"There it is... Cloudsdale. Home of the best airshows and air competitions in all of the Equestrian Region!" said Rainbow as she stood atop a hill.
The girl was soon joined by the rest of the group as they saw what their friend was looking at. The city down below had many hangars and planes flying about. Also, hot air balloons were shown drifting about as many Flying Pokémon were also taking to the skies. The wind blew in their faces as the girls had their hair fluttering in the wind as the many clouds surrounding them rolled about.
A plane was shown flying above them; the teens heard the engine's sound and headed toward the city.
"Cloudsdale, the home of my second Gym battle," declared Sky.
"Cloudsdale. We're home," said Rainbow and Fluttershy, as they didn't expect to be back so quickly.
"Time to see how much my old stomping grounds have changed," said Silverbolt, as he hadn't been back in Cloudsdale since he was little when he moved away.
While the teens were taking in the city, the plane that flew by them was shown. Inside, the pilot was shown wearing a helmet covering his eyes. His mouth was shown as he smiled.
"Finally arrived, huh, kid?" said the pilot as he turned and headed toward a building.
The group entered the city gates as they took in their surroundings. They stopped by the Pokémon Center as the group was discussing some things.
"You're Pokémon are all set."
"Thanks," said Sky as he grabbed his four Pokéballs and put them in his pocket. "Alright, time to head over to the Gym."
"Sorry, can't right now!" said Rarity. "I need to get this dress to the person who ordered it. No doubt they're dying to get their outfit. I'll see you all later!"
"Ooh, wait for me, Rarity!" shouted Pinkie as she zoomed out of the Pokémon Center along with the fashionista.
"But I..." said Sky before he was interrupted again.
"I'm gonna say hi to my parents," said Fluttershy.
"Eh, guess I'll tag along," stated Rainbow.
"Mind if I go with you two?" asked Silverbolt.
"I got no issue, Shy?" asked Rainbow to her childhood friend.
"I don't mind," stated the girl as the trio started to exit the Center.
"Hey, what about my battle?!" shouted Sky as he couldn't believe the others wouldn't watch.
"You'll be fine!" said Rainbow as her voice trailed.
"Can you at least tell us what Pokémon the Gym Leader uses?" asked Applejack.
"The Cloudsdale Gym uses Flying-type. Good luck!" said Bolt as they stepped through the doors and were gone.
"Flying types, huh?" said the farm girl.
Flying types are strong against Grass, Bug, and Fighting types. But they don't do well against Steel, Rock, and Electric Pokémon," explained Twilight.
"Electric, huh? Then that means I'm using Pikachu as my ace for this battle," stated Sky.
"Then that means I'm at a disadvantage. All my Pokémon are weak against Flying types. The only one that stands a chance is my Donphan," replied Aj, who was in a much tougher situation than her friend.
"Well, seeing as everybody else is busy, let's go find the Gym," said Sky as the girls nodded.
After some navigating, the three teens soon arrived at the location of the Gym. Compared to how it looked when they challenged Rockhoof's Gym, the place was a huge plane hangar with an open roof. Some cloud designs were on it, as it even had a runway and a small shed located next to it. The three entered the Gym and approached the front desk, where someone was located.
"Hey there!" said Sky as he got the person's attention.
"Oh, are you, kids, here for the air show?" asked the assistant, who was a woman.
"Air show?" said Twilight.
"I'm actually here for a Gym Battle. I wanted to know if the Gym Leader would accept my request," said Sky.
"Ah, sorry. But the Gym Leader is currently busy at the moment. However, you kids are in time for the show. It's about to begin." said the assistant as the doors opened, and she began to lead the teens.
The trio followed the woman, taken aback by what they saw. They saw the massive hangar that served as the Gym, as there was a battlefield with two columns on the side of the fields, as they had some podiums to stand on. The teens also saw many small kids in the stands as a few on the bottom row stood up and put their hands on the railing.
"The air show must be a popular thing," stated Applejack as they were being led to the stands by the assistant.
"The Gym Leader loves to entertain others. Especially the children," said the assistant as she led the teens to an upper row.
"Fancy meeting you, laddies!" spoke a familiar voice.
"Rockhoof!" said Sky.
The teens stood in the stairway as in the row the woman led them was none other than the Rock-type Gym Leader. The big man smiled as he stroked his beard at seeing the teens.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at your Gym?" said Twilight as she and the others sat down next to the Gym Leader.
"It's alright, kids. I informed my assistant to let any challengers coming for a battle know I'll be away for a bit."
"Then why are you here?" asked Sky to the Gym Leader.
"Well, for one. The air show, speaking of which..."
As if on cue, the lights to the entire building dimmed when Rockhoof said that. Spotlights began to shine as they lit up the hangar's interior. Some chutes were shown opening on the wall above the columns as out came several objects. The objects themselves were Pokémon, soaring up to the open roof.
A plane was shown flying above as everyone was looking up. The Pokemon were shown circling around the vehicle. One of the Pokémon was a flying squirrel as she charged herself up and shot out some electricity. It took the shape of some rings as the plane flew through them. The plane then did a loop-de-loop as it was ascending.
The door to the plane then opened, and out came a figure. The figure didn't have anything but a backpack; he signaled to one of the Pokémon, a large bird resembling a bald eagle. The top part of its body was red, while its underside was deep blue. It had large, magnificent wings and a feathery white and red crest atop its head, encircling its face. It had a sharp yellow beak and round eyes with dark pupils. It had a long red tail striped yellow and blue at the tip and very strong legs, and large, sharp yellow talons with black claws.
The figure jumped out of the plane as he was free-falling. The kids had huge gasps on their faces as they were waiting to see what would happen. The figure put his fingers to his lips and blew a whistle like the Pokémon resembling the bald eagle. The Pokémon then flapped its wings as the wind blew at the person sky diving. The person then reached into his backpack and pulled out a small board. The person was now riding the wind as the Whirlwind from the Pokémon made it seem like he was surfing.
The last Pokémon flying about was a blue bird-like dragon with a long, slender neck. It had two long feathers on its head. Its most distinctive feature was the white cloud-like feathers covering most of its body. The Pokémon soared upward as it was positioned in front of the sun. A shadow was created as the Pokémon opened its mouth and fired an attack. It was powered by the sun's rays as it headed toward the figure surfing the airwaves.
The kids all looked away as Rockhoof, and the teens kept watching. The figure surfing in the air was soon joined by the flying squirrel Pokémon as she glided alongside him. She then zoomed ahead and released some electricity. It collided with the green beam as it spread out to create fireworks going off. The kids saw that and cheered loudly as the figure gave a two-finger salute and then tucked in as it was diving head first toward the ground.
The rest of the Pokémon also dived as they tucked their wings in. The person was zooming toward the earth as gravity was doing its thing. He then pulled a handle on his backpack, which shot out a chute. It then inflated as the person was slowly parachuting back down. The kids cheered even louder as he landed through the roof and in the middle of the field; the three Pokémon landed with the small flying squirrel on the man's shoulder.
The small kids began to clap as Rockhoof, and the teens also applauded. The person took off his helmet and shook his hair as he addressed the crowd.
"Thanks for coming, everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the show. Couldn't have done it without some amazing flying partners!" said the man as he gestured to the Pokémon by his side.
The group took a quick bow as the kids were soaking in all they saw. The man lifted his head when he heard something. He looked up and saw Rockhoof and the three teens approaching him.
"Rockhoof, you old ditch-digger you!" said the man as he slapped his buddy on the back.
"Flash Magnus, as I live and breathe!" exclaimed Rockhoof as he slapped his buddy on the back to return the gesture. However, his was more powerful than Flash Magnus leaned forward and felt a bit of pain from that contact.
"Thanks," groaned Flash Magnus as he returned to his upright stance and saw the teens next to his friend.
"Hey, wait a minute... I know you..." said Sky as his brain started to recall something. "You're the person I bumped into at the Battle Chateau right before my battle. And I also saw your match which you earned the title of Grand Duke."
"Been wondering when I'd see you again," smiled Flash Magnus.
"Wait, you know him, Sky?" said Twilight.
"Well... no... so you're the Gym Leader?" asked the boy.
"Right on, soldier. My name's Flash Magnus; I'm the Gym Leader at Cloudsdale. Air battles are my domain." said the man.
"So you're a Gym Leader and a pilot?" asked Applejack.
"Piloting is more of a hobby. Something to keep me entertained other than being a Gym Leader. Plus, it helps me and my team get in tip-top shape. Not to mention, the kids love it." Flash Magnus waved at the many children watching them.
"So, these are your Pokémon?" asked Twilight as she bent over to examine the creatures near the Gym Leader.
"Let's see," said Applejack as she pulled out her Pokédex.
"Braviary, the Valiant Pokémon. In ancient Alola, Braviary was respected as the "hero of the sky." Several of these Pokémon teamed up to fight back against people who threatened their territory, or so the story goes."
"Emolga, the Sky Squirrel Pokémon. When Emolga stretches out its limbs, the membrane connecting them spreads like a cape, allowing it to glide through the air. The holes that Pikipek drill in trees make handy nests for wild Emolga."
"Altaria, the Humming Pokémon. When Altaria sings through the sky in its beautiful soprano voice, anyone listening falls into a happy daydream. Its soft, cottony wings are perfect for catching updrafts."
"This here is my elite squadron. Together, we rule the skies," declared Flash Magnus.
"Speaking of Sky, what do you mean you've been waiting for me?" asked the boy.
"Well, my good buddy Rockhoof here told me how he faced someone who gave him a fight. He mentioned how he's trying to compete in the Equestrian League. And when he mentioned he was sending him in my direction, I figured I'd see what you offer. I got to see you at the Battle Chateau was pure luck. But it did allow me to see what I needed."
"Then you know why I'm here," stated Sky with a smile.
"Of course, but before that. Rockhoof, care to have a battle? It's been so long since we had one, plus I'm sure the kids here would like to see two Gym Leaders of different styles go at it. Right?" asked Flash Magnus.
"Yeah!" responded the kids as they wanted to see a Pokémon battle between the two Gym Leaders.
"What do you say, pal?" asked Flash Magnus.
"Very well, Flash," smiled Rockhoof.
"Oh, this will be interesting," stated Twilight.
"Here you go! Your order as you requested!" Rarity handed the box to the woman in the doorway.
"Thank you," said the woman as Rarity said goodbye and turned to leave.
"Well, that's done," stated Pinkie, who emerged from a nearby bush and sneaked next to Rarity.
"Indeed. Now, I need to contact Mrs. Harshwhinny and tell her that the package was safely delivered."
"And then what?" asked Pinkie.
Rarity immediately stopped as Pinkie poked her head out. The fashionista stopped in her tracks as the words said by the cotton candy-haired girl made her think.
"I... I don't know. I guess... I go back to Manehattan and... continue my job," said Rarity.
"Aw, but don't you want to keep exploring and adventuring," smiled Pinkie.
"I... I don't know..."
While Rarity may have said she was unsure, a part of her wanted to continue adventuring with Sky and the others. Mainly because she was seeing so many new places that she had never thought possible, given that she'd been a city girl her whole life. She didn't think there was much outside of the tall buildings, but after spending time with others and sleeping under the stars, the girl was starting to second-think about what she wanted to do.
While the pair were thinking about what to do next, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Silverbolt made it to the neighborhood the girls had grown up in. They saw Fluttershy's house as they approached the door.
"Mom, Dad!" called out Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy, sweetie. So glad to see you," said the girl's mother as she was wearing a gardener's hat. She put the watering can on the table and hugged her daughter.
"Hey, Mrs. Shy."
"Rainbow, so good to see you! And who is this?" asked Mrs. Shy to her daughter.
"Mom, you remember Bolt when we were kids?" said Fluttershy.
"Oh my!" said Mrs. Shy as she looked at someone she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Nice to meet you see again, Mrs. Shy," said Bolt.
"It's good to see you again, Bolt. I never thought I'd get to see you, what with you moving away with your family. Speaking of which, how are they?"
"They're doing alright, ma'am. I ran into Fluttershy and Rainbow when I was traveling with some new friends of mine. Since then, we've been traveling together." said Silverbolt.
"I'm glad Fluttershy now has two people to look after her. Well, you kids arrived just in time for lunch. Would you like a bite?" asked Fluttershy's mother.
"Yup," said Rainbow.
"Well, I need to pick some vegetables from the garden. Care to lend a hand?" asked Mrs. Shy.
"We'd be happy to," replied Bolt with a smile.
The trio followed Fluttershy's mother as they headed to the greenhouse behind their house. It was a big place as tons of greenery and plants were shown growing. The teens then called on their Pokémon to lend a hand in picking the vegetables as they all got to work.
Fluttershy and her mom were in the kitchen as they were washing up the veggies they had picked. Rainbow and Silverbolt were at the table as the boy silently sneaked away. He exited the house and walked into the backyard; he approached a tree as Bolt looked at it. He was soon joined by someone as Dash was standing a few meters away.
"What are you too?" asked Rainbow as she crossed her arms.
"Nothing... just... wanted to get some air, is all," said Silverbolt as he a hand on the tree's bark. "I really missed this place."
"Yeah...no matter where you go, Cloudsdale will always be the place to be," stated Rainbow.
"I'm not talking about the town," said Bolt as he earned a confused look from the girl, "Towns and cities can come and go. It's the people that can never be replaced. It's the special ones that are always in your heart.
"Since when did you get all sappy?" snickered Rainbow.
"Cause it's the truth. But by the time when I moved, I wanted to start my journey as a Pokémon trainer. I wanted to see the world. And...because I was inspired by you."
"Huh? Me?" asked Rainbow in a surprised tone.
"When I was a, ahem, weakling. I was always too scared to face the unknown, face the scariest challenge, and want to do something better. But then I saw you. You were a year younger than me, yet you stood up for Fluttershy and me when the bullies faced us. I was amazed by the bravery you put up. That was one of the main reasons I had the courage to go on a journey. Because you inspired me to be brave because you were the bravest girl I've ever known."
Rainbow was surprised but then looked away, hiding the blush from the boy.
"Oh uh...thanks," responded the chromatic-haired girl as she smirked and gave him a playful punch to his shoulder. "Don't get sappy on me now, geek!"
"Heh. Say, before we go. Mind if we take Flutters with us for some burgers and fries? My treat." suggested Bolt.
"Really?"
"Yeah, we can talk about old times and what we've been through," said the boy before having a smirk, "That and I know you can't say no to free food."
"Okay, you got me," chuckled Rainbow.
The battle between Flash Magnus and Rockhoof was about to get underway at the hangar. Sky, Aj, and Twilight were standing at the side as the kids were in the stands, all preparing to watch the friendly battle between the two Gym Leaders. The receptionist appeared as she stood on a podium to the side.
"The battle between Gym Leaders Rockhoof and Flash Magnus will now begin. It'll be a one-on-one battle, and it'll be over when one person's Pokémon cannot continue."
"Hippowdon, stand your ground!" shouted Rockhoof.
"Hippowdon!" shouted the large hippo as he landed with a thud.
"No surprise there. Hippowdon is Rockhoof's ace," said Twilight.
"Altaria, let's show'em who rules the sky!" yelled Flash Magnus.
Altaria appeared as it was flapping in the air. Both Pokémon saw each other as they were all set to combat.
"This is a very interesting matchup. Rockhoof's specialty is on the ground versus Flash Magnus, who dominates in the air. And each of their Pokémon reflects that. It's a battle between the land and the sky." said Twilight.
"Battle begin!" said the woman.
"All yours, Rockhoof!" shouted Flash Magnus as he was willing to let him make the first move.
"Very well. Hippowdon, Sandstorm!"
Hippowdon growled as its back began to blow sand as it was picked up by the wind currents. The kids turned their heads away to avoid getting sand in their eyes. Altaria and Flash Magnus held their position as they weren't too affected by what Rockhoof was doing to the field.
"Guess Rockhoof is trying to use Hippowdon's ability to boost his power," said Applejack.
"Now, Altaria. Aerial Ace!" instructed Flash Magnus.
Altaria gave a screech as she began diving toward Hippowdon, which was in the middle of the raging sandstorm. Despite the brutal weather conditions, Altaria kept flying forward as it was surrounded by its attack. Flash Magnus trained his Pokémon to handle all types of weather that Altaria kept on flying as it entered the sandstorm.
"Hippowdown, Dig!" shouted Rockhoof.
The large hippo began to burrow its way into the ground quickly. Altaria broke through the sandstorm and looked to make contact with Hippowdon but found it to be gone. Altaria looked about as soon as the ground behind it began to shake. Hippowdon emerged as Flash Magnus smiled.
"Altaria, use Dragon Breath!"
Altaria quickly turned around as she, opened her mouth, and charged up her attack. A pillar of extreme heat was shown as it was heading at Hippowdon. It burst through the sandstorm and caused it to end. The attack collided with Hippowdon, who was pushed back a bit.
"Follow it up with Aerial Ace!"
"Hippowdown, Iron Head!"
Altaria quickly flew toward Hippowdon as it flew lower to the ground. The large hippo charged forward, surrounded by a flashy aura. The two attacks met in the middle, causing a wind vortex to burst out as, once again, everyone covered up as they felt the power of the attacks. Neither one gave an inch as they were pushed back from the force of their attacks.
"Altaria, Solar Beam!" instructed Flash Magnus.
"Hippowdon, Dig!"
Hippowdon once again began to burrow its way back into the ground. Altaria fired its attack, and a green beam crashed into the ground; it made pieces of the field go into the air and left behind a small crater. Altaria then soared close to the ground as it moved its head from side to side. The Pokémon was trying to locate where its foe was as soon a hole appeared, and out jumped Hippowdon.
"Fire Fang!" shouted Rockhoof.
Hippowdon had its mouth open as it was on fire. It then sank into one of Altaria's wings, and the Pokémon let out a screech as it was being burned.
"Altaria!" shouted Flash Magnus as he saw his Pokémon in pain and stumbled back a bit in the air as it shook off the flames.
"Iron Head!" instructed Rockhoof as Hippowdon was charging ahead with its body surrounded by a glowing aura.
"Altaria, quickly ascend and dodge it!" instructed Flash Magnus.
Altaria managed to shake off the attack and listen to her trainer. She quickly flapped her wings to soar just as Hippowdon was about to make contact as she avoided the attack. The Pokémon was now looking down at the large hippo as it growled at her.
"Impressive, Rockhoof. But you know that air battles are my domain. As long we're in the sky, you can't get close to us," stated Flash Magnus with a cocky smile.
"Maybe, but for Altaria to attack, it has to get close to Hippowdon. And that means touching the ground," snickered Rockhoof with his smile.
"This battle is awesome," said Sky, soaking in all the excitement both Gym Leaders were expressing.
"Two different Gym Leaders, two different battle styles. And on full display, for everyone to see. It truly is a spectacle." said Twilight.
"If this is just these two, then I can't imagine how your brother must act in battle," said Applejack.
"Shining Armor isn't the strongest Gym Leader for nothing. It's why only the top trainers can beat him and qualify for the League. He's that strong," said Twilight, as she couldn't even track how many wins her brother had. That was how good he was.
"Trust me, I'm gonna beat your brother and get into the League," said Sky as he was already imagining his win against Twilight's older sibling.
The trio then went back to watching Rockhoof and Flash Magnus battle as the pair called out their next move to give their Pokémon.
"So, you delivered the package?" said Mrs. Harshwhinny.
Rarity and Pinkie were back at Pokémon Center when the former contacted her boss. The fashionista informed the woman that she had delivered the dress to the client.
"Yes, I did. Mrs. Harshwhinny. She seemed to enjoy it."
"Yes, yes, that's all good. When can I expect to see you back?" asked the woman.
"Um... well... that's something I wanted to discuss with you, Mrs. Harshwhinny. I was thinking... maybe the boutique could benefit if it had someone who... spread the word?" smiled Rarity with a sheepish smile as her teeth were shown.
"What do you mean?" said Mrs. Harshwhinny as she gave the teen an even more intimidating glare.
"What I mean is... I could travel to different places and serve as an entrepreneur. Let everyone across the region know that the best place to receive the most fabulous and stunning outfits can be found in Manehattan." explained Rarity.
"Hmm..."
Rarity was sweating a bit as she was awaiting the response from her boss. Truth be told, she made up a small white lie to Mrs. Harshwhinny; it was moreso with all the adventuring that Rarity had experienced since she first left Manehatten that had changed her mind. Not to mention, with the addition of Sewaddle, she was kind of excited to meet many new Pokémon.
Of course, if Rarity had told her boss why she didn't want to return to work just yet, she would probably be out of a job. At least, this way, she could continue to adventure with the new friends she made. Plus, she really did like the idea of promoting Carousel Boutique.
"Very well... I'll allow you to do this, Rarity," said Mrs. Harshswhinny as she weighed her options.
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Harshwhinny!" said Rarity as she was ecstatic to hear her boss approved her proposition.
"Know... I expect business to increase. And any chance you get to promote the Boutique, take it! I don't want to find out that you're lounging about or... I will dismiss you of your services." warned Mrs. Harshwhinny.
"Yes, Mrs. Harshwhinny! You can count on me!" said Rarity as the call ended.
The fashionista wiped the sweat from her forehead, glad to get that over with. Pinkie then appeared, and she pulled Rarity into a big hug.
"Yippee, I get to spend more time with Rarity!" said Pinkie as she crushed the lavender-haired girl with a death grip.
"Pinkie... please..." grunted the girl as she couldn't breathe.
"Let's go find the others and tell them the great news!" stated Pinkie as she grabbed Rarity's hand and took off.
One quick transition later, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Silverbolt were standing in front of a house. After saying goodbye to Fluttershy's mother and thanking her for lunch, the trio decided to stop by Dash's house. It wasn't that far, but also because Rainbow knew that if her parents found out that she was in town and they missed the chance to see her, safe to say they would constantly be calling her nonstop, asking when was the next time she would be in town.
"You good?" said Bolt as he and Fluttershy saw Rainbow with her head down.
"No. Someone kill me!" grunted Dash as she signed.
"Aw, it can't be that bad," stated Fluttershy.
"Really?" responded Rainbow with a raised eyebrow. "Alright, let's just get this over with and head back to the others."
Rainbow stood up and began to walk toward the door. The others followed as she prepared herself mentally for what was about to happen. She gave herself some smacks to her head as she shook herself. The girl then rang the doorbell. A few moments later, the door opened, and someone stood there.
"Rainbow Dash!" shouted the girl's dad as he was ecstatic to see his daughter.
"Hey... Dad," groaned Rainbow as she was quickly shoved in by her father. Fluttershy and Silverbolt followed them in as they saw their friend being hugged by both of her parents.
"Welcome home, honey!" said Rainbow's mother as the pair embraced their daughter tightly.
"Mom. Dad. You're embarrassing me!" said Rainbow, as she didn't like being hugged to death, especially in front of her friends. They soon released their hug as Rainbow tried to regain her coolness after being humiliated by her folks.
"Oh, sorry, honey. It's just...we haven't seen you for so long," stated Windy Whistles.
"We talked a week ago when I called you at the Pokémon Center," stated Dash.
"I know, honey. But we're talking about facetime. And what's the point of talking if it's not..." Bow Hothoof stopped himself when he looked up.
Both of Rainbow's parents saw the two other teens with their daughter. They knew Fluttershy had accompanied Rainbow, but they didn't expect to see a boy. Especially a boy who they had remembered hanged out with the girls when they were all little. The two of them then noticed Silverbolt as he nervously waved at them.
"Uh...hi, Mr. and Mrs. Dash."
"Oh. My. Gosh. SILVERBOLT!" exclaimed Windy Whistles at seeing how the boy whose family had left when he was little.
The two of them hug Silverbolt to death as he was experiencing what Rainbow felt moments ago.
"It's so good to see you!" stated Rainbow's father.
"Good to see you too. I see you haven't lost your Ursaring hug!" said Bolt in a strained voice as he was slowly starting to lose oxygen. Soon the pair released their embrace as the teen started to fill his lungs with air.
"We didn't know you'd come to visit. What are you doing here?" asked Bow Hothoof.
"I was busy on my journey when I escorted some new friends to Cloudsdale. And I bumped into Rainbow there. And seeing that a few of our friends are planning for their battles at the Cloudsdale Gym, we'd see how they do." explained the boy.
"Oh, I'm so glad you did. Wait, bumped into. That means." Rainbow's mother then looked at the boy and then at her daughter, who had a raised eyebrow. She then let out a huge gasp. "ARE YOU TWO DATING?!"
Both Rainbow and Silverbolt blushed hard, and they began to babble and talk.
"Oh, don't be like that, honey," stated Rainbow's father.
"You used to talk about him for hours. Even when you said you spotted him swimming in the lake and when his pants fell down, you saw his cute..."
"MOM!" exclaimed Rainbow loudly in embarrassment. Silverbolt blushed madly as he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I told you to never bring that up, especially when the geek is here."
"Ouch," muttered Bolt at Rainbow, calling him that in front of her parents.
"There, there," said Fluttershy as she patted her friend on the back to show her support.
"So, has my little winner been winning?" asked Bow Hothoof.
"Yes, dad!" groaned Rainbow as she pulled out her badge case and showed her badges.
"Two badges already? Our daughter really is a winner!" cheered Windy Whistles as she and her husband pulled out some confetti poppers.
"Gees, it's only two. I haven't the League yet!" stated Rainbow as her parents were still celebrating her. "This is why I didn't want to come."
"Hey, your parents support you. Take that for what it is," said Silverbolt.
"Yeah, lucky me," stated Dash as she sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.
"Are you entering the League as well, Bolt?" asked Rainbow's mother.
"Yup, take a look," said the boy as he pulled out his badge case and showed the four badges he had already acquired.
"Look at you kids. You're on your way to victory!" said Rainbow's father as more confetti poppers went off.
"Great! Now you've done it, geek!" said Dash as she glared at Silverbolt.
"What?" said the boy.
"What I wouldn't give for something to happen?" the chromatic-haired girl asked.
Just then...
"Hey, you guys! We got some good news to share!" shouted Pinkie as everyone heard the girl shouting outside the house.
"Great! Let's go find Sky, you two!" said Rainbow, as she couldn't be more glad for Pinkie to show up.
Dash quickly grabbed Bolt's and Fluttershy's collars as she ran at full speed with the two of them dragging behind her.
"Sweetie, aren't you going to introduce us to your other friends?!" said Windy Whistles.
"NO!" shouted Rainbow as she booked it toward the Gym.
"Iron Head!"
"Aerial Ace!"
Hippowdon and Altaria were on a collision course as both were given commands by their respective trainers. Both Pokémon made contact as a giant wind effect occurred. The kids watching, and the teens all felt it as their clothes and hair fluttered in the wind.
Rockhoof and Flash Magnus weren't bothered by the wind as they looked ahead. Both Pokémon skidded back as they came to a stop.
"Altaria, Dragon Breath!"
"Hippodown, Sandstorm!"
A large sandy tornado began to pick up as Altaria opened her mouth and fired a beam. It collided with the sandy weather as it pierced through it.
"Dig!" instructed Hippowdon.
The largo hippo quickly dug its way into the ground as it avoided the attack from the flying Pokémon.
"Don't think you're safe. Altaria, Earthquake!" smiled Flash Magnus.
"Did he just say, Earthquake?!" yelled Twilight as everybody was shocked to hear that.
The ground began to shake, rattle, and roll. The sandstorm was still in effect as the field began to open up a bit, and Hippowdon was flung out from underneath. The largo Pokémon had taken a massive hit from that attack, as some scuffs were shown on its body. Hippowdon struggled a bit as the sand now died down.
"What a hit!" said Applejack as she was in awe by what she saw.
"No doubt, Altaria learning Earthquake means Flash Magnus is prepared to handle any electric types that his opponent. Not to mention that Earthquake does double the damage when the opponent is underground. So you can expect Hippowdon felt that." said Twilight.
"Let's finish this, Solar Beam!" instructed Flash Magnus.
Altaria appeared in front of the sun as its shadow was cast. The Pokémon began to feel the power of the star's rays as its mouth opened up and fired a beam of green energy. It was heading toward Hippowdon as he saw the attack coming and could do nothing as it made contact.
The dust cleared out just as the doors to the Gym opened up. Once it was gone, on the field, there was Hippowdon as it lay on the ground with swirls in its eyes.
"Hippowdon is unable to battle. The winner is Altaira. Which means the victor is the Cloudsdale Gym Leader, Flash Magnus!" said Flash's assistant.
"Ah, man!" shouted Rainbow.
Sky, Aj, and Twilight all turned behind as they saw the rest of their friends standing there. Rainbow was even more upset that she missed a great battle between two Gym Leaders. The kids in the stands were clapping and making noise as they showed both Rockhoof and Flash Magnus some praise for their amazing fight.
"Rock solid, Hippowdon," smiled Rockhoof as he recalled his partner.
"Fantastic work, Altraia. You showed who rules the air," smiled Flash Magnus as he recalled his Pokémon.
"I can't believe I missed this!" said Rainbow.
It was now later as the sun was starting to set. The teens and Rainbow's parents were outside the Gym as they were facing the two Gym Leaders.
"So you won your second badge from Rockhoof, huh, Dash?" said Flash Magnus.
"Yup," answered the girl.
"Sweetie!" called out Rainbow's mother as the girl flinched hearing that. "Care to introduce us to the rest of your friends?"
"Don't worry, they'll be plenty of time for that tomorrow. Besides, I heard you two are trying to enter the League?" stated Flash Magnus as he pointed at Sky and Aj.
"Yup," confirmed Sky as he had a determined look.
"Ha! I can see why you talk highly of him, Rockhoof. I admire the kid's fighting spirit," said Flash Magnus. "But just know kid, this battle will be different than what you expect."
"All the more reason for me to win," stated Sky.
"What I'd tell you!" stated Rockhoof as he slapped Flash Magnus on the back, as he felt some pain once more.
After seeing a preview of what's to come with Flash Magnus, Applejack and Sky knew they had their work cut out. Now, the time had come to see if they could overcome the master of the air battles and get their second badge.
Author's Note: The group has finally arrived at Cloudsdale. Rarity finally delivering her package and "somewhat" convincing her boss, Mrs. Harshwhinny to allow her to continue to travel. Rainbow and Fluttershy managed to stop by their homes and see their parents, as well as, Silverbolt getting a chance to see where he was born before he moved away. And then of course, meeting Flash Magnus himself who with Altaria alone is going to be a tough challenge for both Aj and Sky. As always, leave a review expressing your thoughts and comments.