As we reach the halfway point of this story, a quick Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans. I hope you like this Chapter 11 as a gift of thanks on this day!

Chapter 11

A Repetiteur

"Gloria, that battle was brilliant!"

"A rising star, that one is. I've heard that they're beginning to print some trainer cards for her soon," a man said, nodding his head in the growing crowd outside the stadium. Gloria couldn't help but feel flushed with that sense of victory.

Struggling for so long only made the recognition feel that much sweeter, and she started to wonder if it was how Leon was feeling every day. Either way, it put a smile on her face, her friends flanking her as she strode out into the late afternoon sun. She lifted a hand, waving, and some nearby teenagers seemed particularly excited.

"I hope the cards come to Stow-on-Side. It's so difficult to get things outside of the big three cities," a teenage girl said, clutching tight to a sketchpad. As Gloria neared, the girl silenced herself and presented the pad, a drawing of Gloria's face upon it. Unsure what to do, she paused, until Ash pushed against her.

"I think they want your autograph." From the vigorous nods, he seemed to be right, and Gloria gave off as big a grin as she could. Raboot's facepalming told her it was far from natural, but she continued on signing in the first place.

"Where do you plan on heading next?" asked a boy in the group, but Gloria took too long to pause.

"Uh…well…I guess it would be-"

"Has to be Ballonlea, right?" Gloria knew that voice, and against her better judgment, found herself grinning a much more natural grin at the person who forced his way through the crowd. "Tied up again, eh, mate?"

"Like I'd stay behind for long. We're goin' straight up! Right, everyone?" Gloria said. Her arm extended, and her fist bumped against Hop's, the acorn-haired boy refusing to drop his grin. Dubwool was at his side, bleating his greeting to Raboot and the rest of the team that had come out of their Poké Balls. That sent a cry and applause rippling through the crowd at the sight, and soon pictures were beginning to be snapped.

"Looks like you and your team are real popular now."

"I'm sure you're not far behind. Where've you been, anyway?" As the two conversed, Gloria noticed that the teenagers were moving away, the girl with the sketchpad consoling a boy whose head was hung low.

"Off training. Bea gave a me a right old challenge, so I knew we needed more time to get ready for the next Gym. Plus, Sonia arrived and you know what she's like. I barely got away!"

"Huh…haven't seen her…"

"Sooo, Gloria, is this your boyfriend?" Bonnie's interjection made Gloria yelp, the crowd laughing at her reaction. That made her face turn yet redder, pushing the girl away.

"No, he is not. He is my rival. Ri-val." Gloria insisted, huffing loudly. Once more Raboot rolled his eyes, joined by Corvisquire in shaking his head. Applin and Drednaw looked too tired to respond, while Toxel continued to be confused. Clobbopus simply didn't care, tentacles folded and looking away with his sulkiness.

"Bonnie, don't torture the poor girl," Astrid said, parting what she could of the crowd to grab Gloria's back. The teenager looked up, just in time for the two blondes to wink conspiratorially with each other. "I'm sure hormones are the least of things on her mind right now."

"Exactly!" Gloria said, hands now on her hips in defiance. "We've just crossed the midway threshold of the Gym Challenge. The only plans on our mind are resting up and eating up!"

"Sounds like my kind of plan!" Ash agreed, clapping his hands against Gloria's. Their shared wavelength deterred any other notion.

"Of course, it's your plan…" Astrid said in a drawl. The sound of the stadium doors opening pulled her away, leaving time for Gloria to high five Pikachu, who decided to make the round with the rest of the Pokémon. Dedenne followed right after. "I have my own plans."

"So, you're ready for training?" Bea's voice got more from the audience than Gloria's departure had, doubly so when the group turned to see that Allister was with her. He waved sheepishly, but that seemed to be part of his charm. The loss mattered little; they were still Gym Leaders. "You'd best fuel up. I will not let up until you are in control."

"Then I guess Gloria's plan for food it is."

Turning on their heel and preparing to leave, the crowd saw a marked shift, especially with Bea padding forward, heedless of the wave of admirers in front of her. That departure finally made way for Seamus and his class, slow to leave, but keeping close to their group as the crowd began to part for them. Soon, a cry rose up.

"You did great today, Allister!"

"You'll top Bea next time!"

"Nah, Bea'll wipe the floor with him."

"You're way too obsessed, mate…"

Despite the cavalcade of praises, Allister shrunk in on himself, falling back in line between Gloria and Hop, hoping to avoid the spotlight. Gloria blinked down at him, finding it amusing. For the boy that had just managed to give her a run for her money, he was certainly no less timid. "I don't like crowds…"

"Well, that's obvious, mate," Hop said with a sharp laugh. He slapped Allister on the back, the noise echoing enough to attract Bea's attention.

"You should be more used to them, Allister."

"I-I know…but they're so…chaotic for me…" Allister admitted. The crowd was nearly dispersed at this point, the departure of challenger and Gym Leaders giving most no reason to stick around. "I like my order. Like my countdowns."

"Yes, you're very tricky," Bea admitted, nodding her head. The longer Gloria watched, the prouder she looked of Allister, regardless. "You just need to adapt more."

"So, like you. But you just charge in."

"That's what makes our Gyms wonderful companions." Gloria looked to Hop for confirmation of this, and the boy shrugged his shoulders. Dubwool continued to trot along behind him, chatting with Raboot and Applin as they sat upon his fleece. A different conversation was going on between the rest of their group, discussing the battle that had just been had, but Bea was oblivious. "Each of us has our own strengths. No one trainer is the same."

"That's so true!" Ash said, drawn away from his conversation with Seamus. Their entourage turned, beginning to descend some stairs that led to the plaza. "Gloria and me are pretty similar, using lots of speedy Pokémon and all. But today, she used Drednaw in a way I couldn't ever really manage."

"I don't think that's totally true. You're a much better trainer than I am. I could have still found even better ways to use her," Gloria said, her eyes darting to her sluggish turtle. She didn't look willing to walk much further, and feeling guilty, Gloria gave her the rest she so deserved and returned her and the others to their Poké Balls. She gripped Drednaw's tightly. "But…she's so fierce in battle. Determined to hang on. I'd be foolish if I didn't notice that."

"Looks like you really get her. Like me and Dubwool."
"Wooool!" Dubwool bleated, receiving an affectionate pat from his trainer.

"Yeah, well, you and Dubwool have known each other since childhood," Gloria said, knocking her shoulder against Hop's. "You've had time to learn all his ins and outs. Which reminds me…didn't we promise to battle again?"

The sly look on Gloria's face gave Hop a case of nervous laughter, soon turning into coughs. She giggled at it, but refused to find it adorable, no matter how much it reminded her of the times she'd crash through his window (or he through her mom's garden) to challenge him to another battle. Raboot shared the same, his eyes smiling. Leaving Hop to splutter and recover, Gloria faced the plaza, only to stop on the steps, watching the unpleasant sight coming up them.

"I don't think now's the best time, Gloria," Hop continued on after his recovery, oblivious to the fact that Gloria had stopped. The rest of the party wasn't, especially Ash and Astrid, who halted all procession. Pikachu's cheeks sparked. "But I'm down for rescheduling. Or we can save it for the Wyndon Conference. Put all our hopes and dreams on the line in a battle only you and I could have at the top."

"Now there's a sickening thought. I might vomit."

Dismissive and cruel, Bede ascended the steps right past their entourage, quickly rising above Gloria and Hop. Bea and Allister stopped, themselves, watching him, though none more than Seamus, the man looking as if he'd heard some sort of ghost. Only Bonnie was unfazed.

"So, who's the jerk?"

"Someone far more important than you, no-name loser."

"Dedenne, Nuzzle him." Dedenne was stopped from doing so by Gloria climbing the steps, putting an arm out in front of her. The rodent was forced to restrain himself.

"What do you want, Bede?" she snapped, her cheeks twitching and clenching in the boy's presence. "Because if you're just here to belittle us, cut the act. We have four badges, same as you. The gap's closed."

"Same as me?" Bede took quick offense to that, spinning on the stairs to approach Gloria. "You dare put yourself on the same level as me, you little churl."

"Oi, cut it out!" Hop said, throwing himself into the mix. The adults around them remained quiet, watching, and Gloria could feel other eyes on them. It made the situation uncomfortable, and Gloria found her neck beginning to sweat. "We're all challengers here, mate. No reason to talk down to one another."

"Needing your little boyfriend to defend you, huh? Not that it matters. You're both losers."

"Watch who you're calling a loser. I'm the brother of the Champion, and Gloria's-"

"Yeah, who gives a crap?" Bede shouted, his voice bouncing off of all the buildings. Now they were making a scene for sure, and Gloria pulled on the sleeve of Hop's jacket.

"Leave him. He's just angry I wiped the floor with him twice. He's not worth the effort, mate." Hop nodded, hearing Gloria's words. She breathed out, pulling him away before she levied a glare at the platinum blonde. She received but a smirk for her troubles. Hoping to put him out of her mind, Gloria turned away, hearing a raspberry being blown by both Bonnie and her Pokédex. The worst of it had passed.

"Yeah, that's just like the Champion. No wonder you're related. I seriously doubt Leon made it to the top fighting every battle. Only the ones he could win," Bede said. Hop stopped and Gloria gripped his arm tighter. Dubwool reacted the same as his trainer, and Raboot pushed against him, hoping they could ignore the words. "He's not like Rose. He had everything handed to him, could pick and choose. And just like last time, the Chairman picks the Champion. Only I'm not going to be a loser Champion.

"But then, it makes sense. A loser Champion begets a loser brother."

"Hop, don't listen to him. You know Leon's not like that." Hop shoved her off, turning slowly, his amber eyes riddled with rage.

"Don't you ever talk about Lee that way again."

"Why should you care? It's not like you're him. You're just a kid way in over his head."

"I said don't say that again!" Hop had approached Bede, looking ready to strike. Some of Seamus's class gasped, but Hop had restrained himself enough to grab Bede by the collar. "You can badmouth me all you want, but I won't let you talk against Lee."

"Aw, does the little puppy want scraps from his betters? Licking at the Champion's boots like a pathetic wastrel."

"I'm not pathetic. I will be the next Champion."

"Tough talk." Bede reached up, throwing Hop off of him, never letting go of the smirk. Gloria knew all too well that the boy had laid the bait with insults, and her friend had fallen for it. "Prove it."

"Fine. You and me. Right now."

"No Dynamax, of course. Let's fight this like real trainers. By the mural." He didn't allow Hop time to argue, turning back around and running up the stairs, right for another set that ascended to the mural. Hop made to follow, but Gloria grabbed at him.

"Don't. It's not worth your or Leon's pride."

"C'mon, mate," Hop said, offering a smile. She refused to waver. "You know you'd do the same. He's gotta be taught a lesson, and I'm gonna give it to him. Let's go, Dubwool."

She was powerless to stop him, watching him follow Bede as the sun sunk lower on Stow-on-Side. No one said a word, unable to articulate a thing, so Gloria was the first to take her step, and found Ash and Bonnie right behind her. Astrid was behind them, canceling her own training as they ran to the rose-colored stone upon which the mural was painted. Thankfully, the boys had yet to start, circling each other across the railed platform to decide who would begin the battle from where.

"Looks like we're having an audience," Bede taunted with. Hop didn't let himself get fazed by that, but he did look up to Gloria. She shook her head, asking him to stop, but all he did was wink in her direction. Behind them, the crowd of people wanting to watch the public battle between two well-known Gym Challengers was growing. From citizens to Seamus and his class, and even to the two Gym Leaders. Hop closed his eyes to steel himself, but Bede soaked it all in.

It didn't stop there, and Gloria soon heard a different pair of voices, sounding excited.

"Maw maw…"

"Ugh, yes, it would seem we finally caught up with him. Gave us a merry chase, but he can't run forever…"

"Opal?" Ash asked, tilting his head. The old woman waved him off, groaning with exertion as she finished climbing the stairs. Rather, Mawile pushed her up them, but once she saw Bede, her eyes lit up.

"So, the old hag caught up," Bede scoffed out, but didn't seem any more concerned. He tossed a Poké Ball out, Hattrem emerging. "You can just watch, hag, Mawile. I'll show you I don't need you."

"Oh, please do." Opal rubbed her hands, resting on her umbrella. Mawile got closer to the battlefield, and all eyes were on Bede. At least until Hop called Dubwool forth.

"You're battling with a future Champion, mate. Don't act like you've won."

"Oh, cut the bravado. You'll need some of it when I'm through with you. Thunder Wave."

"Cotton Guard!" The electrical pulse emanated, colliding with the wall of cotton puffs created from Dubwool's fleece. Gloria couldn't see anything from beyond that wall, not even Hop, and she found her fist tightening. Something about this felt wrong.

"Mr. Seamus, isn't a Pokémon battle supposed to have a referee?" one of the students asked, furthering the pit inside Gloria's stomach. Ash reached over to grip her shoulder, but she hardly took reassurance from it. Dubwool emerged from the cotton, headbutting Hattrem and sending it bouncing along the ground.

"It should…"

"If that's what you think this is, then none of you get the boy at all." Opal's remark drew a scowl from Seamus, but the teacher didn't say anything. It might have been because his eyes were focused solely on Bede. Unlike Mawile, however, there was no admiration. Just a chalky face that looked ready to heave. "He doesn't want a battle."

"Calm Mind." The sneer was self-evident, and as Dubwool attempted a Body Slam, Hattrem's eyes closed, steeling its body. "Psychic."

"Hat." The voice was accompanied by the sudden blue glow, all too similar to what Kirlia had used. It felt different, though. Raboot's nose twitched, the waves of psychic energy coming off so strong it made the very air ripple and waver. Gasps lined the watching crowd, extending even further into the city. Hattrem's extensions rose, and before Dubwool could make contact, the blue glow wrapped around the Sheep Pokémon.

"Slam it," Bede ordered, and Gloria could see the wide smirk on his face. Hop hadn't lost his composure, though.

"Double Kick!" It had been said with energy, but Gloria could tell Hop hadn't put on a smile. He was determined, his eyes shining with the urge to protect both his and his brother's name.

Dubwool fought against the Psychic, kicking his limbs back and forth. Hattrem raised him up and brought him smashing through the ground. His fleece protected him, and with effort, Dubwool finally kicked at the resultant stones. They broke from the ground, flying out and hitting Hattrem right on the head. Dirt and dust came away from that, hitting Bede on the face, a trickle of stone bruising his cheek.

He didn't like that.

"Body Slam!" Dubwool rolled in place, bouncing himself out of the minor hole to crash into Hattrem. The Serene Pokémon kept true to its name, as though it hit the ground, it recovered with an odd smile on its face. Dubwool prepared for Hop's next order. "Headbutt!"

"Thunder Wave." Dubwool was unprotected this time, and Hattrem's smile turned to a leer that matched its trainer. Gloria swallowed, flinching as the electric waves fired out, catching Dubwool in their midst. He shuddered, unable to complete his attack. "You're beyond predictable. Just like your pathetic excuse of a brother. Psychic!"

"Dubwool, you can make it out. Push away with Double Kick."

"I'm not falling for that, you filthy little second-string!" Bede was losing his cool, doubly so when, in spite of the paralysis, Dubwool managed to land a hit with his hooves. Hattrem cried out, wincing from the force, but upon recovery, its eyes glowed the sharp blue, surrounding Dubwool. "All you do is attack and attack. You're simple. Pathetic. A loser!"

"Dubwool!" Hop shouted, but it was too late. His first partner was brought high into the air, enough that everyone in the city could see it. The sun sunk lower, turning the cliff faces nearly purple.

"And yet…" Bede said, clenching his teeth, his body quaking with all of his repressed fury and indignation. "You still managed to humiliate me in front of the chairman!"

"Hat!" Hattrem's ends raised and lowered, and with it, Dubwool was brought crashing back down to earth, leaving a crater in the middle of the mural square. Debris plumed high into the air, raining upon the spectators and sending a shuddering crack all to their feet and the walls. Gloria took an instinctive step forward.

"You brought attention to yourself! Made him praise that useless girl more than me! And you have the gall to challenge me to a battle?!" Bede snapped his fingers, and Hattrem's blue glow continued. Its Psychic lifted Dubwool, no longer moving, and lifted it again like some sacrifice upon an altar. "I'll show you what little churls like yourself should do:

"Disappear."

"Cut it out," Gloria managed to get out in a strangled cry. "He's already fainted."

"So what? You're next, you little bitch! Again!" Hattrem said nothing, but brought Dubwool careening down, right into the crater before. "Keep going! Show this little second-string…no, this third-string what it means to be a real Challenger! A Champion! What real power looks like!"

"Power…" Seamus breathed out, his fist tightening.

"The boy doesn't want a battle, you see," Opal said, her eyes dolefully tracking as Dubwool rose again. "He wants a chance to assert his superiority. To prove something."

"Then he can prove it in the League!" Gloria shouted above the murmurs. Dubwool was smashed again, but this time, Hop came out of his fugue from watching his first Pokémon be brutalized. He ran at Bede. Gloria moved to join him, but Ash held her back. "You can't be serious!"

"We'll handle it," he said. Gloria looked at him, seeing his eyes darken into a glare reserved solely for Bede. Pikachu's cheeks sparked, and Gloria stepped back, bumping into Bonnie and Astrid.

"You said you wanted to teach me a lesson? Well, here's your lesson: don't ever get in my way!" Bede pointed, and Hattrem whirled Dubwool around. Before Hop could reach the two, his own Pokémon was thrown into him, sending him to the floor. He refused to stop there, bringing Dubwool back like he was attached by a string. "I'll crush you. You and anyone else who stops my rise to greatness! Anyone who makes me look like a fool in front of the chairman ag-"

"Stop. Now." Bea's order was chilling. Her Machamp was out, and her own fist was ready to clock the boy on the neck. Allister was standing with her, trembling but exerting force. Bede watched them, his face twitching, before he let out a sigh. The glow of Psychic dropped, depositing Dubwool near Hop. His trainer crawled for him. "The battle is over. Call your Hattrem back and walk away."

"Of course…" Bede said with a sigh. He turned his head, and Gloria could see the veins bulging on his face. "You're all the same. Jealous of my power. And you should be!"

"Hattreeeeeeeem!" Hattrem's cry was matched with a burst of psychic energy. Bea, Allister and Machamp were caught up in it, levitated and tossed aside so they wouldn't interfere. Gloria fell over, struggling to stand over the waves of malevolence being tossed their way. Dubwool was lifted once more before Hop could reach him.

"I'm better than all of you!" Bede shouted. Hattrem sent Dubwool hurtling forward, smashing into the surface of the mural. "I'm not a lowly janitor! I'm not some country bumpkin! I'm not some fool who thinks his blood makes him better! I'm better! I'm the Chairman's pick! You're all just standing in my way!"

Every sentence was a blow. Every statement a crack on the mural as the unconscious Dubwool was brought into the rock face time and again. Over and over until Gloria could swear to seeing blood from Hop's precious Pokémon.

But Bede wouldn't stop. His look was manic, his grin wild, and his desperation for some twisted approval driving him to madness.

She wanted to scream for someone, anyone, to come and help.

And help he did. Ash took a step.

"My value will be seen, so why don't you just disappear already!"

Hattrem rose Dubwool one last time, and with a single thrust of Bede's palm, Dubwool began its final journey to the mural.

Screams echoed.

Bonnie and Astrid shouted an order.

Pikachu was the first to arrive, swinging his Iron Tail into Hattrem and sending it flying into a railing. Dubwool still remained on a collision course with a dastardly end in sight. Bede rounded on Ash, spit flying from his mouth in his apoplectic rage.

"How dare you-oof!"

Ash had sunk a fist into his stomach, and grabbed him tight, preventing him from moving. Then he looked to where Dubwool was flying, unable to stop in time before dust exploded from the impact. Bede struggled under Ash's hold. "You can stop now, okay?"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu's call and pointing finger brought all attention to where Dubwool had been thrown.

Yet when the dust cleared, it was not a bloody Dubwool left, but a Charizard holding to the battered Pokémon. Hop's eyes lit up, and the entire crowd ratcheted up in chatter. Phones were out, and all heads turned to the newest arrival.

"Lee…"

"What is this?" The Champion stepped forward, garnering many a response. None of them were excitement, too overridden by what had just happened. Leon walked past Bede and Ash, to where Charizard placed the unconscious Dubwool on the ground. Behind him, from the force of all of Bede's attacks, the mural had cracked straight through, beginning to crumble. Leon bent to examine Dubwool. "He's injured, but if we get him immediate attention, he'll be fine, Hop."

"Lee, I-"

"Don't interrupt our battle! I don't care if you're Champion!"

"That wasn't a battle from what I saw," Leon said. His voice was cool, enough to give Bede pause. Ash held him yet tighter while Hattrem stirred. It quickly saw the predicament of its trainer, and began to glow…only for Charizard's claw to descend and hold it in place. "What would possess you to do this?"

"Yes, Challenger Bede. I believe we all deserve an answer." The eyes zigzagged back to where Leon had arrived, but none moreso than Bede. His own widened, his body shaking in such a way that prompted Ash to finally let go of him. Chairman Rose had arrived.

"Chairman, I only-"

"Sir, look." Oleana, also present, tapped the Chairman's shoulder, diverting his attention away from Bede to the mural. Or once-mural, as it had been broken beyond repair, an effect only highlighted by the setting sun and the collapsed Dubwool. The flash of cameras pierced the area at her observation. "Challenger Bede, explain yourself."

"I did nothing wrong," Bede said, comporting himself in a more dignified manner than he had just moments before. Much of the crowd disagreed, especially Seamus, who frowned and shook his head. "He challenged me to a battle. I acted in the rules of engagement to-"

"To destroy a priceless artifact, it would seem," Oleana cut in. Her lidded eyes spared no mercy for Bede. "Chairman, something must be done."

"It was just a stupid wall. Who gives a crap?"

"I don't believe that's the issue at hand here," Rose said, walking forward and shaking his head. Bede tried to bow to him, but the man spared him not a glance. He was too fixated on the mural and its destruction. "You allowed yourself to get carried away. Appear to have harmed another challenger."

"I did it for you, Chairman!" Bede shouted. Now broken from Ash's hold, Gloria watched him all but crawl over to the man, only for Oleana to step in. "You endorsed me! I was only showing what caliber of trainer you-"

"Caliber?" Oleana said. The crowd sucked in a breath at her words, while Gloria kept watching Rose and his saddened face. "You sully the name of Macro Cosmos and all of Galar. What are you showing here but brutality and barbarism?"

"That wasn't-" Bede cut himself off, looking as though reality was beginning to catch up to him. Where he was, the crowd and phones that were focused on his face. Leon standing there as a watchful sentinel. Bede ran a hand through his hair, trembling, and the platinum blonde curls became disheveled. "Chairman, I only-"

"Chairman, something must be done." At Oleana's words, Ash faced the woman, locking eyes with Astrid across the way. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Gloria wasn't even sure she was still breathing.

Rose turned, taking in the totality of the scene before him. He sighed.

"To think, we came here to boost Stow-on-Side's ratings, and now…I suppose there's no avoiding this making the papers tomorrow." Rose reached his own hand up, playing with his cowlick for a moment. "Yes, Oleana, you're right. It's a shame."

"What's a shame?" Ash asked, taking a step towards the chairman. "You're not seriously…"

"Such potential, squandered in such unruliness," Rose continued on, heedless of Ash. "I lifted you up, gave you a chance, and you use it for this. Skilled or no, I cannot keep our names intertwined, lest all of Galar suffers.

"Challenger Bede, you are hereby expelled from the Gym Challenge. Effective immediately."

The crowd went silent. Gloria felt her breath hitch.

It wasn't possible. In all the long years of the Gym Challenge, not once had an expulsion been handed out. No one there could have expected it, the air stolen from all their lungs.

Bede collapsed, unable to form words or sounds. Gloria wasn't even sure if she could.

Ash, however, did. "You can't be serious about this. Expulsion? He made a mistake! Don't-"

"My decision is final, much to my dismay."

"And I understand why," Ash said, approaching the chairman, only for Oleana to stop him from getting close. "But isn't this a little too drastic? He's just a kid."

The crowd seemed to find a bit of their voices, mumbling over the point Ash brought up. With the situation turning sour, Rose started to look uncomfortable, discontent rising in the crowd.

It took Leon to smooth things out.

"Not here, Ash."

"Why not here?" Leon didn't stop, holding fast to Ash's shoulder and shaking his head. That was enough to send more murmurs through the audience, one that made Oleana look a little less patient.

"All of you disperse. And get those Pokémon to the Center. The Chairman and Champion have no time for your gawking," the woman said, waving them off swiftly. Some of them listened to the shooing, disappearing fast as they came, while others ran for Dubwool and the mural. "Chairman, I suggest you move this conversation somewhere more private. As for yourself, Challenger Bede, I suggest you remain at the Pokémon Center until we finish an incident report."

"Yeah, let's go private…" Ash said. From the brief look Gloria got from him, he was nowhere near pleased. She was unsure what to feel herself, but when she looked away and her eyes fell on Hop, she knew she couldn't remain distracted by the growing arguments between the adults.

"Raboot, let's help."

"Rab."

The pair ran forward, not alone, and Gloria helped pick Hop up with Bonnie's help. Past them, Raboot tried to pick Dubwool up, only to fail. Without hesitation, Gloria sought one of her Poké Balls and called Clobbopus out. "Help us move him."

"Clob?"

"Just do it!" Gloria snapped. In spite of his combative nature, Clobbopus obeyed, managing to lift Dubwool up with one arm and beginning to carry him away. Gloria and the defeated Hop followed, everything turning to a blur as they raced for the Center. She vaguely noticed Astrid and Bea grabbing ahold of Bede, but the boy was so silent, he may as well have become air, a state he remained in even until they arrived at the Center and they deposited him in a booth near the front.

Gloria could care less about him, more worried as Nurse Joy rushed out, taking Dubwool into care. The red light turned on with such bright intensity in the night that Gloria feared it would burn itself into her.

Dubwool wasn't the only one, as Astrid handed over Hattrem as well. Gloria found her body shaking with anger at the thought of it, and she whipped a glare to Bede. He saw nothing and responded to nothing, not even Mawile poking at his legs.

"Stupid!" Hop suddenly said in the middle of his pacing, kicking at a nearby trash can. "So stupid! Couldn't save Motostoke. Couldn't protect Lee's name. I'm so stupid!" Gloria watched him, her best friend close to hyperventilation. She wasn't sure what to do, or how to console him after such a loss, and could only observe as he pressed his face against the glass. "I'm sorry, Dubwool…I'm sorry…"

"Hop…hey…" Gloria reached out tentatively, wondering if he was going to throw her off. Her fingers touched to his shoulder, and for a moment, he relaxed, enough that she was able to pull him away. "Sit down, okay?"

"Y-yeah…"

Keeping her touch gentle, she steered him away from his obsessive pacing and staring, towards a corner of the Center that was unoccupied. It was an easy task, to her surprise, with Hop collapsing in the seat the moment they reached it. He said nothing, folding his face in his hands, while Gloria tried to find the right words. No one watched them, the unnerved silence in the Center indicative of the state Dubwool was in. Only the harsh whispers between what sounded like Seamus and Opal could be heard, with even Bonnie and the students silent.

Ash couldn't be seen at all.

Gloria inched closer to Hop. "You wanna talk?"

"Nothing to talk about…" Hop's reply was muffled, but she understood him just fine. "I lost…I was so weak. And then I needed Lee to help save me. He's a jerk but he's right. I really am pathetic."

"Cut that out,' Gloria said. She grabbed him by the shoulders, turning him to face her so they could look directly at each other. For a brief moment, it almost looked like Hop was holding back tears. "Now, you listen to me. You're not pathetic. And you're a lot more than third-string or whatever stupid insults he could cook up. You're my rival, and Marnie's, too. You push us and pull us. We couldn't have gotten this far without you."

"But look at my Pokémon, Gloria," Hop tried to assert, but Gloria silenced him with a finger to his lips.

"We always kinda fail, Hop. If there's one thing Ash has helped teach me, it's that we can't all be Leon, you know?" She took her finger down, smiling at him. He swallowed audibly, shifting in his seat. For a second, it seemed that Hop wanted to look away, but couldn't bring himself to do so. "The road to the championship isn't always paved with wins. And the way you're feeling now, I know it too well. It's how I felt after losing to Kabu.

"But I picked myself up and kept going. You were part of that. You kept going."

"Me? Gloria, I'm not-"

"You're Hop, my best friend and my rival. That's all you need to be." She kept smiling, now grabbing his hands and squeezing them for comfort. "I don't care if you're a Champion. None of that's ever mattered. I'll be there for you, whether you win or lose. Just like you would for me. I'll bet he couldn't say something like that."

"Yeah, but…"

"No buts," Gloria said. She let go of his hands, pulling him into a tight hug. His heart beat against her chest, and she now found it was her turn to swallow loudly. His hands encircled her on the other side, and they slowly drew apart, unable to pull away from the other. "Y-you're important to me, Hop, so…chin up, yeah?"

"Yeah…" He was so close now, Gloria could practically feel his breath on her nose. Her hands found their way back in, somehow placing themselves on his chest. He was getting closer, and she didn't know what to do, or how to think. "You know, Gloria, you're…"

"I'm…?"

Whatever he would have said, their noses practically touching, was interrupted by a sudden chime. Both shot up as if nothing had happened, facing away from one another as Nurse Joy finally emerged from the backroom. The Indeedee followed her out, one of them making a line for Bede to hand over his Poké Ball. He took it, feeling its surface in his hands, and after a moment, he kicked a nearby chair and left. Gloria took a step, only for Nurse Joy's words to briefly call her back.

"Dubwool is stable, but he'll need rest. A few days. However, I do believe we've staved off the worst."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy. Thank you…" Hop sounded relieved, and with that relief came exhaustion, the boy flopping back in his chair. At this, one of his Poké Balls lit up, Thwackey emerging to give the boy comfort.

Gloria nodded, glad that he was taken care of, and she put her eyes on the exit through which Bede had just left. A snarl ran across her lips, and without consulting anyone, she stormed out of the Center, back into the streets of Stow-on-Side.

It was empty, the dead of night returning everyone to their homes. The only sound that echoed was that of the falling rubble by the mural, but Gloria had a different target in mind. One she was able to find by the sound of voices alone.

"You know you were supposed to stay at the Center."

"Piss off." Gloria quickened her steps, racing up the stairs at the heart of the city to turn past the Gym. She had located Bede, on the move, but he was hardly alone. Seamus was there, too, attempting to block his path, while Opal hummed curiously at the side. Bede pushed on, throwing the young man off as he walked towards the forest at the edge of town.

"Look, I know how you're feeling," Seamus said, walking backwards so as to keep up with the boy. Gloria hung back, not wanting to intrude until she could confront Bede alone. "I've been there. That insane desire to win and be recognized. But you don't have to let it shut you down. You can make it something positive."

"Shove off, nobody."

"Oh, looks like you got rejected," Opal said, though even her words didn't stop Bede's movement. "Flowery words and sentiments will net you nothing. What this boy desires is power. I can help you with that."

"What I want is the both of you to shut up. I'm not done yet."

"You seem pretty done to me," Seamus said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Bede didn't stop, leading all of them up to the edge of the forest, where he finally turned around.

"Rose picked me. He only disqualified me because of public pressure," the boy explained. His sneer had become a scowl, one that made him look desperate, like a child crying out for help, but biting the fingers of anyone who tried to get close. "But I can turn it around. I'll find him more Wishing Stars. Then he can't refuse me. I'll change Galar. I'll change the world."

"You know you'll find nothing in the Tangle."

Gloria stopped, her eyes traveling upwards. Opal's words told her what she was staring at, remembering the words of warning on the nature documentary. The Glimwood Tangle, a place of snarled branches and paths. The road to Ballonlea, steeped in illusion.

"What do you know? You're just an old woman past her prime. You're just an artifact of the Gym Challenge." He turned on his heel, walking inward with purpose. "I'm the future Champion."

It didn't take long for him to vanish in the darkness.

"Oh dear…"

"So, what now, old lady?" Seamus asked.

Whatever Opal answered, Gloria didn't care. She scoffed, turning around and beginning to head back for the Center. Her chance to corner Bede was gone, and with it, her desire to stay awake. The events of the day catching up with her, Gloria ambled back, only to collapse the second she arrived at the Center.

Ash and Bede never returned that night.

"You can't disqualify a trainer from one bad action!" Ash's hands slammed on the table in the room. Across from him, Rose rubbed his temples, clearly looking exhausted from the evening's cleanup, but he listened nonetheless to Ash's agitated protests. He felt no less exhausted, having waited most of the night to finally get his chance, and he wasn't going to keep beating around the bush.

"One bad action is merely a symptom of more," Oleana said, leaning against the wall behind Rose. Though she appeared distracted by her phone, Ash remained wary, as though she was concealing a knife behind her back. "We cannot allow those actions to sully the name of Macro Cosmos."

"Macro Cosmos…This isn't some company we're talking about!" Ash shouted, causing Rose to flinch. In a different corner, Leon stood, saying nothing but listening to the argument that had been growing for the past half hour. "This is a trainer's life. His career!"

"And he can have a chance for many more careers."

"Enough, Oleana," Rose said, raising a hand to silence the woman. She inclined her head, accepting his request. "Ash, I acknowledge your point."

"Then reverse it."

"Pika!" Pikachu piping up from near Charizard didn't garner the attention of the two executives, but Ash felt glad to have his best buddy back him up. Rose tapped his fingers together, frowning.

"Rose, you endorsed him, so I understand how that could look bad for you, but…" Ash felt his exhaustion creeping in, emerging from him with a sigh. "This is a trainer's life. You're cutting him loose from something that gave him purpose. You're ripping a dream from him as punishment instead of helping him to do better. Be better."

"I think the situation is a bit more complicated than that." It was Leon's turn to speak, the Champion's words holding weight inside the room. "He brutalized a fellow Challenger."

"I know," Ash insisted. He ripped his hat from his head, mussing around his hair as he tried to get through to them what he was thinking and feeling, something they either didn't, or refused to, understand. "And he was wrong for that, but if you cut him loose now, you'd just be creating another Team Skull. Or another IDEAL."

"Let's not go that far," Rose said. His gaze sharpened, the crease of his forehead becoming more prominent at the suggestion.

"I'm not wrong. I know what it can feel like. I mean, Leon, how would you feel if it was your brother? Or Gloria?"

"Ash, do you really think I want to do this?" Rose's question created a stumbling block, one that caused him to trip over his words. The older man sighed, wringing his hands and blowing at his cowlick. Oleana continued to tap away, but all eyes remained on Rose. "I don't. I handpicked him. But he betrayed that trust. Now, he's a show to the rest of the world that Galar is nothing but a bunch of bullies. I don't need that. This needs to be an example."

"Oh, for-!" Ash turned away, unable to produce a retort. His eyes found Leon. "You're agreeing with this?"

Leon tipped his cap up, eyes flitting around the room. It took him a moment to comprise his thoughts, but eventually he did. "If the Chairman thinks it best for the League, then I'm inclined to agree."

Ash wanted to slam the table in the room. Hearing Leon so easily defer to someone else didn't sit right with him, but without any recourse left, Ash finally let the air slide out of his body. "If it was anyone but your brother, would you say the same?"

"Now, come on. Ash, I know you see the merit." He did, but he didn't want to admit it, not with all of the other possible complications. "This is an important season. The League doesn't need this kind of scandal."

"And what about Bede? Are you just going to toss him to the side?" That received no answer, least of all from Rose, whose thoughtful expression betrayed no solution other than his chosen course. "I see. Then I guess this discussion really is over."

Ash pounded his fist on the table, turning around to leave. His hand was on the door when Rose finally called back to him. "Ash, I'm always open to suggestion. It's clear to me you care deeply for the next generation and would sacrifice much for them, as you always have. But for now, at least, we need this storm to blow over."

"Yeah, I get it…" Ash swung the door open wide. Pikachu jumped back on his shoulder. "I just hope that storm doesn't leave more wreckage. Leon, take care."

"Ah, yourself as…well…"

Ash was out of the room faster than the Champion could respond. He followed the signs, not looking back, until he left the Macro Cosmos facility and emerged into the blinding sunlight of dawn. Stow-on-Side had barely woken up for the day, and yet sounds were already heard near the mural, showing that he wasn't the first up and about. He was probably the only one scowling, though.

Placing his hands in his pockets, Ash made huff and began to walk back towards the Center, hoping he could slip in without notice.

That became impossible the second he arrived.

"What do you mean, he's not there?"

"Just what I said, dummy. I got to Ballonlea and he most certainly didn't come out of the Tangle." Hearing Opal's voice over what sounded like a phone piqued Ash and Pikachu's curiosity, the pair approaching what looked like a small conglomeration of people at the phone, Seamus the foremost among them.

"Great, so he's probably lost in there? He wasn't in the best headspace to begin with."

"I'm aware. So, Mr. Flower, are you going to do something about it?"

"What's going on?" Ash asked, leaning in over the conversation. Gloria looked up at him, a cross between exasperated and worried.

"Bede went missing last night. Headed off into the Tangle."

"Yeah, and Officer Jenny came looking for him this morning," Astrid added.

"Are they planning a search party?" Ash asked, only for Seamus to give a barking laughter.

"I think you're looking at 'em. Granny, sit tight, we'll find him before you finish your morning tea." Opal appeared amused by that, gripping her teacup on the screen and downing it as quick as could be with a grin.

"I look forward to seeing you in Ballonlea. Home turf."

"Home turf for what?" Ash asked, receiving just a shrug from Astrid and Bonnie. Seamus ended the call. "Seamus? Hey, Seamus!"

The young man didn't waste time, making tracks to leave the Center. Its doors slid open before he shouted back, "Bonnie, you're in charge of the class."

"Heck no, I'm coming with."

"Then Astrid is."

"I'm coming, too," Gloria said, nodding to Hop and Astrid before spinning around and racing off. It left Ash standing there, looking more than a bit foolish. A look to Pikachu later, however, and he was dashing off after them. It still took him to the top of the steps to finish catching up to the trio.

"Seamus, will you slow down?"

"How did your meeting with those guys go?" he asked, refusing to even slow his steps. Gloria and Bonnie were doing an ample job keeping up with him, but Ash increased his pace to get ahead of them, something he didn't manage until they were at the threshold of the forest.

"Not as well as I hoped, but can you stop for just a second and explain what's going on?" Seamus finally heeded him, though his eyes looked beyond, into the dark abyss of the Tangle just behind Ash. "I get that Bede is missing, but why are you mounting some kind of rescue mission?"

"Haven't you heard, Ash?" Bonnie chimed in, herself and Dedenne looking far too smug proportionate to the situation. "Apparently the Glimwood Tangle is scary haunted. He could die if he's not careful."

"I just want to ream him a new one for what he did to Hop."

"I want to save him from himself." Seamus's answer was the most compelling. Ash looked to him, the young man's stern eyes showing his conviction. "You know what I mean, Ash. I know you saw it, too."

"Saw what?" Bonnie and Gloria asked, but neither received an answer. Ash breathed out.

"All right, then. But stick together. If this place is dangerous, we don't want to lose ourselves. Pokémon out." A few steps into the forest, and everyone heeded his order. Dedenne dropped down with Pikachu, and Seamus had called on his Emboar, their group of four forging into the overgrowth. Gloria had taken the request quite literal, her entire team out and about, peering down the different pathways.

Ash was fine with that, especially at the first cry of a Pokémon that sounded like it was coming from everywhere. It didn't help when the light from Stow-on-Side suddenly cut out, leaving them with nothing but looping branches, vines and a bunch of luminous mushrooms along the path.

"I can see how jerkface got lost, at least…" Bonnie said. Dedenne agreed, he and Pikachu poking at one of the mushrooms, lighting up the area and showing a path further into the forest. Ash continued along it, making sure the others hadn't gotten lost yet.

"Place is like a bloody maze…" Gloria said, careful to keep close to the group. Corvisquire flew upwards, but returned back down with nary a sign of which way to go, while most of the rest circled their trainer. It kept them moving slowly through, but with no sign of Bede. Not that Ash thought they would find him that fast. "Is Ballonlea really on the other side of this?"

"So the granny says."

"Maybe Gloria just wants to get back to her boyfriend."

"Bonnie, I have told you that he's not-"

"Shh!" Ash didn't care for Gloria's steaming red face, nor Bonnie's teasing grin. He did care for the shadows moving, and the laughter of Pokémon, or children, or something in the darkness.

Most of all, he cared for Pikachu and Dedenne approaching a group of shrooms that glowed with a sickly light. They spoke with each other, but neither touched.

Not until Clobbopus broke ranks, tired of their banter and beat on the mushrooms.

"Shiiiiiiiii!" The sudden screech spelled certain doom, and at Clobbopus's prodding, the luminescence went away…

…only to return brighter than before.

A Flash burst across their vision, the sudden assault of the Shiinotic causing panic in their group. Ash bumped into something before stumbling back and tripping over a root. The movement was chaotic, and he couldn't see a thing thanks to the bright lights that made their eyes pop.

Eventually, it receded, and Ash found a chance to catch his breath, sitting up. It was dark again, with just enough lights to see his immediate surroundings. No one was there.

"Pikachu?!" There was no answer from his friend. Ash stood, cupping his mouth. "Gloria?! Hey, Bonnie! Seamus?!"

His voice died to the thick branches, and Ash sighed. He was alone and lost in the twisted, dark depths of the Glimwood Tangle.

Author's Note: This chapter is, by all rights, a massive turning point of the story. It's functionally the endpoint of what we've been building to since Motostoke. Hop's own failures coalescing, Rose arriving as hinted a few chapters back, Bede's boiling point. All of it coalesced here in an explosive moment. Of course, game players would be quick to see the plot points recreated here, but the manner in which we chose to do them was important, providing emergency and immediacy, while setting up the next half of this book.

Because, yeah, there are shades of Travis in Bede, and that's a scary thing. Props to Viroro for immediately latching on to this idea in pre-production.

That said, while my note is getting long, I want to address one thing, that of Gloria and Hop. The funniest part about this is that the original summary detailed by Viroro was pretty much some innocuous comments turned blushy. Then I took over and…well, you see the result of the scene before you, ha ha. I thought it was good fun. Hopefully you liked it, too.

Viroro: And with that, chapter 11 comes to a close, with what was less of a breather and more of a storm for our protagonists, with events that will have lasting impact on the rest of the story. Game-savvy readers may recognize how we adapted a few plot points from the games here, but we still made sure to make them our own, whether by reframing their context or by introducing different swerves. All this to say, while Bede's disqualification was perhaps easy to see coming, stay assured that we don't plan to stay too loyal to be slaves to the source material. But for now the focus will be on the Glimwood Tangle adventure, for which I will write the next chapter, perhaps one of the most unique of the Ancienverse, but you will be the judge about it.

Hope you enjoyed this, and that you will keep looking forward to what's to come!

So, on this day of thanks, I have my own to give: to StoryBrookFields95 for following; and the biggest of them to Tenzalucard123, ChE clarinetist, oomoepoo, aliensinnoh, RRV55, FantasyLover88, Ander Arias, Fury, Rajiv A. Rajaram, UltimateCCC, MythGirl Writes, Captainsquid12 and 1 guest for reviewing!

Next chapter's a unique one, but important for many reasons. Look forward to it, please, and until then, Review and,

Dare to Be Silly.