"The Gym Leader, Roark, and Ash from Pallet Town will compete in a three-on-three challenge with a Badge at stake. During the battle, the Gym Leader may not switch Pokémon, while the challenger may do so. Either side loses when all three of their Pokémon are unable to battle. Let the match begin!"
"Go, Staravia."
"Come on out, Geodude."
Both sides sent out their Pokémon at the same time. Ash chose his newly evolved Staravia, while Roark chose Geodude, the most common Rock-type Pokémon. Come to think of it, did every Rock-type Gym like using Geodude?
"This match... should be pretty interesting. Watch carefully too, Dawn. It might not be a Pokémon Contest, but battle techniques work anywhere."
Sitting beside Dawn in the stands, Xiaoyun watched Ash send out his Pokémon without any change in expression. So what if he used a Flying type against a Rock type? He was the master of type disadvantages. Perfectly normal.
"Mm... I will." Dawn nodded obediently. If Xiaoyun wanted her to watch, he had to have a reason.
"Staravia, use Wing Attack."
"Geodude, use Defense Curl to block it."
As always, Ash attacked first, ordering Staravia to take the initiative. Staravia flashed forward and launched its attack.
Roark promptly ordered Defense Curl to defend. After Geodude took the attack head-on, Roark ordered the common combination of Defense Curl and Rollout. But Staravia dodged it with Fly, leaving Geodude rolling around in place to build up power.
Seeing this, Ash knew he could not let it continue. He ordered Staravia to interrupt Geodude's Rollout with Aerial Ace. Just as Staravia attacked Geodude from an extremely tricky angle in the air, Roark's lips curled upward, and he ordered Geodude to use a nearby stone pillar to launch its Rollout into the air at Staravia.
As could be expected, when the Flying-type Aerial Ace clashed with a Rollout that had been steadily building power, Staravia was knocked unconscious and became unable to battle.
"Staravia is unable to battle. Challenger, please send out your next Pokémon."
"Idiot." Paul closed his eyes in the stands and snorted.
"Go, Pikachu."
Having lost the first round, Ash sent out his ace, Pikachu, to battle.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt."
For some unknown reason, Pikachu's Thunderbolt struck Geodude, which also had the Ground type, and electrocuted it straight into being unable to battle.
Watching this, Xiaoyun wondered, Is your Pikachu's Thunderbolt Storm Release? A dual lightning-and-water attack, then?
Paul fell silent too. There were things even he did not understand. All he could say was that there was more to this than met the eye.
"Go, Onix."
Although Roark did not know why his Geodude had been defeated by Thunderbolt, he still sent out his second Pokémon, Onix.
"Onix, Screech."
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt."
"Only Ash would do this," Xiaoyun marveled. Even he would not dare use Electric-type attacks against Ground types, yet Ash intended to pull it off twice.
"Xiaoyun... aren't Ground types immune to Electric-type moves? Why is Ash..." Dawn was puzzled. That was how she remembered it, yet seeing Ash keep attacking with Electric-type moves left her utterly shocked.
"Maybe... this Pikachu is exceptionally gifted..." Xiaoyun did not know how to explain it either. He could hardly say that this Pikachu could even trade a few blows with Legendary Pokémon. It was ridiculous!
Roark's Onix seemed to have undergone special training. Its Screech could even interrupt an opponent's move, cutting off Pikachu's Thunderbolt outright.
"That Onix's Screech is something else," Teacher Brock remarked. As an expert at using Onix himself, he could naturally see that this Screech had its own distinctive qualities.
Seeing that the move had failed, Ash ordered Pikachu to attack with Iron Tail instead. Pikachu really was fast. In an instant, it leaped above Onix's head and cracked it with Iron Tail, to considerable effect.
Roark refused to be outdone and ordered Onix to launch a surprise attack with Dig. Ash's Pikachu failed to notice in time, allowing Onix's surprise Dig attack to land.
"Onix, use Bind."
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to knock it away."
Roark pressed his advantage, ordering Onix to lock Pikachu tightly in its coils, but Pikachu knocked it away with Iron Tail and seized the chance to escape.
Roark continued by ordering Onix to use Dig, hoping to repeat his success. Ash gave him no chance, ordering Pikachu to strike the ground with Iron Tail to produce an earthquake-like effect. In pain, Onix emerged from its hole.
"Pikachu, finish it off with Iron Tail."
"Onix, use Stealth Rock."
Just as Ash's Pikachu struck Onix, Onix finished setting up Stealth Rock. In the end, Iron Tail knocked Onix out, giving Pikachu two knockouts.
"Thanks for your hard work, Onix."
"Go, Cranidos."
Roark's final Pokémon entered the field.
Cranidos, the Head Butt Pokémon.
A Rock type that inhabited ancient jungles approximately one hundred million years ago. Its skull was as hard as iron. An ancient Pokémon revived from a fossil resembling an iron ball. It finished off its prey with headbutts.
"So this is Cranidos. Pikachu, use Volt Tackle."
"Cranidos, use Head Smash."
After checking his Pokédex, Ash immediately ordered Pikachu to unleash its strongest attack. Roark refused to be outdone, ordering Cranidos to unleash the strongest Rock-type attack, Head Smash.
The yellow energy enveloping Pikachu collided with the white energy enveloping Cranidos. Once the energy subsided, Pikachu finally could not hold on any longer and fainted.
"Pikachu!" Ash hurried onto the field, picked Pikachu up, and gently placed it in Brock's arms. Pikachu had been unable to withstand two consecutive battles after all. Perhaps it could have, but who knew?
"I'm leaving the last battle to you, Aipom."
The moment Aipom bounced onto the battlefield on its tail, the Stealth Rock Onix had set up caught it off guard.
"Aipom!"
"Cranidos, use Zen Headbutt."
"Aipom, use Focus Punch."
Roark seized the opportunity and ordered Cranidos to attack with Zen Headbutt. Ash also ordered Aipom to counter with Focus Punch.
But Cranidos's Zen Headbutt triggered a flinch, preventing Focus Punch from being unleashed. Aipom was sent flying by the headbutt and crashed into a stone pillar.
"Cranidos, use Flamethrower."
"Aipom, dodge it! Then use Swift."
Roark continued by ordering Cranidos to follow up with Flamethrower, while Ash ordered Aipom to dodge and then use Swift.
Aipom successfully dodged Flamethrower using its tail, then flung streams of yellow stars at Cranidos.
"Cranidos, block it and use Head Smash."
Roark did not order Cranidos to dodge the attack. After taking it head-on with its head, Cranidos gathered power and hurled its entire body at Aipom like a cannonball.
"Aipom, use Focus Punch."
Ash gave the order quickly enough, but Focus Punch required time to charge. Before Aipom could finish charging, Cranidos smashed it into the pile of rocks once again with Head Smash.