1. Ash's Story (Part 7: Kalos)

Chapter 78: Fleurrh Key

Fleurrh City looked ready to crown someone before we even reached the Performance Hall. Banners hung from streetlamps, flower stands lined the sidewalks, and posters of the upcoming Showcase filled the windows of cafés. Serena walked beside me with Sylveon at her side, and I could tell she was trying not to think too much about the fact that she needed this win to enter the Master Class.

The city itself felt different from Couriway. Couriway had been full of movement, waterfalls, trains, and mist, but Fleurrh felt arranged around performance. Shopkeepers set decorative ribbons around their doors, children practiced little bows beside fountains, and every conversation seemed to mention the Showcase. Even travelers who had only arrived that morning were asking where the Performance Hall was.

Serena held her three-key case with only two Princess Keys inside. She did not open it, but her thumb brushed the lid more than once. Sylveon noticed too and wrapped a feeler around her wrist, gentle enough to comfort without interrupting her steps.

Pikachu looked from Serena to me. His steady concern reached me clearly. "She is carrying the empty space harder than the keys."

"I know," I whispered, keeping my voice low.

A crowd gathered ahead of us near a hotel entrance, cheering for a girl with long hair, expensive clothes, and a calm expression that barely changed when people called her name.

"Amelia, you will win your third Princess Key!" one fan shouted.

"Cannot wait to see you in Master Class!" another called.

"Oh wow, somebody here will become Kalos Queen!" a younger girl said.

Clemont adjusted his glasses. "So I guess that means she is going to enter the Pokémon Showcase as well."

"She sure looks popular," Bonnie said.

Amelia walked past the crowd as if praise was part of the pavement beneath her feet. Her shiny Dragonair glided beside her like a living ribbon, while Espeon followed with elegant steps. She did not look at Serena, but the space she left behind somehow felt heavier.

Serena held Sylveon's feeler gently. "She must be strong."

"You are strong too," I said.

Serena smiled, though it was not completely relaxed. "I know. But this is my last chance before Master Class."

Elline looked toward the cheering crowd. "Popularity can make someone look unbeatable before the battle even starts."

David nodded. "That is why it is dangerous. People may vote for what they expect instead of what they see."

Squishy peeked out of Bonnie's pouch. Its flat stare reached me clearly. "Humans make walking into a building sound like survival."

"Sometimes it feels that way," I answered softly.

We spent the rest of the day preparing, though no amount of practice could fully remove the pressure. Serena checked Houndoom's timing with Sylveon's Fairy Wind, then asked Manectric to soften the edge of his electricity so the sparks would look bright without frightening Sylveon. It was not only about power. It was about making three very different Pokémon feel like they belonged in the same performance.

That evening, Serena sat outside the Pokémon Center with Sylveon leaning against her. The two Princess Keys glimmered in the case, and the third empty space seemed louder than the waterfalls had ever been. I sat beside her without pushing her to speak.

"I keep thinking about what Palermo said before," Serena finally said. "Scarlett is already qualified. Shauna is qualified too. If I lose here, I cannot stand beside them at Master Class."