Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

AN: We're at twenty chapters! Please keep reviewing.

Chapter Twenty

The sun shone brightly as Ash and co. entered Driftveil City. After checking into the Pokémon Center and exchanging pokémon, the group made their way to the gym. Ash was feeling ready to battle Clay for his second to last coin. Knowing that Clay was a ground type user, Ash built a team accordingly. Clay greeted the group as they entered the gym. He and Ash went to the field while Brock and Gallade went to sit in the stands.

The referee stepped up. "This will be a three on three battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and the leader Clay of Driftveil Gym. The battle will end when one side is out of usable pokémon. There will be no substitutions. Battle begin!"

"Go, Seismitoad!"

"I choose you, Sceptile!"

A giant blue frog like pokémon appeared on Clay's side of the field. On Ash's side of the field, a green gecko like pokémon appeared.

"Well, young 'un. It seems yer pokémon has the type advantage. It won't matters though. Ice punch!"

"Dodge Sceptile!" Ash's pokémon used its superior speed to dodge out of the way. "Now, counter with leaf blade!" Sceptile ran up behind Seismitoad and cut his back with a glowing arm. Seismitoad howled in pain before turning and jabbing another ice punch at Sceptile. Not expecting a counter attack, Sceptile took the full force of the super effective attack.

"How did your Seismitoad attack without a command?" Ash exclaimed.

"My pokémon keep using the same attack until they get a hit. Ice punch again!"

"Push it back with bullet seed." Ash called back, weary of getting to close to the frog like pokémon.

Sceptile released grass energy from its mouth and aimed at the approaching Seismitoad. The first few shots stopped the giant frog, and the last two shots repelled it back to Clay's side of the field.

"Alright! End this with another leaf blade!"

Sceptile rushed towards Seismitoad and slammed into it with his leafs glowing. The strength of the attack pushed Seismitoad back and caused the frog to collapse with swirls in its eyes.

"Seismitoad is unable to battle! The winner is Sceptile!"

"Good job young 'un. Let's see yer pokémon handle Excadrill!" Clay recalled his fallen Seismitoad and sent out his powerful Excadrill.

"Be on your toes, Sceptile! This is a powerful pokémon." Ash warned his pokémon.

"It's about to become more powerful! Swords dance!" Excadrill spun around for a while and started to glow.

Not good! Ash thought to himself. Swords dance raises Excadrill's attack, which is already pretty high. I need to end this as soon as possible.

"Not so fast young 'un. Sandstorm!" Excadrill unleashed a sandstorm that covered the entire field. "Thanks to Sand Force, Excadrill's attack doubles! Now, use iron head!"

Really not good! That's quadruple attack. "Dodge!"

Unfortunately for Ash, Sceptile was tired from the ice punches and was partially hit by Excadrill. The attack, however, was enough to knock out Sceptile.

"Sceptile is unable to battle! The winner is Excadrill!"

"Return Sceptile! You did great!" Ash remarked as he looked at his pokéball before replacing it on his belt. "Gallade, I choose you!" The blade pokémon ran onto the field from its place in the stands. "Now use drain punch!"

Gallade's fist glowed as it charged at Excadrill. The attack connected, but Excadrill seemed unfazed.

"Yer gonna have to do better than that!" Clay remarked. "Shadow claw!"

"Dodge Gallade!" If a super effective attack like that hits Gallade, with Excadrill's boosted attack, Gallade will be finished! I'm going to have to keep Gallade away from that Excadrill. "Don't let Excadrill hit you!"

The blade pokémon kept dodging all the attacks coming from Excadrill. Unfortunately for Ash, the sandstorm was slowly draining Gallade's health.

"Drain punch!" Ash called out, hoping that the attack would heal Gallade. The punch connected, and Gallade was looking better.

"Earthquake!" Clay suddenly called out.

"Do it Gallade!"

The entire gym shook as Excadrill stomped his foot. Pikachu nearly fell off of Ash's shoulder. Ash started to shake, but Clay stood steadfast. When the earthquake subsided, Gallade collapsed to the ground. However, Excadrill also collapsed.

"Both Excadrill and Gallade are unable to battle! Both trainers are down to their final pokémon."

"What?!" Clay sputtered out.

"I had Gallade use destiny bond. Since he was knocked out, he also took out Excadrill."

"That was a good strategy young 'un. But it won't help you. Go Krookodile!"

"You did great Gallade. Return!" Ash pocketed the pokéball and took out his final one. "I choose you, Leavanny!"

Hmm. Brock thought. Ash's pokémon has a double type advantage. Both bug type moves and grass type moves will have an advantage over Krookodile. It looks as though has this battle won.

"Razor leaf!" Ash called out.

"Dodge and then attack with aerial ace!"

No! Ash thought. A flying type move deals quadruple damage to Leavanny.

"Defend yourself with string shot!"

Krookodile jumped up and avoided all of the leaves. As he was coming in to attack Leavanny, Leavanny sent out sticky webs that significantly slowed down Krookodile. This allowed Leavanny to dodge the attack. Eventually, Krookodile landed on the ground, but parts of his body were stuck together due to the bug type attack.

"Now use string shot and immobilize him!" Leavanny fired more string at Krookodile and encased the croc pokémon. "End this with leaf blade!"

"Fire fang!"

Just as Leavanny was about to hit Krookodile, all of the string was set aflame. Leavanny ended up getting hit by some of the flames as its arm connected with Krookodile. Both pokémon were now injured, and it looked as though the next attack would end the battle.

"Razor leaf and follow Krookodile!"

"Aerial ace!"

Krookodile jumped again, but this time, the leaves followed him. As Krookodile took aim at Leavanny, more and more leaves slammed into the Intimidation pokémon. Unfortunately for Clay, Krookodile collapsed before he was able to hit Leavanny. All of the leaves had taken out Krookodile before he could connect to Leavanny.

"Krookodile is unable to battle! The winner is Leavanny! That means that the winner of this battle is Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

After both trainers recalled their pokémon, Ash and Clay approached each other on the field. Before long, Brock joined them.

"Congrats Ash. Here's yer coin." In Clay's palm lay a light brown coin that Ash picked up. After posing with the coin, Ash and Brock left the gym. The duo went to the pokémon center so that Ash's pokémon could get healed. They then spent the night in Driftveil before departing for Iciruss City.

-Line Break-

The Commissioner sat at his desk and composed an email:

Hello Champions,

We will have a final meeting before the Cup next Monday. We will go over tournament security and the format of the Cup. Please make it a point to come.

Thank you,

Gowly

That should do it. Gowly thought to himself. Soon the tournament will start and I'll be one step closer to completing my plan.