Welcome to the first chapter of a brand new Gladion x reader book. New plot twists and turns await!
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       The stars were shinning rather nicely in the sky, the beach waves came up the shore only to recede, and there was even a cool breeze that brought together the overall peaceful atmosphere.

        "Do you mind if I sit here?" someone asked from behind where (y/n) said with her dusk form Lycanroc.

        "I don't see why not," (y/n) replied, already knowing who it was. "Can't sleep?" she asked to keep them from sitting in an awkward silence.

        "No. I can't. I keep thinking about things that I don't want to," Gladion replied. He did seem a little worried about whatever was keeping him awake.

        "Things like what?" (y/n) asked, wanting to know just a little more. She was rather curious after all.

       "With everything that's happened, I began thinking about myself as a trainer. I want to get stronger. I wasn't able to do as much as you and Sun were able to do. You even traveled through the ultra wormhole just to save the world. That's an amazing thing to be able to do as a trainer. I look up to you for that," Gladion explained.

       He'd become a lot more open towards her after what had happened a few months ago in Alola. They were currently camping out on the beach near Professor Kukui's lab with Lillie, Hau, and Sun who were alteady alseep.

        "Why would that keep you from being able to sleep?" (y/n) inquired. She wanted to know what was on Gladion's mind before he shut her out as he eventually did.

       "Because...I'm afraid of what's going to happen next," Gladion said. He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them while resting his head on his knees. Well that was it. (Y/n) wouldn't be getting any more answers from him once he did that. They sat with the sound of the waves keeping it from becoming completely silent.

        (Y/n) began to think back to everything that Gladion was referring to. It had all start when (y/n) and Sun decided to do their island trials.

        As they went along, they kept running into these two members of a group called the Ultra Recon Squad that (y/n) later found out had been working with Lusamine, Gladion and Lillie's mother. Things went way downhill from there and of course Team Skull had something to do with it too.

       There was also a pokémon known as Necrozma that used to be a giver of light but became a stealer of light after losing it's original powers. (Y/n) and Sun had been the one's to find Necrozma who had fused with Lunala, known as Nebby, and ran off into the ultra wormhole that was created at the alter of the moon.

       (Y/n) and Sun traveled to Ultra Megaopolis, a city in a world without natural light. The Ultra Recon Squad had come from this world and it was at the top of their tallest tower where Necrozma waited for them. (Y/n) and Sun both saved Lunala with the help of Solgaleo. In the end though, there were things left behind that needed to be taken care of.

       Gladion was most definitely bothered by his mother's interest in the ultra wormholes likely because his father had disappear while studying them many years ago. Lillie wanted to become a trainer and Hau of course still wanted to be the Mele Mele Island Kahuna. (Y/n) and Sun had journeyed up to the newly established pokémon league but (y/n) had no true desire to be the champion.

       She just wanted to have fun eith her friends. Sun ended up getting the title which she and everyone else congratulated him for and it was after these events that (y/n) and Gladion became good friends.

        (Y/n) had visited Aether Paradise to see about the pokémon in the observation area with Wicke. Gladion had shown up in search for Wicke since Lillie had asked for him to find her. That left (y/n) in the observation area with Gladion who decided to stay and help her look after the pokémon there. That had only been a couple of days after those crazy events took place. Now a few months later, they were sitting on the beach in silence but great friends nevertheless.

      "I need to do something in order to get stronger but I haven't yet figured out if what I had in mind is the right thing to do," Gladion said, snapping (y/n) from her thoughts. It surprised her that he was still talking about the subject after "going into shutdown mode" a few minutes ago. (Y/n) waited a bit before inquiring him about what he meant.

       "What exactly do you plan on doing?" (y/n) asked. Gladion gave her a sort of sad look which made (y/n) wish she hadn't asked right then.

        "I'm going to leave Alola to train in another region," he said quietly as he rested his head on his knees again. It was at this moment that (y/n)'s heart shattered. She didn't want Gladion to leave. He'd become just as good of a friend as Lillie which meant that if he left, (y/n) would lose a best friend.

       "It's up to you to decide. It's you life after all. If you feel that you need to go train in another region to get stronger then do just that," (y/n) said with a slight smile. Being best friends meant that (y/n) knew when she couldn't be selfish. Gladion wanted to leave so she had to let him do just that. He looked at her for a moment before saying anything.

       "You really feel that way? It doesn't bother you that I want to leave?" he asked. He didn't seem to believe her but (y/n) had spoken the trust.

        "Well yes and no. I respect your choice and I'm glad you want to become a stonger trainer. It does bother me just a little that I won't be seeing you for a while but I'll be okay," (y/n) replied.

        "I'm leaving tomorrow morning," Gladion suddenly said. (Y/n) was momentarily clueless for a moment, not quite sure she heard things right.

        "You had already made up your mind hadn't you," (y/n) commented. Gladion didn't answer amd (y/n) didn't exactly know what to say now.

        "I didn't want anyone to know. I was going to leave without telling anyone but I couldn't. I had to tell someone," Gladion said.

       "So that's why you can't sleep. You're worried about leaving," (y/n) concluded. It was definately the type of thing to make someone lose sleep.

        "Yeah, I guess I am. I shouldn't habe waited until the last moment to tell you that I'm leaving though," Gladion said. (Y/n) shook her head at him.

        "Don't worry about it. What time are you leaving tomorrow morning? I'll see you off," (y/n) inquired. After Gladion told her, the two fell silent for a while and eventually went back to their tents to sleep for the rest of the night. Rei, (y/n)'s dusk form Lycanroc, stayed outside to keep guard of the camp.

         (Y/n) made sure to rise up early that morning to help everyone pack up the camping supplies and head back home. As soon as she got there, she made sure to tell her mother that she had somewhere urgent to go and changed. She put Rei into his pokéball and used her ride pager to get Charizard to fly her to where Gladion would ne leaving a bit later.

        Once she got to the docks, she released Rei and waited. The boat was already there and waiting just as Gladion said it would be. Not long after getting there, (y/n) saw Gladion walking in her direction.

       "Your things are already loaded up amd everything. You weren't kidding about having this preplanned huh," (y/n) said once Gladion got close enough to her to hear what she said.

        "No. I wasn't," Gladion simply stated. He seemed to be more focused on the boat than her but (y/n) didn't mind. There was just silence between the two of them as they stood there on the dock.

       "Well, I did come to see you off so I guess this is goodbye for now right? You'll keep in contact won't you?" (y/n) said.

        "This isn't a goodbye, (y/n). I'll see you again and I'll try to keep in contact," Gladion said with a nod. Without anything else to say, (y/n) let Gladion walk to the boat but then it really dawned on her that she didn't know how long Gladion would be gone.

      "Gladion, wait!" (y/n) called. He stopped and faced her only to be tackled into a hug.

        "You won't be gone for too long will you?" she asked him as she hugged him. She feared it might be the last hug she got from him.

        "I can't make any promises except that I'll come back as a better trainer," Gladion said as he hesitantly hugged (y/n) back.

        "Okay," (y/n) muttered, trying her best not to cry as she released Gladion from the hug.

       "You have to promise me something too though. Don't tell anyone that you were here when I left. They can't know that you knew about me leaving, okay," Gladion said. (Y/n) nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. He began to leave again but (y/n) stopped him again without realizing it by pulling at his jacket sleeve.

        "Stay safe okay," she said when Gladion looked at her. Part of her still wanted him to stay.

        "You too," he responded before turning around and head towards the boat. (Y/n) finally let him leave but she stood there and watched the boat float away. Gladion stood at the railing facing her. (Y/n) was suddenly startled when Lusamine showed up next to her. She waved at Gladion who seemed equally shocked to see her but Gladion didn't wave back until (y/n) joined in. That had been four years ago when (y/n) was fourteen.
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The first chapter is complete! Did you guys like it? Hopefully you guys did because there's more to come. Until next time you incredible readers!