Sage // postwickshipping

Sage

Gloria stretched out her arms high up in the sky. "Ah- I'm so tired now!" She yawned with a sigh. Zamazenta softly barked in agreement and stretched out its front paws.

The young champion giggled and patted his head. "You did great, buddy! Come on. Let's head back home." She said as she put the Pokémon back in its ball as she started to walk.

She just finished training with her Pokémon. Soon, the gym challenge would start again, Gloria wanted to be in top shape.

It's been four years since she became the champion of the Galar region and one of the two heroes that stopped the darkest day. She recently turned 16 and spends most of her free days with her friends and family. She couldn't wait to get home and relax. Her twin brother, Victor, was making dinner tonight. Their best friend, Hop, would come over, too. Gloria felt slight butterflies in her stomach. Hop and Gloria were both known as the two heroes who saved former champion Leon and the whole Galar region during the darkest day, together with their legendary partner Pokémon.

Gloria started to feel... different to Hop since that day. She fell in love with him, but she was too nervous and scared to confess her feelings for him. She was scared to ruin their friendship. They've been best friends since ever they were small.

The young champion was caught off guard when she suddenly heard the sound of a little child crying. Gloria looked around her. That's weird. She was training just behind Wedgehurst. Children weren't usually allowed to go past the save borders of the city... Gloria decided to take a look immediately,  worried that the child could be in danger.
She stepped towards the sound and saw a little girl crying on the ground with a Celebi flying around it. A...Celebi? That's a legendary Pokémon! She thought to herself. The celebi disappeared when she noticed the champion approaching.

"H-hey..." The champion said in a soft hushing voice.

The girl turned around and immediately jumped up. She had a slightly tanned skin with shoulder length, purple hair, and piercing yellow eyes. "M...mama?" She sobbed as she walked towards Gloria.

"Mama?" She repeated in disbelief. "I'm sorry, little girl, I'm not your mum... But let's go find her together!"

The girl slowly nodded and held unto Gloria's hand tightly. "Can you tell me your name?" Gloria asked sweetly as she started to head towards the city.

The girl stuttered,"S...Sage..."

"Woah, that's such a cute name! Do you know where your parents are?"

The girl nodded. "My papa works at the lab!"

The lab? Gloria thought that was a bit weird. As far as she knew, Hop was the only male working at the lab. Gloria nodded to the girl anyway.  Perhaps Sonia could help them out. There was a legendary involved anyway!

They arrived at the lab. Without knocking, Gloria hurried herself and the girl inside. "S...Sonia?!" She called out in a worried voice.

Sonia stood up from her desk immediately. "Gloria? Is everything all..." she stopped mid sentence when she saw the little girl. "I didn't you you had a little sister! I thought it was just you and Victor!"

Gloria shook her head and let the girl sit down on a chair. "She's not my sister. I found her crying somewhere, with a legendary pokemon by her side... Argh, I forgot its name!"

Sonia walked up to the champion and the girl. "What's your name, little one?" She asked the little girl sweetly.

The girl was too shy to speak, so she just tugged on Gloria's dress, hoping she would speak in her stead. "She told me her name is Sage. Sage told me her dad worked here... Do you have any other employees other than Hop and your assistant?"