"Ash always has someone traveling with him, has the ultimate utility person, and has beauties accompanying him. What about me? Could this be the legendary sorrow of a single guy?" Seeing the sign for Cerulean City, Xiao Yan forgot his recent sorrow.
"Pikachu, look, we've arrived."
"Pikachu~" After that last battle between rivals, the bond between Xiao Yan and Pikachu had grown a lot.
(Coming here, of course I have to go see the water ballet performed by the famous Cerulean Beauty Sisters.)
Cerulean City was located beside Viridian Forest and was a slightly larger city than Pallet Town. Its northern side bordered the river estuary, and its water resources were quite abundant. The Cerulean City market was also quite lively, with a huge fountain in the center of the city, making it quite prosperous.
"Wow! These Cerulean Beauty Sisters look much better than in the anime." The Cerulean Beauty Sisters were performing graceful and romantic water ballet in the swimming pool, and Xiao Yan could not help but exclaim in admiration. At that moment, a boy with Pikachu on his shoulder stood next to Xiao Yan, and upon closer inspection, Xiao Yan saw that this person was Ash.
"Hi, Xiao Yan, did you come to see the beauties too?" Ash asked this idiotic question without thinking.
"I'm here to challenge the Gym." (Of course, seeing the beauties was just a bonus.)
"So that's how it is, Xiao Yan. Let's have a practice match. The winner gets to challenge the Gym first. It's decided, let's go. I know a really good battle field." Just like that, before Xiao Yan had enough of looking at the beauties-no, the water ballet-Ash mercilessly dragged him away.
Ash brought Xiao Yan to an empty, deserted lot...
"Xiao Yan, let's do a three-on-three!" Without waiting for Xiao Yan's consent, Ash released Butterfree first.
(If I don't battle him, he definitely won't let me leave.)
"Go! Charmeleon." Xiao Yan immediately released the Fire-type Pokémon that had a type advantage over the Bug-type.
"Ash, you attack first."
"Butterfree, use Stun Spore."
Butterfree flew directly above Charmeleon, then flapped its wings to scatter Stun Spore toward Charmeleon.
"Charmeleon, Ember."
Charmeleon used Ember at close range, sending a ball of fire flying toward Butterfree in the sky. Because fire had a type advantage over bug, double damage struck heavily against Butterfree, and it went down in a single hit. At the same time, Charmeleon was hit by the Stun Spore just scattered by Butterfree, entering a paralyzed state.
"Butterfree!!! Damn it... I didn't expect you to be this strong. The next one is decided to be you, Pidgeotto."
"Charmeleon, Dragon Rage."
Charmeleon used Dragon Rage against Pidgeotto. Pidgeotto in the sky was completely unable to match the speed of Charmeleon on the ground, all because Xiao Yan had taken the whole team to train at Mt. Moon beforehand.
"Pidgeotto, Wing Attack."
Pidgeotto swooped down, using Wing Attack on Charmeleon. Charmeleon tried to dodge, but at that moment the paralysis state activated, leaving it unable to move for a moment, so it was hit by Pidgeotto's wing. However, the damage to Charmeleon was very small, which proved that Ash's Pokémon were still very weak.
"Charmeleon, Slash."
After recovering its mobility, Charmeleon jumped into the sky, grabbed Pidgeotto, and dragged it down along the way. Well, Pidgeotto was unable to battle.
"The last one, it's decided to be you, go! Pikachu." Pikachu on Ash's shoulder jumped into the battle field.
"We'll use Pikachu here too, go! Pikachu."
Xiao Yan called back Charmeleon, and the Pikachu on his shoulder also entered the battle field for a Pikachu showdown. "You have a Pikachu too? But my Pikachu is the strongest Pikachu in the whole world. Pikachu, Thunderbolt."
"Pikachu, we use Thunderbolt too."
Instantly, two bolts of electricity collided, but it was obvious that the power on Xiao Yan's side far exceeded Ash's. In the end, Ash's Pikachu was hit by Thunderbolt, though the damage effect from the same type was not very great.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack." Xiao Yan did not wait for Ash's Pikachu to climb back up and directly delivered a follow-up blow. Ash's Pikachu was already lying on the ground, unable to get up.
"Damn it, Pikachu, get up and use Thunderbolt again." Hearing the trainer's command, the scar-covered Pikachu mustered its last bit of strength to stand up and used a not-very-powerful Thunder Shock against Xiao Yan's Pikachu.
"Ash is really too weak right now..." Xiao Yan looked at Ash and let out a slight sigh.
"Pikachu, we'll use Thunderbolt too." Pikachu subconsciously unleashed Thunderbolt at its maximum power and rushed forward. Following a massive explosion and the dissipation of thick smoke, Xiao Yan's Pikachu had long since returned to Xiao Yan's shoulder to rest, while Ash's Pikachu was lying in the middle of the dueling field, having lost the ability to battle.
"Pikachu, are you alright?" Ash rushed over and picked up Pikachu.
"You guys go back and train properly!" Xiao Yan said to Ash.
"And Pikachu, you learned Volt Tackle!?"
(A trace of a smile appeared on Pikachu's face. Wait, was my Pikachu smiling like a show-off just now?)
"Xiao Yan, can I go watch your Gym match?" Ash looked at Xiao Yan earnestly at that moment.
"Fine, it doesn't matter how many people come to watch." (I honestly think the more people watching, the better. I might have also been infected by Pikachu's habit of loving to show off.)
Before you continue