Pokemon Journey: Indigo League
Chapter 5: Rock Smashed
"What time are your folks coming in?" Ava asked, eating a bagel.
"They said sometime in the morning," Brandon answered her. He chuckled. "Knowing my parents though, that could be late afternoon."
"That will give you time to train then," Ava suggested, sitting back in her chair.
"It does," Brandon agreed. He took a look at Ava. "Do you miss it?"
"Miss what?" Ava asked though she suspected she already knew.
"Preparing for a gym match," Brandon responded, also sitting back in his chair. Currently, they are seated in the trainer's lounge, waiting for Squirtle and Tangela to get checked out before his match. Around them, trainers were chatting eagerly, awaiting their time to battle Forrest.
"Yes and no," Ava answered. "Don't get me wrong. I love that feeling right before you get onto the field but at the same time, it does test you mentally."
"That makes sense," Brandon said.
"It feels good to just sit back and relax," Ava told him with a smile.
"You've earned it," Brandon said seriously. He was interrupted when he spotted the TV screen.
"Battle Fans! Get ready for the introduction of the Kanto Battle League, an official sanctioned Pokemon Battle Association event. For 16 weeks, your Kanto Gym Leaders will go head to head with each other, providing the fans with remarkable battles," A long black-haired caster said in a gleeful voice. He was wearing a Psyduck shirt. "We look forward to watching these battles! Until next time, stay safe."
"Kanto Battle league huh?" Ava asked. Around her, she can hear everyone talking about this announcement.
"That explains why Forrest caught that mankey yesterday," a male voice said. "Though I am surprised you didn't catch it."
Brandon and Ava looked behind them and saw Sam standing there. Sam wore a simple pair of khakis and a white top. Beside him, they saw Bulbasaur standing next to its trainer.
"Oh hey, Sam," Brandon greeted him.
"So why didn't you catch mankey?" Sam asked.
"Honestly, I don't know," Brandon shrugged. "It just didn't feel right, you know what I mean?"
"Not really but whatever," Sam replied. "Even though you already have 2 Pokemon that are great against Forrest, having that third would have provided you with an advantage."
"Maybe," Ava said. "But if the gym leaders are anything like the ones I fought, they will have counter strategies against that."
"That's why you train," Sam shrugs dismissively. "And you are?"
"Sorry. I'm Ava," Ava introduced herself. "I'm from Big Town, in the Johto Region."
"I see," Sam said. He quickly sized her up, trying to determine if she was a challenge."So you are taking on the Indigo League then?"
"Actually, no," Ava told him. "I competed in the Silver Conference last year. This year, I decided to just travel and recharge."
"Why take a break?" Sam asked her, not believing a trainer would just willingly miss a year to get stronger. "Won't you be behind the curve for missing a season?"
"I said I am taking a break from gym challenges," Ava started, hands-on hip. "I never said I was taking a break on training."
"But battling gym leaders is training," Sam pointed out, still not understanding Ava's decision.
"Let's just agree to disagree," Brandon hastily jumped in, hoping to avoid an argument.
"Whatever. I'll see you around," Sam said before leaving the building.
"You alright?" Brandon asked.
"Yeah, thanks," Ava replied. She glanced around the trainer's lounge before looking outside. "If you want a spot today, I would suggest heading out now."
"Sounds good," Brandon said. He quickly got Squirtle and Tangela checked out before stepping onto Pewter's streets. The sun was just cresting over the already busy town, providing a nice orange glow to the morning commuters. Brandon was in awe as he slipped with the crowd of people. Overhead, he heard the cries of the pidgeys flying over the city. He spotted many small Pokemon walking along with their trainers and occasionally, he spotted bigger Pokemon as well.
Soon, Brandon and Ava found themselves staring at the stone building. Boulders lined up on each side, providing a path right towards the door. They could make out the "Pewter City Gym" sign right above the double doors. Brandon saw a line of trainers entering the doors, which caused him to sigh. He might not be able to battle today.
Brandon pushed open the doors to a very crowded lobby. The poor receptionist desk was overworked, though he was doing his best to get everyone a slot. The desk was located in between two doors that led to the field and to the stands. The room was a solid brown color, with benches and seats set up in a small waiting area, though at the moment, there are no seats available. Brandon joined the line as Ava stood along the wall, waiting. What felt like an eternity later, but was like 20 minutes in reality, Brandon finally got to the front of the line.
"Good morning, may I see your trainer card please?" Dave, the receptionist, asked kindly.
"Sure," Brandon replied, pulling out his card and handing it over.
"Thank you," Dave said, taking it and swiping it. "Is this your first time challenging a gym?"
"It is," Brandon replied, slightly nervous.
"There are a few quick rules I will go over," Dave said with a kind smile. "First, every gym will have different rules for booking a spot. Here at the Pewter Gym, Forrest wants challengers to pick time slots. It's much easier to manage. Second, broadcasting matches is against the rules. Forrest recently changed it, so to not put pressure on new trainers. And last rule, it is required to be here 15 minutes before your slot. This way, matches can start on time. Understand?"
Brandon nods, trying to remember the three rules. Dave smiles, handing back Brandon's card. "We have very few slots left open for today. We have a 3:30pm, 4:45pm or a 6:00pm slots. If you prefer tomorrow. we do have more slots open."
"3:30pm sounds good," Brandon replied.
"Let me set that up real quick," Dave said, typing away on his computer. It took a moment before he looked at Brandon, smiling. "All set. Your battle will be at 3:30pm today. Best of luck."
"Thank you," Brandon said, before turning around and leaving the line. He rejoined Ava. "Done. I will be battling at 3:30pm."
Ava looks at her watch. "Looks like you have some time to train then."
"A little. Don't forget that my parents are coming soon," Brandon pointed out. He led the way back outside.
"Are you nervous, since you have an official time?" Ava asked him, as they walked through the crowd.
"Right now, no. But that will probably change once I am on the battlefield," Brandon replied.
"It'll be your first gym match. Of course, you will be nervous," Ava told him. "Once you get past this match, the other matches should be easier to prepare for."
"Were you nervous for your first gym match?" Brandon asked her.
"You bet your ass I was," Ava nodded as they weaved through the crowd. "I started my journey with a Chikorita. I was naturally at a disadvantage against Falkner."
"Falkner?" Brandon asked.
"He's the first gym leader in Johto," Ava explained. "He specializes in flying types. And since Chikorita is a grass type, it was a tough match."
"How did you beat him?" Brandon asked, pausing at a red light.
"It wasn't easy but I managed to outsmart him," Ava answered. "You'll be fine though."
"Thanks," Brandon said before stepping into the road. He was about to say something when he noticed a familar red car. With a grin and a wave, Brandon followed the car into a parking lot. Once the occupants came out, Brandon gave them a hug.
"Ava, these are my parents," Brandon introduced them. "Mom, dad, this is Ava."
"It's nice to finally meet you in person," Fred smiled at her.
"Likewise Fred," Ava said, also smiling. "And hello Lisa."
"Hello Ava," Lisa smiled at her. She patted her stomach. "Is there a place to eat? We skipped breakfast so we can get here early."
"Come on," Brandon said, leading the way back onto the streets. He glanced back at his parents with a teasing grin. "You guys actually showed up early. I am very impressed."
"Well, we didn't have any kids to help get ready," Lisa retorted, a twinkle in her eye.
"Yeah, and we actually enjoyed hot water," Fred chimed in.
"Very funny," Brandon said, rolling his eyes playfully. They stopped at a noodle place and were seated at a table. "But honestly, glad you guys were able to get the time off."
"We decided to make this a vacation," Lisa said, sipping her coffee.
"Ah! That's why you guys are early. I knew there was a reason," Brandon said with a grin.
"Guilty," Fred said with a sheepish grin. He also was sipping a coffee.
Lisa chuckled and turned towards Ava. She smiled kindly at her. "Are you competing in the league as well?
"Not this year," Ava said, drinking a chocolate milk. "Decided to just relax and travel."
"That's always fun," Lisa said, nodding.
"She placed in the top 32 in the Silver Conference," Brandon spoke up.
"Ah. The Johto Region," Fred said, recognizing the name. "Are you originally from Johto?"
"Big Town," Ava nodded.
"Big Town? I can't say I have heard that place," Fred said, trying to rack his brain.
"It's a relatively unknown place," Ava replied. "But it seems like you know Johto pretty well?"
"Not the entire region but the main cities," Fred explained. "I used to work on the Pokemon Trade System back in the day, before it became streamlined."
"That's awesome," Ava exclaimed. "Is that where you two met?"
"We met in Celadon," Fred reminisced. "I had just gotten to the Pokemon Centre when Lisa walked in. She was wearing a blue top with white jeans. Her hair was swept to the left side. She just stood at the PC with a confused look."
"You actually remember what I wore that day?" Lisa asked, a little surprised.
"Of course dear," Fred chuckled. "The way you looked, so confused, so lost. I had to come over to help you."
"Yeah, my parents forced me into journeying around Kanto," Lisa told the group.
"You competed in the Indigo League?" Brandon asked. He never heard this story.
"I gave up after Brock," Lisa admitted. "I only continued to Celadon so not to disappoint my parents. It was actually after talking to Fred I got the courage to pursue my dream."
"That's awesome," Ava exclaimed. They paused for a moment as their meal was placed in front of them. "So what did you do?"
"I decided to go back to school and became a teacher," Lisa replied. "I'm still with the Viridian School District."
"Well done," Ava said. "What about you Fred? What do you do now?"
"I help out at Professor Oak's lab, working as the system administrator," Fred replied. He began to eat his noodles.
"Have you heard from Kelly?" Brandon asked, also eating his lunch.
"Actually, yeah," Lisa nodded. "After we watch your battle, we will be heading to Vermillion and take a flight to Kalos."
"That's great," Brandon said. He turned towards Ava, taking another bite of his lunch. "Kelly is stubborn, in a good way. If she wants to hunt a certain Pokemon, nothing will stop her from doing it. It took her like 6 days to find a Swablu in Hoenn."
"Oh wow. I heard they are hard to find," Ava said, impressed. She finished her bowl.
"They are, at least according to trainers," Brandon nodded his head, also finishing his bowl. "But they are pretty good if you train them right."
"Brandon, what time is your match?" Lisa asked, placing her bowl near the center of the table.
"3:30 pm, which is in a couple of hours," Brandon said, looking at his watch. He got up from the table, placing money on it. "What say we just spend that time just relaxing before your flight?"
A short while later, the party found themselves back in the now empty foyer of the gym. He was soon called to take the left door. Pausing, he turned back to his parents and Ava with a nod, he stepped through the door. He found himself in a well lit rock tunnel that leads right to the battlefield. With each step he took, his heart was thumping in his chest. His breath came in quick and an uneasy rhythm. He had to pause in the tunnel to take deep breathes. Finally, he stepped into the light and saw he was in a battle box. Along with the upper tiers, he saw a balcony for spectators, which included his parents and Ava. Beside them was a big screen that showed both Forrest and his pictures with 2 Pokeball icons underneath. He saw that the field itself has a bunch of rocks scattered throughout. He noticed that Forest was waiting in his box with a gentle smile at Brandon before nodding to a referee, who began to speak.
"This will be an official gym battle between Gym Leader Forrest and Gym Challenger Brandon Adams from Pallet Town," The Ref shouted. He was carrying two flags, one in each hand. "This match will be fought using a two-on-two single battle format and will be over when both of one side's Pokemon are unable to battle! Furthermore, only the challenger may substitute Pokemon. Understood? Great, let the match begin!"
"Squirtle, it's go time!" Brandon shouted, summoning his first partner. Underneath his picture showed a squirtle icon.
"Geodude, let's roll!" Forrest shouted as well, summoning a boulder-looking Pokemon with arms. Underneath his picture, a geodude icon appeared.
"Geodude huh? Let's see," Brandon said, pulling out his Pokedex and scanned the Pokemon. "Geodude, the rock pokemon. Rock/Ground type. Commonly found near mountain trails and the like. If you step on one by accident, it gets angry."
"Remind me to watch out for them," Brandon muttered to himself. He put the dex away and yelled to Squirtle. "Alright. Start off with a water gun!"
"Geodude, get behind a boulder!" Forrest shouted. Geodue literally rolled behind a boulder, using it to shield itself from the water gun. "Great job. Now defense curl!"
"Squirtle, get in closer!" Brandon countered, not realizing he was doing exactly what Forrest wanted him to. "Use water gun while running."
Squirtle rushed towards the boulder, closing the gap and unleashing a torrent of water guns, trying to hit the rock pokemon. Unfortunately, none of the water guns hit their target but did hit the boulders.
"Rock throw!" Forrest commanded, thrusting his hand forward.
"Geo!" Geodude cried out, and with a mighty punch, smashed the boulder he was hiding behind in the direction of the advancing squirtle. Squirtle, not expecting it, was pelted with rocks, stopping the advancement.
"Great work Geodude. Now, use tackle!" Forrest commanded.
"Squirtle, dodge!" Brandon cried out but it was too late. Geodude smashed into squirtle, effectively knocking squirtle out of the match.
"Squirtle is unable to battle. Gym Leader Forrest wins the battle!" The ref called out, holding up a brown flag. "Will Challenger Brandon bring out his next Pokemon?"
Up in the stands, Ava and his parents watched in shock. They didn't expect him to lose a Pokemon that quickly. Lisa turned towards Ava. "I thought Brandon was training?"
"I wouldn't exactly call it training," Ava pointed out.
"And you didn't bother to tell him?" Fred asked.
"Some lessons, Brandon will need to learn on his own," Ava shrugged. Lisa and Fred looked at each other but knew that Ava was right.
"Return Squirtle," Brandon said, recalling his partner. There was an x across squirtle's icon. "Tangela, you're up!"
The vine Pokemon materialized on the field. He looked around the stadium and saw that people were watching and he became very shy. Brandon tried to soothe him.
"Tangela, this is just like battling mankey," Brandon called out. "Just focus on geodude. You got this!"
"Geodude, defense curl!" Forrest commanded.
"Tangela, use absorb!" Brandon shouted.
Tangela's vines snaked out of his body and towards Geodude. But before they got to it, Forrest countered.
"Use sand attack!" Forrest shouted. "Then use rock throw!"
Geodude grabbed two fistfuls of dirt and threw them up in the air, causing a small cloud of dust and briefly obscuring itself, causing Tangela to miss. Suddenly, rocks began to be thrown through the dust cloud, pelting Tangela.
"Tackle!" Forrest shouted.
Geodude rolled forward and smashed into Tangela, throwing it back. All Brandon could do watch as Geodude began an onslaught of tackle barrages until Tangela fainted.
"Tangela is unable to battle. The battle and the match goes to Gym Leader Forrest," The referee declared.
Brandon was stunned. He blinked his eyes a couple of times, trying to register what just happened. He had just got thrashed, something he didn't think would happen. recalled his Tangela and walked towards Forrest, shaking the man's hand before turning to leave the gym. He saw his parents and Ava coming towards him but he held up his hands. "I'll meet up with you guys at the Pokemon Centre. I just need some time alone right now."
Brandon found himself sitting on a park bench as the battle flashed through his mind. He didn't expect that quickness, that speed and because of that. He felt like he let down tanegla and squirtle. That switched his thinking to himself. Was he capable of becoming a great trainer? He had the type advantage and still got his butt smoked. What does that say about him as a trainer?
"Thought I would find you here," a voice spoke, startling Brandon. Brandon looked over and saw Forrest sitting beside him.
"How?' Brandon asked softly.
"You aren't the first trainer to lose his or her first gym match, nor will you be the last," Forrest said, as a cool breeze sprung up. "For whatever reason, everyone seems to come to this exact spot."
"It is peaceful. A good place to think," Brandon replied, looking around the park. There were a couple of trees offering shade, but it was empty besides them.
"That was quite the match huh?" Forrest said, hoping to draw Brandon into a conversation.
"Match? More like a butt-kicking," Brandon answered him.
"Be grateful butt kickings are only a one-time thing," Forrest said jokingly but not seeing the smile, he became serious. "Look, everyone will lose battles. No one will ever win every single match. It's how you handle a defeat that determines you as a trainer."
"How so?" Brandon said, looking at him.
"Some trainers give up, some trainers will train harder," Forrest said, leaning back on the bench. "From the battle with mankey, you appeared to be alright. So what happened?"
"Wish I knew," Brandon sighed. "I just froze."
"Sounds like nerves," Forrest said, nodding and thinking. "If I may ask, what is your training like?"
"Still trying to figure that out," Brandon replied. "Right now, we do morning runs but that's about it."
"Ok. And how many battles have you been in, roughly?" Forrest asked.
"Including you, 3," Brandon replied after a moment of thinking. "One was against a bug catcher and the other against Ava."
"Ok. So I have to ask this. Why so few battles?" Forrest wondered. He was looking at Brandon. "From my experience, a lot of beginner trainers always seems to jump for a battle. But it seems like you are avoiding them."
"I... I actually don't know the answer for that," Brandon replied, his head dropping.
"Hey, nothing is wrong with it," Forrest hastily said. "But the more battles you get, the more comfortable you will be. And battles are a great way to try new tactics, new strategies. As for training, I can't tell you how to train. That is between you and your team, but might I make a suggestion?"
"I'm all ears," Brandon said, nodding his head.
"Endurance is good but you should also focus on other things," Forrest offered him some advice. "Stuff like releasing attacks quicker, or just attacks in general."
"I can do that," Brandon told him. He looked at his watch and got up from the bench. "Thank you for the advice, Forrest. I really do appreciate it."
"That's part of my job," Forrest said, smiling at him. He also got up from the bench. "I can't wait for your rematch. Have a great night Brandon.
"You as well," Brandon said before turning back towards the Pokemon Center, thinking on what Forrest just told him.
I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing. I really do appreciate it :). I know I said I would have this chapter up earlier but I think I re wrote this chapter 5 times. I wrote two different versions of the chapter (one where Brandon won and this one) and was debating between which one to use. I ultimately decided to choose the one where he got steamrolled as I felt that would be better for character development. I know, it means we will spend another chapter in Pewter City. Also, when Forrest was telling Brandon to battle more, that was also me telling you guys to expect more and longer battles. As for where Ash is, he's around somewhere in the world of Pokemon. Where specifically? I'm not entirely sure but this story happens about 10 years after Aloha. Anyways, have a great week!