hello again! thanks for being patient with me-a lot happened this chapter, and it was a little hard to figure out how to put it all into words!

this in mind, i'm also considering doing a collection of oneshots taking place alongside this story-thoughts on that would be appreciated!

the next chapter may be a little late, as i'm about to go on the road for a bit. thanks for reading and supporting the fic! 3

"Phew…Sorry for being late!"

The pattering of bare feet against the lab floor was a welcoming sound to Gladion. Standing outside the door to Secret Lab B, eyes fixed on the elevator ahead of him, he'd been half-tempted to give up on waiting for Phoebe.

He should have known better, he thought. Phoebe was only one of Hoenn's strongest, after all.

Gladion simply opened the door next to him, watching as it slid open. At such a time, it seemed to move slower than it should have, though Gladion could only chalk that up to his mind playing tricks on him. The times they were in were stressful, almost unbearably so, and he was surprised that so much of Aether was still standing when they were harboring a potential…

Murderer. It was a terrifying thought, especially when, thinking more on it, such a thing could have been driving the foundation apart bit by bit. He was sure that, after the day he spent away, Wicke would be the one to talk about regarding such a thing, though as the door finally opened and she looked up from the files she held, her gaze unsteady, never focused on one thing, he wondered if she'd even picked anything up about the issue.

She seemed to relax, however, at the sight of Phoebe standing next to him.

"Good evening, Phoebe," Wicke began, "Please come in. Master Gladion, if you would…"

The move into the secret lab felt prolonged. Phoebe's every step seemed lighter and lighter. She took in her surroundings, the shelves of files in the back, the door leading to another room, a room where there'd no doubt been numerous shady dealings, the cages, the operating table, and the white of the room that practically burned her eyes as she looked around, unblinking.

Gladion took note of her more alert posture as he closed the door behind them.

She was hardly wrong to be unnerved by such a room…if that was truly nervousness he was seeing in her. Phoebe's posture didn't exactly suggest nerves when he took another look at her, merely the necessary attentiveness that came with stepping into Aether's secret labs.

Stepping forward, Gladion spoke.

"You wanted to tell me something," he said, hoping to keep things brief, "Why do you want to talk with Steven?"

Phoebe nodded at this, her expression softening at this.

To Gladion, seeing her lips curve into a smile once more and seeing the shine return to her eyes was almost…infuriating. She'd just lost two Champions she'd worked under, and this was how she'd approach such an event?! Clenching his fists, he simply awaited Phoebe's reply, hoping she wouldn't notice a thing.

"I want to speak with him," Phoebe explained, "Because I've been doing my own investigation. Something didn't seem right with how Wallace died, but with Glacia off to who-knows-where most of the time, Sidney smoking a pack a day and refusing to step away from the League, and Drake off at sea again, nobody else is fit to go out and look into this possibility yet. To me…everything seemed to fall into place a little too well."

"You think he was framed," Gladion summarized, the tension beginning to leave his system, "And want our help."

"Yes," Phoebe continued, glancing to Wicke, whose expression was growing more concerned with each word, "Steven and Wallace were our Champions, and I can't let things end like this. If Steven is found guilty of this one, Wallace won't ever find peace."

Though Gladion had relaxed, the tension had seemingly transferred over to Wicke, who could hardly keep herself still. Every bit of her seemed to be twitching, fidgeting, affected by every shift in the atmosphere around her.

Gladion was the first to speak up.

"I can't…I can't let you speak to him," he admitted, "…I don't think we'll have much time left to discuss this matter together, though. Miss Wicke…Your visit."

"Y-Yes…" Wicke sighed, "It's almost time. Forgive me. If you have any questions…"

Wicke found herself swallowing, trying to rid herself of the lump forming in her throat.

"Please don't hesitate to ask Master Gladion. If you'll excuse me, then…"

Without another word, Wicke left the room. The door shut behind her and the tapping of her heels against the ground quickly faded away, leaving Gladion and Phoebe in the midst a palpable silence.

Stepping forward without an ounce of hesitation, Phoebe shattered the tension in the air like a stone hitting glass.

"I have to ask something of you," she began once again, "I need to know…and if you can't, it's completely understandable. Can you afford to leave Alola for a bit?"

"I had a question before all this, and I've finally remembered what that question was."

The soft reflection had returned to Steven's eyes, and his face had turned downcast. Suddenly, his features had shifted, the blank stares had all but vanished and the way his brow now curved downward, the way his teeth seemed to be gritted, the way the corners of his mouth twitched as he struggled with whatever was on his mind…

Wicke had no doubt anymore.

This was Steven Stone, ex-Champion and businessman, pride of the Hoenn region. This was no longer a man lost to Nihilego's influence. Had Calla been right? Even if this was something of a relief, though…

Nothing changed the fact that Wallace was dead, and nothing changed the fact that he could have very well died by Steven's hand.

It was Wicke's job to at least hear him out. To give him a little human contact so that he wouldn't lose himself further to the isolation. In the eyes of many at Aether, this was the foundation's most dangerous position.

To Wicke, this was hardly a danger. A few visits, and she'd grown used to Steven. She didn't want to say attached. Attached would imply that she'd break the vow of remaining unbiased further than she already had. Attached would imply that the desire to keep him there would outweigh the needs of the foundation, that Wicke would be willing to put Aether in more danger just to delay the inevitable.

In a way, now that Steven was presumably back to his old self, perhaps Wicke was growing attached.

Sitting down by his bedside, Wicke nodded.

"Yes? I'll see if I can answer any questions you might have," she assured.

Steven nodded, his face relaxing for a moment.

"I was wondering…If I'm allowed to know such a thing…" Steven's voice lacked the dryness from previous days, though it still came out as barely a whisper. "I was wondering if Interpol had found my Metagross yet."

There was something they hadn't discussed. The matter of Steven's Pokémon. There were a few that had been found-the Carbink, Claydol, Excadrill, even that supposedly flighty and mischievous Archeops-but they hadn't found a trace of the Metagross, let alone the rest of Pokémon that had gone missing shortly before Steven.

Wicke fell silent. She couldn't help but let the emotion in his voice take hold of her, letting waves of uncertainty and grief shake her to her very core. It stabbed at her system, hitting her with aching bones and a stab to the chest, a choked feeling in her throat, and just as quickly as it'd arrived, it left, the only remnant of such a surge of emotion in Wicke being a faint buzz throughout her entire being.

He'd lost his Pokémon. She could think of no worse fate for a Champion.

"Ah…It's fine," Steven continued, his voice wavering, "Don't be too concerned. I don't believe they're gone yet. Metagross are some of the strongest Pokémon known to humans, after all. I highly doubt they'd go down without an incredible fight."

Leaning forward slightly, Wicke forced a smile out of herself.

"I'll do what I can to keep up with our contacts about this," she sighed, "It would certainly be a mess to have a Metagross roaming Hoenn, particularly one as strong as yours."

To Wicke's surprise, the corners of Steven's mouth curved upwards at this.

"I couldn't agree more. The environmental effects it'd have aside," Steven added, "Other trainers would start going after them in a heartbeat. Not like they'd have any of that."

Steven let out a breathy chuckle, moving back in his bed as much as everything attached to him would allow.

The way his mouth began to curve upwards suggested he'd be fine.

The way his words hit Wicke's ears suggested that he'd never be "fine" again.

Wicke moved to speak again, but Steven spoke up first, closing his eyes.

"…If I may…" he said, his face seeming to shift back towards his earlier expression with each word, "Would it be all right to talk about them more? I've missed my partner terribly. I think talking about them might help."

Wicke nodded, letting her gaze turn away from Steven briefly as she did.

It was as hard for her as ever to stay so close and listen to him. The raw emotion in his voice only ever carried over to her, and it took all her energy not to show such a thing in herself. Every subtle thing that most would pay no mind to, it hit her, and it hit hard.

Doing what she could to hide it all-the shuddering breaths, the ache in her chest, the same feeling of loneliness that had taken hold of Steven-Wicke nodded.

"You absolutely may," she replied, "There should be…if I'm correct, we should have about another fifteen minutes."

Moon's eyes were immediately drawn to the motel, and the familiarity of the situation hit her like a bullet to the chest. It was familiar, and she knew she'd be going into another dangerous mission.

It was good, then, that she still had plenty of Beast Balls remaining, but was capturing more of them truly the right idea? Was this even about the Beasts? No, it had to be. Looker had called upon her again, and this would mean…There was no doubt about it. Was Anabel working herself like she'd been during the last incident? If that was the case…Moon was definitely ready for whatever this visit would mean.

She was doing her part to protect Alola, possibly even the world.

That was all she needed to know.

Stepping up to the door, Moon's knuckles met cold metal with a resounding tapping. It hurt to knock-was she that nervous? She could barely tell at that point, everything seemed to quickly be going numb for her, as if her mind was preparing her for any losses that would come in the near future.

The door opened slowly, and a gloved hand beckoned her inside the dark room.

Within the pitch-blackness stood only one other figure, one who closed the door behind her and stood in front of Moon, not bothering to turn another light on.

"I-Is there a reason for the lights to be off, Miss Anabel?" Moon inquired, her voice quivering.

Through what little she could see, was Anabel…shaking her head?

"Unfortunately," Anabel replied, "Much of the wiring here has been damaged recently. Apparently, a trainer's Jolteon was allowed to run free last night, leaving the motel in this state."

"O-Oh…I thought it'd be something a little more exciting," Moon admitted, "S-Since you're here and all. Is Mr. Looker around as well?"

"We received a call just moments ago," Anabel explained, "He's outside handling that."

"Ah. So why'd you call me here?" Moon asked, cocking her head to the side, "Is this about…?"

"…The Beasts?" Anabel added, "Yes. The Ultra Beasts are returning to this world. I'd imagine you've heard of the current state of Hoenn's Pokémon League?"

"You mean…!" Moon gasped, "Nihilego?! It was Nihilego, right?"

Anabel gave a solemn nod.

"Indeed, and what's even more mysterious is that the specimen seems to have completely vanished," Anabel continued, "We've just returned from Hoenn in hopes of seeking you out. We believe that your connection to Alola's Legendary Pokémon may be able to help shed more light onto what's become of Nihilego."

"Metagross…They were a Beldum when I was first given them," Steven mused, "My father had noticed my interest in Steel-types, and had given me one as a pet. He hadn't expected me to try and go against the League with such a Pokémon."

"I can imagine," Wicke replied, "It must take patience to raise Beldum. If what I was told was correct…You bred them, didn't you?"

Steven chuckled at the mention of this. It was definitely true, he'd loved having the numerous baby Beldum around. Being on the road was a rather lonely experience at times, and having a few young Pokémon by his side had always made things much easier on him.

"Yes, I did," he continued, "I've always loved being able to raise these Pokémon from their birth. There's a sense of familiarity that comes with it. It's comforting, to me, to guide a Pokémon from its start and help it grow stronger, even if it's going to be sent to another person someday."

Wicke bowed slightly at this.

"That's an honorable way of thinking," she said, her expression returning to her usual gentle smile, "I can certainly relate to it."

"Oh?" Steven inquired, "Now you've piqued my interest…I suppose I can save a few stories about Metagross for our next visit. What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," Wicke said, "That a similar attitude to that is the reason I joined Aether."

"W-What?!"

"Please, calm down. You don't have to do anything." Anabel hardly moved as she continued her explanation to Moon, who stood motionless and shocked at such a statement. "You've already gone above and beyond for Interpol. If you feel like the danger is too great now that the Beasts are spreading to other regions…so long as you remain silent about what you've heard, I'm sure I'll be able to negotiate something with my superiors."

"N-No…" Moon protested, though her voice was considerably quieter, "I don't…I'm a Faller. I know a lot about the Ultra Beasts! If nobody else is going to do this…"

She paused, remembering everything. The look on Nanu's face as he'd explained the incident with UB-05…Moon couldn't put her finger on it, but remembering back to the talk about Anabel's condition, something had been far more wrong than she'd first thought.

It wouldn't sit well with her to leave such a situation alone.

"I want to help with the Ultra Beasts," Moon finally announced, "So please, Miss Anabel. Tell me what I need to do!"

Anabel nodded hesitantly.

"All right," she breathed, "This may lead to you heading out of Alola for work, though. Are you ready for such a task?"

"Definitely!" Moon stepped forward, taking what seemed to be a fighting stance. "I'm ready for any fight they can give me!"

"I suppose, then…I should first tell you about what is happening to Steven Stone."

"I've wanted to help Pokémon my entire life." Nostalgia shone in Wicke's eyes. "I couldn't bear to let them suffer. Not when there was something I could do for them. It was why I came to admire the president here. When she took the position, she gave a speech, and I was lucky to be able to watch her give it. It'd made regional news while I was bedridden."

"That's certainly something," Steven commented, "So the president inspired that much in you? What was it like, finally being able to work under her?"

What was it like? Wicke wanted to remember it all more than anything, but the thoughts of Lusamine's emotionally drained eyes from the Beast's influence, the thought of a woman who, if what she'd learned about the Ultra Space incident was accurate, tried to kill her own daughter under such a creature's influence…

And the fact that she was staring into the eyes of someone who may have done the same thing, it was…unnerving, to say the least.

Had Lusamine been the same person she was when Wicke had first met her?

Had Steven simply met a tragic fate, or did he truly want his own friend dead?

"Oh…forgive me," Steven sighed, "I'm sorry. I can't imagine what thinking about her as she is now is like."

He didn't know. He didn't know about Nihilego. He didn't know she had ever been afflicted by the venom, only that for the past six months she'd been battling for her life against an unknown disease, that she was possibly facing a threat to her life.

He didn't know about the abuse Lillie and Gladion had endured.

He didn't know, and he wouldn't know for as long as they could keep such an incident a secret.

"It's fine." Wicke's words came out far quieter than before. "Thank you for your concern, Steven."

"Mr. Stone is currently at Aether Paradise, recovering from the effects of Nihilego venom. While several Aether employees were treated for such a thing some time ago, Stone is showing some…unusual symptoms."

"Huh?"

"Tests showed signs that there was still venom in his system, but it seems to be affecting his brain in far different ways than it should. Nihilego's presence seems to have…slowed him down, according to Aether's reports. He's showing signs of memory loss, and he's become far less active during his stay with them."

Moon stepped back at this, letting out a few shaky breaths.

"Th-That's…What do you think is going on?"

"We can't say. Nobody can," Anabel sighed, "However, with such occurrences happening across the world now, we have no choice but to call upon those involved with the previous incident. As things stand, we have no reason for you to leave Alola, however, so-"

The sudden opening of the door cut Anabel off, and though she stood firm, Moon leapt back, digging through her bag for a Poké Ball. Clutching an Ultra Ball, she stared straight at the figure in the door with wide eyes before noticing that they were gasping for breath.

Anabel simply looked to the figure with a familiar, hardened gaze. She'd been expecting this, hadn't she?

That means-! Moon thought, as she finally began to back down, What did they say about…?

"C'est une catastrophe!"

"Mr. Looker," Anabel replied, her steely expression not fading, "What did they say?"

"I've gotten another tip about the Beasts, Chief! Another has been spotted!"

"…Though…" Wicke mused, "Has anyone mentioned the members of your team that were found? While I'm not allowed to bring them in, your Carbink was the first to be found."

"Carbink?" Steven echoed, "I'd imagine you've learned about their separation anxiety the hard way."

There had been several new constants that had formed in Aether once Steven arrived. One was Steven's presence. Like it or not, Aether was where he'd stay. Another, however, was that somewhere in the Conservation Area, late into the night until exhaustion finally took hold of them and they collapsed, the injured Carbink that Aether had taken in would cry out for the trainer it desperately needed to see. It pained Wicke to have to separate such a lonely Pokémon from a trainer that had likely shown it nothing but love, but unfortunately, with Steven's case, orders were orders, and they bound her to decisions she'd never have made otherwise.

That was the cruelest truth of it. No matter what happened, she'd have to keep Steven's Pokémon away from him, and they would remain alone, yet still loyal to the man they'd fought for so much.

The clock was ticking, and yet she'd have to leave with such a thought.

"It's…I'm terribly sorry. It's almost time," Wicke whispered.

"No, no, it's quite all right," Steven replied, giving a weak yet surprisingly enthusiastic nod, "I'm looking forward to our next visit."

"Of course. Hearing about you, Steven…It's certainly fascinating," Wicke continued, "Until tomorrow. Sleep well."

"Good night, Wicke." Steven's eyes closed, and he turned away from Wicke, his last words to her coming out slightly muffled. "Oh, and…tell Phoebe I said hello."

Instantly, Wicke's heartbeat practically doubled in pace.

"W-What did you-?!"

The door opened, cutting her off as a familiar hand beckoned her away from Steven.

"Wicke." Arum's voice was clear as day, though it did nothing to snap Wicke out of the state of panic she was trying to contain. "Come on. Your time's up."

With unsteady footsteps, Wicke stepped out silently, glancing back briefly as the door closed-

Was that movement she saw in there?

"Unova," Looker began, "There has been a sighting near Unova!"

"Th-The Unova region?!" Anabel gasped, "But that…That doesn't match any reports we've been given!"

Moon stepped back further, her thighs pressing up against the bed behind her.

"U-Um…" Moon whispered, "S-Should I be here for s-such an announcement, Mr. Looker? Miss Anabel just told me a lot about this, but…reports? A-And Hoenn! She mentioned everything in Hoenn, and-"

"…Please," Anabel gently cut Moon off, "Allow us to explain what we can. You have a decision to make. We won't blame you at all should you choose to stay in Alola."

There was a moment of silence between the three. Tears pricked the corners of Moon's eyes-the Beasts were back, and on top of that, if she wanted to fight them again, she'd have to leave for Unova, of all places-but she swallowed the lump that was quickly forming in her throat. She had fought them once, and she'd be able to fight them once again.

She just hadn't expected it to be so soon.

"I-It's okay. Mr. Looker? Miss Anabel?" Moon asked, trying to hide the cracks showing in her voice, "I'm not afraid to face the Beasts again, or to go to Unova. I already know what I'm gonna do, so please! I told you once, I'm gonna fight the Beasts and help whoever I can, so don't hesitate! Tell me about the reports!"

"…We'll be gone by morning. I already have a contact in mind who will be escorting you to Unova, provided he agrees." Anabel shook her head, glancing between the two silhouettes in front of her. "If you're so certain about your decision, Moon…Mr. Looker. Please explain further, before anything else-What may have happened in Unova?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Looker let out a sharp breath before looking upwards towards Moon, her features still obscured by the darkness. "The Beast was sighted first by two Gym Leaders, you see…"

"Wicke? You're shaking."

Arum looked to Wicke with narrowed eyes, accented by the dark circles that had formed from her numerous long nights she'd been working. Behind her and Wicke, a guard had started to lock the door to Steven's room.

To Wicke, the world had gone silent. Everything had blurred. Had Steven planned something out before all this? He and Phoebe hardly seemed like the types to plan anything out that would seem so…suspicious. Had they been hiding something, or was something else going on behind her back? Already, trying to find meaning of such words…

She shouldn't have been nervous. In the back of her mind, another thought had already formed: There's something wrong with you in this situation. Her breathing had grown shallow, and her chest was gripped tightly by sharp pain, yet all she could do was stand there, nodding at Arum's words.

"I'm fine," Wicke lied.

"Wicke." Arum's tone had turned far more stern. "If you have anything to report about Mr. Stone's condition, please-"

The sound of metal hitting the floor echoed from behind the door.

"Open…Open the door," Wicke gasped, "Please, if only to be certain."

"Guards!" Arum ordered, "Investigate this. Check where you can-I'll never be able to face Dr. Calla if something like a stray Rattata made it in there."

"On your orders," one of the guards replied, unlocking the door by hand once more, "Please wait here, the two of you."

The guards stepped in, and Wicke waited.

Silence filled the air. Something wasn't right here, and she knew it. Arum knew it, she was sure-the nurse was in denial, but there was something very wrong with Steven. Was it prior planning? Nihilego's influence? Simple dazed ramblings, brought on by a memory he'd long forgotten?

The door flew open with what seemed like inhuman speed.

"Arum! Wicke! Please…Please come look at this!"

The guard's panicked voice drew Wicke's attention back to the room. His flashlight created a beacon into the room, towards the bed.

Strewn about the floor were numerous wires and tubes, the tips of the latter dotted with blood. Dust covered the bedsheets, and within the dust was a trail of footprints-human footprints.

Most notably, however, was a simple fact that had caused Wicke to step back, desperately gasping for air.

"No…No, this can't be right! This isn't…! Guards!" Wicke croaked, "Put Aether Paradise on lockdown! Alert the rest of security! Now!"

The bed in front of her was empty.

Steven was gone.