"Now's the time!' Jessie said, looking through her binoculars at the Pokémon Center grounds. "She's been up all night. Tired! Hungry! It's our chance to steal Pikachu."

"It's her mistake for staying in Viridian City for so long." James said. "The old site of the Rocket headquarters. With our supplies refilled, we can make bigger and better things!"

"Now let me pull out the machine…" Meowth said.

"Woooobbuffett!"

Then, all four stomachs growled.

"…do you want to grab some breakfast?" Jessie asked.

"And maybe a quick cat nap," Meowth said, yawning. "We've been looking at the brat girl al night.

"Wake me up soon…" James started to stay, trailing off as his head fell into his arms.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where did Serena go?" Bonnie said, rubbing her eyes as she got up from her pillow. She was dressed in her Tyrantrum pajamas. Inside the Pokémon Center, the sun was just starting to rise outside the window.

Clemont looked over at Serena's bed. It was neatly made, almost as if she didn't sleep in it. "Hey Ash, do you know where—"

The two siblings fell silent as they remembered.

"Brother," Bonnie said. "Is Ash all right? Will Serena be all right?"

"De-denne," the mouse tried to reassure her.

"They're strong," Clemont said. He got out of his bed and patted Bonnie's back. "Remember the first time Ash lost against Viola? And remember the time Serena lost her first Pokémon Showcase? They both got back up. Hmm, now that I think about it, didn't Serena cut her air after losing?"

Bonnie instantly hopped out of bed. "No Serena!" she wailed, trying to walk and change into her clothes at the same time. "I don't you want to go bald!"

Quickly exiting the room, in her haste she forgot Dedenne—the orange mouse hopped right behind her. "Dedenne! Dedenne!" it squeaked.

"Slow down, Bonnie!" Clemont said, still in the middle of putting on a sock.

When Bonnie went outside, she saw that her rushed efforts weren't needed. The older girl, while disheveled, dirty, and sweating, at least had her honey hair.

"Pancham, use Stone Edge!" Serena said. "Pikachu, dodge it with Quick Attack!"

The small panda slammed into the ground, summoning a line of crystals towards Pikachu who sidestepped the attack. Pikachu then tackled Pancham, sending him to the floor, Pancham's pink sunglasses almost falling off.

"Ah! Pancham? Are you all right?" Serena said, running over to her Pokémon.

"Pancham's Stone Edge looks like a regular one now!" Bonnie said, tapping the crystals. They soon disappeared in a shower of blue lights.

"Yes," Serena agreed. "It's almost as hard as a normal one. We have to work on its speed now."

"Wah? But why? It was so pretty!" Bonnie said.

Serena got down to her knees, at eye level to Bonnie. "I know," she said, smiling as she rubbed Bonnie's head. "But there's some things I have to give up."

"But you've spent so much time on that!" Bonnie said. She could remember the first time Pancham performed the flower-shaped Stone Edge at a Pokémon Showcase. The audience went wild at the effect.

"I've decided to battle and beat all of the Kanto Gym Leaders," Serena said.

"What?" Clemont said. He had finally finished dressing up and heard the last part of the conversation. "But Serena, your dream was to become Kalos Queen! I thought it was crazy but you had to give that up, but it's understandable since we have to find Ash! But now you want to spend all of that time and effort to being a Pokémon battler?"

"I need to become strong," Serena said, getting back up to her feet. "I know. I miss being Kalos Queen. It was the first real goal in my life. It…it…" She looked up in the sky, a small tear forming in her eye. "But I realize I have a bigger dream. I want for all of us to be together again. So we can be happy and travel like the old days."

"But Serena!" Bonnie protested. "You don't need all the gym badges to find Ash!"

Serena shook her head. "Yes, I do. I realize now that there's a lot of strong people out there. And Ash beat them all—but Tuck beat him. To get Ash back, I need to become at least as strong as him. And what better way to do that other than getting Ash's first eight badges?"

"Serena, that's improbable!" Clemont said. "You know how strong Ash is! Are you saying that can you become as strong as he is in such a short amount of time?"

"NO!" Serena shouted. Looking at Bonnie's and Clemont's taken back expressions, her own voice softened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to…it's just that it's better than doing nothing. On the way we can question the Gym Leaders, of course. It'll be easier since I'm battling them."

Clemont's glasses flashed. "In that case, I might as well help with your training! I have made a machine for this type of situation! The future is now, thanks to science! Citronic gear, on!"

As usual, his backpack whirled and beeped as it pulled out a machine.

"I call this the Training-O-Matic-9000!" Clemont said. "Just strap your Pokémon in and their muscles will get a lot stronger!"

"Brother, that looks just like a treadmill," Bonnie said. "And the name is bad."

"Pika!" Pikachu said. Its eyes were shining as if it was saying "Technology is incredible!"

"Um, Pancham, I guess you can try it out first," Serena said, strapping the Pokémon inside. The Pancham looked at Serena with worried eyes.

"Now I'll just press this button!" Clemont said, jamming a finger onto the controller. "And voila!"

The treadmill turned on, the unwilling Pancham running faster and faster until he settled into a nice, brisk pace.

"Wow Clemont, your machine actually works this time!" Serena said. "How do you feel about it, Pancham?"

"Pan-cham!" the Pokémon happily agreed.

"Ooh what's that bear Pokémon?!" anther voice said. "Lemme see lemme see lemme see!"

The trio jumped as a wild, dark-skinned girl leaped out of the bushes and started snuggling with the Pancham. "D'aww he's so cute! What kind of Pokémon is he? What's his name? Where can you get him?"

"Pan? Cham! Cham!"

"Stop it!" Clemont said, waving his hands around. He stumbled forward to pry the girl off. "You're going to make the machine—"

One explosion later, Clemont's and the girls' hair were in a poofy mess. Serena didn't know that was possible for the girl—her hair was already long and wild in the first place.

"It's another failure, brother," Bonnie said, a small mushroom cloud coming out of her mouth.

"Iris!" said another voice. A man with green hair and dressed in a neat, proper suit walked right up. "There you are! Don't go running off like that! It's not running time!"

"But this Pokémon is sooo cute!" Iris said, hugging the now suffocating Pokémon. "He even has sunglasses!"

"Oh, sorry about my manners," the green-haired man said. "My name is Cilan, and this is Iris."

"I'm Clemont," he said, shaking Cilan's hand.

"Bonnie here! And this is Dedenne!"

"Denne denne!"

"I'm Serena, and this is Pikachu. And that's my Pancham you're holding" Serena said, waving a hello.

"Pika! Pika pika! Chu!" Pikachu said frantically, pointing at Iris.

"Oh? That Pikachu looks familiar," said Iris.

"Pika! Pika! Chuchu!" Pikachu said again, making all sorts of hand gestures, but Serena was stumped.

"I apologize for Iris exploding your precious machine," Cilan said. "Iris, say sorry."

"Sorry," Iris said quietly.

"I couldn't hear that, Iris."

"Sorry," she said a bit more loudly.

"You're such a kid," Cilan said in a weird imitation of Iris's voice.

"Hey! That's my line!" said Iris. She had finally dropped Pancham—Serena returned him to his Pokéball.

"Anyways," Cilan said, ignoring the cross-faced Iris. "Allow me to apologize by making everyone breakfast. It'll be free. It's cooking time!"

"Thank you!" Serena said. "I guess I'll go back to training in the meantime."

"Hey! Are you a Pokémon trainer?" Iris asked.

"Yup!" Bonnie replied instead. "She's gonna be the bestest Pokémon trainer the world has ever seen!"

"That's a tall order," Iris said, laughing. "You're such a kid!"

Bonnie was unable to say anything to that remark, her jaw frozen as she tried to make words.

"Say, would you like to battle?" Iris said to Serena. "We've locked eyes, you know."

Serena tightened her fists. It would be her first battle since Gary's. "Sure!"

"I'll be the judge then," Clemont said, going to the side of the field. "The battle between Iris and Serena will now begin! This will b fight!"

"I'll start first," Iris said, enlarging a Pokéball. "Go, Bagon!"

"Bagon. The Rock Head Pokémon," Serena's Pokédex said. It was a force of habit, if anything—she had already seen Sawyer's Bagon before. "Its steel-hard head can shatter boulders. It longingly hopes for wings to grow so it can fly."

"Your Bagon?" Cilan asked, pausing from taste-testing some soup. "Why your Bagon?"

"I need to train this little one to match up the rest of the team," Iris said. "Come on Serena! Who are you going to send out?"

"Sylveon! I'm counting on you!" Serena said, tossing the Pokéball in the air.

"Good choice!" Clemont said. "Fairy types are super effective against dragons!"

"You're supposed to be the referee, brother!" Bonnie said.

"A fairy type!" Iris said, her face sparkling. "I've never seen one before! Okay Bagon, this will be good practice. Use Dragon Breath!"

The blue energy shaped like dragons just passed through Sylveon, not affecting the Pokémon at all.

"Dragon attacks don't work against fairies?" Iris said, her mouth in a small o. "Never mind. Bagon, use Headbutt!"

"Sylveon, Fairy Wind!" Serena said.

The two attacks struck at the same time. Sylveon recoiled at the unexpectedly hard Headbutt and Bagon cried out at the innocent-looking pink particles.

"Sylveon, are you okay?"

"Sylvie!" the Pokémon said.

"Bagon, you can take that right?" Iris said.

Bagon got right back up, shaking its head. "Bagon!" it roared.

"Let's show it our spirit! Use Headbutt again!" Iris said.

The phrase struck a chord in Serena. She hesitated. It was something that Ash would say.

"Sylvie?" Sylveon said.

"Pika pika!" Pikacu cried.

Both the noises snapped Serena out of her reverie.

"Right, Sylveon. Use Fairy Wind again!"

The two attacks hit each other again. Both Pokémon skidded back, drawing long lines in the dirt.

"Brother," Bonnie said, tugging Clemont's jumpsuit. "Why isn't Sylveon avoiding the attacks? She's taking all of those Headbutts! It's so good at dancing to dodge them, so why doesn't it?"

Clemont paused, scratching his chin. "I think when Serena said she wasn't going to become a Pokémon Performer anymore, she really meant it. I don't think she wants her Pokémon to use any pretty moves!"

Bonnie just let out a sound of pain as both Pokémon struck each other.

"Why?" Serena said as she looked at her Sylveon. Despite having the type advantage, both Sylveon looks as equally tired as the Bagon "What am I doing wrong?"

"That's because you need more spirit!" Iris said, throwing a fist in the air. "Bagon and I are very strong and brave. A kid I've traveled with for a while was also headstrong, and so we played to our strengths and won all of our battles! We can take on any attack and survive longer than our opponents!"

"Stubbornness…" Serena said and pondered. "Fine! Sylveon, let's go! Use Fairy Wind once more!"

"Headbutt!" Iris said. The two Pokémon hit each other once more and then both collapsed.

"Sylveon!" Serena said, running up to the Eevee evolution.

Iris didn't move. "Bagon, you can get up, can you?" she said.

"Ba-gon!" Bagon said. With a defiant look on its face, it got on its two hind legs.

"And Sylveon is knocked out!" Clemont said, holding up a hand on Iris's side. "Iris and Bagon wins!"

"Hurray, Bagon!" Iris said, leaping up in the air with the dragon Pokémon.

"You fought well, Sylveon," Serena said, recalling her friend.

"It was a good fight, Serena," Iris said, walking up to her. "But it looks like I won!"

"What did I do wrong?" Serena said quietly to herself, biting her lower lip. She fought the urge to cry.

"That was fun! Fighting against Fairy types!" Iris said. "But it's a weakness I must learn to overcome to become the world's top Pokémon dragon trainer!"

"Is that your dream?" asked Clemont. It bothered him before, but Iris's words triggered something in his memory. He felt like he was forgetting something.

"Yup! And I can't be the very best until—"

A large gust of wind started blowing on them. It was strong. Extremely strong. Not only leaves and dirt but also Cilan's soup, Pokeballs, and even Pikachu, Dedenne, and Bagon were sucked up by the gust of wind.

"What's happening!?" Bonnie asked.

"If you say 'What's happening!?'" a catlike Pokémon said.

"Prepare for trouble!" said the all-too-familiar female voice.

"And make it double!" said the also recognizable male voice.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To stand by the evils of love and truth!"

"The lovely, charmy, villains!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

"Woooobbuffet!"

"Team Rocket!" Iris and Cilan said.

"Wait, you know them too?" said Clemont.

The villainous trio were in a large Meowth-shaped mech. On its chest was a giant hole, a vacuum that was sucking in almost everything that wasn't tied down.

"Braixen! Pancham!" Serena cried out as the Pokéballs left her possession. She reached out to try to grab them but could only tap the balls with a finger.

"Pika!" Pikachu said as it was sucked into the machine.

"Ah ha! Now we got them all!" Meowth said.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Serena said.

"Bagon, use Dragon Breath!" said Iris.

"This robot is stronger than that!" James said. "It is built to—oh?"

The vacuum stopped and the lid to the robot closed, iron bars closing the chest gap.

"They broke the vacuum!" Jessie said.

"Don't worry. Our budget is big enough this time to have a backup," Meowth said, rubbing his paws together. "They won't be breaking out of this cage!"

"You won't get away with this!" Cilan said.

"Does anyone have any Pokémon?" said Clemont.

Serena looked at the sole Pokéball in her hand—she was recalling her Sylveon just as Team Rocket appeared.

"Send it out!" Iris said. "Your Sylveon is our only hope of saving our Pokémon!"

"But she's too hurt!" Bonnie said. "She can't fight!"

"You're such a kid!" Iris said. "Don't worry about it! If it see your fighting spirit, then your Pokémon will fight!"

Serena nodded, and sent the fairy Pokémon out.

"Sylvie," she said, tired. However, it was on all four legs.

"Ah ha ha!" Jessie laughed. "That thing can barely stand! Go, Gourgeist!"

"You're up too, Inkay!" James said, sending out his Pokéball. "Use Foul Play!"

"Gourgeist, use Seed Bomb!"

"Sylveon, Swift!" Serena said. The bombardment of stars exploded with the Seed Bomb, but the Foul Play shot past and struck Sylveon.

"Are you okay?" Serena cried out as she rushed over.

"Syl…sylvie," it said. Its legs were shaking as it looked at Team Rocket.

"One more attack and it's over!" Jessie said. "Dark Pulse!"

"Psybeam!" James said.

"Sylveon, use Protect!" Serena said.

The two attacks struck the barrier which didn't budge.

"She bought some time," Cilan observed.

"She's outnumbered and Sylveon is hurt!" Bonnie said, clutching her chest. "This isn't fair! It' battle!"

"Who said we fight fair?" Jessie said. "Again, Gourgiest!"

"You too, Inkay!" said James.

"Use Protect again!" Serena said, and another barrier appeared in front of Sylveon. As the moves struck, the Protect shook and cracks appeared in it.

"It won't hold much longer!" Clemont said.

"Don't worry!" Iris said. "As long as Serena has fighting spirit, she will win the battle!"

Serena looked at her panting Pokémon, eyes still defiant but body ignoring its mind. It was worn and tired. There was no way Sylveon could take another hit, much less fight in a Pokémon battle.

Battle?

"Sylveon," Serena whispered. She remembered an old rival, one who also danced with his Blastoise, but in a Pokémon battle. Closing her eyes, she began snapping with her right hand in a beat.

"Pretend this isn't a battle. Imagine we're back in Kalos, in a Pokémon Showcase against Aria."

Sylveon closed its eyes. The Protect was getting weaker as the barrage of attacks pelted it.

"Now, dance!" Serena said. Her eyes and Sylveon's opened at the same time, right as the Protect broke.

"It's dancing! It's dancing!" Bonnie said as the Sylveon dodged the barrage.

"Whaat?" Meowth said, taken back. "How is it dodging all of those attacks? Where did it get all of that energy?!"

"Try harder!" Jessie said. "Shadow Ball!"

"Psybeam again, Inkay!" said James.

"Inn…kay!" the squid Pokémon said as it flipped upside down.

"Gourg!" the other Pokémon said as it launched the ball.

"Dance, Sylveon dance!" Serena said.

"It looks like Serena is sparkling!" Bonnie said as she watched her friend also smiling and dancing. "She's enjoying herself!"

The attacks missed the Sylveon as it hopped and skipped over the beams of energy and spheres. As it dodged the attacks, it inched more closely towards the robot.

"Wah?" James said, both of his hands holding his head. "How is everything missing?"

"Now Sylveon!" Serena said. "Fairy Wind!"

Sylveon let out the pink and white powder which pelted the outside of the cage. The bars broke open, freeing the Pokémon inside.

"Oh no!" Meowth said. "Our budget didn't cover for anything on the outside of the bars!"

"Alright Pikachu!" Serena said. "Use Thunderbolt!"

"Pi ka...chuu!" Pikachu said, shocking the Gourgeist and Inkay. The two Pokémon flew back into the mech, tumbling into its occupants and destroying the machine. The resulting explosion sent the villains flying out into the skies.

"We can't even win against a half-unconscious Sylveon!" Jessie said.

"We should learn how to dance too!" James said.

"We're blasting off again!" Meowth said.

"Wobbbuuffet!" the blue Pokémon said as they disappeared as a white star.

"And…finish!" Serena said, ending on one final snap.

Bonnie started clapping. "Yay! You did it Serena!"

"Bagon! Welcome back!" Iris said, hugging her Pokémon. She turned to Serena. "I didn't think you would win, Serena. I didn't think you had enough battling spirit."

Serena was silent. "Sorry Iris," she said, smiling after a bit. "I don't think I can do your style of battling. But I have my own way, and I won't lose to you in the future!"

"It's an interesting battle technique," Iris said. "But my Pokémon and I will tackle it head on in the future!"

"You're such a kid, Iris," Cilan said, to which Iris pouted. "Stubbornness and surviving through attacks isn't the only way to win a Pokémon battle. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses."

Iris nodded. "Wait, Serena. I want you to have this." She reached into a backpack and pulled out a round object.

"That's a Pokémon egg!" Clemont said, adjusting his glasses.

"Wah!" Bonnie said. "What does it hatch into? Bonnie wants to know!"

"I don't know," Iris said, shaking her head. "But it hasn't been hatching under my care. Maybe it prefers a different kind of trainer?"

"Are you sure?" Serena said, looking at the egg. It had a mixture of green and brown. It bought up the memory of Ash's Noivern back when it was a cute baby.

"Yes!" Iris said. "And you can keep it when it hatches. I was just worried that the poor little one would never explore this bright world."

"Oh, thank you!" Serena said when Iris handed over the egg. Then there was a phone ringtone. It sounded like rap and it came from Cilan's pants.

"Hello?" Cilan said, picking up the phone. His face grew serious. "Iris, we have to go now! There's been a serious development!"

"Ah, okay!" Iris said. "Sorry we couldn't talk more. This sounds important!"

"It's okay!' Bonnie said.

"I've recooked the soup in the pot," Cilan, throwing measuring cups and tools into his pack. "Sorry we couldn't eat with you! And bye!"

"Bye!" the heroes said, waving goodbye at their two new friends who raced away. As Iris and Cilan ran pass a faraway hill, Clemont jerked and widened his eyes.

"What is it, brother?" Bonnie asked.

"I remember her now! I know who Iris is!" Clemont said, gasping.

"Who? Who?" Bonnie said.

"Iris is the newest Champion of Unova!" Clemont said. "She recently defeated the reigning Champion, Alder!"

"Champion?" Serena said. "Does that mean she's as strong as Diantha?"

"Yes!"

"Pika pika," Pikachu said, shaking his head.