Realizing escape was impossible, Excadrill's expression darkened.
Drr... (Just get it over with. Quit the chatter.)
Gabite ignored the defiance, knowing Excadrill was merely putting up a front.
Grr. (But I'm curious—why did you trespass into Dragon territory?)
Grr. (Tell me, and I might go easier on you.)
After a tense pause, Excadrill relented.
Drr... (I needed a Dragon's Eye Berry to boost my defenses. Came to Dragon territory to… find one.)
Gabite snorted.
Grr? ("Find"? More like steal.)
Every berry in Dragon territory was guarded. None were left unattended, let alone "found." Gabite shook his head, disappointed. Dragon's Eye Berries were rare even among dragons, reserved for those who contributed significantly to the clan. As the second-in-command's son, Gabite could indulge occasionally—but this thief? Unthinkable.
Grr. (Time to end this.)
Gabite raised his claws, glowing faintly with draconic energy. Panicking, Excadrill shouted:
Drr! Drr! (You dragons hoard all the resources! Why not share?!)
Gabite paused, lowering his claws.
Grr. (We don't hoard. Your forest-dwellers drew the line yourselves. The pact was your choice.)
Drr... (That was others' decision! I wasn't there…) Excadrill muttered, avoiding eye contact.
Grr… (Pathetic.) Gabite's patience wore thin. His claws flared purple—Dragon Claw poised to strike.
Drr! (Dig!)
Ignoring his injured shoulder, Excadrill burrowed desperately. But Gabite was ready.
Grr. (Sand Tomb.)
Whirling sand erupted, trapping Excadrill in a vortex. Struggling in the quicksand-like trap, Excadrill snarled:
Drr! (If I go down, you're coming with me!)
Drr! (Slash!)
His claws glowed white, lashing out through the storm. But the gap in power was stark. Excadrill's Slash left a faint scratch on Gabite's scales, while Gabite's Dragon Claw carved three bloody gashes across Excadrill's body.
Excadrill collapsed, unconscious. Gabite eyed him coolly. He'd intended only to teach the thief a lesson—after all, "Excadrill" technically shared a syllable with "dragon." But the sneak attack had irked him. With a grumble, Gabite kicked Excadrill's rear, leaving a bright red mark.
Grr. (Need to move. The pests will swarm here soon.)
Scanning the area, Gabite dashed toward Dragon territory. Once across the border, even his pursuers wouldn't dare confront him openly.
[Livestream Chat]
[What were those Pokémon arguing about? Translator needed, Wind Bro!]
[My brain's already writing a forbidden love-hate drama between rival clans.]
[Cheating scandal? Mistress vs. wife?]
[More like the cuckolded hero vs. the villain!]
[That butt-kick was pure spite. Iconic.]
Su Feng grimaced. His chat's imagination had veered into fanfiction territory. Gabite and Excadrill look nothing alike. How did they even—?
"But… 'Dragon clan'? A 'pact'?" The exchange puzzled him. Were Pokémon politics this complex?
Brushing off dirt, Su Feng approached Excadrill. Though the thief deserved his beating, Su Feng couldn't leave him untreated. He sprayed a Potion on Excadrill's wounds, focusing extra on the bruised rear.
"Good luck, buddy," Su Feng muttered, stashing the empty bottle.
As he turned to leave, footsteps echoed nearby. Gabite's "pests" had arrived. Su Feng ducked into bushes—just as a green figure emerged, flanked by Pangoro and Swampert.
Rrroar... (Boss, we're too late…) Pangoro growled, eyeing Excadrill's humiliating state.
Swampert huffed. Grrunt! (This isn't just a spanking—it's a slap to your face, Boss!)
Gardevoir: …