Ch 28:
Tristan has spent a while training up with Peters help in some beneficial battles when practising battle combos. He goes back to the gym where Blaine is expected to be and challenges Blaine to a battle with a 3-on-3. Blaine accepts and says he will give Tristan the VolcanoBadge if he defeats him. Blaine begins by using Rapidash and Tristan sends out Machamp. Rapidash uses Fire Spin but Machamp punches through and flips over Rapidash before punching it hard with Mega Punch and following up with Mega Kick. Rapidash lands well and balances itself before hitting Machamp with an ultra-powerful Fire Blast. Machamp is thrown to the ground but recovers to use Mega Punch which floors Rapidash and knocks it out. Tristan says Machamp has increased a lot in its power since he battled Blaine last and Blaine says he didn't use a Machamp before. Blaine forgets this and sends out a Magmar which uses Fire Punch. Machamp dodges and uses Smog to poison Machamp. Machamp tries to swipe the Smog away but keels over and coughs violently where Machamp uses Fire Punch to punch Machamp to knock it out. Tristan sends out Nidoking who uses Thunder on Magmar to fry it but Magmar recovers and uses Fire Punch on Nidoking. Nidoking withstands the hit and uses the super effective Earthquake to stop Magmar in its tracks and trap it on a block of rock surrounded by lava. Nidoking finishes it off with Thunder when it cannot escape. Blaine says that was a worthy tactic to defeat his ultra-powerful Magmar and sends in his last Pokemon, Arcanine. Arcanine begins with Agility and Nidoking cannot land a horn attack. Arcanine strikes Nidoking with Fire Blast but Nidoking withstands it. However, Arcanine bashes Nidoking with a Take Down and Nidoking faints, with Arcanine taking recoil from the attack. Tristan now has one undamaged pokemon, but Arcanine looks in great shape. Tristan throws out a Pokeball and shocks Blaine with his next choice, Phanpy. Tristan says he is not very sure about this but needs Phanpy to prove itself having not battled much recently against the Gym Leaders. Phanpy manages to use Earthquake but Arcanine dodges and uses Take Down. Phanpy is hit but scores a rapid Rollout. However Arcanine looks fine and Phanpy looks tired despite only just coming in. Tristan is worried for it and Arcanine lands a powerful flamethrower on Phanpy. Tristan sinks to his knees but Phanpy comes out of the blast roaring and begins to glow. Blaine and Tristan are both shocked to see Phanpy evolve into Donphan, its tusks grow sharper and longer and it develops a tough armour hide. Tristan scans the Pokedex and screams in delight. Donphan growls at Blaine and Tristan orders a Rollout which knocks Arcanine straight off its feet. Arcanine lands a Fire Blast but Donphan uses Defense Curl to withstand the hit. It attacks again with Rollout but Arcanine dodges one, but is struck by a second. Arcanine falls to the ground and is knocked out. Tristan punches the air and Blaine says it was great to see a Donphan because he has only heard of them. He then hands Tristan the Volcano Badge and Tristan says goodbye and heads to Viridian City where he hears of a gym that has opened up for the last gym badge he needs.
