The Pantheon

The Girl

The bustling streets of Saffron City buzzed with their usual energy, but Ashley's attention was firmly fixed on the grand double doors of the Saffron Gym. She leaned against a lamppost, arms crossed, her gaze flicking occasionally to her PokéNav. Damian was late—not that she was surprised. He seemed to have a knack for being fashionably delayed.

A familiar, cheeky laugh snapped her out of her thoughts. "Sorry, sorry! I know, I'm late," Damian called, jogging up the path with a wide grin plastered across his face. His Hitmonchan jogged alongside him, his movements smoother and more confident than before. Haunter floated lazily above them, occasionally phasing through lampposts and giggling at his antics.

Ashley smirked, straightening up. "Took you long enough. Did you get lost in the city or something?"

Damian shook his head, still catching his breath. "Nope, but saying goodbye to the dojo felt like a farewell ceremony or something. I swear, every trainee there had to come shake my hand. Twice." He gestured dramatically, as if the weight of their gratitude had physically slowed him down.

"Wow," Ashley teased, giving him a playful nudge. "Guess someone's become a local celebrity. Should I start calling you Mr. Popular now?"

Damian laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey, I can't help it if they love me. Or, well..." He glanced down at his Hitmonchan, who was shadowboxing casually. "...if they love him. This guy's been a hit over there. Pun totally intended."

Ashley snorted. "Of course it was. But I gotta admit, he looks good. You two must've been putting in serious work."

Damian's grin softened into something more genuine. "Yeah, the dojo was amazing. They really helped us hone in on his strengths. He's got some serious power now, but it's all about control. You should've seen him sparring with Machoke earlier—total knockout."

Hitmonchan glanced up at Damian with a proud smile, jabbing the air as if to emphasize his point. Ashley gave him an approving nod. "Looking sharp, Hitmonchan. Next time, Mars might just give you a run for your money, though."

Damian raised a brow. "Oh, is that a challenge? Because we can make that happen."

"Easy, champ," Ashley said with a laugh, holding up her hands. "Let's save it for when we're not about to part ways."

That last part made Damian's grin falter slightly. He tilted his head, a touch of curiosity and disappointment in his tone. "Part ways? You mean you're not sticking around?"

Ashley sighed, her expression softening. "I can't, Damian. I've been in Saffron for a week already, and Vermilion's calling my name. There's a contest there in two weeks, and Lt. Surge? He's been on my gym list forever."

"Ah, time management," Damian said with a knowing nod, though his voice carried a hint of regret. "The eternal struggle for trainers like us."

"Exactly," Ashley said, crossing her arms again. "Gym badges, contest ribbons—balancing the two is a nightmare sometimes. But hey, you've got your own plans, right?"

Damian perked up a bit, his disappointment fading. "Yeah! There's a contest in this little town between Saffron and Lavender. Thought I'd swing by, show Haunter and Hitmonchan off, snag a ribbon."

Ashley grinned. "Sounds like a solid plan. You've been killing it lately. I'm sure you'll crush it."

"Thanks," Damian said, though his smile had a wistful edge. "Still, it's a bummer. Would've been cool to hit the contest circuit together. You've got the chops for it."

"Who says we won't cross paths again?" Ashley replied, tilting her head with a smirk. "Though, we still have one more day together. Ready to see me take on Sabrina?"