"Now—come and witness the charm of the Fighting type!"
Grey hurled a Poké Ball.
Machop planted its feet on the field.
[Pokémon: Machop]
[Type: Fighting]
[Level: 28]
[Ability: Guts]
[Moves: Bullet Punch; others omitted.]
Ash's choice was a lizard Pokémon with a flame burning on its tail.
[Pokémon: Charmander]
[Type: Fire]
[Level: 26]
[Ability: Blaze]
[Moves: omitted.]
"Oh? A Charmander?"
Grey's eyes shifted at the sight. One of Ash's future mainstays—Charizard—was a fan meme as "Professor Charizard" for a reason: after evolving, it ignored Ash for a long stretch.
It even threw a game at the Indigo Conference.
That loss stopped Ash in the round of 16.
Right now, though, his Charmander hadn't evolved yet.
But at this level…
It was close.
Just one trigger away.
"Charmander, show Gym Leader Grey what you can do!" Ash called, chest out and voice brimming. "Use Flamethrower!"
"Raaah!"
For now, Charmander was still a good boy; it followed Ash's command to the letter.
It opened its mouth—an onrushing column of fire roared out, scoring a charred line across the floor as heat warped the air.
Being able to use Flamethrower at this stage—and with decent power—meant this Charmander was no slouch.
Grey didn't want a head-on collision: "Machop, Bullet Punch to close the distance!"
[Yes yes, that one!]
[Feels like the streamer lives on Bullet Punch and Mach Punch—he always opens with them.]
[Don't forget Riolu's Vacuum Wave. Dude loves speed! You menace, Gym Leader Grey!]
Veterans of Grey's "persecution" all felt a chill up their spines.
Priority gap-closing was nasty. Even if you prepped a counter, Grey would flip it a second later.
Machop, in particular, excelled at those reversals.
To the uninitiated, you'd think it had No Guard.
"Mach!"
Machop barked, silver metal sheen skimming its forearms and sheathing its fists in an instant.
It thundered forward, heavy strides gouging faint ruts, darting around the oncoming Flamethrower at an angle.
"Raaah!"
Charmander whipped its head, angling the flames to cut Machop off and keep it at range.
But Machop only ran faster, even tracing a circle—its line of attack suddenly uncertain.
Charmander's head started to spin; its fire stream thinned.
Seizing the moment, Machop slipped behind it—
—and drove a silver-gleaming fist straight into its flank.
Taptaptap—
A crisp flurry of impacts rang out across Charmander's orange body, a neat row of same-sized dents blooming at once.
The Flamethrower guttered, only sparks drifting in the air.
"Charmander!"
Ash's heart jumped. Seeing it reel back, he shouted, "Counter with Ember!"
"Raaah!"
Charmander's claws scraped white tracks from the floor. The flame on its tail flared; it flicked out a cluster of fireballs!
Swish, swish, swish!
Three shots in a spread pattern ripped the air, black smoke trailing and swallowing Charmander's outline.
Machop halted, braced both hands in front of its chest, the silver light sighted on the incoming shots, ready to swat.
Grey had other ideas. "Push through with Fire Punch! Don't mind the move!"
At the command, Machop didn't hesitate—the silver along its fists ignited into rolling flames.
It met the Embers head-on, right fist surging upward like a rising dragon!
The instant fire met fire, a burst bloomed like a bomb.
Flame blossomed from Machop's knuckles, devouring the Embers and punching on into the smoke!
Seeing Machop charge into the haze, Ash snapped, "Fire Fang!"
"Rooo!"
Charmander yawned wide—red heat flowed between its fangs, mouth glowing like a forge.
It kicked off the ground, lunging with burning teeth for Machop!
A gust tore the smoke aside.
Reading the silhouette, Machop struck first—its fire-wreathed fist crashed into Fire Fang midair!
Boom!
Twin blasts of flame ballooned into a ring, sweeping the lingering smoke away.
Locked in the firelight, the two Pokémon stared each other down; twin sparks of fighting spirit danced in their eyes.
"Raaaugh!"
Charmander went feral—its jaw flexed wide and clamped down, biting over Machop's right fist and the flames with it!
The hot fangs sank deep into Machop's wrist, and the sharp smell of char drifted in the air.
Machop's right arm shook; the fire on its fist flickered.
"Thunder Punch," Grey ordered.
Machop's left arm knotted with power—lightning detonated along it.
Brilliant gold wrapped the whole forearm; arcing bolts leapt from the knuckles straight for Charmander's unguarded belly!
"Charmander, let go! Spit it out!"
Ash's cry split the air—but it was half a beat late.
Bang!!!
Another piledriver of a punch hammered Charmander's soft underside.
A savage current surged—golden arcs raced across its whole body.
Charmander's eyes bulged; its jaws sprang open on instinct.
Machop wrenched its scorched right hand free as Charmander flew like a cut kite, skidding a long burned trail along the floor, crackling electricity still dancing over it.
That punch had nearly made it cough up breakfast.
"Grrr…"
Charmander coughed out dark smoke, hacking in big gulps.
Seeing its state, Ash's eyes tightened. "Charmander, hang in there!"
"Raaah!"
At his voice, Charmander planted both palms, hauling itself up to face Machop standing steady across from it.
That punch would be repaid.
"Raaa!!"
The tail flame roared higher—short of a full Blaze trigger, but its fighting spirit spiked.
It sprinted; both hands leveled at Machop, shining white!
Grey glanced once and called, "Vital Throw."
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