Hard to believe we've reached the end of the first book here! In any case, more at the bottom. For now, time for Chapter 23!
Chapter 23
An Aftermath
"Patchwork is nearly finished today on Motostoke's walls, with many more of the city's engineers outside the walls and examining the Wild Area after yesterday's crazy events," the reporter on the Pokémon Center's television said. She was a blonde-haired woman, looking enthralled to be standing in the Wild Area, but terrified all the same. The longer Gloria looked, the less destructive the Wild Area appeared, a miracle given what she remembered of it the day before. "Some damage has been done, but Macro Cosmos has already proven instrumental in patching up. Chairman Rose, with a statement."
"It is with a heavy heart that we've paid witness to the devastation in the Wild Area yesterday," the man said on the screen. He looked truly solemn, flashes of cameras around his face while he continued to address the concerns. "However, my engineers assure me that the damage was not as severe as first thought. Many Pokémon habitats were destroyed, which is a shame, but Motostoke was kept safe. My own personal assistant, Oleana, will continue to look into the incident so that no such release of power threatens our great region ever again.
"You can rest assured that we will have the path repaired and the road to Hammerlocke and Motostoke open for all Gym Challengers as soon as possible. I look forward to seeing you all at the Wyndon Conference, as scheduled."
Gloria nodded to herself, sipping on a cup of tea, and soon found she wasn't alone. Marnie was on one side of her, and Hop on the other, all three watching the television with vested interest. With a raise of her cup, she even realized they were doing some weird sort of synchronized sipping. The reporter soon returned to the screen, looking flushed, as though she'd just had the rush of her life.
"Oh. Oh, yes. Mm, it appears Champion Leon has just arrived to survey the scene for himself. I think we can all feel safer, knowing our Champion is watching over us."
"Lee's here?" Hop asked, finishing the sip of his tea. A loud bleat behind the trio pulled Gloria's eyes back, watching as Morpeko was attempting to ride Wooloo, a situation made worse by Yamper chasing after them, heedless of his electricity. "Though I guess I'm not surprised. Probably just got lost on his way…"
Whether he had or hadn't, the reporter continued to look flustered as Galar's very own Champion came into frame, his effortless smile making her place her hand over her heart. After some muffled discussion, he was handed the microphone and faced the camera with his ever-known twinkle. "After a survey of the area, and a quick cleanup of the few aggressive Pokémon that have been shifted out of their habitats, I can say the Wild Area is returning to what it was. As Champion, I will continue to safeguard the lives of the citizens, so that everyone can have a Champion time!"
He posed, microphone still in hand, with his famous Charizard stance, leading to a tittering from the reporter who saw him off. Hop frowned.
"Lee's not happy about that…"
"How can ya tell?" Marnie asked. Wooloo gave another agitated bleat, and as it rolled by, Marnie plucked her rambunctious Pokémon off of him for a reprieve. A stern look later and Morpeko looked sufficiently scolded.
"Well, he is my brother," Hop said, that pride inching into his voice. Gloria had to admit, Leon certainly carried that presence, and everyone watching in the Pokémon Center exuded relief at hearing him say the situation was handled. For her part, however, Gloria's eyes drifted to Ash, sitting with Astrid at a table and snacking. One would be hard-pressed to believe that just the other day he was tossing around Dynamaxed Pokémon like they were nothing. "Though, I'm not sure if he's upset because he didn't make it on time or that it happened in the first place. If he'd been there, I'm sure he would've cleaned up. Least, he would've done a right sight better than us…"
"Really made a point, didn't it?" Marnie said. With the coverage dying down, the trio turned away, finding themselves a nearby table to sit at. Gloria tested her ankle, much improved after a night of cold compresses. Moments after, Raboot hopped up into Gloria's lap, still bandaged but in much better spirits. He was at least doing better than Astrid's new Butterfree, who had sustained so much damage in the battle, and from Gigantamaxing unwilfully, that it was still in Nurse Joy's intensive care. "Those Dynamaxed Pokémon came in and we couldn't even take one of 'em down."
"My Wooloo was taken out just like that…" Hop held a bitter chuckle to his voice, one that made Gloria sympathize with her friend. She was right there with him, her compounded failures of the day before coming back to her. It would have made her spill her tea if she hadn't already arrived at a decision. "Makes you wonder if we can really make it to the Champion Cup. But if Lee could do it, so can I! I'm his brother, after all!"
"Well, you've got no shortage of competition," Marnie admitted, leaning forward on her hands with a sly smile. "All of us here're aiming for it. We might got a lot to learn, but I'm ready for it. How 'bout you, Gloria?"
Jerking from her ruminations and looking down to Raboot, she considered what Marnie and Hop were saying. It took a second, but eventually she arrived at an answer. "I think we've grown a little, but can't keep running into walls. We gotta get on par with the others!"
"Maybe next time we'll be the ones in the news instead of Lee!" Gloria and Hop shared a sudden high five, something Raboot shared with Thwackey, causing Marnie to giggle from beneath her sleeve. The black-haired girl spared a glance at the television, already cycling away from the news, and Gloria tracked her eyeline, noticing Serena by the phone, nodding with a bright smile.
"Still, it's a bit weird, ain't it?" Marnie said, beginning to drum her fingers on the table. "The thing just came and gone, like a storm that rushed right through. And already they're kinda movin' on from it, what with Motostoke safe and all."
Gloria was inclined to agree, but could only hum in response. There wasn't much more to say than that. It had been little more than a blip in the life of Galarian culture. Citizens had already returned to a daily routine, the damage was almost fixed, and the man, the one they had repeatedly referred to as Alastair, had disappeared. It made Gloria curious on the three villains she had faced, joined with a man who looked so much like Serena it was scary, and what they were up to in all this.
The thought of it made her blood tingle, wanting to know more and continue with her journey to prove herself.
Thinking of Serena, the woman hung up the phone, looking breathless and flushed as she made her way over. Seeing her struggle, Gloria stood, and found both herself and Marnie helping the pregnant woman over to the empty chair where Ash and Astrid were sitting. Ash leaned back.
"Was that Heather?" he asked of his wife. She smiled, and gave a nod.
"It would seem there are a lot more applicants to the school than she expected. And myself, if I'm honest," Serena answered. She grabbed a cup from the table, beginning to suck on the straw and soft drink within. Gloria tapped her foot, trying to figure out what Serena was talking about before the memory of her nerves came back to her. "Looks like Kabu's advertisement really generated interest."
"Interest in what now?" Hop asked, butting his way into the conversation.
"Pokémon Performing School. Keep up, Hop," Gloria said, bonking him on the back of his head. He retaliated in kind, and the two would have started fighting if Marnie didn't intervene with a well-timed question.
"Oh, it sounded interestin'," she said, pushing the two away from each other. Astrid wore a smirk at that, but her eyes just as quickly looked to where Butterfree was still being treated. "Is the school open to everyone?"
"Of course!" Serena answered, clapping her hands together. "We'll be offering a wide array of classes, from short-term for a week or two, to those that would be considered semester long. Anyone is free to apply and learn. That's what this is all about. Are you thinking of applying, Marnie?"
"Was a consideration. I wanna give my battle style a little more flair…"
"Can't promise that, but we'll certainly teach a thing or two about movement, and if it draws in even the battle hungry people, that can't be much of a loss, either," Serena said with a pleased nod of her head. From what Gloria understood, it was everything the woman could have ever dreamed of or wanted. She wished she had paid more attention during their travels. "It'll be a small operation the next couple weeks, but eventually, we'll have everything ready to open. If you can't stick around, I'd be happy to teach you some things, though, Marnie."
"Wait a minute," Gloria said, interjecting and calling Serena's attention to her, "we? Are you…not traveling with us?"
The air grew just a bit heavy. Ash blew out at his hair, while Pikachu's ears drooped a little, abandoning the bottle of ketchup he held. Serena took the moment to turn in her chair and face Gloria, hands on her knees. "Yes, I've made the decision to, for the foreseeable future, remain in Motostoke."
"But…" Gloria twisted her lips, really feeling like she had missed out on so many opportunities on their travels in her haste to get from point to point. Now that she was faced with the thought of Serena actually leaving, that kind and empathetic force that had never yelled at her, she felt the weight of that loss, and the void it would leave behind. It was something she'd taken for granted, and no longer wanted to. "I wanted you to travel with us again…Tell me more about Performing."
"And I wish I could," Serena said. Her hand raised from her knee to cup Gloria's cheek. "Unfortunately, my pregnancy is only going to come closer to term, and I'd only be a burden on the road. Here, though, teaching at a school that is ready to take off…I can do something here."
"Wait, you knew this, didn't you?" Astrid asked of Ash, and everyone finally realized that he hadn't reacted at all. If anything, he was smiling, glad for Serena's decision. "Way to go, Ash, just abandoning your wife."
"It was my choice. Ash has a job to do, and I'm not getting in the way of that. I'll do my own," Serena said, clenching her fists and nodding. "Besides, it's not like I'll really be gone. Heather has apparently purchased a Rotom Phone for me, so I can be contacted anytime you want. More importantly, what do you plan to do, Gloria?"
It was the first she'd been asked of her plans, and the first chance she'd had to think of them, too. Everything in her life had gotten caught up in the Dynamax rampage, and before that, the loss to Kabu, that she didn't think of what was going to happen next at all. Raboot wasn't much help, and nor was the rest of her team, watching and waiting for whatever decision she would arrive at.
"Well, I hope you're considering a run at my badge again, miss." Gloria jerked, as did Hop and Marnie at the sounds of Kabu's voice. He had entered the Center without them noticing, only he wasn't alone. Flanking him was the thin frame of Nessa, and the larger one of Milo. "You may have had a bad luck of it, and I may have been harsh, but a trainer needs to have a fire that burns endlessly to overcome my wall, not one that stops cold at the first barrier."
"And Kabu's certainly that…" Milo commented with a sigh. He received an elbow from Nessa for his troubles, as well as everyone tilting their heads to the side, clearly curious about why he was there. "Ah, don't mind me. Just came here after hearing what happened, and given my farming expertise, I thought of lending a hand in the Wild Area. My Gym can afford a couple days off."
"Mine, less so, but given Julia was making the trip, I saw no harm in getting a status report from Kabu. Whether we have anything we need to look out for," Nessa said. Gloria watched her, and it appeared the Gym Leader was getting just a little closer to Serena when Kabu started speaking again.
"As it stands, nothing. The incident seems isolated, Nessa. I didn't call for you to come here."
"But I'm here anyway. Serena, it's amazing to meet you again."
"Yes, I hope that Julia settles in nicely. Her help will be very useful as we get the school up and running. If you ever have time off, I'm sure we'd love to have you guest lecture. Could really draw in some other Challengers, like Marnie."
Marnie looked a bit embarrassed to be put on the spot like that, waving at Nessa, and the three suddenly entered into a conversation about Performing that bored Gloria and confused Hop. Kabu cleared his throat as well.
"Yes, well, we'll continue to monitor for any abnormalities, but my Gym is open anytime, of course. Any trainer can feel free to challenge me for their Fire Badge, and I will accept it with open arms. Yesterday's events have proven that I need training just as much as those who challenge me, after all." Kabu nodded, looking pleased with his short speech, and it was Hop who was the first to approach him.
"Then I'll be the first, once my team gets polished up!"
"Hey, no cuttin' in line!" Marnie shot back, the two glaring at each other.
To her own surprise, it stoked the fire inside of Gloria, her two rivals ready to throw down and take the Fire Badge for themselves. She must have come off as pensive, though, because it was Ash who looked up, Pikachu's ears twitching and nose wrinkling as they asked a question. "Gloria?"
Gloria walked a bit away from the gathered group, to where her Pokémon were perched by bowls of food. The rest of the Pokémon were there, too, but each of them gave space, with Yamper running back to Serena and Sobble hopping atop Greninja's head. She could feel the intense gazes, wondering what her answer would be for the path moving forward. She reached out, stroking Applin's leaves, petting Chewtle's head and staring right at Corvisquire before he nabbed some of Chewtle's food.
It was Raboot, though, who clenched his fist and nodded at her.
"I…really screwed up," she said, keeping her eyes on her Pokémon, but sharing them with all in the room. "I tried to bust through walls, like ramming my head into them was making me stronger and all, but it really just wore me down."
"You Gym Challengers are plenty strong in my opinion," Milo said. This time he received a very obvious kick from Nessa. "I'm just saying. Standing against that horde of Dynamaxed Pokémon takes its own kind of strength."
"But that, in and of itself, was born from a poor decision, and I've made too many of them." Gloria kneeled at her Pokémon, and without warning, took them into a hug. "I don't want to let you down anymore. I want us to become the strongest team Galar's ever seen, and…I know we've hit some stumbles, but…but isn't that the way we grow?"
"That's right." The heaviness of Ash's hand was felt on Gloria, but it wasn't the weight of expectation. Rather, it was one of guidance. "Losing, failing, stumbling and falling…they're the things that teach us the most. As long as you don't give up, and accept those mistakes, you're bound to get stronger. Winning everything will just make you never realize what new challenges there are out there to make you even better than you were."
"Heh, don't say that until you've managed to beat Lee, why don't ya?"
Gloria would have retorted, genuinely wanting to say that Ash would be able to wipe the floor with him, but she had something more important bubbling up in her chest, just waiting to come out and be said. "I've experienced my losses, and reacted badly, but I don't want to do that. I want to learn from those mistakes, and…and I hope I can continue to rely on everyone's support for that. For everything you've given me so far that I was too stubborn to accept. Thank you, and I'm sorry."
Gloria found herself bowing low to all of those that were in the room, giving her feelings of gratefulness to all of them. It was Astrid that was the first to respond, predictably with a scoff. "Like you need to ask, sunspot. Of course, we'll continue supporting you."
"Thank you." Gloria straightened, and now directed herself to Ash. Her body stiffened, but she managed to offer a hand. "Ash, I…I didn't really listen to you, but I think I'm ready to learn. Can you help me become the best in Galar? Show me what you can teach, and reprimand me when I walk off the right path?"
She expected Ash to hesitate after their fallout, but the man didn't waste time in clasping her hand, an act that elicited a pleased applause from Serena. "Of course, I will. I'll make you the best trainer Galar's ever seen. We'll work it together."
"Hey, if she wants to be the best, she's gonna have to beat me first!" Hop said, pushing himself a little too close for Gloria's comfort. Not that Marnie was any better, the girl dogpiling Gloria alongside the two males.
"I'm just as much a contender. There's no way I'm losin', either."
"Ah, healthy rivalry. Always good to see," Kabu said with a sagely nod. Before the younger Leaders could react, he grabbed them both. "Reminds me of my youth. Milo, Nessa, how about some friendly matches? I want to be ready for Miss Gloria when she comes to challenge me again."
"Battle yourself, Kabu!"
"I'm not in the mood to contest him…"
"Milo!"
The adults joined in raucous laughter, while Hop challenged Marnie to a battle, leading Gloria and Ash to run outside and watch. On the training field, the sun beat down, and Gloria looked up at it, feeling like she could touch it, feel its fire burning inside her. Next time she battled Kabu, things would be different. With Ash by her side, she knew that it would be, and she was prepared to make her dream a reality.
Unable to stay out of it, Gloria jumped in the ring with Raboot, running for a clash with Thwackey and Morpeko.
The next generation of trainers was starting to shape up just fine.
Motostoke at night was eerily silent by Ash's standards. Where the city in the day was full of the comings and goings of people, or the industrial sounds of city work, none of that existed at night. Some Pokémon would occasionally cry out, but to the average person, it was as if the city had gone dead. That was the opposite for Ash, waking in the dead of night to pad silently out of the room he shared with Serena at the Budew Drop Inn. Connected to it was another room, a quick peek inside telling Ash that Astrid was snoring loudly. Gloria and Marnie were dead to the world, as well, the two girls insisting on some sort of sleepover after tuckering themselves out in the protracted battle that Hop insisted on.
Sure he wouldn't be followed or interrupted, Ash crept out of the room, only for Pikachu's ears to twitch.
"Pikapi…?"
"Shh," Ash said, and Pikachu covered his mouth. With a jerk of his shoulder, Pikachu jumped up and the two continued to creep out of the room, ignoring the creak of the mattress. Ash closed the door softly, and tread quietly across the carpet until he reached the elevator, riding it down to the lobby of the inn, where the phones sat. It was framed by one of the sole lights in the inn, not a single soul around.
This time, he remembered the number, and after a couple rings, someone answered on the other end, lifting his eye mask and clearing his sinuses. "Ash, is that you?"
"Were you sleeping, Lance?" Ash asked, keeping his voice to a whisper.
"Never mind that," Lance said, ripping the mask off and facing the camera properly. "Nice of you to check in, though. I've already had details on my desk about the incidents outside Motostoke."
"Was it Y?"
"No, it wasn't. Though I take it you had contact with him. That man has proved as slippery to recruit as Alastair is to catch. Makes sense that one is pursuing the other," Lance said. He looked exhausted beyond his sleep being interrupted, rubbing at his temples vigorously.
"So, you knew about Serena's father going after Alastair?" Ash continued to whisper, leaning close to the phone.
"No, I just had suspicions, and why are you whispering? Ash, this isn't some covert operation. You're not exactly inconspicuous on your League business." Ash looked sheepish at Lance's remark, causing Pikachu to facepalm at his seeming stupidity.
"Sorry." Ash rubbed the back of his head, fishing for what next to say or share, but coming up empty. Lance always seemed to be ahead of what he already knew in the first place. It made him settle on the only topic worth talking about. "About Alastair…I think he's destroying Power Spots."
"Is he?" Lance tapped his finger up and down, soon turning it to a full-on drumming. Another screen lit up in the background, and for a moment, the Champion faced away, typing at full speed. "The power behind Dynamax. If what you're saying is true, he's not going after it, but it just makes him more of an enigma. And possibly still a threat."
"Do you want me to track him?"
"No, stay on business. Leave the tracking to Y and his merry band. They found him once, they'll find him again. We have other…issues to deal with." Lance turned his active computer screen in his direction, though Ash couldn't read the illegible words through the glare. Lance did the courtesy of explaining them. "I was working off half-baked information, but still did some research while waiting for your call. G-Man habits die hard and all that. Alastair's business seems to be centered very heavily on a few things: the mines, a facility in Hammerlocke, and the power harnessed behind Dynamax."
"Yeah, and what's that all about?" Ash said, leaning against one of the phone's privacy walls. He wasn't in the mood for using his brain this late at night.
"All of them have one major thing in common: Macro Cosmos."
"Wait, you're not saying Chairman Rose is doing something that Alastair wants to stop, are you?!" Ash felt panicked, worried about his job becoming more difficult when he already had so much on his mind. It made him grateful when Lance waved his hands in alarm.
"I'm not saying that at all. I can't even attest to what Alastair is up to. And Rose is hardly the most worrisome party." Another few clicks and more appeared on Lance's computer. This time, the image was visible, and recognizable, displaying a woman with ashen hair and a look as though she was surrounded by an unpleasant odor. "I'm most worried about his personal assistant, Oleana."
Ash furrowed his brow. He couldn't remember much of the woman, other than the scant number of things said about her. She seemed private, as opposed to her far more gregarious boss. With a shudder, it reminded Ash eerily of Matori, and the role that the nobody in the background could play to devastating extents. It also brought to mind of the woman's threat in Hulbury, and the dark emptiness behind her gaze. He wasn't sure if it was pertinent, so all Ash responded with was, "What about her?"
"Nothing." Ash didn't get it, his and Pikachu's eyebrows going up. "I mean I couldn't find anything. Prior to becoming Rose's personal assistant, 'Oleana' may as well have never existed. Yet here she is, not only personal assistant to the most powerful man in the region, but also Vice President and head of the Dynamax Division of Macro Cosmos."
"And everything going on so far has had to do with Dynamax…"
"Now you're catching on." Ash wasn't so sure that he was, but Lance acted under the assumption. "Ash, Rose is an earnest man with dreams of bringing Galar to the big stage, and earnest men are easy to take advantage of. Oleana may be using that to her own ends. A power play to strike at the heart of the League. Too many issues have cropped up since you appeared to dissuade me of that notion."
"What do you want me to do about her?" Ash finally asked, folding his arms across his chest. Lance pushed his screen away.
"Watch her. Figure out what she's up to, and if she has any connection to these occurrences." Lance got close, his own voice dropping to a whisper as he relayed the orders. "I don't want you jumping in, but if this is a power play, we need to be sure of who inside Macro Cosmos can be trusted, and ensure Oleana doesn't do enough damage in these already turbulent times."
Not all of it made sense to Ash, but he grasped enough of it to nod, a hand over his heart. Pikachu emulated him. "I'll do my best. I want to make sure this is a fun and peaceful journey for people like Gloria and her friends, after all. No Oleana is getting in the way of that."
"Good. Take care." The call ended. Ash let loose a sigh.
"You know, it's rude to sneak off in the middle of the night, Ash."
"Ah, Serena!" Ash jumped, Pikachu nearly flying off his shoulder at the sight of his wife standing there, hands on her large hips. Her pregnancy was more obvious than ever, but Ash didn't dare to try and challenge her in her state. He couldn't help words leaving his mouth, though. "I thought you were asleep…"
"I'm pregnant, Ash, not deaf. Besides, I had to use the bathroom…again…" She sounded a little peeved at that, and Ash was afraid her bad mood would spill over further. He should have known better, though, as Serena sighed. "Sorry, I know you came out here on private business with the League. It's just these hormones. They're making me testier than ever."
"Nah, I should've just told you. I just didn't want you to worry."
"About my father being in Galar?" Serena stepped closer, illuminating her further under the light from the phones. Her forehead was creased in concern, but she showed no signs of upset with either him or the situation. "I had a hunch the second we met Alastair, and confirmed it when we saw Jessie and them. After all, my father did say he was chasing after Alastair, but I never expected us to come so close to meeting in Motostoke."
"Maybe he's still around," Ash suggested, half-joking. Serena hummed, however, indicating she was taking it somewhat seriously. It made him switch topics, and not to anything more pleasant. "Still, it seems like we just keep running from one danger to the next…"
"Chu…"
"Well, that's a good thing, then," Serena said, laughing as she did so. She reached down, intertwining his fingers with hers. "If there's anyone who can handle keeping this world safe, it's you. And I want that kind of safe world, too. I don't want our child to grow up think some madman is about to end the world around every corner."
"But the tipping points are over?"
"Sure, but it doesn't mean there aren't power-hungry psychos," Serena said, squeezing his hand just a little. "No one's better, Ash. Just…when you do set off again, don't do anything too reckless. I want our little one to have their father around."
"Hey, I'm not going anywhere! Except back to bed. All that other stuff can wait for the morning!"
"Pika pikachu!"
"Thirded," Serena said. And with light yawns the Ketchums returned upstairs, leaving worry behind for a pleasant, dreamless sleep.
"The Wishing Stars, as requested."
From under her heavily lidded eyes, Oleana looked up, glancing to the glowing pieces in the boy's hands. He was a useful one, so utterly devoted to the cause, and when Bede straightened, a smug look affixed to his face, she knew she could make further use of him. Affixing a cold smile to her face, the woman stood. "Excellent. Chairman Rose will be most pleased of the work you've done."
"Do let him know. Also, the experiment in the Wild Area…"
"A rousing success, of course. We've witnessed a scale of Dynamax hitherto thought of in only theories," Oleana assured the boy. It felt unnatural to her, but she reached out and patted the boy on the head. He grinned that cocky, irksome grin, as if it was the Chairman himself that had done so. Somehow, that revolted her, until she reminded herself of how useful the boy's respect and admiration for the Chairman was. "This experiment will be useful in the days to come, Bede. Be on standby until then."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll continue to look for more Wishing Stars, as requested, while I crush the remaining Gym Leaders, of course."
"I'm sure you will." She truthfully had very little care, but the boy was lapping up any praise, as if she spoke on behalf of the Chairman at all times. With something like a salute, Bede turned and departed, out the automatic door. Oleana looked down to the objects he had brought, resonating with an eerie light. "A worthless offering…"
A single swipe later and she'd cleared the Wishing Stars off, sending them tumbling to the floor. She flicked a switch on her chair, turning it around to the other exit and making to leave.
That movement was stopped short by the Aegislash at her neck.
Her lips curled upwards, her head turning. "So, should I take you as our relentless visitor?"
"You can take me as your shadow. Following that boy. Following your every move." The man who held the Aegislash stepped out of the shadows, revealing his scarred face. His arm shook, as if from some recent wound, but Oleana took him in, recognizing him as the wanted criminal known as Alastair. She refused to show fear even at such a name. "I have seen what you and your ilk are up to. Joining the pieces to the whole. Throwing in Wishing Stars to set off a massive chain of erupting Power Spots. Tell me, how much of its energy leaked through the sieve?"
"If I tell you, would you let me live?" she asked, never breaking her emotionless smile. He gripped tighter. "I thought not. Nor would I care. You kill me now, someone else takes my place. That is the power of truly working for humanity. For Macro Cosmos."
"Humanity? Don't make me laugh." Alastair removed the blade, instead pointing it downwards to the Stars. He ran them through, each crumbling to dust with a cry that sent her own office shuddering. The other exit from the room rattled. "Playing with forces you can't understand makes you lose your humanity. It only leads to ruin."
"If you're so certain, then take initiative. Or is it that you lack the most important piece of the puzzle?" Oleana sat back further, her nailed fingers touching to a hidden red button. Alastair turned his blade upon her once again.
"I lack nothing. I will not allow you to awaken that abomination."
"Abomination?" she said, her mask cracking for all of a second. "No, what we wish for is not so twisted and ugly, but a brighter future for the world. I aim only for the peace and prosperity of Galar."
"Tell that to the corpses you will end up walking over."
"I do believe you mean 'pawns', correct? That is all anyone is, regardless of their role." Alastair was clearly tired of hearing her speak, and he plunged his blade forward, only to stop. His brow was furrowed, a glint within his cold eyes; one of recognition, realization and a moment stolen combined. There were footsteps in the halls. They were no longer alone. His chance had slipped. Alastair stepped back, melding into the shadows.
"You will rue this decision, I promise you. I will not stop," he said, the orange eyes shining out from where he was vanishing. "I have taken down organizations far more complex than yours, built on far greater principles than your devotion and good intentions. This will end by my hand."
"If you can." With a whoosh, Alastair disappeared, and the door to her office opened. A man stepped in, dressed in a suit with short hair, looking alert as he approached her.
"Are you all right, Miss Oleana? The alert-" Oleana held up a hand, silencing her subordinate.
"It's no matter. The threat has passed." Oleana swept from the room, out the opposite door to the large corridor beyond. Her subordinate followed her, right up to the sealed room with massive doors. A smirk grew across Oleana's face as she touched to the door, feeling the energy of Galar's future within. "But still…so much more work to do to achieve the better future. Let us begin."
Oleana removed her hand, and continued her long strides down the hall.
And a low, primal growl followed her, radiating across Galar.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: And with this, Love in the Time of Traveling is complete. What did you all think of it? Live up to the expectation? I hope it did. I'll save the talk of how we went about this all for when the trilogy is finished, but rest assured, the next book should be even more thrilling! For now, we have a nice affirmation of the future from Gloria, and the sneaky, shady, behind-the-scenes actions of Oleana (and for those in the know, the legend got his one appearance!). I hope you'll look forward to the future.
In the meantime, if you're starved for some of my content, please check out my original work The Soul Saga on Royal Road and leave me some feedback, or check my Twitter Epicocity_PR for preview updates. I might also be putting out some content soon for anyone magnanimous enough to pledge me!
Viroro: And that's it, the final chapter of Love in the Time of Traveling, signaling the end of the first third of the Galar Trilogy. From the start, Epicocity and I meant for this to feel like a fairly different take on the Ancienverse than prior books, between the new setting and the shift in lead character, which contributed to the fairly episodic and relatively lighthearted vibe for most of the book, even if hardly unserious by any means. The core of this segment of the story was very much to build up a good picture of Gloria's character, and most importantly her relationship towards Ash, from their rocky beginning to Gloria formally accepting the man as her mentor with this chapter. While her relationships with Serena and Astrid are also quite significant, Ash and Gloria have always formed the backbone of our plan, and we hope you enjoyed our work so far.
But in spite of that, Gloria's journey through Galar is only just getting started. There's still many challenges and adventures awaiting her and everyone else, between Serena's involvement in the Performing School, Y and Team Rocket's chase after Alastair, Astrid and her new capture, Ash's continued Liaison duties and Oleana's machinations. This was just the start of this trilogy's story, and we hope you will look forward to the developments we have in store for the next entries!
Now, before I drop info on the next installment, allow me to thank some people: to gularadato for following; and to RRV55, StoutShako42Refined, TheEnigmatic97, ahmedpikamaster, Battlefieldfan, aliensinnoh, XDiamondX90, Fury and bankerrtx01 for reviewing. But a special thanks to all those who reviewed every chapter, those of whom are Tenzalucard123, MythGirlWrites, FantasyLover88, UltimateCCC, ChE clarinetist, potat lasaro, Ander Arias, AmourshippingCanon and Captainsquid12!
All this said, it's time to announce that the second book of this trilogy, or Book 9 of the Ancienverse, Love in the Time of Turmoil, will be debuting on November 2nd, 2021! Below, a swift summary:
With the Motostoke Incident behind, and the Gym Challenge moving forward, Gloria continues her journey forward to be the best, under Ash's improved tutelage. But with the events setting the land in motion, and the machinations for the future ever closer to being fully wrought, it will be anything but peaceful, as disaster waits on the other side…
Hope you all look forward to those exciting new developments! Until then, please Review and, now and forever,
Dare to Be Silly,
Epicocity