Tragedy was something that loved to make an appearance in Gladion's life. He wasn't always so closed off, he used to be such a lively boy before tragedy began to make a string of appearances in his life.

The first debut of tragedy took place when his parents took their research of Ultra Wormholes one step further. During this experiment, his father was sucked into the wormhole never to be seen again. Little did he know that his father was alive on an island without his past memories, but that's beside the point.

Because of the unfortunate disappearance of his father, this drove his mother, Lusamine, to the brink of insanity. Day in through day out, all she did was further study the wormholes in hopes of finding a way to bring her husband back. Her intentions may have been noble, but her actions were not.

Her once beloved children became nothing more than a nuisance to her. She loathed Gladion and his sister, Lillie, for not seeing things as she did. In her eyes, the Ultra Beasts were the key to bringing her husband back. In that sense, Ultra Beasts became more important to her than her own children were. She even began to experiment on innocent Pokemon only to cause more friction between her and her children. No longer able to stand his mother, Gladion escaped with the Pokemon, Type: Null, before his mother could harm it, leaving his sister behind in the process.

His inability to have a happy family is where tragedy struck once again.

Tragedy had seemingly taken a break from haunting his life when he was able to spend a few peaceful months away from his insane mother and with his beloved Pokemon. But as always, tragedy stepped into the spotlight for the third time.

His mother had finally gone completely insane, merging with a parasitic Ultra Beast known as Nihilego. Although the fusion didn't last long, the UB had released neurotoxins into Lusamine, condemning her into a deep comatose state. Tragedy had now taken his mother as well as his father.

Gladion was running out of people he cared about. Tragedy was stealing his loved ones left and right, even his beloved sister was in a different region in search of finding a way to help their mother. She was one of the few people left that he deeply cared about. Besides you, of course.

Being the child of a worker under Lusamine and her husband, you grew up and spent much of your time in the Aether Foundation, having Gladion and Lillie as your only companions. Even back then it was obvious that you were closest with Gladion and even as you grew older, that never changed.

You were there for Gladion whenever tragedy decided to make a reappearance in his life. Even when he tried acting tougher than he actually was, you knew how much he appreciated your support. He didn't just want you in his life, he needed you. He needed that pillar of support so desperately. After his sister left, you were truly the only person he had left in his life.

Since both Lusamine and Lillie were gone, Gladion was the only one left to become Aether's new president which he gladly accepted. He wanted to erase the taint that his mother had left on the once good foundation and make it something that was pure. With your help, he was able to accomplish that and make Aether the way it was originally supposed to be, a place where all Pokemon could be taken care of.

Even seven years after tragedy had last struck, you were still just as close with Gladion as you were before, perhaps even closer. Sitting next to him with his arm around you, the two of you relished in the fact that it was your one year anniversary. This special day took place on Valentine's Day of all days.

On your lap sat a toy Stufful holding a heart against its chest; a gift from Gladion to commemorate both the anniversary and Valentine's Day. On his lap, however, laid a real Stufful who was just one of the many Pokemon that the Aether Foundation was currently taking care of.

"We finally made it this far after all these years," you said with a smile as you looked up at him.

Gladion's smile was a rare sight to see and that's why it made you feel so special when he showed it to you, looking absolutely genuine.

"I'm glad you were here with me through all that," he replied, pulling you closer to him so he could kiss your forehead.

Although most things had taken a turn for the better, the outcomes of Lusamine's experiments could not be erased. Because of everything she had done, Ultra Wormholes would still open up randomly throughout the Aether building. At first, it was just a small problem, nothing more than a nuisance. But then tragedy struck again for the final time in Gladion's life.

On the same day as your one year anniversary, when you and Gladion were on the top floor of the Aether Foundation playing with the Pokemon there, a wormhole opened up right behind a Pokemon. Instead of letting the Pokemon get sucked in, you jumped in front of it instead, allowing you to get sucked up into it. Like his father, you were never seen from again.

By now, Gladion was aware that the people who get sucked into wormholes survive, they just end up on a random part of the Earth with no recollection of their past. In a way, that's almost just as bad as being dead.

Years after tragedy had taken you as its final victim in Gladion's life, he stayed as Aether's president and continued to make it better. He refused to become like his mother and obsess over finding you like she did, but that didn't mean he ever forgot you.

Every year on Valentine's Day, he would stay in his room all day holding the toy Stufful, the last present he ever gave to you and hoped that wherever you were, somehow you were missing him just as much as he missed you.