'It's so cold.'
In the spiritual world of Caterpie, it watched helplessly as the light began to fade away.
'I tried my best. I'm sorry, Master.'
Suddenly, a warm light appeared from nowhere, illuminating its entire world. Within that brilliance, a figure seemed to emerge, patting its head and saying gently, "You did well."
Tears instantly welled up, blurring everything in sight.
In the outside world, amidst an evolutionary light so bright one dared not look directly at it, a crack appeared on Metapod's back. From it emerged a beautiful figure.
Its body was silver-white, with four large white wings marked by purple veins that shimmered in the sunlight. Its slightly rounded head featured a pair of large, purple compound eyes.
"What is this?!" Professor Oak stood up abruptly, leaning forward to stare at the Butterfree that had just broken from its cocoon. He was utterly shocked. "Not only was the evolution successful, but it has transformed into a special individual with traits distinct from any other Butterfree."
"Could it be an effect of suppressing its evolution for so long?" Professor Oak fell into deep thought.
"Such a change? Did I give it too much energy?" Aomori wondered. That wisp of light earlier had contained his lightning energy. He hadn't expected it to cause Butterfree to mutate like this.
Sabrina, sitting beside him, glanced at Aomori with a pensive look.
"It's so beautiful! Way to go, Butterfree!" Misty stood up and cheered loudly.
"Misty, are you still afraid of it like this?" Brock teased.
"Well, I can admire it from a distance, but I'd still rather not get too close."
"Hahaha!"
"Unbelievable! Ladies and gentlemen, we have just witnessed a miracle! The world's strongest Caterpie has undergone a double evolution, transforming into the world's most beautiful Butterfree!" the announcer exclaimed.
"That's incredible!" The stands erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
"I don't know why, but I feel so moved!" The Team Rocket trio wailed, hugging each other in tears.
"It actually succeeded?" Gary shook his head with a small laugh, clapping for the miracle the Caterpie had created.
As for Ash, he wasn't thinking about the logistics; he just thought his Butterfree looked amazing. "I knew you could do it, Caterpie! Or should I call you Butterfree now?"
"Free!"
Butterfree danced around Ash in flight, responding to his support.
"This is what I should have done; we are partners, after all." Ash looked toward Gary and Arcanine. "Butterfree, our battle isn't over yet. Let's take the win! Butterfree, use Gust!"
Butterfree flapped its wings rapidly. The purple patterns on them glowed, unleashing a fierce wind that swept across the entire field.
"It won't be that easy. Arcanine, dodge it and use Flare Blitz!" Gary responded quickly.
However, the range of Butterfree's Gust was unexpectedly large. Arcanine couldn't escape and was swept up. Furthermore, the wind carried traces of electric sparks, dealing secondary damage to Arcanine. After slamming into the far wall and hitting the ground, Arcanine's eyes were spinning in spirals.
The referee stepped forward to confirm. "Arcanine is unable to battle! Contestant Gary, please send out your second Pokémon."
"Alright! We won, Butterfree!" Ash danced with joy. Butterfree flew back to Ash's side, though its movements were much more sluggish than before.
"Return, Arcanine. You did a great job," Gary said, his face darkening. 'It seems the damage Arcanine took earlier was much more severe than I thought. But the opponent is also at their limit.'
"Stunning! Butterfree gave the audience a perfect debut by taking down the powerful Arcanine. Regardless of the final outcome today, I believe this match will go down in the League's history books. Let us look forward to the rest of this thrilling duel!"
…
"Welcome back, everyone! We are at the Indigo Plateau Stadium for the quarter-final match between Ash and Gary. The fifteen-minute halftime break is almost over. Let's recap the highlights so far," the announcer said as the big screen played clips.
"The first Pokémon sent out by both sides gave us a miraculous battle. Ash's Caterpie suppressed Gary's Arcanine for a long time, then underwent a double evolution into Butterfree to one-shot its opponent. But Gary didn't back down; he sent out Nidoqueen, who instantly knocked out the exhausted Butterfree before aggressively defeating Bulbasaur. Nidoqueen finally fell to Ash's third Pokémon, Kingler."
"Then, Kingler fought to a draw against the subsequent Nidoking, with both being eliminated. Therefore, both Gary and Ash have three Pokémon left. They are perfectly matched, and the second half is bound to be even more intense. Who will claim the ticket to the semi-finals? Let's find out!"
The second half began, the players swapped sides, and Ash sent out his Pokémon first.
"Pikachu, I choose you!"
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder, eyes burning with fire as it stared at Gary, waiting for its opponent. Having seen its teammates perform so well, Pikachu was itching for battle.
"Pikachu, huh?" Gary's expression turned solemn. He knew Pikachu was Ash's first partner and shared a deep bond with him, a truly formidable foe.
"Then I'm counting on you, Scyther!"
Gary sent out a mantis-like Pokémon, entirely green with arms like exceptionally sharp scythes.
"I see. He wants to use a fellow high-speed type like Scyther to counter Pikachu? A smart move," Brock analyzed.
"So this match is a contest of speed?" Misty asked.
"Likely so."
"Aomori, who do you think has the edge?" Sabrina asked.
Brock and Misty also turned curiously, waiting for Aomori's answer.
"Considering everything, Pikachu should have a slight advantage," Aomori replied. If the "Pika-god" didn't hold back, it would be an easy win.
"Mhm, I think so too."
By now, Pikachu and Scyther were clashing. Both used Quick Attack, moving like two streaks of lightning across the field, neither able to land a hit on the other for a long time. Pikachu's Thunderbolt was also successfully evaded by Scyther's Double Team.
"They are evenly matched. Their speeds are nearly identical; this will come down to endurance," Professor Oak noted.
Just as the Professor predicted, the two Pokémon eventually reached a point of pure physical exhaustion. Ultimately, Pikachu proved slightly more resilient. However, with its energy nearly depleted, Ash called it back to rest.
"Gary is down to his last two Pokémon. The pressure is back on him!"
"Thank you, Scyther." Gary took a deep breath and threw a Poké Ball. "It's up to you, Graveler!"
"Grav!" A rock-like Pokémon with four arms jumped out with a shout.
"Then my choice is you, Tauros!" Ash sent out a Pokémon that looked exactly like a bull.
"Oh, it's a battle of raw power this time," Brock said, rubbing his chin.
"That's one of the ones Ash caught in the Safari Zone, right? Is it the strongest of the thirty?" Misty recalled.
"Mhm, likely the leader."
'Thirty Tauros... Professor Oak really is rich,' Aomori couldn't help but marvel.
The battle resumed.
Gary struck first. "Graveler, use Rollout!"
"Don't be afraid, charge right in, Tauros! Use Take Down!" Ash said, refusing to back down.
Seeing the Tauros snorting and huffing, the Team Rocket trio in the stands felt a phantom pain, remembering the fear of being trampled by a stampede of Tauros. No one knew better than them how terrifying a raging Tauros could be.
After scraping the ground with its hooves, Tauros charged, colliding violently with the rolling Graveler. The two were locked in a stalemate.
"Tauros, use your horns to flip it!" Ash yelled.
"Moo!" Tauros wedged its horns under Graveler, flexed its neck, and tossed Graveler into the air. Graveler crashed into the ground, creating a crater, but thanks to its thick hide, it wasn't seriously injured.
"Graveler, don't give up! Keep using Rollout!" Gary commanded again.
"Then we'll keep using Take Down!"
Tauros and Graveler collided once more. Just as Tauros tried to flip Graveler again, Gary shouted his command first: "Graveler, use Self-Destruct!"
"What?!" Ash was shocked and tried to tell Tauros to dodge, but it was too late. Graveler grabbed Tauros's horns as its body began to glow white.
With a loud BOOM, both Graveler and Tauros fell, unable to continue.
"A forced double knockout?" Misty was stunned. "Ash still has two Pokémon left. Isn't this disadvantageous for Gary, who only has one left? Why would he do that?"
"No, Gary made the right call," Aomori said admiringly. "From the clash just now, Gary realized Graveler was evenly matched or perhaps even slightly weaker than Tauros. A prolonged fight might not have even resulted in a win. It was better to end it quickly and deny Pikachu any more time to recover."
"Oh, right!" Brock realized. "The longer Pikachu rests, the more it recovers. By ending it now, he prevents Ash from bringing back a Pikachu at 70% or 80% strength."
"To make a decision like that so quickly... he has the makings of a leader. Truly Professor Oak's grandson," Sabrina praised. "Calm, decisive, and intelligent. He already possesses the qualities a top Trainer needs. His future is bright."
"Indeed." Brock nodded and looked at Ash. "Now it's Ash's turn to choose, send Pikachu back in to wear down the opponent, or send out his final Pokémon?"
"Is that even a question?" Misty said with a smile. "For Ash, there's only one choice."
"True."
On the field, the referee announced, "Both Pokémon are unable to battle. Please send out your next Pokémon."
Gary had only one left. There was no other choice.
"Come out, my first and strongest partner, Blastoise!"
A giant turtle with two cannons on its shoulders appeared.
"Sorry, Blastoise. You have two enemies left to defeat. I'm counting on you," Gary said with rare passion. "Let's keep going!"
"Blas!" Blastoise nodded slightly, its large eyes filled with determination.
"Pika!" On the other side, Pikachu looked at Ash with burning eyes, volunteering to go in.
But Ash shook his head. "Pikachu, you were hurt too badly in the previous fight. Keep resting."
"Pika..." Pikachu sat down, sounding dejected.
"It's okay, Pikachu, because the one appearing next is him!" Ash took out his final Poké Ball and threw it with all his might. "I choose you, Charizard!"
"Roar!" Upon appearing, Charizard unleashed a pillar of fire into the sky, announcing its presence with a thunderous cry.
The audience's eyes lit up with excitement.
"It's that Charizard," Team Rocket whispered, shivering as they remembered the countless times they had been "blasted off" by it.
"Wait, why are we scared? We aren't the enemies right now."
"Oh, right. Between that cocky kid and the brat, it's better if the brat wins."
"Exactly! It makes our status in Team Rocket look higher if he's strong, meow."
The three looked at each other, pulled out small fans, and cheered in unison: "Go, go! Go, Charizard!"
"This breathtaking match has finally reached the match point! The peerless Charizard versus the rock-solid Blastoise! This is a duel of Fire and Water, a Battle of Destiny!"
The announcer's voice echoed throughout the stadium. Gary and Ash locked eyes, both seeing the absolute resolve to win in the other.
"Come on, Ash! Let's settle this here!"
"Gary, let's give it everything we've got!"
"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!" / "Charizard, use Flamethrower!" the two shouted at the same time.
The pillar of water and the jet of flame collided in the center of the field, creating a massive shroud of steam.
"Now, use Rapid Spin!"
Under the cover of the mist, Blastoise withdrew into its shell, launched into the air, and spun toward Charizard.
"Charizard, use Steel Wing on the area where the mist is rolling!"
Thud!
As Blastoise flew out of the thick fog, Charizard met it mid-air. Steel-like wings collided with Blastoise's hard shell with a heavy sound. Lacking a point of leverage, Blastoise was sent flying backward.
Ash immediately shouted, "Don't let it go! Follow up and use Steel Wing again!"
"Roar!" Charizard beat its wings powerfully, chasing the mid-air Blastoise.
"Now!" Gary yelled. "Use Hydro Pump!"
Blastoise extended its limbs from its shell, aimed its shoulder cannons at Charizard, and fired two surging torrents of water.
"Don't be afraid! Push through it!"
Ash's encouragement gave Charizard a surge of power. Its speed increased, and its steel wings sliced through the water, striking Blastoise heavily.
"Blastoise, grab it!"
Enduring the pain, Blastoise reached out and grabbed Charizard. Having taken a direct hit from the Hydro Pump, Charizard was also struggling and couldn't shake Blastoise off immediately.
"Like that, use Bite!"
Blastoise extended its neck and bit down on Charizard's neck, causing it to cry out in pain.
"Charizard, don't lose! Use Slash!"
Charizard's eyes widened as it raised its claws and slashed hard against Blastoise's body, forcing it to stagger.
"Blastoise, Headbutt!"
Blastoise slammed its head into Charizard's chest, knocking the wind out of it.
"Charizard, grab it! Use Seismic Toss!"
"Roar!" Charizard regained its composure, seized Blastoise, and beat its wings with all its might, hauling the heavy turtle high into the sky. After several rotations, Charizard slammed Blastoise violently into the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
Everyone held their breath, staring tensely at the crater.
The entire venue was completely silent.