S&M023: Battle in Vast Poni Canyon

is the 4th chapter of Pokémon Adventures: Volume 4 (S&M).
==Synopsis==
Sun joins Hapu, as they go to the Vast Poni Canyon. Faba, who came there to execute his plans, is confronted by Plumeria. She wants to know where Guzma is, and shows Cosmoem, who sent her leader into the unknown. Faba uses his dirty tricks to get Cosmoem, but is stopped by Moon and Anabel.
==Chapter plot==
Hapu cannot contact the other Island Kahuna. Sun is outraged to hear he won't get a reward. Hapu simply states these three are the ones that can craft Z-Rings out of Sparkling Stones, and she doesn't feel like an Island Kahuna without that item. Sun confirms that the Ultra Beasts have arrived on Melemele Island, and Hapu sees she can only wish her colleagues luck. She asks what will Sun do now, who is uncertain, since Hala is busy and he wants to give the Mirage Berry to Tapu Koko, and he can't use other Ride Pokémon, either. Hapu wants to tell someone she has been promoted to an Island Kahuna, but they are not on Poni Island. Much to Sun's shock, she states they have died.
Sun has Machamp grab Hapu, thinking she would commit suicide. Hapu is annoyed at Sun being dimwitted, for she simply wants to visit her grandfather's grave at Vast Poni Canyon, for he was an Island Kahuna, too. Sun sees this is why she wanted to become an Island Kahuna. Hapu states he always looked after the people and Pokémon of Poni Island, and always wanted to help, hence why he was always observant and trained himself constantly. Sun feels she loved her grandfather, and decides to accompany her. Hapu is surprised, and replies she won't pay him, but Sun claims he still needs to watch out for Zygarde cells. Before that, Hapu points at Crabominable, who has been following them, though it does not seem hostile. Sun pulls out the Pokédex, although he is still in pain. Sun reads that Crabominable fought to reach the top of the snowy mountain, but lost. Since it is rare to see one on Poni Island, Sun suspects it came here for training. Sun sees it wants to join her team to grow stronger. Crabominable nods, and Sun smiles, since it is an intelligent being to follow the person that defeated it.
Hapu is thankful, but explains she already has a team that is demanding to train. Sun offers a place for Crabominable in his team. Hapu reminds it did hit him earlier, but Sun has no hard feelings for that, and shows that it wants to change itself for the better, too. Crabominable eyes Sun, which amuses Hapu; she tells Crabominable that Sun a strong individual for having a Sparkling Stone before she even got one. Crabominable is reluctant, but Sun catches it, and due to its mafia-like stance, names it Loot. Hapu asks Sun does he know how to play instruments, and shows a strange-looking flute. At Poni Wilds, Gladion and Lillie dash by some Pokémon, as they are heading to the altar. Per Gladion's request, Lillie shows her Cosmoem, Nebby. She explains it has been quiet and still like this since it evolved, and Rotom told her that it is in a cocoon-like state. Gladion assumes it is storing energy, and will soon unleash its incredible power.
Gladion is uncertain what would happen then. He notes, however, it doesn't exist to "open holes", and tells Lillie about the legend of the sun and moon. Gladion speaks there were two emissaries of sun and moon, whose info he read about at the Aether Foundation. He notes that there was a picture of the flute that Lillie is holding onto, with the picture of the Altar. Lillie asks what would he do with these two Pokémon; Gladion grits his teeth, for he wants their help in eradicating the Ultra Beasts. He explains that the reason he took Silvally, and enlisted in the Full-Force Battles, was to combat the Ultra Beasts. He didn't expect the Ultra Beasts to be that powerful, and since he doesn't trust the power of the guardian deities, nor is Silvally strong enough to take on every Ultra Beast, he hopes that the Legendary Pokémon will help him.
Lillie realizes that Gladion is talking about Nebby, who would soon become their enemy, for it is an Ultra Beast. Gladion stops Lillie, reminding that their mother has caused all of these problems, due to her obsession with the Ultra Beasts, and it was their duty to stop her. Lillie reminds that Sun, Moon, the Trial Captains and the professors agreed to help them, and thinks that with their help, they could resolve the situation faster. Gladion admits that he didn't want Lillie to leave her home, for he wanted her to live in peace, without worries. Lillie knows that he just wanted to stop her mother in secret, so nobody found out that she was an enemy. Gladion cuts her talk, reminding he has a plan to stop the Ultra Beasts, and anyone that did not understand that would hinder them. Lillie questions Gladion, since she realized *it* after leaving home. She explains there's no harm in asking others for help. As she goes to explain further, Gladion yells at her to get down. Lighting attacks the two, and Silvally confronts it.
At Vast Poni Canyon, Faba and his team are making preparations. He has the Altar team follow him to the Altar. He has the Kahuna team capture Hapu and bring her to him to the altar; they could use brute force to attack her and her allies, as long as she is captured. With that done, he declares the start of the mission. Just as they are to go, they are stopped by Plumeria, who asks where is Guzma. Faba plays dumb, but Plumeria sees through his ruse; he reminds that Guzma trusted the Aether Foundation and its leader, and was happy to be Lusamine's partner, for she was planning something big. Even despite her warnings, Guzma was still happy, and now, he is taken somewhere else. Plumeria demands him to get Guzma back, but Faba does not even know that guy. Plumeria, however, replies it would be fine if she took his Cosmoem. Faba's face turns grim, while Plumeria demands answers. Faba bows down, apologizing that he didn't know who they were, assuming they were vandals.
However, since he was threatened, and now that she is blackmailing him, he takes back his apology. He has Hypno try to take Cosmoem, as Faba tells she is an inferior person. As Plumeria tries to get control of Cosmoem, Faba laments that nothing goes as planned. He replies that the organization has spent much of its resources to try summon the Ultra Beasts. Just as they were to succeed, his president's children interfered. Furthermore, they got to Guzma, and just as they were to summon the Ultra Beasts, the guardian deities, the Island Kahuna and the Trial Captains fought these creatures. Thus, he doesn't care much about the delinquent Guzma, and was even terrified to hear that Cosmog was gone, fearing what would they do if the Ultra Beasts were gone. He is glad, though, that Plumeria has brought Cosmoem to him, for things were looking up for them.
He exclaims this is fate, and that he was one of the chosen ones. Plumeria calls him a disgusting idiot, and his Hypno falls down, poisoned. Faba is in shock, and Anabel, riding Salamence with Moon, states that her Salazzle was sneak-attacking Hypno with her poison. Faba yells out who Anabel is, while Moon notes that Gladion's statement that the Aether Foundation is really behind the Ultra Beasts incident is true. Faba plays dumb by stating who is that organization, but Moon reminds he is Faba, the Branch Chief, whom she met at Aether Foundation the other day. Faba is confounded, for he doesn't really give out his name, and sees she has met "Master Gladion". He tries to avoid trouble, by asking her how does she know that the Aether Foundation did have the Ultra Beasts summoned. Anabel plays the record in which Faba stated that they spent resources to summon the Ultra Beasts. Faba is overwhelmed, since he never met Anabel. Anabel confirms they never met each other, but will make sure that Faba never forgets her, either: she is Anabel of the international police. Faba is in shock, but still counts on his opportunity to fight back and go to the altar.
He has his men send their Pokémon to attack, to which Moon sends her Pokémon, too. Amidst the fighting, Plumeria loses control of her Cosmoem, who flies in the air. In response, Gladion loses the other Cosmoem, Nebby, who flies towards that Cosmoem. Sun and Hapu, who are approaching their location, see the Cosmoem above them.
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
*Solgaleo (fantasy; silhouette)
*Lunala (fantasy; silhouette)
*Sun's Crabominable
*Hapu's Flygon
*Hapu's Gastrodon
*Hapu's Golurk
*Anabel's Salamence
===Item===
*Moon Flute
==Trivia==
===Mistakes===
*Despite Moon's Charjabug appearing in the earlier chapter, she sends Grubbin out in this chapter.
==Gallery==
Category:Sun & Moon volume 4 chapters