"…finals will be postponed indefinitely. This official statement was made following today's incident in the Manalo Stadium, where a group of Trainers identified as Team Skull overran the stadium shortly after the second match of the semifinals. The culprits are already arrested, but their leader is still at large. The League is encouraging people to remain vigilant and report to…."
The news trailed away from Gladion's ears as he walked briskly past the reception hall. He barely glanced at the employees that greeted him on his way or paid any attention to the Pokémon that usually clambered their way to him. His feet might have their purpose and direction, but his mind has been aimless since that afternoon. That person that he and Hau saw – they might not have wholly seen the face, but he was sure who it might be it. He knows those eyes, gazed upon them many times, and has seen them whenever he looks at the ocean and the sky of the Alola region. He cannot be wrong, but at the same time, there is a feeling of wrongness about it.
Five years have passed, so how would they even know how she looked like? They got no pictures, no news, not even a rumor about the former Champion. Even if there is, the credibility will always be doubtful. They could imagine, or even assume, what she would look like after all these years, but there is no way they would know if they are right.
They must be hallucinating. Gladion paused on his steps and shook his head. There is just no way. If she ever comes back, they will know. Did Team Skull bring in a hallucinogenic substance? He should tell Hau to request the police to do a throughout search of the area. It will be dangerous to leave something like that behi-!
"Young Master?"
Gladion flinched and turned around sharply. The hand that was already reaching for his Pokéballs paused when he recognized the branch chief. "Wicke? What are you –" He brushed a flustered hand across his hair. "Hah…you surprised me."
Wicke gave him a worried look. "Forgive me, Young Master, but I saw you were standing outside the President's door for some time. Is everything alright?"
"… It's nothing." Gladion avoided her gaze and looked at the black double doors to his right. A golden plaque that reads President's Office was nailed on the door. How long has he been standing here like an idiot? He did not even notice that he had already reached his destination. He coughed lightly to dispel the awkward atmosphere. "Is…the President in?"
Wicke nodded. "Yes. Are you going to meet her?"
Gladion nodded absentmindedly. It has been a while since he has seen his mother - the last time he did was before Lillie's match against Sun. Since then, he has been busy chasing after Sun and uncovering his motives and connection to the string of events happening in Alola. He has not seen even a peep from his mother nor spoken to her at all. Now that he has the opportunity, he has a lot of questions to ask.
"There are things I want to discuss with her. Is she busy right now?"
"Not that I know of."
"I see…" Gladion turned to the doors and lifted a loosely clenched hand to knock. "Then, I'll be going inside."
"Young Master." Gladion's hand paused midair, and he looked at the purple-haired woman questioningly. Wicke fidgeted with the clipboard pressed tightly against her chest as if she were deliberating whether to continue or not. "I…If the young master does not mind, please be cautious around the President. I'm afraid she has been…out of sorts, to say it generously, the past few days."
Gladion furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
Wicke carefully considered her following words. "I cannot say but, please be wary. Not just now, but also for the coming days. That's all I have to say. If you'll excuse me." She bowed down and hastily walked away.
Gladion could only watch in confusion as she turned the corner and disappeared. Wicke is not the skittish type; she is always composed while fulfilling her job efficiently and professionally as the branch chief. Seeing her act like this felt wrong, and from Gladion's experience, it means something is going on, and he should listen to what the woman told him.
What does she mean that Mother is out of sorts? There is no way that Lusamine relapsed back when she was envenomated by a Nihilego six years ago. Bill assured them that the anti-venom worked perfectly, and the multiple tests done in the months before her and Lillie's return to Alola showed her negative of the Ultra Beast's venom. There have been a few adverse effects, but none of them were severe nor long-lasting.
It would be better to see it myself. Gladion knocked thrice and called out. "President, it's me, Gladion. Are you busy?"
From the other side of the doors, a clear, sweet voice rang out. "Not at all. Come in."
Gladion gripped the handle and pushed the doors open. He stepped inside the pristine, white room and closed the doors behind him. Across him, Lusamine rose from behind her desk and smiled pleasantly. "It's been a while, Gladion. You haven't visited your mother these past few days."
"I've been busy lately," Gladion replied as he crossed the room in a few long strides. "I have important things to do."
"Is that so? What things would my son be occupied with that he could not even spare the time to visit his mother?" Lusamine ushered him to the sofa set at one side of the room and sat across him. She gingerly picked up an elegant ceramic teapot from the glass coffee table. "Tea?"
Gladion hesitated for a moment. He glanced at the tea set spread in front of him before nodding slowly. "…Yes." He watched her pour tea and accepted the teacup from her. "Thank you."
"I'm glad we could talk like this after a long time," Lusamine said cheerily as she poured herself a cup. "Now, what were we talking about? Ah, yes! The matters you are busy about."
Gladion stared at the steaming, light-brown drink on his hands. "The President must have already heard what happened today." He said quietly. "I checked the situation myself. While the stadium is currently in a state of disorder, there are no reported casualties. All civilians were evacuated immediately and the only ones left were the police and the volunteers the Foundation we sent earlier. The initial investigation was carried out without any problems, and the culprits were arrested, but the police have yet to capture Guzma."
"Is that so?" Lusamine took a sip of her tea. "It would be for the best if Guzma does not show his face anymore."
Gladion's fingers tightened around the handle of the teacup. "What do you mean?"
"The good reputation he worked hard to build is destroyed. It would be no good for him or his subordinates to appear in public. The people will ostracize them again, just like the old times. It's quite pitiful, really." Lusamine set down her teacup with a soft CLINK! and smiled. "Don't you think so too, Gladion?"
Gladion stared at her smiling face before answering carefully. "… That's not something for me to decide, President."
Lusamine chuckled. "You're so uptight, my son." She folded her hands together and set her chin down. "And why President? Call me Mother. It would make me really happy hearing you call me that."
Gladion shook his head. "I'm here to discuss work, and so, I will call you President." He said firmly. "This is what we have discussed and agreed with five years ago, President." He placed the teacup down on the table and met her eyes. "I'm here to inquire about the progress of Professor Elio and Professor Burnet's research about the berserk Pokémon, as well as regarding the Ultra Recon Squad's cooperation with the Ultra Beasts crisis. I haven't been able to see them lately, given that I am busy. You promised to report any updates to me the soonest you can, yet I have yet to receive any."
Lusamine sat back, disappointed. She pressed a hand on her forehead and sighed. "Really now? Is work the only reason you are here?"
"Would there be other reasons I should be here for?"
"Such a stubborn child." Lusamine clicked her tongue. "Would it hurt you not to disappoint your mother even on -!"
BANG!
The ceramic tea set rattled when Gladion slammed his palms against the table. The sparkling tea spilled over the cups and onto the polished glass surface. "President!" Gladion exclaimed. "I don't care whether you have good or bad news! I want to know the state of affairs on our side! Right now, Alola is in danger, and it is our job to protect the people and the Pokémon in the region. You know that!"
Gladion clenched his teeth. "Ugh! Forget it!" He stood up. "I will look for them myself, so don't even bother." He turned and began walking towards the door.
"Gladion!" Lusamine admonished as she rose and stomped after him. "Are you just going to walk away from your mother? You haven't even drunk your tea. Stop being difficult!"
Gladion gripped the handle tightly and glanced at the desk. The photos that once littered one side of the President's desk have been cleared. "I don't like tea." That stopped Lusamine from her steps. "You know that. Because every time I came by, you prepared coffee for me. Sometimes, it would be bitter, sometimes sweet. But even so, I never cared what the taste was because you made it. What changed?"
"Son-"
Gladion turned around and glared at her. "You are not my mother. Who are you?" With his free hand, he reached to Silvally's Pokéball. His chartreuse green eyes flashed in anger. "Give me one reason not to tell Silvally to rip you to shreds right here, right now."
Lusamine stared at him hard before lowering her head. Her shoulders trembled as she dissolved into a fit of hysterical laughter. "Hah…ha ha ha HAHAHAHAHA!" Gladion let go of the doors' handle and fell into a battle stance. Her laughter ceased as she looked up and met his eyes. "How frustrating. You are as troublesome as my Gladion."
My Gladion? Gladion's hand clenched tightly around Silvally's Pokéball. "Who are you? Answer my question!"
"As impatient as well." Lusamine turned and walked toward the desk. "It's such a shame that things ended the same way. You are far lovable than my son. We could have been a loving family if you didn't figure it out so quickly. What a shame." She leaned against the desk as she faced him. "I should introduce myself. I am another version of your mother, my dear boy. The Lusamine from a parallel world."
"W-What?" From another world? Gladion gaped at her with wide eyes. He was not there at that time, but he had heard of the invasion of an evil organization to Aether Paradise shortly after Moon was crowned Champion. He has read news articles about it and discovered that the people involved also existed in this world. If that is the case, then this person, this woman who looks like his mother….
He forced himself to look at her properly. He has seen that detached smile before and those dark and empty eyes…the Lusamine before him is the version of his mother who never received salvation - someone who has completely surrendered to desperation and madness. But how did she get here? If she is from a parallel world, could it be that she managed to exploit Cosmog's interdimensional powers fully? Why did nobody stop her? Where is her world's Moon? She was the one who has stopped this world's Lusamine, so where is the parallel version of her? What happened…?
Don't tell me… Gladion's hand loosened around Silvally's Pokéball in disbelief. His jaw tightened. "You…do you know a person named Moon in your world?"
"Hm? Are you speaking to me calmly now? What a capricious child." Lusamine stared down at him. "No, I don't know this Moon you're talking about. Such a person doesn't exist in my world. Yet from the looks of it, she's quite a celebrity in this world. I heard she's the Champion of this region." She smiled viciously behind the palm of her hand. "Though former Champion should be the proper title."
Gladion glowered. "How dare you!"
"Oh? What's this? Don't tell me…." Lusamine narrowed her eyes. "She's someone important to you? Now, this is something!" She cackled in cruel glee. "Who would have thought my cold, heartless son would have someone dear to his heart? I'm quite intrigued."
"Shut up! I am not your son, and you are not my mother." Gladion plucked Silvally's Pokéball. "Tell me where my mother is or else -"
"Or else what? You're going to tell everyone?" Lusamine sauntered toward him until she was standing in front of him. She spoke in a low, haughty voice. "You don't know anything, Gladion. I am not the only one in this region."
She placed a finger on his chin and tilted his face forward. "You can't even do anything right now. You, the police, the fools in that so-called League…I will recreate my paradise in this Alola, exactly like how I created in mine, and you can't do anything to stop me. As for the Lusamine of this world, hmmm… let's see…." The smile on her lips threatened to split her face apart. "I wonder what would happen if they were left without the basic necessities. Perhaps, they will rot to death?"
Gladion slapped her hand away and growled. "You're not going to stay any longer here. I will send you back to your world. I promise you that!"
"How adorable." Lusamine chuckled as she stepped back. "I want to see you try. If you can't hold a candle against my cute, sunshine lamb, what chance do you have?"
She reached the handle and opened the doors. She gripped Gladion's shoulders - her nails digging on his clothes - and pushed him forcefully to the hallway. Gladion stumbled back and almost toppled to the floor. "Now then, be a good boy and sleep well. By the time you wake up, this will all just be a horrible nightmare."
"Wait-"
The doors slammed shut to Gladion's face. He shouted, punched, and kicked, but the doors did not budge an inch. He stomped and snatched Silvally's Pokéball he dropped on the floor. He was about to call out the Synthetic Pokémon when the other Lusamine's words echoed in his head.
"You don't know anything, Gladion. I am not the only one in this region."
"Dammit!" He slammed his forehead against the adjacent wall before slumping against it. He cannot trust anybody here. If there are more people like her, then….
A ringing tone broke him out of his thoughts. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. A familiar phone number was displayed – a number that he only received a message once and no replies from his messages afterward. Sun's. He hastily opened the message and felt the color drain out of his face as he read.
Mahalo Trail. Nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning.
Bring everyone you trust.
Protect Tapu Koko at all costs.
