Pokémon Radiant Sun


Holy crap, Galarian Ponyta is adorable.

That's it, really. Not much else to say this go around. Hope everyone's doing well!

Shoutout to Oragonking, noobl2, SolanaLeonhart, BraviaryScout, a new Guest reviewer known as Tea, SonicIKE and Ways for reviewing since the last update. Thanks for the feedback and support!

Enjoy.


Chapter 95: Out on the Water


Borlath sighed as he leaned back in his chair, smiling slightly as Lusamine glared at him.

"You're an idiot." Lusamine stated, with Borlath chuckling softly at the remark. "I can't believe you're so driven by this that you'd attempt something so insane."

"The plan worked. From what our man on the inside says, the Pokémon Leagues are all scrambling right now to save face. One of the strongest of the League Champions is out of commission with another currently in Alola seeing that she remains out of danger. Not that we're bothered with Cynthia anymore, since I have what I want. I see this as a win, even if my wayward son managed to defeat Dawson and seemingly turn him against me." Borlath said carelessly, though Lusamine saw through his act.

"It must sting to see that boy walking down the path you tried so hard to keep him away from." Lusamine remarked, with Borlath frowning in response. He bridged his fingers, sighing softly after a moment.

"I'll admit that it feels good to see my child succeed. To have become so skilled in so short of a time span is remarkable. He's definitely mine and Laura's child, without a doubt." Borlath said with a small smile that faded after a moment. "But the fact that he had to do this in the first place...That he had to put himself in harm's way, and that Amber of all people did that to him, gives me pause."

"You've also forgotten one detail." Lusamine states, with Borlath raising an eyebrow.

"Did I?"

"Your little assassin tried to kill me and my children!" Lusamine growled, slamming her palms down on the table. Borlath sighed deeply, placing a hand against his head as he shut his eyes.

"And I'm sorry. What else do you want from me, Lusa? I'm furious at Amber for what she did and I feel horrible about it. You think I'm happy that Lillie and Gladion were nearly killed by her? She exactly what your children looked like, and knew not to touch them. And she knew full well who you were, and yet she tried to confront you." Borlath muttered, opening his dark blue eyes. "I'll be having a long talk with her about what the hell she was thinking."

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Ash. You need to keep better control of your subordinates." Lusamine snapped at Ashton, who's eyes flickered red for a brief moment as his expression turned to annoyance.

"You're the one who had her long-lost children running about a battlefield. Tell me, what came of Gladion and Lillie anyway?" Ashton asked, sitting back up in his chair properly.

"After I told my children to flee, I have yet to hear anything about Lillie. Gladion is at least safe, so I can assume she is as well." Lusamine responded, crossing her arms and leaning back.

"Good, good. I...Well, I'm glad they're okay." Borlath remarked quietly, shutting his eyes.

"No thanks to you. If your little assassin hadn't interfered, my rebellious children would be home by now." Lusamine grumbled, with Borlath's eyes opening again.

"Amber messed up a lot of things. She...she even killed Agent Jackal." Borlath breathed, looking down at the floor as Lusamine gasped. Borlath glanced up after a few moments and saw tears in Lusamine's eyes.

"I...Why!?" Lusamine shouted as she got to her feet, glaring angrily at the rather somber man on the screen. A single tear rolled down her face, but that did nothing to erase the furious look on her face. "Are you trying to destroy our friendship, you stupid boy?"

"Don't try to talk to me like I'm the same wretch you befriended on my Island Challenge. I may still have the same streak of terrible luck, but you'll find I have quite a bit more bite to my bark than I used to." Borlath replied as his gaze darkened. Lusamine rubbed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before replying.

"Just as well, Ashton. I've had to do terrible things myself to get what I want. Though I'll admit, your goal is more noble than mine. Still, the least you could do in your conquest of Alola is leave my family out of it. That and come here to take over the region yourself, like a real man." Lusamine sneered, making Borlath scowl.

"I control a multi-million dollar corporation, as well as the largest crime syndicate in the world. I can't be everywhere at once, Lusa." Borlath defended himself, but Lusamine wasn't done.

"You used a hologram, Ash! You didn't even try to rein in Fontaine because you didn't have the balls to come back to Alola!" Lusamine shouted at Borlath who also rose to his feet.

"I expect more decorum out of someone like you." Borlath hissed, his eyes jet-black as he glared down Lusamine. This gave the woman pause, as she knew what that meant. She could see the dark, raw despair in his gaze. The hurt that was there. The woman faltered for a moment as Borlath continued. "I have made many, many mistakes over the past few years. These mistakes tear at my mind every...waking...moment. Do not think I am careless in any regard. And while I may have become a villain in order to be a hero for this world, but there are a few things I feel I need to correct."

"If you think Amber is off the hook for what she did, rest assured she will be punished. Keep in mind she injured my own son. And you know I would do anything for that boy. Hell, you know that I have done everything for that boy. And as for our friendship, I'll say that I still consider you one of the few people left I can genuinely trust in this terrible world. And I'm sorry that recent events have put a strain on that friendship. And I'm sorry that my foolishness cost our friend his life. It's another one of my many, many regrets." Borlath sighed deeply, running a hand over his face for a moment. Lusamine clenched her fists, wanting to lash out. Memories flickered through her mind for a moment before she snapped out of her haze, seeing the man before her with anger burning in her eyes. Though maybe that was the tears.

"Sorry can only get you so far, Ash." Lusamine said with barely suppressed rage. "We were moments away from securing both of those children and Cosmog. I could have reached the Ultra Space by now! The Nihelego could be saved and free! But that was ruined by you and your stupid assassin!"

"You...you what?" Borlath asked, his eyes going wide in surprise. Lusamine's body went rigid as she realized she had let something slip.

"Forget you heard those words, Ashton, if you still value our friendship." Lusamine said with a sigh, running a hand over her face. Borlath stared at Lusamine for a few moments, his eyes changing to a dark brown before flickering back to gray.

"Of course. We all have our secrets, after all. Though I will say that I'm not afraid of offering some form of recompense for what my associates did to you and your family. Had I known you were going to be at the Battle Royal Dome, then I would have warned the Aether Foundation to stay away." Borlath said quietly, leaning back in his chair.

"Your frequent donations are always welcome. The work we do is important, and helping Pokémon as much as possible is still a very dear goal to me." Lusamine's mouth curled into a smirk of sorts. "I find it amusing that the biggest criminal in the world right now continues to donate massive sums of money to organizations dedicated to helping people and Pokémon alike. But then I remember the kind of person you are, Ash. And I know that despite your bone-headed plans and single-minded ambition, deep down you're still that sweet boy that loved eating malasadas with Mohn while I told ghost stories around the campfire."

Borlath smiled then, and Lusamine could tell that this one was genuine. The man's eyes flickered gold for a moment before returning to gray. "Some of the only good days I had during my Island Challenge were the times I spent with my friends. You. Mohn. Tommy. Hani. Commander Jack. You all were the small bits of happiness I had during a very rough time in my life. And I'll never forget those days."

"And yet you're willing to destroy Alola for the sake of your ideals." Lusamine asked Borlath, who's smile widened. But it was a darker smile.

"Destroy is such a broad term. I want to tear the systems down, Lusa. You saw what the Island Challenge did to me and so many others. Hell, Team Skull was directly caused by the toxicity of Alola's culture. Rejects who were cast out because they didn't conform. I was lucky, in a way. I was talented enough at what I hated to do that I managed to escape the region. How many weren't so lucky? I want to change things, above all else. If I have to burn Alola to the ground and rebuild from the ashes?" Borlath shrugged, his eyes darkening. "So be it."

"So dramatic. But you've always been like that, I suppose. Have you heard from your parents lately?" Lusamine asked Borlath, who's eyes became black for several moments before returning to grey. His expression was very controlled.

"No. Last I heard from them was Mother calling Laura shortly after Sun was born. They've thankfully had the sense to stay away from me and my family." Borlath said calmly, leaning forward. "Why the curiosity?"

"My Branch Chief, Faba, recently saw your son in action against the Akala Island Kahuna. He defeated her in a very impressive show of skill. This means he'll be going to Ula'ula Island soon, where your parents used to live. I'm asking you this because I'm wondering if you considered the fact that Sun may run into his grandparents there." Lusamine said quietly, leaning forward slightly.

Borlath's eyes turned to white. Fear. A troubled expression crossed his features. "No, I hadn't thought of that. I've been distracted with our recent plans and preparations that I hadn't considered how far along in his Island Challenge my son was. He's...doing quite well for himself, isn't he?"

"Oh yes. Faba hopes we might be able to wrangle him into a volunteer role here, but I doubt that he'd accept." Lusamine laughed, making Borlath crack a slight smile as his eyes reverted to gray. "He's supposedly coming to visit the Paradise soon."

"Interesting...As long as my son got a decent wage, I'd be fine with him working for you, Lusa." Borlath remarked, though the smile quickly faded. "But going back to my parents. That's definitely a worrying concern. I could of course send someone to deal with them, but on the other hand…"

"Could you really do it? Kill your parents? I know you and your Dad hated each other, but I know your mother at least cared somewhat." Lusamine said softly, seeing the conflicting emotions on Borlath's face.

"I…" Borlath trailed off, a worried expression on his face. "I don't really have an answer to that. I have some thinking to do, I suppose. And it's late over here. Thank you, Lusa, for bringing this matter to my attention. I'll speak to you another time."

Lusamine smiled faintly, folding her arms. "What else are friends for?"

"I'll have the donation sent to the Foundation in a few days. Rest easy, my friend." Borlath smiled weakly at her before ending the transmission. Lusamine's expression changed as she reflected on everything that had happened. Ashton regretted what had happened, but that hadn't stopped his personnel from killing Commander Jack and nearly killing her rebellious children. Lusamine thought on everything that they had talked about and felt her head began to ache. This was a lot to process.

And there was the bit of information she had accidentally mentioned. Lusamine hadn't meant to let slip the name Nihilego, but it had just happened. And now Ashton was curious.

A brief knock on the door snapped the Aether Foundation President out of her thoughts. Lusamine sighed and composed herself, taking in several deep breaths and exhaling them out, before calling, "Enter!"

A smiling Miss Wicke was standing there as she opened the door, a tray of small sandwiches and a kettle of tea in her hands. "Good morning, ma'am. I figured you might like some refreshments since you've been cooped up in your office all morning." Wicke said kindly as Lusamine let her into the room.

"I...Yes. Thank you, Julia. I'd love to take a break from things. I haven't been so frustrated since my children left the island." Lusamine said as Wicke set down a glass on the table and poured a hot cup of tea for the President, setting down the plate of sandwiches on the table as well. Lusamine rubbed her temples for a moment, her eyes shut as she tried to process everything that had happened.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Wicke asked softly.

"Unless you somehow can bring the dead back to life, I don't think so." Lusamine said with a sigh, feeling a burning sensation coming to her eyes yet again. She rubbed away the tears, trying to keep her composure.

"Jackal...You stupid man. How did someone like Amber get the better of you? Fate is so cruel, to have taken another precious person from me. Hadn't you suffered enough, my old friend?" Lusamine thought as she took a moment to honor the man's memory, grabbing her glass and raising it in a silent toast to a former officer that she had known for many years, but fallen out of touch of recently. She had been so consumed in her desires for the Ultra Space that she hadn't even bothered to check in on Jack and his wife Clara, or even their daughter Sonya. Lusamine wondered how they were doing.

All the same, Lusamine mourned the loss of her friend. Someone who was fearlessly brave and strong, with a sense of justice one didn't often see nowadays. She hoped that wherever he was now, that he was at peace.

"Ma'am, I did get a curious letter that came in for you." Wicke spoke up after a short time and Lusamine was taking small bites of her lunch. She hadn't been planning on eating for a while, so she was glad that Wicke was kind of enough to do this for her. Wicke set the letter on the table beside Lusamine, who set down her food and carefully tore it open. Upon reading it, Lusamine expression turned to complete surprise.

"Ma'am? Is everything okay?" Wicke asked, concerned as Lusamine's face went pale with shock.

"How...how can this be?" Lusamine murmured, staring at the letter for a few moments before reading it over again. After a few moments, Lusamine calmly folded the letter up and slipped it into her desk, exhaling a pent-up breath she didn't know she was holding in.

"Ashton doesn't know...and he'll continue not to know. Like Ash, I have so few I can trust nowadays. I'll keep this as my little secret and investigate this myself. But I can't help but be grateful for a little bit of good news today. Arceus isn't without a sense of humor, it seems." Lusamine thought as she looked at Wicke.

"I'm sorry, Miss Wicke. I was simply caught off-guard by the excellent news. Tomorrow afternoon, we will make a trip to Heahea City. I believe Faba can hold down the fort for an afternoon. Push my meetings to tomorrow morning, if you would, and any meetings that can't work that day to the day after tomorrow." Lusamine said with a soft smile. Miss Wicke returned the smile and bowed before exiting the room, leaving Lusamine to her thoughts as she collapsed into her chair.

"Talk about emotional whiplash." Lusamine muttered as she closed her eyes, trying to will away the headache that had now throbbed away in her skull. Perhaps instead of tea, she should be drinking something a little stronger.

"No. Mohn would disapprove of me taking up drinking again. Not after he tried to hard to get me off of the stuff before." Lusamine remarked with a sad smile, remembering her late husband with a fondness that made her heart warm. The love had never faded, nor would it ever.


"I have to admit, seeing so much improvement in a patient after so little time is incredibly reassuring. You have an excellent support system, Sun, and you should never forget that they're there to do just that. Support you."

Sun nodded as Doctor Thomas Cabela made a small note on his clipboard. Sun took that moment to pat Oliver on the head, with the Dartrix shutting his eyes. The tanned psychologist sitting across from Sun lowered his clipboard, smiling at the child. The boy was attending one of his bi-weekly visits to the psychologist, with his mother waiting outside in the lobby. Oliver was out of his Poké Ball at the instruction of Dr. Cabela, who remarked that it would help keep Sun relaxed.

"While I will admit to still having concerns about a possible relapse in depression with you, as these things can come and go depending on the events that befall you, your progress is a good sign." Dr. Cabela said as he set aside his clipboard, clasping his hands. "You've taken my advice to heart, Sun. And while you have told me about lingering feelings of confusion regarding your father and frustration regarding his actions, I'm feeling positive about your path to recovery."

"I hope so. I hated feeling so helpless. So sad. Like just existing was hurting everyone I cared about. But like I said, my friends managed to help me bounce back. I even managed to beat Olivia yesterday in a Grand Trial with everyone watching." Sun said proudly, with Oliver puffing out his chest. Dr. Cabela beamed at the boy, clapping softly a few times.

"Bravo! I hadn't the chance to attend the Festival myself. My side-job can be demanding at times." Dr. Cabela sighed, with Sun wondering what his side job was. The man didn't elaborate, instead taking that time to glance out the window.

"What on earth?" Cabela said suddenly, getting up and peering out the window. Sun rose to his feet and looked as well, but he only caught a glimpse of something green darting down a sidestreet and out of sight.

"What an odd Pokémon...Anyways." Cabela snapped himself out of his thoughts and said, "My recommendation for you is to continue on your Island Challenge and reflect on both your own feelings, as well as your relationship with your father. I feel as though focusing solely on the negative is increasing the negative feelings within you. Meditation could help with that, but how you choose to reflect is up to you."

Sun nodded, and the man continued. "Also, due to your incredible improvement as of late, I'll also be recommending you see me once a month instead of twice. Though if you need to schedule an emergency session, please do so."

"Of course sir. Is there anything else?" Sun asked.

"No, not unless you have any questions or anything you would like to tell me." Dr. Cabela asked the boy, who thought about it.

"Can you tell me a bit about yourself, Dr. Cabela? I never thought to ask before now. " Sun asked the man, who let out a small laugh.

"Well, I was born in Johto, but came to Alola when I was a child. I even went on my own Island Challenge, though those days were admittedly quite a bit rougher than what you children have to go through nowadays." Cabela remarked, gesturing to the wall. Sun was surprised to see not only an Island Challenge Amulet, but a weathered Z-Ring that looked distinctly different than his own. A much older model, perhaps.

"Never seen a Z-Ring like that before." Sun remarked, with Dr. Cabela smirking at that.

"Sad to say that I'm a bit of an old man, now. They don't make Z-Rings like those anymore. I got mine a long, long time ago." Cabela said with a small chuckle. "As for more about myself, I have a few hobbies, like most people, as well as a side-job that takes up most of my spare time. It's satisfying work though, so I happily do it."

"You don't look that old. Maybe in your late twenties." Sun remarked, with Dr. Cabela sitting down in his chair again.

"You'd be surprised. I'm actually in my early fifties." Dr. Cabela remarked, with Sun jerking back in surprise.

"No way!" Sun yelped, with Dr. Cabela laughing. With that, the session ended and Sun and Oliver met Laura Smiles in the receptionist's office. Sun went over what has happened as they began to walk through the city.

"That man strikes me as an odd one." Oliver remarked from the air as he flew overhead.

"Maybe, but he has a lot of really good advice. I'll...I'll have to think on this stuff a lot more." Sun admitted as Laura glanced down at her child.

"Are you good to go meet up with Hau on your own?" Laura asked Sun, who nodded. Laura borrowed Sun's Ride Pager and called a Ride Charizard, who appeared on the sidewalk they were on in less than two minutes.

"Excellent timing today. You don't get service like that back in Kanto." Laura said with an impressed smile.

"Don't let me keep you, Mom. I know they need you back at work." Sun said to his mother, who smiled lightly. "Besides, I have a few friends I can spend time with before Hau gets here anyway. I won't be alone."

"Of course. Well, make sure you keep in touch. And stay safe, okay?" Laura said to Sun, who nodded.

"You too Mom. I love you." Sun said to his mother, embracing her tightly as Laura knelt down to do the same. The mother and son shared a hug for a few moments before separating.

"I love you too. Be safe, sweetie." Laura said as she let go of her child, smiling proudly at him. Sun watched his mother fly away on a Ride Charizard before he re-adjusted his backpack and turned around, walking over to the cafe three blocks away where Vivian and Aria were eating lunch. He spotted Vivian showing Aria a large photograph, which she was staring at intently.

"How'd everything go?" Vivian asked Sun. The boy smiled as he sat down with the two young women.

"Pretty well. He said that what I told him was really encouraging, and that since things are looking up, I'll probably start feeling even better soon enough. He still wants me to see him once a month to ensure that I don't start relapsing." Sun explained as he fed a Poké Bean to Oliver, with Vivian rolling her eyes.

"It's depression, not a dependency on meth." Aria muttered as Vivian took a sip of her tea. Unfortunately, the timing of this rather poor and resulted in Vivian snorting tea up her nose and frantically sputtering it out over the course of the next two minutes while Sun fetched napkins and Aria (half-laughing) apologized.

"You suck." Vivian wheezed as she leaned back in her chair, with Sun taking up a spot next to them with a chilled cup of Tapu Cocoa that he had ordered and received while getting napkins.

"Eh." Aria replied with a shrug before picking up her photo again, peering at it intensely. She caught Sun looking at her with curiosity, and set the photo down on the table.

"Colress recently sent this picture to me. I forgot we had ever taken it. It was right before our big assault on Neo Team Plasma's floating castle. Just four days before everything went wrong. I...forgot how happy everyone looked." Aria said in a quiet voice.

Sun examined with picture with interest. He was able to easily pick out Vivian, Noah, and Aria out in the front with big smiles. Colress was standing off to the side, looking amused. Next to him was a man with long green hair that Sun didn't recognize, as well as a man with a cowboy hat and a guitar. A few other teens stood around, wearing smiles. But Sun's eyes were stuck on the man standing at the very front of the group, the clear leader of them all, with a red and black-haired young woman wrapped around his shoulders as she hugged him from behind.

The man himself was slim, yet had rather muscular build, with a black and blue leather cloak wrapped around him. A strange yet familiar device was clamped onto his arm. He had spiky gray hair and piercing golden eyes, as well as a mischievous smile that told Sun that the man was somewhat of a trickster. In front of him were a cluster of different Pokémon.

"Wes…" Sun said quietly, remembering what had befallen the former hero. How he had led the charge against Cipher and Neo Team Plasma, only to have been defeated by Perfect Kyurem and had his will shattered. Wes had walked away from his friends after that, too broken to continue the fight.

Sun wondered where he was now.

"What was he like, Aria?" Sun asked the new Snagger, who shut her eyes.

"He was...very brave. Fearless. Always ready to help people. Endlessly kind to all Pokémon and always willing to lend a helping hand or teach someone something. He had a wicked sense of humor and was always ready with some kind of crazy plan to mess with our enemies. Guy loved making bombs…" Aria sighed wistfully, looking away after a moment.

"We all miss him, Heroine." Vivian said quietly, poking the picture after a moment. "And his team. Don't forget them. They were all a bunch of characters." Vivian remarked fondly as Sun examined the photo further.

"He has a whole lot of cool Pokémon." Sun noted a, smiling slightly at the cluster of different Pokémon lying down in front of Wes. The boy spotted a Braixen hugging Wes' arm with a joyful look on her face and a Flygon standing proudly beside Wes. A Sylveon and Luxray were lying down on the ground, with the former looking rather excited and the latter looking fairly grumpy. A Floatzel and a Lilligant stood out, making silly faces at the camera.

"Wes had a lot of Pokémon he battled with in Unova, thanks to him snagging so many in his travels. But this was his main team." Aria said fondly, a sad smile on her face as she pointed to the Luxray. "Leon was the first Shadow Pokémon Wes caught in Unova. He was a nasty piece of work for a while, even after getting purified. But he calmed down in the end. He even became Sophie's mate!"

"Your Jolteon?" Sun asked, with Aria nodding.

"Yep. And that Sylveon is Sophie's sister, Eva. She was such a hyperactive ball of energy compared to my Sophie." Aria remarked happily before she pointed to the Braxien next.

"This was Pyrrha. She was the only Pokémon Wes ever snagged that wasn't a Shadow Pokémon." Aria explained, frowning slightly at the memory.

"Really? What's so special about her?" Sun asked.

"Much like that Riolu I snagged from that guy back at Royal Avenue, Pyrrha was originally owned by a very nasty and abusive Trainer. Wes snagged her from her asshole Trainer and not only got her treated for her injuries, but became her Trainer. That was the only time Wes ever broke his promise about never snagging a Pokémon that wasn't a Shadow Pokémon. Though that did have some unintended consequences." Aria mused, smirking slightly. Sun gave Aria a confused look, so she elaborated.

"Pyrrha developed feelings for Wes. Which certainly made things awkward for a while, especially when me and Wes realized that. It was even more awkward when We started dating Zoey." Aria explained as she tapped the picture.

"Really? That's weird. I didn't even know Pokémon could love a human like that." Sun said with a frown, unsettled by the very idea of that. Aria simply shrugged.

"It's not that uncommon. Especially when it comes to young and very impressionable Pokémon. Wes took very good care of his team and whatever Pokémon came under his care, even if they were violent and unresponsive Shadow Pokémon. He's one of the strongest people I know. Pokémon respect those qualities, and so it kinda just happened. Thankfully, Pyrrha grew out of her crush and became one of Wes' most reliable Pokémon. So it all worked out for the best." Aria explained, leaning back in her chair.

"Speaking of working out for the best, aren't you and Hau supposed to be going to the Aether Paradise soon?" Vivian asked Sun, who nodded.

"We're gonna head out to meet Mister Faba today, so we should-" Sun began to say, only for Hau to suddenly run up to them, panting heavily.

"Hey man, where's the fire?" Sun asked. Hau held up a hand for a moment, catching his breath, before he stood up and spoke again.

"Hey Sun, do you...whew, mind if we make a quick stop by Konikoni? Lana wanted to ask us a favor but she's kinda tied up dealing with some errands. I figured we could swing by and give her a hand." Hau asked Sun breathlessly, who nodded after a moment. Both boys turned to Aria and Vivian, who exchanged a glance.

"You guys focus on your Trials. We've got things sorted on our end." Aria said to the boys with a fond smile.

"We'll keep you posted if we make any progress on our end, Sun." Vivian said as she lifted her cup and took a sip of tea, only to be surprised when Noah suddenly appeared and kissed her cheek, making the young woman twitch violently and shriek in surprise. Needless to say the tea she was drinking went everywhere, though Aria was thankfully able to save her picture from harm.

"Sorry. I thought you had gotten my text." Noah apologized as Vivian's face went scarlet from embarrassment.

Sun and Hau made themselves scarce as Aria cackled with delight, laughing at the couple as they tried to clean up the mess.


The two boys arrived in Konikoni City around noon, and Hau managed to easily lead them both to Lana's home. Lana's home was rather nice and spacious, with her family cooking up what seemed like a large dinner. Lana's father and mother were playfully squabbling about fishing tactics, but her kindly grandmother directed the boys to a room at the back of the house rather distractedly as she played with her Alolan Meowth.

"I wonder why she would tell us to go this way. This isn't-" Hau began to say as Sun knocked on the door twice before opening it. The two boys were surprised to see Sarah and Harper, Lana's younger twin sisters, playing in the room with their Pokémon. The Luvdisc and Corsola respectively laughed as they chased the girl's around the room, though both quickly realized that the boys had entered their room.

"Hi Hau! Hi new guy!" Harper called out happily, with Sun being taken aback by that.

"They've definitely met me before." Sun thought before the girls began to speak again.

"Wow! An Island Challenge amulet!" Harper cried out, spotting Sun's amulet hanging from his backpack.

"And Hau has one too!" Sarah called as well.

"Of course we do, you sillies!" Hau laughed as both girls ran forward and surprised Hau by hugging him. Sun smiled at that, realizing that the two little girls would probably be fond of the boy that their sister had become quite close too.

"Sissy isn't here! But I think she's coming home soon!" Sarah chirped happily.

"Play with us till Sissy comes home!" Harper asked, looking up at Sun and Hau with puppy-dog eyes. Sun and Hau exchanged a glance before they both sighed, though they couldn't help the smiles on their faces.

"OK." Sun said as Hau nodded his head, grinning widely.

"Then I wanna have a battle! Let's do a moldy battle!" Sarah yelled excitedly, with Sun looking surprised at that.

"It's not a moldy battle! It's a Multi Battle! We'll have a Multi Battle!" Harper chided her twin, who shrugged.

"Yeah, that. So what do you say? You ready, Mr. Trainer guy?" Sarah asked Sun, who smiled in response.

"You're on!" Sun said with a grin to the twins, who scrambled to the other side of the room. Their Luvdisc and Corsola took positions in front of them while Hau stood against the wall in the middle of them.

"You gonna referee, Hau?" Sun asked.

"Nope."

"I...Okay then." Sun said with a roll of the eyes, calling out Penny and Oliver. The birds landed on the ground, looking rather unimpressed at their opponents. Considering that they had battled a Kahuna the day before, this was quite a downgrade. Nevertheless, they prepared themselves for combat.

"Luvdisc, Draining Kiss on the big owl!" Harper called out happily, pointing forward. The Luvdisc shot forward with surprising speed and kissed Oliver on the beak, sending a yellow pulse through its body as the owl flinched. Luvdisc pulled away with a giggle, glowing a faint white color as Oliver shuddered in pain, though he caught the furious look Penny was giving him.

"I swear this isn't what it looks like!" Oliver screeched as Penny gave the two of them a death glare that made the temperature in the room drop twenty degrees. Oliver was glad when Sun broke in to command him to use Razor Leaf, which easily knocked out Corsola and left Luvdisc weakly floating in the air. Penny shot forward without any kind of command and smashed into Luvdisc with Pluck, knocking her out with ease.

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Oliver muttered as Penny swooped past, landing on the ground beside him.

"Of course I did." Penny said smugly as Rotom Dex floated over.

"Bzzzt! Penny just learned the move Screech! And she scared the heck out of me!" Rotom declared, making Sun shake his head with a small smile as he returned both of his birds.

"Luvdisc!" Harper called out in surprise, returning her Luvdisc.

"Corsola!" Sarah cried out, doing the same. Both twins were grinning at Sun in excitement, as if they had found a new toy to play with.

"Wowzers! You sure are strong, Mr. Trainer guy!" Sarah called out excitedly, bounding over to Sun with an excited smile.

"You might even be stronger than Sissy!" Harper declared, with Sun laughing modestly.

"I wouldn't say that. Lana's a Captain with a lot more experience." Sun said before the door opened, revealing a familiar teenage girl with blue hair.

"I'm home, girls." Lana said warmly, setting down a paper bag full of what seemed like snacks from the grocery store. Both twins ran at Lana and pile-drived into her, hugging their big sister tightly. Sun and Hau smiled at the display of sisterly affection. It was obvious that Harper and Sarah adored Lana, even if they enjoyed teasing Lana about her love life sometimes.

"Sissy!"

"Welcome home!"

Lana returned the hug from her sisters, noticing Hau and Sun standing there after a few moments. Hau grinned at his female friend, making her blush slightly as he waved at her.

"Heya Lana. I figured I could bring Sun by to help out as well." Hau said, gesturing to his best friend.

"Oh? Sun? You've come to visit us?" Lana said with a small smile, nodding after a moment. "That'll help as well."

"Mr. Trainer guy was playing with us!"

"He is really strong! Did you know that?"

"Well, thank you, Sun. For entertaining my sisters so kindly." Lana said happily, setting the snacks aside. "I actually was hoping to ask you both for a favor."

"What's up?" Sun asked. Lana pulled out a Poké Ball as her expression become a bit more serious.

"As you both know...a few days ago my Araquanid, Charlotte, was injured by the Bone Brothers at Brooklet Hill. She's been recovering well, but she's been getting restless lately. I was hoping one of you two would be willing to spar with her so she can start getting back into the swing of things." Lana explained to Sun, who nodded.

"Yep, that makes sense." Hau said with a small frown. "It kinda sucks that Team Skull would act like such jerks after you saved their lives from Amber back at the stadium."

"Well, the attack was done specifically by the Bone Brothers. They've always been much worse than the usual Team Skull rabble. That said, it definitely doesn't make me feel better about what happened." Lana sighed, rubbing her forehead. Sensing that their big sister was feeling unhappy about something, the twins ran back over to her.

"Hey, Sissy! Sissy!" Harper said excitedly. Sarah was quick to join her, looking likewise excited, as if the two of them had the same thought.

"Who's probably stronger? You or this Trainer? Like, if you were REALLY trying? Sarah asked, bouncing on her feet slightly.

"Yeah, who?"

"Who's stronger? Are you stronger?"

"Well...I don't rightly know. Sun is definitely strong himself." Lana said evasively, knowing exactly what the twins were wanting.

"But we wanna know who's stronger!" Sarah whined, her face adopting a pouting expression.

Harper nodded, pointing to Sun. "Battle him!" the young girl commanded, with Lana hanging her head with a sigh.

"It looks like I've got little choice...Once the girls have their minds set, they don't budge, no matter how hard you try." Lana said, glancing at Hau and Sun with a rueful smile.

"Come on! Do it!"

"Battle! Battle!"

"If you don't mind, Sun, could I ask you for a battle? The truth is that I've also been wanting to see how we might compare in skill! Helping Charlotte out and appeasing the brats is a way to kill two birds with one stone." Lana said to the Kanto-native, who smiled widely at Lana.

"Sure!" Sun replied as the two twins high-fived.

"All right!" Lana proclaimed, an excited grin on her face as the twins cheered happily, running to their sister and hugging her legs.

"We knew you would do it!" both girls cheered, with Lana fondly patting both girls on the head. Lana looked up at the two smiling boys.

"Why don't we go out front, Sun? I would have some advantage battling inside the house, since I'm so familiar with the layout." Lana said to Sun, who nodded. Hau chimed in, though.

"Why don't we go to Brooklet Hill? It'll be a better place for you to battle and it's one Sun is familiar with as well." Hau suggested for the two of them. Sun and Lana both exchanged a look before they both nodded.

"Yay! Road trip!" the twins cried out together.


Their trip to Brooklet Hill was a rather swift one. Lana and Sun decided to choose the plank bridge as a battlefield for their little showdown. Harper, Sarah, and Hau decided on a rather unusual spot to sit and observe the battle, however.

"Waaaashh…"

"Thanks again, Washua!" Hau said to the Totem Wishiwashi that the three of them were sitting on top of. In School Forme, of course. The twins both took that moment to hug the wriggling mass of water and fish, wearing happy grins.

"Yay Washua! You're the bestest!" the twins cried out joyfully, making the Totem Pokémon wriggle slightly as it let out a happy roar. Sun and Lana admired the scene for a moment, taking in how adorable it was, before turning to each other.

"Thanks again for this, Sun. Charlotte, my Araquanid, has been really wanting to battle lately. I know she'll likely not fair well, but she's far enough along in her recovery that some exercise and light battling will be good for her. Your Pokémon should be just strong enough to push her, but not re-injure her. Even if they hit her directly where she's hurt." Lana said to Sun, who nodded in understanding.

"Anything to help a friend. So...you ready?" Sun asked the Captain, who gave him a rather dark grin in response, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she unclipped a Net Ball from her belt. Sun did the same, pulling out a Poké Ball.

"Go on! Beat him, Sissy!" Sarah called out.

"Show him what you've got!" Harper cheered,

"Shall we?" Lana asked with a playful smirk, "I have a responsibility to see a good example for my younger sisters, of course. But even more important than that...I have my pride as a Captain! I will show you what a serious Lana can do!"

"Hit me with your best shot." Sun replied, grinning as Rotom Dex floated to his shoulder.

"I look forward to a no-holds-barred battle against you, Sun!" Lana declared, calling out a Chinchou as Sun called out Oliver.

"Do we need a referee for this?" Hau asked from his position on top of Washua the Totem Pokémon, where he was currently sharing a Pop Tart with the twins.

"Not really. Three-on-three work for you?" Lana asked Sun, who nodded. "While I'm not using my strongest team, these are some Pokémon I've been training up. They're no slouches, and I'm going to go all out!"

"Heh. Razor Leaf!" Sun called out, with Oliver launching himself into the air and releasing a wave of spinning leaves.

"Dive!" Lana commanded, with her Chinchou darting into the water to dodge the attack. To Oliver's surprise, the Angler Pokémon shot out of the water just moments later, slamming into him hard enough to send him into the water.

"Oliver, get out of there!" Sun called to the owl as he struggled to escape the water.

"Electro Ball!" Lana shouted, grinning as she leaned forward. Chinchou reared back and released a yellow sphere of electricity at the Dartrix, who screeched and flailed in the water as the attack shocked the living daylights out of him.

"Ice Beam!" Lana shouted, but Sun was ready.

"Protect!" Sun countered as Chinchou fired off an icy beam of energy. Oliver managed to throw up a barrier while in the water, which managed to block the icy attack while serving to freeze the water around him. As the attack ended and the barrier faded, Oliver was easily able to fly back into the air, albeit wincing slightly from his injuries.

"Razor Leaf!" Sun commanded his Starter, who flapped his wings hard and released a barrage of spinning leaves that shredded against the Chinchou, making it cry out in pain from the super-effective attack. To Lana's surprise, Chinchou fell out of the air and landed on the bridge with a thud, knocked out.

"One hit...whoa. .Alright. Let's try this. Shellder, let's go!" Lana yelled, calling out a Shellder.

"Oliver, use Synthesis!" Sun said to the owl, who nodded and looked skyward as he began to glow, with the rays of sunlight coming down from above allowing Oliver to recover his strength and heal his injuries.

Unfortunately for the two of them, Lana had a counter to that.

"Icicle Spear!" Lana called out, throwing her hand forward as Shellder opened its mouth wider and fired off a wave of icicles that slammed into Oliver, making the owl screech in pain from the double-weakness he had to ice. To Sun's horror, the attack didn't stop there. As a second wave of ice hit Oliver. And then a third. And a fourth.

Oliver went down to the ground after the fifth wave of ice hit the poor owl, who despite recovering his health, couldn't withstand five waves of the attack. Sun returned Oliver as Harper and Sarah cheered for their sister.

"Are you girls having fun?" Lana called to the two girls, who both nodded happily. Hau laughed from beside them, waving to Lana.

"Hau, are you rooting against me because it's Lana I'm battling?" Sun asked the boy, who shrugged.

"I root for whoever feeds me. Lana bought me malasadas last night, so I'm in her corner." Hau explained as he gave his best friend a thumbs up, making Sun facepalm. He silently called out Brago, who landed on the slightly unstable bridge with a look of distaste on his face.

"Sorry Brago, but I kind of need brute force right now. I'm saving Finn or Penny for later." Sun explained to the Arcanine, who nodded after a moment.

"Very well. Just know that I'm not good at swimming, Alpha." Brago replied with a resigned sigh before getting into his usual crouching position.

"Take Down!" Brago shot toward with a growl, speedily bounding towards Shellder as a white glow surrounded his body, and within seconds slammed into it hard enough to send it clacking down the bridge towards Lana and into the water.

"Come back up and hit him with Supersonic!" Lana commanded the Bivalve Pokémon, who did just that a few moments later. The Shellder shot out of the water beside Brago on the bridge and let out a strange wailing sound, making Brago stumble backwards as he shook his head in confusion.

"Looks like I had my own trick turned against me." Sun muttered as he looked towards Lana, who stuck her tongue out at him. Sun grinned at her in response, adjusting his hat.

"Brago, use Take Down again!" Sun called out. Brago snarled and rushed forward, only to suddenly smash his face into the bridge repeatedly.

"Water Gun!"

Sun grit his teeth as the attack struck Brago in the side, causing the massive canine to snarl in pain. "Flame Burst, Brago! Try to snap out of it!"

Brago wordlessly roared, throwing his head around wildly as flames shot out of his mouth and into the air, where they exploded like fireworks. However, this had the added effect of landing on him, making him flinch in pain. This was reinforced by another Water Gun hitting the Legendary Pokémon, though to Sun's relief a sense of awareness crept back into the eyes of Brago.

"Come on, Sun. Give my sisters a show! I know you can do better than this!" Lana teased the boy, grinning as she threw out an arm. "Water Gun!"

"Jump back and dodge!" Sun called out as the attack soared towards Brago, who hopped back and managed to avoid the attack. Sun raised his Z-Ring as a flash of light erupted from it, the boy grinning in response.

"Alright then! Have it your way!" Sun called as he began to strike a series of poses as Brago crouched low, with the boy and canine both glowing as energy flowed in between the two of them, allowing Brago to use his full power.

"Brago, channel Flame Burst...and use Inferno Overdrive!" Sun shouted as he finished the sequence, with Brago opening his mouth wide to charge up a condensed fireball that was packed with an incredible amount of energy. Soon enough the fireball shot towards Shellder, who hid in its shell and was blasted by the massive attack. Lana was blown backwards a few steps by the force of the attack force to cover her eyes with her arm, while the twins cried out in surprise. Hau simply clapped, grinning in excitement.

"Dang. Not bad." Lana breathed as she removed her arm. To their surprise, Shellder opened its shell and revealed that it was still quite able to fight, though it was covered in singe marks.

"Tch...Alright. Let's keep up the offense. And avoid getting confused." Brago grunted, with Sun nodding in response.

"Water Gun!"

"Reversal!" Sun shouted as Brago shot toward the Shellder, tanking the attack with a snarl of pain as his body glowed bright red. Shellder had time to let out a high-pitched scream before Brago slammed into it, sending it flying into the water.

"Use Supersonic!" Lana shouted, but Sun was ready.

"Bite!" Sun shouted as Shellder shot out of the water. Brago lunged forward and chomped down on Shellder, making it scream in pain as the canine's powerful jaws began to crush it. However, to their horror, Shellder released a sound-wave of energy that made the world begin to swirl around Brago. The canine also released the Shellder, freeing it.

"Not again!" Sun groaned as Lana chuckled softly.

"It's not entirely dependable, but it's a good way to turn the tides. While I have the type-advantage, I know Brago is one of your most powerful Pokémon. I told you, Sun. I'm not holding back, even if I'm battling you with a less-experienced team." Lana said before throwing out an arm. "Water Gun!"

"Bite!" Sun shouted as Shellder launched a jet of water at Brago, who snarled in pain yet again. Thankfully, the Arcanine's eyes gained awareness in them the moment the attack struck him, meaning he was free of his confusion. And it allowed him to dash forward and clamp his jaws around Shellder a second time, this time with him shaking the Bivalve Pokémon around harshly before throwing it into the water.

"Hmm. Alright then." Lana muttered, smirking slightly. "Get ready, Shellder!"

"Brago, stay alert! Don't let it confuse you again!" Sun called to the Arcanine, who shut his eyes and strained his ears to hear the Shellder approaching. Lana smirked, crossing her arms.

"I'm not a one-trick Ponyta, Sun. Water Gun!" Lana shouted just as Shellder shot out of the water, releasing a jet of water that struck Brago directly.

However, Brago surprised everyone by leaping off of the bridge and opening his mouth wide, clamping his jaws down on Shellder. The Water-type screamed in horror as the two of them landed in the water.

"Bite!" Sun shouted as Brago thrashed in the water, biting down on Shellder's body as he began to dog-paddle back to the bridge, though when he reached the bridge Brago did take a moment to bash Shellder against the planks several times and knock it out.

"W-w-what!?" Lana sputtered as the canine finally got back onto the bridge, shaking from exertion and being in the water, but looking very smug as he released Shellder from his jaws. Shellder fell to the ground with a groan and a clunk, forcing Lana to recall it.

"That thing was tough." Sun said to the Captain, with Brago nodding in agreement.

"And yet you defeated it. And now...Charlotte, let's go!" Lana shouted, calling out her Partner. The Araquanid hit the ground with a soft chitter, and Sun saw that it had a bandage wrapped around the middle of its body. A sign that it was still on the mend from what the Bone Brothers had done to it. Sun scowled after a moment before sighing, letting go of his anger for the moment.

"Alright, Brago, Let's get it done! Flame Burst!" Sun shouted as Brago breathed a tongue of flames forward, which formed into a fireball that quickly exploded, sending streaks of flame towards the Araquanid.

"Dodge and use Bug Bite!" Lana shouted, with the Araquanid quickly darting forward to sink its teeth (somehow) into Brago's side. The Arcanine snarled in pain, though to his surprise the Araquanid threw him backwards and made him hit the ground hard.

"Even if its still injured, that's Lana's Partner. Her strongest Pokémon. I can't take it lightly." Sun said, though that was when he spotted Lana glowing and had her arms waving around in a way that made Sun's eyes widen in surprise.

"Brago! She's doing a Z-Move!" Sun yelled out, wondering how Lana had managed to pull one off so quickly. Energy and emotion flowed between the Araquanid and the Captain, and soon enough-

"Charlotte, channel Liquidation...and use Hydro Vortex!" Lana bellowed with all of the ferocity of a Trial Captain as Araquanid leapt into the air, spinning around as a bright blue flash erupted from the spider and a massive torrent of water formed in midair. It soon became a spinning flume of water that rushed towards Brago. Stuck on the bridge and with water on both sides, Brago could only brace himself as the attack struck him.

Water washed all over Sun's side of the bridge, with the boy very happy that he had given his bag to Hau beforehand, because he was soaked by the time he recalled his now-unconscious Arcanine.

Lana walked forward as Charlotte the Araquanid shuddered slightly, with the teen placing a hand on the back of the Water Bubble Pokémon. "I know, it's still hard to battle. Do you want to keep going?"

Charlotte nodded as Sun called out Penny, who stared down the massive spider as Lana walked back to her spot.

"Bubble Beam!"

"Echoed Voice to block!"

Penny soared forward and opened her beak wide, releasing a blast of sound that rushed forward to meet the streak of bubbles that were now racing towards her. However, to Penny and Sun's surprise, the bubbles were barely impeded by the attack and smashed into Penny hard, popping painfully against her body and making the Toucannon screech in pain.

"Penny, fly away and regroup!" Sun called to the Toucannon, who released another blast of sound to momentarily block the bubbles still hitting her and allowing the Toucannon to sail away.

"Don't let it get away! Use Scald!" Lana shouted as her Araquanid hissed, though it took several moments before the spider shot out its attack. This delay allowed Penny to dodge it with ease before she shot downwards.

"Use Pluck and hit her from the side, then back off!" Sun commanded the bird as she swerved to dodge another Scald attack, slamming her glowing beak into the side of Araquanid. The Water Bubble Pokémon screeched, shuddering slightly as Lana watched on in concern.

"I underestimated how badly her injury would affect her in battle...But we won't give up. Not if Charlotte believes she can continue." Lana thought with a glint of determination in her eyes.

"Liquidation!" Lana shouted as Araquanid darted forward, leaping into the air as its front legs glowed a harsh blue color before they came crashing down onto Penny's beak...that was now glowing a harsh red color.

"What!?" Lana yelped as Charlotte let out a squeal of pain, burns now appearing on the front legs of the massive spider.

"Beak Blast!" Sun called out with a wide grin as Penny released the building energy and heat in her beak, which exploded outward and struck the Araquanid directly. The Pokémon flew backwards with a scream of pain and landed harshly on the bridge, bouncing off of it and landing in the water.

"How did she know when to do that? You never said a word about using Beak Blast or charging up!" Lana asked Sun, who just grinned at her.

"Because Penny's really smart and knew what she needed to do without me telling her." Sun explained as Penny's beak lost its glow, with the Toucannon shooting forward.

"Alright then. Let's finish this off, Charlotte. Liquidation!" Lana shouted, punching forward as Sun grinned at her.

"Go low and hit her with Pluck!" Sun shouted as Penny swooped low. The Araquanid shot out of the water, with Penny being able to get underneath the Water Bubble Pokémon and slamming into her injured underside with her glowing beak. Charlotte let out a loud hiss of pain as she tumbled through the air, hitting the plank bridge with a painful crash. Lana stared at the spider in surprise, especially when it finally stopped moving and remained still.

"Well! You certainly reeled me in." Lana remarked in a slightly awed voice, a small smile creeping onto her face as she returned her faithful Araquanid. Sun chuckled at the pun as Penny fluttered back to him, looking proud as she usually did. Sun stroked the bird fondly as Lana sighed deeply, bringing herself back to reality after the excitement of battle.

"No way! She lost! Sissy actually lost!" Harper called out from atop Totem Wishiwashi, hopping down onto the bridge with a slight wobble. Sarah joined her twin somewhat more gracefully,

"That's amazing! Mr. Trainer guy is amazing!" Sarah yelled, running forward to join her twin.

"Sun, that was fantastic! You and your Pokémon were perfectly in sync! It seems I was premature in thinking that my full power would be enough to defeat you." Lana praised the boy, grinning excitedly.

"If you were using your real battling team, I don't think that would have been the case." Sun admitted, thinking on how tough Lana's Araquanid had been to put down. And it was still weakened and injured.

"How boring! I can't believe Sissy lost! Poo. I'm going home!" Harper pouted, with Sarah grinning widely at that.

"Me too! Gimme a piggyback ride!" Sarah cheered, running over to Lana and pulling at her pant legs.

"Fine, fine...Let's all be getting back home." Lana sighed as both twins ran over to her and hugged her, each of them trying to get onto the Captain's back. "But I will not be carrying you! You can walk on your own two feet! What else do you think you have feet for?"

"They're a bunch of dorks, but they're all awesome." Hau stated, making the twins beam at the boy while Lana blushed.

"See, Lana? This is why you two should be boyfriend and girlfriend!" Harper teased her older sister while Sarah giggled in delight.

"Make kissy face! Hehehe!" Sarah called to Lana, who took that moment to sigh and face-palm, her face burning bright red.

"Oh, I know this calls for!" Hau suddenly declared as he hopped onto the plank bridge. Sun and the twins looked at Hau in surprise, though Lana sighed and looked up.

"Surprise Hug Attack?" Lana asked as she looked at Hau. Hau nodded with a big ol' grin, and Lana held up a hand.

"If we're doing this, then time out." Lana took that moment to take off her shirt and shorts, which momentarily shocked Sun before he remembered Lana frequently wore her dark blue one-piece swimsuit beneath her clothes, which was the case right now. Lana tossed her clothes onto the bridge before looking at Hau, a resigned smile on her face.

"Okay. Time in." Lana said before Hau broke out into a run, wearing an almost Cheshire grin on his face. Hau tackled Lana with a massive hug that took them both into the water.

"I hope Hau's cell phone is water-proof." Sun remarked idly as the two Trainers emerged from the water, sputtering from their mouths. Lana glared at Hau and lunged at him in the water, dunking him violently as Sarah and Harper cheered on. Rotom took a few pics, giggling about wedding photos and making Sun wonder if Kukui programmed it to be so interested in match-making.


"Thanks again for playing with my sisters." Lana said as they finished their snacks, setting aside her juice box with a small smile. They were back at Konikoni City and had changed into dryer clothes now.

"Hau and Sun are awesome, Sissy!" Harper cheered as she sat on Hau's back, with the boy looking very amused. Sarah nodded, her expression more thoughtful.

"We already knew Hau was awesome. Sun's really cool though too!" Sarah remarked, with Sun laughing in response.

"I'm sorry I haven't spend as much time with you and your folks as Hau has, Lana." Sun said as Lana chuckled, though she did dig into her pants pocket and pulled out a brown armband that looked vaguely familiar to Sun.

"...Here. Please have this and use it if you think it might be helpful." Lana said as she handed the small armband to Sun, who admired it for a moment.

"It's a Muscle Band! Sissy says it boosts physical moves!" Harper explained merrily from her position on top of Hau as she playfully pulled the boy's hair, with Lana grinning with pride at her sister for knowing that.

"Well, my father is expecting me to help on the boat, so I should be going soon. But feel free to stay as long as you want, Sun. My home is yours. I know the twins definitely enjoyed spending time with you both today, and I always enjoy spending time with you both." Lana said warmly, glancing over at Hau who was currently playing on the ground with both twins.

"Sadly, we really need to get going. We shouldn't keep Mister Faba waiting any longer than we need too." Sun admitted with a sad smile, with Lana nodding. The teen stepped forward to give Sun a hug, and then did the same with Hau as he got to his feet, though Hau made sure to make his hug take a bit longer. Lana and Hau separated, with the former blushing lightly and Hau grinning. With a spirited goodbye from the twins, the two boys were off yet again as the sun began to descend over the horizon.

Sun and Hau departed from Konikoni City, deciding that they would make a short trek to Heahea City to get a little bit of training in at Diglett's Tunnel and camp out in the cave. The next day, they would simply fly over to the Hano Grand Resort in the morning to meet up with Faba. A simple plan in execution.

Sadly for them, life doesn't always work out the way you want it to.

"Did you hear something?" Hau asked, glancing around the dark forest path as the cave entrance came into view. Sun nodded his head, taking a moment to call out Brago and Oliver. Hau followed his lead, calling out Duke and Kaha as his eyes glanced around.

"There!" Hau called out, pointing into the trees. Sun followed his friend's gaze and spotted a strange yellow lizard watching them all with amusement. It looked incredibly out of place, and made Sun shiver in horror.

"The Anomaly…" Sun whispered as the Heliolisk grinned at him, its body flickering and fading in and out of the air.

"Bzzt! Sun I...I feel dizzy…" Rotom beeped, dropping off of Sun's shoulder and into his hands. Sun looked down at Rotom Dex in concern as Brago growled softly, crouching low as if to attack.

"Rotom? What's wrong?" Sun asked, but Rotom's next words were garbled static.

"That thing feels unnatural." Brago growled, narrowing his eyes as Oliver nodded in agreement. The creature giggled ethereally before leaping from the branches and landing lightly on the ground. The group saw the ground beneath Dizz distort and shudder at the touch of the Anomaly.

"It makes my feathers tremble. An awful feeling. What is it?" Oliver asked, with the Heliolisk's eyes dilating widely as it turned to face him.

It's the feeling of reality tearing itself apart. But you don't have to worry about that, Oliver. You only need to worry about me.

"How do you know his name?" Brago asked in a growl, with the Anomaly giggling softly.

I know all of you. I know of the two Pokémon hidden safely in their Poké Balls. I know about the two other teammates you'll get in time. I know many things, Brago. Oh so many things. That's one of the consequences of being a god.

"A...god?" Rotom buzzed out weakly, with Sun looking down at Rotom with some concern as the Anomaly nodded, its form twitching slightly.

It may not exactly seem like so, considering my current form, but I am the one knows EVERYTHING. Past. Present. Future. Of this world and the infinite worlds across this universe and other universes. I am everything...but nothing at all.

"You're talking crazy...Or you're just trying to confuse us." Hau remarked, crossing his arms. The Heliolisk chuckled darkly, it's tail elongating behind itself. The group watched in terrified awe as the tail became something like a massive barbed tentacle, a sinister blade somehow growing out of the tip.

Perhaps it's a bit of both. Either way, it's about time I had some real fun!

"I'VE FOUND YOU!"

Dizz looked up in time for a blast of flames to smash into it from behind, making the creature let out a screech that made Sun and Hau both fall to the ground in a wave of dizziness while their Pokémon flinched in pain. The Anomaly fell to all fours as the torrent of flames continued to wash over it, which was compounded by two purple beams of energy slamming into the mass of smoke and fire.

Sun looked up and saw a familiar red-eyed woman riding atop a Salamence, watching the two children with a worried expression before turning her attention to the strange monster that twitched and shuddered back into a Heliolisk. It twitched for a few moments before grinning up at the Lorekeeper.

"You couldn't run forever, Anomaly. Now that I've found you, I'm going to erase you from existence." Zinnia said as she stared down the strange creature. To their surprise, it grinned back at the woman with amusement.

Well, that was sort of painful. Zinnia, you should know better than to try such a tactic. You won't get a sneak attack like that off twice on something like me.

Zinnia glanced at Sun and Hau as they got back to their feet. She spoke to the two boys, not taking her eyes off of Dizz. "Run, you two! Get to the cave! That thing is way out of your league!"

Zinnia dropped to the ground, her Altaria floating above her and her Goodra emerging from the forest with a glare. Zinnia's expression was one of absolute focus. Sun shakily got his feet, looking conflicted for a few moments before he stepped forward to join the Draconid.

"Not a chance!" Sun called out as Brago crouched beside him, ready to attack. Oliver landed in front of Sun, glaring at the monster ahead as it laughed at them.

Oh, how unexpected! The Protagonist has come to stop the big, baaaaad monster!

"I'll do more than that! Oliver, Razor Leaf! Brago, Flame Burst!" Sun called out, throwing out a hand as his Pokémon unleashed their attacks. Hau joined his side, looking nervous before he commanded his own Pokémon.

"Kaha, Shadow Ball! Duke, Thunderbolt!" Hau called out, with the combination of attacks streaking towards Dizz and hitting the Anomaly one after another. Zinnia sighed but decided to allow this.

"Triple Dragon Pulse!" Zinnia called out, with all three powerful dragons charging up their attacks and launching them at the downed creature, with the three attacks exploding against the Anomaly and sending it flying into a tree…that it sank into with a demented cackle that made the very air shiver.

You can't kill a god, Zinnia. Just like you can't tame a god. Or demigod, I suppose. Can you call a creature that can be caught and tamed by mere humans...gods? Am I a demigod?

Dizz flickered into existence on the ground ahead of them, releasing a massive tidal wave of electricity that washed over all of the Pokémon, making them scream in pain before they all collapsed to the ground. Only Zinnia's Pokémon remained standing, though they definitely looked beaten down from the ruthless blast of lightning. Sun and Hau shuddered in horror, unnerved by the strength of the Anomaly.

"Shut up! You can't trick me, you abomination!" Zinnia shouted as she threw out a hand, her red eyes gleaming. "Flamethrower, Muddy Water, Dragon Pulse!"

Dizz suddenly vanished in a strange shudder as the attacks washed over the ground ahead of them, with the Anomaly appearing about twenty feet in the air above them. The creature suddenly expanded into something five times larger, with a tail that had extended by about twenty feet more feet.

You couldn't save the world. You couldn't command Rayquaza. Your people are nothing but a shadow! What makes you think you can stop my fun?

"You talk too much!" Zinnia shouted fearlessly as the Anomaly loomed overhead. The beast rushed forward, slashing at the Lorekeeper with its razor-sharp tail, only for the woman to leap backwards to dodge it.

"All those powerful attacks are barely phasing that thing...what the heck is it?" Hau whispered, genuinely scared of what he was seeing. Everything seemed wrong. It was horrifying to the boy. Sun was a bit more composed, trying to formulate some kind of plan.

"We've got to surprise it. Catch it off guard, at least for a few moments." Sun muttered, racking his brain for a strategy to stop the creature. Hau, surprisingly, pulled out an Ultra Ball from his bag.

"Like this?" Hau asked as he tossed the device up and down. Sun nodded with a small smile before turning forward, watching as Zinnia and her three dragons struggled to keep Dizz at bay as the monster attacked them in seemingly impossible ways. Hau drew back his arm, preparing to throw the capsule.

Zinnia caught a glimpse of the boy preparing to throw the Ultra Ball at Dizz. Her expression turned to sheer horror.

"No! Don't try and capture it!" Zinnia shouted as Hau threw the Ultra Ball. Dizz whirled around and its eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he grinned widely, with the ball connecting with its forehead. The Ultra Ball opened wide, sucking the strange being into the sphere and DSACIA2SIA2SJF2OA9PJ5FW3AFAWPFMOAW9PO8F7PO5AZR3WADWADLKMWFD AWQ WF AWFNQROJAWFWQFWAFPTINSYEBRBSH

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...hehehehehe…

How fascinating. Don't you think so?