Ch4 - Striaton City Gym

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I also don't own the DS. I only own my character

Reviews!

True Master

While the Elekid line is cool, I do already have another Electric type Pokemon, a Unova native in fact, already in mind. However, Electivire is pretty badass, so I'll see about getting one in the backups. It would also be neat to write about Ash and Paul, since it would likely remind Ash of Paul's Electivire. Thanks for the review!

Runeion

Seems like Bisharp is our number one so far, however, there are complications with evolving it into Kingambit. First, the evolution requires defeating 3 Bisharp that are holding a Leaders Crest, which must not exist outside of Paldea because the evolution only happens in Paldea, in the one bamboo forest where the Leaders Crest spawns in. The other problem is that even though I think Kingambit is a cool evolution, and its overall an awesome Pokemon, I personally don't like it as much as I like base Bisharp. So I would rather just have Bisharp take care of things rather than Kingambit and its base 50 speed. Thank you for the continued reviews!

Ashton12

Two Pokemon that I have thought about, both pretty respectable in their own right. I feel like Electross has more utility, but Beartic is one of the few Ice types you can get in Unova, so not a bad choice. I do quite like Eelektross, so watch out for when we get to Chargestone Cave. Thank you for the constant reviews!

Uvuvwevwevwe Onyetenyevwe Ugwe

Yeah, that was the thought process concerning Lucario. Even though I love him, hes horribly overused, so It would feel too cheap to make the decision on my own. If we do Bisharp though, it likely won't evolve into Kingambit, explained in a review above. Thank you for all the reviews!

Alex the Stargazer (Prologue)

Another vote for Bisharp I see, though as said above, Bisharp likely won't evolve into Kingambit. A fighting type would do pretty well though, and Unova does have its fair share, so its very possible Shawn will get one. Thank you for the review!

EpicNinjaFRWY

Definitely, I love both Pokemon, but sadly Lucario is so overused in Pokemon fics it's almost not funny, so I wouldn't feel right making the decision myself. Thank you for the review!

Firem78910

Another vote for Bisharp. I did not think about items though, so thank you for the idea. Bisharp with Eviolite is pretty mean, so if it happens expect major carnage. Thank you for the reviews!

Achutanand

Yeah, as explained in a review above, making Bisharp evolve would be a complete hassle, so if we do get Bisharp don't expect him to evolve into Kingambit, not unless literally everyone wants it. Thanks for the reviews!

Mads12330

The decision is still being made, but so far yes, it is very likely that Shawn will have a Hisuian Samurott. Thank you for the review!

MaxTheMagnificent24

Mienshao is currently my prime choice for a fighting type if Lucario loses the vote, so thanks for the vote of confidence on it. I don't think I've ever read a SI or OC that uses Mienshao, so at the very least it would be something new and different. Thank you for the review!

Neotac

Thanks for the vote! Bisharp is indeed an awesome dark type, but sadly rarely used in fics as far as I know. Thank you for the review!

Pika2land (Ch1)

Metagross was one of the first Pokemon I thought about for Shawn, since you can get it, but not only is it in the Giant Chasm, where Kyurem is, but its so far away from the early game that it I feel would be pointless to make the trip early on. Victini on the other hand, is not a bad choice, but I did not know there was a Victini Team Plasma was chasing, I will certainly look into that and see if It should happen. Concerning being overpowered though, to me it is a concern, because Im trying to make this fic as much like the Anime as possible, which means when Shawn becomes OP, there won't be anything to really stop him, and anything he does won't matter a whole lot since he can beat anyone in a battle anyway. As for Tyranitar, it is a definite possibility. Abilities are something that Shawn will take advantage of, so we will see how it goes down. Sylveon would be a great Pokemon to get, but sadly Eevee is another Pokemon overused in fics, though thankfully not to the extent Lucario is. If I want to do it though, there will be a vote, so look out for that. Thank you for the review!

pratikchakraborty911

For Ice, it will likely be a Unovan native, and as for fairy, I really dont know. I like Fairy Pokemon, but as far as I know Unova does not have many, so there might not be one on the team at all. Tynamo/Eelektross is a prime electric candidate at the moment, and is likely to join the team. Im glad my responses to the reviews help out and are enjoyable, thank you for letting me know and thank you for the constant reviews as well!

Emperor Lu Bu II

Thanks for the vote! I have thought about Ferrothorn, and it's another awesome steel-type Pokemon from Unova. If my current team works out, do expect Ferrothorn to appear eventually as a backup. Thank you for the review!

markofigio

It will probably happen, all three heads will be put to good use. Hydreigon will have good coverage, but likely a set up move as well, since boosted Hydreigon would go crazy. Thank you for the review!

Keldeox

Thanks! Though I would say the training was more so just improving the strength of the moves. An example of this would be Ash and Tepig working out after losing to Lenora, and coming back stronger. It's not any special type of training, it's kinda just improving the moves and physical ability, like normal weightlifting for people. Another vote for Bisharp, though it would be difficult to evolve it, as explained in reviews above. About the scenario, it likely would've happened even if you hadn't told me, since interactions like that were all over the Battle Club Tourney arcs, but now it will definitely happen at least once or twice. Thank you for the reviews!

Flame punch

Yeah, I get you 100%. I'm the same way with Bisharp and Kingambit. I love Bisharp, but I don't really wanna use him in Violet when I know he can evolve again, it just feels too weird. Thank you for your reviews!

guyofthecastle

It wouldn't be a hard scenario to create, but yeah it would be a hard one to advance without feeling like it's going too slow or too fast. It is cliche, but if Lucario wins the vote it may end up being something like that. Thanks for your reviews!

Arpan DGupta

Thanks! Also, I did not realize I spelled Zekrom like that. Not sure how I didn't notice, but it will be spelled normally next time. I will definitely consider an unknown evolution, as long as the requirements aren't crazy. Another reviewer mentioned Sylveon, so that could happen, as Sylveon is a good fairy type that would be useful for the team I am building. Glad you are looking forward to the next chapter, and thanks for the review!

Fat Boy A.V.A

Thanks! And yeah, understandable. Thats not the type of fic this is gonna be if you were wondering, but I did rewatch some of BW, and Bianca being all crazy about muscles is something heavily emphasized during I think the second Battle Club Tournament. For now its just a way to have Bianca interact with Shawn, since I'm a new writer, and I don't fully know how to write different characters. As for Pokemon, that's completely fair. Im gonna have to work hard to make sure not every Pokemon is lost to no screen time, but I'll try to make it happen as best as I can. Thank you for the review!

Zandaino-Nova-Ari

Oh don't worry, Larvesta will get some love, even if it isn't from Shawn, and yeah Zoroark would be fun to write and battle with. While I am still thinking about another starter, It would have to be Unovan, which is the limitation of doing a Unova fic. Thank you for the reviews!

I hope all my responses help everyone to understand how I hope this fic will go, and are enough to answer all of your questions. With that done, let the chapter begin…

After catching Drilbur, Shawn and Oshawott tiredly walked back to the Poke Center, Shawn taking Drilbur for a checkup, Oshawott plopping down on a bench while waiting for Shawn.

After getting the clear from Nurse Joy, the two went straight to their room and promptly fell asleep.

After waking up and getting ready for his Gym Battle, Shawn first checked the Arc DS, curious to see what his Drilbur looked like on paper.

Level - 10

Ability:

Sand Rush

Moves:

Fury Swipes

Dig

Scratch

Mud Slap

Strengths - Attack

Weaknesses - Special Attack, Defense, Special Defense

'So it's technically a higher level than Oshawott, but obviously It can't put up much of a fight, so levels aren't everything I guess. I knew Drilbur had weak defenses, but I also expected his speed stat to be higher. Maybe a speed decreasing nature? He does have Sand Rush though, so if I can get a Sandstorm setter or teach him Sandstorm he wont have much issue cleaving through teams.'

Though Drilbur wasn't quite what he expected, it didn't matter for now, since he didn't plan on using him for the Gym Battle.

As he went back to the room to find Bianca, she came stumbling out of the room, barely keeping her footing as she straightened her bag and hat.

"Come on! Lets go lets go! I wanna see you battle the Gym!" She was excited to see how Shawn would do with his Oshawott, considering what happened to his Tepig.

As they walked out the Poke Center, Bianca directed him to the Gym, which had the outward appearance of a restaurant.

Shawn grinned, "So this will be my first Gym Badge? I'm excited already, despite knowing how much of a beatdown this will be."

A new voice spoke from behind him.

"Oh? You think the taste of your Pokemon can stand up to the Striaton Gym?"

Shawn knew who it was before he turned around.

When he looked back, he saw a young looking man with green hair, a butler-esk outfit, and a smile on his face.

Cilan spoke again, "If you are so confident, I will have to take you on myself, and teach you about the flavors of humility!"

Shawns grin changed to a polite smile as he spoke.

"Sorry! I'm just excited to get my first badge, but you should watch out either way! Me and my Oshawott won't lose our second battle y'know!"

Cilan looked at him like he was crazy.

"Only your second battle? You are more arrogant than I thought! This will be a true example of the Striaton Gym teaching another young trainer a lesson!"

Bianca had somehow managed to remain quiet this entire time, pondering about how the battle would go. She expected Shawn to win, but wouldn't be surprised if he was caught off guard by the Grass type monkey, and lost as a result.

Cilan stepped past the two, speaking, "Come! Your friend can sit in the stands while you get taught the flavors of humbleness!"

As the two walked through the restaurant-gym, two men, both dressed in butler suits, with red and blue hair respectively, walked up to the back fireplace.

Cilan walked to the wall, and stood in the middle of his two brothers, Chili and Cress, with all of them facing the wall.

As he did so, the lights dimmed, and a brighter light shone on Cilan, as he turned around.

He spoke dramatically, "Since you think you have what it takes, I will grant your request!"

Chili spoke next as he turned to face the crowd of swooning girls, in the same dramatic tone, with a bright light on him as well.

"So you're a challenger, huh? Well then you'll receive a welcome as pleasant and hot as the noonday sun!"

Cress spoke last, the light shining on all three brothers as they faced everyone.

"No, I think we should be cool, like a refreshing glass of water, chilled of course."

Cilan then stepped forward and spoke again.

"As triplet brothers, we run the Striaton City Gym as its three Gym Leaders!"

After he said this, the wall opened up, and bright sunlight filled the room, as the battlefield on the other side became visible.

If Shawn could've sweatdropped, he would've.

'They do the routine even if they know, walking into the building, that there's gonna be a gym battle? What's the point of all that if I knew It was a Gym from the start?

As Shawn shook his head, he walked to the battlefield, and let out Oshawott.

Shawn spoke to his Pokemon, "Just letting you know, you will be fighting at a disadvantage by technicality, so just be extra careful of any grass type moves he uses."

Oshawott nodded in understanding, before taking his place on his trainer's shoulder.

Cilan walked into the battlefield with his brothers behind him, as the cheerleaders and Bianca went to the upstairs balcony.

Cilan spoke to him with a smile, "Normally a trainer would choose the Gym Leader they wanted to face, but for you, we will make an exception! I will be sure to show you how seriously the Striaton Gym prides itself on the flavors of battle!"

Shawn nodded, and grinned.

"I look forward to it then. Oshawott and I are ready to go!"

Both trainers took their place at the opposite ends of the battlefield, and Chili called the match.

"Our battle today at the Striaton Gym will be between, wait who are you again?"

Shawn sighed, before telling Chili, "Since nobody ever even bothered to ask, my name is Shawn."

Chili nodded, and continued.

The battle is between Shawn, the challenger, and Cilan, the Gym Leader! It will be a one on one match, and whenever either side is unable to battle, the match is done!"

As Oshawott jumped from his trainer's shoulders to the battlefield, Cilan let out Pansage.

He spoke to his Pokemon, "Pansage, I would like to teach them about how we run the Striaton Gym, would you assist me in doing so?"

Pansage replied, "Pansage pan!"

"Wonderful! Let's show them humility indeed!"

Chili spoke one last time, "With both trainers Pokemon set, let the battle begin!"

Shawn spoke first, "Oshawott, remember how to use Razor Shell! Don't let up, and use what you can to cause distractions! Start the battle with a quick Water Gun!"

As Oshawott took aim, Cilan ordered his Pokemon with a flair.

"Pansage, dodge it!"

Oshawott fired the water gun in spurts, with each one coming closer to the moving Pansage, but still missing.

Shawn took notice of this, and realized he would need to get in close to get any real damage done. Oshawott is purely physical for most matchups, only type advantages allow his Special Attacks to do enough damage to warrant using them.

Shawn spoke again, "Oshawott, start with Razor Shell, and advance through the rocks!"

Oshawott stopped firing Water Guns, and took his scalchop from his stomach, turning it into a blade.

As he started running, Cilan spoke once more.

"Pansage! Use Dig!"

'So he thinks Pansage can hide and pop out using Dig? Really? Against a water type Pokemon?'

Shawn, internally facepalming, called out to Oshawott.

"Fire Water Gun down the hole Pansage made with Dig!"

Cilan stayed calm and issued another order, "Pansage, come out of the ground quickly and use Bullet Seed!"

Shawn grinned. Right where he wanted this to go, the air!

"Oshawott, when Pansage pops up, advance with Razor Shell to deflect the Bullet Seed and hit him while he cant dodge!"

With both Pokemon being issued orders, the trainers waited for results, which came swiftly.

Pansage popped out of the ground, water following him. As Oshawott jumped into the air after him, Pansage fired Bullet Seed.

Oshawott sliced between the middle of the seeds, taking a few stray hits, but ultimately hitting Pansage with Razor Shell.

A small explosion ensued as Oshawott connected, and the Pokemon fell back towards their respective trainers.

Cilan started before Shawn could open his mouth, with something Shawn had been wondering about since he started thinking about the battle.

"Now that we are thoroughly into the match, I believe it's evaluation time!"

As the girls on the balcony swooned at this, Bianca just kept her eyes on the battle, not caring for the fan girls.

Cilan continued, "You and your Oshawott have some spice! A spicy battle flavored scent that throws caution to the wind! You know how to battle alright!"

'Now here comes the subtle, or maybe not-so subtle insults', Shawn thought, humored from this showing.

"However, Pansage and I simply outclass you in terms of strategy and power! His attacks have a crisp, scented aroma that shows just how powerful he is! Not only that, but you reek of a lack of humility, which takes away from your battle-taste even more! Pansage and I have only just started however, as we will continue to demonstrate how much simpler, yet more complex we are than you at the same time! We will show how, dare I say it, Pansage is the most incredible battler in the world! Pansage, use Solar Beam!"

While amused from Evaluation Time, Shawn gathered his thoughts for a second before calling to Oshawott.

"Oshawott! Solar Beam takes time, so try to get in close and end him before he can fire it! If he does manage to fire it, use your scalchop to deflect it!"

As Oshawott got Razor Shell back up and running before charging at Pansage, Cilan just smiled and laughed.

"I'm sorry, but Solar Beam cannot just be deflected by any old, tasteless Pokemon! Nothing will stop us as we claim sweet, sweet victory! Pansage, use Solar Beam!"

Pansage fired before Oshawott had reached him with Razor Shell, and Oshawott, in turn, followed his trainers orders, and brought up his scalchop, readying himself.

Solar Beam connected with the scalchop, but Oshawott stood strong, only pushed back a little. The roof, however, had a brand new hole in it.

Cilan stood, astounded. "What?! Ahem, I mean, how was your Oshawott able to deflect such an amazing attack like Pansage's Solar Beam?"

Shawn grinned as he responded, "Lots of training that paid off! Now Oshawott, sweeping Water Gun across the field!"

Cilan, remembering what happened when he used Dig, called out a different order to Pansage.

"Pansage, jump in the air to avoid it!"

Shawn spoke quickly, "Oshawott, now! Close in and finish this with Razor Shell!"

Cilan realized where this was going, and called to Pansage.

"Pansage, use Bullet Seed once more!"

This time Oshawott was prepared, however. Instead of immediately jumping, and therefore heading straight into the Bullet Seed, he kept running for a bit, before jumping up and going under the Bullet Seed, getting a clean hit on Pansage.

Pansage flew back as Oshawott hit the ground, still battle-ready.

Cilan spoke worriedly, "Pansage, can you continue to battle?"

Pansage got to its knees, and tried to pick itself up.

After a couple seconds, Pansage stood tall once again, ready for one last hurrah in this battle.

Shawn was surprised. Pansage was pretty tough to take two of Oshawott's, albeit ineffective, Razor Shells.

He called to Cilan, "Your Pansage is pretty tough y'know! Despite our lack of battling, Oshawott's Razor Shell is still extremely powerful. Pansage is one hell of a Pokemon to take two of them!"

Cilan looked surprised, but took the compliment.

"Why thank you! Your Oshawott isn't half bad yourself! Its spicy flavors are now accompanied by the sweet taste of strategy and planning, something I hadn't noticed beforehand!"

Shawn nodded and responded, "Thanks, now lets end this battle! Oshawott, use Razor Shell to stir up dust and debris, make a dust cloud around Pansage!"

Cilan called out his orders, "Pansage! Stay calm and use Dig, but stay near the surface, and be ready to climb out of the ground at all times!"

Shawn grinned. He wasn't going for the exact same strategy, and Cilan wasn't going for the exact same defense.

"Oshawott, fire Water Gun down the hole!"

Cilan called out, "Pansage now! Crawl out of the hole, don't jump into the air!"

As Pansage followed orders, albeit barely visibly, Shawn called one last order.

"Oshawott! Clear the air with Water Gun, then use Razor Shell as a boomerang on Pansage!"

Oshawott spat Water into the air, clearing most of the dust, making Pansage visible once again. Just as he did so though, he took his scalchop, still Razor Shell, and chucked it at Pansage.

Cilan reacted, panicking, "Pansage, jump back to dodge!"

But it was too late. Pansage was too slow to dodge, from its injuries and tiredness, as well as the unexpected maneuver from Oshawott to throw his weapon.

A small explosion ensued, and as the dust near Pansage cleared, it showed him with swirly eyes, unmoving.

Chili called the match, "Pansage is unable to battle! Which means this match goes to the challenger, Shawn!"

Cilan recalled Pansage with a sad smile, "You did your best work Pansage, thank you. Return and get some rest."

Shawn grinned as he spoke to Oshawott, who had recollected his scalchop already.

"Great job buddy," he said, as Oshawott got back on his shoulders. "You did awesome battling, especially adapting on your own against that Bullet Seed. I saw what you did."

Oshawott proudly hit his scalchop.

"Oshawott!"

The two trainers met on the side of the field, Cilan with his brothers.

He spoke first, "While I thought you were arrogant, you were simply confident in your Pokemon's ability, something I should've realized as soon as the battle started. For defeating me in battle, here is your Striaton City Gym Badge, the Trio Badge!"

Shawn accepted the badge in Cilans hand, before taking out his badge case and putting it in the first slot.

'Perfect fit', he thought.

Outwardly, he smiled back at Cilan, and responded in kind.

"I guess you could take it that way," he started, "But I should've realized you were stronger than an average trainer, and Pansage had to show me that in battle, and I definitely won't forget what y'all two taught me anytime soon."

While Shawn was being courteous, he also wasn't lying. He did forget that Gym Leaders are stronger, not only after all his special training, but Bianca's reassurance that he would wipe out the gym with Oshawott.

Cilan looked surprised, but his smile stuck.

"Well then, I'm glad we accomplished our mission. If you are ever in need of another reminder, or you just want some gourmet food, come by again. We will be happy to serve you!"

Shawn smiled as he responded, "Thanks, and I'll be sure to check out what kind of food you have in store before I leave the city."

As he walked through the doors back to the restaurant, Bianca was there waiting for him.

"Oh. My. Arceus. That was amazing! The air battle against Pansage and the dig tricks and then the Razor Shell again and then the Solar Beam and the—"

Shawn interrupted her, "It's okay Bianca, deep breaths, we can talk about it on the walk back to the Poke Center."

And indeed they did, as Bianca apparently loved Oshawotts performance in his first gym battle.

As they walked away from the gym, though, a certain challenger with blonde hair and an overpowered Snivy was headed to Striaton City, closing in on his first gym battle. And behind him was another young man, this one with a Pikachu, and accompanied by the same dark skin girl that had watched Shawn from the trees. Though Shawn didn't know it, he would soon be introduced to who he would call the main characters.

End!

Bisharp - 8

Lucario - 3

Bisharp is the choice this chapter, though Lucario isn't completely unpopular.

Another thing I want to keep in mind with Pokemon is the type of team I'm creating. I have two steel type pokemon, one of them being Sand Rush Excadrill. It's almost guaranteed Shawn will get a Pokemon with Sandstream or a sandstorm setter, so a partial sand team will be one of his choices when it comes to team building. Gen 5 OU has some absurd Pokemon, with sand teams being the most absurd due to all the benefits they get. If there are any sand Pokemon that you think would fit especially well, let me know and It might happen, depending on how much I like the Pokemon and how possible it would be to do for Shawn.

Team

Oshawott

Drilbur

Lucario/Bisharp

Litwick/Chandelure (?)

Hydreigon (?)

?

Thoughts on Drilbur? Thoughts on the battle? Did I portray Cilan correctly? Did you enjoy the chapter? Please review and let me know about anything concerning the story, and I will do my best to take account of it for now or later, even if it can't fully work. As always, please review and vote, thank you for reading the chapter, and have a good day!