"Cubone——!" Cubone let out a childish roar, trying to regain composure. With Ground-type energy reinforcing her Bone Club, she hurled it toward Pikachu.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack! Dodge and counter!" Ash commanded confidently.
"Pika—!" Pikachu darted with blinding speed, vanishing from Cubone's sight, leaving her Bonemerang to slice through thin air.
The attack returned, as per its nature, but Pikachu had already appeared behind Cubone Cubone, slamming into her with a powerful hit.
*Bang!*
Cubone, still disoriented, was knocked off balance. In the chaos, she couldn't catch the returning Bonemerang, and it struck her own head!
"Cubone!" Giselle gasped in disbelief. Her prized Pokémon had been hit by its own move—a scenario she had never even imagined!
"Great job, Pikachu!" Misty cheered, but her excitement contrasted with the looks of shock and disbelief from the watching students.
"Cubone hasn't learned Earthquake yet, so she can't compete with Pikachu's speed..." Ash remained calm, fully aware that speed was an invaluable advantage, something more complex than numbers on a stat sheet.
Cubone groaned in pain on the ground. While Pikachu's Quick Attack didn't deal devastating damage, the trauma from her own Bonemerang had left her in bad shape.
"Get up, Cubone !" Giselle called, clearly flustered. This battle was spiraling out of her control. Cubone couldn't keep up with Pikachu's sheer speed!
Ash knew Pikachu had more in his arsenal than just speed. Though it felt like overkill, Ash decided it was time to end the match quickly. "Pikachu, finish this with Iron Tail!"
"Pikapika—!" Pikachu roared in response. Sprinting forward, he activated the Steel-type energy, channeling it into his tail, which now gleamed like polished metal—hard and unyielding.
Misty and Brock gasped in surprise. "Iron Tail?!" They had known Ash was training Pikachu to learn it, but this was the first time they had seen the move in action.
How had Pikachu mastered such a powerful technique so quickly?
In fact, Pikachu had already learned Iron Tail back in Cerulean City, but Ash hadn't needed to use it until now.
With a light leap, Pikachu flipped through the air, gaining momentum before smashing his glowing, steel-covered tail onto Cubone's back. The ground cracked beneath the force of the blow, forming a crater with Cubone at its center.
"Cuboneeeeee!" Cubone let out a pitiful cry, collapsing unconscious. She had clearly lost the ability to battle.
"No way... this can't be happening..." Giselle whispered, staring in disbelief at her fallen Cubone.
Despite having both the strength and type advantage, she had been utterly defeated by Pikachu.
The students were silent, stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Their top student, Giselle, had been bested so effortlessly by an outsider.
Suddenly, a round of applause echoed through the gym, catching everyone's attention.
"The principal!" The students turned to see an elderly man clapping at the entrance. Upon recognizing him, they all bowed in respect. Giselle, though mortified, followed suit.
"Grandpa..." Giselle greeted him quietly, unable to meet his eyes, still embarrassed by her defeat.
The principal smiled warmly at Ash. "Well done, young man. You and your Pikachu are truly impressive."
His eyes gleamed with admiration. Despite being the same age as Giselle, Ash possessed an extraordinary strength. He could envision great things if Ash were to join their school.
"Thank you," Ash replied modestly, stretching out his hand for Pikachu, who jumped onto his shoulder with a contented "Pika!"
The old man nodded, clearly satisfied with Ash's composure in victory. "To remain so calm after winning… it shows you have a strong heart. I'm impressed."
The students, including Giselle, were surprised by Ash's demeanor. Despite his overwhelming victory, Ash remained humble and didn't gloat, which earned their respect.
The principal stepped forward, his tone turning hopeful.
"How would you like to join our Pokémon Research School? I'm confident you'd easily become our top student, and we offer generous scholarships to help you along the way."
"What?!" Giselle and the students gasped in unison, shocked at the sudden offer. Even Misty's heart skipped a beat. She was thrilled for Ash but terrified at the prospect of him leaving their group.
Brock, on the other hand, remained calm. He knew Ash well enough to trust that he wouldn't accept the offer.
Ash wasn't the type to settle down in one place, especially when there was a whole world to explore.
Ash shook his head with a polite smile. "Thank you for the offer, but I have to decline."
The principal blinked in surprise. "Are you worried about missing the Indigo Plateau Conference? Don't be! As long as you graduate in time, you'll still be eligible to compete."
Ash chuckled lightly. "It's not that. Your school is great, but I prefer to earn my qualifications through the journey I take with my Pokémon. I
want to see more of the world, face more Trainers, and experience everything the Pokémon world has to offer."
The old man paused, then smiled, understanding Ash's ambition.
"I see. A Trainer with dreams as vast as the world itself. It's a shame, but I respect your decision." He patted Ash on the shoulder.
"I look forward to seeing you compete in the Indigo Plateau Conference, and perhaps even the Elite Four or Championship challenges one day."
Ash's eyes gleamed with determination. "You won't be disappointed!"
_____________
Adios