Chapter 5 : The Rampaging Titan and the Power of Water
"Pikachu, Quick Attack! Don't let it catch its breath!"
"Pika!" Whoosh!
Pikachu moved like a golden streak of lightning, weaving through the narrow alleyways of Fula City. We had left the main stage behind and were deep into the urban hunting grounds.
By now, we had settled into a perfect rhythm. We moved from street to street, spotting the Pokémon marked with the festival stickers.
Thanks to Pikachu's speed and my improved Green Poké Balls, we didn't even have to fight most of them for long. A simple distraction or a light tap was enough.
Click! Another Poké Ball shook once and sealed shut. "That makes twenty," I said, picking up the ball and shrinking it down. I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead.
"We're making good time, buddy."
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, looking proud.
However, just as we were about to turn the corner toward the plaza, a deep, vibrating rumble shook the ground beneath our feet.
RUUUUMBLE… "What was that?" I froze, looking toward the city center.
Suddenly, a massive cloud of dust erupted in the distance, rising high above the buildings like a gray storm. People were screaming and running away from the source of the commotion.
My eyes narrowed as a memory from my previous life surfaced. In the original timeline, there was an incident during the festival a Tyranitar went on a rampage because a plastic cable had gotten tangled around its neck, causing it immense pain and panic.
"That must be it," I said ."The Tyranitar."
"Pika?" Pikachu looked at me, sensing the shift in my mood.
"Pikachu, forget the competition for a moment," I said, "There is a Pokémon in pain over there. It's rampaging because it's suffering. We need to go save it."
Pikachu didn't hesitate. He nodded firmly.
"Pika!"
"Let's go!"
We abandoned our current route and sprinted toward the chaos, jumping over obstacles and weaving against the flow of the fleeing crowd.
Meanwhile, back at the main stage, the giant monitors were displaying the chaos live. The camera drones were hovering over the area, capturing the terrifying scene.
A massive Tyranitar was thrashing about in the middle of a wide street. It smashed a lamppost with its tail and roared in agony, its eyes red with rage.
ROAAAAR!
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a Code Red situation!" the Host announced, his voice trembling slightly over the speakers.
"A wild Tyranitar has appeared and is rampaging through Sector 4! It's heading toward the crowd! We need all available staff to evacuate the area immediately!"
The audience gasped in horror. But then, the camera caught sight of a lone figure running toward the monster instead of away from it.
"Wait a minute!" the Host shouted.
"Look at the screen! That's… that's Ash Ketchum! The challenger who started strong! What is he doing? He's running straight at the Tyranitar!"
On the screen, I slid to a halt just a few meters away from the thrashing beast. Tyranitar locked eyes with me, huffing angrily.
Snort! The Host's voice filled with panic.
"This is madness! That boy only has a Pikachu! Everyone knows that Tyranitar is a Rock-type Pokémon with impenetrable armor. Electric-type attacks will simply bounce off its rocky hide! What is he thinking?!"
The crowd murmured in agreement. It seemed like a suicide mission.Standing before the giant beast, I looked up. I could see the thick plastic cable dug deep into the soft flesh of its neck, choking it.
"It's okay, big guy! I'm here to help!" I shouted, but Tyranitar was too blinded by pain to listen.
ROAAAAAR! It stomped its foot, shattering the pavement, and charged straight at us.
"Now, Pikachu!" I spun my cap backward and pointed forward. "It's time to show them what a Partner Pokémon can do! Use Splishy Splash!"
The command echoed through the speakers, confusing everyone watching.
"Splishy… Splash?" the Host stammered.
"I've been a commentator for twenty years, and I've never heard of a move called—"
He didn't finish his sentence.
"Pika… CHU!" Pikachu's cheeks sparked with electricity, but then, something impossible happened. The air around Pikachu became heavy with moisture.
Swoosh! A massive wave of water materialized out of thin air beneath Pikachu. At the same time, a shimmering board of energy formed under his feet.
Pikachu hopped onto the board, surfing the giant wave with the skill of a pro surfer.
"Pikaaa!" Riding the conjured tsunami, Pikachu surged forward, slamming the wave directly into the charging Tyranitar.
CRASH!
"GRAAAH!" Tyranitar roared, but this time in shock.
The massive volume of water drenched its rocky armor, soaking it to the bone.
"Now, discharge the electricity into the water!" I said .
Since water conducts electricity perfectly, the lightning coursing through Pikachu's body traveled through the wave and zapped the soaked Tyranitar instantly.
ZZZZZTTT!The combination of the heavy water impact and the conducted electricity was too much.
Tyranitar's muscles seized up. The massive beast wobbled, paralyzed by the unique property of the Partner Move.
Thud. Tyranitar fell to one knee, unable to move, water dripping from its armor. The entire stadium went silent.
"I… I don't believe my eyes!" the Host screamed, gripping his microphone.
"Did you see that?! That Pikachu just used a Water-type move! It conjured a tidal wave!
The crowd erupted into stunned whispers and cheers. I didn't care about the audience.
I took advantage of the paralysis and sprinted up Tyranitar's arm, climbing onto its shoulder.
"Easy now… I've got you," I whispered, reaching for the plastic cable.
It was pulled tight.I gritted my teeth and pulled with all my strength.
Snap! The plastic broke and fell away.
Tyranitar took a deep, ragged breath, realizing the pain was gone. The red rage in its eyes faded, replaced by exhaustion and relief.
"Tar… Tar…" (Thank you…) it grunted softly.
I smiled and pulled out a Green Poké Ball.
"You need to rest, buddy. Come with me."
I tapped the ball against its head.
Ding! The ball shook once and clicked.
Capture complete. I jumped down and high-fived Pikachu.
"Awesome job, partner! That surfing was incredible!" "Pika-Pika!" Pikachu beamed, puffing out his chest.
"Unbelievable!" the Host shouted, recovering from his shock. "Ash Ketchum has not only stopped the rampage but caught the Tyranitar! And that Pikachu…
surely, it must be one of a kind to learn such a move. That young trainer has opened my eyes today!"
The competition continued for a few more hours, but eventually, the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple.
The final whistle blew. We stood back on the main stage, the cool evening wind blowing through the plaza. The electronic scoreboard flickered to life.
1st Place: Callahan – 70 Catches
2nd Place: Ash Ketchum – 60 Catches
The crowd cheered for Callahan, the local hero. I looked over at him. Callahan stood there, looking overwhelmed and slightly guilty, but mostly relieved.
I smiled to myself. I had actually stopped catching Pokémon for the last hour. I had enough points to win if I wanted to, but I decided to throttle my score.
Why? Because of a little girl named Kelly.
I knew Callahan's story. He wasn't a bad guy; he was just a desperate uncle.
His niece, Kelly, was a frail five-year-old girl who had just been released from the hospital. She suffered from an illness that made her tire easily.
She idolized her uncle and believed he was the strongest trainer in the world. Callahan had lied to her about his skills to make her happy, and he needed this win to keep that smile on her face.
I wasn't going to be the one to crush a sick little girl's dream over a festival game.
"And now!" the Host announced.
"We have a special guest. Due to the heroic actions displayed today, the Mayor of Fula City has personally come to present the awards!"
The crowd parted as Mayor Oliver walked up the stage stairs, followed by his daughter Margo.
"Ash Ketchum," the Mayor said, extending his hand. "On behalf of Fula City, I thank you. You saved the city from significant damage and saved that Tyranitar. Please, accept the Second Place prize."
"Thank you, Mayor," I shook his hand firmly.
"But I wasn't alone. Without Pikachu, I wouldn't have been able to do anything."
"Pika!" Pikachu waved to the crowd from my shoulder. "You are humble," the Mayor nodded appreciatively.
Then, the Host took center stage again.
"And now, let's give a massive round of applause for our Champion of the Wind Festival—Callahan!"
Clap! Clap! Clap!The applause was thunderous.
To be continued…