Hey, I'm back! Sorry that I haven't written in a while. I had some writer's block and I was procrastinating as I was making this chapter. But I realize that's no excuse so again I apologize. My chapters may not come to you guys immediately but I gave you all my word that I wasn't going to stop until I reached the end and I meant it. Now without further ado, let's begin this chapter. Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 3: I'll be counting the stars until my dream comes true
"Please, I'm begging you, mom. Let me go on a journey across the Galar region to complete the Pokedex." said Gloria as she and Scorbunny got down on their hands and knees to beg Lisa to let her go on a journey. Lisa was still a bit mad at Gloria for sneaking out at night, she was reluctant to let her daughter go on her own journey.
"You have a tendency to cause headaches for everyone around you. I'm not sure it's a good idea to let you out into the world. Why don't you wait until you've matured a bit before you ask me to go on a journey?" said Lisa
"But I can't wait any longer! Now that I'm a trainer, I have to get there to see what I'm really made of! I'm going to make my dream come true no matter what!" said Gloria as she lifted her head up to look at her mother.
Lisa could see the strong desire in Gloria's eyes. She knew going on a journey could be the best thing for her, but she was still not so sure. That was when Victor approached her.
"Mom, if you're that worried about Gloria being on her own, then how about I go with her?" said Victor to go on this journey with his sister
"Are you sure dear? Don't you want to study so you could get into a university to become a detective?" said Lisa
"That's still my end goal, but I can afford to fall behind for at least a year and catch up in no time at all. If I too miss out on this chance to see the world, I know I'll come to regret it for the rest of my life." said Victor as he walked over to Gloria. "Besides, with me by her side, I can make sure she stays out of trouble. You won't have to worry about a thing." said Victor as he pulled Gloria up from the ground.
"Hey, quit sounding like I'm some little kid that needs to be babysat" said Gloria, loud enough for only Victor to hear
"Except you are, now if you want to go on this journey, I recommend you shut up and let us do the talking" said Victor, loud enough for only Gloria to hear
"Victor is right ma'am. Besides, he won't deal with her alone, not when he's got me with him. I'm also going on a journey across Galar, I can totally keep my eyes on Gloria whenever I'm not too busy. You can trust us" said Hop reassuring Lisa.
Lisa was still unsure about all this, but then Gloria started to speak again.
"Mom, I swear, this will be the last time you need to worry about me. If Victor and Hop say they will look out for me, I'm guaranteed to stay out of trouble and by the time that my journey is over, you'll see that I'll become a completely different person. I have to do this, so please let me" said Gloria as she bowed again asking her mom for her permission. Lisa let out a sigh, got up from the chair and walked over to look out the window.
"I've known from back when you were a little girl that when you showed that rambunctious, adventurous spirit that I once had when I was your age, that you would one day leave Postwick to go on a journey. You were never meant to live in this small town, Gloria. A whole new world is waiting for you out there. But I also got worried because you happen to get yourself into trouble." said Lisa as she then walked over to her daughter and displaced her hands on Gloria's shoulders "I can't stop you once you've made up your mind. I think this will be good for you to finally find your place in the world. Once you do, I'll be proud of the woman you've become"
"Does that mean that…" before Gloria could finish her sentence, her mother gave her the answer
"Just promise me that you'll call me every once in a while and try not to be too much of a nuisance while you're out there" said Lisa
"Definitely. Thanks mom, I promise you won't regret this and I'll do my best" said Gloria, excitedly
"Victor, keep a close eye on your sister. The two of you will need to rely on each other while you journey across Galar" said Lisa as she stood up and faced Victor.
"Can do" said Victor
"And Hop, continue being a good friend to Gloria and Victor" said Lisa turning to Hop
"Hehehe, sure thing." said Hop with a grin
"Remember, your Pokemon will battle to the very end for you, their loyal trainers. They take all the hits for you, so don't push them too hard, okay?" stated Lisa, imparting one advice to her kids
"Don't worry, I won't" said Gloria
"Me neither" said Victor
"And Scorbunny, I know my daughter can be a handful at times, so please look after her for me" said Lisa as she bent over to Scorbunny.
"Fah" Scorbunny lets out a cry that tells Lisa "Don't worry, I will, because we are a team".
"Aw, mom" said Gloria, embarrassed as Victor and Hop laughed
"Now then, I've kept you kids long enough. Didn't you say you were going to Wedgehurst for the first stop on your journey" said Lisa.
"Oh, that's right, we need to head to the Pokemon Lab there to get our Pokedexes. I'll go get my things, you guys wait for me" said Gloria as she raced to her room to get everything she needs for her journey
"Right, I think I'll wait for you guys at Route 1. Come find me when you're ready to go" said Hop as he showed himself out.
"Okay, see you soon" said Victor
After Gloria gathered her things and her and Victor's mother handed them both money for them to use for their journey, the twins headed out. Lisa stayed behind to waved them goodbye at the entrance of their home
"Bye Victor. Bye Gloria. Come back home anytime you want. Remember, east or west, home is always the best." said Lisa, waving her two children bye
"Thanks, mom. We'll be back" said Victor, waving bye to his mom
"Yeah, bye mom, next time you see us, we'll be amazing Pokemon Trainers" said Gloria, while waving bye with both hands and walking backwards.
Lisa watches as her two children, who she raised all by herself (with help from her parents), are off on a journey with their Pokemon. It was hard to let go of them (after all, she took such great care of her children after giving birth to them), but she knows that it was for the best; they need to find their own path in life. She couldn't be more proud of them as she shed tears for them. Lisa wiped the tears and got a hold of herself, she would be alone but she would not be completely alone, as she had Munchlax to keep her company and the neighbors for her to talk to.
"Now then, I've got a couple of things I need to do. First things first, I have to notify the school that my children will be away for a while." said Lisa as she went back into the house
"Breath it in, brother dear. That is the fresh breath of our new lives as amazing Pokemon trainers" said Gloria, as she took a breath of fresh air while stretching her arms.
"Yeah, whatever, just don't go overboard, Gloria. Now come on, we need to reach Wedgehurst before the sunsets" said Victor as he took his sister by the wrist and they entered Route 1
"Relax, we've got all the time in the world to enjoy ourselves" said Gloria
"Take too much time and time and life will pass you by, sis" said Victor as he and Gloria entered Route 1 and spotted Hop
"Hey guys. Here we go, this is quite the big first step, you know" said Hop greeting his friends
"Yeah, the first step towards me becoming a top-knatch trainer, who'll become a detective" said Victor as he let's go of Gloria
"And me becoming the next Champion, mind you" said Hop, adding his dream
"You mean, my big first step to becoming Champion, Hop" said Gloria
"No, I mean, me" said Hop
"Yeah, well I mean me, too, Hopkins, I'll become the greatest Champion Galar has ever seen" said Gloria
"Not if I have anything to say about it, Glor'" said Hop
"Oh yeah?!" said Gloria
"Yeah" said Hop
The two of them continued to butt heads until Victor stepped in to put a stop to this.
"Now, now, break it up, you two." said Victor, putting both of his hands on their faces "We should be getting to Wedgehurst, before anything else"
"You're right, but first, we should train our Pokemon up a bit and Route 1 has got plenty of wild Pokemon for beginners to train with" said Hop
"Good thinking, I'll see you two at the Pokemon Lab in Wedgehurst. Later" said Gloria as she ran towards the grass
"Wait, Gloria! Do you even know where the Pokemon Lab is?" asks Victor.
"No, but I'll ask the locals where I can find it, so don't worry. Bye" said Gloria as she took her leave.
"Agrh, that girl! Every time she says not to worry is when I worry the most!" said Victor as he huffed
"Yeah, but at least she finds a way to make life exciting, anyway see you at the Pokemon Lab, Vic" said Hop as he ran towards the grass
"Hey wait" said Victor but it was too late "Hah, oh well, might as well join in on the fun" said Victor as he also went into the grass to train his Pokemon.
After going into tall grass, the trio of teens, Victor, Hop and Gloria trained their newest Pokemon Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. Once Victor and Hop have felt like they have done enough training, they decide to head towards the Pokemon Lab in Wedgehurst to get their Pokedex. Gloria, on the other hand, stook around Route 1 a little bit longer to train her Scorbunny. Once she felt like Scorbunny had had enough, she went to Wedgehurst. Like she told Victor and Hop, she had no clue where the Pokemon Lab is, so she had no choice but to ask the locals. Once she had gotten enough info, she found the Pokemon Lab and that she wasn't the only one at the front door.
"Leon!" shouted out Gloria
"Oh hey Gloria, so you reached the Pokemon Research Lab, well done! You did a far sight better than me on my first time" said Leon congratulating Gloria on reaching the Lab.
"Yeah well, I didn't know where the lab was so I had to ask for directions to get here" said Gloria
"Really, well you're lucky; I'm hopeless with direction" said Leon
"You don't say?" said Gloria in a tone of voice that made it seem like Leon wasn't stating the obvious "I'm betting someone helped you get here"
"Ha ha, well you're not wrong! Anyway, have you seen the way your world has changed, all thanks to having a Pokemon by your side? I'm sure am glad to have Charizard with me… to keep me from getting lost" said Leon with a smile
"Then, try to make things less difficult for Charizard by trying to get better with your sense of directions, oh mighty Champion of the Galar region" said Gloria with a stern look on her face.
"Ha ha, I'll try my best. Anyway let's get inside" said Leon as he was taken back a little.
"Alright, I'll do the honors" said Gloria as she slammed the door open hard as she walked in "HEY, POKEMON PROFESSOR, I'M HERE FOR A POKEDEX! GIVE ME ONE!" as Gloria slammed the door open, she took notice of the lab she entered. It had two floors that can be seen from the entrance; the first floor had desks, boards, contraptions and just about anything you could find in a lab. The second floor was filled to the brim with books on shelves that reached the roof.
"Oh, Gloria, you made it and I see you brought Lee" said Hop as he greeted Gloria
"Yo Hopkins, where's Victor?" said Gloria greeting Hop
"Right here!" said Victor while he had his hand on his face
"Oh, hey bro. What happened to you?" said Gloria as she pointed at Victor.
"What happened? You happened, Gloria! Me and Hop got to the lab before you and got our Pokedexes. After I was about to exit the lab to look for you, you slammed the door open and smushed me with it!" said Victor explaining what happened.
"Oh, ha ha, sorry about that" said Gloria sheepishly
"Apology accepted, just don't let it happen again" said Victor as he recovers
"Noted, now if you'll excuse me. Whooooooaaaaa, get a load of this place. A man could study to their heart's content in here and still not get through all of this stuff" said Gloria as she took a look around the lab.
"Yeah, Professor Magnolia has really outdone herself! Everything here looks fascinating" said Leon agreeing with Gloria
Just then, their attention was taken by the sound of a barking Pokemon. The group looked down and saw the culprit. It was a Yamper that came to greet Leon.
"Hey there Yamper, it's been a while, hasn't it?" said Leon as he picked Yamper up and Yamper started licking him affectionately, which made Leon laugh. "Yamper here is a real champ when it comes to finding your way around. He came to my rescue a lot when I was lost.
"You know Yamper has been dying to see you again for a long time Leon. Of course, the only time you ever bother to visit is to make an outlandish request. So what is it this time? Want info on some never-before-seen super strong Pokemon?"
The group heard a voice talking to Leon about the reason he came to visit and it came from the second floor. The voice belonged to a woman that was the same age as Leon. She was a slender woman with turquoise eyes and ginger hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a tan-colored trench coat with a teal blouse underneath and light blue jeans. She also wore orange sunglasses on her forehead and black and turquoise boots.
"I'd wish you'd come by to say hi and spend some time with me, Leon" said the woman as she walked down the stairs and over to Leon
"Oh come on. Don't be like that, Sonia. We talked to each other just a few days ago" said Leon
"Over the phone, mind you. And let me tell you that it's a completely different experience from talking face to face with a person." said Sonia as she waved her finger in front of Leon "I realize that as Champion, it keeps you so busy that you barely have time for friends and family, but the least you could do is find time in your schedule to get together with old friends"
"Hey now, we did see each other before, Sonia. Um, when was it again?" said Leon
"Six months, Leon. Whenever we try to get together with everyone, you say you have to train" said Sonia as she held up six fingers
"Well, it's true" said Leon
"You know, a little R&R could do some wonders for you" said Sonia as she sighed
"Ha ha ha, well I do too. Quite a lot actually" said Leon as he scratched his head
"Hey, so who's the lady giving Leon the lip? Is she the Pokemon Professor that Leon told us about?" said Gloria as she whispered to Victor
"No, that's Sonia. She says she's a childhood friend of Leon and now I'm starting to see it" said Victor as he whispered back
"She's also the Pokemon Professor assistant/granddaughter, so be mindful" said Hop as he joined in the conversation
"Really?! Hop, Leon's your brother, so don't you know his friends? How come you never brought up his friends into a conversation with us?" said Gloria as quietly as possible
"My brother is the Champion, but it's not like I know each and every one of his friends. This is the first time I'm meeting her" said Hop giving his reason
"Hey, I have a question, what is the relationship between you two?" said Gloria as she walked over
"Well, the two of us are friends. My very first friend, in fact. I mean, what can I say about Sonia; she's a great cook. I've always enjoyed her cooking. She can make food that you can gobble down in a flash" said Leon.
"Oh come on! Is that really all you have to say about me? Did you forget that we were rivals during the gym challenge? It wasn't just Yamper helping you out, I did my fair share of that, too" said Sonia as she hit Leon lighty with the back of her hand
"Huh, wait, is that true, Lee?" said Hop while Leon simply laughed
"Yeah, you could even say she was the one opponent I never managed to beat during the Gym Challenge?" said Leon while he had his hand on the back of his head
"Really?! Then that means that this Sonia woman must be wicked strong!" said Gloria with stars in her eyes, as if she was saying she would like to battle her some time.
"Not at all. I admit I did take on the Gym Challenge along with Leon. But it got too much for me and I decided to quit and focus on finding a new path in life as a Pokemon Professor" said Sonia as she played with her ponytail. "Anyway, I should properly introduce myself to you. Name's Sonia, I work as my grannie's assistant. It's a pleasure to meet you, Gloria, was it?" said Sonia offering a handshake
"Yeah, you too" said Gloria while shaking her hand
"Anyway, these three are new trainers that plan to set out on a journey. Be sure to show them the ropes, Sonia" said Leon as he patted her back as he showed himself out the door.
"What does he think I am? He's always got his head in the clouds. It's no wonder he gets himself lost all the time" said Sonia as she put her hand on her forehead.
"Yeah, but Lee wouldn't be Lee if he didn't get himself lost" said Hop as he put both hands behind his head and showed off a grin
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, so is this the place where I come to get my Pokedex?" said Gloria wanting to get to the point of why she's there
"You too, huh. A lot of that is going around today. I just gave your brother and your friend their Pokedexes and now you want one too?" said Sonia as she put her hands on her hips
"Yes! Absolutely! I want to be one of the biggest legends out there! So filling the Pokedex is one of the surefire ways of doing that! So can I have one miss Sonia? Please?" said Gloria as if she was some excited little kid asking her parents if they could buy one of her favorite toys.
Sonia looked into her eyes and saw a glimmer in them like the one she had seen in Leon long ago. She had to ask her to see for sure.
"Before I do, tell me, Gloria, do you know a lot about Pokemon?" asked Sonia
"You bet I do! To be a legend, I've got to know all I can about Pokemon. How many there are, their types, how to handle them, all of it. I won't stop until my dream comes true." said Gloria with a passionate fire in her eyes.
"Ha ha, I can see you love Pokemon from the bottom of your heart. You must have spent some time with the wild Pokemon of this to be able to love them so much" said Sonia with a big smile
"No way! How'd you know that?! Are you actually a psychic type Pokemon that's reading my mind at this very moment?!" said Gloria as she took a step back
"No, you idiot! She just guessed!" said Victor as he lightly karate chopped his twin sister on the head. This scene caused Sonia to giggle
"No silly, it's because Leon was a lot like you when he was a kid. He didn't have a lot of friends growing up, so I decided to be his first. Please bear in mind that this was before Hop was born mind you" said Sonia, as Hop scratched the back of his head. "Whenever he wasn't hanging out with me, Leon would spend a majority of his time with Pokemon before he became a trainer. He would not stop talking about the Pokemon he encountered in the wild. He always has a way with those critters. And once he became a Trainer with Charizard by his side (who was a Charmander at the time mind you), he was surrounded by people who were friends and rivals alike. Even the closest among our old gang are making names for themselves, just like Leon." said Sonia, looking back. "Whoops, I think we're getting off topic, now Gloria, do you have a Rotom Phone? I need it to give you the Pokedex" said Sonia
"Ah, yeah. Got it right here. Here ya go!" said Gloria as she handed the Rotom Phone over to Sonia and she did her thing "So, how exactly is she going to use my Rotom Phone to get me a Pokedex?"
"I heard that in the past, the Pokedex was a physical device that one could carry with them on their journey. If you'd asked one of those Legends that you were going on about, they would tell you the same thing" said Victor
"Yeah, but nowadays, humanity has reached the point where the Pokedex can become an app on your phone. Pretty wicked, wouldn't you say?!" said Hop with a grin
"Sure is! Science is so amazing!" answered Gloria with a grin of her own
"Glad you think so! I've just finished downloading the Pokedex app onto your Rotom Phone" said Sonia, giving Gloria's phone back
Gloria searched through her phone and saw the app that wasn't there before. "Whoa! Alright, time to test this bad boy out!" said Gloria as she let her Scorbunny out of its ball. Once she had done that, she scanned using the Pokedex function and acquired its data.
"Cool! Thank you, Sonia!" said Gloria with a big smile on her face.
"You can thank me by completing the Pokedex" said Sonia "Just so you know, the Pokedex app was my gran's idea, not mine. The person you should really thank is her"
"Your gran?" said Gloria
"Yeah, her name is Professor Magnolia. Perhaps you've heard of her?" said Sonia
"I have. She's that researcher that's been studying the Dynamax phenomenon for years. It was thanks to her research that the people of Galar have been able to harness the power of Dynamaxing. We've even been able to use it for those Stadium battles you love so much, Gloria" said Victor
"Really?! I want to meet her someday!" said Gloria
"And you can. Turns out my gran lives in a house that's just down Route 2. You could go there and let her know you've got a Pokedex" said Sonia
"Ya know what? I'll do just that!" Gloria stated
"Great, I'll let her know you kids are on your way" said Sonia as she pulled out her own Rotom Phone to call her grandmother
"Sounds like we know where we're going next" said Victor to Hop
"It's cool, mate! Besides, there's something I want to ask Professor Magnolia anyway" said Hop.
"So I figure if we are going to try our hands at the Gym Challenge, then we need to get Professor Magnolia to help us get endorsed" said Hop as he, Victor and Gloria exited the lab and started walking the streets of Wedgehurst.
"Yeah, you're right. We can say that we want to take part in this season's Gym Challenge all we want. But unless we can get someone that works for the Galar Pokemon League to endorse us, It will be nothing but a dream." said Victor
"Right, and how exactly can Professor Magnolia help us? Can we get an endorsement from her?" said Gloria asking a question
"Nah, she doesn't work for the League. She mainly focuses on her research to better the lives of people and Pokemon" said Hop as he walks backwards with his hands on the back of his head. "You heard Lee; he said he knew the Pokemon Professor, clearly he meant Professor Magnolia. So all we got to do is convince her to talk to Lee about letting us take part in the Gym Challenge and Boom! We're in!" said Hop explaining his plan to his two friends
"You think that'll work?" questioned Victor
"It has to. No way am I waiting any longer to take part in the Gym Challenge! I want a piece of the action!" said Hop
"You and me, both, mister. If I wait any longer, I feel like I'm going to scream out loud! We're getting those endorsements if it's the last thing we do" said Gloria as she and Hop gripped each other's hands in a sign of camaraderie.
"Fine, I'm in, too. But we should at least get some supplies if we're going to travel across Galar" said Victor after letting out a sigh
"Good point, then it's off to the Pokemon Center first, then we go to Professor Magnolia's house!" said Hop while raising his fist in the air with Gloria following suit. As the group walks towards the Pokemon Center, Gloria had to stop them
"Actually Vic, could you get the supplies without me? Oh, and could you give me some of the spending money mom gave you?" said Gloria asking her brother
"What for?" asks Victor
"There's just something I want to buy at the convenience store over there. It's girl things, you wouldn't understand. It won't take that long so pleeeeeease?" said Gloria while clasping her hands with Lillipup eyes. Victor looked at her emotionlessly for what seemed like 10 minutes but actually only a minute had gone by. Eventually, he finally caved in and started reaching into his bag for the money
"Just don't spend it all, okay?" said Victor as he handed her the money
"Thanks bro, you're the best!" said Gloria as she took the money and ran off to the convenient store.
"Hah, sometimes I just can't say no to that girl" said Victor
"Yeah, but you know her. She won't stop until things go her way! Anyway, let's go get those supplies, mate. I'm sure we'll be done by the time she gets back" said Hop, directing Victor to the Pokemon Center.
"Alright" said Victor, taking one last look at the direction Gloria was walking towards.
Hop and Victor had gotten the supplies they needed for their journey; Potion, Antidotes, Paralyze Heal, PokeBalls, Pokemon Food, etc. Enough for all three of them. They exited the Pokemon Center and found Gloria waiting for them at the edge of Wedgehurst with a brown paper bag filled with snacks, bread and a magazine; she was waving at them to let them know where she was.
"Hey you guys, took you long enough!" Gloria stated while chomping down on some bread.
"Well it took us a while to get everything we'll need for our trip. I see you've bought what YOU need, as well. Now where's the leftovers of the money I gave you." said Victor demanding to see the money. What he got was not even enough to buy a soda pop. This earned Gloria a scowl from her brother
"WHAT?! You said don't spend it all!" Gloria said while munching on a bread
"Yes, but I didn't say you should spend so much! What will you do if we run out of money because of your major shopping spree! We're supposed to only buy things we'll actually need on this journey; not whatever we want!" said Victor scolding his sister
"Okay: A) We won't have to worry about money issues as long as we keep winning battles from all the trainers we meet. B) There's nothing wrong with buying what we want. What's the point in having money if we can't spend it on whatever. And C) I had to buy all these snacks and spices to make curry for me to share with my Pokemon. And the magazine is just for me because it has an article about Diantha in it" said Gloria explaining her reasons while putting her stuff away and showing off a magazine with the former Champion of Kalos, Diantha, on the cover.
Gloria has always been a fan of Diantha ever since she saw her star in a movie she saw in the movie theater in Wyndon. When she found out that she was once a Champion, her admiration for her grew even more. It made Gloria want to meet Dinatha one day and challenge her to a Pokemon battle (and get her autograph).
"Haaa, as always, Miss Diantha is incredible! I can't wait to battle her one day!" said Gloria as she reads the article and sees a picture of Diantha and her Gardevoir
"Even though she's not the Champion of Kalos anymore?"said Hop, finally saying something
"So What? I've always been her fan and I always will be! The battle will be a wonderful memory for me! I want to be just like her; a strong and graceful Champion!" said Gloria while gripping the magazine in her arms with her cheeks red and a face with which she experienced pure bliss.
"Then try learning to become as graceful as your beloved Diantha" said Victor, cutting into Gloria's blissful thoughts with a snide comment. This of course earned him a kick to the shin from Gloria.
"Alright, boys! That's enough standing around; flappin' our gums! Come on now, we don't wanna keep Professor Magnolia waiting any longer! Off we go!" said Gloria, switching over to her punk style of talking
"Whatever you say, your majesty!" said Victor, mocking her.
As the trio entered Route 2, Hop and Gloria decided to have a race to Professor Magnolia's house, leaving Victor behind in the dust.
"Hah, right, this makes a lot of sense, leave me behind as you two go off on a race to the Professor's house. This definitely defeats the point of watching over Gloria, but then again she's a big girl and there's isn't any real danger in this route for her to get into" said Victor as he continued down Route 2.
Suddenly, Victor noticed something; a Yamper strolling across the path he was on.
"That Yamper; it doesn't look like the one Sonia had. It must be a wild one. I wonder…" Victor started contemplating to himself until he made a decision. He let his Budew out of its ball and Yamper noticed them. "Hey there, Yamper. Sorry but I'm going to catch you" Yamper took on a defensive position as if it's ready to battle
"Budew, use pin missile!"
Budew fired off its pin missile at Yamper and Yamper responded by using Nuzzle and Budew got paralyzed.
"Budew, are you okay?" said Victor concerned for his Pokemon. Budew replied with a cry of reassurance. "Alright, I know that you are in pain because of the paralysis but try to hold out long enough to end this. Use absorb!"
Budew used absorb and sapped out some of Yamper's strength, Yamper responded with a Tail Whip attack. Knowing he needs to wrap this up before Yamper could take Budew out, Victor had Budew fire pin missile again. It was only able to fire off two of those attacks but it was enough to weaken it. Victor's next move was to throw a Pokeball at it. The Pokeball made contact and Yamper had been caught.
"Alright, I caught Yamper!" said Victor with enthusiasm before going back to his usual behavior. He looked around and saw no one but his Budew around. "Thank goodness no one's around" said Victor after letting off a sigh of relief. Budew laughed at this though.
"Alright, come on out Yamper!" said Victor as he let his newly caught Yamper out of its ball. "Sorry about the sudden battle Yamper, let me fix you up" Victor took out two potions and used them to patch up Budew and Yamper, after that he used the paralyze heal to get rid of the Budew's paralysis.
"Now then, before we hit the road, how about we train, you guys?" said Victor as his Pokemon agreed to do so
"About time, Victor! What took you so long?!" shouted Gloria at her brother as he was just a stone's throw away from Professor Magnolia's house along with Hop and Gloria.
"You two were the ones that decided to have a race to see if you could get to the house! How'd that go, by the way?" asked Victor
"Oh I beat Hop, obviously" said Gloria as she puffed out her chest
"Only because I stopped to catch a new Pokemon and train my team up a bit!" Hop protested
"Yeah, and I was being nice by letting you catch up to me by training my Scorbunny against the wild Pokemon, and yet you still couldn't beat me in a foot race!" said Gloria, as she bragged
"Well, it looks like great minds think alike. I also trained my Pokemon up a bit and caught a new one" said Victor, sharing his news to Hop and Gloria
"No way! What kind of Pokemon did you capture, Victor?! You've got to show me!" said Gloria with enthusiasm
"I'm curious too, what'd you catch, mate" said Hop
"I'll get to that later! For now we should head in the house to introduce ourselves to Professor Magnolia waiting than we already did" said Victor as he led the way inside
"Good point! Let's go, Gloria!" said Hop as he followed Victor
"What?! But I wanna see bro's new Pokemon!" said Gloria
"There's time for that afterwards! For now, let's go!" said Hop as Gloria pouted before joining the boys.
As the trio walked, they arrived at their destination; Professor Magnolia's house. When they arrived they saw Leon talking to an elderly woman. She had brown hair, glasses, wore a yellow dress with a lab coat over it, a purple headband and had a cane in her right hand that was shaped like a Corviknight.
"So have you made any new discoveries about the Dynamax phenomenon yet, Professor?" said Leon as he tried to make casual conversation
"Oh goodness, no. The whole thing is still full of questions. I'd hoped my granddaughter would take over my research, but…" said Professor Magnolia as she trailed off
"She's still procrastinating" said Leon "Honestly, she found something she really wants to do with her life but she won't get off her arse and do it!? What is she waiting for?"
Professor Magnolia would have continued the conversation if she hadn't noticed the new arrivals "Oh ho ho, goodness me! I didn't realize I had guests! I take it these three are the ones you told me about Leon"
"Yeah! Allow me to introduce them to you! The one in the knit hat is Victor. He's in the middle of studying to be a detective. The girl in the barret is Gloria, Victor's twin sister. She's aiming to become as great as me. And last but certainly not least is my younger brother, Hop, and my number one fan! They'll be helping with the completion of the Galar Pokedex!" said Leon, introducing Magnolia to the three trainers.
"Hi. It's an honor and a privilege to meet you, Professor" siad Victor, bowing and offering Magnolia a handshake.
"This one has good manners, I like him" said Magnolia shaking his hand
"You're an esteemed Professor, right? Couldn't help but overhear you talking about Dynamaxing and trying to know all you can from it. Have you cracked all the secrets? What makes them grow huge? Can it last longer than a minute? Where did it come from?" said Gloria, acting like an overly excited kid asking questions
"This one is one ball of energy. She reminds me of someone I know." said Magnolia looking at Leon, not really getting what she meant by that
"Don't mind her! Sometimes she gets nosy and obnoxious, but she's good people" said Hop as he lightly chop Gloria on the head
"Oh it's no bother at all dear. A woman likes some excitement in their lives, no matter how old they get" said Magnolia as she chuckled. "Now then, how about we all step inside and chat? I've brewed the most wonderful tea for newcomers like yourselves" said Professor Magnolia, inviting Victor, Gloria and Hop along with Leon into her home.
Victor, Gloria, Hop, Leon and Magnolia were sitting around the dinner table with a cup of tea in front of each of them and a bowl of treats in the middle.
"I see that my granddaughter has entrusted the three of you with Pokedexes. Well, I'm sure you'll complete it in no time flat" said Magnolia before sipping some tea
"Of course! Completing this thing will take me one step closer to becoming a legend in the Pokemon World" said Gloria with enthusiasm as she reached out for the treats on the table.
"You three must already know about Dynamaxing, right?" said Leon
"Of course. It's the phenomenon in which the Pokemon grow to titanic size in the middle of a battle. The effects are only limited to certain areas in the Galar region though and it only last for around a minute before the Pokemon returns to normal" explains Victor after sipping some tea.
"Impressive! You know your stuff. I imagine you could be a great scholar someday, young man" said Professor Magnolia, giving praise to Victor
"Well, Vic has been studying to become a detective, so of course he has book smarts." said Hop, making a comment that made Victor blush a bit. Gloria simply looked down a bit.
"Professor Magnolia has been doing research on the Dynamax phenomenon for years and years now. It takes a proper understanding of the thing if you plan to use Dynamaxing to the fullest" said Leon
"There you go again Leon! Some things never change! Always going on and on about Pokemon! You do know that there are other things to take an interest in, right? Like knowing the different types of teas" said Professor Magnolia
"I… think I'm missing your point, Professor." said Leon tilting his head with his arms crossed
"Yeah, what could be more interesting than Pokemon?" said Gloria, mimicking Leon
When Victor, Hop, and Professor Magnolia heard that, there was a moment of silence before all three let out a heavy sigh in unison.
"I swear, it's like the two of you are cut from the same cloth" said Professor Magnolia
"I ain't made o' cloth, ya dig!" said Gloria in her punk style of talking
"That isn't what she meant when she said that!" said Victor before sipping his tea.
"Hey, Professor Magnolia, maybe you can help us. We want to take part in this year's Gym Challenge but Lee won't endorse us! Think you can talk him into it!" said Hop getting to the heart of the matter
"Oh, so that's what you meant when you said you wanted to ask her something" said Victor
"I see. Well, just leave it to me young Hop. Leon, you can see that these kids want to be a part of the Galar region's famous Gym Challenge. The only way they can take part in it is to be endorsed by someone who works for the League. Why don't you endorse them?" said Professor Magnolia
"Believe me Professor, I would love to endorse them, but these three just started out as trainers. The trainers taking part in the Gym Challenge will bring the best trainers from all over Galar together. There's still a lot these three don't know about Pokemon! We will talk after they've gained more experience!" said Leon giving his reason for not endorsing them. Of course, one of them couldn't accept that and had to slam her hand on the table as she stood up.
"We have been ready to go out on a journey with our Pokemon ever since we got ourselves involved with them. We've been watching matches between Pokemon trainers on T.V. and through live streams and the net so we'd know how to battle. We've studied books on Pokemon, interacted with them, we even know how to raise them properly. So how can we know we are ready unless you give us the opportunity to prove ourselves!? The only way we can improve is by meeting all kinds of different trainers and Pokemon and battling them head-on! The Gym Challenge is the perfect opportunity for that! We can handle the Gym Challenge! So please endorse us, Leon!" said Gloria, making her case known. The others who listened to this were taken aback a bit until Professor Magnolia started to speak.
"My, My, this girl's passionate. And her argument has some merit behind it! Dearest Leon, I am asking you too." said Professor Magnolia, asking Leon to endorse the trio
"Professor!" said Leon
"Don't 'Professor!' me, young man! Didn't you once said that it was your dream to have the entire Galar region become the strongest trainers around? You do remember that, right?" Professor Magnolia pointed out while twirling the strap on her glasses.
"Well, yeah… you're not wrong there. That goal is precisely why I gave them those Pokemon." Leon stated, with some doubts
"You can still make that dream a reality, Leon! Children as young as these three have infinite potential. The potential to turn their dreams into reality! They will even have the potential to topple the unbeatable Champion of Galar!" That last statement got Leon thinking about a vision he had not long ago "As adults, it's our job to nurture these young buds until they fully bloom! They'll be able to shine even more beautifully than you, Leon"
Leon had given it some more thought. If they could be able to challenge him when he can truly give a battle everything he has, he could truly have a Champion time. Refusing to endorse them could be the biggest mistake he could make and he refuses to live a life full of regrets. That said, he needed to see firsthand how serious the trio was about this so a lightbulb went off in his head.
"Alright. Then let's make a deal you guys! If you guys can show me a battle so amazing that I'm left with no other choice but to endorse you, you'll get it without me putting up any more of a fight" said Leon while grinning.
"You serious, no going back on your word now, got it?" said Gloria and Hop excitedly in unison
"Don't you worry! I'm always a man of my word!" said Leon
"Then, Let's go" said Gloria and Hop again in unison while dragging Victor outside onto the battlefield.
"Whoa, wait you guys! I can walk by myself! At least let me finish my tea!" said Victor as he lets himself be dragged by his best friend and his sister. The scene made the adults in the room laugh a bit.
"Those kids sure are interesting, especially that young girl. She reminds me of an awful lot of a certain trainer when he started going out on his journey." said Professor Magnolia
"Oh really? Who?" said Leon feigning ignorance
"You know just who I'm talking about. Now come on dear! We wouldn't want to miss those battles" said Professor Magnolia, smugly as she began to walk towards the front yard with Leon following behind her.
The trio had gone out into the front yard where a battlefield had been located. The first battle was between Victor and Hop. The two of them had decided to have a three-on-three match. Victor used Sobble, Budew, and Yamper while Hop used Wooloo, Grookey, and his newly caught Rookidee. Interested in how the boys would battle, Professor Magnolia watched the battle with Leon. Although she was annoyed by Gloria doing her usual cheer for the two of them. It was touch and go there for a moment, but the winner of that battle was Victor.
"Oof! Gutted that I lost… But I expect no less from my rival!" said Hop as he smacked himself
"Look, you are getting better so there's that, Hop. There was actually a moment where I thought my strategy wouldn't work on you." said Victor as he walked over to Hop.
"Yeah, but you still managed to overcome that and pull out a win! Even though I got my Poke ball throw perfect, too!" said Hop as he slumped over. Victor gave his friend a reassuring pat on the shoulder, though
"Going through victories and defeat is the surefire way to get stronger. Use what you've learned from this defeat to improve yourself, Hop. Your defeats and how you deal with them are just more pages for the tale of your Legend, right?" said Victor as he gives his best friend advice.
"Yeah, we'll use this defeat to get stronger and then we'll finally beat you, Victor!" said Hop with a grin.
"Good to hear! But that doesn't mean I'm just going to let you win, Hop! We're still rivals, after all!" declared Victor
"Of course!" shouted Hop
"OOOOOHHHHHH! This is just how rivals should behave! I can't wait until I find a rival of my very own!" said Gloria with excitement.
"A right ball of energy, this one is. So I take it you're up next to battle one of your friends, Gloria?" Professor Magnolia, addressing Gloria, which caused everyone to be quiet for a moment. "Hmm? What's wrong? Is it something I said?"
"It's nothing, Professor. It's just that Gloria made it clear that she wouldn't want to have a battle with one of us." Victor explains to Professor Magnolia
"Really?" ask Magnolia
"Yeah, she said she wants the memory of her first battle to be something she will remember" said Hop
"I see, but dear, I thought you wanted to show Leon that you have what it takes to handle the Gym Challenge" said Professor Magnolia
"That's still the plan and I know of a way to do that and make the first battle of my life memorable." said Gloria, sheepishly
"Oh no. She's making that face! You know what that means! She's going to do something outlandish for sure!" said Victor
"Yeah, this should be good!" said Hop with a grin
"Leon! I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" shouted Gloria as she pointed at Leon. This declaration caused everyone to be taken back at it.
"You're challenging me to a battle? Seriously?" said Leon
"Son of a-! I could've done that!" said Hop as he cursed his decision.
"Gloria, are you serious?! You do realize who you just challenged to a battle, right?! You're not ready to take him on!" Victor shouted at his twin sister to try to reason with her.
"If you're trying to dissuade me it won't work, bro. I've already made up my mind! I would be a fool to pass up this opportunity!" Gloria declares as she has no intention of backing down.
"You would be a fool for attempting such a thing! Don't do it, please!" Victor barked back
"Now, now, let's calm down. Alright Gloria, I accept your challenge" said Leon as he gave a big smile
"Really?!" Gloria said with stars reflecting her excitement in her eyes
"Really?!" said Hop and Victor in unison, as if in disbelief
"Really?!" said Professor Magnolia as she questioned Leon's decision
"Is there an echo here? Yes, really! A true champion never turns down a challenge. But just to let you know; I won't be pulling my punches in this battle, so let's do this, Gloria!" Leon stated as he gave off an intimidating presence to Gloria. Gloria gulped before she smiled confidently.
"Wouldn't have it any other way!" said Gloria
The two of them took their position on the battlefield. They decided to settle this with a one-on-one battle and they let out their respective Pokemon.
"Come on out, Scorbunny!" said Gloria as she tossed her Pokeball
"Let's go! Charizard!" Leon shouted out his partner to get ready for battle.
Scorbunny and Charizard stared each other down as they waited for their trainers to give them their commands so they could get started.
"Listen up, Gloria! And that goes for you two as well, Victor and Hop! The reason I'm known far and wide as the unbeatable Champion of Galar is because I learn from every battle I've seen and taken part in! That's how I made it to where I am today! If you plan to reach my level of strength, you need experience! And what better way to get that than by giving you a goal! Come at me!" said Leon as he gives Gloria the first move
"If you insist! Scorbunny, use quick attack!" Gloria shouted
Scorbunny started to charge at Charizard with abandon, but Charizard merely took the attack and was still fine. Both Scorbuuny and its trainer were shock but regained their composure
"In that case, Scorbunny lets try Ember this time" Gloria shouted out the next command.
Scorbunny unleashed a powerful ember attack by kicking a pebble as if it was a soccer ball and kicked it at Charizard like it was trying to shoot a goal. To the onlookers, it looked impressive especially to the Champion and his ace. But that didn't mean they were going to dodge it. Charizard withstood the ember attack and dusted off the ashes on its shoulders.
"Okay then, if that's how it's going to be then, Scorbunny, use Double Kick!" Gloria shouted out
Scorbunny unleashed two kicks at Charizard; one at its stomach and another at its face. And yet, it barely did anything to Charizard. Gloria and Scorbunny were shocked that nothing they did worked against Leon and Charizard. They snapped out of it when Leon started talking.
"So, I take it that you're all done now, eh! If so, then we'll make our move! Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Leon shouted
Charizard unleashed a blast of fire from its mouth at Scorbunny. Gloria told Scorbunny to dodge which it did by getting back. Leon wasn't about to let up, he was going to put even more pressure on the duo.
"Use Dragon Claw!"
Charizard leapt forward with its claws glowing greenish. It got Scorbunny with that attack and it tumbled to the ground
"Air slash!"
Charizard took flight and unleashed slashes of air at Scorbunny. It took those attacks and tumbled even more onto the ground. Gloria was at a lost for words. She knew that Leon would be tough to beat but she didn't expect the battle to be completely one-sided. She felt that there was nothing she could do.
"I tried to warn her that she didn't stand a chance against Leon, yet Leon has been battling awful hard, especially to a newbie" Victor commenting on the battle
"Well dearie, that's just the kind of person Leon is. It doesn't surprise me in the least." said Professor Magnolia
"Nor me. Lee never was known to hold back against anyone, whether they were inexperienced or not. I challenged him to a battle once and he completely devastated me and Wooloo." Hop stating his own experience with battling Leon
"Geez. you know, you'd think the Champion could hold back a bit! Gloria's a newbie at Pokemon battling! Going all out would only discourage her!" Victor stated worried about his sister as she continue to give commands to Scorbunny in the middle of a battle in which they are outmatched.
"Ha ha, you'd think he would? Holding back isn't Leon's style. I would criticize him for this but he would say that 'I never hold back on any opponent. They deserve better than some guy that pulls their punches just because he knows he'll win. They deserve to face their opponents at their best because that's the only way I can show my respect to my opponents'' said Professor Magnolia. "Besides, have a look at that girl over there. Is that look on her face one where a trainer gives into despair?" Victor and Hop directed their attention to Gloria. They could tell that she wasn't feeling overwhelmed or despairing. Just the opposite, there wasn't a hint of giving up in her eyes. She was instead trying to figure out how to win against Leon and Charizard. Scorbunny was the same; it got back up no matter how many times Charizard thrashed it around.
The two were on the same wavelength. The odds were stacked against them but they still kept going at it. Leon could see that he could win this match so before he could continue, he started to speak.
"Hey, don't you think it's time to call it quits?" said Leon after letting out a sigh. The question got Gloria and Scorbunny's attention. "It's clearly obvious that I'm going to win. I may love Pokemon battles but not when it's completely one-sided. At this point we are just bullying you guys. So what do you say?"
"Lee gave me the exact same option when I first challenged him with Wooloo. It wasn't a battle considering how strong he was. Just take the offer and walk away. Not a single one of us will any less of you" Hop thought as he looked at Gloria
"Come one, sis. Just accept the loss. No one can beat the unbeatable Champion. Don't be stubborn. Think about how Scorbunny; it can't take much more of this. Call it back and end the battle!" Victor thought as he looked at how the battle kept unfolding
"Gosh Darn' it! I knew Leon would be a tough one to beat, but I never thought our skills were this far apart!" Gloria yelled internally as she looked at her Pokemon, all covered in battle wounds while on the ground "Scorbunny has taken too many hits. It's going to collapse! Mom did say that our Pokemon take all the hits for us in battle. I'd better—" Gloria was considering returning Scorbunny back into its ball and calling off the battle. But then, she saw her Scorbunny trying to get itself off the ground and once it got up, it got into its battle stance. "You still want to battle. But you can barely stand up. Why–" Gloria thought seeing her Scorbunny stand up. Scorbunny could tell what his trainer was thinking right now, so it gave her a reassuring gesture to put her at ease and tell her not to stop the battle. When she saw this, she made her decision.
"No, let's continue the battle!" Gloria stated with resolution in her eyes. Everyone there was shocked by her decision to continue the battle.
"What?! How can you?! Look at your partner, it can barely stand up. Is winning more important to you than the well-being of your Pokemon?!" Leon shouted out
"Of course not!" Gloria shouted out before she began to explain herself. "The fact that we are standing here facing you means both me and Scorbunny are ready to accept the outcome of the battle! We are all equal whenever we step onto the pitch! Me and Scorbunny don't need pity from our opponent or the onlookers! So come at us until we are no longer able to battle, because we're going to enjoy this battle to the fullest when we give it our all to beat you!" said Gloria stating her reasons to continue.
When Leon heard this, he and Charizard started to have two visions. One of them was Leon back when he was 10 years old and Charizard when it was a Charmander. They looked like they were in the middle of a battle and were having the time of their lives. The second vision was about Gloria and Scorbunny; however, they were different from before. Scorbunny was now a fully evolved Cinderace ready to battle with the best of them and Gloria looked like someone who has experienced so many things from the world around and that she can hold her own against even the strongest of trainers. Her eyes said she had her fair share of battles against strong opponents and she's ready for the next battle as she smiles with an unyielding confidence.
Both Leon and Charizard were so amazed by what they saw that they let their guards down for a single moment. Gloria and Scorbunny saw this and decided to take advantage and attack.
"It's all or nothing at this point. Scorbunny use Double kick!" shouted Gloria as Scorbunny charged at Charizard and kicked him twice. It was enough to make Charizard take a step back. Both Leon and Charizard notice this and have gotten their act together.
"Charizard, you've noticed it too, didn't you old buddy" said Leon as Charizard shook its head in response. "Then I say we end this by going all out with this attack. It's the least we can do for this little lady and her partner for showing us their impressive resolve" said Leon with a grin.
"Scorbunny knows it can't take much more. We will wrap it up with this next attack" Gloria thought as she saw her Scorbunny wobble a bit. "Scorbunny use Ember!" shouted Gloria as Scorbunny unleashed its attack on Charizard. With a kick from a pebble, Ember was unleashed on Charizard.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" said Leon as Charizard unleashed a strong blast of fiery breath at Scorbunny. It was so strong the attack was enough to knock Scorbunny out cold. The battle was over and Gloria ran towards her Scorbunny to check on it.
"Scorbunny, are you okay?" asked Gloria as she held her Scorbunny in her arms. Scorbunny gave Gloria a reassuring cry to let her know he wasn't too badly damaged. "Sorry Scorbunny, I got too caught up in the battle that I disregarded your well-being. I hope you're not too injured." Scorbunny hop off of Gloria and started to move around in one spot to show his trainer that it was fine; though it did wince over from the pain. Gloria chuckled a bit before finally dropping the subject. Then she noticed Leon walking over to them.
"Sorry about that. I may have gone overboard since I never had it in me to hold back against my opponents." said Leon as he began to examine Scorbunny to see if it is alright "But you were pretty much asking for it when you said you wanted to continue battling until you can no longer stand up. Especially considering the shape Scorbunny was in. A Pokemon's condition should be the trainer's first responsibility, not winning, I hope you understand that young lady." said Leon as he scolds Gloria
"Yes sir" said Gloria looking down dejectedly. Leon saw this and let out a sigh before placing his hand on top of Gloria's head.
"Hey, don't look so down. I can tell you'll stand before me as a powerful opponent someday. Keep training and I just know you and Scorbunny will be an unbeatable force." said Leon trying to encourage Gloria. This caused the girl to smile a bit.
"Man. Mom did say that our Pokemon take most of the hits for us in battle. Guess this is what she meant. I still have a lot to learn to reach your level, Leon" said Gloria "Oh, Leon, I know you said that you learn from every battle you've seen and taken part in, but there's got to be more to it than that behind your strength, so tell me how did you get so strong?" asked Gloria
"Well, that's just something you're going to have to find out for yourself, just like the same way I did" said Leon with a smile
"Awww, come on!" pouted Gloria, which caused Leon to laugh a bit
"Sorry Gloria, but you probably wouldn't appreciate the answer if I just gave it to you on a silver platter. But I will say this; Find a style of battling that works best for you and you alone. And no matter where you go on your journey, never forget about your love of Pokemon, because only by believing in them can they help you reach the top." said Leon as he fist bumped his chest. Gloria was in awe when she her this. It was like she made a connection with someone that really understood her. She had to give Leon her response.
"You got it, Leon! I'm going to get stronger, much stronger with Scorbunny by my side! And then we'll challenge you to another battle and we will win and become Champions!" Gloria shouted out her wish to her idol.
"Well, I can say you're on the right track. Best not to keep me waiting for too long, Gloria, someone else might beat you to it!" said Leon with enthusiasm.
"Like me!" said Hop, joining in on the conversation "That was wicked Gloria. I mean it sucks that you lost, but still you did great for your first battle! You might have what it takes to be a rival for me after all!" said Hop complementing Gloria
"Thanks" said Gloria as she scratched the back of her head as she blushed a bit
"Don't praise her too much, Hop! It'll go straight to her head!" said Victor as he walked towards his best friend and his sister. "And as for you, young lady; hand over Scorbunny so that I could treat its injuries!"
"Sure thing, Dad!" said Gloria, handing over Scorbunny. Victor took out the potions and bandages to wrap around Scorbunny's wounds
"Geez, you're lucky it's not in too bad of shape, if it were then we would need to visit the Pokemon Center" said Victor as he finished treating Scorbunny.
"Come off it. He still alive and he'll be stronger the next time we battle" said Gloria
"That isn't the point! Taking proper care of your Pokemon should be a trainer's first responsibility!" siad Victor, arguing with his sister
"Don't you think I know that?! That's why I said it'll be tougher next time" said Gloria as she argue back
"My Arceus, sometimes you can be so irritating!" said Victor scratching his head
"Take one to know one, prick!" said Gloria
They continued to argue back and forth for a few minutes. Leon, who saw this, thinks that the two of them would make a great pair to take on someday. Having seen enough, Hop decided to step in and say something.
"Alright, Alright, Alright; I like watching siblings quarrel as much as the next guy, but don't you guys think you're forgetting the whole point of having these battles?" asks Hop
"Oh, you're right! We shouldn't be wasting on this!" said Gloria as she turned her attention to Leon "So Leon, now that you've seen our battles, how about it? Will you endorse us?"
"Yeah, will you please say yes!" said Hop as Leon cleared his throat to begin to speak
"Gloria! Victor! Hop! After seeing and in Gloria's case having battles like those, it's clear you guys have a long way to go to be top-notch trainers, but I can give you three a go push in the right direction. The Gym Challenge could provide you with the things you'll need to be as strong as you can be: experiencing Pokemon new to you, having battles with talented trainers, forging friendships and rivalries on your way to be the best. It's just what you need!"
"So does that mean…?" asks Victor
"You guessed it; I will endorse you guys to participate in this year's Gym Challenge!" said Leon
The news made Gloria and Hop jumped for joy as Victor merely smiles at the thought of being endorsed by the Champion
"Oh my mother fuckin' Arceus! Can you believe it guys? We just got endorsed by the Champion of Galar and we can finally start making our dreams into a reality! I can't wait to start kickin' arse and takin' names!"stated Gloria, unable to contain her excitement.
"I know you're excited about being in the Gym challenge this year, but please watch your language, Gloria!" said Gloria, scolding Gloria for her coarse language
"Can you blame her, Vic! After years of watching the Gym Challenge from the spectator seats, she's finally going to get a piece of the action! I feel the same way as her, now we can finally duke it out and see which one of us can take on Lee and become Champion; spoiler alert, it's going to be me!" said Hop
"Ha, only in your dreams Hop! You're looking at the only person in this region that stands a chance at beating your bro!" said Gloria confidently
" Says the girl that had a one-sided battle with my bro & lost!" said Hop smugly
"That battle was just the starting point for us! All great legends need to experience a couple of losses to rise to greatness!" said Gloria, defending herself
"Oh, so losing against the unbeatable Champion was all part of your plan then, isn't it?" said Victor smugly
"No it wasn't! I went into that battle fully intent to win! But now that I got a loss underneath my belt, I'll be sure to get a helluva lot stronger and take Leon down!" said Gloria, declaring one of her goals of being in the Gym Challenge. Leon placed his hand on her head
"Ha, well then, I'll welcome that challenge when that day comes! Hurry up and get stronger and try to surpass me; all three of you!" said Leon
"Right!" said Gloria, Hop, and Victor in unison.
Then all of a sudden, Hop spotted something in the sky that caught his attention and got everyone else's attention too: a shooting star in the evening sky that landed a couple meters from where everyone was at. Victor, Gloria, Hop, Leon and Professor Magnolia went over to it and found the shooting star broke off into two when it landed.
"Whoa, hold up! Are those what I think they are?" said Leon having a look at the stars
"Indeed; those are Wishing Stars" said Professor Magnolia
"Wishing Stars?" asks Gloria
"I've read about these Wishing Stars before. Apparently, a trainer needs one of these in order to Dynamax their Pokemon" explains Victor
"Wait, come again" said Gloria looking at Victor
"Well isn't this our lucky day! With these we can make our Pokemon massive! Hell yeah! But wait there are two of these and three of us. How do we decide which one of us gets to hold onto these bad boys." said Hop
"Oh, I don't think that's going to be an issue" said Gloria as she reached into her pocket and pulled a rock. Turns out said rock was a Wishing Star.
"What in the? That's a Wishing Star! Gloria, how did you get your hands on one of these?" ask Victor
"Easy, remember how I always go to my favorite field late at night in Postwick. Well, yesterday while I was showing the view to Scorbunny, we happened to have found a falling star that landed in those fields and I picked it up. I had no idea what to do with it, but I decided to hold onto it for good luck. I didn't know it was something that could make my Pokemon Dynamax." said Gloria explaining her story
"Ha ha ha, I'd say you're one lucky person, Gloria! The same goes for you too as well! I've heard that Wishing Stars only fall down on people that have a true wish in their hearts" said Leon
"Really?" said Gloria and Hop in unison
"Wait, so does that mean this Wishing Star came because of the wish in my heart; the wish for more power to make my dream come true?" Though Victor pondered if it's true. As he was thinking that Hop grabbed the two Wishing Stars on the ground and tossed one of them to Victor, who barely caught it in his hands
"I will be the greatest Trainer ever! I WILL be the greatest Trainer ever! I WILL BE THE GREATEST TRAINER EVER! There! I said it three times so it's bound to come true, right?" said Hop as he clenched the Wishing Star in both of his hands and started and ended his chant
"I don't think that's how it works, Hop" said Victor rhetorically
"I will be a legend in this world someday! I WILL be a legend in this world someday! I WILL BE A LEGEND IN THIS WORLD SOMEDAY!" said Gloria as she repeated her chant over and over again without ever stopping.
"Oh no, not you two, Gloria!" shouted Victor in annoyance
"Now, now, children, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Those Wishing Stars are composed of a curious sort of rock containing unknown power. They are one of the most precious resources we have here in the Galar region. They are a part of the mystery as to why this region is the only one where we can Dynamax our Pokemon. That aside, they won't do much for you in their current state. Give them to me and I'll be able to turn them into Dynamax Bands." said Professor Magnolia requesting to convert the kids Wishing Stars.
"Dynamax Bands? You mean the same bands that Leon, the Galarian Gym Leaders, and Gym Challengers use to Dynamax their Pokemon? So these stars are used to make" said Gloria
"Brilliant deduction, Glo'. You could make a living as a detective one day." said Victor sarcastically, causing Gloria to pout a bit. "How long would it for you to turn them into Dynamax bands, Professor Magnolia? I'm guessing a day or two at the most" asks Victor
"Hmph, a day or two, you say? Don't insult me, lad. If I start now I'll have all three of them done in a single night." said Professor Magnolia as she adjusted her glasses with an air of confidence.
"A single night? In that case, I leave my Wishing Star to you, Professor" said Gloria as she hands her Wishing Star over to Professor Magnolia
"Me too! Can't wait to have my very own Dynamax Band!" said Hop as he follow suit
"Yeah, they'll help us through the Gym Challenge" said Victor as he hands over a Wishing Star.
"I can't believe I'm going to get to Dynamax. Maybe the next Pokemon I'll get to join my team will be one capable of Gigantamaxing! Oh man, I can't wait much longer!" said Gloria as she squealed at the thought of Dynamaxing.
"Don't get ahead of yourself Gloria. Pokemon that can Gigantamax are hard to come by." said Victor
"Ugh, why do you always need to put a damper on things, bro?" said Gloria annoyed by Victor's reasoning
"I'm not, I'm just taking a realistic approach and keeping you in line. You know you have a tendency to go overboard, Gloria." stated Gloria
"Well, those days are over, you'll see! By the end of this journey, I'll be someone that looks out for others for a change! People will look up to me and treat me like I'm the best around, like Leon!" stated Gloria as the others were quite amused by her statement.
"I see there's still plenty of excitement for this hour of the day!" said Sonia as she just arrived home.
"Sonia!" said Hop, Victor, Leon, and Gloria in unison
"You certainly missed a lot Sonia." said Leon with a grin
"Sorry Leon, but we don't all have as much time on our hands as you do. I've been very busy" stated Sonia with a smirk on her face
"With what? I know you're still unemployed" said Leon nonchalantly as Sonia slipped a bit on that comment but regained her standing
"Hey, you trying to start something with me?" said Sonia as she glared at Leon while Leon shook his head to the side in response.
Sonia lets out a sigh as she turned her attention to the three kids "So, I take it that you kids are done with what you came here for" said Sonia as Victor, Gloria, and Hop shook their heads up and down. "Great, then how about you guys spend the night here before you head out on your journey. I'll even cook dinner for you, you guys must be famished" said Sonia twirling her ponytail.
"Sure thing" said Hop with anticipation
"How could I say no to that?" said Victor
"Well that depends; what will you be making for dinner?" asked Gloria
Sonia puts a finger on her chin, pondering on what to make before giving an answer "Well I have been obsessed with the latest trendy curries, so I could make that for you"
"I'm in!" said Gloria with a serious expression on her face
"You will literally do anything for curry, won't you?" said Victor making a comment
"Of course! If you were to bribe to do anything, then you better make the best tasting dish of curry around! Capable of blowing up my mind!" said Gloria puffing out her chest
"Then you're in for a treat. Sonia's cooking is the best around. You'll love it as much as I do, Gloria!" said Leon with a grin causing Sonia to blush a bit. "Alright everyone, come on everybody! The curry isn't going to cook itself!" said Leon as he head inside Professor Magnolia house
"Well duh! That's cuz you need me to cook it!" said Sonia as she followed Leon inside
"Man, first me and Vic got to battle against those mad Pokemon in the Slumbering Weald and now we get to Dynamax! This is really turning into the adventure of a lifetime, don't you think mate?!" said Hop as he and Victor walk into the house
"Yeah but please save all that energy for the journey tomorrow. Oh, by the way Professor Magnolia, would it be alright if I look at your papers involving Dynamaxing after I've had my dinner? I want to get a deep understanding about the Dynamax phenomenon" ask Victor
"Of course dearie. Read to your heart's content. My research is for young people like you" said Professor Magnolia
As Gloria was the last one to head inside, she saw a star shining bright in the evening sky. It was then she remembered what Leon said to her, Victor, and Hop moments ago
"I've heard that Wishing Stars only fall down on people that have a true wish in their hearts"
"That Wishing Star came to me because I had a true wish in my heart. Something that I've been wishing for ever since the day I decided I wanted to become a Pokemon Trainer, a Legend, and have true friends to stick by me, no matter what." Gloria thought as she raised her hand towards that star. "I've been counting the stars every day until the day I could become a Trainer. In that case, I'll now be counting the stars every day until I make my dream come true" Gloria thought with a smile on her face as she clutched her hand and went back inside to join the others.
So, what do you think? I've had this idea of having Gloria face off with Leon for a while now, since it seemed appropriate to have the strongest Champion face off against the soon-to-be strongest challenger he faced in an unofficial match. Also, as for the match between Victor and Hop, the reason I decided to skip it was that it would feel like a repeat of the previous chapter. I'll wait a bit for those two to get stronger before pitting them against each other. Also, sorry if the chapter was a longer than the first two, but I wanted it to be perfect for all the readers out there. For the next chapter I plan to introduce an OC that will join the main cast.
Next Time: Trekking through the Wild Area