Pokémon Radiant Sun
Alright, here we are! Final Elite Four member, time!
It's still insane to consider that I've made it to this point. These moments seemed so far away, and just…they're here now. We've got a dozen chapters left before we close the book on this story.
Absolutely insane.
Shoutout to the fabulous folks who reviewed since the last update, which includes Oragonking, GeneralC200, TheMysticalFlame, SolanaLeonhart, BraviaryScout and RC-DA. You all are legends and I appreciate the heck outta you.
Enjoy!
Chapter 188: Brawling with the Battle Sage!
Sun took a full hour to recover from the previous battle. Despite initially declining the Professor's offer, Sun changed his mind and accepted a snack of some chilled fruit and another bottle of water. Sun was also led to a bathroom to freshen up, which surprised the boy, but Kukui reminded him that this was a building filled with employees working behind the scenes to make the Pokémon League function. Protocols and procedures for how potential challengers would be treated were still being figured out, and Sun was very much a guinea pig for it.
As Sun rested, he reviewed his team's movesets and considered what if any changes to make. He did have Penny learn Flame Charge, but everything else seemed to be in order. Sun finally stood up once again and strapped on his backpack. Kukui held up a hand and Sun high-fived the Professor as he walked past him, heading to the final chamber.
Like all the others, it had a single symbol overhead that showed what the Trainer waiting within would be using. Considering the fist sigil, Sun actually had a strong suspicion about who the final member of the Elite Four would be now that he had battled Olivia, Acerola and Kahili.
Sun walked through the door and entered the room, which resembled the previous three chambers he had battled the other Elite Four members in. The difference was the comforting yellow light that suffused the room, cast off by the shining light yellowish-orange crystals sprouting out of the walls. Sun slowly made his way up the stairs and walked across the battlefield, and even though his opponent was facing away from him, Sun recognized them immediately thanks to their distinctive yellow and orange robe adorned with floral patterns. The man turned to face Sun, and his mustache shifted slightly in such a way that the boy could tell the man was smiling at him.
"Old Hala is here to make you holler! Welcome to the Chamber of Brawn!" Kahuna Hala proclaimed with a merry laugh, putting his hands on his hips as Sun smiled at him. Behind the man, two arms made of light with two clenched fists erupted outwards from the sigil statue. The arms then flexed, and an energy barrier surrounded the outside of the battlefield. Behind Hala, a referee walked out of the teleporter and took his position on the battlefield.
"Trainers! Please call out the Pokémon that will be standing beside you in battle!" The referee called to both Trainers. Sun considered the fact that Hala was a Fighting-type specialist and that he had only one Pokémon with that weakness. With that thought in mind Sun called out Alastor, who glanced at Sun in confusion.
"I'm going to need you to sit this one out. You've got a bad matchup against him." Sun explained to Alastor, who just stared at him for a few moments before nodding.
"Very well." Was all Alastor said, his tone even. Not too long ago, he would've taken offense to such a statement. But he wasn't that Pokémon now.
Hala sent out a Machamp and patted the Superpower Pokémon on one of his arms. "Yusuke, would you mind cheering on the others while they battle?"
The Machamp nodded and quietly sat down on the ground beside the Kahuna, crossing his arms and patiently waiting for the fighting to begin. That was when the referee, for the fourth and final time, read the rules of the showdown about to take place.
"This is an official contest against Hala Pakelaai of the Elite Four versus the challenger, Sunshine Smiles! Both sides are allotted five Pokémon each. Substitutions are allowed, and the winner will be declared upon forfeit or if one Trainer loses all five Pokémon!" The referee declared to both Trainers before pulling out a coin and holding it out. "We shall now choose which one you start the battle first. Please choose a side for the coin toss."
"After you, my boy." Hala rumbled, crossing his arms.
"Heads." Sun said to the referee, who flipped the coin and slapped it against his wrist. He moved his hand and showed the camera nearby before shouting to them both. "It came up heads! Kahuna Hala will send out his Pokémon first!"
"So, another big rematch, huh?" Sun said to Hala, who chuckled deeply as he regarded the boy he had gifted a Pokémon almost a full year ago in Iki Town. Now stood a brave young man ready to seize his destiny.
Hala was simply another obstacle in Sun's way.
"Your old Kahuna is now also a member of the Elite Four." Hala rumbled, nodding his head. "Despite Alola being stubborn in its ways, the time has come for us to finally begin making new traditions. We have been stagnant for too long, and I'm proud to stand here as a member of the Elite Four and test those who wish to become Champion. To witness the beginning of a new era is an honor."
"I'm a little surprised that both you and Olivia chose to become Elite Four members. I figured you had enough on your plate as is." Sun remarked, earning a shrug from Hala.
"As Kahuna, we are oathbound to serve the people of Alola as Chosen of the Tapu." Hala said to the younger Trainer, crossing his arms. "Tapu Koko has told me that there have been some deliberations amongst the Guardian Deities. Changes to the rules and how they go about their business. They, much like Alola as a whole, want to do better for the future. And we have you to thank for that."
Sun smiled, crossing his arms as well. "We can all do a little better, you know? I'm included in that."
"Humble as always, aren't you? But that conversation can wait. After all, we don't want the kind folks watching at home to get bored, eh?" Hala chuckled deeply even as Sun grinned at the old man.
"I guess so. Professor Kukui must've been pretty convincing to get you four here." Sun said to Hala, causing the old man to put a finger to his chin.
"Indeed. Young Kukui even tried to give me a fancy nickname like the others. Unfortunately for him, I've been known as the Battle Sage for almost as long as he's been alive." Hala remarked, shaking his head with mirth. "Ah, I enjoy making jokes about my age. It never gets old. Unlike me! Hohoho!"
Hala then clapped his hands together, the noise creating a loud smack. "Well, this time I'm holding nothing back! Time for you to see what I can really do!"
"We've beat you once and we'll do it again." Was Sun's response, with the Kahuna simply nodding at the boy.
Hala inhaled deeply as he squatted, pausing for a moment before taking his foot off of the ground and then slamming it down hard and thrusting his palms outwards with a loud shout. As he did so, the screen embedded into the wall of the chamber flickered to life and showed Hala and Sun respectively as music began to play.
"Satoru, prepare for battle!" Hala boomed as he hurled an Ultra Ball, sending out a grizzled Hariyama that towered above them. Hala chuckled deeply upon seeing the surprised expression on Sun's face.
"My team is seasoned and has battled alongside me for longer than your father has been alive, my boy. Test your mettle against those who have protected Melemele Island for decades alongside Tapu Koko!" Hala bellowed to Sun as Rotom Dex popped out of his backpack and immediately pulled up the Pokédex entry for the mighty Pokémon Hala called out.
"Hariyama. The Arm Thrust Pokémon and the final evolved form of Makuhita. Although they enjoy comparing their strength, they're also kind. They value etiquette, praising opponents they battle. Hariyama that are big and fat aren't necessarily strong. There are some small ones that move nimbly and use moves skillfully." Rotom Dex explained to the young Trainer as he unclipped a Luxury Ball from his belt and sent out everyone's favorite Garchomp.
"Raaaaah!" Tetra roared before rubbing her head at the mighty foe that was in front of her. "Oh wow, he's big."
"Yep. But the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Let's go, Tetra!" Sun said to his Garchomp, earning a nod from the happy dragon as she crouched on the ground. The referee raised both of his flags and dropped them, signaling for the battle to start.
"Tetra, use-" Sun began to say, but Hala shouted over him. "Fake Out!"
Satoru suddenly vanished from sight, reappearing in front of Tetra and slamming a palm into Tetra's face. The Garchomp staggered backwards, flinching in pain as the Hariyama leapt backwards, flipping in the air and landing with a loud thump. Sun frowned at the tactic, but decided to press ahead and not get annoyed by it.
"Aerial Ace!" Sun shouted as Tetra launched herself forward at Mach speed, slamming hard into Satoru and shoving him across the battlefield as a wicked boom erupted outwards. The old Hariyama remained standing, grunting softly as he stared down Tetra. "He's really tough. Use Dragon Claw!"
"Counter with Knock Off!" Hala shouted as Tetra roared gleefully, her claws erupting into emerald flames before she rushed right at the Hariyama. Tetra reached Satoru and delivered two strong slashes to the Arm Thrust Pokémon, but still Satoru refused to fall.
Satoru suddenly grabbed Tetra by both of her arms and spun around, slamming her hard enough into the ground to create a shockwave. The Garchomp delivered a headbutt to the Hariyama to stun him for a moment before leaping into the air with a powerful kick off the ground.
"Flamethrower!" Sun called to Tetra, with the Garchomp grinning widely before opening her maw wide and releasing a torrent of powerful flames. Satoru braced himself as the flames struck, causing him to stagger back a single step. As Tetra ended her attack, Sun was surprised to see that the Hariyama had withstood the attack with ease.
"Brine!" Hala countered as Satoru thrust out both hands, summoning a rapidly expanding sphere of deep blue-colored water before it fired off towards Tetra. The attack struck, but Tetra was able to easily shrug off the damage. More concerning for Sun was the fact that Flamethrower seemed to do minimal damage. Rotom Dex, as always, had the answer.
"Bzzzt! Thanks to Hariyama's Ability, Thick Fat, Fire and Ice-type attacks do half of the damage that they normally would!" Rotom Dex warned Sun as Tetra readied herself for further combat.
"Sandstorm!" Sun shouted as the Garchomp's eyes flashed brown and a wicked whirlwind of sand enveloped all of them.
"Close Combat!" Hala boomed as his Hariyama charged forward, throwing a series of punches and kicks at Tetra with mighty shouts punctuating the air. Tetra was able to dodge all of them with ease and retaliated with another Dragon Claw. Hala's eyes narrowed as he realized that something was amiss. Meanwhile Sun was smiling, knowing that the sandstorm had activated Tetra's Ability, Sand Veil. She would be much harder to hit while the sandstorm was active.
"Hmmm…Vital Throw!" Hala called as Satoru charged forward, slamming into Tetra before grabbing her by the arm and hurling her into the ground with a harsh thud.
"Evasion tactics won't work on me, boy!" Hala boomed as his Hariyama rolled to his feet. Tetra got to all fours, grinning as she bared her teeth at her opponent. "Vital Throw always hits at the cost of speed!"
Sun slowly nodded, impressed that Hala had something in his back pocket to counter his strategy. "No sneak attacks, huh? Looks like we need pure power here…Tetra, Dragon Claw!" Sun shouted as the Garchomp rushed at Satoru, lashing out and delivering a powerful strike that caused the Hariyama to stagger back with a grunt of pain. Satoru went for Vital Throw yet again, slamming Tetra into the ground.
"Stone Edge!" Sun shouted as Tetra roared, stomping down onto the ground and launching a massive stone pillar at Satoru, only for the Hariyama to dodge out of the way and then tackle Tetra for a third time, slamming her into the ground with a mighty shout.
"Dragon Rage!" Sun called to Tetra as the Hariyama and Garchomp wrestled on the ground, struggling for dominance. The dragon opened her mouth and blasted the Arm Thrust Pokémon in the face, causing him to tumble off of the dragon with a groan of pain.
"Matching Satoru's power is no mean feat…it's time to change that. Belly Drum!" Hala commanded his Pokémon, with Satoru standing tall and straightening up. He then began to smack his stomach repeatedly with his chest, wincing in pain at the force of his own smacks even as a harsh red glow enveloped the Hariyama's body. Finally Satoru ceased his efforts, panting hard as he stared down Tetra.
"Bzzzzt! Sun, watch out! Hala's Hariyama's sacrificing a lot of stamina, but its attack power just skyrocketed!" Rotom Dex warned the young Trainer, who eyed the rather-wobbly Hariyama with visible concern.
"He's on his last legs then. Dragon Claw, Tetra!" Sun shouted as his Garchomp roared and dashed forward, drawing back her fist and punching Satoru with a Dragon Claw. The Hariyama flew backwards, crashing down hard onto the ground. With a small groan, Satoru rolled onto his stomach and slowly pushed himself up off the ground onto his hands and knees. It was clear that the Hariyama was barely conscious after the powerful blow and reducing his own stamina with Belly Drum.
"I'm sorry, Sun. But this is where I show you that raw talent cannot overcome experience." Hala said with a shake of the head as Satoru struggled to stand. "Use Rest, Satoru."
"No!" Sun shouted out, cold horror gripping him as the Hariyama fell backwards onto his rear and crossed his arms, closing his eyes as a faint glow enveloped him. He was asleep within moments. Sun and Tetra watched in horror as all of the injuries that Satoru had accumulated over the battle healed up over the span of several seconds.
"Get creative, my boy. What you just saw as a well-known combination used to draw out the greatest power of those who can use Belly Drum. Do not panic…or else the Championship will be far out of your grasp." Hala warned Sun as the boy grit his teeth, glancing at the tiring Garchomp who was visibly panting.
"Don't worry Sunny…" Tetra glanced back at her Trainer, grinning at him. "We've got this. Now that we're warmed up, let's get 'em!"
Sun realized that his Garchomp was trying to make him feel better, but it was something he genuinely appreciated. Hala was right, after all. Sun couldn't panic even though he was in a bad situation. He had time to course correct.
"Shadow Claw!" Sun shouted as Tetra sped forward, slashing at Satoru with claws wreathed in darkness and scoring a critical hit. The Hariyama was oblivious to the pain, slumbering away. "Dragon Claw!"
Tetra lashed out with another claw swipe as emerald flames trailed through the air, delivering another powerful blow to the Hariyama. Sun had her follow up with a third attack, another Dragon Claw, but unfortunately Satoru's eyes snapped open as soon as the blow was struck.
"Force Palm!" Hala boomed as Satoru thrust out a palm and released an enormous blast of raw energy that exploded against Tetra, sending the Garchomp hurtling backwards with a snarl of pain. The Garchomp hit the ground hard, rolling several times before coming to a stop. Tetra twitched a few times on the ground as Satoru slowly stood back up, rolling his shoulders and wincing at the damage he had withstood while asleep.
However, Sun could practically feel the power radiating off of the Hariyama thanks to Belly Drum. Its effects were evident by how much Tetra was struggling to stand back up from that single hit.
"Dig!" Sun ordered Tetra, remembering how he had used the tactic against Olivia when she had been knocked down. Hala had called for Close Combat, and Tetra was able to avoid the move by mere moments by swiftly digging into the ground.
"You can't hide from us forever, Sun." Hala chuckled as Tetra burst out of the ground, knocking Satoru into the air with a savage roar. "Heavy Slam!"
"Yaaaaama!" Satoru shouted as his body shimmered silver and he fell towards the earth, slamming into Tetra and then into the battlefield. Satoru stood up above a battered Garchomp, even as Tetra struggled to sit up.
"Dragon Rage!" Sun called out as Tetra charged up a draconic fireball and blasted Satoru in the face. The Hariyama didn't even budge, simply withstanding the move stoically.
"You're done." Hala stated matter-of-factly, punching a fist forward as Satoru cracked his knuckles. "Close Combat!"
Satoru drew back his right fist and punched Tetra right in the face, following up with a kick to the gut. A series of powerful blows struck the Garchomp, a barrage so intense that shook the battlefield. By the time Satoru was finished, Tetra was unconscious and lying in a small crater made from the sheer power of the Hariyama.
"Garchomp is unable to battle! Hariyama is the winner! Kahuna Hala is now up five-to-four!" the referee declared, gesturing a flag in Hala's direction as the Kahuna nodded. Sun returned Tetra, frowning at how one of his strongest Pokémon had been taken down. He noticed that Satoru the Hariyama was noticeably slowing and sporting plenty of damage, but Sun knew that it would take quite a bit more to take him down.
"Finn, come on out!" Sun shouted as he sent out his Poliwrath. Finn struck a pose and let out a boisterous laugh as Satoru crouched low, his gaze intense. The referee dropped his flags and the battle continued.
"Bullet Punch!" Hala shouted right as Sun was about to give Finn an order. The Hariyama's hands glowed bright blue as he dashed forward, punching Finn several times in the chest before Sun ordered the Poliwrath to counter with Psychic. Finn let out a harsh shout as his stomach glowed a harsh blue color, blasting away the Hariyama with the sheer force of his attack.
"Follow up with Scald!" Sun called to Finn as he inhaled deeply and let loose a stream of boiling hot water at the Hariyama. Satoru hissed with annoyance, taking a step back and shielding his body with his large hands.
"Push through it and use Seismic Toss!" Hala boomed, with the Hariyama letting out a small sigh of annoyance before suddenly charging through the water. Finn let out a surprised shout as Satoru grabbed him with both arms and then suddenly leapt into the air, spinning rapidly before hurling Finn onto the ground below. The dazed Poliwrath took several moments to stagger to his feet, somewhat dazed as Satoru landed on the ground nearby with a loud thud.
Sun grit his teeth as he considered his options. "Bubblebeam!"
"Cross Chop!" Hala grunted as Satoru took a step back and crossed his arms so that formed an X. Both arms began to glow bright white, charged with energy before Satoru lunged forward and struck Finn directly. The Poliwrath tanked the hit, skidding backwards across the battlefield but retaining his standing position.
Sun took stock of the battle, seeing that Finn was beginning to accumulate more damage than he'd like. He glanced at Satoru the Hariyama and saw that he was panting hard, struggling to remain standing. Sun knew that Hala was just waiting for the chance to use Rest again, and if that happened-
"Wait. I have an answer for that." Sun realized, grinning widely in triumph. "Finn, use Hypnosis!"
"No! Satoru, look away!" Hala desperately warned his Hariyama, but unfortunately for him the Hariyama had been so focused on battling Finn that he got a full face of Hypnosis, with the Poliwrath succeeding in putting the Hariyama to sleep.
"Now, use Psychic!" Sun shouted as Finn let out a loud shout, his stomach glowing a harsh blue color as a similar color enveloped Satoru. Hala shouted commands to his sleeping Pokémon, but to no avail. Again and again Satoru slammed into the ground, taking more and more damage as Sun continually ordered Finn to use Psychic.
Gotta knock him out! Can't risk him using Rest! If I wear my team out taking this guy down, the rest of Hala's team is going to wipe us out! Sun thought before suddenly thrusting a hand forward, his Z-Ring shining brightly. "Finn! Let's finish this sucker off! Our full power, no holding back!"
"Oh yeah! Let's bring it!" Finn shouted as he and Sun began to strike a series of poses. Energy burst out from the young Trainer, flowing into Finn and erupting into a fiery orange glow.
"Finn, channel Psychic…and use Shattered Psyche!" Sun shouted as Finn let out a harsh exhale, close his eyes for a moment as a serene pink and purple glow shined through him. The Poliwrath then opened his eyes, which were now shining a bright purple color.
Suddenly Satoru stood up, clutching his head in agony despite being fast asleep. Inside of his own mind, he was being hurled about, bashed again and again into indestructible mental barriers that caused him intense pain. Until finally, his mind shattered. Satoru collapsed onto the ground as the glow around him faded, fainting with a loud groan. Finn sighed with relief, the glow around him fading as well.
"That move always annoys me. I enjoy seeing the spectacle of the Z-Moves, you know. And that one is almost entirely within the minds of the Pokémon battling. No fun at all." Hala grumbled, crossing his arms.
I can't believe I was forced to use my Z-Move on Hala's very first Pokémon. Sun thought with some annoyance as the referee took a few moments to check out Satoru. Kahuna Olivia was tough as hell, but Kahuna Hala's ridiculous!
"Hariyama is unable to battle! Poliwrath is the winner! Sun and Kahuna Hala are both tied at four-to-four!" the referee declared, gesturing a flag in Sun's direction.
"Very clever strategy, Sun." Hala said to the young Trainer, who looked at the old Kahuna with surprise. Hala was smiling at him, his mustache twitching. "You knew Satoru could use Rest to recover his stamina at any moment, so you used the power of sleep against me! Brute force is a favored tactic of mine, but strategy can always subvert it. Well played."
"When it comes to adaptability, Finn's unstoppable." Sun said with a grin as the Poliwrath crossed his arms, clearly pleased with the compliment. Hala chuckled as he stowed Satoru's ball and pulled out another Ultra Ball.
"Poliwrath are quite versatile, yes. I know from experience. Now then! Saitama, let us test their mettle!" Hala shouted as he sent out his next Pokémon, a large pink, brown and white bear that Sun recognized immediately as a Bewear. Sun momentarily shuddered at the memory of battling a particularly powerful Bewear controlled by Lusamine, but forced himself to focus on the battle at hand. The referee gestured with his flags and the battle resumed.
Meanwhile…
Wyndon
"What a battle. This kid is something else!"
"You seem pretty pumped up, Nessa."
"Leon, you're grinning like a schoolboy! You can't judge me!"
The Champion of Galar laughed good-naturedly, reaching across to snag some of the popcorn that Gordie had brought in despite Chairman Rose organizing catering for the watch-party. "Guilty as charged. I'm a fan of the kid and he's doing some awesome stuff. Right buddy?"
Leon's Charizard, the only Pokémon present in the room, nodded from his position next to his Trainer. The Gym Leaders of Galar had all assembled to watch the live footage of the debut of the Alola League and its Elite Four. With a Trainer like Sunshine Smiles being the first challenger, the group had been summoned to Leon's penthouse in Wyndon to watch the show together. Milo, Nessa, Kabu, Bea, Opal, Gordie and Raihan sat on large comfortable couches while drinks and snacks were served.
"He's holding his own against one of the mightiest Trainers in Alola. I've battled Hala myself many years ago. His discipline and ferocity in battle are tremendous." Kabu said quietly, unable to hide a smile of his own.
"You think he can beat Hala, though? That guy's got decades of experience over Sun." Bea asked the Motostoke Gym Leader, who grunted in response.
"That's unclear. But Sun's overcome three of the Elite Four already. Even if his team might be somewhat worn out, Sun's they've proven themselves strong and able to adapt to whatever the Alola League throws at them. Based on what I'm seeing, that boy could likely defeat any of us Gym Leaders here." Kabu assessed seriously, earning a few looks from the Gym Leaders present. No one refuted the man's statement, though, as they had all witnessed the skills of Sunshine Smiles now.
"Speaking of Gym Leaders and being here…where's Piers?" Gordie asked from his slouched position on the loveseat before throwing a mini corn dog into his mouth. He was quite grateful none of his fans were here to see such an undignified display.
"I've tried calling him, but didn't get an answer." Milo remarked, with the Gym Leader of Turffield shaking his head. However, Raihan chimed in as cracked open a beer.
"Piers declined the invite." Raihan said with a sigh, rubbing the back of his head.
"I'll reach out to him and inquire if he's alright. Poor man's been under quite a bit of stress lately." Chairman Rose chimed in from the armchair he was sitting, his glass of port tilting slightly.
And see if I can convince him to move out of Spikemuth. It's a shame that the town has to suffer because of his stubbornness. Rose mused to himself as he took a small sip of his drink. It would be so much easier if people just listened to me in the first place.
"As have we all." Opal remarked, tapping her cane against the floor. "It'll be good to have some more stability in the world with another capable Champion at the helm. The kid's got something in him I like. He's got a bit of pink in him, though his fashion choices leave a bit to be desired."
"You ever gonna tell us what the fuck that actually means or are you going to take that secret to the grave?" Raihan asked the elderly Gym Leader, who slowly turned her head to the man to give him an unimpressed look. She then let out a sudden scream of fear, causing everyone present to jump and causing Raihan to let out a yelp of surprise and tumble off of the couch.
"Goodness me, don't startle me like that. My poor heart has about eight beats left." Opal said in a withered voice laced with enough sarcasm to make even Oleana smirk in response.
"G-getting back to the point…if this kid does become Champ, we should totally see how strong he is ourselves. Z-Power versus Dynamax! That'd be something!" Bea said excitedly, looking at the others and earning a few nods of agreement. However-
"As if I'd ever let Borlath's child step a foot into Galar." Rose remarked lightly, his tone not giving away an ounce of the venom hidden behind that statement. The Gym Leaders looked at the League Chairman, with Leon also giving him a confused look for a moment. Sensing a bit of tension in the room, the Champion decided to defuse things.
"We're seeing the birth of a new legend right here! It's so exciting!" Leon said with a wide grin, crossing his arms as his Charizard nodded beside him. "Makes me wanna jump right through the TV and onto the battlefield. I wonder if Sun's as tough as his father?"
"Considering that he defeated his father when no one else could?" Raihan said with a laugh, shaking his head. "I'm more interested in seeing if he can stack up against you, hotshot."
Leon smiled broadly as some of the Gym Leaders nodded in agreement. "I'll have to reach out and see if Sun wants to battle me. We'll have a Champion time for sure!"
Chairman Rose's smile slipped away at the Champion' comment, his eyes narrowing slightly. It was only for a moment though, and soon his serene and calm smile returned as he leaned back in his chair. Oleana was the only one to notice anything regarding the Chairman, and made a small note on her clipboard.
Imperative: Avoid a direct battle between Leon and Sunshine Smiles at all costs. There's no telling if the boy harbors ill will towards the League regarding the Celadon Incident and Borlath's death. The true depths of his strength must be assessed through other means.
"Finn, use Scald!" Sun commanded his Poliwrath, thrusting out a hand as Finn inhaled deeply and let loose a boiling torrent of water. Saitama cried out in pain, trying to cover his face with his large arms.
"Hammer Arm!" The Bewear heard Hala's command and charged through the hot water, surprising Sun and Finn both. Saitama's arm glowed brightly before he swung it at Finn, who managed to jump into the air in time for the deadly swipe to pass underneath him.
"Hypnosis!" Sun called as his Poliwrath's eyes suddenly glowed light blue. Saitama the Bewear winced and looked away from the Poliwrath, letting out a small whine as he stumbled away.
"Push forward and use Hammer Arm again!" Hala boomed as the Bewear nodded, charging blindly forward and swinging an arm downwards to smack Finn across the battlefield. The Poliwrath hit the ground hard but rolled into a crouch, laughing lightly.
"Body Slam!" Sun shouted as Finn sprinted forward, kicking off of the ground and flipping once in midair as his body glowed a bright white color. Hala called from Brutal Swing, so when Finn connected with Body Slam he was promptly smacked away by Saitama and sent flying across the battlefield. Finn flipped in midair as Hala followed up by ordering Saitama to use Aerial Ace.
"Psychic!" Sun shouted as the Poliwrath landed on his feet. The Bewear let out a shrill cry before dashing forward, a trail of light lingering behind him in his wake. Finn let out a shout as a harsh blue glow burst from his stomach, with the same light enveloping the Bewear.
Saitama let out a squeal as he was stopped in his tracks, but Finn grunted at the level of effort it took to restrain the mighty Pokémon. And then with a soft snarl, the glow around Saitama dissipated and Finn let out a pained gasp. The Bewear sped forward and rammed into Finn, sending him hurtling backwards and slamming into the side of the energy barrier surrounding the battlefield.
"It'll take more than that to slow us down, Sun." Hala rumbled as Saitama stood tall, placing his paws together and patiently waiting for Finn to slowly rise back to his feet. "Hammer Arm, Saitama! Crush them beneath our wills!"
"Blizzard!" Sun shouted as Finn huffed, turning towards the Bewear and releasing a mighty snowstorm at him. The Bewear squealed as he was blasted backwards, but the Strong Arm Pokémon charged through the icy gale and swung down at Finn with Hammer Arm, smashing him into the battlefield and ceasing the attack.
"It's rare to see a Pokémon so unbothered by the attacks hitting it. Its stamina is impressive." Alastor noted quietly, frowning as he watched beside Sun.
This thing just tanks whatever we throw at him! What am I supposed to do about this!? Sun thought angrily as Finn was picked up and thrown across the battlefield. The Poliwrath landed harshly on the ground, groaning softly as he tried to pick himself up off of the ground.
"Come on, Finn! You've got this! Go for Body Slam!" Sun shouted as the Poliwrath mutely nodded, eyeing the slowly approaching Bewear with wariness. Finn sprinted at the Bewear, kicking off of the ground and flipping once more so that he could slam into him.
"Shadow Claw!" Kahuna Hala boomed as Saitama was rocked by the attack, staggering back with a soft cry of pain. He then drew back an arm that became engulfed with a jet-black aura with a faint purple outline, morphing into a deadly claw. Saitama swung the claw at Finn, knocking him halfway across the battlefield with a single swipe.
"Press the attack! Use Bind!" Hala called, sending a cold stab of fear through Sun as he remembered that Bewear was infamous for its deadly hugs. Finn was slow to get back up, even as the beast charged at him.
"Psychic! Don't let that thing near you!" Sun screamed to Finn, who clenched his fists and let out a harsh shout as a harsh blue glow surrounding the charging Bewear. Saitama groaned as it struggled against the attack, feeling the intense pain of resisting Psychic as he struggled to move an inch forward.
But despite Finn's efforts, Saitama would not be denied. And with each step, the Bewear drew closer to the immobile Poliwrath who could do nothing but focus all of his efforts on slowing the Bewear. Finally, the Bewear reached Finn and the Poliwrath was forced to release his attack when he was picked up and violently squeezed.
Finn screamed in agony as Saitama hugged him, using Bind to crush Finn with all of his might. Sun fought the urge to panic, knowing how badly that this move had crippled Tetra in Sun's first battle against Lusamine. And right now, he didn't have access to some of the best medical care on the planet. A serious injury like this would take him right out of the fight for the Championship.
"Scald!" Sun shouted to Finn desperately, with the Poliwrath's screams becoming more and more pronounced. Somehow Finn was still able to blast Saitama with a stream of boiling hot water even as he was pressed against the Bewear, causing the Strong Arm Pokémon to shriek in pain as he thrashed violently in protest.
"End this, Saitama! Use Hyper Beam!" Hala bellowed as Saitama let out a soft cry, opening his mouth wide as a flickering orb of raw energy slowly began to expand. Finn had time to let out a scream of surprise before Hyper Beam erupted outwards and blasted the Poliwrath clear out of the Bewear's arms. As the beam of energy dissipated, Finn fell towards the battlefield and landed face first on the ground. After a few moments, the referee called it.
"Poliwrath is unable to battle. Bewear is the winner! Kahuna Hala leads Sun at four-to-three!" the referee shouted as he gestured in Hala's direction. Sun returned his Poliwrath and thanked him for his hard word, all the while considering his next option. Sun noticed with some surprise that Saitama was now sporting burns across the front of his body, thanks to Finn's Scald attack.
"Most of my remaining team should have a good matchup against this guy, but Kahuna Hala's sure to have some tricks up his sleeve. Let's go for the surefire knock-out." Sun thought as he readied a Poké Ball. "Penny, I'm counting on you!"
Sun sent out his trusty Toucannon, who took to the skies as the referee called for the match to continue. Hala smirked upon seeing the bird, remembering how he had battled her so long ago during Sun's Grand Trial on Melemele Island.
"Little one, you've become mighty like your Trainer. Test your mettle against us!" Hala called to the Toucannon as Saitama rubbed at its singed fur. "Use Baby-Doll Eyes!"
"Wait, what!?" Sun yelped as the Bewear adopted an adorable expression that made Penny visibly flinch in surprise. "After such a big speech you lead off with that attack?!"
Hala was openly chortling with amusement as his misdirection. Sun rolled his eyes and pointed at the Bewear still making faces at a visibly-annoyed Penny. "Drill Peck!"
Penny dove, spinning in midair and becoming a whirling drill of pure force. She slammed into Saitama the Bewear, knocking him backwards but doing little else. The Bewear flinched at his burns before his Trainer gave another command.
"Double-Edge!" Hala barked as Saitama dashed forward, streaks of white aura twisting around the Bewear.
"Penny! Charge up!" Sun shouted to his Toucannon, who lowered her beak and focused as much heat into as she could before she was rammed into by the Bewear. Penny let out a screech of pain as she was hit, releasing a fiery explosion that caused Saitama to stagger forward with a pained groan as the Toucannon bounced off of the ground hard. Saitama then clutched its head as a bright red static crackled around it, showing that the recoil damage had taken effect.
"Beak Blast, eh? Use Dragon Claw!" Hala boomed as Saitama let out a soft snarl, throwing aside his arms as emerald flames erupted into existence at his paws, morphing into deadly claws.
"Drill Peck!" Sun called as Penny took to the air once more, becoming a spinning drill as she dove towards the Bewear. Saitama swung his claws right as Penny struck his chest, stumbling back with a hiss before swatting Penny aside with the flaming claw. As Penny hit the ground again, Saitama groaned in pain from the burn. Sun could tell that the damage he had taken from both Finn and Penny were adding up.
"Just a bit more pressure…" Alastor muttered just quietly enough for Sun to hear him. "Don't lose focus yet, human. This battle is ours."
"Penny, hit 'em with Flame Charge!" Sun called out as the Toucannon flapped her wings, launching herself into the sky before darting towards Saitama. The Toucannon became a small fireball as she barrel towards the Bewear, who eyed the flames warily.
"Thrash!" Hala shouted as Penny struck, causing the Bewear to howl in pain as he staggered backwards. Something in Sun's head triggered, and he realized how the Bewear seemed to be able to withstand so much punishment.
"It's got the Fluffy Ability! That protects it from physical damage, but makes it weak to fire!" Sun realized as the Bewear snarled furiously, a feral gleam leaping into its eyes before he started swinging wildly, punching Penny high into the air.
"Fly!" Sun called out to Penny, who flapped her wings and simply remained where she was high up in the sky. Meanwhile, Saitama was still thrashing about, though this time without a target. Since his attacks were missing, the Bewear suddenly snapped out of its fury and looked around the battlefield with a bewildered expression.
"Rawr?" Saitama growled, glancing back at Hala in confusion. Hala simply pointed up, and the Bewear followed his finger and spotted Penny.
"Now hit him with everything you've got!" Sun shouted to Penny as she swooped down, a bright blue glow surrounding the Toucannon before she collided with the Bewear at full-force. Saitama flew backwards with a pained squeal, flipping a single time before landing flat on his back and fainting.
"Bewear is unable to battle! Toucannon is the winner! The battle is now tied at three Pokémon each!" the referee called, gesturing towards Sun. Hala nodded in approval, pleased with the power Sun had shown thus far. It reminded him of the Grand Trial he had undergone with Hau not too long ago.
Several Days Ago…
Iki Town
"Hmph! You fight hard, my boy, but not hard enough!" Hala barked as his Hariyama panted hard, swaying on his feet as he glared down his opponent. Meanwhile, a battered Primarina slowly got back up, shaking in pain.
"Cassy! Come on, you can do it!" Hau called to his Partner, who slowly nodded and steeled herself to push through the pain. She wasn't going to let her Trainer down at the most important moment.
"Can you? Hmph. I suppose we'll see, here in the final moments of this battle." Hala remarked, crossing his arms. "Satoru, use Heavy Slam!"
The Hariyama let out a shout as he charged forward, his body glowing silver before he leapt into the air, bracing himself to slam down upon the injured Primarina. Hala nodded, knowing full-well that was that. This would be the finishing blow for-
"Now we've got 'em! Psychic!" Hau shouted with a wide grin as Cassy's eyes flashed bright blue. Satoru's body froze as a harsh blue aura engulfed him, causing him to let out a groan of pain before the Hariyama plummeted out of the air and was slammed down onto the battlefield. Hala frowned at the sudden attack, surprised that Hau had waited to spring it on him like this.
"Break free! Push through and attack!" Hala called to his Pokémon as he slowly rose to his feet, but he was surprised when his Hariyama suddenly let out a groan of pain and collapsed onto the ground. Hala let out a harsh breath, realizing that Hau had taken out his final Pokémon.
"Hariyama is unable to battle! The winner of the Grand Trial is Hau and his Primarina!" the referee shouted with a wide smile, earning a roar of approval from the citizens of Iki Town. Hau ran forward and hugged his Primarina, with Cassy nuzzling her Trainer and hugging him with her flippers.
"We did it! We won! We beat Tutu! His full-power against ours and we won!" Hau cheered with a laugh as the crowd began to chant his name. Meanwhile Hala simply stood there, his body shaking.
"I gave it everything I had. No holding back, just like he wanted." Hala whispered, his voice hoarse as he returned Satoru. "My strongest Pokémon team…and Hau still defeated me."
The elderly Kahuna looked towards his grandson, seeing the boy laughing as tears of joy rolled down his face. The boy who had walked through his Island Challenge with a smile and had grown so much in a mere year. The boy had become a young man, and had achieved his goal.
Hau had defeated his grandfather and overcome the man he looked up to most in the entire world.
The Kahuna slowly brought his hands together, clapping them alongside everyone else. However, he also slowly began to walk towards his grandson. Hau noticed the approaching Kahuna and removed himself from Cassy, standing up as his grandfather approached. Hala stood before Hau for several long seconds before slowly bowing to the boy, shocking him and everyone present at the gesture of utmost respect from the Kahuna of Melemele Island.
"You have defeated this old Kahuna on the field of battle. I recognize your strength, Hau, and how much you've grown." Hala rumbled as he reached into his robe, pulling out a shimmering Z-Crystal. A Fightinium-Z. "I held nothing back, and yet my team fell to you. Well done, Hau. You earned this victory and have completed your Island Challenge."
"I-I…wow. This is incredible!" Hau said excitedly before catching himself, choosing to bow back towards Hala. "I couldn't have done it without you, Tutu. You and my friends and my Pokémon. Winning against you…thank you for giving it your all. If I can become strong like you, I can protect everyone's smiles!"
"My boy…you honor me. The battle we had just now may be one of the best of my entire life." Hala grunted, but only Hau could see the single tear that rolled down Hala's face. Hau was confused for a moment and slightly alarmed before he saw the smile spreading across his grandfather's face.
"You are my pride. My hope for the future. You have come so far…Yes, I expect your legacy will outshine mine." Hala said as he placed a hand on Hau's head, ruffling the boy's hair. Hau's eyes glistened with more tears, overcome with emotion at the praise from the Kahuna he adored so much. Hau threw his arms around Hala, hugging him tightly, and Hala returned the gesture as the crowd cheered on the two Trainers.
Nearby, Tapu Koko observed the scene in silence. Something stirred within the ancient Pokémon, and for a few moments a memory flickered within the back of its wild mind. And then, with a flash, it was gone. The Guardian Deity shook its head before stepping forward and letting out a fierce cry.
"Ko-ko-kokoko!" Tapu Koko trilled, drawing the attention to itself and letting its declaration be known. It's Kahuna had fought well, and it recognized the strength in his kin.
Hala and Hau watched in awe as Tapu Koko leapt off of the nearby building it had been silently watching from and shot off into the sky. Hau felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled as he watched as the God of Conflict departed.
A fierce, burning joy had taken hold of the boy's heart. For so long, defeating Hala had seemed like such an impossible goal for Hau. But the boy had done what looked impossible for the longest time. The young Trainer fought the Kahuna at his full-power and crushed him…and in doing so, finally stepped out of his grandfather's shadow.
He shined bright enough for even Tapu Koko to acknowledge him. And he had also earned his grandfather's respect as both a Trainer and as a man.
Hau knew which one meant more to him, and the thought made him smile even harder.
Hala chuckled softly, thinking fondly of the memory. He had lived a long, full life full of both joys and sorrows. But Hau defeating him at his absolute strongest would always be one of his proudest moments. That was, ultimately, the reason he decided to join the Elite Four.
It was for the sake of those he loved. He had reached his peak, but children like Hau and Sun had their entire lives ahead of them. So much left to experience and nowhere to go but up. Hala was now a Kahuna and Elite Four member so that he could protect their futures, and safeguard Alola until his duty was complete.
"You've managed to tie up this battle, Sun, but we're not done yet." Hala rumbled as he returned his fallen Bewear, stashing away the Ultra Ball within his robe and pulling out another. "Tanjiro, prepare for battle!"
Hala chucked the Ultra Ball and called out an extremely burly Poliwrath with an impressive-looking scar on the side of its head. It crossed his arms as it stared down Sun and Penny, grunting softly as he calmly awaited instruction.
"It's like I'm staring at Finn's opposite." Alastor remarked, frowning at the Poliwrath. "This is weird. I don't like it."
"Penny, return." Sun said suddenly, pulling out the Toucannon's Poké Ball and returning her. Sun glanced down at the ball, his mind thinking fast. "I'll need you later for sure, so rest up. I'll have your mate handle this guy."
"Oh no, you don't mean that idiot, do you?" Alastor asked before Sun sent out Oliver, confirming the answer to his question. "You better not mess this up!"
"Well, now I'm tempted to trip and knock myself out on purpose." Oliver said sarcastically as he ruffled his wings, glancing back at his Trainer who was face-palming.
"I'm gonna sleep for a week after this, I swear." Sun muttered under his breath, causing Alastor to chuckle deeply. The referee dropped his flags, and the battle was back on.
As Hala prepared to shout a command, Sun surprised the older Trainer by screaming over him. "Sucker Punch!"
Oliver grinned and suddenly vanished, reappearing in front of Tanjiro and swiping a talon at him, knocking him several steps backwards with a joyful hoot. The stoic Poliwrath grunted as he regained his footing, with Hala's mustache twitching as he hid a smile.
"Waterfall!" Hala barked as the Poliwrath became engulfed in water, rushing towards Oliver and colliding with him. The Decidueye grunted at the sheer force behind the move, getting knocked into the air for a brief moment before he landed. Hala nodded in satisfaction, crossing his arms again.
"I'll keep you in, Tanjiro. We shall not back away from this fight, even with a disadvantage!" Hala proclaimed as the Poliwrath nodded in agreement. "We stand our ground!"
Even an attack that wasn't very effective managed to knock over Oliver. This Poliwrath needs to go down quickly. Sun thought as he adjusted his cap. "Oliver, use Swords Dance!"
"Bulk Up!" Hala shouted as his Poliwrath flexed his muscles, glowing a harsh red color at the same time as Oliver did after the Decidueye summoned a series of spectral swords.
"Leaf Blade!" Sun shouted to his Starter, with Oliver flapping his wings hard and launching himself towards the Poliwrath. Tanjiro braced himself, taking a step back and getting into a fighting stance before getting slashed by the powerful slashing attack.
"Ice Ball!" Hala barked as the Poliwrath held his hands together, charging up a sphere of freezing cold energy before it formed a small sphere of pure ice within his palms before it fired towards Oliver.
"Feather Dance!" Sun called to Oliver, who flapped his wings and released a thick wave of glowing blues feathers as he flew backwards. The Ice Ball smashed through the feathers and struck the owl, who crashed onto the ground with a pained hoot before rolling into a crouch and notching an arrow.
"Spirit Shackle!" Sun shouted to Oliver, causing the owl to smirk as the arrow he had readied sparked with a ghostly light. Oliver fired his shot, with the arrow bouncing around in the air before catching Tanjiro in the side and exploding. The Poliwrath was thrown off of his feet with a pained shout, but to Sun's surprise Tanjiro rolled into a crouch and fired off another Ice Ball at Oliver. This time, the owl was blasted backwards by the considerably larger ball of ice and thrown to the ground.
"Once more! Keep at it!" Hala urged Tanjiro, with the Poliwrath charging up an even larger sphere of ice. By this point, he now had to use two hands to attack with Ice Ball, since the attack grew in size and power each turn. However, Sun had something in mind to deal with that.
"Protect!" Sun called out as Oliver got back to his feet, throwing apart his wings and summoning a wall of light right as Tanjiro fired off his third Ice Ball, but this one shattered against Protect, ending the series of attacks. "Now use Leaf Blade!"
"Double Team!" Hala countered, with Tanjiro thrusting out his arms and letting out a shout. Tanjiro's body flickered, and suddenly afterimages of the Poliwrath surrounded Hala's side of the battlefield. Oliver slashed outwards, destroying several of the clones with a frustrated hoot.
"Get rid of them all with Razor Leaf!" Oliver swept apart his wings, calling forth another wave of leaves that destroyed several of the clones and caused the real Tanjiro to let out a shout of pain. Oliver whirled around, noticing that the Poliwrath was rather close to him, but then Hala sprung his trap.
"Hypnosis!" Hala boomed, with the Poliwrath's proximity allowing him to blast Oliver with the move and put the mighty owl straight to sleep.
"Not so fun, is it?" Hala chortled, looking at Sun's expression of concern. "And now while dear Oliver is snoozing…use Ice Ball!"
"Oliver, wake up!" Sun shouted to his Starter, who snoozed even as he was hit in the face with a ball of ice and was knocked over. This didn't change when a second ball of ice hit Oliver, this time blasting him closer to Sun. But to the boy's relief, Oliver's body suddenly twitched as the second Ice Ball struck, and the Decidueye jerked awake with a groan. Oliver blinked a few times before realizing what happened, getting to his feet with an annoyed groan.
"Razor Leaf!" Sun ordered his Partner, earning a yawn in response before Oliver quickly swept apart his wings and pelted Tanjiro with a wave of razor-sharp leaves.
"I might have the advantage…but he's good." Oliver hissed, laughing with delight as he narrowed his eyes. Meanwhile, Tanjiro was slowly rising to his feet as he breathed hard from exertion.
"Poison Jab!" Hala barked as the Poliwrath punched his fists together, causing them to glow a harsh purple color. He then dashed at Oliver, who let loose a wave of Razor Leaf at the Poliwrath. Tanjiro dove into the cloud of razor-sharp projectiles, even punching a few of them away before lunging at Oliver and delivering several swift jabs to his stomach before delivering a powerful punch to knock him away. Oliver hit the ground and rolled a few times before staggering to his feet, extending his wings out menacingly.
Sun thrust out a hand, giving the command. "Leaf Blade!"
Oliver summoned two glowing green blades of energy and flapped his wings, which meant that he was upon Tanjiro within mere moments. The Poliwrath managed to duck under the first slash before getting struck with the second, with Oliver violently kicking the Poliwrath away for good measure. As Tanjiro hit the ground, he rolled onto his feet and got back into a rather sloppy fighting stance as he wobbled on his feet.
"Push on! Use Payback!" Hala shouted as he threw apart his arms, mimicking the movement his Poliwrath made as a flickering black ring of energy formed around Tanjiro. The ring suddenly exploded outwards, blasting Oliver into the air and earning a scream of pain from the Decidueye.
"Oliver, use Leafage! And then dive into it with Brave Bird!" Sun shouted to Oliver as he flared his wings, releasing a large whirlwind of leaves towards Tanjiro. Then, Oliver's body burst into flames, with the Decidueye descending towards the Poliwrath on the ground. However, the fiery aura around Oliver's body shifted into a deep blue color, punctuated by a burst of speed from the Decidueye. As Oliver dove through his own attack, the Leafage swirled around him, causing the whirlwind of leaves to whip around the owl as he shot downwards with a savage screech. The fiery blue aura suddenly gained a greenish tinge to it, and Tanjiro let out a cry of panic as he leapt backwards to try and dodge the move.
Despite his efforts, Oliver struck home. The explosion of force threw Tanjiro clear across the arena, with him crash-landing on the ground behind Hala. The Poliwrath twitched a single time before groaning and going limp. Oliver swooped around the battlefield, landing beside Sun and then wincing in pain as the recoil of the move caught up with him.
"Leaf Drive 2.0. It took a while, but Oliver learning Brave Bird meant we could improve on the combo." Sun said as the referee threw up his flags over the unconscious Poliwrath.
"Poliwrath is unable to battle! Sun is now up, three-to-two!" the ref called out, gesturing in Sun's direction.
"I would like to offer a formal apology to you, Oliver." Hala said to the Decidueye, who stared at the Trainer who had raised him when he was a hatchling.
"Whatever for?" Oliver panted, his tone standoffish as he fought the urge to glare at the Kahuna.
"Quite simply, for not being more patient with you." Hala said to the bird, crossing his arms. "Not all Pokémon will be easily trained or obedient. But young Kukui and I should have treated you like the others no matter how badly you acted towards us or the other Pokémon. Much how proud I am of Sun and Hau for how much they've grown over their journey…you too have grown. And I am proud of you, my child."
"...apology accepted." Oliver muttered as he straightened up, catching his breath. "I was an awful little thing before. I still am, from time to time. That doesn't make your treatment of me acceptable, just…understandable. Either way, I ended up bonding with a Trainer who's given me all of the love and attention I ever needed. And because of him, I realized that acting like that wasn't very nice. Sun and I are Partners, and together, we've crushed countless opponents and saved the world. And me and Sun will only reach greater heights together."
"I love you too, Partner." Sun said warmly, with Oliver smiling back at his Trainer before turning back towards Hala. The Kahuna was beaming at them, even as he unclipped a fourth Ultra Ball from his belt.
"Come forth, Vegeta!" Hala shouted, sending out his fourth Pokémon. A rather short Primeape appeared in a flash of light, letting out a small snort of anger as he put up his hands and began shadow-boxing.
"Wait, you named your Primeape…Vegeta? Like the guy from Dragon Ball Z? Prince of all Saiyans and all that?" Sun asked, raising an eyebrow at the name. Hala offered the boy a shrug in response.
"My son enjoyed watching cartoons when he was younger. I watched them with him from time to time. I even introduced it to Hau when he was old enough for them. It was my son and grandson who chose the names of my Pokémon, because those characters inspired them and made them smile. I aspire to do the same for those who look up to me as a role model." Hala said with a shift of his mustache, which showed that he was smiling. "The stories those cartoons told and the larger than life characters stayed with me for years. The heroes and warriors of those cartoons are not so different from the heroes of today…"
Hala gestured towards his opponent, smiling fondly at Sun. "One such hero is standing in front of me."
"The Kahuna of Melemele Island is a Dragon Ball Z fan…that's pretty cool." Sun admitted, grinning at Hala as the Kahuna let out a booming laugh.
"I'm a fan of many of those shows, my boy. Age shouldn't restrict you from enjoying wonderful things, after all. Now then, let us return to our battle!" Hala chortled as Oliver bristled slightly, notching an arrow.
"Come at us, old man!" Oliver hooted at the Kahuna, who thrust out a palm as his expression became serious.
"Pursuit!" Hala barked as his Primeape got on all fours and suddenly dashed right at Oliver with a speed that surprised both of them.
He's fast! Sun thought as the Primeape dashed at Oliver, winding up a punch that shimmered with a faint red glow and slugging Oliver in the beak. The Decidueye staggered backwards with a squawk of surprise, only to dive forward at Sun's command and retaliate with Pluck. The sudden attack knocked the Primeape back, sending him toppling onto the ground. However, Vegeta was quick to get back to his feet, visibly trembling with rage.
"Rock Slide!" Hala boomed as Primeape punched the ground, summoning a series of portals above Oliver and releasing a deluge of boulders. Oliver flapped his wings hard, flinging himself backwards and dodging the downpour of rocks.
"Synthesis!" Sun called to Oliver as the owl landed on the ground, letting out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes and began to glow brightly. As the bird recovered his stamina and healed his injuries, Hala pressed the attack.
"Outrage! Unleash your fury, Vegeta!" Hala gave the order, which the Primeape was all too happy to obey (well, not really happy but you know what I mean).
Vegeta screeched as his eyes gleamed a harsh crimson color, with a similar-colored glow enveloping the Pokémon before he sprinted at Oliver and began punching him repeatedly, earning a series of indignant hoots of pain.
"Return!" Sun shouted to Oliver as he swept apart his wings to knock away the Primeape, who rushed back in to attack Oliver only to get a glowing talon to the face and get sent flying back in the opposite direction.
"Only a close bond could result in such power from that move." Hala noted, nodding in approval as Oliver stood tall alongside his Partner. "You two are splendid together. Let us test your bond further! Continue your Outrage!"
"Oliver, get into the air and use Protect! Drop him!" Sun called to Oliver, who suddenly grinned as he took flight. Vegeta screeched as he kicked off of the ground and rocketed towards Oliver. The Decidueye spun around and flared his wings, summoning a brilliant green barrier that Vegeta struck with the force of a train. Oliver grunted from the effort of keeping the shield up, but the Decidueye's barrier held. And more importantly…gravity took effect.
Vegeta seemed to snap out of his Outrage, looking somewhat confused as Oliver and he plummeted towards the battlefield. Sun grinned with delight as the two of them crashed down onto the ground, with Oliver safe inside of his Protect while Vegeta had been smashed into the battlefield underneath it.
Hala grumbled as he crossed his arms. "Disrupting Outrage with Protect. Hmm. Vegeta, use Punishment!"
"Aaaaaaaah!" Vegeta snarled as his fists glowed a bright purple color. He then swung up and punched Oliver in the chin and sending him flying into the air.
"Razor Leaf!" Sun shot back as Oliver flared his wings to stop his ascent, and then with a furious hoot he swept his wings aside and unleashed a wave of razor sharp leaves upon the prone Primeape. Vegeta snarled in pain, especially as a white light erupted outwards from the attack that signaled a critical hit.
However, Rotom Dex let out a beep as Vegeta climbed onto his feet with an eerie red shimmer creeping over him for a few moments. "Sun, watch out! That Primeape has the Anger Point Ability! Zzzzzrt! That means that when he gets struck by critical hits, his anger will boost his attack power to its absolute maximum."
"Well, that's not great." Sun muttered under his breath as Hala clasped his hands together.
"Stomping Tantrum!" Hala called to his Primeape, who stamped his feet on the ground as if he was throwing a fit. Then, he slammed both feet hard into the ground and caused a small explosion of sheer force on the battlefield, sending a deluge of rocky splinters at Oliver and causing him to hiss in pain as they pelted him hard.
"Leaf Blade!" Sun called as Oliver summoned a glowing green sword, grinning menacingly at the Primeape who was growling softly.
"Rage Fist! Hit him with your full-power!" Hala boomed as the Primeape and Decidueye glared each other down.
"Hit me with your best shot." Oliver said before flying forward, swiftly lashing out with Leaf Blade and knocking back the Primeape. Vegeta flipped in midair and landed on all fours, screeching furiously at Oliver. "It's a good thing you don't have one of these speech collars. I wouldn't want my Trainer to hear that mouth of yours."
"AAAAAAAAAPE!" Vegeta screamed as he rushed forward, cloaked in a dark purple aura of pure anger before punching Oliver in the chest.
Sun's eyes went wide as Oliver went hurtling backwards, slamming into the energy barrier of the battlefield with enough force to send a small crack through the supposedly impenetrable shield. Oliver fell down onto the ground, twitching in pain.
"What in the hell was that!?" Sun shouted, completely losing his composure as he had never even heard of such a move before. Oliver staggered to his feet, a harsh green glow surrounding the Decidueye as he glared down the Primeape as he trembled with barely-restrained fury.
"Synthesis!" Sun called to Oliver, who exhaled softly and closed his eyes to regain his health. Hala had other plans, however.
"Rage Fist!" Hala shouted as Vegeta let loose a scream that seemed almost equal parts pained and angry. The dark cloak of sheer anger wrapped around the Primeape once more, and he dashed forward to punch the Decidueye clear across the battlefield and into a crumpled heap onto the ground. Oliver was very slow to rise, coughing up blood from the sheer power of the moves he was being hit with. Overgrow took effect, with a green glow suffusing Oliver as he got back to his feet.
"APE! APE APE APE!" Vegeta screeched, his body glowing a harsh purple color as the Primeape cried out furiously at Oliver, flailing his hands around. Hala looked confused for a moment, especially as the Primeape's screeches became higher in volume.
Oliver took that moment to lash out with Razor Leaf as Sun's command, knocking back the Primeape and causing him to become even angrier. The dark aura surrounding the furious Pokémon grew harsher and darker by the second. Vegeta the Primeape then suddenly stopped screeching, his body going entirely still.
…ape?" Vegeta whispered, his eyes going hazy as he pressed a hand over his heart. The Primeape let out a small exhale and suddenly wobbled on his feet for a moment. Soon his legs gave out and he fell to his knees.
"Vegeta, no!" Hala called out to his Primeape in concern. Sun gasped in horror as the Primeape finally fell onto the ground…
And then began to glow a serene blue color.
"Wait…what?" Sun muttered under his breath, watching as the glow of evolution enveloped the downed Primeape, who suddenly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. "It's evolving!"
"Vegeta yes!" Hala suddenly let out a laugh, clapping his hands as the Pokémon slowly rose to his feet. Vegeta's body rapidly began growing, with strange tendrils extending outwards from its head. Then the Pokémon punched outwards a single time, dispelling the light and revealing its new evolved form.
Vegeta was now covered in shaggy gray fur, with his limbs now a harsh black color. The shackles around its arms were broken, with one of them even falling loosely onto the ground. Two blood-red eyes glared down Sun and Oliver, gleaming bright with rage. Sun shuddered at the strange Pokémon before glancing at the device sitting on his shoulder.
"Ape…" Vegeta hissed softly, its voice hoarse with rage as Hala clapped his hands with delight.
"An evolution! What a wonderful surprise!" Hala laughed as he put his hands on his hips.
"Rotom Dex, give me the entry." Sun said to the Rotom Dex, who beeped several times before floating in front of Sun.
"Errrm…itzzzz not in the Alola Pokédex. I'll search some of the other regionzzz!" Rotom Dex said to Sun, but Hala barked out a laugh.
"I won't wait around for you, Sun. Vegeta…use Rage Fist!" Hala boomed to his newly-evolved Pokémon as he let out a soft snort of fury, glaring down Sun and his Trainer before sprinting forward, a dark aura coating his fists as he charged.
"Protect!" Sun shouted to Oliver as he threw apart his wings, summoning a bright green wall of energy that blocked the attack. The shield shattered as Oliver leapt back with a startled screech, landing on the ground before kicking hard off of the battlefield and into the sky.
"Aaaaaaape!" Vegeta snarled at Oliver, who simply gave him a bored look.
"I won't lie, you might have the dirtiest mouth I've ever encountered. Only that braindead Professor comes close." Oliver hooted as he hovered overhead.
"Rock Slide!" Hala said with a broad grin, with Vegeta snarling as he punched the ground repeatedly, shaking the entire battlefield with his newfound power. A dozen portals opened above Oliver, raining a wave of boulders onto the Decidueye. The owl screeched in surprise, twisting in midair and barely avoiding the wave of rocks as a seething Vegeta glared from below.
"Synthesis!" Sun called as Oliver landed on the ground and glowed a bright green color, recovering some of his strength. Finally, Rotom Dex was able to find the information it was looking for.
"I found the entry! It'zzz under the Paldean Pokédex registry!" Rotom Dex suddenly cried out, catching Sun's attention. Rotom Dex then read the Pokédex entry aloud for him.
"Annhilape. The Rage Monkey Pokémon and the final evolved form of Mankey. When its anger rose beyond a critical point, this Pokémon gained power that is unfettered by the limits of its physical body. It imbues its fists with the power of the rage that it kept hidden in its heart. Opponents struck by these imbued fists will be shattered to their core." Rotom Dex explained as Vegeta snarled softly, cracking its neck and creating a horrific sound that echoed across the battlefield.
"To think that I would have a battle so intense that it compelled my Pokémon to finally evolve and unleash the truest depths of its rage." Hala mused, putting a hand to his chin. "Even my team recognizes your power, Sun. But can you match theirs?"
"We're not done yet. Hit us with your best shot!" Sun shot back as Oliver nodded wordlessly, body tense and ready to react. Vegeta let out a furious snarl of rage and bounded towards them, charging up a Shadow Punch and launching a shadowy fist that ended up punching Oliver into the air Oliver hard enough to almost cause him to slam into the ceiling of the chamber. Oliver swooped down to the ground, panting hard as he notched an arrow.
"Spirit Shackle!" Sun shouted as Oliver fired, sending the shot directly at Vegeta and blasting him backwards with a pained scream.
"Ahh…I should be wary of the weaknesses of the Ghost-type that he has evolved. I can't get careless." Hala muttered to himself as Vegeta let out a menacing shriek and staggered back to his feet. "Finish him! Shadow Punch, with all of your might!"
"Use Protect!" Sun shouted as the Annhilape charged forward, punching towards Oliver and launching a ghostly fist right at the Decidueye as he summoned a brilliant blue barrier-
That flickered away as it failed, allowing the Shadow Punch to connect with Oliver's face and sending him toppling to the ground unconscious. The referee called it a few moments later.
"Decidueye is unable to battle. Annhilape is the winner! The match is currently tied at two Pokémon each!" The referee called out to both Trainers. Sun returned Oliver, thinking hard about who to send out next.
"I've got Penny and Brago. Penny's worn out from battling that Bewear from earlier, but she can still fight. Brago's totally fresh, but do I want to use him to fight this thing or handle whatever Hala's got left…?" Sun considered the matter, trying to think quickly. In the end, he decided to go with Penny. She likely still had the type-advantage and Ghost-type attacks couldn't hit her anyway.
The young Trainer sent out his Toucannon for the second time, causing Hala to grumble as he crossed his arms. "Naturally. Begrudge an old man some fun so that he could take advantage of his Pokémon's new evolution and his new Ghost-typing."
"I'll rematch you once I'm Champion and let you have another crack at it." Sun remarked with a shrug, causing Hala to bark out a laugh. The referee waved down his flags to signal that the battle could recommence.
"Aerial Ace!" Sun barked as Penny suddenly accelerated towards Vegeta, glowing white before slamming into the Annhilape and knocking him onto his back. The Rage Monkey Pokémon swiftly got to his feet with a hiss of rage as Hala gave the order for Rock Slide, which Penny was able to dodge by putting on another burst of speed.
"Screech! Let your fury be known!" Hala called to Vegeta, who answered with a blood-curdling screech that caused Penny to wince in midair.
"Drill Peck!" Sun ordered his Toucannon, who shook aside his discomfort and spun in midair. As the whirling drill that was Penny spun downwards, Vegeta braced himself for the hit. The Annhilape was knocked back, losing his footing and falling to all fours with a harsh pant.
"Rock Slide again!" Hala boomed as Vegeta let out a snarl, slamming his fists onto the ground and summoning a dozen portals to dump rocks onto the battlefield. Penny tried to weave out of the downpour of boulders, but she was struck several times by them and was knocked to the ground.
"Retaliate with Rock Blast and get back up!" Sun called to the Toucannon, who was lying prone on the ground. Penny opened her beak and fired off several waves of bullet-like pellets of rock at the Annhilape, forcing him to throw up his arms as he was blasted. After four waves of Rock Blast, Penny flapped her wings hard and got back into a standing position.
Hala's mustache twitched as he considered his next move. "Screech again!"
"Swords Dance!" Sun called to Penny as Vegeta the Annhilape let out a horrible scream of fury, weakening her defense even as spectral swords moved around her and boosted her attack power.
"End this now, Vegeta! Cross Chop!" Hala shouted, punching forward as the Annhilape held out both of his arms to form an X, with a harsh glow surrounding both limbs. Vegeta then dashed forward as Penny took the skies, but that wasn't enough to stop the eventual blow from coming. Vegeta kicked off of the ground and sped towards Penny, lashing out with Cross Chop and delivering a mighty strike to the Toucannon.
"Aerial Ace!" Sun called out as Penny tumbled through the air, only to flare her wings and speed towards Vegeta the Annhilape as he fell back down to the battlefield. The Toucannon collided with the Rage Monkey Pokémon hard, sending him tumbling backwards onto the battlefield where he landed with a harsh crunch. Penny landed unsteadily on the battlefield, trembling from the damage she had taken but still managing a weak smile as the referee raised a flag into the air over the unconscious Annhilape lying in a crumpled heap.
"Annhilape is unable to battle! The winner is Toucannon! Sun is up two-to one!" the referee called as Hala returned his newly-evolved Pokémon, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Well old friend…it's time." Hala rumbled as he unclipped the Ultra Ball containing his fifth and final Pokémon. Hala looked over at the boy in front of him. A child that had walked alongside his grandchild in pursuit of adventure and had found friendship, brotherhood and had become mighty as they completed the Island Challenge.
In a way…Hala could only wish his son had seen things another way.
Seven Years Ago…
Melemele Island
Everything fell apart just before Hau turned four years old. It was a quiet night, but Hala could feel a strange tension in the air. As if something bad was going to happen.
Hala had invited his daughter in law, Anela, and his grandson Hau over for a delicious dinner. Hala had even prepared malasadas, which he knew were Hau's favorite food. He had set aside a plate for his son and ensured it would stay warm. Hala wondered if the man would even show up since he occasionally stayed late at his job in the city.
Just as he thought that, the front door swung open. Hala's body tensed slightly upon seeing it was only Kayl, his son. Their relationship had been uneasy for years, despite Hala's attempts to placate him.
Kayl had long-resented being a child of the illustrious Kahuna of Melemele Island. While he had finished the Island Challenge, Kayl had sold most of the team he had travelled with to Pokémon Breeders and settled for an accounting job in Hau'oli City where he truly flourished. However, Kayl still despised being recognized as a Kahuna's child and the expectations that he too should be a Pokémon Trainer of prominence like his father instead of striking out on a different path.
The man walked into the living room, rubbing his face and swaying slightly. "Sorry I'm late. One of my coworkers had a birthday party at work and we all had a few. Dinner still hot, Dad?"
"Yes, I set it aside for you, Kayl. Please, join us." Hala said to his son, who nodded and grabbed his food. Kayl silently ate, giving short answers to any further questions as he somewhat sloppily scarfed down his dinner. Hala grimaced, being able to smell the alcohol on his son's breath. Kayl was outspoken at the best of times, and Hala knew full-well that alcohol had a tendency to turn sober thoughts into drunk words.
However, if the Kahuna had been hoping for a peaceful night with his family, he was sorely mistaken. As the family settled down, Anela began to play with Hau and some toys on the floor while Hala and Kayl sat on the couch in silence.
"You mentioned attending a coworker's birthday, Kayl." Hala said after a considerable lapse in conversation. Kayl glanced at his father, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Are things going well at the office? You mentioned a possible promotion last we spoke."
"Yeah, it's going well. Really well. I uh…shit, I wasn't gonna drop this now, but whatever." Kayl said with a sigh before getting to his feet, swaying slightly due to being inebriated, but he steadied himself after a moment.
"I just got a job offer in Sinnoh with a promotion to a Senior Advisor position with a big pay increase. I accepted. I'll be flying out by the end of the week." Kayl announced, causing Hala to look at his son in surprise. Anela went still from where she was playing with Hau on the floor, looking up at her husband in total shock.
"But what about…how…are you leaving us!?" Anela whispered, tears coming to her eyes. "What about me and Hau? Are we just supposed to wait years and years for you to come home!?"
"Of course not. You and Hau are coming with me. I've got us a nice apartment in Veilstone City. Plenty of good shops and restaurants, a nice school distinct for when Hau gets older…plenty to do. I hear that they even have a music school there. You could even start teaching piano again." Kayl said with a tipsy smile, not understanding why his wife was so upset.
"You would uproot your entire family just like that? Foresight was never a strong suit of yours." Hala rumbled unhappily, earning a fierce glare from Kayl.
"My life is my own, father. It's not dictated by anyone! I've already thought ahead and got everything settled. All that's left is to say goodbye to this hellhole." Kayl said with a smug smirk, causing Hala to scowl at his son. "I've made my own success through my own hard work, not just because I'm your son. You should be proud of me!"
"I have no pride for a man who'd pull this sort of stunt on his family." Hala shot back, causing Kayl to clench his fists in fury.
"And that's why you're the worst. Why did I ever think you would understand?" Kayl hissed at his father, who was surprised to see tears in the eyes of his son.
"Do you expect us to uproot ourselves on a whim just because of your ambitions!? Alola is my home too, Kayl!" Anela said to her husband, who looked down at his wife.
"I was hoping you'd be happy for me too! We can start somewhere new! Away from all of this crap! You know how miserable I've been all these years, honey! Hau can grow up away from Kahuna this, Island Challenge that, and under the gaze of those damned Tapu!"
"Such insolence!" Hala barked at his son, who took a step back from the Kahuna's anger. "You dare insult the Guardian Deities, boy!? That is not how I raised you! And you turn your back on your family, ignoring the fact that your wife might not want to follow your sudden flight from both of your homes!? Unacceptable!"
"Alright, maybe it was a bit shortsighted. But I accepted the job and I…I can't be here anymore. Your expectations of me, and the expectations of the idiots on this island, are something I can't meet! So I'm going far away where I'll never have to deal with them again!" Kayl shouted at his father, who growled softly.
"Kayl, please! Reconsider! Ask for more time to move or…can we talk about this? I don't want to leave Alola! I don't hate my home like you do!" Anela pleaded with her husband, whose face shifted into one of sorrow for a moment. He then locked eyes with his angry father, who had been the source of so much resentment in his life, and his anger overtook his sadness.
"Fuck the traditions. Fuck Alola. And fuck you." Kayl growled at his father, stepping up to him. "Being a Kahuna's son has brought me nothing but misery! Tapu Koko must be high as a kite to have chosen such a stubborn asshole like you to be his Kahuna!"
Kahuna Hala's anger exploded then, with the man's arm snatching his son by the throat and dragging him closer. Kayl's hands tried to claw at the hands of Hala to pry his father's fingers from his throat so that he could breathe, but the Kahuna's grip was iron.
"Shame. You bring me nothing but shame. I don't want to see you again…unless it's on your hands and knees begging for their forgiveness!" Hala growled at the man, who at this point was struggling. By this point, Hau was also crying alongside his mother, who was watching her entire world fall apart by her husband's hatred of Alola.
"G-go…fuck…yourself!" Kayl hissed, spitting in Hala's face. The Kahuna drew back his hand and with a grunt of effort, threw his son clear across the room. Kayl slammed onto the ground with a gasp of pain, clutching his throat. By that time, two Trial Guides had burst through the door, drawn to the Kahuna's house by the crying and shouting.
"Don't you dare defile my doorstep! BEGONE!" Hala roared at Kayl, who stared up at his father with fear and fury in equal measure. Kayl scrambled to his feet, shaking with anger as he looked at his wife and child with a pained expression, and then turned to look at his father with open loathing. He then turned around, walking off into the night to return to his home. By the next day, Kayl and Anela's house would be emptied of many of Kayl's possessions.
But as Hala shook with fury and hurt at his son's betrayal, the sound of a child's sobbing caught his attention. The Kahuna turned around and saw Hau bawling in his mother's arms. Hala took a few steps closer, hoping to comfort the boy, but he simply cried harder as he saw Hala draw closer.
"Tutu scary! Tutu yelled at Daddy!" Hau sobbed, clutching his mother tightly and shaking in fear. Hala's face looked stricken as he realized that, in his fury, he had terrified the small child. Hala shook for a moment, realizing the full consequences of what had just happened.
Kayl would likely never return to Alola. There was too much resentment in the boy's heart, much like in Guzma, who he had also failed. Hala fell to his knees, understanding then and there that his daughter-in-law and grandchild would be deprived of their father because of his actions in raising Kayl.
"Kayl's actions are his own…but perhaps I could have done something different. I was so critical of his life choices. Maybe I could have been more understanding. Reached out to him more. Done something different…anything different. Then he wouldn't have made such a selfish choice and abandoned his family." Hala muttered as a single tear rolled down his face, realizing how tragic the entire situation was. Hau continued to cry, with each sob sending a stab of guilt through the old Kahuna's heart. As Anela continued to comfort her son, despite crying herself, Hala made himself a promise that day.
Hau. My boy…my grandson. I will protect you, until you are ready to face the world. You will only know kindness and understanding from this foolish old man. Hala vowed, fighting the urge to break down into sobs himself as the heartache began to grow. The hurt that Kayl feels will never be something you know. I shall never be the reason you cry this way again, my boy. I promise.
Hala took in a deep breath, exhaling softly before he looked up at Sun. A boy who walked a similar path as his own beloved grandson, and who had grown up so much in the past year or so. The Kahuna smiled at Sun, a boy who was as powerful as he was kind, and his eyes welled up with tears of pride. With that he steadied himself for the final stretch of their showdown.
"Toshinori! Stand with me as we usher in a new age in Alola's history!" Hala bellowed as he hurled the Ultra Ball forth, sending out his final Pokémon. Sun's eyes went wide at the massive crab that towered above them both. It had a blue and purple shell with a thick coat of white fuzz covering the rest of its body. Dozens of old nicks and scrapes covered the Pokémon as it stared down Sun and Penny, its expression calculating.
"Craaaabababa…" the Pokémon rumbled, placing its fists on the ground. Sun glanced at the Rotom Dex, who popped up to give Sun the last Pokédex entry.
"Crabominable. The Woolly Crab Pokémon and the final evolved form of Crabrawler. It aimed for the top but got lost and ended up on a snowy mountain. Being forced to endure the cold, this Pokémon evolved and grew fur. It just throws punches indiscriminately. In times of desperation, it can lop off its own pincers and fire them like rockets." Rotom Dex explained as Sun beheld the Pokémon that Hala had reserved for last. Sun quickly made several conclusions about the creature based off of the information that Rotom Dex had given him and was already figuring out a plan of attack. The referee dropped both flags, and the battle resumed.
"You face my trusted Partner, Sun." Hala said in a low voice, squatting down as his face became one of concentration. "Over fifty years ago, I made friends with an injured Crabrawler on the beaches of Hau'oli City and nursed him back to health. Toshinori has stood beside me in battle for decades and serves as my strongest Pokémon! Let him be the final challenge for you on your journey to the top!"
"Flame Charge, Penny! Get him!" Sun shouted as the Toucannon sped forward, becoming a fireball as she dove at Toshinori and slammed into him. The Crabominable didn't even move, though the attack did register a pained hiss from the beast.
"Ice Punch!" Hala boomed as Toshinori drew back his right fist, even as it began to glow a bright blue color. Toshinori then swung its freezing fist at Penny, punching her hard enough to send her rocketing into the air with a screech of pain.
"I was right. This guy's probably some kind of Ice and Fighting-type." Sun said with a wince. Unfortunately, Rotom Dex had even more bad news for the young Trainer.
"Looks like that Crabominable has the Ability Iron Fist! It givezz punching-based moves a big boost!" Rotom Dex warned Sun as Penny crashed down hard onto the ground. To Hala's surprise, the Toucannon slowly began to push herself up off of the ground with a pained screech of effort.
"Drill Peck! Don't let up!" Sun called to a visibly trembling Penny, who flared her wings and stood tall, eyeing the mighty Toshinori as he loomed ahead. The Toucannon shot into the air with a squawk before turning right around and diving downwards at the Crabominable.
"Blizzard!" Hala roared as the Woolly Crab looked skyward and released a mighty blast of ice and snow at Penny as she began to spin, becoming a whirling drill of force. The Toucannon slammed into the howling ice storm, but to the amazement of Hala the Toucannon powered through the attack and slammed into Toshinori with enough force to earn a grunt of pain from the Crabominable.
"Such willpower! But you cannot surpass our strength with determination alone!" Hala boomed, crouching low as Toshinori mimicked his Trainer. "You must have strength! And that is how you will conquer this challenge, like all the others you have faced!"
"Fly away and follow up with Aerial Ace!" Sun shouted as Penny flapped her frost-covered wings and soared about thirty feet away before turning around and speeding towards the Crabominable again.
"Let's put her down for the count." Hala rumbled, punching forward as Toshinori let out a soft hiss. "Ice Hammer!"
Penny struck once again with a super-effective attack, but despite this it didn't seem to bother the elderly crab very much. However, the Crabominable raised a single massive claw into the air that shined with a freezing cold light…and then brought the hammer down.
Penny had time for a screech of surprise before being smashed into the battlefield with hellacious force by Toshinori's powerful claw. The Crabominable grumbled softly before raising its claw again, revealing an unconscious Toucannon.
"Toucannon is unable to battle. Crabominable is the winner! Both Trainers are down to their final Pokémon!" the referee declared as Sun returned Penny, smiling down at her ball.
"You've all done such a great job. This fight…it's really something." Sun said quietly as he clipped Penny's ball to his belt and pulled out the ball containing his Arcanine. "Let's finish this, Brago!"
Sun sent out his last Pokémon, his loyal Arcanine that stood tall against the mighty Crabominable. Hala chuckled yet again, shaking his head with delight.
"Now we're talking…come on, you two! Show this old Kahuna that I can entrust Alola's future to you!" Hala challenged Sun and Brago, earning two fierce grins from them. "Rise as Champions! Become the heralds of a brighter tomorrow!"
"We'll tear apart anyone who gets in our way!" Brago barked, crouching low and dropping Toshinori's attack power with Intimidate.
"And protect everyone with our power!" Sun shouted, punching forward with a wild laugh. "Extreme Speed!"
"Stone Edge!" Hala countered with a shout, with Toshinori slamming his claws onto the ground and summoning several massive stone pillars out of the ground as Brago sped across the battlefield, weaving in and out of the pillars with ease. The Arcanine collided with the Crabominable at top speed, earning a hiss of pain from the elderly crustacean as he was forced back a step.
"Fire Fang!" Sun called as the Arcanine pulled back his head, his mouth exploding with violent flames, before bit down onto the head of the Crabominable. Toshinori snarled as it staggered back, swinging its arms as it tried to dislodge the Arcanine, but to no avail.
"Earthquake!" Hala commanded as Toshinori punched the ground with both of his claws, creating a devastating quake that rattled the entirety of the arena. Brago snarled as he was knocked away from the Crabominable, retaliating with a Flamethrower that the Crabominable blocked with its claws.
"You'll have to do better than that, my boy! Stone Edge!" Hala bellowed as Toshinori growled softly, slamming his claws down onto the ground and summoning an enormous pillar out from underneath Brago, knocking him high into the air with a yelp of pain.
"Fire Blast!" Sun shouted to Brago as the Arcanine flipped around in midair, inhaling deeply and releasing a mighty fiery star that descended down towards Toshinori and exploded around the Crabominable. Toshinori let out a cry of pain, trying to scuttle backwards from the flames. Hala frowned with concern, seeing several burns along the white woolly fur of his Pokémon. Brago landed on the ground with a grimace, shaking his head.
"Dynamic Punch!" Hala shouted as the Crabominable scuttled forward, winding up a glowing fist and swinging it at Brago. Thankfully for the Arcanine, he managed to jump back from the attack and Sun called for Flamethrower. Brago rose onto his hind legs and let loose a torrent of white-hot flames that earned a pained snarl from the Crabominable.
"You think just because you have the type-advantage that you'll get the better of us!?" Hala roared, thrusting out a hand and showing Sun his Z-Ring. "Behold the full might of a Kahuna and his Partner!"
"Booooommmm!" Toshinori shouted, leaping backwards to land in front of his Trainer as Hala's Z-Ring shined brightly, with the Kahuna striking a familiar series of poses.
"Toshinori! Channel Close Combat…and use ALL-OUT PUMMELING!" Hala roared as the Crabominable punched forward repeatedly, releasing a massive barrage of energy-filled fists towards Brago. The Arcanine recoiled as he was pummeled by the Z-Move, culminating in a massive fist that struck him and created an enormous explosion of force that knocked Sun over. The young Trainer looked up and saw the smoking form of Brago lying on his stomach, grimacing in pain with his eyes shut.
"That was brutal…even with that Crabominable being burned, that attack hit hard." Sun muttered under his breath, awed at the power behind the Z-Move.
"You're not going to let a punch or two get the better of you, are you?" Alastor asked Brago mockingly, earning a groan from the Arcanine. "Now get up! Don't make me get in there and do this properly."
"You can't do that, I'd get disqualified." Sun said to Alastor, who offered his Trainer a smirk.
"He might not know that." Alastor quipped back before letting out a chuckle as Brago slowly stirred, getting to his feet with a soft snarl of effort.
"Next time…put your all into it." Brago huffed, baring his teeth at the Crabominable and flashing a bloody grin. Both the Woolly Crab Pokémon and Hala smiled at the Pokémon's declaration, bracing themselves for the final phase of this battle. Sun and Hala could both see that their respective Pokémon had taken major damage, and so it would come down to the wire.
"Flamethrower!" Sun shouted to Brago as the Arcanine let out a low, menacing growl. Brago then opened her mouth and released a torrent of white-hot fire at the Crabominable, earning a groan of pain from Hala's ace Pokémon. "Now use Flame Burst!"
"Rain Dance!" Hala boomed as Toshinori charged up a misty sphere within his claws and flung it into the air. Sun grit his teeth as the downpour fell upon them, drastically weakening the second round of fiery attacks sent towards the Crabominable. Indeed, the Flame Burst merely caused the older Pokémon to wince in pain more than anything else.
"Crabhammer!" Hala intoned, thrusting a hand forward as Toshinori raised a single claw high into the air. Water enveloped his claw, shining brightly before the Crabominable rushed towards Brago, lashing out with its Claw and knocking the Arcanine over to where Sun was standing forty feet away. Brago, to Hala's surprise, landed on his feet and skidded across the battlefield.
"You're strong…but not strong enough." Brago panted, grinning wolfishly as his Trainer matched his smile behind him.
"Bubblebeam!" Hala barked as Toshinori hissed, releasing a wave of glowing blue bubbles.
"Sunny Day!" Sun countered as Brago charged up a shining sphere of light within his maw and shot it upwards. Bright sunlight shone down on the room, causing everyone present to flinch for a moment, but also serving to severely weaken the attack power of Bubblebeam as it struck Brago. The Arcanine simply shook his head before crouching low on the ground, his eyes shining bright with excitement.
"Fire Blast, Brago!" Sun shouted as Brago inhaled deeply firing off a burning star of pure fire that shimmered with white and purple flames thanks to the power boost from Sunny Day. Toshinori had time to throw up his arms to try and block before the attack hit, bathing Hala's side of the battlefield in fire as the Kahuna grunted at the sheer heat washing over him.
"Rain Dance! Neutralize the sunshine!" Hala called to Toshinori, with the Crabominable holding up a claw and firing off a misty ball of energy. Rain poured onto the battlefield, beginning to quench the flames. But Hala wasn't going to wait around for that.
"Close Combat!" Hala shouted as the Crabominable suddenly burst out of the flames, swinging his claws at Brago and catching him with both a left and right hook. Brago continued to get beat down by Toshinori, culminating in a wicked right hook to the face. Brago swayed on his feet, his body sagging for a moment.
"Revenge!" Sun shouted triumphantly, causing Hala's eyes to widen in surprise as the Arcanine suddenly looked up.
"Gotcha!" Brago snarled softly as Hala tried to shout a command, but the Arcanine's body shone a shining bright orange color before the Arcanine pulled his head back and rammed it into Toshinori.
The Crabominable let out a roar as he went soaring backwards, coming to a stop right in front of his Trainer with a small trail of blood leaking from his forehead. The Crabominable slowly rose from the ground, eyeing Brago as the Arcanine heaved with exhaustion ahead of him. Toshinori held the gaze of Brago for several long moments…and then smiled at the Arcanine, as if satisfied.
The Crabominable's feet suddenly gave out as his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and at long last Kahuna Hala's renowned Crabominable fell to the ground and rose no more. Sun let out a sigh of relief, smiling as Brago let out a howl of triumph.
"Crabominable is unable to battle! The winner is Sunshine Smiles and his Arcanine!" the referee shouted, gesturing in Sun's direction as Hala clapped for the boy, letting out a deep belly laugh.
"I could feel the power you gained on your journey through Alola." Hala said warmly, crossing his arms as the teleporter behind him turned on. Hala nodded at Sun as the boy approached him, nodding to the victor of their showdown.
"It is only when the balance of the old and the new is just right that you can create something truly original." Hala said to Sun as the younger Trainer looked up at the Kahuna. "That is what I saw in the battle between us. An elder's experience and the fire of youth!"
"It was one hell of a fight, sir. You definitely gave me the toughest time. After four battles, my team's ready for a long rest." Sun remarked, causing Hala to look at him with some surprise.
"Oh ho ho! So I was the last to face you?" Hala laughed, clearly amused by this. He then raised an eyebrow, as if something had occurred to him. "If that is the case, then you have defeated the Elite Four. Well done, my boy."
"So what's next? I get crowned as Champion?" Sun asked the Kahuna, who shrugged his shoulders.
"I suspect you'll find your answer when you step through the teleporter and return to the Chamber of Legends." Hala said to the young Trainer, who nodded to the old man.
"Thanks for everything, Kahuna Hala. We wouldn't have gotten this far if you hadn't set me down this path all those months ago." Sun thanked the Kahuna, who simply nodded at the boy.
"It's a role I hold with pride. Many journeys start with a simple meeting, after all. All of the friends you've met along your journey who've supported you were chance meetings that helped lead you to this moment." Hala responded before stepping aside and gesturing to Sun. "Take a moment of rest and then forge ahead, my boy. The Elite Four acknowledges your power and has been defeated. Claim your crown."
Sun nodded and walked past the Kahuna and into the teleporter. The Kahuna smiled as he crossed his arms, reflecting on the battle he had just gone through. "You've come so far, my boy. You must feel satisfied about overcoming such odds…but then who do you think awaits you in the Champion's Sanctum?"
Sun reappeared outside within the Chamber of Legends, swaying for a moment before letting out a shaky breath. A thread of light now flowed from the room he was on to the center platform. Sun noticed that the very center of the room, where all four lights were converging, was now glowing a bright myriad of colors much like the teleporter he had just stepped into to return to the current room.
The young Trainer walked over to the center platform, sitting down with a heavy sigh. With that, the young Trainer began the process of healing his team and taking a much-needed break. He looked them over for injuries, but thankfully they had avoided disaster for now.
"Where's Professor Kukui?" Sun suddenly realized, glancing around the empty chamber. Indeed, he was the only one present now within the Chamber of Legends. It was…eerie. Nevertheless, Sun took a few minutes to confer with his team, calling them all out of their Poké Balls and smiling at them all.
"I'm so proud of you all. We beat Gladion, Hau and four of the toughest Trainers Alola had to throw at us. That means I'm the Champion…and I couldn't have done it without your hard work. Your strength. Your faith in me. Thank you." Sun said sincerely to the six Pokémon who had stood by him through thick and thin. "I love you all so much."
Throughout his adventure, his little family had started small, but expanded with each new island Sun explored. Now he had a team of battle-hardened Pokémon capable of saving the world. No matter what, they had stayed beside him and because of that Sun was able to endure Island Challenge, stop Cipher's madness and put an end to Lusamine's ambitions.
"So are we done?" Penny asked, ruffling her feathers. Oliver walked over to his mate and wrapped his wings around her, earning a smile from the Toucannon as she leaned against him.
"I hope so. I'm ready to sleep for a week." Oliver sighed, nuzzling Penny as he shut his eyes.
"We fought well against strong opponents. Our Alpha led us well." Brago said as he sat on the ground, his tail wagging happily back and forth.
"It was you guys that did most of the work. I just shouted a bunch." Sun laughed, unable to help himself from being humble.
"What are you talking about? You did great out there, buddy!" Finn said with a laugh, thumping Sun on the back.
"With the amount of challenges thrown our way these past few days, you've done well to get us past them all. There's no doubt that we are the best." Alastor said matter-of-factly, raising his chin slightly as Sun groaned from the ground. "But we cannot grow lax. We get stronger."
"Yep yep! I can't wait until our next big fight!" Tetra said happily from where she was sitting on the ground. She then picked Sun up and pulled him into a hug, which the Trainer accepted from the giant shark-raptor-dragon.
"For once, Alastor's right. We'll have more fights ahead of us." Oliver said to his Partner, who looked up at the owl. "This is just us proving that you deserve to be the best of them all. You're a hero, and today we'll get you the recognition you deserve. We fight as hard as we do because we trust you no matter what. And today, we'll fight because no one in Alola deserves to be recognized as the best of the best but you."
And for a while, the team relaxed within the Chamber of Legends and enjoyed the reprieve. No one came to get them, and they welcomed the chance to catch their breath. They basked in the comfort of their victories, quietly chatting with each other and catching a brief nap. But all too soon, Sun recognized the time to get moving once more, as the glow of the teleporter continued to catch his eye again and again.
"Now then…let's see where this stupid teleporter takes us." Sun muttered as he got to his feet, letting out a heavy sigh as he returned his team one by one. Once he double-checked himself and took a bracing gulp of air, Sun stepped into the teleporter in the center of the room and vanished.
Sun reappeared on a platform similar to the one he just left, except he was at the base of a large stairway that led upwards. He glanced around and spotted more gemstones of various colors, but also ice surrounding the top of the rocky walls around him. Ahead of him, up the stairs, was some kind of platform being held in place by massive beams that extended from below. Sun shuddered for a moment, wondering just how high up he was.
Look how far you've come, Sun. Your destiny awaits.
You've been kinda quiet. Everything alright? Sun asked MissingNo., who simply hummed in response.
I've been thinking. About what comes next for me. I gain a little more strength with each passing day, but as much as I enjoy your company…I'm thinking of the future. I want to believe it's hopeful.
You want to sit down later and figure something out? I can ask Wes and Aria if they have any ideas. Sun asked the entity, who hummed for a moment before answering.
I'd like that. Thank you, my friend.
Anytime, Dizz. Sun answered, smiling at the Remnant's response. It was strange to think that so long ago, Sun feared the strange powers of what he had only known as the Anomaly. However, thanks to the entity's own strange journey through Alola and the sacrifices it had both made and witnessed, it had become something new. A trusted ally and someone Sun could trust.
"Bzzzt! No time to dawdle, buddy! Climb those stairs! Let's see what's at the top!" Rotom Dex remarked, popping out of Sun's backpack as Sun snapped back to reality. The young Trainer nodded and slowly began walking up the stairs, taking them slowly due to his ever-increasing fatigue.
As Sun reached the top, he stepped onto a bright blue circular platform that extended around him. He realized after a moment that it was a battlefield, much like the previous four he had defeated the Elite Four on. Ice-like glass surrounded the top of the platform, which he realized now extended above the top of Mount Lanakila as the highest point in the Alola region. Off to the side of the room were several cameras, no-doubt to show footage of battles like the other Chambers below.
And at the very back of the room stood a throne.
It was backed by a metallic gray wall adorned with bright blue lights and a Poké Ball sigil set into the back of it that also shined blue. The throne itself was the size of a normal chair, with two small armrests and a small blue light panel at the bottom of the structure. But it radiated a sense of purpose to the young Trainer, who slowly walked over to it.
Kahili.
Acerola.
Olivia.
Hala.
All four had fallen in combat, one after another, at the hands of Sun and his team. And now at long last, Sun had seized his destiny.
The boy reached the Champion's Throne and stared at it for a long while, trying to convince himself that this was really happening. That his journey, as miraculous and terrifying in equal measures, had occurred. But it had. He was here. He was victorious.
Sun slowly turned around and sat down in the chair, shivering slightly due to how cold the material was to him even in his cold-weather clothes. And for several moments, he gazed across the battlefield and took it all in. He let out a small breath and inhaled, leaning back in the chair.
Sunshine Smiles was now the-
"Oh yeah, now you're the Pokémon League Champion!" a familiar voice suddenly called out to him. Sun's eyes widened in surprise as Professor Kukui emerged from the steps across from him, grinning widely with his usual excitement. Kukui shut his eyes, laughing to himself for a moment.
"Wouldn't it be nice if it was that simple?" Kukui then said, shaking his head with a small smirk. "The truth is, there's one more person you have to battle if you want that title."
"Really? But I beat the Elite Four. Who else is left?" Sun asked, glancing around the room. After a few moments, the answer dawned on him and Sun's eyes slowly widened in surprise. The Professor then suddenly jabbed a finger at his own chest. "Wait, you can't mean-"
"And of course that Trainer is me. Woo!" Johnny Kukui shouted with a fierce smile, putting his hands on his hips. From behind Professor Kukui, a referee walked out onto the battlefield and took his position in the center of the battlefield. Sun also noticed that the cameras he had noticed earlier were rolling again, showing the chamber to the world.
"Ladies and gentlemen watching at home! I'm Johnny Kukui, the Alola League Chairman and Pokémon Professor." Kukui said warmly, facing the cameras. Sun noticed one of the cameras was pointing at him.
"You've watched our very first challenger, Sunshine Smiles, defeat four of the best Trainers in the Alola region. The Elite Four were recruited to be the final challenge before facing the Champion, and they couldn't stand up to Sun's power." Kukui said as he clasped his hands, grinning proudly. "Truth be told, I had a feeling our big hero could stand up to the challenge. After all, he stopped Cipher's madness in Alola and helped put a stop to an even greater threat beyond Alola's waters…"
"But that's not where this ends. No, a Champion can only be crowned at the zenith." Kukui said as he adjusted his glasses, glancing over at Sun as the boy listened intently. "The highest point in Alola is now here…the Champion's Sanctum. Where the Champion shall sit upon the Champion's Throne, and he or she will stand at the very top of the tallest peak in Alola as our greatest defender."
"Sun's faced down and conquered every challenge he's ever faced. But not me. And that's why I'm throwing down the gauntlet. You versus me, to see if you're really ready for this. Whaddya say, Sun? You wanna fight for the Championship? One final hurrah for your Island Challenge. And a special tribute as you and this Pokémon League embark on a new path! Let's have a battle worthy of this moment!" Kukui proclaimed as he cracked his knuckles, walking forward to take his position on the battlefield. Sun smirked at the Professor, hopping off of his throne and walking towards the very man who helped set him on this path in the first place. Kukui had introduced him to Hala and entrusted him with the Rotom Dex, and had been a steadfast friend and ally throughout Sun's time in Alola.
From the video call they had shared when Sun was still in Kanto where Professor Kukui had prepared his Trainer Passport...to the top of Mount Lanakila at the height of Sun's triumph, Kukui had always been there with a supportive smile.
"Bring it. We've come way too far now." Sun said quietly, meeting the Professor's gaze head-on with confidence. Both Trainers grinned at one another, eager to test the other's full power. Sunshine Smiles and Johnny Kukui stared each other down as the world watched on, waiting to see if the hero of Alola could overcome one final challenge.
Chairman of the Alola League.
Former Island Challenge Champion.
Pokémon Professor.
"Everything you've learned. All those great moves and strategies!" Kukui whipped off his glasses, grinning wickedly as he punched forward. There was a ferocity to the man that belied the eagerness in his eyes as he faced down the boy who had saved Alola twice-over. "Bring it on, cousin! You're gonna need every trick in the book if you wanna take me down! It's time to seize our dreams together with one final battle!"
NEXT TIME: Sun vs. Professor Kukui! It's time for Sun to face his final challenge and seize the Championship!
Hot damn, we're at the final battle. Feels weird, but we're not done yet!
Q & A
From: Oragonking
Have you watched the final episode arc of Pokémon Horizons? This is the very first time-skip. It's hard to know if Liko and Roy are 10 year olds, or if Liko is eleven. But they have definetaly grow up a little.
I've seen bits and pieces, but not sat down to watch it. I honestly need to sit down and watch it, but I am aware of a time skip and that overall it's a good quality show.
From: SolanaLeonhart
These battles have been amazing. You've got some fascinating choices for nicknames here. I'm going on a limb but is Olivia's team name after musicians? I could be wrong but that's the only thing I see in common with those names.
Anyway, Diego being sent to spy on Rose is an interesting detail. He presents quite the jovial front but I guess people have been suspicious of him for a while, huh? Oliver making up for that fiasco of a battle with Olivia is a really nice touch. Out of curiosity, I can't remember if I ever brought this up but do you watch pokemon horizons? What do you think of it?
Took me a while to catch up because is being a pain. The chapters wouldn't appear even when I got notifications about updates. No idea what THAT'S about but it's always a pleasure to read this story.
Yeah, that was the theme. And as Hala explained, his team was named after some of the biggest names in modern anime.
Rose makes a lot of people suspicious, but yes, Diego Caballero's been pretty busy in Galar. Considering some of what the man is done, Geeta's right to try and get some more information on the man's operations in Galar.
I do appreciate that people recognized how much it meant to Oliver to right that particular wrong and be the one who beats Olivia. I put a lot of thought into how these fights go about, and this being the one that Oliver ended up winning for his team was a big choice.
And again, as for Horizons, I've seen clips but not sat down to watch it, but it seems pretty cool. I like that it feels like they've fleshed out a lot of stuff for Paldea, and the animation and character development seem really good from what I've seen.
And yes, this site is pretty atrocious. It's getting ridiculous with the number of problems it has, but unfortunately this is still the main site where I do my business due to how long I've been on here. I'm updating both of my fics generally every 2-4 weeks, so I just recommend people check back here every now and then because I still regularly update.
That's all for now, folks. Thanks as always for reading and supporting the story. As always, please review to show your support and tell me your thoughts. And if you haven't already, please Favorite and/or Follow the story to stay updated.
And if you're enjoying RS, then you should read its sister story, Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet. It'd be awesome to see some of the support this story gets hit that fic as well.
Take care and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!