Chuck might not have reached the Elite Four level yet, but his Fighting-type Pokémon naturally countered Grimsley's Dark-type specialists. As for Clemont, his father was a seasoned Elite-level trainer who had lent him a high-level Blaziken for protection. The Fire/Fighting combination was a nightmare for Grimsley's roster.
"Since none of us are willing to back down, let's settle this with a 3v3 challenge," Feng Che suggested, his grip tightening on a Poké Ball.
"No objections here." "Fine by me."
With the group in agreement, Lucian pulled several bent spoons from his storage ring to act as lots, finalizing the matchups:
Chuck vs. Clemont
Feng Che vs. Grimsley
Lucian vs. Norman
Feng Che stepped onto the designated battlefield, facing the Unova Elite.
"Feng Che, is it? You might be a 'nobody' Gym Leader, but don't expect me to hold back. I'll show you the vast gap between a regional master and an Elite," Grimsley sneered, tossing a Poké Ball to release Scrafty.
The orange lizard-like Pokémon stood its ground, its red crest swaying. It adjusted its baggy, elastic skin "pants"—a natural defensive layer that gave it a cocky, street-tough appearance.
"Go, Scizor!" Feng Che countered with his polished, metallic ace.
"Hmph, an Elite-level Scizor? I suppose that's your strongest partner. A shame its typing is still vulnerable to my Scrafty's moves," Grimsley remarked. His patronizing tone made Feng Che's knuckles itch; he really wanted to see how Grimsley's nose would hold up against a real punch.
"Scizor, use Agility, then follow up with Bullet Punch!"
Scizor became a silver blur, vanishing and reappearing instantly before Scrafty. A barrage of metallic fists rained down. Scrafty frantically pulled up its shed skin to absorb the impact, but the sheer force of the Bullet Punches drove it back across the arena. Finally, a heavy uppercut caught Scrafty's jaw.
The orange Pokémon was sent spiraling into the air before crashing into the dirt. It struggled to its feet, gasping, with several visible bruises marring its skin.
"My Scrafty was merely careless," Grimsley muttered, his face tinting pink. The sting of the quick exchange felt like a physical slap, but he doubled down on his arrogance.
"I see. In that case, please show me your 'true power,' Elite Grimsley," Feng Che replied with a snap of his fingers. Scizor didn't press the advantage, instead retreating to its starting position in a display of calm dominance.
Infuriated by the perceived slight, Scrafty didn't wait for an order. It spewed a yellowish Acid spray, the corrosive liquid fanning out toward Scizor. Scizor flickered away using Aerial Ace, leaving the acid to hiss against the ground, eating small pits into the tiles.
"Scrafty, stay calm! Use Bulk Up!" Grimsley commanded, but his Pokémon was already too far gone in its rage.
Scrafty ignored the order, charging a series of Shadow Balls in its hands and hurling them. Scizor dodged with preternatural speed, its claws glowing silver as it used X-Scissor to slice through the incoming projectiles. A chain of explosions filled the air, the smoke temporarily blinding Scrafty.
Feng Che wouldn't miss such a window. "Scizor, Close Combat!"
Scizor took a deep breath, its claws shining with a cold, white light. It closed the distance in a heartbeat, unleashing a high-speed flurry of strikes.
"Scrafty, Protect!"
The first strike was caught by a translucent barrier, which shattered like glass. Scrafty desperately pulled its skin shield up for the second wave, but the force was titanic. Scrafty was launched backward, tumbling across the floor until it lay still, incapacitated.
Grimsley felt his face burning. Just moments ago, he was looking down on Feng Che as a "nobody." Now, those words were still echoing in the arena, only to be punctuated by the sight of his defeated starter.
"Elite Grimsley must have had an off-start. Thank you for the match," Feng Che said with a polite, yet clearly sharp smile.
Grimsley let out a cold snort, feeling the mockery behind the grin. He reached for his second ball. "Enough games. Go, Tyranitar!"
The "Desert Tyrant" emerged—a massive, bipedal mountain of green armor and jagged spikes. It let out a roar that shook the very stadium.
"A fine Tyranitar. In that case... Go, Gyarados!"
Feng Che released his Red Gyarados. The crimson beast burst from its ball, hovering over the field and unleashing a Draconic Intimidate that made the air itself feel heavy.