Pokémon Radiant Sun
Sitting here and writing this AN is a weird thing.
I'm almost 90% done with this story. The home stretch awaits me after this chapter that concludes the Aether story and closes the book on of the most interesting plot-lines a mainline Pokémon game has thrown at me. And here we are.
Let's not waste any time.
Shoutout to the fabulous people who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, BraviaryScout, General C, Oragonking and a Guest reviewer. You all are wonderful and I appreciate you immensely!
Enjoy.
Chapter 179: Aether Arc Finale: Coup de Grâce
Many Years Ago…
Aether Paradise, President's Mansion
Lusamine leaned back into her chair, listening to the gentle patter of rain. She had retired to her private office for the day and had no appointments that required her attention. Her morning had been fairly light, but today was a time of bad memories and after asking Faba to repeat himself for the third time because she had been lost in thought, Wicke finally put her foot down. The Assistant Branch Chief had instructed the President to get some rest, and so Lusamine went to her office and was lost in thought within moments. Because today was an anniversary for Lusamine of the most twisted kind.
"Three years ago today, I lost you. Oh Mohn…you wonderful, foolish man." Lusamine murmured, closing her eyes as a tear flowed down her pale face. It had been three years since that terrible accident, and her darling husband was lost to Ultra Space. And with that, Lusamine had become a single mother tasked with leading the Aether Paradise and raising two children.
Some days were harder than others. Jackal had been insistent on cutting contact with everyone so that the smear campaign against him wouldn't target the Aether Foundation and Ashton was overseas with his own child. He had been heartbroken by the loss of Mohn too, even if he sent the occasional gift for Lillie and Gladion over the years. Becoming the head of a technology company that rivaled Silph Co. kept him rather busy these days.
But selfishly, Lusamine wished her friends were here. Maybe then the burden she was shouldering, as well as her grief, would be just that little bit easier to bear. With that thought, Lusamine's tears became a steady flow as she reflected on everyone she had lost in life. Her Partner, Adele the Delphox. Tommy. Hina. Roran, before his evil was revealed. And now her sweet Mohn.
Lusamine let out a sob of despair. "Sometimes I wish I could…find my own paradise. Just for me. A world where I wouldn't have to think anymore. No pain. No sorrow. Only bliss and love-"
"Mama…why are you crying?"
Lusamine looked up from her desk, frantically wiping away the tears at the small innocent voice that had asked her a question. She hadn't even noticed her daughter peeking her head into the room, a concerned look in her eyes. Lillie entered the room, tentatively walking towards her Mother. She was wearing a fancy white sundress with blue ribbons up the sides, with her hair expertly done by Lusamine's own hands. The Aether President had always loved styling her daughter's hair ever-so-perfectly.
"Lillie! Sweetie, you know you're not supposed to just walk into places. Y-you're supposed to knock first." Lusamine said firmly, even as her voice broke.
"I heard crying. I was worried about you. I'm sorry." Lillie said as she bowed her head, and any annoyance or anger within Lusamine evaporated instantly. The Aether President lowered her head, knowing that she had begun to spend more and more time researching Cosmog and its powers rather than spend time with her children. She should be the one apologizing to Lillie, not the other way around.
"That's alright, dear. I know you did it because you care. Come here. Mama's had a bad day and needs a hug." Lusamine said to her little girl, who ran over to her mother and was scooped up into a warm embrace, getting set down onto the woman's lap.
"I love you, little flower. Promise me that you'll never let me go…please." Lusamine whispered to her daughter, tears streaming down her face as the sorrow threatened to consume her completely. Lillie hugged her mother back tighter, not fully understanding why Lusamine was crying but determined to make things better. It was all the little girl wanted.
"I promise Mama! I love you!" Lillie said to the Aether President, who pulled away from Lillie and gave the girl a watery smile. Lusamine cupped the girl's cheek, making sure it wasn't with the hand that had touched the strange liquid that had stung her in Mohn's lab way back when. She'd be damned if anything marred the skin of her precious, perfect and beautiful little girl.
"I love you too, Lillie. So, so much. You're going to grow up and blossom into an amazing woman. I may not have Mohn anymore, but I have you and Gladion…we'll be okay. I'll be okay. And I'll protect you from anything and everything that wishes you harm, my darling." Lusamine vowed, kissing the girl on the forehead.
Lillie didn't quite understand that, but she leaned forward and hugged her mother again anyway. Lusamine chuckled and wrapped her arms around her daughter, finding some solace in the love of her little girl. Throughout all the pain, all of the heartbreak that her life had been…Lusamine was still standing, and she would do whatever she could to find her husband. She would breach Ultra Space and find the secrets within, and bring her children's father home.
For her family.
Present
Ultra Deep Sea
The first thing Sun became aware of when he regained consciousness was the sensation of his body feeling like it was thrown into a brick wall a hundred times. He then realized that it was very bright in the cavern that he was fighting in, and that was when it all came back to him.
"Lillie!" Sun thought with a gasp as he rolled onto his stomach so he could see. His eyes widened at what he saw taking place before him. Lillie standing in-between himself and Motherbeast Lusamine, a glare on her face and with Solgaleo at her side. The fierce expression on her face told him that she was absolutely focused on the fight at hand, even though she wasn't a Trainer.
"She's amazing…look at you, standing there. All on your own." Sun thought as he tried to stand up himself. Meanwhile, the battle between mother and daughter had finally begun.
"Get her, Nebby!" Lillie barked with all of the authority she could muster. In response, the Legendary Pokémon let out a fierce roar and lunged at Lusamine, who swept her tentacles through the air and summoned a row of rocky spires out of the ground.
"I will crush her…all of the hurt you've caused. I will repay you in kind!" Nebby roared furiously as he collided with Lusamine, sending her reeling backwards with a pained squeal, though she did manage to backhand the sun-lion with enough strength to send him flying across the room. Solgaleo landed harshly onto the ground not far away from Lillie, digging deeply into the rocky floor with a deep-throated growl of pure loathing at the monster who had tortured him. Who had caused his Mama and Papa so much pain and suffering.
Behind him, a wide-eyed Lillie was watching the exchange with a mounting sense of amazed horror. The girl snapped out of her daze and realized how quickly her heart was beating, and that her legs were noticeably trembling from just the brief clash between the Solgaleo and the Motherbeast. A clash between her beloved Nebby and the monster that had once been her mother, with Lillie commanding the beast of the sun. Two titans of incredible power, and Lillie was well within the blast radius.
Solgaleo shot forward again, his body shining with raw light as Lusamine unleashed a wave of lasers, blasting Solgaleo and forcing it to teleport away. Lusamine let out hiss of frustration, her eyes darting to Lillie before Nebby teleported back in front of Lusamine and fired off a beam of energy from his mouth that rocked the entire cavern.
"So strong…this is intense!" Lillie whispered as Lusamine's shrieks of pain and anger filled the cavern. Lillie felt she was completely out of her depth. The girl's legs threatened to give out at the sheer power reverberating through the air. She had remembered warnings from Professor Kukui, since he and Hala were often involved in helping rookie Trainers start their journeys. And that was when something occurred to her.
"This is why Trainers don't just catch the strongest Pokémon they can. They start with weak Pokémon when they themselves are inexperienced. They go through their journey, raising them to be stronger and grow with them." Lillie suddenly realized, thinking back to what she knew of Pokémon Trainers. Most times when they caught Pokémon too powerful for their skill-level, the Pokémon often didn't listen to their Trainers. It wasn't a matter of skill, it was a matter of experience.
Despite everything she and Nebby had been through, and even her own limited experience guiding Sun's team on occasion, Lillie was not a Pokémon Trainer. And handling a Pokémon of Solagelo's caliber, even for a short time, would take everything she had. Especially against a threat as mighty as the Motherbeast.
"Can I really control him? He's so angry. So powerful, now. Do I have the strength to do this?" Lillie whispered, her breath coming in gasps as she watched the lion and the monster lash out at one another. Nebby was taking several strong hits, with the Nihilego interfering as much as possible once again. It was clear Nebby needed her support.
And with that knowledge in hand, Lillie found her resolve.
"I just have to hold on! I have to be strong! I can…I can do this!" Lillie whispered as Nebby was knocked backwards by the Motherbeast's tentacles, flipping through the air and landing harshly onto the ground. Lillie winced and covered her face as some of the rocks from the landing pelted her. She lowered her hand and raised her head high.
I c-c-can lend you some support…accept this gift.
Lillie gasped as the voice of the Remnant spoke to her, and for a moment her head seared with pain. Then just as quickly, the pain faded, and she suddenly blinked in surprise at the sudden knowledge she had. Her vision flickered slightly, her body threatening to tumble over, but then she was completely fine.
"What did you do?" Lillie asked the entity, turning her attention back to the battle at hand as Nebby soared through the air, dodging the beams of energy. The Remnant sounded exhausted when it spoke again, though less strained as it had during the showdown against Lusamine's team.
I just…broke the code some more. Just a little. Y-you now have total knowledge of Solgaleo's moves and capabilities. You may lack the experience to control such a powerful beast for long, but Nebby's familiarity with you should be enough for it to obey your commands. You have to be strong and control Solgaleo through sheer willpower alone…Now get them, Lillie!
Lillie nodded, bolstered by the help given to her by the Remnant of MissingNo. And with that she called out to the Pokémon that called her Mama.
"Nebby! Let's show her what we can do! Sunsteel Strike!" Lillie called out to the Solgaleo, who growled softly as an almighty aura of pure sunshine erupted from the beast. Nebby leapt into the air and hung there for a moment, slowly becoming a shining fireball of energy before suddenly charging at Lusamine and colliding with her.
The Motherbeast roared in pain, flying across the room and slamming into the faraway wall with a mighty crunch. Nebby landed lightly on the ground, growling softly as the light surrounding the Legendary Pokémon dimmed to its previous level. Lusamine slowly pulled herself out from the wall, hissing in pain as the Nihilego trilled around her.
"SO…YOU DRAW YOUR BLADE AGAINST YOUR MOTHER…WHAT FOOLISHNESS! YOU TRULY THINK YOU CAN SUCCEED WHERE YOUR PRECIOUS SUN FAILED?" Lusamine sneered at her daughter, gesturing to the barely stirring form of Sun behind Lillie. The girl didn't fall for the taunt and kept her eyes on Lusamine, clenching her fists and focusing on her feelings. And what she wanted to convey to her mother in the only way that was left to the young woman.
Force.
"This is our strength. Together, we can do this!" Lillie called to Nebby, who looked at the girl and nodded in agreement. "All of our pain! Our love! Our anger! We'll take it all and show you how we feel, Mother! You will submit and we'll drag you back into the sunshine!"
"NEVER!" Motherbeast Lusamine hissed back, her body writhing with apoplectic fury. Solgaleo rushed at the Motherbeast, only for the Nihilego to blast him backwards with an array of Power Gems. Nebby roared in surprise as he was sent crashing down hard onto the stone floor.
Lillie cried out as Nebby twitched on the ground, and Lusamine continued to speak. "THE GAME IS DONE, MY DEAR LILLIE. IT'S DOWN TO YOU AND I. A CLASH OF WILLS! YOUR PATHETIC CREATURE AGAINST MY BEAUTIFUL BEASTS, AND ALL OF THE POWER I CAN MUSTER!"
"Nebby! Stand strong! Get back up!" Lillie called to her Pokémon, who rose with a fierce growl. Lusamine shook her head, her expression one that Lillie wasn't sure what to make of. It was a combination of anguish, disgust, anger, annoyance and confusion.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND…THE PAIN THAT I HAVE ENDURED! I HAVE EARNED MY SALVATION!" Lusamine shrieked at Lillie, who looked up at her Mother's face. She saw tears streaming down the golden eyes of Lusamine, and she wondered what they meant. "I NEVER WANTED THIS! YOU CHOSE TO FIGHT! YOU CHOSE TO COME AFTER ME! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE MADE ME DO, LILLIE!"
"And you chose this! You chose to hurt all of those people and then run away! Throw away your life's work and disgrace my father's name with your horrible acts! You have to answer for your crimes! You have to face the ones that you betrayed and cast aside like they were nothing!" Lillie shot back, her eyes sparkling with tears of righteous fury. "Your rebellious little flower has bloomed, Mother! And she's going to tear your paradise apart!"
"ROAAAAAAH!" Lusamine let out a primal roar in response to her daughter's defiant statement, causing the entire chamber to quake in her fury. Sun managed to push himself into a sitting position with a pained hiss.
"Kick her ass, Lillie!" Sun shouted to his girlfriend, causing her to glance back at him. Lillie nodded sharply, a smile of relief coming to her face that Sun was alright. She then turned back to the battle at hand and her expression became one of focus.
"Metal Claw!" Lillie barked at Solgaleo, who heeded the command of the young woman and rushed forward as the Nihilego attempted to stop the Legendary Pokémon. The shining beast swept its glowing claws and lashed out, tearing apart a Nihilego and batting aside another, earning a fearful squeal from the horde as they drifted away.
Lusamine screeched and the Nihilego THEN launched a volley of Venoshocks against the Solgaleo, who teleported into the air at Lillie's command and retaliated with a Flash Cannon attack. The Nihilego were blasted away, earning an annoyed growl from the Motherbeast. Lillie's legs trembled again, but she held firm.
"I have to be strong. I have to be brave! You can do this Lillie! They're all counting on you!" Lillie hissed at herself, nodding a few times as she determined her next move. "Zen Headbutt!"
The Solgaleo roared as the tip of his head glowed a bright blue color. It then rushed forward, smashing through the few Nihilego that had been bold enough to try and rush the sun-lion. Nebby battered them aside and flew at Lusamine, who swung with her tentacles and missed Nebby before getting knocked back once again as the lion struck. The Nihilego let out low croons, floating far away from the battlefield. Nebby affixed them a harsh glare before teleporting back to Lillie's side, with the young woman assessing the fight and trying to determine a course of action.
"They're scared! Okay, let's use this time wisely. Um…use Cosmic Power! Boost your defenses!" Lillie urged Nebby, who nodded at her command and closed his eyes. A pure light rippled along Solgaleo's body, boosting both of his defensive stats. Lusamine roared as the Nihilego suddenly surged forward, firing off a stream of lasers at Lillie directly.
"Flash Cannon!" Lillie gasped in surprise and thrust out a hand, a desperate command coming from her. Solgaleo stood his ground in front of Lillie and fired off a beam of raw power at the wave of attacks, punching through the Power Gems and blasting away the Nihilego. Lillie let out a shaky sigh of relief before looking at the Motherbeast, who was shaking in bewildered rage.
Lusamine suddenly flew forward, her tentacles glowing brightly before Nebby roared and dashed forward to meet her, his body shining with light.
"No! Nebby, come back here! Teleport!" Lillie shouted to the Solgaleo, who's eyes narrowed in anger. For several terrifying moments, Lillie was worried that the Legendary Pokémon would not heed her instructions. Finally, Nebby teleported with a soft wink of light and reappeared beside the only person in the world he could call Mama.
"I know you're angry. I am too…but we have to work together!" Lillie urged the Pokémon who embodied the sun. The Solgaleo turned to the young woman and nodded slowly at her before turning his attention to the Motherbeast.
"Laaaaa…" Nebby growled in a low rumble as Lillie rested a hand against his side.
"It's okay. I'm here with you." Lillie said gently to the mighty lion, who grunted softly before letting out a roar of defiance to the Motherbeast and her horde. "Now go, Nebby! Teleport to get close, and then use Iron Head!"
Nebby the Solgaleo teleported on the spot, reappearing in front of Lusamine as his head glowed a bright silver color. The sun-lion rammed Lusamine, who wrapped a tentacle around the Solgaleo and hurled him backwards, only for Nebby to teleport to the ground.
"YOUR LIGHT MEANS NOTHING BEFORE MY BEAUTY! FALL LIKE THE OTHERS, OH BEAST OF THE SUN!" Lusamine ordained as she let loose a stream of blue-colored lasers from her tentacles and swept them through the clearing, attempting to blast the Legendary Pokémon. Nebby moved quickly, dodging the blasts with his speed, as well as the occasional Teleport, but soon the Nihilego drifted closer to try and corner the sun-lion. Four of the Ultra Beasts charged up Power Gem while two others prepared to use Venoshock.
But Lillie was ready. "Dodge with Teleport and use Flash Cannon!" Lillie ordered the Legendary Pokémon as Lusamine's cackle filled the air. Solgaleo flickered and vanished, with the Nihilego floating past where the lion had been with confused trills. Lusamine then hissed as Solgaleo reappeared in front of her and blasted the Motherbeast in the face. Lusamine shrieked as she recoiled, slamming into the wall of the cave and shaking in pain as the woman within the monster grimaced. Several of her gems flickered alongside her tentacles before shattering into dust.
Meanwhile, Lillie's attention shifted to the horde that was once again approaching Nebby. The young woman realized she was hyperventilating, her heart beating wildly with fear and excitement. With a deep inhale of breath, Lillie drew upon her willpower and let out a smooth exhale to calm herself down…and then issued her command.
"Solar Beam! Sweep through the horde!" Lillie shouted as she thrust out a hand, with Solgaleo's body shining bright even as Lusamine sent another wave of blue stones directly at the sun-lion. Nebby teleported high into the air to dodge the attack before sweeping the beam through the sky, blasting back Lusamine but also knocking away the Nihilego horde with the power of the sun focused into one attack. Lusamine drooped down towards the ground, shaking violently as the few remaining Nihilego tried desperately to blast the shining lion out of the air.
"One more t-time…Zen Headbutt!" Lillie shouted as Nebby landed on the ground and charged at Lusamine. The worn-down Motherbeast snarled as she tried to swat at the majestic beast, but Nebby teleported away from the attack and rushed her, slamming into the monstrosity and knocking her to the ground.
"Stay! Down! Please, Mother!" Lillie begged the exhausted Lusamine, who slowly drew herself upright with a menacing hiss of loathing.
By this point, Sun had managed to get to his feet and had limped over to Lillie's side. The Trainer was simply amazed that Lusamine had enough spite left in her to keep trying to attack. He was snapped out of his musings when Solgaleo growled softly beside them.
"Enough is enough…" Nebby intoned as a fierce light enveloped the Legendary Pokémon, an intense warmth washing over Sun and Lillie as the Solgaleo leapt into the air.
The Motherbeast unleashed another wave of beams at the sun-lion, but like before, Nebby repulsed them with a wave of energy and a savage roar. Solgaleo then lowered his head, revealing the glowing sigil that was its third eye in the same way he had when he opened a path to Ultra Space. The Motherbeast hissed and pulled back her tentacles, readying another attack. The abomination then let out a gasp as Solgaleo let out a booming ethereal roar, with a pulsating shockwave of sunlight erupting towards the Motherbeast and striking her directly.
Sun and Lillie cried out in surprise as the Motherbeast fell back, with Nebby's power coursing through her and causing the woman to shriek in pain as a blinding flash of light erupted outwards from her. The young couple winced as a shockwave of force blew past them, kicking up some dirt and threatening to knock Sun over if Lillie hadn't grabbed him at the last moment. Meanwhile, Nebby landed lightly on the ground with a huff.
Lusamine was now standing on the ground, her body weighing her down as the tentacles tried to push her back up, only to tremble. The trio watched on silently as Lusamine's eyes snapped open again, her yellow eyes flickering around the chamber with alarm. She then seemed to get a second wind, because she launched herself smoothly back into the air and flashed a cruel smile at all of them.
And then a pure, purple light flowed outwards from the outer part of her body, and Lusamine's smile vanished. The Motherbeast frantically looked at her tentacles with an expression of growing horror as the light continued to build and build, with beams of light pouring from the Mothebeast's body. A second blinding flash filled the room, and then everything fell silent…
A faint cooing sound was the first thing any of them heard. Then the light finally faded away, revealing that the Motherbeast was no more. The Nihilego that Lusamine had initially caught and fused with now drifted upwards with a strangled squeal, floating higher and higher until an explosion of light suddenly enveloped the Ultra Beast, coming from the Beast Ball that had somehow materialized beside it. The Nihilego was sucked within it, vanishing from sight before falling onto the cave floor along with Lusamine.
The Aether President seemed, at least physically, to be completely unharmed aside from being unconscious. Sun and Lillie watched the woman's unmoving form for several moments, even as the sound of groans from Guzma and Dawson regaining consciousness filled the air behind them.
"Mother!" Lillie shouted as she suddenly ran forward. Sun quickly returned the unconscious Alastor and called out Oliver, using one of the Max Revives that Lillie had given him to restore the owl to full-fighting strength.
Sun would've healed everyone else, but he was unsure whether or not the remaining members of his team were physically clear to battle even if they had all their strength back. Oliver had, surprisingly enough, been taken down when the battle was at its calmest moments. Sure enough, the owl regained consciousness and stood without any issues, though he seemed surprised at the state of things when he took stock of the battlefield.
Sun explained things to his Partner while he and Oliver walked over to where Lillie was checking Lusamine for a pulse. The girl knelt down on the ground beside the Aether President, shaking the woman gently. "Please, Mother! Please…p-please…come back to us!"
Sun knelt down beside Lillie, putting a hand at her back while Oliver and Nebby stood guard. What remained of the Nihilego were now hanging back, terrified of the power that had been brought to bear against their dear Motherbeast.
Lusamine's head slowly tilted towards Lillie, her eyes fluttering open weakly. The first thing she saw was Lillie staring down at her with tears in her eyes, looking so…different. Lusamine's gaze drifted to a boy who resembled an old friend so much so that it was almost eerie. Beside them stood a powerful Decidueye and a creature that Lusamine only knew from ancient Alolan manuscripts.
The Aether President's gaze returned to her daughter. Even through the haze of muddled thoughts and half-distorted memories, Lusamine knew that she had hurt her little girl so much. The Aether President slowly raised a hand and cupped the girl's cheek, tears stinging in her eyes.
"Lillie…" Lusamine rasped, her voice no more than a whisper. Lillie closed her eyes for a moment, trying to stay calm, before opening them again and holding onto her mother's hand. Lillie stared into her mother's eyes as the woman simply took in the sight of her daughter. The girl who had defied the odds and reached her. The girl…no, young woman who had taken control of the Legendary Solgaleo and defeated her Motherbeast form. Lillie and Lusamine stared into each other's eyes as Lusamine tried to speak, a gasping sound coming from the woman's throat before she coughed painfully. Her daughter nodded to show that she was listening.
"Heh…" Lusamine laughed weakly, closing her eyes and allowing her hand to slip out of her daughter's. Lillie looked alarmed when Lusamine rested her head back on the ground, but her hand slowly reached forward and tapped Lillie's cheek.
"When did you…start becoming beautiful?" Lusamine asked her daughter with a gentle smile, sighing deeply. Lillie stared at her mother in shock, but a few moments later a small smile graced her face as well. Lillie held onto Lusamine's hand as Sun stood nearby, glancing over the woman and seeing if there was anything he could do to help.
I say you all get out of there as soon as you can. She's unconscious, but who knows what that fusion and weeks of malnutrition have done to her.
"Right. Thanks again for all your help, Dizz." Sun thanked the Remnant, who chuckled within Sun and Lillie's mind.
Don't mention it. I won't be able to interface with the world directly for some time. That little stunt earlier drained me completely.
"Well, t-that sucked…" Sun turned around to see Dawson limping towards them, having returned Solomon the Slowking and looking worse for wear. Guzma was running towards the group, returning his team as he walked by. The former Cipher Admin was smiling at the young couple with a battered, but cheery expression. "Leave it to you two to beat the odds again. Good work."
A terrible rumble shook the entire cavern, causing all of them to let out cries of surprise. Guzma yelped in shock as they all glanced around in alarm and confusion.
"What now!? What's going on!?" Guzma yelled out, a panicked expression on his face. "And just when things were getting good!"
Guzma's answer came in the form of a familiar shrieking cry, with five Nihilego materializing in front of them. Sun and Lillie stepped back with alarm as Oliver swiftly notched an arrow and readied himself to fire it. Another chorus of shrieks from their right rang out, and the group saw another five Ultra Beasts floating there.
"There are so many Nihilego!" Lillie cried out, standing protectively beside Lusamine. "Even after everything we did, they're still trying to fight us!?"
The Ultra Beasts screamed out in fury, flickering in and out of reality. To the horror of Lillie, the unmoving form of Lusamine also began to flicker away as well. The world around them began to shift and distort, sending a wave of vertigo through the group.
"Looks like they don't want to let Lusamine go!" Sun called out, eyeing the Nihilego as they slowly drew closer to the ground.
A savage roar cut through the cavern as Solgaleo made his anger known. A piercing glow of light surrounded the Legendary Pokémon as the world began to distort and shimmer…before the Ultra Beasts all recoiled in pain, with the air returning to normal and the Nihilego drifting away. Solgaleo roared one more time, the light erupting outward before an intense pressure began to press down on all of them…
And then they were gone.
Altar of the Sunne
Solgaleo and his charges emerged onto the Altar's top platform within a small flash of light, materializing from out of thin air. All of them flinched at the harsh sunlight, with Guzma recoiling violently and covering his eyes with a hiss of pain. However that was nothing compared to Dawson's immediate reaction upon returning to his world for the first time in several months.
"Aaaaaaghhh! It hurts! I'm blind, I'm blind, I'm blind!" Dawson howled in agony as he collapsed onto the ground, shutting his eyes as he clawed at them.
"What's going on?" asked a familiar female voice, with a nearby Pokémon letting out a soft snort somewhere in front of them. Sun's eyes adjusted enough to the light for him to see that it was Hapu and Rolf standing there. Everyone returned their gaze to the man writhing in pain, with Hapu kneeling beside Dawson.
"Dawson! What's wrong?" Lillie asked worriedly as Dawson began to hyperventilate.
"It's so bright! I can't see! My eyes are on fire!" Dawson screamed hysterically as he covered his eyes with his arms, still sobbing in pain. Hapu nodded and quickly began digging around in the backpack she had brought while Sun and Lillie exchanged a glance.
"He's been inside Ultra Space for months now. It's so gloomy and dark in the Ultra Deep Sea, his eyes must be having a terrible time adjusting to how bright things are out here in the middle of the day." Sun realized with a wince, hearing Dawson's cries of pain grow more and more desperate.
Hapu finally pulled out a black T-shirt and walked over to Dawson, ripping his hands away from his face and quickly wrapping the fabric around his head tightly, though not so tightly that it restricted his breathing. Hapu stepped away from Dawson, who was quick to cover his eyes again, though his screaming stopped.
"That should serve as a makeshift blindfold, though you may have some trouble seeing for the moment. At the very least, it should help your eyes until they adjust to the light of our world again." Hapu said to the former Cipher Admin, who curled into a ball and slowly began to calm down, though his breathing was ragged.
"T-thank you…that'll work." Dawson muttered before collapsing onto the ground and letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Well, this is certainly a sight." Hapu said with a tired sigh, a smile on her face as she turned back to the others, who seemed to register the woman's presence. Considering the excitement that they had all been through and their recovering eyesight, this was quite understandable.
"What are you doing up here?" Sun asked the new Kahuna, who shrugged her shoulders.
"I was concerned so I ascended. And what do I find but the Legendary Pokémon…and a strange hole in the sky." Hapu remarked, tilting her head in bewilderment as she beheld the majestic form of Solgaleo. She then smiled and put her hands on her hips. "However, I'm relieved to see you all unharmed!"
"Oh! Hapu!" Lillie cried out, forgetting in all of the excitement that their friend was there for them. Lillie ran forward with an excited gasp while Hapu grinned at her younger friend. The two of them then looked at Lusamine, who was lying on the ground next to Hapu. "Is my mother…?"
Lillie trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. Hapu knelt down and looked over the Aether President with a critical eye. She then stood up and glanced over at Guzma, who was still wincing at the sunlight himself. Guzma then finally had the presence of mind to reach up and put his sunglasses on, sighing with relief.
"You there, big fellow. Carry the lady, would you?" Hapu asked Guzma, who looked at her with some surprise. "She is weak, but I do not believe that she is seriously harmed. "We should take her to be treated directly."
"Huh? Oh…I mean, I could fix that harm thing. Plenty of cliffs around." Guzma muttered under his breath, but not loudly enough to where anyone could hear him. Guzma flinched as he picked up Lusamine in a bridal carry and then walked over to Rolf, who was standing a short distance away. While Guzma was getting Lusamine situated, she turned to Sun, who was looking at Dawson as the man groaned softly in pain.
"So what's his story?" Hapu asked, confused.
"He was one of the bad guys, a while back, but he's probably good now. To be honest I have no idea what to do about him. He got thrown into Ultra Space by Lusamine a few months ago…" Sun explained to the new Kahuna, who nodded. "Long story short, he's apparently been living inside of Ultra Space all this time and helped us save the day. Can we help him?"
"We'll take care of him, don't you worry."
Sun turned around with some surprise, not expecting the voice that he heard. Walking up the stairs and grinning at them was Wes, clad in black traveling clothes with a dark blue cloak covering most of his body. He raised the polarized sunglasses he was wearing for a moment before lowering them. It was shocking how much the defeat and downfall of Cipher had changed the man, who seemed to carry himself a lot more proudly.
"About time you showed up." Hapu remarked, watching as Aria and Hugh staggered up the steps behind Wes on wobbly legs, apparently having attempted to run up them like he had. Both of the other Trainers were breathing hard, their breaths in wheezes.
"While you two remember how to breathe properly, can you text Colress? Let him know that Sun and Lillie won, but we've got people who need medical help and that the med-evac should hurry up?" Wes asked Aria and Hugh, who both looked at the former Snagger with shock.
"G-give me a damn minute!" Hugh coughed at Wes, who smirked with amusement at the couple.
"I'm not going back down there!" Aria yelled at Wes, causing the man to blink twice before frowning.
"That's why I said text him, brainiac. You don't even have to move." Wes said with a chuckle as Hugh collapsed onto the ground with Aria on top of him.
"Are they okay?" Sun asked, trying not to laugh despite how tired and in pain he was. His arm had stopped bleeding, but that didn't mean it had stopped hurting.
"Face down and ass up with Aria on top of you. Is it Friday night already?" Wes joked, causing Aria and Hugh to both sit up and glare at the man for his jokes. Sun blinked in confusion while Guzma and Hapu snickered with amusement, though Lillie was openly gaping at the risqué joke that left the Trainer couple blushing furiously.
The worst part is that they're not denying anything. Oh my…
Aria grunted and pulled out her phone, texting Colress like she had been asked to. Meanwhile Wes finally turned to Sun and Lillie and clapped his hands. "Looks like you two get to be the big heroes once again. Are you all okay?"
"A little roughed up, but nothing crazy. The real hero was Lillie here. She was amazing." Sun praised his girlfriend, who blushed at the praise as she leaned into Sun.
"He's being modest. Winning against my Mother's corrupted team was no small feat!" Lillie then pulled out the Ultra Ball containing Luna the Clefable. "I just wish we could have saved them."
"I'm sorry. I wish things could have turned out well for everyone, but at the very least you did what you came out here for." Wes said quietly, patting the girl on the head consolingly.
"So why are you all here?" Lillie asked the former Snagger, who took a step back and crossed his arms.
"Kahuna Hapu contacted Kahuna Nanu once you two reached this place and he got in contact with us. We've got Colress here waiting at the Trial Gate, and a helicopter flying in from Aether Paradise just in case. Looks like we'll need it for Lusamine and Dawson." Wes said as he walked over to the man and picked him up off of the ground, slinging his arm over Wes' shoulder. "I should punt your ass down these steps."
"I-I'd deserve it. Just don't take me back there…" Dawson rasped, shaking his head. Wes rolled his eyes and then looked back towards Sun and Lillie, a gleam of respect in his eyes.
"You two really are incredible. You're heroes, and you deserve all the praise in the world for taking the high road when it came to your parents and their sins." Wes said with a nod to them both before suddenly grinning. "Now, we'll take Dawson and your mother back to meet with Colress. Feel free to join us whenever you're ready."
Hapu cleared her throat and stepped forward to talk to Sun and Lillie while Aria loudly complained to Wes about going back down the steps and wanting to take a break for a few minutes and enjoy the sights. Hugh was still fuming about the sex joke made at his expense.
"Sun…you have done well in guiding Lillie, though she is not a Trainer." Hapu said to the young man who had conquered both the darkness of Aether Paradise, but also the mystery of Ultra Space. Sun, to his credit, just shrugged modestly.
"Lillie pulled her own weight and then some. We wouldn't have made it out of there if it wasn't for her." Sun said warmly, earning an adorable smirk from his girlfriend.
"I'm just following your example!" Lillie said teasingly, causing Hapu to chuckle at the couple's back-and-forth.
"And Lillie, you too gave it your best. Of that I was never in doubt. We will wait for you down below. When you are ready, come find us." Hapu said before stepping forward and pulling the girl into a tight hug. Lillie happily hugged the Kahuna back, her eyes filling with tears. Sun smiled at his girlfriend, seeing her overwhelmed by the fact that they had succeeded in their mission. They had won, despite the overwhelming odds.
Lillie had proved herself right and defied the will of her twisted mother. Her feelings got through to Lusamine and in the end, Lillie had saved her mother from Ultra Space.
"Th-thank you…Hapu…" Lillie whispered to her friend, trying to convey how truly grateful she was for the Kahuna's help. After all, Sun and Lillie wouldn't have gotten to Ultra Space without her. Hapu separated from Lillie and turned to them both, smiling with pride.
"Now free from your parent's evil, I can't wait to see what wonderful people you grow into." Hapu said warmly, holding a fist up.
Hapu then walked off, joining Guzma and the others as they tried to get Dawson down the steps as well. Why it never occurred to them to just call out a Pokémon and carry him down the steps was a mystery to Sun and Lillie, who both turned to the Legendary Pokémon standing beside them.
"Solgaleo…all I ever wanted to do was to help you get back to your own home…But instead you helped me, over and over." Lillie said quietly, her expression troubled before she looked down at the ground. Solgaleo rumbled at the words of the girl, his affection for her evident.
"Thank you…Thank you so much!" Lillie said with a bright smile to the sun-lion, who let out a roar in response that echoed throughout the Vast Poni Canyon. Sun smiled at the display, but Lillie frowned and stepped forward several steps.
"What is it?" Lillie asked the Legendary Pokémon, confused. Solgaleo growled softly and patted the ground with his front paw.
"Shall I guess what it is you're trying to tell us?" Lillie asked Nebby, who purred loudly in return. Sun wondered if the Legendary was simply messing with them somehow, since it could easily talk to them with his telepathy. Maybe there was a limit to it?
"You…you want to keep on traveling together with Sun and me…is that it?" Lillie asked with a bright smile, earning her a roar of approval from the mighty beast. Lillie and Sun both laughed while the Legendary Pokémon sat on his haunches.
"Looks like I was right!" Lillie remarked with a smile, even as her expression became thoughtful. "Of course I was…After all…we've been together so long."
"Hell, even before we managed to get a TACV on Nebby you could tell that he wanted." Sun remarked with a shrug, causing Lillie to grin at her boyfriend before returning her attention to her precious Nebby.
"We're family now, aren't we? Of course I can tell how you feel! Because I feel the same!" Lillie told the Legendary Pokémon, who bobbed his head. "We met so many people as we traveled around all of Alola's islands: Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet…Kahuna Hala and his grandson Hau…and of course the hero who appeared to save you when those Spearow attacked - our own Sun. And so many other people too…"
"And not just from these islands. Our friends from Unova and all around the world helped us stop Cipher, and protected Alola when the Ultra Beasts attacked. We've met so many great people since we came to these islands, huh?" Sun asked Lillie, who nodded at his words. She was still looking at Solgaleo as he listened to the two humans who had protected and loved him.
Lillie held her hands over her heart, reflecting on all of the support she had gotten. She was almost overwhelmed with gratitude. "I don't know what the world you came from is like, but Alola is pretty great, too! Of course you want to see it all! It's just like Kahuna Hala told us…You can go to so many places and meet so many Pokémon and people, and they will enrich your life!"
Solgaleo roared and stepped forward, nuzzling Lillie's cheek with his snout. Lillie smiled fondly at the Pokémon, rubbing his nose and kissing it gently…before stepping away with a sad smile.
"But not with me…" Lillie's words were quiet, even as Solgaleo tilted his head in confusion. "I'm not a Trainer, Nebby. I can't take you on the adventures you want. I can't give you the fierce battles you want."
"Lillie…" Sun breathed, seeing the sadness on both the face of the Solgaleo at the girl's words and Lillie's as she spoke them. Nebby rumbled softly, as if asking Lillie for clarification.
"I tried to battle alongside you, even for just a few minutes within Ultra Space, and it was almost too much for me to handle. I can't control that sort of power…but I know who can. Someone who loves you just as much as I do and will give you the happiness you deserve." Lillie said before she turned to Sun, who's eyes widened in surprise.
"Sun…I want you to face Nebby as only a Trainer can. And I want you to give him a ball to call home." Lillie said quietly to her boyfriend, who looked back and forth between the Legendary Pokémon and the girl he loved. "I know this is what Nebby wants…He doesn't want this journey with you to end. And I want you to grant him this wish!"
"Lillie, are you sure?" Sun asked the girl, his own voice filled with doubt. "Nebby's been your Pokémon for so long. You're the one who saved him from the Aether Paradise. Safeguarded him all this time. It was you and him who beat the Motherbeast, not me."
Lillie walked over to Sun and took his hands in her own. She then kissed him on the lips, leaning into her boyfriend for several long moments before separating from him, hands still clasped. "I know it's the right thing for all of us. Even if I want to become a Trainer, it's not right for me to have that sort of power and responsibility so early on. I'm entrusting the fate of the Pokémon I love so much to the young man who I love just as deeply. Sunshine Smiles, the one who saved the world and saved me from myself. The young man who stood beside me in Ultra Space and defied Mother's evil wishes. There's no one more worthy than you, Sun. Now please, face Nebby in battle!"
"Zzrm? A battle against Nebby, eh? Do your bezzzt to be found worthy as a Trainer!" Rotom Dex called out as it floated out of Sun's backpack. It then beeped several times before letting out a scream. "Holy moly! What happened? I feel terrible! It was dark! So dark!"
"I'll fill you in later…" Sun remarked quietly, releasing Lillie's hands and walking towards the mighty beast that had once been an adorable puffy cloud Pokémon. Sun grabbed a Poké Ball and called out Oliver, who stood tall in front of Sun. The Trainer looked towards Lillie, frowning at her.
"This doesn't feel right…I don't like this." Sun told her before turning towards the majestic sun-lion in front of him and adjusting his hat with a pained wince. "We'll talk about this later."
"Umm…okay." Lillie said with some surprise. She hadn't expected Sun to have such an unhappy reaction to her decision not to have Nebby become her own Pokémon. She wondered what he was thinking.
"Bzzzt! Everyone back the heck out of the way! We've got a final act battle before we end this thing for good!" Rotom Dex called out as Lillie ran over behind Sun. Oliver grinned at his opponent as he notched a single arrow. Solgaleo closed its eyes, glowing a bright white color, and Sun and Lillie watched in surprise as the creature's injuries from battling the Motherbeast slowly faded before their eyes. Sun would later realize that Nebby had used Morning Sun to heal himself.
"I'm so proud of you, you know. Look how big you've gotten!" Oliver hooted to the beast of the sun, earning a joyful rumble from the Pokémon. "I still have some fight left in me. So come at me with everything you've got, Nebby!"
The Solgaleo roared in response, crouching low on the ground in a way that reminded Sun of Brago. The Trainer stared at the Pokémon who he had helped protect along his journey and flashed him a grin.
"Alright, Nebby! Let's go!" Sun shouted as Oliver readied himself for battle. The Solgaleo roared back, a flicker of warmth rushing over them as the entirety of the Altar of the Sunne glowed. It was then that the Solgaleo suddenly lunged forward with a savage snarl as its head gleamed silver.
"Oliver, Protect!" Sun shouted as the owl swept apart its wings, summoning a barrier to block the sudden Iron Head from Nebby. The Solgaleo smashed against the barrier and flew off of it, growling softly before suddenly glowing bright white. Sun recognized the move as Cosmic Power, and realized that both Nebby's Defense and Special Defense just rose.
"Let's even the odds. Swords Dance!" Sun called as Oliver swept apart his wings and summoned phantasmal swords that clanged around him, causing his body to glow a bright red color as his Attack power was boosted heavily. Nebby then surprised Sun by teleporting right in front of Oliver and lunging forward, catching the Decidueye in his jaws and using Crunch.
The owl shrieked in pain at the super-effective move, even more so when Nebby began teleporting across the Altar of the Sunne and shaking his head violently. It culminated in Nebby teleporting a hundred feet into the air and swinging his head down to throw Oliver at the ground.
The Decidueye however flapped his wings hard and landed on the ground, swiftly notching a dozen arrows at Sun's command and lashing out with Razor Leaf. Nebby grunted as the leaves slashed into his hide, though Sun made a mental note that the attack seemed to barely phase the beast.
"It resists Grass-type moves somehow…alright, let's figure this out." Sun muttered with a smirk, already thinking of another approach for the battle. Nebby teleported back down to the ground and opened his mouth, his entire body glowing brightly before a massive beam of raw sunlight erupted from his maw.
Oliver summoned another Protect to block the Solar Beam before the owl soars into the air. Sun called for Pluck, and the Decidueye then dove down to the ground with his beak glowing brightly and slammed into Nebby. Once again, the attack didn't seem to do much, and so Nebby retaliated with a Zen Headbutt that knocked Oliver backwards with a pained hoot.
"Shadow Claw!" Sun shouted as Oliver flapped his wings, launching himself into the air even as his talons glowed a harsh black and purple color. Nebby roared as his own claws suddenly glowed silver and pounced at Oliver. The two Pokémon rushed towards one another and lashed out, their attacks connecting and creating a powerful shockwave of raw force that erupted across the summit of the Altar.
"Laaaaaa la la!" Nebby roared as it struggled against the bird who had helped protect him for so long. A Pokémon who had treated him like a younger brother. Likewise, Oliver screeched as he continued to hold off the power of the sun-lion who he had watched grow into a mighty opponent. Suddenly the two Pokémon broke apart and were sent flying away from one another, with Oliver using the momentum to soar around and then fly right back at the Solgaleo with a screech.
"Come on! Show me your power! Me and Oliver are showing you our full-strength and everything we feel! Nebby, what does your heart say!?" Sun demanded of the Pokémon who he had helped protect alongside Lillie for almost a full year.
"Sol….Laaaa!" Nebby roared as it suddenly teleported, reappearing in front of Oliver and blasting the bird at point-blank rage with Flash Cannon. Oliver was blasted off of the platform, causing Lillie to cry out in surprise, only for the owl to rise again over the platform's edge.
"Go for Spirit Shackle!" Sun called as Oliver swooped past him and towards Nebby. The sun-lion fired off another Solar Beam that Oliver twisted through the air to dodge. Then, in a fraction of a second, Oliver notched a ghostly arrow and then fired it. The arrow bounced all around Nebby, who tried to teleport to the side to dodge, only for the arrow to impact his side and explode.
A mighty snarl enveloped the Altar of the Sunne, rocking the entire foundation of the structure. It also informed Sun and Oliver that Ghost-type moves were super-effective against Solgaleo, and that it was officially mad.
Nebby's body suddenly began to change, much like it had when it had entered Ultra Space, with a brilliant and radiant light infusing it. The mighty sun-lion then leapt into the air and became an almighty fireball of raw sunlight before suddenly rushing towards Oliver, who let out a screech of surprise before being struck by the charging Solgaleo.
"Sunsteel Strike! That's Solgaleo's signature move!" Lillie called out to Sun, who grimaced as he watched Oliver slam hard into the ground. The owl took several long moments to get back up, looking as if he was barely aware of his surroundings.
"Yes, Penny, I'll be just a moment…" Oliver hooted weakly before suddenly shaking his head. The owl then glared at Nebby as he reappeared across the platform with a Teleport, a sense of smugness radiating from the lion as its form returned to normal.
"Sun, that attack hurt a lot. Please instruct me well so I can return the favor to my dear little brother…" Oliver said to Sun, who stifled a laugh.
"Alright then, use Spirit Shackle!" Sun ordered Oliver, who swiftly notched and fired a ghostly arrow at Solgaleo, who was blasted backwards by the explosion of energy with a pained yowl. Oliver then launched himself into the air, letting out a screech of surprise as Nebby teleported up into the sky to meet him and counterattack with Metal Claw.
"Shadow Claw him right back!" Sun barked as Oliver swiped back at Solgaleo, striking his flank and earning a pained hiss as Nebby teleported back down to the ground. The sun-lion then opened his mouth, releasing a harsh burst of sound waves towards Oliver, making him wince. Sun made note of the Metal Sound attack and then waved for Oliver to fly over to his side. The boy then held out his Z-Ring, which began to glow.
"Let's see you handle this, Nebby. Are you ready?" Sun asked the Solgaleo, who crouched low onto the ground and swished his tail back and forth. Sun then performed the series of movements in time with Oliver, sending a wave of Z-Power forth to the Decidueye. The fiery orange aura flowed through the owl, empowering him and allowing him to tap into even greater power.
"Oliver! Channel Spirit Shackle…and use Sinister Arrow Raid!" Sun shouted as the owl suddenly shot a hundred feet into the sky with a mighty flap of his wings. He then flared his wings at the apex of his ascent, summoning twenty shadowy arrows that brimmed with otherworldly power.
The Decidueye shot down towards Nebby on the ground, his trail of arrows following close behind. Nebby fired off a Flash Cannon to try and stop the Z-Move, but Oliver tanked the attack and slammed into the Solgaleo, knocking Nebby backwards and sending him skidding across the platform. Then, all twenty arrows buried themselves into the stone all around Nebby…and then detonated again and again, sending up a massive plume of ghostly smoke.
Oliver soared through the air, returning to Sun's side as the smoke that enveloped Nebby slowly began to clear. The Trainer was curious as to whether or not the Solgaleo was still standing after such a powerful attack, but he was pretty confident Nebby was sturdy enough to withstand it. A growl of anger was Sun's answer, and a pulse of sunlight tore through the smoke and revealed a downed sun-lion, glaring at Sun and Oliver.
"He's still going, huh?" Sun breathed tiredly, grinning as the Solgaleo rose from the ground on shaky feet. A ripple of pure sunshine flowed through the Solgaleo as a wave of heat erupted outwards from the Legendary Pokémon. "That's our Nebby."
Lillie let out a shaky breath, seeing how exhausted both Oliver and Nebby were. The Decidueye and Solgaleo were battling with everything they had in a showdown of dominance and power. Oliver was Sun's Partner and strongest Pokémon, who actually had a type-advantage against Nebby. However Nebby had sheer power behind him as a Legendary Pokémon.
"I wonder who'll come out on top." Lillie murmured, glancing away from the battle for a moment…and noticing that a certain grouchy Kahuna was standing nearby.
"Kahuna Nanu?" Lillie whispered, jogging over to the man in question. The police officer was watching the showdown with Solgaleo with raised eyebrows, a sign that he was noticeably surprised and impressed with the sheer spectacle of the battle before him. Lillie stopped beside him and opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.
"Let's talk and watch this at the same time. We have things to discuss while your boyfriend is fighting god." Nanu said to the girl, earning a nod from Lillie in understanding. As the Kahuna spoke to Lillie, Sun was trying to determine a path forward in the battle against the Legendary Pokémon, who had just used Cosmic Power to further boost his defenses.
"Oliver, use Leaf Blade! Put your all into it!" Sun called as Oliver swooped forward, summoning two glowing blades of energy and lashing out with them. Nebby wasn't quite as unphased by the not-very-effective attack as he was last time, mostly since Oliver's Ability Overgrow had taken effect. Nebby retaliated with a rumble of anger before suddenly pouncing, his head glowing silver as he struck with Iron Head again, knocking the owl to the ground with a pained hoot.
"We're not just going to take that! You want to come with us, you'll have to earn that right! Spirit Shackle!" Sun called to Oliver as the owl suddenly flapped his wings from his downed position and flew into the air, swiftly notching and firing a ghostly arrow that blasted Solgaleo directly in the face.
Nebby staggered back with a roar of pain, rearing onto his hind legs before regaining his balance and slapping his paws hard enough onto the stone to crack it. The Solgaleo opened his mouth and fired off a Flash Cannon, hitting Oliver directly and sending the owl tumbling through the air, though he caught himself and soared back to the platform with an unsteady landing.
The sun-lion's head began to glow bright blue and it charged directly at Oliver, who's eyes narrowed at the approaching Legendary Pokémon.
"Sidestep it and use Shadow Claw!" Sun shouted as Oliver simply took two steps to the left of the Zen Headbutt and raked the Legendary Pokémon's side with Shadow Claw, a white light erupting from the blow signaling a critical hit. Nebby cried out in pain, a sound that caught at Sun and Lillie's hearts, but they knew this was what Nebby wanted. A battle of wills between two mighty forces.
"You're just as stubborn as I am…good!" Oliver hooted with an exhausted laugh, swaying on his feet as Solgaleo collapsed onto the ground with a pained growl. Nebby was breathing hard, clearly just as worn out as Oliver and having taken an incredible amount of damage.
"I think we're done here. Good work, Nebby." Sun said quietly before reaching into his backpack. He pulled out a purple, pink and white-colored Poké Ball with a large 'M' emblazoned on the front of it. The Master Ball that Gladion had gifted him back at the Aether Paradise.
Sun primed the ball and threw it at the Solgaleo as he tried to get back to his feet, only for them to give out right as the Master Ball connected with Nebby's forehead. Nebby yowled in surprise before getting sucked into the device, which fell to the ground and began to shake back and forth. Once, twice, three times…click.
"You've grown up so much…Papa's so proud of you." Sun said quietly, a warm smile on his face as he walked over to Oliver and patted the owl on his side. Oliver wrapped a wing around Sun and hooted happily as the Trainer picked the Master Ball containing the Solgaleo up off of the ground. Rotom Dex beeped happily above Sun, flailing its arms slightly.
"Zzzrt! You registered a Legendary Pokémon! That's, well, legendary! Let'zz check it out!" Rotom Dex called out, beeping excitedly before flipping to an entry.
"Solgaleo. The Sunne Pokémon. This Pokémon is said to be a male evolution of Cosmog. At the activation of its third eye, it departs for another world, where it is said that it lives in. The intense light it radiates from the surface of its body can make the darkest of nights light up like midday." Rotom Dex explained to Sun, who continued to stare down at the ball in his hands with reverence and also sadness. He felt guilty for capturing Solgaleo when he felt Lillie should be his Trainer.
"Bzzzzt! You've got six Pokémon with you, buddy! You're gonna have to make room for Solgaleo or send him to PC Storage." Rotom Dex informed Sun, who blinked in surprise several times. He had never actually needed to use PC Storage the entire time he had been a Pokémon Trainer. Rotom Dex walked him through the process of using it, and he sent Brago to PC Storage with the intention to swap around the team later to figure out what we wanted to do.
"If I remember right, Professor Kukui can authorize special Trainerzzz to hold on to more than six Pokémon if they have a good enough reason. I'm sure he can make an exception for one of his favorite Trainerzz! Bzzzzrt!" Rotom Dex said to Sun, who nodded at the device. "In fact, I'm submitting a request to him for that right now! I'm sure he'll approve it in no-time!"
"Good old Professor Kukui…always looking out for us, even when he's abandoning people in the middle of the wilderness." Sun remarked as Lillie rejoined Sun, looking at the Master Ball with a warm expression. "And for record, I'm never letting that go."
"Bzzzzt! Nor should you!" Rotom Dex agreed with the Trainer, floating up and down beside him. The two of them then looked to Lillie, who sighed wistfully before she turned around. Sun couldn't even guess at the wide range of emotions running through her heart right now.
"Solgaleo…No…Nebby…Nebby, you belong with Sun now. He will be the one to raise you. Just like any parent should raise their child. He'll always be your Papa." Lillie said as she looked skyward, smiling despite the tears in her eyes.
"I may not have been able to do anything for you, Nebby…but I'm still glad I took you that day. So go with Sun and see the world! Have battles against strong Pokémon where you can use your full power. Meet with other Trainers who will make your heart dance with the thrill of it all…That's the kind of world that Sun can share with you!" Lillie then turned around, a tear rolling down her face as she beamed at Sun. "If it's you, Sun…I know I can trust you to raise my Nebby well. Take good care of him!"
"You're making this sound like a goodbye, Lillie." Sun said with some concern, stepping forward to hug his girlfriend. Lillie hugged Sun back tightly, sighing and relaxing in his arms for a short while before stepping out of the embrace.
"It is, at least in part. You two are going to go do incredible things together in the ways that only a Trainer and Pokémon can. And I…will go to my mother." Lillie said quietly, her smile fading away to a concerned frown. "I need to see for myself that she'll be all right."
Lillie took several steps away, overcome by emotion. Sun didn't blame her, as he was also conflicted. He genuinely felt like it was right for Nebby to go with Lillie, instead of himself, but he understood her decision and respected it.
"I understand. I guess now we've got to figure out what we'll do. I think I want to give my team a while to rest up. Maybe take them to Aether Paradise to make sure there's no lasting problems…I should probably get looked at too. Nebby's gonna have to wait a bit before we get into any crazy battles." Sun remarked with a tired grin, gesturing to his arm that had been blasted earlier by the Nihilego. Lillie nodded and began walking towards the steps, with Sun letting out an exhausted sigh as he wiped his forehead that was beginning to get covered in sweat. It was another scorching day in Alola, that was for sure-
"Nebby!" Lillie suddenly called out, turning around suddenly before taking several steps towards Sun and looking down at the Master Ball in his hands. "Don't always be trying to get out of your Poké Ball the way you always wriggled out of my bag!"
Lillie took a few more steps forward, smiling despite the tears of emotion in her eyes that threatened to spill forth. "And…and don't forget that you're strong now. You'll have to be careful not to accidentally hurt anyone until you get used to your strength!"
The young woman drew closer, with more advice for her former Pokémon. "And…and you can't just go off running off to some other world anytime without telling anyone! You'll make Sun worry!"
Sun raised the Master Ball and waved it at Lillie. "Pew pew."
Lillie giggled, wiping her eyes and regaining her composure. She turned around again, trying to refocus her thoughts. "Okay…I'm really…I'm really going this time."
"You're silly." Sun said as he walked forward, kissing Lillie's cheek. "Remember what we talked about in that cave on Exeggutor Island? We've got your adventure to look forward to! You haven't gotten rid of us just yet, Lillie! Once we've made sure Lusamine's okay, we have your story to write next!"
Lillie laughed softly, hugging Sun tightly before looking at him with a happy smile. "I know, but right now I want to make sure Nebby is taken care of. Goodbyes are weird and hard and…we can sort out the details later, but for now, Nebby needs you. Just like right now, my mother needs me."
You both should get some rest and recover from this. You've been through a lot.
Sun and Lillie both nodded at the very true statement from the Remnant. A long nap and some medical attention was something they both needed. Lillie however, remembered something and smiled at Sun. "Mr. Nanu will help you and Nebby from here on. Apparently you've got some unfinished business to take care of while I'm helping Mother."
"Take care of her and make sure she's okay." Sun said to Lillie, who kissed Sun back before stepping away again. It wasn't long before she turned around yet again, causing Sun to chuckle despite himself, though Lillie was beaming.
"Alola!" Lillie called out to Sun, waving to her boyfriend in farewell. Sun returned the wave, smiling back at the girl he adored so much.
"Alola, Lillie! We love you!" Sun called to Lillie, who let out a laugh. Despite Lillie wanting a proper farewell for Nebby and Sun, at least for now, they were determined to not make it a sad one.
"I love you both too! I'll see you soon!" Lillie then turned around one final time, winking at Sun before she hurried off down the stairs to follow Hapu and the others, leaving Sun behind on the altar. He looked down at the Master Ball in his hand, his heart feeling a multitude of emotions. It was then that something that Lillie had said came back to the forefront of his mind.
"Wait, did she say something about Kahuna Nanu?" Sun asked himself as he took a few steps down the stairs. It was then that he heard an annoyed sigh coming from somewhere to his left.
"Cripes, but I hate this place…It's exhausting climbing all the way up here." Nanu sighed without even looking in Sun's direction. "At least you gave me a good show, though. Guess it was worth coming this far. And the prof did ask me and all…
"How the hell did you get here?" Sun asked, completely amazed to find the Ula'ula Island Kahuna randomly sitting there on a rock. How had Sun not noticed the Kahuna showing up?
"I walked." Nanu responded flatly, still not looking at Sun. "Look, once you've completed all your Island Trials and done your Grand Trials, then you've got to do one last thing…the Final Trial."
"The Final Trial?" Sun asked, completely taken aback.
Nanu nodded, pulling out a cigarette and pulling out a lighter. He lit the end of his cigarette and took a deep puff on it, exhaling the smoke with a long exhale. Nanu remained silent for a while, smoking and watching the clouds roll by in the sky for about a full minute. "Basically, it's a ceremony, you see? You beat all four Kahunas in a row. But things are a little different this year. Now that we're getting a real Pokémon League here in Alola, too."
"That's right! Professor Kukui's just finished setting up the Pokémon League." Sun remembered, recalling the conversation he and Lillie had the other day.
"So, boy." Nanu finally looked at Sun, his bright red eyes holding a calculating gleam to them in the sunlight. "I hope you can bother yourself to come along to the base of Ula'ula Island's Mount Lanakila. You remember Tapu Village, don't you? Where the folks were doing construction work?" Nanu said to Sun, who nodded at the Kahuna's words. "He'll be ready and waiting for you there."
"He?" Sun questioned, but Nanu ignored the query and instead reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a crisp white later. It was white and seemed rather ordinary, but Sun noticed it was stamped with the four symbols of the islands of Alola. Sun accepted the letter and broke the seal, opening it and reading it silently. The boy's eyes widened in surprise before he looked at Nanu in shock.
"The Professor decided the other day to extend an official invite to three of the most promising young Trainers within Alola. A chance to test your skills against the newly formed Elite Four, much like how in the Final Trial of the Island Challenge, you'd face the four Island Kahunas. You and two others have been selected for the chance to become the Champion of the Alola region. Based on your skill and potential to lead Alola to greater heights." Nanu said to a surprised Sun, who was reading the letter and saw that it was just that. It gave express permission for Sunshine Smiles to cross the security barricade set up in the Tapu Village and climb Mount Lanakila to challenge the Alola Elite Four.
"There will be others vying for that honor. They'll be standing in your way, like the one I mentioned before. I suppose I could take you along with me…You want to do that? Come now, with me?" Nanu asked Sun, raising an eyebrow. "Not many kids make it all the way to the Final Trial, but there's a handful every year. You won't be able to go easy on this one. These are real battles. No holding back."
Sun considered the question for several long moments before remembering the state of his body and his team. After everything he had been through, more battles were the last thing any of them needed. And so on that note…
"I'll deal with the League another day. So just take me home." Sun responded with a tired grin, causing Nanu to blink several times in surprise…before bursting out into laughter, catching Sun completely off-guard.
"I knew I liked you for a reason! Let's get the hell out of here." Nanu said as he regained his composure and stood up, clapping Sun on the shoulder and wearing a smirk. "We can swing by a hospital to get you a checkup too. That looks like a nasty scratch on your arm."
Sun winced as Nanu tapped the injury in question and jerked his arm away, but the boy nodded in agreement. "More of a burn from a laser beam, but yeah ,a hospital sounds nice. Can we get some burgers on the way? I've been in the Wilds too long."
"Shit, don't gotta tell me twice."
"You know where we can get some in Hau'oli City?"
"Yeah, there's a solid place in Hau'oli not too far from the big shopping mall. Dinner's on me, since you got me to laugh."
"Awesome!"
Sun and Nanu kept up a friendly conversation as they made their way out of the Altar of the Sunne, with the Kanto-native holding tightly onto the Master Ball that contained the Pokémon who had been the crux of his and Lillie's entire journey. He and Lillie had spent so long trying to get Nebby the Cosmog home.
Only for him to decide that he had already found his true home. With the humans that Nebby cherished so much, and the one who had saved him all those months ago. Sun couldn't help the relieved smile on his face before Nanu pulled him into the shadows, intent on getting the young Trainer back to where he belonged. Home.
At long last the cycle had been broken. Lillie had saved her Mother from the depths of Ultra Space and rescued Guzma, with Dawson coming along for the ride. There was nothing left in Lillie's past to hold her back, just like there was nothing stopping Sun from facing whatever came next in his journey with a smile.
The future looked bright.
NEXT TIME: Revisiting some old friends and doing some cleanup across Alola!
It feels even weirder finally being done with the Aether Arc than it did getting to the Motherbeast Lusamine battle. I've got twenty chapters left and then I'm done with a story I've been writing for over seven years now. It's insane.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Stories like this don't reach this point without the support I get from my readers. You all are responsible for this story reaching this point.
Let's end this adventure on a strong note, eh?
Q & A
From: SolanaLeonhart
And now I find myself really wondering how you're going to handle the aftermath, the games do mention something about her healing but...she's going to have to face up to all she's done, right? Although considering what the venom has done to her team, how does Lusamine even deal with that? Is it just the exposure over the years?
I like the fact that Alastor grew enough to make a z-move work. That was really cool. This next part promises to be great too, I totally agree that Lillie is the bravest for even coming as she did. Have I mentioned that I love how you handle her character? It's amazing.
That'll definitely be addressed. Needless to say, Lusamine's a wreck right now.
And I appreciate the compliment. Writing Lillie's character arc and fleshing it out has been a lot of fun. I'm glad I was able to do it justice, especially in the big chapters where she shines brightest.
From: Guest
After next chapter, Aether arc is done, so what will you do with the elite 4 battles eventually? you got some good ideas?
We've got the Elite Four coming after a bit of a wind-down, and then the post-game awaits. We'll be ending this whole thing on Chapter 200!
As per usual, please review in the section below if you enjoyed the chapter and favorite and/or follow this story if you haven't already to show your support. I also do a Q & A, because I'm just that kind of guy.
If you're enjoying this fic and want more stuff like it, then check out my Pokémon Scarlet fic known as "Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet." It's set a few years into the future from RS, and includes a lot of fun things for those who've read this story. You can either read it here, or head to AO3.
That's all for now. I'll be taking a much-needed break from things for about three weeks or so, but after that we'll be shifting gears towards the Elite Four and some more fun battles along the way. Stay tuned for more!
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!
