Pokémon Radiant Sun

Howdy folks. Hope you're all doing well.

This one took a bit longer than planned, but March has been a very busy month for me. Hopefully that means April and onwards will slow down a bit, but I'm not holding my breath. Especially since there's a multitude of amazing games and expansions coming out in the next few months that'll be battling for my attention on top of my usual nonsense.

The struggle is indeed real.

But you didn't come here to deal with my rambling, so let's get to the fun part. Shoutout to RC-DA and two new reviewers that go by WyldClaw and Sacredbeats! Thanks for the support and feedback you legends!

Enjoy!

Chapter 173: Lillie's Trial! Bridging the Gap!

Later That Evening…

Aether Paradise

Aether Branch Chief Julia Wicke couldn't help but smile as she watched the newest batch of arrivals to the Paradise quietly eat their food from within the Pokémon ICU Wing of the Paradise. The five badly-injured Pokémon had been sent to them a few weeks ago by Captain Ollie, courtesy of Sun and Lillie. They had finally begun to relax in their new environment, where they wouldn't have to fear for their lives any longer.

When Geoff's team (minus Charcoal the Infernape) were called out of their Poké Balls, Wicke had actually screamed in horror at the state of their abuse. Then after getting filled in by Gladion and Ollie about how Geoff treated his Pokémon, the woman seriously considered asking Ollie to drag what was left of Geoff back to the Paradise so that she could kill him herself.

"I doubt their experience with that scumbag won't leave scars, but at least they're safe now."

Wicke turned around and saw Gladion walk into the room with Demi, with the two of them holding hands. Wicke smiled at the young couple, inwardly giddy that Gladion and Lillie both had found such supportive partners in their time away from the abusive home that they had fled.

Gladion and Demi stopped next to the observation window and stared at the Pokémon for several long moments before finally the newly-installed President of the Aether Foundation added, "I was tempted to let my Lucario come and talk with them for a while. I don't know if it's a good idea though. These guys were used to abusing each other under the orders of that maniac…might bring up some bad memories."

"Let's ask your Lucario and then go from there. If anything, it'll help them relax knowing that someone that they know can vouch for us being people that they can trust." Wicke responded with a smile, causing Gladion to nod.

"It's scary." Demi muttered, watching as the Hippowdon that Geoff had nicknamed Turdo quietly ate its Sitrus Berries, carefully wrapped bandages around its face covering where its missing eye should've been. "I know there's awful people out there who abuse Pokémon, and the guy was a major jerk when we met him, but this…this is just disgusting."

"Apparently he had a track record of this crap even before we encountered him." Gladion growled, crossing his arms angrily. Demi looked confused, so Wicke explained.

"He's the younger cousin of Lucian, the Psychic-type specialist of the Sinnoh Elite Four. This Geoff character has been using his cousin's good-standing and reputation to wriggle out of trouble for years. From what Captain Ollie mentioned to me, Lucian himself is beyond incensed and wants Geoff dragged back to Sinnoh in chains." Wicke said as she watched the form of Drowner the Floatzel stared blankly at the wall, a haunted expression on his face.

"He got what was coming to him. If I was Lucian, I'd find a way to make sure Geoff didn't survive the trip back home." Gladion practically growled before Demi stepped forward and hugged him, calming him down somewhat.

"We shouldn't talk about things like that." Wicke chided the boy gently, causing him to sigh in response. "They're now in our care and we'll help them however we can. Instead we should focus on dinner and getting a good night's rest so we can tackle tomorrow with our best foot forward."

"Dinner sounds good. Can we have steak?" Demi asked hopefully, making Wicke giggle before the Branch Chief nodded. Demi fist-pumped victoriously, but Gladion looked at Wicke with a thoughtful frown.

"Actually, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping us with something before then." Gladion said to Wicke, who crooked an eyebrow. "Colress has been skipping meals and barely sleeping this past week. He's still taking what happened really hard. Can you talk to him? You're better with people than I am and Demi doesn't really know him well enough to help."

"That guy's crazy cool but also kind of mysterious. I can't figure him out at all." Demi agreed, shrugging her shoulders. Wicke chuckled softly at the remark, but agreed to accompany the teens as they set off to try and find Colress. Eventually the trio discovered the scientist on the recently rebuilt path that led to the President's Mansion, gazing out to sea and watching the sunset.

"Colress! There you are." Wicke called out, catching the man's attention. His expression was outwardly friendly, but there were bags under his eyes and it was obvious that he hadn't been sleeping, like Gladion had said. "We were hoping you would have time tomorrow to check on the batch of Pokémon Sun asked us to help out. Your perspective on these things has always been invaluable."

"Are they settling in alright?" Colress asked in his usual, smooth voice. However there was a note of strain to it that both Wicke and Gladion knew wasn't there before the climactic battle within the Paradise. And not the one involving Team Skull or President Lusamine.

When Branch Chief Faba had unleashed the last remaining Umbral Pokémon upon his enemies in a last-ditch effort to stop them from helping Sun stop Lusamine, it had resulted in a terrible and bloody battle. The terrible Pandora, an Umbral Medicham capable of rational thought, had taken every shred of combined power that Colress, Jackal, Wicke and Ashton Aupuni could muster to be taken down.

The battle resulted in multiple casualties within the Aether Paradise, but also resulted in the demise of Deoxys. The Legendary Pokémon had been a close friend and ally of Ashton Aupuni, who was devastated at the loss of such a loyal companion. He was determined to find a way to repair the crystalline heart of Deoxys, which was currently severely damaged, but that was beyond their capabilities at the moment.

Another fatality was that of Colress' Absol, Dusk, who Colress had acquired for further study into Mega Evolution. Dusk had come from an abusive Trainer as well, and after Colress became her Trainer, the Absol had become devoted to the strange scientist who had all but saved her.

In the aftermath of the all-out war within Aether Paradise, Colress had become almost obsessive in his efforts to press on and stay busy. All the while struggling with his newfound capacity to feel the emotions he had always lamented being unable to express.

"They're doing well enough. They'll all be undergoing surgery and more intensive treatment in the morning, but we've done what we can to make them comfortable until we can operate on them." Wicke explained to Colress, who nodded. Demi and Gladion exchanged a brief glance, with Demi nodding at her boyfriend.

"I'll leave you both to it. Goodnight." Gladion said as he walked away, still holding hands with Demi. Wicke watched the young man depart with a fond smile before turning towards Colress.

"You both don't need to check up on me. I'm not some invalid, Julia." Colress remarked as his smile faded, replaced with a frown. Such a thing would have been impossible to see on the face of Colress before recent events.

"I understand that. But this is something I would do no matter which one of my friends this was. You're cared for and we want to support you just as you have us." Wicke said gently as Colress stared back at her with an even expression. "Dusk's death is hitting you hard. Losing a friend is a terrible thing. Losing a Pokémon may just be worse."

"It's not just me losing Dusk…Something in me broke that day. And I can feel the combined sorrow for all of the countless deaths suffered at the hands of Borlath and his insanity. I grieve for my friends in Unova who fell to Amber and Ein's cruelty. I grieve for the pain poor Sun went through even as he and Laura tried to flee Kanto to escape Ashton Aupuni." Colress said in a low voice, the anger palpable within its depths.

"Vivian and Noah…my two dear friends who I had battled alongside many times. Both brutally murdered, and I was unable to help them both." Colress continued, his hands trembling now as the carefully held-back emotions threatened to break forth. "Noah was hoping that once the Cipher outbreak was done, he could propose to Vivian and ask her to marry him. Did you know that?"

"Life is unfortunately full of these moments, Colress. It's part of living." Wicke said to the man, who regarded her carefully despite the tempest raging within. "Whatever was wrong with you, whatever mental barrier there was that kept you from feeling that pain is gone. Now you can feel it. There's no shame in hurting. No shame in being angry and sad for the horrible path you and your friends walked in trying to stop Cipher."

Colress considered the Branch Chief's words for several long moments before he continued speaking. "And then there was Dusk…my Absol. I rescued her from an abusive Trainer. Thankfully not one as terrible as Geoff, but still quite a nasty piece of work." Colress went on, with Wicke listening with rapt attention. "I initially saw her as a valuable way to further my studies. Utilizing the power of the bond between a Pokémon and their Trainer to bring out their true potential. The fact that I could Mega Evolve her fairly early on was a testament to how highly she regarded me. But to me, she was simply a Pokémon I cared for, like the others. I cared for their welfare and treated them with kindness, but I never truly felt the bond that Trainers like Gladion or Sun feel for their Pokémon."

Colress let out a sharp exhale before inhaling deeply, trying to calm his newfound emotions. Wicke stepped forward and put a comforting hand on the man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Colress. Truly. And if you ever need to talk or simply need someone by you side, simply say the word. Your friends are with you." Wicke said gently, her voice warm with kindness that Colress didn't feel like he deserved.

"Thank you, Julia. Truly." Colress looked over his shoulder at the woman with a wan smile. "Perhaps tomorrow we can discuss some of the recent events in detail. Perhaps even bring Jackal along for some additional insight. He's someone with plenty of experience in overcoming hardships and grief, after all."

Wicke could only nod at that. She knew of the man's history since he was also an International Police operative, and it was harrowing to say the least. Colress leaned forward and gripped the railing of the bridge, bowing his head.

"For tonight, however, I ask to be left alone. I need to put my thoughts in order. If I don't, I feel like I'll go insane. It's so strange…I can understand why Ashton became so angry. So bitter at the world while dealing with the struggles of loss. And the fear that he would lose those he could not bear to live without." Colress' words were a haunted murmur, but he smiled regardless. "I shall forge on. Dusk shall never leave me, nor will any of the wonderful friends and allies who trusted me with safeguarding the future. Cipher has been defeated and Aether Paradise has been purged of its rot. I won't give up now."

"Good." Wicke responded, smiling faintly as she lowered her hand. She considered saying something else, but realized what Colress needed was time for himself to process things. Grief was hard enough for the average person. For someone who had never truly felt it before, and now could? It was unimaginable. "I still expect you to eat something tonight and join us for breakfast tomorrow. If you don't, I'll have Gladion send Type: Null to wake you up."

"Hmmm…" Colress didn't respond verbally, only humming quietly as Wicke departed. The scientist continued to stare out into the horizon, watching the sun cast a cascade of orange, pink and blue across the night sky. His hands never left the glass pendant that was now wrapped around his neck.

Colress had chosen to cremate his fallen Pokémon and have the ashes be made into a pendant. Something he could keep with him, as Colress knew that's what Dusk would have wanted.

"Don't forget…I'm with you in the dark." Colress murmured, closing his eyes and allowing the emotion to come forth. The crushing grief and the agony of losing someone precious.

But to someone who had gone without such emotions for so long, only for severe stress and loss to suddenly shatter the emotional dams within his psyche…this was priceless. Because it reminded him that he was truly human after so many years of thinking he was some kind of broken monster. And it meant, more importantly, that Dusk had truly mattered to him.

Colress mourned the death of Dusk the Absol long after the sun had fallen. Long after his tears had run dry and his eyes ached. But it was a sorrow he was, oddly enough, happy to lose himself in.

Because it meant that Colress was truly alive.

The Next Morning…

Vast Poni Canyon

Sun and Lillie packed up camp early that morning, with Sun finding a Revive in the grass right before the group continued through the canyon. Throughout the morning his team had been picking fights with the local wildlife, so they were already fired up and ready for more.

The group made their way across a rock bridge and barely walked along a narrow cliff, with Oliver and Penny making sure that the two humans were perfectly safe as they sidled along the edge.

Once they had reached a safe place that wasn't inches from a deadly fall, Sun and Lillie promptly sat their butts down and took a long break to calm their nerves. Lillie also made note of the strange pillar that marked the entrance to another cave, which meant that they were on the right path.

Within the cave itself there was a small side path that allowed them to press forward, avoiding another rocky stretch of the cave that would have required summoning another Ride Mudsdale to traverse. That was when the couple encountered another Trainer, a smiling Hiker.

"If you climb mountains, there's so much you need to know about them - the Pokémon that live there and the Trainers you'll meet!" Hiker Zachary called to them, standing behind the Archeops he had sent out. Sun marveled at the ancient bird for a few moments, grinning at it with an awed expression before sending in Alastor.

The First Bird Pokémon rushed at Alastor and attacked with a Crunch, but Alastor swiftly dealt with it using a Stone Edge. When Hiker Zachary sent out a Rampardos, Sun had Alastor use Dig in order to avoid the Zen Headbutt that was heading his way.

Alastor promptly one-shot the massive dinosaur Pokémon upon emerging from the ground and Sun collected his winnings, feeling rather proud.

However, Hiker Zachary had a last parting comment. "Totem Pokémon seem to guard the favorite places of the Tapu - the Guardian Deities."

"Well, we already knew that." Lillie muttered quietly, considering that fact. Over the past few months, it had been well-established that the Totem Pokémon locations were all places that the Tapu considered sacred, which also were high in the radiation that came out of Ultra Wormholes. It was how the Totem Pokémon were able to call upon Z-Power on their own.

Suffering…I am suffering…

Sun and Lillie tensed as a terrible chill settled over them all, but for once, they weren't held in place. The group looked around in confusion as a weary sigh brushed past them all. Sun looked at Lillie with a confused expression, while Lillie herself just looked somewhat annoyed.

"It's been days of this…when you're done being creepy and ominous, let us know!" Lillie called out, her voice reverberating off of the stone walls of the cave.

Go…to hell…

"At least whatever the hell it is can…kind of be sentient?" Sun remarked, genuinely quite baffled by proceedings. Lillie grabbed Sun's hand and continued walking on, not letting the spooky voice ruin her day of traveling with her boyfriend. By the end of the day, the group had emerged from the cave and found themselves outside, making camp under the stars once more.

On the morning of the ninth day since entering Vast Poni Canyon, Sun found another small hole that led to another stretch of the Vast Poni Canyon, and very quickly found himself battling another Trainer who was waiting down a side path.

"I like Pokémon! I like battling! I like using moves! And I love winning!" Veteran Lynn declared as she sent out a Starmie. Sun sent out Oliver and he promptly dealt with the Mysterious Pokémon with a single Leaf Blade.

Lynn returned her Starmie and sent out a Talonflame, and Sun returned his Decidueye and sent out Brago. The Arcanine managed to tank several Acrobatic attacks and with some Returns, brought down the fiery bird.

The Veteren's final Pokémon was a Shiinotic, which Sun figured would be an easy knock-out. However it somehow tanked a Fire Blast from Brago, and retaliated with Spore. Despite almost a full minute of desperate pleas from Sun, the Arcanine remained asleep and was brought down by several Moonblasts from the mushroom Pokémon.

Sun smirked at the Shiinotic defying the odds and taking down his Arcanine, but he also was ready to win. He sent out Penny, who flew above another Spore blast and hit the Shiinotic with Fly, securing the win.

The group chose that time to take another break, healing up Brago and making sure everyone was ready for another push as the sun hung high in the air. Sun acquired the help of a Ride Mudsdale to traverse the rough terrain and eventually encountered another Ace Trainer. Brago made quick work of their Lilligant and Weavile with a Fire Blast and a Flame Burst.

After spotting yet another hole that they crawled through, Sun and Lillie were surprised to find just a large clearing where they found a TM for Dazzling Gleam. The young couple also realized that they had come to a dead end, and would need to backtrack to where they had been at the start of the day.

Sun and Lillie chose that moment to break for lunch, enjoying the quiet and wondering aloud what was going on with the weird voice that kept speaking to them.

The group spent a few hours backtracking to what they realized was the main path, and eventually reached the cave exit that they had been at the start of the day. Sun decided to just have the group camp at the same spot. The next morning swiftly came, with Lillie feeling especially excited to start the day.

"We're getting closer, Sun! Let's give today our best effort!" Lillie said brightly as she picked up her backpack, giving him a smile that made the boy's heart almost stop. He settled for pulling her into a hug, causing Lillie to giggle and respond by wrapping her arms around her boyfriend and sighing quietly as she practically melted into the embrace.

"I love hugging you."

"And I love getting hugged by you."

And for a while the two of them just stood there, enjoying the peace and quiet. At least until Oliver got bored and fired an arrow that whizzed by Sun's ear, causing him to jump and let out a terrified yelp.

"You both can mate later, we have things to do." Oliver hooted as he walked past the two blushing humans.

"We're too young for that!" Sun yelled at the owl as Lillie continued to hide her face in her hands in embarrassment. The Decidueye chuckled as Penny soared past him, giving him a smile before taking off into the sky.

"Speak for yourself, Alpha." Brago remarked with a smirk, knowing full-well what he did to Professor Kukui's prized Ninetales, who had become his mate.

Meanwhile at Mount Lanakila…

"For some reason I feel…angry. At Sun's goddamn Arcanine in particular." Kukui remarked quietly as he looked up from his pancakes, his eyes narrowing as the Elite Four looked at him with confused expressions.

"It's probably just gas." Hala remarked with a casual shrug, causing Acerola to snort violently and spray orange juice over the table while Kahili smirked silently. Olivia just sighed and went to grab some paper towels while Kukui glared at his teacher in embarrassment.

"Which reminds me! I actually got a text from Professor Kukui this morning about Winter!" Lillie suddenly exclaimed, her eyes widening with excitement as she turned to Brago. "Winter laid four Eggs yesterday!"

"Four?" Sun remarked with amazement, thinking about how big Pokémon Eggs could be. Meanwhile the father of the eggs was smiling widely with excitement, his tail wagging.

"I wish I could see her now!" Brago practically barked, looking skyward with a wistful expression. He then shook his head and looked to Sun meaningfully. The boy was looking at his Pokémon with an apologetic expression, but before Sun could say anything Brago licked him on the cheek and turned to face the path ahead.

"This world isn't safe until our mission is complete. And then I will return to Winter victorious." Brago growled softly, holding his head with renewed pride.

About twenty minutes of walking later and the group drew closer to a drawbridge that was next to one of the ancient markers. Lillie wiped her forehead, smiling at Sun. "Phew…This canyon truly is a difficult path to walk. And you even make the Vast Poni Canyon seem like nothing at all, Sun!"

"That's because I've done more walking than you, Princess." Sun teased the girl, who smirked playfully and bumped into his side. She then looked at the drawbridge meaningfully.

Lillie then let go of Sun's hand and took several steps forward, stopping in front of the bridge. She then turned around, looking at him with a steely expression. "But you know what?" Lillie said quietly, her eyes gleaming with determination. "I've overcome my fears enough to even cross a high bridge like this one!"

Lillie glanced at the worn bridge that was easily several hundred feet above ground, ensuring a painful fall and an untimely death for those who lost their footing. Lillie stared at the bridge for a few moments before turning back to Sun. "I am not going to be afraid of heights anymore. Next time I should even be able to tackle that bridge on Mahalo Trial!"

"I'm sure that you can, Lillie." Sun said with an encouraging grin as Lillie beamed right back at her boyfriend.

"Watch this! This is my Trial!" Lillie proclaimed as she struck the pose for her Z-Powered Form. Her smile melted away into a fierce expression as she turned to face the rickety bridge.

So long ago, she could only stand on the sidelines while she begged a stranger to save Nebby. But Lillie had gone through so much since then. She had grown into a completely different person and learned just how strong she truly was.

Lillie calmly and confidently strode onto the bridge as Sun and as his team cheered her on. He knew he that should have joined her, but he knew that this was personal to his girlfriend. This was something she wanted to do under her own power.

It was at that moment Penny and Oliver caught sight of something and made a gesture to Sun, drawing his attention to it. Three Murkrow on a high ledge that were peering down at Lillie with interest.

Lillie froze as she heard the sound of a mischievous caw echo through the sky, but her expression was resolute as she ran further down the bridge. A small thud behind her caught her attention, and she looked back towards where Sun was standing only to find a Murkrow blocking her path. More caws from behind her drew her attention, and she looked forward only to see two Murkrow barring the way with sinister expressions on their faces.

"Alpha, should I-" Brago began to say, only for Sun to shake his head.

"She's got this." Sun muttered under his breath, even as every one of his Pokémon prepared themselves to leap into the fray to protect Lillie.

The girl stared down the two Murkrow for several long moments before she let out a pent-up breath, exhaling softly before she did a small fist pump…and then promptly sprinted right past the two surprised Murkrows without a trace of fear in her eyes!

By the time the trio of birds had realized what had happened, Lillie was already on the other side of the bridge.

"Well done, Lillie." Oliver said quietly, smiling at the girl beside his Trainer. The other Pokémon were likewise proud of the girl who had daringly confronted her fears head-on.

"There we go!" Brago barked out, grinning widely.

"Oh yeah! You did it!" Finn hollered, punching his fists excitedly into the air.

"She was great! She wasn't scared one bit!" Tetra cheered, beaming with joy at the girl's accomplishment.

"Those lowlifes barely even phased her. She's grown quite brave." Penny chirped, nodding in approval.

"She was defenseless, and yet those birds held no power over her." Alastor remarked, audible respect in his tone for the girl who had once been such a coward.

"Oh…" Lillie blinked several times, and after a few moments it dawned on her exactly what she had just accomplished all on her own. She heard the sound of Sun clapping proudly from the other side of the bridge and beamed over at him and his team while the Murkrow chirped at one another in confusion.

Sun returned his team and took several steps onto the bridge while Lillie waved excitedly at him. "Sun! I did it! I made it all the way across! I've cleared my Trial!"

"You were awesome, Lillie!" Sun said as he walked through the bewildered birds and pulled Lillie into a hug. She giggled and happily returned it before breaking the embrace and walking towards the small birds who had accosted her. She noticed with some concern that there were a multitude of half-healed injuries amongst them, with several feathers missing from their wings.

"You little troublemakers best be off, okay?" Lillie said to the trio of birds, who all seemed surprised that the girl wasn't angry with them. Sun took several steps back and called his team back out on the other side of the bridge before looking back towards Lillie.

"Look how far you've come Lillie…" Sun breathed as he watched the girl kneel down and pet each of the Murkrow without a trace of fear on her face. It was no small wonder that the three Pokémon had immediately become docile and now squawked happily at the girl.

They had recognized both Lillie's kindness and her power. She wasn't a Trainer, not yet, but she had the strength one. And that strength was recognized even by the powerful Pokémon that lived within the Vast Poni Canyon.

"I can't wait to see what else you can do. Seeing you free like this, being your best self and exploring your potential…this might be the best part of my Island Challenge." Sun admitted softly, causing Brago to laugh beside him.

"Yes, Alpha, we all know. You're madly in love." The Arcanine said with enough sarcasm to make Sun blush, especially when the others joined in and laughed.

Suddenly a fearsome screech erupted across the skies, catching their attention. Meanwhile on the bridge, Lillie blinked in surprise while all three Murkrow visibly tensed. It took several moments for them to spot a shining glint of what seemed to be metal zooming through the air. It was then Sun realized it was a bird.

"I think that's a Skarmory…" Sun remarked, eyeing the approaching bird with some apprehension. The Trainer then noticed something odd about the Murkrow as another screech from the Armor Bird Pokémon pierced the skies. Each of the smaller birds were visibly shaking, staring out at the metallic avian with fear in their eyes.

Lillie noticed this as well, and quickly connected the dots.

"I'm willing to bet that they've run into that one before." Lillie thought as the Skarmory let out another screech, but not before suddenly veering left and heading straight for the bridge. Sun tensed in surprise and horror as the Skarmory landed on the bridge with a harsh thud, shaking it violently. It leveled its harsh gaze upon the Murkrow, who all quailed at the gaze of the metallic bird.

"Shriaaaaa!" The Skarmory cried out menacingly

"You're the one who hurt these Murkrow…aren't you?" Lillie asked the Skarmory, who responding by snapping its beak in the girl's face. Lillie jerked back in surprise with a yelp, but refused to move from her spot. The Murkrow huddled behind the human girl who stared defiantly at the intimidating predator.

"Get out of here." Lillie ordered the Skarmory, who's eyes gleamed with amusement and malice. One of the Murrow chirped softly, staring up at the girl in amazement, as if surprised that she would dare stand up to such an intimidating predator.

"Shriiiaaa!" Skarmory screeched, flaring its metallic wings with edges that were sharp enough to slide through skin with ease. Still the girl held her ground, determined to protect the Murkrow even after they had tried to corner her on the bridge.

"Tetra! Dragon Launch!" Sun shouted from the other end of the bridge, causing Lillie to smirk at the Skarmory and stick her tongue out at it.

"I warned you." Lillie suddenly ducked and covered the trio of Murkrow with her body as the Skarmory let out another furious screech at being disrespected by the human girl. The metal bird prepared to drive its beak forward, only to have its beak clamped shut by a draconic claw wreathed in emerald flames speeding towards it with breakneck speed.

In fact, Tetra's power and speed were enough to where she managed to cross the bridge while dragging the Skarmory through the air. Once she crossed the bridge, she shifted her weight and slammed the Skarmory hard enough into the cliffside opposite of her team and left the bird embedded within the stone.

The Skarmory let out a cry of fury as Tetra released her claws from its beak, only for Tetra to blast it in the face with a point-blank Dragon Rage. The Skarmory broke free from the wall and fell senseless to the ground, with Tetra nodding down at the fainted bird before turning to her team. Lillie stood up and clapped her hands repeatedly while Sun grinned at her with pride. The Gabite beamed back at the humans and Pokémon who had become her family…

And then she began to glow.

Sun's breath caught as he watched a serene blue glow envelop his dragon, causing her to almost double in size as her fins elongated and body shifted and morphed. Tetra's evolution had everyone's undivided attention, with even the Murkrow watching in awe.

After several long seconds, the glow around Tetra faded, revealing a mighty dragon standing in her place. Every scale, claw and fang on the Garchomp that was once a Gabite radiated power and fury as she towered at well over six feet tall. Tetra growled softly as she looked down at her new body before turning towards the unconscious Skarmory she had defeated almost effortlessly.

"Pick on someone your own size next time." Tetra growled before turning away, stomping down the path.

"Amazing…she looks so cool." Sun muttered as Rotom Dex popped out of his backpack, floating merrily above his shoulder.

"Awww yeah! Bzzzzrt! Last party member evolution! And it'zzz a good one!" Rotom Dex cheered before floating in front of Sun with the appropriate entry.

"Garchomp. The Mach Pokémon and the final evolved form of Gible. The protuberances on its head serve as sensors. It can even detect distant prey. It can fly at speeds rivaling jet planes. It dives into flocks of bird Pokémon and gulps the entire flock down whole." Rotom Dex explained as a star-struck Sun stared at his Pokémon that had finally become a Garchomp, one of the most powerful of the Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon and the ace of Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia.

"That's still Tetra, right?" Lillie muttered in awe of the formidable Pokémon standing across from her on the bridge.

"Bzzzzrt! I should also inform you that Tetra learned Crunch!" Rotom Dex cheerfully pointed out, snapping Sun out of his daze before smiling at Tetra. The Garchomp kicked off of the ground and used Aerial Ace to easily traverse the bridge without landing on it once, her new form allowing her to fly without effort. She landed roughly on the ground, glancing around with a surprised expression.

"Whoa…" the Garchomp muttered softly, admiring her own claws and glancing around at her new form. "You're all much smaller now. It's weird."

"I bet! You're a Garchomp now, Tetra! You reached your final evolutionary stage!" Lillie praised the dragon, who looked confused for a moment as the three Murkrow cawed loudly, seemingly congratulating the dragon for evolving.

"You look really tough, now!" Finn boomed, laughing loudly as Tetra considered that fact. The newly-evolved dragon closed her eyes, thinking hard for several long moments.

"I can really do anything now. I'm all big now!" Tetra responded, opening her eyes and giving the ones who she called her family a bright smile of happiness. Despite the sharp row of fangs and how much larger and scarier she looked overall, the effect was the same as it had been when Tetra was a Gible. There was nothing but kindness and a love for all of them in her golden eyes and her smile.

Sun grinned and hugged his newly-evolved Garchomp, who happily hugged back her Trainer and lifted him into the air with ease. Tetra giggled as Sun laughed with delight, overjoyed and so proud of the once-timid Gible who had grown up so much in such a short amount of time. Lillie watched the display with her hands over her heart, beaming at them as Tetra set down her Trainer.

"How do you feel?" Brago asked Tetra, who hummed softly before she held out her claws, igniting them with Dragon Claw. The flames that burst forth from the move seared with an intensity that they hadn't before, and Tetra giggled as she swiped at a nearby rock, effortlessly ripping straight through it.

"Good. Really good. I'll have to learn to be careful though." Tetra remarked, nodding as she ended the move and let out a fierce roar that echoed into the canyons. She lowered her head and gave another joyful smile to everyone else matched. "But I feel complete. Like this is what I was meant to be!"

"Good. Channel that power and let our enemies fear your smile." Penny said with a smile of her own, causing the happy dragon to beam back at the Toucannon.

"Looks like we're all doing amazing things now." Sun said warmly to all of them, his gaze drifting to Lillie. "You were something else out there, Princess."

Lillie beamed at Sun, looking excited again as she remembered what she had just done before the Skarmory interrupted things. "I completed my first Trial! Amazing, right, Sun?"

"Yeah!" Sun agreed, raising his hand into the air and allowing Lillie to high-five it, with his girlfriend laughing delightedly. Lillie quickly healed up Tetra, making a comment on how thoroughly she had prepared and reassuring Sun that she was ready to heal his team whenever they needed it. She wasn't sure about the Max Repels, but that's what Sun and his team were for.

"But it's really thanks to you, Sun…You're the reason why I've come so far!" Lillie remarked, laughing sheepishly before she leaned against her boyfriend. "Still, I think I'll take a little rest here, if that's okay. I'm afraid my legs are still shaking!"

Sun laughed and kissed her on the cheek, giving Lillie a full hour to rest and relax beside the entrance to the cave. The Murkrow lingered nearby, happily chatting with Oliver and Penny and excitedly gesturing with their wings towards Lillie. According to Oliver, the dark birds were extremely thankful for the help and were amazed at Lillie's bravery. Soon enough, their trek through the Vast Poni Canyon was back underway.

The group continued onwards into the next cave, with Lillie bidding her new Murkrow friends goodbye. The group was now bolstered by Tetra's evolution and Lillie's courage in crossing the bridge and protecting the Murkrow from Skarmory, another example of just how far the girl had come over the course of her adventures with Sun and his team.

Despite the challenges that awaited them, their spirits were burned brighter than ever.

NEXT TIME: Our heroes finally have a discussion with the mysterious Voice…

Now Sun has his full-evolved team and we continue our march through the Vast Poni Canyon! Man, it's wild to see that we're finally getting towards the end of his journey. But there's still plenty of chapters left before we say goodbye, so let the good times keep rolling!

Q & A

From: RC-DA

Nanu quoting Ishigami? Why does that work so well? And now I can't stop imagining the rest of that committee as the other four of that group.

You have no idea how happy I am that someone caught "Kaguya-sama: Love is War" reference. Genuinely put a smile on my face. And yeah, the Alola Elite Four does have some of the same dynamics, doesn't it? Honestly, I'm just having fun writing Nanu. He and Guzma have the most out of pocket lines and it's a blast having them in any chapter.

That's all for now, everyone. 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 as I work to finish this insanely long story.

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. The two stories can and will be crossing over in the near-future!

Take care and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!