Dawn entered Applejack's gym, a really big barn. Gym equipment was back against the walls, ready for action. Before her, a straight path of red paint ran from the doorway to a painted Pokemon Arena the size of a football pitch at the far end of the barn. The field was overlooked by a a wooden chair impaling a stack of hay bales, and Applejack was seated upon that chair, looking down at the three ponies waiting around the barn with their own paths that intersected with the main path, the closest two paths intersecting with each other's.
Apple Bloom and Big Mac were closest, facing each other. Apple Bloom seemed ready to kick some flank, while Big Mac just looked bored. His belt was black, with one Pokeball. Her belt was white, with two. Closer to Applejack, Granny Smith was there, sleeping while standing. Her belt was black, with one Pokeball.
“Nice gym!” Dawn Skystar announced, walking along the path with her Riolu riding on her back. When she walked in front of the two Pokemon Trainers, they grabbed Pokeballs from their belts with their tails and threw them into the air, bringing out two Pokemon: An ordinary Meditite, and a red and white fighting-type Grotle with a giant fist on its back instead of a tree.
“You're a billion light years away from fighting my sister!” Apple Bloom declared.
“Eeyup!” Big Mac agreed.
Everypony awkwardly rushed over to the official Pokemon gym arena's painted lines for a double battle, and Dawn brought out her Ralts.
“If you beat one of us, this'll become a two-on-one until it becomes a one-on-one, to make things fair, ok? Meditite, use Confusion!” Apple Bloom shouted.
“Raiden, use Gust on Meditite! Aurora, use Confusion on Meditite!” Dawn commanded.
“Grotle, use Stockpile.” Big Mac just sort of... said, not getting into the spirit of things at all.
Meditite and Ralts put their hands to their head and confused each other at the same time, making both stumble back awkwardly, right as Raiden's wings flared out. She flapped her wings hard at the Psychic-Fighting Pokemon, blasting her with brutal winds that knocked him on his butt hard enough to knock him out.
Grotle's face got a little fatter while he built up a protective green aura around it that faded into transparency.
“Well that was quick,” Dawn commented as Apple Bloom returned her Meditite and brought out a Makuhita.
“This is my best Pokemon!” Apple Bloom declared, “Makuhita, use Arm Thrust on Ralts!”
“Grotle, use Stockpile!” Big Mac just sort of... said, again.
“Raiden, use Gust on Makuhita! Aurora, use Confusion on Makuhita!” Dawn commanded.
Makuhita ran over to the Ralts and prepared to thrust an arm into her face. Ralts put her hands to her head and psychically pinched the brain of Makuhita, annoying him into stumbling for a moment, almost falling over forwards, but he recovered in time for Raiden to leap up and send a brutal gust of wind down into his head, taking advantage of the moment to knock him on his back.
Grotle's face got a little fatter still while he built up a protective green aura around it that faded into transparency.
“Makuhita, use Arm Thrust!”
“Grotle, use Stockpile!” Big Mac just sort of... said, once more.
“Raiden, use Gust on Makuhita! Aurora, use Confusion on Makuhita!” Dawn commanded.
Aurora, Dawn's Ralts, pinched Makuhita's brain so hard, she made him confused about what day it was. And about what he'd just heard.
“Did she say... Punch myself in the face?” Makuhita wondered in Pokemon-speak. “Well, she's the boss.”
Makuhita punched himself in the face hard, knocking himself out. Raiden, wings flared out, turned in the air and blasted Grotle with air instead, not that he seemed to notice.
Grotle's face got a little fatter still while he built up a protective green aura around it that faded into transparency.
“Well, I'm out.” Apple Bloom said, returning her Pokemon and deciding to cheer Mac on. “Kick her butt, Mac!”
“Eeyup,” He said with grim determination.
“Raiden, use Gust on Grotle! Aurora, use Confusion on Grotle!” Dawn commanded.
“Spit Up, Grotle!” Big Mac shouted.
Aurora pinched Grotle's brain, and it hurt a little. Raiden blew a blast of wind at Grotle, and it hurt a little more.
Grotle opened his mouth wide and launched a massive beam of white energy at Ralts, making her scream in that miserable quiet voice that wished it could be louder. When the beam ended, she collapsed.
“AURORA!” Dawn cried, grabbing the Ralts with her white magic and pulling her closer for a hug. She returned the Pokemon to her Pokeball, and glared at Big Mac. “You want this to be one-on-one? Fine! Raiden, use Gust!”
“Stockpile.” Big Mac said.
Raiden flew up and flapped a blast of wind at the Grotle, who began to glow and fatten.
“Raiden, use Gust!”
“Stockpile.” Big Mac said.
Raiden flew up and flapped a blast of wind at the Grotle, who collapsed.
Dawn blinked. “Wow, I... uh... I thought I wouldn't win until I said to use Gust for the third time.”
“Well, you win.” Big mac said, getting some money out of an invisible pocket in his belt and throwing it to her, while Apple Bloom did the same. Dawn used her magic to pick the money up and put it in her own belt's invisible money bag, and teleported away in a flash of white light.
“Wait, is she going to the Pokemon Center?” Apple Bloom asked in disgust.
“There ain't no rule against it,” Applejack shrugged.
“Yeah, but that's so lame.” Apple Bloom said, looking down. “Everypony knows the COOL trainers don't leave a gym unless they have a badge or a team full of fainted Pokemon.”
Dawn reappeared and trotted along to Granny Smith, who was still asleep. She was sure the old mare would wake up as soon as she walked past her, but she didn't.
“HEY! WAKE UP!” Dawn yelled.
“Battle me tomorrow, I'll take the badge off ye if ye lose.” Granny Smith murmured in her sleep.
Dawn shrugged and trotted on to Applejack. “Hello, I'm here for your Gym Badge!” The Alicorn greeted.
“Rio!” Raiden waved happily, and then she threateningly caught a right punch with her left hand. “Ri-rio!” She called gleefully.
Applejack hopped down from her chair, and took her spot on the Pokemon battlefield. “This is yer first rodeo, so I'll make it easy on ya. We've both got three Pokemon, so this'll be a three-on-three match.”
“Will this match have any weird gimmicks?” Dawn asked. “Like, will boxing gloves on sticks come out of the arena or something?”
“Of course not! Mah Gym's dedicated to plain ol' Pokemon battles, because the simple ways are best.”
“Is that why you don't have any weird puzzles?” Dawn asked.
“Eeyup!” Applejack said proudly. “If you walk out of my gym, it's because the Apple Family kicked you out!”
“Or,” Dawn said with a grin as her Riolu, Raiden, took her place on the Pokemon battlefield, and Applejack's tail took a Pokeball from her belt. “Because I got your badge!”