Love in the Time of Traveling

Chapter 8: A Challenge

A surprise last time, but how will it pan out? Let's just get on with it in Chapter 8!

Chapter 8

A Challenge

As she stood within the confines of the trainer box, right at the edge of the massive battlefield, Gloria still couldn't believe it.

She was truly standing opposite of Kabu, one of Galar's oldest and most respected Gym Leaders, about to face him for the right to earn a Gym Badge. To prove herself for everyone to see.

Gloria felt her body tense, the weight of everyone's looks bearing down on her as she kept hearing the whispers of the Gym Challengers behind her, but not even that could dampen her enthusiasm. She was where she belonged, a trainer in the stadium and ready to win. Scorbunny shared her same energy, warming himself up with some stretching and hopping in place, raring to go.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the first battle of this year's Gym Challenge is upon us!" a new voice shouted, echoing from the box at the top of the stadium. "I'm Gerry, here in Motostoke Stadium to commentate this impending match! How will this newly minted challenger do against one of Galar's finest? Only one way to find out, folks!"

The booming voice led the crowd to shout cheers in their direction, everyone looking forward to the kind of show they would deliver. The Rotom Drone zoomed all over the place, catching the best angles to broadcast over the scoreboard. The Chairman and the Champion had left the field, probably headed for somewhere else to watch the battle from, but that detail felt insignificant in the moment.

Gloria steadied her breath as the referee stepped at the edge of the battlefield, both arms raised.

"The three-on-three battle between the Gym Challenger Gloria from Postwick and the Gym Leader Kabu is about to begin. Only the challenger will be allowed to switch their Pokémon, and the winner will be declared once one side is unable to fight any longer!"

Hearing that, Gloria locked her gaze with the more seasoned man on the other side, and even with the distance between them, she could still feel the man's inquisitive stare primed on her, trying to glean how bright her inner fire was burning.

"You have been offered a chance to lead Galar's Gym Challengers with your boldness. Show us what you can do, little girl," the man declared, his lips twitching up ever so slightly.

She grinned back at him. "I'm no 'little girl'. I'm Gloria, and I'll show everyone in the Galar region what I'm made of!"

"That is the intensity I'm looking for! Now, let us face each other, for all the region to see!" The man grabbed a Poké Ball, holding it high with both hands. "Go, Arcanine!"

He tossed the Poké Ball, and out came a large, majestic, orange and cream-colored dog. It stood on guard as soon as it materialized, just as Kabu leaned further on his knees, as if ready to sprint on his own; a sign of how into the battle he was going to be.

The girl didn't have any fancy throws to show, as she instead turned to her trusty partner. "Scorbunny, your turn!"

"Nibbah!" Pumping his fists, the Rabbit Pokémon leapt into action, staring at his fellow Fire-type with no regard to how much bigger it was. The crowd raised in volume, though the comments of her fellow Challengers became of little import. All eyes were on the pair below.

"And it's fire against fire for our first run! Will Challenger Gloria manage to outsmart Kabu at the type he specializes in?"

As far as Gloria was concerned, that question was as rhetorical as it could get. They would triumph, no matter what.