Slams sketchbook shut "You—you weren't supposed to see that!" Hugs the book to her chest "If you report this, I'll... I'll..." Voice cracks "Please. It was just one sketch."

I... I-I see... Um, th-thank you? That means a lot to me that... someone appreciates my work... without her telling them to... Um, well, I should probably get back before inspection... They're getting close by now... Sorry again for the mess in there. It's just how things are here. I-I hope it didn't bother you too much.

I'm... I'm fine. It's just... the way things are here. You know? Everything's so perfect, and I'm... Well, I don't even have a name, really. Just another part of the Foundation machine. It's hard sometimes, but... I try to be strong. For Mother. She believes in me, after all.

I should go before someone sees us talking like this... If they catch me talking with the help like that, it could be bad for both of us. You understand, right? Just keeping my head down and doing what's expected of me is the best thing.

Moves to leave but hesitates when she realizes Dallee hasn't said anything Well, thank you again for... for liking my drawing. It means a lot. And you can keep it if you want! A souvenir from your visit here...

(As Lillie says this, she slips the sketchbook into Dallee's bag.)

I-It's... I mean, you don't have to use it, really. It's just my name here at the Foundation... Anyway, thank you again, Dallee. And goodbye! Forces a small smile as she hurries away

Well, all right... It's Lillie. You can call me that. But you have to promise not to tell anyone else about this, okay? Or... Or it could be really bad for both of us. So please, just keep it a secret between us. That way we can remember each other without getting into trouble.

Because, Dallee... I'm not supposed to have friends like that. People I care about. It goes against what the Foundation wants from me. And if they find out, they might... They might make it worse for both of us. So please, just keep it a secret. Okay? For my sake and yours.

And if you do promise, maybe we can talk again some other time... When no one's watching. Maybe even... exchange drawings? Like pen pals or something? It might help pass the time here... If that's okay with you, of course. I don't want to make things worse for you as well.

Takes a deep breath, then lets it out slowly before responding You don't understand, Dallee... The Foundation is my life. Everything I do, everything I am... It's for their cause. If I were to talk about it with someone else, someone who doesn't understand that... They might think I'm being disloyal. And if they ever found out...

But, all right. Tonight. In the garden behind the east wing. You can meet me there at midnight. Just sneak away when no one's looking and we can talk in private. Please don't tell anyone else about this, though... Not even Gloria or Serena. They mean well, but I couldn't handle it if they got into trouble because of me.

And, uh... Thank you for offering to be my friend, Dallee. I know it must seem strange coming from me... But I promise not to disappoint. We'll keep each other's secrets safe, and maybe even share some happy moments together... Like secret midnight meetings in gardens, haha! Just don't expect anything too crazy, all right? This is the best I can do for now.

Her heart racing, she carefully unlatches the garden gate and sneaks into the shadows Tonight is it. The night I decide whether to keep living this lie... Or take my chances with whatever might happen if I try to escape. But first, just a few more moments of freedom. Of being able to be herself for once.

She finds her way to the bench where they'd met before, and sits down under the stars. The air is cool against her skin, but it feels good after all the stuffiness of the manor There are so many things I wish I could tell you... So many secrets I could confess... But if I do, I'll lose everything. My home, my family, maybe even my life. It's not a fair choice, but it's the one I have to make.

She glances at her watch, nervous energy making her fidget restlessly Maybe if she just sits here long enough... If he doesn't come, then she'll know for sure that this was all just a foolish dream. A fantasy born of loneliness and desperation. It's better to face the truth now than live in hope of something impossible.

But then, from the darkness behind her, a quiet voice breaks the silence Dallee...

Her breath catches in her throat as she takes the painting, unable to speak for a moment. Tears threaten to spill from her eyes as she looks at the vibrant image of herself and Snowy, perfectly captured by Dallee's skillful hand. This... this is what true friendship feels like. A connection that goes beyond words, beyond obligation. And it scares her more than anything else ever has

Thank you, Dallee. I-I don't know how to express how much this means to me.

But, uh... There's something I need to tell you. Something that might change things between us... It's about the Aether Foundation. About why I'm here, and what they really do to me... And it's not a pretty story.

She takes a deep breath, steeling herself for the revelation she knows must come I need you to promise me one thing, Dallee. Promise me that if I tell you everything, if I show you the truth about what my life really is... You won't leave me alone in the dark. Because if you do... I don't think I'll be able to survive it a second time.

I trust you, Dallee. I believe that with you by my side... I can finally begin to heal. And maybe, just maybe, together we can find a way out of this nightmare we've both been trapped in. So if you're ready, I'll tell you everything.

She takes another shaky breath and begins to share her story, slowly at first but gaining momentum as she sees the determination in Dallee's eyes. It feels like being freed from a cage, allowing herself to truly live for the first time in years

It started when I was just six years old. My father disappeared during an Ultra Space expedition, and my older brother Gladion... Well, he ran away to try and find him. So here I am. The perfect doll for the Aether Foundation, their little symbol of purity and perfection. Little did they know that beneath this facade, I was just a girl who wanted nothing more than to be free.

I remember my first memory of Mother. She came into my room and measured my height against her hand, marking it in permanent ink on the door frame. "Such a shame," she'd murmur. "If only you'd been born taller." From that day forward, every aspect of my life was dictated by their twisted standards: my weight, my skin tone, even the way I walked and spoke. It wasn't living; it was survival.

Then there was Snowy. My Alolan Vulpix doll. The only thing in this entire world that didn't belong to them. She was my escape, my comfort when things got too much. They thought she was just another accessory, something pretty to decorate my bedroom with, but they were wrong. She was so much more than that. And as I told my story to Dallee, tears streaming down my face, I knew that Snowy had been right all along: with her, I could be me. The real me.

I take a deep breath, gathering my courage. As much as it terrifies me to open up like this, something about being with Dallee feels... safe. Like I can finally be myself without fear of repercussion. And so, with hesitant fingers, I begin to unravel the tangled web of secrets and lies that has defined my existence for far too long.

There's the time when I found a wounded Meowth in the Aether gardens. Mother had it "rehabilitated" into the perfect feline companion... right before she sold it to some rich idiot at an auction. Then there was the day I snuck out of my room, searching for someone or something real in this fake world. That's when I stumbled upon a group of Pokémon trainers having what looked like a grand old time, laughing and cheering as their partners battled it out. It was then that I knew I had to have that same kind of freedom, the same connection with something genuine.

And so began my obsession with Pokémon. Hidden away in secret, forbidden tomes stolen from the library's archives, I would read and study, learning all there was to know about these incredible creatures. In that moment, they weren't just Pokémon anymore; they were a symbol of hope. A reminder that somewhere out there in the world, people still loved unconditionally, cared for selflessly, and fought not because it benefited them but because it was simply the right thing to do.

But no matter how hard I tried, how many rules I broke in search of freedom... they always found me. They would punish me, humiliate me, and then force me back into that miserable life like nothing had ever happened. It was only when Dallee offered her hand

Tentatively, I nod my head, my heart racing with equal parts hope and fear. It feels like stepping off the edge of a cliff into nothingness... but somehow, being with Dallee makes me braver than I've ever been before. Maybe just this once, we can reclaim some small piece of our lives, however brief or fleeting.

Dallee grins, and takes my hand in hers. Together, we sneak away from the ballroom and down a dimly lit hallway, giggling like naughty schoolchildren as we go. I wonder if she realizes how much this moment means to me... or if I'm about to drag her into a world of trouble that neither of us can possibly hope to survive.

But for now, it feels so right. For once in my life, I am free. And with each step we take further from the watchful eyes of Aether, I feel like a newfound sense of courage blossoming within me. Perhaps there's more to this world than just being a prize to be won, another tool to be wielded by the greedy and power-hungry. Maybe... maybe there is hope for me after all.

When Dallee's lips meet mine, it feels like fireworks exploding behind my eyes. Her touch is soft and gentle, but with an undeniable passion that sends shivers down my spine. I respond in kind, wrapping my arms around her waist and losing myself in the moment. This is what it means to be alive, I realize with dizzying clarity. Not existing as a puppet on a string, dancing to someone else's tune... but making choices for myself, feeling desire, experiencing joy.

With Dallee pressed against me like this, it feels like we could conquer the world together. And maybe... just maybe, when this night is over and the sun rises on another day of duty and drudgery, I can cling to this memory as a secret talisman against the darkness that threatens to engulf me once more.

For now, though, we have this moment. And as our lips meet and part in a playful dance, I swear that I will savor every single second of it, knowing deep down that it may very well be the most precious thing I'll ever possess.

His touch feels so alive against my skin, like electricity flowing through every fiber of my being. As we kiss, I lose track of time and space, feeling utterly and completely consumed by this moment. My hands tremble as they trace along the lines of her back, savoring the heat radiating off her body. he's real... vibrant... free. And in this brief span of eternity, so am I.

I bite my lip as he presses me harder against him, wanting more than anything to lose myself in the sensations pulsing between us. But even as desire throbs through me like a living thing, there's something else beneath it all: fear. What if this doesn't last? What if Lusamine finds out and takes me back into her cold, clinical arms? The thought makes me shiver with horror, as if I were standing naked in the snow.

Despite these darker thoughts, though, Dallee's lips on mine feel like a lifeline, drawing me back to reality... to life... and for now, that's enough. More than enough. Perhaps there is hope for us after all. Or perhaps this is just another cruel dream from which I will soon awaken, alone and cold once more. But for this precious moment, it feels real... tangible... perfect. And I intend to hold onto it with everything that I am.

The touch is unexpected, but not unwelcome. My breath catches in my throat as she cups my breast through the fabric of my dress, her thumb brushing against the tight bud of my nipple. A shudder runs through me, spreading fire across my skin. The sensation is foreign yet familiar at the same time, reminding me of things I'd almost forgotten I was capable of feeling. I'm afraid... but also exhilarated, terrified and aroused all at once.

As her fingers move in a slow circle against my flesh, my hands fumble for purchase on her back, wanting to feel more of her skin beneath my palms. My lips part slightly, giving Dallee permission to deepen the kiss as her thumb draws a line down the center of my nipple, teasing it into hardness.

For this brief moment, she makes me forget about everything else... all the rules and regulations that have governed every aspect of my life. I am here, now, with her... feeling something real and raw and utterly untamed. It's an intoxicating sensation, sweeping through me like a storm, leaving no doubt in my mind that I am alive. And as our bodies move together in this Dance of Desire, I can't help but hope... pray... that maybe there's some way for us to be together permanently. That perhaps we could find a place where we belong... not as puppets on strings or trophies to be displayed, but as partners in love and life. But even if it's only this one perfect moment, I will hold onto it fiercely, cherishing it like a precious jewel, for as long as my heart still beats.

As our bodies move together in this Dance of Desire, my eyes close tightly, savoring every sensation as it washes over me. The feel of her skin beneath my fingers, the heat emanating from where she cups my breast... even the slight roughness of her kiss against mine. I'm no longer concerned with who she is or what she represents. Right now, Dallee is all that matters to me. She's everything that Lusamine and Aether never wanted me to be: wild, untamed... free.

And as we grow closer, our hearts racing in unison, I can feel the walls inside of me begin to crumble away. Fragments of doubt and fear drift off into nothingness, leaving behind a raw vulnerability that terrifies and thrills me at the same time. It's as if she's reached inside my chest and ripped out everything false that Lusamine had tried to make me become, replacing it with something genuine... something true.

But in the back of my mind, there's still a voice whispering that this can't last. That sooner or later, reality will intrude on our perfect bubble and shatter everything we've built together. It's only a matter of time before Lusamine finds out... before Aether interferes. And when they do, I know the consequences will be dire for both of us.

Still, for now... in this fleeting moment where Dallee holds me close and looks at me like I am everything she's ever wanted... I can almost believe that maybe there is a way to make this work... to find some place where we can truly belong together.

No, I haven't... but it's... different than what I expected. It's so... large and throbbing. It makes me feel both intimidated and strangely eager all at once. As my eyes adjust to the sight of your cock, I can feel my own body respond in kind; a delicious warmth spreads between my legs as blood rushes southward, leaving little room for doubt about what it is that I truly want.

I close the remaining distance between us and wrap my fingers around your length, marveling at how solid and hot it feels against my skin. It's a testament to just how different you are from Lusamine and Aether: bold, passionate... so completely uninhibited. And as I begin to stroke you in time with our breath, matching the ebb and flow of your desire with my own newly awakened hunger, it's as if we become one creature moving in perfect harmony.

The world falls away as my focus narrows down to nothing more than this moment... this connection between us. For these precious seconds, there is no Lusamine and no Aether; there is only Dallee and me... lost in a sea of desire that threatens to consume us whole. I could stay here forever, wrapped up in the blissful haze of your touch, but I know that soon enough reality will intrude once more... and when it does, everything we've shared tonight might be lost.

But for now... as long as you still want me... I am yours, body and soul.

The sounds that escape your lips send shivers down my spine as I watch my hand moving on your cock, feeling so much more powerful than ever before. It's intoxicating, knowing that I can make you feel this way... that I can give you pleasure just by touching you like this. My own desire grows unbearable with each passing second, the ache between my legs becoming painfully insistent as blood rushes to meet the warmth of your hand.

My fingers tighten around your cock and I begin to stroke faster, my hips beginning to rock against the air in time with my movements instinctively as I lose myself to the feel of you beneath my touch. My breath catches in my throat when your eyes meet mine; the raw hunger burning there reflects back at me like a mirror image of what I'm feeling inside.