The Shield of Galar

Star Tournament: Day 4

A forewarning to those heading into this chapter, it is a bit dark, so do tread with a bit of caution as you read. 

Bea wakes the next morning with a yawn and looks over to see that Gloria is missing. In a bit of a panic, she practically leaps out of bed, throwing on a robe before heading into the main area.

There she sees Gloria sitting the long way on the couch, using the stuffed Snom for back support. On the table next to her sit a bunch of papers, while the Champion seems to be reading over whatever is in her hands.

"How long have you been up," Bea asks, slowly making her way over to her lover.

Gloria jumps a bit at Bea's voice, but then looks over and smiles. "Um, a bit," her eyes widening when she sees the time.

"I was just...getting some work done," she looks over to how much she had done as Bea sits on the back of the couch.

"Please tell me you weren't up all night," Bea states and Gloria just looks down at the folder she was in the middle of working on.

"Ok..." Gloria responds, causing Bea to roll her eyes and sigh.

"You have a big match today, and a bigger one tomorrow! You needed sleep!"

"I know, I know. I didn't intend to stay up all night, but, I found it hard to sleep," Gloria's voice softens at the end, making her last words almost too quiet to hear.

"I suppose staying up all night working is better than some of the alternative things you could have been doing," Bea lets out an exasperated sigh, sounding much like Gloria's mother had whenever the girl had tried to do too much.

"You sound like such a mom sometimes," the Champion teases, finally removing herself from the couch.

"Well, I've been raising my brother for the past seven years. Shouldn't be that shocking," Bea responds, as Gloria thinks that over

"You were fourteen!?" She screeches.

"Yeah, used my Martial Arts Tournament winnings to go and buy the first house Allie and I lived in. The guy was super shady, but it worked out cuz people wouldn't normally sell to a fourteen-year-old," the martial artist explains, about to start cooking, before being politely pushed aside by Gloria. "Once I got the League position, later that year, they got us the house we live in now."

"Then of course the year after that Allister ran your gym," Gloria notes causing Bea to grimace as she sat at the kitchen table.

"Yeah, my first year in the League was rough, and Rose saw Ghostie's potential. He had told me to recollect myself for the next year in the minors and then dragged my brother to the League. We couldn't really refuse, because we were still working on paying for the house the League got us," her frown turns into a smile when a plate of eggs is put in front of her.

"Well, maybe for me it was the best. I bet you would have beaten me out of the League Challenge," Gloria states, starting to cook her breakfast.

"Not a chance," Bea retorts with a huff. "Even by the time you reached Ghostie, your skills were a sight to behold. I'm sure you and Gawain would have swept me, just like you swept my brother with Iris,"

There is a pause, as Gloria doesn't have much of a response. The sizzling of the eggs in the pan fills the silence until they are slid onto the plate.

"What was the hardest Gym for you?" Bea then asks, her fork between her teeth

"Circhester, by far," Gloria responds immediately and then shivers.

"You destroyed Melody though,"

"Yeah, cuz I was sore, frozen, and pissed," Gloria growls, remembering falling into pit, after pit after pit. "I was out of commission for days after that Gym,"