As the morning light filtered through Azalea Town, Ash and Pikachu waved goodbye to Kurt and Maizie at the edge of the town.

"Thank you for everything, Kurt!" Ash called out with a grin. "We'll come back and visit soon!"

Pikachu nodded enthusiastically, "Pika-pika!"

Kurt chuckled, but his laughter quickly turned into shocked silence as Kara stepped forward, scooped Ash and Pikachu up with ease, and took off straight into the sky.

"D-Did she just… fly?" Maizie stammered, her eyes wide as she watched them soar away.

Kurt rubbed his temples. "I must be getting too old if I'm losing my mind like this…"

High in the sky, Ash clung tightly to Kara, his legs dangling as he tried to keep his nerves in check. Pikachu was gripping his shoulder for dear life, his fur standing on end as the ground whizzed by beneath them.

"Alright, so where are we heading?" Kara asked, almost casually, as if she wasn't carrying both a person and a Pokémon while flying at incredible speed.

Ash took a moment, looking out at the landscape below. "Well, we could check out Ecruteak City," he said thoughtfully. "It's been a while, and I'd like to catch up with Morty and Eusine." He hesitated before adding, "Eusine's still pretty determined to find Entei."

"Entei?" Kara repeated, one eyebrow raised. "What's an Entei?"

"It's a Legendary Pokémon," Ash explained with excitement. "Entei's a rare, powerful Pokémon connected to Ho-Oh, another Legendary Pokémon. They're said to embody fire and life."

"'Legendary'? They must be pretty strong if they get a title like that," Kara mused.

"Oh, they are!" Ash exclaimed. "Entei is one of three Legendary Beasts, and Ho-Oh is rumored to only show itself to worthy Trainers."

Kara gave a slight, intrigued nod. "Legends and rare creatures with powers… interesting." Before Ash could respond, Kara smirked. "Alright, Ecruteak City it is." Without warning, she accelerated, darting forward like a rocket.

"Aahhh! Kara, slow down!" Ash yelled, clutching her shoulders tightly as the wind whipped past them, his eyes watering from the speed. Pikachu held on just as tightly, letting out a panicked "Pikaaaa!"

Kara shot them a sidelong look. "You two are such babies. Calm down—I'm not going to drop you. Unless you keep screaming, that is."

"It's not our fault!" Ash shouted over the rushing wind. "Flying like this is… well, different!"

Kara rolled her eyes. "Humans."

Despite the banter, she slowed down slightly, letting Ash and Pikachu catch their breath just as the misty towers of Ecruteak City rose up in the distance. With a smooth landing just outside the city, she set them down, smirking as they stumbled slightly to regain their balance.

Ash took a deep breath, looking up at Kara with a grin. "Guess we're here, thanks to you."

Kara smirked back. "Good. Let's go meet this Entei… or anyone else who thinks they're 'Legendary.'"

As Ash and Kara walked through the bustling streets of Ecruteak City, Kara quickly became the center of attention. Her Brainiac armor shimmered under the morning sun against the more muted tones of the city. People stopped in their tracks to stare, whispering to one another and casting curious glances their way.

"Is she from another region?" one woman murmured, eyes wide.

"Maybe a new kind of Pokémon Trainer?" a man speculated to his friend, both casting wary looks at Kara's armor.

Kara's jaw clenched, her fists balled as she shot a glare at the nearest bystanders. "They're lucky I don't turn this armor into scrap metal just to blend in," she muttered under her breath.

Ash placed a calming hand on her shoulder, chuckling softly. "It's okay, Kara," he said. "They're just curious. Ecruteak doesn't get visitors like you very often."

"Visitors like me?" she repeated, casting him a side glance. "If they don't stop gawking, I might have to give them a reason to be afraid."

"Just ignore them," Ash insisted with a reassuring smile. "They're not hurting anyone. And if you just go along with it, they'll lose interest. Trust me."

Kara grumbled, looking away to avoid eye contact with the passersby. "Fine," she growled, clearly reluctant but willing to take his advice just this once. "But if anyone touches this armor, that's a different story."

Ash laughed, nudging her forward as they continued down the road. "I think they'll keep their distance. Besides, we're here to see Morty and Eusine, remember?"

Kara gave a reluctant nod. "Let's get this over with," she said, her tone softening just a bit.

As they made their way through the city, Ash finally spotted Morty and Eusine near the Burned Tower. Morty had changed his look since Ash last saw him—now sporting a purple bandana, a matching scarf with red ends and a mysterious round symbol, a striped black shirt, white jeans, and black and purple sneakers with red soles. Eusine, however, looked the same as ever, his sharp eyes widening as he noticed Ash approaching.

"Hey, Morty! Eusine!" Ash called out, waving.

Both men turned, smiling at the familiar face. But their smiles quickly faded into expressions of curiosity—and a little concern—as their eyes landed on Kara, who stood beside Ash with her arms crossed and a steely gaze.

"Uh…Ash, who's your friend?" Morty asked, studying Kara's armor with intrigue and wariness.

Ash quickly stepped in before Kara could respond with her usual bluntness. "It's a long story, but don't worry—she's on our side," he assured with a chuckle. "She means no harm."

Kara smirked slightly, adding under her breath, "Not yet, anyway…"

Morty raised an eyebrow but seemed satisfied enough with Ash's answer, while Eusine couldn't help but let his eyes wander over the futuristic armor, clearly fascinated.

Morty turned back to Ash with a warm smile. "Well, whatever the story is, it's good to see you again! I heard you took down Leon and became the Monarch. That's…incredible, Ash. I knew you had potential, but this? You've grown a lot."

Ash scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Thanks, Morty. It was a tough match, but Pikachu and I pulled through."

Kara listened to the conversation, her arms crossed as the men traded stories and congratulations. She tried to stifle her impatience, but after a while, her irritation boiled over. "Are we done with the pointless chatter? I thought we were here to see this Entei creature," she interjected, her tone sharp.

Eusine's face grew serious as he turned to her. "Entei…well, that's the thing. He hasn't appeared in the city recently, and I'm not sure why. Usually, he's drawn to places like the Burned Tower, but he's been…missing, for lack of a better word."

Kara's eyes narrowed, frustration building. "So you're saying we came all this way, and the so-called Legendary is nowhere to be found?"

Morty and Eusine exchanged a glance. "I get that it's disappointing," Morty said, "but Legendaries like Entei don't just appear on command. Sometimes they roam to places we can't predict."

Kara threw her hands up, clearly unimpressed. "Fantastic. Another wild goose chase." She turned to Ash, frowning. "This is a waste of my time."

Ash sighed, offering her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Kara. I thought he'd be around, too."

Morty watched the exchange, intrigued. "Kara, is it? If you're really interested in Entei, maybe there's a reason he's avoiding Ecruteak. The Legendary Pokémon are known to have a strong sense of danger—they might be sensing something we're not aware of."

Kara let out a low grumble. "Whatever it is, I hope it's worth my time," she muttered.

Ash patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Hey, we'll figure it out together," he said with a grin, hoping to ease her frustration.

Though her glare softened only slightly, Kara rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if I see no Legendary by the end of this, I'm flying us back myself."

"What!"

It was well into the evening at Ecruteak City's autumn festival, and the air was filled with festive music and the sweet aroma of carnival treats. Kara sat on a bench, clearly frustrated after a day of waiting around for Entei with no luck. She bit into a caramel apple, mumbling to herself between bites. "An entire day wasted on a no-show," she grumbled. She couldn't deny that the treat was good, though. "Not bad for a human tradition," she muttered approvingly, sparing a glance at Ash, who was still engaged in conversation with Morty and Eusine a few feet away.

Just as she took another bite, a group of young men sidled up to her, flashing confident smirks. "Hey there, beautiful," one of them said smoothly. "How about some company for the night?"

Kara's eyebrow twitched. She looked at the men with thinly veiled irritation, the sugary treat suddenly feeling tasteless in her mouth. "I'm already with a human," she said sharply, glancing toward Ash. "And he's a decent one."

The men scoffed, their expressions turning mocking. "You mean that guy? Come on, sweetheart. You could do way better than that little shrimp."

Kara's jaw tightened as she rose from the bench. "A 'shrimp' like him would wipe the floor with you all," she retorted. She turned to leave, but one of the guys made a terrible mistake by grabbing her wrist. "Oh, bad move," she hissed, and with an effortless motion, she hoisted him up by the collar, holding him off the ground as if he weighed nothing. "Touch me again, and you won't be able to use that hand ever again," she threatened, her eyes gleaming with a cold fury.

Ash noticed the commotion and broke away from Morty and Eusine, rushing over to defuse the situation. Without thinking, he grabbed Kara's free hand, his touch unexpectedly gentle.

"Kara, what are you doing?" he asked, his tone a mix of exasperation and concern.

Kara's face turned pink, and she yanked her hand back. "W-What are you doing, you lowly human?" she barked, clearly flustered.

Ash stood firm, folding his arms. "Keeping you out of trouble, that's what!"

"I don't need a human watching my back!" she snapped, crossing her arms in defiance.

They continued to bicker, their voices rising above the festival's cheerful sounds. Suddenly, a fierce, echoing roar shattered the air, drawing the attention of everyone around them. The sky lit up with a fiery glow as a massive, regal figure approached, its silhouette unmistakable against the moonlit sky.

Ash's eyes widened as he recognized the Legendary Pokémon. "Entei…" he breathed.

Entei strode forward, its eyes locked onto Kara with a burning intensity. Kara's lips curved into a smirk, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Finally," she muttered, cracking her knuckles. "At last—you showed yourself!"