Wahhh! What's this? More than three stories have been updated in a span of one month? What is this madness? Well, surprise! It's my birthday month! I've decided to celebrate by posting new chapters! BW, Moon Rises, FE, Johto, etc. will have brand new chapters. Some have already been posted so check them out when you can. Expect great things!

So, for those who don't know, I was out on vacation and came back recently. I've been dormant to prepare for this special update. Thank you for being patient and I hope everybody have a wonderful summer.

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 8:

Liam woke when the sun peaked at the horizon. Last night's festival had ended without any more incidences, and it was almost midnight when he finally went to bed. However, the exciting new prospective trials had kept him up. Hau and Ally were really excited about him joining them on the island challenge, but was it something he was interested in? He had no clue what it entailed. Ally refused to share her experiences and merely said that Liam should join Hau to take the first one. Hau, on the other hand, seemed just as clueless as Liam.

"Good morning."

"Morning, Mom," Liam mumbled and yawned as he headed over to the kitchen table. During the past few days, Gloria Moon wasted no time learning local Alolan recipes. The table was groaning with native berries and other fruits with a bowl of yogurt and plates of sausages, eggs, toast, and rice.

"Did you stay up again?"

"No," Liam couldn't help but stifle another yawn. "I just couldn't sleep." The smell of breakfast woke him up a bit, and he reached for a piece of toast and a plate of sausages and eggs.

"You're a lot like your dad. If the jet lag doesn't go away, we'll need to give you some medicine."

Both quickly started on their meal before Gloria asked, "Is Hau taking you to see the first trial?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know where it is?"

"Don't know. He said to meet up with him at Iki Town in the afternoon. I'm going to train for a bit before I leave."

"Oh, before I forget, here." Gloria placed a small envelope in front of Liam.

"What's this?"

"Some pocket money for food and other things. I'm sure you two will be exploring the area here." Liam blinked in surprise. He didn't expect this.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Make sure you have a lot of fun, okay?"

"Yeah." Liam wiped his mouth and gathered his empty plate. "Thanks for breakfast."

The mealtime was punctured with the sound of a doorbell chime from the front door.

"That must be Professor Kukui. He'll probably let himself in without even waiting for us to open the door." The two continued to clean up the table, ignoring the chime. However, after a couple of minutes, it rang again. "Huh, that's weird. Maybe it's not him? Liam, go see who it is."

Bewildered now at who could be at the door, Liam opened it and found a familiar person standing before him.

"Hi Liam."

"Oh, hi Lillie." He was slightly stunned to see her in front of his house. She had on the same white dress with the same duffle bag strapped around her shoulder. "Umm, is something wrong? Is it Nebby?"

"Oh, no, it's umm…the professor… The professor asked me to," she cleared her throat and spoke in a deeper voice, "'Hey there, Lillie! Bring me that great new trainer. Woo!' And so, here I am." Liam couldn't help but laugh.

"That sounds exactly like him."

"Y-yes." Lillie didn't expect her poor imitation to get such good reception. Then again, she didn't expect herself to even try to make a joke like that. "Anyways," she cleared her throat and reverted to her proper self, "I'm here to show you the way to his Pokémon lab, if you'll come with me."

"He wants to meet at the lab?" Liam didn't expect that.

"Y-yes. He said there's something he wanted to show you. He has his morning routine to do, so he sent me instead."

"Liam? Is it Professor Kukui?" Gloria called from the kitchen.

"No," Liam yelled over his shoulder, "It's Lillie."

"Wait, did you say 'Lillie'?!" Before Lillie could figure out what happen, a tall tanned woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere with Liam's backpack in hand. Gloria's eyes went wide and round when she spotted the young girl. "So, you're Lillie! Oh, you're so lovely!"

"Mom!"

"Hello," Lillie could feel her face flushing red, "It's very nice to meet you."

"Thank you for visiting. Oh, are you here to show him around? Please take good care of my son," Gloria said. "He can be a handful at times."

"Of course. I mean, he isn't a handful, he's very helpful," Lillie stammered, unsure what else to say. She and Liam wore the exact shade of red on their faces; Gloria tried very hard not to laugh.

"Don't hesitate to stop by for dinner if you want. I'm sure my son would love to have a lovely girl like you join us."

"Mom, we're leaving!" Taking the backpack, Liam quickly grabbed Lillie's hand and pulled her out of the house. He was so embarrassed that he didn't notice Lillie's blushing face as she stared at their joined hands.

"Have fun you two!" Gloria called, waving the two kids goodbye.

"Seriously," Liam grumbled, and once they were a good distance away, he finally let go of Lillie's hand. "Sorry about that."

"N-no! I-I mean, I wasn't expecting it and all, b-but-! I mean, it's not like I hate it or anything and I-!"

"Huh? What are you going on about? I was talking about my mom."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, that whole thing with dinner and all. What did you think I was talking about?" Liam asked, suspicious.

"Oh n-nothing! It's nothing, I don't know what you were talking about. I don't know what I'm talking about either. What were we talking about? Hahahahaa…" Lillie continued to babble, unable to calm down, her face getting redder and redder by the minute.

"Anyways," Liam said, deciding they need to change the conversation topic before Lillie had a stroke or something. "My mom gets excited over little things like this. To her, making a new friend is deserving of having a fiesta or something."

"I think it's nice. She must be really worried about how you would like it here. She really cares about you."

"I guess," Liam noticed that Lillie was all quiet now as she looked down at her feet. She seemed rather sad. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing."

"You sure?" Liam recognized this same mood from the first time they met.

"Yes, I'm fine. Please don't worry about me. We should hurry to the Pokémon Research Lab." She swiftly took the lead now and led him south of his house. He saw her reach into her bag looking for something, and soon enough she pulled out a Repel. Lillie then began to spray the repellent around the two of them before venturing through the tall grass that teemed with Pokémon. With the conversation was over and feeling like he overstepped his bounds, Liam decided to switch topic.

"Last night's festival was pretty cool, huh? Was that your first time participating?"

"Yes, I had a lot of fun. Tapu Koko is amazing, isn't it? I hope I can meet it again someday and thank it for saving Nebby…"

That's right… Even if on a whim, the guardian deity Pokémon did rescue him.

"Yeah," Liam said out loud, "Me too."

"It is strange. Isn't it?" Lillie looked at Liam's Z-Ring, "We're both strangers to this place, but it helped you and Nebby and even left you a sparkling stone to make that Z-Ring. Perhaps, it felt like we have a bigger purpose in life."

"I guess…" Liam could feel another question at the tip of tongue and he chewed on it for a long while, trying to decide whether he should ask it or not.

"Liam, are you okay?"

"There's something I've been meaning to ask," Liam abruptly said, "but are you not from Alola, too? I mean, I didn't mention this earlier, but your dress and you said that we both were strangers…"

"Wha-? Oh no, that's not what I mean. I am from Alola. I just… never really… ummm…" Lillie realized her mistake from earlier and scrambled desperately to explain her way out of it. Liam, deciding that it time to say something, interrupted.

"Lillie, I get it if you don't trust me, but to be honest, everything about you has been a mystery. I mean, you said you were the professor's assistant, but you're spraying Repel as though you're terrified of Pokémon. And you're carrying a Pokémon I've never seen before in a duffle bag as though you're committed a crime. I don't mean to pry, but knowing something would definitely make things less awkward between us. Especially about Nebby. I mean, you said it isn't your Pokémon, but why all the secrecy? Professor Kukui and Kahuna Hala weren't surprised about it."

Lillie bit her lips and merely looked down at her feet. Her hands tightened around the duffle bag. Liam almost gave up for a response when she said, "Nebby's real name is Cosmog. It is a very rare Pokémon and came from a faraway place."

"Pew!" A cry came from the bag at the sound of Nebby's real name.

"You mean it's from another region?" Liam pondered out loud as Lillie struggled to keep the Pokémon in the bag.

"Even farther."

"Farther?" What could be farther? Liam scratched his head and looked up into the sky. "Like… from space?" He remembered hearing about some legendary Hoenn Pokémon that were discovered living out there.

"That's what I think," Lillie nodded, "It does have a very strange power that saved me before when I was in danger. It was the same power used at that bridge against those Spearow."

That blue light! Liam remembered how strange it was that it managed to knock the Spearow away and break the bridge. So, it really did come from Nebby – I mean, Cosmog.

"But some…" Lillie's voice faltered slightly and her lips quivered as though in pain. "Other people want Cosmog for themselves, to use that power. That's why Professor Kukui has taken me into his care under the pretense I'm his assistant. Nebby and I have been in hiding here for the past three months since then. He and Kahuna Hala are one of the few who know about this." She quickly gave a bow in apology.

"I-I know I didn't tell you this when we first met, but you protected Nebby and… well, you have become someone I can trust. I-I hope you can keep this secret." There was a long silence before…

"I did promise you earlier," Liam said, shrugging his shoulders. "And I don't' intend to break it." He fell silent, realizing how self-conscious he was feeling. "And thanks. For trusting me."

"Yes… and thank you too." Lillie couldn't help but smile with overwhelming gratefulness. She was lucky to have as kind a friend as Liam.

"So," Liam coughed in embarrassment. "speaking of the professor, which way do we go now?" The two had arrived at a crossroad, diverging into two pathways.

"Oh, this way, his lab is near the beach." Lillie pointed to the one leading south. In a couple of minutes' time, they came across a rather broken-down bungalow. Wooden boards were hammered poorly over holes on the roof and on the outer walls. Unless Liam was mistaken, the glass panes were missing from some of the windows. The questioning state of the poor house was quickly answered by the sounds of pounding, crashing, and booming sounds that shook the foundation.

"Oh yeah, Rockruff! Let's go!" A voice that sounded a lot like Professor Kukui roared from inside. "Give it everything you've got!"

"Raaa-oooooohhh! Raff ruff!" Barks from inside responded as the house shook.

"What is going on in there?" Liam stared in bewilderment.

"Professor Kukui says he can research moves better when he is surrounded by Pokémon." Lillie couldn't help but blush in embarrassment for the poor 'first' impression her boss gave.

"While they're beating him up." He stated flatly.

"I'm not too sure on the logic there, but yes. He said it helps him research and understand Pokémon moves better. I think this gives the lab its own unique charm."

"Well," Liam looked unsure of what positive and not-so-awkward things he could say, "I definitely agree on the uniqueness."

"Oh yeah, Rockruff! Let's go!" Professor Kukui continued from inside, "Give it everything you've got! MY BODY IS READY! WOO!" The roof suddenly exploded and dust emitted out from a newly formed hole. "Yeah! There we go! Let's try it again!"

"It looks like we'll have to patch the roof… again." Lillie sighed in disappointment. "And I just got done washing his lab coat… I'll have to stitch it back up again and I still can't sew... The professor is probably going to have to buy a new one."

"Guess we better hurry in," Liam said, still baffled at the nonchalant response to this situation. "Before he brings the whole house down."

"Ah, nothing like drinking fresh Berry Juice after finishing morning investigation." Professor Kukui smiled as he sat down on the couch. Liam and Lillie were sitting on the other one opposite to the professor. Liam was personally relieved that the professor stopped his 'investigation' after they arrived and that the house didn't topple on them during the process.

"Rockruff's moves were just so stylin', and I was making good progress with my research," Professor Kukui continued, clearly still excited of the results he made.

Tuning out of the discussion, Liam scanned the entire room. The interior of the house was spacious and in better condition than he expected. The wooden floors were clean without a speck of dust with a blue throw rug at the entrance. There was even a large aquatic tank in the center, teeming with sea creatures that were native to the region. Stairs in back led to the downstairs laboratory where Professor Kukui did his research.

"Raff ruff!"

Liam looked down to see an adorable brown puppy with a curly white fluffy tail that wagged happily.

"Hi?" Liam was unsure what to make of this Pokémon. It seemed cute, but after hearing the crashing and pounding of attacks earlier, he was a little bit scared to go near it. "Is there something you want?" The little canine Pokémon barked again and rolled on its stomach. With slight hesitation, Liam reached over and rubbed its belly. It gave a happy yap, wagging its tail furiously now. There was a serene look on its face.

"Oh, looks like Rockruff likes you," Professor Kukui looked rather pleased, "Careful though, those are pebbles on its neck. They're rather painful to deal with if it decides to give its traditional cuddling greeting."

"Okay," Liam said absent-mindedly, not taking his eye off the Pokémon. Lillie couldn't help but giggle at the cute sight.

"Oh, Liam," Professor Kukui suddenly jumped to his feet, "lemme see your Pokédex for a second."

"Wha-? Oh, okay, sure." Confused, he took out the bulky device from his bag.

"Excellent! Can't forget to give you this… I was worried it wouldn't have arrived in time before you started your journey."

"It?" Lillie repeated. The look of confusion on Liam's and her face were almost identical.

"What's wrong, Lillie? Don't make me do all the talking!" Professor Kukui grinned. "See Liam, there is this Pokémon called Rotom in your Pokédex, yeah."

"Rotom? You mean that electric Pokémon that can possess appliances."

"You did your homework," Professor Kukui said, impressed. "But the Pokédex you have is the new generation of its kind and is specifically designed for Rotom to inhabit in."

"What?" Liam stared at the Pokédex with renewed interest.

"Yup, this is the future – a whole new way for people and Pokémon to communicate. There are only a few of these beauties in the world so far. Hold on a sec." He ran downstairs and came back with a box with strange mechanical parts. He immediately started fiddling with the back. "If I power up the Pokédex with the parts Lillie helped order for me… There!"

KZZZZT! There was a flash of blinding light that quickly dissipated, revealing a ball of electricity floating in the air.

"What the-?" Liam gaped. The strange thing sped around the room in a flashy manner, leaving a trail of electricity. Rockruff growled at the new visitor and chased it around the house.

"Whoa! Hey now!" Professor Kukui called out, raising a hand. At the sound of the voice, the energy ball stopped, revealing it to be an orange shaped plasma lightning bolt with a white aura surrounding it.

"Sorry 'bout that, Rotom. I scared you, didn't I?"

Zzzt? The Rotom blinked its blue eyes in confusion at its new surroundings.

"Here, boy! I powered up your favorite 'Dex!" Professor Kukui held up the red device high into the air for the Pokémon to see. "Give Liam here a Helping Hand, yeah?"

Comprehending the situation, Rotom gave a cheerful smile and shot back into the Pokédex. Next thing they knew, the red Pokédex sprang to life. The screen turned on and the outer shape changed so that arms and legs were sticking out. But the most impressive thing is that…

It's floating… Liam's jaw dropped, shocked at the new development. The device stopped in front of it. Its blue eyes blinked back at him.

"Zzzzt. Nice to meet you, pal!" The Pokédex smiled.

"Oh yeah," Professor Kukui laughed as Liam jumped a mile away. "I forgot to add, Rotom can talk as well in this form!"

"Zzzzt. Gentle on the goods, OK?"

Author's Notes

LOL. Looks like the Rotom Pokedex is ready to roll… so to speak. XP We're finally going to do some travelling in the next chapter!

And to all my reviewers who have been asking if there will be Liam (Sun)X Lillie, this chapter is just for you. XP

Anyways, thanks so much for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter.

-JapanDreamer