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Shalour City was loud.
Not the kind of loud that came from crowds or traffic.
The kind that came from battle energy.
Ash noticed it the second he stepped
through the doors of Shalour Gym.
“Lucario, Aura Sphere!”
A glowing blue sphere streaked across the battlefield.
“Pikachu, Quick Attack!”
Pikachu dashed forward in a blur of yellow lightning, weaving past the attack as sparks flashed across the training arena.
“Pika!”
Ash grinned.
“Nice dodge!”
Across the field, Korrina was already bouncing on her heels.
“Lucario, follow up!”
“Lu-ca-rio!”
Lucario lunged forward, aura flaring around its fists.
Ash pointed.
“Iron Tail!”
Pikachu spun midair, tail glowing silver as the two Pokémon clashed with a sharp crack of energy.
The impact sent both sliding back across the floor.
Ash laughed.
“Man, you’re still just as fast as ever!”
Korrina pumped a fist.
“You expected anything less?!”
Lucario landed beside her, aura fading.
Pikachu hopped back to Ash’s side.
Both Pokémon were breathing hard, but still smiling.
Ash wiped sweat from his forehead.
“Alright, alright, let’s call it there.”
Korrina groaned dramatically.
“Aww come on!”
“You’re the one who said this was just a warm-up!”
“That doesn’t mean we stop!”
Ash laughed.
“You never stop.”
“Exactly!”
Korrina ran over toward him, Lucario padding along behind her.
Her grin was huge.
“Man I missed battling you!”
“Same!”
Pikachu jumped onto Ash’s shoulder.
“Pika pika!”
Lucario gave Pikachu a friendly nod.
Ash stretched his arms.
“How many battles have you had today?”
Korrina shrugged.
“…Seven?”
Ash blinked.
“Seven?!”
“What?”
“That’s a lot!”
“It’s training!”
Ash shook his head, laughing.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Hey!”
She pointed at him.
“You’re the one who challenged me the second you walked into the gym!”
“Because you tackled me!”
“That was a welcome hug!”
“That was not a hug!”
Lucario chuckled quietly.
Korrina crossed her arms.
“You’re just out of practice.”
“Out of practice?!”
“Yeah.”
She leaned closer with a teasing grin.
“You used to be able to keep up with
me.”
Ash laughed.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah!”
“Alright then.”
Ash pointed toward the battlefield again.
“Round two.”
Korrina’s eyes lit up instantly.
“YES!”
Lucario stepped forward.
“Lu!”
Then. A voice echoed from the far side of the gym.
“Korrina!”
Both trainers looked up.
One of the gym assistants leaned over the railing above the arena.
“You’re supposed to help decorate the
plaza!”
Korrina froze.
“…Oh.”
Ash blinked.
“…Decorate?”
The assistant pointed outside.
“It’s the winter festival tonight!”
Ash turned toward the gym entrance.
Sure enough, through the open doors he could see lights strung across the streets of Shalour City.
Snow had started falling lightly outside.
Korrina scratched the back of her head.
“…Right.”
Ash laughed.
“You forgot?”
“I was battling!”
Lucario nodded like that was a perfectly reasonable excuse.
Ash shook his head, smiling.
“Well come on.”
Korrina blinked.
“…What?”
“Let’s help.”
“Seriously?”
“Sure.”
Ash shrugged.
“Battles can wait.”
Korrina stared at him for a second.
Then grinned.
“Alright!”
She grabbed his wrist.
“C’mon!”
Ash barely had time to react before she dragged him toward the gym doors.
“Hey!”
Pikachu held on to Ash’s shoulder.
“PIKA?!”
Lucario followed calmly behind them.
Moments later, they burst out into the snowy plaza outside the gym.
Lights hung across the streets.
Decorations covered the buildings.
Music drifted from the nearby festival stalls.
Ash looked around.
“Whoa.”
Korrina beamed.
“Pretty cool, right?!”
Ash nodded.
“Yeah!”
Then he noticed something.
“…Wait.”
“What?”
Ash pointed toward the large wooden archway at the entrance of the plaza.
Hanging right above it. A sprig of mistletoe.
Tied with a red ribbon.
Korrina followed his gaze.
“…Oh!”
Ash laughed nervously.
“…Uh.”
Korrina blinked.
“…Isn’t that-”
“Yeah.”
“The kissing thing?”
“Yep.”
They both looked up again.
Then slowly looked back down.
And only then realized, they were standing directly underneath it.
Pikachu whispered quietly.
“…Pika.”
Korrina blinked.
Then grinned.
“Well.”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“…Well what?”
Her grin got bigger.
“You know the rules.”
Ash laughed.
“Oh no.”
Ash stared up at the mistletoe.
Then back at Korrina.
Then back up again.
“…Of course.”
Pikachu leaned forward on his shoulder.
“Pika…”
Korrina planted her hands on her hips, grinning like she’d just discovered the best possible opportunity.
“Well?”
Ash blinked.
“Well what?”
“You know what that means!”
Ash laughed nervously.
“…Yeah, but that doesn’t mean we have to-”
“You explained the rule!”
“I didn’t explain anything!”
“You just said it was the kissing thing!”
“That doesn’t mean it automatically happens!”
Korrina tilted her head, eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Why not?”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“Because that’s not how it usually works!”
“Well maybe we should try it the Shalour way.”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“…What’s the Shalour way?”
Korrina stepped forward confidently.
“Simple.”
She pointed upward at the mistletoe.
“If two people are standing under it…”
“…yeah?”
“…they kiss.”
Ash blinked.
“That’s the same rule.”
“Exactly!”
“That’s not a new rule!”
“Details!”
Ash laughed.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Thank you.”
Pikachu covered his mouth with his paws.
“Pika pika…”
Ash pointed toward the plaza behind them.
“We’re literally in the middle of the festival!”
“So?”
“People are watching!”
Korrina glanced around.
Several festival-goers were indeed wandering through the plaza.
A few of them had already slowed slightly, curious.
Korrina shrugged.
“Let them watch.”
Ash stared at her.
“You are way too confident about this.”
Korrina crossed her arms proudly.
“I’m confident about everything.”
Ash shook his head, smiling.
“Of course you are.”
The snow continued falling lightly around them.
Ash took a step sideways.
“…Alright then, I’m just gonna-”
Korrina slid sideways instantly.
Blocking him.
Ash blinked.
“…Did you just block me?”
“Yep.”
“You did that on purpose.”
“Obviously.”
“You’re turning this into a battle.”
“Everything is a battle.”
Ash laughed.
“Different kind of competitive.”
Korrina leaned closer slightly.
“You’re trying to escape.”
“I’m not escaping!”
“You just tried to leave!”
“That was strategic repositioning!”
Korrina grinned.
“Oh, so we’re battling now?”
Ash crossed his arms.
“…Maybe.”
Lucario watched the exchange calmly
from a few steps away.
Pikachu whispered quietly,
“Pika…”
Ash sighed.
“Not helping.”
Korrina tapped her foot once.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“You’re still under the mistletoe.”
“So are you!”
“Exactly.”
Ash gestured around them.
“You could move.”
“So could you.”
Ash tilted his head.
“…You’re not moving, are you?”
“Nope.”
“Even if we stand here all night?”
“Yep.”
Ash laughed.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“You’re stalling.”
“I’m not stalling!”
“You are!”
Ash pointed toward the gym.
“We were supposed to help decorate!”
“We can decorate later!”
Ash looked around the plaza again.
Lights twinkled across the
snow-covered buildings.
Music played softly in the distance.
And a few curious festival-goers were absolutely watching now.
He groaned quietly.
“…This is not happening.”
Korrina smirked.
“Sounds like you’re scared.”
Ash’s head snapped back toward her.
“I’m not scared!”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah really!”
Korrina leaned closer.
“So prove it.”
Ash blinked.
“…What?”
“You heard me.”
Ash stared at her.
“You’re seriously daring me right now.”
“Yes.”
“Under mistletoe.”
“Yes.”
“In the middle of the plaza.”
“Yes.”
Pikachu whispered dramatically,
“…Pika.”
Ash sighed.
“You’re impossible.”
Korrina grinned wider.
“And you’re still here.”
Ash realized she was right.
He hadn’t stepped away.
Neither of them had.
The mistletoe swayed gently above their heads.
Snowflakes drifted down around them.
Korrina’s voice softened slightly.
“…So?”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck again.
“…So.”
Neither of them moved.
But the playful challenge in Korrina’s eyes made one thing very clear.
She wasn’t backing down.
And if Ash knew anything about Korrina, the only way this standoff was ending…
Was with someone making the first move.
Pikachu whispered quietly.
“Pika…”
Ash groaned.
“I know.”
And Korrina’s grin only got bigger.
Ash folded his arms.
Korrina stood directly in front of him.
Neither of them had moved.
The mistletoe swayed gently above the plaza archway as snow drifted down in soft flakes around them.
Pikachu leaned forward from Ash’s shoulder.
“Pika…”
Ash sighed.
“Don’t start.”
Across from him, Korrina looked like she was having the time of her life.
Her grin hadn’t faded for even a second.
“You’re still here.”
“So are you.”
“You could leave.”
“You could move.”
“I’m not moving.”
“Neither am I.”
They stared at each other.
The challenge in the air felt almost exactly like the start of one of their battles.
Ash realized something then.
“…You’re treating this like a gym match.”
Korrina laughed.
“Of course I am!”
“That explains a lot.”
“What does?”
“You don’t back down from anything.”
“Neither do you!”
Ash opened his mouth to argue, then stopped.
Because she was right.
He hadn’t stepped away.
Even when he probably should have.
Ash rubbed the back of his neck again.
“…You’re enjoying this way too much.”
Korrina shrugged.
“You walked into it.”
“You dragged me out here!”
“Technicality!”
Pikachu covered his mouth.
“Pika pika…”
Ash sighed dramatically.
“You’re impossible.”
Korrina tilted her head.
“Still scared?”
Ash snapped upright.
“I’m not scared!”
“Then do something.”
Ash blinked.
“…Do what?”
Korrina pointed upward.
“You know what.”
Ash glanced up at the mistletoe again.
“…You’re not serious.”
“Oh I’m serious.”
“You’d actually-”
“Yes.”
Ash laughed nervously.
“You’re bluffing.”
“I don’t bluff.”
Ash studied her for a second.
Her grin hadn’t changed.
Her eyes were bright with that familiar spark of competitive excitement.
Which meant one thing.
She absolutely was not bluffing.
Ash took a slow breath.
“…Korrina.”
“Yeah?”
“You’re really doing this?”
“Yep.”
“…In front of the entire plaza.”
Korrina glanced around.
Several people had definitely slowed down now.
A couple trainers whispered nearby.
Someone pointed.
Korrina shrugged again.
“Free entertainment.”
Ash groaned.
“This is a disaster.”
“Nope.”
“It absolutely is.”
“Nope.”
Ash shook his head.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Still here though.”
Ash opened his mouth, and that was when Korrina decided she’d waited long enough.
“Alright!”
Before Ash could react, she grabbed the front of his jacket
And pulled him forward.
Pikachu’s eyes went wide.
“PIKA?!”
Ash barely had time to process what was happening before Korrina kissed him.
It was quick.
Impulsive.
Exactly the kind of sudden move she would make in battle.
Then she stepped back immediately like nothing had happened.
Ash stood frozen.
“…Uh.”
Pikachu stared at him.
“…Pika.”
Korrina folded her arms casually.
“There.”
Ash blinked.
“…There?”
“Yep.”
“You just-”
“Yep.”
“…You kissed me.”
“Yep.”
Ash stared at her.
“…You didn’t even hesitate.”
Korrina shrugged.
“You were taking too long.”
“That’s your reason?!”
“Yep.”
Ash ran a hand through his hair.
“…Wow.”
Korrina leaned closer slightly, still smiling.
“You didn’t stop me.”
Ash’s brain stalled.
“…I-”
He didn’t actually have a response.
Pikachu giggled.
“Pika pika.”
Ash pointed at her.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“You said that already.”
“And I mean it even more now!”
Korrina laughed.
The sound was bright and completely unbothered.
“Relax, Ash.”
Ash blinked.
“…Relax?”
“Yeah!”
She pointed toward the battlefield behind the gym.
“We still have round two to finish!”
Ash stared at her for a moment.
Then slowly, he started laughing.
“…You know what?”
“What?”
“You might be the only person I know who turns mistletoe into a pre-battle warmup.”
Korrina grinned.
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“Didn’t hear you complaining.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck again, cheeks slightly red.
“…That’s because my brain is still catching up.”
Pikachu nodded sympathetically.
“Pika.”
Korrina started walking backward toward the gym.
“Well hurry up!”
Ash blinked.
“Hurry up for what?”
“The battle!”
“You’re serious?!”
“Of course!”
She pointed at him.
“And next time we run into mistletoe…”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“…Yeah?”
Her grin widened.
“I’m still winning.”
Ash laughed.
“We’ll see about that.”
And judging by the way neither of them looked even slightly bothered, the rivalry between them had just gotten a lot more interesting.
The Shalour plaza was louder now.
Music drifted through the streets, festival stalls had opened fully, and people were gathering beneath strings of lights that crisscrossed the snowy square.
Ash and Korrina had ended up helping decorate after all.
Or rather, Ash had helped decorate.
Korrina had climbed onto a ladder, hung three lights, gotten distracted, and then challenged two passing trainers to a quick battle in the middle of the plaza.
Ash stood below the ladder holding a box of ornaments.
“…You know this isn’t how decorating works.”
Korrina waved from halfway up the ladder.
“I’m multitasking!”
“You’re battling!”
“That’s part of multitasking!”
Lucario stood nearby, watching the quick sparring match with calm interest.
Pikachu sat beside him.
“Pika…”
Lucario nodded knowingly.
Ash sighed, smiling despite himself.
“You two are terrible influences.”
Pikachu pointed at Korrina.
“Pika pika!”
“Yeah, I know.”
A cheer went up from the small group watching the battle as Korrina’s Lucario finished the match with a clean Aura Sphere.
Korrina pumped her fist.
“Yes!”
The other trainer laughed and shook her hand before heading back into the festival crowd.
Korrina jogged back toward the ladder like nothing unusual had happened.
Ash stared at her.
“…You left me holding decorations for fifteen minutes.”
“Only fifteen?”
“That’s not the point!”
She hopped down from the ladder.
“Relax!”
“I am relaxed!”
“You’re holding a box like it personally offended you.”
Ash looked down.
“…Okay maybe a little.”
Pikachu giggled.
“Pika pika!”
Korrina laughed too.
The lights above them flickered warmly against the falling snow.
For a moment the energy of the festival wrapped around them, music, laughter, the smell of food stalls drifting through the air.
Ash finally set the box down.
“…You know something?”
Korrina tilted her head.
“What?”
“That thing earlier.”
“The battle?”
“No.”
“The warm-up battle?”
“No.”
“The ladder incident?”
“Korrina.”
“What?”
Ash gestured upward toward the plaza archway.
The mistletoe still hung there.
Korrina followed his gaze.
“…Oh.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“You just kind of… went for it.”
“Yeah.”
Ash waited.
She didn’t elaborate.
“…That’s your explanation?”
“Pretty much.”
Ash laughed.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“You’ve said that like five times tonight.”
“And it’s still accurate!”
Korrina grinned.
“Well you didn’t complain.”
Ash blinked.
“…That’s not the point.”
“What is the point?”
Ash paused.
“…I don’t know.”
Pikachu hopped onto Ash’s shoulder again.
“Pika…”
Korrina leaned slightly closer, her grin
returning.
“You’re overthinking it again.”
Ash groaned.
“I’m not overthinking!”
“You absolutely are.”
Ash shook his head.
“…You’re impossible.”
“Thanks.”
Lucario watched the exchange quietly, clearly amused.
Ash glanced at him.
“Don’t you start too.”
Lucario chuckled.
Korrina crossed her arms.
“So.”
Ash blinked.
“So what?”
“You still owe me a proper rematch.”
Ash laughed.
“We literally battled earlier.”
“That was a warm-up!”
“That was a full battle!”
“That was practice!”
Ash shook his head.
“You are never satisfied.”
“Nope.”
She pointed toward the gym.
“Tomorrow morning.”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“…Tomorrow morning?”
“Yep.”
“Another battle.”
Ash grinned.
“Alright.”
Pikachu cheered.
“Pika!”
Korrina started backing toward the plaza entrance.
“Don’t oversleep!”
“I won’t!”
“And next time-”
Ash already knew what she was about to say.
“Yeah?”
Her grin returned full force.
“If we end up under mistletoe again…”
Ash laughed.
“…You’re still winning?”
“Obviously!”
Ash folded his arms confidently.
“We’ll see about that.”
Korrina winked before jogging off into the festival crowd.
Ash watched her go, still smiling.
Pikachu leaned over his shoulder.
“Pika pika.”
Ash chuckled softly.
“…Yeah.”
He glanced up once more at the mistletoe swaying above the plaza archway.
“…Next time.”
And somehow. He had a feeling Korrina would absolutely make sure there was a next time.
The festival was still going.
Ash hadn’t expected that.
Most towns wrapped things up early
after events like this, but Shalour City apparently believed in doing things at full speed, exactly the way its Gym Leader lived her life.
Lights still glowed across the plaza as
Ash stepped out of the gym.
Snow crunched under his shoes.
Pikachu balanced on his shoulder.
“Pika…”
Ash looked around.
“Man… it’s still packed.”
Music drifted from the food stalls and people laughed as they wandered between games and decorations.
And right in the center of the plaza Korrina stood on top of a wooden bench.
“ASH!”
Ash winced.
“…Oh no.”
Pikachu giggled.
“Pika pika.”
Korrina jumped down and ran toward him, Lucario jogging calmly behind her.
“You disappeared!”
“I went to get food!”
“That took forever!”
“It took ten minutes!”
“That’s forever!”
Ash laughed.
“You have way too much energy.”
“Obviously!”
She grabbed his wrist suddenly.
“Come on!”
Ash blinked.
“…Where are we going?”
“You’ll see!”
“Korrina!”
Too late.
She had already dragged him into the crowd.
Pikachu held on to Ash’s shoulder.
“PIKA?!”
Lucario followed behind them, completely unfazed.
They weaved through festival stalls, past laughing trainers and families playing games.
Ash tried to keep up.
“You’re running again!”
“Of course I am!”
“Why?!”
“Because it’s fun!”
Ash laughed despite himself.
“You’re impossible!”
Finally Korrina skidded to a stop at the top of the hill overlooking the city.
The ocean stretched beyond Shalour’s cliffs, moonlight reflecting across the waves.
Festival lights glittered below them.
Ash caught his breath.
“…Okay.”
He looked out over the view.
“…Worth it.”
Korrina grinned proudly.
“See?”
Pikachu nodded.
“Pika!”
For a moment they just stood there watching the city.
Then Ash glanced sideways.
“…Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“That thing earlier.”
“The decorating?”
“No.”
“The battle?”
“No.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“…The mistletoe.”
Korrina blinked.
Then laughed.
“Oh that.”
“That’s your reaction?”
“What?”
“You kissed me in the middle of the plaza!”
“You didn’t complain.”
Ash sighed.
“…You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
Ash looked out over the ocean again.
“…You’re really something.”
Korrina leaned back against the railing.
“Good something?”
Ash smiled.
“Yeah.”
Lucario watched them quietly.
Pikachu whispered to him.
“Pika…”
Lucario chuckled.
Ash finally straightened.
“Well.”
“What?”
“Next time I come back to Shalour…”
Korrina tilted her head.
“Yeah?”
Ash grinned.
“…I’m winning the rematch.”
Korrina’s smile widened instantly.
“You can try.”
Ash laughed.
“Deal.”
Snowflakes drifted down around them as the festival lights sparkled below.
And somewhere in the busy plaza beneath the hill, a sprig of mistletoe still hung quietly under the archway.
But this time, neither of them was thinking about it.
Because with Korrina everything else was always moving too fast.