We were going to ask a Magic 8 Ball about the player character ships, but this happened on its own.
After the trio finished their candy shopping, Sonia dropped the others off in front of the lift that would take them to Motostoke Stadium. Not because she trusted them alone, but because Leon and Charizard were already there, Leon laughing about getting lost even with the lift right in the middle of the city.
"I'd never get anywhere without you," he said, and Charizard proudly let out a puff of smoke, clearly agreeing with him. When he saw Victor and Gloria, he immediately stopped laughing. "Have you seen Hop anywhere?"
"Not since the station," Victor admitted. "But he's most likely at the stadium. That's where we're supposed to sign up for the challenge."
"True," Leon confirmed, and called Charizard back to the ball. "Well, then. The lift is about to go up - want to come with me?"
They did. And Hop was waiting for them in front of the stadium, just like they'd assumed.
"Isn't it great?" he said, starting off the conversation that they all knew was coming. "The entire world will be watching us! My mum, your mum, Leon..." he shook his head to clear it, and looked up at his brother. "Were you this excited when you started?"
"Even more excited," Leon told him. "Of course, I headed off to the Slumbering Weald myself and Mum had to drag me back, but you have better navigation skills than I do."
"Can't argue with that," said Victor.
"And you're sure you don't want to join in, Gloria?" Leon asked. "I still have the letter."
"Not this year," Gloria said once more. "Victor and Hop deserve a chance in the spotlight before I step in and take it away."
"All right then," said Leon, still sounding unsure but not willing to push the issue. "Let's go and get you boys signed up."
And he started walking off toward a large building right next to the stadium the trio were left in front of. Hop started after him, but Victor pulled him back.
"It's the only way he'll learn," he pointed out.
"You know my brother's incapable of learning!"
"Then let Charizard drag him back again. We don't need Leon to sign up for us."
"You're right," Hop admitted. "He's strong enough to fight his way out of any trouble." His trademark smile returned. "Let's get on with it, then. Can't let everyone else hog the glory!"
The stadium was packed with challengers. Hop immediately rushed to the front desk, Victor behind him, and the boy standing there turned around just as Gloria caught up to them.
He had pale, fluffy hair, and surprisingly pretty eyes - a nice purple color, with almost feminine eyelashes. And those pretty eyes were looking her over, too, before darting between the Dynamax Bands she and her friends wore.
"They really will let anyone compete," he said after a moment, and turned and walked away without another word.
"What did he mean by that?" Gloria asked, and Hop shook his head.
"Ignore him, Gloria," he instructed. "You're here to cheer us on, not get involved with a piece of work like him. Right, Victor?"
Victor didn't answer. He'd been struck by Cupid himself at the sight of a girl in a pink dress and black leather jacket, nervously rolling a Pokeball in her hands as she talked to a black and brown hamster Pokémon.
"I'm going to introduce myself," he announced, before turning back to his friends. "How does my hat look? Is it even? Are my jeans torn enough?"
Hop saw the girl, too. "Plenty of time to introduce yourself after singing up," he promised, and Victor rushed to do so, handing over his endorsement for a sheet of paper he'd fill out himself. Hop leaned over to whisper. "Need a wingman, mate?"
Victor froze, pen halfway through signing his name, as his imagination provided an image of Hop serenading the girl with a song including the line "You are my friend's big fat crush." Quickly scribbling his signature, he pointed the pen at his friend. "Not likely, mate."
Gloria jumped in next. "Perhaps I can interfere for you," she suggested. "Woman to woman chat before working you into the conversation."
Victor imagined Gloria as his wingman. This imaginary scene involved her telling the girl she'd "probably want a real man." No, he wouldn't trust either of these people with his love life. He barely trusted them to save his actual life. "I can do it on my own," he decided, to their amusement.
"The challengers are all booked at the Budew Drop Inn," the man behind the counter told them, pretending he hadn't overheard their hushed conversation. "It's not far from here. The opening ceremony is tomorrow, why don't you boys head over?"
The girl had already gone. Victor decided that he might as well listen to the guy.
The blond boy in the purple coat was still there. Victor could feel his eyes on him as he left.
Sonia was at the hotel. Victor considered leaving.
Unfortunately, she turned around and saw them before he could run, forcing him to stay in place. "Hiya! You boys all set?"
"We've signed up and everything," Hop announced. "Is it true that Chairman Rose booked us all a hotel?"
"It is!" Sonia confirmed. "He didn't know how many people were getting endorsed, so he rented the entire hotel!" She looked around at the crowd. "Looks like there are only a few dozen challengers..."
"Then can I have a room?" Gloria asked. "I've never been to a hotel before."
Sonia shrugged. "I don't see why not."
Hop was busy focusing on a golden statue, a man raising a sword and carrying a shield. "What's this?"
"It's a statue of the hero that saved the Galar region a long time ago," Sonia explained. "I learned that legend by heart. It's always been fascinating. Would you like to hear it?"
"We might as well," said Victor. "We've got time."
Sonia jumped right into it. "Long ago, the sky went dark in the middle of the day – hence the name 'the Darkest Day.' Not terribly creative. Giant Pokémon rampaged across the land, until they were stopped by a young hero bearing a sword and shield. This statue is made to represent the hero of legend in all his glory." She stared at the statue, and a small smile appeared on her face. "No one knows what caused the entire Galar region to go dark. The rest of the world recorded nothing similar – you'd think Kalos, at least, would have recorded an eclipse."
"They have the legend of a king who went mad and blew up his kingdom," Hop pointed out. "Do you think it was aftershocks of that?"
"I've looked into it. The story of the mad king of Kalos was over 3,000 years ago." She gestured at the statue again. "This legend is only a few hundred years old."
"Huh." Hop looked at the statue for only a few moments longer, and then turned back to his friends. "We should check in. The chairman gave us rooms, we shouldn't waste them."
But a group of people dressed in black and magenta were blocking the sign in counter. They were insisting that Marnie – the girl in the pink dress – should be the only one to compete in the Gym challenge.
As much as Victor wanted to impress Marnie, he wanted to have a chance in the tournament, too. "You need to calm down. I'm sure Marnie has a chance to win this…"
"You're darn right," the heavier man in front agreed.
"…but the rest of us want to at least compete."
The man looked Victor over. He was a young trainer, just starting out, while the man himself had years of battle experience. There was no Power Spot close enough to be a problem. "We'll battle for it," he suggested. "If you win, we'll move."
"Good enough," said Victor.
The man sent out a Zigzagoon. Victor chose his Rookidee.
There was no real competition.
Gloria got to take on the woman that stepped up next, and then Hop joined Victor in a double battle. Finally, when they were preparing to call in their boss, a girl dressed in pink and black stepped in.
"Can you lot stop this?" Marnie demanded, and the entire group fell silent. "I know you're curious 'bout the other Gym Challengers, but you need to let me handle it." One of them opened her mouth to complain, but Marnie pointed to the door. "Unless you have rooms here, you gotta leave."
The group shuffled to the door. Victor was even more impressed.
Marnie didn't seem to notice. "Sorry 'bout that. They call themselves Team Yell, somethin' 'bout 'scaring off other challengers with the name.' Don't mind them."
"So your name's Marnie," Hop said, the slight mockery in his voice catching Victor's attention. Even worse was Gloria's muffled laughter. "That's pretty impressive that you already have a fan club." He eyed Victor slyly. "How do you sign up? Asking for a friend."
"Not the time, Hop," Victor hissed.
"They prefer Dark-type Pokémon, usually," said Marnie, pretending that she didn't think these people were crazy. "If you're willin' to sign up for a specialty...but I'd rather face you in the stadium."
Victor could only nod. Gloria shook her head. "Silly boy," she taunted, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't you know that the easiest way to a girl's heart is to let her sweep you in battle?"
Victor took a note of that. Then, just as quickly, he erased it from his memory.
Victor: Dash (Scorbunny) Rookidee, Chewtle
Gloria: Ace (Sobble) Dishwasher (Galarian Zigzagoon) Rogue (Nickit)