Tepig had encountered Ash, who stood behind him. He had witnessed Tepig mimicking a battle against a non-existent foe. The two of them had locked eyes on the other and Ash was left with his own intrigue.
"Oh..." Ash said with intrigue. All the while, Tepig was heavily startled. He hadn't expected Ash to be right there. "Were you training or something?"
"T-Tep!" Tepig cried out in shock. His body trembled and his heart was racing fast. He didn't expect this turn of events to happen so quickly.
"It's cool that you train by yourself." Ash kneeled down and Tepig was still quite shocked. Pikachu approached the pig as well, greeting him and hoping to make him a bit less anxious. "Hey, there."
"Tepig!" Tepig replied back, having a sense of calmness hit him as he saw the friendly Pokemon. Pikachu hopped onto the shoulder of Ash. Ash held out his hand to Tepig, who was still confused and bewildered by Ash.
"Hah." Ash chuckled a bit. Tepig was nervous, seeing his hand right in his face. He could only stare at the boy in front of him. Naturally, he wasn't counting on Ash seeing him at all, much less being here. Ash could see how nervous the Fire Pig was, making sure that his tone was friendly and inviting, "Hey. It's okay."
"Te...?" Tepig quietly uttered.
"Those moves were pretty neat. Are you preparing for something?" Ash was fully curious, asking Tepig. He wasn't aware that Tepig was mimicking what he and Pikachu did back at the Dreamyard, or that he had been watching him from behind. All Ash saw was Tepig training. The Fire Pig Pokemon didn't know what to do, so all he could do was stare at Ash, looking him up and down. Ash, on the other hand, was simply interested in what Tepig had to offer.
"Pig...Tepig." Tepig lightly scraped his foot on the ground while looking down. His cheeks turned a bit red. He felt shy.
"Pika?" Pikachu got what Tepig had said, even if he was a bit timid about it. Soon, he turned to Ash, explaining it to him. "Pika-Pi. Pi. Pika."
"Oh, really? You were watching us?" Ash smiled. He stood back up, still looking at the pig Pokemon. Tepig felt more calm, knowing that Ash wasn't hostile in anyway. "Pretty awesome, huh? Pikachu's all kinds of fast, isn't he?"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu proudly stuck his chest out, making a proud stance for the pig. It brought a smile to his face and a chuckle to Tepig, who was starting to feel a bit better. Hearing praise from the one he was mimickinh made him happy.
"I wonder if..." Ash took out a Poke Ball. He held it out, looking at the ball before locking eyes onto the Tepig once more. The Fire Pig Pokemon didn't move an inch, wondering what the trainer had planned for him. "Do you want a real battle? I'm game if you are."
"Tep?" The Tepig blinked. He didn't know if he wanted to go straight to a battle with Ash. He was nervous, but also excited at the same time. The prospect of getting into a Pokemon battle with Ash was appealing to him, but there was still a bit of anxiety in his heart. However, he didn't want to miss an opportunity like this. If there was any trainer that would be worth following, it would have to be the one in front of him. So, with this, Tepig gave a nod of approval.
"Tepig." Tepig stepped back and got ready, assuming a battle stance and glaring at his opponent, Ash. His excitement was showing.
"Haha. Nice! Okay, Pikachu, you ready?" Ash asked.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu was all kinds of excited. He jumped forward, landing on the ground and staring right at Tepig.
"Tepig! Te-Te-Te-Tepig! Tepig!" The Fire Pig was fired up and ready to battle, raring to fight.
"Awesome! Let's go!" Ash said with the same amount of excitement. Both Pokemon were ready, as Ash raised his fist and had the biggest smile he could possibly muster.
As they prepared for battle, Hilda and Iris, along with Axew had exited the Pokemon Center. Hilda's stomach growled loudly, making Iris and Axew look in her direction.
"Ugh...Sorry about that." She groaned.
"I think you should get something to eat. It's been a long day for us and I don't blame you for being hungry. You haven't had a meal yet, have you?"
"Nope." Hilda answered.
"I didn't think so." Iris sighed. "I'm feeling hungry myself. Let's go find a spot to get some grub. I can make something."
"Thanks, Iris. I'm starving." She replied back. Iris and Axew nodded at each other, agreeing that finding a restaurant was the next step. Hilda then turned her head and saw that what Ash and Pikachu were currently up to. Right before her eyes and soon the eyes of Iris and Axew, there was Ash, currently engaged in a Pokemon Battle against a wild Tepig, whose eyes were locked on to Pikachu, ready for a fight. Hilda, Axew, and Iris saw this all happening and instantly became intrigued. "Ash?"
"Alright, Pikachu! Start us off with Electro Ball!"
"Pika!" Pikachu would spin in a circle as he unleashed his attack, Electro Ball, a yellow orb of electrical energy, launching itself right at the Tepig.
"Now try and dodge it, Tepig!"
"Tepig!" Tepig leaped out of the way, evading Pikachu's attack.
"Ohoo! Nice reflexes! Now, use Ember!" Tepig would retaliate by unleashing his own attack. His mouth was open and multiple fireballs were launched right at Pikachu.
"Pikachu, dodge!" Ash called out and Pikachu did so, jumping to his right to avoid the fireballs coming at him. However, Tepig wouldn't relent, as the fireballs were still following Pikachu around. "Now use Iron Tail!"
"Pikachu!" His tail glowed a bright white color. He swung it to his left, knocking the fireballs away and back at Tepig.
"Pig!" Tepig used his own tail, using a flaming tail to hit the fireballs and send them flying in opposite directions. Ash was impressed.
"Oh wow!" Ash said, not believing Tepig was able to do that. Pikachu landed on the ground and stared down his foe, who had his own fierce glare. The pig's passion was on full display for everyone to see.
"He's battling now of all times? Shouldn't he be saving his energy for the Gym Battle soon?" Hilda questioned. But Iris was fully amazed, looking at Ash's battle. She and Iris approached Ash, curious as to what he was doing and what was happening. "Is now really a good time, Ash?"
"Hm?" Ash turned his head to face the two, smiling at them. He didn't answer the question at first, but soon replied to Hilda, "Oh. Yeah. I think I am, Hilda."
"Well, it looks like he's doing pretty good so far." Iris pointed out, watching Tepig take a step to the left. She had a feeling as to why this was happening. She knew that Ash had an instinct to catch a Pokemon, seeing the way he battled. And with Tepig's performance so far, he would be a worthy addition. Axew watched Tepig, also curious about the Pokemon. "He looks strong. That's a Tepig, right?"
"Yeah." Hilda replied back. "I guess I'll just watch..." Hilda sat down on a bench, with Axew sitting right next to her. He looked at her as she looked back. She gave a light sigh, smiling and patting Axew's head. "This is gonna be interesting. We'll eat after this."
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Pikachu would then unleash his attack. Electricity sparked around him as he fired off a Thunderbolt at high speed. Tepig, in response to this, leapt to the left, dodging it.
"Tepig! Tackle!" Tepig then rushed right at Pikachu at full speed.
"Pikachu! Quick Attack!" Pikachu also rushed right at Tepig at full speed.
"Chu!" Tepig and Pikachu clashed with each other as the two collided with the other's attack. But Tepig's tackle had more power to it. It was able to knock Pikachu back, sending the Mouse Pokemon skidding on the ground.
"Pikachu! You alright, buddy?"
"Chu..." Pikachu groaned, but was able to stand back up, facing Tepig. "Pika!"
"Hm?" Coming over to view this practice battle as Don George of the Dreamyard. After closing for the day, he would spot the sight of Tepig battling Pikachu. Immediately, he knew who that Tepig was. "Hey, would ya look at that? He's finally starting to break out of his shell."
"Pig?" Hearing Don George's voice, Tepig would turn to face the man as Ash, Pikachu and Hilda and Iris all turned to see the Battle Clu owner. "Tep!" Instantly, Tepig scurried off, hiding behind Ash and Pikachu. "Tepig!"
"Ah! S-Sorry for the spook there." Don George stuttered a bit.
"You know this Tepig, Don George?" Ash questioned. Don George gave a light nod in response, walking over to them and getting a better look at the Pokemon.
"This Tepig's been around here for some time, always getting into mischief, always causing a stir. Sometimes at the Battle Club, he would come around and eat as much food as he possibly can. I've tried to catch him a bunch of times. He always escapes."
"Is that so?" Iris uttered.
"Tep..." Tepig was a little shy, looking at Ash's legs while he hid behind them. "Tepig. Tepig."
"But it looks like he's gotten a bit comfortable. Only around you, it seems." Don George looked to Ash, who looked down at the pig. Pikachu looked at Tepig with a warm smile. Ash and Pikachu were happy that the Pokemon was comfortable enough around them.
"Oh, I get it." Ash smiled, looking back at Don George. He had an idea, looking back at Tepig. He kneeled to Tepig, looking right at him, who looked at Ash back. "Tepig, you said you wanted to get stronger, right?"
"Tepig!" He replied, giving Ash a strong answer and a look of determination.
"That's great! In that case..." He took out his empty Poke Ball. Tepig looked right at it. The others were now curious as to what was happening. "Wanna get stronger together, Tepig? Since you were watching us, you were all kinds of interest, right?"
"Tep...?" Tepig's eyes slowly widened, slowly putting the pieces together.
"Me and my friends...We're all on this big journey. We're gonna go all over Unova, see lots of Pokemon and have some awesome adventures along the way. So, you wanna come with us? You wanna join us?"
"Pig." The pig's eyes widened, staring at Ash and the Poke Ball. He could see the genuine happiness in his face. Pikachu smiled at the pig, happy for him and the opportunity. But Tepig's heart was still racing. This was an offer that was suddenly given to him. It came without a hint or warning, just the sudden offer. But he didn't hesitate in the slightest.
Tepig nodded his head with enthusiasm. He knew he wanted to be with Ash and Pikachu from the very start. "Pig! Tepig!"
"That settles it! Welcome to the team, Tepig!" Ash and Tepig both shared a warm smile with each other, making the other two girls smile.
"So that's what this is." Hilda said to herself. "That easy though? You didn't even battle it. Well, you did but..."
"Hehe!" Ash chuckled as Tepig bumped his nose on the Poke Ball. He was sucked in and the ball would shake on the ground a few times, before finally stopping with a 'ding'.
Tepig was now one of Ash's Pokemon. The boy then picked it up and held it out for everyone else to see, proud of his newest addition to his party of Pokemon. Pikachu hopped up on Ash's shoulders, happy for his newest companion.
"Pika!"
"Heh." Ash grinned. He tossed the Poke Ball in the air and Tepig would come back out, rejoining them on the outside. "Alright! Welcome, Tepig!"
"Tep!"
"Alright. You just made that look easy. So, are you all set now? For the Gym Battle?" Hilda went up to him. By now, they've done quite a bit before the Gym Battle and Hilda believed now was a good time to finally get it over with, and then have something to eat.
"Yep! We're all set to go! Wanna try it out for the first time, Tepig? The real deal."
"Good luck to you both." Don George would speak. He turned away from the group of trainers. "I suggest heading over there now." He started walking off, heading back to the Battle Club. "The sooner, the better."
"We'll get there. I can promise you that, sir." Hilda said back to Don George.
"Then, let's go!" Ash bolted off with high energy and excitement. "To the Striaton Gym! Yeah!"
"Ah, wait!" Hilda exclaimed as she and Iris followed him, making sure he wouldn't leave them in the dust. Pikachu and Axew followed suit. "Don't go too fast, now!"
The group of three made it to the Gym. They entered the building, seeing the interior of the Gym itself. It looked like a restaurant and it was, in actuality, a functioning one. With the Gym Leaders also working here as Waiters and Head Chef's. The interior design looked rather elegant and classy. A large room with tables and chairs, where a number of patrons ate meals prepared by the three waiters, Cress, Chili and Cilan.
"Well, you finally showed up." Cilan spoke as a spotlight shined down on him. The Gym Leader had a grin on his face as he and his brothers walked over to them.
"Took you long enough!" Chili grinned, having a similar enthusiasm to his brother, Cress. He held up his hand and pointed at them with his thumb.
"We'll have to make up for the lost time." Cress replied. "Team Plasma slowed us down a bit."
"Yeah! We're ready for this Gym Battle!" Ash bellowed and upon shouting that, the customers, mainly girls, would stand up with glee. It seemed that they were waiting for something like that to be spouted out, their faces lighting up.
"A Gym Battle!?" Each of them yelled, standing up from their seats and making the group look on in confusion. The girls all squealed with high-pitched voices, clearly excited to see these Waiters get to battle.
"Wow. They seem to really be looking forward to it..." Iris said. Axew peeked out of her hair to see what the fuss was about.
"A bit too excited..." Hilda raised an eyebrow while Ash scratched his hair. But the reason for this was simple. To these girls, the three brothers were dreamboats and they wanted to see more of them, not just with cooking.
"So, how would you like this battle? A battle as hot as a blazing inferno?!" Chili clenched his hand as the girls screeched once again."
"Kyaaaa!"
"Or perhaps you're looking for something as cool as the ocean." Cress smirked, causing the girls to gush once more. Hilda and Iris weren't really feeling that same energy the other girls were. They weren't regulars here either.
"Wait, hold on...How is this gonna work?" Hilda realized something that was a bit off. "Me and Ash are both gonna be challenging it. Do we like, take turns or..."
"Hm-hm. There's an easy answer to that. A rather recent addition to the Pokemon Leagues across the world." Cilan raised a finger. "Since you're both here, it'll be a Double Battle." Hilda, Iris and Ash all raised eyebrows at that suggestion. "That simplifies things for everyone."
"We get to see two of them battle!? I must be dreaming!" One of the girls spoke. The three of them all turned their attention to them, making them blush and look away.
"Quick! Get the cheerleader outfits!" Another girl announced as they zoomed off to get into attire, wanting to cheer on the Triplets.
"A Double Battle, huh? Yeah, that makes things even more interesting." Ash crossed his arms, welcoming that challenge. "Never had a battle like that in a Gym before. Usually, it's just two of my Pokemon working together. But it looks like we'll be doing it together, Hilda."
"Oh! Uh, t-this is unexpected, but..." Hilda's heart skipped a beat, unsure if she was ready for that kind of battle. Ash wanted to battle with her and against the Gym Leaders together. This would be her first Gym Battle and she was now a part of a tag-team battle of some sort. It was a bit much, but it would be an experience. "Okay. Let's do it, Ash. I'm down."
"Hah. That's the spirit." He smirked. The three Gym Leaders approached the two of them.
"For this, Cress and I will take you on." Cilan explained to them. "Chili's going to be the referee of the match." The two nodded in agreement to that statement as Chili stepped forward, his arms folded.
"Yeah. I'll be the judge of your Gym Battle. You can't go past the first round, I'm afraid." Chili said. "So it'll just be one battle."
"That's fine with us." Ash said.
"Alright, we're all set." Chili said. He would turn to the other two Gym Leaders, pointing to the area behind them.
The field revealed itself, replacing the flooring. What appeared in front of the three brothers and their challengers was the standard field. Rocks surrounded the field with two sides for the battles to be had, along with an area for Chili to judge.
Hilda and Ash would step on to the right side, while Cress and Cilan would be on the left side, opposite of their opponents. Chili stepped on the judging spot in the middle of the field. He looked at both sides before giving out the instructions. The customers, with their pom poms, would all gather at the seats right in front of the battlefield.
"Two on two battle." Chili spoke in a serious tone. "If the Challenger's Pokemon faint before the Leader's do, they lose. Even if one Pokemon from one Trainer is down, it won't end the battle. Each Pokemon from either side must be unable to battle in order to conclude the match. Are you both ready?" Both sides would agree with this, getting ready. The customers and Iris, who had her Axew, all watched with great anticipation. The brothers and the challengers would prepare to send their first Pokemon out.
"Alright, Pansage! Appear!"
"Go, Panpour!"
Cilan would toss a Poke Ball forward, while Hilda would throw one out of her own. Emerging from the white light was Pansage, the third of the Elemental Monkeys. Ash, Hilda and Iris would finally see him emerge, the former two taking out their Pokedexes as Cress summoned his Panpour.
"Pansage. The Grass Monkey Pokemon. This Pokémon dwells deep in the forest. Eating a leaf from its head whisks weariness away as if by magic. It shares the leaf on its head with weary-looking Pokémon. These leaves are known to relieve stress."
"Hey. That's a new one." Hilda said. She turned to Iris. "So that's Pansage..."
"Pansage would love to thank you for helping rescue him. Mainly you, Ash. But that doesn't mean that he's not gonna go all out." Cilan spoke.
"Pansage!" Pansage would greet his opponents with a friendly hello. "Pan!" He stood firmly on his feet.
"Hoooh...Okay." Hilda slapped her face, getting herself to focus. "First Gym Battle...First Gym Battle...I can do this."
"Keep your chin up, Hilda!" Ash smiled. He turned his attention to the two leaders, along with his partner for the battle, Hilda. "Tepig! I choose you!" He tossed the Poke Ball, and out emerged his newly acquired Tepig, who stood tall and proud.
"Tepig!" Tepig cried out. Pikachu and Tepig stood together, ready to battle. The girls were in the audience and they were all cheering on the leaders in the most over the top fashion possible.
"Help out! Oshawott!" As for Hilda, she chose her Oshawott.
"Oshawott!"
"Cilan! Cilan, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can!" Cilan's side chanted for him, waving their Pom Poms around. They were wearing the exact same outfit, full orange tops and skirts as a unity.
"Come on, Cress, don't be slow! Send your foes to a deep dark hole!" The other group of girls shouted for Cress. They were dressed in red with the same exact design. They waved their Pom Poms around as well. It was a bit awkward to witness, but the two Gym Leaders were able to ignore them. Cilan would give a small smirk at the chanting.
"Ready, Hilda?"
"Mhm." She gave a nod.
"You're all good to go...then let the battle begin!" Chili brought his arm down, beginning the battle at last.
"Alright, Tepig! Start strong with Tackle!"
"Oshawott, use Tackle as well!"
Both Tepig and Oshawott would charge forward at the same time. They would leap off the ground, ready to clash with Pansage and Panpour. Pansage and Panpour both saw them approaching and were ready to strike.
"Hm. Pansage, use Bullet Seed!" Cilan commanded.
"Panpour, use Water Gun!" Cress would also command. And with that, both of their Pokemon unleashed their attacks on Tepig and Oshawott.
"Paaa! Pa!" And from Panpour's mouth was a Water Gun attack. Two attacks heading right towards their opponents.
"T-Te!" Tepig's movements were stopped directly as he was rapidly pelted with these seeds, dealing damage. As for Oshawott, he was strongly stopped by the powerful splash of opposing water, causing him to stumble and slide backwards. He groaned as he felt that hit.
"Wahh!?" Oshawott groaned. Both he and Tepig were knocked back and slid to the ground. They had been dealt damage by their combined efforts.
"Already starting things off strong." Cress grinned, seeing his Panpour stand strong.
"We've got this." Cilan spoke, seeing the same with Pansage. Ash and Hilda both looked on with determination. "Now, use Bite!"
"Pansage!" He leapt at Oshawott, opening his mouth and attempting to Bite him as a dark aura formed around his fangs.
"Here he comes! Tepig, use Ember!" Tepig unleashed a stream of fireballs right at Pansage. But Pansage leaped off of the ground once more and landed in front of Panpour.
Tepig tried again, only for Pansae to expertly zip out of the way, leaping onto the many rocks on this battlefield and moving around, causing the Embers to hit the rocks instead and leave some marks. "Pan!"
"Try again!"
"Tepig!" Tepig was trying his best to hit Pansage, but the Elemental Monkey Pokemon was simply too quick for the pig. His speed was a lot for Tepig to keep track of, as the Grass Monkey was hopping around in different directions.
"W-What is this speed?!" Hilda's eyes tried tracking Pansage, seeing him excitedly jump from place to place. Oshawott was also trying to follow these movements.
"Don't look away now~" Cress would have his Panpour get ready for another move. "Now, use Scratch!" Panpour would then charge at the distracted Oshawott with his glowing claw.
"Pan...Pour!" Panpour got a free hit in due to this, striking Oshawott dead-on. Oshawott was knocked onto his feet, skidding across the field.
"Wott!" He cried out. Hilda's eyes were focused on Oshawott as he got back to his feet, glaring right at the two. Hilda clenched her fist as her Oshawott prepared to go in. The Water Monkey Pokemon had a strong advantage over Tepig, who was still struggling to keep track of Pansage.
"So he's using all these rocks to move around...Tepig won't be able to hit him at this rate!" Ash observed, following Pansage's movements.
"It's not just him, but Panpour as well. Observe. Panpour, use Double Team!" In the blink of an eye, Panpour had clones of himself all around Oshawott and Tepig. Both Pokemon were now facing multiple versions of the same Water Monkey. Their illusions were strong, as if they were right there in front of them. It was almost impossible to distinguish between which one was the real deal. This caused the group to become even more nervous.
"Pour!"
"Wott...Wott!" Oshawott looked all around. There were many of them now. He wasn't able to focus at all at this rate. Hilda knew this would make it difficult to get a clear shot at Panpour.
"Eh?! A-All sides?!" Hilda was taken back by this as well. To her, it felt like so much was happening in so little time.
"Panpour is gonna use that Double Team to keep your Pokemon busy. As for us..." Cilan smirked. "Now, Pansage! Solar Beam!"
"Pan...!" The Grass Monkey Pokemon had taken the time to gather sunlight into his head as he jumped down to face his opponents.
"Nnhh...!" Hilda grit her teeth, getting worried immediately. However, before she could freak out, Ash brought her back into reality with his words.
"It's not time to panic yet!" Ash exclaimed.
"Ah-Right...!" She blinked. Hilda looked at him. "What do we do? Panpour and Pansage both have a big advantage here." Hilda was worried that this was a bad idea, going into a Gym Battle like this without preparing."All these rocks..."
"Hmm..." Ash focused deeply, his eyes scanning this rocky battlefield while the sounds of the girls cheering for Cilan and Cress was echoing throughout the Gym.
"Now!" The Gym Leaders spoke in unison. With their Pokemon charging up their attacks and Oshawott and Tepig at a loss of what to do next, they had this battle in the bag.
"Pansage!" Pansage then unleashed his attack on the two, a powerful Solar Beam.
"This isn't good...!" Hilda panicked, watching this beam of light head straight towards them.
"Now, Tepig!" But Ash found an opportunity after having enough time to focus. "Tackle Oshawott!"
"Pig! Te!" Unexpectedly, Tepig would attack Oshawott instead, lunging his body at his teammate. Hilda and Oshawott were taken aback, wondering what was happening. But Tepig was following Ash's orders, knocking Oshawott off his feet and to the ground as a result, avoiding the Solar Beam attack by the skin of their teeth, the attack blowing through the rocks.
"Wott!" Oshawott grunted as Tepig got off of him.
"O-Oshawott...!"
"Hey, Ash! What gives?!" Hilda shouted in anger. "We're on the same side!"
"We are, but we avoided it. If that landed, it wuld've been ugly. Trust me on this one, Hilda." Ash looked over to her, smirking as he had a plan in his mind.
"Tch." Hilda's face was stern as she had a slight pout. But she knew that Tepig was able to save both of them from a Solar Beam. It wasn't an attack to take lightly.
"Hm. Risky, but I guess it works. Boy, you sure a character, Ash!" Cilan laughed at this, rather amused while Iris just sighed. "Alright then. Let's see what else you can surprise us with. Bullet Seed!"
"Panpour, use Water Gun!"
Both Cress and Cilan would command their Pokemon once again. And with that, Panpour and Pansage both used their respective attacks. Bullet Seed and Water Gun were launched right at Tepig and Oshawott.
"Tackle, again!"
"Pig!" Once more, Tepig would hit Oshawott and get him out of the way as he was hit with Pansage's attack. Ash and Pikachu had a strong focus as Ash was trying to find an opportunity. And it was coming in fast, just a matter of time now. "Tepig, get behind the rock! Use Ember!"
"Pansage, Bullet Seed again!"
"Tepig!" The Fire Pig would get behind one of the large rocks and unleash a wave of Ember once more. As for Pansage, he would leap into the air to avoid Tepig's attack and whip out a pair of bullets once more. And yet again, Tepig used the rocks as cover as it broke apart from the barrage.
"How come he's just running away?" Iris wondered, lost on Ash's approach. The other girls were just cheering for Cilan and Cress unaware of what Ash was even planning. They believed Cilan and Cress had this in the bag. Hilda was getting worried. Would she lost her first-ever Gym Battle?
But then, Ash's plan became clearer. Soon, Cilan noticed that the number of rocks around the battlefield had diminished, broken down into rubble by Pansage's attacks.
"Wait a minute..." Cilan's eyes widened. "So that's your plan!" The battlefield was looking less and less cluttered, just as Ash intended. He knew that Cilan and Cress would use all those rocks to their advantage. It was their Gym after all. But now that there were fewer places for the monkey Pokemon to run to, Tepig would have a clearer target and wouldn't need to use those rocks as cover anymore.
"Pansage, get to the next one! Bullet Seed, once more!" Pansage did as he was told, but soon saw Tepig's next move coming his way.
"Now, Tepig! Ember!" Tepig was able to launch his Ember at him. Pansage didn't have the time to jump away as the Embers collided and made Pansage skid to his side. The girls were in shock. Pansage groaned as he slowly stood back up.
"Pan..."
"Already, it's become a clean battlefield. I thought so..." Cress realized, looking at Ash and Tepig, the former having his eyes closed, before looking back at Tepig and Oshawott. He was in disbelief at the tactic. "So, this was your strategy..."
"Ah, that's what you were up to!" Hilda finally realized. "I didn't think of that..."
"You gotta let it all flow naturally, Hilda. Just look around you and get creatve! That's what I do!" Ash grinned, pointing at himself. This was his specialty. Adaptiblity and Creativity.
Hilad nodded in understanding, but she wasn't sure about that one. Letting it flow naturally? Get creative? Hilda wasn't used to improvisation. She was a novice after all. A rookie Pokemon Tainer. Ash has plenty of experience, so it all came natural to him.
"Well done. But I think this is where we make a comeback and bring this to an end." Cilan raised a finger, smirking. "We'll stop you before you can clear everything out. Pansage! Use Solar Beam!"
"Sage...!" Pansage began gathering power once more, all the solar energy gathering into one spot. His head.
"Tepig! Use Tackle!"
"Tepig!" Tepig was heading in, ready to strike Pansage before he could get his Solar Beam off. He wouldn't allow him to use it again. But getting in his way would be Panpour.
"Stop him, Panpour! Use Water Gun!"
"Pan!" Panpour unleashed a stream of water, but Ash was ready for it this time.
"Knock the rubble!"
"Pig!" Tepig would bash his body against the rubble of rocks that have been destroyed so far and send the rubble right at Panpour, blocking his attack and hitting him with a number of small stones.
"Pour?!" Some of the rubble even made Panpour flinch, leaving him vulnerable.
"Tep!" Due to this, Tepig crashed into Panpour at full force, sending the Water Monkey Pokemon skidding on the ground. He was knocked onto his back, looking up at the ceiling.
"Paaaa..." He groaned, feeling the impact.
"Panpour!" Cress cried out.
"O-Oshawott, you too! Tackle, just like Tepig!"
"Oshahh!" With the same idea as Tepig, Oshawott charged right at Pansage with his Tackle attack, leaping right at him and ramming right into the Grass Monkey Pokemon, knocking him off his balance and making him trip. "Wott!" Pansage had fallen to the ground, not able to stand up. He was also feeling the effects of the impact.
"Sage..."
The cheerleaders were in shock seeing them be pushed back like this. They had never seen this happen before. And neither did the brothers. This was a different experience, something they hadn't expected to see from someone who didn't have a strategy in the beginning. But now, it seemed like the tables have turned and the momentum was now in the favor of Ash and Hilda.
"Oh my, I didn't think that would work!" Hilda grinned, her eyes sparkling in awe. She had never expected a plan like that to come from Ash.
"Alright!" Iris smiled. She and Axew were happy to see the Gym Leaders knocked off their feet, even if it was for a moment. The two monkey Pokemon looked at each other, determined to not go down in this battle.
"Time to finish this!" Ash grinned, adjusting his hat as a glint in his eye appeared for a brief moment. He was ready yo call this battle to an end. His opponent's were a tough duo, but it seemed like the end was in sight. He would point at them, commanding his Pokemon to get ready. "Use Ember!"
"Now! Water Gun!" Hilda followed up, pointing at them as well. Tepig unleashed a barrage of fireballs as Oshawott fired off his Water Gun. The two Pokemon had their attacks collide and head right at their targets, Pansage and Panpour, the Water Gun attack mixing in with the Ember.
The two attacks were now a single, combined move that was ready to strike the brothers' Pokemon. Cress, Cilan and the two Pokemon braced themselves.
"P-Pan!" Pansage cried out as he and Panpour were struck, their bodies covered in the smoke from the two attacks. When it cleared, the two monkey Pokemon were laying on the ground. They had taken heavy damage and were unable to continue battling. Their eyes were in a spiral, as they were both unable to continue. Chili looked at both Pokemon, seeing the conditions they were currently in.
"Pansage and Panpour are both unable to battle. Which means, the winners are the Challenger, Ash, and his friend, Hilda." Chili announced.
"Ohhh!" The cheerleaders all sighed, seeing their dreamboats lose. Iris was happy to see this, happy to see the two brothers be defeated by Ash and Hilda.
"Haha, yeah! We did it!" Ash grinned. "Awesome job, you two!"
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and landed in front of Tepig, giving him a high five with his tail. Tepig was proud of this win and felt that he had done a good job.
"Hah...We won." Hilda chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. Her Pokemon felt proud, but Hilda didn't feel the same way. She didn't feel that she contributed to this battle much.
It was mostly Ash's strategy and thinking that got them the win, rather than hers. If anything, it seemed like Ash could've won the battle on his own if he wanted to. She felt a bit bad for being useless, especially in her first Gym Battle.
"Well done, both of you. That was pretty impressive, using our terrain against us." Cilan complimented as he and his brother recalled their Pokemon. "A recipe that I hadn't expected. You surprised us." Both brothers were smiling, but Hilda didn't know how to respond to that.
"Thanks." Ash replied. "It took me a while, but I was able to really feel that momentum. It's always a blast battling new Pokemon.."
"I wish I could say the same." Hilda spoke, not making eye contact. "I didn't really do anything."
"Hilda?" Ash raised an eyebrow. Pikachu also had a confused expression.
"Well..." She started. "You did most of the work, Ash. You were able to strategize and figure out what to do. I was just following along and doing whatever you told me to do. If it wasn't for you, we would've been creamed. I didn't really help out."
"Aw, come on. it's your first go at a Gym Battle, so don't beat yourself up too much." Ash nudged her. "You've always got next time and way more battles to look forward to."
"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed.
"T-Thanks, Ash." Hilda stuttered.
"Either way, you've both earned this." Chili walked over, holding in both his hands two cases. He held out the two cases in front of the two. Ash took his first, and Hilda followed up. "Your Trio Badge."
"The Trio Badge..." Hilda spoke to herself, looking at it as it glimmered in her hand. She couldn't believe it. This was a Gym Badge, something she never thought she would hold. She felt pride in having it, but knew deep down that she wasn't able to earn it. Not with her current skill. She couldn't let herself feel that same pride if she knew it wasn't truly earned.
"Thanks, Chili!" Ash smiled. "This one is going right here!" He took the Badge Case that Professor Juniper gave him and put the Trio Badge right in the middle. Hilda followed up and did the same with her case. She looked at hers with a glimmering light. Ash, on the other hand, was already ready to move on and find his next Gym Battle, and so was Tepig and Pikachu. "Alright! It's only up from here, you guys! Let's get rolling!"
"Pikachu!"
"Te!"
The three of them strolled along happily while Hilda was left in the dust. She was looking at her badge and then back at the three of them as they headed for the exit. She had a smile on her face, but she knew that there was still much more to do. There were things that she needed to work on and she was ready to take it to the next step. She wasn't going to stay stagnant. Hilda would follow Ash's example and strive to get better.
"Wait up, you two!" Iris would soon follow after them.
But as they were leaving, Cilan couldn't help but be fully interested. That entire battle, seeing Ash turn Type Disadvantages into an advantage and even reversing the environment on him and Cress piqued his interest. Not many choose to battle with the weaker type and always opt for the one that works best against him and his brothers. Ash's determination and creativity was something he found to be rather unique and someone he had never faced before. It was a fun experience. He had no idea why, but he felt a calling. Something that he was being drawn to. And that was to go with them.
"Hmm...That style of battling...and the way described it" Cilan spoke to himself. "Letting it flow, was it? That's a type of flavor that I need to figure out."
Heading to the Pokemon Center, both Tepig and Oshawott were healed up by Nurse Joy. It didn't take long, and soon they were all good to go. Tepig jumped for joy, over the moon to have done well in his first battle. He didn't think it would work out for him, but thanks to Ash, he succeeded. Hilda's Oshawott felt something similar. He proudly puffed his chest out, happy to have gotten through his first ever Gym Battle.
"Looks like you both are ready to go." Nurse Joy smiled as she handed back their Poke Balls. "Be sure to take care of them."
"We will! Thanks!" Ash grinned.
"Pika!"
"Osha!"
"Te!"
With this, the group left the Pokemon Center and headed outside. It was still the afternoon, the sun shining brightly in the sky. The sounds of people walking and Pokemon chattering could be heard, as the city was still busy with life. The city was full of energy. But for the group, they had a Gym Battle to celebrate. Ash was happy to have won his first Unova Gym Badge and was ready for the next one. As for Hilda and Iris, they felt that they should take this time to celebrate with Ash.
"Well, that's one badge down. Seven more to go!" Ash exclaimed. "This is gonna be awesome!"
"You were pretty impressive, Ash." Iris praised. "That was a pretty cool strategy, using their terrain to your advantage."
"Chu!" Pikachu smiled. Axew popped out of her hair, looking up at Ash.
"Ax!" Ash gave a light chuckle. "Thanks. But we've still got a long way to go. I wanna keep the momentum going, so let's get to the next Gym!"
"Whoa there. Hold your Ponyta, Ash." Hilda said, stopping him. "You've gotta take a break. You can't always go all out. Sometimes, you've gotta relax."
"I guess. A little break couldn't hurt. So, what are you thinking?"
"Something to eat. After all that, I'm starving." She rubbed her stomach, which grumbled in response. She blushed in embarrassment, while Ash laughed in response. "Hey, it's not funny!"
"Come on, Hilda! It's just a joke!" He continued to laugh, making her pout.
"Fine then. If that's the way you're gonna be, then I guess we'll go eat without you."
"Ah, hold on. I'll stop, I'll stop." He said, trying to contain himself. "It was just a little joke, Hilda. I'm not trying to make fun of you or anything."
"Fine." She sighed. "But yeah. Something to eat. I just want to grab some food and sit down for a bit. It's been a while since we ate." Hilda looked at her Xtransceiver, seeing the time. "And it is about that time. So, let's go out for lunch!"
It was time for a celebratory meal. A well-deserved Gym Battle and hopes for more to come on this new journey they were all on.
But as they were getting ready to eat, elsewhere in Striation City, in a certain lab, a certain someone was also looking to grab something to eat, and that someone was Bianca. She was in Fennel's lab and it was around the time to have some lunch, but Bianca was lost in the many hallways and rooms that were a part of this lab. It was like a maze.
There were many different hallways that led to the same places, or didn't lead anywhere. Some even went in a circle, as Bianca had found out. She had found herself in this hallway once before, not too long ago. But she couldn't remember the way out, and so she just kept walking and looking around. She had passed many different people in lab coats, and they had all said hello to her, but Bianca was so lost that she didn't bother to ask for directions.
"This place is so confusing." She groaned. "I just wanna get out of here and grab something to eat..." As she walked down this hallway, she found herself in a room, a room full of computers, monitors, and different technology that Bianca didn't recognize. It seemed to be the main room of the lab, a room where all the research and testing were done. In this room were two scientists, looking at one of the computers and typing in codes. Bianca approached them. "Um, excuse me..."
"Ah, Bianca." A woman by the name Aurielle turned away from her work, smiling at the girl. "Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked. But Bianca didn't know what to say, not sure how to respond to that. She had no idea what was even in this place, other than the Dreamyard. So, she decided to ask the question that had been on her mind the most.
"No, not really. I'm a little lost, actually. This place is huge." Bianca admitted, laughing awkwardly. "But I wanted to ask. What exactly are you guys working on?"
"Ah, I see." She said. "Well, we're researching the energy that comes from Munna. Well, mainly Dr. Fennel. Something rather interesting's been happening to Munna as of recently and we're trying to figure out what's going on."
"Oooh..." Bianca promptly took out her Pokedex, gazing at the Munna that was resting there.
"Munna. The Dream Eater Pokemon. Munna always float in the air. People whose dreams are eaten by them forget what the dreams had been about. It eats the dreams of people and Pokémon. When it eats a pleasant dream, it expels pink-colored mist. Late at night, it appears beside people's pillows. As it feeds on dreams, the patterns on its body give off a faint glow. A black mist indicates a nghtmare."
But as she looked at its dex entry, peerking into this room and sneaking it were Team Rocket. Disguised as always, the trio took a peek at the activity going on in this lab, seeing that they had stumbled across something of interest to Giovanni. The trio knew that this was something to look into.
"A Pokemon of Dreams? Eeugh...I'm getting bad memories to Darkrai." Jessie shuddered at the thought, remembering another Dream-based Pokemon that left quite an impact. That being Darkrai and the events at Alamos Town. It wasn't a very pleasant experience. "What is this place?"
"Who knows, but it must be pretty important if they're working on something here. And that's a Pokemon I'm not familiar with." James pointed at Munna. Meowth, having the Pokedex app downloaded on his phone, pulled it out to check.
"Let's see here..." He scrolled through the list of Pokemon. "Here we go! Munna!"
"Meowth, this is not a time to be reading about Pokemon!" Jessie scolded, folding her arms. "We should be figuring out a way to steal it!"
"And how are we gonna do that?" James asked. "This place is crawling with scientists. They're bound to notice a Pokemon missing."
Before they could find a way to do so, Munna felt something. Suddenly, her eyes would glow pink, opening wide. "M-Mun!" She cried out as her vision showed her something. At this very moment, Munna was having the rare of instance of seeing something terrible. A nightmare even.
In her vision, she saw a certain man. A man who was powerful, evil, and had done terrible things. He was standing in the middle of a burning city, the ground below him burning. He had a wicked smile on his face, as if he was enjoying watching this place burn down. She didn't know who this was, but she could see him clear as day. And the worst part was the next thing she saw. In her vision, she could see herself being held by the neck by this man, his eyes glowing red. His face had twisted into something monstrous.
"Mun..." Munna was terrified. She had no idea who that was or why she was shown that, but Munna was certain she needed to get out of here. So, by pure Psychic Power, a pink pulse would expel from her body.
Everyone in the room would gasp as the pusle reached them all, spreading far in seconds. It would spread all across the lab with ease and slightly outside of the building. Whatever she saw, absolutely terrified her to the core.