"Snowy. Sit."

It was lunchtime once again at the esteemed Pokémon School, and the eight students have already guzzled down their food. This gave them the welcomed opportunity to socialize with their peers and their Pokémon friends. Lillie was among them, who was taking the time to try and teach her baby Alolan Vulpix, Snowy, some tricks.

"Come on Snowy," Lillie encouraged. "Sit. Siiiiiiit."

Lillie stood before the currently standing small Pokémon, who simply titled it's head in response. "Ko?"

"Uh, Lillie," Sophocles inputted, watching the whole scene unfold. "I don't think Snowy understands you."

"Or its just being stubborn," Lana added.

"Well, I'm just as stubborn," Lillie noted with a puff of her cheeks. "Snowy. Sit. Sit. Siiiiiit. Sit."

Snowy looked up to its trainer, before turning its head away and scratching behind its ear with its hind leg. Lillie released a short sigh in defeat.

"Maybe you should show Snowy what sitting means. Something like this," Kiawe suggested. He moved his way to Snowy's side, and knelt down onto one knee. He gently pushed on Snowy's rear, guiding it into a sitting position. "Snowy, sit."

Snowy's big, blue eyes store at Kiawe with intrigue. Once Kiawe lifted his hand off its fur, it sprouted back up into a standing position. The boy stood back up as well, taking a few steps back to return the situation's control to Lillie.

"Okay," Lillie began. "Now that Kiawe has shown you what to do... I want you to... sit."

"Ko?" Snowy simply blinked, not moving a muscle in its frail little body.

"I want you to sit. Like this," Lillie repeated. She bent over, and pressed Snowy's rear gently, just as Kiawe has before. Once again, Snowy was in a sitting position, and Lillie spoke. "Snowy. This is sitting."

Lillie stood back up, possessing an overhead view of the white, fluffy creature. Snowy popped back up into a standing position, as well. When Lillie attempted to tell it to sit once again, it continued not to obey.

"This is kinda sad to watch," Saki admitted.

Mallow felt embarrassed for the girl. She raised her fist into the air and called out, "Lillie! Snowy! You could do this!"

Lillie looked back to Mallow, and nodded. Returning her focus to Snowy, Lillie narrowed her eyes. "Sit," Lillie repeated.

Snowy once again stood still, doing the opposite of what its trainer wanted. "Oh, come on Snowy," Lillie lightly whined.

"Looks like she's having some technical difficulties," Bob whispered to the others.

"You could say that again," Ash responded.

Lillie acted upon a new makeshift plan. She bent down yet again, this time in a position that mimicked how a dog or cat would sit. Her knees were bent as her feet and palms laid flat on the ground. "Sit Snowy. Like this," Lillie encouraged with slow speech. "Siiiiiiit."

Opposed to standing still like previously, Snowy began to walk towards Lillie. Not concerned with the trick Lillie was attempting to teach, the Pokémon went around the girl and began to sniff her behind.

"Eeeep! Snowy!" Lillie jumped up in an instant, a flustered look appearing on her face. "I... I told you to sit! Not sniff!"

Several of her peers couldn't help but to chuckle at the display, which made Lillie's cheeks begin to flush. Snowy was naive to the whole situation, not quite understanding what has caused the uproar.

Ash stood up, and approached the shooken girl and her Pokémon. He was attempting to hold in the laughter that desperately wanted to escape his throat. "Pfffft... heh heh... Lillie! Uh... heh... heh. Gimme a minute."

Lillie made a grumpy expression as Ash got his laughter under control. The other six students felt a shared sense of awkwardness in the air. "Okay, okay. Sorry bout that," Ash finally said. "Your face was just so funny!"

Lillie's face sunk into a deeper pout, making Ash begin to sweat. "Uh," Ash stammered. "It's a little less funny now... anywho! Sit ain't working, so why not try a different trick? Lemme try!"

Ash faced Snowy, and bent his knees a tad. The fluffy white Vulpix curiously twitches its nose, its attention solely focused on the Pokémon loving boy. "Snowy," Ash commanded with a cheer in his voice. "Make a snowball!"

Snowy only understood the word Snow. Taking a deep breath, it fired a Powder Snow right in Ash's face. This ended up freezing the boy, enclosing him in what was essentially a giant cartoonish ice cube.

Lillie's body began to tense, not a motion from her body to be seen. Stuck in a moment of horror, her head felt light. She was mute, her jaw dropped. That was until a shrill scream escaped from her lips.

"Oh my goodness! Ash! Ash! Ash! Ash! No, no no! Ash! Ash! Ash! Please no, Ash!" Lillie began to hyperventilate, her face growing green as if she were about to vomit. Mallow stepped in and wrapped her arms around her, offering the panicking girl slight comfort. Snowy innocently looked up at its trainer, not quite sure why the day has erupted in turmoil.

"Dear Arceus, is Ash gonna be okay?" Mallow nervously asked, while still keeping her grasp on Lillie.

"He's a giant popsicle, I don't know!" Sophocles cried out.

"We just can't him be a popsicle forever!" Lana exclaimed.

"There... there has to be some way we could get him out of that ice!" Saki screeched, showing a display of concern for the boy.

"Geez! This all took a scary turn..." Bob expressed, beginning to sweat.

Without a hint of hesitation, Kiawe took a step towards the currently frozen Ash. Compared to the other six, he was well composed, not collapsing into overwhelming stress. "We'll just have to melt the ice," he assured. "And I've got just the guy for the job. Go, Turtonator!"

Kiawe set out his beloved companion, a turtle like dragon with abilities involving fire. The fairly large Pokémon gained a look of curiosity as it caught sight of Ash, but did not make any quick actions. It patiently waited for the instructions from its confident trainer, which did not take a long wait.

"Turtonator," Kiawe called out with a stoic voice and demeanor. "Use Flamethrower and help out Ash!"

Shooting a blast of fire, the ice melted and returned Ash's freedom. The boy was a little cold due to his previous entrapment, but overall unharmed. As the other seven students gathered around Ash, including Mallow who released the girl from her grasp, Lillie began to grow a feeling of admiration. She stood back, her hand against her chest, also feeling a smidge of envy growing inside her. That envy, it was for Kiawe, and the type of person he was. The emotion couldn't help surging through her mind.

That was until guilt temporarily overshadowed that envy, as she ran up and apologized to Ash repeatedly.

Kiawe was just about ready to head home, standing in the hallway with everything he needed in hand. He was quite content, knowing he didn't have to do any of his chores that day. He walked with his back straight, Turtonator trailing behind him at a steady pace.

His course went uninterrupted, until a slouching figure stepped in front of him. The shy girl held onto her baby Vulpix, the white fluffy creature enjoying being carried about. She spoke shakingly. "Hey...Kiawe. I'm sorry for the trouble earlier with Snowy..."

Kiawe smiled calmly, peering down at the girl. "Don't worry about it, Lillie. It wasn't your fault. I'm just glad Ash was okay in the end. And I'm also glad little Snowy seems to be getting used to us all in the class. It was such a timid little thing."

Kiawe reached forward and patted Snowy's head, making it release a happy cry. Lillie smiled at the exchange, before her nerves began to make her teeth chatter. "Yeah," she muttered. "I'm happy about that too, yes yes. Heh... heh... I need to ask you something!"

Lillie's last statement came out in an unsettled shout. Her body began to shake due to her embarrassment, but Kiawe continued to smile down at her. "Don't be so nervous, Lillie," Kiawe said. "If you need to ask something, ask."

"Yes... yes..." Lillie agreed. "Okay... will... will... will you be my sensei today!?"

Kiawe continued to look Lillie straight in the eye, although his smile dropped. It was replaced by a raised eyebrow, his face stricken with confusion. "Your sensei?"

"My... my sensei!" Lillie cried out. "Like... like a teacher? It's... it's japanese for-"

"Lillie, I know what a sensei is," Kiawe informed. "But I don't quite understand what you want me to teach you."

"How to be... how to be a cool cucumber!" Lillie expressed with an unsettled shout. She took in a deep breath of air through her nose, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. She couldn't continue explaining herself in high-pitched screams, after all. "Even in a nerve wracking situation, like when Snowy turned Ash into an ice sculpture, you remained so... even tempered. I want to be like that. I want to be more like you, Kiawe."

Silence fell between the two. Kiawe placed a finger to his chin, thinking over Lillie's request.

"You wish to be a calmer person?" Kiawe asked.

"Yes," Lillie simply answered, sweat sliding down her temple.

"I could try to help. I don't know if I'm exactly the best person to teach this kinda thing-" Kiawe began.

"Of course you are!" Lillie interrupted. "Who's calmer than you!?"

"Maybe Lana," Kiawe stated.

"But even she begun to freak out earlier! But you... you didn't!" Lillie exclaimed. She ended up catching herself in her sudden continuous burst of words, slapping one hand over her mouth, while keeping a tight hold of Snowy with her opposite arm. "S-sorry Kiawe!"

Kiawe shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, Lillie. Listen, I could try my best to be your... sensei. How about you meet me at the Hau'oli City beachfront in an hour? We could discuss how to keep a calm head over there, since no place is more calming than a beach."

Lillie slowly removed her hand from her mouth, and placed it on Snowy's head. She began to smile eagerly. "Thank you, Sensei!"

Kiawe cracked a smile himself, and begun to laugh. "No need to call me sensei."

An hour after her exchange with Kiawe, Lillie walked towards the beachfront while Snowy trailed behind her. She had a content look on her face, having her companion by her side. Still, her heart harbored no fear, even after she watched the Pokémon freeze a boy into an ice cube. It was still her baby, and she didn't feel the slightest bit anxious when she touched its soft fur.

There was just no way the creature she loved could recreate the feeling of a breathless, slimy entrapment after all. Those worries and beloved Snowy were completely disconnected within her mind.

Reaching the beach, the water was a divine blue and the sky was clear. Wingulls flew by, their calls echoing through the air. Lillie spotted Kiawe sitting on a red towel, Turtonator standing right at his side. Lillie stopped, her nerves beginning to grow restless once again. Despite this, she began to force herself forward, walking up to the partially red haired boy.

"...Alola Kiawe," Lillie greeted. "Mind if I take a seat next to you?"

Kiawe looked up, and welcomed her with a hand wave. "Go right ahead."

Lillie sat beside Kiawe on the beach towel, right before Snowy curled up in the spot next to her. Turtonator looked down at the blonde, it's smile large and cheerful. It was incredibly friendly, but regardless, Lillie was unsettled by the large Pokémon's close presence. Lillie turned her head away from the fire dragon.

"So, Lillie," Kiawe spoke. "You want me to tell you how I stay so calm?"

"Yes," Lillie responded. "How do you not just... well... panic?"

"It's not that I don't panic," Kiawe corrected.

Lillie raised her head, snapping it to gaze at the firmly speaking Kiawe. He panics? What does he mean he panics? What type of nonsense was he telling her?

"Really?" she asked in a whispering voice.

"Really," Kiawe stated. "But I don't let it overwhelm me. I take a breath, I stay focused, and I figure out what needs to be done."

"B-but I breath all the time and nothing happens!" Lillie spat out, impulsiveness taking over her speech as it had earlier that day. "A...and how could you stay focused when things are going down the toilet?!"

"It isn't easy," Kiawe admits. "It takes a good amount of inner strength. And practice. A clear head isn't handed to anyone on a silver platter, but I try my hardest to maintain one."

The boy looks to the unsure Lillie, who appeared to be torn between accepting or questioning his explanations. The sounds of the ocean waves echoed in his ears, as he shifted his gaze away to look out into the horizon. "Sometimes I have to stop myself, when the stress of my responsibilities begin to weigh me down. I sit down, close my eyes, and try to empty my head of all my thoughts. Maybe you should try that now, Lillie."

"Right... right now?" Lillie store at her own legs, caught in a feeling of uncertainty. That sounded so simple to do... but to do it now? In front of Kiawe? It would be like a performance, and the mere thought of a performance filled her stomach with anxiousness. But she asked for this, she wanted Kiawe to show her how to be a calmer person. So, with a short nod of her head, she agreed.

Kiawe proceeded to instruct Lillie to close her eyes and focus on the sound of the waves, almost like she was about to enter mediation. He then said to try and quiet her thoughts, let all the words in her mind fade. It was an attempt to allow her to fully relax, something she felt incapable of doing. She carefully followed his instructions, closing her eyes and blocking off her worries and her concerns to the best of her ability. And eventually, her mind did fall quiet. There was nothing but the ocean's music.

But she possessed a mind prone to self-sabotage. Crashing into her empty mind was a ill feeling, accompanied by an image. It was an image of the past that still lingered on her back, still pressed against her everyday. She thought about it far too often, and despite her hatred and wish to forget, she remembered it. It came back, it always came back to her, even now. Even now she felt the air leaving her lungs, her feet leaving contact with the ground, and alien, slimy skin.

Her eyes popped right back open. She gasped for air, her breathing becoming heavy and sweat creeping down her cheeks. Kiawe placed a hand on her shoulder, an abnormally gentle expression on his face. "Lillie, Lillie. What's wrong?" He asked. "Are you okay?"

Lillie shook her head, as she placed her hand over his, reminding herself the reality of her surroundings. "Just scary thought. A scary memory. I... I don't want to talk about that."

"I understand," Kiawe stated, respecting the girl's private matters. He removed his hand from her shoulder, and the two sat in silence.

As seconds past them by, Lillie felt sorrow welling within her. She felt pathetic. "Everyone must see me as a coward, huh?"

"What? No, not at all. Honestly, I'd say you're a very brave person," Kiawe replied.

"You're just being nice," Lillie mumbled. "I can barely touch a Pokémon."

"What about Snowy? Samson's Vulpix?" Kiawe asked.

"That's different," Lillie alleged, beginning to stroke Snowy who still sat beside her.

"How so? Their Pokémon, and you touched them," Kiawe stated. "You overcame a major fear of yours, and touched them. That's a very brave thing."

"... I guess." Lillie seemed somewhat convinced, but not certain. "I wish I wasn't so afraid in the first place. I bet you never feel fear, do you, Kiawe?"

Kiawe paused for an instant, before he crossed his arms, and slowly began to cackle. Soon enough, he broke into a strong laugh. Lillie grew upset at this sentiment, folding her own arms. "I was serious," she growled.

Kiawe collected himself, a hand over his stomach as he contained his laughter. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Lillie," he genuinely said. "It's just... or course I'm afraid of things! It's ridiculous to say I'm not! Though I honestly like to pretend I'm not... and I'll usually say I'm not. However, like I said, I panic. I get worked up. You've seen me get worked up, don't you remember?"

In Lillie's mind, a scene from the Pokémon school replayed in her mind. This particular event took place before Bob's first day, and was certainly a spectacle.

"Fire performance and fire twirling are ancient traditions of Alola! You will take back your blasphemy!" Lillie remembered Kiawe shouting that day.

"I just don't get it! It's just twirling with a stick!" Lillie remembered Ash shouting back in defense.

The minor bicker eventually escalated to the point where Ash grabbed a chair, proclaiming he was armed. Kiawe then picked up a chair of his own, and shouted to Ash that he would "come at thee!"

Even just thinking back to that day, Lillie felt an awkwardness in her chest. Returning herself to the present, she turned to Kiawe and nodded her head. "Yes, I remember," Lillie said. "... I still can't believe chairs got involved... not to chastise you or anything..."

Kiawe's face began to redden in the cheeks, catching Lillie by surprise. "Yeah," he agreed. "I could use a little improvement."

Lillie looked to the red towel, reflecting over the boy's words. "We all could," she soon answered.

"I'll work on it," Kiawe said, smiling. "And you'll continue to work on your fear, yes?"

Lillie rubbed Snowy's head, before standing up without a word. To answer Kiawe's question, she slowly approached Turtonator. With a shaking hand, she poked its cheek.