Pokemon: A different Ash

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After confirming that she was fine, Sabrina was discharged from the hospital, though her mother suggested she stay a little longer. 

However, Sabrina insisted on leaving, which wasn't surprising. As a top psychic, her physical fitness was exceptional. Her body showed no lingering effects from the ordeal, and she disliked staying in hospitals.

At Sabrina's insistence, her parents relented, and she was discharged. Before leaving, they expressed their gratitude to Ash once again.

Ash, on the other hand, didn't take the opportunity to rest. Despite feeling utterly drained and stripped of consciousness during the incident, he woke up feeling invigorated—his body and spirit stronger than ever.

He dressed quickly, ignored Misty's concerns, and headed to the practice field behind the Pokémon Center with Pikachu. It was still early, and the field was unoccupied.

Standing at the edge of the field, Ash looked at Pikachu, who stood in the center, both recalling the incredible moment they had experienced.

"Pikachu, try to find that feeling again!" Ash called out, his voice firm.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu responded with equal seriousness, crouching low to the ground. Even though it had been unconscious during the event, it retained a vivid memory of the experience.

"Pikachu, use Zippy Zap!" Ash instructed, recalling how the move had come naturally, as if their thoughts had been synchronized at the time.

Pikachu closed its eyes briefly, summoning the memory of that energy. Sparks began to crackle around its body as it crouched lower. Then, in a flash, Pikachu surged forward at a speed faster than Quick Attack. The electric arcs trailing behind left a streak of light, a shadowy blur of Pikachu barely visible as it moved.

The attack combined the speed of Quick Attack with a power greater than Thunder Shock but slightly below Volt Tackle. While impressive, it wasn't as overwhelming as it had been during their peak synchronization in the gymnasium, where it had demonstrated strength beyond what Ash had expected.

Ash observed intently, recalling the synergy he had experienced with Pikachu during the battle. It reminded him of his first battle as a child, when he commanded Growlithe against Fearow. Back then, even with an early connection to his Pokémon, he hadn't achieved such a strong bond. Trainers usually needed time to understand their Pokémon's unique moves before fully utilizing them, but this connection with Pikachu was on a different level.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu cried again, focusing harder. Its body lowered once more as arcs of electricity danced around it. This time, the speed and power seemed closer to what Ash remembered from the gym.

Ash noted that while the move wasn't as powerful as before, the potential was unmistakable. It reminded him of Pokémon evolution—how every evolution enhanced a Pokémon's moves, both in speed and strength. With more practice, Ash knew they could refine Zippy Zap into a formidable weapon.

But at that moment, Kadabra, bolstered by Sabrina's psychic abilities, had an advantage that made it resilient against electric-type special moves. Reflecting on the battle, Ash found it almost unbelievable that he managed to defeat it in a single blow. Could it have been sheer luck?

He pondered the idea of hitting a critical point—a concept he remembered from the games. A Pokémon's ultimate attack could sometimes strike a critical hit, doubling its effectiveness. Of course, this worked both ways, as opposing Pokémon could also land critical hits on his team.

In reality, however, achieving a "critical hit" often required a significant gap in strength. For example, Elite Four and champion-level Trainers could easily overpower ordinary Trainers, their Pokémon delivering devastating blows that could end battles instantly. Even without type advantages, a level difference could decide the outcome of a fight.

"It looks like I'll need to try again to truly understand this move," Ash mused. New techniques always required testing to fully grasp their potential, and Zippy Zap was no exception.

Its name reminded him of Splishy Splash, another move Pikachu had learned previously, which Professor Oak had named. Both techniques seemed unique to Pikachu, skills not seen in the original anime. Together, they felt like pieces of a distinct skill set that Pikachu alone could master.

"Alright, Pikachu, let's try again and see if we can recreate yesterday's success!" Ash called out.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu responded eagerly, its enthusiasm undiminished despite the challenge.

Although both Trainer and Pokémon had collapsed after the battle the day before, the intense focus and synchronization they had achieved left them exhilarated. Determined to reclaim that state, Ash closed his eyes, concentrating hard to sense his inner strength. Pikachu mirrored him, standing still with its eyes shut.

"Really? He just recovered, and now he's pushing himself again. What if he collapses?" Misty exclaimed from the sidelines, her voice tinged with worry.

Ash's reckless enthusiasm for battling made her uneasy. If the power they tapped into the other day had unknown side effects, it could pose a risk to his health.

"Ash is just like that," Brock replied knowingly. "He won't listen, no matter how much you tell him. Once it's about Pokémon and battles, he loses himself completely."

Whoosh!

A sudden gust of wind swept across the field. Both Ash and Pikachu remained still, concentrating. However, nothing extraordinary happened. Slowly, Ash opened his eyes, disappointment flickering across his face.

"Guess it's no use right now," he muttered, looking down at his hands. Whatever they had unlocked the previous day, the feeling was absent now. Pikachu's ears drooped, clearly blaming itself for the failure.

"Don't worry about it, Pikachu," Ash said, crouching down to pat its head reassuringly. "We probably just need more practice. Take it step by step."

Pikachu brightened slightly at Ash's encouragement, nodding with determination. Together, they resolved to keep working toward mastering their new technique.