Pokémon Radiant Sun
I completely forgot to do an AN!
That's what being sick and running on little sleep does to a guy. Hope you've all been well, in any case!
Shoutout to those who reviewed the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, Oragonking and BraviaryScout! Thanks for the feedback and support!
Enjoy.
Chapter 167: Our Legacy (Fine)
Ruins of Hope
Several scenes flickered by, showing Sun training with his team and spending time with his friends. Life had calmed down somewhat after the terrors of Cipher. The scenes landed on Sun watching as Alastor failed to defeat Totem Mimikyu in the Ghost Trial rematch, only for Oliver to take out the same Pokémon with a single hit from Sinister Arrow Raid, the Decidueye Z-Move. Sun had even used a Revive on Alastor and made him watch his rival defeat the opponent he had failed to conquer.
"Didn't it feel good to make Alastor realize how in over his head he was?" Vivian asked Sun, earning a shrug of the shoulders.
"I'm not perfect and he had a serious attitude problem. He was rude and a total jerk to everyone. Defeating Dad might have given him a little respect for me, but it didn't make Alastor easier to deal with." Sun admitted with a small smile. "And after throwing down with Oliver after the Trial, he agreed to work together with us instead of fighting the team on everything."
"And then after that you met Tetra, the most adorable dragon ever!" Lillie chimed in, grinning happily at the next memory as Vivian gave the two of them a smile. Sure enough the rainy beachside they all stood on was replaced with a far-reaching desert. Sun, Hau, Lillie, and Colress had traveled into the Haina Desert to visit the Ruins of Abundance and Tapu Bulu. They had been searching for more answers about Nebby, and while they had gotten some hints, they left with even more questions.
And then came a chance meeting with a very happy Gible. The fog settled on the memory of Sun was crouching down in the sand next to Tetra, who despite being called to help out a wild Pokémon in a battle never intended on fighting them. Tetra had promptly beat Alastor with ease after he instigated a fight, and that was when Sun and the others had learned of the injuries Tetra had suffered.
An unfortunate attack from a Golbat (Plumeria's Golbat, Sun would later find out) would catch them all off guard. But the strange Gible would come to help save Lillie from the Golbat and assist in taking it down, resulting in her evolving into a Gabite and becoming a part of the team. Alastor would end up getting humbled a few more times in the desert by losing battles to Tetra, but overall Haina Desert was a net positive for everyone.
"Tetra was the missing piece to my team. She's really strong and talented, and everyone on the team acts like her older brothers and sisters. After everything we all went through with Cipher, she was a ray of sunshine that we all needed." Sun commented with a smile, looking at the moment Tetra accepted his offer to join him. "Despite what she went through with Geoff and how badly he hurt her, plus surviving on her own in the desert as a baby, she didn't let that break her spirit."
"She also had a very good support system." Vivian responded, watching the memory with a smile. "Your team accepted her, despite the fact that she could hear voices and suffered from low self-esteem. They all saw a child who needed a family, and you all rose to the occasion to be that for her."
Sun and Lillie were smiling now, but that soon ended as the next batch of memories showed Sun's journey to confront Team Skull after they had kidnapped Kylee's Yungoos. Meanwhile strange amounts of Cipher activity had cropped up, along with Ashton vanishing from his jail cell.
It wasn't all bad, however. The team was able to bond further with Tetra along the way, trying to get her used to being a Trained Pokémon again. Oliver and Penny finally became mates and then promptly gave Finn nightmares for the foreseeable future. Sun then arrived at the Team Skull stronghold and got to know Alastor better, including finding out that his original name was "Storm-Chaser" in the language of his species.
"It's really interesting how meeting Tetra brought out Alastor's best side." Sun remarked, smiling at the memory of him hiding out in the police station on the rainy route.
"Well, he had a lot of brothers and sisters, right?" Lillie asked Sun, who nodded. "Maybe his big brother instincts took over when he realized how much Tetra needed it. She wasn't used to positive reinforcement and had been through a lot. Alastor may be a jerk, but he isn't heartless."
Sun nodded in agreement as the memories rolled on. Infiltrating Po Town hadn't been all that difficult for Sun. Especially when Alastor gave Tetra a shockingly great pep talk that re-ignited her fighting spirit. With a full team of motivated Pokémon, Sun easily made his way to Guzma, who went down after some effort. The Team Skull Boss had seemed annoyed with losing, but had allowed Sun to come and go from the hideout with no real issues with Yungoos.
However it had all been a ruse.
Lusamine had somehow figured out where Lillie had been hiding, and used Team Skull to lure Sun and later Acerola away from the Aether House. With them gone, the Bone Brothers had beaten Hau up and kidnapped Lillie.
Vivian stopped the scene at Sun walking into the destroyed lobby of the Aether House, with two crying children explaining what had happened. "You learned another important lesson then, didn't you, Sun?"
"Yeah. Don't underestimate your opponents. I figured Team Skull for a bunch of dorks who were relatively easy opponents. Turns out they can be really dangerous and really crafty when they want to be." Sun muttered darkly, clenching his fists in anger at having fallen for such a trick. While their hands had been tied, Sun was frustrated that he had been unable to protect Lillie from being dragged back to her abusive mother. Of course, Sun had no idea that was where she had been taken.
No, he would only learn that after Gladion had stormed into the Aether House and nearly killed Hau out of sheer fury. Sun had been able to weather the older boy's fury and allowed him and Demi to explain what to do next. They would need to head to the Malie City docks and go to Aether Paradise.
"That was when I finally started putting the pieces together." Sun remarked, closing his eyes and putting a hand to his chin. "I realized Lillie and Gladion looked somewhat similar, and he knew about Cosmog. And Lillie dropped a few clues here and there that made me wonder if she and Lusamine were related, but I didn't understand how the Aether President and Lillie's awful mother were the same person. It just confused me how someone so kind and supportive was the monster who had abused Lillie so badly."
"She wears her motherly façade well. Most are never able to see the insane monster that lurked beneath the surface. You and Hau went with Gladion and Demi fully expecting to be able to talk things out and explain everything to Lusamine, and perhaps even get her help." Vivian said as she shrugged her shoulders. "Unfortunately, President Lusamine was and is a total fruit loop, so that wasn't happening."
Sun frowned at the thought of that, but found he was frustrated by this. Lusamine had betrayed everyone she had ever cared about. The Kanto-native wondered if the Aether President ever cared about any of them genuinely, or if she simply saw them all as amusing distractions in pursuit of her ultimate goal.
Unfortunately the bad times kept coming, because the next memory was Sun and his friends being shot out of the sky by Alastor's clan as they passed over their territory on a Ride Charizard. What followed was the most uncomfortable family reunion of all time, including the future one between the Jardin family.
Alastor's clan had them surrounded and the chief of the clan and Alastor's father, Nizbel the Bold, had them all condemned to a painful death. The leader of the clan had decided to welcome his child back with open arms as soon as the humans had been slaughtered. Alastor had then begged his father to stop attacking the humans and their Pokémon and just allow them to pass through.
The entire clan responded by condemning Alastor to death as well. Starting with his own father landing a Heavy Slam that had nearly killed Alastor. Sun and his friends managed to fight off the horde of Pokémon, with Tetra launching into a furious rage and going toe-to-toe with the patriarch of the Alolan Golem clan.
"I can tell this moment has stuck with you, Sun. Care to talk about it?" Vivian said as they watched Deoxys arrive to end the hostilities and teleport them to Malie City in exchange for looking into where Ashton Aupuni vanished. Sun was watching the scene with bright red eyes and clenched fists.
"It's not fair!" Sun shouted at Vivian, who blinked in surprise at the outburst. "Alastor chose us over his family because they were trying to murder us for no reason! And they all turned against them! His father almost killed him!"
Sun exhaled furiously and reined in his fury, crossing his arms and shutting his eyes. "It's so unfair. I feel so bad for Alastor. I wish I could help him, but I have no idea how. It bothers me! It makes me want to go back to the mountainside and kick their asses for what they did!"
"That wouldn't make them understand that what they did was wrong, Sun." Lillie said to the boy, who looked at her with still-red eyes. "From what Alastor has said before, his clan had spent entire generations hating and fearing humans. You can't undo all of that with force. The fact that Alastor started warming up to your team at all is honestly astounding now that we know how warped his family actually was."
"It goes to show the strength of Alastor's character deep down." Vivian remarked, drawing the attention back to her. "This event showed how and why Alastor was the way he was. And that in the end, Alastor chose what was right over his own prejudices. He was given a chance to go back to his family as if nothing had ever happened, something he had wanted ever since you had caught him. And yet when given that choice, he refused it because it wasn't just. And you've never forgotten that, Sun. That's why it upsets you so much. He tried to protect you and the others and he lost the thing he valued most and nearly died as a result. And now he's so broken from the betrayal of his family that he's lost the will to live."
"He's completely shut down ever since he got out of surgery. He hasn't moved or spoken in weeks. I feel so helpless." Sun muttered, shaking his head and not denying any of Vivian's words. "I'll find some way to make things up to him."
"I hope you figure something out. Anyways, we've got-" Vivian began to say, only for Lillie to interrupt her.
"I hate to pull this card, but can we skip what happened with me being stuck at Aether?" Lillie asked Vivian, who looked owlishly at the younger woman in response. "Sun doesn't need to see and hear all of the things Mother subjected me to before he saved me."
"Must've been terrifying to finally find your way into your mother's not-so-loving grasp." Vivian snarked, causing Lillie to offer her friend a wan smile.
"Honestly, I thought it'd be worse. But she very quickly proved that all of my fears were completely justified. I was scared out of my mind the entire time. I thought I had lost everything. Nebby was doomed to a painful death in Mother's hands. And I'd never see my friends again, and no one would be able to figure out where I was. It was a horrible feeling…which made my rescue all the more amazing." Lillie answered her friend, not meeting Sun's eyes as he stared at the girl.
"I guess we can move on then." Vivian said with a shrug as they vanished off of the mountain and shifted to Sun's random Grand Trial against Nanu, who he had never realized was a Kahuna despite everyone else knowing it. Sun had managed to defeat the wily Kahuna thanks to Brago, Tetra and Finn's determination.
And then Sun, Hau, Demi and Gladion traveled to Aether Paradise and stormed it, taking down everything in their way in a desperate push to save Cosmog and Lillie from whatever fate awaited them.
It was there within the basement of Aether Paradise that Sun learned the terrible truth of the Foundation. Their studies of the Ultra Beasts and Cosmog and their terrible experiments. The development of the Type: Full Anti-Beast weapons and their subsequent failures, resulting in Type: Null's being created instead. They had even found proof that Faba had tortured Oliver while trying to extract the venom from the owl months earlier when under the Branch Chief's care.
"It was a shock…I couldn't believe how such a good organization, led by someone I trusted wholeheartedly, was doing so many evil things." Sun commented as he rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on.
"Imagine living here. If it wasn't for Miss Wicke being so supportive, I would've truly lost it having to deal with all of this." Lillie said quietly, shivering slightly beside Sun. "I was only in the labs long enough to spring Nebby free and I still have nightmares about them occasionally. They're awful."
"It's never pleasant seeing the curtain being pulled back. None of us could have guessed just how twisted Lusamine and her little foundation truly were." Vivian said with a nod, making a move to move her hands and progress to the next memory.
"We're skipping this part." Sun said to Vivian, who opened her mouth to speak, but Sun cut her off. "I'm not seeing my Dad turned into Faba's science fair project again. Skip it. "
"Fiiiiiine." Vivian sighed, allowing the scene to move to Sun's confrontation with Faba. "At that point, Sun, you were ready and willing to unleash a beatdown on Faba, huh?"
"He might have been occasionally helpful during the Cipher mess and I felt bad for him being a victim of their crap, but Faba blew all the sympathy torturing Oliver, Colress and my father and all of the other terrible things he had done under Lusamine's orders. And that's not even going into him unleashing that Pandora thing, even if I never got to fight it."
"Yeah, I still can't believe they made another Psychic-type Umbral Pokémon. You'd have thought Jojo the Freaky as Fuck Hypno would've been enough of a mistake. But hey, Ashton and the others killed it in the end. What I want to discuss is you was you nut-checking Faba afterwards. You're not one to really act on your anger like that."
"I was really, really mad and Faba was a target for that. I don't feel bad about it and he's lucky I didn't sic Oliver on him once everything was said and done." Sun said firmly, causing Lillie and Vivian to exchange a nod with one another before breaking into matching grins.
"Good. I've got no complaints about that." Vivian said before the fog moved around them, landing on Sun's showdown with Guzma and the dozens of Team Skull Grunts surrounding him and his friends. Sun had once again managed to beat Guzma and break past the last line of defense to the President. The scene stopped on Sun bursting into the President's bedchamber and locking eyes with Lillie.
"This moment was precious to both of you. Sun, you were so relieved to see that Lillie was, while not unharmed, still okay. And Lillie you were surprised that your friends cared enough to stage a daring rescue." Vivian said to the two children, glancing at the furious expression of Lusamine.
"I was so worried." Sun said quietly as he watched the two phantoms embrace in the memory. "But she was okay. I wasn't too late."
"You were my knight in shining armor yet again. And your support gave me the courage to start standing up to Mother. And you standing up for me, despite her revealing all of my lies and deception, meant the world to me." Lillie said as the scene played out around them, with Sun directly confronting the Aether President in battle now being depicted. "Even as you battled someone who knew all of your tricks and was more experienced than you, standing down or walking away never crossed your mind."
"After everything she had said and done, I knew she was just as lost as my own dad was. And considering she hurt you and had the nerve to act like you were the guilty party in this?" Sun asked, scoffing with tranquil anger at the audacity of Lusamine. "You didn't need me to stand up for you. But you better believe I wasn't going to let her get away with her lies and schemes without a fight."
"And so you battled perhaps your most difficult foe yet. Someone more cruel than Borlath and with even greater experience, despite lacking the sheer power the Cipher Master possessed." Vivian remarked, looking at Sun with a smirk. "Any lessons to glean from that battle?"
"Confronting Lusamine…I very quickly learned that she might not have been as strong as my Dad and Damien together, but her insanity made her even more dangerous. She nearly killed me and Lillie both a few times in that fight." Sun said as he watched Lusamine directly attack Sun and Lillie with her Clefable. "Reasoning with her didn't work. There was no way to change her mind. She was obsessed with the Ultra Beasts and would crush anything in her path. Not even her own children could dissuade her. She unleashed them upon Alola and ordered her Nihilego and Guzma to kill us."
"And yet there's a common thread between this little showdown and all of the others. Do you know what that is, Sun?" Vivian asked Sun, since Lillie still looked a little confused. Sun considered it for several long moments, thinking about all of the villains he had faced and what they all had in common.
Suddenly, a terrible realization dawned on the boy.
"She was just like all the others." Sun whispered, the truth coming to the Trainer as he looked at Lillie and then Vivian. "Love…all of them loved in their own twisted way. "Dawson. Roran. Amber. Dad. Lusamine. They all loved, and that love became something terrible."
"Correct." Vivian said with a dazzling smile, throwing her instrument into the air and clapping excitedly before catching it again. "Love is a wonderful thing, but it can be corrupted and twisted into something terrible. Dawson's love for his brother. Roran's love for Alola. Amber's love, even if she struggled to feel it, and loyalty for Borlath. Borlath's love for you, Sun. And Lusamine's love of the Ultra Beasts…Love is a wonderful thing. But it is not pure."
"I understand now…how terrible." Lillie murmured, looking down as she clasped her hands together. "Mother loved Father, me and Glady and all of the Pokémon of the Paradise. And that love became something rotten."
"You get it now. She was defeated only because of your teamwork and the strength of your team. You want to reason with her? She's beyond that. However, she does need to be confronted." Vivian said to Lillie as the battle scene shifted to a particular moment.
It was when Lillie had realized that Lusamine had no more power over her. She had then called out her Mother on her lies before kissing Sun in the midst of his battle, but not before instructing Penny to defeat Lusamine's Clefable while the President was distracted.
"Sun, your thoughts on such a…romantic moment? Passionately making out with your crush in the middle of a life or death fight sounds like something out of a movie." Vivian asked the boy, who took a few moments to gather his thoughts, blushing faintly because Lillie was staring at him intently.
"That Lillie was absolutely brilliant back there." Sun said with a sheepish smile as Lillie giggled, bumping into his side lightly. "Especially kissing me in front of your Mother! It was so bold and I just…I was really proud of you there, Lillie. And you kissing me felt amazing."
"It felt appropriate to reward my knight for rescuing me yet again. But I also wanted to show Mother that she wasn't controlling me anymore. I was also kind of swept up in the passion of the moment and I don't regret it at all." Lillie remarked happily, causing Vivian to giggle with amusement as Lillie leaned against Sun with a wide smile.
"Yeah, it was pretty badass. Thanks to your teamwork, you managed to barely put down Lusamine's team. She and Guzma fled into the Ultra Space, and then it was time to pick up the pieces." Vivian said to the two of them, her expression growing serious.
"I'm not going to mince words. Sun, you're going to need to be a lot better if you're going to get in and out of the Ultra Space alive. You've dealt with one Ultra Beast. Can you deal with ten? Twenty? Fifty? A hundred? Maybe even thousands?" Vivian asked Sun, who's expression became grim. "Good. You get it. Next memory."
The scene cut to just outside the President's Mansion, along the main pathway. Lillie was staring at Jackal with tears in her eyes, shock on her face at the man she had watched die who had somehow survived.
"This is why I held off on addressing what happened with Jackal. Because your relief and the words he comforted you with were so important to your journey." Vivian said quietly as Lillie let out a slow exhale to keep her own composure. Sun put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"He did what he did with no regrets. Even after losing Gretel and nearly dying, he was still happy to see me. And I learned…to stop blaming myself for every bad thing that happens to the people around me. It's hard, fighting that instinct after an entire childhood of dealing with Mother, but I'm starting to truly understand that I have to let things go and not take all of the blame for myself." Lillie said to Vivian, with the girl adding after a moment. "Jackal and you both taught me that some friends are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the people they care about. I was just lucky enough that Jackal survived what happened to him at the Battle Royal Dome."
"Good answer." Vivian replied with a satisfied nod as the fog warped one more time, showing Lillie in her current outfit. She was facing the rising sun with a fierce smile of joy on her face. Sun actually flushed at seeing her like that. So happy and free, with the sunrise illuminating her joyful expression.
Sun had always considered Lillie beautiful, even if Lusamine had somewhat tainted that word for him, but seeing her like that…he wished there was a word for something beyond it.
"Sun?" Lillie asked, seeing her friend staring at the memory of her with a silly smile on his face. The boy snapped out of his daze and blushed as Vivian snickered at him. Lillie only looked confused.
"S-Sorry. You, um…" Sun couldn't find the words so he just sighed and said, "Lillie, sometimes you're just too amazing for words."
Lillie beamed at her friend and jumped at Sun with a laugh, hugging him. Vivian pretended to check a watch she wasn't wearing and decided to continue on. "This was one of the most important days of your life, Lillie."
Sun and Lillie turned towards the violinist, who was wearing a proud smile at the younger woman. "Because you finally accepted all of the words of wisdom and kindness your friends have been giving you for months and months. You overcame your mother's conditioning and decided to forge your own path, even if you hadn't figured out what it was yet."
"With everyone's support, I finally realized that I wasn't another victim of Lusamine's madness." Lillie replied quietly, her arms still wrapped around Sun as she mushed the side of her face into Sun's. "I had done so much on my own and it was about time I stopped fearing what Mother could do to me and started living my own life. I have so many role models and amazing people both in my life and in my heart. With a change of wardrobe and hairstyle, plus some inspiration from one of my favorite songs, I felt…I felt like I was reborn. Does that make sense?"
"For the record, I do think your ponytail is much cuter." Vivian said to the girl, with Sun nodding in agreement. Lillie beamed at her friends happily before she got back to nuzzling Sun. "That's the last batch of memories…"
Vivian clapped her hands several times as the mist thickened around the trio and wriggled her hands dramatically. She gave Sun and Lillie a knowing smirk and tilted her head. "So, what are your final takeaways?"
"Takeaways?" Lillie asked her friend.
Vivian's smirk became a grin. "See, that's the thing. The real kicker for the Test of Hope is what conclusions you've reached after seeing scenes from your life. What people usually get stuck on is lingering over past regrets or being unable to face their sins. You two, despite being so young, have much stronger hearts than most mortals who venture into this sacred place."
The violinist turned to Sun. "Alright hero, what did you learn?"
Sun blinked several times before thinking back. All of his fights, struggles, losses and victories had been laid bare before him. His times, good and bad in Alola.
"That the strongest tool I've got is my friends and my team. We've gotten this far because we had faith in one another, and that let us push past opponents we should've lost to time and time again." Sun said firmly, glancing down at the six Poké Balls attached to his waist. They each contained a very special Pokémon, caught in a different way and sometimes in a different ball. Oliver, Penny, Brago, Finn, Alastor and Tetra had become his family. And he loved every one of them dearly.
"What would you say is your greatest personal strength…?" Vivian pressed the boy, who considered it.
"My sense of empathy." Sun continued, making Lillie smile at her friend. "I never lost sight of being able to understand people, forgive them and see things from their perspective. Understanding one another is what gave me patience when my team frustrated me, or when people who hurt others showed how sorry they were…if I wasn't like that, I'd have killed my Dad onboard the Absolution. And I think more people need to appreciate that."
"And your biggest weakness?" Vivian responded, causing Sun to blink twice before he considered it. He already knew the answer, since it had been flat-out told to him, but it wasn't something he wanted to admit.
"I need to learn when enough is enough. I can't let everyone with a sob story or a bad history off scot-free. Some people can't be forgiven and some don't want to be forgiven. And even when some people do show remorse for what they do, they still have to be punished somehow." Sun answered the violinist, who nodded in agreement. "It's a hard thing to do though. How do you punish the people swept up in my Dad's crazy schemes or the people brainwashed by Lusamine? How about all of the Pokémon who were following the orders of their Trainers while committing evil? I don't know how that's all going to work out."
"Typically the Pokémon are either killed, rehabilitated and released into the wild, or locked in PC Storage until they're original Trainer is released from prison." Vivian answered, shrugging her shoulders. "That's up for adults smarter and more qualified than you both to decide. What you have to decide is who you can forgive for their sins."
"She's not wrong. You know, I remember that Demi's Chandelure, Aou, was one of Amber Fontaine's main Pokémon. And now he's back with Demi. How did that even come about? Shouldn't he have been punished for what he did while on Amber's team? He helped kill Gretel, after all." Lillie asked, realizing that she actually didn't know how that wound up happening.
Sun answered that for her. "Yeah, Ollie told me about what happened with that. Aou absolutely did kill while under Amber's control and caused a lot of damage. Ollie and Jackal had a long talk with Demi, who agreed to work with the International Police and figure out a way for Aou to spend some time working with them to help fix some of the damage Cipher caused as punishment. Jackal was the one to suggest Demi keep Aou, though I don't think she knows that fact. He was also the one to veto Aou dying for his crimes, even though the rest of Amber's team was killed. So Aou isn't getting off scot-free, but he's also not being killed because he got caught up in Cipher's crap, even if he did some awful things."
"Jackal did that? But why?" Lillie asked, amazed that the man had done that. Especially after losing his beloved Partner.
"Because after talking with Aou, Jackal learned that Aou only obeyed Amber because she had saved his life and promised to reunite him with his original Trainer. None of Amber's other Pokémon showed any remorse for what they did and had way higher body counts." Sun answered, wearing a frown as he spoke. "Aou asked to be punished for what it did, which Jackal said is a sign that it can be helped. Right now Aou's going to stay with Demi until things calm down. So far he's had no issues and last I had heard, there's hope that Aou wasn't too badly corrupted by Amber's influence. I don't know if I agree with that, but it's what happened."
Vivian chuckled at Sun's unease about it. "You should ask him. Jackal's an old guy who's been through hell and knows a lot more about life than you two. Killing someone for their crimes ultimately doesn't solve anything, even if it's justified. Putting Aou to work and even helping it redeem himself for the things he's done is a much better way to resolve things. At least, that's what I suspect."
"I guess so." Sun said in a tone that conveyed his own confusion and unease about the fallout of what had happened with Cipher. Mostly because he genuinely didn't know what the proper answers were. Vivian took pity on the boy and continued.
"You're also 12, so there's plenty of time to figure that stuff out. Point is, you can see these things. And most people don't." Vivian said with a nod, reaching forward and patting Sun on the head. The boy shivered as cold mist brushed through him, but Vivian ignored because she turned her attention to Lillie.
"My takeaways from all of this are a bit easier." Lillie said to Vivian, offering her a warm smile. "Despite the trouble my actions have caused, they were completely justified. I'm completely worth all of the friendships and bonds that I've made over the past year and a half. And now that my mother is gone I'm free to be whatever version of Lillie I feel like being."
Lillie crossed her arms with a rather stern expression. "And I'm giving Mother a piece of my mind when we drag her entitled, insane ass out of the Ultra Space!"
"Um…So Lillie's somehow more cute when she's swearing. I didn't even know I liked that kind of thing." Sun thought as Lillie clenched her fists furiously, mostly because Vivian was giggling with amusement at her and Lillie could do nothing to the foggy phantom. Once the violinist got over her laughter, she continued.
"And now, finally…What of your futures?" Vivian asked, looking to Sun and gesturing at the two of them together. "You've both seen flashes of the past, which lead you here. What comes after confronting Lusamine within the Ultra Space, Princess?"
Lillie frowned and looked down, closing her eyes and thinking hard on that question. Sun remained silent, but gently squeezed her hand in a show of support. After several long moments, Lillie answered.
"I'll keep growing." Lillie said finally, smiling at Vivian. "I have so many experiences to look forward to, now that I'm free of my mother's shackles. New feelings and places and people to meet. I want to spread my wings and learn everything about myself there is to know. What and where that'll lead me…I guess that'll be the fun part."
Vivian grinned proudly at the girl, who once upon a time was a timid child who always flinched at shadows. Now Lillie Jardin was a young woman with a rebellious streak in her and a strong heart. "You'll be just fine."
Vivian then turned to Sun, tilting her head. "The Island Challenge is nearly done for you. After that, what will you do? Return home, triumphant? Explore the islands? Get a job and hang up your metaphorical boots as a Trainer?"
Sun shook his head immediately. "No. I'm not going to stop being a Trainer. I spent too long wanting to be a Trainer to just quit once I'm done with the Island Challenge. Me and my team have been through a lot, and I'm not stopping anytime soon."
"So what will you do?" Vivian pressed Sun, who responded with a smile.
"I'll try to make things better here in Alola. There's a lot of problems in my new home, and I think I can help people with my power. Team Skull, Cipher and the Aether Foundation taught me that not everyone is able to stand up to evil. I'm a good Trainer, and I want to help protect people and save those in need, even the kind of people who hurt others." Sun answered confidently and without hesitation. Vivian grinned with delight at the boy's answer and the determination behind it.
"Then it sounds like you should shoot to become the Alola League Champion." Lillie chimed in with an excited smile, causing Sun to look at her in surprise. "Island Challenge Champions from all over the world are being contacted by Professor Kukui to come test their might at Mt. Lanakila and compete for the honor of being the first Champion of the Alolan Pokémon League. And Professor Kukui is nearly done establishing the League there and recruiting an Elite Four. I think it would be a good place to truly test the full power of your team, Sun. And it'd be the ultimate goal to reach after you beat the Island Challenge."
"If I was Champion I could help protect everyone in Alola." Sun's words were firm, his eyes shifting into a steely gray. "I'd have the power and influence to save Team Skull. Help everyone who needs it…and not just Alola. Give a helping hand to other regions too."
"I think you'd be a good Champion." Lillie said fondly, smiling at Sun as he gave her a fierce grin.
"Then that's my next goal. First the Island Challenge. Then the Championship! I'll become strong enough to protect everyone." Sun proclaimed as he did a fist pump, causing Rotom Dex to beep happily above him and make Lillie giggle.
Vivian clapped excitedly, grinning at her two friends proudly. "I like the conclusions you two came to! Let's see what our host has to say about that!"
Two shining lights flickered into existence in front of the children, with Vivian nodding to the Guardian Deity as it floated beside her. Sun gasped as Tapu Fini formed within moments, almost silently appearing like a phantom. It was then that Vivian's eyes began to glow bright blue, and when the violinist spoke, her words were laced with power.
"Champion of Conflict…You have been marked by fate. You have faced trial after trial and cultivated your bonds with not just your Pokémon, but your friends and allies. And you have earned the favor of the Tapu, who all owe you a debt of gratitude." Tapu Fini intoned, much to the shock of the two children.
"You saved the Guardian Deities of Alola in our darkest hour and saved the region not once, but twice. Had you not confronted Lusamine Jardin, the carnage she would have unleashed would have been far greater. But the accomplishment we Tapu appreciate the most is…you reminded us of our humanity."
"Your humanity?" Sun asked, his voice a whisper.
"I am one of the few who remembers when we were mortal. My memories are mostly intact, safe from the ravages of time. Lele and Koko remember nothing of our past, for they have been active for centuries. Bulu recalls flashes of our past, due to how often it slumbers. I remain inactive for decades at a time, and so I remember when I was human. I remember my family, and my sons and daughters. I remember leading my people. And the choice I made so that I could protect Poni Island forever." Tapu Fini explained, with Vivian placing a hand over her heart. "But even I have begun to forget some things. How you dealt with Borlath, and then later Ashton Aupuni, reminded us of the good in humans despite what we've become. And for that you have the sincere gratitude of us all."
"That's…incredible." Lillie managed to say, glancing at her best friend who was staring at the God of Hope in amazement. Its statement on how his decision to deal with his father had completely floored Sun.
Tapu Fini nodded solemnly, and Vivian continued to speak for it. "We became gods so very long ago…So long that we stopped caring for the consequences of our actions. We gave in to our wild nature as Pokémon, and for so long we fought, saved and conquered as slaves to our whims. And as a result, Alola both flourished…and remained stagnant. And so we have we, in our ways of thinking."
"What do you mean?" Lillie asked the God of Hope.
"Ashton Aupuni was our greatest sin. And our lapse in judgment in dealing with the issues Alola faced back then cannot be excused. We are gods, and yet we did not help the people who were suffering. We are worshiped, yet we did not reach out a hand to help those who had taken on the mantle of hero. Ashton Aupuni bears the weight of our sins. That is why we are grateful to you, Champion of Conflict…You gave us a chance to redeem ourselves through Ashton Aupuni. It was your kindness and strength of character that allowed us to understand our mistakes." Tapu Fini explained to the two children, who looked amazed.
"My father…Wait, you mean when I had the chance to kill him on his ship?" Sun asked the God of Hope, who nodded.
"Ashton Aupuni wreaked havoc on the world in his quest to save it from itself, and caused you and your friends so much pain. And yet when you faced him and won onboard that battleship…you chose to see Ashton Aupuni truly was. Someone so twisted by tragedy, grief and love that he became a monster committed to erasing himself completely to save the world he had hurt so badly. You chose to give Ashton Aupuni mercy…even when he himself didn't believe he was worthy of it when he became Borlath." Tapu Fini said slowly, as if emphasizing how important that fact was.
"I hated what he did, but him dying wouldn't solve anything. It wouldn't bring back the people who died. I wanted him to make things right. Besides, you were testing me. You later admitted that." Sun answered the God of Hope, who continued to stare at him.
"We were. But your words and actions stirred emotions we thought we lost to the ravages of time. You reminded us of the good in the people we watch over. And it was that which compelled us to fight so vehemently alongside our Kahunas when those from beyond invaded…I believe you humans refer to them as the Ultra Beasts." Tapu Fini continued before Vivian shook her head.
"Regardless, Sun, you are someone Alola needs. This region needs someone who is as kind as they are powerful. Someone who is willing to grow and learn. And someone who is willing to reach out a hand to help others…but also crush those with wickedness in their hearts." The God of Hope intoned as the fog thickened even more, becoming a sheer white wall all around Sun and Lillie.
Sun stared at the Guardian Deity with surprise before glancing at Lillie. "Well, looks like even the gods themselves think your idea is great, Princess."
"Well yeah, it was a good idea! I think Champion Sun sounds…rather dashing, actually." Lillie said with a teasing tone, causing Sun to snort with laughter before looking up at the Guardian Deity. The children could almost sense a feeling of satisfaction coming from Tapu Fini.
To the surprise of them both, Tapu Fini leaned forward and held out its hands, which shimmered bright purple for several long moments. Two spheres of light form at the end of Tapu Fini's hands before slowly drifting towards Sun and Lillie, who both gasped as the orbs of light passed through their bodies with nothing more than a slight tingling feeling that faded a few moments later.
"Then journey onward, children. Know that the Tapu watch over your paths with interest…" Tapu Fini slowly dissolved into the fog behind them, which lightened considerably around them.
"Well, looks like that's that. The fog is clearing up more and more by the second, so my work here is done." Vivian said with a shrug, her voice returning to normal as she walked over and wrapped an arm around the shoulders of her young friends. "Tapu Fini just did a thing to help you guys out with whatever you were trying to do."
"Wait, what does that mean?" Sun asked the violinist, who just shrugged.
"Fuck if I know. Anyways, you two keep each other safe, okay? It's a mean world out there. But so long as you keep your friends close and your heads held high, you'll persevere." Vivian said as she took a step back, offering them both a wide smile. Sun and Lillie smiled back at their friend, but both their smiles were tinged with sorrow. After getting to see their friend one last time, it would be hard to say goodbye.
"Vivian! Come on!" shouted a familiar voice. All three of them turned around and another familiar face stepped out from the mist that Sun and Lillie recognized immediately.
Noah offered his two younger friends a wave and a smile. "Hey you two. You both look well. And from the sounds of things you passed Tapu Fini's test."
"They sure did. With flying colors!" Vivian chirped as she latched onto her boyfriend, who laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Of course they did." Noah remarked, shaking his head and grinning at them both. "You both keep pushing on. You're so close to the end of this journey."
"Are we?" Sun asked.
Vivian cut Noah off before he could answer. "No spoilers! But yeah, we should skedaddle. It was great seeing you both again."
"Keep her out of trouble." Sun said to Noah, who barked out a laugh while Vivian pouted and crossed her arms.
"Can do. Keep each other safe and don't forget to enjoy yourselves. You're only a kid for a short amount of time, and then you're an adult." Noah said sagely, looking to Sun before shifting his gaze to Lillie. "Watching you two grow over your journeys was incredible…Even if we can't see the end of it, I'm proud to know that we both got a chance to help save the world and make a difference in people's lives."
There was a faint flicker of blue light from within the mist and both apparitions sighed in unison. Noah looked to his friends with a rueful smile and said, "That's our cue to go. You two be good now, okay?"
"We will." Lillie said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. Sun just nodded, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Take care, Sun and Lillie. It was good to see you both again." Vivian said to her two friends with a wide smile. "Tell the others that I miss them…and I'm so grateful for their friendship."
"Of course!" Sun and Lillie chorused at once, smiling at their friends while failing to hold back their tears as they fell. Noah and Vivian glanced at one another with fond smiles and clasped hands before turning around and walking back into the mist.
"Goodbye! We'll miss you!" Sun shouted to the couple as they vanished from sight. The two children heard the faint hum of a violin from within the mist in answer…
Before the mist parted, leaving Sun and Lillie standing in the empty chamber.
Sun let out a loud exhale as he wiped his face, trying to regain his composure. Lillie did the same, but a new thought was now racing in her mind. After what she had come to terms with through the Test of Hope and seeing Vivian and Noah again, she couldn't help but think about the boy standing beside her
"Sun…He's the most precious person to me in the whole world. And after everything I've been through…we've been through. Can I really keep holding the truth back? How I really feel?" Lillie thought to herself, taking in a deep breath and fortifying her courage.
No holding back. They were alone.
And now was the time.
"Sun, I-"
"There she is!" Sun cut her off, grabbing Lillie's hand and pulling her into the next room as the girl yelped in surprise. They swiftly entered the Sanctum of Tapu Fini, where they both saw Hapu standing at the top of the altar.
Lillie pouted and inwardly fumed with annoyance that their current mission had interrupted her moment to finally talk with Sun about her feelings. Getting the nerve to do that was easier said than done!
The Sanctum itself was a long corridor, lined with two flowing pools of seawater along the walls. What lay in front of them was a large open space big enough to hold a Pokémon Battle. At the far end of the room were two worn wooden sets of stairs that led up to an altar, where Hapu was standing with her head bowed.
"I've read that those who brave the test of the Tapu can summon them, if they pray before their altars." Lillie whispered as they walked further into the sanctum, shrugging her backpack off of her shoulders and taking out Nebby. The Pokémon floated silently as Lillie continued to speak. "Though, capricious as they are, it's entirely possible that someone who isn't worthy won't have their calls answered."
Lillie flushed bright pink as she remembered something. "I could have asked Tapu Fini to heal Nebby back when it visited the Aether Paradise, but I was…distracted by other things. I think after speaking with Tapu Fini within the mist here, it can't help heal Nebby. If the mist can draw on our memories in such a manner, then it must have known what we were seeking out. Which means that this was a dead end…"
"He's still not moving after we passed Tapu Fini's test…I would've thought that maybe something could have happened." Sun remarked quietly as Lillie nodded solemnly, scooping the Pokémon back into her bag and looking towards Hapu.
"Let's go talk to Hapu. Maybe she has some ideas." Lillie said to Sun, offering her hand to him. The boy smiled and grabbed it before they walked up the steps to greet their friend. However as they took a step forward, a whirlwind of fog suddenly billowed into the room, drastically dropping the temperature of the room by at least twenty degrees and forming a thick cloud in front of Hapu.
Sun and Lillie winced, but as they looked up they saw a shining golden light piercing the fog. Illuminated by the light was the silhouette of Tapu Fini, gazing down at all of them for several fleeting seconds before being swallowed by the fog once more. However, the shining light grew brighter and brighter until finally the fog faded away completely.
Finally the light began to fade, and Hapu gasped loudly in surprise. Sun and Lillie looked up as their eyes adjusted, and were shocked to see a Sparkling Stone floating before the young woman.
Hapu gazed upon the relic with reverence, slowly reaching towards it. As her hands closed around it, the light faded and the brown Sparkling Stone dropped into her hands. The young woman gazed down at the stone with shaking hands, almost overwhelmed to the point of tears.
"I give my thanks…for your great blessing." Hapu whispered, holding the stone to her chest. "As Kahuna, I will do my best for the people and the Pokémon of Alola."
With that, a joyous smile bloomed across Hapu's face. As the last remnants of the fog faded, Hapu noticed a familiar face within the mist smiling back at her with pride. She then heard footsteps behind her and turned around, seeing that Sun and Lillie had finally caught up.
"Oh! So you two were watching?" Hapu asked, smirking at the two children as they approached. Hapu descended the stairs, coming to greet them. "The Kahunas are chosen by the Pokémon we worship here-our sacred Guardians. They are chosen from among the people living on the island each guardian watches over."
"Yeah, I remember. And those who are given the Sparkling Stones can make Z-Rings that can use Radiance, an ancient power of the Tapu." Sun replied, with Hapu staring at the stone with a guarded expression.
"Yes…the power spoken in mere whispers here on Poni by those trusted with some of the region's deepest secrets. I only remember it faintly from something my grandfather mentioned in passing, long ago. You unlocking it has cleared up some of the mystery behind it." Hapu murmured, looking at Sun and Lillie for several long seconds.
"You two kids are really something. Especially you, Sun." Hapu remarked, looking at Sun with a respectful gleam in her eyes. "Coming from another region, another home, and adapting in the way that you have to our way of life. Becoming Alola's big hero! I can't wait to see how far you go. You might even live up to all of the boasting Lillie here did on your behalf!"
"Sun can't help the fact that he's awesome." Lillie said brightly, hugging Sun as the poor Trainer blushed at the praise.
"I heard how you were given a Sparkling Stone by the Tapu, even as a stranger to our shores. I'm sure others have explained how much meaning such an action has, but it marks you as Chosen. Tapu Koko picked you as its Champion of Conflict, the one who carries out its will. And you possess the eyes that mark you as a leader and a warrior. Fate swirls around you, Sun." Hapu gazed back at the shrine at the back of the altar. "My grandfather…my grandfather was chosen for this honor. The honor of being our island's Kahuna. But he died suddenly some years back, and we were left without a Kahuna on Poni."
"Oh Hapu…" Lillie whispered, holding her hands over her heart. She could hear the pain in the other woman's voice. Hapu shook her head at Lillie's words and spoke again, but this time her words were slow yet firm.
"I tried to follow in his footsteps, but I was not chosen by the Tapu back then. So I set out on my own sort of Island Challenge, traveling Alola and trying to grow stronger." Hapu said with a steady voice, turning to face the two of them with an easy smile. She looked oddly at peace for a reason the children didn't know.
"Lillie." Hapu said quietly, putting her hands on her hips. "The Kahuna you wished to meet is right here."
"Whoa!" Sun yelled out, grinning as Hapu showed them the Sparkling Stone that Tapu Fini had bestowed upon its newest Kahuna. It was still faintly glowing with the power of the Guardian Deity flowing through it.
"O-oh! Of course!" Lillie gasped, delighted at the news that her friend had been recognized as a Kahuna. While she wanted to celebrate, she knew that there were things that needed to be done first. "Then please, Kahuna Hapu! Tell me about the Legendary Pokémon!"
"Hmmm! So you want to know about Solgaleo, who we pay tribute to at the Altar of the Sunne?" Hapu asked Lillie, who nodded.
"My mother disappeared into the beast's world…I know that she was a terrible person, but she is still my mother. I need to see her again, to tell her something." Lillie answered quietly but resolutely, closing her eyes as she gathered herself. She opened them again and looked at Hapu with a steady gaze. "That's why I want to ask the Legendary Pokémon for its help…The Legendary Pokémon is the only one who can go back and forth between worlds!"
Hapu let out a low whistle, looking towards the wall as she considered it. "The world of the beasts, eh…Is that what that thing was that came to Poni Island? A beast?"
"You fought one too?" Sun asked, surprised.
Hapu nodded. "Tapu Fini and I tried to fight it, but it nearly did us both in. It fled after taking a nasty hit, though, and it's still out there. Those things are all bad news."
"I wonder how many beasts are out there now…the thought makes me shiver-" Sun began to say, only for Hapu to cut him off.
"All right. I will tell you what I know." The newly-appointed Kahuna said with a firm nod, crossing her arms.
"Oh, thank you, Hapu!" Lillie said gratefully, smiling at her friend.
Hapu shook her head, still smiling. "But what I know is not much. Just that there is a ceremony held for the Legendary Pokémon at the altar. A ceremony that uses two particular flutes to somehow give the Legendary Pokémon power."
"Lillie?" Sun said to the girl, glancing at her. She was digging around in her backpack already. Moments later she pulled out the Moon Flute, which shimmered in the strange light of the Sanctum.
"This is the Moon Flute. It seems that my mother had it…" Lillie said to the new Kahuna, who eyed it with reverence before smirking.
"Ho! That looks to be the flute that used to reside at the lake on Ula'ula." Hapu remarked, nodding smartly as she looked at the two of them with a knowing smile. "The other is said to be held on Exeggutor Island. I do not know why there of all places, but it has been passed down that there's where it belongs." Hapu continued, shrugging her shoulders. Lillie hummed softly, her eyes lighting up.
"Exeggutor Island…I think I've read about it before. It's an uninhabited island off the coast of Poni, isn't that right?" Lillie asked Hapu, who nodded happily in reply.
"Yes. And no reason to dally here. Let us go and speak with Chief Banjo! Lillie and Sun, you hop on Mudsdale and head to the Seafolk Village!" Hapu said to the two of them, punching her fist and looking fired up.
"You think we can get to the island and back before nightfall?" Sun asked.
Hapu's eyes widened as she considered that fact. She also factored in that Sun and Lillie had been traveling all day. "Hmmm. It may be smart to take some time to rest before heading out to the island. Traveling at night is unwise, even for experienced Pokémon Trainers."
"Probably a good idea. After the Test of Hope, I'm kinda mentally drained." Sun admitted, sighing quietly. Lillie patted Sun on the shoulder comfortingly while Hapu stared at the two of them in surprise.
"Wait…what?" Hapu sounded completely flabbergasted.
"Tapu Fini talked with us as we walked down the big corridor, using a friend of ours as a spiritual guide. There was a ton of mist and it made us see memories about our adventures here in Alola. Definitely a weird experience." Sun explained to a completely stunned Hapu.
"It was very enlightening though. Sometimes I forget about the stuff we went through in the past. Some of that stuff feels like it was years ago." Lillie agreed, only for Rotom Dex to pop out of Sun's backpack.
"Bzzzzt! Technically, it was years ago-!" Rotom Dex tried to say, only for Hapu to cut it off.
"Wait, wait, wait. You both just completed the Test of Hope…and didn't even realize it?" Hapu demanded, causing Sun and Lillie to exchange a brief look before they both looked back to Hapu and nodded. "How!? That mist is supposed to force you to face your past and your own thoughts! It's killed hundreds of people! Driven them mad! And you just…casually went through it!?"
"Yeah. We just followed you and got surrounded by the mist. We didn't have a choice in accepting that test or not. Um, why did you have us follow you through the ruins if you were worried about the Test of Hope?" Sun asked worriedly, his eyes flickering white.
"Because I didn't think Tapu Fini would do that while making me the new Kahuna! It was here with me the whole time!" Hapu called out, sounding somewhat horrified. Lillie and Sun blinked two or three times, considering the fact that they just faced another deadly situation and this time didn't even realize it.
"Huh…Well, sounds like this journey is off to a good start!" Lillie said happily, turning to Sun and holding out a hand, which Sun high-fived with a grin, his eyes gleaming gold. Hapu snorted with amusement, a smile coming to her face at last.
"You two are adorable. Well, if we're waiting a bit to send you both off, you two can come to my place and get some rest instead. And I won't take no for an answer!" Hapu said with a wide smile as she began to lead the two of her friends out of the Sanctum. "We can come up with a plan of action before you kids head off to Exeggutor Island. Now come on, you two! This place may be sacred, but it still makes me uneasy."
The trio made their way out of the sanctum as the mist slowly drifted downwards, filling up the room behind them. Several forms that they would have recognized watched them from within the fog, smiles on their faces before the mist slowly dispersed. A faint splash echoed out from one of the pools…and then sanctum was still once more.
NEXT TIME: Sun and Lillie journey to Exeggutor Island…and have a long-overdue discussion.
The time has come! The big scene is here!
Q & A
From: Oragonking
1) Greninja also has to answer for his actions too, doesn't he? I haven't see him killing people but he did. Can you show us his flashback?
2) I once wanted to see Damian pinning down Sun and with his jaws wide open above his face. Is it wierd wishing to see that?
3) Amber's Pokémon also have to answer as well, which is why it bothered me why Ano the Chandelure got off easy, since he helped killed Gretta and nearly Jackal.
4) How will Damian feel since he attacked the souls of his Trainer's friends?
5) How does Damian feels after killing Padma?
1.) Yes, Zorro's paying for his actions by working alongside his Trainer with the International Police. And no, because that has nothing to do with Sun and Lillie and the lessons they learned on their journey.
2.) Yes, it's weird.
3.) You got your answer above in this chapter. I was going to explain this later on, but there you go.
4.) He doesn't, because Damien didn't truly understand how the Test of Hope works. He assumed they were visions or hallucinations, not the actual manifestations of people he knew. Also, their souls weren't damaged since they were made of mist.
5.) Again, pretty bad.
That's all for now. The next few chapters are some pretty big ones! Stay tuned for more madness!
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!
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
