Pokémon Radiant Sun
Well, this one took slightly longer than planned.
Mostly because I've been powering through Persona 3: Reload. Fantastic game and a hard recommendation from yours truly.
Let's get to the fun part. Final Kahuna battle and the start of Sun and Lillie's epic trek through Vast Poni Canyon, towards both Ultra Space and the final confrontation with Guzma and Lusamine!
Shoutout to those who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, Oragonking, BraviaryScout, a Guest reviewer, and RC-DA. Thank you all for your support!
Enjoy!
Chapter 171: Kahuna Battle! Breaking New Ground!
"All right, Sun! Let's go to the altar! The Vast Poni Canyon lies ahead of us!" Lillie proclaimed with a fist pump. She had just finished healing Sun's team completely after the two of them had taken a break. It had been a very eventful day, after all.
Sun nodded and returned his team. He had been thinking hard about Plumeria and her parting words. Team Skull may have committed its fair share of sins, but they weren't entirely blameless. He recalled Councilman Palena was helping the Grunts who had attacked Aether Paradise a few weeks back, but Sun wondered what would happen to the rest of them.
"I'll have to think about this whole mess later. We've got to…find…" Sun trailed off, frowning as he felt strangely light-headed all of a sudden. "Huh?"
"Sun, do you feel weird?" Lillie said quietly, glancing around the area. Sun didn't respond, placing a hand against his head as vertigo threatened to overwhelm him.
His eyes noticed that the surrounding air was shimmering slightly, and had become noticeably thinner. Lillie clung tightly to Sun's arm, panting hard as she struggled to breathe. Even more startling was the realization that the two of them found that they couldn't move their legs.
"What's…going on!?" Sun forced out as he struggled to remain standing. Whatever this force or presence was, it was incredible powerful. And that was when he heard the voice.
Pro..ist
Sun and Lillie both froze as something…strange settled over them. It was a chilling presence of something truly wrong, with a haunting whisper brushing over them. Something terrible and wrong. The words were barely intelligible, but there was something pained within them.
Prot…you…ch…
And then just as suddenly, the presence was gone.
Sun and Lillie both felt energy flood into their bodies and the two of them collapsed onto the ground, panting for breath. Sun pulled Lillie into a hug and held her tightly, catching the girl off-guard.
She turned around in his arms and saw the white in his eyes, showing that Sun was absolutely terrified from what had just happened. Perhaps even more than she was. Lillie quickly hugged her boyfriend back, and the two held each other for several minutes while they calmed down.
Finally, Lillie spoke after ten full minutes of silence. "W-what was that, Sun? I've never felt anything like that before. It was terrible."
"I don't know Princess…but that scared the hell out of me." Sun murmured as he glanced around for anything out of the ordinary. Lillie hopped out of Sun's lap and the two of them shakily got back to their feet.
"Should we still go after Hapu?" Sun asked Lillie, who considered it. Just a few minutes ago, she had been raring to leap into the next stretch of their adventure and head towards the Altar of the Sunne.
But then she considered the day that they had been through, as well as the strange presence that had settled over them. Sun had been particularly rattled by it, and she was worried about him. Before the girl had a chance to answer, she was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Good afternoon, dearies!" Lillie and Sun turned around to see Grandma Kai walking towards them. The old woman smiled at them as she approached. "Are you looking for my granddaughter? Oh my! What has you both so pale?"
"We're on our way to the Altar of the Sunne, but we wanted to update Hapu on what's going on." Sun explained to Hapu's grandmother, who nodded sagely. "And as for the other thing, I think we just felt something weird. Spooked us a bit."
"I see…" Grandma Kai looked at the two children before shrugging her shoulders. "Naturally. However I should warn you that Hapu is currently off-island meeting with the other Kahunas today. As I understand it she won't be back until tomorrow morning."
"So now what?" Lillie asked Sun with a disappointed frown. The boy considered the matter carefully for a few moments.
Sun looked to the older woman and asked, "Ma'am, would you mind if we stayed the night at your house and waited for Hapu to come back? It wouldn't be right to go through Vast Poni Canyon without her say-so. Plus we should probably explain the whole Geoff thing to her."
"Geoff thing?" Grandma Kai asked, confused. Sun and Lillie quickly explained what had happened, and she expressed gratitude in how they put a stop to the rogue Trainer's actions. She even approved of Geoff being maimed by his own abused Pokémon, which Sun felt vindicated by.
Grandma Kai also surprised them by handing them an old binder filled with page protectors. Sun opened the book and saw that within it was sheet music, written in a language he barely recognized as Alolan.
"You've acquired both the Sun and the Moon Flutes, yes? Hapu explained some more of what you two were hoping to achieve. I spent most of today searching for something my late husband, Sofu, recovered from a storybook his father had given him." Kai explained as Sun looked down at the pages. Sun and Lillie both recognized it as flute sheet music in particular, and were amazed that they could read it with no issues.
"That song is what the ancient warriors of old would use to honor the beast that devours the sun. Lord Solgaleo will be pleased that two wonderful children like you would choose to honor him." Kai said with a warm smile, regarding the two children with misty eyes. "The youth of today…sometimes I wonder if we did right by them. I watched your battle with Team Skull out there. And heard the words of their leader."
Kai shook her head. "Alola is what it is because of its culture. It's special and dear to the hearts of us elders. But we should also recognize that just because something is tradition, does not mean that it is meant to last forever. And that tradition trumps what is right."
"That's why when I have the chance, I'm going to take on the Pokémon League." Sun said with a determined expression. "I'm going to become a Champion. Someone who can protect everyone in Alola and help bring this region together. It's my home, and it should feel like that to everyone who lives here too!"
Kai simply nodded in approval, a soft laugh escaping her. "Between you two and my darling granddaughter, I have no worries about the future of our region."
Sun smiled at the compliment while Lillie beamed with pride at her boyfriend, grabbing his hand. The older woman then treated Sun and Lillie to a home-cooked meal, with the mood lighter thanks to their victory over Geoff and Alastor coming back into the fold. Sun and Lillie sat at the table talking over their plans for tomorrow with Grandma Kai. Sun wondered aloud when Hapu would offer to battle him. After all, he had still had a fourth Grand Trial to conquer.
"You think you can defeat my grandaughter? You must be quite the Trainer indeed!" Grandma Kai laughed, delighted by the idea. "Tapu Fini would adore such a fight."
"If you did have to battle Hapu, Sun, how would you go about it?" Lillie asked Sun, who smiled mischievously at his girlfriend. He started to explain some of the ideas he had cooked up over the past few days, with Kai and Lillie both surprised at the boy's strategies. Sun had even pulled out the notebook he had written them down in, showing off his work. He also made sure to take several pictures of the sheet music Kai had shown to them with Rotom Dex, with him and Lillie deciding to spend the next few days practicing with their flutes to learn the song honoring Solgaleo.
While all of this was happening, Sun's team chattered excitedly amongst one another as they chowed down on the food prepared by Grandma Kai. The highlight was the fact that Alastor was now counted among them.
The Alolan Golem ate quietly amongst his companions, and none of them pressured him to speak regarding what had happened earlier in the day. Everyone was simply happy that Alastor was part of the team again. They wouldn't rush him in talking about his thoughts and feelings, and would simply do their best to support the surly Pokémon.
The next morning would be an eventful one. Sun took time to teach Alastor the TM's for Stone Edge and Thunder, as well as teaching Finn the move Blizzard. After double-checking their supplies and ensuring that they had everything they could possibly need (as well as getting Grandma Kai's phone number just in case of an emergency) Sun and Lillie were off.
The couple set off down the Ancient Poni Path that would lead to the Vast Poni Canyon. It was within the treacherous series of caves, cliffs and obstacles that their final destination lay. The Altar of the Sunne, which was their best shot at getting to Ultra Space. Hopefully a way to save Nebby would present itself as well. Sun and Lillie had to remain hopeful, despite the odds being slim.
However, Sun and Lillie barely made it a half-mile down the road before the same strange chill from yesterday settled over them. However, it didn't hold them in place as it had before or render them weak. Instead it simply lingered overhead, with the air distorting around them.
Ian…name…
Sun remained still as the presence continued to fill the air, and to Sun's confusion it felt completely distorted.
…fa…you…here?
"What is this?" Lillie whispered, glancing around with wide eyes. She grabbed Sun's hand as the two of them looked around the clearing, but they could see nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly the pressure faded, as if it was never there. Sun and Lillie looked at one another, confused.
"What was that voice?" Sun remarked, more bewildered than concerned.
"It reminded me of something…But I couldn't make sense of what that voice sounded like." Lillie whispered, shivering slightly. "It creeps me out a little."
"Rotom Dex, any ideas?" Sun asked the device, who was completely silent. Sun set down his backpack and pulled out the device, and was surprised that it was experiencing an error of some kind.
Sun spent several minutes rebooting Rotom Dex. When the device finally sputtered to life, the Pokédex let out a piercing shriek of horror before diving into Sun's backpack.
"Rotom Dex, you okay?"
"Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt! No, no, no! That felt terrible, whatever that was! Error, error, error!" Rotom Dex practically shrieked from the safety of Sun's backpack. Sun and Lillie exchanged a worried glance, because this simply made them more confused and concerned about the strange presence.
"Let's just keep an eye out for anything odd and keep going, okay?" Sun said to his girlfriend, giving her a comforting smile before kissing her cheek. Lillie smiled at Sun and the duo made their way down the trail, putting thoughts of the strange voice behind them for now.
Vast Poni Canyon
As Sun and Lillie entered the Vast Poni Canyon, Sun grimaced at the intense heat bouncing off of the rock faces all around him. With his experiences battling in the Wilds, the boy could tell that this place meant business.
It would be a true test of the skills he had honed along his journey in Alola.
The couple spotted Hapu and Rolf the Mudsdale standing beneath a massive dead tree in the middle of a large gorge, with walls looming all around them. Hapu watched them approach, with the wide-open space providing an easy view of Sun and Lillie as they drew closer.
"Did everything go well?" Hapu asked, smiling at her two young friends holding hands as they approached.
"Yes, it did!" Lillie chirped, beaming at the Kahuna while lightly bumping into her boyfriend's side. "Though Sun had to help me out of all sorts of trouble, like usual."
"I consider it the price I pay for your amazing company, Princess." Sun remarked with a shrug, causing Lillie to giggle at the boy.
"Nothing wrong with that." Hapu chuckled warmly, grinning at the two of them. "People cannot survive all on their own. They have got to help one another out. Same for Pokémon, too. That is what my grandfather used to say."
Rolf neighed loudly beside Hapu in agreement. The Kahuna then looked to Sun, eyeing the boy with a determined expression. "I would like to see this batting skill of yours, Sun, that makes Lillie smile so."
Sun grinned at the Kahuna and said, "Anytime you're ready, Kahuna Hapu."
Hapu barked out a laugh, putting her hands on her hips and tilting her head. The Kahuna of Poni Island smirked at the child who had saved the region twice-over and declared, "Just so! It is my Grand Trial!"
"Called it." Sun thought, practically bursting with excitement at the coming battle.
"I may be young, but that does not mean that I will be outdone by any of those other Kahunas!" Hapu declared as Rolf snorted softly beside his Trainer. "I am certain that my bonds with Rolf and the rest of my team are the closest you will find anywhere in Alola! Do you want to try to take me and my Pokémon on at our full strength?"
"Only if you'll take on mine." Sun responded with a smile, causing Lillie to clap her hands excitedly while Hapu chuckled. The woman's expression then smoothed over, a more serious gleam coming to her purple eyes.
"I am Kahuna Hapu 'Aukai! And I have made the Sparkling Stone that the Tapu entrusted me with into a Z-Ring of my own!" Hapu declared as she pulled a white Z-Ring out of her pocket and slid it onto her wrist. "Having a Z-Ring like we do, Sun, means that we battle with the Tapu beside us."
"Then let's get to our positions." Sun answered with an excited smile. Both Hapu and Sun turned around and went to opposite sides of the canyon. Lillie jogged off to the side of the arena, taking her position as the referee for the Grand Trial.
"The following Grand Trial will take place between Sunshine Smiles and Kahuna Hapu 'Aukai. Both sides will use four Pokémon each and the battle will conclude when one Trainer has no more remaining Pokémon. Both Trainers will be allowed to make substitutions. Trainers, are you ready?" Lillie called to the two Trainers as Rotom Dex popped out of Sun's backpack, ready to support the boy. Sun held up a hand, causing both women to look at him in surprise.
"Since I'm only using four Pokémon, can I have the two that aren't battling go hang out with Lillie?" Sun asked Hapu and Lillie both. After both of them nodded, indicating that they were fine with that, Sun called out Alastor and Brago.
"You both join Lillie. I already know what type of Pokémon Hapu's going to use, so I won't be using you two for this." Sun explained to the two of them. Alastor looked a little annoyed, but nodded without complaint. Brago didn't even do that and simply obeyed the order, going over to Lillie to receive headpats and scratches behind the ear.
"Are both Trainers ready?" Lillie called to the two Trainers (after petting Brago, of course.) Sun and Hapu nodded, and Lillie threw up her hands. "Then let the Grand Trial begin!"
"This is the first Grand Trial of Kahuna Hapu! I will battle you with everything that I have got!" Alika, start off this battle!" Hapu called out, throwing an Ultra Ball towards the battlefield with an intense expression. A strange-looking three-headed Pokémon with long flowing blonde hair appeared in a flash of light, already sticking out of the ground.
"Penny, let's go!" Sun shouted as he hurled the Poké Ball forward, sending out the Toucannon. Sun glanced at the Rotom Dex, who had already started playing battle music that echoed throughout the canyon.
"Dugtrio. The Mole Pokémon and the final evolved form of Diglett. Alolan Regional Variant. These Pokémon are cherished in the Alola region, where they are thought to be feminine deities of the land incarnate. Its shining gold hair provides it with protection. It's reputed that keeping any of its fallen hairs will bring bad luck." Sun nodded as Rotom Dex moved to the side, with Penny staring down the Dugtrio intently.
"Bzzzt! You nervous, buddy?" Rotom Dex asked Sun, who shook his head.
"Not only one I'm worried about is Rolf, but I've got a plan for him. It's just a matter of getting through Hapu's team first. But anything could happen." Sun responded quietly as he stared down the Kahuna of Poni Island. Hapu smirked at Sun, even if she couldn't hear his words, and promptly made the first move.
"Sandstorm!" Hapu spoke calmly as she held out her hand, with the Alolan Dugtrio's eyes flashing white before a fierce sandstorm kicked up. Sun and Lillie winced as sand whipped past them, but Hapu was unbothered.
"Penny, Brick Break!" Sun shouted as his Toucannon took to the skies, her beak shining brightly before she dove down at the Mole Pokémon and struck it hard. Alika screeched in pain and dove into the ground, reappearing elsewhere. Sun grinned and called, "Brick Break again!"
"Sucker Punch!" Hapu called as the Toucannon shot towards her Pokémon again. This time, the Alolan Dugtrio dove into the ground the moment Penny reached her, only for the Dugtrio to pop out its heads and slam into Penny, sending her rocketing into the sky with a surprised squawk. The bird righted herself, but glared down at her opponent with annoyance before darting towards Dugtrio again, only for the Mole Pokémon to dodge the attack.
"Bullet Seed!"
"Stone Edge!"
Penny did a barrel-roll through the air to dodge the series of enormous blue stone pillars that erupted from the ground. With a chirp, the Toucannon opened her beak and sent out three waves of pellets that struck the Dugtrio directly from down on the ground.
Hapu nodded, a smirk on her face. "Trying to keep your distance won't work on me, Sun. Rock Slide!"
Sun's eyes widened as a portal opened above Penny, with a deluge of large boulders falling onto the Toucannon. He was quick to come up with a counter.
"Penny, use Echoed Voice to keep those rocks away!" Sun called as Penny shot towards the ground, occasionally turning back and letting loose blasts of sound to divert the downpour of boulders getting dropped out of the portal that Alika had summoned.
"She's right. Trying to get clever won't work here. I'll have to be direct, even if it means risking a powerful hit from that Dugtrio." Sun thought with a twinge of annoyance before calling, "Brick Break again, Penny!"
"Sucker Punch!" Hapu called as Alika lashed out with the Dark-type attack yet again, hitting Penny hard before she could attack. This threw off the Toucannon's aim somewhat, and she managed to strike only a glancing blow on the Dugtrio before it escaped underground. Penny swooped through the air, letting out a furious screech that her TACP didn't pick up.
"She's just as terrifying as ever." Alastor remarked quietly, shaking his head. The Golem's voice held a note of amusement, however, which was something Brago picked up on.
Nevertheless, the Arcanine nodded in agreement. "Yes. She's the fiercest of us all. There's no small wonder Oliver ended up taking her as his mate."
"Swords Dance!" Sun called as Penny landed on the ground. The Toucannon let out a soft chirp as she flared her wings, with ethereal swords materializing around her and clanging together. A harsh red glow enveloped the Toucannon, showing that her physical strength had been bolstered greatly by the move.
"She's a sitting duck. Use Stone Edge!" Hapu said with a grin as the Alolan Dugtrio let out a cry, sending a blue pillar of stone at Penny. The Toucannon flew out of the way of the first one, only to be struck by the second one. The Toucannon was thrown into the air again with a pained screech, and soon was falling back down to earth.
"Penny! Open your wings and use that momentum to go into Brick Break!" Sun shouted to his bird as she plummeted towards the hard ground. Penny's eyes snapped open and when she was thirty feet from the ground, flared her wings and angled her body so that she was flying right at Dugtrio, her beak shining brightly.
The Alolan Dugtrio had time to let out a shriek of terror in three-part harmony before Penny crashed into her, which finally knocked out the Mole Pokémon. Lillie raised a hand in Sun's direction. "Dugtrio is unable to battle! Penny is the winner!"
"Good work Penny." Sun said to his bird as she returned to his side and hovered in the air. The boy regarded his battered bird, who had taken several harsh attacks as well as constant Sandstorm damage. And so he made a decision.
Hapu returned her Alolan Dugtrio and murmured a thanks before clipping her Ultra Ball to her belt. She then drew out another Ultra Ball and hurled it forward. "Halia, give me your strength!"
After a burst of light erupted from the capsule, a large sea slug-like Pokémon appeared. It was green and blue and had three black eyes atop its head. Hapu rested a hand on the Pokémon's head with a fond smile as Rotom Dex pulled up the Pokédex entry.
"Gastrodon. The Sea Slug Pokémon and the final evolved form of Shellos. Plankton, invisible to the naked eye, is its main food source. It comes onto the land periodically, but the reason for this is not known. It has strong regenerative capabilities. Even if parts of it are bitten off by fish Pokémon, it will return to normal within a few hours." Sun considered that as Penny fluttered to the ground, panting slightly.
"Halia was given to me as an egg from my Grandfather Sofu, the previous Kahuna of Poni Island. She is as powerful as the tides and as steady as the earth." Hapu explained as the Gastrodon nuzzled her cheek before sliding forward. "I've had her for nearly as long as I've had Rolf."
Sun smiled at his friend, knowing how deeply Hapu had loved her grandfather and seeing that she continued to use a Pokémon he had given her. However, he only knew that this meant that the Gastrodon would be a formidable opponent.
"Penny, return." Sun said as he held out the Toucannon's Poké Ball, calling her back to her Poké Ball. He then unclipped another Poké Ball from his belt. "Finn, let's go!"
Sun sent out his Poliwrath, who appeared in a flash of light and immediately flexed while letting out a booming laugh. Hapu chuckled at the display before Lillie raised both of her hands, signaling that the battle would start again.
"Finn, use Brick Break!" Sun shouted as Finn sprinted right at the Gastrodon, who hummed softly before Hapu let out a soft laugh, raising her right hand in the air. She then snapped her fingers right as Finn punched the slug in the face, a faint explosion of white light erupting from the strike as Finn scored a critical hit.
As Finn landed, Halia slammed hard onto the ground and released a powerful Earthquake that knocked Finn into the hard earth. At that moment, the sandstorm petered out, much to the relief of Sun, Finn and Lillie.
"Throw her back with Psychic!" Sun commanded as the Poliwrath rolled onto his side, facing the Gastrodon as his stomach glowed bright blue. Halia let out a small groan of pain before getting thrown into the nearby cliff, where she struck the rock hard.
"Halia!" Hapu cried out, her voice carrying throughout the canyon with authority. "Use Recover!"
"Oh no…" Sun muttered as Halia began to glow bright white, with her injuries quickly healing before Sun's eyes. Soon Halia was looking fighting fit again as she dislodged herself from the wall, letting out a warbled cry before lowering her head towards Finn.
"Let's continue. Mud Bomb, my friend!" Hapu cried out as Sun called for Body Slam. Finn leapt forward and slammed hard into Halia, sending her reeling back even as she fired off a volley of Mud Bomb. Finn yelped as the attack struck him, though thankfully the attack didn't get into his eyes.
"I really hope that she doesn't know Mud-Slap…" Sun thought with a shudder before calling, "Let's try out a new move! Blizzard!"
"Oh yeah!" Finn boomed as he thrust out his chest, firing off a whirling maelstrom of ice towards the Sea Slug Pokémon. Hapu's Gastrodon let out a small squeal before getting struck with the move, writhing in pain as the powerful icy blast struck her. Hapu grunted as the cold wind billowed past her, but she was undeterred.
"That foolish idiot is as adept at fighting as he's ever been." Alastor remarked quietly, causing Lillie to look at him in surprise. "He never lets anything phase him. I respect that."
"Rest assured that he won't be hearing it from me." Brago replied, with Alastor nodding in agreement. Lillie smiled at the exchange before her attention was back on the fight, where Hapu had come up with a counterattack.
"Earthquake!" Hapu barked over the freezing gale, with Halia letting out a battle cry before slamming down hard onto the ground, sending Finn to his knees again and dealing significant damage to the Poliwrath.
"Brick Break!" Sun shouted as Finn braced himself, pushing himself to his feet and sprinting at the Gastrodon, delivering a mighty punch to Halia's face.
"Recover!" Hapu called, causing Sun to scowl in annoyance as all of the damage that Finn had done during their brutal battle was healed before their eyes yet again.
"You'll have to be clever if you want to get the drop on us, my young friend." Hapu said with a coy smile, wagging her finger at Sun. "You forget that I walked the path of the Island Challenge Champion before you. I sought out answers to what true strength was…And in doing so earned the favor of the God of Hope."
Hapu then grinned at Sun and said, "You, however, are Alola's greatest hero. You've earned the favor of all of the Tapu because you saved them all from Borlath's evil. You are the first Trainer to test my strength and worth as a new Kahuna, Sunshine Smiles. And I want your full might! Your greatest strategies! Your full willpower on display for the Tapu to gaze down upon in approval!"
Sun took in what the woman was saying, and it was only then that he appreciated the enormity of what this battle meant. Not only was it a test of Sun's skills and a major hurdle to overcome on his quest to triumph over the Island Challenge…It also represented Hapu achieving her childhood dream. Becoming just like the grandfather she grew up idolizing. Becoming a leader and protector of the people she loved on Poni Island. And finally proving to Tapu Fini that she was worthy of the honor of Kahuna. This battle would be just as much a trial for her as it was for him.
Sun grinned back at his friend and adjusted his hat. Finn meanwhile glanced back at his Trainer and let out a low chuckle before facing Halia again. Hapu chuckled softly, sensing an even greater wave of determination coming from the boy who had the eyes of the Harbinger.
"Finn, let's go! Body Slam!"
"Halia, counter with Body Slam as well!"
Both Pokémon charged at one another and leapt into the air, their bodies flashing white before they collided hard in mid-air. Finn and Halia let out shouts of effort, trying to overpower the other. After several seconds, the two Pokémon separated and dropped to the ground.
"Sandstorm!" Hapu called out as Halia's eyes flashed, and within moments another harsh sandstorm had whipped up. Finn grunted in pain as the attack sapped at his strength, but thankfully for Finn, Sun had an idea.
"Now Finn, while she's close! Use Hypnosis!" Sun shouted as Hapu's eyes widened in surprise. Finn laughed as his stomach glowed, with the swirl on it seemingly rotating in the eyes of Halia. The Gastrodon swayed back and forth, letting out a soft hiss…before slumping over.
"Yes! She's asleep!" Sun said quietly, doing a small fist pump. Hapu called out to Halia, but the Gastrodon was fast asleep and wasn't going to wake up in a hurry. "Finn, use Dynamic Punch!"
Finn dashed at the Gastrodon and slugged her with a shining punch, following it up with a Submission and then another Blizzard. However after three powerful moves, the Gastrodon began to stir. Realizing that she was going to wake up and use Recover again, Sun made a decision.
"Finn! Channel Dynamic Punch…and use All-Out Pummeling!" Sun shouted as he struck several poses, sending forth energy to Finn as their bond was made manifest. The Poliwrath let forth a booming laugh as he glanced back at his Trainer before turning towards his opponent.
Finn rushed forward, unleashing a wave of orange fists made of pure energy as he punched the air repeatedly. The somewhat groggy Gastrodon was now fully awake, staring at the incoming Z-Move with open horror. Hapu remained calm, crossing her arms as the attack struck her Pokémon, even as Finn charged at Halia to deliver the final punch.
The resulting explosion from the attack enveloped the battlefield, and when it cleared, Halia was lying in a crumpled heap unconscious. Hapu nodded, as if expecting that result.
"Gastrodon is unable to battle! Finn is the winner!" Lillie declared, gesturing in Sun's direction. Hapu returned her second Pokémon and whispered a thanks under her breath before clipping the ball to her belt.
"Not bad at all, Sun. You're two for two. But can you handle this?" Hapu asked as she unclipped another Ultra Ball from her belt and held it out.
"Let's find out." Sun responded with a grin as Finn punched his fists together excitedly.
"Hānau, take to the skies!" Hapu called out her third Pokémon, a green dragonfly-like creature that Sun recognized as a Flygon. Hugh had one of them on his team as well, but the one in front of Sun was considerably larger and had longer wings. Rotom Dex was ready with the Pokédex entry as Hānau flew into the air with a growl.
"Flygon. The Mystic Pokémon and the final evolved form of Trapinch. This Pokémon hides in the heart of sandstorms it creates and seldom appears where people can see flapping of its wings sounds something like singing. Those lured by the sound are enveloped in a sandstorm, becoming Flygon's prey." Rotom Dex informed Sun as he stared at the dragon before him.
After a few moments the boy returned his exhausted Poliwrath, and with an excited grin sent out his own dragon. Tetra appeared in a flash of light with a bright smile, letting out a joyful roar. Hapu grinned at Sun's decision of calling out his Gabite.
"A duel between dragons, eh?" Hapu said before she placed her hands on her hips as Sun nodded at the Kahuna. "We accept your challenge! Dragon Claw!"
"Tetra, use Dragon Claw too!" Sun shouted as Tetra nodded sharply, her smile becoming a determined grin. Tetra and Hānau both lunged at one another and slashed at their opponent with emerald claws of flames. After several moments of draconic implosions from the two dragon's attacks connecting again and again with one another, both Tetra and Hānau separated from one another, both dragon's snarling softly as they began their showdown for dominance.
"Earth Power." Hapu intoned as Hānau landed on the ground and let out a cry as a pulse of energy rippled across the ground. Tetra shout of surprise as the earth beneath her exploded outwards, throwing her forward.
"Hit back with Supersonic!" Sun commanded as Tetra opened her mouth and released a pulsating wave of sound. Hānau flapped his wings, and to Sun's surprise a haunting melody began to emit from the beating of the Flygon's wings. Even more incredibly, when Supersonic struck Hānau, it had absolutely no effect.
"Ground-type Pokémon are known for their brute force. Many don't understand the nuances of the type." Hapu remarked as she snapped her fingers. The Flygon let loose a stream of pale purple fire at Tetra, who leapt back to avoid the Dragon Breath attack.
"I've always felt a connection to the earth. The ancient land where my forefathers walked. The blood of the ancient chiefs and their people were spilled upon the soil and the terrible battles waged." Hapu said quietly, holding out a hand towards Sun. "Do you not feel it, Sun? We are being watched. The ancients are looking down at us with smiles as we battle on!"
The boy paused for a moment and focused, willing himself to see if he could feel what Hapu did. Through their battle, Sun had felt a connection to the woman in the same way he did most Trainers he battled. He could sense the Kahuna's pride and strength, as well as a kindness that was vast and deep. Sun could feel the respect the woman held for himself and Lillie as two children who had come into their own strength after such pain and tragedy…
Sun then felt it. The strangest sense of being watched. And a shudder ran down his spine, causing his eyes to shift to white.
Hapu smiled at the boy's discomfort, gesturing around them with her hands. "You may recall that I'm well-versed in the folklore and legends of Alola. I think this battle will be even more fun than I first thought!"
Sun shook off his unease and grinned at the Kahuna. "Now you're talking! Hit me with everything you got, Hapu! Let's give our ancestors a battle they'll never forget!"
"Mahalo, my friend." Hapu said gratefully, putting a fist over her heart. "Now, Hānau, use Dragon Pulse!"
"Tetra, block with Stone Edge!" Sun called as Tetra summoned a glowing pillar of rock to intercept the multicolored pulsating stream of energy. To Sun's surprise, the pillar exploded and the attack struck Tetra, throwing her back onto the ground with a snarl of agony. Tetra rolled onto her stomach and fired off a Dragon Rage, which blasted Hānau out of the sky and forced him to land roughly on the ground.
"Earth Power! Then back into the skies!"
"Tetra, follow him! Use Aerial Ace!"
Tetra leapt into the air and dodged the attack, tackling the Flygon out of the air. Hānau snarled and blasted Tetra point-blank with Dragon Breath, sending her flying backwards with a squeal of pain before landing hard on the ground.
"Dragon Pulse!"
"Aerial Ace again, but this time to dodge!"
Tetra picked up speed and dashed along the ground as Hānau the Flygon fired off blast after blast of Dragon Pulse. Tetra was practically a blur, and the Flygon was quickly growing annoyed that he couldn't hit his elusive target.
Sun grinned, even as he winced from the sandstorm that was up. Thanks to Sand Veil, Tetra's Ability, she was much harder to hit than usual. Hapu took notice of this as well, though Sun didn't like the smile on her face.
"Swift as the sands! But can you dodge this?" Hapu asked as her Flygon's tail lit up, and with a swipe of it, a wave of stars erupted outwards and flew towards Tetra. The Gabite tried to evade the stars, but Swift eventually caught up with the young dragon and bombarded her.
"Stone Edge!" Sun bellowed as the Gabite whirled around, fire in her eyes as she threw her claws upwards. Hānau frantically soared through the air as several massive pillars of stone erupted from the ground, but it wasn't until the sixth pillar that the dragon was struck by the move.
"Get him, Tetra! Dragon Launch!" Sun shouted, grinning as he punched his fist forward. Tetra's smile matched her Trainer's as she summoned a single Stone Edge. Tetra then dashed towards it with a great burst of speed, using Aerial Ace to gain as much momentum as possible. Tetra reached her pillar and began to run along it, and when she ran out of pillar to dash on, she leapt off of it and rushed right at Hānau as he plummeted from the skies.
Hānau caught himself in midair and looked towards Tetra, who was barreling towards him at top speed. The Flygon acted on pure instinct and shot a Dragon Pulse at Tetra directly, and the Gabite tanked it head-on before slamming into Hānau and then delivering a brutal swipe of Dragon Claw to the Flygon's midsection. Hānau roared in agony, only remaining airborne out of instinct. Tetra was grinning with joy the entire time, as was Sun at seeing another of his combo attacks in action.
Alastor and Brago both smiled at the two dragons above, and Lillie saw the open pride on their faces at watching the youngest member of the team and the group's collective baby sister battle the Mystic Pokémon in the sky. Lillie could tell how much Tetra was loved by her family, and it made Lillie a little teary-eyed seeing how far the Gabite had come as she stood her own against a dragon much more experienced than herself.
Hapu was likewise astonished, both at Sun's Pokémon and the boy himself. "Incredible…simply astounding. So this is why Lillie adores you." Hapu remarked with a little smile before laughing. "Ah, this is very fun. Hānau, Dragon Claw!"
Tetra yelped as the Flygon's tail snaked out and grabbed her by the foot, pulling her close enough for Hānau to slash at her with the attack and make Tetra cry out. Tetra retaliated with a Dragon Claw of her own, forcing Hānau to let her go. However, Tetra chose to kick off of the Flygon and…glided through the air.
Sun and Hapu watched on in surprise as Tetra flew through the air and reached the top of the stone pillar she had summoned and before turning around to face Hānau. She then kicked off of the Stone Edge and somehow glided towards Hānau again, striking the Flygon with another Dragon Claw while the Flygon had been staring at Tetra in confusion.
"Wait, what?" Hapu stated, blinking several times in totally confusion. The Flygon swatted the Gabite away with his tail as blood trickled down his side, retaliating with a torrent of fire that Sun recognized as Flamethrower.
Tetra continued to remain airborne, gliding sideways to dodge the torrent of fire before shooting off a Dragon Rage at the Flygon, blasting him and earning a roar of frustration from Hapu's dragon.
"How is she floating?" Sun muttered under his breath as Tetra continued to glide through the air, snarling as Hānau spun and fired off a Dragon Breath. Tetra dodged by diving down at the ground with Aerial Ace, landing somewhat awkwardly as she stumbled onto the earth. Tetra groaned at the enormous amount of damage she had taken from the Flygon, with scorch marks and lacerations on her hide. The dragon then blinked several times before looking up into the sky at Hānau before looking down at the ground.
"Was I just flying?" Tetra asked, looking to Sun with an amazed expression. The Trainer realized that even the Gabite was confused as to how she had been hovering in the air like that, even if it was only for a few moments.
"Kind of? I honestly don't know what that was." Sun admitted as the Gabite nodded. She then looked back up at Hānau, who was flying back towards Hapu.
"Your little dragon seems to be very close to evolving." Hapu remarked to Sun, crossing her arms. "Garchomp, what your Gabite will evolve into, are renowned for their power and their skills as fliers. The fact that she was able to remain in the air for a short time like that is proof that she is close to achieving her final form."
Sun was looking at Tetra now, and with that knowledge in mind, could see that Tetra had definitely grown significantly over the past few weeks. Her various fins had also grown several inches in length as well. Hapu was completely correct in what she had pointed out. His little Gabite was nearing the final stage in her evolutionary line.
"You hear that, Tetra? You're gonna be a Garchomp soon!" Sun called to the Gabite, grinning widely with excitement.
Tetra's eyes shone with ecstatic happiness, with the Gabite even doing a little hop of joy. "I'm going to evolve again!? The last time I did that was helping Lillie! Am I going to be stronger?"
"One of the strongest and renowned Dragon-types around." Hapu said with a nod, trying hard not to laugh at how adorable Sun's Gabite was acting. Despite Tetra's formidable power, she was still not much more than a child. "However, you are not there yet. And before you can achieve such a state, you must cross the threshold. My own dragon stands in your way, little one. Can you best him?"
Tetra grinned and flashed her fangs at Hānau as the Flygon flared his wings above her, letting out a snarl. Both dragons threw out their arms and Dragon Claws ignited along them, and with that the two of them leapt at one another for a second time.
However, this time things went differently. Sun called for Tetra to use Aerial Ace, giving her a speed boost and allowing her to slam hard into the Flygon. Tetra drew back her hand and it connected with Hānau's claw, but Tetra overpowered the Flygon and raked her claw over his side. Hānau roared in pain, kicking back Tetra and flying away as blood trickled down his other side. Tetra dropped to the ground as Hānau the Flygon landed, growling softly in anger at Tetra while Hapu chuckled.
"My Flygon is more of a special attacker, so this is of no surprise to me." Hapu remarked with an easy smile. Sun was amazed at how calm the Kahuna was even in the heat of battle. Even veterans like Hala and Nanu had gotten fired up at least a little during his Grand Trials with them. Hapu was practically unshakable, and Sun realized how fitting it was that his friend was a Ground-type specialist. She would make no mistakes in the heat of battle.
"Now then, Hānau, use Flamethrower!" Hapu shouted as her Flygon opened his mouth to release a powerful torrent of flames. Tetra tried to dodge, but this time Hānau's aim was true and the attack struck her directly. Sun gasped as he saw several burns appear across Tetra's body, with flames trickling down her sides as she tried to move out of Flamethrower's range.
"Owowowow…it stings! It really hurts!" Tetra whined, rubbing her arm as Hānau took to the skies yet again.
"Tetra!" Sun called out as the Gabite winced in pain, her burns weakening her. Sun also knew that it meant that her physical strength would be halved for the remainder of the battle.
However, the boy could see that the Flygon was now fighting defensively. Despite how badly hurt Tetra was, she had given just as much punishment in return, if not more. Hānau was keeping its distance now, and Sun knew it wouldn't take much to bring down the Flygon. He needed to wrap this battle up now.
"Dragon Rage!" Sun called as Tetra opened her mouth and fired off the attack, only for Hapu to have Hānau counter with a Dragon Pulse. Sun ordered Tetra to attack with Stone Edge, but the Flygon simply flew away from the move and avoided it.
"Dragon Pulse!" Hapu ordered as Hānau flared his wings, firing off a Dragon Pulse that Tetra wasn't able to dodge, getting blown backwards with a pained cry. She hit the ground hard, but looked up and shot a Dragon Rage at Hānau, forcing him away and allowing the dragon to get back to her feet.
"Earthquake, Hānau!"
"Jump to dodge and get close with Aerial Ace!"
Tetra sped towards Hānau once again, dashing towards the Flygon and slamming into him in midair. However this time, the attack barely phased Hānau and he retaliated with a Flamethrower instead of an Earthquake, blasting Tetra away from him. Tetra hit the ground with a cry but rolled into a crouch, ready to leap back at her opponent with a pained grimace on her face. Sun was ready with the command.
"Dragon Claw!" Sun shouted as Tetra closed the distance, leaping into the air to confront Hānau. Her claws burst into light green flames, elongating as the dragon let out a roar towards her opponent.
"Dragon Breath!" Hapu countered, with the Flygon inhaling deeply and firing off a stream of light purple flames directly at Tetra, who was leaping right into the flames…
And then Tetra grinned.
Tetra spun around in midair, dodging the Dragon Breath the same way Penny had moved earlier in the battle by gliding through the air. Hapu's eyes went wide as the Gabite drew back her arm and struck with Dragon Claw one more time, curling her claws into a fist and knocking Hānau out of the sky again with a powerful uppercut.
Tetra fell back towards the ground in a more controlled fashion, landing roughly on the ground a few moments before Hānau's dazed form crashed hard into the earth. After twitching for a few moments, the Flygon fainted with a groan. Tetra wobbled and fell to one knee, breathing hard and noticeably trembling from the sheer damage she had taken. But she still wore a smile, especially as Lillie called out to them all.
"Flygon is unable to battle! Tetra is the winner!" Lillie declared as she gestured in Sun's direction. Hapu clapped her hands several times, grinning at the young man who had come so far in such a short time.
"I remember when we battled Team Skull alongside each other all those months ago, my friend. And even less time ago when we battled your Golem's clan before diving into Malie City to save it from Cipher…You are strong. No doubt about it." Hapu said before she gave a smug smile. Sun smiled at the praise, but then noticed that the Pokémon who had been standing beside Hapu throughout the battle had stirred.
Rolf the Mudsdale then slowly moved forward, a faint snort escaping the powerful Pokémon as he took his position without being instructed. Tetra slowly got back to her feet, her body struggling to remain upright after her fierce battle. But she still stared down the enormous horse without fear. Rolf's expression was steady and resolute, just like his Trainer's. Sun glanced at Rotom Dex, who pulled out the Pokédex entry for Hapu's final Pokémon.
"Mudsdale. The Draft Horse Pokémon and the final evolved form of Mudbray. It spits a mud that provides resistance to both wind and rain, so the walls of old houses were often coated with it. Its heavy, mud-covered kicks are its best means of attack, and it can reduce large trucks to scrap without breaking a sweat." Sun stared down Rolf as Hapu grinned at him.
"You did well powering through my team, Sun. But Rolf's been my Partner since I started my Island Challenge all those years ago. We've been through everything together, and you won't find a stronger Pokémon on all of Poni Island. So hit us with everything you got!" Hapu demanded as Rolf snorted softly, but there was no denying the steel within the stead's gaze. Sun knew that the Mudsdale was Hapu's ace, and that taking it down like the others would be no easy feat.
Tetra growled softly and nodded, showing that she was indeed ready and willing to keep battling. But Sun also knew that his trusty Gabite was ready to collapse. That wouldn't stop her or Sun from doing their best.
"Alright Tetra, let's do this!" Sun called as Lillie threw down her hands again, signaling them both to begin battling. "Dragon Claw!"
Hapu remained silent, instead smiling as Tetra rushed forward with her burning claws and struck the Mudsdale directly. Rolf snorted in pain, but wasn't even moved by the force of the blow. Instead his body glowed a bright red color, which caught Sun off-guard.
"Bzzzzt! Sun, be careful! Rolf has the Stamina Ability! Which means with every direct attack, his defense goes up!" Rotom Dex warned Sun, who grit his teeth in annoyance. That suddenly made battling the powerful stead all the more challenging. Tetra gasped as her burns seared, flames erupting from them.
"Now, Rolf, use Heavy Slam!" Hapu called to her Partner, who let out a booming neigh before leaping into the air with an agility that surprised everyone present. The Mudsdale then began to glow silver before diving down on Tetra, who barely dove out of the way thanks to her increased evasion from the sandstorm still billowing around the battlefield. That resulting crash from the mighty Pokémon shook the canyon they were in and nearly made Lillie topple over.
"Dragon Rage!" Sun called as Tetra took a step back, growling as she opened her mouth and charged up a blue fireball before firing it at the massive horse.
Rolf was unable to get out of the way and let out a loud neigh of pain as the attack exploded in his face. Sun grinned in triumph while Hapu laughed softly as she realized why Sun had gone for that specific move.
"Clever, my young friend. Dragon Rage does a set amount of damage and wouldn't trigger Rolf's Ability. No matter how high my Mudsdale's defenses get, Dragon Rage will still deal a good chunk of damage. It's no wonder Tapu Koko thinks so highly of you!" Hapu called to Sun as the sandstorm billowing throughout the area finally stopped.
Sun nodded, but was focused on bringing down the Mudsdale. Rolf had taken two strong attacks and looked barely phased, whereas Tetra was barely able to stand. But Sun knew his dragon wasn't going to stop fighting until she dropped.
"Tetra, use Sand Tomb!" Sun called as the Gabite's eyes flashed, causing a whirlwind of sand to erupt around Rolf. The Mudsdale snorted in annoyance, but charged through the attack as his body glowed silver.
Rolf leapt into the air without Hapu's command, dropping down and slamming into Tetra with Heavy Slam and causing another harsh wave of force to erupt across the canyon. Sun shouted out Tetra's name, but he was disappointed to see that when Rolf stood once more, his Gabite was lying in a crumpled heap beneath him.
"Tetra is unable to battle! The winner is Rolf!" Lillie called out as she raised a hand in Hapu's direction. Sun returned Tetra and smiled at her ball, thanking the dragon for her help.
"Penny, let's go!" Sun called out his Toucannon, who reappeared in a flash of light. She seemed somewhat better after a short rest, but she was still battered from the battle with Hapu's Alolan Dugtrio earlier. Lillie threw up her hands, and the battle was on.
"Penny, use Brick Break!" Sun shouted as the Toucannon flapped her wings, launching herself at Rolf as her beak shined brightly. The Toucannon struck the Mudsdale hard, but Rolf again was not moved an inch. His body flared due to Stamina, and Hapu called for Rock Slide.
Penny frantically flew back from the Mudsdale as, once again, boulders rained down from above. Penny's luck in dodging the move continued to hold, however, and she was able to avoid taking further damage from it.
"Brick Break again!" Sun called to the Toucannon as she dove down at Rolf the Mudsdale, who stared at the approaching bird with absolute calm. An attitude his Trainer matched, as she watched the Toucannon with a small smile. And Sun soon learned exactly why when she uttered a single word.
"Counter." Hapu said quietly as Penny struck Rolf once more with her glowing beak, a savage screech escaping the bird as she hit the massive horde with all of her might.
As the Mudsdale's body flared red due to Stamina, the Draft Horse Pokémon's body suddenly glowed orange as well. Before Sun or Penny could react, Rolf suddenly reared back his head and slammed it directly into Penny. The Toucannon crashed into the dirt, flopping several times as she skidded across the battlefield before she came to a stop. Needless to say, she was unconscious and Sun returned her.
"Penny is unable to battle! Mudsdale is the winner!" Lillie called as she gestured in Rolf's direction. Sun whispered a thanks to Penny, but was annoyed that the Toucannon had such a bad matchup against Rolf. There was nothing to be done about it, however.
Alastor and Brago both wouldn't have lasted very long during the battle itself, due to their weakness to Ground-type moves (Alastor being four times weak to Ground moves). Penny being immune to them helped her out a lot, but she simply lacked the means to fight back against something that grew stronger the more you hit it directly. That fact that Penny had done as well as she had was a testament to the determination and skill of the Toucannon.
"Finn, help me out!" Sun called as he sent his Poliwrath back out. Finn laughed as he punched the air, flexing his muscles. But Sun could tell his Pokémon was still worn out from bringing down Hapu's Gastrodon earlier. However, he also knew that Finn would have an easier time dealing with Rolf than Tetra and Penny due to actually having a type-advantage against the Mudsdale.
Lillie threw up her hands, and the battle was on. Hapu called for Earthquake, and as Rolf reared back on his hind legs to slam them down, Sun had Finn blast himself into the air with Water Gun to dodge the move.
"Quite the acrobat, huh?" Hapu commented as Finn flew through the air with a merry laugh. Sun grinned as he thrust out a hand.
"He's more than that! Hypnosis, Finn!" Sun shouted as the Poliwrath's stomach glowed bright blue, causing Rolf to go still for several long moments as Hapu gasped in horror. However, the Mudsdale let out a loud neigh and shook its head violently, fighting off the drowsiness and causing the move to fail.
"Stone Edge." Hapu said with a smile as Rolf slammed down a hoof, causing a pillar of blue glowing stone to erupt from the ground and slam hard into Finn, sending him flying backwards and crashing down hard onto the ground. The Poliwrath rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up with a grunt.
"Scald!" Sun called as Finn faced Rolf and let loose a stream of boiling hot water, causing the Mudsdale to shrink back in pain and let out a loud cry.
"Push through it! Double kick!" Hapu called to her trusty steed, who suddenly charged forward and tanked the deluge of water and rammed into Finn, spinning around and delivering two powerful kicks to the Poliwrath that sent him hurtling backwards yet again.
"Psychic!" Sun shouted as Finn's stomach and eyes flashed dark blue, with Rolf being enveloped in the same blue-colored glow a few moments later. The Draft Horse Pokémon was blasted backwards by the move, much to Hapu's shock at anything being able to move the massive horse.
Finn flipped in midair and landed on his feet, but to Sun's surprise the Poliwrath let out a yelp of pain and suddenly clutched his right ankle. Hapu saw this and smirked, sensing an opportunity.
"Earthquake!" Hapu called as she punched a fist forward, with Rolf rearing back on his hind legs and slamming two hooves down onto the ground. Vast Poni Canyon trembled as the Mudsdale unleashed a shockwave of force upon Finn, who cried out as he was thrown to the ground again.
"Blizzard!" Sun barked as Finn stood back up, letting out a bellow of fury as a howling blast of icy energy erupted from his chest. Hapu called for her Partner to dodge the attack, but he was too slow and was hit directly with one of the strongest Ice-type moves around.
"Power through it! A little cold never hurt anyone!" Hapu said to the Mudsdale as he shook his head back and forth before focusing on Finn with an angry glare and galloping towards him.
"Heavy Slam!" Hapu called as a grin split her face. Finn looked up and tried to move out of the way, only for his right leg to give out and cause him to stumble. Rolf was easily able to slam down onto the Poliwrath, knocking him out cold.
"Finn is unable to battle! The winner is Rolf!" Lillie called as she gestured in the direction of Hapu and Rolf for a third time. Sun frowned worriedly at Finn, as he seemed to be genuinely hurt after taking that Earthquake. Sun would have to have him looked at later on and hope it wasn't anything serious.
"Alright, Hapu. We're both down to our last Pokémon. Let's see who's Partner can come out on top! Your strongest Pokémon versus mine!" Sun called to the Kahuna as he unclipped another Poké Ball from his belt. "Oliver, let's go!"
Sun sent out his own Partner, and the Decidueye appeared in a flash of light. Oliver ruffled his wings as he stared down Rolf. "Quite the opponent you've got for me, huh? Well, he'll go down like the rest."
Sun smiled at the seriousness of Oliver's expression, and it made him reflect on how much the owl had grown over the course of their journey. From routinely attacking Sun as a Rowlet to becoming the Pokémon who struck down Damien to save the world as a Dartrix, Oliver had perhaps grown even more than he and Lillie had on their journey.
"Yeah, let's give them a fight they'll never forget." Sun agreed, grinning as he held up his Z-Ring.
"You both look fired up. A fitting showdown, with our first Partners in our Island Challenges facing down one another." Hapu said as Rolf snorted softly from across the battlefield.
However, Sun noticed that the Mudsdale was winded from dealing with Tetra, Penny and Finn despite how short their battles were. Rolf was tough as nails, but so were Sun's Pokémon and they had dealt considerable damage to the Draft Horse Pokémon. Oliver just had to finish the job.
"Razor Leaf!" Sun called as Oliver swept apart his wings, releasing a barrage of leaves that sliced into the hide of the stallion. Rolf cried out in pain, even as Stamina continued to boost his defense.
"Earthquake!" Hapu called as Rolf slammed his hooves down, sending a shockwave towards Oliver that blasted him into the air and knocked just about everyone else to the ground. Lillie was not amused and simply pulled herself on top of Brago because she was tired of getting sent into the dirt by Hapu's Pokémon.
"Leaf Blade!" Sun called as Oliver landed on the ground, two gleaming green blades appearing along his wings as he struck Rolf. The attack struck with a burst of white light erupting from the Mudsdale, who let out a loud cry of pain as he was sent skidding backwards several feet by the critical hit. Stamina boosted Mudsdale's defense even higher, but Hapu suddenly realized something troubling.
"First Razor Leaf and now Leaf Blade…two Grass-type moves with a high likelihood and generating a critical hit. And crits bypass the defense boosts of Stamina…well-played." Hapu muttered appreciatively, though she snapped her fingers and called for a Heavy Slam.
Rolf gleamed silver and rushed Oliver, slamming hard into him and sending him back into the air for a second time. Oliver dove downwards with Leaf Blade again, striking the horse with the move. This time the Mudsdale stood firm and was unmoved by the attack, with his defense now reaching the highest point its Ability could boost it.
Oliver flapped his wings and avoided a sudden stream of purple liquid that shot out of the horse's mouth, and Sun realized with a pang of horror that Rolf knew the move Toxic.
"Don't get hit by that! This isn't a Pokémon we want to have to take down in a hurry!" Sun called to his Partner, who didn't acknowledge that remark verbally. Instead he replied by flaring his wings and glaring at the Mudsdale wearily.
"Earthquake!" Hapu called as Rolf the Mudsdale slammed down on the ground, knocking Oliver off balance. The owl scrambled upright with an annoyed hoot and at Sun's command, fired off a Spirit Shackle that exploded in the Mudsdale's face.
Rolf returned fire with a Stone Edge that caught Oliver head-on, knocking him skyward with a screech of surprise, but Oliver retaliated with a Razor Leaf. Unlike the Leaf Blade, this was not a critical hit and didn't do nearly as much to the mighty stead. Oliver swept back down to the ground, looking more annoyed than hurt after the exchange of moves. Rolf, on the other hand, was noticeably looking rather worn down if the various scratches and scorch marks were any indicator.
"We've got this, Partner. Remember what I said last night. I want to push our limits." Sun said to his Decidueye, who slowly nodded. Sun regretted those words almost immediately.
Hapu thrust out her hand and held up her newly-created Z-Ring, which suddenly let out a piercingly bright light. "I think the time has come to show off my new power. Come, Rolf! Let's show them the strength of our bond! Channel Earthquake…and use Tectonic Rage!"
Rolf let out a loud neigh of agreement as Hapu spun around in a circle, striking a pose by placing her palm down on the ground. A streak of Z-Power rushed towards the Mudsdale, who's body shone with the power of the Tapu. Mudsdale slammed down on the ground and sent a tremor through the earth that Oliver suddenly fell into, with the massive horse becoming engulfed in a sphere of energy that dove through the earth as well.
Sun gaped in shock as the earth violently trembled for about twenty seconds, only for Oliver and Rolf to explode out of the earth and for Oliver to land in a crumpled heap on the ground while Mudsdale crash landed with significant ease.
"Some of these attacks are just…out there." Sun remarked quietly, shaking his head. Oliver got back to his feet, audibly grumbling with annoyance.
"Seems to me like Oliver needs to be a bit more…grounded." Brago remarked quietly, causing both Alastor and Lillie to look at the Arcanine in surprise. The hound was wearing a massive grin on his face, with absolutely no shame for the pun he just made at Oliver's expense. Alastor slapped a claw against his own face for several moments before turning back to the battlefield.
"You're going to let that stop you? Show him what real power is!" Alastor called to the owl, who gave the Golem a deadpan glare. Alastor just smirked while Brago chuckled softly, with Lillie even giggling at the exchange. "If you don't win, Penny's going to be furious!"
Oliver's body froze in horror at the realization before turning to Sun with an almost pleading expression. Sun smiled at Oliver and nodded at him.
"We'll be fine, Oliver. We've got a secret weapon. It's the perfect thing for an opponent like Rolf." Sun assured the Decidueye, who sighed with relief. "Now, let's get ready. I'm about done with this battle."
"Oh, so confident? Your owl's looking a bit haggard." Hapu teased Sun, even as Rolf was panting from the beating he had taken. Sun knew Oliver had quite a bit more left in the tank, but he was definitely not interested in drawing out the fight any longer. That Z-Move had done a lot more damage than he was comfortable with.
"Well, come and get us then!" Sun called to Hapu, throwing his arms apart. "We're right here!"
"Fine then. Heavy Slam!" Hapu called to her trusty steed. Rolf neighed in response, galloping forward as his body gleamed silver. Oliver braced himself for the attack, but there was no need for him too.
"Grass Knot." Sun said to Oliver, who blinked several times in surprise. It had been a quite a while since he had used that move. The Decidueye then raised a glowing green talon and then slammed it into the ground. Rolf the Mudsdale galloped towards his opponent, unaware that a vine had broken through the earth and wrapped itself around his back legs. The Mudsdale leapt into the air, with the vines still connected to him.
"Rolf! Stop moving!" Hapu shouted urgently, recognizing the move Sun was using. However, there was nothing she could do to stop what was about to happen.
Sun and Oliver smirked viciously as the Decidueye yanked on the vines he was controlling, and with a startled cry, Rolf's forward momentum was completely halted. And then, the vines began pulling Rolf back down to the earth with startling speed.
The Mudsdale slammed into the ground as a green pulse of energy erupted outwards, causing the canyon to tremble once again. However, much to the shock of Hapu, she saw that her trusty Mudsdale was shaking on the ground, whining softly. She hadn't ever seen her Pokémon in so much pain from one move hitting him.
"Grass Knot is a special-based attack that does more damage based on how much your opponent weighs. And I know that Rolf is extremely heavy, which makes that move the perfect counter for your strongest Pokémon." Sun said with a wide grin as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "All of those defense boosts mean nothing. And this match is done."
Both Hapu and Sun watched as Rolf the Mudsdale valiantly tried to get back to his feet. Sadly after several long moments of effort, Rolf finally collapsed into the dirt and fainted. Hapu simply stared at her longtime Partner, completely astounded that Sun had indeed figured out the perfect counter for her Mudsdale.
"Rolf is unable to battle! Sunshine Smiles has won his Grand Trial and defeated the Kahuna!" Lillie proclaimed with a proud smile, gesturing towards Sun and Oliver.
"Thud!" Hapu declared as she returned Rolf, a bewildered expression on her face. "That's the sound of your strength rocking me to my core!"
"That was…not an easy battle." Oliver huffed with annoyance, taking a few moments to preen his feathers back into place. sighed with relief, though he was grinning at his Partner.
"It's about time you had a chance to shine in one of these Grand Trials." Sun remarked, causing the Decidueye to laugh despite the battering he had just taken from Hapu's Mudsdale. Sun and Oliver walked over to Hapu, with the remainder of his team heading in his direction. Lillie jogged over to Sun, leaping at her boyfriend and hugging him fiercely.
"You did it! You were all so great!" Lillie cheered, laughing with delight as Sun blushed at the praise. Brago and Alastor approached Oliver, with Brago grinning at his teammate.
"You didn't have to work that hard." Brago remarked, causing Oliver to roll his eyes. "You did well, though."
"I think Sun wanted me to have a chance to actually fight. If I had used that move right at the start, it would've been a boring battle." Oliver admitted quietly, shaking his head. "He almost sounded cocky at the end there. I'm proud of our Trainer.
"Bringing down such an opponent…I could tell that I would've stood no chance. I'll have to work hard to get back to the level you all battle at now." Alastor remarked as he crossed his arms, with Oliver chuckling softly.
"I have no doubts you'll be back to your usual power soon enough." Oliver assured the Golem, who simply grunted in response. By that point, Hapu snapped out of her daze.
"Oho…You sure showed me." Hapu murmured, coming back to her senses. She then gave Sun wide grin, which the other Trainer returned.
"I feel like I sounded really smug back there. Sorry about that. I was just really proud for realizing how great Grass Knot was for Mudsdale." Sun admitted sheepishly, causing Hapu to wave a hand dismissively.
"That was enjoyable. Pride is nothing but arrogance unless you can back it up, which you have proven you can. Looks like I cannot beat you even when I am not holding back…I appreciate this chance, Sun. It really has taught me a few things." Hapu said before she pulled a brown crystal out of her pocket, similar to the one that Plumeria had entrusted to Sun just yesterday. "Take your Ground-type Z-Crystal, Groundium Z is yours!"
Sun accepted the Z-Crystal with thanks before spinning around and striking his usual victory pose. Oliver flared his wings and let out a loud hoot while Brago howled triumphantly. Alastor simply nodded in satisfaction, though his lips quirked slightly upwards despite himself. The Z-Crystal exploded with rainbow colored flames as they usually did, though they dissipated within moments of Sun lowering his hand.
"I will teach you the pose, too, so eyes up here!" Hapu said teasingly, causing Lillie to laugh while Sun rolled his eyes. After several minutes of committing the pose to memory (and enduring several minutes of Lillie laughing even more because of how silly they both looked), Hapu and Sun both took a break to drink some water. After all, it was the heat of the day and they had been through a grueling battle.
"Well, I must applaud you, Lillie." Hapu said to the younger girl as she pulled a Revive out of her pocket and called out Rolf. Within moments the Mudsdale was standing tall once more, having recovered from fainting. "You sure found a prodigious Trainer to befriend."
"More than befriend. He's my boyfriend now! We're finally dating!" Lillie said with a wide grin as she kissed Sun on the cheek. Sun blushed again as Hapu let out a laugh of delight.
"Bzzzzt! She's also making great puns!" Rotom Dex chimed in, floating over the group with a joyful beep.
"Good for you! Lillie thinks the world of you, Sun, and I can tell you think just as highly as her." Hapu said with a warm smile, walking forward and pulling both of her friends into a hug. Sun and Lillie embraced their friend, and for a moment they all held each other. Hapu broke the hug, stepping back and grinning at them both with unrestrained joy.
"Then go on with you two! Head straight through here and find the altar! The path to the shrine is through the canyon" Hapu said as she gestured towards a nearby hall in the rock face. A large pillar with a strange sigil (that both Sun and Lillie recognized from their studies) marked the cave. "You will find other Trainers in this place, though. They come for training. It will be a tough road."
"We're ready. Aren't we?" Sun said with a grin to the three Pokémon standing behind him. Oliver, Brago and Alastor all nodded in affirmative. Lillie smiled at the scene, but was surprised when Hapu turned to her and spoke.
"You will have to pitch in, too, Lillie. But if you two end up in any real trouble, Rolf and I will hasten to you." Hapu said with a smile as the Mudsdale beside her cried out in agreement, stepping forward and nuzzling Sun and then Lillie affectionately before returning to his Trainer's side.
"Thank you, Hapu. I'll do my best!" Lillie promised the Kahuna as she nodded smartly. The woman then expertly hopped atop her trusty stead and placed a fist over her heart while Mudsdale cried out again.
"Safe travels, my friends. Until we meet again!" Hapu said to the two of them before Rolf began cantering down the Ancient Poni Path. The couple watched their friend depart before Lillie turned to Sun.
"Let's take a few minutes to heal up your team before we go any further." Lillie suggested to Sun, who agreed with the girl. They quickly found a shaded spot covered by a tree, where a Max Potion was hidden, and the couple decided this was a perfect spot to cool down. Lillie quickly pulled out more some water bottles for them all to rehydrate and rest for a while. Lillie restored Sun's entire team to full strength and Sun fed everyone Poké Beans, thanking the team for their hard work against Hapu.
Tetra excitedly talked about how she flew with Penny, who looked proud of the dragon and touched that she had used Penny's own evasive move in the battle. Alastor and Brago made sure to spend a few minutes annoying Oliver about his performance in the battle, even though he had been the one to win it. Meanwhile, Finn made some ice and put it on his leg, which was now elevated for extra relief. Sun didn't think that it wasn't seriously hurt, but he wasn't taking chances with an injury. Lillie was confident it was just a sprained ankle, and that within a week or two of being careful and taking care of himself, Finn would be back on his feet and leaping around again.
…who am I…
Sun and Lillie both froze in surprise at the sudden voice speaking within their minds. Each and every one of the Pokémon around them went completely still as well, feeling the strange presence within their minds. For several long seconds, an intense pressure began to settle over everyone present, and it soon became hard to even breathe…
And then the presence was gone, just as quickly as it had appeared.
"That's going to be kind of annoying…though it sounded a little clearer than it did earlier." Lillie remarked before leaning back against Sun, who smiled and closed his eyes.
For a long while, the group rested in the shade of the Vast Poni Canyon and reveled in their victory. Four Kahunas had been taken down, and four Grand Trials had been completed. Now all that awaited them as a trial of a different sort.
Eventually the group had to leave the comfort of the shade and venture into the canyon itself, and Sun and Lillie got to their feet and packed up their things. Sun elected to keep his team out, just for the sake of safety. He knew it'd take a while for them to make it through the area, especially with Lillie tagging along.
"The vast canyon…I wonder what we will find ahead." Lillie remarked quietly, staring into the cave nearby with a curious expression. She then pointed to the statue that marked the entrance. "Do you think it means something?"
"Probably has some history to it. We should regroup with Acerola later to see what history can be figured out." Sun replied as Rotom Dex took pictures of the pillar.
"Oh, yes! Sun! Here, take this!" Lillie suddenly exclaimed, digging into her backpack and handing Sun a Max Revive. Sun smiled at his girlfriend's thoughtfulness. "It's a Max Revive I found in Aether Paradise. I know how rare and expensive these are, so I figured it would help."
"Thanks Lillie. You're the best." Sun thanked Lillie sincerely, causing the girl to smile at her boyfriend bashfully. As Sun and Lillie approached the cave entrance, Lillie stopped and regarded it almost warily. Sun stopped as well, but his thoughts had shifted elsewhere.
"I wonder what'll come after this. We save Lusamine and Guzma. I go after the Championship once Kukui gets all the things worked out? Hmm…What's on the agenda for you Lillie?" Sun said to his girlfriend, who jumped in surprise. The girl looked at Sun for a few moments, and then her gaze drifted over to the team that he had built over the course of his journey. The brave Pokémon that had withstood the evil of the Aether Paradise and endured.
Lillie turned to Sun, unable to help the bubble of laughter that came out. Sun looked at her with a confused expression, unable to figure out why she was laughing at the question. However, Lillie soon answered with a hug, and then pulled away from her boyfriend to properly answer.
"Once I'm ready…I'm going to come after you, Sun." Lillie said with a dazzling smile, looking at the boy with an expression of adoration. "I am going to catch up to you. And be as strong as you! First I'll push myself, and become strong enough to save Nebby and Mother. And then, as an equal…someday I'll be strong enough to give you and everyone here an amazing battle! That's what comes next for me. I'll be a Pokémon Trainer that'll make you proud."
"You're already well on your way, Princess." Sun said to his girlfriend, causing her to flush with pride at the compliment. She leaned forward to kiss Sun on the lips before taking Sun's hand into her own and looking towards the cave entrance that led into the Vast Poni Canyon.
Sun and Lillie exchanged one last glance before they both charged into the cave together, flanked by Sun's entire team, ready to confront whatever challenges awaited them.
NEXT TIME: Sun and Lillie traverse the dangerous Vast Poni Canyon! Professor Kukui has another League meeting! And Kahuna Nanu wishes he was anywhere but at that meeting!
It feels so weird to finally be past this point. This really hammered home for me that we're on the final stretch for these chapters.
Q & A
From: Oragonking
By the way, which Pokémon will use the Poison Type Z-Move?
I'm actually pretty pleased you finally asked a genuinely thoughtful question that doesn't involve being creepy about Lillie because of a throwaway line from almost twenty chapters ago. Good stuff!
To be honest, I don't see much of a need for Sun to use this particular Z-Crystal. The only poison offensive move any of his team can learn is Poison Jab, so maybe Tetra or Finn if it does get used at all. I would like for Sun to get some use out of some of the Z-Crystals that haven't been showcased much, but that's easier said than done.
And since I know the Guest review continues the extremely creepy trend of asking the same question about Lillie that you do, I'm going to preemptively answer that it's not happening. No flashbacks and no mention going forward, so get over it.
That's all for now, you legends. As always, make sure to review, favorite/follow the story if you haven't already and show your support! It really helps motivate and keep me going.
I also have a Pokémon Scarlet fic known as "Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet" available to read on this site and AO3. Any and all support from this story to that story (which is in the same universe as RS) is greatly appreciated.
Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!