"Isn't it great that Professor Oak told us about this tournament? To bad it's for guys only, seems a bit unfair, eh Misty?"
"Yeah Ash, Its not to bad though, Professor Oak told me loads of stuff I can do in and around Pewter, so I'll be very busy anyway."
"So you won't be coming to watch us battle?" asked Brock, who the other two had nearly forgotten about because he'd been so quiet since they had talked with Oak.
"I'll probably not have time, but I will if I get a spare minute. You've been very quiet."
"Yeah, I've just been thinking about this tournament. It's been a while since I actually battled…"
"Hey guys! Look! There it is, Pewter City!" called Ash who had rushed ahead.
"It's good to be home again. I think I need to call in at the gym and see what's been going on there."
"No time Brock- look there is already a queue to sign up for the tournament. Hey, where did Misty go?" Ash said pointing to a long queue and looking around for Misty.
"Don't know, but you're right we better join the queue. I can check the gym and we can look for Misty after we sign up. Can you see where this queue ends? It looks like it goes around that corner up there."
The queue did go around "that corner up there," and it lead all the way to the gym which Brock used to be the leader of, before he left to go on his adventure with Ash, all that time ago. What the guys didn't know was who had taken over the running of the gym in Pewter City and they were soon to be in with a shock when they got there to find out.
The queue was not to slow and the pair soon reached the last corner and seen that it was leading to the gym building, but there was something very odd about the building. The front of it had been changed into a Pokémon Centre, but the "gym" sign still hung high on the wall above the red roof of the centre's front.
"Looks like they combined the Pokémon Centre and the gym," pointed out Ash.
"Yeah, I wonder whose idea that was: It's a good one. Pokémon injured from battle can be treated immediately. I wonder if it was Joy or the new leader who came up with it."
"Well, I suppose we can ask inside. Come on the queue's moving again."
It didn't take much longer for the guys to reach the sign up point at the main desk of the Pokémon Centre. They both put their names down and then headed for the door with the gym sign above it.
"Where do you think you're going? The gym is closed today- no-one's allowed in."
"JENNY!!! I've missed you. You always were my favourite. How are things?"
Ash pulled Brock away from the stunned officer by the ear.
"Who are y… Brock!? Wow, long time since you've been in Pewter."
"Yeah, I've been travelling with Ash here," Brock replied struggling from Ash's grip.
"Did I hear someone say "Brock"?"
"JOY!!"
"Brock! Stop it. I'm sorry Nurse Joy!" Ash said grabbing Brock's ear again.
"It's okay, we're used to it. He did used to be the gym leader here, remember?"
So Ash and Brock told Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny about their adventures since they were last in Pewter; About Misty, Team Rocket and about the Pokémon League. Most of the telling was done by Ash because Brock just stood there drooling, with the occasional comment on his successes when they arose in the story.
"So, who's the new leader here?" asked Ash after the story.
Joy and Jenny looked at each other and giggled, "You'll find out when it is announced at the tournament."
"You mean it hasn't been announced yet?"
"The leader who took over from Brock was injured a month ago and has decided to retire. But we have found a replacement who the City Council agree on. It took a lot of discussion to decide."
"Well when is the announcement happening?"
"At the opening of the tournament tomorrow morning."
"Well, we better go get dinner, and get an early night. Its been nice talking."
"Goodbye, have a good night."
"Thanks, come on Brock. Come on!"
A/N – this is for my mate Ian, who loves Pokémon still at the age of 21. lol. He will be appearing in this short fic in a later chapter, as will my other mate Caron. Thanks to all who read this, and I hope u liked it and will review.