Pokémon Radiant Sun
Alright, we're at the true final stretch of the game!
I'm pumped for this, so let's roll right into things. Massive shoutout to Oragonking and BraviaryScout for reviewing the last update. You're both pretty swell and I appreciate you!
Enjoy!
Chapter 172: Vast Poni Canyon
Sun and Lillie entered the cave and were surprised with how well-lit the enormous cavern was. Huge slopes allowed them to traverse upwards while sheer rock walls surrounded them in other directions. The two of them could also feel a strange energy in the air that neither of them could place. Combined with a cavern that seemed to stretch outward for miles on end, it certainly made the canyon itself seem even more imposing.
"I heard it from Hapu earlier but…this place feels different." Sun murmured as he glanced around the chamber, grateful that the sunlight was trickling in from above. The cave system was still plenty warm, but they were out of the direct sunlight so they could enjoy the cover for a while.
"It does. I did a lot of reading about this place. War chiefs would send their soldiers on long marches through the canyon to test their resolve. Only those who made it to the end and conquered the Trial would have the honor of praying to Solgaleo at the Altar of the Sunne." Lillie explained, looking at her boyfriend with a smile. "I'm really glad I spent all that time researching this place. It gives me a real appreciation for the rich history of Poni Island."
As Sun and Lillie talked about the canyon and its history, the Pokémon flanking them kept an eye out for danger. All except one, who was very distracted by what he could feel all around them.
Oliver narrowed his eyes as he glanced around the enormous cave system sprawling around them. Because of his Ghost-typing, he could see and feel things that the others couldn't.
This was a place where countless Trainers had walked in pursuit of power and glory. Hundreds upon hundreds of years of glorious combat had taken place along these ancient stones, coating these rocks in blood and tears. And now Sun and Lillie walked their own path through this very place towards their destiny.
Oliver sighed and took to the skies, quickly joining Penny in the air. He would have to remain vigilant to ensure no harm came to the humans he cared for so dearly.
After about two hours of walking, Sun decided it was time to take a short break to rest. After all, it wouldn't be smart to push themselves too hard so early on. It was during this time that Sun noticed that Oliver had learned the move Feather Dance, likely after defeating Rolf during the Grand Trial. Sun made sure to research the move carefully, and learned that it would drastically weaken the physical attack of an opponent. Sun smiled at the possibilities of the move and talked with Lillie about possible uses for it.
As the group began to make their way through the canyon once more, Sun spotted movement above and noticed dozens of Golbat that were glaring down at them hungrily. Lillie gulped nervously as she followed his gaze, but Sun simply grinned.
"Alright, Alastor…Let's cause some chaos." Sun said to the Alolan Golem as the Pokémon looked skyward. A mean smirk crossed the face of Alastor before he stomped forward several steps. Three Golbats hissed with fury and rushed the Golem from above, who let out a shout as he unleashed a powerful Discharge and blasted the trio backwards and knocked them out instantly.
Sun and Lillie frantically ran away before the three Golbat slammed into the ground where they had been before, with nasty crunches following their impact. After checking that the three Pokémon were okay, just unconscious, they turned their attention to Alastor.
"This will be a delightful battleground. This is where my story begins anew…" Alastor said as he flexed his claws, electricity dancing along his arms. The others could hear the anticipation in his voice, as well as the determination.
"It's been too long since I got to truly battle. To crush the idiots who oppose me beneath my feet! I enter your home and I challenge you all! Come and fall!" Alastor bellowed his challenge to the Pokémon of Vast Poni Canyon, receiving a chorus of cries and hisses in response.
Alastor let out a primal roar of fury as he lashed out with an enormous Discharge, striking the six Golbat that were rushing towards him and causing them all to stop in their tracks as they seized up in pain. Alastor smiled darkly, laughing quietly as he got back into the swing of things. The rest of the team watched in mild horror, though Sun chose to take this development as a positive that the Golem wasn't brooding on the past.
Thankfully Rotom Dex also provided a distraction but playing a very cheerful and energetic tune as they walked. It kept the spirits of the group up until night had fallen, where Sun's team took turns keeping watch. The humans slept curled up against Brago and huddled against one another. Rotom made sure to take a picture of Sun and Lillie cuddling and sent it to Sun's mother. This, of course, made a very happy Laura Smiles burst into tears of joy at how adorable her child was with his new girlfriend.
Sun had called his mother to inform her of this development yesterday, and to his embarrassment Laura promptly informed him that she and several others had won a huge chunk of money.
Apparently, over the past eight months a massive betting pool had been formed between all of their mutual acquaintances about when Sun and Lillie would start dating. Naturally this infuriated the two of them. Laura then proceeded to inform them that the winners include herself, Lana, Olivia, Hala, and somehow Tapu Lele.
When Sun asked how on earth the Alolan God of Life managed to make a bet on something like that, Laura admitted she wasn't sure how it got the money. But it was contributed to the pool by Zinnia months ago on Tapu Lele's behalf. Sun stopped asking questions after that.
The good mood of the team continued into the next day, where Alastor continued his path of destruction upon the wild Pokémon population of the Vast Poni Canyon.
"Bzzzzt! Ahhh, can you feel the charge in the air! It'zzz exhilarating!" Rotom Dex cheered as it floated alongside Sun, watching as Alastor Bulldozed his way through several Carbink that had come to confront him. Alastor gleefully struck each one down, getting both experience in battling and getting a lot of anger and frustration out of his system.
"What do you mean?" Lillie asked the Pokédex, walking hand in hand with Sun as they made their way through the cave system. Alastor began firing his back cannon, taking down more of the horde of Pokémon.
"Bzzzt! According to my records, the stones of Vast Poni Canyon resonate with a special energy! Much like Blush Mountain during certain timezz of the year, this place can have an influence on Pokémon. Except here, it happenzzz all the time! Zzzzrt!" Rotom Dex explained to them, floating in front of the two humans. "Specifically, it can cause certain Pokémon to evolve! Charjabug, Nosepass, Magneton can all evolve in places such as these!"
"Fascinating…I wonder if Kukui evolved his Magnezone here or at Ula'ula Island." Sun said with a thoughtful expression while Alastor let out a laugh, causing another wave of Golbat to fall out of the sky.
"Sometimes I forget that Alastor can be absolutely horrifying when he wants to be." Finn said lightly from where he was sitting on Brago's back, holding a chunk of ice against his injured right ankle.
"Horrifying? He's really nice!" Tetra protested, amazed at hearing this for reasons that baffled everyone present. Penny was the first to respond to that.
"Not really. But he's grown fond of us all and enjoys being in a positive environment after a lifetime of dealing with his hateful family." Penny explained to the young dragon, with Oliver following up to add in his own two cents.
"Tetra, you haven't known him as long as we have. When you met him, Alastor had already promised to work on not being a complete ass to everyone." The Decidueye explained to the Gabite, who looked stunned by this. Sun and Lillie weren't even surprised by the profanity at this point, since the owl had done it before, so they just laughed at the statement.
"You're also his favorite member of the team." Lillie pointed out with a giggle, causing Tetra to smile widely at this news.
"It's not even close." Finn agreed, nodding his head. "I think having you around is good for him, though. Especially now that he's trying to figure out what's in his head."
Pain…what…what are you?
Everyone froze in surprise at the strange presence suddenly making itself known once more. A cold sensation of absolute wrongness settled over them, and for several long moments none of them could breathe. And then the sensation doubled in power, sending ice into their veins.
I'm…scared…
Suddenly the sensation lifted from them, and within seconds everything was back to normal. Sun and Lillie both collapsed onto the ground, panting hard from the strange yet powerful presence. Finn hopped down from Brago and helped the two humans up. After taking several minutes to make sure the strange presence had left, the group continued their trek, with Finn jumping back on Brago's back.
"Mwahahahaha!" A crackle of electricity roared through the sky, downing a score of Golbat while Alastor laughed with twisted delight. Penny took that moment to land on Brago's back beside Finn, frowning a little. She had no desire to be knocked out of the sky by a stray bolt.
Eventually the Golbats got the hint and flew away, but that didn't mean that the wild Pokémon were done accosting them. The group swiftly got into a routine of walking, taking breaks, and watching as Alastor crammed a month of training into days.
Four days after they had entered the Vast Poni Canyon, the group spotted their first sign of human life. It was in the late afternoon they spotted an older man who waved at them merrily from his position on top of a rock, where it was obvious he had been taking a breather. As was the way with Trainers, the moment Sun locked eyes with him a battle was afoot.
"Trainers and Pokémon should be free! Freedom is good!" Veteran Harry called out as he sent out his Torkoal. Alastor grinned as he stepped forward, electricity crackling along his fingers.
"I'm all warmed up fighting the riff-raff. Give me a real challenge!" Alastor demanded as Harry laughed at the bravado of the Alolan Golem.
"Heat Wave!" Harry called out as his Torkoal let out a loud cry, releasing a fiery wind towards Alastor as the Alolan Golem stood his ground. The Megaton Pokémon tanked the move, laughing harshly as he held out his hands and summoned a Stone Edge at Sun's command, striking the Torkoal with his new move.
The attack sent the Coal Pokémon crashing into a stone wall, and Sun smirked at the sight. He was worried Alastor would have a harder time adjusting to battling again after his injuries.
But after fighting off Geoff's team and his performance so far within Vast Poni Canyon, Alastor seemingly had nothing to worry about. Sun had a feeling his Pokémon would catch up with the others sooner rather than later.
Torkoal launched another Heat Wave at Alastor as it broke free from the wall. Alastor grunted in pain as he was blasted backwards, but Sun called for a Bulldoze to knock back the Torkoal across the path.
"Is that all you got?" Alastor demanded, electricity surging along his claws as he stomped towards the Torkoal. Harry shouted at the command for Heat Wave again, but Alastor withstood the attack and slugged the Torkoal in the face with a Thunder Punch, knocking it out.
"Haha! That one's got a lot of fire in 'em!" Harry called with a delighted laugh, sending out an Arcanine. Brago immediately growled at the other canine, who growled right back. Lillie patted Brago's side, which calmed down Sun's Arcanine while Penny and Finn laughed from atop his back.
"Alastor, go for Rock Blast!" Sun ordered the Golem as Harry's Arcanine rushed forward for a Fire Fang. As the Arcanine struck, Alastor lowered his cannon and blasted the canine three times in the chest, forcing him away.
Harry continued to call for Fire Fang, which allowed the next two Stone Edge attacks to easily take down the Arcanine without any issues. Alastor let out a long exhale as Harry returned his Pokémon, laughing heartily as he walked forward to shake Sun's hand.
"Good stuff! Be as free as you can be!" Harry boomed merrily as he handed Sun his winnings for defeating him. "We can't decide what Pokémon are like! They are free!"
"There we go…It's been too long since my blood pump like this." Alastor huffed, smiling despite his body heaving with exhaustion. An entire afternoon of tearing through wild Pokémon and taking down Harry's Pokémon had certainly worn him out.
So much so that when he glanced off to his side and spotted an Alolan Dugtrio slowly tearing its way towards him, Alastor's mouth twitched into a grimace as he turned to face it.
"Alastor, tag out! Penny, deal with it!" Sun called as Penny swooped in front of the Dugtrio and soared right at it. The Dugtrio tried to attack with Iron Head, but Penny swerved out of the way and quickly flapped her wings, building up speed as she circled around.
"Brick Break!" Sun called to his Toucannon, whose beak gleamed bright white before she struck the Alolan Dugtrio in the back, knocking them out cold in a single hit. Alastor watched the end of the fight with a frown before sighing and nodding.
"Perhaps that was for the best." Alastor muttered before turning to Sun. "I'll allow myself a small rest. The others can carve a path for us."
"He's really grown." Sun thought with a smile, pulling out a Hyper Potion to heal the multitude of small injuries his Pokémon had accumulated. He remembered how hot-headed and stubborn the rock-type had been in the past. Granted, that growth had come at the cost of Alastor's physical and mental health, but it was still there. Sun could only hope that the rest of Alastor's wounds would heal in time.
Rotom Dex also took that moment to alert Sun to the fact that Alastor had learned the move Explosion. Sun questioned what the difference between Self-Destruct and Explosion was, and Lillie actually fielded the answer by explaining that they both did the same thing. Explosion just did more damage to the opponent.
While Sun healed Alastor, the rest of his team leapt into action and began attacking any and all wild Pokémon. Lillie watched on in fascination at watching Sun's well-trained team almost effortlessly take out the Pokémon that she had heard were renowned for their ferocity. To Sun's team, however, they were simple obstacles to be overcome for greater power.
"I want to be like that…" Lillie thought as an excited smile came to her face. "So long ago, I would've recoiled at the thought of battling. But seeing Sun's team grow and thrive under the direction of a loving Trainer makes me happy. I want to do that too. What friends could I make along the way? I want to know…"
"Hey, you good?"
Lillie snapped out of her thoughts as Sun looked at her with a fond smile. Lillie blushed with embarrassment and leaned towards her boyfriend, kissing him on the cheek. The girl then noticed something when she looked into Sun's eyes. They were a brilliant shade of gold, and had been for most of the time that they had been in Vast Poni Canyon. It was an obvious sign of how happy Sun truly was traveling with her and his team. And that realization made Lillie's heart soar with joy.
It was then she realized she had been asked a question. "I'm just thinking about the future again. What it'll be like to be a Pokémon Trainer myself. After all, I've got a bunch of amazing friends who are Pokémon Trainers. I wonder what I'll be like." Lillie explained to Sun with a warm smile. Sun smiled back, nodding in understanding
"Yeah. I remember when you hated battles back when we first met on Melemele Island. It's amazing you enjoy them now and want to be a Trainer." Sun remarked, unknowingly repeating Lillie's own thoughts on the matter. "I'm sure you'll be amazing though. Heck, my Pokémon listen to you even though you're not a Trainer yet. It's pretty cool that they recognize how kind and awesome you are and respect you for it."
Lillie beamed at the compliment, especially when she noticed most of Sun's team nodding along in agreement. This wasn't a new discussion by any means, but it still was incredible to think about. And it only made Lillie more curious for what came later, after they returned from Ultra Space. For both her and Sun.
Later that evening, they encountered another Trainer. Backpacker Perdy, who had been watching them slowly trek up the massive slopes of the canyon with her Whimsiscott. Both Lillie and Sun were annoyed at the amused smirk on her face, and Sun was almost eager to battle the older Trainer. He once again had Alastor take on this opponent, knowing that the Golem still needed more experience.
"Tailwind!" Perdy called out as a harsh gale kicked up around the area. Lillie scowled as she struggled to hold down her skirt while Sun called for a Stone Edge, which dealt major damage to the Windveiled Pokémon. Perdy seemed to recognize this and called for Mega Drain, which dealt significant damage right back to Alastor as his health was siphoned away.
"Hit it with Rock Blast!" Sun shouted as Alastor lowered his back-cannon and fired off four waves of the attack, which all unfortunately missed the rather nimble Grass/Flying type. Whimsiscott retaliated with Cotton Spore, which slowed down Alastor's movement quite a bit.
But not so much that he couldn't take down the Whimsicott with a Stone Edge, defeating Backpacker Perdy and earning Sun some more money.
Alastor continued to take down more and more of the local wildlife, this time encountering several angry Boldore who stood no chance against the crafty Golem. Alastor continually used Bulldoze again and again on the horde of Boldore. No matter how many times they called for backup, Alastor struck them down. Sun routinely had Rotom Dex check on what Alastor's Level was at, and saw that it was slowly climbing over the course of the days.
Battling wasn't the only item on the agenda, however. The slopes that covered the enormous canyon were treacherous, and Sun and Lillie would often spend hours making their way up rock-faces, cliffs and slopes that were as dangerous as the local wildlife. The two of them would require frequent breaks to recover their stamina, with Sun ensuring that Lillie was hydrated and not overexerting herself. Oliver and Finn would assist them as much as possible in scaling the cliffs, but it was still an exhausting effort.
The Vast Poni Canyon also had many tunnels and sub-areas, which Sun was puzzled on for a while. Finally, on a whim, he checked his Ride Pager and saw that there were a few Ride Tauros and Mudsdale within the canyon. He then knew what he needed to do. With the help of a Ride Tauros, Sun was able to smash down some large boulders that were blocking some of the paths, revealing small hidden tunnels. Sun crawled one of them and found a Max Potion.
All the while, Alastor continued his crusade against the Pokémon population of Vast Poni Canyon, proving once again that violence isn't the answer.
It's a question. And the answer is yes.
The group continued their trek through the enormous cave system. A week after entering the Vast Poni Canyon, the group came across two Ace Trainers sitting against a rock. The Ace Duo went by the names Kent and Aimee, and Sun challenged them to a double battle, sending out Alastor and Tetra. He was somewhat surprised when they sent out an Alolan Sandslash and an Alolan Ninetales.
Despite the strength of his own Pokémon, Sun's team struggled. Tetra was extremely weak to Ice and Alastor had a hard time dealing damage while attempting to disrupt the Sandslash and Ninetales enough so that they couldn't knock out the Gabite.
By the time both Ice-types were down, Tetra and Alastor were ready to drop. Lillie quickly got to work healing them while Sun collected his earnings for beating the two Trainers. Unfortunately for Sun, the Ace Duo had some words for him and Lillie before they left.
"The Altar of Alola concentrates the power of the stars…" Kent responded, wriggling his fingers while making a weird sound.
"The Altar of Alola is a vessel that collects light…" Aimie said mysteriously before exchanging a glance with a smirking Kent.
"That's what they say." The two of them said together, laughing softly before walking off, leaving a bewildered Sun and Lillie behind.
"Hmmm. Another target." Alastor remarked with a smirk, aiming his cannon at another Golbat that had made the critical error of flying within range. Four shots of Rock Blast and the poor bat was unconscious on the ground. Another Golbat hissed loudly directly above them and attempted to lunge at the Alolan Golem with a Poison Fang. Alastor promptly dealt with it using a Stone Edge.
"I think that's enough for now, Alastor. I think we're getting close to the top of the area" Sun remarked with a grateful sigh. After seven straight days of hiking up hills and slopes, he was starting to understand why the Vast Poni Canyon was such a challenge.
"You okay, big boy? Not all tuckered out! We've gotta keep pushing through! We can do thizzzz!" Rotom Dex cheered on as Sun wiped his forehead yet again, grimacing in annoyance. He glanced over at Lillie, who seemed to be faring even worse than him.
"You want to rest a bit?" Sun asked his girlfriend, who shook her head with a tired smile.
"Just a bit more. We're almost out of the cave, and I'd like to sleep under the stars tonight." Lillie remarked, grabbing Sun's hand and pulling him along the path. Sun grinned at his girlfriend and jogged alongside her, and to their delight they spotted a pillar at the top of the path a few minutes later. It was the same type of pillar that had been at the cave's entrance, and as they drew closer, they spotted the exit to the cave.
The group happily exited the cave system and found themselves in a grassy field outside of the canyon. Sun immediately ordered the group to rest for the night. He and Lillie also got some time to practice playing their flutes, making sure to practice the song that Grandma Kai had shown them.
Eventually the time came for the group to try and get some sleep. Lillie couldn't stop smiling as she rested her head against Sun's shoulder, sharing a large blanket with him as he yawned tiredly, wrapping an arm around her before immediately passing out. Sun's team was huddled around them, quietly talking and taking comfort in the security of the pack. No Pokémon would dare bother them, and so they slept peacefully under the stars.
Mount Lanakila
Alola Pokémon League Conference Room
"As the Chairman of the Alola League, I call this meeting to order!" Professor Kukui said with a wide smile, looking down the table at some of the strongest Pokémon Trainers known to the sunny shores of Alola.
Hala, Olivia, Nanu, Hapu, Kahili, Acerola, and Molayne were present and enjoying some of the refreshments that had been brought in for the late-night meeting.
As well as some hard liquor for Nanu, because Kukui knew full-well the man wouldn't bother showing up unless alcohol was present.
"First order of business! Please welcome to our little group the new Kahuna of Poni Island!" Kukui said as he gestured to Hapu, who nodded at the Professor before looking to her peers.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Hapu 'Aukai, granddaughter of Kahuna Sofu. I am honored to be amongst you all for this meeting." Hapu said as she bowed her head, a warm smile on her face as the room burst into applause for her. Hala and Olivia clapped hard for the girl, who they both knew was Sofu's pride and joy when he had been alive. Surely the old man was smiling down with joy from up above at how far his granddaughter had come.
"Looks like I owe the old coot ten bucks. I can't believe he called that." Nanu remarked, sighing quietly as he removed his feet from the table. Hapu stared at Nanu for a few moments as she processed what that comment meant. And then her eyes went wide in surprise, and Hapu felt a tear come to her eye.
"Well, welcome to the team and all that. Guess this means I can stop pulling double-duty then." Nanu said with a bored exhale.
"I-indeed. Thank you for taking over for my grandfather while we were without a Kahuna these many years. Poni Island is thankful for your help, Kahuna Nanu." Hapu said to Nanu, who grunted in response but didn't give a verbal reply.
Kukui then spoke up, crossing his arms with a smile. "Hapu will quickly start working to pick up the slack and get the Island Challenge properly rolling again. She's hoping to have Trial Sites up and running in a few months. Until then, we can have another challenge for Trial-goers to undergo before battling Hapu in her Grand Trial. There's plenty of time to figure things out on that end."
"I'll do my best to help as much as possible. You can count on me!" Hapu promised as she held a fist to her chest, smiling at them all. The new Kahuna received several smiles back, and Kukui saw that as a good time to bring up the second big announcement.
"Second order of business is introducing the newest member of our little leadership team. Everyone, please give a warm welcome to our fourth and final member of the Alola League's Elite Four, Acerola!" A round of applause rippled through the room as everyone clapped, with Acerola flushing at the attention but grinning at everyone as well. It was clear the Ghost Trial Captain was proud of being chosen for such an honor…kind of.
"While I had originally wanted all four Kahuna to take up the mantle of Elite Four, I think this works out better." Kukui said with a grin, though Molayne gave him a confused look.
"How exactly did Acerola end up in the position? She's certainly qualified, since she's one of the best Trainers on Ula'ula Island. But she's just a Captain. Weren't you pretty dead-set on getting Nanu to help out?" Molayne asked Kukui, who coughed nervously.
"W-w-well…" Kukui began to say, only for Nanu to cut him off.
"I told Kukui to go fuck himself." Nanu remarked, glancing over at them with a narrowed glare. "I was chosen by the Tapu to be a Kahuna. I didn't have the privilege of saying no. And the day it decides to choose someone else for the job will be the best day of my miserable life."
"Yes, we've heard you mention this again and again at our monthly meetings." Hala rumbled with annoyance, causing Nanu to look away from the group and stare at the ceiling.
"As for the Elite Four job, I was under no obligation to take it up. Acerola volunteered to do it instead of me. When I explained in detail why Kukui can go deepthroat a Cacturne and that his ambitions don't mean shit, she agreed to help anyway." Nanu finished, with Olivia and Molayne's eyes widening at the very colorful explanation.
Acerola frowned and pulled out her phone and began typing away. Several moments later she began coughing and quickly put away her phone, regretting that she had added such a word to her search history.
"Getting back to business, Acerola rounds out our team. And that's great because we can finally set up the fourth chamber and prepare it for battle." Kukui said as he smiled at all of them again. "I've also taken the opportunity to acquire the help of a friend who will help drum up even more interest for the League and help us prepare for our big debut!"
"Who would that be?" Kahili asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Adrian Battlestorm will be providing color-commentary as our Battle Announcer for the first ten challengers who make their way to our little gauntlet." Kukui said brightly, grinning widely with excitement. "These matches will be exclusively broadcast on his network, too. We're going to broadcast the best and brightest talent Alola has to offer to the world! That way everyone can see what we're made of!"
"Hmm. Just so long as I can fight stronger opponents, Professor. I don't want a huge media circus. I want a challenge." Kahili said to the man in question, fixing him a firm look.
Kukui nodded in agreement, giving the golfer a thumbs up. "Don't you worry! After we establish a Champion, we'll be putting the word out for all Island Challenge Champions to test their skills here at the Alola League. We'll have plenty of amazing Trainers coming here for hot battles! I'll have to leave that job to our Kahunas, though."
"That shouldn't be an issue." Hala rumbled, chuckling softly as his mustache twitched. "There are many Trainers on Melemele Island who are worthy contenders."
"It'll be relatively easy for me, too. I've already been in talks with a few former Champions who are eager for a fresh challenge." Olivia said as she nodded a few times. "After all, word is quickly spreading about the League. Alola is ready for some change."
"I'll let Mina and Chief Banjo know. They're the only two Island Challenge Champions on the island besides my gran." Hapu remarked, smiling a little now. There was a long silence that stretched out, as if everyone was expecting someone else to speak.
Then, finally…
"Uncle Nanu?" Acerola asked, tilting her head as she looked over at her adoptive uncle. The officer continued to stare forward with a thousand-yard stare, not registering the young woman's words. He then slowly blinked a few times before glancing at the Captain and then everyone else.
"Sorry, I had to take a moment to remember what happiness is before continuing this cavalcade of bullshit." Nanu finally responded, finally sitting up in his chair. Hala, Olivia and Kahili all rolled their eyes while Acerola pouted at her adoptive uncle. "I'll see who I can find who cares. Offhand, I know some people who'd maybe be up for it."
"I actually have a question." Molayne asked, raising a hand. "If Acerola is an acting member of the Elite Four, what will happen with her Captain duties?"
Kukui hummed as he considered the best way to address this concern, as it was something he had thought about. "Acerola will be running double-duty for the next few months while we evaluate a possible replacement for her as Captain of the Abandoned Megamart. Nanu and Molayne, you both put some feelers out for possible candidates. I'd like to get them trained up sooner rather than later so Acerola can focus on League duties full-time." Kukui said to the two men, earning a smart nod from Molayne and a bored look from Nanu.
"I can do both for as long as I need!" Acerola said helpfully, but Olivia shook her head at the Captain.
"You're great at what you do, but there's no reason to stretch you thin. You're still recovering from that Ultra Beast attack, remember?" Olivia said to the girl, causing Acerola to deflate slightly. In her excitement, she had almost forgotten that she was still on the mend after being hospitalized. "Being a member of the Elite Four is a huge responsibility and requires a lot of your attention. We'll be relying on you a lot in the coming days, Acerola, but there's no reason to push you unnecessarily."
The conversation then took a turn into discussing various smaller topics involving setting up for the League's debut in just under a month, with the path to the Pokémon League still under construction and the last few wrinkles getting ironed out. It was during this time that another important topic came about.
"How are things going with Sun and Lillie?" Kukui asked Hapu, since she was the last person who had seen them. The Kahuna had already informed them that Sun had conquered his last Grand Trial in spectacular fashion.
"They are currently making their way through Vast Poni Canyon. Sun's taking his time going through there so that he can train. I know his Alolan Golem needs the extra time to catch up with the rest of his team after going through some trauma. I expect they'll spend another two weeks traveling through the canyon before reaching the Altar of the Sunne." Hapu explained, with Olivia letting out a low whistle.
"Do they expect Lusamine and Guzma to still be alive by then?" Olivia asked, though she winced at the stricken expression on Kukui's face before he looked away.
Olivia had forgotten for a moment that the Professor and the Team Skull Boss had been best friends in their youth before a tragic falling out. Hala decided to answer the question for the Professor, since Kukui was trying to compose himself.
"We don't know how Ultra Space functions, so we have hope that the two of them are still alive. Professor Burnet believes that space-time operates somewhat differently within Ultra Space and outside of the dimensional boundaries of this world. A day for us could be months in there, and the opposite could be true as well." Hala answered, leaning forward in his chair and earning a creak from it. "It's possible Guzma and the Aether President are dead, or never survived their journey in the first place. It's also possible that they're stuck on the other side and awaiting a rescue team. Or perhaps they found what they were looking for, and will be willing to fight to stay within Ultra Space. We simply do not know."
"It's really frustrating that we're entrusting such an issue to two kids, one of whom isn't even a Trainer. Are you sure we can't do anything to back them up?" Kahili asked, being just able to hide her own concern about the situation. She was rather fond of Sun and Lillie after their few encounters a few months ago.
"Unfortunately no. We don't even know if Lord Solgaleo can be summoned from the Altar of the Sunne. Hapu will be monitoring their progress. Once Sun and Lillie reach the altar, they'll contact Hapu and she will meet them there for additional support." Olivia responded, with Hapu nodding as she spoke.
"We have to do what we can here to rebuild after everything that's happened. It's too important to hold off on while trying to figure out the secrets behind Ultra Space travel. It's something we may never be able to do." Molayne added, adjusting his glasses as he explained. "We got lucky that the Ultra Beasts were driven off as quickly as they were. If they attack again, and we're not there to drive them off, then what happens? We have to be ready to protect the region again."
"I believe in their strength. If anyone can do this and achieve the impossible, it's those two kids." Kukui said quietly, and it was then that everyone realized how hard it was for Kukui to be doing this. Running the League instead of being there, helping Sun and Lillie.
Especially since Lillie Jardin had become an unofficial daughter to Kukui in the months since he and Burnett had taken her into their home. Being unable to support her any more than this had to be extraordinarily difficult.
"Those two are tough as nails. If anyone can make Lusamine and Guzma back down, it's Sun and Lillie!" Acerola said brightly, with Nanu grunting in response. "We'll make sure those nasty beasties don't hurt anyone else.
"Let them come…I'll tear them apart." Nanu murmured, flexing his hand as a shimmer of light flickered within his Z-Ring. Everyone looked at the Kahuna in surprise, but didn't press the issue.
"So, moving to our next order of business! A Champion." Kukui said with a dramatic gesture of his arms, grinning widely at them all once again, his sorrows hidden away for now. "Needless to say, they're kind of the most important part of the League."
"I was wondering about that." Hapu chimed in, smiling at the thought. "There's no shortage of folks who'd make a fine Champion for the region."
"I agree. I've been creating a list of potential candidates as well as a system of rules on how the Champion would be decided." Kukui began before launching into a lengthy explanation of how the Alola League would work. Nearly an hour passed before the Professor was finished, and even then he promised he'd have more information after another week or two of refining procedures and touching base with the other Leagues to make sure that they weren't doing anything that would raise eyebrows.
"So, that's how it'll work. So who the hell do we plan on extending the invitation out to for these first few matches?" Kahili asked Kukui, putting a hand against her chin and leaning on the table.
"I've got a few candidates in mind." Kukui said with a sly smile, only for Nanu to interject.
"Kukui, your candidates will probably all have the same qualifications as a fridge. They're warm and running." Nanu remarked, earning a stern look from Hala that was ignored. "Can they even beat the four Elite Four members fighting at their hardest?"
"That's up to the candidates to decide. I'll wait a bit longer to invite them up here to Mount Lanakila, but I have high hopes for them all." Kukui said to Nanu, who seemingly ignored the answer.
"I mean, in the worst case scenario we can just have Professor Kukui act as the interim Champion if none of them pass the test." Olivia said with a shrug, only for Kukui to sit down in his seat at last and shake his head.
"I refuse. It would be a detriment to the system I'm trying to establish for me to become Champion. I'm not going to hold that much power within Alola, and I'll have my own hands full being the Chairman of the Alola League." Kukui remarked bluntly as he crossed his arms. "I don't know how Geeta has enough hours in the day for all of that, but it's not a system I want to adopt. We should have a Champion who is free to engage with the people and act as a role model. They shouldn't have to handle the logistics of running the organization as well. That's what the League and its Chairman should be for respectively."
"Geeta does run a rather tight ship over there and as a whole her system works. But what works for Paldea and Top Champion Geeta may not work with Alola." Hala admitted gruffly, his mustache twitching slightly. "But yes, I do agree. Power should be spread out. The Elite Four acts as the will of the Champion and assists them in safeguarding the people, as well as being a beacon of hope in times of crisis. They should not be overwhelmed with other duties. This is why Acerola's replacement is so important."
Hala leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "And…that is also why within the next two years, I shall give up my position as an Elite Four member. I refuse to handle both of these duties and wield so much power."
There were several gasps at the table at this news, but Professor Kukui nodded. He had been anticipating something like that from Hala. The old man was in his mid-60's at this point and had done his duty as Kahuna for decades. He needed less stress, not more.
Olivia considered the wisdom in such a statement. Soon, Kahuna of Akala Island nodded at the words of Hala. "I agree. Alola shouldn't have its leaders spread thin. I'll consult Tapu Lele in regards to seeking out another Trainer to take up the mantle of Kahuna and see what it thinks. If that's not possible, I'll also give up my position here. I'll probably give it longer than two years, but I'll hold both positions until we have a suitable replacement for me."
"Thankfully for us, Nanu can remain the Kahuna for a nice long time since I'm helping out! Ain't that right Uncle Nanu?" Acerola chirped, looking at the Kahuna in question. Nanu didn't respond verbally, but his right eye twitched a few times.
"And I don't have any positions beside this, so you won't have to worry about anything with me." Kahili remarked with a shrug, though she did smirk at Nanu. "It's a shame Bulu hasn't chosen a successor for you."
Nanu opened his mouth, but Acerola reached over to him and covered it with his hand. Nanu glared at Kahili with the intensity of someone wishing violent pain upon another before glancing at Acerola, who nodded and removed her hand.
"Go fuck yourself." Nanu said immediately, swatting aside the hand from Acerola while others at the table laughed, including Kahili herself.
"I have someone else to do that for me, so there's no need." Kahili joked, causing Molayne to sputter at the comment while Olivia's eyes flashed with interest.
"Ooooh, you finally found someone? I thought you would fly solo forever!" Olivia joked, causing Kahili to smirk in response.
"I'll keep the details private, but to answer the question yes. I have a boyfriend, and I'm keeping it on the downlow. If word gets out, I'm hitting you with my 9 iron. Anyways, let's get back to the matter at hand. Who should be Inaugural Champion if it's not going to be Kukui? We kinda need a direct answer here." Kahili asked, raising an eyebrow as she glanced around the room. The group of Trainers went completely silent, realizing that they didn't have a clear answer.
"Maybe one of the Captains could rise to the challenge? It's easier to find a replacement for them than a Kahuna." Olivia said with a smile, reflecting on how proud she would be if any of her Captains became Champion of the Alola region.
"Heh. I'll probably be challenging for the title myself at some point. It sounds like a fun challenge." Molayne admitted, earning a snort of amusement from Kukui.
"I can't wait to see what our Champion will be like. I'm so pumped!" Acerola cheered excitedly, doing a fist pump.
"Are the Kahunas free to challenge for the title? I'd like to test my strength against you all, if that's alright." Hapu asked Kukui, who gave the new Kahuna a thumbs up.
"You know, Nanu, you'd make for an interesting Champion yourself. After all, you used Radiance on that Ultra Beast. Maybe that's a sign that you're destined for bigger and better things." Molayne said with a small smile, earning a withering look of sheer apathy from the Kahuna in question.
"Not a chance." Nanu bluntly replied, narrowing his gaze and causing Molayne to shrink back. Kahili noticeably glared at the Kahuna with annoyance before schooling her expression into a more neutral stare.
"Well now, that depends whether or not Tapu Bulu demands you take on the mantle of Champion, now doesn't it? After all, you've gotta listen to your Tapu, don't you?" Kukui said with a smirk as he leaned forward, staring Nanu in the eyes directly. For several long moments there was dead silence as the two men stared at each other. And then…
"I want to die, so I'm going home." Nanu said as he walked out of the room, holding both of his hands in the air and giving dual-middle fingers to everyone as he walked out. Kukui grinned in victory while several of the others looked bewildered at the sudden response.
"Should we stop him?" Hapu asked, somewhat concerned.
"Oh, he says that at the end of every Kahuna meeting we have. He's not going anywhere." Hala gruffly answered, though his tone indicated that he wasn't amused by the remark. Acerola wasn't either, if her somewhat strained smile was an indicator.
"Maybe we should push this discussion to another day and brainstorm." Kukui said as he got up from his chair. "I've got to head to another League meeting in a few days and I don't have a lot of time to prepare for it. Once I'm back, we can figure out the Champion details. I would like everyone's suggestions on candidates first before I reveal who I'm thinking of, so as not to influence anyone."
"I vote to abstain!" Nanu called from the hallway, earning a furious expression from Kukui as he made a violent gesture in Nanu's direction.
"I was wondering how long he'd take Nanu's shit before snapping." Hala chuckled softly to himself while Kukui stormed out of the room, apparently intent on giving Nanu a piece of his mind.
"Let's take a break, everyone. For all we know our League Chairman might be in jail on murder charges by the end of the day." Olivia said with a sigh, leaning forward in her chair to rest her forehead against her hands. Several of those assembled laughed at the comment while Acerola scurried out of the room to see if she could prevent her adoptive uncle from getting elbow-dropped by an angry Professor.
NEXT TIME: We get an update on how some of the other members of the cast are faring! Meanwhile, Sun and Lillie continue their trek through the Vast Poni Canyon, where Lillie must face her very own Trial!
No Q & A this time, so I'll simply roll into my wrap-up. It feels so crazy that after all this time, we're finally at Vast Poni Canyon. I'm gonna do my damndest to make sure it lives up to the hype.
As always, make sure to review, favorite/follow the story if you haven't already and show your support! It really helps motivate and keep me going.
I also have a Pokémon Scarlet fic known as "Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet" available to read on this site and AO3. Any and all support from this story to that story (which is in the same universe as RS) is greatly appreciated. i might have some fun crossover-future surprises showing up in the near future in that fic too!
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!