*Note: this battle is the shortest one, the next battles are much longer than this one so be prepared.
...
The stadium was packed to the brim. Thousands of people sat waiting for the first Top 16 match to begin — an event that only happens once a year, where experienced and/or talented trainers compete.
Today, as I mentioned, the stadium was overflowing, completely full. 60,000 people were waiting to watch and enjoy this battle. But that wasn't all. For those who unfortunately couldn't attend or didn't want to due to certain circumstances, they wouldn't miss the match because it would be broadcast worldwide. Anyone from any region could watch the Pokémon League from their own home.
This is the time of year when all the Pokémon Leagues are usually held, and all of them are broadcast on different channels that you can watch anywhere and in any region. So if you weren't lucky enough to buy a ticket to attend in person or simply didn't want to due to circumstances, all you had to do was grab a bowl of popcorn and enjoy the battle from your couch.
Among those 60,000 people was Ash's family, sitting in one of the most expensive and privileged spots of all — the VIP lounge, courtesy of Spencer, who had somehow managed to get tickets for everyone in the VIP box, an area normally reserved exclusively for the rich. It was also a perfect position for live streaming the battle, since from the VIP box you could see the entire field, and the zoom on Naria's new phone was powerful enough to focus on Ash and see him as if he were right next to her. So she could stream the match without any problems. In fact, there were already many people in Naria's live stream — specifically 400,000 viewers — an absurd number that kept climbing. But it was also understandable, given how important the event was.
In other places, watching on television, were Hana, who had taken a day off work to watch Ash's battle; Lisa, who unfortunately couldn't come because she hadn't managed to arrive in time to participate for reasons that aren't relevant; and last but not least, Serena. Serena had woken up that day trembling with nerves, eagerly waiting to see Ash in his first battle. Unfortunately for her, Serena was two years younger than Ash and still couldn't start her journey, but in two years that would change because she would call him directly to become his traveling companion. It was a promise they had made just before our protagonist took over Ash's body, the day before the start of his journey. Her mother, Grace, had prepared a ton of snacks, popcorn, Pokémon-shaped candies, different types of treats, and was even going to order pizza so they could enjoy a pleasant day watching the Kanto Pokémon League battles and Ash, whom Serena was completely obsessed with.
With that said, let's go back to Ash.
Ash and Richie had already taken their positions on opposite sides of the battlefield, waiting for the referee to give the signal to begin. Both were still uncertain about which Pokémon they would use against each other. In the Top 16, they could only use 3 Pokémon, so they had to think carefully.
The minutes of waiting felt like hours for both of them, but the wait was worth it when the commentators finally started speaking.
"WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO THE FIRST TOP 16 MATCH OF THE KANTO POKÉMON LEAGUE!" one commentator said.
"AND WE MUSTN'T FORGET OUR VIEWERS AT HOME, WATCHING US COMFORTABLY FROM THEIR COUCHES, BOB!" the other added.
"THAT'S RIGHT, CARL! BUT TELL US! WHO ARE OUR FIRST COMPETITORS?" Bob asked.
"GREAT QUESTION, BOB! OUR FIRST COMPETITORS ARE TWO YOUNG PROMISES — RICHIE FROM VERMILION CITY AND ASH KETCHUM FROM PALLET TOWN!" Carl announced.
"INTERESTING! BOTH COMPETITORS ARE FROM THE KANTO REGION!" Bob said.
"IN FACT, ONLY THREE COMPETITORS IN THE TOP 16 ARE NOT FROM THE KANTO REGION! IT SEEMS THAT THIS YEAR THE KANTO REGION HAS PRODUCED QUITE A FEW TALENTS!" Carl added.
The camera focused on Richie and then on Ash, exciting the girls who were watching on television.
While the commentators talked about how exciting this battle would be, Ash had just received a system notification.
[Attention! Several missions have been issued!:
Mission #1: Win the Top 16 battle against Richie. Reward: 50–100 Gacha Coins (depending on performance), Muscle Band (System Version), Minor System Improvement: Basic Tactical Analysis
Mission #2: Win the Top 8 battle against ??. Reward: 200 Gacha Coins, Equipable Item: Life Orb (System Version), Equipable Item: Focus Sash (System Version), Advanced Battle Analysis (System Improvement)
Mission #3: Win the Semifinal against ??. Reward: 300 Gacha Coins, Item: Master Ball, Equipable Item: Pikashunium Z, Major System Improvement: Deep Synchronization
Mission #4: Rise to victory and win the Kanto Pokémon League! Reward: 500 Gacha Coins, Mega Stones: Blastoisite and Venusaurite, 1 Special Egg, 1 Egg Accelerator (Manaphy), Exclusive System Item: 1 Aurora Core (Consumable)]
The missions and their respective rewards left Ash stunned. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There were interesting items, equipables, a Master Ball, and even a special egg and an egg accelerator! The last egg the system gave him was a Manaphy egg. What kind of egg would the system give him if he won the Pokémon League? He simply couldn't even imagine it.
However, there was no time to keep being amazed because suddenly…
"BUT CARL! WHEN WILL THE BATTLE BEGIN? FROM HERE I CAN ALREADY FEEL THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CROWD — THEY'RE SCREAMING FOR THE MATCH TO START!" Bob said.
"WELL, THE REFEREE IS READY AND IS HEADING TO HIS POSITION RIGHT NOW!" Carl replied.
And indeed, the referee — a rather young and somewhat nervous guy — was walking toward his referee position.
"WHILE HE ARRIVES, LET ME REMIND OUR VIEWERS AT HOME THAT THE TOP 16 CONSISTS OF 3 VS 3 BATTLES!" Bob said.
"THAT'S RIGHT! THE 6 VS 6 BATTLES WILL BEGIN FROM THE TOP 8!" Carl added.
At that moment, while they were talking, the referee spoke.
"Attention! The first Top 16 match of the Kanto Pokémon League is about to begin!" the referee announced.
Immediately, the people who were still distracted turned their attention to the field.
"The battle will be 3 vs 3, and the first to defeat all three of their opponent's Pokémon will be declared the winner and advance to the next round!" the referee said.
The crowd was already nervous, eagerly waiting for the referee to finish so they could finally see the battle.
"Additionally, both participants must send out their first Pokémon at the same time to avoid giving one an advantage over the other. After that, switches will be allowed! Participants are prohibited from using any Pokémon that have not been previously registered at the Pokémon Center! If this rule is violated, they will be automatically disqualified and their opponent will advance automatically!" the referee said.
Then he took a breath and looked forward with determination.
"The battle may begin!" the referee declared.
Immediately, Ash and Richie threw their Poké Balls.
"Go, Pikachu!" both said at the same time.
"Pika pi!" Ash's Pikachu said.
Both Pikachu came out of their Poké Balls and immediately entered the battlefield.
"OH! THE BATTLE BEGINS WITH PIKACHU VS PIKACHU — A QUITE INTERESTING AND UNEXPECTED START!" Bob said.
"THAT'S RIGHT! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS I'VE SEEN A PIKACHU IN THE KANTO POKÉMON LEAGUE! WILL IT BE AN INTERESTING BATTLE?" Carl asked.
"Pikachu, let's show them that just because you're a Pikachu doesn't mean you're weak! We'll show everyone your strength!" Ash said with a smile.
"Pika pi!" Pikachu nodded.
They thought she was weak? She was going to show them what real strength looked like!
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Richie ordered.
Richie's Pikachu obeyed and a huge bolt of lightning shot toward Ash's Pikachu, but neither the Pokémon nor the trainer flinched.
"Use Quick Attack followed by Double Team!" Ash commanded.
Ash's Pikachu dodged Richie's Thunderbolt with impressive ease and then, while using Quick Attack, began to multiply. Soon nearly a dozen Pikachu had appeared on the battlefield.
"THE PARTICIPANT ASH STARTS STRONG! HOW WILL PARTICIPANT RICHIE RESPOND TO THIS?" Bob asked.
"Damn it. Pikachu, concentrate Thunderbolt around your body and keep him away!" Richie said.
He was in serious trouble.
"Pikachu!" Richie's Pikachu cried.
Immediately, before Ash's Pikachu could make any move, Richie's Pikachu used Thunderbolt on itself, covering its body with a kind of lightning armor.
"Do you think that will stop us? For your Pikachu to maintain that kind of armor, it has to be quite focused, which means its speed will be limited. That's your disadvantage," Ash said with a smile.
He had seen this strategy before.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash ordered.
"What is Participant Ash planning? I don't think using Iron Tail when his opponent is covered in electricity is a very good idea," Carl said.
Richie smiled. It seemed Ash didn't know that this attack would be harmful to him. It was true that this strategy limited his Pikachu's speed, but in exchange it gave it good defense and offense at the same time. Any attack that hit Pikachu would be weakened, and the attacking Pokémon would also take damage.
But what Richie didn't know was that Ash never intended to hit him with Iron Tail.
Ash's Pikachu, who already knew his trainer's intentions, canceled Double Team and jumped into the air.
"A jump in the air?" Bob said.
Richie was also surprised. Why had Ash's Pikachu jumped?
But all their questions were answered when Pikachu used Iron Tail… but not against Richie's Pikachu — against the ground!
When Iron Tail made contact with the ground, the ground shook slightly from the force of the impact. While the tremor wasn't huge, it was strong enough to destabilize Richie's Pikachu and make it lose concentration.
"Now, use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu nodded and with a quick movement used Quick Attack toward Richie's Pikachu, which had been destabilized and its attack had vanished, leaving it completely unprotected.
"Damn it, dodge it!" Richie shouted.
But it was too late. Ash's Pikachu's speed was on another level and shouldn't be underestimated. Before Richie's Pikachu could react, Ash's Pikachu delivered a powerful blow to its stomach, sending it flying.
"Pikachu!" Richie cried.
"INCREDIBLE! KNOWING THAT HIS ATTACK WOULD HARM HIS OWN PIKACHU, PARTICIPANT ASH MADE HIS PIKACHU STRIKE THE GROUND, CAUSING A TREMOR THAT COMPLETELY DESTABILIZED RICHIE'S PIKACHU, MAKING IT LOSE CONCENTRATION AND ITS ATTACK IN THE PROCESS, WHICH ALLOWED HIM TO LAND A POWERFUL BLOW ON HIS OPPONENT!" Bob exclaimed.
"THAT'S RIGHT, BOB! AND HE DIDN'T EVEN NEED A DIRECT ORDER FROM PARTICIPANT ASH! HIS PIKACHU UNDERSTOOD HIS ORDERS WITHOUT HIM HAVING TO SAY THEM! THEY'RE SIMPLY ON ANOTHER LEVEL! THEIR SYNCHRONIZATION IS IMPRESSIVE!" Carl added.
Richie's Pikachu recovered, but the blow to its side had hurt.
"Since our armor doesn't work, then use Quick Attack! Let's play his game!" Richie said.
Richie's Pikachu immediately obeyed, launching itself toward Ash's Pikachu at incredible speed.
"Fight fire with fire! Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.
"Pika pi!" Pikachu cried.
Pikachu also used Quick Attack, but surprisingly, it didn't attack Richie's Pikachu — it used it to dodge.
"INCREDIBLE! PARTICIPANT ASH'S PIKACHU IS ABLE TO PREDICT HIS TRAINER'S ORDERS! IT'S AS IF THEY HAD ALREADY PLANNED THE BATTLE IN ADVANCE. I MUST ADMIT THAT IN MY YEARS OF COMMENTATING THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN SUCH SYNCHRONIZATION BETWEEN A POKÉMON AND ITS TRAINER! ARE WE SURE THIS IS HIS FIRST POKÉMON LEAGUE?" Bob asked.
"IT IS! IT'S HIS FIRST DEBUT IN THE POKÉMON LEAGUE — A BEGINNER TRAINER WHO STARTED HIS JOURNEY JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO!" Carl replied.
"Follow Pikachu!" Richie ordered.
Richie's Pikachu followed Ash's Pikachu, trying to catch it, but no matter how hard it tried, the distance between them wasn't closing — it was actually widening.
"So fast!" Richie said.
"Pikachu, let's end this pointless battle! Use Volt Tackle!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu kept running, using Quick Attack as momentum, but little by little sparks began to come out of its cheeks and in the blink of an eye its entire body was covered in electricity.
"Damn it! Pikachu, use Volt Tackle! Let's see who's stronger!" Richie said.
Ash's Pikachu was faster than his, its strategies clearly well thought out, but… his Pikachu's strength was notable. Even against the last Gym Leaders, his Pikachu had been able to persevere and weaken several of their Pokémon. They were by no means weak, and although Ash's was faster, he doubted it was stronger. So he decided to go for brute force!
"Pika pi!" Richie's Pikachu cried.
Then, just like Ash's Pikachu, its entire body became wrapped in electricity and charged toward Ash's Pikachu. No strategies, just brute force. When both collided, a strong gust of wind rose. In fact, the impact was so strong that it sent both Pikachu flying. But in a surprising and agile movement, Ash's Pikachu recovered in mid-air and landed on the ground as if nothing had happened. The bad thing was that Richie's Pikachu was knocked out, simply unable to withstand the force of Ash's Pikachu, which was clearly superior in every aspect.
"Participant Richie's Pikachu is unable to battle!" the referee announced.
On the huge screen showing the photos of Ash and Richie, two Poké Ball icons appeared below, and the image of a Pikachu turned gray, indicating that Richie's first Pokémon had fallen.