Our heroes entered the bustling streets of Santalune City. Cobblestone paths wound between white-bricked houses, flower boxes spilling with colour from every window.
"This place is so pretty!" Bonnie exclaimed, hopping along the path with Dedenne riding on her shoulder.
Ash shaded his eyes with his hand, his gaze fixed ahead. "Yeah, but more than that—it's home to my first Kalos Gym battle!"
Pikachu squeaked in agreement, while Froakie trailed behind him silently, sharp eyes scanning the new surroundings.
At the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy greeted them warmly and tended to their Pokémon. While they waited, a familiar voice chimed from across the lobby.
"Well if it isn't Ash."
The group turned around to find an older brunette woman with hands on her hips. A Helioptile looked out shyly before spotting Pikachu and running forward to greet a familiar face, and Dedenne joined in as well.
"Alexa! It's good to see you again!" Ash exclaimed. "Is your sister here? I really want to have that gym battle now!"
"No rush, no rush." She said, patting his shoulder. "Why don't you guys follow me? I'll show you to the gym!"
They all followed behind the reporter and arrived at the entrance to a modest looking structure. "Welcome to the Santalune Gym."
Voices of pokemon exchanging moves could be heard from inside, and as they crossed the lobby to enter the battlefield they watched a ginger-haired boy about Ash's age in the challenger's box.
[Line Break]
Trevor opened with Flabébé, its delicate flower spinning in the air. Viola, with a calm smile, released Surskit.
"Flabébé, use Fairy Wind!" Trevor called. A swirl of pink light shot toward Surskit—
—but Viola snapped her fingers. "Ice Beam!"
Surskit spun gracefully, firing a beam across the battlefield. The ground froze over, gleaming slick beneath the lights. The Fairy Wind was blown aside by the cold gale, and now Surskit skated across the ice with blinding speed.
Trevor gasped. "It's so fast—!"
"Bubble!" Viola ordered. The stream of bubbles peppered Flabébé, forcing it back. The fragile Fairy-type collapsed in defeat.
Trevor winced, recalling his partner. "You did great, Flabébé. Let's go, Karrablast!"
The Bug-type charged across the ice with a furious cry. "Use Fury Cutter!"
Surskit zigzagged across the frozen field, evading easily. "Signal Beam!" Viola called. A rainbow beam of energy struck Karrablast, knocking it back. But Trevor clenched his fists.
"Don't give up! Megahorn!"
Karrablast's horn glowed as it lunged forward. The two collided—Surskit's final Ice Beam clashing against Karrablast's horn. With a loud crack, both Pokémon fainted simultaneously.
Ash's eyes gleamed with excitement. That's the kind of battle I'll be up against...
Trevor's last Pokémon burst out—a determined Charmander. Viola, without hesitation, tossed out her next choice: Nincada.
"Dig!" Viola snapped.
Nincada vanished beneath the battlefield, the ground cracking beneath its path. Charmander looked around nervously.
"Flamethrower straight down!" Trevor shouted.
Charmander roared, blasting fire into the ground. A burst of flame forced Nincada up, singed and weakened, but it still lunged forward with Slash.
Charmander was knocked back, but stood firm. "Use Flame Burst!"
The explosion of fire consumed Nincada, leaving it fainted. Trevor pumped his fist. "Yes!"
Viola's last Poké Ball opened to reveal a dazzling Vivillon, its patterned wings scattering scales in the air.
"Sticky Web," Viola ordered calmly.
Vivillon's wings glistened as threads rained across the battlefield, tangling around Charmander's feet.
"Break free using Scratch!" Trevor cried.
Charmander clawed desperately, but the web clung tighter.
"Now use Gust!"
Vivillon's wings beat rapidly, the air current catching the Sticky Web and amplifying it into a cyclone. Charmander was hurled back, pinned by the sticky strands, and crashed to the floor, fainted.
"Charmander is unable to battle," the referee declared. "The victory goes to Viola!"
Trevor sighed, recalling his partner, but smiled faintly. "Thanks, everyone. We learned a lot today."
[Line Break]
After the battle Viola used a towel to wipe the sweat off her face. That's when she heard someone call out to her. "Hey sis! Over here!"
She looked up at the stands to find her sister Alexa, and she was standing with a bunch of kids. She walked up to them, and her sister spoke up. "Remember Ash, the one I told you about? Well, that's him. And he's here to challenge you for a battle!"
Viola's gaze turned towards Ash and she gave a confident smirk. "So, got any counter strategies against me?"
Ash returned her gaze with an equally confident look, Pikachu mirroring him. "You'll see when we battle won't you?"
Everyone then walked towards the Pokémon Center. While Viola went over to heal her pokemon, the group gathered for dinner with Trevor. He adjusted his glasses, leaning eagerly toward Pikachu.
"This Pikachu's fur is incredibly soft... and its electric sacs are unusually powerful! No wonder it battled so well in the League."
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head, embarrassed.
Trevor turned to Froakie, adjusting his notepad. "Dense frubbles... remarkable! They're unusually sturdy, stronger than most I've seen."
Froakie gave a modest croak.
When Trevor's gaze fell on Serena's Pokémon, his face lit up. "That Fletchling—its wings are stronger than average, almost built for long-distance flight. And your Fennekin's flames... they burn hotter than most, which suggests incredible potential."
Serena blushed at the praise, stroking Fennekin's ears.
Bonnie piped up. "What about Dedenne?!"
Trevor leaned closer. "Excellent whisker conductivity. It can pick up signals across long distances. And Chespin... well, its spines seem particularly resilient. They could block even strong physical attacks."
Bonnie hugged Dedenne proudly while Chespin puffed up his chest.
After dinner, Ash stood outside under the night sky. "Tomorrow's the battle. Let's practice, everyone!"
On the frozen practice field, he gave instructions. "Pikachu, if the battlefield gets icy, use Iron Tail as an anchor!" Pikachu slammed his glowing tail into the ground, steadying himself.
"Froakie, shatter the ice with Pound, then use your frubbles to make the ground sticky so we can move around easier!" Froakie leapt forward, breaking the ice and spreading adhesive bubbles across it.
Just then, Alexa stepped in with her Noivern, who generated gusts of wind to mimic Vivillon's attacks. "If you're serious about battling my sister, you'll need to be ready for this."
"The future is now thanks to science! Clemontic gear on!" Clemont eagerly wheeled in a device. "This is the Sticky Web simulator! It will help you train against immobilization."
At first, the machine fired strands perfectly. Pikachu and Froakie dodged and practiced breaking free. But then the gears whirred, the machine sped up, and Clemont's eyes widened.
"Oh no—it's overloading!"
He redirected the cannon skyward, only for one of the sticky webs to fall right back into the device. With a loud BOOM, the machine exploded in a puff of smoke.
Clemont emerged, singed but unharmed, coughing. "B-back to the drawing board..."
Bonnie sighed dramatically. "It's always the same with you, Clemont."
The group laughed, the tension breaking. Ash looked at Pikachu and Froakie, determination burning in his eyes. "Tomorrow, we're ready. No matter what battlefield Viola throws at us—we'll win!"
[Line Break]
The morning sun poured over Santalune City, casting long golden streaks across the cobblestone streets. Ash stood before the towering Gym doors, Pikachu perched proudly on his shoulder.
Ash clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes. "Alright, Pikachu. Today's the day—we're winning our first Kalos Gym Badge!"
"Pika!" Pikachu chirped, cheeks sparking as it pumped a paw in agreement.
Ash looked at his partner, and for a moment, his serious expression cracked into a grin. Pikachu mimicked him, and soon the two were giggling, shoulders shaking as if they were sharing a private joke only they understood.
A faint click echoed. Ash blinked and turned. Viola lowered her camera, smiling faintly. "A perfect moment... trainer and Pokémon in sync. That's what I love to capture."
Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but Pikachu puffed out his chest proudly.
"Come on in." Viola said, pushing the doors open, and the group followed her into the building.
Inside, the gym was bathed in soft light. Along the walls hung photographs of Pokémon in the wild, a group of Vivillon shimmering mid-flight, a Skiddo bounding across a hill, a Surskit gliding across a lake's surface.
Serena's eyes widened. "These are beautiful..."
Viola's expression softened as she walked past her work. "I don't just battle, Ash. I capture the world as it truly is. Every Pokémon has a story—and I want people to see them as I do."
Bonnie clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. "I know! Viola you are a keeper! Please take care of my brother!"
The blonde girl was on her knees, as though proposing to Viola, and that's what she was doing on behalf of her brother. Everyone stared at her in confusion. "A keeper?" Viola managed to ask.
"Yes! You see, my brother makes these crazy inventions, but they always go ka-boom! So I want to find him a beautiful and dependable wife, so that I don't have to worry about him anymore!" She declared earnestly.
"A wife?" It was Alexa who let out, unsure how to respond to that impromptu proposal, meanwhile Clemont was burning in embarrassment.
"This is so embarrassing! Use Aipom Arm!" He cried out, activating the mechanism on his backpack, which dragged a giggling Bonnie who simply shouted "I hope you'll think about it!"
"Hehe" Viola let out a nervous chuckle as Clemont continued to drag his sister away.
Viola chuckled quietly, shaking her head. "She's quite something."
[Line Break]
"Ready, Ash?" Viola called, her camera hanging around her neck as she readied her first Poké Ball.
"You bet!" Ash replied, pointing forward. "Let's do this, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu's cheeks sparked.
The referee raised his flag. "This will be a three-on-three Gym battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Viola, the Santalune Gym Leader! Begin! Only the challenger may substitute Pokemon! The battle will conclude when either trainer has no more Pokemon on the battlefield!"
"Surskit, take the field!" Viola released her Pokémon, which landed gracefully on the field, skimming around effortlessly.
"Ice Beam!" Viola commanded.
Surskit spun gracefully, releasing a frigid beam that coated the battlefield in an even slicker layer of ice.
Pikachu took a step forward—and immediately slipped. Serena gasped, clutching her chest. "Pikachu can't move properly!"
But Ash's smirk only grew. "That's perfect. Pikachu, let's spin it up! Thunderbolt, counter-shield style!"
"Pikaaaa—CHUUU!" Pikachu spun rapidly on the ice, unleashing bolts of lightning which spun like a tempest in every direction. The electricity formed a shimmering barrier around him, sparks scattering across the entire arena.
Alexa leaned forward, her eyes glinting. "That's Ash's Counter-shield! He developed that strategy back in Sinnoh, it lets him attack and defend at the same time."
Clemont adjusted his glasses, impressed. "Incredible... the rotation deflects incoming attacks while spreading damage over the whole field."
Viola clicked her camera in fascination. "So that's your trick? Let's see you handle this—Bubble Beam!"
Streams of bubbles shot toward Pikachu, but the moment they touched the spinning storm of electricity, they popped violently, detonating with sparks.
Surskit tried to skate clear, but stray bolts zapped it from every direction. The bug cried out, overwhelmed by the constant barrage.
"Hang in there, Surskit—Signal Beam!" Viola ordered.
A beam of rainbow energy fired toward Pikachu, but it too scattered against the shield of lightning.
"Push forward, Pikachu!" Ash urged. Pikachu's spinning Thunderbolt intensified, sparks bouncing off the walls and ceiling.
Finally, a strike connected squarely with Surskit. The bug's skating faltered, its tiny legs giving way as it collapsed onto the frozen field.
"Surskit is unable to battle! Pikachu wins the first round!" the referee declared.
"Yeah, Pikachu!" Bonnie cheered, bouncing with Dedenne in her arms.
Serena let out a relieved sigh, smiling softly. "I knew Ash would find a way."
"Surskit is unable to continue, the winner of this round is the challenger, Ash!" The referee declared.
Viola recalled her fainted Pokémon with a calm expression. "Not bad. But let's see how you handle this one. Nincada, to the field!"
The bug-type skittered onto the battlefield, its claws scraping against the cracked ice.
Ash clenched his fists. "Stay sharp, Pikachu!"
"Nincada, Dig!" Viola commanded.
With surprising speed, Nincada burrowed into the ground, vanishing beneath the frozen floor.
"Watch out, Pikachu!" Ash warned.
The ground erupted, and Nincada slammed into Pikachu from below, sending him tumbling through the air.
"Pikachu!" Serena gasped, her eyes wide.
Clemont's voice grew serious. "That's a ground-type move! Super effective against Pikachu!"
Bonnie cupped her hands. "Come on, Pikachu, you can do it!" "Dendene!" Dedenne squeaked in agreement.
But Serena noticed Ash's smirk. She relaxed slightly, whispering, "He's already got something planned..."
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on the battlefield!" Ash commanded.
Still falling, Pikachu started to twirl his body midair gaining a lot of momentum, his tail glowed with metallic sheen. With a mighty swing, he smashed it into the icy ground.
The attack shattered the field, tearing open the layer of ice and breaking chunks apart. Nincada, forced from its burrow, screeched as it tumbled into the open.
"Now, finish it—Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.
Electricity exploded across the battlefield, striking Nincada directly. The bug twitched violently before collapsing.
"Nincada is unable to battle! Pikachu wins again!" the referee announced.
Ash pumped his fist. "Nice going, Pikachu!"
The referee walked over and checked on Nincada who had fainted. "Nincada is unable to continue, this round goes to the challenger!"
Viola returned her Pokémon, her eyes narrowing. "You're full of surprises, Ash. But this is where the real battle begins. Vivillon, show your colors!"
Viola's final Pokémon emerged in a dazzling burst of light, wings glimmering as they spread scales across the battlefield.
Ash crouched down. "You've done great, Pikachu. Take a rest. Froakie, I choose you!"
"Froa!" Froakie leapt forward, landing lightly on the cracked terrain.
"Vivillon, Gust!" Viola called.
Vivillon whipped up a powerful windstorm, sending debris flying.
"Stay mobile, Froakie, use the rocks!" Ash said quickly. Froakie bounded across the uneven terrain, hopping from stone to stone.
At the sidelines, Serena's eyes lit up. "That's just like when Froakie fought Fletchling..."
Alexa grinned knowingly. "Not just that—he's using Viola's own tactic against her. Ash is modifying the battlefield to his advantage."
"Smart," Clemont muttered.
"Froakie, spread your frubbles across the ground!" Ash commanded.
Froakie slapped sticky bubbles around the battlefield, creating anchors to help with traction.
"Not bad," Viola admitted. She raised her camera with a smirk. "But you won't dodge this. Vivillon, Sleep Powder!"
Colorful spores drifted down toward Froakie.
"Oh no..." Serena whispered, clasping her hands.
The powder settled on Froakie, his movements slowing. His eyes began to droop.
Ash clenched his fists, heart pounding. "Think... come on, think... That's it! Froakie—use Water Pulse above yourself!"
Viola had a smug grin on her face, thinking this battle was almost over. But she would soon be proven incorrect.
Froakie summoned a watery orb and launched it upward just before collapsing. Gravity pulled the sphere back down—splashing over him.
The cold shock jolted Froakie awake. He sprang to his feet, shaking off the powder.
"Incredible!" Clemont exclaimed. "Ash made Froakie's attack double as an alarm clock to break free from Sleep Powder."
"Vivillon, desperate measures—Gust!" Viola snapped.
The butterfly Pokémon whipped up another cyclone, but Froakie leapt clear, propelled by his sticky anchors.
"Now's our chance—Water Pulse!" Ash yelled.
Froakie hurled the attack forward, the orb slamming Vivillon midair. The butterfly shrieked as it tumbled to the ground, wings folding.
The referee raised her flag. "Vivillon is unable to battle! Froakie wins! Since all of gym leader Viola's pokemon have gone down, the victory goes to the Challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"
The Gym filled with the echo of the announcement, followed by cheers from the sidelines. Pikachu bounded across the fractured battlefield to leap onto Ash's shoulder, while Froakie hopped proudly to his trainer's side.
Ash pumped his fist into the air. "Alright! We did it, Pikachu, Froakie!"
"Pika-pi!" Pikachu cheered.
"Froa!" Froakie croaked in satisfaction.
Viola recalled her fainted Vivillon, lowering her camera at last. She stepped forward, a smile spreading across her face. "Ash... that was spectacular. The way you turned the icy battlefield into an opportunity, the way you countered Nincada's burrowing, and above all—using Froakie's own Water Pulse to shake off Sleep Powder. Those were creative, unconventional tactics. You didn't just battle—you captured the beauty of improvisation."
Ash rubbed the back of his head, grinning. "Thanks, Viola."
She reached into her jacket and produced a gleaming green gem badge, shaped like an insect's wing. "This is the Bug Badge. You've earned it."
Ash accepted it with wide eyes. He held it up high, Pikachu striking a victory pose beside him while Froakie pumped his little fists. "We got the Bug Badge, our first in Kalos!"
Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie rushed onto the battlefield to join the celebration. Bonnie twirled around with Dedenne in her arms. "That Counter Shield was amazing, Ash! Pikachu looked so cool spinning like that!"
Clemont adjusted his glasses, curiosity overtaking him. "But I have to ask, Ash—how exactly did you figure out that counter to Sleep Powder? Most trainers wouldn't even think of that."
Ash blinked, then laughed sheepishly. "Honestly... thanks to you, Clemont. Remember that machine you built to train us against Sticky Web? When the sticky stuff shot straight up and fell back inside, the machine blew up."
Clemont groaned, pressing a hand to his face. "Ugh, don't remind me..."
Ash continued with a grin. "So I thought—if Froakie used a move on himself, it might cancel the effects of Sleep Powder too. And it worked!"
Alexa chuckled warmly. "That's Ash for you. Always coming up with unconventional tactics in the heat of battle."
Bonnie burst into laughter. "See, Clemont? At least one of your inventions finally helped us!"
"B-Bonnie!" Clemont stammered, cheeks reddening.
The group's laughter filled the Gym, and Viola snapped one last picture—capturing Ash and his friends bathed in victory.
Then Alexa turned to the group, her expression bright. "So, what's next for you all?"
Ash hesitated, tucking the Bug Badge safely into his case. "Not sure yet..."
Alexa's eyes sparkled. "Well, you might want to make your way back to Lumiose City. The new stadium there is holding its very first exhibition match. And guess who's battling? The Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia, versus the Kalos Champion, Diantha."
Ash's eyes widened, his fists clenching with excitement. "Cynthia?! I can't wait to see her again!"
Serena's face lit up, her hands clasped together. "Diantha...! She's not only the Kalos Champion, she's also a movie star! I love her films—I can't believe we'll get to see her battle in person!"
Bonnie jumped up. "Two Champions fighting each other? That's going to be amazing!"
Clemont nodded, pushing his glasses up. "A rare chance to observe battle styles at the very highest level."
Ash grinned at his friends, energy burning in his eyes. "Then it's settled. We're heading to Lumiose City!"
The group waved their goodbyes to Viola, who gave them a final nod of encouragement, and stepped out of the Santalune Gym together. The late afternoon sun bathed them in golden light as they walked down the path, the Bug Badge glinting in Ash's case. Their next destination was set: Lumiose City, and a battle between Champions.
AS THE JOURNEY CONTINUES!