As the elevator made it's descent into the bowels of the facility, Maple kept her grip on Red's arm. She was tense, each inch brought them all down… down… and down, it felt like ages. She'd look at Red, a look of concern on her face, the flashing of the passing lights briefly illuminated his face, Maple tried to smile at him, but the look on her face was shown to be worried rather than happy. He'd noticed her gaze had fallen onto him, so he returned her gaze to her by looking right at her, he would smile, they didn't need to exchange any kind of words… they both knew what the other was thinking, it's always been like that, ever since that first day. Maple's looks only showed more and more discomfort as they went deeper, yet deeper still, into the undergrounds. No one dared to speak a word during their ride, Lusamine didn't even face the group of Kanto Trainers, how could she? She was ashamed. Green had her arms crossed the entire time, knowing something was wrong with Lusamine… she could sense the guilt radiating from the blonde scientist. Blue, on the other hand, had a look of suspicion on his face, he wasn't nearly as worried as Maple, or even Red, no, Blue was more interested in the interrogation that was about to be held against Lusamine, so his gaze was narrowed, a slight silly look on his face. The machine stops, the gates of the contraption lower, Aether's head would lead the way for the group, taking them past various rooms and medical bays for Pokémon, cheerful cries from Vulpix, to Jigglypuff can be heard… while the creatures were all content being here, letting out happy coos, it was anything but happy for Maple or Lusamine… somehow the walk down this hallway felt slightly longer than the way down, maybe because they were all on foot… still, she kept her hood off her, looking around at the white, featureless walls, as her eyes were frantically scanning the area, Red took his free arm and would go to rub Maple's head again as she wasn't look, initial surprise made her jump in silence, but she'd once again find herself looking at him. His eyes were all she needed to understand
"Don't worry."
Was the expression and feeling he'd give off, a slight smile and a nod to go along with it. Champion nodded, seeing Red reassure her she'd try and regain her composure… though it was easier said than done… Maple was… always a nervous young lady. As she was gathering her thoughts, Blue would casually walk up and poke Maple on the side of her abdomen.
"NEYEAHHH!"
Comically spiking up in a cartoony fashion, after her initial shock, she turned to Blue, as she had yelled, naturally everyone else would stop and look at Maple.
"BLUE!"
She'd yell as she would poke him in return, right on his face, with an annoyed look on her.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR, DAMNIT!"
She exclaims as she "violently" poked his face over and over.
"Hahahah! Well, you looked like you were spacing out so I wanted to check on you."
"Are you kidding me?"
She whispered back with a shout.
"You are supposed to be an adult! I mean…"
Blue laughed.
"Hahahahahah-! OW, FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-"
He was suddenly elbowed in the stomach by Red, who seemingly teleported next to Blue and Maple.
"You son of a bitch…"
"Yeah, yeah, screw you too."
Cracking a smirk as Red replied to Blue, Maple giggled quietly, Green nudged Maple afterward, a slight flinch, snapping her out of what she was doing, Maple would hurry up and continue to follow Lusamine, the blonde scientist would finally speak.
"I-I must say your group is very lively…"
Maple looked down at the floor, Lusamine coughed awkwardly.
"U-uh anyway, we're here, I apologize for such a walk, had I known Guests would be arriving, I would have taken you to the surface rooms…eheheh…."
Maple finally lifted her head back up, looking at Lusamine, but not directly at her either, however, the Scientist knew, and she shuddered a bit at Maple's blank stare.
"That's nice."
Replied the Alolan Champion, walking passed Lusamine as the door unlocked, instead of the typical bleach-like white rooms, this room was carpeted, and was adorned with awards from various conventions Lusamine has been too, the inside of this room looked more like it belonged in a castle, rather than Aether itself, the desk too was polished ever so caringly, it was a shining silver that contrasted the many gold and red items in the room, atop her desk was two framed photos, one of her and her husband before his disappearance, and the other was the family of three, Lillie and Gladion were very young here. Lusamine would gesture for Maple to sit in the long, velvet couch across from her desk, Champion nods and sits politely, however polite she may look, it was clear that darkness swirled, not too long after, Red would join her. Both of them shared the same stare.
"OH, NO WAY!"
Shouts Blue who wasted no time jumping into the single fancy red chair in the corner of the room, which was not too far from the couch.
"BLUE!"
Green came in with an annoyed shout, eyeing Blue with a look of annoyance.
"This nice lady takes us to her private room, and you repay that with JUMPING onto her furniture?"
"Hey, lay off, I don't see her having a problem with it."
Blue would say as he laid sideways on the chair.
"No, it's fine…"
Lusamine spoke up, Blue flashing a sly grin toward Green.
"Told you! Heheheheh!"
Green sighs, but she can't say anything if Lusamine had given them the okay.
"There is no need to be so on guard."
Aether's President looked to Green with the smile of a host, holding her arms spread.
"You are my Guests, please make yourselves comfortable… food and drinks will be on their way momentarily."
Green would sit on the chair in front of Lusamine's desk, she took a moment to observe all the little photos and other small things on her table, ranging from various Pokémon shaped jewelry, to unopened bottles of perfume.
"Hm…?"
She reached over to see the photo of Lusamine with her husband, it looks like it was taken on their wedding day… she placed it back, but there was one more thing on the table that caught her eye, she reached over slowly, picked up this strangely unframed reward… everything else was tended to lovingly, yet this paper was not? Slightly stained with coffee spills, Green squinted to make out the faded text.
Dearest Lusamine, we are honored to bestow upon you this certificate in celebration of your outstanding and incredible breakthrough for producing a living, reanimated humanoid like creature!
There was a footnote attached to the bottom of this paper…
P.S. we're certain that with more hard work and patience, you will be able to perfect not only this artform, but soon enough you'll be able to generate active, artificial teleportation as well! Think of what we can do if we can teleport creatures like this to wherever we want at any given time! Who knows, maybe you'll make a breakthrough in some type of teleportation to different time periods as well!
Our Sincerest Gratitude, ¤¤¤¤¤¤
The name of whoever sent her this letter has been scribbled out…. Green had a look of shock on her face, looking a bit pale, she turns to face Maple and Red. Maple seeing Green in such distress, which is not like her at all.
"Greenyeh? What's the matter?"
The other woman got up and quickly rushed over and handed Maple the paper.
"Ne-neyuh? What is…"
It did not take Maple long to read the phrase: for producing a living reanimated humanoid like creature .
She sighs, Red looked over and gazed down at the paper as well, his eyes flashed crimson before looking up at Green.
"Oh, Red…"
She covers her mouth, noticing the commotion, Blue sat up straight.
"Wait, what? The hell's going on?"
Maple held onto Red's arm.
"I know… I found out not too long ago, I found out everything before I saw you guys again…"
Her voice was shaky, when Red was angry, it scared her, well, he scares her a bit even when he's not angry, that's just how important she thinks he is.
"Maple."
Red spoke swiftly, while he sounded calm, it was clear to everyone else in the room that Red, was in fact, feeling the opposite.
"Yes, I know, but…"
Maple, trying her best to calm him down.
"Yo wait! What's this little bitch's problem now?"
"BLUE!"
Green yelped in a hushed tone.
"What? I dunno what's happening!"
"Well maybe if you'd listen for more than two seconds, you'd understand what's happening then!"
"GOD, GEEZ! WHAT THE HELL IS UP THEN?"
On cue, as he finished his sentence, Red leaned forward, with a piercing glare of crimson.
"Oh, oh shit, yo Red…"
Blue now realizing the situation they're in, he moved the chair closer to the rest of the group. Green would take off her sun hat and look at everyone in the room with concern in her eyes, Maple was still holding Red, but she decided to go further.
"Red…."
Maple would continue speaking to the person she's known her entire life.
"Believe me when I say this… I was furious when I found out, that… this woman was responsible for so much pain, misunderstandings, terror… and all those other things I can't find the words to right now…"
She took a deep breath as Red's gaze pierced her, she continued on.
"And… trust me when I say I tried to get her back after finding out what she did to us so long ago… and the reason I didn't carry out my attack? The whole Necrozma, Ultra Beast stuff happened… Lusamine herself was almost killed by Necrozma, it all happened after I raided Aether with Lillie and the others…"
Red's expression was still fierce, he closed his eyes, when he opened them again, they regained their original brown color.
"I see… no, I understand. Really, I know you did everything in your power to do what was right for us… I don't blame you for what Lusamine did, and I don't blame you for what happened to me either, Maple, neither one of us were prepared for what we saw that day."
She had seemingly gotten Red to calm down, though the air was still rather thick with tension, it would only get worse as Lusamine would return with some of her staff pushing in food carts.
"Terribly sorry to have kept you all waiting, I had to help my…?"
As she returned, opening her eyes, Lusamine would feel the gaze of the four who sat in her room.
Green's utterly shocked and look of disbelief.
Blue's gaze of slight disgust, eyes squinted in anger.
Maple's stare of sadness, confirming what Lusamine had done to her and the others' lives, and finally
Red's glare of piercing ice, if his looks could kill, this would definitely be it.
Lusamine, turning to her staff and shooing them away in a panicked breath, she stepped into the room…
"You know… Maple, did you…?"
"I did not."
Replied the hooded girl.
"Green."
Pointing to the other woman.
"Green found your papers, Lusamine…"
A dead look on Maple's face, as Red would stand up and walk over to the President, each step, Lusamine could feel her very core being shaken, she'd get down on her knees, clasping her hands together.
"Please, you don't understand, I-I didn't mean for that to happen! I never planned to make such an awful and terrible creature! I would never make something so foul, and evil! I especially would never, EVER want to unleash something so vile and cruel unto a place of grieving! Please… I really… really…!"
Maple hurried over to see Lusamine in tears, putting her hand on Red's shoulder.
"I—I'll vouch for her, Red… she means it."
The blonde lifts her head as she hears Maple come to her defense.
"At first… I thought she meant it too, she didn't mean to create that thing, Red- I promise."
Hearing Maple speak, Lusamine scooted over to her, still on her knees, crying, and she gave her a hug.
"I— thank you, I should have known… that, that… the girl who helped my little Lillie so much, I really should have realized your kindness… thank you."
Maple, not wanting to be rude, just kept rubbing her back as she sobbed into her shoulder, Maple's eyes darted to look at Red, raising an eyebrow and an awkward smile.
About twenty minutes later, Lusamine finally calmed down, she sat in her chair, not looking at any of the other four before her, she'd finally speak with a soft and shaky voice.
"Yes, yes… it's true, I have some explaining to do… a lot of it…"
She picked up a tissue from the tissue box on her desk, and wiped her eyes.
"Please, hear me out…"
Blue would move his chair closer so he could hear Lusamine's side of this whole story.
"Better be good, or else… we'll have to kill you."
Blue would flash a grin as his eyes turned to a shade of golden amber.
"Heheh…heheheheheheh, HAHAHAHA- OW!"
He would be cut short as Green slapped him in the back of the head.
"GOD, FINE! It was a joke, you always gotta have a stick up your ass, or what?"
Green rolled her eyes as a response.
"Blue!"
Maple shouted in a hushed way.
"Alright, alight, sheesh…"
Lusamine clears her throat… and begins to tell her tale.