They of the Sun
Chapter Thirty-Eight: If Lillie's a Flower, Cyra's a Weed

     gladion

     "I'm not scared!" Lillie chanted to herself, gathering the courage to run across the wooden bridge while Murkrows circled above. They seemed to be her main worry. The ground was far below us, the sliver of a river running through, but that didn't seem to bother her. I smiled secretly at seeing her so eager to overcome a fear. Her eyes met Cyra's the moment she was on the other side, where she jumped in excitement. It seemed like they both were thinking the same thing, connecting on something I could never understand. A whole experience I had missed out on.

     Vast Poni Canyon was exactly what the name implied: vast. Many experienced Trainers roamed the area, most of them just enjoying the time in nature. Hapu led the way with certainty, pointing out the emblems for the Legendaries that marked a path towards our destination. Every once in a while she would go silent as if reminiscing about some time long ago.

     It was oddly peaceful despite the size and unlikeliness of our group. Hau and Lillie straight behind Hapu's rear with eager enthusiasm. Sen and I walked in awkward silence in the middle. Occasionally, he'd hum a soft tune. Did he hate me?

     "Ugh." Cyra hung further behind us, her Decidueye playfully flitting around her. Her mind seemed lost in another world; eyes the color of the rich, russet dirt flickered around with questions for the ancient cavern walls. She didn't seem like she wanted to talk much either. But that wasn't my problem. I kept my eyes on Lillie, scared she would disappear out of sight. As the day stretched thin, we made camp near an alcove on the side of a cliff face. As I watched everyone's Pokemon linger together, happily, I couldn't help but wonder how lucky I was to witness this brief moment of tranquility. After two years of being utterly alone, it was a decent change of pace. The chance to see Lillie again outweighed the need to be so distant from everything, to not get hurt, to not get let down. I had drowned my sorrows for long enough.

     Hau and Lillie poked around at the fire together, preparing food. Cyra sat inside her tent with the flaps open; she peered thoughtfully at Nova in her hands. Her brows were knotted so tight, they probably would take weeks to pry apart. Hapu kept herself busy by organizing supplies on her Mudsdale's saddle. I looked down at my worn down shoes, filthy from the canyon's dry dirt. Silvally lay beside me, eyes closed and an even breath. How nice it must be.

     "Gladion," Sen waved for my attention, calling me away from my partner and the moment of appreciation I was having. I kept my hands tucked into the pocket of my jacket. He sat leaning against a boulder, legs outstretched as if trying to be relaxed, but the stiffness of his posture gave away his nerves. The way his eyes darted anywhere that avoided my bright gaze for a moment before locking. "What did you mean? Cyra's a weed?"

     I felt the frown form on my lips, rolling my eyes away. Of all the things he could have brought up. That's what he was hung up on? A misunderstanding. Story of my life. I sighed, "Listen, I didn't mean anything bad by it."

      "Being called a weed is pretty mean."

     He folded his arms across his chest and I now noticed that he stood over me... but just barely. I kicked the dust at our feet, running his question through my head. What did I mean? I had stumbled myself onto eggshells. I licked my lips and rolled my head across my shoulders in an attempt to loosen myself. Why was I so nervous? This wasn't a problem I'd run across with Team Skull, they were easy to pushover and intimidate behind their lowly, no-brain taunts. Sen was more resolute than that.

     "Lillie is a flower, she's delicate," I explained, choosing my words with care as Sen eyed me down. No one had noticed us, no one was coming to stop this out-of-place conversation. "Everything around her sways her easily, even the wind. Wrong pH of soil and she's done for but Cyra... Haven't you noticed? You could stick her in the cement, miles into a polluted city, and she would still claw her way out and adapt, even if its for herself. She thrives in the most unlikely places."

     His eyes traveled past me, presumably to the girl chosen by the Tapu, and back; the gears grinding in his mind as he judged my words.

     "Dinner's ready!" The mixture of Hau and Lillie's laugh drew our attention and allowed me a chance to withdraw from the conversation, casting a glance of suspicion back at Sen. I was met by the wide-eyed stare of realization, his hand frozen in the motion of stopping me. He didn't bring the subject up again.

***

sen

      She thrives in the most unlikely places.

     By dusk tomorrow we should reach the Altar of the Sunne and whatever awaited us at the top. The thought brought on exhilaration and excitement, but I'm not sure the feeling was mutual among everyone. I knew Cyra dreaded it, bearing it the best she could. I knew Gladion and Lillie probably didn't want to face Lusamine again. Aside from Hau, I was probably alone. My head stayed in that moment with Gladion, analyzing every movement, every breath, every word.

     We gathered around the campfire, bowls of food in our laps. Our Pokemon napped nearby, already fed. The stars above twinkled enthusiastically and the embers of the flames floated up to join them. It felt, for a brief moment, like we weren't waiting on the region's impending doom. We were only kids camping, discussing the way our trials played out. Although Hau had heard it a hundred times over, he still clung to every word I said about my own Trial. I omitted the parts where I had felt alone during that time, when no one was there to witness my wins and losses against the Captains. Eventually silence fell over our laughter and the heaviness of our situation made itself known once again.

     That Mewtwo was far beyond anything we've ever faced! Separately and collectively. And we barely had any information on what we were doing, this was all on chance and hope. Poni Island has been a hotspot for Ultra Wormholes, but if any Ultra Beasts had leaked out we hadn't encountered any... And we barely knew what they were like. My palms were sweaty at the thought. Would it be like any other battle or-

     "What if I have to face Cyrus?" Cyra asked out loud, staring out into the wilderness of Vast Poni Canyon. Her usual irritated demeanor washed away by furrowed brows of worry.

     "Who?"

      Cyra faced up at Lillie sitting on the rock she was settled against, squinting her eyes and puckering her lips in distaste. "My... dna donor."

     Lillie nodded sympathetically, not quite understanding.

     "Why would you have to?" I asked. Having her intense stare on me made my breath stop for just a moment. She was... scary. In a pretty way.

     "Back at Lusamine's lab," she started, adjusting herself against the rock and tossing aside her half-eaten bowl of food, "He was there, behind her with all... all of them. I haven't seen him since I was so, so little. I can't even remember everything that happened! And I'm still so scared! And for what?" She laughed at her own rhetorical question, her palm against one eye and the other squeezed shut. Watching her claw her way out of her own emotional pit of thoughts made my chest sink with empathy. "There's no friggin way I can do this!"

     "Sure you can-" Hapu was cut off from using her well-practiced Kahuna voice by a sob and all heads turned to Lillie, who blinked back in confusion. Gladion was the first to whip his attention back to Cyra but I was the lucky one reaching a comforting hand to her as she stood, rubbing away at her eyes. The sting of rejection was worse than the sting of her smacking away my hand, her holler echoed up into the heavens, "It's not like I fucking asked for any of this!"

     Even if Cyra was a resilient weed and not a lovely flower for show, she was just as fragile. She could still wither, her leaves still torn off by one careless stomp. The memory from Konikoni drifted back. I had no idea the weight of her sentiment then. Now, it slapped me right in the face. Was I really that naive?

      A person with no grand destiny so I didn't have to drag around the expectations of everyone... on top of existing alone. It has nothing to do with you.

     None of us said another word as she let out an angry cry, throwing a kick into the rock Lillie still sat on- green eyes watching with concern. For once, we let her be without a fight. We didn't try to stop her. Her burning bright rage was the one thing we had left her with. I lowered my eyes to my stinging hand before raising it to my face and feeling my warmed cheeks. I was embarrassed.

Why?