Welp, not much to say here. Time to reckon with Gloria's issues. Chapter 7!

Chapter 7

A Journey

Gloria was frustrated; Bonnie could tell.

It wasn't the same kind of frustration she had been displaying at the very least, and she definitely wasn't alone in feeling that way. There was no doubt, however, that she had come out of the Gym battle with Gordie in a…less than positive fashion. No one could blame her, either. After spending so much time just trying to get back on her feet, she had to have felt like the path had fallen out from under her again.

"Maybe we should've…or I could…" she spent most of dinner mumbling, her fork playing with the food on her plate. Bonnie looked up to Astrid, but the older blonde didn't show nearly so much concern for the girl's state. Perhaps it was the contemplative mumbling over the complete fugue she had sat in for days following Spikemuth. Bonnie wasn't sure, but nor did she want to open her mouth again for fear of making a situation worse. "I really thought we had him there…"

"Uh…Gloria? You okay over there?" Gloria sat up, her fork clattering.

"Oh. Yeah. I'm just thinking," the girl said, but the frown on her face spoke louder. "I really thought I could beat Gordie. I tried to play hard and fast, but his Rock types are no joke…"

"Grap…" Grapploct's dejected sighs were matched only by Flapple, the both of them taking the loss hard. Raboot was far more silent, eating slowly with the rest of the team. Each looked healthier, if hit hard by the loss the same their trainer was.

"Tell me, how did he manage it? Ash?" Gloria asked, back to moving some peas around as though they were tiny green soldiers. Bonnie blanched, giving Astrid the opportunity to answer.

"I mean, it's Ash. He was unpredictable and wild. You've clearly tried to pick that up, and it's definitely given some impressive battles," the woman said. She leaned back, Absol supporting the back of her chair with a yawn.

"Not enough, though." Gloria sighed, pushing her chair out with a scrape along the floor. Bonnie instantly started to panic, worried that the girl was going to slip right back to where she'd been just a day before. "I'm not doing something right. There's a block there that's preventing me from being the best trainer I can be for them…

"I think I need some air."

Gloria's Pokémon called out for her, sans Raboot, many of them worried, but she offered a smile to quell that fear. It truly seemed like she just wanted a little more time to think, and her Pokémon connected to that, calming while she walked out of the Center to be alone.

Or mostly alone. When Bonnie looked down, she saw that Dedenne had reached Raboot's empty bowl, its owner gone.

"Dependable, isn't he? Gloria's lucky to have such a starter," Astrid said, snapping the legs back down. The chair wobbled, but the older trainer didn't pay it any mind. Bonnie stared off for a while at Gloria's abandoned plate, and then finally up to Astrid's shimmering purple eyes.

"Do you really think she'll be okay?" Bonnie asked, her own fork now playing with her own leftover peas. "Every time she seems to figure something out, she gets set back and starts shutting down. Like it never ends for her."

"I don't think that's the case anymore," Astrid said, now leaning across the table with a small grin, showing her teeth off. "Gloria's past shutting down. She knows she needs to keep forging on and figure things out for herself; things the Gym Challenge, itself, can't teach her to do. Gloria needs to put together what she wants, though. That's what's tripping her up. Or didn't you notice?"

"Notice what exactly?" Bonnie asked. She pushed her plate away, determined not to eat the peas and carrots there, opting for taking Squishy out of her bag and holding him high. "Was it something she did?"

"I'd say. She was trying to fight like Ash, until that last moment where she choked." Astrid reached for a nearby cup, only to sip on it and find it empty. Bonnie just reviewed the match in her mind, and all the other matches she had seen from Gloria. The way she had struggled, but often went for the speedy, improvisational finish. Her face brightened. "You see it, don't you?"

"But does she?"

"Flap flap!" The sharp cry was met with a large mass of red and green in front of Bonnie's face. Her hands instinctively pushed away from the table, sending her crashing to the floor. Immediately after, she felt a weight settle on her chest, and a few shadows lean over her. "Flapple!"

"Huh?" Bonnie said, rubbing her head but sitting up to take the incensed apple in her hands. "What are you trying to say?"

"She's trying to say Gloria's strong," Astrid confirmed, to much beaming from Toxtricity, who nodded and jammed. Some of the lights in the Center flickered. "See, that is Gloria's strength, this tightknit team of hers. They'll follow her anywhere. So…she just needs to know where she wants to take them. Who she wants to be."

"Flap!" Flapple fluttered upwards, towards Astrid, who appeared to understand much more of her intentions. But Bonnie could see the other side of that trust. With a grunt, she stood, watching Astrid tap Flapple between the eyes.

"Well, then you guys don't want to let her down, do you?" Bonnie said, pumping her fists. Dedenne gave a cheer, leading all of the others, including Squishy, to cheer along with him. Flapple, in particular, was enthused. She wasn't letting her loss get her down, and Bonnie could see how much she trusted Gloria to bring them through to victory. "So, it means you all need to do your part! Flapple, how about you train with me and Squishy!"

"Sounds like a good idea. We can all use some more training," Astrid confirmed, abandoning the last of their meal to stand and stretch.

Gloria's team was all in agreement, letting out a cry and speeding for the Center's battlefield, heedless of the cold outside. With a look, Bonnie and Astrid chased after them, both thinking the same thing. Her team wasn't giving up, and Gloria wouldn't either. She'd find the kind of trainer and Champion she wanted to be. There was no doubt. They continued to the field, ready for an evening of training.

Circhester at night was, perhaps, the most beautiful location that Gloria had ever laid eyes on. From its glittering garland to the thin mist that radiated the warmth of all the hot springs, it was something that staring out at gave Gloria a measure of peace. It was something she hadn't quite felt since the conflict surrounding Spikemuth, and that made her a tad more cheerful. In spite of losing the Gym battle, she wasn't angry or wanting to lash out at the people around her.

Instead, it was pure and simple frustration, because she knew it was her fault.

She hadn't led her Pokémon right, or chosen right, and it was all because of that stupid hesitation. The worry if she was making the right call. She groaned, casting her gaze to the stars. "Ugh…I just can't seem to ever make the right call…"

"Buh…" the soft grunt at her side indicated that Raboot had followed her out of the Center, her silent guardian and friend. The one who had seen her from the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and stuck with her all the same. It wasn't a far cry to think he understood her the most, and she appreciated his presence.

"If I'm not doing it right, I hesitate. But if I'm not hesitating, I'm jumping in without looking. Either way, you guys get hurt, and I end up feeling so weak…" Gloria gave another sigh, her breath misting upwards in the cold air. The pair began to climb some stairs, walking past a couple out on a date, their minds wandering to the failure of a battle they had just fought. "I thought I'd found our footing, so what am I doing wrong…?"

"Rabuh." Raboot didn't have the answer, and she knew it. It was an answer for her to find on her own. Still, she couldn't help but enjoy seeing the sights of Circhester with him, a view she never would have gotten in Postwick. "Rab."

"Huh?" Gloria looked up, towards a balcony that overlooked the rest of Circhester. Someone was standing there, leaning on the stone railing, looking more than a bit despondent. Gloria didn't blame him, either, not after what they had both gone through. Hands in her pockets, Gloria approached and leaned against the railing right next to him, neither saying a word. More lights started to come on in Circhester, like little lanterns that reflected the brilliance of the snow and ice in the town. "So, I-"

"You know, I-"

The two teens paused, both feeling awkward at trying to speak over one another. To Gloria, it felt like she was swallowing a weight in her chest, caused only by being near to Hop. However, she didn't want him to feel like his thoughts didn't matter, and she reached over to place her hand on his. He smiled back, turning his palm upwards and wrapping his fingers around it.

"I really messed up out there, didn't I?"

"Not like you were the only one," Gloria said with a laugh. Next to her, Raboot leaned against the thin columns that supported the railing, keeping an eye out. "I promised I was gonna win and be all inspirational, but I fell flat on my arse, didn't I?"

"Better than mine." Hop breathed, his eyes lower than usual. They were certainly more thoughtful than anything she had seen, even in their long years of knowing each other. It made her want to help him, clear his mind, but she knew the only chance of managing that was to fix herself, first. It did, however, mean that she knew exactly what he was thinking about. "You know, with Spikemuth and everything, seeing Lee look so confused over what to do and being unable to do anything to help you…I didn't get it. But I wanted to. I wanted to know what made Lee tick, so I threw everything into being like him. The relentless fighting force that he and Charizard are."

"That so?" Gloria said, squeezing his hand to encourage him to continue on.

"Yeah, but…I just kept failing. First that Bede, and now here and it makes me wonder…what have I been walking towards this whole time?" Hop groaned, letting go of her hand at last and turning to place his back against the railing. It didn't stop him from cocking his head to the side, though. "I so wanted to be him. Swooping in with powerful Pokémon, grinning ear to ear, like a Champion!"

Hop's raised fist at the proclamation soon led to bitter chuckles, and he lowered it. Gloria watched, blowing out through her lips. "Yeah…but what is a Champion?"

"Maybe it's our own personal answer. Or at least…the reason for becoming it. I thought I wanted to be Champion 'cause it would bring me closer to Lee, but then…after Spikemuth, and Motostoke, what does that really say about me?" Hop kicked at some of the snow on the ground, little pebbles of the stone gravel sent flying with it. "Does it mean I'm just trying to be a Champion because it's expected of me or…or that I need to be perfect? Seeing Lee so confused just messes me up, 'cause it's not him, and it's making me doubt myself."

"I don't know about anyone else, but I never expected you to be Champion. I was fine with you just being Hop."

"Yeah, but only because you thought you would be Champion!" Hop nudged her, and she followed it up with her own, a soft laughter coming between them. Raboot shook his head, but Gloria knew he was smiling.

"Guilty as charged," she said, winking to the boy and causing a blush to rise on his face. "Though, can't say I haven't been having my own doubts about it all lately."

"Really? You?" Hop asked, unable to stop his laughter this time, solemn though it was. "The unbeatable Gloria? Terror of Postwick?"

"Well, that's not nice!"

"I'm not saying it to be mean, I just mean…you were always kind of the better of us. Of any of the few kids around town," Hop admitted. It was kind of him to do so, but Gloria shook her head.

"Nah, that was always you." Gloria joined him in turning around, the both of them now facing the brightly lit stadium at the other end of town. "I was just a girl with a big dream and a big mouth who covered it up. Then, when Ash showed up, thought I had something in me, I wanted to scream that I did. Kept trying to prove it. Maybe then I'd be…I'd be more than Gloria.

"Led to a right mess. Now I can't even think straight."

"Second-guessing yourself? Starting to feel like we've swapped roles," Hop said. He inched closer, and Gloria felt his arm fall on her shoulders. She liked the way it felt, the both of them watching the stadium that held to their continuing hopes and dreams. "You've gotten all hesitant and I just want to keep punching ahead at things without thought."

"I guess. I think, in the end, I just…I really wanted to be like Ash. So, I did everything I could to reach there, without thought for what lay at the end."

"And I'm the same with Lee, for all the good it did. Now I just feel like I'm constantly in the Wild Area, with no town in sight." Gloria nodded, finding herself hard-pressed to disagree with the assessment. "Well, guess we can't change what happened."

"True, all we can do is find a new path forward. I just…" Gloria gave another breath at the same time as Hop, their exhales combining into a single cloud of mist before it dispersed on the air. "I just wish I knew what it was all for. What I can do to reach the end of the road I'm trying to reach…But maybe…maybe being like them is just impossible…"

"Yeah…" Hop's agreement just made the air feel heavier, his arm slipping from her and allowing the cold to return. Gloria shivered, finding that her mind was sinking to an ever-darker place. Not wanting to go back there, she reached up and slapped her face.

"Well, enough of this!" Hop nearly slipped on the snow at her shout, and a few other people walking Circhester at night looked around for the source of her outburst. "We keep standing around moping and we're not gonna figure anything out. Ash has always kept moving, and so will I! When in doubt, find a new adventure!"

"What exactly are you suggesting, mate?"

Gloria skipped a little forward, twirling on the snow without falling, before she gave a wink to Hop. "How about a tour of the city? At least it's something different from thinking all the time."

"You suggesting we go on a date?" Hop's smirk was infuriating, causing her to flush, though whether with embarrassment or aggression, she couldn't figure out which. Not that she was backing down from her request; if he considered it a date or not, the offer still hung on the air. "Well, it's an idea."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Gloria reached out, taking his hand and dragging him back down the stairs to Circhester's lower levels, closer to the source of all the hot springs. His hand in hers allowed Gloria to smile brightly, forgetting for once about all of the doubts plaguing her mind.

She didn't have to be a Challenger, or a Champion. Not a rival, or a hero. Not even Leon or Ash.

With Hop, exploring the city of Circhester, she could be just…Gloria. That actually made her feel content.

"Hey, you had any food? I hear the restaurant here serves a mean steak curry," Hop suggested, pointing towards a rather gaudy building with a large (and just as gaudy) sign reading "Bob's Your Uncle".

"Uh, well…" Flustered at the idea of actually going out to eat with Hop, Gloria dug for her phone, quickly finding a location, any location that wouldn't seem quite so…date-like. It wasn't easy to find, the cold of Circhester making her fingers work like they were fumbling sausages until she stumbled upon what seemed to be the biggest landmark in Circhester. "Or we could go to the-"

"Is that Sonia?" Gloria puffed her cheeks at Hop's sight through the window, quickly grabbing the back of his jacket and yanking him as the door to the restaurant opened, letting some heat pour outside.

"Sure, go ahead, focus on Sonia when we haven't spent time like this in forever…"

"Sorry, sorry!" Hop was quick to say, but their voices must have carried. As Gloria glanced inside the inviting warmth of the restaurant, none other than the topic of their conversation looked up and waved to them. A further glance up showed a ratty tapestry behind her, one that she made sure to snap a picture of before running towards them, papers and all. Gloria backed away, Hop with her, hoping to not be run over by the assistant professor. "Looks like she saw us after all."

"Apparently. Sonia, what brings you to Circhester? Thought you were in Hammerlocke," Gloria said. She had provided just enough room for Sonia to exit the restaurant, kicking the door behind her and finishing off the meal in her mouth.

"Was. But unable to access the vault and then Spikemuth being in disarray, I decided to turn my efforts elsewhere. Saw your matches. That was unfortunate." The teens grimaced, causing Sonia to realize her misstep. She quickly changed the topic. "Anyway, still been looking into the Darkest Day, especially after Spikemuth."

"What? You think they're connected?" Hop asked. Gloria made sure to grip his arm tighter, not wanting him to get overexcited about the prospect. "Guess it makes sense and all with giant Pokémon and stormy skies. But why Circhester?"

"The Hero's Bath." Sonia held up her phone. Before either had a chance to look, the bell over the restaurant door rang, indicating someone else departing. Not wanting to be in the way, the trio moved aside, beginning to walk towards the center of the city, as though drawn there. Once they were clear of any other passerby, Sonia showed off the picture on her phone, one of the ratty tapestry she had been sitting near. "I'm not the only one looking into it. A lot of gran's research friends have been busy positing theories, but once I noted the connection between the Darkest Day and the heroes, one of them found this tapestry for me."

"Is that the missing one?" Hop asked, trying to expand the image on the screen, only to lose the resolution entirely. "Damn…can't make much out."

"Looks like tombstones to me. Sonia, you're not doing much to cheer us up, if you were ever trying to," Gloria said. The ginger-haired assistant laughed, a nervous grin eating at her face while she put her phone away.

"Sorry. In any case, thought I'd take a look for myself, and it's something when you consider what they found at Stow-on-Side. Gave me the idea of coming…well, here."

Gloria hadn't realized they were moving the whole time (nor had she realized she and Hop had locked arms somewhere along the way), but now that they were stopped, the sight Sonia had led them to actually put much of Circhester to shame. Taking a step closer and leaving Hop behind, it at first glance was a beautiful stone pavilion, older than most of Galar, with many carvings upon it that had worn away with time. The only reason she thought so at first was because of the thick steam that was rolling out of it. Once that cleared away, the true, protected interior was seen.

With a single step, Gloria's foot hit a thin trail of water, running down the path and further into the city. At its source was a massive hot spring set in the same stone that the pavilion was made out of. It fascinated her, the way the water both reflected the light of Circhester, but definitely not its cold. The spring, itself, looked comforting, a great many Pokémon dipping into it with rather relaxed expressions. They all ignored any nearby humans, of which there were few. Most were already leaving, snapping a shot of the location for the memories before moving on. Only Hop and Sonia appeared more interested in it for something other than tourist reasons.

"These pillars are way old! Like, ancient Galar old!" Hop said, giddier than he was in a Pokémon battle. "And these designs…Hey, Gloria, look at this!"

Gloria didn't like being drawn away from the mesmerizing spring, though she certainly didn't begrudge Raboot dipping his toes in. Instead, she listened to Hop and approached the nearest pillar, squinting at some carving he was hinting at. As she scrutinized it, Sonia began taking pictures of the area. "What am I looking at?"

"Something familiar, I think." Hop grinned down at her, spurring her to try and see what he did. The longer she stared, the more it eventually came into focus.

"Wolves…? Wait a minute…" Gloria straightened, but Hop didn't stop grinning over the new discovery. "They look like the ones from the Slumbering Weald!"

"That's right. Leon mentioned you two had a little excursion in that place," Sonia said, stopping her snapshots. She joined them instead, clicking for a picture on the carving Hop had found. "You found something that looked like these carvings?"

"Well, I think. It was all kind of foggy," Hop admitted, leaving out how literal his statement was. Sonia didn't seem to mind, pacing back and forth with frenetic energy.

"No…this…this could be huge!" she said, at first mumbling, and then growing more confident in her hypothesis. She leaned between the teens, glancing very carefully at the engraving of the wolf that looked almost like a shield. Quick on her feet, she raced to the other entrance pillar, and they joined her, finding a similar wolf on the other side, adorned like a peerless blade. "A sword and a shield, just like the statue in Stow-on-Side."

"What's that all mean?" Gloria asked, feeling more lost than the companions with her. It was sadly a common feeling of late.

"If I can hypothesize, I'd say the heroes of legend were Pokémon." Sonia shrugged, as though the detail wasn't even important. Hop's eyes bugged out of his head, but Gloria folded her arms, not quite getting why that was so important. "I mean, think about it. The heroes supposedly fought a great battle on the Darkest Day and then came here to rest. Yet Pokémon prefer this place over humans, and it would make sense for a Pokémon to track down an event like Dynamax. I bet it could even explain the ruins on Route 8, and why they chose this place!"

"Fascinating and all, but what does that even mean?" Gloria asked, already growing weary of the research babble. Sonia winked at her, Hop receiving the same.

"I'd say it means a great deal for historians, but far as my research is confirmed, I'd say it makes proof that the Pokémon were partners to those who helped found Galar as it is. And given the recent trends, and your own story, it might mean they're active again for some threat to visit Galar."

"I haven't seen 'em around," Hop said. He threw his hands behind his head and his eyes to Gloria, but she just shrugged. "Unless we count the Slumbering Weald, but I'm not sure if that counts. They didn't really seem…real."

"I can't see a reason we shouldn't count it," Sonia said, quickly flicking through the pictures on her phone. "Myths, legends…like I said, they all rhyme with time. Just as the heroes of Galar once partnered with them to face the disaster of the Darkest Day, perhaps we're moving closer to one again and they chose new heroes: you two. You were brave enough to plunge into a place like the Weald, after all."

To that, Gloria scoffed.

It came out before she could stop herself, shaking her head, and from the sounds coming from Hop's own mouth, he was clearly in agreement. "Well, that's a terrible rhyme. We're definitely no heroes."

"Then don't take the path of being one." The voice made Gloria jump backwards into Hop, who caught her, leading to a snickering from Sonia. All eyes turned to the source, watching as a voluminous head of blond hair emerged from the water, its owner flicking it and showering all of the Pokémon, including Raboot with the hot spring. "Gotta go where your own path leads you, not towards what everyone else says, and that includes some ancient Pokémon."

"Gordie, just what are you doing here?" Sonia screeched, her own jacket having gotten soaked. She removed it, wringing the water out of it as she glared to the heavyset man, lounging in the steaming pool.

"Relaxing. Gloria made me work up a sweat, so I gotta get some relaxation in."

"You're interrupting valuable research! Given Spikemuth and Motostoke, learning about the Pokémon that stopped the Darkest Day before and why they haven't appeared throughout the region now is essential!" Sonia's snappy voice was ignored by Gordie, who cleaned out his ear. "Ugh, you're as insufferable as Leon."

"You wanna know about those Pokémon?" Gordie asked, leaning back with his hands behind his head and propping his body up. Some of the Pokémon came back in the pool, gravitating towards him and his cheery presence. It was only amplified by the grin he gave to researcher and trainers both. "Stop trying to study their end, and think more about the journey."

"The journey?" Gloria and Hop both asked.

"Yeah. I mean, look, we know these legends based on how they end, right? But…that's just an end. It's easy to lose sight of things and what you want to do and be when everyone around you seems to have already come to the conclusion of their story." Gloria blinked, her mouth dropping open a little. Something about the way Gordie had said it resonated, and she looked down to Raboot, the only one that had walked the path with her to the end. Still, the Gym Leader continued on. "But you gotta imagine, those Pokémon, they must have been exhausted. That means it can't have been easy to win such a grueling battle, right? Them, the heroes, they all must have had their doubts one way or the other. But they pushed through it, decided what they wanted to do.

"They didn't just become heroes because people told them to, but because they acted in accordance with their own beliefs. And then they rested. If you ask me, that's way more inspirational than some crusty textbook or career Champion position can teach you."

"Hey! Researching is a valuable profession!" Sonia snapped. Gloria wasn't listening. She had approached the pool, kicked her boots off and sat next to Raboot as she dipped her toes in.

"Is that why you went on a journey? To figure out what you wanted?"

"Absolutely!" Gordie said, sending another wink and click of his cheeks her way. "You've seen my mum. She's absolutely nuts about Ice types. Given my own skill out of all my other siblings, I was set to inherit the Gym from birth. Then I made my debut and everyone expected me to be Champion. At one point, I wasn't even sure what I wanted, so…I left to find out."

"What'd you find, mate?" Hop asked, already having joined at Gloria's side.

"That I love being a Gym Leader," Gordie admitted. He was smiling wider than Gloria could have imagined, and inside, it communicated something truly special to her. Something that she hadn't realized in all her life, chasing after two people. "I love winning, and the joy that comes with it. I love losing, and the frustration I feel from it. I love the crowds and the cheers. I love working for my town like Opal and Piers. I don't need to be a Champion to do that, and I don't need to learn Ice types, either. I'm me, and I'm gonna handle the Gym the way I will.

"Might not be the correct answer, or your answer for what you want, but it's mine. No one can take that from me."

It was so…simple.

Yet at the same time, Gloria couldn't stop shaking. Raboot looked up at her, surprised by her reaction to all of this, and even Hop was worried, inching just a little bit away from her. She hadn't expected Gordie's words and experiences to hit so hard in such a simple way, but they did, drilling one very important fact into her brain.

It was her journey.

Suddenly, Gloria began to laugh, feeling like it was the first time in forever. So loud and long did it last that even Gordie began to quirk an eyebrow, looking just a bit disturbed. The Pokémon came close to him, save for Raboot, who shook his trainer's arm until her laughter, at last, petered out.

There was silence for a moment, everyone in the vicinity staring at her. After time, she managed to find a way to put words to her thoughts. "You know…for so long, sitting in Postwick, waiting for life to begin, I wanted to be someone other than me. Someone other than the girl who had these dreams but no way to achieve them."

With her laughing fit over, Hop moved closer to her, listening to the realization she had come to. The adults listened, too, with Sonia leaning against a pillar. Raboot sighed with a simple, "Rabuh…"

"Watching Leon on the telly, it just made me want to be like him. A superstar! A Champion! But…I'm neither of those things," Gloria admitted, looking down at her hands. She scooped some of the water up, holding it there in a small pool that slowly began to drain. "I'm just Gloria, and for the longest time, I so didn't want to be that. I wanted to be more."

"Guess I'm the same…well, kinda," Hop agreed, kicking at the water. "Though, I always felt like I had to be. Lee was my brother, and I couldn't let him down. Had to show the world that everyone in our family was just as good! Got lost in that, though…"

"Yeah, just like how I tried being so many other people," Gloria said. The water finished draining from her hands, hitting the pool beneath them in a small trickle. "I tried to pretend I was a Champion like Leon, and then a hero like Ash. I looked up to them, wanted to be closer to them, like them.

"Because maybe if I was them, I wouldn't be me."

"Not what life's about though, am I right?" Gordie asked. He was nodding, understanding the effect his words had had, the realization it had given her.

"No, it's not. Trying so hard to be like them, magnifying them, forgetting that they each had their own struggles and flaws, I was just avoiding my own road to take. Maybe it was because I thought by taking the same road as Ash, I'd reach the same destination, but then…it wouldn't really be my destination, would it?" Gloria formed her fists, splashing at the water and sending it high, enough to create a beautiful rainbow under Circhester's lights. She climbed out of the pool, standing with a splash. "That can be something scary about inheriting someone's legacy: you want to walk the same road as them, but the reality is that your paths should only intersect."

"What are you saying, mate?" Hop asked. Looking down at him, he was resting his head on his palm, grinning at her, understanding her and internalizing it. Other than her Pokémon, Gloria knew Hop understood her most of all, and that gave her the silliest grin on her face.

"I'm saying I spent so long chasing after Ash, I forgot to be me. For a while, I thought it was because there was no worth in being me. I just screw up and lash out all the time but…that was just because I didn't accept me, and what I wanted." Gloria chuckled once more, facing Hop as he, too, got out of the pool. "No more. Every step forward on my path isn't going to be as Ash's student, or some would-be-Champion, or even a hero. It's just going to be as me, Gloria.

"That's good enough."

"You said it, mate." Hop reached forward, and the two clasped hands. In Hop's amber eyes, Gloria could see his own dawning realization, and it made her heart soar, knowing the equal that stood across from her. "I wanted to earn Lee's name and title so badly I could taste it, because he was so perfect. But none of us are. We can't force each other into these boxes and titles, and we can't pretend we're something else. I can't keep going at it thinking I'm Lee.

"I'm just Hop, a Gym Challenger."

"Well, don't you two have it figured out?" Sonia said, clapping her hands. The two let go of their own, feeling more than a bit embarrassed at their sudden exchange and declarations. "Still, it's not like Leon can be Champion forever."

"True," Gloria said, nodding fervently. "But we can't always have a Champion like Leon. Galar wouldn't grow if it was just one person."

"What kind of Champion would you want to be, then?" Hop's question turned her thoughtful. It was one she had struggled with since the clash in the ruins, and was still something she wasn't sure she had an answer to.

"I guess I'd just be me. I know that's not a great answer, but…"

"But right now, it's your own." There was no denying that. "I don't really have one myself, but you know, I'm thinking."

"Thinking about what exactly?" Gloria turned back in time to see Hop toss a Poké Ball out, Thwackey emerging and immediately locking eyes with Raboot.

"I'm thinking about how we'd always battle back in Postwick, and how we battled the day we set off on our own journeys. Back then, it was just for fun, but now…" Hop reached forward, just as he had that day they'd begun, and took her hands in his. "This is the next page of my legend, and one that wouldn't be complete without a worthy rival, don't you think?"

"Are you challenging me to find your answer?"

"You up for it?" The two leaned forward, practically in each other's faces. They didn't need words to accept the others' challenge, and before Sonia could make the call to referee, the two separated and called their first moves.

"Double Kick!"

"Double Hit!"

The pair of moves clashed in the open space between the trainers, Raboot's foot meeting Thwackey's stick. The collision sent the water of the hot spring rippling, quite a bit of it splashing Gordie in the face. He didn't seem to mind, not as the next command was called. Raboot streaked forward like a flaming bullet, burning up the hammer that was smashing down on him.

Sonia was calling out for them to wait just a second, but Gloria couldn't. Neither could Hop. Everything else fell away from the pair, their Pokémon weaving and dodging around each other, grinning as they managed to strike one another's face. Their trainers matched them, finding joy in the simplest of moments.

And in that moment, neither of them remembered Ash or Leon or the battles that lay before them.

Instead, it was just Gloria and Hop, battling it out as they had in Postwick.

Raboot jumped up high and came spinning down towards Thwackey, the monkey twirling his pair of sticks, each coated with dark electricity. They met, the billowing wind causing Gloria's cardigan to snap open and Hop's jacket to wave around him. The Pokémon disconnected, leaping back towards their trainers. They stared across to one another, and Gloria did the same with Hop. He cracked his knuckles.

"No hard feelings when I win this, mate."

"Why would there be? I'm gonna win," Gloria said, truly believing the words. It wasn't bluster to cover her worries about the battle. Nor was it arrogance. It was simply an earnest and steadfast belief in the Pokémon at her side, and a promise she started to speak. "Besides, not like this would settle our rivalry."

"True. The only way to do that is on the biggest stage imaginable!"

"In Wyndon!" they shouted. Raboot dashed for Thwackey. The monkey matched his speeding flames with a swing of his sticks, transforming into Wood Hammer.

As they ran, they both began to glow, pushed on by the faith of their trainers. The fire transferred to Raboot's feet as he grew larger, while Thwackey's Wood Hammer changed shape to that of a drum, his own body bulkier. They didn't stop moving, even as the light of evolution reached its zenith, with Gloria and Hop cheering the pair on.

"Cindah!" The fire burst forth at the same time as the light vanished, revealing Raboot's new form. Taller, with red and yellow fur taking over what was once black. His feet were stronger, too, forming his new attack into a ball that soared for Thwackey's face. Only, he wasn't a Thwackey anymore, either.

"Laboom!" The deep, guttural cry was matched with the swinging stick, now a drum. His own form was large, imposing, with a great green trellis of hair running down his back. From the drum, a stick beat on it, forming large branches that broke through the ground and struck Gloria's Pokémon in the stomach.

The powerful attacks having landed on their targets, the pair were tossed back, thrown to the ground. When they got up, it was clear they were too tired to battle, the earlier ones with the Gym Leaders causing exhaustion to creep in. Still, they grinned across at each other.

"Looks like it's a tie," Sonia said. At her words, both trainers broke ranks to run for their newly evolved partners. Without even thinking, Gloria laughed, tossing her arms around her Pokémon's neck. He looked embarrassed for a moment, but soon smiled and returned the affection. "Guess you guys, and Cinderace and Rillaboom, will have to settle your match in Wyndon, after all!"

"That works for me!" Hop said, bumping his fist with his Rillaboom. "Then we'll settle who the best is, after all."

"Chance by then, we'll know the kind of Champions we want to be, too," Gloria said, removing herself from Cinderace and staring across to Hop. He looked lighter, and Gloria could admit to feeling it, too. Their battle had cleared her mind, and now she was facing forward with purpose.

She would become Champion. Not for Ash. Not for Leon. Not for Rose, or Galar, but because she wanted to. Knowing that, and proving that every step along the way was meaningful, she could keep going.

"But first, you know you guys have to actually make it to the League, right?" Gordie said, emerging from the pool. He wrapped a towel around himself, stretching just a bit. Gloria flashed a grin to him.

"You bet! I'll take you down but good!"

"And I'll do the same for Melony!" Hop agreed. The rivals slapped their hands together, a small tingling left behind on both their palms. "That means we gotta get back into gear. I can't keep fighting like Lee! Gotta be like me! Rillaboom, you and Dubwool are gonna have to help me get the team back into shape! Maybe try something different than what we have…"

"You can always take a break and help me," Sonia said, placing both her hands on Hop. He looked up to her, avoiding Gloria's look as she puffed her cheeks once again. "When we traveled together, Leon never took breaks. Everything else was a distraction, perhaps a little too literally. So, if you try something different, it could be good for you and your team, and you've got a keen eye. What do you say?"

"Sure, I guess," Hop said with a nod. Even Rillaboom appeared excited at the thought, beating on his drum and making the Pokémon sway to the rhythm. "But you really like Lee, don't you?"

"I have no idea why you'd say that, Hop," Sonia said with a fury, beating him over the head. "Pay attention to your own feelings."

"Hey, I've got no problems with that," Hop said, grinning at Sonia before shifting his gaze over to Gloria. The girl whistled in kind, facing away in an attempt to not acknowledge it. "Anyway, where do you want to start?"

"Back to Bob's Your Uncle! Maybe you can see something on the actual tapestry! Then Boltund can help you train from there." Sonia wheeled Hop out, barely permitting him the time to wave at Gloria, who gave a rather meek one back. Gordie, too, prepared to leave, clapping the girl on the back.

"Guess I'll need to get ready for your rematch, huh? Looking forward to it!" Another wave, and Gordie was off into Circhester's night.

All that remained was Gloria and Cinderace, staring at the still waters of the Hero's Bath.

"A path forward. My path forward." Gloria slapped her cheeks, facing Cinderace. "No more doubts, Cinderace. I'm done giving up. I'm done being anything other than me. Let's win the Wyndon Conference together!"

"Cin!" Their fists made contact, and as they did, an amalgamation of cries followed. The pair turned, and a shape the size of Gloria's tiniest Pokémon came falling through the air, straight into her arms.

"Flapple?!" She wasn't alone, either, with Toxtricity and Grapploct racing each other through the snow, while Corviknight calmly rode upon Drednaw's very annoyed back. Taking up the rear were Astrid and Bonnie, hanging back while all of Gloria's Pokémon surrounded her, nearly knocking her into the spring. "Okay, okay! I get it! You're all fired up, too!"

"Grap-po!"

"Tox!" The two bumped their own fists, soon flashing them outward. It appeared to be a signal and Flapple left Gloria's arms, her body glowing and shooting off a powerful, draconic beam. Or it seemed that way, the shape fizzling out before it struck the water. That wasn't all, however, as she began to zip back and forth with immense speed before being caught by Grapploct's bevy of tentacles.

"So cool! You learned new moves! Well…kinda," Gloria said, reaching over and patting Flapple upon her head. With an affirming squeak, Gloria's spirits were even further lifted, and she glanced to Cinderace, who hopped over to join his comrades. All six stood strong, a mighty force with one dream. Her dream. "All right, guys, I'm done being lost. You and me are a team, and we're not settling for anything less than declaring who we are, bumps and all!

"Galar Region, do you hear me?! Your new Champion is here, so get ready!"

And Gloria and her Pokémon echoed across the region towards the new era.

Author's Note: And so Gloria has worked through the majority of her issues. As we said before, Chapter 4 was about getting Gloria on her path, but it didn't resolve the major issue that was her inferiority complex, and her desire to be like other people. Now, she finally has her head on straight about it: she's just Gloria, and it's okay to be Gloria. We often summed up Traveling as "Gloria wants to be Leon" and Turmoil as "Gloria wants to be Ash". Temerity is "Gloria learns it's okay to be Gloria". This renews her, gives her purpose and strength, because she now accepts who she is and can stride forward the way she wants to. Raboot evolving was representative of that final step towards her growth.

Of course, there's still the Champion question to answer, but that will yet be some time.

Viroro: And so, after a bit of introspection and a promise to settle things, Gloria and Hop have managed to find an answer for their woes. Will it be the one they need to move forward? That's something only the rest of the series can reveal, but this was a very important chapter for their development as both rivals and individuals, and I feel Epicocity did an excellent point developing this moment of their relationship. Of course, we also have even more history uncovered about the Darkest Day and Flapple being driven to improve, and you'll see where both of these will lead as well in due time.

For now, however, it's time for our Postwick trainers to take another shot at the Circhester Gym, and we hope you will keep looking forward to what's to come!

Another batch of thanks to give, as per usual: to fanatical99 for favoriting; and a real big thanks to MythGirl Writes, XDiamondX90, UltimateCCC, Tenzalucard123, FantasyLover88, PurimPopoie, ChE clarinetist, TheAuraLucarioGamer, AmourshippingCanon, Fury, RRV55, Ander Arias, potat lasaro, aliensinnoh, StacheKing, Captainsquid12 and 2 guests for reviewing!

Gym rematch next time. Here's hoping it's a good one! Until then, please Review and,

Dare to Be Silly.