Six months ago...

{Moon}

I run up to the docks, Hau on my tail. Immediately, I see what "disaster" he was referring to. Lille is standing with her back to us and Professor Kukui is talking with her. He isn't facing us either, and I feel myself losing my cool. Hau runs up just behind her and looks very hurt.

"You didn't tell us!" Hau shouts. I stand a few paces behind him, worried that I'll say something stupid if I speak. Lillie turns around, her expression a mixture of shock, fear, and who knows what else! I don't know what she's thinking, and I don't know what to do about that.

"Hau, I'm sorry I-" Lillie starts to say but cuts off her thought. We're all silent for a few moments.

Then, Lillie continues, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. To help Mother get better, but it's more than that. It's to help myself get stronger, too."

"Lillie," I start to say, but she continues to speak.

"Look, Moon, it's not that I'm not sad to leave Alola. I've had the time of my life over the past year and a half! But, just the thought of going to Kanto fills my heart with excitement!" she pauses for a moment, collecting her emotions, "I'm going to become a real trainer, and meet all kinds of wonderful pokemon. I'm going to travel around Kanto just like we did with your island challenges!"

Lille turns to face me, a reassuring smile spreading across her face.

"And no matter what happens on my journey," there's a sadness in her green eyes, "I'm going to be okay. Because of the smiles that you all shared with me, and for that I will be forever grateful! And someday...Someday I'll come back here to Alola! I'll share all of the new smiles that I find with you!"

"But...but...I haven't gotten to say any of the things I wanted to tell you!" Hau argues, his cheeks reddening.

"Hau, I promise that it'll all be fine," Lille looks me straight in the eyes, forcing me to tear up a little. I decide to say something before she beats me to it.

"Lillie,"

"Moon, I promise, I'll be alright!" she argues, but she doesn't understand what I'm trying to say.

"Lillie I know that you'll be fine!" I say quickly as to not be cut off again, "And I think that you should go have your own adventure."

"What!" Hau shouts. Professor Kukui has been silent throughout the whole argument.

"Really?" Lille asks me, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, really," I say and run up to embrace her, tears streaking down my face. At the festival last night, Lillie tried to tell me something, and I had been hoping that she wanted to start her own journey. Lillie is incredible with pokemon, and she deserves to learn for herself. Without me and Hau in the way.

"Are you sure?" Lillie asks.

"I'm positive," I tell her, doing what I can not to choke on tears, "Just don't forget me."

"That would be impossible," she responds and I feel one of her own tears fall onto my back.

"Ah man, now I'm gonna cry!" Hau shout tearfully as he hurries over, embracing both of us. It's a few moments before our emotional moment is interrupted by the boat horn bellowing out a warning. We all let go of each other, wiping our faces dry.

"I'm gonna send you a letter!" Hau says, "A really, really long one! You'd better wait!"

"I will, Hau," Lillie laughs, "And take this to remember me by," she hands Hau a takeout bag from the nearby malasada shop, "Try not to eat it too fast.

"Aww," Hau responds, tears running down his face again and he quickly wipes them away.

Lillie turns to me again, "And Moon, I know that it's a little worn, but this was once my most treasured belonging," Then, she hands me a poke doll, and I almost lose it again. On sync, both Hau and I embrace Lillie one last time before she leaves to get on the ship.

{Sun}

I walk out onto my front porch, breathing a sigh of relief. Sunlight glistens off of morning dew, and pokemon run around as they start their own days. I hear my mom approach and turn to face her. She looks tired and has donned a happy smile.

"What are you going to do now?" she asks me.

"I'm not sure," I respond, shrugging my shoulders, "Maybe I'll look into the Aether Foundation more. The President and his children seemed so nice," I smile as I think about the brief time I spent on the Aether Paradise. Hau and I only got a quick tour before we went back on our journeys, but it was fantastic nonetheless!

Plus, I'm intrigued in their current study. They want to learn more about these strange "Ultra Wormholes" and I'm not one to miss out on the chance for a new adventure. However, I don't think that guy Gladion like me and Hau very much. Maybe we were too friendly with his sister…

That's not important. The important thing is that my journey has come to a conclusion. But I don't like its ending! There was no flare, pizzaz, or conspiracies, and don't think whooping Team Skull grunts really counts as excitement. I wanted more from my journey.

"That's good," Mom says, "Oh! You're dad's on the phone if you want to say something. He can't stop talking about coming home next week!" I nod to my mom and hurry back into our house. My dad works as a professor in Kalos, studying pokemon behavior patterns. It sounds dull but it's actually a fascinating study!

I just can't wait to have him home. He actually just quit the previously mentioned job, so he'll be home for good! I can feel it. Something big is coming our way!