Rival Battle vs Gary!

As Ash walked through the town, he couldn't help but notice the warm smiles and waves from the people around him. Children ran up to greet him and pat Pikachu, who happily soaked up the attention. It was no secret that Ash and Pikachu were popular in Pallet Town, but it was Pikachu, in particular, who had won over the hearts of the townsfolk, especially the ladies and kids, with his undeniable cuteness.

Ash, used to the attention, smiled but continued on his way, as he was focused on his Advanced PokéMart System, navigating through the catalog in his mind. One of the advantages of the system was its mental interface, allowing him to interact with it without any physical gestures. He couldn't imagine how awkward it would be if people saw him waving his hands in the air at nothing.

Right now, Ash had 4,000 points saved up since he hadn't made any purchases yet. As he browsed through the endless catalogs, a thought crossed his mind. 'Since this is my first purchase, I should get something special for Pikachu. After all, he's not only my first Pokémon but also my permanent companion and best buddy.'

With this in mind, Ash honed in on what he was looking for. After a few minutes of browsing, he found the perfect item.

[Light Ball: When held by Pikachu, doubles the Attack and Special Attack of the holder.

Price: 3000 pts]

'Expensive, but totally worth it,' Ash thought to himself. The Light Ball was a rare item, and its ability to double Pikachu's Attack and Special Attack stats made it invaluable. Pikachu's physical Attack stat had always been somewhat lacking, but with this item, he would be able to hold his own in battles where moves like Iron Tail or Volt Tackle came into play. And the boost to his already impressive Special Attack would only make moves like Thunderbolt even deadlier.

Satisfied with the choice, Ash mentally confirmed the purchase.

[Congratulations! Light Ball successfully purchased!]

[Reedem in: Ear Ring Form / Belt Form / Pendant Form / Bracelet Form / NOA]

'Huh, that's new,' Ash thought as he reviewed the available options for the Light Ball's form. He quickly dismissed the earrings option—Pikachu was a boy, after all, and it didn't seem like the right fit. The belt seemed impractical and bulky, and a pendant would just get in the way while Pikachu was running on all four of his legs. The bracelet, however, seemed perfect - functional, and easy to wear.

[Congratulations! Light Ball Bracelet successfully redeemed!]

[Please collect the purchased item from the system inventory!

Note: Once redeemed, the system inventory cannot be accessed again.]

Ash discreetly reached into his pocket and mentally redeemed the Light Ball Bracelet from his system inventory, feeling the item materialize in his hand.

"Hey Pikachu, I've got a present for you," Ash said, stopping in the middle of the road. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and looked up at him curiously.

"Pika?" Pikachu tilted his head, wondering what the gift could be. "Pika Pi!"

Ash chuckled, shaking his head. "No, it's not ketchup." Pikachu's ears drooped slightly in disappointment, causing Ash to laugh. "Come on, don't be so down. I've got something even better. Check this out," he said, holding the Light Ball Bracelet up to Pikachu.

Pikachu's eyes widened as he looked at the silver bracelet, sensing the vast amount of electric energy it held. "Pika!" he exclaimed in excitement, sparks of electricity crackling around him as he felt the energy radiating from the item.

"Here, let's put it on you," Ash said as he carefully slipped the bracelet onto Pikachu's forearm. It was slightly big at first, but as soon as it touched Pikachu's skin, the bracelet automatically resized to fit perfectly. Instantly, Pikachu's body pulsed with energy, and sparks of electricity danced around him as his Attack and Special Attack stats doubled.

"You feel it, don't you?" Ash grinned, watching Pikachu's reaction. The electric mouse nodded vigorously before hopping back onto Ash's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek affectionately in thanks.

"Alright, alright! I get it!" Ash laughed, feeling the surge of affection from his partner. "Now, let's go meet our other friends at the lab."

******

"Hello, is anybody there?" "Pika?" Ash called out as he stepped into Professor Oak's lab. The lab seemed empty, and there was no sign of Professor Oak.

"Wait a minute! I'm here!" a cheerful, feminine voice called from deeper inside the lab. A moment later, Daisy Oak, the professor's granddaughter, walked out. Her vibrant orange hair framed a kind and welcoming smile as she approached. "Hey, it's you, Ash! How are you?" Daisy greeted.

Daisy Oak was a familiar face to Ash. She was not only the granddaughter of Professor Oak but also Gary Oak's older sister. Unlike Gary's occasionally brash personality, Daisy was always warm and kind. She worked as a lab assistant to her grandfather, helping manage the lab and Pokémon in their backyard.

"Hey, Daisy, I'm good," Ash replied, returning the smile. "I just came by to check on my Pokémon, if that's alright."

"Of course!" Daisy nodded. "You know where the backyard is. If you need anything, just give me a shout—I'll be in the lab."

"Thanks, Daisy," Ash said, making his way through the lab to the large, sprawling backyard where Professor Oak kept the Pokémon.

As soon as Ash stepped outside, he was greeted by an enthusiastic stampede. His Pokémon, excited to see him after some time apart, rushed toward him, each vying for attention. Ash laughed as Muk engulfed him in its usual slimy embrace, and Bayleef happily nuzzled against him, practically knocking him over in the process. Pikachu leaped off Ash's shoulder to greet his old friends, chirping happily as the group reunited.

Fifteen minutes later, after personally greeting each of his Pokémon and taking time to especially calm down Muk and Bayleef, Ash found himself surrounded by his full team. All fifteen of his Pokémon stood before him, each one with their own unique presence.

Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charizard, Kingler, Muk, Leader of Tauros heard, Snorlax, Heracross, Baylee, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Noctowl, Larvitar, and Lapras.

Now, if you're wondering why Charizard, Larvitar, and Lapras were there, considering they shouldn't be at this point in time according to the original timeline, well, the answer was simple: I have no fucking idea.

From what Ash could recall of this new reality, Larvitar and Lapras had both chosen to stay with him rather than returning to their respective families. Larvitar, who was meant to have returned to its mother, had somehow decided to remain by Ash's side. As for Lapras, it had stayed with Ash instead of returning to its pod in the Orange Islands.

Charizard, on the other hand, had a more recent explanation. Just a few days ago, Ash had contacted Liza from the Charicific Valley, asking her to send Charizard back to him. Whatever had changed in this world, his bond with Charizard seemed stronger than ever, and now Charizard was back as part of his team.

Ash suspected that these anomalies were a result of the Randomizer Effect in this altered world. Things didn't necessarily happen the way they were supposed to, and some events, like Pokémon staying with him when they wouldn't have before, were likely influenced by this unseen force. Still, he wasn't complaining. Having Larvitar, who would eventually evolve into a Tyranitar, and Lapras, a strong and reliable Water/Ice-type, was nothing but a bonus. And of course, Charizard, his second ace after Pikachu, was always a huge asset to have back on the team.

"Alright, guys," Ash said, gathering his Pokémon's attention as they stood before him. "I'm going to be heading out to the Hoenn region soon to participate in the Hoenn League, and I wanted to ask if any of you would like to participate in the League with me?"

His question was met with an enthusiastic response—cheers, growls, and cries of excitement filled the air. Each Pokémon was eager for another adventure, and Ash couldn't help but smile at their energy.

"It's great to see you all so motivated!" Ash grinned, heartened by their energy. Then he turned serious for a moment. "Now, I have a question for those of you who haven't fully evolved yet. Do any of you have any objections to evolving?"

The group fell silent as each Pokémon considered the question. All of them were on board—except for Bulbasaur, who looked uneasy. Bulbasaur had some lingering trauma related to evolution from his time with a previous trainer, and it showed in his downcast expression.

"Hey, buddy," Ash said softly, kneeling down and gently picking Bulbasaur up, placing him on his lap. "It's okay. I'm not going to leave you out just because you don't want to evolve. Evolution or not, you're an important part of this team—always. Do you understand?"

"Bulba... saur," Bulbasaur murmured, his voice thick with emotion. His teary eyes blinked as he snuggled into Ash's arms, comforted by the reassurance.

Ash gently patted him. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, and that goes for all of you. We're a team, no matter what."

After a few moments, Ash stood up and addressed the rest of the group, who were watching attentively. "Now that that's out of the way, here's the plan for when we head to Hoenn." He gestured to Charizard, who stood proudly among the team. "Aside from Charizard, I'm going to keep all of you in rotation. I'll switch you out depending on what kind of training we need to do or what kind of Gym challenges we face."

The mention of Charizard being a permanent member of Ash's party had Charizard puffing out his chest with a smug expression. His fellow Pokémon, however, didn't take it so lightly, and protests erupted from the rest of the group.

Squirtle waved his arms dramatically, Noctowl hooted indignantly, and even Snorlax grunted his disapproval, though it was hard to tell if he was fully awake. Bayleef cried and glared at Charizard.

"Alright, calm down, guys!" Ash chuckled, raising his hands to soothe the group. "I'm not playing favorites here. The reason Charizard is staying with me permanently is because of his ability to fly and his size—he can carry me and someone else if needed. You all know how often I get into dangerous situations," Ash said with a wink, "and having Charizard around means I have a quick escape if I need it."

Charizard, however, didn't seem to like being seen as a glorified mode of transportation. The Fire-type let out a low growl, narrowing his eyes at Ash as if to ask, "Do you think I'm some kind of horse or what?"

Ash, meanwhile, just chuckled, ignored the grumpy growl, and patted Charizard's side. He then continued to discuss his plans with the group about his upcoming journey to Hoenn.

******

After wrapping up his chat with his Pokémon, Ash and Pikachu made their way to the local school to attend Ashly's graduation ceremony. It was an important day for his younger sister, and Ash wouldn't miss it for the world.

When they arrived at the school, Ash noticed that the ceremony had already started, with parents, including his mother, seated in the audience. Rather than disrupt the proceedings, Ash quietly slipped into the back of the hall, standing near the door as Professor Oak gave a lecture to the newly graduated students about possible careers in the future.

As Ash absentmindedly listened to Professor Oak's lecture, his thoughts wandered toward various things. That is, until a familiar voice snapped him out of his daydreams.

"Hey Ash, it's been a while."

Ash turned toward the voice and saw Gary Oak walking up to him. "Gary? What are you doing here?" Ash raised an eyebrow. "As far as I know, no one close to you is graduating today."

Gary smirked. "Nah, Gramps asked me to give a lecture on becoming a trainer and how to take care of your starter Pokémon." He let out a tired sigh. "You know, the usual."

Ash chuckled. "Let me guess, another one of Professor Oak's schemes to push you into becoming a researcher?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't need to push anymore," Gary sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I've decided to give it a try. Actually, by the end of next week, I'll be heading to Sayda Island to work as an assistant researcher. They've come across something interesting there, and I figured it's a good place to start."

Ash blinked, surprised but genuinely happy for his old rival. "I'm glad you found something that works for you," he said, nodding.

"What about you?" Gary crossed his arms. "What's next for you, Ash?"

"Hoenn," Ash replied with a grin. "I'm planning to compete in the Ever Grande Conference. Plus, there are a lot of new Pokémon to see that we don't have here."

"Just as I thought," Gary chuckled. "A free-spirited guy like you could never be tied down by a boring job like mine."

"That's putting it mildly," Ash joked. "But hey, I'm glad you're doing something you like. I'll be rooting for you, Gary."

A genuine smile crossed Gary's face, but only for a moment before it shifted into a familiar, mischievous smirk. "Well, I guess that means you might actually have a chance at winning the Hoenn League this time—since I'm not competing."

Ash rolled his eyes, unable to resist the jab. "Dream on. I beat you once, I can do it again—probably with my eyes closed."

"That was just luck," Gary scoffed. "I just didn't expect a guy like you to have a strong Charizard like that up your sleeve."

"Luck? Please. Charizard and I earned that win, and you know it," Ash fired back, grinning. Pikachu on his shoulder let out a cheerful "Pika!" in agreement while nodding along.

Their playful back-and-forth continued for a few minutes, with Ash and Gary hurling lighthearted insults at each other like they used to when they were younger. However, the sudden eruption of applause brought their banter to an abrupt halt. Both turned their attention to the stage, where Professor Oak had just finished his speech and the crowd clapped enthusiastically as he shared his knowledge and experience with the children.

"Now, it's time to distribute the graduation certificates," Oak announced, holding a neat stack of certificates in his hand. "And first, let's give a round of applause for a student who has consistently performed well and aced her final exams—Ashly Ketchum!" The crowd erupted in applause, and Ashly confidently walked up to the stage, her head held high as she accepted her graduation certificate.

"Congratulations, Ashly!" Ash shouted, his voice cutting through the applause. "That's my sister, alright!"

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu cheered from Ash's shoulder, joining in on the celebration.

Gary groaned, shooting Ash an annoyed look. "You're such a fucking embarrassment," he muttered as he slowly slid away from Ash, trying not to be seen associated with his childhood friend and rival. 

Meanwhile, Ashly's classmates turned toward her, expecting to see her flustered or embarrassed by her brother's antics. But instead, Ashly grinned widely, her eyes sparkling with pride. She held her certificate high above her head, embracing the moment and beaming at Ash.

Professor Oak, smiling at Ash's enthusiastic display, continued distributing the rest of the certificates. After a few more minutes, all the students had received theirs, and the ceremony seemed to be drawing to a close. 

"Now, normally, this would mark the end of the ceremony," Oak said, his gaze shifting toward Ash and Gary. Both of them immediately tensed, sensing something cooking in the professor's mind. "However..." Oak continued, his voice carrying a note of excitement. "Today, we are fortunate enough to have two of our best former students here with us—trainers who have made quite a name for themselves. So, I was thinking... why not give these new fledglings a glimpse of what a real Pokémon battle looks like?"

The crowd of students and parents erupted in cheers, with Ashly leading the chorus. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she watched her brother and Gary exchange uneasy glances.

"How about it, Ash? Gary?" Oak asked with a smile, clearly enjoying the glares, the two boys were sending his way for putting them in a spot like this.

Ash and Gary sighed in unison, realizing there was no way they could escape this situation. Surrounded by a horde of excited students and with Oak's hopeful gaze bearing down on them, they couldn't refuse. So, they both nodded in agreement, much to the delight of the audience.

"Alright, fine," Ash said, shrugging as he looked at Gary. "You up for this?"

"You bet," Gary smirked, his competitive side kicking in. "Let's give them a show they won't forget."

With that settled, the crowd eagerly followed Professor Oak, who guided them all outside to an open field behind the school. The large, grassy area was perfect for a battle, and the students buzzed with excitement as they gathered around the makeshift battlefield. On the two sides of the field, Ash and Gary stood facing each other, while Oak took his place in the center, ready to serve as the referee.

As Ash stood there, suddenly a translucent window popped in front of him.

[Objective: Defeat Gary Oak in a friendly match.

Rewards:

1. 2000 pts

2. Advanced Knowledge of the Pokémon World's Fruits and Berries

3. Advanced Knowledge of Pokemon Food and Grooming. ]

'Huh? Now that's interesting.'

******

"The friendly match between Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak will now begin!" Professor Oak announced, stepping into the referee's role. "This will be a singles match, with both sides using one Pokémon. Let's begin!"

"Let's do this, Pikachu!" Ash called out as Pikachu darted onto the field, immediately assuming a battle stance, his cheeks sparking with excitement and lighting.

"Blastoise, let's show them our power!" Gary responded, releasing his massive Blastoise, a turtle-like Pokémon with twin cannons protruding from its shell and a pendant around its neck.

Seeing the opportunity, Ash quickly scanned Gary's Blastoise using his Advanced Pokédex:

[Name]: Blastoise 

[Gender]: Male

[Type]: Water

[Ability]: Torrent

[Hidden Ability]: Rain Dish

[Nature]: Modest

[Held Item]: Mystic Water

[Moves]: Hydro Pump, Withdraw, Skull Bash, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse, Flash Cannon, Iron Defense.

After analyzing the stats, Ash decided to make the first move. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!" he commanded.

In a flash, Pikachu became a blur, zig-zagging across the battlefield with incredible speed, leaving afterimages in his wake as he charged toward Blastoise.

"Blastoise, Withdraw!" Gary countered. Blastoise immediately pulled its limbs and head into its shell, raising its defenses. Pikachu struck the shell with lightning speed, but the rock-hard surface reduced the impact, causing Pikachu to bounce off with minimal effect.

Seeing an opening, Gary narrowed his eyes. "Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise emerged from its shell and unleashed twin jets of water from its cannons with a powerful roar.

"Pikachu, dodge with Double Team!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu split into multiple afterimages, scattering across the field just as the powerful Hydro Pump blasted through the area. Several of the clones were wiped out by the water jets, but the real Pikachu leaped into the air, avoiding the attack completely.

"Now's our chance! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

While still airborne, Pikachu's cheeks crackled with intense electricity. He unleashed a massive bolt of lightning straight toward Blastoise.

"Blastoise, Iron Defense!" Gary ordered.

Blastoise's shell shimmered as it hardened, absorbing much of the electrical energy. However, due to the super-effective nature of the attack, Blastoise still took considerable damage. Gary clicked his tongue, knowing he needed to retaliate quickly.

"Blastoise, Skull Bash!"

Blastoise retracted its head into its shell before launching forward like a cannonball. Pikachu had little time to react, and Blastoise slammed into him with incredible force, sending the electric mouse tumbling across the ground.

"Pikachu! Are you alright?" Ash asked, concern in his voice.

Pikachu staggered back onto his feet, shaking off the hit, and nodded determinedly. "Pika!"

"Alright, Pikachu, use Quick Attack and Double Team to get close!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu sped toward Blastoise once again, creating multiple copies of himself as he closed the distance.

Gary narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "Blastoise, Hydro Pump again—sweep the battlefield!"

Blastoise launched another torrent of water, sweeping it horizontally across the field. One by one, the Pikachu clones vanished as they were wiped out by the powerful attack. But just as the last clone disappeared, Gary's eyes widened in realization. The real Pikachu wasn't among them.

"Where is he...?" Gary muttered, his eyes scanning the field. Then, he saw it—Pikachu had jumped onto Blastoise's shell, cleverly evading the attack by riding on its back.

"Blastoise, shake him off!" Gary yelled.

"Now, Pikachu, use Thunder Wave!" Ash shouted.

Before Blastoise could react, Pikachu unleashed a pulse of electricity, sending a paralyzing shock through Blastoise's body. The large Water-type groaned as its muscles stiffened, electricity crackling around it.

"Since when did you start using status moves?" Gary gritted his teeth. "Blastoise, Rapid Spin to throw Pikachu off!"

Blastoise tucked into its shell and began spinning rapidly, creating a vortex of speed. Pikachu was thrown off its back, tumbling through the air.

"Blastoise, Flash Cannon! Now!" Gary commanded, taking advantage of Pikachu's vulnerable position.

Blastoise attempted to charge up steel energy in its cannons, but the paralysis kicked in, locking its body in place. Sparks of electricity jolted through Blastoise, causing it to fall to one knee.

Ash saw his opening. "Pikachu, let's finish this! Thunderbolt, with everything you've got!"

Electricity surged around Pikachu's small body as he unleashed a devastating Thunderbolt from above, the lightning striking down toward Blastoise with blinding power.

"We're not going down without a fight!" Gary shouted. "Blastoise, Hydro Pump full power!"

With a powerful roar, Blastoise fired full-powered jets of water towards Pikachu.

With a mighty roar, Blastoise fired a full-powered Hydro Pump, the jet of water rushing toward Pikachu's Thunderbolt. 

The two attacks, Light Ball powered Thunderbolt and Mystic Water Powered Hydro Pump collided in midair, crackling and sizzling as they pushed against each other. For a moment, it seemed like they were evenly matched.

But then, Pikachu's Light Ball-boosted Thunderbolt began to overpower the Hydro Pump, cutting through the water and striking Blastoise head-on. Blastoise cried out as the electricity coursed through its body, and when the attack finally ended, the large Water-type collapsed to the ground, its eyes swirling in defeat.

"Blastoise is unable to battle! Pikachu wins! The victory goes to Ash Ketchum!" Professor Oak announced, raising his hand to declare the end of the match.

******

As soon as Professor Oak announced the result of the match, the crowd fell silent for a brief moment before erupting into a loud cheer. Ashly, her voice rising above the others, cheered the loudest, jumping up and down with excitement, while Ash's mother, Delia, clapped with a warm, pleased smile on her face.

Pikachu landed gracefully on the ground, breathing heavily but still sparking with residual energy. Ash ran over to him, scooping him up in his arms.

"You did amazing, Pikachu," Ash said with a big smile.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu chirped, nuzzling into Ash's cheek.

On the other side of the field, Gary recalled his Blastoise back into its Poké Ball, giving a small, satisfied smile. "You did well, Blastoise. Take a well-deserved rest." As he walked over to Ash, Gary shook his head with a smirk. "Well, Ash, looks like two months of break didn't completely rust your skills."

"You're not so bad yourself, Gary," Ash replied, meeting Gary's gaze with a grin. He held out a fist, which Gary returned in a rare moment of friendly camaraderie.

Suddenly, a translucent notification window popped up in front of Ash, visible only to him.

[Congratualtions! Objective Complete!]

To be continued...