Love in the Time of Traveling

Chapter 5: A Detour

Like the previous two chapters, this and next chapter were those born from a single chapter. At the risk of excusing ourselves for this chapter seeming light on events, I'd like to ask you to consider it more like Part 1 of a two-part set. It'll probably make more sense that way! Now, time for Chapter 5!

Chapter 5

A Detour

As dawn broke above Route Two, Gloria woke up much lighter than she'd ever felt. She bounced off her bed alongside Scorbunny as soon as the light peeked through the window, brushing her teeth and dressing herself in the same timespan it took for her roommates to slowly awaken. It wasn't hard to notice each action done with a huge, infectious grin on her face.

It was the first day of the rest of her life, and she sure wanted it to start as best as it could.

And that was why, as soon as her stomach rumbled, the Postwick girl decided it was time for breakfast. Upon arrival downstairs, the girl was pleasantly surprised at the rather bountiful amount of food their boarders prepared for them, between sandwiches, mushrooms, tomatoes and even pudding. She and Scorbunny rushed for their seats, grabbed their forks, and quickly began wolfing down the food, taking it all in with no regard for manners.

"Aaaah, this is some chow!" Gloria said between bites, dreamily consuming everything on her plate. She turned to her side, spotting the research assistant and giving her a thumbs up. "Thanks a lot, Sonia!"

"Nibbah nibbah!" the Rabbit Pokémon agreed, stuffing his mouth with whole sandwiches as he nodded along. Rookidee, next to them, stared at his comrades in baffled confusion without touching any food.

Sonia simply nodded back, Gloria not dwelling on her reaction as she continued to gobble down her plate. The girl and her starter kept feeding, even as Ash, Serena and Astrid both joined and finished their own breakfast. Each moved on to wait around the living quarters, while Sonia brought the emptied dishes back to clean on the kitchen sink, a green and yellow dog-like Pokémon Gloria didn't recall seeing yesterday following after her obediently. All the while, Professor Magnolia tried her best to not look utterly horrified at the girl's lack of manners, bringing her attention to the news program on the television.

"Well, you're just a natural spitfire, huh?" Astrid commented, leaning on a chair and eyeing Gloria with a chuckle. Gloria swallowed, pulling off her widest grin.

"We need to be at full energy for the trip to Motostoke!" She thumped her chest with pride, smirking alongside Scorbunny. "It's going to be our debut as Gym Challengers, after all!"

"If Ash manages to finish that letter, that is."

Astrid's remark gave the girl pause, bringing her attention to Professor Magnolia's work desk on the other side of the room, where a fairly stumped Ash was staring at a piece of paper intently alongside Pikachu. He kept pressing the pen rhythmically on the blank page as he glanced over to Serena.

"Can't I just write 'Gloria is good, let her in'? That's still an endorsement, right?" Ash asked, tapping the pen to his temple, almost sounding pleading. His wife had none of it, shaking her head firmly.

"Ash, you are a League Liaison, you need to make an effort to sound professional for this. How about this: 'I, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, Kanto, as the officially recognized Pokémon League Liaison currently on duty in the Galar region..."

Ash groaned, semi-reluctantly following along Serena's lead and writing it down. "Too many words! I didn't think I'd have to do paperwork..."

Seeing the 'Pokémon Master' being henpecked like that couldn't help but make Gloria and Astrid snicker on the side. Sonia walked closer to the desk, glancing over the written letter with interest.