Omarnosian10: One day left

Dawn: Until you release the chapter?

Omarnosian10: Funny that you're the one saying that, but no; I meant until the Legends: Arceus game comes out.

May: I see the irony there.

Ash: So this chapter involves Darwin and my first Gym Battle?

Omarnosian10: Yes, and unlike the original episode, it won't end in a cliffhanger; I mean, seriously, why?!

Georgia: Maybe it's to emphasize Cilan joining Ash in his journey?

Omarnosian10: Alright. ON WITH THE SHOW!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. If I did, it would've gone the Yu-Gi-Oh route and had Ash succeeded by someone, given Ash a sensible harem, done Unova better (like anyone would), or a lot of other stuff. All descriptions of Pokémon and most of their moves belong to Bulbapedia. A majority of this chapter before being edited by me belonged to 19jchoi's Unova Journeys.


Chapter 5: Triple Leaders, Team Threats!

(Striaton City)

"I can see Striaton City! My first Unova Gym battle!" exclaimed Ash, looking at the city from atop a hill.

"[Yeah]!" agreed Pikachu. Behind them, the girls caught up, with Darwin slowing down to narrate in his camera.

"Behold Striaton City, home to a Pokémon School and the Straiton Restaurant, one of the top 5 in Unova according to one of Georgia's magazines that I forgot the name of."

"YOU WENT THROUGH MY STUFF?!" shrieked Georgia.

"It's not that big a deal. (shrugs) There was nothing embarrassing, just those magazines, the essentials… and those weird medical thingies you put in your shorts." trailed Darwin. The girls blushed, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Do either of you two know where the Restaurant is?" asked Ash, changing the subject.

"Let me check. (brings up Xtransciever holoscreen) Looks like it should be a block or so away from the Center." answered Darwin.

"Now that I think about it, I haven't told my family that we're traveling again," noted May. Ash blushed, realizing he hasn't done the same either… and that he hasn't called home that much.

'That changes today!'

(Pokémon Center, minutes later)

"This is the Ketchum Residence, who am I speaking to—ASH?!" gawked Delia on the videophone.

"Hey Mom." chuckled Ash, having given his Pokémon to Nurse Joy before calling. He only received blinks and eye rubs.

"This must be a dream; my boy would never call home." thought Delia. Ash winced, guilt eating at his heart.

"Sorry, Mom. I never thought about doing that." sighed Ash. Seeing his guilt-ridden face, Delia decided to go easy.

"The important thing is you did. Now, what have you been since you started your journey?" requested Delia. Smiling, Ash told her almost everything; his new catches, helping Darwin and meeting the hacker's sister, along with giving the said girl his first kiss. When he got to that, along with meeting up with May and Dawn and traveling with them again, she cried tears of joy. "My baby is growing up!"

"MOM!"

(Meanwhile)

"Are you sure you don't wanna call anyone?" asked Darwin after he and Georgia finished catching up with their grandparents, the latter blushing since their grandma teased her about 'getting her great-grandbabies too early'.

"Mm—Hm." nodded Dawn while combing her hair; the gang having given Nurse Joy all their Pokémon. The Langley siblings exchange looks, worried. Before they can ask anymore, May returned, blushing feverously. "How was your call, May?"

"It was… nice; my parents watched the Accumula Contest and congratulated me on my first Unova Ribbon." smiled May, putting said Ribbon away. She neglected to mention how much teasing Max gave her when she told them she reunited with Ash.

"Speaking of Contests… why didn't you enter, Dawn?" asked Darwin. The bluenette tensed, glancing at a nearby screen.

"It's complicated." Before any more can be said…

Can Ash Ketchum, May Maple, Dawn Berlitz, Darwin & Georgia Langley please report to the front desk? I repeat

"Sounds like everyone's healed up!" smiled Dawn before leaving the group. Confused, the siblings glanced at May.

"Is she…"

"Avoiding Contests? Yeah, but I can't tell you why; I only learned a few days ago, and it's her secret to tell," answered May for Darwin. While the hacker is satisfied, his elder sister remained curious. However, she knows when to hold off questions. Topic dropped, the three followed. Once the gang gathered (with Ash calming a blush), Nurse Joy is present at the desk with three Poké Ball-filled trays and Pikachu and Piplup standing beside her.

"Thank you all for waiting! I am happy to say that all of your Pokémon are doing fine!" smiled Nurse Joy.

"That was… kinda faster than I thought," noted Darwin, taking his Poké Balls.

"Since you said that the Nurse Joy from Accumula Town already healed your Pokémon last night, it was only a matter of tests and check-ups; nothing that takes too long," assured Nurse Joy.

"And I'm guessing the large group was the only reason it took this long?" asked Dawn, getting her two Poké Balls (which surprised Ash earlier, having assumed she brought all her Pokémon to Unova) while Piplup hops onto her head.

"Correct." That was all Nurse Joy said while the girls took their Poké Balls.

"Still, thanks." nodded Ash while taking his Poké Balls. Pikachu leaps onto his shoulder.

"Here are the keys to your rooms, and have a nice day!" With that, the group walked away, Darwin eagerly leading.

"Someone's excited." giggled May, being reminded of Max.

"Aside from Pikachu and Gible, the Contest was the first time either of us saw Pokémon from outside Unova," explained Georgia. Piplup widened his eyes at one of the names.

'Oh no… not him…'

(Outside)

"Everyone out!" In 14 flashes of blue, the gang was joined by the rest of their Pokémon, the only unrevealed one catching the Langleys' eyes. She is a white, avian Pokémon with an ovoid body. While her feet are small and situated closely together, her wings are broad and triangular. Red and blue triangular markings are over her underside, and she has a short tail consisting of three feathers. On the back of her head are three spikes: a red-tipped one on the right, a blue-tipped one on the left, and a pure white one in the middle. She has a relatively flat face and small, black eyes. Curious, Georgia scanned her.

Togekiss, the Jubilee Pokémon, and the evolved form of Togetic. It is said that Togekiss never appears where there is conflict.

"Deerling, Pidove, Oshawott, Tepig. (mentioned Pokémon perk up) These two are gonna be traveling with us from now on, and we figured it would be good for you all to socialize for a while before my Gym Battle." explained Ash.

"He speaks for all of us," added Darwin, looking at his Pokémon. Curious, the Pokémon walked around, talking with the newcomers, or catching up. While some are pleasant…

"[Beautiful…]" Pidove and Swablu grew starry-eyed at the Jubilee Pokémon's wingspan.

"[Thank you, you're both too kind.]" bowed Togekiss.

Some are one-sided…

"[Hello, big boy…]" giggled Purrloin while looking at Blaziken. The Fire/Fighting-Type took a step back, being reminded of Skitty.

And finally, there's this…

"[NOT YOU!]" The scream caught everyone's attention. Most of the Pokémon separated, save for the screamer and the receiver, who only looked to his sides before pointing at himself. "[YES, I'M TALKING TO YOU, YOU METEOR-THROWING MANIAC!]"

"Oh no…" sighed Dawn.

"Some things never change…" mirrored Ash.

"What are you talking about? Why are Gible and Piplup arguing?" asked Darwin, watching the exchange.

"When Gible was working the kinks on Draco Meteor, it has a habit of falling onto Piplup like a homing missile," answered Ash.

"You're sh—"

"LANGUAGE!" Darwin winced at Georgia's scold.

"Are they always like this?" asked May, watching the exchanges.

"Yeah; Georgia told me he got his cursing habit from their mom." nodded Ash.

"Speaking of moms…" Dawn's sad words brought them to Togekiss walking over the arguing Pokémon.

"[Now now Piplup, didn't Gible master Draco Meteor months ago?]" reminded the Stone-evolved Pokémon. Piplup crossed his arms, recalling.

"[Yes…]"

"[And has any Meteors struck you down since then?]"

"[No…]"

"[So unless it has occurred afterward, you have no right on calling him a maniac, understand?]" scolded Togekiss, wagging a wing like a finger. Piplup slumped, nodding. Satisfied, and seeing that her job's done, the Jubilee Pokémon went to Dawn and tapped her Poké Ball, returning herself.

"Now I see what you mean about the mom thing…" nodded May. Atmosphere untensed, the Pokémon resumed their socializing, with Swablu flying into her arms.

"Hey May, I've been meaning to ask… (looks at Normal/Flying-type) Is she the same Swablue we met back at Hoenn? The one that got her wing injured?" asked Ash softly. Curious, Pikachu ran to his shoulder.

"Yeah… (looks at Pokémon) Remember him, Swablu? He's the boy with the Swellow and the fake wings?" reminded May.

"Fake wings?" Darwin's question went ignored by the other girls, who gained envious looks at the parental image the two are making.

"[Hi!]" smiled Swablu, waving her wing. Smiling, Pikachu shook it.

"How'd you find her?" asked Ash.

"More like she found me… When I came home after the Johto Grand Festival, Mom told me about how this little girl was found on my bed, staring at a picture of me… She's been a houseguest for around two weeks from what Dad counted… When she and I made eye contact, Swablu tackled me and tapped one of my empty Poké Balls, joining my team." recalled May, rubbing the Cotton Bird Pokémon's head.

"What about the flock?" frowned Ash, following May's lead, their brushing hands getting them to blush.

"From what I can tell, the flock split up around the time; Winona told me that sometimes when Flying-Types reach a certain age, they separate from their flock to start up new ones," explained May.

"Oh…" Their talk got cut off from a rumbling noise. The two blush and separate.

"Excuse me, you two, but we're out of the loop," added Darwin, pointing to the jealous girls.

"We'll tell you about what happened while we walk," explained Ash. Satisfied, the group returned most of their Pokémon while Darwin brought up a holo-map, leading them away from the Center. "It started when I was in Hoenn…"

(Minutes later)

"Dang… nature's a b—"

"Language! But you're not wrong on that part." agreed Georgia reluctantly, the group walking.

'Why do I have this strange feeling I'm forgetting something?' thought Darwin after the story.

"Say, are those a Piplup and a Pikachu?!" Darwin's conundrum got interrupted by a slightly older voice; almost 20-years old or so. Pausing, the group turned to see the male dressed in a three-piece suit complete with a green bowtie. He also has swept-back green hair with front spikes and green eyes.

'Why am I getting a Brock vibe from this guy?' compared Ash, watching the guy march to them and eye Pikachu and Piplup.

"This is the first time I'm seeing either of these in person! What a marvelous sight to behold!" geeked the guy, zipping between the two foreign Pokémon. "You both have rare Pokémon, you know?"

"Of course they do; they're from out-of-Region. Now, can you please introduce yourself before I sic my Lillipup on you, stranger?" threatened Darwin, grasping the Poké Ball. Message received, the guy backed off.

"Apologies. (bows) My name is Cilan Dent; a Pokémon Connoisseur." introduced the guy.

"Con of sewers?" pulled Darwin. Cilan face-faulted before correcting himself and clearing his throat.

"Connoisseur."

"Konna Sue."

"Con—Nois—Seur."

"Cunning Sure."

"Georgia, do you have any idea what Cilan's talking about?" asked Ash, watching Darwin mispronouncing the word and Cilan trying to correct him.

"It's an Unova-exclusive job that judges the bonds between Trainer and Pokémon and gives tips on how to improve them," explained Georgia.

"Like a psychologist?" compared Ash.

"I guess." shrugged Georgia. Before May could ask about Ash's experience with psychology, her stomach rumbled.

"Grrr… WILL THE BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT UP ABOUT THE NAME AND STOP WASTING TIME?! THERE'S A RESTAURANT WITH FOOD WITH MY NAME ON IT IN THIS CITY AND IF I DON'T EAT, YOU WON'T LIKE ME WHEN I'M HANGRY!" screamed May at the arguers, scaring the people nearby away.

'Why do I find that hot?' gulped Ash, blaming Brock for his tips. It also didn't help that Dawn and Georgia are hugging his sides rather tightly.

"I see. (nods) That explains it. As sorry for distracting you, I'll take you there." assured Cilan calmly… holding onto a scared Darwin in his arms. "As soon as this boy gets down."

"My name is Darwin." mumbled the hacker, getting down. Taking their cues, the gang introduced themselves to the Connoisseur. Once they did, Cilan started leading the group, with Darwin rubbing his chin.

"Seriously, I feel like I'm forgetting something important."

(Straiton Gym)

"Alright then! Well, right here, is the Restaurant!" presented Cilan, waving toward a large building with a symbol at the entrance familiar to over half the group.

"Why is there a Pokémon Gym symbol on it?" asked Ash. Before Cilan can answer, Darwin snapped his fingers.

"That's what I forgot; most Gyms in Unova work in double businesses!" recalled the hacker.

"So you're telling me that this is both a restaurant… and a Gym?" asked Ash straightly.

'Way to ruin the surprise.' slumped Cilan.

"So this is like the Seven Stars Restaurant we went to the day we met?" asked May to Dawn.

"There's only one way to find out?" With a shrug, Dawn opened the doors. To the gang's amazement, the interior is similar to a very fancy butler café.

"This looks more like that Café Cabin we visited at Sinnoh," noted Ash. Before the Langleys can ask about that, two waiters came by.

"Hi! Welcome!" One has almost a complete resemblance to Cilan, except for the fact that everything green is red on him and his hair is shaped like fire.

"Welcome—!" The other is similar, with blue in place and hair styled into a wave of water over his right eye. At the sight of the gang, the two froze.

"Oh my Arceus, it's you, from the Sinnoh League!" gawked the redhead.

"You're the semifinalist that defeated the Darkrai and Latios aren't you?" added the bluenette.

"Um… yeah," answered Ash.

"Really?! (looks at Ash) I've heard about a Trainer having done that, but I had no idea it was you!" gawked Cilan.

"That's because before we watched it, you blacked out when a Trainer with a—"

"Ah, don't let them know!" Cilan cuts the redhead off, embarrassed.

"Pardon their behavior, sir. The incident they speak of is personal. Anyway, allow me to direct you five to one of our tables." excused the male bluenette before doing so. Reaching a table for five, the group sat in alphabetical, clockwise seats. "Would any of you like to release your Pokémon to dine with you?"

"Wait, we can do that? But the website said 'don't feed Pokémon'." quirked Darwin, bringing up a holoscreen with his Xtransciever and showing the webpage.

"I'm afraid there's been a typo. (takes out menus before handing them out) Here are your menus, now if you excuse me." cleared the waiter before leading the two strugglers to the back. Once he did… "WHICH ONE OF YOU WAS IN CHARGE OF THE WEBSITE?!"

"Man, someone's in trouble." winced Darwin, looking through his menu with the others.

"This place has a website?" asked Ash.

"Makes sense; Seven Stars had one too; it was how I made reservations," answered May.

"OK, you gotta tell me about this Seven Stars stuff and that Café Cabin." pleaded Darwin. The foreign girls smiled, looking at Ash. Realizing why, he cleared his throat, blushing.

"First, I'm gonna tell you about why these two met in Sinnoh. You see, there's this special Contest called the Wallace Cup…"

(Hour later)

"Man, that's the stuff!" After telling tales, making their orders, telling tales, receiving their food, telling tales while eating and drinking, the gang is very satisfied, evident by Ash and May patting their bellies.

"Dang, it's like they were born to be matches." winced Darwin, surprised that someone shares his mentor's appetite. Hiding some pain, Georgia looks at her brother.

"Any luck with the 'code', yet?" asked the Buster; Darwin being the only one who kept his menu to see if there's anything to initiate a Gym battle since nothing was found on the website.

"Nothing; it's almost like this place isn't a Gym at all if it wasn't for the symbol on it." frowned Darwin.

"You know, there is a better way to find out," said Ash dryly.

"Your bill, sir." The bluenette waiter arrived, paper in hand.

"Watch. (takes the bill and pays it) Excuse me, can you tell me if Darwin and I can have a Gym Battle?" asked Ash politely; having learned manners from Brock along with some cooking skills. Immediately, after Ash asked the question, some nearby girls let out a big squeal.

"Gym Battle!?" As if on cue, the lights shut off.

"What the—Is this part of some show?!" Darwin's answer came when Cilan and the two waiters walk near a wall, creating a line formation.

"Alright then, Ash! I'll grant your request!" chuckled Cilan. The girls let out squeals and cheers as they spoke. Spotlights appeared on the three waiters.

"So, you and Darwin are challengers! Then, you'll receive a welcome as pleasant and hot as the noonday sun!" exclaimed the redhead. He turned, making a determined grin and fist.

"What a dreamboat!" The girls in the gang shook their hands.

'Ash is better.' thought May, Dawn, and Georgia, glancing at their crush. The thought of him in a suit like the waiters had them blushing.

"No. (shakes head) I think we should be cool! Like a refreshing glass of water. Chill, of course." introduced the bluenette.

"I can't believe this time, we get to see two battles today!"

"Yeah. It's like the happiest days of my life!"

"I can't wait to see it!"

"Man, won't these girls shut up?!" growled Darwin, plugging his ears.

"Are they Coordinators or something?" blinked Ash. To give the answer, the three waiters stood together.

Cilan: "This is the Striaton Gym!"

Red-haired: "And the three of us…"

Blue-haired: "We're triplet brothers!"

All: "And we're the Gym Leaders!"

"Three brothers? And all three of them are Gym Leaders?" asked Georgia, surprised.

"Wha…?" blinked Dawn, curious.

"So they're like the Tate and Liza of Unova?" compared May.

"Looks like it." nodded Ash, watching the trio pose.

"Now, it's…" started Cilan.

"Showtime!" The wall behind them opened up to reveal a new room, specifically…

(Later, Battlefield)

"What is this, a restaurant or a mansion?" The three Gym Leaders, Darwin (who asked), and Ash were on the battlefield. The girls in the restaurant became cheerleaders while the ones in the gang went somewhere for something (more like Dawn and May dragged Georgia off).

"Most Gyms here in Unova have similar setups; their business with the battlefield either by the side, above, or below," explained Cilan. Satisfied, Ash looked around. The battlefield was huge, with the field looking like a Rock-Type field.

"So, now is the time for the both of you to select your battle opponent!" reminded Cilan. Ash turned to the three Gym Leaders, startled.

"I'm— I mean, we're choosing?" asked Ash.

"That's correct! Me, or Chili (gestures to redhead), or Cress! (gestures to bluenette) You two can battle any one of us! Our rule states that if you're victorious against the one you choose, then you will earn the Trio Badge!" explained Cilan.

"Cause you guys have three Pokémon each, or because you're triplets?" tilted Darwin.

"The second one. (takes out Poké Ball) Now, time to meet our Pokémon partners! The heat's on!" called Chili before calling out his Pokémon.

"Here's the Pokémon I'll be using! Make a splash!" called Cress, doing the same.

"And it's my turn! My… partner!" finished Cilan, doing the same.

"Huh? Whoa! What kind of Pokémon are those!?" asked Ash, being reminded of his primate Pokémon.

"The Elemental Monkeys?! They're said to be the wild equivalent of traditional Starters and can only be found in the Pinwheel Forest!" geeked Darwin. Curious, Ash took out his Pokédex.

"[It's battling time!]" Chili's partner is a simian, red-and-cream Pokémon. His head is red with a whorled tuft on top. He has oval eyes, a tiny nose, and large ears with orange insides. Its muzzle, upper body, and skinny forelimbs are cream-colored, and his hands seem to have no fingers, aside from a thumb. His lower body is red with small feet, and his long tail has an arrowhead-shaped tip.

Pansear, the High Temp Pokémon. Pansear lives in caves near volcanoes. The temperature on the tuft on its head can reach 600 degrees when it's angry.

"[Greetings, my potential opponents.]" Cilan's partner is a simian, green-and-cream Pokémon. He has oval, black eyes, large ears with light green insides, and a tiny, black nose. There is a broccoli-like sprout atop his head. In the sprout's foliage are three yellow, tapered seed-like shapes. His muzzle, upper body, and skinny forelimbs are cream-colored, and his hands seem to have no fingers, aside from a thumb. His lower body is green with small feet, and his long tail is tipped with two leaves.

Pansage, the Grass Monkey Pokémon. Pansage offers leaves on its head to Pokémon that have low energy. The leaves relieve stress.

"[I shall ride the waves of victory!]" Cress' partner is a simian, blue-and-cream Pokémon. He has oval eyes that are usually seen closed, large ears with light blue insides, and a tiny, black nose. There is a puffy, wave-like crest on top of his head. He also possesses a blue, frilled-like feature on his neck and upper shoulders. His muzzle, lower body, and skinny forelimbs are cream-colored, and his hands seem to have no fingers, aside from a thumb. His small feet both have three toes each. His long tail has a clover-shaped tip.

Panpour, the Spray Pokémon. Panpour lived in forests long ago but developed a body that makes it easy to live near water. It can store water in the tufts on its head.

"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!" thought Ash out loud.

"So, Ash! Darwin! Will your choice will be to battle with me?" asked Cilan.

"Or me! It'd be a distinct honor!" assured Chili.

"I must confess, I wouldn't really mind if you were to battle with me!" assured Cress.

"I'm kinda mixed on this. I mean, one of you shares my Starter's Type, so it'd be cool to see who's the better of that. On the other hand, it's easier to go against one with a Type disadvantage, but more of a challenge with the opposite…" thought Darwin out loud. Ash only walked to the center of the battlefield, grinning at the three brothers.

"Well, the truth is… I want to battle all of you!" explained Ash, surprising everyone, except for two returning girls, including another.

"WHAT?! All three?!" gawked Darwin.

"This is my first Gym battle ever since I came to the Unova region! I want to battle as many new Pokémon as I can! So, please say yes." bowed Ash.

"[Please.]" pleaded Pikachu.

"Then again, if I battle all three, all my Pokémon will get a chance to battle! I'm in!" nodded Darwin. Cilan looked at Chili and Cress, who were both stunned by the decision.

"Well well now! I don't think we've ever met trainers quite like the two of you before! What do we do?" asked Cilan.

"Ash certainly has an interesting idea! I, for one, don't have any problems with it!" smiled Chili.

"Then, I suggest we come up with a brand-new rule, stating two wins in our Gym will earn both Ash and Darwin the Striaton Gym Badges!" suggested Cress. Cilan smiled as he turned back to the challengers.

"So, how does that sound to the two of you?" asked Cilan.

"Awesome!" smiled Darwin.

"What he said, and thanks!" added Ash. With that, Cilan and Pansage got on the referee stand, as Cress and Chili looked at Ash and Darwin.

"So, who will be battling us first?" asked Cress. The challengers look at each other. While Ash would've jumped at the chance to go first, traveling with two Coordinators taught him to be more patient and strategic than usual. Darwin, on the other hand, has a maximum of three Pokémon, the same number of battles they have to go through, so…

"I'll go first," announced Ash, walking to the battlefield.

"Aw man," whined Darwin while walking to the bleachers, not adding to that since he came to the same conclusion. Once the veteran stepped into his box…

"Go Ash, he's our champ! He can school you to camp! Go, Ash!" Ash wiped under his nose and had to stop his face from exploding at the sight of the gang's girls in pink cheerleader outfits like the one Dawn wore in Ash's Sinnoh Gym Battles. Darwin is unaware of their attire, assuming the cheerleaders behind him are fans of the veteran.

"Alright then. Your first opponent will be me, then!" replied Cress, recalling his Panpour.

"What's wrong?" asked Ash.

"Apologies, but I believe this Pokémon is much more suited for an experienced Trainer such as you. Simipour, to the field!" called out Cress, taking out a Great Ball (a Poké Ball with a blue top and two red stripes) and bringing a different Pokémon. Simipour is a simian Pokémon that is primarily blue. Her ears are broad with light blue insides, and she has oval eyes and a small black nose. There are several tufts of fur on her head, which resemble dreadlocks. Simipour has a white marking around her neck that resembles a ruff; and a cream-colored face, hands, arms, legs, and feet. Her hands have five fingers, and her feet have three toes. Her tail is tipped with a blue plume, resembling a spout of water.

"[Hello darlings!]" greeted Simipour in a Southern accent. Curious, Ash scanned her with his Pokedex.

Simipour, the Geyser Pokémon, and the evolved form of Panpour. Simipour can demolish a concrete wall with the pressurized water it shoots from its tail.

"So, he has an evolutionary set… why am I not surprised?" deadpanned Ash, remembering Misty with her Staryu and Starmie.

"Why does Cress have a Panpour if he already has a Simipour? Isn't that kinda repetitive?" questioned Darwin. He never understood the need to have more than one of the same species of a Pokémon in a team. Fortunately, May has a father with an evolutionary line, so she knew the answer easily.

"I think it's to remind challengers of how powerful each Pokémon from the line is and not to underestimate the ones not fully evolved," explained May. Darwin only shrugged.

"Gible, I choose you!" announced Ash, summoning his Land Shark Pokemon.

"[Finally! My first Gym Battle!]" whooped Gible.

"Attention! Today for the Striaton Gym, we have Ash the challenger, versus Cress, the Gym Leader! Only one Pokémon each! And, when either side is unable to battle, the match is over!" explained Cilan. The cheerleaders began to cheer for the Water-Type user.

"Let's go, Cress. All the way! Win this battle, yay!" cheered the girls. Ash felt his eyes twitch, being reminded of Gary's cheerleaders back when he was, in Darwin's words, a douchebag. Thankfully, he has his own to brush off the annoyance.

"And, begin!"

Cress: Simipour VS Ash: Gible

"You may go first, as the challenger!" called Cress.

"Thanks! Gible! Start with Rock Smash!" called Ash. Gible nodded and ran towards Simipour, fist glowing with Fighting energy. Cress' eyes glinted with mischief and a sneer.

"Simipour, counter with Ice Beam!" sneered Cress mischievously.

"[I believe you need to cool off, darling.]" punned Simipour, mouth wide open with Ice energy forming into an orb before firing it into multiple beams at Gible.

"Slide on the side you're using Rock Smash on!" ordered Ash. Confused, Gible complied. Once his Fighting move dug into the ground, rocks were dug up, colliding with the Ice Beam into the mist. When it dissipated, Gible is revealed with almost half his body covered in ice while the rocks around him are frozen midair.

"This is bad… Gible's a Ground/Dragon-Type, and Ice-type moves are four times as effective on him," commented Dawn. However, this doesn't deter her or her 'harem' sisters.

"Gible, use Dig!" ordered Ash. The Land Shark Pokémon nodded, burrowing into the ground.

"I'm afraid that strategy won't work. Simipour, Scald and aim at that hole!" ordered Cress. Simipour opened her mouth, letting loose a large torrent of boiling hot water. The ground started rumbling before the rock under the Geyser Pokémon started rising.

"[What the—]" The ground erupted, sending her into the air.

"Gible, Rock Smash while Simipour's in the air!" ordered Ash. Suddenly, Gible came out of the dust cloud, riding the Scald with his frozen half facing it.

"[Eat knuckle sandwich!]" roared Gible. Inside the ice, his fist glowed before unclenching, shattering it as he hit Simipour in the gut. She gasped out before falling.

"What the— He used that Scald to propel Gible?!" gawked Darwin.

"That's Ash alright, coming up with crazy ideas on the spot." smiled Dawn.

"If you want this battle to be close, then I'll be happy to oblige. Simipour, Crunch!" ordered Cress. Once the Water-Type landed, she jets toward Gible.

"[I cannot believe I have to do this.]" gagged the Geyser Pokémon, mouth open while a familiar dark brown steel trap-like projection forms in front of it.

"That Move again." shivered Darwin; the events of his second day as a Trainer filled his mind. May and Dawn exchanged curious looks before Georgia shook her head, promising to explain later.

"Gible, do—" Sadly, Simipour's far superior Speed prevented Ash from finishing the order, the Water-Type biting down on Gible's head fin before lifting the Ground/Dragon-Type into the air and repeating the Move once her Trainer snapped his fingers, keeping the prey upside down and occasionally dropping his Defense.

"Like a scout in the water, I prepared beforehand for your Gible. Do not forget, I've seen your match in Sinnoh and know he doesn't have a Move to get himself out of a predicament such as this." gloated Cress. Ash only frowned before looking around and smirking.

"That would be the case if it was then, but not now. Gible, Dragon Pulse right in front of you!" ordered Ash. Catching his Trainer's plan, Gible opened his mouth, forming the sphere of Dragon energy before firing… away from Simipour.

"Like the currents of water, my strategy is difficult to—"

"[AH!]" Cress stopped himself at the Dragon Pulse striking from Simipour's behind, making her release Gible, who flipped midair before landing.

"How was that possible?!" gasped Cress. Looking to where the Move was fired, he gasped, seeing rubble where the frozen rocks 'stood'. "That miss… it wasn't for Simipour?!"

"That's right! (nods) It bounced off the rocks you froze earlier and came back around." smirked Ash.

"That was genius! Did he plan that from the very beginning?!" gawked Darwin. May and Dawn shared glances before giggling; while they both know Ash isn't stupid (especially after what he told them), planning ahead isn't much of his specialty, their crush prefers to adapt and plan on the fly.

"How were you positive that the Move wouldn't have gone through them instead?" questioned Cress.

"Honestly… it was a gamble," admitted Ash sheepishly. Cress dryly stares at him… before laughing joyfully.

"Like the ocean, you are quite full of surprises. Your position in the previous Sinnoh League was well-earned. (narrows eyes) That said, I believe it's time for me to go all out. Simipour, Work Up!" ordered Cress.

"[Alright, sugar!]" Simipour's body becomes covered in a white aura.

"Work Up?" echoed the foreign cheerleaders.

"An Unova-found Normal Move that boosts offensive power," explained Darwin.

"Looks like Cress is trying to finish this with a single attack." dreaded Georgia.

"Like water descending from waterfalls, you will hit your end. Simipour, fire Scald." snapped Cress elegantly. Nodding, the Water-Type inhaled, her body flashing white before she fired the steaming Water Move.

"Gible, intercept with Dragon Pulse!" punched Ash.

"[Hi… (forms turquoise sphere) YAH!]" shouted Gible, firing the Dragon Move. Once the projectiles met, a struggle began, neither Move gaining ground… until slowly and picking up speed, one did, cutting through the opposing Move and striking the opponent.

"[GAH!]" screamed Simipour, the Dragon Pulse launching her to the wall behind Cress, making a dust cloud.

"Simipour, no!" yelled Cress. As the dust cleared, Simipour was shown groaning, as her eyes swirled.

"Simipour is unable to battle! Gible wins! Which means the first match goes to Ash!" declared Cilan.

"Alright! Nice work, Gible!" encouraged Ash.

Ash: 1 Win

Cress, Chili, Cilan: 0 Win

Gible leaped onto Ash's head with a light bite.

"I'm proud of you, Gible. You did great!" complimented Ash, petting the Land Shark Pokémon before returning him. Saddened, Cress swapped positions with one of his brothers.

"Alright then! Your next opponent will be me!" replied Chili, returning Pansear and bringing out the Fire-Type's evolution.

"[It's fighting time!]" He is a simian Pokémon that is primarily red. His ears are broad with orange insides, and he has oval eyes and a small black nose. He has a swirled, flame-like tuft on his head with a smaller tuft on either side of it. Simisear has white shoulder ruffs; and a cream-colored face, chest, fingers, and toes. His hands have five fingers, and his feet have three toes. His fluffy, swirled tail resembles a flame. Curious, Ash scanned him.

Simisear, the Ember Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pansear. Simisear loves to eat sweets, which sustain the fire that burns inside its body.

"Who do you think Ash is gonna use?" asked May curiously.

"Well, Simisear are Fire-Types, so with Gible used up, his best bet is either Tepig or Oshawott," answered Darwin.

"Deerling, I choose you!" called Ash, bringing out the Seasonal Pokémon.

"ARE YOU FU— (Georgia gives look) FREAKING INSANE?! DEERLING'S A GRASS-TYPE YOU FOOL! FIRE ATTACKS WILL DECIMATE HIM!" yelled Darwin, receiving glares from Ash's 'harem'.

"Don't worry Darwin. I have a plan." grinned Ash. Cilan went to the referee box, refereeing the battle.

"Alright then! The second match will be between Ash, the challenger, and Chili, the Gym Leader! The same rules apply! And… begin!"

Chili: Simisear VS Ash: Deerling

"Deerling, start this off with Tackle!" called Ash.

"[Sir, yes, sir!]" nodded Deerling, going on the offensive.

"Easy. Use Acrobatics!" ordered Chili.

"[I'M ALL FIRED UP!]" Outlined in sky blue, Simisear rushed at his opponent, leaving behind afterimages.

'What kinda Move is that, another Unova one?' "Cancel that Tackle, spin then use Double Kick to counter!" ordered Ash, remembering his first Unova Pokémon learning it when battling a Trainer on their way here. Deerling broke a forward hoof through the floor, using the momentum from the canceled Tackle to spin, getting under Simisear while facing away from the Fire-Type. At the same time, his hind legs straightened out, hitting Simisear's jaw and stomach.

"Simisear!" gawked Chili. Skidding a few meters, his Pokémon stopped, grinning savagely.

"[It'll take more than that to bring me down.]" smirked Simisear.

"Like a raging volcano, we're going all out from the start, use Overheat!" ordered Chili.

"Did he just say Overheat?!" gawked the Langleys.

"[AW YEAH, MY FAVORITE!]" The siblings received their answer when Simisear's body glows red while opening his mouth and exhaling a large stream of swirling fire.

"Agility to dodge and get close!" swiped Ash. Deerling's body glowed dark pink before blurring away, leaving behind afterimages that were wiped by the Fire Move. Once the Normal/Grass-Type got close, Ash issued his next order. "Now Growl!"

"Low Kick before it can finish!" Sadly, while Simisear did strike the Super-Effective Move against Deerling via glowing orange sweep kick, it wasn't before receiving the Status Move, slightly weakening the hit and the Fire-Type.

"[My legs!]" yelped Deerling, being sent back to Ash's side.

"Acrobatics!" yelled Chili, hoping to strike before getting another Growl. Nodding, Simisear rushed against the opponent, Flying Move in the go.

"Tackle!" Thanks to Deerling's increased Speed, he slammed into Simisear's gut before the Fire-Type could strike.

"Crunch before Deerling can get away!" Deerling only had time to jump back before the familiar projection caught him and exploded, sending him a few meters away.

"Deerling… (mentioned gets up) Can you still battle? (he nods) Alright, send another Growl at him!" pumped Ash. Nodding, Deerling fired the sonic energy burst.

"Like the flames of a Chandelure, I won't be put out! Simisear, Overheat through!" declared Chili.

"[You're not gonna make me weak anymore!]" Determined, Simisear fired the Super-Effective Move, which the Growl passed through before striking the Fire-Type.

"Same as last time!" Glowing dark pink, Deerling dashed over to his opponent, avoiding the Fire Move. "Except instead of Tackle, switch it up with a Double Kick!"

"[I'm loving this Move!]" smirked Deerling, hooves glowing orange before he struck at Simisear's side.

"[GACK!]" Having expected another Tackle, Simisear guarded his front only, letting the Move send him skidding a meter or so.

"Quick, Overheat while it's close!" panicked Chili. "And if it dodges, keep it up until you get a hit!"

"Is he serious?" frowned May dryly.

"About what?" tilted Darwin, watching the Fire Move being dodged by the Seasonal Pokémon.

"Overheat is only at its most powerful the first time it's used in battle; the next one is always weaker than the last," answered May; with her Blaziken knowing the Move and having seen it in action with Ash's Torkoal, she knows a thing or two about the Move.

"Is there any way to recover the power?" asked Darwin, watching the shooting version of "Whack-A-Mole".

"A few, but the way this battle is going… and Simisear's present Moveset… Ash has this in the bag." grinned May. Eventually, Simisear stopped to gasp and fall onto a knee.

"Simisear!" gasped Chili.

"He's open Deerling! Ta— (spots something) On second thought… Agility up that rock!" ordered Ash, pointing at the one that's shaped into… a ramp.

"[Oh, I see where you're going with this.]" Chuckling, Deerling did so, rocketing up the rock until he leaped off, soaring towards Simisear.

"And finish it with a Tackle!" The falling STAB Move knocked Simisear onto his back, eyes swirling.

"Simisear is unable to battle! Deerling wins, which means the winner of the Gym battle is Ash!"

Ash: 2 Wins

Cilan, Chili, Cress: 0 Wins

Winner: Ash

While the Dents' cheerleaders/fans were depressed at the results, the gang was anything but.

"Wow! Ash did it! He actually won!" exclaimed Georgia.

"That was AWESOME!" screamed Darwin.

"Woohoo! Go Ash!" cheered May and Dawn.

"[Yeah man!]" cheered Pikachu; while he was disappointed to not be part of the Battle, he understands that the others shouldn't miss out.

"You really are strong. If neither of my brothers stood a chance against you and your Pokémon, then neither would I!" chuckled Cilan. With that, he and the two brothers all walked over to Ash and his battled Pokémon, carrying a small, black tray, that had a shiny badge, which had red, green, and blue colors on it.

"To prove that you were victorious against us, we present you… The Trio Badge!" explained Cilan. Ash took it with a smile.

"Check it out guys, the Trio Badge, and it's ours!" smiled Ash, raising it to the sky.

"[Alright!]" Pikachu, Gible, and Deerling jumped to equal height, excited. Once it wore off, Ash clipped it inside his hoodie.

"Out of curiosity, if you lost to either me or Chili, who would you've used to battle Cilan?" asked Cress.

"That's easy; my buddy Pikachu!" laughed Ash, petting the Electric-Type. At that, Cilan sent a playful glare at his brothers. Curiosity sated, the triplets turned to Darwin, who had got down for his turn.

"Well, you're next! Hopefully, you will win the same method with Ash!" chuckled Chili.

"Bring it on, Candlehead!"

(Few minutes later)

"Alright! First, you'll battle with Chili! And that's me!" called Chili.

"[And I'm Pansear!]" The battled triplets have swapped for their actual partners earlier.

"Pfft… Sorry, I can't take you seriously with that name, who names their kid after food?" chuckled Darwin. Chili growled.

'He is going down!'

"Attention! For our second battle today at the Striaton Gym! It's Darwin, the challenger, and Chili, the Gym Leader! Only one Pokémon each! And when either side is unable to battle, the match is over!" announced Cilan. The cheerleading girls cheered for the Fire-Type Gym Leader.

"Alright! I'll be turning up the heat and showing you how to cook!" smirked Chili.

"Alright, but I gotta warn you, this Trainer's got claws! Let's go, Purrloin!" declared Darwin, bringing out his first catch.

"[Hello red.]" greeted the Devious Pokémon, quadrupedal. The reaction she got was…

"NOT A PURRLOIN!" A dust cloud left behind by Cilan dashing away. Befuddled, the gang looked at the brothers.

"Let's just say he has a bad experience with a Purrloin and leave it at that." sighed Cress, refereeing now. The gang dropped it.

"And, begin!"

Chili: Pansear VS Darwin: Purrloin

"To take a page out of Ash's book, use Growl!" ordered Darwin mischievously.

"[I like the way you think.]" giggled Purrloin before doing so, the sonic waves lowering Pansear's Attack by 1 stage.

"You too?! This battle won't end like that. Pansear, Flamethrower!" growled Chili. After taking a deep breath, Pansear exhaled the red/orange fiery stream at the Dark-Type.

"Dodge, then use Scratch!" Purrloin leaped to the side before running at the Fire-Type, front claws glowing white.

"Intercept with Fire Punch!" Once the Dark-type swiped her claws onto Pansear, he shrouded one of his fists in red/orange fire before uppercutting with it, sending his opponent flying.

"Purrloin!" shouted Darwin, worried.

"Follow up with Flamethrower!" smirked Chili confidently. Mirroring his Trainer, Pansear fired the STAB Move at Purrloin in midair, sending her to Darwin's side, rolling.

"Are you OK?" kneeled Darwin. Purrloin nods, getting up.

"Time to put out your fire! Pansear, Flamethrower again!" laughed Chili. Pansear repeated the attack.

"Purrloin, try an Assist!" gambled Darwin. Standing, Purrloin brought up a glowing white orb on her paw before aiming it. At the same time, her tail grabbed nearby rubble. Smirking, Purrloin threw the rubble from her tail at the Flamethrower, making it explode.

"(coughs) Man, that was a close call." sighed Darwin, seeing the orb dim down.

"Dig before they can see!"

"…What?" As if answering Darwin's question, once the smoke dissipates, Pansear is nowhere in sight. "Dang it. Purrloin looks like we're gonna have to—"

"[HIYAH!]" Pansear bursts from the ground below Purrloin, sending an uppercut that launched her into the air above him.

"Purrloin! Try another Assist!" ordered Darwin. Nodding and spinning, Purrloin aimed the white orb at Pansear.

"I don't see what that's gonna do." shrugged Chili… only to drop his jaw when Purrloin tucks her arms, legs, and tail before falling onto Pansear, slamming onto the Fire-Type. "What just—"

"That was Tackle!" realized Ash.

"Makes sense; with two Pokémon knowing the Move, Tackle has a higher chance of being picked," noted Georgia. Spotting Pansear stumble, Darwin hatched a plan.

"Purrloin, finish this with Iron Tail!"

"Fini—" Chili got cut off by Purrloin leaping into the air, tail glowing before turning metallic, spinning in the air while descending onto Pansear before slamming the Steel Move onto him, making a crater around the Fire-Type before he fell on his back, eyes swirling.

"Pansear is unable to battle! Tepig wins! Therefore, the winner of this first round is… Purrloin!" declared Cress.

Darwin: 1 Win

Cilan, Chili, Cress: 0 Win

"WOOHOO! THAT'S MY BROTHER!" cheered Georgia.

The cheerleading girls were depressed by this.

"Oh, no way! I can't believe that Chili didn't win!"

"Me neither!"

"How was that possible?" blinked Chili. He isn't being a sore loser, but that Iron Tail wasn't Super-Effective.

"First off, good work Purrloin. (Dark-type purrs and rubs his legs) Secondly, you may not have noticed, but the first Assist wasn't a fluke; it was sending out a Leer from one of my other Pokémon, which…" trailed Darwin.

"Weakens a Pokémon's Defense. (chuckles) Well-played. (looks at partner) Excellent work, Pansear. Now, take a nice rest! (returns him) For a non-Fire-Type, your Purrloin's pretty impressive!" complimented Chili.

"Preaching to the choir, man," smiled Darwin, returning Purrloin. After that, the brothers swapped places.

"And now, you'll be facing Cress, and that's me!" smiled Cress cooly.

"Bring it on, Water… ocean… wavy… I got nothing." slumped Darwin.

"C'mon, Cress, victory! Show us of what we needed to see!" called out the cheerleaders.

"Time for our second battle! The battle between Darwin and Cress is about to begin!" called Chili.

"This is our first Trainer battle, so let's make it count! Let's go, Lillipup!" declared Darwin, bringing out his latest catch.

"[I shall do what you say, Master Darwin!]" barked Lillipup happily… while pawing an Antidote.

"Wha— Dangit, Lillipup!" facepalmed Darwin.

"Pickup Ability?" asked Cress, Panpour having his arms folded.

"Yeah… Mind if I grab it before we start?" requested Darwin. At Cress' nod, he did so. Once the Antidote is in his bag…

"And, begin!"

Cress: Panpour VS Darwin: Lillipup

"Lillipup, Tackle!" ordered Darwin.

"[Yes, Master Darwin!]" barked Lillipup, charging toward the Water-Type.

"Panpour, Double Team, go!" laughed Cress. Panpour's body flashes white and he creates multiple copies of himself. As each copy is created, a flash of white light appears where he is going to appear.

"Dang it…" muttered Darwin, seeing Lillipup go through a copy.

"Attacking instead of using a Status Move… Unlike Chili's battle, but nothing I can't handle. Panpour, use Scratch!" sneered Cress.

"[Yes sir.]" The tips of one or both of the Panpours' hands glow white before scratching Lillipup seemingly multiple times, leaving behind white trails of energy.

"Lillipup!" shouted Darwin, seeing his Pokémon roll away from the copies. Such a basic Move and yet the power behind it was undeniable.

"Water Gun!" shouted Cress. Panpour smirks, exhaling the basic Water Move.

"Dodge it!" shouted Darwin. Lillipup barely had time to do it, seeing the Move… harmlessly pass by. "HA, YA MISSED!"

"Did I?" smirked Cress, eyes on the Water Gun. Darwin blinked, following the Move to see it… bounced off a rock.

"**—"

"LANGUAGE!"

"He's using the same technique Ash did in their Battle! Lillipup, jump back!" shouted Darwin, his sister's scold ignored as he watched the Water Gun bounce from rock to rock. Nodding, the Normal-Type did so, the Move passing where he was and ending on a wall. "Man, that was close! Lillipup, get close for a Bite!"

"[Alright, Master Darwin!]" Lillipup conjured the familiar Dark-type Move while rushing at Panpour… only to slip and slide on some mud, missing the Water-Type by meters.

"What the—" Darwin sees a large ring of mud surrounding Panpour.

"You were so focused on the Water Gun that you neglected to hear me tell Panpour to use Mud Sport moments ago," smirked Cress, Panpour's mud-colored glowing hands fading.

"Your Panpour knows an Egg Move?!" gawked Darwin.

"That's an advantage of inheriting a Gym. Now, I believe it's time for your Lillipup to have a bath. Water Gun!" ordered Cress. Nodding, Panpour complied.

"Lillipup, get out of there!" pleaded Darwin. Lillipup attempts to do so; sadly, whenever it rained at the Lewis' Hotel, he always avoided mud so he wouldn't make a mess, so he has no experience with walking on mud. This proved to be his downfall, emphasized by the Water Gun launching him to the wall behind Darwin, eyes swirling while he slides down.

"Lillipup is unable to battle! Panpour wins! So, the winner of the second battle… is the Gym Leader, Cress!"

Darwin: 1 Win

Cilan, Chili, Cress: 1 Win

"Go, Cress! Go, Cress! Go, go go!" The cheerleader cheered.

"Poor Darwin…" frowned Dawn.

"He got cocky. (gains girls' attention) Because of seeing my Battle with a recently caught Pokémon and his win against Chili, he underestimated Cress." advised Ash.

"Like me when I tried for my third Ribbon back in Hoenn…" noted May.

"Do you think he'll make the same mistake again?" dreaded Dawn.

"Nope! (shakes head) With the tie, he's gonna need to put everything he's got in this next Battle!" assured Ash. The confidence he's displaying for the rookie had the girls blushing.

"It's my fault, Lillipup. (picks Normal-Type up) I thought I didn't need to plan for anything after Purrloin beat Pansear, but I was wrong. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't beat Panpour." sighed Darwin, looking at the awake Pokémon in the eyes. What he got was… a lick on the cheek.

"[I know Master Darwin wasn't himself in Battle! I forgive you!]" barked Lillipup. Smiling, Darwin returned him.

"You've truly shown the bond between Trainer and Pokémon! We're very impressed!" replied Cilan, returning and taking Cress' place.

"Thanks."

"But, we won't give up our badge that easily!" chuckled Cilan.

"Wasn't expecting you too. (clenches fist) I won't let Lillipup's hard work be for nothing; that Badge will be as good as mine!" declared Darwin.

"Pansage! I'd like to engage them in a refined battle with flavor that's in-depth with taste! Sound good?" asked Cilan.

"[Yes Master.]"

"It's all on you now. Let's go, Tepig!" shouted Darwin, bringing out his Starter.

"[Let's do this!]" snorted Tepig.

"A Type advantage? I must admit, I assumed none of your Pokémon would affect our Types." hummed Cilan.

"Tepig's my Starter, so I figured I'd save her for last, or if I lost against Chili, my second-to-last," admitted Darwin.

"This gives me an idea… Tepig, come on out," noted Ash, bringing out his latest catch.

"[What are we…]" started M-Tepig before stopping, seeing the other of his kind prepping for battle.

"Figured you'd like to see his Tepig win this," explained Ash; while he normally would've used Tepig in this Gym Battle to boost his confidence, he only had the Fire-Type for almost a day, so they wouldn't be in sync.

"This is it! The third battle is Darwin VS Cilan! And… begin!"

Cilan: Pansage VS Darwin: Tepig

"You have the first attack! From everywhere you like!" permitted Cilan.

"Like I'm gonna fall for that! Tepig, Tail Whip!" shouted Darwin.

"[I hate this Move…]" groaned the Fire-Type, turning away and wagging her tail, dropping Pansage's Defense.

"[Oh… wow…]" blushed M-Tepig.

"If you're taking defense, we'll go for offense. Pansage, Bullet Seed!" ordered Cilan. Pansage releases multiple gold seeds surrounded by a light green aura from his mouth.

"Tsk, of course, he also knows an Egg Move. Keep up the Tail Whip and swat away those seeds!" ordered Darwin.

"[Why…]" Reluctant, Tepig kept it up, dropping Pansage's Defense again.

"If you won't come to us, we'll come to you! Pansage, get close for a Bite!" smirked Cilan. Smirking, Pansage formed the dark brown steel trap-like projection while rushing at Tepig.

"Tepig, turn back now and use Ember!" swiped Darwin. Relieved, Tepig turned to receive a Bite… over her glowing snout.

"[Uh-oh.]" dreaded Pansage. Rightfully so once pellets of fire escaped from the snout and entered his body, forcing him to release her.

"Pansage, are you OK?" asked Cilan. The Grass-Type gave him a thumbs up… before glowing red and wincing.

"You just got Burn'd!" joked Darwin.

"Oh no!" whined the cheerleaders.

"Looks like swallowing an Ember boosts the chances of getting Burned," noted May. Ash and M-Tepig exchange glances, keeping the technique in mind.

"Now Tackle him while he's distracted!" His Starter complied, ramming Pansage into Cilan's side of the field. Said Trainer frowned, looking up at the skylight… and smirking.

"Pansage, I think it's time to convert the power of the sun!" called Cilan. Pansage smirked; the bush on his head started to sparkle light green while he holds his hands up. All four veterans widened their eyes at this.

"Oh no!"

"Don't tell me…"

"Is that…"

"Solar Beam?!" gasped Dawn, May, Georgia, and Ash. The sparkles soon turned into a golden energy orb, which Pansage brought to his chest level while it shined brighter.

"Holy ****!" swore Darwin, seeing the formerly cloudy sky through the skylight.

"Pansage, Pansage! Let's go!" cheered The girls.

"Pansage! Use Solar Beam, now!" called Cilan. Pansage thrusts the orb forward, launching a bright yellow energy beam from it toward his opponent. Panicking, Darwin thought over ideas.

"Tepig… Ember below you!"

"[What?]" Confused, but trusting her Trainer, Tepig complied, launching the Fire-Type Move to the ground under him… propelling him upwards and avoiding the Solar Beam, which hit a wall.

"Nice work, Tepig!" cheered Darwin, watching her land on a rock. The cheerleaders groaned, seeing that Cilan hasn't won yet.

"Now, that was truly a fascinating evasive move! Tepig dodged our Solar Beam like a Flying-Type lifting off! I've seen many Tepig in my time, but that was a first!" admitted Cilan.

"…'Your time'? How old are you?" asked Darwin.

"We're 18," answered Cress. Shaking his head, Darwin glared at his opponent.

"Anyway, just wait! I may have had Tepig for only a week, but that's long enough to tell me she's a cut above the rest." dared the hacker.

"Impressive! Then, there's no holding back! Alright, Pansage! Bullet Seed!" called Cilan.

"Ember!" The two Special Moves collided, Ember burning through the seeds and pushing Pansage against a rock.

"Mm-hm! (adjusts tie) I believe it is time for me to unveil my secret weapon!" smirked Cilan.

"You mean that Solar Beam wasn't it?!" gawked Darwin. Pansage answered by putting his hands forward, brown sparkles clustering between them.

"That doesn't look like a Grass-Type Move," noted Dawn. Pansage raises his hands before the sparkles expand into a silver energy orb. The orb then grows larger until it is much bigger than Pansage's body. Finally, the glow fades out the orb, forming into a large gray boulder with a transparent silver glow.

"A Rock-Type Move?" dreaded Darwin.

"Pansage, launch Rock Tomb now!" snapped Cilan gently. His partner complied, throwing the boulder at Tepig.

"Ember to break it!" panicked Darwin. Feeling the same, Tepig complied, only for the Fire Move to do nothing on the boulder.

"[Oh—]" That was all Tepig could say before the boulder exploded on her.

"TEPIG!" screamed Darwin. Once the dust dispersed, it revealed a ring of gray rocks around Tepig, the Fire-Type lying on her stomach, eyes closed. The sight worried her Trainer.

"Tepig is unable to…"

"[Don't… say… that.]" Much to everyone's mixed surprise, Tepig started getting up, a fiery aura beginning to cover her before she opened her eyes, glaring at Pansage. "[I'M NOT DOWN YET!]"

"Looks like Tepig's Blaze kicked in," noted May, recalling Blaziken's becoming active years ago.

"This is quite intriguing," noted Cilan.

"Tepig…" murmured Darwin, touched, before setting a glare. "If you're not giving up, then I ain't either!"

"Well, well, well, with both our Pokémon in their last legs, what do you say we settle this with one last Move?" requested Cilan. Momentarily stunned, Darwin nods before they look at their Pokémon.

"Solar Beam!"

"Ember!" However, instead of a stream of namesakes, a large sphere of flames with black highlights formed in front of Tepig's snout before shooting towards the Solar Beam.

"What Move is that?" questioned May, Dawn equally curious.

"That's Incinerate!" noted Ash, noting that the Move is larger than when Gible uses it. The named Move and Solar Beam began to enter a power struggle… for a moment or two before creating a large fiery explosion.

"Pansage/Tepig!" Their concerns increased when the smoke dissipated, revealing both Pokémon lying facedown. Soon after, both began lifting themselves up, smirking at each other in respect… before Pansage's Burn kicks in, taking whatever energy he has left and leaving him on his side, eyes swirling.

"Pansage is unable to battle! Tepig wins! And, with two wins, the victor is Darwin, the challenger!" declared Chili.

Darwin: 2 Wins

Cilan, Chili, Cress: 1 Win

Winner: Darwin

Darwin felt like he was dreaming… Did Chili just say… "Our first Gym Battle ever… and we won…"

"[This feels too painful to be a dream.]" groaned Tepig, exhausted.

"WE DID IT, WE WON! WOOHOO! (grabs Tepig and hugs her) WE DID IT, TEPIG; OUR FIRST GYM BATTLE AND WE WON!" cheered Darwin.

"Now that's a battle." smiled Ash, envious that he didn't get to battle the Grass-Type Gym Leader, but letting it slide.

"It was like our Contest battle together, remember?" smiled May. Ash nodded, blushing. Soon, the triplets and Darwin with all his Pokémon walked to each other, with the gang by the hacker's side.

"Here, Darwin. This is for you," replied Cress.

"This badge here is proof that you beat the Striaton Gym!" explained Chili.

"And it's called the Trio Badge!" concluded Cilan. Darwin took the Unova Badge with thanks before putting it close to the camera.

"Behold, the very first Gym Badge in my collection! I have these three to thank for me getting it. (points camera at all three Pokémon) With this, I am one step closer to entering the Unova League, and another in achieving my dream." narrated Darwin.

"Is that live?!" gawked Chili, everyone but the gang looking at the camera.

"No, it's just recording for my self-made documentary. (turns off camera) I just need to cut some stuff out and it'll be good for a Part 1." answered Darwin.

"Can you cut my freakout earlier?" gulped Cilan, eyes away from the Dark-Type.

"Alright… Now for something that's been on my mind for a while. (looks at gang girls) Why are the three of you dressed like cheerleaders?! Especially you, Georgia; our grandma tried putting you in girly clothes for years, but you always said something about how they don't fit you." asked Darwin. Ash and Georgia blushed while May and Dawn proudly smile at their work. While Georgia stammers through an explanation, they are unaware of a certain thought going through an observer.

'What an intriguing group.'


Ash's Pokémon Team

Pikachu (M): Ability: Static. Moves: Agility, Thunder, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle, Thunderbolt, Fusion Bolt, Brick Break

Gible (M): Ability: Sand Veil. Moves: Dig, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Rock Smash, Incinerate

Deerling (M): Ability: Chlorophyll. Moves: Tackle, Camouflage, Growl, Agility, Double Kick

Pidove (F): Ability: Super Luck. Moves: Gust, Quick Attack, Air Cutter, Leer, Steel Wing

Oshawott (M): Ability: Torrent. Moves: Tackle, Water Gun, Razor Shell, Rock Smash

Tepig (M): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Tackle, Ember, Yawn

Darwin's Pokémon Team

Tepig (F): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Ember, Odor Sleuth, Incinerate

Purrloin (F): Ability: Limber. Moves: Scratch, Growl, Assist, Iron Tail

Lillipup (M): Ability: Pickup. Moves: Leer, Tackle, Odor Sleuth, Bite

Georgia's Pokémon Team

Beartic (M): Ability: Snow Cloak. Moves: Slash, Night Slash, Icicle Crash, Ice Beam, Rock Smash

Pawniard (F): Ability: Defiant. Moves: Metal Claw, Iron Head, Guillotine

Vanillite (F): Ability: Ice Body. Moves: Avalanche, Mist, Icicle Spear, Ice Beam

May's Pokémon Team

Blaziken (M): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Blaze Kick, Overheat, Flamethrower, Sky Uppercut, Fire Spin, Shadow Claw, Mega Kick

Swablu (F): Ability: Natural Cure. Moves: Sing, Mist, Round, Double Team

Dawn's Pokémon Team

Piplup (M): Ability: Torrent. Moves: Drill Peck, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Whirlpool, Mist

Togekiss (F): Ability: Serene Grace. Moves: Aura Sphere, Sky Attack, Air Slash, Safeguard


Omarnosian10: What do you guys think?

Ash: This definitely wasn't a copy-and-paste Gym Battle.

Omarnosian10: The evolved Elemental Monkeys' move sets are from the BW2 games; specifically, Simipour's Multi-Battle move set and Simisear's second World Tournament move set.

Darwin: Considering Chili's personality, that set's fitting.

Ash: Will all my Gym Battles be like this?

Omarnosian10: For the most part. Another thing I need to explain; while Pokémon can learn more than 4 Moves, unlike the games, in this story, they can only USE 4 Moves per Battle.

May: With how many Moves all our Pokémon know, that makes a lot of sense.

Omarnosian10: Also, Pokémon 'forget' Moves by neglecting to use them for a certain period of time… except for Signature Moves and Blessings.

Ash: Good to know.

Omarnosian10: Also, before anyone asks, while Team Rocket won't be present next chapter, that doesn't mean their canon plan won't occur.

Georgia: Are they getting replaced?

Omarnosian10: Not… exactly. You'll learn more next chapter. With that, SMOKEBOMB!