"Ahh! It hurts!" Cassie cried out.
Ash jumped awake startled at the outcry, rushing to his sister's side.
"Cassie, what is it, where does it hurt?" Ash asked.
"Everywhere." Cassie groaned.
"Is it, is it like before?" Ash asked worriedly.
"I'm not sure, it just really hurts." Cassie said.
"Hold on, I think I have some of the stuff mom used to give you for it." Ash said rummaging through his bag. "Here, I'll get a glass of water."
A few minutes later
"Here you go, just try and lay back down and relax I'll be right here." Ash said.
"But your gym battle." Cassie tried to argue.
"You're more important than a gym battle, besides it's still really early, we'll see how you feel in a few hours." Ash said.
A few hours later
Cassie had fallen back asleep, she didn't seem to have a fever, and was resting peacefully.
"Pika?" Pikachu said looking at Ash.
"I know we were going to have a gym battle today, but I'm just not sure." Ash said.
"It's okay, I'll be fine." Cassie said sleepily. "Go, I'll cheer for you from here."
"Are you sure?" Ash asked.
"Yeah, it doesn't hurt as much right now, go on win for both of us." Cassie said.
"Okay, I'll have Nurse Joy check up on you in a bit." Ash said.
At the main area of the Pokemon Center
"Okay room 18, my shift is almost up but I'll make sure the next shift checks up on her, don't worry your sister will be just fine." Nurse Joy said with a smile.
"Thank you again Nurse Joy." Ash said.
"Not a problem, and good luck today." Nurse Joy said cheerfully.
At the Celadon Gym
"Hello, and welcome to the Celadon Gym. How can I help you today?" The receptionist asked.
"I'm here for a gym battle." Ash said confidently.
"Very well, please head through that door over there." The receptionist said.
Ash entered a flower filled arena, full of life.
"Hello? I'm here to challenge the gym leader." Ash said to the empty stadium.
"Oh sorry, I must have dozed off, I'm Erika the Celadon City Gym Leader." Erika said. "Oh I remember you, you're Ashton, I visited your sister last year, Cassidy, how is she?"
"Cassie is okay, she's resting for today though." Ash said.
"I'm glad to hear she's doing better." Erika said. "As for your gym battle, how many badges do you have right now?"
"This will be my fourth badge." Ash said.
"Okay, then we will have a three on three match." Erika said, grabbing a Pokeball out of her kimono.
"Alright Jigglypuff, come on out!"
"Tangela I choose you!"
Jigglypuff entered the battlefield with a vigor, ready to fight for her team.
"Jigglypuff use Pound!"
"Tangela use Bind!"
Jigglypuff charged forward at Tangela only for the grass types vines to ensnare her and lift her off of the ground.
"Jigglypuff use Disable!"
"Tangela use Slam!"
Tangela slammed it's vines onto the ground with Jigglypuff in them, before retracting it's vines.
"Jigglypuff use Sing!"
"Tangela use Sleep Powder!"
Tangela sent out a green powder covering Jigglypuff as a lullaby put it to sleep.
"Come on Jigglypuff wake up!"
"Tangela use Bind."
Both Pokemon remained motionless and except for their breathing.
"Jigglypuff get up and use Pound!"
"Tangela use Mega Drain!"
Tangela's vines began stirring as it started to wake up while Jigglypuff remained peacefully asleep.
"Jigglypuff return, come out Oddish!"
Oddish took the Mega Drain head on mostly unfazed by the attack.
"Oddish use Acid!"
"Tangela use Bind."
Oddish launched an acid attack from his broken blade, splattering onto Tangela's oncoming vines. The attack however did little to slow the vines progress as Oddish was soon trapped in them.
"Oddish use Acid!"
"Tangela use Slam."
Tangela leapt into the air with Oddish positioned beneath it, rocketing towards the ground onto Oddish's prone body.
"Oddish!" Ash exclaimed, seeing his Pokemon walk out from the dust cloud somewhat dazed.
"Tangela use Bind."
"Oddish dodge it!"
Oddish was still turned around as the vines from Tangela ensnared it again, holding the small grass type in the air.
"Now Tangela use Slam."
Tangela launched forward into Oddish, sending the smaller Pokémon crashing into a wall.
"Oddish is unable to battle, the winner is Tangela." One of the gym girls announced.
"Oddish come back." Ash said. "Take a long rest you two, we'll get better." Ash said to his Pokeballs. "Okay Pikachu, you're up!"
"Tangela use Bind."
"Pikachu dodge it with Quick Attack!"
Pikachu easily outsped the vines coming towards him as he raced around the arena looking for an opening.
"Now use Thunderbolt!"
"Tangela use Mega Drain."
Pikachu stopped to attack, launching a Thunderbolt directly at the grass type, doing little to no damage as he was drained of some energy.
"Pikachu switch to Thunder Wave!"
"Tangela use Bind."
A spiral of sparks shot out at the oncoming vines, making them go limp as it reached Tangela, who seemed to collapse beneath the vines.
"Now Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Tangela use Sleep Powder."
Between the Paralysis and Pikachu's speed, Tangela was unable to launch its attack before it was launched similarly to Oddish.
"Pikachu finish it with Thunderbolt!"
A bolt of electricity launched at the airborne Tangela, sending its crispy body to the ground.
"Tangela is unable to battle, the winner is Pikachu." The gym girl said.
"Pi. Pi. Pi." Pikachu panted, while he hadn't been hurt, it was exhausting running around like that.
"Tangela return, come out Weepinbell." Erika said.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Weepinbell use Acid!"
A blob of acid launched from Weepinbell's mouth towards Pikachu, splattering on impact, causing Pikachu to veer off course.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Weepinbell use Razor Leaf!"
A series of leaves shot out at Pikachu, slicing him from the left and right as he was unable to build up enough electricity to retaliate.
"Weepinbell use Slam!"
"Pikachu dodge it!"
Weepinbell leapt into the air, before coming crashing down onto Pikachu with a resounding thud!
"Pikachu is unable to battle, the winner is Weepinbell." The gym girl said.
"Ash, are you okay?" Erika asked, seeing the boy shaking, before he bolted out of the gym.
Ash didn't stop running until he was back at the Pokemon Center, handing over his Pokémon to the working Nurse Joy without a word. Even with all that training, and even impressing Kazor with it, it still wasn't enough.