"Tauros!"
"Meganium!"
"Bulb!"
"Unfezant!"
(Gonna skip the rest of the names, Nobody wants to read a bunch of Bulba-bulba saur)
"I missed you all so much-" Before Ash could finish the sentence, the Orange Dragon-like Pokemon appears behind Ash and scorchs him with Flamethrower, and later he got smothered by the purple sludge-like things.
"Charizard!"
"Muk!"
"Charizard! Muk! I missed you so much too!" Ash said with joy
"Just what on earth with his Pokemon..." Clemont went speechless about his Pokemon's unusual greeting to him.
"Ash! Are you ok?" Serena worried about Ash
"Yes, all of those are my Pokemon" Ash cleaned himself and replied proudly as he introduced those to Serena and Clemont.
"So is that how they greets you...? That's a weird way to say hello isn't it?" Serena said as she question in logic about how they greets Ash.
"Uhh...pretty much...at least half of the Pokemon would greet me in that way..." Ash replied as he scratched the back of his head nervously.
(30 minutes later, Ash and rest of his Pokemon had introduced each other to Serena and Clemont etc)
"Blastoise!" (Everything is ready, Gary!) Blastoise had notified Gary that everything had been set up.
"Feel free to use Bond Phenomenon as much as you want! I had gave your Delphox and Chesnaught's the energy tablet, It'll give them enough power to go through a battle." Gary gives the safety strips to Serena, Clemont and their Pokemon. "Your Pokedex Phone will notify me if something went wrong with your Pokemon, and those strips will cancel your Bond Phenomenon"
Ash is so excited as he got another chance to do pokemon battle, and it's 1 vs 2!
"I choose you Greninja!" "Gren!"
"Delphox come on out!" "Del!"
"Chesnaught come on out!" "Ches!"
"Lucario-" (Wait Ash let me join the batt-) Lucario wanted to join the battle, but was stopped by Ash
"Not this time, Lucario. We'll find a Battle for you after this battle, just be patient ok?" Ash comfort Lucario
"Lucario!" (Umph...) Lucario was dissatisfied for only allowed to watch the battle
"Pidgeot!" (I know what you feel ya... Back then Ash had promised that he'll came back later in Viridian Forest, yet it tooks him many years to took me back)
"Syvleon..." Sylvon walked towards Lucario and Comforts Lucario
Ash, Serena and Clemont had opened the projection mode on their PokeDex phone to show the data about their own Pokemon.
Both Serena and Delphox can felt that their heart rate had getting quicker and frequently touch their forefingers' tips together "Ehhh...I finally got a chance to have the rematch with Ash...it's feels so nervous..."
Ash and Greninja placed the Blindfold on their own eyes before they begins.
"Let's do this Together!"
"Gren!"
"Del!"
"Ches!"
Ash, Serena and Clemont said as the six of them them threw their hands up and formed a fist and jerking their heads forward. The Water, Fire and Grass pillar erupted around Greninja, Delphox and Clemont respectively, revealing the Ash-Greninja, Serena-Delphox and Clemont-Chesnaught form.
"Bulb...?" (That's-)
"Sylveon" (The legandary Bond Phenomenon)
"Meganium...!" (That Greninja looks really cool! It looks like Ash himself! )
"Lucario..." (That's unfair! My Aura works just like his Bond, but why I still need Keystone to transform?)
"Tauros?" (What is Bond Phenomenon anyways)
"PikachuPika.." (Pikachu explains what Bond Phenomenon is to Tauros)
"Meganium?" (Can I use Bond Phenomenon too?)
"Sylveon..." (It's some Kalosian things so...)
"Meganium..." Meganium felts disappointed when she learned that she can't use Bond Phenomenon with Ash.
"Battle Begin!" Gary Oak said
"Delphox use Flamethrower!" "Del!"
"Chesnaught use Vine Whip!" "Ches!"
Delphox points its wand stick and shoots the orange fires towards Greninja while Two light green vines come out from each side of Chesnaught's back and heading behind Greninja, but Greninja easily dodged it and seemsly disappeared.
"He just dodged it!" Clemont said
"Del..!" (He's fast!)
"Ches..?" (Where did he go?)
"(in thoughts) Greninja is the very fast Pokemon, which would really puts Chesnaught in disadvantage, but not if I can able to defend it fast enough if I managed to find where it's going to attack!" Despite with Greninja's speed, Clemont was still able to see the location of Greninja. " At your right side! Chesnaught use Spiky Shield!" "Chesnaught!"
Chesnaught attempted to forms a round shield from its forearms at the right side. Unfortunately, Greninja was still fast enough to deliver a punch to Chesnaught's face.
"Oww!" Clemont cried out in pain as he can feels something was punched him so hard on his face "I can feels the damage that my Chesnaught taken..."
Serena was able to read Ash's Greninja's movement as she had rewatched the Kalos League video for 100 times "(in thought) Greninja had reached the right side of Chesnaught just like how I excepted. Greninja might be very fast, but it still take time to react, so if I managed to attack it fast enough while it still attacking..."
"Now! Delphox use Ember!" "Delphox!"
Delphox attempted to use that chance to fires a blanket of small orange sparks towards Greninja, but Greninja suddenly appears on the mid air.
"Delphox, dodge it-" Delphox can hear that Serena wanted her to dodge, but it's too late. Greninja legs had already hitted Delphox to the ground before Delphox can even react.
"AHhhh!" Serena moans in pain as she received the same pain that her Delphox got on her head. "It's hurts~!"
"Ash and his Greninja was able to sense where we are, despite they're blindfolded!" Clemont said
Serena and Clemont's Pokedex phone had shows that their sync rate had gradually increases.
"(in thoughts) Yes! Keep going! Once they reached the maximum sync rate, My new found Bond Phenomenon theory will get confirmed!" Gary Oak thoughts
"Pancham!"
"Absol!"
"Diggersby!"
"Luxray!"
All Ash, Serena and Clemont's Pokemon cheers for their training. Except two...
"Lucario!" (Why am I supposed to sit here and watch? Let me battle them! Let me go!) Lucario was being grabbed by Pidgeot, Pikachu and Tauros to prevent Lucario doing something outrageous
"Pikachu!" (Calm down Lucario, it's not your battle!)
"Pidgeot!" (Yeah, your is nothing compared to me who had waited so many years for Ash to even remember me!)
"Dunsparce!" (Why not just finish those 2 garbage already?)
"Meganium..." (That Dunsparce is so mean just like Charizard!) Meganium felts hurts as Dunsparce had insulted her.
"Pikachu, Pika" (He's been like that)
"Muk!" Muk hugs Dunsparce in excitement
"Dunsparce!" (Don't touch me you disgusting purple sludge!) Dunsparce flews away to get rid of Muk, but was being caught by Bonnie on hand.
"It's so cute! Tickle Tickle Tickle~" Bonnie Tickles the Dunsparce out of curiousity
"Dunsparce!" (Let me go you-) Dunsparce attempted to struggle, but Bonnie was grabbed it too tight.
"Wait, that's-" Squishy said "There 3 people can able to use the Bond Phenomenon?"
Bonnie looked up and saw that Ash's Greninja, Serena's Delphox and Clemont's Chesnaught are all in bond forms. "Wow Serena have one too? That's really cool! I wish I have one too..." "Dede..."
"Chesnaught use Pin Missile!" "Chesnaught!"
"Delphox use Flamethrower!" "Delphox!"
Large amount of green spikes and the stream of fire had surrounded Greninja. This time Greninja didn't dodge. Instead...
"Now! Greninja use Double Water Shuriken!" Ash said "Gren!" Greninja created 2 Water Shuriken from both hands, then it's morphed into the 2 Water Kartana, cutting those green spikes and stream of fire like nothing happened.
"Flame Charge!" "Gyro Ball!" Serena-Delphox and Clemont-Chesnaught emeraged from the smoke cloud, surrounded themselves with colored aura and charging towards Ash-Greninja, but Greninja was able to stop their strike with single hand and flips them around. At this moment, Serena and Clemont can felts something was striking through their mind.
Inside Serena and Clemont's mind:
"Where am I...?" Serena and Clemont confused. They later had found that their body had become Delphox for Serena and Chesnught for Clemont respectively.
"Why you two have Bond Phenomenon?" some weird voice said
"What with this voice?" Clemont said
"We're your inner deep through" that weird voice tone had slowly shifted into the reverbal voice of Serena and Clemont's. The image of the younger Serena and Clemont had slowly appears in front of them. Which was out of Serena and Clemont's surprises.
(For distinguish purpose, I'll call Those "Serena" and "Clemont" as "Serena's shadow" and "Clemont's shadow" )
"Do you know what Bond Phenomenon is?" Clemont's Shadow asked
"Bond Phenomenon is basically the Mega evolution without keystone, which is powered by the bond between Pokemon and Trainers, isn't it?" Clemont said
"Bond Phenomenon was is the bond was only meant for the chosen legandary battler, and it's was only meant to be unique for the legandary battle like Ash and his Greninja. Now think about it, if you ever use the Bond Phenomenon, isn't that just stained his legandary bloodline and makes it looks bland?" Clemont's shadow said
"So it's means that I'm just trying to act like Ash..." Clemont feels so dejected.
"Clemont! Are you ok?" Serena attempted to cheer Clemont up
"I don't even have the dream unlike you, I'm just admired at...how awesome...of Ash...is..." Clemont's head begin to bow down.
"Good. Now stop hiding, Chesnaught!" Clemont's shadow dragged Chesnaught out from Clemont's body and swallowed that Chesnaught with darkness.
Serena's eyes went wide and she instantly froze while softly gasping in surprise by seeing such
"Oh Serena, why not just try to be normal?" Serena's shadow said in smug tone
"Because we have a dream-"
"To become Kalos Queen right?" The image about the ancient legand had appears in front of Serena and Clemont's eyes. "But to that end, you're just the ordinary performer. Having the extra-ordinary superhero power just to become Kalos Queen, isn't that sounds like a waste? Do you still call yourself his girlfriend with such naive thoughts?" Finished speaking, Serena and Clemont's shadow had become the dark mist.
"But-but that's"
"You just need to learn how to stay solidly behind the hero they kick beside" that dark mist said. "Search your feelings: you know it to be true."
"Delphox!" Delphox suddenly being dragged out from Serena's body and being swallowed by darkness.
Back to real world...
Serena and Clemont's PokeDex Phone had shown that their Sync rate was starting to be unstable! Gary Oak attempted to cancel out their Bond Phenomenon via their safely strips, but their unstable bond had overwhelmed it and destroyed those strips! "It can't be..." Gary Oak yelled "Serena, Clemont, you two have to cancel out the transformation yourself!"
"I can't! We got stuck at this form for some reason!" Serena said
"We can't move...!" Clemont said
Suddenly, Serena-Delphox and Clemont-Chesnaught had revert back to base form, then there's some purple aura had covered Serena, Delphox, Clemont and Chesnaught body, causing them screams in pain before they went unconscious once again.
"What just happened...?" Gary Oak's face lose his smug and replaced with horror, as he was never expected his research would went wrong in such way "No way! Those energy tablet should've prevent this from happening!"
"Serena! Clemont!" Ash yelled
"Ash...help...me..."
"Brother! Serena!" Bonnie worried as she saw Clemont and Serena screaming in pain
Suddenly, Ash and Lucario's eyes suddenly turns Indigo and glow throughs the blindfold, and he can felt something was stuffed to his mind. "What is this...Wah!" This also affects Greninja as well "Gren?!" (What happened to me?!)
Ash can felt that the time seemly frozen. Ash had found that Clemont and Serena had suddenly disappeared and his vision suddenly dissolved and replaced with what inside Serena, Delphox, Clemont and Chesnaught's mind: Their great admiration of Ash's awesomeness, and how they really wished to be as good as Ash, and the heroic image of how Ash saved the day with his Greninjas.
"Serena! Clemont! Where are you?" Ash yelled
"Gren!" (Delphox! Chesnaught! Where are you?)
Ash suddenly can see the several image of the ancient legand of how heroic of Ash and his Greninja are, and the image of Serena, Clemont and their Pokemon Worshipping them.
"Just what's happening...?" Ash was confused as he saw those strange images.
"Ash..." Serena looks wronged and her eyes teared up a little as she was being told not supposed to have access to Bond Phenomenon was only reserved for the special heroes.
"Serena! What's going on?"
"Ash, you're is so awesome... you managed to get the bond phenomenon only because you're the special hero...right...?"
"No, we only able to use such power because-"
"I'm just the gym leader... why would I ever dream of getting such legandary power by my own?" the image of Clemont then appears in front of Ash as well.
Ash's eyes widened, he have no idea why would Serena and Clemont even have such thoughts.
"Lucario?!" (What's happened to them?)
"Gren!" (Inside their inner deep through, they're admired us for how awesome we're!)
"But this didn't make any sense! We managed to got the bond phenomenon because-"
"Greninja!" (They're not entirely wrong. Many people had believed that only those chosen special hero can able to use the Bond Phenomenon, and a lot of people had believed that we're the only person who deserves such power)
"Brother, Serena! No!" Bonnie cries hysterically as she witness her big sister, her older brother and their pokemon went unconscious, and she attempted to wake them up in vain. While Ash, Lucario and Greninja's body was frozen and Ash eyes glows Indigo
"Ashy-boy! Are you ok?" Gary Oak was worried as he saw Ash's eyes suddenly glows
"I don't know! I can't move my body!"
"I should've listen to my grandpa back then..." Gary Oak begin to regret for ignore Professor Oak's advice to tell them not using the bond phenomenon "I'm sorry grandpa... I didn't excepted this would happened..." he's also blaming himself for making Ash and his friend hurts for his own research
"No...I can't just stand here! I need to figure out what happened to them, and solve the mistake that I made!"
Ash can feels that ominous dread filled his insides. So this is what their understanding of "bond phenomenon" is? I have no idea why Clemont would have such thought yet, but Serena clearly have her own career and she did sharing the strong bond with her Delphox, and she got told that she don't deserves to have one, just because she's not the chosen hero from ancient legand?! And if what they said was true... then it's just way too unfair for them!
"Greninja!" (Yes, bond Phenomenon might be rare... but...that's not exactly how we able to use such power!)
"But because of our Mutually: We're both bravery and selflessness, sharing the same goal of become stronger...and our resolve of working together...This is how we managed to achieve this power!"
"Greninja!" (Which is the exact same reason why that hero's 3 friends can use bond phenomenon from that ancient legend!)
"Lucario..." (So it's means that those two might have strong bond... but their understand about bond phenomenon had prevented them from using it in full potential...)
"Greninja..." (In other words...the bond phenomenon means...)
"Is to true to themselves, and their Pokemon...!" Ash said "You two, Listen to your inner deep through of what you really want to become" Ash said
"I want to...become the Kalos Queen! Or at least...the best Pokemon performer!"
"I might not have a career...but I wanted to...become the more successful scientist!"
"Yes! You two have your own goal! This is what makes you special!"
The dark mist then turned white, and those "Serena and Clemont Worshipping Ash and Greninja" image had slowly replaced with the image of Serena's showcase and Clemont's inventions.
"Delphox!" (Serena, I needs your power... to become Kalos Queen!)
"That's...I can hear my Delphox's voice!" Serena happily said. The red ripples begin to flying towards her.
"But... what about me?" Clemont asked "Serena and Delphox might wanted to become Kalos Queen together, but what about me and Chesnaught?"
"Chesnaught!" (I might be interested at food, but I find that science are even more interesting!)
"I can hear my Chesnaught's voice too!" Clemont can see the green ripples begin to flying towards him. "I can see why I managed to get bond phenomenon with him!"
"Lucario!" (What's that...? Why they can able to have strong bond without battling?)
"Bonds dosen't necessary to be strengthen via battling. By befriending a Pokémon, treating them with utmost care and respect..."
"...and sharing the same career with their trainers, the Pokemon will grows stronger without requires too much battling. By combining your bonds to enhance your existing training strategy..." Gary Oak said
"...you and your pokemon will able to create the infinite possibilies!" Finished speaking, Ash's vision had sent back to the training room.
Serena, Delphox, Clemont and Chesnaught had been covered Fire and Green Pillar once again, Delphox and Chesnaught had once again transformed into the Serena-Delphox and Clemont-Chesnaught. Serena, Clemont and their pokemon then woke up from unconsious.
"What happened to us..." Clemont said
"It feels like I'm now finally become one with Delphox this time!" Serena said
Their PokeDex Phone had shown that their Sync rate had reached to maximum!
"Yes! They made it!" Gary Oak exclaimed happily. "Blastoise!"
"Brother, Serena! You finally wake up!" Bonnie exclaimed happily "Dede!"
"Anyways Ashy-boy, what happened to your eyes?"
"I don't know...but I feels like it's my Aura...and seems like I can read what they're feelings!" "Greninja" (Lucario, did you do this?)
"Lucario..." (No i didn't...)
The picture of their pokemon showcase suddenly took shape in Serena and Delphox's mind "Looks like our showcase move can be used for battle!"
Some Heads-Up Display appears in front of Clemont's eyes as the Green Visor on Clemont-Chesnaught had been turned on. "What is this? It just looks like the interface of Pokemotion capture...Seems like we're trying to make use of our science..."
Ash had decided to continue as he adjusted his hat. "Let's continue! Greninja, use double team and water shuriken!" "Gren!"
Greninja (Still in Ash-Greninja form) ran as he spawned multiple copies and throws multiple water shuriken to Serena-Delphox and Clemont-Chesnaught.
"That's much water shuriken?!" At first Serena went panic as she had never seen Ash how would he deal with such situations, but she then can felts what she should do next. "(in thoughts) I never seen Ash had to handle such many attack at once... but if I use one of my showcase move...it might work!"
"Delphox, draw the fire tornado on the air!" "Delphox!"
Delphox put her own staff and draws the circle on the air, forming the fire tornado and bounced all of the Water Shuriken.
"Where's the real one?" Clemont didn't have any experience with the opponent who use Double Team technique. Suddenly, the Green Visor had targeted one of the greninja on the top-left side. "That Greninja's position is way behind other Greninja, he seems like he's trying to use his clone to shield himself, that's seems like the real one!"
"Chesnaught, use Vine Whip on that Greninja!" "Chesnaught!"
Four light green vines come out from each side of Chesnaught's back and it hits the opponent with them and caught the greninja on the top-left side, all of Greninja's clones disappeared around them.
Ash and Greninja cried out in pain, but they quickly back to smile. "It's just getting more excited!" "Gren!"
Greninja formed the water sword on his both hand once again and charging towards Delphox and Chesnaught.
At that moment, Serena want to tell Delphox to makes the sparks on ground to covers them, which is the very difficult move that even Palermo (for people who don't know who is Palermo, she's the old woman who is Aria's mentor) have struggle to master it. However, Serena feels like she should giving it a try. "Delphox, make the ground sparks!" "Delphox!"
Delphox point her staff on the ground, the sparks covers around Delphox and Chesnaught, which confused Greninja briefly.
"It works!" Serena said "Despite I'm not entirely mastered it..."
Chesnaught locates Greninja's location and locks his aim for the attack with the Green Visor schematics. His Aipom arms and Solar Charger on Chesnaught's had begin to charge up with immense green energy
"Chesnaught, use the Clemont Super-Science Cannon!" "Chesnaught!"
Chesnaught fires a stream of two blitz energy blast from Aipom arms and Solar Charger towards Greninja, but Greninja dodged it!
"Woah that's close!" Ash said
Thanks to Serena and Clemont's mastered bond, Serena-Delphox and Clemont-Chesnaught had a good fight with blindfolded Ash-Greninja. However, as the World Champion, Ash clearly hold an advantage over the combined effort of blonde Pokemon Performer and the lemon hair Gym Leader
"Let's finish this! Greninja use Water Shuriken!" "Gren!"
Greninja Fuses its Water Shuriken from both hand into a giant Water Shuriken and throws it to Delphox and Chesnaught. Delphox and Chesnaught attempted to dodge, but that Water Shuriken had changed it's orbit and hits them directly, causing Delphox and Chesnaught revert back to base form and lying on the ground, their eyes replaced with spirals.
"Delphox and Chesnaught are unable to battle! Greninja wins the match!" Gary announces as Serena and Clemont return their own pokemon into their pokeball.
"What an exciting battle!" Ash and Greninja remove their blindfold as Greninja revert back to base form
"I'm sorry for causing all those trouble for my own rescarch, Ashy-boy, Serena, Clemont..." Gary Oak said
Ash was quite shocked to heard Gary apologizes to them. Gary is not the person who would easily apologize, which means that he must be experienced something very terrible if that happens...
"It's not your fault, Gary. Accidents always happen in our life" Serena shows him the scars on her left wrist. "Back then I got my wrist sprain during the Master Class during the accident"
"Well, my Chesnaught was only accidentally evolved due to my lab accident..." Clemont did a wry smile
Some white bread old man had walked inside the training room. "Oh well, the Pokemon that transform through Trainer's bond? I've never seen something like that"
"Professor Amaranth?" Ash and Gary was surprised by his arrival. "But why you're here?"
"Nothing, I'm just came here to visit my old place." Professor Amaranth said
"Ohhh it's you, Amaranth!" Professor Oak went to the training room and hugs Professor Amaranth "I missed you so much!"
"Yeah, it's been forever, Mr. Oak!"
"Wait you know him, professor Oak?" Ash said
"Yes! He's my childhood friend, and he my colleague while I'm still the researcher back then" Professor Oak then shows his Group photo with himself and Professor Amaranth.
"Oh...may I get you two's name?" Professor Amaranth looking at Serena and Clemont
(Professor Amaranth, Serena and Clemont had introduced themselves with each other. Professor Amaranth then introduced them his own Project Mew)
"Project Mew?!" Serena said "But how? Isn't Mew is the Pokemon that only very few people can get to see?"
"Even me have only get to see Mew for like 1-2 times..." Ash said
"Isn't that only very few people can able to get to saw it?...That sounds quite unscientific!" Clemont said
"Well, I did saw it once. I can show you if you don't believe me..." Gary Oak shows him the image of Goh witnessing Mew, and the image where Gary and Goh defeated Regidrago and Regikeki. "Oh and Ashy-boy, I want to show you something..." Gary Oak begin to smug on his face.
"What's that...?" Ash awares that Gary was trying to flex something to him again
Gary Oak took out one of his Pokeball and released the spherical, golem-like Pokémon. "Say hello to my little cute baby!"
"Re-Regidrago?!" Ash was surprised as he never imagined that Gary Oak would have a legandaries "But-but how?"
"Project Mew" Gary Oak said "We battled them and caught one while you've trying to become World Champion in Master 8"
"Impossible..." Serena clasped her hands on her face. She can never imagined that a lot of people that she knows, now having their legandaries being caught on hand! First with Bonnie caught a Zygrade, then May caught a Manaphy, and now Gary Oak had caught a Regidrago!
"You caught the legandaries? That's cool! I have one too!" Bonnie looks excited as she tossed out the Pokeball "Squishy come on out!"
Squishy came out from her pokeball as core form, then the Zygrade cells flying towards the Zygrade core and become Zygrade 10% form.
"You caught a Zygrade?! As the beginner?!" It's Gary Oak's turn to be surprised, as he can never imagined that the new trainer like her would able to caught such legnadaries that even more powerful than his Regidrago.
"Well... She was befriend with that Zygrade before, and she made the promise that she will take that Zygrade back when she grow up..." Serena explained it to Gary Oak
"Times surely changed..." Professor Oak was sighed as he saw that those trainer had grown up a lot
Outside Professor Oak's Lab...
"That's no good! Now we not only got a Twerp and Twerpette to have access to bond phenomenon, but there's also got a Twerp and Twerpette have their legandaries on hand!" Mewoth said
"Why they just can't stop making our life more miserable?!" Jessie said
"I guess we better leave before those Twerp and Twerpette got anger at us..." James said
"I guess you're right, because look at this" Mewoth pointed at the sky, they saw several Pokemon had came out from the Professor Oak's Lab and flying towards them with Anger.
"Fearow!"
"Glalie!"
"Unfeazent!"
"Hawlucha!"
"Noivern!"
"Noctowl!"
"Dodrio!"
Team Rocket Trio attempted to run away from those angry Pokemon's air raid, only end up being surrounded by another batch of angry Pokemon on ground...
"Snorlax!"
"Nidoqueen!"
"Nidoking!"
"Magmar!"
"Krabby!"
"Kingler!"
"Tauros!"
"Sceptile!"
"Infernape!"
"Pignite!"
"Muk!"
"Geodude!"
"We're sorry please show some mercy-" Team Rocket Trio attempted to beg them for mercy, only end up being sent flying by all those angry Pokemon.
"We got blasted off without doing anything once again!" Jessie yells
"Guess that's what happened after we annoyed that Twerps too much..." James said
"Too bad we got no other option other than getting that Twerp's Pikachu" Mewoth had spoken the hard truth "And that's our fate, just like what James said"
"Looks like Team Rocket's Blasting off again!" Team Rocket said in unison as they blasted off into the blue sky