The dawn air seemed far more gentle than it had ever been to Gladion when he awoke that morning.

Rain gently tapped at the window, clearly irritating the tired Pokémon beneath it. Silvally wanted nothing more than to sleep through the morning, at least until Gladion needed them, but this time, it wasn't going to happen. Gladion wondered if this was for the better, though. With everything going on, he'd be needed outside of the foundation, if only because he was the one with Silvally by his side.

Him and one other trainer, anyway, but with the orders to keep the incident with Steven under wraps, it wasn't like he could tell her anything. It was a shame. They needed Moon. She'd know what to do, and she'd likely be one of the few, out of everyone in the world he could drag into such a mess, that was willing to put her life on the line to fight the Beasts again.

They'd have to ask for that much, at least. Even if they couldn't do anything for Steven, they'd likely be able to bring in someone else to fight, and not just for Alola. There was far more at stake than just their region this time. Whether Hoenn was the only affected region or not remained to be seen, but if more of the world was being ravaged by the Beasts, he'd be needed in the other regions.

He could only hope this didn't end up being the case. This in mind, he'd already decided on where he'd be heading for the day. Nobody could hold him back from heading out on his own investigation, particularly when he knew exactly who he'd be speaking with. Hopefully, that guess he'd made about that person's past involvement in related events was correct…It was his one lead on anything at all, and if he was able to get more details regarding it, he'd consider the trip to Ula'ula Island more than successful.

Climbing out of bed, he couldn't help but look around, wondering why he hadn't bothered to change much about the room. There were a few essentials in the room, certainly. A large closet to one wall, his bed to another, a desk opposite to his bed, the various Memories placed atop it, and the huge window that provided a view of the sea outside. Nothing else, however. Only white walls and a tiled floor, a large black rug covering part of it.

It was a testament to how little free time he'd had after taking the position as president.

Gladion sighed, realizing that he felt…weak. It'd been lack of sleep, he was sure. Nobody had been able to sleep well after Steven's arrival. Regardless of the cause, he hated it. Exhaustion lingering in his bones, the feeling of actual hunger returning to his body after so much time spent recovering from his old home life, the fact that he could barely walk after finally standing up…

At least Silvally was there, clearly as tired as him. As Gladion walked towards his closet, Silvally slowly stood up, taking a moment to stretch before moving to their trainer's side.

"…Sorry you had to wake up so early," Gladion said, his voice almost a whisper, "We've got a long day ahead of us."

One step at a time. He just had to take things one step at a time. One day at a time, especially when that day involved travel across an entire island.

His morning routine would just be the start of another hard day.

"I'll be leaving for Ula'ula Island. I'm going to look for information."

Gladion looked out over the edge of the ferry, rain hitting him in a constant, gentle rhythm. He'd have no regrets at the end of this, he was sure. He'd never regretted heading out with Null. No regrets about anything he'd done to fight back against his mother. At the end of it all, even if Moon had been the one to end everything, he'd gotten to see Lillie smile again, brighter than ever.

If the Beasts reached Kanto, they'd reach everything Hau, Moon, and he had fought for.

It was a terrifying thought. He needed to get whatever information he could from this.

He found himself fidgeting with the Xtransceiver around his wrist. Things would be fine. Wicke would look after Aether Paradise without him there. If he was needed, he'd be called. That was how it'd be for the time he'd be out, that was how it'd been since he'd taken the new position, and this was how it'd be, he was sure, for a long while.

That was all he needed in life, though. Consistency in the world around him, consistency in the people around him. None of the unpredictability of his mother under the Beast's influence, and none of the unpredictability of anything he had to do for Team Skull. Finally, it seemed as if the world made sense to Gladion.

Perhaps, however, this was simply the natural recovery from what he'd been through.

Perhaps it was why the idea of the Beasts returning to the world frightened him as much as it did.

He didn't realize it until he noticed Silvally next to him, gently nuzzling his arm, but his fists were clenched tightly. He was shaking after thinking everything over, and it'd taken Silvally to snap him out of it.

Malie City was finally on the horizon. At last…Things were truly beginning. They had a plan, and somewhere during their travels, they would ensure it was put into action.

To think…a Beast had been there.

Mist blanketed Malie Garden that afternoon. As he stood looking over a bridge, Gladion watched what he could of the area. The rippling waters beneath him, the tall grass, and the bug Pokémon skittering about in the tall grass…it was just as calm as he'd expected it to be. To think, from what little he could find, that the garden was likely one of the places that'd been affected by the Ultra Beasts, was almost unbelievable to him. The grass still looked as vibrant as it should have. The waters were still undisturbed, and there were still people walking around the garden as if nothing had happened. Even his own Pokémon were taking in the environment of the garden, if Silvally and Lucario wrestling playfully nearby was any indication.

That was always a sight. Gladion looked over, observing the movements of the two Pokémon. Silvally pinned their smaller opponent with ease, but all it took was a quick kick to the belly from Lucario for Silvally to flinch and slip up. In an instant, Lucario was back on his feet, rushing;[ towards Silvally in a single swift motion.

Silvally took the hit head-on, then lay on their side for a moment, defeated, before getting up and heading back to their trainer.

Gladion smiled at this, gently scratching Silvally's neck before Lucario had walked over. Turning his attention to the smaller one, Gladion rubbed Lucario's shoulder gently as he spoke.

"Good job, both of you," he said gently, "You've become much stronger. Maybe we'll finally be able to defeat the Champion at this rate…"

If only they could fight her then. Gladion hardly wanted to admit it, but he missed Moon. No, it wasn't just Moon. It was the little group she'd always traveled with. Moon, Hau, and…Lillie. Something had felt…wrong once Lillie left. The group had split apart, and suddenly, even for him, things felt far too different.

And now, suddenly, everything was changing once again. If the group came back together in such dire times, Gladion would join them without hesitation.

That would be the only good thing about the situation. If that happened, he'd finally be able to see firsthand just how strong Lillie had become. He'd be able to fight alongside Moon and Hau once again. Just as he'd deny calling Moon a friend, he'd deny to the end that he felt stronger alongside her and Hau, at least until the three of them were forced to battle together again.

If it came to that…If it came to needing Alola's strongest trainers in one place for a fight, he'd push himself to his own limits in fighting that battle.

Sighing, Gladion stepped away from the bridge. The trip hadn't been worth anything at all. Even if Lucario and Silvally had taken the chance to train together and stretch their legs, they hadn't learned a thing from a walk around the garden. They really had no choice in the end but to go forward, did they?

It was good that they were used to cheap motels, at least. Maybe they'd actually be able to get a room for the night…

Wicke had been left to tend to the Conservation Area once more that day. There wasn't much to do until Interpol called, after all. Once more, the familiar cries of the foundation's Pokémon rang out around her, though this time they were far more frequent than usual. Even her own Corsola, as she wandered around at Wicke's feet, seemed unusually active that day. Was something amiss in there?

Perhaps it was simply the mood of the workers that set off the Pokémon.

Wicke couldn't blame the employees for being on edge, especially the ones she and Gladion had spoken to that morning. Even long after it'd happened, Wicke could still hear his order clear as day in her head: "Send teams to Kanto and Johto. Investigate what might be the work of a Beast."

She knew why he'd said such a thing. Wicke couldn't deny her own concerns regarding Lillie and Lusamine, but the fact remained that seeing Aether's field workers in such an area could be cause for alarm, regardless of whether or not there'd been a sighting. They'd know immediately, once they saw the first few employees stepping into the field, that there was something going on in their region. The idea of what could happen then…It was frightening, to say the least.

"Don't contact the Elite Four of any region. We want as few people involved in this as possible." Wicke had heard these words time and time again, wondering if that was as wise a decision as Interpol had claimed. The agent who they'd spoken to (Anabel, wasn't it?) didn't seem entirely convinced that this was a good idea, either…

How the organization managed to stay together was becoming more and more of a mystery to Wicke.

She very nearly contacted Gladion at that moment, wondering if his travels had managed to get him any new info. Wicke's hand was still hovering over her Xtransceiver when she decided against it, pulling her hand back and shaking her head.

It'd take time.

Everything would.

Nothing. Six hours of nothing, save for the slowly increasing rainfall and the occasional wild Pokémon that decided it wanted to jump out at him. It'd be enough to drive anyone's patience thin, but after everything, after having to negotiate everything regarding Steven's treatment mere days ago, after all the discussion that morning of where else to send employees inter-regionally, after nothing coming out of a visit to an area that a Beast supposedly visited, and after coming out all the way onto Route 13 after such a day…To say Gladion was on edge would be an understatement.

His feet sank further into the muddy ground with each step. His face was twisted in frustration and disgust.

Silvally wasn't doing much better. Exhaustion shone in the large Pokémon's eyes, but they forced their legs out of the soft ground and pulled themself forward, ever closer to a little motel that felt like an eternity away. Every time Gladion reached for Silvally's Ball, Silvally let out a soft hiss at him, taking a more intimidating stance until he moved his hand away.

A particularly aggressive strategy for staying out of his Ball, but Gladion couldn't deny that he needed company in the situation he was in. Under any other circumstances, he'd find comfort in rain. He'd remember that once, Team Skull had existed. That they'd taken him in at his lowest point, and even if Gladion had mixed feelings about the group in the end, he remembered that there had been times where they'd felt like a family at a time when he'd needed one more than ever.

His feet finally hit solid ground.

It was far less of a relief than he'd thought it'd be. He still felt weighed down when he stepped into the motel, already rummaging through his bag for his wallet. It didn't take long at all, once he was in, for Silvally to follow, shaking themself off violently once they had a roof over their head.

For a brief moment, there Gladion stood, with his wallet in hand and a very wet Silvally behind him, tracking mud around wherever they pleased. He wanted to say it felt nostalgic, but this was far from what his first visit had been like. He hardly felt forced to head into the motel. He didn't feel like he was escaping anything at all, instead simply wanting to clean himself off and sleep peacefully through the night.

An aged man stood behind the front desk, opening one of his dark brown eyes and letting out a chuckle upon seeing who had arrived. It sent a wave of discomfort through Gladion, and he had to hold back a shudder. This didn't mean he'd be hurt. This was simple amusement on the man's part, and not at his expense. He was fine.

"Hah! Never thought I'd see you back," the old man said, "I almost didn't recognize you. You look much stronger than you did all that time ago. So, that's what your Pokémon looks like beneath the mask, eh?"

"Y-Yes," Gladion replied, his voice wavering a little, "This is Silvally."

Straightening his posture, the man opened his other eye to get a better look.

Silvally stood proud as they heard their name, as if they could look dignified while they were coated in such a thick layer of dirt.

"What a Pokémon that is," he said, his rough voice carrying a gentle edge to it, "Good to see that you're both well. We were worried sick over here after you'd left."

"Are there any rooms available?" Gladion asked, cutting through any more small talk before it happened.

The man shook his head, tapping a few bony fingers on the counter. In a single moment, Gladion was struck with an unreasonable sort of panic. Everything seemed to crash down on him once again. No, he couldn't. He had to stay in control. He had to breathe, before…

"You…You what?"

His nails were nearly digging into his palms as he spoke. With each breath Gladion heaved out, he felt the frustration from his sudden outburst fading away. Silvally gently nudged his hand, nearly taking it in their mouth to drag it away before Gladion turned away from the front desk, letting out a huff.

"…Sorry," he muttered as he walked away, led outside by Silvally.

He wouldn't even look back at the elderly man he'd snapped at. Gladion was sure that he'd heard the man speak up again, to try and call him back, but he didn't pay that any heed at all.

He simply walked out once more into the rain.

As Gladion stood just outside the entrance to the motel, he noticed someone there, someone who didn't need to say a word in order to set him off. This was his reason for coming to Ula'ula, and they would be battling if he had anything to say.

The only thing Gladion needed to hear in order to want such a thing was the unmistakable cry of an Alolan Persian.

"Wicke…Good evening."

Steven's eyes were wide open, a sharp contrast to how he was the night before. Though he still seemed sluggish (not like everything he was wired up to would allow for much movement), he was smiling warmly at Wicke.

She couldn't help, as she stood in the doorway, watched carefully by guards and the ever-present nurse, but feel a pang of grief when Steven looked at her. No light seemed to shine in the man's eyes.

This wasn't how Lusamine had looked at all, this was a serenity born out of necessity after the possibility arose that he'd killed somebody close to him.

It was downright crushing, walking into the room. As the door shut behind her, Wicke almost felt trapped. Almost.

This was still her burden to bear, and despite the weight of Steven's grief pulling her down with him, she was proud to bear it.

"Hello again, Steven," Wicke replied, "Are you holding up better tonight?"

A weak nod from Steven.

"More or less," he said, his voice still rough and strained, "I take it things outside have calmed down?"

"Yes, I think everyone is settling back into their daily routine nicely," Wicke said, making her way to Steven's bedside, "I don't think I've ever seen Aether Paradise so shaken…"

Silence plagued the room for a moment. Steven shifted slightly, as if his entire body was fishing for the correct action. Wicke couldn't blame him, either-There wasn't much he could talk about, was there? Nothing was going on for him, and she was certain that trying to talk about anything he'd been through would dredge up some painful memories for him…

While she'd have been content to sit by him quietly, Wicke was surprised to hear a request from Steven.

"…Would you mind telling me about your day?" he asked, "I think having someone to listen to is all I need right now."

"Oh! Of course," Wicke replied, a slight enthusiasm returning to her voice, "I'd be happy to do this regularly, if it helps."

"That would be wonderful," Steven breathed, "Thank you."

Wicke immediately noticed the edge of hesitation in Steven's voice. His hesitance was almost…frightening. It was as if, suddenly, he flickered out of existence for that one brief moment, as if the Beast was still there. Wicke looked into his eyes once more. He was…gone, wasn't he? He wasn't entirely there, something she'd known from the start. His eyes kept their dull and lifeless quality, and his smile suddenly looked ever so slightly more like hers. It was brief, but the image of Lusamine flashed in Wicke's mind once more.

"More than anything, they need our unconditional love, Wicke. This is why I'm so happy to welcome you to Aether."

These words echoed in her mind, and her blood ran cold.

Steven stared ahead, and Wicke never once spoke.

Minutes passed.

The door opened again.

"Wicke. That's all the time you have tonight. …Wicke?"

Wicke gasped, snapping out of her trance, before realizing that Steven's eyes had closed. Though the constant beeping from the monitors said he was alive, what she'd seen told her that there were parts of him, already, that were long dead.

He was recovering, she had to remind herself. He'd be back to his old self soon, and they could send him back to Hoenn, regardless of what awaited him when he returned home.

"O-Of course," Wicke said, trying to stabilize her voice, "I'll be on my way, then."

She took a final look at Steven before leaving, wondering if what she'd seen in those final few minutes would ever fade from him.

Nearly silent footsteps accompanied two approaching shadows. The tapping of paws followed the surprisingly soft footsteps of a clearly exhausted man, whose slouched figure was all too recognizable in the low light. A low, rumbling purr emanated from the Persian's throat as it stepped forward, stopping in front of Gladion once it was certain he could see it, and took a moment to shake the excess water from its thick coat of fur.

Every time Gladion had met Nanu, he'd wondered just what Tapu Bulu had seen when it chose him to be Ula'ula's kahuna.

Slowly, Nanu's stress-aged face became visible to Gladion. The darkness around his deep red eyes looked far less intimidating up close, where his apathy and exhaustion were as clear as day. His left forearm was wrapped in bandages, something that left Gladion wondering what kind of mauling could lead to such an injury. After considering that this was a man who spent so much time surrounded by Meowth, however, he realized that it was only natural he'd have incidents that led to things like that.

It didn't matter. He didn't care what Nanu had been through before this, Gladion needed to…de-stress.

"Battle me," Gladion challenged, the fatigued quality to his voice not affecting his conviction at all, "Silvally and I need a strong opponent."

He was met with a long, exasperated sigh, along with Persian returning to its trainer's side and lying down, looking at Silvally expectantly.

There was a long pause. Gladion simply stared into the kahuna's eyes, realizing that his own desire for a fight seemed to be fading. Was bringing people down with him just a skill of Nanu's?

Nanu shook his head, though, and answered Gladion's question simply.

"…All right. I'll humor you. Only reason I'm out is because of Persian…Something woke her up."

The joys of having a Pokémon with such acute hearing…Whether or not Nanu had heard Gladion was lost upon the young trainer as he fished through his bag, pulling out a small disc and attaching it underneath the bolt-like part of Silvally's jaw.

"All I need is for Silvally to fight someone." Gladion gritted his teeth and watched as Silvally took a fighting stance, their eyes locked on the Persian in front of it. "I won't hold back! Silvally! Get ready!"

Giving a halfhearted shrug, Nanu gestured to his Persian to stand, and stand she did, claws outstretched and practically grinning as she returned Silvally's gaze. Sparks seemed to emanate from her fur, and the gem on her forehead glowed brightly, illuminating the grounds outside the motel. She stood lightly on the still wet ground, suddenly unaffected by the filth covering her. She looked relaxed, even, as she awaited her trainer's command.

To Gladion, it was downright infuriating.

"All right, then," Nanu sighed, "Persian…Fake Out!"

Persian leapt forward, letting out a sharp cry as her front paws met each other, sending Silvally recoiling back as she rushed away, letting out a sharp hiss.

As Silvally slowly recovered, opening their eyes to look at Persian and let out an ear-splitting roar, Gladion realized that everything surrounding their battle would be branded into his mind eternally.

He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, noticing that Silvally had looked back to him. Giving them a knowing nod, Gladion looked back to Nanu, the corners of his mouth curving upwards slightly.

"Come on, Silvally…Just like every other battle. We've got this one."