The Guardian of Alola

Chapter 6: To Descend to Hell

Hau straightened and nodded. Determination lighting up in his eyes. "I will. I promise."

"We're really grateful for your help, Elio-san." Lillie said.

Elio scratched the back of his head. A sheepish smile on his face. "I'm just doing my job, that's all. Otherwise, Moon will call me out and I will never hear the end of it."

He was answered with a suffocating silence. Hau opened his mouth as if to ask something but closed it. Lillie looked down and fidgeted from where she was standing. Gladion was looking away; his bangs covering half his face.

Ah... Elio dropped his arm to his side. It seemed I said something I shouldn't have...

"I believe it's time for us to leave." It was Lusamine who broke down the silence. She placed her hands on the shoulders of each of the two young men who flinched in surprise. "We shouldn't keep the professor too long and Machamp needs his rest, as well. Come along."

She nudged the Gladion and Hau and steered them to the door; both letting themselves out without much resistance. Lillie reluctantly looked back and forth between the professor and her mother before bowing down and excusing herself. Elio bade them goodbye; his smile fading as the door closed behind them.

Moon...I hope you know what you're doing.

__________

"You're not okay."

Hau stated matter-of-factly. The current Champion was lounging on the sofa in the older Aether sibling's office. Lillie came in with a tray of drinks and passed two of them to her older brother and her boyfriend. Hau accepted his gratefully and scooted over to give Lillie more space to sit beside him. He turned to Gladion who was sitting behind his desk with an irritated look in his face.

"Don't be stupid." Gladion replied. The tip of his pen scritching as he writes. He did not spare Hau a look lest the dark green-haired Champion decides to point out whatever contradictions he could see on his face. "It's been five years and Professor Elio is her father. It only makes sense for him to mention his daughter once in a while."

Hau threw his arms up in frustration. "That's the point, Glads! It's been five years and none of us have gotten over it. I can't get over it. Lillie can't get over it. You can't get over it! A little mention of her and we get all stiff and sad."

"You're overreacting." Gladion remarked though the scratching of his pen has gotten louder and faster, as if he was in a hurry. "And why do you make it sound like we got a thing for her?"

Hau sunk further down the sofa, cradling the condensing glass with his hands. "I admit I did have a little crush on Moon back then." That earned him a surprised look from Lillie that seems to say, Really? "I mean, can you blame me? She's both cute and cool and she's a natural! She literally beat me and Rowlet in her first Pokémon battle and I've been training since I was a kid. Moon is the most powerful Trainer in Alola who defeated the First World League Champion and I haven't even managed to defeat her once."

He jabbed a finger to Gladion. "Neither did you." He crossed his arms and pouted. "And in my defense, I'm not the only one who had a crush with her. Kiawe did too, and you too, Glads, but you got the shortest end of the deal."

The pen paused abruptly. Gladion scowled at his handwriting and furiously crumpled the paper into a ball. He tossed it but it bounced off the rim of the trash bin. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Hau sipped his drink with a teasing smile. "Classic Gladion."

Lillie sighed and stood up to pick up the crumpled paper. She deposited it inside the trash bin and turned to Hau. "Hau, don't tease him."