"Ah, there you two are!" Mom proclaims. Dad swings the front door shut after the two of us stroll in. After all of our adventures in Ultra Space this afternoon, it's a relief to finally be home again - the familiar warmth is a welcome sensation. Glancing around, I notice the whole house to be very tidy; the coffee table is cleared, the rug looks freshly vacuumed, kitchen surfaces are sparkling and the faint scent of polish is hanging in the air. Mom's been busy. She stands behind the kitchen counter, holding her hands at her sides in a relieved yet somewhat irritated manner. "Where have you been? I thought you two would be back ages ago," she continues.
"Heh, sorry about that. Me and Sun were distracted by the, uhh..." Dad's panicked eyes dart over to me for help, so I take over for him.
"The sights," I finish calmly. I pull the black trainers off of my feet, dropping them neatly next to the front door. "Me and Dad had an awesome journey up to the Altar."
Dad nods, slipping his scruffy black jacket off. "Yeah! I've seen some incredible places in Alola so far, but that one... that one takes the cake."

A tender smile comes to Mom's face, warming up the cozily-lit room that little bit more.
"Well, as long as you had a good time," she says, sighing a cordial sigh.
Dad hangs up his jacket and joyously begins on his way across the room. "Mhm! We'll have to tell you about it later," he insists, suddenly coming to a pause in order to admire the speckless space around him. "Looks nice in here," he remarks, changing the subject. As with many of the things that my old man says, the casualness in his voice as he delivers that statement is laughable. Mom giggles under her breath, as amiably as you like.
"Yes, I've spent most of the day in here so don't go making a mess," she jests, playfully bopping the top of Dad's head with a duster as she walks past him. She turns to me again. "And you ought to go and get ready for that meeting, Sun, or else you'll be late."
"Right," I mumble. Of course, the meeting. I hadn't forgotten about it - not completely, anyway - but after Dad and I returned from Ultra Space following our sentimental conversations, it was already getting later than I thought. And if you add on the time it took for us to fly home, you end up at the same point in time that I'm at now. 3:49 in the afternoon. Or in other words, forty minutes before the meeting starts. Forty minutes to get changed and walk to the office building in Hau'oli city.

As they often do, my thoughts turns to Lillie while I release Delta and Jolt out into the room, leaving their empty metallic Poké Balls on the wooden coffee table. I haven't seen my girlfriend since after the attack on Aether Paradise this morning, but I'm assuming she's back by now. She'd better be, because we're running out of time as it is.
"Lillie's here, right Mom?" I ask, though practically certain of the answer already.
"Of course she is," Mom answers. "She only got back from Aether Paradise about ten minutes ago, though. She's getting ready at the moment, you should go and join her."
Delta hops up onto one of the immaculate leather sofas in the room without delay, the orange-furred Lycanroc promptly curling up amongst the cushions and making himself comfortable. Jolt, on the other hand, isn't as weary. Still brimming with energy, the mischievous little Alolan Raichu wanders off to rejoin some of the other Pokémon loafing around the house. I give a nod towards Mom, passing by my Pokémon on the way to my room.

My knuckles knock twice against the wooden door to my bedroom as I push it open ajar. "It's me, can I come in?"
Lillie's benign giggle comes from the other side. "Of course you can."
With her permission, I enter the room and close the door behind me. As I expected, she's in the middle of getting changed. She stands in the centre of the bedroom wearing nothing but her underwear and a cute, currently unbuttoned navy-blue blouse that hangs open enough for me to see the paler blue bra that she wears underneath it. The orange evening sunlight trickles through the open windows in the room, lighting up her ravishing skin in a style that's too majestic for my eyes to behold. I feel my heart, once again gripped by her elegance, pause in it's rhythmic beating. Her golden hair flows down past her shoulders, relieved of its usual ponytail - and just below her wonderful eyes, the emeralds that sparkle as she gazes at me - I find the smile that never fails to lighten up my world; the embracing, crescent beam that reflects an immeasurable degree of calmness, her pearly teeth, as white and as clean as porcelain, greeting me while my paralysed gaze surveys her from head to toe.

"You don't have to knock, Sun. It's not like you've never seen me get changed before," she says amusedly. There's a softness to the way Lillie speaks as she pauses in dressing herself.
The corners of my lips slide up into a smile. "Just being polite," I protest huskily. Our eyes remain fixed on each other's as I approach, until Lillie skips forward and hops into my open embrace, unable to wait any longer in giving me a hug.

Her smile widens as she rests her chin against my shoulder. She squeezes her arms around the centre of my back, drawing in a deep breath of my familiar scent - cool, fresh cologne and the trail of the ocean breeze - before letting it out in the form of a slightly nettled sigh.
"Where have you beeeen? We haven't got much time," Lillie whines playfully against the crook of my neck. I could easily get lost in the warmth of her soft skin for hours. Her embrace is tight yet considerate, holding me close but knowing that it can't last for long. My arms stay wrapped loosely around her half-dressed waist, her delicate locks of hair brushing against my cheek.
"Sorry, Lil... we took a little longer than I thought," I admit. As if in sync, the two of us pull our heads up from each other's shoulders. She stares back into my eyes, her head slightly at a tilt with a forgiving expression on her face that bypasses the need for words. She steps up onto her tiptoes, and our clutches on each other tighten briefly as Lillie leans into me, grazing her silken lips against my own. Our eyes fall shut, the silence in the room growing at first before being cut short by the sound of kissing. Lillie nibbles softly against my lips, a burning edge to our manner that implies that we never want to stop; but instead of indulging into the kiss further, Lillie gently relieves her lips. She knows that now isn't the time for any deeper a kiss, and so do I.

The identical, admiring smile is mirrored on both of our faces for a moment, until Lillie steps down from her tiptoes and turns away slightly to continue buttoning her blouse. My lips tingle on for a second. No matter how many times we kiss, I'm always left in some kind of brief trance afterwards. With the sweet taste of her lips lingering on mine, a smirk returns to my face.
"Anyway, don't act like you've been waiting that long. Mom told me you only got back fifteen minutes ago," I tease. Browsing through my wardrobe, I pick out my go-to suit and tie; a sleek, jet black blazer with matching, slim-fit trousers, finished off with a tie of the same colour. It was tailored and made specifically for me. I've worn it to many prestigious events during the years since I became Alola's Champion; parties, ceremonies, league meetings... this isn't the first time I've worn it to a meeting with government officials, and I doubt it'll be the last.
Lillie gasps a shallow laugh. "I was still back earlier than you!" she fires back, now fitting a charcoal grey skirt around her waist and tucking her blouse into it neatly. "Though I did end up staying in Aether Paradise with my mother longer than I expected."
I toss my bag onto the bed without a second thought and pull my shirt off over my strong shoulders, subsequently glancing up at her. "Is everything okay there now?"
The sigh that Lillie immediately responds with suggests that she's had a long day helping her mom repair the damage done by Team Skull this morning. After my battle with them that tore half a cargo bay to shreds, I don't blame her.
"For the most part, yes. I took some calls for my mother, helped Wicke tidy up in the labs... oh, fed some of the Pokémon in the conservation area because it became understaffed..." Lillie recounts the events of her day as they come to her. "Mom and I managed to assess the extent of the damage. It wasn't too bad, so the workers were quick in getting everything repaired," she explains. The corner of her lip raises slightly in amusement, and she stares at me knowingly with her head tilted to the side. "Though I think they're still cleaning up after your... mess... in the cargo bay."
A metallic click sounds out across the room as my belt buckle clips into place, followed by a flutter of my suit as I adjust the jacket over my body. I smirk. "Oh, come on. I've apologised for that enough times now."

Lillie just smiles and shakes her head lightly. Her outfit isn't complete yet, but the colour scheme she's going for is apparent nonetheless. The mix of navy and dark grey forms a caliginous palette that contrasts with Lillie's bright and glowing soul; a style opposite to her typical attire, but one that's able to reflect her beauty in an unconventional yet equally stunning light.
"But what about you? What did your father think of the Altar?" she asks.
I hesitate. Of course - as far as Lillie knows, Dad and I only went to the Altar. "Oh, yeah. He loved it," I answer simply, the words falling out of my mouth in a sudden hurry. Lillie knows the dangers of visiting Ultra Space. She's knows them too well. Though we visit distant worlds together from time to time, it usually takes some persuading beforehand; especially following the incident a few months ago. Even now, she remains adamant that our curiosity for the worlds beyond our own will, one way or another, eventually lead to disaster. Needless to say, she doesn't typically approve of me travelling to Ultra Space; at least, not without her. And who can blame her? Lillie already lost her father because of these interdimensional wormholes. I can't imagine how terrified she might be of losing me, too.

Unaware of my thoughts, Lillie giggles sweetly from across the room. She sits on the edge of the immaculate white bed, pulling some black tights on over her legs. "That's good. It's nice that you were able to spend some time with your dad," she replies. Her tone is entirely sincere, as it always is. The peaceful smile on her face doesn't falter for even a second - I had worried that talking about my father would remind her too much of her own. "It must have been a long time since you were last able to."
My fingers focus on doing up the tie around my collar, mindlessly repeating the method that I've somewhat memorised by now. "Yeah. Six years ago... I was a lot younger back then."

My sympathetic eyes remain on Lillie. As she adjusts the ribbon on her blouse and completes the finishing touches to her outfit, I remember what I said to Dad earlier.
Don't worry. I'll give her a huge hug when I see her again later.
It's a promise I made to myself after I told Dad about what happened to Lillie's father. But Lillie... despite everything, her most prevalent expression is a blissful smile. And even though the brightness in her soul never dims, I suspect that the memory of her father always hangs in the back of her mind somewhere.

Now fully dressed, Lillie stands in the centre of the bedroom, reviewing her look in the mirror. My lips form a small, yearning smile. I don't know why... is it out of admiration? Pity, perhaps? I dismiss the thought with a faint sigh through my nose, then speak a soft word that melts the silence in the room.
"Lil?"
Lillie glances over at me quickly, snapped out of her daze. She pauses in doing her hair. "Hm?"
She gasps gently in surprise as my arms wrap tightly around her a mere half-second later. I hold her tight, my chin pressing against her shoulder. My arms wrap around her body with purpose, one around her waist and the other squeezing across the centre of her back. Lillie stands frozen for a moment. Unsure of what prompted the sudden hug, it takes her a second before she cosies up against me. The warmth of her smile touches my cheek, and I feel her gentle arms squeeze around me in return.
"Hehe... why the sudden hug?"
I don't respond with words right away; only a soft laugh that brushes against her ear. I tighten my embrace around her, bringing a hand up to stroke through her hair as Lillie gently sways us from side to side.
"Uh... no reason. It's nothing," I reply.
"Hmm..." Lillie considers. "It doesn't seem like nothing."
A smirk returns to my face, and I carefully rub her back. "It's because I love you. Isn't that reason enough?"
Lillie's cute giggle tickles me. We relieve ourselves of the hug, now focusing on each other's eyes as my girlfriend speaks again. "If there's something on your mind, you know you can tell me..."
I hesitate, caught up in her perfect iris'. My mouth goes to form the words, though a long moment passes before any come out.
"I've just... been a little worried about you today. That's all."

Lillie's smooth palm slips into my hand, her head tipping lightly to one side.
"Me?" Lillie repeats. She smiles sweetly. "I'm fine! You don't need to worry about me."
I know that she's right; her gorgeous smile, her brilliant eyes... the sincerity in it all is something that nobody could ever fake. My attention is captured by the ticking from the clock in the room, a sound as faint as a Rattata's footstep. I glance quickly at my watch and change the subject.
"Anyhow, we're cutting it thin now. Almost ready?"
Lillie nods, rushing back to the mirror as she fiddles with her hair. "Yes, almost... how do I look?"
Her immaculate navy blouse and well-ironed, charcoal grey skirt are fitted on her to perfection. The black tights add much to her formal look, and the cute silk ribbon around her collar is neatly adjusted. Nothing surprising really, as every one of Lillie's outfits is always done to a tee.
An awed smile crosses me once again as I admire her. "You look beautiful, Lil. What a surprise," I add, grinning sarcastically.
She smiles. "Ahehe, I'm glad you think so," Lillie sings. She places her hair brush down on the table, satisfied with the look of her straight, golden hair; it flows down past her shoulders, topped off by a delicate half-up rope braid beautifully done around the circumference of her head. "You look great, too - it's been a while since I've seen you wear that suit."

I glance down, carefully brushing off my black blazer and navy shirt underneath.
"You're right, I haven't had a need to wear it much lately. Oh!" I pause, picking up my cap from the bed. After carelessly swiping my hand through my hair, I put my cap back onto my head. "Almost forgot to finish it off."
Lillie laughs. She sits serenely on the wooden chair beside the table with her makeup products on it, using a fine brush to finish adding a gentle touch of rouge to her cheeks.
"Only you would wear a cap with a suit, Sun..."
I shrug calmly. "How are people gonna know who I am without my cap?" I joke.
Lillie giggles, picking up another of the many products on her desk. "Stop making me laugh, I need to put my lipstick on quickly," she complains.

I roll my eyes playfully. With the constant barrage of cosmetic items, hairstyling tools and clothes, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up late to the meeting at this rate. I can't complain, though; Lillie's able to apply her makeup remarkably quickly, and with a level of precision that would make you think she's an expert. Hell, with the amount of experience she has with this kind of thing, I guess she is an expert. I watch my girlfriend add the last few touches; I always find there to be something strangely attractive about her running the dark-red lipstick over her lips. After she finishes applying a light hint of mascara to her eyelashes, she's all done - and she looks amazing, too. The various forms of makeup are startlingly subtle, but they compliment her presentable look perfectly for the task not far ahead of us. I make sure to take Feathers' Poké Ball with me before Lillie and I head back into the living room, hurriedly say goodbye to Mom and Dad, and begin on our way to Hau'oli city at last.

—————

"Do you think we'll have to talk about that at the meeting?" Lillie asks. The hastened tapping of our black shoes against Hau'oli city's concrete streets is effortlessly absorbed into the noise of the vibrant city centre; impatient car horns, the chattering of groups outside cafes and the squawking of Wingull overhead - all of it coalesces into a breathing parade of sound. Celebration. Congregation of people and Pokémon, in honour of a finished year and preparation for a new one. The sound of the world going by as the city enters it's busiest time of day. My carefree gaze trails away from the traffic, and my attention turns back to Lillie's question.
"Hrm... I doubt it would get brought up," I reply. I chew my lip in thought. "Besides, even if they really are trying to use ultra wormholes... well, we can't just bring it up," I mutter, the strain in my voice evident as I try to keep the words quiet. The two of us continue to speed-walk through the city plaza. Not far ahead is the building we're looking for - a tall, modern-looking structure comprised of offices, meeting rooms and other such lame facilities that you'd expect to find in an office building. Lillie raises an eyebrow.
"Why not?" She asks.
"First of all, it's still just a hunch," I mumble. My tone, along with my facial expression, drops to something more serious. "And secondly, think about it. Even suggesting something like that could create serious panic."
Lillie stares toward the ground, troubled. "Maybe, but... what if it's a real threat? We could be better prepared if the possibility is discussed," she suggests. The afternoon breeze blows across the street as Lillie lifts her head back up. She squeezes my hand softly while we walk. "I keep thinking back to what my mother warned us about. I haven't heard her sound so worried in... a long time."

I glance thoughtfully up at the orange sunset for a long moment. Sensing Lillie's nervousness, I softly squeeze her hand in return.
"I know, Lil. Hey," I whisper, glancing across into her deep green eyes. I can almost see the reflection of my own warm smile within them. "We'll figure it out, okay? It'll be alright."
She stares back at me, a hint of uncertainty dancing in her eyes. Then, persuaded by my grin, her smile lights up again. She caresses my hand with her thumb as the automatic doors open in front of us, and the two of us walk through.

The reception is a posh sight. Nothing that quite rivals some of Aether's facilities, but just enough to make the place stand out as one of Hau'oli's finest structures. The small water fountain, reflective tile floor and modernistic, marble plant pots makes the place reek of a corporate atmosphere. Stood idly behind a sleek, curved counter, a receptionist bows gracefully as Lillie and I approach.
"Welcome. Do you have an appointment?"
I step forward. "Yup," I chirp, retrieving the letter of invitation from my jacket pocket and handing it to the receptionist. "Same place as all the Captains, Kahunas, government officials and probably regal figures too, by the sounds of it," I joke. The lady's friendly smile remains eerily still.
"Of course. Your appointment is on the tenth floor," she says, gesturing to an elevator to the left of the reception desk.

Lillie and I stand patiently in the gleaming, silver elevator as it takes us up. The meeting officially starts in about five minutes, so everyone else should be here by now. I notice Lillie glance down and slightly adjust her blouse's ribbon as the doors open, and we step out into a corridor bustling with people and voices. Lillie's hand slips into mine as we pass by small groups of press and into a large, oval-shaped room that's full of faces; some familiar, some not.

Looks like this is the place. The expansive room is surprisingly devoid of objects or furniture, save for the huge circular table in the centre and the fifteen chairs that surround it. Lillie glances dazedly around at the roomful of people; besides the easily-recognisable Captains and Kahunas of Alola, there are bunches of news correspondents and photojournalists around, many of them armed with cameras. The whole room is surrounded by large glass windows, offering an impressive view of the city and the sun setting over the ocean. Amongst the chattering around the room, my attention is gripped by the direct voice of a man that approaches us. He stands quite tall, wearing a boring grey suit.

"Welcome, Champion. Ah, and you must be Lillie? Thank you both kindly for joining us here this afternoon," he says, his voice clear and fruity. He wears a respectful smile and has brown eyes that match his tanned skin. He gestures towards two empty chairs at the end of the round table. "Please, take a seat. We'll get started shortly."
With that, he turns and begins talking to a very formally-dressed woman - some sort of assistant, I assume. I'm sure I've never seen either of them before - neither in person, nor on TV - but given the circumstances, there's no question that they're the bureaucrats sent to this meeting. As me and Lillie take our seats, a familiar voice from the seat beside us snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Hey you guys! Long time no see!"
Lillie gasps. "Oh, Acerola! It's good to see you again!"
The ghost-type trial Captain grins widely at us. I don't think I've ever seen her wear a formal dress until now. It's not too different though, honestly - it even follows the same purple colour scheme as her regular outfit.

"Hey Acerola," I reciprocate with a smile. My eyes sweep over the faces surrounding the table. It's strange seeing everyone wearing some kind of formal wear - shirts, ties, dresses and suits are practically the only outfits in the room, and most of them are similar colours. I notice the absence of a few faces. I don't see Kiawe around... Hapu doesn't seem to be here, but I guess that's not surprising. Sophocles is also missing, but I see Molayne sat across the table from me, so he must be here in his place. Actually, looking around... Hala and Olivia are the only two Kahunas that seem to be here. I turn back to Acerola. "Nanu's not with you today?"
Acerola shakes her head. "Nope! Uncle Nanu said he'd rather watch paint dry than be at a meeting like this. Some Kahuna he is, huh?" She laughs.
Lillie chuckles. "Well, that does sound like him."

All of a sudden, the idle chatter and mumbling around the room comes to a stop. Our attention, along with everyone else's at the meeting table, turns to the voice of the grey-suited bureaucrat. He clears his throat politely, an unspoken request for quiet; and as all eyes turn to him, he smiles lightly around at us.
"I'd like to once again thank you all for attending this important conference, especially on such short notice. I'm Governor Manu, and this here is my assistant, Julia. We're here to represent the Alolan government," he begins. The lady beside him, herself dressed in a buttoned-up black suit, holds her hands at her front and bows forward in greeting. Governor Manu gestures with an open palm towards everyone gathered around. "I'm sure you're all aware of why you've been gathered here today. As you see, we have called upon not only the Kahunas and Captains of Alola - we are also joined today by the chief of police, the Mayor of Hau'oli City, Aether representative and Branch Chief Faba, Team Reskull administrators Guzma and Plumeria, and last but not least, our very own Champion of Alola," he announces, gesturing to each individual as he names them. Almost all eyes in the conference hall turn to me briefly. Not fazed by the sudden attention, I manage a half-smile and give off a small, nonchalant wave. This is gonna be a long couple of hours.

—————

My chair creaks gently as I lean further back into it. At this point, I've lost track of how long we've been here for. If I had to guess, I'd say about an hour and a half has passed since the meeting began. Every now and then, I'd end up staring off at the sunset behind the crystal-clear window panels - but the sun has completely gone down now, and the streets of Hau'oli are illuminated solely by the streetlights. My elbow rests against the arm of my chair, holding up my bored head while my eyes flick from one person speaking to the next. Lillie, on the other hand, is thankfully far more invested in the current back-and-forth state of affairs. She's maintained her elegant, upright posture this entire time, listening attentively to every word that's spoken. It's just... ugh. Honestly, I've been to more meetings like this since becoming Champion than I care to count, and it's safe to say I'm not too fond of them. But who can blame me, right? I'm a seventeen year-old Pokémon Champion. I'm meant to be out there, scaling cliffsides and battling legendary trainers for fun - not stuck in a conference room wearing a suit, listening to people drone on about the seven million pokedollars worth of damage that Team Skull have caused over the past week. Ah, well. You know what they say: with great power comes great responsibility, I guess.

Across the table, Branch Chief Faba puts his hands down against the wooden desk. Unlike most others, Faba retains his usual look with his usual outfit. An entourage of two Aether employees stand silently behind him as he prepares to follow up on a point he made earlier.
"As I mentioned previously, governor, it remains unknown the purpose or extent of the attack that this ragtag group of ruffians left upon Aether Paradise this morning. The President wishes to emphasise that speculation on how the group might try to utilise Aether technology will not help us resolve the issue," he declares boldly.
We've gone through a range of different conversations by now; it's mostly just been recounting Team Skull's activity over the past week, the two Kahunas describing their own run-ins with the group and how they think we can put an end to their chaos. In other words, we've been discussing information that everyone already knew.

Plumeria shakes her head, her arms folded irritably. "Yeah, but we can't ignore the fact that they're planning something. Even they wouldn't have messed with Aether Paradise for fun."
The governor eyes Plumeria curiously, holding a knuckle to his chin. "Administrator Plumeria, would you like to expand on that statement on behalf of Team Reskull?"
The room goes still as Plumeria looks around. "Hmm... one thing I can say is that us at Team Reskull don't know any more about what they're up to than you do," she says. The Team Reskull Admin's eyes suddenly glance across at Lillie. "But the Aether President's own daughter is here with us. You have anything to say about all this, Lillie?"

Lillie's cheeks redden slightly in surprise as all eyes in the room suddenly turn to her - even Faba's, albeit reluctantly. The room goes silent aside from the flashing of cameras in the background, everyone anticipating Lillie's response. She stands to her feet and clears her throat quietly.
"Um... well, Sun and I were both present at Aether Paradise this morning when the attack took place," she begins. "And it's true, nobody knows for sure why it happened. But both Plumeria and Faba are correct - it only stands to reason that a scheme is at play here, but trying to guess their intentions will do us no good," Lillie explains, pausing to take a breath. Her now-confident green eyes scroll across everyone around the table. "We must assume that their repurposing of the Aether Foundation's technology can only be incredibly dangerous, but... but we can't afford to argue about all of this. If we truly hope to end this threat, we must work together to make a plan."

Murmurs of agreement begin to echo around the table, and Lillie returns to her seat. Taking a breath, she glances across at me. I can't help but smile. I give her an approving wink before turning back to the table.
"Governor, if I may?" I speak up. He smiles, gesturing openly.
"Go ahead, Champion."
I lean forward, placing my hands calmly on the desk as all eyes anticipatingly turn to me.
"Lillie's right, and the two of us have already made a start on a plan," I begin, taking another breath. "I recently got a hint that Team Skull's base is somewhere along the coast of Ula'ula island."
The room instantly begins to fill with a chorus of gasps and mumbled conversation.
Hala raises an eyebrow. "Is that so...?"
Mina just chuckles monotonously. "Pfheh, jeez, Sun. You couldn't have brought that up sooner?"
I grin, raising my hands innocently. "I was getting around to it," I protest.

Before I can continue, however, some questions get thrown around.
"A hint? From who?"
"How do you know we can trust such information?"
I stand up from my seat, everyone's eyes tracking me as I do.
"I heard it yesterday from one of their own members, an admin named Rose," I explain. My lips slide up into a smirk as I look around at all the faces. "I was going to check it out today, but... well, I got called to a meeting to talk about Team Skull."
That prompts some laughs around the table.
Kahuna Olivia tilts her head, eyeing me inquisitively. "Assuming that information is correct and you do find their hideout... how do you plan to proceed from there?"
I lean against the edge of the desk, staring thoughtfully at the small nameplate that sits on it in front of me. The pressure of everyone's patient gazes is unrelenting, but it doesn't bother me.
"Me and my Pokémon will storm it. We'll take down their forces and shut down whatever's going on in there for good," I say at last.

Once again, the room erupts into discourse.
"What, by yourself? That's absurd!" Faba scoffs.
The chief of police, quite a large man, budges into the conversation. "Hmm, there's no reason to take on all by yourself. We'd need to dispatch dozens of officers to secure the place," he argues.
All the voices in the room come to a dead stop as Guzma's heavy fist thuds against the table. Everyone silently looks up at him.
"Hey, have some faith in the kid. Sun's our own Champion, ain't he? I'm sure y'all don't need reminding how much stronger he is than all of us in this room," Guzma says. There's a sharp edge to his tone, one that cuts through the air and demands that people pay their attention. "Besides, you all seem to be forgetting that he's pulled this off before. Twice. Back before he even became champion. So I, for one, trust the kid." The Team Reskull boss takes a breath before nodding toward me. "Go ahead."

I return the nod appreciatively. My arm hangs casually over the back of my chair as the focus turns back to me.
"There's a reason we shouldn't all just charge in there at once," I explain. "Team Skull have us outnumbered as it is. By focusing too many of us solely on their base, we'd be leaving all of the islands vulnerable. It could be a trap."
Everyone glances around at each other.
"You're right... even with us all at full-force, we've been struggling to protect our respective islands," Molayne admits. There's a short pause before Lillie speaks up again.
"Even so, Sun won't have to go completely alone," she announces, her firm gaze meeting mine. "I'll go with him."
I don't make any protest. I know it'll be dangerous... and she knows it too. But that's never stopped her.

"Hmm..." Hala nods sternly from across the table. "I believe in you both."
Captain Ilima smiles warmly. "I have faith!"
"Me too!" Mallow chirps.
Mina sways lightly to the side. "Eh, I mean, I'd be darned if someone actually beat Sun."
Words of agreement and support rise into a crescendo of noise, spreading around the now vibrant conference room. The governor nods, smiling calmly.
"It's settled, then."
Lillie and I glance at each other, our eyes bright. Looks like this meeting is finally coming to a close, and now we're armed with a solid plan. I get to my feet once more.
"Alright then. I'll make sure to be in touch with you all, so you'll know when to meet us after Lillie and I take care of what's inside," I announce. "We'll track down their hideout tomorrow."

—————

Getting out of that conference room at last felt great. That said, the day isn't over yet. After Lillie and I went around to say goodbye to everyone there - or rather, 'see you soon' in most cases, since most of the people at the meeting will be at the imminent festival anyway - it didn't take us long to get home and get changed yet again. We only briefly had time to say hi to my Mom and Dad again before having to rush off, this time on the path up to Iki Town. I told Hau that we'd meet him just before the festival kicks off; and before the crowds of people gather for the New Year's party in Iki Town. Lillie squeezes my hand softly as we wander up the starlit Route 1.
"Hm? What's up?" I ask, glancing up at her. Ahh, she's beautiful. Before we set out to the festival, she changed out of her skirt and blouse and into this enthralling purple dress. It was a dress her mother had made for her on the occasion of her seventeenth birthday; it was designed to take inspiration from Nebby's appearance when he was just a little Cosmog, and it's one of the prettiest dresses I've ever seen her wear. The skirt of it is decorated with frills, each of them a different shade of dark. The purple and dark blue fabric of the dress blends in wonderfully with the night sky, complimented with a few gold, star-like patterns and complete with white sleeves that fit over her hands like gloves. Her hair remains long and flowing like it was earlier, retaining the gentle braiding that's partly hidden now by a gorgeous flowered headband that matches her dress. She cocks her head, smiling.
"Nothing, nothing. Sometimes I just like to hold your hand a little tighter."

The evening breeze rushing through the familiar sweet-smelling flowers and trees reminds me of my very first days here in Alola. It feels even better now that I've changed out of my suit, too - it's a little cooler in the regular cargo shorts and smart-looking polo shirt that I'm wearing for the occasion. Before I know it, we arrive at the steps to the small Alolan village of Iki Town.

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As they always are, tonight's festival is brimming with life. Energy. Love. As each hour slips by, more and more people add to the bustling crowds around the town, each and every soul celebrating with joy and passion aflame in their hearts. I always forget just how many people can somehow fit in Iki Town, and I'm always just as surprised to see how packed the place gets at every festival. All of the fear, chaos and difficulty that the new Team Skull has caused for the Alolan people is completely forgotten just for now, just for tonight. It's instead replaced by food, drinks, dancing, and Pokémon battles that go on without sign of stopping. Within the first hour of the party, all seven of Alola's Captains and all four of it's Kahunas are gathered in the town - that includes Nanu, though trying to find him amongst the crowds is a party game in itself. As usual, Kiawe and his Marowak take the stage for a bit to exhibit their ancient dance moves in front of Iki Town's raging bonfire. Kahuna Hala and Professor Kukui take charge of the barbecue, with Hala even sporting a comedically perfect apron which says 'kiss the kahuna' on it. Lillie, along with practically everyone else in the town, eagerly watches me and Feathers take on challengers in Pokémon battles one after the other, as has become tradition for me at Iki Town's festivals. Oh, and it doesn't take long before Mom and Dad show up, too. Introducing Dad to all of the Captains and Kahunas is a task that takes far longer than I expected; though as the famed Kanto champion, his face is immediately recognised by most anyway. It's a shame he decides not to join in the battles, but I guess it makes sense when he shares his reasoning. Knowing him and Saber's tendencies in fierce battles, things could get... messy. Still, aside from that, he makes sure to remind me that he wants the first battle between me and him to be even more ceremonious.

As the night grows older, the battles and dances begin to calm down gradually. The clock is approaching midnight now, and everyone's getting ready for the fireworks to welcome the new year. Still with several minutes left to go, Lillie gets my attention amongst the groups of people by brushing her hand against mine. When I look up at her, I see that same, wonderful smile. Her hand wraps delicately around mine, and without speaking any words, she gestures to the side with her head. I know exactly what that means. With Lillie practically pulling me along, the two of us slip away from the crowd and towards Mahalo Trail.

It's definitely a tradition of ours at this point. Every festival, without fail. By now, I wouldn't be surprised if even Hau has noticed that Lillie and I always find an opportunity to escape the noise together for a moment. The laughter and music in Iki Town gradually becomes soft and distant as we follow this sacred path. Every step brings back a flood of memories, every single time. The silence of the statues, the green scent of the plants, the familiar breeze that blows through the way... it's all exactly as it was two and a half years ago, when I first set foot along this trail. When I first arrived in Alola... when I first met the girl of my dreams. As Lillie and I reach the top of the path, we come to a stop before the bridge where we first laid eyes on each other.
"So here we are again," Lillie speaks. Her voice is so gentle that, in a way, it doesn't even slightly disturb the silence of this beautiful place. I chuckle.
"Yep. No matter where we go, whether in this world or another... we always end up back here at some point, don't we?"
Lillie's wistful gaze doesn't move away from the river below just yet. The crashing of the waterfall against the rocks sounds so calm from up here, and the water... the calm river of water displays a perfect reflection of the stars in the sky above as it blends into the boundless ocean.

"It's so beautiful here," Lillie whispers. She smooths her thumb over my hand considerately. "So, so many memories, too... it's strange to think that it was a couple of years ago that you first rescued little Nebby on this bridge," she giggles.
I nod. "We've come a long way, haven't we?"
Time itself seems to stop as Lillie turns to face me and her celestial eyes, sparkling with the reflection of the universe above us, gaze into mine.
"We truly have," she sighs. Frozen in this moment, the overflowing emotion within both our souls each reach out, touching the other like never before. Lillie smiles. "Sun, I... I really can't describe how I feel to be here with you right now..."
I caress her hands gently, a short laugh escaping through my nose. "I know. I have the same feeling," I whisper. Time continues to wait for us as we read each other's eyes.
"Sun..." Lillie holds my hands a little tighter as she whispers my name, like she's trying to savour the syllable. The smile that her lips create is a flame that warms me to my core. "Um... thank you for everything that you've done this year. Not just for me... but for all the people and Pokémon of Alola. Every moment I've spent with you since I came back from Kanto has been bliss, and I..." she pauses, trying to find her words. "I don't want it to ever end. I want to stay by your side now, next year and every year after, until the end of time."
My breath hitches softly amongst the silence. Lillie's enchanting hair blows with the breeze, her eyes awaiting my response. For a moment as the moonlight shines just right, I see the reflection of my own face in her wide pupils. I see the single tear rolling down my cheek, and I smile.
"Don't you worry. There's nothing I want more than that, too," I whisper huskily. My hands gradually slip down to her hips, wrapping around her waist with care. "You know I feel the same, Lil. The days I spend with you... they're the happiest days of my life," I continue. "Thank you for being here for me through it all, honey."
A surprised blush crosses Lillie's face. "H-honey...?" she repeats. She smirks wittingly. "Hehe... I thought you didn't like lovey-dovey nicknames?"
I grin smoothly. "You're right, I don't," I admit. "But I know you do, and it's a special occasion."

We're brought back down to Earth by the sudden symphony of voices coming from Iki Town.
10! 9...
There it is, the countdown. A reminder to the two of us that time is in fact still moving. My eyes shining, I smile lovingly at Lillie. "You ready?"
Lillie nods, her smile radiant enough to light up the night sky. "Of course," she replies, placing her hands gently against my chest as she leans closer to me. "I love you, Sun."
8, 7...
My arms squeeze around her waist a little tighter in response. "I love you too."
6...
We begin to lean closer, holding each other more romantically than the way the stars hold themselves in the sky.
5...
The strawberry scent of her hair grows stronger as our lips draw nearer.
4...
A yearning breath passes through my lips as I feel her delicate fingertips press further against my chest.
3...
Lillie steps up onto her tiptoes.
2...
Our eyes slide shut in unison, our heads each beginning to tilt as if our movements are mirrored.
1...!
At last, our lips find each other. The clock strikes 12. We hold one another close, inseparable as we lose ourselves in a kiss. Unbeknownst to us, the ground that we stand on becomes illuminated by a multitude of wonderful colours as fireworks pop and crackle overhead. Lillie and I lean further into each other as the first seconds of the year tick past us, her brilliantly soft lips pushing passionately against mine while they dominate my mind. All I can think about is her. All I want is her. Little by little, our heads tilt further and our mouths begin to open a little wider, neither one of us ever wanting this moment to come to an end.
Happy new year, my love.