a/n: I've actually had this idea since before Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were announced, but haven't had the chance to write it out until recently. That said, this is a very partial AU, since Mega Evolution hasn't been rediscovered yet (the Draconids still know about it, but are very good at keeping it secret), Team Plasma's plan hasn't been put into motion yet, Mewtwo is still a work in progress, Team Flare is just getting started, and the events of Red/Blue/Yellow/Fire Red/Leaf Green/Let's Go Pikachu/Let's Go Eevee haven't happened yet. Instead, Bill's transporter accident happened while he was running an experiment with Professor Oak and Professor Fuji. Aside from that, the events of Pokémon Moon have happened. Why? Because Moon is the version I played. Also, one more change, Necrozma is still imprisoned somewhere in Alola, and nobody knows where. This is going with the assumption that Lusamine was a half-decent mother prior to Mohn's disappearance.
Episode 1: Snowy Lillie
Lillie woke up to the sound of screaming. She instinctively reached for her bag before she remembered.
Nebby isn't with me anymore, she thought, remembering how she had trusted Elio with training the Pokémon she had raised. Her vision blurred, but she was shaken from her thoughts when she heard vomiting from the room across the hall.
"Mother?" she pushed herself out of bed, wiped away her tears, and pushed open her door. Wicke knocked on the door.
"Madam Lusamine, are you okay?" she asked. She was answered by quiet sobbing. "Well… Sounds like she's fully come to her senses."
She pushed the door open, peaked in, then flinched. "Miss Lillie, please go back to bed. It doesn't look like she made it to the trashcan." Lillie nodded, her face turning somewhat green, before closing the door to her room.
Lillie emerged from her room a few hours later, crossed the hall, and knocked on the door to her mother's room.
"Mother?" she called, "Are you clean yet?"
"... Miss Lillie?" Wicke replied from the other side of the door, "... Why didn't you go back to bed?"
"I heard my mother scream," Lillie replied as she crossed her arms and pouted in a stance she thought looked stern, "Excuse me for being too worried about her to sleep." She wasn't sure why, but she could've sworn the sobbing only got worse after she said that.
"Well...you might as well come in," Wicke sighed, "The sheets have been replaced, and Madam Lusamine's changed and washed."
Lillie pushed the door open and looked over the room. Wicke was sitting in a rocking chair at the side of the room. Her mother's five Ultra Balls sat on the nightstand, still as inert as they had been after Elio had defeated their occupants. Lusamine herself sat up on the bed, bags under her eyes, and looking everywhere but at her daughter.
"Mother…" Lillie started, but trailed off when she realized that she didn't know what to say.
"... I nearly killed you," Lusamine remarked, "If it wasn't for Lunala, I would have crushed you to death and thrown you away without a second thought."
"Mother…" Lillie sighed as she walked up to the bed, "You… You were fused with Nihilego at the time, that couldn't have all been-"
"I discarded you and your brother, and for what?" Lusamine laughed, but it was bitter and empty, "Oh, to think I had the nerve to call you cruel and ungrateful when all I had done was restrict you and hold you back..."
"Mother, please, Nihile-"
"Lillie…" Lusamine interrupted, "Please…"
Lillie sat down on the bed as Lusamine went back to hugging herself.
"Madam Lusamine," Wicke started, "Can I trust you not to hurt yourself while I escort Miss Lillie back to her room?"
Lusamine nodded.
"Very well," Wicke stood up from her chair, "Come on, Miss Lillie, it's way past your bedtime. I promise your mother will still be here when you wake up."
"But…"
"I'm sure you have a lot to say to each other, but it can wait for you to get some sleep," Wicke insisted, "Not to mention that tomorrow is going to be a busy day."
"What can you tell me about this egg?" an Aether Foundation employee asked as she handed a snow-white egg to Lillie.
"It comes from either a snowy place or a beach with white sand," Lillie replied as she swaddled the egg up in blankets, "The fact that the egg has some sparkly flecks on the shell implies the former, since it would help the egg blend in with the snow if a predator were to try and dig up the nest."
"So you have been studying."
"Well, I have spent the past few months with two Pokémon Professors," Lillie replied with a grin.
Wicke rolled Lusamine's wheelchair past the two as the employee showed Lillie how to properly set the egg down. Lusamine couldn't help but grin at the sight of Lillie putting her ear against the shell to try and hear the unborn Pokémon's heartbeat, before she remembered why it had been so long since her daughter had been allowed to act like a child. She was shaken from her thoughts as the door in front of her opened. Lusamine stared down at her lap as Wicke wheeled her up to the table, her son, Gladion, sitting opposite of her.
"So… You finally woke up," Gladion remarked, "What do you want, Lusamine?"
"To discuss the future of the Aether Foundation," Lusamine answered, forcing herself to look Gladion in the eye, "Let's not sugarcoat it, I haven't been in any condition to run this company since I started the Type:Full program. I first let my obsession with revenge blind me, then allowed that parasite to poison my body and mind."
"You know Nihilego doesn't have mind control abilities," Gladion remarked, "It barely has a complex enough nervous system for conscious thought, so you can't blame it for what you've done."
"Gladion, I haven't been able to think about anything but Nihilego for half a decade. I'm just glad that I still fed you two and didn't do anything to trigger Lillie's allergies. But…" Lusamine sighed as she closed her eyes. "I've let these people and Pokémon down, used them as pawns, even poisoned a few of them with a recreation of Nihilego's neurotoxins when they objected to some of my shadier decisions."
"The medical staff noticed," Gladion growled, "Kinda amazing how you were sane enough to pull that off."
"Actually, she wasn't," Wicke replied, "Branch Chief Faba was placed in charge of studying the samples we were able to get from the Nihilego Lusamine accidentally summoned five years ago. As he wasn't affected by the neurotoxins, he was able to reverse-engineer them and pitched them to Lusamine."
"... I still chose to use them," Lusamine replied, "Speaking of, I didn't use any of them on you or your sister, did I?"
"No…" Gladion answered, "Probably because you didn't think to."
Lusamine let out a sigh of relief, then fell silent.
"...Well?"
"Listen...I know that you're probably too young for this, but I was hoping you could take over the company," Lusamine explained, "Wicke will be here to help you until you either turn eighteen or decide to give the company to someone else, but the fact is that I don't want these people to lose their jobs, or these Pokémon to lose their home, just because of my mistakes."
"'Mistakes' is an understatement," Gladion remarked, before sighing, "But… You have a point…"
"Take all the time you need to consider this," Lusamine replied, "You have until we can find someone to treat me, or I die. Whichever comes first."
Gladion mulled over that, but all three of them jolted when they heard a scream.
"Lillie!" Gladion vaulted over the table, threw a Pokéball, and dashed out of the room, accompanied by his Silvally. Lusamine tried to push herself out of her chair to follow, and was soon reminded why she was in said wheelchair when her legs refused to obey her brain and she fell to the floor.
"Wicke!"
"I've got you, Madam Lusamine," Wick replied as she helped the older woman back into her wheelchair.
"Thank you," Lusamine replied, "Now come on! Lillie wouldn't freak out over nothing!"
.
"I'm sorry!" Lillie said with tears in her eyes as the egg cracked.
"Lillie…" Gladion sighed, "Have you never seen an egg hatch before?"
"Huh?" Lillie looked down at the egg as light shone through the cracks, "Doesn't the egg just, glow and then turn into the Pokémon or something?"
"... No," the Aether Foundation Employee remarked, "Okay, just hold the egg steady and make sure the Pokémon doesn't hurt itself when it gets out. I'll go and grab a cloth to clean it off with!"
The Aether Foundation Employee ran off as Wicke rolled Lusamine up to the two.
"... What happened?" Lusamine asked, "Did the employee fall into an Ultra Wormhole?"
"No," Gladion answered as he recalled Silvally, "Lillie apparently thought that an egg hatching looked like evolution, and was severely caught off guard when the eggshell cracked."
"I…" Lusamine paused, "That's… You know what? I'll just let the miracle of birth speak for itself here."
Lillie turned her eyes back to the egg as it finally cracked open, bits of the shell falling aside as a white muzzle poked out of it. Lillie reached towards the muzzle, and gently lifted the shell, revealing a white mess of matted fur with a single, white tail. The newborn Pokémon whimpered and whined.
"It's… It's a Vulpix!" Lillie squealed as the baby ice-type dragged itself out of its shell and towards Lillie, fussing the whole way through.
"I'm back!" the Aether Foundation Employee announced as she returned with a towel and a milk bottle, "Oh wow! Alolan Vulpix are incredibly rare!"
She got on her knees and handed Lillie the milk bottle. "Here, this little one is probably hungry."
Lillie took the bottle in her left hand, and picked the newborn Vulpix up with her right. She tilted the bottle towards the Vulpix's mouth, and grinned as it began suckling. Even if it was a messy eater.
"It's so cute!" Lillie squealed. Eventually, the little Vulpix had its fill, and curled up against Lillie for warmth.
"We still need to clean it," the Aether Foundation Employee remarked as she started dabbing the Vulpix kit with the towel, "It should open its eyes in a few days, then it should become less dependent and start exploring its surroundings." She wrapped the towel around the Vulpix, and picked it up. "Now, let's get you weighed."
The Vulpix kit loudly made its displeasure with being separated from its assumed mother.
"... Don't worry, little one, she's just looking out for you," Lillie said.
Lusamine couldn't help but smile, but a melancholic expression very quickly washed over her face.
"Kukui and Burnet did a good job," she commented. Gladion glanced over at her.
"... Okay," he said, "I'll take over the company. It's better than leaving it in your hands." Lusamine let out a sigh of relief as Lillie cooed over the baby Vulpix, which had been handed back to her and hastily fell back asleep.
"Mother," Lillie commented.
"Yes Lillie?"
"... I want to become a Pokémon Trainer," she answered. Lusamine blinked.
"Well, getting a trainer card should be simple enough," she replied, "Wait… Are you still under my custody? Or… Hmm… This might be more complicated than I thought…"
Knock knock!
"Honey! Someone's at the door!" Professor Burnet shouted as she typed up her email.
"My hands are a little full!" Professor Kukui replied, "No! Primarina! That's not waterproof!" Burnett winced as she heard the crash. "No! Snorlax! There's not enough room in here!"
Knock knock!
"I'm coming!" Professor Burnet shouted as she closed her laptop, set it down, and walked over to the door. "Hello?" she asked as she opened it.
"Hi Professor Burnet!" Lillie replied with a huge grin on her face, and a picnic basket hanging off her elbow, "Can we come in?"
"We?" Burnet asked, and then a little, white muzzle poked out from under the blanket, "Oh, of course!"
"Thank you!" Lillie replied, before turning down the driveway, "Come on mother!"
"Mother?" Burnet blinked, and then looked behind the girl she had come to think of as a daughter, and saw a blond-haired, green-eyed woman moved from the backseat of a limo to a wheelchair. Her blood ran cold at the sight of the woman. She suddenly recalled how Lillie had called her one week prior, voice in tears, and the horror she and Kukui had felt upon learning what Lillie had gone through. Not to mention, the identity of the woman responsible. There had once been a time when Burnet could say that she didn't hate anyone.
As of one week prior, that was no longer true.
"Professor Burnet?" Lillie commented
"Oh, sorry," Professor Burnet replied, "Please, right this way."
"Okay so, I was able to get Snorlax and Primarina back into their Poké Balls," Kukui remarked as he and Burnet sat on the couch, Lusamine in her wheelchair, and Lillie feeding her Alolan Vulpix, "So… To what do we owe the honor of this visit?"
"Look, I understand you two must have several misgivings about me-"
"You tried to kill your own daughter," Professor Burnet interrupted, her voice dripping with venom, "Unless you're here to release her to our custody…"
"That would be redundant, since you two are apparently her legal guardians," Lusamine interrupted, "Which… Brings me to why I'm here…"
"Look, I get that Lillie's forgiven you… Remarkably fast," Kukui replied, "But I wouldn't trust you with a child. Let alone one you had kidnapped and directly assaulted with the intent to kill."
Lusamine winced.
"...Again, that's not why I'm here," Lusamine explained, "The point is, Lillie wants to be a Pokémon Trainer, and to do that, she needs a trainer card. And to get a trainer card…"
"She needs the consent of her legal guardians," Professor Burnet interrupted, "So let me guess, she wants to take on the Island Trials?"
"Actually, I want to tackle the Gym Challenge in Kanto," Lillie cut in as she walked up to the trio, her Vulpix in her arms.
"... Kanto is all the way in Japan," Burnet replied.
"I know," Lillie replied, "But… Well, I was doing some research on the Pokémon Box System last night, since something I heard about it really bothers me, when I learned that the system's inventor apparently once fused with a Pokémon, and I was hoping he might be able to help Mother."
"... Lillie," Burnet replied, an edge to her voice, "Are you doing this for you, or for your mother?"
"I swear, this wasn't my idea!" Lusamine cut in hastily, "But if it makes you feel any better, I'll be staying with Bill, the man Lillie mentioned, while there are five trainers from Pallet Town who would be willing to let her travel with them. Or… Well, they should be trainers by the time we get there…"
Burnet didn't soften her glare. "Honey… Why don't you take Lillie out back and show her what her new Vulpix could evolve into?"
"Is now really the appropriate time for-"
"I want to talk with Lusamine," Burnet interrupted, "Alone."
"... Yes, dear," Professor Kukui replied, "Come with me, Lillie. Have you ever seen a Vulpix's evolved form?"
"No!" Lillie replied, "And up until Snowy here hatched, I'd never seen a Vulpix either."
"Well, I think you'll love what I have to show you then, why don't you follow me?" Professor Kukui stood up and led Lillie, who was still carrying "Snowy", to the door. Lillie paused at the threshold.
"Professor Burnet," Lillie started.
"Yes, Lillie?"
"...Please don't be too hard on Mother," she started, "She's been sick for a long time, and is still very weak…"
"Don't worry, dear," Professor Burnet replied, "I only intend to have a few words with her."
That seemed to satisfy Lillie, who eagerly followed Professor Kukui out of the house. Professor Burnet waited for the door to close then rose to her feet.
"Now listen here you heartless witch," she opened as she walked around the room keeping her eyes off Lusamine, "Ever since we found Lillie on the beach, Kukui and I have been wondering what she was running from, why she was always having nightmares, and why she was so scared the first time Nebby wandered off. Seven days ago, I learned that Lusamine, the President of the Aether Foundation, and one of my sponsors, had been abusing her and was using my research to endanger countless lives by bringing Ultra Beasts into our world." She paused by the windowsill. "As if that wasn't bad enough, at the same time I had learned that, I also learned that you had hired thugs to abduct her, tortured her precious Pokémon to the brink of death, and then tried to kill her no less than twenty four hours later."
She turned to face Lusamine, glaring.
"She told us it was okay, that you were 'good' now, that you were sorry and had learned your lesson."
"Believe me, I regret what I've done to my chil-"
"They're not your children, not anymore," Burnet interrupted, "Not after how you betrayed them."
She walked right over to Lusamine, and the former Aether President felt very, very small as Burnet stood over her.
"Let me make one thing clear. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but if you ever so much as think about betraying Lillie, no, my daughter's trust like that ever again, I promise you, there is no power on this Earth that will stop me from making you pay!" Professor Burnet warned, "Are we clear?"
"Yes ma'am," Lusamine squeaked.
.
"So, what do you know about Vulpix?" Professor Kukui asked.
"There are two currently documented varieties: the Fire type variety is relatively common and found all over the world, but mostly in Japan," Lillie replied as she stroked Snowy's fur, "The Ice type variety is endangered, with the locations of the last wild ones kept secret for their own protection. The Alolan variety of Vulpix was referred to as 'Keokeo' before they were discovered to be a rare variety of Vulpix, though some do still use the term."
"Okay, what do you know about Alolan Vulpix in particular?" Professor Kukui asked.
"They are capable of producing both the 'Keokeo' and 'Vulpix' vocalizations, though which is used varies from specimen to specimen," Lillie replied, "They don't like it when you touch their tails unless they give express permission, which makes grooming them difficult. They feel cool to the touch like most Ice Types, but do better in warm temperatures than most other Ice Types. They do not like baths, and will freeze your hand before they get in the water." Professor Kukui laughed.
"I take it that last one was from personal experience?" he asked. Lillie nodded. "Not sure what to say, except maybe to use colder water," Kukui replied as he removed a Poké Ball from his pocket, "Now, here's what my wife wanted me to show you!" He threw the Poké Ball. It opened, and a white, nine-tailed fox appeared in a flash of light.
"It's so pretty…" Lillie commented.
"Keo?" Snowy attempted to wriggle free to get closer to the large Pokémon.
"Oh, you want down Snowy?" Lillie asked.
"Keo! Keo!" Snowy barked. Lillie got on her knees, and Snowy scampered towards the larger Pokémon.
"This is Ninetales," Professor Kukui explained as Snowy's and Ninetales' noses touched, "She's an Ice-Fairy type, and the evolved form of Vulpix. If Snowy comes in contact with an Ice Stone, this is what it-"
"She," Lillie corrected.
"-this is what she will evolve into," Professor Kukui answered as Ninetales began to lick Snowy's head.
"... Can I pet her?"
"Yes," Kukui answered, "Just… Be careful not to touch her tails. Those are really sensitive and I don't want either of you getting hurt." Lillie walked over to the Ninetales, and held out her hand. Ninetales sniffed the trainer's hand. As soon as Lillie had the Pokémon's approval, she began scratching her behind the ear.
"Pix!" Snowy protested, unhappy that Ninetales had stopped kissing her and that her mommy was petting another Pokémon.
Lillie scratched behind Snowy's ears.
"Vul…" the baby Vulpix seemed to be satisfied.
"So… Gladion," Lusamine remarked as she, Gladion, and Wicke sat in the boardroom, "The company amassed quite a large debt during my descent into madness. Should you take over the company, it will be your job to take care of that debt." She sighed. "I wish I had realized how bad this was before I offered to pass it down to you."
"I think I'm better suited to handle this than most other people are," Gladion replied as he crossed his arms, "Personal experience taught me just about everything I need to know about how to manage a budget."
"..." Lusamine didn't meet his gaze.
"So… Lillie's Trainer Card?"
"Lillie's filled out all the paperwork," Lusamine replied, "All she has to do now is submit it to the-"
Lusamine's voice trailed off as she brought a hand to her forehead.
"Madam Lusamine?" Wicke cut in as she rose from her seat.
"I'm fine," Lusamine replied, "I just got a little dizzy for a se-" Her voice trailed off a second time as the room went dark.
Thud!
.
"This is it," Lillie remarked as she, Kukui, and Burnet walked away from the Pokémon Center, "I'm officially a Pokémon Trainer." She was still staring down at the card in her hands.
"You're going to want to put that in your wallet," Professor Kukui explained.
"Not to mention that we're going to have to register a Poké Ball to it so your partnership with Snowy can be made official," Professor Burnet added.
"I'm a Pokémon Trainer," Lillie repeated with a grin.
"I think she's going to need some time to process this," Professor Kukui replied. Professor Burnet laughed, but her smile vanished shortly afterwards.
"She's going to be heading to Kanto soon," she commented.
"She's still going to call us," Professor Kukui reminded her. Burnet opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a loud roar. Before she could ask what it was, a Ride Charizard looped around and landed on the ground in front of them, and Gladion hopped off of its back, his face eerily pale.
"Gladion?" Lillie remarked.
"Lillie, I need you to come home with me," Gladion replied, "We have a huge problem."
"W-What happened?" Lillie asked. Gladion sighed.
"She fainted," Gladion explained, "One minute we were discussing the future, the next Lusamine's head hits the table."
Lillie's blood ran cold. "I-Is she…"
"Lillie, look, if there's anything you want to say to her, you might want to do when… If she wakes up," Gladion replied, "There's nothing else the local hospitals can do. Whoever treated Bill after his transporter accident may very well be her only hope, and that's assuming she survives the trip to Kanto." He looked away from Lillie. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," Lillie assured as she put a hand on her brother's shoulder. Outward, she was scared. Inwardly, however…
I will never forgive Nihilego for this, she thought, We were all just fine until it came along and ruined everything!
Lillie hastily bid Burnet and Kukui farewell as her brother took her back home.
Professor Burnet walked down the halls of the Aether House, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"The things I do for Lillie," she muttered as she recalled the conversation she and her husband had had that morning.
"Listen, I know you're not willing to forgive Lusamine yet-" Kukui started
"How can you forgive her after what she's done to Lillie?" Burnet interrupted, "How can you be so willing to let that fly?"
"Lillie forgave her," Kukui answered, "Don't get me wrong, I'm furious that Lusamine treated her like that, but at the same time, if the person she hurt the most is willing to let bygones be bygones, I don't see why I should hold a grudge on her behalf."
"I'm still not comfortable with letting Lillie live under the same roof as that monster," Burnet replied.
"I'm not asking you to," Kukui continued, "I'm just asking, please, if Lusamine is conscious, don't talk to her. You've already made your point, and I'm certain Lillie would be devastated if her mother's condition were to worsen."
"Like that woman has any right to call herself a mother after what she did," Burnet growled.
"Honey, please," Kukui begged, "I'm not asking you to forgive Lusamine, I'm asking you to take Lillie's distress into account here. Her mother's condition is getting worse and worse every day, and that scares her. So please, I'm begging you! Focus on comforting Lillie over taking out your frustrating on Lusamine."
Professor Burnet sighed as she reminded herself of those words.
Lillie needs my warmth more than she needs my fury, she reminded herself, I just need to give her this gift before she leaves.
She came up to the door that Wicke told her her daughter would be behind, and knocked.
"Ms. Wicke, is that you?" Lillie asked.
"No, dear, it's me," Professor Burnet answered. She listened to the sound of Lillie's footsteps as the door opened.
"Snowy's napping with her grandmother right now," Lillie replied.
"Her… Grandmother?" Professor Burnet questioned.
"You know, my mother!" Lillie replied, "With the air-conditioners out, it's a good way of keeping mother from overheating in her sleep!"
"What about Snowy?"
"Ice packs!" Lillie answered, "Snowy tends to start fussing when the ice-packs lose their cool, so she's a good indicator for when it's time to change them."
Burnet nodded, though she was still somewhat unsure.
"Can you step out here for a moment?" she asked, "I have something for you."
"You do?" Lillie replied as she stepped out of the room, closing the door behind you. Burnet handed over a small, thin, red, black, and white device with a screen on the front. "What's this?"
"That is a PokéComm!" Burnet replied as she pulled a similar device out of her pocket, "Here, let me show you how it works." She tapped the screen on her own PokéComm a handful of times, and the PokéComm in Lillie's hands lit up and began ringing and vibrating. Lillie stared at the screen, seeing an image of Professor Burnet's face over a green button with a rotary-phone icon. Lillie tapped the button, and a video of Professor Burnet appeared on the screen.
"With this, you can call anyone, anywhere!" Professor Burnet explained, "It can also has a built-in camera, and I heard that Professor Willow, old friend of mine, is developing a Pokédex app!"
Lillie stared at the device as Professor Burnet hung up.
"The app should be ready by the time you arrive in Kanto," Professor Burnet explained.
"Th-Thank you, Professor Burnet!" Lillie replied, "I don't know what to say!"
"How about, 'I promise I'll call as soon as I arrive safe in Pallet Town!' how does that sound?" Professor Burnet suggested. Lillie giggled in response.
"Okay! It's a deal!"
Alola had a League Champion. Lillie stared at her mother's sleeping form as she reminded herself of that.
Elio is the League Champion, she thought, I am friends with the strongest trainer in the whole region.
Lusamine groaned as she opened her eyes.
"Lillie?"
"Good afternoon, Mother," Lillie replied.
"Afternoon?" Lusamine muttered, "How long was I asleep?"
Lillie fell silent.
"Lillie?"
"...Three days," Lillie answered, "We already called the hospital. Snowy here kept you cool when the air conditioners stopped working."
"Pix!" Snowy piped up from her spot on the bed, her tail wagging.
"Well, aren't you a helpful little snowball?" Lusamine remarked with a forced grin.
"Keo!"
"Have you gotten her a Poké Ball yet?" Lusamine asked.
"I haven't had the chance," Lillie answered, "I was going to buy some when you…" She cut herself off.
"Oh…" Lusamine remarked, putting the pieces together, "What's happened since I fainted?"
"Alola has an official Pokémon League," Lillie explained, "Professor Kukui helped set it up."
"Oh?" Lusamine commented, "Who's the Champion?"
"Elio," Lillie answered, "They're throwing a party for him tonight."
"Elio?" Lusamine remarked, tilting her head to the side, "That name sounds familiar…"
"He's the boy who helped me rescue you from Ultra Space," Lillie explained.
"Oh! Right," Lusamine remarked, before pushing against the mattress, "I never properly thanked him."
"No! You need to rest!" Lillie shouted as she grabbed her mother's shoulders, "Listen, the doctors said that the reason you passed out is because you were pushing yourself too hard! If you overexert yourself like that again, you might not ever wake up!"
Tears welled up in her eyes. "I… I don't know if Elio's forgiven you yet, but even if he hasn't, I don't think he'd want you to die over something so small! So please!" Lillie begged, "Don't push yourself."
Lusamine sighed and laid back down. Snowy walked over to Lusamine and curled up on her chest to sleep.
"So… When are we going to leave?" Lusamine asked.
"Tomorrow night," Lillie answered, "If you want, I can take a picture at tonight's party for you."
"That would be just fine…" Lusamine replied as she petted Snowy.
The following morning, Professor Burnet and Lillie stood together outside Professor Kukui's house.
"So, you really won't be coming to say goodbye?" Lillie asked.
"I… It just makes this feel too real," Professor Burnet replied, "Now, did you bring Snowy with you?"
The Vulpix in question answered by hoping up onto Lillie's shoulder.
Professor Burnet grinned. "Okay so, remember, don't use Snowy in any battles until her other tails have finished growing in."
"I know," Lillie replied.
"And does Snowy have a Poké Ball?" Professor Burnet asked.
"..."
"In that case," Professor Burnet handed Lillie a Poké Ball, then plopped a Razz Berry down on the ground. Snowy eyed the berry, then hopped down from Lillie's shoulder and began to munch on it. "Ordinarily, you'd have to battle the Pokémon to weaken it before throwing the Poké Ball, but since Snowy is still a baby, just throwing the Poké Ball while it's eating should suffice." Lillie nodded, and threw the Poké Ball. As she was standing right next to Snowy, it instead landed on the ground a foot away from the Vulpix in question. Snowy looked up from her berry, then went right back to nibbling on it as Professor Burnet poured more berries onto the ground.
"Why don't you pick it up and try again?" Professor Burnet suggested.
Lillie blushed, and walked over to where the Poké Ball had landed.
"Okay, here goes!" Lillie said, before winding her arm back, "Let's go!" She threw the Poké Ball, and it bounced off of Snowy.
"Keo!" Snowy barked at the offending ball, before said ball opened and pulled her in in a flash of light. The ball dropped to the ground. It shook once. Twice. Three times. Click!
"Congratulations!" Professor Burnet commented, "You are officially Snowy's trainer!"
Lillie smiled as she picked up the Pokéball."With this, our journey officially begins."
Burnet smiled, despite the tears in her eyes.
"You two take care of each other now, okay?" she requested.
"Of course!" Lillie replied, "I'm going to take good care of Snowy!"
Burnet tried to hold back the tears...but she failed, and pulled Lillie into a hug.
"Please, please be careful!" she begged, "I don't know how I'd live with myself if anything happened to you…"
Lillie was dumbstruck for a moment, but reciprocated the hug soon after. "I'll be okay, I promise! Snowy and I are going to take Kanto by storm!"
Lillie watched wistfully as Alola vanished over the horizon.
"I should've taken a picture with them while I had the chance," she remarked sadly. She walked away from the rail, and held out Snowy's Pokéball. "Let's go, Snowy!" The Pokéball opened in a flash of light, releasing Snowy onto the deck.
"Pix!" Snowy yipped, indignant that her meal had been interrupted, and that she had spent all day inside the Pokéball.
"Don't worry, little one, they have more food at the ship's Pokémon Center," Lillie replied as she picked up the baby Pokémon, "Now, come on, we've got our whole journey ahead of us!"
As Lillie carried her starter below deck, she heard a strange humming. "Hm?" She turned around, and her eyes widened as the silhouette of a massive Pokémon burst from the sea. It soared over the ship, and splashed down on the opposite side. A single, silver feather, split at the end, fluttered down to the deck, and landed on Snowy's nose.
"Kepix!" Snowy sneezed, disturbing the feather. Lillie gently caught the feather before it could fly away on the breeze.
"I think I'll hold onto this for now," Lillie replied, "At least until we can find out what that Pokémon was…" She carried Snowy below deck in her arms as the sun vanished over the horizon, and the moon shone in the sky above.
And with that, Lillie's journey had begun.
a/n: You might've noticed that Lusamine never apologized. That was deliberate. Lusamine is a very, very prideful person, and swallowing her pride and acknowledging her own shortcomings beyond "I let myself get poisoned by an alien parasite" is going to take some time. Additionally, that cameo at the end was a reference to the first episode of the anime. Additionally, I'm gonna be alternating between this and my other projects in terms of updates, though those will probably be a little gradual for the time being. Next time: Lillie arrives in Pallet Town and makes some friends. Seeya then.