Pokemon Black and White Chapter 7

"Drat!" Cheren exclaimed as the force of Snivy's Tackle sent his Tepig flying. "I lost again!"

"That may be so…" Kitsune said, "…but Snivy looks pretty tired, herself." he pointed out. "You may actually be able to beat this Gym Leader."

"Maybe." Cheren said. "But first, my Pokémon need to rest." He recalled Tepig to his Poké Ball.

"Same with Snivy." Kitsune said, the tired Grass Snake Pokémon making her way to Kitsune's hood. He helped her up, picking her up and putting her in his hood himself.

"Um…" Cheren said. "Wouldn't now be an appropriate time to put Snivy in her Poké Ball?"

"Why?" Kitsune asked in return. "She can rest just as easily outside of it."

"…Alright, whatever…" Cheren said. The two began to make their way to the city's Pokémon Center.

"…Hey, Cheren." Kitsune said.

"Yeah?" Cheren responded.

"Do you think Bianca challenged that green-haired guy yet?" he asked.

"I don't know." Cheren answered. "Why?"

"If she has, she probably got her butt kicked." Kitsune chuckled. "There's a reason Oshawott was dropped into the trashcan during his first battle."

"Hey! That's mean!" Cheren said.

"And it's true." Kitsune said. "Sometimes the truth is not ideal."

"But…" Cheren began, but it was pointless to argue. "Let's just get to the Pokémon Center, okay?"

"Fine…" Kitsune said. After a while, the two reached the Pokémon Center. Cheren handed the Poké Balls containing his Purrloin and Tepig to the nurse, while Kitsune put his hand on the front desk, allowing Snivy to walk on its own along his arm and to the desk. The nurse picked her up and took her and Cheren's Pokémon to the back for healing.

"Hey, Kitsune." Cheren said. "Do you really think I'll be able to defeat the Gym Leader now?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." Kitsune replied. "It takes a lot to hurt Snivy to the brink of defeat. It won't happen next time, though."

"We'll see about that." Cheren said as the nurse returned to give the two back their Pokémon.

"Is that a challenge?" Kitsune asked as Snivy crossed his arm once more, settling back into her place.

"No, it's the truth." Cheren replied, mockingly. "I'll beat this guy Cress, then start training to beat you. And I'll battle him first, giving me a head start on my training."

"Yeah, but you're forgetting something." Kitsune said as the two exited the Pokémon Center. "It won't be much of a head start. Snivy's much faster than your Pokémon."

"Is that so?" Cheren asked. "Well, I'll show you! I'll beat the Gym Leader before you can say 'Trio Badge'!"

"Really?" Kitsune asked. "Good luck with that, slowpoke."

"Actually, I think he's more of a Slowking." came a voice behind them.

"You're one to talk, Bi." Kitsune said.

"What does that make you, huh, Bianca!?" Cheren exclaimed.

"Um…" Bianca said. She hastily changed the subject. "Oh, hey! The Gym!" The three were standing outside of the Gym. "I'll go first. I won't lose this time!"

"'This time'?" Cheren asked.

"I knew it." Kitsune said. "She did get her butt kicked by greenie."

"Well, not this time!" she said. "Me and Oshawott are going to win for sure!"

"'Oshawott and I'." Cheren and Kitsune corrected her in unison.

"No, Oshawott is my Pokémon." Bianca said, running through the doors of the Gym. Kitsune and Cheren entered after her.

The Gym had the appearance of a café. There were several tables surrounded by chairs. There were also several waiters and waitresses, including Cilan. The green-haired Gym Leader walked up to the trio, followed by two others, a red-haired guy who stood to his right, and a blue-haired guy to his left. "Welcome to the Striaton City Pokémon Gym." Cilan said.

"Oh, great." Kitsune said. "Themed hair colors."

"Quiet, you!" the red-haired guy to Cilan's right said. "We're making our introductions! I'm-"

"Let me guess." Kitsune interrupted. "Chili, the Fire-type specialist."

"Shut up!" the red-haired guy exclaimed.

"Please, don't interrupt us during our introductions." the blue-haired guy to Cilan's left said. "It makes Chili mad."

"Enough!" Chili yelled. "I'm Chili, the Fire specialist, and all these interruptions are burning me up!"

"Chili, say it right." the blue-haired guy said. "Anyway…" He cleared his throat. "I'm a Water-type specialist, and my name is Cress. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"And my name is Cilan." Cilan said. "I like Grass-type Pokémon."

The three Gym Leaders looked at Kitsune, Bianca and Cheren. "Back with your friends, I see." Chili said to Bianca. "What, one loss to Cilan wasn't enough?"

Cilan cleared his throat, nudging Chili with his elbow. "I see we have three challengers here. Shall we have a triple battle?"

"Ooh, that sounds-" Bianca said, but she was interrupted by Kitsune placing her hand over her mouth.

"No, thanks." Kitsune said. "We'll do this one at a time. Starting with Bianca, like we discussed. Right, Bi?"

"With Kitsune's Snivy on our side, we'd win easily." Cheren said. "Too easily. We need to get stronger on our own. I'm with Kitsune."

"Oh, all right." Bianca said. She turned to Cilan. "Cilan, I challenge you to a Gym battle! And I won't lose this time!"

"Alright." Cilan said. "Come with us." He turned to Cheren and Kitsune. "You two coming, too?"

"Don't see why not." Cheren said.

"I'd be happy to." Kitsune said. "I didn't get to see the first time, so I'm looking forward to seeing Bianca lose to you the second time."

"Come on, Kiki." Cheren said. "Show a little confidence in your friend."

"Well, she is going to lose, right, Cher?" Kitsune asked.

"Probably." Cheren said. "Still, you never know."

The three Gym Leaders led the trio to the back of the building, to a room where the Gym Battlefield was. "Here we are."Cilan said. "Let's begin, shall we? Go, Lillipup!" He tossed his Poké Ball and a Lillipup emerged.

"Same as last time, huh?" Bianca said. "But different. Go, Lillipup!" Bianca tossed the Poké Ball containing her Lillipup, which emerged from her Poké Ball.

"Personally, I don't see how this is any different…" Cilan said.

"She means the outcome's going to be different." Cheren said. "Would you hurry this up, Bianca? I want to have my Gym Battle today."

"Don't listen to him, Bi." Kitsune said. "Take as long as you like, greenie. I want to savor this."

"Don't tell him to take as long as he likes, you white-haired kid!" Chili exclaimed. "He'll take forever!"

"Just shut up and watch, red!" Kitsune called back. "With as slow as Bianca is, she'll probably lose real quick!"

"I don't think so!" Chili shouted back. "Cilan takes a long time to beat his opponents! The last battle with your friend here took several minutes! And that was a new record!"

"Several minutes?" Kitsune questioned. "Bi takes that long to issue a command!"

"That so? Well, then, guess your friend was really on a roll that day! Too bad she lost!" Chili countered.

"Of course she lost!" Kitsune said. "She's Bianca! She always loses!"

"Oh, yeah? Well-" Chili began, but he was interrupted.

"That's enough, Chili!" Cilan shouted.

"It's over, Kitsune." Cheren said. "While you and Chili were arguing, I was watching the battle. It was over pretty quickly, for a battle with Bianca. Oh, and she won."

"You two were making so much noise, I had difficulty thinking!" Cilan shouted. "And my Pokémon had difficulty hearing what commands I did give!" He sighed. "Still, she did win, and Pokémon League Rule state that I must give the Trio Badge to anyone who beats me. Here's your badge, Bianca." He handed the Trio Badge over to Bianca.

"Yay, I won!" Bianca excitedly exclaimed. "So… Who's next?"

"That would be me." Cheren said.

"So that means it's Cress's turn." Cilan said, swapping places with his blue-haired brother.