They of the Sun
Chapter Thirty: Running With the Lycanroc

omni

     "What's with you lately?"

     Plumeria's words cut through the soft pitter-patter of the rain. It wasn't like Guzma to sit out on the edge of the roof. Not since he was younger and had just overrun Po Town. For the first time in years, he felt as if he had some sort of clarity. Off near the distant Pokémon Center, the Skull grunts looked like little Durants skittering about.

     "There's two Lycanroc inside of you," Guzma spoke before Plumeria's patience ran thin. He knew she wasn't much for waiting on idle chatter. "One wants to be praised and to be given everything it has earned despite the muddy mess of tracks it's left. The other wants to just... give up. Start over and leave a new set of tracks. Or maybe... no tracks at all."

     Then there was silence. He began to feel a bit ridiculous that that had spilt out of his mouth the longer his top admin stared off at the rundown town. Guzma figured she was tired of being drenched in rain and it was ruining her mascara the moment she stood.

     She looked down at him, a thought lingering in her eyes. She knew her boss better than anyone... He wouldn't be asking her something like this unless he was considering major reform. Guzma was never one to stay the same and follow tradition.

     "I guess... whichever one you feed, is the one that wins," Plumeria stated, finally.

•••

cyra

     "What's with you?"

     It wasn't like him to be so quiet that we could hear the tremors far above and the snow fall around us. Then again... Lumi hasn't been himself for a while now. The girl hoisted on his back was sleeping despite the cold. The cocoon of blankets that kept her from falling made her seem as snug as a Burmy. He was staring at the snow covered ground, his golden eyes narrowed in thought.

     "If this is just a display of the world Cyrus wants," he began, raising his eyes to meet mine. "We have to do anything to stop him."

     The dream seemed foggy the moment my body decided it was time to be awake. It was one of those mornings where laying in bed and staring at the ceiling was comforting. Everything ached.

    Seeing Gladion and Silvally's comradeship, as well as Dulse and Zossie rejoice over the Lake of the Moone, had left a sense of emptiness. I've tried to convince myself it was the same emptiness that has always settled over my entire being. Right?

    The past few nights I dreamt of MeleMele meadows and delicious malasada.

     I rolled over to bury half of my face into the pillow. Downstairs I could hear running and yelling, a few yips from Pokémon reaching the top of the stairs. On the nightstand next to my bag was the odd crystal from Lunala... Dulse had given it back, stating it could very well be a Z-Crystal. Not that I cared much for it anyway. I hadn't used any of the ones I'd earned on the Trials. I should've dumped those along with the Trial Charm. I should've dumped every memory. The soft feeling of not being able to let go made me want to scream into a void. 

    "Cyra?"

    Gladion's voice was muffled from the other side of the door. I folded the pillow over my head to cover my other ear. The sound of him shuffling around was still audible much to my annoyance. Patience was not his forte. He knocked louder, raising his voice. "Quit being such a little-" he stopped to sigh loudly stopping himself from what he was going to say. Not that it would hurt my feelings. Not that my feelings were anything to anyone- "I'll be at the Malie Garden."

     Whoever ran this circus made us clowns work. And for what? Nothing? Freedom never seemed so tauntingly near. Once my job here was done, I'd be done, too. The payout had to be decent enough for that.

     Whatever. Even if I have to swim across the whole damn ocean, I'll get out of Alo-fucking-la. Anger and irritation turned to sudden energy as I burst up from my bed, throwing blankets off me. Scrapes and muscles burned the moment my feet hit the grungy carpet. Not worth my attention.

     My focus stayed on the void in my head. And the way it spread to the rest of me.  Again, the glimmering of Lunala's crystal drew my attention. My hand reached out to place it in my bag. Maybe I'd grow the kahunas to cast it out into the ocean. A shout echoed down the hall. Then a laugh. Then a clatter. Plumeria's voice rang out above all else.

     "Hey, numbskulls, you're gonna have to patch that!"

     "Sorry, Plum!"

     "Better be. Now scram."

     After the scuttling of the grunts made its way from the halls to the steps and out of hearing range, there was- yet again- a soft knock on my door. A break was never to be seen in my future.

     No words left my mouth as the door opened to reveal a muddy-mascara Plumeria. The horror. Seeing our typically put together admin seem not so together oddly bothered me. Almost as if the world was out of balance. (Who am I kidding? It's been that way.) Her eyes darted around, seeming to try to find the words she needed somewhere in the air.

     "Guzma."

     "Guzma?"

     She narrowed her eyes on me. "He wants to talk to you, right now."

     "If it's about going with him, I'm going." I stated with an edge of annoyance to my voice. Why was everyone so PUSHY today? Plumeria waved a delicate hand for me to follow her, ignoring the attitude in my tone. 

     We made our way to the opposite side of the mansion, which for whatever reason was far more destroyed than the rest of the place. Furniture was knocked over and destroyed. Shattered windows that offered no protection from the ever-rainy outdoors.

    Guzma was out on the ledge of the roof, hunched over in thought. Nodding her head towards him, Plumeria puckered her lips as if to to point. The foreboding air that has been lingering intensified as I stood, staring at the slippery slope of a roof. 

     What if I fell?

     What if I fell?

     Ha!

     I've fallen enough in the last few months to last me the rest of my life. I squatted low as I stepped onto slates, letting myself slip down next to the Team Skull leader. Not long ago I would've degraded him, but seeing the way he leads such a wild and unorganized group of individuals with ease gave me a different perspective. His eyes stayed focused out on the yelling group of grunts jumping atop a broken down vehicle. For an instant he looked as wise as Hala. The disgusting feeling of humidly, wet clothes clinging to my skin kept the silence from killing me. My eyes stayed on him from the side.   

     Guzma's usually slurred speech had a hint of sobriety to it as he broke the ringing in my ears, "Lusamine isn't who you think she is. I hate to admit this Taurosshit"- he laughed in disbelief of himself, a hint of hurt behind his words- "but Kuikui is right. Tapu Koko chose you for a reason. You're a brat, kid, but if there wasn't a spark to you... you wouldn't have been saved. " 

     "Tapu Koko didn't save me," I let out a nervous laugh. I had always contemplated the notion and come to the conclusion it was for Nebby. A fellow Pokemon. Hearing it out of yet another person's mouth left a sour taste in mine. It was as if their words and reassurances of where I was meant to go in life were a cage. Every turn and stride I made was met by an obstacle, throwing me back into a state of helplessness. I wasn't helpless. I wasn't anything like Lillie looking at me with reliance back on Mahalo Bridge. I wasn't Hau who needed the world to be rosy in order to smile. I wasn't Sen. I wasn't Gladion. I wasn't anyone. I hated feeling like a Phanpy in a circus. Refusal clawed it's way into my throat. Standing, I stomped my foot onto the roof. I dared the dampness to let me stumble, to make me fall. I could take a fucking fall. 

      "You need to run with the Lycanroc," he hastily added, "Lillie and Nebby are in trouble. Alola is in trouble. I'm tired of playing this dirty game for Giovanni and for... and for Lusamine. You have to get back to your friends."

      "They're not my friends!" As much as I wanted the conviction to be there in the ringing of my shout: it wasn't. I'm glad the rain could hide the tears that escaped. 

      "You're wrong." 

     I looked up the slope to the broken window where Gladion stood beside Plumeria. In his hand was the charm I thought I had lost. His green eyes burned into my core as he slid down without falter, putting the Trial Charm right in my face. I could see a small reflection of my golden eyes in its shine. 

       "Why are you here?" I snapped, backing myself further into my metaphorical corner. A tint of pink hit his cheeks as he glimpsed to the side. 

    "I got caught up," he rolled his eyes back into me, avoiding the embarrassment. I almost jumped as he barked: "Listen! Even if you're not their friend, they're yours. Your selfishness and childishness... It's cost so much time and now... What if I can't do a thing about it?! I wanted to keep them safe! They've wanted to follow your lead and from a distance I let it happen. All you care about is you. I don't know why Tapu Koko chose you of all the people in Alola. You're as weak as a Wishiwashi."

      I can't explain why, but the anger burned brighter than ever as my hand raised. A roll of thunder clapped as Gladion's cheek turned red with the slap. His eyes widened before we stared at one another with narrowed eyes.  There was no time to find any gripping once Gladion threw himself at me. Guzma shouted, but even his voice felt distant. I reached my arms up to keep him at bay, he swung back and forth trying to release himself from my grip. "You're a bitch! You're pathetic!"

      Adrenaline gave me the strength to push up, rolling us over as I released my grip to raise my fists and bring it down on the same spot I had slapped. I didn't care where I hit as long as it landed on his disgustingly pale, clear skin. His words became my fuel. Releasing the anger felt great. For fucking once, I didn't feel awful. Who did he think he was? Telling me who I am? Just the same as every other shit opinion of me. A gasp escaped my lips as he bucked me off to the side, except the air rushed past me instead of hitting the roof. My back hitting the ground began a tirade of coughing and hacking. Air refused to enter into my lungs. There was a thud as Gladion jumped down. How could his ankles take that much shock?

     Why was I wondering about something so dumb? 

    Rain made it a challenge to keep my eyes open. Not that I cared to look at his stupid, stupid face. I nearly wanted to yelp when I felt the tips of his shoe dig into my ribs, but the air still refused to return. My body curled, arms protecting my midsection and trying to knock away his legs at the same time. Vile crawled up my throat... were the stains from last time gone? 

     "Stop it! Gladion!" Neither of us had noticed Plumeria join us as she shoved him away, placing herself between us. HE was not getting the last hit in. Not on me. Gritting my teeth, I dragged myself up to my knees. Shallow breathes were all I could muster from the pain in my side. The Team Skull admin must have known my intentions at getting up as she pushed me down from the crouch I was beginning to get into. Her knee rested on my shoulder as her hand pushed back on Gladion glaring down into me. His eyes seemed to read me like I was nothing more than a book. I doubt he knew how to read. "I'm not letting either of you ruin this... This... I'm not letting you ruin Guzma's one chance!" 

     "He's giving up everything he's worked so hard for... for this... for you." Her eyes landed on me. Something about the emotion in her voice and the way she met my eyes made me look away. I was always the problem. I can be the bad guy if they need me to be. Gladion's shoes shuffled away as he scoffed. 

    "Says the side piece."  

    No time was wasted between the words leaving his mouth and his other cheek matching the one I had smacked. A pause sat there before Plumeria moved away from me, her arms flailing at the smirking blond. He was so proud of himself. Relief washed through me to have the attention away from myself, although I wanted to be the one to deck his pretty little face in. Her hand was reaching for the Poke Ball at her hip as thunder blared. Old, sandaled feet shuffled closer to the scuffle.

      "Look at you all fighting like the thugs you are."