"Look, I told you you weren't good enough. You're facing Ash's Pikachu, after all!" Dawn said, not missing the opportunity to tease Kenny. She walked up to him, covering her mouth as she giggled.
"I'm not good enough..." Kenny muttered, clutching his chest. He could feel a sharp pain in his heart.
"You came right out and challenged Ash's Pikachu with Prinplup. I don't know whether to call you courageous or..." Dawn's gaze became strange. This comment was another massive blow to Kenny, and the pain in his heart intensified. In Kenny's ears, it sounded like Dawn was calling him a reckless and mindless fool.
"But you don't have to worry. Ash is so strong, it's only natural that you lost to him!" Dawn said, standing next to Ash and looking at him with adoration. She would never forget how Ash commanded Pikachu to use a move called Iron Tail, which was essentially a "giant beast slash" that took down that terrifying green monster. The scene... she still got excited just thinking about it.
"Only natural..." This final blow pierced Kenny's chest, leaving him with only one HP. This was a mental attack from his childhood friend, and the damage was the most powerful and lethal. Ash couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy.
What had made him keep bringing up Dawn's embarrassing moments and hold on to her past? He should have known that everyone holds a grudge, even the optimistic Dawn. Now, Dawn had found her chance to hit back. And since she was his childhood friend, the attack was super effective, dealing double damage. What made it even worse was that Dawn was stating it as a fact, which made the attack a "same-type attack bonus," multiplying the damage by 1.5.
Even Brock, who was happily watching the drama unfold, couldn't bear to look away. He felt a kinship with Kenny, as they were in the same boat, even more so than Pikachu, the "fake bachelor." Kenny was even more pitiful than him since it looked like his childhood friend was stolen from him. So, Brock walked up to them, coughed, and said kindly, "Ahem, Dawn, you should stop now and let Kenny have a moment to himself!"
"Are you sad? But isn't it normal to lose to Ash?" Dawn asked, not understanding. She looked at Kenny's face and asked, "Kenny, don't be sad. Ash is really strong! Even the Oreburgh Gym Leader used his full power and couldn't beat Ash!" Dawn was trying to comfort Kenny, who had been hit hard. But she didn't realize that she was dealing the final blow and winning the battle.
"Heh, y-you're right!" Kenny clutched his heart, which had been hit hard. He wanted to run away and cry loudly, but he could only force a smile that looked worse than a frown in front of Dawn's "concern."
Just then, Team Rocket appeared. The three of them were sneaking up on Prinplup, apparently switching their target from Pikachu to Prinplup.
"You're despicable! Prinplup, use Metal Claw and send them flying!" Kenny, who was in a bad mood, found an outlet for his frustration and commanded Prinplup to battle the Team Rocket trio. With the help of Dawn and the others, they successfully sent them flying.
"What a frustrating feeling!" x3 The trio disappeared into the sky like a shooting star with their familiar motto.
"Looks like Prinplup's power is not bad after all!" Dawn thought, realizing that Kenny was actually quite strong. Prinplup, who had just recovered a bit, was able to fight evenly against two opponents. Although he couldn't beat Ash, he was a strong rival for her.
"Of course!" Kenny, who seemed to have regained some of his confidence from the battle with Team Rocket, reignited his fighting spirit and challenged Ash again. "Ash, you won this time, but I won't give up. I'll come back and challenge you until I beat you!"
"Um... that might not be very realistic!" Dawn pondered for a moment and gave him a rather gentle answer. This second blow hit Kenny hard, and her terrifying Ice-type attack froze the fighting spirit that he had just managed to ignite.
"Don't worry, Kenny! What I meant was that it's still possible, but you'll have to work a lot harder..." Dawn tried her best to explain, but she only made things more confusing.
"The Floaroma Contest starts tomorrow. You should focus on that!" Brock quickly changed the subject.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine tomorrow!" When the topic turned to the Contest, Dawn got excited and clenched her fists. She then said to Ash, "Ash, you'll see my performance!"
"Alright, alright!" Ash agreed, looking at her determined eyes. He teased her, "But are you sure you'll be okay? I remember Aunt Ayako said that when a certain someone says they're okay, it means there's a problem!"
"Stop... stop talking nonsense! I won't have any problems!" Dawn's face turned red, and she pouted as she argued with Ash.
Ash just shrugged, with a look that said, "I'm not convinced."
"What's wrong? You don't believe me!" Dawn was not happy and pulled Ash's hand. "Come with me and I'll show you my power!" The two of them walked off to a secluded area.
Kenny stood there dejectedly, watching them disappear into the distance.
"Don't be so down, young man!" A big hand patted Kenny's shoulder, and he felt a presence at his feet. It was Pikachu, who was imitating Brock's expression, pretending to comfort him.
"What do you guys mean?"
"Join us. Let's stand together against the great, unspeakable horror!"
"We're actually the same kind of people. We're both men who have failed on the road to love. But don't be discouraged. As long as you persevere, you will find your true love..."
"Pika, pika!" Brock babbled on and on, trying to make Kenny stronger. It was clear to anyone that Dawn was a lost cause, as her heart was completely with Ash.
"Nonsense!" Kenny did not appreciate it. He pushed Brock's hand away and walked off.
"Sigh, a boy so persistent in love!" Brock, who had failed countless times, sighed with emotion.
"Pika~" The yellow mouse nodded in agreement.
"Pikachu, you traitor! What are you doing messing around here? Go find your Buneary!" Brock was heartbroken that his friend had betrayed him.
Pikachu denied it: "Don't talk nonsense. I didn't!"