Pokémon Radiant Sun

April has been busy, busy, busy.

There's no reprieve in sight, but I work best under pressure. I've got some updates coming at you all within the next few weeks that'll set us up for the big climactic showdown you've all been waiting for. Can't believe we're so far into this story, it feels like just yesterday I was writing about the Ghost Trial.

Anyways, enough about my yammering. Massive shoutout to the lovelies who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, BraviaryScout, Oragonking and General C.

Enjoy.

Chapter 174: A Stranger I Remain

Ultra Deep Sea

A peal of joyous laughter rang out through the area as Lusamine danced among the Nihilego, a beautiful smile adorning her face as she was lost within her obsession over the Ultra Beasts. The jellyfish-like creatures drifted overhead, cooing softly as the meager sunlight from above filtered in through the otherworldly water around her.

This was heaven to the Aether President. So much so that she barely considered anything except what her wonderful new children would want next. For now, they were content to spend time with their doting mother. The mother who ignored the sea of poison that coated the ground and the fact that she could barely remember the name of the region she had come from.

All that mattered were the Nihilego. Everything else was irrelevant.

About a thousand feet away from the dancing woman was a man tucked away and hidden from the Ultra Beasts, an exhausted and vacant expression on his face. His head was resting on his knees, but his gaze was unfocused. Beside him a mighty armored bug Pokémon stood guard, glancing down at its Partner every now and then with visible concern.

With a slow and deep inhale, Guzma expelled a breath and leaned back against the rock wall. He felt feverish, his body tingling with sensations that reminded him of some of the more harrowing drugs he had tried during some of the darker moments of his life. When he had simply wanted to forget his sorrows, no matter the price.

"I'm floating. Feeble. Weakened, now. Damn it. Gotta stay centered!" Guzma hissed as the world swayed around him, with the man trying his hardest to make the world make sense before his eyes. It was difficult, but he was able to remain focused on what was before him. The here and now, and his predicament.

"Lusa's a monster of the beasts now…no reasoning. No cares. She's their mother…A Motherbeast? Agh…so stupid!" Guzma muttered as he clenched his fists, wondering how he had gone so far astray. For all of his power and skill, he was nothing compared to the monsters that filled the Ultra Deep Sea. He had only managed to survive through sheer luck and his comrades.

The Boss of Team Skull closed his eyes, with a single tear trailing down his cheek. "My boys…my girls. Plumeria…What the hell was I playing at? I left you all behind. I was supposed to protect them all. Guzma, what is wrong with you?"

Guzma stared into the darkness with unfocused eyes, trying to remain tethered to reason. Who he was and what he was doing there. But it was too much for him and his strength began to falter. His head lolled backwards and rested against the stone, his eyes slowly drifting shut. He thought back to the countless people who had shaped him into the man he was today. He thought back to the people he had hurt, insulted and defied in his painful lifetime. He had one, clear thought before his mental strength failed him completely.

"I'm so sorry, Johnny..." Guzma murmured as he lost consciousness once again, with the last sound he heard being the insane laughter of the woman he had loyally followed into the depths of the Ultra Space. The same woman who had cast him aside to die without a second thought.

And a woman who, unlike Guzma, had left her entire world behind with absolutely no regrets.

Meanwhile…

Vast Poni Canyon

Refreshed from their break and reinvigorated after Tetra's evolution (and Lillie's bravery in overcoming her own personal Trial), the group entered another cave system with a long winding slope that took the better part of an hour to traverse. All the while, Sun was checking over his team with Rotom Dex to look over possible moves to teach them and to swap out others. He openly discussed different combinations with both Lillie and his team. Their feedback was invaluable, with Lillie in particular having several interesting ideas to make use of.

Once of which involved Alastor focusing more of his moves into making use of the cannon on his back, such as with moves like Discharge, Thunder and Stone Edge. Sun listened with great interest as Lillie described how Stone Edge could not only be used to summon massive glowing pillars, but also to summon stones from nowhere to be flung at the opponent.

As Sun reviewed the Rotom Dex again, he realized that both Alastor and Tetra had caught up with the rest of the team. Oliver was still the strongest, but not by much and everyone else was roughly at the same level.

This meant that Sun's entire team could get in on the fun when it came to wrecking the local wildlife, and it soon became a competition to see who could KO the most amount of Pokémon before Lillie had to heal them.

Sun and Lillie eventually encountered several large square-shaped stones that resembled the ones that they had seen in the Ruins of Hope. After waiting about ten minutes for a Ride Machamp, Sun and Lillie were able to coordinate through the puzzle by pushing the stones into the big gaps in the ground.

Along the way, Sun found a Full Restore as well as a small cave that led to a cliff outside. His team made short work of several unfriendly Murkrows (not Lillie's friends from the bridge) and Sun found a Dusk Ball for his troubles.

Realizing that he had found a dead end, Sun led his group back into the previous cave to find a ladder he had somehow missed. He and Lillie made their way to the top, only to run into another Trainer who was frantically pacing.

"Anywhere for the sake of research! Just like my idol - Professor Birch." Scientist Ikaika declared before sending out an Alolan Muk. Sun sent out Brago and the Arcanine growled softly at the pile of sludge, hitting it with Intimidate.

"Fire Blast!" Sun shouted as Brago opened his mouth, unleashing a mighty star of flames upon the Alolan Muk. The goop monster used a Screech to weaken the defense of the Arcanine and also increase everyone's risk of developing tinnitus. Brago retaliated with a Return, using the power of friendship to beat back the Muk.

After getting hit by Knock Off, Brago defeated the Alolan Muk with a Flame Burst. The Arcanine made quick work of the Magnezone that followed, tanking an Electro Ball without much issue.

"The skills of Pokémon are needed when examining places here and there." Scientist Ikaika remarked with a small sigh, handing Sun his winnings. "If you know Pokémon, you may be able to travel here and there without battling."

Sun and Lillie made their way outside of the cave, where they were somewhat surprised to see a girl with pink hair standing by another bridge. And so another battle was on their hands.

"I'mma get fired up, naturally!" Punk Girl Anna declared as she sent out an Alolan Persian. Sun once again sent Brago into battle, causing the cat to hiss with displeasure.

The Punk Girl ordered her Pokémon to use Nasty Plot while Sun called for Return. Sun was surprised when the Alolan Persian counter-attacked with Power Gem, which nearly knocked out Brago in a single shot. The Arcanine finished off the Persian with a Flame Burst.

Sun returned Brago and sent out Alastor to battle Anna's Honchkrow. The Big Boss Pokémon tried to attack with a Wing Attack, but Alastor just gave the bird an annoyed look before knocking it out with a single Stone Edge.

"I got fired up and lost, naturally!" Punk Girl Anna said sheepishly before handing Sun his winnings. She then promptly began throwing up hands. "It's the fighting spirit, yo, the fighting spirit! Z-Power is fighting spirit, too, right?"

"I knew you were in Team Skull!" Sun declared, pointing at the Punk Girl, who grinned and gave the boy a thumbs up.

"My bandanna and Team Skull gear is in the wash back home." Anna admitted as she laughed, with Lillie and Sun joining in. They bid Anna farewell and continued down the path, talking about how powerful the Punk Girl was and wondering if she could take on the Bone Brothers in a fight.

Sun and Lillie paused as they realized a woman was standing on the bridge ahead of them. She had blonde hair stained with pink paint that also covered parts of her face. Green paint covered her white shirt and her jeans were rather faded and torn. She glanced over at the two of them and held out her hands in a small square-shape, like she was imagining a picture of them being taken. Through the woman's view, Sun and Lillie were standing by one another in the a warm light of day.

"Oh! Now that's a great composition!" the woman remarked with a pleasant smile, tilting her head. "I could paint a picture of you - the visitors to Poni!"

"Um…thank you?" Sun replied, somewhat confused. The woman put a hand on her hip as she laughed quietly.

"Guess I didn't introduce myself though. I'm Mina. I'm the Captain." The woman said before putting both her hands on her hips. "I mean, I sort of am. I actually just wander around doing my art, so I don't have an actual Trial or anything…But Vast Poni Canyon sure is a wonder, huh?"

"It's definitely intense!" Lillie agreed, nodding in response.

Sun had questions, however. "What do you mean you don't have a Trial, but you're the Captain?"

Mina shrugged, offering a relaxed smile in response. "Haven't felt inspired enough to design one. But once you've been through this place, you can really get to see why that Ilima boy designed his Trial the way he did, right?"

"I guess." Sun said with a frown, not quite understanding why the woman was being so carefree about that. Mina didn't seem remotely troubled by this, instead reaching forward and patting the both of them on the head.

"You two are good ones. The canyon's challenges are almost at an end. Maybe another day or two of travel before you reach the altar." Mina informed the couple, earning two nods in response.

"Thank you for telling us, Captain Mina." Lillie said gratefully, smiling at the woman. Mina stared at the two of them for several long moments, as if trying to come to a conclusion. At long last, the woman's smile widened into a grin.

"Oh, yeah. Ohhhh, yeah. Here. Take this as a token of our acquaintance." Mina said amiably, reaching into her pocket and handing Sun a pink Z-Crystal. "It's Fairium Z. Get your Z on!"

Sun blinked several times in confusion but shrugged and pocketed the valuable Z-Crystal. He opened his mouth to thank the woman, but she had walked right past him and Lillie before suddenly stopping a few feet away.

"I'm the Captain and all, so I've gotta come up with a Trial. Maybe it could involve painting pictures and picking flowers…Maybe a Trial like that could be cool?" Mina muttered, frowning as she considered the issue a bit more intently than she had before.

"I like it!" Lillie responded, smiling at the woman as she turned around. Mina offered the young couple another lopsided grin and waved farewell to them. "See you later then! Alola, alola!"

Mina turned and walked on into the cave, vanishing from sight. Sun and Lillie smiled at one another and continued across the bridge, hand-in-hand. They eventually came across another Team Skull Grunt without his uniform on, which made him a Punk Guy.

"Let's have a party. A rough-and-tumble Pokémon party!" Punk Guy Adam called with a wild smirk, sending out massive panda Pokémon that Sun didn't recognize. Rotom Dex was ready with the Pokédex entry.

"Pangoro. The Daunting Pokémon and the final form of Pancham. From the slight twitches of its bamboo leaf, it deduces its opponent's movements. It's eager to tussle but kindhearted toward its companions. It boasts superb physical strength. Those who wish to become Pangoro's Trainer have no choice but to converse with their fists." Rotom Dex informed Sun, who considered that and sent out Finn.

The Poliwrath let out a booming laugh and punched his fists together. The Pangoro stared down Finn for several moments before grinning and doing the same.

"Two hot-blooded fighters going at it! That's rad as hell, man!" Adam called with a wide smile before throwing out a hand. "Vital Throw!"

"Scald!" Sun ordered Finn, who sprayed a hot stream of water at the massive panda as it charged forward. Pangoro managed to reach Finn and slam into him, following up by grabbing him and slamming him violently into the ground. Sun kept up the pressure with Scald as Finn got hit with another Vital Throw, this time getting sent into the nearby cliff.

"Come on, Finn! You've got this!" Lille cheered on the Poliwrath as he broke free of the cliff. The Poliwrath let out a laugh as he shook off the pain, getting into a fighting stance as the panting Pangoro advanced.

Adam glanced at Lillie for a moment before looking to Sun and smirking. "Looks like you've got yourself a cheerleader, dude."

"She's my girlfriend and she's the best." Sun said as Lillie beamed at him from the sidelines, making a heart-shape with her hands while Adam laughed quietly.

"That's too damn cute. But let's wrap this thing up. Vital Throw again!" Adam ordered his massive panda, who continued to march towards Finn. The Poliwrath braced himself for getting throw again, but Sun had other plans.

"Blizzard!" Sun shouted as Finn blinked in surprise, but then laughed loudly before unleashing a massive blast of icy winds at the utterly-drenched Pangoro. The Daunting Pokémon roared in pain as ice quickly formed on its body before toppling over and falling onto the ground.

"Your attacks were effective! I felt them all the way to my heart!" Adam yelped as he handed Sun his winnings. "The party is over! Let's have a party to celebrate that!"

Sun shook Adam's hand and explained that he was going to try and save Guzma, and had even gotten Plumeria's blessing to help the Team Skull Boss. The young man pulled Sun into a bear hug and wished him and Lillie a safe trip before healing his Pangoro up and venturing off into the other direction. Sun and Lillie chose to make camp for that night beside one of the markers that they had been following the past few days.

After rising early in the morning of their eleventh day, Sun and Lillie traveled along the high cliffs of the Vast Poni Canyon. To their surprise, they encountered another bridge by mid-afternoon, which led them across another chasm and led to a section of the canyon that had no immediate pathways that they could travel across.

After some testing the couple realized that they could carefully travel down the large branches of a massive tree that had practically taken over the cliffside of the new area that they were now in. With some help from Sun's team, the two humans made their way down to the ground safely.

Grass covered the ground as slopes extended outward in different directions. Sun decided to investigate the grassy areas first and moved along the cliffside, where he encountered Black Belt Earl.

"I'll win! That's all there is to it." The man declared before sending out a Poliwrath. Sun grinned and sent out Finn, and the two Poliwrath stared one another down before Finn burst out laughing. The Poliwrath glared down Finn for a moment…before also letting out a loud laugh while clutching his stomach.

"Haha! Too proud and powerful fighters acknowledging the strength of their species!" Black Belt Earl laughed before becoming more serious. Both Poliwrath fell into fighting poses before the battle truly began.

Sun called for Body Slam as Earl called for Hypnosis. Finn leapt into the air and slammed into the other Poliwrath, avoiding the Hypnosis entirely and knocking the other Tadpole Pokémon to the ground. Finn went for the same move again, only for the opposing Poliwrath to use Mind Reader.

"Brick Break!" Sun shouted as Finn flipped in midair, spinning around and swinging a punch at the other Poliwrath. The other Tadpole Pokémon tanked the hit and retaliated with a brutal Dynamic Punch.

Finn went flying backwards and landed in a dazed heap on the ground. Sun tried to get him to fight back with a Brick Break, only for Finn to punch himself in the face in confusion.

Black Belt Earl smirked, nodding with satisfaction. "Hypnosis!"

Finn dropped onto the ground and curled up into a ball, snoring loudly while Sun-facepalmed. One Dynamic Punch later and Sun was returning his unconscious Poliwrath and sending out Penny, who promptly finished off the Tadpole Pokémon with Drill Peck.

"I lost. That's all there was to it…Well, you guys are terrific." Black Belt Earl said with a fond smile, handing over the prize money and bowing to Sun before he adopted a more thoughtful expression.

"The hearts of the Pokémon and Trainer overlap…They seek only victory! I want to reach that kind of mental state." Earl explained before he called out his Poliwrath and began to treat his injuries. Sun and Lillie bid the man farewell and continued searching through the grass for secrets. All they found after an hour of searching was a Full Heal, so Sun and Lillie returned to the main path and continued downwards.

Eventually they reached a long path that led in a straight line, but it was flanked by Pokémon Trainers. So Sun did the sensible thing and went in the opposite direction, knowing full-well that a path like this was bound to have some secrets.

As it turned out, he was correct. The path they were on currently led back into the first cave system they had entered at the beginning of their trek through Vast Poni Caynon. After using a Ride Machamp to shove a stone block into a gap, Sun realized that he had effectively created a shortcut out of the canyon, which could come in handy later.

The team was waging an all-out war against the local Pokémon population. Tetra in particular was having a blast attacking the Golbat in the sky alongside Penny and Oliver, making use of her speed and power to dominate the skies.

Meanwhile on the ground, Finn and Alastor wrecked the ground Pokémon, with Boldore and Carbink standing no chance against them. Brago kept close to Sun and Lillie, taking out anything that dared come close to them. As the group exited the cave, Rotom Dex alerted Sun that Alastor had learned the move Double-Edge.

The group continued onto the trial until Sun noticed a small sidepath mostly blocked by a fallen tree. When the group passed through it, they found a large clearing covered in grass. Several wild Pokémon were within it, but the powerful team Sun surrounded himself with was more than enough to deter any potential attackers.

Sun and Lillie decided to camp within the clearing for the night, with Sun pointing out a cave some distance away and the sound of flowing water. Soon enough the team ensured the area was good to camp at for the night, marking territory and other such things. Sun quickly set himself to cooking up the last of the packaged stew he had brought along.

"We've been within the canyon for a while." Sun remarked quietly, thinking about it. "I'm glad we packed so thoroughly. My usual rules for going through routes wouldn't have worked here. Having you around helps out a lot too."

Lillie smiled at that, perking up as she stirred the soup and added some more spices to it. "Really?"

"Of course." Sun said with a nod, smiling back at his girlfriend. "I feel a lot safer having you here with me."

Lillie flushed at the remark, her smile practically lighting up the clearing all on its own. The group quickly ate dinner and settled down for the evening, with Sun and Lillie lying down against Brago and enjoying the fluffy warmth of the Arcanine. In Lillie's lap floated Nebby, with the slumbering Pokémon continuing to remain inert.

For a long while, Sun and Lillie talked to Nebby. They reassured the Pokémon that was so dear to the two of them that they would save him and figure things out. They reminded him of how loved he was, and that they would always care for him. The Pokémon got in on it too, with Tetra even reaching over to affectionately pat the inert Pokémon on the head with her claw.

As the night dragged on, the team piled around the two humans, forming a circle of sorts around Sun and Lillie. Eventually a warm calm enveloped the camp as the Pokémon fell asleep one by one. Lillie rested her head against Sun's shoulder, with Nebby floating in the boy's lap.

The calm was not to last.

As Sun and Lillie both began to doze, the two humans both snapped awake at the sudden chill that was slowly creeping over them all. A now-familiar one that immediately set all of the Pokémon on edge, even as an intense wave of lethargy sapped the strength from their limbs and forced everyone to the ground.

I…I..am…here…

Sun silently reached for Lillie's hand and grabbed it, and in return she squeezed it gently as everyone's vision slowly began to shift and distort, soon blinding them all.

I am…here.

Sun and Lillie's vision refocused, and suddenly there was a somewhat familiar-looking Heliolisk staring at them with a bewildered expression. It was sporting various cuts and slashes against its body, which was coated in an aura of wrongness. Like it wasn't supposed to be there.

Sun gasped in surprise while Lillie just stared at the creature, remembering exactly who and what they were.

I am here. Why?

Sun was the first to speak, his voice quiet. "I don't know. I thought you were dead."

"Why do you think you're here?" Lillie asked softly, causing the creature to tilt its head in confusion.

That is a good question. I don't…actually know that. Or much of anything, really. Maybe I am here for answers. Who are you both?

Sun and Lillie looked at the creature that seemed so familiar to them, but at the same time its bearing and outward appearance were so jarring in contrast to the entity they knew. It was clear that something was off. Sun in particular noticed that the Heliolisk, even if that's not what it really was, seemed noticeably smaller than it was the last time that he had seen it in-person.

The Heliolisk frowned as its body twitched erratically, with an expression of concentration on its face. Soon its tail stopped writhing, though the air around the clearing began to distort and twist around it.

"To answer your question, I am Lillie and this is my boyfriend, Sun. You've been trying to talk to us for the past few days. Right?" Lillie asked the creature, who hummed quietly. The sound was akin to untuned television static.

Yes. It is difficult, maintaining my hold onto this reality with what little strength I have right now. Scattered knowledge, memories and powers drifting in and out of my incorporeal form have been a disaster to make sense of. This is the first time I've managed a solid state. Speaking is keeping me grounded.

Sun and Lillie exchanged an uneasy glance. The Heliolisk lashed its tail outwards, swiping through a nearby rock and erasing it from existence completely. One moment it was there, and the next it wasn't. The terrible pressure within the air overhead deepened.

I know you two. You are within my memories. And so here I am.

"This is a lot to take in." Sun remarked quietly, thinking about the ramifications of this. He was given every impression that the thing before him was dead. Now it was here, but with missing memories and out of control powers? Who knew how dangerous it truly was?

You think it's complicated? Try having no idea who and what you are while your body and mind drift in and out of time and space.

"You really don't know who you are?" Lillie asked with some surprise, causing the creature to shake its head. "Does the name MissingNo. mean anything to you?"

The Heliolisk's entire body exploded into a whirlwind of static and something else. Every single one of them, including the Heliolisk, screamed in absolute agony as they all fell to the ground. The entity's body squirmed and shifted, becoming a flicker of various people and things including an angel, an armored soldier, a Pikachu, and several others. Finally it settled back onto a slightly bigger Heliolisk that flickered several different colors before returning to normal. Suddenly the pressure faded, and all was well again.

I'd appreciate it if you didn't say that word again…

"Noted! I think the name had weird effects before you went away." Sun remarked as he slowly picked himself up off of the ground, fighting back the urge to vomit. Lillie remained on the ground, groaning quietly, and so Sun picked her up and pulled her against his chest.

What was that word, anyway? It seemed to have some kind of effect on me, but that was beyond anything I can think of.

"That's your name. Your true name." Lillie explained to the being quietly. The Heliolisk considered that with an annoyed frown. It did look noticeably more solid now, despite the intense distortion that invoking its true name had caused for a few moments.

Well, that's annoying. What good is a name if I can't use it?

"Then how about Dizz, instead?" Sun suggested as Lillie sighed and cuddled against him, closing her eyes and relaxing a little bit. The entity remained silent for a long while as it considered what Sun had said.

Where does that name come from?

"I don't know. Most of the time we interacted, you were messing with me." Sun explained to the entity, causing it to smirk.

I remember that. Quite unsporting of me, but I suppose that's the point. Torment mortals while at the same time solidifying my own existence by any means necessary. What remains are countless scattered memories, emotions and a sorrow that's as old as creation itself. I don't suppose you all would mind filling in some of the gaps?

"Well, your real name is MissingNo." Sun said, forgetting the consequences of uttering the word. This caused the being to hiss in pain and distort the colors of everything in the clearing for several seconds before they returned to normal. "But you asked us to call you Dizz back at the Festival of Celestial Lights. How does that sound?"

Dizz…That name feels warm. I think I remember that name. Riley and Spark knew me as that name. I was their friend…that was where my story took shape. Yes, that name will do. Thank you for reminding me of it. The more memories I can make sense of, the better.

"No problem. It's the least we could do after you saved everyone in Malie City." Sun explained, earning a confused look from the creature.

Lillie went on to explain how Vivian had asked MissingNo. to turn back time to undo the deaths of her friends back at Malie City during an attack from Cipher. This was done even though this action would result in her dying to Amber Fontaine in a desperate fight to buy her friends time to escape down the road.

Sun explained how MissingNo. had driven off Roran Rubinara and saved countless lives, but at great personal cost, with the entity completely fading away from existence.

Or so they thought.

This caused the Heliolisk to be silent as it considered that information. Everyone could see the troubled expression on its face. Sun's team watched on warily, the pressure holding them in place preventing them from attacking the strange being that seemed so powerful yet so volatile.

So I actually died. But yet I'm here.

"We're just as confused as you are. Vivian was devastated when you died. She was sad about it even when we talked to her during the Trial of Hope." Sun remarked, leaning forward a little. "She explained a lot of things to us. She hoped you would find some way to reform, but that was a long shot."

The memories of her are some of the strongest I have. When you speak of Vivian to me, I feel as if someone precious to me was lost. Maybe this is what grief feels like.

"She considered you a precious friend and cared a lot about your feelings." Lillie added, causing the Heliolisk to sigh.

And now she's gone. And I am diminished. It's a struggle to even think, let alone speak right now.

"So, why did you want to follow us anyway? When you were less solid, I suppose. You mentioned a connection of some kind before, and you said you wanted answers earlier." Lillie asked tiredly, opening her eyes to look at the entity.

You two humans…Protagonists is a word that comes to mind when I see you. The main characters whose paths intertwine and affect countless others. I was drawn to you while I was broken, scattered throughout this plane. And now I have a true consciousness. At least for now, but I do not know how long it'll last. I seek to strengthen my connection.

"Then stay with us." Sun offered the presence, causing Lillie and his team to look at him with surprise. "You said speaking helps keep you attached to this reality, right? Then tag along with us, even if it's for a little while. It's the least we could do."

You would do that for me? I'm little more than a stranger. And what…that thing did to you all, before it decided to sacrifice itself, was nothing short of malicious and cruel.

"If I held a grudge for all the crap people have done to me, I probably would have my own body count by now. It's really not a problem." Sun responded with a shrug, causing Lillie to sigh and shake her head as she huddled closer against Sun.

"You really shouldn't make jokes like that, Sun. But…I agree that we should help it out. For better or for worse, it's the reason any of this is possible. We can't ignore a friend in need." Lillie said with a weak fist pump, causing Sun to smile.

Friend? I was and am a monster. I've killed just as many as I've saved, I know that much. I don't understand.

Sun and Lille could tell from the sound of the entity that it was genuinely bewildered, so Sun explained. "Why not? Honestly, with how you seem now, you sound more confused than anything else. And you helped us out in Malie City. If you're not quite what you were before, then maybe this is a chance to start over. If I can help someone, I will. It's not that complicated."

…From what memories I do have, and what is coming back to me over the course of this conversation, I truly do not think I deserve such a chance.

"Maybe not. There's a lot of people who should've been given second chances over those who got them. But maybe you can take this second chance and make the most of it?" Lillie suggested the presence, who hummed again in response. It was akin to the sound of television static.

If you do not mind my presence, then yes. I would like to accompany you, for as long as you would have me. Perhaps walking alongside such powerful souls will help me rebuild my shattered self.

"It's a deal." Sun said with a smile. Suddenly the boy felt a strange tingling feeling roll through his body, and he noticed that the Heliolisk's body seemed to solidify before him.

I accept the terms. Our contract is sealed.

"What does that mean?" Lillie asked, looking at Sun with concern. The boy was likewise confused, and so the Heliolisk in disguise explained.

Before I was broken, I maintained my grip on this reality in the form of my connections to those with power. Those who would be able to change the very fate of their world. Through those bonds, my power and influence grow. These deals and the contracts between myself and those with power allow me to manifest my will upon the world. I have no true power except for what others allow me to have.

"That's incredibly eerie. But it does make a weird sense. Vivian had to make a weird deal before she could use your powers to save everyone, didn't she?" Lillie mused softly, closing her eyes and nuzzling Sun's chest. Sun rubbed her head for a few moments while the entity considered that.

A price must always be paid. I know and understand that much. Those who make deals with me usually come to regret them.

"You're a parasite…" Alastor hissed at the strange creature, who smirked at the Alolan Golem. Alastor flinched and averted his eyes as the thing chuckled softly, causing the very air to crackle.

Not an untrue comparison. Despite my strength, however, I am barely here. Half-awake and drifting. Speaking with you all is draining my strength but solidifying my connection to this world. Once this conversation is done, I am not sure where I go from here.

"There's no rush. I'm sure you'll figure something out eventually. And if not, then maybe you'll find something in the future that'll give you some purpose." Sun said to the entity, which considered the boy's words for several moments.

With the information I taken from your minds while we've conversed, I'm making more sense of the memories that I've recovered. I am not the same being as I once was…maybe nearly perishing has humbled me. I wouldn't know.

"You do seem a lot less playful than you did before Malie City." Lillie noted as the entity bobbed its head in agreement.

"By the way, what do you want us to call you? Vivian got annoyed when people referred to you as the Anomaly, but you're not too sure on using your actual name since that makes the world break." Sun asked the entity, who considered that question for several long minutes before flickering away entirely.

Sun and Lillie would have assumed that the presence had vanished if not for the slight shuddering of the air around them. And then came a very quiet and tired reply that conveyed a note of genuine gratitude within.

For now you may call me Dizz, my friends. You who keep me tethered to this reality. To all others, I shall be the Remnant. And I will write my own story with this second chance I have been given.

"It's good to see you again, Dizz." Lillie said to the entity with a sleepy smile. The couple watched as the entity blinked back into existence, looking bemused. Finally the otherworldly being smiled back at them, even as its body glitched slightly.

NEXT TIME: Sun and Lillie reach the end of the Vast Poni Canyon as Dizz picks up the pieces. Under this backdrop, Sun confronts the final hurdle on his Island Challenge.

Alright folks, we're nearing the end of Vast Poni Canyon! But we've got one last Trial and Totem Battle in store before we get to the main event within Ultra Space!

Q & A

From: General C

As for a question: I know you've said in the past that this is indeed a Pokemon Sun story and not an Ultra Sun story, but do you plan to touch on any of the small bonus content from the Ultra games, be it big or small? Would be awesome to see how you would handle something as major as Ultra Necrozma!

I know I've mentioned this before, but I've flip-flopped several times on whether or not I want to do a post-story for Radiant Sun considering how many loose ends there are and factoring in a storyline regarding Ultra Necrozma and other content from US/UM and the post-game.

However, I've been doing this story for almost eight years now and I can confidently say that this fic ends at 200 chapters. As epic as a showdown with Ultra Necrozma would be, I really don't think I can make a storyline to include it without things getting shoehorned in. I did have some tentative plans for it a few years ago, but those plans ended a while back.

However, I'm not opposed to references or even touching on stuff from US/UM. I've had members of the Ultra Recon Squad already cameo in the story and Totem Araquanid being dethroned by Totem Wishiwashi in this story is directly something I did because Totem Araquanid was a thing in US/UM. So me including some more of that is totally doable. It's just a matter of what I include.

That's all for now, everyone. As always, make sure to review, favorite/follow the story if you haven't already and show your support! It really helps me continue the fight to finish this beast!

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!