A/N: Sorry! Another really long chapter!

Chapter 7

It was about the middle of the afternoon when they reached the outskirts of Pewter City. Ash was the first to glimpse the city through the trees. He pointed. "Look!" He ran ahead and jumped on a large rock for a better look.

"Yay! Pewter City!" Misty said as she and Kira came up behind him.

Ash sat down on the rock. "Whew. For a while there, I thought we were going to be in this forest for the rest of our lives."

"Pewter City is grey," came a voice from below them, "the color of stone. This town has always been famous for stone."

The kids jumped and looked over the edge of the ledge they were standing on. An older, bearded man was sitting just beneath them.

"What the-? Who's this old guy?" Ash asked.

Kira shrugged. "Good question."

"Never met him," Misty said, shaking her head.

The man turned his head slightly. "The name's Flint. And you're sitting on some of my merchandise, young man."

Ash scrambled to his feet. "Oh, sorry!" He leapt off the rock.

Kira jumped off the ledge. Flint was sitting next to a shelf displaying rocks of varying sizes with their respective prices. "You mean you sell rocks?"

Flint nodded. "Pewter City souvenirs. Wanna buy some?"

Ash climbed down, followed by Pikachu and Misty. "No, thanks. I'm traveling, trying to become a Pokemon Trainer." Pikachu flopped down next to him.

"Uh, huh," Flint said. He looked down at Pikachu. "Well, your Pokemon sure looks worn out." He got to his feet. "Why don't you follow me? I'll show you to the Pokemon Center." He started walking away.

Ash turned to the girls. "See? Looks can be deceiving. He's a nice guy."

Misty looked doubtful. "Are you sure?"

Flint glanced over his shoulder. "By the way, that'll be a two-dollar charge for resting on my rocks."

Kira shook her head. "Seriously?" she mumbled as she handed over the money.

"Do you think we can trust him?" Misty whispered to Kira as they followed Flint toward the city.

Kira glanced at the older man. "It looks like it. At least he's taking us to the Pokemon Center. And I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get there."

Misty sighed. "I know what you mean. Two weeks in that bug-infested forest is enough. I'm ready for a bath and clean clothes.

Ash looked over his shoulder. "What are you talking about?"

Kira moved up to walk beside him. "You didn't get a chance to look around the Viridian City Pokemon Center, did you?"

"No. I was too worried about Pikachu. Why? Did I miss something?"

"Most Pokemon Centers have what they call Trainer's Quarters. They have a couple of bedrooms, bathrooms with showers, and a laundry room for Trainers to rest and clean up."

"Huh. That's cool."

Misty came up on Kira's other side. "You sure know a lot about Pokemon Centers. Are you sure this is your first Pokemon journey?"

Kira smiled. "Grandpa used to take me and Gary along when he had to travel around for his research."

Flint led them to the Pokemon Center, where the kids walked up to the counter. They placed their Pokemon on trays and rang the bell.

A nurse came out of the back. "Please, revitalize my Pokemon," Ash said, sliding the tray across the counter.

The woman took the tray. "Sure, right away, Ash."

Ash looked up as a couple of Chansey took Kira and Misty's trays. The woman looked exactly like Nurse Joy from Viridian City. "Huh? Nurse Joy?"

"Yes, I'm Nurse Joy."

He scratched his head. "But this isn't Viridian City. This is Pewter City."

The nurse nodded. "The Joy in Viridian City is my little sister. I'm the older Joy. I've heard nice things about all of you. Very nice."

"Um, thank you," Ash said.

As Nurse Joy walked away, Misty turned to Kira. "So what's first? Lunch or cleaning up?"

Kira glanced down at her dirty clothes. "Cleaning up. We won't be fit to eat anything until we've washed off at least a few layers of dirt. Come on."

They said goodbye to Flint and followed signs to the Center's Trainer Quarters. Soon, they found themselves at the entrance of a hallway. Three doors stood to the left, while four more lined the right side. Kira pointed at the first door on the left. "Here's the girls' bathroom. Ash, the boys' bathroom is probably at the other end of the hall. When you're done, meet us in the laundry room. I'll wash our dirty clothes while we eat."

As Ash started down the hallway, Misty motioned to the doors on the opposite side. "These are the bedrooms, right?"

"Probably," Kira replied. "If this is set up like the other Pokemon Centers I've been to, then each room has two sets of bunk beds for Trainers spending the night. Come on."

The two girls walked into the bathroom. To their left were four stalls for toilets, with four sinks across from them on the right. Straight ahead, a counter and mirror ran the length of the wall. A doorway on either side of the counter led back to the showers.

The bathroom was decorated in shades of blue, with pictures of Water Pokemon on the walls. Misty was in heaven. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Look! Isn't it just adorable?"

Kira dropped her backpack on the counter. "While you're admiring the decor, I'm going to take a shower." She pulled out clean clothes and picked up a towel and some toiletries from the shelves beneath the counter.

"I'm coming. I just think it's so cute," Misty said, placing her bag next to Kira's. "Don't you?"

"I'll take the time to look at it when I'm clean," Kira said as she disappeared into one of the shower stalls.

The girls took their time with their showers, thoroughly enjoying the hot water and fragrant soap. After carefully combing their hair, they gathered their dirty clothes and left the bathroom.

Ash was waiting for them in the laundry room. "Took you long enough," he said as they walked up. "Hope you saved some water for the fish."

Misty put her hands on her hips. "Well, excuse us for actually using soap and water."

"I use soap and water. And at least I don't smell like stinky flowers."

"I do not smell like flowers!"

"Do, too!"

"Do not!"

"Do, too!"

"Ok, that's enough," Kira said, interrupting them. "Ash, give me your dirty clothes so we can start the laundry and go eat."

Ash dug his clothes out of his backpack and handed them to Kira, who dropped them into a washing machine along with her's and Misty's things. She put in coins and started it, then followed the younger kids out of the room.

In the lobby, their attention was grabbed by a large poster on the wall. It showed someone holding a Poke Ball, surrounded by the various Pokemon League Gym badges. Above the picture, large letters spelled out "Pokemon League Regional Championships: Enter the Competition!"

"The Pokemon League Regional Championships!" Ash said dreamily. "All right! That would be so cool to enter." Misty laughed from behind him. "What's the matter?" he asked, turning to face her.

Misty pointed out the smaller print at the bottom of the poster. "To compete in the Regional Championships," she read, "Trainers must have a minimum of eight badges from League-approved Pokemon Gyms."

"What's that mean?"

Kira explained. "There are at least ten official Pokemon Gyms in Kanto, each one specializing in a different Pokemon type. A Trainer entering the Regional Championships needs to beat Gym Trainers from different towns and earn their badges as proof."

"Can you do that?" Misty asked Ash.

Ash held up a fist. "Of course I can!"

"We should both enter, Ash. The competition will be good for us," Kira said. "We can start here. There's an official Gym here in town."

Someone chuckled behind them. The kids turned to see Flint walking up to them. "Don't tell me you plan on challenging Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader," he said.

"Of course I do," Ash replied. "As soon as Pikachu and my other Pokemon are better, I'll have no problem. Take me to this Brock's Gym. I'll beat him!"

Kira put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Why don't we go get something to eat first? You can beat Brock after lunch."

Flint chuckled again. "You'll beat him?" He continued laughing as he walked away.

Ash was about to run after him, but Kira's hand tightened on his shoulder. "Let it go, Ash," she said. "Come on. Let's go eat."

The kids left the Pokemon Center and found a small restaurant nearby. Once their orders arrived, they willingly dug in. Ash was still fuming over Flint's words. "Oh, that Flint," he said in between bites, "trying to make a fool out of me."

"Do you really think you can win?" Misty asked. She put down her fork and leaned forward. "Gym Leaders are different from your everyday Pokemon Trainers."

Kira took a drink from her glass of soda. "She's right. They're much, much tougher."

"I'll tell you what, Ash," Misty said. "If you ask me really nicely, I'll help you out."

"I don't need any help," Ash mumbled with a full mouth.

Misty was offended when her offer was rejected. "Is that so?" she said, standing up. "Fine with me. There's no way you'll beat Brock in the Pewter City Gym. Huh!" She snatched up her bag and marched out.

Kira hastily shoved a last bite into her mouth and ran after her. "Hey, wait for me!"

From behind them, they heard Ash complaining about being stuck with the bill. Both girls ignored him as they left the restaurant and started walking. Kira didn't know where they were going, but she knew that Misty needed time to cool off. After a few minutes, she asked if she was okay.

"Yeah," Misty replied. "It just irritates me that he thinks he knows everything. Brock fights with Rock Pokemon, and all of Ash's Pokemon are weak against them. He might actually win if he used some of mine."

"I know. But Ash has to do this his own way. Every Trainer does, you and me included."

Misty nodded. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be heading to the Gym?"

Kira shrugged. "Not just yet. First, I need my Pokemon. Second, I can't go at the same time as Ash, so we may as well go pick up our Pokemon and check on the laundry."

"What do you mean you can't go at the same time as Ash?"

"League rules. If two Trainers arrive at a Gym at the same time, one has to wait outside until the match is complete. That way, the second challenger doesn't have an advantage by studying the Gym Leader's fighting style. Trainers competing for badges can only observe an official Gym match if they already have that Gym's badge."

"I see. That makes sense. It also explains why my sisters only faced one Trainer at a time."

The two girls took their time walking back to the Pokemon Center, enjoying the new sites of the city. Back at the Center, they collected their Pokemon from Nurse Joy, moved their clothes into a dryer, then decided to head for the Gym.

The large building was made of rough-hewn stone, giving it an intimidating feel. Kira swallowed and led the way inside to a large, dark room.

A light turned on at the other end of the room, revealing a young man seated on a boulder. He was about Kira's age. "Who goes there?" he asked.

Kira stepped forward. "Are you Brock?"

The young man nodded. "Are you here to challenge me?"

Kira nodded. "Yes. I'm Kira Oak, from Pallet Town."

Brock looked at Misty. "And you?"

"Uh, I'm Misty, but I'm just watching, not fighting," Misty said, taking a step back.

"There's a catwalk upstairs where you can watch the match." Brock motioned to a flight of stairs off to the side, then turned his attention back to Kira. Misty patted her shoulder and whispered good luck before climbing the stairs.

"Is this your first Gym match?" Brock asked.

Kira nodded. "Yes. And I'm aware that there are special conditions for Gym battles."

"We'll use two Pokemon each," Brock said, standing up. "You must win both rounds of the match in order to earn the Gym badge. Ready?"

Kira nodded and chose two Poke Balls as she took her place in the challenger's square. Brock snapped his fingers. Instantly, the overhead lights came on. Doors on either side of the room opened, revealing two halves of a rocky battle platform. The pieces moved together on motorized tracks, meeting in the middle.

Brock stepped into the Leader's square. "Let the match begin. Choose your first Pokemon."

Kira threw a Poke Ball. "I choose Sandshrew." With a flash of light, Sandshrew took the field. Ground was his natural environment, so Kira felt he was a good choice.

"Geodude, go!" Brock threw his Poke Ball. A Pokemon that looked like a boulder with a face and arms appeared on the field. For a moment, Kira wished she had borrowed one of Misty's Water Pokemon.

Brock made the first move. "Geodude, Rock Throw!" Geodude immediately started grabbing fist-sized rocks and throwing them at Sandshrew.

Kira thought quickly. "Sandshrew, Rapid Spin!" Sandshrew curled up in a ball and started spinning in place. As each one of Geodude's rocks hit him, it broke apart, shattered by the force of the spinning. She took in the situation. She was on the defensive and had to turn things around fast. Sandshrew couldn't keep spinning forever. She decided to use the spinning to her advantage. "Sandshrew, use Rollout!" Sandshrew continued spinning, but instead of staying in place, he began rolling toward Geodude.

"Geodude, Defensive Curl!" Brock shouted. Geodude immediately crossed his arms in front of his face and planted himself in Sandshrew's path. Sandshrew barely swerved in time to miss him. He made a hard turn, hoping to catch Geodude in the back, but Geodude was quicker than he looked. He spun on the spot and braced himself again. This time, Sandshrew couldn't turn in time. He hit Geodude full force and bounced into the air.

"Now use Seismic Toss, Geodude!"

Geodude, unfazed by the impact, launched himself into the air and grabbed Sandshrew before he could uncurl. Kira watched helplessly as her Pokemon was thrown down hard enough to make the ground vibrate.

Sandshrew got to his feet, but he was wobbly. I have to figure something out fast or Sandshrew is going to lose, Kira thought. Sandshrew was no match for Geodude's strength. But he was faster.

"Sandshrew, use Rollout again! Look for an opening!" She really hoped her plan would work.

Sandshrew began rolling in circles around Geodude, looking for a weak spot. Geodude tried to keep facing him, but as Sandshrew began picking up speed, he fell behind. Within minutes, he was too dizzy to keep track of his opponent.

"It worked! Sandshrew, close in and tackle!"

As Sandshrew rolled toward Geodude, Brock yelled for his Pokemon to get out of the way. But it was no use. Geodude was still too dizzy. Sandshrew closed the gap and uncurled in time to hit Geodude squarely in the face. Geodude flew across the arena and crashed into the wall. He was out.

Brock held out a Poke Ball. "Geodude, return." The stunned Pokemon disappeared. "You handle your Pokemon well. But the match isn't over yet." He threw another Poke Ball. "Onix, go!"

Onix appeared on the field. It looked like a giant snake made of rocks. Kira called Sandshrew back and brought out Mankey. Again, speed was on her side. Onix tried to tackle Mankey, but the smaller Pokemon nimbly dodged the attacks, leaping from rock to rock.

"Onix, Bind it!" Brock called.

Kira knew that if Onix's powerful tail caught Mankey, the match was over. "Mankey, High Jump Kick!"

Mankey jumped into the air, narrowly missing Onix's tail. He came down hard on Onix's back, then jumped again, this time kicking him in the face. Even though he was much smaller, his attacks were more effective against Rock Pokemon like Onix.

"Mankey, use Rock Smash!"

Mankey jumped again, but Onix whacked him with his tail before he could get close. Mankey flew through the air. But instead of falling back to the ground, he grabbed the rafters and started swinging from them.

Kira grinned. "Yeah, Mankey! Grab a rock and use Seismic Toss!"

Mankey dropped to the ground and grabbed a large rock. Then he jumped over Onix's head and threw the rock as hard as he could. The rock hit Onix on the side of the head, and he roared. He tried again to tackle Mankey, but he was too slow. Mankey was practically dancing around him and pelting him with rocks. The battle continued like that for several minutes as Mankey threw rock after rock. Onix managed to avoid some of them, but the majority found their mark. By the time the last one hit, Onix was furious. With a roar loud enough vibrate the building, he dove straight at Mankey.

Mankey watched him come at him with all the speed and power of a freight train. Before Kira could call out any orders, Mankey leapt aside. Onix rammed full speed into one of the largest rock formations on the field.

"Onix, behind you!" Brock yelled.

The huge Pokemon was dazed, but he turned around in time to see Mankey's fist just before it hit him squarely between the eyes. Onix had finally had enough and collapsed. The match was over.

Kira breathed a sigh of relief as Misty cheered from the catwalk above. Brock called Onix back and Mankey sat heavily on the floor next to Kira. Brock flipped a switch on the wall, causing the battle stage to retract. As soon as there was enough room to walk, he stepped toward Kira.

"Well done," he said. "Your Pokemon skills are impressive." He held out a hand. "You've earned this Boulder badge."

Kira looked down at the small silver Gym badge in his hand and grinned as she accepted it. This was her first step toward the Pokemon League. "Thanks, Brock. Thanks a lot."

Misty walked up and patted Kira's shoulder. "Congratulations, Kira. That was fantastic."

Brock nodded. "It really was, Kira. Even though I lost, I admire your skills. But then, I would expect nothing less from the granddaughter of Professor Oak."

Kira shrugged and changed the subject, hastily bending to pick up Mankey. "Thanks for the great battle, Brock. Now I've got to get these guys checked out and make sure that they're okay."

The girls said goodbye to Brock and left the Gym. Once they were outside in the bright sunlight, Kira held up the badge to examine it. It was about an inch in diameter and was shaped like a boulder. It was made of silver and had a pin on the back.

"Can I see it?" Misty asked. Kira handed it over. Misty looked it over, then handed it back. "It's beautiful, but let me ask you something. Why did you leave so suddenly when Brock talked about your grandfather?"

Kira tucked the badge in her pocket for safekeeping. "I love my grandpa more than anyone, but I don't want to rely on his reputation. I want to build my own. I want to be known as me, not just as Professor Oak's granddaughter."

Misty nodded. "I know the feeling. My sisters are the same way. Everyone knows who they are, but I'm just the annoying little sister. That's why I left. So I could be my own person. Is that why you decided to try for the Pokemon League?"

"Yeah, I thought that it would be a good way for me to step out of Grandpa's shadow."

Misty nodded again. "Going back to the previous subject, what are you going to do with your badge? Keep it in your backpack?"

Kira took out the badge again and looked at it. "Well, I know a lot of Pokemon store sell badge cases, so I guess I'm going shopping. I should probably stock up on supplies, anyway." She shifted Mankey to her other arm. "But first, we have to stop by the Pokemon Center."

The girls dropped Mankey and Sandshrew off at the Pokemon Center, collected their clean clothes, then walked the streets until they found a small department store. Inside, shelves and displays were filled with varying types of Poke Balls, Pokemon care supplies, toys, books, and accessories. They wandered up and down the aisles for a while, looking at the merchandise and making selections, then found a small section in the back with various types and styles of badge cases. Kira searched the selection until she found one she liked.

The wooden box was about the size of a pencil case and had a hinged lid. Inside, a piece of black velvet lined the bottom, with small indentations for badges. There was enough room for eight badges, the minimum requirement for the Pokemon League. The section beneath the lid held a spot for the Trainer's photo and contact information.

Kira added the case to the basket of Pokemon food, Poke Balls, and medicines that they had already gathered. The two girls looked around the store for a while longer before paying for their selections. They took the bags to a nearby park and packed the items in their backpacks. Kira admired the badge in the case for a moment before putting it away, then they got some dinner at another restaurant near the Pokemon Center.

Kira's Pokemon weren't quite ready by the time they finished eating, so Kira looked around for something else to do. Her eyes fell on the phone booths in the corner. "I'm gonna call Grandpa, let him know how we're doing," she said.

Misty looked around, hands in her pockets. "I'll just wait here, then, I guess."

Kira grinned. "Come with me. My grandpa is really nice. It's not like he's going to reach through the phone and bite you."

"It's not that," Misty said, shaking her head. "I just don't want to intrude on your time with your family."

Kira put an arm around the younger girl's shoulders. "I know Grandpa would love to meet you, so come on." She led Misty over to the phone and dialed.

Professor Oak answered after a couple of rings. "Kira, my dear! I was just wondering how you were doing, sweetheart. Who's your friend?"

"This is Misty. We've been traveling together with Ash."

"Really? And how is he doing? Has he managed to catch any new Pokemon yet?"

"Well, he's got a Butterfree and a Pidgeotto now," Kira said.

Misty leaned forward. "Although he caught them both through sheer dumb luck."

Professor Oak shook his head. "That doesn't surprise me. Frankly, I admit I had some doubts about him. Does he still have trouble with his Pikachu?"

"No, actually. He and Pikachu are best friends now," Kira replied.

Professor Oak rubbed his chin. "Hmm, interesting. And what about you, Miss Misty? What kind of Pokemon do you have, if I may ask?"

"Sure," Misty replied. "I use Water Pokemon. They're my absolute favorite. I have Staryu, Starmie, and Goldeen."

"Excellent," Professor Oak said, nodding. "Focusing on one type of Pokemon allows you to really see all of the strengths and weaknesses of that type. Where are you from?"

"Cerulean City."

"Ah, that explains your preference for Water Pokemon." He turned his attention back to his granddaughter. "And how are you, sweetheart? Are you doing all right? Are you taking care of yourself?" He looked closely into the camera.

Kira smiled. "I'm fine. I've caught a Weedle since I last talked to you."

"Really? Well done. That makes six now, I believe. Keep up the good work. By the way, where are you calling from?"

"Pewter City, and I've-"

"Oh, did you stop by and see the Pokemon Gym?"

Kira sighed. "That's what I'm trying to say. Ash and I both decided to enter the Pokemon League, so we're going to earn the badges we need to enter. I've already battled Brock, the Gym Leader here, and got a Boulder badge."

Professor Oak grinned broadly and slapped his desk. "Congratulations, my dear! Very impressive! I knew you would do well!"

Professor Oak's praise made Kira smile. "Thanks. Have you heard from Gary?"

Professor Oak shook his head. "Not since we spoke in Viridian City. I'm sure he's alright, though. He's just as capable as you are."

"Yeah, but I would feel better if I knew how he was doing. I haven't talked to him since we left home."

"He'll be fine, my dear. But if he calls me, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Thanks," Kira said. Misty tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at the counter, where Nurse Joy held a tray with Kira's Poke Balls. "I've got to go, Grandpa. My Pokemon are ready."

"Alright, I'll let you go. It was very nice to meet you, Misty."

Misty waved at the camera. "You, too, Professor."

"Kira, be careful out there. Call me at the next Pokemon Center. I love you, dear."

"Love you, too, Grandpa," Kira said before hanging up.

The girls stood up. "You were right," Misty said. "Your grandpa is really nice."

Kira threw her backpack over her shoulder. "Told you. I hope Ash appreciates him, too."

As they walked over to the counter, Misty looked around. "Where is Ash, anyway?"

Kira shrugged as she accepted her Poke Balls from Nurse Joy. "I haven't seen him since lunch. Don't worry, he'll turn up."

Nurse Joy handed the tray to a Chansey. "I think your friend went somewhere with that gentleman who brought you here."

"Flint? Hmm. Where'd they go?" Misty asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think I heard them mention the hydroelectric plant on the edge of town," Nurse Joy replied.

Kira got directions to the plant and the two girls left the Pokemon Center as the sun set. As they walked along the river, Kira noticed the water level getting lower and lower. By the time the plant came into view, the river bed was almost completely dry.

They found Ash outside the building, walking on the old waterwheel to make it turn. "Um, Ash," Kira said, "what are you doing?"

Ash glanced over his shoulder at them. "I'm creating electricity to power up Pikachu."

Kira shook her head. "I'm guessing you didn't win your match."

"Hey, Ash, wouldn't it be a lot better to just ask me for help instead of going with this crazy power plan of yours?" Misty asked.

Ash shook his head and kept walking. "Forget it. I'll win without your help. I'm going to get a badge all by myself using the Pokemon I'm training!"

Seeing that his mind was made up, Kira put a hand on Misty's shoulder. "Come on. We can wait for him back at the Pokemon Center." She looked up at Ash. "Make sure you're back by curfew."

"He's so stubborn," Misty said as they walked away. "It'd be a lot easier if he used some of my Pokemon, too."

Kira thought for a moment. "Actually, if you think about it, he's right. It wouldn't mean as much if he used someone else's Pokemon. It'd be like buying something with someone else's money. You know what I mean?"

Misty looked back at the plant. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

They walked back to the Pokemon Center in silence, each absorbed in her own thoughts. Misty was worrying about Ash's upcoming battle. Kira was wondering what their next step would be and whether or not she would see her brother along the way. The moon rose silently overhead, lighting their way as they walked.