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

Chapter 75: Couriway Key

Couriway Town greeted us with the roar of waterfalls before we even reached the main street that bright misty morning. After Terminus Cave, the sound should have felt peaceful, but every rush of water reminded me of how quickly calm places could become battlefields. Squishy rested in Bonnie's pouch, Aegislash floated silently beside Greninja, and the Gyaradosite Sycamore had hinted about waited somewhere in this town if his treasure clue was real.

Couriway itself felt like a town built between motion and patience. Trains came and went near the station, travelers paused to take photographs near the falls, and hotel workers moved with practiced care through mist that never seemed to stop. The sound of water followed every street, sometimes loud enough to swallow conversation and sometimes soft enough to make the whole town feel like it was whispering secrets.

Squishy did not seem impressed by the scenery. It stayed in Bonnie's pouch with only one eye visible, watching the waterfall mist like it expected Team Flare to step out of it. After Terminus Cave, I could not blame it. Team Flare had known how to track it, how to corner it, and how to force its cells into a battle-ready form. That made every peaceful place feel like a place we had not checked carefully enough yet.

Serena walked beside me, holding Eevee gently while watching the mist drift over the rooftops. "This place is beautiful, but it feels like everything is moving at once."

"The waterfalls make it sound busier than it is," Clemont said, adjusting his glasses.

Pikachu lifted his ears from my shoulder. His alert look reached me clearly. "Water hides footsteps if enemies are close."

"That is exactly why we stay careful," I said.

We were heading toward the Pokémon Center when someone called for help from the rocks near the path. A woman in a nurse uniform had one leg wedged between stones, and she was trying to reach a small shining object just beyond her fingertips. Clemont rushed ahead with his Aipom Arm, while Serena and I steadied the rocks so they would not shift more.

"Please do not move too quickly," Clemont warned. "If the stone slips, your leg could get hurt worse."

The woman gave an embarrassed laugh. "I know, but I was so close to finding it."

With Clemont's machine and Charla's careful strength, we freed her without making the rocks collapse. She thanked us, then picked up the shining stone and held it like a treasure. It was a Mega Stone, and the warmth in her face told me she had searched for it because of someone important.

"I am Nurse Joy from the Couriway Pokémon Center," she said. "I was searching for this stone because I believe it belongs with my partner."

Serena's eyes widened. "You were searching for a Mega Stone by yourself?"

Nurse Joy smiled sheepishly at us. "I thought I would be back before anyone worried."

Clemont checked his watch and nearly jumped. "Professor Sycamore is expecting us soon."

Nurse Joy looked horrified. "Then allow me to make up for delaying you. My ambulance is nearby, and I can take you straight there."

The ambulance ride through Couriway was surprisingly fast enough to make Bonnie squeal and Clemont cling to the side handle. Waterfall mist sprayed the windows when we passed the hotel district, and I saw upper balconies connected by narrow service walkways. Workers moved between floors with trays and medical supplies, careful not to disturb guests leaning out to watch the falls.

When we finally reached the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy hurried to the treatment room door and froze. The door would not open. A soft but stubborn voice sounded from the other side, followed by the click of another lock.