The Shield of Galar

Aftermath

As expected, Gloria's outburst in front of her house was put on the news later that evening. What she did not see coming, though likely should have, was the secret filming of her argument with Milo.

She sat there groaning while reliving her anger, her eye twitching as the scene plays out. It wasn't even over before her Rotom Phone starts letting out the beeps that she had been dreading.

Reaching over, she flips her phone up to see Leon's name on top. Sighing, she slides her finger across the bottom to answer.

"You really don't have to tell me," She immediately says, though it does not stop the oncoming lecture. And, the harsher criticism was over the public fight with Milo. How doing that threatens the balance of something or other. Gloria sets the phone down while he is still talking, not caring enough to listen to it again. Although she may be losing ratings with adults across Galar due to her recent more abrasive attitude.

It was a common talk that was had now. Just about every time she went to Wyndon, Rose or Oleana would scold her for the fashion style she partially inherited from Marnie and Bea. Gloria really couldn't care less though, since the people who mattered, the young or up and coming trainers love her.

She also loves talking to them, signing stuff, or giving them tips. They are the future of Galar, and are the ones she truly cares about. Leon and the others would argue that the outspoken attitude she has come to adopt can be corruptive. If kids were to act like her, it might cause a chaotic or more a grating generation of trainers.

Gloria has argued her case before, that it wasn't Leon or anything that taught her to be the quiet girl she had been during the challenge. Kids may emulate, but will inevitably find there own way regardless of forces around them. In the end, neither side would concede and here they are again.

Once the voice seems to have vanished, Gloria puts the phone back up to here ear.

"I will be sure to be careful in the future Leon, is there anything else you need," Gloria responds, her voice monotone. Then she hears another thing she doesn't want to hear.

"I need to know who you are going to team up with for the Tournament next month. I need to get the schedule and match-ups posted for the media outlets soon,"

"I, I've been approached by Marnie, and she wishes to team up with me," Gloria answers, having taken a moment to think about what she even wanted to say.

"Are you sure it is wise to team up with her, given your history?" Leon asks, a bit of wary

"I think given the few years since Spikemuth has been on the main path for the Challenge, it would be good to draw attention back to the city," Gloria explains, he heart not in her answer.

"Hold on," she hears him say, before straining to listen to the voices of Rose and Oleana in the background. After a few moments of hearing them bickering, Leon returns. "We all agree that that makes sense. I will jot her in as your partner for the Tourney,"

"Is that all you need me for?" The Champion asks, a bit of bite in her words.

"Yes, I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing," Leon then hangs up and Gloria slumps down on the couch. Not wanting to fester on the conversation, she goes and makes dinner for her and her Pokémon before joining them in the crisp evening autumn air. While technically it is still summer, the season is on the cusp of changing, and it can be felt.

Flopping down on the ground, she looks up at the stars, a favorite pastime of hers. Her parents had taught her all about them, and the job her mother had accepted had now moved her from Galar, to Kalos then over to Hoenn where the spaceport is. To normal eyes, she probably looked like a country bumpkin, and perhaps before marriage she had been.

Gloria's father passed away when she was young. Although there are some memories of him, she has had a hard time distinguishing what is real, and what were just implanted from the stories her mother told. From what little she does remember, he was kind and would always find and excuse to put her on his shoulders.

If there was one memory that stood out, it was her camping with her father. That night, he pointed out the stars to her, naming them, and the constellations they were a part of. Gloria has held on to that memory, though now it is coupled with the one she shared with Bea, Marnie and Allister, where she passes on what her dad gave her.

That whole trip, the four days they spent out there, were some of the best days of her life. Yet now, there is a twinge of regret. Bea has seemingly been avoiding her for awhile now, and if she doesn't see Bea, she doesn't see Allister. Now, after the incident with Marnie, there is almost a stain on the memory.

She pulls up a picture of all four of them taken in front of the Lake of Outrage. After they had finished with all the pairings, they did a group one. Gloria was in the middle, an arm around both Bea and Marnie, pulling them all forward a bit. Marnie and Bea each had an arm around Gloria. Allister sat cross legged in front of Gloria, mask off and everything. In the picture, all four of them were smiling. Bea's serious demeanor, Marnie's tough girl attitude, and Allister's frighten boy look, all gone.

It was a cropped version of this picture that she used for her rare league card, since the moment meant so much. Now, she barely talks to any of them. With a sigh, she dials Gordie's number, and he promptly picks up.

"I was wondering if you'd call," he chuckles. "Loved the performance,"

"Oh please, I already had to hear it from Leon," Gloria whines. "I wanted to talk to get my mind off of it, not to remind me of it,"

"Fair enough, though I gotta say I loved it. Rock solid attitude, just my style," he teases.

"Maybe I'll just go then," Gloria threatens, only to be laughed at more.

"No, no, sorry, I'll stop," he chuckles. "Still, I'm worried about what happened between you and Marnie, but I suppose we can talk about it another time,"

"Please," Gloria responds, the icy voice she says it in sounds similar to something he would hear come from his mother.

The two talk for awhile about nothing in particular, staying away from each of their touchier subjects until,

"Heh, go figure, Bea is trying to give me a ring," Gordie says. "Hold on a sec,"

Gloria grimaces, though glad those two still talk, but upset that Bea isn't calling her. Throwing on speaker phone, she sets her phone down and starts to do a bit of light grazing through her kitchen. She sadly didn't keep much around for snacks, especially after the offhand comment last Challenge about how the Champions' Uniform used to fit her better.

After awhile of nibbling on an old bag of pretzels, she hears Gordie's voice again.

"You still there?" Gloria quickly swallows while darting over to her phone.

"Yea, still here," she manages to get out, her mouth still a little full of pretzels.

"Sorry but I need to head out. Bea is going on a training mission, and she wants me to look over Allister while she is away," he explains.

"Oh, of course," she responds in her most understanding voice, her face holding a scowl as the words escape her. "I'll talk to you later then,"

"Yeah, rock to you later," he says before hanging up, eliciting a groan from the recipient of the joke.

"Well, guess I'll go to bed, and just spend another whole day alone tomorrow," Gloria pouts as she says this, her cheeks puffed as she makes her way to her bedroom. "Guess it really is lonely at the top,"