Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Pokemon.
Character thoughts are italicized.
"There's Pewter City!" Samurai called back to Nick. The duo looked down onto the city, it was more modern than Samurai's village. The streets were lined with street lights and the roads were paved. The buildings were based on modern designed houses, and the Pokemon Center was right in the center of town. The two trainers continued walking until they found a pile of boulders that they decided to rest on.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing on my rocks!?" A voice belonging to a tall man in work clothes, he also had a beard and wore a knit hat on his head. "Those boulders are my property, I sell them as souvenirs to travelers."
"You sell rocks?" Nick asked out of shock.
"Yes, these rocks can only be found within Pewter City and are quite rare. My store has a strict policy though, you touch it, you buy it." The man said as he pointed at the trainers sitting on the rocks. "But, if you answer my question, I'll let you go. What is the best type of pokemon?"
"That's easy, bug types." Samurai blurted out.
"Oh, I'm sorry that's wrong."
This must be a trick question, each type of pokemon has its own advantages and disadvantages against the other types. Nick was now thinking too in depth for the answer. "The answer is, that no type is the best, as they all have advantages and disadvantages against other types." Nick answered confidently.
"Nope. Wrong again. The answer is it depends on who you ask. You see, someone from Pewter City would answer rock, while you're friend answered with bug type. Listen, I'll give you another chance. If you deliver that package to the Pokemon Center, I'll pretend that I didn't see you. Tell Nurse Joy that its from Flint. You see, I'm sending it home to my family. I originally left to become a famous trainer, unfortunately that never happened, so now I spend the days mining for rocks and selling them to tourists to feed my family." Flint explained. "The only rule I have is that you don't open the package, it contains something that only my family would understand."
Nick sat there listening to the man. He never knew what it was like to take care of a family, he never thought of the future as he only thought of becoming a great trainer. Without a second thought he reached into his pocket and pulled out a few dollars and handed it to Flint. "I know it ain't much, but what can I buy with this?"
"With this you can afford one of the rocks I found at Mt. Moon." Flint told him as Nick was handed a rock. He put the rock in his bag and then grabbed the package and was off towards the Pokemon Center. Samurai followed behind Nick, and they routinely traded places as one carried and the other took a rest because the box was extremely heavy. After a while Samurai was growing anxious.
"Hey, why not open this, he'd never know. We just take a quick look and then reseal it." Samurai decided.
"No! I gave him my word not to look. What would I be if I broke his trust." Nick responded between breaths of air. Unbeknownst to them, Flint was watching them from afar. It took the two over an hour to reach the Center as it was further than it looked like it was. The duo walked into the Center with the package and explained to Nurse Joy what it was. Just then they heard a clapping noise and turned around to see Flint appluding them.
"I see you made the trip here. I'm very appreciative of you two boys, but now I can drop the act." He said as he ripped his hat and beard off. "The truth is, I'm actually the gym leader of this town. I have young trainers do this whenever I catch them on the way into town. You see, some of the greatest strengths a trainer can have are trust and their beliefs. Trust isn't just between a trainer and their pokemon, but between two trainers. Also, one's beliefs shape what kind of trainer you are."
"Wait, so are you really sending this package?" Samurai asked.
"Nope, if you open the box, you'll see that its only rocks." Flint replied playfully, but Samurai was steaming mad. "But anyways, all money raised by the sale of rock souvenirs is donated to the Pewter City youth center. I will tell you about the rock I gave you. It's called a moon stone, rumors have it that it helps certain pokemon are affected by it, but I've never seen it happen."
"I see, so if you're the gym leader when are you available for a battle. I'm trying to earn eight badges so I can compete at the Indigo Plateau." Nick asked politely
"Well, I am pretty busy for the next few days, but for you I can fit a match in for 9:00 am tomorrow morning. How's that sound?" He replied with a smile before proceeding to leave the Center. The two trainers noticed that it was now late at night and decided to rest in the Center for the night.
"So, do you have any idea on what you plan to do?"
"Well, from his answer earlier, I figured that this gym is a rock type. So I know that Krabby will be used for sure. I just don't know how many pokemon we both will be using." Nick answered. He then decided to head off to bed as he was going to have a busy day tomorrow. The next morning arrived and Nick was off to the Pewter City gym. Nick noticed that this gym looked different. The outside was built from stone and the inside was just the same. The entire battlefield was a rocky terrain which had rocks pointing out of it. Standing on the other side was Flint, waiting patiently.
"Nick! I'm looking forward to this battle ever since I met you yesterday. Our battle will be a two on two match, with you being able to switch pokemon as you want. Geodude, come on out!" Flint yelled as a rock like pokemon with arms appeared.
"Eevee, I choose you." Nick called his partner out.
"Hm, an interesting choice. Geodude, rock throw." Geodude grabbed rocks from the field and threw them at Eevee.
"Quick, use dig to dodge."
"Ee!" The pokemon called out as he dug into the ground and avoided the attack.
"Geodude, be ready for their attack. He could reappear at any time."
"Now!" Nick yelled as Eevee reappeared from underground, hitting Geodude.
"Perfect, Geodude, grab him and don't let go." Geodude did as he was told, grabbing Eevee's tail, preventing him from escaping. "Now, throw him into the rocks." Flint said pointing to a new pile of rocks. "After you used dig, we decided to create a new pile of rocks, one that is shaped to our liking." Geodude threw Eevee into the rocks, causing Eevee to collide with it. "Now, use mud-slap." Geodude started to throw the mud on the ground toward Eevee.
"Eevee, quick use sand-attack to block it." Eevee kicked as much dirt up as he could, having it stop the mud-slap attack, causing a cloud of dirt to cover the field. When the cloud vanished Eevee was gone. "Now Eevee!" Just then Eevee jumped from underground, striking Geodude and knocking him out.
"Geodude is unable to battle, the winner is Eevee!" The referee yelled.
"Onix, I choose you!" Flint yelled as a giant rock snake appeared.
"Will the challenger switch pokemon?" The referee asked.
"Eevee, return!" Nick called as Eevee returned into the pokeball. "Krabby, I choose you!" The crab pokemon appeared on the field. "Krabby, bubble attack."
"Onix, dodge by heading down that hole." Flint said as he pointed to the last hole left by Eevee's last dig attack. "Now, attack!" Onix reappeared underneath Krabby, catching it by surprise.
"Counter with bubble!" Krabby was able to launch his attack fast enough to slow down Onix, but was still hit by the pokemon. "Krabby, are you alright?"
"Krab!" The crab pokemon responded.
"Alright use bubble one more time!" Hopefully a continuous attack will weaken Onix over time. I can't outspeed him, so I'll just have to have more stamina. Nick thought.
The attack hit Onix again, who was showing fatigue. "Onix, rock tomb!" Unlike rock throw, rocks appeared around Onix and they started to be flung towards Krabby. Over time Krabby was trapped by the rocks, but Nick noticed that a hole was also inside of the trap.
"Krabby, jump into the hole!" Krabby jumped into the hole, staying in there.
"Onix, go after him, don't let him rest!" Onix raced towards the hole and charged into it.
"Got you, Krabby use bubble!" But instead of bubbles being shot at Onix, a stream of water came, hitting Onix directly, blowing him out of the hole and knocking him out.
"Onix is unable to battle. The winner is Krabby and the winner of this match is the challenger Nick from Pallet Town.
"Nick, that was a great match. I haven't had a battle like that in a while. I'll be rooting for you during the league." Flint told the trainer as he handed him the Boulder Badge.
As it was still early in the day, the two travellers decided to head straight through Mt. Moon as that would be the fastest path towards Cerulian City where Nick's next gym battle would be.
"So this is Mt. Moon?" Nick asked as the duo entered the mountain.
"Yep, accourding to the map if we head straight through here, we should be in Cerulian City by sundown." Samurai said as he led the way into Mt. Moon. After a while though, the duo appeared to have become lost within the mountain.
"I thought you knew the way!?" Nick asked, visably upset.
"Well, the map I've been using is outdated, apparently some scientists have been doing research in here for a few weeks, but if I'm right, and I know I am then the left path should lead us out of here." He responded as he pointed to a fork in the cave.
"Oh, so you think left? Well, I'm going right and we'll see who's right." Nick said as he headed down the right path.
"Where do you think you're going! I'm the only one who knows the correct path!" He yelled towards his travel partner. Samurai decided to continue down his path, hoping to prove Nick wrong.
Unfortunately, within minutes Nick found the exit. Knowing Samurai might be a while, Nick let his pokemon out so they could rest on the other side of the mountain with Cerulian City within view.
Samurai was now digging deeper into the mountain, now realizing that he was the wrong one. "Well, as long as I remember the path I took." He said as he turned around only to see about seven different trails. "I guess I really am lost." He cried softly. Just then he heard something from one of the paths, he followed the noise until he saw a Paras, being attacked by a hoard of Zubat. Acting quickly, he decided to help it. "Pinsir, I need your help!" He called as the bug pokemon appeared. "Use vicegrip." Pinsir sliced through the Zubat like a warrior slicing through his enemies with a sword.
"Par?" The pokemon said, still startled from being attacked.
"Hey, it's okay. You're safe, but, you wouldn't happen to know where the exit is, would you? You see, I got lost while trying to find it." He told the pokemon. Before he could say anything else, Paras was pointing him in the direction of the exit. After about a half an hour, the three found the exit. "Thank you Paris, I wouldn't have found it without you." Samurai then ran off, only to find Nick and his pokemon sleeping on the hill overlooking Cerulian. "Nick! Wake up!" He yelled at his friend.
"Huh, I'm up." Nick said as all his pokemon and himself jumped only to see Samurai and Pinsir laughing. "Hey, I see you caught a new pokemon." Nick said pointing to Paras. The pokemon, spooked by Nick giving him away hid behind a tree.
Samurai, noticing it now called out to Paras. "Is that true, do you want to come along with us?"
Paras only shook his head in a fashion which meant yes. "Alright, welcome aboard." He said as he lightly tossed the pokeball, catching Paris
A/N: Hope you're enjoying this. Let me know how I can improve it.
Team:
Nick- 2 badges:
Eevee- tackle, sand-attack, dig
Beedrill- poison sting, string shot, twinneedle, harden
Krabby- water gun, bubble, stomp.
Samurai-
Pinsir- harden, vicegrip, focus energy
Metapod- harden, string shot
Paras- leech life