When We Were Younger. |Gladion X Moon|Pokemon Romance Novel|

-16-

Gladion sits in a tattered seat, across from him is a team skull grunt hovering over a board game.

"Do you have to smoke that in here?" Gladion asks, disgusted.

"What's your problem dude?" the grunt mumbles as he jumbles dice in the palm of his hand.

Gladion rolls his eyes and pushes the window next to him open. His hand leaves a mark in the thick layer of grunge that covers the window. The dice rattle as the grunt tosses them on the table.

"Woo! Score!" the grunt rejoices as he moves his piece across the board. He reaches over and takes a handful of chips from Gladion's pile.

"That's not how the game work, asshole!" Gladion sneers, pulling the chips back.

"Lighten up man!" the grunt huffs.

Just then, the flimsy camper door slams open, an empty bottle rolls off the counter and smashes on the floor.

"Stupid piece of shit door!" yells Plumeria as she heaves herself inside. The whole camper shifts with her weight.

She looks around for a moment. Gladion and the grunt watch as she digs in the minifridge for a drink.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?" she yells, "Get your asses out to the truck!"

Gladion flicks the grunts game piece off the board and pulls his hood over his head, taking a moment to hide his phone in a large rip in the sofa.

He walks towards the door, kicking cans and garbage out of the way, clearing a path through the filth. He jumps out of the camper door to the ground. He spots a empty plastic crate and sets it on the ground next to the door.

"Fucking genius!" Plumeria laughs as she steps down onto the crate.

Gladion spots the semi across the street and walks in its direction.

Plumeria darts ahead of him and lifts the back hatch. Gladion and the grunt climb in the back and sit on the floor. Without a word, Plumeria retracts the ramp and pulls the hatch shut.

She fastens the lock leaver and soon the engine sputters and the air breaks whoosh. His body lurches a bit as the semi pulls out into the road. He peeks out a hole at the night sky and groans.

They drive for several miles down the highway. The grunt raps to himself and starts bobbing his head. Gladion digs deep into his pocket and pulls out a music player. He quickly pokes the ear buds into his ears, turning his music up to the highest volume.

After over an hour of driving, the truck finally comes to a stop. Gladion can hear mumbling coming from outside. The back hatch opens and Plumeria signals for them to come out, they are down by the docks in Malie city.

Gladion jumps down and looks around. In the darkness, he spots Guzma and Plumeria hovering over a large wooden crate.

"It's my boy Gladion!" shouts Guzma, "Be a pal and grab me that crowbar over there."

Gladion picks up the crowbar and carries it over to him. Guzma shoves the head of the crowbar under the lid of the crate and eagerly pries it open. He stuffs his hand into the sawdust packing material and pulls out a handful of Pokeballs.

"Now this is what I'm talking about!" he exclaims as he rummages excitedly through the crate.

Gladion takes a closer look at the crate, his eyes widen when he recognizes the Aether Foundation seal stenciled onto the crate.

"Where did you get this stuff?"

Guzma stares deviously into Gladion's eyes. The thin, purple skin around his under eyes crinkles as he bursts out laughing. Guzma points at the Aether Foundation seal on the side of the crate and begins to laugh even harder, clutching his ribs.

"It doesn't matter!" he growls, "It's Guzma's now!"

Plumeria laughs and fist bumps Guzma.

"What's the matter Gladion?" Plumeria whimpers, rubbing her eyes, "Suddenly growing a conscious?"

"Tch! Whatever! Are we loading up all this up or what?" Gladion scoffs.

_______________

Gladion settles down in the back of the semi amongst rows and rows of Aether shipping crates. He sighs with relief as the grunt leaves with Guzma. Plumeria shoots Gladion a dirty lip before pulling the hatch shut, leaving Gladion, alone in the darkness.

Once he feels the truck pull back onto the highway, he pulls out type: Null's Pokeball and calls it out for company on the drive back.

Type: Null screeches and panics when it sees the Aether emblem on the crates. Gladion grabs the terrified Pokemon and holds it down with all his might as it bucks and claws at the floor.

"Shhhhh! It's okay Null...it's just us here. Shhhh...trust me," Gladion says, stroking the Pokémon's back, "It's okay. You are safe. It's just me."

Slowly, the Pokemon loosens up. Its claws left deep dents in the floor of the cargo hold. Gladion runs his hands up and down the large
Pokémon's back.

Suddenly he feels a warm, wet sensation trickling down his leg. When Gladion reaches down to touch it, he winces in pain.

He lowers himself to the floor, but slips in a puddle and falls on his bottom. Gladion looks at the palm of his hand, it's coated with a thick, red substance.

Null lowers its head to the ground and begins to lap up the fresh blood. Gladion peels back the large tear in his pants and clutches the large gash on his leg. He rips a piece off his tattered pants and bandages it the best he can.

Null curls up next to Gladion and licks the blood from his hands. Gladion sighs and runs his fingers through Nulls long, greyish-white mane. They sit together in silence for the next hour. When the truck stops, Gladion returns type: Null back to its ball before the grunt opens the hatch.

"What the fuck happened to you?" the grunt gasps when he notices all the crusted blood on Gladion's hands.

"He probably tried to slit his wrists!" scoffs the pink haired grunt from the party.

Obviously, she is over him now.

Gladion just scoffs and puts his hood over his head, trudging straight to his camper without another word.