After Winona healed her Pokémon, it was time for Shiranui to take her on. The gym leader opened with her shiny Swellow and Shiranui sent Hoshi out. "Swellow, Double Team!"
"Hoshi, Telekinesis!" Swellow flitted back and forth, creating illusory copies. Hoshi soon put a stop to that, literally, by holding Swellow in a psychic grip that was like a temporary one-sided version of the No Guard ability, its crystal core glowing a bright green colour.
"Swellow, Aerial Ace!"
"Hoshi, Thunder!" Swellow was able to swoop in and nail Hoshi for a hit right in the crystal core before lightning struck the bird for a one-hit knockout.
Winona—in a deviation from her battle with Liam—sent out a Skarmory. "Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon. Skarmory is entirely encased in hard, protective armor. This Pokémon flies at close to 190 mph. It slashes foes with its wings that possess swordlike cutting edges." Shiranui kept Hoshi out and the next round was on.
"Skarmory, Air Cutter!"
"Hoshi, Reflect Type!" Winona was surprised to see Hoshi change colours. The Starmie looked like it was made of platinum with the area surrounding its crystal core a metallic gold. Skarmory sliced and diced the air, sending pneumatic slices at Hoshi, but now that the Starmie was a Steel/Flying type, the move was resisted.
"Skarmory, Metal Sound!"
"Hoshi, Magic Coat!" The Starmie's core glowed a red colour as it conjured a lustrous shield. Skarmory scraped the edges of its wings against each other, producing a sound like fingernails scraping a blackboard. Hoshi's shield echoed the sound right back and Skarmory felt a harsh drop in its Special Defence stat instead.
"Skarmory, Steel Wing!"
"Hoshi, Flash Cannon!" Hoshi collected the light energy reflecting off its body and let out a bright flash that did minor damage on Skarmory while Skarmory swooped in and struck the Starmie with its wings.
"Skarmory, Steel Wing once more!"
"Hoshi, Thunder!" The Starmie's core glowed yellow before lightning struck Skarmory into a knockout.
Winona sent out her Altaria and Shiranui switched Hoshi for Senritsu—his own Altaria.
"Altaria, Dragon Breath!"
"Senritsu, Hyper Voice! Mega Ring activate!" Shiranui activated the keystone on his Mega Ring and an orb surrounded his Altaria. The orb shattered to reveal a Mega Altaria. Winona was surprised not only at Senritsu's new look, but also at the fact that the Mega Altaria was not affected by her own Altaria's attack. Senritsu let out a very loud chirp that Altaria barely survived.
"Your Altaria can become a Fairy type?" Winona asked, surprise still evident in her voice.
"Not just any Fairy type—Senritsu now has the Pixilate ability, which turns any Normal-type move she uses into a Fairy-type move and increases its power," answered Shiranui.
"Altaria, Roost!"
"Senritsu, Disarming Voice!" As Winona's Altaria was descending for a landing, Senritsu let out a series of adorable chirps. Altaria crash landed on hearing Senritsu's move, knocked out. Shiranui had won the Feather Badge.