Sometimes the most unbelievable battles leave the strongest impressions.
"Kakuna?"
Seeing the PokemonAsh had sent out, Sherry froze for a moment.
Then she burst into laughter.
But thanks to years of refined etiquette training, she quickly regained her composure. She raised her fan to hide her mouth, though the amusement in her eyes remained.
"I'm starting to suspect you really did crawl out of some remote mountain village," she said lightly. "Do you seriously think a Kakuna can battle?"
"You do realize Kakuna only knows Harden, right? It doesn't even have an attacking move. How exactly do you plan to fight?"
"Don't tell me you believe Shiny Pokemonhave higher stats than normal ones. I'm afraid that's just a myth—there's absolutely no difference."
"Enough talking," Ash shot back, waving his hand dismissively. "I already know that. And who said a Pokemoncan't fight without attack moves?"
"Pokemonbattles aren't that restrictive!"
He thrust his arm forward confidently.
"I'll prove it by winning with Kakuna!"
"How bold," Sherry replied, pulling a Poké Ball from her pocket.
"In that case, I'll teach you a proper lesson."
She tossed the Poké Ball.
"Go, my Pokémon!"
Flash—
A rocky Pokemonappeared before them.
"Graveler!"
"So it's Graveler," Ash muttered.
Sherry crossed her arms confidently.
"Rock-types have an advantage over Bug-types. I'm not sure if you know that, but I thought I'd mention it."
Then she gave her command.
"Graveler, end this ridiculous battle."
"Rock Throw."
"Graveler!"
The Pokemongrabbed a stone with its stubby arms and hurled it straight at Kakuna.
At the same time, Ash shouted his order.
"Kakuna—Harden!"
"Shi!"
A metallic sheen flashed across Kakuna's body.
Its Defense rose sharply.
THUD!
The rock struck Kakuna directly.
Dust exploded from the sandy battlefield.
Sherry barely glanced at the impact.
Instead, she casually lifted her Poké Ball.
"See? I told you this battle was pointless. Graveler, return—"
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"The battle isn't over yet."
"…What?"
Sherry looked back toward the field.
The dust slowly cleared.
Kakuna was still standing upright.
Not only that—its shell gleamed like polished metal.
If not for the shattered rock fragments beneath it, Sherry might have thought Graveler's attack had missed entirely.
"How is that possible?!"
She stared in disbelief.
"It took a super effective hit head-on and didn't even flinch! What kind of Kakuna is that? Did someone trade it to you or something?!"
"?"
Ash tilted his head.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Then he flipped his hat backward dramatically.
"Compared to Froakie's sword strikes, Graveler's rocks are nothing!"
"Right, Kakuna?"
"Shi."
Kakuna looked at Graveler with clear disdain.
Compared to the boss frog's blade, your rocks are like soft sandbags thrown by a child.
Ash raised his fist.
"Now it's time to finish this!"
"Kakuna—charge in and take it down!"
"Shi!"
Kakuna tilted forward.
Then—
It launched like a cannonball.
In a single instant it shot across the battlefield.
Sherry barely had time to blink.
CRASH!
Graveler was blasted backward.
"Graveler!"
The Pokemonslammed into the ground with a heavy rumble.
Dust settled.
Graveler lay motionless.
Meanwhile Kakuna stood firmly on top of it.
Sunlight reflected off its golden shell, making it glow brilliantly.
Complete victory.
"I… actually lost…"
Sherry stared blankly.
"How could Kakuna beat Graveler…?"
"That's why I said Pokemonbattles aren't so restrictive," Ash replied while recalling Kakuna.
"Just because a Pokemondoesn't have attack moves doesn't mean it can't fight."
"…Though I guess Kakuna doesn't even have arms or legs," he added thoughtfully.
Suddenly Ash glanced back at the broken iron gate.
"Oh right! I was supposed to chase that strange Pokémon!"
The fog had thinned slightly now.
Maybe he could still catch up.
Thinking that, Ash quickly turned back to Sherry.
"By the way, how much does that gate cost? I'll pay for the damage before I leave."
"You don't have to," she replied casually.
"It's pretty expensive."
"That's exactly why I should pay!" Ash protested. "Tell me the price!"
Sherry sighed.
"Well… if you insist."
She named a number.
Ash's eyes nearly popped out.
"THAT EXPENSIVE?! Are you robbing me?!"
"That's just the value of the gate," Sherry said with a shrug.
"It's made from iron meteorite that fell from the sky. Master craftsmen forged it into a single structure."
"The material itself is valuable, not to mention the artistic value."
"To be honest, the price I gave you was already discounted."
Ash didn't understand most of those explanations.
But he understood one thing clearly.
The gate was ridiculously expensive.
Technically he could pay for it.
But doing so would reduce him to absolute poverty for several months.
Which normally wouldn't matter.
He could eat berries.
Sleep outdoors.
Travel on foot.
Even wearing the same clothes for months didn't bother him.
But his Pokémon…
Training Kakuna against Froakie's sword required constant healing supplies.
Without money for those—
The training couldn't continue.
After a long moment of internal struggle, Ash finally sighed.
He released Kakuna again and crouched down to talk to it seriously.
"Kakuna… for my sake, could you faint five hundred times?"
"?"
Kakuna stared at him.
What kind of nonsense are you talking about?
Sherry burst out laughing.
"You're really interesting."
"Alright, forget about paying for it."
"It's just a gate."
"A gate's purpose is to stop outsiders. If it can't even stop a human headbutt…"
"Then it's just trash."
"And nobody pays for trash."
Ash blinked.
He thought about it carefully.
"…That actually makes sense?"
Well—
It would make sense if a normal person had broken the gate.
"Let's just say this was the price for witnessing the endless possibilities of Pokemonbattles," Sherry said with a bright smile.
"I never imagined a battle could be fought like that."
"Maybe I should try challenging Gyms too."
"You're challenging Gyms?" Ash asked.
"So you're entering the Indigo League too?"
"Oh, that?" she said casually. "I can enter as a seed competitor anyway."
"…What?"
"At PokemonAcademy, top graduates can skip the Gym challenge and go straight to the Indigo League."
"That's cheating!"
"Not really. Becoming a top graduate is about as difficult as collecting badges."
Then she looked at Ash curiously.
"So we'll probably face each other in the League."
"Don't lose too easily."
"Bring it on!" Ash grinned. "But try not to be this weak next time."
"…If you don't know how to talk, don't talk!" Sherry snapped.
She glared at him.
"That loss was just carelessness!"
"Really? But I still won."
"…You!"
She almost stepped forward to punch him.
Then remembered Ash's physical strength.
"…Never mind."
Finally she extended her hand.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly."
"Yutō Sherry. PokemonAcademy senior student."
"My goal is to become the Champion."
Ash shook her hand immediately.
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town."
"I'm going to become a Pokemon Master!"
"Pokemon Master?" Sherry blinked.
"What's that? Is it the Champion?"
"It's something even greater!"
"…What exactly is it?"
"Something really, really amazing!"
"…Right."
She sighed.
Talking philosophy with Ash clearly wasn't productive.
Meanwhile, Serena waited anxiously in the fog.
When Ash finally returned, she hurried toward him.
"Ash! Where did you go? You said you'd be right back!"
"Huh?"
Ash blinked.
Then suddenly smacked his forehead.
"Oh no! I forgot the firewood and berries!"
He turned to run back.
Serena quickly grabbed his arm.
"You don't need them anymore!"
"Dinner is already finished!"
"…Oh."
Ash scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sorry, Serena. I lost track of time."
"It's fine," she said with a small smile.
"Let's eat."
They sat down together.
All their Pokemongathered around as well.
While eating, Ash told Serena everything that had happened.
The mysterious Pokémon.
Crashing into the academy gate.
Meeting Sherry.
When Ash mentioned the strange Pokémon, Serena wondered if it might have been a Legendary Pokémon.
When he described smashing the gate, she simply thought—
That sounds like Ash.
But when he mentioned shaking hands with Sherry and promising to meet again in the Indigo League—
Serena suddenly asked:
"Ash… what do you think of that girl, Sherry?"
"Think of her?" Ash looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
"What kind of girl do you think she is?"
Ash thought for a moment.
"…She has potential."
"Potential?"
"Yes. She might become a worthy opponent in the future."
"…So she isn't one now?"
Serena sighed.
That was somehow the most polite way Ash could say someone was weak.
Then she hesitated.
"…Then what do you think of me?"
"You?"
Ash blinked.
"You're my traveling companion, right?"
"…I mean… yes… but…"
Serena covered her face.
"…Yes. That's what I meant."
Ash tilted his head.
He looked at Froakie and the others.
They all looked equally confused.
So Ash simply continued eating.
His mother had once told him something important:
Sometimes girls behave strangely.
When that happens—
Don't think too hard about it.
So Ash decided not to.
Meanwhile Serena's Braixen and Happiny looked at their blushing Trainer…
Then at Ash happily stuffing food into his mouth.
The two Pokemonsighed in perfect synchronization.
No hope.
Trainers really do become more like their Pokemonover time.
After spending the night there, Ash and Serena continued their journey the next morning.
A few days later—
They arrived at a very unusual place.
A PokemonRehabilitation Center.
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