"Again?!"

Okay. So, the fifth gym was way harder than I thought. My Pokemon were severely underleveled, and none had the advantage against Ground-types, unless you count Amaura, but even then, she was also underleveled as hell. I lost the first attempt badly.

The second attempt was a little easier, since I switched up a few strategies but still lost by a long run. The first time was to his Steelix, the second to his Claydol.

So I had returned to Route 11 to train myself. It was nighttime by then, but the desert was still hot as hell and sand continued to blow everywhere.

Specifically, I trained Amaura up so she can take on Ryan's Ground-types defensively, while also searching through my phone (if RTD works, then so can phone reception) for an Ice-type move Amaura could learn.

Eventually Amaura got to the point where she learned Ice Beam, and evolved into Aurorus. The rest of the team also got buffed again. So, as a reward, I found a way to cook a hefty meal in the Pokemon Center. Well, the rooms for some reason were equipped with their own mini kitchen, despite there being a dining hall anyway. The meal was a Milcery-class(?) Mushroom-Medley Curry. Then, I decided to fish out the bell, waving it around and narrowly dodging Cinderace's kick.

I waited until morning to challenge Ryan again. For the third time. In a row.

I managed to dig my way down to the gym leader again (The back of the palace was the gym and it was literally just a digsite), where there was ample space for a battle. The dirt doesn't cave in somehow, and the lime marked the outline of the battlefield on the ground. Ryan looks at me as I dropped down again.

"So, you're back. This is your third time challenging me, right?" I nod, taking my place on the opposite end of the field. Ryan took out a Pokeball, which contained his first Pokemon, Quagsire. "Well, I'm not holding back, just like the last two times. Hope you're ready this time!" With that, he threw his Pokeball and sent out Quagsire.

"Okay, Umbreon!"

Umbreon appeared, facing against Quagsire. Quagsire stood there, awaiting Ryan's command.

"Quagsire, use Muddy Water!"

Brown water washed over the battlefield, drenching Umbreon and me in water. Quagsire then shot through the wall of water, sending an Ice Beam immediately.

Umbreon got pushed back, shaking his body to dry himself. "You okay, Umbreon?" The Pokemon nodded. "Okay, use Snarl!"

Umbreon did just that, the noise going in every direction, hitting Quagsire in the process and dealing damage.

"Now use Dark Pulse!"

A dark beam shot out of Umbreon's mouth, straight at Quagsire, who was clinging onto a dirt wall. Ryan thought quick, however, and countered Dark Pulse with Ice Beam. The two moves canceled out each other, but Quagsire jumped down onto the battlefield again.

"Umbreon, switch! Eevee, use Take Down!"

Umbreon was returned and Eevee was sent out in his stead, charging towards Quagsire.

"Dodge and use Slam!" Ryan yells, and Quagsire dodges the incoming Eevee, jumps up, and using the momentum from the ceiling, dropped onto the smaller Pokemon with every intent to squash her.

"Use Copycat! Slam Quagsire after you dodge it!"

Eevee dodges Quagsire's Slam, instead doing the exact thing the Water-Ground-type did, but Quagsire retaliated with Ice Beam, encasing Eevee in ice.

"Oh crap! Eevee, get outta there!" No use, Eevee was completely frozen.

"Use Bulldoze!"

Quagsire slammed its hands into the earth, causing an earthquake and flinging the ice block around the court. Eventually, when the earthquake stopped, Eevee was frozen upside-down.

"Eevee? Are you okay?" I yelled, when Quagsire was suddenly floating in the air, a thin purple surrounding it. The ice around Eevee cracked, then broke apart as the Normal-type slowly grew, the blue light covering her body as her ears grew wider, her tail became thinner and split into two at the end, and two large tufts of fur sprouted from her ears.

"Espeon!"

I checked if Espeon had any new moves, which she did, and it was Confusion and Psychic.

"Use Confusion!"

Espeon's red orb shone a bright light as purple waves washed over her opponent.

While Quagsire stood dazed, I commanded Espeon to use Psychic, which she immediately did.

"Quagsire, snap out of it! Use Bulldoze again!"

Before Quagsire could, though, Psychic got ahold of it and slammed it on the ground numerous times before the Water-Ground-type fainted.

"You've gotten better," Ryan said as he returned Quagsire. "Your bond between your Pokemon got stronger. Were you training last night?"

"Yeah, I found that we needed some training before challenging you again," I replied as I returned Espeon. "Cinderace, you're up!" I then exclaimed as me and Cinderace high-fived before the Fire-type jogged out onto the field.

"Using a Fire-type to cancel out my Steelix? It won't work with Ground-type coverage." Ryan said as he sent out Steelix.

"Oh, I'm not using Fire-type moves to attack," I replied. "Cinderace, use Flame Charge and circle around Steelix fast!"

Cinderace's feet burst into flames as the Fire-type circled around Steelix, getting faster each loop. Steelix turned his head, trying to pinpoint Cinderace's location.

"Use Bulldoze to intercept it!" Ryan shouted, and Steelix slammed his tail down to cause a disruption in Cinderace's Flame Charge.

"Nope, not today! Jump up, use Double Kick!"

Cinderace saw an opportunity to jump onto a jagged piece of hardened dirt and she raised her legs, ready to kick the everloving hell out of the larger Pokemon. But then Ryan ordered Steelix to use Aqua Tail, dissipating the flames on Cinderace's pads and blocking the Double Kick. Cinderace bounced back and Steelix lowered his tail.

"Use Iron Tail!"

"Flame Charge and dodge it!"

Steelix raised his tail again, this time glowing a bright silver, and brought it down on Cinderace. The latter, who was using Flame Charge, couldn't dodge it in time since Steelix managed to predict her next location.

"Now use Aqua Tail!"

Steelix lifted his tail off of Cinderace and brought it down again, this time cloaked in water. It did significant damage, and for probably the first time ever, Cinderace's health was in the red.

"Return! Aurorus, come out and use Nature Power!"

Aurorus appeared in Cinderace's place and immediately used Nature Power. The move turned into Earth Power, giving Steelix no chance to escape as the earth moved to trap the larger Pokemon like a Stone Edge.

It did more damage than I expected, with Steelix's health in the yellow. I commanded Aurorus to use Nature Power again, which downed the Steel-Ground-type.

"Umbreon, switch!"

I returned Aurorus and sent out Umbreon. Ryan sent out Claydol.

"Did you forget? Claydol has a move against those who bring Dark-types to counter it's Psychic-typing. Use Dazzling Gleam!"

Claydol shimmered a bright pink, which swept across the battlefield and did significant damage to Umbreon. Umbreon managed to recover though, and sent a Dark Pulse that did way more damage than it had done before. I managed to get Umbreon to do one more Dark Pulse before Claydol knocked him out. Fortunately, I was able to two-shot Claydol like I did with Steelix.

"Ooh, that was a tie, good job. But my last two Pokemon aren't as easy."

Ryan's next Pokemon was Excadrill. When I switched to Cinderace again, her ability Blaze increased her Fire-type attack damage, so I tried the Flame-Charge-Double-Kick combo and it worked perfectly.

One hit KO.

Ryan's last Pokemon was Garchomp. I sent out Absol this time, to knock off some health before Aurorus did the finishing blow.

And then...

"Alright Garchomp!" Ryan slid up the sleeve of his camo jacket, revealing a keystone. "Beyond Evolution, Mega Evolve!"

The beams of light connected Garchomp's Mega Stone to Ryan's Keystone, changing its form and making it much stronger.

"Well. I'll retaliate. Absol, let's do this!" I tapped my own keystone resting on my left wrist, allowing Absol to Mega Evolve as well.

Once both Pokemon were Mega Evolved, Ryan immediately ordered Garchomp to use Dragon Claw. The Dragon-type was fast enough to delay my reaction time as it slashed Absol with light green claws.

"Oh crap-Absol, you okay?" Absol affirmed that everything is fine, so I told her to use Detect. She locked Garchomp in place with her stare.

"Garchomp! Use Bulldoze!"

"Use Sucker Punch before Garchomp can attack!"

Absol, using Sucker Punch, near teleported to Garchomp and raised one of her legs for a punch. The attack connected and caused the Pokemon to drag itself backwards.

"Now use Psycho Cut!"

"Not so fast! Use Iron Head!"

Both Pokemon charged towards each other, Absol's horn glowing a bright purple and Garchomp's head a light silver. When the Pokemon met at the center, they butted heads, trying to overpower the other with their moves.

And then? Ryan ordered a Fire Fang, so I retaliated with Sucker Punch. Both attacks hit, send both Pokemon flying backwards, Garchomp more so than Absol.

However, Absol sustained more damage, so Ryan finally finished her off with a Bulldoze. Absol returned to her original form, and I returned her for Aurorus.

"Aurorus, use Ice Beam!"

Aurorus immediately shot a glowing beam of blue light out of her mouth, straight at Garchomp.

"Use Fire Fang again!"

Garchomp's fangs were ablaze again. When the Ice Beam connected, Fire Fang thwarted it before it could do serious damage.

"Now use Iron Head!"

Now Garchomp is charging forward with its head a bright silver again. I commanded Aurorus to use Nature Power to disrupt Garchomp. It was successful, but barely did any damage to the Dragon-Ground-type.

That's fine. I told Aurorus to deal the finishing blow: One. Last. Ice. Beam.

Garchomp, encased in ice, reverted to its original form.

"That was pretty good," Ryan remarked as the Pokeball's return phased through the ice and to Garchomp's body. "It was better than your previous strategies, but you were still not an easy opponent."

"I uh...I just wing it half the time."

"Eh. Anyway, you earned yourself the Crater Badge for defeating me." He handed over a circular badge with golden rings around it. The orb is a light yellow with a green ring around it.

"Alright, three more things!" Ryan clapped his hands together. "You can use Rock Smash outside of battle now! And," He hands a disc as well, "This contains my signature move Bulldoze. Be sure to use it wisely."

"Right. Thanks." I pocket the disc. "What's the last thing?"

Ryan fumbled through his jacket. "It's this." He held up the red jewel from the ruins yesterday. "It...was the duty of the living prince to protect this. There's the legend I briefed yesterday, but I don't know if it's true, but I think I'll put it to the test by entrusting this jewel to you. After all, you did prove yourself." He placed the jewel in my hand. "If you ever find the time, can you go through the ruins, and put my family's history to rest? There's a pedestal there when you first enter. A slot that the jewel fits into. But I'm not forcing you," He pulls a lever on the back wall, which reveals an elevator. "It's completely your choice whether you want to set time aside for this or to continue your adventure. Either way, I thank you one last time for what you did yesterday and wish you the best of luck on your journey."

"Yeah, thank you. I'll see if I can."

I stepped into the elevator and returned to the surface.