Whether in the Pokémon anime or the games, trainers who actually possess a Legendary Pokémon are incredibly rare.
And even then, they usually only have second-tier Legendaries. First-tier ones? Practically unheard of.
Let alone being close companions with one.
Because the gap between first-tier and second-tier Legendaries is wider than that between Kricketune and Dolphinman.
Second-tier Legendaries might bear the title of "god," but at the end of the day, they're just stronger, rarer Pokémon—nothing more.
First-tier Legendaries are on a whole different level. Most of them wield powers that could only be described as divine—they're far closer to the mythical gods of legend.
Dialga and Palkia are the gods of time and space. Xerneas and Yveltal govern life and death.
Even just judging from the domains they rule over, it's obvious they exist in a completely separate category from ordinary Pokémon. It's no wonder that humans attempting to control such beings feels near impossible.
But now, Haru found himself in close proximity to a first-tier Legendary that wasn't Mew.
Cosmog—the small, seemingly helpless Pokémon nestled in Lillie's arms—was a true first-tier Legendary.
It was only shivering like that because it was still in its infant stage.
But as it continued to grow, one day it would evolve into either Lunala, the moon deity, or Solgaleo, the sun god.
Both the Sun and Moon deities are indisputably first-tier Legendaries, with base stats of 680—top-tier powerhouses by game standards.
Which meant this petite, soft-spoken Lillie was, in the truest sense of the word, a Legendary Pokémon girl.
At the same time, Cosmog—whom she affectionately called "Nebby"—was also the only Pokémon she dared to touch.
But even in Alola, very few knew Cosmog's true nature—including Lillie and Lusamine.
Unfortunately, this Legendary girl was currently in a pretty bad spot.
Despite being the cherished daughter of the ultra-wealthy Aether Foundation, Lillie couldn't even protect the one Pokémon she could actually connect with.
Because the one threatening her wasn't some stranger—it was her own mother. Lusamine, the one she couldn't defy.
In order to research the "Ultra Beasts" that lived in the "Ultra Space," Lusamine planned to use Cosmog as a living power source—forcing it to open a portal to that other dimension like an organic Bug Zapper.
A process that would undoubtedly hurt Cosmog.
This was the fundamental, irreconcilable conflict between Lillie and Lusamine.
Lillie had already tried to steal Nebby and flee the Aether Foundation—but she failed.
Unless some miracle happened, there was no way the situation could change.
And yet... as if Arceus Himself had heard her prayers, a miracle did arrive.
The man now standing before her—dressed like a Kaiba cosplayer—might just be her last hope.
As for Lusamine, she only furrowed her brows slightly at Haru's sudden appearance.
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
Lusamine didn't recognize Haru at all. Nor could she understand how someone had broken into the Foundation's core facility without triggering any alarms.
But she didn't seem particularly flustered.
This was a woman who'd lived in power for a long time. She was used to the world revolving around her will. A few unexpected events? She could suppress those with ease.
This unknown man would be no exception.
"Just a passerby. Someone who got lost. Does that answer satisfy you?"
Haru really didn't have much of an explanation. He honestly had no idea how he ended up smack in the middle of their headquarters' most secure zone.
So instead, he focused on something more important—how he was going to handle the situation between Lillie and Lusamine.
Doing nothing wasn't an option. If he had the power to make things right—and have some fun while he was at it—then why not?
Besides, for reasons he couldn't quite explain, Mew—who usually loved holing up in its Poké Ball like a total shut-in—suddenly volunteered for battle. It was meowing insistently in his mind, demanding to go head-to-head with Lusamine.
Apparently, it wanted to experiment on her or something?
"Arrest him. Lock him up and find out how he bypassed our security systems."
Much like Haru's laid-back attitude, Lusamine—annoyed and irritable—clearly didn't see him as a threat.
And why should she? Sure, the man's sudden appearance was a little odd, but she was Lusamine, ruler of the vast Aether Foundation.
Even if Haru were some kind of superhero, he'd still be locked up in her unbreakable cage.
It wasn't like she was Jesus.
Her command wasn't loud, but it might as well have flipped a switch—within moments, a swarm of grunt trainers poured into the room, more than a dozen of them by the look of it.
"Surrender, intruder! Come quietly, or there'll be no juice for you!"
As soon as they entered the hall, they released their Pokémon simultaneously. Most were on the weaker side, but when the numbers piled up like this, things could get messy fast.
Lillie watched the scene anxiously. She still didn't know why this man had come here, but her kind heart couldn't help but worry for him.
If he fell into her mother's hands, who knew what might happen?
As for the possibility of him singlehandedly defeating everyone and walking out of here?
That thought hadn't even crossed her mind.
The power gap was just too wide. How could one person possibly break through by force?
Not to mention, Lusamine herself wasn't just standing by—she was fully capable of joining the battle at any moment.
Victory?
Not a chance.
What to do? If that man really was just an accidental intruder, how could she help him?
But Haru had a different problem entirely.
Because there were just too many people around, Flutter Mane… seemed too nervous to come out?
Yeah, social-anxiety Pokémon tend to do that. Permanent resident of Reverse-Chime Cavern. As soon as there's a crowd, she freezes up.
Not that it mattered this time.
Because echoing in Haru's mind was a mischievous little laugh—the voice of a girl, playful and "evil."
Even if it sounded a little villainous, Mew's "voice" was as sweet and clear as silver bells.
'At last! It's my turn to shine. I won't let my Trainer down—promise!'