Chapter 13: Triple Battle

Lenora got up from her desk, the gym leader gazed at the challengers, like she was sizing them up. She gave a small chuckle while shaking her head.

"I admit, this is the first time I've had more then one challenger face me. Still I'd have been disappointed if you all hadn't passed. Cilan told me quite a bit about you, and you show promise." The gym leader complimented.

The four trainers and their pokemon beamed at the praise.

"I always enjoy seeing what trainers come to learn in between battling, it helps me gain a little insight on my challengers. Iris, I can tell has a deep connection to dragon type pokemon, since you enjoyed the painting. Ash, who's from Kanto seems to have been well traveled. Cheren went right for battle tactics when he picked up and glanced at Nice to meet you Pokemon." Leonora noted.

The trainers wonder how she was able to figure out what they all looked at.

"What about me?" Bianca nervously.

"Oh well since you seemed interested in the picture books….so I might have to put you in a play room at the daycare since this gym battle isn't age appropriate for you sweetie." Lenora started to snicker.

"NOOOOOO!" Bianca whinned while grabbing on to Cheren for dear life. This caused the gym leader to laugh a bit more.

"Just kidding." Lenora joked, causing Bianca to fall to the ground like an anime character. Now who's dropping out?" Lenora asked She noticed the confused looks the four of them.

"Huh?" They all asked. The gym leader lightly shook her head.

"Well I could fight you all one by one. However that would cause delays with healing in between matches. So to save time, why not give you all a taste of triple battles?

Lenora offered. Ash, Iris and especially Cheren looked interested at the prospect.

" I don't need the others. I'LL TAKE ALL YOUR POKEMON BY MYSELF! MY TEAM'S POWER WILL CRUSH YOU!" Cheren roared in a burst of passion.

"Down boy." Ash and Iris said grabbing a hold of him. "I'll join you Cheren in the battle." Iris volunteered, gaining a nod of approval from the older woman.

"I guess with Ash your all set." Bianca laughed sheepishly.

"Go for it Bianca, you've got this!" Ash said patting her on the back.

"EHHH?!" Bianca shouted taken a back, Lenora raised an eyebrow.

"Funny, you seemed pretty excitated to fight me, why change your mind?" She asked.

Ash simply shrugged. "Well I don't wanna be selfish and hog all the fun. Besides Iris, Cheren and Bianca got this fight in the bag." Ash praised. While the two former smiled, the latter looked very nervous.

"Very well, then lets get the battle started. Oh Hawes!" Lenora called in a sing song tone of voice. The trainers noticed that the gym leader's husband suddenly come out of nowhere.

"Yes honey?" Hawes asked.

"I'll need you to be the judge for a few battles for me." Lenora requested. The man did as his wife asked, and took the judging position as requested. Ash, Pikachu, and Purloin took a spot by the nearby long couch. Ash felt it was a bit odd he wasn't in a proper bleacher. Cilan gave a small wave as he to take his seat. However he sat a few spaces away from Ash's Purrloin, much to the cat pokemon's offense.

"The battle between, Gym Leader Lenora verses the challengers Iris, Cheren, and Bianca! This battle will be a three on three fight. The trainers maybe []allowed to switch fainted pokemon, however healing items can be used only once. Let the battle begin!" Hawes called out.

"Axew go!" Iris called out as her dragon jumped onto the battle felid.

"Throw I chose you!" Cheren said throwing a poke ball, summoning his massive fighter.

"Umm Munna!" Bianca mumbled while sending her psychic ball of puff, spewing out dreaming powder form it's body.

Ash, Cilan and Pikachu, Pansage, and Purloin cheered on for their friends as Lenora threw out her own pokemon. A Watchog, a Lilpup, and a Hurdier. Bianca wanted to gush about how cute her opponent's lilpup, but felt like she had to stay focused. Purloin looked like she was about to have a heart attack, just looking at the two dog pokemon. She hid behind Pikachu. Pansage went to calm down his trainer and his patient.

"Let the battle began!" Hawes cried out. The Dragon Master in the making and the two starting trainers quickly started the battle with their opponents.

"Throh use Break Brick on that Watchog!" Cheren ordered as his massive figure lunged at his opponent.

"Munna stay in the air, and use Psybeam! Just don't hurt the little l ilpup too bad!" Bianca called out. Lenora raised an eyebrow at that comment, almost chuckling.

"Aw bless her little heart." Lenora thought in an amused tone.

"Axew, use leer at the Hurdier, and then use Dragon Dance!" Iris ordered, figuring lowering the closing the power gap would work in her favor, rather then a straight up battle of pure strength.

"Herdir use protect against the brute, then use shadow ball on the cream puff. Watchdog use thunder bolt. Lilpup use Take down on the little dragon." Lenora ordered.

The three pokemon heard their leaders commands and switched places. The fighting pokemon and his trainer were taken a back as their attack was blocked by the large hound, then the fighting type was blasted with an unexpected thunder bolt. Herdir fired a shadow ball at the Munnna while Axew was leering at a Lilpup about ram into him.

"Dodge It!" Both Iris and Bianca cried out. Munna and Axew did their best to get out of the way of the attacks. Munna had been shot down, while Axew just barely able to get away. The Lilpup had to take damage from the take down.

"Throw, use arm thrust against Watchog!" Cheren yelled as his pokemon. Said pokemon got the message and used his arm to thrust the skinny normal type into the air. Bianca saw an opening, smiling.

"Munna use pysbeam on Watchog!" She cheered and the dream catcher pokemon got to work blasting the normal type back into the ground. Lenora gave Herdier a look, while the massive dog caught his fellow gym pokemon. Axew used dragon dance, Iris following along with her dragon in sync.

"Dragon Rage!" Iris shouted as Lilpup started to get back up. The dragon charged up his attack, about ready to fire.

"Lilpup roar." Lenora ordered.

"Oh boy." Ash thought to himself as he and his pokemon watched.

Lets see how they handle themselves." Cilan thought.

The tiny dog pokemon let out a loud roar that reached out to the whole battleground. Axew, Thrown, and Munna, felt very strange as they were exposed to the roar. Cheren, Bianca, iris and Ash noticed the roar effected their poke balls. Thrown, Munna and Axew were suddenly were set back to their poke balls, or Iris's hair and their replacements came out confused. Exidrill slept in his pod, Walter the Lilpup came out chasing his tail, embarrassing poor Bianca. Cheren's Snivy seemed as unprepared as his trainer was.

"Now Lilpup, Wathog, Herdier, rush em." Lenora said with a smirk on her face, making the younger trainers panic slightly. The Gym leader's pokémon unleashed Thunder Bolt, two Shadow Balls at the unprepared pokemon. Cheren's Snivy barely managed to dodge the assault while Bianca's Lilpup was quickly knocked out of the battle field making Bianca cry out in dismay. Iris looked very worried as the hits landed on her immobile friend's outer shell. Bianca returned her pokemon back to his ball, and then threw out Pignite in his place.

"FLAME CHARGE PIGNITE! MAKE THEM PAY!" The blond screamed. The flaming pig pokemon did as his trainer commanded, charging at the trio of normal types. Cheren, Iris, Ash, Cilan, and even Lenora did a small double take at Bianca's rage.

"Giga Impact." Lenora commanded as her Herdier met the flame charge head on. Cheren and his Snivy both had the same thought. The green snake used vine whip to grab a hold of Lenora's Watchhog's leg. Before Lenora could issue a command or her pokemon could do anything Watchog was sandwiched in between the two powerful attacks. This distracted the older dog and allowed Pignite to gain an advantage and push back in the struggle.

Bianca cheered on her pokemon, Cheren had his Snivy attack the Lilpup with Razor leaf. Only for the gym leader to have it counter with Shadow Balls. Iris pulled out her Pokeball and returned her Exadrill, and brought Axew back.

"Axew Dragon Dance!" Iris called out.

The tiny tusked pokemon followed the moments of his trainer, dancing away making him stronger, and faster, making Ash and Pikachu grin from ear to ear. "Now Axew Dragon Rage and help Pignite!" Iris command as her dragon was about to really give Lenora a bad time. At least that's what Iris would hope.

"Lilpup, Roar." Lenora ordered with a slightly smug look on her face in contrast to the frightened, frustrated and enraged looks of her challengers.

All three trainer's pokemon were swapped as the little pup, and Lenora's two other pokemon managed to catch their breath. Bianca's Munna had been pulled back out, along with Cheren's Pidove Beaky fluttered and confused Iris cursed as Exadrill came back.

"Wathog thunder Bolt, Lilpup Shadow Ball, Herdier, Shadow Ball as well." Lenora ordered.

Before the three trainers could do anything. Cheren's Beaky, and Munna, went down in a flash. Iris quickly returned the mole pokemon before he did anything Iris would regret.

Cilan looked deep in thought, while Ash looked a little nervous. Pikachu was too busy calming down Purrlion who was still rather frantic. Then Cheren felt like something clicked in his head.

"Guys, I have an idea, we can end this quickly" Cheren whispered while taking out his Scolipede's ball. Iris nodded, with Axew ready to listen in on the plan, while Bianca pouted. The blond then agreed while pulling out her Minchino's pokeball.

Lenora waited along with her husband and friends while the trio challengers whispered to themselves before unleashing their pokemon. The long bug pokemon, towered over the tiny tusked dragon and the gray tailed fluff pokemon.

"Minchino use Charm!" Bianca called out.

"Axew, Dragon Dance!" Iris said as she moved her feet with Axew in rhythm.

"Scolipede, use string shot on Lilpup's mouth, and the other's legs." Cheren commanded

Before Lenora could issue a command to her own pokemon. The normal types were all entranced by the little wide eared powder puff, doing her best to look utterly adorable. Lenora could even feel it working on her husband, giving out an "Aww!" much to her annoyance.

"Keep dancing Axew." Iris told her little dragon, while they both danced to make him stronger. Axew kept dancing, moving more and more to the side with Minchino's copying him. Pikachu and Pansage thought the dance show was actually pretty cute.

Scolipede wrapped up the three normal types in his own webbing.

"Now Roll out, and whack them all out with Poison Tail!" Cherin shouted.

Lenora could see what they were up too. "Guys, snap out of it! Break the webbing! Move!" She shouted.

"Too late Axew Dragon Rage!" Iris pointed out while her little tusked dragon shot out a massive blast of enraged energy. Lenora could only watch helpless to see both her Lilpup and Watchog were sitting ducks and took the full fire. Two gym pokemon were sent flying into different directions. The lilpup was caught by his trainer, her Watchhog slammed right into her husband. They were both unable to fight.

Bianca and Iris along with their pokemon and friends cheered at the victory. However Chern was focused on the task at hand. For his fallen team mate he would have nothing but total victory.

The bug type shot out like a wheel, ramming into Hurdier, who was finally free from the charm. The massive dog opened his mouth to shoot out a flame thrower. However it backfired as his face was smacked harshly with a poison tail attack.

"After this you are gonna get so much honey Scolipede."Cheren thought to himself.

The massive hound looked like he was still trying to pull off a possible last attack when the poison kicked in, forcing him to faint. Lenora gave off an annoyed look, but simply shook her head with a small smile as she returned her pokemon back to their balls.

"The Challengers are the winners!" Hawes declared. Iris, Bianca, Cheren cheered along with their pokemon. Cilan gave a professional clap. While Ash, Pikachu and Purloin shot up from their seats and joined their friends in the celebration. The pokemon were returned to their poke balls for a well earned rest while Axew enjoyed the safety of Iris's hair.

Lenora walked over to the three winners getting their prizes ready.

"Congrats you three. I had my doubts, but you managed to pull it off. Here are your Basic Badges. I hope from here on out you'll be able to move past the basics and educate yourselves to even greater heights." The Gym Leader handed the three their badges..

"Thank you so much Miss Lenora, I feel smarter already." Bianca said while Lenora thought the blond would need all the help she could get.

"So, since I beat you does that mean I get to take over as Gym Leader?" Cheren asked as Ash and Iris gave each other a high five.

"Hahahaha! Your funny kid." Lenora said as she gave the young boy a powerful whack on the back while going to her next challenger.

"Ash right? It'll take a bit of time for our battle to start. However I hope [you're] ready."

Ash, Pikachu, and Purloin gave a grin.

"Oh I'm all fired up, now! I can't wait to get started." He declared.

End of chapter.