This is the first chapter I ended up wholly writing for this trilogy. My apologies if it's a little rusty (I wrote the threeshot back in 2020, but this I didn't write until March of 2021). Anyway, Chapter 9 time!
Chapter 9
A Spark
"Scorbunny, run for it! Speed it up with some Flame Charge!"
"Niiibbaaaaah!"
For what must have been the fiftieth or a hundredth time that day (Gloria stopped counting after five, if she was honest), Scorbunny charged forward, the embers on his feet attempting to light into a blaze around his body. There was no such luck, even her most nimble companion tripping in his focus and rolling forward into a tree. Perched on a branch overhead, Rookidee laughed.
"Hey, no laughing from you, either. You need some work on learning Air Slash if we're going to triumph over the Turffield Gym!"
"Rooko?" Rookidee tilted his head, but soon flapped his wings in what Gloria presumed was a salute. He launched from the branch and landed on Scorbunny's head, chirping with nonchalance. The bunny didn't look too pleased, but did nothing aside from folding his arms at Rookidee's wings expanding, a faint glow present on their tips. "Ko!"
The force of his subsequent flap sent the two Pokémon partners sprawling backwards, only a gust forming from the bird's actions. It certainly wasn't the solid, compressed air that Gloria had been hoping for, and she sighed, slapping her face.
"Not again…"
"Hey, it's not too bad so far." If Ash was hoping to give her some encouragement, she didn't get it. She whipped around to glare at him, only stopping when she realized Serena and Astrid's eyes were fixed upon her, as well, the pair sipping on cups of tea on the veranda outside the nearby Pokémon Center. "You're showing promise. Even Chewtle's working hard."
"Promise isn't enough right now…" Her grumpy sides were starting to show, as was the trickle of sweat running down her face from the day's strenuous activities. She hadn't realized it just yet, but they had already been on the road for half a day since setting off early in the morning from Motostoke. The training, all one hundred and fifty failures of it, had taken up comparatively little time as the journey to the Center had. It made her more fired up than ever to improve her team. "Don't you have some, like, super-special training techniques you can show me? You know, like 'this is dangerous, but it will help you master it faster' sort of thing?"
"Uh…do we, Pikachu?"
"Pika…" Pikachu said with a shrug. Gloria hung her head.
How is this guy a Pokémon Master…? She felt her internal question was not without merit; she had only been caught up in the fervor of his arrival and offer before. Now, however, she was seeing the sides of Ash Ketchum that the television never showed. Like the fact that even though he was strong, his teaching left something to be desired. Or, most recently, the fact that he had little care for the beaten path on what was considered the easiest route in all of Galar to traverse. Gloria had to wonder just how many of her rivals had surpassed her on this straight road alone; Hop most certainly had.
A small nudge at her foot brought Gloria down to see her little Chewtle nudging her and looking up with burning eyes. She could tell what the turtle wanted, but she was forced into a squat, rubbing her horn with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Chewtle, but we'll have to train together later. This Gym wouldn't be a good match for you."
"You already know what kind of Gym it'll be?" Ash asked, catching wind of her conversation. His eyes briefly flitted away to where Sobble was, gamboling alongside Pancham and Sandshrew. The adorable Water type would occasionally stop on his two stubby legs to fold his arms together, but managed to fall over every time. Ash smiled at it, but kept his ear open to Gloria.
"Well, yeah. Didn't you know what each Gym was before you faced it?"
"Nope. I like the surprise!" It was another thing that made Gloria consider just how weird he was. But no less of an on-the-spot thinker, it soon appeared, as he slapped a fist on his palm. "I got it. Infernape, buddy, let's show 'em what some fire can do!"
"Fernape!" Gloria looked away from Chewtle, still insistently nudging her. The flaming monkey didn't need another word from Ash, cloaking himself in what looked like blue fire before he raced for the nearest tree and charged right through it. He looked strained, but to Scorbunny, and actually quite a few other trainers nearby, he looked majestic.
"Nibbah! Nibbah!"
"Yeah, let's do it! Scorbunny, get that fire going!" Gloria cheered, pumping her fists into the air. She didn't expect Ash to explain it, and it actually looked like the demonstration was telling her to feel it more than anything else, something Scorbunny was ready for.
"Well, don't stress too much. Breaks are good, too."
"I don't need a break. Right, you guys?!" Her team responded in the affirmative, even if Chewtle was more of a grumble.
"Well, I could use a break…"
"But you've barely done anything!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu argued back, the yellow rodent getting between the hyped-up Gloria and his partner. She bit her tongue at the sight of his sparking cheeks, but refused to back down from getting more instruction or help with her training.
The attitude earned a scoff from Astrid, followed by a groan as she stood.
"Yeah, all right, firecracker. Simmer down."
"I am simmered!" Astrid didn't find so, reaching the girl and putting a hand on her head, as though forcing her to bow. Gloria removed Astrid's hand to glare at the older girl, only to find her jerking her head.
"Go rest, Ash. I'll teach Miss Hothead some manners. Maybe remind her that she's been at this for the last two hours." Gloria swallowed, not realizing they had actually been occupying the Pokémon Center's training field for that long. She soon shivered when Astrid followed her statement with a malevolent crack of her knuckles, her Pyroar emerging with just as chilling a stare. Scorbunny and Rookidee held to each other in fear while Chewtle slowly backed around Gloria's legs. "Come on, Gloria. You wanted a battle, right? Show me what you can do."
"Y-you're damn right I do!" In spite of the tremor, Scorbunny and Rookidee ceased their quaking, facing the lion with the same steel stature as their tremor. Astrid smirked while her partner licked its lips, the two beckoning for Gloria and her team to make the first move. She had no problems doing so. "Scorbunny, Double Kick! Rookidee, Peck!"
"I thought you were working on moves, Gloria. Flamethrower." She sounded so bored, ordering the moves, and it made Gloria more than a bit frustrated. Her fists shook, teeth biting into her lip. Pyroar opened its maw, a torrent of flame spilling forth and splitting the air. Neither Scorbunny nor Rookidee needed the order to break off, doing so on their own. Scorbunny kept going, and Pyroar turned its flames in the poor rabbit's direction.
They consumed his figure in a crimson blaze.
"Scor…scoooor…"
"Keep pushing through, Scorbunny! Feel that fire and turn it into Flame Charge!" Gloria's voice was wavering, as were Scorbunny's steps. His fatigue was catching up with him, and even Gloria knew it. Astrid snapped her fingers and Pyroar ceased his attack. "Scorbunny…?"
"Niii…baaaah…" That was the clue he was down for the count in spite of his standing orientation. Gloria blinked and grimaced; maybe she had taken it too far. Rookidee didn't even bother to follow up with a Peck. He merely perched himself on Gloria's head.
"You're reckless, and not in Ash's seemingly dumb heroic ways."
"Hey!" Ash called out, spilling some of his tea across the table. The droplets landed on Sobble and he vanished, a short cry following before Gloria noticed Sandshrew pat the back of the invisible shape.
Gloria hung her head, Rookidee clutching her hair with his claws, all while Chewtle looked up at her. It ended a second later when she felt Astrid flick her forehead. "You need to slow down. It's the same problem that got you messed up yesterday."
Yesterday…Her scowl deepened. She didn't need a reminder of yesterday. It's what made her want to get better, and she could feel it happening. She just knew her Pokémon were on the verge of learning their moves. "Just a little bit-"
"Gloria!" Astrid's sharp tongue made her flinch. Biting at her cheek, the girl looked up to Astrid, hands on her hips and an icy glare leveled at her and her Pokémon. "Pay more attention. Your Pokémon are exhausted, and no amount of training will do them any good. You did worse against my Pyroar than you did against Ash's Pikachu, and he's not even my strongest. It's time to take a break."
Gloria swallowed thickly, but didn't dare defy the young woman, scrambling to pick up Scorbunny and bring him back over to where their group was occupying the Center. She hadn't thought Astrid capable of such fury, or such strength, and it made her feel worse inside than she already did. To that end, she refused to meet Astrid's eyes until she was seated and cleaning off Scorbunny's fur while he stirred. Pikachu scampered over, tilting her head and watching her, but rejoined Ash at the table when Astrid's sigh echoed across the training field.
"You don't need to be so harsh, Astrid," Serena said, carefully cutting up some vegetables on the table.
"Someone needs to get through to her, and you're not being hard enough," the blonde replied, jabbing Ash in the chest. He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Push too hard and some people break…" he muttered. Gloria's head buried itself in Scorbunny's fur, face flushed over the fact they were talking about her and her failures. She was starting to hope the Pokémon Center could empty itself out so that no one else had to pay witness to the conversation. The trainers there had already paid witness to her enough. That was uncomfortable in and of itself.
In either case, Astrid responded to Ash's words by taking a step back, her features softening before she sat back down in a chair and folded her arms with a huff. "Point taken. Do what you will."
"What I think we will do is have some lunch! Gloria, come on and join us!"
"Kapika!" Pikachu's call was enough to make Gloria turn her head up, seeing Ash calling her over. Instead of looking at him, Gloria found Astrid. Her dismissive demeanor was still present, but the jerk of her head indicated that she agreed with Ash's request.
Rookidee certainly had no problem complying, joining Pikachu, Sobble, Pancham and Sandshrew on the ground. Chewtle was less enthusiastic, snorting a tad and then racing for the field as fast as her stubby legs could carry her. She, at least, still had energy to burn while Gloria took her seat with the other trainers, not sure if she was feeling hungry or not.
"You should eat. Trainers need to keep up with their Pokémon!" Ash said, pushing her plate closer to her before beginning to wolf down his own lunch. Gloria knew she agreed, but wasn't sure if she could stomach it, only tentatively taking bites.
"If anyone knows food, it's Ash," Serena agreed, placing a hand over her stomach. "I'm sure this little one will agree."
Astrid cleared her throat, looking away to where Pyroar and Absol were lounging about, and Gloria decided shoveling her food was indeed the best option. Not that it stopped the married couple from conversing with one another. "Of course! Every member of our family agrees that food is the best! Right, Pikachu? Sobble?"
"Pika!"
"S-sahb!" Sobble attempted to look dignified in answering Ash's question, much like Gloria recalled Greninja being, but his face flecked with crumbs diminished the effect. Having others look at him just made him more nervous, at least until Pancham slapped his back with gusto.
"Cham pancham!" His hearty laugh put all the other Pokémon at ease, much like his trainer did, and Gloria found herself sliding away from the mortification that Astrid had put in her earlier. She smiled a little bit more, beginning to eat lunch at a much faster pace. Scorbunny did the same.
"See, even Pancham agrees!"
"At this point they're all like brothers to each other, anyway," Serena said with a giggle, covering her mouth. The remark made Gloria put her plate down, staring curiously at the Performer.
"Uh…not to pry, but…do you know if…?" Serena finished wiping her mouth, her eyes brightening when she realized what Gloria was asking.
"Oh, not yet. And we've been so busy we've had no time to see anyway. I think Ash is hoping for it to be-"
"A surprise," Gloria finished, rolling her eyes but finding laughter all the same. She shifted over to the young man, jumping up from his chair with a fist raised high. "Sounds like him."
"It's because I'm fine with a boy or a girl! It'll be an awesome new adventure all the same!" His enthusiasm over the matter lasted a moment, and before Gloria knew it, she saw him fall back down, his face creased in thought. Not that she had known him all that long, but for the first time, Gloria saw something akin to worry flash across his features. "Though, I don't know if I'll be any good at it. Raising a baby isn't the same as raising a Pokémon, and then there's all this League business."
"You'll be fine at it," his wife assured him, reaching across to take his hand and squeeze it. "Besides, I'm sure someone like Gloria could help you get ready."
"M-me?" Gloria spluttered, almost spitting her orange juice across the table. Astrid snickered at her side and the girl aimed a kick that missed horribly, almost sending her chair toppling over. "I'm not a baby!"
"Could've fooled me," was Astrid's barbed remark. Her fire reignited at the comment, Gloria was ready to lunge for Astrid, but Serena's gaily laugh stopped her from doing so.
"No, no, I just mean that helping to mentor you might be a good first step. A test run, if you will." Serena's remark didn't make her feel any better about it, and Ash shuddered at the thought just the same. The two met eyes, and it was clear they shared the same feelings on the subject. It made them break down in laughter not seconds later. "See? You already have those shared feelings down."
"It's just everything else we need to work on," Ash said. He leaned back now, hands behind his head with a grin on his face. His eyes flitted over to Sobble, making sure he was comfortable with the playing Pokémon, and it brought Gloria's attention to her own. Scorbunny and Rookidee were getting livelier while Chewtle was still racing herself across the training field, some other visitors to the Center giving her a wide berth. "What about you, Serena? Is the school your way of preparing, too? Or you haven't decided yet?"
"It's certainly an idea with merit…mentoring the next generation of Performers…" She appeared wistful at the thought, but Gloria couldn't discern any further with her words. Thankfully, she was more than pleased to provide them. "I want to provide people with an alternative. Everyone here clearly loves the Gym Challenge, and there's nothing wrong with that, but there are people who aren't as enamored with that. It would mean something to give them a chance, like the Leilani Ceremonies in Alola. Though I guess it would be difficult here in Galar. I don't know…"
"Probably," Gloria agreed, downing the rest of her juice and standing. She started doing some stretches, Scorbunny and Rookidee joining her. Chewtle, too, clambered up to stand at attention with the rest of the team. "But hey, if you can do something like that in Galar, you can do it anywhere!"
"That's right! Nothing better than dreaming big!"
"That's why we'll head for the top…starting in Turffield!"
"Presuming we don't get lost on the way," Astrid remarked. Ash responded by slapping her back, making her fall forward a bit.
"Wandering off the path isn't the same as lost. Sometimes, taking the alternative route teaches you more than the direct path." In spite of her grumbles and grievances, Gloria found herself nodding, as though Ash had just shared some great wisdom. The more she thought about it, the more she realized Leon must have been similar, given his ability to get lost in a straight line. "Speaking of…uh…how far is Turffield?"
"Not far. Like, two days," Gloria noted. She turned around, pulling her Rotom Phone out of her backpack and calling up the map. The three adults leaned in, and though Ash wasn't as enthused, Serena appeared to memorize the lines instantly. "Straight shot down Route Three, and through the Galar Mine."
"Is that safe?" Serena asked.
"Perfectly. It's managed by Macro Cosmos, and since they run the Gym Challenge and all, they make sure it's a safe path. Turffield is right outside that." At the thought of her very first true Gym battle being a mere couple days away, Gloria stood taller, and with gusto pointed towards the sky. "And that's where I'll get my first Gym Badge! We'll kick the Gym Leader's arse but good!"
"Nibbah!"
"Rook!"
"Chew!"
Gloria and her Pokémon echoed about the Center's open air, drawing some attention from the various passerby, including those that recognized her from the Entrance Ceremony. She didn't let it worry them, her declaration of victory more important. Even the weather thought so, because a flash of lightning and the rumble of thunder accompanied it, though when she looked up, she saw no clouds or rain.
"Pika?!"
The mouse's cry told Gloria that she hadn't imagined it, and when she looked to Ash's perennial partner, she could see his cheeks sparking. His ears twitched, too, along with a number of the other Pokémon. Naturally, Sobble hid himself behind Sandshrew. Ash took a step forward. "What was that…?"
In answer, another storm of lightning appeared, but it didn't come from the sky. Rather, it erupted from the copse of trees that bordered the Pokémon Center. This time, even Serena brought herself to stand, brow furrowed. The wrinkles on her face increased at a cry that followed a ceasing of the lightning, and after another moment of staring, Gloria could see some trainers, a few of them familiar from the Entrance Ceremony, running out of the woods like madmen, clutching their Pokémon tight.
"That thing is a monster!" one of them yelled, dashing straight into the Center. Gloria found a grin coming to her face and her knuckles cracking.
"A monster, huh? It's training time! First to get there gets a crack at it!"
"CHEWTLE!" Her little turtle quickly showed the eagerness to prove her worth, outspeeding Scorbunny as she dashed headlong towards the trees. Gloria ran around the table, chasing after her with Scorbunny keeping pace. Rookidee was less enthused, but followed after in some amusement. All four of them ignored the call from the adults behind them. Not moments later, Gloria and her team entered the trees, searching for where the electricity had come from.
It wasn't exactly hard to find: the scores of fallen, twitching Pokémon was the biggest clue.
"Okay, what caused this?" Gloria asked. She reached behind for her phone, only to curse upon realizing she left it at the table.
"Wampa!" The sharp bark brought all four of their faculties forward, towards the center of the destruction. Sure enough, there was one Pokémon still standing. Gloria just didn't expect it to be such a cute one. "Wampa! Wampa!"
"Don't tell me this little thing did this…?" Gloria tilted her head, like it would grant her a better look, and the Pokémon emulated her. His tongue wagged out while his tiny tail moved back and forth, eyes shining at her. The only clue Gloria had was that the fur on the creature was sparking. It also started to run for her. "Oh, no, you don't! Chewtle, go!"
"Cheeew!" Her trusty turtle charged forward, head lowered, but the Pokémon she was facing didn't look worried at all. In fact, the closer the two got, the more it looked overjoyed. Just before Chewtle could make contact, the dog slipped past, running circles around her confused teammate. His tongue was still wagging and Chewtle attempted to follow his movements. The longer the dog ran, the more the air tingled with electricity. A rustling of the trees also told Gloria that Ash and Serena had joined in, watching the scene.
"Keep calm, Chewtle and use-"
"WAMPA!" It wasn't malicious, but the wild Pokémon leapt for Chewtle. The Water type couldn't move out of the way fast enough and soon found herself nuzzled against the creature's fur. Electricity showered the area, sending sparks across the clearing and onto Gloria's skin. Chewtle shared in the brunt of it, twitching as soon as the dog pulled away from her.
"Oh, it's adorable!" Serena said, clapping her hands together. Gloria disagreed upon seeing the state of Chewtle, frowning. She was inclined to agree with the monster comment.
The dog thought otherwise, turning about to look at Serena. He jumped up and down, more and more sparking present along his fur. He appeared to like the compliment, but Gloria didn't care much. That Pokémon was going down.
"Don't worry, Chewtle, we'll get revenge! Scorbunny, Flame Charge!"
"Gloria, don't waste time on a move Scorbunny doesn't…and there she goes," Ash said with a shrug. Gloria huffed, her smug intentions clear across her face as Scorbunny raced forward. His own fur was smoking as he ran for the unsuspecting Pokémon, Gloria balling her fists with anticipation.
It was too bad the dog turned at the wrong time.
"Wam!" it shouted, eyes wide at Scorbunny barreling down. "Wampa!"
In one swift movement, he whipped around, his short lightning-bolt tail slapping Scorbunny, and he scampered off deeper into the trees, small sparks following him. Gloria felt like fuming.
"Oh, sure, just run away!"
"Calm down." Astrid's cutting remark and chop to the back of her head ended the girl's tirade. "What do you think you should be focusing on right now?"
"Getting revenge!"
"Scornibbah!"
"Gloria…" Ash said in warning, and it was his voice that made her turn around to face him. He was actually frowning, and it brough Gloria back to some semblance of reality. Chewtle was still hurt.
"Right, sorry…" She didn't delay further, scooping the lightly convulsing Chewtle into her arms and making back for the Pokémon Center. Her steps slowed at Serena remaining in place, a finger to her chin while she stared at the spot where the dog had disappeared. She broke from her thought only when Pikachu called to her.
"Pipika?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Serena answered him. She bent lightly to pick Ash's partner up, his own cheeks still sparking, and Gloria took it as the cue to pick up the pace. She was grateful that the Pokémon Center was only a few feet away, though the second she stepped inside, she saw how busy it was, the two Indeedee present already attending to a number of victims from the puppy's rampage.
"Let me guess: Yamper?"
"Ye-huh? Nurse Joy?" Gloria said, stopping short. She blinked her eyes, making sure she wasn't hallucinating, or that the ball of sparking fur now known as Yamper hadn't shorted her brain. When she opened them again, there was still a Nurse Joy identical to the one in Motostoke right in front of her, taking the wincing Chewtle from her arms. "How did you-?"
"All the Nurse Joys are related," Ash said, arriving right behind her with the rest of their entourage and placing a hand on her shoulder. Nurse Joy nodded with a twinkle in her eye at the observation and took Chewtle away for treatment. "For someone who knows a lot about their region, I would've thought you'd know that."
"I spent time researching battles and Gym Leaders, not Nurse Joys."
"Well, good for that…" Ash said with laughter under his breath. "Speaking of battles…don't you think you sent in Chewtle without training her much?"
"She's fine!...I think," Gloria said, folding her arms. Her other Pokémon had rejoined her, and seeing the both of them unharmed reminded her of her other Pokémon, who had tried so hard to be the one to battle, only to get taken out by a Nuzzle in one shot. Maybe she had been focusing too hard on the Gym ahead. Thinking more on the battle just made her blood boil, too. "But that…that Yamper! I'm gonna teach him what-for. Soon as Chewtle heals we're taking another crack at 'im!"
"Well, I think every trainer here would wish you good luck with that," Nurse Joy said, already coming back with Chewtle in tow. The tiny turtle looked happy to see her, leaping into Gloria's arms where the girl hugged her tight. "That Yamper has been causing problems here for a while now, and no trainer has been able to catch him. Poké Balls tend to short-circuit around him, and Pokémon drop very quickly. Thankfully, your Chewtle is fine. Just needed a Cheri Berry."
"Chew," Chewtle responded with a smile in the affirmative.
"So this Yamper is a problem Pokémon. It just needs some good hard-earned discipline! I'll catch it and make sure it knows how to behave!" Gloria could feel her face twisting into a wicked smirk, and when Rookidee landed on her shoulder, she could see his beak in the same position. They were ready to beat the rambunctiousness out of that Pokémon.
"Cut it out, hothead." Once again, the sharp sting of Astrid striking the back of her head was felt. The smirk gave way to a scowl and she got into Astrid's face about it, the woman hardly wishing to back off until Ash intervened and pushed the two apart. "There are more ways to solve a situation than rushing right in and beating the crap out of something."
"It's worked fine before!"
"She has a point, Astrid," Ash said, earning a scoff from the blonde as she rolled her eyes. Gloria stuck her tongue out at the woman, not caring how childish she came off, and Scorbunny mimicked her. Their victory was short-lived, however. "Although, she's right, Gloria. Battling can't solve everything. Sometimes, you gotta figure out what the real problem is."
That one stumped Gloria, the girl opening her mouth and shutting it before she could say something that made her seem more brash than she already knew she was. Chewtle affectionately bit at her fingers, causing her to look at the turtle, but she had no more idea on how to resolve the situation without battling than any of them did.
Unless one counted Serena.
"I might have an idea."
"How?" was the question that left Gloria's mouth before she could stop it. She wanted to kick herself for it, not wanting another lecture from Astrid for being so gabby. Serena, thankfully, was the more patient of the two females. She winked to Gloria, and kneeled down to Pikachu's level, the both of them appearing almost on the same wavelength as Ash and his partner did.
"Pikachu, you sensed something when Yamper discharged, didn't you? Not like a normal electrical move, but something on the air, right?"
"Pi." His nod and affirmation brought a smile to Serena's face, and no one could stop her from turning on her heel and heading right out of the Pokémon Center. Gloria hadn't expected that, and she almost dropped Chewtle, but the inexorable curiosity of her mind overtook her surprise and she followed right after the Performer.
"What-what was it you saw?" Gloria shouted after her, any intention of battling Yamper gone, at least for the moment. There wasn't a single word of protest from Ash or Astrid as they trailed back into the forest, Serena fingering a Poké Ball the whole way. Pikachu nipped at her heels.
"That Yamper wasn't trying to hurt Chewtle. Quite the opposite. I think he was playing with her."
"Playing?!" The notion sounded ludicrous, but Serena was a woman on a mission, and Gloria had no intention of messing with the determined pregnant woman. She'd seen enough to know how that would end up.
"That's a pretty good observation, Serena. How'd you know?"
"He looked happy, and not in an aggressive way. So, I think there's something more to him. Pikachu can help me out with that one." Pikachu must have agreed, for he jumped on her shoulder and raised a paw with glee.
Gloria again wanted to open her mouth, but felt Ash's hand on her free shoulder, shaking his head. "Leave this one to Serena. Just watch. Might learn something."
She wanted to retort that she'd had enough of learning by watching, but feeling Astrid's burning eyes in the back of her head, she decided against that. Scorbunny leapt upwards, nodding, and Gloria chose to give in, she and her three Pokémon wading back into the forest in search of Yamper once more.
Like before, the trail of electrified Pokémon made him not hard to find, and Serena was tracking far faster than the state of her body would suggest. Gloria considered herself impressed, turning through trees and clearings that led away from the Center, even watching Serena climb over a log with minimal assistance until they found themselves in an empty dell, nothing but the wind audible.
Pikachu hopped down, his ears twitching. On Gloria's arm, Scorbunny screwed his face in concentration, listening intently but not quite hearing whatever Pikachu was attuned to. As if to help, Ash reached over and put his hand over Scorbunny's eyes. "Just listen."
Gloria closed her own eyes, trying to discern what Ash clearly could, and in seconds she felt her whole world open up. There was the snapping of twigs, the echo of Pokémon, the beating of wings. One of the trees rustled up top, sounding large, but that wasn't the object of Gloria's pursuit, soon hearing the light whimper at the edge of the dell. Her eyes snapped open, and the brunette pointed straight in the direction she had heard the noise, but Pikachu was already on it along with Serena, both tentatively approaching the edge of the clearing.
"Pika…? Pikachu." The words must have been a greeting, for at his call, a shadow flitted out of the trees to reveal the ball of sparking fur that had caused them trouble earlier. Yamper barked and growled, his fur standing up on end from the electricity and threat to his…well, Gloria guessed it was his home of sorts. Chewtle wriggled out of her arms, snapping her jaw and ready to fight back, but Yamper hardly even noticed her. His head was tilted more on Serena.
"Wampa?" From where she stood, Gloria could tell Serena was smiling, and in no time at all, reached a hand out for the Electric type. He took a step back, growling a little. Gloria could feel the electricity on the air, and she knew it wasn't just from her tension.
"It's okay. I know, you're hurting, aren't you?" Her hand inched ever closer, but Yamper was no less apprehensive about it. The building static made Gloria's hair rise and she readied herself to order her Pokémon to attack. Ash held her back, shaking his head. Gloria was about to consider it him showing a silly faith in his wife that was about to barbecued by electricity, but Serena was steady. "I know what pain feels like, but you don't have to suffer alone."
"W…wampa! Wampa wampa wampa!" Yamper's barks became shrill, his entire body poofing out, and before he could help it, the dog sent that electricity out from his body, straight for Serena.
"Serena!" Gloria shouted.
She shouldn't have bothered.
The moment even a flash of lightning poured from Yamper's body, Pikachu was on the way, flipping with the kind of alacrity only Ash could have helped him with. His tail stuck out like a lightning rod, and his cheeks sparked in defense of Serena, whose hand never stopped moving. The lightning was absorbed by Pikachu's tail, building at the end of it into a giant Electro Ball. Gloria watched, now unblinking at the majesty of it all. The light show became dimmer and dimmer until, eventually, Yamper had exhausted itself, splayed on all fours and panting. Soon as it was over, Pikachu spun around and, with a swift "chu pi!", sent the Electro Ball high to the sky where it exploded in a beautiful glimmer of sparks.
Serena's hand at last reached Yamper.
The dog's ears twitched, but it was too exhausted to retaliate or do much of anything at all. He did appear to enjoy Serena running her hand through his fur with a smile, and she soon did the same for Pikachu, both cooing contentedly. For the moment, Yamper had stopped sparking.
"I don't get it," Gloria whispered. Astrid rolled her eyes at the claim, but the girl chose to elaborate; she wasn't in the mood to be called stupid. "How did she calm him down?"
"This little one isn't violent. Just overwhelmed." Serena's soothing voice caused Yamper's tail to stick up and wag around, panting with joy. With the "threat" neutralized, she stood and hoisted Yamper in her arms with an incredible display of strength that made Ash and Astrid worry. Gloria was too busy being confused, watching the pregnant Performer come nearer to her. The longer she looked, the more Yamper appeared to be relaxed and at peace, especially when he saw Pikachu padding alongside Serena. The Performer scratched behind his ears, earning an affectionate bark. "I think he's just not very good at controlling his electricity. Isn't that right, Yamper?"
"Wampa!" Yamper perked up, his tongue licking at Serena's face and causing her to laugh. She stopped by Gloria and her squad, looking them over with a stern eye, all while Yamper tried to roll over in her hold.
"What you thought of as trying battle, he was just trying to play. He just couldn't help himself. I can already feel his electricity building up in his fur again." True enough, the more she stroked, the more Serena's hair began to levitate. Ash held back a laugh at his wife's expense, but she took no offense. "But that's okay. Sometimes, you just need a little guidance to find the right path. One of my friends had a hard time with controlling his element, too. Right, Sandshrew?"
The Poké Ball that Serena had been gripping to finally opened up, revealing the Ice type with a friendly cry. Yamper appeared excited at meeting a friend after Serena's words, jumping down and beginning to run circles around Sandshrew, the electricity once more gathering. Pikachu put a stop to it with his tail. Sandshrew looked up at his trainer. "Shrew?"
"Yamper has problems controlling his electricity, just like you did, Sandshrew, with your ice." Sandshrew immediately understood, jumping up and down before his little claws patted Yamper. "Do you want to help him?"
"Shrew!" was the high-pitched squeak in affirmation.
"Wampa wam!" Yamper stopped running around, his eyes glistening with stars at Sandshrew's words. His tail wagged back and forth, and then he turned to Serena. With another bark, he ran and jumped at her, nearly sending her down to the ground while the rest of their party watched. With ecstatic energy, Yamper licked all over Serena's face, the woman laughing the whole while until, at last, a Poké Ball was lodged from her, tumbling to the ground. Yamper looked at it. Gloria raised an eyebrow.
"You want me to help you, Yamper?" Serena asked, holding the dog up in front of her. He didn't even hesitate to nod. "You're sure?"
"Wamp!" With a little bit of his tiny legs working, Yamper broke free and rolled along the ground. There was no delay, and Yamper placed his paw on the device which sucked him inside. It shook a few times, and with a ding, stars shot out, the capture complete.
"No way…" Gloria couldn't help but utter underneath her breath. Her three Pokémon looked at her, trying to grasp what her mind couldn't process, while Astrid snickered, soon wrapping an arm around the girl with her usual infuriating smirk. "I don't get it. She didn't battle him."
"You really are a battle nut, aren't you, Gloria?" Astrid's weight became heavier, forcing Rookidee off to fly around the air with annoyed chirps. He turned his beak up at the blonde and shot away for a tree, only to rebound and peck at the woman. She didn't even look perturbed. Meanwhile, Serena finished picking her newest capture from the ground. "Training's not all about battles, you know. There are other ways to catch a Pokémon. Take your eyes off the goal for a second. Look at the bigger picture. Maybe it'll help you mature a little."
"I don't need that advice from you!" Still, she felt blessed to see the scene before her, watching as Serena twirled around and presented the Poké Ball to all those gathered.
"Ta-da! I caught a Yamper!"
"Pi Pikachu!"
"Sandshreeew!"
"All right! Great job, Serena!" Ash said, joining in on the celebrations by throwing an arm around his wife. She smiled at him, and with the press of a button, Yamper emerged, still holding that boundless electrical energy. "Another member to the family!"
"And we'll all work together to help you control that energy of yours, Yamper!"
"Wampa!"
Gloria found a smile coming to her face, watching the Ketchums celebrate the newest addition to their Pokémon family. It reminded her of her own, down at her feet, looking a little left out and unsure of how to continue. At the same time, Astrid's words struck a sharp chord in her. Maybe she had been neglecting the side paths.
Maybe there was something to the way Ash acted after all. Maybe.
She sighed and knelt down, the celebrations of Ash and Serena fading to the background while she looked down to little Chewtle. Just as Serena had, she reached out and placed a hand on her head, rubbing it. "I'm sorry, Chewtle. I haven't been a very tip-top trainer with you. I know the first Gym is a Grass type but I…How about I make it up to you? Let's all train together."
She expected some ambivalence towards the request, or for Chewtle to frown and turn away. It made her glad when she felt the affectionate nibble of her finger.
"Looks like that's a yes," Ash said, throwing Gloria a thumbs up. "Guess we'll all get some training in. Back to the Pokémon Center?"
"For sure!" Gloria declared, bouncing up and, without thinking, slapping her hand against Ash's. With a different road before her, Gloria spun around, pointing back towards the Center. "Time for training in double-time. Race you there, guys!"
They were quick to oblige, and all the trainers and Pokémon returned for the Center with their new companion, leaving the rustling trees of the dell behind.
"Ah, she really has grown, hasn't she? She's certainly ready to be a mother."
"Mother? The twerpette?" It hadn't been even a minute since the twerps had evacuated the clearing, and already Jessie's shrill voice snapped in response to the one sitting on a branch above them. James, of course, felt they were less comfortable, himself, Jessie, Meowth and Wobbuffet all gathered in the center of a tree, the blue lug rubbing his nose from the bird that had flown at them. "I just saw the twerpette doing twerpetteish things."
"Dat's real eloquent of you, Jess," Meowth commented, stretching a little. The tree shook, and James didn't dare move for fear of upsetting their delicate balance. Also because he couldn't, his arms locked into position and his binoculars trailing the grown twerps while they headed back for the Center.
"Ah, perhaps if you were to have children of your own, you'd understand."
"I keep tellin' 'em dat, but apparently Jessie tinks she's too good for James."
"Wobba."
"Shut your pie hole, Meowth!" To no one's surprise, even the man above them, Jessie aimed a kick at Meowth that sent him flying from the tree. "And you! What are we even doing here? I didn't sign up to track the twerps…again!"
"True enough. Just wanted to check in on my daughter," the man said, tussling his honey-blond hair before he leapt from the tree. He was far more graceful than Meowth's fall had been. Soon as he did, the man pulled out a phone, swiping across some icons. "I'm well aware of why we're here."
"Does that mean you got the intel?" James asked, his last words becoming a wheeze when Jessie decided to climb down from the tree over his back. The man, Y, or Serena's father…or any of the names that James had no clue of, waved his phone in his direction.
"Yes, indeed. Cedric has found the mark. You up for the pursuit?"
"Tch, please!" Jessie scoffed, lunging for the phone only to find it yanked out of her reach. She responded by placing her hands on her hips, impatiently waiting for James to descend and join her. Meowth did the same as her, albeit with a grumble. "We're Team Rocket…er, ARC? Whatever! We never back down from a pursuit!"
"It is the reason you hired us," James agreed, grunting as he finished his descent.
"Dough we gotta work on da name for our group…" Meowth added sagely. While Wobbuffet concurred, Jessie started her high-pitched laugh.
"Ohoho! I still vote that we must be called Jessie and Cohorts!"
"Vetoed," James and Meowth said simultaneously. It instantly put Jessie into a fuming fury, enough of one to get Y's attention with a scowl that could melt ice.
"Enough! Get ready to move out and find the target." They snapped to attention, years of doing so ingrained in them as their new employer faced westward, looking far beyond the trees. "Let's begin. To Galar Mine."
Author's Note: A fun little chapter to kick off the next phase of the story, wouldn't you say? Not too much to say here other than regarding Gloria's relationship with Ash and Yamper. Yes, Ash is mentoring her, but don't go expecting a ton of training scenes between the two of them, especially since Gloria still barely knows the guy and isn't so…receptive. We do have a larger plot to tell. As for Yamper, it was pretty much one of my earliest picks for Serena with a nice small arc to come. I hope you'll enjoy it.
And in regards to the returning TRio (who aren't part of Team Rocket, anymore, obviously, but easy shorthand) who are they tracking with Y, and what will go down in the mine? Find out next time.
Viroro: And with this, Yamper officially debuts! Mostly a breather chapter beyond that, but with some important interactions and solid focus on Serena proper, ontop of the debut of some fairly well-known faces. Really hoping you enjoyed this chapter and Epic's proper return to the helm!
Before we dash, some people to thank: HelixRosario and Obersturmfuhrer for favoriting; nevans20 for following; and the heartiest of thanks to Fury, FantasyLover88, Mezamun, ChE clarinetist, ThePikachuMaster, Tenzalucard123, MythGirl Writes, aliensinnoh, potat lasaro, XDiamondX90, AmourshippingCanon, UltimateCCC, KnightDay19, Ander Arias, oomoepoo, Captainsquid12, GalarianMike and Rajiv A. Rajaram for reviewing!
Until next chapter, please Review and,
Dare to Be Silly.