Chapter 56 Vanhanen Castle Gym Battle Part 1
When Ash, Cain, Radomus, and Gardevoir go back to the room, Delia and Luna have been waiting for them.
Luna: Gardevoir! You're back!
Gardevoir: But of course, my dear~
Luna: Oh, how I've missed you! Now, don't you go off disappearing like that again, please?
Gardevoir: Pish posh~ What's a girl without a little excitement in her life, hm? Besides, I had my Gallade-in-shining-armor come all the way down to rescue me!
Ash notices how Radomus changes his hat into the same as a Gallade's head, and he feels weird about it.
Radomus: There was hardly much rescuing involved, but indeed. The perceived crisis has been averted.
Luna: Oh, Master, you are so wonderful! I am pleased to be of service to you.
Radomus: Now, now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I am but a humble Gallade.
Ash: By the way, Mom. I think we should tell you something.
Then he tells her about what happened to Adrienn, and how xe is going to change the whole of Reborn City.
Delia: I see. I'm glad to have our Fairy Gym leader back. I'll be helping xem once we're done here.
Luna: Mother and I have been talking a lot about you and your past journeys. You really are amazing, Ash.
Ash: (Blushes at the sudden compliment) Thanks...Luna.
Cain: By the way, why do you keep changing to all these silly hats?
Radomus: You wound me. There's nothing silly about them. But to answer your question... Why not? (Changes into a top hat) I simply choose the right hat for the right job. Isn't that sensible?
Gardevoir: I'm afraid the peasantry knows nothing of my master's divine taste in fashion.
Delia: I really like how they are with Adam. Don't you agree, Ash, Luna?
Ash: I agree, Mother.
Luna: I find them most amusing, Mother.
Radomus: Yes, well, speaking of nonsequitur transitions, I have somebody to introduce to you all. If you would be so kind as to step aside, Ash?
Ash is confused as he steps aside, and El enters the room, unlike his normal outfit, he seems to be dressing like a bodyguard with his sunglasses on. Ash and the others are also surprised to see him.
Radomus: Everybody, I would like you to meet the estate's newest butler, Elias.
Elias: (Bows) I am pleased to serve. Do let me know if there is anything I may do to make your stay with us more comfortable.
Luna: (Looks at her birth father with shock) Why...?
Radomus: Ah, dear Luna, you look as if you've seen a ghost.
Cain: It's not a ghost she's seen. It's her father.
Luna: I am confused by your words. Master is my father, and none other.
Radomus: Indeed, it is a strange thing to accuse our new attendant of. Elias, do tell. Is this girl your daughter?
Elias: She is not.
Delia: And she claims my husband to be her father while me as a mother, I believe that this issue can be laid to rest.
Luna: ...I wish to leave. I beg your pardon. (Rushes away)
Gardevoir: Luna, darling! Come back- Oh, dear.
When Gardevoir and Delia rush to chase after Luna, Elias seems to be confused as he turns to Radomus.
Elias: Have I offended?
Radomus: Through no fault of your own, surely. Pay it no mind. I understand that you have procured a certain rare object. Will you please give it to me?
Elias: Yes, my Lord. (Hands over the Amethyst Pendant) I believe this is the object to which you refer.
Radomus: That will be all. Dismissed.
Elias bows and leaves the place, and both Ash and Cain are relieved to see the Pendant returning back.
Cain: That's Anna's Pendant! El took it before-
Radomus: Yes, you did say something to that effect. (Looks at the Pendant with a sad smile) Such a precious thing to lose... Believe me, none could understand better than I did. But in understanding, it is with all my greatest sympathy that I will refuse to return it to you. For just this once, I will implore you to acquiesce to me on faith alone. I will keep this object, and you will not find your trust abused.
Ash: Okay Dad. I just hope that both Mom and I won't be killed by it for the second time.
Radomus: (Chuckles) Of course you won't. Now! Onto lighter matters! I believe we have a Gym Battle to get underway, do we not? Ash, you will find the doors to the challenge hall open. Best of luck to you. (Leaves)
Cain: Even though he's your father, I'm beginning to doubt if siding with him was really the right thing to do. He acts so strange and just ran off with Anna's Pendant like that. And the fact that Elias had it- doesn't that mean that he was...Hm. This is weird.
Ash sighs as he walks forward, only to find his mother in front of her while Radomus and Gardevoir are standing on the balcony watching down. There is a chessboard in front of Ash as well.
Gardevoir: We are here live at the Vanhanen Castle Gym with the challenger, Ash, endeavoring to earn their eighth official Reborn League Badge! Will he fly, or will he fall!? We'll find out soon- BUT~! The Gym Battle alone is not the only trial that yet awaits our eager hero! Master~ Would you do the honors?
Radomus: Naturally. Allow me to explain- (Cuts off by Gardevoir)
Gardevoir: As you may have heard, Master is a world-renowned master of chess~
Radomus: Was I not going to do the honor?
Gardevoir: Ahaha~ Sorry, Master, the floor is yours!
Radomus: And speaking of the floor, you will notice that it is arranged like a chessboard. Now, of course, it would be all too unfair for me to ask you to face me in such a game. Fear not; I will not be so unscrupulous. Here, instead, is your task: Obey the normal rules of each chess piece, and arrange your pieces in such a way that I am placed in checkmate. There are also new restrictions on each of us: I may not move my pieces. However, you may not capture them. All pieces still are considered to attack their normal territory. In other words, you have an infinite number of turns to find a solution of checkmate, with my pieces locked into their present positions. When you think you have found a solution, please access the door below me to check. Finally, if you have any questions regarding the normal rules of pieces or play, my butler will address them in the room on the left. Best of luck to you.
Ash nods as he looks at the field, the Black King is on H8, while he has a White Rook in 1A and White King in 5A. It is a good thing that his mother has taught him how to play chess, or else it will be hard for Ash to complete this gym mission.
Delia: By the way, Ash. Usually, it is Ame who will be telling you how to defeat a gym leader, but the telecom here needs to be fixed, so I'll be the one telling you. Your father is a Doubles Leader whose strategy focuses on Trick Room.
Ash: Oh no... Trick Room is not something that I really like... (Remembers Laverre Gym)
Delia: His team is bulky and hits hard, and if he sets up, then it's going to be rough going. But if you can stop him from using Trick Room, then he might as well be a sitting duck. Keep in mind the order your party is in can also affect battles in his arena! Your last Pokémon will always be a Queen, and your leads will always be Pawns. The rest depend on their stats, so plan carefully about who you want to take which role since each one gets different effects! Remember, Knights are the best pieces to deal with a rogue Queen!
Ash: Okay, Mom. Now I'll see how to solve this puzzle...
Ash decides to move the Rook to F8, and the King to H6, once it is done, he turns to his father.
Radomus: Indeed, that would be checkmate. Very good! However! There is one more trial for this room. In a normal chess game, one need only corner the King for the game to be over. Alas, this is not a normal chess game. Our King will fight back!
Then Ash realizes that every time he solves a puzzle, he has to face off against a gym trainer to move forward, luckily, Ash manages to beat the first one as he moves forward.
Cain: Hey, Ash!
Ash notices that this time Cain is the one guarding the chessboard. For Black pieces, King is on E8, Rook is on G8 and H7, Queen is on A7, Pawns are on A6, C7, E6, and G5, Bishop is on E4, and Knight is on F5. As for the White pieces, Rook is on A1, Knight is on B2, and Bishop is on F2.
Cain: They let me up here for this one~ Figured I'd get bored waiting out there, haha. Anyway, I'm not great at chess, but I'll bet you can figure this one out, right?
Ash decides to move the Rook to C8, Knight to E5, and the Bishop to B4, then he feels like it is finished.
Cain: I think that's it! Great job, Ash~ And that's my cue to move forward too~ See you again soon!
After defeating the second gym trainer, Ash finds himself in the third room with Luna being the one to watch over him. For Black pieces, King is on B8, Knight is on C8, Pawn is on A7, D6, E5, F7, and H5, Rook is on B7, Queen is on C7, and Bishop is on E6. As for White pieces, Pawn is on A2, C2, F2, G2, and H2, Rook is on A1 and H1, Bishop is on C1 and F1, King is on D1, and the Knight is on G1.
Luna: How do you do, challenger? I will be your attendant for this match, so please inform me if there is any way in which I may be of service. It is with some remorse that I admit I am barred from divulging the solution to this puzzle, but I will offer what clues I may. For instance, here, the infinite potential will be your guiding force. Please, begin.
Ash decides to move the White Pawn on G7 so that it goes to the other side of the board so that it can promote into a knight. Then he moves the knights to A6 and B6, then has a Rook on A5 and another one at C5.
Luna: Lovely! It seems that you've done it! Do you now understand what I was referring to when I mentioned infinite potential? When one can look past what is presented to them, one finds a new world abounding with possibility. Indeed, it is our reliance on only what we can see that makes us truly blind. This is just one of the many reasons that I prefer to linger in the eternity of darkness. It is nirvana. Nonetheless, I trust I will meet you in the darkness soon. For now, Master awaits. Good-bye.
Ash sighs as he completes the third game and he proceeds to battle the gym trainer.
And I'll split the chapter into two parts since the whole gym battle is too long. I hope you like this and we will be having one more game before the gym battle.
