A/N: Hey, everyone! Yeah, I guess this is what I'm going to do in the interim while "The Way We Will Be" is on temporary hiatus. Sorry about that, everyone, by the way! Like I mentioned on my profile, there have been some new developments in my life (nothing negative, don't worry), and I need some time away from writing multi-chapter fics in order to properly adjust and get accustomed. Plus, I'm still struggling with a little bout of writer's block, and I'm trying ways to get my mojo going again. Reposting previously deleted projects like this one is my latest method of doing so. (Plus, I haven't updated this story in a while, so I might as well prove that it's still alive until I run out of salvaged content to repost.) I'll also see if I can jog my writing skills again by focusing on one-shots and other ongoing projects.
Alright, that's enough rambling! On with the chapter. ENJOY!
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P.S. #3: The coronavirus advisory that had been attached to my opening Author's Notes since 2020 is no longer posted there beginning May 11, 2023. The advisory's removal coincides with the lifting of federal emergency declarations in the U.S. on the aforementioned date. However, it will remain on my profile for as long as it needs to be there, and it can be reposted on my Author's Notes should the pandemic worsen again, which is still a possibility. In the meantime, please continue to stay healthy and stay safe!
Original A/N: Well, you guys definitely haven't disappointed me. Thanks for all of the specific reviews! Not as much as I hoped, but enough to warrant a reward in the form of this newest update for this excellent story! YAY! Keep up the good work, guys, and I guarantee that a similar reward will be on the way.
Alright, now that that's out of the way, on with the chapter. ENJOY!
Galope Town
The Kalos region
"Here we are, kids!" Yusif announced proudly as he parked his jeep at the side of the road. "Galope Town!"
Ash, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Charlotte, and Joey dismounted the vehicle, with the former four gasping in awe at the location that they were currently in: the town's central plaza, which they were now able to examine up close in all of its glory. It was circular, surrounded by two-story buildings that were all stores, and had a set of trees bordering its sidewalks. At the middle of the plaza was the fountain of a Rhyhorn standing up on its hind legs, its jockey still riding on its back, which was now majestically spouting out water from the Rhyhorn's mouth and the jockey's outstretched hand. It was being admired by several people, most of them tourists. At this point, the strange heat wave that had plagued Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie had disappeared, explaining the lack of sweat on their foreheads now.
"PIKA!" Pikachu cried in amazement, looking around at the plaza.
"Wow, that is such an awesome fountain!" exclaimed Ash as he stared at it.
Yusif smiled at the enthusiasm of Ash and the others. "Glad to see you kids are enjoying the view. Now, if you hold on for a few minutes, I need to take all of these supplies into the store. I won't be long." He then gathered all of the materials in the trunk of the jeep and entered a nearby store, leaving the others by themselves.
"Let's see this fountain up close, Pikachu!" Ash said, looking at his partner Pokémon.
"Pikachu!" replied the Mouse Pokémon as Ash dashed towards the fountain, startling nearby tourists as he sprinted past them at a high speed.
Charlotte chuckled in amusement as she watched the raven-haired Trainer look at every single nook and cranny of the fountain with such a childlike captivation. It did not take long for Bonnie to join him in his exploration, and both of them were marveling at the fountain. Then, Charlotte turned her head towards Serena.
"Ash is such a funny guy, isn't he, Serena?" she asked, a twinkle present in her hazel eye, something that Serena caught.
"Yeah, yeah, I guess he is," the honey-haired Trainer replied quickly with a noticeable irritated tone.
However, Charlotte failed to notice the tone, having already begun to assist her father alongside Joey in bringing the supplies into the store. She was really starting to dislike Charlotte more and more, now that it was obvious she was interested in Ash romantically. Serena knew that she had to stop that somehow. There was no way that she could be able to live with having a rival for Ash's affections. She HAD to stop it...but how? That was the real question...
In wonder, she began drinking from the canteen that Yusif provided to her and her friends (thank Arceus for that, considering their thirst) when...
"Serena?" a familiar voice called. "Serena? Is that you?..."
Her eyes widened upon recognizing the voice. She immediately spotted a couple approaching them. The woman had light-brown hair and green eyes, and she wore a blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves and white sweatpants; there was a large, noticeable bulge present in her abdomen. The man had black hair and beady eyes, and was wearing a turquoise short-sleeved shirt, a dark-gray undershirt, and gray pants. Serena's eyes widened, and she smiled widely.
"Aunt Layla!" she exclaimed. "Uncle Moose!"
"Hey, Serena," greeted Layla as she came up to her. "It's been a while. What're you doing here?"
"We're here to watch the centennial race." Serena's eyes were especially bright. "It's been so long since we met face-to-face! How long was it?..."
"I think, what, six years?"
"Seven, honey," Moose corrected, bumping his wife's shoulder lightly. He then looked back at his niece. "Arceus, you've grown since then, Serena. I mean, it was very obvious during our phone calls, but to see you up close and personal after so long is quite a different thing. You look a lot like your mother, Serena."
The girl frowned suddenly. "Yeah, thanks..." she replied, trying her best to hide the bitter tone in her voice. Fortunately, Moose didn't notice.
"Oh, speaking of your mother, she's here with us, right now!"
Serena's eyes widened again, but this time in horror. "What?"
"Oh, yes," Layla said. "She's been telling us nonstop about how she misses you." She then looked over her shoulder. "Oh, there she is! Hey, Grace! Serena's here!"
"Serena?" a second familiar voice asked. Serena could feel herself shrinking. There was no way, no way in Arceus's Heaven this was possible...
"Fletchling!"
A Fletchling suddenly appeared and landed on top of her hat, confirming her suspicions. She sighed sadly, just as Charlotte and Joey reappeared and noticed the Tiny Robin Pokémon that was perched on her hat. "Hey, Serena," Charlotte said, "do you know this Fletchling from somewhere?"
"Unfortunately..."
The five turned their heads back to the fountain, watching as a particular woman ran up to them. She had dark-brown hair, blue eyes, and wearing a dark-blue short-sleeved shirt, light-green sweatpants, and a large, light-green sweatshirt that was tied around her waist. Serena groaned in disappointment and felt herself shrinking even further. There was just no possible way this was happening to her right now. She never even saw this coming...
The woman ran up to her. "Serena, oh my goodness, I never thought that I'd see you here!"
"Yeah, me neither, Mom..." groaned Serena, the irritation more evident in her voice. "Me neither..."
Grace laughed despite having registered her daughter's true reaction. "Yeah, it's good to see you too, honey." She looked in a different direction. "Hey, Yusif!"
Serena's eyes widened as her newfound friend reappeared. "You two know each other?"
"Oh, yeah," Yusif replied as he flashed a smile of greeting at Grace, Layla, and Moore. "We all met a couple of days ago when the racing track staff invited Grace here to be a guest racer in our centennial celebratory competition. See, I happen to be the track's groundskeeper, and I was assigned to give them a tour of the place." He looked back at Grace. "So, this is the Serena you were talking about, Grace? Your only daughter? 'Cause you two barely look alike..."
Grace nodded proudly as Fletchling flew off of Serena's hat and onto its owner's shoulder. "Yep, that's right, Yusif. That's my little jockey."
"STOP CALLING ME THAT, MOM!" roared Serena, her loud voice cracking as it reverberated throughout the entire plaza, causing everyone to stop in their tracks. She could feel the heat quickly rush up to her face, especially in her cheeks, as everyone looked at her, while Charlotte and Joey were struggling to contain their laughter, no doubt at Grace's nickname for her, much to her dismay. "Oh no, I've really made a fool of myself now... Oh no, Mom, why'd you have to be here?..."
"Hey, is everything alright over there, Serena?" Ash was running back to the group, followed closely by Clemont and Bonnie.
"Oh great, Ash heard me too. Well, isn't that great?..."
"Yeah, everything's fine, don't worry," replied Grace suddenly, smiling at Ash. "Just Serena being her usual self."
Ash's eyes widened as he recognized the woman. "Hey, you're Serena's mom, right?"
"Yes, that's right. And your name's...Ash, right?"
"Yeah, that's right! Man, it's so nice to actually meet you in person!" He then noticed Layla and Moore. "Wait a minute, don't I know you two from somewhere?..."
"Indeed you do," Layla replied, smiling. "We met on a train back in Sinnoh! You had that Shaymin with you and your friends!"
Ash's eyes widened as he remembered his journey to the Flower Garden with Shaymin in the Sinnoh region. "Oh yeah, that's right! Man, that was such a while ago! I never thought I'd see you guys here again." He raised an eyebrow. "So, what're you two doing here in Galope Town?"
"Oh, we're accompanying Grace." She shoved Grace lightly in a teasing manner. "She's my dumb older sister."
"Excuse me, since when was I dumb?" replied the former jockey sarcastically, crossing her arms.
"Oh, ever since you nearly killed that reporter at the finish line a long time ago, started hanging out with him, and-"
"Not in front of the children!" Grace interrupted, her eyes wide as she waved her hands.
"Wow, never knew you two were sisters," remarked Ash, examining both Grace and Layla.
"Well, we are-" She rolled her eyes sarcastically. "-unfortunately."
"Oh, ha ha ha," Layla replied in equal sarcasm.
Grace then looked at Clemont and Bonnie as they caught up to Ash. "Oh, and you two are Clemont and Bonnie, right?"
"Yes, th-that's right..." replied Clemont in-between pants; he was obviously still exhausted from the short run.
"A pleasure to meet all of you. I hope you've been keeping my little jockey-" Serena blushed in embarrassment as Grace referred to the nickname. "-safe, right?"
"Oh, Serena does just fine without any help," Ash said, smiling at his friend, whose blush increased as she smiled back. "You don't need to worry, Grace."
"Oh, that's great to know." Grace looked from Ash to Serena again. "Considering you've always never been a fan of the outdoors, Serena."
"Well, I'm fine now, Mom," replied Serena, trying to hold back the growl in her voice. "So...you're gonna be here for a bit?"
"Yep, for the entirety of the centennial celebration. It is a very important event in Galope Town, and they want a big name in Rhyhorn Racing like mine to particularly endorse this century-long tradition of theirs." Then, her smile widened slightly as a twinkle came to her eye. "Say...you're here to participate in the race too, right?"
"No!" Serena's tone was extremely defensive. "No, definitely not! I'm not doing that!"
Grace's eyes widened in shock. "What?! Why not, Serena?"
"Because I'm not doing Rhyhorn Racing anymore!"
A deathly silence soon fell over the brown-haired woman as she stared down her daughter, her eyes not clearly exhibiting any sort of emotion or reaction. Sensing the mounting tension of the situation, everyone else in the group warily stepped back, hoping to give the mother-daughter duo some well-needed privacy.
Finally, Grace asked, her voice strangely calm, "And why not, Serena?"
"Because it's just not my style, Mom." Serena's eyes softened. "It's not my style." She was silent for a moment. "...Mom, I know that you think I hate Rhyhorn Racing with such a burning passion. Well, I used to, indeed, but a certain event had changed my opinion on it. Really Mom, it did-"
"Then why the unenthusiastic attitude for Rhyhorn Racing, then? Hm? Why the usual sass towards it?"
"Because I found something that I really want to do."
"Oh, really?" Grace crossed her arms; Serena could sense the disapproval from a mile away. "Enlighten me, Serena."
"Pokémon Performing." Her voice was nearly caught in her throat, but Serena managed to deliver her response effectively. "That's what I want to do in life, Mom."
Grace was silent again. Then, she replied, "Pokémon Performing. You mean you're participating in those silly competitions that feature scantily dressed girls?"
The honey-haired Trainer's eyes widened in horror at the insult. "They're not silly, Mom! And for your information, I haven't participated in one yet. But I plan to."
"I warn you, Serena, I think you should avoid those things entirely." She shook her head in disapproval. "Honestly, how are you gonna be one with your Pokémon just from showing them and yourself off? Where's the dynamic in that? Oh, and on an entirely different manner, those guys who like to watch those things-"
"MOM!" snapped Serena. "I don't mean to disrespect Rhyhorn Racing, but I'm not pursuing it as a goal! My goal is to become a Pokémon Performer, and that's that!"
Once again, Grace was silent. Then, she sighed and closed her eyes in a way that Serena recognized (to her relief) as defeat.
"Well, I could just go on with how this is not a good goal for you, honey," said the mother, "but I don't want to do this right now. Not when there's an important event coming up soon." She then opened her eyes, a blazing glint in them as she did so. "But don't you think that this argument's over, Serena. We'll talk about this later."
Serena frowned at her mother's response. She should have known better than to expect instant defeat from a determined former Rhyhorn Racer like her. However, as the honey-haired Trainer took a brief glance towards her friends, especially Ash, all of whom looked concerned, she immediately knew that this had to be in their best interests for the time being. As long as they weren't in close proximity to them when they resumed their debate, it would be fine. She didn't want to concern them.
She then nodded in agreement at Grace, her frown still in place as she did so.
"That sounds quite fine to me. Mother."
Several minutes later
"Thanks for taking us on this tour, Yusif," Ash said as Yusif led the rest of the group down a concrete sidewalk.
"Happy to help out, Ash," replied Yusif, giving the Trainer a grin and a thumbs-up. "Considering that you're planning to participate in the centennial races, I think you and the others might as well learn about what goes on in the Derby Town, as the tourists like to call it." He then chuckled heartily. "Trust me, you're gonna like these races, Ash. They're gonna be the best minutes of your life." He winked emphatically with a wider grin than the previous one. "I guarantee it!"
"Yeah." Ash raised a determined fist. "I know I'm definitely gonna enjoy it, 'cause I'm in this race to win it! I won't lose!"
"Pika pika!" Pikachu added in equal determination.
Grace placed her hands on her hips, impressed. "Well, glad to see that someone recognizes the thrill and enjoyment of Rhyhorn Races."
Beside her mother, Serena's face turned red in anger, for she could sense the true meaning behind Grace's sentence. She could tell her mother was still upset.
However, she ignored it as soon as Bonnie began talking; the young girl was focused on Layla's abdomen.
"Are you having a baby?!" she asked excitedly, her cheeks florid.
"Yeah, twins actually," Layla replied as she rubbed her belly.
"We're both proud," added Moose as he smiled happily.
"Are the twins boys or girls or both?"
"Bonnie!" exclaimed Clemont sternly, looking at his younger sister. "You shouldn't be asking them personal questions so suddenly like that-"
"No, it's okay, Clemont," Layla replied, smiling. Then, she looked back at Bonnie. "They're both girls."
"Both of them? YIPPEE!" Bonnie started hopping up and down in excitement. "I can't wait till they come out! I'd like to take care of them!"
"Dedenne!" added an equally excited Dedenne.
Layla and Moose chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm, while Clemont began to blush in slight embarrassment. His blushing only increased when an excited Charlotte also joined in on Bonnie's cheering. Just then, a ringing echoed in the air. The group had stopped in front of the bell tower they had seen earlier at the top of the cliff.
"Whoa, that tower is so BIG!" exclaimed Bonnie excitedly.
"Yep," Yusif replied. "That up there is the bell tower. It's been around since the town's founding almost a hundred years ago. I remember it always being my morning alarm as a child. ...It actually still is." As soon as the group heard ten consecutive rings emanate from the bell, he smiled. "Ah, good to see this thing's been fixed!"
"Fixed?" Clemont asked, turning to Yusif. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, a lot of things have started malfunctioning all over town since a couple of days ago. That is why we were out of town in the first place when we found you guys and gave you four a ride here. We were getting supplies from the next town because the supplies we had for an electrical store here all got fried out."
"Yeah," Grace added, sighing. "We had to deal with the heat wave without air-conditioning in our rooms for an entire night. It was weird."
"It was horrible," said Moose, shaking his head.
"Do you know what caused these malfunctions, Yusif?" asked Ash.
"No one knows," Joey replied. "But they came at the same time as that heat wave from before. Everyone believes the heat wave has something to do with it, but..."
"Anyone ever heard of a heat wave that can cause widespread electronic malfunction?" Yusif completed. He then looked back at the bell tower. "It was strange indeed. But we're recovering quickly from it at the very least." Then, he looked back at Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie. "Wanna go explore the bell tower?"
"You bet!" Ash exclaimed in response.
"Pika!"
"Same here!" added Bonnie.
"Dede!"
"I guess I have no other choice," Clemont said, shrugging, while Serena simply nodded in agreement.
"I guess the jury has spoken on the matter," Yusif replied. He then gestured to the group to get behind him. "Come on, follow me."
Yusif led the rest of the group into the tower, and they went up a staircase that was nearby. It did not take long for them to reach the top of the tower, where the bell chamber was located. By that time, the ringing of the bell had subsided. As they went up the staircase, Ash and his friends heard a voice that was extremely familiar to them, especially to Clemont and Bonnie. Upon hearing it, Clemont in particular became nervous, wondering why that specific person was there.
"Excellent job, Ampharos!"
"Amph!"
"Ampharos?..." Bonnie remarked as the group finally reached the chamber.
There, they found a large and muscular man working on a device attached to several gears, which in turned were attached to the bell itself. The man had dark-brown hair, a spiky beard, and hazel eyes. He was wearing a dark-blue undershirt and blue overalls with yellow latches. Accompanying this man was an Ampharos, who was delivering a small Discharge onto the device. Once they were finished, the man turned around, revealing his grimy face and clothes, and his eyes widened.
"Hm, kids?" he asked.
"Dad?!" Clemont exclaimed, his suspicions confirmed.
"Daddy, what're you doing here?!" cried Bonnie, shocked.
"Dede?" added Dedenne in curiosity.
Meyer blinked in surprise. "I was gonna ask you the same thing." He then noticed Ash and Serena. "Ah, you two are here as well?" Then, he spotted Yusif and closed his eyes with some sort of satisfaction. "Well then, at least I don't have to introduce you kids to Yusif anyway, considering you obviously did so already."
"You know our daddy too, Yusif?" Bonnie asked, looking at the other man.
Yusif grinned. "Well, believe it or not, he's an old friend of mine." He looked at Meyer. "You told me your children were named Clemont and Bonnie, and that Clemont's the Lumiose City Gym Leader, but I never expected it to be these two. Heh, what do you know?" He closed his eyes and shrugged. "Talk about coincidences, man."
Meyer shrugged back before looking at Clemont and Bonnie again. "So, how are you doing, Clemont, Bonnie? Well, I hope?"
"We're doing fine, Dad," Clemont replied.
"Ah, that's good to know." The electrician then looked back at Ash and Serena. "And I hope you two have been taking care of my kids?"
"Yes, we are," Ash said, "but like I said once earlier, they're doing fine just by themselves. They never needed any help, so you don't need to worry."
A wide grin appeared on the electrician's face. "Well, I'm extremely glad to hear that." His focus then became trained on Serena, and his grin became crafty. "I take it that I will need to keep a closer eye on Clemont, am I right?" He then wiggled his eyebrows for full effect, which instantly caused both Clemont and Serena to blush.
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, DAD!" shouted the aspiring inventor, the redness on his face almost resembling what one would find on a slab of overheated metal.
Unfortunately, Grace was now looking at Serena, awestruck by this apparent revelation.
"Is this true, Serena?" she asked, her eyebrows raised and her eyes glinting with excitement. "You actually got yourself a boyfriend? How marvelous!"
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, MOM!" shouted the honey-haired Trainer, looking about ready to collapse like a pile of bricks.
"Oh, come on, honey." Grace closed one of her eyes and tilted her head in a teasing manner. "You shouldn't be embarrassed just because of your boyfriend's looks. It just isn't all that ethical. I mean, it really shouldn't matter about what your boyfriend looks like; it's the personality that counts in the end."
"WE'RE NOT DATING, MOM/DAD!" Serena and Clemont screeched simultaneously. "STOP THINKING WE'RE DATING, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"
Meyer and Grace looked at one another in understanding, then replied simultaneously, "Denial is the number-one indicator-"
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, MOM/DAD!"
Meanwhile, the children looked at each other in confusion. As for Yusif, Layla, and Moose, they merely watched on in amusement as the conversation continued.
"Ah, the joys of parenthood," Moose remarked. "Can't wait till we're the ones doing that, honey."
It didn't take long for the conversation to end. Afterwards, Yusif introduced the group to the bell, which he described as being made of a metal that never needed any changes or maintenance for the entire century of its existence, and added that the metal was signed by an ancestor of the Kalos Champion Diantha. During the whole introduction, Serena and Clemont remained extremely tense and embarrassed around Grace and Meyer; this continued as the group went back down the staircase.
"Thanks a lot for helping us fix our electronic materials, Meyer," Yusif said. "The townspeople can now rest easy tonight."
"Hey, no problem," replied the electrician, smiling jollily. "Anything for a good friend. And at the very least, I got to meet up with my beloved kids again." He abruptly wrapped an arm around Clemont's neck and rightly held him close, while he ruffled Bonnie's hair with his other hand, a bit roughly so. "I missed you two so much."
"I...can see...that..." gagged Clemont, becoming relieved when his father released him.
"So, Ash," Meyer said, addressing the raven-haired Trainer this time, "you plan on participating in that centennial race, is that right?"
"Yeah." Ash turned around to look at Meyer. "How'd you know that? I never mentioned it to you."
Meyer shrugged. "Oh, intuition I supposed." He bumped Clemont's shoulder lightly with his elbow. "I know Clemont won't participate even if his life depended on it."
Clemont blushed again. "I can participate in it, Dad; don't say that-"
"Alright, then. Sign up for it. A rush of adrenaline should be very good for you."
"What do you know about adrenaline, Dad?..." Clemont whispered inaudibly to himself.
"What was that, Clemont?"
"Nothing." He then looked down at the ground. For some reason, an unknown force compelled him to continue, "Yeah...I'll sign up for it..."
Meyer then slapped Clemont on the back in what he would consider as a light slap, although Clemont nearly fell over from the true power of it.
"Now that's the spirit, Clemont!" he exclaimed happily. Then, he checked his watch. "Oh, I forgot, I need to get to another store to fix their equipment." He ruffled his son's hair roughly. "It's great to see you again, Clemont. Same with you, Bonnie." He looked at the rest of the group. "I'll see you all later!"
"See ya, Meyer!" Ash replied as the electrician saluted to them all before leaving with Ampharos. As soon as he disappeared from the scene, Yusif glared at Clemont.
"Good to hear we have another jockey!" he said, smiling. "The more, the merrier!"
"Yeah, well good luck, boys," Grace replied, crossing her arms as a proud smirk came onto her face. "'Cause you two are gonna be facing off against me, the golden winner of twenty consecutive Rhyhorn Racing seasons. I can only hope squaring off against you will be more than just mere pushovers."
"Well, challenge accepted, then," Ash said.
"Pika!"
Layla chuckled as she approached her older sister. "Oh, Ash, you'd better watch out. Grace is a real pro in these races. I've seen her racing several times, and I'll tell you, she never hesitates to leave an opponent in her dust." She looked at the raven-haired Trainer. "You have to be at the top of your game."
"I have no reason to worry about that. Because me and Clemont have something to our advantage."
"Oh, really?" A glint appeared in Grace's eyes. "And that would be?"
"Serena!"
Upon hearing Ash address her name, the honey-haired girl blushed. Then, she could feel her blood become as cold as the Arctic when her mother spoke again.
"Oh. ...Serena, you say?"
"Yeah, she's gonna teach us everything about how to race. I mean, she has already taught me how to do it a couple of months ago, but I think my mind needs a little reviewing on it." He turned to Serena, smiling. "Is that alright with you, Serena? You're gonna teach me and Clemont how to race?"
"Y-Y-Yeah..." she replied before she could stop herself.
"Uh-huh..." Grace looked at Serena, the glint still in her eye. The girl immediately looked away, wanting to avoid any further embarrassment on the subject.
From up above in the sky, Team Rocket continued to observe the group with their binoculars as they walked down the sidewalk. Meowth scowled in annoyance.
"Man, dem twoips don't know when ta stop friending other peeps an' giving 'em twoip-itis!" he snapped.
"Hmmm..." However, Jessie was smiling. "It looks like there's some drama going on between the twerpette and one of the older gals. Likely her mom, I suppose." Her grin widened. "If there's something I love better than fashion and snatching Pikachu for the boss, it's the drama from soap-operas."
"Hm, she looks familiar..." remarked James as he peered closer through the binoculars' lenses.
Jessie lowered his binoculars, frowning. "Really. How could an average, everyday face like that look familiar to you, James?"
The blue-haired man lowered his as well and began searching his knapsack. "No, I know I've seen that face from somewhere before..." After rummaging through the many items contained inside the sack, he pulled out a small magazine and began flipping through the pages. "Hold on, hold on... Ah-ha! Found her!"
"Found who?" Jessie asked as she peered across her accomplice's shoulder.
"Her!" James displayed the page for his comrades to see; it depicted Grace wearing her old jockey suit and standing beside her Rhyhorn. "This gal was a top racer in the olden days, and she still gets big attention from time to time! I remember following her races in the Racing Action Gazette when I was a wee lil' lad!"
Meowth grabbed the magazine from James's hands and read the article. Then, a toothy grin appeared on the Scratch Cat Pokémon's face.
"I know what we can do in addition ta capturing Pikachu!" he exclaimed. "We can catch dat Rhyhorn and give it ta da boss!"
"Really?" asked Jessie. "What use would a Rhyhorn be for the boss?"
"Imagine dis! Team Rocket's executed deir mission ta conquer da woyld! However, dey're losing ta da cops and Pokémon Rangers and da like! When da grunts cry and beg for deir savia', den dat's when da boss appears on 'is Rhyhorn, attacking all da resistances he can find! And wit' Rhyhorn on his side, he will be able ta lead Team Rocket ta victory! And once Team Rocket's conquered da woyld, subjugated its population, and become all da wiser, guess what da boss will say next? 'I would love ta tank Meowth and 'is friends for giving me dis Rhyhorn that rode me ta conquest. For dis honorable serivce, I'll reward dem with special promotions!'"
"OOH!" Jessie and James exclaimed simultaneously. "SPECIAL PROMOTIONS!"
"We'll be at da top of Team Rocket once again!" shouted Meowth.
"TEAM ROCKET SHALL TRIUMPH!" all three chorused.
...
Suddenly, two small grumbling noises emanated through the air, and Meowth looked at Jessie and James suspiciously. They immediately clutched their stomachs.
"Still hungry..." moaned James.
"Are we really gonna go through dis again?!" Meowth snapped furiously. He then leaped into the air, his claws glowing white as he slashed at Jessie and James's faces with them. "We're Team Rocket, and we shall triumph! So get ya acts together and stick wit da program, ya two dimwits!"
"ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT!"
Again, Wobbuffet emerged from its Poké Ball and exclaimed, "Wobbuffet!"
The Rhyhorn Racing Track
Several minutes later
"Here we are, everyone!" Yusif exclaimed, his arms outstretched. "The top location of Galope Town! The Rhyhorn Racing Track!"
The group was currently standing in the audience stands, which were overlooking the starting line of the track. The track was a dirt trail that cut through the area in a straight line, but a circular area was neighboring this trail. The area was fenced off and contained a herd of tamed Rhyhorn used for the races as they ate and roamed about. Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Dedenne all noticed that some jockeys were also present inside the area, tending to their Rhyhorn.
"Whoa, look at all those Rhyhorn!" cried Ash.
"Yep," Joey replied, leaning against the railing. "All of them primed for top racing."
"Awesome..."
Meanwhile, Serena noticed one particular Rhyhorn standing near the fence of the Rhyhorn pen, roaring towards them, seemingly in greeting. She could feel a strange but welcoming familiarity with it. Before she could ask about it, Grace approached her and said, "Yeah, that's our Rhyhorn over there, Serena."
"That's Rhyhorn?" Serena looked back at the pen, where Rhyhorn was still roaring at them. She then smiled and waved. "Hey, Rhyhorn! It's good to see you again!"
Rhyhorn responded with a single roar, to which Yusif asked, "Wanna go over to the pen?"
"Sure!" Serena replied enthusiastically.
Grace let out a hollow laugh and said, "Not excited for Rhyhorn Racing, are we?..."
The female Trainer immediately frowned angrily. "Mom, not now. I just missed Rhyhorn, and that's all there is to it."
She immediately followed Yusif as he guided her towards the pen; the others followed right behind them. On their way there, Layla immediately approached Grace.
"Sis," she said, "don't you think you're being a little too rough on Serena?"
"So?" replied Grace, looking at her stubbornly.
"Well, Serena has her own dreams and goals. As her mother, I don't think you should just look down upon them."
Grace sighed and looked at Serena. "Look, Layle, I wouldn't be so disapproving of what she wants to do if that exact goal of hers wasn't so...risky, per se."
"And how exactly is Pokémon Performing risky, Grace? I don't recall any notable incidents regarding that profession."
"Oh, if only you knew, Layle..." Grace shook her head. "If only you knew. Then, you'd understand."
By that point, the group had already reached the pen. As they did, they spotted two young adults tending to the Rhyhorn inside, both of whom were wearing bright-green overalls. The man had bluish-black hair and eyes and wore a bright-green cap that was facing backwards, while the woman had sleek brown hair and hazel eyes and wore a bright-green bandana with a half-Poké Ball insignia. Both of them seemed to be talking to each other in worried tones as they tended to the Rhyhorn.
"I'm worried about this year's race, Amala," the man said. "We're sliding real good..."
"Yeah," replied the woman. "I've already started looking into available jobs at Shalour City and Coumarine City."
"Really, you're doing that?"
"Yeah..."
"Amala, Foster," Yusif greeted, having not heard their pessimistic exchange, "how are all the Rhyhorn doing?"
"Oh, all in tip-top shape, Yusif," the man named Foster replied. "I am confident that they're all ready for the races in a couple of days." He then spotted Grace, Layla, Moose, Joey, and Charlotte, smiling and waving at them before noticing Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie. "Oh, and who are these people, Yusif?"
"Oh, these are our new friends. The kids and I picked them up from the side of Route 12." The groundskeeper pointed at them one by one. "Ash, his Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and her Dedenne. It just so happens that Serena is Grace's daughter and Layla and Moose's niece, while Clemont and Bonnie are Meyer's kids." He then looked at the group. "Kids, these are my trusted Rhyhorn breeders, Amala and Foster. If you have any questions about the Rhyhorn, just ask them."
"Yeah, don't be afraid to ask," added Foster.
"It's nice to meet you guys," Serena said politely as she smiled.
"Serena, huh?" said the woman named Amala. She leaned towards the girl to examine her further, and then smiled. "Well, I never thought I'd meet you."
"Hm?" Serena replied, confused.
Charlotte nudged the honey-haired Trainer's shoulder and explained, "I showed Amala your PokéVision video. She's as impressed by it as I was."
"Mm-hm." Amala nodded. "I really loved it, Serena. You and your Fennekin were so adorable!"
"You make PokéVision videos, Serena?" Grace asked suddenly, looking at her daughter with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I do, Mother," Serena replied quickly before refocusing on Amala. "Thanks for the compliment, Amala. I really appreciate it."
"Can I see your Fennekin, please?"
"Yeah, sure!" Smiling, Serena took out Fennekin's Poké Ball and threw it into the air. "Come on out, Fennekin!"
The Poké Ball unleashed the Fox Pokémon, which barked happily at Amala. The woman gasped in awe and knelt towards it.
"Aw, your Fennekin's so cute!" she exclaimed.
"I know, right?!" squealed Charlotte in agreement. "Just the cutest!"
Yusif suddenly cleared his throat, which caught the attention of both Charlotte and Amala. "You could adore Fennekin all the time you want, girls," he said, "but first, Amala, could you let us into the pen?" He gestured to the small door on the fence. "Grace and Serena are here to see their Rhyhorn."
"Sure thing, Yusif." Amala stood up, procured a set of keys, and used them to unlock the door, allowing the group inside. At that moment, Grace's Rhyhorn, which was nearby, roared in greeting before approaching them. Grace smiled and knelt towards Rhyhorn, stroking its head.
"Hey there, Rhyhorn," she greeted. "I hope you're doing fine in here."
She was met with a coo from Rhyhorn as a response. Foster immediately approached her, smiling.
"We've examined it while you were gone, just as you requested, Grace," he reported as he patted the Spikes Pokémon's back softly. "Your Rhyhorn's still in top racing condition, like it only raced yesterday. There'll be no problems with you and Rhyhorn during the upcoming race, I assure you."
"That's good."
"So, Foster," Ash said, approaching the breeder, "you got any available Rhyhorn for me?"
"Planning on participating in the race, huh? Alright, we have a couple right over there. Follow me."
Ash, Pikachu, and Foster walked away from the rest of the group as Serena watched them go. She wanted to follow Ash and make sure Charlotte wouldn't get to him somehow, but she unfortunately found herself being distracted by the attention Amala and Charlotte were giving to her Fennekin. It was also extremely obvious that the Fox Pokémon was relishing happily in the attention she was receiving, as she constantly cooed whenever they stroked her fur and tail.
"Your Fennekin is just so adorable, Serena!" Amala exclaimed. "I can see it's been well taken care of. The smoothness of its fur, the elegance and health displayed by its appearance, the confidence it has in other humans touching it, it is all there. In all of my years as a breeder, I haven't seen a healthier and more-loved Pokémon."
"Thanks, Amala," replied Serena, blushing nervously. "I try my best at raising Fennekin..."
"Do you have any other Pokémon besides Fennekin, Serena?" asked Charlotte, looking up at her. "I'd love to see what other Pokémon you have on your team!"
"Oh, yeah. I do have one other Pokémon on my team. I just caught it." She pulled out a Poké Ball containing her new Pokémon. "Come on out, Pancham!"
The Playful Pokémon emerged from the Poké Ball, and immediately adjusted the red sunglasses it was wearing. Then, it looked around, examining its surroundings.
"Pancham?" it asked curiously.
"Oh my goodness!" Charlotte squealed loudly, startling it. "Pancham's so CUTE! I JUST WANNA HUG IT AND KISS IT AND-"
In its surprise and fear, Pancham abruptly fired a Dark Pulse attack at Charlotte, hitting her and knocking her backward. Serena screamed in shock as Yusif, Joey, and Amala ran over to the fallen blonde girl. Fortunately, Charlotte was slightly injured and was instead laughing in some sort of relief.
"Wow, Pancham's Dark Pulse packs quite a punch, doesn't it?" she asked between laughs.
"I'm so sorry," Serena replied as Yusif and Amala helped Charlotte up back to her feet. "Pancham was surprised, that's all."
"Hey, don't blame Pancham," said Joey, smirking. "Blame the hyperactive girl for freaking out over a little Pancham."
"Hey, Pancham was cute, all right?" snapped Charlotte, pouting. "Don't judge me."
Layla, who had just started observing the scene nearby, decided to approach Serena. As she did, she eyed Pancham as it continued to stare at Charlotte warily.
"Hey, Serena," she said, "do you think Pancham likes to be held by other people?"
"Depends," replied the girl as she looked back at her Playful Pokémon. "Pancham, this is my Aunt Layla. Can she hold you? She's a very nice person, so don't worry."
Pancham looked at Layla, then at Serena, who smiled at it in reassurance. Convinced by its Trainer, the Playful Pokémon dashed over into Layla's arms, then began to coo at the woman's touch. Layla chuckled happily as she began to stroke its fur, while Moose approached her side.
"Such a cute Pokémon you have, Serena," remarked Moose.
"Oh, thanks Uncle Moose."
"OH, OH, CAN I HOLD PANCHAM NEXT?!" Charlotte squealed, hopping up and down in excitement. However, she was immediately greeted with another Dark Pulse.
As everyone was focused on Serena's Pokémon, Clemont and Bonnie were observing the herd of Rhyhorn in interest (or at least for Bonnie) as the Spikes Pokémon all grazed in the pen. When they spotted Foster escorting Ash towards several available Rhyhorn, the young girl tugged at her brother's pants, catching his attention.
"What is it, Bonnie?" the aspiring inventor asked.
"You should get your own Rhyhorn too!" exclaimed Bonnie. "Go and get one!"
"Dede!" Dedenne squeaked.
Clemont raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh?"
Bonnie's cheeks began to expand as she pouted. "You said you'd be racing on a Rhyhorn too, Clemont! You can't be in those Rhyhorn Races without a Rhyhorn!"
"Oh...yeah..." Clemont chuckled nervously. "Yeah, that's right... Heh heh heh..."
However, the inventor merely stood there for a few minutes, with Bonnie staring up at his face with an increasingly impatient expression that almost looked comedic. An awkward silence quickly fell upon the two siblings, who were now impervious to all other external sounds around them. Clemont could feel the hot beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He now wished that his father was here so he could break the tension in his own special way, even if it was embarrassing to him.
"Well?" Bonnie finally asked.
"W-Well what?" replied Clemont, pretending to sound oblivious.
"Don't you 'well what' me! Go with Ash and find a Rhyhorn to ride on!"
"C-C-Can't it wait?..."
"What do you mean, Clemont? This could be your only chance to pick one! Come on, I'll be right beside you!"
"Dedenne!" added Dedenne, an enthusiastic expression on its adorable face.
"Yeah, that'd be a quite miracle right there..." remarked the inventor sarcastically.
However, the girl didn't notice the tone, and instead continued, "Well, what're you waiting for, Clemont?! Go get a Rhyhorn to ride on!"
"Y-Y-Yeah, sure..."
Clemont walked towards Ash and Foster's direction, followed closely by Bonnie. However, he found himself becoming increasingly reluctant to go through with his last-minute declaration of signing up for the Rhyhorn Race. He knew fully well he only did that just as a last-ditch effort to get Meyer off his back. To his dismay, it actually worked, and now, he was being expected to do something he didn't find himself fully prepared or equipped for: racing on a Rhyhorn in a serious competition.
He knew there was no way his inventions could save him this time around.
"Oh, boy..." he thought as he grew closer and closer to Ash and Foster. "How am I gonna deal with this Rhyhorn Race? I definitely can't handle it. If only I knew how to be like Ash. He can just suck everything up and do what he's needed to do without breaking a sweat. ...Confidence. That's what I sorely need from him..."
"Number 14 here has high endurance," Foster was explaining to Ash as Clemont neared him, "and he can withstand any and all of the obstacles the race can throw at you. But he's also a bit heavyset, so he might be at a disadvantage when it comes to running and extra-point activities. Better keep that in mind if you choose him."
"Yeah, gotcha," replied Ash. At that moment, Clemont and Bonnie approached the two, and the raven-haired Trainer spotted their presence. "Oh, hey Clemont!"
"Hey, Ash..." Clemont responded meekly.
"You here to pick your Rhyhorn too? That's good."
"Uh-huh..."
Foster examined Clemont. "You too, huh?" His eyes then scanned the inventor's form from top to bottom. "Have you raced on a Rhyhorn before?"
"No."
"Well, with that said, you are gonna need a beginner's Rhyhorn. Having no experience at all will not do you good if you're racing on a standard racing Rhyhorn. Okay, let's see..." Foster took out a small clipboard and checked the list that was on it. "We only have one left, Number 28, but..." The breeder sweat-dropped and seemed to glance off in a different direction, his eye twitching slightly. "I'm not sure if it'll be good enough condition for your satisfaction, especially for a race like this one..."
By this point, Clemont was sulking from all of the expectations. "Oh, I don't really care. Just give it to me."
"Oh, come on, Clemont!" Ash exclaimed. "You have to care! This is a Rhyhorn Race we're talking about here!"
Clemont sighed. "What do you know about Rhyhorn Races, Ash?"
"Oh, only that it's one of the best things that ever happened to me in my entire life! To feel the air brushing across your face, to watch the world rush past you at high speeds, to be one with the Rhyhorn, as Serena always says... It's a very exciting feeling, Clemont. Once you feel all of the things I just described, you'll understand."
"...If you really insist, Ash..."
Foster raised an eyebrow. "So...does this mean you want to see Number 28, or not?"
Clemont shrugged. "Sure, I guess..."
"Alright, then. Ash, can you hold on for a moment?"
"It's okay." Ash approached the Rhyhorn that was designated Number 14. "I'm choosing this one."
"Alright. But just remember what I said about the Rhyhorn's weight!"
"Sure!"
"Alright, then!" Foster then gestured to Clemont to follow him. "Right this way, Clemont-"
Just then, the ground in front of them exploded.
Original A/N: CLIFFHANGER! Yes, I know, I'm evil. MWAHAHAHA! So, who (or what) do you think caused that explosion?! :O
Anyway, hopefully this chapter was good. I was being delayed a lot by college (which is why it took me two weeks to get this chapter done, considering the fact that it is MUCH LONGER than any of the previous chapters on this story), and I've got a gut feeling that the quality of this chapter is not as good as the previous ones. But don't fret, ladies and gentlemen! I'm pretty sure the chapter that's gonna follow up on this one will be much, MUCH better, because guess what?
It's gonna conclude Chapter 3's cliffhanger, I wholly guarantee that. HOORAY! :D
I'd like to thank those who reviewed:
colonelstars1911: Unfortunately, I've become evil once again. XD But don't worry, you won't be kept in suspense for long now.
NGA96: That, I shall indeed! :D
Nemo (guest reviewer): That is 100% accurate, good job! And thanks for your compliment on 'taking the initiative'. Glad to hear I really am the first who's delved into a topic such as the future in an AmourShipping story. And thanks for your constructive criticism, or lack thereof, logically! It means a lot.
Plasma57: Here's the update! Sorry it wasn't soon enough.
King nintendo (guest reviewer): Don't worry, the meeting will happen in the next chapter.
chablaven: Glad you liked those bits! And don't worry, the meeting will happen in the next chapter.
Pokemon2378: Can you be a bit more specific on that?
FightingSpirit321: Ooh, that sounds like a potential subplot! ;) ;) ;) Well, in this story, there are no time paradoxes. I don't wanna make this story too complex, and I only want to dish out a straightforward, simple concept, that's all. The complexity can only be found in the upcoming "Separation" sequel.
WiiFan2009: Well, you're in luck! You'll see the meeting in the next one! :D
OmegaEGG: Sorry, but I needed specific reviews, not just short one-sentence reviews begging me to update; that I know already. And I've said it before and I'll say it again, the fateful 'reunion' will happen in the next chapter.
MizarW: Maybe that was the actual cause of the heat wave, maybe that wasn't; only time and updates will tell eventually! ;D And thanks again for pointing out that error of mine! It is very much appreciated. :)
Leader of the Bronies: I read about that tidbit with Serena PokéVision video on Bulbapedia, and I knew I had to incorporate it since the fact of it does tie in with my future universe. And don't worry, you'll see those two pairings in action in the future, both literally and figuratively! :D :D :D
Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!
New A/N: Anyway, that marks the end of this chapter! The group comes across Meyer, Grace, Layla, and Moose and learns that the latter two are Serena's maternal aunt and uncle. As I'm sure you've realized, that part of the original version was carried over to the current one. While I was writing the original version, I've always felt that Grace and Layla looked quite similar and would pass for sisters, and so I decided to implement that idea. Obviously, I thought it was a pretty good idea since I retained it in the current version.
And, as you can see, Meyer being added to the group is another idea that was carried over to the current version. Even though this version was more minimal in content compared to the current one, you can definitely match up a bunch of scenes and story cues between both versions, in all honesty.
Anyway, I'd like to thank the following people who reviewed:
-Alexia010906:
1) Yes, it looks like Serena did get herself a love rival. I wonder how things will shape out in the limited time that we have with this story...
2) Indeed, poor Clemont.
That's it? Only one person reviewed? ...Well, it's not like this was top-tier writing material. If I recall correctly, this was written back when I was still in high school, or perhaps my early college years. Either way, it clearly wasn't the best period of my writing life in retrospect.
Well, hope you enjoyed this overdue chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!