Ash and Gladion short stories

Gladion's birthday

I LIVE!!!!!! I wanted tho throw in the Mulan reference for giggles. Hello, darlings! I'm back and alive. I'm so sorry it's taking me so long to post something new. I've been redoing my entire life. Between getting a self-sustaining farm up and running with my family and volunteer work at a primary school, it's been difficult to just sit down and write (especially since I'm making plans to create my own original novel). Anyway, a bit of history, I write this last year and I wanted to post it on this date (August 13) due to it being the day Gladion made his first appearance in the English Dub. But some things happened and I didn't get around to it. So this little treat has been sitting in my laptop awaiting its turn. I hope you all like it. Hopefully, I'll be getting back into the requests I have been given ASAP. I wish you all a happy life. Stay safe and be kind. Love Sunset xxxx

Ash frowned as everyone started moving their desks together the moment they heard Komala ring the school bell to signal lunchtime. He had a few things on his mind. Actually, that was a lie. He had one thing on his mind and that was a certain blonde boy who happened to be the older brother of one of his best friends.

Ash sighed. When had he developed a crush on Gladion? Was it that moment when they had their first battle at dawn on the beach and Gladion had performed that incredible Z-Move against Team Rocket? Or it was when Nebby teleported him, Pikachu and Lycanroc to Ten Carat Hills because he was thinking about Gladion? Maybe when he chased Gladion to the Altar of the Sunne to help him and Lillie save their mother from Nihilego? Or perhaps when he and Gladion performed those Z-Moves with Solgaleo and Lunala to save Necrozma? Was it possible it had developed a few weeks ago when they had caught up on Poni Island and said how they wanted to challenge Tapu Fini to a Grand Trial? Or was it when Gladion had sat down beside him after they went back to the Pokémon Centre and talked to him?

Ash smiled fondly as he remembered that moment. He had been sitting outside the Pokémon Centre, watching the sunset and thinking about the way Hapu chastised him about not understanding what a Grand Trial was earlier. He wasn't trying to be disrespectful. He just wanted to battle someone strong and since Hapu refused to and there was no Poni Island Kahuna at the time, he thought Tapu Fini would be a great challenge, like Tapu Bulu.

And yes, he knew he was impatient when it came to battling strong trainers but sometimes, he couldn't help it. Battles were tons of fun and winning felt great but what Ash loved was seeing how other trainers worked with their Pokémon. How they complimented each other and worked together to be something great.

But the way Hapu yelled at him made Ash feel embarrassed about his love for battling, like Kahuna Nanu did during his Ula'Ula Grand Trial. Hearing Hapu say that Ash didn't understand what a Grand Trial was and that he dared to wear a Z-Ring without understanding how importance of it made Ash want to curl up with his Pokémon and cry. He knew how special Z-Rings were, especially since his was a present from Tapu Koko but hearing Hapu say that he was being disrespectful with it and didn't understand made Ash feel ashamed of who he was as a trainer.

Ash smiled as he remembered how Gladion had sat with him, asking him why he hadn't joined the others for dinner.

Flashback:

"Hey," Gladion smiled as he took a seat beside Ash. "Mallow's finished cooking dinner. Why aren't you inside with the others? Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine," Ash answered quickly with a nod. "I'm just not hungry."

Then Ash's body decided to play traitor by growling loudly. Ash blushed while Gladion smirked.

"Really?" he asked; his face full of mirth. "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

"I'm not hungry," Ash repeated, only for his stomach to growl again. Gladion sighed.

"You want to try that again?" he asked, the tone in his voice giving no room for arguments. Ash groaned in embarrassment, making Gladion let out a soft chuckle.