1. Ash's Story (Part 0: Prologue)

Chapter 5: The Broken Paradise

Weeks after Serena joined Ash and Alice's training, Adam invited the children to Alola. The Aether Foundation wanted his advice on strange spatial readings, and Aurora could tell they worried him. Adam distrusted experiments with Ultra Wormholes no one fully understood.

Ash treated the invitation like an adventure. Alice packed quietly, checking every strap twice before Ash helped her. Serena brought the riding gloves Grace insisted she keep, since Grace claimed balance mattered in every kind of training.

Aether Paradise rose from the Alolan water like a white island built by human hands. Sunlight flashed across glass walls and shining walkways that looked nothing like the guarded stone of Atem Castle.

Lusamine waited at the entrance, her long hair bright beneath the Alolan sun. She smiled when she saw Ash, but the expression faltered slightly when their eyes met. He had seen that look before whenever an adult remembered Golly and could not decide whether to say her name.

"It's so nice to see you again, Ash," Lusamine said, bending slightly so he would not have to look too far up.

Ash smiled back, though his hand tightened around his bag strap. "It's good to see you too, Ms. Lusamine."

Lusamine looked toward Alice and Serena. "And these must be Alice and Serena. Adam and Aurora have told me wonderful things about both of you."

Alice gave a polite bow. "Thank you for inviting us."

Serena copied the bow a second later, her cheeks pink with nervousness. "The building is beautiful."

"It is more than a building," Lusamine said, and some of her earlier ease returned. "Aether Paradise cares for injured Pokémon, studies endangered habitats, and researches ways people can protect Pokémon throughout Alola."

She led them through bright corridors where staff passed with tablets, carts, and medical supplies. Water-type Pokémon rested in wide pools, while Grass-types recovered beneath filtered sunlight.

Alice slowed beside a sleeping Corsola being tended by a nurse. "You help Pokémon from all the different islands?"

"Whenever we can," Lusamine answered. "Some are injured by storms, some because of people, and others arrive with problems we still don't understand."

Ash watched a small Wingull carefully stretch one bandaged wing. "Do they get to go home afterward?"

"That's what we want," Lusamine said. "Once they can safely return to where they came from, we release them."

Two blonde children appeared near the next corridor. The boy stood slightly in front of the girl, watchful but not unfriendly, while she remained half hidden behind his shoulder. They looked close to Ash's age, although the girl seemed unsure whether she wanted to approach at all.

Lusamine smiled at them. "Gladion, Lillie, come here. These are Adam and Aurora's children and their friend from Sevestar."

The boy stepped forward first. "I'm Gladion."

The girl peeked around him. "I'm Lillie."

Ash offered his hand because Aurora had drilled proper greetings into him. "I'm Ash. This is Alice, and this is Serena."

Lillie stared at his hand for a moment before carefully taking it. Her eyes widened. "You're the Ash Ketchum Mother told us about."

Ash shifted awkwardly. "What did she say?"

"That you protected her from Giovanni," Lillie said. Then she hesitated. "And that you were very brave when... when your sister..."

Gladion's expression tightened as he cut in. "Lillie."