Let's get this gym battle going, shall we?
Chapter 5: The Triple Leader Trouble
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
We join our heroes as they arrive in Striaton City, Ash's following gym battle site.
"Man, this is a big city. I wonder where the Gym is," Ash said while looking around town. At the same time, Brock was holding onto the guidebook looking for the answer.
"According to the guidebook, the gym should be nearby, but it doesn't indicate what it looks like?" Brock said, a bit upset.
"Well, I may be of help?" A young male voice called out to the gang as the group turned around and noticed what looked like a restaurant employee walking in the group's direction.
"Yeah, you might know where the gym is at?" Misty asked the young man who made a bow.
"Know where it's at, well, of course, I know where it is at after all. You're talking to the gym leader himself," The young male told the group, which caught them off guard."My name is Cillian. By the way, the Gym is owned by my family. You may have passed a restaurant earlier. That's the Gym," Cillian introduced himself to the gang.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting a Restaurant to be the gym?" Misty said in surprise as Cillian nodded.
"That's right, the Gym's here in Unova is different from the region you are from. I'd taken that you're not from Unova?" Cillian asked the group.
"Yeah, we're from Kanto, I'm Ash Ketchum, and these are my friends Misty and Brock, fellow Gym leaders from Kanto actually," Ash introduced himself as well as Misty and Brock.
"Ah, I see. Well, I'm glad to meet fellow gym leaders. I must say, Ash, you raised that Pikachu pretty well. It seems that you two have a strong bond together. Take that you are going to use him in the gym battle?" Cillian asked Ash while praising his raising of Pikachu.
"Thanks, Pikachu is my first Pokemon, but he won't be used in the gym battles, only my Pokemon that I've caught during my Journey here in Unova. But how can you tell Cillian?" Ash asked Cillian as they arrived at the restaurant.
"Well, Ash, it's because I'm a Pokemon Connoisseur, and noticing the bond between trainers and Pokemon and evaluating that is key and what you just say is noticed between you two," Cillian said to Ash which impressed the group.
"I've heard about the Connoisseur's, and you must be a high rank amongst them, Cillian," Brock said to Cillian, who smiled at this praise.
"Well, I am in the A rank of the Connoisseurs, which is the second-highest rank, but my gym leader duties are more important than going further than that. Well, here we are, come inside," Cillian said to the group.
The group entered the Gym and noticed a restaurant different from what they were used to. Ash and the others saw two other waiters who looked like Cillian but with blue and red hair. Cillian walked over to the two waiters and told them what was going on.
"Well, I wasn't expecting a challenger from another region," the blue-haired waiter of the two waiters said. "You want a battle. You got a battle," the red-haired waiter said.
"You see, Ash, this gym isn't run by one but three gym leaders, as we are the leaders of the Striaton City Gym," Cillian said.
This caught the group off guard as they realized what Cillian meant by his family owning the Gym. As the walls of the restaurant opened to a rocky-like battlefield. This made Ash more excited as he was going to enjoy this battle.
"I guess a real introduction of my siblings is an order. My brothers here are Cress, the second oldest of my siblings, and Chilli, the youngest brother of my triplets siblings. As for the gym rules, the challenger is allowed to challenge one of us to a battle in a one-on-one battle," Cillian explains to Ash, who is surprised by this as this wasn't what he wanted and thought maybe he could ask for a special request for this gym battle.
"Since I'm not from here and it's not every day that you get one, why not me battling all three of you? But if you aren't fine with that, I'm also fine with this?" Ash suggested to the siblings. Who was amazed by this suggestion and looked at each other and nodded towards Ash.
"You know that isn't a bad idea, Ash, and your right. We don't get many trainers from outside Unova, so why not make it where if the challenger wants a challenge, we can agree to a best of three battles as the gym rules," Cress said to Cillian and Ash.
"Agreed, Cress, this is fair, and I kinda wished we had thought of that sooner." Cillian said and turned to Ash, "If that's okay with you, of course, Ash?"
"Of course, it's fine with me. A best-of-three battle against all three of you is fine with me," Ash said. "You know that it's a one on one battle, best of three battles against us, right Ash?" Chilli said to Ash, who nodded at this.
"That's fine with me. It's part of your rules, after all?" Ash said to the siblings.
Ash and Chilli went to the trainer's boxes as Misty and Brock were above the battlefield in the balcony cheering for Ash. Cillian was in the ref's box as a judge until his turn in battle.
"The Striaton City gym will now begin. This will be a one-on-one best-of-three battle between Ash and me and my siblings. The battle will be over when two victories are given to either side. First up is Chilli, the hot-headed and youngest of the siblings," Cillian said, which made Chilli a bit mad about him saying that, but they had a battle to do. "Now send out your Pokemon, you two," Cillian said.
"Pansear, your up," Chilli sent out his Pokemon.
"Oshawott, your up," Ash sent out his water starter as both of the Pokemon came out. Ash looked up the fire monkey Pokemon.
"Pansear vs. Oshawott, that'll be interesting of a fight. Let the battle begin," Cillian announced.
"Pansear used Mega punch," Chilli commanded his Pokemon, to which it was running towards Oshawott.
"Counter with Razor shell," Ash commanded as the moves clashed as the two were at a standstill. However, Oshawott slashed at the fire monkey with what looks to be an air to which both Ash and Cillian noticed this it was Air slash, something that isn't common with Oshawott, not naturally that is. Sending Pansear back stunned by the move, which is natural given the said move is known for flinching the opponent.
Ash noticing this used this to his advantage. "Now use Water gun, Oshawott," Ash commanded the water starter as he launched a stream of water at the said fire monkey, knocking it out before Chilli could respond with a command.
"Pansear is unable to battle Oshawott wins. The first victory goes to the challenger," Cillian announced as Chilli returned Pansear while Ash was congratulating Oshawott for the win.
"You did a good job Oshawott. Now get some rest," Ash said to the otter-Pokemon, who nodded and was beside Pikachu, watching the battle as Chili stepped down as Cress was next in line to fight in this match.
"I must admit, Ash, you impressed me there in that fight, but I'm not as easy to beat as my younger brother," Cress said to Ash, who sighed at this.
"Now for the second match of the battle, the strategiest us siblings Cress the water type user," Cillian said.
"Panpour, your up," Cress sent out his water-type version of the previous elemental monkey that Ash battled before.
"Sandile, come on out," Ash sent out his second Pokemon. This surprised all three of the gym leaders.
"I was expecting Pikachu or at least a grass-type on your team, Ash?" Cress said to Ash.
"Don't be so sure about that, Cress. You worry about your strategy and then worry about what I've planned," Ash said to him, more confident but hoping that this will work as this is Sandile's first official battle under Ash. Still, Sandile was very confident in his battle capabilities.
"Sandile vs. Panpour, let the battle begin," Cillian said.
"Don't know what you're planning, Ash, but I won't let you get the jump on me. Use Mud sport Panpour," Cress commanded Panpour as it covered the battlefield with mud making it harder for Sandile to dig underground as this wasn't what Ash was planning on using.
"Fight back with Payback, Sandile," Ash commanded Sandile, which hit Panpour hard, sending it back. Ash knew he couldn't just go in head-on, especially against Cress. This made Cress think about his strategy for this battle and may need to think more.
"Use scald Panpour," Cress commanded as it launched a massive blast of water at Sandile.
"Counter with Thunder Fang Sandile," Ash commanded, which caught Cress off guard as the attack hits the attack sending it back to Panpour as the scald attack hits Sandile, sending both of them back at the wall knocking both out with, of course, they tried to struggle to get up, but the damage was too much from both ends.
"Sandile and Panpour are both unable to battle," Cillian said. As Cress returned Panpour, Ash went to Sandile, carrying him to where Oshawott and Pikachu were.
"Sorry, Ash, I tried, but he was too tough," Sandile apologized to Ash.
"It's okay, Sandile. Don't worry about it. We'll get the next win in the next battle," Ash commended Sandile, who noticed Cillian was walking towards the trainer's box. He was ready to face Ash.
"I must say, Ash, you've impressed me. Two of your Pokemon had moves that aren't part of their normal move set, and yet you are battling with them as if you were the one who trained them to use that yourself," Cillian commended Ash, who shook his head at this.
"Thanks, Cillian, but they joined my team a few weeks ago. Aside from Sandile, this was the first time I saw Oshawott using that move," Ash admitted to Cillian, but he understood Ash's words and the truth behind it.
As Chili was in the referee's box for the last battle.
"Now the deciding struggle is if the challenger wins this battle, he will receive the badge even if a tie also happens. A loss will have one additional battle if the challenger does pursue it." Chili said to which Ash nodded at this idea. "The next gym leader is the oldest of the three of us and is usually the one everyone battles, Cillian," Chili said in a somewhat hurt tone but pressed on. "Now let out your Pokemon, will you two."
"Pansage, it's time," Cillian sent out the grass version of the elemental monkeys that Ash previously faced.
"Pidove, come on out," Ash sent out his flying type, which kinda disappointed Cillian, but he stood firm, to which Ash noticed that he had something planned up Cillian's sleeve.
"Pansage vs. Pidove, let the battle begins," Chili said.
"Pansage, use Bullet Seed," Cillian commands his Pokemon.
"Use Gust Pidove. Send it right back," Ash commands as Pidove does as she is told, sending Pansage back a little. A bit stronger than Cillian thought, he might fight back, giving him a real struggle.
"Use Thunder Punch Pansage," Cillian said as Ash was caught off guard as it hits Pidove in the chest, sending her back to the rocks of the battlefield, struggling to get up.
"Come on, Pidove; I know you can do it. I believe in you," Ash was trying to comfort her.
"Well, Ash, I must say you disappointed me given that you were impressing me with the other Pokemon, but this Pidove barely survived one attack," Cillian said, unimpressed by all of this as Pidove was still getting up, angered by hearing all this. "Let this be a lesson to raise this one properly. Use Solar beam to end this Pansage," Cillian commands his Pokemon, who charges and sends a massive attack at Pidove.
In time, Pidove's wings glowed a steel-like sheen holding the attack back, absorbing it, which sent it back at Pansage that was steel wing sending Pansage back hard.
Pidove got up and flew in the air, and she wouldn't take the disrespect of her or her trainer like that lying down. Cillian noticed this and was now impressed, which was hard to do when he is usually disappointed with someone's training of Pokemon.
"Well done, Ash, but don't think this isn't over Pansage. Use Thunder Punch and Bullet Seed," Cillian commanded as he combined the two moves.
"Dodge with a double team and Gust," Ash commands Pidove as Pansage's moves hit one of the clones, as Gust is much stronger than before.
"Finish this using Steel Wing and Quick Attack," Ash commands the Flying-type.
"Finish this with Thunder Punch," Cillian commands as the two moves clash as the two mons are on the opposite side of each other facing the opposing trainer.
It looked like Pidove was about to go down but stood her ground as stubborn as Ash when it came to refusing to lose. Sadly Pansage couldn't do it anymore and fell. "Pansge no," Cillian said, upset cause he rarely lost when it came to his part of the gym battles.
"Pansage is unable to battle Pidove, the winner of this battle and the gym battle. With two victories and one tie is the challenger Ash Ketchem from Pallet Town," Chili said this made Pidove happy, and Ash celebrated congratulates Pidove for her victory. The group was outside of the Gym. Cillian had a box with the gym badge.
"Well, Ash, you won. I must admit I was wrong about your training with Pidove. Good on you. Here's your gym badge, the Trio badge," Cillian said as Ash celebrated whenever he won a gym badge.
"The next Gym will be in Nacrene city, which is southwest of here. It's a big museum, so that you won't miss it." Cress said to Ash and the gang, who thanked the three siblings as they left for the Pokemon center and soon will be the city for the next town.
Ash's Journey is off to a great start with the first gym badge. As our hero's head for Nacrene City. As the Journey continues.
Stay tuned
Done, man; that took longer than I thought. Gym battles, important battles, and chapters like this take a lot more time than most think, especially their rewriting. With that said, the Snivy episode is next. Also, you may have noticed that Oshawott has Air Slash. It was either that move or Night Slash as the egg move, and I wanted Oshawott to have more than one move covered for his type weakness. If you read the story before the rewrite, you know which one. With that said, see you guys next time.