The sound of Skiddo calls filled the air as Seth and company approached the Baa de Mer Ranch. Laughter intermingled with panic soon reached their ears, leaving the group to wonder what was transpiring on the ranch. From the nervous expression on Serena’s face, Seth had a sneaking suspicion that she knew the reason for the commotion.

“Sounds to me like they’re giving riding lessons today,” Allie said aloud.

Serena gave her an inquisitive look that seemed to ask how she knew.

“What? Just because I live in a palace, doesn’t mean I don’t know about anything beyond its walls,” Allie spoke up before anything could be said.

“Sorry, I wasn’t aware that you knew anything about this place,” Serena replied, frowning.

“As a matter of fact, I do. When I was little, my father would take me here to take riding lessons with the Skiddo,” Allie said proudly.

“Really?” Serena asked with a raised brow. “Seems like I may have a sliver of respect for you after all.”

Serena said this because, when she was little, her mother taught her how to ride a Skiddo before ever teaching her how to handle a Rhyhorn. Still, just the thought of seeing the princess trying to get a handle on riding a Skiddo was something she couldn’t quite picture. She seemed too prim and proper to be doing something so reckless. Yet there she was, in hiking boots, shorts and a tank top with her hair tied up as if she’d done this all her life. Memory of what Seth had told her about his suspicions about her being a refined battler, crept back into her mind.

“Well, it’s not like I was seeking it in the first place, but thank you anyway.”

And there’s the reason I want to hit her…

Serena folded her arms and huffed.
“I wonder if the Skiddo I rode is still there. Perhaps he’s a Gogoat by now,” Allie trailed off.

Before Seth could say a word, the sound of someone yelling reached their ears, drawing their attention to a young man being flung off the back of a Skiddo.

“Dammit, I still can’t get the hang of it!”

“That looked like it hurt,” Tierno said quietly as the others winced in reaction to the misfortune.

“That’s because you chose the most stubborn of the bunch. No offense, but he really doesn’t like you,” a familiar feminine voice said with a slight chuckle.

Every instinct Seth had told him to be on guard in that moment. There was absolutely no mistaking who that voice belonged to. And it seemed as though Seth wasn’t the only one who knew to be wary.

“I know that, but I didn’t think he’d be this difficult Jacqueline.”

Dammit, what’s she doing here!? Seth thought, narrowing his eyes.

Jacqueline looked up and spotted the familiar bunch, a hint of mischief in her eyes upon spotting Seth.

“Looks like your lousy riding drew a crowd Nicholas,” Jacqueline laughed, placing a hand on her hip, a grin spreading onto her face as she swept the group with her eyes, her attention mostly focused on Seth.

The others didn’t matter as much to her as Seth did. The thrill she experienced from their fight was something that she hadn’t experienced in a long time, and it seemed as though fate had brought him to her doorstep. Perhaps she’d get that second round after all. As excited as she was, the presence of the princess was a hitch in her plans to settle the score.

Her disdain for her was no secret as she was standing between her and Charles. She couldn’t, for the life of her, figure out what Charles saw in her. So she was pretty, had nice clothes and had more wealth than anyone could shake a stick at, and that made her burn even more with envy.

“Haha, very funny,” Nicholas muttered as he brushed the dirt off his clothes after standing up.
As he did, his eyes met the princess’s, immediately changing his demeanor on the spot.

“Princess Allie? W-what brings you here?” he asked, composing himself as best he could.

“Yes, your majesty, what does bring you here today?” Jacqueline said in an amused tone.

“Not that it’s any of your concern, but I’m here to see if—”

“WHOA!!”

At the sound of the panicked shout, Jacqueline whipped around, watching as a Gogoat flung someone from its back and walked away with a snort.

“Of course… like father like son,” she muttered, shaking her head as the girl got up and brushed herself off.

“That looked rough,” Trevor said, cringing.

Jacqueline crossed her arms and looked over at the Gogoat with a sigh.

“Yeah, these two are the troublesome ones of the bunch. They always throw people off if they don’t like them or if they feel like being stinkers.”

Seth turned his attention to Allie who was now walking up to the fenced area to get a good look at the troublemaking Gogoat. It looked in her direction and drank in her appearance. After a few moments, it stood up and trekked over to the fence, something Jacqueline had never seen it do. When it paused, Allie reached out a hand and gently rubbed its horns. Gogoat closed its eyes, easing into the familiar touch.

“Well hello old friend, I see you’ve grown,” Allie giggled. “Still as rough on newcomers as always…”

“Familiar with this one huh? I didn’t think there was anyone else out there he liked,” Jacqueline laughed, slowly starting to detest the princess even more.

“We go back a ways. He’s always been stubborn and was as uncooperative as they came. Sometimes I think he’d be better off battling than being used for training prior to Rhyhorn racing,”

Allie stated, patting the head of the horned beast.

“He looks like he’d be pretty tough doesn’t he?” the girl who got thrown off said as she walked over to the group to greet them. “I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a good fight. I’d do it myself but I don’t think my current team could stand up to him.”

Serena and Seth exchanged looks, a nervous expression dawning on Serena’s face as she caught a familiar look in his eyes. She knew him well enough to know when he was getting funny ideas. And with all the talk of battling going on, she knew it was only a matter of time before one of two things happened, and both would involve everyone standing at least a few yards away from the area. If it wasn’t a fight between Seth and Jacqueline, it would be him and that Gogoat, and both would end up messy.

“That actually sounds entertaining. And from the looks of things, I’m not the only one who thinks so,” Jacqueline said, looking pointedly at Seth with a grin.

Seth gave her a look that seemed to suggest that he was keeping a close eye on her. Allie had no idea who this woman was, but his hands most certainly did. He remembered the sting of her fists from days prior. She was not one to relax around. Jacqueline just smirked in response to his unspoken statement, showing she understood the look he’d given and that she didn’t care.

“Let’s not be too hasty here. We wouldn’t want to cause any unnecessary damage to the property… right?” Serena voiced, hesitation evident in her tone. “After all, the place is for riding instruction. If we wanted to battle we should all… go to the Battle Chateau.”

“As much as I agree with you, I will have to say that the concept of watching someone face him is a lot more appealing at the moment than taking a lesson, even if it is a little nostalgic,” Allie inputted, earning a surprised look from the group.

“Are you saying that you’re going to do it, princess?” Jacqueline inquired, hoping to Arceus she would so she could get a few laughs.

“Of course not. Though I haven’t put Furfrou through her paces, I don’t think she’d appreciate getting so dirty in there,” Allie commented, gesturing to how muddy it was. “She’d be fine, but I’m not in the mood to groom her at the moment. Which is why Seth is going to do it…”

Seth’s eyes locked onto Allie’s in surprise.

“Don’t even try to tell me you weren’t thinking about it. As the pupil of the Chevalier, you shouldn’t hide from a challenge. She’d find it disgraceful would she not?” Allie added, placing a hand on her hip with a sly grin. “Besides, impressing me is part of the competition is it not?”

“Since when did you care whether I impressed you or not?” Seth mumbled to himself as he walked towards the gate.

The Chevalier? As in the one from the Battle Chateau? Jacqueline thought, her eyes widening slightly in realization.

There was only one woman who carried that title, and she was arguably the most revered and feared trainer in all of Kalos next to Diantha herself. If she heard correctly, then Jacqueline had just stumbled upon some incredibly useful yet worrisome information at the same time. If he was indeed her pupil, that meant that there was a chance that she could get involved. If that happened, they were absolutely screwed.

I’ll have to inform Charles of this. Now I really want to fight him. This is too good!

“Using my teacher as leverage to get me to do something huh? Is this going to be a regular thing with you?” Seth quipped as he looked into the eyes of Jacqueline, his eyes shifting to the gate and back to her.

An amused grin plastered itself onto her face as she pulled the latch to unlock the gate. It was almost too providential that he was in front of her in that moment. And while she would love nothing more than to trade blows with him again, there were a few individuals who knew nothing of her involvement with Team Flare, and she most certainly didn’t want the owners of the ranch, her grandparents, finding out. So instead, she kept the desire buried for the time being and let him in, but not before sliding beside him and leaning in close so that only he could hear her.

“Nice to see you again Seth,” she said softly, a hint of mischief lingering in her voice as she spoke.

“Likewise, Jacqueline…” Seth replied as he slipped by her to face the Gogoat that was now turning in his direction.

Gogoat sized Seth up as he would any rider who dared to think they could handle him. Aside from Allie, there were very few he tolerated, and the fact that she was traveling with Seth, meant that there might be worthwhile to engage this man in battle.

His eyes went to the obvious Honedge sash around Seth’s waist, a clear indication that something was definitely amiss, further piquing his curiosity. The horned beast snorted and stomped the ground with his front hoof.

Serena didn’t even bother to talk Seth out of what he was doing. She knew better at this point. She simply stood on the safe side of the fence and observed, wondering if Seth would battle it with a teammate or if he would use his bare hands because neither of them were farfetched when it came to Seth.

“So… looks like an old friend of yours wants to see you in action. Not that I blame her or anything because I’m kind of curious myself,” Seth mused, cycling through his team in his mind to determine the best possible pick.

Showing he understood, Gogoat dug into the dirt patch he stood on and allowed his horns to glow to signify his acceptance of the challenge. Satisfied with Gogoat’s response, Seth reached down and took hold of Litleo’s ball and primed it.

“Okay Gogoat, let’s see how tough you are. Litleo, engarde!”

Bursting forth from her capsule, the little cub landed in a crouched position and roared as fiercely as a little lion cub could. It had been a while since she’d seen any action, so to be out of her ball for a while made her more than happy. Her eyes trailed up to meet the intimidating stare that Gogoat was giving her, and considering that he was several times her size, it was a little hard for the cub not to shake a little.

However, one good scratch to the ears from Seth was all the reassurance she needed that she would be fine.

“You’ll be okay girl,” Seth promised her, itching beneath her chin, eliciting a purr in response before standing back up and facing Gogoat. “Now why don’t we show him what we can do!”

Gogoat’s horns lit up and without warning, he charged, fast. Litleo barely had time to jump out of the way before Gogoat plowed into her. Righting herself, she let loose a roar that pulsed through the air and made Gogoat wince.

Not missing a beat, Litleo spat fire into Gogoat’s left flank. When the smoke cleared, Gogoat was still standing, only slightly singed by the flames that licked his body. Planting his feet, Gogoat lifted up his front hooves and slammed them down on the ground, the tremors created causing the ground to heave.

Litleo had little time to react as the shockwaves created blasted her right over the fence and into Seth’s arms, dizzy from the blow she’d received.
Dazed, Litleo shook her head and looked up into the eyes of her trainer, half expecting to see disappointment due to her performance.

Instead, she found a smile and received a few scratches under her chin for her efforts, eliciting a purr of approval.

“You did well out there. We’ll get him next time,” Seth said reassuringly.

“Aren’t you going to use Vespisol, or Pawniard?” Trevor questioned.

“This was only meant to be a friendly bout. I don’t need to test him any further, I can see he’s strong enough to take on my best,” Seth replied. “Besides,” he paused, looking down at Litleo who was staring fiercely at Gogoat with determined eyes, “I think Litleo wants to have another go at him later, so I don’t want to wear him out too much.”

Litleo gave an affirmative roar in reply before she was returned. Of course, there were plenty of other reasons not to use Vespisol. And one of them was standing five feet away from him wearing an amused grin on her face.

“What’s all the ruckus?”

The group turned to see a short elderly man wearing overalls, a flannel shirt and work boots. He had a thick mustache and wore thin rimmed glasses and a straw hat. Beside him was an older woman in similar attire with her hair pulled back into a tight braid.

“Nothin’ to worry about gramps. These folks were just having a little match against Gogoat here,” Jacqueline said as she gestured to Seth and company.

The old man shifted his gaze toward the group, only for his eyes to land on the princess, a hint of surprise in his expression upon seeing her.

“Allie? That you?” inquired the old man as he got a closer look at the young royal.

“It most certainly is. It’s been a long time hasn’t it?”

“You’ve grown since we last saw you! What’s it been… five years now? I know you were away for your studies. I hear you’re throwing a competition for your hand in marriage,” the woman added, her eyes sifting through the group to the three young man amongst them. “I assume one of these three boys are part of it? Tell me, is it the tall smiley one, the ginger or perhaps the silent stoic one beside you?”

Shauna and Serena stifled a laugh while the two aforementioned ones either cleared their throats or rubbed the back of their heads in embarrassment.

“That would be Seth,” Allie supplied, doing her best to not laugh at the way he had been described as she gestured towards him.

Silent and stoic huh? accurate I suppose, thought Seth with a roll of his eyes.

The elderly couple looked Seth over, taking note of his posture as well as the concentration that seemed to never leave his eyes. Looking over at Jacqueline, he asked, “is he the one who started a match with Gogoat over here?”

“Good guess gramps. I wonder what gave it away, his stern face or the fact that he looks like he’s always ready to fight?”

“A little bit of both actually. Not many folks around here come lookin’ for anything other than learning the fundamentals for Rhyhorn racing. To tell you the truth, I’ve been hoping someone with some backbone would come along and try to tame this one,” the ranch owner laughed. “Of course, he rarely listens to anyone except Jacqueline and me of course. But now that Allie’s here, I think he remembers you so that makes three.”

“Well, this one and I have a bit of a history together. It’s only natural that he would listen to me. I am after all, the first to ride him without difficulty,” Allie bragged.

“Careful princess, your pride is showing,” Serena and Jacqueline managed to say in unison, both exchanging a quick smile of amusement.

Allie shrugged off the comment, taking it for jealousy. It was then that the ranch owner’s wife glanced over her shoulder to spy Serena standing by Shauna.

“Oh for the love of Arceus, Serena, how are you?!” she asked excitedly.

“Hi Mrs. Arner,” Serena greeted with a bright smile.

“Your mother came by just the other day to teach a few classes. It was so good to see her. When she told me her little girl would be off adventuring, I could hardly believe it. Grace’s little girl has become such a fine young lady.”

Allie and Jacqueline both blinked.

“Wait… Grace? as in the Rhyhorn Racing Champion Grace? she’s your mother!?” Allie asked, looking Serena over as if for the first time since she met her.

Now that she got a better look at her, the resemblance was uncanny. Her face looked almost exactly like Grace’s. The high cheek bones, the cute nose and the deep blue eyes. This was definitely the child of the famous Rhyhorn Racing Champion, Grace Yvonne.

“It seems Seth’s not the only one who’s good at keeping secrets,” Allie said while crossing her arms and giving Seth and Serena both a look. “You must know a lot about Rhyhorn Racing being the daughter of someone so famous.”

“Well I—”

“Don’t try to be modest Serena. We’ve all seen you race,” Shauna butted in.

“I mean—”

“She’s won the junior division a few times and has several trophies in her room,” Tierno added.

“You guys!” Serena whined, her face turning crimson.

"Like mother, like daughter," Allie chimed in.

A smile tugged at the corners of Seth's mouth as Serena set to scolding Shauna who was already in a fit of laughter with the rest of the group. As they all continued talking, Mr. Arner stepped up beside Seth and engaged him in conversation.

"So, Seth was it? seems to me like you're quite serious about Pokémon battling if you're taking on that scrappy Gogoat," he said casually.

"I can't argue with you there. Whenever I get the chance to face a tough opponent, I don't hesitate," Seth replied, watching as everyone conversed amongst themselves.

"You and Gogoat have a lot in common then! He doesn't seem to like riding much, but battling is a completely different story," Mr. Arner laughed.

"Is that a fact?" Seth responded, his eyes darting to the beast as he locked horns with his son.

Following his eyes, the old ranch owner grinned, watching the look of concentration on the youths face, and cleared his throat.

"You know, the Mrs and I have been meaning to find a decent home for him. Someone who could help him grow, if you catch my drift..."

"I'm listening," Seth replied, his lips curving into a smirk.

"Tell you what? how's about you and your friends join us for lunch? We can talk about it more then," Mr. Arner offered.

"You've got yourself a deal..."