XY060: A Showcase Debut!

A Showcase Debut! (目指せカロスクイン！セレナ、デビューです！) is the 11th episode of Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest.

Synopsis
The day of the Coumarine City Pokémon Showcase arrives and the group reunites with Shauna. As Serena makes a step towards her dream, she learns that first times can be tough.

Episode Plot
On the day of her Showcase, Serena presents her new dress to her friends. They arrive to the dome where the Showcase will take place and meet up with Shauna. Shauna admits she won't lag behind Serena and lets her know they are rivals from this day, which Serena gladly accepts. They go inside and see a large stage, making Shauna and Serena a bit nervous. Jessie, however, has prepared herself for the Showcase as well, naming herself Jessiline, entering the dome with James and Meowth. Serena and Shauna enter the preparation room and see many Performers. Jessiline yells at them they are in her way and passes through. Meanwhile, a woman drops off Palermo, who is not pleased she has to be at the dome. Reporters hound Palermo, who came here as a judge for the Showcases, but she ignores them all.

Among the audience, Jessie's and Serena's friends await the start of the Showcase. Suddenly, Monsieur Pierre appears as the commentator of the Showcases, while Yashio feels there won't be someone like Aria. While Serena prepares herself, Ash notices Pierre's Klefki, who gives its master the Princess Key, an award for winning the Showcase. Suddenly, Shauna, as well as Jessiline and Alouette, are called for the Performance. Shauna leaves, with Serena wishing her luck. Pierre explains one who holds three Princess Keys can advance to Master Class and the winner of the Master Class will gain the title of Kalos Queen. Pierre explains three Performers will show off their Pokémon, with today's theme being styling. Jessie, Shauna and Armelle appear and Pierre tells the winner is the one who styles their Pokémon as best as they can under ten minutes, but only one will go to next round.

Being in the places, the Performers start. As Shauna decorates Bulbasaur, Alouette trims Furfrou and Jessiline paints her Pumpkaboo. Time is up and first Alouette presents her Furfrou with the Pharaoh Trim. Next is Shauna, whose Bulbasaur is decorated with lots of flowers, looking like a bouqet. Jessie comes out with Pumpkaboo, dressed as a monster, as Jessie announces it is like "the Beauty and the Beast". The audience releases the PokéLumes, which release light balls, its color depending on Performer the person liked most. Jessiline is surprised she didn't get any votes, and once counted, Shauna passes to next round. Jessie is angry and leaves.

While some performances go underway, Shauna notices Serena is getting tense, so tells her she'll do fine. Soon, Serena is called, along with Blanche and Clarissa. Bonnie orders Serena to do her best, while Clemont is feeling nervous watching this. Serena sees Fennekin and tells herself and Fennekin to start this dream. The performance starts, as Serena immediately chooses a ribbon and a hat for Fennekin, since they were prepared for this. She is determined to give her best. Time is out and the first ones are Blanche, with her Meowstic, who is decorated with jewelry; Next is Clarrisa, whose Fletchling leaves sparkles. Last is Serena, who shows Fennekin. Serena admits to Fennekin that she's having fun. Suddenly, Fennekin trips over her own ribbon and falls down on the middle of the stage. Serena rushes to Fennekin and holds it tenderly as the crowd silently watches on. She comes in third while Blanche advances to the next round.

Back in the dressing room, Serena acknowledges that she made Fennekin's ribbon too long and didn't take into account that it needed to walk. Shauna still thinks Serena did good presenting Fennekin. Serena thanks her and goes to change her clothes, telling her she'll be rooting for her in the second round. Pierre announces the free performances, where Performers can use up to six Pokémon to show them off. On the balcony, Serena watches the performers, wordlessly lamenting that she is not among them. After some performances, Shauna appears with her Bulbasaur and Flabébé. Flabébé uses Fairy Wind, followed with Bulbasaur's Petal Dance. Bonnie thinks she is like a fairy. Using Solar Beam, Bulbasaur clears off the Fairy Wind, ending her performance. Later, the performances are over and the audience decides the winner: With the most votes, Shauna is the winner and receives her first Princess Key. Palermo leaves, claiming she watched the whole performance.

Outside, everyone congratulates Shauna, who asks them not to tell Tierno or Trevor as she wants to tell them herself so she can see their shocked faces. Serena is determined to go after more Showcases. Shauna leaves, bidding farewell to all of them. As they go to the Pokémon Center, Clemont suspects Serena blames herself for this failure and expresses concern about whether or not she will be okay. Ash expresses his belief that she in fact will, and adds that Serena is strong. Jessie, however, thinks these people have no taste. Meowth volunteers to join up with Jessie. With that, Team Rocket aims to conquer Kalos and make Jessie the Queen. At the Center, Ash is reminded he needs to pursue the fifth badge. Clemont remembers his promise and they decide to go to Lumiose City and have the Gym Battle. During the night, Palermo is displeased there was nobody up to her standards.

Early in the morning, Serena and her Pokémon are at the docks. Serena relives Fennekin's fall over again and remembers how it was because the ribbon was too long. Unable to contain her grief and frustration any longer after bottling them up for an entire day, she breaks down in tears and begins to cry. Desperate to cheer her up, Fennekin and Pancham jump onto her arms. Serena stops crying and apologizes to her Pokémon, telling them their loss was her fault. She tells them she never felt like this before: now she knows what it's like to be a contender and to stand at the starting line of her dream. She opens her bag, takes out her fashion case and pulls out a pair of scissors before walking to the edge of the dock. Putting the scissors to her hair, she closes her eyes and recalls all the events that led up to this moment and point in time. As the sun rises on a new day, strands of Serena's hair are shown falling away as the person she used to be is laid to rest... and the person she is now and will be from this point onward is born. During all this, she is seen by Palermo as her car pulls away. Her assistant asks her if she found anything. Palermo smiles, lowers her glasses and cryptically replies that it's a secret.

Later in the morning, Ash, Clemont and Bonnie notice Serena's absence and wonder where she is as they pack their bags and get ready to leave. Ash offers to go look for her. Just as he turns around to start looking, Serena appears with her hair cut and her red-and-black ensemble replaced with a pink dress with a red waistcoat. The gang's reactions are mixed: Clemont wonders what happened; Bonnie is upset, yelling that she loved her long hair. Serena explains that she wanted a change of pace and says that short hair is good too. Ash is the only one who has a positive reaction, letting Serena know that he is fine with her new look, to which she thanks him. He notices a ribbon around her neck; Serena noticeably blushes and explains that it's the ribbon he gave her as a present. Fully rebounded from her loss, Serena is the first one out of the Pokémon Center, playfully telling the others she'll leave them behind if they're not fast enough. Now a contender, she leaves Coumarine City a changed person, now understanding what it is like to lose for the first time.

Character

 * Palermo
 * Alouette
 * Blanche
 * Clarissa

Pokémon

 * Shauna's Flabébé
 * Furfrou (Pharaoh trim)

Trivia

 * "Pokémon Quiz": Klefki (JP)
 * "Who's that Pokémon?" Klefki US)
 * Serena's wardrobe change is a reference to the player customization feature in the Pokémon: X and Y games.
 * Serena is the third companion to lament losing her first endeavor at her goal: Before her, May and Dawn both went through the same experience when they both lost a Pokémon Contest, being the first and second companions to do so.
 * Companions aside, Serena is the fourth main character to experience something like this after May and Dawn who are the second and third; Ash himself was the very first main character to experience this after losing to Ritchie all the way back during the Indigo League in Friend and Foe Alike.