The shiny Rapidash had won.
After crossing the finish line, it came straight to Shana's side and lowered its head.
Shana grinned and hugged the Rapidash's head.
Victor watched, his heart pounding, but he relaxed when he remembered that a Rapidash's flames won't burn those it trusts.
The lead Rapidash returned to its herd, saying something to them.
It glanced in Victor's direction, then led the herd over.
The Luxio, sensing they had no hostile intent, moved out of the way.
Shana stood in front of her shiny Rapidash, looking defiantly at the approaching herd.
The shiny Rapidash gently nudged Shana with its head, and she stepped aside.
It then faced the herd leader.
A complicated emotion flashed in the lead Rapidash's eyes.
It then slowly lowered its head, yielding its position as leader.
Seeing this, Victor finally remembered: in a Rapidash herd, only the fastest can be the leader.
So, it's giving its position to the shiny Rapidash?
"Uncle."
Victor looked down and saw Shana at his side.
He bent down and picked her up.
"What is it?"
"Will the Ponyta... will it stay?"
"It evolved, you know. It grew up and became a Rapidash."
"Then will the Rapidash stay?"
"Do you want it to stay?" Victor asked gently, instead of answering.
Shana didn't hesitate.
"I don't know. But I want it to do whatever it wants."
"Hmm?"
"If it wants to stay, it can stay. If it doesn't, it doesn't have to."
"It's my good friend, so I just want it to be happy."
Victor smiled and gently flicked her small nose, making her wrinkle her cute little face.
Over by the herd, the shiny Rapidash said something, then left the group.
It slowly walked over to Victor, looking at the Shana in his arms.
Victor put Shana down.
The Rapidash gently nuzzled her small hand, then knelt on all fours.
Shana was confused.
Victor smiled, took out a red-and-white Poké Ball, enlarged it, and handed it to her.
Shana looked at the Poké Ball, and understanding dawned on her.
She looked at the kneeling Rapidash.
Then, unexpectedly, she pushed Victor's hand away.
Victor's eyes widened in disbelief.
Gengar, floating nearby, also tilted its head.
It was a very slight tilt. Does that count as a head-tilt? If it had a neck, maybe.
Shana looked at the Rapidash.
"We're good friends."
Hearing this, Victor put the Poké Ball away.
He respected Shana's choice.
Perhaps in a few years, it'll be fine to catch it then.
He was about to lift Shana onto the Rapidash's back, but he saw her scramble up onto it herself.
Once Shana was seated securely, the Rapidash stood up.
It had her hold on tight, then reared up on its hind legs.
Like a bolt of lightning, it shot past Victor in a flash.
Victor watched the Rapidash galloping across the plains and pulled at the corner of the nearby Gengar's mouth.
"Shana has a new friend, Gengar."
Gengar stuck out its large tongue, licked Victor, and nodded.
The moment it licked him, it shoved a Cheri Berry into his mouth.
Victor, feeling the familiar tingle of static, shivered.
He chewed the berry, then glared at Gengar. "Did you use Lick again?"
Gengar bolted.
Victor chased after it.
The Luxio watched them, shook its head, and then lay down. Its star-shaped tail swished back and forth, its gaze following Victor's every move.
After playing with Shana and Gengar for a while, Mrs. Fujino came to find her.
"Oh, Owner, you're already here?"
Victor stood up and smiled, nodding.
"Mom!"
Shana leaped into her mother's arms.
"This is my new friend, Rapidash," she said, introducing her.
Mrs. Fujino looked at the Rapidash standing next to her Tinkerbell and smiled, nodding.
"That's wonderful, little Shana."
Victor followed Mrs. Fujino, standing outside the house.
A moment later, Mr. and Mrs. Fujino came out with Shana.
They had only packed a few essential items; they would come back for the rest of her clothes later.
This time, Shana wasn't bringing her clothes, since she would be staying at the Breeding House, and she already had a change of clothes there.
"We'll be in your care again, Owner," Mr. Fujino said, gripping Victor's hand.
Victor glanced at Shana, who was sitting on the Rapidash and talking to her mother. "Don't worry," he said.
Mr. Fujino nodded.
Mrs. Fujino then walked over.
With a nod, Victor went to the Rapidash's side. With its permission, he swung himself up onto its back.
They would ride the Rapidash all the way back.
"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! I'll be waiting for you at the Breeding House! You have to come back soon!" Shana waved to her parents.
They waved back, promising they would return as soon as possible.
As they waved, the Rapidash began to move, breaking into a run.
The Luxio and Gengar followed behind.
The Rapidash's speed increased.
The wind whipped against Victor's and Shana's faces.
Shana burst out laughing, a sound like silver bells.
It blended with the "Ching-ching~" of her Tinkerbell as it was buffeted by the wind.
The sounds formed a beautiful, moving melody.
Watching Victor's back get smaller and smaller, the Luxio and Gengar stopped.
They looked at each other.
Luxio: ...
Gengar: ...
(Gengar shrugged, a "what-can-you-do" expression on its face.)
It then shot after Victor.
"Gengar—"
Wait for me!
It caught up and, with a diving motion, jumped straight into Victor's shadow.
The drop in temperature made Victor shiver.
The Rapidash, sensing his movement, increased the temperature of the flames on its back, driving away the cold.
Luxio: ...
It shook its head helplessly, yellow electricity still crackling around its body.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, it followed.
A flash of light.
Victor looked to his side.
A figure, completely covered in electricity, now ran alongside him and Shana.
That's my Luxio.
Using Wild Charge just to keep up.
If the Luxio knew what Victor was thinking, it would probably ask, "And whose fault is it that I have to use Wild Charge just to keep up?"
Feeling the wind rush past, Shana pointed forward.
"Rapidash, let's go! Let's go home together!"
Her young voice, carried on the wind, reached the Rapidash's ears.
It squinted its eyes.
This wind felt wonderful.
But the most wonderful wind of all was already sitting on its back.
With the power of both winds, the flames on its body grew larger, and its speed increased.
The flames were stretched out by the wind as it ran at high speed.
From a distance, it looked like a ball of greyish-purple fire, moving.
The Luxio, not to be outdone, unleashed an even stronger current of electricity.
Victor sat on the Rapidash, watching a Bidoof flash past.
He was suddenly reminded of a famous scene.
A Rapidash and a Luxio.
A Ghost Rider... and another Ghost Rider.
"Bwahahahaha!"
Victor couldn't help but laugh out loud.
He held Shana, who was sitting in front of him, to keep her from falling, and began to enjoy the feeling of the wild, galloping ride.
...
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