Viroro's first thought on reading a scene in this chapter was "We did it! We created our edgy Pokémon protagonist!". It was a joke, of course, but proof I ended up making Gloria more foul-mouthed than originally intended, ha ha. Anyway, let's start Chapter 10!

Chapter 10

A Mine

Some more hours of training and a good rest later had Gloria feeling refreshed and ready to take on the following day. While their group had remained at the Pokémon Center for the duration of the night, the Postwick girl was feeling like she'd made good strides with all of her team, the three of whom were still snoring away on her bed when she woke that morning. For a moment, she wondered if she was the first up, only to notice that Ash and Pikachu were missing from their own bed. Figuring they must have gone to breakfast, Gloria headed out for a little, herself.

She didn't find the duo out there, but didn't let it stop her from consuming the dish of eggs and bacon before the computers in the Center took her attention. Yawning away the rest of her tiredness, she approached them as the doors to the Center opened, pressing a few items on the screen to bring up the latest news on the Gym Challenge.

"Whatcha looking at?" Ash's voice made her jump. She barely needed to turn her head to see him and Pikachu poking their noses forward. "Gym stats?"

"Er, just keeping informed about my rivals!" Gloria said with a pump of her fists. "Since the Gym Challenge is such a big deal, the League keeps detailed stats on everything. Challengers, their Pokémon, their badge number."

"Oh, like those cards the kids in Motostoke were talking about?" Gloria was a bit surprised he remembered, but nodded nonetheless. "Cool. What does it say about you?"

"I-I'm not looking at that!" she snapped at him, feeling herself grow warm with frustration. She already knew it would record a major loss on her record. Hoping to deter the subject from being about herself, she fiddled with the screen, finding the most recent Gym statistics. "Hm…only a handful have their first badge…Good news for me!"

"You're fired up, huh? Guess that means we should get going for Turffield City as soon as possible. I'll get the others up!"

"It's still just Turffield!" Gloria shouted after the man as he and Pikachu ran back for their rooms. She chuckled a little when he was out of earshot, before looking back to the computer. She really didn't want to check her own League stats or if a card had been created for her after her loss to Kabu, but it was nice to know she still had a chance. If only a few people had their first badge, it meant she wasn't far behind, and it was likely they were the few veterans of past circuits who already knew the game.

That was enough inspiration to move forward with speed.

Fortunately, her group was of one mind, each eager to get back on the road, including Serena who was moving a tad slower than the rest. It didn't help that of all the Pokémon they had on hand, Yamper was the only one she kept out, allowing him to gambol on the path in front of them while they set back on the route. Pikachu, of course, was keeping him in line, ensuring none of them ended up shocked.

"So, spitfire, tell us about where we're heading," Astrid said once they were a good way down the road, few others around but the wild Pokémon that populated the area.

"Will you ever run out of nicknames for me?" Gloria asked. Scorbunny blew a raspberry in the woman's direction, but only received a shrug for his troubles. Knowing it was better to not stoke the argument further, Gloria sighed and obliged the request for information. "It's a mine, owned by Chairman Rose."

"Oh, him? He sure has his fingers in a lot of pies, doesn't he?" was the following remark. Gloria could feel Astrid's inquisitive gaze settle upon her, and the girl fished for her phone, knowing little else beyond the rudimentary information she had just given.

"Chairman Rose is someone who's helped take Galar into the future," Gloria said, bringing the map up on her phone that contained all of the information about the locale they were due to arrive at. Each step carried them closer, the great mountain that indicated the entrance to the Galar Mine practically within their grasp. "I was only a toddler when he started building the League as it is today, but he's been involved in so much more than that."

"Like what?" Serena asked, her steps pausing just for a second to regain her breath. Gloria considered slowing further, but Ash continued to help his wife along, a hand on her back to ensure no loss of speed.

"Well, er…he's been heavily involved in energy consumption. Which is what the mine is for."

"You didn't know that until just now, did you?"

"Shut up, Astrid…" Gloria grumbled, allowing her eyes to continue absorbing the rest of the information on the page. When she was done, she stowed the phone away and puffed out her chest, skipping ahead of the group and beginning to walk backwards, as if she was about to present their destination. It became more difficult as she realized she was trudging up a hill. "Anyway, according to Rotom, the Galar Mine was once an abandoned coal mine from Galar's industrial age. It had long fallen out of use, but Chairman Rose found a new purpose for it and revamped it all under the Macro Cosmos banner."

"Oh yeah, he did mention something about some contract here or something, right?" Ash said.

"Right. See, the chairman found a new source of power in the depths of the mine." The backwards trip up the hill was becoming laborious, and it forced Gloria to turn around, charging up with full steam and Scorbunny puffing at her side. "Galar's always had some big energy problems, according to mum, since we're just a tiny island and all. It's part of the reason we could never have big Leagues and all that, but it all changed when Macro Cosmos was made. Chairman Rose revamped the mine, completely redesigned the city of Wyndon and modernized the Gym Challenge."

"He sounds like a very impressive man," Serena said with a smile. Gloria couldn't help but agree, and hearing Serena's words reminded her of the woman's predicament. She slowed on her path to put her own hand on Serena's back, helping the pregnant woman up the hill. Upon reaching the crest, Gloria could already see it: the lone path to Turffield that was the entrance to the Galar Mine. Serena sucked in a lungful of air. "A man dedicated to his region and wanting to see it grow."

"Kinda the reason we're here," Ash noted, himself looking impressed. "None of this stuff sounds easy to do."

"Well, he's pretty well-liked and has a lot of support. Mum even said he was a real looker when he started out. Competed in the Gym Challenge in his own youth, too, before he changed it up. It helps that he sponsored Leon, who's pretty much everyone's favorite person," Gloria said with a dismissive wave. She could see a gate up ahead, barring the way into the mines, and a security guard out front. No other people were around, and Gloria took the chance to sprint ahead. The guard saw her coming, holding up a hand that ordered her to stop.

"Challenger number?" he asked, scrolling down a tablet.

"Ah, oh, two-two-seven. Gloria and, er…"

"Ash Ketchum, League Liaison." He sounded a little proud of his title for the first time, as did Pikachu, who must have repeated the same thing, just in his own language.

"Ah, Mr. Ketchum and Challenger Gloria, yes, I have your names down with permission to pass through the mine." The man tapped a few things on his screen before digging into his pocket to present four lanyards to the group. "These are your passes that will get you through the mine to the connecting side near Turffield. There is a checkpoint along the way. Please do not wander off the path as we have some sensitive and dangerous operations, and wish for no injury. For those challengers, there are a few designated training spots, but please be aware of mine safety at all times."

"Got it!" Gloria complied, slinging the lanyard around her neck. She took a look at the card hanging there, the Macro Cosmos logo on it with big bold letters reading "GUEST" in laminated ink. "All right, gang, to Turffield!"

"Nibbah!"

The adults didn't have a problem with Gloria taking point, her march into the mines unimpeded. At first, it grew extremely dark compared to the bright sunshine outside, and Gloria put a hand out to avoid falling into walls, but they only went a few feet before the lanterns that lined the walls came into prominence. No longer feeling like a blind Woobat, she took charge with more authority and emerged out of the passageway and into the mine proper.

"Oh my, this is certainly the operation!" Serena noted upon seeing the display. She was careful to not let Yamper run about with reckless abandon, hoisting the dog in her arms. Not that Gloria disagreed.

She had only seen the mines covered once in some history program, but as she had fallen asleep partway through, she couldn't remember any of the details. None of it compared to real life, of course, and Gloria was struck by, first, the glittering gems, but more importantly the large pieces of mining equipment and branching pathways. Wending its way through the halls were some tracks, a cart full of slag resting at the end. Gloria ran forward to check it out, only for a Pokémon to cut off her path.

"Carkoal!" it shouted, but continued on with its work, followed by a man running after it.

"Watch where you're walking, miss!"

"S-sorry," Gloria stammered, backing up into the rest of her group as she watched the man and his Pokémon go, voices and orders echoing around.

"Maybe we should actually stick to the path this time," Astrid suggested. This time, Gloria had no objections; she wasn't in the mood to get run over. She held her arm out, allowing Scorbunny to jump atop it and looked for the safest path. Serena was the first to find it, but allowed Gloria to take the lead.

It was a fairly clear-cut path, absent of the minecarts and their tracks that burrowed into places unknown across the caves. The passage they took was far more treaded, showing the wear and tear of Gym Challengers over the years. Little holes were drilled here and there, but for being the most industrious mine under Macro Cosmos, it showed surprisingly little disturbance to the local wildlife. Scorbunny hopped up and down, pointing to one of the holes, and he and Pikachu ran for it, only to tumble back when some Roggenrola popped out, singing.

A flapping up ahead indicated the presence of some Woobat, darting between the hanging lights and showing the way to a bridge that spanned the deeper aspects of the mine. Here, Gloria was more careful, testing the bridge with her foot to make sure it was as stable as it appeared, only for Astrid to walk right on past her, peering below with a low whistle.

"Now that is something," she remarked. Gloria decided to discard any worries over the bridge to join Astrid in looking down to where miners were gathered, all sorts of equipment about the place and Pokémon marching to destinations. From Diglett to Timburr, the whole operation was something on a scale that only Rose's company could achieve, and Gloria watched in awe as a Drilbur tore into the hard surface, coming back out with lightly glowing stones. "What's that they're mining down there?"

"Dunno. Kind of looks like that Wishing Star I found," Gloria answered, covering her eyes as though it would get her a better look. She couldn't discern anything else, and a shout from below gave her reason to abandon it.

"Oi, Russel! Got somethin' for you to do!" a worker yelled, running along with his Gurdurr trailing behind. Russel, the man with the Drilbur, turned around with a thoroughly unpleased look. "Don't go lookin' at me like that. I need you to get over to Site Three. Some dumb Gym Challenger went and decided to break the rules, claimin' he was employed by the Chairman."

"Isn't Site Three the research division?" Russel asked, yelling as loud as his boss to offset the hammering that pounded over the bridge.

"Does it look like it matters? Just get a move on!" The man slapped Russel's back, forcing him along. It put Gloria back on the path, now noticing the sign with a big red "2" painted on it.

"I guess different sites have different functions. Efficient," Serena said, nodding her head. Yamper turned to look up at her, barking a bit, but she soothed his fur and he fell to a contented state of sleep in an instant.

"So, Site Three must be beyond this one. Wonder what kind of cool research they're doing there," Ash said. Pikachu returned to his shoulder when he took point on the group, looking far giddier than Gloria expected him to be. He didn't strike her as the very scientific type. Not that she was, either; strategies were her game, while she left all of the research to Hop. Sometimes, it was a wonder they were friends at all.

"Let's hurry up and find out!" Gloria said, high fiving Ash as the two began to race ahead, heedless of the women left behind. She could practically feel Astrid rolling her eyes as the two hyperactive bundles raced ahead. Scorbunny went first, a rivalry with Pikachu ignited that dared the mouse to a race, one shared by their trainers as their feet beat over the bridge, creating a few creaks.

"Careful not to cause a cave-in!" Astrid shouted, earning only a thumbs-up from the pair in turn.

They jetted ahead, blasting past a sign that indicated their upcoming checkpoint was in the direction they were moving, with another sign pointing them in the direction of this "Site Three" they had heard mentioned. A troop of Diglett came marching through the area, necessitating Ash, Gloria and their Pokémon to leap over and land nimbly on the other side.

Gloria immediately lost her balance.

She thought it was her own poor coordination, but seeing Ash fall into a wall and Pikachu tumble into Scorbunny, she knew it wasn't just her. Trying to stand, she found her legs vibrating, a quake shuddering through the mine. The Diglett froze, facing further down their path and then diving beneath the ground, their clot of dirt tracking far away from wherever this Site Three was located. The quaking began to settle out.

When it did, a light shined at Ash's side and Greninja popped out, startling Gloria into falling on her butt.

"Greninja, do you sense something?"

"Nin." The Ninja Pokémon nodded and leapt forward, sparing nary a glance back. Ash was the opposite, concern written over his face when he saw Astrid supporting Serena.

"Serena, are you-"

"I'm fine, Ash. Go." The trust between them was enviable, and Ash didn't waste a second more. Not wishing to be left out, Gloria jumped to her feet, beckoning Scorbunny to her and running after Ash, a trip that didn't turn out to be very long. They soon found themselves at the checkpoint, right outside the entrance to the fabled Site Three, the ropes blocking it off severed.

At its entrance was the checkpoint security guard, down on the ground with his face in the dirt, and what looked like a nasty cut on his chest. Gloria felt her throat go dry and her limbs lock up.

Ash was the exact opposite, pulling the man up to let him breathe, which resulted in a cough. The mines shook once again. "Hey, are you all right? What happened?"

"M-man…in the mines…" the guard coughed out. "And there was a…red light…"

"Red light?" Gloria questioned without receiving an answer in turn. "Dynamax?"

The possibility was not a pleasant one to Ash or Greninja and they turned to face the unbarred entrance to Site Three. Gloria likewise stared into that abyss, Astrid and Serena catching up with them when she thought she could see and feel it, the faint red surge of power. In such a small place, it frightened her, but she tried to swallow her fear down. Without hesitation, Ash and Greninja stepped forward. Gloria should have expected it, but still she watched as Serena and Astrid followed him.

Pull it together. Gloria slapped her cheeks, sharing a firm nod with Scorbunny, and the pair delved in after the adults, towards the source of the glowing light and the shuddering quakes that threatened to cave in the mines. The very power on the air was palpable, and Gloria gripped to her other Poké Balls, ready to call her whole team out.

Then the screaming started, or at least became audible.

So did the roar the shook the caverns. "KOAAAAAAL!"

Ash and Greninja tensed, Pikachu dropping to the floor on all fours. It was a shift not unlike how they had been prepared to deal with the Dynamaxed Greedent, and Gloria could see the adults steeling. Yamper was returned, Braixen called out in his stead, while Astrid's Absol emerged with a howl. Gloria hovered just behind them, and through the eerie red glow, the source of the disturbance was seen.

"Carkol, the Coal Pokémon," her phone spoke aloud, but not enough to overcome the enormous Rock Pokémon before them, clouds of dangerous energy rolling about the wide cavern. At its rolling feet were people dressed in hardhats and lab coats, a dozen in number, while it turned around to look at all of them. Unlike Greedent, it didn't appear quite so joyous about its newfound size. Nor did the researchers or anyone, but Gloria's phone continued rambling the details off heedlessly. "By rapidly rolling its legs, it can travel at over eighteen miles per hour. The temperature of the flames it breathes exceeds eighteen-hundred degrees Fahrenheit."

"So, it's fast," Astrid said, following the words with a swift "tch" sound.

"And there are people," Serena noted. Ash and Greninja were wordless, and Gloria saw a tremendous difference in the happy-go-lucky man she had just been racing with. A lump was in her throat that she swallowed, wondering if she was getting a glimpse of the true Ash Ketchum, the man who was touted as one of the best battlers in the world. Perhaps it was the people in danger, or just the greater threat at hand, but something in his eyes had changed, becoming more serious.

Astrid, too, took on the same demeanor. "I'll leave them to the two of you. Gloria, with me. We need to keep that thing busy."

"You're sure about this, Astrid?" Ash asked, not daring to take his eyes off Carkol.

"I'm not so weak as to let this thing give me trouble, and the two of you can handle a little escort. Me and Hothead over here can deal with it." The invitation, or perhaps order, extended, Gloria nodded when Ash looked at her, striding forth to take her place at Astrid's side. Neither needed Ash's permission, and he didn't waste any time by giving it. "Listen to me, Gloria. We need to end this battle fast. Now, everyone move! Absol, Psycho Cut!"

"Sol!" Gloria could feel the psychic energy that made Absol's horn glow purple, slashing it out in a crescent shape for the Dynamaxed Pokémon. It exploded against the base of the mine cart that comprised most of its body, drawing the Rock type's attention to Astrid, its coal-based mouth opening to show a fire within.

"KOOOOAL!" The mouth grew red hot, and from it jettisoned flames for the pair. Astrid was wordless, a curt nod given to Gloria, who acted on impulse.

"Scorbunny, Ember!" The bunny hopped forward, spitting forth its bright orange cinders to combat the all-encompassing fire. Many of the researchers dodged to the side, and Greninja protected them from the worst with a timely throw of his Water Shuriken. Knowing Ash was on the job allowed the two to step forward, Carkol's attention now fully on them. The Ember peppered tiny holes in the Max Flare coming their way, doing little else. Astrid grabbed Gloria and pulled her down to the ground and out of the way.

"Dark Pulse!" Absol sprang into the air, the inky nexus of swirls forming in his mouth before he fired…and missed. "What?"

"Koal! Carkol!" Gloria lifted her head, coughing from the resulting smoke of the attack. It had done some good in lighting up the room, revealing some tracks and minecarts, as well as a path further in, allowing Gloria to get a better idea of what they were working with. It also showed what had happened, Carkol spinning its wheels and dodging right out of Absol's way. It was a nimble one, and it looked in no mood for getting hurt. If anything, it sounded…in pain?

"Move it, Gloria." Gloria blinked, realizing Carkol was far from done, rearing back to bring its rocky wheels slamming down on the ground. Where it struck, a humongous slab of rock rose up, teetering back and forth before it tipped in the pair's direction, and in the line of fire for the researchers. Scorbunny pushed at Gloria, begging her to move, but she found she couldn't. Astrid was quicker on the uptake. "Megahorn!"

"Aaaab…" Gloria watched as Absol intercepted, his glowing white horn piercing into the slab of rock, driving through it as much as he could. She started to think he was going to fail, before realizing one very important fact: she was here, too.

"Scorbunny, Double Kick!"

"Nibbah!" Springing from his position with a grin, Scorbunny's foot aimed for the spot Absol was burrowing through, striking it with all the force he could muster. Cracks formed like a spiderweb around the rock and Absol finally had the leverage to push through, crumbling the slab into the pieces that rained about, sealing off one or two passages and threatening to crush the researchers underfoot.

"Hidden Power!" Braixen's wand waved about, its silvery orbs crushing the remaining boulders into gravel while Serena stood near the researchers. "Are you all right?"

"F-fine. But that boy…"

"What boy?" Ash asked. While he did, Greninja and Pikachu took care of the rest of the boulders, the mouse landing and calling for the researchers to follow him out of the cave. Most did so, a group of three scrambling to remove themselves the fastest.

"There was a boy, pink coat, blond hair. He came barging into the research site," one of the scientists said, fixing the glasses that were askew on his face. "When Carkol Dynamaxed he attacked it, made it angry, and when he heard footsteps, he went to the lower level."

"What's on the lower level?" Astrid said, her harsh tone making the researcher flinch. The Carkol was recovering from having its attack broken apart, glaring fiercely at Absol and backing up to slam into the wall. Stones rained from above.

"Not sure. We haven't gotten around to it, but he claimed it was an inspection from the Chairman."

"As if a boy like that could."

"Don't worry about that," Ash said before the researchers could gossip further. "You all need to get out of here. Leave everything to us."

"And you are…?"

"Please, just go!" Serena snapped. None of the researchers dared to defy the pregnant woman, letting her and her husband usher them out of the large room. It left plenty of space for Astrid and Gloria to let loose.

"Good. No more distractions." Astrid reached up, clutching to her earring, an act Gloria felt was odd in the middle of their situation. It started to glow, as did the necklace upon Absol's fur. "If this Dynamax is so powerful, we'll add our own power to the mix. Absol, Mega Evolve!"

Mega…Evolve?! The phenomenon she next witnessed was nothing short of spectacular. A rainbow hue covered Absol's entire body, illuminating the cave with brilliant light. Wings sprouted from the Disaster Pokémon's back, its horn thicker and its body looking more feral. Shadows surrounded his claw, grander and more jagged than Gloria could have imagined, and Absol flew forward.

Just as before, Carkol saw it coming and spun its gigantic wheels to move out of the way. Absol tore into the wall, huge chunks breaking off with its display of newfound strength. Of course, Gloria knew it wouldn't do any good if it couldn't hit its mark, despite how large a target Carkol was. With that thought in mind, she scanned the area, and on seeing the minecart, an idea flashed in her brain.

"Astrid, it's not all about power! Let's keep it moving! Chewtle, ram that cart, and Scorbunny get in it. Rookidee, keep it busy and work on Air Slash!"

"Rooko!" her bird Pokémon obeyed upon emerging from his Poké Ball. Chewtle and Scorbunny were the same, dashing for the nearest minecart while Astrid looked on. No admonishment, no warning. Just a shrug that showed she was trusting in Gloria's plan, one she was putting together in her head as she ran forward with Rookidee.

"Hey, you overpacked box of rocks, try picking on your own type!" The girl bent down to pick up a rock and tossed it straight for Carkol, beaning it on the head.

"Cakol…" came the rumbling like thunder, the cart turning upon her. That had gotten its attention and she grinned. Now, it was just about keeping up.

"Rookidee, Hone Claws!" Rookidee chirped, his tiny claws clashing together with a red aura while the pair ran a circle around Carkol, necessitating it to turn in their direction. "Now, Peck! Chewtle, Scorbunny, give it your best with some Ember!"

"Chew chew!" Chewtle shouted, ramming the cart containing Scorbunny with all the force she could muster. From the now speeding vehicle, Scorbunny puffed his cheeks and sent fire raining at the Coal Pokémon. True to form, it spun out of the way, dodging the flecks of fire and the hurtling Rookidee. It put it straight into the path of an oncoming Dark Pulse.

"Cark!" The giant Pokémon's eyes grew wide, its form spinning in place. From there, a shield began to form to protect it.

Which made it more shocked when the Dark Pulse struck it and drove right through it, shattering it to pieces. Carkol quivered and immediately tried to move off before it could get hit again, this time driving straight for them.

"Cut it off!" Gloria ordered. With a huff and a puff, Chewtle ran to the other side of the minecart and gave it a mighty Headbutt, sending Scorbunny flying into the air. Her wordless command standing, both bunny and bird aimed for Carkol with fire and wind between them. The Coal Pokémon saw them coming, stopping in position and turning towards the only place not occupied: a corner of the cavern. "Now, Astrid!"

"Herding it, huh? Not too bad, hot stuff. You have a brain on you after all. Absol, finish this with Psycho Cut!" Carkol had finished rolling, panting from its attempted flight, but with nowhere to go. It spun in place, just in time to see Absol floating in midair, his horn glowing a deep purple. With a slash of his head, the crescent energy flew out, cutting at the ground of the cavern and tearing it apart with deep gouges until it impacted with the Dynamaxed Pokémon.

"KOOOOAAAL!" The psychic energy exploded, and with it, Carkol's body did as well, fire and smoke filling the air. The cavern pulsed with its angry red before it subsided to a faint glow at Gloria's feet, drawing inward, to whatever level was beneath them. Her Pokémon skidded to her side, ready for a further fight, but Gloria knew it was over. Astrid's body language told her as much. It was further proven when the smoke subsided, showing Carkol passed out, its wheels bent at impossible angles and back to normal size.

The cave was still shaking, though, a sign of its weakened structural integrity.

"Not bad, Gloria," the girl heard Astrid say, and soon found her forehead being flicked. Unlike the times it was done in remonstration, this one felt affectionate, the woman sporting a grin. Behind her, Absol's body glowed and reverted to its natural form. "Though…for a Dynamax, that wasn't exactly all that powerful."

"I don't think it wanted to fight," Gloria pointed out, receiving an appreciative hum from the blonde. That made her feel good, as though she'd finally done something right enough to earn a modicum of respect. It encouraged her to think a little more on the battle they had just fought, a possibility now that the cavern was empty. "Maybe it was that boy they mentioned. He probably attacked the Carkol soon as it Dynamaxed and it started rampaging in self-defense."

"Mm, a good theory, but doesn't explain why it Dynamaxed."

"Don't have an answer for that. Usually, Dynamaxing only happens on Power Spots like the Gyms or in the Wild Area." It didn't need to be mentioned that this place was neither of those things, nor did they have time to, for the arrival of footsteps signaled the return of Ash and Serena.

"Aw, the battle's over already?" Ash said with a lament, Pikachu patting him consolingly.

"I told you I could handle it, Ash. Everyone safe?"

Serena nodded in answer to Astrid's question. "Fully evacuated."

"Not fully," Gloria said, pointing towards one of the few unblocked passages downward. "Didn't they say that kid went down below after pissing the Carkol off?"

"Oh, yeah, they did say that." Ash looked like he had a revelation at that, but his lips quickly turned to a frown, glancing down the passageway. Greninja had joined him, trainer and Pokémon nodding at one another. "We should go get him. Who knows how dangerous it is down there."

"Oh, sure…" Gloria couldn't get another word in edgewise even if she tried, not with Ash and Greninja making large strides for the passageway and Astrid following him. Gloria wasn't sure if she should follow right away, the two adults appearing to ignore her existence for that moment. It took Serena urging her along with a hand on her back and a smile to get her moving in the same direction. To that, Gloria shrugged and ran after the duo, her Pokémon close to her, even if Chewtle took effort to keep up.

The quartet entered the passageway with caution, no lights strung up here, or if they had, the prior conflict had knocked them loose. As a result, the only means of illumination they had was the faint red light deep down below, one that showed the tense shoulders of Greninja, and the bristling fur of Absol. Gloria wondered if it meant anything, but became distracted by sudden voices.

"…allowed to be here. Please return to the path!"

"I don't need you to tell me what to do. Do you even know who I am? Or how important it is that I'm here?"

"All due respect, mate-"

"I am not your 'mate', nor will I ever be. I'm here for far more important things than you. Hatenna."

"Ten." The sharp, squeaky voice made Gloria speed up her pace, pushing ahead of Ash and Astrid. She recognized the voice, especially one as loathsome as that one, and was curious to see if her memory was playing tricks on her. She jumped a few steps down, right for where the red light was at its brightest, and almost slipped into the room, just in time to see a baby pink and blue Pokémon glow with a cerulean sheen. The miner that was there and his Drilbur at his side were both lifted into the air. With callous precision, they were tossed aside.

"Hey!" Gloria shouted at the display of violence. She stomped forward, but the boy didn't even turn. He didn't need to for her to recognize him: pink-purple coat and a curly head of platinum-blond hair. There was no doubt it was the same snickering boy from the Entrance Ceremony. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Something above your status, whoever you are." That boiled her blood more than anything else, especially when he walked away from her towards the center of the room, where the red glow had pooled. He was reaching into his pocket for something, but she wasn't one to suffer the disrespect of being ignored, and Gloria snapped her hand out to grab his arm. "Let go of me."

"How about no. What's your issue, attacking hardworking people like that?"

"He was in my way. What's it to you, second-string?" The sneer from his lips made Gloria scowl. For his dismissive attitude, it was clear he recognized her as much as she recognized him, and she hated it.

"How about the people you put in danger above by attacking that Carkol?"

"Gloria, calm down." There was an edge to Ash's voice, one she'd never heard before.

She also continued to ignore it, tugging on Bede's coat. The Pokémon at his feet looked up, looking creepy with no semblance of eyes on its body, but its threatening aura palpable. Scorbunny hopped in front of it, puffing his chest to counteract.

"Oh, was that you blundering about up there?"

"Blundering?! You little-"

"Gloria!" The shout came from all three at once and this time Gloria listened. She looked up, and just in time.

An Aegislash came slicing down with silent precision, and her eyes widened. Adrenaline took over, watching the arc of the sword as it came for the arm of the boy she was holding on to. Her instincts kicked in, as did Scorbunny's. Without a moment's hesitation, Gloria flung herself at the boy, tackling him to the ground where Aegislash missed his arm. Something tumbled from his pockets, but Gloria became more concerned for her partner Pokémon. Scorbunny kicked upwards with a Double Kick, but flew right on through. He managed to right himself, placing himself between the toppled pair of Gloria and the boy and the ominous Aegislash who dislodged itself from the ground.

"Get your hands off me. I didn't ask for your-"

"Shut up!" Gloria snapped. It betrayed the tremulous nature of her body as her eyes tracked up the Aegislash, finding it was far from being on its own. Rather, it was in somebody's hand: a man wearing a trench coat with short, deep-black hair, high cheekbones, and a look that could kill without touching.

"No way…"

"Gloria, move!" Ash's shout kicked her brain back into high gear. She tugged on the boy's jacket, much to his protests, but pulled him out of the way as Scorbunny ran for the Aegislash. The man had lifted it again, taking a step forward and stomping on one of the objects from the boy's pockets. From them, a horrendous scream emerged, like dust on the wind.

"No, the Wishing Stars!"

"Scorbunny!" Gloria shouted, overwhelmed with concern for her partner's safety. She was right to, as her bunny didn't stand a chance. The second he approached Aegislash, the man slashed the Pokémon outward, catching Scorbunny in the stomach and flinging him aside. Chewtle and Rookidee formed ranks around Gloria, while the boy she was protecting shoved her off of him.

"So, it would be you causing a reaction and bringing such anathema to this place," the man spoke, his voice smooth, yet biting. Every step he took locked Gloria's limbs up, and she wasn't sure what to do. Her first instinct was to grab her Pokémon and shove them behind her, but they were too resolute. "What is it you hope to do? Gather more of these perilous trinkets?"

"What's it to you, old man?" the boy snapped, something even Gloria felt was a horrifically impulsive move.

"I'll not suffer it. Hand me what stones you've collected and take your leave."

"As if I would do that," the boy sneered, flicking at the coifs of his hair. "I'm on a mission, and I won't let some nobody like you get in the way of that."

"A mission for someone mad, I take it. Very well. Then we shall apply force." Aegislash shifted in the man's hand, and with no delay, he plunged it forth, right for the boy's chest. Gloria grabbed for him, but didn't have enough force to pull the stubborn boy back.

He was incredibly lucky, a spinning star of water intercepting the path before it was followed up by fire and lightning. The man was forced to disengage, turning in the direction of those who intervened, and Gloria could see his eyes widen while Ash, Serena and Astrid slid in front of the two teens, their Pokémon growling and ready for battle. Once more, Gloria saw that flash, only this…this seemed even more heightened. Like they knew whoever this man was.

Ash proved as much when he stepped forward, a fist raised, and screamed out, "What are you doing here, Alastair?!"

"Alastair? Who's that?" Gloria squeaked out, her voice barely more than a whisper. Next to her, the offending boy stood, finally brushing her off for good and smoothing his coat. The Pokémon at his side looked up at him, and then down to the crushed Wishing Stars, Gloria finally recognizing their color and once-identifiable shape, continuing to crumble to dust with a quiet scream in the air.

"So, the Ketchum family is here in Galar. I should have known." The man, Alastair, swiped Aegislash out and took a step back, putting some distance between himself and the married couple. "Where trouble comes, you always follow. But you're not needed here."

"And why's that?" Astrid said, sounding just as incensed as the couple. "Up to some twisted plan for IDEAL again? More lives you plan to ruin? More people you plan to take away?!"

"Taking away? Like this boy, playing with powers beyond his comprehension."

"Like you're one to talk!" Ash shouted back. Gloria was flicking her head back and forth between Alastair and the other adults before she finally settled on Scorbunny. Not wishing to incur the man's wrath, she silently signaled to her other partners and crept along towards her rabbit. "You guys had no problems with that."

"And you proved better. I am honoring that victory, and Deirdre's wish. I do not wish to fight you."

"Is that why you caused that Carkol to Dynamax?"

Gloria reached Scorbunny, scooping him up in her arms only to flinch at the sudden booming laugh that resonated from Alastair. His Aegislash let loose a shrill shriek upon raising, pointing in the blond boy's direction as he finished gathering a few of the dropped Wishing Stones from the ground. "I did no such thing. I have a very different goal in mind, one for the good of all. One that cannot let this boy continue!"

Alastair slashed at the air with his Pokémon, creating a rippling wave. Gloria fell back against the wall, and the boy she had helped toppled over, a scowl on his face. Greninja ran right in, creating two shuriken that he used to strike back while holding in hand. Alastair was deflected, the distraction allowing Braixen and Absol to flank him, with Pikachu jumping overhead. It was a perfect sting…

…but the boy had to open his mouth.

"As if I'll stop for the likes of you."

Alastair's eyes flashed, his lips twitching. Under the red light, he looked menacing, turning so that just the right side of his body was facing the boy. He spun his blade around. "That is something you will regret. But lucky for you, a group of saviors appeared. I'll have to revert to the original plan for now."

"Alastair!" Ash roared, preparing to run in to face the man, himself. Gloria opened her mouth, prepared to scream for him to stop before he got hurt, but he froze in mid-movement. Every muscle was still tensed, but Ash's body wasn't moving. Pikachu called for him, dropping from the air as a shadow appeared underneath his body. "Not…again…Marshadow…"

"Pikap-" Pikachu reached the floor, only for a Pokémon, roughly his size, to emerge and punch him in the chest. He flew back, straight into Ash, and the two tumbled over. Alastair's sword completed its arc downward, stabbing the ground.

"Another time, Ash, Serena. Take care."

From where Aegislash pierced the glowing ground, cracks traveled out, breaking apart the surface of rock. The glow flickered, as though fizzling before it went out entirely, drowning the cavern in darkness save for the glowing orange eyes of Marshadow. Those, too, soon faded, vanishing with Alastair into the darkness.

The cave started to crack and rumble. A rock fell down from the ceiling, and Gloria knew what was imminent.

"Cave-in!" she shouted. It couldn't have made the situation worse, but reminded the adults of what they needed to do. She scooped up all of her Pokémon, running for the boy that was still standing in the room with his haughty expression. She grabbed him, just as a boulder nearly fell on them. It was suspended moments later with psychic power, tossed aside.

"I don't need your help, second-string."

"Stop arguing. Let's move!" Ash shouted. His voice was close, and when Braixen's branch was lit aflame, Gloria could see he was carrying the worker from earlier, just as Drilbur was placed on Absol's back.

"Pikapi! Pika!" In the warmer, trembling light, Gloria could see Pikachu at what looked to be a connecting passage elsewhere, calling them over. More rocks crashed in front of the passage they had taken down, leaving it as their only option. With the roof falling down around them, they put all haste behind their movements, slipping through until that way was blocked as well.

Braixen's branch provided some light, but not enough as Gloria's rush to escape the imminent cave-in caused her to miss a rock, tripping over it and crashing into the boy. They fell, rolling down the passage until they landed at the bottom, splayed out in the better-lit room. Dust covered the space, causing Gloria to choke on it, trying to wave it away, but when it cleared, she could see other passageways, these marked. Some read danger, but others gave numbers, something Gloria presumed was related to the sites in the mine.

"Do you mind getting off me? Hatenna."

"Haten."

Gloria's body rose, surrounded by blue, and she was soon tossed to the side, much as the worker from before had been. She was lucky to not impact a wall, this time, caught by Serena as she had made her way down. Annoyed at the boy's nasty attitude, Gloria sprung up and stomped forward.

"What is your bloody problem?!" she screeched, taking hold of the boy by his jacket. "We just saved your arse back there."
"I could have handled it. Seemed to me like you were the one that needed help," the boy said with his infuriating smirk. "You like biting off more than you can chew. Looks like a pattern to me."

"Says the idiot who gave us a mess to clean up," Gloria snapped back, shoving the boy away from her. He didn't even flinch. If anything, he looked bored, bringing up his own Rotom Phone and scrolling through it with a yawn. "Oi, I'm talking to you."

"And I'm not listening. Or were you looking for scraps, second-string?"

"I have a name. It's Gloria!" Her shouts were getting progressively louder, but none of the adults looked to intervene, letting the scene play out. Either that or they were fussing over the still unconscious worker. The boy didn't respond to any of it. "Y'know it's common courtesy to offer one's name in return, especially a fellow Gym Challenger."

"Challenger? Don't make me laugh. You fell flat on your face against Kabu. A disgrace to the system Chairman Rose put in place." The boy pocketed his phone, sniffling like he no longer wanted to breathe the same air as her. "But if second-string wants some scraps, I'm Bede, Chairman Rose's personal pick for the Challenge."

Gloria stepped back at that, gulping down air that she hadn't realized was lodged in her throat. Bede continued smirking, like he had gotten the one-up on her and knew it. Eager to retort, Gloria adjusted her beret and faced him defiantly. "Yeah, well, I've got a pretty good sponsor, too. He's the world's best Pokémon Master."

"Him? He's just a glorified League janitor. Nothing on Rose," Bede said, his smirk twisting his face so much that Gloria wondered if he was actively taking pleasure in rubbing it in. She figured he must have, because he was right, in his own way; Ash's name held little to no prestige compared to the likes of Rose and Leon, and it made her feel so far behind. "Now, if you'll get out of my way or go disappear back to Nowhere, I have things to do for the Chairman."

"Like you even know the way to Turffield from here."

"Turffield? Ahaha!" Gloria didn't like the simpering laugh Bede gave off. Her Pokémon didn't, either, with Chewtle growling at the boy and Rookidee's eyes flashing with the intention of poking his out. Scorbunny responded by stirring in her arms, blinking and scowling at hearing the boy's next words. "Why would I waste time with that little hamlet? I've already got the Grass Badge."

"You…what…?" She shook her head, not wanting to believe it. There had only been a handful. Just a few. There was no way this boy was ahead of her. Yet when he pulled out his case, she could see the shining green badge as part of its circle, glittering. "Th-that's fake."

"Aw, can't handle it, second-string? How about you just go on home, then? Not like you could beat a Gym anyway. And you can't really call yourself a Gym Challenger until then, so why even bother. Hatenna, we're leaving." With another flick of his hair, Bede turned on his heel, proceeding down any one of the connecting passages, he and his Pokémon disappearing. Gloria couldn't even see them go, her hands balling into fists at the thought.

She was already falling behind.

Her need to get to Turffield increased, but her head was swimming with thoughts of what had just happened, with Bede, and with the man they called Alastair. A cough interrupted them, the worker awakening from his stupor.

"Ugh…where am I…?"

"Underneath Site Three," Astrid said. Hearing the location perked the man up, but he was too panicked at first to respond. That ceased when he located his Drilbur, breathing a sigh of relief, only to scream when Astrid kneeled down next to him. "That kid did a number on you, but you seem okay."

"Ah…yeah. There was a kid, and a Dynamax and…hang on…we're in the bloomin' offshoots! How'd we get 'ere?"

"Cave-in," Ash pointed out, gesturing to the darkened path from whence they had come. "You know the way to Turffield from here?"

"Yeah…oh, me head's in a vice…" The worker, Russel, if Gloria remembered right, rubbed his temples before pointing to the rightmost tunnel, marked as "DANGER". "That path used to lead to Turffield till a landslide blocked it. We blocked it off, but-"

"Good enough for me. You all good, Serena?"

"I'm fine. We should get out of here." She struggled with her weight, but with Braixen to lean on, the pregnant woman joined her husband at the mouth of the passageway. Russel was still too dazed to warn them off, but Gloria was the first to question it.

"Are we sure this is the fastest way?" she asked, the three adults turning back to look at her. With their attention, she shifted subjects immediately. "And who was that guy? Why was he attacking that jerk?"

"That's…a hard one to answer," Ash admitted. He recalled Greninja, scratching his cheek. "But he's a dangerous guy who was part of a group called IDEAL that did some…really bad things a few months ago. Went missing."

"And what? He wants to do more bad things?" Gloria asked, trying to make sense of what the adults weren't saying. Her brow was knitted in concentration, particularly at the mention of a few months ago. She remembered something, like a feeling, back then, or maybe it had been an obscure news report. Gloria wasn't sure, but Ash putting his hand on her offered some assurances.

"It's nothing to worry about. You just gotta focus on your Gym battle in Turffield. Show that guy what you can do! We'll bust out of this landslide no problem!"

"Pika pika!"

The conversation was closed.

Ash turned around, leading Serena and Astrid into the tunnel, Gloria watching them the whole way. Her team surrounding her looked concerned while she watched them, their backs seeming taller and farther away than ever.

Mega Evolution.

Alastair.

Marshadow.

IDEAL.

All of it felt like stuff from another world, one far outside anything Gloria could understand, and one she felt like Ash, Serena and Astrid were a part of. Separate from her and her own little bubble.

And she didn't like it one bit.

Author's Note: Big chapter, in its own way. From a new location to the proper introduction of Bede (who's just as much an ass in this story). However, the two important things to address are the battle and the near-ending. For one, yeah, probably not as destructive as the Greedent battle. Some of this might be a style shift from Viroro's work, while the other half is that I didn't want to repeat it and make Carkol as brutish. It was a confused guy, and the battle ended quick with Mega Evolution…that ended up causing a cave-in anyway, so, you know, perspective.

More importantly is the return of Alastair. Hopefully you've read the previous seven books and know this character. If you don't know him…well, read the previous seven books. Point is, he offers a twist to the story and a change in this just being a straight retelling. Hopefully it remains exciting!

Viroro: A very important chapter, and one that most definitely shows the GT is not just a 'mere' adaptation of Sword and Shield. Alastair is going to be a major player of this story going forward, and people who enjoyed him from Tomorrow will hopefully like what we're planning to bring him forward. There's also the battle with Dynamax Carkol to give Astrid some much needed battle focus alongside Gloria, and of course the proper debut of Bede, continuing the proud tradition of jerks in the Ancienverse. These are all important pieces in our ever growing puzzle, and we hope you'll find it engaging all the way through. Let us know what you thought so far!

As usual, time for some gratitude: thanks to FrozenSunset for favoriting; Jesse2092 for following; and big thanks to Mezamun, Cottonmouth25, FantasyLover88, TheEnigmatic97, Tenzalucard123, MythGirl Writes, ChE clarinetist, KnightDay19, Rajiv A. Rajaram, UltimateCCC, XDiamondX90, Ander Arias, ahmedpikamaster, Fury, aliensinnoh, AmourshippingCanon, Captainsquid12 and oomoepoo for reviewing!

The road to Turffield yet continues, and I hope you'll join us for that one. Until then, please Review and,

Dare to Be Silly.