A brief intermission…well, not quite brief, ha ha. Still please enjoy Chapter 4!
Chapter 4
A Wilderness
After two weeks spent mostly inside Motostoke, returning to the Wild Area felt strange for Ash.
He didn't notice it at first, Gloria's energy bringing the group forward with gusto, but by the time they stopped for lunch it was apparent. Sitting at their table, the liaison could finally afford to get a good look to what had been the site of the Motostoke Incident. It was a plain graced with a light breeze, but to his surprise, was utterly untouched, save for a few broken trees and traces of upset grass. The effort Macro Cosmos had put in to fix the damage was commendable and it was hard to think that a dangerous battle had been waged there not long ago.
Still, the atmosphere felt entirely different from their last trip.
Nothing said it clearer than the area they were presently at. While it had been a few weeks, Ash easily recognized the trees where they had once fought Greedent, though neither that Pokémon nor those it had terrorized were present. Ash hoped they were fine, wherever they had gone since then, but the unknown spread of the Pokémon populace ensured that Greninja was staying on high alert for any possible threat. Sobble stayed by his side in an awkward but earnest attempt to emulate his idol. Seeing that the Ninja Pokémon had not sensed any problem so far, Ash tried to relax his mind, instead taking note of his immediate surroundings. All their Pokémon were out and about, spending time in their own ways.
His team of ace Pokémon (save for Pikachu by his side) were sparring with each other in an attempt to keep their fighting spirit sharp, with Charizard and Infernape getting quite into it. Much calmer were the majority of Astrid's Pokémon, all lazing about around their trainer, with the sole exception of Butterfree fluttering ahead as Astrid kept an eye on him, sitting at the same table.
A different story were Gloria's Pokémon, with Corvisquire and Chewtle seemingly bickering over something and taking it as a chance to tussle. Raboot was helping Applin in her own training, the little apple having finally mastered a punching technique that Ash recognized as Sucker Punch, bringing pride to Gloria as she put the finishing touches on cooking their lunch.
"All right, to celebrate our return on the road, here's a special treat from yours truly! Captain's Table level stuff, I tell you!" Gloria declared, proudly holding up the ladle skyward like a sword. After the boast, the girl quickly plunged it back inside the pot, giving it one final stir before the cooking was complete. Raboot quickly stopped with the training supervision and went to his trainer's side, grabbing several plates of curry at once and nimbly leaping around the table to deliver a serving to everyone around, humans and Pokémon alike. As the bunny delivered a plate to Ash and Pikachu, the man and his partner could see that the much-vaunted meal involved quite a few potatoes added to the curry and rice.
Pikachu took a sniff at his own dish, a big smile on his face as his mouth started watering and turned towards the cook. "Pipi, Kapika!"
Pikachu's appreciative reaction was mirrored by the rest, with even the usually stoic Greninja sporting a pleased expression behind his tongue scarf as he shared his plate with the little Sobble. As Raboot rejoined his trainer's side, a final plate in his hand alongside the required utensils, Gloria prepared her own plate of curry, joining Ash and Astrid at the table with her smile still as bright as ever.
"Let's eat! There's still a ton of road to get through, and we need to be at full power! Right, guys?" she asked, her gaze wandering towards her whole team, scattered about the place.
"Ruh ruh!" Raboot declared, head raised up enough to show him grinning as he held his spoon in an imitation of his trainer. Corvisquire and Chewtle interrupted their fight to throw their own limbs up while Applin jumped up and down, all of them united in their cheers. The rest of the Pokémon and the remaining two trainers joined soon after, each of them enjoying the bitter yet balanced taste. Ash was hardly a culinary expert like Cilan was, but even he could tell that Gloria poured all of herself in that food, and the way she and her team were wolfing through their portion made clear they were treating it as their own little reward.
"You're in high spirits, hotshot," Astrid commented between spoonfuls.
"What can I say? Passing a big hurdle lifts your spirits up. And we sure don't want this little one to hatch in a gloomy environment." As she put her now empty plate aside, Gloria passed a hand over the capsule holding her Pokémon Egg, a spark of curiosity brimming in her eyes. "Wonder which Pokémon it is..."
Ash took another peek at the purple egg, scratching his chin in thought. "Usually you can identify the Pokémon by their pattern, but I don't think I've ever seen this one. Maybe it's a Galarian Pokémon?"
"Could be. But whatever it is, it's Serena's parting gift, and I'm gonna take good care of it."
As Gloria pressed her hand over the protective case and fell silent, the air around them hung heavier. Gloria's Pokémon looked over to their trainer in concern.
For Ash, he leaned on his palm, a wan smile directed to Gloria. He knew that his wife was doing what she thought was best and that sometimes that would bring them apart, but given how their little traveling group of four had been a fixture for Gloria's entire journey so far, the man could understand the void now left in the wake of Serena's departure. It was a lesson that needed time to sink in for him, as well.
Astrid realized it, too, leaning forward to try and change the subject. "So, what's our next destination now?"
The question seemed to do the trick, as Gloria grinned back to her with the usual confidence. "Hammerlocke, of course. The central hotspot of the Galar region, and home to the Dragon type Gym under Leader Raihan."
"That's the one at the top of the rankings, right?"
"The one and only! He's ranked as the strongest Gym Leader of Galar, Leon's self-proclaimed rival and an expert of double battles. Quite popular on social media, too."
"Looks like playing with fire wasn't enough with Kabu, huh?" Astrid held a frown, her typical dismissiveness accompanied by real concern as she kept staring at the girl. "Do you really want to go and face the strongest guy on the block right after what you went through?"
Gloria didn't answer, her eyes traveling downward to check on all of her Pokémon. She seemed aware of what the Kalosian trainer was asking her, and Ash couldn't disagree; aiming higher was good and all, but choosing the strongest Gym Leader of Galar as her next goal was way too much. Fundamentally no different than accepting Kabu's challenge during the entrance ceremony. The Postwick girl, however, quickly put her head back up, fire in her eyes as she matched Astrid's gaze, fists balled with purpose.
"Me and my team need to keep challenging ourselves, and there's no greater challenge than Raihan right now. We need to face him and see where we stand."
"Rabah raboot!" Raboot declared, setting his own food aside and hopping over the table, paws pumped and joining his trainer.
"Lin lin!" Applin also added, a fierce expression on her cutesy face as she rolled onward. Even if they didn't join their companions above, Corvisquire and Chewtle shared the same resolution, clearly on the same page as their trainer.
Astrid smirked just a bit, finding her reaction enough of an answer, while Ash and Pikachu couldn't help but chuckle. The words may have sounded similar, but the girl in front of them wasn't the same one that arrogantly believed herself a match for Kabu when her journey had barely begun. He could appreciate that, even if Gloria still had a long way to go in her journey, and the Pallet Town native knew exactly what she needed now.
"Wanting to test yourself against stronger opponents is nice," Ash said, leaning across to her. "But you should make sure you're prepared for it. Double battles require a much different sort of coordination than regular ones."
"You know I've won a few already, right?" Gloria shrugged out, not particularly worried.
"And you still had some problems with both," Ash pointed out. Gloria frowned, having no room to disagree. "Besides, there's a big difference between having a team of strong Pokémon and Pokémon that make a strong team."
"That sounds like the same thing to me."
"There's a difference," he insisted. "The team you've seen me with is made out of some of my strongest individual Pokémon. But in the right circumstances, other teams would do much better than them. You know, like how I brought in Passimian to train you in precision? A good trainer needs to keep that in mind."
Gloria nodded along, clearly following his words, even if her arched eyebrow betrayed her lack of understanding. "So, the gist is...?"
"You should make sure your team is able to cover each other's weaknesses and be ready to work together whenever you need it. Training your team as a team, rather than one Pokémon at a time." Ash and Pikachu spared a cursory glance to Gloria's team as they said so. They were all nice Pokémon one way or another that had managed to prove themselves in their short journey so far, but still with quite the potential to improve, much like Gloria herself.
The Postwick native scratched her chin, considering her own team and Applin, in particular. The little apple rolled closer, no doubt determined to show her improvements after sitting out Motostoke's Gym battle. That made Gloria frown, uncertainty creasing her face as she looked back to Ash.
"Hmm...any suggestion of how to do that? Not exactly something I'm an expert in." Ash smiled, glad to see that Gloria had come to trust him in that regard. Fortunately for the girl, he also happened to know exactly what to suggest.
"I have a small idea." He turned to the vast plains surrounding them, trying to discern all the various bits of landscape he didn't get to notice beforehand. "The Wild Area is full of strong Pokémon of all kinds, right? Try to look around for some of them alongside your whole team. Focus on everyone at once, and aim for synergy."
"Pi-Pikachu!" His loyal Electric type friend added, paw to the sky in encouragement.
Gloria joined the man in observing the immense grounds all around them, eyes squinted in an attempt to find more Pokémon throughout the shifting weather and great distances. Attempting to do so brought a smile to her face.
"You sure know how to get my attention," she said with a chuckle, turning back to Raboot and the rest of her partners. "So, mates, what do you think of this?"
The united, roaring cry of agreement only turned Gloria's smile into a confident grin, letting the girl pump her fist. Seeing her so in-tune with her Pokémon made Ash nod with approval. Even Astrid looked pleased.
"Just what I wanted to hear! Let's finish this meal and get to work!" the girl declared. Soon enough, all the members of the tight-knit team cleaned up what was left of their lunch and rushed to their trainer's side. Standing proudly and cleaning her mouth with her sleeve, Gloria pointed forward into the unknown surroundings.
"All right, we're off! We'll return as winners!" She threw up a fist of victory to the heavens. "Let's conquer the Wild Area, everyone!"
Joined in a war cry, Gloria and her little battle partners all strode forward as one, with all the confidence of a little army ready to rake their rightful wins. Seeing the girl being so energetic and optimistic, the now alone Ash and Astrid chuckled together at her enthusiasm.
"The spitfire always goes all out on anything she does," Astrid mused, her usual dismissiveness replaced by a small hint of appreciation.
"I like that about her, keeps things lively," Ash said, leaning back once more. "Being hardworking seems to be a very Galarian thing."
His gaze went to the side, where Greninja was keeping a close watch on Sobble trying to shape some Water Pulses and throw them faster without pause. The timid Water type was putting his all into the attempt, a prideful smile beaming from his face. Astrid leaned back, herself, taking note of Greninja leaning closer to the Water Lizard Pokémon, forming a Water Shuriken and throwing it as an example that Sobble swiftly tried to emulate.
"For such a shy little guy, your new Pokémon is putting in a ton of effort," she remarked.
"He saw what his friend Chewtle and the rest of Gloria's team are capable of. He must want to catch up to them, especially with Greninja as his goal."
"He's got quite the road ahead of him."
"But he has the drive to see it through. I believe in Sobble." Ash smiled, Pikachu giving an approving nod of his own and continuing to observe the Galarian Pokémon's training.
"Lucky you. Wish things were that simple here." Astrid groaned with no real malice, throwing a look to her Butterfree, currently busy trying to uproot a tree with increasingly strong Gusts.
Ash turned his attention to Astrid's rowdy new capture, himself. "Still having problems with him?"
"More or less. He cares more to pick a fight than listen to me," she grumbled as Butterfree managed to achieve his objective. He quickly fluttered away to brutalize another tree in the name of his training, still far from satisfied. Seeing that, an idea formed in Ash's mind as he grinned to his friend.
"Since we have some time, and some Pokémon in need of training, why don't we work on it together? We haven't had a good fight in a while."
"Is that a challenge?" Astrid arched an eyebrow up, her interest piqued.
"If you want to take it that way..." Ash smiled sheepishly, rubbing his neck. The months since the events that surrounded IDEAL hadn't given any of them time for battling. The fact they hadn't had a chance to face each other in the Champion Tournament before everything turned sour simply sweetened the pot.
Astrid's reply came swiftly as she stood up, cracking her knuckles and wearing a grin of challenge. "Very well, then."
Ash's own grin turned just as confident, the man joining the Kalosian trainer in standing up as he turned once more to his Water types. "Sobble, come here!"
"Sah?" The Water Lizard Pokémon was taken by surprise, scurrying for his trainer alongside Greninja, his big eyes filled with interest. As Ash explained the idea to his newest Pokémon, he was quick to scuttle about and flex his noodly arms, ready to show off the results of his training as Greninja joined Ash's side. Astrid grinned, Butterfree joining her quickly at the prospect of a battle as the remainder of their Pokémon circled the patch of grass Ash and Astrid picked for a battlefield.
With Sobble and Butterfree staring at each other, Ash gave Astrid's Pokémon a glance, realizing just how much he was craving this match. It looked eager to rumble, and with no intention to go easy on them. Sobble seemed aware of that, shivering a bit, even as he tried to play things cool. Astrid gave a nod, her own expression matching her Bug type's.
"We'll give you the first move. Let's see what your little guy has got!"
"Gladly! Sobble, Water Pulse, rapid fire!" Ash threw his hand forward, choosing to go all out from the word go.
"Sah! Sah! Sahbble!" Sobble formed and threw the watery orbs at a fast pace, hopping a step forward with each one as they all zoned in for Butterfree.
"Gust!" A funnel of air formed right ahead of Butterfree, capturing each of the projectiles homing for him and letting them flow skyward, splashing uselessly above the fighters. Ash smiled, surprised but not deterred.
"Not bad. Now, let's show 'em a Double Team!"
Sobble obeyed instantly, a large row of afterimages surrounding Butterfree and hiding the real one's position. Greninja opened his eyes in acknowledgement, clearly proud of how quickly his pupil had mastered one of his techniques.
Astrid just shrugged out, much less impressed. "You really think the simplest trick in the book will stop us?"
"Of course not! Sobble, Water Pulse on yourself!" A sphere of water formed in the hands of every single Sobble, each of them throwing them skyward at once, the attack exploding and drenching all the copies underneath. They all disappeared right away, with no indication of where the real one was. Butterfree buzzed left and right in confusion, while his trainer tried to figure out Ash's plan. Clenching his fist, Ash played his hand. "Now, Water Pulse against Butterfree!"
"Saaaah!" the cry seemed to come from all over the battlefield, just as a massive amount of Water Pulses dotted the landscape around Butterfree, none of the Pokémon conjuring them visible as they all flew for their opponent.
"Freee!" The Butterfly Pokémon cried, unable to escape the barrage of all the attacks flying towards him, unable to tell which was the real one. Emboldened, the invisible Sobble and his clones continued to strike, leaving no room for Astrid's Pokémon to counter them.
Seeing her Pokémon being tossed around like that, the Kalosian trainer frowned. "Tch, of course you had a trick up your sleeve. Butterfree, use Gust around yourself!"
With no other options to attack Sobble at hand, Butterfree formed the small tornado around itself, shielding the Bug and Flying type from the watery assault, real and fake Water Pulses flowing upward and turning into a harmless shower.
As the situation changed, so did Ash's own approach, quickly identifying the one gap in Butterfree's defense. "Sobble, jump and get ready to strike!"
"SAAAAAH!" Even if still invisible, Sobble's cry was loud and clear, a leap cluing Astrid and Butterfree of what to do.
"Butterfree, Giga Drain overhead!" The Butterfly Pokémon threw his head up, coils of green energy protruding from his body and aiming for the Sobble trying to strike from overhead, revealing his presence. The grin told Ash that Astrid thought she had them.
She was wrong.
Ash's Pokémon disappeared as soon as the attack connected, taking both Astrid and her Pokémon by surprise, just as Ash and Sobble had planned.
"No dice! Pound!" The order was swift, as the real Sobble threw himself through the Gust, becoming visible as he tackled Butterfree out of his protective winds.
"Saaah!" cried Sobble on impact, bringing Butterfree down and pinning him to the ground.
"Freee!" Astrid's Pokémon fluttered his wings powerfully, over and over, until he finally managed to break free from Sobble's hold by tossing him back, bringing both fighters away from each other again.
As their Pokémon stared at the other and waited for the next move, Ash and Astrid shared a chuckle. Even if it was just a friendly spar, Ash could tell that they were both bringing their all, as if it were an official battle.
"You really learned how to use Sobble's invisibility, huh."
"It's his main talent. We knew this was the best area to focus on."
"Sah sah!" The Water Lizard Pokémon beamed back, puffing his tiny chest at the praise. Ash gave a good-natured laugh, while Greninja continued to look over his disciple. As if to impress his mentor and trainer further, he immediately enacted another Double Team around Butterfree, hiding himself amongst the afterimages. Astrid grinned in turn, accepting the challenge.
"In that case, we'll just have to force you on the offensive! Butterfree, Rage Powder!"
"Freee!" Ash could swear Butterfree's scowl grew as he fluttered around the various Sobble, his Water type ready to defend himself. The Butterfly Pokémon made his wings beat much faster, a reddish mixture of powder and scales falling down all over the place, briefly coating the copies of Ash's Pokémon in a crimson hue.
"Sah...? Sah!" All the Sobble looked at each other in confusion, trying to garner what Butterfree's plan was. At the same time, the butterfly flew lower, closer to the copies, wearing a smirk that goaded the Water type to come and face him. And as the various Sobble scowled back and prepared to strike, Ash realized Astrid's plan.
"Sobble, don't attack! It-" His order came too late, the Water Lizard Pokémon launching himself to tackle Butterfree with a Pound, faster than any clones.
"That's the real one! Butterfree, Bug Buzz!"
"Freee!" Butterfree didn't waste any time in unleashing a round of malicious soundwaves against Sobble, throwing Ash's Pokémon back on the ground. He tried and failed to hold his head against the sound-based assault, but all of his clones were dispelled.
"Saaaaah!" Sobble screamed, wriggling on the ground uselessly, barely able to stand back on his feet as the Bug Buzz continued to drone on, forcing everyone in the audience to cover their ears the best way they could.
"Sobble!" Ash yelled, hoping for him to listen and get back up. He didn't manage it. By his side, both Pikachu and Greninja observed the situation with apprehension.
In spite of the soundwaves affecting her too, however, Astrid still grinned. "Looks like the momentum is shifting towards us! Butterfree, use-"
"Free! Free! Freeeee!" Butterfree started vibrating his wings even faster, the sound growing higher-pitched and faster-paced, sending a searing migraine through everyone's heads. Sobble screamed, trying to defiantly stand on his legs, only to fall back down. Butterfree still didn't stop. Astrid bit her lip, concern over her face.
"Butterfree, stop, that's enough!"
"Free!" Butterfree ignored his trainer's order, continuing his assault. The message was clear: he would win, and not stop until Sobble was down. No matter the cost.
"Pika!" Ash's partner locked gazes with him, and so did the silent Greninja. Ash understood his partners, and after a nod shared with Astrid, they all knew what to do.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail! Greninja, Water Shuriken!"
"Absol, Megahorn!"
With trained skill, the three Pokémon surged on the offensive. Pikachu's tail and Absol's horn shimmered and slammed into Butterfree at the same time as a flurry of Water Shuriken impacted on him, blowing the Butterfly Pokémon to the ground and abruptly stopping his cacophonic attack. It left an empty ringing as silence returned, Sobble's body finally relaxing.
Ash spotted Astrid, Absol and her remaining Pokémon circling around their newest companion, but Ash's attention remained squarely on his own, rushing with Greninja to Sobble's side. Pikachu helped the tiny blue Pokémon stand back up.
"Are you okay, Sobble?" he asked, grabbing the Pokémon in his hands and looking over his bruised body.
"Sah..." He weakly nodded, rubbing his head and clearly pained, but still putting his best effort to sound brave. He couldn't hide his disappointment, however, leading Ash to caress his head fin with a smile.
"You were great. Don't worry about it." Sobble didn't seem convinced of Ash's words, but he was still happy to hear that, especially as Greninja nodded alongside their trainer.
Their little moment was quickly put to rest, however, as loud calls came from Astrid's end. "Did you really have to go and not listen me? This was just training! You could've seriously hurt Sobble!"
"Free! Free!"
"Sol..."
As Ash and his teammates turned to their fellow companions, they could see Astrid and her remaining Pokémon scowling towards Butterfree. The Bug and Flying type fluttered about nonchalantly, ignoring the admonishment as he went back to training his Gust on the nearby trees, fiercer than before. Like his life depended on it. Astrid exhaled, massaging her forehead.
"There's really no end to his aggression, huh...? Reminds me more of a Beedrill than a Butterfree," Ash chimed in, joining Astrid's side as his eyes remained on the ball of pent-up anger that was her new Pokémon. "Maybe it's due to all the Galar particles he absorbs to Gigantamax? Like all the other Pokémon around here?"
"I don't know, and frankly I don't care." Astrid stepped forward, even managing to catch Butterfree's attention with her heavy steps. She jabbed at him. "You are my Pokémon, and you're going to listen to me whether you like it or not. Understood?"
Whether he did or not, Butterfree looked away from his trainer, once again manifesting Gusts around himself to push his technique further. Astrid exhaled. "Sorry Ash, but I think this is something better tackled by myself. Thanks, anyway."
"It's alright. Good work."
Astrid acknowledged his words with a quick nod, before she focused back on trying to get the rebellious new entry of the team to listen to her, the remainder of her team by her side to help her out. Ash frowned, well aware of what a challenge that could be for any trainer, his gaze instinctively going back to Charizard, the Fire and Flying type also recognizing the situation very well. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder what could cause a normally peaceful Pokémon such as a Butterfree to be so fixated on growing stronger.
"Saaah..." Sobble's groan and the frown he displayed distracted the liaison from his musings, the Water Lizard clearly still frustrated by the abrupt end of their training.
"Hey, don't frown like that. You did a great job. Let's keep working together ourselves, all right?" Ash said, both Pikachu and Greninja showing their own support for the little Pokémon.
Sobble's big eyes grew even wider, trembling with excitement as his mood made a complete one-eighty. He nodded sharply, several times over. "Sahbble sah!"
With a good laugh, Ash set his new Pokémon down and let him walk again, joining the rest of his team to plan out the rest of their training, ready to bring the best out of their little comrade. Doing so brought Ash's mind back to their missing companion, combining it with the aggression displayed by Butterfree. There was no doubt dangerous Pokémon out there, and he was unsure if she could handle them all. Yet he believed.
So, he turned to his Pokémon, hoping for Gloria to be safe and return stronger than ever.
Gloria couldn't stop the hugest grin from forming as she took one step after another in the endless expanse that was the Wild Area. Her team was by her side as they went farther than they ever had before, fighting against the strong winds affecting the patch of land they were traversing.
As Gloria journeyed across the extensive untamed land, she couldn't help but take a look. The areas surrounding Motostoke still had some notable signs of the battles waged during the Incident, with many of the lights of Dynamax further away than she last recalled, and she couldn't hide the unease she felt at remembering what had transpired. Yet turning about, that feeling of dread paled in front of the sheer vastness of her surroundings, filled with Pokémon and locations she could only barely make out in the distance. One of the most competitive places for wild Pokémon was all around them, and the training experience was ripe for the taking.
Rotom Phone in hand, Gloria mentally mapped their planned route: the area between the Wild Area station and Motostoke was already vast enough that it would've been foolish to explore it all in one afternoon. Circling around Lake Axewell and the surrounding areas, however, appeared far more doable, with a large bridge ready to take them back towards Motostoke's entrance and the area where Ash and Astrid would be waiting for her. She grinned, an expression of challenge for all the Pokémon in her path, and then turned back to her little team.
"Alright, guys, this is our time." She pumped her fists, her proud gaze going from her quiet Raboot all the way to the energetic Applin. "Beating Kabu was a great step forward, but that's just the beginning. We have much stronger opponents ahead of us, and for that, we need to stay sharp! I'm proud of all of you, but we need to be even stronger if we want to defeat Leon. Are you ready to work hard?"
"Rabah!"
"Corva!"
"Chewtle chew!"
"App app!" Applin's cry was the most energetic and driven of an already roaring approval, rolling all the way to Gloria with determination in her eyes. It was obvious that after having been excluded from the prior Gym battles, she was craving a chance to truly prove herself. Gloria kneeled with a smile, patting the little apple's head.
"Exactly what I wanted to hear." Gloria stood back up and pointed forward. "Now, let's go, everyone! To higher heights!"
She took a large, symbolic step with decision…
…and promptly stumbled as she hit a rock.
"Oof!" she let out, falling flat on her face. Raboot leapt ahead and swiftly helped his trainer in getting back up. Gloria groaned and cleaned the grass off her cardigan, unable to stop herself from finding the whole situation remarkably familiar.
The sensation of deja vù only grew stronger as a sound of shifting ground caught the Postwick girl's attention. As she and her team turned around, they found a very angry and very familiar Onix staring down at them, none too pleased by its rest being disturbed. It all clicked in place, and in turn Gloria stared back defiantly.
"You again! You left the Rolling Fields, huh?" she asked, and she received a powerful roar in response. She could still feel her heart racing as the Onix lunged for them again, remembering how their first meeting had paralyzed her in place, against an opponent far too out of their league.
But they were better, stronger now, and they were ready to prove it.
"Raboot, Double Kick!" Her loyal partner sprung forward nimbly, slamming his feet on the large, stony snake's head, blowing it back enough for the second strike to destabilize him. "And now, Chewtle, Water Gun! Follow up with an Air Slash, Corvisquire!"
In spite of their usual quarreling, both of Gloria's first captures obeyed immediately. Chewtle fired a salvo of gushing water that Corvisquire enhanced with a blast of compressed air, the combined attack traveling all the way for Onix, toppling the giant as it cried out, outlining the dirt with its shape. Gloria and her trio of fighters kept looking on as Onix raised his head back up, all wearing grins that told the wild Pokémon they were ready to dish more punishment. The Onix took the hint, turning around with a grumble and slithering away from the trainer and her team. Gloria grinned with excitement.
"And don't come back!" she shouted, more to reaffirm their victory than as a real threat. She didn't expect to meet that stupid giant snake again, but she most definitely enjoyed the chance to right their first meeting at the start of her journey. She was almost sad that Ash missed it.
"Linlin app! App!" Applin cheered by their side, exuding energy from all her pores as she headed further through their planned path, ahead of everyone and seeking her own glory. The rest of the gang followed along, that first victory emboldening them for bigger challenges to test themselves against.
And so, they went on, through sharp hail and brief sandstorms, encountering all sorts of Pokémon along the way. From Corvisquire blowing away a gaggle of Pancham much less cute than Serena's, to Raboot proving his mettle even at a disadvantage against a Swinub while Chewtle handled a Baltoy. They even encountered powerful opponents like Bronzong and Mudsdale that forced them to back down, but not without all of her Pokémon proving their worth and dishing quite a bit of damage to them in their escape. Their moves weren't always in sync and Gloria was having trouble shifting between all of them, yet slowly but surely she could tell that her team was becoming more and more well-oiled by the second.
Well, save for a singular, glaring exception.
For as much as she tried, Applin continued to lag behind her first trio of Pokémon, occasionally pitching in to help with her newfound Sucker Punch and her original Astonish, yet never ending up as the star player or finishing an opponent for herself. Even if that didn't stop the little apple, Gloria could tell that her newest team member was still looking to achieve a definitive victory of her own. Fortunately, they were heading for just the right place to do so.
After a while more of battling and training, the crystalline waters of Lake Axewell started to subside as they passed the western waterside and walked over the nearby hill, the sky growing clouded as they reached what looked to be the ancient remains of several buildings. In particular was a tall, halfway standing tower that looked to have seen far better days. Rotom was quick to identify the area as the Watchtower Ruins, the remnants of one of the earliest attempts to settle in the Wild Area that later led to the birth of Motostoke, and all sorts of historical trivia that Hop would've loved to ramble on about.
Gloria cared little for any of that extra information. What she was really in for was the local Pokémon populace: members of the Gastly and Duskull families among others, levitating around the former buildings. Raboot and her other experienced teammates were ready to rumble, but they weren't her first concern this time.
"Okay, Applin," Gloria began to say, leaning down to the small apple, a fist pumped in encouragement. "Most of the Pokémon around here are Ghost types. Perfect for your moves. Wanna try to fight yourself?"
"App! App!" Applin's energetic reaction was expected, but Gloria was still happy to see the little Grass and Dragon type rolling into action, aiming her sights for a nearby Haunter. Sharing her excitement, the girl jabbed onward.
"Alright, show 'em your Astonish!"
"Liiiin!" the Apple Core Pokémon shouted, speeding through for the larger Ghost type as she made a scary face and her eyes turned crimson. The sudden assault managed to startle the Gas Pokémon, leaving it stuck in place due to the shock.
"Now, follow up with Sucker Punch!"
Before Haunter could react further, Applin charged through again, manifesting a large energy punch and decking the Ghost type in the face, sending him slamming into the tower's wall hard enough to crack it. Applin rolled back, hopping in place with glee, while Gloria punched the sky with approval. That was the best start they could ask for!
"Keep going, Applin! Go for another Sucker Punch!" Applin didn't waste time in rushing for her opponent again, already materializing the punch as she homed in for the strike.
But this time, as Haunter floated back up, it was prepared. It dove down into the ground, disappearing from sight and forcing Applin to halt, retracting her attack as she turned around. As soon as she did, Haunter materialized behind her, giving a sharp, cold lick all over her body.
"Bloody!" Gloria shouted, biting her lip as she noticed the telltale static of Paralysis restricting Applin after Haunter's Lick. She gulped down. "Astonish, aga-"
"Haaaaunt!" cried the Ghost type, coating its fist with dark energy and unleashing a Shadow Punch on Applin, too fast for the Grass and Dragon type to react, sending her rolling down the hill powerlessly. As a nearby block stopped her descent, Haunter quickly floated with another punch ready.
"Applin, counter with a Sucker Punch!" The little Pokémon formed the energy fist right in time to match Haunter's shadowy one, both attacks competing with each other for the hit, neither giving in.
And then Applin flinched and her body went numb, and the Shadow Punch sent her all the way down the hill. The Haunter laughed at the gained advantage, continuing to follow the hopelessly rolling Applin to finish the job. Realizing the danger she was in, Gloria rushed by, the rest of the team in tow, all ready to put a stop to the fight before it turned even sourer.
With little time to react, an idea popped into Gloria's head. "Raboot, kick Chewtle with Double Kick! Towards Haunter!"
"Chew?!" Chewtle arched her unibrow higher than Gloria thought possible, while Raboot observed his trainer with the most utter bafflement.
"I know it sounds weird, but I got a plan! Just do it!"
Raboot and Chewtle shared a look, considering the prospect before the rabbit shrugged out and prepared to enact the order. The Snapping Pokémon sighed and accepted it. Raboot put out a mighty kick, sending the small turtle soaring through the air and straight for Haunter, swishing sharply enough for the Gas Pokémon to turn its attention on her.
"Now Chewtle, Jaw Lock!" Her Water type opened her mouth quick, sinking her large teeth into Haunter's head, making the Ghost type yell loudly at the super-effective strike, frozen in place by the rather proud little turtle.
With all pieces in play, Gloria turned to the flying Corvisquire, pointing skyward. "Hone Claws, and then Drill Peck!"
Corvisquire flew higher, increasing his attack along the way, readying himself to dive down into a devastating strike for the blocked Haunter. Chewtle let go of the Ghost type at the last possible second, and by then it was too late, their opponent cratering groundward for the impact. A pathetic cry later, and the Ghost type fell unconscious, defeated. Seeing the threat neutralized, Gloria turned to her reliable trio of Pokémon.
"Great job, everyone!" she said, just as Raboot and Chewtle traded a high five and Corvisquire landed next to them.
The celebrations were short-lived, however, as the trainer's attention went towards the still paralyzed Applin, her rolling stopped by the plain ground. Without wasting time, Gloria grabbed some Potions and a few Cheri Berries from her bag, and began administering the healing as soon as she found her pained companion.
"Liiin..." the Apple Core Pokémon sighed out, clearly appreciating the care, but keeping her eyes on the ground. Gloria smiled at her.
"You did great. You gotta be proud of what you just did, it was a great start!" All her praise was honest, spoken from the heart, and yet Applin never held her eyes up, sighing once again. With a frown, the Postwick trainer understood it: even with all the kind words of the world, Applin still didn't win by herself.
With a sigh of her own and shaking her head, Gloria rubbed Applin's head. "You're gonna be fine. What we need to find is the right opponent now."
"App?"
"There's still a lot of the Wild Area to see. Your moment will come for sure." Getting back up and taking the apple in her hands, Gloria once again pointed onward. "Now, let's go! For even bigger challenges, team!"
And with that said, the team continued onward, leaving the Watchtower Ruins behind them as their search for stronger opponents continued. The remains of the old buildings disappeared around them, replaced by the plain grassy fields of Lake Axewell's western side, with far more new Pokémon to face off against as harsh sunlight peeked through the clouds.
As they faced the various Vulpix, Dwebble, Purrloin and more surrounding them with the desire to attack, Gloria's first three Pokémon took a vanguard position, standing ahead of the group as its first line of defense. Gloria supposed it was a result of their teamwork in rescuing Applin that was giving them the itch to try further combinations, and she chose to capitalize on it, ordering various commands depending on the opponent. With each call, the trio of fighters rose to the challenge, using their own talents to their advantage. Whether it was Raboot leaping over a Diggersby to dodge and strike quickly, or Chewtle speeding through a blast of Flamethrower from a Growlithe to lock it in place with a firm Jaw Lock, they were improving themselves. Corvisquire oversaw the battles from above, occasionally just in time to get rid of a pesky Pelipper giving his comrades trouble.
All in all, they were quick to try and cover their weaknesses and combine their strengths as needed. As Gloria slowly grew accustomed to following her team's movements, she slowly came to understand Ash's aim. She wasn't seeing just three singular Pokémon, but rather the beginning of a well-oiled machine that would be able to defeat anything on its path.
And yet, the machine had a weak point which only grew more evident with each battle waged.
"Great job, guys, you're showing the Wild Area who's boss!" Gloria said, the tired but proud trio celebrating the defeat of the Xatu in front of them, just as the girl sprayed some Potion over them all. They were right in the middle of a small thicket of trees identified by Rotom as the Dappled Grove, one of the major milestones of their training path before it would loop back to where it started, the late afternoon sun shining overheard.
"Rabah raboot!" Raboot cried, a grin popping out from under his high collar. Next to him, Chewtle was charging up her forelegs and looked ready to sprint forward, while Corvisquire spread his wings, prepared to challenge the turtle to a race then and there.
Gloria chuckled, continuing to administer the necessary first aid until everyone was back in good shape and ready to fight again. Her good mood ended abruptly, however, as she noticed Applin rolling around, a frustrated look in her eyes as she sulked on the side. The trainer sighed.
As much as the vanguard was succeeding, Applin was still lagging behind them, denied further chances to prove herself as the veteran trio reaped all the wins for themselves. She still tried as best she could, but with only Astonish and Sucker Punch to use, there wasn't much she could do by herself without the element of surprise. Gloria recognized that, and didn't like it one bit.
Even if the training was going well enough so far, Gloria still remembered what happened in the second Galar Mine, how she promised to make Applin the strongest apple in the world in time for the Champion Cup. She really wanted to stay true to that, and it was obvious that she needed to find a way to bring the Apple Core on even ground with the rest of the team. How was the obvious question.
"Maybe we should move to individual training once again?" Gloria mused to herself, only to shake her head and discard the thought as quickly as it came. This was supposed to be about training the whole team, to become a unit together, and going back to one-on-one would've not solved the actual issue. Plus, she really didn't like how Corvisquire looked ready to either eat Applin whole or play some nasty prank for his amusement.
Grumbling, her eyes fell on a nearby tree, filled with berries of several kinds, one of the many scattered all over the Wild Area. She remembered of how Astrid's Butterfree kept training his Gust over them, and finally, the right idea clicked in place.
"Of course, that's it! If a Pokémon is too much, we just gotta hone our skills first!" Standing back up, she grinned at her whole team and then pointed to a few of the nearby trees. "Let's make it a race! The first to uproot the tree wins!"
Raboot, Chewtle and Corvisquire were briefly taken aback by the sudden idea, but it didn't take long for them all to accept the dare, everyone choosing a tree for themselves and readying their attacks for the little contest. Only Applin remained where she was.
Kneeling down to her Grass and Dragon type's level, Gloria bopped her gently, catching the sour apple's attention. "Come on, let's try. I'm sure you can ace this."
"App?" The encouragement made Applin perk up, clearly curious. Gloria smiled, pointing to the one free Berry Tree in their vicinity.
"Use Sucker Punch, strong as it gets. Got it?"
"App app!" Gone was the sulking, bitter apple from mere seconds before, replaced by the sunny and excitable Applin that wanted to prove what she could do. She rolled on even faster than usual, rapidly spinning through to gain strength in preparation for the energy punch, hitting the Berry Tree hard enough to send it shaking, several varieties of berries falling through the leaves. Right next to her, Raboot's Double Kicks, Corvisquire's Drill Peck and Chewtle's Water Gun were proving just as formidable if not moreso, a clear bar for the Grass and Dragon to match and surpass.
As Applin hopped back and looked at her comrades, Gloria jabbed forward and embraced her own challenge. "Another one! Keep going until the tree breaks!"
Her Pokémon obliged, rolling backwards to gain enough space and then sprinting forward at full speed, once again striking the tree at full force with another Sucker Punch, making even more berries rain around them. And then Applin continued to roll, onward and backwards several times over, berries flying down with each hit as visible cracking marks formed over the tree's bark, much faster than her companions. Gloria smiled; slowly but surely, she was honing one of her talents now. Even Applin seemed to realize it, growing faster and more motivated with each strike, and soon enough she was ready for one final, definitive strike to finish the job.
Or it would have, if not for a familiar cry coming from the shaking tree.
"Greee!" shouted a blur of brown, leaping off the shaking tree, abruptly stopping Applin in her tracks and blowing her back with the force of their landing. Applin picked herself up quickly however, in time for her and Gloria to recognize what it was: a Greedent, staring right for the little apple.
Gloria blinked, for a moment wondering if it was the same Greedent they had met before, but the lack of recognition from the Pokémon made her discard that theory quickly. The Greedy Pokémon looked none too pleased at having had their whole berry stash scattered over the ground, and the hungry look it was giving to Applin made its intentions more than obvious, enough for the Apple Core Pokémon to fidget in worry.
"Of course..." Gloria frowned, realizing what they were in for. As Raboot and the others got ready for a fight, she turned back for Applin. "Let's get to-"
Her comment came too late, and she could only look after her little apple as she rolled for the gluttonous Pokémon with an Astonish. She paled.
"Wait, no! That's gonna-!"
"LIIIIIIIIN!" with a mighty cry, the Dragon and Grass type dashed all the way for Greedent, unleashing her worst expression to try and startle her opponent…only to have absolutely no effect whatsoever. Well, unless one counted the squirrel Pokémon glancing at her funny.
Gloria grimaced. Applin's plan was sound: startle with Astonish and then segue into Sucker Punch, just like with Haunter. It was a shame that a Normal type like her opponent was completely immune to Ghost type moves, leaving Applin as the shocked target.
She immediately tried to make up for it, the energy punch coalescing behind her, only for Greedent to put an end to it quickly with a Bite attack, stuffing Applin into his mouth in one fell swoop.
Gloria went into full-on panic mode at seeing that, moreso as Greedent started trying to munch on her Pokémon. Applin was visibly running all over the Greedy Pokémon's cheeks to escape, in too much of a scared hurry to do anything else. She was in danger, and she needed to act now.
Gritting her teeth, she swept her hand. "Raboot, Double Kick, again!"
"Rah rah!" the Rabbit Pokémon leapt on the scene, flying through with a kick straight into Greedent's gut, forceful enough for it to spit Applin out. Raboot didn't give the Pokémon the chance to counterattack, slamming his foot into Greedent's jaw for the second strike, sending the Normal type flying.
"GREEE!" The Greedy Pokémon landed on a heap of grass facefirst, clearly pained and confused at the new attack. As he turned to see Chewtle and Corvisquire ready to help their partner along with Raboot giving him a stink face, the Greedent seemed to finally realize how outmatched it was. It grabbed a few of the nearby berries and legged it as fast as its stubby legs allowed, leaving Gloria and her Pokémon safe for the time being.
Gloria's attention immediately went to Applin, worried for her safety, finding the Apple Core Pokémon coated in saliva and still pretty upset at the experience, but otherwise unharmed. With a sigh, she grabbed a towel and went to clean her apple, the rest of the team surrounding them with shared concern.
"Liiin..." Applin sighed heavily. Her eyes were firmly on the ground once more as Gloria finished cleaning her, the trainer offering the small Pokémon a hug for comfort.
"It's okay, you did great all the same. You couldn't know your strategy wouldn't work. That's why I'm here as your trainer, after all," Gloria tried to reassure her, her words already feeling far too much like empty platitudes for her liking. Even knowing that, it didn't change the fact she had failed once more, a feeling she could relate to all too well.
Predictably, her words had no effect on the little Pokémon, sobbing to herself and looking on the verge of tears. Concerned and with no ideas, Gloria glanced over her team. Corvisquire just shrugged out, while Raboot tapped Chewtle on the side, suggesting her to come forward. The Snapping Pokémon agreed, pacing forward for her younger teammate.
"Chewtle chew. Chew chew!" she said, sounding firm but supportive, a rare smile forming on her face. Gloria recognized it as the same tone she used for Sobble, and could infer she was trying to perk up Applin by telling her how strong she was to even shake the tree so much.
"Linlin applin!" the apple shouted back, jumping off of her trainer's hands to land right in front of Chewtle. The further attempt at cheering her up had backfired, staring straight at the Water type like she was pitying her, like she was useless. Something Gloria found more than uncomfortably familiar.
"Chewtle was just trying to help you. There's no need to-"
"LIIIIIIN!" Perhaps it was a result of their discussion, or simply a desire to vent out her mounting stress, but it didn't change how Applin retracted back into her apple and rolled all the way for the Berry Tree once again, manifesting the largest Sucker Punch she created yet and ramming at full force into the damaged bark. Her rage pushed the wood to its limits, a harsh snapping sound resounding in the Dappled Grove as some nearby Pokémon ran away. The tree collapsed under its weight and fell forward to the ground in an impressive display of rage and strength.
Applin could only feel pride for all of two seconds at that.
"ORBAAAAAHHH!" A pained, unknown cry brought everything to a halt. The fallen tree was suddenly outlined by psychic energy and tossed all the way inside Lake Axewell, with no regard for finesse or the surroundings. From where the tree had landed rose an unfamiliar beetle-like Pokémon, wearing a bulky red shell adorned with seven black dots from which a much lither body hung. It floated back up and stared with its azure eyes towards Applin and her companions. Gloria frowned and steeled herself, bringing Rotom to duty.
"Orbeetle, the Seven Spot Pokémon and the evolved form of Dottler," Rotom read off. "A Bug and Psychic type. One of the smartest Pokémon on record, with its large brain being an endless supply of psychic power. It is able to observe and study everything in a large area of its surroundings thanks to it."
"Orbaaahh..." The intelligent Pokémon looked none too pleased about the hit, a large number of leaves and a notable bump over its shell, glaring at Applin in particular. The apple flinched, frozen in place.
Noticing her Pokémon's distress, Gloria swallowed and stepped in, hands raised in peace. "I get it, Applin here just went and ruined your day, and we're sorry for that."
"Orbeet! Orbaah!" Orbeetle floated closer, his gaze growing fiercer as it turned towards Gloria. Sweat poured down her face as she forced a smile.
"Hey, come on, the Pokédex said you're a smartypants, right? Surely you know that we meant no harm and you'll let us go... right...?"
Orbeetle's response involved charging the purple energy of a psychic attack, unloading it instantly towards Gloria and Applin. They both went wide-eyed in shock, the attack coming too fast for them to react. It was a snap decision made by Raboot and Chewtle charging through that saved them, shoving both girls out of the way, the Psybeam traveling a hair above them.
Giving a wordless thanks to her companions, both Gloria and the Apple Core Pokémon got back to standing position, matching stares with the still angered Orbeetle, already preparing to fire another Psybeam. Clearly, being 'smart' had no bearing in how angry and vengeful it was feeling, which left only one option to deal with it.
"If a battle is what you want, a battle you'll get! Guys, let's-"
"LIIIIIN!"
Gloria paused mid-order, looking over with a torn grimace as Applin yet again rolled onward, a Sucker Punch ready to hit with fierce intensity. Orbeetle was unfettered, manifesting a multicolored barrier of Reflect with little effort that held the powerful punch at bay, giving the Seven Spot Pokémon ample room to charge his psychic powers again. As Applin was startled by her ineffective attack, a blue outline of Psychic trapped her, with Orbeetle throwing the Apple Core Pokémon all the way to a nearby tree.
"Applin!" Gloria cried, worriedly staring on as Applin fell down, hurt but still hanging on. Clenching her fists, the Postwick trainer glared back at Orbeetle, feeling even more of a desire to teach the Pokémon his place. "Corvisquire, Air Slash! Chewtle, Water Gun!"
Both of her Pokémon followed immediately, the blast of razor-sharp air and the torrent of water mingling together into a combined beam of both elements. Orbeetle once again didn't look worried, manifesting a honeycomb barrier of Light Screen to protect itself from the assault. Gloria grinned, and faced Raboot. "Bounce!"
"Rabuh!" Her loyal rabbit Pokémon sprung forward, all the way above the defensive barrier, before falling towards Orbeetle with a kick on the ready, right for its blind spot. Yet even this attempt was thwarted, another Reflect forming right in time to block Raboot's descent.
"Baaaaah...!" Raboot shouted, pressing further in an attempt to shatter the barrier. His persistence made his opponent finally frown, forcing Orbeetle to create another layer of Reflect to keep the Rabbit Pokémon at bay. The Light Screen was dispelled as the combined blast petered out.
Corvisquire and Chewtle didn't waste time capitalizing on the opportunity, rushing together with a Drill Peck and Jaw Lock on the ready as the Reflects started cracking under Raboot's might, sure to bring their opponent down.
With a piercing frown, Orbeetle glared at the oncoming Pokémon, another Reflect forming. They slammed against it, bringing the charge to an abrupt end. Before any of Gloria's Pokémon could react, the wild Pokémon trapped Raboot in another Psychic outline, any resistance futile as he slammed the Fire type against his comrades, bowling everyone together into a messy heap.
"Guys! Get back up!" Gloria said, a larger grimace affixed to her face as her trio of veteran Pokémon tried to get back up, only for another psychic outline to hold them in place. The Postwick trainer bit her lip; with her other Pokémon held in place, she and Applin were now alone at the mercy of their powerful opponent.
Applin tried to roll between Gloria and the wild Pokémon, a defiant look on her face, even if her shaking body betrayed her feelings. Orbeetle floated slowly towards them, deliberately staring at them and preparing another Psybeam slowly.
"Orbahbahbah..." The Seven Dots Pokémon laughed out, looking ready to exact its sweet revenge, relishing in the dread he was inflicting on Gloria's remaining Pokémon.
"L-lin...applin lin..." The Apple Core Pokémon looked ready to roll all the way back, away from the powerful opponent she had angered. Gloria clenched her fists, feeling so powerless. She wanted to help out Applin, save her from that situation, but no idea came to her.
But one came to Applin.
"Liiiin!" With another roaring cry, Applin put her worries aside, encasing herself fully in her apple and rolling all the way for another Sucker Punch, much to Gloria's shock. What did she think it would do, after it had failed already?
"Orbah!" Orbeetle sneered, simply blocking Applin with another Psychic, the power trapping her, spinning in place with no way to move forward. The Bug and Psychic type frowned a bit, clearly exerting considerable power with two Psychics and a Psybeam in the making, but it still didn't stop it from considering the battle won.
Yet Applin didn't stop.
She kept rolling in place, pouring all of her energy in moving forward, budging through the psychic outline and inching her way forward. Barely making progress, yet never losing her drive, no matter how large the Psybeam grew or how fatigued she was getting. And all the while, Gloria was speechless.
"Applin, why...?" She tried to ask, only to shake her head, a smile forming on her face. She didn't need to question it; she knew very well how Applin was feeling, after all.
She didn't care how outmatched she was. She didn't care if her moves weren't the best for the situation. What she cared for was pushing past her limits, standing alongside her teammates, and becoming the strongest apple she strived to be, no matter how powerless and scared she could be. She was a challenger through and through, just like her trainer.
And now, she needed help.
Knowing that, Gloria grabbed a nearby branch, remnant of the fallen Berry Tree, and lunged for the busy Orbeetle.
"Stop! Right this instant!" The trainer swung her makeshift weapon downward, the wood smashing over another last-minute multicolored barrier. Orbeetle turned to her in confusion at the sudden move.
"Orbeet?!" The beetle-like Pokémon buzzed, the Psybeam fizzling out into nothing at the divided psychic energy, his frown piercing through Gloria. From the corner of her eye, she could notice Applin and everyone else looking over her in concern.
"Rabah!" Raboot said, concern over his face as he tried to tell Gloria to leave and not get hurt.
Applin instead looked on, a glint of confusion and admiration at once in her eyes. "Lin...?"
Gloria shared a smile with the little apple, pushing the branch against the Reflect and bringing her full attention to Orbeetle. "My Pokémon have always fought for me. I don't care if I can't defeat you! I'm going to fight as hard as they do for their sake!
"We're all in this together, and I'm not letting you hurt my partners!"
"Orbah!" The shout from Orbeetle was defiant, disgusted and it readied another Psybeam aimed squarely for Gloria, ready to blast her out of its sight. The trainer from Postwick didn't care, hitting and hitting the barrier even as the branch cracked with each strike until it became a useless twig. She had no intention of backing down.
And then, she heard a shout.
"LIIIIIIIIIIIN!"
It was so powerful, so driven, that it managed to make everyone's attention gravitate back towards Applin. The little apple was rotating herself with much more drive and passion than before, inching closer and closer to breaking free as the Psychic struggled to rein her in. And in her eyes, Gloria saw.
She wasn't afraid. She wanted to do her part, helping Gloria and the others as much as they helped her.
She rolled, rolled and rolled further, until her whole body became a red blur, smashing through the psychic outline and launching herself at full speed straight for Orbeetle. The movement was sudden, surprising, and Orbeetle could do nothing at all as the Apple Core Pokémon slammed into her. The raw power of the impact sent it flying backwards and into the lake where it had tossed the tree, breaking the Psychic hold on Gloria's remaining Pokémon as well.
Applin broke free of her rolling stance, clearly taking heavy breaths, yet still proudly staring to the downed opponent, ready to strike down again.
As her team joined her behind the little apple, Gloria looked to her, proud and yet confused at what she just did. A quick perusal of her Rotom Phone cleared her confusion, and a smile formed on her face. "You learned Rollout!"
"App app!" Applin once again hopped in place, as energetic and raring to go as ever, already whirring in place.
Gloria would've complimented her Pokémon more, but there was still one matter to settle first, frowning as she saw Orbeetle rising from the lake and readying another Psybeam, seemingly continuing out of sheer spite.
"We can't allow it to use its psychic powers again. Finish it in one hit." She turned to all of her team, and ultimately Applin. "Let's go, everyone."
"App app!"
"Rabuh!"
"Corva!"
"Chewtle chew!"
"All right, then!" She outstretched her palm, confidence surging inside her as she prepared her final order. "Raboot, Double Kick on Applin! Applin, Rollout! And Chewtle and Corvisquire, support her!"
"Rabahboot!" the Rabbit Pokémon shouted, a paw to the sky as he readied his feet. Applin was already rolling into position like Chewtle had done before. The kick came fast and powerful, sending the Apple Core Pokémon forward at high velocity, even before she curled up. She rolled at even higher speed, covering the distance for Orbeetle quickly.
Panicking, the Seven Dots Pokémon charged his Psybeam even faster, the shape growing less consistent in the hurry, preparing to fire it at a moment's notice while a Reflect manifested in front of him. Chewtle and Corvisquire pitched in, once again merging their Water Gun and Air Slash together, the combination move striking Applin and sending her forward even faster.
The high-speed apple pierced the Reflect into a million pieces, breaking through the still charging Psybeam and into Orbeetle once again. The impact was stronger than even before, sending the beetle flying through the air and all the way into the farthest drink of Lake Axewell with a mighty splash, sending several of the local Water types swimming out of the way.
Orbeetle reemerged soon after, even angrier than it was already, only to be met with the defiant and cocky stare of Applin, soon joined by Raboot, Chewtle, Corvisquire and Gloria. All shared the same message: no matter how many times he would get up, they were ready and united to strike back.
Orbeetle twitched and clicked, but eventually decided to finally take the intelligent course of action, floating back up and buzzing away. With a breath, Gloria and her team were left behind, victorious at last. The girl couldn't contain her excitement, punching the sky right as their opponent left.
"Yes! We did it, guys!" she declared, turning back to them to flash twin victory signs.
"Rahrah raboot!" Raboot joined her, grinning just as widely under his high collar. The rest of the team silently joined the celebration, each of them falling on their butts now that they could finally rest, taking a deep breath together.
"Wicked job, mates. We really showed that bloody arse who's boss!" Her trio of veterans grinned together, each sharing the closest thing to a fistbump they could manage. Gloria then grabbed Applin in her hands, the little apple bruised and tired, yet still looking the happiest she had ever seen her. "But most of all, you were amazing, Applin. All your hard work paid off! That Rollout was something else!"
"App app!" Applin managed to hop off of Gloria's hold, rolling up her cardigan's sleeve and all the way to her face, nuzzling the girl affectionately. With a chuckle, she kept rubbing her Grass and Dragon type.
"And here I was, treating you as a weak link. You're just as much of a hard worker as Raboot and the others, and you will become the strongest apple in the world, for sure!"
"Lin lin!"
With a big push, Gloria brought herself back on her feet, once again looking over her full team. They were all bruised, tired, and very much in need of some rest, but she knew none of them were quite happy just yet. They had been working well together, but there was just so much more to improve on and get better at. They were all different in their own ways, but as trainer and Pokémon, they were all united in being the best they could be.
Gloria laughed. So, that was what Ash wanted her to learn.
"Alright, pals. I think Applin here is due for some revenge in the Wild Area, don't you think?" She and Applin shared a smirk, one that the rest of their team immediately adopted as well. No one needed to answer; they all departed together, ready to show everyone what they could do. As Gloria smiled and led her team with Applin rolling by her side, her smile only grew wider.
No matter how tall the walls ahead were, she was sure they could surpass them, together.
It was nearly evening when Gloria finally returned back to where her little adventure started. They had faced every Pokémon on their path, no matter how fast, durable or strong, and they had gained more than their fair share of extra bruises, but Astrid, Ash and their Pokémon immediately helped out in patching up everyone upon their return. The lone exceptions were Greninja, too busy helping out Sobble in getting the hang of some new technique, and Astrid's Butterfree deep in his own sort of training. Regardless of them, Gloria couldn't contain her excitement as she recounted everything that transpired since they left.
"You should've seen Applin! She was all vroom, and then crash! She just sent that Orbeetle in the lake like, splash and stuff!" Gloria shouted enthusiastically, acting out each onomatopoeia as if she was reliving the very moment, Applin by her side and taking part in the reenactment with pride.
"You don't have to explain it like Ash, as well, you know." Gloria fired a glare in Astrid's direction at that, the woman ignoring it as she helped spraying some potions on Corvisquire's wings and Chewtle's shell.
"Hey, I don't always sound like that. I think..." Ash's eyes went for Pikachu, seeking his partner's validation. The latter only gave a half-hearted shrug as he shared berries with Raboot, much to the man's chagrin.
"But still, you should've seen it. Applin was amazing, and the whole team was just awesome!" Gloria looked over to all her companions, grabbing them all into a hug to show her appreciation. They couldn't help but laugh together.
"So, was it as fruitful as you wanted?" Ash asked, leaning a bit closer and tipping the rim of his hat. He clearly already knew the answer to the question, but Gloria was still happy to thump her chest and grin again, indulging the older trainer.
"Of course! We fought every kind of Pokémon together, pulled off some great combination moves, and just kept trucking as one! We're ready for anything Raihan can throw against us!"
"Rab rab rabuh!" Raboot raised his paw in agreement, a gesture yet again mirrored by Chewtle and Corvisquire to the best of their ability. Applin instead rolled all the way to Gloria's beret, hopping atop the girl's head. The message was clear: they would all be ready for everything to come, as much as their trainer.
Hearing the answer he sought, Ash chuckled out, a hint of nostalgia in his voice as his attention shifted to Pikachu, the Electric type leaping over the table to join his trainer. "Heh, this excitement really takes us back, don't you think?"
"Pika pika, Pikapi."
It was Gloria's turn to lean forward, matching the older trainer's own grin. "You felt it as well? That excitement to reach the next Gym, prove yourself as the coolest trainer out there?"
"Of course! It may not have been as big and flashy as Galar's Gym Challenge, but I was still a beginner as well, after all."
That remark, and the increased nostalgic wave creasing Ash's lips into a smile, only made the girl's curiosity spike further. She hadn't quite realized it, obsessed as she was with clearing her first hurdle as a Gym Challenger, but she didn't really know much of her mentor at all. She had heard of some things from the news, and he occasionally let out small remarks about his past, but she had never quite gotten the full picture of what her companion had done before coming to Galar. Realizing that, she rubbed her neck, sending Ash a quizzical look.
"Say, how are the Gyms of other regions like?" she blurted out. Ash looked to her and she cleared her throat, continuing on. "I mean, I get you got it easy without the endorsement system, but that's not all there is to it, right?"
"What, we got you curious of the world outside your little region?" Gloria rolled her eyes at the snickering Astrid.
"Hey, Ash endorsed me, of course I want to know what his adventure was like."
The Postwick girl faced her endorser again, the entirety of her team joining her in hopping near or over the table in shared interest. Ash's smile grew wider, sharing a nod with Pikachu as his own team joined his side, Greninja and Sobble coming in last as they paused their exercises. Everyone gathered together, his eyes met Gloria's again.
"If that's what you want, then sure. I'll tell you anything you want to know."
And telling he did, starting from the very beginning, from his eventful first day as a trainer all the way to his League Conference runs. The friends and rivals he met, and the several dangers and perils he had dealt with. How his adventures in Kanto, the Orange Islands, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and especially Kalos and Alola gave him unforgettable adventures and irreplaceable lessons, each of his Pokémon taking turns at pitching in and prompting Ash to tell bits and pieces of their own stories. All the while, Gloria and her team couldn't help but listen intently, each word drenched in memories of all kinds, from the happy to the sad, from failures to triumphs. Of love found, and hope triumphing over despair no matter how grim the situation became.
In a way, it sounded like something out of a fairy tale, and Gloria was certain that her would-be mentor was omitting and simplifying quite a few things. Even in that summarized version, though, the Postwick girl could feel the enormity of the tale woven around him.
"You did all this stuff? You sure have been around the world!" she blurted out, kicking her legs against the table as she leaned back. In a way, drenched in the moonlight now pouring over them, Ash looked much taller than he had before. He responded with a good-natured laugh.
"And there's a lot of other things, as well. I spent the better part of my life traveling the world with the aim to become a Pokémon Master, even before realizing what it really meant for me."
"Must've been a nice and steady road, with talent like that," Gloria remarked, glancing over each of Ash's faithful companions, a team of true aces tempered by challenges, and the little Pokémon that hoped to live up to them.
"Not at all, I was an impulsive kid in over my head, thinking I could beat anything in front of me. Took a while for me and Pikachu to become real friends, as well."
"Pi pichupi."
"I really can't picture you as a beginner..." Gloria admitted, peering dubiously at the claim.
"But I was, like everyone else. It was all the trials, challenges and people I met that turned me into the trainer I am today." He went and rubbed Sobble's head fin, considering his newest Pokémon briefly before he brought his attention back on Gloria. "We all have the potential to grow into incredible people, and that goes for you, as well."
Gloria's face flushed with embarrassment, put on the spot by Ash's remark. The idea that she, of all people, could really become incredible filled her with much more energy than ever before, her desire to be the best trainer Galar had ever seen flaring up inside her. She really couldn't believe that a trainer of his and Leon's caliber were ever mere beginners; they were clearly always destined for this greatness. How else could they have reached that level otherwise?
Astrid joined the twosome right then, giving the Kantonian trainer a playful elbowing, accentuated by the crackling of their campfire. "Spoken like a true Pokémon Master."
"Heh, I try," Ash replied, chuckling to himself. Gloria instead went pensive, playing with a lock of her hair as she tilted her head.
"So, I was wondering...what is a Pokémon Master? Is it like, some official title for a super trainer or something? I've heard it a lot, but never what it was."
"It's been a while since someone last asked me that question." Ash sounded ready to laugh, as if even more memories were laced in Gloria's curiosity. He turned to Pikachu, both partners reminiscing together as the man spoke. "It took me a while to understand what it really meant for me. And well...it's not an official title or anything. It's an attitude, a desire to understand and connect with the people I meet and battle against, and keep learning from them. That's what makes me and Pikachu Pokémon Masters."
"Pi-Pikachu!" Holding a tiny fist to the sky, Pikachu agreed.
"Learning from others, huh?" Scratching her chin, Gloria attempted to consider that sort of path, only to give up with a frown and a shrug. "Doesn't really sound like my thing. I wanna clobber all my opponents and be the best, you know?"
"And that's okay. I may be helping you out, but you're still your own trainer. You'll surely find your own answer about what being the strongest, being a Champion, means in due time."
Ash's words felt reassuring for Gloria, glad to know that wasn't the road she had to necessarily walk. Yet, part of her still wanted a piece of that greatness, to be a trainer that could be worthy of the same tales Ash lived through. His skill. His heroism. And as her excitement surged inside her, she stood up and pumped her fists.
"Well then, that just means we need to train some more! No way we're gonna find that out by sitting around and doing nothing, after all!"
Her excitement was quickly dampened by Astrid pushing the girl back into her seat. "Calm down, hotshot. You just returned from training, and look around. It's the dead of night."
"Which means we've rested more than enough! It'll take us some days to get to Hammerlocke, anyway, so we may as well see what nocturnal Pokémon are out there!"
"You already have a training destination in mind, I guess?" Ash asked with interest, prompting Gloria to produce her Rotom Phone and start looking through a few screens.
"Here's one," Gloria mentioned, bringing the device to Ash's attention so he could see the map of the Wild Area on it. "The Lake of Outrage, right on the path to get to our actual destination. The best place to get some training in ahead of our next challenge!"
The rest of the entourage, human and Pokémon alike, quickly swarmed around Gloria. Everyone tried to get a look at the map in question, with the Galarian trainer's team in particular looking fascinated about new training prospects, craving more of the sort of training they just went through, Raboot and Applin most of all.
Astrid quirked an eyebrow, staring back at the younger girl. "What, is it filled of powerful opponents or something?"
"More or less, if what Rotom shows is correct. I can tell you more later."
"Good to know, I could use some strong opponents." The Kalosian trainer smirked, though it faltered when her gaze shifted to Butterfree, still busy training himself. He remained the only Pokémon to not even care of the current discussion.
"Well, if our Gym Challenger already has a destination in mind, there's no time to waste here." Ash stood back up, adjusting his clothes without ever turning away from Gloria. "Wanna lead the way?"
"With pleasure!" Standing back up again, Gloria beamed to all of her comrades. "Let's go, everyone!"
"How about no. Get some rest. We'll depart in the morning, firecracker," Astrid said, placing a hand on Gloria and pushing her back in her seat. The brunette frowned at her, but Ash shrugged and gave a sigh.
Knowing there was no changing the woman's mind, Gloria relented, turning her thoughts towards the future and the road ahead. Her excitement was too much to bear, and needing some outlet for it, she turned to Ash. "Well, if we can't go forward, tell me lots more. I wanna hear about your battle with this Paul guy! Full details!"
"I think we'll be here a while…" Ash chuckled out, Pikachu nodding sagely.
Gloria didn't care, smiling brightly as she listened until she couldn't anymore. Regaled with tales of the past, Gloria dreamed of her own future, one where she could stand side by side with Ash, and when she awoke, she took her next step on the road forward, together with all her Pokémon.
Author's Note: Well, this was long, and perhaps a bit slower than usual, focusing more on Gloria and her team building than anything. However, I want to note, unlike some of our earlier slower chapters, this is not split from anything. It was always intended to be this one chapter. For very good reasons to be revealed soon. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it.
Viroro: And with this, my first chapter of Turmoil comes to a close. I had quite a bit of fun writing this chapter, and while I know it may have felt a tad long and low-stakes this was a very important chapter for all characters involved and Gloria in particular (even if I appreciated showing Sobble's growth).
I had a lot of fun dealing with our Postwick girl training her team and Applin in particular, and I hope that carried over to you readers as well, and that you'll keep looking forward to what's to come!
As usual, thanks to give: wakwakwak and TienMaD for favoriting; and the usual biggest thanks to FantasyLover88, RRV55, XDiamondX90, Rajiv A. Rajaram, ChE clarinetist, Tenzalucard123, aliensinnoh, UltimateCCC, MythGirl Writes, Ander Arias, Fury, Cottonmouth25 and Captainsquid12 for reviewing!
Not much left to say, so until next time, please Review and,
Dare to Be Silly.