"Gyarados, pull yourself together! Aqua Tail!" Liu Qing shouted as rocks kept striking Gyarados.
"Roar!" At Liu Qing's command, Gyarados roared and swung its enormous Aqua Tail. With a thunderous crash, it swept Gastrodon away, escaping the continuing Stone Edge attack.
"Gyarados, chase it down! Ice Fang!" Liu Qing hurriedly shouted as Gastrodon went flying.
After escaping Stone Edge, Gyarados finally recovered its bearings. Fury filled its eyes as it watched Gastrodon hurtle away. It opened its huge mouth, and freezing air extended into long, fang-shaped projections as it lunged to bite Gastrodon.
Boom! Gyarados struck with explosive speed. Liu Qing had adapted this attack from the coiled striking technique of Koga's Arbok in Fuchsia City. Now it proved as swift as lightning, the extended ice fangs sinking viciously into Gastrodon's neck and drawing a pained expression from it.
"Gastrodon, Sludge Bomb!" Cynthia shouted the instant the bite landed.
Enduring the bone-chilling cold around its neck, Gastrodon made the three eyes on its forehead glow purple, then fired a clump of sludge straight into Gyarados's mouth.
"Oh no! Gyarados, close your mouth!" Liu Qing shouted in alarm. Gyarados's scales were thick, so a hit from Sludge Bomb would certainly not poison it. But if the attack went straight into its stomach, there was no question it would be poisoned, and the damage would be several times worse than an external hit.
Unfortunately, Gyarados was not a Pokémon inclined to keep its mouth shut. The idea never even crossed its mind, and Liu Qing's command left it momentarily stunned. In that brief instant, Sludge Bomb shot into its mouth. Its entire body turned purple and began convulsing. Moments later, its enormous body collapsed, crashing to the ground with a thunderous boom. It was unable to battle.
"Gyarados is unable to battle.