Author's Note
Lillie arrives on the scene to close out Ash's birthday special! I hope you all enjoy it - please let me know what you think of this chapter and the special overall. Also, I'm beginning to think about how I want to end this collection, so please head over to my profile page and vote in the poll I have there!
Can't thank you all enough for our biggest round of feedback to date after the last chapter! Special thanks to mohidafzal458, Anoni, DarklighterUSA, Shane, Guest, magic135, Brightwizard21, Jtyler12, Reader, Ashpool, UltimateCCC, Ale15, Percyfan1998, FanficFan920, goldenfox444, Guest, and MjrGenMatt for your reviews!
Credit to FanficFan920 for the idea of including a certain rival of Ash's in this chapter!
Ash strolled down the road in front of Aina's Kitchen, heading in the general direction of Lillie's mansion. He kicked up the dirt underfoot, watching it spray ahead of him as his head continued to spin over his time with Mallow. For all she'd said about wanting each of her friends to have a clean slate to surprise him – and he believed she was being genuine – her passionate advances were making it hard for him to just hit the reset button.
"Pikaa... pikachu," the Mouse Pokémon rebuked from his shoulder.
"Yeah, I know, she gave me an out. And I'm glad I didn't take it, but you have to admit this isn't easy."
Their conversation was cut short by the unmistakable whirring of chopper blades overhead, and Ash jumped off the path, gripping Pikachu and his hat to ensure they didn't fly away.
The helicopter descended quickly but precisely, its motor quieting as it settled on the dirt road. Ash recognized the Aether Foundation insignia on the side of the copter immediately.
"No way..." he breathed.
The door opened to reveal the face of Hobbes, who adjusted his coat and cleared his throat. "Masters Ash and Pikachu, I have come on behalf of Miss Lillie to escort you to meet her. Would that be to your satisfaction?"
"Hey, Hobbes!" Ash hopped into the helicopter, closing the door behind him. Pikachu jumped off his shoulder, taking the seat next to him happily. "Yes, it definitely would. I'm honored."
"The honor is mine," Hobbes replied, firing the chopper back up. "Miss Lillie sends her apologies for not escorting you herself; she asked me to tell you that her preparations held her."
Ash waved his hands disarmingly. "Not at all. I'm flattered she's putting in that much effort for me."
"She said it was the least she could do on your birthday," Hobbes said, maneuvering the helicopter to cruising altitude. "And, speaking of, I find myself delayed in wishing you many happy returns of the day, Master Ash."
Ash smiled thankfully. "Thank you, Hobbes! I really appreciate it."
The ride was longer than he expected, and he furrowed his brow as the chopper flew out over water.
"We're not heading to the mansion?"
"Not quite. I've been sworn to silence on the details, but our destination lies on Poni Island."
Poni Island? Ash pressed his face to the window, watching as they sped over the Alolan sea. He had been expecting more of a quiet, formal evening at Lillie's mansion estate. Clearly, the girl had other plans.
Not that he was complaining.
Before long, they were flying over the steep cliffsides of the Vast Poni Canyon. Ash realized where they were going just as the landmark came into view.
"The Altar of the Sunne," he said quietly. Pikachu's ears perked up at the name. It was where Nebby had evolved into Solgaleo and helped them save Lusamine; it was also where the Necrozma incident had begun. He was now very interested to see what Lillie had planned – the Altar of the Sunne was essentially holy ground, which made for exciting adventures, but not your traditional birthday party.
"Prepare to disembark, Master Ash, Master Pikachu," Hobbes said, and Ash checked his seatbelt, securing Pikachu as the chopper descended. "Are you ready to climb down?"
"Climb?" Ash asked uncertainly. He looked out the window and realized they were suspended above the canyon, stopped well short of the altar. "I'm getting down here?"
"I checked with Miss Lillie multiple times to be sure, but she seemed confident that this would be fine. There is a rope ladder at your feet –"
"Oh, why didn't you say so earlier? I thought I would have to jump down or something."
Hobbes adjusted his monocle indignantly. "I wouldn't dream of such a thing. But are you certain you can manage the ladder? I can only keep the aircraft so stable as you climb down."
Ash was already opening the chopper door and throwing the ladder down into the canyon. "I'll be just fine, Hobbes. Thank you so much for the ride. Hope we meet again soon!"
Pikachu jumped back onto his shoulder, and Ash leapt onto the ladder, climbing down nimbly. He reached the canyon floor in less than a minute and waved up to Hobbes to let the man know he was clear. Ash stepped away as the chopper rose and flew off.
"Alola, Ash! Happy Birthday!"
Ash turned to see Lillie approaching him, Snowy at her side. Her blonde hair was tied up into a large ponytail, the way she wore it with her Ultra Guardian outfit, and she'd turned in her blue slip-ons for tennis shoes. She also wasn't wearing her usual dress and hat, instead opting for a white, pleated miniskirt with light blue trim and a white hoodie. Ash recognized the more athletic outfit as what Lillie had worn on her quest to save Lusamine.
"Thanks, Lillie! You look great!"
Ash had barely uttered the words when a violent blade of air cut the space between them, forcing him to stumble back and cover his face. As he regained his footing, he saw a black and silver figure streak down through the canyon, coming to rest between him and Lillie.
"No way..." Ash found himself saying for the second time that day.
But sure enough, the dust cleared to reveal the Pokémon who'd shot off the Air Slash: Silvally. Atop it sat – who else – but Lillie's older brother, Gladion.
"Hey, Gladion! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Ash asked his rival coolly.
"Gladion, why'd you attack like that, you could've hurt someone!" Lillie protested, running forward to confront her brother.
Gladion crossed his arms. "Don't worry, I made sure of Silvally's aim." He turned to Ash now. "I heard Lillie was going to be spending some one-on-one time with you on your birthday, so I'm just here to make sure no funny business goes on."
"Gladion!" Lillie shrieked. She rubbed her temples as her brother turned his nose up, self-assured in his duty. "I'm sorry, Ash, but I physically could not leave the house unless I agreed to take him with me."
Ash sweatdropped. Gladion's reason for coming might seem crazy to Lillie, but – considering how his time with Lana and Mallow had gone – he was actually fairly justified, whether he was aware of it or not. Ash fought down the tendrils of disappointment; on one hand, he wanted to experience Lillie's surprise one-on-one, but on the other, maybe it was best for everyone if things were tamer from here on out.
"Anyway, Gladion," Lillie continued to scold, "I thought you said you'd stay out of sight the whole time. So much for that."
Gladion swung his blonde bangs out of his right eye, turning his gaze on Ash accusatorily. "I heard some funny business going on, so I stepped in. I trained for years to protect Lillie from Ultra Beasts – who'd have thought you were the threat I should have actually been training for?"
Lillie covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. Ash blinked. "I'm a threat because I said she looked good?"
"You said she looked great," Gladion hissed, his hand reaching for a Poké Ball. "Prepare to – Ow!"
Ash watched in amusement as a red-faced Lillie slapped at her brother's arm repeatedly, forcing him to retreat to the side of the canyon.
"Stop overreacting, Gladion! Ash isn't a threat to me, we both know that."
"Ow, ow, ok, ok, I'll give you guys more leash," Gladion conceded, jogging away from his sister to mount Silvally again. "But any really funny business, and I'm stepping in. And oh, Happy Birthday, Ash."
"I'll take you up on that battle later," Ash called as Silvally jumped up the walls of the canyon, giving him and Lillie space from Gladion. Ash turned to Lillie, smiling. "So..."
Lillie clapped her hands together in front of her face, bowing slightly. "Sorry! He's just... overprotective. You know how he is."
Ash nodded, waving the apology away. "Yeah, of course. He just wants to keep you safe."
Lillie motioned for him to follow her as she began walking down the canyon path. "I know, but he should know by now that I can take care of myself. After he let me tag along to rescue Mother, I thought things would be different."
Ash scratched his head as he walked in lockstep with her. "I think he understands you can protect yourself in general. But I'm not sure he knows how to deal with you getting involved in... well, funny business."
Lillie giggled, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. "I think you're right."
They stopped as they reached a door engraved with a symbol of the Sun. In front of it stood statues of Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio.
"So, my surprise for you is an in-depth exploration of the Altar of the Sunne. I found all the books I could on it and read up, so I hope you're ok with me being your guide."
Lillie curtsied, and Ash laughed happily. "Of course, that sounds fun! The last couple times we came here we were more focused on other things, so it'd be nice to actually explore the altar itself."
"Well, here's the first 'checkpoint', if you will," Lillie said, gesturing at the statues of the Alolan starter Pokémon and the door behind them. "How do you think we can get through this door?"
"I'm not sure... When we came through during the incident with your mom, the door had already been opened by you and Gladion. Then when the Necrozma incident happened, we flew straight to the altar on Ride Pokémon." Ash rubbed his cheek, looking between the statues and the door. "I guess I would just try the doors first to see if they opened."
Lillie clapped at his answer. "And you'd be correct – they're actually open. Funny story, when I came here with Gladion, I saw these statues and therorized they were part of a puzzle you had to solve to open the doors."
Ash looked behind the statues, noting the depressions in the rock behind each statue and the colored symbols corresponding with each Pokémon's type.
"I get it, as in you push the statues back into the depressions to match the types."
"That's what I was thinking. I've read a lot of adventure books, and it seemed like something that would be in place to test people coming through here."
"And? It doesn't do anything?"
"Oh, it does," Lillie's lime green eyes twinkled. "Care to try?"
Ash stepped forward, his interest piqued. Pikachu jumped off his shoulder, and Ash braced his shoulder against the statue of Popplio, pushing it back with great effort.
"Wow," Lillie's impressed voice came from behind him, "I couldn't even move it an inch when I tried – Silvally had to help."
Ash gritted his teeth, trying not to make sounds of effort as he struggled under the load. Eventually, he felt the statue slide into the depression behind it, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he gave one final push, settling the Popplio likeness into the space against the wall.
No sooner had he done this than he felt Lillie's hand grab his and pull him to the side hurriedly.
"Woah! Lillie?"
His exclamation was followed by a deep trembling, and his eyes bugged as a trap door opened up where he'd just been standing and rows of deadly spikes jerked upwards, coming to rest where his body had just been.
"Pika!"
"Vul-pix!"
Ash stared in shock, barely registering the Pokémon's reactions as a shiver went up his spine at how close he'd been to being skewered.
Lillie squeezed his hand. "In the tomes I've reviewed, they explain that the Altar of the Sunne is a place of worship, open to all who sincerely wish to consult with the Legendary Pokémon. The traps along the way are for those who come with impure intentions, who are overthinking the passage to the altar or looking for treasure."
Ash processed Lillie's explanation in a half-daze, looking at her incredulously. As she finished, her mouth twitched, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, talking between fits of laughter.
"You should have... seen your face... I bet that'll keep you on your feet."
Ash couldn't help his own smile as he realized he was never really in any danger. Still, what surprised him was Lillie being willing to pull the prank on him. She'd come a long way from the stiffness and nerves that used to dominate her.
"Did that clear your head a bit, at least?" Lillie asked earnestly, her eyes searching his.
Ash stared back, her meaning suddenly hitting him. Indeed, the shock of adrenaline through his body had reset his mind and made him feel clear and alert. Was it Lillie's way of helping him get out from under the emotions of his time with Lana and Mallow? Whether she'd meant it or not, it'd worked.
"Yeah, it did. Thanks."
It was Lillie's turn to jump in surprise as a loud shriek echoed through the canyon. Ash turned to see Silvally in the distance, with Gladion mounted and looking their way with... were those binoculars?
"What's he worked up about?" Lillie asked, an eyebrow cocked.
"Oh," Ash said, looking down at their still-linked hands. "I think that."
Lillie reddened slightly and freed his hand, and Silvally's warning call quieted.
"Let's get moving, then?" Ash asked, breaking the silence.
Lillie nodded and led the way through the large double doors, Ash on her heels and Pikachu and Snowy scampering close behind. On the other side, the path in the middle of the canyon eventually became a winding ledge, hugging the canyon's right wall as the left fell away.
After they ascended several hundred feet, the ledge ended abruptly, presenting a steep fall into the valley below. Two log posts at the edge of the cliff indicated that a rope bridge once spanned the gap; on the other side, an archway adorned an entrance into the rockface that Ash knew led through to the altar.
Lillie stood near the cliff, her skirt swaying gently in the wind. "According to documents unearthed recently, this rope bridge was built by the Island Kahuna several hundred years ago to allow worshipers safe passage to the altar. Through wear and tear, it eventually fell into disrepair, and that was recent enough that Ride Pokémon had become popular – so there was no need to rebuild this bridge. That said, I talked to Hapu, and as the newest Island Kahuna she's thinking of rebuilding it to honor her ancestors, one of whom almost definitely commissioned the original bridge."
"Now that would be pretty cool," Ash commented, impressed by how much information Lillie had gathered. She'd always been a bookworm, but she was so unassuming about how much she knew that he sometimes forgot. "So, what do you have planned? Should we get over with our Pokémon?"
Lillie brushed loose hair behind her ears, grinning at him. "I'm going to get us over with my Pokémon. You can just relax and watch."
Ash grinned and bowed playfully, stepping back with Pikachu as Snowy joined Lillie's side.
Lillie's eyes fluttered closed, and she placed her right hand atop her Z-Ring. Snowy also crossed her front paws and closed her eyes. Ash watched as a wispy blue mist began to flow out from Lillie's form, hugging the ground as it drifted toward him.
"Sweet," Ash mumbled, knowing what was coming. Lillie began moving her arms to make a deliberate series of poses, while Snowy mimicked her. The two were in perfect synchronization.
"Snow silently falling from the heavens... Crystals of water shimmering, blanketing the earth with your frosty Z-Power," Lillie chanted, "together with my heated spirit, return now once more to the heavens!"
As the chant finished, Lillie stretched her open palms out toward Snowy, and icy blue ropes of Z-Power extended out from the girl, converging on her Alolan Vulpix. The small Pokémon opened its mouth and let out a cry that echoed through the canyon, announcing the gathering of Z-Power in her body. Lillie flared her arms out to the sides.
"Subzero Slammer!"
"Vul-pix!"
Wings of ice gathered near Snowy's mouth, slowly furling into a dense ball of energy. With a whip of her head, Snowy cast the Z-Power out over the gap between the rock ledges, and a cylinder of ice began to materialize between the sides.
"Pika, pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed in awe.
"I know, buddy," Ash said, watching proudly. "They've taken it to another level."
As Snowy finally let up on the move, the ice cylinder spanning the gap glowed and transformed into a bridge, the sides curving up high to protect those crossing. The excess ice from the cylinder cracked into tiny pieces, sunlight refracting through them as they flew through the air in an almost decorative pattern.
Snowy stumbled forward in exhaustion, and Lillie ran to her side, hugging her close.
"That was amazing, Snowy. You did it!"
"You both did," Ash said, walking forward and shooting Lillie and Snowy two thumbs-up. "I thought you had it down pat back at the mansion, but you've clearly been working on it even more. That was beautiful."
"Pika!"
"Pix, vul-pix!" Snowy thanked them.
"Get some rest, Snowy, you deserve it," Lillie said soothingly, calling her back to her Poké Ball. Ash offered the girl a hand, and she took it, standing up and looking him in the eye. "I know it looks like I'm just showing off, but this is really my way of saying thank you. Because there is no way Snowy and I could have done that without you."
Ash shook his head, laughing. "Come on Lillie, I know it's my birthday, but that's a bit much."
"No, it's not," Lillie said stubbornly. "I don't know if I could've ever even touched Snowy without your help. And look at us now. It's only possible because you were there since she was an Egg, encouraging me, setting an example with Pikachu, with the way you interact with all Pokémon. So thank you."
Ash swallowed, taken aback by the intensity of Lillie's speech. She continued to look into his eyes, her cheeks flushing as she tried to maintain the gaze. Ash opened his mouth to respond, only to be cut off by the deep cry of a Pokémon.
Ash and Lillie looked up to see Silvally and Gladion peering over from the top of the rockface, their eyes narrowed. Lillie exhaled in exasperation, begrudgingly releasing Ash's hands from her grip.
"Well, we're not going to get anywhere here," Lillie said, turning and walking onto the ice bridge Snowy had created. "Shall we continue on?"
Ash nodded, still subdued by her words. He and Pikachu followed Lillie over the ice bridge, keeping low and walking slowly so as not to slip. They got over safely, heading straight through the archway on the opposite rockface.
They entered the next room, where Ash noted an archway similar to the one they'd just passed through at the opposite end of the hall. Lillie turned to him.
"This is the final passageway before reaching the Altar of the Sunne. If you remember, it's where you saved Gladion and me from the falling rock when we tried to ride through on Silvally."
"I think 'saved' is an exaggeration. I would've handled it even if he hadn't showed up."
Ash and Lillie turned to see Gladion walking up behind them, Silvally in tow. Lillie threw her hands up.
"I'm not even touching him right now, Gladion! Why are you here?"
Ash felt his cheeks redden slightly at Lillie's acknowledgement of what usually drew Gladion's intervention. Gladion seemed unfazed though, retorting without a second thought.
"Have you forgotten? We only rode through on Silvally after we battled Jangmo-o, Hakamo-o, and the Totem Kommo-o. I know you're throwing Ash a birthday party, but it isn't safe here."
"That was part of the surprise! Ash could have defended us just fine," Lillie argued back. She shook her head, turning to Ash. "At least it was supposed to be a surprise. I know how much you love battling, so I thought I should include some on your birthday."
"You know me too well," Ash quipped. He'd been feeling the itch all day, and he was glad to be able to finally scratch it. "And I don't mind a battle buddy – whaddaya say, Gladion?"
"Fine with me," Gladion said gruffly, the hint of a smile on his face as he pulled out a Poké Ball.
As if on cue, Jangmo-o and Hakamo-o began to venture out of the darkness, sensing the opportunity for the intense battles they so craved.
"Hold on," Lillie said, a finger on her chin. "You must've known Ash could handle this. You just wanted to battle with him on his birthday, didn't you?"
Ash shared a glance with Lillie, who winked at him. He winked back, deciding to pile on. "Is that right, Gladion? I'm touched."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Gladion barked, his red face belying his words. "Uh, look over there, we better focus on the battle."
Ash and Lillie shared another playful glance, relenting only because of the appearance of the Totem Kommo-o.
"This is gonna be fun," Ash said, looking over the entire Scaly Pokémon evolutionary line. "Pikachu, ready? Come on out, Lycanroc!"
Silvally stepped forward as Gladion tossed another Poké Ball. "Umbreon, join the party!"
Together, Ash and Gladion's Pokémon made short work of the Jangmo-o and Hakamo-o, and Ash insisted on taking on the Totem Kommo-o with only Pikachu. The battle ended with Ash and Pikachu using Gigavolt Havoc to defeat Kommo-o, and the entire room filled with smoke from the impact as the Totem Pokémon went down.
"Yes! That was awesome, Pikachu, Lycanroc," Ash said, hugging his Pokémon affectionately. "Thanks so much, Lillie, that was fun!"
"Shhh!" Lillie said quietly, appearing out of the smoke and pushing a finger to her lips. "Return Lycanroc to his Poké Ball and follow me."
Ash did as she said, and the blonde was suddenly jogging through the smoke, pulling him behind her.
"Hold on, shouldn't we wait for Gladion?" Ash whispered.
"No," Lillie said confidently, shooting him a meaningful look as she led him through the archway on the opposite side of the room. "The wild Pokémon are knocked out, so he isn't in any danger, don't worry."
Ash's mouth fell open, and he let out a disbelieving laugh as they ran out of the passageway and up the stairs leading to the altar.
"You knew he'd join the battle, didn't you? And that we could lose him afterward?"
"I simply made an informed guess that Gladion couldn't resist the opportunity to battle alongside you on your birthday. That you would insist on taking on Kommo-o alone, and that he would allow you to in observance of your birthday. And that you would decide the battle with a Z-Move that might provide some cover." Lillie didn't turn back as she jogged up the stairs, but even from the side Ash could see a smile tugging at her lips. "I merely drew the logical conclusion: that the situation might present a golden opportunity to escape my brother's chaperoning."
Ash shook his head wryly at Lillie's cerebral analysis as they cleared the staircase and the Altar of the Sunne finally came into view.
"Hey! Nice try, you two!" Ash heard Gladion call from behind them, and he turned to see the black-clad boy at the bottom of the stairs, quickly gaining on them.
"Um, Lillie, do you also have a plan for when he catches up?" Ash turned to see Lillie breathing hard, her pace slowing as she took big gulps of air. She'd been doing well enough with the physical toll of the journey that he'd forgotten that she wasn't very athletic.
"I did, but only if we can make it to the monolith before him," Lillie said, her breathing becoming more rapid. "Which, we may not... considering my pace... this outfit was supposed to help, but – ah!"
Ash swept Lillie off her feet and booked it for the tall monument at the end of the alter, engraved with a symbol of the Sun. Lillie gripped his left upper arm, her ears pink.
"Um, very impressive, Ash. In the novels I've read, the princess carry tends to represent the difference in strength between two people and the willingness –"
"Hate to interrupt, Lillie, but your brother's catching up – what do I do when I reach the monument?"
"Uh, just leave it to me, I'll take care of it."
Ash put the remainder of his strength into one last sprint, reaching the monolith and placing Lillie on her feet gently. He turned around to see Gladion at the top of the stairs and coming their way fast.
"I saw that, Ketchum! Don't think you're gonna get off easy touching my sister!"
"Um, so what's this plan?"
Lillie swung her pink backpack off her shoulder, quickly producing two... flutes? She handed one to Ash, and nodded at him as she brought hers to her lips.
Ash brought his flute to his mouth uncertainly. "But, I have no idea how to play this –"
Lillie's eyes closed, and her fingers danced on her instrument, producing a beautiful, whistling melody. Ash watched as her body swayed, her blonde ponytail and white miniskirt swinging enchantingly. Before he knew what was happening, his hands pulled his own flute to his lips, and he was playing it in harmony with the girl.
Lillie's eyes fluttered open, meeting his, and their gazes turned upward instinctively. There, the purple, bat-like form of Lunala hovered, watching them. Ash dropped the flute from his mouth, his jaw dropping as well.
"What the..."
Lillie's voice was nearly a whisper. "It's going to work."
Ash blinked. "Going to?"
His question was answered as Lunala screeched, and the space distorted in front of them. Just as Ash thought things couldn't get any crazier, an Ultra Wormhole opened up in front of them, gurgling with pure white energy.
"Don't you dare go in there, Lillie!" Gladion called from behind them, almost caught up. Lillie ignored him, turning to Ash.
"Ready?"
"You bet," Ash said giddily, wondering what was on the other side. He had not expected this turn of events. As Lillie jumped in the wormhole, pulling him behind her, Ash turned and saluted Gladion, who was barely five feet away now. "I'll take care of her."
"ASH, YOU – " Gladion's curse was cut off by the closing of the wormhole, and Lillie and Ash clasped each other's hands tightly as they tumbled through a tunnel of purple and blue light. After a few seconds, the tunnel widened with a bright white flash, and Ash hugged Lillie close as they tumbled through the exit onto solid ground.
"Thanks, Ash," Lillie said as they stood up slowly, trying to get their bearings.
"No worries," he said as he looked around, confused. "Where are we?"
Lillie dusted off her skirt, her voice perky. "The Altar of the Moone."
Ash furrowed his brow, looking around. He had never heard of such a place, but the general surroundings looked just like those of the Altar of the Sunne, except that the monolith in front of them featured a symbol of the Moon rather than the Sun. And...
"Why is it so dark? I thought it was like 1 PM."
"Here, it's 1 AM," Lillie said. "This world experiences night when the one we came from experiences day, and vice versa."
"So, we're in a completely different world..." Ash said in wonder, looking up at the stars. "How did you figure out how to get here?"
Lillie shrugged, playing with the light blue strings of her hoodie. "I read a few books, visited Exeggutor Island, uh, no big deal, really."
Ash snorted, knowing Lillie was understating her preparation. He seriously wondered whether anyone had ever seen what he was seeing now. Pikachu jumped to the ground and ran around curiously, and Ash walked around the altar, looking at all the inscribed symbols of Lunala and the Moon.
"The books were always the part that came easy to me," Lillie's voice came from behind him. "But working up the courage to go out and experience all the things in those books... that's something I didn't start doing until you showed me how. I don't think you understand that, and that's the main reason I brought you here."
Ash turned, catching the more serious tone in Lillie's voice. She hugged her elbows close, angling her tennis shoes nervously.
"Lillie, you don't have to say anything that makes you uncomfortable. This is more than enough of a birthday gift."
"I want to say this, though," Lillie pressed, and Ash quieted, letting her speak. "See, I have this theory."
Lillie looked down, biting her lip. "Can you turn around? I'm too embarrassed to say it like this."
Ash acquiesced, turning to face the moonlit landscape of the Vast Poni Canyon. Lillie cleared her throat, her voice now more confident.
"In Alola, we worship the Sun and the Moon through Solgaleo and Lunala. But astronomical science has a lot to say about the physics of celestial bodies like the Sun and Moon, even notwithstanding Pokémon."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, and I read all about it. The Sun is a bright, burning ball of gas whose light provides the energy underlying all life in our Solar System. And the Moon is a natural satellite of Earth that illuminates our sky at night by reflecting the light of the Sun."
Ash's head was already spinning. Science wasn't his strong point. But Lillie seemed excited about what she was saying, so he tried to follow along.
"Ok."
"Don't you get it, Ash?"
"Uh, no, sorry."
"It's the perfect analogy for us. You're the Sun, and I'm the Moon."
"I'm the Sun?" Ash asked skeptically, scratching his head.
"Yes, do you understand what I mean?"
"I guess. I can be a ball of gas sometimes," he joked.
"Exac- What, no, that's not what I mean, Ash. Your energy, it's infectious. It gives the people around you spring in their step, confidence in themselves. Especially me. I used to be a nervous wreck who only stood back and observed the world I fell in love with through books... before you showed me how I could be an active participant in it."
Ash stayed silent, trying to process Lillie's point in totality. It was the type of intellectual discourse that came naturally to her, and not so much to him.
"Do you understand now?"
Ash felt Lillie press herself against his back, snaking her arms around him in a hug. Her cheek rested against her back, and her voice drifted over his shoulder softly now.
"You're the reason I shine."
Ash felt his heart skip a beat, and he looked down to see Lillie was still holding her flute in her hand; for the first time, he noticed it had a symbol of the Moon on it. He looked down at the flute she had given him to find it had a symbol of the Sun.
"Turn around. But please keep your eyes closed."
Ash did as she said. As soon as he made an about-face, he felt his shirt rustle under the pressure of Lillie's hands. Warm air tickled his nose, and suddenly Lillie's lips were on his. They pressed against him gently, not twisting or turning, but simply sharing the earnestness of her belief in her theory. Her hands continued to crumple his shirt as she leaned into him, until finally she couldn't breathe and pulled away, sucking air in quietly, her face beet-red.
"So? What do you think?"
Her voice was barely a whisper. She finally looked up, and her sparkling emerald eyes made his breath hitch. Her form was bathed in moonlight, and her blonde hair seemed to glow against the night.
Ash looked at the Sun Flute in his hand and made up his mind. He took the Moon Flute from Lillie, reaching around and sliding both into her backpack.
"Ash?"
"You're wrong, Lillie." The girl stared at him, taken aback. "You're way smarter than I'll ever be, but in this case your theory is dead wrong."
"How?" challenged the ever-cerebral girl.
"I mean, just look around you," Ash said, gesturing at the Altar of the Moone. "Look at everything you did today. I didn't help at all. Maybe I did help at some point in the past, but now you're you, and you're wonderful, with or without me. So I don't think it's fair to compare yourself to the Moon, because you – you shine all on your own."
Ash swallowed. Lillie was just staring at him, her eyes wide and glistening.
"So," he said, "what do you think about that?"
Lillie finally spoke, her voice slow but confident. "Logically speaking, I think we should kiss again."
Ash smiled as Lillie leaned in again, clutching his shirt as she had done before and pressing her mouth on his. This time though, she moved against him with passion, her soft lips not afraid to pull and push and dance against his. They showed the same affection as before, but this time they also expressed the rest of Lillie's feelings, confident in her right to share them.
And this time, Ash kissed back.