Third Card - Rematch!

[kattobingu_ore]

Despite the swarm of Munna and other pokemon that had arisen, Yuuma seemed to be taking everything in stride. Kuribolt had to be searched for of course- the zorua had run off for some reason during the speech that was on earlier, but that wasn't the point any more. Kuribolt was found and happy enough for some reason, and Astral confirmed it (though he was very curious as to how a human could understand the language.). And thanks to the constant swarms of pokemon around, training was something difficult to avoid.

As it was- standing before the Gym building now is Yuuma, a wide and determined smile on his face as his pokemon stare toward it. "Alright..! This time, I guarantee we'll win..! We'll show them our 'Kattobingu'..! We're going to bring it to 'm..! Ready..!?"

This time, there's a small chorus of 'cheers' from the others. Kuribolt's barking, Muzumuzu's happy 'wiiiiiiiikiki'...

Achacha merely chirped, of course. This was no time for 'cheers'..!

Still- it was with confidence and four pokemon in tow that he stepped inside to make the challenge again. 'Welcome,' the waitress at the front greeted. Perhaps it was the crowd of pokemon with him, or the simple fact that it was his second time there, but the next words were not quite the same as the last time. 'Here to take the challenge..?'

He nodded. "I am!"

"And who will you be fighting..?"

"All three leaders..!"

There was a short span of silence following that- but the waitress soon responded with a smile. "Very well then," she said after a few moments. "Come just this way..."

[[ooc - The battle is long- it's going under the cut...!]]


[[Watch as I saturate this with all the tropes of a dramatic card game! :D]]

A triple battle was nothing like a 'normal' battle, he was quickly finding. In a normal battle there was just one side to deal with- but in a triple battle there was the added difficulty of more than one pokemon teaming up against the other.

Muzumuzu had an advantage- he was located too far from Cress' pokemon, and while Grass damaged him fire did next to nothing at all. "Muzumuzu!" Yuuma shouted regardless, the Litwick's poor defense making him a quick target from Cilan's pokemon. "Now! HEAT WAVE!"

"Wiki-wikiiiiii..!!!" Petilil was dealt with. And Cilan greeted the action with mild surprise before smiling.

"'Heat Wave'..? A powerful move! And a good one!" he congratulated while Kuribolt, having dodged a strike from Cress' Tympole, quickly retaliated with a series of Fury Swipes. "You've improved since you were here Yuuma..!"

Yuuma grinned, nodding. "AH- Thanks..!" And before he could get distracted by that, pointed his third pokemon forward from the far side where it stood. "Achacha..!"

The pidgeotto chirped, already taking to the sky and diving toward the shocked darumaka. With the closest thing to a 'screech' it could give, Yuuma's order finished it off-

"Twister!"

From the ground came ruin and rubble of all kinds- the wind itself took another colour as Achacha spiraled around the little pokemon, and Chili almost stepped back as the winds howled. "Hah-! Darumaka!" he called out in the end, the tiny pokemon having collapsed. "Return!"

Yuuma grinned. "Hah... Yes..!!" One, two, three, that was-

"Not so fast," Cilan began, Yuuma's expression fading. "You've beaten our first pokemon..."

"But not our second," Cress continued.

Chili grinned. "Get ready..!" He laughed. "This is where we really get serious..!"

"Ehhhh..!"

"Pansage!" "Pansear!" "Panpour!"

The three monkeys appeared in a simultaneous flash of light, each one flexing their paws and grinning.

And each trainer pointed them forward for battle. "Attack Litwick with Bite..!"

"Target Zorua with Water Gun, Panpour!"

"The same, with Incinerate! Go, Pansear!"

"HHAHHH!-" The attacks struck without fail, and while Achacha watched from above Yuuma was flung back by the force. "HHHHAAAAAAHHHH-!" Muzumuzu bounced just a short bit from him, crying himself- Kuibolt as well landed with a heap, slowly pulling herself up. "Ngggh..."

From across him, the trainers waited. "Are you done?" Cress 'asked', seeming to look to him with worry. "We warned you about standing too close to the pokemon field... You should make sure you're not burned."

Yuuma merely struggled to pull himself up, and Cilan as well frowned. "If you can't stand, you shouldn't be fighting- Even your pokemon are in better condition than you..!" And indeed, though it was obviously a struggle, the pokemon were for the most part having little trouble. Except, perhaps, Kuribolt.

"Zooooo..."

"Nh... K-Kuribolt..." He swallowed, looking at the zorua before looking to the field. "Hah... Hah... I'm... Not giving up!" he managed to shout, the three gym leaders watching for a moment. "No matter what..!" The leaders shifted- from the somewhat relaxed positions they had moved into to a more hesitant one. "Because that's 'KATTOBINGU'..! If I stop right now, then how can I fight with them..? Hahh... Hah... Hah..."

He swallowed looking back to Kuribolt. "...Kuribolt..." He bit his lip. "Are you..."

The zorua nodded, narrowing her eyes. "Zo..!"

"She will still fight," Astral stated calmly. "They will all still fight it seems, if Yuuma is."

Yuuma looked at the spirit a moment with wide eyes, before nodding. "RIGHT!" He looked forward. "Lets go..!" He said that but... Yuuma clenched his jaw. Both Muzumuzu and Kuribolt were on their last leg... So how..?

"Yuuma," Astral said calmly, the boy turning. "...I have an idea..."

"Eh! Ah! Oi! No, it's my fight! Stay out of it..!!" he cried, pointing accusingly at the air as his opponents stared.

"He alright?" Chili said with a blink, his brothers merely staring.

"Um..."

"I'm not entirely sure..." Cilan laughed, scratching his head. "Ahhh..."

And Astral continued to 'argue' with Yuuma. "The pokemon have interesting moves- if you just look through the pokedex-"

"Oi oi oi, I said it was my fight..!!"

"...The pokedex..."

"Fine..!!" He was okay if he was helping him somewhat on his duels but come on..!! There was a tap and a click as he looked through the device on his wrist, his opponents still staring in confusion. Kuribolt's 'moveset', Muzumuzu's 'moveset', Achacha's 'moveset'... There was nothing here though, nothing-

"Yuuma," Astral spoke again, looking up toward Achacha. "...Some of Achacha's attacks... They can cover the entire field, can't they..?"

With wide eyes Yuuma turned, looking to the bird. An attack that covered the entire field? Was there... "Ah..." He grinned. "RIGHT! Lets do this..!" he shouted, the three before him abruptly tensing. "Muzumuzu," he began, the litwick hopping forward with a cry. "HEATWAVE..!"

The fires grew and burst, and even from his position Cilan was forced to raise an arm in defense. Even so- "Type advantages or not, it'll take more than that to defeat my pansage..!"

"I know... That's why... Achacha..!" The three looked up.

"The pidgeotto..?!"

Achacha looked down with a sharp 'krrr!', and Yuuma nodded. "Achacha has one move that can attack from this distance... And it's super-effective against grass-type as well! Achacha! Use Gust!

From inside the wave of heat and smoke the pansage cried, looking up with a start- Achacha gave a loud screech and dove forward, opening his wings. "Piiiiiiii....GEEEEEEE!!!" The wind was enough to knock the pansage right out of the arena limits, Cilan jumping before pointing his pokeball forward.

"Return, Pansage..!"

"Sage....."

The gymleader looked to the others. "Looks like I'm out..."

"Ahhh don't worry about it..!" Chili laughed. "We can handle the rest..!" So he said, however...

Cress stiffened. "Panpour..?" The pokemon in question stood stock still, eyes wide for no reason whatsoever. "...Panpour..??" From above, Achacha turned, eyes gleaming- Cress continued to look to his pokemon, shouting- "Panpour... Snap out of it, wake up..!!"

"Achacha..."

Chili tensed, hurriedly pointing his own pokemon forward. "Pansear! Counter the attack!"

...And Yuuma nodded. Alright- it worked..! "Muzumuzu! Confuse Ray!"

"Confus-"

The Litwick's eye widened and the moment his gaze locked with the fire monkey it screamed- holding his head, his fur growing hotter and hotter-

"Pansear..!"

"Now Kuribolt! Attack Panpour! Faint Attack!"

"Zooooo!!!" The zorua seemed to melt into the darkness itself as it charged, and from above Achacha prepared to dive.

"Achacha, you too- Quick Attack!"

In a blur of colour the bird dropped, beak grazing past the panpour that had been stunned momentarily by an earlier 'Scary Face'. With a shout however it came to its senses- But as it looked around, there was nothing else in range to attack... "On your guard Panpour," Cress warned softly, eyes on the field. "Zorua has hidden... It could appear at any time..."

"Pour...." The monkey nodded, looking around with narrowed eyes- but it was for nothing-

"Panpour! From below!"

"ZOU!" The shadows burst and Zorua charged, throwing Panpour far to the side of the arena. Motionless the monkey lay silent... And so with a grimace, Cress pointed his pokeball forward. "Return, Panpour..! You've done well..." A flash of light and the ball was closed, Cress turning to Chili. "It seems we leave this to you..."

Chili nodded. "No worries! We can take him easy..! Pansear!" he started, the monkey shaking itself from his confusion. "Lets go!"

"Seeaaaaar..!!" The monkey looked upward, scowling and throwing his hands forward at his target. "PaaaaannnnnSEAAAAAR!" With a deep breath, the monkey prepared to take a deep breath...

And yawn. Abruptly, the bird did the same, fluttering to the ground and hopping awkwardly as Yuuma stiffened. "Nng- Achacha..!"

The bird continued to hop...

And then fell forward with a snore. "Achacha..." ...He- He was sleeping...

Chili grinned as his opponent looked back, nodding. "The next move is going to be the last," he announced, opponent stiffening as he noted that the monkey was currently eating something. "And thanks to Pansear's oran berry, you're not going to be taking him down like you did the others...!"

He swallowed, fists clenched. "That's what you think... We're not done yet..!"

"Zoo!" "Wiki!!" The air seemed to shift...

And with a nod Yuuma pointed his pokemon forward. "Muzumuzu!" he began first, the litwick giving a loud cry. "Just like before! HEAT WAVE!"

The heat pushed back and Pansear ducked beneath it, shielding his eyes as Chili laughed. "Ahahahah! That's not going to work well for you here..!"

"No," Yuuma said in response. "But it's a good distraction..! Kuribolt..! Now! FAINT ATTACK!" Again the Zorua melted into the shadows... And again, as the pansear struggled against the flames it was unable to see the opponent. And finally, with one final charge...

"ZOOOOOOOO!!!"

"OH-SHAAAAAAAA!!!!"

"RR!" A loud smack rang through the air and Pansear was flung back, skidding along the ground to Chili's feet. For a moment, the trainer merely stared, eyes wide before he hurriedly grabbed his pokeball.

"Ah- Return!" he shouted, the pokemon doing just that. Looking at it a moment, he turned his eyes to the clearing field where Yuuma stood, before grinning. "Heh... Would you look at that," he laughed, his brothers, smiling as well. "Looks like you win..!"

"It was a wonderful battle," Cress complimented. "You improved greatly..."

"It was fun too!" Cilan laughed. "You should be proud!"

Yuuma blinked, looking at the three for a moment. "Hahh... Hahh... Ah..." And then... "YEAAAAAAA..!!!!" He fell back, fists still in the air. "AHAHA!!- Eeeeeegh-" He abruptly grimaced, sitting up. "Ow ow ow my arms..."

"They appear to be darker in colour than the rest of your body," Astral noted. "Is there a reason for it..?"

"Wuaaahhhh my arms are burnt..!!" He hurriedly began blowing on them in panic, the gym leaders shaking their heads. "Ow ow ow ow..!"

"Hahh... We did warn you," Cress said with a slight laugh. "And 'Heat wave' covers a fairly large amount of space..."

"Ow ow ow ow ow...!!"

"But hey, you won you know! Which means that with the rules of the Gym, e can present you with this badge...!"

"Ow ow ow ow ow...!!!!"

Cilan laughed, walking over. "H-Here Yuuma... Lets get you some cream for that..."

"Uuuuaaaahhhh... Why does it hurt so much..."

In the end, Cress would come with the cream himself- but while Yuuma put some of that on his arms, it was everything else that caught his eye really. "Ehhh..? What's all this...??"

Chili grinned, Cilan as well standing there with a smile. "These are your prizes for winning against us!" he laughed, watching Yuuma look over the 'disk' on the table with blank eyes. Astral as well hovered around, staring at it with obvious curiosity.

"It's true that you receive the Trio Badge for your efforts," Cilan explained, the badge in question still sitting on the able, "But we also present you with the Hidden Machine 'Cut', along with a sum of prize money."

"E-Ehhhhh..? I get money..???" He looked over at the bag, looking as though he was fighting some sort of grin. "Ahaha... Ahaahahahah..." The small pack of cash was slowly picked up, Yuuma looking over it. "Hahhhh... There's so much here...!!"

"Hey now..!" Chili laughed, picking the badge up from the table. "Don't forget this..!!" Eh..?

Yuuma turned, stowing the other things in his large backpack as he did so. "That..." Fingers closed over the badge, the light playing over it. "Ahhhh... YES!!!" The trio of gym leaders stared, watching the boy suddenly turn and shout at the air. "YES!!! The first gym badge..!!"

"There are still seven more... It could be difficult."

"Usheeeeeeeeh..!! My first gym badge..!!" Astral was apparently being ignored. Nonetheless...

Not more than a few moments later and the group could be seen leaving the city's pokemon center with a relative mood of cheer in the air. "Ahahahahaaaa..!! Yeaaaa..!!" Next stop, the Nacrene Gym...!! Err...

At that moment a nearby swarm of munna floated over, sniffing the boy before floating off in a huff. "How odd," Astral noted. "They appear to dislike your scent..."

His own pokemon abruptly blinked, looking to the trainer, sniffing and... "Rnrrrrr..." "Wikiiiiiii..." "....Gee." "Munaaaaaaaa..."

"E-Ehhh!! What's wrong with all of you..!!"

"...Yuuma. Aren't these the same clothes you arrived in..?"

"Eh- Of course they are, I don't have anything else..!!"

"Then you have been wearing these clothes for the past number of weeks, correct?"

"W-Well I washed them before in that pond but..."

"...Perhaps we should purchase some spares for you before we leave."

The boy coughed. "Y-Yea...."