Love in the Time of Traveling

Chapter 12: A Gym

It's kind of weird to think that this chapter, my personal 201st in the Ancienverse, is the first time there's a Gym battle...or I've written a Gym battle. Food for thought. Chapter 12!

Chapter 12

A Gym

Something about the next morning felt different to Gloria.

Maybe it was the anticipation of the day, or the good night's sleep she'd had from the work yesterday. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she liked the way it felt, and her Pokémon felt the same, each ready and willing to go, some more than others. In fact, Scorbunny could hardly stay still, racing around the Center's training field with alarming speed and fire. Chewtle frowned at it, seeming disappointed, but when Gloria whistled for them, she stood at attention.

"Today's the day, guys, our first real Gym battle," she said, pacing back and forth like a drill sergeant, hands behind her back. "I know we took on Kabu before, but that was then, and this is now. There's nowhere else to go but victory."

"Scor!" To Gloria, Scorbunny took presence as the immediate leader of the trio, leaping forward with the enthusiasm and determination to bring victory. Smiling at her oldest partner, the girl crouched.

"I let you all down before, sending you in unprepared, but I think we've grown even a tiny little bit. Milo's going down." They agreed, and once she had it, Gloria looked at Chewtle, sighing before she broke the bad news to the turtle. "I'm sorry, Chewtle, but this Gym is a two-on-two, and Scorbunny and Rookidee have the advantage. Can I make it up to you next Gym?"

Chewtle hung her head, looking put-out, but eventually lifted it into a nod. She raised her stubby legs, overlapping them on to Gloria's fingers. "Chew!"

"Nibbah!" Scorbunny replied in kind, following her lead to put his paw in the center. Rookidee landed on top. To an onlooker, he appeared disinterested, but Gloria knew the fire was burning inside all of them.

"Then let's win!" She threw her hand skyward, Rookidee taking off for the blue horizon as Scorbunny flipped back. A light clapping followed, and Gloria turned to see Ash and Serena at the door leading inwards.

"Looks like you're ready to go. Can't wait to watch," Ash said. Before she knew it, Ash's hand was tousling the hair atop Gloria's head, himself getting into a crouch at her level. "You've got some good partners. You guys better work with her."

"Hey, we're a team! Like you and Pikachu!" Pikachu blushed at the compliment, but all she got from Ash was a nod. He must have thought there was nothing else to say, perhaps thinking he had said everything through his vague training yesterday. Not that Gloria was willing to dwell on it.

"This is almost making me nostalgic. It's been so long since I've watched a Gym battle. Even Bonnie hasn't battled in one we've seen for a couple years now."

"She's too busy on other competitive circuits. Though if you ask me, she's getting bored; Dedenne hasn't had a real challenge in months."

Gloria didn't know who Bonnie was, and nor did she care when Astrid poked her head outside. "You guys done talking? I want to get good seats for the match."

"Since when did you care?" Gloria shot back at the blonde woman. Astrid scoffed, taking a couple strides to flick her on the forehead.

"I want to see what you can really do, firecracker. Show me the brains you had in the mine." Gloria studied Astrid's face for a second, seeing no evidence of facetiousness. The woman was genuine in her support and felt like Gloria's last piece of the puzzle.