I think we need to note that each of the legacy characters (Ash, Serena, Astrid) will only be catching a singular Pokémon apiece. Which means Ash has his (Sobble). This is Gloria's story, not theirs. Please do not suggest Pokémon either. We've already gone through the work on this. That out of the way, please enjoy Chapter 7!
Chapter 7
A Debut
Gloria rolled over in her sleeping bag, barely lasting a few seconds before turning again and opening her eyes. No matter how much she tried, sleep kept eluding her as she thought of the recent events.
After several hours of walking through dusk, she and her group of companions had managed to reach the outskirts of Motostoke just in time, close enough to be able to arrive in the city proper in time for the entrance ceremony. Gloria knew that getting a good rest was what she needed before such an important event, yet here she was, too excited to even stay still in spite of her tiredness. After too many incidents and unwanted surprises, there was nothing left that would keep her away from her starting line.
As she kept shifting around to find a comfortable sleeping position, she glanced over the other occupants of the tent. Scorbunny was sprawled on the ground, a bit of drool escaping his open mouth as he snored loudly, a paw over Rookidee's head and a foot firmly planted on top of Chewtle's shell. The bird and the turtle didn't appear to be the most comfortable with that arrangement from the frowns they wore in their rest. She debated if to wake her partner up and force him to let their new comrades sleep in peace, but she decided against it, not wanting to upset their rest when they were getting some shut-eye.
Gloria almost laughed to herself as she continued to look at her three Pokémon some more. It still felt so strange, thinking that she now had two new friends to help her and Scorbunny achieve their dreams not even two days after leaving Postwick. Just as surreal was the realization that she was finally being endorsed and given a chance to prove herself, or the fact she got to face off with a Dynamaxed Pokémon and help bring it down. She had accomplished so much in so little time, and she knew that was only the beginning of bigger and more impressive things to come.
The road ahead was still long, but she was already going at full speed, and she couldn't wait for the whole region to know that as well.
"You should go to sleep, you know."
The sudden comment from the voice she knew as Serena's made Gloria go completely still, turning away from the tent's entrance to try and seem like she was already lost to dreamland. The moment she didn't hear any step coming closer, however, the girl tentatively rose back up and out of the sleeping bag, listening carefully.
"You're one to talk. You need more sleep than I do."
Curiosity piqued, Gloria crawled over to the tent flap so she could slowly open it, careful not to make any sound. Outside, under the star-studded sky, Serena was standing a short distance away from a sitting Ash Ketchum. Pikachu was nowhere to be seen and Gloria guessed Ash's partner was probably asleep as well.
The woman smiled back to her husband, striding closer to him. "I'm not the one who needs to report everything we see to the League, Mister Liaison."
"Touché." They both chuckled together, both of them taking things in good humor.
"I just wanted to look at the sky a bit more. The stars are beautiful up there," Serena explained as she sat carefully next to Ash, her gaze longing for the lights above.
The man gave her a nod, joining his wife in her stargazing. Even Gloria turned her eyes up above, enjoying the spectacle of lights dotting the dark sky, just as pleasant as it had always been. She almost wondered if any other Wishing Star would fall to the ground, for someone else to pick up.
She wasn't the only one with questions whirling in her head, as Serena turned to her husband once more. "So, what do you think of Galar so far?"
"It's a cool region with lots of new places to see and Pokémon to meet, but I still want to see more of how this place does things. If Galar is planning to gain a more important role in the League's leadership, it better treat its trainers well."
"I'm sure Gloria will help you see most of what you need."
Hearing her own name, the Postwick girl froze in place, almost as if she expected to be seen from the mention alone. She kept listening, however, curiosity leading her a bit further out of the tent.
"Oh, I'm sure she will. Girl is ambitious, I like her." She had to hold back a prideful snicker, still listening to Ash's words. "But until the Gym Challenge is over, all we can do is see everything the Galar region has to offer."
"Just like the old days," Serena still held her head high towards the firmament, losing herself in memories Gloria wasn't privy of. "I hope Clemont and Bonnie are doing well. It has been a while since we last got together with them."
"I'm sure they are. We should meet up together once we're done with this." The man let himself fall back on the soft grass, both palms behind his head as he smiled over to the stars, diving into thoughts of his own. "Man, it still feels like yesterday that we were traveling together. It's weird to think of how much things have changed...and yet, we're still here, on a journey together."
"But for pretty different reasons, this time."
"It's not really that different for me, it's just another adventure someplace new. I'm happy if it helps the League become better, but I'm still gonna enjoy the ride while it lasts."
Serena let out a hearty laugh. "You are taking your new job pretty well."
"No reason not to." With a heave, Ash was back in a sitting position, gaze locked with Serena's own. "What about you? You still thinking of what you wanna do?"
Serena furrowed her brow at the question, not quite lost, but giving it some thought. Gloria wondered if perhaps Ash had touched some sour note, but the woman quickly proved otherwise as she folded her arms and tilted her head to the side.
"Somewhat. I want to make sure no one slips through the cracks again, but I'm not sure on the how. I bounced ideas with Dawn, May and Aria over and over, but I still didn't reach any concrete solution yet." She sighed, looking down as she circled her finger over the soft grass. "For someone who wants to help others, I'm taking far too much time to think about what to do."
Ash placed his arm across his wife's shoulder, wearing his usual sunny smile. "Hey, don't be too hard on yourself, you know that this kind of stuff takes time. I know that you'll find something to do, no matter what it takes. You found your calling once; you can do it again!"
"Of course, you would say that."
"Would you expect anything else?"
They laughed together once more, as if that kind of scene was routine by now, and then they locked their lips together into a quick kiss. Gloria could feel her face flushing red, finally feeling like the intruder she was as she quickly retreated inside the tent, closing it behind herself to leave the married couple to enjoy the night sky together.
As her embarrassment faded away, she wore a smile of her own. She didn't know the reason for half of that discussion, or whoever the people Ash and Serena were talking about were, but her mind ignored that to fixate on a single, clear point: she was going to be an important, crucial part of Ash's stay in the region. Her journey wasn't going to just be the crowning of the next Galar Champion, but also play a huge role in the future of the entire Pokémon League. She had no idea how, but it only made her whole body shake with even more excitement. She was already becoming a big deal!
Gloria giggled to herself, finally deciding to try and sleep properly in spite of the rush of excitement she was feeling, tucking herself into her bag once more and closing her eyes. With how important the morning after would be, she couldn't afford to get there too sleepy.
As Hop would've said, the next day her legend would finally begin.
And so, Gloria slowly drifted into dreamland, holding to her future glory and successes like she already claimed them.
As dawn broke through the next morning, the group slowly rose from their sleep, going through their daily routines and preparing for the day ahead. Gloria dressed quickly and wolfed down her breakfast alongside her Pokémon with the same voracity she had shown the prior day. Before everyone else was close to ready, she had finished, her energy not having petered out any in her sleep. She quickly got to work by dismantling her own tent, occasionally glancing over what the rest of her group was doing. The adults were now setting the table aside, discussing of some League matters that she wasn't too concerned about.
All around them, most of their Pokémon were eating their own share of food together, with the lone exception being Greninja as the frog stood a small distance away from everyone, not enough to be completely divorced from them but enough to keep his attention over their surroundings. There was no doubt he was trying to avoid any scenarios like the Onix and Greedent from the day before, and Gloria couldn't blame him.
Next to him, Sobble was approaching the larger Water type with tentative steps, placing his own bowl down and emulating his standing position, down to the tiniest motion if one excluded his much shakier stance. He became less confident as Rookidee started observing him. Gloria couldn't help but giggle at how endearing that felt.
While Gloria removed the layers from the tent, she turned the other way to find Scorbunny and Chewtle racing against each other, the Snapping Pokémon putting her all to match the bunny's speed while her starter treated it like a mildly intensive training job. They both looked ready to try and win however, circling throughout their makeshift campsite several times over, neither ready to slow down. She was quite pleased to see them have as much energy as she held, and their own example caused her to dismantle the tent even faster. Knowing that they were still very much in time did nothing to dampen her celerity.
"All right, almost ready here!" she blurted out, already placing the removed parts next to her.
Serena looked over her work so far with a mixture of admiration and confusion. "You don't have to rush, Gloria. The city isn't going anywhere."
"I know, but still…Motostoke!" Gloria beamed as she grabbed one of the poles and used it to aim at the red walls ahead. "It's the second biggest city of the Galar region! No way I'm not gonna enjoy the visit as well."
"The entrance ceremony is going to be at the Gym, right?" Ash asked, scratching his chin.
"Yep. It's the crown jewel of the city, but the whole place is pretty neat. You'll see what I mean!"
"I thought you'd never left Postwick," Astrid said. Gloria covered it up with a laugh.
Ash just smirked with interest, and that made Gloria's pride swell even further in the shared feeling. For all she could boast of what she knew of her home region, nothing could beat visiting the real place, and she was ready to have fun all the way through.
Wanting to get there as soon as possible, she opened her travel bag to set aside all the camping equipment, but as she collapsed the poles and stashed them in, the sounds of Scorbunny and Chewtle's race reached her again, making the girl check on her Pokémon. Their makeshift contest looked to have reached its end, as Scorbunny snickered and hopped in place while Chewtle fell face first on the ground, breathing intensely.
"Nibbah scornibbah!" the Rabbit Pokémon proudly declared, a paw held skyward and his head kept low in an attempt to emulate Leon's Charizard pose.
"Chew...Chew chewtle..."
Chewtle tried to get back on her legs, only for them to betray her and send the Snapping Pokémon sprawling back on the grass, too tired to keep going. She didn't look defeated, however, as she tried to rise back up once more with fire in her eyes. Impressed by both, Gloria fetched her Pokémon and gave them a tight hug, wanting to reward them.
"Good race, you two!" she said, flashing them an approving grin.
"Chew." The Water-type blushed just a bit, turning the other way in embarrassment. Much different was Scorbunny's reaction, the Pokémon escaping from Gloria's grip and hopping down, chest puffed and thumping over it.
"Scor scor! Bun!" the Fire-type said, fists pumped as he punched in the air, staring back at Gloria with a familiar intensity. It made her smile, too, and she placed Chewtle down, kneeling before Scorbunny. "You still got energy to burn?"
"Bun!"
The enthusiastic response from her first partner gave Gloria pause, passing a hand over her hair as a glance to the still standing tents and the group deep in conversation. It was the proof she needed that they still had plenty of time to spare. However, between the tired Chewtle at her side and Greninja looking ready to strike Rookidee the moment he harassed Sobble again, a sparring session was off the cards, or at least, not one involving her own Pokémon. At least until she turned to the adults again and an idea abruptly came to her.
And so, she sprung back on her feet, jabbing right at her endorser. "I know! Ash, let's have a battle!"
Gloria's sudden, bold request made everyone's attention gravitate around her, a mixture of confusion and amusement among the reactions, depending on the human or Pokémon in question. Her own challenging stance didn't falter.
"What got into you, hotshot?" Astrid asked, an eyebrow arched quite far up.
"Me and Scorbunny still want a warmup, and since someone doesn't want to fight me, it has to be Ash!" Astrid leaned back in amusement, kicking her feet up on the table, an action that earned some slight ire from Serena. She didn't relent, but Gloria didn't care, eager to hear Ash's response.
"Bun bun!" Scorbunny nodded several times, a confident grin aimed straight for Pikachu.
Ash scratched his cheek a little before looking to his partner. It didn't take long for them to sport twin smirks of their own before they nodded back to the girl and Scorbunny.
"Why not? We'd love to fight you."
"Pika pika!" The Electric Mouse Pokémon's cheeks sparked brightly, adjusting his position over Ash's shoulder.
Gloria beamed, Ash's acceptance filling her with enough energy to send her body quaking. Astrid didn't share her enthusiasm, her amusement turning to a frown as her arms folded. "You do realize me and Ash are on the same level, right?"
"Of course, why do you think I asked? We need to be ready for the entrance ceremony, and we'll have to face all sorts of opponents on our journey. Might as well battle a veteran for a warmup!"
Astrid appeared too baffled to even respond, leaving Serena to laugh with some fondness as she stacking the plates one after the other, leaning towards Gloria. "You're sure sounding like him, now."
Gloria was caught off-guard by the comparison, wondering how much of it was true. The man didn't give her any confirmation, instead walking closer as he stretched his fingers.
"You've got guts, for sure." He and Pikachu stared straight into Gloria, glee written over his face. "But me and Pikachu won't go easy on you."
"Pikachu pi, Pikapi!" the Electric-type agreed, paws balled.
Gloria and Scorbunny matched their excitement, hands on their hips. "Like I'd ever ask for that! Let's get to battle!"
Neither party required any further prompting as they walked a short distance and stood across a small patch of terrain, both Pikachu and Scorbunny preparing for the bout at their side. All their Pokémon circled the two trainers with interest. Serena set aside what was still on the table and Astrid looked over the two trainers with a quirked eyebrow. She still refused to remove her feet.
"Let's make this a one-on-one, just with our partners." Gloria beamed with confidence at her declaration, gaze still locked with Ash.
The man immediately gave an affirmative, turning to his side. "No issue. Astrid, do you mind refereeing?"
"Not at all. I'm curious to see how much Postwick girl will last," Astrid replied, side-eyeing the younger trainer with a mocking grin.
Gloria replied by blowing a raspberry in her direction, the little jab doing nothing to deter her enthusiasm, though she couldn't deny the twitch as Astrid refused to even move from her spot in order to referee. The Galarian girl huffed and concentrated back on Pikachu, slapping her cheeks. Ash's partner leapt to the ground and stood ready on all fours, while Scorbunny paced slowly ahead of Gloria, still stretching out his arms. The girl tightened her fists, excitement surging into her at the prospect of battling a well-known trainer. She and Scorbunny needed to strike fast and quick, and thus their first action was obvious.
"Scorbunny, Quick Attack!" As soon as Gloria pointed forward, her Fire type sprinted into action, blurring straight for his opponent.
"You do the same, Pikachu!"
Pikachu replied with his own Quick Attack, the bunny and the mouse clashing at full speed right in the middle, attempting to overpower the other. It took all of two seconds for Pikachu to break through, headbutting Scorbunny and sending him flying several feet back, his face contorted in pain.
Gloria blinked in surprise, a hand over her beret. "Ember, now!"
"Scor!" The bunny firmly braked with his feet on the ground, firing the blast of flame in Pikachu's direction. The Electric-type leapt over the attack, looking down on his opponent.
"Go for an Iron Tail!"
"Chu pika!" Pikachu's tail shimmered brightly as he readjusted himself to strike down, and Scorbunny jumped to safety just in time for it to slam on the ground, shattering a small part of it on impact. Gloria swallowed, following the bits of upset earth flying through and Pikachu, righting himself up to strike again. She stepped forward in defiance. "Double Kick, now!"
"Nibbah!" Scorbunny charged forward with large steps, just as Pikachu's tail shimmered again with energy, nary a word from Ash as he went for another slice of Iron Tail. Gloria grimaced, worry settling in, until an idea flew through her mind.
"Kick that tail!"
As Pikachu's bright tail flew at him like an axe, Scorbunny hopped and kicked against it, the power of both Pokémon clashing for dominance once more. Yet again Pikachu's strike overpowered Scorbunny, the combined strength of both attacks sending the white bunny flying high above the ground. Gloria observed it all, her lips curled into a grin. Scorbunny was right where he should've been. "Now, fall back down!"
With a midair twirl, Scorbunny turned back to the ground, foot stretched out and aiming downward for the second kick as he lunged towards Pikachu. Gloria chuckled, trusting gravity and power to work as intended. If raw strength wasn't going to cut it, she just needed to be crafty enough!
Ash seemed to be of a similar mind, pushing up the rim of his hat to check out the falling Scorbunny. Gloria could tell he had gotten the full picture already.
"Good idea, but we have tricks of our own!" His gloved hand punched forward, a grin to match Gloria's on his face. "Pikachu, Electro Ball!"
Just as Scorbunny's impact appeared imminent, Pikachu turned around, tail standing up as a sphere of electricity coalesced over it. "Pika pika pika pika chupi!"
It charged up, soon reaching the size of a basketball before it was propelled towards Gloria's Fire type. Gloria's confidence shattered as Scorbunny had to dive to the side to avoid Pikachu's attack, his trajectory shifting enough to send him careening into the ground next to Pikachu, ruinously rolling along with no damage inflicted.
Ash wasted no time to capitalize on it. "Quick Attack!"
In that moment, Gloria's mind went blank as Pikachu blurred into speed and headbutted Scorbunny once more, sending him falling several feet away with a pained cry. As her partner landed on the soft grass, bruises all over his body, she scrambled to think of some way to regain footing.
"Try with an Emb-"
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Gloria's face went pale, twisting her head to the sparkling, battle-ready Pikachu once again. She screamed for her partner, but was too late.
The electricity built up immediately, and with a shout of "Pikachuuuuuu!", the bolt of lightning was fired.
Time felt like it slowed down for Gloria as she followed the Thunderbolt's trajectory, the electric attack searing the path in its wake as it traveled straight for Scorbunny, the Fire-type too fatigued to move away.
"NIBBAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Electricity engulfed the bunny's whole body, the high voltage going through his frame. All Gloria could do was watch, powerless.
"Scorbunny!" she called, almost hoping that could get her Pokémon to do anything, to break free of Pikachu's attack.
It didn't, and as the Thunderbolt faded, Scorbunny fell to the ground, his white fur crisped and bruised, still sparkling with residual electricity. His dazed expression said it all.
It didn't take long for Astrid to lazily raise her arm and make her call. "Scorbunny is unable to battle! The winners are Ash and Pikachu!"
Ash slapped Pikachu's tail in an approximated high five, but Gloria didn't care for it, her heart beating fast as she looked over her defeated partner. She ran across the field to take Scorbunny in her arms, uncaring of everything else as she shook him repeatedly, swallowing in wait.
Only as Scorbunny shuffled in her arms, opening his eyes slowly, did she start calming down. "Scorbunny, are you okay?"
"N...Nibbah..." Weakly, Scorbunny twitched his lips up in a half-smile, taking labored breaths. Gloria smiled back, even if it did little to assuage the knot forming in her stomach, her gaze lingering over the damage her Pokémon sustained in just a few attacks. She held Scorbunny closer, and from the corner of her eye, she could see everyone else, from her own Pokémon to the others, observe her with worry. Gloria turned her head down, feeling even heavier.
At least until she felt a warm, gloved hand on her shoulder, and turned her head up to see Ash looking back at her. Pikachu was on his shoulder, but most importantly, he was holding a few Oran Berries.
The man offered them with a sincere, supportive smile, no malice or smugness about his victory. "Your Double Kick plan was good."
"Not enough, I guess." She sighed to herself, grabbing the berries and feeding them to Scorbunny, the Pokémon already feeling more energized than before.
Ash offered a sheepish grin, looking on as Scorbunny's bruises slowly healed. "Sorry if I went too far. Me and Pikachu got a bit carried away."
Pikachu seemed fairly embarrassed at that remark, visibly blushing. Noticing his still immaculate and hardly bruised fur, Gloria could feel her heart sink a bit further, yet still managed to muster an almost sincere chuckle, waving at the Kantonian trainer and his partner. "It's fine. I didn't want ya to pull your punches, mate, ha ha."
"Nibbah..." As her partner looked over to her with apprehension, Gloria couldn't keep the facade up, a frown on her face for the briefest of moments.
Serena was the first to notice it. "Are you okay, Gloria?"
"Of course! Just didn't expect things to go this way, I guess. Looks like watching the telly isn't the same as actually being in it..." She waved the woman's concerns off, glancing back to Ash. "But hey, I got a cool battle with a famous trainer, that's gotta count for something. And there's no way everyone's as tough as him. We got this one in the bag!"
She ended her remark with another laugh, one that would've almost convinced Gloria of her own words if she didn't hug Scorbunny just a bit too tight, the Rabbit Pokémon still watching over her with apprehension. That seemed to have enough of an effect on the girl, making her spring back on her feet and placing her Fire type back on the ground, facing Motostoke with her frown still intact. With what was in store for them in the next city, she couldn't afford to let one battle hit her so hard, and most importantly, she couldn't afford to stay put and wait.
And so, Gloria looked back to her companions, already taking a few steps forward. "So, slowpokes, are we gonna get to Motostoke or not? I'm gonna leave you behind if you don't get ready!"
"Oh, the nerve..." Astrid rolled her eyes, but happened to stand nevertheless. Despite her laziness, the blonde looked less critical than before the battle. Meanwhile, Serena didn't seem as convinced of her sudden shift, but appeared willing to let things be as she sent a supportive nod.
The biggest reassurance of all came from Ash, the man reaching next to the Postwick girl as he glanced over the walls of Motostoke, and then at the rest of their remaining camping equipment. "She's got a point. We've got a ceremony to attend! Let's get going!"
"Desai!"
"Nin!"
As the man raised a fist, all of his Pokémon gathered together to help, and it didn't take long for the whole group to put everything away and embark for their destination, recalling everyone but Pikachu and Scorbunny in their Poké Balls. All the while, Gloria didn't think for a second about the battle she had just fought. That was in the past, after all, and a much more important trial was waiting for her just ahead.
Before Gloria realized it, the small group of travelers was ascending the large staircase leading out of the Wild Area and right into Motostoke's main street, still polishing off their mobile breakfast.
The city of her dreams finally opened in front of her.
Red-bricked walls and buildings lined the large streets, from the river flowing throughout the city's sides to the upper level, connected by a large, old-fashioned and gear-shaped elevator system that bridged the two sides of the bastion city. Many other mechanisms dotted the town all over, between hydraulic pumps over the buildings to gears in perpetual motion, giving off a much more sophisticated and advanced vibe to the place than Postwick and Wedgehurst could have ever managed. Various trains passed through the railway system above ground with impeccable timing, and Flying Taxis came from everywhere to the nearby plaza, only increasing the already impressive number of people gathered around the city's surroundings, heading for all over.
All in all, it was a busy, bustling place in endless activity; the perfect place to start the Gym Challenge in.
Gloria couldn't contain her excitement any longer, and thus spread her arms and fancied herself a tour guide. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Motostoke!"
The foreign trainers turned around with interest, enjoying the sight of the people moving around them, as well as the promotional banners and billboards placed all around the city. Or, in Ash's case, constantly looking at his surroundings with wonder.
"Look at all those machines!" Ash shouted, mesmerized by all the moving parts surrounding them, with Pikachu struggling to keep up with all the motions.
"Motostoke is our industrial capital, with cutting-edge developments in steam-powered technology. One of the region's pride and joy, and it's smack dab in the middle of it, so it's the perfect place to kickstart the Gym Challenge."
"Are all of these people here for it?" Serena's attention went to the sea of people dominating their surroundings. Most moved around the town, but several were standing in wait or talking with fellow excited friends.
"Of course. Why else?"
Astrid scratched her head, quirking an eyebrow at the sheer number of loyal fans surrounding them. "Sure makes our League ceremonies feel smaller..."
Hearing that made a surge of pride swell into Gloria's chest, only reaffirming how cool all of the celebrations felt. She gamboled forward, almost tripping on a few passersby as her gaze went to the several billboards and posters dotting the city, the emblems of the Gym Challenge and the individual Gyms emblazoned everywhere, spurring people to take part in the Gym Challenge. It was hardly her first time seeing the celebrations associated with the event, but being there in person and knowing that she would be one of the Gym Challengers of the year helped her feel as excited as the first time she heard about it.
As she continued to take in the joyful atmosphere of the city, Scorbunny crawled above her head, pointing forward and beaming happily. "Scor scor! Nibbah scor!"
Gloria followed the direction of Scorbunny's paw, and wasn't surprised in the slightest by the object of her friend's interest, that being the large, fortified stadium on the upper level of the town, with only the elevator platform and a long road separating them from it. Her own flashed smile matched her friend's. "Almost there, finally!"
Feeling the white bunny jumping over the beret made Gloria pet him over the head, slowly making her way through the crowd and making sure none of her companions lost themselves along the way, everyone taking a good look at their surroundings. Various murmurs and calls from all over inundated the crowded walkways, letting Gloria catch bits and pieces of various conversations, from people wondering about ticket availability for the Entrance Ceremony to questions of which Gym Leader would defeat who in a fight. From the snippets, calls for "Raihan" and "Gordie" triumphed over more obscure picks before "Leon" cries trumped them in turn.
"No matter how many times I see it, it's incredible just how much you Galarians respect Leon here," Ash commented as they passed right beneath a poster showcasing Leon and Charizard striking an action pose. Other posters followed, showcasing some of the more familiar Gym Leaders, but Ash was more taken with the Leon poster, running a finger over his chin.
"For younger kids, he's been Champion since they weren't even born, and for adults he's a trainer that went more than a decade without a single defeat. What's not to like?" Gloria chuckled once more, her gaze going for a memorabilia shop on the side of the street that proudly displayed a notice of 'official League merchandise'. Several young children on the other side of the road were comparing their latest purchases with each other, and in particular a fairly worn-out trading card held by one of them. Their voices traveled.
"No way. That's a vintage League Card from Leon's Gym Challenge! How did you fetch it?"
"That store has it all! I think I saw a Raihan Card, as well!"
"Maybe there's more! We gotta check it out!"
The entire gaggle of card-hungry kids turned around and raced for the shop, uncaring of the people around them. Gloria and the others tried to stop and let them pass, but the little typhoon of children was much too strong for that, slamming right into the foursome and through them. Gloria and Astrid somehow recovered their balance, but Serena wasn't as lucky, falling towards the ground. Ash was quick to help his wife stand and steady herself, but just as she got back on her feet, one final, late kid rushed through them, slamming into Ash and sending the Pokémon Master crashing down with a pained grunt.
The loud thud of Ash's body hitting the ground managed to make the entire gang of children stop, bowing to the Kantonian man apologetically. "Sorry! We're in a hurry!"
"No worries, I'm okay," Ash replied as he stood again, dusting himself off with some help from Pikachu.
One of the children gave the man a good look, suddenly pointing. "Hey, wait, I know that guy! He's Ash Ketchum, from overseas!"
"What's he doing here?"
The kids looked at each other in confusion, trying to make sense of Ash's presence. Gloria could see the man growing just a bit cockier at the attention, clearing his throat and preparing himself to sate the youngsters' curiosity.
And then the head of the gang of children sneered before he could. "Ugh, who cares?! Let's go, or the cards'll sell out!"
With a shared cry of "Right!", the entire group continued their mad dash for the collectible shop, entering inside to check what it sold with nary a glance back at Ash. The man and his Electric type partner were left completely dumbstruck where they were standing.
Gloria, Serena and Astrid remained just as speechless, looking at the scene in various states of confusion and disbelief. With the children now gone, Ash finally tightened his fist and waved one in the air, wearing a large and furious frown. "Seriously? What does Leon have that I don't?!"
"Pika pipichu!" the electric mouse shouted as well, jumping from Ash's shoulder.
Gloria tried not to be too amused at Ash's frustration, giving a shrug in the most matter-of-fact way. "Sorry, but the local circuit is what everyone cares for here in Galar. We hear of how other regions do, but you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who knows who's Kanto's Champion or anything."
"Doesn't mean they couldn't be a bit respectful," Ash sniped back, a scowl aimed at the shop the children had just invaded. Petty as it was, Gloria felt almost bad for the guy.
Serena didn't waste time in approaching her husband with a smile. "It's all right, Ash. I'm sure there are some fans of yours around here."
Ash sighed, conceding his wife's point and desiring to believe it. In the most apt coincidence, it didn't take long for another, loud and unknown voice to stand out from the crowd, aimed at them.
"No way. No way! It's you!"
The cry sounded surprised and, most importantly, excited. All four were drawn to the caller, finding a woman staring at them all with starstruck awe. She didn't look much older than either Ash or Serena, with flowy brown hair held in place by a key-shaped hairpin. Her sharp, professional-looking maroon suit stood in stark contrast with the other tourists' more casual wear, as did her rather large briefcase.
Seeing it, Serena felt vindicated and offered the group a self-sure smile. "See? I told you-"
"You're Serena! The Pokémon Performer! The former Kalos Queen! Ohmigosh, I can't believe it!"
That reaction took both Ketchums by surprise, but none moreso than Serena herself, her confidence replaced by curiosity as the woman drew too close for comfort, staring at her like a dream come true.
As the honey-blonde woman figured out what to make of that, Gloria couldn't contain her own desire to get what was going on, giving Ash a puzzled glance. "What's a Performer?"
"That's Serena's career of choice. She puts on routines involving herself and Pokémon to entertain the crowd without battles in what's called a Pokémon Showcase."
Gloria rubbed her chin as she followed the current situation. She knew that careers outside Pokémon battles existed for trainers in other regions, but the idea of putting on a show with Pokémon without facing someone else sounded immensely boring to her. From the befuddled face Scorbunny was giving, she knew that her partner shared her thoughts. Serena's fan seemed to be of a completely different opinion, circling around the woman with glee.
"I really can't believe you're here, of all places! This has gotta be my lucky day!" She grabbed a notebook and a pen off the briefcase, offering them to the Pokémon Performer. "My name is Heather, and I'm your biggest fan! Can I have an autograph?"
Serena blinked quite a few times, probably trying to make sense of the woman that was acting much more childishly than her appearance suggested. It didn't take long for Serena to smile, however, taking the pen and aiming it at a blank page.
"Sure, why not." She scribbled her full name over the paper, leading Heather to embrace the small book with exaggerated excitement. "I didn't expect someone to know me here in Galar."
"I got to catch a few of your Showcases years ago, and I loved everything about them! I followed all your performances since, including the Showcase Spectacular in Lumiose City. There's no one like you!"
Gloria guessed that Serena had been on the receiving end of similar compliments in the past, from the way she smiled back with a knowing look and gently shook her head. "Thank you, but I'm sure there are Performers that are as good if not better than me around by now."
"Don't sell yourself short. Your Performances are special, and I really don't think many Performers get anywhere close to your level. So, I took it upon myself to ensure they did."
Serena tilted her head to the side. "How would you do that?"
"By opening a Performing School here in Motostoke, of course. This way, I could bring the beauty of Showcases here to the Galar region!"
Gloria arched her eyebrow quite far up, her prior confusion about Showcases increased at the thought of someone trying to set up something like that in Galar, of all places. Serena appeared to be of a different mind however, clasping her hands together with an intrigued spark lighting her expression. "I'm happy to know my Showcases touched you enough to undertake something like this. It sounds wonderful. How's it going?"
"Heh...well enough, I guess. Trying to build my staff still, but I got a small class going for now, but Galarian trainers normally aren't very interested in anything that isn't Pokémon battling or the Gym Challenge, you see." Heather opened up her briefcase, showing quite a few fliers inside its messy contents and offering some to the quartet. "I wanted to hope I could get some publicity out during the leadup to the Entrance Ceremony of the League, but no luck so far."
Gloria read the flier over, seeing how it was promoting 'Motostoke's Number One Performing School' in rather bold terms. It sounded all but enticing, and from the way Ash and Astrid were observing their own papers with confusion, the girl thought it wasn't just because of her interests. Serena seemed just as unconvinced, yet her smile never faltered, reading and listening to Heather with clear interest.
And suddenly, Serena's fan slammed her fist on an open palm, an idea flying in her mind. "Oh, I know! Why don't you come in as a guest lecturer? I'm sure a veteran like you could teach a lot to upcoming Performers, and it would definitely raise the profile of the school! Well, if you want, of course."
Serena gave the request some thought, appearing quite conflicted. She grabbed her blue ribbon. "I'm not sure...a lot of what I learned came from my own journey and growth. I don't think I could teach it."
"Well, you can't know it if you don't try, no?" Perhaps realizing how she came across, Heather bowed down respectfully. "I'm sorry for being pushy, but I'm just so stoked to meet you! And, if I can be so bold, I genuinely believe someone like you still has a lot to contribute for Pokémon Performers everywhere!"
The reiterated request didn't appear to have yet convinced Serena, but it did give the woman enough to start mulling things over further, losing herself to thought. She would've definitely needed more time to decide what she wanted to do; a time that Gloria wasn't willing to waste.
"Look, this is pretty fascinating and all, but I have a Ceremony to attend. Can't we leave this for later?" The girl stomped into the discussion, uncaring of how rude she would sound or how Ash and Astrid looked to be thinking otherwise, impatience clear in her body language. That did the trick, however, as Serena agreed.
"Ah, yes. Sorry, Gloria." She was the one to respectfully bow to Heather this time. "I'm sorry, but right now is not the best time to discuss. But thanks for the offer, I'm glad for it."
"Oh, it's alright! It's my fault for being too forward, really. If it's not possible I'll understand, but even just knowing you'd think about it means a lot. Contact me here once you've mulled it over, okay?"
At her words, Heather produced a business card with all the information to hit her back with a call later and passed it to the Performer. Serena gladly took it. "I will, thank you."
"No, thanks to you for your time. You really are the best!"
Heather gave one last bow and beaming grin before she turned around to resume her promotional tour once more, grabbing a few fliers and trying to distribute them around. Serena looked after the woman until she disappeared from her sight, upon which she resumed thinking about the offer, glancing over the card in her hand.
Ash leaned in to join his wife in her thoughts, Pikachu climbing over Ash's hat to get a look. "A school for Performers...there aren't that many out there, are there?"
"Not that I know of. Sponsors, sure, but not much in the way of formal education..."
Realizing they were heading down another time-wasting train of thought, Gloria started tapping her foot down rather loudly. "Uuuuh, guys? Gym Challenge? Ceremony? Ring a bell?"
"Nibbah nibbah!" Scorbunny shouted along, wearing the grumpiest expression he could pull off. Fortunately for her, the Ketchums weren't too put off by her remark.
"Alright, alright. We're coming!" Ash said, taking Serena's hand and bringing her along, his wife giving one last look at Heather's card before pocketing it. Astrid shrugged at the scene but followed on, and soon after the quartet was on the move again.
A few minutes and an infuriatingly slow crowd later, the group finally made their way over to the platform bridging the two levels of the town together, which immediately circled clockwise to bring them to their destination. Ash and Pikachu looked to be enjoying the ride and she guessed Astrid and Serena did too, but Gloria's mind was already ahead of Motostoke's quirky travel methods, and as soon as she could set her feet on the paved road, she rushed on towards the location she had waited to reach until then.
"Finally, Motostoke's Gym Stadium!"
Gloria pumped her fists, the large stadium looking even bigger than it already did from the city's entrance. She could better make out the large banners draped over the front side, each one representing several of the Gyms in Galar, with most of them depicting their associated Gym Leader in their own famous poses. Just one banner was missing the telltale portrait, but Gloria didn't care about that, busy pushing her way through the crowd of people outside, gathering around the fountains to take pictures ahead of the ceremony. On the other side were the large, glass doors leading inside the stadium, through which many people were coming and going (mostly the former).
"Scor scorbun!" Scorbunny hopped in place, sharing his trainer's excitement.
The rest of the entourage came after her, joining in the admiration for the large building ahead, with Ash in particular looking fairly intrigued. "That's a stadium, for sure..."
"Pikapi, pikachu!"
"Impressive, right? You can see that we take our Gym Challenge very seriously." In spite of her smug grin, Gloria desisted against indulging in further platitudes, already taking enough steps forward for the automatic doors to open in front of her. "But let's go in. We have to sign up!"
As they entered, Gloria and the others found themselves in the middle of a vast, finely decorated main lobby, crowded with all sorts of people. They ranged from the oldest well-off gentlemen to the youngest children running around, up to and including a bunch of very loud punks in black and magenta, pouring their lungs into air horns. Even a guy wearing a fairly uncanny mascot costume with a very large Poké Ball-shaped smiley head was off in the corner, with some giving him a wide berth.
Even in such a colorful crowd of people, however, Gloria's gaze found, instead, the various people around her age. In seconds she had taken in a dark-haired girl decked out in black leather, trying to get the punks to stop yelling, to the other Pokémon and various other kids her age waving around endorsement letters. Still others were eagerly discussing with their partner Pokémon by their side.
Gym Challengers like herself, potential rivals to surpass on the way to defeat Leon, and roadblocks on her path to glory she was ready to smash down. She felt the need to grin inside her, sizing up everyone and feeling like she could take down everyone.
"It's nearly here, folks," a voice emanated from a screen in the stadium's entrance. Gloria slowed to a near stop, eyes glued to the reporter with giddy enthusiasm, imagining her own name soon to be mentioned on any of the numerous reports there would be in the future. "This year's Gym Challenge is about to begin, the newest crop of trainers beginning their debut. It's all set to happen here in Motostoke as we kick off the season in style. I know all of us can't wait to see what thrilling battles this year will have in store, and whether anyone can top the indomitable Leon!"
Gloria clenched her fists, resisting the urge to yell that she could. So engrossed was she in the moment, she failed to notice the boy that was walking right in her direction. Seconds after, they collided and she fell to the ground, fortunately missing Serena and the rest.
Gloria grimaced and suppressed a whine of pain, rubbing down her aching head as Scorbunny helped her sit up. She looked up, finally noticing the guy she had run into, wearing a large purple (or was it pink?) coat with curly platinum blond hair. He was piercing through her with an ice-cold glare from his purple eyes, looking more than a bit displeased by the mishap.
She kept her head down as she dusted herself off. "Sorry, I wasn't-"
"Pay attention to where you walk."
The cutting, uncaring tone of the boy took Gloria by surprise, moreso as he proceed to march close to the exit while checking out something on his Rotom Phone, barely acknowledging her along the way. Gloria didn't take kindly to that.
"Hey! You could've at least helped!" she shouted, shaking a fist as she scowled in his direction. The boy didn't react, and that only made her feel more flustered. She would've shouted some more in his direction, if an unfamiliar hand didn't enter her field of vision.
"Are ya all right?" The voice was just as unfamiliar, and it only made Gloria more surprised to identify the unexpected helper as the same girl in black she had spotted right before. She accepted the support, and soon she stood again.
"I guess. Definitely not because of Mister Sunshine here." She glared at the boy talking on his phone once more, already knowing he wouldn't notice her.
"Don't mind him, he's been a stuck-up jerk since he got his signin' up done. He's nothin' to worry about."
Even if part of Gloria wanted to keep scowling in the boy's direction or worse, she heeded the girl's words and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Rude people would be everywhere, and they weren't worth wasting her precious energy. She shook her head and stopped thinking of the boy, instead wanting to thank the girl for the help, only to find out she had already left, going back to the group of loud punks and trying to get them to shut up. Gloria was a tad disappointed, but couldn't fault her as the noise in the room decreased by quite a few decibels.
Ash folded his arms, watching in amusement as he evaluated Gloria's potential competitors. "You've got quite a bunch of colorful people around here."
"Comes with the territory, I guess?" Gloria shrugged, the real answer eluding her. The girl discarded any further thought on the matter however as she finally spotted the registration desk, presently void of people crowding it out. She grinned and, with Scorbunny and the others, rushed for her goal.
She slammed her hands hard on the desk as soon as she got there, a challenging grin aimed at whoever wasn't there yet. "Oi, there! I gotta sign up for the Gym Challenge!"
No one from the nearby backstage door or her surroundings came out to be of service, but Gloria remained in wait, ticking down the seconds now that she was so close. The only distraction came a few seconds later, as a known voice was heard. "Gloria?"
Even expecting him to be there, Gloria was still taken aback as she spotted the familiar mop of purple hair belonging to the world's most unreliable best friend. He was scratching his head, trying to figure out why she was there.
At the boy's confusion, Gloria leaned over the desk, giving herself a nonchalant air. "Yo, Hop. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, but...why are you here? I thought you..." He didn't finish the sentence, scratching his head and frowning groundward.
"Heh, wouldn't you know it, I managed to find an endorsement of my own. Sure not thanks to you." Hop held his hands up at her words.
"Yeah yeah, I messed up, I know. I'm sorry about that."
Gloria considered continuing her pettiness, but ultimately set aside those thoughts with a sigh. Try as she could, she just wasn't able to stay mad at Hop for too long. "Well, it got fixed in the end, so whatever. But I'm gonna pay you back for the setback, next time we battle!"
The girl offered him a fist bump, and her uplifted mood got Hop to smile back at her, his tinge of regret gone as he hit his knuckles on Gloria's.
"I'll be looking forward to that." The boy pocketed his hands, glancing around. "So, who endorsed you in the end?"
She threw her hand back towards her sponsor, growing much smugger at the chance to show off. "Ash Ketchum here, the one and only Pokémon Master!"
"And League Liaison," Ash added, perhaps still annoyed at the children from before. Hop chuckled out in good humor.
"Of course, makes sense. You got yourself a fine sponsor, mate. Not as good as Lee, sure, but what can you do?"
Gloria frowned at the boast, staring back at her friend. As much as she respected the Champion, she wouldn't let Hop get away with demeaning her by proxy. "Ash is no less awesome than Leon! You should've seen how he dealt with a Dynamax Pokémon in the Wild Area!"
"Oh, sure, impressive. You know that Lee defeats a Dynamax Pokémon per battle in his matches."
"And Ash can fight four more! He has a Charizard and everything too, you know!"
"And how strong it is?"
"The strongest of all! Much better than Leon's!" She snapped her head back to Ash, hoping he could prove the veracity of her unknown statements. "You tell him!"
"Well, me and my Pokémon have fought many battles and always strived to win and become better," Ash started to say in thought, rubbing his neck at being put on the spot, "but I should battle Leon to-"
"See? He'd kick Leon's butt three ways to Sunday!" Gloria concluded, like she had won the argument. Hop wasn't impressed in the slightest.
"I won't believe it until I see it."
"What, are you scared that Ash may be much better than Leon?" Gloria inched closer to her friend's face, pulling off the smuggest grin she could afford.
She finally struck a chord with her friend, judging by how he replied with a just as full of himself smirk. "There's no way he's better than Lee, and you know that!"
They stared at each other intensely, almost pressing their foreheads together, as if whoever stared harder would win. That was just another contest between the two, one neither would back down from, and there was no way Gloria would let her friend brag to her face without striking back. Their little bragging duel never crowned a winner, however, as it came to a sudden halt.
"Um, excuse me, are you here to register?" the youthful, curious voice said, instantly establishing a truce between the warring teens. Their attention went back to the desk and the League staff member on the other side of it, looking like he just got there. Gloria slammed her hand down, a frown on her face.
"You sure took your sweet time!"
"There was a minor issue with some uniforms that needed to be checked," the man sighed out without surprise, making Gloria wonder if outbursts like hers were a common experience. It brought a sheepish look of apology to her face, but the man continued on. "Now, let's make this quick and leave your endorsement letters here."
Hop pulled out his letter and placed it on the counter wordlessly, while Gloria snatched hers from Ash's hands and slapped it down harshly, pushing it a bit further than Hop's. The man opened the envelopes and perused their contents, quirking an eyebrow with interest as he glanced back to her friend. "Wouldn't you look at it...an endorsement from the Champion! You must be someone special, kid!"
The purple-haired boy flashed a grin, pointing at himself with his thumb. "Of course, I am. I'll be the one that will surpass my brother and become the next Champion!"
"Bold and confident, just the way a Gym Challenger should be! I can see a bright road ahead of you!"
"You bet it'll be! My legend is just getting started!"
The League staff member shared a laugh with the boy, and Gloria pursed her lips, trying not to pay that too much mind. That's just because of his endorsement, he's not better than me, she thought to herself more times than necessary, almost zoning out as she stopped paying attention to Hop's registration. It didn't take long for the staff member to be through with Hop, though, the boy grabbing everything and nodding at Gloria. "I'll see you in, mate."
"Huh, sure. See ya." She gave a distracted wave back at him, her attention solely on the man behind the counter as he checked over her endorsement again, no enthusiasm to be heard this time. Gloria's heart sank just a little bit.
The staffer still remained professional, however, as he put aside the letter and offered Gloria a white, neatly folded set of clothes over the desk. The momentary tension was gone as soon as she laid eyes on it, one of the coolest parts of being a Gym Challenger at her fingertips.
"Welcome to the Gym Challenge, miss. You'll be assigned the uniform number two-two-seven. Please change yourself and get ready to enter shortly," the man explained, pointing to a righthand door.
"Will do. Thank you!" She bowed respectfully and then snatched the uniform with a huge grin on her face, holding it tightly to her chest. As she turned back to the others, she could see Scorbunny's excited grin, his full knowledge of what she held contrasting heavily with the intrigued yet confused looks her human companions were giving her. She gave them a playful wink, choosing to sate their curiosity. "Wait for me, it'll take a second."
Without further ado, Gloria headed for the door to the changing room, finding it a mostly empty row of several lockers and curtains to grant some privacy. She entered one of the smaller partitions just like that, divesting herself of her regular travel clothes and replacing them with the ones she just received, checking herself out in the provided mirror as she did so.
Her grin only widened as she put the whole ensemble together, a uniform composed of a long-sleeved shirt, shorts, and a singular white and blue glove over her right hand. It was almost completely white, save for the black collar, the blue stripe going across the shoulders and sides and the striped, pale grey pattern on the front of the shirt. A few sponsors branded the uniform, alongside the number 227 embedded at the edge of the shorts and over the shirt's back. Most important was the symbol showing an abstract yellow human holding a Pokémon high and standing over a red and blue circular motif: the unmistakable logo of the Gym Challenge.
She beamed to her reflection, feeling much bolder as she put her usual ensemble safely inside a locker. She strode with confidence back to the others in her new attire, feeling the gazes of Ash and the others over her. As soon as she got closer, Scorbunny jumped forward and pointed at his trainer with both hands.
"Nibbah nibbah!" he declared, as if presenting her again to the adults. She indulged her partner's presentation with a twirl, allowing everyone else to get a good look of her current attire.
"So, do I look great or what?"
"You look wonderful," Serena said, clasping both her hands.
Ash remained far more puzzled, head tilted to the side. "Is that uniform part of your Gym Challenge deal?"
"It's our way to show that we're all Gym Challengers working for the same goal, no matter where we come from," she said with a nod. "It's an old tradition of the Galar League, a symbol of pride for our heritage."
"For a small region, your League has some interesting things..."
Upon Astrid's remark, Gloria held a finger up. "And the best is yet to come."
She would've teased a bit more, if it hadn't been for the loud jingle heralding an official communication from the large entrance's speakers.
"The Entrance Ceremony is due to begin shortly. To all Gym Challengers, please step inside the stadium."
The broadcast caught everyone's attention, especially the several other trainers that had already changed into their own Gym uniforms. They all held the same driven look, and moved towards the stadium's inner doorway in an orderly fashion, united in their purpose. Those yet unchanged scrambled to do so, the changing room doors banging open and close, save for the rude boy from earlier who simply brushed everyone off as he did so. Gloria took a deep breath, balling her fists as she took a clear look at all her prospective rivals, some of them ones she already saw, others completely new, and none to underestimate.
"You should go find some seats. We'll see each other once the formalities are over," she told the others.
"All right. Break a leg!"
"It'll go great, don't worry!" Gloria gave Ash a thumbs up, and as he and the women headed for the public seats, she joined the line of future Gym Challengers with Scorbunny in tow, making their way to the stadium.
The hallways felt endless, and Gloria's heart raced like mad as she paced through as quickly as possible. Scorbunny skipped steps next to her, barely able to restrain his enthusiasm as the corridor opened up. Light flooded her field of vision, the first thing she was able to notice, and the sounds of the interior were soon to meet her.
Then, as she took another breath, the light faded into red.
Exhaling, Gloria's eyes faced forward, and to them was revealed the large, crimson field of Motostoke Stadium, surrounded by several rows of seats filled to the brim with excited Pokémon battle fans. She let her gaze wander, a jolt of excitement passing through her body as she realized just how many people there were. The sound threatened to crush her, but she found herself grinning as she spotted her friends on the side of the bleachers, small pinpricks in the massive crowd.
Gloria continued walking, passing through the line marking down the battlefield as all the Gym Challengers stood in an orderly fashion. She spotted a waving arm beckoning for her, which she quickly identified as Hop's, and after some effort to make it through the sea of other people, Gloria and Scorbunny reached their old friend, bedecked in a Gym Uniform just like them. Not too far away, she could spot the same girl that helped her out, as well as the rude boy from earlier, both quite distant and staring ahead of them, dressed just the same as they were. There was no time for catch up and talk, however, as a well-known figure entered the stadium from the opposite end.
The sound of heavy clapping echoed throughout the whole stadium as the most important man of the Galar region, dressed in a refined grey suit over a white shirt and red tie, made his presence known. He strode for the center of the battlefield, hand held high. His arrival was accompanied by small fireworks that lit up the field, his hand raised and waving to the various members of the crowd that cheered his arrival. His mere presence ended the chatter among the upcoming trainers immediately, everyone on standby for the man to give his speech as he observed them all with boundless pride. Gloria watched him, sucking in her lips and listening to her own breath as he turned to all the crowd.
A full rotation made, he cleared his throat, and smiled for the stadium.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Galar region and beyond, welcome to Motostoke Stadium!" he cried, addressing the crowd with gusto. "For those that don't know me yet, I'm Rose, President of Macro Cosmos and Chairman of the Galar Pokémon League, here to introduce you all to this year's Gym Challenge!"
A series of cheers rose from the stadium, and it was then that Gloria noticed the small, lime green Rotom-shaped (and probably powered) drone camera zipping all over the stadium, taking the best shots it could and focusing on Chairman Rose in particular. The man resumed with even more enthusiasm.
"Yes, the Gym Challenge, the most prestigious competition any Pokémon Trainer of Galar looks forward to entering. This year has brought us an unprecedented number of eager Gym Challengers, handpicked and endorsed by the best professionals in the training circuit, all ready to show us what our beautiful region is made of! Let's give a round of applause for the pride and joy of Galar!"
Once more, the crowd clapped for the trainers standing before them, as loud as they were for the Chairman. The several Gym Challengers each reacted differently, some continuing to stand proudly, a few saluting the crowd, and others blushing in embarrassment. Gloria and Hop simply grinned at each other and basked in the attention together, with Scorbunny doing the same.
"But this year's Gym Challenge will not be a run-of-the-mill one. Nay, I say it will be quite the contrary. It may be the most important challenge I've ever had the pleasure to see in my fifteen-year run as Chairman," Rose announced to the crowd. It garnered cheers and curious murmurs in equal measure, the presumptuous statement soon elaborated on by the charismatic man at the top of the Galarian League structure. "I was there when ours was nothing but an obscure, minor League that paled in comparison to the prestigious tournaments of regions like Kanto and Kalos. I am, however, most proud that this year's Gym Challenge will finally crown the Galar region as being on the same level as other Leagues. A true turning point for all of us on the global scale!
"Of course, such a challenge would be meaningless without trials to show the caliber of our Galarian trainers." Just as the Chairman's remark caught everyone's interest, the man snapped his fingers and the large screen, usually employed for virtual scoreboards, came to life, several of the individual Gyms' symbols flashing by, occasionally replaced by shots of a regional map. "Well, it is my pleasure to announce that no less than ten of the region's eighteen Gym Leaders managed to qualify for the Major Division, making them all eligible to be faced for their Gym badges! By collecting eight of them, Challengers will be granted access to the Pokémon League Conference to be held in Wyndon, at Rose Stadium, where all the remaining Gym Challengers will battle their way to the top to crown the strongest among them!"
The crowd roared with approval at this newest, and unexpected, development.
Even knowing how the Ceremony was supposed to go, the fact that two more Gyms than usual managed to qualify to hand out badges only served to highlight the level of skill that the Gym Challenge would require. Gloria felt her hand twitch with excitement at the mere idea of facing strong opponents like that, moreso as Rose continued further. The various Gym symbols onscreen were replaced by one akin to her uniform's, if not for the human figure wearing Leon's signature sword and shield insignia and standing proudly, six Poké Balls surrounding it.
"But that won't be the end, as beyond the Wyndon Conference lies an even greater challenge: the Champion Cup, where the strongest Gym Challenger will face off against the Major Division's Gym Leaders and the reigning Champion in a bid to dethrone him and seize the title as their own! And for that, I'd love our invincible Champion to come here with us and talk to our new challengers!
"Everyone, you know him! You love him! The one and only, the greatest Champion Galar, nay, the world has ever seen...Champion LEON!"
Right in time to honor the Chairman's request, Champion Leon emerged from the same entrance Rose had come before, and a series of passionate roars and cheers enveloped the whole stadium, far louder than any appreciation until then.
Fireworks, larger than any for the Chairman, exploded around the stadium, looking like Charizard's flames, and confetti fell all around, a testament to the love the region had for its undefeated Champion. If Gloria didn't know better, she could swear the stadium was shaking, and she wanted to join right in on the cheering. Leon, too, enjoyed the attention, both arms raised to salute the crowd until he stood at Rose's right, sizing up the new Gym Challengers with interest. He sent a sly grin to Gloria and Hop, just before he spoke, and at his words, the stadium quieted.
"To each and every Gym Challenger that has joined us today, thank you. It is my dream for everyone in the Galar region to become strong trainers, and seeing you all here, ready to prove yourself, fills me with joy for the new generation. I was once just like you, a mere trainer among several, wanting to carve my path into the annals of Galar's history.
"So, grab this chance to make your name known all over! Prove yourselves by facing the Gym Challenge and making it through the Wyndon Conference! I'll wait for you at the top, to fight at our best for the right to be the best trainer of the Galar region. Show me what you can do! And until you reach your goals..."
"LET'S HAVE A CHAMPION TIME!"
The shout of his iconic catchphrase was mirrored by most of the public, just in time for Leon to point skyward in his signature Charizard pose, the excited frenzy of the crowd flaring high. It was matched by yet another volley of celebratory fireworks that filled the stadium with a thin haze.
As Leon followed his routine with a bow to the crowd, Gloria couldn't keep her eyes off the Champion. He made capturing the hearts of the public feel so effortless, his enthusiasm and love for the Gym Challenge extending to everyone else like it was no big deal. Someone more cynical would've perhaps assumed this was the result of continued rehearsals, but Gloria knew it was all genuine. Leon was just that good.
"He always knows exactly how to get us fired up," she commented, leaning slightly towards Hop. Her friend nodded.
"That's why he's our goal."
Gloria agreed, knowing that everyone around them shared the same thought. She caught a glimpse of the other challengers, finding the fluffy haired boy from before appearing rather disinterested, absentmindedly checking the time on his wristwatch with no care for Leon's words. She scowled, her already shaky tolerance for the boy decreasing. Thankfully, a much different story was the black-haired girl intensely staring back at the Champion, an expression that most of the other challengers…no, most of her potential rivals shared.
As the standing ovation petered out slowly, Rose resumed his duties.
"Thank you, Leon. I'm sure your words will make our ambitious Pokémon Trainers want to aim even higher!" Clasping his hands together, Rose addressed the crowd yet again. "But our beloved Champion is not the only one with a message to send! Everyone, give a round of applause to the Gym Leader of Motostoke Stadium, Kabu!"
Both Rose and Leon stepped back, allowing for a third person to enter the field at a swift jogging pace, parting the dissipating smoke and causing the crowd to go wild once more. The man, clad in a mostly red Gym uniform of his own, was much older than either the Chairman or the Champion, his salt and pepper hair and visible lines on his sharp face a good indicator of his age and experience. He stopped right in between the two other men, rubbing the sweat off his forehead with the towel he wore around his neck. In spite of saying nothing yet, he held a fierce determination in his gaze, catching Gloria's interest right away.
And so, Kabu gestured to the trainers ahead of him, his expression unchanging.
"Gym Challengers! You're all about to undertake a journey that will forge you into the best version of yourself, one that will require talent, perseverance and hard work in equal measure. One that will temper you into the sharpest of swords, and the sturdiest of shields. One that my fire will test for you." He grabbed a Poké Ball from his pocket, expanding it and pointing it forward. "And for that, I want to offer you all an opportunity to face me right now in a proper Gym battle for my Fire Badge, to kickstart this year's Gym Challenge with burning intensity right from its first moments!
"I'll accept any challenger, and fight them at my best! So, who's going to be brave enough to take this chance?"
Gloria froze, taken by surprise at such a sudden request, a reaction Hop shared. For as exciting the thought of the entrance ceremony was, she didn't recall a Gym battle ever being part of the formalities. From the smile Chairman Rose was sporting on the side, she wondered if it was some sort of way to truly prove from the start what the Galar League was capable of. A good show for the world and watching liaison.
The audience felt differently, murmurs and mutters about the change in programming cascading around the indistinct faces. All the while, the Challengers on the field stood stock still, contemplating things, themselves.
Gloria swallowed, and as she thought over what it could mean, she noticed Kabu continuing to stare severely at his prospective challengers. Unblinking he took a good look at each and every one of them as they murmured under their breaths about what to do.
"Facing Kabu right away? Wicked!"
"No way, it's too early!"
"Maybe it's just a publicity stunt?"
"I'm not feeling it, guys..."
The words became more and more indistinguishable, a mess of different stances and thoughts debating whether or not to face the Motostoke Gym Leader. Yet, no one made a step forward to accept it. Maybe for fear, perhaps for cautiousness, but the reason did not matter.
"No one? A pity. Do not let your flames burn so low," Kabu said with a sigh, turning away from the challengers.
Gloria glanced down to Scorbunny. She had fire, and so did her partner, sharing a single thought.
This was their moment. The one they waited so long for.
And together, they took the step.
"I will!" she shouted back, Scorbunny hopping ahead with an energetic "Nibbah!".
Her lone declaration put an end to the discussions, grabbing the attention of everyone in the stadium. From Hop's bewildered expression to the crowd whispering to each other, all eyes were on her, but none as important as Kabu's own scrutinizing gaze.
"And who would you be?" he asked, genuine interest trickling through his voice when he turned back to size her up. She concealed the tremor and bolstered her voice.
"I'm Gloria from Postwick, the future Champion of Galar, and me and my team are ready to defeat you!"
It sounded so simple to say something like that, the weight of her declaration only hitting her as the confusion around the stadium increased, realizing that all of it, all of Galar and beyond was now watching her. Countless people were judging her, wondering if she could live up to that boast. She gulped down, betraying the answer she lacked.
Behind her, the rest of the Gym Challengers commented on her boldness, praise for her audacity mixed in with calls of being an attention seeker.
"Girl's bit off more than she can chew," she could hear among them, recognizing the obnoxious blond boy. Gloria clenched her fists and took a deep breath, trying to ignore them and focus on what was ahead.
"Such enthusiasm is great to see, little girl." Kabu's expression remained stoic, squatting in place to get fired up. "Very well. Let us offer the audience a battle worthy of opening this year's Gym Challenge!"
He turned away, heading for the trainer box on the other end of the battlefield, both Chairman Rose and Champion Leon giving space for the battle to ensue. The Gym Challengers did the same, standing on the sidelines and allowing Gloria to reach her own box. She went there slowly, her breath heavy as she thought about what she had just agreed to.
Her first Gym battle, for all the region to see.
She searched through the crowd, seeing thousands of looks bearing over her, from the skeptic to the intrigued. Among them, however, she found Ash's. The man was offering her a simple nod, a silent acknowledgement to do her best, one that Serena and Astrid were also sending, even if the latter's face was creased in a frown. She nodded back to them, a smile on her face as she felt much lighter for that single second. Being worried would get her nowhere, after all.
She traded another, final look with Scorbunny, the Rabbit Pokémon raring to go by her side as they got ready for the match.
It was finally their time to shine.
Author's Note: Whew, finally reached Motostoke and the start of the Gym Challenge! This was quite an eventful chapter, I felt, too. Perhaps a bit of setup, but a lot of interesting things to chew on for the future of this story. That said, given we're still in the realm of Viroro chapters, I'll leave it to him.
Viroro: And with this, we're finally into Motostoke! The road to get there has been pretty long, but I'd like to think this is only going to make the following developments worth it. The most enjoyable part of this chapter overall for me was giving further insight into Galarian culture now that we're on a major city, in big and small ways, culminating in the Entrance Ceremony of the League that I had quite a lot of fun writing, and really hope it translated into a good experience for you readers. There's also been some teases of important characters, and Gloria is already stepping up for her first battle in a Gym Stadium to prove herself! It's a definite deviation from the game's script, but one done with clear purpose that you will soon see.
In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you will look forward for what's to come!
Before we sign off, some people to thank, which all come from reviews: MythGirl Writes, ayushmanb2004, Fury, Mezamun, FlygonNick, Tenzalucard123, GalarianMike, Captainsquid12, XDiamondX90, UltimateCCC, FantasyLover88, Rajiv A. Rajaram, Ander Arias, aliensinnoh, Cottonmouth25, ChE Clarinetist, AmourshippingCanon and 1 guest. Thank you, all!
The story's really heating up now, so I hope to see you all on Thursday to see what will happen in Gloria vs. Kabu! Until then, please Review and,
Dare to Be Silly!