Welcome, welcome. Been a while. So, Sword and Shield made me feel some things, don't know about you, and... this happened. Few things!
One, I don't own Pokémon or any of its properties; getting that out of the way. Two, major spoilers for the end of SwSh abound; read at your own risk! Three, I played Shield, as a girl, and picked Scorbunny, so this story will treat those as canon. Shouldn't be hard to mentally substitute your preferred conditions if that's what floats your boat. Four, I know that's not how Wishing Stars work, but ever since I first saw them I wanted to use them as a plot device somehow, so roll with it. (Five, I'm American, so my British and Scottish spelling/slang are not, how you say, authentic. But I love the headcanon of Gloria as a rowdy Scot, so let me know if I got anything wrong! This is a learning experience in dialects for me.)
Lastly, I know I'm going to get yelled at for capitalizing the names of Pokémon species and certain other things, so just - don't waste your time telling me not to, because I'm doing it.
Anyway, apparently this week is Postwickshipping Week, so nice, I was accidentally on time for something! That said, it's only ship if you want it to be. Enjoy!
It had been days since Gloria had seen either of them.
Leon, the unbeatable Champion, who had never experienced a loss before this week, had last been sighted at Rose Tower in north Wyndon. Doing what, Gloria could make some guesses, but thinking on it for too long just saddened her. Hop, his brother and heir to the title, was even less present.
The former was an adult, in honesty, and as much as Gloria cared about him, he would have to learn loss at some point. She knew him, and knew that such a blow to his pride was unprecedented, but he would bounce back: he was Leon. Hop, however - oh, Hop. Gloria had not left the Wild Area once in the past week, searching high and low for the kid. He had to be here somewhere: nobody who knew him had seen him in any of Galar's vast cities.
At least Gloria's Pokémon liked the training, and that was certain. A proper help it was to her now, though, no closer to making the apology she had been rehearsing since the day of the semifinals.
Hop deserved to win. It was him, not her. He was the one who watched each of the Champion's matches, read all of his books, consistently picked apart his battling advice for years before he even met Grookey. Hop lived in constant awareness of his brother's accomplishments, and truly believed he was the one destined to take Leon's place in the League.
What did Gloria have? Other than a level forty Pokémon Go account, and that was only because she lived on a stop.
It was nearing midnight now. Gloria turned and coughed into her shoulder, phlegm scraping along her esophagus. She was not optimistic about the prospects of sleep tonight, despite the heavy bags now weighing down her eyes. Some Champion she was - having eaten nothing but berries and berry curry for a week; being awakened by some terrifying feral Dark-Type or another multiple times every night; bathing in the shallower parts of Lake Axewell, the dye in her hair long faded; relieving herself under the watchful gaze of the Pidove that always seemed to be around.
And all for what? To swallow her pride and admit she was feeling guilty? Right! Gloria, of all people! Pointless, that was what it was. Not like she could change what happened now. Gloria had already won in both the semifinals and the finals, crushing the dreams of both purple-haired brothers. But why?
For fun? To see what would happen, to see if she could? For her Pokémon's sake, for Zamazenta's sake? Imagine the headlines: Newbie Trainer Chosen by the Fabled Hero Zamazenta Captures Eternatus, Narrowly Quells Darkest Day, Dethrones Reigning Champion Leon! Except Gloria did not have to imagine it. She lived it, and she saw it. But most of that was true for Hop too. How much better a headline it could have been: Brother of Reigning Champion Leon Chosen by Fabled Hero Zacian, Quells the Darkest Day, Becomes New League Champ! The kind of hero Gloria always heard about, vanquishing evil and meeting legends, then becoming the Champion. Such straightforward narratives, such clear accomplishments. Gloria remembered - vaguely, because she was young - when Leon became Champion: he was the talk of everywhere south of the Wild Area for the next year. Not that the topic of conversation ever strayed too far from his name since; how Hop had resisted suffocation by it for this long, Gloria could not figure. Leon was a legend among the likes of Sun, of May, of even Red! If Gloria had ever expected herself to join them, she would have at least wanted to win with a little panache! She used Max Revives in the final battle, for crying out loud - was that even in the rules? And who saves the day with a shield for a weapon of choice, anyway?
So Gloria sat there, stirring her nth pot of curry. She was really growing weary of the taste of Oran Berries, to which she had switched after Cheris started making her sick. Not only that, two days ago, a nasty cough had lodged itself in her throat; she hoped it would pass soon, but no such luck. By now, she could no longer put her heart into the cooking, either. It was late, yet her mind was too frustrated for sleep.
At least here in the wilderness, kilometres away from any semblance of civilization, Gloria could see all the stars.
If only she had just lost to Hop. It was such a close battle, she surely could have. The poor boy needed it, much more than she. After everything, all the self-doubt, all the losses... a win in that battle would have been beautiful for him. Even if he ended up losing in the finals, then - at least Leon could still say he was undefeated. His sole personality trait, that.
Who was Gloria to steal away the Champion title in the first place? The first person to take down Leon, the legend, the undefeated, was his own brother and biggest fan...'s neighbour? She was not even the one who helped out with the wild Dynamax Pokémon before the Darkest Day: Leon was. Gloria was only on Hammerlocke Stadium's roof at Hop's suggestion to help, and she only battled Eternatus because it happened to attack her first. Nothing about Gloria made her special enough to deserve that spot in the finals, much less to win. All she had was an intense love of Pokémon, but so did only everybody else! Hop, though, he had everything going for him.
After all he had been through, he should have had the chance to at least try against Leon. It would have been so great! People only really got to know each other in Galar by having battles together, after all. They would have bonded so much more - he did not even get to do that. Instead, he lost before even making it there; how embarrassing for both brothers. Bede must have felt satisfied.
And Leon. He only lost because he was still injured from the Darkest Day, Gloria believed. He would never let anybody know it, but she knew him well enough to know he was not in top shape like usual before their match.
What rubbish! Leon only gave her a Pokémon so she could be a rival to Hop. No; no, he did see potential in her - he watched her grow up alongside him, after all. But that was the only reason Leon gave her an endorsement: he was counting on Gloria being just weaker than his brother long enough to push him through the League. Like that boy needed any pushing!
Gloria chomped down on her tongue.
The rice was dry and the potatoes starchy, just how Mum would make them. The trainer looked up from her meal at the sound of something tough clanging against the sides of her cauldron.
She peered into the rim, nearly dropping her filthy, overused plate.
It was just like the one in her Dynamax Band: a Wishing Star, that had streaked across the unfiltered sky, staining it briefly with a shimmering red. All thoughts of food forgotten, Gloria set down her meal.
That's it, then. I'll make things right. Back in the semifinals, Hop should have won. Help me fix it?
The stone was hot to the touch; but then, what did Gloria expect. She scooped it up into her grubby, lakewater-sanitated clutches, closed her eyes, and waited.
"Challenger Gloria, you're on in five!"
The girl looked up in slight surprise. "Er, what?"
"Hop's match was over quicker than expected. You're on in five."
Gloria was in her challenger uniform, freshly showered, Poké Balls at her side, deliberating in Wyndon Stadium's locker room. Was it shock or nerves that she was feeling? She had nary a clue.
Yet she grinned. She was about to make someone's day, after all. And how long it had been since she had seen him.
With a renewed sense of martyrdom, Gloria took to the pitch. Her dye restored, her cough cured, and her stomach settled, she was the picture of the Gym challenger her fans all bragged about. The excitement in the stadium was inescapable, as always. People were shouting her name and number above the lighthearted welcoming music. Any doubts about what Gloria was doing were overpowered by the crushing sense of thrill permeating about all of north Galar. It was soon replaced by nerves, then the elation of seeing someone dearly missed.
Blood rushed to Gloria's face when she spotted Hop, as if she was not expecting to - and how hard to miss he was.
Aye, Gloria remembered this. If she had continued the way she did the first time, this would have been the face of her neighbour and friend in the last moments before his dreams were crushed for good. This time, it would be the face of the League challenger who had defeated eight Gym Leaders, survived the first round of the semifinals, and was shortly about to beat his rival for the first time, destined to face his brother for the coveted title of Champion. It was going to be so delicious for Gloria, watching from the stands.
Never having been much of a talker, Gloria allowed Hop to say his piece, waxing reminiscent about the day they set off together. "The one who'll become Champion is me!" he insisted. She would see to it.
But she could not let him know that, so she returned. "We'll see, Hops. Dinnae caw canny!"
It was a little embarrassing, truly, the ease with which she could convincingly throw the battle. The lack of healing items, all of which she sold prior to the match, would have made it difficult to win if she was trying. Not even her Pokémon seemed to pick up on what she was doing.
As for Gloria herself, she had seen enough trainers lose to know just how to act. Nobody seemed to suspect a thing: it was the perfect loss, all out on both sides.
Naturally, Hop was ecstatic. True to his name, he was bouncing around on the balls of his feet, throwing himself into his Rillaboom, who lifted and held him further into the air. The crowd was equally satisfied with the battle's outcome, as Gloria's ears were made very aware. Eh! They didnae cheer this loud when I won!
The trainers met in the centre of the pitch, their faces betraying emotions of indescribable range. As was customary, they shook hands. When Gloria expected to let go, Hop pulled her in for a brief sportsmanlike hug, repeating his gratitude, and his apologies, and his surprise, and his thrill.
Yes, this was right. This was how it was supposed to go. Gloria assured Hop of how far he had come, and the two disengaged.
"I'm going to do it. I'm going to beat him, Glory!" Hop's eyes were squinting upwards, and his imperfect smile of teeth was visible across the region. "For you - I promise! I'm going to make your loss worth it."
Gloria laughed heartily. "You-" she got serious for a second. "You better."
Then the smile returned. "Ah'm so proud of ye!"
"I am too!"
"And there we have it!" an announcer reported. "The winner of the semifinals and the trainer with the opportunity to participate in the finals is Challenger Hop! Tomorrow's battles will prove to be some of the most exciting we've seen in years."
Relief washed over Gloria as she accompanied the victor to the Rose of the Rondelands Hotel, where they were due to meet with Leon for an exquisite celebratory dinner. The girl salivated at the thought of any food that was not curry or raw berries. She remembered with interest what happened last time, curious how the next few hours waiting with Hop would play out differently. She was certainly excited to hear his plan for the battle.
Say... No, strike that, the two were never supposed to have waited hours.
Pure dead brilliant.
She was nearly about to invent an excuse to leave when the two were stopped by a couple of reporters. "Challenger Gloria! Spare a tick for an interview?"
Funny. They asked her last time too, when she won; well, she would humour them. "Alright." Quickly, though - she had to act fast.
"How does it feel to have lost to your rival for the first time?"
"Uh... it's - it's right disappointing, truly. But Ah'm glad it was my mate Hop, if I had to lose to anybody."
"Right, second question! If you wanted to tell Challenger Hop something right now, what would it be?"
"I'd say-" She resisted the pressure to look the mere metre to her left, where he was standing. "You've gotten so much stronger than I expected."
"Question number three! Level with me, kiddo. Your honest thoughts here. Think he can win the finals, too?"
He was standing right there! Gloria attempted to speak, but she choked. "I absolutely do."
Perhaps embarrassed by the attention, Hop stepped up. "Hey now, we're both already cream-crackered from the battles, and you're asking some pretty rude questions!"
The interviewer looked as though she had just spotted him. "Oh, Challenger Hop! Glad to see you. How does it feel to have finally beaten-"
"What?"
This was Gloria's chance. "Ye know, Ah'm gonna just - go - I jus' remembered, I forgot something in the Pokémon Centre earlier. Dinnae wait up, and ey, do some training; ye're going to need it fer tomorrow!"
She felt bad, but before Hop could protest further, she had left and was climbing onto the nearby flying taxi. She would have to make this quick.
Last night had been hectic, but so far today was going to plan.
Opening the door to the power plant under Hammerlocke Stadium was a cinch once Gloria realised an Electric-Type move would destroy the lock. With Oleana and the League staff members defending Rose in Wyndon, strangely, Eternatus was completely unguarded - having yet to awaken, it was also a remarkably easy catch with a lucky Quick Ball. Macro Cosmos must be in a bit of panic about now, realising this, Gloria figured with a chuckle, but what could they do of it? Whatever they were trying to accomplish - even having lived it once before, Gloria did not fully understand it - it was done under very covert orders. Thus, swooping in behind the scenes to stop today's scheduled interruption before it started was a simple matter, and now all there was to do was cheer on Hop from the sidelines.
Little did he seem to need it, however. Hop's recent string of victories continued with a quick dismantling of Bede's team. Bloomin' Bede! They all really deserved the loss, and Hop needed the win, especially after all the self-doubt they caused him in the first place. If it was not for Bede's meddling early in their adventures, Gloria wondered if Hop would have taken his original loss to her so poorly. Considering this, Bede's defeat was all the more tantalising to both of them. Hop, after every knockout, was increasingly on top of the world. One could hear it in his voice.
In fact, after how little sleep she got last night, Bede's interruption nearly surprised Gloria a second time. That is, when she returned to the hotel after finishing her business in Hammerlocke, Hop had been waiting for hours - as expected, but it was necessary. He was a bit miffed, but thankfully Leon was not far behind, and the three wound up having a pleasant dinner after all, one which lasted well past the evening and into the morning. It was wonderful, seeing the two brothers get along so well, both knowing they would be enemies tomorrow. When the conversation allowed, Leon even slid some tips Hop's way: the matter of critical hits was a serious one, and be sure to remember those type matchups. List for me every Type resisted by Steel? As for Gloria, who so missed sleeping on a bed - much less the plush, luxurious mattresses of the Rondelands - the little sleep she did get was grand.
Hop had been great, silencing Nessa, Allister, and Raihan in her place, securing his chance to battle his brother. Visibly on top of the world now, it was time for Hop and his team to face Leon and his.
After all this time, Gloria's rival assured her, he knew all of their weaknesses.
Two brothers took the pitch. From her place in the stands, it was easier for Gloria to see their faces on the big screen above everyone's heads, but she kept her eyes trained on their persons, tiny from here. A loudspeaker projected each of their words from the clip-on microphones they each wore.
"Well," Leon started. Gloria took a pull of her lemonade. "You know how popular my matches can get... but this sure is a crowd. Are you nervous?"
Hop's voice sure sounded different through the mic. He took a deep breath, then swallowed, his voice shaking: "Thrilled."
Leon nodded. "Good! Don't let it bother you too much. It's just me, you know. No hard feelings, just powerful moves."
Hop giggled. "Likewise, mate. No going easy just 'cause we're related, y'hear?"
Leon was not smiling. "Hop, I would never not go all out against you."
The audience's response was a hesitant, as if confused, "Aww?"
"G-Good! I hope you're ready to learn what it feels like to lose. I'm going to be the one to make it happen, and Lee, I'm going to have a champion time doing it."
Leon looked taken aback for a tick, then he smiled gleefully. "I can't wait to beat you."
Gloria, lemonade halfway depleted already, looked swiftly back and forth between the two. If Hop was having doubts, he was not showing it. Leon struck his signature Charizard pose, and the crowd - Gloria included, at her own dismay - erupted. He was just that stunning!
"I don't lose, Hopscotch. The final chapter of your legend starts now."
The camera was trained on Hop's face as the two took their places. Hop started lightly bouncing, taking a second to crack his neck. Leon adjusted his shoulders, his wrists. When he was ready, he unclasped his regal cape from the back of his uniform, tossing it to the turf.
Naturally, Hop had seen all his brother's pre-battle rituals before, but never this close.
Gloria remembered, briefly, the day Leon showed Hop and her just how far he could pitch a Poké Ball: he was competing with his Rhyperior, who was launching Rolycoly out of its arms. Leon won. They later discovered the Ball in Wedgehurst, underneath the Pokémon Centre window it had shattered.
So when Leon sent out Aegislash, Gloria could hardly see the movement. And, well, she knew how long Hop had been practicing his throw.
The girl gripped her beverage, voice booming love and support and excitement in equal quantities. This was right.
Gloria did not know Leon personally as well as his brother did, nor did she see all of his matches like he did. But she had seen enough to tell - unlike in his battle against her, there was a bit of nervousness behind the Champion's eyes.
Under Gloria's seat, a small Blipbug flinched as a plastic cup and its icy contents toppled onto it. Suddenly the ground was rumbling, and the popcorn kernels and chip crumbs it was hunting bounced in synchrony as the metal floor did.
The audience was wild, producing cheers loud enough to be heard from the top of Rose Tower. Not a bottom was in a seat, nor was a mouth closed, save for those of a certain trainer.
Gloria's jaw lifted shut, and her knees, weak, deposited her back into her chair. No... Surely she was not the only one expecting Hop to win, the only one supporting him? To her right, even the battlers' mum was shouting her pride.
Gloria just wanted to disappear. Was there a Wishing Star for that?
"Ladies and gentlemen of Galar... Your League Champion's eighteen thousandth, nine-hundred... and first consecutive victory!"
Hop was simmering in shock. Unable to meet his brother's eyes, he raised a Ball to withdraw his Pokémon.
Gloria could bear not to look, until her eyes were drawn upwards by Leon's booming voice. "Congratulations, Hop. You gave us all a proper brilliant match, worthy of my first with you. Thank you for the greatest battle I've ever had!"
Hop, clearly downtrodden, tried to stay optimistic. "Th-Thank you, Lee... Uh, I get it now, why they call you unbeatable." He paused. "That was - amazing."
Gloria's fists and jaw were clenched, vibrating furiously, but subtly. This was all wrong. She came back so Hop could win, she lost so Hop could win. She braved a week in the Wild Area attempting to find a defeated Hop and apologise; she sacrificed food, running water, and sleep so he would not have to feel so terrible about himself. And for what - to spoil the already undefeated with yet another victory? How had this all gone to pot so quickly?
She breathed deeply. If anyone noticed her reaction, they might become suspicious, so she joined in with a slow applaud.
Leon strode up to his brother, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder.
Gloria remembered when it was on hers.
He tore off his prized snapback and plopped it on Hop's undersized head. "Alright, lad. Thanks for adding to my streak - I'm proud of you, but make no mistake. I've been a trainer, and the Champion, for many years longer than you. In battle, I know what to do at every moment. Besides, heh, nobody can defeat the unbeatable Leon!"
At this, cries of "Lee-on! Lee-on!" echoed in sync throughout the stadium, the usual signifier that the Champion had racked up another win. Silently, the one who could stood and removed herself from the stands.
Thank you for reading! This story is not going to be long; it's already finished, in fact. There are three more chapters, which will go up on the fourteenth, eighteenth, and twenty-first of this month, with luck. Oh, and the doodle on the cover was made by yours truly.
Carpe Diem!