Chapter 68
Mike rejected Ash’s request without the slightest hesitation.
"Huh? Why?" Ash asked, his face filled with disappointment.
"It’s too hot. I just finished filming, and I’m tired. I don’t feel like battling."
"That’s too bad... I really wanted to battle Snivy. I’m sure Pikachu feels the same way, right?"
"Pika..."
Gengar narrowed his eyes when he saw Ash take out his allowance, only to put it back in his pocket.
He silently floated over to Mike and whispered in his ear.
"Gar—"
[He has spending money.]
Mike looked at Gengar’s serious expression and quietly asked, "You want to battle him?"
Gengar nodded firmly.
"Gar—"
[Money can buy delicious food. I can treat you, Beedrill, Glameow, Snivy, and Marill to something tasty too. Only an idiot turns down easy money!]
"Should we give it a try, then?"
Gengar nodded.
Mike looked at Ash, who was still disappointed, raised a fist to his mouth, and coughed twice.
"Actually, Professor Rowan has mentioned you before. He even asked me to look after you if we ever met."
Gengar looked at Mike curiously and blinked.
’Did Professor Rowan ever say that?’
’How come I don’t remember it?’ (゚⊿゚)ツ
"You know Professor Rowan too, Mr. Mike?" Ash asked in surprise.
Mike nodded and held out his hand toward Gengar.
Reluctantly, Gengar placed his thin bamboo staff in Mike’s palm.
Mike raised the staff in front of Ash and the others.
"Look. This is proof of my position at the laboratory..."
He looked at the bamboo staff in his hand, then lowered his head and stared at Gengar.
"Why did you give me the bamboo staff? I meant my identification! My laboratory ID!"
"Gar—"
[You didn’t say anything! How was I supposed to know?]
Gengar took back the bamboo staff, pulled out Mike’s identification, and handed it to him.
Mike showed them the card proving that he was Professor Rowan’s assistant.
"I remember now!"
Brock suddenly cried out from beside them and pointed at Mike.
"Mr. Mike, are you the creator of The Wide World of Pokémon?"
"You’ve watched my video?" Mike asked.
Brock nodded seriously.
"Of course. Even though The Wide World of Pokémon has only covered some Bug-type Pokémon so far, I could feel how deeply the creator understands them."
"Even the world’s finest Pokémon Breeders might not know Bug-type Pokémon as well as you do."
"You’re exaggerating."
Mike waved his hand, feeling that Brock was praising him far too much.
"Mr. Mike, when you have the time, may I ask you some questions about Bug-type Pokémon?"
Brock had clearly watched The Wide World of Pokémon carefully.
The video had even discussed how to calm Bug Pokémon, which was why he believed Mike understood them so deeply.
"That’s fine, as long as I’m free."
"Thank you very much."
Brock adjusted his backpack and bowed.
After answering Brock, Mike looked toward Ash.
"As Professor Rowan’s assistant, I suppose I can accept your battle request."
"Really?" Ash asked excitedly.
"But is your allowance ready?"
"Of course!"
Ash nodded firmly.
"Good."
Mike nodded just as seriously.
He was honestly looking forward to battling Ash, especially the Ash from his Sinnoh journey.
’How big is the difference between our strength right now?’
’Can I actually beat him?’
’Forget it. I’ll just give it everything I have!’
"We can battle here," Officer Jenny suggested. "This area is already open. I’ll have everyone move the equipment aside."
"Thank you, Officer Jenny."
"Thanks, Joy."
Officer Jenny quickly had the filming equipment removed, clearing a large area for them.
"Meow?"
Glameow walked over from beneath the tree with a yawn and curiously looked at Ash and the others.
The moment Piplup saw the elegant Glameow, his eyes turned into hearts. He danced a waltz over to her and reached out, preparing to touch her.
"Piplu—"
Glameow’s spring-shaped tail instantly turned to steel.
With one swing, she sent Piplup flying into a tree.
Hanging upside down, Piplup found himself staring straight into Beedrill’s crimson eyes.
He let out a frightened cry and promptly fainted.
"Piplup..." Dawn called worriedly.
Mike caught Glameow when she jumped into his arms and gave Dawn an apologetic smile.
"Sorry. Glameow doesn’t like strangers or unfamiliar Pokémon getting close to her."
Snivy used Vine Whip to pull Piplup down from the tree.
Dawn held the unconscious Piplup with a distressed expression.
Mike took out a Potion and handed it to her.
"It was my fault for not warning you beforehand."
Dawn shook her head. She knew Glameow wasn’t really to blame.
She carried Piplup to a nearby bench and sat down to treat him while cheering for Ash.
Officer Jenny sat beside her with Marill in her arms, cheering for Mike.
"Marill!"
[Do your best!]
Brock took the role of referee.
"I only have three Pokémon willing to battle, so how about a three-on-three match?" Mike proposed.
"No problem," Ash agreed.
"Then the battle between Ash and Mr. Mike will now begin!"
"Mr. Mike’s first Pokémon is Snivy? In that case, let’s go, Turtwig!"
Seeing Snivy standing in front of Mike, Ash threw a Poké Ball, and one of Sinnoh’s starter Pokémon appeared on the field.
Mike narrowed his eyes at Turtwig.
’Ash has already caught Turtwig?’
Mike remembered this particular Turtwig very well. Before evolving into Torterra, it had been a strong, fast attacker.
After it became Torterra and turned into more of a stationary powerhouse, Ash never quite figured out how to use it properly.
"Turtwig, let’s go! Use Razor Leaf!"
"Bullet Seed."
Snivy elegantly fired Bullet Seed, intercepting every incoming Razor Leaf.
Seeing smoke rise from where the attacks collided, Ash pointed ahead.
"Charge through it and use Bite!"
"Snivy, use Vine Whip to clear the smoke."
Two vines extended from beside Snivy’s neck and spun clockwise with tremendous force.
The wind they created blew away part of the smoke, revealing Turtwig.
"Catch him."
The vines wrapped around Turtwig and forcibly stopped his charge.
Snivy then repeatedly slammed him into the ground with Vine Whip.
"Darn it! Turtwig, use Razor Leaf to cut the vines!"
"Throw him into the air."
Snivy hurled Turtwig upward, causing his Razor Leaf to fly in the wrong direction.
"Magical Leaf."
Countless glowing leaves flew toward Turtwig and struck him in midair.
Thud!
Turtwig crashed heavily to the ground, his eyes turning into swirls.
"Turtwig is unable to battle. Snivy wins this round," Brock announced.
"She’s so strong..."
Ash stared at the unconscious Turtwig in amazement before recalling him and looking back at Mike.
Marill clapped happily in Officer Jenny’s arms when she saw Mike win.
"Good work, Snivy. Take a rest now."
Snivy gave him a gentle smile and walked back to his side.
Mike looked toward the nearby tree.
"Do you want to go next?"
The buzzing of wings came from among the leaves.
Beedrill flew out of the tree and entered the field.
"Mr. Mike, you have four Pokémon, don’t you? Why did you say only three of them could battle?" Ash asked.
Mike smiled.
"Because Glameow doesn’t like battling."
Glameow sat nearby and lazily licked one paw.
"Oh, I see."
Ash nodded.
"Beedrill is a Bug type, so I choose you, Starly!"
Starly appeared on the field and happily flew around several times. Then he looked at Beedrill and flinched when he met those crimson eyes.
’Those eyes are scary...’
"Starly, use Wing Attack!"
Starly spread his wings and flew toward Beedrill.
"Agility."
Beedrill’s figure began flickering across the battlefield.
"He’s incredibly fast..." Brock said in surprise, narrowing his eyes.
"Take the opening. Poison Jab!"
Beedrill appeared behind Starly and thrust one stinger forward, striking him directly in the back and smashing him into the ground.
When the dust cleared, Starly lay unconscious!
A single-hit knockout!
Beedrill calmly withdrew his stinger, blew across its tip, then flew back to Mike. He nodded once before moving behind him.
"..."
’Damn Beedrill. He really got to show off.’
"Huh? Is the battle already over? What happened?" Dawn asked, having failed to follow the exchange.
Piplup burrowed even deeper into her arms.
’He’s terrifying...’
"Marill!"
[Amazing! Mike is amazing, and Beedrill is amazing too!]
Ash was equally stunned. He recalled Starly, looked at Mike, and rubbed a finger beneath his nose.
"Mr. Mike, you’re really strong, but Pikachu and I aren’t giving up!"
Ash grinned and sent Pikachu onto the field.
"I’m counting on you, Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
Looking at Ash and Pikachu before him, Mike took a deep breath and became completely serious.
"Gengar, I’m counting on you. Pikachu is very strong, so we need to be careful."
Hearing that, Gengar studied Pikachu.
He couldn’t sense anything especially dangerous from him, but if Mike said Pikachu was strong, then there had to be a reason.
Gengar handed his bamboo staff to Snivy for safekeeping, then floated onto the battlefield with a cold expression.
’The great hero Gengar will defeat you personally and take your allowance!’
Seeing Gengar’s entire presence change, Pikachu’s fur began standing on end.
"Pika?"
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
"Dodge it, then close the distance with Shadow Ball."
Gengar nimbly skimmed along the edge of the Thunderbolt as he closed in on Pikachu.
"Use Iron Tail!"
Pikachu had only just jumped, his tail not yet transformed into steel, when Gengar appeared directly in front of him and pressed a Shadow Ball against his forehead.
Boom!
Pikachu was blasted straight into the ground.
"Will-O-Wisp."
More than a dozen eerie purple flames appeared in front of Gengar. Guided by his psychic control, they flew toward the crater where Pikachu had landed.
"Dodge them, Pikachu!"
A figure burst from the smoke and darted rapidly across the field.
"???"
Mike stared at the lightning-fast Pikachu, finally experiencing firsthand just how ridiculous his speed was.
’Can a Pikachu really move that fast?’
Pikachu dodged every Will-O-Wisp and was just about to celebrate when an enormous purple face appeared before his eyes, grinning widely.
"Dark Pulse."
Dark-type energy poured forward and sent Pikachu flying. He skidded across the ground for a long distance, carving a deep trench through the dirt.
"Pikachu, get up!" Ash shouted, clenching his fist at Pikachu lying on the ground.
Hearing those words, Mike responded almost instinctively.
"Gengar, Shadow Ball!"
Pikachu shook his head and tried to stand, but when he saw another Shadow Ball already forming in Gengar’s hand, his legs went weak and he fainted again.
’I’m not getting up. If I stand, I’ll only get hit again...’
Gengar looked at the unconscious Pikachu, then at the Shadow Ball in his hand before turning toward Mike.
"Gar?"
[What’s going on? Didn’t you say he was really strong?]
Mike was confused too.
’That isn’t right... Pikachu should already be strong during the Sinnoh journey.’
’Could it be because Ash only recently arrived in Sinnoh?’
"Pikachu is unable to battle. Gengar wins this round!"
Brock raised a flag he had somehow acquired and announced the result.
"Therefore, the winner of this match is Mr. Mike!"
Applause sounded from the spectators.
Marill was the happiest of all.
She jumped out of Officer Jenny’s arms, ran over to Mike, and happily circled him and Gengar several times.
Then she jumped up and gave Gengar a high five.
"Marill!"
[You were both amazing!]
Mike bent down and patted her head, then turned toward Ash and pressed his palms together.
"Good match."
"Gar—"
"Sni~"
"Bee—"
When Ash saw Mike and his Pokémon bowing politely, he hurriedly returned the gesture.
"Thank you for the battle."
Gengar happily accepted Ash’s allowance from his reluctant hands and began counting it.
"Darn it. I definitely won’t lose next time," Ash declared.
Mike smiled.
"I look forward to your next challenge, as long as you prepare your allowance first."
"I know! That was an entire month’s allowance," Ash complained painfully.
"Gar—"
After finishing the count, Gengar followed Mike’s usual custom and took out half before returning it to Ash.
"This is...?"
Ash looked at the smiling Gengar holding the money toward him in confusion.
"Take it. We usually only keep half of the wager."
Hearing that, Ash happily accepted the money.
"Great! Pikachu, we can still buy something delicious!"
"Pika!"
"I’m taking Gengar and the others to the Pokémon Center to recover. Would you like to come with us?"
"Sure!"
Ash immediately agreed, and Brock and Dawn had no objections.
Mike and Officer Jenny led the group toward the Pokémon Center.
Since there were so many people around, Glameow climbed into Mike’s backpack and had him carry her.
Mike had originally planned to hold her, but she had firmly refused.