Ranger Love ( Palletshipping 💗 )

Chapter 24 - The Road To The League!

~ Ash's POV ~
We stopped at the Sunny Shore City Pokémon Center to hav our Pokémon energized for today while Barry was busy registering his Pokémon I got on the phone with Gary
"guess who won their Hearthome Badge!" I grinned childishly to the screen showing off my new badge
"that's great! I'm really proud, so Sunny Shore is your last stop right?" Gary smiled
"yup!" I chimed
"you should've seen it! I wiped the floor with Fantina!" I said kinda getting cocky over my victory
"didn't you challenged that gym twice . . . " he chuckled nervously as I pouted
"sooooo???" I blinked
"never mind" he chuckled waving a hand dismissively

"I better get going I'd like to get some training before my gym battle" I smiled as he nodded understandably
"yeah sounds good, bye" he smiled waving
"bye, love you" I smiled
"love you too" he smiled as we hung up at the same time

"who was that?" Barry said startling me
"ah!" I screamed and covered my mouth
"oops sorry" he chuckled nervously
"i-it's okay" I smiled
"so who was that??" he blinked
"uhm, he's a friend" I said trying my best to sound convincing
"a friend you tell 'love you' to?" he raised an eyebrow, meh I've heard that before from Dawn
"uh I don't recall" I giggled as I walked away from the phone

that's one thing I don't like about my relationship, we have to keep it secret and I for one would like to brag about how an amazing boyfriend Gary is
"mkay, but either way I don't judge" he cooed as I kept walking away

"you know I've heard the Sunny Shore Gym is the best gym!" Barry smiled as I smiled back
"I've heard the same, I can't wait to know more about Volkner" I smiled as we were still on the escalator to get to the Sunny Shore Gym

We got to the Sunny Shore Gym and we were about to enter until–
"hey Ash look" Barry said
"what is it?" I blinked approaching where he was
"what?" I blinked seeing a sign
'get a badge and go' it said as I saw how there was Sunny Shore Badges available
"mkay, let's get one and go then" Barry shrugged and was about to get one until I smacked his hand
"no" I said
"why not?" Barry scowled
"that's what he wants us to do" Barry pointed out
"so? Gym badges are to earn not just take" I said as Barry shrugged with a sigh
"okay okay, you got a point" he said as we went into the Sunny Shore Gym
"hello??" I said as some redhead guy approached us
"h-hi" I smiled
"oh my god, oh my god!" Barry exclaimed
"what??" I blinked
"Flint from the Elite Four!!!!" he exclaimed
"Flint?" I blinked

"hey you two, I'm guessing you came to challenge Volkner" he smiled as we nodded
he opened his mouth to talk but he was interrupted
"just take a badge and go" a blonde guy said as I blinked
"Volkner come on, they came all this way to challenge you" Flint said
"whatever" Volkner said as a Richu came out and blinked and jumped in Flint's arms
"hey there Richu" he pet him
"well I'm not getting a badge and going, I want to earn my badge not take it" I protested as Volkner turned to me and walked off into an elevator as Richu jumped out of Flint's arms and followed

"what's with him??" I said
"he wasn't always like this" Flint sighed
"let's all go to a cafe, my treat, and I'll tell you all about it" he said as he started walking off as Barry and I followed
"can't believe we're gonna have lunch with an Elite Four member" Barry whispered as I smiled nodding

"Volkner built this place you know" Flint said as we were on the escalator like sidewalk
"really?" Barry and I said at the same time
"yup, he was very dedicated but now his passion has faded" Flint explained as Barry and I looked at each other
"but why? I mean I can NEVER imagine myself getting tired of gym battles" Barry admitted with that cocky attitude of his
"not sure, I guess he's just grown out of it but as a gym leader I think he should still do his job to prepare others for future strong battles they'll face, that's what a gun leader is all about" Flint said sternly