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With a spring in her step, the lone tourist cheerily made her way through the densely packed streets of Wyndon to the nearest salon. She and her girlfriend had just arrived in Galar, and if that wasn’t a perfect excuse for another makeover, what was?
There was nothing Moon loved more than getting a fresh new look.
Other than her girlfriend.
And her Pokémon.
And her girlfriend’s Pokémon.
Also, the thrill of a good battle was up there too.
Reinventing her appearance every now and then- or, according to Lillie, every other week- was just one part of what made her life so enjoyable, and why she was currently sporting a beaming smile. Lillie enjoyed it too, so it was another thing they could share together.
Sharing things with Lillie was great. The best, even.
The current plan was for Moon to visit a salon while Lillie eyed the high street for a nice looking boutique, then the two would meet back up by the central fountain and go shopping for clothes. A fun afternoon date.
In the salon- slightly fancier, but not all that different from what she was used to- Moon gave herself a look in the mirror, still deciding what to change.
Straight, long hair. Yes, a more mature look- smooth, long black hair. Perfect. A complete turnaround from her currently braided pink hair. She’d also use this chance to try out the red contacts she’d been holding onto for months.
The result was better than she imagined; the stylists of Galar were masters of their craft, clearly. Examining herself in the mirror, she tilted her head, leaned in closer, tucked her hair behind an ear, and looked over to the next seat over to see someone with exactly the same hairstyle.
This other girl, inspecting a lock of her hair, turned and noticed Moon; the two looked between their mirrors and each other in dead silence. Both raised a finger to point at the other, and both sprang to their feet at the same time.
“Same hair!” Moon exclaimed.
“Same hair!” the other girl echoed. Her eyes were a deep blue; ultramarine contacts, a colour Moon herself had used in the past.
She was also just very slightly taller than Moon.
“It works so well on you!”
“Yeah! You too!”
“Thanks! I’m getting more matching outfits to go with it afterwards.”
“Oh my god, same!”
“New looks are fun, right?”
“Yeah! I’m…” the girl shifted bashfully, “well, I’m hoping to catch my crush’s eye with a new look.”
Moon felt connected with this perfect stranger, more connected than she ever had with someone sharing a hairstyle with her. She reached out, grabbing the girl’s hands in a supportive gesture.
“I totally understand. It’s how I got hooked. I did the same thing when I was younger!”
“You did?!” the girl’s eyes lit up, feeling equally connected to Moon.
“Before I even realised it. I eventually got together with her, too! So I’m rooting for you, friend!”
“I can do it…?”
“You can do it.”
“That’s so inspiring coming from my twin!” the girl savoured the moment, letting newfound courage well up inside her. “Oh, yeah! I’m Gloria.”
“Moon. Where have you been my whole life?”
“I was just about to ask you that.”
The two paid, stepped outside, and simultaneously put on shades. They turned to silently point at each other again.
“There’s nothing more affirming that I have good taste than someone else pulling off the same look really well.”
“Amen to that, sister.”
“You’re going clothes shopping now, right? Wanna go together?” Gloria asked.
“Sure! I promised my girlfriend I’d meet up with her first. Come on, I’ll introduce you to her.”
Moon’s natural smile had only widened since entering the salon.
Lillie’s afternoon wasn’t going so well.
It started off fine; this city had an abundance of clothing stores and boutiques, and even if they all costed a bomb to shop at, she was sure Moon wouldn’t mind. The problems came afterwards, when she took a seat at the designated meet up point on the fountain.
A trio of Mr Mime, led by a Mr Rime, had taken to tap dancing around her. It was starting to get slightly threatening, and there was no trainer in sight directing them. Lillie was sure they meant no harm, but it was slightly disconcerting to have them noisily filling her view when she was trying to relax.
Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap.
How long was she prepared to tolerate this for?
If she had a problem, all she had to do was stand up and say something.
Tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap-tap-
“Um, excuse me-”
“Lillie! Hey!” a familiar voice called out, running up to the fountain, “you made some friends?”
“Not…exactly? I’m not sure what they want…”
The gaggle of Mr Mimes and their leader began directing their tap-dancing at the newcomer, who responded with a confused smile.
“Alright, you lot, clear off,” a second newcomer said, waving the Pokémon away and tossing them some cash, “maybe try and make it clearer you’re doing a performance, knobheads!”
“You okay?” Moon asked Lillie.
“They were just a bit annoying, that’s all. They didn’t do anything to me.”
Moon grinned, relieved, then indicated the girl next to her.
“Check it out. I met a white version of me!”
“Hi. I’m Gloria. Nice to meet’cha.”
Lillie had definitely heard the name Gloria. She had also gotten good at recognising people after radical changes to their appearance.
She also knew for certain that Moon had not realised who Gloria was. If she had, they’d be battling, or have battled already. With that in mind, she decided to play dumb.
“Alola! I’m Lillie. I’m the last bastion of Moon’s self-control. I hope she hasn’t bothered you too much.”
“She’s great. We’ve got so much in common! It’s amazing to finally meet someone else who runs everywhere!”
“Right? Who has time to walk? So, Lillie, you up for playing matchmaker? Gloria was just telling me she’s having a hard time building the courage to ask her crush out.”
Lillie, thinking very seriously for a moment, turned to Moon’s new friend.
“Riding the rush of a thrilling Pokémon battle normally works. That’s what we did.”
“That was the first thing Moon suggested, too. You two are adorable.”
Lillie traded a look with Moon, blushing faintly. Moon was having fun, and Gloria seemed interesting- plus, it was always a good idea to get to know someone local when visiting a new place. Lillie found herself on-board with this turn of events.
“I found a lovely little store earlier. Why don’t we head on over there now?” Lillie said, leading the way. Moon followed, merry as always, and Gloria found her own expression had started to brighten.
“How’s this?” Gloria asked, strutting out of the changing room in a suit.
The store Lillie had chosen, while on the smaller side, had a diverse array of clothing. Moon and Gloria had instantly gone into a frenzy, trying as much on as possible; it was only when they started to wind down that they began coordinating their outfits.
“Hm…it makes you look more like an adult, but…” Lillie put a finger to her chin, “it looks a little stiff. Would your crush see the appeal?”
“It is a little bit hard to move around in. I feel like it’d rip after a couple of Pokémon battles.”
“You move around a lot during them?”
“…Does Moon do that too?”
“Boy, do I!” Moon exclaimed, practically exploding out of her changing room and striking a pose.
“Casual, bold, si- whoa, wait a minute- is that a Z-Ring?”
“Yeah!”
“You gotta show me some poses sometime! I need ideas for my own pose. Turns out it’s really hard to come up with something like Leon’s Charizard pose, especially when you don’t have a signature Pokémon. Apparently I’m a right pain to market.”
Moon seemed a little lost, but zeroed in on the most important part of what was said.
“Of course I’ll show you Z-Moves! But first- Lillie, how do I look?”
“I really want to okay this, but you’re definitely going to get cold. Remember our last week in Kalos?”
“I was not conscious for most of that.”
“Exactly.”
“Point taken. Onto the next outfit!”
Moon and Lillie both went into changing rooms, leaving Gloria alone for a moment to think.
“Travelling…”
It sounded fun. Seeing new places, meeting new people; it sounded like every day was an adventure. An experience to share…
She’d thought about it before, and how great it must be. It was a lifestyle, one completely unlike her own. To Gloria, it was just a fleeting fantasy. Would it ever be anything more? Did she even want it to be anything more?
She’d picked the wrong time to get introspective, she realised, and went back into a changing room.
A few minutes later, Moon and Gloria simultaneously stepped out, turned to face one another, and burst out laughing when they noticed they’d both had the same idea; leather trousers and a leather jacket.
“What are the chances?”
“Right? I’m getting worried. Are you a Ditto? Or a Zoroark?”
“I’m a mirror, reflecting everything you want to be.”
“…Shorter?”
Moon’s glare was interrupted when Lillie emerged from her changing room, clad in a long, patterned white dress, with her hair down. Her girlfriend’s jaw unhinged, while Gloria whistled in awe. Lillie blushed, feeling self-conscious under the attention.
“Is it…good?”
“Have I ever told you I have a massive crush on you?” Moon said, regaining some of her composure.
“It may have come up, once or twice…”
“You two are giving me cavities over here,” Gloria said with a chuckle, “I need to step up my game if I’m gonna make this makeover work.”
As she went back into the changing room, Moon looked down at her own attire, and made to do the same, but was prevented by Lillie.
“Those pants…look tight.”
“They’re surprisingly comfy.”
“I, um, like how they bring the best out of your butt,” Lillie said, her sentence devolving into a mumble. She wasn’t used to being forward like this.
Moon was even less prepared; her brain was forced to reboot to process what she’d just heard.
“…The pants are here to stay!” she declared, “the jacket can’t, though, the sleeves are too long. What’s the point if it covers my Z-Ring?”
In the end, Moon’s final pick for a jacket contained 90% less leather. Meanwhile, Gloria seemed to settle on a skirt, tights, shirt and hoodie. All of it was monochrome, other than the design on her shirt.
The only thing she’d kept this whole time, Lillie noticed, was a single glove. It looked similar to the type gym challengers and trainers wore in this region.
“It’s not as bombastic as your earlier choices,” Moon commented.
“I like it. It really makes her eyes stand out.”
“That’s true. Her pretty face is doing her many favours here.”
“Yes! Her crush is bound to receive her feelings like this.”
“You guys…” Gloria was feeling very shy all of a sudden, “you really think I can do it?”
“All that’s left is to bare your feelings. Set the mood, say what you need to say, be cute while doing it- why are you making that face?”
“My disposition changes completely around her. I’m…not sure it’s gonna work out…”
“Oh my…you get shy with her? That’s very cute,” Lillie said.
“Something…like that.”
Lillie clapped her hands together as she decided on how to solve this issue.
“Why don’t we go with you? For support and encouragement! Right, Moon?”
“Huh- oh, sure! Yeah! Huh?” Moon spluttered, caught off-guard; normally she was the first to be spontaneous.
“Are you sure? She’s all the way out in Spikemuth…”
“We were looking to travel the region anyway. This works out great for us!” Moon said, “besides, I’m down for helping you see this through. You’re our buddy now!”
Lillie nodded in agreement, and Gloria’s eyes shone, filled with a new wave of energy and determination.
“Right! Let’s do this!” she proclaimed, putting her arms around her new friends’ shoulders as her Rotom phone flew out of her pocket. Instinctively, Moon made peace signs; Lillie could only watch with a bewildered expression as the phone took a picture.
“Rate my look!” Gloria said as she posted the image online, before frowning in genuine concern. “Ah, damn. I’m starting to sound like Raihan…”
Masked by her shades, Gloria’s eyes drifted between her two new friends, sat across from her and very excitedly watching the scenery pass by. They were enjoying the ride, and so was she; Gloria was now cruising at this couple’s pace, ready to experience exciting and fun encounters through a new lens, like she had so often in the past. Life could never be boring, so she would reason, when the world was full of such a vast variety of people.
“Y’know what would make this ride better?”
“A Pokémon battle?”
“Exactly. Unova had the right idea with its subway.”
“Wasn’t that Unova’s version of a Battle Tower?”
“Oh…yeah! Now that you mention it…”
“Unova has many tall buildings. I suppose they thought it would stand out more if they built down instead of up?”
“You two have been to Unova?” Gloria asked.
“Twice. Once for the World Tournament, the second time to see the sights,” Moon answered, “here’s a free tip: Castelia skyline? Super romantic backdrop.”
“I still have the picture as my lock screen!” Lillie said, enthusiastically pulling out her phone. The picture in question showed Moon and Lillie, arms around each other, the former planting a kiss on the latter’s cheek, with a gorgeous array of bright lights and towers in the background.
“I cannot bare how cute you two are,” Gloria said, “wait. You don’t have a Rotom phone?”
“Nah. Rotomdex would get jealous. Ever dealt with a jealous Rotom?” Moon replied.
“Every time I use a PC, my phone starts vibrating as though I have a call, but it’s just Rotom trying to get my attention away from the other Rotom. How does society function with these little devils?”
“We’re growing more dependent on them, but I don’t feel like we understand them very well.”
“Is there anything we don’t agree on?”
“Why don’t we find out?” Lillie suggested, “let’s see…do you prefer urban or countryside places?”
“There’s some pretty killer cities out there, but I love the feeling of being connected with nature, so…countryside,” Moon said. Gloria nodded sagely.
“It might just be because I was brought up in a rural environment, but I feel the same way. I’d spend weeks on end in the Wild Area if I didn’t have responsibilities to deal with.”
“So you’re in agreement there…how about your favourite season?”
“Summer,” Gloria answered instantly, “I can’t handle the cold.”
“Me neither! Colder seasons are unbearable, especially outside Alola.”
After a moment of consideration, Lillie decided to change her approach. Since she knew how Moon would answer most questions, it was all about guessing where Gloria might have a different outlook. Seasons had been a bust; who’d think anyone in Galar would hate the cold?
“Hm…how about…your favourite type of Pokéball to use?”
“Call me old-fashioned, but I like the standard bread-and-butter Pokéballs. There’s something really satisfying about catching the toughest of Pokémon with them,” Moon answered, exactly as Lillie expected.
“Initially I only bought standard Pokéballs to save money, but I ended up not needing or wanting to upgrade,” Gloria said, “it’s awesome to finally meet someone who does the same thing.”
“Hell yeah, sister! You get me!”
“This is slightly surreal. Favourite Pokémon?”
Moon and Gloria both gave it some thought.
“I can’t decide on just one…” Moon said, breaking the silence.
“Mine changes basically every day. I love so many!”
Lillie slumped back, defeated, as Gloria and Moon high-fived.
“At the very least, your romantic tastes differ, right?”
The duo looked at each other, nodded, and responded simultaneously.
“Cute girls, all the way.”
Lillie, even more defeated than before, slumped against her girlfriend. Moon cheerfully patted her head, while Gloria chuckled at the display.
“By the way, Lillie, how would you have answered those questions?” Gloria asked, after giving her some time to recover.
“Um…I think I lean towards countryside, but spending too long in either environment gets me restless. Spring is my favourite season, I use Heal Balls the most…I think my favourite Pokemon is Cosmog? Or, at least, the whole evolution line,” Lillie went quiet to indicate she’d finished listing off her answers, but her girlfriend was staring at her intently, waiting for the final answer, “and, um, I like girls that are…kind, patient, and…p-pretty…”
Gloria watched with abject fascination as Moon’s heart exploded and her face went beet red, tightening her embrace around her girlfriend.
“Aw, I shoulda complimented you more in my answer…”
“Calling me cute is more than enough!”
“It is so not…”
Gloria, although enjoying the show, felt the burning need to interrupt and steer the conversation back on track.
“I’m a little surprised. You two have less in common than I thought,” she observed, “maybe it’s true that opposites attract?”
“You think so? Having traits and interests in common is a nice starting point for any sort of relationship- romantic or otherwise- but what’s more important is what you can bring yourself to understand and accept about others.”
“Just think about what you have in common with your crush,” Lillie added, “you might find there are things you agree on, and others that put you at odds. But as long as you can share your feelings with her- and she’s willing to receive them- I’m sure you can meet in the middle where it matters.”
Gloria thought about how Marnie would answer those questions, and smiled softly. She didn’t know, but she’d love to find out.
After arriving at Hammerlocke, the trio elected to bike towards Spikemuth. Gloria had been shocked to learn that bikes don’t normally come with a boost function, and the Alolan duo had taken an interest in a bike that could supposedly be ridden on water.
“Lillie and I are much more used to riding Pokémon. But the rides we used aren’t available outside Alola, so we ended up getting bikes for convenience’s sake.”
“We don’t use them very often, though. Normally, the two of us like our leisurely strolls, hand in hand, day or night…”
“It’s so hard to flirt while bike riding.”
“Amateurs. Check this out,” Gloria said, releasing her bike’s handlebars, “Rotom does the steering for me! Going hands free is an easy and cool way of showing off!”
Not ten seconds later, Gloria was very thankful she wore a helmet while biking. Moon and Lillie rushed to her aid; fortunately, since they weren’t going that fast, Gloria had only suffered some light scrapes and bumps.
“Blimey. Coulda flung myself off the bloody bridge! Add that to the list of things I’m never doing again.”
“Until you go biking with your crush.”
“What, did you do the same th- who am I kidding? Of course you did.”
Moon laughed heartily, helping Gloria to her feet, who started laughing along with her. They decided to take a break to let Gloria get her bearings. Lillie got some drinks out, while Moon went to check the Rotom bike wasn’t damaged, or worse, on strike.
“The Wild Area…” Lillie breathed, leaning against the bridge railing.
“Isn’t it great?”
“It’s wonderful! I’d love to go camping with Moon out there…it’s part of the reason we came to this region, actually.”
“You and her travel a lot together, huh? Any reason for that?” Gloria asked, “um, beyond the whole ‘being madly in love’ thing.”
Lillie turned to look at Gloria, showing her a brilliant, sunny smile.
“When we were younger, Moon and I shared an adventure. Our first adventure. It was a personal journey for me, for a lot of reasons, but…Moon supported me the whole time, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Always there for me, with a smile and a cheer,” Lillie’s gaze moved out to the open expanse of the Wild Area below, “eventually, I went on my own, independent adventure, away from everyone I knew. I wasn’t trying to prove myself, or anything- well, maybe at first, but…I wanted to foster that strength she inspired in me. Rather than her protect and support me all the time, I wanted to do the same for her, so we could grow together. But more than any of that…”
“She looked like she was having the time of her life, right?”
“Exactly! I definitely understand why now.”
Gloria stretched, and chuckled.
“Ah, you two are too damned cute. Though I guess I shared some of my journey with my crush, so I sorta get it. As different as the circumstances are, I can’t help but feel inspired.”
“I’m truly glad. I hope this goes well for you.”
“Gloria!” Moon suddenly called out, running up to her and smelling slightly burnt, “your Rotom wants to kill me.”
“Is your arse…smouldering?”
“Last time I play tech support with a Rotom appliance,” Moon grumbled, “it started talk to Rotomdex, who decided to play interpreter, but then learnt a bunch of words I assume are only used in Galar, like ‘tosser’, ‘twat’, ‘bellend’, and when I told it to shut up the Rotom in the bike fried me.”
“Would you like me to kiss your boo-boo better?” Lillie asked sweetly.
“As a matter of fact, yes I would.”
Spikemuth wasn’t what the Alolan couple was expecting. Gloria nonchalantly led them through a set of alleys and roads, all dingy and dirty, the main source of light being neon signs affixed to buildings covered in graffiti and grime.
It wasn’t exactly unpleasant. Moon couldn’t quite grasp the feeling being here gave her; perhaps it was akin to walking into a messy older sibling’s room for the first time in weeks. Lillie didn’t share the opinion, as her mother had always made sure Gladion kept his room tidy, one way or another.
“Are we being watched?”
“Just stick close to me. You’ll be fine.”
Gloria had a spring in her step. She always did when she came here; getting to see Marnie was always an exciting prospect. This time, she was feeling an extra wave of confidence; this would finally be the day she confessed, and nothing was going to stop her.
The deeper into Spikemuth they went, the more vibrations and noises they could hear. When, at last, they finally came across a person, Gloria stopped to greet him.
“Hey. Is there a gym battle happening?” she asked.
“Come to give her a cheer, eh? She won’t need it. It’ll be over real soon.”
“Aw, I always miss the best stuff,” Gloria sighed, the trio moving on, “I never get to see her win.”
“That’s right, jog on! She’ll cream you next, she will!” the gym trainer called out.
Moon and Lillie exchanged a look, but said nothing. They both got the feeling that Gloria wouldn’t answer any of their questions at the moment.
The further into Spikemuth they got, the more excited gym trainers there were filling the streets, and the more Gloria led the Alolan couple through alleys and side streets.
“Listen,” Gloria suddenly said, stopping in her tracks again, “hear that?”
The sounds were rhythmic, and overwhelming to the senses.
Thump-thump, thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump-thump!
Thump-thump, thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump-thump!
“Is that…clapping?”
“We’re almost there…” Gloria grinned, before noticing a small Pokémon approaching her, “oh, it’s Morpeko! Hey there, buddy!”
She picked up Morpeko, setting it on her shoulder and tickling its stomach.
“So adorable! It must be native to this region, yes?”
“Is it yours?”
Before Gloria could answer either question, Morpeko’s eyes flashed, and its form changed. It opened its mouth wide, ready to bite a chunk off Gloria’s ear. But the girl had anticipated this, plugging the Pokémon’s mouth with a berry. It relaxed, happily chomping at its food.
“Morpeko are rare outside Galar,” Gloria said, leading the way again and scratching Morpeko’s back, “I’ve spent enough time with this one to know exactly when it gets hangry. But no, it’s not mine. Its trainer is still busy, from the sounds of it.”
“Hangry?” Moon repeated.
“Like, hunger anger. You never had that?”
“I get cranky when I’m bored, but that’s really it.”
“Boredom’s the worst.”
Once again, Gloria halted the march. They were very close to the source of the crowd; sounds of a Pokémon battle could be heard from just around the corner. She took a couple of deep, steady breaths, then felt two supportive hands on her back.
Morpeko, not really knowing what was going on, joined in and placed a paw on Gloria’s head, viciously devouring the rest of the berry.
“Let’s…check the situation, wait until it blows over, then…dive in.”
Four heads poked around the corner, giving them a view of the battle that had drawn in such a crowd. Part of the crowd was behind a fence, while others filled the alleys, streets, and even buildings nearby.
Currently, a Liepard was dodging the advances of a Sneasel.
“Wait. This is the gym? I thought the gyms of this region were supposed to be big stadiums?” Moon said.
“I thought they involved Dynamax, too. Perhaps this gym is an exception?” Lillie mused.
Gloria said nothing.
“The crowd is so lively!”
“Yeah, it’s like…they’re sharing the experience. Makes the atmosphere really different to what we’re used to,” Moon said, “hey, Gloria? Which one’s your crush?”
Gloria said nothing.
Moon, Lillie, and Morpeko traded a look, then cast their eyes down to Gloria, following her gaze to the gym leader. Her eyes were shining stars, glowing from behind her shades, her face lit up with joy and bliss.
With one last Snarl from Liepard, Sneasel collapsed to deafening cheers. From the following chants, the group gathered that this was Marnie’s third time beating a challenger this season.
After the excitement had settled, and the challenger had left, Gloria drifted towards Marnie as though in a trance. Her legs picked up speed as she approached, unable to contain herself any longer.
“Marnie! That was so cool! You’re so cool!” Gloria said, running up to her crush, who swivelled around in alarm. Morpeko squeaked merrily at its trainer.
“Gloria?! You were watchin’?” Marnie went slightly red, “I didn’t think you would be here today.”
“Me neither! But I felt like it, and Morpeko said hi, so here I am!”
Morpeko squeaked again, and leapt onto its trainer’s shoulder, affectionately nuzzling against Marnie’s cheek. The gym leader saw how different Gloria looked, and tried to think of something to say, but was thwarted when Gloria kept talking.
“This was your third win this season?”
“All that trainin’ paid off. I’m feelin’ good ‘bout my chances at the next champion’s cup.”
“Now that’s fighting talk!”
Moon and Lillie hung back, watching the two interact.
“So…their height difference looks familiar, doesn’t it?” Moon said.
“It is rather uncanny. I feel like something else sticks out more?”
Gloria seemed to grow more energetic with each passing moment.
“Is it that Gloria is a gym leader’s fangirl?”
“Yes…I was under the impression she was shy around her crush.”
“Me too. But this is fine, right?”
“No…it means she’s going to ask her for a battle unless we intervene.”
“What? Nah…that’d be silly…”
“It’s what you’d do.”
“…We have to intervene.”
The two approached, catching the eye of Marnie.
“Who’re your friends?”
“Fr- oh yeah!” Gloria waved her arms, presenting the Alolan couple to her crush.
“She forgot about us…” Lillie murmured.
“This girl’s hopeless…” Moon responded with an equally hushed voice.
“This is Lillie, this is Moon! They’re travellers!”
Lillie waved politely, while Moon made a show of whipping off her shades and flashing a grin.
“I’m Marnie, gym lea- hold on a sec,” Marnie cut herself off, staring intently at Moon until something seemed to click, “sorry ‘bout that. Almost didn’t recognise ya. You’re the Alola champ, aren’t ya?”
“Bwuh?” Gloria blurted, blankly gaping at Moon.
“Oh. Figured you knew an’ that’s why you were hangin’ out with her. Some champion’s get-together that I’m only gonna be invited to when I beat ya.”
Upon hearing this, Moon frowned, looking over to Lillie while gesturing vaguely at Gloria.
“She’s the champion of this region,” Lillie explained.
“…Bwuh?”
After various expressions and intense emotions crossed their faces, Moon and Gloria, eyes locked, made a simultaneously declaration.
“We gotta battle!”
They high fived, as some nearby gym trainers overheard mention of a battle and gathering around in interest.
“Alola versus Galar! Best versus best!” Moon said.
“Can’t wait to see what you’re made of!” Gloria responded.
Lillie’s mind went into overdrive, thinking about how best to salvage the situation. Rather than see this new hurdle as sabotage, she decided to view it as an opportunity, and clapped her hands together for attention.
“Why don’t we make this a double battle?”
Moon, initially confused, caught on quick when she realised what the team compositions would be.
“I’m down for that. Lillie and I are a fearsome combo; not even Sinnoh’s fire and lightning duo stood a chance. We’re a pretty big deal.”
“What do you say? Think you two can handle us?”
The crowd forming around them was starting to grow, and the energy was starting to increase. Gloria could feel it coursing through her; this was something that didn’t happen every day, and it was exciting, so of course she was going to seize this moment.
“Marnie? You in?” she asked. She then realised this meant teaming up with Marnie.
Her and Marnie. Together…in a Pokémon battle, but still, together.
Gloria could feel her face heating up.
“Alright. Most of my Pokémon are tired from the challenger battle, so we’ll each use just one.”
At Marnie’s okay, the onlookers cheered with new vigour for the unexpected encore.
“Marnie’s battling again!”
“She’s teaming with the champ!”
“Show ‘em what Galar’s made of, Marnie!”
“Don’t drag our Marnie down, champ!”
“They’re really passionate about Marnie, huh?” Moon commented, “the pressure against the away side is amazing. No wonder gym challengers have such a tough time.”
Lillie, feeling herself getting nervous, took a few deep, steadying breaths.
“Ready?” Moon asked, holding out her fist.
“Ready,” Lillie responded, bumping the fist with her own.
“Let’s knock ‘em flat.”
Since most of the cheers were in support of Marnie, Gloria was starting to feel left out.
“Hey, Marnie…we’ve never actually teamed up before, have we?”
“Not that I remember.”
Now, Gloria was starting to feel like the underdog.
“I think I’ll take first pick- this might wow a few of you,” Moon said. All eyes turned to her, and she took this in her stride, smiling confidently and sending out her Pokémon with a flourish.
“What the hell is that?!” Gloria yelled, echoing much of the audience’s sentiments.
“It’s Naganadel!”
“It’s awesome!”
“It’s an Ultra Beast. They’re from another dimension!”
“That’s so cool!”
Naganadel basked in the attention it was receiving, flying around the pitch and making bizarre, otherworldly noises. Gloria couldn’t help but wonder where it might have come from, and how Moon had even come across it in the first place. Had Moon travelled to another dimension?
Whatever the case, there was a story behind it, a whole adventure she wanted to know about.
An adventure she’d be happy to experience herself.
“What type do you think it is?” she asked Marnie, in an effort to keep herself focused.
“From the stingers an’ colour scheme, I reckon it’s a poison type.”
“That figures. Maybe also flying?”
Marnie took out a dusk ball, holding it against her chest.
“I guess we’ll find out one way or another,” she said, sending out Toxicroak, who took a moment to knowingly smirk at Gloria, who was too busy admiring the wind up and follow through of Marnie’s throw to notice.
The battle hadn’t even started yet, but the crowd was already losing it. First a Pokémon most of them had never seen before, then one of Marnie’s, which always got her fans going wild.
“A Toxicroak? That’s a surprise. I was expecting a dark type, considering what this gym is,” Lillie said.
“This gym has done nothing but subvert our expectations since we got here.”
“We’ve got expectations to dash ourselves, haven’t we?”
Lillie sent out Togekiss; when it and Naganadel saw each other, the two flew in circles around the other and cried out happily before taking their places in front of their trainers.
Your throws are rubbish
Your ‘mon are Trubbish!
“Oh, good. The chanting’s begun,” Moon said, rolling her eyes.
The anticipation in the air drilling directly into Gloria, as the crowd, her opponents, and her battle partner all waited to see what she’d pick. For the first time in a while, she felt herself getting pre-battle nerves. It wasn’t so much the number of people watching her every move, waiting to see what she’d do, but one specific person doing this from a different position than usual.
The person in question turned to her, giving her a serious look.
“We’re the two best trainers in Galar. No excuses for losin’, got that?”
“Haha. Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself, calling yourself the best? Your brother and Leon aren’t exactly slacking off.”
“You wouldn’t train with me so much otherwise.”
A serene wave of confidence and clarity washed over Gloria, who readied her throw with a grin.
“If I’m going to stay being the best, my rival’s gotta be the best too, right?”
Gloria swiped her shades off, tossing them into the air; she threw out her Pokémon and caught the shades in one smooth, well-rehearsed movement, much to the amazement and approval of Moon, Lillie, and some of the audience.
Her choice of Pokémon was Arctovish; a small sector of passionate Marnie fans booed this decision.
“You’d think Spikemuth folk would like me more, considering I spend so much time here…” the champ grumbled.
“Um, is its head supposed to be upside down…?” Lillie asked.
“Yes! It’s a now-extinct prehistoric Pokémon that once dominated the seas!”
Arctovish, staring blankly at nothing, made a gurgling noise. It was hard to tell if it was to show its agreement with the statement, or just a sound it happened to feel like making at that moment.
“Can’t imagine why it died out.”
With their choice of Pokémon out in the open, each pair silently sized the other up, quick strategies forming in their minds, game faces starting to show.
Moon’s ever-present smile, Lillie’s determined look, Marnie’s concentrated stare, and Gloria’s starry eyes; all traded a glance, ready to start the battle.
Like a flash of lightning, the battle began; Toxicroak was first to move, dashing straight towards Togekiss with a Poison Jab ready. Undaunted, Togekiss used Tailwind, giving Naganadel enough speed to fly between the two and use Venom Drench on the approaching Toxicroak as it launched its attack, which collided almost harmlessly with the Ultra Beast.
Before Toxicroak could withdraw, it and Naganadel were pelted by Stone Edge by Arctovish, which had also meant to attack Togekiss. With Togekiss unscathed and Naganadel only slightly damaged, the Alolan duo had showcased their combination prowess, and Marnie’s fans were not happy.
Toxicroak menacingly glowered at Naganadel. It wasn’t happy either.
“There’s nothing poison types hate more than being covered in another poison type’s juices.”
“Phrasing, Moon.”
Moon grinned cheekily. “There’ll be more where that came from.”
On the other side of the pitch, Gloria whistled in awe.
“Tailwind to give them speed a boost, and Venom Drench to lower yours, reducing your attack power in the process…they definitely know how to open a battle.”
Marnie decided to change her approach; the unknown potential of Naganadel seemed to be more of a threat than Togekiss at the moment. Her way of thinking was justified when Togekiss readied a Protect as Naganadel flew up, releasing a deluge of poisonous fluid on the entire pitch- Sludge Wave.
Though the attack did little to affect Toxicroak, it succeeded in pushing it back, stopping it from advancing with a renewed assault. Arctovish took the wave head on; it didn’t have the mobility to consider dodging the wide attack.
Marnie and Gloria came up with similar ideas, and chose to express them in completely different ways. Toxicroak readied a Drain Punch- this time, targeting Naganadel- while Arctovish breathed a cloud into the air, filling the area with hail. The small amount of energy Marnie’s Pokémon received from the weakened attack was dashed away by the harsh weather. The hail was quick to bother Naganadel and Togekiss, the latter of which hadn’t taken a hit in the battle until the weather change.
Arctovish made another gurgling noise. Nobody, other than maybe Gloria, could understand why for sure, but it was perhaps related to how the damage it had taken was starting to heal thanks to its Ice Body ability.
“They’re tripping over each other,” Moon said, “at this rate, the battle will end before they get the chance to properly connect with each other.”
“Gloria! Marnie!” Lillie called out, taking matters into her own hands, “I know you two haven’t fought as a team before, but you’ve been rivals for a very long time, haven’t you? You must have learnt so much about each other’s Pokémon as you’ve grown together. Isn’t that right?”
Gloria looked to Marnie; the same Marnie she’d battled countless times, tested so many strategies against, and known since the start of her gym challenge. She knew all her Pokémon, their moves, their natures, their personalities, and all their little quirks. Gloria and Marnie had grown together, as people and as trainers, and their Pokémon were at the heart of it all.
What Marnie saw when she looked at Gloria wasn’t just the champion, or any ordinary rival; she was the unpredictable constant in her life that fuelled her drive to become better, even more than years of looking up to her brother had ever motivated her. Every time Gloria came to Spikemuth, she brought a new team, new strategies, held together with the same love and enthusiasm she always had.
Watching the two come to a silent understanding, Moon squinted, gauging what they might try and do next.
“Do you think they’ll…?”
“Shh…maybe.”
“In the middle of a battle?”
“Well…we’ve come close to doing the same, haven’t we?”
On the other side of the pitch, Gloria took a deep breath.
“Marnie…” she said, “will you…”
Marnie’s heart skipped a beat in anticipation of what the champion would say next.
“…Let me be your shield?”
Moon, Lillie, and Toxicroak all clicked their tongues, utterly let down by Gloria’s apparent lack of backbone. Marnie wasn’t exactly sure why she felt underwhelmed, nor why her face was red.
“Okay. We need to act quick, got it? Otherwise they’ll always be a step ahead of us, and we’ll get beaten silly.”
“Got it. Let’s muck ‘em up!”
When the crowd could see the action was about to resume, their enthusiasm was renewed, expressed with their favourite chant.
Let’s go, Marnie! Clap-clap, clap-clap-clap
Let’s go, Marnie! Clap-clap, clap-clap-clap
Echoing how the battle had started, Toxicroak dashed forward again, bee lining towards Togekiss. Naganadel moved to intercept, but as soon as it did, Toxicroak stopped in its tracks, crouching down and letting Arctovish charge past with an Icicle Crash. The move hit its mark, and the Ultra Beast was thrown back, any response or counter prevented with a flinch and leaving Togekiss open to a direct hit from Toxicroak’s Poison Jab.
The crowd roared as the Galar duo pushed back, but this only got the Alolan team more fired up. Togekiss was quick to respond to Toxicroak’s super effective attack with one of its own, driving back the poison type with an Air Slash. By now, Toxicroak was starting to show signs of fatigue, having taken a couple of solid hits already.
Gloria noticed this, noticed that the opposing team had noticed it, and smirked. Marnie could guess what she was thinking, but her expression betrayed nothing other than her concentration on the battle.
At Gloria’s command, Arctovish turned to its teammate, attacking it with Fishious Rend. Instead of taking damage, Toxicroak’s vigour returned, its wounds partially healed.
“Dry skin!”
“What an excellent manoeuvre…they both have ways to heal,” Lillie remarked.
“That’s a problem, but there’s an opportunity in here…”
While Moon formed a plan, Marnie decided to try an idea of her own.
“I wanna try somethin’. It might backfire, but it’ll help us work out what Naganadel’s type is,” she said. Gloria signalled for her to go ahead with a nod, and Toxicroak smashed the ground, creating an Earthquake.
Arctovish took damage from it, and gurgled slightly, but that probably had nothing to do with getting hurt and more to do with how its mouth was facing upward. Naganadel, on the other hand, fared much worse, taking another super effective hit. Moon was thankful Toxicroak’s attack power had been cut earlier, or Naganadel would have been in a pinch as a result.
Togekiss, unaffected by the ground type move, used Air Slash on Toxicroak again. Arctovish launched itself at the attacker with another Icicle Crash, leaving Toxicroak wide open for Moon’s own opportune secret weapon- Naganadel’s Flamethrower, even more effective thanks to its target’s ability.
Toxicroak staggered back, and collapsed, out cold. The crowd fell into silence.
Wordlessly, Marnie returned her Pokemon into its dusk ball, and held it to her chest for a moment.
A lump rose to Gloria’s throat. She wanted to apologise, or say something encouraging or supportive, or not feel guilty for failing her, but the end, couldn’t say anything.
Instead, Marnie spoke.
“They’re on the ropes, Gloria. Go finish ‘em!”
Without waiting for Gloria to fumble for a reply, Marnie surveyed the mourning onlookers.
“What are you lot goin’ quiet for? We haven’t lost yet! Let’s cheer on our champ!”
With such a direct injection of encouragement, the crowd was quick to make more noise, producing new chants, some encouraging the home team, others jeering the away side. The loudest, Lillie felt, was definitely the latter.
WHO ARE YA? WHO ARE YA?
There was only one chant Gloria could focus on, and it was the one Marnie led.
GO ON, CHAMP! GO ON, CHAMP! LET’S GO, CHAMPION!
“Hey, is it me, or…”
“No, I see it too. It kind of reminds me of Ultra Energy, in a weird way.”
Gloria, star struck with her crush cheering for her, burst with a visible, thick aura, an aura that her Pokémon shared and benefited from. Her body felt lighter, and her movements became more exaggerated and theatrical.
Her confidence wasn’t unfounded; even without her teammate, she was in a good position. Arctovish was in good form, with boosted stats from the cheers, and slowly healing the minor damage it’d taken, thanks to the hail. Meanwhile, Naganadel and Togekiss had both taken several big hits, and it wouldn’t take much more to drop either of them.
However, the Alolan team still had their tailwind, which allowed them to once again take the initiative. Togekiss used Protect, shielding itself from Naganadel’s Sludge Wave, which engulfed Arctovish, who retaliated with Stone Edge.
Stone Edge missed Naganadel, and did nothing against the protected Togekiss, but Gloria took this in her stride; knowing that a successive Protect could fail, Arctovish charged at the flying type with Icicle Crash. This wasn’t an attack Naganadel could shrug off, either, so if it tried to intercept, it would go down instead.
Togekiss’ best hope was Air Slash causing a flinch.
But even with Serene Grace, that effect wasn’t guaranteed, and Togekiss took Arctovish’s move full force. Lillie’s Pokémon hit the ground hard, and fainted.
“Yeah! That’s our champ! Galar’s the best!” someone cried out.
Galar’s the best! You’re a pest!
Galar’s the best! You’re a pest!
“You were great, Togekiss. Thank you,” Lillie said, after returning it to its heal ball.
“Hey, Lillie? Now would be a great time for some power up cheers. I might need them…”
“I’ll, uh, do my best?”
“You and me, Moon!” Gloria called out, her voice cutting through the cheering crowd, “deep down, we might be the same, but only one of us can win!”
“No hard feelings, but I need to look cool in front of my girlfriend!”
Lillie blushed furiously at this confident declaration.
“Yeah, well I need to- uh…”
Gloria blushed furiously at what she’d stopped herself from saying.
Marnie didn’t quite get why Gloria had stopped herself, but realised that with this, Moon had thrown off her opponent and assumed control of the battle, not through strategy or position, but with words alone.
Moon smiled. It was what she always did, and she wasn’t going to change that any time soon.
Tailwind had petered out; the hail was almost over too, but Arctovish could renew that at its leisure. Without the tailwind, and with Arctovish’s stat boosts, Naganadel was now at a speed disadvantage.
“G-go Moon! You can do it!” Lillie yelled. Moon and Naganadel didn’t get a power up from it, but they greatly appreciated the support, the former having a hard time trying to not get distracted with thoughts about how cute her girlfriend was.
Arctovish raced- by a very generous definition of the word- forward, taking advantage of getting to strike first by using Fishious Rend, a move more powerful when used first. Naganadel winced in pain, and responded with Venom Drench to cut down its opponent’s stat boosts.
“Drat. I forgot it could do that,” Gloria said. The water type move hadn’t been very useful, but the ice type attack had- and the Earthquake earlier had hit true. “Oh…so that’s what it is.”
And now that Gloria knew her opponent was using a dragon type, she knew that a clean hit with Icicle Crash would finish the battle. Moon acted fast- and Naganadel reacted fast. As Arctovish charged in with its ice type move, the Ultra Beast blasted it with a Flamethrower. Gloria’s Pokemon pushed through the flames, the ice melting until only a small chunk was left when it finally struck its target.
Naganadel reeled back; the attack had only done a fraction of the damage it was fully capable of, but the Ultra Beast was nearing its limit. Arctovish hadn’t come out unscathed either, and the hail had stopped by now.
It was a war of attrition. The clash would play out again, and maybe a third time, until one of them gave out.
Lillie quietly nudged Moon.
“Look at Marnie,” she whispered into her ear. At some point, the gym leader had stopped cheering, instead staring at Gloria, completely enraptured by the champion’s performance.
“She’s totally smitten.”
“Their feelings are mutual. Isn’t that cute?”
“I almost feel bad now. I’m about to wipe the floor with this girl.”
Chuckling at Moon’s bravado, Lillie stepped away to give her space.
“Gloria! You wanted to see some cool poses, right?”
“You bet! Let’s end this battle with style!” Gloria responded, registering none of the foreboding warning behind Moon’s question.
“Great! Feast your eyes on the mother of all finishers,” the Alolan champion said, crossing her arms in front of her face and showing off her Z-Ring. The Z-Crystal flashed with the dragon type symbol, bringing a hush to everyone watching. Everyone was captivated with Moon’s motions, the deliberate movements of her arms and body, her arms forming the great maw of a dragon and her fingers becoming the mighty teeth; as she closed the maw, a powerful aura erupted from her, flowing towards her Pokémon.
“Ahh! That is so freaking cool!” Gloria yelled.
The energy swirled around Naganadel, condensing at the tip of its stinger. It launched the Devastating Drake, the high energy blast roaring through the air at incredible speed, whipping up a turbulent wind across the pitch and among the spectators. The almighty Z-Move collided with Arctovish and a large explosion followed, creating a fierce shockwave that rippled through the air and ground.
When the smoke cleared, Arctovish gurgled.
It was out cold, but it made that sound involuntarily, conscious or not.
Team Alola had won.
After an awed silence, the Spikemuth audience gave them a cheer; the home side may have lost, but the battle had been spectacular, ending on a spectacle many of them had never seen before.
“I can’t even bring myself to be mad, or frustrated. That was fantastic,” Gloria said, “you were so cool, Marnie!”
“It was fun, fightin’ with ya,” Marnie added quietly. Gloria stopped herself before agreeing, realising this situation- the paradox of privacy in a large crowd- was what she needed for the very reason she came here in the first place.
“…Say…I need to…tell you something.”
When Moon and Lillie approached, they found a flustered Marnie floundering to respond to something Gloria had said.
“You guys are the real deal!” Gloria turned to the winners, grinning brightly.
“You’re not so shabby yourselves. It was a close battle,” Lillie responded.
“Close, but not close enough! Moon really knows how to hold her nerve- with a smile, no less.”
“It’s in the name. I shine brightest when my sun is nearby.”
Lillie covered her face to hide her blush, unable to cope with how bold Moon could be. Gloria had a good laugh at her friends’ antics.
“Battling someone from outside Galar was such a unique experience. I wanna see more Z-Moves!”
“You bet! But next time, we gotta see a Dynamax Pokémon!” Moon responded.
“Oh, it’s on. We’ll win next time! Right, Marnie?”
“You know it. I’m gonna beat you all silly!”
“Wow, your smile practice is really paying…off…” Gloria froze when she realised what she’d blurted, seeing Marnie’s face go bright red, “…right, I’m outta here! Nice seein’ ya!”
Before the quivering gym leader could object, Gloria sprinted away with a wave, leaving behind a very baffled couple who didn’t know the way they came in. Moon and Lillie considered giving chase, but after exchanging an awkward glance, they decided to find something to say to Marnie.
“Smile practice?” Moon asked, adding oil to the fire.
“You don’t breathe nothin’ about it if ya want to leave with both ya ears.”
Confronted with Marnie’s piercing glare, Moon clamped her mouth shut and broke out into a cold sweat.
“Sheesh. First I don’t get to compliment her outfit…then she just…and why’d she have to go ahead a blurt out somethin’ like that…after tellin’ me she’s gonna…”
“What did she say?” Lillie asked, when Marnie trailed off.
“She said…she’s gonna tell me somethin’, after our next showdown in the champion’s cup. There’s only one thing it could be, though.”
Moon and Lillie had the same thought; ah, how hopeless Gloria was.
“You know already?”
“Yeah. I’m…sure she wants to leave Galar. Especially now that she knows people like you. I…don’t want to get left behind, but I’ve got my own responsibilities an’ all, now…”
“You should tell her that,” Moon said, as seriously as she was capable of, “if you don’t say anything, she can’t know what you’re thinking. Then you really might get left behind.”
Lillie wondered, for just that moment, if Moon had worried about this in the past. Had Marnie brought up something close to home?
“Besides, whatever she does tell you, she’s certain she’ll be saying it after winning again. But you’re not going to sit by and let that happen, are you?”
Marnie responded with a small smile, the kind of expression that didn’t need practicing.
Alola hadn’t seen its champion for a while, so Moon and Lillie concluded- slightly reluctantly- that it would be for the best to show their faces back home. They’d hoped to watch the Champion’s Cup in person while they were in Galar, but they settled for watching it on TV while cuddling on a sofa, alone together.
“Do you ever imagine what it would have been like if our champion bouts were broadcast on live TV?” Moon asked.
“You’d end up being a celebrity. Your face would be everywhere.”
“You’d be dating a celebrity.”
“Or…I’d beat you, and become the celebrity.”
“We’d be a celebrity couple. Imagine that…no peace of mind, cameras everywhere…endless publicity for our eventual rematch…”
“When you put it like that…how does Gloria cope with it all?”
Gloria, pictured on TV, shone like a star. She brought with her the confidence and enthusiasm she’d shown in Spikemuth at an even greater magnitude. It was as though she had no troubles in the world.
She was in her element; this is what Gloria lived for, and she lived it to her full potential.
Lillie considered if part of the reason Gloria looked so alive was because of her opponent.
“Ahh, I want to battle her in a stadium like that so bad!” Moon said, “some big spectacular champion vs champion exhibition match. I can see the taglines now: ‘Alola vs Galar! Z-Moves vs Dynamax!’ It’d be historic.”
“I’d love to see it. Maybe we should try making it happen? Or, I could beat you, become champion, and do it myself. It sounds very exciting.”
“…You’ve been very fired up since we got back.”
“And you haven’t?”
Moon chuckled, and gave her girlfriend a squeeze.
The finals were nearing the climax. Two gigantic Pokémon were clashing at full force, both the last either trainer had in their party. The deciding move was coming- but who would land the last blow?
“Marnie looks so determined.”
“There’s a lot on the line for her.”
Even after Dynamax wore off for both Pokémon, the battle stretched on, only ending when exhaustion had set in.
It was the closest anyone had come to beating Gloria in a full battle since she’d become champion.
“The champion reigns!” Moon said, “now, here comes the best part.”
As the commentator raved in excitement, the camera focused on Gloria and Marnie, meeting in the middle of the pitch. After they shook hands, they stood, unmoving, until Gloria said something very abruptly.
They didn’t have microphones, so nobody other than Marnie could have heard.
“That…could have been a confession,” Lillie said, “whatever she said, it was blurted out.”
Marnie went visibly red.
“Definitely. She looks about ready to chase her off the pitch.”
“I am curious about how she’ll respond…”
In the end, Marnie didn’t say anything, and left the field while Gloria grandstanded for her fans. After some time passed, Gloria followed after Marnie, and the TV coverage went to the commentator’s box.
“What now?” Moon asked. Being left with no resolution was going to bother her for the foreseeable future.
“Now…it’s up to them. Just like how we found our answer together, they’ll find theirs. I’m sure of it.”
-
The locker room was full only of the muted sounds of the thriving Wyndon audience. Despite being separated by only a set of doors, it felt like a world away.
Nothing in the room itself made a sound.
In it were a champion and a challenger, two rivals, out of the world’s gaze. They were seated on the same bench, with a gap between them. A gap they could easily reach across. Gloria wanted nothing more than to take Marnie’s hand in her own at that moment.
“When…did you start…y’know…” Marnie finally mumbled. It wasn’t a question Gloria was ready for.
“Ah…well, an exact moment is hard to…say…” Gloria fumbled with her reply, “but…remember the semifinal cup? Back when we were both challengers?”
“That long ago…?”
“When I saw you giving it your all back then, I honestly thought you were the coolest. I, uh, still do. Then, after I became champ, we started training together, and…well…at some point, it became an amazing excuse to spend time with you.”
For a while, nothing more was said. Once again, only the excitement from outside could be heard.
Marnie considered reaching out. She couldn’t, though. Not until she’d responded to Gloria’s feelings with her own.
“If…if I…said yes,” she paused, her heart ready to burst out of her chest, “could you promise that nothin’ would…change?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…our rivalry. We’re each other’s best motivator for gettin’ stronger, an’ I don’t wanna lose that. I still want to surpass you, an’ be better than anyone else. An’ I really admire how driven you are…”
Gloria’s face twisted. Not because she didn’t agree, but because she could read between the lines. Marnie valued the status quo. Gloria did too, but…
“Well, I do enjoy being the best,” Gloria quipped, “so that side of things won’t change. You keep up with me pretty well- I have to work hard to beat you, every time.”
Marnie waited. Waited for the ‘but’. It was there already; all it needed was vocalising.
“…I can’t guarantee nothing will change. I don’t have to worry about getting rusty with you around, and I’m always out to better myself, but…I don’t have any hurdles to clear. Not in Galar, at least.”
“You want to travel.”
“The world’s a big place! There’s all sorts of stuff out there to discover and enjoy. I got a taste for it when Moon and Lillie were around, but I want more,” Gloria said, glowing with passion, “you could come along too!”
The temptation was there. All Marnie had to do was reach out-
Yet, she still couldn’t.
“I can’t walk away from bein’ a gym leader. Spikemuth, an’ the gym, an’ everyone…it’s all important to me. Bro trusted me with it, and I don’t wanna let him down.”
Both of them knew the pressure Spikemuth gym was under to relocate, even with the League’s new management. Both of them had fought against it- and both understood how important it was.
That’s why Gloria couldn’t object. As much as she wanted to live the life of seeing the world with the girl she loved, she couldn’t force Marnie to make a choice like that.
Instead, she had to make the choice. To travel, to grow, or to stay, and be with Marnie.
Then, it hit her.
“Let’s go to the Pokémon World Tournament.”
“H-huh?”
“It’s only a week every year. The world’s strongest gym leaders and champions gather, and battle it out!” Gloria’s eyes lit up, “we don’t have to go travelling. I like where we are- and I’ll like it more with dates, and stuff- and sure, sometimes I might shoot off somewhere for a little bit, but, ah…”
“Yeah.”
Marnie’s interruption spared Gloria the need to dissolve any further into rambling. Gloria blinked in surprise.
“Y’mean it?”
“I want this to work. I really do. I…love you, so…”
All thoughts and words were wiped away from the champ, stunned by a set of words she’d been dying to hear for years. Marnie reached out to Gloria’s hand, resting on the bench between them, and entwined their fingers. A small, loving smile sat between her lit cheeks as she gazed at Gloria, who felt all her worries melt away, and returned a dazzling, bright smile of her own.
“Ah…”
“What’s up?”
“Might wanna keep this from my bro for a bit…”
Fin