Pokémon Radiant Sun


Alrighty folks, we're heading right towards the next Trial with a vengeance!

Meanwhile, I'm getting ready for a move to my next base around the world. I'm hoping to keep the updates rolling out, but things will continue to be busy for me over the next few weeks, so we'll see how that works out.

Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes includes Oragonking, fatwhiteguy, JDunks890, SolanaLeonhart, SomeCallItKye, BraviaryScout, and sceptilezeno! Thanks for the support and the fantastic feedback.


Chapter 105: The Wheels on the Bus Go Yo


Verdant Cavern

Many Years Ago


"Just go away already!" Ashton shouted as another Yungoos leapt onto the battlefield, which wasn't helping an already perilous situation. Damien was crouched low in front of him, panting heavily while sporting heavy damage. And while the Totem Gumshoos ahead of them was likewise exhausted, covered in burns and only able to open one eye, it had the benefit of having other Pokémon helping it while Damien was alone.

Ashton was adamant that as long as he had Damien, they could power through the Island Trials. Especially the first one, considering it was generally the easiest by all accounts.

However, that was a mistake in hindsight.

The young Trainer hadn't realized that relying on only Damien meant that the Houndour would be at less than 100% when battling the Totem, since Damien had to get Ashton through the Trial. And the Totem could call upon other Pokémon in the area to assist it in battle. So what was already a tough fight was soon becoming a nightmare.

"Yaaaah!" Totem Gumshoos bellowed, it's fiery aura exploding outward as it charged at the exhausted Houndour. Damien leapt back and fired off another Ember, but the Totem Pokémon powered through the attack and smashed into Damien. The Houndour crashed onto the ground and fainted with a soft whine, making Ash let out a yell of frustration.

"Alright, fine! You won!" Ashton yelled at the Totem, which hissed at him. The boy paled in horror, quickly returning Damien and bolting out of the cavern where the Captain was waiting for him.

All too soon, Ashton was walking into the Pokémon Center with his head hanging in shame. After getting Damien healed, Ashton collapsed into a chair and sighed as Damien did the same, lying down on the floor.

"Screw this crap...It's so stupid." Ashton muttered darkly, shutting his eyes. However, after a few moments Ashton felt someone tapping his head, which made him lift his head off of the table and glare into the face of Mohn.

"You wouldn't believe how much fun the Berry Farm can be with an open mind!" Mohn said cheerily, sitting down at the table with Ashton. The boy snorted and continued to sulk, making Mohn frown after a moment.

"You lost again, huh? Tough luck, Ash." Mohn remarked, which didn't serve to help the boy's already sour mood.

"It's so dumb. How is anyone supposed to win against that monster and all of its friends?" Ashton groused, gritting his teeth as he leaned back in his chair.

"Well, it's a challenge. The Kalos Gym Circuit can be pretty challenging too. Just be glad none of those Totems have a Captain commanding them or something. Then it'd be even more brutal." Mohn laughed, earning a shake of the head from Ashton.

"The Captains can usually command the Totems to follow their orders. But it's not something all of them can do and only the really strong Captains can pull it off. At least that's what my father says." Ashton said, his eyes darkening to black. Mohn felt a slight twinge, remembering what he and Lusamine had found out about Ash only a month ago. How the boy had been abused by his father to the point of being branded with the sigil of the Aupuni family.

"It doesn't matter how much prestige the family name has...Nothing excuses doing that to a child." Mohn thought with a flicker of anger rippling through them. If he ever ran into Ano Aupuni, he'd probably break the man's jaw. Right before Lusamine castrated Ash's father with a rusty spoon.

"That's interesting...But going back to the problem at hand. That Totem is too tough for Damien by himself. You're either going to need to come up with some crazy strategy, or catch some more Pokémon to help your doggy out." Mohn said to Ashton, making the boy bite his lip.

"I know that...It's just, in the heat of the moment, it's hard to not just keep yelling out moves and stuff. And call me stubborn if you want, but I know Damien can take down that stupid Totem. I just have to keep trying." Ashton said as punched the table, his eyes flickering back to grey.

Mohn grinned at that. "That's the spirit. Though you should definitely go about it a different way. Maybe spend a bit of time training Damien up."

"No, we've spent two weeks here already. He can get that Totem...We just need a little more." Ashton remarked with a heavy sigh, rubbing his forehead. "If that dumb Totem didn't have all of it's friends, it'd be way easier! Ugh!"

"Hey brother, cut the waterworks, yeah? Some of us are trying to sleep..."

Ashton whirled around, his eyes gleaming red in fury before they suddenly turned white. Mohn turned around more calmly and even his eyes widened in surprise. Standing above them was a very tall teen dressed in a fairly tacky dress shirt and slacks, an Island Challenge Amulet draped around his neck. He had tanned skin and bright blond hair, his blue eyes narrowed slightly as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Whoa…" Ashton muttered before shaking his head slightly, scowling at the older teen. "A-anyway, leave me alone. I'm trying to figure out how to beat that stupid Totem!"

"I know that. You've been trying and failing since I got here. You know the definition of insanity is doing the same shit over and over and expecting things to go differently, right?" the teen asked Ashton with a lazy drawl, making the boy growl softly.

"No it isn't. That definition is nonsense." Mohn remarked, with the teen rolling his eyes.

"Not literally, brother. Jeez...Anyways, you want some advice? Catch some more Pokémon. That way your little pup ain't going about this thing alone. Even the most seasoned Trainer would have a hard time beating a Totem and their minions with just one Pokémon." The young man remarked, smirking at Ashton.

"We're going to take that thing down together. I'll catch some more Pokémon down the road, yeah. But for this one Trial...I want just the two of us to deal with that Totem." Ashton said with a stubborn smirk on his face. The teen laughed, shaking his head before grinning at Ash.

"Alright, you brat. If that's the case, then try something new at the very least." the teen said as he dropped his backpack on the table and began to dig around inside. After a minute, the older teen pulled out a purple disc.

"Is...is that a TM?" Ashton asked, surprised and confused. He was further surprised when the teen nodded and placed the disc on Ashton's head, balancing it perfectly on his unkempt hair.

"Consider it a gift from one asshat to a whiny brat. It's for the move Toxic. Play around with it a bit, get your pup used to it. And then smoke that Totem." The teen said as Ashton stared at him in bewilderment. "Blast that Totem with Toxic and watch it fall to pieces after a few minutes."

"You know that's a really expensive TM. Why just give it away?" Mohn asked as Ash took the disc off of his head and stared down at it in awe.

"Because these Trials suck balls. And I don't like seeing people suffer when I can do something about it. So kick some butt, brother. I'm rooting for you." The teen said before turning around and walking back over to the couch he had been occupying just a few moments before. Ashton stared at the disc and then back at the teen, a stunned expression on his face still.

"You don't even know me...Why would you help me?" Ashton asked, dumbly. The teen turned around, shrugging with his carefree smile.

"Because you looked like you needed a hand, brother. We all gotta look out for each other, don't we?" the other Trainer remarked, laughing lightly at Ash's surprised expression. "Dude, don't sweat it."

"I wonder if Ash is so surprised because he doesn't think anyone besides me and Lusa would be kind to him…" Mohn thought sadly as Ash looked back down at the Toxic TM in his hands, unsure of how to respond to the teen's reply. "There's so many good people in the world, Ash. Just because your parents are so awful doesn't mean everyone is. I hope you learn that some day."

"By the way...the name's Tommy. Remember me when you're all famous." The blond-haired teen remarked, winking at the two of them as he flopped down on the couch. Ashton stared at the teen as he shut his eyes and attempted to fall asleep once again.

"T-thank you! I...I'll do my best!" Ashton promised Tommy, who simply gave him a thumbs up without opening his eyes. After a few moments, the Aupuni boy smiled at Tommy before turning to Damien.

The canine nodded, determination gleaming in his eyes. Mohn couldn't help a determined grin of his own as he saw the refreshed hope in Ash's eyes as he began to talk to Damien about taking down the Totem. As the boy walked towards the door, Mohn cast a glance over to where Tommy was and saw the teen watching Ash with one eye cracked open, a smirk on his face.

The next day, Ashton and Damien walked out of the Verdant Cavern wearing tired grins of triumph, with Mohn and Tommy smiling at the boy as he exited the tunnel alongside the Captain.

And so, with a net gain of a Z-Crystal and a new friend, Ashton began his Island Challenge in earnest. Damien had learned a new skill, and Ashton had learned the importance of tactics when taking down difficult foes. For the first time in his life, Ashton wondered whether or not the whole thing was really as bad as he thought it was.

And so he when he continued on his trek around Melemele Island, he invited a surprised Tommy to travel with him. The older teen accepted with a laugh and a grin, much to the delight of Mohn and Lusamine (when she returned later that night).

The Island Challenge would continue...and Ashton would make his first friend. All it took was a simple gesture of kindness from one Trainer to another.


Present Day

Opelucid City, Unova Region


"Neo Team Plasma's advancement towards the unfrozen parts of Unova has been halted for a good week now...We suspect it's due to Borlath pulling in his forces from Unova. Without them, Neo Team Plasma is faltering against our more recent efforts to fight."

Aria leaned back against the wall as N explained recent happenings to the assembly of Pokémon Trainers, Gym Leaders and other prominent figures in the fight against Cipher and their allies. There were over a hundred Trainers of various backgrounds and skill levels standing in the large chamber there were in. All people that had suffered so much at the hands of Cipher.

People who now looked to her with a sense of reverence, now that she was the new Snagger. People who expected her to lead the crusade against Cipher and destroy them much like Wes had so many times before…

The problem was that she wasn't Wes. She was Aria. And that she wasn't the Trainer Wes had been.

Ever since she had gotten back to Unova, Aria had been paraded around like she was a hero for simply surviving Shadow Celebi's attempt to fling her through time. And while it was quite a feat, Aria didn't exactly feel comfortable being held up on this pedestal. She was thankful for meetings like this where N or occasionally Drayden would gather everyone's attention.

Hugh stood beside her, holding onto her hand and providing a comforting presence to her. As odd as it sounded, Hugh was her rock. Always there to support her, no matter what idiotic scheme she had gotten herself into. She cherished that aspect of him.

"Despite this, we have confirmed reports of Amber Fontaine, Venus and Borlath being sighted in Sinnoh over the past two days. We can only assume that Borlath's going to make a break for the Snowpoint Temple to release Regigigas. We've reached out to the Gym Leader in the area, but we've received no response form Candice or Maylene. We can only hope that Borlath hasn't dealt with them in a permanent manner." N continued his voice darkening somewhat. Roxie visibly scowled, gripping her guitar hard enough to make her knuckles turn white. It was hardly surprising. Out of all of the Gym Leaders here, Roxie had the biggest grudge against Borlath.

After all, when someone kidnaps you and then has your whole team executed on live TV in front of your entire country...It doesn't exactly leave you with any lingering thoughts of mercy.

"In Kanto, the Pokémon League is making preparations to deal with Cipher on a more permanent level. After the destruction of Team Rocket, the League has been hoping for some sort of foothold against Cipher in the region, but there's no word on whether or not they've figured anything out." N continued, lowering the paper to the table.

"To that end...we're going to push into Lacunosa Town. Prepare yourself for extreme cold conditions, and ensure every single one of your active teams and reserve rosters are ready to go. We'll include more details once we're closer to the actual date of the mission. So, as always, be prepared." N said to the group, a note of finality in his voice.

"Is that everything?" Bianca asked, adjusting her glasses as she leaned against Cheren, who didn't seem to be bothered by it. Aria would later find out that the two had finally begun dating, after having been friends for almost their entire lives. Hilbert would have been ecstatic to hear the news, if he wasn't dead.

"For now. I'll gather everyone when the time comes for our next operation. Until then, we're dismissed. You all have your assignments. Those of you without one, make sure to rest up for the Lacunosa Town mission...For the future of Unova!" N suddenly barked out, prompting a shout from everyone present.

"For the future of Unova!"

"Not particularly original, but...meh." Aria muttered, walking away from the proceedings as several people tried to get her attention. She needed to get away from things for a few moments. Maybe cuddle with Hugh in a corner.

Aria's gaze drifted downwards, landing on the two new Poké Balls on her belt. Her two newest captures while she had been home. One of them was a female Ducklett Aria caught on what remained of the Driftveil Bridge, which she named Elise. The other was a male Larvitar hatched from an Egg Aria got from Clay a few days ago. Aria named the newborn Larvitar Dimitri.

"These two newbies...I'll have to work hard on training them both up when we get back to Alola. As much as I'd like to stay home and keep up the fight...We can't let Cipher gain more power in Alola. There's a lot of powerful Pokémon there that those creeps can get their hands on. I have to stay strong and kick their asses." Aria thought as she suddenly clenched her fists tightly. It was then Aria realized that Hugh was leading her to a small sitting room in the building, out of the way of other people.

"You looked stressed out. Figured I could get you out of the public eye for a little bit." Hugh said with a smirk, making Aria sigh with relief.

"It's almost suffocating in there. And this is the first time I've seen a lot of them in ages." Aria muttered, sitting down on a desk and running a hand over her face. Hugh watched his girlfriend worriedly.

"Have you had any more of those weird flashes of the past or future? I know you said they were cropping up less and less." Hugh asked Aria, who shook her head.

"No. I haven't had any since Royal Avenue. I still have the occasional nightmare about random events in the timelines, but that's it." Aria remarked, sighing softly before shaking her head. "I hate being so weak, Hugh."

Hugh walked over to Aria, joining her on the desk and wrapping an arm around her waist. Aria leaned into Hugh, resting her head on his shoulder. For a time, the couple simply sat there and enjoyed each other's company.

"I love you." Hugh said quietly, rubbing Aria's back gently as the young woman shut her eyes.

"I love you too." Aria replied even more softly, trying to enjoy the moment of peace. It didn't last long, as the door creaked open and a familiar mop of green hair poked his head in.

"Is this a bad time?" N asked, somewhat sheepishly. A moment later a massive Zoroark poked its head in as well a moment later, looking far less embarrassed than his Trainer.

"No, not at all." Aria remarked wearily, hopping off of the desk and walking towards the King of Team Plasma. Hugh joined her a few moments later, looking a little annoyed. Right before N closed the door, Nate slipped into the room with a Purrloin sitting on his shoulder.

"You guys were quick to slip away." Nate remarked as he grinned at them, making Hugh shake his head at his best friend.

"Can't blame a guy for trying to get some alone time with the woman of his dreams, could you?" Hugh remarked as the two young men fist-bumped. N looked amused, though he turned to Aria.

"You being here is doing a lot for the morale of those of us here at home. You achieved a miracle, Arianna." N remarked, making the Snagger shake her head.

"Maybe so. But they're already looking at me like I'm the next Wes. And I'm nowhere near his level, N. They all think I'm gonna storm Neo Team Plasma's floating fortress and take down a dragon made up of three Legendaries. I'm good, don't get me wrong. But I'm not that good." Aria tried to say to N, but the man shook his head.

"There you go, underestimating yourself again. You're a better Trainer than anyone else in that chamber. Myself and Nate included. You're one of the few that can actually battle Amber on an even playing field." N retorted, crossing his arms.

"That happened for a few minutes, and she beat me in the end. Plus Wes is the one who swooped in after the battle and defeated her. You all love to play up that battle like it was some amazing triumph, but it really isn't." Aria protested, stepping forward. "You all love to put people on pedestals like that, don't you?"

"Didn't you do the same thing for Wes?" N replied calmly, making Aria flinch.

"...Maybe. But it wasn't just me. How everyone sees me is how everyone has always seen Wes. The guy who was basically unbeatable. Unstoppable. Always there to help and always with a plan. Even when things were falling to pieces, he was making sure we were all calm. I really wish he was here right now...I don't know what to do." Aria said quietly as Hugh and Nate exchanged a brief glance. N looked at her sympathetically.

"It's not easy being a symbol for other people to look to. Wes held that burden for many, many years. It's not surprising that he broke. Looking back...we were poor friends to him. We should have helped him shoulder more of the burden he beared, even if just a little. And now we are paying the price for that." N said solemnly, which made Aria shut her eyes and look down at the ground.

"Being home isn't doing much for you, it seems." Nate remarked sagely, flopping down on a couch. The Purrloin on his shoulder had leapt off of it and was now sitting on the shoulder of the sofa with an annoyed look on her face.

"No, it isn't. Don't get me wrong, I have a few leads on how to deal with Shadow Kyurem, but none of them are concrete. I really need to get that Zinnia chick to tell me what she knows about the Eternity Locket, but she's being very evasive and very stubborn." Aria said to the young man, earning a shrug in response.

"You'll break her eventually." Nate responded lazily, closing his eyes on the couch. Hugh smirked and ran over to him, leaping into the air and elbow-dropping his best friend in the stomach. Nate let out a yelp of pain and began to curse out Hugh while the red-eyed teen laughed. N and Aria chuckled at the display before they both became a bit more serious again.

"Everyone is looking to me to be the next big hero...I only got back to this timeline a few months ago. My mind is barely back to where it was before all of this. Can I really do it?" Aria asked as N smiled at her sadly.

"I suppose now we know how Wes finally lost the will to keep fighting. His mind was likewise frayed by being sent forward in time, and yet he was thrust right into the thick of things without a chance to recover. He was soon mentoring you and trying to stop Cipher and Neo Team Plasma. And now you're left to pick up those reins." N said as his Zoroark nodded, grunting softly in agreement.

"I'm not cut out to be a leader...We all relied on Wes so much that when he finally broke, so did any chance of actually putting a stop to Cipher and Neo Team Plasma. I'll do my best, of course but I don't know if I can-" Aria stopped speaking when her phone suddenly beeped. Aria pulled out her phone and looked at it, frowning even more.

"What happened?" Hugh asked.

"It's Looker. He says they've got a lead on Cipher's base of operations in Alola. He's preparing a strike team just in case they manage to find it." Aria said as she stowed away her phone.

"Looks like our trip home is ending sooner than expected." Hugh said, looking at Nate with a said smile.

"You guys get back to Alola. Make sure those asshats don't ruin any more lives. I'll hold down the fort until you come back." Nate said as the Purrloin on his shoulder meowed softly, nodding in agreement.

"We can catch a Teleport or two and be back on the other side of the world in a few minutes. Then spend the rest of the day sleeping off the jet-lag." Aria said as she clenched her fists in anticipation. She reached forward and pulled N into a surprising hug, which he returned after a moment. The two Trainers separated, smiling at each other. Meanwhile, Nate and Hugh were doing something similar, with more joking around. Soon enough Aria and Hugh were heading to the doors, with Nate and N standing side-by-side.

"Be careful, my friends." N said to the two Trainers, tipping his hat to the two of them with a smile. "And always remember that all of us here are rooting for you both."

Aria and Hugh both gave the Prince of Team Plasma a grin before they walked out of the room, closing the door behind them. For a few moments, there was silence in the room.

"We have to believe in her and the others...That's all there is to it." N repeated to himself, clenching his fists with a determined gleam in his eyes. His Zoroark nodded in affirmation, letting out a small growl.

"Naturally. Come, my friend. Let's see what sort of trouble we can get up to." N said as he strode out of the room, a mischievous smirk coming to his lips as he and his Zoroark departed. Nate felt a small smile coming to his face as he followed the King of Team Plasma.

"I have no idea what's going on, but I want in." Nate remarked as he followed N down the another passageway.

"It involves explosions, Nate. A lot of explosions."

"Alright, scratch that. I definitely want in."


"I knew it...I knew someway, somehow, our past would come back to haunt us."

Lahela Aupuni's expression was somber as Ollie shoved Ano Aupuni into a wooden chair, still handcuffed. The older man had a dark smile on his face, his intense gaze wandering to each of them. Lillie shivered at the man's horrible expression on his face. It made her almost wish she was home with her mother. At least she wasn't beaten when she misbehaved.

"Why does he think I'm my father?" Sun asked, his gaze going back and forth between Lahela and Ano, his eyes black as coals.

"It's hard for me to tell the difference. You both look so much alike it's sickening." Ano replied through clenched teeth, his eyes burning with rage. "With those evil eyes of yours, changing colors...it's the work of something terrible. I see it just like I did with him."

"You're not speaking sense." Hau remarked, tilting his head in confusion.

"When I saw those terrible eyes, I knew you were my kin. But then I saw that awful child, returning to me once again. I had to act. I had to kill that creature before he could disgrace my family name further." Ano hissed as Ollie took a step forward, his expression growing darker.

"Please don't hurt him! He's not in his right mind!" Lahela cried out as Ollie shot her a look of anger. The children exchanged glances with each other as Ano rolled his eyes, trying to get out of the chair while his restraints kept him in place.

"I'm as sharp as ever, woman. Don't make excuses for me!" Ano snapped, struggling against his hand-cuffs.

"Excuse me?" Ollie remarked, glaring at the elder woman and ignoring Ano's efforts.

"Ano isn't well mentally. He's not in control of his actions. He's been like this for years." Lahela spoke somberly, walking over to her husband and putting a hand on his shoulder. Ano spared Lahela a glance before looking back towards them

"I'm perfectly fine. I may have lost a step or two and my memory isn't what it used to be, but I'm still a well-regarded member of the Malie City community. I uphold the values of the old ways, in a world full of wide-eyed fools trying to ruin our traditions and erase our culture." Ano's gaze narrowed, his mouth scowling as he looked directly at Sun. "That wretch Ashton married some random whore in Kanto and made you, some half-breed freak who looks just like him. It almost hurts to look at you."

"There's nothing wrong with Sun!" Lillie yelled out, surprising everyone there by the emotion behind her words. Her green eyes were shining with emotion as she stepped in front of Sun protectively.

"Of course there isn't, dear. Ano doesn't mean what he says." Lahela said gently, patting her husband on the arm.

"I mean every word I say, darling." Ano retorted, sinking lower in his chair with a frustrated sigh. "I know you're just trying to help though."

"As always." Lahela said with a soft smile, giving Ano's arm a comforting squeeze.

"You can't be serious." Ollie deadpanned, earning a soft glare from Lahela.

"Yes, I am. Ano is proud of his lineage and his bloodline. He might lash out or say bad things, but he doesn't mean any harm...usually." Lahela said the last part under her breath, but everyone heard it.

"Shouldn't he be in a mental ward or a home? Like...he just hurt Sun. By strangling him." Hau remarked pointedly, making Lahela jerk back and shake her head frantically.

"Of course not! Why should he be sent to one of those prisons when he's done nothing wrong! He's just as much of a genius as he's ever been! Just because he has a few bad days here and there doesn't mean he should be condemned for something he can't help!" Lehela protested, her gaze becoming hard. "That's why we're partners. He doesn't have to go away if I'm here to keep him from doing bad things on days where he's not quite in control of himself.

"So you're telling me you've been hiding his deteriorating mental health from everyone just because you don't want him to go away. Figures...Sun, why is the entirety of your father's side of the family a bunch of idiots?" Ollie asked as he shook his head in disgust.

"I don't know. But I'm starting to understand why Dad never talked about you two except for in passing. You both are horrible." Sun said with a scowl on his face, clenching his fists.

"Maybe so...But I'll always be better than that worthless little brat." Ano spat back at Sun, his terrible grin returning. "So what if I'm unstable? You people are what's ruining Alola. Inept brats trying to ruin the Island Challenge. It's no wonder that Tapu Bulu never comes around like it did all those years ago. It's disgraced by the fools attempting to prove themselves as Trainers these days."

"Joke's on you. Sun's more of a Trainer now than you ever were!" Hau remarked almost coldly, stepping up beside his friend.

"What sort of twisted thought entered your head to make you think it was ever okay to beat a defenseless child? Or force Dad into a life he hated like that. Not everyone has to be a Trainer if they don't want to." Sun asked Ano, earning a horrible smile in reply.

"Oh, I did so much more than beat him. I wanted to make sure my lessons stuck. The scars that boy carries with him...I hope he thinks about what I did to him every single day." Ano breathed, letting out a horrible laugh as he threw back his head before suddenly coughing harshly, letting out several wheezes.

"This guy is royally messed up in more ways than one. He should be in a mental ward for both his and everyone else's protection. I'm calling this in." Ollie said firmly, making Lahela gasp in horror.

"He's not hurting anyone-!" Lahela tried to say, but Lillie cut her off by pointing towards her crush.

"He tried to kill Sun not even ten minutes ago! He's very clearly not safe to be around!" Lillie protested as she pointed to the red marks around Sun's neck. A clear sign that Ano was very much trying to strangle him to death mere minutes ago.

"So...it's just like Miss Lusamine said. You really do just let this guy walk over everyone and everything because he's your husband. What else did you let him get away with doing?" Sun asked Lahela, his voice low with bubbling anger. So many small things about his father suddenly made a lot of sense.

"I needed to teach him a lesson." Ano defended himself, allowing himself a twisted grin. "And it worked. Even if this isn't Ashton, his child now respects me. Force is a wonderful thing, you know."

"Respect? It's more like disgust." Sun said after a moment of thought, making Ano laugh harshly and cough a few times, much to the worry of Lahela.

"Sometimes you have to deal out painful lessons to children in order for them to understand your point." Ano replied, leaning back in the chair while Sun's eyes flickered to a red color.

"Is that what you told yourself when you branded my father?" Sun asked Ano, receiving a smirk in response.

"...branded?" Ollie uttered, surprised by the mere suggestion of something like that.

"My Dad has a strange mark on his shoulder. It looks just like the symbol that's on this stand. He told me it was what he received on his tenth birthday from his father. I always thought it was a story he made up to scare me, but...now I'm thinking he was telling the truth. So? Did you really do it?" Sun asked Ano, who opened his mouth to reply only for Lahela to cover his mouth.

"That is enough, dear." Lahela said firmly, looking towards the others. Every single one of them wore expressions of disgust or horror.

"Why is this guy not in jail? Like...this is something out of a nightmare." Hau demanded, shuddering slightly.

"I can imagine for the same reason Lahela is trying to keep Ano from talking more. He's been able to get away with it because someone's trying to cover his tracks and make excuses for someone clearly mentally disturbed." Ollie said with a hard note in his voice, making the old woman wince.

"I just wanted my family to stay together. I've already lost my little boy. Is that too much to ask?" Lahela asked quietly, closing her eyes.

"You shouldn't answer to these idiots, darling. It's obvious they'll never understand my brilliance or your kindness. They prefer to side with a criminal instead." Ano managed to say as he moved away from Lahela's hand, freeing his mouth to speak.

"That's literally the last thing we're doing." Sun retorted, scowling at the older man.

"He's not well in the head. This honestly feels like advanced Antisocial Personality Disorder, and the dangerous kind too. He definitely shouldn't be around the public populace. There's nothing stopping me from taking this creep away and keeping him in a nice white room where he can't hurt anyone ever again." Ollie said as he pulled out his phone, tapping a few keys. That was when a new voice spoke up.

"That's correct. Ano is deeply unwell. So I'd appreciate you not assaulting one of Alola's most distinguished families, Agent Quill. Unless you want me to make things even more difficult for the International Police." A cold voice came from the other side of the stall. Everyone turned and saw a tall man with dark skin and cold green eyes glaring at them. The man was smartly dressed in a dark blue suit and tie, his arms crossed in clear disapproval.

"Councillor Palena. Charmed as always." Ollie remarked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You're...you're Demi's father, aren't you?" Hau remarked with a slight shiver. Palena scowled at that, his gaze becoming harsh.

"Yes. And you're the disgrace of a boy who allowed my daughter to run to those riff-raff, Team Skull. Your grandfather must be so disappointed. This generation of Trainers is an embarrassment to those who came before." Palena snapped at Hau, making Hau flinch in response.

Palena turned his gaze to Ollie, stepping around the stand to come face-to-face with the International Police Captain. The two men glared at each other for several moments before Ano coughed once again.

"Now, now Maui. No need to...ugh, interfere on my account. These kids don't understand the important things in life. The things only a proud Alolan would understand. It's fine. As much as the sight of the child sickens me, perhaps I was too quick to react." Ano spoke calmly, the fire in his eyes calming to a simmer. It was almost eerie. "In fact...Lahela. We should invite our precious grandson over for some tea someday. Tell him all about his father and our history. Maybe it'll make him understand." Ano said as he faced Sun, his crooked smile returning. "Your father despised everything about the Island Challenge. The fact that you're following in his footsteps and proudly displaying that amulet means all hope isn't lost for you."

"First off, the only way I'd ever see the two of you again is with my friends right by me and with at least ten feet of space between me and you. Secondly...that was a weird shift in mood for you. You really aren't all there in the head, are you?" Sun asked Ano, who snorted in response.

"I'm as sane as everyone else here. It's the world that doesn't understand." Ano said as his gaze became somewhat unfocused, his voice becoming a bit fainter. "Your father never understood. He was so stubborn. And now look at what he's become. Look at what he's turned you into. I bet he's hurt you as much as I've hurt him"

Sun considered the man's words. Yes, Ashton had hurt Sun immensely. Hurt his mother and countless others. But at the same time...

"At least my father didn't beat me." Sun said quietly, staring right into Ano's insane eyes. The man grinned at Sun, as if delighted.

"I tried to make him understand his place in our world. Alola's history is dying, little one. And every day your father's heart beats is another day darker than it would be otherwise. I should have killed him myself before he became strong through the Island Challenge. It would have been so easy to smother him in his sleep as a child...It's my greatest regret in life." Ano sighed, hanging his head. "You look so much like him it's sickening. It's no wonder I thought you were him at first."

"Ano, please be quiet. You're just making things worse." Lahela moaned, placing both of her hands on Ano's shoulders.

"Probably the best course of action, old friend. I have considerable power on the Council, but it's growing harder to keep your delusions under wraps when you're so nonchalant about it." Palena remarked, turning towards Ollie. "It'd be in the best interest of the International Police if Ano went free and simply agreed to not bother Sunshine Smiles again." Palena said to Ollie, making the man scowl. "However, if you don't want to play ball, I can start looking into pressing charges against Borlath's child. Perhaps terminate his Trainer Passport and have him arrested for treason against Alola."

"How did you go from Ano assaulting Sun to you trying to press charges against Sun? Or are you crazy too?" Ollie growled at Palena, making the man smirk at him.

"You'd be very surprised what I'm capable of. Despite my daughter's rebellious tendencies, I'm still highly regarded as one of the last bastions of the old ways on the Alolan Grand Council." Palena remarked smugly, placing his hands behind his back.

"That's ridiculous! Sun's a hero! You can't blame him for what his father is doing halfway across the world!" Lillie protested, horrified at the very thought. Sun simply stared at the man in shock.

"Sun's done nothing wrong!" Hau yelled at the man, who shot Hau a glare of barely controlled fury that shut him up.

"This boy is a threat to our country. He shares the very same eyes as his traitor of a father...And yet look at who runs free with no supervision, while his father is determined to destroy Alola and dance in the ashes? Some may call Sun a hero, but I see things a bit differently." Palena said as he turned on Sun, his voice becoming harsher with each moment. "I see a boy worming his way into the good graces of the Captains and Kahunas of our proud islands. Someone who is perfectly poised to stab them, and everyone else in Alola, in the back when his father finally returns to settle the score!" Palena growled, towering over Sun and glaring down at the boy. Sun stared back defiantly, but then chose to look over at Ano. The old man was simply smirking in amusement while Lahela fretted nearby. Sun turned his attention back to Councilman Palena, his eyes flickering to red.

"You know what...Ashton Aupuni might be a murderer and a criminal...But at least he was a better father than the two of you ever were!" Sun shouted at Palena and Ano before turning away and bolting away from the stand, fury pounding through his heart. Sun made his way down the road, fists clenched tightly as he ignored the calls from Lillie and Ollie.

At this point, he didn't want to talk to any of them. All of it was too much for the boy at the moment, so he simply kept walking as fast as he could, automatically moving around the crowds and people with his eyes fixated on the path ahead of him. As he exited the block, a brief thought broke through his stupor. He needed to get to Route 10 to meet with Professor Kukui. With that in mind, Sun made his way towards the entrance of the route, returning to his thoughts.

"After everything that's happened, I didn't think I would ever sympathize with my father. I thought he was just an overprotective psychopath who became obsessed with making the world conform to his desires. But...seeing how his parents are...Maybe I didn't have it all so bad growing up." Sun thought darkly, thinking about the words Ano shouted at him.

"Ano and Lahela hurt my father in so many worse ways than he did me. Dad killed Nova and tried to kill Mom...But until that point, I had a perfectly happy childhood, didn't I?" Sun asked himself, thinking back on it. As he walked, he tried to be as objective about the matter as possible.

His father had provided everything for both Sun and his mother. They had never wanted for anything in their lives, and had been more than happy to support them no matter where their interests took them. Whether it be Sun's fondness for birds and taking him flying through the skies or helping Laura further her teaching degree in Celadon City so she could fulfill her dreams.

Sun thought about why, before the Cipher incident, he thought so highly of his father. Was all of that a lie done to manipulate them? Why...why would Borlath manipulate his family in the first place? He got nothing out of it. He had all the money and power he could have ever wanted.

"After all this...I'm second-guessing everything about my father. The second I found out about his ties to Cipher, I hated everything about him. I refused to hear anything else. I guess there's a lot more to this than I thought. I've heard different stories from Mom, Miss Lusamine, Hugh, Aria and even his parents...I've talked to everyone except him." Sun muttered under his breath, looking up into the beautiful sky.

"Is everything okay, dear?" came a voice from beside Sun, startling him. Sun looked to his right and saw an old woman watching him with amusement. Sun walked over to her, frowning somewhat.

"S-sorry. I was lost in thought there." Sun admitted, rubbing the back of his head. The woman smiled and opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes fixed in on Sun's Island Challenge Amulet hanging from his backpack.

"Oh? Looks like you're a Trial-goer, eh? I've got a favor to ask of you then." The old woman asked as Sun nodded once.

"Okay. I'd be happy to help." Sun said with a smile, making the woman smile widely at him.

"You're a sweetheart. You see, Route 10 is long and wide, and it's a great place to let your Pokémon play a bit." The woman began to explain, laughing softly. Her smile faded a bit after a moment, and she continued. "My Stufful hadn't been getting much exercise lately, so I let them out of their balls to have them run around a bit...But they haven't come back!"

"That's not good." Sun remarked, crossing his arms.

"Certainly not! I want to go look for them, but it's hard for an old lady like me to traipse all around…" the woman sighed after a moment as Sun nodded understandingly. "If you find one of my little Stufful, you just tell them to come back to me. They're impish creatures, but smart as a cookie and with noises that could sniff out anything. They'll find their way back home to me. Will you help me find my Stufful along Route 10?"

"Sure. Don't worry about it. But how many Stufful did you lose?" Sun asked.

"I've got 8 Stufful lost out there somewhere. Maybe they're hiding?" the woman suggested, shrugging. "Either way, I'll be waiting here for a spell. Good luck. And thank you, sweetie."

"No worries. I've got this." Sun said as Rotom Dex popped out of his backpack, buzzing joyfully.

"Bzzzt! Thizz lookz like a job for Ace Detective Sun and his dashingly handsome parter, Rotom Dex!" the device proclaimed as they walked away from the lady.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Rotom Dex." Sun remarked with a chuckle as the device floated above him, buzzing softly.

"Hey, at least I'm not reminding you every eight seconds that your Wii Mote needzz to be re-synced or that it'zzz batteriez are running low!" Rotom quipped back, making Sun look at it in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Sun asked, confused.

"That was for my Zelda homiezz!"

"Rotom, do I need to turn you off and back on again? Or are you just-HOLY SHIT IT'S A FEAROW!" Sun screamed as a massive feathered bird rushed at him from atop a large tree, making the boy fall to the ground as Rotom Dex flew off to the side.

"Oh wow, you don't curse too often, do you?" Rotom Dex remarked as Sun frantically called out Finn, Brago, Penny and Oliver.

"Beat the crap out of that thing!" Sun yelled out, pointing a finger at the surprised bird as it flapped its large wings nearby, looking nervously at the gang of Pokémon on the ground.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Oliver hooted merrily, kicking off of the ground to hit the Fearow with Pluck. Penny joined him in the air and followed up with Rock Blast, which knocked out the massive bird.

"Isn't calling us all out here kind of...overkill?" Finn asked, glancing around the area.

"Speak for yourself. That was fun! Right Penny?" Oliver remarked as he preened his feathers, looking amused. Penny laughed, shaking her head in response, though her amusement faded when she caught sight of Oliver's scar across his chest. The feathers had yet to grow in, so it was very obvious that he had been injured. The Toucannon felt a pang of guilt upon seeing it, but looked away when Oliver noticed her staring.

"Maybe. But that was genuinely terrifying for about four seconds, and considering how today is going so far, I'm playing it safe." Sun remarked as Finn helped pull Sun to his feet.

Sun opened his mouth to speak when he suddenly spotted a flicker of green nearby. Sun turned his head and spotted a green and black dog sitting in the shade of a nearby tree, watching him silently. Sun recognized it instantly, surprised to see it here of all places.

"Zygarde...but why is it here?" Sun thought before Finn thumped him on the side. Sun looked down at the Poliwhirl for a moment and then back to where Zygarde was, only for the creature to have vanished from sight.

"What happened? Why are you so upset, Alpha?" Brago asked Sun, who thought about it.

Sun's Pokémon really didn't know a whole lot about what was going on in the world. Or his past, really. It was about time he actually told them what was going on.

"A lot's happened. Maybe it's best if I just explain everything to you all. After everything we've been through, it's probably best you all understand what's going on." Sun said quietly, hopping on top of Brago as the canine nodded supportively.

And so Sun began to tell his Pokémon his story.

Along the way they battled the handful of Trainers present on the route and a few Pokémon here and there while trying to find all of the Stufful the old lady had lost, but the entire time Sun explained his past to the Pokémon who had stood by him through so much hardship.

Some things were hard to explain. The death of Erika still lingered on Sun's mind, despite his attempts to get over it. As well as seeing his father so coldly murder Lorelei on national television. The fact that Sun had seen his father do things so terrible, all for him, weighed heavily in his mind. But not so much as the possibility that he was beginning to understand why his father tried so hard to protect him.

"After what he went through as a kid...No wonder he's so protective of me. He wanted to be the father that Ano never was. That doesn't excuse what he did to Mom or to Nova, but...still." Sun thought as Penny and Oliver fluttered to him, wrapping their wings around him in a comforting hug. Finn hopped atop Brago and placed a hand on Sun's shoulder.

Meanwhile Brago gritted his teeth, annoyed at all of the extra weight he was carrying on his back.

"You're a lot stronger than I gave you credit for. I don't understand a lot of what you told us, but I got enough of it to get that you've been through a lot of bad stuff. And you're still fighting on!" Finn boomed cheerily, making Sun smile at his exuberance.

"So...what do you all think I should do?" Sun asked his Pokémon, who all thought about the situation Sun found himself in.

"You still care about him, don't you?" Oliver asked Sun, who hesitated a bit before nodding. "Then I'd try and put the pieces together in a way that makes sense. He's done some terrible things, but you always say that there's good in everyone. Do you still believe there's good in your father?"

"I...I don't know." Sun admitted, shaking his head.

"

"Then that's your answer! See? You got this!" Finn said loudly, doing a hop on Brago's back that made the Arcanine finally growl with frustration.

"GET OFF ME!" Brago roared, shaking his body violently and dislodging Finn and Oliver, with Penny reacting quickly enough to fly into the air and avoiding being thrown off the massive canine. Sun simply clung to Brago's mane to not get thrown off, and he was laughing the entire time.

"That was rude, you know." Oliver muttered as he rose to his feet, preening himself for a few moments to rejoin Penny in the air.

"Maybe it was, but it got you off of me." Brago huffed as they continued down the trail. Finn pushed himself off of the ground and jogged after them.

"You could've just said something!" Finn called as he caught up to them, putting his hands on his hips. Brago smirked as Sun laughed, shaking his head at the silliness of his Pokémon.

"Going back to what we were talking about...Trainer, no matter what you decide, do what's best for you. You obviously are conflicted on the path forward. Maybe some clarity from the source can help you." Penny advised Sun as she fluttered by, looking at the boy with concern in her eyes.

"I agree. Even if it hurts, not finding answers will do even more to hurt you. We need to be able to focus on what comes ahead. During the battle with the Kahuna, you were conflicted. We all felt it. You're stronger now than you were then, but that weakness of mind can always return." Brago said as he stared ahead, growling softly.

"You'll figure something out, though! You always do! At least from what I can tell!" Finn said as he punched his fists together.

Oliver landed on Brago's back, right beside Sun. The Dartrix put a wing on Sun's back, smiling at the boy. Sun saw the slash across his chest, partially healed, but looked up at the owl's eyes.

"We'll be with you until the end, no matter what choice you make. Always and forever." Oliver promised Sun, making the boy smile in reply. The boy reached forward and placed a hand on the head of his Starter, petting him for a moment. Sun looked at each of his Pokémon, all of whom were looking at him with supportive smiles. Sun couldn't help but let out a little laugh, wiping away at his eyes.

"You guys are the best." Sun said quietly, turning forward on Brago and looking ahead of them down the route.

It took a few more minutes, but after finding another handful of Stufful Sun made Brago stop and take stock. Oliver and Penny soared over the route to comb it over while Sun reflected on how many of the bears they had come across.

"I don't see any more of them. You said there were 8 in total, correct?" Penny asked Sun as she swooped down to eye level. Sun nodded and the Toucannon remarked, "Then I suppose we're done here."

"Part of me is considering talking to the Professor real quick so he understands why we're running so late. The other part of me remembers when he left me to fend for myself on my first day here in Alola. So let's get back to that lady and get our reward." Sun said with a nod, hopping back on Brago's back. Finn joined him, posing heroically as he flexed while Penny shook her head in dismay and Oliver laughed quietly at the Poliwhirl's antics. With Brago's help, the group managed to get back to the old lady in the span of just five minutes.

"Oh! You, child!" the woman cried out, smiling ear-to-ear. "All of my Stufful have made it back, thanks to you!"

"I'm glad I could help." Sun said with a grin, making the woman laugh in response.

"You've been a great help to me here. I surely do owe you, my young friend." The woman said as she dug into her purse, handing a strange hunk of ice to a surprised Sun. "Take these from me, along with my thanks."

"It'zz a Never-Melt-Ice!" Rotom exclaimed as it hopped out of Sun's backpack. "It's a Held Item that increases the power of Ice-type moves."

"It's a shame I don't have any Ice-type Pokémon or TM's to make use of that. Oh well, maybe down the road?" Sun remarked, shrugging before he was suddenly handed a massive wad of cash. "Whoa, this is way too much money for just finding a few Stufful! There's got to be like ten grand here!" Sun yelped as the woman laughed at his shock.

"There should be fifteen grand there. And nothing is worth more than having my wonderful babies back." The old woman said as she bent down to hug two of the bears with a loving smile on her face, with the Stuffuls nuzzling her in response.

"Cute and strong and just a little bit wild...That's what a Pokémon should be like! And that's why Stufful is the best." The old woman said merrily as she looked down at her Stufful's. "Now, come along my dears."

Sun continued to stare at the woman in shock as she departed, with Finn having to lightly punch Sun in the shoulder to snap him out of his daze.

"Let's just go meet with Kukui. I think I'm ready for a nice, calming bus ride." Sun said as he put the Never-Melt-Ice and the money in his backpack. With that, the group made their way back down the route in record time, and soon came upon a bus stop that was being humped by Team Skull.

No seriously.

"Hey look, Jamie. I'm your mom!" one of the Grunts yelled as he grinded his crotch against the pole, laughing loudly.

"Come on, Sam! You said you wouldn't joke about that!" Jamie huffed, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"I also said I wouldn't bang Tricia last week in the Game Room. But that didn't stop me from doing it!" Sam laughed as he continued to dance on the bus stop like it was a stripper's pole, laughing all the while.

"See, this is why you're gonna end up with three STD's and four kids before the age of 18." Jamie remarked with a sigh, shaking his head. He then caught sight of Sun, who had just hopped off his Arcanine.

"I have a feeling this is a conversation I'm not supposed to understand until I'm older." Sun remarked dryly as Oliver fluttered over to Sun and landed in front of him protectively.

"Maybe so, little brat." Sam remarked, scowling at Sun. "But don't be judging us for living our best lives! My sexual prowess is just a balm to mask the inner torment within, yo."

"Can you spell any of those words you just used? And why are you guys doing bad things to a bus stop sign? I have a ride I need to catch from here and I'd rather not miss it because of you two." Sun asked the two Team Skull Grunts.

"What? You never see somebody take a bus stop to go before? We wanted a ride to the top!" Jamie asked, glaring at Sun.

"Hey yo! You trying to steal our bus stop? Best go and find your own, ya heard!?" Sam yelled, pulling out a Nest Ball and sending out a Golbat. The large bat hissed slightly before flying towards Sun and his team.

"Alright then, battle time. Brago, Flame Burst!" Sun instructed the Legendary Pokémon, who leapt forward with a grunt. The massive hound unleashed a fireball that exploded outwards, bombarding the Golbat as it swooped towards him, firing off an Air Cutter. The attack soared past the flames and slashed into Brago, making the Arcanine snarl in pain.

"Kick his ass, yo!" Jamie shouted to Sam, who nodded wordlessly in reply as he bobbed his head, waving his arms around.

"Better think twice before stepping to Team Skull!" Sam yelled out as Sun had Brago used Take Down. The hound sped forward, smashing hard into the Bat Pokémon as it nearly fell out of the air. However, it had a trick up its sleeve.

"Confuse Ray, dawg!" Sam countered, punching out both fists. Golbat's eyes glowed bright red and Brago winced, stumbling backwards with a low growl.

"Fight through it Brago! Use Bite!" Sun shouted, trying to be heard over the confusion Brago was dealing with. To his relief, the Arcanine's gaze narrowed slightly and he bounded towards a surprised Golbat. Brago leapt into the air, biting down hard on Golbat's left wing and throwing it hard onto the ground, knocking it out.

Sam yelped in surprise, quickly digging out some money and throwing it onto the ground before clutching his head. "Hey, yo! When I fight, I'm not supposed to lose!"

"I mean, what did you expect? You guys don't exactly have a great track record. Face it, you're outmatched here." Sun retorted, smirking at the annoyed Grunts.

"Dang, I lost? Then my homie's gotta fight you. That's just life in Team Skull." Sam sighed, stepping aside while Jamie cracked his knuckles and stepped forward.

"We stand up to even the strong, yo! We stand up, but not for long,yo!" Jamie rapped, striking Team Skull's signature pose before calling out an Alolan Raticate.

"Brago, let's do this again! Flame Burst!" Sun called to the Arcanine. Brago lashed out with Flame Burst, but this Team Skull Grunt seemed to have learned from his friend's battle just moments prior.

"Hyper Fang! Dive through the pain and make them feel the pang, yo!" Jamie rapped as his Ratticate darted forward, tanking the flames and biting down hard on Brago's back. The Arcanine threw off the large rodent and glared at it, snarling softly.

"Go for a Reversal!" Sun ordered Brago, with the Arcanine grinning as a red glow surrounded his body.

"Bite yo! Make them feel this fight, yo!" Jamie shouted as he continued to rap. His Ratticate lunged forward, only for Brago to slam his head into the rodent and knock it out with Reversal. Jamie took a step back in surprise, completely amazed that the battle had ended so quickly.

"Uh...I don't know if you care, but that bus stop weighs about as much as Golem!" Jamie remarked, reaching into his pocket and throwing down a few bills to the ground. Finn walked forward to pick up the money, chuckling as he did so.

"So, what did you learn?" Sun asked the two teens smugly.

"I learned that just because stripping is profitable doesn't mean I should give up my dignity. I'm worth more than that!" Sam declared defiantly, much to the confusion of everyone else.

"Yo...Literally no one cares if you want to be a stripper. I think he was talking about the bus stop shit, dawg." Jamie asked, exchanging a confused glance with Sun.

"Oh, right. Yo, think about the bus drivers! If we take this bus stop, they can all chill!" Sam said to Sun, who just shook his head.

"That's their job, guys. I mean, I guess I can kind of see where you're coming from here, but they get paid to drive that bus. I think they get regular breaks too. You don't have to go out of your way to do that, if that's why you're really trying to steal this bus stop." Sun said to the two teens, making Jamie nod in his head in understanding.

"Besides, I don't think that would stop the bus driver's anyway! Zzzzt!" Rotom Dex chimed in helpfully, making Sam sigh in frustration.

"Oh, I'm over this! Back to livin' large at the mansion! Hmmph!" Sam sighed, throwing his arms aside for a moment. Then, both Grunts shrugged in unison before bolting off down the Route, passing a bemused Professor Kukui.

"Sun!" Kukui called out, waving to the boy as he jogged over to him. "I've been waiting here for a few hours. What kept you? I even tried calling and you didn't answer."

"Sorry Professor. I got held up in Malie City and then I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone." Sun explained to the Professor, who nodded after a moment.

"Lillie texted me about something happening earlier. If you want to talk about it what happened with your grandparents, I'm here. Okay cousin?" Kukui said comfortingly, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder with a soft smile.

"Thanks Professor." Sun said sincerely, smiling up at the man. Kukui removed his hand before jerking a thumb towards the retreating figures of Team Skull, who were now running away from a Fearow that had leapt out at them from a nearby tree. "So, what's going on with them? Some Team Skull punks just ran past me going in the opposite direction, yeah?"

"Yeah. One of them was kinda just hanging out with the other while the first one did...things to this bus stop. I think they were trying to steal it?" Sun explained as Kukui facepalmed.

"I sure wish they'd challenge the League instead of getting up to no good all the time…" Kukui sighed, shaking his head.

"The League?" Sun asked, confused. This was the first time he had heard anything about that happening in Alola.

Kukui shot him a grin, nodding his head. "Ho-ho! You'll find out soon enough! Just you wait, cousin. But first things first."

The Professor turned towards the bus stop, saying, "If you want to head up Mount Hokulani, we should take the bus. It'll blast us up there to the top, yeah, as quick as a Sky Uppercut!"

Sun recalled his team except for Oliver and made his way over to the sign, where Kukui was now examining the bus schedule emblazoned on the sign. It looked like the bus would be here any moment-

BEEEEP!

Sun jumped in surprise while Oliver flinched at the loud beep as the massive bus suddenly came around the corner of the mountain ahead of them. It made a u-turn and parked right beside the sign. The door then opened with a hiss, allowing about two dozen people to exit the bus.

"You are welcome aboard the Exeggutor Express! Our safe driving record will absolutely slay you! Come on, come on. Climb in!" the cheery automated voice rang out from the colorful bus. The front of the transport was plastered with a large set of Exeggutor faces while a tail with an Exeggutor face stuck out of the roof towards the back of the bus.

"Well? After you, cousin." Sun said as he walked towards the bus, with Oliver flying in after him. Sun was grateful the bus allowed small Pokémon to be allowed on as a passenger, with Oliver being just small enough to count.

Sun normally would have recalled the owl, but he wanted to try and spend a bit more time with him. After what he had been through lately, Sun wanted to try and give the Dartrix a chance to feel appreciated.

Sun and Oliver made their way to the back of the bus, with Kukui close behind. However, they were soon surprised by what they found waiting for them there. A familiar black-haired woman dressed in a black cloak and odd red and gray clothing was sleeping on the back seat of the bus, snoring softly. After Sun took a few moments to register that it was Zinnia, the enigmatic Lorekeeper, he chose a seat in the next row up. Kukui frowned and bent down to gently rouse the woman.

"Uggh...where my lasagna?" Zinnia mumbled as she sat up, stretching while yawning loudly. She then seemed to remember where she was, her gaze going to Kukui, Sun, and then Oliver in quick succession. The Lorekeeper blushed in embarrassment and let out a sheepish laugh.

"Whoops! Err...Sorry. These seats are super comfortable. I must have fallen asleep." Zinnia said with an awkward laugh, leaning back on the seat.

"What are you doing here, Miss Zinnia?" Sun asked the Draconid, earning a smirk in response.

"Just taking a break from my hunt for the Anomaly. How about you, squirt?" Zinnia asked.

"About to do my next Trial. And trying to deal with the fact that my grandparents are big jerks." Sun replied with a sigh, propping his head in his hands. Zinnia and Kukui gave the boy a look of sympathy.

"That sucks, little guy. I hope things work out. It's pretty sad when the people who should be full of so much love are instead the absolute worst. Thankfully my grannie is sweet to me...I don't know. I guess there's stuff you just can't run from. Family drama is the worst of the all." Zinnia remarked wisely as she leaned back in her chair. Kukui nodded in agreement, leaning against the window as the bus filled up with passengers and began to make its way up Mount Hokulani. Meanwhile, Sun frowned and considered the words of the Lorekeeper.

Maybe it was time for him to stop running and face this problem head-on…

"Sun...what are you doing?" Kukui asked as the boy heaved a sigh and turned around in his seat, pulling his backpack off of the ground and into his lap. Even Zinnia looked curious as the boy began to dig around in his backpack, his eyes flickering to a darker shade of gray. Oliver watched his Trainer worriedly, hoping that he would be okay.


Meanwhile…


Borlath hated the cold.

He blamed it on his Alolan blood, but the Cipher Master really didn't handle it well. And while he had the finest cold-weather gear money could buy, it still found a way to chill him to his bones. And he didn't want to force Damien to Mega Evolve again, even though his body heat would make him feel quite comfortable. And so Borlath was forced to endure the cold.

The trek inside the temple was a trivial matter. Amber and Dakim kept the wild Pokémon at bay while Venus and Borlath stood a distance away, with a newly reformed Deoxys floating overhead. The limp form of Candice, the Gym Leader of Snowpoint City, floated alongside them unconscious.

"It's a shame she didn't come quietly. Still, the Gym Leader of this wretched city did put up a good fight." Borlath remarked as he repressed a shiver. Venus chuckled softly at seeing their leader so cold.

"Maybe so. But I imagine you'll be happy to be out of this region soon. Cynthia and her foolish friends will be coming her soon enough." Venus remarked smoothly, earning a shrug from Borlath.

"At this point, I couldn't care less. And Cynthia herself wouldn't be showing up. Not after what Dawson did to her." Borlath replied, a smirk appearing on his face.

"True. Isn't he undercover right now?" Venus asked.

"Yes. I need information regarding a threat to Cipher, and he's the only one besides Amber skilled enough to infiltrate such a secure facility. That and despite his recent transgressions, I still trust him." Borlath responded coolly as they continued their trek through the icy hallways.

"That's foolish." Venus remarked, thinly veiled disgust on her face. The former star of the Under shrank back slightly as Borlath's flickering red eyes landed on her for a brief moment before they turned purple and green.

"Perhaps. But it's one of the only choices left for me in order to get the information I want. And I'd rather not level the entire building. But I'm getting ahead of myself-" Borlath began to say when a ringing sound echoed out across the room. Amber and Dakim glanced around the room, surprised. Borlath and Venus did as well, with Damien wincing at the harsh noise.

"That's my phone…" Borlath muttered, digging into his coat pocket and pulling out a simple silver flip-phone.

"If you have a phone like that, then how come someone hasn't traced your number?" Venus asked Borlath as the phone continued to ring.

"This phone is untraceable. My wife...ex-wife, was close friends with someone in the International Police. We both received untraceable phones from him as an anniversary gift, to be used in case of emergencies. I have no idea who would have this number. I can't imagine Laura wants to talk to me right now." Borlath remarked, confused and bewildered. The screen didn't show a number, simply reading "Unknown Caller" in glowing blue letters. After a few moments, Borlath tapped a green button on the phone and pressed it to his ear.

"Hello? How did you get this number?" Borlath calmly asked as they continued into the depths of the Temple. Venus and Amber exchanged a glance while Dakim forged ahead, grinning as his Metagross knocked out some of the local Pokémon.

"..."

"I'll ask again. How did you get this number?" Borlath asked, his voice becoming a bit harsher.

"...You gave it to me. And told me to only use it in case of an emergency." came the small voice at the other end of the phone. Borlath's eyes widened, becoming white as his grip on the phone almost loosened completely, making him nearly drop it.

"Sun?" Borlath whispered, completely shocked that his son would be calling him.

"H-hey Dad. Um, I bet you weren't expecting me to call you like this." Sun muttered over the line. Borlath shook his head quickly, trying to get over the shock of his only child calling him in the middle of a mission.

"I...I forgot I ever gave you this number. Is everything okay?" Borlath asked, genuinely concerned. Sun took a few moments to answer, which made Borlath worry more.

"Yeah. I'm okay. I just...I think it's about time we had a talk...Just the two of us." Sun said quietly from his end of the phone. Venus began to speak, but Borlath gave her a harsh glare that silenced her. As the group walked down yet another staircase, Borlath nodded once, even though his son couldn't see the gesture.

"Of course. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and a lot on your mind. Even after everything, I'm still here for you, Sunshine. My boy." Borlath's eyes flickered gold, a smile coming to his face as they finally entered the bottom room of the chamber. A massive statue loomed ahead of them, surrounded by a field of ice. Damien began to breathe fire on the floor, melting the ice into puddles within moments. Ashton walked around the flames and through the water, soon coming face-to-face with the being that was Regigigas. Sealed within the temple, it could only be freed by the Golem Trio. However, that could wait a few moments.

"You're not busy, are you? I know you're...well, doing your thing." Sun said, sounding uncomfortable.

"Not at all, son. For you, right now, I have all the time in the world." Borlath said with a gentle smile as Venus and Dakim called out Regice, Registeel, and Regirock in front of him. The Legendary Titans stood before the colossal statue, prepared to awaken it from its long slumber as the Cipher Admins watched on.


Alrighty folks, that's a wrap!

Next chapter we've got the Electric Trial and some fun stories bits to throw your way! Stay tuned!

Q & A

From: Oragonking

1)Why did Damian killed Padma even when he didn't wanted to?

2)Team Rocket deserved Humane justice, not monstrous vengeance.

3)I love Pokémon Masters since all the playable characters and rivals from different series can interact with one another.

4)The Grandfather isn't very wise even for his age. It's very obvious that "he" ruined his family reputation.

5)Why didn't Brago came out of his Pokeball and save Sun? We already saw in the Rainbow Rocket episode that they are aware of what's happening outside of their Pokeballs.

He was ordered to by Borlath.

Debatable.

I mean...Good for you? It's a neat game, but I'm not going to demolish my story just to make it canon alongside a spin-off game. I've established RS is it's own universe.

Yeah, he be crazy lazy like that.

Not always. The same could be said for why Ash's Pokémon don't leap out to help him whenever there's a problem.

From: fatwhiteguy

I had a funny feeling the moment they went over to that stall...poor Sun and Ashton went through alot of crap...He's still a monster, but now he has my sympathy. How is Oliver doing?

He's managing for now. He's obviously struggling to deal with his lowered amount of inhibition and restraint. He's certainly more reckless than he was before and more open about his problems because he can't really help himself right now. It'll be interesting to see how that develops.

From: SolanaLeonhart

I was thinking, Sun kind of noticed Lusamine reminding him of someone, is he going to learn the truth about what's going on with Lillie soon?

That's actually a very interesting question to bring up. Short answer is yes, he'll figure out some of the details, but I do like how the game reveals that particular twist so I might just keep him in the dark until that moment. But yes, Sun will start figuring stuff out before he storms the Aether Paradise.

From: SomeCallItKye

I can't remember if it's been brought up in a previous chapter, but has Lusamine even considered that Mohn won't recognize her when she finds him with everything that she's done?

I think she's getting to the point where she doesn't even remember why she wanted to get the Ultra Space in the first place.

From: sceptilezeno

1. Man, the Anomaly is giving me strange vibes. He needs a friend. Also, I can never look at my Heliolisk, Sundial, the same way again... Where'd ya get the idea for it? And the other villains of this story?

2. Ever since you suggested P5 music for the battles in this, I've thought about it like P5. Nanu is like Iwai and Sojiro mixed seemingly. I can't wait for "Shadow Lusamine", if ya know what I mean. Her palace would be the Nihelgo ultra space! And reading Dawson vs Sun (specifically Articuno vs Brago) was so cool, I made a Brago drawing in the style of a finishing all out attack! Also, Sun has a lot of confidants!

3. If ya don't mind me asking, how's life? And what does your work entail?

4. Ashton really has suffered... I wonder if Sun can change his heart...

5. Mallow Bi FTW! I honestly can't replace that headcanon in my mind now. It totally fits her!

6. Hau, a true bro... I like him cuz he's exactly like one of my old friends, even though he never liked being compared to the game's main rival.

7. Team Skull is DONE SO WELL! They're all relatable and interesting! And Demi really needs to hook up with Gladion, I'm getting impatient and he's getting way too depressing. He needs happiness, ma poor boi!

8. Sun and Lillie, too cute man. I remember back in the day I was guest reading a really early chap, and you made it unbelievably fluffy. Good times... (well its still going sooo...)

9. I'm glad Zinnia is a part of this, one of my fav characters. And having a Zinnia-Zygarde combo is super interesting, I can't wait for it to unfold! (Zygarde 100% is so incredible to me)

10. Nebby is truly this universe's Kirby. Without the sucking part. Solgaleo Nebby will be so cool...

11. Is there a limit to length of reviews?

12. Y'know I bet you could pull off a small story from Marnie's POV in SwSh. That would be fun!

Dizz, or the Anomaly, is a very interesting case. I've always toyed around with the idea of a character that can go between the different stories I've made and is aware of what it is - a character in a story that has no real control over what it does, but this is the first time I've done it. As for the idea of it...Well, I'll keep that idea under wraps. Mainly because I'm still trying to decide when and how I want to reveal that.

As for some of my other characters, they've been in the works for years now. Amber and Borlath are some of my oldest characters, whereas Mask and Dawson were only created a few months into the story. But I've always enjoyed Pokémon villains who were interesting and colorful, with varying motivations. With some realistic spins on their backstories and with a touch of tragedy to everyone's history except probably Mask, I wanted to make villains of different shades of evil, but not inherently bad. It's been really fun developing these characters as much as I have, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the remainder of their arcs go.

Yeah, Persona and RWBY have been big inspirations of mine for this story. The former definitely had a lot of influence on Dawson's character during the Tournament Arc. And your drawing was absolutely amazing.

I mean, I work on aircraft in the Air Force. I can't really go much into depth there in such a public setting. But all in all, I'm doing well. I'm busy as hell with my big move across the world coming up, but I'm a lot happier than I've been in months. Thanks for asking.

Possibly! We shall see.

Yeah, I thought it would be an interesting twist to her character.

Hau is pretty underrated. One of the few good things about US/UM is that they fixed all the problems I had with him in the original S/M games. He's definitely the second-best Friend Rival in the games so far, with Hugh being the best.

The Demi/Gladion thing is a slow boil sort of deal. Trust me, there's a payoff. And Team Skull in general is amazing to write for. I can't wait until Sun goes to Po Town. It's going to be amazing.

There's still plenty of fluff to be had. Remember, Vast Poni Canyon is a thing.

I wish the games used Zinnia more. She was incredibly interesting the what made OR/AS come together for me. I only wish that her fight wasn't so easy because you had a Rayquaza that could Mega Evolve during it.

Nebby is baby. 'Nuff said.

And I don't think so. Feel free to make them as long as you want.

I definitely could. Marinie is probably my favorite character in Sword and Shield, so there's a possibility there. If I do end up doing a Sword and Shield story way down the road, Marnie will have a greater role in it than she did in the games.

Woo...that was a lot of questions! But it means there's interest here, so that's awesome!

Thanks again for reading! If you want to show your support for the story, feel free to leave a review in the section below and tell me your thoughts! Also, please favorite and/or follow the story if you haven't already. I also answer questions in the review section and I have a Discord you can join if you want to join the conversation!

Take care and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!