Pokémon Radiant Sun
Welcome, my friends, to another chapter of extreme nonsense followed by even more extreme tomfoolery.
Just kidding. I honestly don't have much to comment on, so here we go!
Shoutout to the homies who reviewed in the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, Oragonking, Muramasa96, Augar and RC-DA. Thanks for the feedback and support everyone!
Enjoy.
Chapter 138: Calm Waters
The Next Day
Aether Paradise Laboratories
"Branch Chief Faba, status report?"
"You know, asking for one of those every few hours diminishes the impact of saying that so…dramatically." Faba remarked, not even bothering to look at Aether President Lusamine as she walked into the room.
"I…" Lusamine paused, realizing Faba had a point. "Perhaps I do that too often…hmm. My apologies."
"Apology accepted, ma'am." Faba remarked, glancing at the woman and seeing she wore a smirk on her face. Faba wondered if she was being serious or mocking him. He decided to simply press on.
"And I've made some progress towards deciphering the notes left behind by Borlath's research teams. It'll take some time to sort through everything, including what's encoded and written in other languages, but I have been able to determine…" Faba trailed off, glancing at the shadowy Poké Ball that floated mere feet away from him behind in a reinforced and nigh-indestructible bulletproof glass tube.
"Is everything alright, Faba?" Lusamine asked, raising an eyebrow as the man shivered for a moment and turned around.
"Just being in the same room as that thing gives me the creeps." Faba muttered as Lusamine tutted, strolling over to the containment field that held the Umbral Medicham. The Aether Branch Chief lamented the fact that while the resources of the Aether Foundation were great, they couldn't match the superiority of Cipher's technology.
And while Aether had commandeered everything on the Absolution and their Ula'ula Island HQ, Faba still hadn't been able to reconstruct a proper replacement for the overwhelmingly secure vault that the Umbral Pokémon had been contained in. So far the containment field the ball was currently held within was doing the job, but Faba still felt unsettled about working in the same room as the WMD that lurked within the capsule without the sheer level of security Cipher had it in previously.
"Your unease is likely because of the inherent aura that surrounds the creature. According to Cipher's files, the aura of Shadow Pokémon is meant to instill a sense of fear in the subconscious of those nearby who possess a weak enough will, even if they cannot see the aura personally. I suspect Umbral Pokémon possess something similar, if not something more potent." Lusamine theorized, receiving a thoughtful look from Faba.
"Perhaps. I'll have to investigate further. Either way, that thing is going to be locked up for quite some time. According to Cipher's notes, or at least what they've figured out in their limited experiments with Umbral Pokémon, Psychic-types represent a far greater hazard than any other type of Umbral Pokémon." Faba explained, grabbing a keypad on his desk that was open to a document filled with pictures of what looked like several destroyed city blocks, one of which was spattered with blood.
"The process that creates Umbral Pokémon is harrowing, and results in most cases the death of the Pokémon being experimented on. Hundreds of Pokémon were subject to these experiments, and all but a handful perished. A Hypno. Amber Fontaine's Rhyperior. Greevil's Noivern. Dawson (and later Roran's) Torkoal. And now finally this Umbral Medicham. These were the only survivors of the process. And of these Umbrals, Jojo was the only one who showed any amount of agency or any degree of personality despite having become a living weapon."
"I've managed to corroborate these findings with Wes and Aria back in Alola-proper. Cipher's first successful attempt at creating an Umbral Pokémon was a Hypno by the name of Jojo. It promptly killed its Trainer and went on a rampage of destruction before murdering an eight-year old girl that it had taken hostage, as well as seriously injuring over forty others." Faba told Lusamine, scowling with anger while Lusamine listened intently. "The powers the Hypno possessed were far beyond what a normal Psychic-type should have ever been capable of, on-par with Legendaries. However, the most alarming aspect of Jojo was the fact that it retained its mind as an Umbral Pokémon, which negates the one fatal flaw of Umbral Pokémon."
"The fact that they have to be ordered by their Trainer to be able to attack or defend themselves in battle. I remember from battling Roran's Umbral Torkoal. So Jojo didn't need a Trainer at all and was self-aware enough to act on his own? I can see why just the name would inspire disgust and pain in the children from Unova." Lusamine remarked, crossing her arms as she considered this new information.
"I suspect that Psychic-type Pokémon have a slightly higher chance of surviving the transition to Umbral Pokémon due to the enhanced mental capabilities that they possess inherently. Testimony from our Unovan friends about Jojo the Hypno supports this…" Faba's expression darkened as he leaned back in his chair.
"Wes described his final confrontation with him as one of the worst battles he had ever had, and said that Jojo constantly attacked him with his mind several times in their final clash that resulted in the beast's death. I'm willing to assume that Umbral Medicham, the final Umbral Pokémon in Cipher's possession before Borlath's downfall, is of a similar power and mindset to the Umbral Hypno known as Jojo." Faba concluded, placing the datapad on the desk once again and sighing softly.
Lusamine considered that and nodded once. "So what have you done with this new information?"
"I'm working on creating safeguards, based on the work of Ein. But it'll take time. In particular, I've been working on a device that will allow me control over the brainwaves of the creature, but it's still in the early phases." Faba responded, gesturing to a nearby workbench that had a helmet surrounded by various tubes and connected to several glowing stones that Lusamine recognized as Unovan Dark and Ghost Gems.
Lusamine's mouth twitched into a smirk. "A cruel twist of fate that their last remaining Umbral Pokémon is yet another Psychic-type. Those are your forte, aren't they?"
Faba nodded, scowling now as he glanced at the shadowy Poké Ball. "Indeed. It's infuriating that the thing is far too dangerous to even study properly, but considering my own distaste with Cipher's experiments, that may be for the best. I've used mostly Psychic-types for a considerable chunk of my life. I believe I can conquer this one and turn into something useful to our cause."
Lusamine considered Faba's growing anger and placed her hands on her hips. "Perhaps a change in topic is in order…Would you like an update as to how the search for where our wayward friend is?"
Faba scoffed in response. "Is that what we're calling him now? Our friend? Tch. I'd be shocked if you've had more luck on that venture than I've had locating your miscreant daughter. Which reminds me, wasn't Guzma supposed to be leading the effort to reacquire Cosmog and capture the girl?"
"That he is. He's had some luck on that front, actually, and is expecting a breakthrough any time now. But I also asked you to keep an ear to the ground and see if any of our friends from Unova have interacted with her and know her whereabouts." Lusamine purred, her voice like honey dripping over razor wire. "We now know she was taken under the protective wing of Professor Kukui and Burnet, but she was not there when I visited the Pokémon Lab just the other day."
"Perhaps the Professors are sheltering her from you? She probably told someone what you've been up to."
"I think not, Faba. Lillie is a scared, pathetic little wretch and would be wary of telling those she cared about too much. Mostly because when I find out who has been shielding her from me, I will ensure they meet a very painful demise. But partly because she selfishly believes that she can solve this 'situation' by herself. Her desire for independence and not to seem like the worthless doll she is will be her undoing." Lusamine responded as Faba hummed thoughtfully in response.
"Even if she did tell someone what we were planning, they'd be hard-pressed to believe her. Aether's reputation in Alola is immaculate. We're renowned in this region as paragons of virtue and you are a national icon at this point." Faba noted with some amusement. "The Alolan authorities wouldn't dare make a move against us, even if they did believe the word of a 13-year old girl who's on the run from her family. I bet she hasn't even told her friends what her last name is…"
"Yes. Sweet little Hau mentioned Lillie only in passing, even though both him and Sun knew my last name. Lillie likely hasn't told them her origins. If she had, Sun wouldn't have been so happy to see me the other day." Lusamine laughed softly, shaking her head. Lusamine had made a habit of trying to see Ashton Aupuni's son at least once a week or so to continue fostering the warm relationship they shared. Sun's lack of suspicion supported the fact that Lillie had not told her the truth of Nebby or her background, which Lusamine was going to exploit as much as she could.
The boy, much like her daughter, was expendable in the eyes of the Aether President.
Faba glanced at Lusamine for a moment, shrugging. "I do have to commend her on avoiding us thus far. Much more impressive than I would have ever imagined a girl like her to be capable of. That being said, now that Cipher is no longer a threat, I feel as though her time on the run is going to be coming to an end."
"It's rather adorable, her efforts to evade me. We simply need to wait for the right window and my darling little girl will fall right into my arms once again." Lusamine chuckled, her smile twisting into something wicked. "And with her, Cosmog will be as well. And then the Ultra Space will be within reach."
"Indeed…So, going back to our friend. Do you have any developments you'd like to share with me?" Faba asked, earning an unreadable look from Lusamine for several moments.
The Aether President then smiled. "We're making some progress. We're certain the bastard is hidden away on Ula'ula Island, since the police force there is particularly strong. I'm reliably informed that Kahuna Nanu is personally overseeing security."
"Naturally. I still think this is some sort of scheme from that monster. Who gives up that easily?" Faba muttered, his expression hardening. "I request to be on the team to retrieve him."
"Of course, Faba. When we find him, you may be part of the extraction team. Feel free to make the process as painful for him as you wish. You deserve nothing less than vengeance." Lusamine said with a small laugh, patting the man on the shoulder as he moved back to his chair and continued to delve into his research.
Lusamine departed the room as Faba glanced down at the keyboard, a menacing grin coming to his lips. "Heh…While Lusamine reaches towards the Ultra Space, I'll be reaching out towards my absolution. My revenge…no, our revenge will be very sweet."
"Yes…kill him. Make him suffer…"
Faba looked up from his computer, alarmed at the unfamiliar voice and glanced around the room. No one else was within the lab except for him. The Branch Chief's gaze turned to the Poké Ball containing Umbral Medicham for a moment…and then the scientist returned to his studies, perturbed.
"I'm hearing things. Maybe I should take a break." Faba sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose for a moment before getting out of his chair. A walk around the compound and a cup of coffee sounded good.
Meanwhile…
Pokémon Dimensional Research Lab
"This is it, huh?" Wes sighed as he glanced around the room, seeing who stood there now. Hugh and Aria both bore pained expressions while Mohn placed a comforting hand on the former Snagger's shoulder. Zinnia stood beside Zygarde, her expression one of sadness. Mohn was also there, looking pensive. Colress was the only one who didn't seem to be visibly upset to some extent, but that was not a personal choice.
As the group reflected on the series of events that had led them to this moment, victorious at the end of a very long road, it made them take stock of the sacrifices that they had made.
They had won the war against Cipher…but at what cost?
Gone were Vivian and Noah, their friends from Unova who had paid the ultimate price in the battle against Cipher. Noah had been slain by Amber Fontaine and Perfect Kyurem while Vivian had sacrificed her life to buy time for Professor Kukui, Burnet and the others to escape the hospital.
"It feels…so weird, having them gone." Hugh said in a leaden voice, heartache evident in every word he spoke. Aria grasped her boyfriend's hand tightly, her own eyes bloodshot with tears. None of them had slept well since the Battle of Hau'oli City. A funeral would be held for Noah and Vivian back in Unova once Noah's body was done being prepared for the funeral, but that was scheduled for several weeks from now due to the current situation in Alola and Unova.
Vivian's body was never found. But it didn't make her loss any less painful. The uncertainty of not being able to find her was more painful than anything else to the group, but they all knew in their heart of hearts that Amber Fontaine had been telling the truth. Vivian had given everything to stop Amber from murdering everyone in Hau'oli General Hospital. Despite how much of a coward she had berated herself for being, Vivian ended up being the bravest of them all.
Lillie had explained to them after the fact what Vivian's sacrifice had meant. Her friend, MissingNo., had given Vivian a chance to fix some of what had been done by Roran when he rampaged through Malie City…But at a terrible cost.
The timeline would be rewound and events of that night would be mostly undone. But in this new timeline, MissingNo. and Vivian would be dead before Cipher was dismantled and defeated. MissingNo. would spend every last ounce of life within itself to protect them from Roran's wrath while Vivian was forced to face her greatest fear, Amber Fontaine, in a fight to the death that she knew she was going to lose.
Lillie wasn't sure if Vivian had known whether Noah would die or not, but if she did then the group felt even worse for the couple. Both had been heartbroken going to their deaths, and the group prayed that they would find each other in the next life.
And now at the end…it was this group that remained. Zinnia and Mohn had joined their cabal, the Draconid more than happy to assist now that she had come around to helping out. Mohn was simply glad to be of assistance, despite his amnesia.
"Weird, huh? Yeah…that's a word for it." Aria muttered, her voice strained as she leaned back in her chair.
"I wish I could've been more useful. Aside from helping Sun and his lady friend get to that big boat and drive off that Naps fella, I didn't really help all that much compared to you all." Mohn said as he scratched his chin. Wes gave the older man an annoyed look.
"You weren't supposed to be in Hau'oli City at all, Mohn." Wes muttered, earning an apologetic look from the man. "But you helping Sun get to Borlath is what helped save the day. And since you're still in one piece, I'll let it slide this time."
"Phew…" Mohn said with a small smirk, causing Wes to smile a little despite himself. Aria coughed weakly, something that could have been a laugh or a sob.
"I think for now, we should just recuperate. It's only been a few weeks since the fall of Cipher and we're still dealing with the aftermath. In the meantime we can keep assisting the locals in rebuilding as you personally come to grips with who and what you've lost…You need time. And that's what we have now." Zinnia said seriously, glancing at each of the Trainers in turn.
"We concur. Helping others will also assist in mending the pain in your hearts. It is simply the way of the world." Zygarde added, its voice echoing throughout the room.
"Then…that's what we'll do. On top of the rebuilding efforts, we can help the Aether Foundation as much as we can in purifying the Shadow Pokémon in their custody while keeping a lookout for Deoxys." Hugh said to the others, receiving a nod of agreement from everyone in the room. They had received word from Kahuna Nanu that Ashton's strange Pokémon had escaped custody, and finding it sooner rather than later was crucial.
"Meanwhile I'll be continuing my efforts to spy on Aether for the sake of poor Lillie. I suspect that my time to find damning evidence of their misdeeds is growing short." Colress thought to himself as he leaned back in chair, briefly waking the slumbering Absol known as Dusk that had been lying beside.
"Master? Everything okay?" Dusk asked sleepily, earning a pat on the head from the scientist.
"Of course, Dusk. Go back to sleep." Colress said gently, smiling down at the Absol. Dusk nodded and laid her head back down on the sofa cushion, nodding off again moments later.
"I'll see about arranging a meetup with Ashton Aupuni. Get some more answers and see how exactly we proceed here." Aria said to the others, receiving a round of nods.
"And make sure we get some rest. None of us are at our best right now and we won't be any help if we're exhausted." Wes said quietly, eyeballing Aria in particular. The Snagger sighed, waving her arm dismissively.
"I don't know if I can sleep right now. I know things will get better now, but I still can't help but wonder what if…" Hugh remarked darkly, earning a scoff from Zinnia.
"That's a dangerous rabbit hole to go down, kid." Zinnia warned the Trainer, her gaze going to everyone else besides Mohn. "There's always things you could have done differently in the grand scheme of things. But what happened, happened. You simply need to give yourself time to move on."
Colress sighed, his affable smile slipping slightly. "Personally I'm a little frustrated in myself as of late. I failed to stop Amber Fontaine before she managed to kill Vivian and Noah, and…despite my progress in the Purification Chamber project with Branch Chief Faba, it doesn't feel like enough."
"Trust me, Doc, you've done plenty. We wouldn't have made it this far without your help." Aria said bracingly to the scientist, who chuckled at the Snagger's words.
"You're too kind, Aria. But I'm well aware that in the grand scheme of things, my efforts pale in comparison to that of yours and Wes'." Colress admitted, placing a hand on the head of Dusk and scratching behind her ears, earning a sigh of contentment.
"No, in the end I was only a road bump for Amber Fontaine." Colress remarked, a chilling note of bitterness in his voice despite his smile. "I saved many lives that night, including the lives of several close friends and important figures in Alola's political atmosphere. That should be enough…but it's not. I could have done more. Saved more. But at the end of the day it simply wasn't enough."
Wes nodded, knowing exactly what the man was talking about. "We all want to do better, Colress-"
"No! That's not the point!" Colress snapped, his pleasant tone creeping into something close to anger, but more like annoyance. The others were surprised anyway at how close the man came to it. Anger was something Colress was simply not able to express.
"I wish I could cry…But I can't. I wish I could scream in anger, but it would be hollow. I feel simply empty when I think about my lost friends. Cold and hollow, and it hurts to smile." Colress said to them, his gaze harsh as he looked to his friends and allies who looked back at him with sympathy. They knew how badly his inability to feel frustrated the scientist. Dusk nuzzled his leg, able to sense how upset the man really was on the inside despite her being asleep.
"I can't even mourn my dear friends…What sort of heartless monster am I?" Colress asked, his words no more than a whisper as he leaned forward in his chair and closed his eyes. To his surprise he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, followed by two more sets of arms. Hugh, Wes and Aria embraced the man who had been with them in the fight against Cipher for years now, and who was struggling to handle his pain just like them.
"We all express our grief differently, Colress. And you're just…different. Ain't nothing wrong with that." Wes responded gently as they held the scientist, who simply stared forward with dry eyes and a pained smile.
Colress remained silent for a time, speaking after nearly a full minute had passed. "Perhaps…but it still vexes me so."
"In the end, all we can do is our best." Hugh said quietly, looking down at the floor as they separated from Colress. "There were so many times during our fights that I wished I was as useful as you guys. But we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. And at the end of the day, we can only do the best we can. No more no less."
"He's completely right. Asking anything more from you or anyone else isn't fair." Mohn agreed, clapping Hugh on the back approvingly. Colress' expression smoothed into a blank mask for several seconds as he processed Hugh's words…and then smiled at the young man.
"Yes, I do believe you're right, Hugh." Colress said, nodding at Hugh gratefully. "And we're not done either. Not until every last Shadow Pokémon has been purified and we stamp out every last remnant of Cipher's awful legacy once and for all."
"The bulk of their resources went into Kanto. The League has been cracking down on them and with Borlath…or Ashton's help, they've been scattered. We might have to relocate in order to truly eradicate the group once and for all." Wes commented, glancing down at a packet of papers that he had been reviewing before the group had assembled.
"Kanto huh?" Hugh remarked, offering his friend a grin. "Maybe we could reunite you with Zoey?"
Wes snorted at the mention of his girlfriend. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see her again. But I'd rather keep my eye on the prize. Once we've dealt with Cipher in Kanto and ensured they won't rise again elsewhere, I can focus on other things."
"I'll tell her you said that." Aria threatened, holding up her phone as Wes paled.
"Please don't. I like my balls where they are, thank you very much."
"What's in it for me?" Aria asked as Wes face-palmed, with Hugh wearing a shit-eating grin behind him. Colress merely smirked with amusement while Dusk slumbered beside her Trainer peacefully. As the group bantered once again, their tones and hearts lighter than they had been mere moments ago, Colress considered their words with a gentle smile.
"I will simply have to do even better than my best. My friends…I'll strive harder than ever in my pursuits." Colress thought to himself, feeling the pain in his heart lessen somewhat. It was still there, of course.
But knowing that his friends and allies not only supported him, but understood him, made the pain just a little easier to bear.
Later that Day…
Ohana Onsen and Hot Springs
Gladion sank into the water with a sigh of relief, allowing himself to relax. After several long moments, the teen shut his eyes even as his Zoroark and Riolu both sighed alongside him, relaxing in the comforting hot spring that Route 7 made relatively famous by the locals. It was also well known for allowing Trainers to bathe with their Pokémon in the relaxing waters.
"I never thought I'd ever go to one of these in my life…But man, this is relaxing." Gladion thought, wishing with a pang that Type: Null could enjoy the water as well. The Pokémon had requested not to be let out in case it scared anyone, and wanted to rest instead.
"I'll find some way to make it up to Null. It's not fair that they can't enjoy the hot springs like the others can." Gladion muttered, his eyes opening and leaning back against the edge.
"Hey Gladion! How's the water?" shouted the familiar voice of Demi from the other side of the wall.
"Perfect. I can't believe your Dad set us up with this." Gladion admitted, earning silence from the other side of the room.
"I can. The owner is an old friend of my Dad's when he was a Trainer. The weirder thing is why my Dad set this up for us considering I haven't talked with him recently." Demi responded through the wall, her voice sounding troubled.
"You also blocked his number. It's possible he's been trying to reach out for a while, Demi. I'm just glad that this place reached out to you and let you know about the reservation Councilman Palena made ahead of time. Maybe he's trying to make a peace-offering of some kind." Gladion remarked, once again receiving silence from the other end of the room before he heard a faint splash.
"...maybe." came the mumbled reply, so faint Gladion barely heard it. Gladion frowned, a pang of concern hitting him as he tried to think of a way to ease the girl's troubles.
"Do you…do you think you could ever forgive him? Or any of them for turning their backs on you?" Gladion asked the Team Skull Grunt pointedly, leaning back and sighing as he completely relaxed and let go of what tension he had left in his body.
At the moment, there was little chance of anyone else interrupting their hot spring session. In Gladion's mind, Demi was the third most-respected person in his life that was currently alive on this planet (shortly behind Miss Wicke and his little sister Lillie). When the Team Skull Grunt had offered to let Gladion come along with her to the hot springs, the boy had hesitated, but eventually agreed.
"It's definitely a strange experience." Gladion thought to himself, closing his eyes. "She annoys me sometimes, but just as often I find myself enjoying her company. Guzma may have forced us to be closer than I would've liked, but that's not necessarily a bad thing."
"I don't know…Gladion, am I a bad person?" Demi asked, her voice carrying over the wall. "That I can't decide if I should try and let my Dad make things right between us? That I don't know if I want to forgive him and the others for turning their backs on me?"
"Of course not." Gladion responded immediately, opening his eyes. "You are not at fault here. As much as you may not like to hear this, Demi, we're still kids in most ways. We're not supposed to be dealing with the shit we're dealing with. Your parents should have understood your situation better, and it sounds like your Dad is a royal prick. But at the same time…People can change. And it's up to you whether or not you want to let them back into your life after what they did to you."
"I guess so…By the way, thank you for listening. I'm sorry for dumping this all on you." Demi said apologetically, causing Gladion to smirk despite himself.
"Don't worry about it. You'd do the same for me." Gladion responded, reaching over to Riolu and patting him on the head. The small wolf-like Pokémon sighed contentedly at the boy's touch.
"I still don't get how someone could mistreat their Pokémon like that." Gladion muttered, causing Riolu to look at him in surprise. "That Geoff guy was a real piece of work, huh?"
"What's that?" Demi asked over the wall.
"Just thinking about how Riolu's old Trainer mistreated him like that. I think that guy's name was Geoff or something. I just don't get how Trainers could do that to their Pokémon." Gladion admitted, scratching Riolu's head now. The young Pokémon had been healing quite well over the past few months, and according to Nurse Joy he would be clear to battle again in a matter of weeks.
"Because people mostly suck, dude." Came Demi's reply, causing Gladion to snort with amusement. "Anyone who abuses their Pokémon is a complete piece of a shit. End of story."
"You're not wrong about that." Gladion replied, as Riolu let out a happy bark, with Zoroark and Golbat nodding alongside him. Gladion wasn't sure what they were saying, but he smiled at his Pokémon regardless.
It was at that moment that the calm and relaxing atmosphere in the hot springs was completely shattered by the sound of the door on the male's side of the room being thrown open, revealing someone who made Gladion's teeth reflexively clench with irritation.
"Whoa! Look at this place!" Hau yelled out cheerfully as he sprang into the chamber, eyeing the massive pool of steamy water with a wide smile. Behind him Kiawe and Sun walked into the room behind him with considerably less fanfare.
Gladion seriously debated getting out of the hot springs right then and there, especially when Hau decided to dive into the water headfirst. However, that was also when he heard the door to the girl's side open and a chorus of voices speak out, including one he knew very well.
"Whoa, this place is huge!"
"It's awesome, right? Lillie, get your butt in here!"
"It's really warm in here. And the pool is so big!" Lillie's voice cried out, causing Gladion to sigh internally, wondering how his little sister had gotten mixed up in this nonsense. That was when Sun recognized the boy in the water and raised a hand in greeting.
"Hey there, Gladion. How's it going?" Sun asked, hearing a similar conversation happen on the girl's side of the room as their female friends chatted with a very surprised Demi.
"It's going. How did you guys get in here? We had the place reserved." Gladion asked Sun in a tone that was somewhat restrained. Unlike Hau, Gladion had a considerable amount of respect for Sun.
"Guess the front desk messed up. You don't mind if we join you, do you?" Kiawe asked Gladion, who seriously considered saying that he did, in fact, mind. But after a few moments he sighed and waved his hand dismissively.
"May as well come in. You're already here. Just keep your pet idiot on a leash. This is supposed to be a quiet place and me and Demi were trying to relax before you barged in here." Gladion said as he glared at Hau. It was then that Gladion heard Demi let out a loud squeak from behind the wall, causing all of the guys to go still in confusion.
"Mallow, keep your hands where I can see them!" Lana shouted out over the wall, causing the boys to exchange a series of confused looks. Hau stared at the wall intensely for several seconds before smacking himself in the face.
Kiawe sighed as he entered the water, calling out his Charizard, Turtonator and Alolan Marowak. Each of the Fire-types eased themselves into the water and all sighed with relief. "That girl worries me sometimes."
"Nah, I totally get it. We're friends with a lot of cute girls, and Mallow's always been a…affectionate friend, if that makes any sense." Hau said with a grin, causing Gladion to face-palm at the boy's words.
"God help me." Gladion muttered, sinking further into the water while Sun held back a snicker and called out his entire team, who all took to the water with varying amounts of glee. Alastor glared at the water dubiously, but after several moments silently sinking into the hot spring.
Hau simply beamed at the other boy. "Well, God isn't here right now, but you have me."
Sun failed to hold back his laughter while Kiawe rolled his eyes at the banter going back and forth. Gladion scowled, feeling all of the tension that had been let go mere moments before returning right into his body.
Lillie sighed softly as she felt the tension in her body drift away, even as Nebby tried to wriggle out of her arms.
While it may have been somewhat embarrassing to be in a public setting in such a state of…undress, it was admittedly a fantastic feeling to soak in the hot springs that Lana had been hyping up over the past few days. Plus she was with her friends, which she always counted as a plus.
Some part of her was somewhat disappointed that a wall separated the boy's side of the room, however. Lillie thought about Sun soaking in the hot springs beside her, dressed only in a wet towel and-
"No! Bad Lillie!" The girl chided herself mentally, blushing furiously and privately glad that the room was filled with thick steam. "Don't think about stuff like that! It's inappropriate!"
"Seriously though, Demi, how've you been?" Mallow asked the Team Skull Grunt, who was smiling back at the Captains warmly as she held her Quilava in her arms.
"Pretty well, all things considered. Been training a lot and dealing with Team Skull. They've been really good to me." Demi remarked, earning a surprised look from Acerola.
"Huh. Uncle Nanu says that Team Skull is a lot of bark with no bite. At least they're looking after you. Wish your folks hadn't done what they did…" Acerola sighed, even as Lana looked distinctly uncomfortable for the role she had in what happened with Demi.
"It's part of Alola's culture that we need to confront." Mallow remarked, sitting on the ledge of the pool with a sagely expression. "As much of a nuisance Team Skull is, they're a product of the culture we have in Alola. Children are expected to go through the Island Challenge. Those who fail or give up are considered failures, outcasts and losers by the older crowd…it's even worse from families with prestige or fame to them. There's so much more pressure to succeed there."
"Like the Aupuni family…" Lillie murmured, shivering despite the hot water all around her.
"I'm hoping with the upheaval of the Alolan Regional Council and with the formation of the League, things will change around Alola. We need it." Lana remarked, sighing as she leaned back and closed her eyes.
"Girls, we're getting too serious here. Back to the fun stuff. Who's that hot guy we saw come in ahead of us?" Mallow asked, drawing everyone's gaze back to her. "You know, the blond with the green eyes?"
"Oh, you mean Gladion? He worked with us in Team Skull until recently. He's a friend of mine. I invited him to come to the hot springs with me." Demi said off-handedly, not seeing Mallow's eyes light up with excitement.
"Wait, what?" Lillie thought as she tried to process who Mallow and Demi were talking about. It was then that it occurred to Lillie that the Captain and Team Skull Grunt were talking about her brother.
"Seriously though, like, the whole edgy rebel thing is super hot. Are you guys dating? And if not, can you find a way to get me his number?" Mallow excitedly asked an increasingly flustered Demi. That was when Lana snuck up from behind Mallow and dumped a bucket of steaming water over her best friend's head, causing Mallow to shriek in surprise before pushing a giggling Lana away.
"I don't have a stick to bonk you with, so I made due. And even if the guy is cute, it's none of your business who Demi is or isn't dating. She'd tell us if she wanted us to know." Lana said to Mallow, offering a smile to a relieved Demi.
"Oh come on! He-" The Grass Captain was cut off when Lillie suddenly stood and spoke up, her expression serious.
"He's off-limits, Mallow." Lillie said matter-of-factly to Mallow, earning a bewildered look from the other girls.
"Huh?" Demi asked, confused. Lille then realized what she had said, and the fact that everyone was now staring at her in confusion.
"Oh…I didn't think this through. I can't tell them Gladion is my brother…I need to think of something quick!" Lillie thought frantically. To her own surprise, she actually did think of something after only a moment or two of thought, putting her hands on her hips with a look of authority.
"Demi gets first dibs because she's his friend, so you can't go after him. We should respect that." The girl then quickly changed gears, looking to Mallow. "Besides, didn't you mention the other day how you wanted to try asking a girl out sometime? What happened to that?"
Mallow's face practically combusted, with the girl recoiling sharply in surprise and embarrassment. "I've been busy! Besides, it's not like I know anyone offhand who's…into girls." The last few words were mumbled, with Mallow looking as though she wanted to become one with the water itself. Lillie sank back into the springs, grinning at the Grass Captain's embarrassment as Demi gave her a thumbs up from across the room.
"That's because you're too much of a coward to actually ask another girl out, Mallow." Lana accused her best friend, who's face suddenly blossomed into a darker crimson color.
"It's not that easy, Lana!" Mallow protested as Demi, Lillie and Acerola all grinned evilly at the flustered Captain.
Oh, how the tables had turned.
Several Minutes Later…
The next few minutes had been filled with the guys listening to the girls banter over the wall and ignoring the awkward tension that lingered between Hau and Gladion. Sun eventually got fed up with it and asked, "So what brings you here, Gladion?"
Gladion frowned as he crossed his arms, sinking lower into the water. "Not that it's any of your business, but we had a reservation. Turns out Demi knew someone who could get us in, and we needed a day to relax a bit."
"I'm honestly shocked you know how to relax." Hau remarked, causing Gladion to scowl even harder. "Was it hard to get into the springs with that giant stuck up your butt?"
"Don't make me come over there."
"See, this is why you don't have any friends." Hau pointed out, causing the blond-haired teen to scowl at him.
"I'm his friend!" Demi said cheerily from the other side of the wall.
"Weren't you girls supposed to be having your own private conversations?" Sun asked curiously.
Mallow sighed loud enough for the boys to hear here from the other side of the room. "I mean, we still are. Right now, Lillie's refusing to answer my questions about Sun-"
"Mallow, shut up or I'll drown you!" Lillie cried out, causing Gladion to smirk with amusement. His sister sounded incredibly flustered. It was then that Gladion wondered why she'd be so flustered about Sun, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. Mallow continued as if she hadn't heard Lillie's threat.
"So we've taken turns asking Demi about whether or not she's confessed her feelings to the blond hottie she's traveling with-ACK!" Mallow was interrupted by what sounded like someone dunking her under the hot water, as evidenced by the sputtering and coughing sounds the green-haired girl made just a few minutes later.
Hau's eyes narrowed at that and cast his gaze to Gladion, who looked both surprised and embarrassed if the furious blushing on his face was any indicator.
"Should I be concerned about your intentions with my friend?" Hau asked coolly, crossing his arms in a fashion that seemed profoundly weird on the normally affable boy.
Gladion scoffed and shook his head. "Last I checked, she was her own person. And not that it's any of your business, but we're not dating."
"YET!"
"Mallow, I swear to god I'll drown your ass!"
"I'll help Demi do it, too. Seriously, Lana, how the heck do you deal with her all the time?"
"I grew up with little twin sisters, Lillie. I've got plenty of practice dealing with immaturity."
"I'm right here, you know."
Sun and Kiawe openly cackled at the girls loudly chatting about Mallow's obnoxiousness. Hau, however, was eyeing the wall beside them with a thoughtful expression.
"It's a shame that the wall is there. I've always wanted to try one of those mixed baths Tutu told me they have in Johto and Hoenn." Hau remarked ruefully, grinning in a way that made Sun and Gladion both give the boy a glare.
"We have mixed baths in a few places here in Alola. I've actually been to the one in Malie City, but it's closed for remodeling." Kiawe remarked, drawing everyone's gaze. "And as nice as it is to see…well, women walking around in nothing but towels, you also have to deal with fat old guys walking around with just as much clothing. It's a mixed bag, to be blunt."
"Well, thankfully it's just our friends and Gladion here, so we don't have to worry about it. Heh. Maybe if that wall falls down I'll get to see Lillie in just a towel. Or maybe Lana or Demi." Hau remarked with a mischievous chuckle, causing Gladion's eyes to narrow down to slits.
"Come on in, Hau, the water's fine over here!" Acerola called with a laugh, only for several shouts of protest from Demi and Lillie to overwhelm her voice.
"You do anything to that wall or try to peep on those girls and I'll kill you." Gladion hissed at the other Trainer, fury palpable in his voice. "Slowly and painfully."
"Nah, you wouldn't kill me. Sun would jump in to help me, and he's beaten you twice if memory serves." Hau said with a shit-eating grin, causing Gladion to scowl.
"I'd probably just sit back and watch to be honest." Sun admitted, grinning at Hau as the boy looked at him with a shocked expression. Gladion smirked to himself, privately glad that the other boy had more sense than his friend. It was then that Gladion noticed that two of Sun's Pokémon were openly glaring at one another with furious gazes, and that no one else had realized it.
"I really don't get what your issue is with me. I'm not even doing anything." Oliver said to Alastor, taking a moment to wrap a protective wing around Penny who happened to be floating right beside him. Penny squawked in surprise (and embarrassment), but she made no move to get out of Oliver's embrace as the Decidueye glared down the Alolan Golem.
"You are my issue, you disgusting little cretin. You're a blight on this world!" Alastor snarled, raising his claws out of the water.
"Stop it, you two! And Alastor, calm down before you shock all of us in this pool. Or you can get out of the pool and remain mad." Sun said to the Alolan Golem, who's expression darkened with even more anger.
Unfortunately, this also had the effect of the Golem accidentally releasing a discharge of electricity through his body, which was still mostly submerged in the pool.
Thereby shocking the daylights out of everyone on the male's side of the pool.
"G-G-G-Get out of the p-p-p-oool!" Kiawe shouted as he and Sun dragged themselves out of the water. Gladion took several seconds to climb out of the water, grabbing Riolu as the rest of the Pokémon cried out in pain and shouted. Hau was unlucky, being further out into the hot springs and being subjected to the brunt of the shock along with the other Pokémon.
Which included Kiawe's Turtonator, who didn't take too kindly to being shocked in such a sudden manner.
"No, stop!" Kiawe shouted as he saw Turtonator's shell glow brightly, knowing full well what was going to happen next.
BOOOOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the hot spring chamber, filling it with smoke and the sound of screaming from the female side of the room. Sun was thrown backwards onto the floor with a pained groan and Gladion managed to duck behind his Zoroark to avoid the blast. Kiawe hid behind a decorative rock while Hau had simply dove into the water.
As the smoke began to clear, devastation of the area soon became evident. A massive hole was blown through the wall to the female side of the room (where Turtonator's back had been facing) and debris was scattered throughout the male's side of the chamber.
"Is everyone okay?" Sun asked as he staggered to his feet, rubbing his head as he looked over at his team. Alastor seemed somewhat dazed while the others had scrambled out of the water. His fellow humans seemed likewise stunned, but otherwise okay. It was then that Sun's gaze went to the massive hole in the wall, through which he saw a cluster of very surprised teenage girls staring back at him with horror.
"W-w-what the hell, guys!?" Acerola shouted, stomping her foot down and observing the sheer damage that had been done to the wall. Behind her Demi and Lana both shrieked, ducking further into the water with their faces furiously blushing. Mallow didn't react so vocally, but even she was visibly flustered with an embarrassed blush on her face.
The male side wasn't handling this any better, with Sun trying and failing to tear his gaze away from Lillie as she frantically swam over to a dazed Nebby in the water. The blonde snatched up the Cosmog in her arms with a sigh of relief after making sure he was okay…before looking up at Sun through the wall and slowly realizing exactly what was going on. She glanced down at the drenched towel that she had wrapped around her body, and then looked back up at Sun who was now bleeding from his nose.
Naturally Lillie screamed and dove back into the water while Sun snapped out of his daze and tore his eyes away from his crush. As the girls continued to yell, Hau staggered forward with a placating gesture.
"Hey, in my defense, this isn't my fault." Hau said as he pointed to Kiawe's Turtanator and Alastor, who both had the decency to look ashamed.
"Then stop looking, you pervert!" Acerola called back, turning on her heel and walking out of the hot springs. "Unless you girls feel like giving the guys a free show, we should probably bail."
That was when all hell broke loose, and all of the girls suddenly began to scream and flee the hot springs while trying to cover themselves the best that they could. Sun averted his eyes alongside Kiawe while Gladion and Hau stared at the girls as they scrambled out of the springs, unable to look away.
To Gladion's relief, Lillie was one of the first out of the springs and was spared any further embarrassment. To his horror, Demi was significantly less lucky and slipped on the wet stone as she and the others scrambled out of the springs, accidentally tripping over Lana and knocking the both of them to the ground…and causing them to lose their towels in the process.
"I wasn't sure about this hot springs thing before we left, but I've gotta say…today's been a pretty good day." Hau said out loud to himself as he stared at the two girls on the ground. Even as both girls scrambled to their feet, shrieking as they left their towels behind in their haste to get out of the springs and away from the gaze of their male companions. "It's about time I get a win."
"I'll kill you!" Gladion snarled as Hau let out a scream of his own and bolted out of the hot springs with the furious blond hot on his trail. Sun sighed and sank back into the water, shaking his head.
"I can't bring you guys anywhere, can I?" Sun said to his team that had mostly collapsed outside of the hot spring.
"Maybe we can go to the beach next time…?" Finn suggested weakly before fainting, with Brago sighing tiredly beside him. Penny simply remained limp in Oliver's wings, too exhausted to even respond, even as Oliver and Alastor continued to glare at one another.
Malie City
Later That Night…
"I never get tired of seeing this place in the evening. It's so magical." Lillie whispered, grabbing Sun's arm with a smile on her face. Sun laughed softly at her words, but nodded in agreement at them.
The streets of Malie became something else entirely when the sun went down. Lanterns shone brightly in the moonlight, illuminating the streets of Malie City and casting the city in a warm glow. One would hardly have guessed that a matter of weeks ago the entire city was destroyed as a result of a madman's schemes.
"I'm honestly surprised I was able to goof off as much as I have today. There's been a lot of meetings lately surrounding the mess with the Councils and the power vacuum that's now present since they're mostly gone." Acerola remarked, crossing her arms as her friends looked at her.
"What do you think's going to end up happening?" Lillie asked her friend, receiving a thoughtful look in response.
"I think it depends on how much power the new Pokémon League here in Alola is going to have. Alola's done things a certain way for so long, but we've never had such an upheaval like this before either. It's really hard to say right now to be totally honest." Acerola admitted, frowning as she considered the matter.
"I bet. Adrian Battlestorm's report revealed a lot of really bad things about Alola's leadership." Sun remarked, remembering some of the things his father talked about before.
"And by that you mean the fact that the Council knew full well what was happening with Roran and Ano and just let them get away with it for years." Lillie said with a note of tranquil fury in her voice, her serene face darkening with anger. Sun grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze, causing her to relax.
"I know…My Dad was one of those victims. His own father did it. But now the news is out and those who are still evading justice are getting what they're owed." Sun said quietly, even though a part of him very much wanted to exact violent retribution against the monsters who had allowed Ano Aupuni to harm Ashton in such a way as a child.
"Let's change the topic for now, huh guys? It's a beautiful night and those jerks are getting what's been coming to them. Now come on!" Hau said with a laugh as he grabbed Sun and Lillie's hands and pulled them forward, causing the two other children to smile at their friend and within moments, their dark moods were left behind in the night while Acerola's giggles filled the air.
Vendors called out greetings to potential customers while men and women conversed warmly with one another, shouting "Alola!" echoing across the street every minute or so. Children cried out joyfully as they played in the gardens and the streets, their laughter carrying out into the night as gentle music played in the background somewhere further down the road.
"Yeah…this is what we fought for. The future." Sun said quietly, reaching down and grabbing Lillie's hand, which earned him a shy smile from the girl in question. Hau bound forward, grinning widely.
"And I'm going to be enjoying every second of it! Where's the malasada store?" Hau asked, earning three eye rolls as Sun let go of Lillie's hand to walk up to Hau and point him in the direction of the store in question. However before Hau could sprint off in search of delicious desserts, Acerola grabbed him by the back of his shirt and held him in place.
"Oh, no you don't! You're not spoiling your appetite before we have dinner!" Acerola said to Hau, disapproval in her voice.
Hau frowned and looked back at her. "What are you, my Mom?"
"Nope, but sometimes I have to pretend to be a responsible adult. It's fun!" Acerola chirped as she let go of Hau's shirt and skipped over to a building about a hundred yards away with a picture of a Blaziken and Emboar arm-wrestling. A man wearing a cheery smile stood beside a curtain that led deeper into the restaurant. "And here's where our dinner is waiting for us."
"Welcome to Malie Mega Meaty Ramen!" the man said bombastically, throwing apart his arms and moving the curtain that showed a long bar filled with customers slurping out of ramen bowls. Hau and Sun's mouths began to water at the smell that washed over them while Lillie sneezed softly at the spicy smell that tickled her nose. The quartet was quickly led to some available seats towards the end of the long row.
"Welcome! Is this your first time here?" asked the cook as the group sat down. Everyone but Acerola confirmed that it was indeed the first time they had been in the restaurant.
"Do you have a vegetarian menu?" Lillie asked timidly, earning a deadpan expression from the man for several moments before he cracked a grin, pulling out a bright green and only slightly smaller menu and handing it to Lillie.
"I recommend the Tomato Tossed Ramen. It's my wife's favorite." The cook said brightly to the girl, returning his smile with one of her own.
"This place prides itself on its meaty ramen bowls, but the owner's wife is a vegan. So they made sure to have a bunch of items that cater to those who don't eat meat. It's pretty cool to be honest." Acerola explained as Lillie looked over the menu before realizing that the cook they had just spoken to was in fact the owner of the restaurant.
"I already like this place. It'll be a tasty way to end an awesome day." Sun said with a grin, already looking forward to chowing down on one of the large bowls of ramen piled with meat that were being handed out to other customers. Everyone quickly picked out what they wanted on the menu, and after that they were each given a tall glass of water and a bowl of steaming hot miso soup.
"Mmhmm. I think everyone needs a night like this." Acerola remarked, taking a small sip of her soup.
"It has been a nice day. Not counting the bit at the end of our hot springs visit." Lillie muttered the last part under her breath while Hau blushed furiously.
"And we all agreed that it's not my fault, right?" Hau said to his two closest friends, who simply stared at him in response. "It was Kiawe's Turtonator who blew up! And even that was Alastor's fault."
"That doesn't mean you weren't being a pervert, Hau. We heard you over the wall." Lillie remarked with a shudder, glad that she hadn't been caught in the disaster. She would have died if Sun saw her in such a state. It was bad enough he had seen her in just a wet towel. "Poor Lana and Demi were so embarrassed."
"I mean, they have nothing to be embarrassed about-" Hau began to say, only for Sun to elbow him in the stomach hard.
"Not the kind of thing you want to say when you know that Gladion wants to kick your butt and Lana hasn't left her room yet because she's so humiliated that you saw her like that." Sun pointed out, which Hau smirked at.
"Gladion's got the personality of a tire fire and I honestly don't care what he says about me." Hau said merrily, ignoring the annoyed look Lillie shot Hau before she caught herself. Acerola chuckled at the remark while Sun shrugged. "And as for Lana, I'll call her after we're done with dinner and talk to her. She probably just needs some time to calm down."
Sun nodded at that as Lillie quietly sipped her water beside him. "That's probably a good idea. She'll be flustered for a while, but you should definitely talk to her about it. As for Gladion, I honestly don't mind him at all. He's a bit too intense, but I don't think he's a bad guy." Sun admitted before taking a sip of his miso soup. "Hmm. Needs a little salt."
"Heathen." Acerola remarked as Sun grabbed the salt and sprinkled a little into his soup. Sun stuck his tongue out at her, receiving a chuckle out of the Trial Captain.
"Anyways I'm curious, Sun. How's your team doing? You were having some issues before that whole battle thing in Hau'oli. Any changes?" Acerola asked the boy, who considered the issue for a few moments before responding.
"Not really. Penny, Brago and Finn have always been pretty good and I've had no problems with them in a long while. And ever since Oliver overcame that mental block he's had since that Ultra Beast attack, he's been doing great. Even better now that he's finally evolved." Sun replied, smiling as he reflected on the growth of his Partner. He then frowned as he considered his latest capture.
"As for Alastor, he was doing a tiny bit better for a while, but he seems…on edge for some reason. He's acting differently towards Oliver, and it's causing problems. I think it's going to end up resulting in a clash between the two of them. How they acted at the Hot Springs has been a daily thing." Sun remarked with a sigh, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I was hoping that the issues between the two of them would get sorted out when they were both evolved, but apparently that was wishful thinking."
"Maybe you should just let the two of them duke it out? Get it all out in the open." Hau suggested, making Sun hum thoughtfully before shrugging again.
"If there's any problems during the Ghost Trial I'll see about going that route later." Sun responded, but he was surprised when Lillie chimed in a moment later.
"Professor Kukui actually supports that sort of thing. I believe he mentioned something about sorting out matters of who leads the team alongside the Trainer. Since Oliver is your Partner, and the Pokémon you used to defeat your father, that makes him the de facto leader of your team." Lillie mused before taking a sip of her water. "Alastor has had issues with you and Oliver since the night you caught him. As much as I hate the idea of Pokémon fighting like that, maybe they do need to settle this in a way that only Pokémon can. Combat."
"For someone who's not a Trainer, you understand the team dynamics really well." Acerola remarked, causing Lillie to blush slightly.
"That's because I'm an assistant to the Regional Professor and my best friends are fantastic Trainers. You tend to pick up a few things." Lillie responded with a shy smile, especially since Sun and Hau both took that moment to hug Lillie from the front and back.
"Friendship Sandwich!" Sun and Hau called out, grinning from ear to ear while Lillie's face bloomed scarlet. Acerola cackled at her embarrassment as other patrons of the ramen restaurant stared at them.
"We're gonna love and tolerate the shit out of you, Princess!" Acerola cheered, glomping Lillie from the side as the girl struggled from Hau and Sun's grasp. After several moments Lillie sighed and accepted her friend's silliness…at least until a cough caught their attention.
"Um…Your food is ready." Hau, Acerola, Lillie and Sun all blinked in union before looking towards the counter and seeing that a waiter was standing there with a bemused expression, setting down a bowl of steaming hot ramen where Hau had been sitting. The quartet quickly moved apart and sat down politely, with everyone but Acerola blushing in embarrassment.
"S-so, Acerola. What's going to change now that the Councils are being dissolved?" Sun asked the Trial Captain, who considered the matter for a few moments.
"Likely the Trial Captains and Kahunas gaining a bit more power in how things are run. We'll obviously have to wait for the League to be completed and it'll take ages for everything to be smoothed over, but I'm feeling hopeful about it. Change is in the air, Sun." Acerola said sagely as her ramen arrived. "But that kind of talk is for later. The night is young, and we've got ramen to eat!"
"Here here!" Hau cheered as he broke apart his chopsticks and began to eat. Lillie and Sun mimicked their friend as Acerola giggled at them, digging into her ramen a few moments later.
Whatever changes that Alola would be going through as a result of Cipher and Ashton Aupuni would be handled by the adults. For now, Sun and his friends were only worried about eating their dinner and enjoying the remainder of the night in the company of good friends after months of fear and hardship.
The future was uncertain…But at least they could face it together.
Meanwhile…
Route 13
"Zoroark, use Shadow Claw!"
"Torch, Smokescreen!"
The Quilava leapt back and released a harsh blast of smoke as the Zoroark lunged forward, its claws burning with shadowy energy. The smoke billowed outwards, obscuring the view of the Dark-type and causing him to miss his attack as Torch snuck underneath it.
"Flamethrower!" Demi shouted as Torch inhaled deeply before releasing a harsh stream of flames directly into the chest of Zoroark, causing it to howl in pain as it was flung backwards. Gladion grit his teeth in frustration, but smirked after a moment of thought.
"She's learning…" Gladion thought before pointing forward. "Zoroark, use Shadow Ball!"
The Zoroark snarled softly before charging up a ghostly sphere of energy with its maw and firing it off towards Torch, who barely dodged it in time with a Flame Wheel at Demi's command, with the burning wheel of fire slamming hard into Pokémon yet again and sending it skidding back with a whine of pain.
"Come on, Torchy! Let's keep up the pressure!" Demi yelled out as she did a fist pump, with the Quilava letting out a cry in response as the flames on its body flared brightly. Gladion simply nodded, gripping his arm and returning to his usual battle pose.
"Don't think that just because you got in a few lucky shots means that you've got this victory in the bag. Zoroark, let's show them our strength!" Gladion called out as the Illusion Fox Pokémon let out a howl in response.
After the hot spring debacle (and a hour-long search as to where Hau had gotten off too) Gladion had decided today was as good a time as any to get some battling practice done. So after a quick Charizard Flight to Ula'ula Island, both Gladion and Demi returned to the Tapu Village and made their way over to the entrance of the Haina Desert.
Thanks to Gladion, Demi's skill as a Trainer had improved considerably over the past few weeks. While the girl wasn't quite to the level Gladion was, she was well ahead of the curve compared to the standard Team Skull Grunts that roamed the Alola region. Gladion wagered only a handful of Team Skull members could defeat Demi in a battle at this point, not including Guzma himself, Plumeria and the Bone Brothers.
"Sludge Bomb!" Gladion barked as Zoroark rushed forward, firing off a toxic sphere of sludge towards Torch.
"Dodge with Quick Attack and go into another Flame Wheel!" Demi shouted as Torch sped forward, ducking under the attack and slamming hard into Zoroark.
"Shadow Claw!" Gladion called out, with Zoroark lashing out and knocking away Torch before he had a chance to dodge. The Quilava landed harshly on the ground, twitching in pain as a fiery aura surrounded his body.
"That's Blaze, Torch's special Ability. Let's make this count." Demi muttered to herself as the Quilava slowly rose from the ground. "Torch, use Flamethrower!"
"Shadow Ball!" Gladion instructed Zoroark as the Illusion Fox Pokémon snarled softly, charging up a sphere of ghostly energy within its mouth once again before firing off the attack. The Shadow Ball connected with the Flamethrower and slowly began to push through the flames before detonating and creating an explosion.
"Torch, use Quick Attack into Flame Wheel!" Demi called to Torch quietly, hoping Gladion wouldn't hear her over the sound of the blast. The Quilava nodded and leapt forward, dashing into the thick black smoke.
Gladion frowned at the smoke that filled the clearing, thinking about it for a moment. "Zoroark, use Dark Pulse to clear the smoke-"
Gladion was cut off by Torch speeding out of the black cloud, becoming a massive burning wheel of roaring fire as he did so. Zoroark's eyes widened in surprise before the Flame Wheel struck him directly, knocking him to the ground with a harsh thud. Torch landed lightly on the ground, panting heavily for several moments as the smoke cleared around them. The Quilava glanced back towards his opponent…and grinned.
Zoroark lay on the ground with swirls in its eyes, completely knocked out. Gladion's own eyes widened in surprise for a few moments before he smiled and returned Zoroark.
"Thanks for the great battle." Gladion said to his Pokémon gratefully before clipping the ball to his belt.
"Woah…we took them down! We beat them!" Demi cheered, bounding forward and scooping up her Quilava tightly into a hug. Demi spun around giddily as she laughed, with Torch nuzzling her face happily.
And then Torch began to glow.
"No way…" Demi whispered as she quickly set Torch on the ground and backed away. The Quilava glowed a bright blue color that Demi had seen twice before with her own Pokémon, yet it still held the same mesmerizing effect that it had before on her. Slowly the Quilava began to change its form, growing in size until it stood taller than Demi. The light faded as the changing stopped, revealing a bipedal dog-like creature with crème and blue-colored fur, a ring of fire erupting around its neck.
"Torch evolved into a Typhlosion…" Gladion muttered, crossing his arms thoughtfully as Demi stared at her Pokémon with wide eyes. "All that extra training paid off then."
"T-Torch…You evolved!" Demi cheered as she ran forward and hugged the newly-evolved Pokémon, earning a joyful growl in response as Torch hugged her back.
"Congrats you two." Gladion said, smiling at the two of them as Demi let go of Torch, looking towards the other teen. "You did-"
Gladion was interrupted when Demi ran forward and tackled him into a fierce hug, which surprised the teen for several moments before he slowly returned it.
"Thank you." Demi muttered into his ear, squeezing him tightly.
"...Don't worry about it. It's what friends do." Gladion remarked after a brief pause, causing Demi to pull away from him with a wide grin. She broke away from the hug and went back to praising her newly-evolved Typhlosion, doing so with a bright smile. Gladion found himself smiling again as he watched her.
He then averted his eyes, scowling to himself. "I've got to stop staring."
Gladion was embarrassed to say that this sort of thing happened often. Thankfully Demi never called him out on it nor made any advances towards him save for the occasional hug, which Gladion appreciated. The teen still wasn't sure how to take affection like that.
A loud ringing sound went off then, surprising all of them. Demi blinked twice and then dug into her backpack, pulling out her cellphone. She stared at the name on the Caller I.D, surprise on her face for a brief moment before her eyes darkened.
"It's from my Dad. It's the third time he's called today." Demi said with a sigh, leaning back against the palm tree. Torch moved closer to the girl, hoping to comfort her. The phone then stopped ringing, and after a minute the phone let out a soft ding.
"You didn't say anything about unblocking him. Did you do that today?" Gladion asked Demi, who gave a small nod.
"He left a message…" Demi murmured, sounding partly annoyed and partly concerned at the same time. Almost fearful, if Gladion had to place it. After a few moments of hesitation, Demi tapped a button on her phone.
"Demi…it's Dad." Councilman Palena's voice spoke, sounding haggard. Considering the past few days, with the downfall of the Alolan Regional Council and the inquiry he was facing, Gladion and Demi weren't surprised in the slightest.
"I wanted to call you because…I wanted to apologize. We all do. Mom, Daniel and me. Our family has placed the reputation of our line as something paramount to all else. Ever since you and Daniel were born, we talked of nothing else save for our legacy." Palena's voice recounted, and it was something Demi knew was true. But the way her father spoke of such things was completely different than his usual tone. As opposed to reverence, his voice contained nothing but contempt.
"However…a few weeks ago I was shown the truth by one of Alola's greatest monsters. He showed me that my world, my life and pride, was nothing but a lie. You probably saw the broadcast the other day or heard the news. I've held onto my seat in whatever power emerges out of the ashes, but I barely care about that. Because when Roran was ready to slaughter all of us in the burning remains of Malie City, I saw my life flash before my eyes. And that changed me, Demi. I see so many things I was too stubborn or proud to see. And…and…
"I've come to realize that none of it really matters. What truly matters are the people in your life that are in the here and now. Not the pride of people that have died centuries ago or old traditions. And I've come to realize that I've failed you as a father. I turned my back on you when you needed your Dad the most. And I'm…" Palena's voice broke, a choked sob coming out as the man fought to keep his composure.
"I'm so sorry, Demi. Please call me back when you can. I love you. We all do. Please let us find some way to make things right between us." The voicemail ended then, and Demi blinked her eyes repeatedly as she struggled to keep her composure.
"Sounds to me like he's had a rough time of things, lately." Gladion said quietly as Demi stared down at her phone, her eyes shining with tears as she considered the words her father had spoken.
"Do you think someone can change that much?" Demi asked Gladion, who thought about it for a second before shrugging. "Guess that's a pretty deep question to ask on the spot, huh?"
Gladion snorted softly in amusement. "Maybe. I think your Dad probably had his perspective changed, but whether he's changed is an entirely different question. The more important question is whether or not you're ready to accept his apologies."
"Could you ever forgive her?" Demi asked Gladion, her words barely more than a whisper. "Even after everything she's done to you and Lillie?
Gladion considered the girl's question for a few moments before walking over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "If my Mother ever apologized to me in the same way your father did, Demi…I'd at least hear her out. But she's lost within her own insanity and would never admit her own wrongdoing. Your Dad sounds sincere. What you do now is your choice and yours alone, Demi. I'll support whatever choice you make."
The Team Skull Grunt nodded slowly as she thought about that. And blinked as her phone as it continued to ring again. Finally on the third ring, Demi's thumb tapped a button, picking up the incoming call as she brought the phone up to her ear.
"H-hey Dad…how's it going?" Demi asked timidly, her anxiety clear as day. "Um, thanks for the hot spring reservation. It was really nice. How are M-mom and Daniel doing?"
Gladion watched as the girl tried her best to keep her composure together while she spoke to her father for the first time since their fight months ago, when the Palena family turned their backs on Demi.
The poor girl had lost against Totem Araquanid in the Water Trial, with the Totem Pokémon going wild and killing Demi's Fletchinder, Feya, in the struggle. After slapping Lana and calling her parents, they had surprisingly scolded Demi for lashing out at a Trial Captain and sullying the family name without ever giving the girl a chance to explain her actions.
And so when Team Skull and Gladion stumbled onto the scene and saved her from the bandit known as Night Slash, her joining the group of thugs was almost inevitable.
But as he heard Demi awkwardly talk to her father, her voice cracking slightly with emotion as she spoke to the man who turned his back on his only daughter, Gladion wondered if people really could change. That they could understand where they went wrong and find a way to make peace and rebuild what bonds had been broken.
Gladion thought of his own journey. The long lonely road he had walked for nearly three whole years before he began expanding his team, even adding Demi to his circle. A genuine friend. He considered everything that he was fighting for, and looked to the skies where he knew another world lay beyond his own…teeming with monsters with incredible power ready to tear them apart.
"I'll save them. All of them. Mom. Dad. Lillie…I have to become stronger so I can save them all." Gladion thought as he watched Demi continue to talk with her estranged father over the phone, knowing that the road to mending things between the girl and her family would be a long one.
But all journeys begin with a single step…and Gladion prayed that he could see the poor girl's family come back together in a way that his probably never would.
NEXT TIME: The Pokémon League reconvenes and Sun has his rematch of the Ghost Trial!
This was one surprisingly tricky to hammer out. But it was fun!
Q & A
From: SolanaLeonhart
What about Damien though? Is Deoxys going to be a problem in the future? Just a random question but is this Deoxys the same one from the meteor incident which May stopped?
Damien was taken into custody alongside Ashton, so he's currently in 'jail' along with his Trainer and the rest of Ashton's team.
And no, it's a different Deoxys than the one May stopped. That was actually a mistake from the last chapter that I'm actually going back to fix after this update goes live.
And Deoxys is definitely coming back, but how and what sort of impact it has on proceedings will be determined. After all, it's Trainer is now reformed, but that doesn't mean it still can't cause trouble…
From: Muramasa96
I don't quite understand Borlath's immortality, he can't die but like he can be killed and resurrect or like vampire every injury he sustains is instantly healed?
I'm gonna keep that one under wraps for now, since it'll be explained in a few chapters once we're past some of the filler-ish chapters and start dealing with more plot heavy chapters.
That's all for now, everyone. Please leave a review to show your support and Favorite and/or Follow the story if you want to stay updated with everything. I also have a Discord server for the story and I answer questions you leave in the review section below.
Stay safe and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
