Pokémon Radiant Sun
Alright, so...things really kicked off, huh?
I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. The COVID-19 situation is serious and even if the memes are great, the threat is very real. I'm gonna start this chapter with a basic warning you should have heard dozens of times by now, but I'll reiterate anyway because I have the means to get some kind of message out.
Wash your hands. Be smart. Be alert. Practice social distancing and don't assume you know better than everyone else. You're not invincible. Listen to the experts and hopefully this won't end up being as bad as people expect. Hopefully.
Since the last chapter dropped, I've actually moved overseas to a location again. For the sake of safety, I'll remain vague, but I've been in quarantine for the past week as a precaution. Don't worry. I'm fine.
I've been making use of that time working on this chapter and the next, because in times like these...Well, we all need a bit of a distraction. And I'm more than happy to help my readers forget their troubles, at least for a little while.
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonheart, Oragonking, SomeCallItKye, BraviaryScout, Aligax, and sceptilezeno. Thanks for the awesome support, as always.
Enjoy.
Chapter 107: Totem Battle! Brawl in the Blackout!
Iki Town
Many Years Ago…
"Machoke! Channel Brick Break...and use All-Out Pummeling!"
"Damien, get ready!"
The crowd that surrounded Ashton and Kahuna Hala roared in excitement as the Machoke brutalized the Houndour, who howled in pain as the fists made of raw energy punched him again and again. After the final hit, Damien was thrown across the stage and landed in a crumpled heap in the middle of the upraised platform. The Machoke shuddered slightly, panting from the beating it had taken. It limped over to where Damien was weakly stirring, the small dog trying to get back to its feet.
"Time to finish this, Machoke! Use-" Hala began to say, but Ashton cut him off.
"Damien, use Toxic!" Ashton shouted as the Houndour's eyes shot wide open, with the canine spraying the horrific fluid into the face of Hala's Machoke. The Superpower Pokémon screamed in pain, rubbing its eyes frantically as it stumbled backwards, with Ashton grinning as Damien slowly got to his feet, barely able to stand. The Hourdour wore a scowl on his face as Machoke fell to one knee with Hala bellowing commands that were ignored.
"Finish him off! Overheat!" Ashton ordered Damien, who opened his mouth and released a massive searing fireball directly at the Machoke, blasting him backwards as flames exploded outwards around them. Hala flinched as Machoke smashed onto the ground harshly, with his final Pokémon fainting as the poison sapped the last bit of its strength.
Hala exhaled deeply before a smile crossed his face. The Kahuna nodded as Ashton fell to his knees, a smile of absolute relief on his face. Damien wobbled slightly on legs, but held firm as it nodded in satisfaction.
"Machoke is unable to battle! The winner of the Grand Trial is Ashton Aupuni of Malie City!" the referee declared as the crowd cheered in response, with Lusamine and Mohn being the loudest of them all. Tommy held up a hand-painted sign with Damien's scowling face along with "GO ASH GO!" emblazoned on the side.
Ashton got up and walked over to Damien and knelt down, wrapping an arm around the Houndour. Damien grunted as Ashton scratched his head. "Good work, Damien. Guess we've gotta thank Mohn for teaching you Overheat, huh?"
"I wasn't expecting you to come back with such a hard-hitting move like that. You both are a very interesting combination." Damien and Ashton turned their attention to the Kahuna that they had just defeated. Hala wore a small smile that was barely visible under his mustache.
"I can see that Roran was correct after all. Despite your reluctance to battle, you have quite the talent for it. You fought well, young man. This Kahuna is proud of your strength and hopes it continues to grow." Hala rumbled as he walked forward, extending a hand to the boy. Ashton stared at it in surprise, but reached out his own hand after a few moments.
"I...um, thank you. Sir." Ashton said as he shook Hala's hand. Despite the intimidating presence and strength of the man, he was gentle to the boy. Ashton accepted the Z-Crystal from the Kahuna and grinned at his triumph as Damien grunted beside him.
The crowd continued to cheer as Ashton made his way off of the stage and straight into a hug from Lusamine, who looked like a proud mother as Ash flinched in her arms before relaxing slightly and returning the embrace. The boy was still getting used to physical affection after years of getting the exact opposite.
"You did so well! You did even have to use Carlito!" Lusamine remarked with a wide grin as she pulled away from Ashton, who got a high-five from Mohn. The boy's eyes flickered gold for a few moments before returning to a light gray color, with the young Trainer smiling.
"He's still kind of weak, though, for a Cottonee. Penelope and Damien did really well though. Especially since Penelope evolved right before we got here." Ashton said as he returned Damien, grinning at them. "I think I actually had a bit of fun with that battle. Having the crowd cheer you on like that made it way better than that stupid Trial."
"Honestly, you'd probably have more fun doing the Gym Challenges they have in the other regions. Alola is different, after all." came a voice from behind them. Everyone turned to see Roran Rubinara standing there in a crisp black suit, his always-present Ariados beside him. The man was also holding a Baltoy in his arms.
"I thought you had a meeting and couldn't make it.." Ashton asked the other Kahuna, who chuckled as he walked forward, setting his Baltoy on the ground. The Kahuna put his hands on his hips, a smirk on his face as he glanced at a scowling Hala onstage before turning his gaze back to Ashton.
"I did. But I cut it short to see you battle, my young friend. I always like to see Grand Trials as much as I can. After all, you kids coming through the Island Challenge are going to be the future of Alola." Roran explained, looking skyward as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"As much as I love studying the past, the future is just as important. The future is something we have to invest in, for the sake of our very survival as a species." Roran explained to a bewildered Ashton, kneeling down to him. Roran smiled kindly at the boy, slowly reaching a hand out to him, though he retracted it. Ashton took note of that, and smiled at the Kahuna.
"Thanks. I'm still not...comfortable with being touched." Ashton said quietly, with Roran nodding understandingly.
"No one should force you to do something you're not comfortable with, Ash. I hope someday you come to trust me as your Kahuna. Or perhaps even a friend. But for now, know this...You did very well today, and you've proven that your father is delusional if he can't see how talented you are." Roran said as he stood up, seeing the stunned look on Ash's face. It was obvious the boy wasn't expecting such a compliment from the Kahuna of his island.
"Keep fighting, little monarch. I have faith in you." Roran said before he turned around, flashing them a grin. "Sorry to cut the conversation short, but I did only want to swing by and say congrats. I've got a meeting back on Ula'ula to take care of. You all be safe out there, alright?"
"Let me know if you need anything, Kahuna." Lusamine said to Roran, who gave the Kalos Champion a thumbs up before sinking into the shadow of his Ariados and vanishing with Shadow Sneak, his Baltoy following him.
"Is it just me, or does he come off as kinda creepy sometimes?" Tommy asked no one in particular.
"Creepy? No, not at all." Mohn remarked, tilting his head in surprise.
"I think he's a bit touchy at times, but he doesn't strike me as creepy." Lusamine agreed, likewise surprised by Tommy's remark. "I find him pretty likable. He's a good leader for his people too."
"I don't see it either. But I think...I think I trust him." Ashton said, which made everyone's head turn towards him.
"As good as it is to hear you trusting others more, Ash, what changed?" Mohn asked, earning a soft smile from Ashton.
"Well...You guys. Kahuna Roran is pretty nice too. And Kahuna Hala isn't so bad, even if he looks scary. And Nurse Joy and even that Officer Jenny back in Hau'oli City. Plus my Pokémon, of course. I just...I feel like I can trust all of you. Is that bad? I don't know." Ashton said quietly, shaking his head. Tommy waved a hand dismissively, grinning at Ashton.
"Don't worry about it, brother. I've always distrusted authority, and I think that's just me being weird. I'm glad you trust us, man. Now come on! We've gotta celebrate your big victory! My treat!" Tommy said with a laugh as he sauntered past a surprised Ashton, with Mohn and Lusamine smiling at the older teen's retreating back. Mohn and Lusamine walked forward, gesturing for Ashton to come along. The boy smiled, nodding in response before catching up to his friends.
His friends.
"I'm growing...Little by little. I guess this is what people mean when they say that the Island Challenge changes you. But I can't go my whole life not trusting people. Not everyone is like Mom and Dad...There are good people out in this world. Tommy. Lusamine. Mohn. Even Kahunas like Roran. They wouldn't hurt me. So I can trust them." Ashton thought as he followed the others out into Iki Town, with the crowd dispersing.
Kahuna Hala watched the boy depart, a hidden smile on his face. He turned around and walked off of the stage, helping to disperse the crowd of residents that lingered. He didn't notice the two men lurking in the shadows of a nearby house, dressed in bright red clothing.
The two men smirked, seeing the crowd of people ahead of them. With that in mind, they slunk back into the shadows, ready to strike when the time was right and their leader gave them the signal.
Present Day
Hokulani Observatory
Sun couldn't help but grit his teeth as Totem Vikavolt hissed within the darkness, unable to be seen by anyone except Oliver thanks to the blackout. The Totem Pokémon had somehow suppressed its aura in order to ensure that the room remained dark, which Sun knew right away would cause him problems. Even if they could brighten the room with things like Pluck and Protect, it definitely wasn't ideal for an important battle like this against a powerful opponent.
Oliver stood his ground, actively fighting the urge to rush his opponent and tear it apart. Every single one of his instincts told him to attack, but his training held him in check. He had to wait for Sun's instruction.
"Rotom, what's the deal with this thing?" Sun asked, his voice rising in pitch. He tried to keep the panic out of his voice, but he knew this wasn't good. Being unable to see during a battle like this would put him at a major disadvantage.
"Vikavolt. The Stag Beetle Pokémon and the evolved form of Charjabug. It zips around, on sharp lookout for an opening. It also concentrates electrical energy within its large jaws and uses it to zap its enemies. Vikavolt produces electricity via an electrical organ in its abdomen and overwhelms bird Pokémon with shocking beams of electrical energy." Rotom explained as the room suddenly became illuminated, thanks to the Totem Pokémon's body becoming engulfed in the familiar aura of orange energy that Sun had come to know as Z-Power.
"Sun, every one of itzz statzz have increased dramatically! Be careful!" Rotom warned as the Totem dropped its aura yet again, causing the room to plunge into the dark once more.
"Oliver, hit it with Pluck!" Sun ordered, throwing out a hand that he couldn't see. Oliver darted forward, flapping his wings hard as his beak glowed white. Totem Vikavolt hissed, attempting to dodge upwards right before Oliver rammed his beak into its side, with the Totem wavering in the air and landing on the ground.
"Sun can't see, except for when our attacks create a glow. This is going to be a tricky battle." Oliver thought as he swooped through the room, glancing at his Trainer. The Dartrix then spotted the Trial Captain, Sophocles, tossing something to the Totem, which flew forward into the air and snatched it up into its mouth. Oliver recognized it as a berry and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
The large flying beetle Pokémon suddenly became engulfed in electricity, with it actually brightening the room with how harsh the glow of power was, before Vikavolt flew forward and smashed into Oliver with an incredible burst of speed. The owl flew backwards through the air with a cry, with electricity surging through his body as he landed roughly onto the metal floor.
"Oliver!" Sun shouted as the darkness consumed the room once again. Oliver shakily rose once more, though he looked up in surprise when he heard the Totem Pokémon let out a haunting cry. The door suddenly opened behind them once again, revealing another Charjabug that quickly wormed its way over to where the Totem was. Suddenly, both of the Electric/Bug Pokémon began to spark wildly before the darkness fell again, which made Sun and Oliver wary. Rotom Dex was quick to react.
"That'zz the Ability known azz Battery! Only Charjabug is known to have this Ability, and it allowzzz Charjabug to increase the special attack stat of an ally Pokémon by a substantial amount! Zzzzt!" Rotom Dex informed Sun as Totem Vikavolt buzzed within the darkness.
"Agh! That's not good. Oliver, use Razor Leaf on the two of them! Keep your distance!" Sun commanded Oliver as the Dartrix took to the air once again, with the owl flapping both wings hard to pelt the two bugs with razor sharp leaves. The huge Vikavolt didn't take too kindly to that, and chose to rush at Oliver as its mandibles glowed bright green.
"Dodge, Oliver!" Sun shouted, able to see the Totem for a brief moment. Oliver flapped his wings hard, soaring towards the ceiling, but the owl felt something latch onto his leg and yank him downwards back into the path of the Totem's attack. Oliver's eyes shot down to see the Charjabug staring up at him, a String Shot attached to his leg from its mouth on the ground.
"Why you-!" Oliver hooted indignantly before he was suddenly smashed into by the Totem, who clamped its mandibles down on Oliver as the owl screamed in pain.
"Oliver, use Protect! Then hit back with Pluck!" Sun shouted as the Dartrix threw up a shield around it, pushing away the Totem, much to its surprise. Oliver then released the shield, covering the room in darkness yet again, only for a blast of light to erupt from Oliver's beak as he rammed into Totem Vikavolt again with Pluck.
"Sun and that Dartrix never fail to impress. Even with limited visibility, he's making the most of it." Zinnia remarked as she squinted in the shadows, with Sophocles smirking beside her.
"Sergeant Shockwave might be a new Totem, but he's tough! Don't count him out just because that owl got in a few good hits!" Sophocles boasted as he put his hands on his hips. He missed the look of abject disgust on Zinnia's face.
"Please tell me you seriously didn't name a Totem Pokémon 'Sargeant Shockwave'…"
"Big Mo named him, actually! Sargeant Shockwave is the main character in our favorite anime! Why wouldn't we name my Totem something that cool?"
"Oh my god, I'm surrounded by weebs. This day took a turn. I think I need to take a shower after this is over." Zinnia lamented, shuddering in the dark.
"I'm not a weeb!" Sophocles protested, stomping his foot down.
"Speak for yourself, Soffy. I'm weeb trash and I'm proud."
"Can you guys keep it down!? Kinda in the middle of something here!" Sun shouted at them, looking back towards the sparking Totem Pokémon as it shot forward, with Charjabug firing off another String Shot. Oliver's glowing beak showed Sun where he was, and he knew what was about to happen.
"Go straight up and then dive down at Charjabug with Pluck!" Sun called to the Dartrix, who barely dodged the String Shot with a powerful flap of his wings. Oliver made a move to drop down on Charjabug, only for a lightning-cloaked Vikavolt to ram into his side. Oliver screeched as he tumbled through the air, though he managed to right himself and retaliated with a Razor Leaf at the two bugs.
"This is bad. I can't tell him what to do if I can't see. My reaction times are just too slow with what's going on right now." Sun muttered as Oliver swept over the room, wincing in pain as the Totem Pokémon chittered in annoyance. The Dartrix landed on the ground, panting as he became surrounded in a harsh green glow that signaled to Sun that Oliver's Ability, Overgrow, was now in effect.
"Oliver, you're doing great. I'm sorry I'm not able to instruct you like usual." Sun apologized to the owl, who offered Sun a shrug that he was just able to make out.
"It h-happens. Besides, even if I go down, the others can finish what I started. Now, let's take care of them!" Oliver chirped, readying himself for another round. Sun grinned at his Partner and pointed forward, his determination coming back in full force.
"You got this, Sergeant Shockwave!" Sophocles cheered from within the dark, pulling out a pair of glasses from his pocket and slipping them on. With a tap of the lens, his glasses began to glow and he could see the battle taking place before him.
"Oliver, use Razor Leaf! Full-power!" Sun shouted as his Dartrix braced himself against the ground before Oliver flapped his wings as hard as he could. Razor-sharp disc-like leaves shot through the air and tore into the Totem Pokémon and Charjabug, making the two of them cry out in pain.
The Totem Pokémon let out a loud hiss before suddenly lashing out with a massive rush of lightning that soared towards Oliver, who barely reacted in time with a Protect. Sun screamed at the sudden flash of light, shielding his eyes with his elbow as Oliver grunted at the effort of holding back the attack.
"That was one nasty Thunderbolt! Keep fighting you two!" Rotom Dec cheered as Sun tried to adjust his eyes. He was still seeing spots though as the shield vanished, plunging them into almost entirely darkness.
"Razor Leaf again!" Sun called out as Oliver flapped his wings, releasing another powered-up wave of leaves at his opponents. However, the Dartrix was surprised when Totem Vikavolt flew right at him, tanking the attack and snatching him up in his mandibles for another Bug Bite.
"Oliver, fight him off! Use Protect!" Sun ordered the Dartrix as he screamed in pain. The Totem Pokémon threw Oliver to the ground, where he landed with a nasty crunch. Sun squinted in the dark, barely able to see Oliver thanks to his diminishing glow of Overgrow.
"Looks like your Dartrix is done, Sun. Hehehe!" Sophocles laughed as Sun raised Oliver's Poké Ball, though he was surprised when he heard a yell from ahead of him.
"I'm n-not...done yet!"
Oliver suddenly stood back up, glaring up at Totem Vikavolt with a furious expression. The Totem Pokémon hissed, its aura suddenly exploding outwards and creating a source of light for the entire room.
Oliver readied himself to fly, only for a white web to suddenly hit him in the side and begin to wrap around him. The Dartrix looked to his left to see Charjabug hitting him with String Shot, and soon enough Oliver was completely immobilized.
"So, the Totem used its Z-Power to distract Oliver and give his ally time to get a sneak attack in. That's really clever." Zinnia commented with a note of approval in her voice. Sophocles gave the Lorekeeper a thumbs up before turning to Sun, flipping his thumb downwards.
"Finish it off!" Sophocles called to the Totem, who chittered in reply as its Z-Power retreated inwards, casting the room back into the shadows. Oliver struggled in the String Shot, barely able to find the strength to move, much less break free.
"Oliver, return!" Sun called to the owl, aiming the ball at the source of the faint glowing. Oliver sighed in resignation as the beam returned him to his ball, which Sun stuffed in his backpack.
"Back in the darkness...I'll keep Oliver's Poké Ball separate for now. Don't want to accidentally send him back out. Alright, now who's next...I really can't tell." Sun sighed inwardly before grabbing a ball at random and tossing it forward. The flash of light blinded Sun, so he wasn't able to see who he had called out. If it was Penny or Finn, they'd both be in trouble against Totem Vikavolt and Charjabug. Brago would have a much easier time of things, especially since Oliver had done quite a bit of damage so far.
"Please be Brago, please be Brago…" Sun thought as he tried to blink out the dark spots in his vision, even though it didn't matter. The Pokémon ahead of Sun stirred a bit, and then...
"Wow...it's really dark in here. Am I sleeping?" Finn's voice asked from the darkness, which made Sun facepalm.
"Literally the last Pokémon I needed in a situation like this. Or maybe not...Finn, can you see at all?" Sun asked his Poliwhirl, hoping for an affirmative.
"Oh, hey buddy! And uh, no. I can't see my hands in front of my face."
"Crap...Alright, get that Totem! Just try and get a feel for where it is by sound or when it glows for an attack. And watch out for that Charjabug!" Sun warned the Poliwhirl as Finn turned around in the darkness, getting into a fighting stance as the buzzing sound ahead of them increased. Suddenly Finn felt something sticky smack his chest, pulling him forward.
"Oh no you don't!" Finn called as he grabbed the String Shot Charjabug had attached to him. The Battery Pokémon sparked a little bit at the end of its string, which made Finn chuckle. Finn then yanked on the string as hard as he could, pulling the Charjabug off of the ground and through the air towards him.
Sun grinned, sensing an opportunity as the sparking Charjabug cried out in surprise. "Use Body Slam on Charjabug then jump back! That Totem isn't going to stay still!" Sun warned Finn as the Poliwhirl kicked off of the ground, smashing into Charjabug in midair.
"Heeeeeeeeere!" came the booming screech from overhead as Totem Vikavolt, who began to burn with Z-Power yet again, sparked wildly with electricity.
"Finn, dodge!" Sun shouted as the Totem released another deadly Thunderbolt. Finn leapt to the side to dodge, shielding his eyes from the sudden flashes of light. The Polwhirl landed on the ground, looking up at Totem Vikavolt as it zoomed towards him.
"Use Scald!" Sun instructed the Poliwhirl, who fired off a jet of boiling hot water at the Totem. However, Finn suddenly seized up in pain as electricity shot through his body, with a soft chittering sound echoing out from behind him.
Sun could barely make out the form of Charjabug behind Finn, still glowing from the Spark attack that had not only hit Finn directly, but paralyzed him. Leaving him a sitting Ducklett for the Thunderbolt that Totem Vikavolt hit him with a few moments later. Finn collapsed onto the ground, completely spent.
Sun returned Finn, smiling a little. "You did well. It was just a rough matchup in a bad situation. Thanks."
"Getting frustrated yet, Sun? Your Dartrix was just about ready to pass out and you're down your Poliwhirl!" Sophocles called to the boy as the Totem Pokémon let out a powerful cry, its Z-Power flaring wildly. Sun quickly glanced down at his belt and grabbed Brago's Poké Ball, grinning as he took advantage of the brief flare of light.
"Brago, let's take this thing down!" Sun called as the Arcanine appeared in a flight of light, looking slightly surprised at the setting they were fighting in. After a moment Brago crouched low, glaring down Totem Vikavolt and Charjabug and hitting the two of them with Intimidate.
"Looks like your Totem got a bit carried away, letting Sun choose the one Pokémon he's got with a clear advantage. Now that Sun has his Arcanine in play, what is your big bug gonna do?" Zinnia asked teasingly to Sophocles, who smirked.
"Don't count my Totem out yet. He's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve!" Sophocles said as Sun ordered Brago to use Flame Burst as the Totem's aura vanished once again. However, Brago's flames were more than enough to pierce the dark, allowing him to send a Flame Burst at Charjabug and knock it out.
Several streaks of fire also hit the Totem Pokémon, making it hiss in pain. The flames scattered throughout the room allowed all of them to see the battle that was taking place, which Sophocles made note of as he removed his night-vision goggles.
"Release all of your power! No need to hold back your aura!" Sophocles called to the Totem Pokémon. In response, Vikavolt let loose an ear-piercing screech as its Z-Power exploded outwards, casting the room in a brilliant orange glow as the Totem finally unleashed its true power.
"You think that's enough to frighten me? Alpha, let's take it down!" Brago barked as he readied himself for the next instruction.
"So it was holding back its full strength while it was hiding in the dark. Interesting. Alright, Brago! Let's finish this thing off!" Sun shouted as he began to strike a series of familiar movements, with Brago crouching low beside him with a feral grin, the glow of Z-Power enveloping Brago as their heart and souls touched, allowing them access to a greater power.
"Brago! Channel Flame Burst...and use Inferno Overdrive!" Sun bellowed as Brago began to form a ball of flames within his gaping mouth, with ribbons of fire encircling the sphere of fire and filling the room with even more light.
"Brace yourself!" Molayne warned them, with Zinnia quickly grabbing Sophocles and leaping over a nearby sofa. Brago fired the attack, with Totem Vikavolt buzzing loudly as it soared straight at it. The explosion was deafening, filling the room with smoke and flames as well as a shockwave of force that knocked Sun to the ground.
"I'm kicking on the emergency air vents to the room. Standby!" Molayne called from the intercom as Sophocles and Zinnia coughed loudly.
"Heh...Had enough yet?" Sun asked no one in particular, getting to his feet with a grin as Brago cast a glance back at him.
"While I doubt our foe is down for the count, it's always fun to that move." Brago admitted, turning forward to face Totem Vikavolt as the smoke cleared away, with the Totem looking worse for wear after being hit with a Z-Move.
The colossal Vikavolt let out a shriek of fury, it's Z-Power exploding outwards as electricity began to surge around the creature. Sun recognized the move as Charge and pointed forward, taking the chance to attack while he could see his target.
"Flame Wheel!" Sun called to Brago, with the canine darting forward and leaping into the air, with flames encircling the hound as he struck the Totem in midair. Vikavolt retaliated by clamping down on Brago's neck in midair with its mandibles, with the glow of Bug Bite surrounding the jaws of the Totem Pokémon. Vikavolt then flew into the ceiling, smashing Brago against the metal roof as the canine howled in pain before being quickly smashed into the floor before flying back up into the ceiling again.
"Use Flame Charge to break free!" Sun ordered the Arcanine, who let out a roar as his body became engulfed in flames. Totem Vikavolt let out a hiss of pain and released Brago, who dropped to the ground with a wince before looking upwards.
"Flame Burst!" Sun shouted as Brago inhaled deeply and used the attack, sending several streaks of fire at the Totem Pokémon. Vikavolt dove downwards, spinning in midair to dodge the flames before firing off a Thunderbolt at Brago. The canine barely dodged the attack, only doing so by leaping to the side at the last second. Sun called for another Flame Burst, but as the attack soared towards the Totem Pokémon, they were in for another surprise. A yellow-colored barrier suddenly flickered into existence around the Totem Pokémon.
"That thing can use Protect!?" Sun yelped as the Totem Pokémon's shield vanished, with the Vikavolt buzzing loudly before shooting towards Brago, releasing a strange glowing web towards the Arcanine.
"Jump back to dodge and use Fire Fang!" Sun called to Brago, who did just that. The Arcanine leapt forward with a mouthful of flames, only for Vikavolt to fly into the air to dodge.
"Bzzt! That was Electroweb, Sun! Be careful!" Rotom Dex warned the boy as Sun nodded slowly in acknowledgment. Totem Vikavolt shuddered in front of them, with Sun grinning after a moment.
"It can't dodge forever. Rapid-fire Ember!" Sun shouted as Brago rose to his feet, grinning now.
"Dodge this!" Brago roared as he fired off a blast of flames at the Totem Pokémon, who darted upwards to dodge it. The Ember attacks kept coming as Vikavolt attempted to dodge the onslaught of attacks. Sun's prediction rang true, as after the tenth attack the Totem was struck in the right wing and spiraled downwards into the floor.
"Brago, use Fire Fa-" Sun began to say before the Totem Pokémon released another booming cry that made Sun flinch. As if on cue, the door behind Sun opened up. In the fireflight around them Sun saw it was another Charjabug. Right away the effect of this new combatant was made obvious when both Charjabug and Totem Vikavolt began to release sparks of electricity from their bodies.
"Another one? That means that Battery Ability is in effect. We've got to end this quick. Brago, get airborne and use Flame Charge, and crash down on it!" Sun called to Brago as the canine glanced back and forth between its two opponents. The Arcanine began to burn with flames as he dodged another Electroweb from Totem Vikavolt, allowing him to slam into Charjabug and knock it away, though it was still more than capable of fighting. Which was made evident when it hit Brago with a String Shot.
"Agh!" Brago snarled as the substance began to coat his body. Sun grit his teeth in frustration, especially upon seeing Totem Vikavolt using Charge in midair. Sun looked back at his Arcanine, wondering what he could do.
And then it came to him.
"Brgao, use Flame Charge! Burn the web away!" Sun yelled to Brago, who blinked at the order before letting out a snarl, calling up Flame Charge. The effect was almost instant, with the flames easily burning away the sticky and tough webbing and allowing Brago to dodge the Thunderbolt that smashed into the ground a mere handful of moments later.
Brago landed on the ground, snarling softly as he looked up at Totem Vikavolt as it zoomed towards him, sparking wildly. Brago leapt into the air to meet it as his Flame Charge continued to burn. The two Pokémon collided, creating a shiver of energy within the room before an explosion of sheer force separated the two Pokémon. Sun grinned at Brago's flames vanished around him and Vikavolt wobbled slightly in midair, the damage it had taken in midair now obvious.
"String Shot can't do a thing to Brago. And with all of these Flame Charges, he's way faster than before. You both are done!" Sun called out as he punched his fist forward, with Brago crouching low with a feral grin. The Totem Pokémon screeched in defiance as it swooped low, with Charjabug hopping onto the Totem Pokémon's back.
"Alpha!" Brago called to Sun as the boy pointed forward.
"Flame Charge!" Sun shouted as Totem Vikavolt released another massive Thunderbolt. Brago kicked off of the ground hard, leaping over the attack and ramming into Vikavolt and Charjabug, knocking away the Totem with a roar. The Totem Pokémon screeched in pain, barely catching itself in midair before righting itself and speeding towards Brago as a cloak of electricity surrounded it. Brago's eyes widened as the Vikavolt slammed into him, sending electricity surging through his body. Before Vikavolt flew away, however, Brago sank his teeth into the Totem Pokémon with a Fire Fang before throwing the injured Totem aside.
"Brago!" Sun shouted in concern as the Arcanine crashed onto the ground, twitching. Static electricity surrounded the canine, which Sun recognized as a sign of paralysis. Brago slowly rose to his feet, snarling up at Totem Vikavolt as it flew low, buzzing ominously as its Z-Power burned brightly.
"This is it...Brago! Get ready! Make this next move count, and hit it with everything you've got!" Sun called to his Arcanine, receiving a stiff nod in response as Brago tried to move his body.
Totem Vikavolt shrieked in response, with both it and the Charjabug on its back releasing a wave of electricity as they both used Spark at the same time. The Totem Pokémon then bolted towards the immobile Arcanine, preparing to finish him off once and for all.
"Get in the air and hit it from above! Flame Burst!" Sun shouted to Brago, who slowly crouched on the ground before fighting through the paralysis, launching himself high into the air and charging up a Flame Burst. Totem Vikavolt stopped right below him, looking up at the Arcanine in surprise before suddenly being bombarded on all sides by streams of fire.
Brago landed on the ground with a wince, slowly standing up proudly before looking towards Totem Vikavolt as it hung in the air, shuddering. The Charjabug clinging to its back hissed weakly before slowly falling off, hitting the ground with a thud. Totem Vikavolt remained there in midair, its wings beating swiftly as its Z-Power continued to burn.
And then flicker.
Totem Vikavolt wobbled, turning towards Brago with a groan before the Z-Power faded away completely, with the Totem Pokémon falling to the ground as darkness enveloped the room for one final time.
"Yes! We did it!" Sun cheered as he ran forward, trying to feel his way towards his Arcanine. Meanwhile Sophocles sighed, shaking his head in the dark. Or rather, he was until the lights came back on.
"Oh hey, the lights are back on!" Sophocles yelled out in surprise as the doors opened and Molayne dashed into the room, looking concerned.
"Soffy!"
"Big Mo!"
Molayne held out a hand to his young cousin, which the portly boy high-fived with a wide grin. Molayne chuckled after a moment and said, "Nice work, Captain! You helped Sun here through his Trial and your experiment was a success!"
"Maybe...But the room is a wreck." Sophocles replied, glancing around the room with wince. The walls and floor were scorched and several machines were definitely in need of repairs. Zinnia let out a low whistle of appreciation.
"Maybe you could do this in a more controlled setting? Turning out the lights in a room designed for an intense battle could make for a really interesting way to test new Trainers. It's not unfair either, since Sun was able to manage it." Zinnia suggested, with Sun nodding as Rotom Dex buzzed on his shoulder.
"That's a really solid idea, actually. Though, it seems your Ping Totem Pokémon 2.0 uses too much electricity. If we can get a little assistance from Charjabug, we should be able to make some improvements." Molayne mused as Sun walked over to them, having treated all of Brago's injuries and having healed and returned his team.
"Here, Sun." Sophocles said, reaching into his fanny pack and pulling out a glistening yellow crystal. "I'll give you this Electrium-Z to reward you for beating the Totem Pokémon."
Sophocles handed the crystal to Sun, who grinned widely and held up the Z-Crystal in triumph as it burst into colorful flames.
"It was a good battle. Be proud!" Zinnia chirped as she walked over to Sun, grinning cheerily.
Sophocles cleared his throat and said, "You watching?"
"Watching what?" Sun asked before Sophocles suddenly began to strike a series of movements, ending with his hands splayed out in front of him in different directions. Zinnia suddenly burst out into laughter while Sophocles blushed bright red, looking away from all of them.
"I was fine when the power was off. Geez...Now that you can see me, I feel all nervous...I'm not sure what to say. Thanks? Or, uh, congratulations? You pass my Trial."
"Congratulations on clearing your Trial! And you, Sophocles. You did well as Captain." Molayne said meerily to the two boys, with Sophocles looking rather bummed out.
"I was really nervous…" Sophocles muttered, looking towards Molayne. The older man knelt down and placed his hands on Sophocles shoulders, looking him right in the eyes.
"Don't you worry. I'm sure that I made the right choice in naming you Captain. Even if you are my cousin. You're a bright boy and a skilled Trainer. You'll be a way better Captain than me, I bet!" Molayne said to the younger boy, who finally gave Molayne a smile back in return. Molayne stood up and turned to Sun, who had been watching the two silently.
"Your Trial was pretty interesting, all things considered. Zinnia's idea was a good one. Having Trainers fighting in less than ideal conditions is a great way to test them. You're a smart guy, Sophocles. I'm sure you'll get it down as you do more Trials as Captain." Sun said encouragingly, with Sopholces doing a fist pump.
"Thanks, Sun. I'll put everything I learned from your battle to good use! It was really valuable research data!" Sophocles said as Molayne laughed good-naturedly in reply.
"Usually it's the Island Kahuna who appoints the Captains. But there are some, er, unusual circumstances here on Ula'ula." Molayne explained to Sun and Zinnia as Sophocles nodded in agreement.
"So somehow I ended up Captain…" Sophocles muttered, shaking his head. After a moment he smiled, looking to the other boy. "But you were really great, Sun. Thanks for giving me such a great first Trial."
"I see...Then let me reward you!" Molayne said suddenly, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a gray Z-Crystal. "As thanks for being good to my little cousin and giving him a good first Trial, here's a gift from me!"
"Another Z-Crystal?" Sun asked, surprised.
"This is one of the Z-Crystals that I collected long ago during my own Island Challenge to prove my strength and that of my Pokémon. So it seems fitting that it go from me to you. Take it, and use it well." Molayne said to Sun, who nodded and put the Steelinium-Z away in his bag, along with the Electrium-Z.
"And if we're done here, Sun...Could I ask you to do a favor for me?" Molayne asked the boy, who nodded in response. "Professor Kukui forgot this."
Molayne walked over to a nearby desk and pulled out a very familiar mask. Sun's mouth dropped in surprise before Molayne put a finger to his lips, walking back over to Sun and putting it inside Sun's backpack, which he quickly zipped up. Molayne stepped away and shrugged, smiling cheesily.
"So does this mean-?"
"I'm not saying a word. He'd kill me if he knew I let the secret slip."
"Oh come on, just confirm it! Is Kukui actually the-"
"I will neither confirm nor deny."
"Ugh...lame."
Molayne grinned as Sun hung his head. "He said he would be going back to Malie Garden. Well, he's heading to the garden, and then leaving for a trip to Kanto to meet with the League officials. I imagine you'll probably find him in the Garden anyway once he gets back. Anyway, could you take it to him? The mask?"
"Kanto? Why's he going to Kanto?" Sun asked Molayne, who's smile faded slightly.
"He and Kahuna Hala have been called in by Champion Lance regarding the Cipher threat. My buddy is a world-famous researcher and a Champion-level Trainer. Kahuna Hala has been representing the Alola region for decades. They'll both be back in a few days, don't you worry."
"Alright. I guess I can help you both out." Sun said with a shrug, not particularly bothered by this request. After all, he was going to seek out the Professor anyway when he returned to Malie City.
Molayne nodded and then turned to Zinnia, who was watching the proceedings with some interest. Molayne then spoke to her, saying, "Miss Zinnia, could I have a word with you in the Observation Room?"
"If you attempt to flirt with me, I only ask you to let me record it for my own amusement later." Zinnia said to Molayne, who frowned at the remark before shaking his head.
"Actually, I have a girlfriend. And that has nothing to do with what I need to talk to you about. Please, follow me." Molayne said as he walked out of the room with Zinnia following him. Sun and Sophocles exchanged a brief look of confusion.
"Isn't she with you? I wonder what Big Mo wants to talk with her about." Sophocles asked, somewhat concerned.
"I have no idea. Zinnia is...eccentric to say the least. She seems like a good person, though, and I'm willing to trust her since she saved me and my friend Hau from some sort of abomination of nature that wants to erase reality or something." Sun explained to a fascinated Sophocles, who grinned in excitement.
"That sounds awesome! You gotta tell me about it sometime!" Sophocles said, his expression falling somewhat. "But probably later. After all, you've got another Trial to win."
"Maybe I'll run into it again and tell you more about it." Sun said comfortingly to the other boy, who nodded slowly.
"Maybe next time we can battle…" Sophocles said quietly, though he was surprised when Sun suddenly grinned at him.
"Who says we can't battle now?" Sun said to the boy, who smiled back at him.
"Don't you need to keep doing your Island Challenge? You're not gonna get to the next Trial lingering here." Sophocles pointed out, which made Sun shrug.
"I'm not in a hurry. Besides, why not hang out with a new friend for a bit?" Sun said to Sophocles, who smiled wide at that. In truth, Sun realized that Sophocles was a bit like him, or at least how Sun used to be. Somewhat awkward and not sure how to react around people he wasn't close to. Sun had been able to grow so much over the course of his time in Alola, thanks to people like Hau and Lillie. He saw the value in trying to be friends with as many people as possible.
"Sounds good to me! I can even show you Festival Plaza! Um, if you want." Sophocles said with a small laugh, with Sun nodding as Rotom Dex buzzed into the air.
"I can access Festival Plaza with no problemzz! Zzzzt! All it takes is setting up an account! It'zz easy!" Rotom Dex assured Sun, who rolled his eyes at Rotom Dex.
While all of this was going down, Molayne was looking down at the two boys with a fond smile from the Observation Room. In truth, it was a large security room fitted with cameras and screens designed to keep a close eye on the various rooms within the massive facility that housed many valuable machines and devices vital to studying what lay beyond their planet.
"Heh...Looks like Soffy made a new friend." Molayne said quietly, smiling softly as he watch the two children chat. "Thanks, Sun. You're a good kid."
"He certainly is an interesting one. Despite the hell he's been through, it's incredible for someone like him to still be so good at heart. Trusting. In a world like this, we need more kids like him." Zinnia remarked, smiling a bit herself. She then turned her attention to the other two men standing in the room, watching them with interest. "So what brings you two bozos to a place like this?
Mohn let out a booming laugh as Wes flashed Zinnia a rogue's grin, with the Slyveon at his feet chuckling at the question. "On paper, it's to escort my amnesiac friend around so that he can expand the Poké Pelago. We weren't expecting you to show up again, but since you have, I'd like to ask for your help."
"No, I'm not giving your little friend Aria all of the answers to her problems. Some of the ancient shit hidden in the world is meant to stay hidden Like the Eternity Locket. If she wants it, she needs to figure out where it is for herself, like I did." Zinnia said with a smile and a shrug, which made Wes roll his eyes.
"While I do take some objection to you being so casual with the fact that her finding that artifact could save the Unova region, I'll let it pass for now. I wanted your help concerning events happening in-" Wes was stopped in mid-sentence when every single one of them was thrown onto the floor harshly.
The entire room quaked violently, as if the entire world was being shaken off of its axis. Molayne and Wes tried to get to their feet, with only the latter managing to kneel as everyone groaned collectively, hoping that the earthquake would end soon. Throughout the facility shelves were knocked down, papers were thrown about and staff were hurled onto the floor.
And then, a full minute later, the earthquake stopped.
"That was...something else. Oogh...Is everyone okay?" Mohn asked as he shakily rose to his feet, with Eve using her feelers to help the older man steady himself. Wes pulled himself upright, frowning as he glanced around the room. Meanwhile, Molayne was stumbling to his console and pressing a button.
"Jacobs, Rivera! Do a sweep of the facility! Ensure no personnel were harmed, especially Sun and Soffy! I'll come by shortly and join you. Report to me as soon as you get an idea of how bad that actually was." Molayne said in a commanding tone that surprised them. The former Captain turned towards them, leaning against the console with a shaky sigh escaping him.
"I might have to excuse myself in a few minutes. My job comes first, I'm afraid, and I need to make sure everyone's alright." Molayne said to the others, who nodded understandingly. Wes spoke up again, diverting attention to him.
"I want you to help me look into that, Zinnia. These strange quakes that have been hitting this island lately I've done my own bit of digging since arriving in Alola proper a few days ago. And there's many signs pointing to Cipher preparing to make another move." Wes said to the Lorekeeper, who frowned.
"Why should I get involved? This isn't my fight." Zinnia pointed out, with Mohn frowning at that.
"I know that you're reluctant to fight for a cause you don't have personal stakes in, but we really could benefit from your help." Mohn said to Zinnia, who threw up her hands into the air.
"God, you people can't leave me well enough alone! Ever since that stupid dragon rejected me I keep getting hounded by people to help them with some agenda or another. Why can't I just wander in peace?" Zinnia growled at them as she clenched her fists.
"I'm sensing some repressed rage there." Wes remarked dryly, which caused Zinnia to relax and flash him a sharp grin.
"I'm sensing some repressed guilt, trauma and mental instability. Don't be a hypocrite, Wes." Zinnia said to the former Snagger, who returned her grin with one of his own.
"I never said I don't have problems. Unova was incredibly scarring to me and it was only thanks to Mohn's kindness and my team that I'm even remotely approaching being okay. Having to spearhead a movement to stop two criminal organizations while constantly dealing with death, danger, and stress...Well, it'd break anyone. I'm not ashamed of having to take some time to try and cope with it all. Especially after...Nimbasa." Wes muttered the final bit, shaking his head slightly. "Point is, I'd like a favor. Name your price."
"Why do you need me? God knows there's a load of other capable Trainers out there." Zinnia asked Wes, who shook his head again.
"I don't need your strength. I need your knowledge. You're one of the only people alive that has an incredibly deep understanding of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon. You're friends with Tapu Lele. You can help us stop Cipher before they ruin another region. But if you still feel like ignoring us and being difficult for no other reason than because you feel like it, by all means continue to do so. I can't force you to help us." Wes said calmly, yet there was an unmistakable hint of steel in his voice.
"I...can give you advice if you need it." Zinnia said haltingly, earning a nod from Wes. Mohn clapped Wes on the shoulder, giving the Lorekeeper a wide smile.
"It's a start. Thank you Zinnia. Molayne, explain your findings to her, if you would." Mohn asked the younger man, who nodded after a moment.
"According to my associates at the Geothermal Power Plant, there's been a drastic increase in volcanic activity within Blush Mountain. As you all know, Alola was formed due to volcanic activity thousands of years ago. Once upon a time,Blush Mountain was known as Hana Hana Volcano. And it's starting to awaken for the first time in centuries."
"That's definitely cause for concern. I know Wela Volcano is pretty active, but it hasn't been a problem. Or at least as far as I know." Zinnia said to Molayne as she crossed her arms.
"Hana Hana Volcano's not nearly as big as the Wela Volcano on Akala Island. But now, something is causing the volcano within Blush Mountain to become more active. Something is causing the balance within the volcano to become upset, which has in turn led to the strange earthquakes around Ula'ula Island.. We want to find out what that is." Molayne said to Zinnia, who smirked at them.
"Why would you think I knew anything about them? I'm not super familiar with Alola. Or Cipher for that matter. That's more your territory, right?" Zinnia asked Wes, who nodded after a moment and set down Eve the Sylveon.
"Because you're the Lorekeeper. And you've been traveling ever since you left Hoenn, after the incident with Deoxys. I know from our talk back at the Poké Pelago that you're a lot more knowledgeable about things than you let on. And despite Rayquaza being your forte, you also know a lot about the Legendaries of the world."
"You know, I never said I would help you. I said I could offer you advice. And I could." Zinnia said with a smirk, which Wes returned.
"I also know that you've been avoiding Aria and making her life way harder. You could help a lot of people, but you're choosing not to because you're avoiding becoming a part of something bigger. Ever since Rayquaza chose May and not you, you've been wandering the world seeking a purpose in life. The Anomaly is just a cover…You just don't want to get hurt again by putting your heart in a cause and having it thrown in your face again." Wes said to Zinnia, stepping closer and close to her as the woman's face slowly went sheet white.
"Aster would be so disappointed. In you" Wes finished in a whisper, making Zinnia recoil sharply. Mohn and Molayne exchanged a look of surprise, seeing such a strong-hearted person as Zinnia cut down to size like that.
"H-how...How do you even know that name? Or any of that!?" Zinnia snarled, stepping forward and getting into Wes' face. The Snagger replied with a crooked smile.
"I didn't want to make it personal, but I've given up too much to let anyone else die. I refuse to let your selfishness keep me from saving as many lives as possible." Wes said to the Lorekeeper, who shut her eyes and backed away from Wes. "And to answer your question, I knew we'd have a problem convincing you, so I just asked Dizz what he thought I could do to sway you to our side. Now, here's my question. Was I wrong?" Wes asked the Lorekeeper, who grit her teeth in sheer fury. Wes took a few steps back, grinning at her. "Your move, Draconid."
You can't be stubborn forever!
Mohn and Molayne looked around in surprise at the Anomaly's comment out of nowhere while Zinnia and Wes stared at each other. After a few moments, Zinnia took a deep, calming breath and exhaled as she unclenched her fists. She continued to glare at Wes, but her harsh stare relaxed after a long while. She then spoke.
"There's a few Pokémon strong enough to cause that powerful of a quake and that have the power to upset an old volcano like Hana Hana. And every single one of them is also capable of way worse than just a few shakes to the local area." Zinnia said as she looked to Molayne, avoiding Wes' eye.
"Such as?" Mohn asked, genuinely curious.
"Entei have a connection to volcanoes. Each of these islands was formed by one, though only two of them are even remotely a cause for concern. There've never been any reports of Entei in Alola, have there? If not, then I suspect it might be a Heatran."
"No to the Entei, and...Wait a moment. I remember something now!" Molayne yelped, smacking himself in the side of the head.
"What is it?" Wes asked the blond-haired man, who looked worried.
"Years and years ago, I heard an old legend about a strange monster that lurked within Blush Mountain. While no one reputable has seen it themselves, those who know of this creature agree that it was a Heatran. It had a small shrine hidden within the depths of the mountain, and it was worshipped by some of the people who live in the Wilds of Route 12. It hasn't been spotted in years...no wonder it slipped my mind until now!" Molayne groaned, hating himself for forgetting something so important.
"It happens. So the strange quakes are possibly the result of a Heatran acting up. Then that lines up with what I was thinking. Funnily enough, Tapu Lele talked to me about a Heatran recently. It said that it battled one when dealing with some Cipher members that were fighting near the Ruins of Life. It said that the masked man leading the group had a Shadow Heatran under his control." Zinnia said, wincing after a moment.
"And he used that same Heatran against the Captains in Royal Avenue." Molayne said quietly, gritting his teeth. "Just what is the guy planning?"
As Molayne spoke, it dawned on all of them how serious the situation was now. It was now clear to them not only who was responsible for the earthquakes as of late, but the culprit was someone who was clearly very dangerous. And all too willing to abuse the power of a Legendary Pokémon to wreck as much damage as possible. Unlike Borlath, however, Mask was an unknown. They had no idea what his motivations or even his identity were.
They could only hope to catch the enigmatic man before it was too late.
Five Days Later…
Kanto Region
Pokémon League HQ, Indigo Plateau
"Alright, is everyone finally here?"
"Lance, you have a set of eyeballs. Clearly everyone who we expected to be here is here."
The Kanto Champion gave Diantha, the Kalos Champion, a reproachful look before glancing at everyone present. All Champions were accounted for, with the addition of a few other notable Trainers from their regions. Lance, Red, Blue, Clair, Steven, Wallace, Lucian (standing in for a recovering Cynthia), Flint, N (standing in for Alder and Iris), Nate, Diantha, Professor Sycamore, Professor Kukui, Kahuna Nanu, Kahuna Hala, Leon, Chairman Rose and his secretary, Oleana, as well as several other notable figures that haven't had proper games yet.
"Considering it took so long to get this room mostly full, I'd like to start this meeting already. The one free day I had this month...Poof. Gone." Leon grumbled, throwing up his hands into the air.
"Aw, are you not having a Champion time?" Lance asked sarcastically, using air quotes as Lucian snickered. Leon crossed his arms, glancing towards Lance with a grin.
"You're just jealous that I wear the cape better. And that my Charizard wrecked your Dragonite when we battled yesterday." Leon remarked, shrugging as Lance's left eye noticeably twitched. While everyone knew that Leon was joking in his usual good-spirited fashion, the fact that Leon had proven he was stronger than Lance in a battle the day before had proven just how skilled the younger Champion was. He was the only Champion present who had never lost a Championship Match.
"Ouch...Ten points to Leon." Chairman Rose chuckled, sounding very amused. Leon winked in his direction before Lance spoke again, perhaps annoyed at the Galar Champion's barb at him.
"While I am sorry that you had to cancel your date, the concerns of the regions as a whole are more important, Leon. You should keep that in mind before you start complaining." Lance said as Leon's eyes went wide, with a dark blush creeping into his cheeks.
"D-d-date!?" Leon whispered, his voice going strangely high-pitched.
"That is what it was, right? You were going on and on about taking your friend Sonia to her favorite restaurant to help get her mind off of things." Wallace asked Leon, who hid his face in his hands. The Water-type specialist chuckled at the Galar Champion's response.
"No! Absolutely not! I was excited about it because I thought it would cheer her up! She's been super depressed lately!" Leon groaned, which gained him a few sympathetic looks.
"Nothing wrong with being a good friend to someone who's down." Lucian, who was standing in for Cynthia as Sinnoh Champion due to her being injured, commented from his seat beside Steven Stone.
"Thank you!" Leon said to Lucian, who smirked at the response.
"That still sounds like a date to me. Trust me, hanging out with Leaf gives me some knowledge on this crap. Right?" Blue remarked, glancing at Red. The mute man nodded in agreement, with Leon throwing up his hands into the air with a defeated groan.
"Sonia would castrate me if she heard that people thought that!" Leon groaned, clamping his hands down on his head.
"And yet I still remember you asking us how to tell if a girl likes you a few years ago and getting super flustered when we asked if it was Sonia." Diantha said with a smug grin, which made Leon smirk in response as he tried to regain his cool.
"We're getting a bit off track, aren't we? Chairman Rose, did you want to start this thing off?" Professor Sycamore asked the Pokémon League Chairman, receiving a nod as the man stood.
"My friends...We live in perilous times. Cipher is running rampant through the regions. And while he may lament the state of the Pokémon League, I see it as something that has endured despite Borlath's efforts to destroy it. We will persevere. But in order to do so, we must come up with a plan of action to combat this threat on a more serious level. We have to take the fight to them if we're to truly end this battle." Rose said to those assembled before him, smiling pleasantly at all.
"Very pretty speech, sir, but that doesn't exactly leave us with much in the way of a game plan." Flint remarked, looking almost bored with the proceedings. Oleana gave the man a glare as Rose nodded.
"Astute, Flint. That's because with how Cipher has been operating, it's nearly impossible to predict where they may strike next." Rose replied, though Professor Kukui raised a hand at that.
"We suspect Ula'ula Island is next on the chopping block. My buddy Molayne back in Alola thinks they're gonna use a Heatran to start messing with the island. We don't know the specifics, but we're trying to get an idea of the bigger picture." Kukui said to the group, with Rose nodding in response.
"If that's the case, then getting your League going should be your top priority. Cipher is still establishing itself in Alola, and the Pokémon League will be completed well before then. And perhaps we'll have even nipped that problem in the bud." Steven Stone said with a nod. "Any idea who you want to be your Champion?"
"Not yet, but there's a few up-and-coming Trainers I've got my eye on." Kukui said with a grin, giving the Hoenn Champion a thumbs up.
"Worst case scenario, you might have to fill in as Champion until Alola has a proper one." Leon remarked, which made Kukui flinch.
"I'd rather not have it come to that. My time has long since passed. Alola needs fresh blood and a new perspective to carry it into the future! Oh yeah!" Kukui boomed, punching forward.
Chairman Rose smiled, nodding at Kukui. "Very well, Professor. Please keep us updated."
Kukui nodded, though his smile faded as he cast a glance over at Nanu, who looked bored. "Of course. Though, things might go quicker if certain people stopped being stubborn and just did what was best for the region...Nanu, what do you think?"
"Kukui, I respect you as my friend, but I cordially invite you to suck my left testicle."
"Language, please!" Rose chided them as Diantha and Wallace burst into giggles. Even Red broke into a smirk for a moment before his stony expression returned a moment later.
"Come on, cousin! You'd be perfect for the Elite Four!"
"I'd rather drink a gallon of bleach. Pass."
"Enough!" Oleana shouted, catching everyone's attention and making the room go silent. Oleana offered the room a small smile before nodding to Chairman Rose, who was still standing.
"Friends, in this, we have to stand united and do what's best for not just our regions, but the world. We have to prove Borlath wrong." Rose said as he cast his glance towards the ground.
"The Pokémon League is the leadership the world looks to when evil rises. If we cannot face this threat, then we do not deserve to exist. So by that end we have to fight together. Because someone with an ideal as powerful as Borlath will not be easy to defeat. He's perhaps the deadliest foe our world has encountered." Rose continued, gesturing to all of them.
"I have seen his actions and from what I know of the man, he was compelled to act in this manner, resurrecting the fallen Cipher until it was a group of considerable might. Why would he do this, if he already had plenty of wealth and power? Something else drives him. Drives him to change the Pokémon League and establish Cipher as the protectors of the world, whether we want them to or not." Rose shut his eyes then, a small laugh escaping him. "I feel like I understand Ashton Aupuni better than most. I too, know what it's like to take the road less traveled for the benefit of others. To make that sacrifice for a noble ideal."
At this point everyone was hanging on the Chairman's every word, though some like Steven and Lance were looking at the man with confusion. Oleana watched Rose speak with barely concealed admiration. Nanu stared at the man with narrowed eyes.
"However...we must stop him. And to do so we must focus our efforts here and now." Rose turned to N and Nate, his expression serious as he sat down. "Now, what's the situation in Unova. From the top."
"We've seen Cipher pulling out the Unova region almost completely. Neo Team Plasma is losing ground on all fronts, so we can only expect some kind of attack. This goes completely what we know about Borlath's objectives for the region. He's planning something big." Nate said as as N nodded beside him.
"It's definitely been great for morale, but it's worrying. Cipher's presence in Unova has been the sole reason it's been so difficult to fight back. Without them it's more of a fair fight." N agreed, which made Diantha sigh deeply. Lance began to talk with the two Unovans about enemy movement in the region, but Chairman Rose tuned the Champion out for a moment to reflect.
"Yes, Ashton Aupuni...I understand you more than the others. I too know what it's like to channel your ambition towards a righteous goal, even if it may not be the easy thing to do. Crushing all of the evil in the world with evil itself...Is that not so different from my own goals? Doing so not of a desire to gain something, but to better the world for everyone else?" Rose thought, his smile becoming more somber as the others discussed plans of action in their regions.
"No...Not so much. But for the sake of Galar, I will crush you and your dreams, Borlath. I will crush them until they are nothing but ashes scattered to the winds."
Meanwhile…
Aether Paradise
Dawson yawned as he continued to walk along the corridor, with his partner Robertson walking alongside him. The older man whistled softly as they continued their patrol, with Dawson noticing a window up ahead.
"Hold on a sec, I wanna do something." Dawson said to Robertson, who looked confused for a moment. Dawson walked to the window and opened it, leaning out of it. The night ocean air rushed past him, making him grin. He looked down and saw a long drop awaited him if he fell out of the window.
"Alright, I'm good." Dawson said as he leaned back into the corridor. Robertson nodded and made a move to close the door, but was stopped when a figure cloaked in black and red suddenly teleported beside them, a large Claydol floating beside them.
Mask lunged at Robertson, jamming a serrated knife into the man's chest and yanking upwards as he pressed a hand against the man's mouth. Robertson struggled for a moment before going limp as Dawson stared at the man in horror.
"Holy shit...don't scare me like that!" Dawson hissed as Mask shrugged, with his trusty Claydol humming beside him. Mask drew out a knife from his cloak and pressed it closed to Dawson's neck, pinning him against the wall.
"Remember...Don't blow your cover." Mask reminded Dawson, who scowled at the man. Dawson glanced down at the body of Robertson and sighed.
"You didn't need to kill him." Dawson muttered to Mask, who scoffed in his ear.
"I'd apologize, but that takes way too much effort and I'm in a bit of a hurry. After all, the cameras are watching…" Mask said as he glanced into a nearby camera. "Now, take me to the target. We've got ten minutes at best."
Mask called out his Shadow Rampardos and looked at his Claydol. "I need a distraction. Command this one from afar and don't be seen. Keep him in check and keep me updated."
The Claydol hummed in response, grabbing Shadow Rampardos' Poké Ball with its powers and leading the beast down another hallway.
"In thirty seconds we move." Mask instructed Dawson, who rolled his eyes. After thirty seconds had passed, a faint explosion could be heard down one of the hallways. Mask began to walk with Dawson back to the main hub of the Aether Paradise on the ground level of the facility. Most of the personnel were upstairs, trying to figure out why a Shadow Rampardos was wreaking havoc and attacking them. This made it easy for the two Cipher Admins to get to the lift, where Dawson used his ID to take the lift down into the labs.
"I just got Lab access yesterday so that I can help Faba with his testing procedures. It's some twisted shit, let me tell you." Dawson said quietly as Mask chuckled in response.
"It's a good thing you're a people person, Dawson. Gaining the trust of Branch Chief Faba in a little over a week of being here takes some doing. He's a notoriously stubborn man." Mask complimented Dawson, who rolled his eyes.
"But incredibly vain. All I had to do is suck up to him and gush about his findings. He keeps a squad of APT members nearby in case any of his experiments get out of hand. The second I got the necessary clearance I called for you." Dawson explained as Mask laughed again.
"It's a shame we started this after just a week or so of you being here. I imagine you could have gotten us into that mansion of Lusamine's with enough time. I can't even begin to think about what wonderful secrets she has hiding in there." Mask remarked as Dawson frowned, fighting the urge to shake his head.
"President Lusamine is a trickier goal. Keep in mind I'm still really low on the totem pole. Just because Wicke and Faba like me doesn't mean I'll be able to get close to her."
"True. It's incredible what a few changes to your appearance can do. Borlath can change his eye color at will, which throws people off. Amber has used disguises for years to infiltrate places and accomplish the will of Cipher. I myself have my mask and...well, I have my mask." Dawson raised an eyebrow at the odd pause, but Mask continued. "And you've disguised yourself a few times yourself. I'm surprised no one has caught on."
"I'm decent enough at changing my voice, and combine that with the wardrobe change and appearance changes and no one suspected a thing. No one would guess a Cipher Admin would take a grunt job at a place like Aether." Dawson retorted, with Mask not responding right away. Finally the elevator hit the ground level, with two APT members standing at the base of the elevator in surprise.
"Knight! What's going on?" one of the men shouted, reaching for a Poké Ball to try and aid the Cipher Admin being held at knifepoint.
"One wrong move and I'm giving him an extra hole to breathe out of." Mask warned the man, who faltered slightly. That was all the time Mask needed to draw a sidearm from within his cloak and fire it at the man. To their surprise, a dart shot out of the gun and struck the APT member in the neck, making him stagger back.
"What in theoo...weeee...AAAAGHHH!" the man screamed as bright green veins bloomed against his skin, with the man beginning to claw as his face hard enough to draw blood. The other APT member looked at his coworker in alarm, which was enough time for Mask to shoot him as well. Both men dropped to the ground, writhing and screaming while Mask chuckled.
"Who needs bullets when deadly toxins are just as fun?" Mask asked as Dawson scowled, the knife pressing lightly into his throat.
"Secret Lab A. Dead ahead." Dawson muttered as the two of them began to walk forward, with Mask humming after a moment.
"We need to hurry. President Lusamine is organizing her employees quicker than I would've liked. We have maybe five minutes before we have company." Mask said as Dawson swiped his keycard, allowing them to enter another corridor.
"Last one down at the end-" Dawson muttered as two Aether scientists yelled out in surprise, with Mask calling out his Cloyster.
"Icicle Cannon. Go for the kill." Mask instructed his Pokémon, who grinned evilly before she unleashed her attack on the two men. Both reached for their Poké Balls but were cut down in moments as Mask continued to lead Dawson forward, passing over the men's bleeding bodies as they struggled to move. Closyter floated beside them, smirking all the while. Dawson opened the door at the end of the corridor and it opened with a hiss, revealing Cipher's target.
Shadow Celebl floated peacefully with the newly constructed Aether Purify Chamber. The device was a large platform hooked up to various machines that hummed within the otherwise silent room. It was odd to see the Shadow Pokémon floating there with almost nothing separating it from them aside from a glass-like tube.
"Target acquired." Mask laughed, throwing Dawson forward as he pointed at the security camera and said, "Disable those."
Cloyster fired off a jet of water, blasting apart the two security cameras in the room as Mask strode over to the Purify Chamber, sighing in annoyance as he pulled at the door that wouldn't open.
"Dawson, please tell me you have the clearance to open that."
"Nope. That's something only Lusamine or Faba can open. I warned you about this earlier." Dawson scoffed as Mask looked at him. Mask growled and pulled out another handgun, though this one looked rather old-fashioned. Definitely not something made by Aupuni Industries or one of Borlath's other businesses.
"Stand back. This'll be loud." Mask warned as he pressed the gun against the glass tube and pulled the trigger. Dawson covered his ears, but even then winced as a deafening blast of sound erupted from the handgun and shattered most of the glass surrounding Celebi, causing the Pokémon to stir slightly. Mask laughed as he strode up to the Shadow Pokémon, which made Dawson feel a thrill of nervousness.
"We never did discuss how we were getting Shadow Celebi back to HQ." Dawson said as he stepped forward, only for Cloyster to suddenly float in front of him and knock him to the ground.
"Borlath wants Shadow Celebi returned to him alive. I have a more practical plan in place." Mask said as he pulled out a syringe filled with bright purple fluid out of his cloak, it's needle glinting in the light.
"What are you doing!?" Dawson demanded as Mask glanced at him, shrugging.
"What I always do! Ruin the lives of others so that my own may continue." Mask responded before whirling around, plunging the needle of the syringe into Shadow Celebi's chest and pressing down on the plunger.
The effect was immediate, with Shadow Celebi's eyes opening wide. The Time Travel Pokémon let out a scream of pain as it flew backwards, thrashing in midair as its shadowy aura exploded outwards, with strange crimson veins spreading throughout its body from its chest. Dawson watched in horror as the Mythical Pokémon shrieked in pain, dropping to the ground weakly as it shuddered violently.
"Aww...Does it hurt?" Mask asked the creature mockingly as it looked up at the masked man, confused as its eyes became clouded. Shadow Celebi let out a soft groan before its head hit the floor. A few moments later it was dead.
"You insane bastard! Borlath wanted it alive! Why'd you have to go and kill it?!" Dawson demanded, wishing he had Justice right now. He had to leave it behind in his quarters, but after this he would see about carrying it on his person in some secret manner. Mask didn't respond, instead placing a hand on the corpse of Celebi and muttering something under his breath. Dawson couldn't quite understand the language he was speaking, but it almost sounded like a prayer of some kind.
Mask rose to his feet as an alarm suddenly sounded, with the man glancing at the machine beside him and then to the various terminals scattered around. Dawson slowly got to his feet, glaring down Mask as he approached.
"Tch. Not enough time to destroy every trace of this thing. We'll have to come back to finish the job." Mask growled as he grabbed Dawson around the neck and led him into the hallway, where four APT members and Branch Chief Faba stood in between Mask and freedom. As if on cue, Mask's Claydol and a Shadow Rampardos teleported right in front of them.
"Knight! Stay calm! We'll get you out of this!" Faba assured Dawson, scowling at Mask. The Cipher Admin chuckled, snapping his fingers as he returned his Cloyster. Shadow Rampardos lunged forward, its shadowy aura flaring as it charged down the Aether Foundation members.
"Stop them! We can't let that masked freak continue to wreak havoc!" Faba ordered the APT members as they called out a Blastoise, Leafeon, Hitmonchan and Raboot. Claydol hummed beside Mask and vanished, reappearing behind the Aether personnel and firing off a Hyper Beam as Faba called out his Hypno, who created a barrier to shield against the attack. However, this caused the group to get hit by the Shadow Smash that shattered the barrier and sent the group flying apart.
"Come on, gentlemen! Entertain me! Or should I tear you apart right now?" Mask asked as Dawson sighed within his grasp, the blade still pressed against his neck.
Faba snarled in sheer fury, brushing past the APT members as he threw out his hand. His Hypno suddenly teleported, reappearing in midair and hurling a Shadow Ball at Claydol. The Clay Doll Pokémon teleported to dodge, retaliating with a Psybeam that Hypno dodged with a Teleport of its own.
"Simmons! Redfield! I distract, you attack!" Faba ordered two of the men, who nodded and called out orders.
"Hydro Pump!"
"Leaf Storm!"
Mask laughed as the two high-powered attacks rushed towards him and his Rampardos, only for Claydol to appear in front of them and throw up a Protect as both attacks smashed into it. Faba grinned as his Hypno reappeared behind Mask and threw a Shadow Ball at the barrier, shattering it.
"Shit!" Dawson yelled as water and leaves pelted all of them, with Rampardos roaring in pain as Claydol teleported again with a groan. Mask growled softly as he got to his feet, grabbing hold of Dawson's neck once again and jamming the blade hard against it, causing a trail of blood to drip down Dawson's neck. Faba faltered, seeing Dawson in such a position.
"What's the call, Branch Chief Faba? You're a smart man. Make your choice!" Mask laughed as he thrust a hand forward. Shadow Rampardos lunged forward, only for Hitmonchan and Raboot to leap at the massive dinosaur Pokémon, sending it staggering back with a barrage of attacks. Meanwhile Faba's mind was racing.
"What to do...I refuse to let one of our employees be hurt by that psychopath. Hypno, get Knight away from that man! That way we can destroy this fool!" Faba ordered his Hypno as it watched from the shadows. Claydol fired off several Psybeams at the crowd of Pokémon, fending them off as Shadow Rampardos attempted to smash them apart.
Mask allowed himself a hidden smile, enjoying the carnage he was causing. The only bit of annoyance was Dawson, protesting quietly in his arms. However, he was surprised when a sudden Shadow Ball flew from behind them and struck Claydol in the back of the head, stunning it. Mask whirled around in surprise, but Hypno was already gone, reappearing directly on top of Shadow Rampardos' head. Faba's ace Pokémon placed a hand against the head of the Shadow Pokémon, releasing a massive Psychic attack. Shadow Rampardos screamed as it was blasted backwards, with Faba grinning darkly.
Mask sidestepped to avoid the massive Pokémon as it crashed onto the ground beside him, unconscious. Mask returned Shadow Rampardos and cast a glance at Faba, who was glaring at him now with a look of loathing.
"Not too shabby, Branch Chief Faba. But can you withstand this?" Mask asked as he drew his sidearm, firing two darts at two of the APT members beside him, Both men screamed in agony, throwing themselves at one another as they attempted to beat the other to death. Faba stepped away from the two men with concern on his face.
"Just escape, you psychopath! You don't have to hurt them!" Dawson hissed under his breath, with Mask scoffing as he suddenly threw Dawson to the ground. Faba looked towards them, and his eyes went wide as Mask raised his dagger and plunged it into the back of Dawson.
"No!" Faba shouted as Dawson howled in pain, crimson pouring from his chest and back as the blade went through one side of him and out the other. Mask aimed his sidearm at Faba, who froze in horror. His Hypno, however, didn't.
Hypno threw the fighting APT members away from Faba and grabbed the Branch Chief, teleporting away as Faba let out a shout of protest. Mask chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.
"Smart Pokémon. I've accomplished the mission, so I guess the next thing to do is head out of here." Mask remarked, shrugging as he looked down at Dawson, twisting the knife that was buried inside of Dawson. The other Cipher Admin screamed in agony as the remaining APT members attempted to help, only to be blasted back by Claydol.
"You...you sick, t-twisted son of a bitch…" Dawson wheezed, trying to stem the flow of blood somehow. Mask chuckled, knowing the man would die down there. With that, Mask yanked out his blade and let Dawson drop onto the floor as more crimson fluid poured out of him.
"Sorry, Dawson...But I've got to make it look convincing, yeah?" Mask breathed before pointing at the Aether Protection Team members as they slowly rose to their feet.
Claydol's eyes glowed a harsh blue color and blasted the two stunned APT members and their Pokémon out of the hallway and into the main elevator room, where they hit the ground hard and remained still. Their Pokémon rose to their feet, but a Psybeam each from Claydol knocked them out.
"See you on the flip side!" Mask called as he walked past their unmoving forms, with Dawson glaring at the man's retreating back before collapsing as the doors shut in front of him. Mask giggled, the sound coming out horribly through the mask as the Cipher Admin rose to the dock level of the facility, where a literal army was waiting for them.
President Lusamine glared down at Mask from the second level of the facility, her gaze cold with hate as the Aether Foundation below prepared for a fight. Meanwhile, Branch Chief Faba and a woman with purple hair grabbed hold of Faba's Hypno and teleported elsewhere.
"I don't know why Borlath thought it was a good idea to send you here, but if you think you're leaving here alive you're sadly mistaken." Lusamine said in a quiet voice, which carried strangely well in the silence of the large room.
"To be fair, if I asked for a tour of the Paradise you wouldn't have said yes." Mask remarked as Lusamine scowled, her fury on full display.
"Why are you here? What have you done, aside from destroying my property and killing my employees?" Lusamine demanded, earning a shrug from the mysterious man.
"Not much, actually. If it makes you feel better, Borlath wanted this all to be a more...subtle operation. No casualties. The poor bastard still considers you a dear friend, even if it's against his best interests." Mask shook his head, ignoring the crowd of personnel ready to kill him.
"Borlath is an idiot if he thinks we're friends after he ordered this treachery." Lusamine spat at Mask, who offered her a laugh in response.
"Borlath is someone who allows his heart to guide his actions. Even after all these years, that wretch is nothing more than an angry little boy. He still clings to his love for the family that abandoned him, and that's what holds him back from being truly powerful. It'll be his undoing. Just like it'll be yours, Lusamine." Mask said as he looked back up at the woman, who scoffed at him.
"You're surrounded on all sides and don't have anyone to back you up, or so it seems. You're quite arrogant if you think I'm allowing you to leave here with your life. The Aether Paradise has secrets that no one must know." Lusamine replied to Mask, who responded by pointing his knife at the woman and making the entire crowd of Aether employees stir.
"No, Lusamine...You're mistaken. Your little world is about to come crumbling down. I'm going to rip Alola apart at the fucking seams, and no one is going to survive. Not the Kahunas. Not the Captains. No one. You all turned your back on me...So I'm going to plunge the knife in nice and deep." Mask said as he threw apart his hands, with Claydol humming in agreement beside him.
"Call out Umbral Torkoal." Mask thought to Claydol, who obeyed by grabbing the darkened Poké Ball from within Mask's cloak, activating the device and calling out the Umbral Pokémon. The deformed Torkoal wheezed as Lusamine flinched at the sudden heat that suddenly filled the building. But Mask wasn't done.
"The best part is when I find your kids! I know they're both wandering Alola, out of your protective grasp! I wonder how they taste! The young ones always do have the most flavor!" Mask laughed as Lusamine's gaze became apoplectic.
"Kill him!" Lusamine screamed, leaning over the ledge as three APT members called out a trio of Herdier, which rushed at Umbral Torkoal. The Umbral Pokémon let out a groan as it spat out a streak of black flames, which smashed into two of the canines and downed them in a single hit. The third Herdier had the intelligence to leap into the air, though that didn't stop the Psybeam that struck it in the chest and sent it flying. Mask laughed as he pressed his foot against Umbral Torkoal and a hand against Claydol, teleporting on the spot.
"Where did he go!?" one of the APT members called, with the horde of employees looking around. They didn't have to wait long for an answer when they heard a laugh from above, right in front of Lusamine, where Mask was hanging onto the leg of Claydol while Umbral Torkoal floated in midair. Both teleported again, with Mask and Umbral Torkoal appearing at the edge of the docks.
"Come and get me!" Mask bellowed, throwing aside his hands theatrically. The horde of Aether employees began to call out Pokémon as they ran at him, which made Mask laugh softly as he rolled up his sleeve, revealing an ancient-looking Z-Ring.
"Alright, old friend...Remember what we're fighting for. Remember our anger. They turned their back on us and tried to hide away our legacy." Mask said aloud as he looked over at his Claydol, who hummed in response as Mask's Z-Ring began to glow white and gold.
"What's he doing?" Lusamine muttered as a string of attacks rushed towards Mask, only for Umbral Torkoal to summon a wall of purple flames to intercept the attacks. Lusamine's eyes widened as she saw the intense light coming from the man's Z-Ring.
"Everyone! Take him down, now! Stop him before he can finish what he's doing!" Lusamine shouted as Mask began to speak.
"Bask in the splendid light...of the one chosen to lead Alola into the future!" Mask bellowed as he thrust out his hand, his Z-Ring glowing brighter, with the material shifting from a white color to a jet-black color. The Z-Crystal embedded within the Z-Ring shifted from a purple color to a black gem with a pink center, almost like an eye.
A golden glow leapt into the eye-holes of the mask the Cipher Admin wore, just as a golden glow appeared in each of Claydol's eyes as it let out a haunting groan, floating ominously above Mask. Mask began to move erratically, moving his hands as if he was controlling a puppet. Lusamine recognized it as some sort of Z-Move and her mind filled with horror.
"This is just like what Guzma told me about...a strange power coming from a Z-Ring greater than anything he's ever seen. It gave him an incredible amount of strength. Enough strength to kill an opponent not even a Tapu could defeat." Lusamine thought as she fought to remain standing, fighting back the horror she felt as her loyal employees continued to try and get to Mask, with his Umbral Torkoal putting up quite the fight against her employees. Lusamine then realized what Mask was trying to do.
"GET BACK!" Lusamine screamed to the crowd of Aether employees, who began to back away as Mask hopped on top of his Claydol's head, standing tall as the Clay Doll Pokémon rose high into the air. With a yell, he threw apart his hands as a golden glow surrounded the two of them.
"And that future is one of death. Claydol, channel Psychic...And use Mind-Meld Mayhem!" Mask roared as he held his Z-Ring high into the air as his trusty Pokémon rose into the sky. All of the eyes on Claydol began to burn with a bright pink light. All the while, a brighter pink glow surrounded the head of Mask.
A moment later, chaos ensued as Cladol began to fire rings of energy from each of its eyes that glowed every color of the rainbow, though the alarming thing was that these rings soon filled the air and were growing in number with each passing second. Every single one of the rings floated in the sky almost aimlessly as they glowed erratically with some strange power. The Aether personnel watched the spectacle in horror, watching Mask as he began to raise his hands and laugh softly.
The Cipher Admin gently moved his hands through the air, as if he was a conductor before an orchestra. Each of the rings seemed to respond to his movements, surging off in a different direction and exploding violently as it connected with its target. Mask let out a sigh as he swung his hands downwards, causing dozens of the glowing rings to fall down upon the Aether Foundation as Lusamine screamed for everyone to seek cover.
Lusamine watched on in horror as Mask rained down destruction onto her personnel and the docks, knocking out dozens of Pokémon and people in a matter of seconds. The rings continued to fall even as Claydol made more of them appear, and soon the entire first and second floor of the Aether Paradise looked like it had been levelled by a bomb, with over a hundred people lying unmoving on the ground by the time the Z-Move had ended and Claydol was gently floating to the ground.
Mask stumbled off of the Pokémon, having to be caught by Claydol's psychic powers and gently set on the ground. Mask pressed a hand against Claydol, exhaling harshly through his mask
"Thank you, my friend. Now...let's look at the damage." Mask said as he wandered forward, returning Umbral Torkoal as he walked by the Pokémon. He noticed that, while it had taken a decent chunk of damage from the Aether Foundation, it was still raring to go. Mask turned his attention to Lusamine, who was glaring at him from behind a shimmering barrier beside her Milotic.
"You're going to pay dearly for this. Mark my words." Lusamine spat at the man, which made Mask only laugh at her.
"Come on, Lusa...You should know better than to throw the peanut gallery at me. So many unnecessary deaths! Mohn would be so disappointed!" Mask laughed as he kicked the lifeless body of the APT member, their corpse rolling slightly as Lusamine gripped the railing hard enough for her knuckles to go white. Mask reached up to his mask and tapped it, causing the mask to retract upwards. Mask's mouth was revealed, which allowed Lusamine to see that the man was grinning like a Sharpedo.
"I'll be back soon enough. Once I burn Alola to the ground, I'm coming for you, Lusa. But first, I'm going to come after those beautiful wide-eyed kids of yours. Gladion and Lillie...I'm going to kill them, nice and slow." Mask said quietly, his voice a croon to Lusamine. The Aether President's eyes were wide with terror.
"I...I know that voice." Lusamine whispered, taking a small step back. Her Milotic looked confused, looking back and forth between Lusamine and Mask as the man tapped his metallic mask, causing the bottom section of the thing to slide back into place with a click. Lusamine suddenly shouted, "You're not going anywhere near my babies!"
"Good! So you do remember me! Well, now you know that none of my threats are idle! I know where your darling children are right now, as we speak! It's just a matter of timing, my old friend. Once I've had my fun, I'm going to devour your entire fucking family!"Mask said jovially as he placed a hand against Claydol.
"How!? You're supposed to be dead!" Lusamine shouted, her fear and surprise giving way to anger.
"I should be dead. But I'm not. If anything else, I'm resilient. You can't kill your past, Lusa. Alola will learn that the hard way." Mask said to Lusamine, practically hearing the gears in her head working overtime to process this information.
"How could Ashton ally himself with you? After everything you've done?" Lusamine asked Mask, who shrugged carelessly.
"He doesn't know who I am. And if he did find out, it wouldn't matter. If he lays a hand on me, his precious little boy suffers." Mask said as Lusamine scowled at him.
"You won't dare lay a hand on another child! Not after everything you've done!" Lusamine shouted at Mask. The masked criminal simply waved at Lusamine before teleporting on the spot, leaving the President of the Aether Foundation standing alone as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. One thing was obvious, however.
A monster was on the loose in Alola. And none of them were safe.
Celadon City, Kanto Region
Cipher HQ
Mask and Claydol teleported into a hallway, where Mask collapsed onto the ground with a groan. Claydol gently picked up Mask and set him upright, but he swayed on his feet and leaned against the wall for support.
"I forgot how much that takes out of me...Combined with the fun I had earlier with my latest batch, and purging myself of the toxins before heading out to Aether Paradise...perhaps I pushed myself a bit too much." Mask murmured as he tried to regain his balance on two legs. Claydol groaned beside him, earning a shake of the head from its Trainer.
"I'll be fine, friend. I might need a lie-down after this one. I may be powerful, but this body does have its limits." Mask said as he pressed a hand against his Claydol, who hummed once again.
Mask was suddenly thrown backwards by a blast of force that wracked the hallway. The Cipher Admin flipped through the air, hitting the ground hard with a shout of pain as Claydol whirled around, preparing to attack. However two Shadow Balls hitting it directly in the face managed to knock out the Clay Doll Pokémon. Mask's Pokémon dropped to the ground in a smoking heap as the man glared down at the person responsible, her blue-green eyes staring down at him.
"So much for a warm welcome." Mask said as he slowly rose to his feet, his knees wobbling slightly as Amber smirked in amusement. Borlath grinned from behind Amber, with Damien growling softly at the man.
"I'm assuming that everything went as planned?" Borlath said to Mask, who chuckled as he leaned against the wall.
"Not quite. Had to fight off the Aether Foundation on my way out. Oh, and instead of capturing Shadow Celebi, I killed it." Mask remarked, making Borlath's eyes widen in surprise before they narrowed in anger, his eyes burning red.
"I told you explicitly to bring it back here! What on earth possessed you to kill her?" Borlath snarled at the man, who simply laughed in response.
"Because I didn't want to chance the enemy being able to harness Celebi's power. But I also don't want you to have that power either." Mask said to an increasingly irate Borlath. The Grand Master of Cipher looked at Amber, who was still aiming her pistol at Mask.
"Rip that mask off. No more secrets." Borlath instructed Amber, who strode forward and kicked Mask to the ground with a shout of pain. Mask laughed as Amber stepped down on his chest, reaching towards his mask.
"Don't try and rip it off. If you were so interested in seeing who I really am, then why didn't you just say so?" Mask said as he reached up and tapped the sides of his mask, which retracted enough to reveal the man's mouth. Amber grabbed the man's mask and yanked it off. Mask fell back to the ground with a grunt as Amber held the man's mask up, seeing that it was attached to a balaclava-like piece of clothing. Amber looked down at the man that was Mask and saw that she didn't recognize him at all.
Amber turned to Borlath, opening her mouth to speak, but saw that Borlath's face had gone pale and that his eyes were sheer white with fear, with the man looking as if he had seen a ghost.
"Borlath? What's wrong, do you know this man?" Amber asked, turning her attention back to Mask, taking in the man's face for a few moments.
Mask was a man that was likely in his late fifties or early sixties. He was bald, with a strange spiral tattoo emblazoned in red ink on the left side of his head. His face was marred by several horrific burns that had long since healed, but still disfigured him somewhat. His orange eyes seemed unusually bright in the light of the hallway, his smile twisted and cruel.
"It's you. How...h-how did…?" Borlath rasped, his voice filled with genuine horror. Mask...or rather, the man known as Mask, let out a bark of laughter.
"Hello, little monarch. Did you miss me?" Roran Rubinara asked as he flourished his arms, staring into the pure white eyes of the Cipher Master, his own orange orbs glimmering with malice. The former Kahuna laughed as Amber jammed her pistol into the man's head, while Borlath continued to back away from Roran.
The man who had darkened his world forever had come back.
And there we have it! Some guessed it, but the truth has been revealed! Mask is actually the former Kahuna of Ula'ula Island, Roran Rubinara. And boy, does he have one hell of an axe to grind with Lusamine and...well, Alola as a whole, huh?
How did this happen? How will Aether respond to Roran's attack? And what will the Pokémon League do in response to Cipher's recent actions? The next few chapters are gonna come at you hard and fast with all sorts of excitement, so stay tuned!
Q & A
From: SolanaLeonhart
About Dawson, I don't get how he infiltrated the Aether company. After what happened in Royal avenue I thought people would know about him. Why do this anyway? Is Ashton keeping an eye on Lusamine or something?
Borlath created a fake identity for Dawson so he could slip into the ranks of the Aether Foundation, and no one recognizes him because Dawson modified his appearance. As for the why, that's now kind of obvious. Borlath wanted to get at Celebi, though Mask took things a bit further and killed her rather than capture her.
From: OragonKing
1)Why did you withhold about Borlath and his Dad being the same?
2)Was Penelope one of the Pokémon Borlath sacrificed? How will Sun react when he learned what his Dad did to his other Pokémon, who's Sun is all familiar with.
3)Sun should tell the other Captains of what transpired with his Grandparents and how they got away with it. Only the young generation has the power to change Alola, and the Kahuna's will help too.
1. Because giving away the later plot that early in the story would have been boring. This story is really long, why would I give away the intrigue so early?
2. Yes, and I'm just gonna say this. Not well.
3. And in a perfect world, he'd get his comeuppance at the hand of the law. But politics are a bitch and Alola is no exception.
From: sceptilezeno
Now I don't have any questions yet regarding the story as I wait in excitement for the next chapter, but what is your favorite legendary and why?
(mine is a tie between Deoxys, Zygarde and Palkia)
Lugia, hands down. Mainly because of the "Power of One" movie, which is my favorite Pokemon movie and I just thought Lugia was really cool in it. That hasn't changed.
Giratina is a close second though. It's concept and design is just so damn cool, along with the fact that I vividly remember stumbling upon it in the post-game of Pearl and being scared out of my mind by suddenly finding this demon dragon thing in this random cave. It's a memory that's stuck with me.
That's all for now, everyone. I'm gonna focus on getting as much writing done as I can so there's not as much of a delay in between chapters this time.
As always, please be sure to leave a review in the section below if you enjoyed. Your feedback is super important and helps this story continue to grow. If you haven't already, you should favorite and/or follow the story so you can stay updated. I also answer questions in the review section below and I even have a Discord for the story. PM for a link to join the conversation!
Take care and stay awesome everyone. This shit is scary, so be safe and be smart, alright?
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
