I thought last chapter was rather a fun one, wouldn't you say? But now we return to your regularly scheduled Gloria in Chapter 13!
Chapter 13
A Deal
Gloria's vision swam, her head aching as she tried to block out the still intermittent bright lights. Stumbling down a path in the Tangle, she shook her head, but it didn't go away. Not until her foot caught on a branch and sent her tumbling down into an underbrush. Without delay she began kicking and squirming until she broke free, and finally the light disappeared.
The Glimwood Tangle, however, remained dark.
"Ugh…where am I…?" Hoping for any sort of clue, Gloria turned, merely finding some of the luminescent mushrooms. She didn't dare touch them for fear of them turning out to be more Shiinotic. It didn't stop her from raising her voice. "Ash? Are you there? Bonnie?"
Nothing gave a reply, the deadened trees absorbing all sound. The girl sighed to herself, beginning to wish she had never decided to go straight into the Tangle. Not that the thought lasted long as she remembered Bede's very punchable face and decided it was good she was stuck in this place, anyway. Wanting to catch up with him as soon as possible, Gloria found the nearest path and began to take purposeful strides down it.
"Gotta lead somewhere. Ash definitely wouldn't stop moving…" she murmured. Shoving her hands in her cardigan, Gloria set off, kicking at some loose branches in the hopes of not tripping over them later. The air felt stale around her, and trees closed in, causing her to duck under one rather large root. Small cries echoed on the air, giggles that were far too unsettling for comfort.
She picked up the pace, turning down another path that looked just a little lighter than the others. It was no Ballonlea, however, but rather a grove of the luminescent mushrooms, some Morelull happily floating and bouncing around. Not wanting another Flash Special Surprise, Gloria turned around, only to find a pink face with black hair bobbing in front of her. It was grinning.
Gloria fell back, landing on her butt as the Pokémon dropped to the ground, its pointed tail dislodging from one of the roots. It licked its lips, while Gloria trembled in searching for her phone. After a few seconds too long, Rotom managed to talk to her, distracting the creature for a moment.
"Morgrem, the Devious Pokémon," her phone said, causing a lapse in movement from the Morelull behind her. "With sly cunning, it lures people into the woods, often by acting as though begging for forgiveness. This is a ruse-"
"Enough for me!" Gloria shouted. The Morgrem leapt for her and she kicked, nailing the assailant in the face. She flipped up on to her feet and ran straight past it, back into the depths of the forest, turning down a different road in the hope it would lead her somewhere much safer.
Trouble just followed her, the Morgrem giving chase. It was fast, too, leaping amidst the trees to get ahead of her and fall into her path. Morgrem advanced, causing her to take a step back. Her feet nearly tripped over a new branch, but instead of falling over, Gloria bent down to grab it, holding it forward.
"Back! Get back!" She waved the thick branch in front of her, but Morgrem looked more amused than anything, getting down on its hands and knees. Gloria wouldn't be fooled.
"Morgah!"
"Chu pika!" The yellow blur shot from the trees, his tail shining as he brought it whirling around into Morgrem's face. The Devious Pokémon cried out, but one look at Pikachu in between him and his prey caused the Pokémon to snarl and go scampering off back into the darkness. Pikachu turned. "Kapika!"
"Oh, Pikachu, thank you!" Gloria didn't abandon her tree branch, but was able to bend down and scoop Pikachu into a tight hug. He grimaced, cheeks beginning to spark, and Gloria loosened her grip. Free from the embrace, Pikachu hopped up on her shoulder. "Can't find Ash?"
"Chu…" She knew all too well what that meant, patting Ash's partner on the head. It brought to greater prominence the absence of her own Pokémon. The only consolation was that she was no longer alone.
"Well, we'll look for him together. Do you have any idea which way to go?" Pikachu tapped his chin, Gloria waiting for a response, and then he suddenly brightened up.
"Pika!" With a single leap, he landed safely on the ground, and Gloria watched his cheeks send short bursts of electricity into the air. A moment later and his ears twitched, showing receipt of a different signal. "Kapika, Chupika pika chu!"
"Not sure what that means, but looks like you've got us a trail! Lead the way!" Pikachu took off, and Gloria was swift to follow, clutching tighter to her tree branch. More sparks left the electric mouse's cheeks, subtly altering their trajectory. It didn't look like it brought them any closer to civilization, but just as she trusted his trainer, Gloria put full faith in Pikachu.
He soon turned a corner, herself giving chase as they ran down the illuminated path. The shadows grew deeper, but Pikachu didn't stop, not until they heard the crunching of footsteps on dead leaves ahead. They pulled to a halt, and Gloria grabbed Pikachu from the ground, retreating over to the cover of some thicker roots. Both she and Pikachu shushed each other, waiting for whatever was coming close to show itself.
The steps were slow, deliberate, and Gloria clutched tighter. She was ready to swing at the darkness.
Eventually, the owner of the steps was directly near them, and stopped. Gloria and Pikachu acted without hesitation.
"Hi-yah!" Gloria swung with all of her might, and Pikachu came out, tail shining. They hit their mark in an effective one-two, sending the would-be-assailant reeling to the ground.
"Agh, you idiot! You broke my nose!" Gloria knew that voice, and bringing her branch down she could see just who she had hit. Bede was on the ground, clutching his nose and rolling back and forth. He was alone, but that was no surprise. "What the bloody hell was that for?"
"Sor…" Gloria stopped herself, frowning at the sight of the boy. Tired of him already, she bent down to drag him to his feet. It had the effect of pulling his hands away from his nose, which she flicked with her finger. There was blood, but the nose itself seemed just fine. "I'm not sorry. Stop being a baby."
"What the hell are you doing here, swinging around a branch like an ax, you mad woman?" Bede screeched, his voice pitching higher. Gloria wasted no time in slapping him on the back of the head while Pikachu rolled his eyes. He went back to electrical signal duty.
"Looking for you, dumbass," Gloria informed him. "You're a real arse, and I wanna punch you in the face again, but you worried everyone when you disappeared in the Tangle."
"I'm just fine, as you can clearly see." She could see all right, but Bede looked very far from fine. His hair was littered with leaves and twigs, his pink coat ripped in a number of places. He looked like he hadn't slept a single wink and the events of the day before (or however long it had been) were continuing to weigh on him. Confusion over what to do next, his old arrogance that had gotten him nowhere and, judging from his statements the night before, the continuing, burning passion to please Rose.
"Yeah, real stellar apparently…Come on."
"Hey, let go of me!" That was one thing Gloria refused to do, gripping hard on his arm and following Pikachu as he picked the trail back up. Bede struggled, but was ultimately powerless to her death grip. "I was heading back to Stow-on-Side anyway! You don't need to drag me along!"
"You disappeared into the forest and didn't show up by morning. I don't even know how long I've been in here," Gloria snapped, still refusing to let go. Pikachu was increasing his speed, closer now to whatever he was searching for than ever before. "Besides, you have a lot of nerve just disappearing without an apology."
"Who am I supposed to apologize to, exactly? Your loser boyfriend?"
Gloria slapped him across the face, but she hardly felt any better. "You should apologize to a lot of people for that stupid stunt you pulled."
"There's only one person worth apologizing to." Gloria wanted to wring his prissy little neck, but was prevented from executing her act of violence by another rustle in the underbrush and Pikachu's excited cry. Bede took the opportunity to break himself free of her hold, though he didn't go running off. She was grateful for that; it would have been a waste of time to track him down again.
Especially so when more of their companions were the ones emerging from the overgrowth.
"Denene!" Pikachu was tackled by Dedenne, the first to emerge in a shower of electricity. Bede recoiled at the sight, but Gloria kicked at his shins to make sure he didn't run away. They weren't about to get lost again, not when it seemed they were so close to being found in the first place.
"Seamus, we found 'em! I knew looking for Dedenne was the right call."
"Yes, yes, Bonnie, you were right." A sigh of relief came from Gloria's lips at the familiar voices. Not that Dedenne hadn't been the proof, but seeing Bonnie and Seamus emerge from the deeper parts of the forest, accompanied by a green and black dog, was a source of comfort. At least to her. Bede surely didn't care at all.
"Well, you guys are a sight for sore eyes," Gloria said the instant they all managed to look at each other. "Any of you seen Ash or my Pokémon?"
"Squishy tried searching for them after we found Dedenne," Bonnie said, coming closer to Gloria. Her intention was made clear when she stepped on Bede's feet before giving a one-armed hug to the brunette. "But then we got Pikachu's signal and followed it until we met up with you."
"Hey, you! How dare you step on me?"
"What? I didn't do anything," Bonnie insisted at Bede's snappish accusation. She affixed a look of pure innocence to her face, one that made Seamus snort. "Gloria, did you see me do anything?"
"Nope. Not at all."
"You're all mocking me. Maybe I should show you a thing or tw-"
"Stop." Seamus yanked on the boy's jacket, enough that his neckline silenced him as it rubbed against his throat. "Don't bite the hand that came to save you."
"Well, maybe if they weren't so barking mad."
Gloria and Bonnie turned away, ignoring the indignant splutters of the boy. Seamus had enough of a handle on him. No longer caring as much for the fate of Bede, Gloria watched Pikachu and Dedenne talking, only to look further up to the dog, alert as it observed their vicinity. "So, who's this Pokémon?"
"Squishy."
"I thought Squishy was the green blob," Gloria said to Bonnie, only to receive a laugh in turn.
"Sure is. But Squishy's also one of the cores of the legendary Zygarde, so he can do all sorts of things." Said Squishy barked in affirmation, leaving Gloria dumbstruck. The lemon blonde approached her partner, patting it on the neck, acting as though all of this was a daily occurrence. Gloria wasn't sure what to believe, whether it was real, or all just a big joke. There was no confirmation either way. "We found Dedenne using all the cells he has across the world."
"Which is great, but we still have to get out of here," Seamus said. Bede elbowed him off, trying to break away from the group, but he soon found Dedenne in his path, looking up at him. To most, they would have been the eyes of innocence. Gloria knew otherwise, and for the first time, Bede chose to not press his luck. "Bonnie, can Squishy get us to the closest city, be it Stow-on-Side or Ballonlea?"
"Why would we head there?" Bede asked, still trying to compose his usual sneer. None of them paid it any mind.
"Well, there is a Gym there," Gloria answered. The twitch on Bede's face made her reconsider all of that, and for the first time she actually felt sorry for him.
Seamus salvaged the situation quickly. "Opal was worried about you."
"Ugh…that old hag…"
"Can't stay here forever, though. Squishy, lead on!" Bonnie gave two sharp pats and Squishy nodded.
"Rruf!" Squishy scanned the area, seeing something the rest of them couldn't, but it must have found whatever it was looking for, since it barked again and took off. All Gloria needed was a little bit of following to know it was a much clearer path than the one Pikachu and Dedenne had followed to each other. It allowed them to relax, especially with the electrical rodents' presence forming a deterrent to the sneakier Pokémon of the Tangle.
Perhaps, Gloria started to think as the forest grew just a bit lighter, they were getting a little too relaxed. The air was awkward, no one saying a word, nor broaching the subject regarding the boy in the middle of their group.
It took Seamus clearing his throat to break the mood up. "So, you feeling any better?"
"Piss off," Bede said. Gloria groaned at his usual sunny disposition, but Seamus didn't let himself get too affected by it, falling in lockstep with the boy. Bede attempted to quicken the pace. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm a teacher. I try to be in tune with how others are feeling."
"Well, I'm not one of your pathetic little students." Bede's blunt remarks didn't deter the teacher. If anything, they made him take action, grabbing Bede by the jacket and forcing him to face him. Gloria nearly fell into them, the action having the unfortunate side effect of halting their progress.
"No, you're just a nobody now, aren't you?" Bede took a swing at Seamus, only to miss entirely and have his fist caught. Soon, his arm was twisted. "You're feeling angry, bitter, lashing out at the world around you. Starting to think it wasn't you that was wrong, but the world. Tell me how close I am."
"I told you to shut up!" Bede shouted, scaring off some Pokémon in the trees. He completed the effect by spitting on Seamus's face. "You don't know me. Stop pretending to."
"Oh, I know you," Seamus said, the low chuckle sending shivers down Gloria's spine. "I've seen someone just like you. Couldn't accept his own problems, decided to try and burn the world down. His mom and dad were just the same."
"Yeah, well I haven't got one of those, have I?" Bede struggled to be let free, but Seamus was resolute. Unsure of what to do, Gloria stepped back with Bonnie, taking the situation in. "All I had was Rose and his promise. I need that back."
"For what? To ignore the anger and hatred inside of you?" Seamus did let go now, but the only result he got was Bede falling to the ground and crawling away. The pure venom exuding from Bede's face was enough to show the effect that the teacher's words were having on him. "You keep thinking that way, you're going to end up alone. And the more alone you are, the more you're going to think the world is wrong. I don't want to let anyone end up there."
"What do you care? I'm living my own life!" Bede sprung up, ready to take another swing, but faltered as Seamus looked away, to some inviting lights in the distance.
"Because I made a promise…" Seamus answered, stopping the fist cold. Bede's arm dropped like a rock. "I don't want you to end up like him. That's my duty as a teacher: the guide when someone is walking the wrong path. To help someone recognize when they've hit the bottom."
"Tch, save your energy," Bede snapped. He was done with the conversation, turning on his heel to walk away down the path. "This is just a minor setback."
"The fact that's what you think is what worries me," Seamus insisted, chasing after him. It allowed their group to move forward again, the mysterious lights getting closer now. "You need guidance. You could be one of my students."
"And have a peasant like you teach me? Not a chance. There's nothing you can say that I don't already know." Seamus tried to pull him back and reason with him, but Bede continued to shrug him off, his haughty features returning.
"Don't dismiss it out of hand. Think about it. I'm not talking about just Pokémon training. There's more to it than that."
Gloria didn't want to hear the endless bickering that went nowhere, preferring to follow the line of lights, now more clustered together, as if forming a lane to a particular place. She did draw closer to Bonnie, her lips opening a crack at the end. "Who's he talking about by the way?"
"Mm, probably Travis," Bonnie said. The name meant nothing to Gloria, and from how Bonnie shrugged, it appeared to mean very little to her as well. "They were friends. I think? It's kinda hard to keep track of all these things. Ah, Squishy!"
Bonnie's cry alerted their traveling partner to the fact that Squishy was glowing, green rays splitting off from its body as it reverted to the green blob that Gloria knew it as. With a single move, Bonnie picked it up, putting it back in the bag. However, Pikachu and Dedenne kept gamboling ahead, and at last the sight that Squishy had been leading them to was revealed through the darkness.
It was a smaller town, upon first glance, the leaves and branches of the Tangle pulling aside to show what was deeper within. Small little lights akin to fairies were strung up from house to house, while ivy climbed up a great many. Pools of water where different Fairy type Pokémon drank from dotted the grassy turf of the town, and the tranquility of the place made Gloria's lungs taste fresh air compared to the enclosed space of the Tangle.
The only thing that was at odds with the otherwise otherworldly aesthetic of the town was the Gym just beyond, standing as its monolithic structure of modernity. More houses were back there, however, in the same style as those towards the front of the town, and the stadium looked to be decorated in the same tiny lights that comprised the rest of the town.
"Ahhh, it's like a fairy tale!" Bonnie cried out, running ahead of the group and into town. Dedenne and Pikachu joined her, the trio spinning around to soak in the atmosphere of what was no doubt Ballonlea. Gloria soon joined them, taking it in and listening for the telltale cheers from the stadium, only to find she heard nothing at all.
Ballonlea was instantly proving itself synonymous with tranquility.
"It's nauseating." Bede's instant disagreement earned him an attempt at being tripped from Bonnie, but did little to stop his movement away from the group. He kept moving on. "Take in this good-for-nothing watering hole. I'm getting a Corviknight Taxi out of here as soon as I can."
Gloria raised an eyebrow. This didn't quite look like the kind of place that had a taxi service, Corviknight or otherwise, but she was just as eager to be rid of Bede as everyone but Seamus. He just chased after Bede all the way to the pink Pokémon Center halfway into town. Unsure whether to follow or wait, Gloria opted for watching Bonnie and Dedenne dance their way into a pool, the girl acting more like a child than her looks suggested.
"Tox toxeeeel!" Gloria knew the voice, spinning with a grin to see her baby Toxel come running straight out of the woods from a different direction than they had approached. He jumped into her arms, his secretions jolting her skin with even more force than normal.
"Toxel, you're okay! And you look so much more grown up!"
"Flapapp!" A different Pokémon flew down in front of Gloria, circling around her head with a great smile. She blinked, but the confusion of her own Pokémon didn't last long. Only until she could look it up on her phone to the result of a grin blooming on her face.
"Flapple! You evolved! What misadventures did you all get up to in the forest?" With a free hand she grabbed the flying Flapple and pulled her close, utterly pleased by her Pokémon's strong evolution. Looking up, Gloria saw the two weren't alone, with the rest of her Pokémon trudging out of the Tangle.
"Raboo…" Raboot looked exhausted, as though leading them through their adventures had sapped almost all the energy out of him. He collapsed at her feet, looking up to wave in greeting.
"You're gonna have to catch me up. I want to know everything, but we should get you checked over at the Pokémon Center."
"Good idea. They're a real handful, like their trainer." That was Ash's voice, emerging with the last, sulking member of her team and his own Drizzile. The lizard was keeping a sharp eye on Clobbopus, and the second the mollusk drew close, Drednaw snapped her jaws. He tried to punch back, only for Corvisquire to slap him with his wing.
"Whoa, whoa, what's gotten into you guys?" Gloria said, making her way over to separate the three. They seemed to have no problem with that, but the situation got no better when Toxel hissed at Clobbopus, spitting acid at his face. "You stop it, too, Toxel."
"See? A handful. Pikachu, great to see you buddy!" Pikachu had run back over, greeting Drizzile and his trainer. Gloria just frowned, looking up at her mentor.
"What's that mean? I'm not a handful."
"I don't mind handfuls, though," Ash said with a grin, placing his hands behind his head. "Seamus anywhere nearby? And did you find Bede?"
"Yeah, they headed for the Center," Gloria informed him, pointing the way and taking steps in its direction. Bonnie was already on her way there, gamboling through the town like she didn't have a care in the world. Though sluggish, her party followed her. "Raboot, what happened to you guys…?"
"Buh…" Raboot shook his head, not willing to share, and Gloria figured it would be a lesson for another day…or just something she'd never learn. Ash didn't have much of an answer, either, but from how Drizzile kept watching the standoffish Clobbopus, she had a guess as to the source of most of their woes.
It didn't help that most of the team barely even seemed to want to talk to each other.
What the hell did that forest do to you guys? Gloria shook her head, hoping to get some answer by the time they got to the Center, but pushed the thought from her head when the Gym appeared larger at the same time the Center did. Despite being in such a smaller town, there were still plenty of people outside it, along with what Bede had already suggested in some Corviknight Taxis, likely for those wishing to avoid the Tangle. They appeared reserved in any case, a larger crowd than expected outside the Gym, and moving in their general direction.
Not wanting to get swept up in it, Gloria picked up the pace and led her team and companions right into the Center. Surprisingly, there were more people there than in Stow-on-Side, from older women to tittering teenage girls, and even some boys, mussing their hair up in a familiar style from the television. Gloria ignored them, making for Nurse Joy.
"Can I have a checkup for my Pokémon?"
"Oh, Drizzile and Pikachu, too."
"Dedenne three!" Gloria was pretty sure Bonnie had skipped the actual counting phase on purpose. Nurse Joy accepted them into the backroom regardless. Gloria felt her body start to give out, collapsing into the nearest chair, Ash and Bonnie on either side, groaning with exhaustion, themselves.
They were joined just moments later by a disgruntled Seamus, the young man crossing his arms and glaring across to a reticent Bede. Said boy was tossing his Poké Ball up and down in the air, staring out the window to the forested landscape of Ballonlea with empty eyes and an endless scowl.
"He's impossible…" the teacher grumbled out. Ash cocked his head to the side.
"No success, I take it. Getting disqualified must have hit him hard."
"Of course, it did," Gloria said, leaning forward until her elbows were on her knees. Ash and Seamus looked to her, and though Bonnie was whistling a tune, there was no doubt she was watching, too. "Most kids in Galar…we dream of nothing but getting into the Challenge, making a legend for ourselves, just the way Leon showed us. Or I guess Rose in his case. To have that taken away kind of leaves you empty.
"I wouldn't want to lose anything I care about. And knowing it would be my fault…"
"Losing what you care about…" Seamus breathed out, his head tipping back until he was staring at the ceiling. "I don't want to lose anything else, either. Not another Merry. Not me. And I don't want to see anyone else become another Travis."
"Still keeping that promise then?" Gloria averted her eyes to the floor, watching her feet tap upon it. She didn't voice it, but Ash asking that question of his friend made her feel…excluded. Like she was hovering on the outskirts of a story where she didn't belong in the slightest.
Not that it had been the first time. Galar Mines, Hulbury, Motostoke, and even in Stow-on-Side, it felt like Ash and the others were part of this separate world, with these grand adventures they rarely talked about. Ones that if they were would no doubt rival Leon's great battles.
For the first time, hearing it connected to the boy that was once her rival, it made her want to be part of them, though, and she kept listening.
"I don't want to let anyone down. Travis and his whole family…they were an example of how older generations failed," Seamus said, letting his breath out in a low whistle. "The League failed Deirdre. The world failed his father. Dalton failed Travis. I…I don't want our generation to fail the next. I want it to be one that keeps living."
It was heavy talk, one Ash understood with a nod. Gloria could feel his eyes settling on her, the tips of her ears burning at the implication. That brought her to a stand, and at the same moment, the chime sounded throughout the Center.
"You're all set!" Nurse Joy said with glee. She coiffed her hair a bit in distraction, staring out the window, and upon receipt of the Pokémon she went back behind her counter.
Ash and Bonnie reunited with their Pokémon in good cheer, Ash slapping hands with Pikachu and Drizzile while Bonnie spun, Dedenne in her arms. Gloria's own reunion was decidedly more…frosty. Though not from her own doing, but how each member of her team seemed split in little groups, each barely wanting to pay attention to the other. The Tangle had done some horrible number on them.
"Clobbo!" The request was sudden, but as Clobbopus tugged on her dress, Gloria admitted to herself that she wasn't really all that surprised. Raboot could be heard scoffing, her best partner writing off the Fighting type that appeared to be causing strife. Either way, Gloria faced him, bending down to his level. He started to punch the air. "Clob-po-po!"
"You want to fight someone…of course…" Gloria sighed, kneeling further and patting him atop the head. "Clobbopus, what are you hoping to get out of fighting all the time? Because I can't make it all about you."
"Clob-PO!" Clobbopus aimed at a nearby wall, making a dent in it. His glare rounded on Toxel and Flapple, as if trying to intimidate them with the strength of his punches. It began to make a little sense.
"Stop it," she said, restraining her unruly Pokémon in its movements. "You're not the only one on this team, because you're part of a team. You have to be stronger with them.Understand?"
"Buh rabuh."
"Don't you naysay either, Raboot." Gloria measured herself up to her full height, hands on her hips in such a commanding fashion that her entire team managed to snap to attention. "Look, guys, we're halfway through this Gym Challenge, and that means I need you all at your best. We've gotten this far by working as a team, covering for each other. I need you to be able to do that. Can you?"
"Flap…" Flapple hung her head low, but tentatively approached Clobbopus. He punched her away.
"Clobbopus!" Gloria shouted, causing the mollusk to stiffen. She rubbed her temples and sighed. "All right. You want attention? Fine. I'll give you attention…on the same team as Toxel."
"Clobbo!"
"Toxel!"
Before Gloria could continue reprimanding either of them, a great cheer suddenly rose from the entrance to the Center, pulling not just her attention, but those of the rest of her companions'. Except for Bede, of course, but she hardly counted him. "He's here! He's really here!"
"Who?" Ash asked, craning his neck. Pikachu did the same, but neither of them was able to see much. "Leon didn't mention coming to Ballonlea, but I guess it wouldn't be totally out of the picture."
Whoever "he" was, the group got their answer when the doors slid open and a heavyset man walked through. Those in the Pokémon Center cheered, some lunging forward for autographs while the man waved, his glasses shining under the bright lights. Gloria's foreign companions looked confused at the man's appearance, but she was anything but.
"No, thank you. Thank all of you," he said, brushing aside some of his cream-colored hair while he greeted his fans. "It's nice to receive a warm welcome so far from home."
"Are you competing in the Champion's Cup this year?" a girl asked. The man winked at her.
"You know it. Looking forward to it." He continued on, answering the questions of the fans and being amicable in turn to all of them. No Leon, but a rockstar nonetheless.
"Gordie," Gloria explained, "Gym Leader of the Circhester Gym. Big rising star in the circuit. Some suspect his name is in the running for becoming Champion one day…if anyone can topple Leon."
"You all are amazing!" Gordie said, shooting off some finger pistols with his winning smile. "Truly. My motivation comes from all your cheers. Even yours, Nurse Joy."
"Oh, well…" Nurse Joy blushed in his presence, fluffing her hair a little as Gordie approached. His teeth were gleaming and he leaned on the counter, getting close enough to hand over a few Poké Balls. "You're too kind, Gordie."
"And you're the best. Can you give my Pokémon a once-over? Stonjourner might be a bit tired from the journey."
"Of course, Gordie. It's not a problem," she said with her simpering giggle, made in such an unprofessional way, Gloria wondered if that was even the nurse from moments ago. "Though, will we see you in another match soon? It's not as fun watching Melony do her thing."
"Yeah, I know. She really likes to cripple the opponent and end it fast instead of making it a show. But don't worry, you'll see me in action soon enough." Nurse Joy blushed further at the wink he gave following the statement, but retreated to the back. The eyes now falling away from Gordie's immense presence, the smile dropped off his face and he sighed, looking weary. That lasted all of a few seconds until he looked up and his eyes fell upon Drednaw. "Whoa, now! Look at that Drednaw! Damn, what a sturdy Rock type we have here!"
"N-naw?" Drednaw was confused. That went double for when Gordie sidled up to her and began examining her figure.
"Yeah, strong shell. Sturdy body. Immoveable. You her trainer?" Gordie had addressed Gloria, stunning the girl, and at first, she could only find her head capable of nodding up and down. "Then you raised yourself a right strong Pokémon here, mate. You a Challenger? No wait, don't tell me…"
Gloria cringed, already expecting the inevitable recognition. She reached up to scratch her cheek. "Yeah, I know, I'm-"
"Sorry, nope, haven't got a clue, actually." Gordie's response made Gloria's jaw drop, but she couldn't actually get mad. Not with how wide his grin was. Whether he was lying or not didn't matter. "I do know you've got a great Drednaw here, though. I'd love to battle it someday."
"How about right now?" Gloria managed to shout before she could stop herself. Ash's laughter reminded her just how common her capability to blurt that out was, and he wasn't alone when the Gym Leader across from her began to laugh, himself. "Ah, sorry."
"Nah, I like it. You're a real go-getter. I'll gladly pencil in a battle for you once I get back to Circhester," Gordie assured her, rewarding Gloria with a slap to the back and a grin at Drednaw. "I just don't think this is the place to do it. Crowd deserves the best kind of show we can give them. Just don't go running straight there. You seem the type to trip if you tried that."
"Hey!" Gloria protested. She didn't take too much offense to that, not with Gordie's teasing grin. There was no need to, either, for someone else entered the Center, taking a greater offense to Gordie's mere presence there.
"Yes, Gordie, when do you plan to leave? I don't take well to trespassers on my lawn." Opal's umbrella clacked on the floor with every step, not drawing nearly as much of a reaction from people. Perhaps, Gloria thought, in her prime she could turn heads, but as it was now, she even seemed to consider herself a relic.
"No offense meant, Opal," Gordie said, clicking his cheek towards her with another wink. The old woman wasn't fazed, a great contrast to Bede, who gave a sudden shout when Mawile came crashing out of nowhere to tackle him.
"Oh good, you all found the boy. Now, Gordie, mind explaining why you're trying to encroach on my turf? Don't want a Gym war, do you? Or do you?"
"Gym war?" Ash and Bonnie questioned, looking to Gloria as if she even knew what they were talking about. She didn't.
"Hey, I'm not here in any official capacity. It's why I shot down her request for a battle," Gordie said, starting to lean on Gloria's head. He was nimbler than she expected for his weight, barely even feeling his elbow pressing down on her. "I'm just goin' on a journey of my own."
"And stealing my fans away in the meantime."
"You have fans, granny?" Opal's umbrella shot out faster than the eye could see to poke Seamus's knee out from under him.
"Circhester's in good hands, though the number of Challengers there is on the rise." Gordie brushed some more hair aside. Gloria looked to him, seeing his eyes going far away, almost distant. "Galar's a-changin' Opal. I can feel it in the earth beneath our feet. Somethin's different."
"I'd say it's that big ol' block of a brain you have."
"Hah, maybe. But you can't go denying the signs. Spikemuth's walled up, the incident in Motostoke…gotta wonder what Rose is up to these days."
"Rose is a great man!" Bede's shout echoed, Gordie's comment being the first to get a rise out of him the entire time.
"Ah, he speaks! Now go away, Gordie. Ta-ta. Bye bye now. I don't care about you."
"Then what was all that about?!" Gordie shouted, his exasperation increasing when Opal ignored him and approached Bede. Mawile was still clinging to the boy, holding him in place as Opal poked his cheeks and stretched his face.
"Let go, you old hag! And you, too!" Bede tried to wrest Mawile from his body, but after a few halfhearted attempts, he gave up and sat down with a pout.
"I see you haven't lost your spunk. Good. Very good." Opal spun her umbrella, clacking it a few more times to face a recovered Seamus. "You said before morning tea, but I'm afraid you missed one. What sweet nothings were you whispering in his ear on the way?"
"Don't make it sound creepy, granny," Seamus said, nursing his knee a moment. He soon stood, flushing air from his nostrils. "I just offered him a place at my school."
"Oh, I knew it!" Opal's umbrella rapped him on the knees again, but this time, Seamus had the foresight to catch it. With little input to give on the growing situation, Gloria continued to watch with Ash. Bonnie was less interested. Gordie was downright confused. "You tried to worm your way into his heart, but it won't work! Especially not out of some half-assed attempt at atonement."
"Half-assed…what the heck are you talking about?" Seamus got closer to Opal now, the fires of their opposing opinions drawing both stares and a wide berth around them. Bede, however, rolled his eyes, plucking Mawile from him and beginning to pat the Fairy type on the head. "I'm not doing this for any sort of atonement, personal or otherwise. And it's not like you have a better idea!"
"I do so have a better idea," Opal countered. Gloria almost snorted, and found Gordie doing the same, both hearing the childishness with which the old lady was arguing against Seamus. "Boy, I can see in your eyes that want for power. That craving for acknowledgement! Do you deny it?"
"I won't if it'll get you to leave me alone."
"See, he even agrees!"
"That wasn't an agreement!" Seamus roared back. The two looked like they were ready to come to blows over their petty argument, one that the target of couldn't care less about. Bede was even yawning.
"I can give him power and fame, even beyond what Rose could. What can you give him? Books and lectures. Blegh."
"You're not giving him anything at all, Opal." Seamus put his foot down, the tension in the room ratcheting up. Ash looked like he wanted to intervene, but didn't. Gloria suspected he felt like he'd had his chance, and was now leaving it to these two warring factions to determine a thought for Bede's future. Said boy was out of it, caring only for brushing Mawile with an absentminded stare. Seamus continued. "You're putting him back in the same system that kicked him out and turned him into the kind of kid who did what he did. What good does that do? Have you ever thought maybe being the furthest away from that kind of influence would be the best thing?"
"Oh, you're such a stick in the mud, aren't you? Straight as an arrow." Opal retreated a bit, her jewelry tinkling on her figure. "Speaking from life experience, I expect. Hmm…guess I'm no different. Which means we need a neutral arbitrator."
"Ash, can you-"
"Girl, I'm hinging it all on you!" Opal shouted, overpowering Seamus to the point of leaving him dumbstruck. Gloria was no different.
"Say what now?" Opal appeared quite pleased with herself, tapping the umbrella against the floor before putting a wrinkled hand on Gloria's shoulders.
"Yes, it's perfect, if I do say so myself," the old woman said, nodding her head up and down. No one had any clue what to make of it. "All right, let's hinge it on this. I battle firecracker here. I win, I get the boy. She wins, we flip for it."
"We can flip for it right here and now."
"You idiots both realize I'm sitting right here, right?" Bede went largely ignored by the feuding pair.
"Oh, that's no fun! We need some excitement. Besides, I've been away from the Gym too long. Ballonlea is itching for some action. So, let's make it a double coin toss."
"Wait, what?" Gloria finally found her voice to interject, unsure if she should be happy about the scheduled Gym battle, or upset she was being used without her permission. "You realize this makes no sense, right? Why should I decide Bede's fate between you two?"
"That's what I want to ask them. As if they can control me…"
"Oh dear, hush," Opal said. She waved both teens' concerns off as though they were annoying gnats. "Just watch my Gym in action. You'll see it a much better fit than a world of dusty tomes."
"Which means you better win, Gloria," Seamus insisted.
"I don't want anything to do with this."
"Nonsense," Opal said, wearing a faux twinkle in her eye. It was no doubt picked up from her years of acting, which Gordie reacted to with a full-bellied laugh. "This is your chance to determine the boy's punishment, and given I'd presume you have no preference given your dislike, it means you wouldn't be inclined to throw the match. A completely fair arbitration. I'll even sweeten the deal by saying the boy can sit with his other suitor. Equal opportunity."
"Uh…Opal?" Ash said, waving his hand to intervene. The old woman batted her eyelashes at him, but he looked no less clarified or seduced than a brick wall. "What does any of this have to do with Gloria, really? Seems kinda…weird…"
"Weird's the order of the day in Ballonlea, or haven't you noticed?" Her eyes flared, the smile stretching her face and its wrinkles to distorted proportions. "So, girl, do you accept the offer? It's only on the table for another thirty seconds before I find some other challenger to terrorize into the deal."
"The fact you're admitting this disturbs me, Opal…" Gordie said, his low chuckle betraying the nervousness.
It didn't do so for Gloria however. She took the threat seriously, but very quickly considered it the opposite. This was opportunity. A chance to live outside her mere Challenge. A chance to have an influence on people like Opal and Seamus, legends that were already impacting her own generation. Looking over to a very bemused Ash and Bonnie just brought those feelings surging to the surface, remembering how he had taken down the Dynamaxed Pokémon like putty, showing him for the amazing, awe-inspiring and influential trainer he was.
She was given that chance, in its own way, and odd as it was.
There was little option.
"I'm in!" she shouted before Opal could yank the deal away. Bede scoffed while Seamus facepalmed, a reaction only furthered by the pleased leer upon Opal's stretchy face. Her hooked nose wiggled, and she turned away as though she'd ensnared an easy opponent. Gloria wasn't one to back down so easy. "But, we've been stuck in the Tangle. As a Challenger, I think it's only fair to give me time to prepare."
"Well, by golly you're right, girl. One hour." It was meager time for preparations, but was about all that Gloria was going to get out of Opal. The older woman was already walking out the door. "All right, Ballonlea! Your Gym Leader has returned! Let's have the pinkest battle you've ever seen!"
Her cackles continued on, even as she was out of sight.
"Opal's a real hard nut to crack, isn't she?" Gordie said with a chuckle. "Ah, this should be fun. Do your best out there."
"Yes, please show us how you'll all fall flat on your face." Bede's words just lit the fire under Gloria, confirming Opal's reasoning. She did want to win, to make it so Bede could face two equal options he'd likely loathe. To, in its own twisted way, save him from being the bitter boy she had just spent the last few hours with.
And to finally surpass where he would have been, once and for all.
She rounded on her team, a manic expression taking over. "All right, guys. Time to set squabbles aside. That Fairy Badge is ours!"
Author's Note: The legacy of Opal the Troll continues! Which was actually how we did this. With Opal being such a troll, of course her way of setting up the Gym battle would be the most trollish thing possible. Though Gloria might be in for a rough time if her team doesn't stop squabbling.
Other than that, enter Gordie! We discussed quite a bit on handling the dual version characters, and in the end, Gordie was a particular character we landed on for reasons. His appearance marks him as a major character moving forward and is the reason we chose Allister as Gloria's last opponent (to even out who she faces between Sword and Shield). Look forward to his role!
Viroro: And with this, our motley crew is now out of Glimwood Tangle and straight into a much different matter! You may have seen we're definitely taking a different approach to Bede's arc than the game did, but we thought it was the best way to make things work, and especially tying it to prior Ancienverse events as well. And between Seamus and Opal's scuffle about Bede's destiny, we also have the debut of Gordie! A character with minimal presence in the games, but that is definitely someone to keep an eye on. You will soon see why, hopefully.
That said, we hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you'll keep looking forward to what's to come!
As usual we have to give some thanks, once again all for reviews (and a falling number at that, it feels like!): to Fury, FantasyLover88, Tenzalucard123, UltimateCCC, ChE clarinetist, RRV55, aliensinnoh, Ander Arias, MythGirl Writes, Rajiv A. Rajaram, Captainsquid12 and 1 guest.
The Gym battle with Opal is next, so please look forward to it. Until then, please Review and,
Dare to Be Silly.