Gary had probably been lost in this forest for quite a while too.
Ash and his friends had been training for two whole days in Donphan Valley, but still managed to catch up with him here.
Gary had come to the Johto region earlier than they did, yet this guy still had the nerve to act smug. He claimed he'd caught several Pokémon in this forest and just got so absorbed that he lost track of time.
Ash pursed his lips. You think I'm gonna fall for that?
With Gary's Pidgeotto leading the way—and Ash's ability to detect Ghost-type Pokémon helping them avoid trouble—the group of four quickly made it out of the Bewildering Forest and arrived at Eastgate Town.
Since it was getting late, Ash and Gary decided to rest at the Pokémon Center and have their battle first thing in the morning.
And so, early the next day...
"The battle between Ash and Gary is about to begin! Each Trainer will use only one Pokémon! The match starts now!"
"Let's go, my darling Blastoise!"
"It's you—Charizard, I choose you!"
Blastoise looked extremely imposing. This was Gary's starter Pokémon, and it had clearly been raised with great care.
You had to admit—Gary might be full of himself and a bit of a show-off, but the guy knew what he was doing.
But now, Charizard's presence was just as overwhelming!
"Your Charizard's gotten stronger! But that type disadvantage is still going to be your downfall!" Gary surprisingly offered a compliment. "Blastoise, Hydro Cannon!"
Twin jets of high-pressure water burst forth from the cannons on Blastoise's shoulders.
"Charizard, dodge and close the distance!"
Water-type moves were super effective against Charizard. A direct hit would be devastating.
But Ash didn't panic. As his bond with Charizard deepened, so did their unspoken understanding.
Having been freed from the Power Restrictor, Charizard had a new grasp on its own speed.
At the very moment Hydro Cannon fired, Charizard dropped low and flew at ground level, narrowly dodging the attack and closing in fast on Blastoise.
"Dragon Claw!"
Glowing dragon-blue claws slashed upward from below, striking Blastoise and sending its massive body hurtling through the air.
"What the—?!"
Gary stared in disbelief—but his reflexes were razor-sharp.
"Blastoise, Rapid Spin!"
Blastoise spun in the air and landed gracefully on its feet.
"Not bad at all!" x2
Ash and Gary—almost in unison—complimented each other with a smirk.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!"
This time, Ash and Charizard launched the attack first. The Fire-type move might not be very effective against Blastoise, but it wasn't useless either.
"Rapid Spin again!"
Gary really had trained Blastoise well. The spinning created a whirlwind that blew the flames away with ease.
But that moment of distraction was exactly what Ash and Charizard were waiting for!
Gary immediately realized something. "Tch, Ash, you sly dog… You really love your little tricks!"
That weak-looking Flamethrower? It had been a feint all along!
"Dragon Claw!"
But this time, Charizard failed to execute the move—meaning Ash had missed a golden opportunity to strike.
"What a shame!" Misty, who was watching from the sidelines, sighed. She stood up and shouted, "Ash! Charizard! You can do it!"
Charizard looked down at its claws, confused and frustrated. Ash gave a short laugh. "Next time, buddy. We'll get it right."
"Raaaargh!"
Gary and Blastoise were already back in fighting form. "What, Ash? You think I'm just your sparring dummy or something?!"
Charizard's Dragon Claw had really caught Gary off guard—but now he realized it was a newly-learned move. He immediately understood Ash's plan and couldn't help but get annoyed.
"Hah, Gary, don't be mad!" Ash admitted it freely since Gary had figured it out anyway.
Their friendship ran deep—they weren't the kind to take a bit of scheming personally.
After all, Gary was the perfect training partner. And Ash wasn't going to waste a golden opportunity!
"Charizard! Let's keep it up! Flamethrower, one more time!"
"Hmph! You think the same trick's gonna work on me again? Blastoise, counter with Hydro Cannon!"
Flames and water clashed at the center of the battlefield, producing thick steam that blanketed everything in mist.
"Blastoise, Skull Bash!"
"Charizard, Dragon Claw!"
Amid the mist, both Ash and Gary gave the same command—close-quarters combat!
"Raaaargh!"
From within the steam came the sound of Charizard howling in pain!
"Ash, that tail flame of Charizard's—it's like a beacon in the fog! Blastoise, Hydro Cannon again!" Gary laughed triumphantly, confidence beaming from his face.
But even after he gave the command—no Hydro Cannon burst forth.
"What's going on?"
Gary couldn't see, but Ash smirked.
Gary thought Ash was just as blind in the mist as he was. But what he didn't know... was that Ash had been calmly tracking everything with his aura the entire time.
He had even predicted that Gary would use Hydro Cannon to counter the second Flamethrower.
Gary Oak was too proud to settle for being someone's sparring partner.
As the steam cleared, the field came back into view.
Charizard was clutching its stomach, panting heavily—it had clearly taken damage.
But Blastoise... was already on the ground, unconscious and unable to battle.
"Blastoise!" Gary cried out. But he quickly pulled himself together. "Return! You did great!"
"Blastoise is unable to battle. Charizard wins. The victory goes to Ash!" Brock announced the result of the rival showdown.
"Ash, you've really gotten stronger!" Gary stepped up and extended his hand. "Let's save the real showdown for the Johto League! I've gotta keep pushing—I can't let you catch up to me!"
Gary, like Ash, could accept the outcome of a battle with dignity.
"This time I won. Next time, I'll win again!" Ash smiled and reached out to shake Gary's hand.
Charizard: 195/255 HP