Among Ash's six Pokémon—Greninja, Pidgeotto, Fearow, Magikarp, and Feebas—almost all were naturally at a disadvantage against Dedenne's Electric typing.
However, Greninja was Ash's starter and one of his strongest Pokémon. At its current level, there was no way Dedenne could hope to defeat it.
As for Magikarp and Feebas—Valor and Lumina had only recently overcome their timid, self-doubting natures and begun to build confidence. Ash would never use them as mere "experience fodder," and even if he were willing, Green herself wouldn't have the heart to do it. Especially Lumina—after spending so much time together, she had already formed a close bond with the little Feebas.
That left only two viable options: Pidgeotto and Fearow.
Fearow, having already reached its final evolution, looked fierce and intimidating—like something you wouldn't want to provoke. So, following the simple logic of "pick the easier opponent," Green chose Pidgeotto as Dedenne's first challenger.
What she didn't realize was that Pidgeotto, already at LV.36, wasn't any weaker than Fearow. In fact, it was just as formidable.
Of course, this battle wasn't about winning—it was about helping Dedenne gain experience. Ash and Pidgeotto would naturally hold back.
That said, losing on purpose wasn't necessary. Even in defeat, Dedenne would still gain experience.
Compared to deliberately throwing the match—which would take more effort and look unnatural—it was far more efficient to slightly hold back, defeat Dedenne cleanly, heal it quickly, and move on to the next round. This way, Dedenne would gain experience faster overall without damaging its confidence.
Ash glanced at the small Pokémon in Green's arms as she gently set it down on the pebbled riverbank.
"System, scan Dedenne."
[Pokémon: Dedenne]
Level: LV.16
Type: Electric / Fairy
Nature: Naive
Ability: Plus
Potential: Red (Average)
Moves (Copyable):
Skilled (1/500): Nuzzle, Tackle, Thunder Shock
Novice (1/100): Tail Whip, Charge
Ash reviewed the data silently.
It had been over two months since Professor Oak's summer camp ended. Just like his own Froakie back then, Dedenne had been Green's starter Pokémon—awarded early for her outstanding performance.
While it couldn't compare to Ash's Greninja, which had already evolved to its final form and reached LV.39, Green's progress was still respectable. As a Breeder rather than a battle-focused Trainer, raising Dedenne from LV.5 to LV.16 in this time was no small feat.
Still—
Compared to Pidgeotto, the gap was enormous.
A full 20-level difference.
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly. I'll need to hold back a bit… otherwise this'll be over too quickly.
…
"Battle between Ash and Green—single Pokémon each. Begin!"
Gary, acting as the temporary referee, cleared his throat and gave the signal.
Green immediately seized the initiative.
"Dedenne, use Thunder Shock!"
A bolt of golden electricity shot forward like a hissing serpent, crackling as it sped toward Pidgeotto.
Ash, who had already decided to hold back, didn't contest the initiative.
"Pidgeotto, Double Team."
The command came instantly.
"Pidge~!"
With a sharp, piercing cry, Pidgeotto spread its powerful wings. Its body blurred—and in an instant, dozens upon dozens of afterimages filled the air.
"Crack—!"
The Thunder Shock struck one of the illusions, bursting it like a bubble.
But the real Pidgeotto remained untouched.
Not even a scratch.
Despite facing an Electric-type attack that countered it, Pidgeotto showed no sign of panic. As one of Ash's core team members, it had long since developed the composure of a seasoned fighter.
If this had been an arena battle, Ash might have ordered it to take the hit head-on and crush the opponent's confidence with overwhelming strength. But this was Green—and that wasn't the goal here.
"Pidgeotto, Agility."
"Whoosh—!"
The air rippled as Pidgeotto accelerated further, weaving seamlessly between its own afterimages. The combination of Double Team and Agility turned the battlefield into a dizzying illusion—like a storm of wings and shadows.
Green froze for just a split second.
And that moment—
Cost her the initiative.
Even though Ash was holding back, he wasn't going to waste a perfect opening.
"Pidgeotto—Quick Attack!"
"Pidge—!"
The command rang out, and Pidgeotto shot forward like a streak of light.
Quick Attack wasn't a high-damage move—its base power was only around 40, similar to Tackle or Gust—but what made it deadly was its explosive burst of speed.
"Swish—!"
Dozens of Pidgeotto afterimages darted across the sky, all converging downward in a coordinated assault.
To Dedenne, it was overwhelming.
Though an Electric-type, it was still, at its core, a small rodent Pokémon. Facing a predator of the skies—something like Pidgeotto—it couldn't help but feel instinctive fear.
Even if most of what it saw were illusions—
The pressure was real.
The killing intent was real.
Its body trembled uncontrollably.
It curled in on itself—
Too frightened to move.
"Bang—!"
The attack landed.
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