Ash slowly recalled his fainted Metapod. Holding the Poké Ball gently, he spoke in a soft voice:
"Thank you, Metapod. You're one step closer to evolving into the legendary Rayquaza (as Caterpie)."
He then lifted his head, eyes sharpening as he stared at Starmie.
This was a powerful opponent.
With Pikachu refusing to fight, Ash had only one option left—
he needed a Pokémon fast enough to avoid being blasted away by Starmie's devastating Hydro Pump.
Then it hit him.
Wait… I only have one Pokémon left. What am I even hesitating for?!
Ash hurled his Poké Ball forward and shouted:
"Go! Pidgeotto—I choose you!"
A flash of red light burst forth.
Pidgeotto appeared, wings spread, ready to take flight and cry out proudly—
"Pidge—gi… gi?"
It suddenly twisted its head a full 120 degrees like a Rowlet, staring blankly at its Trainer.
…What did he just call me?
That didn't sound very respectful.
Ash's heart skipped a beat. He clapped a hand over his mouth.
Damn it—why did I say my inner thoughts out loud?!
Forcing himself to stay calm, he lied through his teeth:
"You misheard! I said mighty Pidgeotto!"
"Beep. Updating data."
The Pokédex suddenly activated on its own, cutting him off with an icy mechanical voice.
"Pidgeotto.
Nickname: Pidgeotto."
Ash & Pidgeotto: "..."
The air turned painfully awkward.
BOOOOM!
A thick blue column of water suddenly blasted across the field, abruptly ending what could've become a Pokémon-on-Trainer incident.
Thanks to its sharp avian vision and quick reflexes, Pidgeotto barely dodged the incoming Hydro Pump.
"Damn it!" Misty cursed.
"That was a perfect sneak attack!"
Ash, meanwhile, quietly let out a sigh of relief.
No matter how intense internal conflict became, the appearance of a powerful external enemy could instantly unite all sides.
And right now, Starmie was that enemy.
Ash immediately applied damage control.
"Pidgeotto! After this match, I'll change your nickname—I swear!
That's a Pokémon Master's promise!"
Future Pokémon Master, anyway.
Pidgeotto hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
The battle resumes!
"Starmie, use Water Gun!" Misty commanded.
Against a Pokémon as fast as Pidgeotto, relying on Hydro Pump's raw power but low accuracy was inefficient.
If Water Gun could soak its wings and slow it down even slightly, Hydro Pump would become a guaranteed finisher.
"Shhht—!"
"Shhht—!"
Starmie fired Water Gun shots in rapid succession, but Pidgeotto weaved through them effortlessly, not a single feather getting wet.
"Pidgeot—TO!"
At some point, Pidgeotto had already closed the distance.
Less than two meters separated them.
"Starmie, use Wa—"
Before Misty could finish—
"Pidgeotto, Gust!"
A storm erupted at near point-blank range.
Starmie was blasted backward before it could release its move.
Seeing this, Misty's eyes lit up with inspiration.
"Starmie! Use Rapid Spin—off the wall!"
Starmie recovered midair, spun violently, and rebounded off the wall using its momentum—
launching itself straight at Pidgeotto.
"Wham!"
Pidgeotto took a direct hit and hurriedly flapped aside to stabilize itself.
"Don't stop—Rapid Spin again!" Misty shouted.
Starmie slammed into another wall, rebounded, and came flying back once more.
Ash reacted quickly.
"Pidgeotto! Gain altitude!"
"Pidgeot—TO!"
Pidgeotto flapped hard and climbed higher, narrowly dodging the spinning assault.
But Starmie took full advantage of the arena—
bouncing, spinning, gaining height, and relentlessly closing in.
The situation grew tense.
Pidgeotto began to panic.
After several exchanges, Ash's eyes suddenly sharpened.
He had noticed something.
Locking onto Starmie's trajectory, he shouted at the exact moment its parabolic arc peaked:
"Now! Wing Attack!"
Pidgeotto surged upward, skimming past Rapid Spin.
One wing glowed white as it slammed downward.
Starmie's central gem—completely exposed—took the hit directly.
SMACK!
Take that, Water/Psychic type!
Starmie plummeted straight down from midair, critically damaged.
Even Misty was startled.
This guy… he's good at geometry too?!
"Starmie—dive into the water!" she commanded.
Using the knockback, Starmie plunged into the pool and vanished.
"Move while firing—Water Gun!"
This was the Cerulean Gym.
Underwater combat was Starmie's domain.
"Damn it… this is getting annoying," Ash muttered.
The battle turned into a deadly rhythm—
Starmie surfaced, fired Water Gun, dove again, repositioned, and repeated.
Even a veteran would struggle under constant harassment.
Pidgeotto was visibly tiring, moments away from taking a full hit.
That was when Ash suddenly flipped his cap backward and shouted:
"Pidgeotto! Wing Attack—on the water's surface!"
Pidgeotto's fighting spirit surged.
It dove to just half a meter above the pool, wings glowing white, and slammed them down hard.
BOOOOM!!
The entire pool—and seemingly the whole Cerulean Gym—shuddered violently.
Shockwaves rippled across the water.
Starmie, hiding near the pool wall, was forced out by the tremor—
its body abruptly thrown into the air.
Ash's eyes blazed.
"Final strike! Pidgeotto—Quick Attack!"
Misty's eyes lit up even brighter.
She didn't need to know how Ash forced Starmie out—
only that his finisher would be Quick Attack.
"Starmie! Hydro Pump—straight ahead!!"
She had copied this tactic from Metapod's earlier battle—
wait for the opponent to come to you.
BOOOOOM!!
A massive blue torrent exploded forward, tearing through the air and even parting the pool water behind it.
There was no way Pidgeotto could block that.
"This match is mine!" Misty declared confidently.
Even Brock shook his head, eyes narrowed.
Hydro Pump wasn't something Quick Attack could overpower—
not even for Ash.
"Pidgeot—TO!"
A sudden cry startled everyone.
The Hydro Pump had clearly hit Pidgeotto—
yet there was no impact.
It passed straight through.
"A—afterimage?!" Misty gasped.
By the time she realized what had happened, Pidgeotto was already beneath the water column, hugging its edge and still accelerating.
Its beak glowed with terrifying white light.
The Hydro Pump had struck nothing but a residual image.
Pidgeotto was already less than a meter away.
WHOOSH—BAM!!
Quick Attack hits!
Starmie was finally overwhelmed, blasted backward in a spray of water.
When the splash settled—
It lay motionless.
"Starmie is unable to battle!
Pidgeotto wins!"
"And the winner of this match—Ash!"
Daisy's voice rang out with pride, as if she herself had won.
Afterward.
Ash stood frozen for several seconds.
Honestly, he hadn't expected Misty to still have such a nasty trick up her sleeve.
As for how Pidgeotto dodged Hydro Pump at the end—
He had no idea.
But his simple brain reached a simple conclusion:
Winning is what matters.
With that, Ash leapt from the Trainer platform, bounding across the floating platforms until he reached Pidgeotto and wrapped it in a hug.
"Pidgeot—TO!"
Pidgeotto was thrilled, flapping its wings and gently tapping Ash on the head—
as if reminding him of something important.
"I know, I know!" Ash laughed.
"Brock's already arranging premium food! After we hit the Pokémon Center, I'll let you eat your fill!"
Beaming, he recalled Pidgeotto into its Poké Ball.
Pidgeotto: 0-0 ?
Bathed in red light, its expression turned blank.
My foolish Trainer…
Didn't you forget something?
Click.
The Poké Ball closed.
Not a single word was spoken.
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