After capturing Salamence, Ash and his friends quickly helped send all the injured Pokémon to the Pokémon Center for treatment.
That same day, they arrived at a place called Lagoon Town.
The main reason they came here was because Serena insisted on visiting.
Serena had received a message from her childhood friend, Shauna, whom she had met during the Pokémon Summer Camp. Shauna told her that Lagoon Town would be hosting a Rookie Class Pokémon Showcase, and even more exciting—one of Kalos' rising stars, and current Queen candidate, Aria, would be performing!
Serena, who had long dreamed of beginning her journey as a Pokémon Performer, was absolutely thrilled. She admired Aria deeply—especially since Aria's first partner Pokémon was a Fennekin, just like hers.
"Serena! Over here!"
In front of the Lagoon Town Showcase venue, Shauna waved happily with her Bulbasaur at her side.
Serena beamed and ran forward with her Fennekin to greet her.
"I'm so glad you came! I was worried you might miss it. Since we'll both be competing in Rookie Class Pokémon Showcases, we can't afford to miss Aria's performance. Ash, Clemont, Bonnie—let's all go in together!"
Shauna called out, and soon everyone headed into the Lagoon Showcase Hall.
An hour later, the Pokémon Showcase officially began.
As always, the charismatic host Pierre introduced the event with his usual flair.
Then, with thunderous applause from the crowd, the idol of Kalos herself—Aria—took the stage!
She appeared alongside her already-evolved Braixen, dazzling the audience with a stunning performance.
"She's so amazing! Aria and her Braixen… aren't they beautiful, Serena?"
Shauna's eyes sparkled as she watched the stage.
"Yes! Absolutely beautiful!" Serena nodded in agreement, her own gaze full of admiration.
"Most girls adore Aria, but I bet even the boys—especially Trainers—are fans too. Right, Ash? Clemont?" Shauna teased suddenly, throwing the question at them.
"Eh? Me? Well, I prefer girls who are more gentle and quiet, haha! Of course, Aria is amazing, but she's not really my type," Clemont replied, scratching his head with an embarrassed laugh.
"I like Serena," Ash said bluntly.
Clemont nearly choked, Shauna froze, and Serena's face flushed bright red.
"I believe Serena will one day shine just as brightly as Aria. She'll achieve her dreams, step onto the Showcase stage, and become Kalos Queen herself. Serena is incredible—she can definitely do it, don't you think?" Ash added, his voice full of conviction.
"Pika-pika!" Pikachu chimed in with a nod.
"Ash…" Serena covered her mouth with her hand, overwhelmed with emotion.
Shauna, on the other hand, stood dumbfounded. She had only casually asked the question—yet she ended up getting smothered with dog food from Ash and Serena's sweet moment.
On stage, Aria's breathtaking performance came to an end, and she gracefully exited.
Then, it was time for the Rookie Showcase competitors to perform.
But unexpectedly—something strange happened.
A mischievous Pancham suddenly burst onto the stage from who-knows-where!
It leapt right into the middle of the first contestant's routine, completely stealing the spotlight as if it wanted to perform too.
The audience gasped, caught off guard by the sudden interruption.
Even Pierre, the host, was stunned.
The little Pancham then sprang high into the air, latching onto a giant speaker hanging above the stage.
It swung left and right, wobbling dangerously—until the heavy speaker came crashing down, toppling right onto Pancham itself!
The little Pokémon scrambled back to its feet, realizing it had caused chaos, and bolted out of the Showcase Hall in a panic.
With the equipment damaged, the Rookie Showcase had to be suspended while the venue staff inspected everything for safety. The disappointed crowd began filing out.
But Serena's thoughts lingered on the mischievous Pancham she had just seen.
Shauna said her goodbyes to everyone, promising to tell Serena about the next Rookie Showcase.
"Serena, what's on your mind?" Bonnie asked, tugging at her hand while holding her Dedenne. "Are you sad because you couldn't finish watching the Showcase? Don't worry—Ash wouldn't mind staying in Lagoon Town longer. We can all wait with you."
"I think… Serena's not upset about the Showcase being canceled," Ash said quietly.
Serena looked up at him in surprise. He had read her thoughts perfectly—even though she hadn't said a word.
"You're worried about that Pancham, aren't you?"
"…Yes," Serena admitted softly. "I feel like it was trying to say something. Did you notice how it was dancing on stage? I think… it really wanted to perform. Just like me. I felt a strange connection with it. Even Fennekin sensed it, right?"
"Fen!" Fennekin nodded in agreement from her arms.
"Then let's go find that Pancham," Ash said firmly. "Serena, you haven't caught a new Pokémon yet. Why not make Pancham your first partner? Together, you two can chase your dream of becoming Kalos Queen!"
Clemont and Bonnie nodded enthusiastically. Serena's heart raced—this was exactly what she had been thinking, though she hadn't dared to say it aloud.
With Ash's Aura guiding the way, they quickly tracked down the Pancham.
It turned out that Pancham loved performing so much that it often stole little trinkets from Trainers—hats, glasses, handkerchiefs, and other accessories—to use as props for its dances.
When the group found it, Pancham was in the middle of a playful routine, wearing a mix of stolen items while twirling around.
Serena stepped forward with her Fennekin, determination in her eyes.
This would be the first Pokémon she ever caught on her own.
And so—Serena's journey as a Performer was about to take its very first step.
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T/N:
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