"Return, Gyarados."
Misty quietly recalled her fainted sea dragon. She stared in sheer disbelief at Ash, who was currently enthusiastically high-fiving his Mimikyu on the floating platform.
"I honestly never expected you to have gotten this strong."
"Huh? Really?" Ash blinked in genuine confusion. "But I still feel like I have absolutely no chance of beating Red."
"Or maybe you're just weak!"
"..."
Misty instantly lost all desire to continue the conversation.
Were all Trainers from Pallet Town completely incapable of speaking like normal human beings? Misty shot Ash a highly irritated glare. A second later, she let out a long, resigned sigh, accepting her fate.
"Whatever. I guess it is just my bad luck running into a freak like you."
Misty reached into her pocket and pulled out a blue, teardrop-shaped badge and a sleek, compact disc.
"Here, Ash. This is the official Cascade Badge. I'm also giving you the Technical Machine for the move Scald."
"Technical Machine?"
"You don't know what a TM is?" Seeing Ash's completely blank expression, Misty was genuinely shocked. "Didn't you get a TM when you beat the Pewter Gym?"
"Uh, no."
"That is so weird." Misty looked over at Brock standing by the bleachers and yelled. "Brock! Why didn't you give Ash his Gym TM?"
"Oh!" Brock violently slapped his own forehead. "Sorry! I completely forgot!"
"Honestly, how could you forget something that important? Are you even a qualified Gym Leader?" Misty grumbled. She unceremoniously shoved the Cascade Badge and the TM directly into Ash's hands. She then gave him a quick rundown on how to use it. "If you have a Pokémon capable of learning Scald, this device will teach them how to use it. I don't know if Froakie can learn it, but you should definitely try it out later."
"Oh, so that's how it works." Ash turned to look at his partner. "Froakie, can you learn Scald?"
"Fro, fro."
Froakie cast a completely dismissive sideways glance at the TM. It let out two casual croaks.
It does not matter what the technique is. As long as it is a skill, I can master it.
That was the absolute confidence of a peerless genius.
"Alright, well, I guess my job here is done." Misty stretched her arms, looking entirely relieved. But before she could say another word, the massive doors to the Gym swung open.
A young boy stood at the entrance and shouted loudly. "Hello! I want to challenge the Cerulean Gym!"
"Are you kidding me? Another one?"
Misty's face instantly crumpled into a look of pure misery. It wasn't that she didn't want to battle. The problem was that she literally had zero conscious Pokémon left on her roster.
"I have no other choice. I'll just have to borrow my sisters' Pokémon to cover this match."
Misty called out to the challenger to wait a moment before hurriedly sprinting toward the back staff rooms.
Because Ash's hearing was practically superhuman, he didn't even need to actively eavesdrop to perfectly hear Misty's panicked conversation with her older sisters.
"Daisy! Violet! I need to borrow your Pokémon right now!"
"Huh? What happened to your own team?"
"They're all completely knocked out! Don't ask questions, just hand over your Poké Balls!"
"But our Pokémon are completely knocked out too."
"What?! How is that possible? I was barely gone for a few days! How are all of your Pokémon unable to battle?"
"Well, let me think. The day before yesterday, a little girl came in and swept Violet's Goldeen. Three days ago, a cute guy came in and swept Lily's Shellder. And four days ago, a kid with a cap came in and completely annihilated my Luvdisc. Actually, that kid with the cap also went ahead and knocked out the Gym's Seaking and Seel..."
"So he basically beat up the entire Gym?!" Misty's voice practically cracked. "Damn it! What kind of jerk does something like that?! Tell me his name! If I ever run into him, I'm going to teach him a serious lesson!"
"He said his name was Red."
"Oh. Well, that's fine then."
Misty had personally encountered Red before. Goh had arrogantly challenged him to a battle, and the result... well, it was hard to describe. Misty essentially felt that Red was an Elite Four-level monster wearing a rookie Trainer's clothes.
If it was Red who swept the Cerulean Gym, then it honestly made perfect sense.
She had never seen a beginner Trainer with such absurdly terrifying skills!
"So what do we do now? There's another challenger waiting outside. We can't just hand him a badge without a battle, right?"
"Why not? That's what we usually do anyway."
"That exact attitude is the reason the Cerulean Gym ranks dead last in the League evaluations every single year!"
Misty's furious roar echoed clearly all the way out into the main arena.
"..."
Ash politely tuned out the rest of the sisters' argument. Hearing that Red had systematically dismantled every single Pokémon in the Cerulean Gym, Ash thoughtfully rubbed his chin.
"Maybe I should try doing that too?"
Before Ash could put his intrusive thoughts into action, Misty trudged back out into the arena, looking incredibly stressed. However, the moment her eyes landed on Ash, or more accurately, the Froakie resting with its eyes closed right next to him, her eyes lit up like floodlights.
She sprinted over to Ash in a panic.
"Ash! Can you please substitute for me and handle this Gym Battle?"
"Huh?" Ash jumped back in surprise. "Is that really okay? I'm just a rookie Trainer."
Ash suddenly felt no need to brag about his "two months of veteran experience."
Misty frantically shook her head.
"It's totally fine! You effortlessly steamrolled my personal team! Handling a random newbie Trainer will be an absolute walk in the park for you!"
"But... my Froakie only likes battling really strong opponents." Ash looked at Froakie awkwardly. Just as he was about to decline, he felt a sudden tug on his jacket. He looked down to see Froakie staring up at him.
"Fro." Froakie offered a single croak.
Using these weaklings to familiarize myself with my current State of Hidden Spirit is an acceptable form of practice.
"...I understand." Ash nodded thoughtfully. It made perfect sense. Because Froakie was currently intentionally suppressing its aura and keeping its spirit sheathed, its overall raw output was significantly lower than usual. Using standard beginner Pokémon as literal target practice was a perfect way to solidify this new fighting style.
Simply put, it was a win-win situation.
"In that case," Ash looked back at Misty and nodded. "I'll do it."
"Hold on a second!"
Before Ash could fully accept, Goh suddenly rushed over from the spectator stands. He looked at Misty with a highly eager expression. "You need someone to substitute for your Gym Battle? Pick me! I have plenty of Water-type Pokémon!"
"Shut up." Misty bluntly rolled her eyes at him. "You catch Pokémon and immediately teleport them straight to the Professor's lab. Your Pokémon are lower leveled than the absolute beginners who walk through that door. You expect to defend a Gym with that?"
Goh looked highly offended. "Then what makes his Pokémon qualified to defend the Gym? It's literally just a base-stage Water-type!"
He pointed an accusing finger directly at Froakie.
Misty didn't give Goh an inch. "Are you seriously comparing them? That is Ash's starter Pokémon! It's his absolute ace! It's easily several times stronger than that Mimikyu. It is more than qualified to test a rookie Trainer!"
Even though she fiercely defended Ash, Misty hadn't actually seen Froakie fight yet. She shot Ash a subtle, questioning look.
Catching the hint, Ash nodded truthfully. "Froakie is definitely my strongest Pokémon."
"I don't believe it!" Goh crossed his arms skeptically. "Unless you prove it to me right now!"
"Well..." Ash looked conflicted. He turned to his partner. "Froakie, could you prove it to him?"
"Fro, fro."
Froakie slowly opened its eyes. As a true swordsman, it inherently despised using its blade as a cheap tool to show off. However, considering this was an opportunity to sharpen its mental focus, Froakie decided to make an exception.
I am currently suppressing my spirit. Most of my secret techniques are sealed. But a simple display of pure swordsmanship should suffice.
Froakie casually extended its right hand. It held its empty hand up for everyone to see. Then, with an incredibly subtle, fluid motion, it gently flicked its wrist forward.
Swish.
Everyone present instantly felt a razor-sharp gust of wind brush violently past their faces. A split second later, the loud, rushing sound of displaced water echoed through the room. They frantically turned to look at the massive Gym pool and were instantly paralyzed by sheer shock.
The perfectly calm surface of the massive pool had been violently cleanly cleaved perfectly in two. It looked exactly like a sliced block of tofu. The massive, gaping trench in the water lingered for several long seconds before the water finally collapsed back in on itself.
"...Are you kidding me?" Misty stared at the frog, her jaw practically unhinged. "How in the world did you do that?"
"Fro, fro." Froakie crossed its arms over its chest, looking profoundly mysterious.
Basic swordsmanship. Do not act so surprised.
"With strength like that, you can absolutely defend the Gym without a single problem!" Recovering from her shock, Misty's face flushed with extreme excitement. "I am leaving this entirely in your hands, Ash! Whether or not the Cerulean Gym sheds its title as the weakest Gym in the region depends entirely on you today!"
"Uh..."
Ash scratched his head under the immense pressure. Why did he suddenly have the weight of an entire Gym's reputation on his shoulders?
"I'll try my best..."
"That's not even that impressive..." Goh muttered stubbornly under his breath, clearly still coping. "My Pikachu could probably do that too."
"Alright, that's enough out of you." Misty unceremoniously shoved Goh toward the exit. "Your Pikachu is an Electric-type! You obviously can't use it to defend a Water-type Gym!"
Everything was quickly arranged. Ash confidently stepped up to the Gym Leader's podium, perfectly mirroring Misty's earlier position.
He was honestly still a little dazed. He was just a normal Trainer trying to collect badges. How did he suddenly end up running the place?
But Ash didn't have time to dwell on it. Seeing the challenger step onto the opposing platform, Ash instantly focused his mind. He spoke with absolute seriousness.
"Hello! My name is Ash, and I will be your opponent for today's official Gym Battle."
"My name is Pangolin! And I'm going to defeat you and take that Cascade Badge!" The shifty-looking boy proudly grabbed a Poké Ball from his belt. "Come on out! My partner!"
"Shrew!"
A yellow, brick-patterned Pokémon curled into a tight ball materialized on the platform.
"A Sandshrew."
Ash stared at the Pokémon, a highly complicated expression crossing his face.
Using a Ground-type in a Gym heavily utilizing a massive pool of water... was this kid serious?
Maybe he has some kind of incredible secret strategy? Ash prepared himself for anything. But before he could even begin to guess what tactical genius this boy possessed, the challenger dramatically pointed his finger forward.
"Take the initiative! Sandshrew, use Dig!"
Ash blinked. "?"
Ash and Froakie watched in absolute, stunned silence as the Sandshrew rapidly burrowed straight through the thin plastic platform and plummeted directly into the deep pool below. A second later, the Ground-type was frantically flailing its little arms, violently drowning in the water.
Just as Ash and Froakie began to wonder if this was some bizarre psychological trap, the opposing Trainer dropped to his knees in total panic.
"Sandshrew! Sandshrew, what's wrong?! Damn it! Why is there a giant pool of water down there?!"
"..."
Because this is the Cerulean Gym! The Water-type Gym!
Did you literally do zero research before walking in here?!
Ash honestly had no idea what to say. He looked down at Froakie, and they exchanged a deeply tired look. Ash eventually broke the silence.
"Uh... Froakie, please go save the Sandshrew. Use Pound."
"Fro."
Froakie let out a heavy sigh. It didn't waste any time. It dove gracefully into the pool, swimming over to the drowning Sandshrew in three quick strokes. Grabbing the Ground-type by the back of its neck, Froakie violently hurled it out of the water before it could even react. Sandshrew flew through the air and landed heavily onto the challenger's platform.
With a heavy thud, Sandshrew rolled onto its back, thick spirals swirling in its eyes.
"Sandshrew is unable to battle! The winner of this match is Ash from the Cerulean Gym!"
"Damn it..." The boy sadly recalled his Sandshrew. "Why did it end up like this?"
"Ground-types are severely disadvantaged in water-based arenas." Seeing the boy's genuine confusion and frustration, Ash couldn't help but offer some advice. "If you want to beat Water-type Pokémon, you should try catching a Grass-type or an Electric-type. They both have a massive type advantage against Water-types. It will make your battles much easier."
"Oh! Is that how it works?!" The boy's face lit up with profound realization. He deeply bowed to Ash. "Thank you so much for your expert guidance!"
With that, the boy confidently turned and marched out of the Gym.
"...Did I actually teach him anything useful?" Ash looked at Froakie blankly.
Froakie completely ignored the painfully stupid question.
Before Ash could reflect any further, the massive doors to the Cerulean Gym violently swung open once again.
"Hello! My name is Arthur, and I'm here to challenge the Cerulean Gym!"
Ash quickly snapped back to reality and assumed his position.
"I am Ash, and I will be your opponent today. The Pokémon I am using is Froakie..."
...
For some inexplicable reason, Cerulean City experienced a massive surge of rookie challengers that specific day.
Ash fought dozens of consecutive battles without a single break, battling continuously from the late morning all the way until the sun began to set. Only then did the endless tide of challengers finally cease.
"I'm so exhausted..."
Ash collapsed onto the floor, his face completely drained of color.
"Is it finally over?"
"Thank you so much, Ash!" Misty ran over, her face glowing with immense gratitude. "You were a massive help! After today, absolutely nobody is going to call Cerulean City the weakest Gym in the region!"
Seeing Ash entirely too tired to speak, Misty laughed softly. "So, how did it feel? Experiencing a full day in the life of a Gym Leader?"
"It felt..." Ash thought for a moment before answering with brutal honesty. "It felt incredibly boring."
"Are all Trainers who challenge Gyms really at that level?"
"Actually, yes. That is exactly what normal rookie Trainers look like," Misty shrugged her shoulders. "They don't understand type matchups, they don't know how to use actual tactics, and half the time they don't even know what moves their own Pokémon can use. That is the vast majority of Trainers we deal with on a daily basis. Freaks like you and Red are the extremely rare exceptions."
"So it isn't that I was weak. It's just that you've grown incredibly strong. Do you understand now?"
"Uh... I guess so."
"Though, to be fair, that kid who tried to use a Ground-type against a water pool was a first even for me."
Clearly, Misty had never encountered an idiot of that specific caliber before either.
"Either way, this job definitely isn't for me." Ash shook his head firmly. "I much prefer battles that actually make my blood boil."
...
Because Ash had done them such an immense favor, Misty's older sisters treated the entire group to a massive, luxurious dinner. To express their deep gratitude, they gifted Ash another Technical Machine for the move Bubble Beam to go along with his Scald TM.
Brock also finally gave Ash the TM he had forgotten back in Pewter City: Rock Slide.
Ash now possessed three high-level TMs. He planned to spend the next few days having his team practice these new moves. He was entirely confident they were about to experience another massive surge in combat power.
Eventually, the time to part ways arrived. Brock and Misty were continuing their journey alongside Goh.
However, to Ash's massive surprise, Serena decided to stay and travel with him instead.
"Why, Serena? Weren't you traveling to find Goh?"
Ash looked at her in pure confusion.
"Now that I think about it, you haven't really said a single word to him since we bumped into them, right?"
"Yeah... I just suddenly realized I need to confirm a few things."
Serena recalled how Goh hadn't shown a single flicker of recognition upon seeing her. She cross-referenced that with her own blurry childhood memories. She shook her head and offered Ash a bright, genuine smile.
"I'll be in your care from now on, Ash."
"Oh! Sure! Happy to have you!"
Ash was genuinely thrilled to have a traveling companion. Serena's Pokémon weren't exactly weak, which meant they would serve as excellent sparring partners for his team.
Thinking of that, Ash suddenly remembered something crucial. He looked back at her with utmost seriousness.
"By the way, Serena. Are you used to eating raw, wild berries off the ground?"
"Huh?"
Ash's completely out-of-left-field question caused Serena to freeze entirely in her tracks.