~ 3 Weeks Later ~

"Mister President....Mister President..."

Gladion snorts as he is awakened by his assistant. He shoots up from his resting place on his desk, brushing away a sheet of paper that has adhered to his face while he napped.

"You have an appointment with Hewlett and Associates in ten minutes. Should I push it back a few minutes for you?"

"No! I just needed a quick rest, I'm fine!" Gladion snaps as he organizes the stacks of paper on his desk.

After a few seconds, he looks up from his work, the awkward assistant is still standing there.

"You're excused," he mutters as he notices the green status light on his phone.

He swallows hard when he checks his texts from Moon.

"Hey, is everything okay? Please answer me."

Gladion responds with, "Everything is fine, don't worry about me. Love you and miss you dear."

His finger hovers over the send button, but instead, he presses the backspace button until the message disappears completely.

Again, he types, "This has been the worst 3 weeks. Please come see me!"

His phone clicks rapidly as the message is backspaced out of existence.

Once more, "I don't think I can do this without you."

Slowly, he backspaces, letter by letter, before tossing his phone to the side. He sighs and grabs his briefcase, packing if full of folders and documents.
He takes a moment to look in the mirror before he leaves his office. His eyes are sunken deep into his skull and his hair is even messier than usual. Grabbing a comb from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he attempts to tame his unruly hair. He scoffs when that single shock bounces up from the crown of his head, tossing the comb in the trash on his way out the door.

The hustle and chatter silences abruptly as the brisk, steady tapping of Gladion's hard soled shoes fill the hallways of Aether Paradise's corporate head office.

It's no longer a rumor, they all know they're on the chopping block and could be fired at any moment. Everyone who is wise knows not to step on the toes of the new, hot-headed president. He's cleaning house, and he won't hesitate to rid the company of anyone who doesn't want to conform to his new incarnation of the Aether Foundation.

Gladion glares at the pompous representative Hewlett and Associates has sent to meet with him today, mindlessly twisting a tangled chunk of his platinum hair between his fingers.

"Did you not receive the items I've sent you?" Gladion grumbles from the head of the table.

"We did, and we're advising against it."

"I'm confused here...don't you work for me?" Gladion growls, trying his hardest to maintain his composure as rage boils inside of him.

"With all due respect, young president, it would be wise to just let us handle this. Just remember, you are the one who is new here. Perhaps it's best if you let us older, more experienced personel make the big decisions for a while."

"So you can keep the dark play-ground you've made for yourselves? Not under my administration."

The representative's smug grin twitches at Gladion's words, he couldn't possibly know what's been going on.

"You can gather your things," Gladion mutters. "This meeting is over."

"But we've just begun! I have so many other things to discuss with you mister president."

"Wipe that grin off your face! I can only imagine what the counsel will do to you when they find out they've lost their largest client!" Gladion scoffs as he pushes his chair away from the table.

"Reconsider. We're the leading firm! We've done our best to protect Aether and its affiliates, this entire establishment would be in handcuffs if you didn't have us in your corner!" shouts the representative, his eyes nervously dart back and forth in their sockets.

"That is exactly why I'm ending our arrangement! The free for all is over, this is my empire now!"

____________________

"You have a conference call with Dr. Bill in ten minutes, then a photo op directly following..." Gladion's assistant says, peeking her nose deep into the leather-bound schedule.

Gladion rolls his eyes as she mentions the photo op. He'd much rather remain anonymous with his generous donation to the construction of the Pokemon League, but even he knows the Aether Foundation could use some positive PR.

Green swivels his chair around when he hears the door open behind him.

"Take a seat!" he says, offering Gladion the spot next to him in front of the computer.

Gladion waits patiently as Green discusses Lusamine's progress with Dr. Bill. He leans in close to the screen as photo files of his mother's x-rays fill the screen. Most of Nihilego's body has been removed, giving them the access they need to dismantle its parasitic nervous system.

Bill somberly holds up the most recent scan of Lusamine's brain next to a scan of a normal brain. Gladion assumes the prognosis is not what everyone had hoped for.

After the feed has been cut, a nearby printer springs to life, shooting out a large stack of papers.

"I'll get right to work translating this transcript for you," Green says politely as he gathers them.

"It's not good, is it?" Gladion sighs.

Green hesitates, "No. It's not."

He takes a seat next to Gladion, setting the papers aside, "The good news is there's a high chance she will survive the separation surgery. The bad news, the damage is too severe in Lusamine's brain to remove everything, it would kill her."

"So technically, they can't separate them?"

"Not completely. Her condition is incurable, and her life expectancy is unknown. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Green. Lillie and I have already accepted this, we are very grateful that things are being done to make her as comfortable as possible. We have realistic expectations."

Gladion stands to leave, but stumbles, falling back into the chair.

"Are you okay? Honestly, you don't look too hot."

"No. No, I'm not okay. This place is such a fucking mess!" Gladion grumbles, opening himself up to Green, "I've lost track of how many people I've fired. Most nights, I don't even bother going home, I just sleep in my office. Sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this."

"Hey, everyone needs to vent occasionally! I know I like to talk about myself a lot, but I'm also a very good listener. I'm sure it's not easy making all of these tough decisions."

"It's not. If I don't stop firing people soon, these offices will be empty. Look, I know you are probably way over qualified for this, but the research department really needs a lab assistant. I'd love to have someone I can trust on our team."

"Are you officially offering me a job?" Green stammers excitedly.

"If you'll take it!" Gladion insists.

"Uh...as long as Red is okay with staying here," Green says, pondering how he will convince his vagabond spirit to stay.

"We could find something for him to do too," Gladion says, leaning back in his chair.

"He really seems to like Pokemon. Do you think he would like to head the conservation team?"

"Worth asking!" Green says, standing up from his chair, "I'll go ask him right now if that's okay."

"Go! Do it now," Gladion says, smiling for the first time in weeks.

______________________________________

Staring up at the high, slanting ceilings of Hala's house, I wait for Hau to get back from the kitchen.

It seems so weird to be back home again after all these months of traveling. Finally, I hear the pitter patter of Hau's flip flops and the rapid tap-tap-tap of his phone's keyboard.

"Umph!" he grumbles as he trips over the corner of the rug.

"Maybe you should, I don't know, put the phone down for a minute!" I jab playfully at my clumsy friend.

"It's so hard! Lillie is very needy, but I don't blame her," he sighs, laying his phone on the large coffee table in front of us as he takes a seat next to me.

"Yes, I'm sure this is far from easy for her. She's so lucky she has you!"

"She's totally in love with Vulpix by the way!"

"I've noticed, I think she posts like three or four pictures of it a day!! That makes me feel good."

"So, any news on Lusamine's surgery yet?"

"Which one?" Hau scoffs, "Well, the last major one went well, but she's got about twenty more to go."

"Sounds awful!"

"Yeah, if everything goes well, maybe in six months they can come home."

"Are you hanging in there okay? It must be hard with Lillie in Kanto."

"I miss her so much. Honestly though, I'm more worried about you."

Hau and I cringe at the sound of the front door crashing open, 'Ya Boy' really needs to learn some manors.

"Sup?" he asks, making himself at home.

Hau crinkles his nose as Guzma leans back on the sofa, propping his feet up on the coffee table.

"Dude, don't take this the wrong way, but get your damn feet off my coffee table!"

"Ha! You guys gotta check this out," Guzma chuckles, pulling a rolled up magazine out of his oversized back pocket.

"Story of the year huh? Tell me about it!" Hau laughs apprehensively at Gladion's cover shoot.

"Still haven't heard anything from him?" Hau asks me under his breath.

"It's been almost three-weeks. I'm done," I mutter.

"He ghosted you? That's cold!" Guzma exclaims, pounding his fist on his leg.

"You can say that again."

"I gotta say, I'm still shocked. I figured you guys would work it out," Hau says softly.

"Lillie told me he's been unbearable to deal with," I whisper.

"Yeah, she told me he looks like he hasn't slept since he took over."

"Probably not! It was really stupid of me to think this could work," I groan, mindlessly checking my phone for text messages I know won't be there.

"Like, I know he's got more issues than Pokemon League Illustrated, but this is low..." Guzma sighs, "He's always been really good at running away, hasn't he?"

"I guess so, but enough of that. Let's see that ink Hau!" I say, trying very hard not to sound like I want to bawl my eyes out.

"The first of many," Hau chuckles as he lifts his sleeve.

He proudly shows off the thick, geometric band of ink tattooed on his upper arm.

"Congrats man! That's sick!" Guzma grins, offering a fist bump.

"Can I start calling you Kahuna Hau yet??" I ask jokingly, blushing slightly.
I still think of him as my best friend, but it's hard not to admire his handsomeness. I'm so proud of him, he's one of the only truly good things in my life, and I'm extremely great full for that.

"So, I picked something up today..." Hau says softly, pulling the small velvety box from the pocket of his shorts.

I eagerly watch as he opens it. Inside, is a beautiful engagement ring. A large fire opal stone sits in the middle surrounded by small turquoise pebbles and a glimmering diamond spire on either side.

"I'm speechless!" I peep excitedly, "It's gorgeous! I've never seen anything like it."

"You gonna pop the question? I'm happy for you man! You gotta let me plan your bachelor party. I promise Ya Boi won't disappoint!"

"Yeah, I don't know when I'm proposing, but I'm one-hundred percent sure on this."

"Why are you telling me this now?" I cry, clutching his arm excitedly, "My ferry leaves in an hour!"

"Shit! It's already that late?? The time flies by so fast now," Hau groans, "I know you are busy training, but please come visit again!"