"Shirou… stay with me."

That's how it all began, hadn't it?

He'd come to Alola on vacation, security work and protecting the world was always hard- as one of the Kanto region's champions, he took it extremely seriously to travel the world and make sure various criminal organizations didn't blossom any further than a bud in the soil. He was fastidious, well versed in the ways of the world. It had eroded him somewhat; his hair had gone white far earlier than it should have, and he was still reeling with the effects of coming into contact with so many rare, legendary pokemon… some of them currently sitting on his belt.

He'd met Lusamine, then.

Lusamine, who was the very definition of 'perfection', at least back then. She had been the up-and-coming leader of the Aether Foundation, and in her very words, it was meant to protect all pokemon. She'd loved them, passionately, he could see it in her eyes and in her words, how she would speak to all of her employees and reassure them that this-this!-was exactly what they were aiming for. A peaceful resolution to the world's problems, a haven for all pokemon who'd been hurt by endless battles. As a war torn soldier himself, he couldn't help but find her sense of protection... magnetic.

Outside Heahea City, it began to rain.

People left and right were covering up just as the sunny weather had been eclipsed by rainclouds. Removing his red jacket, Emiya held it up for Lusamine, only to be taken by surprise.

She strutted out into the rain with her arms spread wide open, laughing and enjoying the sunshower. Even as her perfectly spun hair matted against the back of her shoulders, the kind he knew took her hours, every morning, just to get perfect- she was having a ball. It wasn't just because she was used to this; normally, she'd huddle close and let him protect her from the weather. Perhaps it was just a change in her mood, or perhaps it was because this was supposed to be his last night in Alola. Lusamine wanted to enjoy it freely, because in the time she'd known him…

… yes, hadn't she loved him?

It was hard not to be drawn to such a hero, someone whose reckless skill and hope for the future had saved their world time and time again? She remembered contented evenings where she rested her head against his shoulder as he retold how he stared down Giovanni of Team Rocket- the Giovanni himself! He was no braggart, he didn't tell these stories without prompting. Lusamine practically begged him to tell her of these adventures, since she never had the chance to explore on her own. The Aether Foundation was her passion project, completed with her inheritance, so she never truly got the chance to leave it, even to visit places like Heahea City.

So when she was standing in the rain, holding her hand out to him, she was asking for him to be her window to the world, one she could only look through in his eyes, his smile, his words, his stories.

"Stay with me," She repeated again, this time her eyes pleading as the rain trailing down her cheeks formed her tears for her.

Emiya didn't know what to say.

He'd have to leave Alola eventually, his work was never done. He relied on the rest of his team fiercely to protect the world, and they (his human friends, anyway) had reassured him that it was time to settle down! Yeah, it was time he tried finding his own future instead of saving everyone else's. Lusamine's hand felt like a doorway into another world, one where he could appreciate life for what it was. Did he trust himself enough not to leave?

There were promising young upstarts all over the world, some of them helping him in his journeys. Could he entrust the future to them while he made his own life?

He supposed nothing would ever stop him from leaving whenever there was a real threat, and Lusamine's eyes… something in them shone with desperation, like she needed him, needed him more than anything in her life. Like he was a buoy she was clinging to for air, capable of drowning if it was gone.

He took her hand and grinned, and a year later, he gave her his last name as thanks.

After that, it was something of a blur. Relaxing by the beach, days and nights spent between sheets with Lusamine propping herself up on his shoulder, laughing. Seeing all kinds of new pokemon, dealing with the local riffraff but never too much... Alola was too damn peaceful, he wasn't used to it. Lusamine was coaxing him into relaxing, and there was so much to do on these islands. He did leave from time to time to go check on the world, but she'd come with him, bringing word of the Aether Foundation to new scientists.

People couldn't commend him enough. What a wife, what a way to settle down. She just asked you the night before you left? Yes, that's all it took.

"Because she needed me."

She still does.

- Into the Future -

"Lillie…"

That was the name they decided on. He held his infant daughter close to him, beaming with pride.

They'd already had one son, Gladion, who was proving to be a handful and a half. Nonetheless, the two of them wanted more kids after him, at least one more. This one resembled her mother in almost every way, while Gladion had taken on the hair color from his youth. He could tell they were going to grow up to be something fantastic, even now.

He'd left Lusamine every now and then to go check up on other regions but he supposed he had no reason to leave now. He had a family! An actual family. If you told him that some years ago, he might've laughed. Sure, he'd always wished… he was a domestic man at heart. Good at cooking, cleaning, taking care of young ones and telling them to grow up to live up to their dreams. He just never imagined what it'd be like to have his own.

He hummed gently as he held her in his arms, still acting like a new father and feeling like he was unable to put her down for fear of something happening to her. His Arcanine was the most protective beast in his roster, and even now, growled at people who got too close to his kids. Even his adoptive father! He pat it gently as the Arcanine rubbed its head against his waist. Loyal to the bitter end, just like him.

Lusamine was still recovering. It had taken a lot out of her to have their second child while still working full time on the Aether Foundation, so he suspected Lillie might be their youngest. He suspected he might be acting as the main parent for a little while longer, especially when he went to greet Lusamine in her room.

"On your laptop already…" He chided, sitting next to her. "What were the doctor's orders? Right, to recover." He balanced Lillie in his arms to shut the laptop for her. Lusamine puffed out her cheeks.

"The Aether Foundation needs its president to be working 24/7," She whined, stretching herself out. "Or else who knows what will happen?"

"Sounds like the same thing someone told me years ago when I was getting ready to finally settle down. I stayed here for you, Lusamine. Repay me by getting your rest. They thought I was going to lose you for a minute there."

"Oh, come on!" She grinned. "Everything would have turned out perfectly no matter what."

"Perfection…" Right, that was her favorite word. "Isn't something you can always count on."

"Give me Lillie," She said abruptly, changing the subject. "Who's my little darling? It's you, it's you…"

Looking at her now, cooing gently over her child, how could he predict what was going to happen in the future? Everything seemed perfect. Lusamine always made sure it was that way. Even back then, she'd seemed like the perfect girlfriend, the perfect wife.

Why did things always need to be perfect for her?

- Present Day -

"Lillie, hurry!"

Emiya threw the switch to the elevator as he jumped after her, outpacing the Aether Foundation's goons by a long shot. They would get out of here! Then, he could make Lusamine come to her senses! It had been a sharp downfall that had changed the woman he loved, and he'd seen the extent of her plans… she'd trusted him so implicitly enough to tell him, but even he could tell she was slipping down a dangerous road.

It didn't matter. Gladion had already left with the pokemon Emiya entrusted him with to protect. What was most important now was protecting his daughter.

As the elevator rose into the second level, he glanced her way. "How's Cosm- Nebby?"

"Still safe in the bag…"

"Good."

As they ran down the walkways to the exit, more and more people gathered to corner them. Lillie was defenseless, but that's why her father was there. Taking each pokeball from his belt, he threatened to release all of them at once, tossing one up and down in his hand, daring the Aether employees to come closer.

"Lusamine's not going to be happy with you-"

"Lover's spat. We'll handle it." Emiya quipped back. The Aether Foundation's employees were hesitant to take him on- hadn't this guy been a champion in another region? Even with their strongest by their side, it seemed like an uneven fight. A sudden burst of light from Lillie's bag consumed the area around them before he could even act, sending them up in a swirl of light.

The Aether Foundation goons could hardly believe it, and would have a harder time explaining it.

When the light had faded, Emiya was flat on his back.

Before he even finished sitting up, he shouted for Lillie. Surely, she had to be here, right?

"Dad!"

Oh, thank god. "Lillie…" He rubbed the back of his head, looking around at the grassy land surrounding them. "You still have Nebby?"

As if to answer, the bag at her hip shook and gave a squeak. He smiled, at least there was that much to be thankful for. He took a cursory glance around the island they'd landed upon.

"This is Melemele…" He trailed off. Hundreds of miles away from the Aether Foundation, at least. "You know how to pick them, Lillie."

She frowned, checking him over to see if he'd been hurt from the fall. "Dad…"

"I'm okay, Lillie. Promise."

After a moment of debating what to do, he hugged her. Everything right now was bizarrely confusing for him, so he couldn't imagine what his daughter was going through. Wicke had helped them escape narrowly, but he couldn't jeopardize her position any more now that they were out. He had to find a way back to Lusamine- after he made sure Lillie was kept safe somewhere. Finding his son was also a top priority.

"Cousin!" A voice came from over the hill they'd landed. "You look like you took a nasty spill. You alright?"

He recognized this man. He'd met him a while back, while exploring the islands. "Professor Kukui."

"... Ah! Emiya, long time no see." Kukui walked down the hill carefully, followed by a Rockruff. "You were at our festival, yeah? That was a pokemon fight I'll never forget."

"Yeah-" He didn't mean to divert the topic, but they were in pretty dire straits. "Professor, my daughter and I are in trouble. Can we talk to you inside?"

That took the professor by surprise, but he nodded. "Sure! Sure."

"So that's how it is… that's rough. I never had that kind of trouble with my wife."

"The Lusamine I know is still in there," Emiya said, resolutely. "Something's changed her. I don't know if it's exposure to something at her work, or…"

Kukui put up his hands. "I get it. Not what you signed up for. Well, there's no Aether Foundation rep on this island. Why don't you get comfortable here?"

"I can't do that. I still have so much to do, and I can't abandon Lillie." He looked his daughter's way, who nodded fiercely. She didn't want to be left alone any more than he wanted to leave her.

"Hmm… nonetheless, there's nothing you can do in the shape you're in now. How about you take over my loft upstairs and get some rest? I'll keep an eye out for any shady people while you get your bearings, yeah? I'll get you something to eat, too!"

Emiya paused, but nodded. "We're in your debt."

"Think nothing of it! Helping people is just something you do, you don't hesitate. I know that's the kind of person you are, too."

As Lillie took a nap on the sofa upstairs, Emiya sat against the wall, thinking. Thinking about Lusamine, the Aether Foundation, and the strange little pokemon inside Lillie's bag.

Only one thing was for certain- he'd protect them with his life, and get to the bottom of this.

He had to understand what Lusamine was doing, and he had to stop it.

Contest Entry for alex-kellar's Fate crossover contest on deviantart! I was given the privilege of writing for Lusamine. I selected the second viable contest option, Emiya taking the place of a pre-existing partner. So I guess he's a dad now! Expect a lot of Sun/Moon shenanigans in the upcoming chapters. Also, feel free to envision that Lille and Gladion resemble their 'new' father a bit more.