The scene was familiar. All the admins were gathered in the meeting room, waiting wordlessly for OZone and Arc to arrive. Everyone else was already present... with a single exception. The empty chair at the end of the long table seemed to suck away at the room's energy, existing as a silent, ominous reminder. Though it physically took up only a fraction of space, it felt as if it were invading the entire room.

"So..."

Daichi was the first to speak a word. All eyes suddenly darted in his direction, causing him to squeak and force a nervous laugh.

"Uh...! Full disclosure... did anyone actually get any sleep last night?"

A chain of tired, half-hearted mumbles filled the room.

"Kinda impossible to sleep after your boss calls you in the middle of the night to tell you that your coworker went to super jail." Tony leaned back in his seat, head tilted up towards the ceiling. "I thought a drink or two would do the trick, but nope. Wide awake all night."

"Sounds like it's nothing short of a miracle that you're sitting upright," Cypher remarked with crossed arms.

"I still don't understand..." Serenity nervously stroked her braid in an attempt to relieve her tension. "We can't just leave Buzz to fend for himself. I trust OZone's judgment, but for him to insinuate that we must leave Buzz in that awful place is just... is just... is just..."

"Out of character?" Rōzu muttered.

"Y-yes! I would think OZone would want to save Buzz by all means..."

"I would think so, too. But he shut the idea down so fast..." Rōzu lowered his head.

"T-this 'Abyss'..." Mitsuki was hunched forward, eyes nervously glued to the ground. "If it's really as scary as OZone says..."

"Why would they lock Buzz up in a place like that?!" Molly blurted. "H-he's harmless! Totally harmless!"

"It's obvious. It's because they know full well what the Ultra Beasts are capable of. Tentacruel Abyss was their best option, all things considered."

Belle huffed, pressing her fingers against her temple. Her peers turned to her with curious glances.

"...Tentacruel Abyss?" Serenity asked.

"That's the full name: Tentacruel Abyss. As I couldn't sleep last night either, I figured I might as well look into it. OZone wasn't kidding; the facility was tailor-made to prevent anyone from breaking in or out. The unnamed island was pure child's play in comparison." Belle ground her teeth. "The police are not idiots. They know we're capable of breaking through the defenses of your average max prison. So they took the necessary measures to ensure that Buzz stays incarcerated. As much as I hate the idea of just leaving Buzz there, OZone's decision... is a logical one. Attempting to infiltrate the Abyss is too great of a risk."

"So..." Molly gripped the edge of the table with shaking hands. "S-so if Buzz is just stuck there... t-then... that means if we get arrested, we'll be stuck there too!"

Molly shrieked before hiding her face in her hands with a hitched breath— everyone could tell she was ready to cry. All goes silent.

"Hey, hey..." Rōzu hesitantly put a hand on her back. "You're going to be fine. You're the last person I see bossman putting in the front lines. So don't worry. You'll be okay."

"But what does that mean for everyone else?!" Molly cried out.

Rōzu glanced to the side without an answer to give.

"...I still want to help OZone. I really do. The last thing I'd ever want to do is disappoint him but...but..." Daichi shook his head with a pained look. "This can't keep going! This is terrifying! Horrifying!"

"... But OZone won't stop until Cyrus is saved," Mitsuki uttered.

"...We can't abandon him now," Serenity said. "I owe this to him... he's given us all so much. We need to keep going—"

"What we need to do is stick together," Belle interjected. "We're all deep in this mess and there's no crawling out of it. Walking out of this alone would only make matters worse. We have to function as a unit and protect each other."

"...Safety in numbers, they say," Tony said.

Belle nodded. "Precisely."

"And we still have a job to do..." Serenity added. "OZone still needs us..."

"That's true..." Molly mumbled as she wiped her eyes.

"Maybe we're just worrying too much." Cypher threw his arms behind his head, taking on a relaxed demeanor. "We just have to avoid getting caught, yes? Now we know to be extra cautious— all we gotta do is be cautious."

"You're right, I bet. Though, I do wonder..." Tony put his thumb to his chin. "What became of Absorption?"

Before another word could be said, the meeting room door squeaked open. OZone stepped inside, Arc following him from shortly behind, to give his admins the news they all expected to hear.

This isn't over by any stretch of the imagination.

* * *

"Eight hours! Eight hours and we've got absolutely nothing to show for it! It was like talking to a brick wall!"

Anabel was nearly bouncing in her seat with sheer energy and frustration. Her feet kept tapping against the floor and her hands against the table— it was a rare sight to see Anabel so disheveled. Disregarding how concerning it was, Looker couldn't help but find it endearing.

Anabel went to grab her coffee, which Looker immediately snatched and pulled from her reach.

"I think you had a little too much caffeine for one day," he said, setting the half-full cup aside.

Anabel's face scrunched up. "I should tell you to give me my drink back, but perhaps you're right. Maybe alcohol would serve me better."

"Now now, that's a bit much, don't you think? The interrogation could've gone worse. At least I could say I've learned a few things. Who knew Cutiefly had such an innate ability to read people's auras? I sure didn't."

"...That interrogation would've gone splendidly if we were preparing to participate in a Bug-type Pokémon trivia contest, but that's not what we were there for. We were there to solve a case, Looker."

"I'm aware of that." Looker shrugged with a smile. "Just trying to find a silver lining."

"Silver linings don't make progress. Then again, it seems that nothing does. Apparently, the only thing that makes progress in this world is children being in the right place at the right time." Anabel chuckled wryly. "Perhaps we should get the kids who caught him to interrogate him. Yeah, that'd solve our problem. Children are the thing we're missing. Then the captured thief will sing like a Chatot."

Looker laughed as he raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Sounds tempting. It's funny, though. Whenever these crazy cases start, children somehow get involved. And, against all odds, those children wind up saving the day. I could name five examples off the top of my head."

"...Yes. It's a strange pattern. A pattern I have dug into before. I've been hoping to develop a thesis."

"A thesis?"

Looker lowered his head to meet Anabel's eyes, but Anabel's sight was focused on the case files laid out before her.

"Yes... or perhaps 'hypothesis' would be the better word." Anabel opened the file on the top of her stack, grabbing a page amidst the mess of papers. "I've had a few theories... perhaps it's because adults have a tendency to underestimate kids. Perhaps there is an element of surprise involved. I'm unsure. I want to understand why this happens. What I'm going to say might sound crazy. This might even be the caffeine talking. But what if those kids who were minding their own business on a camping trip and managed to take down an Ultra Beast completely unprepared..."

Anabel's eyes flitted down to the paper in her hand. She scanned it over and over again, lips pressing into a thin line and brow knitting together.

"... I have absolutely no idea where you're going with this, Anabel."

"Sorry. I'm deciding if I really want to say what I'm thinking of saying. It's not the most ethical of ideas, and I hate the thought of putting children at risk." Anabel put a hand to her temple and winced— Looker imagined she must have had the worst of headaches. "But I can't help but wonder... what if, instead of waiting for children to stick their noses into this mess, we throw them into the fray ourselves?"

Looker's eyes went wide. "...Yeah, that's definitely the caffeine talking."

"But think about it, Looker! Those children have already proved to be effective against an Ultra Beast that literal trained guards couldn't stand up to! And they weren't even on high alert, they were simply out camping! And yet, they were able to take down a massive muscle insect without any prior warning or preparation!"

"I understand that, but this is unprecedented!"

"That fact makes it all the more valuable as a case study, as horrible as that may sound."

"A case study? Anabel..." Looker hunched forward, putting a hand over his face. "What would you hope to achieve?"

"To capture some criminals, first of all. It's depressing, but these children have already proved to be more effective than half of the police forces I've worked in. Second of all, information. If we understand how and why children are so effective, we could replicate it without putting children in harm's way."

Looker was silent for a long time.

"... Do you think any adult would ever agree to this? To let their child partake in this?" Looker finally asked.

Anabel slid the paper she was holding across the table. Looker picked it up to find a list of names— the names of the six children who successfully defeated "Buzzwole" and gave police the chance to apprehend their first suspect.

"At the end of the day, it isn't the adult's choice," Anabel said. "It's the choice of the children. It's their choice whether or not they wish to protect Alola."

* * *

The atmosphere in Kukui's classroom was unusually tense.

The eight students stared at the two men who stood in the front of the room. Neither Kukui nor Samson looked comfortable; they kept glancing at each other without a word. When Kukui finally opened his mouth to speak, Samson grabbed his arm and quickly pulled him to the side. They turned their backs to their puzzled audience and spoke in hushed whispers.

"Kukui, this is absurd. We can't allow this. How were we talked into allowing this?"

"I know it's absurd, but we can't deny them this opportunity. This could be a great experience for them all, not to mention a chance to give back to their community."

"What it could be is dangerous. I don't want my daughter caught up in this. You shouldn't want this, either. You're responsible for Ash—"

"You don't need to tell me that. I know. But they assured us the children's safety would be top priority—"

"And you're willing to just take their word for it?"

Their hushed voices grew in volume. The students looked to each other, then to the two men, then back to each other. They shared murmurs and whispers of their own, trying to make sense of the scene playing out in front of them.

The door suddenly creaked open, a bout of silence following the sound. A woman unfamiliar to the class poked her head in, sweeping a loose strand of violet hair from her face.

"Are you ready for us?" She asked.

Samson peered at Kukui with a grimace before pushing past the woman and disappearing into the hallway. The children could now see a man dressed in a long trenchcoat standing behind the violet-haired woman.

"Hey..." Saki stood up from her chair. "Is Samson alright?"

"Yes, please sit back down Saki." Kukui nervously smiled as he waved his hand. "Our guests need to have a word with you all."

Saki obliged, although concern was still written across her face. Kukui stepped to the side, allowing the violet-haired woman and the trenchcoat-wearing man to walk into the classroom. The woman was stiff in posture, hands firmly folded behind her back. The man appeared more relaxed in comparison, one hand on his hip and the other ruffling through his hair.

"Everyone," Kukui began as he went to stand beside the pair, "this is—"

"Anabel of the international police," the woman said, interrupting unapologetically. "This man here is my colleague. He goes by the codename Looker."

Looker offered a short wave. "Nice to meet you all. We've been assigned to the case involving the theft at the Unnamed Island."

"The Unnamed Island?" Ash tilts his head. "Why didn't anyone name the island?"

"Perhaps that's just the name they chose for the island? Unnamed the island? I mean, you can't say it's not unique," Mallow mused.

"Uniquely dumb," Saki said. "Anyway, what does it have to do with us? We're not suspects, are we?"

Anabel's once stiff features went slack with genuine surprise. "What? Of course not—"

"Then why are you here?" Saki's eyes narrowed.

"You don't know, Saki?" Kiawe's brow shot up. "Actually... Ash, you don't know the island they're talking about?"

Kiawe's peers all looked back at him with blank expressions. He shook his head, put his face in his hands, and groaned.

"Was I seriously the only one who looked into this...?"

"I'm sorry, was this something we were supposed to know about?" Bob asked, an attitude laced in his voice.

"Well, we only defeated one of the thieves who stole from the Unnamed Island!" Kiawe snapped, once again shaking his head like a disappointed parent. "His arrest was only all over the news..."

"Never bothered with watching the news." Lana, oddly nonchalant in demeanor, crossed her arms. "Much too depressing, in my opinion."

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!" Ash stuttered like a jammed record player. "Hold on! Wait... you mean that guy with the giant bug?! I thought he was just arrested for stealing that nuclear serum or whatever it was!"

"To our credit, no one ever explained anything to us. That police officer was just like, 'here have some full restores thanks byyyye!'" Saki imitated the police officer with a high-pitched voice.

"This revelation... actually explains a lot." Sophocles shut his eyes and nodded, only for his eyes to pop back open with an unfixed gaze directed at the ceiling. "Actually, I changed my mind. It doesn't. I still don't understand what was up with the giant bug! I looked all over the web for information about it, and I got zippo! Nothing!"

The students began to speak over one another, their voices becoming muddled together in a giant mass of noise. Kukui tried and failed to silence them, gesturing with his hands for everyone to quiet down. Looker nudged Anabel's side to grab her attention.

"Are you still certain about this idea?" Looker whispered into her ear.

Anabel exhaled. "We're too far in to turn back now."

"... Are you going to whip out 'bad cop?'"

"Not in front of children. But I am going to make them stop talking."

Anabel took a single step forward before drawing in a deep breath.

"Enough!"

Anabel's loud, gruff, thickly shout bounced off the wall and resonated in everyone's ears. Afterward, there was nothing but silence.

"Thank you. As there seems to be some confusion, let me make things clear." Anabel cleared her throat as she adjusted her tie. "The Unnamed Island is a small, man-made island located between Ula'Ula and Akala. It is used for top-secret experimentation and research. Not long ago, a group of thieves infiltrated the building and made their escape with their prizes. There were eleven confirmed individuals at the scene, and though this information has been kept from the public to avoid panic, there were nine confirmed Ultra Beasts present as well."

Lillie tried to hold her breath to prevent a scream, but she audibly shrieked. Anabel glanced at her, a mixture of skepticism and pity packed in her gaze, before quickly averting her eyes.

"Ultra Beasts? The heck are those?" Saki asked.

"Ultra Beasts are extraterrestrial beings from Ultra Space," Looker answered. "We have scarce information about them, but the Aether Foundation has performed research on them before. The thieves somehow managed to get their hands on them to use them as their personal weapons."

Lillie laid her head on her desk and buried her face in her arms.

"Extraterrestrial?!" Sophocles shouted. "You mean to tell me that the giant insect was—"

"An extraterrestrial, yes," Anabel said.

"I knew it!"

Ash jumped out from his chair, nearly knocking it over in the process. He slammed his hands on his hips and laughed triumphantly.

"Aliens are a thing! I knew it all along! And everyone dismissed me! But who's the one laughing now—!"

"Ash, sit down!" Kiawe leaned over and tugged at Ash's shirt. "This is not the time!"

Ash initially scoffed at Kiawe, but soon after noticed Anabel's disapproving scowl and Looker's awkward, slanted grin in the corner of his vision. His eyes darted to the floor as he quickly dropped back into his seat.

Anabel pinched her scrunched-up nose while her lips pressed together into a tight, thin line. She drew in a deep breath before letting her hand fall and her expression harden.

"... Before we lose focus, let me get straight to the point. You have all proved capable against the Ultra Beast Buzzwole, and thanks to your efforts, we have one of the perpetrators in custody. However, there are still ten criminals on the loose with the power of Ultra Beasts at their disposal. We don't know what they're planning, but the materials they're gathering are dangerous. They could pose a danger to Alola as a whole. We've come here to ask for your assistance in apprehending them."

There was another long, long bout of silence.

"... Wait a second," Saki spoke deliberately slowly. "You mean to tell me you want us to go after these guys?"

Looker nodded. "Essentially. To clarify, you'd be a part of a task force we'd call when necessary."

"So... you'd call us, then you'd send us out to battle these Ultra things?" Bob asked.

"Yes, and to capture their handler," Anabel answered. "We should have prefaced this with the fact that we will take every step possible to ensure you are prepared and safe. However, though we will take every precaution we can, we cannot deny that this is dangerous work. You'll be paid accordingly, of course."

Lillie lifted her head as her entire body trembled. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could think of a single word to say, Ash once again stood up from his chair.

"Count me in!" Ash's bright, confident smile was all teeth. "If there's a threat against Alola, and we're able to do something about it, then we ought to!"

"I agree." Kiawe remained still in his seat, but a fire brewed in his dark eyes. "I don't get why you'd go and seek out kids, but if you say you need us, I'm ready to defend Alola."

"Sounds like the perfect opportunity to get stronger as trainers, too! I'm all for it." Lana glanced over at Bob with a wink. "Wouldn't you agree, Bib?"

"You kidding? Hell yeah! We get to be action heroes! I'm all in!" Bob shouted.

"As scary as this all sounds... I'll come along to support you guys, all the way!" Mallow said with a gentle grin and an assured nod.

"W-wait! We're really doing this?" Sweat slid down Sophocles's face, but he pumped up a fist regardless. "W-well if we're really doing this, you know I've gotta tag along! You're going to need my superior intellect!"

"Um... I..." Saki went to speak, but her voice wavered as she hesitated. "I—"

"No!"

Suddenly, Lillie was hovering over the edge of her seat and releasing a shout from the depths of her throat. Her body was still shaking as she hugged herself tightly. Mallow reached out to touch her shoulder, but she stood up and stepped away.

"Beasts..." Lillie shook her head vigorously as she attempted to straighten her thoughts. "Ultra Beasts are dangerous! We can't! You can't! They'll hurt us!"

Lillie placed her palms on her cheeks as she took short, shallow breaths. Everyone in the room stared at her, but she didn't look back at them. Her eyes were too focused on the wooden floorboards. A pair of hands gripped her shoulders from behind, causing her to cup her hands over her mouth to muffle her own scream.

"Lillie, Lillie, it's just me." Kukui only tightened his grip as Lillie's shaking persisted. "You look like you need some fresh air. Come with me."

Kukui pulled Lillie out of the classroom and down the hall, leaving the rest of the class speechless. They turned to each other, each and every one of them clearly concerned but unable to put that concern into words.

Anabel's expression had softened, though when she cleared her throat and spoke, her voice was still firm and rigid. "I suppose now is a good time to say this is not an all-or-nothing deal. Not all of you need to participate, nor do you need to make your decision today. You have two days to make that choice— I would have liked to offer you more time to contemplate, but matters are urgent. Two days is all we can afford."

"I think it's also worth saying that this request extends to any other trainer you'd like to work with. Friends, rivals— if you think they'll be a benefit to the task force, feel free to invite them," Looker added. "In regards to that, the deadline is the same. Two days."

Anabel nodded in confirmation. "In two days, we'll be returning to this classroom. You all need to be present along with anyone else you wish to enlist into the task force."

"We'll see you then, trainers. For now, shall we head out?"

Looker grinned at Anabel, who offered the class a short farewell.

"Yes. I look forward to working with you all."

* * *

Mallow decided to walk Lillie home.

Their walk was fraught with unhinged, unapologetic, unyielding awkwardness. Mallow wasn't normally fidgety, but she found her fingers absentmindedly yet obsessively twisting loose strands of her hair. Lillie acted as if Mallow wasn't standing right beside her, keeping her focus on the trail ahead. Though her shoulders were relaxed and her expression was calm, one glance at her was enough to tell she was guarded.

That never stopped Mallow.

"Are you feeling better, Lillie? You gave us all a bit of a scare."

Lillie didn't answer. Mallow couldn't read her aloof expression.

"... I'm a little frightened, too. We're going up against some scary people— or people I would assume are scary. But if our friends were able to kick that giant insect's butt, then I'm sure they'll be able to handle whatever else comes their way! So I wouldn't worry—"

"Could I tell you why I'm scared of touching Pokémon?"

Lillie's eyes remained stone-cold, her features not even so much as twitching. Mallow looked at her, but Lillie wouldn't return her gaze.

"It's because of an incident from my childhood. Do you... know about Lusamine? The head of the Aether Foundation?"

"...Yes?"

"She's my mother."

Mallow stifled a gasp. "Oh..."

"I spent a lot of time in the Aether Foundation when I was little. And for a short while, the Aether Foundation was set on researching Ultra Beasts." Lillie's voice became more and more strained with every word. She clenched her chest as she sucked in more and more air. "There was this one experiment... they opened up a portal to Ultra Space and a beast emerged. They couldn't get it under control... and it... attacked me..."

Lillie stopped abruptly, standing in place as she put her trembling fists at her sides. Mallow reached out towards her, but Lillie recoiled.

"It was awful, Mallow. That experience... changed me. Forever. I don't want any of you to have to go through that."

"W-we won't! I-I mean you don't need to worry about that." Mallow's hands hovered over Lillie's back but made no contact. "We'll protect each other, so don't worry about us! A-and there's no shame in staying out of it! None of us would judge you if you chose to—"

"I'd judge me!"

Lillie twisted around to face Mallow, green, crystal-like eyes glistening in the bright sun. The stiffness left her body— her tight muscles relaxed as her fists unfurled. She shouted, the strain having left her voice.

"I'm tired of running away! I'm tired of being afraid! I wish you all wouldn't accept this mission in the first place, but you are and I can't change that! Now, I just don't want to be left behind! I want to keep up with you all, face challenges with you all! I don't want to live in fear!"

Tears flooded Lillie's eyes. As they fell, they stained her rosy cheeks.

"...But there's no use in me joining, though. I'm no battler. I'd just be in the way—"

"That's not true, Lillie." Mallow's brow creased downward as she crossed her arms. "You should know better."

"What can I do then, Mallow? Tell me."

Lillie's glare had a hint of challenge. The look appeared almost alien on Lillie's face; Mallow wanted to shrink beneath it, but she kept standing tall as she put her thumb to her chin.

"Let me think. What would be the perfect role for you...? Wait! I know!" Mallow perked up, her face illuminating like a lightbulb. "A medic!"

The glare vanished in a snap. Lillie blinked. "A medic?"

"A medic!" Mallow grabbed Lillie's hand and raised it in the air. "Every team needs a medic! You could take care of our team's wounded Pokémon! That way, you could keep your distance and handle things at your own pace! I'll be your assistant! I can take care of most of the Pokémon touching if that helps! You can just carry and spray the medicine!"

"...Mallow." Lillie's whispers were low and soft. "Are you sure I'd be useful this way? Are you sure that—?"

"Yeah, I'm sure! I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it! So, what do you say?"

Mallow beamed as Lillie wiped her tears with a soft sniffle.

"...Okay." Lillie smiled. "I'm in."

* * *

If Lillie were to really go through with this, there was one person she knew she needed at her side.

When she explained everything to Gladion, his expression was vapid, incredulous. He sat on the bed in his dorm room, his green eyes pouring into Lillie's.

"Lillie... this is insane."

"This is insane. But it's happening."

"Do you think this has anything to do with Aether?"

"I didn't get that impression. I think it's a completely different group..."

"Well, ain't that something," Gladion breathed out as he lowered his face into his hands. "Aside from our mother, who on this planet would be insane enough to seek out Ultra Beasts? A whole team of them, no less!"

"... I don't know." Lillie seated herself beside Gladion, crossing her legs and folding her hands. "But whoever they are, they seem to have the beasts fully under their control."

"If they've managed to get Ultra Beasts under their control... then these have to be dangerous people we're talking about." Gladion turned his head and looked up at Lillie. "Why would you want to be a part of this?"

"... I know it must seem strange. But I refuse to stay behind while my friends face this threat. And... I know my friends will keep me safe. I know you and Silvally would protect me, too. That's why I'm here."

"Lillie—"

"Don't try to talk me out of it, Gladion. I made my decision. I'm done being afraid. You could either choose to come along, or chose to stay out of it completely."

Lillie consciously kept her posture pin-straight and her mouth set in a hard line. She puffed out her chest a bit, too, in an attempt to display her will. Gladion understood. He sighed again. It carried a sound of resignation.

"Okay. I'm going to come along then, no matter what. I just need to figure out how to go about it..."

"Oh, it's easy. You just need to be present at the—"

"This is the international police we're talking about, and I'm running around with a Pokémon I stole right from under the Aether Foundation's nose. I'm lucky enough that Aether hasn't said crap about me or Silvally to the police, but that can change if they get desperate enough."

"...Oh. You're right." Lillie deflated. "That is an issue."

Gladion shook his head. "I'm joining no matter what. I just need to figure this out somehow."

A pregnant pause followed.

"...How about you join under an alias?" Lillie asked.

Gladion nodded. "That could work—"

"Oh, how about we dye your hair, too? Just in case Aether tells the police to look out for a 'blond boy.'"

"...Yeah, that would be smart. I always wanted to try black, anyway—"

"Black it is, then! I'll go and pick up some dye! I'll be right back!"

Before Gladion could utter another word, Lillie was up on her feet and sprinting out the door.

* * *

Gladion stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. The cheap hair dye Lillie found worked much better than he anticipated— it somehow actually looked natural. He didn't know if it were his imagination, but he thought the dark hair made his lime green eyes stand out more.

Lillie stood behind him with the brightest of smiles. The clear plastic gloves she wore were covered in splotches of pitch-black; it was nothing short of a miracle that her white dress remained spotless. "What do you think? I think it turned out quite well!"

"Yeah, you did a good job."

"How's it feel? Any different?"

"I'm not sure. Definitely feels a little weird, but I'll probably be used to it in no time."

Gladion kept combing his fingers through his black hair as Lillie picked up the thoroughly rinsed brush and bowl the dye came packaged with. She hummed as she threw them into the trash, then stripped her gloves from her hands and disposed of them as well.

There was a sudden knock at Gladion's door. Both of their heads shot up as their eyes dart to the door, wide and alert.

"Gladion?" A voice called. There was another set of knocks. "You in there? Ernesto's asking for you."

Lillie's head snapped back towards Gladion. "Is that Bob?"

"Yeah, sounds like it." Gladion turned to face Lillie. "Why? Do you know him?"

"He's my classmate. He's a part of the task force, too."

"Oh."

The siblings stared at each other for a short moment, though it felt much longer. It felt like a long, silent stint of nonverbal communication where twenty different conversations were taking place at once.

"The bare minimum," Gladion eventually said. "We are telling him the absolute bare minimum. I'm not using Silvally in battle unless it comes down to it. It's my complete last resort. I do not want him, or anyone for that matter, to know about it."

"...Alright. I understand."

"Hey! Your lights are on!" Bob shouted as he knocked again. "You gotta be in there— did you pass out or something?"

Gladion stepped out of the bathroom and to the entrance. Lillie followed shortly behind him, tailing after him like a Lillipup. When he opened the door, Bob was standing with his fist raised and preparing to knock again.

"Finally! Ernesto says he wants to—" Bob's eyes became the size of saucers. "Woah... going fully emo, are we? I mean, not that it looks bad, but—" Somehow, Bob's eyes grew even wider. "Lillie?! What are you doing here?!"

Lillie hardly flinched at Bob's surprise. "Visiting my brother."

Bob continued to gawk at her. "... You guys are brother and sister?!"

"Does that surprise you?" Lillie asked. "You said it yourself that we look like siblings."

"Well, yeah! But I didn't think you actually were! I thought you were an only child!"

"I'm not. Anyway, Gladion is going to join our task force. You can't call him Gladion, though. Call him Iridio. And you should act like you don't know we're related."

"Wait, what? Why—?"

"Personal," Gladion interjected. "Please, just do us the favor."

"Please, Bob," Lillie added. "I know it's unusual, but please. For me."

"I mean, sure. But can you—?" Bob began to ask.

"Thanks."

Gladion shut the door in Bob's face, leaving him standing alone and confused in the hallway.

"... I guess I'll just tell Ernesto you're busy, then."

* * *

Sapphire held onto the diner's table as she desperately tried and failed to catch her breath. Her incessant laughter grated at Saki's nerves. Hau watched with blank dark gray eyes as he picked at the basket of fries set in the center of the table.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Sapphire. Hell, I don't know if I've ever seen you smile. Hell, I don't think I've even heard you laugh before!"

Saki grit her teeth as she glared at Sapphire from across the table. Sapphire wheezed, slapping one hand on the table as her other cupped her cheek.

"C'mon, it's funny! You, working for the police? You, of all people, Hothead?"

"The international police, mind you."

"And? It's still hilarious!"

"Um..." Hau finally spoke up as he reached across the table for another fry. "Could I ask what's so funny? I don't get it."

"Don't you know, Hoppy? Hothead here has a bad track record with cops—"

"Shut up, Sapphire!" Saki snapped. "That's not something I want to announce to everyone and everybody!"

Saki crossed her arms and slumped in her seat. Sapphire shrugged her shoulders, then sipped her cola as her expression eased back into her usual dry scowl.

Hau looked back and forth between the two. He nervously chews on his food, then nervously chews on his cheek after he swallows. "Uh... I don't know what she's talking about, but I'm not going to judge. I mean, unless you killed somebody—"

Saki cut him off with a scoff. "Obviously I didn't kill anyone. It was never for anything serious. Petty theft, fistfights, that kind of thing. But that's all in the past now."

"Hey, that's good! If it's all in the past, I don't have any reason to judge! So don't worry!" Hau smiled and gave Saki a thumbs-up.

"...Thanks, Hau." Saki sat up and returned the smile. "I'm glad to hear you say that... but, back on the topic of the international police... considering my past, I'm not sure it'd be right of me to accept their request."

"The request is super fucking weird in the first place. Why would the international police roll up to a school and ask a bunch of school kids for help?" Sapphire asked.

"Dunno," Saki said. "Yeah, it's really freaking weird, but they said they'd pay us. As long as they're not ripping us off, I'm not going to argue."

"Wait, back up for a minute. Why wouldn't it be right to accept the request? It's totally a crazy opportunity but not, like, in a bad way. Crazy but not bad, because it's kind of good, you know?"

Hau looked at Saki as he stumbled over his words, trying to articulate his point as he waited for her answer. Saki shifted her weight from side to side as she stared at a water droplet slipping down her glass of orange soda. The little droplet inched its way down bit by bit, but just wouldn't reach the bottom.

"Saki?"

Saki met Hau's gaze as she wrung her hands.

"I... it wouldn't feel right. Like, they're straight-up asking us to arrest people. And I know what it's like. I know what it's like to be on the wrong side of the law, to be cuffed, to have everyone around you act all righteous as if they know you and why you did what you did, to have everyone look at you as lesser. I can't do that. I can't stand over another person and think of myself as above them, or think of them as heartless fiends who deserve my apathy. I've done regrettable crap; I'm no better than them."

Saki shut her eyes and groaned.

"I don't give a damn about justice. But I know my friends do. I know my friends are going to dive into this headfirst. And the people they'll be pursuing... who knows what they'll do when they get desperate. I want to be there to support them, but it just wouldn't be right for me to—"

Saki gasped as Hau grabbed her hands. She flinched, growing red in the face.

"Why are you—?"

"Everything you just said convinced me that you should absolutely join that task force."

"What—?"

"You said it yourself: you know what it feels like. That means you could have sympathy. You'll be able to 'get it' the way the others don't, and I think that's a great thing! You could do the job with heart!"

Hau's face suddenly went red. His eyes widened as if he just realized what he was doing; he ripped his hands away and scratched the back of his neck.

"I hope that made sense. Either way, I think you should go for it."

"Huh." Sapphire's expression was the same as always, yet somehow gave a smug air. "You finally say something profound, Hoppy."

"...What's that supposed to mean—?"

"I agree with him, for once," Sapphire continued, ignoring Hau and turning to Saki. "Your friends are bound to see this as a game. Good guys versus the bad guys, a clear-cut way of seeing things. You're different. And you could ground them, if need be."

"Yeah, yeah, that!" Hau nodded with great vigor. "An outlook like yours could be a total plus to the team! And you know what? You said they're allowing you to bring friends along, right? I'll join, too! I've got your back!"

Saki gaped at the boy. "...You'll really join?"

"Of course! I'm a man of my word!"

Saki's eyes darted to her lap. As both Hau and Sapphire stared at her, she shut everything out and allowed her mind to drift. A small smile slowly brightened her features. When she lifted her head, she was glowing with something that was not quite confidence— it was something much closer to faith.

"If you both truly think I should join the task force... that I could be of use because of my experiences... then I'll join. And I'd love to have you by my side, Hau. Let's do it."

Saki extended her fist out for a fist bump. Hau grinned from ear to ear, pressing his fist against her.

"Yeah! Let's do it!"

"Well, good luck busting the drug trade and catching Heisenberg, or whatever the heck it was that you're doing." Sapphire grabbed her glass of cola and stood up from the booth. "I'm leaving."

Saki's smile was instantly replaced with a questioning glare. "Wait, we agreed to split the tab three ways."

"That was before you guys agreed to take a job from the international police. You'll be rolling in dough in no time. So, bye."

"Hold on, I don't think you're supposed to leave with the glass—"

Sapphire walked away without another word, even as Saki reached out to stop her. A slanted smirk, a mixture of annoyance and amusement, stretched across Hau's face.

"That's Sapphire, for you. You never know what her deal is."

"Ain't that the truth." Saki fell back into her seat with a grunt. "At least we could say she seems to like us."

"Yeah, I'd hope, considering she hangs out with us so often."

* * *

Bob sat on a bench in the middle of Hau'oli City. He held his cell phone against his ear, listening to Lana speak. He could tell from her tone that she was disheartened.

"I haven't been able to find anybody to recruit. I asked Li first, but he said he was too busy balancing his studies with his trial captain duties. He told me to kick butt and take names, which I will, but I wish he could join us. Tides said he was too busy, too. He told me he'd help me train to take down baddies, though. That's a plus, I guess. Still, it would've been nice to have a trial captain on our side."

Bob could hear her release a long sigh.

"I'm trying to think of someone else to ask, but at this point, I'm thinking about just throwing in the towel. I'm getting tired, and I promised my sisters that I would play Hedbanz with them later—"

"Boo, Bobbie! Boo, boo!"

A sudden third voice shouted at Bob from behind. His heart nearly stopped. He made a soft screech as he leaped up from the bench and twisted around to face the newcomer. The familiar sight of a giggling Acerola made relief fill his chest and calm his shaken heart.

"Bob? Bob?" Lana's voice called from the phone's speaker. "What was that? Are you okay?"

"I'm good, I'm good!" Bob brought his phone back up to his ear. "Sorry, I'm going to have to call you back."

Bob ended the call and jammed the phone back into his pocket. He smirked at Acerola, shaking his head while clicking his tongue.

"And you got me again. You'd think by now I'd see it coming."

"That scared look on your face is always so priceless, though! Besides, you're no match for the spook master! Resistance is futile!"

Acerola performed a short twirl with a giggle before plopping herself down on the bench beside Bob. She laid her palms on the bench and kicked her feet back and forth.

"Hope I didn't interrupt anything important!"

"Oh, no, you didn't..." A sudden thought struck Bob's mind. "Actually... Acerola, do you battle at all?"

"Do I battle? Bobbie, I'm a trial captain. Battling is a part of the job description! And I'm the best of the best," Acerola snickered. "In regards to Ghost-Types, I can't be beat! Why do you ask? Do you want to battle?"

"At some point, yes. But not right now. See, the craziest thing happened! Here's the deal—"

From there, Bob explained everything— the international police, the Unnamed Island, the Ultra Beasts, the unidentified thieves, the task force. Acerola was silent throughout all of it, gawking at Bob with her jaw hanging half-open.

When he finished, Acerola's jaw was still hanging. He waited for her to speak.

"...Okay, yeah, that is the craziest thing." Acerola blinked for what felt like the first time since Bob started talking. "Are you asking me if I want to join your task force?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I'm sure having the strength of a trial captain would be handy. So if you don't mind..."

"Hell yeah, I want to join your task force! We get to be action heroes!"

Bob's eyes lit up. "That's what I said! It's official, then. Welcome to the task force, Acerola!"

"Thanks! It's an honor!"

Bob raised his hand in the air for a high five. Acerola smacked her hand against Bob's.

* * *

For Ash, two trainers came to mind.

The first was Scales, who was extremely easy to find. Convincing him to join the task force was even easier:

"Getting to be heroes and taking down baddies?" Scales's dark eyes were burning with enthusiasm. "You don't need to ask me twice!"

After that, Ash dragged Scales along in his quest to find the second trainer he wanted to recruit: Len.

"Lenny...?" Scales had asked. "Um. I'm sorry, but are you sure that—?"

"I know he isn't the most intimidating of people, but have you ever battled him?" Ash had asked in return.

"No, I haven't."

"He'd surprise you. He's actually got a lot of passion. He becomes, like, a totally different person!"

Ash could tell Scales was skeptical, but Scales didn't question him further.

The pair headed to Melemele's beach. It was the place Ash found Len most often, spending hours training up his team in the Alolan sunlight. Instead of Len, however, they found Lynn lounging in a beach chair sipping on a non-alcoholic cocktail. When the boys approached her, she lifted her sunglasses with a sneer.

Ash had asked her if Len was around.

"Nope. You won't find him here. He went on some super intense training journey or something," she told them. "So buzz off. I'm trying to unwind here."

When Ash persisted and asked where they could find Len, the answer had nearly knocked both of the boys off their feet.

And that's how they ended up on Mount Lanakila.

They weren't dressed properly for it. On the bright side, the warm sun was shining down on them and touching their bare skin. It hardly made a difference, though, when they were surrounded by nearly a foot of snow and crisp, cold air. Even Ash's Torracat constantly puffing embers into the air and melting the snow at its feet hardly helped. The boys hugged themselves tightly as they shivered, moments away from frostbite as they sucked in deep breaths of thin air.

"This is the first time I've ever seen snow in my life, and I gotta say. I'm not a fan," Scales muttered.

"I didn't think cold even existed in Alola," Ash said through his chattering teeth. "I was wrong."

"Do you think we're ever going to find Lenny? We've been walking in circles forever."

"I hope so. And I hope we find him soon."

As the pair continued forward, Ash could've sworn he heard the sound of something cackling. Then he heard something moving, pushing past the snow in its path like a plow. Ash twisted around to see a hoard of Alolan Sandslash headed their way. At first glance, Ash counted five— then noticed two more. They clicked their claws together as they bared their teeth.

"Scales..."

Ash stopped in his tracks. Scales turned and saw the hoard, letting out a weary grunt. He reached for his pockets to grasp a Pokéball. Torracat leaped out in front of the two boys, baring its own teeth as flames leaked from its jaw.

"Looks like we're gonna have to battle..." Scales's tone was resolute but feeble.

Ash nodded. "Yeah, looks like it. Torracat, use—!"

"Flamethrower!"

A third voice shouted before either Ash or Scales could act. A pillar of fire was shot just short of the sandslashs' feet, melting the snow that they trudged through. The orange glow of the flames illuminated the panic in their eyes; within seconds, the hoard was fleeing the scene as fast as they could.

The Pokémon whose flame had spooked the hoard approached Ash and Scales with its chest puffed out in pride. The Arcanine's black eyes were unblinking as it studied them both, an innate curiosity in its gaze.

Sitting on the Arcanine's back and gripping its mane was a boy dressed in a heavy, puffy winter coat and a fluffy Ushanka hat. He peered down with a shocked expression. That shocked expression shifted to anger, then back to shock, then back to anger.

"Mr. Ash— I mean Ash! Scales! What are you doing here dressed like that?!" Len shouted. "I- I don't mean to be rude! I mean— I do mean to be rude! Are you both stupid?! N-Not to be mean— I mean! Yes! I mean to be mean! What were you thinking?!"

Ash and Scales gave Len blank stares in response. Len grimaced and shook his head.

"... Just... climb on. I have spare coats at my camp. I'll make you some warm soup, too."

Warm soup? Who could argue against that in the middle of an icy mountain? Ash held Torracat under his arm as both boys climbed up onto Arcanine's back.

"Mush!" Len commanded.

Arcanine took off. The two boys nearly fell back into the snow, but Ash managed to latch onto Len and Scales managed to latch onto Ash before losing their balance. Clinging onto one another, the group rode Arcanine down an icy path that led to a large, bright red tent. Len leapt off his Pokémon and unzipped the tent's entrance. He soon after re-emerged with two winter coats. Ash and Scales threw them on and zipped them up as quickly as humanly possible.

As Len set up a portable stove and a pot, he explained why he was there.

"I wanted to grow more assertive— I was raised to be polite all the time, no matter what. It's... how I'm supposed to be. And it makes people walk all over me. I'm tired of it. I was always tired of it. I decided to come here to build my confidence along with my Pokémon. I wanted to get stronger. I wanted to be able to stand on my own two feet."

"How long have you been here?" Ash asked.

"A couple of weeks. But I'm running out of supplies, so I'm going to have to head back soon. I kind of wish I could stay up here for a little bit longer. My Pokémon have grown way stronger, and I'm so proud of them. But me... I don't know how much real progress I made..."

Arcanine, who was curled up behind Len, whimpered and nuzzled its snout against his cheek. Len weakly smiled as he rustled his hand through its fur.

"...Len, I've been in your presence for less than a half-hour, and I could already tell you've changed a lot!" Ash leaned forward with his token, toothy grin. "You asked me if I was stupid! The Len I knew would never dare to ask such a thing!"

"B-but even now I feel like I should apologize to you a million times, Mr. Ash— I mean Ash!"

"Maybe, but you still said it! And though you might want to, you haven't apologized to me once!" Ash playfully punched Len's arm, though he doubted he could feel it beneath all the layers he wore. "You ought to give yourself more credit!"

"...T-thank you. That's super nice of you." Heat rushed to Len's cheeks. They turned beet-red. "A-anyway! Mind if I ask what brings you both here?"

"Oh! Yeah! We were looking for you," Scales said.

Len raised a brow. "Pardon?"

Together, Ash and Scales gave an abridged version of the events that led them there. Len listened intently, the disbelief in his face coming and going in short phases. When they finished, Len looked up to the sky.

"Ultra Beasts... criminals... that sounds incredibly dangerous."

"And awesome." Scales's eyes were still burning with excitement. "And a chance to get stronger, too. That's what you wanted, right?"

"... Yes. That's what I wanted."

Len nodded to himself, as if confirming a thought that had run across his head.

"It's dangerous, but I'm fine with that. If I can get stronger and do good at the same time, I'll seize the opportunity. I'm going to head off this mountain with you both; I'm joining your team."

* * *

It wasn't long until the thirteen children— Ash, Kiawe, Sophocles, Mallow, Lana, Lillie, Bob, Saki, "Iridio," Hau, Acerola, Scales, and Len— were all gathered in an office room inside Melemele Island's police station. They have all dressed in their new uniforms: a blue polo, a black tie, shorts, and a cap meant to resemble traditional police outfits. They were each given a utility belt equipped with their badges, a flashlight, binoculars, handcuffs, pepper spray, and a special communicator that they were to have on hand at all times. The small, circular communicator was the main line for communication of the international police to the children; the children to the international police; the children to each other. They wore them around their waists as a wrestler would wear their champion's belt.

They all stood in a straight line, shoulder to shoulder. Anabel and Looker stood in front of them, Anabel's hands folded behind her back and Looker's arms crossed. Looker nodded as if impressed. Anabel managed a soft grin, but her face quickly hardened like cold stone.

"Here is how this will work," she said. "That communicator needs to be on your person at all times. When we send an alert, you will all come here. If you are not on Melemele at the time, then you go to the police station on your respective island. From there, you will be given a location and issued a ride Pokémon capable of flight. Then you will fly off to your destination, capture the suspect, and inform us of your mission's completion. Understand?"

The children all nodded.

"Good. Now, I need you all to swear that you will take this seriously," she continued. "This isn't a game. You cannot abuse your power in any way, shape, or form— that pepper spray you've been given may only be used if there is an immediate threat to your person. No one— not the suspects nor the beasts themselves— should be unnecessarily brutalized. Your positions can and will be revoked immediately and dishonorably. This is your only warning. Do you swear to me that you will not abuse your authority in any capacity?"

"We swear," each child echoed.

"Perfect." The smile reappears on Anabel's face. "Then I officially deem you all members of the IJP Taskforce: the International Junior Patrol."