Cheren hated to lose. He always had.
"You have to be on top!" Cheren's dad demanded.
He pointed at Cheren from across the dinner table.
"You have to stand out! Make people respect you!" Cheren stared at his plate.
His mom tapped her finger against the table.
"Isn't it enough for one night?" She asked. "You're giving me a headache." Cheren's dad only yelled louder.
"What do you want?"
"To be champion," Cheren said quietly.
"Speak up, boy!" Cheren's dad slammed his fist onto the table. "What do you want?"
"To be champion!" Cheren matched his father's volume.
Cheren's dad wanted Cheren to succeed where he'd failed. He'd spent a few years as a member of the Elite Four.
He never managed to beat Alder. Cheren wondered if that fact would haunt him for the rest of his life. His father's face darkened. Cheren watched him slowly shrink in his chair.
"Oh dear, eat your food," Cheren's mom said.
Cheren watched his dad start to eat. His eyes are empty. The dead look on his face is burned into Cheren's memory.
He'd often imagine himself with that face.
The face of utter failure.
The thought terrified him.
When he received Oshawott he made a choice.
He would become the champion.
He would defeat the gym leaders, the Elite Four, and Alder.
It wasn't a dream. It wasn't a goal.
He'd decided that it was fact, an inevitability.
He took his place on the battlefield.
Nathan was on the other side, arms crossed. Alder was speaking a lot more than normal. His words were muted.
Cheren could hardly make them out over his heartbeat. Nathan sent out his three pokemon, Cheren did the same. Alder gave the order.
"Please, begin."
"Discharge, both of you!" Klingklang and Stunfisk glowed, a wave of electricity spread across the battlefield.
As instantaneously as it appeared, it condensed around Zebstrika. Zebstrika absorbed the electricity into its body.
Nathan scowled. He ordered Sawk to attack.
Dewott met Sawks advance.
Klingklang fired several bolts of electricity at Archeops.
Archeops swooped and dove, avoiding Klingklang's attacks. As they shoot by, they turn and are absorbed by Zebstrika.
Dewott overwhelmed Sawk with shell strikes. It followed up with an aqua jet, blowing Sawk off its feet.
Klingklang fired a zap cannon at Dewott. Dewott easily evaded, engaging Sawk again. The electricity is absorbed by Zebstrika.
"Rock Tomb!" Archeops hurled a volley of rocks and stones at Klingklang. Klingklang shrugged the hits off and fired a zap cannon at Archeops.
Archeops spun around it. Zebstrika absorbed it.
"Sawk, close combat!" Sawk rushed Dewott. Dewott took the hits, managing to get a strike through. The hit threw Sawk off.
"Take it out!" Cheren shouted. Dewott slashed Sawk again and again with its shells. Sawk collapsed.
A mud projectile flew past Dewott, hitting Zebstrika. Zebstrika whinnied and stumbled.
Cheren located the source, Stunfisk. Nathan returned Sawk.
"The first pokemon has gone down," Alder said.
"Archeops, dragon claw!" Archeops swooped, targeting Stunfisk.
Klingklang fired a zap cannon at the last second, hitting Archeops just before it reached Stunfisk.
Archeops hit the ground.
Stunfisk used discharge, electrocuting Archeops. The zap cannon had paralyzed Archeops. Dewott jumped back, getting out of range.
Cheren balled his fists.
"Better step it up!" Nathan shouted. He met Cheren's eyes. "If the target is close, Zebstrika cant absorb the electricity before the damage is done!"
Stunfisk used discharge again.
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Cheren's dad was crying. He was in his living room chair.
Cheren had wandered out in the middle of the night.
The room was dimly lit by a small lamp.
He heard his father's rough breaths. He crept closer to the chair. His father whimpered. Cheren froze, listening.
His father continued to weep for a few minutes. Cheren flinched when he suddenly rose from the chair. He instantly spotted Cheren behind the chair.
"Oh, Cheren." His father rounded the chair and approached Cheren. "I never wanted you to see me like this." He knelt next to Cheren. His face was shadowed by the lamplight.
"Dad?" Cheren spoke up.
"I wasted my life," he said simply. He shifted, his face suddenly illuminated. "I spent so much time trying to prove myself; ended up being worthless."
"You're not worthless," Cheren said. Cheren's dad smiles. Tears filled his eyes.
Cheren reached out, touching his father's hand.
"I'm going to do it, dad." He held up Oshawott's Pokeball. His dad eyed it. "I'll beat Alder."
He paused
"I'm going to win."
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"Zebstrika!" Cheren yelled. "Flame charge!" Zebstrika erupted into flames. Zebstrika crossed the battlefield.
Klingklang fired a flash cannon, Zebstrika shrugged it off.
"Stunfisk! Stop that Zebstrika!" Stunfisk fired several mud projectiles at Zebstrika.
Zebstrika avoided the first but took the rest head-on. Zebstrika fell and rolled.
Klingklang hit Zebstrika with another Flash cannon, finishing it off.
Nathan grinned as Cheren returned Zebstrika.
Cheren realized the severity of the situation a moment late.
"Discharge, now!"
"Archeops! Protect Dewott!" Archeops managed to move, using rock tomb.
Dewott was buried under a wave of stones. Stunfisk and Klingklang glowed. The arena is filled with electricity. Cheren shielded his eyes.
"Have Cheren's pokemon been knocked out?" Alder asked.
The light slowly faded. Archeops was knocked out.
"It seems Nathan has—"
Dewott erupted from the pile of rocks. It burst into a missile of water and slammed into Stunfisk. Stunfisk recovered, crackling.
Dewott struck it repeatedly, knocking it out.
"Looks like two pokemon have been knocked out," Alder commented. Cheren returned Archeops. Nathan returned Stunfisk.
"Klingklang, Zap cannon." Klingklang fired at Dewott.
Dewott dove, using aqua jet. It crossed the battlefield, getting close. Too close.
"Keep your distance!" Cheren yelled. "Get back!"
"Discharge!" Instead of backing off, Dewott rushed forward.
Dewott grabbed Klingklang.
Klingklang crackled and released a pulse of electricity.
Cheren stared intently. The light faded.
Dewott was holding onto Klingklang. Nathan and Cheren stared.
Dewott twitched, tightening its grip.
"Dewott!" Cheren sputtered.
"Do it again!" Nathan yelled.
Dewott pulled hard. Klingklang crackled.
Dewott slammed Klingklang against the floor, the impact threw Klingklang off.
Dewott lifted it, electricity lacing its body. It brought Klingklang down into the ground again. Dewott growled, repeating the attack.
Nathan shouted, trying to get Klingklang to attack.
"Finish it off!" Cheren ordered. There was another flash. Dewott went limp, one arm dropping to its side.
Klingklang tried to pull free. Dewott's one arm held on tight.
"You can do it!" Dewott tugged weakly. Klingklang started crackling again.
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"One more time," Nathan said.
Cheren knelt in front of Dewott. The two of them were standing outside of the Driftveil gym.
"I don't get it!" Cheren grimaced.
Dewott stood silent, as Cheren threw a fit.
"Why can't I beat him!" He grabbed a fistful of dirt and hurled it.
Tears were in his puffy eyes.
"Why am I so worthless?" Dewott reached out, touching Cheren's hand.
Cheren stared into Dewott's black eyes. Dewott clutched Cheren's hand tightly, chirping at him.
"Yeah. I know." Cheren wiped his eyes. "I'm not worthless."
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Dewott grabbed a shell with its free hand. Klingklang crackled.
"Finish it!" Nathan shouted.
Dewott struck, hard, driving the shell into Klingklang.
Klingklang spun, fizzling out.
Dewott moved in, striking harder and harder with its shell. The shell shattered with the last hit.
Klingklang hit the ground, unmoving.
Dewott stood tall, chest heaving. Nathan and Cheren stared. Alder was silent. Nathan returned Klingklang.
Dewott turned to Cheren. It gave what was left of its shell a sad look. Cheren smiled.
"Klingklang has been knocked out," Alder said. Dewott raised trembling arms. "Cheren is the winner!"