Fear - An Aureliashipping and Lonashipping Story

-23-

"Why is your hair like that?"

Gladion took a hand off of Type: Null's helmet and facepalmed. "What kind of question is that?! I thought you liked how I look, why are you asking about my hair?"

"I dunno~" Moon replied, dragging out the word. "It's weird-"

"You wanna know what's weird?!" Gladion spat back. "The red glove you call a hat. Why do you look like that?"

A look of hurt crossed Moon's face. "I was going to say weird and cute..." she mumbled to herself. Null gave the boy a sharp nudge and his annoyed look changed to one of guilt. "Look, Moon, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," Gladion said with a sigh. "I'm having a rough time right now." 

Moon's face also changed, hers a look of concern. "I know, your sister's well-being is the priority right now-"

Gladion interrupted her again, this time with a raised finger. "Don't. You're a priority to me too, it's just that Lillie really needs all the help she can get. I don't have to worry about you right now, you can take care of yourself...I don't know if Lillie can." he admitted, turning back to the helmeted Pokémon and brushing it. Moon adjusted her hat for a few seconds, choosing her words carefully for once. "Do you really think she's up to this?"

The yellow-haired boy grunted a yes. "She has to be. Suppressing her trauma is a luxury she can't afford anymore, even with all of the money of the world. I promise I won't push her too far."

Hobbes walked outside. "Lemonade, anyone?"

The three were in the backyard of the mansion. Gladion was in the middle of giving a pep talk to Null, who would soon be face to face with Lillie, who was receiving a similar talk from her friends inside. Moon gratefully took a glass from the platter and lied back down on the lounge chair. Gladion shook his head for a no, and Hobbes placed the glasses on a table. "Mr. Gladion, Miss Lillie is ready."

"Hobbes, before you go..."

Hobbes turned back to look at the young boy. "These 'friends' of hers...are they good to her?"

Hobbes adjusted his glasses. "Now is a rather odd time to ask this, you've met them before..."

"I just- I want to be sure they won't do anything to mess this up for her. Especially the dumb one." he finished, a bit of venom in his voice.

Moon shot up from her chair and glared at Gladion. "Now is not the time to be overprotective!" she barked at him. Gladion flinched. "Arceus, my bad!"

Hobbes shook his head. "I suppose I should bring them out." he said, walking back inside.

Moon walked over to Gladion and gave him a hug. "They'll be fine. She will be fine." 

The boy's reddening face was all the answer that was needed. A few seconds passed by before Gladion heard footsteps approaching the two. Gladion and Moon turned around to see Ash, Shiron, Kiawe, Lana, and Sophocles leading Lillie into the backyard. "Mallow is still at the restaurant, reconstruction is a bit behind schedule. Kukui also sends his regards." Kiawe explained.

Gladion took a closer look at Lillie and realized she was blindfolded, so she wouldn't see Null. What surprised him is the small amount of electric nodes on her head and chest. "Wait a minute, what in the Distortion World are those?!"

Sophocles opened up a laptop. "I'm going to monitor her physiological responses to the helmet-thing." he said with a deadpan face.

"First off, the 'helmet-thing' has a name, it's Type: Null," Gladion responded. "Second, is this really necessary?"

"They don't bother me." Lillie said in a soft voice.

Sophocles focused on the screen in front of him. "There isn't a problem out there that can't be solved with a bit of research and science!" he declared. Moon pouted. "Feelings aren't science!" she complained. 

"Well, technically, they are-" Sophocles began to explain.

"Enough," Lana sighed. "I'll get Popplio to put your heads into bubbles if you both don't cut it out."

"Would they be able to breathe?" Ash asked, him and Pikachu thinking hard.

Really good friends, I see. Gladion thought in frustration. "Just- Lillie, are you sure you're ready?"

"Positive." the girl replied, Shiron giving a small cry of affirmation, too. "Okay. Take as much time as you need. Take the blindfold off."

All eyes were on the girl dressed in white. She slowly lifted her hands to the cloth around her eyes and she slowly pulled it off. In front of her was the Pokémon that haunted her thoughts recently: Null.

Sophocles began switching his gaze from his laptop to Lillie, Kiawe and Lana behind him. "Heart rate is up," he said, soft enough so Lillie wouldn't hear. 

Nevertheless, Lillie continued to study the Pokémon. It was lying down, its limbs tucked under it. The more Lillie looked at it, the more curious she got. Then, something new happened.

Everyone looked at her confused as Lillie began to laugh. 

The way Null was sitting made it look like a loaf of bread. Its helmet looked like a weird broom. Lillie didn't know why she found it so funny, but she couldn't stop giggling. I want to pet it!

She took a step towards the creature but immediately froze. The memories came rushing back: the image of Null jumping at her...

"Remember what we told you Lillie: that's a false memory, Null never attacked you." Gladion explained.

But the memory felt so real. Lillie could feel the gust as Null jumped at her, the killer look in its eyes-

"Let's try to take it slow, alright?" Ash interrupted. He grabbed her hand. "Don't try touch it immediately. I did this when I first met Pikachu."

Lillie began to panic while Sophocles monitored her vitals. "Heart rate is skyrocketing..." he remarked. She desperately wished that this moment lasted forever: that this was the end of the story.

No! Lillie scolded herself. There will be time for fanservice later.

Slowly but surely, her hand got closer to the Pokémon...