Indigo Plateau Stadium.
Ever since Ash sent out Caterpie to battle, waves of skepticism had been rippling through the stands.
"Is this a blatant throw? A Caterpie, seriously? I could do better. My Pidgey could sweep six of those!"
"Exactly. Both of them are from the same town, and they've been making eyes at each other since the start. There's definitely something fishy going on."
"And the other side sent out an Arcanine? Talk about overkill."
"..."
The discordant voices became too much for even Team Rocket, who were busy selling snacks to make a quick buck.
"You lot don't know a thing! Why don't you shut your traps?" Jessie screamed in anger.
"Yeah! Do you have any idea how many times that Caterpie has hung us out to dry?" James added, backing her up.
"Even the elite of the elite of Team Rocket couldn't lay a finger on it. If you guys went up there, you'd be insta-killed, meow," Meowth said, pointing a scolding claw at the naysayers.
"Hey, we were just talking. Why get so worked up?"
"Insulting him is the same as insulting us!" Jessie barked, hands on her hips with righteous indignation.
"Alright, sorry... I'll buy some snacks as an apology, okay?"
"Coming right up!" The Team Rocket trio instantly swapped to professional, beaming smiles. "How many would you like, boss?"
"..."
Hearing the doubts from the crowd, Misty felt a pang of unease. She clutched Togepi tightly and asked worriedly, "Is Ash going to be okay? I'm afraid this will get to him."
"It won't be an issue. Once Ash starts a battle, everything else fades into the background," Aomori comforted her.
"True, that's just how Ash is," Brock nodded. "All we can do is cheer for him and Caterpie."
"Right." Misty suddenly stood up and shouted toward the field, "Ash, go for it! Show those doubters what's what!"
As expected, Ash remained hyper-focused on Gary, his eyes burning with intensity. He didn't hear a word she said.
"Ash..."
In the stands, Delia clasped her hands nervously, praying for her son.
Professor Oak, sitting beside her, looked down at the spirited Caterpie and recalled the moment Ash had entrusted it to him.
"Professor Oak, Caterpie really wants to get stronger, but I'm too clumsy to help it. Can you please look after it and help it grow? Please!"
The Professor had readily agreed, and Caterpie was sent to the lab via the transfer system.
From the first moment he saw it, Professor Oak knew this was a child with an iron will. Sure enough, Caterpie became the most diligent worker at the lab. It didn't let its natural limitations become shackles.
If it lacked power, it trained technique; if it lacked explosive speed, it built endurance. Day after day, the Professor watched it improve.
'Caterpie, you will surely break your cocoon and become the most dazzling Pokémon on this stage! Go and let your brilliance shine!' the Professor cheered inwardly.
On the battlefield, as if hearing the Professor's heart, Caterpie's eyes widened. Its body coiled and snapped like a spring, launching it into the air.
"Unbelievable! Caterpie is like it's flying, it's jumped high into the sky!" The announcer's excited voice boomed through the speakers, and the crowd fell silent.
"Go, Caterpie! Use String Shot!"
Leaping mid-air, Caterpie spun its body, and a torrent of tough silk descended like a white tornado.
"Arcanine, follow the silk and use Fire Spin! Knock it out of the sky!" Gary issued his orders with practiced calm.
Searing flames erupted from Arcanine's mouth, spiraling up the silk tornado and incinerating it in the blink of an eye.
"A real pity! Because of the type disadvantage, Caterpie's efforts were easily dismantled. Is this the end of the match?"
"Not by a long shot." Ash tugged his cap down, a mysterious smirk playing on his lips.
When the fire dissipated, Caterpie's silhouette had vanished along with it.
"Oh no! Arcanine, look out!" Gary sensed something was wrong and shouted a warning.
"Too late!" Ash swung his arm and yelled, "Caterpie, use Electroweb!"
"What?!"
Using the silk as cover, Caterpie had successfully closed in on the unsuspecting Arcanine. It spat out a web of electrified silk, pinning Arcanine squarely.
The current surging through the web caused Arcanine to twitch and collapse to the ground.
"A shocking reversal! Caterpie utilized its silk to play Arcanine like a fiddle! Arcanine is at a disadvantage, and the pressure is on Gary now. Losing to a Caterpie would be a permanent stain on his record!"
"I am NOT losing!" Gary punched the air. "Arcanine, pull yourself together! Use Flare Blitz!"
"Awoo!" Arcanine struggled to its feet with a roar. Crimson flames erupted from its body, incinerating the electric web.
Breaking free, Arcanine went into a frenzy. Cloaked in raging fire, it bared its teeth and charged at Caterpie.
With its speed, it reached Caterpie in an instant. But just as it was about to make contact, fine sparks of electricity flickered across Arcanine's body—paralysis! Its speed dropped significantly, allowing Caterpie to dodge with ease.
"Damn, that Electroweb still left an effect." Gary gritted his teeth at the missed opportunity.
"Everything is under control." Ash breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. He called out, "Steady now, Caterpie! Use your silk and Electroweb to control Arcanine's movements!"
Caterpie's damage output was too low; they had to play the long game.
"Eee!" Caterpie chirped, moving nimbly while peppering the field with silk. Its long-practiced weaving allowed it to precisely trap Arcanine's pathing.
A while later, both Pokémon showed signs of exhaustion. However, since Caterpie had yet to take a direct hit, it looked much better than Arcanine.
"The match has reached a fever pitch! Ash still holds the advantage. His Caterpie is arguably the strongest in the world, actually suppressing an Arcanine! This 'weak' Pokémon is proving everyone wrong today. This isn't a throw, this is Caterpie's peak performance!"
The announcer's passionate commentary made many in the crowd feel ashamed of their earlier comments.
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd never believe a Caterpie could pressure an Arcanine like this."
"Yeah, that thing is terrifyingly fast, its silk work is master-class, and it even knows Electroweb? Definitely the strongest Caterpie ever."
"I guess you three were telling the truth..."
"Of course! We never lie!" The Team Rocket trio rubbed their hands together expectantly. "So, dear customers, how about some more snacks to celebrate?"
"Fine, three more orders of takoyaki!"
"Coming right up!"
Public opinion had flipped. People were beginning to admire the Caterpie that was pushing its limits, and cheers began to erupt for it.
Delia beamed with pride, but in contrast, Professor Oak looked deeply worried.
'Such an intense confrontation... Caterpie must be nearing its limit. Arcanine still has a fair bit of stamina left. The chance of winning is slim...' Having watched both Pokémon at the lab, the Professor knew their conditions better than anyone.
Similarly, Gary knew his Arcanine. Despite the poor situation, he believed in his partner's eventual victory.
"Ash, the gap between species isn't something that can be bridged so easily. I'm going to crush that naive idea of yours personally!"
"Caterpie, keep going!" The battle had entered a stalemate. Ash had no clear way to break the deadlock, so he poured all his spirit into supporting Caterpie. "Use your will to crush the opponent!"
After dodging another pounce, Caterpie began to pant heavily. It felt a tearing pain in every part of its body. It felt this after training every day, but this time it was exceptionally fierce, threatening to drown it in a suffocating sense of despair.
'Is this it? Even if I worked so hard, even if I gave it my all... I still can't prove myself. I'm just a weak Caterpie after all. I'll never be a dragon soaring through the sky.'
'I want to give up...'
"Don't you dare give up!"
Through its blurred consciousness, Caterpie heard a familiar voice and snapped awake. it looked back at its Trainer, its expression dazed.
"Don't give up until the very end! Have you forgotten the promise we made? I said I'd be a Pokémon Master, and you said you'd be the strongest!" Ash screamed at Caterpie. "If that's true, why quit now? Fight until the very last second!"
Saved by Ash's soul-piercing shout, Caterpie's spirit flickered back to life. 'I don't want to give up, but I'm just so tired...'
"Caterpie, feel my heart! You aren't fighting alone! I'm your shield, I'm your partner!" Ash clutched his chest, locking eyes with Caterpie.
'Partner?'
"Caterpie's condition looks wrong. Has its stamina hit zero? Is the miracle over?" the announcer sighed.
"That's enough, Ash. Stop pushing it," Gary said solemnly. "Arcanine, give it the final blow. Use Flamethrower!"
"Caterpie!" Ash gritted his teeth and started to run forward.
'...' Watching Ash rush toward it, Caterpie thought back to the first time they met.
Back then, he was just a clueless Trainer. It had teased him and Pikachu in the forest several times with its silk, but he had stubbornly chased after it.
"You're so strong! Be my partner. I'm Ash, and I'm going to be a Pokémon Master. I promise I'll take good care of you."
Later, when it was kidnapped by three weirdos, Ash had saved it. That was the moment its heart was won. With the thought that "Following him might be okay," Caterpie became his second Pokémon.
And it was okay. Better than okay. Training together, overcoming strong foes, promising to get stronger, they were already inextricably linked. Even at the lab, it often missed the time spent with Ash. That sincere bond was something it could never forget.
'Master, you've given me so much. How could I let you lose such an important match?' Caterpie made its decision. Another figure in its mind, the image of a dragon, suddenly blurred.
'I suppressed my evolution for myself back then. Now, I choose to evolve for you! I will win this match! I... will... EVOLVE!'
As it screamed in its heart, a dazzling light of evolution erupted from Caterpie, blocking the incoming flames.
Ash stopped in his tracks, stunned. "Caterpie... is evolving?"
"Evolutionary light! Caterpie is evolving in the heat of battle!" the announcer shouted, unable to hide his shock. "But... evolving into Metapod might actually make things worse for Ash!"
"Evolving? Arcanine, hold your attack." Gary stopped Arcanine, waiting quietly. The situation favored him, and Arcanine could use the rest.
"It showed signs of evolution several times during training, but it always suppressed it," Professor Oak noted. "I didn't expect it to choose to evolve now."
Within the light, Caterpie began to transform into a chrysalis shape.
"It worked. Caterpie evolved into Metapod." Brock sighed with relief, but quickly grew tense again. "Metapod is too slow; it's a sitting duck. Ash's best move is to switch it out."
"No, you're underestimating its resolve." Aomori wore a strange smile. "As expected of Ash's Pokémon, it's just as reckless as his Charizard."
"Aomori-san, you mean..." Brock and Misty looked at the field. The light around Metapod hadn't faded; instead, it grew even more intense.
"A double evolution? That's too reckless! It really is just like Ash," Misty shook her head helplessly.
"It's too much of a strain," Professor Oak said worriedly. "Under normal circumstances, with the energy Caterpie has stored, the success rate would be high. But after such a high-intensity battle, if its stamina fails, the evolution will fail."
As the light around Metapod began to dim, the announcer lamented, "Metapod is trying for a second evolution, but it looks like it's failing. This is a bad sign."
"Keep going! Metapod, you can do it!" the crowd roared, cheering it on.
"Go for it! I believe in you!" Ash and Pikachu stood by its side, shouting encouragement, but they couldn't stop the light from slowly fading.
"Since you have a bit of destiny with me, I'll give you a hand." Aomori gathered a wisp of energy on his fingertip and flicked it. A streak of light traveled at a speed invisible to the naked eye, crossing half the stadium and sinking into Metapod's body.
Whish!
A brilliance several times stronger than before erupted from within Metapod.
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