With all the commotion in Cerulean at an end, we return to Ash and crew who have finally come back to the mainland. From here it is just a straight line to Pallet town and on to Viridian for Ash’s eighth and final badge. But it will take the group a while to even get to Ash’s hometown.
There’s a cold chill coming from the ocean as our four trainers come walking down an old dirt road. Just down the path they see two more travelers are headed in the opposite direction. Ash runs up and asks, “Excuse me, but are you two Pokemon trainers?”
The man looks at Ash and replies, “Yes we are. My daughter and I were just out looking for some new Pokemon to catch. Now young man, you want a match don’t you? I can see it in your eyes.”
“You sure bet I do!” Ash almost yells out.
Nina cuts in saying, “Hey Ash, Pallet just called. They said to leave some trainers for the rest of us.”
Ash turns around quickly and replies, “Oh yeah, well the jerk factory just called. They said they were running out of you!”
Brock tries to intervene telling the two, “Come on you two, you’re just cranky from all of the traveling. I’m sure a Pokemon battle will loosen up the both of you.”
Nina turns to Brock and explains, “No way, Brock. Ash is sticken it to me.”
“Why would he want to do something like that?” Brock answers scratching his chin.
“Sticken it!”
Misty tries to help too saying, “Oh, forget about it, Nina. Ash is just greedy like that.”
“Hey, no I’m not!”
“All right, all right, forget about it. I think I’ll just sit back, relax, and watch as Ash looses another one of life’s Pokemon battles.”
“Yeah right! You’d have a better time winning the lottery because I’m not going to lose. Let’s go Squirtle!”
The man pulls out his own Pokeball and yells, “Go Doduo!”
Large puffy white clouds blow in on the ocean breeze while an air of tension builds between the two Pokemon as they stare each other down. Each stands fast waiting to see what attacks their trainers will tell them to use.
“Get him with a Quick Attack,” the man says and Doduo just barely misses as Squirtle jumps to his side. The bird Pokemon comes down from the attack scraping the ground as he lands.
“Hurry, Squirtle and Tackle him!” Ash yells. The water Pokemon jumps at Doduo as he ducks out of the way.
“Good, now use your Peck.” As Doduo attacks Squirtle, who is passing overhead, Ash’s Pokemon shoves the beak to his side so it does not hit him.
“Way to go! Hit him with a Mega Kick!” Squirtle’s foot goes straight at the head that was pushed away, and almost hits but he grazes it.
“Another Peck, quickly!” The other bird Pokemon’s head hits Squirtle directly in the gut knocking him further into the air.
“Squirtle! Try to use your Water Gun!” Even though Squirtle is flying through the air, that does not stop him from attacking. Doduo jumps forward as the Water Gun cuts into the dirt that he was just standing on.
Misty and Brock stand there with shocked expressions with nothing more to say than, “Wow,” and, “Incredible”. Standing right next to them, Nina looks intently at the two battling Pokemon. She tells Katsumi, “Hm, that Doduo is pretty strong. It has to be past its evolution level, so it probably knows all its potential attacks.” Katsumi sits there wearing the same face as her trainer nodding the whole time.
“Okay Doduo, lets show them how we finish our matches.” Both heads squawk in agreement as its trainer goes on, “End this with your Tri Attack.” Doduo stands there facing his opponent getting ready to use his next move.
“Squirtle, use all of the Withdraw you have!” Ash’s Pokemon shrink into his shell, and it begins to shine as the Withdraw takes effect.
The Tri Attack goes off as Doduo lets out three multi colored triangles of energy. It twists and drills into Squirtle’s hardened shell dragging him down the dirt road. Because of the intense force, Squirtle is plowed deep into the ground.
“Oh, no! Squirtle!”
There is no sound coming from anything for a few seconds until the water Pokemon pulls himself out of the newly made ditch.
“Squirtle, are you okay?”
He says, “Squirtle,” and gives his trainer a thumbs up.
“Your Squirtle is pretty gutsy kid, but you should give up before he faints.”
“Hah! Me and Squirtle don’t give up after just one attack. Give him a Tackle!” The water Pokemon sails at Doduo hitting him square in the chest, but the attack does not appear to affect him at all.
“Ash, your Squirtle was weakened too much by the fight! You need to switch Pokemon or find another strategy other than the direct approach,” Nina yells out.
“Another Peck, now!” Squirtle is knocked back again by the bird Pokemon’s attack and falls to the ground. It is too late for Ash to call back his Pokemon as Doduo pins Squirtle face down with one of his large feet. The water Pokemon tries his best to pull himself away but the pin is too strong. All of a sudden Squirtle goes into his shell and comes back out facing the other direction. He kicks the bird Pokemon’s leg off and rolls away.
“Way to go, Squirtle! Quick, use your Mega Kick!” Ash’s Pokemon switches back forward and jumps at Doduo with his attack. It hits the Pokemon in the second head making him lose his balance.
While the water Pokemon falls back to the road, Doduo catches his left arm with its foot again. It pins Squirtle down to the ground with its other foot, and now the Pokemon has no way to escape.
“Come on, Squirtle! You can break free!” Ash’s Pokemon does everything he can to escape but the pin has left no room for it.
Misty looks worried as she asks, “It’s over isn’t it?”
Brock answers, “Yes, Ash’s Squirtle is too weak to break free.”
“Don’t be so sure, Brock,” Nina remarks. “A Pokemon battle isn’t over until it has fainted.”
“What? Are you cheering for Ash now, Nina? Hm?” Misty adds in a sarcastic voice.
Nina makes a sulking face and replies, “Great, now Misty’s sticken it to me...”
Ash ponders hard of how to get his Pokemon free and what to do when he does escape. If he escapes.
With Squirtle still caught, he tries one last attempt to get away. The water Pokemon uses all his strength to withdraw into his shell although it only gets his pinned arm a fraction of the way in. Then without warning he bursts back out making Doduo loosen his grip for an instant. It is just enough to let Squirtle pull free.
“Yeah! You did it Squirtle! Now, a Skull Bash!” Ash’s Pokemon jumps directly up hitting heads with Doduo’s.
“All right Squirtle, into the ditch quickly!”
“Doduo, get after him already!”
Squirtle jumps into the trench as Doduo begins to go after him.
