A/N: Team Roster: Jackson (Cinderace), Hudson (Mudsdale), Rosa (Bellossom), Theodore (Corviknight), Rouge (Weavile), Ophelia (Haxorus)

Chapter 25 - His Goals

Hudson tried to keep Jackson's Poké Ball closed so he wouldn't keep flashing out of it to mangle Hop, and Rouge had to help freeze Jackson's Poké Ball closed when the Mudsdale wasn't strong enough to keep the Cinderace contained.

Hop scrambled his things together, hugged Dolly for a little longer than he probably should have given the circumstances (and finally shot back after Hudson cleared his throat), waved a goodbye, and raced off toward Wyndon.

"That lad is quite the character," Hudson chuckled as they watched Hop disappear over the snowy hill.

"Jackson will have to get used to him being around more often since you can't seem to keep your hands off each other," Rouge said.

Dolly nearly jumped out of her skin at the words. She whipped around to her smirking Weavile and Mudsdale.

"Yep. You've got it bad," Rouge said with a decisive nod.

"We're just friends!" Dolly spat as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are… are you serious?" Rouge asked, raising her eyebrows. "If I had a dollar for every time you said you were 'just friends,' I could pay for you to get your glasses fixed, since you apparently can't see clearly. I can't be the only one who sees how he looks at you. Hudson? Help me out here."

Hudson shrugged.

"Gee, thanks for the help," Rouge said as she rolled her eyes.

Dolly grumbled a retort as she turned again and started plodding toward Wyndon. Some fresh air and a morning walk should be good for her team, and now that Hop was gone, Jackson needed time to cool down. She tossed out the rest of her team and all of them stretched and gratefully embraced the morning sun.

"I swear I'll kill him," Jackson huffed as he stomped through the snow. He singed the snow and grass beneath each step.

"Are you talking about Señor Hop?" Rosa asked as she clambered up to ride on Hudson's head.

"Yeah," Rouge yawned. "And how Dolly's head over heels."

"I'm not head over heels," she grumbled again. Dolly and her Cinderace made an oddly symmetrical picture, as they both crossed their arms and grumbled about Hop as they stomped through the snow.

"Fine, if you're so adamant you don't like him, what's your type?" Rouge asked as she picked at her fangs.

"I don't have a type, I'm a human. If I did, I'd probably be like, Grass-type or something."

"I meant what type of guy, you moron."

"Oh. I uh… I dunno."

"I do," Rosa chirped. "It is tall, dark, and handsome!"

"Huh," Rouge hummed, scratching her chin. "Tall? Check. Dark? Check. Handsome? Check. Look at that, he checks all three boxes."

Dolly kicked a ball of ice and tucked her jacket tighter around her.

"It's not just physical stuff! I'm not that shallow," she huffed. "He'd have to be… um… fun to be around…"

"Check!" Rosa chirped.

"...Encouraging."

"Check," Hudson nodded.

Dolly's face was heating up.

"Funny, loves Pokémon, is nice to me…"

"Check, check, and check," Rouge finished. "You know if you're trying to convince me you're not in love with Hop, you're really not doing yourself any favors. Why'd you let him stay in your tent? Couldn't stay away from that cheeky smile?"

"His tent was torn in half by a Beartic and I'm a proper friend who didn't want him to freeze to death and he's a proper friend who didn't want me to freeze to death!" Dolly spat.

"Why would you freeze to death?" Rouge asked casually.

"Jackson stole my blankets in his sleep and I was shivering like a stupid Snowrunt and he said he couldn't sleep with my teeth chattering so we had to share and-"

Dolly froze. The Weavile raised an eyebrow.

"S-so um. We. W-we… we uh…"

"So yooou…?" Rouge repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"W-we… well it was just to keep warm and… and um…"

"So you cuddled?"

Dolly's cheeks were flaring red.

"You totally did!" Rouge said after a laugh exploded from her mouth. "So that's what happened! You're a gooey mess because he cuddled with you all night!"

"You finally embraced!" Rosa squealed. "What was it like, my Dolly? Did he hold you in his strong arms? Did he kiss you to wake you up?"

"No! Not to wake me up!"

Rouge's jaw dropped.

"I-I mean no! He didn't kiss me! W-well we didn't kiss! He woke me up by playing with my hair, not by kissing me!"

"He was playing with your hair?!" Rosa squealed again. "Oh how romantic!"

"He kissed you?!" Rouge repeated.

"And you loved it all, didn't you, my Dolly?" Rosa said with a swoon. "You love it when he touches you."

"No I don't!" Dolly sputtered. "It was all out of necessity! He was playing with my hair to help me relax and we had to share a blanket so I wouldn't freeze to death!"

"Why didn't you just return Jackson to his Poké Ball?" Hudson asked, still plodding along as the Bellossom swooned while sitting on his head. "Coulda taken your blanket back."

Dolly stopped in her tracks.

"I… I didn't think of that."

"And there's no way I woulda let that happen," Jackson growled, sneering at his teammates. "I'm not leaving her alone with him…"

"So it was fate," Rosa said as she pounded her fist into her other hand. "The stars aligned, and he was destined to hold you in his arms all night."

"She couldn't think of anything else because she was probably too distracted," Rouge snickered.

"Oh, yes, my Dolly, were you distracted by his beautiful smile?" Rosa asked.

"Or those toned muscles?" Rouge asked.

"His long eyelashes?"

"Those long legs?"

"His golden eyes?"

"That tanned body?"

"Oh look there's a Trainer time to train!" Dolly spluttered, and quickly returned all of her Pokémon to their Poké Balls.

So much for a peaceful morning walk.

Dolly was grateful for the distraction of battle, as the memories and feelings of her and Hop's time together were still throbbing in her heart. As she and her team battled, their morning conversation took a backseat, as each of her Pokémon were focused on battling through Route 10 and gaining multiple levels each. Dolly was grateful; she needed to be beyond what she thought was a high enough level if she wanted to beat Leon without losing anyone.

Dolly kicked at another ice chunk as she wove her way through Route 10. Ophelia, her Haxorus, was still out from their last battle. She wasn't terribly cruel when it came to teasing, so perhaps she could stay out for a while.

"Are you excited to battle in the Champion Cup, Dolly?" Ophelia asked.

Dolly let out a sigh of relief to finally not be bombarded about her relationship status. She really admired Ophelia. She was soft and kind and had a strangely melodic voice. It had always shocked her, as her presumption of a terrifying Dragon-type would be loud, rambunctious, with a deep and gravelly voice. Ophelia wasn't like that, though. She was easily the gentlest member of her team, often singing them to sleep at the end of the day. Her voice was high-pitched, but not shrill. It almost sounded like silvery and gentle birdsong, and a bit like the Shell Bell she wore around her neck. She often picked little flowers to tuck into Dolly's hair as they walked.

"I think so," Dolly replied. "It's strange, being so close like this. I know you came onto the team the most recently, but it's been such a long journey. It's hard to believe I may almost be there. I may finally be close to breaking the Curse."

"That will be an exciting day," Ophelia nodded as they walked through the snow. "I know we've all worked so hard to get here - you most of all. Although they're all a bit quirky, it's easy to tell each of your Pokémon love you dearly."

"To say they're quirky is quite an understatement," Dolly laughed. "But I do love you all from the bottom of my heart. I couldn't have made it this far without your strength and support."

"That's what friends are for," her Haxorus smiled. "And don't forget your other friends, too, like Sonia and Hop. They have both been very encouraging friends to you. Perhaps you could do something nice for them after all of this is over."

They walked in silence for a while, and the snow started to thin the further they traveled through Route 10. Dolly's mind turned to Hop yet again, and she picked around her fingers. Why couldn't she get him out of her head? His smile, his eyes, his warmth… It was like he was the static cling of his shirt she still wore.

"Ophelia…?"

Her Haxorus glanced to her.

"H-how do you know… um… how do you know if someone… if someone fancies you?"

Ophelia breathed out a laugh, looking again to the path ahead.

"I'm afraid there is no exact science," Ophelia said. "If that were the case, the world would have far less love stories, love songs, love letters and poetry. I think that would be quite a sad world to live in."

Dolly nodded and watched little blades of grass poke up through the snow as they walked.

"Why do you ask, Dolly?"

Dolly heaved out another sigh and shoved her hands into her pockets.

"I um… I dunno. Everyone was just teasing earlier but… it's all been really confusing for me. Hop's my best friend, and always has been ever since I moved to Postwick. S-so I just… I guess I don't know what to think. I don't understand how he could see me like that…"

Ophelia let out a laugh as she plucked a little flower out of the ground.

"Dolly, I hope one day you can see yourself as we see you - as I'm sure he sees you. You have a kind and gentle heart. You are beautiful, inside and out."

Her Haxorus tucked the little flower into Dolly's hair.

"From what I've heard from our doting team members, it seems Hop has been fascinated by you since the day he met you. Whether that means it's platonic or not, I can't say for sure. And either way Dolly, you don't need to figure everything out in a day."

Dolly nodded and breathed out another sigh.

"I think the Champion Cup is more important to think about right now anyway, don't you?" Ophelia smiled. "Hop will always be there for you, but the Champion Cup won't."

Dolly nodded, grinning at the thought of battling on the Champion pitch.

"You're right, thanks Ophelia."

The Champion Cup. Wyndon Stadium. It was the very same arena that she saw so many times from the screen of her phone, or the screen of her television. It was the very same arena that she watched the Champion of Galar blaze through everyone who challenged him, battling with grace, with power, with passion.

It would be the very same pitch where she would take the title of Champion. She knew it just as she knew the blood that beat in her veins.

As she reached the peak of the hill, again, Dolly knew. As she looked over Wyndon, over the magnanimity of the grandest city she had ever seen, she could already hear the crowds cheering her name. A grin etched onto her face, her heart started to pound, and her hair started to wisp in the wind as she saw Wyndon stadium in the distance.

She would do it. She would win. She would destroy each and every opponent without mercy to reach her goal. She would order her Pokémon forth, feel their power in her blood, watch as the smoke and the fire and the sand whirled around her as her opponents fell one by one. And then, she would face Leon. She would fight him with everything she had, and his Pokémon would fall too. The roar of the crowd would be deafening as she faced his Charizard, and the world would shake with the sound of her name as Leon's last Pokémon fell. She would lose no one, and her power would be apparent. She would be leagues more powerful than the most powerful Champion the world had ever seen, because she harbored the power that can only grow from the pain she had experienced. She would unleash it as the world stared in awe, and then Leon would fall to his knees at her feet. She would defeat the undefeated. And then, she would break the unbreakable. Beat the Champion, break the Curse.

Dolly motioned to take a step, and a faint memory stroked through her mind.

Hesitate.

Wait.

Go home to Postwick.

The words filtered through her mind like a dusty music box, its tone seeping into the air.

Dolly listened. She heard the faint words that used to so habitually repeat through her mind.

And then, just as quickly as they came, those thoughts were gone. Another six words took their place.

Beat the Champion, break the Curse.

Those were the words that pounded in her head just as her feet pounded against the earth. She was jogging. She was running. She was sprinting and racing beyond the burrs and the scars that littered her skin. She was running beyond the spit and the trash and the insults that had so often been thrown at her. The feeling of freedom welled in her soul, bursting within her as the wind whipped through her hair, as the gravel crunched beneath her feet. The gates of Wyndon welcomed her, and Dolly could barely breathe at the grandeur of the city before her.

Her eyes were locked on Wyndon stadium, twinkling pink in the distance. Dolly stopped for nothing, for no one, until she reached the plaza, until she reached the steps, until she reached the front counter of the stadium.

And then she leaned on the counter, because again, she could barely breathe. Hop had just finished signing in and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Did you run all the way here?"

"Yeah," she panted. Then, she flopped her head on the counter. "I think I pulled something."

"That'll make it easier to win against you when we battle," came a voice from behind her.

Dolly raised her head to see Marnie standing with her hands tucked in the pockets of her leather jacket.

"H-hold on," Dolly said as she heaved in another breath. "Give me thirty seconds then I can trash talk."

"You'd really think you'd have more stamina by now after traveling so much," Hop said.

"Shut it."

Dolly handed her Gym Badges to the League staff at the front desk. He looked them over as she caught her breath, then officially registered her for the Champion Cup.

"Looks like Bede didn't make it, hard luck," Hop said as he gazed over the atrium. "Somehow, I didn't think he'd take being disqualified lying down, you know what I mean?"

"It's true, he didn't seem the type," Marnie said as Dolly's breathing finally slowed. "We should head to the locker room, soon, though, no use in waiting for him."

"Alright, you guys ready to lose?" Dolly said as she squared her shoulders with a grin.

"That's the best you could come up with?" Hop asked. "You had an extra thirty seconds to think about something clever."

He laughed as Dolly shoved his arm, then the three of them made their way to their respective locker rooms. After a quick pep talk with her Pokémon, a League staff ushered her forward, and it was already time to head onto the pitch.

The Champion pitch was astronomically larger than any stadium she had been in before, and the crowds in the stands still filled every bit of it. Dolly gazed around as she made her way to the center of the pitch - it was like the world existed only of Wyndon stadium, only of her and Marnie standing across from each other.

"I knew you'd get all the badges and meet me here," Marnie said.

Dolly nodded. The weight of what she was about to do, what she was about to conquer; it was what made her heart beat. It was what caused the blood to pulse through her veins, through her arteries. It was a reminder of every night spent in the country of Galar, of every tear shed, of every Pokémon lost - one of them to the very girl before her.

"I know that there's a lot between us," Marnie continued. "With your Wooloo, my big brother and your Solosis, Team Yell, helpin' Spikemuth and all that… But the truth is, when all's said and done… I really just wanna become Champion for myself, so don't take it personal when I kick your butt!"

Dolly grinned at her friend before her. She had always liked Marnie. She never seemed to judge, never seemed to scoff or look down her nose at her like all the other Challengers did. However, even though Marnie was honest, authentic, and kind, Dolly had no intention of holding back. It was finally time to defeat that Croagunk that took Lacey from her so long ago.

They took their stances on either side of the pitch. They simultaneously breathed in, then hurled their first Poké Ball.

Dolly's heart blazed through the battle, fighting against that familiar Liepard, Morpeko, even the Toxicroak that battled Lacey so long ago. Even with the sting of painful memories, Dolly had no intention of losing. Her Pokémon lurched forward, as they too were desperate to avenge their old friend. Dolly had trained her Pokémon beyond what she thought would be a good level to stop, and before long, Marnie's final Grimmsnarl was defeated, and a deafening boom echoed through the arena as it fell to the pitch. When the dust settled, Marnie cast her gaze to the ground with a huff. As they met in the middle, Dolly gave Marnie a hug, who happily returned it, and when they each stepped back, Marnie cast her eyes down again.

"Everyone in the stadium was watchin' us durin' all that. I heard them cheerin' for me an' my Pokémon. It was… nice. I may have lost, but at least we drove the audience wild."

Dolly nodded, gazing over the stands as Marnie spoke. Banners bearing their names were waving in the crowd - Dolly wondered just how many Team Yell members there actually were, because the crowd was dappled with plenty of pink and black. She wouldn't be surprised if all of Spikemuth had showed up to support their 'little princess.'

"Think I'll join my brother in the stands," Marnie said. "And we'll see who ends up challenging the Champion. Just so you know… I haven't decided if I'm gonna cheer for you."

Once she was back in the locker room, Dolly barely had time to sit down before the League Staff was ushering her back onto the pitch. Apparently Hop had won against the other Challenger quite handily, and it was time for her to battle again.

A lump formed in her throat. She had a feeling it would come to this.

Her body shook as she stepped onto the pitch, waiting with anticipation for the battle soon to start. She met Hop in the middle and gazed up at his familiar face.

He smiled softly at her as the roar of the crowd erupted. It was like every audience member knew. It was like they all knew everything. It was like they all knew every word, every touch, every night spent together. It was seemingly all laid bare as Hop and Dolly stood across from each other.

"I just had this sort of flashback, you know?" Hop said softly. "Remember? Back when we were still in Postwick. When we got our Pokémon from Lee that day, I never would've dreamed that I'd end up standing here… facing you, of all people."

Dolly breathed out a laugh as their situation loomed over her and the entire stadium. When Hop's smile softened into the stoic power she had seen when he battled Raihan, she had to steel herself - now was not the time to buckle under the weight of the intensity in his eyes.

"Everything I told you on Route 10, Dolls… I can't deny it. But now that I'm here, standing on this pitch... It's time I finish what was started that day in Postwick. The one who'll become Champion is me."

Hop and Dolly made their way to their sides of the pitch. They turned, and gazed into the eyes of their best friend.

And there they stood; necessity against necessity, autonomy against belonging, and security against freedom. One was seeking love from a brother, the other seeking love from the world. Both wanted this, needed this, and both were willing to do whatever it took to secure the victory from the other.

Whomever won could move forward. Whoever won would reach their goal, while crushing the other's into the ground. Their determination and necessity to win were mutually exclusive; in that moment, on the Champion pitch, one could not exist alongside the other. As the two friends blazed with determination, each was fully confident it would be them, and each was willing to risk the other to get it.

The fires roared to life as each threw out their first Pokémon. Everything they had gone through, together, separately, their goals and memories and feelings all shot through the air with each attack, rolled across the grass with each defense. Their words and actions and glances were thick in the air, thick in the dust rising around them.

There were potions and berries and flashes of light, cheers and songs and roars from the crowd. Memories and lights and sounds wove through the stadium; it was as if a blanket in a tent was rustling, as if a hotel door was creaking, as if the steam of a bath was wafting through the air. It was as if the sound of charms tinkled, as if mushrooms glowed, as if Butterfree fluttered. It was smiles and laughter and brief touches and glances, confusion and wonderings and security, all at the same time.

Each sunset, each brush of the skin, bits of fur in the mouth, the bruises and cuts and bandages and giggles, the tinge of pink on cheeks, the glint of gold in the eye, the stories and dreams and interlocking fingers; all of it was woven in every particle in the air, woven in the arteries of each Trainer, as they battled and moved across the grass of the pitch.

They locked eyes. It was stoicism against stoicism, power against power, might against might. It was as if they were dancing through the battle, stepping in time with the song of the crowd. They weaved and stepped and turned, ushering their Pokémon forward in blazes of passion. The necessity lurched with each attack, pulling each Trainer forward from between their bones. Every muscle and tendon and fiber of being, they moved and pulled and danced along with the song of the crowd until finally her Pokémon were weak, and his were back to their Poké Balls.

As the dust settled, he looked into her eyes once again.

"Looks like I'm down to my last Pokémon," Hop grimaced as he tossed his Poké Ball. Both his Rillaboom and her Cinderace Dynamaxed, and the red glow saturated the stadium. "Should have left it to you not go easy on-"

Hop froze as he looked up at Dolly across the pitch.

Past the feelings, past the memories, past the dirt and the dust and the smoke of the battle, tears were streaming down her face. Their tracks glistened in the stadium lights, down her face and stained her shirt in dark gray splotches, as they fell in globs onto the turf below. Red smeared over her nose, her eyes, her face, as her sobs echoed from across the pitch in broken, cracked huffs.

A breath escaped his lips. His heart stopped as he watched her there, shoulders slumped as she cried freely, not even bothering to wipe the tears from her face. They fell rapidly, continuously, with no sign of stopping soon. From so far away, he could barely make out the words on her lips as she shook her head and whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Hop."

In one swift strike, Dolly won the semifinals.

Rillaboom returned in a flash to his Poké Ball. Hop stared at the pitch, unable to process the seconds leading up to this moment. His shoulders trembled, quaked, until he threw a fist in defeat. Then, he looked back up to Dolly.

It was an eternity that they stood across from each other. The cheers that erupted around them were muffled, like the sound itself was being pushed out by the gravity of the universe only the two of them were in. Everything around them was cloaked in that gravity, as they slowly stepped towards each other.

It only took two steps before Dolly broke into a sprint, her hair and tears flying behind her as she ran towards him. Her feet pounded against the pitch, covering the space in seconds that felt like years. He caught her as she threw her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry, Hop, I'm so sorry," she sobbed as her body slumped against his. She shook her head as her fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt. "I'm so sorry,"

"It's alright, Dolls," he whispered into her hair, though he couldn't hide the crack in his voice. "I'm glad it was you here with me."

There they stood, muffled sobs and silent tears alike falling from the eyes of the two friends. They weren't sure how long they stood there, or who was watching, or where they were. It didn't matter. The universe existed only for them. Everything that laced itself throughout the pitch, throughout the battle, finally settled into the ground.

After that eternity, after their tears had ebbed, after their breathing softened, Hop took a step back to gaze into Dolly's bloodshot eyes.

"You're off to the finals though, mate, that's excellent," he said with a smile.

His eyes scanned her face, blotchy and red. Her glasses were fogged from the heat of her tears, and the once-neat tear tracks were smeared over her cheeks. Strands of hair stuck to her cheeks, plastered to her skin like wet glue.

"But, because of me, you can't reach your goal, you won't be able to face-"

"My goals are mine to decide," he interrupted.

Dolly hiccuped as her eyes flitted about his face.

"Hop…"

"And because of this, you're one step closer to breaking this bloody Noodle Curse," he added with a soft smile.

Dolly let out a weak laugh, and shook her head.

"You're a twit."

Like a switch was flipped, he grinned as he lifted his thumbs up under her glasses, and wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks.

"And I'm your favorite twit. No more tears, 'k, mate? You won fair and square."

She nodded and pulled the hair off her face. Dolly wove her hands around his waist again, hoping she could squeeze every bit of love into his bones so he could know, so he could feel it, so she could wrap every bit of herself around him, and he would never never fall apart. After another eternity she let go, although her fingers were still ghosting over the fabric of his shirt. She was worried that if she stepped too far away, he may disappear forever. He alleviated her fear as he curled his fingers around hers. The two stepped back and took a glance around, and the confetti was fluttering around them, and the crowd was still going wild.

"And the victor of the Semifinals," the announcer boomed throughout the Stadium. "The Challenger who has won their way through all of the many hopeful Trainers in the Gym Challenge is… Challenger Dolly!"

Her eyes darted around the audience, and it suddenly dawned on her where she was. A lump formed in her throat. She turned again to Hop, and through the glitter and confetti, he matched her gaze. She let out a weak smile, and he again, like she was now so accustomed to, looked at her for just a second too long.

After a nod, a squeeze of the hand, they walked together off the pitch.

As soon as they made it into the locker room, both were almost blasted back by an explosion of cheers from the Gym Leaders waiting for them there. Hop actually was catapulted back, as Leon launched himself onto his brother as soon as they stepped into the locker room.

"Hop, I am so proud of you," Leon said as he squeezed his brother as hard as he could. He took a step back, and held Hop by his shoulders. "You were incredible. Brilliant. Honestly, I am honored to call you my brother."

Hop froze, and after a few seconds, his shoulders started to shake. Leon pulled him into another hug.

"Your determination and ferocity inspire me every time I battle, and that was apparent in your battle today. I know I don't say it enough, but I love you, Hop."

"I love you too, Lee," Hop sniffed.

He finally stood back and rubbed at his eyes. Leon slung his arm around Hop's shoulders as he wiped his eyes, and Leon ruffled his hair.

"And you, Dolly," he grinned. "To think that the two of you set out together from the same town, built up the greatest teams, and arrived here at this point to throw everything you had at one another… That burning desire to win… Those moves filled with undefeatable passion! It was battling at its very purest, in every possible way!"

Dolly grinned as Leon stepped forward and slung his other arm around her, though she grumbled when he ruffled her hair as well.

"My team members and I will give everything that we've got in us to defeat our challenger," he continued. "And the challenger standing before us might as well end up being you, Dolly. In fact, that's precisely what I'm hoping for!"

Dolly gazed around the room, watching as each Gym Leader stood before her and offered Dolly and Hop a congratulations. As soon as Piers was about to speak, Raihan shoved himself to the front of the group.

"Now that was an ending to the semifinals if I've ever seen one!" Raihan beamed.

"Excuse you," Piers grumbled.

"You had the crowd going mad, all the way up until the very end!" Raihan continued, ignoring Piers and throwing his arms up. He whipped out his Rotom phone as evidence. "You should have seen everything blowing up on social!"

Hop and Dolly peered onto his screen as he scrolled, viewing themselves standing in the middle of the pitch together only moments ago. Raihan took a step back, held his hands out, and gestured grandly.

"What a story. Two mates from the teeny town of Nowhere, both endorsed by the Champion. One," he said as he pointed to Hop. "His little brother with sights set on finally tasting greatness and glory of his own. The other," he said as he pointed to Dolly. "With a mysterious condition with the goal of breaking free of it."

Raihan was standing on a bench now, still gesturing grandly. His head almost hit the ceiling, but neither that, nor the furrowed brows of the League staff, seemed to sway him as he continued.

"Opponents throughout their Gym Challenge, each have worthy and big dreams, the same goal they both need to reach - the Championship! Nothing can stop them, not even each other, friends and rivals until the bitter end, and then THIS!"

Raihan shoved his Rotom phone at them again. The screen showed a picture of how Dolly hugged Hop with everything she had, and of Hop's soft smile and tear-stained face.

"Oh man, do you two know how to make a dramatic ending!" Raihan laughed as he double-tapped his screen.

"Geez, good news travels fast, huh," Hop muttered.

"That's what happens when you're among the strongest Pokémon Trainers in Galar," Leon chuckled, ruffling Hop's hair again. "You both must be exhausted. Go wash up and we'll get some dinner later tonight."

Dolly bit back a yawn as her body felt heavy at the word. She nodded, and Leon ushered her and Hop into the lift, enthusing that they needed to go greet their fans. They both stumbled into the lift, and waved at the Gym Leaders as the doors closed. After a moment, Hop slumped against the wall.

"I am beat. You don't mess around, Dolls."

She laughed and tucked a hair behind her ear. And then, when she had time to recall the severity of what she just accomplished, and at what cost, the tears started to tumble down her face again. Her lip quivered as she turned to Hop.

"Hop, I'm so sor-"

"Dolls," he interrupted. He stood straight and sternly set his hands on his hips. "I said I'm fine, please believe me."

Her lip was still quivering as she nodded. Hop chuckled, and again wiped the tears from her face.

"Well, maybe I'll be more fine if I get another hug."

Dolly breathed out a laugh and curled her arms around him. He sighed when she rested her head on his chest.

"Ahh, yep, now I'm definitely fine."

She rolled her eyes as Hop squeezed her tighter.

"Honestly… I thought I would feel different," he muttered against her hair. "Sure, I'm bummed but mainly… mainly I feel… free."

She pulled back.

"Really?"

"Really really."

Dolly beamed up at him and flung herself against him in another hug. Hop let out an 'oof' and stumbled back against the wall of the lift. The tears were falling again as she hugged him with everything she had.

"G-geez you're going to break my ribs,"

"Shut up and let me be happy for you."

Hop laughed and squeezed her in return. After a few seconds, he let out a 'hm.'

"Never been too good at shutting up, personally," he pondered.

"You're ruining the moment, Hop."

"Well…" Hop said cautiously. "There is one way to get me to stop talking..."

Dolly paused, then pulled back again. Hop's cheeks were tinged red as he gazed down at her, and he was cautiously biting his lip. Before she could respond, however, the lift doors opened, and they were met with a chorus of applause. League staff ushered them out of the lift, through the atrium, and out of the front doors of the stadium.

As soon as they stepped into the plaza, another chorus of cheers erupted from below. Dolly grinned as she saw signs with her name etched in them and jerseys with the number 052 throughout the crowd. She made her way down the steps as a few girls ran up to her.

"Your match with Hop was brilliant!" one enthused as her eyes sparkled. "Can we get a picture?"

Dolly's heart swelled as she nodded. Hop grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up as he continued down the steps, then they all huddled around her and the girl's Rotom phone snapped a picture of them. After their picture, and a bit of chatting, they said their thanks and headed into the crowd, but not before Dolly caught the end of their conversation.

"Let's get one with Hop, too!"

"Oh yes please, that boy is yummy."

And suddenly, Dolly wasn't so fond of those girls anymore.

Dolly meandered through the crowd, signing autographs and taking pictures, and overall enjoying the energy in the space. She caught sight of Hop who was standing and chatting with the group of girls from earlier, and something in her stomach tightened. Something in her didn't like the way the tall one tittered around him, flipping her hair and batting her eyelashes.

Even with one of them swooning all over him, touching his arms, and offering her phone number, Hop politely declined, and waved a goodbye.

...Huh.

Dolly started to make her way to the edge of the plaza. It was about time she and Hop started heading out anyway, as the sun was beginning to set. They still needed to wash up and get ready for dinner with Leon. The crowd had seemed to grow thicker in the past few minutes, and Dolly had a hard time getting around. Suddenly, she could no longer see the edge of the plaza, as hundreds of people buzzed around her. She whipped her head around for a sign of something familiar, for the road, for Hop, but there were too many people in the way.

Just as the group started closing in around her, her throat started to close. Her heartbeat sped up and her hands started to shake. Flashbacks to the mob at Motostoke shot through her vision like gunshots, their angry yells filling her ears. She tried to back away, only to run into more people.

Suddenly, instead of the Wyndon stadium plaza, she was shot back to Motostoke, on her way to Budew Drop Inn. Behind her eyelids, she watched the angry mob furiously swiping at her, and the ringing in her ears were their insults and accusations. Then, again she was back to the plaza, hopeful faces around her. She tried to breathe slowly, but the memories tore through her mind, slashed through her rationale.

More and more people pressed into her, and her breathing started to quicken. Dolly couldn't control its rate, her breaths coming in faster and faster. Her vision started to tunnel. It was like her skin was a sharp, cold, electric current. Her vision continued to flip between Wyndon in the evening sun, and Motostoke in the stormy dark, smiling faces and furious faces, but the same feeling of her chest tight and fingers cold.

Wait.

They were smiling.

They were all laughing and talking and smiling at her.

They weren't calling her a monster.

"Your match was amazing!" someone said from beside her.

They weren't calling her a freak.

"Yes, absolutely brilliant!" the person next to them enthused.

She was waiting, waiting, for someone to call her a murderer.

"You're incredible, Challenger Dolly!"

...Maybe she wasn't disgusting. Maybe they didn't think she was terrible.

A small smile bloomed on Dolly's face as she started to return to reality. That flower of self-love was slowly ingraining its roots deeper, forming new patterns and thoughts as she conversed with her fans. She kindly asked them to not stand so close, they happily obliged, and Dolly believed them when they complimented her. She believed them when they said they admired her. She believed them when they said she was strong, said she was brave. And, she believed in her heart that she was worthy of love.