"Squirtle—!"
Gary's Squirtle, following orders, sprang into action without hesitation.
Water-type energy surged through its body, gathering in its mouth before forming a steady stream. Squirtle shot a "Water Gun" directly at Pikachu.
"Pikachu, dodge the attack!"
Ash commanded calmly. It was his first real battle, but instead of panicking, he kept his cool.
He instructed Pikachu to avoid the attack rather than countering it head-on.
"Pika!" Pikachu obeyed Ash's order with ease, dodging the incoming Water Gun with a graceful sidestep.
For a Pokémon like Pikachu, who had spent time surviving in the wild, Squirtle's attack didn't pose much of a threat.
The Water Gun hit the ground behind Pikachu, spraying water everywhere but doing no damage.
"Squirtle, charge in and use "Tackle"!" Gary commanded, undeterred by Pikachu's dodge.
He was aware of Pikachu's advantage but had only been testing the waters.
Gary, being a talented Trainer, had already gained an understanding of Pikachu's capabilities through this simple probing.
Though he was new to being a Trainer and this was his first real battle, Gary's natural talents set him apart.
He could sense Pikachu's battle experience was not ordinary for a Starter Pokémon, something that both surprised and intrigued him.
On the battlefield, Squirtle quickly followed Gary's command.
Its short legs propelled it forward as "Normal-type" energy surrounded its body, slightly boosting its speed and preparing it for the impact of its Tackle.
Ash narrowed his eyes, reading the situation quickly.
"Pikachu, dodge it again, then use "Thunder Shock"!"
"Pika—!" Pikachu watched Squirtle closely. The moment Squirtle closed the distance to less than a meter, Pikachu darted to the left, easily avoiding the Tackle.
Without missing a beat, Pikachu countered with a surge of electric energy from its electric pouches.
A small but fast arc of electricity shot from Pikachu, striking Squirtle almost immediately.
"squirr—!" Squirtle let out a cry as it was hit by the
"Thunder Shock".
Being a Water-type Pokémon, Squirtle was weak to Electric-type moves, and the attack dealt heavy damage.
"Squirtle!" Gary's eyes widened, his fists clenched. Pikachu's movements were quicker and more precise than he had anticipated.
The crackling arc of electricity finally dissipated, leaving Squirtle smoking slightly.
Though it hadn't fainted, Squirtle was visibly weakened, panting as it tried to stay on its feet. Its stamina had dropped significantly.
However, something shifted within Squirtle.
A cool blue aura surrounded it as water-blue energy surged from within. Squirtle's ability, "Torrent", had been activated!
Gary's expression grew more serious. Torrent's activation meant Squirtle's health had dropped below one-third, granting its Water-type moves a 1.5x power boost.
While this gave Squirtle a chance to hit harder, it also signified just how close it was to defeat.
"Squirtle, fall back and use "Water Gun" from a distance!"
Gary quickly shifted tactics, wanting to keep Squirtle out of Pikachu's reach and use the boosted power of its Water Gun to turn the tide.
"squirr———!" Squirtle stepped back, putting more distance between itself and Pikachu.
Water-type energy built up again, but this time, with Torrent boosting its power, Squirtle's "Water Gun" fired faster and stronger than before.
The stream of water shot towards Pikachu with alarming speed, catching Ash off guard. The sudden burst of speed and power left him momentarily stunned.
But Pikachu's sharp instincts, honed by its time in the wild, kicked in.
Without needing Ash's command, Pikachu rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the Water Gun as it grazed its fur.
"Bang!" The Water Gun hit the ground behind Pikachu, leaving a small crater.
The force of the attack had increased dramatically.
Gary stared in disbelief.
"Pikachu dodged... without a command?"
He hadn't expected that. Pikachu's ability to act independently and avoid such a powerful move without Ash's direction was beyond anything Gary had anticipated.
Squirtle, too, looked shocked.
It had never seen one of its boosted Water Guns dodged before, especially after activating Torrent.
"I let my guard down…" Ash muttered, frustrated with himself.
He hadn't reacted quickly enough, but thankfully, Pikachu's experience had saved the day.
If Pikachu had taken that Water Gun head-on, it could have lost a lot of stamina.
Ash clenched his fists and refocused. "Pikachu, let's end this! Use "Thunder Shock" again!"
"Pika...pika—!" Pikachu didn't hesitate. It summoned another jolt of electric energy, firing it straight at Squirtle. The arc of lightning hit Squirtle head-on, enveloping it in a crackling golden glow.
"squirr———!" Squirtle cried out, overwhelmed by the electric shock.
Unable to withstand the super-effective hit, Squirtle collapsed, its small body smoking from the energy. It had fainted.
"Squirtle!" Gary exclaimed, running over to his fallen Pokémon.
He knelt down, checking on Squirtle's condition. After a tense moment, he sighed with relief upon seeing that Squirtle was simply exhausted and not seriously hurt.
"You did well, Squirtle… I'm sorry, this one's on me,"
Gary whispered as he recalled Squirtle back into its Poké Ball.
He stood, frustration evident on his face. His first battle as a Trainer had ended in defeat — and to Ash, of all people.
On the other side of the battlefield, Ash took a deep breath, feeling a rush of satisfaction.
He'd won his first Pokémon battle, and not just any battle — it was against Gary.
"Pikachu, you were amazing! Thank you for giving it your all."
"Pika!" Pikachu puffed out its chest proudly, standing with its hands on its hips and a broad smile on its face.
After becoming Ash's partner, Pikachu was more than happy to help him secure this first victory.
___________
Adios