With both of her partners healed and in their Poké Balls, Kaminari races toward the Striaton Gym and Restaurant, confident in her ability to win. In front of the door stands yet another man with green hair, quietly awaiting the teenager's arrival with his Pansage. "Are you the challenger Clyde told me about? The one who wants to challenge the gym?" he asks shyly.
"If it means getting a bite to eat, then yeah." She replies. "Are you the Gym Leader I spent all day searching for?" The teen musters, trying to refrain from grabbing him by the throat and strangling him.
"Yes, I am." He responds timidly. "I did not intend to be so elusive today. I'm sorry."
"Yeah, yeah. Look, can I get into the restaurant or not?" she asks hastily. "My partners and I are starving, and I'm ready to get my first badge, man."
"I see you're eager. That's a good sign."He says with false confidence. "In that case, which Pokémon is your starter?" Kaminari releases her blue otter, who stares curiously at the man's Pansage. "So you chose the water-type. It's weak against grass-type Pokémon."
The teen gets real close to the uncomfortable man and narrows her eyes at him, causing him to quiver. "What do you mean by that?" She barely avoids calling him Saladface.
"Um, nothing." He says, backing into the door. "I'll see you in the gym." He twists the knob and scurries into the building with his Pansage playfully racing beside him.
Kaminari places Tsunami back in his ball and saunters inside, muttering "I'll show him a thing or two about weaknesses."
Only a single step inside the building, the man in the white suit from before walks up to the girl and shakes her hand firmly. "Hello again, young lady! My name is Clyde the gym guide. To commemorate your visit to the gym, please take this." The man hands her a bottle of fresh water.
"Um… thanks…" she sets the item in her bag.
"Believe me, it does more than you think." He assures her. "Now, the trick to getting through this gym is knowing type advantages. You see that curtain? All you have to do is step on the button with the symbol of the type that beats the type shown on the curtain. Then-poof! - the curtain slides open." Clyde motions to the red curtain. "Go ahead and try it!"
Hesitantly, Kaminari approaches the three buttons in front of the fire-type symbol. "Hah, piece of cake!" she shouts, jumping on the water-type symbol. The curtain slides open, revealing a whole other section of the room. The teenager charges at the waiters and waitresses, prepared to win.
After emerging victorious from average trainer battles, the girl surges past the grass-type curtain and up the steps toward the same green haired man from before. "Welcome to the Striaton City Gym." To Kaminari's amazement, two men that she had not previously seen spin out from behind the green haired man.
"I'm Chili!" The man with wild red hair introduces himself. "I light things up with fire-type Pokémon!"
"Good for you." The brunette mutters impatiently.
"I am a water-type specialist, and my name is Cress." The man with flowing blue hair states. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. "
"My name is Cilan." The green-haired man says softly. "I like grass-type Pokémon. Um… you might be wondering why there're three of us…"
"C'mon, spit it out, bro!" Chili blurts. "We're gonna decide who you battle for the badge based on your starter Pokémon!"
"Indeed." Cress says. "And if Cilan was correct, you selected the water-type Pokémon."
"Yeah." Kaminari glares at the skittish grass-type user. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Aw, man." Chili pouts and stomps his foot. "I was ready to knock you out…"
"You are quite fortunate to not face me." Cress belittles the fuming teen along with his brother.
"I'll take all three of you!" Kaminari screams, nearly crushing Tsunami's Poké Ball in her palm. "Come at me!"
"Um… it's nothing personal…" Cilan stares at his shoes. "It's just that… me and my Pokémon are going to battle you… if that's okay." He glances up at her anxiously. "So, I'm going to… you know… put everything I've got into being your opponent."
"Alright." She smirks. "Show me what you've got."
Cilan gently tosses out his Lillipup's Poké Ball while Kaminari assertively flings Tsunami's ball out into the air. The man is quick to command. "Work Up!" he shouts, suddenly taking on a demanding voice. The dog begins shaking about and jumping around, puzzling the girl.
"Tsunami, use Tackle!" she commands back. Obediently, the otter leaps up and hits Cilan's partner with his entire body before waddling back to his side of the battle.
"Go for Work Up again, Lillipup!" Cilan yells, causing the puppy to hop around once more, ruffling up his fur.
"What's the point of that attack?" Kaminari asks, genuinely confused. "He's not even hurting his opponent."
"You'll see." The man smiles deviously, to the girl's surprise.
"Okay…" Kaminari trails off, baffled by this abrupt change in nature. "Water Gun!" Following his trainer's orders, Tsunami soaks the roused dog.
"Okay, Lillipup, time to shine!" Cilan points to the Oshawott assertively. "Bite him!" The puppy races up to Tsunami and chomps on his paw, inflicting an unexpected amount of pain on the stunned Oshawott.
"Osha!" The otter cries, clutching his agonized paw.
"Woah, hold up." Kaminari says, baffled. "The Lillipup's teeth are smaller than Cheren's muscles- how did that hurt him so much?!" Tsunami gazes back at his trainer with sparkling eyes, trying to hold back his tears and stay strong for her. His white paw has turned cherry red from the attack.
"Work Up raises a Pokémon's attack and special attack stats." Cilan smiles, proud of his strategy. "Now, his moves will be twice as powerful!" Chili cheers and punches his brother on the shoulder while Cress compliments him with advanced vocabulary.
The teenager grunts at her opponent's celebration. "Tsunami, can you hold on for just one more attack?" she whispers to her partner gently. The Oshawott nods and turns back to the dog, who's hopping around in excitement. "You haven't won yet, Cilan!" the girl cries passionately. "Tsunami! Tackle!"
The otter springs toward the unsuspecting Lillipup. "SHAAAA!" He tackles the puppy with all his might, knocking him out. Tsunami then smirks at Cilan- whose jaw is practically on the floor- before trotting back to his cheering trainer.
"Don't praise yourselves prematurely." Cilan says softly, returning Lillipup to his ball. "I've still got one more Pokémon." He releases his grass-type monkey into the court of their battle.
Kaminari thinks back to the last time she left her damaged partner in the field. She has faith in her starter, but she can't bear to see him faint, either. "So do I." The girl declares, to Tsunami's surprise. "You did well, buddy." She croons, returning him to his ball and grabbing the other firmly. "Alright, Zest, let's finish this!"
The Pansear stares humbly at his opponent, nervous about letting his partner down once more. "Sear!" he cries.
"Ah." Cilan exclaims, recognizing his predicament. "I see you've come prepared for our battle. No matter; Pansage has been trained more than your monkey, he can still pull through."
"You have a Pansear, too?" Chili squeals, rushing right up to the fire-type. "Awesome!"
Cress groans and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Chili, how many times have I told you not to step on our battle-court while one of us is having a gym battle?"
The red-haired brother glances up from scratching the tuft of hair on Zest's head. "What?"
"Vine Whip!" Cilan commands, ignoring his brothers' banter across the room. Pansage's tail grows into a long vine as he runs up to Zest and flips midair. The vine strikes both the Pansear and Gym Leader, causing Chili to hold his cheek gingerly and whine.
"What was that for?" he yells, curiously poking the wound and wincing in pain.
"Fool." Cress shakes his head and grabs his pouting brother by the shoulder. "Come on, let's get a bandage." The two walk off to the kitchen, with Chili complaining about how rude Cilan is.
Zest still stands, relatively unharmed but still skittish about the battle. "Hmm… that did less than I thought…" Cilan thinks aloud.
"Go for Incinerate!" Kaminari points at the grass-type boldly. Following his trainer's example, Zest thrusts his paw towards the other Pokémon, attacking Pansage with three pillars of fire. "Great job, Zest!" the teen cheers, causing her partner to wag his tail giddily.
"Yikes…" Cilan begins sweating. "Lick!" Pansage approaches an uncomfortable Zest and extends his tongue, licking the disgusted monkey. A yellow electrical current flicks around the Pansear.
"You've got some weird attacks, man." Kaminari announces indignantly. "Zest! Use Incinerate again!"
The monkey struggles against the strange electricity, but ultimately finds that he is unable to move. He peers back at the girl, ashamed. "Pan… Pansear…"
"It worked!" Cilan gasps. "Great! Use Work Up!" The grass-type bounces around like the Lillipup before him.
"Great. Not this stuff again." The teen groans. "What've you done to Zest?"
"You have much to learn, trainer." Cilan replies. "Pansear is paralyzed; he is slower now and may be completely unable to move during his turn.
"C'mon, Zest, you've gotta pull through!" Kaminari yells. "Incinerate him!"
The fire-type combats this strange force trying to leave him immobilized, defying it with every fiber of his being. With his focus on the opponent, he raises the three flames around Pansage, who backs away from one flame into another.
"Oh my." Cilan's voice shakes as he plucks a purple potion from the table behind him. He carefully approaches his Pansage and sprays him with the violet mist, replenishing his health. The creature's wounds are almost completely healed, to his opponents' dismay. "Okay, we're good to go… I think."
"Alright, you can get through this." Kaminari says, a bit unsure of herself. "Go for Incinerate!"
Barely able to move his paws, concentrates on the grass-type, causing him to combust in a weaker fire after a few moments.
"Scratch!" Cilan commands, invested completely in this match. Pansage rushes up to Zest and swipes at his belly, inflicting massive damage.
"C'mon, Zest…" Kaminari murmurs. "You know what you have to do. I believe in you."
The poor Pansear uses all of his strength, but cannot overcome paralysis. This doesn't stress out his trainer; she simply continues staring at him, hoping he'll do what she planned. Indeed, he moves his tail around to his mouth. Out of the little tuft of fur pops an oran berry, which he barely manages to catch in his mouth.
"Clever choice." Cilan commends her. "But a bit of health won't save you now. Scratch the Pansear!"
Kaminari's heart pounds intensely as the green monkey races up to her partner and strikes him with a razor-sharp claw, sending him flying back. "Yes!" Cilan cries.
Zest lies on the ground by his trainer's feet, shaking. "Get up." The teen whispers. "I know you can."
The Pansear struggles against his own pain, attempting to push himself to his feet. Both trainers watch him closely, one hoping he stays down while the other prays he will stand. With quivering knees, Zest rises slowly and stares Pansage in the eye. "Yes!" The girl cheers.
"No!" Cilan shrieks.
Kaminari motions to the Pansage, who quakes in fear. "Finish him, Zest!" she cries passionately. "Incinerate!"
"It won't be enough." The man seems to assure himself more than the other trainer.
Seizing control of his own body from the status condition, Zest wails and raises three ferocious flames around Pansage. "Pan-seeear!" The grass-type is defeated with that critical hit, lying on the court, unmoving.
"What a shock." The man immediately loses the confident tone and returns to his shy, natural voice. "I… I don't think my brothers could defeat you, either. Um… great battle… excuse me, but, what's your name?"
"Kaminari." The teen huffs, picking up Zest and patting him on the head. "Shouldn't you have asked before I beat you?"
"Erm, I'm sorry." Cilan turns to the table behind him and pops open a case full of glinting metal. "I'll remember it now, for sure." He timidly approaches the young challenger and holds a shiny badge up for her to see clearly. It's made up of a red, green, and blue diamond. "Gym badges are a symbol of a trainer's strength. You beat me, so you get this to show everyone how strong you are."
"Thanks!" Kaminari snatches the tricolored badges and plants it in the correct spot in her velvet badge case.
Cress and Chili return, with the latter still whining about his pain. Covering the wound on Chili's cheek is a pink bandage with Audino scampering around cutely on it. "Did you emerge victorious?" Cress asks the brunette girl, ignoring the complaints of his embarrassed brother.
"Of course I did." Kaminari matches his proper, flowing tone as she places the case right in his face, expecting him to bask in her glory.
"Well then." He gently pushes her hand away and pulls a silver CD out of his vest pocket. "In that case, we'd like you to take this, as well. It is a Technical Machine that you can use to force compatible Pokémon into learning Work Up."
"Thanks." Kaminari, murmurs half as enthusiastically, snatching the TM for the move that caused her so much trouble.
Chili walks up to the challenger and grudgingly hands her some Pokémon Dollars. "Here's your stupid money."
"Thanks?" The teen presses the button on her other Poké Ball and the white beam that emerges takes the form of Tsunami, who wails jealously at the nervous Pansear in Kaminari's arms despite being very weak from his battle. "Now, how about you guys fix us some dinner already?" The girl yells impatiently.