"Ahh, so you three are looking for the Striaton City Gym Leaders, correct?" A white haired, middle aged man wearing sun glasses standing in front of the gym said.

"Yes, sir." I answered with a slight nod. Me, Cheren, and Bianca are in Striaton City to take on our first gym battle with not one, but three, Gym Leaders. I opened my mouth to speak again. "Are the Gym Leaders in there?"

"As a matter of fact, you three are just in time. Just about a few minutes ago they got back from Trainer School, and they do need a bit of entertainment. Now, if you three, would please follow me inside and I will show you the way." He turned to the doors, and opened them, guestering us to enter. The three of us walked one by one into a small little cafe. And in front of us is a pale orange curtain.

"Umm," Bianca spoke hesitantly. "Forgive me for interrupting, but I don't think we ever got you name."

"Oh!" The man turned to us with an apologetic smile. "Pardon my manners. My name is Clyde, and I am a guide for all Trainers who wish to partake in a Gym battle." He introduced. "I am very appreciative of the three of you challenging this Gym."

"Thank you, Mr. Clyde." Cheren spoke in a soft tone. "Any idea on what this Gym is about?"

"Ah." Clyde held up his right index finger. "I am about to explain. For this Gym, each and every one basic element of Pokemon battles is the relationship between types. If you were to choose a Pokemon with a type advantage and effective moves, victory is just a step away." He turned to the waitress by the left counter. "May you raise the curtain?"

"Yes, sir!" The waitress walked over to the wall and pressed the button as the curtain divided in half. Feet away from where the curtain was raised is another curtain, except it shows a symbol of Fire.

"What are those buttons on the floor for, Mr. Clyde?" Bianca asked.

"Glad you asked." Clyde began. "This Gym is quite simple. All you have to do is proceed by stepping on the switch with the type that is effective against the type that is shown on the curtain. Are you three getting this?"

"Sounds simple enough to me." Cheren said. Yeah, it may seem simple to him, that's for damn sure.

"You'll see, young Trainer. I wish you good luck on your first Gym battle. The Gym Leaders are waiting to greet you." Clyde step aside to the right, making space for the three of us to make our way to the first set of switches in front of the first curtain. We looked at the Fire symbol that is shown on the curtain.

"Umm..." I looked to my left to see Bianca with a confused expression. She pressed her left index finger on her bottom lip. "Did Clyde say we have to choose the type that is opposite to the type shown on the curtain?" She turned to me.

"Yep." I nodded and turned back to look at the curtain. "And the curtain is showing the symbol of Fire. All we have to do is choose the correct type." I looked back at Bianca, which she is placing her hands on her hat.

"E-erm..." Bianca scanned at the three switches on the floor hesitantly. "Maybe this?" She eyed Leaf symbol that is positioned in front of me. Walking to it, she placed both feet on it.

"BZZZZT!" The loud sound made the three of us jump and covered our ears. Holy crap, it almost gave me a heart attack! The sound only lasted for two seconds.

"W-what was that!?" Bianca uncovered her ears along with me and Cheren. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What the sound signifies is that you got the answer wrong, Bianca." Cheren spoke. "If you would've actually listen, Mr. Clyde said that we have to choose the type that is effective AGAINST the type shown on the curtain. Do you get it?"

"Ooooooh..." Bianca understood and tipped her hat. She looked back at the switches, pondering. "So, if the Leaf symbol is not the right one, maybe this?" She eyed and walked to the Water symbol in front of her.

"DING DING DING!" A different doing made us jolt again. Damn, could somebody warn us about this ahead of time? We looked to see the curtain split in two and showed us another curtain.

"Well, seems like you got the answer right, Bianca." I said. "But look, there is another type shown on this curtain." The three of us walked to the next curtain.

"Hmm," Cheren said, with his finger and thumb pressed against his chin. "If my recognition serves me right, I believe the one type effective against Leaf should be..." Without budging an inch, Cheren moved his right leg a tapped on the Fire switch to the right of him.

"DING DING DING!" The curtain opened up to yet another curtain. This time it shows the symbol of Water.

"Heh, Water huh?" I started walking and smiled. "The type that is most effective against Water is..." I planted both my feet on the switch with the Leaf symbol on it. We waited, but no sound.

"Did you get the right switch?" Bianca said.

"I think I did? But why isn't there a sound to tell us it is?" I asked, tapping on the switch multiple times. After about 15 or so taps, the lights went out. "AAH! What did I do!?" I yelled.

"Maybe you stepped on the switch too much, causing an outage?" Cheren's voice echoed in the room.

"Not quite!" A voice appeared, causing the three of us to jump. Two spot lights shined at the curtain, which were raised up showing an empty stage with a flight of stairs on front. Walking in center stage is a waiter with green hair. "Welcome to the Striaton City Gym young Trainers!" He said. Ah, so that's where the voice came from.

"I," A red haired waiter twirled and stand to the left of the green haired waiter. "am Chili, the one who lights things with Fire Type Pokemon!"

"With the Water Type specialist," A blue haired waiter twirled and stood to the right of the middle waiter. "I am Cress!"

"And I" The middle waiter twirled for a second and stood in place. "am Cilan, the lover of Grass Type Pokemon.

"And..." The three simultaneously twirled and stopped with their hands up. Two where down on one knee and the middle stood straight up. "We are the Striaton City Gym Leaders!" The lights clicked back on in the cafe, showing me, Cheren, and Bianca staring at them, blankly with a sweat drop falling off of our heads.

"See, I knew doing that won't make us entertaining!" The one called Cress said sharply, standing up.

"Oh, come on. I think it was pretty fun. Made us flamboyant." Cilan smiled with his eyes closed, shrugging.

"Flamboyant!?" Chili stood up quick, grabbed Cilan's neck and shook him, vigorously. "We are waiters, not pansies! Trying to make fools out of ourselves!?"

"Umm, excuse us..." Cheren cleared his throat, catching the Gym Leaders attention. "The three of us are here for our first Gym battle. And we wonder if you can accept our challenge."

"Well, umm...you see..." Cilan scratched his head. "The three of us, erm...well, we-"

"Oh, enough!" Chili shoved Cilan down and glared at us. "Listen up!" The three of us jolted. "What he is trying to say is, the three of us are here to decide whom you three will take on in your first Gym battle."

"And seeing that the three of you wanted to receive your first Gym badge," Cress said. "How about we all do a Triple Battle?"

"Wonderful idea, Cress!" Cilan popped up, making Cress jump.

"Triple Battle?" Bianca, Cheren, and I spoke in unison. This is completely different to me. I have heard of Double Battles back in the previous regions, but this I have to know about.

"Yes, you heard Cress." Cilan said. "Let me explain about Triple Battles. Triple Battles consist of taking out half of you six Pokemon out into battle again three of your opponents Pokemon."

"Would you like to give it a try?" Chili asked.

"A Triple Battle, you say..." Cheren said, but smiled. "This might be interesting!"

"Count me in! I would love to try!" Bianca said, jumping for joy.

"Heh!" I smiled, tipped my hat down. "Nothing but learning new things here, huh? Alright, count us three in!" I jabbed my finger at them, accepting their challenge.

"Wonderful! Such a wondrous taste of determination served on a main course!" Cilan clapped his hands happily. "Now, let us escort you three to the arena for your battle." He waved a hand to us, allowing us to follow the Gym Leaders. About a few minutes later, all six of us got to our respective sides: the Gym Leaders on one side, me, Cheren, and Bianca on the other side. We all see Clyde going to the left side of the arena center as the referree.

"The Triple Battle of the Striaton City Gym will now coomence as the Gym Leaders Cilan, Cress, and Chili takes on the contenders Cheren, Bianca, and Crymson of Nuvema Town for their first Gym Badge." Clyde announced. "For the rules of this Gym battle, each opponent will send out one Pokemon and only allow one for this battle. The winner will be declared once all of the on on either side are unable to battle. You may send out your Pokemon."

"Alright, Panpour. Come out!" Cress threw his PokeBall, releasing a small, blue monkey Water type pokemon.

"Pansear, you're up!" Chili released his PokeBall, showing another monkey Pokemon, except it is a Fire type.

"Pansage, join your friends!" Cilan was the last to release his Pokemon, showing a wide eye, Grass type monkey Pokemon.

"So, a trio of monkey Pokemon?" I said, looking at Bianca and Cheren to my left. "Alright, guys. If we are going to win our first Gym Badge, we got to work a-"

"I'll take care of this battle, no problem." Cheren cut me off, taking out his PokeBall from his back pocket. "Snivy, let's go!" He sent out his Snivy, positioned a few feet from him with its arms crossed.

"H-hey, wait for me!" Bianca struggled to get a PokeBall out of her bag. "Ah, there we go! Tepig, come on out!" Bianca threw hers out, releasing her energetic Tepig.

"Ugh, you guys..." I groaned under my breath, placing my hand on my head. "I guess I got no choice..." I reached for my back pocket and threw out my PokeBall. "Muji, assist me!" Muji, my Oshawott, stand by in front of me.

"Everybody ready?" Clyde looked at everyone, nodding. He held up his right arm up. "You may begin!"

"Alright, this will be over in no time!" Cheren said. "Snivy, Razor Leaf!" He ordered his Pokemon. His Snivy released multitudes of fast spinning leaves to the trio, though only taking minimal damage. "What!? How can that b-"

"Lemme try!" Bianca butted in. "Tepig, use Ember!" I tried stopping her, but her Tepig's move already attack, but at the wrong Pokemon. The Ember attack hit Pampour, doing only a tiny amount of damage. "No, it didn't faint!"

"You cluts!" Cheren yelled at Bianca. "You attacked the wrong Pokemon type!"

"Great..." I slumped and groaned.

"Well, well, you two." Cress said, smiling slightly. "It seems we have a broken team amongst ourselves. May I take the first attack?" He eyed his allies.

"Why, our pleasure! You may serve the appetizers to our guests." Cilan waved his hand out, allowing him.

"Thank you." Cress chuckled. "Panpour, Scald!" His Pokemon opened its mouth and sprayed a steamy, hot jet stream of water to our Pokemon directly on their tail ends. Snivy waved its tail to reduce the heat, Tepig sat and blew on his tail, while Muji is frantically running around in circles. Then, in a matter of seconds, flames erupted on all three of them.

"What!?"' We all said.

"Oh, wondering whywhy your Pokemon has gotten the burn effect?" Cress said. "Well, not only Scald is a move, but it has a chance of making your Pokemon burned."

"Waah!" Bianca held on to her hat and shrieked. "What are we going to do!?"

"Cheren, do you got any Burn Heals on you?" I eyed my teammate for an answer.

"I'm afraid I don't, Crymson. What about you, Bianca?" Cheren turned to Bianca.

"Umm, no I don't..." Bianca pout.

"Well, it's a good thing I got some Pecha Berries with me!" I reached into my berry pouch and pulled up three Pecha Berries my mom gave to me before I left. "Muji, Snivy, Tepig, catch!" I threw the Pecha Berries to our Pokemon.

"Not if that won't do you good!" Chili yelled. "Pansear, Incinerate!" His Pokemon blew scorching fire to our Pokemon as soon as they caught their berry. After the attack, our Pokemon looked almost charred, but what's even more charred is the berries.

"No, how can that be!?" I yelled.

"Too bad about your berries. My Pansear's Incinerate can get rid of any Pokemon has a hold of." Chili explained.

"What!?" Me, Cheren, and Bianca's eyes widen in shock.

"Nicely done, the both of you." Cilan clapped his hands. "What a delicious hor'dourves of both steamy and charred broiled given to our guests. Now, to give them a healthy side dish." He thrust his hand forward. "Pansage, Vine Whip!" His Pansage grew long vines out of his hands and directly hit our Pokemon, knocking them down in front of us. Flames then erupted on them again after taking little damage from the burn effect.

"Do you got any more of those Pecha Berries on you, Crymson!?" Cheren yelled.

"Ah..." I hesitated. "I'm sorry, but those were my only three."

"Why the hell did you only got three!?" Cheren yelled louder. "You know our Pokemon will faint at any moment if this burn affect keeps inflicting them!"

"Damn it..." I thought, biting my lip. Now the three of us are stuck in a tight corner, on our very first Gym battle!

((Whew...first chapter done after several months of inactivity. Thank you for reading and ccontinue supporting this FanFic. Happy Holidays everyone, and the New Year is upon us! ~CS))