Chapter Text
Gladion ran quietly through the halls of the underground labs beneath the Aether foundation, his breath heavy and heart pounding in his chest.
If he was caught, it would all be over for him
He quickly typed a code into the keypad, slipping through the door as it halfway opened. He looked around, motioning for Umbreon and Lycanroc to guard the door.
It didn’t take him long to spot it.
What had Faba called it? Type Null? He walked over, grabbing the Poke-Ball that Fabba had stupidly left outside its cage before he looked at the second cell in the room.
He thought there had only been one experiment… He walked over, looking through the glass before freezing.
Was that a human or a Pokemon? Or- Both?
Gladion couldn’t tell. It looked like it had the features of a Lucario, but it was much larger, and its body and some of its coloration didn’t quite match. He narrowed his eyes before he swiped the keycard he had snatched from Fabba through the key slot, seeing it stir slightly.
Type Null made a slight noise, though Gladion didn’t say anything as he, with struggle lifting the experiment up, which he could now tell was a boy, maybe around his age. He swiped the keycard for Type Null’s, the Pokémon standing and nudging him before nudging the boy.
He heard Umbreon let out a noise, ears twitching as she hopped onto a table.
Gladion was about to walk over before Type Null grabbed him by his hood, growling as it nudged at the boy. Gladion blinked before he silently let the Pokémon take him, watching as Type Null quietly sat him on its back.
Gladion walked over, looking at Umbreon as it nudged some papers. “What did you find girl?” He murmured, picking up some papers as he skimmed over the information.
Files. Files on whatever the boy on Type Null’s back was. Experiments, notes, government files- and so much more over just the surface. How- How did Faba get a hold of some of this stuff.
He looked up as he swore he heard footsteps, shoving the stack of papers in the bag he brought with him before grabbing Type Null’s Poke-ball. “Cmon guys, let’s get out of here. Faba shouldn’t be back for a couple of hours but I don’t want to take chances.”
He slipped the Poke-ball into his hoodie pocket, grabbing a few extras as he started to walk out of the lab before yelping quietly as Type Null grabbed him and threw him over it’s head and onto it’s back. He blinked before quietly petting the metal casing over its head, gulping. “Alright then… let’s go…” He mumbled, looking at the boy behind him before he shifted, pulling him to where he was in front of him.
He didn’t want to take any chances with him falling off or getting re-captured.
He hesitantly did a small kick at Type Null’s side, and the Pokémon grunted in response, beginning to move at a quick pace as it moved itself through the doorway… somehow.
He heard Umbreon jump on, while Lycanroc just ran next to the giant Pokémon.
Gladeon gently nudged its side, oddly thankful for those riding lessons Mother had forced him and Lillie to do. He spotted the elevated up ahead, and he pulled on its fur slightly to slow it down. He watched it get into the elevator with the others before he pressed the button, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor as it went up a few levels.
He got back on Type Null’s back as soon as they reached the main floor, kicking Type Null again before it was running, pushing its way through the workers and people, Lycanroc snapping his jaws at anyone that tried to stop him.
He cursed as he saw his mother walk out of her office, hearing the commotion just as he was about to burst through the front doors. Her voice, yelling his name, was an idiotic reason to stop, but it was his mother… Dad had always said to listen to her.
He gently tugged at Type Null’s fur, breathing heavily as he looked back at his mother, Lusamine, who seemed shocked at the sight of her ‘perfect’ son on an unknown Pokémon’s back, an unconscious… creature in front of him as he silently turned his gaze towards her.
He tried not to flinch at the look on her face, she looked so betrayed, so shocked, and so.. ashamed. “Gladion…? What are you doing?” She asked, her voice shaking with an emotion Gladion couldn’t place as she clenched her fists at her sides.
He looked away, clutching Type Null’s fur as he felt a surge of anger. Did she really not know? Or was she just playing dumb to protect Faba? He looked back over, his eyes cold as he spoke. “I’m rescuing whatever experiments Faba’s been keeping in his lab.” He replied, using his mother’s momentary shock and disbelief at the accusation to burst out of the doors, urging Type Null go faster.
He felt his heart speed up as he saw a boat leaving the docks. He silently nudged Type Null to jump, landing on the boat with a loud thud as the driver yellled. Gladion jumped off, shoving the man who was most definitely loyal to Faba or his mother out of the way, whistling before Lycanroc grabbed him.
He watched out of the corner of his eye as Lycanroc dumped the man on the dock before one of the workers he had somehow convinced to help him took over. He walked over to Type Null as the boat started to leave, narrowing his eyes as he tried to pull the mask off before he saw his mother running out to the edge of the docks, nearly falling off as she watched him leave.
He looked away, hearing her yell, which he had noticed she did significantly more after Dad disappeared, and he tried not to seem shocked by her words. “You’re not my son!” Her voice rang in his ears, and the sound of the ocean had done little to drown of her voice off as he let out a shaky sigh.
He felt Umbreon nudge him, and he looked down at her. He gave a slight smile, despite the tears prickling at his eyes. To Melemele island… His new home.
He looked at Type Null’s, who had laid down, the boy slumped against his side. Gladion quietly walked over, not wanting to spook the boy. He didn’t know what the boy was yet, or how successful Faba had been with his experiments. He looked at the boy, observing his features.
He noticed the black appendages on his head, and he silently noted that it would be a dumb idea to touch them. He had heard of wild and even trained lucario attacking trainers when they touched them. Apparently they were bundles of extremely sensitive nerves, which allowed their aura sensing abilities. He noted that they seemed to partly blend in with his hair, which was a slightly lighter shade of black. He stared at the pointed, furred eras on top of his head, and he felt his stomach churn slightly.
How had Faba done this..? He glanced down at his hands, seeing small, rounded, silver, spikes on top his hands, which seemed to be a darker skin tone than the rest of his tan skin.
He noticed a similar pattern his feet, and he scowled, realizing Faba hadn’t even had the decency to give him shoes. Though, he did notice that the boys feet seemed to be in a more paw like shape… which silently made Gladion even more worried about how Faba had done this.
His scowl only deepened as the boy seemed to be just wearing a white shorts and a white shirt, both of which looked slightly too big for him.
”Should’ve known…. Faba never did have the patience for kids. At least Mother never left me and Lillie with him..” He muttered, sighing as he looked at Type Null.
He ran a hand across the metal casing around its head, that seemed old and party rusted, and covered in… dried mud? Another point to debate if Faba is probably insane..
He ran a hand through his hair, looking up at the bright sky as he watched a few birds fly overhead.
He sighed before sitting down on the deck, going over everything that had happened and why the hell he had just broken in to his mother’s company, stole from his mother’s company, and somehow managed to escape with getting shot.
Right.. Lillie. He smiled at the thought of his sister, even though he knew his mother would tell her he was just ‘going through a phase’ and ‘would be back before she knew it’.
He rolled his eyes at the thought, scoffing. At least Professor Wicke would be there for her, and Professor Burnet. He sighed, scratching behind Umbreon’s ears as he felt the adrenaline wear off.
Gladion blinked his eyes open, realizing he must’ve fallen asleep at some point as the boat docked, thankfully not at a very busy dock as he rubbed his eyes. He needed to get moving…
He got up, seeing Lycanroc nudging Umbreon, who made a sleepy noise of protest before reluctantly getting up.
He looked around, blinking as he didn’t see Type Null before moving as he saw the Pokémon sitting in the beach, the boy between its front legs as he dozed, watching the water with an almost amazed expression.
Gladion looked at the driver, who had gotten off before he walked over to the dock, walking down it as he saw the boy perk up, though he hadn’t taken his eyes off the water.
Gladion quietly stood next to Type Null, seeing the sun setting as the Pokémon nudged the boy to his feet, picking him up and throwing him back on his back.
It looked at Gladion expectantly, and he blinked before sighing. “Right… guess I’m in charge, huh?” He said, mainly to himself, as the boy stayed silent still, looking like he was about to fall asleep at any moment.
Type Null just nodded its head, beginning to fall Gladion as he walked. Gladion just sighed, figuring his best bet would be a cave for now.
Maybe the card he had swiped from his mother would come in handy… that was if she didn’t cut it off once she realized it was gone.
He was half way sure there was one in the woods around here, since it was close to where he had grown up. He pushed a branch out of the way, sighing in relief as he saw the cave.
He looked at Lycanroc, who nodded before walking ahead of him, sniffing the air as they got closer to the cave.
He looked back, seeing the boy was already out like a light once again. He watched as Umbreon ran ahead and into the cave with Lycanroc, the two Pokémon sniffing and making sure everything was safe.
Umbreon eventually ran back, letting out a noise as she nudged Gladion into the cave, which he just smiled and chuckled at.
He looked around, seeing what looked to be a pool of water with a cleft in it, water coming from said cleft. He shrugged his bag off, hearing it land on the floor with a thud. He crouched down, opening it as he rummaged through the bag, which was pretty big, as he didn’t know how much stuff he would need.
He pulled out a slightly worn sleeping bag that he had gotten from his Dad’s old office, as well a a pillow before he looked at the boy.
He furrowed his brows, seeing Type Null laying down, the boy slumped up against it’s side as he slept, not even disturbed by the two Pokémon walking around. He hadn’t expected to have another person with him…
Maybe the boy would be fine for tonight, and tomorrow he’d probably be able to find a more suitable place than a cave to stay. He sighed, rolling the sleeping bag out as Umbreon trotted over to him, carrying what looked to be a fish in her mouth.
He sighed before letting her gently, not feeling very hungry as he fell back against the sleeping bag. He saw Lycanroc walk over to Type Null, who didn’t even glance at him as Lycanroc silently settled there.
Gladion sighed, feeling sleep finally take over, knowing Lycanroc, as always, would make sure he was safe. He smiled, seeing Umbreon drag the pillow he had forgotten out of the bag and setting it down where his head would be.
She let out a little chittering sound, curling up next to him after he had laid down. He blinked, closing his eyes as he finally fell asleep. He sleepily wrapped an arm around Umbreon, smiling in his sleep.