Smiles and Cheers
Under the comfort of the soft moonlight among the myriad of stars, a lone girl stepped out of the Melemele ferry terminal. Her hands gripped her backpack firmly, and she took a deep breath. Excitement, anticipation, nervousness welled up within her, and the humidity, while giving her a nostalgic feeling, wasn't helping her calm down.
"Alola! Lillie!"
Familiar faces greeted her cheerfully. Hau ran up to her, waving eagerly, while Kukui grinned, following closely behind the boy. Lillie recalled fondly that Hau was constantly bursting with energy, no matter the time of day, while Kukui seemed to never need sleep.
Something things never change; despite the years that had passed, Hau looked almost exactly the same, only taller, and Kukui still adamantly kept his chest exposed for the world to see.
"How you doing, Lillie? Kanto treat you well, yeah?"
The girl answered with a nod, her ponytail- slightly shorter than when she'd left Alola- swaying with the head movement.
A quick glance around the marina confirmed that the two were her welcoming party; it was more than she could ask for, yet her chest tightened, and she bit her lip for just a single moment.
"So, what sort of Pokémon did you meet on your travels?" Hau asked, his eyes gleaming like the stars in the sky, "didja catch any rare ones? I wanna see what sort of Pokémon you can only find in Kanto!"
"Oh, I didn't catch that many…and Professor Oak even gave me a Pokedex, too…" Lillie admitted, looking downcast, "but the ones I did catch are my dear friends."
Hau grinned, putting his hands behind his head.
"How did you do in the gym challenge?" his barrage of questions wasn't ending, but Lillie found his excitement refreshing, so she didn't mind.
"I think I did pretty well…" she responded with nervous laughter.
"I bet you got really strong Pokémon! Hey, let's battle!"
It was hard to say no when Hau was bouncing on the spot like a five year old being presented candy, but Lillie managed to muster the resolve, and faced the boy with a pout.
"Now, I've been on a long trip-"
Kukui cut her off with a pat on the back.
"Woo! Hau's got fighting spirit! I bet you're ready to take the champion on, yeah?"
"You bet, I'll definitely win this time!"
At the mention of the champion, Lillie paused, mindlessly listening to Kukui and Hau.
"She's been training pretty hard with Kahili on Mt Lanakila, but I'm not falling behind!"
"Hoho! What do you say, Lillie? Hau's all pumped up! And I want to see what moves my assistant picked up back in Kanto, yeah," Kukui grinned with a knowing look. It seemed he still knew her well; suddenly, she felt a flaming passion replace the constricting feeling in her chest.
"Okay…bring it on, mister," she said, meeting Hau's eyes with a look of determination.
Not even three minutes passed before Hau's Raichu was floored. The boy stood, speechless, his blank gaze filled with awe and wonderment.
"…Is he okay…?" Lillie murmured, to which Kukui responded with laughter.
"Woo! You're quite the trainer now, Lillie! So, far did you get in Kanto?"
"I beat the gyms in Kanto and Johto, and won against the Elite Four…but the champion, Gold, was leagues above anything I've ever faced. Even after we gave it our all, it wasn't enough, so I decided to come back and visit."
"Starting back from the beginning, yeah? Why don't you stay at my place for a while? The loft is still yours to use freely."
Lillie smiled softly at the professor, and nodded.
"Just for tonight, though," she said, "I think…I'll start my island challenge tomorrow."
With an approving thumbs up, Kukui led Lillie back to his lab, stopping only to nudge Hau back to reality.
One week later
Having cleared Melemele's trial and grand trial quickly, Lillie took her time in exploring Akala Island. She hadn't seen much of it the last time she'd been here, so the new experiences helped quell her restlessness.
After clearing the three trials, the girl had made her way back to Heahea City to pay a visit to Professor Burnet before travelling to Konikoni City, where the island's Kahuna lived, but the professor had diverted her to Hano Grand Resort during their catch-up.
"Hey, could you deliver a message for me? I'd appreciate it a lot. I'm tied down with a ton of work right now."
Feeling so indebted to the woman, Lillie couldn't say no, and found herself stepping onto Hano Grand Resort's golf course with a great deal of trepidation. There were several groups of people using the course, but only one person was on her own, powerfully swinging her club and launching balls as far as possible with no regard for any particular target.
Lillie watched the display with awe; each ball would be snapped up by either a Skarmory or a Mandibuzz, the two competing with incredible speed to collect the ball and bring it back to their trainer.
"Mandibuzz! Try not to focus too much on Skarmory! Your priority is the ball, remember?" the golfer called out, placing another golf ball down for her next swing.
"Uhm, excuse me…are you…Kahili?"
There was no immediate response, so Lillie continued.
"I have something for you…from Professor Burnet…"
She held out a small data card, which the golfer took the slightest of glances at.
"As a golfer, I need to practice my swings…and as a member of the Elite Four, I need to train my Pokémon," she launched another ball with an almighty swing, "but to say this is 'killing two birds with one stone' would be offensive to all my Pokémon, so let's just call it…efficiency."
The woman paused, turning to glance at Lillie momentarily with a deadpan expression.
"It can also be called 'fun', but that just makes me feel as though my work ethic is weak…well, either way, I'm glad I can enjoy my daily life, even when I'm pushing myself to my limits."
"R-right…" Lillie didn't know how to respond or interpret these words, and continued to hold the data card out awkwardly.
"How do you train yourself, and your Pokémon?" Kahili asked, returning her attention to her training.
With a pensive look, Lillie took a moment to consider her answer.
"I don't think I do anything too special, but my Pokémon share my goal, and we all learn from everything we do. I guess that'd make everything we do training, but it doesn't feel that way."
The Elite Four member stopped again, nodding to herself.
"I see. Very similar to the champion, then. Truly fascinating…I look forward to your challenge."
Lillie, having not introduced herself yet, felt more than lost by this conversation, but answers were provided when Kahili finally took the proffered data card.
"I was told you'd be coming. Lillie, right? I've heard you mentioned more than a few times. Anyway, thanks for data. I've been curious about legendary flying types for a while, so I asked for some help with marking out areas they tend to roost at."
"Ah…I see. Are you going to try catching them, or…?"
"Challenging them. I want to get stronger- and one day, beat the champ. I spent a few months training with her recently, and I feel like the distance between us grew…"
Kahili took another swing, sending a ball further into the air than her previous shot, her face twitching with displeasure.
"I don't know why she's so fired up, but there's no way I'm letting her leave me in the dust! So when we battle…I won't be holding back, got it?"
Her Skarmory and Mandibuzz, circling overhead, let out proud cries in response to their trainer's resolve.
With a confident smile, Lillie nodded in determination.
"Right! I'll respond with everything I've got too, when the time comes."
For the first time that conversation, Kahili smiled, as she took out a small crystal from her pocket, tossing it to Lillie, who fumbled to catch it.
"Flyinium Z. If you take your training seriously, no matter what it is, you and your Pokémon will be able to make the most of it," Kahili explained, "think of it as thanks for this small errand."
"Ah- thank you very much," Lillie said, bowing in appreciation and gripping the crystal tight. Under the sun's radiant light, it shone with a piercing gleam, mesmerising the girl.
Her thoughts drifted to her goal…and the restlessness that came with the path towards it.
Five days later
A mix of fond and harsh memories sprang to Lillie's mind as she climbed the seemingly infinite steps up to the Altar of the Moone. From the bottom, it was as though the stairway led to the heavens; absentmindedly, the trainer allowed the beauty of the night sky to capture her gaze.
Those memories- from watching Nebby evolve into a legendary Pokemon, to confronting her own mother in another dimension- were all a part of who she was. While traveling in Kanto, she would often recall these moments, and draw strength from them.
The events she experienced.
The people she met.
The Pokémon she befriended.
Lillie was confident enough to stand up on her own two feet, and face any challenge presented to her.
But the person she drew the most strength from, the one who made her happiest, the one who had been by her side the whole time…
She felt her absence more than anyone else's.
"Aye! Long time, no see, Lillie! How fair you?"
A familiar voice greeted the girl as she reached the Altar, and she waved in response, stopping to catch her breath after the long climb.
"I figured you'd be here, Hapu. You must have known I was coming," Lillie responded, cheerfully greeting her friend, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long. Vast Poni Canyon lives up to its name, as always."
Hapu nodded sagely from the middle of the Altar.
"Indeed. But I suspect it was little trouble for you," she said, "you've grown even more since we last met."
"Thank you. I still think I have a long way to go, though…"
Lillie gripped her Z-Ring; until she reached her goal, she would never truly feel at ease.
"The path of life is long for everyone," the Kahuna replied, "we all spend our entire lives growing- when you think you've plateaued, that's just a sign to aim higher."
With no immediate response, Lillie cast her eyes upward; the moon, the stats, and the sky all reminded her of Nebby, a source of comfort wherever in the world she was.
On this Altar, it felt as though one could reach out and touch the moon itself. Chuckling to herself with how silly the concept sounded, Lillie stretched out her arm, covering part of her view of the moon with her hand.
"…I'm nearing the end of my island challenge. I had trouble thinking about where I'd go after I lost to Kanto's champion, so I came back here, and started my island challenge on an impulse…I'm glad I did, but I don't know what I'll do after I challenge the champion…"
Or when I challenge the champion, she almost added.
"The way forward will become more apparent the more you progress. Don't worry yourself over the future when you've still got hurdles to clear in the present."
Sighing, Lillie lowered her hand, nodding at Hapu's advice.
"Have you been to see you family yet? Surely they can give you a couple of pointers, if it's bothering you that much."
"Ah- actually, I went home first, before I visited Melemele. My mother is cured, and is recovering quickly, but…given her current state of mind, even if it is better, I'd feel bad about troubling her. And my brother has been so busy, I don't really want to bother him, either…"
The Kahuna tapped her chin in consideration, and closed her eyes in understanding.
"Ah, I see. Then the person you want to consult is…"
She stopped, eyeing Lillie's face, which momentarily flushed red.
"Oho! It would be in your best interest to beat me, then. Are you prepared for your final grand trial, Lillie?"
"…Yes," the trainer responded, after taking a brief moment to compose herself, "I'm ready."
"That's what I like to hear! I've been waiting for your challenge for years…I expect nothing less than your best!"
Two days later
Lillie was shaking.
It felt as though the years she'd spent travelling, training, seeing the world for herself, were all leading up to this one moment. After climbing the small set of stairs in front of her- which, although few, seemed a more arduous to ascend than the path up to the Altar of the Moone- she would be confronted with her final challenge.
It wasn't the battle she was nervous about. She trusted her Pokémon with all her heart.
The trainer simply couldn't make head nor tails of her feelings. What could she say? Would her feelings be mutual?
And what would she do afterwards?
Mustering up the resolve that had brought her this far, Lillie took a tentative step, her heart racing as she reached the top.
The room was beautiful, on a grand scale.
In the centre of her vision, Lillie saw a throne-
On the throne, cheek resting against her palm, the champion sat, slouched, eyes slowly widening.
Lillie's breath halted for the split second their eyes met.
It'd been years. She'd expected the champion to look different, but the change was so drastic and wild- from her longer hair, to her gorgeous outfit, and her mature face…
The challenger could feel her heart skip a beat.
Bursting with excitement, the champion leapt to her feet, waving giddily from the other side of the arena.
"Alola!" she beamed, a smile that never seemed to falter, always instilling a myriad of feelings into the people around her. With just a single illuminating smile, the shadows of doubt and fear in Lillie's mind were cleared.
"Alola, Moon!" she responded, mirroring her expression, "I'm going to show you everything I learnt, from Kanto, Alola, my friends, my family…and you!"
Having already reached a mutual understanding of their feelings, the two picked out their first Pokémon.
"I've dreamt of this day…show me all that you are, Lillie!"
All her worries and concerns were disregarded. Lillie felt like she'd never left Moon's side- full of vigour, full of life, never wanting this moment to end-
She missed this. She missed everything about Moon.
The two had the time of their life, going all out against each other, an event both had awaited ever since Lillie's departure, all those years ago.
At the end, both challenger and champion were too awestruck to move; it was only after they'd returned their Pokémon that Moon broke the silence, tackle-hugging Lillie to the ground. Although wincing at the abrupt pain to her butt, Lillie could only join in with Moon's joyous laughter, and leaned into her embrace.
"I've missed you so much," Moon said, "I always knew you'd get this strong…"
"…and you're just as strong as I remember…no, more than that."
"Heehee. We've both grown…but still…"
Moon paused, sitting releasing Lillie from her hug and shooting her a playful scowl.
"It's not fair that you're still so much taller than me."
"Ah- I'm not- am I?"
With a teasing grin, Moon leaned in closer.
"Yeah, you are. If you were any taller, I'd need you to lift me up so we could…do…"
Her head was in alarming proximity to Lillie's, causing the girl to furiously blush.
"…this," Moon finished, resting her forehead against Lillie's. The blonde girl stammered for a several moments before relaxing, and taking comfort in the physical contact. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of Moon's breath tickling her cheeks.
"Your new outfit looks expensive…ah, I forgot you're rich as hell. White, and charming…your sense of style hasn't changed much, has it?" Moon idly commented.
"Hehe…and how many phases have you been through while I've been gone?"
"Geh…I told you, I like changing things up every now and then…"
Lillie giggled, and wrapped her arms around Moon.
"I'm glad I came back."
"…It hasn't been the same without you. I don't think I'm the only one who missed you, either."
"But you missed me the most, didn't you? That's why you've been training so hard here."
"You got me…I wanted to be ready for this day," Moon admitted with her typical infectious smile, "hey. Why don't we…go somewhere?"
"Somewhere?"
"Yeah. Somewhere. I hear Sinnoh's pretty cool- both figuratively and literally. We might have to put on some extra layers…"
Lillie's eyebrows knitted into a baffled frown.
"I don't follow?"
A pleading look followed, morphing into a light blush, as Moon looked away in embarrassment.
"I'm saying…we should go see the world together…you, me, and Nebby…because I, uh…never want to leave your side."
Squeezing Moon with her embrace, Lillie realised her path through the future was clear- and contained an irreplaceable happiness only one person could give her.
"I…yes! Let's go forward…together, Moon."
Moon's feelings were on full display, her deep, pure smile mirroring Lillie's heart. She leaned in closer, her face once again closing the gap between them.
"By the way…I think some people are interested in how our battle went," Lillie said.
"We waited years for this. I'm sure they can wait another five minutes…" Moon responded.
With no hesitation, her lips drew towards Lillie's…
…and Lillie hoped, once more, that this moment would never end.
Fin