Welcome back to another chapter of The Very Best! I am happy to finally be working on this story again after so long as I bring a battle that I've been wishing to write since Paul had been introduced! The title may be a bit generic, but that should hopefully not derail everything about this chapter. Since I already revealed that Ash would be getting Chimchar in this story, you know how this ends already.
Many people have already mentioned this, so I'll go out and say it. My story was heavily inspired by 'The Road to be a Pokémon Master Series.' It was one of the first stories I read, and I always like returning to it. I tried to make my story very different from that series, but this chapter could be seen as my interpretation of the battle that FanaticLAguy06 story. Don't worry; the story will go back to its own path after this chapter is done.
Psst! If you are reading this, FanaticLAguy06, I want to say I'm a big fan. I'm glad you are taking a break from your story because I know the struggle with writing these things. Keep doing you, man!
Now that I have said everything I wanted, we can finally start. Let us see how the first battle turns out against these two rivals!
The Very Best:
Chapter 16:
Paul VS Ash!
Opening (If you want to): chAngE (From Bleach, composed by Miwa)
"Use an X-Scissor!"
Pinsir launched himself at Raichu as the Electric-type dodged the move. He released a Thunderbolt that Pinsir also avoided, neither combatant getting any advantage after the interaction.
It was the final day to remain in Vermillion as Ryan, in his new outfit, decided to give Surge one last attempt before they left. The boy felt he was finally ready for another try as he convinced himself he could do this. Nothing eventful happened during the last two days besides Brock getting closer to Nurse Joy here. Ponyta had difficulty genuinely integrating into the group, while Eevee acted and looked like he had been there since the beginning. It was around five, and they were ready to leave after this battle.
Brock looked at the battle, Eevee in his lap since the Normal-type refused to accept otherwise. "Ryan's being a lot more conservative this match. He only attacks when he's at an advantage or when Raichu is close to him." He analyzed.
"He's probably just trying to be more careful. He knows that attacking head-on isn't the winning strategy." Misty added as they looked at the battle. Both sides had taken good damage, but Raichu had less health. Pinsir could finish this battle with a critical hit, assuming he could get to that point.
"War tor tot arto!"
"You got this, Ryan!" Ash and Wartortle said together, knowing how much Ryan wanted this. "Don't let the pressure hit you now!"
Surge smirked, actually giving credit for Ryan doing far better than before. "Iron Tail!" He commanded. Raichu turned his tail to steel and swung around like a whip. Pinsir got hit by one of the many strikes, taking slight damage, as Pinsir fell to the ground. Pinsir quickly rolled out of the way, Raichu slamming so hard that his tail was slightly stuck in the ground.
Raichu growled as he tried to get his tail out from the ground. "This is our chance! Use Storm Throw!" Ryan told Pinsir as they saw this; Pisnir ran straight at Raichu. Raichu had his eyes widen as he saw the Bug-type approach with the move that would guarantee the match. Raichu released a powerful Thunder Bolt to stop him.
Pinsir was hit by the stab move as he had taken a lot of damage. Yet, Pinsir did not faint as the Bug-type pushed through his pain to end. Raichu was shocked as he readied his horns for the fierce blow. "PINSIRRR!" Raichu closed his eyes, knowing that nothing could be done.
Pinsir landed him move as Raichu fell to the ground, now fainted after the long struggle that both sides went through.
The group cheered loudly as Ryan smiled at what had happened. "WE DID IT!" He yelled out in joy as he came to his Pinsir. Pinsir was a bit weak right now but still did his best to return the soft hug that Ryan had given him. Ash came over as he and Ryan jumped excitedly as they grasped each other's shoulders.
"You did awesome, Pinsir!" Ash told the Bug-type Pinsir felt pride after hearing that. The boy looked at Ryan. "I knew you could do it. Looks like you got three badges with you, just like me!"
"Wartort!"
Ryan smiled as he felt very accomplished and happy. "I feel good. I do."
"I would hope so. Beating a Gym Leader is not exactly easy." Misty remarked as she came over, patting the boy on the back. Brock ruffled his hair to show off how happy he was for his short friend, Eevee landing on top of Ryan's head. The boy was caught off guard as he quickly balanced himself, seeing Eevee become comfortable on his head.
He let out a slight smirk. "A warning would be nice." He told the Eevee as he reached for him, petting against Eevee's soft fur. "Thanks for the support."
May smiled as she saw the cute interaction. "He's a good Trainer." She thought to herself as she saw the massive form of Surge come to them. Ryan looked at Surge as he straightened himself out, Eevee doing the same on his head.
Surge presented the Thunder Badge to the brat as he gave a slight smirk. "I'm a proud man, but I know when I've lost." He told the kid as he placed it in the boy's head. "A deal's a deal. This is yours now."
Ryan smiled gratefully as he pocketed the badge. "Thank you so much, sir." He saluted the man as Surge smiled, deciding to show respect by doing the same. Ryan went to Pinsir as he hugged his Pokémon, so glad to have a Bug-type like him.
Ash and Misty smiled at the sight. "They're a good pair. You agree?"
"I think they're a great pair," Misty answered. She looked at Pinsir's face as her fear of Bug-types was still present, but she had become more understanding and tolerable. She still wouldn't let them touch her. "He may be a bug, but I still stand by my opinion."
Everyone was at the Pokémon Center for their last round of healing before their trip. Their next destination would be Lavender Town, but you would have to get through Rock Tunnel as the mountains to pass through were among the most dangerous in Kanto. Ash wanted to get Cleadon to face Erika before August.
Brock and Joy were hitting it off as usual, while Ryan and May decided to do their own thing for now. This left the three remaining members to their stuff as Misty knew what she would do. The three went to one of the computers and called up a particular professor who promised them answers in one week. Well, the week has already passed.
Misty felt excited but slightly nervous as Ash pushed in the number. "You excited?" Ash asked as he sat next to her, Wartortle on his lap.
"Of course, but not really," Misty said honestly as she rubbed the back of her head. "I want to know what this feather is, but I'm also worried it may be unremarkable."
"I'd still keep it even if it just came from a Peliper."
"Of course, I'll keep it. It's very pretty and is mine, after all." Misty bent as she looked at Wartortle, the phone still ringing. "Do you think I can make it into a cute bracelet?"
Wartortle thought before giving an iffy look. "Art.." Suddenly, the screen came on, as Oak himself was there.
"Ah! Professor Oak," Ash happily called out as he waved at the man. "How are you?"
"I'm doing quite well. I assume you three have had a pretty good afternoon based on the smile you're giving." Oak looked to the side as he raised his voice. "Seymour! You must come."
"I'm busy, sir. I need to get the worktables cleaned out."
"Too busy for Ash and co?" This question caused some noise from the side as footsteps quickly approached. Oak gave a slight smirk as Seymour looked at the screen, his face ecstatic.
"My! Oh my! Is my mind and vision deceiving me?" He asked to the sky as he started to rhyme again. "A friend or three is now present, a feeling of true joy I have for this event!"
Misty smiled slightly, having gotten used to the man's odd habits. "Hey, Seymour? Glad to see you're still the same."
"My dear, I will always remain this way." He promised them before clearing his throat. "Seriously, it's great to see you three."
Ash smiled as he looked at Oak. "How was that meeting you had to be part of?"
"It was nice, but you three would probably find it the most boring experience," Oak remarked, knowing that none of the three seemed to have any genuine interest in the science field. "I'm happy you called, and I know why you did."
Misty nodded. "Good. Then we can get straight to business." She replied, simply wanting this conversation to be quick. "Can I see my feather?"
Seymour nodded as he went off-screen, returning a few seconds with the silvery feather. It was still in perfect condition as he gave it to Oak. "I was originally confused when Seymour said you guys found something unique. When I saw this, I knew he was telling the truth." Oak spoke as he twirled the feather back and forth between two of his fingers.
Misty took a deep breath, finally ready to ask her question. "So, what was it?" She asked as she leaned closer. "What Pokémon does that feather belong to?"
"Ortle?"
Oak smiled. "Why, the answer is straightforward." Misty felt bad after hearing that as all three listened intently to what he said next. "That feather belongs to... nothing."
Everyone went silent as Oak had said that. Ash didn't believe in what he heard, figuring this was just another of the old man's jokes. He looked at Oak as he saw the professor give a straight face, revealing that he meant what he said. "...I-I'm sorry?" Ash said as the answer indeed came to him. "What do you mean nothing?"
"This feather belongs to no Pokémon currently existing." Misty's jaw almost hit the floor from hearing that. Professor Oak was one of the most brilliant Pokémon professors in the world, and he had admitted that he couldn't figure this out.
"H-How is that possible?" Misty asked with surprise. "That feather didn't match any of the hundreds of Pokémon we know?"
"I was just as shocked as you were," Oak said honestly, honestly still unsure of how to react to the feather even now. "We checked every regular Pokémon, no match. Then, we checked all of their shiny forms with no luck. Regional forms, convergent forms, we even started checking Pokémon without feathers because we could not get an answer."
Misty was unsure of what even to say. She looked at the feather as she tried to think of something to this mystery. "Did you tell the other professors? They must've figured out something."
To her surprise, Seymour shook his head. "None of them could answer this mystery." Seymour took the feather as he closely examined it for the sixteenth time. "The only conclusion that me and Oak agreed on is that this came from a shiny Pokémon of some kind that had a unique feather shape compared to others. That idea, unfortunately, has a lot of holes in it and under the assumption that it is actually from a shiny."
Misty looked down as she didn't know what even to say. This feather she found on a random shore made two Pokémon professors practically lose their minds trying to decipher it. Ash suddenly spoke up. "Could it be from a completely new Pokémon?"
Oak just shrugged. "I don't want to say so without confirmation, but the possibilities are limited. For all we know, we could be both wrong about it." Oak took back the Silver Feather as he sighed while looking at it. "I'm sorry, but you have given me a problem that me and Seymour could not find a good solution to."
Misty didn't respond immediately as she tried to think of her Silver Feather. She looked at it as a positive idea came to her mind. "So... I have a unique item?"
"That is certainly a way to look at this," Oak replied as he held the Silver Feather to the screen. "As much as I wish to keep this for studying, I understand you want it back. I'll transport it there and get Nurse Joy to return it to you."
Ash nodded with a smile. "Thank you for all of your help, Professor Oak. I hope to call you soon!"
Oak nodded as he folded his arms. "Please do. These are always quite fun for me and Seymour." Oak smiled as he waved at them. "See you next time!"
"Goodbye, you noble three. Our next meeting will come again; you'll see!" He told them excitingly. Misty stepped away from her thoughts as she said goodbye.
"Goodbye, professors! Thank you for everything!"
"War tort!" Everyone waved goodbye as Ash ended the call, everyone sighing as they had to process what they had been told. Misty looked at the ground as her fingers were to her lips, in deep thought, as she looked at Ash. The boy had made a suggestion that she was surprised he even considered.
"Do you think it came from a Pokémon we don't know about?"
"I think so. Remember that story of that Pokémon I saw back in Route One?" Misty slowly nodded as she recalled what he spoke of. "I know I saw something the day we met. A Pokémon that not even Dexter could tell me about."
Misty thought. The idea wasn't bad, but it just sounded too far-fetched for her. "I think we're stretching it a bit far. Maybe this is just a question that has multiple answers, or maybe even none at all."
Wartortle thought as he tried to develop his theory for this. The Water-type shook his head when his mind came up blank. "Tl..." The three were left to ponder there for a few more minutes as they concluded that this was valuable and rare. Misty felt pride at this item being considered hers.
On the other side of the Pokémon Center, Brock and Joy were having another one of their great conversations. The boy had the Dratini egg right beside him as Ryan didn't want to watch over it right now. "That egg is in perfect condition."
"You can thank Ash for that," Brock responded to Joy's remark, touching the glass of the thing. Even though the egg was moving occasionally now, it was still in the case that it was in from the start. "The kid still wants it in the case to keep it safe. I keep telling him it's fine, but Ash is very protective of this egg."
"As he should," Joy said as she gently touched the case. The egg slightly moved on the inside as she gave a soft smile. "So, I just finished season one of that show you told me about. So good!"
"I told you. I told you it would be great!" Brock said as if he knew that this reaction would come from her. "What about that music I told you about?"
Joy shrugged. Brock had offered her some of the music he liked, but none of the songs she got clicked. "I can see why you like them, but they're not for me." Brock gave a slight sigh after hearing that.
"To be fair, my siblings have always said I had a weird musical taste."
"It's not weird, just different," Joy assured him with a small smile, something Brock returned. She took a deep inhale and exhaled. "Brock, I want to say thank you."
Brock wasn't expecting this. "For recommending the show?"
"Yes, but that's not what I meant. I mean, thank you for making this week fun." She said honestly as she looked at the remaining work she had to do. "This job can be stressful and very draining. I'm glad that someone like you came around to make it better."
Brock just shrugged. "Well, it was the least I could do. You Joys do a lot for the Trainers and Pokémon worldwide." Joy nodded, fully agreeing with that idea. Brock looked at his hand as he rubbed his thumb through it. He felt it was now or never to finally tell Nurse Joy about it. "Nurse Joy, I have something to confess."
"What is it, Brock?"
Brock took a deep breath before he continued. It was now or never. "Joy, I like you."
That right there was Brock's confession to Nurse Joy. The boy had been wanting to do this since day four but could not get an excellent chance to do it. He had feelings for girls, but this was one that he felt an actual connection to. If he didn't do this, then it could be a massive regret for him in the future. Instead of surprise or confusion, Joy just gave a relieved sigh.
"I thought it was something bad." She admitted, not realizing what Brock had meant. "I like you too, Brock."
Brock paused as he shook his head. "No. I mean... I really, really like you."
The realization finally hit Joy, and she completely paused. "Oh..." An uncomfortable look came to her as she didn't even know what to say. Brock realized his mistake as he tried to fix it.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that so sudd-"
"No, it's not that. It's just..." Joy tried to explain, but the words were struggling to come out. She sighed as she thoroughly looked at Brock. "I already have a boyfriend."
This one single sentence completely shattered Brock's dreams in an instant. Talk about rotten luck. Someone had already taken the girl you like. "Y-you do?" He asked in surprise, knowing the answer based on Joy's facial expression.
"I should've told you from the start. I didn't think it was worth mentioning since we were okay with just being friends." Joy looked at Brock; the boy didn't even react to what she had just said. "Brock, I'm so sorry. I..."
"I-I need to think for a few minutes." Brock suddenly stood up as he walked away, carrying the egg with him as he went somewhere he knew he would be alone. Joy could only watch; seeing the boy she accidentally hurt made her feel so dirty at what she had just done to him.
The boy sat alone as he placed his hands on his head, ashamed at what he had just done. He knew it probably wouldn't have worked, but hearing that he had picked someone who had already found her love made it far worse than it was supposed to be. The thing was that this relationship with Joy was easily the most successful he had personally had, and it was all a waste of time. He was honestly confused about why he was letting this get to him.
He wanted to release a tear but knew it was not worth it.
Ash and everyone else were doing their own thing as they heard the doors open. Ash turned to see what new Trainer had come, but he froze at who entered the building. Misty was confused by Ash and Wartortle's silence as she turned, seeing someone she didn't expect to see again. "It's him..."
Ryan turned and saw the same boy they had encountered back in Pewter. He looked the same as his face was completely emotionless. "Paul..." Ryan recalled who it was as Paul came to Nurse Joy.
"Who?" May asked in a confused way. She tried to remember if the group ever mentioned someone named Paul, recalling how he was the one who had left Oddish behind. "Wait, that's Paul?"
Paul spoke to Nurse Joy for a few moments, eventually leaving her behind as he went away. The four quickly followed as May decided to do the same, wondering why they were doing this. They watched and saw the boy release a Pokémon that made Ash and Wartortle quickly soften at the sight. "Wartortle..." He muttered at seeing Chimchar.
Chimchar came out as the Fire-type looked down in shame. Paul gave a very disappointed stare. "Would you like to explain why you had fainted again during our training?" Paul asked his Pokémon in an icy way. "I told you there would be serious consequences if you allowed that."
Ryan thought he had heard wrong. Did Paul say that Chimchar fainted during training? Chimchar looked up in fear as he tried to think of something to say. "Chim cha ar him ch." He explained as Paul listened. "Him mchar ch."
His promise was brushed aside as Paul looked down upon his weak Pokémon. "My patience has run dry with you. Any mistake at this moment will be your last, for I no longer wish to have you with me."
Chimchar began to get scared as he gripped Paul's legs. "Chim! Chim im mchar!" The Fire-type begged and pleated, his only response being a glare. Paul hated how Chimchar tried to beg him, a sigh of complete weakness.
Ash clenched his fist as he suddenly stepped. "PAUL!" He yelled out. The cold boy slowly turned around with his hands in his pockets, a very annoyed expression.
Paul and Ash's eyes met. "Who are..." Surprisingly, Paul realized who this was as the rest of the group came out. He didn't care about the other members, as his focus was on Ash. "...It's you."
Brock came out as he went to see what all the noise was, surprised at seeing Paul there. Chimchar gasped as a small smile came to him, seeing the two that had shown him kindness back then. Misty stepped up and stood beside Ash. "What are you doing to that Chimchar, Paul? I can tell that poor thing is scared of you."
Paul just gave a bored shrug as he looked at the Fire-type. "Chimchar seems afraid of me, though this wouldn't be the first time a Pokémon reacted like this," Paul admitted in such a casual way. "I'm simply telling this thing that I no longer want it. His skills are lacking, and the potential I thought I saw was false."
Chimchar looked down, fully believing in that idea. "That's... disgusting." May suddenly spoke up, already hating this guy based on first impression. "You're going to get rid of him because he simply isn't enough for you? You think he has no worth to you?"
"Yes. It appears you understand." The way Paul said it made May's skin crawl. Paul looked at Ash, recalling the opposing idea that the eleven-year-old had. "You should follow my mentality, Ash. You'll never become Champion if you do not push your Pokémon to their limits. This is no game. This is a challenge that I am fully taking seriously."
Ash glared as he heard that. His Pokémon were strong, but not because he forced them that way. They reached that point through time and kindness, not unbearable and brutal methods. "I'll show you, Paul! Bonding with your Pokémon is just as important as training them."
Paul scoffed as he looked at the boy. "Really? Just how are you going to do that?"
"Remember what I told you the second time we met? I'm keeping my word." Paul tried to think about what Ash spoke of, recalling what Ash had told him that day. "Paul, I challenge you to a Pokémon battle!"
Chimchar was shocked at hearing that. The boy that had made him happy would be fighting against his own Trainer. May was also surprised by this, not expecting such a choice to be made. Everyone else expected this from Ash, and they supported this. Paul glared as he slowly walked to Ash, a slight smirk on his face at the idea.
"...I accept," Paul responded with cross arms, deciding to show just how stupid Ash was. "Let's do it at the battlefields in one hour. Let's see how your childish views stack up against reality." Paul turned around and walked away, snapping his fingers as Chimchar approached him. The Fire-type Pokémon gave one last look of surprise and admiration before following his Trainer.
The automatic doors closed behind them as Ash finally released a calming breath, his anger fading when Paul was out. "Ash!" The boy looked at May as the girl was surprised, not believing what she saw. "Are you sure about this? I can tell that guy is strong."
"We all know he's strong," Ash responded, understanding what choice he had just made. "But I refuse to stand around and let him say that."
"War tort." Wartortle punched a fist into his open palm. The Water-type was against Paul's worldview, and he would gladly fight him if it meant proving him wrong. All of Ash's Pokémon would happily fight against such an opposing point of view.
Misty placed a hand on May's shoulder. "Didn't you see the fear that Chimchar had for Paul? Knowing how he thinks, I could only think about what Paul made that Pokémon go through." Misty felt sick just thinking about it. "If I were Ash, I'd probably do the same thing."
"Me three," Ryan spoke up as well. "You should know how Ash is by now." He remarked, May realizing that Ash was the type of person for what he believed was right. May admitted that talking to Paul may not be enough, agreeing with this decision with a smile.
"You're right. We can't just let this guy do this like Damian did." May looked at Ash as she was ready to give full support. "So, what will you do before the battle?"
"Simple. Strategize and figure out a plan." Ash responded with a slight smirk. "Granted, I know almost nothing about Paul's team, but he doesn't know much about mine either."
Misty smirked as she stood next to Ash. "I'll help you out. I want to see this guy fall as much as you do."
Brock, who had been silent for the entire time, decided to show some support. "You got this, Ash." He sounded enthusiastic, but it was clear that some of it was forced. "We can do this."
"No," Ash responded, as he wouldn't settle for just can. "We will do this."
Ash and the others walked to where Paul told them they would meet—the seconds ticked by as Ash had a determined look. Everyone there, besides Brock, who was still in his thoughts, was serious about this, especially Wartortle and Misty. May cared for the egg as they arrived at the desired location.
There, Paul was leaning against a wall as Chimchar was by his side. The boy tapped his watch with no emotion. "Two minutes before the time. I suppose that's adequate." No greeting of any kind; Paul didn't even look at the group.
May had wanted to be still friendly with the boy but saw that Paul wouldn't even care if she did. Ash walked to Paul as the callous boy approached him, the two stopping as they were a mere foot from each other. "You ready?" Ash asked after a moment. "I'll show you that bonding with Pokémon is the right way."
"I truly doubt that," Paul said honestly as his cold eyes pierced Ash Ketchum. "Let us start. No need to waste time here." For once, Ash agreed with something Paul said. Everyone came along as they found a nice dirt battlefield to work with.
Ash had taken the right side as Paul chose the left. Everyone, besides Wartortle and Brock, sat in the stands to see this match play out. May kept the egg safe as it seemed to be moving a little more than usual, something that Brock told May not to be concerned about as it was still too early to hatch. "You can do this, Ash! Show him just how wrong he is!" Misty cheered for the boy.
Ash smirked. "That was the plan, but thanks for the encouragement!" Wartortle was right beside him, having a smirk on his face as he was ready for what was to come.
"You've beaten three Gym Leaders already!" May brought up. "If you could beat them, what makes this guy any different?"
Ryan loudly cheered. "We're rooting for you!" Ryan then noticed that Brock was leaning against the bottom of the stands. The older boy seemed deep in thought as Brock stared at the ground. "You, okay?"
Brock snapped out of his mind as he looked at Ryan. "Yeah. I need to focus on this." Brock realized that his thoughts weren't the focus right now. He could think about and get through them later, but now he had a battle to be the judge for. Brock put on a serious look as well as he stood in between the two. "What rules have you two decided upon?"
"I'll let you decide," Paul said to Ash across the field as Chimchar stood by him, the Fire-type feeling overwhelmed as this was all happening. He hoped he wouldn't be called to harm Ash's Pokémon. "I could care less about what the rules are."
Ash nodded, taking advantage of this choice. "Let's do a four-on-four battle! No switching out, no time limit." Paul nodded, knowing he would win with such a rule set.
Brock looked to both sides to see both Trainers were ready. "Decide on what Pokémon you'll use first! When I give the order, you must throw them out simultaneously!" He declared.
Both Trainers rummaged around as they tried to bring their desired Pokémon, Ash not wanting to send Wartortle out so early. They decided who to use as they each held their Poke Ball. Seconds went by as the two squinted at each other, a light gust of wind passing. The suspense was thick enough to be cut by a knife as no one dared to move an inch.
"BATTLE!"
"Bulbasaur! I choose you!" Ash brought out his Grass-type as he figured it would be the best type to send out overall.
"Stand by for battle, Murkrow!" Paul released his Poke Ball simultaneously and released a Pokémon they hadn't seen before in this journey. An avian Pokémon with black feathers. His crooked, yellow beak and the three feathery tufts on his head resemble a witch's nose and hat, respectively. He had semi-circular, red eyes with white sclerae and pupils—a spiky collar of feathers around his thin neck. The shaggy feathers on his tail resembled the end of a broom and a narrow, red band at the base of said tail. His yellow feet have four toes, three facing forward and one backward.
Murkrow had a mischievous grin as it saw who the opponent was, thinking this would be easier than stealing food from a baby Pokémon. Ash pointed at Dexter to analyze, surprised to see Paul do the same with his Pokédex. "Murkrow, the darkness Pokémon. Dex Number: 226. Pokémon Typing: Dark, Flying. Feared and loathed by many, it is believed to bring misfortune to all those who see it at night. This specific Murkrow is a male and at level 28. Pokémon Ability: Prankster. (Status moves have priority.) This Pokémon has the following moves: Tailwind, Night Shade, Lash Out, Wing Attack."
Ash listened as he began to think of what move Paul would try to go for, Paul just assuming that Ash would attack first turn. May felt a slight shiver at seeing Murkrow as Misty comforted her. "Don't worry, you're fine." She assured her fellow girl. "You got this, Ash!"
Ash was already at a type disadvantage as he tried to think of what Paul would attempt. An idea dawned upon him as he realized what he would do first. Paul took this moment of weakness to make the first move. "Use Tailwind."
Despite Bulbasaur being faster than him, his Prankster ability allowed Murkrow to get the first attack off. The Dark-type whipped up a turbulent whirlwind that would not only make him faster, but this boost would affect the party for four full turns. Even if Murkrow somehow fainted at the first turn, the next Pokémon would be faster than usual.
Ash realized his theory was correct, deciding to copy Paul by setting up himself. "Use Poison Powder!" Bulbasaur released the poisoned dust while Murkrow did his move, getting poisoned as he had to finish the move to ensure the advantage. Murkrow was now guaranteed to outspeed but would be slowly drained of health throughout the battle. Paul looked on, his deduction coming up short this time.
Paul pointed his finger to Bulbasaur. "Use Wing Attack!" Murkrow's wing glowed white as he charged at Bulbasaur, the speed of the Dark-type being impressive. Bulbasaur could still keep track as he could successfully jump over the attack. Paul suddenly smirked, figuring out this predictable dodge. "Night Shade."
Murkrow's eyes glowed as a dark beam shot out from his eyes. "Do it now, Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur tried to use Leech Seed as Murkrow launched Night Shade, but the Flying type could avoid the seedlings. Bulbasaur couldn't dodge in the air and was hit by Night Shade, only taking a specific amount of damage.
Misty looked at the battlefield as she saw what Ash failed to do. "I see. Ash was waiting for Murkrow to use Night Shade and make him stay in place to release a Leech Seed." She smiled, thinking about how far he had gone. "Not a bad plan." She muttered.
Paul reached the same conclusion, now seeing that Night Shade would be too risky. He pressed on the offensive. "Use Lash Out!" He knew better than to use the same move twice. Murkrow took slight damage from poison as he charged at Bulbasaur.
"Dodge!" Bulbasaur did a roll that Murkrow didn't consider, the Grass-type launching a Vine Whip to grab Murkrow in the air. "Bring him down!" Bulbasaur had a firm grip, but Murkrow began to move around with frightening speed and force. Bulbasaur lost his hold with Vine Whip as Murkrow charged right into him, releasing all of his frustration at him. Murkrow was slightly emotional in this scenario.
Murkrow broke apart as the Dark-type smirked at seeing Bulbasaur in pain. Paul let out a slight smirk as he pointed at Ash. "You should've known doing that wouldn't have worked out." He told the boy, confused when Ash shrugged.
"I guess you're right, but it somehow worked out." Murkrow felt his energy being taken as he looked down, his eyes growing wide at seeing thin vines cover his body. Everyone gasped at seeing Murkrow not only poisoned but now being seeded as well.
Ryan gave a small chuckle. "Bulbasaur took full advantage of Murkrow being so close with Lash Out to use Leech Seed," Ryan explained as May was slightly confused. "Ash must've known that regular attacks wouldn't work, so he played the draining game."
Paul gave a slight grunt. "I should've known that Vine Whip was a suspicious move to make. Murkrow will eventually faint from all this health loss, but I can still eliminate Bulbasaur to ensure that Leech Seed is off the table." Paul launched his next attack, a slight glare at the Bulbasaur. "Night Shade!"
Murkrow launched the Ghost-type move, something that Bulbasaur was able to dodge. The following two attacks came from Murkrow as the Dark-type kept trying to hit the Grass-type that caused him to be poisoned. Bulbasaur kept a calm expression as he dodged the moves that were thrown his way. Paul still maintained a calm expression as he saw his Pokémon slowly being drained of health and the Tailwind finally disappearing, meaning his speed advantage had disappeared.
Misty watched the battle as she saw all this. What Ash was doing could be seen as cheap, but she felt an exception could be made for someone like Paul. "Keep going, Bulbasaur!"
"Grass power!" May cheered as well. Bulbasaur flipped backward to dodge a Lash Out, seeing Murkrow slowly running out of health to keep going. Bulbasaur felt that now was a good time to start throwing moves out.
"Razor Leaf! Go!" Ash told his Pokémon as Bulbasaur nodded, releasing sharp leaves to do some damage. Murkrow scowled as he was able to dodge such a simple attack easily. Murkrow flew up to avoid everything and dived down with a Wing Attack at the ready. "Jump out of the way!" Paul heard this as he guessed where Bulbasaur would go.
"Got to the left!" Murkrow listened and went left, the same direction that Bulbasaur had jumped to. Bulbasaur gasped as they predicted his dodge, and the Grass-type was hit by the super-effective move. Murkrow's attack power was nothing to scoff at as Bulbasaur fell to the ground in pain.
Murkrow landed on the ground as he felt that his health was about to reach the end, but he smirked as he managed to bring down his opponent with him. Paul looked on and saw Bulbasaur slowly get up from the ground. Bulbasaur was left on low health but had not fainted. "Bulbasaur!" Ash called out to his Pokémon in worry.
"War tort tor tl le?"
Bulbasaur slowly turned around and nodded, giving a slight smirk to the two. Ryan and Brock were surprised to see Bulbasaur still standing. Paul huffed at seeing that. "KROW!" Murkrow screamed angrily as he tried to charge at his opponent to bring him down. Murkrow suddenly felt weak as the vines and poison had drained him of his health, yet the Dark-type still tried to charge at him with everything he had left.
Murkrow suddenly fell to the ground, looking at the ground in frustration as he fainted.
Paul gave a mental sigh as he brought the Poke Ball. "Pathetic," He told the ball as he placed his Murkrow away. This angered Ash as Paul didn't even try to comfort his Pokémon in any way. Ash looked down and saw Chimchar looking at his Bulbasaur in slight wonder, amazed that he took down the Murkrow he was always so scared of.
May cheered very loudly as she pointed at Bulbasaur. "Whoo! Talk about flower power!" Bulbasaur smiled at the cheering and thought the line could use some work.
Brock smiled at seeing the victory Ash had managed to obtain. "You get thirty seconds to choose which Pokémon to bring out, or you'll lose automatically." He told the two, accidentally forgetting that rule until now.
"I already have mine," Paul revealed as he took out a Great Ball, looking at Ash. "You're not as predictable as I originally thought, but that does not mean you will win. Nidorino, stand by for battle." Paul told the boy as he released his next Pokémon, surprised to see a Nidorino.
"Huh? What are the odds?" Ryan said out loud as he saw the familiar Poison-type. But the closer he and the others looked, the more they saw how scarier he was compared to Ash's.
Nidorino lightly growled at seeing the weakened Pokémon in front of him. "I know the only move you could do now is Leech Seed," Paul told the boy as he knew what Ash would attempt. "And that is why you won't get close enough to land it. Double Team!"
Nidoran made five copies of himself as they all charged right in. "Plant some seeds on the ground and use Razor Leaf!" Bulbasaur planted Leech Seeds all over, a move that, at a glance, seemed like it ultimately did nothing to benefit him. The Grass-type released Razor Leaf in all directions, making the Nidorans scatter, two copies disappearing into nothing after they were hit.
"Use Double Team again and form a perimeter around him. Ensure that you aren't too close." Paul commanded as Nidoran complied. Ten separate Nidorans began to circle Bulbasaur as he looked around, seeing that he was trapped.
"This is bad," May said as she watched Bulbasaur stuck in this position. Misty nodded.
"They're far enough that they could easily avoid Vine Whip or Razor Leaf but close enough to end Bulbasaur easily." They could only watch as Ash and Bulbasaur needed something to escape this scenario. An idea came to Ash as he pointed to Bulbasaur.
"Plant Leech Seeds on where they are running!" Bulbasaur launched a few seeds in the circle that the Nidorino clones had made. This was meant to draw out the real Nidorino, and it worked. The Poison-type came out as he saw this moment of weakness. Bulbasaur quickly reacted as he used Vine Whip to keep him away.
"Your Bulbasaur is too weak to push my Nidorino away," Paul warned them as Bulbasaur tried with all his might to push Nidoran back. He wasn't trying to keep Nidoran away, but he was moving him straight into where he had placed one of his seeds. He had only managed to get Nidorino to that spot before the Poison-type broke free.
"Ran!" Nidoran ran straight up and used Peck with his horn, his eyes full of rage as he saw Bulbasaur faint before him. Nidorino and his clones suddenly laughed at their victory until they noticed that weird vines began to entangle and wrap around him. He looked down and saw that Bulbasaur had fainted with a smile, the Grass-type knowing he had messed up Nidorino.
"One down, three to go," Paul remarked as he looked at the battlefield. He was, of course, upset with what Bulbasaur managed to accomplish but knew that he could use this knowledge for future battles. This Bulbasaur was undoubtedly tenacious.
Ash and Wartortle came to the Grass-type as they gently touched him, accepting that this was unavoidable. "You did so good, Bulbasaur. I couldn't have asked for more." He told his Pokémon in a parental tone.
"War. Tor artort." Wartortle said as well as Bulbasaur came back to the Poke Ball. Ash looked ahead as Wartortle gently tugged his pant leg. "Wartotle?"
"Not yet. Paul probably hasn't sent out his strongest Pokémon either." Ash explained, a little down at the loss of Bulbasaur as he took out his next Pokémon. Chimchar felt the same as Ash about Bulbasaur, yet he said and did nothing. "I choose you, Pidgey!"
The Flying-type came out as she felt joy for finally seeing some action. "Dgey!" She cried out as she saw what her opponent was, surprised at seeing a Nidorino with his clones.
"Hmm. Neither have the type advantage, so it will come down to their moves." Misty and Brock thought as they saw this battle, knowing Pidgey wasn't completely helpless. Nidorino suddenly grew a big smile.
"Thunderbolt, Nidorino!"
Everyone was caught entirely off-guard by that order. "Thunderbolt?" Ryan asked with wide eyes. Even Brock wasn't expecting a move like that. Nidorino released the Electric-type move as Pidgey smartly used Quick Attack to escape. Chimchar backed away at seeing the powerful move being used.
Nidorino began to look around to see where Pidgey had gone to. Ash knew that Pidgey wouldn't last long against him but knew she could harm him somehow as he made Pidgey still use Quick Attack to dodge. Nidorino tried to listen in and focus, noticing how Pidgey wasn't even making noise during all this.
Paul looked above as Pidgey finally revealed herself. "Upper left!" Nidorino looked as Pidgey came down upon him, fully expecting the Flying-type to attack.
"Feather Dance, go!" Pidgey covered Nidorino's body with a mass of down, harshly lowering his physical attack. Nidorino growled as he saw Pidgey release a small, vicious tornado to deal damage. Nidorino used Thunderbolt to strike Pidgey out of the sky, his special attack unaffected.
Though Nidorino took slight damage, Pidgey had fainted from the powerful move as she fell to the ground. "Oh no!" May cried out in worry as she saw the Flying-type. Misty felt bad, recalling the crown she had made for the Pokémon back then. Chimchar felt a bit sad at seeing the poor Pokémon getting hit.
Ash gently picked up Pidgey, seeing his Flying-type having unstable breathing. "Pidgey..." He said in a comforting voice. "You deserved so much better. I'm sorry." If only he allowed Pidgey to keep Whirlwind, it couldn't be changed now. He placed Pidgey back in her ball as he looked at Paul.
"Don't apologize to your Pokémon. If your method is so effective, they should apologize to you for failing when they supposedly have the stronger way." Paul remarked, making Ash's blood boil as the boy said that carelessly. Ash gave a glare rivaling Paul's, taking out a Poke Ball.
"I apologize to them because I want to. Because I am willing to take the blame so they don't have to." Ash said with anger as he let out his next Pokémon. "Take them down, Nidorino!" Ash revealed his own Nidorino as Paul's Nidorino smirked, sensing an actual challenge.
Paul made a 'tch' noise. "Whatever you must tell yourself. Focus Energy!" His Nidorino took a deep breath and focused on landing more critical hits, which Ash's Nidorino also did. Paul quickly took out his Pokédex to see what this Nidorino had, slightly surprised at what he had heard.
Ryan smiled. "Paul isn't ready for Nidorino. He took down Surge's Raichu before ever evolving."
Paul put his dex away. "Ice Beam, Horn Attack, and Iron Tail. A smart move set." Paul thought but would never say it out loud. "Use Thunderbolt!"
"Nido rin!" Paul's Nidoran yelled out as he launched electricity at his fellow Poison-type. Nidorino already had experience with dodging this exact attack, so it was easy for him to get out of the way. Ash's Nidorino charged in as he gathered energy to perform Ice Beam, all the Nidorino's scattering to confuse him.
Ash was expecting this as he decided to do something his Nidorino had never tried. "Spin around with the beam!" Wartortle was surprised by what he just said. Nidorino looked confused but decided to go along with it.
Instead of keeping the beam in one location, Nidorino spun it around in two complete rotations. Ash's group was stunned, and even Paul was not expecting this idea, quickly telling Nidorino to jump out of the way. While the real Nidorino made it out, all of the clones he had made were slowly being destroyed.
Ash's Nidorino stopped as he was taking a deep breath, that move taking a lot more energy than he expected. It worked as the real Nidorino was the only one left on the field, Misty looking at the battlefield. "Well... it worked." She shrugged, just deciding to cheer on Ash and watch the rest of the match.
"Alright! I knew that would work!" Ash said as if he had planned for this, but even he agreed that idea shouldn't have done so well. He pointed at the real opponent. "Charge at him with Horn Attack!"
Paul and Nidorino saw the incoming attack as he knew he could contend with this. "Charge at him with Peck!" The two Nidorinos ran to each other as their front horns clashed with each other, the two locked in an intense stalemate. Paul's Nidorino may have been physically superior, even with his weakened attack, but Ash's was at a higher level and the more experienced one.
Paul's Nidorino laughed. "Nidor rin o nid or." He called his fellow Nidorino a weakling, trying to get Ash's Nidorino to act on emotion so he could exploit it. Ash's Nidorino remained calm to this as they locked eyes. "Dor? Nido orino?" Again, the other Nidorino didn't react as they suddenly split apart.
"Ice Beam!" Nidorino released Ice Beam as the other launched Thunderbolt. Ice and electricity clashed. Paul believed that Thunderbolt would ultimately win out due to the superior strength of his Nidorino, but saw that Ice Beam was starting to win out.
"Push harder!" Paul's Nidorino put all of his efforts into the electricity, yet Ash's Nidorino was winning in this struggle. Nidorino slowly watched the move approach him as he was hit by the move, taking damage that didn't come from the Leech Seed that was still active.
Nidorino quickly got up and was met with an Iron Tail to the face. Paul's Nidorino kept his feet on the ground as he looked at his non-speaking opponent. Paul knew that his Nidorino would reach his end by Leech Seed, but he could ensure that Ash's Nidorino was weakened. "Use Double Team!"
Four other Nidorinos stood as Ash's Nidorino gave an unimpressed look, covering one of his spikes in iron as he started down the clones. "Nidor ino or." Paul's Nidorino told them to go into a specific formation. Suddenly, all the Nidorinos began to move rapidly as they became faster and faster. To most, it would be intimidating.
For Ash and Nidorino they just gave a confident smirk. Nidorino used an Ice Beam on a particular place as the real Nidorino was hit, Paul being surprised that Nidorino saw right through the thing. Paul's Nidorino was very weak as he lay on the ground, his clones all going away. He felt the last bit of health being taken from him as he looked at the calm Nidorino in rage. "NIDO OR RINO!" He declared that he hated him.
That was the last thing he said before he collapsed. The damage was too much for him.
Nidorino looked down at his fainted opponent with a slight glare, recalling what the Poison-type had called him before. "Nid orin no dor." He told the fainted Pokémon that he had been called worse, recalling his time before he met Ash and the gang. The group cheered him on as Nidorino gave a small smile at his supporting group.
"War!" Wartortle and Ash both gave him a massive thumbs up, Nidorino nodding as he could celebrate this victory after the fight was over. Chimchar looked on in wonder, looking at Paul as he saw his Trainer not focused on him. Surprisingly, Chimchar was cheering for Ash in this battle. Seeing how kind and supportive he was.
Chimchar looked up once again as he gave the most silent clap possible. He was careful not to make any noise as he cheered for him. Ryan was surprised as he noticed how Chimchar did this, Brock as well being surprised. "Is he... cheering on Ash?"
Paul called back his fainted Pokémon, saying nothing this time around as May gave a very disapproving look. Paul didn't even say anything when his Pokémon had beaten two others. Paul looked at his pocket as he knew what to bring out but stopped as he saw his Chimchar. "What are you doing?"
Chimchar quickly stopped his clapping as he looked at his Trainer in fear. The Fire-type tried to think of an excuse for the traitorous act he had committed. "Chi... Chim mch ar cha imch." Chimchar explained that he was clapping for Nidorino for doing so well despite him ultimately fainting.
Paul saw right through this.
Chimchar knew better than to support failure like that, and Chimchar wouldn't have been scared if that was the real reason. He realized that Chimchar was cheering on the enemy. Paul didn't show a reaction as he felt this was right for Chimchar, that the weak Pokémon would decide to side with the wrong half. He was initially going to bring out his Ninjask, but he felt that a better choice had presented itself.
"I have chosen my next Pokémon," Paul told Brock as the boy didn't reach into his pocket, confusing the teenager as Paul pointed ahead. "Chimchar, stand by for battle."
Chimchar looked up in surprise as he heard Paul say that. Ash and his two Pokémon gasped at hearing that, thinking they must've heard wrong. "Char?"
Paul didn't even look down as he pointed ahead. "I said: Chimchar, stand by for battle," Paul repeated with some force, Chimchar looking at the battlefield with hesitation. The Fire-type went out of fear as everyone was shocked at Paul's decision.
"Chimchar..." May said as she noticed that the Fire-type, unlike Paul's other Pokémon, looked like he didn't want to be part of this. Chimchar stepped out into the battlefield as he and Nidorino looked at each other, neither wanting to fight. Misty quickly came to Brock as she saw all this.
"We seriously can't allow this, right?" Misty asked as she looked at Chimchar. "Isn't there a rule that Pokémon don't have to fight if they don't want to?"
"In a normal battle, but this fight has the rule that won't allow the Trainer to switch out. The only way out for Chimchar is through fainting or if Paul allows him out." Brock admitted, not wanting this either, as he could only watch the battle. Chimchar gave an apologetic look to Nidorino as Wartrotle and Ash could only stay on the sidelines. The pair were so uncomfortable about this scenario.
"Chimchar, Flame Wheel." Chimchar listened and cried as he charged at Nidorino, covering his entire body in flames. Nidorino lightly gasped as he dodged out of the way, avoiding all the attempts that he made. Chimchar stopped his attack as he saw Nidorino escape purposefully, not wanting to harm him. "Fury Swipes!"
Chimchar tried again to attack, but Nidorino dodged and moved out of the way. "War tor tort," Wartortle told Ash they couldn't dodge forever.
"I know, Wartortle. I need to figure out something." Ash said as none of them wanted to hurt Chimchar, but it looked like that was impossible in this scenario. Ash had nothing that could put him to sleep or make him paralyzed.
"Why aren't you attacking? You won't be able to win by just dodging." Paul told the boy, sensing his weakness as he saw the three too soft to attack. He saw Chimchar try and fail for the third time, everyone else finding this hard to watch.
"How could you do this? You know Chimchar doesn't want this!" Paul ignored Ryan's words as he saw Chimchar finally land a move. Chimchar landed a Flame Wheel, and Nidorino reacted at that point. He used Horn Attack and slammed into Chimchar, knocking the Pokémon a few feet away.
Ash gasped in fear, as did his two Pokémon, as they say this. Chimchar slowly got up with significant chest pain, but luckily, he didn't faint from it. Chimchar looked at Nidorino as a small tear started to escape his eye. "Chim im char..." He said that he didn't want this.
Nidorino looked on in pity as he nodded. "Nido or rino, no." He assured that he didn't wish for this to occur either. Misty felt so much sympathy as she saw this battle. A wave of sadness overcame her at the tragic circumstances.
Paul merely kept going. "Use Dig. Now." Chimchar listened as he dug into the ground, disappearing under the earth. Paul looked at the field with a glare as he thought about his weakling. "Bring out your power now. I know you could do it, and you know there's no other option." Nidorino heard the sound from underneath, and he quickly jumped out of the way.
Ash realized what must be done, his heart feeling heavy as he finally gave an order. "Nidorino, use Iron Tail." He finally said in defeat, Nidorino slowly nodding at the request. Nidorino ran up and used the Steel-type move as Chimchar was caught off-guard; Nidorino apologized for what he had to do. Chimchar was hit as the Fire-type rolled on the ground.
Everyone became silent as they thought Chimchar had fainted, but the Fire-type slowly sat up. Nidorino made sure to make the move as weak as possible so as not to make Chimchar faint. Chimchar was on the ground as it hurt to stand up, the Fire-type letting out small tears at the pain.
Paul angrily watched as his Pokémon pathetically stood up, knowing it could all be avoided if he activated the power he had. Paul finally huffed after a few seconds. "I should've known better than to give you another chance." He told Chimchar as the Fire-type could only listen. "Brock, I would like to take my Pokémon out."
Brock nodded, not even going to question it. "He counts as your third Pokémon, so the next one you send out will be your last." Paul agreed as he took the Poke Ball out.
"I no longer see you as my Pokémon." That was the last thing Chimchar heard as he was sent back in. Paul rummaged around as he took a Great Ball out, looking at the angry trio staring him down. "You may have beaten my last three, but your hope of victory ends here."
Ash didn't react as he got into a battle position like Nidorino, wanting to ensure that Paul lost this after what he had just said. "Bring it." No confidence, no joy. Just pure, silent anger.
"Electabuzz, stand by for battle." Paul released his strongest Pokémon as he knew that it would be the best choice.
Electabuzz was a slightly humanoid Pokémon with a few feline traits. He had antennae with bulbous tips where the ears should be, two long tufts of fur on his head, small eyes, and two large fangs on the upper jaw. He was covered in yellow fur with many black stripes. There was a large, lightning bolt-shaped stripe on Electabuzz's chest, a V-shaped stripe on his forehead, one stripe on the side, a thick stripe down the back, two bands on each leg, several broken bands on each arm, and many rings around his long tail. He had three clawed toes on each foot, two in front and one in back, and five fingers on each hand.
Electabuzz had a ferocious demeanor as he pumped himself, smacking his fists together in intimidation. Nidorino and Ash were unafraid of Electabuzz as Ash made the first move. "Use Ice Beam!"
"Set up Light Screen!" Paul reacted quickly as Electabuzz summoned a pink dome two feet around him. Ice Beam became instantly weaker and smaller the moment it passed through the shield, Electabuzz dodging the attack.
Misty looked as she saw the powerful Electabuzz. "This isn't a good scenario. Electabuzz could easily have moves that could overwhelm Nidorino, and he must have at least one Electric-type move to use on Wartortle." She and Ash thought the same. Ash knew that physical attacks were all he really could do now.
Paul looked on as he saw Nidorino try to charge in with a Horn Attack. "Shock Wave." Electabuzz released a quick jolt of electricity that Nidorino couldn't avoid, Nidorino stopping his attack at the critical hit. Electabuzz quickly took this opportunity to charge with Strength.
Nidorino quickly got up. "Use Iron Tail!" Nidorino coated his back in silver as he went to Electabuzz. Electabuzz ran to Nidorino as the Poison-type managed to slide underneath, jumping up and attacking Electabuzz with his Iron Tail. The Electric-type cringed at the decently strong attack as he gave a swift chop with his massive arm, landing a Brick Break on Nidorino.
The Poison-type couldn't react quickly as he was pushed back and roughly landed on the ground. "Nidorino!" Ash cried out in worry, Brock thinking the Pokémon fainted for a second. Nidorino quickly got back up as he saw Electabuzz slowly approach him, a Strength ready to finish this. Ash saw that Nidorino didn't back down. "Nido! Land one last move on him!"
Nidorino nodded as he knew this move would most likely be his last, but he'd make sure Electabuzz would feel it. He ran as he released all his energy and charged at Electabuzz. "Jump over it," Paul commanded as Electabuzz listened. "No way that Nidorino will try to attack in the air." How wrong Paul was.
Electabuzz was mildly surprised as he saw Nidorino leap off the ground and land a Horn Attack in the air. Electabuzz landed a punch with his full strength, knocking Nidorino to the ground. Nidorino groaned as he landed painfully on the ground, feeling that he couldn't do much more now. Nidorino had a slight smile on his face as he lay down, knowing he did so much.
"Nidorino has fainted!" Brock declared as Ash gently picked up his Poison-type. "It all comes down to the last Pokémon!"
Wartortle gently tapped on Nidorino as he saw his fallen friend. "War tor tle ortle..." He said, despite knowing Nidorino couldn't respond. Ash returned Nidorino as he gave a sad look to the Poke Ball.
"You deserve a good rest. I couldn't have asked for more." He told the Poke Ball as he looked at the battlefield, knowing he had to bring out his last Pokémon.
"Oh no..." May muttered as she was still confident for Ash, but the situation was bleak. Ryan had both sets of fingers crossed as he still rooted for Ash, never doubting his best friend.
"Come on, Wartortle. You're both so close." Misty thought as she still held hope for Ash to pull off a win somehow. It looks like his enthusiasm rubbed off on her.
Ash looked ahead as he weighed his options. "Electabuzz still had Light Screen up, so Ice Beam won't do well. He has an Electric-type move that Wartortle can't avoid, and Paul could easily spam it to victory." Victory was so close, yet behind a wall that he couldn't even see the top of. "What can I do?"
Wartortle suddenly grabbed his arm as he looked up at his Trainer, a confident look still present despite the circumstances. "War!" Wartortle didn't back down before, so he won't do it now.
Ash's resolve became apparent as he clenched his fist. "I can fight with my head high up!" He smirked as he looked at Electabuzz, pointing at the Electric-type. "Go for Aqua Tail!"
Wartortle tail became encased in water as he ran straight for Electabuzz, Paul seeing that these two weren't giving up. Electabuzz released a quick jolt of electricity that Wartrotle had to take. Wartortle endured the attack as he came at Electabuzz, the surprised Electric-type getting hit with Aqua Tail.
May had complete confidence in Ash as she cheered for Wartortle. "Come on, Wartortle!"
Wartortle used Protect against the Strength that Electabuzz went for and quickly responded with Bite, Electabuzz taking minor damage from the attack. Electabuzz used another Shock Wave that Wartortle couldn't avoid, the Water-type already feeling weak after two moves. Wartortle laughed as he looked at him.
"War tor tl or? War tort tle tor artor." Wartortle asked if this was how it would end, remarking that he should be lucky that it was against a strong Pokémon like this Electabuzz.
Electabuzz gave a slight smirk, his once serious demeanor changing as he saw Wartortle. "Elec ta buz zz tab," Electabuzz said he wasn't so bad himself, though the way he said it made it unsure if it was a compliment. The Light Screen ended as the two sides looked at each other.
The final move would be here and now.
Ash made the last move he could. "ICE BEAM!"
"SOCK WAVE!" Paul said simultaneously as the two Pokémon charged up their moves, releasing them as they gave a mighty scream.
"WART!"
"BUZZ!"
Electricity and ice crossed each other in the blink of an eye, both sides being hit by the move. Wartortle and Electabuzz were both knocked to the ground as everything became silent. Neither one moved as Ash thought that Electabuzz had fainted, Paul looking at his Pokémon with crossed arms. Brock was about to declare it a tie after a minute of silence until Electabuzz slowly started standing up.
Electabuzz's small chuckle turned into a laugh as he looked at the fainted form of Wartortle. "Electa abuzz! Buzz tab ectabuzz!" He sluggishly sat as he looked at his Trainer, Paul giving an approving nod.
Brock didn't want to do it, but his job was to remain neutral and judge this battle. "Ash Ketchum no longer has any Pokémon to battle with! The winner is Paul!"
Paul nodded after hearing that as he returned his Electabuzz. "Well done," He complimented, yet no emotion was in his voice. The crowd silenced as Ash couldn't push through, seeing the boy look down.
This was his second significant loss, which hurt as much as the first time. Ash gritted his teeth as he couldn't prove Paul wrong. His Pokémon had all fainted as he knew this battle would help him long-term, but it was so annoying that he got so close. He went to his Wartortle as he gently scooped up in his arms. Wartortle looked so calm as Ash gently played with one of his ears, sighing sadly.
"Wartortle, I'm sorry. I should've done more than just my best." He apologized to his Pokémon as he saw Paul approach him. Ash slowly stood up with his Pokémon in his arms, knowing he should still be a good opponent. "Well, you won. Good job,"
"Yes. I could tell for myself." Paul said as he looked at the boy, an annoyed look still on his face. "Your Pokémon, while not strong, are certainly not weak. But know that I know your fighting style and strategies; I will use them to ensure my place as the next Kanto Champion."
Ash gave a slight growl as he yelled at Paul. "I'm going to become the Kanto Champion! Watch and see as I get there without awful training!"
"Ash," Brock placed a calming hand on the boy as Ash looked at him. "Calm down. It's not worth it." Ash was huffing a bit as he slowly took deep breaths, knowing nothing could change.
Paul looked at Ash, analyzing as he said those words. "...Whatever you must tell yourself." Paul suddenly took something out of his bag and gave it to Ash. "Here. Don't expect me to do this again."
Ash looked in his hand and saw a yellow medicine shaped like a lozenge, Ash knowing what it was. The boy took the Revive as Paul soon started to walk away from the group—no goodbyes of any kind or final words as the quiet boy exited. No one cared as they came to Ash, the eleven-year-old placing the Revive in his partner's open mouth.
Ash closed Wartortle's mouth as the Water-type suddenly stirred after ten seconds. Wartortle slowly opened his eyes as he looked around, recalling what happened as he felt pain in his arm. "War tor," Wartortle slowly moved around, Ash placing him on the ground as Wartortle wanted to stand up. He stretched out his shoulder.
Ash sighed as Misty wrapped one arm around him. "I'd be glad that I brought Paul down to his last Pokémon," Misty said as she tried to cheer him up. "That means he wasn't way out of my league."
"That battle was really cool!" May said honestly, seeing how these two Trainers tried to outsmart the other. "It was interesting to see what you guys came up with, and you did so well. I couldn't get that far."
Ryan gave a small smile. "You lost, but now you know how Paul fights." He brought up a good point. "Whenever you two meet again, you know what to do."
Ash gave a smile at the group, seeing Wartortle hug his legs. 'Thank you so much, really. I know I could've won if I had been more careful." He knew that he was so close. "All I can do is treat this battle as a good experience, right?"
Brock wrapped one arm around the kid as he brought him closer. "You took the words right out of my mouth. And don't worry," The older boy smiled at the kid. "You're not the only one who wants him to lose." Everyone agreed when Brock said that; Ash felt a sense of comfort as his group was there for him.
"You are out of here!"
Everyone looked around as they knew that voice was Paul. Ash followed that voice as he and Wartortle heard Chimchar's voice. They turned the corner and saw that the injured Chimchar was begging Paul for something, the boy being very uninterested as he looked at Chimchar.
"What's going on?" Ash asked as Paul looked at him.
"Is it not easy to tell? I'm getting rid of this Chimchar." Ash felt a shock course through as he heard Paul say it like it was an everyday thing. "I need a new Fire-type since this one keeps underperforming."
Chimchar looked down in shame as everyone else came by. "You're... you're just going to let him go? No second try?" Brock asked, the boy deeply concerned as Paul nodded.
Paul took out a Poke Ball and opened it up. "How could you do this?" May asked in anger. "You are just going to release him because he isn't what you want him to be?"
"I've done this multiple times, and I am doing it for that reason," Paul answered her questions as he looked at Chimchar. "I have given you enough second chances and time to prove yourself, but I see that was a mistake on my part. No Champion can exist with you around."
"Chim! Chim him char ar char!" Chimchar begged as he promised to do better, saying whatever Paul would want him to say. His sentence was met with no response as Paul grabbed both ends of the open Poke Ball. He suddenly pulled hard on both sides as the ball was snapped in half. Ash and Chimchar widened their eyes as red light suddenly enveloped Chimchar, disappearing after a moment.
Chimchar was now considered a wild Pokémon.
Paul dropped both pieces on the ground as he freed himself from a burden, giving a calming exhale. "It's done." Paul suddenly began to walk away as Chimchar crawled to the Poke Ball that was once his, grabbing both pieces. The boy calmly walked away as he was done here, no longer interested in this location.
Chimchar tried desperately to put the Poke Ball back together, but it was beyond repair. Chimchar let tears come to his eyes. Chimchar looked at the ground as he wanted to sit there and cry, but the pain of the battle made it so painful for him.
Suddenly, Ryan came to Chimchar as they worried the Fire-type might pass out. "Hey. I-It's okay." Ryan tried to calm him down as he looked at the group. "Chimchar needs a Pokémon Center! He's going to pass out!"
Everyone agreed with this idea as Chimchar heard it, knowing they were correct. "Could you follow us, Chimchar? You need the Pokémon Center." Brock instructed the Pokémon as he gave his hand to him. Chimchar tried to stand up, but his legs hurt too much, so he fell.
Everyone became worried as May tried to help. "You need someone to carry you?" Chimchar shrieked as May tried to help him, not trusting these people. That is when a new hand came to him; Chimchar looked up to see it was Ash's.
"It's okay. I know you're scared, but you need to be healed." Ash said to Chimchar in a gentle tone. Chimchar looked at the hand as he remembered their first meeting, realizing that Ash was safe to be with. He took the hand as Ash gently picked Chimchar up. Ash carried Chimchar in both arms like a child as he looked at the group. "We need to hurry."
Everyone began to move at a decent pace, Ash ensuring that Chimchar was secure in his arms. Chimchar stared at the fabric of Ash's shirt as the tears returned, realizing he had lost his Trainer for good. Paul was never a good Trainer to him, but Chimchar was still his Pokémon when all was said and done. Now... he didn't know what he was. Chimchar silently wept as he didn't want to be a bigger bother to the group than he already was.
Feeling the tears on his shirt brought great sadness to Ash.
Everyone was at the Pokémon Center to heal Ash's Pokémon and Chimchar after the battle with Paul. The injuries weren't awful, but Nidorino and Bulbasaur's recovery would take the night. Everyone accepted that they would spend one last night in Vermillion as Bulbasaur sat in bed, listening to the book that May had offered to read to him.
"They hugged each other closely as the world seemingly disappeared around them, their only focus being the person they were finally together with. After ten whole years, the day had finally come!" May recited from the book she was reading as Ponyta, Jigglypuff, and Zubat were also listening in on this book.
"Ta..." Ponyta and Jigglypuff felt pure sympathy as they heard the beautifully depressing story of two lovers reuniting. Zubat thought it was a little sad but didn't care for romantic stories. Nidorino was lucky that he didn't have to listen to this. It would've been painful listening to the sappy story.
In another room, Misty and Ash were seeing the recovery of Wartortle and Chimchar as they were together. Squirtle was out as she saw her fellow Water-type in bed, a slight bit of sympathy coming over her. Misty took the empty cups. "Would anyone like any more tea?" She asked kindly.
"I'm good, Mist. Thank you so much." Ash declined as Wartortle and Squirtle both agreed. Chimchar didn't seem to hear as the memories of what happened today played through his mind. "Do you want any, Chimchar?"
Chimchar looked at them as he saw the empty cups, the Fire-type shaking his head. He probably wouldn't have liked it anyway. Misty nodded as she pointed at the two Water-types. "You two better be grateful for this." Wartortle and Squirtle just gave dismissive answers as she walked off.
Misty sighed as she filled up the cups of tea. She usually wasn't the kind of person to do this, and she knew that. She was decently kind and compassionate, but she never really did anything beyond the basic stuff. She wasn't a bad person, but she wasn't exactly great either. She looked at her reflection in the tea she got as she sighed. She wished she could be like Ash with his tenderness.
Maybe she should ask him for advice.
She took the two cups and returned to the room, almost running into a concerned Nurse Joy. She nearly avoided a very messy encounter. "Oh! Sorry about that." Misty apologized, deciding to take a different approach this time.
"That's fine. I should've been paying attention." Joy looked around as she was holding a small box. "Have you seen Brock? I need to talk to him."
Misty briefly thought. "He might be over there."
"Thank you." Nurse Joy quickly walked away as the two went their separate ways. Misty was a bit confused by the whole box thing. Joy followed the path as she saw Brock sitting by himself. The boy wanted to be alone as he still thought about what happened to him earlier. Joy looked as she calmly walked up to the boy. "Hey..."
Brock looked as he saw Joy, an unsure look on his face. "Hey..."
Joy got a bit closer. "Is it okay if I sit down next to you?" Brock nodded as Joy sat beside him, yet not too close to make him uncomfortable. The two looked at the ground as Joy periodically looked at Brock, seeing the boy not doing much. She tried to think of what to say. "Brock... I-uh..."
Brock gave a small sigh as he fully sat up. "It's okay, Nurse Joy." He looked at the girl as he tried to smile. "I understand,"
Joy just knew that what he was saying wasn't the whole truth. "I... I should've been honest with you from the start. I think you're a great guy and an excellent Trainer, Brock. It's just that I didn't think that you would feel that way towards me."
Brock said nothing as he shook his head. "I should've assumed that a great girl like you would already have a boyfriend. I want to find someone that loves me for who I am, someone that will stick by me no matter what." He decided to be fully honest. "I keep trying because I know that it will one day happen. I don't know when or how, but there has to be someone out there made for me." He suddenly released a sigh of slight frustration. "At least, that's what I'll keep telling myself." He looked down at the ground and asked himself why he was still trying; not like there was anything from quitting any time.
Suddenly, Joy placed a gentle hand on his lap.
Brock was surprised as he heard her speak. "I think you have the right idea. There will be someone for you, Brock. Someone who may not be easy to find but will always be there for you." He looked at the pink-haired girl as Joy smiled. "I'm surprised that no one has fallen for you yet. You're smart, funny, have good taste and a big heart."
Brock heard all this, feeling a soft feeling as he heard all those positive things about him. "You think that?" Joy happily nodded as she offered her hand, Brock taking it after a moment. The two stood up, and they looked at each other.
"I thought I had to search for my love, but I ended up meeting him when I least expected it. Love is something that takes time." Joy told the boy as she gently held his hand. "And besides, you have a great group of friends you travel with."
Brock lightly smiled at hearing this. "They are great, but love is not the word I'd use to describe us." Joy lightly chuckled as Brock looked ahead, knowing that he couldn't let this define him. "I just wish that a girl would feel the same way that I do."
"It will happen. All we can do is keep going, right?" Brock nodded as Joy presented the box to him. The teenager was confused as he looked at Joy. "I don't want our last moment to end on a bad note. I didn't know what I would use this for, but I think you can find a better use."
The box opened up, and Brock gave a small gasp as he gently picked up the item inside. It was a green rock as big as his hand that had a thunderbolt symbol on it. Brock was surprised by how smooth it felt. "A Thunder Stone? For me?"
Joy nodded as she looked at the empty box. "I want us to be friends, but I'd understand if you think that'd be weird now. And besides, you have your own-"
Joy gasped as Brock suddenly gave her a one-arm hug, the other holding the Thunder Stone now in his possession. "Thank you," He whispered to her as he was gentle with her. "For this."
She gave a small smile as she returned the one-arm hug, the world becoming silent as these two friends shared this moment. Everything may not have turned out the way Brock wanted it to, but he knew it would all be okay in the end. Misty came out as she tried to find Nurse Joy, giving a silent gasp at what she saw. The girl couldn't help but let out a slight smirk for the former Gym Leader.
"Good on you, Brock. Good on you." She thought quietly as she slipped away, not wanting to ruin this moment.
Morning came by as not only was Brock doing better, but so were Ash's Pokémon. Everyone had a good recovery and was ready to fight, though Joy advised Ash to let Nidorino rest for at least one more day. They had the supplies ready, and they had already said goodbye to the fan club the day before. There seemed to be nothing stopping them from leaving.
However, there was still one issue to deal with.
Chimchar sat in bed as everyone looked at him. Chimchar was fully allowed to leave, but he had nowhere to go. "So, have you decided where to go, Chimchar?" Ash gently asked the Fire-type, Pidgey sitting on his shoulder as she looked at him.
"Pidg..." She said sympathetically.
Chimchar shook his head. He had no idea what to do now, and he worried he might not make it in the wild. "You don't want to check out the Pokémon club we mentioned?" Chimchar shook his head as May sighed. "I guess that place may be too crowded for you."
Chimchar suddenly jumped off his little bed as he looked at the group. "Chim mch ar char im." He thanked them for doing so much, looking at Ash and his two Pokémon. He slowly turned away as he was ready to walk away from this. The group watched as Chimchar slowly approached the door as they wanted to help, but what could they say or do to heal such deep wounds? Chimchar reached the door as he closed his eyes. He tried not to cry, not wanting to make himself more pathetic than he already did.
"Would you like to join us?"
Chimchar suddenly stopped as he looked around, wondering if he just imagined hearing that. Ash kneeled as everyone looked on, unsure of how this would end. Chimchar slowly walked back as he saw the extended hand Ash had given him, seeing the looks of kindness Ash and his Pokémon gave him. Chimchar looked up at Ash.
"Chim cha him ar?" Chimchar asked if Ash was speaking to him. Ash just gave a soft chuckle as he nodded.
"I'm being serious. I see true strength in you, Chimchar." He placed a soft hand on Chimchar's shoulder. "You deserve a Trainer that cares about you, someone that would be kind to you. I know I'm not the best Trainer yet, but I always try my hardest for my Pokémon. They always do it for me, so why should I be any different?"
"War tor," Wartortle nodded as he agreed with that sentiment, Pidgey nodding her head as well. Brock came by to support this. "I know when a Pokémon needs help. Our group may seem big and odd, but we always try to make everyone happy. We wouldn't treat you any different if you went with us." Brock told the Chimchar as he stood up. "But then again, that choice is up to you."
Chimchar looked down at the open hand as Ash said one last thing. "Let's prove Paul how wrong he was! Let's show him that kindness is the way!"
Chimchar looked at the offer as tears came to his eyes. Chimchar looked up at Ash and saw how the boy showed interest in him despite everything. Chimchar raised his hand, hesitating momentarily before slamming his hand on Ash's. "CHAR!"
Everyone cheered as they heard this, the egg slightly moving in Ryan's hands. Chimchar looked around as he realized what choice he had made. He didn't know why, but he felt confident with his decision. Though the fear of being like Paul was still there, Chimchar didn't think Ash would be that way. He recalled what Paul did to him the first time they met versus what Ash did the first time they met.
Wartortle suddenly went right beside him as he playfully shook him, a big smile at the new team member he had. Chimchar was a bit scared at the interaction. The Fire-type realized that Wartortle wasn't trying to hurt him as he saw how genuine everyone's smiles were. Chimchar smiled as he looked down, feeling something inside that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Hope.
END OF CHAPTER 16
Looks like our boy wasn't able to win this time. Despite how much more capable and stronger Ash is compared to the original, Paul is too strong for him at this point. It's not like he lost from overconfidence or making dumb mistakes, but Paul was more powerful and arguably smarter. This loss will sting for our boy, but I felt it was necessary for him since this will allow him to mature and show him what not to become during this journey. It wasn't a total loss, as Ash now obtains Chimchar in the story. I guess our kid did win, weirdly. Good day to everyone here, and we'll see each other next time!
Edit 10/14/23: Wow! I didn't realize how satisfying this chapter would be to write! Anyway, our next stop will be a two-parter for Rock Tunnel, a location I'm surprised was never part of the anime. I have a few plans for that part of the story and Lavender Town. But before that, we have a chapter to go through with Green. Don't worry; I promise that chapter will be worth something. Later!
Ash's Team: Wartortle (M), Pidgey (F), Nidorino (M), Bulbasaur (M), Dratini Egg (N/G), Chimchar (M)
Misty's Team: Starmie (N/G), Azumarill (M), Horsea (F), Magikarp (M), Jigglypuff (F), Squirtle (F)
Misty's Other Members: Seaking (F)
Ryan's Team: Pinsir (M), Butterfree (M), Jangmo-o (M), Oddish (M), Slowpoke (M), Ponyta (Galarian, F)
Brock's Team: Graveler (M), Onix (M), Zubat (M), Eevee (M)
May's Team: Beldum (Shiny, N/G), Charmander (M)