When The Sun Sets (Moon X Gladion)

Wrecked

When Gladion came to, the only sound filling his skull was an unbearable, high-pitched ring. Every one of his joints stung and the burning in his lungs almost convinced him that the air was made of kerosene.

Unable to open his eyes, he struggled to remember where he was. The Safari Zone. As soon as he grappled with the three words, it all came back to him. The expedition, the shiny baby kangaskhan, Moon almost falling off the Jeep, the Jeep swerving off the hill... Hikaru... That snake lied to them, tricked them into helping him poach Pokémon! Gladion knew that as soon as he got his hands on that despicable man, he'd-

A small hand danced across Gladion's neck, stopping his thoughts and sending a spark down his spine. He recognized that gentle touch, though it was a bit rougher than usual and shook slightly. Forcing his eyes open, his gaze adjusted until Moon came into focus. She looked like she'd been caught in a tornado; her black hair was a tangled mess, dirt and dust plastered the side of her face and down the sleeves of her red bomber jacket, the right side of her lower cheek was sporting a nasty bruise, and a thin streak of blood was secreting from her hairline. Hovering over him with a ghost-white complexion, he couldn't help but noticing that, despite looking like a zombie in her current state and that fact that he was still angry with her and Green, she was beyond beautiful.

Moon's hand moved away from Gladion's neck and he realized she had been checking his pulse. He tried to tell her he was okay but when he opened his mouth and no sound came out, he wasn't sure whether or not he lost his voice or if the continued ringing in his ears was just too prominent. So, instead of tiring his vocal cords further, he worked towards lifting himself into a sitting position. Moon reached out to help him up but Gladion simply deflected her grasp.

He appreciated her care and efforts immensely, however, nothing could change how betrayed he still felt. He knew it was stupid, that Moon never meant to hurt him and that waking up in Green's arms had been an accident, but it just irked him. Every time he thought about it, his soul sank into the fiery pit of his stomach and he couldn't breathe. So, he sat up on his own and kept Moon's hand at bay. Though, he held onto it longer than he probably should've as he was rather comforted by the sensation of her skin against his.

Looking at the surrounding landscape, Gladion searched for the others. He spotted Hau first. The Green-haired mess, already on his feet, was breathing hard as he limped toward them. Clutching his side with the bruised hand he had previously clobbered Hikaru with, he looked to be in worse shape than the rest of them.

Gladion's hearing, although still off in terms pitch, volume, and the ringing, had returned to an extent. So, when Hau spoke, Gladion caught every word. "You guys okay?" He called hoarsely, every step seeming to take an effort.

"We've been better," Moon admitted dryly as she stood to greet Hau. "You?"

"I haven't been in this much pain since the time that Pangoro accidentally punched me at the gym," Hau wheezed. "Wh..where's Green? The baby kangaskhan?"

Gladion stood, ignoring his aching limbs and trying not to collapse. "I'll check by the Jeep, you guys look by the hill. If you see Hikaru, call me over so I can show him what Hell feels like. Got it?"

Hau and Moon nodded in agreement. In that moment, Gladion saw something different in the two of them. For starters, it hadn't initially dawned on him just how quickly Hau's personality could flip. The Hau Gladion knew would never hurt a soul, especially not physically. But seeing just how easy it was for Hau to turn against Hikaru was terrifying. Gladion understood that Hau only did it because of the danger they were all in, but it still caused a shiver to run down his spine. And Moon? The storm residing in her eyes looked deadly enough to flood all of Kanto. He knew something had been bothering her for days now but now it looked as if she'd had enough; part of him worried that if she found Hikaru before he did, she'd destroy the man herself.

Gladion whirled around and headed towards the Jeep, every step shooting a sharp discomfort into his hips. Still, he trudged on as he studied the wreckage.

The vehicle was on its side, the haul facing Gladion. A wheel was missing and he realized that the entire frame was warped like the folds of a curtain. A thin line of gas slowly dripped from the punctured tank and Gladion watched wisps of smoke seep from what he guessed was the rest of the engine. Afraid it would catch fire and explode, Gladion had the urge to hightail it out of there. However, he was drawn in further the second he heard noises drifting from the opposing side. Recognizing them as sounds of pain, he quickly made his way around the vehicle.

Green was leaning against the back of the broken drivers seat, speaking softly to comfort the shiny baby kangaskhan that was miraculously still huddled in his arms. Luckily, they didn't look too injured; Green's face was a canvas of dirt and the gaping rips in his clothes were more than noticeable. Upon inspection, the baby kangaskhan looked fine too, with only dirt stains to taint its purple and green complexion.

"Green, are you okay?" For the first time, Gladion didn't despise his rival. In fact, as he crawled into the rubble and put a hand on Green's shoulder, he kind of admired the guy. The feeling was brief and Gladion knew he'd hate Green again come the next morning, but seeing how caring he was towards the baby Pokémon was sweet. No wonder why Moon likes him, he thought bitterly.

"Yeah, we're okay." Green looked up with an ill expression, his pupils dilated in a way that made Gladion suspect that something wasn't okay. Then, referring to the fussy bundle in his arms, he breathed, "Not a scratch."

"Here, lemme take her," Gladion suggested as he reached for the Pokémon. However, Green had another idea.

"No, it's fine. I got her, trust me." Green tried to lift himself so that his head wasn't pressed against the seat. Then, staring off into the fields, he asked, "Where's Moon? Hau?"

"Looking for you." As Green struggled to rise from the ground, Gladion reached in to aid him. "They're okay. Hau 's injured but it's nothing serious."

As Gladion, Green, and the baby kangaskhan left the vicinity of the crashed vehicle, Green's eyes fell towards the debris around them. "Hikaru... That jerk tricked us! We have to get kangaskhan back to her mother now."

"I don't even know where he went," Gladion realized, his stomach growing heavy as he looked around. He caught sight of Moon and Hau as they slowly approached. Moon practically dragged Hau as they propelled forward, his arm cast over her shoulder like a drape. With Hau's free hand, now shaking, still pressed against his torso and his tangled hair hanging in his pale face, Gladion's hatred towards Hikaru reached a dangerous level. Faster than a bullet, Gladion ran to meet them halfway. "Is Hau okay?"

Moon flashed him a concerned look as Hau spoke up. "I-I'm more than okay, bud. I just need a lie down."

Moon moved towards the ruined Jeep, setting Hau down against the tire before turning to Green. "Are you-?"

"Nothing like a concussion to clear the head," Green assured her sarcastically as he shifted kangashkan over to his hip. "She's unharmed. That's all that matters."

Letting out a labored sigh, Hau asked, "What do we do now?"

Gladion silently weighed their opinions. Hau needed a medic, there was no doubt about it. He wasn't bloodied but from the way he held his side and his shaky breathing, Gladion estimated that Hau probably broke a rib or two. Green needed a medic as well; a concussion is never something to be ignored. However, he knew a trip to the hospital would have to wait. "Our first order of business is to return kangashkan to her mother."

"She was chasing us. Shouldn't she have caught up by now?" Moon inquired with a tilted head.

"You'd think so," Green replied thoughtfully. "The sound of the crash must've scared her off."

"Then let's find her," Moon exclaimed, throwing her hands above her head briefly before letting them drop to her side.

"Without getting killed," Hau chimed in as he rested his head against the tire and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Okay then, it's settled." Gladion took a deep breath and surveyed the group, meeting the eyes of everyone except Hau, who looked almost asleep. "Time for a reverse heist."

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I wanted to write a lot more but I also don't want this chapter to be 4,000 words long. The next chapter is gonna be a wild one, though.