Pokemon : Rewind

"Pi-!" Pidgey darted forward, its small wings beating furiously as it hovered before Casey. The little bird Pokémon seemed eager, if not impatient, to face the challenge ahead.

Casey's other Pokémon had witnessed the might of Ash's Lapras firsthand, and she herself was acutely aware of the uphill battle she was about to face.

"You go first!" Ash called out, standing with an air of calm confidence. Since this was an informal battle, no referee was needed.

"Alright then!" Casey took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. Although she had fought battles before, squaring off against someone of Ash's caliber was a daunting experience.

"Let's go, Pidgey! Use Quick Attack!" Casey commanded, her voice filled with determination as she gestured forward.

"Pi-!" Pidgey cried energetically. Translucent energy enveloped its body as it launched itself like a streak of light toward Lapras.

To Ash, however, Pidgey's movements appeared slow and unrefined. Its inexperience was evident.

"Lapras, use Water Pulse," Ash instructed, his tone steady and composed.

"Rapp-!" Lapras responded, its voice calm as Water-type energy gathered at its mouth. 

A dark blue orb of water materialized, pulsating with power. With a swift motion, Lapras launched the water sphere at the ground in front of Pidgey.

The orb exploded upon impact, sending a towering wave—over a meter high—surging toward the charging Pidgey.

"What?!" Casey gasped, panic creeping into her voice. "Pidgey, fly up!" she shouted desperately.

Despite Casey's quick reaction, Pidgey was unable to alter its trajectory mid-attack due to its limited mastery of Quick Attack. 

It managed to ascend only slightly before the massive wave crashed over it, engulfing the small Pokémon entirely.

As the water receded, Pidgey lay on the battlefield, drenched and visibly exhausted.

"Come on, Pidgey! You can do it!" Casey called out, her voice filled with a mix of urgency and hope.

Ash, meanwhile, refrained from launching another attack. He chose to wait, giving Pidgey the opportunity to rise again.

After a brief struggle, Pidgey shook off the water droplets and managed to take flight once more.

Relieved, Casey quickly adjusted her strategy. "Pidgey, stay in the air and use Gust!"

Pidgey climbed higher, over ten meters above the battlefield. Channeling its Flying-type energy, it flapped its wings vigorously, creating a powerful current of wind that hurtled toward Lapras.

Ash nodded slightly, acknowledging Casey's improvement in tactics. Keeping Pidgey at a distance to employ ranged attacks was a smart choice, given the circumstances.

"Lapras, use Ice Shard," Ash commanded calmly.

"Rapp-!" Lapras let out a low roar as Ice-type energy crystallized in front of it. Sharp shards of ice formed rapidly and shot forward with precision, colliding with the incoming Gust.

The two attacks clashed mid-air, but the Gust wasn't strong enough to neutralize all the shards. A few broke through and struck Pidgey directly.

"Piii-!" Pidgey cried out as it was hit, tumbling from the sky and landing on the ground with a soft thud. It struggled briefly but ultimately couldn't continue the battle.

"Pidgey!" Casey rushed forward but stopped herself, realizing the battle wasn't over yet. She returned Pidgey to its Poké Ball, biting her lip in frustration.

"You're up next, Chikorita!" she announced, summoning her second Pokémon.

"Chiko!" Chikorita leapt onto the battlefield, its eyes blazing with determination.

As a Grass-type, Chikorita had a natural advantage against Lapras's Water typing. Casey clung to this hope.

"Chikorita, use Vine Whip!" she commanded, pointing toward Lapras.

Green vines shot out from Chikorita's body, aiming to strike Lapras.

"Lapras, use Ice Shard again," Ash responded.

"Rapp-!" Lapras roared, summoning another barrage of ice shards.

The two attacks collided mid-air, but once again, the power of Ice Shard proved too much. 

Two shards slipped past Chikorita's defenses and struck it directly, sending the Grass-type Pokémon tumbling backward.

"Chikorita!" Casey cried as her partner struggled to get back up. However, it was clear that Chikorita could no longer continue the battle.

With tears in her eyes, Casey retrieved Chikorita into its Poké Ball. "I lost... completely," she whispered, her voice trembling.

The gap between her and Ash felt insurmountable. Lapras, the Pokémon Ash considered his weakest, had defeated both of her team members without sustaining a single hit.

"You fought well," Ash said, stepping forward. He extended a hand toward Casey. "You're still new to this, but your ability to adapt and learn quickly is a strength. With practice, you'll become a formidable Trainer."

"Do you really think so?" Casey asked, looking up at him with watery eyes.

"I'm sure of it," Ash replied sincerely.

Encouraged by his words, Casey wiped her tears and stood tall. "Thank you... I'll do my best to improve!"

Ash smiled. "Remember, becoming a great Trainer isn't just about battling. It's about understanding your Pokémon and helping them grow. 

For example, during the battle, you could have used Vine Whip defensively to deflect the ice shards instead of going on the offensive."

Casey nodded, absorbing his advice.

"And Pidgey," Ash continued, "wasn't fully proficient in Quick Attack. If it had been, it might have been able to change direction mid-move. Focus on mastering the basics before rushing into battles."

As Ash patiently explained her mistakes and offered tips for improvement, Casey's frustration gave way to determination.

With Ash's guidance, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. One day, she vowed, she would stand on equal footing with him.

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