Pokémon Radiant Sun
Howdy and welcome back to Radiant Sun!
I hope you all have been doing well. I had a pretty awesome vacation all things considered, and I'm ready to hop back into the saddle and get back to work on the story. Did some fantastic brainstorming while I was away, and got some interesting Collab stuff worked on too.
I'll keep this AN short and sweet, much like this chapter. I'm hoping to keep these chapters on the shorter side from here on out, barring some exceptionally important chapters down the road and other large battles. But considering my track record for that in the past…well, we'll see.
Shoutout to the amazing people who reviewed since the last update, which includes Baitro334, SolanaLeonhart, ConnivingG, Ways, Augar, Oragonking and a new reviewer that goes by fonte20nit.
Enjoy.
Chapter 137: Punishment and Crimes
The coming days were a complicated mess for the world as it struggled to move on from the actions of Cipher and the power vacuum that they left behind.
While Cipher as a whole was stopped completely in the Alola region, some of the remnants certainly tried to steal any semblance of power that remained from the infamous criminal organization for their own ends. These groups were swiftly put down by the Pokémon League, but not before they could do some damage on whatever city they happened to be in. Pewter City, Lavender Town and Cinnabar Island all suffered damages as a result of battling Cipher's remaining forces before the final flames of Cipher were snuffed out.
Several fledgling criminal organizations (and even some that weren't criminal) seemed eager to move into the vacuum that Cipher's defeat had left open, but the International Police and the Pokémon League were more vigilant than ever and put down several groups with extreme prejudice. Ironically enough, Cipher's actions had highlighted many places where the regions were lax in security, and so the Pokémon League silently approved a slew of changes to help contain the chaos in the fallout of Cipher.
Most of those changes had, in fact, been things suggested by a certain ex-Champion gone rogue beforehand, but better late than never.
Speaking of Borlath, while the details of Ashton Aupuni's punishment had not been made public information due to some concern about the Tapu, the fact that the man had been cruelly punished by his own Gods mollified many people. The Tapu were held in such high regard by Alolans that the mere act of them sparing the man's life meant that he had been chosen to atone by the gods. While not everyone was satisfied by the fact that Borlath would not be killed for his crimes or sent to another region to face judgment, some took comfort in the fact that he was finally brought down.
However, to the surprise of many, soon Ashton Aupuni found himself a small nucleus of support three days after the fall of Cipher, when Councilman Palena released a particular report to Adrian Battlestorm, giving an exclusive interview regarding the Alolan Regional Council…and their crimes.
The interview and evidence provided by Palena was damning and irrefutable. Adrian Battlestorm was scathing in his report as he went into detail about the sort of things that had been brushed aside and buried for decades by those who had been trusted to lead Alola alongside the Kahunas and Tapu, most of these crimes tying into the Council's dealings with Roran Rubinara.
When the infamous Kahuna's crimes of illegal trafficking of drugs, people and Pokémon had been revealed by Agent Jackal's efforts years before, the Alolan Regional Council managed to not only force Jackal into retirement and disgrace but also attempted to scrub Roran's legacy from history (which in turn was why the mad Kahuna recently slaughtered and crippled almost all of them in the attack on Malie City). But as for the reason why they attempted to erase Roran from history and attack the reputation of the brave officer who helped bring him down, it was because they benefited directly from Roran's crimes and wanted to keep it hidden.
Roran Rubinara's crimes had been not only tolerated by the Alolan Regional Council, but they were also some of Roran's best customers. Many of Roran's imports and exports were sold and bought straight from the Council directly in secret. This included the selling of children and Pokémon not suited for the Alolan climate (these Pokémon often died due to poor treatment in environments where they couldn't adjust). Many other scandals had been suppressed and hidden away thanks to the efforts of the Alolan Regional Council…with the worst of them being the bombshell regarding the late Ano Aupuni.
Ano Aupuni had been a celebrated leader and renowned Councilman who stepped away from politics due to his declining health (and sanity). The Aupuni name was a revered one that went back centuries, and despite the family's reversal of fortunes of the years it still held value in Alola.
Until now.
The Aupuni name was now tarnished forever by the crimes of Ashton Aupuni and his father. The report on Ano was delivered by Adrian Battlestorm on national TV in a cold, furious voice to a shocked Alola region. The report would then go worldwide, and soon the entire world knew the truth.
Ano Aupuni had been one of those favored customers of Roran Rubinara on the Alolan Regional Council. But worse still were several uncovered reports of Ano Aupuni that revealed that he was also a known child predator whose victims were each known by the Council and actively suppressed for the sake of the man's career. The children harmed by Ano numbered over fifty cases of sexual assault or worse, all merrily covered up by the Alolan Regional Council to protect the man who had led many of them for decades.
One of Ano's victims was his own son, Ashton Aupuni...who was beaten, branded, and horrifically abused as a child and then left to die at the cruel hands of the Island Challenge and his father's cruelty the day he turned 11.
This revelation sent shockwaves throughout the Alola region, especially those connected to the Alolan Regional Council and those on the less important councils for each island respectively. The outrage amongst the many communities in Alola overwhelming, especially when Adrian Battlestorm pleaded for those harmed by the Council to come forward with their stories. Slowly, some of those survivors came forward, and in the coming days more and more brave voices joined together to be heard by Alola.
By the end of the week, those surviving members of the Alolan Regional Council were informed that they would be brought in for questioning by a livid Nanu, who wanted them all dragged to jail in chains for the rest of their miserable lives. The Captains and Kahunas demanded for the entire Council to be dissolved entirely and replaced with something new, which Council Palena wholeheartedly supported. Surprisingly, Councilman Palena was somewhat praised by some for coming forward and admitting his ignorance and role in these crimes. He also swore to step down should that be what Alola wanted him to do.
While Alola struggled with the fallout of losing its primary form of government, it was also reeling from the fall of Cipher in the first place. Sunshine Smiles, son of Ashton Aupuni and hero of the region, became a celebrity overnight. It helped that each of the Captains and Kahunas had nothing but praise for the boy who had saved them all.
Sun was interviewed several times by various news outlets alongside Hau and his friends from Unova, and politely talked to them about various topics including what happened onboard the Absolution. The boy stood by his decision to spare Borlath's life despite his crimes, explaining that violence never solves anything and that he got what he wanted out of the showdown with the Cipher Master.
Sun got his father back, ended Cipher's conquest, and helped Ashton face the consequences of his actions.
Alongside Sunshine Smiles, Aether President Lusamine Jardin was also basking in the limelight of Cipher's downfall. The Aether Foundation's help in the recovery efforts, as well as Branch Chief Elias Faba assisting in the takedown of Amber Fontaine, were praised internationally. Lusamine and Sun even did a joint-interview with Adrian Battlestorm together, where Sun thanked Lusamine for her help against Cipher and hugged her on camera. Lusamine was of course the perfect picture of a kind mother-like figure, complimenting Sun on his skill and for his decision to spare Borlath despite having him completely at his mercy.
The Aether Foundation was given permission by both the Pokémon League and the Alolan Regional Council (before their crimes were uncovered) to take custody of the Absolution and all of Cipher's assets for study and containment. This was due to the fact that nowhere else in Alola would be able to securely hold Cipher's weapons and research like the Aether Paradise, which any thief would be hard-pressed to infiltrate.
And so that brings us to two weeks after the downfall of Cipher, where we find ourselves back at the Pokémon Lab on Melemele Island. At the moment, there were issues of a different sort playing out for Sun and the rest of our heroes…one arguably just as terrifying as Borlath.
"Oliver, stop chasing him! He's had enough!" Sun shouted from the water, unsure whether he should be laughing or mad at his Partner.
"NEVER!" came the reply from the determined owl.
"I'm so sorry! Please leave me alone!" Kukui sobbed as he continued to sprint down the beach, his legs burning from the nearly twenty minutes of nonstop running he had already done. Meanwhile a very happy Decidueye chased him from the air with a maniacal laugh, enjoying his new form to the absolute fullest as he swooped through the air as a literal specter of doom.
It had all started that morning when Sun had come by Kukui's lab to check on how he and Professor Burnet were doing with their recovery, bringing Lillie and his mother along for the ride. Thankfully both Professors were healing well enough, with Kukui even being cleared to exercise again so long as he was careful.
When Burnet told the kids to go out and enjoy the beautiful day outside, even suggesting going for a swim, Sun had mentioned off-handedly that he actually didn't know how to swim. Kukui had mentioned that Poliwrath were expert swimmers, and that children who learn how to swim in Alola usually imitated the way Poliwrath swam through the water.
The issue came about when Kukui mentioned how much he was looking forward to exercising again.
Kukui had only stepped outside for about five seconds before a massive shadow had loomed overhead and a large owl landed on the ground behind him, a demented giggle emitting from the creature as Kukui shivered visibly in fear.
"Let's get you that exercise, hmm?" Oliver had said in a deathly quiet tone of pure maliciousness that made Kukui wish he was four regions away from his current location.
And so the chase began.
"I guess we don't need to worry about Kukui losing a step." Laura remarked with a sense of awe and amusement as the Professor effortlessly jumped over a large rock and continued to sprint without any loss of forward momentum.
"He's always been in fantastic shape." Burnet remarked, smirking as her husband continued to run for his life. She was also shamelessly staring at her husband's butt the entire time. "I was worried after our injuries he'd have to cut back on his research until he fully healed, but it seems like I was worrying over nothing."
"Professor Kukui may be a goofball, but he's really strong." Lillie chimed in, taking a sip of her lemonade as Nebby dozed in her lap. She chanced a glance at Sun in the water, where he was back to talking with Finn. The girl smiled a little before she caught herself and looked away.
"THIS IS THE WORST LEG DAY EVER!" Kukui bellowed, dodging a Leafage much to Oliver's annoyance even as Kukui's Braviary watched on from the roof of the lab with a horrified expression. It knew that it should go after Oliver and protect its Trainer…but that Decidueye was terrifying. So he decided that it was safer to do nothing.
"You'd think he'd realize that if he hid in the house and locked the door, Oliver probably wouldn't follow him." Burnet mused with a smirk, watching her husband flee the maniacal owl. "Oliver loves to cause a ruckus, but he also respects Sun too much to cause damage to private property. My husband would be safe if he just hid in a closet somewhere in the lab."
"I don't exactly see you in a hurry to explain that fact to him." Laura pointed out, causing the scientist to giggle.
"Well, maybe I just like watching my husband squirm." Burnet responded, earning a crooked eyebrow from Laura.
"And you people call me sadistic." Laura muttered, taking a sip of her lemonade while Burnet snorted in amusement.
"Laura, you chased Hala down halfway across the island and crushed his balls. Even Tapu Koko didn't want any part of that." Burnet pointed out, causing Laura to grin.
"I'LL NEVER TALK CRAP ABOUT YOU AGAIN! I PROMISE!"
As the Decidueye soared through the air, he passed by a very amused Toucannon. Oliver shot Penny a grin as he flew past her, causing her to laugh despite Oliver's immature antics. Nearby Alastor watched the massive owl soar through the air and grit his teeth in anger, clenching his fists before sighing deeply, attempting to calm himself before turning away and returning to the tall grass to battle more under-leveled Pokémon.
The Decidueye had flourished ever since his long-awaited evolution, with most of the issues he had been having as a Dartrix vanishing upon reaching his final form. With the change came the return of Oliver's confidence, tempered by both experience and the cool demeanor his form gave him. With the extra training that Sun had put the owl through to help him adjust to the changes, the Decidueye was in peak-fighting condition and was once again able to retake his position as head of the team, regaining the ground he had lost in the past few months in a matter of days…much to the growing frustration of Alastor.
The Alolan Golem may have followed Sun's instructions during the showdown with his father and worked together with the team, the Megaton Pokémon's attitude didn't change in the days following like Sun had hoped. If anything, he was getting more and more antsy with each passing day due to Oliver's continued growth and progress as a Decidueye.
While Sun hoped that their cooperation during the battle against Borlath would have brought them together somewhat, it seemed that particular hope was in vain, since there was just too much bad blood between Alastor and Oliver. Even if Oliver seemed to treat Alastor with more indifference than scorn, it still didn't help matters.
"It's so good to see him act like himself again." Penny remarked to no one in particular, ruffling her feathers and simply watching her closest friend enjoy himself terrifying Kukui.
All the while trying not to stare at Oliver too much…she had her pride after all.
And so the Toucannon watched as Kukui ducked under a tree and vaulted over Brago and Winter, clearing both dozing Pokémon and calling out his Lycanroc and ordering it to use Stone Edge. Oliver cast a Protect to shield himself from the attacks, grinning maliciously before he fired off several shadowy arrows that exploded beside Lycanroc, tethering him to the ground.
"WHY WON'T YOU PEOPLE HELP ME!?" Kukui bellowed to the crowd of observers who seemed to watch on with a sense of detached awe, especially when Oliver's evil laughs intensified in volume.
"Should we be worried?" Winter asked Brago, opening a single eye as Kukui's Lycanroc tried and failed to stop Oliver, who knocked him out with a Razor Leaf. The Decidueye soared past the unconscious rock wolf as Kukui sprinted in a serpentine movement.
"I wouldn't be. Oliver's just working out some of his issues. Besides, from what I hear, that man deserves a little bit of grief." Brago responded, not even opening his eyes but instead nuzzling his mate gently with his head. The pregnant Alolan Ninetales hummed in delight and returned the gesture, and the couple fell back asleep under the shade.
Meanwhile, the rest of Sun's team watched in bemusement from the beach. Sun himself was currently in the water getting swimming lessons from Finn, and while he was improving, the boy was exhausted.
"There you go, buddy! You're getting it!" Finn boomed approvingly as Sun kicked his feet and moved his arms through the deeper waters, even as Laura's Blastoise lazily floated in the water nearby. Sun ignored the voice of his Poliwrath and focused instead on staying above the water. He struggled a bit, but was managing swimming well enough that he was surprised.
"I can't believe I'm swimming! It's amaz-Gah!" Sun said as he accidentally breathed in water through his nose, causing him to choke on the water and stop swimming. Finn was beside him instantly, swiftly pulling Sun through the water and over to the shore. Oliver had noticed what had happened and had actually stopped chasing down Kukui.
"Sun, are you okay?" Laura asked, somewhat worried as her son coughed and sputtered. She had been wary of letting Sun learn how to swim from his own Pokémon, but since Finn was a Poliwrath, she decided to give it a try. The boy was learning quick, but that didn't mean he was a pro by any means.
"I'll…be okay…Just give me a, cough, second." Sun sputtered as Finn thumped him on the back several times. As soon as Sun remembered how to breath and stumbled to shore, Lillie was there to greet him with a concerned look and a towel.
"You're supposed to swim through the water, Sun. Not inhale it. That's what air is for." Oliver said very helpfully, earning a reproachful glare from his Trainer.
"I think that's enough swimming practice for the day, don't you?" Lillie asked as Sun toweled himself off, coughing the last bit of water out of his lungs before replying.
"Yeah, I'm worn out. Thanks for the help, Finn." Sun said gratefully to the Poliwrath, earning a booming laugh in response.
"Happy to help, buddy! We'll have you swimming like a champ in no time!" Finn said bracingly as Sun staggered back to the Pokémon Lab with Lillie following him.
"Feeling better?" Laura asked her son with an amused smile as he scowled at his mother.
"Somewhat…just give me a bit. I'll be okay." Sun muttered as he sat down on the steps, with Lillie following him with a little smile.
"It's been a long day for you, hasn't it?" Laura remarked, thinking back to the events of earlier in the day, when both children had paid Dr. Cabella a visit. The psychiatrist had, unsurprisingly, been swamped as of late due to an influx of new visitors who were traumatized by the recent events. However, he was more than happy to accommodate Sun and Lillie and allow them to talk to him about their feelings, issues and fears. Today was the fourth visit this week that they had made to Dr. Cabella, and Sun was still processing his feelings from his final battle with Ashton Aupuni and Damien. Sun and Lillie both were struggling to process a lot of the horrors they had endured during the battle against Cipher.
Sun had shared some of these thoughts with his mother, but Laura Smiles would always tell Sun that it was up to him to decide what exactly he wanted to do with those feelings. It was simply a part of growing up, in a way.
"Yeah, it's been a long day. At least we've got that hot-spring trip to look forward to in a few days." Sun remarked, grinning at Lillie as the girl clapped her hands excitedly.
Sun and Lillie may have been somewhat kidding when they mentioned to one another that they wanted to visit a hot spring on a date during the final battle with Borlath, and one day Lillie offhandedly mentioned the idea to Mallow and Lana. The latter of the two mentioned that the owner of a renowned hot spring and onsen on Akala Island owed her a favor and that she could probably get a large reservation booked there for free if she wanted to.
When asked by Mallow if the springs were communal, Lana blushed and responded that no they were not. Though apparently the two sides of the large spring were only divided by a wall, so the male side could actually speak to the female side if they wanted to.
"It pays to be friends with the Trial Captains." Sun remarked wryly, grinning with amusement as he finished toweling his hair.
"Get away from me!" Alastor suddenly snarled, and the group flinched as a cannon-like blast rang out, followed by cry of pain. Sun turned around to see the Alolan Golem hunched forward, aiming his back-cannon at Oliver who was clutching his wing with a pained expression. The owl retaliated by swinging his uninjured wing, slinging a wave of Razor Leaf at Alastor and causing him to snarl as the leaves sliced through his rocky body.
"I was just walking! Get over yourself!" Oliver hooted furiously, even as Penny suddenly landed in between the two of them.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that! I'll tear you apart! I'll destroy every last one of you!" Alastor roared back with an equal measure of anger.
"Stand down!" Penny screeched, levelling a harsh glare between Alastor and Oliver. The Decidueye stepped back and nodded, while Alastor charged up his cannon a second time and aimed it at Penny.
"You fire that thing at her, and there's nothing on these islands that'll stop the beating I'll unleash on you." Oliver said quietly, his tone harsh enough to make both Penny and Sun wince. Alastor's gaze narrowed, though a flash of amusement danced in his eyes.
"Not even our disgusting human owner?" Alastor remarked with a dark grin, which faltered when Oliver stepped forward and notched a single arrow, which began to burn with a sinister purple-colored energy.
"Hey, both of you! Stop it!" Sun shouted to the two Pokémon as they glared each other down. "What's going on?"
"I was walking over to Penny when all of a sudden this fool attacked me." Oliver said with a grimace, gesturing with his slightly singed wing. Alastor was unapologetic, crossing his arms while glowering at the large owl.
"We have an entire beach at our disposal, and you chose to walk by me." Alastor snarled back, earning a raised eyebrow from the boy.
"That's why you attacked him?" Sun asked with some surprise, thinking that was pretty out of character for the Golem. While he had returned to his typically antisocial and occasionally hostile self, this seemed like a pretty unreasonable reason to get angry at Oliver, as opposed to any of the other more logical reasons for Alastor to be angry at him.
Even if Oliver had evolved into his final form and matured as a Pokémon as a result…he'd always be kind of an asshole.
Such was life.
"KOKOKOKOKOOOOOO!"
Everyone went still at the fierce cry that erupted across the sky as a yellow streak burst out of the clouds. Sun grinned as Tapu Koko materialized out of the fiery yellow nimbus of lightning and flipped in midair, landing lightly on the ground in between Alastor and Oliver before emerging from its shell, letting out another harsh cry.
"Tapu Koko…" Kukui murmured as he walked towards the Guardian Deity of Melemele Island. It hadn't been seen since the Battle of Hau'oli City, as some had taken to calling the final stand of Cipher.
The Alolan God of Conflict turned to Kukui, acknowledging him with a slow nod before panning its gaze to all of them. Its wild eyes lingered on Lillie for a moment, as well as the Cosmog resting on her shoulder, before turning towards Sun and his Pokémon.
Oliver nodded and put away his arrow away, instead using Synthesis to heal the slight damage he had taken. Alastor growled angrily but sighed, moving backwards and straightening his back so that he wasn't aiming his cannon as his teammates any more. Penny fluttered closer over to Oliver's side, her angry gaze lingering on the Alolan Golem for a moment before returning to the Tapu that had come to visit.
"Koko…ko." The Tapu intoned, its strange chirping trill echoing across the clearing. It then jerked its head towards the nearby cliffs, causing Sun to frown as he tried to consider what the Tapu wanted.
"Do you want to talk with me in private?" Sun asked the Guardian Deity, who nodded before kicking off of the ground and soaring towards Route 1. Sun sighed and followed the Tapu, with Penny soaring off after her Trainer with Finn following on land.
After several minutes, Tapu Koko landed on the cliff's edge and watched the ocean as Sun slowly arrived behind it, huffing and puffing from the uphill climb. The boy caught his breath for a minute and then slowly approached the Tapu, who turned around to greet him with a light hum. Sun's Z-Ring began to glow, and with it Sun could hear the Tapu's voice speak to him from his armband.
"GREETINGS, MY CHILD. IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL DAYS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING. HOW DO YOU FARE?" Tapu Koko asked, its tone powerful and booming, unlike the last time it was when Sun spoke to the four Guardian Deities of Alola.
"Well enough. Just trying to unwind after that last battle. Spend some time with my family and friends." Sun responded, smiling at the God of Conflict as it offered him a nod of understanding.
"YES…IT IS GOOD YOU ARE NOT DWELLING ON THE CONFRONTATION YOU HAD A FEW SHORT DAYS AGO. A STRONG WARRIOR LEARNS FROM THE PAST, BUT DOES NOT DWELL ON IT." Tapu Koko said with approval, nodding its head.
"I mean, I can't say I'm not bothered by it. My friends got hurt. Some of my friends died…It's terrible. But I'm trying not to think about revenge. Or hurting other people or hating those who have already been punished. Amber is dead and my Dad was dealt with by the Tapu. I shouldn't let those feelings consume me." Sun said quietly, sighing after a moment. "It doesn't do any good, even if it hurts."
"I SEE…YES, I CAN SEE THE CONFLICT WITHIN YOUR MIND. YOU WARRING THOUGHTS. DESPITE YOUR ACT OF MERCY UPON YOUR FATHER, YOU STILL HARBOR SOME ANGER TOWARDS HIM." Tapu Koko noted, crossing its arms.
"How can I not still be mad at him? I understand him. I can see exactly how and why he went wrong, especially after that news report on the Alolan Regional Council and the crimes they concealed, I'm just…angry that he never talked to us about it. If he hadn't, maybe we would've been able to reach out to him. Help him, so that he could rely on us. Maybe all of this could have been avoided." Sun explained, his voice low as he struggled to contain his emotions. Penny nuzzled her Trainer's leg while Finn patted him on the side.
"It'll be okay, little buddy. The bad part is over now. We have to help each other get better, right?" Finn said gently, earning a small smile from the boy.
"IT DOES YOU NO GOOD TO CONSIDER WHAT-IFS, MY CHILD. FOCUS ON THE PRESENT. YOUR FRIENDS. YOUR TEAM. YOUR JOURNEY…THOSE ARE TANGIBLE AND WITHIN YOUR GRASP." Tapu Koko advised Sun, with the boy nodding slowly in understanding after a moment. It was then that the boy realized something odd.
"Why are you not using your telepathy to talk to me?" Sun asked, earning a snort of amusement from Tapu Koko.
"I DO NOT PERSONALLY HAVE THE SKILL. TAPU LELE DOES, HOWEVER, AND THE LAST TIME WE MET, US TAPU JOINED TOGETHER USING ITS POWERS. WHEN NOT UTILIZING TAPU LELE'S TELEPATHY, WE MUST RESORT TO THIS SPEECH. IT IS…A LIMITATION OF THE TAPU. SOME ARE STRONGER THAN OTHERS IN SOME WAYS BUT WEAKER in OTHERS." Tapu Koko explained, doing the human equivalent of shrugging. "IT IS SIMPLY THE WAY OF THINGS."
"I guess so…So why did you come here?" Sun asked, causing the God of Conflict to tilt its head. "It can't have just been because you were curious about how I was doing."
"YOU ARE CORRECT. WHILE WE TAPU HAVE BEEN MORE ACTIVE IN THE PAST SEVEN DAYS THAN WE HAVE BEEN IN CENTURIES, THIS WAS NOT A FRIVOLOUS VISIT, MY CHOSEN. I HAVE COME TO ASK YOU…WHERE WILL YOUR PATH GO NOW THAT YOUR FATHER HAS BEEN DEALT WITH?" Tapu Koko asked as it walked strangely towards him.
"My path? My path is going to be me relaxing until I feel like I'm ready to tackle that Ghost Trial again. Continue on my Island Challenge until I'm strong enough to beat anyone in Alola as the Island Challenge Champion. Maybe even challenge Professor Kukui's Pokémon League when it opens." Sun responded to Tapu of Melemele Island.
Tapu Koko hummed as regarded Sun's words, shutting its eyes for a moment as it considered them. "YOU WALK THE PATH OF THE WARRIOR, MY CHOSEN. YOU WILL NOT STOP FIGHTING SIMPLY BECAUSE YOUR FATHERS SCHEMES HAVE BEEN PUT TO AN END."
"Of course not. Dad was just the beginning. I want to be stronger…To protect people who can't protect themselves. I have to train harder, fight harder, for a world where people don't have to feel so bad…or be alone. No one deserves that." Sun responded quietly, causing the Alolan God of Conflict to nod in understanding.
"OF COURSE. THAT BEING SAID, YOU WILL WISH TO BE AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE FOR THE OTHER THREATS THAT WILL BE COMING AFTER THIS WORLD IN THE NEAR FUTURE." Tapu Koko responded, looking towards the ocean as a strange sigh escaped the creature.
"Wait, what other threats?" Sun asked, confused. Tapu Koko stared at the boy in response, and continued to look at him for several minutes before finally responding, its words slow and deliberate as he stared into the stormy eyes of the boy it had chosen to walk down this path.
"JUST BECAUSE THE GREAT DANGER OF ASHTON AUPUNI HAS PASSED…DOES NOT MEAN ALOLA IS NOT IN FURTHER DANGER." Tapu Koko warned Sun, looking towards the sky…and beyond. "THERE IS AN EVEN GREATER EVIL LURKING WITHIN THESE HALLOWED ISLANDS. ONE THAT WISHES ABSOLUTE DESTRUCTION UPON ALL THOSE WHO STAND IN THEIR WAY."
"What do you mean? What could be worse than my Dad? He wanted to reset time and undo the present." Sun asked the God of Conflict, who turned to Sun. The boy could sense that the Tapu was troubled.
"I CANNOT EXPLAIN. IT IS SIMPLY SOMETHING I KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT. SOMETHING DARK IS COMING. DARK, DARKER, YET DARKER THAN WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ENDURED. ONCE AGAIN, YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON, MY CHOSEN…THE QUESTION IS ARE YOU READY?"
"Always. No matter what's coming, I'll take them down and protect everyone." Sun said with a determined gleam in his eyes. "I want these islands to be peaceful. I'll safeguard our futures with everything I've got."
Tapu Koko laughed at that, making an odd chirping sound as it did so. "WELL SPOKEN, MY CHILD! YOU ARE INDEED WORTHY OF BEING MY CHOSEN."
"Your Chosen...Tapu Koko, what can you tell me about Radiance?" Sun asked, wondering if the God of Conflict had any insight on the power it had entrusted him with.
"THERE IS MUCH I CAN AND CANNOT SAY ABOUT IT…BUT THE POWER THAT YOU CALL 'RADIANCE' IS BUILT UPON THE CONNECTION YOU SHARE WITH BOTH THE TAPU OF ALOLA AND THAT OF YOUR PARTNERS IN BATTLE." Tapu Koko explained, humming softly to itself. "IT DRAWS UPON THE STRENGTH OF THE TRAINER THEMSELF, AND WHILE IT IS A POWERFUL FORCE, IT CAN HAVE CONSEQUENCES IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL WITH IT."
"That much is obvious. I can't imagine what kind of horrors I put my body through when I was battling Dad. Thankfully Tapu Lele healed everything." Sun remarked, receiving a nod from the Guardian Deity.
"INDEED. THE POWER SHOULD BE ONLY USED SPARINGLY AND CAREFULLY. A CARELESS MISTAKE COULD HARM SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT, OR HAVE DIRE EFFECTS ON YOUR BODY. EVEN AS ONE OF MY CHOSEN WHO CAN WIELD THIS POWER, YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM ITS AFTEREFFECTS."
"Chosen. What does that mean?" Sun asked Tapu Koko, who seemed to consider the question for a few moments before responding.
"IT MEANS THAT ABOVE ALL THOSE GIVEN A SPARKLING STONE BY MYSELF, I CONSIDER YOU TO BE THE ONE WHO I FEEL IS BEST-SUITED TO BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE OVER ALOLA. A TRAINER STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE TIDES AND FACE THEIR OWN SHADOWS, NO MATTER WHAT. THE TAPU EACH LOOK FOR SOMETHING WITHIN OUR CHOSEN, YOUNG ONE, AND ON THAT DAY YOU RISKED YOUR LIFE TO SAVE ANOTHER, I CHOSE YOU."
"When I saved Nebby on that first day in Alola. So you were watching that?" Sun asked the God of Conflict, receiving a nod in response.
"YOU HAVE PROVEN WORTHY OF BEING CHOSEN. EVEN AS WEAK AS YOU WERE THEN, YOU SELFLESSLY RISKED YOUR LIFE TO HELP ANOTHER. HENCE WHY YOU WERE ABLE TO HARNESS THE POWER OF RADIANCE. THE BOND BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR PARTNER IS STRONG AND BRIGHT, AND SO YOU CAN USE THE POWER OF THE BEYOND TO ITS FULLEST." Tapu Koko explained, bowing slightly towards Sun so he could look the boy in the eyes.
"Why could me and Oliver use Radiance against my father but not against Roran?" Sun asked, confused.
"I DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE, MY CHILD." Tapu Koko admitted, shaking its head as it returned to a standing position. "I SUSPECT IT IS BECAUSE YOUR BIRD CARRIED WITHIN HIM THE TAINTED POISON OF THOSE FROM BEYOND. THE STRANGE POWERS OF THOSE CREATURES DO NOT MIX WELL WITH HUMAN NOR POKEMON. I REMEMBER THAT MUCH FROM MY ENCOUNTERS WITH THOSE CREATURES."
"The venom from the Ultra Beast…But Branch Chief Faba purged a lot of that venom out of Oliver. Didn't he?" Sun asked.
"PERHAPS. I COULD SENSE THE POISON WITHIN HIM DURING YOUR BATTLE. THE POISON HAS BEEN KNOWN TO DRIVE SOME TO MADNESS AND STUNT GROWTH." Tapu Koko supplied, its voice growing soft. "MORE THAN THAT I CANNOT SAY…MY MEMORIES ARE HAZY AND UNCLEAR."
Sun thought about it for a moment and realized that what the Tapu said actually matched up with his own experiences. "That actually makes a lot of sense. Oliver was constantly having issues behaving and was harder to control after we fought the Ultra Beast at Aether Paradise. Plus he wasn't able to evolve during the Ghost Trial even though he was ready. More than ready, actually, since he started to evolve but stopped."
"AS I SAID, IT STUNTS GROWTH AND ENDS IN NOTHING BUT MADNESS FOR THOSE TOUCHED BY IT." Tapu Koko said with a nod. "BUT NOW I CANNOT SENSE ANYTHING WITHIN HIM."
"Wait, what? Really? So he's okay now?" Sun said with a sudden smile of relief.
"IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE POWER OF RADIANCE HAS BURNED AWAY THE LAST OF THE VENOM WITHIN YOUR BIRD'S BODY. HE HAS BEEN RESTORED TO HOW HE WAS BEFORE." Tapu Koko confirmed, nodding again. Sun sighed with relief, his smile widening.
"MY CHILD…YOU HAVE DONE WELL. I AM PROUD OF THE STRENGTH OF HEART YOU HAVE SHOWN. CONTINUE TO GROW STRONGER. OVERCOME WHATEVER CONFLICTS COME YOUR WAY, AND BE THE HARBINGER I KNOW THAT YOU WILL BECOME FOR OUR WORLD…" Tapu Koko intoned, its wild gaze looking into Sun's own once again.
"THE NEXT TIME WE MEET…I WILL TEST YOUR STRENGTH MYSELF." Tapu Koko said as it suddenly whirled around, leaving Sun stunned with that comment.
"Wait, you want to battle me?" Sun asked, dumbfounded. A strange laugh escaped the Tapu in response.
"SHOULD YOU SURVIVE THE COMING STORM, WE SHALL DO BATTLE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW YOU CONTINUE TO GROW ON YOUR JOURNEY. BE WELL, MY CHILD. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!" Tapu Koko cried out as the light from Sun's Z-Ring faded, with the Tapu kicking hard off of the ground and launching itself into the air with a burst of whirling electricity.
"Whatever comes…I won't let them take away our futures." Sun muttered as he watched Tapu Koko fly off into the sunset, a determined grin coming to his face. "We'll train even harder…Beat the Island Challenge and never stop moving forward."
"That's our Trainer." Sun whirled around to see Oliver, Penny, Brago, Finn and Alastor standing there behind him now. Each of them bore different expressions on their faces, but everyone but Alastor was smiling at him. Standing beside them was Lillie, carrying Nebby in her arms and beaming at him.
"We were a little worried. Everything okay?" Lillie asked as Sun walked over to her.
"I guess so. Tapu Koko wanted to check in on me. And warn me about some threat that's bigger than my Dad. As if that could happen." Sun remarked, laughing to himself and not seeing Lillie's face go pale at his words. The girl turned around as Sun walked over to his team and began talking to Oliver. "Looks like Tapu Koko can't sense that Ultra Beast poison inside of you anymore!"
"Excellent! I feel fantastic, even after chasing that fool around all day." Oliver hooted merrily, causing Brago to snort with amusement while Alastor glared at Oliver with an irritated scowl.
"Well, we should head back soon. Professor Burnet is cooking us all dinner while Professor Kukui grills. It'll likely be done by the time we get back." Lillie said as she walked back down the Route, her expression troubled as Sun chatted with his team excitedly behind her. Sun then noticed Lillie walking away from him.
"A bigger threat than Borlath…What could that possibly mean? I can't even imagine something like that. Unless…unless…" Lillie shivered in the heat of the Alolan sun, ignoring Sun calling her name as she moved further down the path, dark thoughts ensnaring her heart.
"Oh Mother…what horrors are you plotting now?" Lillie whispered to herself as she proceeded down the route, holding Nebby tightly in her arms as she continued on her way, leaving a confused Sun and his team behind.
Pokémon League HQ
Indigo Plateau
"So…we can do nothing about this?" Cynthia asked, gritting her teeth in irritation as Blue sighed tiredly in response. Even two weeks after alerting everyone to what had happened in Alola, it seemed many of the Champions were still mad about what had occurred.
"Pretty much. Ashton Aupuni was made immortal by the Tapu of Alola and he's been cursed to never leave the region." Blue responded, leaning back in his chair. "Apparently some of the police have even tested the whole 'immortality' thing to make certain of it…the man can't die."
"I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this…" Lance remarked, shutting his eyes. "I'll have to do some research into the lore of Alola. This Tapu sound like formidable Pokémon."
"I wonder if they would consent for me to kill Ashton Aupuni a few dozen times since apparently his death won't stick." Cynthia asked, sighing as she let go of the smoldering fury within her. Steven placed a comforting arm on her shoulder, receiving a little smile in response.
"It's incredible how it all went down. His own kid stopping all of Borlath's madness…what a beautiful and fitting end to this tale." Diantha remarked, smiling to herself. "Did anyone else catch the boy's interviews?"
Alder nodded, smiling to himself. "He conducted himself well. He was quiet about how exactly he stopped Borlath, but at this point I'm willing to take the win and move on with my life."
"I'll be looking further into that. Don't you worry." Blue assured the former Champion of Unova, sighing softly. "I'll see if I can wrangle some better answers out of the boy myself. Thankfully me and Red are idols of sorts to the kid since we live in Kanto, where he's originally from."
"Keep digging. We should sort out all of the mysteries to this situation before we close the books on it." Lance instructed Blue, who simply nodded.
"What about the Legendaries?" Cynthia asked, folding her arms. "The ones in Cipher's possession."
"All of them have been relocated and talked to through translators provided by Colress. Regigigas wasn't happy about it, but it was convinced to return to its slumber in Snowpoint Temple. As for Deoxys, as soon as regained consciousness and we tried talking to it…it teleported away." Blue said with a sigh, earning a round of startled looks.
"Didn't we have safeguards in place to stop it from doing that?" Alder asked as he leaned forward.
"We did. It apparently got the upper-hand on the guards keeping it in check and wreaked havoc on the temporary research lab we had set up on Melemele Island. As far as we know…Deoxys could be on the other side of the planet right now." Blue explained, shutting his eyes as he looked up at the ceiling, ignoring the furious gazes being directed at him right now. "There's a reason we've been keeping this situation on the down low."
"If by 'situation' you mean the super-powerful Legendary that nearly destroyed the entire planet a few years ago and is loyal to only Borlath now roaming free…why didn't you tell us sooner!?" Steven demanded, restraining himself from leaping out of his chair and screaming with frustration.
"Because we've been dealing with literally everything else going on in Alola." Blue snapped back in anger, gritting his teeth at the Dragon Master. "The local police force can't contain things like the Legendaries, and we knocked out Deoxys. We never retrieved its Ball from wherever Borlath kept it, so we had no better way of keeping it contained."
"Perhaps it may have been more prudent to transfer custody of the Legendaries in Cipher's inventory to the Aether Paradise as opposed to any makeshift facility we could make." Wallace suggested, raising an eyebrow. "It seems as though they have a handle on things, given their track record of reliability and how much they've assisted in the resistance efforts against Cipher."
"I'm wary of handing that much of Cipher's assets to one single group. Even one as admirable as the Aether Foundation." Rose admitted, frowning at the suggestion. "Forgive my paranoia, but I worry about what would happen should a Deoxys situation occur with the Shadow Pokémon that the Aether Foundation has under their supervision."
"Unfortunately, we don't really have much choice in the matter where we put those things while they're being sorted out." Silver remarked, grimacing in distaste.
"The Aether Foundation is the only organization in Alola with the facilities and manpower to actually hold Cipher's assets with any degree of safety. The police force in Alola certainly couldn't handle all of Borlath's toys. The loss of Deoxys supports this." Steven responded, shrugging after a moment. "Besides, Lusamine is an old friend of Cynthia and mine and knows what the League needs at a time like this. She was once Kalos Champion herself, after all. She'll keep a good handle on everything while we sort out of the details."
"It also helps that Aether Paradise is where we're purifying the Shadow Pokémon anyway." Iris remarked, earning several nods from the others.
"Plus, Branch Chief Elias Faba is at the helm of the purification of the Shadow Pokémon that Cipher have accumulated over the years. We can rely on him." Diantha commented, more than familiar with the Aether Foundation. "Faba comes with glowing reviews, especially considering he's the last remaining member of the Orre Research Team."
"The fact that he's continuing on with their work in Alola assuages most of my concerns. We can trust them." Cynthia said firmly, earning a round of nods in response.
"Lusamine has been transparent and very helpful in the past few days. Hmm…Alongside Sunshine Smiles, she's become something of a hero to the locals for helping with the Cipher situation." Rose commented, smiling to himself. "Perhaps my paranoia is unjustified. I will defer to those who have more experience working with the Aether Foundation as to whether or not we should trust them."
"We'll be sure to keep you posted. I have a few stories about Lusamine's past that should help alleviate your concerns, Theo." Diantha said to the League Chairman, receiving a grateful nod. "I believe that she too has battled alongside Borlath's child, Sun. I hope she could provide some insight as to what this child is like. They certainly seemed close in that interview they did together."
"I Just wish I could've seen the kid battle. His showdown with Dawson was incredible." Leon said with an excited grin, causing Raihan and Sonia to laugh under their breath.
Iris then spoke up, saying, "Sounds like that stuff is in good hands. So what do we do about the big bad himself?" This question received a brief silence in response. No one had any real solution to the issue of what to do about someone who couldn't be killed or extradited for their crimes. And leaving Ashton Aupuni to rot in jail was out of the question. Borlath had simply committed too many crimes for them to be satisfied with what the Tapu had done to them.
"We've got another meeting scheduled in two days. More than enough time for everyone to read over the dossier and see what we can come up with." Lance remarked, tapping the file sitting in front of him. A similar folder sat in front of each of the Champions assembled at the meeting.
"We'll table this discussion for now. I need some ibuprofen and a nap." Cynthia sighed, rubbing her temples as Iris patted the other Champion on the back.
"Brainstorm in the meantime and see if we can come up with any workarounds. By then we'll have Kahuna Hala joining us. Perhaps he can lend us some insight as to what we can do about Ashton Aupuni without resorting to…extreme measures." Rose said to the group, earning several raised eyebrows.
"Extreme measures?" Diantha repeated, grimacing in response. "That's something I'd expect out of Silver."
"Is this about the Hotdog Incident?" Silver asked, narrowing his eyes as Iris raised an eyebrow. "Because I apologized for that."
"Hotdog Incident?" Iris asked with a confused expression, but she was ignored as Rose responded.
"Forget I said anything. It seems the stress of the recent weeks has made me forget myself. I'm sure we've all brainstormed ways we want to get retribution from that horrid man. Whatever I come up with is likely tame compared to what you all have considered." Rose laughed, gesturing to Cynthia in particular.
"I was just going to repay Dawson's kindness to Ashton…While thoroughly testing the whole immortality thing for a week straight." Cynthia responded, her eyes glazing over with barely restrained fury.
"You scare me sometimes." Wallace chimed in, looking nonplussed. "I can see why Steven is so into you."
"You shut your whore mouth, Wallace."
"Steven, that kind of talk is-" Wallace tried to say, only for Steven to rise to his feet and glare at his friend.
"Don't make me quit as Champion and have you do this job."
"...I'll be good." Wallace whispered, his eyes wide with horror at the mere suggestion.
"In another timeline, I'm sure you would've made an excellent Champion." Iris said brightly, causing Wallace to smile…and then frown.
"But not this one?" Wallace asked the youngest of the Champions.
Iris beamed at the Water-type expert. "Nope!"
Red coughed from where he was standing in the corner of the room, trying not to laugh while the room burst into chuckles. Oleana sighed as Rose chortled, placing a hand over his chest.
"I'm sure we'll come up with something in the meantime! I may be an impatient old goat, but cooler heads will always prevail!" Rose laughed good-naturedly, rising from his seat.
"Sir, we have an hour to return to Galar for the Hammerlock Pokémon Rehabilitation Center grand opening. You're the guest of honor and have to drop off that big check to the group." Oleana reminded her boss as Rose winced. He had completely forgotten about this event, and everyone in the room knew it.
"Always the philanthropist, aren't you Theo?" Dinatha said with a knowing smirk as Cynthia and Iris giggled at the now-nervous man.
Oleana clicked her tongue in disapproval as Rose laughed awkwardly, rubbing his chin. "Thanks Oleana, I had nearly forgotten! We must hurry back to Galar!"
"I swear that man would lose his head if it wasn't attached to his neck." Lance muttered to himself as Rose and Oleana departed the room, with Leon watching the pair intently as they left the room.
"Chairman Rose is a scatterbrain at times, like me, but he's got a wonderful heart. He only wants what's best for everyone." Leon said as he leaned back in his chair, smiling at the others as chatter began to fill the room.
As the door shut behind then, Rose's genial face flickered to one of frustration. The Galar Pokémon League Chairman stood there for a moment, rubbing his forehead before he sighed deeply. And then his usual winning smile slid back into place.
"A fortnight since the fall of Cipher and we have nothing to show for it…Perhaps it's high-time we began looking into getting some of our tethers into Alola on a more permanent basis." Oleana said quietly as Rose glanced at her, his smile widening.
"Way ahead of you, Oleana. There's a reason I sent Opal and Piers there. I know full-well that they're both looking to retire as Gym Leaders. That doesn't mean that Galar won't find some way for them to help serve their regions." Rose responded as they began to move down the hall.
"Should we try and influence who this new Alola Champion of Kukui's might be? They could be an issue down the road." Oleana asked, only to receive a shake of the head.
"Doubtful. One representative from a region like Alola would hardly upset the balance of the Pokémon League as a whole. No, I'm more concerned about dealing with Ashton Aupuni before he schemes his way out of Alola. I trust no Gods on this planet to keep a man that driven in check."
Both Galarians continued to chat and walk down the hallway, unaware that a shimmering form was scaling the ceiling above them, listening to their every the Pokémon hiding in plain sight may not have understood what was going on, the person listening to the conversation between Rose and Oleana through the tiny microphone the Pokémon was wearing certainly did.
As Rose and Oleana entered a room down the hallway together, the Pokémon moved away from the door and chanced diving into the shadow of a nearby plant, vanishing altogether. It reappeared on the other side of the building inside of a dark bedroom, where it moved towards a man sitting in a chair.
"Nice work, Nagato. I knew all that training would pay off." The man said roughly, grinning at the Pokémon in question as it hopped up into its Trainer's lap with a content sigh. The man patted the Pokémon on the head for a few moments before pulling out his phone and scrolling through the contacts, pressing one of them and hearing the phone ring twice.
A young woman's voice spoke from the phone. "Wasn't expecting a call so soon, Agent Volk. You really are a pro at this, huh?"
"Of course it was, Agent Maiden. Infiltration of the Pokémon League HQ successful." Agent Volk responded dryly, his mouth curling into a twisted smirk. "We can't expect Hala or Kukui to relate every detail these scheming twits are talking about, so it's up to us to back them up. Now here's what happened."
NEXT TIME: The obligatory onsen chapter, with Gladion and Demi shenanigans to follow as we return to Ula'ula Island!
And we're back! Got a few more chapters to throw down before we get back to the plot proper, but I don't think anyone really has a problem with that.
Q & A
From: Baistro
Onto my question, so is Radiance kinda like Dynamax super z move but not big pretty much? It seemed like it with all of Oliver's moves being boosted, but with the option to use a super powered z move if necessary. Hope you have a fun and relaxing time back home!
Hmmm. The best way to explain Radiance is that you have the potential to use it to boost the strength and speed of your Pokemon by using your own strength to fuel the power. You can also use an extremely powerful Z-Move while accessing Radiance (similar to a G-Max Move or just an overpowered Z-Move).
From: SolanaLeonhart
Is it just me or is Alastor finally starting to warm up to the team?
That's a very interesting question, because in some ways I can confirm that he is. In other ways, he isn't. That'll actually be answered in a few chapters.
From: ConnivingG
Why are all the umbrals that are actually a danger always psychic and now under control of Lusamine!?
Faba explains why, but it's basically because they retain some sense of self when corrupted into an Umbral Pokemon whereas other Umbral Pokemon who aren't part Psychic-type don't. Them being part-Psychic actually does help them survive the transformation process slightly more often, and makes them far more dangerous as well.
They have agency, on top of becoming bloodthirsty killing machines with like ten times more power than they had before.
That's all for now folks. Now that I'm back in the saddle, expect more chapters over the summer as we shift focus towards the Aether Arc of the story, with plenty of twists, turns and turmoil to come!
Thanks again for the support and feedback (and the well-wishes while I was gone)! If you want to support this story, you can do that by dropping a review in the section below. You can also Favorite and/or Follow the story if you haven't already. Plus, you can ask questions and join my Discord for Radiant Sun! PM me if you're interested!
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
