"So you and Melody Miro are cousins?" Zac nodded, putting together the family tree in his head. "Wait. Maverick. Any relation to glitch maverick? If so then that's a hell of a pedigree the three of you are putting together. Already two gym leaders in the family!" Zac smiled, taking another pensive sip of the refreshing cola. Nearby, Fabrizio the Dugtrio disappeared into the sands. "A can-do attitude is the first step. Have you done any contest work yet? I know that both Glitch and Melody have participated in my contests a few times so far. They're both legends! Might be worth getting some hints from them too."

Zac went to finish his can, but Dugtrio tried to dig up underneath his feet and he stumbled. "Hey! Watch it mate! I almost spilled my cola!"

"I think they're both busy as hell dealing wit the H star T. I know i've got my fair share of battles and I reckon those two have been swamped." Zac lowered his voice, as if he were telling Casey a huge secret. "They're pretty popular. Melody especially."

"Modelling ay? That's a good angle, but nothing compares to first hand experience. Tell you what, I'm holding a contest in a week or so. Winner gets a badge from my gym, too! I'd love to see you there, mate!" Zac gave Casey a winning grin. 

He watched as the Mantyke flapped gently up the beach. "Nah I just got him in a trade. Haven't had much of a chance to let him out, let alone to battle! For all I know it's his first time!" Zac looked down at his champion. The Dugtrio shook some hair out of its eyes and looked back at him. "Huh. Well either way some exercise and experience will do us all good." Zac pointed a thumb at the Mantyke that was flapping its way up the beach towards them. "Cute little guy you've got there! Has he been with you long?"

"Feraligatrade isn't bad," Zac said appraisingly. It was a straight shot sports drink, not a direct competitor, and to be honest he enjoyed their Blue flavor. "A Whiscash, ay? Those are beautiful, powerful Pokemon. Love em to bits. You know, if I wasn't born right in the heart of volcano country I reckon I would have been a water trainer. I've always enjoyed the way the ocean lets creatures grow so big." 

Mantyke took to the air, and Zac hooted in delight. "Yeah! Let's jump into it then!" He felt his blood rise as the battle started. Dugtrio flicked his hair once before dipping under the sands. Zac followed the sandy bulge through the sands as it circled the beach. "A classic ground Pokemon hunting technique is to wait until their opponent lands and then surprise 'em with a strike from below." Zac looked up at the Mantyke, which was easily flapping through the air. "But that may not work in this case." 

Dugtrio quickly reached the same conclusion, and popped back out. Frustrated, Fabrizio swirled his three heads like they were thick, clay wands, and each of its heads of golden blonde hair launched a startling elemental attack.

The left head, with its fiery bob-cut, set forth a ball of flame, formed from the heat of the sand, the sun, and its hot Alolan blood. The middle head, ever the cool and calculating type, tracked Mantyke's movements before he shot a sparkling lance of ice, aiming straight for the heart. The right head, the prankster of the family, bobbed around energetically before shaking its fibrous hairs and generating a bolt a static the burst in the air like sparking fireworks. 

-Dugtrio used Tri-attack!

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"That's a great story!" Zac said, his heart warming at the age-old tale of man falling in love with a fish. "My first Pokemon was Zappa. A Heliolisk. Mum found him in the back yard one day and she made the mistake of feeding him. That was bloody eighteen years ago. The little guy was a scaly brother to me growing up."

Mantyke's attack shook the air with rings of shimmering water. They broke on Dugtrio like a wet chair, and the blonde triplets spun around, confused, their gorgeous hair sticking to their tanned faces and getting in their eyes. In confusion they Dug underground, tunneling through the soaked sand before popping up closer to the waves. "Back this way!" Zac called encouragingly. 

-Mantyke's Water Pulse hit Dugtio!
-Dugtrio is confused!
-Dugtrio used Dig!

Zac sent out Zappa the Heliolisk. The gym leader always had his favorite lizard on hand. "Ain't he just adorable?" Zac asked, scritching the scales on Zappa's neck. "He used to be a lot smaller though. But I think mum would have kept him even if he was already grown. I grew up in Lavaridge. Lots of reptiles around there. Zappa probably wandered in from the desert to grab some nicer food. Ain't that right mate?" Zappa made a loud chirp of agreement.

Meanwhile, Dugtrio was still trying to get back to the battle. The two trainers (and Zappa) shouted their encouragement, with Zac making exaggerated hand motions to try and direct his confused Pokemon. The trio dug down a few more times, first popping up near Zac. Then over in the dunes, then right underneath the healing Mantyke! "Right there mate! It's right above you!" 

Dugtrio was as surprised at the success as Zac was, and let our a exclamatory squeak! Hopefully the sudden reappearance of Dugtrio would ASTONISH Mantyke.

-Dugtrio used ASTONISH!

The ASTONISH didn't have any effect on Mantyke, but the prolonged healing gave Dugtrio time to snap out of confusion. It shook its heads of long, glorious blonde hair, whirled the sandy locks, and sent another trio of elemental blasts at the floating opponent. TRI-ATTACK!

"The hiking is great around Mt. Chimney, isn't it? Plenty of Dugtrio up on the mountains. These little guys were a gift from a friend, though. Not sure where she got them...Probably wasn't Alola. Have you ever been?"

-Dugtrio used TRI-ATTACK