"The quarterfinals of the Indigo Plateau Conference are about to begin!" echoed the commentator's voice throughout the Indigo Stadium.
This is the second-to-last day of the Indigo Plateau Conference, with four matches on the schedule: two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Ash and Ritchie's match is the first of the morning, scheduled to begin at nine and last for an hour, giving Ash plenty of time to get prepared.
Facing Ritchie, Ash didn't underestimate him because of his portrayal in the anime. After all, reality was different, and Ash had thoroughly reviewed Ritchie's battle records.
It was clear the real Ritchie was far stronger than his animated counterpart, and reaching the top eight wasn't simply due to luck.
The Pokémon Ritchie had shown in battles were impressive, some even at Silver strength levels, and similar to Ash's own team.
Ritchie had revealed only four of his Pokémon in this tournament, but his lineup, according to data, included Pikachu, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, and Pidgeot—many of the same species Ash possessed. Ritchie also had a Butterfree on his team.
Beyond those six, Ritchie owned an impressive roster of 250 additional Pokémon. While Ash didn't know which ones Ritchie might choose for their battle today, he had already selected a solid lineup of his own to match Ritchie's potential strategy.
Although Ash was confident, he wasn't about to let his guard down.
"The first match in today's quarterfinals is between Ash and Ritchie!" The commentator introduced both competitors as the start time neared.
Most of the crowd knew Ash well and had an understanding of his accomplishments, but Ritchie wasn't as well-known.
Unlike Ash, he didn't have a particularly high-profile reputation, so most spectators weren't as familiar with his skills or record.
As the commentator introduced the players, Ash walked out of his waiting room, located in the red team's lounge.
Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to see Gary there, as Gary's match was scheduled for the afternoon on the red team as well.
However, Gary didn't plan to watch from the player room; he'd secured a front-row seat in the audience, wanting to watch Ash's match live instead of on a screen.
"Now, let's welcome both players to the arena!" As the time approached, the commentator ended his introduction, signaling for the competitors to enter the stadium.
Ash had already reached the entrance tunnel, and hearing the call, he stepped out confidently with Pikachu by his side. Ritchie emerged from the opposite side, mirroring his determined stride.
"Ash! Ash! Ash!" The crowd erupted in cheers, making the Indigo Stadium feel like Ash's home turf.
While Ritchie expected this, hearing the crowd's overwhelming support for Ash was intense, like a weight pressing down on him.
Yet he quickly composed himself; letting his nerves take over would only increase his chances of making mistakes. If he wanted to stand a chance against Ash, he had to keep his cool.
Taking their positions on the field, the referee began announcing the rules over the roar of the crowd.
"This is a quarterfinal match between Ash and Ritchie. Both players are permitted to use six Pokémon. When one side loses three Pokémon, there will be a five-minute intermission. The match concludes when one side loses all six Pokémon."
In this round, the rules had been altered slightly; the five-minute break after three Pokémon were knocked out allowed the trainers a chance to regroup and adjust. Such pauses could prove essential.
Following the coin toss, Ash, on the red side, chose heads. The referee flipped the coin, which landed on tails, giving Ritchie the advantage to choose the order.
Ritchie opted to attack first. Despite the risks of being countered by the second attacker, he had discussed tactics with Ash the day before and felt confident that taking the first move was the right call.
"Ritchie has chosen to attack first. Trainers, please release your Pokémon!" The referee gave the signal, and both trainers readied themselves.
"You're up, Bobby!" Ritchie called out as he tossed his Poké Ball, revealing his lead Pokémon, a Butterfree named Bobby.
Butterfree
Type: Bug, Flying
Category: Butterfly Pokémon
Ability: Compound Eyes
Hidden Ability: Tinted Lens
Tinted Lens: When a Pokémon with this ability uses a move that isn't very effective, the power of that move is doubled.
Level: Silver
Ash observed Butterfree thoughtfully. With Tinted Lens, this Butterfree posed an interesting challenge. To counter Butterfree, Pidgeot, Charizard, and Pikachu would be ideal choices. Yet Ash decided to keep his main Pokémon in reserve.
"Beedrill, you're up!" Adjusting his hat, Ash tossed his Poké Ball, summoning Beedrill as his first contender.
"Ritchie has chosen Butterfree, and Ash has countered with Beedrill!" The commentator sounded intrigued.
Choosing a Pokémon with a type disadvantage was unexpected, especially with Ash having the choice to send out a stronger match.
The audience murmured, clearly surprised by Ash's selection. Ritchie, too, hadn't anticipated this move and took a moment to readjust his approach.
"Let the battle—begin!" the referee declared, signaling the start of the match.
"Bobby, use Gust!" Ritchie's opening move was cautious, opting to test Beedrill rather than launching a full attack.
The Butterfree activated its Flying-type energy, beating its wings and creating a strong gust of wind toward Beedrill, the sky-blue energy swirling into a powerful current.
"Beedrill, dodge with Agility, then use Poison Jab!" Ash called out, choosing an aggressive strategy from the start. Beedrill activated Agility, enhancing its speed, and then used that boost to close the gap quickly.
Psychic energy flowed into Beedrill, increasing its speed further and creating a force that propelled it nearly ten meters in a flash.
With the momentum from Agility, Beedrill ignored the gust coming its way and continued its rapid approach toward Butterfree, its stinger gleaming with poisonous energy.
___________________
Join my Patreon for more advance chapters