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Lillie was, by her own estimation, not suited to be a mother.
Perhaps it was her complicated relationship with her own mother, one that while improving with age still had lingering damage from before. It was hard to think of motherhood and not remember some of the harsher things Lusamine had said during that year, even if she'd long apologized and made up for them. A scar remained even after all this time.
Ten years since that fateful summer had changed a lot in Lillie's life. She’d traveled not only to Kanto, but around the world by now, seeking something she couldn’t quite name.
At first, she thought it was the isolation getting to her; but having Selene join her after Kanto hadn’t made that nagging sensation budge at all. Together they’d grown much stronger and much closer; their tentative relationship as dear friends blossoming into something more.
And perhaps that’s where this insistent itch came from. As dreams of the future with Selene by her side became reality, Lillie felt like they were missing out on something big. Everything around her seemed to say it was parenthood she was longing for, but Lillie couldn’t shake the feeling that while that might be the answer for others, it wasn’t what she wanted at all.
So she did what her mother had in the past and decided to throw herself into a project that didn’t allow her to overthink everything else in her life.
The newly named Aether International had partnered with organizations across the globe, turning Aether Paradise into a true Pokemon sanctuary. No longer a cover for shady business, the foundation longed to distance itself from the past and instead become an example for the future. They had programs to help endangered Pokemon species, rehabilitation projects for those injured or abused, and plenty of space to house the recovering Pokemon.
Lusamine had hinted that she'd wanted Lillie to take over a new division when she returned from her travels and so Lillie eagerly agreed to that before even knowing the details. Perhaps with that occupying her time she'd feel less like something was wrong with her life, at least that was the hope.
Still, arriving back and being told she was in charge of the new nursery was not what she'd expected. It had been established to counteract an ongoing problem of trainers abandoning eggs at Paniola Ranch and had already accumulated a large intake of eggs from their nursery and across the islands.
“Are you certain this is the right place for me, mother?” Lillie asked after being briefed on the division.
Lusamine waved her hand. “Of course. In fact, I wouldn't trust it to anyone else but you. You'll be a natural at it, I'm quite certain.”
Lillie was doubtful, but then she felt the bump of Selene's hand against her own. Her fingers relaxed as they settled into Selene's grasp, and as if she knew Lillie was fretting, she used her thumb to rub the back of Lillie's hand. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, and the tension slowly eased out of her shoulders.
As always, Selene was there like a balm of reassurance to remind her she was a much stronger person than the girl who'd left Alola all those years ago.
“Let's go take a look and see what it's like in person,” Selene suggested.
“A brilliant idea,” Lusamine agreed. “I'll have Wicke take you there now. I have a meeting with one of the Quasartico CEOs so I need to get to my office.”
The two turned to where Wicke was following behind them with a Rotom pad, and she gave them a smile.
“Of course, if you'd just follow me.”
They made their way from the docks to the now more-welcoming intake lobby where the elevator system awaited. To Lillie's surprise, Wicke didn't enter one of the higher up floors where most of the functions of the foundation were housed and instead hit the button for the second basement floor.
Lillie tensed. While she didn't hold as much anger over what had occurred in those labs years before as her brother did, it still made something twist in her gut every time she had to go down there.
Selene gave her hand a squeeze, having sensed her mood shift, and turned to give her a gentle smile. And so, holding that smile in her mind, Lillie let her eyes drift closed and took a deep breath.
She was stronger now, she reminded herself. She had badges from multiple regions across the world, held the title of Champion at some points for a few, and was older, wiser, and so much braver.
And clutching onto that bravery and Selene's hand like a lifeline, she opened her eyes right as the elevator reached the destination.
==========ᗢ==========
“Wakeeee up! Jeezzz I knowzzz you just barely got your head down, but you're the one who set these alarmzzzz!”
Lillie turned groggily in Selene's arms as if she could escape the overly perky Rotom Dex voice, but her partner's strong arms loosened, and she gave her a gentle nudge with her chin.
“Lillie. It's time again,” she said, clearly half-asleep.
There was a strong urge to stay in bed— warm, cozy, and nestled against Selene's chest— but right as Lillie's eyes began to drift closed again, she thought of why the alarm was set and blinked herself awake.
“Uuuup and at ‘em! Those babiezzz aren't going to feed themselvezzz.”
“I'm getting up Rotom. Please set an alarm for two hours from now.”
“You got it! Bzz-zzt!”
Reluctantly, but with an important mission ahead, Lillie pulled out of Selene's arms and slid her slippers onto her feet. She gave her old Rotom Dex a gentle pat in thanks and then stifled a yawn. Then, quietly as possible, she made her way across the room, out the door, and down the hall to the kitchen.
Once there, she opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of milk. Hoping the soft beeps of the microwave buttons didn't wake anyone else, she warmed the bottle up and quickly canceled it right before its final beep. Then, she dripped a few drops onto her wrist and once satisfied with the temperature, padded her way down the hallway.
In a spare room that had once been a playroom, a table had been assembled in the center and atop it sat a cylindrical tube illuminated by a yellow light. Her footsteps were light, the slippers dulling the sound, but it was enough even over the ventilation system of the incubator for its residents to know she was there.
Eyes not even open yet, with dark fur and the lightest hints of red markings, was Lillie's current litter of Litten kittens. And having heard her there, they'd begun to yell for food.
Due to improper handling of eggs by their previous trainers, the foundation found that many eggs needed a little help. Most needed more time—for example, a longer hatching cycle than usual under a Talonflame’s flame body warmth— and then they hatched just like any other egg. But some, like these little Littens, hatched far too soon. Not fully developed yet and in need of a mother's care.
And having no trainer and no mother available, their care fell to Lillie.
She could have handed it off to one of the countless workers or volunteers of the foundation. Plenty had offered to take up the burden, but the more delicate a case was, the more Lillie trusted their care to no one else. These kittens came in cracked eggs they suspected a trainer dropped before abandoning, hatching them so early they hadn't even opened their eyes yet. Which meant if they were going to have any chance at survival, they needed almost constant around-the-clock care.
Lillie knew they needed her.
She reached into the incubator and pulled out the first wiggling baby, wrapped it in a towel so it wouldn't get chilled, and settled into an old rocking chair in the room. Then she did her best to encourage the little bundle to eat.
Some kittens were better than others, latching onto the bottle's nipple and eagerly drinking their fill; but often the weaker ones needed more help. Lillie would direct their little head with one hand while holding the bottle with the other, ensuring the flow of milk stayed steady and didn't overwhelm the baby. Then, once finished, she'd clean the baby off with a wet wipe to simulate a mother's tongue.
One by one, she worked her way through the litter, but as she was finishing up with the third, there was a gentle knock on the door.
“Come in,” she said softly.
“How goes it?” Selene's sleepy voice said as she entered.
“They're eating well. The smallest fights it the most, but I think its getting better. But why are you up so early?”
“Apparently some kid has challenged the league overnight and is probably going to be ready to face the Champion soon.”
“Ah, called in to work,” Lillie said with a giggle. “Such is the life of a Champion.”
“I'm beginning to think Hau has it easier as kahuna.”
Lillie pulled the bottle free, and the pair were met with the fussy yell of a little Litten.
“Oh, you're such a loud-mouth,” she said fondly.
“Maybe it’s thanking you, did you ever consider that?”
She looked up, a thoughtful furrow to her brows as she met Selene's eyes.
“Lillie,” Selene said. “You've raised these babies. Be proud of that. You've saved their lives.”
This was only the fifth litter she'd handled, and she'd already heard the rumors being spread around Aether Paradise. Praises of a miracle worker, of ‘the quintessential foster mother,’ of a Litten whisperer. She'd done everything the handbooks and professors had advised: measuring out the correct levels of powdered replacement milk formula, sleeping in pockets of two to four hours to ensure they were fed often, keeping them warm until their bodies could regulate their own temperatures.
But somehow, in helping these little helpless kittens, Lillie had found the answer she'd long sought out.
A purpose.
“I'm just trying to give them the best chance I can,” she murmured, dipping her head.
Selene stepped closer and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“You're amazing, do you know that?”
Lillie opened her mouth to retort, to say it was just what was necessary. But before she could speak the kitten in her hands let out another yell.
“See?” Selene said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “It agrees with me.”
She blushed, but for once didn’t feel the need to argue it. If the Alola Champion and this little baby thought so, perhaps she was doing something amazing. Maybe she had found her place.
Selene gave her a one-armed hug before leaning down closer and giving her a peck on the lips.
“I'm off to go battle this Noctowl of a child, so don't have too much fun while I’m out.”
Lillie giggled. “I'll either be sleeping or in here with the babies.”
“You've found your passion project, I see. Don't worry, I'm only slightly jealous of the time you spend with the kittens. I know you love them.”
“I love you, Selene,” she said firmly. “Have a good battle.”
“Love you too, Lillie.”
She pressed one more kiss to the top of Lillie's head before slipping out the door. Lillie looked down and realized full of warm milk, the kitten had fallen back asleep.
Gently, she scooped it up and went to return it to the incubator. She opened it and made sure to give each little sleepy kitten a soft stroke on their heads as she placed their sibling back in with them. Then she checked the settings— making sure their ventilation, humidity and temperature were all where they needed to be— before turning and heading to the door.
But this time, she paused in the doorway.
She looked back to the sleeping babies and felt a smile curl at her lips.
Selene and the rumors might want to say she's amazing, but to Lillie, it was simply something she needed to do.
“Sleep well, little ones,” she said softly, then she quietly closed the door and headed back to sleep.
Every little creature deserved a mother's love, after all.
She just never expected it to fall to her to give it.