Chapter Nineteen: This Is the Pokémon Master's Promise
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Ash slowly recalled his unable-to-battle Metapod and gently comforted it through the Poké Ball:
“Thank you, Metapod... You’re one step closer to evolving into the legendary Rayquaza.”
He then raised his head, his gaze turning stern as he looked toward Starmie.
This was a powerful opponent.
With Pikachu slacking off, Ash could only send out a Pokémon fast enough to have any chance of avoiding being knocked flat by the overwhelming force of a direct Hydro Pump.
Then it suddenly dawned on him.
I’ve only got one Pokémon left. What am I even agonizing over?!
Ash immediately hurled out a Poké Ball and shouted:
“It’s decided! You’re up, Tool Bird!”
Emerging in a flash of red light was Pidgeotto, just preparing to spread its wings and let out a proud cry.
“Pidgeot... what?”
Its head suddenly twisted a full 120 degrees, like a Rowlet’s, and it stared at its Trainer in utter bewilderment.
What did he just call me?
That didn’t sound like a particularly respectful nickname.
Ash’s heart lurched. He covered his mouth.
How did I accidentally say what I was thinking out loud?
He could only stare straight-faced into the void and insist:
“You heard wrong. I said mighty Pidgeotto...”
“Beep beep. Data update...”
At that moment, the Pokédex in his pocket suddenly spoke up again, interrupting Ash’s explanation.
Its voice was cold and grating.
“Pidgeotto. Nickname: Tool Bird.”
Trainer and bird: “...”
The atmosphere became awkward in an instant...
...
“Boom!”
A thick blue column of water suddenly shot toward them, bringing an end to the Pokémon-murdering-its-Trainer incident that was about to unfold.
Thanks to the naturally sharp eyesight of bird Pokémon, Pidgeotto barely managed to evade the formidable Hydro Pump.
“Darn it!”
Misty lamented the failed ambush, while Ash quietly let out a huge sigh of relief.
No matter how violently internal conflict escalated, all it took was the appearance of a common external enemy to make everyone stop fighting. Even sworn enemies would cease their feud and unite against a common foe.
And this exceptionally powerful Starmie was clearly such an enemy.
Ash hurriedly administered another dose of reassurance.
“Pidgeotto, I’ll change your nickname after the match. Believe me, this is a promise from a future Pokémon Master!”
He was a future Pokémon Master, after all. Just not yet.
Hearing this, Pidgeotto nodded, reluctantly accepting the proposal.
The battle began!
“Starmie, use Water Gun!”
Misty launched another attack.
After all, against Pidgeotto’s speed, Hydro Pump’s lousy accuracy meant that no matter how powerful it was, it would be useless if it failed to hit.
Besides, Hydro Pump was a finishing move that consumed a great deal of energy.
But if Water Gun struck Pidgeotto and soaked its wing feathers, drastically reducing its speed, it would become a sitting duck for Hydro Pump.
“Spritz!”
“Spritz!”
Starmie fired Water Gun after Water Gun, but Pidgeotto dodged every one with nimble twists and turns, not allowing even a single drop to touch its feathers.
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“Pidgeotto!”
At some point, Pidgeotto had darted directly in front of Starmie. The two were less than two yards apart.
“Starmie, use Wat—”
Misty had not even finished speaking when Ash cut in:
“Pidgeotto, use Gust!”
Pidgeotto swept its wings, whipping up a storm at nearly point-blank range. Before Starmie could release its move, it was blown backward through the air.
Seeing this, Misty suddenly devised a plan and called out:
“Starmie, use Rapid Spin against the wall!”
Starmie recovered in midair, its body spinning furiously. Using the wall’s rebound force, it shot straight toward Pidgeotto.
“Whoosh!”
Pidgeotto took the hit head-on and hurriedly flapped away, adjusting its flight posture.
Misty pressed her advantage.
“Starmie, keep using Rapid Spin!”
Starmie charged directly toward one side of the wall, then sprang back toward Pidgeotto once more with the force of the rebound.
Ash did not dare let his guard down.
“Pidgeotto, fly higher!”
“Pidgeotto!”
Pidgeotto rapidly beat its wings and climbed higher, narrowly avoiding the incoming Rapid Spin.
But Starmie took advantage of the surrounding arena, repeatedly ricocheting from wall to wall while spinning at high speed. It climbed higher and higher, constantly closing in on its target.
The situation became tense in an instant, and Pidgeotto began to panic.
However, after several exchanges, Ash noticed something.
His eyes locked onto Starmie’s movement pattern. When its parabolic trajectory reached its highest point, he suddenly shouted:
“Now! Use Wing Attack!”
Pidgeotto climbed sharply, skimming along the edge to avoid the Rapid Spin. One of its wings was already covered in white light as it swung downward with tremendous force.
Starmie was spinning horizontally, and the gem at its center was completely undefended. The wing struck it dead-on.
“Smack!”
Take that, you psychic-water freak!
Under the force of Wing Attack, Starmie plummeted vertically from the air. Since the attack had landed directly on its gem, it was already barely standing after a single blow.
Misty could not help being secretly astonished. She had not expected Ash to be such a seasoned geometrician.
“Starmie, use this chance to dive into the water!”
Riding the momentum of its retreat, Starmie plunged straight into the pool and vanished beneath the surface.
“Use Water Gun while moving!”
This was the Cerulean Gym. Fighting from the water was Starmie’s greatest advantage!
...
“Darn it! Is it really this troublesome...?”
The situation changed once more. Starmie hid beneath the water, repeatedly popping up to fire Water Gun.
It would fire one shot without becoming greedy, then dive beneath the surface again and attack from another position.
Even a seasoned fighter could not withstand being randomly sprayed forever. Pidgeotto was rushing about frantically, and it looked as though it was about to take a Water Gun straight to the face.
Then Ash suddenly flipped his cap around and shouted:
“Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack on the water’s surface!”
At those words, Pidgeotto’s body shuddered. The fighting spirit of the raptor soared.
It flew to half a yard above the water, gathered white light across its wings, and slammed them down against the surface.
Clang—boom!!
The terrifying force made the pool—and seemingly the entire Cerulean Gym—shudder violently.
Ripples spread across the water. Even Starmie, hidden on one side of the pool, could not withstand the tremor. Its body was abruptly shaken out of the water.
Ash’s eyes lit up. He roared:
“Finish it! Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack!”
Misty’s eyes shone even brighter than his.
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Although she had not expected Ash to force Starmie out through sheer brute strength, knowing that his finishing move would be Quick Attack was all she needed.
She thrust out her thumb and commanded:
“Starmie, use Hydro Pump head-on!”
Waiting for the opponent to approach before attacking was a trick she had secretly learned from the previous battle against Metapod.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
A massive blue column of water erupted. It even tore open a vacuum through the surrounding pool as it advanced, carrying tremendous force toward the charging Pidgeotto.
There was no way Pidgeotto could block this move!
“This battle is mine!” Misty declared with a smug smile.
Even Brock, watching from the sidelines, shook his head and narrowed his eyes.
Quick Attack could never stop Hydro Pump. Not even Ash could pull that off...
...
“Pidgeotto!”
A sudden cry snapped everyone back to attention.
The powerful Hydro Pump had apparently struck Pidgeotto, yet there was no sign of impact at all. It was as if the attack had passed straight through it.
“What happened?!”
Misty was horrified.
When she recovered, she discovered that Pidgeotto had somehow appeared beneath the water column. It was still charging forward along the edge, a frightening white light flashing around its beak.
What Hydro Pump had pierced was nothing but an afterimage.
Pidgeotto had already reached Starmie. The two were less than a yard apart.
Whoosh—crash!!
Quick Attack struck!
The powerful blow finally proved too much for Starmie. Dragging a long trail of water behind it, the Pokémon was sent flying backward.
When the spray finally fell, Starmie was completely unable to battle.
“Starmie is unable to battle! Pidgeotto wins!”
“The winner of this match is Ash!”
Misty’s eldest sister shouted the announcement in a booming voice, as though she were the one who had won...
...
...
Afterward.
Ash stood stunned for several seconds. To be honest, he had not expected Misty to have such a devious trick up her sleeve.
As for how Pidgeotto had dodged Hydro Pump at the end, he had no idea.
But Ash was the sort of person who took things in stride. As long as he had won, that was all that mattered.
With that thought, he sprang from the competitors’ bench onto the floats in the pool, bounded across several of them, and warmly embraced Pidgeotto.
“Pidgeotto!”
Pidgeotto was delighted as well. It flapped its wings and patted Ash on the head, as if reminding him of something.
“I know, I know. Brock is already arranging some premium feed. We’ll stop by the Pokémon Center later, and I’ll make sure you eat your fill!”
Beaming with joy, Ash returned it to its Poké Ball.
Pidgeotto: “...?”
Bathed in the red light of the Poké Ball, Pidgeotto’s face looked faintly vacant.
My foolish Trainer... Did you forget something?
Whoosh.
The next moment, it entered the Poké Ball without saying another word.
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