"Waaah! Such huge Rhyhorn—they're running so fast!"

Bonnie clutched Dedenne tightly, hiding with the others to the side.

"This is actually the Rhyhorn Racing competition. It's probably being held by a village nearby," Serena explained.

Because of her mother, Grace, Serena had grown up around Rhyhorn.

This kind of activity—people riding on Rhyhorn's backs and guiding them to race at full speed—was something she knew like the back of her hand.

Hearing her explanation, Ash instantly understood, and a thought popped into his mind.

Originally, he hadn't planned to visit the nearby Odyssey Village to participate in the Rhyhorn race.

But suddenly, Ash realized this was a great opportunity…

From the original events, he vaguely remembered that somewhere in the forest between Lumiose City and Santalune City, there was a place called Odyssey Village that held a Rhyhorn racing competition.

Even outsiders could participate, as long as they knew how to ride a Rhyhorn.

And sure enough, here came the local Officer Jenny, riding her ever-reliable motorcycle.

After telling them this was a special Rhyhorn race track and that ordinary people weren't allowed to walk on it, Officer Jenny warmly invited everyone to come to Odyssey Village to see the race.

Ash agreed, and so this small group—centered around him—happily followed Officer Jenny toward Odyssey Village.

When they arrived, Officer Jenny took the four of them directly to a place where Rhyhorn could be rented.

For just a small amount of Poké coins, you could rent a Rhyhorn to take part in the race.

"Ehh! I really want to ride one too!" Bonnie said with envy. "But… I'm still a kid. When I grow up, I'll definitely be able to, right, big brother?"

She stared longingly at the Rhyhorn.

This little girl was born unafraid of Pokémon of any kind.

Even the sometimes fierce and temperamental Rhyhorn were no exception—she thought they were adorable.

Ash paid the fee, intending to rent a Rhyhorn.

"Serena, do you have any suggestions?" he asked, leading her into the enclosure.

"Me? Well… you can tell if a Rhyhorn is healthy just by its appetite. For example, this one here looks pretty good," Serena said.

She slowly walked to the nearest Rhyhorn, crouched down, and gently rubbed its head with her palm.

The Rhyhorn's eyes crinkled in comfort.

"Roooar~"

"Alright then—since you say so, we'll rent this one."

"Wow, Serena, you really know a lot about Rhyhorn! That's so cool!" Bonnie clapped her hands.

"It's nothing. My mom's actually a professional Rhyhorn racer. We have Rhyhorn at home, so I've been around them since I was little," Serena chuckled.

"In that case," Ash said with a mischievous glint, "since your mom's a Rhyhorn racer, you must know how to ride one, right? Teach me!" Official source is nοvelfire.net

"Pika!" Pikachu's ears perked up—Ash's plan was becoming clear.

Serena, still a little shy, hesitated for a moment. "Ah… alright. I'll try."

"Go, Teacher Serena!" Clemont and Bonnie cheered from outside the fence.

"When approaching a Rhyhorn, never come from behind—you'll scare it. Always approach from the front, like this, so it can see you," Serena explained.

"Then, put your foot here, push up with your leg, and jump into the saddle." She pointed and demonstrated.

"Serena, when you first rode a Rhyhorn, did you fall off?" Ash asked suddenly.

The question made her remember her own clumsy first attempt.

"Yes, it's very easy to fall. Ash, you try. I'll stand by and help you so you won't get hurt."

Serena clearly couldn't bear the thought of him getting injured.

When Ash climbed up, he grabbed Serena's hand. Her cheeks flushed, but she didn't pull away.

From the sidelines, Clemont and Bonnie finally understood what was going on.

Ahhh… so these two already liked each other?

Bonnie gave her brother a disapproving look—she had always wanted to find him a "sister-in-law" to whip him into shape.

Look at Ash—such a great catch.

Clemont could only give a wry smile. His sister was wonderful in many ways… except for her habit of trying to set him up with random girls, as if no one wanted him.

Ash pretended to be clueless about riding, keeping hold of Serena's hand the whole time. Serena, having a strong fondness for him, didn't resist at all.

Two hours later, Ash finally "figured it out."

In truth, he had simply used his Aura to communicate with the Rhyhorn's heart.

Combined with his exceptional physical abilities, it was easy for him to guide the Rhyhorn to a smooth, full-speed run.

Watching Ash race atop the Rhyhorn, Serena returned to stand beside Clemont and Bonnie.

A light sheen of sweat lingered on her forehead from teaching him, her cheeks rosy.

She couldn't help but praise him.

"Ash is amazing—only two hours and he can already race on a Rhyhorn! He's way better than I was."

The look she gave him was even more full of admiration than before.

It was the gaze of someone on the verge of becoming a full-blown "protective girlfriend" type.

"Yes, yes… and is that why you two were holding hands for two whole hours in front of us?" Clemont teased.

After that, Ash entered the Odyssey Village Rhyhorn race.

Once the competition was over, they went to the Pokémon Center. Serena wanted to introduce the group to her mother, Grace, and also tell her she planned to travel with them.

When the video call connected, Grace was delighted that her daughter had made new friends.

Especially when she saw Ash—she immediately remembered the interview she had seen of him at home.

So Serena would be traveling with such an outstanding young man? This was wonderful. She had absolutely no reason to object.

Up ahead, Lumiose City was almost in sight.

But Clemont and Bonnie seemed… to have something on their minds.

--------------

T/N:

Access Advance Chapters on my

P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals