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-Your POV-
"A quick boat trip should be able to take us there, but we'll have to miss school today. Is that fine?" Gladion asks as he scrolls through his phone, looking for a ride to get us to Aether Paradise.
"Well," I reply, "I'm not going back to the Pokemon School if I leave for Galar this afternoon."
"I suppose that's true."
"How much are the tickets?" I ask, worried about not being able to pay for it.
"It says here that we can get a cheaper ride if we have a certified trainers card as proof, but I could get in for free." Gladion puts away his phone and notices my stunned expression.
"For free? How in the world-?"
Gladion cuts in, grumbling, "Let's just say, that since I'm their boss's son, you'll be hearing a lot of 'Young Master' and all that junk."
"Hm," I say quietly, then shake away gloomy thoughts and say, "Shall we get going then? I'm ready since I don't think I'll need to bring anything other than Leafeon and Popplio."
"Alright," Gladion nods, and we walk to the ferry stop, where we are greeted by an oddly dressed male.
The blond man had blue eyes with a mischievous glint that reflected in his startlingly bright neon green glasses. The glass panes her a peculiar shape, like huge bubbles free in the wind. He had a white uniform adorned with gold accessories in the shape of a familiar emblem — the one for the Aether Foundation's logo.
Gladion clears his throat and the man instantly looks up. His eyes immediately widen, and the man gasps, "Young Master!"
"Faba," Gladion growls, skeptical.
I glance between the two faces, the man's stunned one – Faba – and Gladion's angry expression.
"Ah, do you two know each other?" I pipe up.
Gladion scoffs, "This is Faba. He works in the Aether Foundation."
"Aether Branch Chief Faba to you, Young Master," Faba replies with an impatient huff.
"Whatever," Gladion rolls his eyes, "I'm not here to argue with you. Give us a ride to Aether Paradise."
Faba sighs, "Of course, Young Master."
The ride was smooth and not long either. We only needed to take a boat with four rooms, quite small, since the trip there would only be half an hour at the most, according to Faba. So, in a short thirty minutes, Gladion and I watched as the island grew farther and farther away, and the tiny island of Aether Paradise became bigger on the morning horizon.
"Woah!" I exclaimed as the artificial island that used to be home to Gladion. "It's bigger than I thought it would be!"
"Yeah," Gladion tilts his head, wondering why I could possibly be so enthused in a place he despised, but I didn't particularly know that, so he didn't blame you for admiring the tall, white walls that housed the Aether Foundation.
The boat and Faba drop us off at the front entrance, and then all that's left to do is find Gladion's mother in the maze of a mansion this was.
We cautiously step through the front door, but we're only met with strange looks and recognition, and then all of the employees scurry away. Gladion strides through the halls, with me at his heels, and it's clear he knows this mansion well.
He opens the door in a corridor off to the side, and we enter an extensive garden, where a plump woman with large, fluffy hair that is a striking color of mauve stands, then turns with raised eyebrows. "Is that Gladion?" She cries, then rushes over to us, looking like she wants to hug Gladion.
"Hello, Wicke." Gladion replies plainly.
"Oh, I was so worried about you!" She exclaims, clasping her hands together.
"Good to know there's only one." Gladion mutters under his breath.
"Hi, Ms. Wicke! I'm (Y/N)!" I wave. She seems much more friendly than Faba did.
"Ooh, it's very nice to meet you, dear! I'm so glad that Gladion finally made a friend!" Wicke smiles, her positive attitude contagious.
Gladion's face reddens, and he says, "Wicke, would you mind telling us where Mother is?"
"Sure," Wicke gestures to a marble staircase to her left, "She's right there in her office, as she has been a lot as of late."
"Thanks," Gladion begins to walk in that direction, and I eagerly smile back at Wicke and follow him up the stairs. At the top, a tall white door is closed, and Gladion unhesitantly pushes it open, calling, "Mother, we came."
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Word count: 760 words
YOU ARE READING
Your Tragic Smile: Gladion x Reader
Fanfiction"A 𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓮 gracing her lips, tears still slipping down her cheeks... it was a 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬 smile." With the wind in your hair, your journey starts with a new region ahead of you, not that you don't already have experience already. Starting out wi...
