Chapter 821: The White Lion

Dr. Kukui suddenly understood.

"So that's how it is!"

He had no suspicion—Trainers on the Island Challenge often wandered randomly between islands.

All All Baimu feigned ignorance and asked, "What are you doing here? What's above?"

"This is the Sun Disc Altar, where the legendary Guardian Deities of Alola and the Legendary Pokémon once fought the Ultra Beasts together."

Dr. Kukui smiled as he explained, even mentioning the Ultra Beasts and Ash's involvement.

He probably thought nothing here needed hiding.

The two walked step by step up the altar.

Dr. Burnet, hearing the noise, turned and looked, her face filled with surprise: "All All Baimu?"

"Ah, got it~ Dr. Burnet."

All All Baimu nodded to her and added softly, "I once brought a Pokémon friend to the Aether Paradise to find its child—you were the one who received us then."

Dr. Kukui laughed heartily: "What a coincidence!"

They were waiting for Ash and his group to return; all necessary data had already been collected.

Not that they were bored out of their minds.

It was just that there was nothing to do.

If All All Baimu hadn't come, they could've chatted about private matters and deepened their bond—but with a third person here, what could they say?

They couldn't just kick him out.

So.

Their quiet chat became a three-person chat.

The topic naturally centered on Ash's group heading into the Ultra Space.

From Dr. Kukui's words, All All Baimu easily sensed that if he hadn't been here to pick up Dr. Burnet, he'd have boarded Solgaleo's "ride" without hesitation.

Dr. Burnet felt the same.

In fact, she was a Ph. D. specializing in Ultra Space—being able to personally enter the portal was an opportunity too rare to pass up.

All All Baimu said little.

He had no grasp of the systemic theories behind Ultra Space's origins or energy wavelengths, but when it came to firsthand intelligence on Ultra Space, Dr. Burnet at this stage couldn't possibly match him.

If he accidentally revealed something, covering it up would be a headache.

As the conversation dragged on.

He simply started talking about Xiong Xiong, though he slightly fabricated the details—including how he later took it to find its cub.

After all, the existence of Team Rocket's trio had to be hidden.

With these three, you couldn't even claim to be friends—just being associated with them made you feel ashamed.

There was no help for it.

Cute and charming villains…

He was a villain too!

Yet Dr. Kukui listened with startling seriousness; even Dr. Burnet occasionally glanced at her computer screen as if just taking a mental break, but he genuinely treated it as a story.

All All Baimu, who mixed half lies with half truth, was genuinely unsettled by it.

Clearly, when it came to love for Pokémon,

Dr. Kukui wasn't far behind Ash.

Both had been sneaking into forests since they were tiny, with a whole collection of wild Pokémon friends—and one even had a special bond with a dominant Rotom.

Of course.

Perhaps because he was older, Dr. Kukui was far wiser than Ash in matters of personal emotion—he proposed to Dr. Burnet outright.

Who knew if Ash, at Dr. Kukui's age, could match him.

All All Baimu thought it unlikely.

Fortunately,

He didn't slip up at all.

Dr. Kukui sighed: "Reuniting a family is never easy."

"Yes, so since then, Biko has reviewed all the Pokémon she's rescued, searching for possible second 'Xiong Xiong'." Dr. Burnet nodded.

All All Baimu smiled and pulled out his camera to take close-up shots of every part of the Sun Disc Altar.

He remembered the murals inside the altar depicting the Radiant Deity saving Alola—but the story hadn't reached that point yet, so he couldn't see them for now.

On the distant cliffside,

Team Rocket's trio sat together playing cards, their faces streaked with white stripes; Xiong Xiong hugged Tong Ou Xiong, sitting like a small mountain watching them.

They glanced casually at All All Baimu walking around the altar and sighed.

People comparing people drive you mad.

Why could All All Baimu move freely while they had to wait here?

Musashi cautiously peeked at Xiong Xiong's face, but the latter's senses were extremely sharp—he turned his gaze like a spotlight.

"Gū wū gū?"

"N-nothing."

She instantly froze, her expression turning serious.

Not long after,

All All Baimu bid farewell to the two doctors, saying he'd wander elsewhere and return later.

If Ash and the others returned before then, to send him a message.

Dr. Kukui had no objection.

He then circled around and returned to the cliff where Xiong Xiong was, seeing Team Rocket's trio looking utterly defeated, and chuckled.

"Why so reluctant? Here, have some snacks!"

All All Baimu had Gengar pull out the Queen Queen Boni giant radishes he'd bought earlier and generously shared them with the trio.

It was nearly noon.

Team Rocket's trio were starving; they split the Queen Queen Boni giant radishes into four, and bit down with a loud "Auuu!"

The next instant,

"AHHHH!!"

All four tilted their heads back, spitting fire from the heat.

All All Baimu watched them with a smile, thinking even eating the radish plain tasted far better.

Musashi shouted angrily: "What is this thing?!"

She wanted to throw it on the ground, but Xiong Xiong, who hated wasting food, glared at her instantly—she reluctantly gave up.

After spitting fire, Kojirou slowly accepted it: "Actually… the taste isn't bad?"

No surprise—he was the trio's most resilient member, the rich kid with an "M"-level tolerance.

Meowth shook his head mournfully: "Meow can't take this."

Of course, Wobbuffet stayed silent—he found it spicy, but also strangely satisfying.

Amid the noise and commotion,

Time flowed like water.

Until the sky glowed faintly red—the hour of dusk.

Dr. Burnet inside the altar stirred; Dr. Kukui crouched beside the cylindrical machine.

All All Baimu stood up from his lounge chair and said to Xiong Xiong and Tong Ou Xiong: "I'll go take a look—wait here and head back on your own?"

"Gū wū gū!"

"Gū má!"

The large and small bears each responded.

Team Rocket's trio, dozing off, jolted awake, confusedly looking around—then saw the Ultra Space portal reacting, and immediately perked up.

Those brats were back—they wouldn't have to wait here anymore!

—

When All All Baimu circled around to the altar side,

Solgaleo flew out of the Ultra Space with everyone on its back.

Both doctors were overjoyed.

"Ohhh!"

"It worked!"

They had been deeply worried for Ash and the others, but had missed Solgaleo's entry into the portal, so they could only wait.

"Aoo~"

Solgaleo landed.

The white lion's back was broad and wide—seven children and one adult could sit comfortably.

In the center, Lusamine, listless and pale, was protected—clearly, she had been severely worn down by Necrozma.

Gragio jumped down first and gently helped his mother.

The gloom and bitterness from that morning had vanished; now, the boy's face held only ease and joy.

Dr. Burnet rushed forward, excitedly calling: "Lusamine!"

Lusamine slowly smiled, placing her hands on her children's shoulders. "Thanks to these kids."

On the other side.

Professor Kukui praised the Sun & Moon protagonists with great joy, shouting, "Everyone! You're amazing!"

Ash and the others grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Of course! We're the best team!"

Pikachu: "Pika pika!"

Graviers's gaze passed over Dr. Burnet and landed on All All Baimu standing behind, his face lighting up with surprise. "All All Baimu!"

Lillie turned to look, equally surprised. "Mr. All All Baimu! You're here too!"

Lusamine didn't know All All Baimu, but Graviers quickly explained.

So.

The chairwoman of the Aether Foundation gave him a look of gratitude and nodded slightly in greeting.

All All Baimu nodded in return and quietly moved to Solgaleo's side.

As he explained to the siblings why he was here, he smiled and asked the white lion-like Pokémon: "Do you remember me?"

Up close, Solgaleo's eyes gleamed like stars—not merely ordinary sky-blue.

Looking at its upper face, All All Baimu felt as if he were gazing at the universe.

No wonder it's called the Legendary Cosmic Pokémon.

Too bad he'd only interacted with it briefly at the Pokémon School; he didn't know if the evolved Pokémon still remembered him…

All All Baimu blinked, and Solgaleo blinked back, then extended its pale yellow tongue and licked his face.

"Huh!"

His face twitched.

Normally, felines have barbed tongues—lions included—but Solgaleo's tongue had no barbs; it was as smooth as a snake's.

Yet the sensation was unexpectedly pleasant?

Probably because it's a Legendary Pokémon!

All All Baimu was delighted Solgaleo hadn't forgotten him. He stroked the fur around its cheeks and neck while having his Pokémon Center device take a photo of him and Solgaleo.

The fur was softer than he imagined.

He'd expected the Steel-type Pokémon's mane to feel like metal wire.

Overthought it.

It felt even smoother than Gulpin's hair.

And it carried none of the pungent odor typical of large wild beasts; instead, it emitted a hard-to-describe but not unpleasant scent.

As he stroked it happily, his thoughts drifted.

He remembered that although Solgaleo had left Ash's side, it never forgot him—after the Sun & Moon movie ended, it even returned to take Ash on a tour of every Ultra Wormhole.

How enviable.

Too bad.

Before he could take several photos, others gathered around after the Ultra Wormhole closed.

Lillie mentioned that the Regis had played a crucial role in battling her mother's Pokémon; not only him, but Mallow, Lana, and Marnie had all been protected by them.

Thanks to Registeel's protection, Lillie had safely used her voice to awaken the controlled Psyduck.

Otherwise, she'd have been forced to endure Psyduck's 【Magic Shine】 and hug it tightly to talk it down, just like in the original plot.

All All Baimu took back the three Poké Balls Lillie returned to him and listened to their accounts—truly astonished.

According to the original plot, even without the three, the protagonists suffered no real harm.

He never expected they'd have a chance to shine so brightly.

"Legendary Pokémon are incredible!"

"Absolutely!"

"I wish I could battle Regice again! Togedemaru loves it too!"

Mallow, Lana, and Marnie chattered away, clearly forgetting the real hero: Ash.

But.

Ash himself had no sense of self-importance; instead, he was thrilled that All All Baimu owned the three Regis.

"I really want to battle them!"

He seemed to recall his past battles in the Battle Frontier—specifically the Battle Pyramid.

The Regis of the Battle Frontier had left an unforgettable impression on him.

Surrounded by people, All All Baimu felt something was off.

Why was he suddenly the "main character"?

Why was everyone gathered around him?

He'd only come to sneak a quick pet of the big lion and take a few photos for memories!

As All All Baimu pondered how to resolve this, the roar of helicopter rotors echoed above—it was the Aether Foundation's helicopter, come to pick up Lusamine's family.

The teenagers' attention shifted.

He took the chance to step back, then noticed Solgaleo was also trying to slip away.

Their eyes met, as if exchanging silent words.

All All Baimu: 'Come with me?'

Solgaleo: 'No.'

It leapt off the cliff's edge, stepping on empty air as it departed.

All All Baimu watched, unable to suppress a sigh.

Legendary Pokémon, once truly "born," seemed granted a special mission that drove them away from those who had cared for them.

Ash was often abandoned unilaterally.

It was regrettable.

If this had happened to All All Baimu, he'd likely have struggled to accept his childhood-raised Legendary Pokémon vanishing without explanation—but Ash had learned to accept each painful parting.

"Sigh."

He sighed, patting Ash's shoulder.

Ash, who was seeing off Lusamine's family, looked puzzled. Only after the helicopter lifted off did he realize something was missing.

When All All Baimu told him Solgaleo had left,

Ash finally understood: his Solgaleo had vanished without a word.

The boy stood stunned.

The group began their return journey.

All All Baimu rode along, quietly observing Ash. In public, Ash showed no change; behind closed doors, his expression grew somber, staring silently at the lollipop in his hand.

Clearly, Solgaleo's sudden departure had left him deeply downcast.

In conversation with All All Baimu, he admitted he hadn't had time to thank Solgaleo.

In truth,

Ash simply hadn't adjusted to this sudden separation.

All All Baimu wanted to comfort him—after all, this wasn't the final farewell—but explaining the full situation would be too complicated.

After all, once Ash saw Solgaleo again in two days, he'd be happy again.

So he gave up.

That concludes it.

The first major arc of Sun & Moon was now fully concluded.

In the following days,

All All Baimu lived in perfect peace.

Graviers didn't come to challenge again—he was said to be staying home to care for his recovering mother, Lusamine. Lillie was the same.

But one morning, he received a wedding invitation from Professor Kukui and Dr. Burnet.

It seemed,

these two had finally tied the knot.