Chapter 12: Meeting AJ. Taking Ash as a Disciple - Part 2
"Butterfree, use Stun Spore!" Ash commanded Butterfree. Hearing Ash, Butterfree scattered Stun Spore from the air.
Seeing Butterfree use Stun Spore, AJ told his Sandshrew, "Sandshrew, use Dig!" Hearing AJ, Sandshrew dug a hole in the field and jumped into it, dodging Butterfree's Stun Spore.
After the Stun Spore dissipated, AJ commanded, "Sandshrew, come out and attack Butterfree!" Hearing AJ, Sandshrew emerged from the hole, curled into a ball, leaped into the air, and slammed Butterfree directly onto the ground. Just like that, Ash lost.
Seeing Butterfree defeated, Ash recalled it into its Poké Ball. He then looked at Pikachu by his feet and said, "Pikachu, you're the only one left! Go up and battle Sandshrew! You have to win, okay?"
But Pikachu, seeing how strong AJ's Sandshrew was, didn't want to go up and battle. Instead, it turned to Meowth, who was standing near Brock, and started saying, "Pika, Pikachu!"
Meowth heard Pikachu, nodded, and translated Pikachu's words, "Ash, I don't want to battle that Sandshrew. Don't force me to go up there. That's what Pikachu said."
Hearing Meowth, Brock said to Ash, "Ash, if Pikachu doesn't want to battle, don't force it!" Pikachu nodded in agreement upon hearing Brock's words.
Ash looked at Brock, then down at Pikachu by his feet, and finally said to AJ, "Alright, AJ, I lost. You're really strong. Next time, I'll definitely beat you!" After saying this, he walked over to Brock's side.
Hearing Ash's declaration, AJ just smiled at Ash without saying anything and then walked back into his tent.
Seeing this, Brock decided to stir things up and whispered into Ash's ear, "Ash, did you see AJ smile at you at the end there?"
"Yeah, I saw it. What's wrong? Was there a problem with that smile?"
"Ash, do you remember what you said right before AJ smiled at you?"
"Yeah, I remember! I told AJ I'd definitely beat him next time. Then he smiled at me... Oh! I get it! He must have been looking down on me! But I can't beat him! What should I do, Brock?!"
"Ash, just agree to one condition for me, and I'll help you teach AJ a lesson. Okay?"
"Okay, Brock! As long as it's a condition I can fulfill!"
"Alright, then I'm going to teach AJ a lesson!" Brock and Ash whispered back and forth.
"Ash, Brock, what are you two whispering about?" Misty asked, seeing them conferring.
"Nothing!" Brock and Ash said simultaneously.
Daisy glanced at Brock, then pulled Misty aside, whispering something Brock didn't notice.
Brock walked onto the battlefield and shouted towards the tent, "AJ, come out and accept my challenge!" After shouting, he thought, _Ash is way too gullible! He fell right into my scheme. It's also AJ's fault for just smiling and walking away; that's bound to cause misunderstandings._ If AJ knew what Brock was thinking, he'd definitely retort, "Damn it! I just smiled normally! Who was looking down on Ash?!" But AJ didn't know any of this.
Hearing Brock's voice, AJ came out and asked, "Who wants to challenge me now?"
Brock replied, "It's me, AJ! I'm challenging you! Time to show you that your so-called 99-win streak is nothing but trash in my eyes!"
As soon as Brock finished speaking, he regretted it, thinking, _Oops, I forgot! I gave Onix and Geodude to my little brother Forrest! Meowth and Zubat have only been training for a few days... This won't be easy! Knew I shouldn't have acted so cocky! Whatever, since I already started posturing, might as well go all the way!_
Hearing Brock's provocative words, AJ said angrily, "Just wait! You'll soon find out the consequences of angering me!"
After speaking, AJ shouted towards the tent, "Sandshrew, come out for battle! Win this match, and we can finally start our journey to collect badges!" Just as AJ finished, Sandshrew came out from the tent onto the battlefield. AJ looked at Sandshrew, then at Brock, and said, "Send out your Pokémon!"
Brock replied, "No rush. Let your Sandshrew recover its stamina first." Brock then took an Oran Berry from his backpack and tossed it to AJ.
"This Oran Berry will help Sandshrew recover its stamina quickly. I won't take advantage of you," Brock explained to AJ. After speaking, Brock entered his mindscape and used the Inspect function to check AJ's data. As the saying goes, 'Know the enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.'
Brock used Inspect to view AJ's and Sandshrew's data:
_Name: AJ_
_Trainer Strength: Elite Rank - Late Stage_
_Name: Sandshrew_
_Master: AJ_
_Strength: Elite Rank - Late Stage_
_Potential: Perfect_
_(The Pokémon ranks are: Novice, Entry, Elite, Gym, Elite Four, Champion, 3rd-Tier Legendary, 2nd-Tier Legendary, 1st-Tier Legendary, Super Legendary. Both trainer and Pokémon ranks are divided into Early, Mid, and Late stages. If a Pokémon's strength exceeds its master's by one major rank, it may disobey commands.)_
Brock then checked his own data:
_Name: Brock_
_Strength: Gym Leader Rank - Early Stage_
_Pokémon on hand: Meowth, Zubat_
_Name: Meowth_
_Master: Brock_
_Strength: Entry Rank - Late Stage_
_Potential: Champion_
_Name: Zubat_
_Master: Brock_
_Strength: Elite Rank - Early Stage_
_Potential: Supreme_
Brock compared his data with AJ's and thought, _Sigh, no wonder Ash lost. AJ is this strong! My strongest Pokémon right now Zubat is two sub-stages weaker than AJ's Sandshrew Elite Early vs Elite Late. Although my Trainer Rank Gym Leader Early is higher than AJ's Elite Late, my Pokémon being two sub-stages weaker is a problem. Only trainers at the Elite Four rank or above can reliably overcome such a large gap in Pokémon strength. Looks like I'll just have to tough it out._
"Come out! Zubat!" Brock took out a Poké Ball and released Zubat. Zubat appeared on the battlefield.
"AJ, has your Sandshrew recovered its stamina yet?" Brock asked, looking at AJ.
"Brock, Sandshrew's stamina is recovered. We can battle now," AJ replied.
"Then let the battle begin!"
"Sandshrew, curl into a ball, jump up, and attack Zubat!" AJ commanded preemptively.
"Zubat, fly higher!" Brock instructed, seeing Sandshrew's attack. Hearing Brock, Zubat flew higher. Since Sandshrew couldn't jump very high, Zubat easily dodged the attack.
"Zubat, use Confuse Ray!" Brock ordered. Hearing Brock, Zubat fired a ray of light from its mouth towards Sandshrew.
Seeing Zubat use Confuse Ray, AJ told his Sandshrew, "Sandshrew, escape into the hole!" Sandshrew obeyed AJ and disappeared into the hole, thus dodging Zubat's Confuse Ray. (It was the hole left from Ash and AJ's battle earlier).
"Zubat, use Supersonic on that hole!" Brock commanded. Hearing Brock, Zubat emitted Supersonic waves from its mouth, directing them towards the hole.
Hearing Brock's command, AJ quickly told his Sandshrew, "Sandshrew, jump out of the hole, quickly!" Sandshrew leaped out from the hole, thus dodging Zubat's Supersonic waves.
Just as Sandshrew jumped into the air from the hole, an airship appeared high above Brock and the others' heads. A Salamence flew out from the airship, and riding on the Salamence was a woman who looked to be around 20 years old.