Ash X korrina chapter no.4

Electricity shot across the battlefield and raked the metal walls of the Lumiose City Gym, as Ash and his Pikachu battled ferociously against a blue-and-black, Electric-type Luxio. The two Pokémon circled around each other, shooting bolts of electricity back and forth, each trying to dash in and tackle the other. Ash stood at one end of the battlefield, while at the other end of the arena was a blond-haired, bespectacled boy of nearly the same age, wearing a blue-and-yellow jumpsuit. This was Clemont, the Lumiose Gym Leader, whom Ash had befriended three days earlier. The two of them had worked together to disable a rogue robot who had taken over the gym, allowing Clemont to return to his rightful position once again, after offering his apologies for Ash getting tossed out months before.

Along with the referee standing at the edge of the battlefield, there were four spectators watching the battle, sitting in the first row of the stands. The first was a five-year-old, blond-haired girl by the name of Bonnie, who was the gym leader's younger sister. Ash had met her at the same time that he had met Clemont, and she had taken an immediate liking to his Pikachu, whom she wanted to pet, hold or brush at every possible opportunity. She was watching the battle with her fists clenched in excitement, rooting for her big brother to claim victory.

The second spectator, cheering for Ash, was Korrina, with her Lucario watching alongside her. She had left her roller blades and her helmet behind, as a show of respect to a fellow Gym Leader, and instead she had thrown a simple grey shirt over her skating outfit, and placed a pair of red sunglasses atop her head. Her characteristic ponytail remained in place, as always.



Korrina had arrived in Lumiose City one day after Ash, hurrying along her travel route once they had realized how close they were to each other. The two of them were calling each other every night now, speaking for between fifteen and thirty minutes before they fell asleep, wanting to hear everything about the other's travels. Two weeks earlier, Ash's mother had called to confront him about the enormous phone bill she had just received, but when he explained who it was he was talking to, she had let the matter drop without another word of complaint. This had left him puzzled, but so long as he could keep talking with Korrina, he wasn't bothered.

The final spectator, watching the battle with wide eyes as the Pokémon dove at each other, was the Froakie from Professor Sycamore's lab. True to his word, Ash had come to visit the Pokémon upon his return to Lumiose City, much to Froakie's delight. He had spent a few hours in the laboratory with the other Pokémon that were there, getting to know them and letting them get to know him in return, before inviting Froakie to watch his gym battle. The Water-type Pokémon had eagerly agreed, and now he found himself captivated by Ash's aggressive battling style, and the strength of his Pokémon.

Down on the battlefield, an expertly-aimed Electro Ball from Pikachu knocked Luxio across the battlefield, where he struggled to get back up, drained from a long and tiring battle. Seeing an opportunity, Ash grinned and pointed forward at his opponent.

"Now's our chance!" he declared. "Volt Tackle! Let's go!"

His Pikachu started to run directly at his opponent, his body charging up with electricity until it appeared to be glowing. Clemont watched Pikachu approach, not looking fazed at all; on the contrary, he looked rather pleased.

"Luxio, use Thunder Wave!"

Ash's grin faded in an instant. "Pikachu, dodge it!" His command was to no avail, as Pikachu was moving too fast now to dodge easily. Luxio let out a high-pitched roar and raised his pointed tail, emitting a series of yellow energy rings that spread out across the battlefield. As the rings reached Pikachu, the mouse Pokémon stumbled, lost his footing, and fell to the ground. Getting up on all fours again, he cried out in pain as bolts of electricity shot through his legs.

"Oh no… he's paralyzed!" Korrina wrung her hands nervously as they rested on her lap. "This is bad…" Froakie looked similarly worried for Pikachu, while on Korrina's other side, Bonnie was elated.



"Great job, big brother!" she called out ecstatically. "You can win this for sure now!"



"I intend to, Bonnie!" Clemont responded with a confident smirk. "Luxio, create some distance, then run in with Wild Charge!"

Luxio grunted affirmatively, running around the battlefield in a wide circle to put some distance between himself and his opponent. Once he was far enough away, he howled and started to charge, electricity surrounding his body and crackling dangerously. Ash clenched his fists involuntarily as he watched the Pokémon approach, racking his brain for an effective counter. Moments later, his eyes lit up as he got an idea.

"Pikachu! Use Iron Tail and bury it in the ground!"

The spectators watched curiously as Pikachu's tail stiffened, before he brought it down and thrust it into the ground firmly. Ash nodded in approval as his eyes returned to the advancing Luxio. "Now, catch him!"

"What? Catch him?!" Clemont goggled at Ash, having no idea what the trainer was playing at. As his Luxio raced forward toward his foe, Pikachu held out his hands and grabbed the charging Pokémon by the shoulders, pushing against him with all his strength. As Luxio's charge pushed Pikachu back, the tail that he had embedded into the ground slowed them both down, digging a small line into the battlefield. Eventually, Luxio ran out of energy to continue his charge, and the electricity surrounding him vanished as he caught his breath.

Korrina couldn't help but let out a delighted, high-pitched laugh as she realized what Ash had done. Pikachu's use of Iron Tail hadn't just brought Luxio's charge to a stop; it had also grounded Pikachu and allowed most of the electricity to pass right into the dirt below, dealing minimal damage. It was time to turn the tables.

"Great job!" Ash's eyes gleamed as he saw victory in his sights. "Now, use Thunderbolt, with full power!"

Letting out a powerful battle cry, Pikachu closed his eyes tight, tensed his muscles, and zapped Luxio with every bit of electricity he had. Clemont's Pokémon had no hope of escape, leaving him with no choice but to take the full force of the attack head-on. When the Thunderbolt finally came to an end, Luxio collapsed into a pile on the ground right at Pikachu's feet, not getting back up.

"Luxio is unable to battle!" the referee declared, raising a flag in Ash's direction. "Pikachu is the winner! The challenger, Ash Ketchum, has won the match!"

"Yes! We won!" Ash jumped and thrust his fist into the air for a moment, before running out onto the battlefield and scooping his Pokémon up into his arms. "You were amazing, Pikachu! Great job!" His Pokémon cheered happily, physically exhausted but still energized enough to celebrate, letting his body relax in his trainer's arms.

"Ash! You did it!" The trainer turned his head to see that Korrina had vaulted the wall separating the stands from the battlefield, and was running toward him with her hand above his head. He laughed and held up his hand as well, and the two shared an energetic high five. "That last move with the Iron Tail was wild! You really are unpredictable, aren't you?"

"That's how I always battle!" he responded proudly, his chest puffing out a bit. "You can't stop what you can't see coming!"

"I didn't see any part of that battle coming," Clemont conceded, as he walked out onto the battlefield and returned Luxio to his Poké Ball. "I have to admit, I've never encountered a trainer quite like you, Ash."



"Thanks, Clemont!" Ash responded reflexively, before a sheepish grin hit his face. "Er… I hope that was a compliment…"



Clemont chuckled. "It certainly was." He reached into his pocket, as Bonnie ran over to the group, followed by Lucario and Froakie. "You've earned this, without a doubt. The Voltage Badge." He pulled out a metallic yellow badge, shaped like a triangular shield with six lightning bolts emerging from its center. Ash was beaming as he accepted the badge, opening up his badge case to place it in the matching slot. He didn't look over to see, but Korrina was beaming as well, overjoyed.

"And that makes five," he commented proudly, looking over the other badges that he had acquired on his tour of eastern Kalos. "Only three more to go before I make it to the Kalos League."

"Good luck, Ash!" Bonnie proclaimed. "And you too, Pikachu!" She reached up to pet the Pokémon on top of his head, rubbing her thumb between his ears the way that Ash had told her Pikachu liked. He cooed happily, his ears lowering as he basked in the affection.

"Thanks, Bonnie." Ash smiled down at the two of them. "I think we need to get him to the Pokémon Center, though. He's had a rough battle. And I should bring Froakie back to the professor's lab."

"I'll need to stop by there, too," Clemont added. "Then Bonnie and I have someplace we need to go." He looked down at his little sister with a playful grin. Her eyes shone at his words.

"Yay! I thought you forgot!" She ran up to him and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He chuckled and rubbed the top of her head, careful not to mess up her hair.

"Hm?" Korrina cocked her head. "Where are you two going?"

"Clemont's taking me to the fair! I've been waiting to go for days!" She let go of her brother and turned back to the other two trainers. "You should come with us! It'll be a lot more fun if you're there!" Ash and Korrina blinked in surprise, not expecting an invitation. They looked back at each other, asking the other's opinion silently with their eyes.

"I think a fair sounds pretty fun." Korrina's face spread naturally into a smile. "What do you think, Ash?" She was only asking as a matter of formality; she could easily read his answer in his expression.

"I think it's a great idea! Let's do it!" He turned back to the young girl. "Thanks a bunch, Bonnie!"

"Hooray!" Bonnie jumped for joy, excited to spend time with new friends. "Come on, everyone!" She started racing toward the exit, not wanting to waste a second of potential fair time. The others laughed and followed her, at a more reasonable pace.

"Froak!" Everyone came to a stop as a loud croak caught their attention. They turned around to see Froakie looking up at Ash with an intense and determined gaze.

"Huh?" Ash kneeled down to bring himself closer to Froakie's eye level, still holding Pikachu in his arms. "What is it?" The Pokémon hopped forward and reached out toward Ash, tapping one of the Poké Balls attached to his hip.

Ash nearly gasped, eyes shooting open, understanding the meaning of the gesture immediately. "Froakie… you mean you want to come along with us?" The Pokémon nodded and croaked affirmatively, and Ash wasn't sure he could smile any wider than he was now.

"Thank you so much, Froakie! This is going to be great!" He practically leaped up, grabbing a spare Poké Ball and pressing the button on the front to enlarge it. "Go, Poké Ball!"

He threw the ball forward toward Froakie, who stood still and waited for the device to capture him. The ball bounced off of his head, opening up and starting the process of capturing the Pokémon. A moment later, the ball closed back up and fell to the floor, just as empty as it had been before. The room stared in blank silence for a few moments, slightly stunned by the anticlimax.

"Um… doesn't Froakie already have a Poké Ball?" Clemont asked quietly.

"Oh… right…" Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Guess I forgot." He looked back down at Froakie, who had a slightly annoyed look on his face, but he was doing his best to keep smiling. "Let's go and tell Professor Sycamore the news, alright?" Froakie nodded and voiced his agreement, and the entire group turned around and began their walk to the Pokémon Center.

Three hours later, Ash, Korrina and Clemont were standing around a bench in the Lumiose City fairgrounds, leaning down and looking with concern at an exhausted Bonnie. The young girl had asked for a moment to sit down and rest her feet, but within seconds she had tipped over onto the seat of the bench, and she was now curled up on it, eyes drooping.

"So… it's past her bedtime, huh?" Korrina suggested, leaning in with her hands on her knees. Lucario stood by her side, oscillating between amused and irritated at this interruption.

"Normally she's awake for at least another hour," Clemont explained. "I think the fair food might have made her more sleepy than usual."


"Mmph… 'm fine…" Bonnie mumbled, barely audible. "Just… resting my eyes…" Her breathing was slow and deep, moments away from drifting off.


Clemont sighed, smiling despite the situation. "Well, it's definitely her bedtime now. I should take her home." He reached out to lift her up, and Ash and Korrina quickly stepped forward to help him. Soon, he was holding her gently in his arms, her head resting lazily on his shoulder. In the few seconds since insisting that she was fine, she had already fallen asleep.

"I'm sorry you have to leave, Clemont," Ash offered sincerely. "It was great hanging out with you guys today, though." Pikachu voiced his agreement from Ash's shoulder.

"It's alright. This is what big brothers do." He gave both of the other two a warm smile. "It was great meeting both of you. Let us know the next time you're in Lumiose City, alright?"

"We will!" Ash replied, speaking for both of them. "Have a good night, Clemont!" Both Ash and Korrina waved as he walked off, his little sister sleeping deeply on his shoulder.

"So, what now?" Korrina asked aloud, looking up at the orange sky, where the sun was in the process of setting. "There's still plenty of evening left. You don't have anywhere to be, right?"

"Nope." Ash shook his head. "There's still lots of fair left to see. We didn't even play any games, did we?" He saw her eyes light up at the suggestion.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's head to the midway!" She started off in search of the game stalls, and Ash jogged to catch up to her, smiling wide as the two searched side by side.

Even as the two wandered around the fair, slightly lost, Ash found himself having a good time simply being by her side and making small talk. Being friends with Korrina was just… easy, more so than any other friend he could remember. He knew that he could be a bit dense sometimes, especially around girls, but he never felt like he had any difficulty understanding or communicating with Korrina. It felt like the two of them were perpetually on the same wavelength, and even when they had the occasional heated disagreement, neither of them could bring themselves to be truly angry at the other. Ash had never been anything but excited to see or hear from her, and he thought - or at least, he hoped - that she felt the same way.

After a few minutes of searching, as well as some contentious debate about which direction to search in, Korrina managed to lead them to their destination, and they both gravitated toward a stall with Squirtle-shaped water guns and Ducklett-shaped targets.

"Hoy, there!" The game operator, a thirty-something man with a thick mustache and a tan, waved to them as they came over. "How's your aim? Think it's good enough to win one of these prizes?" He gestured toward a variety of trinkets and plushes that were lining the walls of the stall.

Ash looked around at the display, not sure that he really found any of the prizes appealing. "Well, we won't know until we try."

"That's the spirit!" The operator's eyes darted back and forth between the pair. "You get thirty seconds to squirt as many Ducklett as you can. Hit enough targets, and you can win a prize for the lovely lady you're with today."

Korrina snorted disdainfully at this comment, marching up to the counter and laying money onto it. "If he manages to beat me at this, he's the one who deserves the prize."

Ash laughed. "Oh, is that how it is?" He stepped up beside her, laying down some money of his own, pointedly ignoring the man's comment. "You're on, Korrina!" Each of them grabbed a Squirtle gun and took aim, their eyes shining in the same way they did before a Pokémon battle. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder and stood on the counter nearby, giving his trainer an encouraging cheer.

The stall operator put on a grin, pleased that he'd somehow managed to get two paying customers instead of just one. "Alright, then. We're starting in three… two…"

Two hours later, both of them were slowly making their way toward the exit of the fairgrounds with their Pokémon, their bags stuffed full of trinkets and plushes and other trophies. Over the course of their competition, the two of them had tested all sorts of hand-eye coordination skills, and they had come out roughly even. They had agreed to a formal truce, though informally they each insisted that they had won. As they walked, the conversation naturally turned toward Pokémon battles, as it always did.

"You know, in all the battles of yours I've watched, I don't think I've ever seen you do anything that wasn't pure offense," Korrina advised.

"All the battles you've seen?" Ash glanced back at her, a little incredulous. "That's like… four battles. And three of them were against you."

"Well, the point stands," she replied. "You're all speed and offense. Have you ever thought about focusing on defense, or status effects? Pikachu can learn Thunder Wave, can't he? You could be paralyzing your opponents."

He shook his head. "That's not our style." He punched the air playfully. "We move fast and hit hard! That's how we win!"

"Well, what happens if you find an opponent who moves faster and hits harder?" she countered. "Do you just lose?"

Ash lowered his arms, frowning. He generally made it his policy to always be the faster and stronger trainer. "We'll just figure something out. We always do."

"You need to plan for these things, Ash," she insisted. "I'm not saying you need to change your battle style. I'm just saying you should have your bases covered. Otherwise you're leaving a weakness for your opponents to exploit."

"Mm…" He knew that what Korrina was saying made sense, but his pride made it hard for him to admit. "Yeah, maybe…"

She shrugged his comment off. "Oh, well. It's fine." She placed her hands on her hips, her nose in the air. "You'll realize I'm right when I beat you in our gym battle."

He let out a snorting laugh, more surprised and amused than dismissive. "Yeah, sure you will." He turned to look at her curiously. "Isn't it kind of strange that you're giving me all this help? I still have to try and beat you eventually, don't I?"

"Why is it strange?" She glanced back. "Hasn't a gym leader ever given you advice after they beat you?"

"Yeah, but never before."

"What's the difference?" She shrugged her shoulders. "It's not like I'm giving you a cheat sheet. You still have to figure out how to incorporate my advice into your battle style and make the most of it."

Ash nodded contemplatively. "Yeah, I guess so." When she put it that way, it did seem more reasonable.

"A Gym Leader's job isn't to be a gatekeeper," she continued. "We're supposed to test you and help you grow as a trainer. If you become stronger and more well-rounded and overcome the challenge we give you, then we've done our job."

"Those are some pretty wise words." He smiled up at her, thankful that he didn't have to crane his neck up to meet her eyes. When she wasn't wearing her roller blades, she was only an inch or two taller than he was, though her ponytail did give her a taller and more imposing appearance, like a cat whose fur was standing on end.

She grinned back. "Well, they're my grandfather's words, mostly." Turning her gaze forward again, she paused as she saw a man waving them over, holding a professional-looking camera and dressed in the same uniform as the other fair workers.

"You two, over there!" he called out. "How about a picture for you to remember the night by?" He started walking toward them, stepping between them and the exit, cutting off their escape route.

"Ah… sure, I guess. Why not?" Ash answered a bit hesitantly. He was somewhat bewildered by the man's aggressive approach, and figured that accepting the photograph would be the path of least resistance. Korrina agreed, thinking along the same lines.

"Perfect!" He took a step back and looked through the camera's viewfinder, getting into position in an instant, clearly practiced. "Alright, let's do one with everyone. Let's put… Lucario in the middle, and if Pikachu can move to your other shoulder…"

Everyone followed his directions quickly and quietly, posing as they were told and plastering smiles onto their faces, waiting for the photograph to be taken. As soon as they heard the shutter go off, they all relaxed out of their poses, standing more naturally.

"Good! Great shot, there." The camera immediately spat out two pieces of paper, one for each trainer, and the photographer grabbed them both before they fell to the ground. "Now let's get one with just the two trainers. Let's get the Pokémon out of the shot." Ash shrugged, not having the energy to fight this, and he gently lifted his Pikachu off of his shoulder and set him on the ground. Lucario stepped away as well, hanging off to the side and watching.

"Good. Alright, get close, you two." Korrina stepped up to Ash, standing a half-inch away from him, and they both faced the camera again, putting their smiles back on. The photographer lowered his camera, a dissatisfied look on his face.

"Come on, you can get closer than that! Act like you like each other!"

Ash blinked, confused, not sure how much closer they were supposed to get. As he tried to scoot closer, he felt Korrina's arm wrap around his shoulders and pull him into her, startling him so much that he had to suppress a yelp. He laughed and relented, following her lead and extending his arm as well. He reached up to grasp her shoulder, but his hand ended up moving down and settling on her waist instead, almost of its own accord.

As he waited for the satisfied photographer to take their picture, Ash couldn't help but pay attention to the sensation of being this close to Korrina, of leaning against her, of holding her in his arm. He'd always thought of her as being tough as nails, based on her battling style and her competitive nature, and somewhere in his subconscious he'd expected that she would be muscular and tough, like a stone statue wearing a leather jacket. It turned out to be the exact opposite. She was just warm, and gentle, and soft, even with two layers of fabric separating his hand from her side. He could feel his shoulders tingling where her hand and arm were resting on him, sending signals directly to his heart, ordering it to beat faster, beat harder. It felt a little bit as if he was hugging a Thunderbolt.

He could feel his face grow hot as the photographer counted down, certain that he would be blushing when the photograph was taken. He tried to distract himself by thinking of something else, but it was no use; at this moment, Korrina had hijacked his brain and his senses. Up until now, she had always been his friend first, a Gym Leader second, and a girl third. Right now, as the photographer clicked the shutter and the flash of the camera briefly blinded his eyes, his brain was starting to reassess this hierarchy.

"Much better! That's a great picture, right there." The photographer lowered his camera, letting it hang from a strap around his neck, and both trainers let their hands fall away from the other. Ash jumped in surprise as he felt Pikachu climbing up his shoulder, having briefly forgotten that there was a world around him. He sighed and reached up to pet his Pokémon, as Korrina stepped forward to claim the pictures.

"Here you go, Ash." She handed him one copy of each photograph, keeping another copy of each for herself, slipping them into the pocket of her skirt. Ash quickly took a look at the second photograph, suppressing a groan when he saw that he was blushing a bright, unmistakable red. His eyes darted toward Korrina, expecting to see a simple photo smile forced onto her face, but he paused when he saw her blushing just as much as he had been, if not more. Her smile was shining out of her face, the same genuine smile she was always wearing the first time he saw her each day.

"Thanks for coming by! Have a good night, you two!" The photographer gave them a quick wave before turning and walking off, finding another couple to stalk. Ash slipped the photographs into his coat pocket, trying to will the blood away from his cheeks as he continued walking with Korrina toward the exit.

"So, um…" Korrina began, uncharacteristically at a loss for words. "What's next for you, Ash? Where are you going from here?"

"I was thinking of going to Coumarine City," Ash answered, thankful for the change of subject. "There's a Grass-type gym there that I want to tackle next. Talonflame will definitely do well there, but aside from him, I'll have to think hard about my strategy."

She nodded. "I'm sure you'll pull something out of your bag of tricks." She glanced toward him. "And then after that, you're going to battle me in Shalour City, right?"

"Nope." He shook her head. "After that, I'm doubling back and going to Cyllage City."

"What?" She abruptly stopped walking, turning to face him fully. "Why are you doing that?"

He turned toward her as well. "I can't battle in the Shalour City Gym until I have seven badges, remember?"

She paused for a moment, baffled. "Ash, you… you know I was just joking, right?"

"Yeah, I know," he confirmed, putting a confident smile onto his face. "But I'm being serious. I want you to be the last Gym Leader I battle. I want to face you at your absolute best."

Her shock quickly gave way to elation, and a smile spread from ear to ear. "Alright, then. When you come by Shalour City, let's give each other the best battle we've ever had." She held out her hand, curled into a fist except for her pinky finger, which was extended outward.

Ash grinned and reached out with his pinky as well, linking it with hers. "Right. It's a promise." They left their fingers and their eyes linked for a few seconds before reluctantly letting go.

"Well, I'd… better get going." Korrina took a hesitant step backward. "I don't want to be too late going back."

"Right…" Ash nodded, understanding. Korrina was staying with a friend of hers in Lumiose City, while Ash had a bed at the Pokémon Center as he always did. "Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Of course." She smiled, taking another step back as she waved to him. "Take care, alright?" He smiled and waved back at her, before she finally turned around and started walking away, Lucario by her side. He watched her leave for a few moments, his eyes drawn to the way her ponytail bobbed up and down with every step, before he eventually turned and began walking to the Pokémon Center, with his Pikachu on his shoulder.

Three days later, Ash was lying in his bed in a Pokémon Center on Route 13, with Pikachu curled up next to his side. The room was shrouded in darkness, with the only light coming from outside the window, as a pair of lamps illuminated the entrance to the center. Despite the darkness, and the late hour, and his own exhaustion, Ash was still awake. He lay in his bed and stared up at the ceiling, his phone resting on his chest, fraught with worry. Korrina hadn't called.

There hadn't been a day in the past month and a half where they hadn't spoken, either over the phone or in person. After so long, the sound of her voice at the end of the day had become a familiar comfort to him. By the same token, not hearing from her was causing him a great deal of anxiety. He had called her twice already this evening, but both calls had gone to voicemail. His mind was imagining all sorts of horrible scenarios involving Team Rocket, or an enraged legendary Pokémon, or-

He jumped as he felt his phone vibrating on top of him, and he reached for it so quickly that he nearly slammed his hand into Pikachu's head. Turning the phone over to look at the screen, he sighed in relief when he saw Korrina's name. He accepted the call immediately, turning on the speaker function.

"Korrina?"

"Hey, Ash." Her voice lacked its usual energy, sounding absolutely exhausted. "Sorry for calling so late."

"Korrina, are you alright?" He was unable to help asking, his mind still imagining a Team Rocket assault. "You don't usually call this late…"

"I'm fine," she reassured him, sounding as if she was already half-asleep. "It was just a long day today. There was a battle, then I helped someone find a missing Pokémon… I wanted to text you, but my phone died a few hours back. I just plugged it in ten minutes ago."

"Alright…" He could feel the tension leaving his body. "Well, I'm glad it wasn't anything bad."

"No, not at all," she responded. "I'm sorry I made you worry about me."

"Oh, it's… it's fine." He frowned, hearing the exhaustion in her voice, as if she was ready to drift off any second, and still she had called him to reassure him that she was alright. She probably saw the two calls from him and wanted to assuage his fears. He started to feel guilty that he had made her feel guilty. "You know… if you're really tired and falling asleep, you don't have to call. You can just text me and say you're too tired. I won't mind."

"I know," she replied. "I just wanted to hear your voice."

Ash was stunned into silence for a moment. "O-oh…" He could feel his face heating up, flustered, unsure of how to reply.

"Tell me about your day?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah, sure…" He needed a moment to gather his thoughts, trying to recall the thing he had really wanted to talk about, before it suddenly appeared in his brain. "Oh! I found a Pokémon egg while traveling today!"

"Oh, wow." It was clear Korrina was trying to inject energy into her tired voice. "Did it hatch?"

"No, not yet," he answered. "But it's really warm. I think it won't be long until it does."

"Mm… that's exciting…"

"I showed it to Nurse Joy when I got here," he continued. "She said that it looks healthy, and just to keep it warm as much as possible. There might be a Pokémon Doctor coming in tomorrow who could give me some better advice on caring for it. I want it to be as healthy as possible when it hatches, you know?"

He paused, waiting for her response, but she didn't say anything. He tilted his head up to look at his phone. "Korrina?" He reached out and brought it closer to his ear, wondering where she had gone. Listening closely, he was able to make out the slow, steady sounds of her breathing.

He smiled tiredly as he pieced together what had happened, rolling onto his side and reaching over to plug in his phone. "Goodnight, Korrina," he spoke quietly before hanging up and setting the phone aside. He curled up and closed his eyes, following her lead and falling into a deep sleep.