When The Sun Sets (Moon X Gladion)

Till I See You Again

When Moon found out that Gladion had decided to tag along, she couldn't deny the fact that she was a little irked. Would she have let him come if he had only asked? Yes, yes she would've. She would've been more than happy to let him tag along. But now, as she and Hau stood on the dock of Hau'oli City, she felt as if her heart was in her throat.

She hadn't officially hung out with Gladion in five years and, even then, it was for the sole purpose of rescuing Lillie. Besides, could anyone even call that "hanging out?" Yes, they were battling alongside one another, which she guessed was a form of bonding. And there was also that whole near-death experience that happened while on their way to the Aether Foundation... And yes, they did talk sometimes... Moon began to worry. How much had Gladion changed over the years? Were he and Hau going to start bickering again? And why had Gladion decided to come? He didn't even like Moon, not to mention Hau, whom he loathed! Or, at least, that's what she had always believed.

Luckily, Hau noticed her uneasiness and was actively trying to divert her attention towards something else. "So, who is the title of Champion going to?"

"Kukui. After all, he is the one who came up with the idea of Alola having its own Champion." Moon turned to Hau and saw that he wasn't surprised at all. "It's his turn to claim the throne."

"Moon! Hau!" They heard a call from the distance and looked up. Lillie was walking towards them, a wistful, but happy smile on her face as she braced herself for this goodbye. Gladion was walking beside her, a red backpack slung over his broad shoulder. Moon caught his eye and felt her face redden.

Hau nudged her and she saw that he had begun to fidget. "Do I look okay? How do I look?"

She looked at him. Unlike his playful personality, his looks had matured since their first encounter. He was taller and had broader shoulders. His green hair, which was pulled back in a ponytail, was slightly longer, and he had turned a couple orange beads into a short braid that hung in his face along with his bangs, which, as always, hugged the sides of his face. His face, speaking of which, wasn't round anymore. It was quite obvious that he wasn't just training his Pokémon, but himself as well. He seemed bulkier; more fit. Despite all that, his attire hadn't changed much. He still preferred to wear his favorite black tank top and orange, floral print shorts whenever he could, although now he wore the golden pokéball pendant that Lillie had gotten him for his birthday only a year beforehand.

"Stop worrying," she told him. "You look great. And besides, I don't think Lillie would care if you didn't."

Her eyes turned back towards Gladion and Hau spoke up again. "You know, he doesn't have to come with us if you don't want him to."

Moon shook her head slightly. "No, no... if he wants to come, he can. Besides... he's already here."

Moon's voice became quieter as Gladion and Lillie approached. No one questioned the solemn look on her face because all of them shared the same expression, although each was held for a separate reason.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?" Lillie gripped the straps of her pink backpack tightly as she bit her lip.

"No longer than four months, though I doubt we'll stay that long," Moon assured her, studying the fretful look on her friend's face. "Rest easy, I'll text you as often as possible so check your phone everyday!"

The three friends exchanged a few inside jokes while Gladion stood awkwardly at his sister's side. He wished he was apart of their circle; he wished to laugh with them, to have a place in their little society. And yet, he didn't. Instead, all he had was the bad aftertaste of his troubled adolescence, which he could've sworn tasted of guilt. It was your decision to run away, he told himself. You left on your own; they stayed together.

Gladion inserted himself into the conversation, effectively, but unintentionally, cutting it short. "Are you guys ready?"

The light in Hau's eyes, which had sparked as soon as Lillie had appeared, dimmed. Lillie's crestfallen smile had returned and Moon's breath caught in her throat. They said their goodbyes and hugged one another before boarding a small ferryboat that was built for traveling long distances. As the ship pulled out of the docks, the three teens waved to Lillie until she was nothing but a white speck.

The wind began to sing it's sparkling melody and Moon felt the soft breeze comb through her long, black hair. She watched Alola fade on the horizon and the more she thought about what was to come, the more she was sure that her decision to leave had been precise.

It was time for the next adventure.

I feel like this chapter kind of sucks but I don't know. I'll probably do some editing later.