Chapter 54: Challenge Of The Boulder

Shane's pace down the road did not stop as day turned to night. He marched down the street looking down the pavement, without turning to sight of any buildings toward the side. His eyes were glued forward as he led the three of them to the east edge of town. As he kept walking he saw that he was getting farther from Pewter City until he was on a dirt, rural road.

Shane abruptly stopped walking. His eyes looked up from the ground to the building in front of him that was labeled "Nibi Gym". Bulbasaur and Heracross looked up with him. It was a plain building made consisting of large stones that held up a boulder that was about fifty feet from side to side. It was mounted by a wooden frame and wood pillars that supported it. It was simple and bold in design that gave all of them the impression of bluntness.

They walked a bit further to see that there was a sign that was freshly painted over. On the newly dried paint read: Brock has left. Under new management.

Is the gym leader gone? Shane asked.

As he looked up at it, Shane could feel the power of the Pewter Gym coursing through him and gave him great anxiety. The simplicity of the feeling was overwhelming.

"Sh-should we go in?" Bulbasaurtwo asked.

"Not tonight," Shane said. "I want to some rest before I go and battle there."

"I agree," Heracross said. "Let's not be rash about going somewhere so…um, powerful."

"So where do we sleep?" Bulbasaurtwo asked.

Shane looked around. He led his Pokemon around the building and to see nothing but sparse country side. Shane picked out a thick oak tree, ran towards it, and began to climb up.

"Sleeping in a tree?" Bulbasaurtwo asked.

"Sure," Shane said. "I've done it before."

"I'm in!" he replied.

Bulbasaurtwo started scaling the branches with his vines. Shane was laying on a thick branch when Bulbasaurtwo sat down next to Shane.

"Are you sure?" Heracross said. "I want to know its safe for being in at night."

"Are you afraid of the dark Heracross?" Shane asked.

"Well of course," Heracross replied.

"Well you'll be fine," he replied. "Come on up."

"Okay," Heracross replied. "But only if I am able to sleep in the same branch as you."

"Okay," Shane replied.

Heracross flew up through the leafy layers of the oak. When he hovered above Shane and Bulbasaurtwo Heracross sat down on their limb. He scooted over to the trunk of the tree and hugged it with more strength that could have supported a skyscraper.

"I've always been scared of the dark until you guys showed up," Heracross replied.

Shane yawned and laid, bumping into Heracross with his head.

"Goodnight guys," Shane said.

Bulbasaurtwo jumped onto Shane.

"Bulbasaur!" he cried.

He landed on Shane's stomach and tucked his legs underneath him.

"I can't wait to win tomorrow," Bulbasaurtwo said.

And they immediately fell asleep.

Shane opened his eyes to see the morning sunlight shining in his eyes. Bulbasaurtwo was sound asleep on top of Shane. Shane put both hands of the Seed Pokemon clone and shook him. His eyelids opened to reveal his red irises.

"Saur," he yawned.

He stood up. As close as he was, Shane could feel the breath of Bulbasaurtwo's flower bulb. Bulbasaurtwo looked down at him and licked his face.

"Morning Bulbasaurtwo," Shane said.

Bulbasaurtwo smiled while standing on his chest.

"It's time," he replied.

Shane got up knocked on Heracross's hard shell. He turned around, stirred awake.

"Hey Shane," Heracross said. "Aw, its lovely morning. Are we headed to the gym now?"

"You bet Heracross!" Shane replied.

Shane turned and prepared to jump down from the tree. Bulbasaurtwo got right beside him and they jumped off the branch together. They smiled enthusiastically at each other. Heracross jumped down behind Shane.

Shane spotted the gym and the three of ran towards it. Shane's heart was beating faster than his legs were running. All he could feel was the anxiety of this new challenge.

They stopped when they reached the wide wooden doors.

"Take a deep breath guys," Shane said to his Pokemon. "Because we're about to face our biggest challenge yet."

He could hear them breath in and out slowly. Shane stared at the door handles and gripped them.

"Let's go Shane," Bulbasaurtwo replied. "Mewtwo doesn't have long."

Shane swung the doors wide open. The three of them cautiously stepped into the room which had no light except for that which came in through the open doors. Shane's heart raced even further as he heard the door close behind him. Now they couldn't see anything.

All was silent for a moment. They heard absolutely no sound in the gym.

"Is the gym leader here?" Shane asked.

"I hope so," Bulbasaurtwo complained.

"Guys I'm scared of the dark," Heracross whimpered.

Suddenly a light flashed at the end of the gym. They all turned to see standing on a stone platform was another person. He had tanned, aged skin with black hair, a red jacket with green stripes, and a stern expression.

"Who's he?" Heracross whined Shane.

"If you were looking for a the Pewter Gym Leader that would be me."

Shane and Bulbasaurtwo stepped closer to him. Shane stared at the gym leader and made him know what he wanted just by the intense gaze in his eyes. The gym leader's eyes burnt with iron willpower and strict sternness.

"I am Flint," he said smiling. "I have traveled throughout Kanto and beyond in my seeking of becoming the world's champion. All my Pokemon are those that have increased their strength to a level at which you only dream of. I admit it was smart of you to bring a Grass-type like Bulbasaur and a Fighting-type like Heracross to challenge my Rock-type Pokemon but it will not be enough."

Shane was surprised to hear that type advantage was in his favor. He hadn't considered it of much use, focused more on his Pokemon's strength than strategy but he smiled regardless.

"Of course," Shane replied. "I think before I act."

"That's a lie," Bulbasaurtwo replied.

"So who are you?" Flint asked. "Where do you come from?"

"I'm Shane from Vermillion City," he said.

"Well know amount of thinking could do you any good against me," Flint replied. "Now, our battle begins."

Suddenly the lights turned on and Shane could see again.

"Oh thank goodness," Heracross said.

They were standing in what looked like the side of a rocky mountain. Littering the floor were stones with a layer of soil on top of the floor. Even larger stones were held against the wall and rocks decorated the entire inside of the building. Before Shane laid a battle of which he was standing not far from.

Flint stepped down from his place on the stone platform and stood right behind the white mark on the battlefield.

"How many Pokemon do you own?" Flint asked.

"Two," Shane replied.

"I will use the two strongest Rock-type Pokemon I have to battle you with," he said. "You may make any substitutions you like as I may make none. I'll also send out the first Pokemon."

Flint reached to his waist, plucked a Pokeball from it, enlarged it, and through it into the air.

"Let's go Golem!" Flint cried.

From the white flash of light materialized a Pokemon that's body was a round mass of gray stones. Its tan legs held it up with its tan arms sticking out to the sides. Its smooth, elongated head protruded out of the middle front of its body with small fangs and red eyes.

Shane got his Pokedex from his backpack, held the glass eyepiece to Golem, and pressed a button:

"Golem the Megaton Pokemon. The final evolution of Geodude. Golem's body is so strong it can withstand dynamite blasts without a scratch of damage. Once a year it sheds this hide to grow a larger and stronger one. Where Golem live on mountains is often a hazard to cities below as this massive Pokemon's weight can be a problem when rolling down hills."

Shane put his Pokedex up.

"Come on!" Bulbasaurtwo said. "Put me in!"

"I don't think so," Shane said. "Heracross, I want you to battle Golem."

"Heracross?"

"Golem may be too much for you Bulbasaurtwo," Shane said. "Dynamite can't even scratch its body. However, Heracross's strength is probably more than dynamite will ever be."

Shane turned to Heracross.

"You can beat him," Shane said.

Heracross stepped towards the Megaton Pokemon, nervously. He had never felt more pressured to fight than right now.

"Golem," it said.

I'm going to squash you like the bug you are. It communicated.

"That's not very nice," Heracross replied.

"Go-ho-ho-lem!" it laughed.

"Let the battle begin!" Flint said. "You may make the first move."

"Okay Heracross!" Shane cried. "Use Brick Break!"

Heracross opened the back of its exoskeleton and flew on its wings at Golem with a raised arm.

"Heracross!"

"Golem use Rollout," Flint said.

"Golem."

Golem tucked in its limbs and its massive boulder of a body and hit Heracross in the head. Golem rolled over Heracross and then he was thrown backwards. His back hit the wall and he slumped to the floor.

"Heracross!" Shane yelled.

He and Bulbasaurtwo ran over to the injured Pokemon. Shane knelt down and touch him. His body's exoskeleton had been softened from the Rollout attack. Shane grabbed his Pokeball and returned Heracross to it.

"Shouldn't we heal him?" Bulbasaurtwo asked.

"In his Pokeball his life will be preserved no matter how low his health is," Shane said. "We'll get him to the Pokemon Center later."

"One down with one to go," Flint said.

Shane smiled. He looked down at Bulbasaurtwo and nodded. He and Shane started mind melding immediately. Their brains synchronized quickly into one.

He ran out to the battlefield as fast as possible. Bulbasaurtwo stood on his side of the battlefield and stared at Golem.

"Let the battle continue," Flint said. "Golem use Rollout!"

Golem curled his limbs around his body and then rolled at Bulbasaurtwo.

"Dodge it!" Shane said in telepathy.

Bulbasaurtwo ran to the side but Golem's Rollout was faster. Bulbasaurtwo was knocked back by the Rollout and was thrown out of the battlefield. He struggled to get back up, most of his body totally numb from pain.

"Get up," Shane said. "I know you can still fight."

Bulbasaurtwo stood up, all four of his legs in such agony that the nerves that had gone numb were now paining him.

Just…ignore…the pain. Bulbasaurtwo said to himself. Hang in for…Mewtwo.

"That's right," Shane said. "For Mewtwo."

The thought of Mewtwo made him stand back up, despite the injuries. He could barely stand. Golem had stared to stare and laugh at him. Bulbasaurtwo glared at his opponent.

"Golem now use Rock Blast!" Flint ordered.

"Golem!"

Golem held out its open hand and from its palm emerged a pebble. That pebble slowly grew to be a perfectly round teen-foot tall (almost twice Golem's size) boulder that Golem held in its hand. It sneered at Bulbasaurtwo.

"Golem!"

Goodbye!

The boulder launched at Bulbasaurtwo as fast as a bullet.

"Teleport in front of that Rock Blast!" Shane said.

He suddenly vanished and reappeared five feet in front of where the boulder landed. The rock crashed with a great cloud of dust where Bulbasaurtwo had been standing. Bulbasaurtwo kept glaring down at his opponent.

He saw a bead of sweat come from Golem. He looked extremely perplexed.

"What?!" Flint asked. "How did you miss?! Am I seeing things?!"

Another pebble appeared from Golem's palm, grew into a smooth, round boulder, and was launched again.

Bulbasaurtwo had already focused on a spot five feet to the side and suddenly changed location. The boulder missed with another huge cloud of dust.

Golem fired another boulder again, this time quicker than the last. Bulbasaurtwo used Teleport to dodge that Rock Blast as well. Golem then started firing Rock Blast after Rock Blast in quicker succession.

"You show 'em Bulbasaurtwo!" Shane encouraged him.

Bulbasaurtwo Teleported away from every attack as dust was kicked up from the attacks that engulfed the battlefield.

"Golem! Golem!"

Hold still so I can squash you! It communicated.

The clone appeared right in front of Golem. Golem gaped in surprise. Both stood very still, not moving a muscle.

"Golem use Rollout!" Flint ordered.

Golem curled into a ball and rolled into Bulbasaurtwo again.

"Use your Vine Whip!" Shane said.

"Bulbasaur!"

He withdrew the bright green vines from his bulb and wrapped his vines around Golem. His rolling immediately stopped. Bulbasaurtwo felt great strain on his body but despite it hoisted Golem into the air. Bulbasaurtwo came down with a vine on Golem's stony body brought it to the ground.

CRASH!

The force of Golem's weight colliding with the ground shook the entire gym. Bulbasaurtwo saw Flint and Shane fall over from the force. Golem's body was half buried in the gym floor and where Bulbasaurtwo had whipped him was a huge cut that had pierced through his bedrock shell. He hoisted his vines back into the air and then withdrew them back into his body.

"Saur."

"Return!" Flint cried.

He withdrew Golem back into its Pokeball. He minimized the ball and then placed it by the adhesive button on his waist.

Bulbasaurtwo panted heavily, already tired from the battle with Golem.

"I don't know how your Bulbasaur disappeared like that and I certainly don't know how it just beat my Golem but I must say you have done an excellent job raising your Pokemon," Flint said. "Very excellent."

"Thanks," Shane said. "We make a good team."

"I send out against you my strongest Pokemon," Flint said and took another Pokeball from around his waist. "Go! Rhydon!"

From the Pokeball's flash of white light materialized a Rhydon. Bulbasaurtwo had seen them in Amber's Remember Place. The were fierce looking Pokemon that stood on hind legs with a long yellow horn and thick arms and legs. Its enormous tail beat the ground in anticipation.

Shane took his Pokedex out and took data on the Pokemon:

"Rhydon the Drill Pokemon. After its evolution from Rhyhorn it gained intelligence and learned to walk on its hind legs. While spinning the horn on its face like a drill it can shatter even diamonds. Its hide is so thick and tough it can actually withstand molten magma near active volcanoes where it is known to live."

Shane put his Pokedex up.

"Rhydon!" he roared at Bulbasaurtwo.

You look weak. Rhydon communicated. Beating you will be no accomplishment at all.

"Don't let his taunting get to you," Shane said.

"Oh yeah!" Bulbasaurtwo said. "We'll just have to wait and see!"

Rhydon just chuckled.

"Alright you can have the first move Shane," Flint said.

"Okay," Shane said. "Bulbasaurtwo, go and use Vine Whip!"

"Bulbasaur!"

He grew the vines from the bulb on his back and whipped them at Rhydon.

"Rhydon use Hammer Arm!" Flint ordered.

"Rhy!" Rhydon cried.

He raised his arm and beat away a Vine Whip. His other arm did so as well. Just as he tried to beat back the other vine Bulbasaurtwo wrapped the Vine Whip around Rhydon's arms. Then he slung Rhydon to the right.

"Don!" he cried.

He crashed through a the large stones up against the walls as Bulbasaurtwo slung him through it with his vines. He let go of Rhydon after he had crashed into the wall. Rhydon slowly staggered up after that attack, bruises where the Vine Whip had gripped him.

"Rhyyyyyy," he said.

So you are more than meets the eye. Rhydon communicated.

"Plenty more!" Bulbasaurtwo replied. "I am going to be the strongest Pokemon in the world!"

"Rhydon use Rock Blast!" Flint ordered.

Rhydon put its claws together and suddenly a rock started forming from its clasped palms. The jagged boulder began to be as big around as twenty feet (almost three times Rhydon's size).

"Bulbasaurtwo get your vines up to block this!" Shane yelled.

"Bulbasaur!"

He got his vines up to stop the deflect the Rock Blast. That was a bad idea. Even though the vines prevented the boulders hitting his body but they still kept moving.

"SAAAAAUUUUU-!"

His back crashed through the gym wall and outside. The Rock Blast through Bulbasaurtwo away and he tumbled into the green grass outside of the gym. There was hardly any pain, only shock at the force of such power.

Bulbasaurtwo saw Shane running out to the grass screaming.

He ran over and held Bulbasaurtwo. He helped him stand back up. Bulbasaurtwo could feel Shane's worry for his health but at the same time the determination to push him harder.

"I want to know if you can still go on," Shane said.

Bulbasaurtwo crawled out of his arms.

"I can," he replied.

Bulbasaurtwo could feel Shane's mind probing Bulbasaurtwo's power within him but couldn't seem to find anything.

"RHYDON!"

He came charging out and enlarged the hole in the Pewter Gym. Flint was right beside his Pokemon.

"Bulbasaur!" he said fiercely and stood his ground.

"Rhydon use Stone Edge!" Flint cried.

The Drill Pokemon waved its arm and suddenly rocks came out of the ground. The rocks were all very pointy and sharp and launched themselves at Bulbasaurtwo.

"Block 'em," Shane said.

Bulbasaurtwo hoisted his vines into the air readying to deflect the Stone Edge. Suddenly the ends of his vines started blossoming into pink flowers with yellow antennae in the bright sunlight. Due to the body of the vine suddenly became a brighter shade of green.

"Cool," Shane said. "I think they've gotten stronger from the blossoms."

"Saur!"

Bulbasaurtwo put all his power into this Vine Whip. His two vines flew in all directions and became green blurs with their speed. He deflected each edged rock that came flying at him. As soon as he deflected them they broke into smaller pieces. As

"Nice going!" Shane said.

"This isn't working!" Flint screamed. "Rhydon use Earthquake!"

Rhydon charged Bulbasaurtwo at a wild speed. Then ten feet away he stopped and shoved his arm into the ground. Immediately the earth started caving in.

Shane suddenly ran up to and grabbed Bulbasaurtwo.

"Teleport now!" Shane cried.

"Bulbasaur!"

Suddenly the two vanished and reappeared behind Rhydon. Bulbasaurtwo saw to his shock the trench Rhydon carved was fifty feet wide and no telling how deep as well as two miles. It had made a good chunk of the forests and mountains ahead of them get swallowed into the trench. Bulbasaurtwo was glad that it didn't hit the city or a chunk of the city would have been gone.

"That attack was wicked," Bulbasaurtwo said.

Shane nodded slowly.

Rhydon and Flint turned around. Both of them looked very agitated that had not hit.

"How did you get over there?" Flint asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Shane replied.

"Rhydon go and use Rock Blast!" Flint yelled.

Rhydon clasped its hands together and started forming another boulder.

"Teleport us to the top of the Pewter Gym!" Shane said.

Shane put his hand on Bulbasaurtwo. He focused, more Teleportation than he had ever used, and they appeared on top of the gym.

"Rhydon!" he cried and shot a boulder from his arms.

The boulder bulleted through the gym, making another gaping whole in the Pewter Gym. Rhydon looked up in agitation that he did not hit his opponent.

"Climb up the gym and get them Rhydon!" Flint said.

Rhydon got on that and started scaling the walls.

"Why did we come up here again?" Bulbasaurtwo asked as he balanced himself on the Gym roof.

"I need you to use instantaneous draining attack," Shane said. "And make it count because it'll take a lot of power to take down that thing."

"Saur," he said.

Bulbasaurtwo focused. He focused on a seed within his flower bulb. He began pumping up with nutrients the seed, as much as he could. As he felt the seed grow large and full of energy he realized the moment had come to launch it.

"Rhydon!"

Rhydon had reached them and now stood on the Pewter Gym.

"Rhydon! Rhydon!"

Fight me! Rhydon asked. Stop running and-!

"Bulbasaur!" he cried.

More energy than he had ever put into an attack flew at Rhydon at that instant. The green oval shaped seed fired at Rhydon and dug shallowly into his chest. The seed opened up and sprung out of his hidden power was a six foot tall tree with a thin, light brown trunk. It grew limbs that extended out to form a small, thick canopy of sea green leaves. Bulbasaurtwo could feel every ounce of strength he was draining from Rhydon healings his injuries from Golem. He was back to full health and Rhydon fell over the edge of the roof.

The two of them smiled. Bulbasaurtwo Teleported Shane down below where they saw the tree uproot itself from Rhydon's body and sink into the ground beside him. Flint returned Rhydon to its Pokeball.

"You defeated my Rhydon," Flint said. "And with a no less than remarkable Giga Drain attack."

"Giga Drain?" Shane asked.

Flint nodded.

He gestured for them to follow and the two of them did. Shane and Bulbasaurtwo saw Flint take something from the stone behind him and hand Shane a round, gray medal.

"Here young trainer," Flint said. "Take it as proof of your victory over me. Take the Boulder Badge."

The very moment Shane had always dreamed of was brought to life right there. He cried. He took the Boulder Badge delicately and put the Boulder Badge in his bag.

"I have great expectations of you," Flint said. "Your Bulbasaurtwo is the single greatest Pokemon I have ever seen. No matter what talent for battle it has you brought it out. Congratulations."

"Thank you very much Flint," Shane replied.

"You are welcome," he said. "Goodbye."

"What your Gym's condition?" Shane asked. "I mean, we walked in through a hole in it."

"I'll have it fixed up in no time," Flint said. "It was made by Rock-type Pokemon, it can be fixed by it too."

Shane walked out of the Pewter Gym, taking his Boulder Badge out and fondled it.

"We did this man," Shane said.

"Amber and Mewtwo are going to be so proud," Bulbasaurtwo replied with tears in his eyes. "They've always known how much I wanted this."

Shane nodded.

They got to the Pokemon Center in a hurry. After five minutes after giving the nurse his Heracross in his Pokeball she gave it back outside of its Pokeball.

"So did you win?" Heracross asked nervously.

"We sure did Bug Man," Bulbasaurtwo said.

Shane held the Boulder Badge up to him.

"Hera!" he cried in joy.

"So where are we headed to next?" Bulbasaurtwo asked.

Shane got out his Pokedex and turned on the map. After looking at it for a little while he saw the next city with a gym.

"Cerulean City," Shane said.

"Let's get going!" Bulbasaurtwo said.

"Yeah!" Heracross replied.

And they walked out of the Pokemon Center and started running East towards Cerulean as fast as possible.