Ash's Story (Part 6: Unova)

Chapter 19: Toxic Encore

The entrance to Virbank Gym waited in an alleyway like it wanted challengers to doubt the map before they earned the badge.

After Poison Manor's quiet preparation, the narrow stairs felt almost too ordinary. Posters covered the walls, each one splashed with Roxie's band logo, old concert dates, and Poison-type warning marks drawn like graffiti. The deeper we walked, the louder the bass became, until the steps under my shoes trembled with every beat.

Pikachu stood on my shoulder with his ears pinned halfway back. His meaning came through the noise with a determined spark. "Loud place. Strong poison. We listen together."

"We listen together," I whispered back.

Alice walked beside me with a small case slung over her shoulder. It held more than band masks. It held the part of the plan that had nothing to do with type matchups and everything to do with not letting Roxie's stage swallow our rhythm. Reisa was supposed to meet us here, and I trusted her timing more than I trusted any map through Virbank's alleyways.

Iris shouted over the music before we even reached the bottom. "Is the whole Gym always this loud?"

Cilan cupped one hand near his ear. "This is already louder than a Hyper Voice, and we are not even inside the main room."

Golly checked the antidote pouch at her side. "Loud does not mean careless. Everyone remembers the Poison Manor symptoms list."

Eve glanced at me. "And nobody pushes through poisoning just because the crowd is cheering."

"I heard both warnings," I said.

"You heard them," Golly replied. "Remembering them during battle is the part that matters."

At the doorway, Clyde stood with his usual confident grin, though even he had to raise his voice above the music.

"This is a Pokémon Gym, and it is also a rock club," Clyde said. "The Gym Leader and her band are practicing inside, but challengers are welcome. The Trainers here use Poison-type Pokémon. Grass and Bug moves do not work well, Poison-type Pokémon cannot be poisoned, and if your Pokémon get poisoned, the battle can turn fast."

"That matches the preparation," Alice said.

Clyde nodded. "Good. Roxie plays hard, and she battles harder."

The door opened, and sound crashed over us like a wave.

Inside, the Gym was a stage, a club, and a battlefield all at once. Colored lights swept across the room. The crowd shouted along with the music. Roxie stood onstage with her bass, purple hair sharp under the lights, while her bandmates kept the beat pounding through the floor.

She spotted us almost immediately.

"So you are my next challenger?" Roxie called, grinning as she leaned toward the microphone.

"I am," I called back. "My name is Ash, from Pallet Town."

"Kanto, huh?" Roxie said. "That is where I got my Koffing and Grimer. If you want my badge, you battle my bandmates first."

"Bandmates?" Cilan asked, sounding delighted despite himself.

Roxie threw one arm wide. "Give it up for Koffing and the Toxics! This is not just a Gym. This is where battles and music hit the same stage."

The crowd roared through the club.

Before I could answer, a familiar voice called from the entrance behind us.

"Sorry I'm late," Reisa said, jogging down the last steps. "This Gym is hard to find when every alley looks like a backstage entrance."

"Reisa!" Iris shouted. "What are you doing here?"