—4—
Boulderbadge
JOSH
Josh never felt relief so much as stepping out of the gloomy, bug-infested shade of Viridian Forest and emerging into the golden glow of the sun. When Caleb led them into the forest he warned them a great deal of Bug-type Pokémon lived there. At first, Josh had been excited about the prospect. Tanner's misadventure with Beedrill inspired Josh and he set out to catch one. The fast, high-attack bug chased him and his Pokémon back to the Viridian City Pokémon Center, however.
"Too bad you didn't pick Charmanda as your starter," Tanner goaded. "I'm having the easiest time in the world battling these Bugs. Charmanda! Use Ember!"
"Charmanda, use Ember," Josh mocked.
Rather than be sore about it, he decided to take matters into his own hands. While back in Viridian, he made quick stop on Route 1 and caught a Pidgey. The Flying type might not have worked as explosively against Bug-type as Tanner's Charmanda's Ember, but it helped him hold his own against their wild encounters. He even decided to catch a little Caterpie because he thought it was cute; he never imagined being the first trainer among the three of them to have a fully evolved Pokémon.
"Alright, Butterfree! Return!"
"You have four on your team already," Caleb praised. "You're on your way to Victory Road."
Josh blushed. So long as he wasn't irritating him or getting on his last nerve, Caleb was the most encouraging person in his life, and he loved him for it. Tanner on the other hand…
"You really think he's going to take a Butterfree to fight against the Elite Four?" his friend scoffed.
Josh loved him too, but the way a little brother loves an annoying older brother who never stops picking on him. This must be how Nick feels about me. He made a mental note to be nicer to his brother from now on. Concerning Tanner, Josh kept his mouth shut and fingers crossed a few battles at the Pewter City Gym would knock him down a peg. Both his starter and only catch so far possessed weaknesses against the Rock and Ground types Pewter promised in battle. Josh knew most of this came from holding a grudge for Tanner beating him before, and Caleb would have scolded his attitude, but all the same looked forward to the certain amount of satisfaction coming his way.
"Just because he's using Butterfree in battle now, doesn't mean he's obligated to take it to all the way to the League," Caleb pointed out. "Butterfree was a great battle companion for Viridian Forest."
Josh smiled. Caleb always took up for him. On the flipside, he wasn't afraid to tell him when he was wrong either. Irritating though it was, Josh felt confident he could trust Caleb's opinion without having to decipher some ulterior motive. Tanner too, but he could serve to learn some manners from Caleb.
"We're here," Josh said. "Let's hit up the Pokémon Center and take it easy."
Caleb raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"I'm surprised you're not eager to get to the gym and earn your first badge."
"Oh, I am," Josh replied, "but my Pokémon worked hard and need their rest. I learned the hard way what happens when you go into a battle unprepared."
"You're welcome," Tanner interjected. Josh ignored him. Instead, he led the way into the city, making a beeline for the Center. They turned their Pokémon over to the nurse. Tanner, of course, had to make a scene.
"Hey there, Chansey-clone-collective! Remember me?"
The nurse blushed and gave a nervous laugh.
"I don't think I've seen you around here before."
"Don't play coy with me," Tanner countered. "Your "sister" in Viridian already let me in on the tea. The cat's out of the bag; we all know you're genetic copies of each other with a psychic connection and it's fine so there's no need to pretend anymore."
"Tanner," Josh complained. "Could you not?"
The nurse kept her polite, customer-service face painted on and disappeared with their Pokémon behind the counter. A few trainers overheard Tanner's outburst and gathered around to listen to him give his conspiracy theory. Josh rolled his eyes and crashed on the couch, eager for a few minutes to relax.
"Are you nervous about facing your first gym battle?" Caleb asked.
"Not at all," Josh replied. "Not this one, anyway. With Squirtle's Water attacks and Butterfree having learned Confusion before we left the forest, I'm confident about this one. Don't worry; I'm not going to let my guard down. I bet you'll be fine too. Bulbasaur and Poliwag are the perfect team to take on Rock."
"I'm not sure I'm going to battle—"
"Oh yes you are!" Josh cut him off. "You're not going to play that modest-stand-in-the-background-for-support card. We set off to do this together, and you're doing it."
Caleb smiled and leaned his head on Josh's shoulder affectionately.
"I like it when you boss me around."
"You must be in love with me by now," Josh chuckled. Caleb looked at him and blushed. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but then seemed to change his mind.
"I'm going to go get some more PokéPuffs," he announced. "Behavior that's rewarded is repeated, so I want these on standby when we win our battles."
Josh let out a sigh as Caleb left to hit up the kitchen for some treats, not understanding what he was so afraid of. The feelings were there, but something about the "L-word" sent Caleb running for the hills. Every time. He'll come around. Josh pulled up his phone and started reading some bulletin boards from local trainers who battled at Pewter's gym—anything to give him more information to lead to a victory.
"Geodude, Onix, and the occasional Sandshrew…" he said aloud. He tried to cross-reference with his PokéDex but it only frustrated him. The data for a given Pokémon unlocked like a video game achievement but only after it had been scanned.
What good is that? Oh well…that's what Caleb is for.
"Hey what moves do Geodude, Onix, and Sandshrew learn?" Josh asked when he returned. Caleb shrugged. "You don't know?"
"I imagine they learn things like Rock Throw, Defense Curl, and I'm pretty sure Sandshrew learns Poison Sting, but I don't have every move of every Pokémon memorized."
"What good are you then?" Josh asked. Caleb deflated. "I'm kidding! Jeez! Lighten up, will you?"
"Josh, Tanner, and Caleb, your Pokémon are ready!"
The nurse's announcement brought them all to the counter to put the Pokémon back on their belts where they belonged. Josh checked the trainer number on all his to make sure there was no mix-up. A strange vision of him calling on Squirtle for battle and Charmanda coming out instead filled him with anxiety. It passed and it made him wonder about traded Pokémon and whether Charmada would even obey his commands.
"Shall we get something to eat first?" Caleb asked. "I'm starving! Come on, it's my treat. I saw a burger place up the road that looks like fun."
The grumbling in Josh's stomach at the mention of food betrayed him, and soon the three of them sat under the umbrella of a table on the outside patio of the restaurant. They ate in silence, having talked the whole day away together on their walk through the forest. It wasn't until after the meal they learned Caleb's real reason for wanting to eat at the burger place: it was right across the street from the Pewter City Museum of Science.
"Caleb," Josh groaned. "Do we have to?"
"Come on!" Caleb urged. "They have fully-assembled skeletons of extinct Pokémon. How can you not be excited about this?"
No amount of resistance would deter him, and before long he dragged them into the museum. Josh was immediately glad, however. The first thing he saw was a monstrous skeleton of a tyrannosaurus Pokémon called Tyrantrum.
"Whoa!" Josh exclaimed. "Check it out! My PokéDex filled the entry for this just by a picture of its bones."
Caleb lost his mind and made it his new personal mission to gather all the data of the fossil Pokémon available. It took the better part of an hour, but in the end, Josh supposed he was glad for the opportunity to build up his entries. He wished for a way to resurrect long-extinct Pokémon to catch. Something about the idea of having a Rock/Dragon dinosaur on his team proved appealing. Not to mention the style points he might earn with social media.
"Aw, man!"
"What's wrong?" Tanner asked.
"My mom gave me my dad's camera and told me to take lots of pictures, and I haven't taken a single one yet."
"No time like the present! Here! Take my picture on the back of this Tyrantrum."
Before Josh could tell Tanner how bad an idea this was, his friend climbed up the bones like a spider monkey and seated himself on the back of the skeleton. Looking around to make sure Caleb wasn't paying attention, Josh got out his camera and snapped a few shots while he had the chance.
"Okay, now get down before Caleb sees you," Josh said.
"I like how you're more worried about his reaction than the museum staff," Tanner chuckled.
"You've met him, right?"
"Fair enough," Tanner conceded. "We'll show him the picture afterwards just to see him blow his stack."
"Oh, we definitely will," Josh agreed. He looked up at the clock. The gym was open for another three hours. Even though they had plenty of time, Josh was getting anxious. He wanted to hold that first badge in his hand after a victorious battle and feel the pride and accomplish. His nerdy boyfriend on the other hand…
"Did you know cloning technology has come so far they are sometimes able to bring extinct Pokémon back from a preserved fossil?"
"Do you want weird Chansey-clones?" Tanner asked. "Cause that's how you get weird Chansey-clones."
"That's the coolest thing I've heard all day," Josh said. "Except, "let's go to Pewter and win our first badge!" That would be the coolest thing."
Caleb offered him a wry expression.
"Okay, you're coming in loud and clear over there. Let's go get our first badge."
And with that, the three of them left the museum and proceeded southwest to get to the gym. Because of the town's strange layout, they had to walk the long way around to get to the front door. The official Indigo League emblem had been plastered to the door with some sort of stucco and painted with acrylic paint. To be honest, Josh thought it looked trashy.
No one minded the door, so the three of them strolled in like they owned the place. The high ceilings and lack of walls made the place seem huge. Of course, the only décor in the entire placed proved to be rocks. Boulders to be exact. Big, round ones cut to be natural, except they were all the same. Like they'd come off the assembly line that way. Tacky. Bourgeois. Boring.
"Oof!" Josh said aloud. Caleb gave him a disapproving look as they continued forward. The gym leader stood at an elevated platform all the way to the back of the building. Between them, trainers waited, with that itching look in their eyes as if they were just waiting for the opportunity for a battle.
They probably are.
"Excuse me," Caleb began. "We're looking for the gym leader here—"
"Quiet, scrub! Prepare for a rock-hard experience," the trainer nearest to them rushed forward, the angst threatening to pop. He dressed in a brown and gray miner's jumpsuit and had black smudged all over his hands and face. Josh wasn't sure if he was trying to look the part, or if miners just happened to train Rock Pokémon.
"A rock-hard experience?" Tanner chuckled. "Sounds like fun to me."
"Giggity," Josh agreed.
"Wait, I don't want to battle, I just—" Caleb began.
"If you're not here to battle, too bad! You just stepped into the Pewter City gym. Get ready to try your best against our Rock-type Pokémon."
"Go on, Caleb," Josh urged. "What are you waiting for?"
"This is my first trainer battle," he confessed. "I'm a little nervous."
"Don't sweat it, man," Tanner encouraged. "You got this!"
"Alright," Caleb conceded. "Here goes nothing. I accept your challenge!"
The miner threw his ball, and a tough-looking Geodude emerged.
"Poliwag, I choose you!" Caleb said, unleashing his Water Pokémon. "You have the speed advantage! Put Geodude to sleep with Hypnosis."
The swirls on Poliwag's belly lured Geodude to sleep at the first attempt. Tanner laughed outrageously, pointing his finger and guffawing at the miner. Josh smiled and shook his head, more concerned to see how Caleb would handle the battle overall.
"Geodude! Wake up!" the trainer pleaded. No dice. His Pokémon proved to be in full-on snooze mode.
"Poliwag, bring it down with a Water Gun!"
One shot! That's all it took and Geodude fainted. The miner announced another Geodude as his second Pokémon. Per the rules, Caleb had the opportunity to switch out for Bulbasaur if he wanted but decided Hypnosis and Water Gun was all he needed to win. He was right. It took longer to get the battle started than it did to finish it.
"Demolished!" Tanner taunted, jibbing the miner. "You were utterly demolished!"
The miner begrudgingly paid up his prize money and took his spot back in the make-shift rock maze. Caleb smiled and called Poliwag back to his ball.
"I won!"
"Easily," Josh added. "Water against Rock/Ground, remember? Nothing to be nervous about. That' first badge is as good as ours."
"You think you're so tough, kid?" this came from another miner emerging from the fake rocks. Josh had to know. He reached out to touch them only to find out they were made of plastic. The miner stood between him and the fake rocks, his eyes conjuring their best helping of intimidation.
"Hey, buddy," Caleb said. "Why don't you back off."
"It's okay," Josh said. "I got this. You want a battle, right? Let's see what you got!"
This miner's Geodude and Sandshrew went down as easily for Josh and his Squirtle as the ones before had for Caleb and Poliwag. He knew type advantage was a strategy, but never believed how easy battling could be. Josh would stake his life Caleb knew every resistance and weakness of every type and type combination.
Sounds like he's going to make me a cheat-sheet!
"I won so pay up," Josh said to the miner after washing him out.
"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "Don't get such a big head over it. You still got the gym leader to contend with."
That's true.
The three of them walked up together. Tanner brought up the tail so that he could heckle the miner's feeble attempts at battle a little more. They made some obscene gestures which Tanner returned with more flair. Some people found it hard to be friends, or even in public, with Tanner; Josh found his over-the-top antics endearing.
They reached the platform to find a man in his late-teens-or-early-twenties standing there waiting. Dressed in gray street shoes, brown pants, a utility belt, orange shirt and green vest, the tan-skinned, dark-haired guy offered them a busy-eyebrowed, squinty-eyed smile. Three PokéBalls hung from his belt. Josh wondered if the infamous Onix all the online boards squealed about was hiding in there.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here. Fresh meat from Pallet Town just waiting to show off their stuff and earn their first badge. Am I wrong?"
"You must be Brock," Caleb said.
"Do I look old enough to be Brock? Brock is my dad. My name is Brick and I'm the gym leader here now."
Tanner burst into hysterical laughter. The outburst continued far longer than it should have. Josh wished it was just socially awkward—it was painful at this point. Tanner covered his stomach with his arms, fell to the floor, wept, and screamed out tears.
"What's his deal?" Brick asked.
"He's a little strange," Caleb said apologetically.
"BRICK!" Tanner barked. "His name is Brick!"
The laughter continued. Josh tried not to crack a smile, but it proved contagious as he watched Tanner kick around on the floor like one of the Three Stooges, flabbergasted at how the gym leader's name could be so funny.
"Yeah, so? Lot's of guys have that name."
"You're dad's a gym leader…a Rock type…gym…named Brock…and he named his kid…BRIIICK!"
"Tanner, get off the floor," Josh said. When he didn't comply, Josh kicked him.
"Ow, ass! That hurt."
"Don't embarrass me and I won't kick you," Josh shot back. "Get up! And be serious. You're ruining the moment." Tanner finally pulled himself to his feet.
"You think I'm so ridiculous, don't you?" Brick asked. "Alright, why don't we settle this the old-fashioned way: with a Pokémon battle. You win and I give you the Boulderbadge; you lose, you write me and my father a handwritten apology for making fun of our names before you're allowed to petition for a rematch."
"You're so on!" Tanner exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "You're so on!"
Josh rolled his eyes and stood aside. He wanted to go first, but the chance to watch Brick wipe the floor with Tanner and his attitude suited him just fine. He and Caleb made their way to the side to make room for the battle. The nervous look on Caleb's face told Josh everything he needed to know.
"Doesn't look good, does it?" Josh asked.
"No, but why do you look happy about that?"
Josh shrugged and turned his attention to the battlefield.
"You'll find my resolve and my Pokémon have something in common: they're both rock-hard!" Brick said. Tanner burst into laughter again.
"Dude, you're going to have to stop if you want me to take this seriously."
"Onix! I choose you."
The room filled up with a rock snake that would have reached all the way to the ceiling if completely uncoiled. Josh's eyes went wide.
"I had no idea it was so big."
"Giggity," Caleb whispered. Josh chuckled and elbowed him in the ribs.
"Alright, Charmanda!" Tanner said. "Let's show him how it's done."
"You've got an awful lot of nerve pitting a Fire-type against my Rock-type," Brick sneered. "This is going to be easy. Might want to think about how you want to word your apology."
"You might want to start polishing my Boulderbadge, Brick!"
"Onix! Use Bind!"
Quick as a whisper, Onix coiled around Charmanda and squeezed her tight. The move kept her from moving around, but to Josh's surprise, Tanner didn't seem worried in the slightest.
"Charmanda, show Brick your new technique! Use Dragon Rage!"
"Char!"
His Pokémon unleashed a torrent of fire unlike anything Josh though possible. Wide-eyed and amazed, he stood to get a better look. Maybe Tanner was right; maybe Charmander would have been the better choice of starter. Onix fainted after two attacks, doing minimal damage to Charmanda. She maintained the speed advantage over the two Geodude to come after, and neither of them could abide more than a single Dragon Rage attack.
"Woo! I did it! I won!"
"It is with great obligation, I, Brick, official gym leader at the Pewter City Gym, do award you, Tanner, with this Boulderbadge. Now, if you don't mind, will you please stand aside. I have more contenders to assist today."
"Check it out you guys," Tanner said. He held the badge out with such pride, Josh worried at once he might throw up everywhere. "I bet you never thought I'd be the first one to earn a badge."
You got that right, Josh thought. He pushed the emotions to the side, trying not to be competitive and petty. Then again, Tanner had won his second battle against a trainer at disadvantage as far as type was concerned. Perhaps if Josh didn't let jealousy cloud his judgment, he might learn a thing or too. Truth was, Tanner was a damn good trainer, and he might learn a thing or two if he paid attention. He could think of no better rival than his childhood friend.
"Good job!" Josh said. "Now, get off the battlefield so I can get mine."
"Atta boy!" Tanner cheered. "Hope you got enough of those badges, Brick. You're about to lose—again!"
"Tanner, could we maybe talk about not heckling the gym leaders when we travel together?" Caleb asked. "I'd rather not be associated with you if you talk smack and then lose."
Josh let their voices fade away as he stepped up to the battlefield and prepared. All nervousness melted away as the thrill of battle swam through his veins like liquid lightning. This was it. This is what he was born to do. He could feel it in his bones.
