Last Time, Ash, and the Gang meet Steven, and Ash, and Stoffin have a battle, but in this battle Oshawott loses his Scalchop causing him to get super sad, so Ash, and the gang's mons help him out, but nothing works, Oshawott decides to go live without it, and trains up Aqua Jet, he and Snivy have a little talk, and Oshawott masters Aqua Jet, he also finds his missing scalchop, nice.
Ash, and the Gang were still heading towards Nimbassa City, Stepoon left not too long ago.
"Alright guys, we're almost there, just a few more hours of walking, and I mean hours" Cilan said.
"Why is it taking so long!? Like we only took a day or two to get from Nacrene to Castelia, why is it taking a week!" Ash said.
"I think it was two weeks" Iris said.
"Well at least a lot of interesting things have been happening, although it is still getting tiring" Cilan said.
"Why don't we take a break?" Ash asked.
"Alright then, after this we can finally reach Nimbassa City, finally" Cilan said.
"I guess we can just take a break, and relax, we've been walking for too long" Iris sat down on the grass, while Axew, Rufflet, and Emolga were playing, Snivy was watching, Oshawott was also watching, a little too intensely, and Sandile was napping, Excadrill was doing something else.
'Hey Excadrill wanna come, and play with us?' Axew asked.
'Nah' Excadrill said.
'Why not? You never wanna do anything with us' Rufflet said.
'Yeah, like what are you doing just walking around, and stuff' Emolga said.
'None of your business' Excadrill then walked off.
'Weirdo, come on, who wants to play tag?'
'Me!'
Excadrill walked, and walked, far away, why? Well, no one quite knows why, well everyone except for Excadrill of course, he was learning how to use Focus Blast, but at last he could never seem to do it, oh well, maybe next time.
"Hey Iris, I've been wondering, why does Excadrill keep going away from everything we do?" Ash asked Iris.
"I don't really know" Iris said. "Although I'm pretty sure it has something to do with me"
"And what about it?" Ash asked.
"It's a long story" Iris said.
"Don't worry I'll listen to it"
"Well alright, well you see long ago-"
*flashback*
"Hey that's mean you shouldn't do that" A young Iris scolded a Drilbur.
'Oh yeah why?'
'Because we need to live somewhere!' A Patrat said.
'Well I do too, and I'm not moving'
"Fine how about this, if I beat you, you have to leave"
'You know what fine, let's do this'
Iris, and the Drillbur battled, but Iris always lost, but every day she would battle the Drillbur again, and again, and again, eventually she beat the Drillbur, and sent him into some vines, in his struggle Drillbur broke free of the vines, but was sent hurdling off a cliff.
"Oh no!" Iris with her quick thinking swung across with another vine, catching Drillbur midair.
*flashback end*
"So that's how you two met" Ash said.
"Yep, it was a wild ride, but I did it, and soon after we became friends, and then-"
*flashback*
"Alright Excadrill, use Drill Run!" Excadrill Drill Ran his opponent Druddigon, knocking it out.
"Druddigon is unable to battle, Iris wins the battle, and the Village of Dragon Battle Competition" The referee said.
"Excadrill we did it!"
'Yeah, we did!'
"Iris I must say I am impressed" A white haired man said.
"Drayden"
"You must've had an amazing teacher"
"Uh, I don't have a teacher"
"Why that's even more impressive, I would be honored to do battle with you"
"Um, I accept!"
*flashback end*
"Whoa you battled against Drayden, I never even heard of Drayden, and I'm still impressed"
"Yeah, although we lost, Excadrill took a Rock Blast to the face, and ever since then, he almost never talks to me"
"You know maybe you should go talk to him, I'm gonna-"
"Doh what!?" A voice then rang out.
"Huh? What was that?" Ash asked.
"The sun's setting, that means we have to spend one more night here, in the woods, Ah" Cilan then fainted.
'Well, guess we're sleeping outside' Pikachu said.
"Oh well, good luck Iris"
Excadrill then returned, and curled up, Iris decides to sleep with him.
"Hey Excadrill, Look I know we don't talk much nowadays, and I think I know why, remember a few years back, when we battled Drayden"
*flashback*
"Um I accept!"
'What! Is she crazy, I can't beat Drayden, especially now, I'm too tired'
"Excadrill Drill Run!"
'Huff puff, I can't, too tired'
"Haxorus Rock Blast!" Excadrill got hit in the face with Rock Blast, and was knocked out.
'Does she even care, I said I was tired, I couldn't fight anymore, if she doesn't care, then why should I?'
*flashback end*
"I'm sorry Excadrill, I didn't respect your feelings, I never should've fought Drayden when you were so tired, I just hope we can be friends again"
At this Excadrill began to cry, realizing that he probably shouldn't have been so cold in the first place, Iris then went to sleep, and while she was Excadrill left to go train up Focus Blast, but Iris wasn't quite asleep just yet.
"Now it's time to find out where you've been going all this time" Iris got up, and followed Excadrill, he walked far away, and finally he stopped, he held his claws together, and a ball of energy formed between them, but before he could release it, the ball deformed, and blew up in his face.
*sigh* 'I can't get this right' Excadrill then started walking back but-
"Excadrill!"
'Iris?'
"Don't go, I saw you try to learn Focus Blast"
'Well yeah I guess'
"Well I wanna help you!" Iris said, Excadrill just looked at her, but after some time he said.
'Okay' Iris, and Excadrill trained all night, and eventually Excadrill did it, he fired a Focus Blast, and it hit down a tree.
"Excadrill you did it! You learned Focus Blast!"
'Yeah I guess I did' Excadrill hadn't felt joy in so long, and now he did, he, and Iris walked back to camp to tell everyone about it.
"Wow that's great Iris" Ash said. "It's good that you two are friends again"
"And Excadrill learning Focus Blast was like a delicious cherry on top" Cilan said.
"Yeah, it was" Iris said.
"Well, it's a new day, so what are we waiting for Nimbassa City here we come!" Ash, and the Gang then left for Nimbassa City, but not alone.
"See you soon Ash Ketchum"