Both Ash and Korrina stood on opposing sides of the Shalour Gym with Gurrkin being the referee and everyone else in the spector area looking down on the battlefield.

"I hope Ash can do this," Fluttershy said worryingly.

"We'll see. Hopefully, Ash gets his head in the game before it's too late," Applejack stated as Froakie sighed. "Bummed that you can't battle."

"Fro."

"But look on the bright side, you managed to help Ash with him mastering his rhythmic battling, you'll have your chance to battle."

"Fro!"

On the battlefield...

"Well, then Mr. Confidence bring it on, " Korrina said as she bring out Mienfoo. "Mienfoo, let's do it!"

"Let's have a great battle Mienfoo, " Ash told her.

"Ash is having so much fun," Bonnie commented.

"That's true, but I wonder how useful that rhymic battle will be," Clemont pointed out.

"You worried that Ash can't dance?" Rarity asked.

"Honestly, I don't know if I would what Ash was doing was dancing," Hilda said. "If any case I think Korrina managed completely Ash off his game."

"Stop! Who's side are you on anyway?" Bonnie asked her.

"Bonnie, the real action in a gym battle begins from the very moment a trainer challenges a gym leader," Clemont explained.

"You would know that better than anyone," Sunset pointed out.

"Hawlucha, I choose you!" Ash called out.

Sunset looked at Korrina to see her response and she was smiling. "She was expecting that," Sunset realized.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"I know Korrina, she played him right into her hands and I'll bet he doesn't even know," Sunset told her as Gurrkin made his call.

"Let the battle commence!" Gurrkin said.

"Alright then Ash, show me what you've got!"

"Don't disappoint us Korrina, let's get out Shalour Gym stratgry rolling!"

Hawlucha started to dance and it seemed to be going well.

"Hawlucha's doing it!" Pinkie cheered.

"That's great, but doesn't Ash need to dance too?" Bonnie asked.

The group looked down and saw that Pikachu was the one dancing.

"Pikachu's the one who's got the rhythm," Rainbow said.

"That's awesome Hawlucha. Way to go."

"There's the rhythm. but how are you going to use it? Let find out." Korinna thought to her herself. "High Jump Kick!"

"Use your rhythm to dodge it!"

Hawalucha didn't even move as Mienfoo slammed her knee into Halwucha.

"Let's keep it up! Drain Punch!"

"Use your rhythm to block!"

Once again, Hawilucha failed to do so as Mienfoo land Drain Punch twice and her enrgery was restored.

"Hang in there and use Karate Chop!"

"Block it with a kick!"

Mienfoo threw her foot up and sent Hawlucha back to the other side of the field.

"Like I said, Korrina's in compete control," Sunset said. "If Ash doesn't find way to work the rhythm it's over."

"Force Palm!"

Mienfoo put her hand on Hawlucha's chest and sent Hawlucha flying.

"Come on Ash! Don't disapoint us!"

"Can you still battle?" Ash asked Hawlucha.

"Haw!"

"Come on Ash! You can do it!" Both Pinkie and Bonnie shouted as Ash looked up to them. Ash then smiled and said to something Pikachu then turned to Hawlucha.

"That rhymitc battle worked because Lemon Zest was doing it, but we've got our own rhythm. Dancing may Lemon's thing but it's not mine. We'll show them our own battle style."

"You honselty think you can change your stratgey mid-battle?"

"Yeah, Hawlucha know what to do for sure!"

"But in the end, you're still going to lose! High Jump Kick!"

"Dodge!"

Just Mienfoo got close, Hawlucha jumped out of the way and Minefoo hit the ground.

"What just happen?" Fluttershy asked.

"The downside of High Jump Kick, if missed the user takes damage," Zane explained.

"That's the Ash I know, doing it his own way. Let's see can he turn this around." Twilight thoughted.

"Now Kartae Chop!"

The move connects but Mienfoo throws Halwlucha into the air.

"Nope! Force Palm!"

"Flying Prees!"

Mienfoo prepare to use Force Palm but it was too late as Hawlucha jumped and slammed down in Mienfoo. When the dust cleared, Mienfoo lay on the ground, knock out cold.

"Mienfoo can't battle. Hawlucha's is the winner," Gurrkin delcares.

"Yes!" Ash shouted.

"Alright!" Serena, Rarity, Bonnie, and Pinkie cheered.

"That's was too close for comfornt," Fluttershy was relived.

"As Ash played by his own rules, everything turn around, for the better," Rainbow pointed out.

"But this battle is far from over," Applejack reminded her.

"There you go, 1-0."

"Alright Ash, you might be aheaed now, but next one won't be easy, my second Pokémon, Machoke!"

"Hawlucha, return. Next up is Flecthinder! I chosse you!"

"You got this, Flecthinder!" Rainbow cheered along with Swellow and Crobat.

"Alright Flecthinder, Flame Charge!"

"Machoke, run and jump!"

As Flecthinder closed in Machoke jumped right over him.

"Brick Break!"

Machoke's fist hit Flecthinder right to the ground.

"That's some power," Jaden commented.

"Get up, Flechinder, now!"

Machoke then landed back on the ground.

"Low Sweep!"

Machoke kicked Flecthinder and sent him to the end of the stadium but Fletchinder speard his wings to stabilze himslef.

"Way to hang in there, now use Steel Wing!"

"Grab it!"

Machoke grabbed Fletchinder's wings, holding him in place.

"Now throw it!"

"Razor Wind!"

Machoke threw Fletchinder into the air but he right himself and lauched the attack on Machoke.

"Focus Blast!"

"Flame Charge!"

Machoke held on to Focus Blast as he waited for Flecthinder to close. Machoke then lauched the attack and Flecthinder dodged it and the last second and slammed into Machoke, knocking him out.

"Machoke can't battle. Fletchdiner is the winner," Gurrkinn declared.

"Ash may have the lead, but Mega Lucario can turn it around to Korrina's favor," Sunset said. "Now the batttle has come full circle."

"Now for my final Pokémon. The ace in my hole! Lucario!"

"Challenger! Will switch our your Pokémon?"

"Nope. I'm stick with Flecthinder."

"Here we go," Rainbow said.

"Lucario, go! Unlock the power within! Mega Evolve!" Korrina touched her Keysotne and Lucario Mega Evolved.

"Let's do this. Flame Charge!"

"Countered with Metal Sound!"

Mega Lucario let out the screeching and it stopped Flecthinder in his tracks.

"Push through!"

Flecthinder pushed through and pushed Mega Lucario back a bit, but shrugged it off.

"Aura Sphere!"

"Steel Wing to block!"

Ash's idea worked and the Aura Sphere was stopped. Mega Lucario then appered right behind him.

"Power-Up Punch!"

Mega Lucario slammed down on Fletchiner sending the Ember Pokémon to the ground and out of the match.

"Fletchinder is unable to battle. Lucario wins."

"Hawlucha, I choose you! Karate Chop, let's go!"

"Best of luck to you," Fluttershy said.

"You can do it!" Bonnie cheered.

"This battle has reached its peak."

"Pikachu and Lucario are ours."

"Espeon, Psybeam!" Twlight shouted. Espeon turned and fired Psybeam in the direction of the voices came from. The group looked and saw it was Team Rocket.

"Not you, chumps again," Hilda said.

"What are you even doing here!?" Rarity shirked at them.

"What else are we doing here, making a grab for Pokémon!" Adagio retored.

"Yeah, stay out of our way!" James added.

"Fro Fro!" Froakie shouted.

"What did he just say?" Sonata asked.

"He saying we're ones interfering in thier work," Duke told her.

"Wait you can understand Pokémon as, well?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah, for me it just click like that," Duke repiled.

"Still there's no doubt that you're planning to do something downright awful," Fluttershy accused.

"You're not interferring with Ash's battle," Jaden declared.

"The shame is wasting our time with your ideal threats," Jessie said as she threw out Pumpkboo.

"You want to fight, then bring it," Aria added as she threw our Simisear.

"Pumpkboo dear, use Shadow Ball."

"Simisear, Fire Blast!"

"Lucario, take them!" Sunset said. Lucario jumped in front both attacks doing next to no damage.

"Aura Sphere!"

Lucario lets loose a blast of aura power at both of them knocking them out then Clyde, Duke, Sonata, Adaigio and James sent their Pokémon.

"Applejack, care to finish this?" Sunset asked.

"Glady, Boldore, Flash Cannon!"

Boldore fired Flash Canon that sent Team Rocket right out of the gym.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" Team Rocket disappeared out of sight!

"Did something just happen?" Ash asked from the battlefield.

"Nothing that we couldn't handle, so keep going," Zane answerd.

"Flying Press!"

"Lucario, Bone Rush!"

The two Pokémon closed in on each other but Lucario hit Hawlucha in the back with Bone Rush.

"Aura Sphere!"

Hawlucha didn't even have time to dodge as Aura Sphere hit Hawlucha in the chest sending him to the wall. Hawulucha then slid back to the ground.

"Hawlucha is unable to battle. Lucario wins."

"Your weren't kidding, Sunset, Korrina's best Pokémon takes the field and now the score is tied," Rainbow said to Sunset.

"Okay Pikachu, I choose you!"

"We know that Pikachu's never deafeated before. I don't know what Pikachu will do with Mega Lucario," Clemont said.

"He's already taken damage from Fletchinder and Hawlucha while Pikachu is fresh, but it won't be easy," Twlihgt said.

For a while, no one moved.

"Why isn't anyone moving?" Applejack asked.

"In match like of this, both of them know this is a match they can't lose, from here on out they're going to extra careful," Zane explained.

"I don't think I've ever nervous," Rarity said holding Whimsicott closer.

"Alright Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

As Pikachu ran forward, Mega Lucario stance shited, like he drawing Piakchu in.

"Use, Electro Ball!"

Pikachu jumped into the air and threw the Electro Ball at Mega Lucario.

"Bone Rush to hit it back!"

Mega Lucario send the Pikachu move back at him but barely hit Pikachu.

"Iron Tail!"

"Block it!"

Pikachu slammed his tail down but Lucario shook him off.

"No kick'em!"

Mega Lucario swung his foot up sending Pikachu flying.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu flipped in the air and fired. The move hit Mega Lucario causing a small explosion.

"A Thunderbolt after getting hit?!"

"That's our unique battle style."

"Aura Sphere!"

Mega Lucario thre the sphere at a failing and exposed Pikachu. Pikachu fell to the ground looking like he out he started to stand back up.

"Can you still battle, buddy?"

Pikachu responded by firing a massive Thunderbolt upward.

"You guys are looking good."

"That's becasue I'm going to win that badge!"

"Metal Sound!"

The sound waves ripped loose once again and Pikachu crouched down.

"Use Thunderbolt and destroy that Metal Sound!"

Pikachu fired causing causing Lucario to stop.

"Aura Sphere!"

"If Pikachu gets hit after that Metal Sound it's all over," Twilight reazlized.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail and knock down the Aura Sphere!"

"What's he getting at?" Hilda asked.

Pikachu jumped up and used the Aura Sphere like a springboard and sent himself high into air.

"It's like back at the Cyllage Gym when Pikachu used Draco Meteor Climb!"

"I never seen a stunt like that," Hilda said. "Making a side note."

"Iron Tail!"

The moves met in the air and gravity forced both Pokémon back to groung causing a massive dust cloud. When the dust cleared, both Pikachu and Lucario were standing but looking worse for wear.

"Amazing they're still standing!" Applejack was amazed.

"It won't be long noe before this match is decided," Sunset noted.

"Ash, Pikachu, you're amazing! Using our move like a springboard to get up that high," Korrina complimeted.

"Irhough that would be enough to wrap this up, you're a tough Korrina," Ash repiled back.

"But it is about to wrap this up, Power Up Punch!"

"Iron Tail!"

The moves connected forcign both Pokémon apart, but they weren't stopping.

"Electro Ball!"

"Aura Sphere, go!"

The two oves collided as they were fired sending Pikachu further into the air.

"Finish this with Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu let loose Thunderbolt once more, tearing up the ground as it traveled toward its target casuing a massive explosion. Everyone waited in uncertainty to see if either Pokémon would collaspe. When the smoke cleared, Lucario was on the ground in his normal form.

Lucario is unable to battle. Pikachu wins. With a score of 3-2. the match goes to Ash, the challenger.

The group ran down to the battlefield and Serena called out, "Congrats, Ash!"

"That was the most exciting battle ever!" Pinke declared.

Korrina then got the group's attention as she skated up. "This proves your victroy at the Shalour Gym: The Rumble Badge," she said, handing Ash the badge.

"Thanks, Korrina," Ash said. "I just won the Rumble Badge!"

Ash put the badge in his case with the other two that he earns so far.

"So, it's on to badge to badge number four," Clemont stated.

"So, where do you plan on going next?" Korrina asked.

"I don't really know where we'll go from here," Ash explained.

"Courmarine City is the closet from here," Gurrkinn explained.

Serean pulled out her pad and looked up the city.

"Wow! Courmarine City's got a monorail!"

"Next stop, Corumarine City!" Pinkie shouted.

As everyone headed out of the Gym, Gurrkin appraoched Sunset.

"Miss Sunset, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping my grandfather to control the power of Mega Evolution, and for that I wanted to give you this," Gurrkin said as he handed her an red and yellow bracelt with the a Key Stone in it and a gauntlet with Lucarionite, ground down to fit thereon.

"Thank you," Sunset gladly accept them. "Let Korrina know that I'm challegnig her to a battle only this I got Mega Evoultion.

"I will."

To be contiuned...

Next Chapter: Chapter 36-From Dawn to Dusk! Sunset's Revelation! Estimated time remaining: 31 Minutes