"Fossils restored: has science gone too far? Paleontologist Cara Liss addresses the ethics behind-"
"We need Dragon-Type Pokémon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!"
"If by chance you're buying Poké Balls, then now's the time: there's a sale! For an extra-limited time, all you need to do is buy ten, and then, you'll get another one, free - completely free, it's on me!"
"Breaking: Turffield Stadium match interrupted by wild Dynamax Tsa-"
"And how does it feel to have finally won against your rival?"
Gloria's interest was piqued by the penultimate channel's news report, but she absentmindedly changed it to something even more pressing. The familiar velvet walls of the Rose of the Rondelands highlighted Hop's nervous face, filling her telly.
This must have been after she left the night before the finals. With a heavy sigh, she figured she might as well see what the boy had to say.
"I... It doesn't quite feel real yet, to be honest," he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. Yes, Gloria believed that.
"If you wanted to tell Challenger Gloria something right now, what would it be?"
Hop shifted. This time when he answered, she was not standing right next to him, and after yesterday's outburst, she was mighty curious at his response. "That she was just the rival I needed. Our battles always reminded me that there's still more to do if I'm going to beat Lee. Looks like I'm finally ready now, though, eh?"
Gloria's heart hurt.
"Level with me, kiddo. Your honest thoughts here. Think you can win the finals, too?"
Hop crossed his arms, uncharacteristically smug. "I've known Lee since before he ever picked up a Poké Ball. I've studied all his matches; I know all his strengths and weaknesses. I've had all year to build a team that counters his perfectly, down to the last Power Point." The camera zoomed in dramatically on his face. "Hope Lee's ready, because tomorrow, Galar's getting a new Champ. Love him to death, but the look on his face when little brother Hop does him in... it's going to be delicious, mate."
"Well, there you have it! Challenger Hop, folks."
This interview was already dated, and surely a rerun; how poorly it had aged. Right: Gloria had given up on Hop and Leon. What was happening in Turffield?
"Now it seems that the same is occurring in the stadiums at Hulbury and Motostoke. Were Champion Leon's efforts not enough to stop the spontaneous Dynamaxing? When will it cease? These are the questions that Galar residents have been asking all week."
Gloria's expression was flat. Rubbish! Why was this still happening? Frustrated, she opened her Pokémon Box Link: aye, Eternatus was still there. What happened, then?
Only one way to find out, she admitted reluctantly with an audible "Ugh." She tore the blankets off her legs and onto the family Munchlax.
Gloria ran through what information she had on the taxi ride to Hulbury. Wishing Stars, Dynamax Bands, Power Spots, Galar particles... Gloria wished she had paid more attention to the science behind it all when things were less out of control.
She racked her brain to remember what any of this had to do with Eternatus; originally, Rose had been - what - bombarding it with Wishing Stars? Which eventually caused it to awaken, lose control, and "Eternamax," as the Pokédex put it. Maybe this could be related, if Gloria could only figure out how.
From the air, Gloria could see the gargantuan Gyarados soaring above Hulbury Stadium. Quickly as she could, Gloria burst through the doors, already sending out a Pokémon.
On her way to the fray, a giant shadow appeared above Gloria's head: it took a second for her to realise what it was, and when she did, she nearly yelped.
Terror propelled her legs out of the way as a massive Dynamax Rillaboom landed where she was mere seconds prior.
Hop had a Rillaboom. Wait, there he was, fighting the Gyarados alongside Piers and Nessa. Fine, she would end it and leave quickly then.
Electric-Types were fast and expert Gyarados demolishers, and Gloria's was no exception. It seemed Rillaboom would not even have to attack, as once Gloria joined the battle, it was over.
The four trainers met in the lobby of Hulbury Stadium.
"Well, look who decided to show up," a certain purple-haired teen remarked. "Thanks for completely saving the day back there."
Um, was that supposed to be an insult? "Ah thought ye wanted to be alone fer a while."
Hop hummed. "I did. But when things like this start to happen, you don't quite have a choice, have you? I had to come help."
"And for that, I thank all of you," Nessa cut in. "We were able to get everyone else evacuated, but the other stadiums are still being overrun. We must act quickly."
Piers nodded. "I'll be in Motostoke next if anyone wants to join me." And he left without elaborating further.
Hop and Gloria shared a glance, but did not speak. "Aye, no problem, Nessa," Gloria concluded. "Ah'm going to - leave now."
Well, if there were more of these, at least it would make a great distraction from having to think about Hop.
That was what Gloria thought, for some reason, expecting him not to unintentionally follow everywhere she went.
In Motostoke, Gloria was able to Dynamax her Ground-Type and take care of the wild Torkoal handily, but not before it knocked out his Rillaboom in one supereffective hit.
The situation only got worse from there. The stadiums at Stow-on-Side, Ballonlea, Circhester, and Hammerlocke each had multiple Dynamax Pokémon out of control. Gloria had to face them all alone while the trainers helping her took on their own. It was terribly uneasy trying to avoid Hop as they, Piers in tow, hit each city; but it was nice, taking out some frustration on Pokémon that were being even more hostile than they.
Gloria was not paying attention to Hop and his battles, but if she was, she would have noticed how he grew increasingly frustrated with himself, his Pokémon, his losses, and she would have felt the all-too-familiar pangs of guilt wrap around her sides, the tips of her ears burning as she commanded an onslaught of Max Moves.
What foolishness was it that let her think she could fix him? Why did she care so much, when clearly he did not want the help she longed to provide? There he was, still within sight, within reach, and she could even talk to him if she tried, but she had already lost him; curses to her filterless mouth.
She told him that she loved him, and he told her outright it was not enough. What more was there to say?
The ragtag team exited the pitch of Hammerlocke Stadium to find a pair of fancily-dressed individuals tampering with the door to the underground power plant. "The electric lock is fried? But how!"
"They surely didn't see us coming."
"Oh, heavens not. Their security must just be this terrible naturally."
"But the door is cemented to the wall!"
"Pah! As if that would stop the likes of us?"
"I have never implied that."
And with that, the final speaker withdrew an Ultra Ball, and with its contents, slashed the metal away from its bearings. Raihan, close by, shouted after them.
"Hey, what do you two think you're doing?"
Two identical, squeaky-clean, comically-adorned, confidently smug faces met his as the rest of the party caught up. In Gloria's honest opinion, they looked utterly preposterous in those gaudy red and blue suits; yet it seemed they thought they appeared intimidating. The thing that scared Gloria the most was their idea of a great hairstyle.
"What it takes," one started, then his mirror finished: "To win back our thrones!"
With that, and a snap of some fingers, the loosed Pokémon shoved down the door. "Ta ta!"
"Why, those..." Hop muttered through his teeth.
Gloria's mind raced to process the situation: all these random Dynamax Pokémon must have been caused by something, and this couple of suspicious weirdos was promising answers.
"I don't trust those two," Raihan splurted. "I can count on you to take them down, right?"
Gloria spun her gaze upwards to his. "There's still a lot of ruckus up here I need to take care of. The three of you should have no trouble against that lot." Understanding, she nodded. "If you need anything, you've got my number!"
In the basement, the three remaining trainers - Hop, Gloria, and Piers - were met with the hideous sight of just one pompous hairstyle. A sword - that was what Gloria was reminded by it!
"Hey, I think you lot owe us an explanation," Hop demanded, voice cracking on the last word.
The trainer, draped in blue, shook his head. "You simpletons are owed nothing by the glorious Swordward! Descendant of Galar's first king, the slayer of the Darkest Day, and savior of Galar? I think not!"
"Aye, that last sentence is pretty apparent," Gloria commented under her breath. For someone talking so highly of himself, his eyes bore no hints that any substantial thoughts had ever formed behind them.
"And that deplorable Sonia Magnolia and her quaint little history book - more like a fairy tale, if you ask me. How dare she publish such fiction about those Pokémon as fact! The ancestor of my formidable younger brother, Shielbert, and myself was the true hero, and we will not do to have that erased."
Hop's eyes widened. "Oi! Sonia published a book? Good on her! I ought to ask her advice on the publishing process."
Piers seemed more focused. "Say, what are you planning then, mate?"
"Oh, just to see how people'd react at the sight of, say, Dynamax Zacian and Zamazenta? Sheilbert probably already has them bloated to massive proportions. If they were the true heroes, we would all have nothing to fear by them, no?"
Gloria's jaws gritted together. "That is... not how that works," Piers stated simply. "Dynamaxing isn't something you can just force on Pokémon. That isn't right."
"Stand to prove it?" Swordward withdrew his Ultra Ball.
Matching, Piers gave in. "Rock and roll."
Gloria glanced toward the stairs. The roof of Hammerlocke Stadium was capable of enabling Eternamax, but she knew nothing else could Dynamax there. Wordlessly, she sprinted in that direction: Piers would distract the brother in blue, while one-time Champion Gloria, Galar's Shield, would save the day or yield trying.
Her footsteps almost muffled the sound of Hop's voice behind her. "Blooming coward..."
Sorry for the short chapter today. Friday's will be the last, and it should make up for the length, hopefully.
To the guest reviewer, I'm guessing by granny guy you mean either Mustard or Kabu, and... yeah, I'd take one for either of them if we got one. But I was very glad to see The Boy in today's.
My goodness, though, Swordward and Shielbert are so fun to write! They're just terrible in the best way.