The week and two days passed without any more problems. Gladion was kept under close supervision along with Silver. The two of them got along pretty well. Silver had realized this as time slowly passed aboard the boat. Although Silver was aware that it was bad for the boy's health, he had stayed up late at night to share secrets with Gladion.

As for why, Silver wasn't entirely sure. After being betrayed by Crystal, he had been sure that he wouldn't ever be telling anyone the things he told Gladion. Maybe it was because Gladion was giving up pieces of his own past that he likely had not disclosed to anyone else. It was probably also because it was the first time in a while that Silver had been around a boy of his age. Not just that, but Gladion could somewhat understand what he was going through.

"You awake, Silver?" Gladion called from the other side of the room. The red headed boy soundless slipped his phone from under his pillow and checked the time. Four in the morning and still no sign of sleeping.

"Yeah," he replied. "We're supposed arrive to Alola soon, right?"

"That's what I'm hoping for. This boat is starting to feel like a prison." Gladion sat up from his bed and reached over to flip the switch to the lamp at his bedside. "You had another nightmare, didn't you," Gladion observed. Silver hoped he wouldn't mention that although it probably wasn't easy to ignore Silver's restless movement from earlier that night.

"It's been different. Worse than usual," Silver quietly spoke. Gladion merely nodded.

"I'm going to help you get revenge someday on her. If that's what you want, of course," Gladion promised. Somehow the blonde had gotten the information out of him about his encounter with Crystal although that had only been just yesterday night. There were still things Gladion was unaware of, but he did at least know the cause of Silver's nightmares now.

"I'm not sure yet. I feel like that's what I want but..." Silver lifted himself from the makeshift bed on the floor. Gladion watched him, waiting for him to continue but there was nothing more to follow.

"Did I tell you about my father yet? I remember you asking," Gladion changed the subject without a second thought.

"I only asked if you had one although that probably wasn't the best idea. You don't really have to tell me." Gladion deadpanned at him. "What?"

"I told you how my mother fused with a pokémon, how my sister got kidnapped, how (y/n) tried to become adopted, and how Moon ended up in another dimension to save the world and this is where you draw the line?" Gladion asked a bit of annoyance in his tone.

"I'm trying to be nice," Silver growled. "It isn't easy, you know." Some of his original personality had returned to him even if only by a small fraction. He missed his fearlessness. The way he would find himself unafraid of anything even if it had him feeling a bit arrogant. Gladion only smirked at him.

"Trust me, I know." Silver rolled his eyes at him. "Anyway, I just felt like talking, so are you going to listen or not?" Silver shrugged to which Gladion slightly glared at him. His features morphed into a somewhat solemn stare. "He disappeared after an accident with his research. An ultra wormhole took him." Thanks to Gladion's previous explanations, Silver mostly understood the concept of ultra wormholes, but it was still kind of hard to believe. Silver wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. "About four months after Moon saved Alola, we found him washed up on shore, but his memories were gone. They're still gone," Gladion finished.

"He hasn't made any progress?" Silver questioned, wondering if the Aether Foundation had some sort of method to restore the lost memories. He had been told about the advanced technologies in the facility as well.

"The most he remembers is our names at this point. I don't like thinking about it, but I don't think he's going to come back. Not the way he used to be anyway." Silver gave a thoughtful hum with the idea that Mewtwo could help whenever they got to Alola. The only problem was that Mewtwo had been silent ever since Silver left. He chose to believe that Mewtwo was simply keeping out of sight. "You better not go and say you too. I swear," Gladion added.

The pause that Silver gave him had Gladion facepalming. "I wouldn't exactly say me too, but my father did disappear." Silver was actually quite fond of his memories of his father. "I'm...still looking for him, or at least I planned to." Gladion gave him a questioning glance wanting details, but by no means did he ask for them. He never asked any questions unless Silver was already explaining. It was something Silver had quickly come to appriciate about the blond boy. "I was raised in an orphanage so I didn't think I had any parents, but when I was five, my father showed up there. I didn't know who he was at first. We met by chance and he would visit me often. The day he told me his identity, I begged him to take me home with him, but he refused."

"Huh? Why? If he was your father then-" Gladion immediately stopped himself realizing that Silver intended to answer those exact questions.

"He said that he was protecting me and that I would need to stay where I was to be safe. He worked with an organization called Team Rocket to try saving the world."

"Isn't that the one you joined? You didn't find him there?" Gladion was full of questions this time which had Silver wanting to laugh, but he kept his chuckles to himself.

"The original organization had disbanded long before I ever found it. I couldn't ask around much because I never knew my father's name. He was probably a bad person...but he was there when I needed him. He even told me that he was going to leave when he actually disappeared. I think I was...eight? No, nine? I think something happened to him, but I want to make sure for myself." Silver caught the worried look that Gladion was giving him. "It's not that bad, really," Silver tried to justify his own grief in the same way back then too. "He told me that he was about to do something important, and that he would return for me once he was done. I believed him. I still do."

The boys fell into an awkward quiet that was only interrupted by Silvally shifting in his sleep. The pokémon had been kept out on the captain's orders to keep an eye on Silver.

"Do you want me to help you find him?" Gladion was serious, that much was for certain. Silver took one look at the bags under his eyes and shook his head.

"No offense, but you already have a lot to deal with." Silver tilted his head a bit before speaking again. "If you really want to help, then you're going to need to get some real sleep."

"Easy for you to say." Gladion scoffed.

"Easier, I bet," Silver retorted. Gladion's eye twitched.

"How much? I expect you to pay in full when you lose," the blond shot back. The door opened before Silver could send back a reply back.

"You two are supposed to be asleep, especially you Gladion," Yana hissed. Silver felt himself grow a bit cold when he realized that she could have been standing outside the door listening. Based on what Gladion had told him about the therapist, Silver didn't put it past her.

"I tried that. Hasn't been working. The least you could do is allow me to have a decent conversation instead of worrying about the responsibilities waiting for me on shore," Gladion spoke. His arms were crossed and he kept his narrowed eyes on the woman without backing down from her glare.

Gladion had also told him that while she could be a horrible person at times, Yana was trustworthy and truly did have his best interest in mind seventy percent of the time. Seventy percent wasn't enough for Silver, but he was willing to at least put up with her so long as Gladion did.

"We're here. Since you're awake, you can go ahead and start unpacking," Yana said to Gladion with a sigh. "But you're staying here. No leaving this room." She left them without another word much to Silver's relief.

"Want breakfast?" Gladion asked as if their conversation had never been interrupted.

"This early?" It wasn't as if Silver hadn't eaten this early, it just wasn't usually breakfast. More like a late snack.

"That's yes or no," Gladion mumbled. Silver knew that Gladion had already made up his mind on the matter even without an answer.

"These people...I can definitely trust them."
____________________________________

Sorry, just had to strengthen that friendship right quick. Don't worry, the story is definitely going to continue. Until next time you awesome readers!