Pokémon Radiant Sun


Man, these past few weeks have been nuts. Just busy busy busy.

But enough of that. You're here for fanfiction, and fanfiction you shall receive! The plot chugs along as we prepare for the next big story arc!

Shoutout to the absolute legends who reviewed since the last update, which includes trevhall19, SolanaLeonhart, Muramasa96, a Guest reviewer and Oragonking. Thanks for the support and feedback everyone!

Enjoy!


Chapter 140: Just Deserts


Alola Route 15

Two Days Later…


"Last one in is a rotten Exeggcute!"

"EEEEEEP!"

"Hau, you stepped in the potato salad! Do you know how long it took to make that? THREE DAYS, HAU! THREE DAYS!"

Sun chose to ignore Acerola's screaming as he watched Hau sprint into the water by the beach, nearly toppling over Lillie and causing several other Trainers milling about on the shore to glare at the boy. Meanwhile his Pokémon team quickly dispersed throughout the beach, allowing Sun to relax in the sand beside Ollie and his Mom, who had come to Ula'ula to surprise him after hearing of his victory over the Ghost Trial.

"I'm amazed that the weather is so pleasant on this route even though a half hour walk down the path that has frequent hail." Ollie remarked as he sat down on the nearby cooler, cracking open a beer as Laura Smiles chuckled beside him.

"Alola has all sorts of interesting climates and weather patterns." Laura Smiles replied, going into 'Teacher Mode' as Sun sometimes called it. "Po Town, for example, is surrounded by storm clouds and rain for most months out of the year."

"That sounds kind of depressing to be honest." Sun admitted, causing Ollie and Laura to laugh.

"Some people like the rain." Ollie remarked, taking a drink of his beer. "I bet there's all kinds of rare Pokémon out there that only live in that area because of the year-round storms-"

"Hau, for the last time, stop splashing me!" Lillie shouted at the boy as he laughed from further out in the water, drawing their attention. Sun lowered his sunglasses for a moment to glare at the boy in question, who simply grinned unapologetically at him.

"Just get him back, Lillie." Dexio remarked from nearby as he reached into the cooler Ollie and Laura had brought down to the beach with them. Sina snickered quietly as Lillie glared at Hau, who was merrily splashing in the water with his Pokémon and wasn't paying attention to his friend.

While this was happening, Ollie was muttering something to Laura, who rolled her eyes and grabbed Ollie by the hand, leading him away from the cooler and allowing Sina to raid it while Dexio clucked his tongue.

Meanwhile, Sun was walking towards the water, inwardly debating whether or not he should get revenge on Lillie's behalf.

"Hau's not worth the anger, Sina. Besides, I'll just sic Oliver on him." Lillie sighed as she followed both Sun and Hau into the water, debating whether she wanted to hold true to those words or not.

"You wouldn't dare! He's even more terrifying now than he was before!" Hau yelped, looking towards the sky as if he was scared that said Decidueye would swoop out of the sky and whisk him away. Luckily Oliver was flying with Penny at the moment, so he was somewhat distracted.

Despite Hau's shenanigans, the trio of children spent a full two-hours out in the water relaxing as the adults hung out on the beach and chatted. It was a much-needed moment of relaxation after…well, what was supposed to be a moment of relaxation turned into an extremely embarrassing moment for everyone who went to the Ohana Hot Springs.

According to Hau, he had finally spoken with Lana and had apologized, even going so far as to take her out to dinner to make up for what happened (despite not quite being at fault). While Lana was still relatively flustered around Hau, she had accepted his apology and held no ill will towards her friend.

"You'd think the continuous sunshine would get on my nerves at some point, but it's starting to grow on me. So long as you wear sunscreen, you're fine." Sun remarked, though he glanced down at his relatively pale arms. "Sucks I can't get a tan though. My Mom's had an awesome tan since the first week she got here, but I only burn. What's up with that?"

"Sounds like you're just not trying hard enough." Lillie teased her friend, causing Sun to stick out his tongue at her.

"Can you really say that, Lillie? You're more pale than I am." Sun pointed out as Lillie giggled at her friend.

"And yet she's so adorable!" Acerola cheered from halfway across the beach, causing Lillie to blush in response and sink into the water.

"Agreed." Sun and Hau both said at the same time, causing Lillie to blush harder and hide her face in her hands. Meanwhile Hau turned to Sun, looking at him with a gleam in his eye.

"Sun, you just got to actively spend time working on your tan. The weather's perfect for this. The sky is nice, the sun is hot and the water is warm and calm. Good day to spend out here, huh?" Hau said brightly, causing Sun and Lillie to exchange a brief glance, understanding passing between the two of them.

"That entirely depends, Hau. Is the water warm because you peed in it?" Sun asked archly, raising an eyebrow.

Hau grinned guiltily, even as Rotom Dex popped out from underneath Sun's hat (where it had been hiding for the past few hours to not get wet, but still hang out with Sun). "Oh come on, Sun, there's an entire ocean here. I don't think there's a chance of me pissing off a Pokémon because I accidentally peed on it this time."

"Bzzzt. According to my sensors, there's currently an above average amount of urine-" Rotom Dex began to say before Lillie grabbed the device and shook it until it stopped speaking.

Sun smirked at Lillie for a moment before looking at Hau. "Didn't you think that literally the last three times this happened, Hau? Every time you pee in the wilderness, at least when you're around me, bad things happen."

"What are the chances of it happening a fourth time?" Hau asked with a grin, only for the grin to be wiped off his face he felt something swim past him. Suddenly the water exploded outwards behind him and Hau turned around to see an enormous Tentacruel rising from the depths, its eyes narrowed with fury as it looked down at Hau.

Now it was Sun's turn to face-palm while Lillie simply sighed.

"Will you be my friend?" Hau asked hopefully to the Tentacruel as it continued to slowly rise out of the water, its tentacles inching closer and closer to Hau. That was when a strong arm suddenly yanked Hau through the water and swiftly pulled him into the shallow waters by the beach. Sun grinned as Finn and Poliwrath let out a battle cry and began swimming back towards them.

Needless to say, the furious Tentacruel wasn't too far behind. Finn leapt out of the water and lashed out with a Psychic that made the beast recoil in pain before a Thunderbolt from Duke the Raichu knocked the poor creature out. Sun and Lillie swam back to shore while Finn and Duke exchanged a head-bump of respect.

"So what's the plan now for you kids?" Ollie asked, taking a sip of his drink, pretending that he didn't see all of this happen right before his eyes. Hau shook a fist in the general direction of the Tentacruel as it sank into the water. "You finally beat that Ghost Trial, after all."

"I mean, I haven't yet. But that's because I'm trying to figure out whether or not I want to add a new Pokémon to my team or not." Hau remarked, shrugging carelessly.

"Well, usually once you've beaten all of the Trials on an island you have a big showdown with the Kahuna of the island. But I haven't actually met the Kahuna yet." Sun remarked, shrugging as he glanced backwards to see Finn pose dramatically on top of the Tentacruel's head…while avoiding the bewildered looks of everyone else at that statement.

"Yes you ha-urk!" Hau winced as Acerola elbowed him in the stomach. Sun didn't notice this as Dexio started talking to him, nor did he see the mischievous grin on the Captain's face.

"If he doesn't know yet, even after meeting Uncle a bunch of times, then that means it'll be a fun surprise when Nanu eventually challenges Sun for his Grand Trial. Don't ruin my fun!" Acerola hissed into the Hau's ear before shoving him in Sun's direction.

"Does Sun not know who the Ula'ula Kahuna is?" Ollie quietly asked Lillie while Hau stumbled forward into Sun, knocking him to the ground.

"Um…I don't think we've ever specifically told him who the Kahuna is. Sun's definitely met him though." Lillie said softly, smiling in amusement. Sun would be very surprised indeed by the Kahuna's identity.

"Sun!" Acerola called to the boy, drawing his attention. "I've already talked with the Kahuna. They'll meet with you directly, but they're busy right now. But expect them to challenge you for your Grand Trial soon."

Sun nodded, expecting something like that. Overhead he noticed Oliver and Penny flying nearby, but he ignored them and kept talking. "Okay. I can work with that. Where am I going to be battling them?"

"Beats me."

"Oh…Well, what's their-" Sun began to ask, only for Oliver to suddenly let out a terrifying screech from across the beach and fling out a wave of leaves towards a copse of trees nearby.

"Whoa, what's going on-?" Acerola started to say when a Salazzle suddenly erupted from the shadows with a savage hiss, releasing a Flamethrower at Sun, Hau, and Lillie directly.

All three children let out screams of fear, with Sun instinctively pulling Lillie close and shielding her from the flames with his body.

A gleaming figure erupted from the ground underneath Sun and Aegislash was suddenly there, shifting its stance and throwing up a King's Shield at Ollie's command right before the deadly flames struck the children. The Aegislash hummed menacingly as the Salazzle poured even more effort into the flames, even as more and more people screamed around them.

A green blur swooped down from above as Oliver landed on top of the Salazzle, raking its body with a Shadow Claw before throwing the massive lizard to the ground. Salazzle retaliated with a Sludge Bomb directly to Oliver, who shrieked in pain and stumbled backwards onto the sand.

"Rasssss!" the Salazzle hissed, opening her mouth to unleash another Flamethrower, this time at Oliver, only for a flying blur to slam into her face and send her tumbling to the ground.

"Get away from him!" Penny screeched, her beak glowing ominously as the Salazzle spat a Sludge Bomb directly into her face, causing the Toucannon to tumble backwards into the water.

"Penny!" Oliver cried out, flying over to her and snatching her out of the ocean with her talons, glaring murderously at the Salazzle as it lunged for the trio of children on the beach, breathing a plume of flames at the shield Aegislash had summoned. At that point several of the other Trainers had called out Pokémon and the rest of Sun's team was converging on the scene, with Brago arriving first and slamming hard into the Salazzle with Extreme Speed. The Toxic Lizard Pokémon crashed hard into the sand and gave a soft hiss of frustration, spewing out a dark cloud of gas from her mouth that soon engulfed the entire beach.

"That's Poison Gas! Hold your breath!" Lillie cried out, grabbing a towel and covering her mouth and nose with it. Sun and Hau did the same, as did several others, but not everyone was so lucky and some were exposed to the hazardous fumes. In the span of a few moments, the Salazzle had vanished from sight just as soon as it had appeared.

"It got away…" Oliver hooted, kicking off of the ground and looking around as Penny joined him in the air.

"Are you okay?" Penny worriedly asked the Decidueye, receiving a simple nod in response before swooping back down to the beach to rejoin the others.

"Salazzle are pretty rare, even though they're originally from Alola. And they're more common on Akala Island than Ula'ula…I think that was a Trainer's Pokémon." Acerola remarked, tilting her head as Ollie scowled angrily.

"That was a brazen attack in broad daylight. I'll call a team in to help people get treated for the poison." Ollie said tersely, his tone all business now as he silently surveyed the beach and pulled out a notebook from a bag, quickly writing down on the paper. He then looked to Sun and Laura, his gaze focusing on his girlfriend after a moment.

"Don't follow. I'll start patrolling the area, ask around to see if anyone has seen anything weird." Ollie said to Laura as he pulled out a cell phone. "I'll see if anyone's spotted a rogue Salazzle in the area. We should have a team here in the next few minutes to treat those who were exposed."

"Be safe." Laura warned Ollie, who nodded before calling out his Dodrio and his Swellow and beginning a sweep of the area. Acerola had gone to check out the kids, Hunter and Kylee, who had been two of those exposed to the Poison Gas.

"So this certainly puts a damper on things! Quel bordel!" Sina remarked, looking over at the Sun, Hau and Lillie. "Are you three okay?"

"A little shaken up, but otherwise fine." Sun said as he and Hau looked at Lillie with some concern, the girl clutching the bag holding Nebby tightly with a frazzled expression on her face. Sun and Hau both looked at each other, nodded, and then hugged their scared friend together. Lillie's expression calmed after several moments, with the girl shutting her eyes.

"Thank you." Lillie whispered, smiling softly despite how shaken she was.

"Anytime, Princess." Hau said with a grin, separating from Lillie as Sun did the same. Lillie took a shuddering breath as she tried to regain her composure.

Dexio seemed to recognize how badly Lillie was taking this sudden attack, because he said, "So what's next for you, Lillie? Didn't you say you wanted to go on a trip or something?"

"W-well, I was hoping to venture out into Haina Desert and investigate the Ruins of Abundance." Lillie responded, hugging Nebby closer to her chest as the Cosmog cooed softly. "I've been able to learn some things from investigating Malie Library, but I still think investigating the Ruins will help some of the missing puzzle pieces come together."

What Lillie didn't mention was that Acerola had given her limited access to the Forbidden Archives whenever she had free time, which allowed Lillie to learn more about the kind of threat that she was hoping to prevent.

What she had learned was the stuff was nightmares. Untold destruction, bloody confrontations between the ancient Alolans and the Ultra Beasts, and countless lives lost before being buried by both the passage of time and a concentrated effort by the government to conceal certain kinds of information.

It only made her more determined to get Nebby home…and to prevent Mother from unleashing even more chaos upon the world.

"That's quite the journey. Do you mind having some company along for the trip?" Sina asked, grinning down at Lillie. "Now that the big showdown with Cipher is dealt with, we've got a little bit more time on our hands. I've been wanting to do something exciting, and a trek through the desert sounds interesting."

Dexio frowned at his girlfriend and longtime partner. "You do realize it's a desert, right? Blistering hot weather, sand as far as the eye can see, and…you're not even listening, are you?"

"I mean, I was, but that's not gonna stop me. I want to explore this place more, Dexio!" Sina said cheerfully, even as her boyfriend face-palmed. It was at that moment that Dexio's phone rang, and he blinked in surprise before taking the call and walking away.

Sina looked after her boyfriend with a look of brief annoyance, but before she could open her mouth a familiar voice suddenly spoke up, saying, "Well, this seems like a fun get-together."

The group turned around to see Colress walking towards them, smiling as he always did as he approached in his bulky coat. The scientist tapped something on his wrist-pad as he stopped walking, with Dusk the Absol by his side.

"What brings you to the beach, Colress? I would've figured you had more important things going on." Sun asked, raising an eyebrow as Colress laughed good-naturedly.

"It's precisely because of that I've come here. Faba asked me to take a few days off from work so that we can focus better next week when we officially begin purifying the stockpile of Pokémon that Wes and Aria have Snagged in the past few years. Our first test the other day proved to be a complete success, as have the handful of subsequent purifications. I figured you all would appreciate an update on the situation." Colress replied, earning a series of joyous smiles from those who had helped in the confrontation against Cipher. Sun smiled the brightest of all, overjoyed that the Pokémon who had been corrupted by his father's mad scheme would be healed.

"I'll be traveling around Ula'ula Island for the remainder of the week and investigating a few things. Specifically the Ruins of Abundance, since I know for a fact that Tapu Bulu is currently there." Colress said with a knowing smirk, seeing Lillie's eyes light up.

"If the Tapu is there…maybe I can ask it some questions. Maybe it can tell me more about Nebby." Lillie said quietly, but there was a noticeable tone of excitement to her voice.

"Would you like to come along with us, Colress?" Sun asked the scientist, who seemed confused. "Me, Lillie and Hau were planning on heading out into the desert tomorrow since I passed the Ghost Trial and can get past the Trial Gate. Sina and Dexio want to come along too, and it's always fun traveling with friends."

"Interesting…I'll happily take you up on that. I can shuffle my plans around to accommodate this trip." Colress said with a nod, tapping something else down on his data-pad.

"It'll be good to have some extra muscle around too. That attack from that Salazzle seems…out of place. I've got a bad feeling." Sun muttered the last part quietly to Colress, who hummed thoughtfully.

"No harm shall come to any of you while I am around. Be sure of it." Colress said confidently, glancing around the area. "Which reminds me that I should probably be helping those who were poisoned here. Just a moment."

"About that…turns out we've got plans tomorrow." Dexio said as he walked back over, wearing an apologetic frown on his face. Colress quickly went about treating those who had been struck with poison.

"Wait, what? No we don't." Sina remarked, confused at her boyfriend's words.

"I just got a call from Diantha. She wants us to look into something League-related out on Poni Island for the next two days." Dexio remarked ruefully, shaking his head. "We can't get out of it either."

"Well, that's a bummer." Hau said with a frown, crossing his arms. "We can put it off until then, you know-"

"Non. Go on your trip with Colress, he's plenty strong enough to keep away other rogue attackers. As much as I was hoping for more leisure time, our jobs are important." Sina replied, grabbing Dexio's hand. She then looked to Lillie and said, "If there's anything else we can do though to help, let us know."

"So I'm not the only one who is getting bad vibes from this random Pokémon attack." Sun thought as he looked around the beach, noticing that Colress was handing out pills and bottles of water to those affected. What Sun thought was weird was that the Salazzle was very focused on a particular set of targets during that attack.

Himself, Hau, and Lillie.

"Maybe it's a coincidence…maybe it's something more. Either way, we should keep an eye out for any other weirdness." Sun thought to himself, only noticing after a few moments that Colress had returned.

"Sina and Dexio can't come with us tomorrow. Are you still interested in coming along with us to the Ruins?" Sun asked the scientist, who grinned and responded with a short nod.

"I'm definitely interested. I've also been updated as to what just happened. Am I safe to assume that you three don't mind a little bit of protection on the way to the Ruins of Abundance?" the scientist asked, earning a round of smiles from the children as Sina and Dexio walked off in quiet discussion.

"Not at all. Thank you for coming along with us!" Lillie said gratefully, bowing slightly to Colress as the scientist nodded. Sun smiled at that, and as he looked out across the ocean and saw Penny and Oliver flying out over the water, with Finn swimming in the ocean and Brago and Alastor relaxing in the warm sands, he realized something despite the strangeness of the attack that had come moments ago.

Today was still a good day.


Later That Night…

Aether House


Lillie bolted upright out of her bed, gasping for air for several moments before she realized she was awake. She glanced around the room and saw that she was still in the Aether House. Nebby was resting on a nearby pillow, still fast asleep. Safe and sound, like he deserved to be.

And most importantly, Sun was sleeping in the other bed nearby, and that meant that she was safe too.

After all, Lillie Jardin was untouchable so long as Sunshine Smiles was around to protect her.

"Well, I mean, I wouldn't be opposed if Sun tou-" Lillie thought to herself, only realizing where her thoughts were going before flushing bright red and slapping her cheeks to snap herself out of her own train of thought. "No! Bad Lillie!"

It took several minutes for the girl to calm down from the scare her nightmare had given her and her own imagination. But as soon as she did, certain thoughts began to creep back into her mind that the nightmare had given rise to. Doubts. Fears. Uncertainties and regrets.

Lillie looked down and clenched her blanket with her hands, a sharp stinging sensation coming to her eyes as she thought about the current state of things. Her mother was still hell-bent on hunting down Nebby and herself, and if that would happen it could mean the end of the world as she knew it. Her nightmare had brought all of those fears back to the forefront of her mind, and she was terrified of what would happen if she failed.

The Ultra Space was something still being studied and understood. But what she learned from the old books in the Forbidden Archive had helped her understand that the world beyond their own…the Ultra Space, was not simply another dimension. It was a network of layers of dimensions that gave way to realities and worlds. Countless creatures dwelled within it, known only as the Ultra Beasts, and any number of them could be as powerful as any Legendary.

Which meant if Lusamine used Nebby's powers to rip open a pathway to the Ultra Space…the monsters would come for them. The very fabric of space-time, or reality itself, could be torn asunder.

It would make Ashton Aupuni's mad desire of rewriting the world seem like a pleasant dream in comparison. Because if Lusamine succeeded, there would only be chaos. And the Aether President simply didn't care anymore.

"Can I really stand against something like her…I'm the only one who's keeping Mother from destroying everything with Nebby's power. A weak, useless little girl who can't even tell those most important to her the truth of who she is." Lillie thought to herself, lowering her head as the guilt of her actions consumed her. "Even after how many people have tried to support me…Boost my confidence and make me more independent, I still can feel like this. What is wrong with me?"

Lillie couldn't help the flow of tears that came next. She quietly sobbed to herself as her fear took control and allowed her doubts and regrets to run wild. The teenage girl rolled over in her sheets and cried into her pillow, her words muffled so she wouldn't make much noise. "I miss my Mother. I miss my Father. I miss Gladion…I'm just Lillie. How can I stop all of this madness on my own? How can I save Nebby… when I can't even save myself?"

This continued for a while as Lillie gave into her despair, and it was many minutes later when she slowly pushed herself upright and noticed that Nebby was watching her with a concerned expression.

"Momma?" Nebby asked quietly, only to be pulled into a gentle embrace by Lillie. The girl held her Pokémon close, softly stroking the Cosmog's head.

"Shh…it's okay Nebby. Go back to sleep." Lillie whispered, offering the little one a teary smile. She looked towards Sun, who was thankfully still sleeping in his bed and hadn't been woken by her crying. It made her realize for a moment how truly blessed she was. It was a stroke of fate that Professor Burnet had found her and taken her in. That the Regional Professor of Alola and his wife would accept her into their lives like a daughter and safeguard her while investigating the Ultra Space and try to help her help Nebby.

And that wasn't even going into all of the wonderful friends that she had made in past year or so. The various Captains, Kahunas and Trainers and more who had all opened their hearts and cared so much about her. Comforted her, entertained her…and protected her with such a fond fierceness that she simply didn't understand because she hadn't had friends before Aether Paradise. So used to the gilded cage she had been born in and trapped by Lusamine's growing madness, Lillie hadn't known what friendship was until she arrived at Alola.

And what could she say about Hau and Sun? Her two closest friends and the brightest lights in her life.

Hau was a silly and frequently immature boy with a heart as big as his smile, always happy to cheer others up no matter what he was going through personally. And Sun was simply a treasure of a person, always supporting her and making her feel like she was stronger than she believed.

"I don't deserve their kindness…I don't deserve so much affection and love. At the end of the day, I'm just a useless little girl trying to run away from something I can't stop." Lillie whispered to herself, another tear rolling down her cheek. "Why…Why is everyone so nice to me? Even someone like Mr. Aupuni treated me with kindness…I don't understand. I'm not worth it."

"H-hey, is everything okay?"

Lillie jolted and looked over to the bed next to her's, seeing that Sun was now awake and looking at her with sleepy concern. Lillie shook her head, tears still in her eyes as she got out of bed to walk over to him.

"I'm s-sorry, Sun. I didn't mean to wake you-" Lillie began to say, only to be surprised when Sun sat up out of bed and pulled her into a hug, causing her to stiffen in surprise before relaxing into it and lowering herself onto his lap.

"I didn't even need to tell him what was wrong…Oh Sun, what did I ever do to deserve you?" Lillie thought to herself, even as she hugged Sun tightly in response. For a few moments, Sun simply held Lillie as she tried to calm herself down. In the end, some of the darker thoughts simply drifted away, though Lillie was still troubled.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sun asked gently, taking a moment to rub the girl's back. Lillie thought about it for a moment, hesitating as to whether or not this would be the moment.

The moment she told Sun everything.

But in the end…she was too afraid.

"Nightmare. I can't go back to sleep…Um, d-do you mind if I…um, join you?" Lillie asked as she let go of Sun, blushing again as her voice trembled with embarrassment at the words. Sun smiled tiredly as he released her and Lillie moved off of the bed, with Sun scooting over to allow Nebby and Lillie to join him. Lillie smiled warmly at the boy before scooping up Nebby and worming into the blankets, cuddling up against him.

Lillie let out a small squeak when Sun wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to his side. Lillie felt like her face would combust, but after several moments she calmed down and nuzzled Sun's chest with a small sigh, allowing a sense of calm to wash over her. Nebby had already fallen back asleep, tucked between his two favorite humans, but Lillie would remain awake for quite a bit longer, her thoughts still plaguing her.

"Sun…?"

"Hmmm?" came the sleepy grunt, with Sun opening a sleepy gray eye.

"Thank you…for everything."

"Anytime, Princess. I hope you feel better soon."

"...You aren't going to ask what it's about? Why I'm upset?"

"I want to know, but I'm not going to pry. You'll tell me if you really want to. Until then…I'll just support you however I can. Just like you've done with me."

"Why aren't you mad at me? You know I've been lying to you…I've never been honest about who I am with you."

"Hmm?"

"My past…who I really am. You wouldn't like me so much if you knew what I've done. I'm just a coward who can't stand up to their demons. Not like you did with Mr. Aupuni…I'm not strong enough."

"And that's okay. Remember how I felt when Celadon City got burned down, Lillie? How guilty I felt? And how angry I was? You didn't judge me at all. You stayed by my side, because you're a good person and you saw how much I was hurting. You became my first-ever friend."

"I…I remember."

"So don't worry about it, Lillie. Consider us even." Sun laughed softly at that, but Lillie was unconvinced, shutting her eyes.

"I just can't understand…How can people like you and Hau and everyone else be friends with someone so worthless-"

"You're not worthless." Sun's words were sharp, enough to catch Lillie off-guard. Sun turned Lillie around so she could look into his eyes. There was nothing but honest concern and determination gleaming in his storm-gray eyes.

"Why am I so good to you? Because you're my friend, Lillie. You're precious to me, and I know that when you're ready…You'll tell me everything."

"...!"

"Have I been mad at you for keeping secrets? Especially when I've basically told you everything about me? Yeah, of course I have. Hau has too." Sun admitted with a sheepish smile, even as Lillie looked at him with surprise.

"R-really?"

"Of course. Hau's known you for longer than I have. It's incredibly frustrating. Makes us feel like you can't trust us. And yeah, that hurts a lot. Especially after everything we've done for you."

"..."

"But we got over that a long time ago. You're our friend, Lillie. We care about you. And we know that you're trying to deal with some crazy stuff. Especially with whatever happened between you and your Mother." Sun's words were gentle, even as Lillie's eyes widened in shock. "After everything we've been through together, how could I stay mad at you for keeping secrets? Whenever you're ready, you'll tell me. And if you don't…well, that's your decision."

"So even with the doubts you have, you're still willing to trust me? Support me? Why though? I'm such a coward, and I'm not a Trainer like you and Hau. Yes, I get I'm important to you all, but you get nothing out of it except my friendship. Is that worth so much to you?"

"Of course it is. Lillie, even if you think the world of someone, you're going to have negative thoughts about them once in a while. Sometimes you get mad and annoyed at them for doing stuff that you don't like. "Sun explained to Lillie, laughing softly as he stroked Lillie's hair in a way that slowly calmed her down. "But whenever I start to feel doubts, I remember all of the times I've been able to trust you with my own feelings. All of the times you've supported me. The times you were scared and helpless, but also the times you were brave and strong and courageous. The times where you inspired me to try harder and keep fighting even when I'm about to give up…you make me want to keep fighting no matter how bad things seem."

"What…?" the words were a whisper, unbelieving that anyone could think that way of her. Especially someone as wonderful as Sunshine Smiles.

"All I know is that you're my friend, and I wouldn't change a thing. If there comes a day when you're comfortable enough with me to tell me your story, then I'll be happy to hear it. But until then, keep your secrets Lillie."

"Even if it's not healthy to keep secrets? Painful ones that you should probably talk to people about? We saw what happened when your Dad kept secrets from you and your Mom."

"If anyone treated you the way Ano Aupuni treated my father, I would tear them apart." Sun said in a tone that made Lillie's jaw drop. It was so serious, so out of character for the normally good-natured boy that it had taken her completely aback. "I promised you before, didn't I? I'm going to help you get through whatever you're going through. And as long as I'm here, I'll keep protecting you, okay?"

"But…why?"

"Because you're precious to me. I want to see you keep growing and getting stronger, just like me and my team have been throughout our journey." Sun hugged Lillie tightly, even as the girl stared into the dark with wide green eyes. "Let's try to get some sleep, okay? We've got a long day in the desert tomorrow and we're going to need our rest."

"Y-yeah…okay." the girl whispered as they laid back down, with Sun wrapping Lillie in a comforting embrace, falling back asleep in less than a minute.

Lillie, however, remained awake for a long time after Sun did, trying to comprehend everything she and Sun had talked about. After so long of thinking how much of a worthless coward she was who only messed things up, having someone like Sun repeatedly reassure her that she was anything but what her dark thoughts told her she was simply…it didn't make sense to her.

But now…now something seemed to register within Lillie's mind that Sun simply saw her as someone growing into someone stronger. She was weak at times, yes. But there were other moments where she was strong. There were moments where she had learned and grown as a person throughout her own little journey, thanks to the people and Pokémon she had met along the way.

As well as the boy holding Lillie in his arms, smiling as Lillie closed her eyes and nuzzled his cheek with her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips.

"Flowers take time to grow...and so do I." Lillie thought with a smile as she lightly kissed Sun on the cheek and sighed contentedly, drifting off to a peaceful sleep within the next minute.

Within Lillie's heart, the warm feelings she held for the boy who had been her protector and hero blossomed into something far brighter. It was an emotion she had only ever read about and didn't fully understand. But much like herself, it would eventually bloom into something truly wonderful.

That emotion was…Love.


The Next Morning…


The sound of knocking jolted Lillie awake, and she had a brief moment of panic as she felt something restricting her movement. It was then that she realized she was currently cuddling with her crush, and after blushing scarlet, decided to close her eyes and be comfortable with Sun a little longer. Sun had similar thoughts, sighing in annoyance at the loud noises outside and resting his chin on Lillie's shoulder.

"I really don't want to move, Lillie."

"Come on, you guys! We gotta make breakfast!" came the shout from Hau outside their door.

"I don't either. You think if we just stayed quiet, Hau would go away?"

"Nope. We're not allowed that luxury."

"I've got the key! I'm coming in!"

Lillie and Sun both sat upright out of bed, with Lillie still clutching Sun as Hau walked into the room and froze like a deer in headlights while seeing the position his two friends were in. Sun and Lillie both blushed crimson while Hau blinked several times, a brief flicker of annoyance on his face before he smirked at his two best friends in such a compromising state.

"Whoa, never-mind, I should've knocked first!" Hau yelped as he scampered out of the room. Sun glared at the boy for several moments before Lillie giggled, rubbing her face against Sun's. Sun blushed bright red at the sudden display of affection, compounding his embarrassment further.

"It's alright. This isn't the worst thing that's happened to us in the morning. Come on, let's get ready for the day." Lillie said as she slid out of bed, with Sun trying to reorient his mind so that he wasn't focused on his crush.

Ten minutes later the children were all making breakfast alongside Acerola, who was relentless in her teasing (Hau had apparently told her what he had seen). Sun point-blank refused to indulge them in their teasing and ignored them, washing dishes as they were dumped into the sink. Meanwhile Lillie blushed profusely at Acerola's comments as she buttered toast. This went on for several more minutes before the table was set.

"Breakfast is ready!" Sun called out as he finished pouring the orange juice into each of the glasses on the table. Hunter and Kylee ran over to the table excitedly, sitting down eagerly in their chairs to a breakfast of cereal, eggs and buttered toast with Pecha Berry jelly.

"Yaaaaay!" the children cried out, sitting down in their chairs. "Thank you!"

"So you guys are going to Haina Desert today, right?" Acerola asked Sun, Hau and Lillie. "Make sure to be careful. Those sandstorms are nasty, and the sun can get pretty bad."

"I think we'll be fine. If I was traveling alone, I'd be more concerned. But I've got Sun and Hau with me, plus Doctor Colress." Lillie said as she smiled at her friends, receiving two grins from the boys.

The group finished up their breakfast just in time to hear the front door being knocked on, with Colress entering after a minute or so.

"Good morning everyone. Are we ready to head out?" Colress asked as Sun walked over to his bag, hefting it over his shoulders as Hau did the same thing with his backpack. Lillie placed Nebby into her gym bag as the Cosmog pewed in protest, but in the end he got in the bag.

And with that, our heroes began their expedition.


Two Hours Later…

Haina Desert


"Holy balls, it's hot!"

"Hau, did you just say 'holy balls' unironically?"

"Lillie, did you just let me say 'holy balls' unironically?"

"...Sometimes you really make me want to smack you."

"I know. It's fun."

"...Colress, wait for me! I want plausible deniability for whenever Lillie finally strangles Hau."

The trek into the Haina Desert was an entertaining trip for everyone involved. Sun and Hau were used to traveling in rough conditions at this point and were able to coach Lillie through the journey alongside them, even though neither of them had been through a desert before. Colress also was a great help to the children, due to the sheer amount of item capsules and gadgets that he had on hand that allowed them to take frequent breaks in the shadows of the numerous spires of rock and stone that dotted the Haina Desert.

The children were thankful for that, because the heat from the Haina Desert was relentless, as were the sandstorms that cropped up every few hours. As it was, Sun wasn't sure if he'd be able to make it through the desert to the Ruins of Abundance without a guide of some kind. The endless dunes and crags formed a labyrinth of sorts that Sun realized would be extremely difficult to navigate.

However, Colress seemed fairly confident that he knew where they were going, and so the children followed him into the harsh sands, with Sun's team battling the wild Pokémon that frequently attacked them and getting some very valuable experience.

It was quickly apparent that Oliver and Finn were greatly enjoying being able to let loose and knock out wave after wave of Pokémon with ease, due to their type-advantage over the mostly Ground-type Pokémon that they kept running into. Even with the harsh sunlight and sandstorms, the Decidueye and Poliwrath didn't seem to need any kind of direction when it came to thrashing the local wildlife.

Brago and Penny, who didn't match up nearly as well against the wild Pokémon, were content to hang back and watch, occasionally jumping in to help whenever any of the Pokémon tried calling in for backup.

However, not to be outdone, Alastor tried to mimic the success of Oliver and Finn by challenging the wild Pokémon attacking them, only to meet with disastrous results. The Alolan Golem fared horribly against the Pokémon of the desert and thanks to his Electric/Rock-typing would usually faint in two hits from just about anything they encountered.

Naturally this made Alastor increasingly angry, especially when he saw how easily Oliver was dispatching everything around him. Sun kept an eye on the Alolan Golem and even told Alastor that he could just take a break from training for now and get a solid session in when they were out of an area he had such a disadvantage against.

Alastor point-blank refused to accept that, and so he continued to push on and battle anything he could. Sun was very grateful Lillie kept extra Revives in her bag, because otherwise Alastor's stubbornness would've bankrupted him.

"I'm more surprised that you're not letting your Pokémon out, Hau. Wouldn't this be a great spot to train your team?" Sun asked as Oliver unleashed another wave of Razor Leaf, knocking out yet another Sandile. Meanwhile Penny watched from Brago's back, amused as the owl hooted gleefully and swooped forward with a Leafage and blasted away a Trapinch.

Hau shrugged carelessly, an easy grin on his face. "Yeah, none of my Pokémon have an easy time in this kind of environment. Kaha would get sand all in his burning fur, Duke's at a bad disadvantage against everything, Haimoe is a literal sleepwalker and I'm not gonna make Cassy deal with all of this sand."

"I guess that makes sense…But you should probably try to make up for that once we get back to Tapu Village." Sun said to his friend, who simply shrugged again. Sun felt a small twitch of annoyance at Hau's lackadaisical attitude toward training his team, but then realized that if Hau wanted to not take things like this too seriously, that was his decision.

"I'll keep pushing myself and my team to get stronger and stronger. Hau…we might walk the same path, but we're going at different paces, huh?" Sun thought to himself, looking away from his best friend who chattered animatedly with Colress about his latest invention. A sudden scream of anguish caught Sun's attention, and he turned around in time to see Alastor get trapped in a Sand Tomb, his face scrunched up in pain before he toppled over into the dunes.

The Sandile he was fighting laughed tauntingly and fired off another Sand Tomb at the downed Golem, even as Finn and Oliver joined Alastor. Oliver threw up a Protect to shield his downed teammate while Sun walked over, using a Revive on the unconscious Alolan Golem.

"Seriously, Alastor, just let it go." Sun said to the Alolan Golem, frowning with concern. Alastor groaned in pain as he regained consciousness once again. Alastor staggered upright and used Rock Throw directly at the Sandile, knocking it back.

"I can't…fall behind. Any further. Now die!" Alastor bellowed as he released a Rock Blast at the Sandile, knocking it out after four waves of the move. Sun rolled his eyes at the stubbornness of his Pokémon, but he did notice something glinting in the sand out of the corner of his eye. Sun turned and made his way over to the shining object and pulled it out of the sand.

"Who the heck leaves a TM in the sand?" Sun asked as he brushed the sand off as best as he could, walking back over to his friends. After a quick glance, Sun learned that the disc taught the move Dream Eater.

"Didn't we find a Max Elixir in the sand like an hour ago? This isn't much weirder." Lillie pointed out with a smile, causing the boy to chuckle with amusement. Sun turned around to see Finn knock out an Alolan Dugtrio while Alastor glowered with frustration. He then whirled around to see a Sandile emerging from the sands, a curious expression on its face.

Sun then winced as the winds picked up, blowing sand all around them and signaling that a sandstorm had just kicked up. They would need to exercise more caution when navigating the desert.

"Suffer!" Alastor bellowed as he unleashed a Rock Blast at the Sandile, blasting him out of the dunes and onto a rock. The startled Pokémon let out an echoing cry for help, and an annoyed growl erupted from a nearby crevice as a new Pokémon joined the fray.

It was a bipedal shark-like Pokémon that was purple and stood on two feet, with sharp gleaming claws and an irritated expression on its face. The Pokémon made its way over to the Sandile, glaring down Alastor.

"Whoa, that's a Gabite, isn't it?" Sun asked, grinning excitedly at the Pokémon that now stood beside the Sandile, who looked incredibly smug.

"Yes. It evolves from Gible and evolves into Garchomp, a Pokémon line that is famously linked to Cynthia, the Sinnoh Region Champion. They're quite formidable and regarded as one of the strongest dragons around…I seem to remember that they're quite rare around these parts and only emerge from their dens during sandstorms." Colress supplied as he crossed his arms, even as the Gabite rushed forward with Take Down. Alastor staggered to his feet with a snarl and rolled forward, slamming hard into the Gabite with Rollout. A shockwave of force erupted from the collision of the two Pokémon as the Gabite growled angrily.

"Alastor, hold on! There's a way you can-" Sun tried to say, only for Alastor to get blasted backwards by a Dragon Rage that sent him sprawling into the sand, twitching in pain.

"You really haven't learned your lesson, huh?" Finn asked, his expression confused. Naturally Alastor was too busy being unconscious to actually respond, but a smirking Oliver was more than happy to answer.

"Nope. But I'm fine with that. His idiocy amuses me." Oliver remarked as the Gabite tried to use Dragon Rage again, only for Oliver to block it with Protect. Sun sighed as he reached down and applied yet another Revive to the Alolan Golem, causing him to return to the land of the waking.

"N-n-no…I'm not going down so easily…" Alastor wheezed, slowly rising back to his feet as Sun rolled his eyes yet again. As much as he respected Alastor's determination, he really wished the Alolan Golem wasn't so stubborn.

"Gaaaabite!" the wild Gabite snarled, its claws glowing white as it lunged forward, with Finn blasting it backwards with Psychic. Sandile fired off a purple chain of energy from its mouth that wrapped around Finn, which Sun recognized after a few seconds as the move Embargo. Alastor unleashed a Rock Blast at the Sandile, knocking it out after four rounds of the move. However, the Gabite was free to attack with another Sand Tomb, which brought Alastor to the ground once again, barely conscious.

Oliver fired off a Razor Leaf, knocking away the dragon and causing it to weakly retreat into the sands again, with the owl smugly smiling under his hood. He could feel himself getting stronger in this desert, and his newfound power was exhilarating to see. After so long of doubting himself, it felt so good to take pride in his own strength yet again.

Sun knelt down and applied a Hyper Potion to Alastor's injuries, but the Alolan Golem was noticeably subdued as he got back to his feet, shaking slightly with a disturbed expression on his face.

"Let's just go...I'm going to take a rest." Alastor breathed, exhaling hard as he walked away from Finn and Oliver. Sun looked at his Alolan Golem with some concern, wondering if his pride would be able to take further bruising.

The group continued through their trek of Haina Desert, with Colress leading the group further and further into the swirling sands. At one point, Sun had to call a Ride Pokémon in order to use the Mudsdale Gallop to cross a wave of craggy rocks.

"Man, these ruins are pretty far out. What are we even hoping to find out here, anyway?" Hau asked Lillie, receiving a shake of the head in response.

"Answers, I hope. The books I've read in the Forbidden Archive seem to suggest that the Tapu know something about Pokémon like Nebby who come from other worlds. It's possible that they're related in some way." Lillie said, feeling a pang of guilt. She knew for a fact that they were absolutely connected, thanks to Nebby's powers of opening Ultra Wormholes. But she couldn't tell Sun and Hau that.

They could never know what she did. It'd only put them in harm's way.

It was nearing sundown by the time the quartet arrived at a large rock-face that Sun recognized immediately as the Tapu's dwelling place, as evidenced by the entryway that reminded him of Tapu Lele's domain back on Akala Island.

"We're here." Colress said with a pleasant smile, gazing towards the sky at the setting sun. "We should set up camp tonight and rest. I'm sure the Tapu will make its presence known sooner rather than later."

And so they did. Thankfully the setting sun allowed them a respite from the heat of the day, though that soon brought other issues. The chill of the night.

"Thankfully I'm always prepared for such occasions." Colress said as he pulled out four item capsules and tossed them into the air, where each one exploded into a shower of smoke. When the smoke cleared, there were four large tube-like chambers present.

"Each of those is a self-contained sleeping pod. They can be sealed and opened from the inside, and are conditioned to be at a pleasant 75 Degree Fahrenheit. We shall sleep in these tonight, unless you want a Sandile to attack you while you sleep." Colress explained as Sun and Lillie walked over to a nearby pod and examined it curiously. Hau simply looked towards Colress, his expression unimpressed.

"Bzzzt! He's like a walking deus ex machina!" Rotom Dex cried out as it floated down into the pod and beeped excitedly.

"Why the heck do you keep crap like that on you again?" Hau asked, raising an eyebrow and turning towards Colress, who shrugged.

"Because being ridiculously over-prepared is what's brought me this far. If I had the ambition to be, I'd be the richest man alive. But where's the excitement in that?" Colress asked, chuckling as he walked over to the pod and opened it. To the children's surprise, there was a thick blanket within and a single fluffy pillow. "Now then, for the love of everything that is science, try not to track sand in there. It's extremely difficult to get it out and I don't want to waste tomorrow trying to sort that out."

"You can literally turn yourself invisible and create life as we know it…but you can't get sand out of a sleeping bag?" Sun asked Colress, whose right twitched with annoyance.

"Please don't remind me. Once I solve the method of bringing out the most potential in Pokémon, that's next on my to-do list."

"You people need more hobbies." Hau remarked as he sat down on a nearby rock, shaking his head in dismay. "Seriously, how am I the most normal one here?"

"What? I'm normal." Sun remarked, causing Hau to scoff.

"You were literally chosen by one of our Gods to inherit a magical long-forgotten superpower and you beat your supervillain father in a fight to the death using the power of friendship."

"...I mean, when you put it like that, it sounds strange…" Sun trailed off while Colress and Lillie laughed, with Hau sniggering at Sun's sheepish response. The group quickly ate a dinner of pre-prepared sandwiches that Acerola had made for them, and Sun called out his team to relax as they awaited the arrival of Tapu Bulu. Colress had already investigated the depths of the Ruins to ensure it wasn't already there, and so they passed the time talking.

"So Colress, how's everything been at Aether? You've been helping Miss Lusamine and that Faba guy with the Shadow Pokémon stuff, right?" Hau asked, receiving a nod from Colress.

"Yes. Aether Paradise has begun purifying the Shadow Pokémon Wes and Aria have obtained over the past few years, thanks to efforts of myself and Branch Chief Faba. We've purified ten Shadow Pokémon so far, and hope to accelerate the process next week" Colress said with a nod, gesturing towards himself. "In fact, due to the recent pushes the Aether Paradise have made, they've given me some time off to recuperate. President Lusamine was quite concerned when she found out I had been nearly killed by Amber Fontaine."

"I was really worried about you too." Lillie whispered, looking towards Colress with a frown. "There was…so much blood. If it weren't for you stalling Amber and Vivian's sacrifice, I don't think we would've made it out of that hospital."

"I'm sure someone would have thought of something." Colress said dismissively, causing the Absol resting beside him to snort in amusement. Colress didn't seem to notice, as he kept speaking.

"Thankfully I've also been able to look into my own private studies as well. Studying recent developments has given me several fascinating avenues to look into in regards to bringing about the true strength of Pokémon." Colress replied, looking to Sun with a wide smile. "Your experience with Radiance and your showdown with Borlath proved to be an incredibly helpful insight into the strength of the Alolans."

"Um…glad to help. You seem really casual about the fact that you almost died. Does that not bother you at all?" Sun asked the scientist, who tilted his head in confusion. "Me, Hau and Lillie have to see a psychiatrist a few times a month now. How are you okay with all of this?"

Colress shrugged, his smile ever-present. "Like I said before, Sun…I'm not quite sane. For the sake of science I was once more than willing to doom the entire world. I have done awful, terrible things and I don't truly feet much regret over those actions. I simply know that they're wrong and are a waste of time, so I don't do them anymore."

"Of course, I…Have begun to feel frustrated with myself. Because I can't feel certain emotions or express them properly. Certain things simply do not bother me, and when they should…I simply feel nothing except emptiness. It's extremely vexing." Colress continued, seeing the concerned expressions of the children sitting across from him. The scientist chuckled lightly, his grin widening somewhat. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm just as much of a monster as Amber Fontaine. But at least she has an excuse for becoming what she did…whereas she was ultimately a victim of an evil Pokémon who broke her mind, I'm simply a monster in my own right, as I was born this way and likely will always be like this."

"Master, you really should stop saying such things about yourself." Dusk said quietly, her voice causing Colress to look at her in shock. Sun looked at the normally timid Absol with surprise, considering the anger in her voice. "For someone who's done so many great things and saved so many people, you have such a low opinion of yourself."

Colress had nothing to say to that, and his ever-present smile slowly faded as he considered the words of his Pokémon.

However, before anyone else could speak, a collective shiver ran over each of them as a presence suddenly made itself known with a powerful bellow. Sun's Z-Ring began to glow brightly, but even if it hadn't been, everyone else looked up and saw that their query had finally arrived. A strange creature that had last been seen in Hau'oli City putting a curse on Ashton Aupuni for his crimes against humanity.

"GREETINGS, MY CHILDREN..." Tapu Bulu spoke through Sun's Z-Ring as it drifted down from the crags, gently floating to the ground. The God of Abundance swished its glowing tail, scattering a flurry of seeds throughout the air all around them. The moment the seeds touched the ground, a blanket of grass and flowers exploded into life all around them, with luscious trees bearing delicious fruit growing within the span of seconds.

"Tapu Bulu…" Sun whispered, glancing around the clearing with a stunned look on his face as he beheld the strange powers of the Guardian Deity of Ula'ula Island. Hau and Colress were likewise speechless, but Lillie was not.

"I have some questions to ask you, if you don't mind." Lillie said to the Tapu, who considered the words of the human child. The Guardian Deity turned towards Sun for a brief moment before returning its gaze to Lillie.

"I SEE…VERY WELL. ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, HUMAN CHILD, AND I WILL ANSWER WHAT DWELLS WITHIN YOUR HEART." Tapu Bulu intoned, crossing its arms as a powerful snort escaped it. Sun watched as Lillie approached the Legendary Pokémon, unzipping her gym bag and allowing Nebby to burst free with a joyous cry. Tapu Bulu recoiled in surprise as the Cosmog stilled and stared at the God of Abundance with confusion.


Meanwhile…

Malie City


"Are you going to be okay?" Gladion asked for the third time, concerned as he looked over at the uncertain girl standing beside him.

"I'll…I'll be fine. I've got my Pokémon. I've got a plan. I've got you. I've…I totally got this." Demi's voice trembled slightly, but Gladion was somewhat touched at the declaration she made about him, nearly smiling at the remark.

Instead he simply nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they approached the main building that the Alolan Regional Council was located in. Or rather, had been located before Roran Rubinara had all but destroyed them.

"I've got your back. Don't forget. The second you're too uncomfortable to continue or he does anything aggressive, I've got Zoroark on standby ready to help us escape." Gladion remarked, causing Demi to smile at the teen's backup plan.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. That being said, I'm honestly not sure if you could beat Dad in a straight battle. He's only got his Incineroar these days, but it's still really strong." Demi remarked, causing Gladion to scowl at that for a moment before shrugging.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Gladion said as he walked towards the front entrance, opening the door for Demi. The Team Skull Grunt swallowed nervously before following Gladion inside of the building. She had changed into her normal clothes for this meeting, her hair scrubbed clean of dye and pulled into a ponytail. Gladion had to admit her preferred this look, as opposed to her Team Skull Grunt outfit.

Not that he'd ever admit it out loud.

The building's main secretary confirmed their appointment to meet with Councilman Palena and led them to an office that Demi knew well, having been here several times to meet with her father before she embarked on the Island Trial. Despite the late hour, the office would be open for at least another two hours according to what Demi remembered. All too soon, the duo was standing in front of her Councilman Palena's office door. Demi raised a shaking hand before knocking three times.

"Enter." came a weary response that Demi knew all too well. The Team Skull Grunt opened the door and entered her father's office, with Gladion close behind. Councilman Palena looked at Demi for a moment in surprise before smiling wanly, gesturing to the chair in front of him.

"Dad seems…tired. Guess the past month really has been hard on him." Demi thought to herself, feeling a pang of concern for her father.

"Demi, thank you for coming. Please, take a seat." Palena offered, looking to Gladion with an apologetic look. "I didn't think she'd bring a friend, otherwise I'd offer you a chair as well, Mister…?"

"Gladion." The boy supplied, causing Palena's eyes to widen a fraction at the name. His eyes drifted over the boy for a moment narrowing slightly.

"An interesting name. I believe Aether President Lusamine has a boy named Gladion that ran away from home two or three years back." Palena noted, causing Gladion to scowl and take a step back before Demi could say anything. It was then that the older man shook his head. "No, it's not my place to get involved. You've come here as a friend of my daughter, and I'll respect that."

Gladion nodded and simply walked over to Demi's side, standing beside her. He took a moment to pull out a Poké Ball, calling out Type: Null. Palena's expression darkened at the sight of the monstrous Pokémon.

"Considering your position of authority and Demi's current affiliation with Team Skull, I figured it's best to take certain precautions. You understand." Gladion said with a thin smile, though his tone carried an unmistakable threat.

Palena nodded slowly, his gaze turning to Demi. "I'm glad you managed to make some friends in Team Skull, Demi. Even if it's not what I wanted for you, if it makes you happy, then I'll-"

"Support me? After everything Daniel and Mom said to me? After you all but kicked me out of the family?" Demi interrupted her father, her eyes flashing with fury. "Excuse me if I find any of this hard to believe. After an entire lifetime of being forced to march to your tune, how dare say that to me! You have no idea what it was like! Losing Feya, knowing that Alola doesn't give a damn and that it could happen again to someone else, and learning that my parents care more about their reputation than their own daughter!"

Palena remained quiet, his expression a stone mask as his daughter screamed at him. Gladion took this moment to chime in as well. "She suffers from a pretty bad case of ombrophobia because of what happened against Totem Araquanid." Gladion added, looking at Demi as she glared down her father. "She can't be exposed to the rain or she'll start having violent flashbacks to that night. The trauma was significant, but I'm sure none of you considered that when you cast her aside."

"I see…" Palena said quietly, his hands shaking as he learned just how badly Demi was affected by that fateful battle. A battle that they all knew that she had never really wanted to be a part of anyway.

"I never wanted to be a part of this stupid game we Alolans have to play. It's not fair to force everyone to become a Pokémon Trainer or go through the Island Challenge!" Demi shouted at Palena, tears forming in her eyes. "Not everyone is cut out to be a Trainer. Not everyone wants to be a Trainer! I certainly never wanted to be one! I just wanted to have fun with my Pokémon! But no, I had to become strong for the sake of the family's reputation and put myself through hell just so you look good!? How is that fair?"

"I agree with you…" Palena said quietly, seeing his daughter shaking with righteous anger as she finally gave her father a piece of her mind, venting the pent-up feelings she had been holding back for years. Compounded with the terrible stories she had learned firsthand through spending time with Team Skull, a group composed of outcasts shunned by Alola for not conforming to the norms passed down through hundreds of years of tradition, her anger was representative of the collective scorn many children in Alola felt for the olds ways.

"Alola is facing a reckoning, Demi. I can promise you that things will change because they are changing right as we speak." Palena explained, leaning forward. "The old guard is changing, and like it or not, Alola is being dragged into the modern age. We must accept this and move alongside progress, or we will be left in the dirt. And as much as I cherish our heritage and tradition…I refuse to see Alola stained further by corruption. Roran's attack made me understand many things about our way of life and the people I associated with. I can't live like that anymore, so I'm making the decision to try and change."

"And what about Demi's earlier comments? About how her family betrayed her?" Gladion asked Palena, who's expression crumpled as he looked from the boy to his daughter.

"Your mother was distraught when she learned the truth behind what had happened during your Water Trial. She and Daniel both felt guilty about overreacting how they did. My own behavior was even worse, since I refused to acknowledge the horrors you had been through and simply projected my feelings onto other people. The system that Alola had operated on for hundreds of years, since the time of the Ancient Kings, that has been a part of my life since I was born. And yet…I never once looked beyond to see how it was really effecting Alola and our way of life."

"You were too pig-headed to actually see how flawed the system was. Other regions have had Pokémon professions that aren't battling for years now. Some of them go back decades or centuries. Alola only has the Island Challenge." Gladion remarked, scowling as Palena dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Yes. I am a man of pride. Truthfully, I was eager to blame everything regarding Demi on Team Skull's growing influence, teenage rebellion and your friends from Melemele Island. I recall giving your friend Sunshine Smiles a particularly hard time because of his father." Palena remarked, shaking his head. "I remember defending Ano's attempted physical assault of the boy and brushing everything aside, like I always tended to do."

"I also remember you being close friends with Ano Aupuni when I was a kid, Dad. Anything to say about that?" Demi asked her father, who's expression fell as his gaze lowered to the desk.

"Ano was one of my closest friends…My mentor. Someone I idolized. And he was an absolute monster who preyed on innocent children and abused his only child in ways that chill me to my core. The Council knew and merrily covered it up. I never knew what he had done…but I made excuses for his later bouts of insanity when his health began to decline due to old age, but if I had known what sort of horrors he was capable of I would've thrown everything away in a second. Please, believe me." Palena implored his daughter, who simply glared at her father. The man behind an entire childhood of peer pressure, anxiety and frustration.

"Ano Aupuni has nothing to do with what happened to me. I just…I don't know if I can trust that any of this is sincere." Demi said to her father, who gave her a somber smile.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did. I understand that if me, your mother and Daniel are going to make amends with you, it might take a long time. But I do want to make things right between us, Demi. I love you. And…I'm sorry we turned our backs on you." Palena said softly, his voice trembling slightly as Demi regarded him with a suspicious glare. Palena bowed his head, a single tear running down his cheek.

Demi simply stared at her father, remembering everything that he had put her through. But she also knew that the man had changed drastically in the past few weeks and had undergone a change of heart, acknowledging his many failures as a leader, Alolan and a father.

"I understand if you cannot forgive me. But all I'm asking is a chance to make things right between us." Palena said quietly, even as Demi's eyes sparkled with tears as she considered his words. Both the words he had spoken tonight, and the words he had spoken to her throughout her lifetime.

But in the end, she cast a glance at Gladion to see what he thought. The blond-haired teen regarded Demi with a soft frown, considering everything that he knew about the current situation, but in the end he knew that this was not a decision for him to be involved with. Instead he simply shrugged, and Demi bit her lip and looked back towards her father and sighed deeply.

"I'll…have to think about things. But I'm not saying no." Demi finally said, causing Palena to look up in surprise.

"With everything that happened with my friend Sun, I've learned that it's not healthy to hold grudges. Even when they're totally deserved…So we'll see. As it stands, I'm not coming home to the family, and I'm still a member of Team Skull. And I've also got to…" Demi faltered, exchanging a brief look with Gladion. Palena caught the glance between the two teenagers and sighed inwardly.

He may not have been a very good father, but certain instincts were going off like alarm bells. Besides, his daughter had a certain type and Gladion fit that to the letter.

"I'm involved in something really important right now, Dad. I don't think I can stop what I'm doing until I'm done helping Gladion." Demi said as she looked back at her father, who closed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Very well." Palena said after several moments of thought, opening his eyes again. "You're always welcome to come home, Demi, but if you're doing something too important right now, I understand. If you also need some time to think about things…I understand too."

"So…Now what?" Demi asked her father, who smirked despite himself.

"Now? I keep trying to figure out what's going to happen in the span of the next few months. With the formation of the Alolan Pokémon League and the crowning of the region's first-ever Champion on the horizon, as well as the abolishment of the Alolan Regional Council, I find myself busier than ever. However, if I'm able to help you and your friend Gladion out in any way, please let me know."

Demi exchanged a glance with Gladion, who was currently staring at Palena with surprise. The girl then realized something and looked back at her father.

"Would you mind finding us a cheap hotel to stay at? The place me and Gladion were staying at isn't safe anymore, and we're kinda low on money." Demi said to her father, who nodded in agreement much to the teen's surprise.

"Of course. I'll find something before the end of the night." Palena said, though in his mind filing away the fact that Gladion and Demi were currently staying together in the same place. It was then that something else occurred to the man, as he smiled at Demi and opened a drawer at his desk.

"Which reminds me. I wanted to give you back something that belongs to you. It came into my possession a few days ago, and I think you'd like to have it back." Palena said as he pulled out a Poké Ball. Demi looked at it with some confusion, even as Palena stood and extended a hand, offering the Poké Ball to her.

"What's inside of it?" Demi asked, confused.

"Open it and see." Palena said with a surprisingly warm smile as Demi took it. The girl considered the sphere for a moment before tossing it into the air and calling out the Pokémon within. A flash of light erupted through the office, and Demi gasped as a familiar Chandelure appeared before her, illuminating the room in a purple glow.

"Chaaaaan…" Aou cooed, beaming at Demi with a ghostly smile. Demi stared at Aou for several moments before smiling uncertainly.

"It's good to see you again, Aou. Um…I don't even know what to say." Demi said to the Chandelure, who simply hummed in response.

"He says that he missed you, and that he's happy you're not mad at him for leaving you." Type: Null translated, causing Palena to jump.

"Holy-! You can talk!?" Palena yelped, catching himself on his desk before he could topple to the floor.

"...Obviously Demi does not get her brains from your side of the family." Type: Null commented dryly, causing Gladion to fake a cough to hide the laugh that escaped him. Palena's expression soured, but he ignored the comment and focused on his daughter.

"Of course I'm not mad at you, Aou. I released you and Torch…After what happened to Feya, I didn't want to be a Trainer anymore. I don't blame you for running away." Demi said to her old Pokémon, receiving another ghostly cry in response.

"He says after he left you, he reconsidered what he did and tried finding you again. Instead he was chased down by the bad man who tried to kill us before, but he was saved by Amber Fontaine." Type: Null translated, even as Aou continued to speak. "According to Aou, he was treated well, and became powerful under the woman's training. It was harsh, but it made him grow quickly."

"I imagine Aou on his own would be strong enough to give even the Bone Brothers a run for their money now." Gladion remarked, eyeing the Chandelure with an appraising eye. "That woman's team was brutally powerful."

"That they were." Palena remarked, grimacing slightly. "Thankfully she's dead and no longer a threat."

"Whatever happened to Amber Fontaine's team anyway? And Borlath's, for that matter? I've always wondered what happened to the Pokémon that villains have on them." Gladion asked, mostly out of curiosity. He remembered battling the infamous assassin alongside Lusamine and, even more surprisingly, Lillie.

"Amber Fontaine's team was detained and will be undergoing rehabilitation with the International Police. We hope in time they can be introduced back to the Wilds, even though many wished for them to be killed alongside their Trainer. However, Wes and Aria made it clear that Aou goes back to you." Palena explained, handing the Poké Ball to Demi who held it with a stunned expression. "Ashton Aupuni's team is kept in the same secure facility he's being held in, kept under lock and key. I can't share any more details than that."

"Makes sense." Gladion nodded, satisfied about the answer. Palena then turned towards his daughter, walking out from behind his desk.

"According to Wes, one of Amber's dying requests was for Aou to be returned to you. Cherish him." Palena said in a quiet voice, looking down at his daughter. Demi stared up into the eyes of her father, seeing a gentle expression that she hadn't seen from him in years.

"I am so sorry, Demi. Please come home…Let us make things right. Or if that's too much…tell me how I can make things right, so we can start picking up the pieces." Palena said to her daughter, his voice losing a bit of its strength. "Or, if t-that's too much to ask, I can respect that you don't want too-"

Palena was taken aback when Demi stepped forward and hugged her father tightly around the chest, burying her face into his shirt. Palena looked down at his daughter in surprise before wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace.

"Your daughter is a good person, Councilman Palena…Don't mess things up again." Type: Null warned the father as he and Demi looked at the strange creature that sat beside Gladion.

"I don't plan on it." Palena remarked, smiling ruefully before turning back to Demi.

"I don't want to come home yet. But I think…I think I want to talk to you some more. Maybe Mom and Daniel over the phone. Take things slow." Demi said to her father, wiping her eyes but smiling at her father.

"Of course, dear. Now, let's get you and your friend somewhere to stay for the near future. It's getting late after all…" Palena remarked, eyeing the clock that stated it was now well-past nine o' clock at night.

As Palena began to talk with Demi about what sort of accommodations they were looking for, as well as voicing some concern as to what sort of dealings she was getting into, Gladion was conflicted. On the one hand, he was slightly jealous that Demi was able to reach through to her father and make him understand her position.

On the other hand, he was proud of her for finally taking the step forward and being the bigger person. Accepting the apology of her father and allowing him to try and make things up to her.

"Would I forgive her, if she apologized to me so sincerely?" Gladion thought to himself, leaning against the wall and focusing his thoughts elsewhere. "Mother…do you even care about me and Lillie anymore?"

Gladion snapped out of his thoughts when a ringtone suddenly went off, and Demi looked down at her purse and swiftly dug out her ringing phone. The girl's face went pale, an expression of surprise and fear now present.

"Demi, what's wrong?" Palena asked, concerned and asking the question Gladion wanted to know. "Who's calling you?"

"It's…it's Guzma." Demi whispered, her eyes wide in trepidation. Gladion didn't blame her one bit, since it was rare for Guzma to contact his Grunts directly. Usually Plumeria or the Bone Brothers were used to delegate orders whenever Team Skull wasn't just running loose and causing mischief.

"I'm guessing it'd be best if you took that call?" Palena said with a questioning tone to his voice, confused as to why his daughter seemed to be scared of the leader of the group she was in, even if it was Guzma.

"Y-yeah…Give me a second." Demi muttered before she accepted the call, putting on the speaker.

"Hey Boss. How's it going?" Demi asked, trying and failing to keep her voice steady. After all, her last encounter with Team Skull resulted in Demi helping Gladion escape a beatdown at the hands of the Bone Brothers. She had a feeling Guzma wouldn't be too happy about that.

When the Boss of Team Skull spoke, his tone was amused. "Hey kid. I think it's about time we sat down and had a little chat. Where are you?"

"M-Malie City." Demi answered, causing Guzma to chuckle deeply.

"Don't be so nervous, kid. Just need to ask some questions. Meet me in the Malie Gardens by the tea shop in two hours. Come alone." Guzma said to Demi before disconnecting the call, leaving Demi speechless.

Palena scowled at those words while Gladion silently cursed under his breath. Gladion knew that they had been incredibly lucky so far as to avoid any kind of backlash for escaping the Bone Brothers and making fools out of them a few weeks ago.

"Now…there's going to be a reckoning, and it's going to be all my fault for dragging Demi into this..." Gladion thought as he grabbed his arm tightly, scowling in both anger and concern as Demi stared down at the phone with an expression of absolute horror.


NEXT TIME: Sun catches his final Pokémon, Guzma has a little chat with Demi, and we finally see what Ashton has been up to!


Sorry about the delays folks, these past few weeks have been very busy for yours truly. And they won't stop being busy, but hey, them's the breaks.

Q & A

From: Oragonking

By the way, there's a question that has been bothering me for a while: Does Alolan Ninetales live for 1000 years like their Kantonian counterparts?

Honestly? No idea! But considering what I know about them and after reading the Dex entries where its regarded as a guardian of sorts in Alola, I'm gonna roll with yes.

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

Also, last chance to guess what Sun's final teammate is gonna be! Those who guess right get a shoutout and the ultimate satisfaction of being right! Make your guesses in the review section below!

Stay safe and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!