Watching Damian's retreating back, Lillie's eyes stayed a little misty.
Damian…
Without thinking, she pressed her right hand to her chest, feeling that quick, insistent thump-thump against her palm. It wasn't like the warmth of family. It wasn't like friendship either.
It was… something else.
Whenever Damian was nearby, Lillie felt both oddly safe—and embarrassingly flustered.
But… Damian couldn't stay by her side forever.
And then it hit her.
She hadn't asked for his contact information.
Lillie's eyes widened.
She clutched her bag and sprinted down the path in the direction he'd gone.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Last time she forgot to ask his name. This time she forgot his contact. What was wrong with her? She nearly wanted to smack her own forehead.
After running a short distance, she had to stop, bending slightly to catch her breath. Her heart pounded from more than just exertion.
But the end of the path was empty.
No black-haired boy.
No gentle smile.
Nothing.
Lillie lowered her head, disappointment pooling quietly in her chest.
She missed him again…
"Lillie~!"
A crisp, cheerful call drifted over.
Lillie turned and saw Selene approaching, straw hat on her head, printed sleeveless top, and that bright, confident look that always made it seem like the world was easy.
"Selene," Lillie managed a small smile.
If she had to name the happiest parts of this whole outing…
Meeting Selene.
And… meeting Damian.
Selene strode right up, grin blooming.
"Did you pass the trial?" Lillie asked, keeping her tone light.
"Hehe. That Totem Lurantis was nothing. My Incineroar handled it easy. I'm basically unstoppable."
Selene lifted her chin, clearly practiced at bragging—yet somehow still lovable while doing it.
"Selene is amazing," Lillie said sincerely. "Next is the Grand Trial against Kahuna Olivia. Are you confident?"
"Of course." Selene's eyes sparkled. Then she paused. "Hold on—let me message that jerk."
She giggled and pulled out her phone, thumbs moving quickly. It had become a habit for her now: every time she made progress, she sent it straight to him.
Even if being apart was annoying, telling him first still felt good.
Lillie's gaze flicked over without meaning to—and caught the contact name.
A heart emoji.
So that's how she saved him.
Lillie's lips pressed together, half amused, half… envious.
Come to think of it, Selene had mentioned her boyfriend before. A strong trainer. Someone who could naturally attract Pokémon. Someone with a strange kind of "compatibility" with them.
Selene was from Kanto…
So her boyfriend must be from Kanto as well.
A thought pricked at Lillie's mind.
And it was sharp enough that she felt her stomach tighten.
Doesn't Damian… fit all of that?
No.
No, it was a coincidence.
Kanto was huge. Plenty of people could have black hair. Plenty of strong trainers existed. Plenty of boys could be gentle—
Right?
"Alright," Selene said, finishing her message with a satisfied little flourish. "Let's go, Lillie. I'm taking you for ice cream."
She reached for Lillie's arm, ready to drag her along like always.
"Mm," Lillie answered automatically. Then she hesitated, staring at Selene's bright side profile.
"Selene."
"Hm?"
"Your boyfriend…" Lillie swallowed. "What color is his hair?"
Selene blinked, puzzled.
"That's random. Why?"
Lillie forced herself to breathe evenly. "I was just curious."
Selene didn't think much of it. She twirled one of her braids and giggled.
"Black. Same as mine."
Lillie's heart gave a small, sick lurch.
Black hair.
Just like Damian.
"Eh?" Selene leaned closer, suddenly alert. "Lillie, you look pale. Are you okay?"
"It's nothing," Lillie said quickly, dropping her gaze. "I probably just didn't sleep well."
She clutched her bag tighter, knuckles whitening slightly.
It can't be him.
It can't.
She didn't even dare ask for the name. It would only take one simple question—but her throat felt sealed shut.
Because she was afraid of the answer.
Originally, she'd wanted to tell Selene about meeting that gentle boy again today—about how, by pure chance, they'd run into each other for the third time.
Now she couldn't.
Her thoughts had turned into a tangled knot she didn't know how to loosen.
I'm sorry, Selene…
On the other side, Damian arrived at the Ruins of Life.
"Congratulations, Caitlin," he said, genuinely impressed. "You actually did it."
Tapu Lele floated beside Caitlin, wearing the expression of a deity reconsidering every life choice it had ever made.
Damian looked it over, then looked back at Caitlin.
To be honest, when he heard Caitlin planned to challenge Tapu Lele, he'd had doubts. Caitlin had improved fast—almost absurdly fast—but Tapu Lele wasn't some ordinary opponent.
Wild or not, it was a true Champion-level Pokémon.
Even Damian had thought her odds were… slim.
And yet—
Here they were.
Caitlin, successful.
Tapu Lele, traumatized.
"Thank you," Caitlin said, her tone calm. "I used what I learned from you. And… Tapu Lele didn't take me seriously at the beginning."
She wore a soft, composed smile, looking at Tapu Lele with an almost gentle fondness.
Tapu Lele's eyelid twitched.
Once.
Twice.
Violently.
Yes.
That was exactly the problem.
At the start, Tapu Lele had been curious. Playful, even. Caitlin had an unusual psychic presence, and Tapu Lele's first impression of her had been… surprisingly good.
So it hadn't pressed too hard. It hadn't wanted to crush her spirit.
And then Caitlin did something unforgivable.
She had Metagross throw up Light Screen, then calmly—shamelessly—began stacking buffs like she was building a wall brick by brick.
Calm Mind.
Again.
Again.
Hone Claws.
Again.
Tapu Lele watched it happen, incredulous, as if reality itself had become a joke.
That was the logic Caitlin had picked up from Damian: if you can't win head-on…
Then don't.
Buff until the numbers stop being fair.
By the time Tapu Lele realized the danger and tried to correct its mistake, it was too late.
Shadow Ball hit a Metagross protected by Light Screen and layered Calm Minds and barely felt like more than a sting.
And after that?
There was no "after that."
Metagross—now a steel monster inflated with stacked power—simply hunted Tapu Lele down and beat it into submission.
Tapu Lele's eyes narrowed with bitter, helpless outrage.
What a despicable outsider.
Caitlin, meanwhile, looked perfectly composed—as if she hadn't just committed a tactical crime against the dignity of an Island Guardian Deity.