When The Sun Sets (Moon X Gladion)

There Again

It took them a week to reach Kanto.

Gladion made a sly remark about how they should've listened to him when he suggested traveling via Aether boat, claiming that it would have been a quicker trip. Moon passively argued against this, pointing out that after Lusamine entered the ultra wormhole, the rest of the world found out about about the Foundation's experiments and they still weren't happy (and rightfully so). She feared the hostility they might receive if they traveled by Aether boat, thus the ferry.

And besides, the ferry sufficed. It wasn't a kingly cruiser like the ones that usually stood on the crystal-clear waters of Vermillion City, nor did it resemble that of a dinghy. Instead, the ferry was a bit larger than a fishing boat, two stories high, and painted solid chrome. It had a kitchen, bedrooms, working bathrooms, and a small lounge, which was more than enough but appreciated nonetheless. And, on top of all that, it was reasonably priced, only being ₽4,000 a person. Still, despite having complained about their means of travel, Gladion still took it upon himself to pay for everyone's ticket. "It's the least I can do," he had told Moon when she tried to object.

The only downside of the trip was that they had to share a room. There were four beds, so they each got their own and one left over, but Hau's snoring didn't grant them much sleep. Regardless, Gladion secretly loved this arrangement, deciding that whenever Moon did sleep, she looked so peaceful while doing so. Other then that, there was nothing much to say about their quarters, other than it had a small porthole window that let sunlight in and a small storage chest in the corner.

Moon spent the entirety of the last day looking over the horizon, waiting for Kanto to emerge before her. Gladion and Hau were out of earshot. The atmosphere was strained but docile.

Gladion's eyes were grazing the ocean below. Watching the waves lap against the haul, he pondered what would be done once they reached Kanto. He felt like a fool; he hadn't even asked why Moon decided to leave. Lifting his head, he gave her a curious glance. She was still watching the skyline, her expression unmoving, but hard to read. She looked eager to return to her home region, and yet, a strange melancholy seemed to reside in her wide, grey eyes. Gladion wondered with a growing concern what it meant.

He began to notice how beautiful Moon was as she leaned against the railing. Arceus, she had changed over the years. She was average in height, and she had a slim figure from constantly training with her Pokémon. Her cheeks were no longer round, and she had ditched her red beanie in favor of a red amaryllis, which was tucked neatly behind her ear. Her black hair had also gotten longer, reaching her shoulder blades, and although Gladion couldn't put his finger on it, something about her seemed... different. In a good way, though.

Gladion reverted his gaze back towards the water. "Hau, I've got a question." Hau perked up at the sound of his name. "Have I been... terrible to you guys? Not recently, because we haven't really 'hung out' in awhile, but when we were kids?"

Hau seemed shocked at Gladion's self doubt. "Well, no. I mean, you're were no where near as bad as Guzma."

"That doesn't feel like a compliment." Gladion scoffed slightly and thought for a moment. He covered his face with one hand, his opposing arm pressed against the railing. "Do you still hate me? You know, like you did five years ago?"

"What? No, I don't hate you. I've never hated you."

It was true; Hau didn't hate Gladion. Yes, Gladion was pessimistic, saltier than the sea, and prone to yelling at any given moment, but Hau didn't hate him. Disagree with him at times? Yes, that's more like it. "I just don't always like how you treat people."

Gladion went silent for a second before looking over at Moon. He quickly changed the subject. "Why does Moon want to go back to Kanto, anyway? I- I know I should've asked beforehand."

"She has family in Kanto." Hau shivered slightly. The air had become colder over the past few days and he could already tell that Kanto was going to take some adjusting to– even with his new shirt: a black long-sleeve with an orange floral print. "Besides, she said something about wanting to go on a new adventure."

Gladion raised his eyebrows. "Moon's never really talked about her family before. Well, other than her Mom, that is."

Hau's eyes flicked nervously. "She's never told you about her family?"

Gladion shook his head. "I've just always assumed that her Mom was the only family that she had left."

Hau placed a hand on the back of his neck. "Well, if that's the case, then you should probably know..."

A little ways away, Moon was still watching the horizon, her thoughts deeper than the cosmos. She thought about Lillie, who was following in her mother's footsteps, and her own mother, whom she agreed to call as often as she could to combat the distance between them. She thought about Gladion and why he'd ever agree to tag along. Most importantly, however, she thought about her life in Kanto and the family that still resided there. She knew that somewhere, they were standing on that distant shore, waiting for her.

Was Gladion aware of her family life? Probably not. Lillie knew, but that was only because Hau told her. Hau had found out early on, prior to her battle against Necrozma.

It was the night that they had battled the Aether Foundation. Lillie was in tears over Nebby and the loss of her mother, Gladion was too distraught for words, and Hau was in utter disbelief.

There was only one guest room; Lumasine had turned the rest of the lot into research centers. Therefore, Hau and Moon became bunk mates, Moon on one side of the room, and Hau on the other. It was neither dark nor silent; Raichu was sleeping at the end of Hau's bed, it's cheeks lighting up every now and again while it slept.

Moon was busy processing what had happened, asking herself questions that she didn't have answers to. Why did Lusamine do it? Is this why Lillie and Gladion ran away? Why had Gladion offered to sacrifice himself? That last question, for reasons not yet understood, upset her dearly. The moment he had requested it, she felt as if she had taken a punch to the gut. Unable to breathe, she silently rejoiced when Lusamine declined her son's selfless choice.

Hau's voice rang out from across the room. "You still awake?"

Moon rubbed her eyes. "Yeah."

She heard Hau sigh. "I can't sleep."

Moon half-laughed, half-yawned. "I don't think sleep is possible at this point."

"I really feel bad for Lillie and Gladion, you know? I mean, could you even imagine coming from a broken family?" Hau asked. "I know I can't."

Moon felt a choking sensation and in a quiet voice, replied. "I can."

There was silence before Hau spoke up again. "Moon?"

"My twin brother, Sun, passed away before we moved to Alola. He was sick." She felt tears streaming down her face and she was glad that Hau couldn't see her. "My mother couldn't stand being in Kanto anymore, and so we packed up our things and left. My father had a well-paying job and he couldn't leave the position he was in, so he stayed behind." She took a shaky breath as more tears fell. "I left behind my life, my friends, my family, everything."

Moon snapped out of her trance just as Kanto appeared in the distance. Forgetting her worries, she smiled. She knew that no matter what had happened in the past, she was glad to be back, even if it was only temporary.

Sorry it took so long... I have exams, so I've been studying. The next chapter is going to be a fun one (muahahahaha). I low-key hate this chapter, though... not enough shipping.