"Come on! Sawk, let's go!"
"Infernape, show Sawk just how strong you really are!"
While Robert was busy organizing items from the system backpack strapped to his Pidgeot, a wave of noise and cheering echoed from nearby. He instinctively looked up, eyes narrowing in curiosity.
"Huh? Why's there such a crowd over there? Pidgeot, let's fly down and take a look. You've been flying for a while now. After that last battle, you deserve a good rest."
"Pidgeot!"
Pidgeot gave a sharp cry in response and banked smoothly toward the source of the commotion. As they descended, Robert quickly spotted the area below—a semi-domed venue, shaped like half an egg. In the center of the venue, a raised arena stood, surrounded by a sea of excited spectators.
A battle?
Robert's eyes narrowed further. The moment the idea of a fighting ring crossed his mind, a familiar memory from the original anime surfaced.
Could it be...? Is this the town where the P1 Fighting Tournament took place?
He wondered if Ash and his companions were here too.
As the cheering crowd remained focused on the ongoing battle, Robert's massive Pidgeot soared across the sky above the venue. Its broad wingspan blocked out the sun, casting a large shadow over the crowd.
The sudden eclipse startled some of the audience. Most brushed it off as just passing clouds, but one sharp-eyed man looked up—and nearly jumped out of his seat in shock.
"Wh-what the—? A giant prehistoric raptor?!"
"What?!"
"Did he say a prehistoric raptor?!"
The crowd quickly turned their eyes skyward. Gasps echoed as they spotted the large avian figure circling above.
"Relax, everyone! It's not some ancient bird. That's a Pidgeot," someone with a keener eye corrected.
True enough, the enormous creature was a Pidgeot—albeit significantly larger than the average one people were used to seeing.
"Man, I almost had a heart attack! I thought it was some ancient monster!"
"Seriously! But that's still the biggest Pidgeot I've ever seen."
"Is it going to attack us?"
Concern rippled through the audience. Some trainers instinctively reached for their Poké Balls, ready to defend themselves if necessary.
Before panic could spread, a red beam of light flashed—and in an instant, the massive Pidgeot was gone. From the beam emerged a young man, who landed gracefully in front of the ring. He wore a red cap, a red and white jacket, and blue jeans. He gave a small, apologetic smile as he adjusted the brim of his hat.
"Sorry, everyone. Didn't mean to startle you. I'm just a passing trainer. I saw some excitement here and came to check it out. No harm intended."
The crowd's tension eased slightly.
"Robert!" called a familiar voice.
Robert turned—and sure enough, a familiar figure was hurrying toward him from the side of the ring. With his trademark messy hair and wide grin, there was no mistaking who it was.
It was Ash.
A small smile tugged at Robert's lips. "As expected."
He took a few steps forward, pretending to be surprised. "Ash? Wow, I didn't think I'd run into you here! Are Brock and Misty with you? Are you participating in something?"
Ash nodded excitedly. "Yeah! They're right over there. And I'm in—"
Before he could finish, loud cheering erupted from the arena. Robert turned his attention back to the ring, where an Infernape had just slammed a Sawk into the mat with a powerful Seismic Toss.
The crowd roared in approval.
"Infernape, huh?" Robert murmured.
That had to be Ash's. Robert remembered this battle from the original storyline. Unfortunately, despite Infernape's strength, the Pokémon had been given away—no, tricked away—by a man named Anthony.
Robert couldn't help but shake his head at the memory. Ash had always been too trusting.
He'd just scanned the Infernape with his system. As expected of the protagonist favored by the legendary Ho-Oh, Ash's Pokémon always seemed to have insane potential. This Infernape, for instance, had 4V individual values—a rarity among rarities.
Such potential… wasted.
If Ash hadn't been fooled, this Infernape could've become a powerhouse, a vital member of Ash's top team. Robert couldn't help but feel frustrated on behalf of the Pokémon.
And it wasn't just Infernape. Ash had "let go" of Butterfree, Pidgeot, and several other high-potential Pokémon throughout his journey. How could someone be that lucky and that careless?
"Pikapi!"
A familiar cry rang out, and a small yellow figure bounded through the crowd. Pikachu!
Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, chattering excitedly. Though it sounded like random "Pika pika," anyone familiar with the original series could probably guess Pikachu was recounting his recent exploits—likely involving disrupting Team Rocket's latest scheme. Without Pikachu's interference, the battle might have ended differently.
Robert smiled at the sight. His own Pikachu, perched calmly on his shoulder, perked up and waved.
"Hey Ash, that Infernape is yours, right? Looks like you won the tournament."
Ash nodded proudly. "Yeah! Infernape's one of my partners. You wouldn't believe how I caught it—"
Pikachu on Robert's shoulder greeted Ash's Pikachu with a cheerful wave. The two Pokémon, excited to see one another again, squeaked happily and began exchanging electric sparks in a playful show of affection.
Ash's Pikachu quickly jumped down and beckoned Robert's Pikachu to come play. With a quick nod from Robert, Pikachu leapt from his shoulder and joined his fellow mouse in their joyful reunion.
Ash turned back to Robert with enthusiasm. "So, when I first met Infernape, it was actually still a Chimchar. It was abandoned by its old trainer..."
Ash launched into a detailed tale of how he'd met, rescued, and bonded with the fiery Pokémon. Robert listened with a smile, though he already knew the story from memory.
Still, seeing Ash's genuine affection for his Pokémon reminded Robert of why people had loved the character so much, even if he was a bit dim-witted at times.
Suddenly, there was another announcement from the tournament organizer.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the preliminary round has ended! Participants for the finals, please get ready!"
Ash turned, eyes gleaming. "That's me! I'm heading into the finals!"
Robert grinned. "Well, I'll be watching. Give it your all."
As Ash dashed off, Brock and Misty finally arrived at Robert's side. Brock greeted him warmly, while Misty gave a slightly more reserved wave.
"Long time no see," Brock said. "I see you're still traveling around with that monster Pidgeot of yours."
Robert chuckled. "Yeah, she's been a lifesaver more than once."
They caught up briefly, exchanging news and travel stories. Robert asked about their recent adventures, and they asked about his. Misty in particular was curious about the system backpack on Pidgeot's back, but Robert brushed it off with a vague explanation about custom trainer gear.
The final match began shortly after, with Ash and Infernape facing off against a powerful Machamp. The battle was intense, full of explosive moves and counterattacks. The crowd was enthralled.
Robert watched with keen eyes. Despite knowing how the original version of this battle ended, there was a new excitement in seeing it play out live, knowing how strong Infernape had become under Ash's care.
"Machamp, use Dynamic Punch!"
"Infernape, dodge and counter with Close Combat!"
The two Pokémon clashed in a blur of motion and flame. Finally, after a brutal exchange, Infernape stood victorious once more.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Robert couldn't help but feel a strange blend of admiration and frustration. Ash's instincts as a trainer were often guided by emotion—but somehow, it always worked out.
When the battle ended, Ash held up the winner's trophy, grinning from ear to ear, with Infernape by his side and Pikachu on his shoulder.
Robert gave a small smile.
Maybe being a fool wasn't so bad after all.