Your Pace

"I should teach you how to skate."

"What? Why?"

"Because if you're going to be my sidekick, you gotta be able to skate with me."

Ash knew Korrina was trying to get a reaction out of him. He could see it in her snickering grin, and the way she turned to look at him. It didn't matter though. He was more than happy to oblige.

"Get over here and lemme show you a side I can kick!"

Korrina broke out into a laugh as Ash leapt for her, diving out of the way of his sudden attack. There was no hesitation in the way he moved- If Korrina hadn't dodged, Ash really would've kicked her. He knew she could dodge though. She could always dodge.

"Besides, if anyone here is the sidekick, it's the two-bit Gym Leader who can't stop following me around!" He went a bit meaner with that one, and all of the offense was taken.

"Ohoho? Last I checked it was Mr. Zero-and-Two who asked if his group could join me!" With a spin, Korrina began to skate backwards, facing Ash as the two continued on their way. Ash could tell she was trying to show off, to show him that she could skate and spar.

"Only to help you figure out how Mega Evolution works." Bad move, Ketchum. Never go on the defensive, not around her. You better pivot, fast. "So what's keeping ya! Unless you still got some interest in me."

The cocky grin Ash put on that line seemed to trip Korrina up, as she stumbled for just a moment at his word. Ever the excellent sparring partner, however, she quickly fired back.

"Trust me, Ash, the only thing keeping me from Shalour is how slow your butt is moving." It was a two-fold jab, a partial reference to the foot race he'd lost to her the other day (stupid height advantage) and how many stops and detours Ash's party seemed to be making these days. They were on week two of a four day hike. "But hey, maybe we can make up the difference by getting you some skates."

Like that, their impromptu verbal spar came to an end, wrapped up in a neat bow where it began. Korrina had gotten the last word and had won the game. Another point to her, leaving the score 5-4 in Ash's favor.

"Heh, yeah maybe." Ash's surroundings came back to him at that moment, his attention finally focusing on something beyond the girl walking at his side. The two were trekking through a forest, startling alone considering the party they usually had with them.

Korrina was a fast walker and Ash was never one to be outmatched. So each day, she would forge ahead and he would keep pace. Then the day would end with them waiting around for the rest of the group to catch up. It'd been such a regular occurrence, in fact, that Pikachu and Lucario would stay behind half the time to avoid missing lunch. Today was one such day.

Ash and Korrina were alone.

"I'll say this though, I should teach you how to skate." Hooking her hands behind her head, Korrina broached the subject once again, much to the surprise of Ash. So that wasn't just an excuse to trade barbs. "You'd look good in a pair of skates, I think."

Ah, there it was. The one verbal move Ash had no idea how to respond to. More than any piece of goading or challenging insult, it was lines like that that left Ash without a word to say. Of course, he knew what her words meant, what they implied. He wasn't a kid after all. What he didn't know, was how exactly Korrina expected him to react.

If she was just trying to get a reaction, then he'll just have to play it cool.

He shot her a smile.

"I'll tell you what, show me how to Mega Evolve first, and you can teach me whatever you want."