This is a commission for anonymous, who requested romance between Lillie and Lusamine.

Thanks go to GrimGrave for his beta work.

- Prologue -

Some might consider Lillie crazy for staying by her mother's side after everything that had transpired in Aether Paradise—her brother, Gladion, surely did.

She hadn't seen or heard from him since coming to Kanto. It would take some doing before he would get over the incident and even longer before he could forgive his mother's failures as a parent, but time healed all wounds.

Her mother needed her and that was that. She didn't need any other reason to woman up, as it were, and take care of the person who had brought her into this world.

Besides, Gladion hadn't been there to hear Lusamine ask—

/"When did you start becoming beautiful?" The blonde woman smiled wistfully, reaching out and cupping Lillie's cheek before collapsing.

"MOM!"

Behind her, Nebby made a sound and Lillie felt a gentle presence in her mind. 'Okay.'

Okay? She blinked away tears as she glanced from the Pokemon to the prostrate form of her mother. Was it trying to comfort her?

'Okay,' the voice repeated. This time, she was sure it was coming from Nebby. 'Your mother... will be okay.'/

That question lingered in Lillie's mind, tormenting her with its possible subtext. She shouldn't have been so thrilled to hear that her mother thought she was beautiful, but she was and that deserved further examination.

Their days in Aether Paradise were short-lived, but therapeutic. Lillie appealed to her mother's empathy and, over time, the woman recognized what she had done—what she had put her children through— was wrong. One night, she had cried on Lillie's shoulder and it broke the girl's heart even though she knew this was the first step to mending their relationship. Lusamine' temperament became gentler, but she wasn't able to acquire the motherly patience she'd been so sorely lacking overnight. She was still prone to snapping when irked, but she had gotten better at recognizing an outburst and quickly apologizing for the lapse.

When Lusamine was well enough, Lillie decided to go to Kanto to find a way to better treat the woman. Exhaustion was a common symptom Lusamine experienced, likely from having been merged with an entity that would have drained the life from her, and no amount of bed rest seemed to cure what ailed her. The renowned inventor, Bill, had once managed to fuse himself with a Pokemon—surely he would have the know-how to purge the poison still lingering in Lusamine.

The trip to Kanto had been incredible. The sheer number of Pokemon species in the world and the huge geographical differences between regions were awe-inspiring and Lillie knew immediately that she had made the right decision to become a Trainer. Even if she never got to stand amongst the ranks of those who had defeated the Elite Four, the experiences one made while traveling the world with nothing but a bag on your back and the PokèBalls clipped to your hip would be irreplaceable.

Bill was a great guy, down to earth and eager to help, and Lillie was thrilled when he said he could help. It would be a two part process: first treatment, then therapy. Bill had recommended a clinic in Celadon City that specialized in physical therapy and, though it was quite a trek from Cerulean City, the duo set out as soon as they were able.

Lillie had actually caught her first Pokemon, a Clefairy she had named Bubbles, when they passed through Mt Moon. Later, she added a female Vulpix she had named Nona to her team, on their way into Celadon City. Lusamine's team had been more than enough to keep them safe, but the budding Trainer saw their travels as an opportunity to grow. She missed Nebby dearly, but it was better off with a proper Trainer. Maybe someday they'd meet again...

Part of the reason she'd made the decision to become a Trainer was because she thought it would help her get closer to her mother—and she was right. Asking Lusamine for tips and listening as the woman recanted tales of hard fought battles, a smile on her face, had been the highlight of several nights. When Lusamine had asked if she ever got bored listening to an old woman prattle on, Lillie had been one hundred percent honest when she'd said she could listen to the older woman talk for hours. For some reason, that was immensely flattering to Lusamine. She couldn't remember the last time someone had been so earnestly interested in what she had to say.

It was little incidents like these that created an undercurrent to their recovering mother-daughter bond, a driving force that lingered just below the surface. It manifested in curious ways; a skipped heart beat when their faces got too close for whatever reason; a lingering heat where their skin touched; the weak knees and trembling palms when one saw the other in a state of undress. Lusamine would never admit to having these strange new feelings, but to Lillie they were old news. Even if her mother had been callous and driven over the years, she had always appreciated just how gorgeous the older blonde woman was.

While they traveled, the duo got closer still. They had years of bonding to make up for, after all, and Lillie was overjoyed that her mother seemed to be taking the task seriously. There was no lingering awkwardness despite the previously strained nature of their relationship, though Lusamine sometimes wrestled with her guilt.

Unfortunately, the trip had exhausted Lusamine and exacerbated her condition somewhat. The doctor recommended she use a wheelchair and, though the proud woman was reticent to heed him, she had been swayed by admonishment from her daughter. Lillie truly had a heart of gold and her wholehearted concern was touching, to say the least.

The duo rented a small house in the heart of Celadon City, amidst the urban bustle of department store patrons and a steady stream of Gym challengers. It was a quaint domicile, nothing like the fancy condominiums the residents lived in, but suitable for their purposes. Lillie hoped the fresh air and the local expert on reparative therapy would be able to make Lusamine good as new so they could return to their lives in the Alola region. This was their second chance at having a healthy relationship and there was nothing she wouldn't do to make sure they took full advantage.

Which is where our story begins.