They of the Sun
Chapter Nineteen: Stufful It

cyra

        "Last one!" Hau said with a grin as he guided the teddy-like Pokémon to an elderly woman. She clapped in delight before scooping it up into her arms like her long-lost child. The cute creature let out its own elated squeal. I leaned against a tree, rubbing my temples, unable to take one more shrill "thank you" from the lady. As she opened her mouth, I snapped with a raised hand.

"Stufful it."

She looked taken aback and I didn't care as I walked further down Route 10. Hau stayed back for a moment before I could hear the dull tip tip tip of his feet against the dirt road. He was so full of energy and I was full of a migraine. "Do you think they have a malasada shop on Hokulani?"

      I didn't give him answer, gritting my teeth in annoyance. In annoyance of my lack of sleep, at this monster headache, at his rambunctiousness. Thankfully, Hau took the hint and he kept his grinning mouth shut with his hands behind his head. He seemed a lot more relaxed around me since Akala... where admittedly we had way too much tension. I kept my focus on the road ahead, trudging along. I couldn't wait to go back to sleep.

But of course, Almighty Arceus wasn't that merciful. My headache probably wasn't going away anytime soon.

"Great."

Hau voiced my thoughts- to my surprise, since he wasn't one for sarcasm- as we caught sight of Team Skull grunts dangling off of a bus stop sign.

"You think if there isn't a sign they can take a break?"

"I mean, yeah, dawg. It makes sense."

     One of them was clinging to the sign while the other pulled on him to the point he was leaning back towards the ground. I didn't have time for their antics... they didn't hear us approaching. While Hau was under the impression we'd battle these wannabe punks away, I did not have the patience for that hulking hunk of T.S.

     I spared no time approaching them, placing my foot on the puller's back before giving my leg a thrust forward. It send him lurching into the pole, leaving the other dangling helplessly.

     "Yo what the fuck? You really just gonna come run a-Muk?"

     Oh, the crap rhymes never ended... at least Guzma didn't do that. I probably would've ended myself.

     "Deadass," I said, blankly. My glare probably looked a little sleepy from the pain of my headache. It still got my point across. "Scram."

     "Shit... It's you. Outta here."

     While I didn't recognize them (because they were generic grunts), they certainly recognized me. I took that as an advantage as they scuttled off, one of them holding the lump above their eye, with no other words besides a few curses to my name. Nothing I couldn't handle emotionally. After all "bitch" was my favorite nickname.

     "That's one way to get rid of them?" Hau said with an odd smile. It still obviously pained him to see me be so shitty to another human but that was the least of my concerns. Life sucks. I rolled my eyes as I hunkered down by the sign, waiting for the Exeggutor Express. The wait wasn't long. Soon the Alolan Exeggutor inspired bus chugged along the mountain, I paid for both of the fares because math for splitting my money would only worsen my headache. Thankfully, we were the only two on the way up, giving me a a couple of minutes to rest my eyes to the irksome sound of Hau unwrapping a snack to eat. The boy had just eaten breakfast two hours ago...

     He nudged me gently, offering me a snack. I didn't feel like fighting so I took a Grumpig rind, nibbling slowly until we reached the small settlement on top of Hokulani. A few people milling about with cameras to take pictures in front of the enormous observatory.

     "You can go ahead on the challenge," I said. "I'm going to go... explore."

      I didn't want to admit to my pain or make him wonder. Which I probably already did... stupidly. He knew I wasn't much for exploring. Obviously. Because I was sooo thrilled back in Iki Town.

       Once alone I should've gone to get medicine at the Pokémon Center... but I hated to be one that relied on it. I pulled a cool water bottle from my bag hoping it could ease my head as I took a swig then rested it on my forehead. How high up we were didn't strike me until now- I hadn't even felt the pressure change!- as I wandered down the path and verged off towards a series of little cliffs... It was much like the cliff I lived on on Melemele except without the ocean nearby...

"Baga!"

      I cry pulled me from my thoughts as I turned to look back up at one of the higher cliffs. Above me was a sky blue Pokémon, its head seemed to have a a very solid layer of skin. Nearly like a helmet. A Bagon wasn't too hard for me to identify since there were a rare few roaming the northern parts of Sinnoh.

      The Pokémon was looking down with worry, shaking. I blinked as it let out another whimpering cry. A Bagon that was scared of heights...

      "Zzt this Bagon is quite lozzt. They're usually found on Melemele!" Rotom peeked it's head outside of the bag. "And I've never seen one so zpooked of zzzt heights."

         I didn't say anything as I took a few steps forward so I was directly beneath Bagon. "You know you're going to become a Flying-type, right?"

       The little Dragon-type looked at me with confusion, then realization of its own species. Waving its nubs around as it began to cry at the sentiment. "Bagaawaaah!"

        "Stufful it, crybaby!" I snapped, not feeling the slightest bit sorry as it sniffled into quietness. I didn't have a good tolerance for crybabies. Especially not with this fucking killer head pain. Stupidly, I held my arms up to it. This is a bad choice... but since when do I make good choices? "I'll catch you. It's not that high. I promise."

      The Pokémon flinched away when it looked down, then looked down again with a tremble. I didn't look away from it as its eyes locked with mine. Something seemed to click, some sort of trust ignited as it took a few steps back. I could see a tiny heart leaping from its chest the moment it flung itself off the small cliff. I actually realized how bad of a choice this was seconds before its solid-steel head collided with my aching one. The pain was unbearable.

      This definitely should've been on a "Ten Photos Taken Before Disaster" video.

•••

???

"Lumi, you're here..."

     The blonde, devil-horned boy... He stood there at the edge of the snow covered trees. (Was it snow? Or was it ashes? The details were fuzzy.) His golden eyes voiced his concern before he could even speak... he masked it quickly as he turned to the man with similarly styled blue hair. Lumi's Empoleon was on standby; it kept a cool exterior like its Trainer. I wasn't used to Lumi being so... stoic.

       My thoughts muddled my name that escaped his mouth... at least, I think it was my name?

       What was my name?

       "... did they hurt you?"

        Had they hurt me?

       "No," I whispered as a dusky shadow rose from beneath me... my vision shaking. I couldn't hold myself up... Why was it so damn difficult? I let myself sink to my knees... The Commander laughed. The bitter cold overcoming me in spiked pain... pricking at my skin... Lumi was no longer running to me, but instead it was Gladion... Sen...Zossie... Lillie?

When had the-?

     "You thought... Cyr... n't be ple... too pathetic... Aska."

•••
A/N:

Who's Lumi? Who's Aska?

Find out next time on They of the Sun...

JK; but keep them in mind always. And that dreams often don't make sense.

Also, I want to bring attention to a really supportive reader, understanding cover requester, and very creative writer because her story deserves so much LOVE. I've recently started reading it and it is GREAT (so freaking cute). So if you haven't already: please check out JunieWeather 's Swanna Girl and Braviary Man. And it's sequel!

-sj