During the crack of dawn, Gloria and her friends finished unwrapping their sleeping bags and prepare for their trip back to Galar. They thought to use the kitchen as a way to make a giant pot, mixing curry with a Chansey egg as a way to wake up the dojo. They heard the sound of people waking up and they heard a rather chipper whistle of an elder, Gloria was stirring the pot as Hop and Marnie turned to find the Master arriving. Gloria half turned her head. "Morning Master, I'd thought we cook up a little thank you before we get going."

The Elder smiled to the good will. "The early Rookidee would get the worms first, but the sun has only started to rise a few minutes ago." Gloria giggled as Marnie gave off that small smile. "Thanks for lettin' us stick around yesterday. This is a pretty nice place. Sorry that we got to get going soon." Mustard didn't mind that fact. "The door's always open. This years Champion Cup might get interesting, if the three of you are able to make it with yesterdays lessons in heart."

Hop promised in confidence. "Keep an eye out and one of us might finally give my bro a match of a life time!" Gloria saw a bit of sparkle in the curry and her eyes glittered while she squeed. "It's going to get fun again. Once we're finished with that, we'll have all the time to come back 'ere and really hone our skills. That way next years will be even grander." Mustard kept a thought to himself and promised. "We'll tune in for that one!"

The curry was finished and the four helped themselves to a quick breakfast. The challengers gave their fast goodbyes and left the rest of the pot for the dojo before making for the Corviknight Taxi and taking their flight back to Hammerlocke. The girls readied a stretch for the morning as Hop was left thinking. "I'll go warm some of my buddies up before I follow you into Circhester. There's a few things I want to try out."

Gloria and Marnie found that fine, the boy promised his long time rival. "Gloria, you and me are going to have another battle, once I get that badge." Gloria was charmed by the promise. "Looking forward to that." She asked her other rival. "How about the two of us go ahead and see the snow together! It ought to make Franken happy as a clam!"

Marnie squeaked. "To-together?" She blushed. "Al-alright." She tensed. "But don't think I'm gonna go easy on you by the end of the day, just because we're all chummy!" Gloria blushed and lead the way to the route over a bridge. Marnie had a short scuffle with a beauty that was completely overwhelmed by Toxicroak and Morpeko, while Gloria had a view of a split road. Up north is a gate way that use to be a stronghold, to the right path is a duo of Yell grunts that were hollering. Gloria was a tad curious, brought out a ball and approached in an attempt to challenge them. "Excuse me, do you mind if I battle for the right of way?"

The male grunt blew into his horn in refusal. "You can't move Team Yell away!" He cheered. "She's cute! She's tough! She won't take anyone's guff!" The female grunt hollered. "Ooour Marnie! She's our Marnie!" Gloria cheered with them. "She'll kick everyone's but and take it to the champs! Oooooh Marnie!"

Marnie heard the yelling, saw Gloria cheering with them, eeked and took her chances with the bush until the rival turned the other way and made for the north. Gloria spotted Marnie in the bush and apologized. "I'd thought I'd see what's beyond there and give Hop time to catch up, but it looks like we'll have to take the long way around." Marnie cautiously stood out of hiding and gave Gloria a cold gaze. "You know that if they see us together, they'll flip the tea lid!"

Gloria marched up north cautiously. "I'd figured, that way leads to Spikemuth, does it?" Marnie looked around to make sure no Yell grunts were watching and followed her rival. "Y'up. Only one of it's kind around 'ere. It isn't built around any hot spots or anything, so it doesn't get that much of a rep." The rival thought. "Tell me a little about your hometown, what's that like?"

Gloria remembered fondly. "Postwick? It's a small, quiet farm town by these weird woods. If you're not careful, you'll get rolled over by those Wooloos that like breaking through fences." Marnie shivered at the memory of baaing. "Sounds like it would make a nice getaway if you can make those Wooloo behave for longer than a day."

The two entered the ruins of the fort and smelled the sand. It was a huge maze, with wild Gurdurr's doing what they can to keep their home intact and Goletts patrolling. Marnie let Gloria catch what she needed and took turns battling any would be trainer that got in the way. They found a tunnel that had small, round, tiny footed pokemon that nearly looked like a centipede. They had blue eyes and spikes across their helmeted bodies. Gloria wondered why that was a thing and used the Dex to read. "Falinks: The Formation Pokemon: Fighting Type: The six of them work together as one Pokémon. Teamwork is also their battle strategy, and they constantly change their formation as they fight. Five of them are troopers, and one is the brass. The brass's orders are absolute." Gloria had a bit of an idea and had Sweet Pie out to do battle, the Falink Brass gave a squeak of an order and formed up a first impression blow before getting spayed by apple acid. The squadron linked up side by side for a no retreat stand while Sweet Pie charged a head butt. Gloria tossed an ultra ball at the Falinks and watched it bring in all six into one orb. Shake...shake...shake... click! Gloria had an idea of a job she could sign these up for and admitted. "Just when you think you've seen what a Pokemon could be, another catches you by surprise."

Marnie admitted. "Falinks is kind of cute, the way that leader has his friends all lined up." The girls kept exploring and had a brief encounter with a duo in business suits. They used a combo of Excadrill and Hippowdon that were overwhelmed by Sharpedo and Sweet Pie. The second wave was of a Lucario and a cat resembling the Galarian Meowth, a grey beard cat with his head looking like a black horned helmet.

Gloria and Marnie switched to Acer and Toxicroak, to deal with the steel working combo of Lucario and the Perrserker. At the end of that match, the girls were at the end of the ruins and felt a chill, followed by snow. It was a way to a bridge and Marnie checked the chilled water. Gloria was glad she was in long pants while her rival burred. They had a quick encounter with a cop duo that had Ninetales and Manetric, which were dealt with by Cinderace and Sharpedo's sheer power.

It was a short ways away and the girls found the town they were looking for, one covered in so much snow while having a steaming fountain at the bottom center and a Gym at the far north, built in front of what looks to be a hot spring. Marnie counted her blessing. "Well, we'll be nice and warm while we're up 'ere."

Gloria giggled as she and her friend made a stop to the Pokemon Center, as a way to warm up. The brown haired girl advised. "I'll go explore the town a bit while you get the first crack at the gym. I'll be there to cheer you on as soon as I'm sure your mission is done." Marnie widen her eyes at the promise and warmed up in confidence before getting her pokemon back and making her leave. Gloria, took some time to explore the homes and hotels, getting a score of T.M's and finding a particular move useful for when Shelly has her quick draw in effect. "Icy wind! Hmm." She had an idea and read the dex info on what item a pokemon known as Sneasle, could have, while finishing her exploring and making it to the gym, one matching the stone work colors of the town. She brought out a mega phone, ready to let her friend know of a promise kept.

At the Wild Area.

Hop and Wartortle came face to face with an annoyed Rhydon that took upon a challenge from the water type. The Drill pokemon roared and rushed at the turtle with his drilling run, Wartortle was sent rolling and Hop found his chance. "Now, smash that shell and let him have it good!"

The Wartortle pressed his fists on his shell and caused it to emit a crack before he stepped back fast and fired an intense water pulse that sent the hulking rock type to his back and laying in a pool of water. The Wartortle grunted a yeah as the cracks closed up, he started to glow and Hop smiled in pride. The partner grew to a height that is taller than the boy, his ears shrank to something cat like and his tails shortened to have only one. Pew! In place of the Wartortle is a big turtle, with quite the robust chin, matching the color of his belly and looking like he can take some damage. Hop cheered. "You're finally a Blastoise, nice one!"

The Blastoise opened two slows on the shoulders of his shell, reveling two canons. He fired two beams of light to the sky and complimented it with a dazzling water pulse. Hop brought out couple of TR's. "I think I got a better idea. If your G-max move is anything like Lee's Charizard, then we got to control the weather, somehow." The Blastoise huhed, saw the colors and punched his knuckles to a mutual thought. The two made it for Hammerlocke as the Blastoise watched the video on how to use surf to get a jump and ice beam as projectiles. The boy looked to the balls in his pocket. "Now that you, Raichu and Lycanroc got a bit of exercise, let's go surprise the girls!"

He went at a joggers pace, if to give the Blastoise time to keep to his speed. Oddly, the boy wasn't running out of breath a mile in. "No wonder she's gotten fast."

The two were at the city and went east, when an intense quake shook the town and made the Blastoise trip, Hop stopped in astonishment. "That again?!" He turned to the Blastoise and got him up, he patted him on the arm as Sonia's voice is heard. "Heya! The Badge collecting going well?"

Hop and Blastoise focused on the orange haired woman approaching. The boy admitted. "Me and Gloria are at five right now, but I've head to the Wild Area for some training while she and a friend went on ahead. What have you been doing?"

Sonia answered fondly. "I've been putting together the research on the ruins in Stow-on-Side. If you didn't here, a trouble maker smashed the land mark and reveled the real secret behind it. Gloria and I have put together so much because of that. The Sword and the Shield, what kind of pokemon they were and where they might be now. I still have so many questions, even after having another look at the tapestries in-" Boom!

The quake happened again, Hop had a sweat. "That's more than once a day now, what is going on?" Sonia had a look at the tower in the center of the city. "That there looks to be where it's coming from. What are they doing down there at the Power Plant?" Dash! "Hey Bro! And Sonia, too! You felt all that shaking, right?" The Blastoise turned to see an adult with a striking resemblance to his trainer, he hid his head with his shell as Hop answered. "Twice in a row now!"

Leon guessed. "Seems that Chairman Rose is testing something again!" Sonia cringed. "This is bad, if something goes wrong right by that Power Spot at the stadium, we could have giant pokemon growing right out of these homes!"

Leon agreed with that. "I can let the chairman know that things are getting dangerous down there." Sonia put a hand on her face and groaned. "You're just going to get lost again, Leon. I'm going too!" She asked the boy. "Hop, go head to Circhester and get that badge. Leave this investigation to the adults."

Leon apologized and had a double check on the Blastoise. "Sorry we can't talk much, I think I know where you and Gloria disappeared to the other day." Hop nodded. "And I think I'm getting some things screwed in right. Don't get each other hurt before I can challenge you, you here me!"

That is a promise the adults took off on. The boy and Blastoise continued along, once they were back on route, Hop thought. "You think something really big is going on, right under our noses?"

The Blastoise nodded. (Really big! Bigger than three Dynamaxed buddies in one stadium!) Hop sighed and imagined something the others have in their subconscious. "And we can't really investigate that with the grown ups, because this Challenge is going on right around now."

He felt an idea. "Maybe, if this keeps happening by the time we prove ourselves..." That would be a nice milestone to reach. "Come on, we've spent enough time training! I'll bet we can get to the next gym before Gloria starts trying a restaurants out!" The two hurried to the stronghold and entered the gauntlet, would their strength allow them fast passage?"

At Circhester Gym.

Gloria was trying to keep a rousing rally at a particular challenger, who has Gordie on the ropes. The gym leader gigantamax a walking coal monster known as Coalossal, into a giant furnace. Marnie dynamaxed a shiny Sharpedo that had a fast knock out prior. The Sharpedo started with a blast of max darkness before getting hit by a pillar of stone that broke down into hot coals.

Gloria knew what was coming and watched the Sharpedo blast out a geyser from her maw, obliterating the Coalossal into a knock out and making the girl cheer out of top of her lungs. "Oh Marnie! She's the roughest girl in Galar!"

Parts of the crowd picked up on that and chanted. "Roughest girl! Roughest girl!" In a few minutes, Gloria went back to the lobby to find Marnie has placed an upper curved badge with the image of a boulder, on her medal. The challenger leaped at her rival for an embrace and cheered. "That was incredible! As soon as you smashed away that Barbaracle and Shuckle, you had that Sharpedo wash everything away in a tide!" Marnie turned red like a tomato. "He's got quite the tricks for a rock type trainer. But it's nothing a little muscle and brain work won't fix."

The girls let go, the Spikemuth princess was ready for her turn in cheering. "You'll have him in no time!" Gloria was let to the receptionist, a teenage girl with dark hair, went to change uniforms as instructed and was allowed into the Gym Mission.

An obstacle course made of sand and rocks, having a few built in platforms to stand on and a ladder going higher and higher to the other end. Gloria ohed, was given two radar like sticks and was allowed in. Dan was right at the corner and asked. "Would you like to hear the details of the Gym Mission carried out in Circhester." Gloria nodded. "Please, because I have no idea what I'm doing."

Dan obliged. "Then allow me to explain a little about the Trap Detector you hold in your hands." He pointed to the sand. "The reason you'll need it is simple. There are invisible pitfalls everywhere in here! If you fall into one, you'll have to start again from the last platform you reached. The Detector will vibrate if there's a pitfall in front of you. The closer the hole, the stronger the vibration!" Gloria went on ahead as Dan wished her good luck and blew the whistle.

Gloria was quick to get a feel of the vibrations and maneuvered to keep away from it. She reached the middle platform and had a quarrel with a gym trainer, a muscular athletic brown haired woman with a Boldore that was quickly knocked out with apple acid from Sweet Pie. The girl called her partner back, after the victory and felt the vibration go off in nearly every direction but a part in the left.

The path to was quite stressful, but she managed to make a turn to the end of the course. She turned back to see the course reveal the pitfalls, one in the near dozen. Gloria mentally patted herself on the back and focused as she went up the stairs to the next obstacle course. One even longer and more of a maze than before. Gloria took a deep breath, put her trust in the device and slowly made her way through each turn, reaching a safe platform at the upper left and fighting a trainer with a Crustle. Gloria had Fubear lead to deliver an iron head bash, step back from a rock slide and deal a fast sucker punch for a relatively gentle knock out. Gloria kept a careful turn to the platform right next to the other, heeded the vibration and reached to a platform with a male gym trainer, wearing a baseball cap.

Gloria had Shelly face a carkol and quickly disperse it with a surf wave. Once the girl made her way through the foe and the last of the course, she went up the next flight of stars and found herself nearly blind to where she was going. Even with a relatively long platform with a simple Sudowoodo trainer ahead, it was a nerve wracker, not knowing when safety or an end was in sight. It kept going on and on until the girl made it to another platform and saw her vision clear, showing the end right before her. The vibrator showed the step ahead was a trap and with a left turn, she was around it and to the last set of stairs.

Gloria breathed deeply and marched up ahead to the end point, being given the usual fanfare and didn't hesitate to put the detectors away once she was across the door. She gave her team mates a quick heal and thought to gamble, leading with Franken. She was enroute to the stadium and stepped out to see a stadium themed around a rocky cave.

Approaching from the other end was Gordie, who was relatively impressed that the girl got through the obstacle course without falling in. The two meet at the center and the Gym Leader waved. "Hey there. The name's Gordie. I admit I feel a little bad doing this to a Gym Challenger, but-" He brushed the hair in front of his glasses. "I'm going to use this match to show to the crowd that my pokemon are normally unbeatable! So, let's get this over with, Challenger."

He and Gloria went to their respected ends and faced one another. The music started and Gordie did a flip before sending out a Babaracle, keeping his back faced to the girl and looking at her in style. Gloria tossed a ball and cheered. "Give the crowd a spectacle, Franken!" Pop! Chirp! The Barbaracle flinched as Gordie hid his astonishment behind his glasses. "That's how it's gonna be? Barbaracle, smash the weight and bury this one in a tomb!"

The Barbaracle grunted and crackled his shell before hissing something in apology. Franken was more irritated as Gloria ordered. "Slow that down with a thunder wave and get to nipping!" The Arctozolt crackled electricity and shot out a stunning thunder wave, paralyzing the Barbaracle and giving an opening for a fast thunder fang peck. The Barbaracle tossed a rock tomb and leaped back before halting in a numbing stun. Franken shook off the rocks and rushed in for a k.o. Biting the Barbaracle in the face and tossing him backwards.

He squawked as Gordie switched for Shuckle. "Alright, let's see you crack through this!" Gloria knew that this is one bulky pokemon and obliged. "Alright, let's go at this with the force of a meteor!" The Arctozolt glowed in cosmic power as the Shuckle glowed and siphoned some of the power. BLARG! The Arctozolt blasted out a beam from his maw and caused an impact that exploded. The Shuckle was knocked back an inch and slapped the ground to unleash a stone edge, sending the Arctozolt flying back to Gloria and landing on his back. "Arc..."

Gloria phewed and called him back. "Good work out there!" She swiped out another ball and gave something like a punch that unleashed Fubear. "Now go in with an iron head and unleash that wicked fist!" The Urshifu grunted, rammed the Shuckle with a head butt and readied the dark aura as the foe was rolling in a flinch.

POW!

One more blow and the Shuckle was sent flying, Gordie ohed, called his bug back and sent out a strange life form resembling a stone hedge. "Let's see if she can over come this mountain, Stonejourner!" The strange rock type let his weight be known as Gloria ordered. "We have this fight now, brick break!"

The Urshifu gave a chop that sent the Stonejourner spinning, the foe tossed a rock tomb to slow her down and body slammed her, inflicting paralysis and bringing the foe to her knees. The Gordie and the Stonejourner had a smirk at the speed being taken cared off and Gloria breathed out in hope. "Sucker punch!" The Urshifu waited for the Stonejourner to ready a rock tomb kick and disappeared. Pow! The bear was right by the foe and clubbed him in the face, causing him to collapse in a k.o.

Fubear panted at a vanquished foe and Gordie kept his cool as he called his partner back. "Not yet! I'm not crumbling to dust just yet. We can still battle." He sent out his Coalossal as Gloria switched Fubear for Sweet Pie. "The fights just begun now! Let's Gigantamax and make this victory really sweet!"

She called Sweet Pie into the ball and powered up as Gordie readied his own. "You still got a gigantic boulder to climb over! Hiyah! Gigantamax!" He called the level headed Coalossal into the ball and charged him up. The two trainers had a distinct, cool aura around them as they sent their growing pokemon back out. Gloria had a look at a giant apple that oozed yellow nectar and wiggled out a tail, the nectar burst and let the other end out, a draconic wyrm wearing a piece of apple as a helmet.

The Appletun and Coalossal roared while the trainers turned to face one another. Gordie braced himself and called to the challenger. "Size means strength! Savor this pain!"

The Colossal brought about a vocalith tower as Gloria asked. "If you can even cut open the apple and find the wyrm that breaths out a wyrm wind!" The Appletun breathed out a wind of purple power that broke apart the volcalith that crashed upon him. Burning rocks cooked the apple from bellow and Gloria roared for another, forcing Gordie to issue a max flare to bring up some heat. Gloria phewed. "So let's end this giant match with something to show that sweet side! G Max Sweetness that is!"

The Appletun splashed out a barrage of seeds that burst into giant red apples, blowing out an appetizing aura that was countered by a more intense flare. The two foes shrank and looked each other eye to eye. Gloria pointed. "We just need a little more to win, use the apple acid!"

The Appletun swelled her cheeks as Gordie cringed. "Like I'll let that work! Tar her up and crash this match!" The Coalossal had something gum up in his maw as the Appletun spat out the acid to sizzle his defenses, the Coalossal spat tar to gum up the dragon and heated up. LEAP! BOOM!

The Coalossal leaped into a heat crash and crushed the Appletun over foot before stepping off. Sweet Pie had a wail, brought out a sitrus berry and ripened it before consuming it. Gloria smirked. "Now use that dragon move and it will be a goal!"

The Appletun jerked her head upward, opened her mouth to show energy pouring out and aimed forward to fire a dragon pulse, causing an explosion that knocked the Coalossal to his rear. The match was over and Gloria wiped a sweat, Gordie kept a smile to his audience and thought to himself. "I just want to climb into a hole right now." He thought more into it. "Well, I'd guess it be more like falling from here." He called Coalossal back and admitted. "That was... impressive."

Sweet Pie had a bit of a dance as Gloria approached the gym leader. "We got through one of the sturdiest mountains yet and we're itching to climb another!" Gordie went for his pocket and brought out the badge. "Before you go climbing again, take this rock badge!"

Gloria took it and applied it to the forming medal, she saw some of the smile is a bit forced and wanted to ask what's going on, Gordie didn't want the girl to be concerned. "Don't worry about me! I just need to train harder, that's all."

The girl took that as, the man wants to be left alone for a while and called her Appletun back before returning to the lobby and changing back to her flashy outfit. As she stepped out, Marnie took her turn to give the girl a surprise embrace. "You sure did raise a bakery back there! That's givin' me some cravin's."

Gloria felt a rumble and wondered. "I could go for a piece of pie right now. Let's wait around a bit for Hop before we find a place to munch at!" The ladies walked out and found Hop having a pretty fast jog towards them. "Huff! Huff! Did you get the badge already?" Gloria showed it. "Marnie broke some kind of record before I had a go. So get in there and knock Gordie down while we cheer for ya!" Hop took the challenge and rushed in, giving the girls one more reason to stay inside.

In a locker room.

Gordie was sitting on a bench with his Shuckle and started at a wall with him. Having lost two times in a row, despite the credible record, really cracked into the moral. Gordie and Shuckle slumped into a ball, thinking about what was done wrong in a silence that was broken by the sound of a turning door knob. It opened, to let in a stunning, blue eyed woman with large, long, light blond hair that has a thick blue stripe. She wore a thick, white, sporty, winter jacket, light blue leggings and white heeled boots. Gordie groaned at the concerned woman. "Can't a guy sulk in his own hole in peace, Mum?"

The mother put a hand at her hip and gave a cold, if stern gaze. "That can be done later. Another Gym Challenger is registering as we speak." Gordie took a deep breath and got up as his Shuckle waited to be called back. "Alright, alright." Pew! "One more and I'll take that breather. Did you come here for something else?"

The woman nodded. "I noticed that girl used one of those fossilized pokemon. She's the first one to have brought one this far into the League." Gordie thought about it. "Come to think of it, she did bring it out for a reason. Someone's finally going to make the public aware about that?" The mother thought about as much. "Someone needs to look into this, closely. Do you mind?"

The gym leader would take any chance to sulk about by his lonesome. "You're the ice expert, mum." The woman nodded, the message was made clear. She perked a smile and cheered as her son readied to give it another go. "Knock them off the mountain, darling!" Gordie blushed and took off, if to support the next challenger that's about to go through that maze.

A few minutes later, Gloria and Marnie were at the audience seat, watching Hop have his turn in facing the gym leader. The Barbaracle was the first to enter the arena, facing a Dubwool. The sheep curled up in defense and rolled to dodge a rock tomb before rushing in for a body press and taking an razor shell. The Dubwool countered with a grassy glide and finished the foe off, bringing Gloria into making a cheer. "Woohoo! Get him, Dubwool!" Marnie brought out a mega phone and shouted out. "Knock 'em down again!" Gordie called his lead and sent out a Shuckle as Hop switched the rather proud Dubwool for a Corviknight.

Due to Shuckles immense defense, it took the Corviknight a while to bring down reliably. Even with an iron head, the Shuckle's power split move made the match up much longer than expected. A valiant knight against an impenetrable shell. Eventually, the Corviknight rammed the Shuckle enough to make him flip back in a flinch and get rammed in the belly for a firm k.o. Hop quickly called the Corviknight back as Gordie switched to his Stonejouner, the boy sent out a carefree Alolan Raichu that sailed to the beat of a cheer. The announcer gasped. "What's this?! An Alolan Raichu?! Is this wave going to wash over the mountain?"

Hop expected Gordie to do something to slow the Raichu and had his partner let loose an electric terrain while the stonejouner distorted the dimension into a wonder. Where defenses are swapped around. Gloria had a brief look at Hop having an idea and thought. "He totally has a psyshock, does he?" The Raichu zipped across the arena and caused psychic rocks to appear, he flipped over a current and cheered while the rocks pelted the Stonejourner into a k.o. Gordie looked a bit tired out and switched to his Coalossal as Hop switched to his Blastoise.

Both pokemon, face to face, left the crowd going wild. The trainers called their partners into a ball and charged up for a Gigantamaxed finale. Coalossal standing with heated pride as Hop's ball popped to show a giant Blastoise with markings on the back of his heels and tail, the back of the shell had a whole artillery of cannons sticking out and a giant central canon.

The cheering got worse and the girls chanted. "Blast 'im, blast 'im, Blastoise!" Half of the crowd were cheering just that as the other half chanted. "Steam 'im, steam 'im, VolCoalossal!"

Hop's taking a back by the giant Blastoise, turned with a boyish vigor and pointed like a commander. "Blast 'im, blast 'im with a soak!" The Blastoise aimed as many of his cannons as possible and trapped the Coalossal in a stream of hydro pumps before the main cannon fired a cannonade at the foes face. The Coalossal was swamped in a twister and steamed up to fire a mighty flare that heated up the arena. The foe followed with a volcannith smash as the Blastoise focused his guns above and blasted frigid air that turned into a hail storm and pelted in a max hail.

The Coalossal shook that off and was engulfed by the swirling water that got into his vents and caused an explosion, shrinking the foe back to a normal form. The Blastoise gave a firm grunt and shrank down before turning to face Gordie and roaring a flex. Hop gave a similar flex that prompted Gloria to take a fast picture of. "He's finally back." Marnie nodded with a mellow smile. "That was a pretty tough match, but he showed 'em up good! Think we should congratulate him and pass off a warning about the next town?" Gloria wondered as she lead the way out. "I don't think it's gonna be too bad, even if your fans try to stop us. I'm actually looking forward to that."

Marnie blushed, wanted to shout out her worry that Team Yell might try to cheat and stopped when she realize Gloria isn't the one who needs to be yelled at. They meet up with Hop, who was out of uniform and really feeling good about himself. Gloria gave her rival a tackling hug. "I'd knew you'd get that spirit back!"

Hop blushed and tried to deny it. "That was nothing, I just noticed that Gordie had a few tricks is all. I've heard Coalossal would speed up real fast if you heat them up or make them steam up." Suddenly, a familiar voice called. "That battle was brilliant! That Gym Leader was tough, but you had no trouble."

The children turned to see Sonia stepping out of the hall way, Hop pointed a thumb at Gloria and Marnie. "I don't think any of us had. So how did that investigation go?" Sonia fondled some of her hair in disappointment. "Not good, we were told that something is going on at the Power Plant and the chairman might need Leon for something in the near future. What is Rose up to?" She breathed out and tried to calm herself. "Worrying too much about it isn't going to do anything, so I'd thought to check up on you and talk to you about something. Circhester has some really great restaurants, so let's head to one and celebrate!"

Gloria guessed. "How about the one called Bob's Your Uncle? I've been getting some curry ingredients that came from there." Hop and Marnie gave Gloria a criticizing stare, the girl might be spending too much time cooking.

Marnie obliged, regardless. "It ought to sound good after our adventure here and we could use a warm up." The crew decided and headed to the restaurant on the west side of town, showing a logo of a jolly blonde man with a spatula. Inside was a juicy smell they were accustomed to and Centiscorch working in the kitchen along with a chef. Sonia noticed in the far back, a piece of tapestry of the two royals from the legends. Looking crestfallen with a back drop of a sacred shrine. "Hold on."

She approached it and felt a connection of something, a faint memory of an adventure deep into the woods and getting a glimpse of the shape. One that use to be bound to a horrifying memory, only to peak an interest today. "No way! Could that be?" Hop huhed and asked. "Could that be what?"

Sonia turned and asked. "You've heard about what happened years ago? A little girl wandered into that forest, in search of that first pokemon she would capture. Who was that little girl and where is she now?"

Marnie was completely lost as Hop and Gloria jumped in shock. The rivals from the southern town asked abruptly. "No way! She was you?!" Sonia nodded. "Right'o! I've only gotten a little deeper than you have, before I met a red wolf that knocked me out and brought me to where Gram would find me. But I've seen a bit of this shape."

She pointed to the shrine in the tapestry. "The heroes here look sad, but where is the Sword and Shield? What were those wolves doing there? Why do they not want anyone to visit that place?" She admitted. "That incident use to give me nightmares, but then I heard it again from you. A wolf of blue has done the exact same thing the red one did. Why doesn't that scare any of us anymore? What is the meaning of this picture?"

Gloria gasped. "The end to the legend!" Sonia nodded and faced the tapestry. "Perhaps when their duty was completed, they went into a kind of sleep?" Hop asked. "And based on the two statues we saw back in Stow-on-Side, the Sword and Shield were actually two pokemon. Are those wolves their descendants, or are they their ghosts?" Sonia turned around to confirm. "Those are our best guess. That's my take on it, at least."

Gloria snapped her fingers. "Shoot, we're so far away from the Slumbering Weald, right at this Challenge we're doing. We can't give it another look right now, even when we've gotten stronger." Sonia didn't quite mind. "I've only tagged along on this journey, because my gran told me to, but this is turning out to be too much fun! Let's think about this over a meal? Go on, what do you want to eat? Let's get our orders in!"

After lunch.

Sonia and the children decided to explore more of Circhester, exploring a hot spring known as the Hero's Bath! After all, something that big would be a bath tub for a duo of giant wolves. Sonia recollected the history behind it. "It is said this is where the two heroes came to sooth their wounds after the battle to bring down that evil presence, long ago. Nowadays only pokemon really use the Hero's Bath, though..." Pop!

Out of Gloria's ball, came Franken, who felt the warm steam and looked around to find the spring. He cheered and leaped into the water as a way to warm himself up, his snot dripping lessen and he floated with his icy body. He purred happily and gave Gloria a reason to let her partners out as a way to relax. Hop snapped his fingers. "Ah man, there goes my exhibition match!"

Gloria gasped and cringed. "Shoot, and right when I got to see you fight with all that spirit. But the day isn't over yet." Sonia wanted to break up a potential wrestle. "Now isn't the best time for that. But thinking about it, you and Hop might be enroute to becoming new heroes."

Hop raised an eyebrow and blushed. "Like those that wave around a sword and a shield? Pull the other one." He thought about it. "Though... I guess I'd fancy a shield, if I had to take my pick." Gloria imagined. "And since I already got some hefty armor, getting a sword ought to be the next thing I need to defend myself in battle." She giggled as Sonia pout. "I think the battles, the heroes had back then, were a lot more dire than all the sports we've been getting these days. Think back, from before Pokeballs were invented, would you have gone after something like a Tyranitar or a Hydregion if you've known what they could do?"

Hop had the temptation to demonstrate with a pokemon battle and halted, thinking more about a Charizard and how it behaves in battle if he wasn't raised alongside a patient trainer. Or a Lycanroc who's more eager for battling.

He took a deep breath as Marnie thought about it. "It use to be a lot of work, to make a really bad tempered pokemon into a friend. You don't really know what's been botherin' them until you get the nerve to try." Sonia nodded. "And you also need to be ready to face those who would be too scared to give the Pokemon a chance. But at the rate you all are going with your partners, even the Unbeatable Leon may be in trouble." She asked. "So what's next you three? I plan to look into things at the Slumbering Weald!"

Hop flexed with excitement. "Before I get to challenging that next gym, I ought to go explorin' for anything that could help out! Then once me and my pals get what we need, we'll be taking on Spikemuth next!" He jogged off to the down town as Marnie thought. "I'd guess we could face Spikemuth together, while Hop is preparin' and all."

Sonia felt that is a sound decision. "At least Hop had finally shook off that gloom. Leon'd worry if he wasn't feeling alright." She whispered. "We'd figured out where you'd all went off too yesterday, I think that gave Hop what he needed." Gloria agreed. "If he isn't giving it his all when the big match comes, then it wouldn't be fun for anyone. I'm thinking I'm going to be in for another match pretty soon today."

Sonia imagined it to be silly. "As rivals, you wouldn't have it any other way." She waved. "See ya soon!" and took off. Gloria was ready to call Franken to her as Marnie noticed a particular woman in a white jacket, spotting the Arctozolt and approaching the trainer. "Well, looks like the mum's taken notice of us." Gloria huhed, turned, jumped and read a league card to figure out. "That's the former gym leader, Melony!"

The woman was close enough to hearing and waved. "It's good to know you're informed, Gloria. I've been noticing that you're traveling with that particular ice type." She has visual concern. "May we talk about that?" Gloria nodded and whispered to Marnie. "You should head back home and tell your folks that visitors are coming! I'll catch up." Marnie found that a real convenience and perked. "I'll pass the word, but don't think we'll go any easier on you!" She hurried to the south eastern exit as the Arctozolt floated and looked to the woman who went to pet him.

"There there, the water's good for you."

Melony could tell by the energetic purring. "You've been taking real good care of him, haven't you?" Gloria nodded and sat by the spring before placing her hand in it. "I figured if he warms up through some exercise and something like this, he'd be feeling a lot better about the cold."

Melony nodded and looked back at previous encounters with an Arctozolt and Arctovish. "Most of the time, I've seen trainers that had no idea on what to really do with these poor things. Is there a reason you two are still going to give it everything you got?"

Gloria had a stern frown that is revealing some of Melony's concerns. "A kid genius showed me enough about the other three. If someone doesn't do something, more like Franken's going to come up to less warranted trainers, completely under everyone's noses. I got to make sure Franken's more known, because more people will know this is not normal." She had doubts on that hope. "Is this going to help him in the end?"

Melony had a strict frown on the matter. "His well being is in your hands and this might encourage trainers to learn about where he comes from so they can have one like him too." She brushed her hair as a way to relieve her stress. "But anyone with some common sense, would want to know about where he's coming from, so it can be stopped. It's that scientist near Stow-on-Side, correct?"

Gloria nodded and looked Franken in the eyes before facing the ice expert. "I don't know how bringing any of this to her is going to change things. She's been talking pretty crazily when I stumbled upon her."

Melony sighed and advised. "That kind of thing is never that simple to deal with and now, with the Gym Challenge occurring, it's a poor time to investigate on this. But-" She smiled warmly. "What you're doing so far, is the first major step. What kind of ice move has Franken learned so far?" Gloria answered proudly. "Avalanche, so far. It's pretty handy against faster foes, because of how hard Franken will hit back. But since he's learned about Meteor beam, I'm thinking he should learn something to go along with the power he gains from it." Franken blinked, opened his mouth to a steam moisten pillar and breathed out a faint ice breath that caused the water to freeze up and break off. Gloria pointed. "Like that! Good idea Franken... now what kind of move is that? Freeze dry?" Melony let the girl know she is correct. "And why would this move compliment that special power?"

Gloria could tell by what it did to the water. "It's able to hurt water pokemon in ways any old ice move wouldn't. If that pokemon has a type that is weak to ice, as well as a water type." Her eyes widen. "Oh my!" She squeed. "That's could end the match faster than they could know!"

Melony agreed and stood up with the girl. "If you rely, solely on surprises, you will end up losing the Champion Cup before you would be able to even reach Leon. But the way I see it, you will have the strength to back up this years surprise." Gloria had Franken step out of the spring and snickered. "We're getting pretty famous because of that."

Melony looked south, imagining that fame going to dark corners of the world. "There's two more gyms you need to beat before you can properly show us what you are. I hope you keep that stern look by then." Gloria and Franken gave that promise before taking off to the south, where the return route to Hammerlocke awaits.

At a route blocked off by a river.

Marnie is greatly annoyed by a quartet of Yell Grunts, harassing a doctor and cheering for a Drednaw that is completely confused. "There's no way we're lettin' you anywhere near Spikemuth! And that means we can't let you go on to route 9."

The doctor looked on in bewilderment as the other grunt cheered. "It's Team Yell's duty to cheer on these lovely Drednaw and we also get to stop people from headin' out over the water!" The Drednaw had a blank expression of confusion and noticed a girl, matching the poster some of the grunts were waving around. Marnie raised up. "Would you all knock it off! This is just being silly, now." The grunts gasped to the voice and turned. They cheered even loudly. "Our Marnie's toppled the mountain and she's making it back to home base!" "Oh Marnie! Oh Marnie! She's our champ!"

Marnie realize this isn't working and felt a spark of an idea. "Gordie was pretty tough, but I got through him like I did the others. How about some of you help me get over the water, so I can prepare for my match at home? Piers won't have to worry about me soon." One of the grunts hurried to the water and let out a Quagsire while the other let out Seismitoad to be an escort. Marnie made for the frogs back and made sure at least two of those grunts are with her, leaving the other two to go about their business. "I'll be waiting for you on the other side, Gloria!"

A few minutes later.

Gloria and Franken had a healthy jog across the snow blown bridge, using the exercise to warm their bodies and focus their minds. On reaching the other side and reaching land, they had a brief fight with a local fisher woman who brought out a Barraskewda that made a dive into the water and speared out to rush the Arctozolt, only to be snapped in thunderous fangs and tossed aside. The second pokemon was a Lanturn that was sprayed by a freeze dry and was frozen in place for a finishing breath. Futher along the road, Gloria and Franken had a fight with a quirky dancer, who brought about a tip toeing, snowy white Darumaka that was knocked out by a meteor beam. The dancer woahed and spun from the distruction before calling back her partner and sending out a Bellossum that was knocked out in one freeze drying blast.

At the end of their jog, they found a duo of Yell Grunts, harassing the doctor who invented the Rotom Bike. They where keeping him cornered while cheering for a Drednaw. Gloria petted Franken and silently called him back while preparing Fubear for a possible scuffle. The doctor noticed the girl and waved. "Why, we meet again, my Challenger friend! How is that bike serving you?" Gloria winked. "Marvelously. Do you need some help with this?" The doctor signaled that he does, the Yell Grunts realize he's acting strange and turned around. The male crinched and kept by the Drednaw as a way to shield him. "This challenger's after Drednaw!"

The female nodded, waved her Marnie poster as a way to make a ball appear, seemingly out of nowhere. "If we're going to protect it, then we'll need yer to give up on the Gym Challenge! But it looks like you need convincin', so how about a Pokemon battle?" Gloria tensed. "Draw out your pokemon and find out why I'm not quitin'" The grunt ohed from that intimidating and sent out a Linoone that rolled out her tongue and balked. Gloria tossed out Fubear, who simply looked down at the dark/ normal type that is realizing she's going up against a fighting type. Gloria tensed in a battle pose and chopped the air. "Hiya!" Fubear dashed at the Linoone and struck her to the side in one brick break chop. The Yell grunt wowed and switched to a Pangoro that had one moment to catch Fubear's scent and tense.

The Pangoro raised her fists and growled. (You got a stance there!) Fubear nodded and stood upward. (I've been practicing since I came to this region.) She pressed a knuckle to her left palm and gave a bow. (Nothing personal.) The Pangoro liked that discipline and gave a familiar bow. At the end of the introduction, the Pangoro gave fast bullet punch that Fubear blocked with her left arm. The Urshifu used her right to deliver a brick break chop to the shoulder and caused the Pangoro to yelp before falling on her knees. Fubear took a step back and admitted. (Nice punch!) The Pangoro groaned and looked up, knowing she lost. (That's gonna be a rough one for the hommies! Ya better watch yerself there!)

She fell to her stomach and rubbed her shoulder, the Yell grunt called her partner back and is distraught. The male grunt realize he had even less of a chance and panicked. "Gah! She's going to ride the Drednaw!" The two grunts looked to each other for an escape plan that would surely hinder Gloria. The lady spoke out loud. "Oi! I've got an idea! We can get on Drednaw first and ride away!"

The male blew into the horn and caused the turtle to jump forward. All right! Get a move on Drednaw! See ya later, Gym Challenger!" The Drednaw sprinted to the water in hopes to get away and was followed by the Yell Grunts that got on his back, the turtle looked annoyed but not angry as he swam off.

Gloria rolled her eyes as the doctor gave his thanks. "Seems you've come to my aid yet again. Now, a theory." He perked with a smile behind his medical mask. "Wouldn't it be great if you could ride your Rotom Bike on the water too?" Gloria gasped. "If I could, then I can explore even more places at the Wild Area and even the water around this Isle!"

The doctor brought out green flotation like training wheels for the front and back wheel. "That's why I'm going to add these special parts, allowing it to travel along the water's surface. Just for you!" The girl brought out her folding bike, unfolded it and let the doctor apply the parts. He looked on to the water across the chilly shore, having ice burgs that are in the way. "All right, all right! With the Rotom Bike "Water Mode," you'll cruise across the water like a pokemon with swift swim." He coughed. "By the by, when you're riding on land, we'll call it "Land Mode"" Gloria got on her bike and called Fubear back while the Rotom Phone inserted himself into the socket. "So Rotom, once I hit the water, you inflate those things and help us get across!"

She waved. "Thanks. If you see a boy that knows me, let him have a bike as well so he'll get across. Kay?"

The doctor nodded to that as Gloria cycled to the water and watched the flotation wheels inflate, keeping the bike well above the water while helping herself to a wailmer, a mareanie and getting into a wrestle with a blue octopus that has strong grappling arms. Shelly had a fast zen head butt for it, allowing Gloria to use a dive ball to snag the Grappleoct easily. The girl took her time exploring, gathering some useful t.m's and facing opponents who prove excellent practice for Franken and Sweet Pie.

The girl had a view of a grassy hill on the southern shore and cycled fast to reach there. On reaching the top of the hill had a fast quarrel with a singer with a purple, bipedal lizard with a yellow under side, strange purple scales on his chest and an electrical mohawk. His partner is a dancer who brought about a maractus. The toxocrity was blown away by Brainy as Acer kicked a pyro ball to get the maractus out of the match.

Gloria had her partners return to their balls and cycled to the direction of a sign post, leading to a town that is sealed off by a garage door. Many bystanders, two were challengers that were looking to get in, complained. Gloria huhed. "What in blazes is going on 'ere!" A brown haired beauty in a red sweater turned around with disappointment. "We couldn't enter Spikemuth, so we've just been hanging around this whole time."

A female challenger listened and whined. "No one can challenge the Dark-Type Leader like this!" A male banged on the gate. "What's with the gate being shut? How am I suppose to get the gym badge now?" Gloria pondered. "Maybe I can make a door? Sweet Pie's spit is pretty potent acid and Fubear might be strong enough to punch through." Psst!

The girl heard a psst and found a fence leading to somewhere on the side, Marnie tilted her head in view and spoke in silence. "Hey, Gloria!" She waved and slumped back, the girl followed the trial to a side door straight into the view of a worn down city. Gloria thanked her. "I didn't think to look that-a-way just yet." Marnie appreciated it quite sheepishly. "I was born 'ere so I know another way in."

Gloria phewed. "Thank goodness that you're willing to share that. I get Team Yell's been helping ya out. But locking the way in for the others isn't cool, you know?" Marnie agreed to that. "You might be my rival, but everyone ought to have a fair go. There's just one little problem." She readied a ball as a band of Yell Grunts arrived to cheer her on. "You're going to have to beat me for the right to get in first." Gloria huhed and tensed as a fierce rival. "You're on Marnie!"

The girls lined up a ball and pitched the throw; on Gloria's side is Franken, on Marnie's a Liepard with a ditzy aura. Marnie tensed in a smile. "I've powered up a whole lot, traveling with you! I'm gonna beat you into the ground for this, got it?" The Liepard dashed for a fake out and giggled in torment, irritating Franken to where Gloria called. "Don't let that Liepard distract you. Get her with a thunder fang and finish her off with a freeze dry!" The Arctozolt chomped the Liepard that swiftly broke free and gave a sucker punch with her back right paw. Franken shook it off and blasted the Liepard right as she landed on the ground. The feline fell side ways in a shiver and passed out.

Marnie phewed and called her partner back while Gloria called Franken back. The girls sent out a Toxicroak and a Cinderace. The frog croaked casually and extended blades out of her wrists as Acer tensed and kicked up a pebble. "Jab Acer good and make her taste the poison!" The Toxicroak leaped on a fence line as Gloria kicked the air. "Now!" The Cinderace ignited the pebble into a fire ball and kicked it right at the Toxicroak, knocking her out in one blow and flexing a cheer.

The girls made another switch, Fubear was brought before the snipping Sharpedo. Marnie pointed. "Let's do it like we planned! She's gonna be in for a burn after all that exercise!" The Sharpedo grunted, opened her mouth and roared a scalding blast of water that left Fubear feeling the burn. Gloria woahed. "That smarts! Fubear, go in for a brick break, fast!"

The Urshifu nodded and rushed at the Sharpedo that flopped left in a roll, the wushu turned in sync and gave a single chop to the chin that left the Sharpedo out cold. Marnie smiled to a plan that worked as she and Gloria made another switch. The Spikemuth Princess sent out a man sized, green skin troll that is covered in black fur. He and his trainer flexed in a roar as Gloria sent out Shelly and admired. "That Grimmsnarl's looking pretty mean! We're going to be in for it now, Shelly!"

The Slowbro had a delayed reaction as the Grimmsnarl bulked up his fur, the Slowbro stepped back and fired a shell side arm. Marnie gave a twirl that the Grimmsnarl mimic, rushing as in a dark lairate that sent the Slowbro flipping. Shelly caught herself in a balanced tip of toes and fired again, knocking the Grimmsnarl to his back and wailing. (Ah maaaaan!) Marnie pouted and called him back as Gloria forced herself to switch. "Don't worry 'bout it, you've done great!" Fling!

Scrafty entered with a passive frown as Sweet Pie plopped to battle and looked up at her. Marnie scoffed in a swagger and her Scrafty blew out that same aura, irritating the Appletun to where she got confused. Gloria cringed. "Sweet Pie, they're trying to get ya by surprise. Start with a leech seed and get a spay out!" The Appletun spat sapping seeds at the Scrafty that rushed at her and gave her a brick breaking kick. Sweet Pie banged her head against the fence and was crunched before she got a spray off. The Scrafty stepped back and rushed for another crunch while Gloria shouted. "Hurry, recover and let her have the pulse!" The Appletun shook herself and oozed nectar to heal the wounds before taking another crunch and shooting a dragon pulse.

The Scrafty rolled back and leaped for a brick break that Sweet Pie dodged with a right ways hop. BLAST! The dragon pulse knocked the Scrafty to the fence and left her dazed. Gloria and Marnie switched once more. The girl sent out Brainy, who was amazed by the structure ahead, Marnie took a deep breath and let out her Morpeko, who had an intimidating squint in her eyes. "Well, we're down to giving them a nippin'! Don't let up until I say so!"

The Morpeko nodded and rushed at Brainy's abdomen, crunching with her sharp incisors before getting pulsed away. "Hurry and set a reflect, then we got her!" Brainy conjured a barrier as the Morpeko turned dark and screeched a biting leap, shoving Brainy a few feet in the air before he let out a buzz that knocked the Morpeko on her back in a single blow. Brainy raised his arms up and looked down at the defeated foe. (Impressive plan, but short of the greater genius!)

Marnie puffed her cheeks and called her Morpeko back. "Ah, bugger." She took a deep breath and looked to her fans. "Let her have the first go, I'll catch up!" The Yell Grunts respected that wish and went back to the city, the girl whispered signaled that her friend hurries in with her.

The two entered a dark, alley way of a city, with a sealed off roof that has open cracks, lamps lit across the buildings and LED lights to compliment the neon light. Gloria and Brainy were surprised by how worn down it is. Marnie made sure Team Yell was out of hearing as she whispered. "I've tried to get them to call off their shenanigans, but they took it the wrong way and thought I said. "I'm ready to face the gym now!" I am ready, but it wouldn't be fair if you got blocked out by the blockade!"

Brainy raised an eyebrow as Gloria looked to the street way going towards purple lights. "Have you tried talking to who ever is in charge of Team Yell yet?" Marnie shook her head. "If I did, I wouldn't have been back 'ere in time to lead you in. Maybe if someone knocks the steam out of them, they'll listen." She lead the girl to a pokemon center with some rough necks and a Nurse who has a spiked collar and dark pink eye liner. "Oi, this one wants to get ready for the Gym, ere! Get her taken cared of!" The Nurse nodded and put her phone already. "Sure thing, Marn!" Gloria called Brainy back and went to have her pokemon healed up before returning to the rival. Marnie perked with motivation. "Get on out there and known 'em down! I'll be cheering for you!" She gave her a tap that felt like a side ways hug, Gloria felt a prick in her pocket and pulled it out to find a quick claw. Gloria put it away in consideration as a Yell Grunt asked. "If yer ready for the Gym Mission, ya better go get into Uniform! The rules the rules, even over 'ere!" Gloria understood and went to a locker room to get into uniform.

She dashed out of the center and made for the road, where a Yell Grunt's pretty impressed in how prepared the girl was. "Ya's all proper before I got to say it!" Gloria nodded. "One of yer friends told me to get to changin'! So what's the mission 'ere?"

The grunt pointed his thumb to the road. "Just keep going to over there and you'll find the Gym Leader!" Gloria smirked. "Is that all?" She tossed a ball to let out Fubear, who is taken aback by the darkness and mixing lights. All the while the sound of a guitar was making the Urshifu bob her head, Gloria asked. "With the two of us sprinting, we'll have no problems getting there! Are you ready?" The Urshifu nodded and readied, Gloria gave a bit of a crouch. "Ready!" She dashed. "Go!"

The Yell Grunt and the Urshifu is surprised by the fast sprint, the Wushu followed fast in a jog. A duo of Yell Grunts, the one with the golden chin and the lady with the silver hair stepped out of an alley way. The Gold Chin called at her. "Gym Challenger. You wanna get past me, but I don't want that." Gloria stopped and went into a battle stance. "So this is a battle between two wills, eh?"

Urshifu caught up and braced herself as the Gold Chin nodded and sent out his Linoone. "Let's see whos desire's stronger!" The Linoone rushed for a fast trio of fury swipes before getting knocked to the side in one brick break swipe. The Gold Chin simply picked up his Linoone, intimidated by the force. "Ah man, I had to squeeze in there and everything." He and the Silver Hair went running, Gloria and Fubear followed in pursuit, finding the two stepping aside while a pink Mr. Mime stood in the way and pressed his hands against thin air. Gloria called. "Wait, something isn't right 'ere!"

Fubear halted and looked around the Mime, then around the road. Gloria used the Dex to get a read on Mr. Mime. "Psychic-Fairy. Ah! Check this out!" She went to the Mr. Mime's personal and tapped a knuckle on nothing. "This is an invisible wall! We can't get through." The Silver Haired stepped into the way the two came and agreed. "All of us are gonna block you're way, Gloria!" She waved a poster that has a distinct color of black and white. "We're not gonna let you waltz in 'ere without a fight!"

She sent out a Thievul that saw the mighty foe and rushed in for a tail slap. Smack! Fubear chopped her behind the shoulders and knocked her down with ease. The Silver Hair whu and called the fox back. "Unbelievable! You're even stronger than last time!" She looked to the Urshifu and squeed as the Gold Chin bobbed his head. "Let her go through!" He pointed to the neon signs. "Check those out if you see another Mr. Mime again, kay?"

Gloria nodded as the two grunts rushed by the Mime in their escape, the psychic was quite confused and sat on the bench in defeat. Tink! Gloria and Fubear looked up to see a neon sign pointing a finger onward. The two made a more paced sprint and saw two broken windows on the second floor of two buildings. At the left was the Red Hawk, on the right was the Blue Hawk. Gloria brought out another ball and stopped right in between the windows. The Red Hawk bellowed. "I'm yelling for no reason!"

The two made a flip out of the window, while the Red Hawk landed near perfect and made the ground shake, the Blue Hawk landed on his knee and fell to the ground in a thud. "Oh... Ow!" He curled up and gritted. "Ow! That landing was a horrible idea!" Gloria agreed and helped him get on his rear. "I'll say!"

The grunt took a deep breath and tried to stand up, he puffed his cheeks, the girl and the Red Hawk helped him keep put. "Ah man! So how are we going to do this?" Gloria turned and showed a ball. "How about we make this battle really quick. I think I know someone who can help him get to that Pokemon Center."

The Red Hawk nodded and took a step back before bringing out a Scrafty, who is jumping at the fallen Blue Hawk. (Dang!) Fling! Pop! Out came Acer who saw the injury and cringed. Gloria signaled him. "We'll handle that later! Kick that Scrafty back with an experts double kick!"

The Cinderace nodded, rushed at the Scrafty and kicked him across the street. The ruffian was given the order. "Get some payback over here!" POW! Acer was sent in a back flip as Gloria ordered. "Now use pyro ball and make it a goal!" The Cinderace kicked a pyro ball that knocked the Scrafty to his back. With that done, Gloria sent out Brainy, who felt the pain and had a sweat. (I wasn't sent out here to help with this mission, am I?)

Gloria shook her head and pointed at the Blue Hawk. "We're pretty far away from the Pokemon Center and this guy could have broken his legs! Help get him over there, stat!" The Orbeetle nodded, looked to the Red Hawk that called his partner back and helped lift the Blue Hawk by the shoulder. The psychic glowed and had the injured grunt hover. (Now relax and imagine the walk.)

The three took off and let the challengers be. They made sure the locals were getting to where they need to be before continuing. Gloria gave Acer and Fubear a fast heal before calling them back. "I hope they don't take this too far!"

She went back to her sprint, going on and on down the road until another Mr. Mime was in the way, giving a smug smirk at his obstruction. Gloria halted and felt wind blowing at her back, she turned around to find a feminine figure back flipping towards her, a dark skin female grunt with green braids. The grunt finished her performance in style and stretched a poster that oddly, resembles a chipper Gloria. "I've been practicing that back hand spring so much, I'll bet a pop star would be jealous over that." She showed a rather well detailed poster. "Let's make this quick before someone sees. What do you think? You've been the number one rival of Marnie since you've made your name around here."

Gloria ohed at the perkiness. "I like! It feels like it's me! The back flipping is also pretty fancy. Now, shall we?" The Grunt rolled the poster up and put it away before sending out a Weavile. "Let's see how ya do when someone gets over your speed!" The Weavile gave a hand stand flip as a way to show off as Gloria sent out Fubear, who marveled the acrobatics. The Weavile spun and flung an ace shard that scratched across the fur, the Urshifu simply rushed at the foe with an iron head, if to keep it from hurting less, and knocked the Weavile to her back. The grunt hoofed in admiration and called the Weavile back. "Man, that's over in a flash! We need to be improving our battling skills too." Gloria agreed on that. "The acrobatics and art work's got to go hand in hand with that. Thank you for the preview!" The Green Braid nodded. "Some on us might be cheerin' for ya in secret. Knock them out, kid!" She back flipped down the road in style, leaving the Mr. Mime to step out of the way. Gloria and Fubear sprinted to what looked to be a blockade of solid wood and a worn out door at their left that would bring them further.

Gloria brought out Acer's ball and whispered. "This is definitely a good way to get sandwiched." Fubear agreed and kept to the rear, as they entered the passage, a male grunt, having a chain necklace of platinum stood in the way. "Team Yell takes the field! This might be the Gym Challenge, but I won't let you ruin our cool secret hangout!"

Fubear heard someone from behind and turned, finding a male Yell grunt without make up. "Ur?" Gloria turned to see and ohed as the stranger called. "Pincer attack! We'll do what ever it takes to win!" He know he was being looked at strangely, with no make up or cheering equipment. "I didn't have the time to get my disguise ready!" He readied a ball. "So yeah, yeah! Team Yell is actually made up of Spikemuth's Gym Trainers."

That was a rather pleasing surprise, the gym trainer sent out a Drapion as the grunt sent out a Liapard that meowed. Gloria wiggled around Fubear and sent out Acer. "Kick some sand on that Drapion while Fubear knocks the cat out!"

The Cinderace sprinted to kick a scorching sand that sent the foe stepping back in a roar. The Drapion rushed at the Cinderance and bit with toxic fangs as the Liapard slashed at the Urshifu and was knocked out cold. Acer was feeling a burning in his veins and Gloria called. "It's too closed in to be kicking a pyro ball, U-turn back to me!"

The Cinderace nodded and sprinted for a kick before back flipping and giving the Urshifu space to make a charge and knock the Drapion in a brick break chop. Gloria brought out a full restore for Acer and a lemonade can for Fubear while the Yell duo called their partners back. The grunt in uniform groaned. "Ugh, what ever! Our Gym Leader's up ahead, but he's really strong, got that?"

Gloria does and let the dude take off while the Gym Trainer's confused on who he lost as. "I mean, everybody already knows the true identity of Team Yell, right?"

Gloria's imagining. "I'd reckon you followed along the Gym Leader who didn't even show up to the Opening Ceremony." She gasped and realize, by the small town. "Does this place not have a Power Spot? Is that why it isn't too popular?" The Gym Trainer nodded. "Yeah, we can't make our pokemon grow big for a kaboom! So we don't get too many cameras or nothing."

Fubear sipped the sweat drink and had pity. (Ah man, this place was getting me as well.) Gloria thought about it and promised. "I think I know what's really going on around here and why you all are trying to help Marnie. Just give me a minute and I think we can all talk about this." The trainer nodded in respect and turned around, letting Gloria and her misfits take off to the path ahead. Where a trio of Grunts, a man with a light orange mohawk, a teenager with grey hair that has black tips and a teenage girl with a crystal necklace were lining up their balls. The platinum chain was pretty astonished by what he said as the Sunlit Hawk bellowed. "Oi, this is our last chance to block her out! Everyone, get throwing at once!" The Grey hair was on it as the Crystal Heart cheered. "Let's see you handle this trick from Unova!"

"Would you all knock it off!"

That voice made the three halt, right as Gloria was deciding on who to bring for this match. She turned to find Marnie being carried over by the psychic power of Brainy. The Spikemuth Princess landed on the other side in style and had the three halt in their tracks. Gloria breathed easily and called to Brainy while Marnie apologized on Yell's behalf. "They really mean well, they're just doing this for my sake."

The Sunlit Hawk breathed out his frustration and had desperation in his plea. "Spikemuth just keeps gettin' worse and worse. And all Piers says is. "Don't worry!" The Grey hair nodded. "So we thought to turn ourselves into Team Yell and sabotage the other challengers!" The Crystal Heart thought outloud. "We thought, if we could stop you all from reachin' the Gym, then Ms. Marnie would be the only one allowed to win and make it to the Champion Cup!"

Gloria cringed at that thought process. "Guys, that wouldn't help her! I've seen people try to cheat their way to the top and all that does is make it so they only run into more cheaters!" Marnie agreed with that and asked. "What would I be, if I don't earn the title of Champion, huh? I'd be brinin' Spikemuth into more infamy!"

At that, the three realize they were ultimately helping Marnie cheat her way to the top. They froze at that knowledge and the Crystal Heart looked like she was going to throw up. The Spikemuth Princess sighed and whispered to her friend. "Gloria, there's no need for all the preparations or what ever. Go on ahead and face the Gym Leader."

The challenger promised her. "I'll make this as quick as I can. Thank you for talking sense into them." She called her partners back and made the sprint towards the purple light. Neon lights, showing a concert being sung by a blue eyed man with wild hair looking to be in horizontal, black and white stripes. Some of the hair hair covered his right eye. His uniform was a white vest with purple stripes, complimenting a black t shirt. He had a necklace much like Marnie's and his wrists and ankles looked to have bindings.

The song had a beat and Gloria had half a mind to simply listen. The Gym Leader noticed her and slowed his singing down in a sigh. "So you're finally here, huh?" His microphone stopped and gave a bit of an echo while the man had a bit of melancholy. "See, I'm not really a great Gym Leader. Figured that's why nobody was comin' to challenge me."

Gloria had a bit of a laugh. "Some of your buddies was locking the door here. But I found my way in." The gym leader approached with a mellow gloom of guilt. "I have good ears, so I overheard the whole thing about the city bein' shut up." Gloria felt the speech to be similar and was eager to forgive him for a pretty minor inconvenience, yet the Gym Leader felt something needed to be done. " When I was alone, it was like my soul was weapin'." He kept to one end of the concert, Gloria looked down to see it was a simple arena. "So this is the Stadium huh?"

The Gym Leader nodded. "We can't Dynamax our pokemon 'ere, so why bother for anything bigger. I hope you'll enjoy this battle. Now then." He placed the microphone stand on the ground and readied a heavy tone. "I'm Piers, the Dark-type user. You wanna challenge me? Even if you know you'll lose? Then this song's for you, foolish trainer!" The concert participants, human and pokemon alike, made way for a fence line to hide behind while Piers called out. "Get ready for a mosh pit with me and my party! Spikemuth, it's time to rock!"

He brought out a dusk ball and sent out a menacing looking Scrafty, Gloria tossed a ball. "Come on Acer!" Pop! The Cinderace rolled to battle as Piers had a tune for his lead. "Everyone, cheer on my Pokémon! Let's do it, Scrafty! Intimidate the opponent!" The Scrafty put on a fearsome face that made Acer's legs shake, Gloria tensed back. "We got some sand to kick around, scorch him!" The Cinderace nodded, rushed at the Scrafty and kicked the burning sand, singeing the lizard as Pier had a rather malicious gaze. "Let's give 'em an eye for an eye!" The Scrafty kicked sand right at the Cinderace's eyes and left him a bit blind. Gloria growled. "Of all the- U-turn out of there!" The Cinderace caught the fuzzy sight of the Scrafty and dashed fast, kicking the lizard in the forehead, right behind he could tilt out of the way.

The Cinderace back flipped into his ball as Gloria sent out her other. "Fubear, let's smash our way through!" Out came the Urshifu that flipped forward and flexed a roar, the Scrafty simply chopped a brick break at her hip. Gloria chopped the air. "Hiya!" Fubear gave the Scrafty a chop across the shoulder and sent him skidding to a wall, he tried getting up and passed out. Pier's visible eye widen and he called his partner back. "Everything's gonna stink here," He sent out a Skuntank that has a building up hiss. "but who cares! Go Skuntank!"

Gloria had a spark of an idea and called Fubear back as a way to change to Acer. The Cinderace had the sand off his eyes and he flexed in confidence. Piers ordered. "Use your toxic and sucker punch!" Gloria ordered. "Easy peasy! Go for a scorching sand!" The Cinderace rushed and kicked burning sand at the foe that moaned like an angry cat and shot toxic fluid from his tail.

The Cinderace stepped back to a pebble and was viciously sucker punched. "Point blank!" The Cinderace used the pebble to kick a pyro ball that sent the Skuntank flying to the stand. Piers called the Stunktank back and saw the Cinderace about to fall. "Malamar's gonna mess you all up with its Contrary Ability!"

Pop!

Out came a Malamar that wiggled his tenacles, giggled maniacally and had lights shining. Gloria clicked. "Acer, you've been a real star, now u-turn out of there and give Fubear her second song!"

The Cinderace dashed to the Malamar, kicked him in the stomach and back flipped to Gloria's ball. The girl took a step forward and punched out Fubear. Piers kept a beat as the Malamar rushed at Fubear and flipped her across the arena in a foul play. The Urshifu caught her landing as the Malamar twirled, Gloria yelled. "Sucker-" The Urshifu rushed to the Malamar's face. POW! "punch!"

The sucker punch sent the Malamar spinning back, he fell to the side and passed out. Piers called him back and gave a shouting spin. "Here's a number I had saved just for this! You lot in the stands better cheer me on!" The Yell Grunts were cheering at the intense show down as Piers sent out a bipedal creature with a great resemblance to Linoone. He had grey fur that resembles a jacket and grey fur across his wrists and legs. Piers voiced out in song. "Time to meet another member of my crew! Face the proud, high roar of my Obstagoon!"

The Obstagoon had one look at the Urshifu, gave a rather mellow frown and opened his fanged maw to let a tongue drop down. This was a brawl, he longed for. Gloria breathed out. "Fubear, finish this with one more chop!"

The Urshifu sprinted at the Obstagoon as Piers ordered. "Obstruct that blow and go in for close combat!" The Obstagoon crossed his arms in a guard as Fubear crouched bellow the arms and gave the foe a brick break chop under the chin with an unseen fist. The Obstagoon's head was jerked upward and he fell over backwards. He yelped, asking what happened and fell to his back. Firmly knocked out. The Urshifu stood over the Obstagoon, raised her hands upward and cheered. (Huya!) Piers was sent falling on his knees and clung to his stand, in complete disbelief that his plan failed.

He took a deep breath, got up and called his Obstagoon back as Gloria and Fubear celebrated. "What a battle! Me and my pokemon are gonna feel that one in the morin'" He approached with a bottom medal piece with the image of an eclipsing full moon. Gloria took it and gave Piers that hand shake. The Yell Grunts weaped at the outcome of the intense match as Piers had a t.m to give, as well as a uniform. "My little sis Marnie's gonna challenge me next, I bet."

"That was a sweet match."

Gloria and Piers turned to see Marnie in uniform. The Gym Leader cringed in embarrassment. "You were watchin', sis? You won't learn anythin' from seein' me lose." Marnie nodded. "I was watchin' YOUR battle, Bro. It's how I learned to battle an' all that."

Piers huhed. "That right? That reminds me. Marnie, there's somethin' I wanted to tell you. I want you to eventually take over the Gym here in Spikemuth as its Gym Leader." Marnie groaned. "Yeah, I know. You'd plan to retire after the Champion Cup, right?" She blushed. "I mean, you've really became a great Gym Leader, even if you don't Dynamax your Pokemon. I'll bet a lot of these problems wouldn't have happened if we were in any other region besides 'ere." She breathed out. "I love you, bro. But my answer is a big, fat "NO"!" She asked. "If I become Champion, I won't be able to be a Gym Leader!"

Piers ohed. "Good point. In that case, let your big bro see if you have the skill to become a Champ!"

Gloria squeed, wanting to see. "I'll bet, with your team, you'll be makin' it big when that day comes!" Marnie blushed at her rival. "If I can make it there fair and square, people will be seein' how Spikemuth won't be needin' to Dynamax to make it far." She looked to the Yell audience. "Just... let the challengers have their go 'ere. M'kay?"

That is something the whole of Team Yell could agree on, some fair play ought to make Spikemuth's image shine admist the shadows one day. Gloria felt a whole ordeal was finished and wanted to see if she could get a poster for some cheering.

Rumble!

The whole town shook from a nearby rumbling. The crowd turned to the west and the girl had a chance of plans while looking to her concerned rival. "Marnie, go have your match with your bro. I'll go check that out and make sure nothing bad happens. We'll talk back in Hammerlocke."

Marnie nodded to someone who could handle the impossible and gave Gloria a high five. The two parted, Gloria and Fubear made a sprint out of town and towards a world that is under a distinct red light. Something was happening near Hammerlocke. Gloria sent out Acer and prepared some medicine. "Dynamax, this isn't good."