath was just going to let Dawson's team attack his prized Pokémon without impunity.
Damien suddenly lunged forward and headbutted Roserade as its body flashed white, sending it hurtling backwards with a scream of pain, making it crash onto the ground senseless, twitching slightly on the floor.
"Thunderbolt, Water Pulse! Hariyama, Break Brick!" Dawson shouted as Manectric released a Thunderbolt on the canine and Slowking hit him with a Water Pulse. Damien flinched as the Water-type attack struck him, with the electricity now surging through his body now giving him pause. Borlath didn't seem even remotely concerned.
"Crunch, then throw him." Borlath said to his Partner as Hariyama began to strike him with his powerful fists, with every blow shaking the Houndoom but seemingly not damaging him at all. Damien growled for a moment before he lashed out and grabbed Hariyama's hand with his teeth. The massive Pokémon cried out in pain before the canine suddenly leapt into the air, taking the Arm Thrust Pokémon with him and carrying him away with ease.
Dawson's jaw dropped as the canine spun in the air, appearing like a tornado and then hurling Hariyama into the ground with enough force to create a shockwave across the stadium floor. Damien landed on the ground with a snort, glancing at a horrified Slowking as he watched on in fear.
"Dark Pulse." Borlath spoke as Damien opened his mouth, a small concentrated sphere of darkness forming within his maw. A moment later, a massive beam of darkness erupted from the Dark Pokémon's mouth, blasting Slowking away and sending it hurtling across the room into a faraway wall, where it dropped to the ground limply.
Damien slowly turned to Dawson, who took a step back as he took aim with Justice. The Houndoom snorted as Manectric bristled with electricity, releasing a Thunderbolt at Dawson's command. Damien growled as the attack struck him, but after a few moments he was on the move, bounding towards Dawson quickly. The Dashing Rogue fired repeatedly at the canine, but he weaved in and out of the shots before he released a explosion of flames from his maw, blasting Manectric and sending the Discharge Pokémon flying through the air. Dawson watched as his final Pokémon crashed onto the ground, covered head to toe in awful burns.
The Cipher Admin whirled around in time for Damien to headbutt him a second time, this time from the side. Dawson howled in pain as he was sent sprawling onto the ground, clutching his shoulder as Justice went skating across the floor.
"Gaaah...I knew that damn mutt was strong, but that's...insane. It's like getting hit by a truck" Dawson panted, slowly getting to his hands and knees, baring his injured wrist.
A boot to the face sent him crashing down to the ground, before that same boot was pressed down on his neck hard enough to make Dawson choke. The bounty hunter opened his eyes to see Borlath staring down at him with amusement in his black eyes as he aimed Justice down at Dawson, having picked up the hand-cannon off of the floor.
"Don't take a gun to a Pokémon Battle. And don't ever try to cross me." Borlath said quietly, reaching down and grabbing the Snowpoint Key, snapping it free from the chain around Dawson's neck and pocketing it. "Aside from the Umbral Pokémon, Damien is the strongest Pokémon in Cipher's possession. Even Deoxys cannot stand to Damien when we are battling together. So what chance did you think you had?"
"I had...to try…" Dawson choked, making Borlath chuckle softly. It didn't make him ease off the pressure.
"Now...Here's my counter-proposal, Charlie. And you'll agree to it if you don't want your entire team killed off, as well as your family back in Hoenn." Borlath said smoothly, pressing down harder on the man's neck and making him flail weakly on the ground.
"You'll continue to be an Admin for Cipher. You'll continue to assist us in our plans. And you'll help play a crucial role in making this world a better place. Or I'll kill everyone you love, and then end your life in the most painful way I can think of. How does that sound?" Borlath said quietly, removing his foot from the man and offering him a hand. Dawson glared at Borlath until he grabbed the outstretched limb, realizing he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. After getting pulled to his feet, Dawson returned his team and found himself sitting in front of a room of pissed off Admins a few minutes later.
"So...I feel as though...there's a lot of pent-up hostility here." Dawson grinned painfully, easily weathering the harsh glares he was receiving from every other Admin sitting at the table alongside him. One chair was absent, and that was the chair of Amber. After the injuries she had sustained during the battle, she was sleeping in Medical under heavy sedation.
And now Dawson was stuck awkwardly explaining his actions to a room of pissed off criminals. Yay. Not that he really cared, now. Not after the wake-up call that had been his battle against Sun.
"Sorry, kid. I tried...But it looks like I might not be enough to change things around here. I won't give up though." Dawson thought to himself, leaning back in his chair.
"You're well-versed in understating the obvious." Mask remarked, leaning back in his chair as well. Not for the first time, the Dashing Rogue debated ripping off the man's mask and uncovering his secrets, but Dawson knew that the man was more dangerous than he let on. He'd bide his time until he was sure of a few more things before acting.
"We're all still waiting for an explanation, Dawson." Dakim remarked, crossing his arms angrily as his muscles bulged. Dawson simply shrugged.
"I did my job. That's all. I got what we came for. I just decided that considering our loses, it wasn't worth staying in the city. Amber was already down and out and Mask ran away like a bitch-" Dawson said before the man(?) in question spoke up.
"It was two Kahunas and three Captains. Even with Umbral Torkoal, I wasn't liking my chances. You, on the other hand, couldn't even beat an 11-year old." Mask retorted, making Venus and Giovanni smirk. Dawson caught the smug look of the latter.
"What are you looking at? Didn't you get your entire operation wrecked by an 11-year old...twice? You can't say shit, bitch." Dawson said to Giovanni, who's smile vanished and was replaced with a snarl of fury.
"Watch your tone with me, boy! Don't forget that despite everything, I am still Giovanni. And I could have you destroyed in an instant." The Team Rocket Leader uttered, with Dawson rolling his eyes.
"Right, right. Anyways, we got what we wanted. I decided not to murder a kid in cold blood and decided to make a tactical retreat. If you all want to get on my ass about it, I cordially invite you to suck it." Dawson remarked, leaning back in his chair.
"I still marvel at the fact that Cipher operates under such a fascinating facade. Telling all of those people that you're working to end all evil in the world through the use of more evil is...Simply fantastical. A stroke of genius, I can't help but admire." Giovanni remarked, with the other Admins agreeing with nods. Borlath simply shrugged.
"It's unorthodox, but it works. It's simply a guise and nothing more. Even though it was unplanned, Adrian Battlestorm broadcasting Dawson's battles worldwide had many interesting side-effects. Chief among them being allowing the public to be fooled into thinking that our intentions are good when and opposite is true." Borlath said to the others, earning smirks from Dakim and Giovanni.
"I can't help but admire that. Offering a hand of peace while holding a knife in the other hand. If I didn't know any better, between what you and Dawson said and acted, I would have thought your intentions were genuine." Giovanni laughed as leaned back in his chair.
"I'm a good actor, what can I say." Dawson shrugged, glancing at Borlath with a grin. The Cipher Master scowled angrily at the man's cheer.
"Your attitude grates on my nerves, Dawson. I don't appreciate you ruining my attempt to reclaim my son. If it wasn't for the fact that we succeeded in our goal regarding Cynthia, you would already be dead." Borlath said to the other man, who leaned forward.
"Then you shouldn't have been an awful father then. What happens with Sun is not my business. Personally I think you should leave the kid alone, because he obviously doesn't want anything to do with you. Which is also your fault." Dawson snapped at Borlath, who's eyes slowly started becoming red, showing his growing anger at the Dashing Rogue.
"Perhaps this is a conversation for another time. But rest-assured I won't accept insubordination again." Borlath said calmly as his eyes slowly changed to gray, though his rage was on full display in the coldness of his gaze.
"Don't think I can't just walk away any time I want." Dawson remarked, grinning at Borlath.
"It's amusing how the Admins of Cipher can show such brazen displays of treachery. Especially considering what Fontaine did to one of your supporters. I wonder how Dawson even became an Admin." Giovanni remarked, smirking slightly.
"I allowed Dawson to become an Admin due to lethality. Just as Amber could kill everyone in this room with little effort, Dawson is skilled in the same capacity. We shared a similar drive, and I saw him as someone who could become a strong leader within Cipher as an Admin." Borlath explained, crossing his arms.
"I didn't even need to sleep my way to the top." Dawson said cheerily.
"That being said, I also must share my doubts about Amber. You explained that she attacked the President of the Aether Foundation, who we share a beneficial relationship with. That won't do." Mask remarked, with Borlath sighing tiredly. This mess had drained him quite a bit.
"Lusamine was understandably...upset with what happened. For more reasons than I'm willing to disclose. I will be having several discussions with both her and Amber regarding what happened and I'm hoping to have some sort of peace be made. After all, I'm still donating to the Aether Foundation and they're still supplying us with the serum that helps us create Umbral Pokémon." Borlath said smoothly, crossing his arms. He was not at all happy about what Amber had done. He remembered taking a trip to Kalos for the births of both children, and being able to see them several times before the family moved to Alola. The fact that Amber had tried to kill them had rattled Borlath.
"She's becoming more and more unstable. Tapu Lele's influence on her mind is making her unpredictable. Unhinged. Wild. I have to find some way or reining her in." Borlath thought sadly, shutting his eyes after a moment. "Amber...I'm sorry that you have to suffer so much. The Guardian Deities of Alola have much to answer for."
"Speaking of, I still can't believe that Umbral Rhyperior was killed by that ruffian." Venus commented, with Dawson leaning back in his chair.
"We suffered many losses during the attack. The death of Umbral Rhyperior was definitely the biggest asset we lost, but it wasn't the only one. A few dozen of our men were captured, and on top of being unable to claim Royal Avenue in Phase 4, we lost Shadow Articuno…" Borlath slowly turned his gaze to glare at Dawson, who chuckled nervously.
"Hey man, these things happen. Plus considering that Mask bailed and left the barrier generator exposed, I was on borrowed time anyway. I just kinda forgot…" Dawson remarked with a shrug.
"That was a prized asset. We've lost two of our Legendary Birds now. And you shooting Deoxys has put it out of commission for at least a few more days." Dakim growled, slamming his fists on the table.
"Are they really that great? These Legendaries, I mean. Sun was able to beat Articuno, even though he's just a kid." Dawson remarked idly, glancing at Borlath who's eyes flickered to blue for a moment before they returned to their usual gray.
"You didn't lose because Shadow Articuno wasn't strong. With the extra experiments we performed on it, it had more than enough strength to take out anything in its path. You're just an awful Pokémon Trainer, Dawson." Venus remarked with a small smile, making Dawson shrug once more.
"I never did complete the Hoenn Gym Circuit. I beat Norman and gave up after that since Winona kept wrecking me with her stupid Altaria. It worked out for the best, all things considered." Dawson remarked casually.
"It resulted in you making a lot of stupid decisions during that battle. Sun may be young, but he's obviously taken after me and Laura when it comes to being a Trainer." Borlath said with a scowl, his eyes flickering black and red. Dawson saw this and sighed.
"Is him really becoming a Trainer that bad? He's obviously enjoying it. Let the kid be happy, man." Dawson said to Borlath, who's eyes slowly turned black.
"We'll continue this discussion another time. For now, we take a moment to consider our plans going forward. Another attack on Alola without preparation would be stupid. We'll focus our efforts on gathering intel and acquiring other assets. We also have the matter of Team Rocket's announcement." Borlath said, glancing at Giovanni as the Team Rocket Leader grinned.
"The grand announcement of my return to Kanto, after being gone for over a decade." Giovanni breathed, his evil smile widening. "Thanks to your assistance, I've been able to call forth every one of our agents from all around the world. Every single member of Team Rocket will be there to witness my return to the world of crime and prepare to take Kanto by storm."
"We're nearly done with the facility that will serve as your new base of operations. Just a few more days and we'll be ready to go." Borlath said to Giovanni, smiling at the man. "Cipher stands ready to support Team Rocket, as we have thus far. Just ensure everyone is in place."
"Naturally. I-" Giovanni frowned as he pulled out a silver cell phone and answered it. "Yes?...Excellent. Attila and Hun are to make their way here as soon as possible. I want everyone on hand for the announcement. I want the world to see Team Rocket at full-power once again."
Giovanni stood up, glancing at Borlath. "I have to take this call. We'll discuss more later."
"Of course." Borlath nodded, and with that Giovanni walked out of the room. Dawson flipped off the exiting man his good hand while Venus chuckled.
"Bastard." Borlath muttered, crossing his arms.
"Keep thinking things will work out so well, Giovanni." Dawson remarked, grinning despite everything. Borlath smiled for the first time that day, looking at the door the leader of Team Rocket had departed out of.
"He's too proud to see what's coming. He also thinks he can usurp my power from me, given the time. He thinks Team Rocket to be better than Cipher. He'll learn the truth soon enough." Borlath remarked, walking over to a nearby window with his smile not wavering.
"I'm assuming we're dismissed?" Dakim asked, with Borlath nodding.
"Venus, Dakim, you both will need to prepare to head out tomorrow. Our next stage will be crucial, and I'm counting on you both to ensure things go smoothly. Dawson, head down to Medical and keep Amber company, if you would. Last I checked the curse was active, so she might appreciate the company. You may as well get your own injuries, and that of your team, treated as well." Borlath ordered his Admins, who dispersed. Borlath waited until the door was shut before he slowly banged his head on the glass.
"Stupid...You should have known Dawson couldn't get the job done. If you weren't too scared of Alola, you could have marched in yourself and taken Cynthia from the stadium yourself." Borlath muttered to himself, gritting his teeth. "Stupid, stupid stupid...Weak. Worthless...Nothing has changed, even with all of this power and money and influence I still can't change anything!"
"You knew this would happen." came a familiar voice from the corner of the room, where Damien the Houndoom was silently watching him. Borlath sighed, banging his head against the glass again and again.
"I suspected, but I hoped it wouldn't."
"The moment you saw Sun, you couldn't help yourself."
"No."
"...I'm sorry, Ash. I'm sorry things didn't work out the way they should've."
"Damien…"
"Yeah?"
"...Thank you. I really don't take the time to appreciate you as much as I used to. So thank you for being by my side, despite everything I've done."
"Don't thank me. We're Partners. Even if I despise what you're doing and what you've made me do, I'll stand by your side. After all, we have to make this world a better place for Sun, right? That's what we're fighting for."
"It is...Even if he doesn't understand, he will in time."
"Will he though? After what he said to Dawson, it seems as though he'll never see things your way."
"Then...I don't know. I'm so tired."
"Then rest."
"There's no time...I have to keep going."
"Even if it destroys you?" Damien asked, the Houndoom finally pacing across the room from the corner of the room he had been lurking in. Borlath sat down on the carpet, sighing as the Houndoom sat beside him. Damien looked at his Trainer intently, seeing how much the man was hurting. How broken his soul had become as he committed atrocity after atrocity...all for the sake of peace.
"Yes. Even if it destroys me. I'd give up the entire world for my little boy."
Aether Foundation
Colress sat down with a sigh, relieved to be in a chair after another long night of work. Dusk, his Absol, silently mimicked her Trainer, lying down on the floor with an exhausted look on her face. She had been awake even longer than Colress had been, with the scientist appreciating her dedication.
The Purification Chamber was nearing its final phase. Thanks to his and Faba's hard work, the machine was practically ready for field testing. All they needed now was test subjects, meaning Shadow Pokémon, to test the machine on.
"And once we test and perfect this device on a few regular Shadow Pokémon, we should be able to proceed to Shadow Celebi." Colress thought tiredly, slumping forward in his chair. It wouldn't do to simply rush things, even though purifying Shadow Celebi would make their job much easier. Perhaps they should bring Aria to the Paradise. She had snagged quite a few Pokémon during the recent fights. Or rather, "The Royal Tournament Attack" as it had been called as of late.
President Lusamine, Branch Chief Faba and Assistant Branch Chief Wicke had all went to the stadium beforehand for the Tournament as sponsors for the Aether Paradise, leaving Colress alone to his work. Colress had of course arrived late on the scene, learning of the events at the stadium the last moment he could have helped. Not that he had been needed, of course.
To the collective shock of the world, Sun had managed to take down Dawson and his Shadow Articuno. Kahuna Nanu, Kahuna Olivia, Mallow, Kiawe, and Acerola had found the boy sitting beside his newly evolved Arcanine while trying to wake up an injured Hau. Both boys were hospitalized with their injuries, with Sun having suffered four broken ribs and Hau receiving a number of scratches, burns, and a concussion. Shadow Articuno would be later snagged by Aria, who would begin working on opening the door to the Legendary Bird's heart, much like she had been doing with Shadow Moltres.
Despite this, the two boys were hailed as heroes. Sun especially, thanks to keeping Adrian Battlestorm from being killed and managing to stop Dawson and convince him to end the attack.
Colress' attention was diverted when the TV in the room began playing a news program, with the scientist deciding to take a sip of his Tapu Cocoa (chilled), and watch the broadcast.
"Goooood morning, Alola! This is Kelly Sontagio reporting live from Channel 9 News, Alola's Premiere Station of Awesome." A rather chipper short-haired blonde woman spoke as she addressed those around the region tuning in. It was odd not seeing Adrian Battlestorm's near trademark grin. But his secretary and right-hand woman had proven to be a more than suitable replacement in the absence of Adrian Battlestorm, who was still in the hospital. The man had been regarded as one of the many heroes of the Tournament, having stalled and distracted Dawson long enough for help to arrive. His dedication and drive had been rather inspirational to those watching his battle against Dawson, and even though he fell to Shadow Articuno's power, his final stand had been a source of hope for those who worried about the Cipher threat.
"Our first story of the day is an update on the fallout from the Royal Tournament Attack, where Cipher assaulted Royal Avenue in a desperate attempt to interrogate the esteemed Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, causing immense destruction to the city itself in the process." Kelly explained in a neutral tone, the footage behind her on the screen showing screen shots and snippets of video that people had captured throughout the massive battle that had taken place in the city.
Acts of heroism were pictured, captured in the midst of the chaos. Kahuna Hala battling alongside several elderly Trainers while two young Trainers helped the injured Kahuna walk. Captain Ilima shoving a young woman out of the way of gunfire and taking a gunshot to the arm, meanwhile his Smeargle brutally attacked the man and his Haunter with a Shadow Claw. Ethan and Lyra diving into the heart of the fray from atop a Pidgeot, lending aid to those struggling in the battle, with Ethan's Typhlosion being a striking figure on the battlefield.
The efforts of the International Police were on full display as well, despite their desire for secrecy. Anabel was instrumental in the early evacuation efforts while Looker provided support, his Crogunk being shown decking a Cipher Peon in the face. Someone even got a picture of Ollie perched on top of a billboard, sniping at Cipher Peons with his sniper rifle, though there were many more pictures of him facing off with Borlath and aiding in the rescue efforts with Laura Smiles later on. Colress smiled at the acts of courage, feeling a faint flicker of something within him. It was gone in a moment.
"Thanks to the brave efforts of the Trainers at the stadium, as well as our own Guardian Deity Tapu Lele, no deaths were reported after the attack. Despite Cipher's best efforts, the attack was called off after four hours when local resident Sunshine Smiles defeated Cipher Admin Dawson in an incredible showdown, even going so far as to defeat a Shadow Articuno." Kelly said with a grin as footage of Sun and Brgao's Inferno Overdrive played on the screen. Colress watched the move intently.
"The power of the bond we share with our Pokémon...I know that is the secret. To bringing out a Pokémon's true potential." Colress thought, smiling faintly as Dusk fell asleep at his feet. "I knew you were a special child, Sun. Much like my good friend Nate, you're a wonderful test subject for my theories!"
"As for injuries, while there were many, we do have an update on the condition of Sinnoh Region Champion Cynthia-" Colress winced as the connection suddenly cut out, but cut back in a few moments later, "-was airlifted to an undisclosed hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia as well as the forty-seven slashes across her body. It's unclear what exactly Cipher wanted with the Sinnoh Champ, but whatever it was couldn't have been worth it." Kelly said coldly, narrowing her eyes. She brightened up a moment later by saying, "That being the case, I'm happy to announce that our beloved boss, Adrian Battlestorm, has woken from his coma after four entire days and is responding to doctors!"
A round of cheers and shouts in the news studio rang out, with Kelly herself clapping as the feed suddenly cut to a picture of the media mogul lying down in bed, giving a weak smile while hooked up to various machines. The man was giving the camera a thumbs up, and it was all too clear that the man wasn't going to die so easily, even after using two Z-Moves in quick succession. The strain from doing so, as well as being hit with a Shadow Move directly, had put the man into a vegetative state for several days, much to the collective worry of Alola. It made many people wonder about the limits of Z-Moves, and how risky they could be.
Colress had spoken in great length with Professor Kukui about the battle that Adrian had against Dawson. The fact that the media mogul had survived the strain was nothing short of a miracle. Colress was looking forward to speaking to the man some time to gather more data on Z-Moves. Especially since Kukui had apparently witnessed a breakthrough.
"Reconstruction efforts are underway, with considerable donations coming in from all around the world. As are offers of praise and support from all over the globe, as a result of the footage streamed all around the city." Kelly said, switching to a feed of several of the other regions Champions speaking at various press conferences.
"Champion Leon of the Galar region commented on the attack on Royal Avenue, declaring his support for Alola and urging the regions to remain united against the evil of Cipher. Kalos Champion Diantha has also issued a statement, condemning the attack and offering the Kalos region's support for Alola during this difficult time. Champion Steven himself was seen landing in Heahea International Airport just earlier this morning, where he was seen quickly leaping onto his Skarmory and flying away."
"With the Alola Grand Royal Tournament, and the subsequent attack, behind us, we can look forward to the future. Specifically, the Festival of Celestial Lights happening this weekend in Konikoni City! After a week of recovery and healing, a festival that celebrates the God of Life seems only fitting. Especially given how it bravely fought alongside us in Royal Avenue-" Kelly said before Colress cut off the broadcast, leaning back in his chair.
"Things seem to be moving quickly. Cipher suffered a setback, yes, but how big of one was it? I suppose we'll see in the future. For now...I have other concerns." Colress said, shutting his eyes tiredly, deciding to catch some much-needed sleep. However his thoughts before slumber were troubled, concerned with theories about what another troubled parent was scheming.
"Lusamine...just what are you up to?" Colress mumbled to himself, leaning back into his chair and falling asleep as his Absol remained ever-vigilant, protecting her master from those who wished him harm.
Battle Royal Dome
Lusamine sighed as she gracefully stepped through the halls of the stadium, flanked on both sides by two of her loyal staff. The woman sighed with exhaustion, the toll of the battle that had occurred within the city draining her slightly. And dealing with her own rebellious children, however briefly, was enough to make her tattered mind reel from the strain of it all.
The President of the Aether Foundation was aware of the voices that spoke to her were manipulating her. She wasn't stupid. But the fact of the matter was that she was perfectly alright with it, seeing as how these poor creatures were trapped within a horrible world and wanted release. How could she not help save them?
At the end of the day, she was a mother. A mother who loved Pokémon and wanted to protect them. And so she let the voices speak to her. She consoled them, comforted them, and allowed them into her mind with joy.
They were not happy when she decided to let Lillie get away with Cosmog.
Now she was back to square one in regards to capturing the creature that was integral to her plans. But there was a wonderful little development in her pursuit of Cosmog. One that required her and Faba to enter the stadium and prowl the hallways until…
"Aha! This is it!" Faba announced to them all, grinning as he adjusted his glasses.
"And you're sure that this is the spot? Your device isn't exactly field-tested." Lusamine testily asked the man, who promptly puffed out his chest. Lusamine was not in the mood to deal with Faba's nonsense. Not when she had woken up at the crack of down to investigate this lead of his, and having to bribe several guards protecting the stadium to ignore them for a while.
"President Lusamine, you wound me. I have tested this device many times over with the Ultra Spheres. My Ultra Energy Sensor and Gathering Device is very effective and very accurate." Faba said, holding out the strange rod-like device in front of him. It was white and blue, with several small canisters attached along the length of it. At the tip was a sharp point, as if made to stab something.
"Mmm...Nothing out of the ordinary here, except for the blood stains. And this...chill in the air." Lusamine remarked, her voice becoming quiet. The hallway there were standing in had obviously been the spot of some sort of intense battle. The scene had been probed and cleaned by investigators, but there were lingering signs and the scene hadn't been quite scrubbed of all traces of blood.
"It's possible something died in this spot...But who knows for sure?" Faba remarked, shrugging as they continued their trek down the corridor, where more and more signs of a battle taking place were evident. Finally the group came to a stop at the end of a hallway, where it looked like an explosion of some sort had taken place. However on the ground and in the walls, flowing veins of raw energy flowed. It made Lusamine shiver, a smile coming to her face.
"Here. This is it." Lusamine stated, without even looking at Faba's device as it started beeping and going haywire.
"Correct, ma'am. Please, stand back while I extract the energy." Faba said as he called out his Hypno, stepping forward with the rod outstretched. "Hopefully the process is quicker this time. Being discovered at this stage would be ruinous indeed."
"Ma'am, with all due respect, what does any of this mean?" one of the men standing beside her asked.
"We are allowed to be inside this building, aren't we?" the other asked, glancing at the other man.
"The power in this spot...Cosmog unleashed quite a bit more of it than it did when that girl escaped the Aether Paradise. Our experiments will be quite a bit more effective with this batch of energy." Faba breathed excitedly, his eyes gleaming with delight. Lusamine pursed her lips, stepping forward before addressing the two men.
"You both saw and heard nothing…" Lusamine said firmly, crossing her arms as both men flinched. "Are we clear?"
Both men placed their hands against their heads, their expressions pained. If Faba had turned around, he would have seen a faint red veins pulse on each of their necks before the two men shakily nodded. Lusamine smiled, nodding in satisfaction.
"I do have a question to ask you, ma'am." Faba said after a few minutes had passed. Seven of the ten canisters on his device were full, and it seemed the glowing veins on the walls had died down quite a bit.
"By all means, Faba, ask away. Just ensure that you don't let anything else important slip." Lusamine said dryly, leaning against the wall with a bored expression on her face.
"Why let your children go? I know I saw the two of them running off together when I was coming to your aid." Faba asked the woman, who's expression darkened.
"Troubled as my children are, I do love them. I couldn't stand to allow a monster like Amber Fontaine to kill them, even if they have made my life difficult as of late. So I allowed them to flee with their lives. But rest assured, I do plan on tracking the two of them down and bringing back what belongs to me." Lusamine purred dangerously, her green eyes gleaming with malice as Faba shivered.
"I still believe it was foolhardy ma'am. Our experiments would go so much easier if I had the...test subject." Faba said, glancing at the woman for a moment before returning to his work.
"My dear Faba...I sincerely believe that my darling little flower cannot evade me forever. She will slip up. And once that happens, I will be ready." Lusamine said as she watched Faba continued to suction up the energy into his device, allowing it to be used for further research. None of the personnel noticed Lusamine's maniacal smile.
"And I will not be so lenient next time."
THE PEANUT GALLERY
BestChefEver: What's up my fellow hoooooooos
SpittinHawtFiya: Either you're really excited for this festival, or you've just revealed your plans for us after you conquer Alola…
#2Spooky: I'm down for this. All Hail the Plant Fiend. Harems for everyone!
Mina: Ooh...I like that one. Plant Fiend.
"Mina" changed her name to "FairyFiend"
FairyFiend: Boosh.
SpittinHawtFiya: I approve.
ThePrince: Hello everyone! I hope everyone is doing well after that nasty business at Royal Avenue.
SpittinHawtFiya: Hey Ilima. How've you been?
ThePrince: Rather well, thanks for asking. Luckily me and my team suffered no major injuries. Totem Gumshoos was very helpful during the battle.
SpittinHawtFiya: I was lucky Salazzle was so quick to respond.
BestChefEver: Same with Lurantis. I called her the second those jerks attacked, but she's not as quick or close as Salazzle is.
BigBadMo: How are your teams? After battling that masked creep, I can't imagine they're doing too well.
SpittinHawtFiya: They're recovering. I'm also training up some rookies in the meantime to help fill out my team.
ThePrince: That's a very good idea, Kiawe! I applaud your initiative.
CaptainKidd: I can't believe I missed that big fight...I wish I could have helped. Maybe I could have helped more people not get hurt.
BigBadMo: Soffy, you know wanted to help, but that wall of ice was impossible for us to get through. It's not your fault.
CaptainKidd: I know...but I still wish I could have helped.
ThePrince: Now now, we can't focus on the negatives. No one was killed, Sun defeated that Dawson man and the day was saved. Now we have a wonderful party to celebrate in three days!
BestChefEver: Amen to that. I'm so pumped!
BigBadMo: Is everyone doing special outfits this year?
CaptainKidd: Special outfits? I thought that was only for the Captains.
BigBadMo: You're confusing your parties, Soffy. That's Ula'ula's big party for Tapu Bulu. With the Festival in Konikoni, everyone gets to dress up if they feel like it!
CaptainKidd: Wow...Mo, you think we can whip me up a costume in two days?
BigBadMo: I don't see why not!
#2Spooky: Yaaaasssss paaaaartyyyyy
ThePrince: Acerola, can you please speak in an actual language spoken by humans?
#2Spooky: Pika pika, bitch
The Prince: I have no words. Only disappointment.
BestChefEver: Speaking of, I've been working on my own dress! It's looking great so far!
ThePrince: I can imagine. I'm pretty fond of my own outfit. I've been told I look dashing in it.
#2Spooky: I bet I look better in it than you do. ;D
The Prince: Is that a challenge?
#2Spooky: Muahahahaha
SpittinHawtFiya: I can't help but imagine the incredible hate sex you two have when we're not around.
ThePrince: I think I just threw up a little.
BigBadMo: Keep it clean, please!
#2Spooky: See how unappreciated I am?
BestChefEver: I ship it. :D
ThePrince: Bite me.
BestChefEver: Don't threaten me with a good time. ;)
SpittinHawtFiya: I think that's the most vulgar thing we've ever gotten out of him. lol
BestChefEver: But to answer the question from earlier, yes. We're all dressing up. I even managed to talk Sun, Hau, and Lillie into doing special outfits!
ThePrince: Really? Are they familiar with the history behind it?
SpittinHawtFiya: I gave Lillie the low-down. I expect she'll tell Sun and Hau. Though I imagine Hau already knows.
BigBadMo: Are those poor boys out of the hospital yet? I heard Sun and Hau were hurt pretty badly, like poor Lana.
BestChefEver: Yeah, they both got out today. Which makes Sun's birthday even better.
ThePrince: It's his birthday!?
#2Spooky: Yep! Surprise!
ThePrince: How the heck did I not know about this! I could have gotten him a present! I feel awful now...
SpittinHawtFiya: Don't be, Ilima. It was a low-key affair, compared to Lillie's. Considering what everyone just went through, Sun didn't want anyone to go out of their way for him.
BigBadMo: He seems like such a good kid. His battling from the broadcast was absolutely fantastic. It was like watching Kukui from back in our heydays.
#2Spooky: The kid's got talent. I've been a Captain for years, and he actually took out my Drifblim. That said, Hau has a lot of talent as well...I wonder if they'll ever convince Lillie to become a Trainer. Oh god, she'd be so adorable doing her Trials! #SquadGoalz
BestChefEver: I know, right? Which reminds me! Acerola and I have been working really hard on Lillie's special dress for the Festival!
ThePrince: Special dress?
BestChefEver: So, I guess the story is Sun dared her to...Well, I'm not gonna spoil it. But man, I can't wait to see that boy's head spin when our favorite princess shows up in her killer new outfit!
SpittinHawtFiya: I swear to the Tapu, if you compromise that girl's modesty on her big date with Sun, I'll never forgive you. You know how much those two just want to have a nice night together.
BestChefEver: I only promise that Lillie's outfit was created for the sole purpose of making Sun's jaw drop.
WaterNymph: In other news, my Araquanid is in the hospital.
ThePrince: What?
SpittinHawtFiya: What the hell?
BigBadMo: Oh no.
BestChefEver: What happened Lana!? Who's legs do I have to break?
WaterNymph: Team Skull. They attacked me at Brooklet Hill when I was swimming with the twins today. Those Bone Brothers ganged up on Charlotte. Washua scared them off, but the damage was done by then. It's worse than it looks, but she'll definitely have trouble fighting for a while.
SpittinHawtFiya: Assholes.
#2Spooky: Why would they even attack you? Didn't you save a lot of them from getting killed by that assassin chick?
WaterNymph: Yes. And I don't know. The Bone Brothers kinda did most of the work. The rest of them just cheered them on. It was awful.
#2Spooky: They're the worst. I wish Uncle Nanu would deal with them, but whenever I ask he says it isn't worth it.
BestChefEver: Your uncle is lazy AF, Acy.
#2Spooky: Yeeaaaaaaaaah...He's still my uncle tho!
BigBadMo: True enough! Speaking of Kahunas, how's Olivia doing?
SpittinHawtFiya: Better, now that she's had a few days to recover from the shock of losing Armaldo. She's pouring her emotions into preparing for the Festival and dealing with the press. I can't wait for her rematch with Sun.
BestChefEver: Same!
#2Spooky: It's gonna be lit, fam.
ThePrince: Acerola, I swear my IQ drops every time I interact with you.
#2Spooky: YEET
FairyFiend: I believe that was a burn.
ThePrince: Mina, you wouldn't know a burn if you got hit in the face with Will-o-Wisp...
Sun blew out the candles on his cake as everyone let out a cheer, with Oliver and Penny attempting to land on his shoulders to hug him. Sun let out a yelp and then fell to the ground, only to be helped up by Laura. Meanwhile Ollie and Lillie laughed as the boy was shakily helped to his feet.
It had been four days since the attack on Royal Avenue. Sun and Hau had been admitted to the hospital alongside countless others. Hau had put up a massive fight along the way, reminding everyone that he was terrified of most hospitals. He only calmed down when Lana promised to buy him malasadas later if he kept calm.
Thankfully, while there had been no deaths reported, the damage that had been done was incredible to say the least. The city would be repairing things for quite some time, though the support of the entire Alola region was behind Royal Avenue. Donations came in from other regions as well to help out, along with shipments of food, supplies and money for those whose homes were destroyed by Cipher.
Sun's display of courage in standing up to Dawson had inspired many. There were reports from back in Unova at Neo Team Plasma losing ground as more resistance groups began to fight against them, seemingly spurred on by Cipher's recent defeat in Alola. Proof that hope was still being clung to tightly, despite what had occurred there.
Sun himself was just glad that he was out of the hospital. Being home, surrounded by his friends and family made things all the better. Hau had to leave early, but gave Sun a gift card for all of the malasada restaurants in Alola with a huge chunk of money on the card.
Right now it was just Sun's team, Laura, Ollie, and of course Lillie. Laura had wanted to have a big party to celebrate Sun's 12th birthday, but Sun protested against it. After everything that his friends had been through, he didn't want a massive celebration, especially since some of them were still recovering. Laura had bought Sun several new outfits, including a stylish blue raincoat. Lillie had bought Sun a cheesecake coupon for a store in Hau'oli City that was well-known for them, with the girl apologizing for not been able to get him something as thoughtful as the gift he had given her.
Sun simply thanked her, giving her a warm hug and a smile.
Ollie, seeing that Sun had a WiiU, had bought him a copy of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, which Sun had mentioned wanting to try out back in Kanto. Sun was excited to get the game, as he had been wanting to use his game console a bit more, since it had mostly been gathering dust since he moved to Alola save for a few occasions he played with his friends.
As Sun once again thanked everyone there, with Brago attempting to eat another slice of cake but being given a glare from Laura, a crash a thunder made Lillie jump in surprise with a yelp. Laura Smiles walked over to the curtains, frowning at the downpour of rain outside.
"It's really raining badly out there...I'd hate for you to have to walk back home in that mess. Why don't you stay the night, Lillie?" Laura suggested to the girl, who blinked twice in surprise.
"Well, um...I suppose I don't have any problems with it. I don't want to bother Professor Kukui and have him come get me. He was still very upset this morning. And...he's been working on research all-through the day without saying a word to anyone. He won't even let me help him, and I'm his assistant." Lillie mumbled the last part, looking very worried. Sun was as well. Professor Kukui was one of the most upbeat people he knew, next to Hau. Something really bad had to have happened to him in order for the man to be so upset as to actually worry people.
"I'm sure he'll feel better in the morning. But I might call Madeline Burnet to see if she can help cheer the poor man up." Laura said bracingly, with Ollie nodding.
"I'm sure the man will cheer up in no time. For now, I think we can start winding down. I've had a long day and I know Sun probably needs to keep resting. Those ribs may be mostly healed thanks to that Heal Pulse treatment, but they won't be back to normal for at least another two weeks." Ollie said sternly to Sun, who nodded. "How are sleeping arrangements going to work, anyway?"
"Last time Lillie took the couch. But you said you were going to stay on the couch tonight because you have a meeting in Hau'oli City in the morning." Sun reminded them, with Ollie nodding as he looked at Laura.
"I could always stay in your room, Laura. That'd free up the couch." Ollie said with a smirk, winking at Laura as she rolled her eyes. Lillie and Sun both blushed at the implications, though Sun crossed his arms with a pout.
"I don't know how I feel about that one." Sun remarked dryly, making both Ollie and Laura blush bright red at that. It was almost as if the two adults had forgotten Sun and Lillie were both in the house for a moment. Lillie giggled, a little proud of Sun for the remark and getting a bit of payback. After all, how many times had the two children been the butt of someone else's joke because of their feelings towards one another?
"Then Lillie can stay in your room. We have plenty of extra blankets for a pallet, depending on who decides to sleep where." Laura said after a moment, her cheeks still bright.
"Though you could always just cuddle up together." Ollie said teasingly, making Lillie's face burn bright red as Sun turned pink with embarrassment. The International Police Captain chuckled as he stood up, saying. "You need any help putting stuff away, Laura?"
"Please."
Brago snorted, a puff of fire escaping his nose. "I still don't see why I couldn't have more cake. There was plenty left."
"Because I want to have some more later. It's not your birthday, Brago." Sun said with a laugh as the canine snorted again. While they hadn't had much time to really celebrate, Sun felt nothing but pride in Brago at evolving into an Arcanine. He had taken to his new form very well, and had already proved to be quite the powerhouse now.
"I'm a lot larger now. I need more food." Brago remarked as Sun and Lillie walked into Sun's room, which was surprisingly clean and free of dust given how little Sun had been in it lately. Lillie then reasoned that Laura probably dusted the place every now and then, which likely helped. The girl set her bag on the floor as Oliver and Penny fluttered to Sun's bed, with Finn waddling into the room behind them. Sun walked over to the closet, pulling out a few extra blankets brought them over.
Since nightfall was already well past at this point, Lillie quickly hopped in the shower while Sun got stuff set up, which gave Sun a moment to reflect on how things had gone. He had come face to face with his father again, defeated a Cipher Admin with the entire world watching, and had become stronger. Much stronger, if his victory over Shadow Articuno had proven anything.
"I can't get complacent...We can do better." Sun thought to himself as he sat down on his bed, Oliver looked at him with some concern, but Sun stroked the owl with a smile. Oliver shut his eyes in delight, with Penny smiling at the two.
"I'm fine. Just thinking." Sun said to the Dartrix.
"What's on your mind?" Oliver asked.
"My dad...Everything that happened the other day. I was so focused on recovering, I never really had a chance to process all of this stuff until right now." Sun said quietly, lying down on his bed with a sigh. He was actually feeling pretty tired, but he'd power through it so he could spend more time with Lillie. Even though she had been a constant visitor of his in the hospital, they hadn't exactly gotten to have any time to just spend time with each other.
"I'm sorry you're going through this." Oliver said quietly, watching the boy as he shut his eyes.
"It's alright. We'll make things right. We somehow managed to get Cipher out of Royal Avenue. All we need to do is keep going on our Island Challenge. The stronger we get, the more ready we'll be for Cipher's next move." Sun said as the bathroom door opened, revealing Lillie wearing a demure white nightgown and white shorts. The girl walked towards Sun, smiling slightly, when all of a sudden a familiar sound rang out through the room.
"Pew?"
Everyone's attention quickly went to Lillie's Bag, which was twitching slightly. Lillie's hands went to her mouth as her eyes widened, with the girl practically throwing herself at her bag to open it. As soon as Lillie had opened it, a purple blur zoomed into the air with a triumphant cry.
"Pew! Pew pew pew!" the Pokémon declared, wriggling its appendages around happily. Nebby began to fly around the room while happily crying out, bumping into a bemused Brago and knocking over Finn.
"Nebby!" Lillie called out, with the Cosmog facing towards her. With a happy cry, the strange Pokémon flew into Lillie's arms as Lillie embraced him, hugging him tightly.
"Nebby...You woke up! Oh Nebby, I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried...You used your powers again to save me from Amber and I...and I…" Lillie's body shook as she fell to her knees, tears dripping from her eyes as she struggled to contain her emotions. After a few moments, Lillie broke down in tears and hugged the Cosmog as it stared at her in confusion. Sun walked over to his friend and gently wrapped her in a comforting embrace. After a minute, Lillie calmed down and wiped her eyes. She held Nebby up and pressed her face against Nebby, smiling sadly at the Cosmog.
"Thank you, Nebby. I love you so much." Lillie said quietly as Nebby flailed happily, especially when Sun pet the Pokémon on the head.
"You really shouldn't worry her so much, Nebby. But I'm glad you're feeling better." Sun said happily, grinning at the Cosmog. "You're kinda strong when you wanna be, huh? Taking out Avis like that sounds really awesome."
"He saved my life. I'd be dead if it weren't for Nebby, Jack, and Gretel. They were all very brave." Lillie said sadly, remembering the demise of the latter two heroes. Lillie was surprised by Sun hugging her again.
"And I'm sure given the choice, they'd do it again in a heartbeat. You're important to all of us, Lillie." Sun said to the girl as he stared into her green eyes. Lillie could see that Sun's own eyes had slowly become golden while speaking, which she wondered about. Perhaps that meant happiness.
"Thank you, Sun. I...You're wonderful." Lillie said quietly, leaning forward and kissing Sun on the cheek. The boy's eyes went wide in surprise, with him staring at her in shock as his cheeks practically glowed red. Lillie's own face was pink, but she couldn't help but feel satisfied about having this kind of effect on her crush.
"Shouldn't you be getting a shower?" Lillie asked sweetly, with Sun staring at her for several seconds before nodding mutely. The boy stood up and walked over to the bathroom, closing the door without another word.
"You two are weird." Finn remarked as he finally managed to flip himself back over. The Poliwag was grinning at Lillie, though. "In a good way. You make him happy!"
"More than happy. It's so strange that humans develop so oddly. If you two were Pokémon, you would have already laid many Eggs." Penny remarked with a laugh, making Lillie's eyes go wide as her cheeks burned darker.
"I...I c-c-c-c…" Lillie composed herself, trying not to visualize her and Sun doing things that would make her mother seethe with fury. It took Lillie a lot of willpower not to start thinking about what those things would be, and instead chose to focus on the creatures speaking to her. "We're still children. As much as being around Sun makes me happy, I don't think we're nearly far enough into our relationship to make that step."
"Trust me when I say that it's-" Brago began to say before Lillie clamped her hands over her ears. She knew that Brago had already been intimate with Professor Kukui's Alolan Ninetails, Winter, but she didn't need the details. After she was sure the canine stopped talking, she uncovered her hands from her ears.
"Which reminds me...You two should probably do it yourselves. I can't stand the tension between you two sometimes." Brago remarked, looking at Oliver and Penny.
"Excuse me?" Penny said flatly while Oliver simply looked away. Lillie nearly burst into laughter, managing to stifle her giggles with her hands after a moment.
"That's a good point. Why haven't you two-" Finn began to ask, only for Penny to give him a scathing look that shut him up. Brago simply smirked at the two birds, having proven his point.
"This is hardly a discussion Miss Lillie needs to be privy too." Penny said coldly, turning her beak up.
"That being the case, we really do need to thank you." Oliver said to the girl, who looked at him in surprise.
"For what?" Lillie asked.
"For being Sun's friend. His closest companion. You really do so much good for that boy. You make him so happy just by being near him." Oliver replied, with Lillie smiling back at the owl.
"I don't think that's worth a thank you. I'm proud to be Sun's friend. And even if we're still figuring out our feelings for each other, I know that the bond I share with Sun is something I cherish." Lillie said as she hugged Nebby, who cooed in her arms.
"You'll sort things out. After all, Penny and Oliver are still-" Brago started to say before being silenced by a Brick Break to the skull. Oliver decided to get things back on track.
"The point is that you are one of the few truly good things about that boy's life. He is hurting, but he is strong and powers through his misery thanks to those around him. Especially you...And we can't thank you enough for being the light to Sun's world right now." Oliver said to the girl, who slowly looked at each of the Pokémon in turn before a small laugh escaped her.
"You all really do love that boy, don't you?" Lillie said fondly, smiling at Sun's team.
"About as much you as seem too, Lillie." Oliver said cheekily, making Lillie's face go bright red in surprise, a faint squeaking noise escaping her mouth. Finn, Penny, and Brago laughed as Lillie crossed her arms and pouted. Nebby simply flew into Brago's mane, deciding it would be a good place for a nap. A few minutes later, Sun came out of the shower, toweling his messy black hair off with a white towel before tossing it in a nearby hamper. Sun smiled at Lillie as he walked by her, digging through a drawer before pulling on a red tank-top. The girl noticed the bruises and colorful splotches on Sun's bare chest, a result of the injuries he had taken during the attack a few days ago.
"So, now what?" Sun asked his friend, who was snapped out of her thoughts at the question. Lillie took a moment to consider their options for what to do next.
"Wind Waker?" Lillie suggested.
"Get her, Sun! Stab it in the eye!" Lillie called encouragingly, grabbing onto the boy's sleeve in her excitement as Sun made Link roll to dodge a massive claw striking the side of the room, the massive armored beast dripping with lava and screeching loudly as the music swelled climatically in the background.
"How? She's...wait, how do you know that thing is a she?" Sun asked before getting smashed by another claw strike.
"I guessed. I think that's a Gohma, and they're usually female." Lillie answered happily, content from her place right now. Mainly, resting her head in Sun's lap while she and Nebby cuddled. Lillie was so happy that her precious Cosmog was okay. Nebby, after his initial awakening, had been much more behaved than usual and was happy to get showered in affection by both Sun and Lillie.
Sun nodded and focused more on the game, trying to puzzle out what to do. Eventually he realized he needed to use his grappling hook to pull down the rock on the ceiling and make it drop onto the boss' head, thereby destroying its armor and allowing Sun to beat it a few minutes later. As Sun collected the Heart Container, Lillie's phone buzzed. She glanced down at it and smiled.
"More texts from Mallow. She wants me to meet her in the morning in Hau'oli City. We're still working on my special outfit for the festival this weekend." Lillie answered, grabbing her phone and sending a quick reply. Sun hummed in reply, leaning back against Brago as the canine snored softly behind them. Both children had learned, to their delight, that Brago becoming an Arcanine meant that they had a massive fuzzy pillow of warmth now, big enough for the two of them to share without hurting the canine. Oliver and Penny were already asleep while Finn watched the TV with an interested expression, marveling at the sight of it. Sun seemed to realize how late in the night they had stayed up, and saved the game before turning off his console, making the Poliwag sigh before flapping down into a pile of blankets to try and get some sleep. Sun grabbed a blanket and walked back over to her.
"So, your special outfit?" Sun asked, raising an eyebrow as he sat back down next to the girl, leaning against Brago as he wrapped the blanket around them both. Lillie nodded, suddenly looking very nervous, though that didn't stop her from scooching closer to Sun.
"Um...y-yes. You dared me to wear all black at the next big party we went too...What bigger party is there than the Akala Island party to pay tribute to Tapu Lele? It seemed like a good opportunity." Lillie asked Sun, who smiled at the girl.
"I had actually forgotten about that. I'm really looking forward to seeing you in something different...Not that what you wear is bad or anything!" Sun quickly amended, with Lillie giggling at the boy.
"I know, Sun, you don't need to clarify. It'll be...interesting. I have Acerola and Mallow helping me with the dress. Apparently the former is a skilled dress-maker of sorts, having learned some tricks from a Gym Leader in Sinnoh when she came vacationed in Alola last year." Lillie explained, with Sun frowning.
"Hmm...I wonder if it was Fantina. She's the only Gym Leader who makes sense. Both are Ghost-type specialists." Sun said to the girl, who nodded. "Well, either way, I'm looking forward to it. Especially since it's because of our...um, date."
Both children blushed, making Oliver chuckle from nearby, surprising the two children since they thought he was asleep. Penny suddenly swatted him with her wing, making him laugh slightly harder. The entire time their eyes were closed, making the children wonder if they had ever fallen asleep to begin with. Sun glared at the owl reproachfully, but stopped when Lillie moved closer to him and pressed herself against him, nuzzling his neck happily.
"I missed this. With everything that's happened, it's nice to just have the night to ourselves." Lillie admitted as Sun wrapped an arm around her stomach, smiling at the girl that was so precious to him. The girl who always supported him and showed so much strength, despite not even being a Trainer.
"We probably should go to bed soon." Sun remarked, with Lillie sighing softly.
"Probably...Sun, how are you feeling?" Lillie asked, pulling away slightly to look at him.
"Physically, much better. After everything that happened, they had to spend a few days slowly healing the damage. Thank goodness for medical science. Colress' deserves a medal." Sun remarked, making Lillie grin cheekily at him.
"And I'm glad for that, because it means I get to cuddle with you again! With a big fuzzy puppy pillow as a bonus!" Lillie chirped, her eyes shining with happiness as she leaned
"This means I'm her favorite." Brago remarked, making Oliver scoff, even though he was supposed to be asleep. Sun chuckled at that, though he did take that moment to pull Lillie back towards him, with the girl sighing happily.
"You really do spoil me, Sun. You really shouldn't give into my cuddles like this."
"Is it giving in if I really like it and nothing weird happens?"
"You mean the kind of stuff that would give Mallow a nosebleed?"
"Yep."
"Then no, probably not. I'm just glad you don't think I'm weird. Or being clingy, even though we're not dating."
"Clingy?"
"I might not know a lot about relationships or love, but I…"
"Lillie?"
"Sorry, Sun. I'm just a bit worried I'm overdoing things. I'm feeling a lot of strong emotions right now, and it's hard for me to not just...j-just…umm…"
"Just…?"
"Tackle you to the ground and kiss you forever."
"O-oh...um…"
"I know, too soon. It gets to be too much sometimes. Do you ever feel the same way? I just...After everything that happened the other day, I'm just worried about you. You're still hurt, Cipher is on the loose still, and-"
"And we're both okay. Lillie, I'll be fine. I'm…recovering, still. But I'm alright. I was honestly more worried about you, after what happened with Commander Jack. You sounded so shaken up when I talked to you last."
"I...I had to have several very long talks with Professor Burnet. It was beyond terrifying...I wish there was more I could have done. I can't thank them enough for saving my life."
"They died so you could live. So you could have a happy life. That's all you need to do for them, Lillie. And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure our date goes perfectly."
"I...Okay. I'm sorry for getting distracted again. I'm keeping you up with my worrying and-"
"It's okay. Really. I just like to talk to you, Lillie. You don't have to apologize. Okay?"
"Okay."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Thank you, Sun."
"You're welcome, Princess."
"Hehe...Your Princess demands you hug her before she goes to sleep!"
"Your wish is my command, oh great Blonde One."
...
A few hours later, Laura Smiles would silently open the door to her son's room and see a truly adorable sight. The mother spotted Sun and Lillie curled up against Brago, the two children snuggling up against each other with peaceful smiles on their faces. Penny, Oliver, Finn, and Nebby were piled around the two children, as if protecting them from anything that meant them harm.
"Simply precious…" Laura thought warmly, shutting the door silently as the two weary children slumbered away, safe and warm in each other's arms as their budding feelings continued to grow.
Alrighty, so that's the set up!
Next up, the Festival and Kahuna battle! It'll be a really fun 3-part chapter, combined with lore reveals, lots of shipping, a badass rematch, and more shenanigans than you can shake a stick at!
Q & A
From: Oragonking
I'm glad that Sun and his team managed to defeat Dawson's. This also means that Brago took Oliver's place as Sun's strongest Pokémon. I hope Dawson will be okay, whatever he's planning. By the way, he left Shadow Articuno. What will happen to her?
Answered in the chapter. Aria snagged her and is working on purifying her.
From: BraviaryScout
Now where do I sign up with Cipher? If Dawson can get an admin position that easily, what's to say I can't? Is Cipher one of those companies where it's a good or a bad thing to get promoted?
Cipher doesn't exist in real life. Therefore you cannot join them, sir.
From: SonicIKE
My only question is about Demi wearing a dress instead of her Team Skull clothes. Was she tryna blend in at that point or is it a different reason entirely?
That's entirely it. If she's in Team Skull gear, everyone will want her thrown out and it draws attention. She wanted to lay low for a bit, since it was a bit of a tense situation and it would've looked weird for her to be interacting with everyone else dressed as someone from Team Skull. Demi is one of the few people in Team Skull who's actually...somewhat intelligent. Most of them are really dumb.
That's all for now. I've got a Smash Bros tournament to prepare for (I'm maining Samus and Joker, for the record), and a whole lot more writing to do. I'm shooting for an update next week, but we'll see how that goes!
In the meantime, please review and show your thoughts on the chapter. Every bit of feedback is important in helping this story grow and improve, and it also really does make my day. Favorites/Follows and questions are definitely appreciated as well, especially considering we're almost at the 300 Favorite mark!
Feel free to PM me for a link to my Discord, where you can get updates on the story in real time and learn all sorts of random nonsense! Stay in the loop!
Stay safe and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
