To look down on his opponent in words but take them seriously in tactics, this had always been Gary's battle philosophy.
As long as he provoked his opponent's anger, the battle would become easier. Against a Trainer and Pokémon who lost their composure, his commanding skills could secure victory with ease.
This time, facing Ash, he was still following that same approach.
And how did he know Ash's starter Pokémon was Pikachu? Because he had asked his grandfather, Professor Oak!
Gary cared about Ash's progress more than anyone else, even if he never said it aloud. Deep down, he admitted that Ash was his rival.
So, although they hadn't met since beginning their journeys, Gary still had some idea of Ash's team.
From what he knew, Ash would definitely send out Pikachu for this battle. Not only was Pikachu his starter, but it also had a natural advantage over Wartortle.
That was why Gary decided to strike first, mock, provoke, and then battle!
However, after his taunt, Ash didn't react the way Gary expected. Instead of flaring up, Ash simply gave him a strange look, while Pikachu barked out an angry "Pika Pika!"
Gary blinked. What was that about? He had insulted Ash's starter, yet Ash remained calm? That was completely unlike him. Usually, when someone mocked his Pokémon, he would get furious.
An uneasy feeling crept into Gary's heart. He suddenly felt that his words earlier might have been a mistake.
"Then, as you said, Gary," Ash said calmly, "let's have a battle between our starter Pokémon! I choose you, Pikachu!"
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu leapt into the arena, his body charged with fighting spirit and barely restrained fury.
The outdoor arena, normally open for casual Trainer battles, had been temporarily set aside by the resort staff for today's event. Barriers surrounded the area to keep the crowd back and prevent injuries.
The battlefield was paved with hardened concrete, tough enough to withstand fierce exchanges, though not invincible. If two Professional-level Pokémon fought here, the ground would likely be reduced to rubble. That was why a clear sign at the entrance read: "Professional-level Pokémon battles are prohibited in this arena."
Then again, Professional Trainers rarely had time to play around at a resort.
As Pikachu stepped onto the field, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"That challenger's Gary, right? The Rookie who's been making waves lately?"
"Yeah, I heard he already has three Gym Badges after just a month of traveling!"
"Three Badges in a month? That's insane!"
"But who's that guy battling him? They seem to know each other."
"No idea. But using a Pikachu in battle? Doesn't seem like a serious opponent."
"Exactly. Pikachu are weak and not worth training. No experienced Trainer would rely on one."
Misty's eye twitched at the comments around her. She turned toward the crowd, irritation flashing across her face.
How could they know Gary but not Ash? Ash had also earned three Badges!
And one of them came from defeating a Raichu, with that very same Pikachu they were mocking!
People still carried the same old prejudice against Pikachu. But if there was one Pikachu that broke every stereotype, it was Ash's. Misty crossed her arms and huffed softly, waiting for the moment when those smug onlookers would eat their words.
On the other side of the stands, Delia blinked in surprise when she saw Ash step onto the battlefield.
After arriving at the resort, she and Professor Oak had been looking for him but couldn't find him. So, they had ended up here to watch Gary's match instead, only to have Ash walk straight into the ring.
"Ash is here too," Delia said, smiling. "So this is their first time seeing each other since they started their journeys. And they're already battling the moment they meet. Typical Trainers, one look and it's time to fight."
Professor Oak chuckled softly, nodding. "That's how it goes. A month apart, and the first thing they do is test each other's progress. That's the spirit of a true Trainer."
"I wonder if Ash can win," Delia murmured, resting her chin on one finger as she watched the two boys face off. "What do you think, Professor?"
If Ash had heard that tone, Delia calling him "Professor" so naturally, he would have been utterly shocked. Since when was his mom on that level of familiarity with Professor Oak?
Professor Oak rubbed his chin. "It's hard to say. It depends on their strategies. But on paper, Ash might have the edge. His Pikachu is quite remarkable. It's already… well, at least Elite-level."
He muttered the last part quietly, almost to himself. Delia didn't catch it, but it didn't matter, she was already cheering softly for her son.
Her voice, however, was drowned out by the crowd's noisy chatter.
Ash didn't hear her. His attention was locked entirely on Gary.
"Are we going all out from the start, Pikachu?" he asked, eyes gleaming.
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu nodded fiercely, his small cheeks sparking. He was ready to crush that smug turtle.
The turtle might not have said anything, but its Trainer had, so it was guilty by association.
"Alright then, Gary," Ash said, grinning, "you've just awakened a sleeping lion."
Gary blinked. "What?"
"What on earth are you talking about? What in the world is a sleeping lion?" Gary barked out a laugh. "You're not talking about that Pikachu, are you? Do you actually call that thing a lion?"
Ash didn't answer. He just pulled off his hat and flung it toward the field. Pikachu leaped up, caught it in midair, and it landed perfectly on his head, as if the hat were magnetically drawn to him.
The moment it settled, a faint surge of energy rippled through the air. Pikachu's entire aura changed instantly, his posture sharpened, his fur bristled faintly with static, and even the light in his eyes grew fierce.
Gary squinted. "What is that? Battling with a hat? Is that supposed to be some kind of held item?"
In the Pokémon world, there were countless mysterious held items: sashes that let Pokémon survive a devastating hit, vests that amplified defense, bands that boosted certain move types. To Gary, this hat might have been one of them.
But when he looked closer, his expression darkened.
"That's… that's just one of those limited-edition League hats, isn't it? The ones you can only get through the lottery system?"
Ash grinned. "That's right. What about it?"
Gary rolled his eyes. "Hmph! I thought it was some miracle item. Why are you letting Pikachu wear it in battle, trying to win with style points? This isn't a Contest."
"What's a Contest?" Ash tilted his head.
"Forget it," Gary said flatly. "You'll find out after I beat you. Wartortle! Since he wants to show off with that hat, let's knock it off! Use Water Gun!"
At his command, Wartortle's cheeks puffed out and it launched a powerful jet of water, thick as a man's arm, aimed directly at Pikachu's head.
"Thunderbolt!" Ash countered, sweeping his hand forward.
A golden surge of electricity exploded from Pikachu's body, meeting the Water Gun head-on. The instant they clashed, the water stream disintegrated, and the lightning raced up the remaining water like a live wire, charging straight toward Wartortle.
"Dodge!" Gary shouted.
Wartortle cut off the Water Gun and rolled aside just in time. The Thunderbolt struck the ground, leaving a scorched crater where the turtle had been standing.
Gary's expression tensed, and for the first time, a flicker of unease appeared in his eyes. That wasn't an ordinary Thunderbolt, its power was terrifying.
'No way,' he thought, jaw tightening. 'Is Ash's Pikachu… higher level than Wartortle?'
He almost couldn't believe it. Wartortle was his starter, the Pokémon he trained the most intensively. In barely over a month, he'd raised it all the way to the Advanced Peak. That was something ninety-nine percent of rookie Trainers couldn't even dream of.
Yet this Pikachu, this "roadside mutt", was stronger? How was that even possible?
But Gary didn't have time to dwell on it. Doubt was poison in battle. No matter how absurd the situation, he had to adapt.
"Wartortle, Water Pulse!" he ordered sharply.
Wartortle inhaled deeply, then expelled a swirling blast of water that spiraled into a roaring wave, surging straight toward Pikachu.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Ash called.
"Pika...Chu!"
Pikachu's tail gleamed with metallic light. He leapt high into the air, flipped once, and brought his tail down like a shining blade.
With a flash of white, the crashing Water Pulse split cleanly in two, the divided waves exploding harmlessly to either side!
"Wha...what the heck?!" Gary blurted, eyes wide.
He knew Iron Tail well. Used by a Steel-type, it could shatter boulders, but Pikachu wasn't even close to a Steel-type. With that tiny frame, there was no way he should've generated such force.
Yet he had.
Then Pikachu showed him just how strong his force could be.
The shimmering wave split cleanly in half, the two sides crashing harmlessly to the ground.
'Is this really that "stray dog" Pikachu?' Gary thought in disbelief.
"Whoa, is that a Pikachu?!"
"What a cool Pikachu! And that hat looks awesome on him!"
"Or maybe it's not the ha, maybe it's because he just cut a Water Pulse in half!"
"Who's that young man? How can someone train a Pikachu to this level?"
"…"
The crowd buzzed with excitement. Pikachu's dazzling counterattack instantly drew everyone's attention.
A Trainer who could train a Pikachu, a species considered more mascot than fighter, to that level couldn't possibly be some nobody.
In fact, Ash wasn't entirely unknown. Though news of his victory over Lt. Surge and his third Badge hadn't yet spread widely, word had already reached a few that he held two Badges and was traveling through Kanto, just like Gary.
And of course, there were always people who "knew things", the ones who got information faster than anyone else.
When those bystanders learned that both of the battling Trainers were new rookies, the astonishment in their voices grew even louder.
Two Rookie Trainers, both extraordinary, clashing in front of their eyes, this was something worth watching.
"How about it?" Ash tilted his head slightly, a confident grin on his face. "Still calling my Pikachu a stray dog?"
Gary's expression darkened. Before this, he had always been a step ahead of Ash. But now, on this field, he was being suppressed, and that was something Gary Oak could never accept.
Still, even with the sting of frustration, his battle composure didn't falter.
"Wartortle, Withdraw!" he commanded sharply.
At once, Wartortle pulled into its shell, its defense sharply rising.
Ash smiled faintly. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
'Withdraw boosts physical defense. In that case, we'll strike with a special attack.'
'All those lessons from the experts weren't for nothing!'
"Pika...chu!!"
"Wartortle, Rapid Spin plus Hydro Pump!" Gary countered.
Wartortle's shell began to spin at high speed, jets of water bursting from its sides like roaring engines. Streams of water sliced through the air, their force creating whistling sounds that sent sand scattering from the battlefield.
The high-speed rotation, combined with Hydro Pump, formed a powerful whirl of water around Wartortle, a defensive barrier that shimmered like a miniature storm.
Golden lightning erupted from Pikachu, lancing toward Wartortle, but the rotating water barrier deflected it completely.
Gary's lips curved into a confident smile. "Excellent! Push forward and ram him!"
In his mind, the match was already decided. His combo, Rapid Spin, Hydro Pump, and Withdraw, was foolproof. The goddess of victory was smiling upon him!
"Pikachu, Electric Acceleration...dodge it!"
"Pika!!"
Pikachu crouched low, electricity flickering across his fur, and with a sharp crack of thunder, he vanished.
Gary's grin froze.
'What? '
"Bang!"
"Screech!"
Before Gary could even process what happened, a heavy thud echoed through the field, followed by a sharp cry.
Wartortle, still spinning moments ago, was now tumbling helplessly across the ground, his shell smoking as he rolled to a stop.
Pikachu reappeared exactly where he'd started, calm, still sparking faintly, as if he had never moved at all.
The underside of Wartortle's shell was scorched black. He had been struck squarely by Pikachu's lightning mid-spin, but Gary hadn't seen a thing.
.....
(The note about Delia being Professor Oak's student is indeed based on a subtle detail from the movie "Spell of the Unown." It's a fun lore explanation for why their relationship seems so natural, and certainly a more grounded one than the usual fan-theories like "your mom's single, take this Pikachu and go."