1. Ash's Story (Part 7: Kalos)

Chapter 38: Rumble Badge

The path from the Tower of Mastery back into Shalour City felt shorter than the path that had taken us there.

Maybe it was because the Gym battle was finally waiting for me. Maybe it was because Calem had just received his Mega Ring, and the whole Tower of Mastery still seemed to echo with Gurkinn's lesson about strength, trust, and responsibility. Either way, every step toward Shalour Gym made my hands tighten with excitement.

Korrina had already told me Lucario would not battle this time. That still felt strange. After everything we had seen with Lucario and Mega Evolution, part of me had expected my Shalour Gym battle to become a direct test against that bond. But Gurkinn had another lesson in mind, and Korrina had accepted it even though I could tell she wanted to battle with Lucario too.

Serena walked beside me, noticing the way I kept looking ahead. "You are still thinking about Lucario sitting out."

"I am," I admitted. "But Korrina is strong even without Lucario. If Gurkinn wanted this battle to happen that way, then I need to respect the challenge in front of me."

"That sounds like the right answer," Serena said with a smile.

Pikachu rested on my shoulder and leaned against my cheek. His meaning reached me through the steady warmth of his body. "The strongest battle is not always the one you imagined before stepping onto the field."

"Yeah," I said softly. "Let's see what Korrina wants to show us."

When we entered Shalour Gym, the first thing I saw was the floor.

The whole Gym was a huge skating rink. Smooth paths curved around raised platforms, ramps, rails, and open spaces where Roller Skaters could rush from one side of the room to the other. The final battlefield stood beyond the training sections, but several platforms were lowered, blocking the direct way toward Korrina. It looked like the Gym itself would not allow me to challenge the Leader until I proved I could move through the rink.

The Gym Guide waved from near the entrance. "What is the plan, Hitmonchan? How is the future Champ today? This is the Fighting-type Gym of Shalour City. You on your guard? It does not matter if you come from ahead or from behind around here. Just run into all the Roller Skaters and beat them. That is your ticket."

Clemont looked at the skating paths with nervous respect. "A Gym designed around speed, movement, and forced encounters. That is very Korrina."

Bonnie bounced on her toes. "It looks fun."

Elline lifted one eyebrow. "It looks dangerous if you forget how fast the floor is."

David glanced toward me. "You brought Roller Skates. This is probably why."

"I see," I muttered, pulling my Roller Skates into place. "Then I need to skate and battle."

Serena gave me a small nod. "You can do it."

I pushed off carefully at first, getting used to the polished rink. The surface was smoother than the city paths, and the turns came faster than I expected. Korrina's Gym was not only testing Pokémon. It was testing whether the challenger could keep balance while being pressured from every direction.

A Roller Skater came racing toward me from the first curve, spinning around with practiced control before stopping in my path.

"Hey, hey," he called. "You have to have some impressive skating skills to catch up to me. You will not show me up in battle, though."

The screen near the side identified him as Roller Skater Shun.

"Then let's battle," I said.

Shun started with Pancham. I chose Slurpuff because this was a Fighting-type Gym, and Fairy-type pressure would matter. Pancham rushed in with quick punches, but Slurpuff spun away and answered with a bright Fairy attack that forced Pancham back. Shun sent out Throh next, relying on bulk and grappling strength, yet Slurpuff kept moving just outside its reach before landing another Fairy-type hit.