The cable car station soon became visible as the four of us walked along the path.

"This is it! That cable car will take us straight to Strato Town!" Nina said.

The four of us soon stopped and looked up to marvel at the majesty that is Mount Haven.

Wow... Pictures don't do justice at all...

I soon took out my phone and called my grandmother.

Given that I haven't spoken to her in a while, I want to see how she's doing.

"Eragona, sweetheart! It's so good to hear from you!" she said, "I feel like it's been ages since we last spoke! How've you been?"

"Great! There's so much I've gotta tell you, Grandma Eli!" I said.

"Hi there, Ms. Eli!" Kat said.

My grandmother smiled and waved.

"Hello there, Kat! How are you, dear?" she asked.

"Well, thank you! And you?" Kat asked.

Grandma Eli chuckled and rolled her eyes fondly.

"Oh, I've been well. In many interviews in the past few weeks," she said, "But it's nothing that I don't like doing."

I nodded with a grin. That's when I walked up to Eric and Nina and slung my arms around their necks.

"Grandma Eli, I want you to meet Eric and Nina!" I said.

"Hi, Ms. Elise!" they said.

"Hello there!" she said, "Nina, you've grown so much since I've seen you last! You look just like your mother! How is she?"

Nina only chuckled.

"She's well. Still running the Maidbury City gym." she said.

"That's wonderful to hear! So, where are you kids headed now?" Grandma Eli asked.

"See for yourself!" I said.

I turned my phone around so Grandma Eli could see Mount Haven.

"Ah, you're going to Strato Town's Annual Sky Festival, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yup! I don't think I've ever been to Strato Town before, have I, Grandma Eli?" I asked.

My grandmother shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. Oh, but you kids will love it up there! You may catch some wild Pokémon battling in the sky if you're lucky!" Grandma Eli said.

"Back in Kalos, there's a place where you're given flying suits, and you can battle in the sky with your Flying-type Pokémon." Kat said.

"Ooh, they both sound like fun!" Nina said excitedly.

Grandma Eli breathed out a soft chuckle and shook her head fondly.

"So, what is it you wanted to tell me?" Grandma Eli asked.

The four of us stopped and nodded to one another.

"Well, we won a Pokémon in Grasmere Town's Lottery Challenge." I said.

I tossed my Pokéball, and Charcoal came out with a friendly, roar-like cry.

"Meet Charcoal." I said.

"He looks very strong. I can sense that fiery spirit within." Grandma Eli said.

"Not only that. We were given eggs, and they finally hatched!" Nina said.

We took out our Pokéballs and released our newly hatched Pokémon. They all let out happy cries when they appeared.

"Aw, they're adorable! Take good care of them, understand, kids?" Grandma Eli asked.

"We will!" we all said.

We returned our Pokémon to their Pokéballs and continued to the cable car station.

"Oh, Grandma Eli! I almost forgot!" I said, "The rumors about Celebi inhabiting Divinus Forest were true! Libby and I met it!"

Libby let out a cry as if she agreed with me.

"You met Celebi!?" Grandma Eli asked in surprise.

"Yes! We traveled to the past, Grandma Eli!" I said, "With Celebi's help, I was able to add a new member to my team!"

I drew out my Pokéball and tossed it in the air. Out came a very jubilant Kaiba.

"A Swablu! That's wonderful!" Grandma Eli said, "I still can't believe you met Celebi. I always believed those rumors were true, and now, I have confirmation that the rumors are no longer rumors."

"Yeah. This is Kaiba, by the way." I said.

Kaiba perched herself on my shoulder and used her wing to wave at my grandmother. That's when Grandma Eli's Altaria appeared and let out a happy cry. Kaiba's smile only grew.

"That's what you'll evolve into soon, Kaiba!" I said.

Kaiba bounced around on my shoulder, letting out happy cries.

"Well, I don't want to keep you, kids, for long. Enjoy the Sky Festival!" Grandma Eli said.

"We will! Later, Grandma Eli!" I said.

The others waved goodbye before the call ended.

"Your grandmother is so nice! It's still hard to believe she's an Elite Four member!" Nina said.

"I know. I often forget that sometimes myself." I said sheepishly.

"Maybe one day we'll meet her in person." Eric said.

I breathed out a chuckle and grinned at my friend.

"Don't worry; you will. Like she said, she often does interviews and sometimes meets and greets with the rest of the Elite Four, so I'm pretty sure we'll cross paths with them one day on our journey." I said.

"Have you ever met the rest of the Elite Four Era?" Nina asked.

I hummed as I searched through my memories.

"I don't think I have. My grandmother would definitely say that I have, but I was probably really young, so I don't remember," I answered, "As far as I know, I only know of them; I just never met them in person."

"Well, like you said, we're sure to cross paths with them." Kat said.

I nodded to my friend with a wide grin on my face.

I wonder if we'll ever meet the Elite Four on our journey...?

When we arrived at the station, the four of us paid for our tickets and walked onto a cable car with a small group of people. When the doors closed, the cable car began to move. I looked out the glass as the cable car ascended into the air.

This is so exciting! I've never been this high up before!

"This is so cool!" I said excitedly.

"Yeah! I don't think I've ever been on a cable car before," Nina said, "The view from here is already amazing!"

"It will only get better when we arrive at Strato Town. I know it!" Eric said.

"I agree. I can't wait to partake in the Sky Festival!" Kat said excitedly.

I nodded to my friends with a smile on my face. I took out my phone and started taking pictures. That's when I saw a Pokémon scaling the mountain beside us. I quickly took out my Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon to make sure I wasn't going crazy.

"Aerodactyl, the Fossil Pokémon. A savage Pokémon that died out in ancient times. It was resurrected using DNA taken from amber. It flew through the open skies over the ancient continent as if they were its own. When it touched the ground, its walk was weak and slow."

Whoa! I've never seen an Aerodactyl up close before. I've never seen an Aerodactyl, period!

"Guys, look! It's an Aerodactyl!" I cried.

The others rushed to my side and marveled at the Fossil Pokémon. I smiled as I snapped a picture of the ancient Pokémon. That's when a Dragonite appeared and rammed itself into the Aerodactyl. My eyes widened as the two began fighting. I raised my phone and started recording the battle.

"Wow! To think we would see a sky battle before we get to Strato Town!" Eric said, "This is incredible!"

The two powerful Pokémon soon stopped and flew off in different directions.

That was awesome, and I got it all on video! I have to send this to Grandma Eli!

When I looked out the window once more, I saw Strato Town's cable car station becoming visible.

"Guys, we're almost there!" I said excitedly.

The others looked out the window and mirrored my smile. After a few minutes, the cable car docked at the station, and the doors opened. The crowd walked out, and indistinct chatter arose on the platform. A powerful gale of wind invited itself onto the platform, causing the others and me to shield ourselves.

"My hat!" a man cried.

I looked up to see a fedora fluttering in the wind. I jumped up and extended my arm to grab the hat. That's when Libby bounced off my palm and caught the hat in her mouth.

"Nice catch, Libby!" I praised.

Libby let out a muffled cry. When the man rushed towards us, I immediately recognized who it was.

"Claude!?" I asked in surprise.

The Chairman of the Battle Tendency Tournament panted and smiled down at me.

"Eragona! Fancy meeting you here!" he said.

Libby wagged her tail and presented the chairman with his hat. The man smiled and took the fedora from my partner, only to place it on his head.

"Claude! Good seeing you again! What are you doing here in Strato Town?" Kat asked.

"Good to see you as well, Kat," Claude said, "Wouldn't you know it, Strato Town's representative had asked me to officiate their Sky Festival's Sky Race!"

A sky race? Now that sounds fun!

"A sky race? That'll be fun to partake in!" Eric said.

"And who might you two be?" Claude asked with a smile.

"This is Eric and Nina. We met them on our way to Texlajara Town." Kat explained.

Claude chuckled and bowed before our two friends.

"Well, any friends of these two tournament winners are friends of mine," Claude said, "These two sure know how to battle in sync."

"We know," Eric chuckled, "Their teamwork is admirable."

Kat and I smiled at our friend's words. That's when I heard a familiar, chivalrous cry. When I looked behind Claude, I saw his Gallade rushing towards him.

"Ah, Gallade! Sorry about leaving you like that..." Claude said sheepishly.

Gallade let out an annoyed sigh. When he saw me and Kat, his mood quickly changed, and he let out a friendly cry.

"Good to see you again, too, Gallade." Kat said.

"Since we're all here, why don't we head to Strato Town instead of talking on the platform?" Claude suggested.

We took the chairman's offer and walked towards Strato Town. When I looked up, I saw many houses built into Mount Haven, all supported with stone and steel. Some of the supporters were carved into different Pokémon to make it look like the Pokémon were holding up the houses. I didn't hesitate to take pictures of the homes and the view.

"So, first time here in Strato Town, kids?" Claude asked.

"Sure is! I wonder what the Sky Festival will be like...?" Nina wondered aloud.

Claude chuckled and looked up at the sky with a grin.

"Well, from what I've been told, the Sky Festival is just like any other festival, but with a lot of sky-themed activities," Claude explained, "You can ride Flying-type Pokémon, watch sky battles, both wild and trainer battles, bungee-jumping, and at the very end, the Sky Festival's Sky Race."

"That does sound like a lot of fun!" Nina said.

"Yeah. Where's the race supposed to take place?" I asked.

Claude looked up and pointed to a platform that overlooked the town.

"That's where the race will begin. In this race, you and your Flying-type Pokémon will race around the entire mountain, but the only way for them to make it through the whole race fairly is to fly through those golden hoops," Claude said, pointing towards the sky, "Those hoops will ensure that your Pokémon can proceed with the race. If your Pokémon doesn't fly through a hoop, they have to fly back and go through it and start from there."

Whoa... Their rules for this race are pretty strict...

"Wait. Say if you don't have a Flying-type Pokémon, like me, and you still want to participate," Nina spoke up, "What then?"

"Simple. If you want to participate in the race even though you don't have a Flying-type, you can borrow one, but spots are limited." Claude explained.

"I get it. So, where do you go to sign up for the race?" I asked.

Claude looked up and pointed to a building on the side of the mountain, under the platform.

"That's where you can go to register," Claude replied, "When the race is about to start, you head back to that same building. There, you will be assigned a balloon that you will fly alongside your Pokémon. I was just on my way to announce my presence. I can take you kids there if you'd like."

"Better to register for the race than wait till the last minute." Kat said.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Lead the way, Claude." I said.

Claude smiled, and the five of us started journeying through the town to get to the building.

The town is so cute, and the constant fresh air is amazing. Watching the Pokémon fly by is breathtaking and admirable. I wonder what the others and I will do first before the race starts.

"And here we are!" Claude said.

The automatic, sliding glass door opened and revealed a beautiful foyer and lobby.

"You can register for the Sky Race at the receptionist table straight ahead," Claude said, "Well, Gallade and I will be on our way. See you, kids, at the race!"

"Later, Claude!" I said with a slight wave.

The chairman and his Pokémon waved goodbye and walked deeper into the facility. The four of us smiled at one another and walked up to the receptionist's table.

"Hello and welcome! Are you here to participate in the Sky Festival's Sky Race or spectate?" the receptionist asked.

"Participate." we said.

The receptionist nodded with a kind smile.

"Now, will you be using your own Pokémon, or would you like to rent one?" she asked.

"I would like to rent one, please." Nina said.

The receptionist nodded and started typing on her computer.

"All right, you will be given a Pokémon before the race begins," she said, "When you come back here, you will be given the Pokémon. And what about you three?"

"I'll be using my Tranquill." Eric said.

"My Swablu." I said.

"And I'll be registering my Beautifly." Kat said.

The receptionist nodded as she took down our Pokémon.

"All right, you're all set! The race will begin in an hour," the receptionist said as she handed us cards, "These cards will allow you to access the racers' lounge before the race starts. Good luck, and enjoy the Sky Festival!"

"Thank you!" we said.

The four of us soon walked out of the building, and a fresh breeze swept past.

"So, what do you guys wanna do first?" Kat asked.

"Claude mentioned that we could do a lot of activities here," Eric commented, "Why don't we walk around, and whatever we run into, that's what we do?"

"Good idea! We only have an hour, so let's make the most of it!" Nina said.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" I cried excitedly.

We rushed toward the town with smiles to see what was in store. Once we reached the town square, I saw a place where you could ride Flying-type Pokémon.

"Guys, let's go over there!" I said, "We can ride Flying-type Pokémon!"

"That sounds fun!" Kat said, "Lead the way!"

With a smile, I lead my friends over to the site. Looking ahead, I saw that there were kids, both older and younger than us, riding some powerful-looking Pokémon: Charizard, Dragonite, Skarmory, Honchkrow, Braviary, and Noivern, all strong and fast fliers.

They all look like they're having fun carrying the people around.

"Hey, Era," Kat began, "Thought I should let you know since you wanna become a Dragon-type trainer. Noivern is, in fact, a Dragon-type Pokémon. They're native to Kalos."

"Really? That's so cool!" I said, "It certainly looks like a Dragon-type."

Now that's a Dragon-type I would like to have...

The four of us were soon next, and the four Pokémon before us were Honchkrow, Braviary, Skarmory, and Noivern.

"Choose whichever one you like, kids." said the man running the attraction.

I smiled and quickly rushed up to the Noivern. It looked down at me and let out a friendly cry. I smiled as I took out my Pokédex to scan the Noivern.

"Noivern, the Sound Wave Pokémon. They fly around on moonless nights and attack careless prey. Nothing can beat them in a battle in the dark. Although it has a violent disposition, if you give it a nice ripe fruit that it loves, Noivern will suddenly become tame."

Whoa...

The Pokémon turned its back to me, and I saw a saddle with handlebars. Smiling, I pulled myself onto its back and gripped the bars. I looked to my side to see my friends mounted on their Pokémon as well.

"You ready, guys?" I asked.

"Yeah!" they said excitedly.

I turned back to the open sky and smiled.

"All right, Noivern! Let's see how fast you fly!" I said.

The Noivern released a screech-like cry and jumped off the cliff, soon spreading its wings and soaring through the air. The air hit my face, and it was refreshing.

"Hang on, Libby!" I cried.

Libby let out a cry and held onto my shoulder tightly. I looked to see my friends having just as much as me.

"One lap around the mountain and back to the platform!" Eric said.

"You're on!" Kat said.

When the Pokémon heard this, they let out their unique cries and picked up speed. This only made me smile more.

"Come on, Noivern! We can win this!" I cheered.

Noivern let out a cry and beat its wings harder, passing Kat and Honchkrow.

"Oh, no, you don't, Era!" Kat challenged playfully.

When we came around the mountain top, the Pokémon started getting faster.

I didn't think they could go any faster...!

When the platform was in sight, Noivern tucked its wings and dove down, causing it to move more swiftly. It then landed on the platform and let out a triumphant cry.

"All right, Noivern!" I cheered.

Libby let out a cry and bounced on my shoulder. I smiled as the others landed on the platform. I hopped off the Noivern and scratched under its chin.

"Thanks for the fun ride, Noivern." I said.

The Noivern let out a friendly cry and nuzzled its head against my cheek. I let out a laugh before meeting up with the others.

"That was so much fun! The wind against my face felt amazing!" Nina said.

"Yeah! And I loved how the Pokémon were so eager to race!" Eric said.

"I know! So, what's next?" I asked.

The four of us soon wandered around town to see what other activities we could do.

We went bungee jumping, which was scary at first. We then watched a sky battle between a Braviary and a Mandibuzz, both native to Unova. The Braviary reigned victoriously. We then stopped to get a snack and saw they were selling Cloud Cones. They were ice cream cones but in the shape of a cloud. They were good but not as good as Maidbury City's ice cream.

"Attention all Sky Festival partakers! If you are a participant in the Sky Race, please make your way to Cumulus Corp. to be verified!" said a woman over the PA.

"That's us," Eric said, "Let's get going."

Kat, Nina, and I nodded, and we all followed Eric to the building we were at in the beginning.

This is it... This is going to be so much fun!