The roar of the Indigo Plateau stadium hadn't died down since Pidgeot's Brave Bird had sent Alakazam crashing to the turf. The alpha Pidgeot larger than any regular Pidgeot in Kanto history, wings spanning wider than most spectators could believe circled once overhead in a slow, victorious arc before landing gracefully beside Ash.
His feathers were singed in places from Alakazam's desperate Shadow Ball, but his eyes burned with pride.
The crowd was still chanting "ASH! ASH! ASH!" mixed with scattered gasps of
"That Pidgeot is HUGE!" and "Never seen one that big!"
Gary Oak stood on his platform,coat fluttering slightly, arms crossed, smirk still in place but noticeably tighter now. He had lost four Pokémon in a row. For the first time in the entire Indigo League, Gary was trailing badly 4-1. His Eevee sat at his feet, ears flat, sensing its trainer's tension.
The referee's voice cut through the noise, calm and authoritative.
"Alakazam is unable to battle! Ash Ketchum leads four to one!"
Commentator 1 (voice rising with disbelief): "What a turnaround! Gary Oak the prodigy grandson of Professor Oak is down four Pokémon to one! That alpha Pidgeot of Ash's is a monster size, speed, power her power rewriting everything we thought we knew about Flying-types!"
Commentator 2: "Gary's still got two left, but the pressure is immense now. Can he pull off the comeback of the century?"
In the VIP section, Amber was jumping up and down so hard Daisy had to hold her steady. "Big brother's Pidgeot is the biggest bird ever! He's gonna win everything!"
Delia wiped happy tears from her eyes, clutching her hands to her chest. "My boy… he's doing it…"
Daisy screamed over the railing, "Keep going, Ash! Crush him!"
Cynthia sunglasses still firmly in place allowed herself a small, proud smile under the hat. "He's not just winning… he's dominating."
In Veilstone City, Sinnoh, Paul's arms were crossed so tightly his knuckles were white. "Tch. That bird's too big to be natural. Gary's slipping."
In Nuvema Town,Unova , An trainer was watching the semi final match of kanto league."Country bumpkin. Tch whatever i am not seeing this shit!"
In Petalburg City, Hoenn, Norman Gym Leader and father figure to many young trainers watched the broadcast with his wife Caroline at his side. Norman's arms were folded, a small smile on his face. "That boy Ash… he's got the fire Just like i used to have. This is going to be a classic."
Caroline laughed softly. "Look at the crowd. They're going wild for him."
In Snowbelle City, Kalos, a tall, elegant woman with long silver hair stood in the Gym Leader's lounge, watching the screen with crossed arms. Wulfric the Ice-type specialist had paused his training session to tune in. His Beartic sat beside him, huffing clouds of frost. Wulfric's deep voice rumbled. "That Pidgeot… it reminds me of the old legends of the skies. The boy's got spirit."
Underground, Lysander swirled his wine glass slowly, eyes narrowing at the screen. "The boy's team keeps surprising… that Pidgeot is no ordinary bird. Interesting He might be useful in future."
Back on the field, Gary recalled Alakazam with a gentle press of the ball to his forehead. "You fought well. Rest now."
He looked across at Ash rain still dripping from both their hair, field a muddy, cratered mess and his smirk returned, sharper than ever.
"Four to one, huh? Not bad, Ashy-boy. But I've still got my best two left. Don't get comfortable."
Ash met his gaze calmly. "I never do."
Gary drew his next Poké Ball. "Blastoise! Let's show them how Pallet Town really fights!"
The ball opened with a massive burst of light. Blastoise materialized huge, cannons gleaming, shell scarred from previous battles but standing proud. The crowd gave a respectful, thunderous cheer Gary's starter was a Kanto legend.
Commentator 1: "Gary brings out Blastoise his ace water-type! This is the big gun now!"
Commentator 2: "Ash's Pidgeot is airborne and fast, but Blastoise's cannons could clip those wings if Gary times it right!"
Gary: "Blastoise Hydro Cannon!"
Blastoise's cannons charged bright blue energy swirling. A massive water beam fired, tearing across the field like a pressurized river.
Ash: "Pidgeot Agility into Aerial Ace!"
Pidgeot took to the air, blurring with Agility. The Hydro Cannon grazed his wing, sending him spinning, but he recovered mid-air and dove with Aerial Ace body glowing white, too fast to track.
Blastoise met it with Skull Bash head lowered. The collision rang like a cannon shot. Pidgeot bounced off, feathers scattering, but slashed with Wing Attack on the way back.
Blastoise staggered, water cannon firing wildly.
Gary: "Rapid Spin clear the air!"
Blastoise curled into his shell, spinning like a top, creating a whirlpool that sucked in the rain and mud. Pidgeot tried to stay aloft but got caught in the vortex, slamming into the ground.
Ash: "Shake it off! Quick Attack barrage!"
Pidgeot zipped forward too fast for Blastoise to track ramming Blastoise's side repeatedly. Blastoise roared and countered with Water Gun from his cannon, blasting Pidgeot back.
The battle was a whirlwind Pidgeot's speed and aerial dominance against Blastoise's bulk and ranged power. Pidgeot used Hurricane wind storm sending Blastoise skidding. Blastoise answered with Hydro Pump high-pressure stream knocking Pidgeot from the sky.
Pidgeot landed hard, wing bruised, but took off again with Steel Wing metallic sheen slashing Blastoise's arm.
Gary: "Earthquake bring him down!"
Blastoise stomped. The field buckled. Pidgeot struggled to stay airborne, wings beating furiously.
Ash: "Sky Attack dive through it!"
Pidgeot charged up energy glowing white then dove like a comet. The quake threw him off course, but he adjusted mid-air and slammed into Blastoise with full force.
Blastoise staggered, shell cracking further. He fired one last Hydro Cannon point-blank.
Pidgeot took the hit full-force body tumbling across the field, feathers soaked and burned.
Pidgeot tried to stand… but collapsed.
"Pidgeot is unable to battle! Gary Oak ties it at four to two!"
The crowd gasped the second win for Gary since the start.
Gary smirked. "Finally. Blastoise return. You've earned a break."
He recalled Blastoise.
Gary: "Rhydon! Your turn!"
Rhydon appeared horn spinning, eyes wild, ground shaking under his feet.
Ash recalled Pidgeot. "You flew like a legend. Rest now."
He threw again. "Aerodactyl! Let's go!"
Aerodactyl burst forth permanent Mega form wings like scythes, body armored, eyes glowing with prehistoric fury. The stadium went completely insane.
Commentator 1: "AERODACTYL! what kind of form is this its so unprecedented! The crowd is losing it!"
Commentator 2: "Ancient flyer versus modern tank! Rock versus rock but Aerodactyl has air superiority!"
Aerodactyl took to the sky immediately Stone Edge raining down like meteors. Rhydon used Earthquake field shaking but Aerodactyl dodged in the air, screeching defiantly.
Gary: "Rock Blast bring him down!"
Rhydon fired a barrage of boulders. Aerodactyl weaved through them like a shadow, then dove with Iron Head slamming Rhydon's head.
Rhydon countered with Hammer Arm massive fist swinging. Aerodactyl took the hit, staggered mid-air, but fired Dragon Claw slashing Rhydon's arm.
They clashed Rock Slide vs. Crunch, Earthquake vs. Sky Attack. The field cracked further.
Aerodactyl finally landed a devastating Stone Edge barrage sharp rocks piercing Rhydon's defenses. Rhydon collapsed.
"Rhydon is unable to battle! Ash leads 5-2!"
Gary's smirk faltered for the first time. "You're tougher than I thought… but I've saved the best for last."
He shouted across the field. "Ash! I've got one more surprise for you!"
Gary held up his wristband the Key Stone gleaming. "Blastoise! Back in and this time… go Mega!"
Blastoise reappeared.
Gary pressed the Key Stone.
Rainbow light exploded around Blastoise.
The crowd went completely silent for one heartbeat then detonated into the loudest roar of the entire tournament.
Blastoise's form changed shell expanding, cannons growing larger and more angular, armor plates forming like a fortress. When the light faded, Mega Blastoise stood there massive, imposing, triple-barreled cannons humming with pressure, water swirling around him like a living aura.
Commentator 1 (voice cracking with pure shock): "WHAT IS HAPPENING?! That Blastoise just… changed! Armor! Triple cannons! The crowd has never seen anything like this in Kanto!"
Commentator 2: "This is Mega Evolution! A brand-new phenomenon from Kalos and Gary Oak just brought it to the Indigo League semifinals! No one in Kanto knew this existed! The audience is losing their minds!"
Screams of shock, awe, and confusion rolled through the stands. Phones were held high. Children pointed. Adults stood with mouths open. "What is that?!" "Blastoise got bigger!" "Is that even allowed?!" "Mega what?!"
In the VIP section, Amber's eyes were huge. "Big brother… that Blastoise is so big and scary now!"
Delia clutched her hands to her chest. "Gary's got something new… but Ash will figure it out."
Daisy jumped up. "Mega what?! That's insane!"
Cynthia (quietly): "Kalos is coming to Kanto… this is historic."
Professor Birch in Hoenn stood up completely. "Mega Evolution… Sycamore finally released it. And in the semifinals…"
Norman in Petalburg nodded slowly. "That's no ordinary power-up. The boy's in trouble."
Wulfric in Snowbelle City rumbled, "A new form… like the ancient beasts awakening. The boy Ash better have ice in his veins."
Ritchie in the stadium grinned wider. "Ash… you better not lose now."
Gary laughed loud, confident, triumphant. "Surprise, Ashy-boy! My Blastoise just got an upgrade. You ready to lose?"
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly not in fear, but in excitement. He felt the shift in power across the field. Mega Blastoise radiated overwhelming water energy, cannons humming with pressure.
Ash smiled slow, determined.
"Let's see what you've got, Gary."
He threw his final ball. "Dragonite! Let's end this!"
Dragonite appeared radiating intense aura and power wings spread wide, eyes glowing, body crackling with latent energy. The stadium felt the shift this was no ordinary Dragonite.
Commentator 1: "That Dragonite… it's radiating power like nothing we've seen! This isn't the same one from the quarterfinals!"
Commentator 2: "Mega Blastoise versus this monster Dragonite this is the battle of the semifinals!"
The two titans stared each other down. The rain had eased to a light drizzle, but the field was a swamp of mud and water perfect for Mega Blastoise's power, deadly for Dragonite's flight.