Pokémon Radiant Sun


As much as I want to angrily vent about recent events, this isn't quite the time or place for that. After all, people read stories like this to enjoy themselves and to escape from the harsh reality of life for a little while.

So here we go.

Shoutout to the amazing people who have reviewed since the last update which includes SolanaLeonhart, Oragonking, Augar, a Guest Reviewer, ConnivingG and a new reviewer known as Dklett. Thanks for the feedback and support, folks!

On a more positive note, I'd like to announce that "Pokémon Radiant Sun" has reached over 400,000 views on this site! Absolutely insane, and I have all of you to thank for that!

Let's keep on keeping on!

Enjoy.


Chapter 139: Call of the Haunted


"Good luck!" Hau and Lillie called to Sun as he and Acerola made their way into the Tapu Village. Hunter and Kylee happily waved goodbye to Sun alongside the older kids.

Sun opened his extremely pink umbrella just as the rainfall began to fall, fighting back a shiver due to the colder weather that was present in this particular section of the island. Mt. Lanakila was nearby and the cold winds blew down from the mountain, making this area a pleasurable place to live for Ice-types like the Alolan Variants of Vulpix and Sandshrew.

And apparently Absol as well, with Sun noticing one or two of the Disaster Pokémon lurking within the tall grass, only to flee as Sun and Acerola approached. However, Sun did notice one somewhat familiar Absol intently watching him from a rocky ledge, its gaze intent upon the boy. When Sun stopped and stared at the Pokémon, it simply stared back at him for several moments before fleeing further up the mountain and out of sight.

"Weird…I've seen that Absol several times now." Sun muttered, with Acerola looking at the boy with some concern before shrugging.

"They're usually seen as a bad omen. A prelude to natural disasters, many people say. Uncle Nanu would know more, since that's his specialty, but he's been busy lately and probably wouldn't give us a straight answer." Acerola remarked, her tone's cheer dipping somewhat noticeably. However, when Sun looked towards her she was still smiling brightly at him.

"So how confident are you that you can beat the Totem Pokémon?" Acerola asked Sun. Today was the day of Sun's rematch of the Ghost Trial, which he had failed to complete roughly a month ago. Several factors played into it, including Alastor's disobedience and Oliver's struggles with evolving distracting him mid-fight.

"I feel a lot better about it now that I know what to expect." Sun said as he raised his Z-Ring, grinning at the Trial Captain. "I've got a secret weapon now that I can use to hopefully knock out that Totem in one shot."

"In one shot?" Acerola asked, surprised. "The Totem swept through your entire team from my understanding. It's only been a few weeks since then. Do you really think you've become that powerful in that time?"

Sun considered the answer, smiling knowingly in response. "We'll have to wait and see."

Acerola returned the smile, humming softly before she suddenly laughed. "I can see why Lillie likes you so much. That confidence of yours is striking. Then again, after defeating your father and saving the world from his madness, maybe you're entitled to some cockiness."

Sun flushed at that, but otherwise remained silent as the two of them approached the Abandoned Site, the location that the Ghost Trial would take place in. Acerola skipped towards the building before spinning on her heels, flashing Sun a menacing grin.

"So you know the drill, Sun. You take pictures of the spooky Ghost Pokémon and eventually my Totem will show up. Don't catch any Pokémon and please don't throw up on the floor. I don't like using the cleaning supplies inside the store." Acerola said merrily, which resulted in Sun being unsure whether or not she was being sarcastic or not.

"We'll try what we did last time…Alastor, let's go!" Sun called out the Alolan Golem, who's eyes narrowed in anger open being called out. His gaze then turned towards the Abandoned Site and an involuntary shudder passed over him.

"So, we're back here. And you want me to lead the way through this place again." Alastor noted, clenching his fists as his lips curled into a scowl.

"Yup. And this time I'm going to let you call all the shots when it comes to battling." Sun replied, causing Alastor to glance back at him.

"Really? Is that because you find your skills lacking so much, human?" Alastor sneered, only for Sun to shake his head in response.

"Nope. I want to prove you wrong. Now, let's get going." Sun said as he began walking towards the remains of the Thrifty Megamart before Tapu Bulu had unleashed its fury upon the store. Alastor walked after his Trainer, his expression pensive as the storm rumbled on around them.

Sun opened the front doors and clicked on his flashlight, with Rotom Dex providing even more light in the dim building. Alastor's thudding footsteps rattled the floors and walls, but Sun was considerably more confident this go around than he was last time.

The duo, not including Rotom Dex, made their way through the maze of shelves and products that were thrown around or haphazardly stacked. Sun wondered how often Acerola maintained the store, and whether or not there was still anything of value within it. He then immediately discarded that idea, remembering that this place had been abandoned for years and that everything of use would've been stolen by now. He also wasn't a thief…

It was still a valid question though.

The conveyor belt to a nearby check-out counter began to move on its own, and Sun took a step back and fired up the Poké Finder, taking a snapshot of the Gastly that was floating around the area.

Alastor wasted no time, unleashing a Rock Blast that knocked out the Gastly in just one shot. Their trek through the haunted supermarket went incredibly smooth compared to their first trip. The Haunter and Gengar, much like their Gastly counterpart, had possessed the same items as before, making the surprise much less…well, surprising and less scary than it had been last time.

Alastor knocked out both specters with little issues, the boost in strength and experience that he had acquired since evolving allowing him to defeat both opponents without taking damage as Sun easily got pictures of the ghosts.

"Now, my main question is, are you going to abandon me when we go into the back closet?" Sun asked as they approached the room where the Totem had been waiting last time. Alastor growled softly in anger, but didn't respond verbally to the question.

Soon enough, Sun and Alastor were standing in front of the closet in question, which clicked softly as they approached, signaling that it was now unlocked. Alastor growled softly in anger before stomping forward.

"Let them come. I'll destroy them all." Alastor hissed softly as Sun raised an eyebrow at how serious he was taking this. Sun wondered how much of Alastor's personality had changed when he had evolved. Did he mature much from when he was a Graveler?

"I guess since I'm still getting to know him, and he's been so abrasive, I can't really tell how much he's grown." Sun thought to himself as he opened the door and walked inside of the small closet alongside Alastor. "I'll have to think about that more later, when I'm not about to be literally jump-scared."

The door behind them slammed shut and the Rotom Dex fired up on its own. Sun could already hear the shuffling of something behind them. Alastor and Sun both turned around, even as Sun snapped a picture of Totem Mimikyu as it giggled softly. Alastor growled hatefully at the ghost beside Sun even as the Trainer shivered involuntarily with fear. Even knowing what was coming didn't make things any better.

"Welcoooome baaaaack!"

Alastor and Sun both screamed as darkness enveloped them both, blinding them completely for about ten seconds before the veil lifted and the duo found themselves in a familiar battlefield with the Totem Pokémon standing across from them. Totem Mimikyu let out a shuddering snarl as its body exploded with a fiery orange aura.

"Bzzzzt! It's Z-Power activated! All of its stats went up!" Rotom Dex warned Sun as Totem Mimikyu giggled softly, twitching on the ground as Alastor continued to shake.

"Well…Your move, Alastor." Sun said to the Alolan Golem, who glanced back at him. "You think you don't need me or any of our team in order to be strong. That you're better than Oliver and everyone else just because you're from a certain clan of Pokémon. Prove it. You can do whatever you want. I won't hold you back." Sun said with a pleasant smile to the Alolan Golem, who's lips curled into a sinister grin as he turned towards Totem Mimikyu.

"Perfect." Alastor remarked, though inwards he was feeling trepidation. He knew how powerful Totem Mimikyu was, and he felt that there was something else going on that the human wasn't telling him.

But Alastor was fine with that. He had evolved since the last time he had done battle with the Ghost Totem Pokémon, and he had grown in both strength and cunning. Alastor simply needed to win…he fought down a shiver as Totem Mimikyu giggled at him.

"Weeell? I'm waaaaaaiting…" came the hiss, earning a growl of frustration from Alastor before Alastor tucked into his body and rolled quickly towards Totem Mimikyu. Sun was somewhat thrown off that he was going for the direct approach with Rollout…And then Sun smirked, realizing what Alastor was up to.

"RAAAAH!" Alastor snarled as he suddenly changed how he was spinning, morphing from Rollout into Gyro Ball. Mimikyu let out a small shriek before the Golem slammed hard into the Totem, sending it hurtling across the battlefield with a shriek of pain. Alastor broke out of his spin with a dark chuckle, his fingers crackling with electricity.

"How'd you like that!?" Alastor barked, laughing as Totem Mimikyu slowly rose to its feet. Alastor's smug expression changed when the Totem Pokémon's neck suddenly snapped, making the Alolan Golem's face turn to one of revulsion.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this?" Alastor demanded, glancing back at Sun who simply shrugged. The Megaton Pokémon looked back at Totem Mimikyu, which began shambling towards Alastor with its head hanging limply on the side. However, Alastor was astounded to see that there was no lasting damage dealt to the Totem Pokémon.

"See, if I was directing you, I could have told you about Mimikyu's Ability. That thing took a Z-Move from Brago and shrugged it off with that power. Your best Gyro Ball wasn't going to do anything to it. Though now that its shield is gone, you can actually fight it." Sun said to the Alolan Golem, who scowled furiously at that.

"Haaaaaunn…" came a whisper from the shadows, causing Alastor's blood to run cold.

Alastor whirled around in time to peer into the glowing eyes of Haunter. Alastor staggered back, charging up electricity within his claws…only to fall asleep standing upright.

"Haun, haun, haun!" the ghost cackled in response, floating over to Totem Mimikyu. The Totem hissed in response, shambling over to Alastor while Haunter began to strike him with Night Shade repeatedly. Totem Mimikyu dealt the final blow to Alastor with a Shadow Claw, knocking him out.

"And that's that…" Sun remarked, returning the Alolan Golem before pulling out another Poké Ball. "Oliver, let's go!"

The Decidueye emerged from his Poké Ball in a bright flash of light, flapping his wings once before glancing back at Sun, who clipped Oliver's Poké Ball to his waist while still holding Alastor's.

"Hey, Totem Mimikyu!" Sun called to the Totem, who's broken head twitched slightly. "Do you mind if I take a second to revive my Golem? He's not going to fight, I just want him to watch."

"...Interesting…Prooooooceed." came the haunting rasp from the Totem, sending shivers down the boy's spine as he dug into his bag for a Revive.

"Bzzzt! Sun what are you doing?" Rotom questioned.

"Proving a point." Sun said as he pressed the gem against Alastor's side, causing the medicine to dissolve into Alastor's rock-like skin and revitalize the unconscious Golem.

"Wha…what's going on?" Alastor asked, looking around blearily. His body went rigid when he realized that not only was Totem Mimikyu out, but a Haunter was as well. And Oliver, of course.

"Now, I want you to see just what Oliver is capable of now. Thanks to us working together." Sun said as he held out his Z-Ring, which began to shine at the same time as the Decidinium-Z attached to Oliver's chest. Z-Power burned between the two of them and Sun began to strike a series of poses, waving his arms through the air before adopting a menacing grin.

"Oliver, channel Spirit Shackle…and use Sinister Arrow Raid!" Sun shouted as Z-Power flowed from Trainer to Pokémon, engulfing him in energy. Oliver shot into the air as high as he could in the distorted world that Totem Mimikyu had conjured around them, drawing the gaze of everyone.

The Decidueye then flared his wings, sending out a wave of feather-like arrows that hung in the air in an arc around him, glowing with ghostly energy. Oliver then looked down at Totem Mimikyu and suddenly flew towards the Totem, his arrows following in hot pursuit.

Sun watched with a wide grin as Oliver's body began to glow with the same energy as his arrows, with the massive owl slamming hard into Totem Mimikyu and sending it skidding backwards across the floor with a pained hiss. It had about a second to be angry about the attack before the two dozen arrows suddenly began to bombard the ground all around Totem Mimikyu…before detonating violently.

Oliver landed lightly on the ground a short distance away, carelessly glancing backwards after a few moments as Totem Mimikyu screamed at the destructive force of the Z-Move. The explosive force sent the Totem skyward, making it fly high into the air before crashing down hard onto the ground with an audible thump.

Several seconds later, it became very obvious that the Totem wouldn't be getting up again.

"With…with j-just one attack." Alastor whispered, disbelief and horror making his voice crack through the translator collar he wore.

"...Haun?" the Haunter questioned, completely thrown off by what had just happened. Oliver silenced it with a Spirit Shackle, sending the specter back to the shadows.

"And that's that." Oliver hooted, smirking triumphantly as Alastor simply stared forward, unable to understand what he was seeing.

"Together we're so much stronger than we are alone, Alastor. I understand you hate being tied down to a human…" Sun said quietly, with Alastor's eyes flicking over to the human in response. "But can you give me a chance to show you how much stronger you can be working with us all as a team? I'm sorry I took you away from your clan and your family…But I'd really like for you to truly join our family. Please, give us a chance.."

"I…" Alastor trailed off, shuddering as Oliver stared at him. The Alolan Golem's claws curled into fists as he considered the boy's words. He then wordlessly walked towards Sun, tapped his Ultra Ball and was sucked within the device. Sun unclipped the ball for several moments and stared down at it.

"Give him time. I'm sure that twit will come around." Oliver said to his Partner, with Sun nodding in reply before he felt a rumble all around him. Sun looked towards Totem Mimikyu, only to see that it was vanishing before their eyes.

And then darkness fell around them…

When Sun came, he was standing in the small back room with Oliver, surrounded by children's drawings of Pikachu. In his hands was the Rotom Dex, playing cheerful music while showing him a picture of Totem Mimikyu.

"Well…I guess that's that." Sun said with a shrug, walking towards the exit as Oliver glanced around the closet, his eyes narrowing for a moment before quickly following his Trainer out. One minute later they were exiting the Abandoned Site and saw Acerola doing a video call with someone.

"Seriously, can you just lay off the kid?" Kiawe's voice asked from the phone, sounding annoyed.

"It comes from a good place, I assure you, Kiawe. I'm speaking as someone who is concerned about the health of Sophocles." Ilima said politely, though with an unmistakable hint of annoyance in his voice. Sun then realized that Acerola was on a group phone call with the other Captains.

"It's not really any of your business though." Acerola remarked, earning a sigh from Ilima and a triumphant cry from Sophocles.

"See, she gets it. Just let me live my life, Ilima. Besides, I've got a condition." Sophocles retorted, sounding very smug.

"Sophocles, you're incredibly fat for a kid your age. You do know that, right?" Ilima asked bluntly, causing Acerola to wince at the Normal-type specialist's direct question. "It's not healthy. At all."

"I'm not fat. I'm well-nourished!" Sophocles yelled frustratedly at Ilima.

Ilima scoffed at the remark. "Seriously, just fifteen minutes of cardio and a day and cutting out the soda! It's called healthy living!"

"Don't your parents own a pancake house or something?" Lana asked Ilima, her tone amused more than anything else.

"I've been there! It's really good!" Mallow chirped excitedly on her end of the call.

"Actually, it's a-" Ilima began to say, only for Acerola to notice that Sun and Oliver were standing there behind her. With an eep, she ended her connection to the call and whirled around with a grin and waved Sun over.

"Welcome back, Sun. I can check your pictures right away. Now let's see how you did…" Acerola said cheerfully as Sun approached.

Rotom Dex popped out of Sun's backpack and floated over to Acerola, saying, "I can show you the erk-!"

Acerola snatched Rotom Dex out of the air and began to tap the screen, easily opening up Sun's photos with an ease that should have alarmed the boy.

"Zzzzzrt!? I NEED AN ADULT!"

"I am an adult." Acerola said with a smirk as she pulled up the photo of her Totem Pokémon just as it was about to pounce. "Yup! That's Mimikyu alright!"

"That thing was horrifying." Sun said with a sigh, shaking his head. "How many people try to blast it with a Z-Move before realizing that you have to break through its shield first?"

"Most people. Don't feel bad if it happened to you." Acerola giggled at the boy's annoyed expression before he smiled at her. "It's pretty hard to catch it on film, so this is a really great attempt! Which means…"

"Which means?" Sun asked, only for Acerola to open her hand and show the boy a purple gem with a cheeky grin, handing it to the surprised boy. The boy stared down at the stone, feeling the power within it before breaking out into a grin. Sun held out the Z-Crystal to the sky as Oliver crossed his wings with a beaky grin as their prize burst into shimmering flames of power.

"Oooh, look at this picture of you and Lillie!" Sun snapped out of his usual post-Trial pose and saw that Acerola was happily scrolling through his pictures on Rotom Dex. Currently it was on a picture of Sun and Lillie cuddling on the beach on Melemele Island.

"That's private!" Sun yelped as his face turned scarlet from embarrassment, lunging for Rotom Dex and pulling away the device from Acerola's evil grasp as she laughed under her breath.

"Fine, fine, ruin my fun." Acerola said as Sun tried to keep his blush under control. "Anyways, if you want to use a Ghost-type Z-Power, then you've got to move like this!"

Sun was a little confused when Acerola did the pose to use the Ghostium Z, only for it to end up being the exact same movements as the poses he had to use in order to pull off the Sinister Arrow Raid while channeling Oliver's Decidium Z.

"And since you passed my Trial, Sun, you now have my permission to catch Pokémon in the Trial Site. So, in that old building there. Here you go!" Acerola chirped, handing Sun ten Dusk Balls that he gratefully put in his backpack. He knew that they were extremely useful in catching Pokémon with a reasonable amount of success compared to most of the others.

"It's not a bad idea to have some Ghost-type Pokémon on your team." Acerola recommended to Sun, who slowly raised an eyebrow at the girl who blinked when she realized what exactly was standing right by Sun.

"The girl speaks wisdom." Oliver nodded sagely, earning a deadpan look from Sun as Acerola flushed slightly at her mistake.

It was then that Sun shivered, and he looked back at the Abandoned Site with a feeling of faint dread. Oliver followed the boy's gaze for a few moments before his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Why did the Poké Finder just start up on its own…And that back room. Is this place really…haunted?" Sun whispered more to himself as he thought about what had happened in the Abandoned Site.

"What's that? You say the Poké Finder just started up on its own, during your Trial?" Acerola giggled, causing Sun to look at her in shock. "Oooh, cut it out Sun! You're trying to scare me, huh?"

"Wait…are you serious?" Sun asked, his eyes widening in surprise. "That place warped and changed! The Totem made that small room in the back of the store become a big battlefield! It was terrifying!"

"You'll have to come up with something a bit more believable than that. There's not even any room in the back of the shop, for starters! How gullible do you think I am?" Acerola laughed as Sun turned around and gaped at her. Even Oliver and Rotom Dex seemed completely dumbfounded.

It was then that Acerola's eyes went wide and her entire body shuddered violently. Sun and Oliver exchanged a brief look of concern and the girl let out a soft moan.

"Brrr! I feel like I'm getting chicken skin…Like a chill going through me for some reason." Acerola muttered as she walked off, her eyes still wide as saucers. Sun watched the girl walk off and fought the urge to turn around, despite the horrifying feeling that was settled over him.

The feeling that something was watching him.

"Bzzzt! Another Trial cleared and completed! Zzt-zzt! Now let's split, the Aether House is-a waiting!" Rotom Dex called out, surprising the boy and almost making Sun jump into the air.

"Let's get the hell away from here." Sun muttered as he pulled out his exceedingly pink umbrella and began to walk away from the building. Oliver nodded and followed his Trainer (as Rotom Dex dove into Sun's backpack), with the two of them ignoring the lingering feeling that they were being watched. That being said, the stroll back along the blackened beach to the Tapu Village was a fairly calm one, with Sun deciding to let out his team so they could hear what happened during the battle.

However, Sun had forgotten about how angry Alastor probably was due to what happened during the Trial, and so he was somewhat surprised when the Alolan Golem lashed out at him with a Thunder Shock.

"Filthy little human! How dare you embarrass me like that!" Alastor bellowed, even as Finn leapt in front of the lightning and took the hit, ensuring Sun wasn't harmed. The boy looked at Alastor in surprise, but then his gaze narrowed in anger as Finn collapsed onto the ground and writhed in pain.

"What is your problem? I let you try that Trial on your own and look where it got you. Then I showed you just how strong Oliver's gotten in the past two weeks after how much work he's put in. I honestly thought you'd get over your anger and pettiness by now after all of my apologies, but I guess not." Sun said to the Alolan Golem as he crossed his arms.

"Sounds to me like you were humbled, but do not wish to accept the lesson that was offered to you." Brago remarked, baring his teeth at Alastor. "Alpha told us what we planned to do with this Trial. You are a fool, Alastor. A powerful one, yes, but still a fool."

"You also…agh, that was a nasty hit." Finn tried to say, wincing with pain as he clutched his chest. Penny rested a wing on the Poliwrath's back as she glared at Alastor.

"It was a cowardly thing to do. You keep going on and on about being better than everyone else, but you refuse to truly let yourself become one of us and instead lash out like a hatchling. You will never take flight until you learn to cooperate with us." Penny said firmly to Alastor, her voice dripping with contempt.

Alastor snarled softly, barely able to resist the urge to lash out with electricity again. "I refuse to be disrespected like this. You and that damned specter have made a mockery of me for the last time!"

"Oh wow, did I hurt your feelings?" Oliver asked dryly, tilting his head. "I wasn't aware you had any besides petulant rage and battle-hunger. That being said, do you really want to have this confrontation here and now? I don't want everyone to get wet."

"No! We settle this here and now! I challenge you to a fight for the role as leader of this clan, Oliver!" Alastor bellowed, stomping down on the wet grass and glaring down Oliver. The Decidueye stared at the Alolan Golem for several moments while Sun looked back and forth between you both.

"Sun, do I have your permission to beat some respect into this idiot?" Oliver asked mildly, not moving from where he stood. Sun considered it for a few moments before returning Penny, Brago and Finn and turning towards the two Pokémon that were currently staring each other down.

"Maybe…Alastor!" Sun called to the Alolan Golem, who turned to him with a scowl of anger. "If we do this, I'll stay out of the fight and leave it between you both. But if you lose to Oliver, then you stop doing things on your own and listen to me in battle. You let go of your grudges and start working with everyone as a team. Swear to follow those rules if you lose to Oliver, that's the only way I'll let him battle you."

"And if I win, he is cast out of the team and I take his place. And you will allow me to work as I will!" Alastor shot back, with Sun frowning at the demand. Oliver stepped forward, his gaze burning with fury.

"Very well. I accept these terms. Crushing you will be very satisfying." Oliver hooted, bowing mockingly at the Alolan Golem. Sun moved away from the two Pokémon as thunder rumbled around them and the rain fell.

Alastor grit his teeth at the slight, but his pride overrode his common sense. "Fine! Now come here!"

The Alolan Golem pressed both of his hands together and released an Thunder Shock at Sun, but Oliver stepped into the attack while throwing up a wing to shield his Trainer. The bird winced in pain, but glared down at his opponent with an equally vicious expression as Alastor.

"Cheap shot. Attacking Sun is against the rules!" Oliver shouted, with Alastor laughing as he fired off an orange blast of energy that Oliver blocked with Protect.

"We never agreed on any rules! Now fight, you cowardly ghost!" Alastor cackled with delight as Oliver flared his wings apart, notching an arrow and firing off a Spirit Shackle.

"RAAAAH!" Alastor snarled, tucking into a ball and rolling forward, dodging the arrow by mere inches. Oliver paused for a moment before flapping his wings hard and soaring into the air, dodging Alastor's move and landing on the ground, considering his options as the Golem quickly turned around and sped towards him again. Oliver flared his wings and threw up a Protect, which caused Alastor to bounce off of the shield with a snarl of irritation. Oliver was surprised when Alastor held up his hands, causing several large rocks to tear themselves free from the earth and shoot towards him. Oliver tried to use Protect again, only for the shield to fail and the rocks to pelt him.

Oliver winced at the Rock Throw, shaking his body slightly before looking up to see Alastor speeding towards him. The Decidueye screeched in pain as the Alolam Golem slammed hard into him, throwing him backwards into the ground. Oliver staggered upright, flapping his wings hard and summoning a Leafage that smashed into Alastor and caused him to let out a scream before barreling towards the large owl again.

Oliver waited several moments before flaring his wings again, summoning Protect a second time successfully and causing Alastor to bounce off of the shield and stopping his attack. Oliver knew all too well what happened if Alastor built up too much power with Rollout.

"Not bad. But I'm still better." Oliver remarked with a taunting smirk, adjusting his leafy hood as Alastor growled with frustration. "Awww, what's wrong? Don't you want to be friends?"

"SHUT UP!" Alastor bellowed as he let loose a Thunder Shock at full-power, which Oliver took directly. The owl took a step back, wincing in pain, but then calmly stepped forward into the electricity pouring from Alastor.

"That doesn't work on me. Your rocks and your electricity can't clip my wings anymore. Remember how much you enjoyed having the type-advantage over everyone, Alastor?" Oliver asked, his tone harsh as the Alolan Golem's eyes went wide with that terrible realization. Oliver was no longer part Flying-type, meaning his Rock and Electric moves wouldn't be doing all that much to the Decidueye.

"You, however, are still weak to MY moves!" Oliver grinned viciously at the furious Alolan Golem and flapped his wings, releasing a barrage of spinning leaves at the Alolan Golem, who retreated into his body with Defense Curl. That didn't stop the Razor Leaf from slicing into his skin, causing major damage.

"Curse you! Raaagh!" Alastor growled from within his body, tanking the Razor Leaf and rolling forward despite the pain he was in.

"You're a nasty, self-absorbed fool who thinks you're superior to everyone else just because you were part of a certain tribe growing up. That same tribe that got thrashed for the most part by three Trainers and their Pokémon." Oliver said smoothly, smiling again at Alastor. He then lunged forward, his talons glowing a dark purple color before he lashed out, striking Alastor right as he reached Oliver.

Oliver screamed at the effort of holding back Alastor, who despite using Rollout was stopped in his tracks for several moments before he broke through Oliver's attack and collided with him. The Decidueye skidded backwards through the mud and grass, grimacing in pain. Meanwhile, Alastor rolled out of his attack and stood tall, scowling as he charged up another Thunder Shock and hurled it right at the large owl, striking him directly with it.

Oliver staggered back, but then kicked off of the ground and rushed towards Alastor, his talons still glowing brightly as Alastor's fists charged up with electricity. Alastor swung a Thunder Punch into the bird's face as Oliver raked his darkness-fill talons across Alastor's body.

"Bzzzrrt! Sun, when did you teach Oliver the move Shadow Claw?" Rotom Dex asked, causing the boy to shrug. Meanwhile Alastor and Oliver were brawling in the mud, crackling punches and shadowy talons connecting again and again with their opponents. Weeks of arguing, fighting and ill-will had finally exploded in a brutal and wild clash between two powerful and proud Pokémon.

"Worthless bully!" Oliver screeched as he slashed into Alastor's face, his eyes ablaze with righteous anger.

Alastor grinned maliciously as his Thunder Punch connected with Oliver's beak, cracking it and drawing blood, shouting out, "Spineless specter!"

Sun watched the battle for a few more moments before answering Rotom Dex's question. "A few days ago. Professor Kukui actually recommended to me that I see what new moves Oliver can learn now that he's finally evolved. Turns out he can learn quite a bit more. I'm thinking about teaching him another one sometime soon." Sun responded as he watched the two Pokémon jump apart, panting slightly. It was apparent that Alastor had taken worse damage in that exchange, judging from the slight gauges in his body. Oliver hadn't walked away unscathed, however, and took another nasty hit when the Alolan Golem let out a scream of rage and fired off a full-power Thunder Shock at Oliver, knocking him into the mud.

"Stay down!" Alastor roared as Oliver staggered to his feet, chuckling sinisterly as he adjusted his leafy hood.

"Not a chance. I've been waiting for the chance to show you up for a long, long time. I may be a jerk sometimes, but you're malicious for no good reason…No, that's not true." Oliver amended, shaking his head as he stepped forward. "It was bred into you. That hatred. That cruelty was handed down from family to family in that tribe of yours. You've never seen the world as it is…and never met humans or Pokémon aside from what lived on that awful mountain back there."

"Shut up!" Alastor growled as he hurled a Thunder Shock at Oliver, who calmly backhanded the bolt of lightning into the sky with a Shadow Claw and an expression of contempt. Sun's eyes went wide at the display, but also by the coldness in the bird's words.

"You don't deserve Sun's kindness." Oliver hooted, his eyes intensely glaring down Alastor. "Can't you see it? This boy will change the world someday. Heh…He already has. And I can't wait to see what else we achieve as part of his team. And like it or not, you're part of it."

"But I never wanted to be! Don't you get it you wretched specter!? I hate humans! And I hate you!" Alastor bellowed with loathing in his voice, his hands shaking as Oliver continued to advance, throwing more and more Thunder Shocks at the Decidueye as Oliver began to laugh, uncaring of the damage he was taking now.

"No, I don't think you hate me. And you don't hate Sun either. You're just too proud to admit otherwise…To be honest, I don't even hate you despite how you've acted." Oliver admitted to Alastor, who looked taken aback for a moment and stopped attacking. "Right now, you're a bit like I was before I was healed and evolved. Poisoned by something that's making you behave erratically…Only in your case, it's not a monster who did it to you."

Oliver smirked before swiftly taking aim with an arrow and charging it for a moment with shadowy energy. He then fired off the arrow towards Alastor, who lashed out with another Thunder Shock that blasted the projectile out of the air. Oliver grinned beakily and he quickly fired off a dozen arrows within the span of a second and a half, surprising Alastor. The Alolan Golem frantically swept his hands apart, releasing a wide arc of Thunder Shock to blast each of the arrows soaring towards him, while also firing off a Thunder Shock at Oliver at the same time.

"Heh." Alastor laughed softly, lowering his hands briefly, only to notice too late that Oliver was firing off a second charged arrow towards him despite being directly attacked a moment ago. Alastor tried to shoot the arrow with a Thunder Shock, but he was dismayed to see the arrow bounce through the air in several directions before sticking into the ground beside him and exploding violently with darkness. The Spirit Shackle was now in effect, keeping Alastor trapped in battle.

The smoke cleared and revealed a badly hurt Alastor, shaking on the ground as he struggled to get to his feet. Oliver advanced forward, even as the emerald aura of Overgrow enveloped him.

"Now there's no escaping me." Oliver hooted menacingly as he struck Alastor with Foresight, the effect adding a terrifying red gleam to his eyes. Alastor felt his rage momentarily get overwhelmed by an icy surge of terror that clawed his heart before he fired off a Rock Blast at Oliver.

The Decidueye held out a wing and summoned Protect, blocking the three waves of Rock Blast with ease as Alastor got to his feet, panting heavily now before Alastor rolled towards Oliver. The Decidueye lashed out with Leafage, which once again managed to stop Alastor in his tracks and sent the Golem rolling backwards with a hiss of pain.

"Are you having fun yet?" Oliver asked, his voice soft yet chilling at the same time. Alastor stiffened at the terrible voice and looked up, seeing the still-glowing eyes of the demented owl who had become so much stronger in just a matter of days.

"This isn't right! I can't…he didn't…No. No! Nonononononono!" Alastor's mind was rattled as he struggled to accept the fact that Oliver held the upper hand here. Even as the Decidueye began to advance towards him, Alastor shuddered and quickly got up, throwing a Thunder Shock at Oliver that the owl took without even stopping, his tranquil fury evident in his awful gaze as those glowing red eyes narrowed evilly at Alastor.

"S-Stop! Get away from me!" Alastor cried out, tucking into a ball again and attempting to run away, only for his own shadow to hold his body in place despite him rolling backwards. Oliver swept his wings apart and rained down a wave of Razor Leaf upon the Alolan Golem, causing him to collapse onto the ground with a scream of pain.

"You're done, Alastor…Submit." Oliver said quietly as he walked through the mud, notching an glowing arrow and aiming it down towards Alastor's face while placing a taloned foot on the Golem's body. Sun was amazed at the calm that his Starter was exuding, especially after getting himself filthy with mud. Not too long ago, the bird would have been reduced to hysteria upon getting so dirty.

Alastor tried in vain to move, but found he no longer had the strength to get up. Oliver standing on his body certainly didn't help.

"No! No…I can't have lost. Not to…to you! You're a nobody! I am a proud son of-" Alastor tried to say, only for Oliver to lean forward with narrowed eyes while Sun slowly walked forward, wearing a proud smile.

"I was a nobody. But I became a Pokémon worthy of the Tapu's power alongside our Trainer." Oliver said, adding emphasis to the word before slowly stepping away from Alastor. "You've lost. I won. You will now recognize my strength as Leader of our tribe, our clan, and our crazy little family…and acknowledge Sun as our Alpha."

"Curse you…" Alastor panted as he tried to get up, only to hiss as Sun sprayed a Hyper Potion over his injuries as he began to treat the injured Alolan Golem.

"Alastor…what's really going on?" Sun asked his Pokémon, causing Alastor's eyes to widen in surprise. "When we were fighting my Dad, you gave it everything you had alongside everyone else. You blew yourself up to try and knock out Damien…and entrusted Oliver to land the final blow if you failed. And now you're back to acting like a complete jerk when you were starting to get along with everyone."

"You wouldn't understand. Me and that dratted Decidueye will never be comrades on the battlefield again and that's that! I am a proud child of my clan, and-" Alastor tried to say, only for Oliver to bend down and glare at him. Alastor shuddered and moved away from the intense gaze of the bird, but Oliver continued to stare at him.

"No. It's something else. Something has changed, Alastor, and it's why you're so unsettled. Uneasy. Agitated. I can sense it…What about me has changed?" Oliver asked, his tone dipping into something more sinister that made the Alolan Golem tremble with an emotion he was too proud to recognize as fear.

"You're afraid." Oliver hissed gleefully, leaning in closer. "How delicious. But that's okay. We all have things we're afraid of. But we are still battling, and you have not given in."

"Tell us what's wrong, Alastor." Sun said as he stared down at the battered and bruised Golem, who's pride had been shattered to pieces not once but twice in the same day by the same Pokémon. Alastor shut his eyes and cursed his miserable life…but at this point he had no choice to admit defeat.

"It's because…IT'S BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF GHOSTS!" Alastor bellowed furiously, electricity surging along his claws as he stared down Sun and Oliver with fury burning in his gaze. "Are you happy now!?"

"Um…Not really. But wow, that explains a lot." Sun remarked, frowning as he considered that response. It certainly explained why Alastor was so uneasy as of late and kept flying off the handle whenever Oliver did the slightest thing. It coincided with Oliver evolving into a Decidueye, a Grass/Ghost-type Pokémon.

"Yes, actually. That is a response that makes sense to me." Oliver remarked, tilting his head slightly as he smirked. "And now that I am part Ghost-type, you are fearful of me as well. It all adds up."

"You shouldn't hold it against Oliver. He can't help how he evolved. That being said, I'm surprised that you're scared of ghosts considering how well you fared against the ghosts in the Trial and against the Totem. It takes a lot to face your fears, Alastor." Sun said to the Golem, who sighed and looked down at the mud he was in.

"Simply fighting them will not extinguish an entire lifetime of fearing them. Of hating them…" Alastor responded, sighing deeply and collapsing into the mud. "This fear runs through not just myself, but the entire clan. So do not mock me with your false praise, human."

"I wasn't mocking you. It's really courageous to stand up to your fears. It doesn't matter if they still bother you." Sun said with a shrug, causing Alastor to scowl at the boy before lowering his head.

"I will concede that I have lost this fight. Oliver has won the right to lead our tribe, and I will work with you instead of against you…" The Alolan Golem said with a dead voice, shutting his eyes. "It goes against everything I have ever known. But I have lost in this battle, and cannot fight any more. So we shall do things your way, and I will truly become a part of this team."

Oliver extended a wing down to Alastor to help him up, but the Alolan Golem shook his head and rolled forward, pushing himself upright with a hiss of effort. Oliver retracted his wing and shook his head, turning around.

"Just because I acknowledge your strength and have resolved to…behave myself, does not mean I need your pity." Alastor said to Oliver, who smiled at the Alolan Golem before shrugging.

"Suit yourself." Oliver replied, glancing skyward at the storm clouds billowing around them. "That being said, we should probably get to cover. This storm isn't going to get any better."

"Come on, let's get you guys to a Pokémon Center." Sun remarked with a sigh as he walked down the road, with Oliver following him after a few moments of hesitation.

Alastor simply stared after them, his expression unreadable as he considered everything that the duo had told him. And everything he had known before becoming a Trained Pokémon.

The Alolan Golem frowned in frustration and let out a deep sigh…and then hurried after his Trainer, unswayed by their words, even if he was troubled by them.


Meanwhile…

Pokémon League HQ, Indigo Plateau


"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?"

"You know, that's hardly any way for a lady to talk, Cynthia-"

"SUCK MY DICK, ROSE!"

Leon choked on his coffee as Cynthia glared down at Chairman Rose, who's smile contrasted heavily with the furious expression of the Sinnoh Champion. Oleana was glaring back at Cynthia with equal rage in her burning gaze.

Raihan thumped his best friend on the back several times, trying and failing to hold back a snicker as Leon remembered how to breathe again. Blue sighed gratefully, glad he had already given his report and was no longer the target of Cynthia's ire. Steven, Wallace and Lance looked both frustrated and troubled. Meanwhile Diantha, Alder and Iris watched on with tired expressions, having been up late trying to navigate the tense situation regarding Ashton Aupuni, or rather Borlath, and finding a way to punish the man.

"My suggestion isn't a completely unwarranted one." Rose remarked calmly, smiling patiently at Cynthia as she glowered at him.

"It's insane and I won't allow it. I want Ashton Aupuni to be punished by the law as much as anyone else here. I want him to pay." Cynthia practically snarled before she reigned in her righteous fury. "But attempting to capture the Tapu of Alola and force them to revert the man back to mortality is absolutely out of the question. It's an overreaction to what the Guardian Deities of Alola have deemed fit as punishment for a criminal like Ashton. We have to respect that."

"It was simply a suggestion. You are the one overreacting." Silver remarked dryly, glancing at Chairman Rose. "It's an awful idea, though. The Alolans would revolt en masse. Even if we somehow got to Borlath, the costs of alienating an entire region isn't worth it."

"Plus it leaves an even worse taste in my mouth than when the League decided blowing up a building full of people was a good idea." Blue commented, making several of those at the table flinch at the remark, with Leon looking particularly troubled by it.

"The worst part is that we're still dealing with the fallout. The Aupuni Industries COO has had his lawyers going after everyone involved in the attack. It's extremely annoying having to deal with the non-stop phone calls." Steven Stone grunted, crossing his arms. "Even after getting the bastard jailed he's making it impossible to actually get some modicum of payback on him."

"It also makes attempting to sue Ashton Aupuni for what he did sort of difficult. Especially since we can't get him to leave Alola." Rose admitted, leaning back in his chair. "I really messed that one up."

"Yeah, you were the blockhead who decided to go along with Roran's mad suggestion of attacking the Cipher HQ directly instead of combing through the place extremely thoroughly with a SWAT Team, or even a stealth team." Diantha said archly, raising an eyebrow at Chairman Rose.

"I already admitted it was a stupid idea. You know that impatience is my biggest flaw, Diantha. I let it get the better of me and innocent people died. I still feel disgusted in myself." Rose responded, even as Oleana leaned forward.

"I also seem to remember there being a vote amongst us and deciding as a group to attack that building." Oleana said coldly, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the Kalos Champion.

Alder chimed in, letting out a tired sigh. "We did. We all had misgivings, but we decided that stopping Borlath was the most important thing at the time. And that any sort of deal that he was offering was simply not something we could trust. But it was Rose who made the suggestion…And the one he just made gives me a bad feeling now as his decision to attack Aupuni Industries did then."

"Considering the horrible curses those Tapu things have dished out lately, I'm somewhat inclined to not deal with them anymore and simply let Ashton rot in Alola until we're all dead and buried." Diantha remarked, folding her arms as she considered the matter. "We can't kill him and we can't take him away from Alola. And his punishment is the cruelest thing I can imagine for someone like Ashton Aupuni. I pity him in a way."

"Wishing for death for most of your life but now cursed to live forever." Alder muttered, looking up at the ceiling with a contemplative expression. "Hating his homeland so much he fled there the first chance he could, only to find himself trapped there for all eternity. It's so fitting, but it's so twisted that no human with any morals could have devised such a punishment."

"He deserves nothing less than absolute misery for what he's done. And while I'm furious that I can't make him suffer myself, I will absolutely not condone seeking out the Tapu and capturing them." Steven remarked coldly, clenching his fists.

"Kahuna Hala, you've been awfully quiet. I would've thought you'd be the most angry of all." Oleana commented on the oldest of the group present. The Kahuna snorted softly, shaking his head.

"Don't mistake my silence for complacency. Even the suggestion of disturbing the Tapu in any way makes my blood boil. They will not be subjugated by any human regardless of whatever benefits it may bring us. The Tapu are our Gods, watching over Alola. A slight upon them is a slight upon Alola itself." Hala grunted, his neutral tone masking a righteous fury underneath it tempered only by decades of experience and discipline. He had wisely kept his silence until now, allowing the others to voice their concerns so he could gauge the room accurately. "However, decisions made in haste will always be regretted. That's why I'll warn you now that any attempt to capture the Tapu will be met with every ounce of fury that Alola can muster. Including my own."

"It was simply a suggestion, my dear man." Rose demurred, holding up his hands in surrender. "Forgive me for my ignorance. Galar does not have Legendaries such as your Tapu roaming about, sadly. I didn't realize the gravity of what I was suggesting."

"Then you would be wise to correct your ignorance, Theo." Alder remarked, gritting his teeth. "It's overkill. And considering your last overzealous suggestion got us in so much legal trouble that we can't even see Ashton Aupuni, let alone have him pay to rebuild Celadon City or Nimbasa City, well that's cause enough for us to simply dismiss your ideas outright."

"Again, I recognize where I went wrong there. It was a moment of weakness…" Rose sighed tiredly, rubbing his temples. "I thought I was beyond manipulation. I was sadly mistaken and that mistake cost thousands of lives."

"And our credibility. The lawyers associated with Aupuni Industries and the Monarch Corporation have been pushing hard to sue the League for all its worth. And with them setting up a branch in Hau'oli City, we have even less standing to go after Borlath…let alone the Tapu that currently serve as his supernatural wardens." Blue remarked sourly, shutting his eyes. "Kukui's still letting us go ahead with our project, but he's been wary of any further dealings with the other regions."

"As he should be. You lot are already talking of manipulating a new region joining the Pokémon League. Unless what you're offering benefits Alola more than what's already been offered, we may establish our Pokémon League independent of the association and make these dealings public knowledge." Hala practically growled at Rose, who's smile thinned noticeably. "I don't care for your politics, Theodore. I care even less for your ambitions of controlling Alola in any way, shape or form."

"Which is why we're dropping this. Chairman Rose can make suggestions all he wants, but unless we all agree on something, we can't do something to Alola without risking something none of us want." Leon chimed in, standing up and giving Rose a stern look. "We all want unity. We're trying to focus on rebuilding now that Cipher has been dealt with. Can't we all just accept that Borlath is finished? Punishing the guy further isn't possible without crazy repercussions and as far as I'm concerned, he's done and dealt with. Let's just move on."

"You would do well to listen to the man. The Tapu have made their point painfully clear. Ashton Aupuni is not to be bothered as he serves his eternal sentence in Alola." Hala rumbled, crossing his arms. "And after the news that has come out from Malie City regarding his father, public opinion has shifted somewhat."

"Just because his own father did awful things to him doesn't justify what he-" Steven began to say, only to receive a fierce glare in response.

"I am aware of this, Mr. Stone. I am simply stating facts. And those are that Ashton Aupuni has been judged by our Gods and the populace of Alola is satisfied by their decision." Hala said firmly, but with a tone harsh enough to cause Steven Stone and Blue to flinch. "With the League's actions as of late, and the discussion breached before we changed the topic, I suggest you drop any talk of retribution."

"Enough." Lance finally spoke up, having been silent for most of the afternoon. "We've danced around in circles around this and aren't coming up with anything productive. Rose's idea is one the League cannot and will not support. We will not encroach upon Alola in any capacity to get at Ashton Aupuni, even if the man wasn't cursed as he is."

"I was simply making a suggestion. I meant nothing by it." Rose said soothingly, his expression one of humility. "I'm sorry I ever brought it up."

Lance nodded at that, glancing at Hala as the Kahuna glowered at Chairman Rose. "We want the Alola region to finally join the Pokémon League and open its borders more to us. Adopting an antagonistic nature with it in any capacity is something I refuse to tolerate."

"How about we talk about something else? Like, the fact that Borlath's son was the one to finally stop him?" Iris suggested, smiling at them all. "I can't be the only one who appreciates the irony."

"It was a surprise. Who would've thought that Borlath's own child would do what the entire League could not?" Steven Stone commented, smiling slightly. "Reminds me of May in a way. Child prodigies coming out of nowhere to save the day. Plus it was Borlath's own kid, making it even more fitting."

Diantha hummed softly, a smile coming to her lips. "I remember seeing the footage of him battling Admin Dawson at the Battle Royal Dome. It was very impressive, seeing him defeat a Legendary Pokémon such as Articuno. And only a few months into his career as a Trainer. Maybe it's no true surprise that the boy grew strong enough to stop his father's madness."

"From what I understand, between Sun and the Tapu, Ashton Aupuni has become the person he was all those years ago when he was Champion of Kanto and Johto." Wallace remarked, drawing everyone's attention. "Violence was never the answer. Maybe it was involved with the solution, but understanding played a key role here."

"Well said." Leon agreed, grinning at Wallace. "I'm sure we'll iron out the details eventually. I'm just glad that this Sun kid managed to save the day. I wouldn't mind getting a chance to meet him myself!"

"That's because you just want to battle him, Leon." Sonia said with a knowing smile, causing several of the Champions to laugh in response. Leon simply adjusted his hat, a faint blush of embarrassment on his cheeks.

"I knew that having the Prof inviting you along was a great idea." Raihan remarked, smirking widely as he twiddled away on his phone.

"You know me too well, Sonia. Guilty as charged." Leon admitted, grinning at his best friend.

"Is anyone else concerned about this boy?" Oleana asked tentatively, narrowing her eyes slightly as Rose's expression became one of confusion. "He was able to stop Borlath using some strange power that Roran Rubinara was also able to use. The photographs of what he did to defeat Borlath onboard the Absolution showed absolute devastation. I can't help but wonder if we should be so accepting of a child capable of wielding such power."

"That child is also the hero that saved my life." Cynthia said bluntly, crossing her arms. "While I'd normally doubt anything related to Ashton Aupuni, that kid seems like another prodigy child who steps up when our world needs them the most. I plan on visiting Alola personally sometime to thank him for helping me and saving the world from his Dad."

"I liked him when we talked back on Melemele Island. Seems like a pretty nice kid." Blue agreed as Leaf and Red nodded in agreement beside him. "Kahuna Hala, you've known that Sun kid for a while now. How do you feel about him?"

"Sunshine Smiles came to Alola with a wounded soul and with a dream in his heart. He has been wholly accepting of Alola's culture, showing an eagerness to make friends and learn as much as possible. He has grown into a responsible and understanding young man with a strong sense of justice. His skill as a Trainer is to be admired almost as much as his character." Hala said with a proud smile, nodding at the Champions. "He's also the best friend of my grandson, Hau. I have high hopes for both of their futures, and that's all I care to say about the subject."

"Maybe he can come visit the Battle Tree." Blue said with a grin, causing Leaf to stifle a snort in amusement.

"Is that the official name?" Rose asked, his own smirk showing how amusing he found this.

"Yeah. Kukui wanted something that suited the wild area that the facility will be built on. Some place called Poni Island where the wilderness extends in just about every direction." Blue explained, leaning back against the wall. "We're scheduled to begin construction this week."

"We've already extended invites to several League operatives. Agent Maiden, Wally Eldenwood, Grimsley, Sina and Dexio, plus some invites to the local Captains in Alola. Raihan and Gordie want in on it too." Leon remarked with a smile, earning a soft chuckle from Sonia beside him. Leon glanced at his friend before adding, "I'd love to have something like that in Galar."

"It'll be a few more months before we can officially open the facility. It'll double as a Trainer Resort as well, with luxury accommodations available for those looking to vacation in Alola as well as polish their skills." Hala rumbled, shrugging his shoulders. "While I dislike the tourism aspect of it, it will do good to develop Poni Island more and make the place more welcoming to outsiders. Every island is special with its own unique customs and history. It'll do the place good to have some more eyes on it."

"After we see how well the Battle Tree does in Alola, we can see about doing something like that in Galar. If anything, it can be used to showcase just how formidable our Champion is." Rose said with a smirk as several of the Champions gave him a glare. Leon coughed with embarrassment, knowing full-well that he had defeated each of them on multiple occasions and had yet to lose an official battle.

"Just you wait. I've been training like crazy ever since I went into exile. I'll show you just what a Dragon Master can do!" Iris said to Leon, getting up from her chair and punching towards the Galar Champion.

Leon simply laughed with a warm smile, adjusting his hat. "I'm looking forward to it, Iris. We'll have a Champion time for sure!"

"I would like to make one comment on the Battle Tree before we get sidetracked again." Hala spoke up, drawing attention back to himself for a moment.

"Sorry. We got distracted. What's up sir?" Leon asked the Kahuna, who smirked beneath his mustache at the young man's remark.

"I don't want the facility to open until the Alolan Pokémon League is formally established and we have our Inaugural Champion crowned." Hala responded, looking all around the room and giving each of the Champions a firm look. "We Kahunas are in agreement on this, as is Professor Kukui, who stands as Chairman of the Alolan Pokémon League."

"Understandable. We've got a lot going on in our regions now that Cipher has been dealt with. Waiting a few more months on that side project is easy." Steven Stone remarked, grinning with excitement. "After the Pokémon World Tournament was discontinued, I'm looking forward to pushing myself at this facility."

"After the Hotdog Incident, we can't risk it." Diantha said dryly as Lance and Cynthia shuddered, with Iris looking confused.

"I said I'm sorry, damn it. What more do you bastards want from me?" Silver demanded, huffing angrily as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Hotdog Incident? What?" Iris asked.

"I'll tell you when you're older." Alder remarked, shaking his head in dismay.

"You know, Steven, you could always reopen the Battle Front-" Raihan began to say, only for Oleana to interrupt by clearing her throat.

"Getting back to the matters at hand, I believe we've reached the limits of what can be discussed today. Let us continue our deliberations tomorrow, unless anyone has any closing statements?" Oleana said as Rose looked towards her, nodding after a moment.

Leon stood and stretched, adjusting his hat as many of the others got to their feet as well. "Anyone want to head to that new steakhouse that opened downtown?"

"Sounds good to me. Just remember that you're buying." Sonia said with a smirk as Leon chuckled, walking out of the room as Raihan rolled his eyes but followed after Leon. No way in hell he was passing up a steak, especially if Leon was paying for it.

"I'm the only reason you can come to these meetings! I'm sponsoring you, remember?" Leon responded, feigning a hurt look as he held the door open for Sonia and Raihan, the latter of whom cackled with delight at that remark.

"Gran could get me in if she wanted to with her own security clearance, and it's better than being cooped up in the lab all day!" Sonia shot back as the door shut behind them.

While many of the others discussed their plans in the boardroom, Chairman Rose and Oleana filed out silently. Oleana followed behind her boss as he quickly made his way through the hallways, clearly in a hurry to get out of there.

"Well, that was a mess!" Rose exclaimed after several minutes of walking, brushing aside a lock of hair with a huff. "I was only half-serious when I made that comment about capturing the Tapu."

"In retrospect, making that comment while in front of a Kahuna wasn't the best idea, sir." Oleana supplied stiffly as Rose shrugged his shoulders. "In fact, it was borderline foolish."

"Yes, yes, it wasn't my brightest moment. I'm unused to dealing with regions that are so familiar with their Legendaries. Nor so protective of them. It's a shame, but with those Tapu protecting Ashton Aupuni from our wrath then there's little we can do for now." Rose conceded, his mouth twitching into a smirk.

"Perhaps our attention is better spent back home in Galar, then?" Oleana asked the Chairman.

"No, we need to sort this issue out now. Sooner rather than later. My operatives are searching in Galar, meaning we have time to focus our attention on what new powers emerge out of Alola."

Oleana looked briefly confused. "Powers, sir?"

"Of course. Z-Power always seemed to me like something that couldn't hold a candle to Dynamax. But now, with the discovery of this power Alolans can wield that can cause so much destruction, I'm having some second thoughts. It seems as though we have only a few months more to attempt to make some kind of move." Rose sighed, rubbing his head for a moment before shrugging. "If it wasn't meant to be, then I can live with that. So long as we try to figure out the details. What is more important is that we make sure that whoever becomes the Alolan Champion is someone that I can get along with."

"Don't you mean Leon, sir?" Oleana asked with a slight smirk of amusement.

"Leon gets along with everyone, Oleana."

"…touché. I suppose that was an assumption that didn't need to be vocalized. I expect you'll have no difficulties befriending this new Alolan Champion, whoever they may be." Oleana mused, with Rose laughing softly beside her. The duo continued to chat before entering a side door, unaware that a shimmering figure had been silently eavesdropping on their conversation and had been listening to every word they had been speaking. The creature dove into the shadows before reappearing on the other side of the building, darting into the cracked door that was open on the outskirts of the League HQ.

"Nagato, what kept you?" asked the man that was within the room, glancing up from the stack of papers he was reading over. The creature grumbled at that and walked over to the man, allowing him to remove the listening device from the creature's neck. As the man listened and reviewed the conversations coming from the device, the Pokémon leapt onto the bed and curled up within the blankets.

"That's troubling. But within what we were suspecting." The man remarked, frowning to himself before pulling out a cell phone and calling someone.

"Looker here." Came the terse voice on the other end of the phone.

"Agent Volk reporting in. It's as you suspected. Seems like the League was hoping to influence Alola through this Battle Tree thing. I'd say keep an eye on Red and Blue."

"I knew that was too good to be true. Well, I hope they're prepared for a long wait. Kukui comes off as a goof, but he's smarter than he looks. He won't fall for Rose's tricks, especially if we're keeping him in the loop."

"What worries me are his plans for Galar. That sounded kind of ominous, even if they were smart enough to be vague about it."

"Theodore Rose is impatient, but he's a philanthropist and co-runs Galar alongside Leon. The region has made strides with Rose at the helm, Volk." Looker reminded the other man, receiving a sigh in response.

"Maybe. Hoping I'm just paranoid. God knows working with old Nanu instilled plenty of paranoia in me."

"You both are a bit too paranoid for my liking. Suspicion is all well and good, but we need more evidence before we can make any kind formal investigation." Looker commented, which annoyed Volk quite a bit.

"This ain't my first rodeo, Looker. I know what protocol is. I'm simply stating my thoughts on what I've heard. Now, I did what you asked. You're gonna play ball and give me what I want." Volk muttered into the transmitter, receiving a weary sigh in response. The creature curled on the bed grunted softly as a red stripe came into existence beneath the curious orbs that peered out at Agent Volk.

"Calm down, Nagato. We'll be home soon." The man assured the Pokémon, who cooed softly and closed its eyes.

"There's nothing I can do to ask you to request something less…dangerous, could I? He was the biggest threat in the world a few weeks ago. Now he literally can't be killed and has some weird connection to the Tapu!"

"That's personal. I could explain why, but it's really none of your business. Besides…he wouldn't hurt me even if he could." Volk said confidently, smirking a little at the exasperated sigh that came from Looker over the phone.

"He could break out at any moment! Why do you have to go see him so badly?" Looker asked, sounding as if he regretted partnering up with someone like Volk. The man shrugged, even though he knew the other man wouldn't be able to see it.

"Again, that's personal. Now do we have an agreement? Or do I go tell Chairman Rose and that scary lady he's got with him that the International Police are suspicious of him and his plans?" The man asked, leaning back in his chair with a knowing smirk of amusement.

"Fine. You'll get what you want. When do you want me to arrange things?" Looker asked, sounding defeated as Agent Volk chuckled at his tone.

"Within the week. And remember my other condition. I get to speak to Ashton Aupuni alone." Volk reminded Looker before hanging up the phone, his expression hardening into something that made his own Pokémon uneasy.

"I'm gonna get some answers…one way or another."


NEXT TIME: Investigating Haina Desert and the Ruins of Abundance!


Wooo! Told you we'd finally get past this Trial! We're rapidly approaching the next stretch of plot, folks, and it's gonna be a blast. I hope everyone enjoyed the showdown between Oliver and Alastor at long last.

Q & A

From: Oragonking

If Oliver and Alastor face off, Oliver will defeat him easily. By the way, when will Sun sixth Pokémon appear?

Not quite as easily as you think. Oliver had the advantage and was still hurt pretty bad, even though he could've avoided taking as much damage as he did if he wanted to.

Number 6 will be debuting within the next five chapters. We're too close to them appearing for me to be more specific.

From:

My only question right now would be what happened to the EXP share Kukui was planning on giving Sun in chapter 11? Or was that just a throw-away gag?

So, gonna be honest, originally my plan with that was for Kukui to forget about EXP Share and come across it later in his lab, and then just keep forgetting to give it to Sun.

But then I myself forgot if I ever mentioned EXP Share or that gag or not. So I just didn't mention it again for the sake of not making a silly continuity error. I may address EXP Share in a future chapter and have Kukui be annoyed he never gave it to Sun.

That's all for now, folks. Please leave a review to show your support and Favorite and/or Follow the story to stay updated. I also have a Discord server for the story and I answer questions in the review section below.

Stay safe and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!