As Nurse Joy had instructed her during an earlier healing session, the first thing Leaf did was visit the local Pokémon Center to heal her Pokémon.
"Nurse Joy? What are you doing here?" she asked. "Didn't I see you in Viridian City?"
"That was my first cousin once removed," Nurse Joy said. "We're both in the business of making your Pokémon fighting fit, no matter where you are. It's a family business, really."
Leaf deposited her Pokémon with Nurse Joy, who said, "I see my cousin told you how things are done around here. I believe you may very well be on the right track to becoming a Pokémon Master."
"So it seems," Leaf said. "Let me know if Butterfree and J. Roger have learned any new moves upon evolution."
"If my memory serves me right, they do," Nurse Joy said. "Who is this J. Roger, anyhow?"
"My just-evolved Beedrill, according to my Pokédex," Leaf replied.
Nurse Joy said, "Then J. Roger should know Fury Attack by now. Upon evolving from Metapod, Butterfree, on the other hand, learns Confusion. It's a powerful Psychic-type move. I recommend you use it against the gym leader's Pokémon given the right opportunity. They're weak against Grass-type, Water-type, and special attacks, according to Mr. Clyde. He's a helpful guy; you should get some tips from him every chance you get."
Leaf smiled and said, "I will."
Leaf decided to consult her handbook to see what it had to say about special attacks. It said that there were two types of attacks: physical and special. Each dealt a different type of damage from each other. Special attacks included those of the Fire, Water, Electric, Grass, Ice, Psychic, Dragon, and Dark types.
"You're not from here," someone said right behind her. "Where are you from?"
"I come from Pallet Town," Leaf said. "A humble little hamlet some miles south of here."
The young man said, "In any case, you seem to be taking this Pokémon training business seriously. Actually, there aren't many serious Pokémon trainers around here. They're all like bug catchers in my opinion, but our gym leader is totally into it!"
"Does the local Poké Mart stock Potions?" Leaf asked.
"Of course!"
Leaf ran towards the Poké Mart, but she wasn't looking both ways and ended up tripping into a garden being tended to by another man. "Hey, lady! You know what I'm doing?"
"No," Leaf said.
"I'm spraying Repel to keep Pokémon out of my garden!" he said.
"I'm real sorry about your fence," Leaf said. "I was heading to the Poké Mart to get me some Potions."
"Don't mention it," the man said. "That fence is superfluous as long as Repel does its stuff."
Leaf continued to the Poké Mart.
"Welcome to the Poké Mart! All your item needs fulfilled! Identification please."
Leaf showed the clerk her Pokédex. "Excellent!" said he. "How may I help you? You wanna buy or sell?"
Leaf said, "I'm looking to buy as many Potions as I need."
"Take all the time you need," the clerk said.
While looking for the Potions, Leaf overheard a guy complaining about how someone had ripped him off. "Some shady old man convinced me to buy this really weird fish Pokémon! It's totally weak, and it cost 500 Poké Dollars!"
Leaf asked herself, "What could that fish Pokémon possibly be?"
Following the purchase, Leaf picked up her Pokémon before being intercepted by yet another man. "Did you check out the museum?" he asked.
"All I've been to around here," Leaf said, "is the Pokémon Center, the Poké Mart, and a garden."
"Really? You absolutely have to go!"
The man grabbed Leaf by the wrist and ran over to the Pewter Museum of Science. "It's right here! Of course, you'll have to pay to get in, but it'll be worth it! See you around!"
Leaf decided she may as well, since she was on a mission from Professor Oak.
"It's 500 Poké Dollars for a child's ticket. Would you like to come in?"
"Sure," Leaf said. "I heard there's a fossil exhibit here."
After she paid up, the man at the desk said, "Thank you! Take plenty of time to look!"
The first exhibit Leaf checked out were the fossil Pokémon. She took out her Pokédex in an attempt to identify both of them, but the Pokédex couldn't. Fortunately, both had their names printed clearly. She took a notebook out of her bag and sketched both fossil exhibits so she could return to them once she was able to get more info on them. The first set of fossils belonged to an Aerodactyl, and the other to a Kabutops.
Leaf went upstairs and found a meteorite exhibit. The meteorite was assumed to be a fragment of the Moon Stone, which caused Clefairy to behave erratically. Leaf had to pick her up to keep her from trying to break through the glass. "I'm not about to let you vandalize any exhibit here," said she, "even if it is a Moon Stone."
Clefairy pouted. "But we Clefairy worship the Moon Stone-pippi! We believe it'll make us stronger-pippi!"
"You can use the Moon Stone after I find one that's not being exhibited," Leaf said. "So please, be patient."
The final exhibit was a space shuttle exhibit. The shuttle, a scale replica of the Columbia, was accurately designed, down to the last detail. As she and her Pokémon were admiring it, they overheard a young girl behind them. "I want a Pikachu! It's so cute!" she exclaimed upon seeing Leaf's Pikachu.
"Yeah, a Pikachu soon, I promise," her father said. "I'd like to take that Pikachu off you, young lady, but it's too attached to you. I guess I'll look in Viridian Forest, then."
Leaf said, "Good luck."
"I think you should've done that little girl the favor-pika," Pikachu said as they left the museum. "Still, you found quite a few of my kind other than me in the forest-pika, so catching one of my brethren shouldn't be too difficult for him-pika. Besides, I like you a lot-pika."
"Tell me something, Lita," Leaf said. "Do you always end sentences with part of your own name?"
"Well, it does remind me of who I am-pika," Pikachu replied. "A lot of Pokémon, if they know human language, end their sentences similarly-pika."
Suddenly, Leaf came across a foreboding sign... a sign of things to come in her journey. She read the sign out loud.
"NOTICE! Thieves have been stealing Pokémon fossils at Mt. Moon! Please call Pewter Police with any info!"
"You're a trainer, right?"
It was then that Leaf noticed the youngster standing near the sign. "You from here? Because I'm not."
"Actually, yes. The name's Colton," said he, "and the gym leader here has requested I recommend his gym to potential new challengers. Come on, follow me!"
Leaf did so, as did Clefairy and Pikachu. "If you have the right stuff," Colton said before leaving them outside of Pewter Gym, "show him what you're made of."
"Oh! You have a Clefairy!" said a picnicker just outside of the gym. "It's rumored Clefairy came from the Moon. They appeared after the Moon Stone fell on Mt. Moon."
Clefairy asked, "You an expert on the Moon Stone-pippi?"
The picnicker, mildly surprised that a Clefairy could talk, said, "No, I just heard about it. Anyway, if you're going to take on the gym leader, then I should wish you three good luck, because you're going to need it."
Leaf, accompanied by Clefairy and Pikachu, entered the gym.
"Hiya! Name's Clyde, and I'm the gym guide! I can tell you have what it takes to become a Pokémon champ!"
Leaf stopped at the sound of the hipster's voice. "I'm no trainer," said he, "but I can tell you how to win! It's a free service! Shall I take you to the top?"
"Sure," Leaf said.
"All right! Let's get happening!" he shouted. "It will be tough for your Pikachu at this gym! Electric attacks are harmless against Ground-type Pokémon."
Pikachu asked, "You sure-pika?"
Clyde didn't seem the least bit fazed by what he had just witnessed. "Well, if you do train your Pikachu hard enough... really, it depends on how strong your Pikachu is."
Pikachu decided to impress Clyde. Her cheeks turned bright gold again. "Pi-ka-CHUUUU!" she shouted as she fried the ground beneath her, causing everyone, human and Pokémon alike, to get at least some voltage administered to them. The most damage it did, however, was to a red bicycle... which happened to be owned by a lass that stopped Leaf as she continued towards the gym leader. "Your Pikachu may be impressive even by our standards," said she, "but my Pokémon are stronger and will administer double the punishment for what you did to my bike!"
The lass, named Cherry, wore a top with poofy sleeves and a pink sailor collar, jean shorts, pink tights, and black Mary Janes. "I half expected you to be wearing a schoolgirl uniform."
"I go to a public school," Cherry said. "I decided to specialize in Ground-types because I learned how strong they are. I caught mine in and around Route 2. Both I and the trainer that comes after me have been to Diglett's Cave, as you'll soon see!"
Cherry then summoned a Diglett. Leaf decided to use her Clefairy, who proceeded to pound her opponent until she fainted. Cherry proceeded to summon her other Pokémon, a Nidoran(F). "Ana, return! I choose you, Butterfree! Oh, why aren't you using a Ground-type?"
Cherry said, "I learned from my teacher that Nidoran will eventually evolve into a Ground-type upon exposure to a Moon Stone. Speaking of which, why did you recall your Clefairy?"
"According to the handbook my mom gave me the day before I got my Pokémon license," Leaf said, "I have the upper hand. Confusion!"
Butterfree used his psychic powers to drop Cherry's Nidoran(F) in a single turn. "Unbelievable!" she exclaimed as she handed over the prize money. "I can assure you, though, that your victory was just a fluke. I'm the only one here who has a type particularly vulnerable to your Psychic hocus pocus!"
"I doubt it," Leaf said. "Psychic attacks are special, after all. My handbook said so. Oh, may I suggest taking your bike to Nurse Joy?"
"Why?" Cherry asked. "Isn't the only thing she's good at healing Pokémon?"
"Not the one here," Leaf said. "I highly suggest going to the one stationed in Viridian City. She's a hobbyist, or so I've been told."
She advanced a few yards further, but a boy wearing a scout uniform intercepted her, saying, "Stop right there, lady! You're light years away from facing Mr. Harrison!"
"I heard about him," Leaf said. "Is he the mountain man who was present when Professor Oak first encountered a Clefairy east of here?"
"Who cares? Liam's the name," said he, "and I'll put your Butterfree to shame!"
"Save your jive crap for Pokémon coordination," Leaf said in utter annoyance, "and just show me your Diglett."
Liam was happy to oblige her. Clefairy, who had polished off one of the Potions Leaf had earlier bought, said, "I'm ready to do this again-pippi!"
"All right, Ana," Leaf said, "but how are you going to do it?"
"Easy-pippi!" said she. "Just cover your ears-pippi."
"Why?"
She soon found out as Clefairy curtsied to her opponent and started to sing. Within seconds, Diglett was asleep. An enraged Clefairy then proceeded to pound it several times in succession, with Diglett waking up just in time to see the fist that dropped it seconds later. "It's of no consequence," Liam said as he recalled Diglett and summoned Sandshrew. "I'll bet you can't use the same strategy against my Sandshrew... darn, not again!"
Once again, Clefairy curtsied to her opponent and started singing. This time, Liam didn't bother to cover his ears. Clefairy's post-song rage did some serious damage to Sandshrew, but unlike Diglett, Sandshrew was able to wake up soon enough to retaliate a few times. It was Scratch vs. Pound until the one with the claws lost to the one with the fist. Liam got up just in time to lose to Leaf.
"They didn't teach you strategy in grade school, it would seem," Leaf said as she accepted Liam's prize money.
"They apparently didn't teach me math, either," Liam said. "Now I remember! Light years isn't time, it measures distance! Well, I'll admit that when it comes to Pokémon, you're pretty hot. Not as hot as Brock, though."
Leaf gasped. She was certain she had heard the name somewhere, but she didn't know that the Brock she had met was the gym leader. It dawned upon her just as the young man, this time wearing nothing but his khaki pants and rubber boots, caught her eye. She slowly recognized him. "You're the Pewter City gym leader?"
"In the flesh," Brock said. "Oh, don't forget to heal your Clefairy."
Leaf gave another Potion to her Clefairy. "I hope you'll excuse my not wearing a shirt," Brock continued. "It can get a bit stuffy in here. Anyway, what do you believe in as a trainer?"
Leaf said, "I believe in my handbook."
"Then you should know by now that you're at a major disadvantage, I'm sorry to have to say, because my Pokémon are all the Rock type," Brock said. "Do you still want to challenge me?"
"Challenge you? Heck, I'd like to keep doing this," Leaf said, "until I figure out a way to defeat you with all the Pokémon I have on me!"
"Fine! Show me what you've got!" Brock said. "I must further warn you, though, that as for me, I believe in rock-hard defense and determination. Go, Geodude!"
"I choose you, Butterfree!"
Geodude and Butterfree were the first combatants of Leaf's first battle against a gym leader. "Oh, dear," Brock said. "I was hoping you'd take my lesson from a few days ago to heart. See, if you studied your handbook, you'd realize that were my Geodude to know a Rock-type move, Butterfree would be doubly weak against it."
"I quite understand that," Leaf said. "It even told me all the weaknesses, resistances, and immunities of each type. However, I was told that your Pokémon don't have a very good special."
Brock said, "True, that."
"That said," Leaf said, "Confusion!"
Butterfree used its psychic power to damage Geodude and even confuse him. He hurt himself in his confusion, and Butterfree finished him off with another Confusion, not wanting to chance his enemy attacking successfully while confused. "It's of no consequence," Brock said. "My Onix has a better-trained mind and has a better chance of withstanding Confusion."
With that, he recalled his Geodude and summoned Onix in his place. Butterfree used Confusion, as always, but Onix countered with Bide. "What you have just seen is Onix using Bide, meaning your Butterfree, should he do him any damage, has two turns to drop him."
Leaf knew she had to make her next two hits count. However, two uses of Confusion turned out to not be enough, and Onix unleashed its energy with such a vengeance, Butterfree fainted. "That was my best shot!" Leaf exclaimed. "But I'm not giving up for one second!"
A boy walked up to her. "You're not Colton, and you're not Liam, either," said she. "Who are you?"
The boy said, "I'm Forrest Harrison, Brock's younger brother."
Leaf said, "Do me a favor, Forrest, and get Butterfree over to the Pokémon Center while I continue to fight for the Boulder Badge."
The boy left with the corresponding Poké Ball after Leaf recalled her Butterfree. "J. Roger, avenge your counterpart!" she said.
Beedrill decided to poison Onix with his stinger. However, once he did, he was disappointed in no time at all. "It's no use," Brock said, "as long as I still have at least one Full Heal on me."
Beedrill was so furious, he went at Onix with Fury Attack, in an attempt to do as much damage as he could, and he managed to do some more damage before being tackled into oblivion. "J. Roger, return! Get him, Terminator!"
Spearow pecked at Onix twice before getting dropped. "Lucky for you," Brock said, "neither of my Pokémon know a Rock-type attack, or else your Spearow wouldn't have even had a chance."
Having swapped out Pidgey in favor of Rattata at the Pokémon Center, Leaf summoned the rat. "Quick Attack, Blitzen! Whittle your enemy's energy down further!"
It took a few more turns for Onix to drop Rattata, but only because each time, Rattata used Quick Attack, and Onix missed once or twice. "Ana, it's your turn to shine. Pound him until he drops!"
Clefairy walked over to Onix and pounded him. This time, Clefairy had three turns before fainting. By this time, both Leaf and Brock were exhausted. "No wonder you're not wearing your shirt," Leaf said. "It takes a lot of effort, and a lot of sweat, for a Pokémon battle to occur!"
"You got it," Brock said. "Onix is pretty weak, so why don't you let Pikachu have a go?"
"Sure," Leaf said, "even though I'm not really confident at this point. But still... the enemy's weak! Finish him, Lita!"
"You got it-pika!"
Pikachu ran over to Onix and did a few Quick Attacks, but Onix kept laying down the Tackle and missed only once. Then, he did something she wasn't hoping for: it used Bide again. "I know I've got two turns-pika," Pikachu said. "Still, I'm going to make them count-pika! My mistress is counting on me to win her a badge-pika, so I'm not about to disappoint her-pika!"
To Leaf's utter amazement, Pikachu used her first turn to do another Quick Attack, and just before Onix could unleash energy, her cheeks turned bright gold. "Are you kidding me?" Brock asked. "You know that won't work!"
"My mistress does-pika, but she also knows that if you train an Electric-type hard enough, it can even destroy a Ground-type-pika!" Pikachu said, the gold tone of her cheeks still intensifying. "And besides, 'impossible' n'est pas Français-pika! PI-KA-CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
With all her might, Pikachu unleashed a powerful ThunderShock that managed to do the impossible: drop Onix. Even Leaf, who had taken some of the voltage, was amazed. Brock, though surprised, managed to retain his composure. "I took you for granted," said he. "You really do know how to train your Pokémon, and perhaps more than any of the others your Pikachu really loves you."
Exhausted but still smiling, Pikachu said, "You'd better believe it-pika!"
"So," Brock continued, "as your reward, I hereby confer upon you this official Pokémon League Boulder Badge."
Leaf accepted the badge, asking, "Does it come with anything?"
"It makes all of your Pokémon more powerful, and if any of your Pokémon know Flash, it can now be used outside of battle, as the badge's properties allow its owner's Pokémon to act as temporary flashlights in dark caves such as Rock Tunnel. Oh, before I forget, take this with you."
Leaf took the device, which was numbered 34, and asked, "What do I do with it?"
"It's called a Technical Machine, and it contains a technique that you can teach most Pokémon. However, it's good for only one use, so plan it carefully. This one is number 34, which contains Bide. That's the move I used to defeat your Butterfree early on. When a Pokémon uses Bide, it absorbs damage in battle and then pays it back double.
"There are all kinds of trainers in the world, and you seem to be very gifted as a Pokémon trainer. Some raise Pokémon for fights, while others see them as pets. Myself... like I said earlier, I'm in training to become a Pokémon breeder. Go, now, and test your abilities at Cerulean Gym."
As Leaf and Pikachu left, with the fainted Clefairy in her Poké Ball, Clyde said, "Just as I thought... you're Pokémon champ material!"
Upon healing her Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, Leaf happened across Red. "You haven't taken on Brock yet, have you?"
Red said, "No. Why?"
"What Pokémon did you start with?" Leaf asked.
Red said, "A Charmander. Why?"
"Has it learned Ember yet?"
"Why, yes, it has."
"Irony of ironies... the student is now becoming the teacher. I know Ember isn't going to be very effective, but may I suggest using only that against Brock's Pokémon?"
"Why?" he asked.
"Well, because his Pokémon may be resistant against Fire-type attacks, but they're weak against special attacks, and Ember happens to be both, if you'll excuse the paradox. Oh, and don't damage his Onix while he's using Bide."
Red looked at her, surprised. "What does it do?"
"Just charges for a couple of turns, waiting for a Pokémon to attack, and dealing back double the damage inflicted upon it. It took my Butterfree out. May I suggest using Growl until Onix unleashes energy, should he ever use Bide?"
"Sure," Red said. "See you later."
As Red prepared to have his Pokémon healed, Leaf overheard a phone conversation a middle-aged man wearing a light gray trenchcoat and flipping a coin was having.
"...What!? Team Rocket is at Mt. Moon?"
He dropped the coin on the floor below him. Leaf picked it up and gave it to him, saying, "Here, sir. I believe you dropped this."
Taking the coin, he said, "I'm on the phone! Scram!"
Leaf left the Pokémon Center, wondering if this Team Rocket she had just heard about could be associated with the fossil thieves the signpost on the outskirts of Pewter City had mentioned.
Meanwhile, the mysterious gambler finished his phone conversation and took a good, long look at a photo he had on him of him with his wife and his young twin-tailed daughter Iris.