Chapter 15: Mastery
The sun had only just risen, and Ash, Serena, Red, Clemont, and Bonnie gazed upon a gleaming horizon with their pokemon, which gifted light onto a vast city before them. Each passing moment, the sunshine revealed more buildings constructed out of descending levels upon the cliffsides with lakes of green flora mixed in between and vast fields of well-attended farmland beyond the city walls.
"J'avais oublié, it's so beautiful!" Serena cried while losing herself to the magnificent view.
"Eh, tu t'y habitues." Korrina shrugged with a playful expression.
"What is that!?" Bonnie jumped up and down upon looking out at a vast citadel-esk tower resting on an island just beyond the harbor.
"Ahh, yes, my family's Tower of Mastery. C'est plus impressionnant." Korrina spoke proudly, earning a smirk from Red.
"Je veux le voir!" Bonnie cried.
"Bonnie, be patient. We have to help the refugees first." Clemont emphasized the massive camp of people/pokemon from Geosenge town behind them.
"Oui, don't worry, though. My Grandfather made preparations for them."
"Lead on then, mademoiselle." Red said before kissing Korrina's cheek, making her beam.
"Grouuu." Korrina's Lucario shook his head slightly as Red' Charizard and Sceptile each placed a paw on his shoulders, both smirking.
Korrina led the vast company of people, pokemon, and mercenaries down the road past traveling merchants and farmers in their fields before entering Shalour city itself through its main gate.
Hundreds of servants, physicians, clergymen/clergywomen, and soldiers awaited the new arrivals. One by one, they handed out bread, water, blankets, and other necessities to the new refugees.
"Merci." Each muttered upon taking the food.
"Ahh, elle est là, my victorious granddaughter." A warm voice reached the group.
"Pépé!" Korrina raced over to the Count, who revealed himself alongside a squad of his knights, then leaped into his arms.
"Well done, mon amour, you did it!"
"Well, I didn't do it alone." Korrina muttered, sweatdropping a little.
"Oui, you were certainly worth your fee, Captain." Gurkinn turned to Rollo, who shrugged.
"It's our job. But that's now what the lady was talkin about."
"Oui." Korrina sheepishly pointed to the group, taking the Count by surprise.
"Your majesty!?" He yelped, quickly bowing when he saw Serena, who sweatdropped a little.
"Bonjour, comte Gurkinn." Serena said respectfully while the others followed her example, all except Red, who almost trembled when the Count's eyes met his.
Somehow, Gurkinn's iron and suspicious gaze terrified the young knight more than the entire Galar army, and he trembled.
"Bonjour, mon Seigneur. It's good to see you again."
"Pepe! Monsieur Red rescued me!" Gurkinn blinked and turned back to Korrina with a look of pure horror.
"Quoi! You were taken prisoner!" Korrina took a deep breath and swallowed her pride.
"Oui, Red, and the others bravely risked themselves to rescue me."
Gurkinn took a deep breath and slowly approached Red.
"Merci, monsieur."
"Non, twas my duty as a chevalier, mon Seigneur." Red didn't lose his rigidly respectful demeanor, nor the unmistakable fear that made Serena, Korrina, and Bonnie giggle.
Ash and Clemont both smirked at each other while Red's pokemon sweatdropped.
"He's far too modest, pepe!" Korrina wrapped herself around Red's arm and pressed her face against his, making the knight turn scarlet and then nearly pass out when Gurkinn loomed over him with a steadily increasing dread.
"Well, if it's all the same to you, the boys and I are gonna hit the taverns." Rollo said, sweatdropping a little.
"Feel free, but my men have already taken all the good stuff."
"Huh!?" Serena and the others all turned to see none other than Captain Arnaud approaching with a beaming smile.
"Captain Arnaud!" Serena raced over and hugged him before Ash, Clemont, and Red each took turns greeting him. Red was eager for an opportunity to get escape from Gurkinn.
"I think you mean, monsieur Arnaud." Monsieur Raymon chuckled as he came up behind a slightly bashful Arnaud and patted his shoulder.
"Monsieur! You were knighted!?" Ash laughed while also noticing the gilded spurs on his boots.
"Hmmmp." Clemont nervously sweatdropped as he noticed Bonnie's stern expression and the lack of spurs on his boots.
"Oui, just before we departed, the comte Grant realized I was not a knight and sought to remedy the situation."
"Long overdue, mon amie." Raymon added.
"Oui! You're more than worthy of knighthood, Arnaud. Ahh, excusez-moi, monsieur Arnaud." Serena giggled, making the new knight tremble a little.
"Merci."
"What brings you here, Arnaud? Don't tell me the Galar are nearby?" Ash asked in a half-joking, half-serious tone.
"Ha! Non, mon amie. Though I will admit, it is usually how we end up meeting. We're merely awaiting our reinforcements before traveling east to continue the fight."
"Reinforcements?" The group asked before Arnaud pointed to the harbor. They only then saw a fleet of ships approaching, flags depicting a strange red-crocodile like pokemon.
"Right on time, the Catalan Company."
"The Catalan Company!?" Ash, Red, Clemont, and Serena all yelped in disbelief.
"Oui! Pepe outdid himself!" Korrina laughed, earning a growing smile from Gurkinn. That was until Red dared to smile back at the Count, who instantly reverted to his original iron demeanor, making Red similarly retreat.
"Yay! Yay!" Bonnie squealed while she and Dedenne leaped out of the boat and raced across the Tower of Mastery's beaches.
"Bonnie, come on!" Clemont shouted as he tried to race after her.
Serena felt much the same as she took in the tower's masterful architecture that mixed beauty with pragmatic defensibility. However, none of it compared to the tower's interior and a colossal statue that loomed over them.
"Woah!" The sculpture depicted a mega evolved Lucario with the Counts' of Shalour's sigil on its chest.
"Grouuu!" Korrina's Lucario boasted while confidently crossing his arms, telling the other pokemon how much he resembled the statue when mega evolved.
"Grouuu." Gurkinn's Lucario growled back, reminding him that they both looked like it, earning chuckles from the other pokemon. All except for Ash's Lucario and Sceptile, who stared at the statue with a mixture of longing and anxiety.
Greninja had been keeping himself close to Serena since joining the other day but now took notice of their dilemma and found himself conflicted. Gurkinn saw this too and watched closely alongside his Lucario when Ash and Red came over.
"Lucario, it's alright." Ash assured his pokemon, who clenched his eyes shut and looked away in shame.
"Lucario, if anyone can help you, it's Gurkinn. We're going to master your Mega Evolution here!"
"Pika!"
"Grauu!" Ash's other pokemon offered similar encouragement.
"He's right, Sceptile. We finally have some time to rest. We take care of this, now!" Red added.
"Oui! I'll help you, mon amour! This is so exciting! I'll run you both through the same training regiment Lucario, and I did! We can do Charizard too-" Korrina nearly burst with excitement as she ran over and grabbed Red with one hand and Sceptile her another.
"Korrina, Charizard already mastered Mega Evolution."
"Grauu." Charizard proudly huffed.
"Awww, well, we can still help Sceptile!" Gurkinn's harsh expression softened into growing interest as he watched Red. Greninja felt similar when he watched Ash, earning a beaming smile from Serena.
"You really should get to know him, Greninja. Trust me; he's amazing with pokemon."
"Char!"
"Fenn!"
"Cham!"
"Gre." Greninja sighed a little.
That evening, the group sat around a great dining table resting on a balcony, giving them and their pokemon a grand view of the city. Rollo, Raymon, and Arnaud joined them for dinner, but so far, no food came.
"Merci, Comte Gurkinn, for your hospitality." Serena said.
"Ahh, the honor is mine, your majesty. It does my heart good to see you safe. Tell me, what was your plan?" Gurkinn asked while sipping some wine.
"My plan?" She asked, slightly confused.
"Oui, your plans moving forward." Gurkinn directed this question towards Ash and Red just as much as Serena, making all three sweatdrop.
"Well, ever since we escaped Lumiose, our main objective was getting to safety." Serena said.
"Vraiment?" Arnaud and Raymond chuckled.
"Oui, Shalour City was the safest place we could think of."
"Well, you weren't wrong." Korrina added in a boastful tone.
"Oui, this is a safe place for you, your highness. We're very well provisioned, well manned, fortified, and have access to the sea should we need to move you."
"So if she's staying, that means you are too." Korrina said, turning to a nervous Red.
"Uhhh, well, the thing is. I'm not so sure now." Serena admitted, shocking the Count and Greninja.
"Quoi!"
"It's just, since then, I've started performing, and it's had a profonde impact."
"Absolument!" Arnaud almost shouted.
"Performing?" A new voice entered the hallway taking the group by surprise. She didn't sound Kalos, but they recognized the accent instantly.
All eyes turned to a middle-aged man and young woman, roughly the group's age, who entered the chamber. Their attire and the man's gilded spurs marked them as nobles. However, their skin tone was slightly darker than the Kalos individuals, looking more Mediterranean.
"Spaniards." Clemont whispered to Ash, who nodded.
Espania was a region to the southwest of Kalos made up of four Kingdoms. The Kingdoms of Castile & Leon, both ruled by the same King, the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre.
In fact, Serena's mother Grace was Navarrese, born and raised there, the daughter of its previous King Pedro and sister of the current King Sancho.
The man and young woman both shared short dark-blue hair and red eyes, clearly marking them as father and daughter.
"Ahh, buenas noches. Everyone, this is Don Miquel de Begur, commander of the Catalan Company, and his daughter Miette." Gurkinn said.
"Bonjour, mon Seigneur, and what I assume are many distinguished guests." Don Miquel smiled warmly.
"¡Claro que sí!" You have the pleasure of meeting Princess Serena de Capet!" Miquel and his daughter looked taken aback.
"Hola." Serena said, remembering her language lessons.
"Your majesty! No seas grosero, Miette." Miquel gestured Miette closer before they both bowed. However, Serena noticed more interest in Miette's expression than awe. Not that she minded, Serena didn't need constant reverence for her status as Princess.
"Bonjour, votre majesté". Miquel spoke Kalos exceptionally well, but Miette's Aragonese accent came unrestrained.
The two took their seats, with Gurkinn offering them both spots near him and Korrina. Miquel took up this offer, but Miette didn't even look at them. Instead, her eyes lingered on the two knight brothers, Ash in particular.
Serena didn't appreciate the way she looked at Ash and kept a watchful eye on the noblewoman as she intentionally took an open seat beside Ash, who now sat between the young women.
"Bonjour, monsieur?"
"Ash." He said in a friendly tone.
Servants began serving dinner and pouring wine as Miquel started talking.
"Si, I'm sorry more Spaniards couldn't join us, but trouble is brewing with the Daharans again, and most of the mercenaries in back in Aragon are going off to support Castile & Leon. King Ferdinand was quite upset when we took up the Dauphin's offer."
"Well, we certainly aren't." Arnaud said while raising his glass in a toast.
"To the Catalan Company."
"Si, and the Dauphin!" Miquel added before the entire table raised their glasses. The Catalan Company were world-renowned mercenaries, known for their ferocity in battle, professionalism as a military unit, and loyalty to those who contracted them. Over two thousand strong, they inspired fear in their enemies and praise from their employers.
"So, monsieur Ash, Red. You two don't look Kalos." Miette said after setting her glass down. Although she spoke to both brothers, her eyes lingered on Ash with apparent interest, though he didn't notice.
"Non, Red, and I are originally from Kanto."
"Kanto, ¿en serio? How did you both end up here as knights?" Miette rested her head on her hand and leaned in closer, nearly making Serena growl.
"Well, it's a bit of a long story." Ash said with a sheepish look while sweatdropping.
"I'd love to hear it."
"Well-" Ash started without realizing Serena was burning up with a jealous rage.
"Ash is si dense." Bonnie sighed. Korrina narrowed her eyes slightly while Red shook his head in agreement with Bonnie.
"Si dense." He muttered while Ash went over how he and Red ended up shipwrecked.
"My, what a frightening tale. You must be very brave."
"Merci, it's actually how we met Serena." This caught Miette's attention and took Serena by surprise, though a pleasant one to be sure.
"Oui! I'd gotten separated from my papa, and Ash rescued me from a Venipede!" Serena barely kept herself from shouting and wrapped her arms around Ash tightly, taking Miette by surprise.
"¿Qué?"
"You didn't know, Ash and Serena are married." Korrina said with a smirk.
"Wait a minute. You're the household knight that married the Princess!?" Miette almost gasped.
"He is!? Maravilloso! You're a folk hero to my men, monsieur!" Miquel laughed.
Serena's rage vanished into triumph as she noticed an annoyed pouting expression from Miette.
"I understand Princess Serena is quite the performer." Miquel added.
"Oui! She's the best in Kalos!" Ash proclaimed, making her blush intensely.
"¿Es ella?" Miette asked while looking back at Serena with renewed interest.
"She inspired me to take a stand." Arnaud said with a heavy heart while staring at the spurs on his boots.
"Well, Miette is quite a performer in her own right. She's performed for many great lords and even our King Alfonso."
"Performer?" Serena muttered.
"Si! In fact, I'd love to perform for our gracious host and the Princess of Kalos."
"Si! Prepare to be dazzled!" Miquel cried with an excited look about him.
Miette got up alongside a male Meowstic and positioned herself further out onto the balcony. From there, the two began an exceptionally well-coordinated dance with Meowstic, who lifted her and himself up with psychic moves.
"Awwww!" Bonnie couldn't resist and clasped her hands together. Clemont similarly watched in awe with Gurkinn and Miquel.
"Elle est douée." Ash said in a completely innocent tone, not realizing the effect it had on Serena, who narrowed her eyes at him in a jealous pout.
"Ash." Red sighed louder while Korrina patted his shoulder.
Serena sighed, realizing that he merely respected Miette's talent, and begrudgingly began to accept that the same. She and her Meowstic had impeccable timing, coordination, and technical skills. They moved with such precision that it almost seemed like they'd practiced their entire lives.
Arnaud, and Raymond, however, didn't take to her routine. Both tried to appear entertained out of respect but couldn't deny that she didn't bring out the same passion and sense of hope that Serena did.
Miette finished and bowed to applause from those around the table and the servants. Even Serena forced herself to applaud, that was until she noticed Miette smirking at her with a clear challenge. Meowstic did the same with Fennekin, who pouted back angrily.
"Fenn!" Pancham and Charla held Pancham back before Serena knelt down and picked her up.
"She'll perform before the Dauphin soon enough, once we win this war!" Miquel cried.
"Si." Miette said, smirking wider at Serena.
That evening, Ash was fast asleep with Pikachu at his feet in a chamber provided for him and Serena in the tower's upper levels. Serena, however, remained awake and stared the window at the night sky.
"Fenn." Fennkin whined as the Princess stroked her head.
"She'll perform before Calem." Serena thought before looking around at the tower around them and Greninja, who stood watch in the corner. They'd done what they'd set out to do, get to Shalour city, to safety.
Yet now, after everything they'd been through, all the performances, Ash and Red's battles against the earls. Could they just give up on their dreams now, especially after all those they'd helped? But doing so would put their lives at risk and the entire Kingdom's future if the Galar Captured her. Serena sighed deeply and but the thoughts wouldn't escape her mind.
"Lucario."
"Eh?" Serena and Fennekin turned to Ash, who stirred in his sleep, a look of vehement determination and dedication on the knight's face.
"Lucario, I'm going to help you, Mega Evolve, no matter what it takes." He muttered. Serena and Fennekin smiled tenderly as moments like this reminded them of what they loved the most about Ash. She leaned in and kissed his cheek before staring back at the night sky full of passion.
Greninja couldn't help but smile a little at Serena but turn turned back to Ash with ever-increasing intrigue.
The following morning Red and his pokemon stood on the beaches surrounding the tower of mastery covered in sweat even before the sun fully rose.
"Lucario, force Palm!"
"Bone Rush!"
"Dragon Claw and Fire Punch!"
Red grit his teeth upon feeling the power behind Count Gurkin's sword-strike. Despite the Count's advancing age, he proved no less formidable than Pierre did and kept the younger chevalier on the defensive as they furiously sparred, neither holding anything back.
At the same time, Red's Sceptile moved fast to keep up Gurkinn's Lucario's force palm, countering each blow with his now glowing claws. Charizard similarly exchanged strikes with Korrina's Lucario, while the noblewoman mirrored each of his movements.
She wore a similar outfit to what lady Nessa wore and worked up a good sweat like the others.
"Concentrer! Synchronize your movements!" Gurkinn roared at Red and Sceptile, who both struggled under their opponents' combined attacks.
"He's right, mon amour, you need to fight together! Charizard has the right idea!" Korrina shouted with burning enthusiasm. Sceptile noticed that they had a point.
Gurkinn/Korrina and their Lucario's almost seemed to make the same movements as each other and at the same time, like their minds remained linked. Red and Charizard did much the same, but he struggled to match his trainer's movements.
"Tile." Sceptile groaned in frustration.
As all this went on, Red's other pokemon sparred with a few of Count Gurkinn and Lady Korrina's other pokemon.
The sparring went on with the rising sun, and yet despite everything Count Gurkinn threw at them, Red and his pokemon remained firm. The royal knight could've only imagined what the Count was like in his prime, but the man's age finally caught up with him, and after nearly two hours of intense fighting, his stance began to waiver.
"If you even think about easing up on me-" Gurkinn growled before he and his Lucario found themselves swept off their feet by a combined attack.
Red and Sceptile matched each other almost perfectly, though their success came more from the older man/Lucario's fatigue than superior skill. Gurkinn stumbled over his own legs and landed on the sand while Sceptile landed a hit with dragon claw and slammed Lucario beside him.
When they opened their eyes, Gurkinn and Lucario saw their students directly over them with pleased expressions.
"Finalement." Gurkinn said as he and Sceptile took their hands and got up. Korrina blushed slightly and nodded at him before pointing to Sceptile.
"Come on, essayons!" Sceptile's confidence instantly faded when Gurkinn's Lucario got up while the Count touched his Mega Evolution stone.
"Grouuu!" Mega Lucario roared. Red hesitated when he saw more sweat trickle down Sceptile's face.
"Tile." The Grass starter stuttered, visibly shaking as he stared at the Sceptilite on his wrist.
"Kirl." Kirlia came over and held his hand while Charizard and Noibat both gave him similar reassurances.
"You can do it." Red added, giving Sceptile all the confidence he could. However, Sceptile's mind flashed back to Rhyperior, and the grass starter nearly fell over.
"Kirl!"
Red seized Sceptile and pulled him back up with all his might.
"Easy Sceptile. C'est d'accord." Red comforted his pokemon, who now teared up. Korrina quickly came over and joined Red as she embraced Sceptile.
Gurkinn and his Lucario took a deep breath but realized that forcing the matter now wouldn't do them any good. Instead, they turned their attention back to Red and Korrina.
On the other side of the island, Serena flew just above the sand with Charla beside her.
"Pancham Stone edge, Charla Dragon tail, Fennekin Fire Spin!"
"Cham!" Pancham sent up two stone pillars bringing himself and Fennekin up. From there, Serena and Charla flew in over them. Fennekin unleashed fire spin but lost her footing from the move's nature, and instead of sending it around Charla's dragon tail as intended, the flames went awry.
Charla tried to keep to the original plan, but her efforts made the already unruly fire go everywhere except where she intended, including the left-wing of Serena's suit.
"Char!"
"Cham!"
"Fennn!"
Serena did her best to remain calm and managed to reangle herself before splashing into the ocean. All three pokemon let out a heavy sigh upon seeing her emerge unharmed, though immense guilt overtook Fennekin and Charla.
"Je vais bien." Serena tried to assure them both while stroking their heads and smiling warmly. Fennekin, in particular, whined while glancing over at two burned wing-suit wings in the corner from similar failures during their training that morning.
"Ne t'inquiète pas, we'll get this right, I know it!" Serena proclaimed.
"Cham!"
"Char!"
Fennekin wanted to join in but almost immediately saw Miette with her Slurpuff and Meowstic. All three performed with the same expert precision and timing she'd seen the night before and whined louder.
"Fennekin! Don't compare yourself to them!" Serena spoke slightly louder than she intended, perhaps telling herself this as much as Fennekin.
"Allez! I say if this is where we're struggling, we focus on honing your moves for a while!"
"Cham!"
"Char!"
"Fenn!" Fennekin nodded with a determined expression. Serena noticed Miette smirking at her in the distance but smirked back as she turned away.
"I say we go train with Ash!"
"Char!"
"Cha!"
"Fen!" All three liked the idea and went off, Greninja carefully following from a distance.
Serena and her pokemon arrived further down the beach. They saw Fletchinder, Pikachu, and Tyrunt engaged in intense sparring with one of the Tower of Mastery's pokemon, all fighting types.
Ash himself similarly battled one of Count Gurkinn's knights with Charizard and Lucario beside him, opposing a Blaziken and Scizor. Sweat soaked all six, but none showed any signs of easing up.
"Allez! Let's show him what we're made of!" Ash boomed with fiery enthusiasm, which Charizard and Lucario matched. The knight smiled back in approval and barely prevented one of Ash's blows from landing a hit.
Seeing this made Serena and Charla blush uncontrollably, so much so that the thought of Miette seeing Ash like this didn't even cross her mind.
"Oui, that's it!" The knight cried when he saw Lucario and Charizard's movements mirror Ash's almost perfectly.
"That's it Ash! Lucario, Charizard!" Serena cried as her pokemon joined in. Greninja similarly brought himself closer with a keen interest in Ash's synchronization with his pokemon and the chevalier's swordsmanship.
"Grouu!" Lucario roared victoriously after delivering a punishing blow to the Scizor and put him on his back heels.
"Ça y est! Time to link your bond!" Sir Gefreid cried while preparing to touch his mega evolution stone while aiming it at Scizor. Serena, her team, and the rest of Ash's pokemon held their breath as he turned to Lucario.
"You can do this!"
"Grauuu!" Charizard and Ash encouraged Lucario, but he merely trembled and thought back to the battle and how he'd nearly hurt Ash.
"Grouu!" Lucario yelped and collapsed to the ground before cradling himself.
"Lucario." Serena muttered in concern while Ash knelt down beside his pokemon and embraced him.
"C'est d'accord, Lucario. I won't give up on you. We'll keep trying until you feel ready." Lucario wiped away some of his tears and nodded before hugging Ash.
Serena held her heart and almost got emotional herself before Greninja stepped forward.
"Gre!"
"Eh?" Ash asked, slightly confused.
"Gre!" Greninja aimed his webbed fingers at Ash's sword then drew his own.
"Ahhh! It seems you have a new challenger, monsieur!" Monsieur Gefreid laughed. The tall knight looked roughly thirty with black hair, blue eyes, and broad shoulders.
"Greninja!" Serena shouted, but Ash smiled back, clearly accepting the challenge.
"You'll need a partner, Greninja!" Monsieur Gefreid turned to his Blaziken, who eagerly nodded before the knight touched his keystone. Moments later, Mega Blaziken emerged and took a fighting stance before Charizard, who huffed back.
"We accept! Allons-y, Charizard!" Ash touched his keystone, and within moments, Mega Charizard Z emerged.
"Grauuu!"
"Char!" Charla's eyes turned to bright hearts, and she nearly fell over, causing Fennekin and Pancham to sweatdrop.
"Dragon claw!"
"Blaze Kick!" Both Mega pokemon clashed with speed and power exponentially higher than their previous battle. At the same time, Ash exchanged blows with Greninja, who very nearly overwhelmed the knight with a series of incredibly agile and swift blade strikes in seemingly every direction.
Ash refused to give in and pressed himself against Greninja just as Charizard Z did against Mega Blaziken.
"C'est ça! Go for broke!" Serena cried. Charizard Z slammed Mega Blaziken into the ground with Dragon Rush at the same time Ash fought Greninja to a standstill, all four panting for breath.
Greninja retracted his blades and nodded before offering his fist to Ash, who smiled before pressing his own against it. Seeing this made Serena's heart soar and nearly tear up as she thought about her father and Greninja.
"Serena, qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?" Ash asked with some concern when he saw her. However, the Princess merely shook her head and kept smiling.
"Rien, I'm just glad you're both getting along."
Charizard Z offered his paw to Mega Blaziken, who nodded in respect before accepting his help up.
"Bon, tres bon, monsieur Ash. I think that's enough for today." Monsieur Gefried said while bowing to Serena. The knight left with his pokemon leaving Ash and Serena with theirs.
Lucario kept his head buried in his lap before all of the group comforted him.
"Lucario, it's ok if you didn't get it today. We'll get there, I promise." Ash said.
"Lucario, my team is having some trouble with our moves. We'd be very grateful if you could help us." Serena said in a soothing tone, and Lucario perked up almost instantly. He liked that idea and eagerly nodded.
"Grouuu!"
"Génial!" Ash roared while pumping his fist up, Pikachu and his other pokemon following suit.
"Runt!"
"Cham!" Tyrunt and Pancham practiced Stone edge together, with Pikachu and Greninja moving around and using double team to make them targets.
At the same time, Charla eagerly practiced dragon-type moves with Charizard, and Fennekin worked with Lucario and Fletchinder.
"Fletch!" Fletchinder squawked while breathing a jet of fire from his beak towards a sand target. Despite only recently learning the move, Fletchinder showed remarkable control of it.
"Grou!" Lucario similarly threw out both paws and unleashed an aura sphere into another target.
"Fenn." Fennekin took a deep breath and tried to use Fire Spin. However, just like before, she lost control and nearly hit her teachers, who both jumped aside.
"Fenn!" The fire fox yelped and began frantically apologizing.
"Grouu!" Lucario assured her while getting back up.
Fennekin lowered her head again before Serena knelt down and stroked her head.
"Fennekin, try guiding it instead of attempting to control Fire Spin like your other moves." Ash suggested.
"Fenn?" Fennekin asked, slightly intrigued.
"Oui! He's right. It's just like flying in my wingsuit. I don't fly like Charla or Fletchinder. I merely guide myself!" Serena added.
"Grouuu."
"Fletch!"
Fennekin took a deep breath and put on a determined expression as she aimed back at the third sand target.
"Fenn!" Fennekin followed Ash's instructions and watched Fire Spin engulf her target. The attack still went awry, but not nearly as much as before.
"Voir!" Serena cried while Fennekin eagerly wagged her tail.
"Grouu!"
Lucario's mood raised substantially as he and Fletchinder continued to help Fennekin. Meanwhile, having finished his training for the day, Ash agreed to help Serena practice her own flying dance moves.
The knight almost yelped as his attempts to fly proved just as successful as before.
"Je t'ai eu!" Serena giggled as she caught Ash's hands and pulled him back up, barely preventing her husband from wiping out.
"Merci." Ash said, sweatdropping a little. He labored to keep up with Serena's masterful and passionate dancing, which is something he struggled with on foot, let alone in the air. Serena, however, couldn't have cared less about his dancing abilities and merely savored this moment of intimacy with him.
After nearly forty minutes of this, Ash's ineptitude at flying proved too much, and he caused both of them to crash.
"Yaah!" Ash and Serena yelped before submerging. The two came up moments later, spitting up seawater.
"Pardon." Ash muttered, still sweatdropping before Serena's giggling became uncontrollable. Rather than speak, the Princess seized him by the shoulders and pulled Ash in for a passionate kiss, and the knight didn't resist, embracing his wife back.
Even when a wave struck the couple and carried them onto the beach where Serena rested on Ash without breaking the kiss, and went a step further, sliding her tongue into his mouth.
Unknown to them, Miette was still close enough to see and scowled slightly in annoyance, especially when he saw Ash start to fondle Serena's backside.
"Hmp, enjoy him for now, Kalos puta. I always get what I want, one way or another." Miette beamed with confidence as her pokemon nodded. The Spanish noblewoman then smirked as she removed the outer layer of her clothing looked at a reflection of herself in just a pair of under dressings that emphasized her features.
"El sera mio."
"Bonjour, mademoiselle." Miette's pokemon yelped, and the young woman froze for a brief moment before she turned to see none other than Monsieur Gefreid smirking at her.
"Ehhh!" Miette yelped as she tried to cover herself up with her hands, unsuccessfully, not even thinking of simply putting her extra cloths back on.
On the other end of the island, Clemont hyperventilated while laying in the sand and covered in so much sweat he thought he might drown.
"Lux." Luxray said as he, Bunnelby, and Chespin checked to make sure he was ok.
"Creo que es suficiente." Don Albaro said as he wiped some sweat from his brow and handed his sparring sword to Doublade.
"No disrespect, but your form is quite underdeveloped monsieur." The Aragonese Knight said as Bonnie crossed her arms and shook her head.
"My brother's not a knight. He's still a squire."
"¡Qué!" The knight almost gasped in astonishment.
Clemont went pale and remained on his back.
"Oui, I'm a failure at everything."
"Ehhh! Enough of that! You have an elite mercenary chevalier here to help you!" Bonnie scolded him.
"I'm never going to be good at this! I'm an inventor!"
"Inventor?" Don Albaro asked with interest.
Clemont nodded as he got up and pulled the sheet off one of his cannons.
"Espera, ¿de dónde salió eso?" The knight muttered in complete confusion as he pointed to Clemont's cannon.
"Not again, brother." Bonnie sighed. Don Albaro, however, looked beyond intrigued and came closer.
"Don't; it's going to explode." Bonnie tugged at his arm, but Albaro waved her off.
"Increíble! What does this do!?"
"It's supposed to fire a ball of iron through the air with gunpowder, but as my sister says, it keeps exploding. I don't get it. I got smaller versions to work." Clemont sighed as he took out a hand cannon and offered it to Albaro.
"Hmmm, perhaps a second set of eyes might help. I too am interested in black powder weapons."
"Ehhh!?" Bonnie and Clemont both yelped in disbelief.
"Pour de vrai!?" Clemont cried with child-like glee.
"Si! Let's get started!" Bonnie's usual cynicism turned to genuine interest as she watched the two work.
Meanwhile, Red rode on Mega Charizard Y's back as he flew through the air, dodging and evading incoming aura sphere's from Korrina's Mega Lucario.
"Il va falloir faire mieux que ça!"
"Grauuu!" Red and Charizard Y laughed while his other pokemon, including Sceptile cheered them on.
"Hmp, attends juste mon amour! Let's go, Lucario!"
"Grauuu!" Mega Lucario roared as he and Korrina both struck the air in a series of successive punches, in which Lucario sent out Aura Sphere after Aura sphere.
Red looked back down and shared a cocky smile with Charizard Y before he leaned in closer and emphasized Korrina herself.
"Let's go for the kill, on y va?"
"Grauuu!" Charizard Y eagerly nodded, understanding exactly what Red intended.
The Mega Charizard flew back in, masterly avoiding more aura spheres and even slicing a few apart with air slash.
"Hmp, fine then, sword's dance and bone rush!" Korrina grinned widely as her Mega Lucario glowed blue and then formed a bone-shaped club of aura.
"Heat wave!"
Charizard Y breathed the fiery wind towards Mega Lucario, but he acrobatically leaped up and over the attack, coming down with his bone-club.
"Nous gagnons!"
"Est-ce que tu?"
"Eh?" Korrina muttered.
"Fire punch!" Charizard Y flipped himself and very narrowly avoided Bone Rush. Mega Lucario's eyes went wide when he saw Charizard Y come back in the same motion and slam him into the sand with a burning punch.
"Merde, Lucario-" Korrina's eyes went wide when she saw Charizard Y radically change direction and fly straight for her.
"Ehhhh!" Red reached out and seized Korrina in his arms, pulling her up and onto Charizard Y's back behind him.
Xxxx (yugioh Kisara theme)
"Je t'ai eu!" Red laughed.
Korrina wrapped her arms around his waist and began shouting in a clearly playful manner. However, after a minute, she gave up the pointless facade and began laughing as Charizard Y took them for an exhilarating ride across the bay, giving all three a wondrous view of the city.
Korrina rested her head against Red's shoulder for a moment but then leaned in and kissed him, making the knight blush. Back on the ground, Gurkinn watched all of this and sighed before narrowing his eyes at Red.
Ash and Serena lay cuddled up against each other on the other side of the island in the sand with their pokemon resting beside them. There, they savored the gentle ocean waves' harmonious rhythm and each other's warm presence.
"Ash, what if we didn't stay here?" Serena asked nervously.
"Quoi?" Ash wasn't completely surprised by her suggestion but acted surprised nonetheless.
"I've just been thinking. We've done a lot of good on our journey so far. Not to mention we've all gotten to advance our dreams. If we stayed here, it would mean ending all that."
Ash looked back at his and Serena's pokemon, who all shared the same conflicted look.
"Pika."
"Runt."
"Cham."
"Char."
"Grauuu."
Ash felt the same anxiousness wrack his very being, and he held Serena tighter.
"We have to keep you safe, Serena. I have to keep you safe. I promised your father."
"Oui, I know. But if my performances can inspire and give hope to our Kingdom, then it would be selfish of me to stay here when so many others are putting their lives on the line."
"Serena! They're putting their lives on the line to preserve the Kingdom, if Victor captures you!-"
"I know the risk, but I don't want to just give up either."
"Oui." Ash sighed as he stroked her hair.
"I just can't lose you too, mon amour." Ash muttered, tears now forming in his eyes. Serena hugged Ash tighter and joined him.
Red, meanwhile similarly cuddled up with Korrina and their pokemon, all staring out at the horizon while the noblewoman rested her head on his shoulder.
"So you beat Earl Milo?"
Red nodded with a confident smile and showed her his badge.
"Awww, impressionnante!" Korrina beamed as she stared at the medallion.
"It wasn't easy. Earl Milo is a titan of a man. But he's definitely honorable. Unlike Mercer." Red almost growled, earning a similar sentiment from Korrina.
"Next time you see him, be sure to rid out Kingdom of his filth!"
"Oui, I shall!" Red growled. Korrina laid back down against him while stroking his body.
"Are you going to stay then?" She asked, somewhat nervously. Red hesitated and began to sweatdrop. He'd been avoiding that question for the longest time, as it meant making a hard decision regarding Ash and the others. However, now Korrina only made it more complicated.
"Shalour was our goal. I have to stay here for a while, at least." Red struggled to speak, but Korrina decided that was enough for now and nodded.
"Bon. I still have to help Sceptile mega evolve! That's right, don't think you're getting off easy!" She grinned at Sceptile, who looked slightly nervous.
"Merci." Red chuckled as he leaned in and kissed her. The two savored each other's company and wished that moment would never end.
"Monsieur!" Red, Korrina, and all their pokemon yelped in pure terror when they heard Gurkinn's iron voice and saw him staring down at them with a matching expression.
"Mon Seigneur!" Red jumped to his feet and almost stood at attention.
"A word, s'il te plaît." Red and Korrina both trembled and looked back at each other before the knight followed Count Gurkinn until they were secluded.
"Mon Seigneur?" Red asked nervously.
"Monsieur, what are your intentions with my granddaughter?"
"Eh?" Red was slightly taken aback by the question.
"Your intentions!?" Gurkinn snarled, making Red jump again.
"S'il te plaît, mon Seigneur! I swear, I have no intention on making her my mistress! Before Reduka I swear this!"
Gurkinn nodded, clearly believing him.
"Bon, then you intend to marry her."
"Ehhh!?" Red yelped, louder this time with an almost crestfallen expression.
"Oui, you intend to marry her."
Red hesitated for a moment, as this all happened too fast. But upon listening to his heart and staring back at Korrina, he sighed.
"Oui, I want to marry her." Gurkinn nodded but slower this time.
"Then you understand what that means, monsieur."
"What it means?"
"Merde, to be young again. Monsieur, you understand that Korrina is my only living descendant, correct?"
Red froze as he finally understood.
"That, that means."
"Oui! If you married her, that would make you the next Count of Shalour upon my death."
"Mmme, Comte de Shalour?" Red trembled. He'd never thought about Korrina in terms of her inheritance, but there it was. Marrying her would make him the next Count of Shalour and all the responsibilities that came with it.
"Monsieur Red, if you intend to marry my granddaughter, then we must begin ingratiating you into my County and all your duties as a Count. That also means you'd take charge of my feudal troops and lead them in the war effort."
Red's trembling became uncontrollable as he looked back at Korrina and thought about someone else.
"Ash." He muttered.
That evening, Ash, Red, Korrina, Clemont, Bonnie, and the other distinguished nobles gathered in the city center with most of Shalour's inhabitants. Among them were Gurkinn's troops, Rollo and Arnaud's forces, and the Catalan Company.
"Prepare to be amazed!" Arnaud sounded giddish as he and his men watched Serena take a position on a stage set up just for the occasion. Miette stood on the other side and shared a fiercely competitive look with the Princess.
Miette smirked as she glanced in Ash's direction, making Serena growl. That was, however, until she noticed Monsieur Gefried among the crowd.
"Best of luck, mademoiselle." He said, making the Spanish noblewoman almost yelp and blush controllably. Serena didn't know what this was about but giggled slightly.
"You've got this, Fennekin!" Ash cried.
"Pike!"
"Grouuu!"
Ash glanced over at Red who looked visibly pale and on edge.
"Eh? Red? Are you ok?"
"Huh!? Oh, oui! I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine!"
"Merde, you look like you're about to go into battle!" Korrina shouted in concern as she held his hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I'm pleased to present to magnifique young women! Princess Serena and Lady Miette! Now sit back and savor their breathtaking performances!"
At the sound of music from a local band, both noblewomen started their performances. Just like before, Miette's team conducted themselves with nearly flawless precision, captivating much of the audience. However, Arnaud's forces only cared about Serena, who never failed to make them swell with inspiration and hope.
Serena began her passionate dance on the ground with all three of her pokemon before joining Charla in the air.
"Ahhh!" Bonnie cried with stars in her eyes as she watched the Princess and her unique Charmander dance together while Fennekin and Pancham enhanced their display with moves.
Lucario's breath hastened when he saw Fennekin grow nervous. Serena and Charla came back down just like in rehersal.
"Fenn!" Fennekin unleashed fire spin after Pancham lifted them up. However, despite all her training, Fennekin still lacked control and nearly blasted Serena out of the sky.
"Fen!"
"Serena!" Ash and the others cried.
"Hmp." Miette smirked. However, Serena emerged from the smoke unharmed, narrowly missing the attack.
"Fenn." Fennekin nearly broke down.
"Grouuu!" Lucario cried. Fennekin looked up at him and saw the passion in his eyes.
"Grouuu! Never give up until the end!"
Fennkin hardened her expression and stood back up.
"Fenn!" The crowd, Serena's team, and the Princess herself went silent when Fennekin glowed white and started to grow.
"Certainement pas!"
"Est-elle?" Serena lost her breath as Braixen emerged from her evolution and held out a stick-wand.
"Braix!" The Princess nearly felt herself tear up in joy but quickly resumed her course with Charla.
"Fire Spin!"
"Braix!" Braixen aimed her want and let lose a controlled Fire Spin. This time, it did what she intended and went around Charla's now glowing dragon tail.
"Char!" Charla thrust herself around and sent the flames around them in a captivating display.
"Princess Serena!" Monsieur Raymon cried while raising a blue iris alongside the other members of his company. Serena came down with Charla and tossed out more of the blue flowers.
Even the Catalan company found themselves lost in the Princess's fiery performance and turned their attention from Miette.
"How, how did she do that?" Miette muttered.
Ash gave his wife a proud expression as she landed and embraced her pokemon to roaring applause.
"Braix!"
"Galar! Galar!" The entire audience went silent as a crypt, and all eyes turned to a messenger who rode in on a Rapdiash.
"A Galar host approaches from land and the sea!"
Terrified cries and pleas overtook the city until Count Gurkinn stood up and silenced everyone with a raise of his hand.
"Soldiers, chevaliers, aux armes!"
Author's note
Yep, I don't know the name of the new region but hear it's based on Spain, so that's where the Catalan Company, Grace, and Miette come from, in universe Spain. Also, it won't be the last time we hear of it :)
Ash and Greninja have started their bonding process and Serena has her rival, I couldn't not include Miette, she's too classic.
Where things are, I'm still accepting OC's if anyone has one they want to shoot my way
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask (VIA PM)