Pokémon Radiant Sun


The awkward moment when you're given an idea for a cool chapter premise and then you end up writing over twenty thousand words about it.

Yep, this turned into a three-parter. The good news is that the next chapter is already done and we'll be getting into the really fun stuff that I've been waiting forever to get to after that goes up.

In even better news, email notifications for this outdated site seem to be working again, so that's awesome.

Anyways, let's get cracking!

Shoutout to the legends who reviewed since the last update which includes Oragonking, BraviaryScout, SolanaLeonhart, and RC-DA (good to see you again)! Thanks for the feedback and support!

Enjoy.


Chapter 166: Lasciare Suonare


Ruins of Hope


The fog swirled around Sun and Lillie as Vivian waved a hand, with it settling on a scene that the pre-teens remembered after a few moments. The Festival of Celestial Lights in Konikoni City. Sun was standing across from Olivia in his Alolan warrior outfit while Olivia wore an armored suit. Both Trainers were smiling as their Pokémon clashed.

"This was when you regained your fighting spirit in earnest. And a fun night as a whole for everyone." Vivian explained as several other images flashed past them all. Sun and Lillie spending time with Hau, Lana and Mallow and all of their other friends. Zygarde being reformed and then promptly rejecting Aria and the Unova crew's plea for help and fleeing into the night.

Even more horrifying was the fact that Sun saw a flicker of the Fossil Man singing a short, yet hauntingly pleasant song, his face illuminated by a lantern that would cause untold havoc later on in Malie City. It was scary for Sun to see Roran Rubinara hiding in plain sight like this.

"That was our first date too." Lillie remarked, grabbing Sun's arm as the boy smiled at her. Resting his head on her shoulder, he looked out into the crowd and laughed softly.

"Your all-black costume threw me for a loop. You looked so different, but really awesome at the same time." Sun said as he focused on the good memories and not terrifying what-ifs. Those would come later.

"You finally overcoming Olivia did wonders for your self-esteem as well. You defeated Dawson in front of the whole world and silenced most naysayers who were worried about Borlath's son following in his footsteps. With the addition of Finn to your team and Brago's evolution into an Arcanine, you were able to conquer the Kahuna and claim your second victory."

"Hopefully you remember that feeling. Losing your way, and subsequently losing your will to battle can make all the difference in this never-ending battle against evil." Vivian warned Sun, gesturing to his other self battling Olivia. The fierce grin on the other Sun's face was one of confidence, both in himself and the Pokémon at his command.

"As bad as things have been, I don't ever want to feel so hopeless again. I wouldn't have gotten back on track if it wasn't for my friends." Sun said with a nod to Vivian, who nodded in agreement before gesturing with her hand and causing the scene to shift again.

Sun and Hau were standing in a wooded clearing beside a cave, and a Heliolisk was transforming in front of them. Sun felt a shiver as he watched the scene slowly play out in front of him. This was when Dizz attacked him and Hau. Zinnia and Zygarde would help save the day, but seeing the raw power of the Anomaly on display was something that had simply left Sun astounded.

"It was terrifying…I had no idea what was going on. Even Zinnia barely understood it, and she had been hunting it for years." Sun explained, turning his eyes away from MissingNo. since even looking at the memory of it made his eyes hurt.

"It was testing the waters. I don't think MissingNo. would have actually tried to kill you. It's bound by the will of the author to never kill a Protagonist. It can torment them as much as it feels like, though. I always got the impression from our conversations that MissingNo. actually quite liked you, Sun." Vivian remarked as she glanced over at the boy, who's expression seemed complicated.

"I don't really have much to say about this encounter besides the fact that I was terrified. After catching weird glimpses of it here and there, meeting it properly like that was beyond weird. I wouldn't understand how weird until later." Sun responded to Vivian, who simply hummed before nodding. The scene shifted and revealed Sun meeting Wes and Mohn on the shores of the Poké Pelago.

"Where is this?" Lillie questioned, curious at the strange island.

"The Poké Pelago. It's a series of uninhabited islands off the coast of Alola. A friend of mine named Mohn took control of the islands and made them a sort of paradise for Pokémon in the PC storage system to go there and have fun on the islands instead of being in the storage system." Sun explained to the girl, who nodded in understanding. She then zeroed in on another piece of information that she had mentioned.

"Mohn…" Lillie whispered softly, seeing the man in question standing on the beach nearby. Lillie felt a strange sense of familiarity looking at the man.

"You met him briefly in Hau'oli City. He helped save me from Naps right before we boarded the Absolution, and you helped save the both of us when you and Brago came back to help us." Sun explained to the girl, who nodded slowly. "And I think once we're done here, we need to have a talk about him. I keep getting clues about things and…I'll tell you later."

"Tell me what?" Lillie asked.

"Do you trust me?" Sun asked the girl, who took a few moments to absorb the serious expression on her crush's face.

"Yes. With my life." Lillie sighed before leaning forward and poking Sun in the forehead. "You're lucky that you're too cute to be annoyed with, mister. Otherwise I'd insist that you tell me now."

Sun responded by stepping towards Lillie and kissing her on the cheek, causing her to squeak in surprise and blush. Sun laughed softly before looking towards Vivian, who looked quite amused.

"So what's the takeaway here?" Sun asked, seeing Finn evolve into a Poliwhirl after helping Pyrrha defeat Leon the Luxray on the beach.

"You were shocked to meet Wes. You had heard all these stories about someone all of your new friends from Unova adored and respected. Someone who could be called a hero without a trace of irony." Vivian explained, looking towards the Snagger on the beach. "But you could see it in his eyes. How tired he was. How he was still struggling to hold himself together, after breaking down in Nimbasa City after your father froze the city solid. You kept your word and didn't spread the knowledge that Wes was in Alola to us, but still the state you found Wes in worried you, didn't it?"

"Yeah…" Sun admitted quietly, rubbing his arms as if chilled. "He was so strong and brave, but he wasn't able to take down my father. If someone so much better than me couldn't manage it, and was left in that state, what would happen if I confronted Borlath? Would he kill everyone I love too? I always worried about that in the back of my mind."

"Wes was someone who held the weight of the world on his shoulders for way too long." Vivian explained, looking towards the man in question fondly. "You saw what happens when a hero doesn't save the day. All of those hopes, expectations and lives that were depending on them can just be…brushed away. Wes snapped and completely gave in to despair. When he vanished, we all assumed he had killed himself."

"He's okay now, though. I talked with him not too long ago. He was very polite." Lillie chimed in with a smile. "He even said he'd introduce me to Zoey Cairdelly, my favorite singer!"

"Oh yeah, they were dating for a while. I wonder if she knows Wes is alive. She'd probably be on the first flight to Alola the second she found out." Vivian chuckled lightly, amused by the idea. Sun nodded with a smile as he glanced around at the scene, a memory tugging at his mind.

Finally as his eyes landed on Pyrrha, the Braixen at the time, it was then Sun remembered something that made him clench his fists in fury. "Vivian, did you know Geoff back in Unova?"

"No, not as far as I know. Why?" Vivian asked.

"Because when I met Wes and his team, Pyrrha told me about how Wes had broken his code to snag her away from an abusive Pokémon Trainer named Geoff. I forgot about it until now, but is it possible this jerk is the same person?" Sun asked the violinist, who considered it.

"Probably. But I know Aria would have said something if she recognized him. You'd be better off asking Wes about it. Starter Pokémon are hot commodities when it comes to breeders and buying Pokémon eggs. I know Pyrrha was hatched and raised by her abusive Trainer but that's about it."

Lillie chimed in a moment later. "Gladion told me that his Riolu was also hatched from an egg. And you mentioned before that Tetra was as well. And if Geoff already has a habit of hatching rare Pokémon and abusing them if they don't hold up to his insane standards…" Lillie trailed off, but Sun finished her sentence.

"Then chances are good that this is the same scumbag…" Sun practically growled, his eyes flashing bright red. Vivian stared at the boy before smirking with approval.

"Good. You should be pissed. Don't let your kind heart stop you from getting properly angry." Vivian remarked as she held out her hands, shifting the scene to a crowded street in Malie City. Lillie gasped as she looked at the scene before her, with Sun's eyes remaining bright red.

Meeting Lusamine at the Aether Paradise and encountering the Nihilego.

"Your first visit to Aether was quite the eventful one. What did you think of Lusamine, Sun?" Vivian asked the boy, who's eyes flickered to a dark gray.

"She was kind. Gentle. And she helped me learn about my father, who never talked about his life before he met Mom." Sun answered, with the violinist nodded before turning to Lillie.

"Don't think I'm leaving you out, Princess." Vivian said to Lillie, who flinched. "You asked about Sun's visit to the Paradise. You inquired specifically about the President, too."

"I was scared." Lillie admitted softly, shaking her head. "I feared that Mother would try to hurt them. Or try to dig for more information about me somehow. Most of all I was hoping to find out how she was doing. Despite everything, I still worried about her."

"I had other things on my mind and never made any kind of connections between you and her until after I battled her and she fled into the Ultra Space." Sun admitted, looking at the Nihilego in the sky with trepidation. He remembered how Oliver had been badly hurt in the battle, poisoning him and messing with his mental state.

"Lusamine Jardin was a master manipulator, wearing the motherly façade that fooled the world at large with the ease of slipping on a leather glove." Vivian said comfortingly, placing a hand on both of their shoulders. "She saw you all as amusing distractions on her path to achieving her goal. A queen amidst pawns, if you will."

"I'll find a way to save her…I'll make her understand." Lillie said quietly as she looked at her mother, who stood at the back of the group as they beheld the Ultra Beast. Sun hadn't seen it the first time, but he now saw plain as day the insane grin of delight on the Aether President's face when no one was watching. It was horrifying.

The scene shifted with a wave of Vivian's hands, and somehow the previous scene was now slightly more tolerable.

Ano Aupuni was strangling Sun, madness and cruelty etched onto his face. His wife was watching with surprise behind him, but had made no move to actually stop him.

"My grandparents. The two charming people who helped make my father the man he is today." Sun said quietly, eyeing Ano with burning fury.

"The man who raped his own child and preformed countless other crimes to other innocent children." Vivian said with clear distaste as the image shifted slightly. "He held no remorse for those he hurt. He was clearly intent on murdering you because you resembled your father. He was an insane and evil man…And you hated him."

"I feel disgusted being related to someone like him. How is it that my Dad's killed millions of people and tormented my friends, but I hate this monster more?" Sun demanded of Vivian, who grinned at the boy.

"You tell me." Was the phantom's answer, sounding amused.

Lillie grasped Sun's hand quietly. "Because you know your father has good in him. And he truly regretted his actions. Ano Apuni held no regrets for those he hurt. He believed that every terrible thing he did was entirely justified, and he never faced justice for what he did thanks to the Alolan Regional Council covering up his crimes…Until Ashton killed his parents, that is."

"Do you think that what your father did was right?" Vivian asked Sun, who remained silent. "Does his terrible upbringing justify what he became? Does that make his crimes seem less awful, knowing the monster his father was?"

"Of course not." Sun said in a hollow voice, taking a deep breath to center himself and calm down. His eyes shifted to a dark blue. "And killing people is never the right answer. Dad shouldn't have killed them. But I won't waste time feeling sorry for terrible people I barely knew. Next memory please."

"Really? Nothing on how what happened with Ano helped you reconnect with your father? Made you call him on an emergency phone?" Vivian asked Sun, who looked at her with a pointed expression.

"No. I really don't. Next memory."

Vivian sighed and held out a hand, and the scenes shifted. Sun conquering Sophocles Trial in the darkness before conquering Totem Vikavolt with Brago, though it had been a team effort against the mighty Totem. The scene ended with Guzma and Sun's titanic showdown in Malie Garden. The seasoned Trainer had pushed Sun to his absolute limit, even with a crippled team, but Sun had come out victorious. Then the scene settled on Zygarde choosing Zinnia as its destined Partner, and then the massive fire that had erupted within Malie City.

When the mist finally stopped moving, it had settled on Sun's phone call with Ashton Aupuni and when he made a fateful promise to stay out of Cipher's affairs in exchange for Ashton's blessing for Sun to be a Pokémon Trainer. A promise Sun had to break in order to save Hau later on.

"The only thing I have to say here is that every single time Dad tried to stop being an insane asshole, something came up and made him double down on it. This time it was the Pokémon League going back on their deal with him. Even knowing what I know now, I'm still frustrated that they turned on him and took out the Aupuni Industries HQ in Celadon City." Sun remarked, shaking his head. "I get it, they couldn't really trust him at his word that he'd stop Cipher and turn himself in. But it doesn't make what they did right."

"So long as you're able to see both sides of this issue, I see no issue in continuing." Vivian said with a shrug as the mist warped around them, showing a dark mountainside that Sun recognized with a wince. All around them were angry Alolan Geodude, Graveler and a handful of Golem. The memories stopped on Sun throwing an Ultra Ball in self-defense at a particularly determined Geodude.

"This was when I caught Alastor." Sun muttered, looking around and seeing the hateful clan that had been his Pokémon's family. The very same one that tried to murder them all twice for being on their territory.

"This was a true test of your ability as a Trainer. Dealing with a Pokémon that didn't want to be caught and who hated you with all of their heart. After all, when you grow up in an isolated community and spend your whole life hating something, you're not going to appreciate being shackled to that thing." Vivian remarked, smirking at Sun's discomfort.

"Not all Pokémon want to be captured." Lillie chimed in, glancing at Sun for a moment. "They're taken away from their homes and their families. It can be an incredibly difficult thing for them. Penny, Brago and Finn adjusted to it well enough. You just had the bad luck of not only catching a Pokémon you didn't really want at first, but one that loathed the idea of being a trained Pokémon to begin with."

"I took him away from his family. And because of how they view Pokémon Trainers, he could never go back. He was tainted in their eyes and Alastor hated me for it. Hated the others too. It was…difficult, having him around." Sun said quietly, looking at the angry Geodude in front of him. He also thought of the heartbroken Golem that still refused to respond to anyone or anything in the present.

"You did the best you could with Alastor. He came to respect your power, at the very least. Not that it saved him from his family's wrath." Vivian remarked as she waved her hands, moving the mist to the next memory. The mist flickered past and several scenes leapt out at Sun of Roran Rubinara's brutal attack on Malie City, culminating in murdering several of his friends…and Sun himself.

Lillie actually turned around and hugged Sun tightly when she saw Sun's unmoving body on the ground, with no life in his eyes. The distraught expressions on the faces of his Pokémon tore at Sun's heart, and he had to admit it was profoundly disturbing seeing his own dead body.

"This time I'll skip things along. We already know what happened here and there are no true takeaways from that fight except for the fact that you died. You died and if not for MissingNo.'s sacrifice, you all would still be dead. I'd still be alive too. And I have no regrets." Vivian said confidently, regarding her two somber-looking friends with a smile.

"Vivian, I died." Sun said with a hard note in his voice. "Is there really no takeaways aside from the fact that one of my friends and…whatever MissingNo. was condemned yourselves for everyone else's sake?"

"Nope. I'm dead now and you got better. Cherish the life you have and make the most of it." Vivian responded with a shrug, shifting the scene to the Malie Library. Sun had forced Dawson into making him tag along on the mission to take down Roran and save Hau, who had been kidnapped and would be sacrificed in a ritual to turn Roran into a Guardian Deity. Sun had assumed his father had died in the League attack and after everything the insane ex-Kahuna had done, things had gotten very personal.

"This was when you decided to get involved in something far beyond you, Sun. What were you thinking?" Vivian asked Sun, who frowned and crossed his arms.

"After everything he did, I had to get involved. I wasn't planning on being stuck battling the psychopath directly, but be involved in taking him down? Yeah, I wanted to do that." Sun said firmly, causing Lillie to smile and Vivian to tilt her head. "He hurt so many people… And he kidnapped one my best friends. I wasn't going to just stand there and do nothing."

"Sun's a hero, through and through." Lillie remarked with a fond smile, with Sun looking away bashfully.

"I don't know if I'd say that. Just doing what's right." Sun mumbled as Vivian chuckled with amusement even as the memories of the next few days passed by, including Finn's evolution to a Poliwrath. The memories stopped briefly at the library, with Sun's horrible realization that the Fossil Man was actually Roran Rubinara in disguise being something no one had suspected.

And when the final showdown against the monstrous Trainer had come, Roran had been defeated just in time to avert more tragedy.

It took Aria, Lusamine, Sun and a surprise explosion from Alastor to bring the Cipher Admin down, but the day had been saved nevertheless. Lillie gazed upon the scene of Roran battling the three Trainers at the same time with awe, seeing the full power of the insane ex-Kahuna on full display. His experience, cunning and raw power was something that had pushed all three Trainers to their absolute limits.

And even then, Roran had only been defeated in the nick of time by a sneak attack from Alastor, who had used Self-Destruct to bring the madman down by blowing his legs off.

Even more terrible was the fact that, to their shock, Roran's head twisted towards them and grinned monstrously. The phantom walked towards them, a soft laugh brushing past his lips. "I was a much more different foe for you to face, wasn't I?"

"The ones that talk back to us…those are spirits like you, right?" Sun asked Vivian, who responded with a silent smile, not confirming or denying that statement. Sun turned back to the ex-Kahuna and said, "You were evil, through and through. The Curse of Abundance just gave you an excuse to embrace it."

"Very true. And yet you feel bad about the part you played in my death. After all, you indirectly gave Alastor permission to do whatever it took to win the battle. After that, I was taken by Amber and tortured before your father executed me." Roran reminded Sun, wagging a finger at the boy. Sun stared at Roran for several long moments as Lillie and Vivian watched on in silence.

"I did feel bad at the time. But thinking about it now…I've learned that there's a difference between a battle and a fight. A battle is something that Trainers enjoy doing and it's a test of skill. And what happened between us was a fight and something I couldn't afford to lose. Especially when you took Hau hostage. Sometimes when the stakes are high, you have to get creative to win and maybe take the options that aren't honorable or good."

"Good. That was the proper lesson my death should have taught you. Life can't always be won with light and righteousness, You're a sharp one." Roran remarked, grinning back at Sun. "But there's one more lesson, Sun. What did learning about my crimes teach you about life?"

"Well, you kinda showed me just how terrible a person can become. What happened with my Dad was one thing, but with you…there was so much more malice to your crimes. You were a universally beloved Kahuna with friends who adored you. But you created your own villain team to cause problems…and then solve them, just so you could bring Alola into the future you envisioned for it." Sun said to the phantom of Roran, who laughed and threw back his head.

"It was all a means to an end, Sun. Alola needs someone strong at the helm. Someone strong enough to weather the bullshit of the Champions and politicians from other regions that'll seek to exploit it. These islands are your home now." Roran said seriously as he crouched down to look Sun directly in the face. The phantom's expression became intense as he stared at Sun with bright shining orange eyes, showing that even death had not spared Roran's soul of Tapu Bulu's curse.

"You are a hero, boy. And heroes make their own legends. You've saved these blessed islands three times now from absolute destruction. Your eyes mark you as someone who will change the fate of the world." Roran trailed off, his twisted smile returning in force. "Your strength will grow, as will your influence. Keep in mind your power, boy! The full might of Radiance is at your fingertips! Do not be afraid to use force! Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty! And don't be afraid to take a life if that's what it takes to protect others. I learned that lesson the hard way, and it's something you know too deep down. I wager someday soon you'll have to make that decision, and then you'll understand."

"Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind." Sun said sincerely before jerking his thumb in the opposite direction, grinning at the specter. "Now take a hike, you crazy asshole."

Roran smirked with amusement before bowing towards Sun dramatically, his body vanishing before the boy's eyes.

"Sun, are you okay?" Lillie asked as Sun's eyes flickered to several different colors as his smile faded.

"I'm fine. Just…I didn't expect that madman to have an actual point." Sun said as he rubbed his face, gathering his composure. "And the thing is he's right. Alastor's cheap trick and attacking Roran directly saved the day. It was underhanded and cruel and it saved the entire region. I spent a long time feeling bad about it, but it was necessary. And I might have to make that call again, and this time intentionally."

"Maybe so. But keeping that guilt is important." Lillie reminded Sun, who looked at her with surprise. "You never want to become the kind of person who'd attack another person just because it's the most effective way to end a conflict. It's something that should be a last resort, but something you should be willing to do if you absolutely have to."

"And that's the final lesson from dealing with Roran's bullshit. Let's move on!" Vivian said proudly, clapping her hands twice. The scenes shifted again, showing the moment when Roran was promptly seized by Amber Fontaine and executed on live television mere days later.

And Borlath announced his intention to come to Alola. His son had broken his promise, the Pokémon League had betrayed him, and his world domination efforts had been completely dashed. All that was left was to reset everything…the absolute last resort of invoking a power of the Tapu that had been suppressed and hidden away from history.

The power to channel the wild powers of the Tapu into a wish, at the cost of the user's soul. But it required one to bend the wills of the Tapu to their whims, and so Borlath's hunt of the Guardian Deities had begun.

Several more memories flickered by as Sun and Lillie watched on. Their trek through the wilderness towards the next Trial in the Tapu Village. Lillie spending time with her friends in the Malie Library, investigating the Alolan legends for information and bonding with the Galarian Trainers Marnie and Gloria. Sun's long conversations with Oliver as he tried to help the frustrated and struggling Dartrix cope with the aftereffects of the Nihilego's poison and the string of failures he had suffered.

"It's really impressive how much your Pokémon care for you. Especially Oliver." Vivian noted as the scene stopped on Sun sitting beside his Partner, a hand on the bird's head.

"Of course I do. I love all of them, and I want them to be happy." Sun responded, smiling at the violinist. "I knew Oliver would be able to overcome his issues eventually. And I was willing to wait as long as it took for him to be okay again."

"It also goes to show why your Pokémon fight so hard for you. You're patient, kind and a skilled Trainer who only wants his Pokémon to be the best version of themselves that they can be. Your patience with Oliver as he struggled to resist the poison's aftereffects is a testament to this." Vivian said as the world shifted, showing Lillie walking through the streets of Malie City alongside Borlath.

"It's been a little while since we focused on your journey, Lillie. All this time trying to work on being independent, see what it was like being a Pokémon Trainer…And yet you had to be saved by one of the most dangerous criminals in the world, Amber Fontaine and Borlath. How were you feeling during all of that?" Vivian asked as Lillie walked over to her other self, seeing the uneasy look on her phantom's face.

"Scared. Angry. Curious." Lillie admitted, her voice soft as she remembered that night. "I didn't trust them one bit. But Amber was cordial and Borlath was…kind. He listened to my concerns and admitted complete fault in everything that had happened between him and Sun. He even gave me a card with money loaded onto it as a way to flee Alola if I ever needed to, and said I should bring Sun with me if I did."

"Did Borlath's words actually help?" Vivian asked.

"Yes." Lillie responded after several long seconds of considering it. "As strange as it was, it was reassuring to know that I was doing the right thing and that I had a way out if I couldn't find a way to save Nebby in the short-term. Fleeing Alola was now an option, thanks to Borlath. I appreciated that a lot at the time, but I'm glad it didn't come to that."

"It's frustrating, because my Dad is capable of being the most empathetic and kind person ever. And then switch to being an insufferable jerk who doesn't give a crap." Sun sighed, annoyed at the complex character of his own father. "I'm glad he was able to reassure you though."

"Even when he was at his lowest point, he was still good enough of a person to extend a helping hand to someone who needed some support." Vivian remarked, scowling at the words she was speaking. "Ashton Aupuni was a complex man. But moving on to the actual lesson here, is that Lillie here learned that there are different shades of evil."

Vivian smirked at Lillie as the scene shifted to the living room of the Aupuni residence. Ano Aupuni had just shot his son in the chest, and while it had knocked Borlath down, the man had been wearing a bulletproof vest and was fine.

"Who was the worst person in that room, Lillie?" Vivian asked as she gestured to Amber Fontaine. "The heartless killing machine who had once been a normal girl, only to be mentally broken by a monster into a living weapon? Someone wielded like a scalpel by the person who had saved her?"

The violinist then gestured to Lahela Aupuni, who was watching the scene with concern. "Perhaps it was the one who let it all happen? The woman who knew full-well what her husband was up to, but deluded herself into believing the lies he fed her. She could have called the police on her husband, or taken Ashton away from his abusive father…But she remained silent."

"Maybe it's the big bad himself." Vivian suggested, looking at Borlath as he rose to his feet, smirking at his father's attempt to murder him. "Ashton Aupuni was a good person who had endured a terrible childhood of abuse and torment. But he grew up to be just as capable of terrible things as his father, with the blood of thousands upon thousands on his hands. Does that make him the worst of the lot?"

"Or the person without a kill count, but who had committed crimes just as terrible to countless innocents take the prize for worst person? Someone who held no remorse for those he had hurt, and still believed that he was a victim in all this until his last breath?" Vivian gestured towards Ano Aupuni, who was smirking cruelly as he held the smoking pistol in his hands.

"They're all terrible and three of the four are dead." Lillie remarked, sighing hard as she watched the scene. "I did learn about the depths of evil that night. And that some were worse than others, and more justified. I knew as soon as I left that house that the older Aupuni's were dead, but I couldn't do anything about it."

"Also true. And then Amber decided to give you the final piece of the puzzle." Vivian snapped and the scene shifted to Lillie and Amber standing in a small garden. Amber's eyes were bright pink and shining slightly, showing that she was under the Curse of Life that Tapu Lele had inflicted upon her. Amber was handing over the book of old Alolan legends that had originally been Roran's years ago.

"It was thanks to the one ounce of good that woman had left in her that we were able to figure out Borlath's plan." Lillie remarked, shaking her head. "She sounded so tired. It was entirely different than what the original Amber was."

Lillie let out a small shriek as Amber's head snapped to Lillie, the glow fading away as she turned to face the girl. "It was who I was originally. And you were one of the few people today who knew that Amanda Fontaine was ever good…and was actually Amanda Faerun in the first place. You knew my story, you know what I became."

"And I don't mourn your loss." Lillie remarked, surprising Sun and Vivian both with that statement. "I never knew you before you became a killer, and I feel sorry for you, but I don't feel bad about how you died. If anything, I'm glad you can at least find some manner of peace, away from the terrible things you've done and Tapu Lele's curse. You suffered a lot and made countless others suffer…You weren't all bad, though. Even if you couldn't feel most emotions, you would do anything for Borlath. You were still loyal, and had some kind of affection for the man who rescued you from Hazel. After he saved you, that man became your purpose. Right up until the very end."

"Bingo." Amber said as she stood before the two children, her expression a hollow smile. "Tapu Lele cleaved my soul into two with her curse. One was the monster, the other was the victim. It's good that, as young as you are, you can see all of that and not forgive or forget the terrible things that I did. I did what I had to do to safeguard Ashton's dream for a world of peace. Cipher couldn't achieve that with force. Maybe someone else can?"

Amber's form flickered slightly before she reappeared, this time with glowing pink eyes. She then smiled at them as the figment of what Amanda Faerun would have been. "Maybe you can. Who knows? You two are pretty tough for a bunch of kids."

"Lesson received. Now, um, can you go away now? Just because you're made of fog doesn't make me feel any less uneasy." Lillie asked politely, causing the phantom to shrug.

"I won't be gone long, but very well." Amanda said with a nod, flickering away into nothingness before the scene shifted to Sun's battle with Totem Mimikyu at the Ghost Trial. Another setback for Sun and his team, and unfortunately Alastor's poor attitude and fear of the ghosts had made things worse. Sun would eventually evolve Alastor in an attempt to curb his attitude, but it didn't help matters.

The fog morphed into a scene at night, and Sun realized it was the night Borlath had defeated Tapu Koko, and he was standing on Mahalo trail surrounded by everyone in the town.

Sun could see himself, begging his father not to sacrifice everything in his insane attempt to make things right. He listened to the pleas of himself, his mother, Lillie, Hala and others as they spoke. Sun paid special attention to the gun in Borlath's hand, and how after Sun begged his father to surrender one final time the weapon was trembling…

And lowering slightly towards the ground, right before Guzma's Golisopod rushed forward, ripping open his father's chest in an attempt to murder him. Sun's next words were a gentle murmur of shock, since at the time it was too hard to tell due to the distance between them. "Dad was surrendering…"

"Guzma was instructed to do that by mother." Lillie remarked, earning a surprised look from Sun. "She gloated about it while I was her captive. Apparently she used the Bone Brothers a few times to deal with some issues in Alola, but she entrusted Borlath's death to Guzma personally."

"I didn't know that…" Sun whispered, looking towards his father as he was ripped apart. He looked away and said, "Change the scene please."

Vivian nodded and the scene became a dark building, where Amber Fontaine and Vivian herself were standing apart from one another in a dark hallway.

"My final stand." Vivian said as Lillie looked on, her eyes watering as she saw the absolutely terrified look on Vivian's face in the memory. It was so obvious she had been so scared of facing Amber all on her own, but it was a sacrifice she had been willing to make to save her friends. "So Lillie, this had quite an impact on you."

"Y-yeah…I remember how you explained why you had to die there. It was so tragic. So unfair. You chose to save all of your friends at the cost of dying to your worst fear." Lillie whispered, brushing her eyes as Vivian looked at the girl fondly.

Sun remained silent, but his eyes were jet-black and he looked somewhat pale as he slowly watched Amber Fontaine break apart Vivian's team, killing them one by one. He did notice how Amber had badly hurt her leg during the battle, which reminded him of something Wes had told him about the fight against Amber later on. How she had battled with a limp at the beginning and that it had been one of the few weaknesses he and the others had been able to exploit in the battle against her.

"I think that actually played a part in how she went down in the end." Sun commented quietly as he watched Amber hobble along for a moment, a pained expression on her face. Sun was then stunned into silence as Vivian pulled out both a Z-Ring and a Mega Ring, transforming Decrescendo into a Mega Alakazam and then using the same Z-Move Nanu had used against Sun during his Grand Trial.

"Yeah, I totally stole Dexio's Mega Ring and Z-Ring from him…Can you do me a favor and apologize on my behalf?" Vivian asked Lillie and Sun, who both looked at the woman in surprise before they both nodded. "Cool. So this had a pretty big effect on you Lillie. How come?"

"Because you were so scared…and yet you saved all of us." Lillie whispered, closing her eyes as tears welled up in her eyes. She felt Sun hug her around the stomach almost immediately. "I suppose you doing something so brave despite being so scared inspired me to be a little more brave myself."

"Even when you're scared, you can always act. That's usually when it matters the most." Sun chimed in quietly as Lillie nodded in response. Vivian looked at the two children fondly before giving the girl a kind smile.

"Don't mourn my passing, Lillie. I chose to save my friends rather than save myself. And I ended up being instrumental in winning the final showdown against Cipher. I was blessed to have friends who understood me and cared for me, and to find someone who loved me despite my oddities. Not many people get all of that out of life." Vivian's words were gentle as the scene shifted again, sparing them from seeing Vivian bring the hospital down and killing herself in the process.

"I'll give you this one for free. We all have something worth fighting for. Maybe even worth dying for." Vivian said softly, a smile on her face as she turned around to look at her two younger friends. She saw the open grief on their faces at the tragedy of her death. "I always wanted a second chance to make up for my mistakes. And in the end I got it."

"It still wasn't fair." Lillie muttered, shaking her head. Sun nodded in agreement as Vivian shrugged her shoulders.

"You both know I'm right. You've braved death in the name of those you are for and know exactly what I'm talking about." Vivian continued on, waving her hand and showing the next memory. "Let's move on to something a bit more…happy. Okay?"

Both Sun and Lillie nodded as the mist whirled around them, showcasing a new scene. It was Lillie riding atop Brago, saving Sun and Mohn from Captain Napps at the Hau'oli Docks by utilizing Nebby's teleportation powers. On Lillie's face was a fierce grin, her hair billowing behind her as Brago rained fire down upon Napps and his Pokémon. "For someone so scared and weak, Lillie, you made quite the striking figure here."

"No kidding. It was so cool." Sun admitted with a smile, watching as Lillie's timely arrival turned the tides against the formidable Cipher Captain.

"I might have been terrified, but at the same time, with everyone fighting so hard I couldn't just run away. Brago and Nebby agreed with me, and so we worked together to help you." Lillie said with a sheepish smile, blushing at how Sun was grinning at the memory of Lillie saving his life with open pride.

"Sun, you can just admit that you thought it was super hot and we can move on with our lives." Vivian said teasingly as Sun blushed bright red, crossing his arms and trying to look mad at being called out like that. However Lillie quickly hugged him, wearing a big smile as she giggled in his ear.

"Fine! It was! Lillie looked badass and beautiful and brave! And I refuse to say hot because she's way more awesome than that! Are you happy?" Sun yelled out, somehow going even more red in the face. This wasn't helped when Vivian's hand made the scene shift to the moment shortly afterward where Sun kissed Lillie on the lips. "Okay, I get it! Can we move on?"

Lillie was chuckling at Sun while Vivian was straight up cackling with glee at the embarrassed boy, who crossed his arms and fumed in annoyance for almost a full minute. Sun continued to sulk until Lillie removed herself from her crush and took his hands in her own.

"That kiss made me happy." Lillie said brightly as Sun's blush faded slightly. "To get that kind of reaction out of you, even in such a bleak situation, was amazing to me. Being able to truly help after so many times where I was helpless or needed to be helped meant a lot. You were so overwhelmed with me coming back that you kissed me! It was so romantic!"

"I did get swept up in the moment." Sun admitted with a chuckle, regaining his composure a little and letting some of his annoyance wash away. Vivian snickered with amusement and gave the two of them a moment to enjoy themselves before clapping her hands together and causing the scenes to flicker. Sun and Lillie's smiles faded as they saw the events playing out through the Absolution. Seeing Ashton's dead team floating in tanks, mutated from becoming failed Umbral Pokémon experiments. Ashton himself calmly answering all of Sun's questions in his office while looking half-dead from his injuries.

And then came Ashton's challenge. A six-on-six battle for the sake of the world. If Sun won, Ashton Aupuni would stand down and end his schemes once and for all. If Ashton won, life as they knew it would cease to exist and reality would be reset at the cost of Ashton's soul.

"The big showdown…There was a lot leading up to this, huh? Seeing your father's old team and seeing all of his sins laid bare was something else, huh?" Vivian asked Sun as the scenes ended on top of the Absolution, with Sun and Ashton standing across from one another.

"I always dreamed of the day I would finally get answers from my Dad…It didn't make me feel any better. Just sad." Sun muttered, shaking his head as Lillie put a hand on his shoulder. "He did it all because he was so broken from everything that happened here in Alola and couldn't get over that trauma. And then that bad luck followed him into Kanto."

"Ashton's entire life was marked by tragedy, betrayal, and him making insanely stupid decisions for the greater good of everyone. He isn't truly a bad person, he just did a bunch of evil things." Vivian commented with a touch of annoyance in her voice. "Seriously, Sun, your Dad is fucking weird."

"Yeah, I can't disagree with you there." Sun agreed, sighing as he rubbed his head. "I just…I'm still so angry with him. But at the same time, everything that happened with Lusamine forced me to push that anger aside and focus on the bigger threat at the time."

"We're getting ahead of ourselves. We're still onboard the Absolution." Vivian remarked, gesturing to the massive ship around them.

"Well, Ashton decided that he couldn't trust the world to protect itself from evil, and that the Pokémon League wasn't up to the challenge." Lillie said as she glanced over at the wounded, barely-standing father who stood opposite his own terrified son. "So he decided to force the change himself. He became evil for the sake of peace."

"And he pushed you to your absolute limit. Ashton Aupuni pulled out all of the stops in your battle and you held your own against the Grand Master of Cipher, a former Champion and someone capable of defeating the Guardian Deities on his own. This may have been a team roughly as strong as yours, but you still gave your father one hell of a fight." Vivian said with a nod, causing the memory to skip slightly until Damien was now standing against Ashton Aupuni and baring his fangs at his own Trainer.

"Damien chose to stand against Ashton, despite everything." Lillie muttered, shuddering at the raw anger on display between the Trainer and his Pokémon.

"Damien said he promised to protect me after Dad had him kill Nova. And Dad ordering Damien to defeat me was the line he was unwilling to cross." Sun said as he closed his eyes, exhaling hard as he struggled with his feelings. "Is it bad that Damien still makes me uneasy?"

"Not at all. He was your father's strongest Pokémon, on par with the Legendaries at Cipher's disposal and capable of taking down entire teams with little effort. He was also responsible for some terrible things. That Houndoom has a lot to answer for, even if he was following orders. Any Pokémon under Ashton's command that killed for him has to answer for what they did." Vivian said to the boy, her tone almost comforting. "It's a complicated process, though. Not something you should worry about. You should probably have a long conversation with Ashton and Damien about everything so you can properly move on from it though."

"You can have that talk when you're ready, Sun." Lillie chimed in, causing the two of them to look at the girl in surprise. "No need to rush it until you're completely ready. You don't owe them anything."

"Right." Sun breathed before looking forward, watching as his father's attempt to force Damien to Mega Evolve go horribly wrong as Ashton's Mega Crown malfunctioned. Not only had Damien transformed into a Mega Houndoom, but the door to his heart had been shut as a result of Ashton's cruel desire to force the canine to submit. Damien became a Mega Shadow Houndoom as a result. Ashton had become Borlath, and had transformed into a fiery monster of hatred and fury.

"And even when faced with impossible odds, somehow you found a way to succeed. Borlath took center stage, and yet you and your team gave the performance of the night." Vivian said as the mist shifted to various stages of the intense battle, including Alastor using Self-Destruct to try and bring down Damien, entrusting Oliver to finish him off in case he didn't.

And sure enough, Oliver did manage that. Through his bond and faith in Sun, Oliver overcame the mental block the Nihilego venom had put in his head and he broke through it. And with that came the full power of Radiance.

On top of that, Nebby and Lillie entered the fray and backed Sun up. Lillie had used Nebby's powers of teleportation, as well as his Cosmic Burst power, to stun Shadow Damien and Borlath long enough for Sun to unleash the Radiant Z-Move Screeching Salvation Salvo. The raw power of Sun and Oliver's bond, fueled by the Z-Ring blessed by Tapu Koko itself, was just enough to create a move powerful enough to shred holes in the enormous battleship they had stood upon. Oliver would evolve as a result of taking down Shadow Damien, becoming a Decidueye.

But more importantly it was enough to defeat Shadow Damien and save the world from being reset by Ashton's insane wish.

"You won. You beat a foe that not Wes, Aria, Red, Nate or the Pokémon League could have defeated. You won through the bonds you made with your Pokémon. Your close friendship with Lillie, who showed how truly brave she can be when push comes to shove. And because you're an awesome Trainer who is too damn modest to admit that he's kinda badass for a 12-year old!" Vivian said with some exasperation, causing Sun to rub the back of his head in embarrassment while Lillie giggled at his expense.

"It's one of the things that makes him so endearing." Lillie complemented the boy, which did nothing to help his embarrassment. Vivian had some mercy for the boy, choosing to wave her hand and cause the fog to roll past him, making the memory go to when the four captive Tapu were freed and debating on Ashton Aupuni's final fate.

"Your father was dying as a result of his injuries and the backlash of his battle with you, Sun. He could have died right then and there and the world could have moved on. And yet when the Tapu gave you a chance to heal him and leave him to his fate, you offered your father mercy. Even when he was begging you not to save him, you chose to give him Tapu Lele's healing scale." Vivian said pointedly to the boy, her expression unreadable. "All of his crimes. All of his sins. And you chose to forgive him."

"I chose to let go. Because killing him wouldn't have solved a thing." Sun responded firmly, meeting her gaze head-on. "It doesn't bring anyone back. It doesn't fix what he broke. This world is messed up and my Dad's an idiot for what he did, but letting him die doesn't make all of that better. It just means he can't try and atone for his crimes and try to redeem himself."

"And then you decided to save your father and then spare him from the Tapu's wrath." Vivian reminded Sun, tilting her head at him. He could still not tell what emotion was on her face, as it was completely blank. "We spoke of it earlier, but this was the moment you forever gained the respect of the Tapu and those who truly knew of what happened onboard the Absolution. And the adoration of everyone who knew nothing more than the fact that you stopped your father from ending everything."

"And yet Sun remains as humble as ever about it." Lillie chimed in, smiling at Sun who shrugged helplessly.

"I did what I had to do. I didn't do it to be a big hero. I wanted to stop my Dad and realized I was one of the only people capable of talking him down." Sun responded calmly, looking at the two women as they regarded him with what he realized a moment later was respect.

"True. How do you feel about the punishment the Tapu came up with for your father instead of killing him?" Vivian asked Sun, wiping the smile off of his face.

"It's probably the worst possible punishment for my father imaginable. He's forced to live on the islands from his awful childhood forever and he can't leave. He's going to watch me and everyone else he knows and loves die. It's so messed up and twisted, but I can't really complain. My Dad completely deserves it for what he's done." Sun replied, his discomfort at the merciless humor of the Tapu showing. "I kinda gave up my right to judge the Tapu for what they do to my Dad after asking them to spare his life."

"After everything that he did to you, Sun, you chose the higher road." Vivian said to the boy, offering him a warm smile. "You know his crimes and motivations just as well as any of us Unova dorks. You knew your father best and you earned the right to decide his fate by being the one to finally defeat him. Do you know the strength of character it takes to do that? It's incredible."

"Your Dad thought so too, Sun. He gave you his blessing for whatever you wanted to do in the future and thanked you for believing in the good in him." Lillie said to the boy, grinning at him.

"After that, things kind of…went back to normal, huh?" Sun said awkwardly, with both girls laughing at his attempt to change the subject.

"After the funerals and reconstruction efforts, yeah. Things were normal for a while." Lillie said with a rueful smile. "At least until things really went crazy and Mother caught up with me."

"You're too quick to dismiss the enormity of what you both did. You saved the world, you two. Be proud of that!" Vivian then blinked twice and then shook her head. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's move on to the next few memories."


NEXT TIME: Sun and Lillie finish their flashback montage, and Tapu Fini makes a choice.


Q & A

From: Oragonking

Tommy and Tina, those were their real souls that spoke to Borlath, right? How will Damien feel that it was actually their souls that he burned away? How will Borlath feel?

Kinda sorta. It's a bit tough to explain, but their souls manifested as phantoms made of pure fog. Damien's attack made them disperse, but it didn't destroy their souls.

That's all for now, folks. I'm off to enjoy the holiday weekend with family before settling right back in to the grind! I've got some really fun stuff in store for you all!

Also, be sure to check out my new Pokémon Scarlet story that's live on both this site and AO3, "Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet". There'll be an update for that story going up alongside the update that goes up with this one, so please support that story as well if it interests you. Any and all feedback, reviews, kudos, favorites and follow are appreciated!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Americans! And I hope everyone else has a wonderful Thursday! Take care and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!