Wicke was always like a mother to me. She was that only person other than Gladion I could trust. She didn't stand up for the abuse, and I knew it when I saw her react to Cosmog's abuse in front of everyone that day.

It was a while before Mother left again, with increasing progress with the Ultra Beasts, Mother was constantly at Aether. Mother left Wicke in charge, and I told her how I wanted to save Cosmog.

"Lillie, even I'm not allowed to leave," Wicke told me. "I will lose my job here if I leave. No vacation days, no holidays. I am only allowed to make one out-of-island call per week, and I can't talk to everyone at once, so it's hard." Wicke teared up. I felt her pain and teared up too. "This is such a good paying job, and my family's not that rich, I am sending my niece to a university for my family's first time, everyone is so proud of me, but me."

I started bawling, and Wicke reached out her arms and we cried together. "What should I do?" I asked her. "Something urgent needs to be done, before they kill it!"

Wicke and I thought over pudding. It calmed us both down. Wicke called it her "comfort food". I didn't know you could eat just for comfort, but I want to try that sometime. "I want you to escape Lillie," Wicke said. "Save Cosmog, and maybe you can save me and Aether with you,"

I gave Wicke a hug, and she was the last person I spoke to that night.

What should I take with me? I asked myself.

I scanned Gladion's room, and all his ites collecting dust. There was a nice duffel bag with Pokeballs on it, and I took it and slung it around my shoulder. I took one of Gladion's blankets also. I went to my room and thought of whick of my possessions I want. I grabbed a photo of my old family, the united one that made me feel safe, and a photo of Wicke and I having a fun time. I took my Poke doll, my favorite and only toy, and my bag was looking full. I still needed to keep room for Cosmog. I grabbed a change of clothes, and left my house.

Goodbye, never gonna miss the years of suffering you contained.

I snuck to a break room and grabbed some pudding and a thermos. My bag was getting full. I snuck to the lab area where Cosmog was being held.

The lab area was password protected, but I knew my mother all too well. P-R-E-T-T-Y. Admitted. I saw Cosmog, who lit up with fear when it saw e walk in. It started to screech.

"Shhh!" I whispered. I snuck it into my bag, and used the last of the room for some Poke beans. There was a ride pager, and I tried to catch a Charizard off the island. I pressed the button, and waited for it to arrive.

"Did you hear something in the lab room?" asked a guard. Shoot.

I saw a Charizard sleepily land in the conservation area, and the guards went to it. "Something's going on. Who's calling a Charizard at 4:00 AM?" the other guard asked. "Sound the alarm."

I ran, running as fast as I ever had. Mother's pageant training had made me nible on my feet, and I dashed to the elevator, clicking the button approximately 30 times. I ran to the Charizard, hopped on and we flew away.

I didn't give it a destination. I had no idea where we were heading. I saw Aether drift into the distance.

My Charizard was sleepy, and it was dozing off over the sea. No! I panicked. I can't die, this was all a mistake.

I saw land in the distance. Just a little closer! Charizard was too tired. We descended into the sea, and I heard Cosmog cry.

I dropped into the frigid ocean. I have no idea how to swim- I pant, hoping I can find a way to survive, but I drift under the waves... and that's the rest I remember.