Pokémon Radiant Sun

Alrighty folks, we've got a lot of fun stuff heading your way in quick succession as we near the end of our heroes' time in Vast Poni Canyon.

I've actually got the next two chapters already done ahead of time, so I can focus on the big showdown that awaits within Ultra Space. Since that'll be a long chapter, I've given myself some extra time to finish it while also allowing two quicker uploads to happen while I'm chipping away at it.

Shoutout to BraviaryScout and Oragonking for reviewing since the last update! You both are absolute legends and I appreciate the hell outta the both of you.

Enjoy!

Chapter 175: Dragon Trial! Dancing Under Starlight!

The Next Morning…

Vast Poni Canyon

"Oooh, look! There's an underground lake!"

"Does this count as underground? It's probably just a cavern with a lake…"

"Don't make me smack you, Sun."

The young couple were standing at the edge of a large pool of water within the cave system that was by their camp. The water was deep, and Sun quickly determined with Finn that there were Pokémon within it. According to the Poliwrath, the water flowed through a series of tunnels and cracks all the way out to sea.

"It looks very refreshing. Could we go for a swim?" Lillie asked Sun, smiling at her boyfriend with an excited smile.

"Sure, but first I'd like to get a bath." Sun grumbled, earning a surprised look from Lillie. "Getting hosed down by Finn to try and stay kinda clean is all well and good, but it's hard to really get clean out in the wilds. Especially since most of the time, you're not spending such a long time away from civilization."

"True. This is my main traveling dress and it's starting to show." Lillie remarked, gesturing down at her dress and the various stains of dirt and sweat. Sun nodded, glancing down at his T-shirt and seeing that he was already sweating through it due to how hot it was in Vast Poni Canyon.

In the end, Sun and Lillie ended up spending the better part of the morning attempting to clean their traveling clothes the best that they could and enjoying the cool water within the cavern. It was an easy matter to change into their swimsuits and enjoy a reprieve from the harsh sun that they had been subjected to for nearly two weeks now. When it came to cleaning themselves, Sun just left the cave with Oliver, Brago, Finn and Alastor while Penny and Tetra stood guard over Lillie. When she was finished, she swapped with Sun.

Long after the two of them were clean, Sun and Lillie simply relaxed by the water and enjoyed the comfort the shade the watery cavern provided. Lillie was floating on the water while leaning against a drifting Tetra, quietly humming a tune.

Sun sighed with relief as he sat down on the edge of the water, crossing his legs and just enjoying the calm. Listening to the water ebb and flow within the cavern and the occasional splash was soothing to the boy, made even better by Lillie's gentle hums in the background.

"We're almost there…I can feel it." Sun muttered, thinking about what possibly awaited him. "Can we really save Nebby? What about Solgaleo? Are Lusamine and Guzma even alive at this point? Too many things we don't know…are we even strong enough to take on whatever's awaiting us in the Ultra Space-"

"Is this seat taken?" Lillie asked suddenly, pointing at Sun and snapping the boy out of his thoughts. He noticed that his girlfriend was wearing a distinctly playful smile as she stood beside him on the water's edge. Sun thought it looked incredibly cute, but also noticed there was also a mischievous gleam in her bright green eyes.

Sun raised an eyebrow at the girl's smirk and calmly stated, "Lillie, that's my lap."

"Good!" Lillie then promptly sat down in Sun's lap and wrapped her arms around his chest, hugging him tightly before resting her chin on his shoulder. A series of actions that left a completely bewildered Sun blushing profusely. Sun's team watched the display with amusement, with Brago and Penny openly laughing at their Trainer.

Thing's got worse when Rotom Dex promptly popped out of Sun's backpack and snapped a picture of the young couple. After sending the picture to several of their friends (and one furious Gladion), Lillie asked Rotom to send her the picture on her own phone while a flustered Sun tried to form a coherent sentence.

Eventually Lillie freed Sun and after the boy had recovered his composure, the group decided to investigate the nearby cave some more besides the entrance. After putting on the appropriate Ride Gear, Sun used his Ride Pager to call on a Ride Sharpedo that was somewhere in the area. After about five minutes the Brutal Pokémon showed up to assist them.

Sun called out Tetra, Oliver, Penny and Finn to travel alongside him. Lillie sat behind Sun, her arms wrapped firmly around her boyfriend and trying her hardest not to let her nervousness show. Sun grinned widely before urging the Sharpedo Jet forward, using its power to smash aside several boulders blocking their path across the water.

After an initial few terrifying minutes, Lillie stopped screaming in terror and began to relax and even enjoy herself. Even when several annoyed Golbat attempted to attack them, Finn made short work of them by leaping out of the water and using Blizzard and Psychic to knock them out.

Sun did end up encountering another Trainer within the cave and called out to them. The Black Belt walked over to Sun and remarked. "I confined myself to this cave to seek the secrets of battle. If it's alright with you, please battle my beloved Pokémon!"

Black Belt Terry then sent out his Machamp, with Sun once again sending out Finn. The Poliwrath made short work of the Superpower Pokémon with two Psychic attacks.

"Attacking and defending, I guess it's all up to oneself." Terry muttered as he handed Sun his prize money. "Adjusting to one's opponent…maintaining oneself…Both are wonderful! What's important is whether something is fitting to oneself."

Sun and Lillie bid Terry farewell and continued cruising through the cave on Sharpedo, blasting apart several more rocks before reaching a small island where Sun found a Rare Candy. Just a bit further into the cave, Sun found a red disc. This was TM35, Flamethrower, and it was a move the boy immediately taught Brago and Tetra.

What followed was roughly thirty minutes of pure chaos as Tetra gleefully began spewing flames throughout the cave, terrifying the local Golbat population and nearly making Black Belt Terry wet himself in fear.

By the time they had all returned to the wild field, night was beginning to fall yet again, so Sun and Lillie set up camp. After dinner, Sun and Lillie sat against some nearby rocks and watched the stars twinkling in the sky on a blanket. Their hands lay atop one another, with their thoughts wandering.

"What are you thinking about?" Lillie asked after some time had passed without glancing at Sun. The boy snapped out of his daze and looked at Lillie in surprise, but he gave his answer a moment later.

"Thinking about Dad. I know the International Police are working really hard to do damage control and bring Cipher to justice. But I still feel like there's something more I could've done to help."

"What more could you have done, Sun? You stopped Borlath and saved the world. Plus you stopped Dawson on your own and helped beat Roran when he nearly transformed into the Alolan God of Madness."

"That's…a good point. I guess I can't help but wish I could do more to help."

"That's because you're a hero, Sun, and that's what heroes do. They help people. It's what makes you so inspiring."

"S-stop that…I had a lot of people helping me and a great team too."

"My boyfriend is an absolute badass and I shall not hear otherwise."

"Fine, fine…I'm really cool. Happy?"

"For now. But I do understand why you'd be thinking about all that stuff. There were a lot of people who died who shouldn't have, all at the hands of terrible people. Or rather, people who were pushed to extremes until they became absolute monsters themselves. Even Amber Fontaine had some genuine tragedy in her past that made her into a living weapon…it's so weird to pity some of them despite what they've done."

"True. I guess I'm trying to figure out how exactly the bad guys would be punished for what they did so the victims can get closure. But the situation is such a mess that I wouldn't even know where to start."

Sun and Lillie stared up at the stars for a while longer, thinking hard on the matter. After a few minutes, Lillie shifted herself until she was leaning against Sun's chest, with Sun wrapping his arms around her.

"Justice really is a complicated thing. I think we should let the adults handle things like that until we're wise enough to decide that on our own." Lillie said quietly, still gazing at the stars. "After all, what becomes of Mother after all this? She's committed terrible crimes upon Alola and is responsible for many deaths, albeit indirectly. But she was driven mad by the Nihilego venom, and not entirely in control of her actions. But is that an excuse? Justification? I don't know…"

"I guess we'll find out when we reach the Altar." Sun responded, thinking hard on that himself. His own situation was a lot less ambiguous. Ashton Aupuni had been spared from death, but he was effectively under house arrest by the Tapu of Alola for all eternity and had been press-ganged into working for the International Police at the moment. The man was serving a punishment of a different kind…unless you counted the days of torture he suffered at the hands of Lusamine and Faba.

Amber, Roran and Dawson had all been killed in various ways that all seemed somewhat fitting. Amber was killed by the people she had always clashed with during the struggle against Cipher, finally getting bright down after a grueling showdown in Hau'oli City. Roran Rubinara fell by the hand of the man who had once been his protégé, with Borlath brutally torturing him before executing him on live television. And Dawson had perished standing up for the justice he believed in and had sealed his fate defying both Lusamine and Borlath at Aether Paradise, only for the Nihilego to ensnare and kill him.

"What have you been thinking about?" Sun asked Lillie, who smiled and nuzzled her boyfriend with a soft smile.

"I was thinking about our adventure. What we've been through. The more…positive moments of it. After all of the horror, I feel like I can appreciate the times where life wasn't scary a lot more. Right now, I feel like I'm in my own paradise." Lillie said as she looked up and kissed Sun's cheek. Sun laughed and kissed Lillie back, smiling down at her.

"There's so much I want to see and do. So many experiences waiting for me after this. I want to see you become a Champion. I want to go on my own Island Challenge and become a Pokémon Trainer. I can't wait to see the Paradise grow now that Mother isn't running things and that jerk Faba isn't holding everyone back." Lillie growled the last few words, causing Sun to snicker.

"He was a big jerk, wasn't he?"

"Yes! He was an unrelenting asshole!"

Sun burst out laughing at that, and a few moments later Lillie did the same. Their laughter filled the camp, with Sun's Pokémon silently observing the two with hidden smiles. They knew that moments like these were ones that their favorite humans deserved, and so they kept their peace.

"What do you want to do right now, Lillie?" Sun asked his girlfriend as his giggles finally ceased. Lillie untangled herself from Sun, causing him to fall down onto the ground with a surprised grunt. Lillie looked down at the boy with an unreadable expression as she thought about it. Finally, a shy smiled spread across her face as she found her answer.

"I…I want to dance." Lillie said after a moment's hesitation. Sun looked at her with some surprise, but she soon elaborated. "I've always wanted to dance with you. We didn't really get to dance at the Festival of Celestial Lights, when it would've been really romantic. I was too nervous then and out of practice, but I looked up some videos online and practiced some of the m-movements and-"

Sun silenced his girlfriend with a kiss on the mouth, sitting upright and surprising her. Lillie looked shocked for a moment before closing her eyes and leaning into Sun. When they separated, Sun grinned at Lillie. "Will you dance with me, Princess?"

"Yes!" Lillie said breathlessly, taking Sun's hands into her own as they both got to their feet. Sun allowed his girlfriend to take the lead, since he was very unfamiliar with dancing. The couple heard the faint sound of Rotom Dex giggling nearby before a slow song began to play, filling the camp with the gentle melody of violins and a trickling piano.

Lillie and Sun slowly danced around the campfire, the music guiding their movements as they held one another. They had no fear for what lay beyond the camp, or indeed, Ultra Space. For now they had the music and one another. And that was all that mattered to them.

And for a long time…that's all there was. Two children who had been subjected to countless trauma and torment, finally able to stand on their own and be who they wanted to be. Sun and Lillie stared into one another's eyes as the music swelled, and saw nothing but affection and adoration for the other. An equal partnership forged in the fires of friendship and tempered by the trials that they had faced down together

"My knight in shining armor…I love you." Lillie murmured as she leaned into Sun, with the music fading in the background. She could feel his heart beating against her own.

"I love you too, Lillie." Sun said back just as quietly, with the two of them moving away from one another while holding her hands in his surprised Lillie by bowing and kissing her hand, causing the teen to giggle and flush at the romantic gesture before pulling Sun into a tight hug, grateful that he had not only indulged her but also made the entire dance very enjoyable.

"They really are special, aren't they?" Finn asked Alastor quietly, with all of Sun's Pokémon watching the display with various expressions of happiness. Alastor responded with a smirk, but finally nodded in agreement.

The young couple awoke late in the morning, and after a quick breakfast Sun and Lillie made their way out of the thicket and back onto the main path. The gauntlet of Trainers awaited them, and Sun braced himself for a challenging batch of fights.

"We're aiming for the top, so be prepared for us to go all out!" Ace Trainer Hiroshi declared before sending out his Absol. Sun sent out Penny, who glared down the Disaster Pokémon sternly.

Sun called for Brick Break, only for the Absol to get the first hit with Sucker Punch. That, of course, didn't stop Penny from one-shotting the Absol with relative ease.

Hiroshi sent out a Lapras, which Sun realized would be a harder target for Penny to defeat. Once again he ordered her to use Brick Break, only for the Transport Pokémon to retaliate with a Hydro Pump that blasted Penny into a faraway wall. However, once the Toucannon freed herself, another Brick Break brought down the Lapras and secured the win.

"Your guys are the tops! I felt the strength in your heart!" Hiroshi proclaimed, grinning as he held out a hand. Sun shook it firmly, smiling at the other Trainer. "If you're aiming for the top, you've got to test yourself against top opponents. The world is simple like that!"

After the battle, Rotom Dex informed Sun that his Toucannon had learned the move Hyper Voice. Penny demonstrated her new move by immediately blasting the air with it, drawing annoyed glares from the Trainers loitering on the path. Sun sheepishly returned Penny and continued on his way, with Lillie giggling quietly behind him the entire time.

"The way you guys trust each other! I want to see it all!" Veteran Heather said with a smile, sending out a Stoutland. Sun smirked and sent out Tetra, who let out a roar that echoed throughout the Vast Poni Canyon.

Sun called for Dig, which allowed Tetra to avoid the Retaliate from the Stoutland and when Tetra emerged from the earth, the resulting explosion of force sent the massive hound into the air. It struck back with Retaliate properly this time, only for Tetra to end things with a Dragon Claw.

Heather sent out a Klefki next, which Sun tried to get ahead of by using Dig. Klefki struck with Trick Room first, which Sun knew would mess things up later. Once Tetra came up back up again she was hit with a Play Rough, dealing major damage to the Mach Pokémon. Tetra finished things off with Flamethrower, smiling happily as she knocked out the Key Ring Pokémon.

Sun returned Tetra and sent out Brago, which worked perfectly when Heather sent out a Tsareena. The Arcanine promptly knocked it out with Flamethrower as well, securing the win.

"Nicely done! I dig it - Pokémon and Trainers who trust each other." Heather remarked with a nod of approval. "You can demonstrate your full strength by trusting each other!"

Sun and Lillie continued down the path, talking about various strategies and move combinations. Once they were a bit further down the road, the couple noticed another old Trainer being the final one along the path.

"The Altar is just a little further, so I can't let you pass easily. Show me everything you've got!" the Veteran, named Eric, proclaimed as he threw an Ultra Ball and sent out a Granbull. Sun responded by sending out Alastor, who chuckled darkly as his cannon crackled.

Alastor started off using Rock Blast, but the Granbull avoided the attack and used Roar, which forced Alastor out of battle and forced Finn into battle instead. Sun had the Poliwrath use Scald, dealing decent damage to Granbull. However the Granbull used Roar a second time, forcing out Finn and bringing in Oliver.

Eric then decided to swap out his Granbull for a Cloyster. Sun frowned and muttered under his breath, "Well, this is annoying. Use Spirit Shackle!"

The Decidueye quickly fired off the ghostly arrow, dealing damage and locking in Cloyster and making it unable to be swapped out for the remainder of the battle. Sun called for Leaf Blade, only for Cloyster to block with Protect.

Oliver, annoyed with having his own move used against him like that, attacked with Leaf Blade again. This time the move connected, knocking out the Cloyster. Eric sent out a Gengar, and the two Ghost-type Pokémon had a stare-down for several moments.

"Shadow Ball!"

"Spirit Shackle!"

The Gengar grinned maliciously as it fired off the sphere of darkness right as Oliver fired off another ghostly arrow. Oliver shrieked in pain and stumbled backwards while the Shadow Pokémon was blasted to the ground by the arrow, fainting a few moments later.

Eric sent Granbull back out, but Oliver just finished it off with Leaf Blade. The Veteran sent out his last Pokémon, an Alolan Golem, which met a similar fate as Granbull. One Leaf Blade later and Sun was victorious.

"Whoa, you've got a lot…I have no choice but to admit defeat!" Veteran Eric laughed, smiling at Sun and Oliver as the boy patted his owl on the shoulder. "Go where you please! If you and your Pokémon give it everything you've got, there's no place you can't reach!"

Sun and Lillie ran towards what they eventually realized was a Trial Gate, though it was noticeably weathered with age and in a state of disrepair. It stood outside of the entrance to a cave, with the inside being pitch black Sun slowed to a stop, looking at the gate thoughtfully. Meanwhile Lillie doubled over, panting as she put her hands on her knees.

"Hah…haaah…" Lillie wheezed as Sun looked at her with some concern. She gave her boyfriend a weak smile. "Sorry…I'm not…very good…at running…"

Sun dug into his backpack and pulled out a canteen, handing it to his girlfriend. Lillie took a grateful drink before sighing with relief, handing the canteen back to Sun and wiping her forehead. "Phew!"

"You good?" Sun asked, causing Lillie to smile at him and give him a light kiss on the lips. She pulled away with a warm smile.

"Yes, thank you." Lillie said as she grabbed Sun's hand. Her attention then went to the Trial Gate before them, with her expression becoming one of focus. "It looks like we're nearly to the Altar now, aren't we, Sun…"

"Looks like it. I think to get through to the Altar we'll have to go through this old Trial Site." Sun remarked, frowning as he tried to peer into the cave. It was too dark for him to make anything out from outside.

"Bzzzzt? Is there a Trial in Vast Poni Canyon? Wasn't this place enough of a Trial?" Rotom Dex chimed in, beeping overhead.

"This can't be that Mina lady's Trial, from what she was mumbling earlier. I wonder if there's a Totem lurking around." Sun remarked quietly, shuddering at the thought of a Totem leaping out of the shadows. His time in the Island Challenge had taught him to respect the power of the guardians of Alola's sacred Trial Sites. He knew how dangerous they could be, and without a Captain present, it was possible he'd have to face the wrath of a wild Totem Pokémon.

I believe I can answer that…

Sun and Lillie winced in surprise at Dizz speaking within their heads, catching them completely off-guard. The couple noticed the Heliolisk sitting on a nearby rock, its form seeming more corporeal than the last time that it had appeared in person. The Remnant of MissingNo. regarded them with amusement, its tail swishing behind it.

"What would you know about this place?" Lillie asked the Remnant, who's tail twitched a few times before it answered.

This place was used as a way to test the warriors who would protect the Altar of the Sunne, which was considered one of the highest honors an Alolan could have. It greatly reminds me of the Island Trials that you've faced down so far, Sun. Your destination lies beyond this cave.

"How do you know that?" Lillie asked, genuinely curious.

Truth be told, I know quite a lot about this world and those who live in it. That hasn't faded. It's simply my own path that is obscured. You have conquered Trials like this before and shall do so again.

"Well, thank you for the information, Dizz. We appreciate it." Sun said to the entity. Dizz stared at Sun for several moments before smiling and flickering away.

Glad to help.

"Before we go any further, let me take care of the team for you." Lillie offered, drawing Sun's attention. "If we're going to tackle another Trial, then they'll need to be at their best!"

The group took a break as the sun hung high in the air above them. After eating an MRE each (Lillie enjoying a vegetarian meal and Sun eating ratatouille), Lillie got to work. Sun couldn't help but smile as he watched Lillie heal up his team, asking them questions and making sure that they were all perfectly healthy. She even spent some extra time on Finn to make sure his ankle had healed up from when he rolled it during the Grand Trial against Hapu.

"When your Pokémon are full of energy, then a Trainer can go anywhere in the world…Doesn't it seem that way?" Lillie asked with a laugh as Sun's hand grasped hers, nodding in agreement. Refreshed and ready for action, Sun and Lillie entered the cave together.

The couple immediately noticed that the path was a long and winding one, with high walls extending upwards. A small stone monument rose from the ground nearby, and the two of them walked over to it to read it. The faint letters were hard to read, but Sun could just make them out.

"Ahead lies a sacred ground of Trials. None who do not take part in its Trials will be allowed to walk upon this earth. Those lacking the courage to defeat the Totem guarding this land will be denied entry. But those who believe in their Pokémon and walk beside them shall gain great power!" Sun read aloud, his tone thoughtful as he realized that his suspicions were correct.

"So this is a Trial…" Lillie murmured, a noticeable note of anxiousness in her voice. Sun squeezed her hand reassuringly and glanced around, expecting someone to leap out of nowhere or appear from behind.

But they were alone.

"No Captain…But alright. Let's beat this Trial, Lillie. Together." Sun said to his girlfriend, who smiled at him and nodded. The two of them faced forward, spotting the end of the cave in the distance with sunlight spilling out. They began walking forward, keeping an eye out for trouble.

"We should get to the end. We'll go from there." Sun said as he called out Tetra. The Garchomp appeared in a flash of light, towering over them. The Mach Pokémon immediately tensed and looked upwards with a faint growl, her head slowly turning as she smiled.

"We're not alone, Sunny." Tetra said as she walked protectively in front of the humans. "Something is coming. I will protect you both."

Sun felt a piercing gaze on him from somewhere, but he couldn't tell where it was coming from. A soft growl caught their attention, and Sun and Lillie whirled around in time to see a small dragon-like Pokémon covered in scales charging towards them with a feral snarl.

Tetra reacted instantly, roaring as she backhanded the small Pokémon away and sent it crashing to the ground. As it rose, Sun nodded at the Rotom Dex, who provided the appropriate entry from the Pokédex.

"Jangmo-o. The Scaly Pokémon. They live in mountains where no trace of humans can be detected. Jangmo-o grow little by little as they battle one another. It expresses its feelings by smacking its scales. Metallic sounds echo through the tall mountains where Jangmo-o lives." Rotom Dex explained as Sun considered the little dragon, which glared at them.

The small dragon hissed angrily before dashing towards Tetra, who ignited a Dragon Claw without even needing a command from Sun and calmly punched Jangmo-o in the chest, sending it hurtling into a wall with a crunch. It fainted in the wall, hanging there limply.

Sun and Lillie both winced at the sudden sensation of something even more fierce glaring down at them. But they were unable to determine where it was coming from.

I should probably inform you that you're definitely being watched. I'd keep moving.

"C'mon, let's hurry through here" Sun muttered to Lillie and Tetra, walking forward while Tetra kept an eye out for trouble. Sun was glad he did, because he spotted a small hollow nearby that contained TM02, Dragon Claw.

After pocketing the TM, Sun and Lillie continued their trek with Tetra stomping along behind them, her head on a swivel for trouble.

"This place feels strange." Tetra said quietly, not looking at them. "I can feel something in the air. There's power within the stones and in the ground. It…calls to me. To my soul."

"Bzzzt! It's probably because you're a dragon!" Rotom Dex helpfully suggested, causing Tetra to nod. Sun was more thoughtful about the Trial they faced, which seemed to be just making it to the end of the path.

"I wonder how many have walked this path. Faced this Trial and prayed at the Altar of the Sunne." Sun muttered as a breeze rustled through the cave, creating a strange rattle within the sacred grounds that they tread upon.

"We should ask Tapu Fini about some of the history of this place sometime." Lillie suggested, causing Sun to look at her in surprise. "The Tapu might not be human anymore, but they were once upon a time. They know about the history of this place better than anyone, even if they may not entirely remember it anymore."

Sun considered that for a few moments before grinning at his girlfriend. "That's a really good idea, Lillie. Maybe we can swing by the Ruins with an offering to put the Tapu in a good mood beforehand. We could find out all sorts of cool things about the past since we've helped them out so much these past few months-"

"Watch out!" Sun and Lillie tensed at Tetra's shout, leaping in front of them and blocking a strike from something that had leapt down at them from above with a primal cry. Tetra grabbed the assailant and hurled them across the clearing, but the attacker flipped in midair and landed into a crouch. Sun noticed that the bipedal dragon was covered in scales and looked vaguely familiar.

"I've got you, buddy! 'Dex entry coming your way!" Rotom Dex called as Tetra and the dragon glared one another down. The Garchomp stood protectively in front of her Trainer, arms extended and her mouth in a snarl.

"Hakamo-o. The Scaly Pokémon and the evolved form of Jangmo-o. It leaps at its prey with a courageous shout. Its scaly punches tear its opponents to shreds. It sheds and regrows its scales on a continuous basis. The scales become harder and sharper each time they're regrown." Sun stared down the dragon, realizing immediately that it was an evolved form of the Jangmo-o that they had encountered earlier.

Tetra growled as both of her claws burst into emerald flames, with the Mach Pokémon preparing herself for combat. The Hakamo-o seemed to be more cautious than Jangmo-o, eyeing the Garchomp with wariness.

Unfortunately for him, Tetra was more than capable of dashing forward with incredible swiftness and delivered two brutal swipes of Dragon Claw, defeating Hakamo-o in a single move. Tetra extinguished her claws and laughed quietly, turning to Sun and Lillie.

"They were easy. I wonder if I'm too powerful now?" Tetra asked Sun, who shrugged his shoulders.

"You can move fast and hit hard, plus you focused on their weaknesses. Always keep in mind that there's always going to be something, somewhere that's bigger and stronger than you." Sun explained to the Garchomp, who nodded in understanding before smiling at her Trainer. She then promptly walked over to Sun and picked him up, hugging him with a joyful giggle.

"Like me!" Tetra happily called out as Sun laughed, hugging back the happy dragon while Lillie grabbed Rotom Dex and snapped a picture of the two of them. After that brief moment of silliness was done, the group continued down the path. This time, Sun held Lillie's hand in his right while his left hand rested on the side of his dragon.

After several minutes of walking, Sun and Lillie both felt their blood run cold as the sensation of something truly terrible glaring at them with unmatched fierceness. It was a relentless and awful anger that filled the cavern. Tetra turned around and let out a roar of defiance.

"Come out and fight! You don't scare me!" Tetra shouted, baring her teeth in challenge to the unseen foes that no doubt lurked within the shadows. "I can do anything!"

Sun walked forward and put a calming hand on Tetra's side, causing her to go silent at his unspoken command. That was when Sun noticed that there was a large circular clearing within the cave with a pedestal resting in the dead-center. Resting within the pedestal was a familiar-looking jewel.

Oh come on, that's not even being remotely subtle!

"I'm with Dizz on this one. That's a really obvious trap." Lillie deadpanned, with Sun sighing as he eyed what looked like a Z-Crystal in the center of the pedestal. Sun looked upwards into the open sky within the ravine directly above them, and then back down at the pedestal.

"Both of you stay back. Keep an eye out for anything." Sun ordered them as he let go of Lillie's hand and moved towards the pedestal. It reminded him of the pedestals from some of the previous Trials, like at Exeggutor Island and Verdant Hill.

Sun reached out and grabbed the Z-Crystal held within. Before he could get a good look at it, a gasp from Tetra alerted him that something was wrong.

"Above you!" Tetra growled as Sun looked up, seeing a massive figure leaping down from a high ledge and dropping down towards Sun. The boy had time to throw himself backwards before a Pokémon landed harshly onto the ground with an almighty crash. Sun rolled to his feet painfully, seeing the creature enveloped in dust but still looming above him.

The Pokémon was a large bipedal dragon coated in scales, much like the Hakamo-o and Jangmo-o before it. However it stood tall with a pride that only matched its power. It glared down at Sun with the authority of a Pokémon who still carried out its duty, even without a Captain to guide it.

"Ko-mo-ko-mo-ko-mo-o!" the Totem Pokémon roared, its bellow filling the entirety of the canyon with righteous anger at the mere child who dared to enter its domain. Sun pulled himself to his feet, stunned by the dramatic entrance of the mighty Pokémon.

But the boy ended up grinning upwards into the face of the Totem as it stared down with wild fury at its latest challenger. The Totem of Vast Poni Canyon leapt backwards with an acrobatic flip and landed on the ground, a menacing growl escaping the dragon. The sound of scales reverberated into the air, creating a strange resonance that Sun couldn't place.

"I accept your challenge." Sun said confidently as Tetra stepped in front of her Trainer and approached the Totem Pokémon. Both of the dragons, two apex predators of their evolutionary lines, stared each other down silently and growled into one another's faces. Finally, Totem Kommo-o slowly nodded and leapt backwards once again, falling into a fight stance before its Z-Power erupted with the force of an explosion, sending cracks through the ground and blasting Sun and Lillie to the ground as Tetra grunted in an effort to remain standing.

The sound of clanging scales filled the air as Sun helped Lillie to his feet, with the Trainer turning to the final obstacle that stood between them and reaching the Altar of the Sunne.

NEXT TIME: The final Totem battle is here! Plus, an unexpected reunion with two old friends!

We're nearly there! But we've got one last roadblock before we get to Ultra Space!

No Q & A this time. Thanks as always for the feedback and the support on this story. It's honestly amazing looking back at how far its come, and realize that we're nearing the end. But we've got plenty of fun times left in this adventure, and the next chapter update isn't too far off!

That's all for now, folks. As always, make sure to review, favorite/follow the story if you haven't already and show your support!

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!