The Road to our Destiny II: The Galar Adventures

Chapter 27

It was two days of travel time before Timothy, Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie made it out of the mountains. Gwen forced her companions to ride longer than ever on both days, making the time for meals and sleeping shorter. The men grew fatigued with Coovers whining wherever the group went up a hill. Timothy tried to hide that he was more tired than Coovers was with Electchu on his back, but it was clear to Coovers and Electchu that he was struggling. The only thing that comforted Timothy was seeing Gwen looking at her necklace sometimes when they would stop for meals, and she also wore it when she went to sleep.

It was the afternoon on the third day when they finally entered Glimwood Tangle. As Gwen described, the forest was thick, with only bioluminescent mushrooms to light the area. Though their legs were aching from still being on their bikes, Timothy, Coovers, and even Gwen were relieved to walk on level ground in the shade. They enjoyed looking around to see the beauty of the mushrooms shining in bright colors, giving the forest a colorful glow.

Eventually, Gwen turned her bicycle into a phone to check the time and found that it was half-past eight, so she decided to stop for dinner. Timothy and Coovers didn't hesitate to get off their Rotom Bicycles and lie on the ground. Gwen set up a fire and began cooking ramen while Timothy and Coovers dozed off on the ground, and Electchu and Winnie decided to play while they waited for supper. As the ramen boiled, Gwen poured food for the Pokémon, deciding to let Timothy and Coovers continue napping. When the food was ready, she gently nudged the drowsy men with her foot, and they reluctantly got up to take out their Pokémon and sit beside Gwen while they ate.

"Had a good nap, boys?" Gwen asked after slurping a forkful of ramen.

"Aside from a big root on my back, yes," Coovers said with a yawn.

Gwen lightly chuckled and said, "Well, the good news is Ballonlea's not too far from here. I'd say it's another hour or so of riding before we get to the Pokémon Center and sleep in nice, warm beds."

"Sounds perfect," Timothy said. "Though, I hope you don't plan to get this carried about your schedule, Gwen."

"That all depends on you with your next Gym Battle, Mr. Durbin," Gwen said matter-of-factly, pointing at Timothy with her fork. "If we weren't on a mission, I'd enforce my schedule a little less, but since we have a region to save, you can rest as much as you like after Chairman Rose is behind bars. If we're extremely lucky, though, he might be impressed enough after you win your fifth badge."

"Why's that?" Coovers asked.

"Because fewer Gym Challengers compete at this point," Gwen answered. "By the time trainers are challenging either Gordie or Melody for their sixth gym badge, there are only ten people still competing, if even that. It usually takes more than one try to beat one of Circhester's Gym Leaders, people have trouble finding the seventh gym in Spikemuth, and only a couple of people beat Raihan to get their final badge."

"When you put it like that, the Galar League won't be much of a tournament," Timothy said.

"Not necessarily. Gym Leaders and Trainers who have completed the Gym Challenger in past years are allowed to compete, giving them a chance to face Leon if they win the Championship Cup," Gwen said.

"That sounds like a disadvantage for anyone who has struggled to beat said Gym Leaders," Timothy said.

"Yeah, well, we can't all be trainers who have won Pokémon Leagues before," Coovers pointed out with a smirk.

"Heh. I guess not," Timothy said. "All the same, I think we can count on Ezria and Venarge to be among the few people besides me to get all eight badges."

"Maybe one of them might fail, and that might impress the chairman more," Gwen said. "Personally, I hope that person is Ezria."

"What a shock," Coovers said sarcastically. "Though she's still the only person among Rose's inner circle that likes Timothy, so it might be best that she's not."