When both Pokémon and trainers were ready, the match referee, Professor Oak, stepped forward, his usual jovial expression replaced with a serious focus that commanded attention.
He stood in the middle of the grassy field, the afternoon sun casting long shadows behind him, as he looked at both his grandsons, a sense of anticipation hanging heavy in the warm air.
"I hope you both are ready now," he said, his voice carrying a newfound authority, the playful grandfatherly tone replaced by the solemnity of a battle referee.
"Then let me announce the rules." Professor Oak cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over Ash and Gary. "This will be a one-on-one match between Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak."
"The first one to have their Pokémon faint will lose, and the trainer whose Pokémon defeats the opponent shall be the victor."
He paused, ensuring both trainers understood the stakes. "Are there any questions?" Both Ash and Gary shook their heads, their eyes locked on each other with unwavering determination.
"So, let the battle begin!" Professor Oak declared, raising his hand and then bringing it down with a decisive motion, his voice echoing across the ranch.
As Oak's voice echoed, the two trainers simultaneously commanded their Pokémon, their voices filled with youthful energy and competitive fire.
"Squirtle, use Water Pulse!" Gary commanded, pointing a decisive finger towards Y. Squirtle, with a determined grunt, began to generate a swirling orb of shimmering water in front of it.
"Y, dodge to the side and counter with Fire Fang!" Ash called out, his eyes sharp and strategic, already anticipating Gary's move.
Y, with surprising agility, leaped to the left, narrowly avoiding the Water Pulse as it shot past, its teeth already glowing with an intense, fiery heat that seemed to distort the air around them.
"No, Squirtle!" Gary shouted in alarm, his eyes widening as he realized Ash's quick and effective counter.
He hadn't anticipated Ash's speed of thought, a stark contrast to their childhood races.
Because of Gary's immaturity as a trainer, relying more on the power of TM moves than actual battle experience, and Squirtle clearly not being fully accustomed to using that TM move in a fast-paced battle situation, Squirtle couldn't react in time to dodge Y's swift attack.
It was still charging its next Water Pulse, momentarily frozen by Ash's unexpected move.
Though fire doesn't typically inflict much damage on a Water-type like Squirtle, the Fire Fang still made direct contact, the superheated fangs sinking into Squirtle's arm with a sickening thud.
The fire lizard's bite, charged with intense heat, certainly hurt, causing Squirtle to yelp in surprise and recoil slightly, its Water Pulse dissipating harmlessly into the air in a spray of droplets.
A thin wisp of smoke rose from where Y's fangs had connected, carrying the faint scent of burnt scales.
"Quick, Squirtle, hide in your shell!" Gary quickly commanded in panic, his eyes wide with worry as he saw the discomfort etched on his partner's face.
And Squirtle, understanding its trainer's distress and feeling the sting of the burn, immediately retracted into its protective shell, becoming a small, and seemingly impenetrable fortress, its usual confident stance replaced by a defensive posture.
"Good job, Gary, at least you taught your turtle to hide," Ash said with a smirk, his confidence growing with this early advantage.
"But did you really think that would have any lasting results?"
He tapped his chin thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the stationary shell.
"A good defense is important, but it's useless if you can't counter-attack."
"Y, now grab that turtle shell and spew Ember on the openings!" Ash commanded, pointing towards the now-stationary shell with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Let's see how tough that shell is against a little internal heat!"
Y, with a determined "Char!", its tail flame burning brightly, its small form radiating heat, used its claws to grip the smooth surface of Squirtle's shell, its small body straining slightly as it tried to get a good hold on the surface.
It then proceeded to spew a barrage of hot Embers into the openings where Squirtle's limbs and head were tucked away, aiming for any vulnerable spot, the glowing embers swirling around the shell like angry fireflies.
Squirtle, trapped and unable to defend itself from the inside, certainly didn't expect being invaded in its own secure haven.
Muffled cries of discomfort and surprise echoed from within the shell as the hot embers made contact with its sensitive skin. The shell rocked slightly with Squirtle's panicked movements.
Gary couldn't come up with any command for a moment. Not because he was an idiot – he was certainly arrogant but not unintelligent.
But this was his first real Pokémon battle, and seeing Squirtle hurt and vulnerable, even within its shell, was clearly unsettling him.
His face was a mask of worry and indecision, his usual confident demeanor completely shattered.
"Squirtle, quick, get away from him!" Gary finally yelled, his voice filled with desperation as he watched Y relentlessly attack the defenseless shell. "Roll away! And use Ice Beam!"
Another move taught by TM, huh? Ash mused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he quickly considered a counter. "Ice Beam from a Squirtle in a shell… interesting."
"Y, move closer to Squirtle," Ash commanded calmly, his eyes narrowing as he anticipated Gary's next move.
He wanted to be within striking distance, ready to exploit any opening.
Before Squirtle could even open its mouth to unleash the icy attack, Y swiftly closed the distance between them, its small legs pumping furiously across the grass, leaving tiny trails of dust in its wake.
Squirtle, having managed to roll a short distance away, was just beginning to emerge from its shell, a faint white glow forming in its mouth, a visible sign of the powerful Ice Beam charging.
Ash's command confused everyone, even Gary and Squirtle, making the Water-type Pokémon pause in its attempt to attack, its mouth still slightly open, the Ice Beam energy wavering precariously.
Gary looked on, bewildered by Ash's seemingly reckless move, unsure of what his rival was planning.
Ash continued, his voice ringing with authority, a cruel but funny smirk spreading across his face, "Y, use Ember straight into his mouth! Let's give that little turtle some fiery indigestion!"
Due to Squirtle's slow reaction, still reeling from the confusion of being attacked inside its shell and now facing Y up close, it couldn't stop its attempted Ice Beam nor could it quickly launch it.
The pause, however brief, had cost it dearly.
The hot embers, propelled by Y's powerful breath, shot directly into Squirtle's open mouth, directly burning its sensitive tongue and throat.
The faint blue glow of the Ice Beam vanished instantly, replaced by a plume of acrid smoke that puffed out from Squirtle's mouth.
"Squirtle! Squirt, squirt!" tears streamed down Squirtle's face as it recoiled in agony, its body convulsing as it rolled around on the grass in obvious pain, its shell bumping awkwardly against the ground.
The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, making the spectators wince and cover their noses.
It was a rather brutal tactic, and a wave of discomfort washed over the spectators.
May covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with shock, and even Green winced slightly, though a hint of morbid fascination flickered in her eyes.
Daisy looked away, a pained expression on her face, unable to watch Squirtle's suffering.
"No, Squirtle!" Gary shouted, his voice filled with anguish as he watched his starter Pokémon suffer so visibly.
His face was pale with worry, his fists clenched at his sides.
"Now, Y, finish it with a Scratch!" Ash commanded, his voice firm and decisive, showing no remorse for his earlier tactic.
His eyes held a cold focus.
Then, before Squirtle could react or even fully register its trainer's cry, the small, usually cute figure of Y seemed to transform in Squirtle's eyes.
Its claws, now extended and glinting sharply in the sunlight, looked sharp and extremely menacing as it swiftly approached the injured Water-type, its movements filled with a predatory focus that belied its small size.
Before long, Squirtle's whole face was filled with angry red scratch marks, crisscrossing its nose and cheeks like a gruesome mask.
Its eyes rolled back, and it lay still on the grass, completely unresponsive. Squirtle had fainted.
"Squirtle is unable to battle. Therefore, the victor is Ash," Professor Oak declared with a cough, his expression clearly showing he was a bit taken aback by Ash's ruthless tactics.
He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead with a trembling hand, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow.
'Kids these days are more demonic than I thought,' he mused internally, shaking his head slightly as he recalled his own gentler approach to Pokémon battling in his youth.
Gary had a shocked look on his face as he slumped onto the grass beside his fallen Pokémon, his expression full of despair and disbelief.
He stared blankly at Squirtle, as if unable to comprehend what had just happened, the reality of his defeat slowly sinking in.
"No way... I lost to that... that idiot Ash? There's no way!" His words were broken and filled with disbelief, his voice barely a whisper, laced with a sob.
Ash walked towards him, a triumphant but also slightly sympathetic look on his face.
He knelt down beside Gary, placing a hand gently on his shoulder.
"So," Ash said gently, though he was smirking inwardly, a sense of satisfaction washing over him, "that makes me the victor. So, Gary, mind calling me Big brother now?"
"Don't worry about Squirtle," Ash continued, trying to sound reassuring, though the smirk still flickered around his lips.
"Lina will surely heal him perfectly at the Pokémon Center."
His assurance seemed to snap Gary out of his daze, and he shot up, pointing an accusing finger at Ash, his face contorted with anger and frustration.
"Like hell I will acknowledge you! You clearly cheated! There's no way a newbie like you could beat my Squirtle!"
His words were clearly a childish display of disagreement, fueled by his bruised ego and the sting of his first defeat.
"Gary, it's called tactics," Ash explained with a gentle, almost brotherly expression, though the smirk was still subtly present.
"You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to win."
"Yes, Gary Ash is right," Professor Oak agreed, nodding his head sagely. "In battle, you need to be aware of all possibilities.
The reason Ash could exploit your Squirtle's weakness was because of your slow reaction speed and not properly training Squirtle to handle various situations.
You relied too heavily on powerful moves without considering strategy and adaptability."
Gary lowered his head, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Then, with a few tears welling up in his eyes, he mumbled, "I'll never accept you."
He bit his lip hard as he said the words, his voice thick with emotion, and then turned and ran from the ranch, disappearing over the small hill in the distance, leaving a cloud of dust and a heavy silence in his wake.
"Ah, you evil guy! You scared little Gary!" May teased, coming closer to Ash and playfully punching him on the arm, a wide grin on her face. "That was a bit harsh, even for you!"
"Yes, yes, you shouldn't have bullied little Gary like that! I feel so sorry for him," Green also echoed, a smirk playing on her lips as she watched Gary's retreating figure.
"Though, I have to admit, that was a pretty clever move, Ash."
But Daisy had a sorry expression as she walked towards Ash, her brow furrowed with concern.
"Sorry about my brother," she said softly, her eyes filled with genuine worry.
"No need to be sorry, Daisy," Ash said with a warm smile, looking at her. "He's also my brother, in a way."
Which made Daisy blush, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink as she looked down shyly, a small, hopeful smile gracing her lips.
Seeing the exchange between those two, Green and May exchanged amused glances, then playfully pouted.
"Hey, quit flirting, you two!" Green called out, nudging Ash with her elbow and winking at May to do the same with Daisy.
"Yes yes stop flirting you guys are making us jealous," May nudged Daisy with mock hurt, a playful glint in her eyes.
Ash smiled at their playful reprimand and then gazed up at the clear blue sky, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I guess things are gonna be a lot more interesting from now on, huh?"
Or should I say wild...