Late update. No excuse. Enjoy!
APS 107: Brock & Roll
"You've fought against another member of Team Rocket?! What did I tell you about that?"
Jimmy sighted. His grandmother always overreacted if Jimmy got into danger.
"Grandma, the Pokémon in the Viridian Forest were in danger. I had to help them!" Jimmy replied.
"You could've called the police, and let them handle it!" his grandmother was both worried and angry.
"Do I have to remember you, grandma, that I was in the middle of the Viridian Forest, and that there was neither a telephone nor a police officer within a 20 km radius?" the young trainer said, slightly annoyed. "By the way, I wasn't alone. There was another trainer, Hector, who helped me."
Mrs. Silverwing sighted. "I would just feel better if someone was travelling with you, Jimmy. That's all."
"Don't worry, grandma. I know that someday, someone shall travel with me." Jimmy said.
Unknown to Jimmy, far to the east, in Cerulean City, a certain girl sneezed. A girl that would change his life.
"Give my regards to Grandpa, and I'll call you later. Goodbye, grandma." Jimmy finished.
"Alright, Jimmy. Goodbye." his grandmother replied, and Jimmy ended the call. He got up, and walked to the counter of the Pewter City Pokémon Center. A nurse Joy was standing behind it.
"Ah, Jimmy. Your Pokémon are ready." she said, and handed him two Pokéballs.
"Thank you, nurse Joy." he took the two balls, and attached them to his belt. "Would you know where to find the Gym? I'm in the city for a Badge." he asked.
"Just go out of the front door, take the second street on your left, and follow that road until you see it. You can't miss it." she answered. "Be warned: Brock is quite a tough trainer, and with those two Pokémon you have with you, it can be hard. Especially for Pidgey."
Jimmy thought for a moment. "I think I can handle it. Thank you, nurse Joy." he left the Pokémon Center through the main entrance.
He arrived at building, which looked like a group of boulders with steel constructions around it. Jimmy pushed the double steel doors, which opened slowly. The gym was pitch black inside. When Jimmy walked inside, the heavy doors slammed shut behind him. The trainer got a bit scared, and looked around him, unable to see anything.
"Hello? Can anybody hear me?" Jimmy called, his voice echoed through the room.
"Who's there?" a voice replied. A spotlight flashed, and Jimmy covered his eyes to adept to the sudden change of light. On the other side of the gym, about forty meters away, was a rocky pedestal, with a young man sitting on it. He had a skin darker then that of Jimmy, and had short, spiky hair. Jimmy's guess was that he was in his late teens.
"I am Jimmy Silverwing from Pallet Town, and I challenge you to a Gym battle!" Jimmy replied.
"Challenge accepted." the other trainer said. More lights flashed on, illuminating the entire gym. About thirty meters between the two trainers was covered with rocks, and white lines were painted between them. "I am Brock, the leader of the Pewter City Gym." he said, as he got up and walked forward. "Both trainers use two Pokémon. The challenger is allowed to switch Pokémon in-battle, I am not. We fight until either of us runs out of Pokémon or forfeits. Do you accept these terms?" he had arrived at the rectangle painted in front of the area.
"I accept." Jimmy said with confidence, and stepped forward. He pulled Medapod's Pokéball from his belt.
"Then we begin." Brock threw a Pokéball into the arena, and a rock-like Pokémon with arms, but no legs appeared. Jimmy flipped open his Pokédex.
"Geodude, the Rock Pokémon. Commonly found near mountain trails, etc. If you step on one by accident, it gets angry."
Jimmy threw Medapod's Pokéball in, and the cocoon Pokémon appeared. The two Pokémon looked at each other, and neither of them was planning to lose.
"Medapod, use Harden, then Tackle!" Jimmy opened the match.
"Geodude, dodge!" Brock replied. His Pokémon jumped out of the way of Medapod's attack, who crashed into one of the rocks behind the former location of Geodude.
"Now, use Rock Throw!" Geodude picked up a boulder, and threw it at Medapod.
"Harden!" Jimmy shouted. Medapod glowed for a second, and the boulder hit him head-on. As the dust cleared, it was revealed that Medapod was unharmed, the boulder had shattered on his hard body.
"Use Tackle again!" The cocoon attacked his opponent again, but he was prepared.
"Geodude, Mega Punch!" one of the arms of the Pokémon began to glow, and hit Medapod head-on. The cocoon was launched backwards, and smashed into a large rock to Jimmy's left.
"I don't think your Medapod is able to battle anymore..." Brock said.
"I don't think your Geodude is able to battle anymore after this String Shot!" Jimmy replied with a grin. From the dust, a thick white threat shot, hitting Geodude in the face. The threat spun around the Pokémon, binding its arms against its body.
"Now, finish with your usual combo!" Jimmy called, causing the cocoon to launch itself for the third time at Brock's Pokémon. The rock type was flung backwards, and crashed into the ground a few foot in front of Brock.
"Geodude is finished. Well done." he recalled his Pokémon. Jimmy looked at Medapod. It didn't look too tired, but that was hard to see, as only its eyes could tell anything about its current situation. To be safe, Jimmy returned his Pokémon.
"You've done great. You can use some rest now." he whispered.
"Now, are you ready for the second round?" Brock asked. Jimmy looked up, and grabbed his other Pokéball.
"Bring it on, Brock." he opened the ball he was holding, and Pidgey appeared on the field.
"Ah, a Pidgey. I don't think you'll be able to beat this guy that easily!" Brock opened his second Pokéball, and a huge snake-like Pokémon appeared. Jimmy gulped, and reached for his Pokédex.
"Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon Burrows at high speed in search of food. The tunnels it leaves are used as homes by Digglett."
"All right then, Pidgey, use Quick attack!" the bird propelled itself at Onix, but it bounced off the hard rocks that formed the Pokémon. Dazed for a moment, Pidgey flew in for another attack, which didn't seem to harm the Pokémon in the slightest.
"Onix, use Tackle!" Brock said calmly. The large Pokémon threw itself at Pidgey, knocking it out of the sky with a tremendous blow. Pidgey was thrown backwards, and began to fall.
"Pidgey!" Jimmy shouted. Pidgey spread his wings, and regained control over his flight path. It began to circle around Onix.
"Pidgey, use Sand Attack!" Pidgey began to blow up a large amount of sand, obstructing the sight on the field. At least Onix can't see Pidgey now... Jimmy thought. When the cloud began to settle, Jimmy braced for an attack.
"Pidgey, use..." he fell silent. Onix had disappeared from the field! Pidgey was looking around the field, but was unable to see a trace of his opponent.
"Dig!" Brock shouted, and the Pokémon bursted from the ground, hitting Pidgey with full force! The bird cried out in pain, and fell to the ground.
"Pidgey!" Jimmy shouted, his Pokémon was unable to fight on. He raised Pidgey's ball with a grunt, and recalled his friend.
"Now, it seems like this is the final battle." Brock said. Jimmy reached for the Pokéball containing his tired Medapod, and he sighed.
"Give it all you got, buddy." he thought, and released the cocoon Pokémon from its ball. Medapod looked at his opponent undaunted, and the rock snake looked back.
"Medapod, use Harden and Tackle!" Medapod shimmered for a second, and launched itself at Onix.
"Onix, Bide!" Brock said. Onix was hit on one of its rocky segments, apparently unharmed by the blow.
"Medapod, attack again!" the Pokémon launched another attack, but was again unable to harm Onix. After he landed the third blow, Brock began to speak.
"Jimmy, do you know what Bide does? It absorbs blows from attacks, and after enough damage..." Jimmy knew what was coming.
"Medapod, dodge!" but Onix already jumped at Medapod, and hit the cocoon with full force, hurling it through the arena.
"Medapod!" Jimmy cried out, and the cocoon landed in front of him, with a large crack in its back. Jimmy ran into the battlefield, and scooped his Pokémon up. "Please say something..." he whispered.
"I think this fight has been decided." Brock said. "Take your Pokémon to a Center, let them heal, train a bit, and challenge me again later."
Jimmy sobbed. "I think you're right." as he was about to step out of the field, Medapod began to glow. The opening in its back opened up wider, and another Pokémon emerged from it. It was a purple butterfly, with white wings and large red eyes.
"Free..." it said, looking at his trainer. Jimmy smiled, and turned around. The Pokémon flew from his arm, and Jimmy stepped back on his spot.
"Wait a minute..." Brock began.
"What?" Jimmy grinned. "I agreed with that my Pokémon should be healed, not with that I lost. I never recalled him either, so I'm still in the battle."
"So much for an easy victory..." Brock mumbled. "Onix, Tackle!" Onix jumped at Jimmy's newly evolved Pokémon.
"Confusion!" Jimmy shouted. A blue glow surrounded Onix, and he stopped two meters in front of the butterfly. It grinned, and smashed Onix into the ground below. Onix was lifted up again, and smashed into the rocks on the right of Jimmy. When it was lifted for a third time, a red glow surrounded Onix, and it disappeared. Jimmy looked at Brock, and saw that the Gym leader recalled his Pokémon.
"Onix had his part of the fight for today. You win. Congratulations." he said, and began to walk to Jimmy. Those words were still echoing through Jimmy's mind.
"I've won..." he whispered. "I've won!" he said again, this time with a shout. His Pokémon began its decent, and landed on Jimmy's hat. The trainer smiled, and pulled out his Pokédex.
"Butterfree, the Butterfly Pokémon. Its wings, covered with poisonous powders, repel water. This allows it to fly in the rain."
"Alright, Butterfree! You were great!" Jimmy complimented his Pokémon.
"You weren't bad either, Jimmy." he looked up, and saw that Brock was standing in front of him. "It doesn't matter how strong the Pokémon is on his own, without a good trainer he can do nothing. Both trainer and Pokémon must work together to get most out of both of their skills. You proved today that you are worthy to wear the Boulderbadge." he reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small, gray octagon-shaped badge, who he handed to Jimmy. "You deserved it. Wear it with pride." Brock smiled.
"Thank you, Brock." Jimmy took the badge, looked at it, smiled, and pinned it inside of his jacket. "One down, seven to go!" he cheered.
"Free!" Butterfree kicked in.
"Now, remember what I said about going to the Pokémon Center?" Brock asked.
"Yeah, I'll go now. Goodbye, Brock." the trainer said, and he turned around, heading for the Pokémon Center. As the trainer closed the doors of the Gym, Brock sighted.
"I wish I could go on a journey like that of him... but I can't. If there was just somebody to take good care of my brothers and sisters, then I could travel... yeah, like that's ever going to happen." Brock thought.
South of Pewter City, an older man man, selling rock souvenirs, sneezed. "Hope I don't catch a cold." he said.
As Jimmy left the Pewter Gym, a man lowered his binoculars.
"He's heading out now" Cleef said.
"Did he won?" Adam asked.
"I am not sure, but he looked happy. To be sure, we have to wait for Lee."
On cue, a man, dressed like a technician emerged behind them. "The boy won. Although his Pidgey was knocked out easily, his Medapod single-handily defeated both a Geodude and an Onix. It evolved while fighting the second."
Cleef raised an eyebrow. "An Onix? I'm impressed. Anyway, how did your disguise worked out?"
Lee smiled. "They believed me. It's surprisingly easy to gain entrance to buildings like that with the right papers and story."
"I'll inform the boss." Adam pulled out his cell phone, and dialled a number. The call was answered quickly.
"Ah, Adam. How did it go?" the voice asked.
"The boy won." Adam said. "His Medapod defeated Brock's Pokémon, and evolved while fighting an Onix."
"He is very skilled for his age..." the voice said. "Anyway, continue your mission."
"Yes sir." Adam said, and ended the call.
And so did Jimmy defeat Brock. Next time: Mount Moon!
Important events:
Story: Jimmy defeats Brock, and earns the Boulderbadge.
Pokémon: Jimmy's Medapod evolves into Butterfree.
Battles: Jimmy's Medapod defeats Brock's Geodude, Brock's Onix defeats Pidgey, Medapod evolves and defeats Onix.
Please review, and good catchings to all! See you next time!
