"I have to catch another pokemon," Kenya said.
"Maybe you can find one on Route 6," Bianca suggested. We'd just arrived in Driftveil city.
I noticed the gym immediately and started making my way to it.
"I'm gonna fight the gym," I said.
"I'm coming with," Kenya said. We headed to the gym.
Cheren was already battling Clay inside.
"Razor shell!" Dewott charged across the battlefield, slashing at Krokorok.
Krokorok backed up, taking the hits.
"Keep up the pressure! Water pulse!" The blast of water knocked Krokorok back. Dewott growled proudly.
"Get up!" Clay ordered. Krokorok stumbled back, falling over. "I said get up!"
"Another razor shell!" Cheren yelled. Dewott lunged forward, raising its shell.
"Payback!" Krokorok spun, whipping its tail at Dewott's feet. Dewott tripped. "Dig!" Krokorok burrowed underground.
Dewott picked up its shell, looking around. Cheren scowled.
"They're really going at it," Kenya said.
"You can do it!" Bianca yelled. Cheren looked over at us. Bianca and I waved at him.
"Now!" Clay shouted.
"Jump!" Cheren spun back towards the battlefield.
Dewott hopped, the ground under its feet erupting. Krokorok lunged out after it. "Water pulse!" The blast knocked Krokorok out.
Dewott landed by the hole, panting. Clay returned Krokorok.
"How many pokemon do ya have left?" Clay asked.
"Dewott," Cheren said. "My last one." Clay sent out an Excadrill.
"You think your Dewott can handle this?" The Excadrill growled. Dewott brandished its shells.
"Looks like she's not backing down," Cheren smirked. Clay adjusted his hat and crossed his arms.
"Excadrill, use hone claws." Excadrill rubbed its claws against each other. "Dig!" Excadrill hopped and burrowed into the ground.
"Heads up!" Cheren yelled. "Get ready to jump!" Dewott looked back and forth anxiously.
"That won't work again," Clay said. The ground split under Dewott; it jumped. "Rock slide!"
A volley of rocks and stones flew out of the ground; Dewott attempted to deflect them with its shells but took the brunt of the damage.
"Water pulse!" Excadrill was too fast, lunging out of the hole and evading the blast.
Dewott landed on its side.
"Can you keep going?" Cheren asked. Dewott winced, struggling to get up. It glared at Excadrill. Excadrill sneered back.
"Your Dewott doesn't know when to give up," Clay said. Cheren set his jaw. He was trembling.
"Oh no," Bianca covered her mouth.
"Excadrill, drill run."
"It's done!" Cheren shouted. He returned Dewott.
He turned away from Clay and walked towards us. He pushed past Bianca before leaving the gym.
Clay returned Excadrill with a sigh. Bianca glanced between me and the door.
"Um. I'll be back!" She ran outside, Audino rushing behind her. I shared a look with Kenya before approaching Clay.
"Let me heal my pokemon, and I'll be right up to battle ya," Clay said as he walked over to a desk.
"No problem," I said.
"That boy a friend of yours?" He asked.
"Yeah." He shook his head.
"Third time today. He's got strong pokemon."
"Apparently not strong enough," Kenya muttered. I elbowed her. I wondered if Cheren was aware of the Nimbasa tournament. Clay finished healing his pokemon.
"Which one of yous goin first?"
"Me." I took my place on the battlefield. He sent out a Palpitoad.
I sent out Pansage.
"Go on." Clay nodded at me.
"Vine whip!" Pansage slashed at Palpitoad. Palpitoad grunted, getting pushed back.
"Sludge bomb!"
Palpitoad spat a blob of poison at Pansage. Pansage jumped out of the way and rolled across the floor.
Scary.
"We got this."
Clay cocked his head.
"Fire again!"
"Fury swipes!" Unfortunately Pansage had no long-range attacks. We had to get close. Pansage easily dodged the poison and rushed in.
"Bulldoze!"
The floor cracked under Pansage. Pieces jutted up, slamming into it. Pansage cried out, getting knocked into the air.
"Sludge bomb!"
The poison connected, knocking Pansage out.
I returned Pansage and considered my next move. I sent out Pidove.
Pidove chirped and took flight. Clay thought for a moment.
"Hydro Pump!"
Palpitoad fired a blast of water. Pidove swerved around it, diving towards Palpitoad.
"Quick attack!" Pidove slammed into Palpitoad, knocking it off its feet.
"Gust!" Pidove flew in circles, whipping up a strong wind around Palpitoad. The winds held it down.
Clay cursed, shouting orders.
"Finish it! Air cutter!" Pidove spun, launching several wind blades at Palpitoad. The blades met their mark, knocking Palpitoad out.
Pidove landed in front of me and puffed out its chest.
"Impressive," Clay admitted. He returned Palpitoad. "That's a tough Pidove you've got there."
"I've been told." Pidove danced in a little circle, chirping.
"That Pidove is crazy!" Kenya called out. "It's so strong!"
Clay sent out Excadrill.
"Going straight for the big guns?" I asked. Clay smiled.
"Hone claws."
"Quick attack!"
Pidove took off, a speedy missile flying towards Excadrill.
Pidove slammed into Excadrill, pushing it back.
"Crush Claw!" Excadrill grabbed Pidove and slammed it into the floor.
"Pidove!" Excadrill tossed Pidove aside. Pidove rolled across the floor with weak chitters. It slowly got up, spreading out its wings.
Excadrill growled.
"I'm honestly surprised it didn't go down," Clay said.
I nearly returned Pidove. The Pokeball was in my trembling hand. The sight of Pidove standing there, battered had thrown me off.
Clay cocked his head at me.
"You alright, kid?"
"Yeah."
"Can your Pidove keep going?"
I'm gonna take that thing down!
Pidove wasn't wavering. I set my jaw and put up Pidove's Pokeball.
"Dig!" Excadrill hopped, drilling into the ground. Dig by itself wouldn't affect Pidove.
I recalled Krokorok's dig and rock slide combo in Cheren's battle. Hone claws, dig, drill run, and crush claw. He only had one move to really attack Pidove with.
"Pidove, fly!"
Pidove took off, flying towards the ceiling. Clay watched Pidove closely.
Pidove wasn't flying properly. One of its wings was hurt.
I can't maintain this.
I met Clay's sneer. All he had to do was wait.
Pidove slowly started to descend. It flapped its wings desperately. Pidove was a foot off the ground.
"Crush Claw!"
The ground cracked.
"Gust!"
Excadrill erupted from the ground.
Pidove spun, whipping up a strong wind around itself. The wind pushed Pidove higher and pressed Excadrill into its own tunnel.
"Air cutter!" Pidove formed blades out of the air and hurled them at Excadrill. The tunnel was cut up, but Excadrill was gone. The force threw Pidove against the wall.
Pidove hovered, keeping up the gust. I looked around, inspecting the ground.
"Crush Claw!"
The wall behind Pidove exploded. Excadrill came flying out, grabbing Pidove out of the air.
Pidove screeched. Excadrill clutched it tightly and hurled it towards the floor.
Pidove hit the floor hard. The initial grab had knocked it out.
I ran over to Pidove and picked it up. Excadrill landed nearby, standing proudly. I returned Pidove with a sigh.
"Anymore pokemon?" Clay asked.
I considered my options.
Pignite was really the only choice.
Tirtuoga had the advantage of water, but I doubt it could take a drill run. Munna could potentially put Excadrill to sleep but had no way to attack afterward.
I returned to my place and sent out Pignite. Excadrill brandished its claws.
"Make your move, kid."
"Flame Charge!" Pignite engulfed itself in flames and charged at Excadrill. Excadrill dug into the ground.
"Quick, Drill run!"
Excadrill erupted from the ground under Pignite, slamming into Pignite. Pignite was thrown aside, rumbling across the floor. Excadrill charged again.
"Crush Claw!" Pignite rolled out of the way.
"Ember!"
Pignite kept moving, spitting flames at Excadrill. Excadrill hissed, brushing the flames off.
"Flame charge again!" Pignite lunged, pushing Excadrill against the wall. The wall cracked behind it.
"Drill run!"
Excadrill spun into a drill, pressing Pignite back. For a moment, they held each other still. Then Excadrill sped up, hurling Pignite across the battlefield.
Pignite landed near Kenya.
"You alright?" Kenya knelt by Pignite. It was knocked out. I walked over and returned Pignite.
"I'm done," I admitted. Clay returned Excadrill.
"My turn!" Kenya jumped up. Clay groaned.
"I'll pass."
"What?"
"I don't feel like battling you." Clay waved her off. Kenya scowled.
"You've got to be joking!" She shouted.
"Get out, the both of you."
Kenya was steaming.
We left the gym. I noticed Cheren and Bianca on a bench nearby. Audino was pacing behind the bench.
"You battled him?" Cheren asked.
"Yeah. I lost." He got up.
"Pokemon center." He walked off. The three of us followed him to the pokemon center.
I noticed a few team plasma members standing outside. We went inside and got our pokemon healed. Once they were healed, Cheren led me to the outside battlefield.
"Do you want to battle?" I crossed my arms. Kenya caught up with us. Bianca was getting her egg checked out inside.
"Are you guys gonna battle?" Kenya asked. Cheren took his place on the field.
"Cheren," I hesitantly walked onto the field. "You could at least talk to me." He sent out an Archen.
"Come on already." His Archen looked nervously up at him. I sent out Tirtuoga. "Quick attack!" Archen lunged at Tirtuoga.
"Take it," I said. Tirtuoga braced itself, taking the hit. Archen backed off, unsure what to do.
"Again!" Cheren yelled.
"What are you trying to accomplish like that?" I asked. "Just switch to another pokemon."
Cheren paused for a moment and returned Archen. Then, he sent out a Zebstrika.
"Thunderbolt!" The bolt of lightning knocked Tirtuoga out instantly.
I silently returned it. My mind was spinning. Something wasn't right. I looked over at Kenya, and she shrugged her shoulders.
"Hurry up!" Cheren yelled. I sent out Pansage.
"Vine whip!" Pansage attacked with vines. Zebstrika shrugged them off.
"Flame charge!" Zebstrika erupted in flames, rushing at Pansage.
"Get out of the way!" Pansage somersaulted out of Zebstrika's path. "Keep your distance, vine whip!" Pansage hopped around whipping at Zebstrika. Zebstrika's flames dissolved the vines.
"Keep up the attack!" Cheren ordered. "Chase it down!" Pansage was more agile than Zebstrika. It was close, but Pansage managed to keep out of its path. Zebstrika was getting faster with each charge, though.
I really didn't have an answer for Zebstrika. Pignite was the best bet. I returned Pansage.
"Hey!" Kenya yelled. She collapsed. A Musharna was floating over her. Zebstrika looked over. The Musharna glowed.
. My head grew warm, and my muscles grew weak. I collapsed.