This is Viroro's final chapter of the trilogy. Let's send it out in style. Time for Chapter 13!
Chapter 13
A Favorite
"Corviknight, fly around the Ice Beam!"
"Corvah!" Spreading his wings, Gloria's raven took for the sky, the opposing beam of frost pursuing him above the tundra field. The crowd continued to follow the match with bated breath, but Gloria spared them no thought, the lone brightly lit Poké Balls on both sides of the scoreboard enough of an incentive to keep her focus high. Her opponent was of the same mind, forcing Corviknight to dance through the air to dodge the cold ray.
"And Gloria's nimble fighter continues to avoid the attacks coming for him! But Vanessa's offensive looks nowhere close to ending!" Harry shouted, his cousins agreeing with comments that Gloria didn't dwell on. Her gaze was reserved solely for Corviknight's opponent, the lanky penguin with an ice cube for a head, identified as an Eiscue. Vanessa had made sure to keep them at a distance, but as Corviknight hovered above the Ice type, Gloria knew it was their moment.
"Now, use Drill Peck!" Spinning on himself, Corviknight rocketed downward, passing around the oncoming Ice Beam. His beak shimmered, soon impacting with full force on the penguin's glacial visage.
The attack blew Corviknight back in the air, revealing Eiscue to still be standing, his frosty shield tanking the whole hit. The attack was far from useless, however, as a spiderweb of cracks enveloped the whole cube, shattering it in a thousand pieces and revealing the stubbier, much less imposing, round blue head behind it.
"Eisss!" squeaked the now unmasked Pokémon, holding its flippers to cover its exposed face. Corviknight laughed at his opponent's attitude.
"Great!" said Gloria, throwing a thumbs up to her Pokémon, already preparing his next offensive. Vanessa didn't appear worried, however, flipping her long hair with an arrogant grin.
"You really think we're done? We still have many tricks up our sleeve! Eiscue, Hail!"
The opposing trainer snapped her fingers, and Eiscue threw its flippers in the air, summoning a cascade of icy projectiles all over the field. Corviknight spread his wings out to minimize the damage, but the most worrying part came from the Penguin Pokémon, itself. The same sturdy ice cube Corviknight had just destroyed reformed over Eiscue's face, ready to defend the Ice type once more. Gloria frowned.
"Thanks to Hail, Eiscue's Ice Face is back in place! Were Gloria's efforts in vain?"
"My Pokémon's peerless defense brought us as far as we did! With our Hail to protect us, there's no attack we can't take head on! Keep going with Ice Beam!"
Emboldened by his restored defense, Eiscue charged the Ice Beam again, forcing Corviknight on the move. The frozen ray came much faster than before. Gloria kept her nerves steeled, carefully considering their situation. Vanessa and Eiscue were clearly counting on Ice Face to shield them from harm, and that only meant getting around that was the key to victory.
And as Gloria smiled, an idea wormed its way into her head.
"No attack, huh? Let's test it out, then!" She brought her hand forward, her determination renewed. "Fly closer, Corviknight!"
With full confidence in his trainer, Corviknight headed for Eiscue once more, twisting around the ray of Ice Beam. Vanessa was hardly threatened. "That's pointless! Ice Face can tank all your strikes head on!" she boasted, uncaring of the approaching form of Gloria's main flier.
"And that's why we're not going to strike! Our next move is a special one!" Gloria's grin widened further, waiting until the Raven Pokémon was in range to issue her command. "Corviknight, Steel Beam!"
Vanessa's confidence shattered in an instant, even Eiscue's Ice Beam stream stopping out of surprise as Corviknight's body was enveloped in the steely energy. Circling around one last freezing beam, all of Corviknight's energy coalesced into a ray of his own, taking aim and firing the blast at full force. Too close to dodge, Eiscue was fully enveloped in the powerful attack.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEISSSSSSSS!"
The Ice Face remained firmly in place, but the same couldn't be said for the Penguin Pokémon, blown back by the point-blank strike. Nothing stopped its injuries as it cratered on the icy floor.
"Eiscue!" shouted its trainer, hoping for it to rise back up, only for the Ice type to still lay motionless. It didn't take long for the referee to step in.
"Eiscue is unable to battle. The winner of the match is Challenger Gloria!"
Gloria threw a fist to the crowd, her grin splitting her face as Corviknight landed back down, fatigued but not defeated. With a sly smirk on his beak, he gave a bow to the audience. She allowed her loyal bird to bask in the glory before recalling him, her attention gravitating back to Vanessa right after. Her defeated opponent had none of her previous bravado, cradling her exhausted Eiscue and still coming to terms with her defeat.
"How...?" she asked, facing the approaching Gloria. The Postwick girl rubbed her nose and let out a lighthearted chuckle.
"I could see it from how you kept trying to prevent attacks from a distance. Ice Face only tanks physical attacks, right?"
Vanessa's blank face was all the confirmation Gloria needed. The girl gave a laugh of her own, looking over her unconscious Pokémon. "And here we thought our bluff worked..."
"It was a good fight. Hope we can battle again." Gloria offered a handshake to her opponent. In spite of how conflicted she must've felt, Vanessa smiled back at her.
"Me, too." She clasped the Postwick girl's hand, shaking it firmly as her smile turned into a grin, an unspoken promise to win next time. Gloria replied in kind, accepting the challenge before both trainers parted ways, the crowd still going wild around them.
"And that's a wrap on this exciting round! Gloria continues her meteoric rise to the top of the Wyndon Conference, heading for the quarterfinals!"
Gloria couldn't hide her pride as she left the stadium's battleground for the changing room, quickly putting her usual clothes back on and heading back for Wyndon Stadium's main lobby. To no surprise, she found a fairly sizable number of fans and some much-appreciated familiar faces before her.
"That was an impressive battle," Ash told the girl, approaching her alongside Clemont and even the still hanging around Kahili, divested from her fellow Champions to greet her. Astrid, meanwhile, kept the fans from coming too close with Absol and Pyroar. Gloria slapped hands with her mentor, beaming wide.
"You bet! This League has been a blast so far, and I can't wait for the next matches! I know the team is, as well." Gloria pumped her fists, feeling each and every one of her Poké Balls wobble in anticipation.
"That's the spirit. Keep going and blast past your opponents!" Kahili seemed pleased, her face looking even brighter than Gloria's own. It made the Gym Challenger smile all the more.
"You're now officially doing better than my own first League Conference, too. Congrats." Ash's compliment was sincere, making Gloria even happier, but she didn't let it get to her head. Not after how much she learned of the world outside her little region.
"I'm sure you had way more matches to fight, anyway. The Wyndon Conference isn't very crowded."
"And the true League has yet to begin." Clemont adjusted his glasses, keeping a level head as he perused a nearby screen for data. "Full battles will start after the next round, right?"
"Yeah, but I'm not worried. We've gotten through thick and thin, and we're not heading home without a victory." The girl stretched a bit, rubbing her mostly empty stomach. "For now, let's just take a break. I'm hungry like you can't believe."
Kahili snickered at it. "You're in luck, since we've got a surprise for you. Gotta celebrate in style for your run, after all."
Gloria couldn't deny her curiosity, but she decided to not ask what it was, preferring instead to let her companions lead her towards it. Along the way, she could spot several jumbo screens across Wyndon's streets presenting a live update, courtesy of the Kalas trio, the commentators discussing the highlights of the day and wondering how the League would go. Briefly it flashed the matchups for the following day, Gloria quickly filing away the unremarkable and unfamiliar face tied to hers, along with the predictions therein, before transitioning to that day's battle. Some of her own battles played on the screens, but Gloria's focus was all on the other trainers showcased, be it Hop's Dubwool rolling into a Headbutt to knock out the flaming snowman form of a Zen Mode Darmanitan in a city field. Or Morpeko trapping a Barraskewda in the pool of a water field to strike down with an Aura Wheel. It was a good reminder of just who her biggest aims for the Wyndon Conference were, and how her rivals were nothing to sneeze at.
The group passed through the crowded streets and plazas of Galar's metropolis, spotting a few fairly competitive stands along the way. Before long, they all found themselves back in the Trainer Village, right inside Gloria's room...and right in time for her jaw to hit the floor.
"Whoa! This is all for me?!" In front of her stood a large table filled with all kinds of food, from cakes to salads to anything she and her team could've asked for. Ash's mother and Kahili both stood to the sides of it, observing her reaction. Ash stepped in and gave her a nod.
"Of course. Mom wanted you to be well-fed for your upcoming fights."
Gloria glanced over at Ash's mother, impressed by how much the woman was able to cook in such little time. She took a whiff of the table's culinary offers, and she could already feel herself salivating.
"This smells so good! Almost as good as mum's cooking!"
Kahili chuckled out, leaning closer to the girl with a playful grin. "You should be honored. Came straight from the best cook in the Kanto region."
"Oh, my, let's not exaggerate. I just wanted to reward her efforts," the older woman explained humbly, offering a sincere smile to the girl. She smiled back, glad for the woman's work and support, grabbing all of her Poké Balls right away.
"Well, no reason to make anyone wait." She threw her devices, freeing all of her team in front of the banquet and allowing each of them to get a good look at the food. Then she grabbed the silverware, and grinned with gusto. "Let's chow down!"
Her call to arms was welcomed by everyone else, the remainder of the trainers and Ash's mother taking their seats alongside Gloria, while their Pokémon enjoyed their own serving of the food. Gloria and Ash were the most voracious of the table, enough to earn themselves a snicker from Kahili and an eyeroll from Astrid, both trying to eat with much more composure. Their appetite was only matched by Gloria's trio of spent fighters from the latest round and rivaled by Clemont's Chespin, kickstarting what seemed to be an impromptu eating contest among their partners. Corviknight was surprisingly in the lead, but Gloria couldn't spot who actually won, too busy sampling all the plates in front of her with glee.
"Mhhhmmm...! So good! You'll need to give me the recipes later, Mrs. Ketchum!" Gloria chirped out as she swallowed several forkfuls of cake at once, trying to figure out what the woman had put in it.
"Please, feel free to call me Delia. You're part of the family, after all."
The fairly specific remark made Gloria blush, and almost made Ash choke on his food, immediately looking at the golfer by his side. "Kahili, did you..."
"What? It's not wrong."
It brought the rest of the table into a lighthearted laugh, enough to make Gloria feel at ease with the idea, nodding back to Delia. As the laughter quieted down, Clemont pushed his glasses up, looking almost nostalgic as he observed everyone.
"It's nice to be together like this again, even if Bonnie and Serena are in Hammerlocke," he said wistfully, before he continued to calmly consume his food.
"With what's coming soon, these moments are precious," commented Astrid, her gaze much harsher as she forked her food.
"Yeah…the Lumiose and Lanakila Conferences were like this, too, and we know how those went…" Ash scowled, as well, looking out beyond the window and towards Rose Tower in the distance.
Ash's comment managed to deflate the cheery atmosphere immediately, everyone's mind going to whatever the Chairman had been planning, even as Delia appeared much less aware of the topic at hand. Gloria wasn't privy to the finest details of whatever was going on behind the scenes, either. Even the adults appeared to be unsure of what the man who owned Galar had in store. She hadn't given much thought to it, too busy in the excitement and challenge of her first matches, but it was just one reminder of how she wasn't just taking part in a simple tournament.
She knew enough to be unable to pretend it was one, either.
"The only sure thing is that Rose is not going to ruin his own Conference after everything he did," Clemont pointed out. "Whatever he is planning will only come after it. Just a question of when."
Everyone in the know agreed, but it did little to assuage the tension growing inside Gloria and her team. Ash noticed it, giving the girl a sheepish smile.
"Sorry for bringing this up now," he told her apologetically. Gloria, however, shook her head in spite of her feelings.
"No, it's okay. We can't pretend Rose isn't up to something." She took a deep breath, observing her hands. "I know this is all stuff far above my level. I'm just a measly Gym Challenger, and there's little I can do about it."
Balling her fists firmly, she stared back at Ash with a confident smile. "But that doesn't mean I can't try. I'm going to help you out the best I can, starting from showing all of Galar who's the strongest trainer out there. Isn't that right, guys?"
She turned to her team, each of them raising their arms, wings, paws or tentacles and shouting an affirmative. Gloria felt even more emboldened, the tension subsiding just enough. They could make it through, together.
"Look at our spitfire, talking so big," Astrid said with a smirk, bumping on her shoulder affectionately. Gloria snickered back, replying in kind.
Kahili, instead, sent her grin straight to Ash. "She's got your speech ability down pat, as well."
"That's all her. Gloria is Gloria." Ash turned back to the Postwick girl, flashing a smile back at her. "And I'm proud of how she's grown."
Gloria couldn't hide the sheepish, mirthful expression on her face at hearing her mentor's words, her renewed resolve even gaining the approval of Clemont and Delia. The road had been long and full of all kinds of stumbles, but it had let her learn important lessons that she wouldn't have traded for anything in the world. And if her experiences could help just a little with what was coming after the Conference, she and her team were ready to lend their acquired strength.
The discussion reached an abrupt ending, however, as a brief tumbling sound was heard, putting everyone on high alert.
"Who's that?" Ash asked, bolting upwards. Pikachu's cheeks sparked. Gloria joined him immediately, with the rest of the trainers in the room following suit.
"Cindah!" shouted Cinderace, rallying the rest of the Pokémon closer to their human partners, forming a united front. Another tumbling noise was heard, putting everyone on further edge. Gloria could feel her heart racing.
"It's coming from the window," Clemont realized. Astrid frowned.
"Macro Cosmos, perhaps? Wouldn't put it past Rose to spy on us."
"Let's find out! The Chairman is not ruining my break!" said Gloria, making her way through the room in great strides. She threw the window wide open, the frame smashing right into the peeping stranger's face.
"Ow!" cried the victim, the blow strong enough to knock him on the floor. Rather than a burly agent of Macro Cosmos, however, the girl only found a boy roughly her age, with a mop of unruly brown hair and dressed in fairly plain clothes. Next to him was one Pokémon, or perhaps several. Gloria was unsure, observing six spherical creaturess wearing helmets and standing in formation behind a slightly more armored one. From a quick Rotom Phone scan, Gloria learned they were indeed a single Pokémon, a Falinks to be exact.
"Link! Fah falink!" shouted all six little soldiers in unison, the brass leading the other five in helping the boy stand again. And as Gloria could finally see him clearly and everyone else joined her side, she realized she had never seen him anywhere before.
"Huh...who are you?" she asked, squinting her eyes at the intruder.
"Doesn't look very stealthy for a spy," was Astrid's thought, the woman cocking her head to the side. The kid took offense at that, scoffing and glaring daggers at the Kalosian trainer.
"I'm no spy! My name is Lloyd, a Gym Challenger!" He flashed a grin that looked just a bit too confident, a hand over his heart as the Falinks posed with him. "Surely, you must've heard about me! The finest trainer in all of Hammerlocke. Well, give or take Raihan, but still!"
"I've never heard of you before," was Gloria's lapidarian and half-lidded reply. Lloyd's face lost all colors, and the Falinks broke ranks in shock.
Fortunately for the Hammerlocke boy, Clemont snapped his fingers. "Oh, wait, I saw you on the screens. You're Gloria's next opponent, aren't you?"
"W-well, yes. Yes, I am!" Lloyd puffed his chest once more, looking emboldened by the recognition. "And just as well, I should be!"
"Oh...I only took a quick look…" Gloria said, remaining unimpressed. "So, what were you doing outside my window?"
Being brought back to the current matters put another break in Lloyd's confidence, sweat pooling on his face as he swallowed. "Umm... I...I wanted to know more about you."
"Ah, so you were spying." Her gaze pierced into the teen. He gulped and frowned in worry even more.
"T-that wasn't spying! It was...uhh...intel gathering!"
"Fah..." said the Falinks, in a coordinated six-way sigh. It earned the Pokémon a glare from its trainer, right before he faced Gloria again, pulling off another grin.
"N-not like I needed it, of course! A trainer of my caliber has nothing to fear! You'll see it, after I destroy you tomorrow!"
"I-" Gloria had no time to make any retort, as Lloyd wiggled his finger right in front of her.
"Shhh! You don't have to tell me!" He held his forehead in the most melodramatic way, shaking it with faux nonchalance as he twirled on himself to give everyone his back. "I understand. My sheer presence is enough to get you worried. But fear not, I will bring an end to your run in the League in the most merciful way, worthy of facing the strongest trainer! Toodles!"
And with a quick wave and a dash, Lloyd was gone as quickly as he had appeared, his little troop of soldiers trying to catch up after him. His weird claims and sudden disappearance did a wonderful job of making Gloria even more confused about what had just happened, just blinking at the ever-shrinking shape of her next opponent in the distance. Next to her, everyone was trying to figure out what had happened, as well.
Astrid just settled on an arched eyebrow. "Well, that was new."
"That little guy was full of energy. Your next fight looks to be pretty fun," Kahili commented, arms folded.
"Sure does, but I still have no clue what he was planning to do..."
Ash rubbed his chin in thought. "If I had to guess, he was probably afraid of facing you and wanted to intimidate you. Get some advantage. You did have a pretty impressive run as a Gym Challenger."
"Seriously? All that just because my reputation scared him off?" Gloria tilted her head, the implications of that slowly sinking in. And as they did, she pulled off her wildest grin and pumped both of her fists.
"That's great!" Gloria shouted with all her enthusiasm, turning to her team. "You heard it, guys? They're afraid of us!"
"Ace!" Cinderace replied her in kind, rallying every other of Gloria's Pokémon to share the excitement, each of them throwing their extremities forward in unity.
"You're sure taking it well..." Clemont stated, pushing his glasses up once more.
"Hey, the road to get here was hard. I deserve this recognition!" Gloria snapped back, yet holding no real malice; she was far too overjoyed about things to have any, after all. After everything that had happened on their journey, all the times she had fallen, and with full knowledge of what the tournament she was taking part in was hiding, this felt exactly like the kind of validation she needed. Her energy seemed infectious, too, as everyone else looked to have recovered their own cheer compared to the earlier discussion, among them a much more at ease Ash letting out a chuckle.
"Looks like the old Gloria isn't completely gone..." He placed his hands over Gloria's beret, smiling at her. "Never change."
"Don't plan to! But I do plan to show that kid what we're made of!" She gave a sheepish grin, before her attention went to Cinderace and the others. "What about you guys?"
Once more, her team shouted in unison. Gloria held a fist forward. "Then let's finish eating, and get back to training!"
With the meal enjoyed and burning with determination for their next match, Gloria and her Pokémon put their all in training for the day, quickly going to rest and recover their energy for the next round. Time seemed to pass in an instant as the following morning came, and soon Gloria found herself walking inside the entrance tunnel to the stadium, dressed in her Gym uniform and looking to the large crowd waiting for the third match of the day. Already, Hop had moved on, but Gloria's eyes and mind were on the field shifting into a forest one. On first glance, she could see it was filled with trees on several parts of it, yet still leaving plenty of room for aerial maneuvers and fights on the ground.
"And it's time for our third round on another day of heated battles here in the Wyndon Conference!" Harry declared, joined by his far more familiar cousins once more. "We're continuing the quarterfinal matches, and this time we have one explosive battle, along with some very interesting challengers!"
"Ever since her challenge to Kabu at the very beginning of the season, she's managed to be the talk of the year several times over. From being looked down upon to securing her spot as one of the top picks for the Conference, even her first few matches have proven her worth! She's one of the golden children of Postwick! Lads and lasses, it's Gloria!"
At Perry's introduction, Gloria stepped inside the stadium, welcomed by a shower of applause and cheers to which she responded with a wave. From the opposite entrance, she could see the silhouette of the boy from the other day making his way in, now bedecked in his Challenger uniform, with the little Formation Pokémon in a line by his side.
"But her opponent is not one to be underestimated either! One of the earliest trainers to secure eight badges, he's been known to make every battle he takes part in an event not to miss! With his trusty Falinks by his side, he's Hammerlocke's favorite for the year! It's Lloyd!"
He made his way into the stadium proper, welcomed by his own cheer and jubilation, perhaps lower in amount, but hardly lacking in intensity. It seemed to make Lloyd bolder, the boy throwing victory signs at the crowd while the Fighting type Pokémon hopped rhythmically around in what looked to be a synchronized dance number. It was cute enough to make Gloria chuckle, as her opponent reached his spot on the field.
"So, did your 'intel gathering' help you out yesterday?" she asked, more playful than snarky. Lloyd scoffed, stretching his fingers with a smirk.
"Oh, I just wanted to know what you were like. You have no chance to beat my mightiest team."
"I've heard that song before, and I always made it through, anyway," was Gloria's simple answer, bracing herself for the upcoming fight. Any attempt at discussion was put aside, however, as the referee stepped forth, ready to kickstart the match.
"This is a three-on-three battle between the quarterfinalists, Gloria and Lloyd. Substitutions are allowed by both contestants, and the winner will be decided once all of one side's Pokémon have been defeated." The referee threw his hands down. "Now, begin!"
"Go, Drednaw!" Gloria shouted, tossing her first Poké Ball and materializing her stout turtle on the field.
"Come forth, Falinks!" Lloyd replied, his phalanx of round warriors all charging forward to their spot.
The chosen Pokémon sized each other up, neither making the first move. Before either could, Lloyd pointed skyward, a wickedly confident grin sitting on his face.
"I will make a vow, right here and now! We're going to destroy you without even needing to recall Falinks!" He threw his hand forward, forming a punch. "In fact, we'll do more than vow! Falinks, No Retreat!"
Together, all six components of Falinks lined up in a row, shouting a mighty war cry that resonated through the stadium. A fiery aura surrounded them all as they got back in line, ready to move at a moment's notice, a shackling sound faintly hovering in the air.
"And Lloyd begins with one of his trademark maneuvers! By sealing off the ability to recalled, Falinks gained a major boost in its fighting capabilities!"
Lloyd was quick to follow with another order. "March forward! For a Headbutt!"
The Falinks in charge shouted an affirmative, closing its shields and scampering forward with its underlings, almost resembling a speeding centipede. Gloria steeled herself.
"Drednaw, intercept them with Liquidation!" Her faithful turtle sprinted forward as well, the watery blades forming around her forelegs and preparing herself for the inevitable impact.
Her opponent, however, snapped his fingers with gusto. "Break ranks! Surround Drednaw!"
"Fah fah falinks!" The Brass's words echoed after the new instructions. Without missing a beat, each of the Falinks jumped out of their formation, the frontal assault turning into an all-out offensive from all sides as they continued to race forward.
"What the-" Gloria tried to say, her surprise shared by Drednaw as she braked in place, slowing down for just a second.
A second that Lloyd exploited immediately. "Now, strike!"
The Falinks component charged even faster, the six-pronged Headbutt slamming into Drednaw at once, leaving no room for the Bite Pokémon to dodge. The assault left her flinching, and Lloyd wasted no time capitalizing on it further.
"Keep it up! Megahorn!"
"Faaaah!" Energy horns manifested at once at the Brass's call, thrusting skyward into Drednaw before she could recover. The impact was powerful, heaving the turtle with its combined force. Gloria grimaced, but Lloyd didn't stop.
"You can't escape from the air! Close Combat!"
"Fah falinks fah!" Another call of the Brass, and the six round soldiers leapt for the sky, their whole bodies filled with energy to slam straight into the airborne Drednaw, just as she recovered from flinching.
"Rock Slide!" shouted Gloria. Drednaw manifested the rocks all around herself, aiming for the jumping soldiers against her freefall.
"Dred!" The stone projectiles flew towards her would-be assailants, intercepting their strikes and forcing them back to the ground, the Rock Slide winning over its brute force. Soon one, two, five of the Falinks fell down, leaving only the brass against another salvo of rocks.
The brass didn't let the assault stop it, hopping from rock to rock and cracking each on impact. The accumulated velocity only increased its power as it made its way for Drednaw, too fast for her to fire another round.
"FAAAAH!" screamed the armored soldier, meteoring into Drednaw's chest at full force.
"DRED!" Drednaw whined in pain, the impact sending her spiraling and falling back into the dirt. The leader of the Falinks landed gracefully. She managed to hop back on her feet, shaky but still standing.
"And that's an impressive start for the match already! Avoiding most Close Combats definitely lessened the hit, but the one Drednaw took still looks like it hurt!" Gerry's commentary didn't help any, but Gloria tuned it and the remainder of the conversation out, focusing only on the Pokémon and her opponent.
Lloyd folded his arms triumphantly, while his little platoon regrouped together. "Like that? Falinks's coordinated assaults have helped us many times over! You're never gonna break our strategy!"
"We'll see about that! Drednaw, Body Slam!" Drednaw didn't waste time, racing forward and aiming for the brass without a second's delay.
"Ready another Headbutt!" came Lloyd's swift counter, the platoon moving in their linear formation against the approaching Drednaw.
Gloria stood on guard, waiting for the next movement. There was no way Lloyd wasn't planning on some curveball now, and as the impact became inevitable, her thoughts were validated.
"Surround!" ordered the boy, snapping his fingers once more.
"Fah fah fah!" Just like before, the brass's orders heralded another shift in formation, once again surrounding the moving Drednaw on all sides.
"And strike!" Like clockwork, the soldiers executed their multiple offensives, charging into their own Headbutts. But this time, Gloria and Drednaw were ready to retaliate.
"Rock Slide all around you!" With a powerful stomp, Drednaw summoned a volley of stone projectiles from the sky all around her, a bastion of rocky defense shielding her from the attacks, just as the Headbutts started to come.
Lloyd was unimpressed. "Break through with Close Combat!"
The six attackers shifted gears, the fighting energy imbuing them as they slammed into the rocks. A spiderweb of cracks formed all over Drednaw's defensive barrier.
"Liquidation all around yourself!" Gloria shouted as a counter. Drednaw nodded an affirmative, forming watery blades on her limbs and horn, a faint veil of water surrounding her as she did so. It finished, right as the Rock Slide was pulverized and the Falinks made their way to her.
"Megahorn! Headbutt! Close Combat! All at once!"
Energy horns, wild charges and fighting spirit all came at once, split between two Falinks each. The attacks were too fast to dodge, forcing Drednaw to increase the power of her Liquidation and spinning around in place to match the oncoming strikes. It wasn't quite a Countershield, but it still managed to dull the inevitable impact as the horns dug into her rocky shell and the other four Falinks came slamming into her, forcing them all to scatter around.
Lloyd appeared impressed, head cocked to the side. "You're fighting well, but there's no way you can make it! Falinks will spell your doom!"
Gloria ignored the boy's boast, looking on as Drednaw attempted another offensive, forcing the Falinks to break ranks and counter with a Headbutt of their own. In front of the new barrage of moves from the phalanx, Gloria kept her calm; Falinks's tricky battle style was something they couldn't underestimate, but she trusted Drednaw to weather as many hits as she needed. The most important thing was to find a way to get through their strategy. With how focused on offense it was, there had to be some kind of flaw, but what was it? Gloria was still grasping for that.
And then, as Liquidation rebuffed the brass and he shouted a new directive for the phalanx to follow, everything clicked in place.
"Of course! That's it!" Gloria beamed, punching forward. "Drednaw, Body Slam!"
With as quick a turnaround as she could, Drednaw dispelled her watery blades, racing headfirst for the Falinks once again. Lloyd crooked an eyebrow.
"You really don't learn, do you? Headbutt!" Another cry from the brass, and the charge began, no doubt already preparing to break ranks and attack from all directions.
But Gloria wasn't going to allow it. "Jaw Lock, on the brass!"
Rather than aim for a charge, Drednaw leapt forward, jaws wide open as she aimed for the leader of the troop. In a hurried panic, the brass attempted to get its soldiers ahead of itself to take the hit, only for Drednaw to blast through them all with the still unspent Body Slam. The path cleared, Drednaw's neck snapped forward, and her jaws bit down to trap the leader in place.
"FAH!?" muffled out the brass, its noises quickly turning into incoherent yells as Drednaw kept it pinned.
"What in the bloody-?! Break him free, now! Headbutt!" Lloyd shouted out, worry overtaking his prior confidence. It was a sentiment the troop shared, all of them poorly attempting to line up to save their boss.
"Fah! Falinks fah falinks!" cried them all, attempting to charge as one...only to end up tripping on each other as they stepped in their comrade's paths. They clumsily tried to get back up again, but by the time they did, the Falinks only ended up bumping one another in their hurry.
Lloyd grimaced, and Gloria capitalized on it. With just a glance to Drednaw, she stomped on the ground and sent a round of Rock Slide raining over the headless army. They panicked and ran, but it was useless; their uncoordinated assault made them easy picking for the falling stones, each volley pelting over them and sending the five underlings crashing to the forest floor.
"Looks like Lloyd's little soldiers have gone astray! Are things going to turn around for the Hammerlocke star?" Harry's commentary only worsened Lloyd's tension, putting Gloria more on guard.
"Megahorn! Get out of it!" The order was for the brass alone, already manifesting the energy horn inside Drednaw's mouth. Sensing the danger, Drednaw threw her extended neck back, tossing the brass away before he could cause any damage. The troop hurried to rescue their leader, but Gloria and Drednaw couldn't allow that.
"Rock Slide! Keep it trapped!" Another mighty stomp, and several rocks formed above the brass's landing point, piercing the dirt all around it and enclosing it away from the rest of the Falinks. It was quickly joined by another row to reinforce the trap. The brass immediately started chipping in to damage it, but with only its lone power, there wasn't much it could do, cracking the surface to little avail. Drednaw sprinted in large, slow steps towards the trapped leader, already preparing to attack again.
"Close Combat! Don't let that turtle get any closer!" ordered Lloyd to the rest of the Falinks, sending them and their increased power against Drednaw. The crowd swelled with excitement, but it hardly matched what was taking place on the field. The little soldiers had been rendered slow, uncertain, and massively uncoordinated, and that was exactly what Gloria needed.
"Liquidation!" The watery blade formed again, as Drednaw turned towards the troops and sliced at them before they could. The attack threw them in further disarray as they all fell away from each other, weakened and tired from their injuries and disorganization.
Lloyd's frown creased his face, and Gloria smirked in response, enjoying her regained advantage. "That was the trick, right? You choose the orders, but the brass actually executes them. Without them, the rest of the Falinks are just sitting ducks."
"How did you...?"
"We've tackled strategies much more elaborate than yours. We're more than ready to divide and conquer!" She threw her hand forward. "Let's get this finished! Rock Slide all over!"
Drednaw stomped the dirt with both forelegs, forming a much larger salvo of falling rocks than before. The brass was still attempting to free itself, and the underlings barely managed to regroup, neither in the state to respond to it. Lloyd was at a clear loss for what to do, and as the incoming rocks grew all the more dangerous, he bit the bullet and grabbed Falinks's Ball.
"Falinks, retu-" He held it high, but then stopped, clearly remembering his first move. He grumbled. "Oh, bloody."
A veritable hailstorm of Rock Slide finally meteored all the way down to each segment of the Falinks, striking all mercilessly and with no hope to escape. The round soldiers cried, trying to stand against it, but nothing they could do would be enough. They could only take each of Drednaw's hits, up until the end of the barrage.
And as soon as it finished, the jutting rocks breaking apart, all six parts of the Falinks fell down to the floor, none of their fighting spirit left.
"Falinks is unable to battle. The winner is Drednaw!" officialized the referee, an arm raised towards Gloria.
"And what an upset, lads and lasses! Gloria secures the first victory of the match without breaking a sweat!"
Perry's words heralded the cheers of the crowd, all of them supporting her, but Gloria paid little mind to the whims of the public. Her attention was all on the battle, and her loyal Pokémon.
"Great job, Drednaw!" she told her, giving the Water and Rock type a thumbs up.
"Drednana!" The Bite Pokémon grinned back, proud and still filled with energy in spite of noticeable injuries.
With the state of her turtle ascertained, Gloria's attention went to Lloyd once more. The Hammerlocke trainer appeared quite annoyed as he held his Ball forward, recalling the downed Formation Pokémon.
"Sheesh...way to start poorly." In spite of his foul mood, however, he still smiled at the device holding his friend. "Thank you, Falinks. You did great."
As he put the Poké Ball aside, he jabbed at the sky again, staring down Gloria once more. "Well, it's time for another vow! Falinks here will be the only one of my Pokémon to faint!"
"Still not losing faith? I like that," Gloria replied. He was more than a bit odd, but he clearly had some interesting tricks up his sleeves, and she was curious to see what else he had in store.
"How could I, with Pokémon like mine?" He grabbed his second Poké Ball, throwing it decisively. "Show 'em what you've got, Appletun!"
"Tun tun!" declared the new Pokémon, slamming on the field with weight. It was a fairly chubby-looking little dragon with drooped eyes and wearing a piece of apple as a helmet, while the rest of his body resembled some sort of apple pie. It looked familiar to Gloria, in an odd way.
"And Lloyd sends out Appletun! The sturdier evolution of Applin looks ready to defend its trainer's chances of victory, like it has so many times before!"
The way the crowd started whispering to each other made clear how that was hardly the first time Lloyd relied on it, but that wasn't the part that caught Gloria's attention the most.
"An Applin evolution, huh?" Sharing a nod with her turtle Pokémon, she grabbed her active fighter's Ball to recall. "Drednaw, return. I know who to send out."
With a smile, she threw in the inevitable choice. "Go, Flapple!"
"Flap!" said her Apple Core Pokémon, fluttering above the forest field opposite of Appletun. Both Pokémon stared at each other, recognizing their kin, each raring to go against their opposite.
"Looks like we're in for a mirror match, folks! Flapple against Appletun! The Pokémon look ready to square off against their opposites, but who will seize victory for their trainer?"
Gloria and Lloyd traded a challenging grin. They both intended to, and they both pointed forward together.
"Grav Apple!"
"Apple Acid!"
Enclosing herself in her apple shell, Flapple flew down like a bullet, just as Appletun fired a yellow, thick acid against her. The high-pressure spray managed to match the force of Flapple's fall, forcing her back, but Flapple pushed through, splitting the acid aside and closing the distance.
"Flap!" said Flapple inside the shell, inches away from striking.
"Iron Defense, into Dragon Pulse!" Appletun shimmered, its defense growing as the acid shifted into a blast of draconic energy.
"Dragon Rush!" Flapple broke free of her covering, herself shifting into her own display of draconic energy, both apple Pokémon's attacks meeting each other halfway.
The clash was powerful, forcing both Pokémon away from each other, lightly injured but still fight-capable.
"Acrobatics into range!" ordered Gloria, and Flapple zipped in the air, preparing to strike Appletun from above.
"Iron Defense once more!" Appletun shimmered once again, curling himself up and waiting for the attack to come. The Acrobatics struck, but the apple managed to weather the impact, while Flapple ricocheted off towards the dirt below.
"Flap!" shouted the Apple Core Pokémon, eating a faceful of ground as she slid over it.
"And now, Grass Knot!" With a finger snap, Appletun let out a sharp cry, summoning a row of vines from the field all over Flapple's body, trapping her in place.
Gloria frowned, biting her cheek as she watched Flapple try to break free. Lloyd laughed, enjoying his regained superiority.
"Like that? We've trained hard to make Grass Knot our very own trapping move!" He punched his palm with glee. "Now, Appletun! Dragon Pulse!"
"Tun!" Appletun followed swiftly, coming closer and preparing its blast of energy, trained on the downed opponent. Flapple's struggles continued to be fruitless, and as the beam flew towards her, Gloria made her next call.
"Flapple, Acrobatics!" It took all of her strength, but Flapple managed to push against her restraint and slice through to reclaim her freedom, zipping in the air mere seconds away from being blasted. That didn't stop Appletun, however, dragging the Dragon Pulse along to hit Flapple. The nimble flier danced around the super-effective move, and mere seconds later she was ready to strike again.
"Iron Defense!" Another reinforcing shimmering, and Flapple's attack was tanked by Appletun's massive body, sending her flying back once more. The Apple Nectar Pokémon grinned, clearly aware of its current advantage.
"Let's see how you can overturn this!" dared Lloyd, looking sure of his own triumph. But Gloria knew better than to panic, not against an opponent like that. And an idea had already formed in her mind.
"I don't need you to lecture me on defensive Pokémon. Flapple, Grav Apple!"
"Again?" questioned the boy, seeing the Apple Core Pokémon retreating inside her shell. "Apple Acid!"
Once more, the spray of malic acid flew for Gloria's Pokémon, but neither she nor her trainer held any interest in another clash of moves. This time, they had a better plan in motion.
"To the ground! Roll on!" Flapple fell quickly to the floor, right underneath Appletun's attack, shifting into a rolling not unlike her old usage of Rollout. She tore through the dirt with increasing velocity, headed for her currently busy opponent.
"Grass Knot!" Lloyd yelled, taking no chances. All around Flapple's path, a row of grassy tendrils was already preparing to ensnare her again, forcing the Apple Core Pokémon to roll on even faster.
"Boost with Dragon Rush!" The draconic energy enveloped Flapple's shell, offering a significant boost to her speed as she cut through the ground and sliced any tendril on her path. Appletun's trapping maneuver was nullified, getting Gloria's Pokémon all the closer to Appletun.
"Iron Defense!" Lloyd's mask of confidence cracked, as Appletun's defense increased once again, right as Flapple was about to ram in.
"It's not gonna help you! Acrobatics, but don't break out!" In spite of the sudden order, Flapple obeyed instantly, zipping for the sky just as she finally got close to Appletun, striking her forward as a result.
The blow was powerful, dragging Appletun's body along Flapple's motion in spite of the minimal pain. The chubbier Grass and Dragon type couldn't hold its stance, the impact finally making it fall on its back, its belly exposed and its feet far away from the ground. Seeing his defensive powerhouse upturned that way, Lloyd bit his lip.
"And Appletun is down! It certainly looks like it's not going anywhere now!"
"You can raise your defense all you want, but it's useless if we can strike where it hurts!" Gloria grinned proudly, outstretching her palm. "Flapple, Dragon Rush into Grav Apple! Go for a critical hit!"
"Flaaaaapp!" From the sky, Flapple shifted into yet another move, freefalling with all the momentum she had been carrying until then. She became a meteor of sheer kinetic energy, ready to wipe out Appletun.
"Apple Acid!" In a final, desperate attempt to defend itself, Appletun fired a spray of malic juice with all the power it still held, putting brakes towards Flapple's descent yet again.
But Flapple had grown much faster, and was even more determined to claim her victory. The Apple Core Pokémon made a stand against her counterpart's move, once again slicing through the acid, and slamming with all the might she held inside right on Appletun's soft, vulnerable belly.
"TUUUUN!" cried out the chubbier Pokémon, the impact hitting its weak point hard enough to bypass any defense and making it scream in pain. It tried to resist, to strike back once more, but Flapple's constant movement had given her too much power, easily cratering the Apple Nectar Pokémon as she jumped off it.
Appletun was motionless, the last of its strength long gone.
"Appletun, no!" said Lloyd, hoping for Appletun to get back up. Nothing of the sort happened, and the referee stepped in.
"Appletun is unable to battle. The winner is Flapple!"
"And Gloria scores yet another victory! With just a few precise and powerful moves, she takes the win! Is the goddess of victory smiling upon our Postwick golden girl? Or is this just prelude to the comeback of our Hammerlocke star?"
Flapple pranced in the air and saluted the crowd as they once again shouted their cheers, while Gloria took a sigh of relief. It was a risky gamble, but from her experiences with Drednaw, it was her best shot for a quick victory. And the advantage she gained made it more than worth it.
Much different was how Lloyd was feeling, silently recalling Appletun in disbelief. He still forced a sheepish smile, though, as he shook his head.
"My vows just aren't working today, huh..." He stared back at Gloria, genuine confusion in his eyes. "Just...how did you get so good?"
"I had to overcome a lot in my journey, and so did my team. We worked together and believed in each other, and here we are now. The same goes for you, right?"
There was no bragging in her words, just the simple understanding of what being there was like. Neither of them would be there if they didn't earn their place in the Gym Challenge, after all. He seemed to understand it, rubbing his nose with a bit of recovered confidence.
"Heh. Of course! Me and my team worked hard to get here, as well!" His smile seemed more genuine as he held one last Ball high, making another dramatic showing of his grit. "I'm gonna make one last vow, and this will come true! This will be the Pokémon to end your run in the Wyndon Conference!
"Go, Dragapult!"
The Poké Ball exploded with light, and from it emerged a Pokémon Gloria was fairly familiar with. An azure, slightly ethereal dragon that looked to have jet wings for ears and two smaller, greenish Pokémon tucked into the head's sockets appeared, glaring at Gloria and her Pokémon with its sharp yellow eyes.
"Dragah!" it let out with resolve, enough to make Flapple jump in worry, floating a bit lower. Even Gloria felt her blood chilling in front of it.
"And Lloyd's most prized Pokémon is in! A favorite among many Gym Challengers, yet the most fearsome of them all! It's Dragapult's time to shine, everyone!"
The crowd made the quickest turnaround Gloria had felt in the battle so far, moving to chant Dragapult's name and hoping for it to put on an amazing show. With how many trainers attempted to raise one in an attempt to emulate Leon, having one stand out so much was definitely proof of some notable performance. It made Gloria steel herself a bit more, chuckling to exorcise the worry.
"Finally, we get a chance to face one..." Her smirk died as quick as it came, giving their opponent its due consideration. "Flapple, be careful. It looks dangerous."
"You got that right! Let's show 'em!" Once again, Lloyd snapped his fingers. "Dragon Darts!"
Dragapult hovered further up, gaining a vantage point in but a few seconds. Moments later, it aimed its head downward, and fired the Dreepy it held in its sockets as if they were ballistic missiles, two more joining the visible ones for a total of four.
"Dreeee!" screeched Dragapult's young, almost looking ecstatic about it as they zoomed in for Flapple.
"Get to safety with Acrobatics!" Flapple zipped all around with the boost from the Flying type move, dodging each of the living bullets with sharp turns and dodge rolls, engaged in a skyward dance. It was tense, and filled with close calls, but as Flapple came closer to Dragapult, the Dreepy finally impacted on each other, finally freeing Flapple from the pursuit.
Gloria could already see them vanishing and reappearing like the ghosts they were inside Dragapult's sockets, and she knew that was their moment.
"Dragon Rush, while it reloads!"
"Flaaap!" With a powerful wingbeat, Flapple let the deep blue energy envelop her once more, preparing herself to ram into the Stealth Pokémon before it could strike back. Lloyd smirked gleefully.
"Phantom Force!" A purple portal formed underneath Dragapult, the Ghost and Dragon type diving inside it and vanishing from sight, leaving Flapple to hit nothing. The Dragon Rush faded away, the Apple Core Pokémon turning around in confusion as no trace of her opponent was left.
"Keep yourself airborne! Stay on alert!" Gloria shouted, her own gaze shifting left and right in an attempt to locate where Dragapult could be, all while Lloyd enjoyed their confusion. Across the way, he was even stifling some giggles! It wasn't long before he bellowed his next order, though.
"It's useless! Lock-On!"
Dragapult was still completely out of sight, but as soon as the order was given, a red ring flew from the ground into the sky, materializing a red target over Flapple's body. Gloria frowned, and Lloyd felt even more confident.
"Now, Dragon Darts!" Only when the order came did Gloria notice the pool of purple shadows hidden underneath a tree, beneath the dirt. But by then it was too late.
The four Dreepy projectiles flew forward once again, forcing Flapple to flee. But this time the strike came without warning, faster, and much more precise, pursuing Gloria's Pokémon and nailing into her without mistake.
"FLAAAAP!" screamed Flapple, feeling the pain of one, two, four living projectiles striking over her frail body, leaving her careening towards the ground. Gloria attempted a call for Acrobatics, but Lloyd intercepted her.
"And now come out!"
The purple portal moved all the way behind Flapple in the air, and Dragapult manifested behind the falling Flapple. It spiked into her with a full force tackle and sent her into the dirt, embedding her in it with impact.
"And that was Lloyd's signature strike! Looks like it hurt Flapple pretty badly!" commented Gerry, leaving Gloria to clench her fists as Flapple got back up, highly bruised and flapping with less energy than before.
"We've put a lot of effort in to make Phantom Force our ultimate combination move. No one will ever see our attacks coming!" Lloyd declared, the cackle he shared with Dragapult showing how much pride they put in it. It made Gloria smirk back in challenge.
"That's pretty impressive. But we've seen much better!" She oversaw the state of her Apple Core Pokémon, now flapping back to Dragapult's altitude. "Flapple, can you still go on?"
She nodded, and that was enough. "Let's push through, then! Dragon Rush!"
"Phantom Force!"
Once again, Flapple's purple-clad form completely missed Dragapult as Lloyd's Pokémon faded to safety in its ghostly portal. The wyrm dispelled her attack, yet again in the same position as before. But both Gloria and her knew what to expect now, and the trainer steadied her breath.
"Keep calm, Flapple. Just wait."
"You'll never find us in time! Lock-On! Into Dragon Darts!"
Just like before, the targeting reticule manifested over Flapple's body, immediately accompanied by the flying Dreepy projectiles.
"Grav Apple, but don't fall! Shield yourself with it!" shouted Gloria, following the incoming barrage. Flapple immediately sealed herself inside her apple shell, but remained airborne in wait, holding it as a makeshift armor.
The Dreepy came through and battered over the surface of Flapple's shield, vanishing on impact to return to Dragapult. The shell was bumped in various places, not enough to nullify the damage but definitely enough to blunt it and keep Flapple fight-capable, something Gloria capitalized on right away, spotting the purple puddle of darkness on the ground.
"Now, fall! Into Dragon Rush!" Just like before, the draconic energy surrounded the closed shell. Flapple aimed downward, becoming a comet of energy towards Dragapult's hiding spot.
However, the plan was foiled as the portal disappeared and reappeared right underneath her, Dragapult unleashing the actual Phantom Force and colliding with Flapple. In spite of her damage, Gloria's little apple continued to hit against Dragapult's attack, locking both into a stalemate of moves.
"Steel Wing!" Dragapult's jet wings shimmered silver, the increased power allowing the Stealth Pokémon to push against it. It was proving too much for Flapple to withstand, seconds away from overpowering her. Knowing that, Gloria played their last card.
"Sucker Punch!" she shouted, punching along. Flapple broke free of her apple shell, exposing herself to the strike, but not before she flew forward and decked Dragapult straight in the face.
The twin impacts sent both dragons in opposite directions, both of them crashing to the ground at high speed. Dragapult hovered back up again, shaking off the dirt and clearly showing bruises, but Flapple remained down.
"Flapple is unable to battle. Dragapult is the winner!"
"What an upset, lads and lasses! Looks like Lloyd is finally gaining momentum!"
"Yes! It's time for our comeback!" Lloyd declared, throwing his hand up in a goofy imitation of Leon's Charizard pose, one that Dragapult tried to emulate. In spite of its significant damage, it still looked able to continue, all while the support from their fans grew louder from the stands. Gloria frowned, but brought her attention towards Flapple, recalling her faithful dragon.
"Thanks, Flapple, you did great," she told her, before she fell in contemplation. There was no doubt that Dragapult's strategy would continue being a problem, and she really needed a way to combat it. She needed time and a chance to study it further, and she knew just the right Pokémon for the job.
"Drednaw, you're back on!" Throwing her ball, the Bite Pokémon reappeared on the field. She still showed signs of the battle against Falinks, but was more than ready to take the field again.
And likewise, Lloyd was in no way gonna underestimate her. "Let's keep them on their toes! Dragapult, Phantom Force!"
Dragapult vanished inside the ghostly portal, putting Drednaw on guard.
"You expect the same strategy to work every time?" Gloria asked with a scoff, yet still kept her guard up. Lloyd wasn't perturbed.
"It can and will! Lock-On!" As it did before, the red target manifested on Drednaw, leading Gloria to take a deep breath.
"Be on your guard, Drednaw." Her turtle Pokémon heeded her call, preparing to tank anything coming their way. Several tense seconds passed, Gloria's gaze flitting to and fro in search of the portal, without success.
"Come out, into Steel Wing!" The portal manifested in front of Drednaw, and Dragapult came out of it at full speed, shimmering wings ready to dish out pain.
"Jaw Lock!" Gloria's order wasn't fast enough to prevent Dragapult's impact, but Drednaw still bit down on Dragapult's jet wing, eliciting a screech. In spite of that, the attack sent Drednaw flying all the way in one of the battlefield's decorative trees, making it audibly crack.
"Dragon Darts!" Dragapult took aim, the four Dreepy flying for Drednaw as she got back up.
"Use a Rock Slide to protect yourself!" A mighty stomp later, and the stony bastion fell from the sky in front of the turtle. Each Dreepy struck against the stones, cracking them into nothingness, but neither damaging Drednaw. By the time the attack ran its course, Dragapult had vanished again inside a portal, ready to resume the routine.
Gloria bit her lip, still with no ideas of how to counter it. Drednaw could still resist for a while, but so long as Dragapult made itself hard to hit, that wouldn't amount to much. They needed a proper solution, and fast.
Drednaw stepped back, hitting the tree trunk behind her and making it crack even louder. It was enough to catch Gloria's attention, and with Dragapult soon to strike again, the pool somewhere in the ground, the inkling of a path to victory started to form.
"Run around! Strike anything in your path, and look for a purple portal!" she asked, trusting Drednaw to follow. She hunkered her head down, throwing herself into a wild charge onward. She searched all over the field for the portal, slamming into any tree along the way, yet not letting it stop her from continuing. Lloyd laughed out at the unsuccessful attempts.
"What, you decided to go for trial and error? That's not gonna work. Lock-On!" As Drednaw's mad dash continued, the reticule manifested once more, with still no trace of Dragapult's presence. In spite of this, Gloria lost no confidence.
"Keep going! No matter what!" The order emboldened Drednaw, quickening her pace ever-so-slightly as she continued to ram everywhere, her lack of success in finding Dragapult putting no dent to her movements.
"Dragon Darts!" The Dreepy bullets flew for her, hitting the bullseye from Drednaw's back as she kept racing forward. The ghost Pokémon hurt, but it wasn't enough to stop the Bite Pokémon, instead redirecting her towards the point the Dragon Darts had come from, still paying no mind to any trees along the way.
Dragapult exploited it, continuing to shift around in position and firing round after round of Lock-On-enhanced Dragon Darts as Drednaw kept going. The constant barrage was without stop, Drednaw far too slow to ever close the distance. Yet she continued to persevere in her attempts.
"There's no end to Dragapult's assault, but Drednaw's stalwart resilience is keeping her going! What will triumph at last, immense power or peerless defense?" asked Harry, while Gloria continued to follow Drednaw's movement. They had gone through the entire field by now, and between fatigue and hits she was clearly on her last legs, yet still didn't stop. They both knew how important it was to keep going, even as Lloyd already counted victory as his.
"We know what will! Phantom Force!" After the longest period spent in hiding, the portal finally materialized next to the tired Drednaw, Dragapult ready to attack one final time, the clash inevitable.
"Liquidation as it gets close!" The watery blades formed in an instant, and Drednaw leapt for the portal, just as the Stealth Pokémon peeked out of it, ready to tackle.
"Drednaaah!" shouted the turtle Pokémon, the Liquidation blades slicing towards Dragapult, enough to blow it back. But not enough to stop Dragapult from slamming at full speed against the Water and Rock type, sending her falling down.
And down Drednaw stayed, the last of her energies spent, as confirmed by the referee soon after.
"And we're down to one Pokémon each! Is this it? Is the power of Dragapult finally gonna put an end to Gloria's time in the League?"
The crowd seemed to agree with Perry's assertion, cheering for Dragapult and its trainer even more clearly than before, the tables fully turned against Gloria. The boy basked in the attention, he and his damaged but still up Pokémon waving at the people around them.
"Heh. Victory is already ours!" He beamed for the public as he turned to Gloria. "Dragapult has always defeated everyone on its path. Together, we make an invincible pair!"
Gloria didn't respond immediately, instead giving a look to the battlefield and the crowd. Long ago, she would've shut down in a panic, worried if she could even make it. But now, all that mattered was to find a way to win, and right now, she knew just what to do. She couldn't rely on Dynamax without making her next pick a bigger target, but she knew exactly who to bring to finish the job.
"Your strategies are pretty simple, but they work. I can see how you got here in the League." She threw her final Poké Ball up, catching it swiftly and pointing it forward. "You like doing vows, right? Then, I have one of my own. I will win the League, and my next Pokémon will defeat you."
Lloyd's self-assured grin wasn't lost; if anything, he was intrigued by the challenge. With Gloria wearing a grin of her own, she threw her final choice. "It's your time to shine, Grapploct!"
"Grap!" The blue octopus appeared on the scene, punching the air with all the confidence he always held. A risky move against their opponent, one that Lloyd crooked his eyebrow at, but one that Gloria held full faith in.
"Let's make this quick, Dragapult. Phantom Force!" Lloyd's command was almost lazy, as Dragapult disappeared into another portal, ready to throw another unavoidable barrage against Grapploct. The Jujitsu Pokémon remained on guard, as did Gloria, noticing the faint shifting of the portal on the ground. "And now, use Lo-"
"Taunt!" Gloria's order came fast, as Grapploct shouted and waved his tentacles ahead, as if to tell Dragapult to bring it. The move was successful, with Dragapult's attempt at manifesting the Lock-On failing as it popped out of the Phantom Force to glare back, much to Lloyd's horror.
"And now, Brine!" The salty water formed at his mouth and fired. Grapploct's tentacles plunged in, coating themselves in the liquid. Then, the octopus threw himself forward to unleash a flurry of punches on its opponent, one, two, ten times, making the most of the surprise factor before jumping back, taking a defensive stance once again.
"What the-Dragon Darts!" Lloyd's order was hurried, the Dreepy flying through with much less precision than before. Gloria punched on.
"Punch them back!" Spreading his tentacles and coating them in Brine, Grapploct threw haymakers at all the oncoming living bullets, redirecting them all back where they came from. Dragapult was too surprised by that turn to duck in time, receiving a faceful of its young and falling groundward, the damage sustained finally felt.
"You can say goodbye to your accurate aim, now," Gloria boasted, while Grapploct took time to flex his tentacles with pride. Lloyd's longer lasting bout of confidence started to crack, shaking his head and glaring back at the Postwick girl.
"Never mind, you won't hit us again! Phantom Force!" With haste, Dragapult retreated inside the portal, and this time Gloria managed to look after the telltale purple shape zipping through the ground, only losing sight of it as it hid inside the thicket of woods making out most of the battlefield.
Gloria beamed with glee. It was exactly what they wanted.
"Get close to the trees, Grapploct!" With huge leaps and fast slithers, Grapploct did as requested, entering the thicket and placing himself in the middle of a large number of trees, his guard once again up.
"Dragon Darts!" As always, the Dreepy darts came flying for Grapploct, aiming for his defenseless back, slower but ready to hit.
Gloria was ready, pointing forward. "Now, Mega Punch the tree behind you!"
Grapploct spun, making a complete one-eighty as he charged one of his tentacles with the white-hot power of a Mega Punch. The strike pierced through the wood Drednaw had previously weakened.
The tree collapsed forward, forcing the Dreepy to disappear to safety. But said safety did not last, as the tree rammed right into the portal, slamming into the barely outside form of Dragapult and stunning it in place.
"How in the-" Lloyd had no words, but Gloria had five more, ready to capitalize on it.
"Go for a Brine! Fast!" The blue octopus lunged forward, charging his tentacles of watery energy once more as he got up close with the half-hidden opponent.
"GRAPPLO!" shouted Grapploct, slamming his powered punches of salty water all at once. The blows came fast and strong, enough to uproot the Stealth Pokémon from its hiding place and send it flying into a row of trees like an oversized bowling ball. Dragapult attempted to right itself, but it failed to do so as the wood collapsed on impact, all the trees slamming atop the Ghost and Dragon type and making it squirm painfully.
"What did you-" Lloyd tried to ask, unable to even finish his question as Dragapult broke free. It was much more tired than it had been until then, and quite a bit angrier, as well. It went into an unprompted Phantom Force, clearly wishing to retaliate on Grapploct.
"If you keep making Dragapult unreachable, we're just gonna make use of the field!" She traded glances with Grapploct, both united in purpose. "Stay close to the trees!"
Slithering as fast as he could, Grapploct reached a large row of trees, placing himself right in the middle of it. If Dragapult would try to strike them from a blind spot, then they would just easily use one of the many bits of greenery surrounding them, faster than it could do anything.
Lloyd seemed to understand it, as nervous as he was becoming. "Attack from the front!"
The portal manifested ahead of Grapploct, with Dragapult blasting through to strike him down.
"Thank you! Use Brine!" With its water-powered tentacles, Grapploct grappled Dragapult's wings, throwing them forward and slamming his opponent away.
"Dragon Darts!" The Dreepy flew forward, too close for Grapploct to dodge them, bringing him several feet away, next to yet another tree.
"Make that tree fall forward!" In the heat of the moment, Grapploct hunkered down and sprung into a Mega Punch. The tree snapped from the blow and collapsed forward, taking Dragapult down with it. An even more painful screech left the already battered Ghost and Dragon type.
Gloria pumped her fists, her happiness at the shifting momentum contrasting Lloyd's utter worry for where the match was going. Backed against a wall, he grabbed Dragapult's Poké Ball, the Dynamax Band in his arm an obvious sign of what he wanted to do.
"Dragapult, re-"
"Nope! Not gonna let you! Grapploct, Mega Punch through the wood!"
It was a fast lunge, faster than any movement he had taken until then. They had only one chance, and they wouldn't let Dynamax ruin their plan.
"GRAPPLOOOOO!" He charged another Mega Punch with all of his power, putting it all in his final, meteoring punch thrusting into the wood, slamming it even more strongly against Dragapult. Lloyd's prized ace screamed once more, the weight and power far too strong to bear.
The Stealth Pokémon had no retort, no countermove, and no energy left. Wood splintered all about the place, splashing with the water of the brine and toppling many trees to leave behind a clearing. In the center of it was Dragapult, hanging for a moment before it fell down with a crash.
"Dragapult is unable to battle. The winner of the match is Gloria!"
And the crowd went wild for one, final time, the loudest it'd ever been until then, all united in celebrating the winners. Gloria felt her shoulders relax, finally breathing steadily again.
"She did it! With some clever usage of the battlefield, Gloria secures her victory! There's nothing that can stop this girl, it seems!" Gerry shouted, only making the frenzy of excitement run even wilder.
"Great job, Grapploct!" Gloria cried, running in the field to slap hands with her fighting octopus. Her loyal Pokémon replied with his tentacles, a happy grin on his face.
"Grapplo grap-po!" he declared, trainer and Pokémon shaking their extremities together. Another step towards their goal was now complete.
And yet, Gloria couldn't ignore her opponent. She turned towards Lloyd alongside her Pokémon, finding him in a much different state: gone was his braggart and determined nature, a sad frown affixed on his face as he recalled Dragapult, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Thanks a lot. You were amazing." He clasped his Poké Ball tightly, his hands shaking. "So much for my vows..."
As the crowd continued to cheer at the match's outcome, Gloria's own smile dropped. It was a familiar scene, one she had seen and gone through before, and that she would have wished no one else to experience. Breathing in, she paced across the field in great strides, recovering her smile as she and Grapploct arrived next to their defeated opponent.
"Don't be sad. You're strong," she said honestly, a hand over the boy's shoulder. He scoffed, looking the other way.
"Easy to say, when you just won." He clenched his fists, his gaze growing harsher. "You did defeat Raihan, after all..."
"Why, you didn't?" Lloyd didn't immediately reply. He passed a hand over his hair, looking at the ground in recollection.
"Ever since I set off with Falinks, it's been Dragapult that carried us to victory. I got one because it was popular, but it became the key to our success." He gave a smile, fleeting fond memories soon replaced by another frown. "But...I couldn't hope to match the master of dragons, and all my folks and friends in Hammerlocke were rooting for me to reach the League...so...I just took two Stow-on-Side Gym badges when the option was allowed."
"So, that's why you were 'gathering intel'," Gloria said. Slowly, but surely, things were finally falling in place.
"I just wanted to stay in the Wyndon Conference for longer. I knew I wasn't on your level, but...I still hoped I could seize victory after all." He grimaced, shaking his head in resignation. "Guess it was stupid to think I could beat one of the big favorites."
With the full context in her hands, Gloria couldn't help but feel bad for her opponent. The details were different, and the actors too, but it was a tale Gloria was intimately familiar with by now. He was just another victim in Chairman Rose's Galar region, and she wouldn't let it end like it had for her so many times. She placed her hand on his shoulder again, staring straight into Lloyd's eyes.
"I didn't start as one of the big favorites, you know. I was just the girl that Kabu wrecked at the entrance ceremony." She gave him a smile, the sting of that moment now long gone. "And that wasn't even the only loss I had. There were many, some small, some big. It was a bumpy road to the finish.
"But I always found a way to move forward. And it's all those defeats, those failures, that really helped me and my team grow stronger. That's what made us win."
She and Grapploct acknowledged each other, trainer and Pokémon in complete agreement. "You had your own losses and successes along the way, right? Use this as your fuel to improve. Make it another step in your growth."
"What growth? It's the end of the line." Lloyd's words were harsh, and yet Gloria could feel his yearning, the genuine question behind it.
"Only if you allow it to be." Her smile grew even more radiant. "This was an amazing battle, and I want to face you again. The crowd isn't cheering only for me, after all."
Her attention went to the crowd, the initial excitement now tempered in a quieter, but no less enthusiastic chanting of both Gloria and Lloyd's names, filling the stadium with support for both trainers. Only then did the realization dawn on the boy, his awestruck expression warming up considerably more as he realized his battle had not been for nothing. Gloria seized the chance, stretching her hand to her fellow Gym Challenger.
"Let's respond to them together, now," Gloria said with finality, bridging the gap between them.
Lloyd was taken aback by the offer, his cheeks growing distinctly redder. He still shyly clasped the girl's hand, and as their fingers intertwined, Gloria threw their arms up together, celebrating their milestone together. The crowd approved, showering the trainers with even more applause.
"And with a great display of sportsmanship, both challengers are embracing the cheers! A touching display from two great trainers!" Harry declared, riding the wave of outpouring support. Both teenagers stood there, enjoying their hard-earned recognition, while Grapploct allowed himself to bask in the attention. Gloria allowed him to showboat, her attention more focused on Lloyd. The boy's worries had melted away, replaced by a sheepish grin and more than a bit of warm embarrassment.
"Well...looks like the crowd does like the both of us." He gulped, his cheeks even more red. "Maybe...we make for a nice duo, huh?"
Gloria paused, the meaning of those words hitting her immediately. She blinked. Now it was her turn to be embarrassed.
"Wait, you don't mean-?" She shook her head more than necessary, and faster than she could speak. "Sorry, but I'm not... That's just... It's...it's not doable. There's...well..."
Lloyd sighed again. "Alas, should've known. There's another already, right?"
"What?! I-I wouldn't-" Gloria stammered on her words, unsure of what to say.
"No need to confirm it, really. It's obvious." He gave a shrug, wearing a disappointed pout.
"Wait, no! It's not like-"
"No need to mount excuses. It makes sense." With an exhale, Lloyd's mood flipped all the other way, recovering his grin and bringing Gloria's hand down, clasping it in a handshake. "As a gentleman, I'll step aside. Instead, I'll just settle for defeating you next time. That's my new vow!"
Thankful for the shift in topic, Gloria nodded and grinned in turn, shaking the boy's hand firmly. "I'll look forward to that. And I won't hold back."
"Hey! Neither will I!"
Their challenge sealed, both Gloria and Lloyd let out a good-natured laugh, enjoying the moment together before they both departed from the field, with Gloria recalling Grapploct. After changing back to her regular traveling outfit, Gloria left for the main hall of the building, finding her friends waiting for her, ignoring the crowd of fans and onlookers.
"Great battle," was Ash's simple statement. his proud look to his protégé doing all the talking for him.
"And a nice display of maturity," Astrid added with a smirk, enough to make Gloria feel embarrassed.
"I just put what I learned to good use, really." She scratched her neck with a chuckle, glancing over to the corridor she had just left. "It was a fun fight, and I didn't want Lloyd to leave the Conference on a sour note."
"Guy sure seemed popular. Weird how we never got to meet him on the road."
"Well, the world doesn't revolve around me. There are many big favorites I never even met or heard of, but it makes sense. Everyone has their own ambitions and stories behind them, after all." She pumped her fists, determination filling her chest. "And they all deserve to see them through. No matter what the Chairman plans, this is our time. And he won't ruin it."
"You really got Ash's mannerisms down pat now," Kahili snarked in, seeming to pop out of nowhere to elbow the younger girl. Ignoring Ash and Pikachu's flinching reactions to her appearance, Gloria was quick to shake her head.
"Nah, I'm just being myself. Gloria from Postwick." Her smile grew wider, with none of the worries that had accompanied her for so long. "Just one Challenger in a sea of many hopefuls. And that's okay."
Her entourage approved of her drive, from Ash and Astrid that had always been there to watch over her, to Clemont and Kahili that had just started learning about her. It made her feel a little more confident of her new resolve, and of the path still ahead of her. It wasn't a perfect answer to becoming Champion, or what kind she could be, but somewhere inside, it felt like a start. And as her gaze wandered for the hall, it fell on the matchup screen to their side, a particular one catching her interest.
"Oh! Marnie's match is soon." With a grin, she sprinted ahead, turning around in a hurry. "We should head to watch it!"
Turning on her heel, Gloria raced forward, not waiting for the others' approval, but she found she didn't need to, everyone on the same page and already following after her.
"As you wish, commander Gloria," was Astrid's witty comeback. The girl laughed it off, continuing through her own path.
The League was still long, and her rivals were waiting for her up ahead. But Gloria and her team marched on, more than ready to settle the score with them on the road to their dreams.
Author's Note: There's not much for me to say about this chapter. It's a fun, additional battle meant to flush out the League and not just make it the Hop and Marnie show. Allowing some of the other members to get some good time, too. But I'll mostly leave the talk to Viroro. So beyond that, look forward to more of the League continuing next time.
Viroro: And with that, Gloria keeps advancing forward in the Wyndon Conference! This chapter's purpose was very much a way to show that this tournament isn't just going to be Gloria against her rivals, but I still had fun showcasing how far our Postwick trainer has come after her growth and paying off a few small references we made in past chapters, plus getting to write more of Gloria interacting with Delia and Kahili, as well. While the result of the match was never going to be in question, I hope I still managed to give everyone a nice chance to shine here. Lloyd was ultimately a fairly minor character, but he was fun to write and hope that carried over in the story itself, given how he represents the sort of average Galarian trainer that Gloria used to be, among other little things that may pay off in the future.
This was also the final chapter of the Ancienverse I got to write myself, and while I did still play a role in the outline of the following chapter, it's a tad bittersweet to think this is my final fully formed contribution to the universe. It's been a joy and a pleasure to help out in crafting and developing this story, and while I'll have definitely more to say once we reach the ending of Temerity, I'm glad that my final written bit of Gloria involves her being confident of herself and her future, ready to take on her upcoming challenges. I'm quite happy with how we defined and developed her, and it's good to let her go like this for the time being. And in spite of how humungous my chapters continued to end up being compared to Epicocity's, I hope you still managed to have fun with them and that I brought something nice to the table for everyone to enjoy.
That's not to say Gloria's story is over, of course, as there are still plenty of things for her to cover, and we hope you'll keep looking forward to what's to come!
So, let's thank our usual thanks: to ammar98 for favoriting; to Madserino and SD2901 for following; and of course the biggest of thanks to aliensinnoh, MythGirl Writes, StacheKing, Fury, potat lasaro, UltimateCCC, FantasyLover88, Tenzalucard123, AmourshippingCanon, ChE clarinetist, RRV55, Ander Arias, Purim Popoie, TheAuraLucarioGamer, Rajiv A. Rajaram, XDiamondX90 and 1 guest for reviewing.
I hope you're enjoying this stage of the story and look forward to more. Until then, please Review and,
Dare to Be Silly.