"Mudsdale, e on!"

  Ivan shouted excitedly as he watched the Pokémon thundering dowrack, his voice blending with the cheers and roars of the crowd. The energy iadium was electrid Naoki couldn't help but join in, his own voice rising with the people around him: "e on!"

  Orack, the petition was fieraoki's favored Rapidash was currently in the lead, followed closely by the Garian Rapidash arika. Mudsdale was trailing slightly behind, and Hippowdon had fallen to the rear.

  The event entator's voice crackled over the speakers, filled with excitement: "Rapidash is leading with a Charged Fme Attack! Hot on its heels is the Garian Rapidash using Agility!"

  Suddenly, Zebstrika, in third pce, let out a powerful roar. A surge of lightnied from its body, streaking toward the tidash ahead.

  The trainer of Naoki's Rapidash yanked hard on the reins, causing the Pokémon to veer off course just in time to dodge the lightning. But the Garian Rapidash wasn't so fortu was hit by the attack, its speed faltering as Zebstrika overtook it.

  "The first to strike always draws the most attention," Naoki muttered as the Garian Rapidash, regaining its bance, retaliated with a Psychic-type attack, f a Bde of Heart that sshed toward Zebstrika.

  Meanwhile, the leading Rapidash unleashed a vortex of fmes in an attempt to slow its electric rival.

  But Zebstrika was not easily deterred. A brilliant burst of electricity enveloped its body, triggering its Ability, Motor Drive, which sent its speed skyrocketing as it tore through the fiery obstacle.

  "Unbelievable!" the entator excimed. "Zebstrika used Charge, activating its Motor Drive Ability, and has now overtaken Rapidash!"

  "Darn it!" growled the Rapidash's trainer. Just as he prepared to unother attack, the grouh them began to tremble violently.

  The earth cracked open, arika stumbled, sending both it and Rapidash tumbling to the ground. Their trainers were thrown from their saddles, rolling across the track.

  "It's ahquake from Mudsdale!" the entator shouted. "Both Rapidash arika are down! But wait—Garian Rapidash is floating! It's usiate to glide over the track! it reach the finish line first?"

  The finish line was within reach, and Garian Rapidash was almost there when, out of nowhere, jagged rocks burst from the ground, blog its path.

  The Garian Rapidash's trainer yanked on the reins, but it was too te. The Pokémon crashed into the rocks, sending the female trainer flying onto the grass. Thankfully, her protective gear cushiohe fall, and she quickly scrambled to her feet, eyes locked on Mudsdale, which had taken the lead.

  "Garian Rapidash used Psybeam! It hit the target successfully! Oh my gosh, Heavy Mudsdale is in a state of fusion and has run off the track!" the entator shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

  But then, everyo the event witnessed an unbelievable sight.

  The four leading Pokémon were locked in fierbat, exhausting themselves in the process.

  Before they could recover a bato the race, a hefty Hippowdon casually trotted past them, heading straight for the finish line.

  "Oh my goodness! What just happehe Hippowdon we all overlooked is the first to cross the finish line?!" the entator excimed in disbelief.

  The crowd collectively gasped.

  Then, a jubint sh out: "I'm rich! I bet on Hippowdon!"

  "What the heck?!" Ivan ched his fists in frustratiohing with anger. "I lost everything!"

  Naoki felt a simir wave of disbelief wash over him.

  Seriously?! That Hippowdon won the race?!

  But it was true.

  Mayor Thomas stepped forward, awarding the championship trophy to the victorious Hippowdon and snapping photos of the ued winner.

  The other four petitors, covered in dust, removed their helmets, exged gnces of defeat, and shrugged in resignation.

  By the time everything was ed up, it was already three iernoon.

  Naoki and Ivan leaned against the racecuardrail, their Pokémon beside them, watg the dispersing crowd.

  Ivan looked devastated as he opened his wallet and ted his remaining money. "My 10,000 Poke Dolrs! All gone, just like that. Damn it!"

  Naoki: "…"

  He looked up at the setting sun and remarked philosophically, "Failure is just a part of life. It's something we all have to face."

  Ivan, however, wasn't forted in the least. Thinking about Naoki's own loss, he asked, "Aren't you upset about losing 10,000?"

  Naoki shrugged nontly, "Not really. My Naclstack earn that back by produg just one good pile of rock salt."

  "Damn it!" Ivan groaned, hitting his head against the guardrail in frustration.

  Then, realizing Naoki's talent as a rancher, he quickly turo him, saying, "Aren't you pnning to raise a horse Pokémon?"

  "I want to, but you know there are no horse Pokémon in our town," Naoki replied, spreading his hands helplessly.

  But deep down, Naoki's ambitions had shifted. He no longer wanted an ordinary horse Pokémon. He wahe legendary steeds of the Calyrex, Spectrier, and Gstrier!

  He g the vast racecourse, determination in his eyes. One day, he vowed, he would ride those legendary horses and recim his lost 10,000 Poke Dolrs with i!

  "It's over," Ivaed. "I was ting on you to breed a powerful horse Pokémon and help me win back my money, just like you did with those three Gogoat."

  Naoki sighed, "The success with the Gogoat was a oime thing."

  "I believe in you!" Ivan said, patting Naoki's shoulder. "If you did it once, you do it again! Don't worry, Naoki. When I deliver the mail, I'll keep a for horse Pokémon locations for you!"

  However, the reality was that in the Paldea region, there were no Rapidash or Zebstrika, only the sturdy Mudsdale. The Rapidash in today's race had all been brought in by trainers from ions.

  After p for a moment, Naoki said, "Holy, rather than horse Pokémon, I could use help finding a butler-type Pokémon."

  "Butler Pokémon?" Ivan sidered the possibilities. "You mean Pokémon like Mime, and Gothitelle, whood at household tasks?"

  Naoki nodded, "Yes, the ranch is getting too crowded, and I 't manage everything on my own."

  Hearing this, Ivan puffed out his chest and assured him, "No problem! Leave it to me! I'll help you find one!"

  "Thank you very much!" Naoki said, genuinely grateful.

  Ivan stretched, g the evening sky, and said, "It's gettiime to head home! See you ter, Naoki!"

  "Yeah, see you," Naoki replied, watg Ivan and his pokemon Milcery disappear into the distaheted Koraidon beside him and smiled, "Let's head home too!"

  Koraidon responded with a cheerful, "Ah, gah~"

  As the sky darkened, it was time to return home.