Pokemon: A different Ash

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"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Although Electric-type moves did no harm to Electric Pokémon, they could still be used defensively. Even in mid-air, Pikachu could launch powerful attacks.

"Pika~~~chu!"

BOOM!!!

Thunder and lightning erupted as the incoming Pin Missile collided with Pikachu's Thunderbolt. The two forces crashed together, creating an explosive impact that instantly filled the air with thick smoke.

The battlefield above was completely obscured, but below the smoke cloud, visibility remained. The opposing Electric Pokémon landed first while Pikachu was a step behind.

"Jolteon, now use Wild Charge!" Sparky commanded.

The moment he spotted Pikachu's feet appearing beneath the smoke, Sparky seized the opportunity to launch his offensive. Electric-type moves might be ineffective against Jolteon, but they could still damage Pikachu.

Hearing its Trainer's command, Jolteon charged forward, its body instantly surrounded by crackling electricity. Lightning engulfed its entire form as it rushed forward, its speed dramatically increasing as it darted beneath the smoke cloud.

Pikachu was falling from the sky. At Jolteon's current speed, it would arrive at exactly the same moment Pikachu touched down.

This thrilling moment had everyone watching intently, all eyes fixed on the battlefield. Falling from above left no room to dodge, and Pikachu's long-range attacks were all Electric-type moves that couldn't stop Jolteon. The outcome seemed inevitable.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" 

Just when everyone thought Pikachu was in dire straits, Ash called out his command.

Swoosh!

Hearing Ash's voice, Pikachu angled its tail downward. With Pikachu's short legs, there was still some distance before it would touch the ground, but Pikachu extended its tail toward the battlefield below.

Still airborne, Pikachu's tail began to glow with a metallic luster. As it descended, its tail struck the ground first, propping up its body. Then, to everyone's surprise, the tail compressed slightly.

The moment Jolteon rushed forward, Pikachu used its tail like a spring to launch itself back into the air. Though it wasn't a high bounce, it was enough to evade Jolteon's charge.

"What?!" Sparky was shocked, never expecting an evasion at such a critical moment.

Having missed its target, Jolteon skidded to a halt, turning around in surprise. Behind it, Pikachu had bounced back into the air and was already spinning around to face its opponent.

"Now, Iron Tail again!" Ash's eyes narrowed with determination.

"Pika~~~chu!!!"

As Pikachu descended, its tail swung around once more, glowing brightly with metallic energy before crashing down from above.

BOOM!!!

Jolteon had barely turned around when Pikachu's Iron Tail struck. The powerful move hit Jolteon squarely on the head with astonishing force. A thunderous crash echoed across the battlefield as a shockwave rippled outward from the point of impact.

Jolteon's head was driven into the ground with tremendous power. The battlefield cracked apart beneath them, and strong waves of displaced air continued to spread outward.

A cloud of dust enveloped the combatants, obscuring everyone's view. The spectators waited in silence. After what felt like an eternity, the dust slowly began to clear.

In the center of a crater stood two yellow figures. Pikachu was covered in dust, panting slightly from the exertion.

But Jolteon lay motionless at the center of the depression. Sparky's Jolteon had completely lost consciousness.

"Brother Sparky lost too? How is this possible?" Pyro and Rainer wore expressions of disbelief. Though in the past they had been reluctant to admit either of their brothers was stronger, this match had united them in purpose. They had expected that taking turns against Ash would wear down his Pokémon, but to their shock, even with Ash using the same Pikachu against all three brothers, they had still lost.

The surrounding Trainers were equally surprised that an unevolved Pikachu could demonstrate such power.

"We lost... but why? How can a Pokémon have such power without evolution?" Sparky reluctantly conceded defeat, but still found the outcome incredible.

It wasn't surprising that Ash's Pikachu was fast—Pikachu as a species was known for its speed. But Sparky realized that Ash's Pikachu possessed more than just quickness. Its strength and stamina were truly remarkable.

"Even if your Pokémon has weaknesses, you can improve them through dedicated practice and training," Ash said calmly to the onlookers. "Working alongside your Pokémon to become stronger together—that's a Trainer's responsibility."

Sparky and his brothers fell silent, while Mikey listened to Ash's words with serious attention.

"Evolution is certainly one of the best ways to enhance a Pokémon's abilities," Ash continued, "but a Trainer's skill level is equally important to a Pokémon's development."

Everyone paused, reflecting on Ash's words. There was an implied criticism—that they weren't yet skilled enough as Trainers—but Ash had proven his point with his victory, and no one could dispute it.

"When Pokémon grow stronger and evolve, if you as a Trainer can't keep pace with their development, you might be lucky and face no consequences. But what happens when a Pokémon's personality changes after evolution?"

"If your skills as a Trainer aren't sufficient to guide an evolved Pokémon... well, you can imagine the consequences."

Ash wasn't gloating over his victory; he was stating facts based on experience. He remembered his own Charmeleon not long ago. Logically, he could have easily defeated it using his other Pokémon, given their current levels.

But Ash had learned that in the real world, once a Pokémon's personality changed after evolution, raw power alone wasn't enough. Trainers needed proper methods to guide and train them.

In the games, collecting Gym Badges increased the level limit for controlling Pokémon. Reality was different, but no less demanding.

Hearing Ash's words, the Trainers present glanced instinctively at their own Pokémon. Many felt secretly relieved that their Pokémon's personalities hadn't changed after evolving. Ash's warning wasn't an exaggeration—it was a reality they all faced as Trainers.