Fluttershy brought a lantern into the forest, which was lit with a candle that released blue light. She had insisted that it made it easier to see, and frightened the Pokémon less, but Rainbow felt as if there was some other reason she was hiding from them.
"So you're going to take on the gym?" asked Fluttershy to Rainbow.
"Yep!" said Rainbow happily, "I want to beat every gym, and the. Become the champion!"
"That's a really big goal... I don't really have anything I want to do... Except maybe open a day care."
"A day care?"
"You can leave your Pokémon at a day care so they can grow stronger without even battling," said Twilight, "You can pick them up at any time, but if you leave them for too long, they might become upset."
"Cool!"
Twilight rolled her eyes when some movement caught her eye. She pulled out her Pokédex, and had it ready to scan. A small Pokémon slipped out of the bushes, and Twilight's Pokédex scanned it.
Dewpider, the Water Bubble Pokémon; it crawls onto the land in search of food, and its bubble allows it to breathe and protects its soft head.
"Oh, it's so cute!" said Fluttershy, before dropping a few berries in front of Dewpider, "There you go. Fresh berries for you.
"What type is the gym?" asked Rainbow suddenly.
"Applejack uses Grass-types."
"Hey, Rainbow," said Twilight, "Dewpider is a Bug-type, which are super effective on Grass-types! You should catch it and use it for your gym battle!"
Rainbow glanced over at Dewpider, and shook her head, "Fire is super effective on Grass, too! Charmander can handle it all by himself!"
"Charmander!"
"A balanced team is better than just using one Pokémon," said Fluttershy, gently setting the lantern down, "Plus, this little Dewpider seems to really like you!"
"Eh," said Rainbow with a shrug, "It looks weird. Come on, Charmander! Let's train!"
Rainbow and Charmander ran over to a tall patch of grass, and looked for a Pokémon to battle. Fluttershy and Twilight looked at each other, and both shook their heads.
"Gym time!" declared Rainbow as they excited the forest.
She had caught no new Pokémon, and simply trained with Charmander the entire time. Charmander had learned a new move, Ember, which Rainbow was such would help to wipe out Applejack's team.
"You sure you don't want to catch another Pokémon?" asked Twilight.
"Positive." said Rainbow.
"Char!" agreed Charmander, who was on Rainbow's back again.
"Oh, and thanks Fluttershy for taking us into the forest."
"It's no trouble at all," said Fluttershy, blowing out the odd candle in her lantern, "If you want to go back in again, you can just ask me."
"Thanks, now to the gym!"
Rainbow sprinted off towards Sweet Apple Acres, and Twilight ran after her.
"Bye, Fluttershy!" called Twilight.
"Bye!" called Fluttershy, her voice barely audible.
Rainbow quickly made it to the gym, and walked right in. Twilight had fallen pretty far behind her, but Rainbow was far too excited to wait for her.
"Hello!" said the Earth pony filly who had earlier told Rainbow that the gym leader wasn't there, "Mah sister's back now, so you can challenge her!"
"Yes!" said Rainbow gleefully.
"Did Ah hear that there's somepony here ta challenge me?" asked a voice from the far end of the gym/barn.
"Me!"
Rainbow stepped forward on to a battle field, and lights dramatically lit up, revealing the gym leader from the darkness. She had on a stetson, which looked like it had been through some wear and tear. Her green eyes looked bored at seeing Rainbow and Charmander, and took a Pokéball from a table next to her.
"Apple Bloom, you be the ref," said Applejack to the filly, "Just don't get in the way of anythin'."
"Sure thing!" said Apple Bloom, running over to the side, "Ahem... The Ponyville Gym battle will now commence!" it sounded as if she had done several times before, "Each trainer may use up to two Pokémon, and the challenger will be allowed to switch out. Whoever knocks out both the opposing trainer's Pokémon wins! Let the battle begin!"
"Bounsweet, come on out!" called Applejack, tossing her Pokéball into the air.
"Charmander, let's go!" called Rainbow, as Charmander jumped off of her back and into battle.
"Boun!" cried the small Pokémon as it popped out.
Rainbow quickly pulled out her Pokédex, and pointed it at Bounsweet.
Bounsweet, the Fruit Pokémon; although it’s too sugary for consumption, Bounsweet’s sweat can be watered down into a juice with just the right amount of sweetness.
"Ick..." muttered Rainbow tucking her Pokédex away, "Okay, Charmander, start off with Ember!"
Charmander opened it's mouth, and spat a glob of fire at Bounsweet, which hit it dead-on. Applejack didn't seemed to be fazed by it, and spoke to Bounsweet in a dull voice.
"Bounsweet, use Rapid Spin."
Bounsweet began to spin around, until it became a blur, and was giving Rainbow a headache. It suddenly zoomed towards Charmander, and slammed into him, causing it to staggered backwards.
"Ember!" called Rainbow.
Charmander spat another glob of fire at Bounsweet, and it fell over with a few small burn marks. Rainbow grinned, while Applejack returned Bounsweet to it's Pokéball.
"Good job, Bounsweet," said Applejack, pulling out another Pokéball and tossing it into the air, "Lileep, finish the battle."
"Lil..." muttered the Pokémon as it came out.
Rainbow quickly yanked her Pokédex back out, and pointed it at the bizarre Pokémon.
Lileep, the Sea Lily Pokémon; it lived on the seafloor one hundred million years ago and was reanimated scientifically.
"A hundred million years ago?!?" whispered Rainbow in surprise, "Eh, Charmander can take it... Charmander, use Ember!"
Charmander spat out a third glob of fire, which hit Lileep, who didn't even move. However, Lileep didn't even flinch, and continued staring at Rainbow and Charmander with it's glowing yellow eyes.
"Lileep is a Rock-type and a Grass-type," said Applejack, "So Fire-type moves only do neutral damage. Lileep, use Smack Down."
Lileep's eyes glowed, and a large rock appeared above Charmander. It slammed down on to the Charmander, who went flying and landed in front of Rainbow, his eyes closed.
"Charmander is unable to battle!" declared Apple Bloom, just as Twilight entered the gym, "The winner is Applejack!"
Rainbow stared at Applejack, completely speechless. Applejack sighed, and returned Lileep to its Pokéball.
"Train some more and come back." she said.
"I... I lost?" asked Rainbow.
"Rainbow," said Twilight, catching her attention, "Charmander needs to be brought to the Pokémon Center."
"Oh, yeah!" Rainbow gently lifted up Charmander, and placed him on her back, "Don't worry, buddy! You'll be better soon!"
Rainbow sighed as she sat waiting for Charmander to finish being healed. How could she have lost so easily? Charmander had been sure to win, but that Lileep knocked it out in a single hit!
"We'll train more!" said Rainbow out loud, "And then... Charmander will still be weak to Lileep..."
Rainbow pulled out her Pokédex and started scrolling to Lileep. However, she paused at Dewpider, and clicked on it's entry. Dewpider was a Water/Bug-type. Grass was weak to Bug, and Rock didn't resist it! Rainbow smiled, though a bit embarrassed that she was about to use a Pokémon she had rejected earlier.
A bell sounded, and Rainbow looked up to see a Chansey wheeling out Charmander, who looked all healed. Rainbow jumped out of her seat, and ran over to Charmander happily.
"Thank you!" said Rainbow.
"Chansey!"
Charmander jumped on to Rainbow's back, and Chansey walked back to where it had been working. Twilight walked over to Rainbow from a bookshelf she had been looking through.
"Are you going to train Charmander?" asked Twilight.
"Nope!" said Rainbow, "I'm going to catch a Dewpider! To Fluttershy's!"
Rainbow sprinted out of the Pokémon Center, leaving a confused Twilight behind.
"I think I'll just go look around town until she comes back..." muttered Twilight.
"I'm so happy you want to catch Dewpider," said Fluttershy as she and Rainbow walked into the Everfree Forest, "She looked so sad when you didn't like her!"
"Well, Dewpider will help me beat Applejack!" said Rainbow, "And after I do that, I'll get CHarmander a new Pokéball!"
"Why don't you do that first?"
"Well, you get some money for winning, so I'll get Charmander a cool Pokéball!"
Fluttershy nodded, and the two continued walking furthering the forest.
"Dewpider!" called Rainbow, "Dewpider!"
"Dew?" asked Dewpider, popping up from a clump of bushes.
"Hey!" said Rainbow, leaning down, "I know I didn't start out on the best hoof with you, but do you want to help me beat the gym leader?"
"Dew! Deew!"
"I'll take that as a yes!"
Rainbow pulled out one of her Pokéballs and held it out to Dewpider, who poked it with one of her legs. She was enveloped in a red glow, and went into the Pokéball, which clicked shut instantly. Rainbow smiled, and held up the Pokéball triumphantly.
"Woo!" she cried, "I got a Dewpider!"
"Charmander!"
Fluttershy simply stared in confusion, "What exactly just happened?"