Of course, making Misty surrender was never an option. If that was what Ash wanted, he could've just accepted the Cascade Badge when her sisters offered it at the start.
The thought flickered through his mind, then he shook it away.
After scooping Ralts up and setting her gently back at his feet, Ash straightened, his eyes hardening as Pikachu padded forward with a spark of relief and determination.
"I almost thought you were gonna send Ralts out," Misty said, one brow arched.
Ash smirked. "How could I? If I sent Ralts, I might as well jump in myself."
Misty blinked. 'Excuse me, what?! Did he just say he'd battle a Pokémon himself?'
Anyone else, and she'd have snapped back, "Then go do it!" But this was Ash. She bit her tongue. Because honestly… with the way he threw himself into danger, sometimes it felt like he could take on a Pokémon bare-handed.
And judging from the way he'd been training lately, Misty wasn't entirely sure her Starmie could win that fight.
"Pikachu use THUNDERBOLT!!"
"Pikaaaaa...CHUUU!!"
Golden electricity burst from Pikachu's cheeks, arcing across the arena in a blinding flash straight at Starmie.
"Starmie, Rapid Spin to deflect it!" Misty countered instantly.
Starmie spun like a living buzzsaw, its jewel flashing red as it whirled at incredible speed. The Thunderbolt slammed against its body, sparks flying, but the spin redirected the lightning, scattering it harmlessly into the tiles. Still spinning, Starmie surged forward like a star-shaped missile.
"Pikachu, dodge!"
"Pi-ka!"
But Pikachu had only just landed from unleashing Thunderbolt. His paws skidded on the damp tiles, too late.
"BANG!!"
The impact echoed as Starmie barreled into him, sending Pikachu flying. He tumbled end over end before skidding to a stop, cushioned only slightly by the slick floor.
Ash's heart leapt into his throat. "Pikachu!!"
The little mouse wobbled back to his feet, sparks weakly crackling from his cheeks. His legs trembled, but his eyes still blazed with resolve.
Misty, however, stayed calm. "Give it up, Ash. Your Thunderbolt didn't even slow Starmie down, but one Rapid Spin has Pikachu shaking. This battle's already over. You shouldn't have wasted so much effort changing the field."
Her tone softened, not mockery, but the clear voice of a Gym Leader fulfilling her duty.
"If you'd pressed harder with Butterfree and Pidgeotto, kept Starmie pinned with wind and then switched in Pikachu at the right moment, you might have turned the tables. But now…" She shook her head, eyes on Pikachu's trembling stance. "It's too late."
These words reflected Misty's duty as a Gym Leader. When a challenger was about to lose, it wasn't her role to crush them, it was to point out their flaws, highlight their mistakes, and help them grow.
And since the challenger standing before her was Ash, she felt all the more responsible to guide him.
As for the badge… well, truth be told, his performance so far was impressive. His planning had been clever, even if his methods were a little misguided. For a beginner, he was easily one of the best she'd seen. Even if he didn't win, he deserved a badge.
Misty was already imagining how she would lecture Ash afterward, arms crossed and chin lifted smugly, when he suddenly smiled.
"I lost? That's not necessarily true. The battle isn't over yet, who knows how it'll end?"
Misty blinked. "You're still not giving up? Ash, at this rate Pikachu's only going to get hurt worse. Knowing when to quit is part of being a real Trainer."
"But Pikachu hasn't given up. So how could I?"
Misty's breath caught. She looked closer. Pikachu's legs trembled, his body bruised and battered, yet his eyes blazed with fire. The gap in strength hadn't crushed him. It had only made his fighting spirit burn brighter.
"'Never give up' is our instinct, right, Pikachu?"
"Pika! Pikachu!!"
"That's it! Let's show Misty our true power!"
Ash whipped his cap off and tossed it onto the field. Pikachu leapt, caught it neatly on his head, and landed firm.
For a heartbeat, the sight was almost comical, Pikachu with Ash's cap tilted on his ears. But then… it looked right. As if this was Pikachu's true form: Ash's partner, not just a Pokémon but his other half.
Misty's eyes widened. 'Why does it feel like this Pikachu is… complete?' A bad feeling coiled in her chest.
"Let's go, Pikachu!"
Ash's eyes glowed faintly blue, and Pikachu's sparked to match. Aura fusion.
Misty forced herself to steady her voice. "Electric moves don't work on my Starmie. What else can you even try?"
"That's not necessarily true. If I strike before you can spin it away, that's all I need! Pikachu, use… ELECTRIC TERRAIN!!"
"Electric Terrain?!" Misty's heart lurched. She'd never heard Pikachu use that before. Even Aura Sphere she could explain away as some strange Aura trick Ash had taught, but this?
She reacted on instinct. "Starmie, Rapid Spin, now!"
"Pika...CHUUUU!!"
Pikachu slammed his paws into the tiles. Lightning flared beneath him, spreading in jagged golden lines across the arena. His body blurred, vanishing into a streak of living electricity.
The command on Misty's lips never reached Starmie.
"BOOM!!"
A thunderclap split the air. The battlefield shook as Starmie was blasted across the pool, smashed against the far wall with an echoing crash.
The whole Gym seemed to fall silent.
Misty stood frozen, eyes wide, her pupils trembling as she stared at the fallen Starmie.
What… what just happened?!