Seeing Pikachu dominate the battlefield, the Quilava suddenly ceased its movements. It stood a short distance behind Pikachu, watching the chaos with a surprisingly calm, almost analytical gaze.
Then, it glanced back at Ash, who stood firmly behind his partner. With a soft hiss of steam, the flames on the Quilava's head and back flickered and died out.
"Ash, the Quilava's fire went out! Is it okay?" Misty asked, her voice laced with concern. In her experience, a Fire-type's flames—like the fire on a Charizard's tail—represented its life force. If the flames grew weak, it usually meant the Pokémon was in grave danger.
Ash shook his head. "A Quilava's fire is different from a Charizard's. Those are its 'fighting flames.' It looks like this little guy has decided to sit back and watch the show for a moment."
Ash had zero doubt about Pikachu's ability to handle a two-on-one fight. With a single, explosive Thunderbolt, Pikachu blasted the Tentacruel. Even if it wasn't completely unconscious, the jellyfish Pokémon was charred and reeling, rendered effectively useless for the rest of the skirmish.
"Dammit! Golem, use Rollout!" the rival trainer barked.
The massive Golem curled into a boulder and began to spin, its weight causing the ground to tremble as it built up terrifying momentum.
"Dodge with Quick Attack, then transition into Iron Tail!"
The command was complex, but Ash knew Pikachu could execute it flawlessly. Pikachu transformed into a golden blur, darting to the side to narrowly avoid the Golem's path. Then, using the momentum of his dodge, he leaped high into the air.
His tail shimmered with a cold, metallic luster. Pikachu's mastery over Iron Tail had reached a point of terrifying precision. Before the rival trainer could even register what was happening, Pikachu descended like a falling hammer, smashing his steel-hard tail directly onto the top of the spinning Golem.
CRUNCH!
The impact was so heavy it forced the Golem out of its rotation, leaving it dazed and cracked in the dirt. In just two exchanges, Pikachu had decimated two massive opponents.
"Do you see it now?" Ash said, his voice cold as he held up an empty Poké Ball. "Even with a team specifically chosen to counter Fire-types, you were never a match for this Quilava. You lack the bond to even challenge it."
"Don't get cocky!" The man snarled, though he clearly recognized he was outmatched. He recalled his battered Pokémon, staring at the Quilava with a mixture of resentment and hesitation.
Ash ignored him and stepped toward the Quilava. He held the Poké Ball out, adopting the formal stance of a challenger. "Quilava, let's have a real battle. I want to catch you and show you just how far we can go together!"
The Quilava stared into Ash's eyes for a long moment. Suddenly, it stood tall on its hind legs. The flames on its head and back erupted with a roar of heat.
It had accepted the challenge. It had acknowledged Ash as a worthy opponent.
"No way..." the other trainer muttered, gritting his teeth. He had spent a week chasing this Pokémon. He had fought it dozens of times, even indirectly causing its evolution from a Cyndaquil. But despite all that effort, the Pokémon had never looked at him with the respect it was now showing Ash. He had done all the hard work, only for Ash to reap the rewards.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"
Pikachu vanished, reappearing as a streak of golden light as he charged. But in that same heartbeat, the Quilava vanished too.
It was using Quick Attack as well!
The speed it displayed was leagues beyond what it had shown against the Sandslash earlier. It had been playing with its previous opponent the entire time.
The two Pokémon collided in the center of the clearing with a dull thud. Pikachu let out a small cry of pain as he skidded back, rubbing his forehead. The Quilava was in the same boat, shaking its head to clear the stars before lowering its body and aiming the flames on its head directly at Pikachu.
"Flamethrower?"
Ash recognized the move instantly. The pillar of fire was too fast to dodge.
"Pikachu, intercept with Thunderbolt!"
Roaring lightning met a searing column of fire. The resulting explosion sent a shockwave through the clearing, literally blowing the rival trainer off his feet.
As the smoke billowed, Ash's eyes flashed with a subtle blue light—his newly awakened Confusion. He used the invisible force to steady Pikachu and shield him from the worst of the blast's debris.
"Now!"
Before the dust could even settle, Ash threw the Poké Ball he had been holding. Boosted by a slight psychic nudge, the ball cut through the smoke with unerring accuracy, striking the dizzy Quilava square on the forehead.
The ball fell to the grass. It shook once. Twice.
Click.
The light went out. The capture was complete.
From the way it had watched the previous fight to its decisive counter-attacks, Ash could tell this Quilava was brave, focused, and possessed a bit of a devious, "black-bellied" streak. It was a perfect personality match for Ash's current team.
System Sync: Quilava 120/195
"I caught a Quilava!"
"Pika-pikaparchu!"
The rival trainer shouted a curse, glared at Ash one last time, and turned to disappear into the woods. He had wasted a week of his life only to see his prize taken by a superior trainer. He hadn't realized that without respect and synchronicity, he could have chased that Quilava for a year and still never truly "caught" it.
"Congratulations, Ash! That's another heavy hitter for the team," Misty said, walking over with a smile.
Between Bayleef's evolution and the capture of a fully-evolved Johto starter, Ash's roster was becoming significantly more powerful than it had been at this stage in Kanto.
The next stop: Azalea Town!
Pikachu Sync: 215/255