When The Sun Sets (Moon X Gladion)

Unbreakable Bonds II

Moon and Riolu stood at the gates of Po Town and stared into the dark depths of the depressing scenery. Houses coated with chipping paint towered before them, their roofs heavy with rain and sorrow. The rain fell in thick sheets, blanketing the buildings in the cold embrace of isolation. The trainer and her Pokémon looked at one another before nodding their heads in agreement: they were going in.

They fought Team Skull grunts left and right as soon as they entered, never once giving up. Riolu was a lot more powerful than he looked, allowing him to receive the upper hand in nearly every battle. Eventually, they reached a decaying mansion, where they were swarmed by a group of grunts. After the battle, however, Moon and a Riolu reigned victorious.

As the grunts retreated, Riolu stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry at the gangster punks.

"You're just the cutest thing!" Moon chuckled gleefully at Riolu. "I hope you never evolve... I'd miss this too much."

Those words made little Riolu stop dead in his tracks. Moon didn't want him to evolve? Why not? What would she do if he did evolve? Would she become furious? Would she abandon him the way his first owner did that lonesome day he was born?

"C'mon, Riolu!" Moon's voice snapped him back to reality. "We have a Pokémon to rescue!"

They ventured further into the ruined building, stopping at nothing until they reached Guzma's room. Upon entering, the air around them seemed to thicken. The small dorm was fairly plain. A rickety bed lay to their left, situated in front of a large standing shelf adorned with what could only be assumed as various bottles of alcohol. A toy chest full of Z-Crystals lay to their right, overflowing as if the crystals were sentient ooze longing to escape the dull premises. The center of the room, however, was one spectacle that couldn't be ignored.

Guzma sat atop his throne, his head down and eyes cast in a grim shadow. Behind him, a spray-painted banner seemed to glow menacingly. He seemed ready for a fight.

"The hated boss who beats you down and beats you down and never lets up." He smirked viciously as he lifted his gaze to study Moon. "Run while ya still can, kid."

Moon took a step back, Guzma's intimidating glare sending a shiver down her spine. Then, she steadied herself. "Not without the yungoos."

"The hero-type, eh? Always gotta be noble? Always gotta defend the weak? Heh..." He rose from his throne, the motions of his white shoes making the floor shake as he approached her. Then, towering over her like a chrome skyscraper, he bent down until they were face-to-face. "You'll have to fight me for it, kid."

Moon stood as tall as she could, letting a Riolu jump from her arms and onto the floor beside her. "Then so be it."

...

Moon and Guzma stood in the courtyard near an abandoned, red pickup truck, facing each other with contrasting intentions. A battle between dreariness and hope, melancholy and optimism. And Moon was determined to win. Not for her own ego, but for the little girl who missed her beloved yungoos.

"I'm gonna beat ya into the ground, kid!" Guzma growled, an ultra ball in his grasp. Then, putting his left foot forward, he released Golisopod. Riolu stepped up the plate, facing the titan.

"Golisopod," Guzma began fiercely, "Use razor shell!"

"Dodge it with agility, Riolu!" Moon shouted encouragingly.

Riolu ducked out of Golisopod's way, evading the attack. Whipping around, Golisopod administrated a sucker punch, catching Riolu in the jaw and sending him flying backwards.

"Riolu!" Moon's voice shook worriedly. When Riolu got up, she sighed a breath of relief and continued. "Use iron defense and follow that up with a blaze kick!"

Riolu did as he was told, bringing up his defenses just as Golisopod came in with a slash. It did almost nothing, allowing Riolu to deploy a critical, fiery kick that seared through Golisopod's thick armor. Golisopod was stunned as he clutched his now burnt, plated skin. Using the titan's distress to his advantage, Riolu sprinted forward and used blaze kick once more, this time seeing Golipod's face as a target.

"Golisopod!" Guzma growled, taking a confused step back. "How is that Riolu so strong?..."

Riolu landed behind Golisopod, who was now snarling in pain. But before Moon could give her beloved pokémon another order, Riolu began to glow. The young pokémon was so caught up in the adrenaline of the fight that he didn't realize he was evolving until it was too late. Within seconds, his vision was blinded by a white light, forcing him to close his eyes. When he finally opened them again, he was much taller than he was moments before. His stomach dropping, Moon's words rattled in his brain. "I hope you never evolve... I'd miss this too much."

"Ri- Lucario!" Moon gasped, her smile growing rapidly as she jumped for joy. "Y-you evolved!"

Of course, Lucario didn't hear her. Instead, he stared at the rain-trodden dirt, his mind reeling with intrusive thoughts. She's going to abandon me. She didn't want me to evolve. She's going to abandon me.

Finally, Golisopod stirred, taking menacing strides towards Lucario. With directions from Guzma, he unearthed his claws and dove for Lucario.

"Lucario, look out!" Moon shouted quickly. "Use circle throw!"

But Lucario didn't listen. Under the impression that Moon was unhappy with him, he refused to succumb to his fear. If she was going to abandon him, he would give her a reason to. So instead of obeying her command, he stood in place, allowing Golisopod to slash him squarely in the back. Moon was shocked but, as Golisopod balled his massive hands into fists and continued to punch Moon's dear friend, she proceeded to plead with Lucario to defend himself. It wasn't until Lucario was on his knees that Moon realized he wasn't going to listen. So, returning him back to his pokéball, Moon released Lycanroc so she could finish the fight.

...

By the time the battle had ended, Moon wanted to cry. Lycanroc floored Guzma's team, but at what cost? After thanking Lycanroc, she returned her to her pokéball and brought out Lucario's.

Moon stared down at Lucario's pokéball, clutching it tightly in her small hand. What just happened? Why wasn't Lucario heeding her directions? Was he mad at her somehow? Was he rejecting her as his trainer? Was he going to leave her? Lucario was like family to her, and she wasn't prepared to lose another family member... not after she just lost Sun. Already, the arms that once held her little blue friend prickled with goosebumps in the unforgiving downpour of rain. At her feet, the yungoos pawed at her ankles, eager to leave.

Guzma, crouching against the red pickup truck with rage in his eyes, looked up at the young trainer. "What?" He spat. "Disappointed that ya pokémon won't obey ya every command no more? Get over it, kid." His hands grappled with a rusty patch of metal before ripping it from the vehicle. Without hesitation, he crushed the rust in his palm. "Life is full of disappointments. Just be glad that ya don't come from a broken family."

"That's where you're wrong," Moon croaked as she slipped Lucario's pokéball in her bag. Guzma looked up, surprised. He opened his mouth to say something, presumably "sorry," but Moon and the yungoos were already walking away.

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I've been pressed for time lately so this is the best I can do for now. Enjoy part two out of three (or four... I haven't decided yet) of this flashback sequence. 😅 I'm trying to make them shorter chapters so I don't draw too much attention away from the main storyline.