The World Flows Through Me

by Social Coyote

Alola is a region of beauty and connection, but how much can spirituality and scenic views really fix? Moon must find out whether or not Alola can truly solve the pains life has thrown at her, or if she's beholden to fate after all. She's not the only one with something to run from however, and soon she may question whether she's running from fate, or towards it.

14. Foreboding Luxury

Chapter 14: Foreboding Luxury

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"In rum there are good times, and in wine there is good health. In water? Usually good sense."

~ Cilan Turmeric, Former Striaton Gym Leader and Captain of the Shadow Triad ~

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The gentle lull of the taxi cab was like collapsing onto a bed after a day of sitting in a plane seat with snoring tourists and crying toddlers for company. That was to say, even the worn and patchy leather of the backseat was nothing short of refreshing after the long and arduous day the three of them had gone through. Not even the fiery emotions nor the fading adrenaline could keep Moon from dozing off against the window as the familiar lush foliage of Alola quietly whizzed past them.

Hau sat beside her, head lolled back against the headrest with his mouth wide open and his eyes closed, while Lillie sat on his opposite side. Lillie's enormous hat sat along her lap, hiding the duffel bag in her foot space from view as she silently faced the window, just like Moon. Was she asleep? Moon didn't know, and frankly she didn't care if she was. Her immediate anger had dissipated along with the rest of her energy, but the quiet bubbling of frustration and hurt remained like a simmering cauldron that was biding its time. It would probably fizzle out when she went to sleep, but it lingered just in case someone was hungry and needed one last bowl.

She hated it, and that hatred only kept the stove on longer.

She watched as a truck passed them in the night, the light passing over Moon and showing the tired girl staring back at her in the window. The driver had been courteous enough to keep the radio low, and though the chipper pop song that was playing didn't fit the nightly atmosphere whatsoever, it was soft enough that Moon found it almost comforting. Her brain was both too tired to think, and too jam-packed to sleep as the day's events replayed again and again in her head. Waking up, facing the kahuna, winning her Grand Trial, running away, fighting Kukui, going on the run… it was a lot, even for her.

She let out a yawn unintentionally, frowning at herself in the window. She wanted to talk about everything that had happened, with Lillie and Hau both, but Hau was conked out and Lillie… well, that wasn't the kind of conversation Moon was willing to have in a taxi. She did find herself glancing over at her friends on occasion, subtly trying to see if Lillie was awake or not if she could manage it. Once they turned a corner and passed a streetlight that glowed into the taxi for a moment, and in the reflection of the glass she could see Lillie's half-lidded eyes that were puffy and red from tears that she refused to let the others see, or hear.

Moon hadn't even realized she had still been crying. How long had it taken to master that skill, she wondered?

She turned back to her own window, and watched as they passed a grand hotel that was brightly lit with lights of white and gold. She knew that being a young, rebellious, gay teenager made for a trying combination when it came to her feelings towards other girls, but her feelings towards Lillie could have filled the entire metaphorical cauldron inside of her. Then of course it would spill like one of those slow filling giant buckets Moon always saw at the tops of waterparks, and like those giant waterpark buckets, would probably knock someone over in the process. She was frustrated at Lillie for lying, hurt that she had put everything on the line for her without being told the truth, and spiteful that nobody had bothered to include her in things that obviously affected her.

Yet at the same time, she knew that Lillie was not a liar at heart. She had traveled with her, speaking and learning about her bit by bit in whatever small ways that she would reveal, and spent nearly a week falling asleep beside her. She was prim and proper, but kind and gentle to both pokemon and people alike. Deep down, she knew that Lillie wouldn't lie or hide such secrets without a good reason. And Moon didn't know the reason, so she could only assume there wasn't one and that it was all an act of cruelty, or selfishness.

That was how she wanted to think, at least. As if she didn't know what it was like to keep a deep secret, to keep it for the sake of herself as well as others .

"How come you got to go to Unova? I'm not being mean, but like, I've listened to her music longer than you. That's like giving a building that's about to be torn down a new coat of paint, you know?"

"Yeah, sorry Moon, but it's kinda making everyone in class uncomfortable seeing… that, so I don't want it, like distracting from the party. You understand, right? Sorry."

Moon blew through her nose and closed her eyes, rubbing a finger through her hair. Yeah, she knew secrets were necessary sometimes. But her secrets and Lillie's just felt so different from each other! Moon thought of the genuine, heartfelt prayer Lillie had made just the night before for the simple sake of wanting Moon to be happy. That thought made her even more conflicted, and she groaned inwardly as the desire to curl up into a ball and just stop allowing any sort of rational thought took a hold of her. She managed to refrain, however, as a new set of glowing lights shone gently through the taxi's windshield, and Moon looked up to see what was easily one of the largest buildings in her entire life.

The taxi was pulling into a roundabout that led to an awning that every hotel seemed to have at the front entrance, but the similarities flatlined there. The building before her was massive, standing tall like the buildings of Hau'oli but its width alone had to rival the height of the skyscrapers she had grown used to over the past four months. The fact that this was solely the front of the hotel, and the fact that she likely couldn't see all of it in the dark, only added to the magnitude of the location. This was no "Seaside Motel", that was for sure.

Moon was so awestruck that she barely registered they were getting out here until Hau was nudging for her to pile out. Moon made sure to tip their driver who gave them a nod and a "Alola, keiki," before driving off, leaving her, Hau, and Lillie standing in front of a marbled carved plaque that read, "Hano Grand Resort". Tiki torches and spotlights lit the perimeter, but the light from the enormous roofed patio rendered them wholly useless as the light shined all the way out to the road. As Lillie hefted her duffel bag, she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes one final time before pushing towards the patio.

Moon glanced around before following in line behind her and Hau. "I don't even see the parking lot for this place…"

"It is valet only," Lillie replied. "You two are now my retainers, and were specifically brought to watch over me while I am on vacation, as my mother was too busy. Let me do the speaking, Hau, please. Try to look mostly reserved, and one of you will need to carry my bag for authenticity." Her voice had changed since Moon had last spoken to her; the shakiness had left, replaced by a strange sense of conviction and formality. It was precise, confident, and completely even as though this was just another day for Lillie. She was briefly reminded of when she had first met Lillie, but even that paled to the authoritative and politely commanding diction she was using now.

Hau took her duffel bag, while Lillie flattened the hem of her dress and quickly snatched her makeup tray from one of the duffells zippers and handed it to Moon.

"Reapply my gloss, and add a hint of blush please. I do not have a mirror."

"What? No, I don't even know how-"

"Now, Moon. Please!"

Moon was so surprised by this sudden change in tone that she forgot to be aggravated, and instead applied the makeup hurriedly to Lillie's face, using only the ambient light of the patio to guide her. After a few quick applications Lillie shoved the makeup tray into the duffel and began strolling forwards once more, while Hau and Moon quickened to keep up. They swapped glances with one another but said nothing, merely continuing to follow Lillie along the patio that never seemed to end as they passed fountains, statues, and foliage aplenty. The center fountain was so large that it held three statues of outrigger canoes, each one filled to the brim with flowers and foliage as the night sky glistened in the fountain water.

Wait, what?

Moon looked up, and sure enough she saw the night sky above her once more with the stars faintly blocked by wispy stretches of clouds, yet encircling her was the towering walls and windows of the resort's numerous hotel rooms. It wasn't a roofed patio, the entire ground floor was an open-air lobby! Moon tried hard to keep herself from looking too impressed as per Lillie's instructions, but soon both her and Hau were looking around in wonder. You just didn't see something like this every day.

"You're going to give us away, please, act like this is normal for you two!" Lillie hissed as they approached the front desk. There was a short enough line, though one long enough for Lillie to quietly fret over their appearances as Moon's confidence in whatever Lillie's plan was slowly began to crumble. She hardly passed as accompaniment for a rich tourist girl with her black hat, a flannel tied around her waist, and a polo. Hau's swim-shorts and tank top also did little to aid their authenticity. If this failed, what would they do? They were still within the city – camping wouldn't be an option, and there was still the matter that someone was bound to be looking for them.

When they finally made it to the front of the line, they were greeted by the receptionist. The man was in his mid to late forties, with short bristly hair and glasses, though his uniform was surprisingly casual consisting of a green polo and long shorts. He smiled and leaned forward over his desk, fingers laced together as he took the three of them in.

"Why hello, and Alola! What can I do for you this evening?" he asked, but Lillie merely crossed her arms and sighed.

"We are checking into the Ho'olei suite, the name is Morgenstern. It will be me and my attendants," she said promptly. The man blinked but hid his bemusement well; quickly typing onto his keyboard as he swiveled his computer screen closer. After a moment he cast an uncertain look towards Lillie, glancing between her and the screen several times. Moon's tired psyche flared up with possibilities.

Can I take on hotel security? Maybe. Do I want to, though…?

"Well, Miss-"

"Lillian Morgenstern."

"Miss Morgenstern, I see the Ho'olei suite is currently under the name 'Lusamine'. Would that be-"

"My mother, yes." Lillie huffed in a manner quite unlike herself. "I'm here to get the room ready and ensure it's to our standard ahead of her arrival within the coming week. It's been a very long trip here and I am rather keen on getting a good night's rest, Mr…" She peered closer to the man's name tag. "Clark."

The man, Clark, grimaced as he clicked another couple times on the screen before giving Lillie an apologetic look. "Well, Miss Morgenstern, I apologize but the name is under your mother's, looks like. We'd normally need her here in person to check in, or some kind of authorization from her to allow access that we can verify. If she had called ahead and verified it with us, maybe, but as it is we can't really allow you to freely access the suite."

Lillie's tired eyes quickly blinked into that of fear, and Moon saw the familiar signs of hesitation crop up as her head lowered into her shoulders a bit and her lip quivered for a moment. Those signs of caving in gave way to that of indignation as she put her palms on the edge of the reception desk and leaned forward. "Mr. Clark, I have just been on a rather tumultuous boat ride for the better part of an hour and a half, I smell like a barge, and have a very strenuous week of preparation ahead of me."

She took in a deep breath and sighed; she was acting, but Moon had to applaud it as it was the most frustrated she had seen her since she'd almost let Nebby get hit by a car. No doubt there was some genuine irritation behind her words."Could you at least offer me some flexibility in working this out, please?"

"Look Miss, I understand your frustration." Moon wasn't sure he did. "But please understand that we as a luxury resort have policies in place that have to be followed, legal and privacy obligations and considerations that are carried out for the safety and confidentiality of all our guests. If you have a way to contact your mother-"

"I have little to no chance of reaching my mother at this time of night, sir." Lillie's fretting was beginning to become more apparent as she glanced around the lobby before leaning forward, lowering her voice considerably. "Surely you can make an exception of some kind? Please, the room itself is already paid for, the suite itself was reserved specifically so that my family may have somewhere… befitting of us to stay while my mother conducts business on the island. I- I don't know what else could… this is why it was purchased, and I can't just call my mother…"

Moon watched the confident, haughty persona Lillie had clearly been building up for herself crumble in mere seconds. Sure, Moon was still frustrated at the fact that she'd put everything on the line for a lie that still hadn't been explained to her, but at the same time, Lillie was still her friend. They weren't perfect friends where nothing ever went wrong, but hadn't they both proven they were willing to go to bat for one another? Hadn't Lillie volunteered to join Moon during her trial when she was likely exhausted and under duress from not eating? They weren't perfect, they were just a couple of dumb kids doing their best.

And seeing Lillie on the verge of breaking down hurt, no matter how frustrated she was at her. She glanced back at the slowly growing line behind them as tired, restless faces looked expectantly at her. Moon could tell she was about to completely buckle. A rather rotund man behind them in a blue floral shirt and a boater hat coughed rather loudly behind them, and Moon shot a mean eye at him before stepping to the desk.

"Hey, bud-bud," Moon said as she slid past Lillie, gently pushing in front of her as Lillie quietly hissed and whispered for her not to. "Look, this is my first gig, being a paid friend to spoiled little Miss Puka Princess here –" Lillie's jaw dropped from beside her. " – but if there's one thing I've learned it's that complicating matters for important customers... clients, whatever, is usually never a good thing for anyone. Surely you guys have got a register or something that should show Lil- er, Miss Morgenstern has stayed in the suite before, right?" She looked at Lillie and then to the receptionist, Clark. "Can't be that many other people going into it if it's uh… permanently reserved, right?"

Clark looked at them for a second before blowing a little hair out of his face and nodding silently, fingers tapping along the keyboard. The age old relatability of minimum wage retail work had once again saved the day, and the best part was Moon had never worked a day in her life. Clark hit the mouse a few times and blew out of his nose, clearly debating a choice before turning back to Lillie.

"Do you have any identification on you, Miss Morgenstern?" He asked in a tone that suggested it was the only way they were getting a pass. Lillie swallowed and let out a shaky breath and a mumble, while beside her Moon closed her eyes in a silent grimace. That was the end of that, she supposed. Moon had overheard before how when Lillie awoke on the beach that she'd had no form of identification or papers on her that the police could use to track her origins. Which meant that they'd either have to bust out all their winnings just to afford a room for the night here, or find a cheaper hotel where someone would undoubtedly find them…

"Can you kids make way for people who have their shit together? I've had a really long flight, you know." The man harrumphed.

"Shut it, haole," Moon muttered under her breath, never taking her eyes off of Lillie.

"Here. I believe this should be more than sufficient?" Lillie's voice cut through Moon's internal plans to bail, and/or fight a tourist, as she pulled a lanyard from her duffel bag held by Hau, extending it and the gold and white card that was attached to the receptionist. Clark held it up and peered at it, giving Moon a glance at the picture of Lillie it bore, as well as the golden trident symbol attached to the left side of the card. The photo was of a much younger Lillie, yet the familiar chops of blonde bangs and bright green eyes staring excitedly at the photographer was recognizable to Moon instantly. Moon wondered how old she had been in that picture.

It was young enough that she still looked happy.

He looked at his computer screen, then the card, then the screen one more time before shrugging and returning the card back to Lillie. "Well, Ms. Morgenstern, that ought to do it. Sorry for the delay, please make your way to the elevators down that path there, by the fountains-" He turned and gestured to their right. "- and head to floor nine. Your suite is in the Hano wing of the resort, and the Ho'olei suite is marked as room nine-zero-three-three. As a guest of our Ho'olei suite, you'll have access to the full range of privileges and services for your accommodations, all of which are detailed on a notice atop the kitchen's island bar."

Moon, Hau, and Lillie all looked at one another in unison, as their thoughts all seemed to sync up with their shared glances. Island bar?

"Your room key, Ms. Morgenstern. Take care not to lose it, as it's what will allow you to enter into most of the resorts more… exclusive experiences." Moon resisted the urge to throw her arms up as Lillie took the key and stared at it. Even the key was shiny, with the letters "V.I.P" glittering in the light and wrapped in a gilded lei. "Will that be all for you this evening? We can have someone assist you with your bags if you have more luggage, of course." Lillie continued to stare at the key until Moon nudged her, and with a small yelp she looked back to Clark the receptionist and hurriedly shook her head.

"N-no, no that'll be all. Um, thank you very much." She started to walk off but spun, nearly toppling over as leaned across the counter. "Oh! Um, w-we would very much prefer not be disturbed by visitors, if possible. B-both now and next week during my um, my mother's stay. Her tenure- er-"

"You have the Hano Grand Resort's assurance that your personal safety and privacy is of our topmost concern." Clark bowed his head, clearly trying to usher Lillie along gently. "If you have any concerns, our security staff can be reached at all times of the day with the number provided within your suite. Thank you for staying at the Hano Grand Resort, and I hope the three of you enjoy your stay."

Lillie opened her mouth again to speak, but Moon gently took her by the wrist and led her further into the lobby, down a string of hallways where the elevators sat. "Come along, Miss Puka Princess, let us retire to our rooms rápido and avant-garde, lest we compromise your beauty sleep, hm?" She flashed a smug grin to the furious man in line behind her, making sure to show the part of the lanyard that was glittered in gold lettering.

"I- what? Those weren't even the same language, that first one was Paldean!" Lillie protested, but it was evident that they had, against all odds, made it into the building and that sticking around to bother the staff any longer than necessary risked their odds of being left alone. The three of them made their way past the cabana styled furniture and into the elevators, following the directions Clark had given to them. Had they been a little less exhausted, they might have taken in the regal carpeting or the grand chandeliers, the lights glistening off of the many pools and ponds outside, or the lush tropical gardens located all around the resort's exterior. But they were tired, it was late, and the relief that they had found somewhere to sleep for the night was the sole thought occupying their minds.

Moon's eyes started to gloss over before the elevator had hit the ninth floor. By the time they actually made it to the room, she had to lean against Hau for support. Lillie fumbled with the electronic key for a moment, tapping it to the door as they all pushed through and were welcomed into the well-lit room of their suite. Perhaps it was the hour, or the level of fatigue that she had been slowly succumbing to, but something within Moon hadn't really understood just what Lillie and the receptionist had meant by "suite". Moon had been expecting a pristine, somewhat gaudy but nonetheless humble, hotel room. A motel room, but with cleaner sheets and maybe a bigger fridge.

The Ho'olei suite was by no means a motel room – even calling it a hotel room was downright insulting to the sheer space of the room they walked into. Slate marble tiles greeted them with the kitchen on their left, featuring the mentioned island bar of sleek redwood with a marbled top, a cluster of hanging lights sitting just above, and cabinets, cabinets, cabinets. Floor cabinets, wall cabinets, cupboards, the entire left wall seemed composed of more cabinets than anyone could truly ever need – the cupboards themselves with glass doors were well stocked with everything from plateware to wine glasses. The fridge was regular sized, but a full stove, sink, and dishwasher set sat beside it, making it seem more like a house than a hotel room of any kind.

The living room sat to their right, decorated by a long sectional couch that was littered with pillows and a full recliner before a circular coffee table that seemed to be made of solid polished wood, and decorated with red and yellow hibiscus. A flat screen that had to be no less than eighty-eight inches was mounted to the wall, and just beside it was an entire hallway that led to even more. Moon had never been in a hotel room with a hallway before, or a balcony either; they had a private lanai connected to the living room that overlooked the back of the resort and all of its glory, completely open air. The beach, the pools, the ocean, they had a view of it all.

"Lillie," Moon asked, staring around the room in awe, "just… who the heck are you?" But Lillie pushed past them, nonplussed by the extravagant room and instead immediately retreated into the bathroom immediately to their left. All Moon saw was a pure white wall with a bathtub and a shower stall before Lillie made to shut the door. She paused just before closing it, her eyes slowly raising from the floor as she gave Moon a look.

"Tired," she said, and the door closed shut. Moon stared at it for a moment before shouldering her own bag and turning to look at the rest of their suite, treading down the hall while Hau quietly followed behind her. She wondered if Lillie was going to make herself sick again, only to remember that they hadn't exactly eaten dinner, so there wouldn't be much to throw up to begin with. She wondered if that would stop her? The idea of food was tempting, but the promise of sleep was much more tangible as they opened the doors and saw the Ho'olei suite came with three different bedrooms, each one featuring a double bed, a recliner, and a flatscreen that was hung inside of each room.

As Moon and Hau were deciding what room to take, Moon called back towards the bathroom. "Lillie? Do you have a preference on what room we take?" There was no response except the running water of a shower. Moon shrugged and turned to head into the closest one, when a hand clapped her shoulder and gave it a firm but friendly squeeze. She turned to Hau, who for a moment looked remarkably like his grandfather in the warm but powerful way that he stared at her. Moon didn't think it pertinent to say this aloud with tensions between families as they were.

"Hey, don't sweat it sister. It's been a uh, a long night, yeah?" He checked, nodding his head encouragingly as Moon yawned. "I think we all need to just like, relax for the night and get some rest - we went and burnt a lot of energy between our Grand Trials and running off into Akala." He let out a yawn that was no doubt spurned by Moon's own, but Moon suddenly felt a pang of guilt strike through her. She had done a lot of reckless things tonight on instinct and drive alone, but dragging Hau along into her mess hadn't been a part of the plan.

"Hau, I'm- I'm really sorry we dragged you into this. This is so freaking out of wack, like, already, and I don't know what to do next or where to go, and you don't even know why we're out here-" But Hau cut her off as he began releasing his pokemon into his room for them to get comfortable.

"Auē, sister, don't do me like that. I told you, we're in this for the long run together, right?" He gave her a kind but tired smile as he leaned against the wall. "I'm not gonna pretend I know a lick of what's going on here, and for the most part, it's been pretty fine just going with the waves. But, we're really hitting on dicey territory here… like, police? Detectives? Man, even the professor?"

Moon sighed and nodded. "No, no I get it. And I totally agree, because I don't even completely know what's going on. I mean, it was one thing to find out Lillie doesn't actually have any memory issues going on, but like… this whole suite, her last name-"

"Morganstrum?" Hau recalled.

"Yeah, something like that. The point is… we're both risking a lot here for her, and for the most part it's just kinda been following the trail on where to go and what to do, but… this is a big wrench in the plans.' She sighed and rubbed her eyes, her body making it clear this conversation couldn't go on for long. "I think we've earned some kind explanation, you know? So… maybe tomorrow, we sit around and hash everything out once and for all. Explain why things are happening like they are, and what uh… what we're going to do."

Hau's face suddenly turned serious as he glanced towards the bathroom door. "What if she doesn't tell us anything?" Moon was silent for a moment; what would they do if Lillie kept feigning ignorance? Both her and Hau had risked enough by this point that they deserved even a partial explanation, but if she kept silent…

"I think…" Moon breathed, holding in another yawn. "I think that if everything we've done hasn't registered us as trustworthy to her…'

She took a breath, calm and quiet, and held back a yawn as she gently nudged Lillie with her knuckles. "You wanna talk about it?"

"I don't think I am ready to. I do not know if I ever will be," Lillie said slowly, her eyes breaking away.

"Then maybe we should really consider traveling separately, for everyone's safety." The idea was not an opportune one, Moon couldn't pretend that through the fear and frustration that she didn't dread losing someone she wanted to be close to, someone who she genuinely saw as a friend. Yet, to split now would also make the sacrifices they had made so far be in vain. It was a complex conundrum, one that made her tired brain spin in a circle, and she knew it was time for bed.

Hau nodded, turning and heading into his door as he cast a final glance back at Moon. "I know it'll all workout, sister. The resort ain't gonna let anyone know we're here – 'course, I dunno if they can legally deny that kinda info to the police – but you and Lillie were right about one thing: ain't nobody gonna look for us here to begin with." He looked around his room, clearly impressed at the luxurious and comforting interior before giving her a wave. "But hey, don't worry. You ain't in this alone, you know, I care about Lillie too. Maybe not run away from home and attack a man level of care, but- ah, you know what I mean. Goodnight, Moon."

"G'night Hau. See you tomorrow." The doors closed and Moon turned to look around her room as she flipped on the light. A rather large blue and white bed had been made nice and straightened, decorated with an array of blue and black pillows as well as a matching bedspread. She stepped over the recliner and turned on the air conditioning before kicking off her shoes and crawling into the bed haphazardly. A part of her felt bad for ruining such a lovely bed with her tossing and turning, but she quickly got over it as she released all three of her already sleeping pokemon onto the bed.

Her eyes were already closing as she flicked the lamp off once more, tossing her shirt and hat into the recliner beside the bed as she brought Chlorine up close to cuddle. She was sure that the room was beautifully decorated lovingly with paintings and drapes, but the darkness was a welcome gift as she laid back and felt the swift grip of sleep reach up to grab her. The last conscious thought she had, as she gently squeezed Chlorine, was how she wouldn't have minded even now if there had only been two bedrooms to choose.

In sleep, her dreams were fuzzy and seen through filters of static and a haze that rendered most of what she experienced invisible. But she could still feel it, in some unexplainable way that only dreams could produce. She recognized the dream despite the static, it was the one she always seemed to experience of being plugged in the back by hundreds of hoses while she floated in the dark. Rather than turning from tubes to amp cords, she could sense that she was already plugged by the amp cords as she dreamt. Instead, they transformed into the needles of a hundred syringes, all plunged into her back. The plungers sank, and Moon could only watch as her flesh and hair flaked away from her, into the void. Into nothing.

Non-existence was still weird.

She awoke to drool coating her new pillows, wondering vaguely why she was drooling on pillows that weren't hers, in a bed that wasn't hers, in a room that was far too nice looking to ever be hers. The memories of the night prior came in a rush, and she quickly rolled over to look at her phone and see what time it was, and if she had any missed calls. When the screen remained black, she realized she had been so tired she hadn't even thought about plugging her phone up.

"Good going, dipstick,' Moon muttered as she pulled her phone charger out from her bag and hastily shoved it into her phone. A scratching at the door caught her attention, and she saw Kickback gently pawing there with a low whine emanating from him as he turned back to look at his trainer. Realizing Chlorine and Calliope were still asleep, Moon crept over to the door, dressed in her tank-top and shorts, and stepped out into the hall of the living room of the resort suite while Kickback happily bounded off to explore their new locale. Considering the poor pup had probably been a stray living in alleyways his whole life, Moon didn't chastise his excitement.

Hell, she shared it.

She tiptoed along the paneled floors, years of sneaking into the kitchen instilling the precaution of noisy feet while others slept, but she stopped just as soon as she reached the end of the hall and could see into the rest of the suite. A soft melody had reached her ears, as gentle and breathy as the wind itself as it blew in through the open lanai, and that's exactly where the singing came from. Rather than a voice carried along the wind from somewhere far, she peeked around the corner to see none other than Lillie standing several feet from the railing as she gazed off into the open air.

"Come all my sons and daughters,

Should there be hell or high water.

Rest in the embrace of your holy Father,

For that is what my hundred arms are for:

When nothing makes sense any more."

Moon stood at the corner of the hall, transfixed by the image of Lillie as she stood in the morning's light. Her voice was as soft and welcoming as the cold side of a pillow, and Moon suspected it could lift one off to sleep just as easily. It wasn't that it was refined, or clear; it was the voice of someone who sang little and without practice, but it was real. It was a voice she knew and recognized, and though she had grown up on the lullabies of her people that her mother had sung, she could recognize a hymn from the Original One.

"Paradise awaits for the pain you've endured;

A place of brotherhood where safety is ensured.

Love for the sinless, the guilty, the abhorred,

The lost and the damned forgotten nevermore.

When nothing makes sense anymore."

Moon was so taken by the sound of Lillie's singing, however amateur, that she forgot to be upset or suspicious at her. She scratched at her head. Was it just her unrequited feelings of teenage crushing, or something deeper? A sort of yearning not just for a hand to hold or a pretty face to look at during dinner, but of understanding? For trust, for mutual respect, for balance and reflection between the two of them? Was there a word for this kind of hope for equality between them? Moon couldn't think of anything that didn't sound sappy, like "soul mate" or "kinship". Did normal people feel that way from hearing someone sing?

So distracted was she by the singing and the internal conundrums in her head (one of many, she was sure of that), that she didn't realize Kickback had walked his happy little self over to the balcony where Lillie stood, and let out a cheerful little "Ruff!" as he looked up at her. Lillie stopped her singing and turned to the rockruff, crouching down to scratch behind Kickback's ears as he let out a low, pleased rumble.

"Hello, little one. How did you get out so early?" she asked. At this she looked up, and Moon did not bother hiding behind the corner any longer. A small silence fell upon them as Lillie stood, blue meeting green as their eyes bore into one another for what felt like the longest time. Lillie's face revealed little, except perhaps the embarrassment of being caught singing aloud. Moon knew the feeling well from her time practicing the ukulele, and knew best that such things were left unmentioned rather than acknowledged.

"Hello."

"Hello."

Ah, the inevitable return of awkward silence. How little Moon had missed it in the five seconds since it had last dropped by, yet she could not find a way to grab it by its collar and kick it square in the ass out her door. She simply didn't know what to say, or do. To try and bring up any of the twenty things they needed to talk about would seem insensitive and forced, but to ignore them would simply be trying to withhold the inevitable. Her singing was still a definite no. Also, wasn't she supposed to be mad? She was probably supposed to be a little irritated.

"I like your song."

What the actual hell is wrong with me?

Lillie stared at her for a moment longer without saying a word before releasing Kickback and turning her gaze off towards the kitchen.

"... Thank you. It's a lullaby I fell asleep to quite often as a child. It is… I suppose 'comforting' is the best word for it, as whenever I hear it or, should the opportunity arise, sing it, I can instill but a bit of peace to whatever troubles me." Her words were carefully picked, each a tactical positioning in a game of chess that Moon didn't even know she was playing. Hell, she was over here playing checkers. She sighed inwardly as she realized that navigating Lillie while she was like this, not quite cold but certainly distant, wasn't really her forte. To her immediate relief, the sound of a door opening from the hallway behind her signified the coming of reinforcements, for who better to wrangle an awkward moment than Hau?

"'Lola, sisters." Hau yawned as he entered the living room, a towel draped over his neck and his pichu on his shoulder. His hair was down, something that Moon didn't get to see often – it took away a bit of the boyish visage, and made him look a little older and more mature, though she was thankful that even in these unfamiliar surroundings he was able to keep his happy-go-lucky disposition. It was strengthening, in a way. "Man, those bathrooms? They got themselves a tub, and a shower. Separate. Talk about fancy, eh?"

Moon and Lillie stared as Hau flopped himself onto the couch, something that made Lillie wince, and kicked his feet up. "So, where we eating, eh? I'd like go get some grindz from a restaurant around here, but I dunno if we can afford that just for breakfast. Think they got themselves a McMunchlax nearby? That value menu is good no matter how much cash you got." Moon could physically feel a layer of the tension that had settled from her and Lillie lift, and she was impressed by how easily Hau made the people around him relax. Whether intentional or accidental, she was somewhat jealous of his natural attitude; a son of Alola, indeed.

Lillie sighed and shook her head, moving past both Moon and Hau – though she stopped and glanced at Haupia with a strange look that Moon didn't quite recgonize, and took several steps away from the couch before moving to the kitchen's island bar when a plastic-encapsulated paper sat unheeded. Had she not forgiven the little pichu for its part in almost losing Nebby?

"Oh, honestly. With all due respect, we are in my area of expertise now Hau, and I can assure you that there are no 'McMunchlaxes' within the Hano Grand Resort. We have room service for breakfast and dinner, and a variety of restaurants within the resort itself for lunch, all within walking distance," Lillie said, squinting as she read the instructions on the handout. "Call extension 'four-four-three' for room service, hmm… it looks as though we truly do have our pick of what we can be served. Limitations do not seem to be an issue."

"Can I order a beer?!" Moon asked before she could help herself. Lillie turned to look at her in utter disappointment, while Hau gave her a thumbs up.

"No, no you cannot," Lillie answered firmly as she picked up a phone connected to the wall. She held the phone to her ear after dialing in the numbers, and waited patiently. "What would you two like? I myself am just going to get a wikiberry smoothie and some yogurt." Hau opened his mouth to bemoan Lillie's breakfast choice, but Moon shot him a quick shake of the head. If a light, healthy breakfast meant that Lillie wouldn't try and bring it back up, Moon wasn't about to deny her that. Hau raised an eyebrow at her.

"If we're going on the run, we're going to need to get you some more protein," he said in a careful tone, but said no more as Lillie suddenly straightened up beside him.

"H-hello there! I mean- Alola, I uh, I'm from room… uh, room… a-ah, uh…" She looked up in a panic at the both of them. Moon just shrugged, but Hau held out his hands expectantly for the phone without looking up.

"They local or mainland?" he asked.

"Wha- I- I don't know, I can't see them over the phone..." she said, looking utterly bemused between him and Moon. Moon did what Moon did best, and shrugged, showcasing the pinnacle of her leadership and problem solving capabilities. After a moment's consideration, Lillie bequeathed the phone to Hau.

"Howzit, this is Hau. Nah, she said room 'nine-zero-three-three', we stay looking for room service, yeah? Sure, sure. Yeah, lemme get one loco moco, double patties, extra gravy. One big wiki berry smoothie wit' one side of yogurt, da kine ah..." He held his hand up to the receiver and turned to Moon. "Eh sister, what you like for breakfast?" Moon merely blinked. Patty? Gravy? Where did she sign up for that?

"What's a loco moco? Sounds good, just throw an orange juice in there for me," Moon asked as she leaned over the couch, stepping over Kickback and Haupia in the process. Hau gaped at her.

"You don't-?! Auē, sister, ain't no way. Rice with a hamburger on it, a fried egg, mushroom, shoyu, gravy- nah, nah." He turned back to the phone. "Make it two orders of loco moco. One regular, yeah, and two orange juices? Okay. Okay. You do pokemon too? Shoots! Yeah, let's get some grindz fo' like five animals, two rock-types, one water, one fire, one electric. Alright, mahalo brah." With a satisfied smile he hung up the call, standing and stretching as he plugged the phone back into the wall and walked out towards the lanai.

Moon shook her head as she watched him. "You are the walking definition of, 'I know a guy', you know that right?" she asked. Hau smirked as he picked up Haupia and sat in one of the deck chairs that looked out to the back of the resort.

"Nah, you just gotta know what you want and how to say it, sister." He nodded. "Granted the fact it was someone local did help, but even if it hadn't been, years of ordering pizza for dinner trained me, you know? Oh!" He suddenly clapped his hands together, looking excited, only for his face to fall. "Aw, man I was gonna make a comparison to Mysteries and Dungeons, but like, you guys still haven't played that. Man, we gotta remedy that sometime. Anyway!" Another clap. "They said breakfast should be ready and at the door within thirty minutes! Which is just enough time for us to sit…"

He motioned to the other chairs on the lanai, nodding towards them both.

"And talk."

There was a shift in his voice as he spoke, a deeper and more stable tone that matched unfortunately well with the grave-like expression he now wore. The shift was instant, the smile and jolly attitude vanishing to make way for a much more serious kind of Hau than Moon was used to. There was still a casualness to him, but now lay subdued beneath this new tone. With his hair down, he looked like a surfer ready to step in to settle a brawl on the beach. Moon certainly hoped it didn't come to that. She nodded at his suggestion and took a seat with her back to the kitchen, giving her a beautiful view of the resort's grounds. With the morning light giving way, she could make out a reflecting pool, fruit gardens, courtyards, and even a small chapel in the midst of a pond.

Lillie looked at the two of them rather curiously, obviously just as surprised by the change in tone as Moon. "T-talk? About… about what?"

"A lot." Moon snorted. "There's the matter of me running away from home, attacking Kukui, how we're going to deal with that, if we even can deal with that going forward. We've got a grace period to figure this out and get our shit together, and we need to use it. Otherwise we're going to end up screwing ourselves and all of this will have been for like, nothing." She could feel her frustration and impatience from the night prior springing back up, but she willed it to remain dormant. She needed to be receptive, not condemning. Not yet, at least. "Most importantly, though, we need to talk about you."

Lillie immediately stiffened and shook her head, stepping away from the lanai. "I would, um… I would rather not. Surely this can wait until after-"

"Can't wait," Hau said from his seat. "Look, sister, we both love you like ohana, I think that's safe to say, right?" He looked at Moon and she nodded her approval. "But like, this is kinda getting out of hand beyond what I'm willing to go along with as far as blind faith. We've given you benefit of the doubt up to now, risked our hides for you like I'd know you'd do for us…" He sighed softly, glancing down at Lillie's duffel bag that sat just inside the living room. "But… we're not the ones on the run from the cops, yeah? It ain't fair to ask us to go along with this without letting us know what exactly it is we're going alone with."

Lillie huffed and looked away, not meeting his eyes. "I do not recall asking either of you to risk your safety or comfort for me," she bristled. "I distinctly remember asking Moon to return home last night, actually."

"Oh, right. I'll just do that then," Moon chuckled joylessly. "Just because you didn't ask doesn't mean you didn't need it. What, were you going to wrestle Kukui and make a break for it yourself? Hail a cab with the wads of cash you don't have, fight off the police with all zero of your pokemon?" She couldn't help but roll her eyes and lean back in the chair; the nerve of this girl! "I'll remember to keep my eyes out in the 'Busted!' papers for you, maybe you'll see that tool that tried to mug us at the motel."

Lillie flinched and Moon immediately felt both pained and gratified to have said it. She didn't want to be mean, especially not to Lillie, but the actions she had taken for Lillie's sake weren't that of an average girl. She wanted someone to finally take her seriously, and to have her actions brushed off hurt. It hurt more than she was willing to admit. And from hurt, came frustration. The fact that a lot of her own negative emotions were being amplified by stupid medication didn't help.

Hau held a hand up, making a simmering motion towards her. "Easy, sister. Look, you got a right to be frustrated, and chances are Lillie's got reasons to be keeping her cards close to the chest, right? We're all confused, unsure, and probably a bit scared, yeah?" There was a slow collection of simultaneous nodding from both girls. "Lillie's right in that she didn't ask us to come along; we just kinda joined the party and kept it going. But Moon's right too. We came because we care, and we want to trust you, and help you, but there's just too much secrecy going around. If we can't trust that we're doing this for the right reasons, well…"

He exchanged a glance with Moon while scratching the back of his head, and Moon subconsciously mirrored him as she nodded, finishing the sentence for him. "Then, maybe we should go our separate ways."

Despite the warm morning air blowing in through the veranda, a chill seemed to sweep through the suite; Lillie looked between the two of them as her lips parted, but no words came out. Her breath seemed to hitch as a heavy breath left her, a sense of franticness slowly growing about her, but she took a deep breath. Slowly, she took a seat across from the both of them and as she settled into the comfy rattan couch, she took her duffel bag and set it plainly across her lap. She nodded with but a single word.

"Okay…" she said. Hau nodded in return and smiled, but Lillie raised her head once more as she clasped her hands together in a plea. "But please, please… allow me some modicum of privacy regarding parts of what's led me here. I have not hidden this out of selfishness, but of necessity, and I would very much like to keep some of what I have experienced to myself. Please…" She lowered her head, and both Moon and Hau swapped glances with one another.

"I guess we can start with what you're comfortable telling us…" Moon began. "It's not like we want to be invasive, you know, everyone's got secrets. We just want to know the 'why's and the 'what's. You don't have to like, tell your life story or anything, just let us know why you're doing all of this… why you have the freakin' Alola five-o after you." She paused as Chlorine waddled into the room, climbing into Moon's chair despite the fact Kickback was already taking up her lap. Regardless of the fact that Chlorine was now the size of a toddler, Moon wrapped her arms around the both of them as she looked expectantly at Lillie.

Lillie looked at them in an almost wistful manner, her eyes softening as she watched the way Moon held her pokemon. For a moment she was silent, and Moon suspected that she was trying to find the words – the proper way to explain one's self could mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. Not that she would know anything about that since she always spoke off the cuff, but she respected that Lillie wanted to get this right. It meant that she was finally taking in the gravity of what they were doing.

After a minute of quiet murmuring and breathing, Lillie finally spoke.

"Very well. My name, as you no doubt heard, is Lillian Morgenstern. I'm sure you have your assumptions, and I will not make you speculate on them any longer: it is in fact the Morgenstern family that you are likely thinking of." She nodded solemnly, looking up to no doubt gauge Moon and Hau's reactions.

"... Cool?" Moon said a bit bluntly. She glanced at Hau, but he just gave a small shrug in response. Lillie's brow furrowed as she glanced between the two of them, unable to hide her growing incredulity.

"M-morgenstern," she repeated, and they both nodded that they had heard her. "I- surely you have heard of the Morgenstern family, we- I- the Aether Foundation, one of the largest and most renowned humane societies for the ethical treatment of pokemon across the globe? You know of that, do you not?" Her glances became quicker and nonplussed, a look of utter bemusement now on her face. "I don't believe this. Neither of you have honestly ever heard of the Aether Foundation? We- the central headquarters is located right here in Alola, just off the coast of Melemele, it's on- it is an entire artificial island!"

Moon crossed her arms and leaned back, trying to rack her brain. "You know? I think I actually have heard of them. Didn't they try and like, free all pokemon from their balls in Unova some twenty something years ago? I swear that lady who runs the berry stand down the street from me told me something about it once." She nodded sagely and then gave a weak shrug. "Thought that giant hunk of metal in the water was like, some rich people water park or something, to be honest."

"What?! No!" Lillie cried out, but Hau raised a finger.

"Ah, nah nah, you're thinking of the Plasma Organization," he interjected. "They were technically called the 'Pokemon Liberation Association for Species Morality Advocacy' or something like that, but nah, different group. I remember gramps saying they had a bunch of wild advertisements on TV back in the day, like that one where they put a gun up to an arcanine's head, saying 'This is what you do when you keep pokemon in balls' or something similar." He shook his head and sighed, staring off into the sky. "Wild stuff man."

"No! That's not what we- not what the Aether Foundation does at all!" Lillie exclaimed. She gave a quick shake of the head, but the shock and defiant expression slowly gave way to a wrinkled nose and bitter grimace. "At least, that is not what they are supposed to be- I mean, I believe that at their core that is not their nature, but at the same time… ugh, that is irrelevant. What is relevant is that, my family, they are tied to said organization… in a sense. Very closely tied, to be quite frank, which is why I um, why I was able to get us in here…" She glanced around at the suite as though she wished to look at it fondly, and yet could not bring herself to.

Moon sniffed. She had always pegged Lillie for the rich touristy type of girl – after all, how many people did you meet who spoke like she did? – and this had all but confirmed it. Moon glanced around the suite as well, knowing it was something neither her family or Hau's could likely ever afford. "So, you're the daughter of a… business partner, or investor, or something for a pokemon foundation?" she asked, trying to keep a mental tally of what was true and what was not with Lillie.

"Yes, that is… the best way to put things," Lillie said with a nod.

Hau crossed his arms and cocked his head; Kickback mimicked him. "Wait, so that V.I.P card you had… were you a member of the Ether Foundation or something?"

"Yeah, I thought I heard from my mom that when you washed up on the beach that you didn't have any identification on you," Moon added in. Lillie shrank a little at their questions, and after a moment of thought and some lip-chewing she gave a nod.

"You are both half-right, as it were, and um… it's 'Aether', Hau. To answer your question, Moon, I did not reveal that I had identification when the police questioned me… because I did not want to be found, or discovered. That's unfortunately why the amnesia ploy had to be used – it was for our safety." She nodded and then turned to Hau. "I was not a member in the traditional sense that I signed up, or was hired, despite the fact they take junior members. I was more of a… special guest." She nodded as she finally decided on the word. "Being as close to the foundation as my family is, I practically grew up there, and so… I was allowed to freely roam as I pleased, provided I did not get in the way or wander in where I was not supposed to."

She sighed and rubbed her duffel bag, a look of reminiscence on her face as a soft smile accompanied her rubbing. "It was… truly a magical place."

"What was it like?" Moon asked quietly, and when she did Lillie closed her eyes and lowered her head. Her smile remained but was strained, and when she raised her head it was to look out at the glowing beauty of the morning beyond.

"Dum Spiro, Spero," she said, "it was, well I supposed it still is, the motto of the Aether Foundation. It means, 'While I breathe, I hope', and I cannot think of a better description for what the foundation represents. They were nothing like the rescue shelters you have here on the islands, where I've seen pokemon isolated in cages and bare kennels. The Aether headquarters, 'Paradise', is home to two massive pokemon conservations that exist solely to give injured and mistreated pokemon a safe and natural habitat for them." She stretched her arms out wide for a scale of the conservations, smiling widely at the both of them.

"Their work doesn't stop at conservation though," Lillie continued excitedly, "they have outpost facilities and treatment shelters spread across the islands made to help rehabilitate injured and abandoned pokemon, and that is without mentioning the entire research teams that work towards the continuous improvement of pokemon life expectancy in the wild, and in urban environments as well! They make dreams come true for pokemon and people!" For a second she did not look like Lillie, the runaway girl with secrets abound and shadows hidden beneath makeup, as her face swelled with hope and an inkling of pride. She looked like the little girl on her V.I.P card.

And just as fast as it had come, so too did it vanish in mere moments. Her face fell slowly as her smile turned to an open-lipped frown and her eyes grew distant as they gazed at what Moon and Hau could not see.

"And then… I awoke from the Aetherian dream," she mumbled, slowly looking down towards her lap. "I wasn't the first in my family to see that, that sometimes people use the end to justify their means… I just- I didn't think…" She paused and brought a napkin up to her eyes, dabbing at them gently. "A-apologies, I'm mumbling. I haven't explained any of this to anyone since the Professor, so if I could just take a moment to rationalize it into words."

"Wait, the professor knew about this? Like… all of it?" Moon asked, scratching her head. It was obvious that the professor knew, but it just made it all the worse that he would turn his back on Lillie.

Am I any better, since I've thought hurtful things about her? At least I'm still here, she thought to herself silently. It didn't make her feel any better. Lillie nodded slowly at her question.

"Yes… he and Professor Burnet were the only confidants I had. As it would appear, trusting the first people I met after washing ashore was not the wisest decision, but… I was so, so desperate to tell somebody about what I had seen." Her eyes lowered and she trailed her finger along the zipper of the duffel, widening it ever so slightly. "But I am getting ahead of myself. The Aether Foundation… I grew up playing in the conservation chamber and assisting members of the facility help nurture and tend to pokemon. I learned so much there, actually, about what humans will do for pokemon." She paused, and smiled, watching Chlorine spread out on Moon's lap. "And what they will do for us."

"Pokemon are so very similar to us as humans, yet so different. Pokemon do not lecture you or acknowledge shortcomings, they know only the best of you - provided that is what you give to them." She gave a hollow chuckle then, shaking her head slightly. "I um, I had a book I loved to have read to me as a child, called 'Our Promises to Eachother', it uh… it was a very basic book that taught ten important rules to remember when interacting with pokemon."

Moon blinked, recognizing the name instantly. "Hang on, that was the one that had a picture of the kid sitting on the geodude, right? And it said something like, 'I'll remember how you treat me'?" A smile broke across her face despite her efforts. "My mom read me that one when I was a kid, I remember the one that had like, a persian or a braixen, and it said something like 'You have work, and school, and friends, but I only have you.' God, I think I played with our meowth for like, an hour every day after that!"

"Yes!" Lillie exclaimed, a genuine smile on her face. "That one was number seven, but number five always made me cry when I was little. 'Please don't hurt or mistreat me, because even though I can fight back, I've chosen not to.'" She let out a happy little sniff, but that too soon transformed into a wince of bitter shame and disappointment. "It's almost ironic that the foundation taught me about how vital it is to pokemon, the manner in which we care for them… only to be the ones to show me firsthand why we need books such as 'Our Promises to Eachother' in the first place."

Lillie took a deep breath, glancing out the window and craning her neck, as though she feared someone might have a way of peeking in on them whilst they were nine stories above the ground. Then, slowly, she unzipped the zipper to the duffel bag and reached her hands inside, glancing briefly at Moon.

"I think you were right; I should have introduced Hau sooner, but… well, hopefully you both can forgive my lack of trust. It… it has not been without reason. Hau? This… this is Nebby." She gave a little smile as she gently lifted a bundle of cosmic fluff and stardust out from her bag, and Nebby blinked open its glowing eyes as it slowly looked between Moon and Hau. It floated inches from Lillie's hands like a paper lantern, hovering over to the both of them before it smiled widely like a child being shown its favorite cartoon characters on a television. It floated forward and nestled itself against Moon's neck in familiarity.

I'll remember how you treat me.

Moon let out a quiet breath and tenderly rubbed her hands over Nebby, scratching and patting it like she would Kickback or Meowth. To think she had wanted to kick this poor thing just the other night - for no reason other than her own inability. The thought now made her sick, no matter how intrusive the thoughts had been, and her guilt seemed to triple as Nebby smiled about so innocently, floating over to where Hau happily held it upon his hands. She didn't care if her affliction made the crazy chemicals in her brain focus on bitterness and frustration; she would not let it control her any more than it already had.

And if she felt this awful about how a single, unspoken, intrusive thought, she really wasn't looking forward to coming to terms with the numerous, definitely spoken aloud, purposeful things she had said to Lillie.

"Oh, now this guy right here?" Hau said as he pretended to balance Nebby like he was a basketball. "This guy is a grade-A kaikana – means 'little brother' if you didn't know – ain't no doubt. Look at him! What even is he, cause I don't think I've ever seen something like him before. This is the Nebby you guys are always going on about, huh?" He gently patted on its pom-pom antennas like they were bongos, earning a chime-like giggle from Nebby that melted the hearts of everyone in the room. From deeper within Lillie's bag zipped out a familiar pokedex, its screen lit with a picture of Nebby front and center as its crackly unrefined voice came through the speakers.

"Zzrrrt! Cosmog, the nebula pokemon! Weight: 0.2 pounds! Height-" Lillie softly reached up and shushed the device, placing it back within the bag as she muted the volume.

"That's quite enough of that, now," Lillie said in a gentle yet firm tone. "But um, yes. This is… Nebby. He is… was, that is, one of the Aether Foundation's primary subjects of research for reasons even I do not know. I was certainly never allowed near him, much less to know of his existence, and it is only due to a very, very long series of events that I found out." She held out her palm and Nebby floated back to her, nuzzling against her cheek and makingLillie smile despite her words. "Most of the research that I knew of within the Aether Foundation was… benevolent, and merciful. Things like behavior experiments and population surveys…"

"But they were not merciful with Nebby," she said, her voice taking on a low hiss that Moon hadn't quite heard in her voice before – not even when Lillie had chastised her for letting Nebby run away. "They were cruel, they were malicious, and they did so purposefully, without consideration or an ounce of humanity. They performed draize testing to his eyes, they forced him to consume toxic substances and then performed vivisections on him – not for any kind of benefit, or- or to better the lives of humans in any way… but to instigate him."

Moon didn't honestly know what half of the tests Lillie had listed were, but the harsh clarity of her voice and lack of meekness told her she probably didn't want to know. Lillie's teeth clenched together as a single tear formed in her eye, but she seemed determined to continue without succumbing to her emotions.

"When Nebby exploded on the bridge, and you both were sent down into the river? That was what they wanted," Lillie growled. "They wanted… whatever that reaction was, and I don't know what it is exactly, I do not know why they thought it worth their actions, but they wanted it enough to torture him. They wanted him to be in pain, refused to grant him the mercy of even falling unconscious. It- I- I suspect it is some kind of natural response to danger, or fear - but they just…" Her hands were shaking as she held Nebby close, and the little ball looked up in confusion and worry for its caretaker, and her eyes bored into Moon's.

"I heard his screams," she whispered, and now both of her eyes glistened with the morning light that seeped in. "I listened to him wail, andscream, and I myself do not know how to speak the language of pokemon, but I heard the cry of a child begging for help… for someone to care, for someone to just… show him some kind of mercy. Don't you get it?" She sniffed, and the tears broke the skyline, slipping down her cheeks like rain on a window. "I had to take him… even if- if it turned my family against me, even if I had to run away from home, even if I had to be electrocuted by pokemon, and beaten with metal batons by the people who had treated me like a niece and a daughter up to that point, until my head started bleeding! Someone had to!"

Moon and Hau were silent, their lips just barely parted in silent horror as Lillie broke down and hugged Nebby closer, sobbing into him like one would a stuffed animal or a pillow. Nobody spoke a word; there was simply nothing to say. What could one possibly say to add to an admission so heavy? What could they do to soften the amount of hopelessness and grief that Lillie had spilled out to them?

Nothing. Moon knew that, and she suspected Hau did as well in the way that he lowered his gaze and looked at Haupia staring curiously up at him. Without a word, he returned his pichu to its ball. Moon's eyes wandered down to her wrist where the purple ribbon was tied around her wrist. What could you do to mend a heart that had already been beaten so badly? You couldn't; there were no remedies, no secret cures or medications that could fix it just like that. All you could do was cry.

Crying was the slow, tiresome solution to a damaged heart.

Lillie's sobbing had receded to clenched teeth and quiet heaving, and occasionally she would try and start up another sentence only to fail and succumb to another gasp that would shake her. Setting down Chlorine, Moon stood from her chair and slowly made her way over to the rattan couch where she gently took Lillie into her arms and sat down beside her, tucking her knees as she gently wrapped her arms around her friend - because despite the misgivings she'd had, despite her uncertainties and mean intrusive thoughts she'd had, Lillie was her friend. Those didn't matter now; her friend was hurting.

"We're sorry," Moon whispered, as Hau quietly took his place on the opposite side and wrapped an arm around the both of them. "We're sorry." And she held on tighter. Perhaps she was apologizing for all the mean things she had said, or perhaps she was apologizing doubting her, or maybe she was just sorry that all of those things had happened to someone so unbelievably innocent. Nebby was innocent. Lillie was innocent. There was no room for speculation or doubt, questions for specifics or details that would bring out deeper wounds – those didn't matter now either. She believed Lillie wholeheartedly for several reasons, but it was the way that she sobbed into Nebby so tightly that told Moon this was the truth.

Lillie was not a criminal, or a thief, or some kind of entitled rich girl with an ulterior motive.

She was just like them: a scared, lonely child who didn't know what to do. Who just wanted guidance, and approval, and to be happy. Who just wanted to be a normal kid, without the burden of what those before them had laid upon them, intentionally or not. Hau's face was firm with his eyes closed, and for a moment Moon saw his grandfather in him as he held tight to Lillie.

"We're sorry," he said. "We didn't know."

"We're sorry," Moon said. "We just wanted to help."

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Lillie wheezed between them. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for lying, I'm– I'm sorry for tricking you a-and taking advantage of your kindness! I d-don't- I don't want…" She broke down once more, and both Hau and Moon lifted their heads. Enacting such close contact probably wasn't always the answer to when someone was crying. Moon knew firsthand she liked her tears to be a solo experience, thank you very much. But something about Lillie's posture, the way she clung so tightly to Nebby, told Moon that she needed a hug. A real, genuine, loving hug. The kind family should give.

"What don't you want?" Moon asked quietly, rubbing Lillie's back as they gave her the opportunity to get her words out.

"I-I… I don't want anyone to get in trouble!" she cried out, pushing her palms into her eyes. "Y-your mother was s-so nice to me, a-and fed me, and made me feel like I wasn't a burden when I know I was! Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet tried reeeaaally hard to help me, a-and now t-they're probably in trouble with the police! Your g-grandfather h-has been covering for me with the professors too, a-and I- I really don't want him to get in trouble either!" Her body was wracked with shivers and hitched breaths as she tried to speak, and Moon shared a brief look with Hau over her.

Just how much had their families known about this situation?

"A-and most of all," Lillie continued between sniffles, "I really… I really like you guys. You're the first f-friends I've ever truly had, and I l-lied to you, and I'm just… I'm so, so sorry. I don't want to drag either of you d-down with me, because I know what I'm doing is wrong, and you two are so kind… I d-don't want you- I don't want either of you to get in trouble either." Moon could see tears forming along the edge of Hau's eyes as gave Lillie another squeeze, and Moon gently rocked the three of them.

"It's our choice, yeah?" His voice cracked slightly. "I dunno what all it'll mean to stick by your side, but… I don't really care, sister. There's uh, ahah…" He gave a small chuckle, wiping his eyes. "Sorry, not laughing at you. It's just, there's a region law called 'The Law of the Alola Spirit', and it's mostly meant for region employees to always say 'mahalo' and 'alola', but the law says that a resident of Alola must treat others with the same respect and care as our ancestors. Gramps says our ancestors were warriors who defended our people, so uh… that's what I'm gonna do." He pulled back slightly and looked at her, nodding towards her.

"If the island challenge is a test for us to connect with our people, the pokemon of Alola, and uphold the traditions of our people…" He reached over and nuzzled Nebby's pom-poms, grinning. "Helping you protect this little guy ought to fall under that category. I don't care what the kahunas say." For a moment there was only the sound of quiet sniffling as Lillie stared down at Nebby, and then slowly she turned and met Hau's eyes with her own. It was as if an understanding had finally passed through Lillie as to why Hau was the way he was, why he called her sister when she wasn't even a native Alolan.

From beside her, Moon smiled softly as she rubbed at Lillie's cheek with her own sleeve to deflect a tear, putting her own head up beside her so that she could give a proper hug of her own. Slowly, she felt Lillie's arm reach under and around Moon's back, gently laid but firmly gripped as though she feared Moon might change her mind. After their back and forth spats, Moon didn't blame her, but now that she knew the truth of what Lillie was doing, she couldn't bring it upon herself to still be spiteful if she tried. She was never good at holding grudges, they didn't mean much to her at this point in her life. The fact that she had a crush on Lillie was, of course, purely coincidental.

"Don't worry about dragging me down, Lils." Moon whispered just loud enough by her ear so that Hau hopefully did not pick it up. "I'm already sinking, so if I can push you up a bit on the way down, then I'll be good with that." And she gave her an extra firm squeeze to let her know that she was there. She wasn't leaving. Come hell or high water, Moon would stay by her side because it was simply the right thing to do. For a moment Lillie was still, and Moon was certain her cryptic wording had left her friend more than a little confused. After a moment, Lillie squeezed back without so much as a questioning glance, and Moon wondered if perhaps Lillie was doing so to let Moon know exactly the same.

A sudden bell-like chime echoed throughout the suite and all three of them jumped as a muffled voice on the other side of the door introduced itself as "Roomservice!" Lillie immediately sprung up and covered Nebby with a few pillows as she fanned her face with her hands, pacing back and forth as she grabbed a napkin from the island counter and gently dabbed just beneath her eyes. Just before she reached the door, she jolted her head forward and let out what sounded like a sneeze, but from where Moon was sitting was very obviously fake. At first Moon didn't quite understand – did all upper-class girls sneeze like that?

It wasn't until she and Hau walked up beside her and saw her receiving the covered plates of their breakfast, of which they both lent a hand to help, that Moon realized it didn't just look like a fake sneeze, it was one. It was the perfect unnecessary excuse for having red eyes, or looking mildly out of whack. Nobody heard a sneeze and assumed someone was crying, after all.

It hurt somewhat to see how practiced Lillie was at it.

After thanking the servers and bringing their plates inside (Moon remembered at the last second to tip.) – they were greeted with Kickback and Chlorine using Nebby as a makeshift volleyball from either side of the living room's couch, each one bopping the cosmic pokemon into the air with their snouts. Moon cringed and went to call Chlorine to stop, especially after Lillie had told them why she was so careful with her pokemon in the first place, but Lillie gently shook her head.

"N-no, I think… I think it is okay. After all, I know they're not trying to be rough with him," she said, stepping over Kickback to set her yogurt and smoothie down. She turned and watched them for a moment, smiling softly as she took a spoon from the drawer. "Besides, we are very much the same, me and Nebby, in that we need to learn what it is like to be around others… and to trust them more." She turned slightly to Hau, who was trying to balance the glasses of orange juice as well as their plates. "I um, I apologize for how I have treated your pichu. It is nothing short of hypocritical of me to shun a pokemon, when I've been taught better."

"Ah, don't worry about that," Hau said with a dismissive wave as Moon came and helped him set the glasses down. She'd been expecting a fifty-two ounce plastic bottle of OJ, not pristine glasses with orange slices already wedged onto the rim. "If I'd known you'd had bad experiences with the line, I wouldn't have had him out as much. If you want, we can have the pokemon eat here and we can go by the lanai-"

"No." Lillie shook her head, firmly now. "I would not separate us all from the opportunity to sit and eat with our pokemon, all of them, for the first time. If you don't mind just… ensuring he does not release any loose shocks, I would be quite content." She smiled as Hau gave the thumbs up, and soon all of their pokemon were out and about the lanai, digging into the bowls of biscuits, kibble, dried fish, dried fruits, while Nebby seemed more excited by Lillie's smoothie.

Hau stepped in beside her as he handed Moon a plate, and they both sighed as they uncovered their meals and let loose the sweet smells of rice, meat, and gravy that began to spread around the kitchen. Their faces dropped slightly as they realized that their respective meals were no bigger than their fists, but they both shared a look that clearly said, "Eh, at least it's free." After all, if Lillie was correct about the Hano resort, they'd have plenty of lunch locations to choose from soon enough.

"Alright, now that we got all that sappy serious stuff out of the way," Hau said as he shoved an entire patty into his mouth. "We should figure out what we're gonna do about the trials, because as far as I know, just because we ran off doesn't mean we're disqualified or anything. After all, the whole thing is they're supposed to be about us doing this on our own, and we haven't technically broken any of the rules… yet." He coughed slightly as several grains of rice shot from his mouth, and Moon whacked him on the back.

"How did you say that so clearly with a whole patty still in your mouth?" Moon murmured in morbid fascination.

"Hmm. I think we should stay here for at least another day or two at the bare minimum. We should make the most of the resort's amenities while we can…" Lillie murmured, feeding a spoonful of yogurt to Nebby. "The problem is we do not know how thoroughly we are being sought after, as it's true that you two are expected to continue your journeys without any supervision… we do not know if Professor Kukui or the police would perhaps anticipate such things and act alongside the trial captains and the kahuna to corner us. If we are lucky, it is only a meager search and not a region-wide hunt, but regardless I think staying here is an effective method of 'hiding our scent', as it were."

As Hau and Lillie discussed the possible choices of the road ahead, Moon merely watched from her position between them as she enjoyed her deliciously cooked – albeit small-portioned – loco moco, and wondered if she'd be able to get her mother to cook this for her sometime. Then, of course, she remembered that she still had yet to hear from her mother, and she wasn't sure whether the inevitable lecture or the waiting for said lecture was worse. She sipped her orange juice and sighed, trying not to think of such things yet. It was more proof that while they had crossed the hump of who and what Lillie was, the consequences and discussions of everything that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours were far from over.

It was then that Moon realized something was bugging her. Not only was it currently bugging her, but it had been constant for a few minutes now, but she had only just now truly noticed it in her mind. It was a strange sensation along her scalp that made it itchy; the prickling of needles beneath the skin in a way that wasn't painful, but uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable. Her fingers dug at her skin again, but it was like a phantom pain in that no matter where you scratched, the itch just didn't seem to truly connect. The last thing she wanted was dandruff in her fancy, meager, admittedly free breakfast.

Just as she brushed off the prickly feeling, another sensation cropped up. This one was mental however, not physical, and yet they both harbored an unrelievable itch in different ways. This new sensation was worry, and it spread through Moon as though she had plunged herself into something wet and sticky, refusing to leave the longer her mind festered. She had to know. She had to know now, before someone figured it out before she did. She stood up.

"Gotta pee," she announced, not even bothering to see if either of her friends had heard her as she stepped over their pokemon and hurried to the bathroom just beside the door. She shut the door behind her as gently as her growing concern would allow and made sure to lock the door behind her. The light flicked on, and Moon stared into the extra wide mirror that took up almost the entire bathroom wall, giving her a far better look at herself than she truly wanted. Initially everything looked fine in her reflection, but she wasn't so easily convinced.

She'd learned well enough by now not to trust the first look in the mirror. The familiar unfamiliar.

She leaned closer and squinted, tentatively maneuvering with her fingers to search and pry along herself as the girl in the mirror did the same. The girl in the mirror wasn't her anyway – or perhaps, it would be her very soon. Instead the one before her was younger, far too young to be dealing with the obvious sadness and hopelessness as she stared in the mirror, searching vainly for something that simply wasn't there anymore. Something Moon had taken for granted.

It's not so bad, you know. I can rock it. Might have to lean a bit heavier into my punk wardrobe, but you know what? It's not so bad. I can probably pass it off as a choice! Yeah, I'll just… I'll just do this again. Alone.

Without mom to help.

Moon stared in the mirror at her younger self, watching as the door to her kantoan bathroom opened and her mother stepped inside, a tender but pitying expression on her face. No tears, though. She'd only let her see her cry once, and never again. It was probably a mom thing, but Moon respected it now that she knew it was hard in its own way for her mother – especially with her father's passing. Her mother looked in the mirror for a moment before smiling, taking a towel and rubbing Moon's face down with it.

"Not so bad, huh? You know, not everyone can pull it off, but I think you do it beautifully."

Moon met her mother's smile with a weakened one. "Psh, easy for you to say. I look like a crackhead."

"I kinda look like I could be on stage with Roxie, I guess," the younger Moon said, cocking her head in the mirror like a rockruff. "Or maybe… I dunno. It feels ugly. I don't want it to be, but… it does." She looked away from the mirror then, and from Moon, while her mother knelt down and gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze.

"Hey now, don't say that. I bet Roxie would love it. I've seen those CD cases you have me buy, and I can say for a fact that this is right up her alley. Guarantee."

Little Moon looked up at her mother, frowning. "You're just saying that, aren't you? You don't actually know for sure…" But her mother shook her head.

"Auē, Moonbeam, give me some credit. I was around when this stuff was big and all over the music stations. Trust me. And, you know, even if you don't believe me… maybe you'll get the chance to ask her yourself, huh? Would you like that?"

Moon stared back in the mirror, watching as slowly her eyes began to water. The girl in the mirror still looked uncertain, but her mother's words enticed her with curiosity as she turned and followed her out the door of the bathroom and back to her old kantoan living room. The door closed, and Moon was alone – not that there had ever been anyone else in the bathroom in the first place. Instead she looked in the mirror at herself, the real her, the one in the here and now, and sighed.

I look crazy. Imagining things that aren't there…

It took longer last time. I thought I'd have more time… this isn't fair.

She sighed and gazed past herself, looking at the bathroom door that she knew led out to the suite living room where Hau and Lillie waited for her. She wanted it to open, and for her mother to walk through again and approach the mirror just as she did before, to put her arms around her shoulders and tell her a sweet comfort no matter how false it truly was. She felt her lips quiver as she thought of her phone on the floor beside her bed, and wished for her mother to stand opposite her in the mirror, and offer a hand out to her as if to say, "Come on, Moon. You too." But the mirror was empty, because the bathroom was empty.

Instead, all that was on the other side was a miserable, silently crying girl.

---

"You're late," the President said calmly. She sat at her desk, her back to the window overlooking the Alolan ocean, fingers interlocked like lace stitching as she stared at the dirty, disheveled, booze-smelling man before her. It was certainly a first for her office: nobody this unsightly and scruffy had ever stepped foot in here before, and frankly she wasn't keen on it being a habit. But, the future required progress, and progress required change. You didn't have to like change, you merely had to deal with it. That was what she was doing. Dealing with change.

"Yeah, my bad, woke up with a wicked hangover. Me and the boys got a hold of a bottle of uh… Archie-Peligo? Nah nah, Orange Island Rum. Did a row of B-52 shots, got a bit fucked up…" Guzma smacked his lips and blinked a few times, popping a mint from the desk and tossing it back to catch it in his mouth. It bounced off his forehead and shattered on the floor. "Shit, sorry." He grabbed another, tossed it back, and grinned proudly as it smacked the back of his throat. He looked up to see that the Aether President wasn't glaring or clenching her teeth, instead she merely sat politely and waited.

Like she was the guest instead of him.

"Anyway, yeah uh, I'm sure you run a tight ship lady, but uh… Team Skull?" He cracked the mint between his teeth. "We're not one for regulations and rules. Team Skull is freedom, you know." He nodded his head as though he had spoken profound words of wisdom, even though he knew he sounded stupid. And this woman, this rich lady living in an artificial island running some uppity charity organization, was probably about to rub that all in his face, because that's just what people who didn't understand did, they-

"I understand," Lusamine said, nodding her head respectfully. "A man like you likes to live by his rules, and anything else is nothing short of stifling for who you are and what you're capable of. Correct?" she asked, setting her chin on her fingers. Guzma felt his mouth twitch; he wasn't caught off guard often, but he'd had this lady pegged as supreme-judgemental bitch number one. 'The Queen Bitch', as he'd so eloquently told Plumeria. "I have no intention of stifling the might and freedom of men who've fought tooth and claw for that, and if we are to work together, I would have you merely carry out my request in your terms, by your methods. Is this acceptable?"

Guzma blinked again, looking around the sterile white office room. It wasn't like there was anyone else in the office with them, so she had to be talking to him.

"Uh, yeah actually," he admitted, scratching his head. "We ain't lapdogs, you know? We got a style, both figuratively and literally, and I don't want to compromise that no matter how good of a deal you're slinging here. Thought I'd lay that on the table before we get down to brass tacks." He gave a firm nod and crossed his arms; finally someone in this damn region who treated him with the respect he deserved as a leader. Who'd have thought it would come from the most uppity, persnickety looking woman he'd ever met? Just went to show that appearances weren't everything.

"Understood, these are acceptable terms. However, just as you have a style and manner of which you do things as a leader, so too do I," Lusamine said, and she smiled faintly as she motioned to the wall beside her, and Guzma noticed several exquisite looking unopened bottles of… well, he wasn't sure what, but he knew good liquor when he saw it. "Punctuality and results, especially. If you think you might be late for a future meeting or correspondance, I would be very grateful if you would give me a warning ahead of time. As the head of your own group, I'm sure you understand. A drink?"

"Sing it, sister," Guzma said, and Lusamine stood briefly as she retrieved a bottle with the label 'Succo di Shuckle' and poured each of them a healthy glass of the red wine. Guzma wasn't normally a wine drinker, but even he could enjoy a merlot now and then, if the situation called for it. "And yeah, I can do that. Probably get my girl Plumeria to do it, but I'll keep you posted next time." He raised the wine glass and Lusamine did the same as they each took a nice long sip.

"Wonderful." Lusamine licked her lips, leaving not a stray drop of their beverage behind. She poured the each of them another serving, not that Guzma's glass was below half. "In that case, I believe during our first conversation you informed me that you've had a bit of trouble recently with your members being caught up in the grasp of the law." She held up an open hand just as Guzma prepared an explanation on why she should still hire them and ignore that. "I understand well that not all tasks and jobs can be done on the table. I wouldn't be seeking someone as down to earth and capable as yourself if I didn't need work that required someone who… well, isn't afraid to get their hands dirty."

Guzma nodded, finally getting a feel for how this conversation was going. He liked it. "Well, I ain't one to brag…" He sniffed and said no more, but Lusamine smiled.

"I think we may be able to work something out then," Lusamine said swiftly, typing briefly onto her laptop before swiveling it around so as to face Guzma. "In exchange for our assistance in reclaiming your members, I would like for you, and your fellows… to keep an eye out for this one. He's one of two… former members, that we're currently searching for, and we believe there's a chance you know of him, perhaps?" Guzma blinked a few times from his chair, and slowly leaned forward.

Blond choppy hair, green eyes, a stern little face like someone had just pissed in his breakfast… oh yeah, Guzma knew that one. His eyes lit up and he leaned back into the rather comfy chair, feigning a look of smug indifference. He had to play it cool, after all.

"You know, I think I do actually know him," Guzma said, taking another sip. "In fact, I could probably set up a meeting between the two of you – if you're interested, you know. Or I could whack-"

"Keep an eye on him," Lusamine said simply, cutting him off. "That is what I want, assuming you do in fact know where he is. Do not tell him you are doing so, do not inform him that I've requested this, merely watch him until I am in need of him." She blinked, and Guzma merely stared at her as if waiting for further explanation. "Monitoring is, quite frankly, the most valuable thing you can do for us regarding him." There was silence for a moment, until finally Guzma shrugged.

"Aight, I'll keep an eye on the little shit. Been doing it this long, 'least now I'm getting something out of it." He took another sip of his wine, but he was careful not to drink too much. He was here to do business after all. "What about the other one? You said the punk was one, whose this other member of yours gone rogue? Someone else we can keep a lookout for?" Getting Bailey and the other dolts out of jail was one hell of a boon, but money was his primary reason for coming all this way. He wasn't going down that fancy-schmancy elevator again until he got some kind of cash leverage going his way.

Lusamine's eyes narrowed, taking on a slightly aggravated expression as her eyebrows tightened.

"That one," sshe muttered, looking back towards her laptop screen, "I believe won't be much of your concern, as much as I would like for it to be otherwise. She's done an excellent job of staying off the map unfortunately… if her brains and her beauty had been swapped as a child, it would have saved me a lot of headache, and paperwork. As it stands, we don't know where… she…" Lusamine slowly trailed off, her voice falling completely silent as her eyes slowly widened and she stared directly into her screen. Across from her, Guzma glanced back and forth, perturbed by the sudden drop off.

"... You good, chief?" he asked, but Lusamine did not respond. "You a lightweight, or something? You uh… you gonna finish that glass?"

Lusamine silently slid her glass over to Guzma, the wine and business deal all but completely and utterly forgotten about in her mind. Down in the bottom right of her screen, an email notification had appeared. This wasn't unusual; as president of an entire foundation, it would have been more surprising if she hadn't received an email today. But it was the name of the email that caught her attention, and she clicked on it so fast that it nearly startled the wine right up Guzma's nose.

Subject: Your Exclusive Reservation Confirmation at Grand Hano Resort

Dear Lusamine Morgenstern,

Thank you for choosing Hano Grand Resort for your upcoming stay! We're thrilled to confirm your reservation for a private suite, where opulence meets tranquility in our luxurious haven for people and pokemon alike. Consider this email a gentle reminder that your reservation for the exquisite suite has been confirmed, ensuring that every moment of your stay is marked by unparalleled comfort and indulgence.

The receipt for your room service is listed below. If you find this to be in error and you did not order room service, please contact our front desk so that we may remedy this situation and remove the bill from your account. Should you require any assistance or wish to enhance your experience further, our dedicated team is available around the clock to cater to your every need.

Thank you once again for choosing Hano Grand Resort as your preferred sanctuary of luxury. We trust your stay with us will exceed your wildest expectations.

Alola!

Reno Swain, Guest Relations Manager, Hano Grand Resort

Lusamine smiled so wide that the wine stains on her teeth looked borderline malicious, and she practically gripped the edges of her laptop with eager hands.

"Guzma, dear," she murmured in a fit of subdued glee, never taking her eyes off of the screen, "I believe I would like to retract my last statement."