“Wow, this is delicious” Rainbow Dash smiled as she took a bite of a sandwich.
“I’m glad you like it, Rainbow Dash,” Cilan replied, “feel free to have as many as you like.”
Rainbow finished her sandwich and reached for another, “Don’t mind if I do. After all the craziness that I’ve been through these last two days I’m starving.”
“So, was I right or was I right?” Iris asked, “Is Cilan a master chef or what?”
Rainbow nodded happily “He sure is. I can’t remember the last time I had food this good.” She continued to chow down until she was full. She rubbed her tummy “That was great! Now,” she grinned confidently, “how about that battle?”
Ash smiled at her, then looked over to Charizard, “How about it, buddy? Ready for a battle?” Charizard stood up, spread its wings, and roared.
Rainbow smirked, “It sure sounds to me like he’s ready.” She got into a takeoff position and dug at the ground with her hooves.
Just as Rainbow was about to charge, Ash stood up “Wait a minute, Rainbow Dash.” He walked over to the other side of the clearing, about twenty feet behind Charizard. Rainbow Dash watched in confusion, not familiar with the workings of Pokemon battles.
Cilan stood up and walked over to the middle of the clearing and took about twenty steps back before he began speaking, “The one on one battle between Charizard and Rainbow Dash is about to begin. Are both sides ready?” He looked to Charizard and Ash, who both nodded, then to Rainbow Dash, who was still in a pouncing position. “In that case, let the battle begin!”
Rainbow charged straight for Charizard and punched it in the gut, causing it to slide back a bit, so Charizard dug the claws on its feet into the ground to stop itself from sliding any further. Ash yelled “Charizard, use Flamethrower!”
“Flamethrower?” Rainbow asked, “What’s Flamethrower?” She looked up and saw Charizard looking down at her with its mouth wide open, a fiery light starting to well up in the back of its mouth. “AH!” she yelled as she flipped around and kicked Charizard in the stomach, using the force of the hit to propel herself out of the way just as Charizard shot a stream of flames right at the spot she had just been standing. She wiped some sweat from her brow “Whew, that was close, but that’s as close as you’re gonna get!” spreading her wings, she took off flying straight up into the air.
“After her, Charizard!” Ash commanded. Charizard spread its wings and flew after Rainbow.
Rainbow crossed her hooves in front of her and smirked “Good luck. I’m the best flier in Equestria; there’s no way I can lose a battle in the sky!”
Rainbow Dash rushed toward Charizard again, so Ash called “Charizard, use Metal Claw!” Charizard spread its arms and its claws began to glow in a silvery light. It charged toward Rainbow and held its arms out to the side, getting ready to strike.
Rainbow waited until she was just about to strike Charizard, but instead of actually striking it she swerved upward and dodged “Nice try, but you’ve gotta be a lot faster than that!” She quickly flew around in a backward arch and came back down directly above Charizard, striking it right between the wings with her hooves, pushing it downward until they were almost to the ground. She pulled up at the last second so only Charizard ended up hitting the ground. “Ha!” she cheered, “how’d you like that?”
“Not bad Rainbow Dash,” Ash commented, “but it’s not going to happen again. Charizard, get up and use Dragon Tail!” Charizard stood up, took flight, and charged at Rainbow Dash, its tail glowing a white green.
When Charizard swung its tail at Rainbow, she ducked under it and circled around Charizard, punching it in the cheek “Too slow.”
“Charizard, use Flamethrower!” Ash called. Charizard quickly turned to face Rainbow and shot another burst of flames at her. She flew up to avoid it, but this time the flames managed to singe her tail.
“OW!” Rainbow yelled, glaring down at Charizard. “Oh it’s on now!” She flew downward and swerved to the side so she could fly in a circle around Charizard. She quickly sped up and continued to circle Charizard, creating a small twister around the Pokemon. Charizard tried to follow Rainbow’s movements, but couldn’t keep track well enough to aim, and the more it tried to track Rainbow’s movement the dizzier it got.
Ash saw that Charizard was getting disoriented, so he yelled “Now, use Overheat!” Charizard opened its mouth wide and fired a beam of yellow flames right into the twister. The flames quickly got caught in the twister and started spreading through it, and moments later Rainbow Dash jumped out of it, her coat singed.
Rainbow gritted her teeth as she watched the now-flaming twister, “Come out of there and fight me already!” As soon as she said this, the flames scattered as Charizard swung its tail into the side of the twister. Rainbow grinned, “Ready for some more?” and then charged toward Charizard, pulling back her front hoof for a punch.
“Charizard, stop her with Flamethrower!” Charizard blasted another stream of fire at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash gave a determined smile and veered slightly to the left, just barely dodging the flames “Let’s see how you like getting a taste of your own medicine.” She quickly began to spin like a corkscrew around the stream of fire, causing the flames to wrap around her as she charged. By the time she reached Charizard, she was surrounded by a cloak of flames. She punched Charizard in the face, causing the flames that had wrapped around her to fly off of her and engulf Charizard. Charizard roared in anger and flew backward, covering its eyes with its claws. Rainbow wiped a bit of soot off her mane and smirked “Had enough yet, or do you want to keep trying?”
“Quick, use Metal Claw!” Ash yelled, but Charizard didn’t respond and instead kept holding its claws over its eyes. “Charizard, what’s wrong with you? You’re a Fire-type, fire shouldn’t do that much to you!”
“It hit him in the eye, Ash,” Iris pointed out, “not even a Fire-type can just brush it off after taking fire in the eyes.”
Cilan added “Charizard’s fighting blind up there.”
“So Ash,” Rainbow started, “give up yet, or do you still think Charizard can beat me when he can’t even see me?”
Ash looked up at Rainbow and smiled “No way, we’re not even close to done yet! Charizard, fly straight up!” Charizard moved its claws from its eyes, but was squinting as it flew upward.
Rainbow laughed, “Hey Ash, Charizard’s the one who’s blind. I’m over here, not up there.” She kept laughing and looked back up at Charizard, only to see it disappear into a large cloud.
Ash grinned, “Alright, use Metal Claw!” Charizard burst out of the cloud, its eyes wide open, and charged at Rainbow, claws glowing silver and bared for a strike.
Iris cheered “The cloud cleared its eyes!”
“Charizard is back in the game” Cilan replied.
Rainbow was still hovering in place, stunned by the sudden turn of events, so much so that she failed to register when it was time to dodge. Charizard swung at her and struck her with its Metal Claw. “AH” she yelled in pain as she fell back from the force of the hit. She spread her wings to stop her descent, and panted as she placed a hoof over the spot where the claws had grazed her. When she held her hoof up to her face, she was surprised to see there was no blood, so she looked down at the spot where she had been hit and discovered that aside from some fur that had been sheared off there was no serious damage. “Well, that’s pretty weird,” she mused, “but I’ve got bigger problems to deal with,” she glared up at Charizard as he flew down toward her for another Metal Claw. Just as Charizard swiped at her, she flew upward over the claws and jumped up over Charizard. She kicked hard on the back of its head and took off flying straight up into the air.
Ash watched Rainbow dodge the strike and called “Charizard, Overheat!” Charizard flipped around, aimed at Rainbow Dash, and blasted another Overheat attack at her. Rainbow kept flying upward as fast as she could, gaining altitude while keeping just ahead of the flames. As she flew up above the clouds, the thin air caused what was left of the Overheat to fizzle out.
Rainbow Dash turned around and looked back down at Charizard, who from this height was only a small orange dot, “This has been fun, but it’s time to end it.” She flew downward as fast as possible, holding her hooves in front of her.
“Here she comes,” Ash said, “use Metal Claw.” Charizard spread its claws and began flying to intercept Rainbow Dash. The two continued to rapidly come closer to one another, both determined to finish the battle. As Charizard’s claws began to glow for its attack, it was startled by a massive explosion. Wild Pokemon in the surrounding forest fled in terror as a massive wave of rainbow color blasted across the sky, and before Charizard knew what hit him Rainbow Dash slammed into him flying at supersonic speed, a rainbow contrail flowing behind her. Charizard roared as it crashed into the ground, causing a massive cloud of dust to fly up and fill the clearing.
Ash, his friends, and all their Pokemon stood watching intently, waiting for the smoke to clear. Hey started to see a shadowy form emerge from the cloud, and were surprised to see Rainbow Dash slowly trotting toward them. Ash looked back into the cloud and asked “But, what about Charizard?” The dust cleared away, revealing Charizard lying unconscious on its back.
Cilan raised his arms and announced “Charizard is unable to battle! The winner is Rainbow Dash!”
Rainbow gave a victorious smile and said “hey, that-that wasn’t so hard,” just as she fell onto her side and started snoring softy.
“Aw” Iris giggled a bit, “looks like she tired herself out.”
Ash returned Charizard to its Pokeball and turned to Iris, “Hey, after a battle like that, she deserves a good nap.”
“Interdimensional travel, you say?” Giovanni questioned over the monitor. The monitor was set up in a hidden cave, and the trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth were standing in front of it.
“Indeed sir,” James replied, “the Pokemon stated that it came to Unova from another world. It was completely unfamiliar with Pokeballs, and it even stated that just yesterday it didn’t know what a Pokemon was.”
“If this is truly the case, and that Pokemon can travel between dimensions, then we cannot allow such power to get away. You are to apprehend this new Pokemon and deliver it to me at once” Giovanni ordered.
“Of course, sir” Jessie responded, “we’ll begin work on capturing the Pokemon right away.”
“You had better not fail me” Giovanni glared at them.
“We won’t,” Meowth replied, “you can rest assured that the blue Pokemon will be yours in no time.”
“It had better be” Giovanni growled as he turned off the monitor.
James turned to Meowth “I assume you already have a plan.”
Meowth gave an evil grin in response, “When don’t I?”
Rainbow yawned and slowly opened her eyes, calmly looking around the room. She noticed that once again she was lying on a bed in the Pokemon center, hooked back up to the monitoring equipment. She gave a good-natured smile “Good to be back.” On the other side of the viewing window, Ash and his friends smiled as they saw Rainbow Dash wake up. They waved at her and she laughed “Hey, how long was I out this time?”
“Eight hours,” Ash responded, “you woke up just in time for dinner.”
“Dinner?” Rainbow Dash sat up excitedly. “I am so there! All that training made me hungry.” She started to get up, but Nurse Joy ran into the room and stopped her.
“Wait a moment,” Nurse Joy instructed her, “I need to disconnect you from the monitoring equipment again.”
“Oh yeah,” Rainbow said as she sat back down, “I forgot about that.” She waited patiently as the wires were removed again, then hopped down onto the floor, “Thanks again, I feel as good as new.”
“You’re welcome” Nurse Joy replied as she waved bye to Rainbow.
Rainbow Dash stepped into the hallway and was met by Ash and his friends, “So, where we planning to get dinner?” She smiled.
“It’s getting dark out,” Ash told her, “we were just planning to eat at the café at the Pokemon center.”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow “Wait, is this a hospital or a café?”
“It’s both,” Iris answered, “and it even has sleeping accommodations. When we dropped you off here last night we were given a room with bunk beds to sleep in while we waited.”
“Wow,” Rainbow nodded, impressed, “what doesn’t this place have?”
Ash thought for a moment and responded “I don’t know, it’s got pretty much everything but a gym.”
“Sounds good to me,” Rainbow laughed, “let’s go hit the café.” The group headed to the café and sat down. A few of the other trainers in the room exchanged curious glances as they saw Rainbow Dash, some checking their Pokedexes. Rainbow looked around at the people gathering around, “Can I help you guys with something?”
A series of astonished gasps came from the crowd, accompanied by murmurs of “What is that Pokemon?” and “It can talk.” Ash and his friends stood up and got between Dash and the crowd.
Ash held out his arms, “Hey, give her some space.”
“Why?” Rainbow asked as she got up from her chair and flew over to the group, “Looks like I’ve already got fans in this world too.”
“Rainbow Dash,” Iris asked, “what are you doing?”
Rainbow put her front hooves on her hips and puffed out her chest, “Just being awesome for my adoring fans.” A series of “oos” and “ahs” came from the crowd as the people watched Rainbow Dash.
“Should we stop her?” Ash whispered to Cilan.
“Nah, let’s just let her have her fun” Cilan responded. He, Ash, and Iris sat back down and ordered their dinner. By the time they finished, Rainbow Dash was just finishing up answering questions and writing down autographs.
Rainbow Dash sat down at the table “So, what’s to eat?”
“I’m afraid nothing is,” Cilan told her sadly, “they stopped serving food fifteen minutes ago. All we have left is a bowl of chips.”
Rainbow frowned, “Oh, I guess I got carried away with my fans again.” She grabbed the bowl of chips and started eating with a remorseful look on her face.
“Again?” Ash questioned, “What do you mean again?”
“I don’t want to talk about it” Rainbow answered between bites. Ash, Iris, and Cilan exchanged concerned looks, but decide it would be best not to pursue the subject. When Rainbow Dash finished her chips, she gave a big yawn. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like hitting the hay right now.”
“I agree,” Ash yawned, “today was exhausting.” He stood up “The sleeping area is this way.” He walked to a door at the end of the room and entered, followed by Iris, Cilan, and Rainbow Dash. After checking the numbers on a few doors, he found the one he was looking for. “This is the room e were in last night, might as well use it again.”
“Good idea” Iris said as she walked up and opened the door. She ran to the right side of the room and jumped onto the bottom bunk of the bunk bed. Ash and Cilan walked to the bunk bed at the left side of the room; Ash took the bottom bunk and Cilan took the top bunk.
Rainbow flew over to the top bunk of the bed on the right side of the room, “Not bad. It’s not as cozy as a cloud, but it’ll do.”
“A cloud?” Iris asked from the bunk beneath her.
“Yeah,” Rainbow answered, “Pegasus ponies like me can walk on clouds, and my whole house is made of clouds. It’s really cozy.”
“Wow,” Ash replied, “a house made of clouds? That sounds like it would be awesome.”
“Sure is,” Rainbow said proudly, “I built it myself.” She suddenly frowned and turned on her side, thinking about her home back in Ponyville. A single tear fell from her eye as she drifted off to sleep.
A few hours later, Rainbow Dash woke up. She looked around, and realized it was still the middle of the night. Sighing, she quietly flew out of bed and onto the floor, trotting to the sliding door in the back of the room, which lead to a small patio out back. She opened the door, stepped outside, and gazed sadly up at the sky.
“Can’t sleep?” a voice asked behind her. She jumped and turned around, but saw it was just Ash. “Sorry,” he quickly said, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She frowned and turned back to look at the sky “It’s okay, you didn’t mean it.”
Ash walked up and stood next to her, “You miss your home, don’t you?”
Rainbow actually had to hold in tears as she answered “More than anything. My friends must be worried sick about me. What I wouldn’t give to see them again.”
Ash leaned down and placed a comforting hand on Rainbow’s shoulder, “Don’t worry Rainbow Dash, we’ll help you get home.”
“How?” Rainbow asked, “It wasn’t exactly easy getting here.”
Ash frowned “That’s a good point.” He thought about it, then smiled “I’ve got it! We’ll take you to see Professor Juniper!”
“Professor who?” Rainbow asked.
“Professor Juniper, the leading professor of Pokemon studies in the Unova region. If anyone can figure out a way to get you home, she can”
“Well, I guess it’s worth a try.” Rainbow sighed, “After all, I’m already in a strange alternate universe. It’s not like things can get much worse for me.” Just as she finished speaking, however, a large net flew at her out of nowhere, wrapping around her. She jumped “What the hay?” but was soon silenced as a surge of electricity flowed through the net. “W-what’s going on?” she groaned.
A large platform rose above the trees, with three silhouetted figures standing on top of it, two of which were clearly humans, and one of which was much shorter. The one on the right spoke in a female voice “Just what’s going on is the question indeed!”
The one on the right replied in a male voice “The answer to come as we feel the need!”
The female one continued, “Bringing the blinding white light of evil into the future!”
The male one followed up “Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe!”
Next, the short one pitched in “And carving our names in rock of eternity!”
The female one stepped into the moonlight, so Rainbow Dash could see that she was indeed a human, with long pink hair and a white uniform with a large red R on it, “The fiery destroyer, Jessie!”
The male one stepped into the moonlight, so Dash could see that he had short blue hair and was also wearing a white uniform with the same big red R on it, “And with thunderous emotion, I am James!”
The short one jumped into the moonlight between them, revealing itself to be a cat-like Pokemon with a large coin on its forehead, “Wisest of the wise, Meowth!”
All three figures posed proudly and spoke in unison “Now gather, under the name of Team Rocket!”
“Team Rocket!” Ash yelled, pulling at the net.
Rainbow kept trying to wriggler free, “You know these guys?”
“Unfortunately,” Ash replied. He then turned to look at Team Rocket and yelled “Let Rainbow Dash go right now!”
“Sorry,” Jessie mocked, “but that would ruin the whole point of capturing her. She’s coming with us as a gift to the boss.” She held out a remote control and pressed a button, causing a rope coming from the front of the platform to retract, pulling the new and Rainbow Dash with it. The platform rose into the air, revealing itself to be a large aircraft, with Rainbow Dash struggling to get free of the net hanging below it.
Awakened by the commotion, Cilan and Iris ran out to join Ash. “What’s going on?” Cilan asked.
Ash quickly faced him and answered “Team Rocket’s taking Rainbow Dash!” He held up a Pokeball and threw it “Go, Charizard!” The ball flew up into the air and burst open, and Charizard materialized in front of it. Pikachu jumped up on Charizard’s back, and Ash instructed them “Go help Rainbow Dash.”
“Pika!” Pikachu nodded, and Charizard roared as it took off after Team Rocket.
Rainbow Dash kept struggling to get out of the net “Let me go you bunch of clowns.”
“Clowns?” James asked, “Do you see red noses and big shoes on us? You’re going to the boss and that’s final.”
Rainbow looked back toward the Pokemon center and grinned “Not if they have anything to say about it.” Team Rocket looked back and saw Charizard flying toward them with Pikachu on its back. Pikachu began charging electricity, and shot a Thunderbolt at Team Rocket. However, before the Thunderbolt could hit them, a lightning rod shot up in front of them and absorbed the attack. Rainbow watched intently, but suddenly found herself being shocked as the electricity flowed down into the net.
“Uh uh uh,” Jessie wagged her finger.
Meowth spoke up next “Any electric attacks you use will be sent straight down to your little friend there.” Pikachu looked worriedly down at Charizard, but Charizard didn’t seem at all phased by this revelation. He turned downward and flew toward the net, hovering in front of it,
“Charizard!” Rainbow joyfully exclaimed, “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
Charizard aimed at the net and prepared for Metal Claw, but was interrupted when Jessie yelled “Hey, get away from there! Go, Woobat!” She threw a Pokeball, and a Pokemon that looked like a blue fuzz ball with a heart for a nose and a pair of bat wings appeared.
James threw a Pokeball in the air as well and yelled “Go, Yamask!” The Pokeball opened, revealing a strange Pokemon with a shadowy body, thin arms held straight out to its sides, and a yellow mask.
Yamask and Woobat both charged at Charizard, but Pikachu turned to face then, “PikaCHU!” It blasted a Thunderbolt at them, blasting both of them back. Seeing that the opponents were preoccupied, Charizard returned to the task at hand, and with one quick Metal Claw, it shredded the net.
Rainbow flew out of the net and gave Charizard a hug, “Thanks buddy, I owe you one. Now let’s teach these clowns a lesson!” She flew up to the top of the machine and glared at Team Rocket. “So, you think you can just capture me, do ya? Well think again! Charizard!” She faced Charizard, “Follow me, and when I say now, hit me with Overheat, got it?” Charizard looked thoroughly confused, but nodded. “Good,” Rainbow said as she took off straight up. Obediently, Charizard followed her, although not quite able to keep up.
“What should we do now?” James asked.
Jessie simply replied “We fall back for now, and come back for that Pokemon later.”
“Um, guys” Meowth stuttered.
“What?” Both Jessie and James asked in unison.
“LOOK OUT” Meowth pointed to the sky, where Rainbow Dash was flying straight toward them.
“Now, Charizard!” Rainbow yelled. Charizard blasted her with an Overheat attack, but instead of damaging her, it propelled her forward, blasting through the sound barrier and causing Rainbow Dash to become engulfed in flames as she charged. “Aw yeah, this is the new move I’ve been looking for!” she shouted, “The Inferno Rainboom!” Team Rocket ran for the edge of the aircraft just as Rainbow Dash slammed into it, driving through it like a hot knife through butter. As she flew out the bottom of the aircraft, it exploded, sending Team Rocket flying.
Team Rocket screamed in unison “Team Rocket’s blasting off again!” as they vanished over the horizon. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash turned around and flew back to the Pokemon center, followed by Charizard and Pikachu. When she touched down, the flames surrounding her vanished, and she smiled triumphantly when she confirmed that she wasn’t even singed.”
“Rainbow Dash!” Iris ran up to her, “Are you alright?”
Rainbow flexed her wings, “I’m more than alright, I’ve got an awesome new move. I can’t wait until my friends see this!”
“But wait,” Cilan interrupted, “you were only able to do that because you had Charizard helping you. If there are no Pokemon in your world, you won’t be able to do it.”
Rainbow’s smile instantly faded, and she lowered her head in sadness, “Oh, right. I should have known it was too good to be true.”
“Hey, come on Rainbow Dash,” Ash walked up to Rainbow, “I know how you can fix this problem.”
Rainbow looked up with renewed hope in her eyes, “You do? How?”
“Easy,” Ash reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He reached down, held up Rainbow Dash’s front hoof, and placed the item in her hoof. When he moved his hand, Rainbow Dash could see that she was now holding a Pokeball. Ash stood up and proudly stated, “Rainbow Dash, tomorrow you’re going to catch your own Pokemon!”