Chapter 3
Brock got into contact with Charles Goodshow immediately and he was invited to return to the Hidden Cove in Vermilion City. His sudden departure surprised everyone, but there was no time to waste.
Monday, October 23rd
The woodlands of Route 6 near Vermilion City was a welcomed sight to Brock. His daily drives with Ash and Pikachu out to Route 6 made him very familiar with the area, which hardly changed during his absence.
He drove through four different Routes to reach Vermilion City over the last three days and in all honesty, they all looked the same to him. Perhaps if he did a little exploring, he would've found some differences, but he was in a hurry to get to the Hidden Cove. He was only thirty minutes away from Vermilion City and ten minutes away from the rocky shores of the west coast once he got on the thruway.
The time seemed to pass in an instant as Brock entered the northern suburbs of Vermilion City and stopped at the first traffic light he saw in hours. Despite his urge to check on his old home and old hangout spots, Brock went straight to the ramp that took him onto the thruway and made his way to Vermilion City's west coast. As he arrived at the parking lot of the beach, Brock took a glance at the clock on his dashboard. It was twelve-fifteen and he was late!
He parked his car quickly, shut off the engine, and pocketed his keys. Once he was outside, he hastily dashed down to the shore where he spotted a young woman standing on the rocky coast. Resting on the surface of the water beside her was a Mantine who trilled and slapped the surface of the water with her wings at the sight of Brock.
Charles' assistant, Melissa, greeted Brock with a smile. However, that quickly faded as she found Brock down on one knee as he took a hold of one of her hands.
"Miss Melissa, it's been far too long since we've last seen each other. I would hope that during my absence you've reconsidered the thought of joining me for dinner and perhaps…the rest of our lives," Brock's proposal was met with the usual deadpan he received from Melissa.
"Brock, we've been over this already," Melissa replied as she withdrew her hand and turned to jump onto Mantine's back. "You're a nice guy, but I'm still seeing someone."
As always, Brock cleared his throat as he looked away from her, but he frowned as he realized he had no company to turn to. One of Ash, Tierno, or Trevor was typically with him to share a laugh over his latest rejection. With a sigh, he joined Melissa on Mantine's back and they disembarked from the shoreline.
"It's good to see you again," Melissa offered as a bridge into some conversation.
"I could say the same," Brock noted as he placed a hand against Mantine's back. She trilled and continued to sing her song as they skated across the water. "I've been following then news, has that affected you guys at all?"
"Yeah, it was pretty tense here last week, so Charles held a staff meeting on Friday. Basically, he told us to be ready for anything," Melissa explained.
Brock nodded and he agreed with that sentiment. Now wasn't a time for the local trainers to relax. Not when it was clear they were being targeted by the Vanguard.
"And what brings you back here?" Melissa inquired as she looked to Brock with her head tilted.
"Well…I always loved Pokemon, but in all honesty, my understanding of them was pretty shallow," Brock confessed. "I started to really do my homework in Pewter City and it was like I started to see all of the things I didn't notice before. I want to understand Pokemon the way some of my friends do, and I thought learning from Charles Goodshow would be the best way to do that."
"I think you made the right choice," Melissa commented. "Though your timing is unfortunate."
Brock shook his head and punched his palm. "I'm not going to let anything else hold me up anymore. I'm already twenty-five, I don't have any more time to wait around."
"I know what you're feeling," Melissa said she kneeled beside him and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "It will all come together with time. Don't rush it."
They arrived at the shore of the Hidden Cove after a few minutes, and Brock was pleased to see that nothing changed in the last few months. Melissa guided him into the stadium and they waved to some of the maintenance workers as they passed them. As they neared Charles' office, Brock recalled the first time that he spoke to the commissioner of the underground circuit and how he snuck past security to do so. His introduction to Charles started with a bow of thanks back then, and Brock repeated that action as he stood before Charles again today.
"Mr. Goodshow, thank you for taking the time to speak with me," Brock began.
Charles chuckled as he motioned for the young man in front of him to stand upright.
"No need to be so formal, Brock," Charles replied as Melissa left them to speak privately. "I was a little surprised when you called, but I'm glad nonetheless," Charles paused to observe Brock who took a seat in front of his desk. "You know, I was always a bit interested in how you would pan out as a trainer. I might finally get the opportunity to see it."
"Me?" Brock exclaimed, pointing at himself.
Charles gave him a nod. "Don't you remember what you said when we first met?"
Brock looked up in thought Before he could answer, Charles filled him in.
"You said that you believe you perceive talent the way I do," Charles reminded him with a grin. "And while I doubt you see things the way I do, you did recognize Ash's ability as a trainer. There's no telling how long it might have taken Ash to get discovered if not for you."
Brock scratched at the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle.
"Mr. Goodshow, you're too kind," Brock said sheepishly.
"Not at all, in fact, I don't think I've said enough," Charles noted. "After all, it took Ash some time to establish himself, and he had many doubters early on. I'm curious as to what you saw in him that made you believe in him so strongly."
Brock looked down for a moment. "What did I see in Ash?" He repeated the question. "It was his approach really."
Charles knit his brow.
"Ash was trying to become a strong trainer, there's no question about that. But there was always a bigger picture," Brock explained with a faint smile. "There were times that he would talk with N about what it means to be Pokemon Master, and listening to him, it's obvious that Ash thinks about all of this differently to a regular trainer. Like that saying, everyone is playing checkers and that one dude is playing chess."
Charles stifled his laughter and Brock went on.
"I always thought that Ash was just special because I didn't really understand his viewpoint. But like I told Melissa, I started studying Pokemon more in Pewter City, and as I got to see them in the wild, I took a hard look at them and finally…." Brock paused with a grin. "I finally understood what Ash was talking about. When you understand Pokemon, it's like the whole world starts to open to you. Ash always dreamed about some sort of world where we all live alongside Pokemon and now I think I'd really like that dream to come true…geez, I don't even know if I answered your question. I started rambling."
"You've already said more than enough," Charles said with a motion for him to relax. "Ash and I share similar views on how we should interact with Pokemon. It's good to see that Ash is helping other people to think the same way."
They shared a nod of agreement.
"Now, about the request, you made during our phone call…" Charles trailed off and Brock felt his chest become tight.
"Mr. Goodshow, I would really appreciate it if you would take me under your wing and show me how I can live a life with Pokemon as the centerpiece!"
"It's not going to be easy," Charles continued. "And you'll have to earn your keep, so we've made the accommodations for you to stay here at the Hidden Cove."
Brock bit down on his lower lip to contain himself as his legs trembled. He had to remain composed, at least until he left Charles' office.
"You're going to start as an entry-level worker with us. You'll assist the maintenance crew and help with the upkeep of the stadium. There is a gentleman by the name of Andrew who is in charge of the crew. Report to him at eight o'clock tomorrow morning on the battlefield."
Brock rose to his feet and bowed to Mr. Goodshow once again.
"Thank you very much! I won't let you down!"
His first week at the Hidden Cove was a brand-new experience.
Monday, October 30th
Following a weekend of battles, Monday was maintenance day at the Hidden Cove. The entire stadium was cleaned from top to bottom, so the majority of the staff was present.
Today was Brock's first maintenance day and…he groaned sadly as he stood in the south men's bathroom in a mop in his hands. He was on bathroom detail as his first assignment.
The crew met together in the morning on the battlefield where Andrew thanked everyone for their hard work over the weekend. The people that were part of the maintenance crew also acted as security when the Hidden Cove was open to the public. Once Andrew was done with their little pep talk, he began to divide the workers into groups and hand out their assignments. There were some areas in the stadium that Brock would have loved to give a thorough cleaning, one example being the small museum on the ground floor where the posters from famous matches at the Hidden Cove were hung. But…
"Brock, Ted, Jamie, and Nick, you guys will be cleaning the men's bathrooms," Andrew announced. "I'll be stopping by around eleven o'clock to inspect them."
There were four bathrooms, one in each wing of the stadium, so they each took charge of cleaning one on their own. As the newcomer, Brock was gifted the south men's bathroom, or really, the bathroom closest to the main entrance of the Hidden Cove. It wasn't pretty in there, however Brock was no stranger to cleaning a messy bathroom. He shared a bathroom with ten siblings after all, so it rarely saw a good day. All he could do was put his head down and clean.
Polish the mirrors, clean the sinks, wipe down the stalls…his final task was the mop the floors. Brock heard the door hinges creak as they opened, and Brock turned to see Andrew leaning in to check on him.
"Howdy, Brock," Andrew greeted him as he stepped in. Andrew whistled as he took a gander at Brock's work. The bathroom was sparkling! "Nice work!"
Brock lifted his mop from the floor and returned it to the bucket as he motioned for Andrew to begin his inspection. Andrew checked the stalls, the sink faucets, the trash cans, and finally, he came back to Brock.
"Great! Sorry for stepping where you mopped already," He apologized to Brock. "You did great in here. Once you finish moping, you can head up to the stands. We're going to clean the seating area and then stop for lunch."
"Sure thing boss, I'll be there soon!" Brock proclaimed and they bumped forearms.
Brock completed his task, emptied the mop bucket down the drain, and put away the supplies he borrowed. He shut off the light on his way out and proceeded to the main area of the stadium, seating sections. Once he was in the stands, Brock spotted the other workers gathering down in the front row.
"Aye, there he is, the rookie!"
"I heard they gave you the south restroom which can get pretty gnarly,"
"They weren't hazing you or anything, it's a Hidden Cove tradition at this point."
They all shared a laugh as Andrew did a quick check on all present. Then he began to divide them into different teams to assign each a seating section. Brock found himself with a different group this time as they handled two sections, sweeping up the trash on the floor and checking the seats for any remnants of food and such. It was a lot of bending down and squatting. Thankfully, this time Brock had company as he worked to pass the time with idle chit-chat.
"My daughter just turned three, she's the cutest thing!" Sid bragged about his daughter endlessly, showing Brock every picture that was on his phone.
"I gave that movie a solid nine out of ten. The storytelling was really good," Dexter was a movie aficionado who worked at the movie theater whenever he wasn't working at the Hidden Cove.
The staff of the Hidden Cove was large and diverse, with all sorts of stories to tell as they worked together. Not all of them had a Pokemon of their own, but the universal consensus was that everyone who worked at the Hidden Cove, loved Pokemon. Whenever it got quiet, all someone needed to do was mention the name of a Pokemon. Then everyone became a motor mouth. It was a delight to talk about Pokemon with so many people.
Many of them read the research papers and such that could be found on the PokeHub, so Brock was grateful for some of the studies he did while in Pewter City. At the very least, his contributions to these discussions were backed by some research.
Lunch came and went. Their afternoon assignments were given out, and Brock found himself partnered with Andrew for his next task.
"We've got it easy from here," Andrew explained as the two of them ventured out onto the battlefield. "The field needs a repair job after that battle with the Sandslash last night. I'm sure he left a ton of tunnels under the field from using Dig so much."
"How are we going to repair the field?" Brock inquired.
"Not we, the Rhydon," Andrew said as he pulled out a pair of Pokeballs from his pocket. He tossed them into the air and two hulking behemoths were dropped down the field. The ground shook as they made contact, and one threw his head back as he gave a mighty roar. Brock cringed at their entry onto the battlefield and Andrew laughed as he approached them. "Meet Rhydon and Rhydon. They're brothers."
Brock watched as one puffed out his chest proudly while the other fell to his bottom and yawned.
"You wouldn't think they're related since they act like total opposites," Andrew noted with a chuckle as he approached the more lackadaisical of the duo and gave him a pat on the back. "You can't sleep all day Rhydon, we got work for you to do."
There was a groan from Rhydon before he flopped onto his back. Andrew jumped away just in time to avoid having his toes crushed by Rhydon, and that incited the wrath of his brother. A Hammer Arm was dropped onto his belly as a warning to be more careful, and Rhydon apologized to Andrew.
"Come on, you guys know the drill," Andrew declared with a gesture to the field.
Andrew called for Brock to follow him to the edge of the battlefield where they could safely watch Rhydon go to work. Each of them would approach one of the holes left-back by Sandslash and stand over it for several minutes at a time with their eyes shut to concentrate.
As the Rhydon worked, felt a slow rhythmic pulse hit his feet. It felt like a heartbeat from below the ground.
"What is that?" Brock asked as he looked at Andrew.
"You don't know?" Andrew asked him in return and Brock shook his head.
"It's Rhydon, they're fixing the field," Andrew explained with a gesture to the Pokemon on the field. "They're ground and rock types, so you could say they're specialized for this kind of work. They can shift the tectonic plates below the ground. Since we only have one field, we have to make sure it stays in perfect condition, so Rhydon fills in all the gaps that might be created by different Pokemon so the field doesn't lose its integrity."
Brock raised his brow as he looked at the pair of Pokemon. The more he learned about them, the more amazing each and every one of them became!
But as he continued to learn, Vermilion City continued to change.
Tuesday, November 14th
"Good afternoon Kanto, this is Kinsey Miles of your regional news. Today our noon segment is dedicated to covering a string of events that have been unfolding in Vermilion City," She explained as the screen behind her desk began transition through several images.
The first image was of Archer, one of the Vanguard's executives as he stood in front of Vermilion City's town hall.
"Two weeks ago, several officers were killed and many more injured trying to break up a Pokemon battle between trainers in the industrial district. As a result, the Vanguard from Kalos has brought some of their peacekeepers to Vermilion City."
"We will find every trainer in this city and reform them and if they resist…they will face justice," Archer announced.
"Since then, the Vanguard's peacekeepers have been working tandem with the Vermilion City police department, and they have apprehended over fifty trainers that were taking part in Pokemon battles," Kinsey continued as the picture behind her showed various arrests, from early in the morning or late night. "However, this has not caused the activity of local trainers to decrease, so the Vanguard has decided to take things a step further. Archer made an announcement at Vermilion City earlier this morning as a warning to all trainers there."
"We indeed had some success breaking up Pokemon battles as they take place," Archer explained and his voice echoed through the speakers. "But a greater issue remains and that is the mentality of these trainers. Years of freedom have caused them to believe that they are above rules and regulations, so they will continue to defy the Vanguard. We have decided to take more countermeasures to get a better grasp of the situation. So, starting this week, the Vanguard will perform a door-to-door sweep of the city to find anyone in possession of a Pokemon. Our trainers will present their badge as proof that they work for the Vanguard, and you will be required to answer a few questions. Anyone in possession of a Pokemon will have to have them registered into our database. Failure to do so can result in your arrest if caught with an unregistered Pokemon. Resistance will result in your arrest. And if you caught taking part in an illegal Pokemon battle, that will result in your arrest."
When word of the Vanguard's announcement reached the Hidden Cove, Charles Goodshow was quick to take action.
He made an announcement of his own on the PokeHub.
"Attention all trainers that reside in Vermilion City, there have been some concerning developments taking place due to the presence of the Vanguard here. Many trainers have been arrested in the last few weeks, and the Vanguard has opted to redouble its efforts. We are all at risk," Charles declared. "Whether or not you choose to live under the Vanguard's regulations is entirely up to you…I personally will continue to follow my own course, and I encourage you all to do what you think is best to continue making progress on your journeys. Anyone in Vermilion City who needs a place to stay until you have made a decision, come to the Hidden Cove for some time. We will offer food and shelter until you are ready to go."
The Hidden Cove was cramped for the next week or so. At least a dozen trainers would show up at the entrance to the stadium each day, and that number doubled as the Vanguard's sweep of Vermilion City continued.
The stadium was overloaded with trainers by the end of the week. Brock met many new trainers, some young, some old. And he heard all sorts of opinions about the Vanguard.
"What they're doing doesn't seem all that bad to me. The Vanguard is trying to get everything under control so that no one gets hurt like those officers last month."
"I don't know, I'm awfully suspicious of them,"
"Yeah, it's been two weeks and I've been asking every trainer that I know. No one that we know of was part of that group of trainers that attacked the police."
"What are you saying?"
"It was a set up so that Vanguard would have free reign to do whatever they want in Vermilion City."
"Not everything has to be a conspiracy, ya know…"
"Well, personally speaking, I don't agree with how they want to run the show. I don't need someone telling me that I'm allowed to have a Pokemon or that I can't have battles. That's a load of nonsense if you ask me!"
"Agreed. I don't need anybody tracking my every move or what my Pokemon is doing. I'd sooner leave Vermilion City than live like that!"
As the discussions continued, one idea prevailed and it led to one more announcement from Charles Goodshow.
"Activities at the Hidden Cove have been discontinued until further notice."
Saturday, November 18th
Charles held a staff meeting the day he made that announcement down on the battlefield of the stadium. Everyone who worked at the Hidden Cove was present to prepare for the activity that would typically take place on the weekend.
"I'm sorry that this news came at the last minute," Charles began as he stood before the entirety of his staff. Maintenance, security, administrative support, and even the Pokemon were gathered together. "I believe this would be best for everyone. With the possibility of the Hidden Cove being discovered, it would be heartbreaking for trainers to gather here only to be arrested, which is why I've chosen to stop hosting circuit matches. Some of you dedicated years to this stadium, and I can't thank you enough for your continued support. I'm sorry that these changes came so rapidly...I didn't have any countermeasures in place for something like this."
"What are you going on about boss man?" Andrew interjected to break the silence. "All of this is way out of your control. This isn't your fault."
"Yeah, you're doing what you can Mr. Goodshow."
"And we'll do our part and make the best of this situation!"
Charles grinned at the group.
"If one day in the future I get to reopen the Hidden Cove, I'll make sure to contact each and every one of you," Charles declared. "I don't know what your plans are going forward, but I wish you all the best of luck and remember to stay safe."
Brock wasn't very familiar with everyone, but watching so many of them say goodbye tugged at his own heart. There were lots of tears, hugs, and promises to keep in touch. Hopefully, the Hidden Cove would be reopened soon.
As the conversations continued on the battlefield, Brock was poked in the back and he turned to find Melissa behind him.
"Well, hello there," Brock began as he shot her a grin.
"Don't start," She interrupted him before he could go through his usual routine with her. "Charles wants you to come up to his office to speak with him."
"Me?" Brock asked as he pointed to himself. Melissa gave him a nod and motioned for him to get moving.
Brock went on his way, traveling through the many corridors and stairwells between him and Charles' office. As he walked, he wondered what was in store for him. After all, the agreement between him and Charles was based on his ability to support operations at the Hidden Cove. If the stadium was no longer open, perhaps Charles was going to share another way that Brock could work for him in exchange for the room and board.
When he arrived at the entrance to Charles' office, Brock knocked on the door and there was an immediate call for him to come in. Brock entered and found Charles standing beside the window that overlooked the battlefield.
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Goodshow," Brock said and Charles motioned for him to join him by the window.
"It really is a shame, isn't it?" Charles asked him as they looked at the crowd. "So many good people and I can't give them any more work."
Brock frowned, though kept quiet as Charles sighed.
"I know they will manage on their own. It still feels like all of this is on my shoulders," Charles paused and pursed his lips.
"How? You couldn't have predicted all of this happening," Brock pointed out.
"I couldn't have. N did, and he warned us. I didn't anticipate anything like this, and as a result, all of the work everyone dedicated to the Hidden Cove is gone in a matter of days," Charles exhaled and straightened his back. "But I can't sit in here and sulk. All of them intend to continue pressing forward, and I will do the same. So, let's get down to business."
Charles motioned for Brock to take a seat as he returned to his desk.
"I'm sure you must be thinking about our little agreement," Charles went on. "From your first day, I've had members of my staff keeping a close eye on you and giving me reports. Would you like to read some of their thoughts about you?"
Charles pulled out a folder from his desk draw and extended it toward Brock who accepted. He opened the folder to find several sheets of paper with comments about him. Some got straight to the point while others were lengthy.
"Brock is a fantastic addition to our team. His work ethic is second to none and he actively communicates. He has displayed strong interpersonal skills and can work with any and everyone. Of course, that includes Pokemon. Rhydon can be pretty intimidating to approach the first time you meet them. That didn't stop Brock. He didn't show any level of fear or hesitation. He was eager to meet them…" – Andrew.
"Brock is persistent. In some ways, it's really annoying…but in other ways, it's admirable. During the two weeks that we had all of the trainers hiding at the Hidden Cove, not all of them were easy to get along with. It was a lot of people in a pretty cramped environment, but that never stopped Brock from spreading some positivity." – Melissa.
There were dozens of comments, all discussing his attitude, willingness to adjust, and most of all, his love of Pokemon.
"I'd say based on their opinions that you passed with flying colors," Charles remarked with a grin. "So, now that we will have some more time on our hands, on Monday we could begin your in-depth look into the world of Pokemon."
"I'd love that!" Brock exclaimed.
"Excellent," Charles stated with a nod. "I have one last question for you. What do you envision yourself doing with Pokemon? Do you want to be a trainer or a researcher? Have you given this any thought?"
"Actually," Brock admitted. "I haven't."
"That's alright," Charles responded. "We can try a few things and see what catches your attention the most. I think we should start with the one thing you credited yourself for…your 'eye for talent.'"
Brock gave a nervous chuckle.
"Come to my office at ten o'clock on Monday morning. We'll start by reviewing battle footage and we'll see just how much you can see."
Charles kept his promise and that marked the beginning of Brock's journey.
A/N
There's chapter three. Sorry for the delay on this one, but I can promise that the next chapter will be uploaded much sooner. I'm making some great progress on both My Wings and Fallout, so hopefully, I can keep this momentum going for a while.
Thank you all for your continued support, your reviews are really appreciated! Wishing you all the best, stay safe, and I will see you all at the next update.