All five performers had finished their routines.
Now, only the final audience voting remained.
"Ladies and gentlemen, after enjoying the dazzling performances of these lovely young ladies, the time has come! The winner will be decided by you!"
Pierre announced, and the audience activated their voting devices. With a click, the devices lit up in the color representing their chosen Performer.
As the votes poured in, they turned into sparkling stars that floated toward the five Performers on stage.
Each performer wore a special accessory that absorbed those stars. Serena's tally skyrocketed—an explosive lead!
"This time, in the Rookie Class Pokémon Showcase held here in Dendemille Town, our winner is… Performer Serena!"
Pierre presented Serena with the coveted Princess Key.
Serena's face lit up with sheer joy, and Pancham and Braixen cheered alongside her.
"Braixen, Pancham—we did it! I got a Princess Key!"
"Panchaam!"
"Braix!"
Ash and his friends were equally thrilled for her.
Meanwhile, others had also been watching Serena's victory: her mother Grace, Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City, Aria the reigning Kalos Queen, their Summer Camp friends Tierno, Shauna, and Trevor… all of them were proud of Serena's shining moment.
With the Showcase concluded, the group set off once again on their journey.
"I think… instead of heading to our lodgings tonight, why don't we try the international grand hotel headquarters just beyond that forest? We could have dinner there!" Serena suggested after checking her map.
According to her, the hotel was nestled deep in the forest, chosen for its fresh air and beautiful natural scenery.
Everyone agreed immediately.
Soon, they arrived at the hotel—
But something felt off.
Ash's memory stirred. Right—this was the place where the hotel's owner, Weston, was forced into a public battle against a thug named Mantle. Mantle threatened him by harassing the guests, cornering him into a fight.
Weston's partner was a timid Rotom, but Mantle had a ruthless Krookodile. Terrified, Rotom fled, leaving Weston powerless. And because the battle had been "publicly agreed upon," even Officer Jenny couldn't intervene.
Pokémon World politics… sometimes it's messed up.
Pushing open the grand doors, Ash and the others found the lobby in ruins, the hall a mess.
Behind the counter stood Weston himself, acting as the hotel's front desk clerk.
Ash didn't hesitate. While Clemont, Serena, and Bonnie looked on in confusion, he strode straight into the battle hall.
There, Mantle's Krookodile was demolishing a middle-aged man's Pangoro. A Hyper Beam sent it crashing to the ground.
"According to the deal, this Pangoro is mine now!" Mantle sneered, arrogantly recalling it.
The man was devastated. His strength had been no match.
"So that's why Ash rushed here so quickly," Clemont muttered, pushing up his glasses.
"How awful! He's just stealing Pokémon from people! What a meanie—no, a super meanie!" Bonnie fumed.
Serena, too, looked to Ash, unwilling to let such cruelty stand.
Ash, however, already had a plan.
The hotel was massive and luxurious, yet clearly troubled. If he stepped in, perhaps he could strike a partnership with the owner. All he had to do was deal with Mantle first.
"Next, you'll be battling me," Ash declared.
"Pika!"
Pikachu leapt down from his shoulder for once, determined to take this fight.
"Alright then—Pikachu, I choose you!"
Mantle smirked. "A kid, eh? With a Pikachu no less—rare in Kalos. Interesting. Krookodile, crush it!"
The surrounding guests murmured nervously.
"Who is this boy? Mantle isn't someone you can just challenge recklessly."
"Exactly—his Krookodile just flattened that Pangoro like nothing. That Pikachu doesn't stand a chance…"
Meanwhile, Weston himself arrived, stunned to see the scene unfolding.
"Krookodile, Stone Edge! Smash that tiny Pikachu out of the arena!" Mantle barked.
Confident in the Ground-type's immunity, he was certain of victory.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail! Smash the first stone—and take out the rest with it!" Ash countered.
"Pika—CHU!"
Pikachu hadn't battled in a while, but its level was no joke.
With a flash of silver, its glowing tail shattered the first massive stone into fragments. The pieces ricocheted like cannon fire, obliterating the rest of the Stone Edge barrage.
The final chunk of stone smashed straight into Krookodile's gut.
"Guh—!" Krookodile doubled over, clutching its stomach, and collapsed in a heap.
"…Pika."
Pikachu sighed, shaking its head. Overwhelming battles like this are just… boring.
A single lazy swipe of its tail, and the fight was over.
Enraged, Mantle refused to honor the outcome. He and his two henchmen lunged forward to attack Ash directly.
But Ash didn't flinch. In one swift motion, he kicked both thugs into the air. Before they even landed, the sickening crack of breaking ribs echoed through the hall.
Mantle locked eyes with Ash—
And froze.
What he saw in Ash's gaze was no ordinary boy. It was the crushing aura of a seasoned fighter, an intensity so raw it pressed against his very being.
Terror seized him. With a panicked cry, he stumbled back, then fled the hotel without looking back.
Ash didn't bother chasing him. Small-time bullies weren't worth the effort.
Instead, he turned to Weston.
When Ash proposed a partnership, Weston was stunned. This was his savior! Without hesitation, the man offered Ash 30% of the hotel's shares on the spot.
Ash tried to refuse, but Weston insisted—it was non-negotiable.
This hotel was the headquarters of a massive international chain, with partnerships across multiple regions.
That meant one thing: from now on, Misty, Brock, Lucy, May, Dawn, Anabel, Cynthia, Sabrina, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie and the others could stay at any of these affiliated hotels for free. The system was automatic—internal records ensured they would always receive the highest level of service, even if Ash wasn't present.
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T/N:
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