"Are you serious, Mr. Koga!"
Red turned his head to look at Koga, whose face was filled with fighting spirit. He subconsciously placed his hand on the Poké Ball at his waist, but the familiar position no longer held Beedrill—it now held a new partner.
"It seems you need to switch Pokémon. The Fuchsia Gym happens to be equipped with a device for exchanging Pokémon," Koga said.
Following Koga's guidance, Red arrived in front of a phone booth, beside which a device capable of transmitting Poké Balls had been installed.
"Hello, hello? Oh, it's Red!"
Professor Oak popped his head into view with a surprised expression, almost occupying the entire call screen.
Red immediately raised a finger to his lips, signaling Professor Oak not to accidentally reveal information about Zapdos. For now, Red didn't want others to know about Zapdos's existence, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Oh~ Red, do you need to switch Pokémon?"
After noticing Red's hint, Professor Oak indicated that he understood.
"I need the Poké Balls for Beedrill and Pidgeot. I'll send Hitmonchan and Abra over to you first."
After saying that, Red removed two Poké Balls from his waist and placed them on the transfer device one after the other.
With flashes of light, the two Poké Balls were transmitted to Professor Oak's Laboratory, and Professor Oak used a loudspeaker to call Beedrill and Pidgeot over from the backyard.
Upon hearing Red's voice, the two Pokémon excitedly rushed toward the call screen. The excited Pidgeot even kicked Professor Oak aside with a single foot.
(Who do you think you're pushing around!)
"Alright, alright, don't get so excited. I need your help right now," Red said reassuringly, calming the two Pokémon a little.
Professor Oak pitifully got back up, recalled Beedrill and Pidgeot into their Poké Balls, and transmitted them to Red.
"I've received the Poké Balls. Professor Oak, I'll end the call now," Red said, cutting off the communication with Professor Oak.
"It seems you are ready."
When Red returned to the backyard, Koga immediately noticed the two different Poké Balls at Red's waist.
"The match format will still be 2 VS 2. No problem, right?"
"Let's do it. These two have been looking forward to it."
"Each side may use two Pokémon. The side whose Pokémon all lose the ability to battle will lose. The official match begins!"
After Aya finished announcing the match rules, Red and Koga threw their Poké Balls at the same time.
"It's up to you, Pidgeot!"
"I'm counting on you, Weezing!"
Pidgeot and Weezing appeared in the sky at the same time, staring directly at each other.
"A golden Pidgeot! Truly not an opponent to be underestimated!" Koga said cautiously.
"Weezing, use Sludge Bomb!"
Two mouthfuls of condensed sludge were spat out from Weezing's mouths, rapidly flying toward Pidgeot's position.
"Air Slash!"
Pidgeot flapped its wings powerfully, releasing two sharp wind blades that sliced the incoming sludge in half. The pieces fell to the ground, faintly releasing a foul stench.
"Wing Attack," Red ordered, giving Weezing no chance to relax.
With its proud speed, Pidgeot arrived in front of Weezing in an instant. Its wings glowing with white light repeatedly struck Weezing's body.
"Wheezing!"
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Weezing cried out in pain.
"Weezing, withstand it with Double Hit, then use Smog to escape!"
After receiving Koga's command, Weezing endured two Wing Attacks from Pidgeot with its body, suppressing the pain as it opened its mouth and released a large cloud of toxic mist.
The poisonous fog instantly covered the sky and also provided Weezing with a chance to retreat.
To avoid inhaling the poison and becoming poisoned, Pidgeot instinctively flapped its wings to retreat before using Hurricane to blow away the toxic fog.
"Weezing, use Sludge Bomb!"
As a Poison-type Pokémon, Weezing would not fall into a poisoned state. Moreover, this poisonous mist was its own creation, so it naturally wouldn't be distracted like Pidgeot, which had to disperse the fog.
Two clumps of condensed sludge struck Pidgeot's wings. The sudden weight made Pidgeot briefly unable to adjust, indirectly slowing its speed.
"Weezing, now use Thunderbolt!" Koga ordered.
Weezing rubbed its bodies together, releasing a powerful electric current.
"Use Double Team to dodge!"
Pidgeot's figure suddenly blurred. Moments later, countless Pidgeot filled the sky, and the electricity released by Weezing "regretfully" struck only a clone.
"Use Brave Bird to burn off the sludge on your body!" Red ordered.
Blue flames covered Pidgeot's entire body, dissolving the sludge on its wings and causing it to fall to the ground.
Flapping its wings, Pidgeot rapidly arrived in front of Weezing and fiercely rammed into it.
"Weezing, use Thunderbolt at close range!"
Weezing released electricity from its body again, striking Pidgeot directly.
"Use Steel Wing and stab into the ground!"
Shoving away the entangling Weezing, Pidgeot endured the stinging pain of the electric current, flew low back to the ground, and stabbed one wing into the earth, channeling all the remaining electricity from its body deep underground.
"Nice tactic, but unfortunately Weezing's stamina is also nearing its limit."
Noticing Weezing occasionally gasping for breath, Koga understood that the moment to decide victory or defeat had arrived.
"Weezing, use Sludge Bomb!"
Two clumps of condensed sludge were spat from Weezing's mouths again, rapidly descending toward Pidgeot.
"Use Agility to dodge, then Quick Attack!"
Pidgeot's figure blurred instantly as it avoided the attack. It then appeared behind Weezing and struck with Quick Attack.
"Follow up—use Air Slash!"
Two sharp wind blades were released from Pidgeot's wings, accurately striking Weezing's vital point from behind.
"Sorry, Red—Weezing, use your final Destiny Bond!" Koga shouted. His eyes then glanced apologetically at Red, hoping Red wouldn't mind his tactic.
A strange gas shaped like a demonic pattern suddenly appeared on Weezing's body, then drilled into Pidgeot. When Weezing collapsed after being struck by Air Slash, the affected Pidgeot trembled as well, losing all strength and falling to the ground.
"Sorry, Pidgeot. I was too careless!" Red said self-reproachfully, not expecting Koga to give such an order.
Seeing that Red didn't blame his "trick" and instead looked at Pidgeot with guilt, Koga suddenly felt as though he could sense his younger sister's disdainful gaze directed at him.
"Ahem. This match will still be ruled as Pidgeot's victory!"
Unable to bear his sister's contempt, Koga coughed twice and straightened his attitude.
"Next is the second match."
Aya raised the two flags in her hands. The moment they fell would signal the start of the second battle.
"The match begins!"
Aya waved the flags down, and Red and Koga once again threw their Poké Balls.
"Avenge Pidgeot, Beedrill!"
"I'm counting on you, Crobat!"
Two flashes of white light dispersed. Beedrill immediately seized excellent air superiority, looking down at Crobat below.
Beedrill glanced at the unconscious Pidgeot lying on the ground, and a trace of anger arose in its heart. Beedrill intended to avenge its bird Pokémon junior.
If Pidgeot had been defeated due to a lack of strength, Beedrill wouldn't have been so angry. But Pidgeot's unconscious state had come from an effect similar to being cursed.
(Let me deal with you!)