Hello everyone, here's the next chapter.

Marnie redemption arc happens!

Hopefully you all enjoy it!

Turffield Stadium

Marnie had given her all, but she had come up short against Milo. The audience wasn't cheering her loss, but calling out some encouragement. Victor stood by, speechless.

Milo and Marnie approached the center of the pitch, and shook hands.

"Good try." Milo said, trying to lighten the blow.

Marnie had a shadow over her face, as she unenthusiastically shook his hand. "...thank you."

Milo watched as Marnie tuned and left, that shadow still covering her face. He called out after her, "Feel free to come back and challenge me again."

"Marnie!" Victor exclaimed, then started to chase after her. But Milo called him over.

"Probably best to let her go." Milo said. He then went on to explain how losing here at the first gym discourages some trainers so much, they end up dropping out of the Gym Challenge. And it's a burden the Gym Leaders carry.

"Marnie's not gonna let this break her." Victor defended Marnie.

"Probably not." Milo agreed. "But you may have to talk some sense into her, if she's determined to keep going like this. Besides, you two seem like close friends?"

"Oh," Victor laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head, "I guess you could say that..."

So then Victor took off after Marnie, to talk to her. When he reached the lobby, Marnie was already trying to do the Gym Challenge again.

"Are you sure?" The Gym Attendant asked Marnie.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm ready." But the Attendant wasn't so sure this was a good idea.

Then Victor ran over to Marnie, so the Attendant stepped out of the way so that they could talk. But Marnie already knew what Victor was going to say. "Victor, I have to do this."

"I know, but right now?"

"Yes."

"But-"

"Victor, please move."

He had to get through to her. "Marnie, think about what you're doing!" His outburst got everyone's attention.

"But I-"

Victor softly replied, "Is it fair to keep putting Morpeko through this?" Marnie was left unable to reply, so Victor continued. "Morpeko loves you, but how far are you willing to go to win right now? What if Morpeko got injured?" He then smiled warmly at her. "You kinda taught me that."

"..." That hit home. Victor was right. Marnie needed a reminder that it wasn't just her trying to win, her Pokémon are the ones sacrificing themselves to help their trainers. "So what should I do?"

Victor's face lit up. He grabbed Marnie's hand. "Let's go train!"

"Wha?" She was taken aback by his suddenness. They then heard a chuckle from the Attendant, like she knew that there was something else going on here. Marnie asked, "W-what?" Now Marnie's face was lit up, but for a different reason.

"Oh, nothing..."

Ignoring her, Victor pulled Marnie with him, ready to get this training underway.

*One training montage later*

"And the winner is... Challenger Marnie!"

Several battles and a couple of Curry's later, Marnie faced and defeated Milo, to get her Grass Badge. Now she could confidently shake his hand. Milo had to admit, Marine was one of the most commanding challengers he had faced. She reminded him of a certain someone...

Afterwards, Victor congratulated Marnie, and then they started to leave.

"Wait, Victor..."

He turned back to look at Marnie. She coyly looked down, her face a light red. "Thank you for helping."

That made his heart skip a beat, was she always this cute? "A-anytime."

"Well," Marnie then said, "Should we get going?"

"Yeah!"

Route 5

Soon after entering the route, Victor and Marnie run into a couple of Interviewers. Gabby and Ty? Sorry, wrong region.

After their win, the two teens then head into the nearby Pokémon Nursery. Inside, an overly excited Breeder gives Victor a Toxel to raise. It looks like someone left Pikachu and Barney here to make this Pokémon.

Victor's unsure about raising it on his team, but Marne is oddly enough, encouraging him to do so.

Afterwards, they explore Route 5 some more. Marnie feels the odd urge to play with a wild Stufful that trots over to them, but Victor protects her. Wild ones can be unpredictable, despite their cute and innocent appearances. And you never know when a Bewear might be close by, their name should be a dead give away of what to do when around them.

Victor the puts a nearby roaming Cook out of business, then they have a couple more battles, before enjoying another meal at a Pokémon Camp. Victor talks with the guy about cooking and Pokémon care, while Marnie has strong feelings about all the baby Pokémon here. She's enjoyed this camp the most.

Afterwards, the duo head over the bridge on Route 5. They run into a Doctor being harassed by a couple of Team Yell members. They want the bike he has, to chase Gym Challengers around.

"Really, you lot again?" Marnie sighs, making her presence felt. "And what do you all think you're doin'?"

"M-marnie!"

The Doctor tattles on them, so Marnie chews them out a bit. Their punishment will be facing her and Victor in a double battle, for the experience. Afterwards, the two of them are sent packin'.

Bike acquired!

It's only a single-seater, so Marnie prefers Victor's Suicune. She'll travel on the back of it, or another mount that they might come across.

A little further down the bridge, they run into Hop again. He warms them that if they get any closer, that they'll have to battle him.

"He is a strange one, isn't he?" Marnie asks Victor quietly, while she and Hop wave to each other.

"I heard that, mate!"

Hop takes his loss well, pumped up because he's looking forward to the next gym, that's nearby. He then takes off.

Afterwards, the duo continue across the bridge.

*Achoo!*

"What a cute sneeze..." Oops, did Victor say that out loud?

Marnie frowns at Victor, who only laughs. It wasn't her fault, the wind is blowing pollen around.

...on second thought, that's not pollen! A wild Eldegoss was caught in the breeze, and flew up to the pair. Victor sweatdrops as Marnie takes it down, making it faint and disappear. Maybe she was letting off a little steam?

Either way, they defeat two more trainers, and reach a new town.

Hulbury

The bustling seaport of Hulbury! A little ways in, Victor and Marnie see a couple of familiar guys, and one new lady.

"...is that the Chairman?" Victor sweatdrops. Marnie is left speechless by Rose's wardrobe choice. When you take "casual wear" to the extreme. He gripes to the woman with him, named Oleana, about running fans off. Bede's also there, who's name the Chairman forgets.

As Victor and Marnie approach, Bede leaves. At least Rose remembered their names. He wants to chat more with them, but Oleana reminds him he's got things to do. So he invites them to a meal when they beat the Water Gym Leader, Nessa.

Watching the two of them leave, Marnie comments, "She's pretty... in a sickly kind of way." Victor's not gonna say anything.

The pair then explore Hulbury. Marnie replenishes their supplies, while Victor gets some good ideas for seafood that he'd like to try out, from an open air market in the south of the town. Morpeko runs off suddenly, coming back holding something she found. It's a Magnet item. That'll certainly make things much easier for Marnie's Gym Battle.

Afterwards, the duo head to the lighthouse at the edge of the town, since when they tried to go to the stadium, they were directed to the lighthouse to find Nessa.

Marnie sighs in the background, as the approach Nessa, who begins talking to them, despite having her back to the. Maybe she can see their reflection in the water?

"Ok... she's stunning..." Marnie grumbles in her head, while Victor ponders framing the League card Nessa gives him.

After Nessa leaves, the Toxel Victor got comes out of it's ball, gazing up at the statues of the Toxtricity's. Which will it become?

Hulbury Stadium

Inside, the teens receive some Water-themed Net Ball's from Ball Guy. Then they go to start the Gym Mission.

When they approach the attendant, Marnie's face gets bright red. It takes a minute, but Victor realizes why. The attendants outfit it the same one Marnie will have to wear during her challenge. It's basically a swimsuit. Marnie normally wouldn't bat an eye at this, but since she's traveling with Victor, she's more self-conscious about her looks. Can she really do this in front of Victor?

Victor could take the opportunity to mess with Marnie, like cheer her on despite the fact she's not very comfortable with this, but he takes the high road. He lets Marnie do her Mission first, and that way when she's done, he won't be waiting at the end of it to see what she looks like.

But Victor is curious...

Regardless, both challengers complete their Mission, and win their second Gym Badge! Marnie breezed through hers, while Victor had a little more of a challenge. The Nessa-cringe face afterwards was top-tier.

Afterwards, they leave the stadium. They run into Oleana, who orders them to a seafood restaurant, to have dinner with Chairman Rose.

Inside, Sonia's here too. "Hey you two!" She then tells Rose, "Are they cute together?"

"Uh... yes..." He's uncomfortable.

*One conversation later*

Oleana interrupts the discussion after a few minutes, telling Rose he's got business elsewhere. The two of them leave. Oh well, dinner was never important. Sonia then gives them a TM. Marnie drags Victor away, since Sonia's got a look on her face that she wants them to do something ridiculous.

"You go girl!" Sonia cheers Marnie on as she leads Victor by the hand. Marnie ignores her.

Outside the restaurant, the two of them run into Hop. He lets them know that the next Gym Challenge is at Motostoke, but they need to go to Galar Mine No. 2. Kabu the Gym Leader, is at the Mine, training.

With the next destination in mind, the duo head off after Hop.

So there we go, more story done.

Hopefully it was enjoyable.

Next time, the third Badge is sought after!