The night sky was studded with stars, scattered like diamonds across a velvet canvas, twinkling with a soft, mysterious glow.
Beneath that starry sky, a blonde girl sat quietly on the stone steps, hugging her knees. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the vastness of the cosmos, fixed on the distant, ancient constellations.
Lillie took off her large white sunhat, letting her silken hair tumble down like a waterfall under the moonlight.
Cradling the slumbering Nebby in her arms, she gazed serenely at the endless sky and the gentle silver moon.
Even now, she still felt like the entire day had been a dream—one she had yet to wake from.
That afternoon, Mr. Haru had taken her away from Aether Paradise, away from that place she had once loved... but now feared.
Mr. Haru had made quite the entrance—like some kind of villain—but he was actually really kind.
She had awakened beside his campfire. Later, they ran into Team Skull and that mysterious Pokémon. Both had been terrifying… but with Mr. Haru there, none of it felt scary.
As evening fell, they met with Professor Kukui. Gentle as always, Mr. Haru believed he would have to leave eventually, so he'd asked the professor to look after her in his absence.
Mr. Haru really is the best!
But... if he's destined to leave this place... then once Mom returns to her normal self, will I...?
The thought trailed off, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of Lillie's lips, as if she had suddenly remembered something.
The golden-haired girl was lost in thoughts of the future, dreaming of what might come.
But peace like this was not destined to last.
Someone had arrived—someone who would shatter that moment of calm.
She looked strikingly similar to Lillie, or more accurately, like what Lillie might look like when she grew up.
Lusamine.
She had arrived.
"Mom?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Lillie quickly got to her feet from the stone steps.
But even as she stood, questions bloomed in her heart.
Why had her mother shown up this late at night? Was she here to drag her back? But… that didn't make sense. She hadn't brought anyone else with her.
Lusamine walked right up to her and spoke in a low voice:
"I... want to talk with you."
At those words, Lillie instinctively glanced in the direction of Haru's room—then, as if thinking better of it, turned her head back.
She looked straight at Lusamine—the mother she had once adored, and once feared.
"Okay."
They walked to the stone table where Haru and Professor Kukui had spoken earlier that day. Lusamine, surprisingly, was the first to act, pulling out a chair for Lillie.
"Sit."
She took the seat across from her, then gestured politely for Lillie to take hers.
"This is..."
This was getting weirder and weirder. To Lillie, her mother felt like a complete enigma right now. She even took a small step back without realizing it.
"Sigh—"
Seeing this, Lusamine let out a long sigh.
"I know I've done many things I should apologize for... to you and to Gladion. Back then, I was blinded by my own ambitions. I ignored how you felt."
"But now, I want to make amends. I want to fix what I broke."
Especially since what I'm about to do next...
I know you have feelings for him.
But what happened in Aether Paradise—those things that should never have happened—they've already become reality. There's no undoing it now.
So please, forgive me.
I'll make it up to you, Lillie. I promise I will.
Those were the words Lusamine kept buried in her heart—words she could never bring herself to say aloud. All she could feel now was the crushing weight of guilt.
Technically, she was the one who'd "gotten there first."
But... could she really just stand by and let Lillie grow closer to that man—a man who already shared something with her?
No.
No matter what—tonight would be the last time. After this, she would draw a clear line between them.
Meanwhile, on Lillie's side, that deep confusion in her heart began to ease in the face of Lusamine's sincerity.
Had Mom... really changed?
As her daughter, Lillie could feel it—her mother's remorse ran even deeper than she had imagined.
Lusamine... she truly regretted it all.
Realizing that, Lillie finally offered her mother a gentle smile.
"It's okay. No matter what you did, I'll forgive you."
"As long as you've come to your senses, nothing else really matters."
Thank goodness...
Mom really has returned to normal. And it's all thanks to Mr. Haru. If he hadn't saved her from that strange Pokémon, then maybe...
Now, maybe, she could finally have a real, whole family again?
At least in that moment, Lillie's smile was completely genuine.
She hadn't smiled like this in so long—not since Lusamine had changed so drastically.
Lusamine nodded with a heavy expression.
"Mm. It was all my fault. From now on, I'll treat you with all the care you deserve."
"Lillie, my daughter... I'll do everything I can to make it up to you."
"That's all I wanted to say. I should go now—it's already very late. You should get some rest too. I'll come see you again tomorrow."
"Okay. Goodnight, Mom!"
Lillie, overjoyed that her mother had truly returned to her old self, waved happily at her.
"Goodnight."
With that final farewell, Lusamine disappeared from Lillie's sight.
Ten minutes later, she opened the door to Haru's room.