I got that Mudkip three years ago. But only a year ago was I able to actually head out on my journey. All of my friends set off before but my parents wouldn't let me. After the events of the awakening of Groudon and Kyogre they were scared that something like that would happen again. And when it did happen I would be caught in the middle of it all, like what happened to that Brendan guy.

But after a year of travelling later I was at Sootopolis City on a grass field getting ready for my final gym match against Wallace. Over that year I obtained all the Pokémon the Pokémon I wanted to make the perfect team. My Beldum and Mudkip had evolved into Metagross and Swampert; I then added a Shroomish (which evolved into Breloom soon after I caught it), a Slaking (stayed as a Vigoroth until around a month ago), a Swellow (which evolved half a year after I caught it) and after searching for a few days, I was able to find and befriend a Bagon at Meteor Falls (now a mighty Salamance).

All of my old friends haven't made it as far as me. They are one of the many trainers who get stuck at one point in their journey. Alex stayed up north in Fallabor town helping Professor Cozmo with research at Meteor falls. Tom started training under Winona at Fortree City, wanting to become a flying type expert. Sam started to study under Norman, wanting to become a normal type expert.

Since they stopped their journeys my on rival was Tyler. Like me, he had grown a lot stronger over his journey and had gotten through Hoenns' Victory Road just ahead of me. We faced offed for our final battle before the Elite 4 and the Champion with the Pokémon we would battle them with. For me that was Swampert, Metagross, Breloom, Slaking, Swellow and a Salamance. For him it was his Blaziken, Gardevoir, Tropius, Walrien, Donphan and an Absol.

We had learnt about each others battle styles through our adventures. Tyler preferred one-on-one battling while I preferred double battles. But the sentence that came out of Tyler shocked me. "So Benny, what about a three-on-three battle?" he said smiling, as was his nature. "A what?" I said confused.

"We use three Pokémon each instead of two or even one."

"Where did you come up with this thing?"

"When I was in the Pokémon Centre before Vic Road, I met a guy from a far off region called Unova. He taught be about this form of battling, but I haven't had much chance to practice it. Want to try it?"

"Sure, why not," I said with false confidence. "This was going to be hard," I thought to myself. "Choose your Pokémon Benny, I'm ready when you are!" yelled Tyler from 20 metres away.

"Ok, just give me a sec to think of what Pokémon to use!" I yelled back.

"Benny, I know what Pokémon you're going to use so just pick!" He yelled back, with a hint of snideness in his voice. "I must be getting predictable," I thought to myself, "oh well, that hasn't stopped me before."

I grabbed three pokeballs and threw them into the air. Out came my Metagross, Swellow and Breloom. "Yep, knew it. Pick two speedy Pokémon and a tank to protect them," Tyler said while throwing up his own pokeballs. Out came Blaziken, Donphan and Absol.

On opposite sides of the field we faced off.

And the battle begun.