"Pidgeotto, I choose you!"
This time Ash sent out Pidgeotto, who had the type advantage. The moment Scyther saw Pidgeotto, it instinctively mistook it for its golden companion. But after noticing Pidgeotto's ordinary coloring and "underdeveloped" build, it sneered lightly, amused at its own misjudgment.
"Pi! Pii!" Pidgeotto glared angrily at Scyther. That contemptuous look had completely enraged it.
"Not much skill, but quite the temper!" Scyther mocked.
The moment Brock announced the start of the match, Pidgeotto ignored Ash's command and used Quick Attack straight at Scyther. Scyther responded with Quick Attack as well. With the boost from its Technician Ability, it easily overpowered Pidgeotto with sheer strength and knocked it flying.
In truth, even without the Ability boost, Scyther could have suppressed Pidgeotto by strength alone. Pokémon battles weren't a game—stats alone couldn't determine everything.
"Pidgeotto, use Gust!" Ash ordered, his gaze fearless.
"Air Slash."
Scyther paused briefly, gathering the surrounding airflow. Currents swirled around its scythes. Then its eyes snapped open, and it swung forward with force. A massive, razor-sharp wind blade formed, shattering Pidgeotto's Gust before continuing upward to slash the airborne Pidgeotto.
"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!"
Ash was left with only Charmander and Bulbasaur—both still in their base forms, posing little threat to Scyther.
"Bulbasaur, I choose you!"
The white light faded, and Bulbasaur stared at Scyther with a serious expression.
"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip!"
Two vines shot out from Bulbasaur, reaching toward Scyther. This time, Red gave no command, deciding to let Scyther fight on its own.
Scyther did not counterattack. It allowed the two vines to wrap around its scythes. Seeing this, Ash grew excited and quickly ordered Razor Leaf, landing the first effective hit on Scyther.
"Not good! Is Scyther planning to pull Bulbasaur in by force?!" Brock guessed—and what followed proved him right.
After generously letting Ash save some reputation, Scyther yanked Bulbasaur forward. Before Bulbasaur could even react, it was defeated by Scyther's Fury Cutter.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle!"
"Ash, do you want to give up?" Red asked calmly.
"No! Even at the very last moment, I won't give up! That's what you taught me—it's the belief I travel with. I'm counting on you, Charmander!"
Ash spun his cap and hurled Charmander's Poké Ball with force.
"Scyther, step back."
At the words, Scyther switched places with Charmeleon. Facing its evolved form, Charmander stared in awe.
"Is that Charmander's evolution?!" Ash exclaimed excitedly, reaching for his Pokédex—
"Charmeleon, the Flame Pokémon, is the evolved form of Charmander. It defeats opponents mercilessly with its sharp claws. When it encounters a strong foe, it becomes extremely excited, and the flame on its tail may burn blue-white."
Red put away the Pokédex and looked at Ash helplessly.
"Ash, try to fill in your knowledge about Pokémon. Don't pull out the Pokédex every time you meet one."
"It's convenient…" Ash said shyly before refocusing on the battle.
Charmeleon briefly showed a rare smile. But the instant the battle began, it switched into combat mode, locking onto Charmander with a fierce glare. The aura it emitted stunned Charmander before it could react.
"Charmander, hurry and use Flamethrower!" Ash urged anxiously.
"Dragon Claw."
Charmeleon first opened its mouth and absorbed Charmander's fragile flames. Its raised claws were enveloped in emerald light, and with one Dragon Claw, it slammed Charmander to the ground.
The battle ended in Ash's complete defeat. Misty and Brock wanted to comfort him, but when they saw Ash casually recalling Charmander, they froze. After all, he had just been thoroughly beaten by Red—how could he have no reaction?
"Ah, I'm used to this! It's only natural for my brother to beat me easily!" Ash scratched his head helplessly, as if long accustomed to it.
"Ash, your journey has been too lax. Aside from battling and eating, your Pokémon probably stay inside their Poké Balls most of the time, right?"
Hearing that, Ash nodded.
"Strength isn't built only through battle. Proper training matters too. If you guided your Pokémon in training regularly, you wouldn't be losing this badly."
Red spoke earnestly. Ash listened obediently, though Red suspected Ash would forget in a few days and need another reminder.
"Alright, I'll take you to Professor Bill's place to rest."
Using Teleport, Red brought Ash and the others to the lighthouse. With warm rooms and comfortable beds, the three couldn't have been happier.
Inside, worried about Kingler's safety, Ash rushed to the phone and called Professor Oak's Laboratory. Soon, Professor Oak appeared on screen—eating. Seeing this, Ash collapsed to his knees in despair, protesting for his "deceased" Kingler.
"What nonsense! How could I eat a Pokémon? Your Kingler is being well taken care of. Besides, it's skinny as bones—doesn't look tasty at all. Gary's Kingler looks much more appetizing!" Professor Oak laughed.
He turned the camera. Next to Ash's Kingler was another as large as a Crabominable. Both were in tanks, but the difference between them was like a giant and a dwarf. Ash's confidence shattered instantly.
Then Professor Oak revealed that Gary had already caught forty-five Pokémon. Ash was so anxious he couldn't speak. Having always viewed Gary as his rival, he couldn't accept falling so far behind.
"Relax. Red has caught the fewest so far—only six. You at least sent over one undernourished Kingler!" Professor Oak joked, though Ash found it awkward.
"Well, Red's taking the elite route. Ash is weak and doesn't even like catching Pokémon. Every time he meets one, he pulls out the Pokédex first—and then it runs away!" Misty quipped sharply, leaving Ash embarrassed.
Soon Brock called everyone to dinner. Though Red could cook, he kept it simple due to training. Seeing Brock's delicious spread, Professor Bill drooled. As a Pokémon researcher, he usually survived on instant noodles.
"A gigantic mysterious Pokémon?"
The topic returned at the table. Professor Bill spoke passionately about the mysterious Pokémon he longed to see. His words carried a mythic tone, captivating Ash and the others. Ash, filled with wild imagination, grew even more excited than Bill himself.
Red, already knowing the mysterious Pokémon's identity, felt no such excitement. If anything, he was thrilled at the prospect of battling the Ancient Dragonite. All his recent training had been for this challenge—to push beyond his limits once more.
After dinner, thick fog surrounded the lighthouse. Only its beam proved its existence. Yet tonight, even the brilliant light couldn't illuminate the opposite shore. That was why Professor Bill had never clearly seen the Ancient Dragonite's true form—as if the Pokémon itself commanded the mist.
Just as Bill sighed that tonight would be no different, a lonely echo came from across the sea. Overjoyed, he activated the device, sending back a matching call. Two solitary sounds resonated between lighthouse and ocean.
Then the Ancient Dragonite appeared before them, shrouded in mist as it slowly approached.
To prevent Team Rocket from provoking it, Red had earlier instructed Scyther to keep watch below. Upon finding Team Rocket, Scyther sent them blasting off like a shooting star with a single Brick Break.
"What a dreadful feeling!"
Ash turned and looked upward, thinking he'd imagined Team Rocket's voices.
"Professor Bill, how do you think a lonely mysterious Pokémon would feel when it arrives at the lighthouse, only to find the one answering its call isn't its own kind?"
Red's sudden question made Bill tremble. He realized he had let selfish curiosity blind him to the consequences. If the Ancient Dragonite were angered, none of them would survive.
"Don't worry, Professor Bill. I've trained all this time to challenge this Ancient Dragonite!" Red declared firmly.
"Ancient Dragonite?" Brock asked in confusion.
"Dragonite? Indeed, its silhouette matches Dragonite's—but its size…" Bill's eyes widened as he looked at Red.
Red pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the Ancient Dragonite. The device responded:
"Dragonite, the Dragon Pokémon. The evolved form of Dragonair. Sometimes called the incarnation of the sea, and at times the incarnation of destruction. However, when it sees someone drowning or a ship in distress, it guides them safely to shore. It is an exceptionally kind-hearted Pokémon."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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