The combined pull of Twister and the crashing currents gave Starmie real trouble. Against a simple Twister, Pidgeotto's strength alone wouldn't have been enough to restrain it for long. But with the arena's water feeding into the cyclone, the storm became a roaring Water Twister, a force even Starmie couldn't easily break free from.
"What an imaginative idea…" Misty admitted, her eyes flashing with surprise. "If I hadn't traveled with you this whole time, Ash, I'd almost doubt you were still a rookie Trainer."
The tactics were unmistakable. Ash's battle against Brock had already shown glimpses of this ingenuity, and now it was on full display again. No newly debuted Trainer should've been capable of stringing together strategies like these.
Still, Misty knew this was only temporary. The instant the winds weakened, Starmie would rocket free of the vortex and launch a counterattack.
Ash just grinned. "Guess I should come clean, I'm a genius Trainer, way more of a genius than you, Misty!"
"Bah!" Misty huffed, cheeks reddening.
"Heh! Come back, Pidgeotto… it's your cue again, Butterfree!" Ash recalled his bird and tossed out Butterfree's Poké Ball with a flourish.
Misty blinked. "Butterfree? Now?"
The move made no sense at first glance. With Starmie still trapped, the obvious choice was Pikachu, an Electric-type attack here could've dealt devastating damage. Once Starmie escaped, Pikachu's speed might not even keep up with it again. Why waste the opportunity?
But Ash's answer came not in words, but in action.
"Butterfree, use Confusion!"
"Freeee!" Butterfree's eyes glowed sapphire blue, psychic energy rippling through the air. The entire Twister shuddered, lifted skyward, then tilted sharply, flung like a colossal waterspout toward the far side of the stands!
The cascade of water slammed down with a deafening roar. The Three Sisters and Brock, safely on the opposite side, weren't in danger, but the sheer spectacle had them leaping to their feet in shock.
What was Ash doing, trying to throw Starmie out along with the Twister?
But Starmie didn't go flying. The moment the cyclone was torn away, the gem at its core flared, and it regained its freedom, spinning back into control.
Misty's brow furrowed. "Ash, what on earth are you planning?"
"You'll know soon enough. Butterfree, Gust!"
Butterfree's wings whipped up another storm, not a towering tornado this time, but a fierce gale that churned what little water remained in the pool.
Starmie submerged again, unscathed. But Butterfree was clearly flagging, its wings beating harder, its body sagging under the strain. Two heavy moves in a row had drained nearly half its stamina, and now it was pushing itself even further.
Brock frowned. "At this rate, Butterfree's going to wear itself out before Starmie even attacks…"
Misty's eyes narrowed. 'Stirring the water…?' Her gaze flicked to the pool below, and suddenly, her breath caught.
The once-full pool had been reduced to little more than a shallow basin. Starmie barely had enough depth to hide in. Another few rounds like this, and the water arena, the ' greatest advantage, would vanish completely.
Misty's heart skipped. 'So that's it… His real target wasn't Starmie at all. It was the battlefield itself!'
"Now! Butterfree, use Confusion!"
The pool was already in chaos. With the surface broken and scattered, there was no longer enough cohesion for the water to resist. Even with its stamina nearly spent, Butterfree's psychic force could finish the job.
"Freee!" Butterfree's eyes shone a bright sapphire blue. A psychic wave surged, and the remaining water lifted into the air, then came crashing down on the empty side of the spectator stands with a tremendous splash.
The flood poured off into the drainage grates, leaving the battlefield little more than a damp basin. What little water clung to the tiles wasn't enough to hinder anyone. Pikachu now had solid ground to run on.
"So that was your plan all along." Misty pressed a hand to her forehead, watching the dripping stands in exasperation.
Ash smirked. "Exactly. It doesn't matter if I can hurt Starmie yet. What matters is giving Pikachu solid footing. If we battled in your Water Field, even three Pokémon against one, I'd have no chance."
With that, he recalled Butterfree. The poor bug's wings drooped, exhausted. Ash's grin softened. He knew he'd pushed Butterfree and Pidgeotto beyond their limits. Against Starmie, their attacks barely scratched, it was like tickling a fortress.
The only one who could truly stand against Misty's ace was Pikachu, his strongest partner and the one with the type advantage.
"But to change the field, you sacrificed Butterfree completely," Misty countered, her voice calm again. The sting of losing her home-field edge faded as she reassessed. "Without your powders, Butterfree isn't a threat anymore. And Pidgeotto can't pressure Starmie either. That leaves you with just one real option."
Ash's hand clenched into a fist. "Then that's enough. Butterfree and Pidgeotto gave their all, it's up to Pikachu now to finish what they started!"
"Pika-pi!!" Pikachu bounded forward, cheeks sparking, eyes blazing with determination.
From the sidelines, Ralts toddled forward, tiny legs carrying it toward the arena as well.
"Whoa, hold it right there!" Ash yelped, scooping it up with both hands. Sweat trickled down his cheek. "Not today, Ralts! It's Pikachu's turn. You're still too little, remember? I promised, I'll send you out when the time is right."
The little Psychic-type tilted its head, blinking innocently. Ash shuddered at the thought. If Ralts actually stepped into this fight, who knew what would happen? Misty might just throw in the towel on the spot.