Last time on Pokemon Super: Black & White, when they arrived in Accumula Town, Ash, Iris, Cabba, and Sandy went to a place called the Pokemon Battle Club. They've found out that a mysterious thief has been breaking into the food storage room. It looked like a Pokemon, so they offered to help try and catch it. Turns out the thief was a hungry Tepig that was left behind by his previous trainer. After stopping Team Rocket, Ash decided to have Tepig join his Unova team, and their new martial artist friend, Jack, and his grey Patrat wished Ash and Cabba good luck in Striaton City before taking off on Jack's unique ride, the Flying Nimbus cloud. Now, our heroes have finally made it to Striaton City...the place for Ash and Cabba's first Unova Gym Battle!
Cabba's Fiery Gym Match
"I can see Striaton City! My first Unova Gym Battle!" Ash exclaimed. "Pika!" Pikachu agreed. As he ran up a hill, Ash could see a new city coming into view.
Cabba was walking by until he stood next to Ash. "Well, Sandy did say that Striaton City was next to Accumula Town. Looks like we finally made it." Chimchar nodded with a smile. "Char."
Ash happily turned to his partner, the Saiyan, and the Saiyan's partner. "Let's both give it all we've got! Alright!" He then let out a happy jump before he ran down the hill with Pikachu by his side.
Cabba and Chimchar watched the duo from Kanto rush to Striaton City. "H-Hey, wait! Ash, Pikachu, wait for us!" With Chimchar on his shoulder, Cabba ran after both Ash and Pikachu.
Ash and Pikachu were looking around to find the Striaton Gym in excitement by the time Cabba and Chimchar caught up to them.
Cabba looked around the city they were in. "So, this is Striaton City? Seems so nice and peaceful."
"I wonder who the Gym Leader is, and I wonder what Pokemon we'll battle against. Oh boy, I'm so stoked! This is gonna be so great!" Ash couldn't contain his excitement.
"So tell us...where's the Gym?" Iris was suddenly next to Ash when she asked him in sarcasm. Sandy was also next to her friends.
"Whoa, Iris, Sandy!" Ash yelped. Then he began to figure out where the Gym is. "The Gym, let's see, uh..."
Sandy deadpanned. "You've got no idea where it is, do you?"
"Ash, if you don't know where the Gym is, all we have to do is ask, right?" Cabba asked. "Chimchar." Chimchar nodded.
"All ready to go, but you don't know where you're going. What a kid." Iris said. Axew popped out of his trainer's hair just as she handed him an apple. "Axew."
"Say, an Axew!" A new voice said in fascination. Ash, Cabba, Iris, and Sandy turned to see someone else approaching them. It was a guy with green eyes and short green hair. The new guy was looking at Axew intently while having his hand on his chin thoughtfully. "Soft skin as fresh as new grass, tusks like newly sprouted roots, and a future as bright and limitless as the early morning sun. The perfect partner for a young lady who's at one with nature."
"Wow! Thanks so much." Iris said in amazement. "Axew!" Axew thanked the guy himself.
"Pika?" Pikachu asked in confusion. Chimchar just shrugged.
Once the new guy turned his attention to Pikachu and Chimchar, he was amazed. "Oh wow! It's a Pikachu and a Chimchar! This is the first time I've seen one of each up close. Hello there!"
"Pika Pika?/Chimchar Chim?" Both Pikachu and Chimchar awkwardly waved to the guy.
"You know, you've really got two rare Pokemon with you." the guy told Ash and Cabba.
Cabba shrugged. "I guess so. That's what some people have been telling us."
"You see, we're actually from the Kanto Region. Chimchar came from the Sinnoh Region. My name's Ash and Pikachu is my special partner." Ash introduced. "Pikachu!" Pikachu introduced himself.
"How do you do? My name's Cilan. A Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan introduced with a small bow.
Ash, Pikachu, and Cabba grew confused. "A Pokemon Connoisseur?" Cabba asked in confusion. "What's that?" Ash added. "Pika Pika?" Pikachu even asked. During his time in Professor Juniper's Lab, Chimchar was told about some stuff in Unova, which included someone called a Pokemon Connoisseur, so the Chimp Pokemon wasn't confused at all.
"Of course you two wouldn't know. What a couple of kids." Iris shrugged. "Axew Ew." Axew agreed with her.
"Cut'em some slack, Iris. They're still new to Unova, so of course they don't know what a Pokemon Connoisseur is." Sandy reminded her.
"I'm not surprised at all. It's a job that isn't really known outside the Unova Region. I use my knowledge and experience to judge the compatibility between trainers and Pokemon and then I help them form closer relationships. And that's the job of a Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan explained.
"So, what do you think about me and Pikachu? I'm sure you'll say we're perfect." Ash was curious about what Cilan might say. "Pikachu Pika Pika." Pikachu was curious himself.
But then, Iris tried to get Ash back on track. "Why are you wasting your time with that? Remember why we came here?"
"Oh yeah, I guess you're right." Ash said.
Cabba turned to Cilan. "Excuse me, Cilan? Do you know where we can find the Striaton Gym? Ash and I came to challenge it."
"I see. I'll take you there. Follow me." Cilan began to lead them to the Striaton Gym.
Now Ash, Cabba, Iris, Sandy, and Cilan were standing in front of a large building with a Pokemon Gym symbol at the front.
Ash was excited because he was now in front of his first Unova Region Gym. "Awesome! Yes!" He ran to the entrance. As he opened the door, he gave out a determined call. "Let's battle!" However, the inside of the Gym wasn't what Ash expected.
Iris, Cilan, Sandy, and Cabba walked inside and saw the confused look on Ash's face. "Huh? Hold on..." Ash stuttered. "This is the Striaton Gym?" Iris asked in confusion. Sandy just shrugged. "I guess so. It has the symbol on top."
Cabba didn't have any comments. This is his first time in a Pokemon Gym, but this looked more like one of the restaurants he once went to on Planet Sadala before it got blown up. Cilan, however, just smiled at the four of them.
Then two waiters came to them. Both of them were in the same waiter clothes Cilan was wearing, but one had red hair and the other had blue hair.
"Hi! Welcome!" The red haired waiter greeted. "Welcome, friends!" The blue haired waiter greeted. "Please! Make yourself at home!" Cilan pushed Ash to one of the available tables.
"Huh? But..." Ash couldn't finished and was forced to sit down on a chair. Cabba, Iris, and Sandy sat down next to him. "Comfy?" Cilan asked. Ash didn't get a chance to answer because the other two waiters were waiting to take his order. "So, are you all ready to order?" The red haired waiter asked. "May I start you off with something to drink?" The blue haired waiter offered.
Ash put his hands up to decline. "No thanks...I think..." The blue haired waiter interrupted him. "Change your mind? I highly recommend the Soda Pop."
Ash frowned and shook his head. "No thanks. Not thirsty."
Cabba, on the other hand, was kinda thirsty. "I'll go for a Soda Pop, please?" The Saiyan then turned to the girls. "You want something to drink or eat?"
"No thanks, I'm fine." Iris answered. Axew shook his head. "Ew Ew Axew." "Nah, I'm not really hungry." Sandy answered.
Cilan smiled. "One Soda Pop coming right up!" He ran to the kitchen to get Cabba's drink.
Ash was still getting offers from the other two waiters. "Alright. We have a recently prized lunch menu." The red haired waiter said. "Not hungry either!" Ash protested. Even with the declining, Ash was still getting pestered by the waiters.
Some girls at the table next to them glanced at Ash. "Who's that little boy?" One girl whispered. "Not too cool!" Another girl giggled. "I'm more curious about the boy next to him." A third girl glanced at Cabba...mainly the Saiyan's tail. "Is that tail even real?" The first girl asked, even though they saw Cabba's tail slowly moving a little.
The two waiters kept giving Ash suggestions, but then Ash couldn't take it anymore and let out an angry shout. "Argh...CABBA AND I JUST WANT TO HAVE A STRIATON CITY GYM BATTLE!" Everyone's eyes widened at the Kanto trainer's outburst. Cabba, Chimchar, Iris, Axew, and Sandy even covered their ears to protect their hearing.
The two waiters stepped back in surprise while Cilan came back and gave Cabba a Soda Pop for the Saiyan and Chimchar to share. The Pokemon Connoisseur also heard Ash's shout.
The girls in the restaurant let out a big squeal. "Gym Battle!?" Ash just stood up in annoyance. "That's what I said!...I'm thinking this is a good time to go. Come on, Pikachu." "Pika." Pikachu was just as annoyed as his trainer. Ash and Pikachu were heading for the exit, when...
"Just a minute!" Cilan called out. Ash stopped and turned around...just as the lights suddenly went off. Cabba was confused by this as well. "What's going on?" Chimchar just took a sip from the Soda Pop. Both Ash and Cabba watched as Cilan and the waiters walked near a wall and made some form of formation.
"Alright then, Ash! I'll grant your request!" Cilan chuckled. A spotlight was on him and the girls squealed happily when they saw him.
Another spotlight was on the red haired waiter. "So, you and this Cabba guy are challengers! Then, you'll both receive a welcome as pleasant and hot as the noon day sun!" The girls squealed again. "What a dreamboat!"
One more spotlight was now on the blue haired waiter. "No. I think we should be cool! Like a refreshing glass of water. Chill, of course."
This time, all the girls in the building cheered. "I can't believe we get to see two battles in the same day!" One girl sighed. "I know, it's like the happiest day of my life!" Another girl sighed. "I can't wait to see it!" A third girl replied in excitement.
Ash blinked in confusion, even as Cabba walked over to stand next to him. "Battles? Wait!...So, is this?..." Iris began to ask. Sandy grinned. "I knew this building had the Gym symbol for a reason."
"Pikachu? What are they talking about?" Ash asked. "Pika?" Pikachu was also confused. "None of the restaurants I've visited back on Sadala put on a random show like this." Cabba muttered. He took a drink of the Soda Pop himself. "Chim?" Chimchar tiled his head in confusion.
Cilan and the other two stood together. "This is the Striaton Gym!" Cilan said. "And the three of us..." The red head began. "We're triplet brothers!" The blue head added. "And we're the Gym Leaders!" All three of them declared together.
Sandy and Iris were surprised. "The three of them? Triplets?" Sandy asked. "And all three of them are the Gym Leaders?" Iris asked. "Axew?" Even Axew was curious.
"Now, it's..." Cilan started. "Showtime!" The triplets called. Just after that, the wall behind them opened up to reveal a new room, one with a battlefield. Both Ash and Cabba were quite amazed by the battlefield. "Pika.../Char Chim..." Pikachu and Chimchar were amazed as well.
Later, Ash, Cabba, and the Striaton Gym Leaders were at the battlefield. The girls from earlier were actually cheerleaders and they ran out to watch from above the field. Iris, Axew, and Sandy were on the same platform to watch how Ash and Cabba will do. "Let's watch." Iris told her Dragon-Type. "Ax!" Axew happily agreed. Sandy smiled. "I've never seen a Gym Battle before. This should be good."
Ash and Cabba looked at the slightly rocky battlefield in front of them. "So, now is the time for the two of you to select your battle opponent!" Cilan suddenly told them.
Both of them turned around in surprise. "Cabba and I are choosing?" Ash asked. "That's correct! Me, or Chili, or Cress. You two can battle any one of us. Our rule states that if you're victorious against the one you choose, then you'll earn the Trio Badge." Cilan answered.
"I guess these Pokemon Gyms can be a bit unexpected." Cabba muttered to Chimchar. "Chim Chimchar." The Chimp Pokemon nodded his head.
The red head, Chili, held out a Poke Ball. "Time to meet our Pokemon partners. The heat's on!" Out of Chili's Poke Ball was a red monkey Pokemon. "Pansear!"
"Here's the Pokemon I'll be using. Make a splash!" Cress tossed his own Poke Ball. Out of it came a blue monkey Pokemon. "Panpour!"
"And it's my turn! My...partner!" Cilan's Poke Ball opened and revealed a green monkey Pokemon. "Pansage!"
Ash and Cabba were surprised to see the three monkey Pokemon. "Huh? Whoa! What kind of Pokemon are those?" Ash asked. "They look like they're triplets as well." Cabba added. The two of them took out their Pokedexs to scan the three Pokemon.
"Pansear, the High Temp Pokemon. Pansear lives in caves near volcanoes. The temperature of the tuft on its head can reach 600 degrees when it's angry." Cabba's Pokedex explained.
"Pansage, the Grass Monkey Pokemon. Pansage offers leaves on its head to Pokemon that have low energy. The leaves relieve stress. Panpour, the Spray Pokemon. Panpour lived in forests long ago, but developed a body that makes it easy to live near water. It can store water in the tuft on its head." Ash's Pokedex explained.
Cabba and Ash looked back at the three Pokemon in front of them. While Ash looked in excitement, Cabba placed a hand on his chin. He looked like he was thinking carefully about his choice in opponent."
"There's Pansear, a Fire-Type, Pansage, a Grass-Type, and finally Panpour, a Water-Type. Any one of them would be a great opponent!" Ash admitted.
"He's right, there's no telling what kind of power they have. Still..." Cabba thought.
Soon, the triplet Gym Leaders surrounded the two challengers. "So, Ash, Cabba. Will your choice will be to battle with me?" Cilan asked. "Or me! It'd be a distinct honor!" Chili assured. "I must confess, I wouldn't really mind if you were to battle me." Cress added.
Cabba looked at the Gym Leaders's Pokemon, then back at Chimchar. The Saiyan nodded, making his choice. "If it's okay, I'd like to battle Chili for the Trio Badge, please." Cabba told the Gym Leaders and bowed a little to them. Chimchar smiled and nodded. "Chim Char Char Char!"
Chili grinned. "Sweet! I'll be looking forward to the match, Cabba!"
Sandy and Iris were confused by Cabba's choice. "Why would Cabba pick Chili? He doesn't have a Water-Type with him." Iris mentioned. "I would've gone with either Cilan or Cress. At least Cabba would have the type advantage with either Chimchar or Deerling." Sandy added.
Cabba turned his head to his friend. "What about you, Ash? Which one will you choose to battle?"
Instead of answering the Saiyan, Ash walked over to the center of the battlefield, then he grinned at the Striaton Gym Leaders. "Well, the truth is, I want to battle all three of you!" Everyone, even Cabba, was surprised by Ash's choice.
"Did Ash really mean all three!?" Iris asked. Sandy nodded with a smile. "I'll give it to him, he's got guts." Both Ash and Pikachu looked at the three Gym Leaders with determination. "This is my first Gym Battle ever since I came to the Unova Region! I want to battle as many new Pokemon as I can! So, please say yes." Ash bowed his head down at the request. "Pika Pika." Pikachu added to the plea.
Cabba and Chimchar felt unsure by what Ash requested. "But, Ash? Are you sure you're allowed to make a suggestion like that?" The Saiyan asked. "Chimchar Char." Chimchar looked back at the Gym Leaders.
Cilan turned to Chili and Cress. All three of them were surprised by the Kanto trainer's request. "Well well now. I don't think we've ever met a trainer quite like you before. What do we do?"
Chili voiced his opinion. "Ash certainly has an interesting idea! I, for one don't have any problems with it!"
Cress made a suggestion to his brothers. "Then I suggest we come up with a brand new rule, stating two wins in our Gym will earn Ash the Striaton Gym Badge."
Cilan smiled and turned to Ash. "So, how does that sound to you?" Ash got up and grinned. "Great! Thanks very much for the chance!" But then, Ash turned his eyes to Cabba. With a small smile, Ash made another choice. "But, I'd like my friend, Cabba, to have his battle against Chili first."
Cabba was surprised by what Ash said. He knew that Ash couldn't wait for his Unova Gym Battle, yet Ash asked for his friend to go first. "Ash, are you sure?"
Ash nodded and walked over to Cabba. He placed an encouraging hand on the Saiyan's free shoulder. "This may be my first Gym Battle in the Unova Region, Cabba, but this will be your first Gym Battle ever. You haven't been on Earth for that long, so I want to truly welcome you to this planet by cheering you on during your first Gym Battle ever!" Ash gave Cabba a friendly grin. The cheerleaders, Cilan, Chili, and Cress were pretty confused by what Ash meant. Even Iris, Axew, and Sandy still didn't quite get it, but they still smiled at what Ash offered to the Saiyan.
As for Cabba? He was touched by what Ash said to him. True, he hasn't been on Earth for long, but he already made a good friend in Ash. Cabba smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Ash. I really appreciate you trying to make me feel welcome to your planet."
Ash patted the Saiyan's shoulder. "No problem! Now, you and Chimchar work hard to win your first Gym Badge!" "Pika Pika!" Pikachu encouraged both Cabba and Chimchar. The Chimp Pokemon gave the Mouse Pokemon a thumbs-up. "Chim Chimchar!"
Soon, things were set for the first battle, Cabba and Chili took their spots on the battlefield. Both Chimchar and Pansear were ready to battle as well. Cilan and Pansage were already on the referee stand.
Chili smirked. "So, I see that you're gonna use Chimchar to battle against Pansear. Both are Fire-Types, so that means we're both in for a hot battle!"
Cabba nodded. "I want this to be the first real Pokemon Battle to test my skills as a trainer." Chimchar looked back and gave Cabba a worried glance.
Chili kept his smirk. "Either way, I'm all fired up for this match!" "Sear!" Pansear agreed.
"Attention! Today for the Striaton Gym, we have Cabba, the challenger, versus Chili, the Gym Leader! Only one Pokemon per side! When either side is unable to battle, the match is over!" Cilan announced. "Let's go, Chili! All the way! Win the battle! Yay!" The cheerleaders cheered for the red haired Gym Leader.
"I hope Cabba knows what he's doing." Iris said. "Well, look at it this way. They're both using Fire-Type Pokemon, so I'd say they're pretty even." Sandy assured. "You can do it, Cabba!" Ash cheered. "Pika Pika!/Ax Ax Axew!" Pikachu and Axew cheered for both Cabba and Chimchar.
Cabba turned his head to Chimchar. "Let's do this together, Chimchar!" Chimchar nodded with determination. "Char!"
"And begin!" Cilan declared.
"Here we go! Chimchar, use Scratch!" Cabba called out. Chimchar charged towards Pansear ready to use Scratch.
"Try this on for size! Pansear, Fire Punch!" Chili called. Pansear charged at Chimchar with his fists surrounded by fire. Chimchar tried to use Scratch on Pansear, but the High Temp Pokemon managed to dodge the attack. Pansear punched Chimchar in the gut with Fire Punch. Chimchar grunted and jumped back a bit.
Cabba gritted his teeth. "If you're gonna use Fire-Type attacks on Chimchar, then we'll do the same on Pansear! Ember attack, go!" Chimchar nodded and fired his Ember attack at Pansear.
"Use Flamethrower!" Chili shouted. Pansear took a deep breath before he fired a burst of flames. Both Ember and Flamethrower collided against each other, but Pansear's Flamethrower easily overpowered Chimchar's Ember.
Both Cabba and Chimchar gasped. "What!?/Chim!?" Cabba quickly shook his head. "Quick, Chimchar! Defend yourself!" Chimchar looked back at Cabba, but he crossed his arms in front of his face just as Flamethrower hit him.
"Dig, Pansear!" Chili quickly called. Pansear stopped using Flamethrower and quickly dug underground.
Chimchar broke out of his defense and looked around for Pansear. Just as he was looking around, Chimchar was suddenly launched into the air thanks to Pansear and his Dig attack. Cabba gasped. "Chimchar, no!"
"Oh no!" Iris gasped. Sandy gritted her teeth. "Okay, I didn't see this coming. Ground-Type attacks like Dig are strong against Fire-Type Pokemon. Cabba and Chimchar could be in trouble if they don't think fast." "Think fast, Cabba!" Ash warned. "Pika Pika!" Pikachu added.
Despite this, Chimchar was able to land on his feet. "Chimchar, are you okay?" Cabba asked. Chimchar turned his head to the Saiyan and nodded. "Chim."
Cabba smiled and nodded back. "Good." The Saiyan looked determined. "Time to fight back. Okay, Chimchar, use Leer!" At his trainer's command, Chimchar growled as he leered at Pansear. The High Temp Pokemon grunted a bit. "Now, use Scratch!" Chimchar charged towards Pansear.
Chili was one step ahead of them. "I don't think so! Pansear, Dig!" Before Chimchar could use Scratch, Pansear dug underground once again.
Chimchar growled and looked around for Pansear. Cabba gritted his teeth. Since he can sense the power of any fighter, or Pokemon in this case, the Saiyan looked at the spot right behind Chimchar. "Behind you, Chimchar!"
"Chim?" Chimchar was confused, but the ground behind him began to rise a bit. Chimchar jumped back a little and Pansear yelped a bit because his attack missed this time.
"Hurry! Use your Scratch attack!" Cabba yelled. Chimchar quickly got closer to Pansear and used his Scratch attack. "Now, use Ember!" The Saiyan yelled again. Chimchar was able to blast Pansear out of the hole with a quick thinking Ember attack.
Both Fire-Type Pokemon were now standing in front of their trainers once again. Chili grinned. "I've gotta say, your Chimchar is pretty impressive. Not many Pokemon can blast Pansear out of a hole he dug up!" "Sear Pansear!" Pansear added to Chimchar.
"You're not an easy opponent, Chili, that's for sure." Cabba admitted. "Chim." Chimchar just nodded.
Suddenly, Cilan adjusted his bow tie with a smirk. "Sorry for the interruption, Chili! But it's...Evaluation Time!" The sudden declaration confused Ash, Iris, Cabba, and Sandy, but the cheerleaders were squealing happily.
Cilan turned his attention to Cabba. "Mm hm. Cabba, as I've watched you battle my brother, I've noticed that the bond you have with Chimchar is not quite complete."
Cabba blinked in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"Just take a look at Chimchar." Cilan pointed to the Chimp Pokemon. Cabba and Chimchar looked at each other. "While you and Chimchar have gotten along quite well in the short time you've been together, Chimchar seems to still have a little bit of doubt in your battle recipe. It also seems to have a hint of concern for you in a mysterious way, almost like Chimchar's with you because it wants to help ease some sort of pain of loss you're going through. To me, it doesn't seem like a savory flavor."
Cabba was surprised by what he's hearing. "Wait...y-you mean Chimchar's with me, because he wants to help me?" Chimchar gave the Saiyan a sheepish smile.
"Now, as you can see, the bond that Chili and Pansear share is quite bigger. Their combined passion burns hotter than even the spiciest curry! This is proof that their bond is easily burning through the bond you have with Chimchar!" Cilan finished. The cheerleaders cheered happily.
Chili gave his brother a grin. "Thanks, Cilan! Couldn't have said it better myself!"
"Is this how a Pokemon Connoisseur performs his or her evaluation? Doesn't seem that interesting to me." Iris mumbled. "Axew..." Axew agreed.
"It doesn't matter, Cabba and Chimchar are going to win this!" Ash had faith in his Saiyan friend. "Never mind that, I'm more concerned about what he meant by Chimchar helping Cabba ease a pain of loss. What did he mean by that?" Sandy had her arms crossed as she asked that.
Ash and Iris had to admit, Sandy made a good point. "You're right. Did Cabba lose something important to him? And is Chimchar only with him to help comfort him?" Iris asked.
As he pondered about it, Ash's eyes suddenly widened once he remembered what Cabba told him and Pikachu about the loss of many Saiyans and the destruction of Sadala back in Professor Juniper's Lab. "Oh no, don't tell me Chimchar overheard what Cabba told us about his fellow Saiyans and Sadala." Ash muttered to Pikachu. The Mouse Pokemon's ears lowered a bit in sadness. "Pika Pika."
Cabba looked down after hearing what Cilan had to say. "Chimchar Char?" Chimchar gave the Saiyan a worried look.
"Chimchar's by my side...because he wants to help me?" Cabba thought back to when he and Ash were still in Professor Juniper's Lab. "He must've overheard my conversation with Ash about Saiyans and Sadala." The Saiyan silently gasped once he remembered that it was Professor Juniper who gave him Chimchar in the first place, and the pieces were starting to come together for him. "If Chimchar overheard the conversation, then Professor Juniper did too. That explains why she let me take Chimchar with me on this journey."
Ash looked on with worry, seeing that Cabba's head was still lowered and the Saiyan's fist were starting to tremble a little. "Cabba..." Ash could only mutter in sadness. Iris and Sandy also looked kinda worried about Cabba.
With his head still down, Cabba finally spoke up. "Chimchar..." As the Chimp Pokemon kept looking at his Saiyan trainer, Cabba slowly lifted his head up so Chimchar could see the serious look of determination on the Saiyan's face. "Don't let what Cilan said get to you. It doesn't matter why you're here with me, this is only the beginning of our journey through the Unova Region, and there's no other Pokemon I want to start it off and finish it with than you." Cabba's expression softened while glancing at the Chimp Pokemon. "I know I may not be able to replace Lucas, but I know he'd want you to go through this journey with nothing but your absolute best." Chimchar's eyes widened a little, they were also watering a little. "...Chimchar Char..." Sounds like Chimchar was both inspired and touched by what his trainer was saying.
"We can still win this battle and earn our first Badge, Chimchar. I believe in you. So, do you believe in me?" Cabba couldn't help but ask, just to make sure they were on the same page.
The words must have did the trick, because Chimchar wiped away his small tears. After that he gave his trainer a thumbs-up and a determined smirk. "Char!"
Both Chili and Pansear were surprised by this. But Chili grinned at his opponent. "Great way to keep your battle spirit burning, Cabba! Now, you and Chimchar put those words into action and try to overpower the blazing bond I share with Pansear! "Pansear!" Pansear also challenged.
"Chimchar, use Ember!" Cabba called. Chimchar turned around and fired Ember at Pansear. "Pansear, let's use Dig some more!" Chili yelled. Pansear dug underground and avoided Chimchar's Ember.
Both Cabba and Chimchar gritted his teeth. "They're trying to attack when we least expect it with Dig again." The Saiyan thought. "I'm able to sense where Pansear is underground, but Chimchar isn't. If only..." He trailed off and slowly, an idea came to him. "Wait, I think I've got it!" With a smile, Cabba called out to his Pokemon. "Chimchar, I've got an idea!"
"Chim?" Chimchar turned his head a bit to his trainer. "Leave figuring out where Pansear's gonna strike to me! I'll tell you where to dodge! Trust me, we'll be okay." Cabba assured. Chimchar was confused, but that was before he remembered that Cabba can sense the energy of any living creature. So, with that in mind, Chimchar smiled and nodded.
Chili raised an eyebrow. "What are they up to?"
Chimchar stood there while Cabba looked at the battlefield. The Saiyan's eyes were darting around in different directions to try and figure out where Pansear will emerge from the ground. Once he sensed where Pansear will strike, Cabba made his move. "Chimchar, jump to the left!"
Chimchar quickly jumped to his left, narrowly avoiding Pansear's Dig. "Now, use Leer!" Chimchar quickly used Leer just as Pansear turned his head to the Chimp Pokemon.
Both Chili and Pansear yelped. "Keep using Dig, Pansear!" Chili called. Pansear dug underground again. Once Cabba saw that, he began to use his senses to try and find the High Temp Pokemon again.
Cabba was able to find him again. "Back flip!" Chimchar did as he was told and managed to avoid Pansear again. "Leer!" Once again, Chimchar used Leer on Pansear just before the High Temp Pokemon tried another Dig attack.
Ash, Pikachu, Iris, Axew, and Sandy watched on as Chimchar kept dodging and using Leer shortly afterwards. Iris was confused as she kept watching. "What are they doing?" Sandy smiled a little. "I think we're about to find out." "You got this, Cabba!" Ash cheered. "Pikachu Pika!/Ax Axew Ew Ew!" Pikachu and Axew cheered along.
Cabba sense that Pansear was gonna attack Chimchar from behind, then the Saiyan made his move. "Chimchar, turn around and jump back!" Chimchar did as he was told. First he quickly turned around, then he jumped back just as Pansear jumped from underground. "Now's our chance, Chimchar! Before Pansear can dig again, use your Scratch attack! Quick!" At his trainer's call, Chimchar quickly ran at Pansear and actually smacked the High Temp Pokemon away with Scratch.
"What!?" Chili gasped. Pansear grunted as he stood back up and turned to Chimchar.
"Oh, I get it now. Now I get what Cabba was trying to do." Sandy said. Iris and Ash turned to her. "What do you mean?" Ash asked. Sandy turned to him with a smile. "Cabba's able to sense energy, like most hard working martial artists. That means he's able to sense where Pansear would be even underground. Cabba used that to his advantage in this battle, he knows where Pansear will pop up, he gets Chimchar to avoid the attack, then he has Chimchar use Leer to lower Pansear's defense. With the right timing, Chimchar was able to deal more damage to Pansear with Scratch."
Iris understood and smiled. "Ah, that's pretty clever!" Ash grinned. "Yeah! Way to go, Cabba!"
Cilan heard the three of them talking, then he smiled in Cabba's direction. "So, Cabba's also a martial artist? That explains that new battling recipe of his." With the way he sounded, Cilan was quite impressed.
Chili gritted a little. "It looks like Dig isn't gonna work anymore, so I'll turn up the heat with this. Okay, Pansear, this time use Fire Punch!" Pansear charged at Chimchar with Fire Punch. Pansear punched Chimchar hard with Fire Punch and the Chimp Pokemon skidded a bit.
"If they're using Fire Punch, then we'll use Scratch!" Cabba yelled. Chimchar quickly ran back to Pansear and made him skid a little with Scratch.
Both Chimchar and Pansear were now trading blows against each other, Chimchar was using Scratch while Pansear kept using Fire Punch. After a couple of seconds of trading blows against each other, Pansear punched Chimchar in the cheek with Fire Punch. But before Pansear could pull his fist away, Chimchar quickly grabbed it. Pansear didn't see that coming. "Sear!?"
"Now, Chimchar!" Cabba called. Chimchar aimed a Scratch attack on Pansear's gut, but rather than just slashing like a normal Scratch, Chimchar's hand stayed on Pansear's gut. Chimchar twirled Pansear a couple of times. "Chiiiiiiiim...CHAR!" With a shout, Chimchar actually tossed Pansear to a nearby boulder. Pansear groaned a bit after hitting his back against the boulder. Chili gasped. "Pansear!"
"Now, Chimchar! Use Ember!" Cabba called out. Taking a deep breath, Chimchar fired his Ember attack in Pansear's direction. Pansear recovered a bit and saw the attack coming.
Chili suddenly smirked after seeing this. "Using Ember again? Well, the results will be the same as before! Pansear, Flamethrower!" Pansear smirked and fired his Flamethrower against Chimchar's Ember. Like before, Flamethrower easily overpowered Ember. Ash, Iris, Sandy, Cabba, Pikachu, Axew, and Chimchar gasped at this. "Chimchar, look out!" Cabba quickly called out.
Rather than moving out of the way, Chimchar held his hands out in front of him and tried his best to block the Flamethrower attack. Chimchar grunted and gritted his teeth while Flamethrower kept going on. "Keep it up, Pansear!" Chili yelled.
Pansear's Flamethrower began to push Chimchar back a little. "Hang in there, Chimchar!" Cabba yelled with concern. "Stand your ground, Chimchar!" Sandy called out. "You can do it!" Iris cheered. "We're all with you!" Ash cheered. "Pikachu!/Axew!" Pikachu and Axew encouraged.
Chimchar had his eyes shut tight as he heard his trainer and his friends. As he was blocking the Flamethrower attack, his mind went to Lucas. He remembered how well Lucas took care of him back in Sinnoh, how he would treat any of the Chimp Pokemon's battle injuries. "Fight back, Chimchar! Come on! YOU CAN DO IT, BUDDY!" While Cabba shouted the last part, Chimchar had a brief flashback of when Lucas said the same thing in the exact same way. This made Chimchar's eyes shot open and in them was the fire of determination. "CHAAAAAAAAARRR!" As Chimchar let out a fierce shout, his flame flared intensely. Then the fire from his flame surrounded his body.
As everyone looked on, they saw that Chimchar suddenly began to dash right through Pansear's Flamethrower. This shocked everyone just as Pansear was hit hard with a wheel of fire. "What!?" Chili yelled. "Chimchar?" Cabba asked in shock. Once the fire wheel landed in front of Cabba, the flames went away to reveal Chimchar. The Chimp Pokemon gave his Saiyan trainer a smirk of determination. "Chimchar!" Cabba was still shocked by what just happened. "What..did Chimchar just use?"
Ash recognized the move and grinned happily. "Hey, I think Chimchar just used Flame Wheel to cancel out Pansear's Flamethrower!"
"Wow! Never seen a Flame Wheel attack used like that before." Sandy was amazed.
"Awesome! Chimchar learned a new move!" Iris smiled happily.
"Flame Wheel?" Cabba took his Pokedex out to find out more about the attack. "Flame Wheel, Chimchar cloaks itself in fire and charges at the target. It may also leave the target with a burn." His Pokedex explained. After hearing about it, Cabba turned to smile at his Fire-Type. "Chimchar, you learned a new move! I'm so proud of you!"
Chimchar nodded his head. "Chim Chimchar."
Chili blinked a bit, but he and Pansear smirked. "Amazing! I never thought I'd see a Flame Wheel like that with my own eyes! Still, the battle must go on! Pansear, use Dig!" Chili called. Pansear dug underground once again.
Both Cabba and Chimchar looked down at the battlefield, that's when they noticed the holes from Pansear's previous Dig attacks. Suddenly the two of them smiled at each other and nodded. "Okay, time for a new plan! Chimchar, aim at that hole and use Ember, full power!" Cabba pointed at the hole next to Chimchar.
Taking a deep breath, Chimchar fired his Ember attack down the hole. Iris raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why would they do that?"
Just then, Chimchar's Ember attack popped up out of the other holes from Pansear's Dig, one by one, until finally, one last burst of Ember shot a surprised Pansear into the air. "What the heck!?" Chili yelped as he saw that.
"Now, jump up and use Scratch!" Cabba called. Chimchar jumped up high and slammed Pansear down to the battlefield with Scratch before the High Temp Pokemon could recover.
Cilan watched as Pansear struggled to get back up. "Well now, it looks like Cabba just added a spicy new ingredient in his battle recipe and it's starting to turn the tables on both Chili and Pansear." Just after he said that to himself, Chimchar landed in front of his trainer.
Chili growled a little. "No more playing around, it's time to turn up the heat! Pansear, use Fire Punch!" Pansear's fist were surrounded by fire as he charged towards Chimchar.
"Dodge, and use Scratch!" Cabba called. As Pansear got close, Chimchar didn't jump out of the way to dodge. The Chimp Pokemon just leaned to the right to avoid the attack. He then got Pansear good with Scratch. Pansear grunted and struggled to stay on his feet. Cabba saw his chance. "Okay, it's time to wrap this up. Chimchar, use Flame wheel!"
The flame behind Chimchar began to surround him once again. Chimchar dashed right at Pansear with Flame Wheel. Chimchar use Flame Wheel to bash Pansear at the wall behind Chili.
Chili saw that and gasped. "Pansear, no!" Everyone got a good look at the two Fire-Type Pokemon, the only one left standing was Chimchar. Pansear just groaned in defeat.
"Pansear is unable to battle, Chimchar wins! Which means the winner of the Gym Battle is Cabba!" Cilan declared. While the cheerleaders were upset that Chili lost, Cabba couldn't help but smile happily. "We did it!" Chimchar happily ran over to Cabba. "Chimchar Char!" The Saiyan laughed and held his Fire-Type in the air. "You did great, Chimchar! I knew you could do it!" Cabba exclaimed happily. "Chimchar Chimchar!" Chimchar happily cheered.
"Yeah! He did it!" Ash cheered. "Pika Pika Pika!" Pikachu also cheered for the Saiyan and the Chimp Pokemon.
"Amazing! Cabba managed to win against another Fire-Type Pokemon!" Iris was amazed. "Axew Axew Axew!" Axew cheered for both Cabba and Chimchar.
"Whoo! Way to go, Cabba!" Sandy happily cheered.
Chili returned Pansear with a gentle smile. "You were amazing out there, Pansear. Don't worry, we can still shine as bright as the sun."
Chili smiled and walked over to Cabba. The Saiyan noticed Chili walking over and put Chimchar down. "I've gotta say, Cabba. You and Chimchar nearly made toast out of me and Pansear with those fiery moves! I think I'm both impressed and jealous!"
Cabba laughed a bit. "You were quite a challenge for us too, Chili." Cilan and Cress walked over until the both stood next to Chili. Cilan carried a small black tray with a shiny Badge that had red, blue, and green on it. "To prove your victory at the Striaton Gym, we present you with the Trio Badge!" Cabba smiled and took the Trio Badge from the tray. "Thank you very much!" "Chimchar Chim!" Both Cabba and Chimchar politely bowed to the three Gym Leaders.
Ash walked over just as the three Gym Leaders turned their attention to him. "Well, now it's your turn against us!" Chili grinned. Ash grinned back. "That's right, and I intend to win!" "Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed with his trainer.
While both he and Chili both used Fire-Type Pokemon, Cabba was still able to win his first Gym Badge with Chimchar's newly learned Flame Wheel! Now, it's Ash's turn against all three Striaton Gym Leaders! Will he be able to come out on top and earn his own Trio Badge? Will Ash, Cabba, Iris, and Sandy any of the other five Dragon Balls? It's Ash versus the Striaton City Gym Leaders next time on Pokemon Super: Black & White!
Cabba's Pokemon Team (So far):
1. Chimchar (M) (Scratch, Leer, Ember, Flame Wheel)
2. Deerling (M) (Tackle, Growl, Double Kick)
