An Ultra Past Forgotten (Pokemon Sun & Moon)

Chapter 6

Gladion shifted, stretching out on the couch. The makeshift bed was decently comfortable, enough for him to sleep fairly well throughout the night. But a dryness in his throat forced his tired eyes open. It was still dark, and a nearby clock read 2:00 am. In need of water to quench his thirst, the blond carefully got up, being careful not to wake the pokemon. He shuffled to the kitchen for a quick glass of water, but when he went back to the living room, he noticed that Chloe was missing. He saw Salazzle sitting by a window, peering outside.

"Salazzle?" he questioned, his voice barely above a whisper. "What's going on? Where's Chloe?"

"Lazzle salazzle." The lizard pokemon pointed out the window.

Gladion glanced back, making sure the other pokemon were still asleep before quietly stepping outside. Salazzle slipped out with him, crawling away toward Mahalo Trail, pausing to look back at the boy, as if showing him the way. He decided to follow her, certain she was leading him to Chloe. The pair walked up the mountain trail, the air getting cooler the higher they went until they finally reached the entrance to the Ruins of Conflict. That's where Chloe was, standing before the bridge, staring absentmindedly at the ruins on the other side. Her red hair blew in the gentle breeze, and she didn't even hear the two approaching.

"Salazz!" Her partner sprinted over, hugging her trainer's side.

The girl jumped in surprise, looking down at her partner and rubbing her back. "Salazzle? I told you I'd only be gone for a few minutes." She couldn't help but smile at the pokemon until she turned her head, seeing the blond as well. "Gladion? What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that," he replied, going over to her side. "Why'd you come all the way out here in the middle of the night?"

Chloe sighed, setting her gaze on the ruins. "Couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk."

Gladion raised a brow skeptically, following the direction of her eyes. "Way out here? You don't have to make things up, you know. You wanted to see the ruins, didn't you?"

The redhead slowly met his emerald gaze. "You got me. Something about the ruins on each of the islands just...draws me in."

The boy smiled lightly. "It's because of the Tapus, isn't it?"

Chloe chuckled softly. "Most likely. I've always wanted to meet the Tapus, ever since I was young." She hung her head, glancing at Salazzle, who clutched her arm. Her partner was one of the only ones she ever confided in, but maybe it would be good to talk to another person for a change. "Gladion, can I tell you something...personal?"

"Sure, but only if you want to. I'm not really a pushy type of person, so if there are things you'd rather keep to yourself, I'd understand."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Chloe's lips. "Thanks, but I want to tell you. You came all the way here, so you deserve a proper explanation. You see, when I was young, a Tapu saved my life." She couldn't help but smile as she stared out at the ruins. "I have no memory of it myself, but my dad told me everything that happened. I couldn't believe it at the time, that a Tapu would rush to the aid of a single child. But that's exactly what had occurred. I wanted to see the Tapus ever since, to thank them for all that they do...and for saving my life."

Gladion stared at her, intrigued by her story. "That's amazing... The Tapus are truly incredible. I can understand your reasons for coming here now." He rested a hand on her shoulder. "I bet you'd get along great with my sister, Lillie. She's been through quite a few similar experiences too."

Chloe blinked at him. "She has?"

The boy nodded. "When we were children, Lillie was attacked by an invading Ultra Beast. The Silvally I have with me is the one that rescued her. It wasn't a Tapu, but another incredible pokemon saved her life. That's why I must send all of the Ultra Beasts back to their worlds, so no one will be harmed by them."

Chloe smiled at him. "And I'll stick with you until we get it done. I will always do what I can to help pokemon of all kinds, even if they're from another world."

While the two smiled at one another, Salazzle had a smirk on her face. She looked between the two, happy with the way they seemed to connect. She'd never seen her trainer open up to any people like that before, so she knew that Gladion was special. She suddenly pushed Chloe right into the boy, taking away the extra space between them as they nearly collided. They both stared wide-eyed and red-faced at each other briefly until Chloe turned to look at the pokemon.

"Salazzle! What was that for?!"

"Lazz lazz lazz," her partner snickered.

Gladion cleared his throat, turning his head away to hide his blush. "We should head back and get to bed."

Chloe looked at him, swiftly nodding. "R-right."

The pair awkwardly walked back down the path, neither of them speaking. Salazzle trailed behind, smirking as she eyed them. They went straight to Hala's house and inside, finding the rest of the pokemon still sound asleep.

Gladion glanced at the redhead as he went back to the couch he'd been sleeping on. "Night, Chloe," he quietly uttered.

The girl smiled slightly, whispering, "Goodnight."

Chloe laid down on her makeshift bed, her partner curling up beside her. She quietly sighed, turning to face away from the blond. What is going on with me? Back on the Mahalo Trail...why was my face so warm? Was that all because of Salazzle pushing me into Gladion? Ugh, this is ridiculous! There's no way I could feel this way about a person... I'm not even sure I can completely trust him yet! She shook the thoughts away. Focus on the mission, Chloe. Nihilego needs our help. There's no room for these silly thoughts about Gladion. She slowly drifted to sleep, dismissing the very idea that involved her temporary teammate.