For some people, it's when they feel the most pressure that they become the most pressure-resistant. Other crack when the moment calls for tenacity. Mastering existence in the moment is the only thing that practice never teaches you; it must be understood and tamed by experience.
And those who can, that's what makes it fun.
"Alakazam, let's go!"
"Show'em, Sceptile!"
The Psi Pokemon emerged with its eyes closed and spoons at the ready. A green lizard that would look awesome with wings appeared on Brandon's side of the field and crouched low (despite that idiotic Pokedex entry that always has it standing up).
"X-Scissor!" Sceptile sprinted towards Alakazam. Gary remained motionless. Dawn and Paul looked on confused. Dawn furrowed her brows.
"Gary doesn't seem the cautious type." Ash laughed.
"He isn't. He's talking faster than Sceptile's moving."
The normal carefree glaze over Gary's eyes was replaced by an intense fervor. He recalled an early match with a old friend. A small town with three buildings surrounded by trees and a small river to the south.
"When you're not good at anything, you have to know everything just to keep up."
Suddenly Sceptile stumbled, but quickly caught its balance and rolled into a crouched position, trying to identify how it fell, but Alakazam didn't give time to sleuth, firing a ferocious Signal Beam.
"Sceptile, roll forwards and Mimic!" Despite its height, Sceptile lay extremely close to the ground, then exploded forwards into a roll that brought it behind a large boulder. Alakazam split its Signal beam into two by separating its spoons and fired on either side of the boulder, but Sceptile threw itself over the top straight into the bright sun, temporarily forcing Alakazam to look away. Sceptile immediately used Mimic and fired a Signal Beam of its own, knocking Alakazam backwards to the ground.
"Sceptile, close in and finish with Leaf Blade!" Sceptile hit the ground running and came up quickly on Alakazam.
"Gary, what the hell?!" an onlooker screamed.
"Gary, what the hell." Paul grunted.
When Sceptile was a meter from Alakazam, It all seemed to happen at once. Just like before, Sceptile stumbled, but this time a massive wave of energy came out of nowhere and forced Sceptile into the ground. Alakazam, now seemingly unhurt, jumped upwards and psychically propelled itself down towards Sceptile.
Unable to control himself, Gary yelled, "ALAKAZAM, DYNAMIC PUNCH!" Alakazam's spoons flickered and disappeared; it closed its left fist, pulled back, then snapped its arm forwards with a heavy orange aura. The blow connected with Sceptile's back and cratered the ground underneath the lizard.
The referee immediately dashed over, the crowd silent.
"Sceptile is unable to battle!" And everyone roared. Instead of just coolly smirking, even Ash felt obliged to smile and clap.