Shalin's latest battles, including hearing about the horrors her Gym Leader friend suffered in the Battle of Dewford, made her realize she needed to diversify her combat capabilities by the time the League conscripted her into the next major battle. While she was a menace at range, both with her AVIAN BOW and her slippery Pokémon, she was lacking in melee combat. Yes, she had her mounts for that, but being defenseless from the saddle would leave her vulnerable to nasty pincer attacks.

Josh had learned how to use a sword through Finnegan Yang 's academy, and it made him better at the half of his job beyond directly leading Mauville City. She remember him saying he had fun learning the art of the blade; why not give it a try?

Arriving at the community center, Shalin was ready to dismount her Ninetales, Caprice, when she encountered a familiar face. "Doug! Long time no see!" she waved. "You here for the classes, too?"

Everyone's doing it

ft. Shalin Nariya

A familiar voice suddenly addressed him, dragging his attention its way.

"Oh! Ms. Nariya." He said, waving back and grinning. "Ya mean the HGMA one? I was! Unfortunately, seems the instructor ran into some complications. Class' been postponed till tomorrow."

He sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I dunno if I'll be able to make it though." He said, before shrugging. "Oh well... I was just a lil' curious. And you? Didn't think ya were interested in swords!"

Then again, it seemed like everyone was ding it these days. Were they all trying to be the next great Koga or something?

Shalin wasn't at first interested in learning the art of the blade. Her experience at the warfront forced her hand. While riding a slippery, bug-type mount that could tear foes to shreds with vibration made her fearsome from range, the space the shockwaves clashed had a rather large blind spot in direct melee range. "It's two things," Shalin replied to her fellow bug trainer. "I'm sure you are more than familiar with Josh Devlin by now. Leader of Mauville Gym? After we both got conscripted to fight in Operation Meteno, he suggested I pick up and learn how to use one." While the two had met a couple of times, once to hand down Mauville Gym, and again to discuss his suspension, she was unaware that the two knew one another.

"It's only a matter of time before I get conscripted into the next big operation, considering my... unique talents," she frowned. Though she had a unique fighting style, she was no warrior. She was an explorer. A survivalist. She was at her best when fighting nature, not another person. "Do you know if the place is open, at least? I wouldn't mind sparring if we can get enough review time in."

Everyone's doing it

ft. Shalin Nariya

"Sure do." He said, tone vague.

He nodded along to her words, bringing his hands behind his head at her question.

"I guess we could ask. Maybe they'll lend us the equipment?" He said, offering a grin and a shrug.

Class had been canceled last minute, so everything they needed should've still been inside the studio.

"Want me to go talk to the receptionist?" He offered, before winking jokingly. "I can turn on the charm when needed."

Of course Doug was familiar with Josh; while she didn't think of it, Doug was the previous Leader of Mauville Gym! They almost had to have some kind of relationship with one another. "He's a little bit of a maniac, but he's the face of Mauville at this point. It's impossible to go there and not see what he's done for the place. For the better, too."

With Doug's initiative, Shalin slid off Caprice's back, stepped inside, letting the fellow bug trainer lead the way. Though the ceiling was a little low for the Ninetales, she left her out of her Poké Ball as the two headed toward the reception desk. Heads turned toward the golden fire-type, several realizing the rarity they were witnessing. "My... people skills aren't the greatest," Shalin sheepishly admitted. "Go for it."

Everyone's doing it

ft. Shalin Nariya

He nodded, leaning back while raising a foot in the air before theatrically spinning in place, letting his momentum carry him up to the reception desk.

"'Ellllo again!" He said cheerfully at the receptionist, flashing her a broad grin. The tired woman snorted, smirking back.

After a little back and forth, Doug pushed away from the desk, just as theatrically, and came to a stop before Shalin, hands on his hips.

"We can use the equipment. Maria says she'll even lend us some of the manuals the instructor facilitated them with." He hummed, before jerking his head towards one of the halls leading deeper into the town hall. "Shall we?"

"Great!" Shalin chirped back. "That's perfect. Let's get started, then!" The training halls Doug pointed to were meant for close-range combat. "Oh, there's this one that goes back outside!" she pointed through a window to a location that looked more like a jousting strip. Provided Doug would agree to practice from the back of a Pokémon rather than on foot, Shalin would take their session outside. She was willing to use one of the indoor training halls and practice on-foot swordsmanship if he really wanted to, however.

Regardless of their plans, Shalin would get suited up in protective padding. It was a bit uncomfortable in the hot weather, but only a little more so than her SYGNA SUIT was in heated environments. It made her proficient at handling fire attacks. but not heat itself. She would try holding a few different blades to get a feel for the weight of each, ultimately electing to practice with one of the shorter, more lightweight ones. It would require more precision to use from the saddle if they were outside, but she was used to precise aiming from using her bow while flying on one of her giant insects. "Alright, come at me!" she goaded the former Gym Leader.

Everyone's doing it

ft. Shalin Nariya

He finished suiting up a step behind the other, releasing his Rapidash onto the scene just as Shalin began goading him.

Tipping a brow her way, Doug grinned as he hefted himself atop his own horse, settling well upon it before reaching down to grab a large shield.

"Right back at'cha!" He said, gently kicking at his Rapidash's side to make it march, the equine trotting up to the field as the youth raised up the shield towards Shalin. "Come'ere— let's see that sword arm in action! En garde and junk!"

With Doug atop his Rapidash and ready to withstand her assault, Shalin released her Alolan Ninetales, Letheia, and hopped aboard the ice-type. Sitting on the cool Pokémon was refreshing, her mist particularly visible in the afternoon heat. Blade in hand, she felt like she was the kind of hero her Gym Leader friend wanted to be. Holding it like a charging knight, she manipulated the ice fox's reins in her off hand and squeezed her mount's sides.

The Ninetales' bouncy strides made it challenging to hold her sword level as she attempted to pass the Rapidash on her left side. The closing speed of their Pokémon would ensure sparks would go flying between sword and shield, which they did. Her timing was a little early, her blade sliding off the shield instead of impacting it squarely. How did Josh Devlin make this look so easy?

Everyone's doing it

ft. Shalin Nariya

"Okay, so I hug my thighs tight 'round 'er and then raise the— Wait, wait! OH SH—!" Mistakes were made.

Perhaps going straight to the practice round while having absolutely no clue of what they were doing could be qualified as a 'bad idea'.

Luckily, a couple of bruises on one's back never killed anyone... most of the time.

Thank the Gods they had a healer with them.