Disclaimer: This story, the OC -main, secondary or otherwise- don't belong to be but to a dear friend of mine who decided not to share it here. So I took it upon myself to do it for her.
However as to not be accused of plagiarism, I still made a few changes so it was more in my style than in hers (but that's about all that'll be changed). If anything, think of it as a remake.

Regarding the main cast from Pokemon, they belong to Game Freak or whoever own them.

Exchanging Informations

Our journey to the hills where we had decided we would be training – or actually, the place where Gladion had been training earlier today and where he was taking us – was really quiet. I could feel the hostility radiating from my blonde-haired temporary companion as we walked side by side through an unmarked nature path that passed through a small forest.

The forest trees towered over us with their leaves gently fluttering from the small breeze that brushed through them. Various bird Pokemon chirped out with them while some flew from the branches into the vast clear blue sky. The forest floor remained calm and serene though, unaware of the tension going on between the two human beings coming through. Gaïa seemed elated at the walk as her attention shifted from one point to the next making her flutter around. To the point that my smile turned into a giggle.

"May I know what's so funny?" Gladion grumpily asked.

"This weather is beautiful!" I joyfully answered him. "I haven't felt a weather like this in a long while!" I remarked out loud, stretching my arms above my head. I saw Gladion glancing at me for a short second then he lifted his head to the sky and sighed out.

"This isn't anything out of the ordinary."

"To you, maybe not. To me, it is!" I countered, my voice still bouncing out with glee. "I assure you that more often than not Pinwheel Forest isn't as calm as this! And the weather here is nothing like in Unova! Don't you agree, Gaïa?" I asked my Servine. She turned to look at me when she heard her name but quickly returned to her latest center of interest, some huge red flower, inhaling the sweet sense it certainly emitted. I laughed under my breath.

"Guess I'll take that as a 'yes', then." I commented quietly to myself, running my hand through my midnight hair that the breeze slightly swept. This hadn't seemed to have any impact on Gladion as he kept his eyes straight forward on the path we are taking. His Lycanroc just followed him, in his action and attitude. I shook my head.

"How long have you had your Lycanroc for?" I asked him. Gladion slipped his hands into his pant pockets and sighed again.

"Why do you ask?"

"It seems to have taken a lot after you." I commented. When I said that, Gladion turned his head to stare at his mahogany Pokemon and rested his hand on the hunched creature's back.

"I don't see the problem with it."

"I never said there was." I replied. "I was merely stating a fact. When I was in school, my teachers said that the longer the Pokemon stayed with their trainers, the more they adopted their trainer's behavior and attitude. And it's true! I saw that with my Snivy. Hey!" I exclaimed suddenly. "Wanna guess how long I have had Gaïa?"

"No!"

"Aww, come on, Gladion. Don't sulk. I am trying to ease the tension here. Help me a bit."

"There would be no tension to ease if you haven't forced yourself on this trip." he retorted, causing me to pout.

"Fair enough. But I am not about to leave! And as you don't want to guess, I'll tell you. I have had her for seven years now." I announced.

"Seven years, huh… And why did it take you so long to make her evolve then?" He asked. I found it an improvement. At least he was listening to what I was saying.

"I didn't go on a Pokemon journey as most children do when they become of age. My parents… or rather, my father, didn't want to let me go." I admitted with a sigh. "I still got Gaïa from Professor Juniper though." When she heard her name again, Gaïa looked at me and squealed out. "Dad said we'd train together, but in the end, we couldn't to it as often as I'd have wished as his job was – and still is – quite time taking."

"And you couldn't do it on your own?"

"I tried. But it didn't quite work out." I replied with a laugh. "I didn't know a lot about Pokemon training, even with my classes. So, most of the time, any training session we had simply finished in us hanging out as if we were siblings… See, I am an only child and with the years, all my friends eventually left to go on their journey or study elsewhere. So my Pokemon basically became my sisters." I added, a bit sheepishly.

"That's a quite interesting story… I can see where they get their attitude. Can't say I am surprised." Gladion remarked.

"Hey! What do you mean?" I wasn't sure if I was to feel offended or not as he hadn't been vulgar or anything. Actually, his tone of voice had been quite flat.

"Nothing more than what I just said." he answered with a shrug.

"I guess… Well, I caught… found Marie about one year after I got Gaïa. I was playing in the park and Gaïa had been getting close to the water. Back then, she didn't always obey me so I had to go get her. That's when I slipped and fell into the pond. And found Marie."

"You could have recalled your Snivy into her Pokeball."

"I could, that's for sure." I agreed. "But I didn't. As I said, Gaïa is like a sister to me. I'd not put my sister in a Pokeball if I can help it. Don't you agree?" Gladion nodded in firm understanding. I guess that my talk about sister got to him.

"So, what about your Lycanroc?" I asked to break the silence that had rose again between us.

"I caught him like this a few years ago." he eventually replied.

"As a Lycanroc? I'd have thought you'd have caught him as a Rockruff." I said, crossing my arms over my chest as I cast a glance at the red bipedal Pokemon.

"You thought wrong."

"But you two are so much in sync. Like me and Gaïa." I insisted. There certainly was more to it than only Gladion randomly encountering a Lycanroc and catching it. "I can't believe you only had it for 'a few years'."

"I didn't say it was the case."

I waited in silence, expecting him to expand, but he didn't add anything else.

"So…?"

"So I knew Lycanroc when he was just a Rockruff." Gladion said, or rather grunted. "He lived in the park in… whatever. He lived there and I spent a lot of time with him and my Eevee." he explained in a fast pace as if he wanted to be over with it. "We had some playful battle sessions… And some much less playful. Eventually he evolved and … before I left for my journey, I caught him. Are you satisfied?"

"I… My, that was quite the story Gladion. Thank you for sharing it." I wondered where did Lillie fit into it though. Did she attend their sparring sessions or had Lillie already been afraid to touch Pokemon at that time? I remembered she said she wanted to become a Pokemon trainer like Gladion. I was about to ask him when Gaïa suddenly dashed away to the hill top. With the mix of a chuckle and a sigh, I ran after her until I joined her on the peak of a large grassy hill. Actually, the hill was tall enough to overlook Konikoni City, located quite far off.

"My… We did walk quite a bit." I exclaimed, taking in the breath-taking view. "Alright everyone. Out to train!" I said after a while, turning my back to the beautiful panorama and taking my Pokeballs out. Sabertooth, Justice and Marie all appeared in a bright light, as excited as I was.

"And what have you planned for training?" Gladion asked as he finally arrived. I was surprised though. I almost had supposed he'd take Gaïa's running ahead with me behind her as a way out of the forced training session and go on his own way.

"We need to come with a plan to defeat the totem Pokemon and, ultimately, the Kahuna!" I announced. "I know she uses Rock Type Pokemon." I went on, recalling her midday Lycanroc she had used on the boat trip. "I know Justice isn't the best match up against Rock type Pokemon," I said, turning to my Rufflet who had landed on a branch and was looking at me from above. "But I'd like him to master that Rock Tomb move."

"Ah, and that's why you asked if you could stick with me." he sarcastically said.

"Well… No!" I replied. "Not only." I corrected myself. "I didn't think of this before I saw your Lycanroc in the Pokemart anyway. I don't even know if your Pokemon knows Rock Tomb. You haven't used it during our battle."

"As a matter of fact, he does…" Gladion informed me.

"So, can you help me with it?"

"I have my own training to do." he retorted.

"And what are you wishing to train him to master?" I asked, curious. Now I thought of it, Gladion hadn't told me what sort of training he had had with his Pokemon before I crossed his past. Well, I hadn't asked him either. But the blond haired boy didn't answer to me right away. Instead, he took a pokeball out and an Umbreon appeared.

"Oh! You have an Umbreon!"

"I said I had an Eevee, didn't I? Well, it evolved."

"I see that! And I start to see quite a pattern here." I added with a bright elated smile. "You have a thing for the night, don't you? First a Middnight Lycanroc, then a night-time Eeveelution…"

"Maybe," he answered, looking away. Though, I was sure that, before he turned his face, I saw the faintest of smile.

"And what do you want to teach your Umbreon?" I asked, trying to refocus. And prevent Sabretooth to climb the tree Justice was in to attack him.

"Iron Tail."

"I think I can help you with that!" I proudly said.

"Really? How?" he asked, surprised.

"Easy! Gaïa, com'ere my girl." Gaïa, who had been wandering off again, running after some red petals that the wind had blown up here, elegantly, almost regally, came to us. "Gaïa knows Aqua Tail." And, as if I had given her the command, my Servine's tail glowed a bright blue hue and she aimed it at the tree Justice was resting on. And Sabretooth was still trying to climb, effectively sending my Litten falling on the grass and Rufflet flying away.

Both of my Pokemon who had been disturbed soon regain their composure and, as Gaïa looked at me with innocent eyes, Sabretooth was hissing at her and Justice flew back to his tree branch, though he kept glaring at her. "Well… you saw." I said with a smile, trying not to burst out laughing at my Pokemon's antics.

"I saw… And how is it supposed to help me?"

"Gaïa knows how to focus her might and power in her tail, she could show it to your Umbreon while your Lycanroc help Justice with his Rock Tomb. I'd call it a fair deal, don't you think?"

"I suppose… Though, if you plan on defeating the Kahuna of Akala Island, shouldn't you rather use your Servine or your Tympole? They would both have a type advantage." Gladion commented, pointing at Marie who happily hopped to him, in the hope he'd take her in his arms. She was disappointed when Gladion just rose a brow at her. I quickly caught her during one of her bounces.

"It's alright Marie." I comforted her, petting her soft body. "And that'd be the easiest solution, yes." I replied. "However I saw the Kahuna." I remembered the Rock Slide move and the unorthodox way she had used it against the Bruxish. "I know she expect me to use Pokemon with a type advantage. And she'd certainly be ready for it. She knows about Gaïa and Marie. So I want to think out of the box and surprise her."

"It makes sense."

"Wait, you agree?" I exclaimed, utterly surprised.

"What's so strange with it?" Gladion countered.

"Nothing. So, you agree to help me with your Lycanroc and I help you with my Servine?"

"That's not what I said. I agreed with your conclusion. I still need to be convinced about how a Servine with Aqua Tail can help an Umbreon with Iron Tail, but I suppose I can 'think out of the box' and see if it works." he said. If he outwardly didn't show any sign of amusement, I could feel it underlying in his tone of voice!

"Hurray!" I exclaimed happily. "You'll see, you'll have a blast!"

"That remains to be seen." He said, toning down my enthusiasm. But I refused to let his pessimistic attitude get to me.

"Oh, you'll see alright! Guys, let's get down to business. Gaïa, show Mr. Hard-Head here how strong your Aqua Tail is." I commanded her.

Gladion scoffed.

"Lycanroc. Show Miss Smartypants what a real Rock Tomb is!" he countered, calling his own Pokemon. And with this, the training session started!