That night, Lucas was watching Shauna on the screen, listening to her incessant chatter.
Finally, urged by Mrs. Fujino, she reluctantly bid Lucas farewell.
"Uncle, I'm going to bed now. You should also go to bed early."
"Alright, Shauna, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Uncle."
After Shauna left, Mrs. Fujino looked at Lucas on the screen with an apologetic expression.
Then she explained Shauna's situation over the past few days.
She and Mr. Fujino could tell that Shauna was not happy there.
Because they didn't visit often, and the couple themselves didn't like to return much due to some past events, let alone a young child like Shauna.
Moreover, there were too many rules and restrictions there.
She had wanted to take Shauna away for a long time.
But she couldn't leave, and she also didn't feel comfortable letting Shauna leave alone.
Mrs. Fujino was filled with worry.
Lucas thought for a moment.
He spoke, "Madam, is your place far from here?"
Mrs. Fujino paused.
Then she replied, "Not too far."
Lucas nodded.
"Then why don't you send me your location, and I'll come pick Shauna up?"
"Can you really do that?" Mrs. Fujino asked in surprise.
Lucas nodded.
After all, adult matters should be handled by adults.
Children shouldn't be involved.
Mrs. Fujino continued, "This is really troubling you, Shopkeeper."
"Actually, we didn't want to bring Shauna back in the first place. After all, adult matters should be resolved by us adults, but..."
Mrs. Fujino sighed.
"It's alright, Madam. It's not very far. I'll go there tomorrow morning."
Lucas glanced at the location Mrs. Fujino sent and continued, "Don't tell Shauna about this yet. I'm planning to give her a surprise."
Mrs. Fujino nodded.
After hanging up the phone, Lucas informed Gengar and the others.
He would go pick up Shauna tomorrow.
They all agreed.
They all missed Shauna very much.
The night passed uneventfully.
Early in the morning, after Lucas woke up, washed, and had breakfast downstairs.
He set off with Gengar.
This time, he only planned to bring Gengar.
After all, the Breeding House couldn't stop operating again.
So he left Lilligant and Roselia behind.
Gothorita and Mime Jr. also stayed.
The four of them were already very skilled at greeting guests.
If they encountered anything they didn't understand, they could call him, and he would communicate with the guests.
As for Dash and the others, they remained at the Breeding House to protect it.
Vespiquen would assist them.
Marill was training with Quagsire.
As for Vulpix...
He looked at Vulpix, who had jumped directly into his arms.
Lucas rubbed its small head.
He would take it along too.
At this moment, Luxray stepped out of the kitchen, emerging from the doorway behind the counter.
It indicated that it could also go.
Feeling that Luxray wanted to protect him.
Lucas smiled and agreed.
"Alright everyone, the Breeding House is in your hands."
"I will bring Shauna back."
"Laji~"
"Mime Jr.~"
"Goth~"
"Nihe." × 3
Meanwhile, Shauna.
As soon as she finished lunch, she ran over and sat on the grass, surrounded by several Pokémon.
She was still watching Ponyta.
At this moment, several Rapidash appeared with Ponyta.
They spotted the Ponyta with blue flames.
One Rapidash led the way and approached.
Ponyta looked at the Rapidash.
Its body began to tremble slightly.
Rapidash came to Ponyta's side.
It looked down at it, seemingly asking why it hadn't left this prairie yet.
Ponyta trembled, unable to speak.
Behind Rapidash, several Ponyta rushed forward and directly rammed this Ponyta.
Ponyta was sent flying, cried out in pain, and stood up.
It was knocked flying again.
Rapidash merely watched from the side.
The surrounding Pokémon also gathered around, watching silently.
Seeing this, Shauna quickly ran over.
"What are you doing?!"
Her tender voice carried a hint of tremor.
Shauna spread her arms, tightly shielding Ponyta behind her.
Rapidash came to Shauna's side, looking down at her.
It urged her to leave quickly.
Shauna shook her head.
"Aren't you all together? You're both Ponyta, why are you treating it like this?"
Shauna's eyes welled up with tears as she questioned this Rapidash.
Rapidash snorted softly.
Then it left.
"Don't be afraid, Ponyta, I'll protect you."
Watching Rapidash leave, Shauna turned and hugged Ponyta.
Seeing this, one Ponyta, enveloped in flames, charged forward.
Chingling, seeing this, ran in front of Shauna.
"Lingling~"
Just as the scorching flames were about to hit Chingling and Shauna.
It was knocked flying by an Electric Ball that emerged from the side.
Luxray revealed itself from Wild Charge.
Ignoring the knocked-flying Ponyta.
Instead, it stood in front of Shauna, quietly watching the Rapidash before it.
Bullying the weak?
Luxray's sharp gaze fixed on the Rapidash, then it scoffed.
Yellow currents crackled around its body.
I'll give you a try.
Rapidash looked at the Luxray before it.
Its hooves began to paw the ground softly.
Finally, the force grew stronger and stronger.
Just as tensions were high.
"Gengar."
A voice came.
Gengar appeared between them.
It pressed its hands down.
Rapidash and the others suddenly felt their bodies grow much heavier.
Some Ponyta had already knelt down.
Shauna looked at the Luxray and Gengar before her.
The familiar figure of the purple fatty.
She turned her head.
"Uncle!"
She ran to Lucas's side and threw herself into his arms.
Tears instantly soaked Lucas's clothes.
Lucas's eyes turned cold.
He stared intensely at the group of Rapidash and Ponyta.
He picked up Shauna.
Gently patting her back.
"It's alright, Uncle is here."
Then his tone shifted.
"Gengar, Luxray."
He merely called Gengar and Luxray's names softly.
Gengar conjured a Shadow Ball in its hand.
Luxray's entire body was enveloped in yellow electricity.
The Rapidash leader looked at Lucas, finally feeling the oppressive aura emanating from Gengar.
It barely dodged Gengar's Shadow Sneak, but took a Wild Charge from Luxray.
It cried out in pain.
It stood up.
It questioned Lucas, arguing that Shauna had intervened first.
Lucas ignored it and looked at the Ponyta covered in three scars.
Blue flames.
A Shinny Ponyta.
He had heard that Shinny Pokémon were almost always disliked and bullied within Pokémon communities.
It seemed to be true today.
Lucas understood what had happened with just one glance.
However, he did not answer Rapidash's words.
Instead, he spoke to himself, "If you don't accept it, just drive it away. Why resort to violence against it?"
Under Gengar's pressure, the Rapidash leader fell silent.
"Can't even accommodate a junior, hmph."
Lucas chuckled.
The Rapidash leader heard Lucas's voice, laced with disdain.
It wanted to get angry, but it couldn't.
Gengar and Luxray were watching from the side.
But to make it submit...
That was also impossible.
"It's alright, I'll beat you until you submit!"
Hearing Lucas's words.
Gengar and Luxray moved again.
Thump-thump.
A sound came, interrupting the atmosphere.
Lucas turned to look.
The Shinny Ponyta came to his side.
It looked at Shauna in his arms.
Shauna got down from Lucas's arms and hugged Ponyta.
"It's alright, Ponyta, Uncle and Gengar are here. They will protect us."
Ponyta nodded, looking at Lucas for a while.
Only then did it turn to look at the Rapidash.
It slowly walked up.
Coming to Rapidash's side.
Rapidash looked down at it.
Its eyes filled with hostility.
Ponyta suddenly felt that it didn't mind anymore.
It tapped the ground with its hoof.
I challenge you.
Let's decide the winner with speed.
Rapidash paused.
It chuckled, seemingly disdainful.
However, due to the pressure from Gengar and Luxray.
It also tapped the ground with its hoof.
I accept your challenge.
After planning the route.
The Shinny Ponyta and the Rapidash leader stood on the same starting line. One Rapidash suddenly reared up, then brought its hooves down heavily.
The Shinny Ponyta and the Rapidash leader charged out together.
The Rapidash leader was very fast.
Ponyta was quickly left behind.
The Rapidash and Ponyta on the side seemed to be mocking this Ponyta.
"Uncle, will Ponyta win?"
Lucas looked at the Rapidash, which had already completed one lap, while Ponyta had just finished half a lap.
He nodded.
"Yes, we have to believe in it."
Shauna stood beside Lucas, nodding heavily.
"Ponyta, go!"
She cupped her small hands like a megaphone to her mouth.
Her tender voice, carried by the wind, reached the struggling Ponyta's ears.
Memories of Shauna's companionship during this time involuntarily resurfaced in its mind.
It seemed the first time they met, she was also wearing this skirt.
That day, there seemed to be a wind, very gentle.
It gently blew her skirt.
That was also the reason it let her touch it on their first day.
She wouldn't dislike it.
Yes, that wind was truly gentle.
Ponyta's steps slowly quickened.
At this moment, a gust of wind blew.
It stirred Shauna's skirt.
And fell into Ponyta's eyes.
Shauna's cheering voice echoed in its ears.
It silently said in its heart.
Mom, I've met that wind.
Afterward, in Lucas and Shauna's eyes.
Its body was enveloped in light.
Its four limbs grew stronger and more slender, and its body became more robust.
Flames erupted from its four legs, and a long horn grew on its head.
The light dissipated.
Ponyta evolved into Rapidash.
The flames on its body became even more scorching.
Facing the wind.
Gray-purple flames.
Burned fiercely.
In everyone's gaze.
The prairie's steed will gallop across the prairie!
The Shinny Rapidash was the first to cross the finish line.
....
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