They of the Sun
Chapter Thirty-One: Step Towards Forgiveness

     Plumeria and Gladion froze in their poses; their fists ready to pummel the other. Even in the pouring rain, one could hear their labored breath. We all gazed up at the middle-aged man, his dark eyes piercing us with judgment and his arms crossed. He wore an informal, disarrayed police uniform that somehow still managed to exude authority. He followed no one's rules except his own just by the looks of him. Before he could say anything, a child-like voice called out from behind him.

     "It's you!"

     Acerola's Meowth-like grin was recognizable anywhere, as well as her odd, mix-and-matched garment and pale, lavender eyes. "Who knew you were the Girl Chosen by the Tapu!"

     I flinched at the nickname. She had heard of me.

     "I'm not that," I stated as blandly as I could muster. She let out a giggle and I grit my teeth. If I wasn't in pain and tired from falling off the roof I wanted to smack the creepy smirk right off of her. What did she know?

     "Cyra," the man spoke, redirecting the attention to himself. "These games end now."

     Games? I wanted to laugh, but it hurt to even breathe. This was my life.

     "Haven't you felt the shift in the air? Listen to the Islands."

     The compelling urge to close my eyes came over me and I was to exhausted to fight it. I wish it could've been permanent. The rain had let up, giving a moment of nearly-stale silence.

     The ground thrummed with anxiety and the trees swayed without a breeze. The waters that surrounded Alola whispered quietly with the spinning thoughts running through my head. I felt stupid sitting there with all eyes on me. Then there was the spark of lighting that made my hair stand on edge as it reverberated through the air. All I wanted to ever do was leave behind this place that meant nothing to me. An empty place full of energy that served me no purpose. Still I could feel it all around me, threatening to become a part of me. Begging me to accept it. The part that made my heart beat with excitement is that it made sense. The feelings that had slowly intensified over the last few weeks.

    Arceus, this is all a cruel ass joke I can't even ignore anymore.

     Even though it hurt, I inhaled the damp air deeply, bringing myself onto my wobbly legs. Fighting was all I knew- never accepting of what my life was. It seemed like the Tapu wanted to prevent me from ever running as far as I could in the direction I wanted. And yet, they wanted me to fight.

     "What do you want from me?"

     He reached underneath his shirt to a belt holding , a PokeBall expanding as he tossed it up. Although rounder and with violet fur, the Persian was still a Pokémon I recognized. Meowth was probably still at home with my unknowing mother. How she would've knocked the sense into me long ago.

     "I come to you as Kahuna of Ula'Ula," his voice was stern and demanded respect much like his presence. "I am Nanu."

     The doll-like child twirled without a trace of clumsiness to the man's side, her grin wider- and more chilling- than ever. "We know you didn't finish Sophocle and I's Trials. Buuuut... we have no time to waste! A double battle between the two of us will do!"

     She tossed up her Ball; from the red light a ghostly form emerged. A golden, zippered smile and red glowing eyes met me from it's dark, crinkled form. Regret hit the pit of my stomach as I realized I no longer had Rotom to help identify what it was or it's typing. My schooling seemed much more useful and much more distant now. Fuck.

     "You're damn right we have no time to waste," Gladion finally spoke up, Silvally materializing from where ever it had been resting nearby. It shook it's feathered mane in anticipation. It was nice knowing he was there, much to my dismay. Was it that awful?

     "You can go on ahead," Nanu stated with a raised palm to stop Gladion from engaging in the battle. "This test is for Cyra and Cyra alone."

     Alone.

     The word was lonely in and of itself. Had I really forgotten what it felt to be that? Geez, I was becoming more and more pathetic. My teeth should really be worn down to nothing with how much I grind and grit them. The anticipation of irritation starting my jaw, making its way to my fist as they clenched and my feet as they took a stance. Every Trial Captain and every Kahuna had a theme, a disposition that gave their typing away. Same with Gym leaders.

     "Stupid," Gladion breathed- his melodic voice shaky- stepping back before bolting past us towards Po Town's gates with Silvally at his heels. Whatever waited for us... I'm sure he could hold his own. It'd be better if he just took care of it all, truthfully.

     "Are you ready?!" Guzma shouted from behind me on the roof. It was encouragement. Having been caught in the drama, we had failed to notice the crowd of grunts that had accumulated to watch. Many of them were watching Nanu with leery eyes. I felt my hairs raise with the static of the air and the thundering of the pregnant clouds above us. I didn't belong here and yet... there was a calling. The earth beneath my feet hummed softly.

     "If I have to be!" I shouted back, throwing up two PokeBalls. "Pan! Wicked!"

     Pan soared high into the darkened sky, his feathers ruffled by the wind and energy. The Misdreavus stayed lower towards the ground. Her wide gold and scarlet eyes blinking into curious focus of everything around her. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous in the slightest with all of Team Skull watching. Crowds had never been present when we fought before...

     That's right. It had only been Hau, Sen, and Lillie... cheering me on.

     My skin squirmed in discomfort. My chest tightened in guilt. After this fight...

     "Bannette!" Acerola called the first move, "Infest the Decidueye!"

     The Pokemon moved unlike her, it struggled with its form in a clunky, toy-ish manner. It jumped into the sky to meet Pan's eyes with eerie mischievousness. A ghostly claw reached for the zipper on it's face, pulling it open as small insect-like creatures swarmed from its jaws. They rushed towards my partner in a torrent.

     "Disperse them with Leaf Storm! Wicked, hide!"

     Despite her grogginess, the ghost-type slowly sunk into the ground as nothing more than a shadow. The wind rose as Pan flapped his wings, shimmering leaves whirling around him as the stream of bugs made their way through. Only a few made their way to the Decidueye, crawling into his leaf-like feathers. Discomfort was present in his face and yet he kept the Leaf Storm around him, the rest of the Infestation being scattered out into the stormy sky. Acerola's Bannette shut it's mouth into its troublesome grin. A pleased gleam emanated from it's deep red eyes that were a little too far sunken into its skull.

     "Dark Pulse, Persian." Shadows gathered around Persian; elegantly it prowled forth, stalking near Wicked. How could they stay so calm? Acerola seemed as if she was having a blast with her smile spread as wide as her partners. Nanu's Pokemon seemed to be well trained to find its target. He hardly had to direct it as unleashed the shadows in a pulse of energy, knocking Wicked back towards me from where she had been hiding. His face stayed without expression.

     "Power Gem!"

     "Shadow Claw!"

     Pan, unable to keep the wind and leaves in whirlwind as a shield, was plucking at his feathers in an attempt to stop the Infestation from draining him. Moments were all I had for their attacks to charge and take out my tiny team. Pan was fully-evolved, more than capable of fighting a Legendary as he had the other day. But Wicked? Plumeria's Salazzle had posed a threat to and our tactic in the panic had been... dirty. Is that who I still was? I didn't have time for the pondering.

     "Spirit Shackle!"

     There was the flash of MeleMele and Ilima. Wicked stood in Pan's place as Ms. Emily's Magnemite attacked again and again. I remembered the screeches.  Pan centered himself as the ghostly chains shot out from his trembling wings towards Acerola and Nanu's Pokémon. It was hopeless but we could try. As I hurried to defend my Pokémon, Ilima's words rang in my ears.

      Lousy tactic. You can't protect your Pokémon that way, they'll never grow.

     "Wicked!" I wasn't quick enough to move towards her. I wasn't quick enough to think about what I could do other than intervene as glowing gems were hurdled towards us. Why did I want desperately to win? Knowing that I had to face them again? Not knowing how they would react? I left them. I hadn't given a shit about would what happen to them then. They'd be pissed. They had every right...

      I wanted to hope. I wanted to hope that maybe they would look at me with forgiveness.

      Don't be stupid. 

     I hate feeling so helpless. I really couldn't keep fighting back. I knew it'd come to that at some point. Deep.. deep... deep down.

     My eyes shut tight as I wallowed in my vulnerability.

     "Please!" I hollered into the empty town. Panic set into Team Skull behind me as the humming from the ground had become crust-shifting rumbling beneath my feet; splitting open as a creature burst out to block the Power Gem. Acerola's eyes widened at the Tauros-like beast; Alolan markings adorned its red encasing, which lifted around its horns to reveal a bulky black body. Nostalgia rushed through my veins as I remembered the feeling I had gazing on Tapu Koko on Melemele. Nothing came close to the surge of energy it gave off. 

     "Tapu Bulu," Nanu kept his indifferent composure even as he gasped. A thick brow raised as he looked at me for the next move. The Land Spirit turned to me with a huff, hitting its golden hooves together. Its eyes were set intently on mine like it had something to say. It waited on me. Dumbly, I nodded my head. Running was no longer an option.

     I guess this was the first step towards my forgiveness.

    Maybe.