"Here we are Olivine City, the home of my next gym battle!" Ash said confidently.
"About time you showed up, I was worried you'd never get here at this rate." Gary taunted, walking out of the city.
"Gary? What, how long have you been waiting?" Ash asked.
"Relax I wasn't actually waiting for you, I was waiting for the gym leader." Gary said nonchalantly. "Apparently one of her Pokemon is sick and she's been taking care of it. I had been hoping it would get better so I could finally challenge her, but it seems I'll be here forever at this rate."
"Gary how can you be so heartless?!" Casey demanded angrily.
"Casey, again wrong energy in this situation with him." Molly reminded.
"But he's just!" Casey tried to find an argument.
"People and Pokemon get sick all of the time, but if I plan on beating the Johto League I need to focus more on my next battle rather than waiting around for this one to be ready." Gary pointed out.
"Wait, how about a battle here and now then?" Ash said with a confident smirk.
"Ash, what are you getting at?" Molly asked.
"I'm challenging him to a battle, and that way both of us get some training, especially when you consider we'll have to find our next stop for another badge too." Ash pointed out. "So how about it Gary, or are you afraid I might actually be better than you?"
"Alright Ashy boy, you're on. Two Pokemon each sound fair to you?" Gary questioned.
"Works for me, Scyther come on out!" Ash called out.
"Scizor I choose you!" Gary exclaimed.
"Come on Ash, show him who's best!" Casey called out.
"But wait, Scizor is the evolved form of Scyther, right?" Molly asked double checking her Pokedex.
'Scizor, the Pincer Pokemon, a Bug and Steel type and the evolved form of Scyther. Its wings are not used for flying. They are flapped at high speed to adjust its body temperature.' The Pokedex explained.
"Scyther use Fury Cutter!"
"Scizor use Metal Claw!"
Scyther's scythes and Scizor's pincers clashed against one another, clanging against each other with great force.
"Scyther use Wing Attack!"
"Scizor use Steel Wing!"
Scyther took to the skies, easily flying higher and faster than Scizor but when they got close, Scizor was easily able to knock Scyther around.
"Scizor use Swift!"
"Scyther use Pursuit!"
Scyther rushed forward, slicing through the strange stars being launched from Scizor's pincers and striking the steel type.
"Ash should switch to Houndoom, it's a better match up." Molly said.
"I think it's less about that and more about proving who's stronger." Casey said. "Houndoom would make it easy, but Ash chose Scyther and he'll take him through to the end."
"Scyther use Fury Cutter, and keep slicing!"
"Scizor use Metal Claw!"
Scyther launched a flurry of Fury Cutters as Scizor went on the defensive, slowly being pushed back as Scyther's attacks got stronger and more fierce.
"Scizor use Quick Attack!"
Scizor rushed forward, slamming their metallic body into Scyther, tossing them backwards into some trees.
"Scyther get up and use Double Team!"
"Scizor use Swift!"
Scyther got back onto their feet, creating multiple shadow clones of themselves, before each was knocked back by the strange stars, and causing Scyther to not be able to get back up in the end.
"Scyther return!" Ash called out.
"My turn to pick first. Umbreon come on out!" Gary called out.
"VEE!" Eevee exclaimed, rushing out of her :YmbrePokeball, and onto the field.
"You managed to catch an Eevee, and a shiny one at that." Gary said thoroughly impressed.
"Is that why she's white?" Ash questioned. "Huh, well now I know. Eevee start off strong with Double Edge!"
"Umbreon use Faint Attack!"
Eevee rushed forward, slamming into Umbreon and pushing the dark type back before bouncing Eevee back with his own attack and recoil combined.
"Umbreon use Shadow Ball!"
"Eevee use Tackle!"
Eevee leapt through the shadow ball going right towards Umbreon, hitting the dark type head on.
"Umbreon use Psychic!"
"Eevee use Double Edge!"
Eevee ran forward, only to be lifted off the ground as she continued to try to rush forward, causing no damage until being tossed aside with ease.
"Eevee use Tackle!"
"Umbreon use Faint Attack!"
Eevee rushed forward, slamming into Umbreon once more, the duo trading blows before Eevee was ultimately tossed aside once more.
"Vee!" Eevee said, getting back up, struggling for a moment before standing her ground.
"I have to admit, that Eevee of yours has some spunk." Gary commented. "Have you thought about what to evolve her into?"
"She's just mine until we find her original trainer." Ash said.
"What do you mean original trainer, if she was abandoned, you know as well as anyone that the trainer likely doesn't want her." Gary reminded.
"Ash, what does he mean you know?" Molly asked.
"Charizard was abandoned." Ash admitted. "Back when I first found him as a Charmander, his original trainer had abandoned him, and left him to die, but how did you know that?"
"Gramps told me the stories when I asked, nothing about training methods or moves, but we are still old friends even if we are rivals right now, and I wanted to know why a Charizard wasn't listening to their trainer." Gary said. "So wherever you found this Eevee, it's likely their original trainer is a lot farther than Charizard's was."
"She appeared from the transfer system." Ash said plainly. "Scan says I'm her original trainer, but that can't be right, can it?"
"Could just be a glitch." Gary pointed out. "But seeing how much the two of you are alike I'd say she has the right trainer, you just need to find the right evolution."
"Well you've raised an Eevee, what do you think?" Molly questioned curiously.
"My Eevee was never that physically rough, if I had to guess Flareon would be a good choice." Gary pointed out.
"To go with Ash's Houndoom and Charizard, great idea!" Casey said angrily.
"Again Casey, we're being civil with Gary take it back like 10 notches." Ash said.
"She has a point, would you prefer Jolteon to go with his Pikachu, or maybe Vaporeon to go with his Squirtle, Kingler, and Totodile." Gary pointed out.
"There are still two others, Umbreon and Espeon!" Casey said.
"That Eevee hit's like she thinks she's a Machamp, do you really think an Espeon or Umbreon are the right choice?" Gary laughed. "Face it your team is so rounded no matter what you pick, any decent decision will create a mismatch of types."
"Alright Gary, enough for now." Ash said. "I'll manage my team the same way I did back in Kanto, and you manage yours however you choose."
"Fine, fine, just know next time I won't stop the battle prematurely." Gary taunted before leaving with his Umbreon and Scizor in tow.
"He's a jerk." Casey said angrily.
"Yeah, but he's still a tough trainer and my rival at the end of the day." Ash said, watching Gary leave.