//------------------------------// // E1 – Gladion and Mina // Story: Pokémon Eclipse // by moviemaster8510 //------------------------------// Gladion woke up to the sound of a ringtone, his eyes shooting open at the sudden, loud volume. Sitting up in his bed, he turned to his ornately carved ivory-white dresser and saw a bright light flashing inside the top drawer. Slipping out of the bed, he walked to the dresser and pulled the drawer out to reveal a red, star-shaped device with a more rectangular-shaped bottom and a large screen at the bottom of it. His mouth hung slightly open to see that Hau’s name appeared in the caller ID. Picking it up and hitting the “Answer” icon, Hau’s face suddenly appeared on the screen. “What is it?” Gladion asked. “Gladion,” Hau said, his face stoic and serious, “I’m sorry if I woke you, but I need to tell you something very important.” “Well? I’m waiting.” Pinkie Pie paced about the top of the Vast Poni Canyons, looking up at the sky for Rainbow Dash. Her stomach began to growl, making her stop and turn to look at it, her belly visibly rumbling. “Shh,” she whispered to it, massaging the side of her stomach, “don’t worry. Rainbow Dash will be here soon, and then we can eat!” A sound of wings beating was audible in the distance, and with Pinkie Pie turning to the direction of the sound, she smiled to see Rainbow Dash flying up over the top of the canyon and following the tops of the walls until she finally reached her. Rainbow Dash landed before Pinkie Pie and dropped two large blue berries that she held by their two stalks. “Sorry, Pinkie. These were all I could get before the crabs started attacking me.” Pinkie Pie whined as she made a tentative sniff at the berries. “I don’t like these kinds.” “I know you don’t, but it’s all we have.” Rainbow Dash took one of the two berries and dug her mouth into it, squirting juice over her face and the ground. “Yeah, they’re a little bland and bitter, but I’m sure it beats whatever that one guy would do to us.” “Can’t you just go again and find better berries for us to eat?” “I can’t be flying around this island all day and risk getting us spotted. I did what I could today, and we’re just going to have to live with it. Now please, Pinkie, eat.” As Pinkie Pie leaned in toward the other uneaten berry, mouth slowly opening, she suddenly heard the sound of wooden sticks hitting the ground. Before she could respond or even wonder what the sound was, she was tackled to the ground by Rainbow Dash. “Hold on,” Rainbow Dash hissed. “Someone’s here. Let me check.” Rainbow Dash trotted toward the source of the sound, peeking around a large slab jutting out from the rock. While the sight was different and surprising enough into softening the pegasus’s tensed muscles, she couldn’t help but feel perplexed over what she saw. Sitting on a small boulder and looking out over the land below the canyon was a young woman in her mid-twenties, a paintbrush held in her right hand and a multi-color stained pallete in the other. Her golden blonde hair was tied back about six inches from the tip, while two long bangs hung down the sides of her face, bound together by pink paint at the tips. Her white shirt was stained with splotches of green and pink paints, and her greyish-blue cargo pants were speckled with small holes and spots of white paint. Her bright-red Converse sneakers appeared to be the only new piece of clothing that she was wearing. Rainbow Dash continued watching as the woman continued painting the sea on her canvas that sat on a small, but long-legged easel. “Who is she?” Rainbow Dash asked herself. “I don’t know.” Rainbow Dash jumped back to see that Pinkie Pie had been standing atop of her, though Pinkie Pie managed to catch the face of the slab to maintain her position. “But look…” Pinkie Pie pointed at the greyish-blue cylindrical single-strap backpack that was set behind the woman, next to several brushes of differing shapes and sizes, namely the couple of granola bars that were poking out through the top. “Food…” Pinkie slid down the slab and began to walk around, only to be quickly pulled back behind the slab by Rainbow Dash’s teeth on her tail. “Are you nuts?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as quietly but effectively as possible. “You don’t know who she is! What if she’s working for that other guy?” “Come on, Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie Pie retorted just as quietly. “She’s just sitting there painting. What kind of evil-doer just sits and paints? I don’t know about you, but I’m getting some breakfast.” “Pinkie, no!” Before Rainbow Dash could pulled her friend back, Pinkie Pie wagged her tail out of the way and bounded excitedly towards the woman. The woman continued diligently on her painting, working on the lighter shades for the sun rising on the horizon. Pinkie Pie’s head suddenly popped up from behind her easel. “Hey, what’cha painting?” The woman threw herself back and gasped loudly, dropping her palette and brush as she continued falling backward. Before she could fully tip over, she suddenly felt something supporting her back. Looking behind her, she found herself supported by Pinkie Pie’s right side. “Shurry ubut thet,” Pinkie Pie said with the woman’s palette and brush held in her teeth. “I ulso gut yur peenting stff.” The woman’s hands took the supplies from the pony’s mouth, looking at them as if she wasn’t even sure how they got there. Pinkie Pie then pushed her back into her seat on the rock, appearing in front of her the moment she got comfortable. “I’m sorry again,” Pinkie Pie said, her words sounding like one, “but my friend and I have been stuck on this island for a few days, and we’ve been hiding from this guy for a while…” Rainbow Dash slapped her hoof to her face as Pinkie Pie continued rambling to the human stranger. “…and we’ve been eating these yucky berries this whole time, and I saw some of your granola bars, and I would rather eat a granola bar than a yucky berry. The point is, can we have a granola bar?” The woman’s eyes were wide as she took everything the pony said to her in. Her eyes then began to droop half shut as her senses began to settle down. “Okay,” the woman said in a flat, almost bored tone, “I’m going to need you to repeat all that. In fact, don’t. What even are you?” “Who me?” Pinkie Pie refused to miss a beat, nor yield her smile. “My name’s Pinkie Pie, and my friend Rainbow Dash is here somewhere. What’s yours?” “My name? I didn’t even…” The woman glanced away, readjusting her next words. “My name… is Mina. Sorry, I don’t mean to sound rude, but… you by chance didn’t pop out of a wormhole recently, did you?” Pinkie Pie gasped as if her mind had been read. “As a matter of fact, we did! Sorry for interrupting your painting just then. We just wanted to know if we could borrow some granola bars.” “Uh… sure help yourselves!” “Yeeee! Come on, Rainbow Dash! The coast is clear!” Mina turned around to see Rainbow Dash poking her head out from behind the slab. Realizing that they were seen, Rainbow Dash walked skittishly over to Mina’s bag, eyeing the wrapped up bar that stuck out the most. “Here, let me help.” Rainbow Dash sunk to her shins as Mina set her painting tools down, leaned over and pulled her bag closer, taking out two bars from her bag. Rainbow Dash relaxed herself more as she watched Mina tear each wrapper open one by one. Finally, Mina was holding out two unwrapped granola bars with chocolate chips and dried red fruit in the palm of her hand. “Here, take them. They’re chocolate and Cherri, my favorite.” While Rainbow Dash was still off set by the woman’s monotone voice and vacant expression on her face, Pinkie Pie trotted over and pulled the top bar off with her teeth. Rainbow Dash reached out to warn her friend, but was too late as Pinkie Pie scarfed the entire bar down, licking her lips with an excited moan. “Ooh, that was delicious!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “Thanks a million, Mina!” “Not a problem,” she responded, still holding out Rainbow Dash’s bar out. “However I can help a Pokémon in need.” “Pokémon?” Rainbow Dash asked, sounding slightly offended. “Whatever these Pokémon you talk about are, we’re not that. We’re ponies!” “Oh, my apologies. I suppose we both have a lot to learn about each other.” Rainbow Dash stepped forwards and swiped the last granola bar out of Mina’s hand with her front hooves. She looked down at her gifted breakfast, then back at Mina, her expression softening apologetically. “Listen, thanks for the food…” Rainbow Dash chomped out half of her bar, “…but once I’m done here, Pinkie Pie and I gotta’ go.” “I think I heard,” Mina said. “Something about some guy being after you?” Rainbow Dash stuffed the rest of her bar in her mouth and swallowed the rest whole. “Yeah. Not to sound rude, but we don’t want you getting wrapped in with us. This guy we’re hiding from controls a bunch of creatures that are really strong.” “No offense taken, I’m not too worried really. If you want, you can stay with me. I also control a bunch of creatures that are really strong, which by the way, are called Pokémon.” She lifted her shirt up, showing off her five Ultra Balls. “Come on, Rainbow Dash! We can totally trust her!” Pinkie Pie grinned eagerly, hoping it would win the stubborn Rainbow Dash over. Finally, the pegasus sighed and stepped over to join her pink friend. “And you can really keep us safe?” “I’d like to think so. I am a Trial Captain for this island, after all.” “So, what does that mean?” Mina cracked the slightest of smiles as she reached back to her palette and brush beside her, dipping the bristles with fresher paint. “There’s this thing we have called the Island Trials…” As she continued her explanation, Mina resumed her painting, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie lying down on the ground in their first moment of relaxation since their arrival. Gladion began to fly above the southeastern-most point of Poni Island on the back of his Charizard. As he came close to the Vast Poni Canyon, he saw the unmistakable blue and pink ponies sitting on the top with Mina. “Got you,” he whispered to himself. “Charizard, land where they are.” With an affirmative yowl, the Charizard reduced its speed and came down. “Wow, that’s actually kinda’ cool.” Rainbow Dash marveled the way Mina painted the sun’s reflection along the waves of her ocean. “How long have you been doing this?” “Since I was, like, 5, or so.” Mina began outlining on the borders for the Poni Gauntlet and the cliffs. “It takes a lot of practice, but I can hardly think of a better way to spend my time.” “Ooh, I have an idea!” Pinkie Pie yelled. “Why don’t you put Rainbow Dash in there?” “Huh? Why would I do that?” “I dunno! I just thought it could give your painting a little pizzazz! “Well, I mean the paint is still wet. I’d have to wait at least an hour before I could if I wanted to, but I just don’t see her as part of my–” “Whoa!” Rainbow Dash’s shout broke Mina and Pinkie Pie out of their tranquility, finding Gladion’s Charizard approaching from their right. “Dragon incoming.” With its stomach ten feet from the ground, the Charizard swung its bottom half forward and upright, falling down and onto its feet, the force sliding Gladion off its back and to the ground, landing on a knee to break his fall. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie seized with fear upon seeing him. “M– M– M– Mina?” Rainbow Dash barely had the strength to walk around Mina and hide behind her, Pinkie Pie quickly following her. “That’s him! That’s the guy.” Mina looked unfazed as Gladion returned his Charizard to its Ride Pager ball and then approached the three of them. “Mina,” Gladion said. “Long time, no see, Gladion.” Mina replied. “What’s going on with you and these ponies?” “Wait, wait, wait, wait,” Pinkie Pie interrupted, flabbergasted. “You know him?” “Sure. He came to take my Island Trial several years ago.” “Which still remains to be seen,” Gladion scoffed, “but I can see your painting has improved. Glad to see it takes priority over your duties as a Captain.” “I’m still working on it. Now, what do you want?” “I have to take the ponies with me. They’re in grave danger.” “Yeah, from you!” Rainbow Dash pointed an accusing hoof past Mina’s leg. “That’s not true, and I’m sorry for back then, but you have to listen to me.” “We don’t have to do anything!” “There are people after you, and you need to come with me if you and your friends want to go back home alive!” “Mina?” Pinkie Pie whined, cowering closer to her friend. “Mina!” Gladion’s voice became hushed with desperation. “There’s another group of thugs running about Alola now, just like Team Skull did. They’re targeting the ponies and trying to do lord knows what to them!” “He’s lying!” Rainbow Dash screamed. “He’s trying to trick you!” “Rainbow Dash, calm down… it’s okay.” “Huh? Mina?” “Whatever Gladion did to you two back then, I can assure you that he had no ill intent in his actions.” “Huh? You’re going to trust this guy?” Pinkie Pie asked. “How can you trust someone who wears all black like that? That’s villainy 101!” Gladion coughed in disgust over her intensely simplistic judgment. “Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash,” Mina said, “I know Gladion can be a lot of things, and judging from your experiences with him so far, you have no right to blindly trust him, but one thing I can tell you is that he is the furthest thing from evil.” “So what does this mean?” asked Rainbow Dash. “You’re not giving us up, are you?” Mina looked dead into Gladion’s eyes. “Gladion, if I let you have them, you have to promise to take the best care of them that you can.” “Mina, no!” Pinkie Pie cried. “Don’t do it!” “I’ll care for them like my own Pokémon,” Gladion responded, reaching his hand out. “Now, please…” “Mina?” Rainbow Dash was close to tears as she backed away fearfully. “I thought we could trust you!” “Don’t worry. He’s not getting them that easy.” Mina lifted the right side of her shirt up, revealing her five black-and-white Poké Balls on her belt. “Mina!” Gladion gasped. “What are you– There’s no time to be goofing around here!” “I’m not goofing around. I take these ponies’ well-beings seriously, and if you do too, you’ll battle me to prove it.” “Mina?” Rainbow Dash shouted. “What’s going on?” “Stay back, guys. I don’t need you getting caught up in this.” “We should do what she says,” Pinkie Pie whispered to Rainbow Dash. “I have a feeling we’re in for one heck of a show.” Both Ponies stepped back as Mina took out her first ball, tossing it out. “Go, Klefki!” Appearing from Mina’s Poké Ball was a tiny creature with a silver, circular face with a keyhole for a mouth and a smaller pink ovular body. From the middle of the key-shaped protrusion on the top of its head, a ring looped well around its body, four keys of different shapes, color, and design dangling from it. “Ooh,” Pinkie Pie sounded out. “What the heck is that thing?” “Mina!” Gladion was furious now. “We don’t have time for this! Those creeps could be attacking their friends now as we speak!” “Then go on, already.” Mina said. “I can take care of them.” “I can’t! I need their help!” “Then face me and prove that you’re strong enough. And since you’re in such a hurry, let’s do best two out of three. How’s that sound?” Gladion’s teeth bared, his hands slowly reaching for one of his Poké Balls. At last, unable to break Mina’s façade, snatched a ball from his belt and wound his arm back to throw. “Fine, then!” he shouted. “I’ll play your game. Go, Lucario!” With a toss of his ball, Gladion’s Lucario shot out from the ball’s energy and landed with a slight bend in the knees. The Pokémon’s appearance suddenly frightened Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie greatly. “Mina,” cried Pinkie Pie, “watch out! That one’s super fast and strong!” “I know…” Mina spoke under her breath. Gladion smirked a bit. “Your Klefki is the only Pokémon of yours I can’t land a single super-effective hit on, but my Lucario is easily the best equipped to take him on! Lucario, Aura Sphere!” Lucario held its hands above each other to its right, a blue ball of light expanding between them. Once the orb reached the size of a softball, Lucario whipped his arms forward, sending the ball flying out. “Mina!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Klefki, Light Screen now!” The reflection of the sun’s light on Klefki’s body suddenly grew brighter, the light peeling off and forming a large shimmering barrier in front of itself. The aura flew through the barrier, striking Klefki right in its face like a bullseye, sending it back. “Youch!” Rainbow Dash winced seeing Klefki forced back so. “Is it okay?” Klefki floated back to where it had been, pointing each of its keys at Lucario threateningly with a defiant, high-pitched yell. “Don’t you worry,” Mina assured them. “Klefki is as tough as it is small.” Pinkie Pie pumped her hoof, understanding Mina’s metaphor perfectly. “Nice.” Gladion let a growl escape his lips. “Hit it with another Aura Sphere!” His Lucario let another ball of light fly, once again flying through Klefki’s barrier and striking it. “Come on, Klefki!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “Okay, now we get serious.” Mina flowingly pointed her arm out. “Use Dazzling Gleam!” Spots on Klefki’s body began to sparkle brightly, until its most of its body was just a white shape. Finally, each sparkle shot out in hair-thin beams that shot directly at Lucario. Despite bracing itself, each beam struck Lucario like a succession of needles that forced it back, even with its back paws digging into the ground. Once the last beam hit, Lucario buckled, nearly being brought to a knee. “Lucario, are you alright?” Gladion called out. Lucario turned back and responded with a purring huff, smiling back for extra assurance. The clear affection the creature had for Gladion made Rainbow Dash blink several times. “Between your Light Screen softening my Aura Spheres,” Gladion said, “and your Dazzling Gleams, we’ll just be taking turns at each other until one faints. We’ll be at this all day.” Mina stepped back and put an arm up, already bracing herself. “You know what’s coming.” Gladion revealed his Z-Ring with a gunmetal band, a silver Z-Crystal inserted inside the face. “Now your best line of defense will be shot down!” Gladion crossed his arms at the wrists, the Z-Crystal glowing inside. As Gladion continued moving to activate the Z-Power, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie watched in sheer amazement as his Lucario mimicked his motions. “What’s happening?” Rainbow Dash slowly and fearfully asked. Gladion and Lucario then stood wide-stanced as the two of them punched their left fists in to their twisted right fists near the center of their chests, the sound of a hammer’s heavy clang sounding ominously from the impact. Finally, Gladion reeled both arms back and punched forward with both hands. The Z-Power shot out of Gladion and arced around him from his back and flowed into Lucario, the Z-Ring’s symbol pulsing out once all of it went in. Though there was a slight breeze from where they were standing, the way Lucario’s four appendages and Gladion’s hair and clothes whipped about gave the appearance that they were in the eye of a hurricane. “Mina!” Gladion shouted. “You may think I’m wasting my one and only Z-Move here, but if I want to prove myself to you, I have to go all out. Now go, Lucario!” Lucario slid one leg back, ready to push off on its trainer’s order. “Corkscrew Crash!” Lucario lunged forward at immense speed, taking out a huge chunk of stone where the paw was. On the second step, Lucario twisted about, suddenly spinning faster and faster until its entire body was nothing but a shining grey tornado pointed at Klefki. “Brace yourself!” Mina called. The Klefki squeaked with approval as it crossed each of its keys in front of its face. The Lucario drill continued speeding at Klefki until it crossed over the Light Barrier. The tip of Lucario’s attack was caught by the ends of Klefki’s key’s, holding it away from its face. Sparks began flying as Klefki struggled to hold Lucario back, the ponies marveled by the sight. Finally, the tip of the drill began running into Klefki’s face, the impact allowing Lucario to run it into the ground, a small cloud of dust whipped around them. Lucario shot out from the cloud, its spin significantly slower as it landed right back on its feet before Gladion. “Very nice, Lucario,” he complimented. Lucario smirked and mewed with a nod, studying the dust that was still left. “Klefki!” Pinkie Pie cried out. “Don’t be out yet! I like calling your name because it’s fun to say!” Once the dust settled, Klefki was still floating about as if nothing happened, despite the stripping in its keys or the small divot in its face. “Yeah!” Rainbow Dash cheered. “Go, Klefki!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “Okay,” Mina said, “now that it’s tuckered out, hit him with another Dazzling Gleam.” Another band of bright beams sped out of Klefki’s body, sweeping Lucario off the ground and onto its back. Lucario winced through the sting as it attempted to stand back up. “Don’t worry,” Gladion cooed, “you’re faster than her. You only need to land one last hit, and you’re set.” “Mina?” Rainbow Dash looked nervous as Gladion’s Lucario stood straighter, encouraged by its trainer’s words. “You’ve got a plan, right?” “Oh, yes…” she said. “Finish it!” Gladion shouted with a point of his outstretched hand. “Flash Cannon!” Lucario hugged his arms in as the horn in its chest began to glow white. Throwing his arms back out, an orb of white, wispy light soared out at Klefki. Mina showed the slightest hint at a frown as she threw her arm out. “Klefki, use Reflect!” Klefki’s body quickly illuminated, and with an outward stretch, the brightness came off from it and formed a thicker looking, more reflective surface than the Light Screen. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie winced as Lucario’s attack passed through both layers of Klefki’s defense and struck it, sending it down to the ground. Mina wordlessly gazed upon Klefki and its shut eyes and took out its Ultra Ball, returning it back inside. She then put the top of the ball against her forehead and closed her eyes. “You did really well,” she said. “Thank you.” “Hmph!” Gladion cleared his throat. “You said this was going to be a two out of three match. What does that mean, exactly?” “It means you call your Lucario back, and we each bring out a new Pokémon to battle.” “I see then.” Gladion pulled out Lucario’s Poké Ball and aimed it at it. “Nicely done.” Lucario purred before the red beam sucked it back inside. Once he put the ball back on his belt, he took out one directly beside it without even looking. “Go, Crobat!” With a whip of his ball, Gladion’s four-winged purple bat came out from it and kept a steady position above the ground in front of him. “What are you going to do now, Mina?” asked Pinkie Pie. Mina didn’t acknowledge her, and instead took out another of her Ultra Balls and tossing it out. “Go, Wigglytuff!” Popping out from the ball was an oblong mound of pink fur and a white belly with long pointed ears, big blue eyes, and a puffy tuft of hair on its forehead. It raised its tiny arms up and squeaked, making its presence known. “Oh my gosh, it’s adorable!” Pinkie Pie said. Rainbow Dash bowed her head down. “We’re doomed.” “I’m sorry it had to come to this,” Gladion said, “but my Crobat is undeniably stronger against your Pokémon. I’ll try and make short work of it. Crobat, use Cross Poison!” “Wigglytuff, use Ice Beam!” As the Wigglytuff inhaled, inflating its body up and out to the sides, a ball of white formed inside its mouth. As it continued charging its attack, Crobat swooped down and made a beeline at its target, the tips of its wings trailing with drops of purple ooze. Crobat managed to make its mark, hitting the Wigglytuff hard in the stomach. Wigglytuff groaned as it kept its mouth closed and its cheeks puffed up. With Crobat just inches from its face, Wigglytuff opened its maw wide, a beam of misty white shooting Crobat backwards towards Gladion. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie’s mouths and eyes shot open in complete shock. “Whoa!” they both exclaimed. From the wall of dust that was whipped up, Crobat came tumbling back to Gladion’s feet, stiff and frosted over. Gladion let out a forced gag from his throat looking down at his immobilized Pokémon. Before Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie could have a chance to cheer, Mina’s Wigglytuff doubled over and whined. “What’s wrong with it?” Pinkie Pie asked. Mina’s eyes widened as Wigglytuff turned back to her, the pulsing mark where Crobat hit it a deep purple. “She’s poisoned,” Mina grunted in reply. “Poisoned?” Rainbow Dash shouted. “You gotta’ take it to a doctor or something right away!” “It’s fine. I have a Full Restore in my bag. In the meantime, we can’t waste our free turn.” Wigglytuff, understanding its trainer’s intent, nodded with a grimace and faced Gladion and his frozen Crobat once more. “Now, hit him with Flamethrower, Wigglytuff!” Mina’s Pokémon closed its mouth and inflated once again, but upon opening its mouth, a stream of fire shot out and bathed Crobat in its heat. “Wowee!” Pinkie Pie shouted, suddenly wearing sunglasses. “That’s one strange dragon!” Wigglytuff continued for a few more moments before deflating back to normal size, and once the flames subsided, Gladion’s Crobat rolled over to its front and pushed off the ground on its wings, flapping hard enough to remain airborne once again. “Mina,” Gladion gasped, stunned by the move, “why would you–” “I figured I could maximize the damage by subjecting your Crobat to extreme temperatures,” Mina explained. “It has nothing to do with thawing it out of mercy.” Gladion’s mouth hung open as he contemplated her strategy, but closed it into a respectful smile. “Interesting. You’re a lot more well-read than I gave you credit for. However, your Wigglytuff is still pretty badly poisoned.” As if to carry the point, a loud gurgling came from Wigglytuff’s gut as it held its stomach and leaned to the side, its eyes and lips pursed shut from the pain. “I think after one last hit, I should be able to beat you. Now, Crobat, use Steel Wing!” Crobat picked itself up as its upper wings glowed white, and with a swoop, it soared out at Wigglytuff, swinging the bars of its wings at Wigglytuff’s chest, the hit making Wigglytuff cry out. “Oh no!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Wigglytuff, no!” shouted Pinkie Pie. As Wigglytuff fell, it quickly rolled into a backwards somersault and regained its footing, making Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie gasp excitedly. “Impossible!” Gladion felt his hands tremble a little. “How did she…” He then saw the flash of Klefki’s residual Reflect barrier appear between his Crobat and Mina’s Wigglytuff, the realization making him choke back in fear. “You planned that all along,” he muttered out. “Thank goodness for my Klefki’s Prankster ability,” Mina said. “Otherwise it would have never gotten that Reflect out in time, and yes, I may have lost just then. But now, all I need is one last hit.” Gladion, realizing what would happen, seized up and his eyes narrowed. “Crobat, hurry, fly!” Mina watched as Crobat took to the sky, pointing her hand out at it. “Ice Beam, now!” Wigglytuff breathed in as hard and quickly as it could, shooting its white beam at the panicked Crobat. After tracing its path for a few seconds, Wigglytuff whipped its head to the upper right, the beam intercepting Crobat from the opposite direction and producing a chilly blast of snow and hail. From the mist, Gladion and Mina gasped in horror as Crobat fell limply to the ground just past the edge of the canyon where they stood. “Oh jeez!” Rainbow Dash screamed, several hairs in her mane standing on end. Gladion took out Crobat’s Poké Ball and aimed it at his Pokémon with his other hand trying to steady himself, but his arms were shaking too badly as the time of decision came too quickly. Tossing the Poké Ball aside, he sprinted off the edge of the cliff and dove forward. “Oh my gosh!” Pinkie Pie shrieked. Gladion reached out as hard as he could, just managing to catch his Crobat with the ends of his fingers. Pulling Crobat close to him, Gladion kept his right hand free to pull out another Poké Ball from his belt and toss it out. From the ball emerged a balloony pink and blue bird with large, flat yellow eyes and no legs that quickly swooped down beneath Gladion and caught him and his Crobat on its back. Mina, her Wigglytuff, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie ran to the canyon’s edge and watched as Gladion rolled off the bird with his Crobat still clutched close, catching it by it’s smooth tail and riding it back up to the top of the canyon. The bird floated down back to where Crobat’s discarded Poké Ball lied, but Gladion let himself go five feet above the ground, landing on his feet. “Holy cow!” Rainbow Dash galloped over to Gladion with Pinkie Pie following. “That was crazy what you did back there!” Gladion ignored her as he reached inside of his waist pack, pulling out a beige polyhedron-shaped object that he slipped inside Crobat’s mouth. “Is he okay?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Just wait…” he said. After what seemed like no time at all, Crobat’s eyes fluttered open as it stretched its wings, looking very energetic. “What was that you just fed him?” Rainbow Dash asked. “A Max Revive.” Gladion lightly tossed Crobat up and pointed out and slightly down, giving the bat space to fly up and back down the canyon. “My Crobat fainted against Mina’s Wigglytuff, so I gave it one to bring it back to full health. Rainbow Dash turned to where Crobat had flown off to, just to see Crobat come back with a Poké Ball in its teeth. Dropping it in his hand, Gladion rewarded his Crobat with a massage on the back of its head. “Thanks a lot,” he said, putting the ball back on his belt and picking Crobat’s ball from the ground. “Very nice work today.” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie watched in amazement as Crobat was brought back inside the small ball. “Hey,” Rainbow Dash said, “how did you–” “Technology,” Gladion simply said. “Not to sound rude, but our species may be a bit more advanced than yours.” Gladion then picked up the bird’s ball, walked toward it, and stroked its neck down to the base of its wing. “That was a great save there, Porygon-Z,” he cooed, holding the ball up to it. “You can rest again now.” The red beam of the Poké Ball brought the Porygon-Z back as it let out a electronic chirp in glee. “I have to say,” Rainbow Dash admitted, rubbing her arm against her standing forleg, “what you did for your… um, Pokémon back there was pretty cool.” “I’ll say!” Pinkie Pie blurted in. “The way you rolled off that balloon animal and flew back up with your bat was tremendous!” Gladion smiled to see their support and respect before looking back to Mina with a more serious demeanor. “So, are you ready for the last match?” Mina applied the last of the spray from a grey, square spray bottle with a green liquid chamber to Wigglytuff’s poisoned mark. “I don’t think it matters anymore.” She then turned to face him. “The fact that the ponies now trust you enough to run to your aid means there’s no more reason to battle.” “Huh? What do you–” “I wanted our battle to show them that you were strong enough to keep them safe, but it looks as though your saving your Crobat showed them that you’re compassionate enough for them to want to follow you.” Gladion, humbled by the explanation, nodded his head with a firm frown. “Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie.” The two ponies turned back to her voice. “You think you can go on with Gladion?” “Huh?” Pinkie Pie queried. “Where are we even going? I’m not even packed yet!” “We weren’t even packed when we came here,” Rainbow Dash hissed from the corner of her mouth. “Oh, right.” “We’ll be going to Melemele,” Gladion said. “Two of your friends should be there.” “Really? Who? Who?!” Rainbow Dash threw her front hooves on Gladion’s chest and put her face close to his. “I don’t remember!” Gladion quickly said, backing away. “One was yellow and had wings like you.” “Fluttershy!” “The other was pink and had a horn.” “Starlight? I think that’s Starlight! That’s Starlight!” Pinkie Pie hopped around ecstatically on each exclamation. “We don’t have much time to lose though. We should get going.” “Alright!” Rainbow Dash cheered. “You’re coming with too, right, Mina?” Mina crossed her arms. “Sorry. As much as I’d love to, I have my duties as a captain to tend to.” As Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie moaned in confusion, Gladion stepped forward. “Your duties now have pretty much amounted to giving challengers Fairium Z the second they meet you. I’m sure you could come and help us and be someone for the ponies to trust.” Mina then did something that surprised the three of them: she smirked. “I already said, the ponies trust you enough already. You all should be going. Who knows where your other friends are by now?” Though they knew their time had come to an end, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie smiled as they approached Mina. At the same time, they wrapped their arms around her waist, hugging her tight. “Thanks for what you did for us,” Rainbow Dash said. “And thanks for providing us with our best meal since we got here!” Pinkie Pie squeaked in unironic delight. “Of course.” Mina then pushed herself off and separated herself from them. “Go now. Your other friends are waiting.” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie looked to Mina for a few seconds more before turning back and joining Gladion’s side. “Alright then, Gladion,” Rainbow Dash said, “lead the way.” “Right.” Gladion pulled his Ride Pager out, conjured a Poké Ball, and tossed it to the ground, letting his Charizard back out. “Now, Pinkie Pie, do you want a lift with me, or would you rather ride with your friend?” “Hmm,” Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin with the top of her wrist. “I think I’ll ride with you! Spend a little quality time together!” “Alright, then.” Gladion climbed aboard his draconic steed while Pinkie Pie managed to sit right behind him in one bound, gripping on tight. “Okay, Charizard. Head to Iki Town!” With a roar and a beat of its wings, Charizard took up to the sky, arcing over to fly straight east. Rainbow Dash leapt up and easily picked up speed to fly alongside them, spinning around to give one last farewell wave to Mina before setting off on her journey with Gladion and Pinkie Pie. Mina set up a goalpost formation with her thumbs and index fingers, keeping Rainbow Dash in her frame before she became too small to see. With a slight whine of confusion from her Wigglytuff, Mina looked down on it, and then back to her painting which still stood on the easel on near the edge of the canyon. Smiling slightly as she looked at the sky she had already painted, she walked back with her Wigglytuff to finish it and make a few necessary changes.