"Pika!"
Pikachu had finally leveled up!
Even though he tried hard to suppress his aura, his overwhelming presence still leaked out without him realizing.
Serena and the others quickly rushed over.
"Pikachu, you're amazing! You even managed to defeat Moltres!"
"Pikachu, Dedenne and I were cheering you on just now!"
"That was incredible!"
"Pikachu…"
The little mouse scratched his head shyly.
Sceptile fixed his gaze on Pikachu, carefully sensing the aura flowing around him—
Because it too was at level 89, Serena and the others couldn't sense it, but Sceptile could feel the difference clearly.
"Chamo, chamo chamo!"
"All right, I understand, Sceptile. Don't worry, you'll get your chance in the future to break through the wall between 89 and 90."
Yes, that was what Sceptile had just expressed.
As for Pikachu—he was already level 95!
With just one hit just now, boosted by a tenfold experience crit, he'd gained a whopping 1.2 million battle experience, instantly skyrocketing 6 levels!
Thanks to the Universal Elixir, all of Pikachu's battle injuries had already been healed as well.
Ash hadn't immediately used a Poké Ball to capture Moltres.
Instead, looking at the fallen Legendary bird, he took out a Universal Elixir and restored its wounds.
The revived Moltres finally calmed down enough to listen.
Once it understood that Ash and the others hadn't meant to disturb its rest, Moltres awkwardly stretched out its wing and gave them a light pat in apology.
"Moltres, come with me. If you still want to become stronger, I have a Flying-type partner back home who's even stronger than Pikachu. I promise you won't be disappointed."
Ash shook Yveltal's Master Ball gently. As if on cue, Yveltal released a faint trace of its terrifying aura from within.
Moltres's eyes lit up instantly. After a moment of hesitation, it finally nodded—agreeing to join!
And so, Ash successfully caught Moltres, adding yet another Legendary ally to his ever-growing divine team.
Meanwhile, Trevor had snapped the photos he'd wanted. He was smart enough not to make any big deal about Ash capturing Moltres.
He didn't film the actual capture either.
After all, being tactful is important.
And when it comes to being friends—that's even more important.
The group continued their journey toward Anistar City.
Three days later…
During those three days, both Bonnie and Serena had encounters worth noting.
Along the road, they stumbled upon a lost Tyrunt. Because Bonnie happened to be wearing her Tyrantrum pajamas, the little Tyrunt grew immediately attached to her, happily playing by her side.
Eventually, they discovered the truth: the Tyrunt had been stolen from a nearby Pokémon research lab by a trio of crooks, but it had managed to escape on its own.
Bonnie was heartbroken, since she had hoped her brother Clemont could capture the baby Tyrunt.
But learning that it already had an owner, she couldn't keep it.
Clemont reassured her with a promise: when she grew older, he would take her to capture a Tyrunt of her very own.
Only then did Bonnie finally wipe away her tears and smile again.
As for Serena, she had just added her third partner to the team—
An adorable Eevee.
But this Eevee wasn't just cute.
It had a gift for dancing, moving with a natural, free-spirited rhythm that captivated everyone watching.
This very dance sparked Serena's inspiration for the upcoming Pokémon Showcase in Anistar City.
However, there was a problem—this Eevee was extremely timid.
Just how timid? Even the slightest loud noise around it would send the poor thing scurrying to cling tightly to Serena's leg, trembling with fear.
But Serena was determined to help Eevee overcome this weakness.
She started by interacting more closely with it.
Serena, Braixen, and Pancham all began practicing Eevee's free-spirited dance together, following its movements.
Seeing its dance appreciated so much, Eevee's joy was immeasurable.
Time flew by, and soon the group arrived at Anistar City!
On this day, the city was hosting a Rookie Class Pokémon Showcase—the Anistar Rookie Showcase.
Serena wasn't the only one attending. Shauna had also arrived with her Ivysaur, which had evolved from her Bulbasaur.
They also met a plump girl named Nini.
Before the Showcase began—
"Serena, believe in yourself. Win your second Princess Key today! Didn't you say you love hearing me sing? I promise you—when you qualify for the Master Class Showcase, I'll sing a song just for you."
Ash ruffled her hair playfully, leaving her bangs a little messy.
"Mm! I'll do my best! It's a promise, okay?"
Serena's cheeks turned red, while Shauna and Nini exchanged mischievous giggles.
For this Anistar Rookie Showcase, the first Theme Performance was—Pokémon Quiz!
Because to become the Kalos Queen, a Performer needed more than just stage skills—they also had to possess deep Pokémon knowledge!
And Pokémon knowledge? Well, Ash had always been sharing plenty of that throughout their journey.
From the most common facts to rare trivia—even advanced knowledge like Mega Evolution—Serena and Clemont had picked up a lot from him.
Naturally, Serena breezed through the Pokémon Quiz round.
That led to the second round: the Freestyle Performance.
And here, Serena's dance training with Braixen, Pancham, and Eevee finally paid off!
On stage, Serena and her partners combined Braixen's flames with Pancham's Dark Pulse, weaving dazzling effects into their choreography while Eevee's graceful movements shined.
The audience's cheers said it all—her performance was a smashing success!
"Now then, we've seen the Freestyle Performances of all the Performers who advanced past the first round. It's time for the voting phase of the Anistar Rookie Showcase! Each of you in the audience is a judge—raise your light wands and vote for your favorite Performer!"
As host Pierre finished speaking, the audience erupted into action.
On the big screen, Serena's pink votes climbed higher and higher—
Until she finally stood victorious as the champion of the Anistar City Rookie Pokémon Showcase!
And with that, Serena had earned her Second Princess Key!
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T/N:
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