Feeling of Glory -Sword and Shield (SLOW UPDATES)

Chapter 12- Training

I wrote a lot of this at like 12 am. Hope y'all enjoy it, or it makes sense or anything like that..

I used to be proud of this chapter, but then... well, I forgot how to write...

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Dawn light filtered through the curtains of the Pokémon Center, casting an amber hue to everything and everyone around. A Scorbunny and Grookey chattered quietly to each other, their anger from a week ago gone, to be replaced by a friendliness to one another.

Close by, their Trainers sat with Marnie, talking softly amongst themselves.

"So, you're both battling Nessa soon, huh. . ?" Gloria fidgeted with the cup of caramel coffee in her hands. As much as she hated to admit it, she was worried about battling the Water-Type Trainer. Milo has been hard enough, and that had been with a Type advantage. She didn't want to think about what might happen if she had the disadvantage. Maybe I'm just a horrible Trainer. . .

Hop nodded. "Yeah, I'm probably going to battle her today or tomorrow. Mar's is going to battle her in a few days, probably." A smile made its way onto his face as he spoke. "She should be no problem for us, with Nori and your Morpeko, right Mar?"

Marnie's head shot up, her attention shifting away from her Morpeko and towards her purple-haired friend. "Y-yes," she stuttered, her light blue eyes avoiding everyone's gaze.

Gloria frowned slightly, looking between the two of them. "Wait, how was your battle with Milo? You both are making it seem like it was no problem at all. . ."

Hop's smile widened into a grin. "Yeah! He was no match for Nori and Buddy; I didn't even need to bring out Kro against him." Buddy. . ? Gloria gave him a quizzical look, which he responded to by rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Buddy's the name I decided to go with for Wooloo. . . I felt kinda bad for having him for so long and not giving him a nickname. We've been through so much. . ."

Gloria nodded slowly, noticing Marnie looking back at her Morpeko. The electric rodent was sitting next to Gloria's incubated Egg, quietly munching on an Oran Berry.

"Say, Marnie?" Hop began, causing the raven-headed girl to look at him with wide eyes. "While we're on the topic of giving our Pokémon nicknames, have you ever given your Morpeko a name?"

Marnie blinked and looked down, hiding her embarrassed face behind her bangs as she fidgeted with her hands. "N-no, I haven't really given it much thought." She glanced back up at Hop again, a determined expression on her face. "But I'll think of what ta call her, if that's okay?"

Hop laughed. "You don't have to. I was just curious, that's all."

The group fell into a comfortable silence, before Gloria spoke up again.

"Guys, I don't think I'm very good of a Trainer."

The atmosphere grew heavy as both of her friends turned to stare at her in disbelief. The uncomfortableness made Gloria squirm slightly in her seat.

"You're kidding," Hop told her with a deadpan face. "Glo, you're the only one who's managed to beat me in a battle— and you did it twice!" He sighed. "I've battled several other Trainers, but none of them even compare to how easily you defeated me and my Team."

"Yes, maybe that's true, but you guys are just making it seem like Milo's battle was so easy, but for me, it was the hardest thing I've ever done; I barely managed to beat him." Gloria sat back, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at the table in front of her. "And while it's true that I haven't technically lost a real battle, there have been a few times where I might as well have." She didn't need to see Hop to know that he was looking at her confused. "That time in the Budew Drop Inn? When I was battling Team Yell and that rude boy dressed in pink had to finish it for me. . ." An exasperated huff left her lips. "I saw him again in the Galar Mines, and he probably would've won the battle, except that his Pokémon started attacking him instead.