“Ash…”
“That’s amazing, Ash!”
“Yay yay, Bonnie is so happy, congratulations Ash!”
Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie hurried down from the stands, their faces filled with excitement as they gathered around Ash to congratulate him on his victory.
Ash smiled and replied, “Thank you, everyone.
Froakie and Fletchling both played a huge role in winning this match.”
Viola recalled Vivillon and turned to Alexa with a satisfied expression.
“That was a truly wonderful battle.
Thank you for bringing such an excellent challenger.”
Alexa crossed her arms lightly and smiled.
“What did I tell you?
Ash is a Trainer who always brings surprises.”
“Indeed,” Viola nodded, her gaze returning to Ash with clear admiration.
“Your battle style is already very refined, far beyond what I expected.
Ash, congratulations.
This is the Bug Badge, the proof of victory from the Santalune Gym.
Please accept it.”
The referee stepped forward, holding a tray.
Resting on it was a brown badge shaped like a stylized insect.
“Thank you, Miss Viola.”
Ash accepted the badge with both hands and carefully placed it into his badge case.
Viola continued warmly, “Just like how a camera captures moments through its lens, there are still many sights you can only discover for the first time and experiences you can only truly understand by traveling together with Pokémon.
Keep moving forward and enjoy your journey.”
Alexa then added, “Ash, if you are planning your next challenge, the Coumarine Gym in Coumarine City would be a great destination.
Are you thinking of heading there next?”
“Coumarine Gym… I understand.”
After bidding farewell to Alexa and Viola, Ash and his companions returned to the Pokémon Center to rest.
Early the next morning, as the group prepared to depart, Serena asked, “Ash, are we heading to Coumarine City next?”
Ash nodded.
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
Serena clasped her hands together, her eyes shining slightly.
“If we’re going to Coumarine City, we’ll need to pass through Lumiose City again.
I’ve always wanted to explore the shops there.
I heard they have not only adorable clothes but also incredibly delicious desserts…”
As she spoke, Bonnie could not help but swallow, clearly tempted.
“Big brother, Ash, let’s go quickly!”
Bonnie immediately dashed ahead toward the road leading back to Lumiose City.
Ash and Serena exchanged a glance and quickly followed after her, while Clemont struggled to keep up due to the heavy equipment packed into his backpack.
As they traveled, Ash deliberately avoided mentioning the Lumiose Gym.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble faintly, as if something large was rapidly approaching.
Through his Aura perception, Ash immediately detected several Rhyhorn charging forward with riders on their backs.
His expression changed as he shouted, “Everyone, move aside!”
Without hesitation, he pulled Serena toward the edge of the road, while Clemont grabbed Bonnie and hurried to the opposite side.
Almost instantly, a group of Rhyhorn galloped past them at high speed, kicking up dust as they thundered down the path.
Once the group had passed, Clemont adjusted his glasses and asked in confusion, “What exactly was that?”
“That was a Rhyhorn race,” Serena explained, brushing dust from her clothes.
“It looks like we accidentally entered their race track.”
Because of Bonnie’s earlier detour, they had strayed from the original route back to Lumiose City.
At that moment, an Officer Jenny arrived on a three-wheeled patrol vehicle and stopped in front of them.
“What are you doing here?
This is a designated Rhyhorn racing track.
Unauthorized entry is prohibited.”
Ash stepped forward politely.
“Officer Jenny, we got lost and accidentally wandered in.
We’re really sorry.”
Officer Jenny studied him for a moment before her eyes widened slightly.
“Wait… aren’t you the Trainer who stopped Professor Sycamore’s Garchomp?”
Ash nodded calmly.
“Yes, but it was nothing serious.”
As an officer stationed near Lumiose City, it was only natural that she had heard about the incident.
After confirming their identity and learning that they were trying to return to Lumiose City, Officer Jenny offered to guide them to a nearby village.
“This is Camphrier Town,” she explained as they arrived.
“It serves as the starting point for the race.
The track begins in the village square, follows the route you entered earlier, circles through the forest, and returns here.”
Rhyhorn racing was extremely popular throughout the Kalos region, and many towns had their own tracks.
Ash looked at the large display screen nearby, watching the ongoing race with interest.
“This really is a tense and exciting competition.”
Serena smiled faintly.
“In larger cities, there are dedicated racing arenas.
Compared to those, this track is relatively simple.”
“Rhyhorn are so cute.
Serena, you seem to know a lot about them,” Bonnie said curiously.
Serena hesitated slightly before answering, “My mother used to be a Rhyhorn racer before she retired.
I also received some training when I was younger, so I’m somewhat familiar with them.”
Even so, her tone carried a hint of reluctance, as if she did not have much enthusiasm for the subject.
Officer Jenny then added, “There’s a temporary registration race tomorrow, and the village offers Rhyhorn rentals.
If you’re interested, you can try participating.”
Under her guidance, the group arrived at a Rhyhorn rental area.
Ash turned to Serena and asked, “I’m planning to join tomorrow’s race.
Serena, do you want to try it with me?”
Serena shook her head after a brief pause.
“I think I’ll pass.
It’s not that I dislike Rhyhorn racing… I just feel like I might find something else that I enjoy even more.”
Ash thought for a moment before suggesting, “In that case, have you considered becoming a Coordinator or a Pokémon Performer?”
“Coordinator?
Performer?”
Serena blinked in surprise, clearly unfamiliar with the terms.
“A Coordinator competes in Contest Spectaculars and aims for the Grand Festival, but those contests are not held in the Kalos region.
However, Kalos has Pokémon Showcases, where Pokémon Trainers and their partners perform together on stage.”
Ash briefly explained the two different paths.
Pokémon Showcases were a unique performance-based competition in Kalos, mainly for female Trainers, but their popularity rivaled that of traditional contests.
Unlike Coordinators, whose recognition often remained within their field, the Kalos Queen, the champion of Showcases, was widely known and admired across the region.
After all, the title of Kalos Queen was unique and could only be claimed by defeating the current Queen in a Master Class performance.
Serena fell into deep thought upon hearing this.
Seeing that she needed time to consider, Ash did not press further.
Instead, he walked toward the enclosure where the Rhyhorn were kept and selected a particularly sturdy one.
Using Aura to convey calm intent, he quickly gained its trust.
With a smooth motion, Ash mounted its back just as naturally as riding Tauros.
After a brief period of familiarization, he was already able to control the Rhyhorn with relative ease.