Chapter 6: Pewter City Showdowns Part 1
Serena waltz through the front doors of the Pokémon Center with a big smile on her face. How could she not be happy with roaming around Pewter City with Ash? They walked through a park, seen tons of statues of rock-type Pokémon, and witnessed some battles.
Well, she witnessed some battles while Ash participated in a few, bring his record to a clean 10-0 record. Not on the level of Gary, but it was something. She had been impressed with his work ethics and how each of his Pokémon had performed thus far. The exception was Charmander and she couldn't blame him for sidelining it.
Despite being better compared to when they found it, Ash didn't feel confident until he had a professional look at it. That didn't stop poor Charmander from pleading with Ash.
The honey-blonde had been practicing different routines with her Pokémon and pinning her own Pokémon against one another to get into the groove of the battling style.
Both arrived at the front desk where a woman that looked like Dr. Joy stood. Instead of wearing a lab coat, she wore pink scrubs. Her hair was in a bun instead of loops. Could this really be Dr. Joy?
"Welcome to the Pokémon Center of Pewter City," the woman greeted. "I'm Nurse Joy, how can I help you today?"
Serena's brain started to hurt. How could she be both a nurse and a doctor? "Are you not Dr. Joy?"
The nurse laughed and pulled out a picture of multiple women that all looked like Dr. Joy as well as Nurse Joy. "You must have met one of my cousins. We all look alike and share the same last name. However, don't let looks fool you. We all specialize in different areas of the healthcare field." She leaned in after looking around. "Don't let them know that I think I'm the cutest among them all!"
Upon closer inspection, Serena noticed the subtle differences such as different hairstyles and fashion choices. One of them had bangs while another one preferred pigtails. Another one wore scarves and another wore sunglasses. The more she looked at them, the more she was amazed they were not all twins of some kind.
Judging on Ash's expression, he was clueless about telling them apart.
Eevee and Pikachu hopped onto the table, looking back and forth between the picture and their respective trainers.
Serena awkwardly smiled, thinking that the Pokémon didn't understand the concept of unique appearances as much.
Nurse Joy pressed a finger to her lips. "Hmm, if I had a guess, I would say you met Dr. Joy of Viridian City!"
"How did you know that?" Ash asked.
"My cousin informed me of a pair of trainers wearing hats with an Eevee and a Pikachu helped Giovanni," she answered. "I assumed she was talking about you two."
Serena snapped her fingers. "That's us! We were hoping to get a couple of rooms, get our Pokémon checked up, and I wanted to sign up for a Contest Pass." She placed on the counter, her Pokéballs, phone, and endorsement letter.
Ash did the same with his Pokéballs. "Is it possible to have Charmander get some examinations? I'm worried that it still hasn't recovered from nearly losing its life force when I found it."
"Of course," Nurse Joy noted it down before placing the balls into trays and pressing a button.
From the back, a Chansey appeared to grab the tray of Pokéballs. It motioned for Eevee and Pikachu to follow it.
Nurse Joy took the phone and connected it to the computer. She quickly glanced at the letter with a smile. With a few clicks there and typing here, she set on the counter a couple of keys, the phone, a blue box with a cute ribbon sigil on top, and a book.
"You're all set," she declared. "The rooms are next to one another upstairs. Serena, your phone has the Contest Pass app. It'll allow you to sign up for Contests and keep up with the latest developments around the competition. It'll also serve as proof of identity at the Contest Halls. Lastly, here's a box for your Ribbons and a Ball Capsule for some flare!"
"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" The teens said in unison.
"Not a problem at all," she replied. "We'll call for you when your Pokémon are done with their checkups. My estimate is about a half-hour or so."
Serena grasped the box in her hands with the Ball Capsule on top. Her eyes watched as the light danced in the glass ball. In some ways, her childhood dream was becoming a reality. Excitement brewed as she couldn't wait to participate in an actual Contest. She just had to tell her mother as soon as possible!
Within the lobby, she found a spot near a glass window to make the call. Her best friend also joined her in the spot to call his mother.
He managed to get ahold of his mom first. Not surprisingly, she and Grace were sitting in the Ketchum Special Restaurant along with Leaf's mom, Amber.
Ash would normally invite everyone to his mother's restaurant for some kind of celebration like obtaining their respective licenses or any kind of discoveries.
"Was that so hard you two?" Grace folded her arms.
Serena hung her head low, hating that her mother had a point. "I guess not."
"Uh…" Ash cleared his throat. "I was calling to inform you that I'm planning on challenging the Pewter City Gym in a couple of days."
Delia clasped her hands. "That's wonderful! I'll be sure to have every TV here watching for you!"
Ash laughed while scratching the back of his head. He appeared to be nervous about his first important battle and having most people from home watching.
"I'll be sure to catch it too," Grace added.
That surprised Serena as Grace ran many Rhyhorn Racing camps across different regions. Typically she was too busy to keep up with many sporting competitions during the day. Perhaps she would make an exception for a close family friend.
"Aside from the Gym Challenge, is there anything new with you two?" Her mother asked.
They explained what had transpired in Viridian Forest and delighted to hear Pikachu's newfound affection towards Ash. They were even prouder of the fact they helped to save a Charmander from its terrible fate and out of the clutches of Damian.
"I have an announcement!" Serena said.
Their mothers and Amber leaned into the screen, making the honey-blonde regret not being inside her room to make the call.
"I just received my Contest Pass and officially became a Coordinator!" Serena exclaimed. "I'm planning on making my debut in Cerulean City!"
Amber left the frame, appearing to head for the bathroom. Delia laughed while leaning against her seat.
Grace closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "What made you decide to do Contests?"
"We watched a Contest featuring Aria in the Galar Region," Serena explained. "Eevee seemed really inspired by the performances and battling style and wanted to try one out so I've been preparing for our debut!"
"I see," her mother smirked. "I honestly should have seen this coming, but nonetheless as long as you're happy, I can't complain. Seems like you discovered something you can be passionate about. Does this mean you also discovered a topic?"
Serena hung her head and sighed. She should have figured that her mother wouldn't let her off the hook so easily. "Not yet, but we've made some progress with Ash and his topic."
Ash awkwardly smiled. "Uh, yeah…I've been observing my Pokémon more closely so I can determine what they want to do later on in terms of goals. Giovanni wasn't kidding when he said learning of their goals was a challenge. What I don't understand is Pikachu's fascination with ketchup?"
That got a laugh out of their mothers.
"Considering your important Gym Battle isn't for a couple of dates, I have the perfect place for you to train and get some delicious food!" Delia remarked. "According to a few of my customers, a restaurant known as the Battle Buffet recently opened. Not only do they serve food to people and Pokémon, but the meals can be for free if you win a battle!"
Ash adjusted his hat and a big old smirk. It was like seeing a child open presents on Christmas. "Sign me up! What do you say, Serena?"
Having a romantic dinner with Ash was also a dream come true. This day kept on getting better and better for the honey-blonde. Though a problem popped her bubble. It wasn't truly a date if they had to watch over their Pokémon. That in itself was like watching seven babies. Maybe if Leaf had traveled with them, she could have gotten in a date with him.
"How can I say no to a free meal?" She finally answered.
Ash pumped his fist. "I can't wait to tell Pikachu!"
Serena's stomach growled at the aroma of delicious food in the air. Along with Ash, Eevee, and Pikachu, she stood inside of the busy Battle Buffet. Many tables were full of people with their Pokémon surrounding them.
A woman greeted them. She had brown hair down her back, wore a black dress shirt with a red ribbon tie, and a white apron tied around her waist.
"Welcome to the Battle Buffet," she said. "I'm Lola and I will be your hostess today. Will it just be you two?" They nodded. "Excellent, follow me to your table."
The hostess led them around the dining area to a wonderful table next to the window, overlooking the battlefield in a small arena. Ash couldn't take his eyes off the action as he sat down.
Serena sighed, hoping he would have at least pulled out her chair but it can't be helped.
"I don't think I've seen you two around here before," Lola said while taking out a notepad. "Is this your first time in the city?"
The raven-haired boy nodded. "I'm here to challenge Brock to a Gym Battle! My mom suggested that I come here to get some extra training in before my match."
Lola made a note of it. "That's certainly exciting. You know, I just feel terrible for that young man."
"What do you mean?" Serena asked, curious as to why someone would be worried about a Gym Leader of all people. They have adoring fans everywhere and they could more than support themselves.
"Brock's father, Flint originally ran the Gym," Ash answered. "I still remember the news of him leaving for some kind of journey. Soon after, his mother left his family often too for some reason. Because of his siblings, he's been stuck here as Gym Leader to support his family."
Serena couldn't believe his parents would abandon their family like that. "That's horrible."
Lola nodded slowly. "The worst part is, Brock never wanted to become a Gym Leader. He had wanted to become a Pokémon Doctor for the longest of time."
"Really?" Ash blinked. "I never knew that."
The hostess quickly laughed. "Silly me, that's what I just heard around these parts. Anyways, I'll let you look over the menu. Feel free to release your Pokémon. Perhaps they'll have some input on what they want to eat." She went to check in on the other customers.
"Wow, I never knew a life of a Gym Leader could be tough," Serena remarked and turning towards Ash. "Do you think you'll be able to beat him knowing that he's supporting his family?"
Ash grimaced but nodded. "If I want to get to the Regional League, I have to beat him. Besides, he gets paid either way. Though, he's been in a rot last time I checked. If it continues, the League might just replace him altogether."
Serena clasped her hands by her heart. "For his sake, I hope he breaks out of it soon and keeps on winning. Of course, I hope you beat him first."
"I knew what you meant," Ash laughed.
The teens released their Pokémon to get their input of food first before browsing through the menu themselves. When Lola returned, they ordered type-specific flavored food for their Pokémon while splitting a plate of fried rice, dumplings, and curry among them. As they ate, they watched the series of battles in the other room and talking about different battles they remembered from watching the League and Contests.
"Man, I'm stuffed!" Ash patted his belly. "That was really great!"
Serena nodded in agreement while patting her mouth with a napkin. "I can't eat another bite. It does mean our check will be coming soon. Did you decide on who you're going to use for the battle?"
Ash turned to his roaster of Pokémon and they turned to face him as well. Each of them had a pleading look on their faces, hoping they would be the one to get picked. Lots to consider with Pikachu and Butterfree having the most experience. Nidoran was the front candidate for the Gym Battle so it could use another battle. Pidgeotto had been great in tight situations. Charmander was a wildcard with its lack of experience battling with Ash.
"Tough call," he remarked. "I'm not sure about the rules and it'll depend on what my opponent chooses."
"Certainly a wise idea to wait," Lola chuckled, walking to the table with the ticket. Their meal cost nearly a hundred Pokédollars. "I'm glad you enjoyed the food. Shall we head over to the battlefield?"
Ash nodded vigorously. "What can you tell us about the battle? Is it against another customer or a staff member?"
Lola laughed. "Why don't I show you two?"
They followed her around the dining area, down a hallway, and into the arena with their Pokémon. Upon entering, they could hear the crowd of people compared to being on the other side.
Two people were battling one another. One of them wore a chef's uniform, had a beard, and a chef's hat on. His skin tone was tanner as well. Same with the trainer against him in terms of skin. He wore a green striped shirt and had brown spiky hair.
On the field was a Geodude and a Rhyhorn. Seeing the Rhyhorn made Serena think of the one her mother owned. As far as she could tell, the Rhyhorn on the field had a thicker rock hide.
"Rock Blast, Rhyhorn!" The Trainer shouted.
The chef folded his arms. "Rock Throw!"
Rhyhorn conjured boulders around its mouth and launched a series of them at Geodude, one-by-one.
The Geodude impressively caught the rocks before tossing them back, raining down upon Rhyhorn's back and breaking into pieces.
Rhyhorn appeared to be unfazed by it, but it did stop its attack.
"Rock Smash!" The chef ordered.
"Smack Down!" The trainer countered.
Geodude lunged forward, pulling its right arm back.
Rhyhorn shifted to the side as Geodude threw its punch. With its mouth, it grabbed ahold of Geodude's arm and slammed it to the ground.
"Stomp!" The Trainer followed up.
The Spikes Pokémon pounced on top of Geodude, using its right foot to stomp the Rock Pokémon repeatedly. The ground lightly shook due to the impact. After several hits, Rhyhorn walked away.
"Geodude is unable to battle!" The judge declared. "The winner of this match is our customer, Forrest and thus his meal is for free!"
The crowd of people clapped and cheered. Both contestants exchanged a few words in the middle of the field after returning their Pokémon.
"Woah," Ash gasped. "Am I fighting the chef?"
Lolo nodded proudly. "Not just any chef, but the Head Chef and my lovely husband."
Serena clasped her hands. "How lovely. This is a family-owned restaurant."
Forrest walked passed them with a grin. He must be happy to save some money.
Ash and his Pokémon crowded around the trainer box. Serena and her Pokémon walked over to the side to get a better angle. The honey-blonde had no doubt that Ash would win.
The chef returned to his trainer box before addressing Ash. "My name is Frank. Who might you be?"
Ash pounded his chest. "I'm Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"
Frank raised an eyebrow with the crowd whispering among themselves. "I see." He pulled out his phone. "You must also be here to challenge the Gym. Shall we see what you're made of?" Both of them used the VS Seeker to make this an official battle. "Onix, steel yourself!"
A large snake-like Pokémon, constructed of multiple boulders, and horns on its head appeared. "Onix!" It roared.
Ash smirked and turned to his Pokémon. It appeared that he wanted to use Nidoran when Charmander ran onto the field.
"You want to battle?" He crouched down.
"Char!" It cutely flexed its claws.
Ash closed his eyes before standing. "Then let's show them what we can do!"
Frank frowned. "Are you sure Charmander is the right choice?"
Serena, unfortunately, had to agree. Charmander hadn't battled let alone trained with Ash yet. Still, she had to believe he had some sort of plan if he agreed to it.
"Of course I'm sure!" Ash answered. "I can feel Charmander's determination. We'll win this for sure!"
"Have it your way," The chef closed his eyes.
"This will be a one-on-one match between Frank and the challenger Ash," the judge stated. "If Ash wins, his meal will be for free. If he loses, he'll have to pay as normal. No time limit. Begin!"
Serena raised an eyebrow, seeing neither competitor make a move. The Pokémon stared one another down, waiting for any kind of instruction. She would have thought both sides wanted to get into the heat of the action right away unless they were trying to wait for an ideal moment.
Ash furrowed his eyebrows, formed fists, and visibly shook. He battled in front of some people before but it was not as large of a crowd as the restaurant. Could he be nervous or waiting for Frank to make the first move?
Serena furrowed her eyebrows after seeing how nervous he was becoming. "Come on Ash! You can do it!" Her Pokémon along with his Pokémon cheered as well.
Finally, Ash decided to make his move. "Start off with Ember!"
"Rock Throw!" Frank countered.
Charmander swung its tail with shards of flame soaring across the field.
Onix slammed its tail on the ground, conjuring rocks in the air to bat. The rocks sniffed out the flames and continued towards its target.
"Flame Charge towards Onix!" Ash commanded.
"Dragon Breath!" Frank ordered without batting an eye.
Flames engulfed Charmander's body as it dashed forward to evade the flying rocks.
The Rock Snake Pokémon unleashed a burst of blue fiery energy in front of Charmander.
Serena winced at the impact despite the attack not scoring a direct hit, but rather the explosion caused Charmander to roll back towards Ash. She clenched her hands and paid attention to Ash's movements, hoping that he could come from behind to win.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked. The Pokémon stood up and nodded. "Great, let's show them our own Dragon Breath!"
"Dragon Breath again!"
The attacks clashed in the middle, evenly matched.
Serena took a step back in disbelief. How could an Onix match Charmander's special attacking power? Ash better think of something and fast.
Frank folded his arms. "Let's end this. Rock Polish into Rage!"
Onix roared as dirt flew off its rocky skin, increasing its mobility. It slithered and made its way closer to Charmander.
"Dragon Breath!" Ash snapped out of his daze.
The Lizard Pokémon managed to score a direct hit across the face; however, Onix pushed through the pain to build up its rage.
"Metal Claws!" Ash followed up.
Charmander shifted gears with its claws being encased in steel, hoping towards Onix's face, and slashing it across the face.
The Rock Snake Pokémon arched its back and swung its tail that smacked Charmander into the air before driving it to the ground with a dust cloud filling the field.
Serena held her breath, hoping that Charmander was able to continue battling. Alas, when the dust settled, the Lizard Pokémon was down for the count.
"Charmander is unable to battle!" The judge declared. "This means the victor is our very own Frank the Head Chef and the challenger must pay the bill!"
The crowd talked amongst themselves. Some of them were being plain rude and drove Serena crazy. Ash was like any ordinary trainer and could lose. Despite being the son of a legend, he could not always win.
Ash ran over to Charmander and coddled it in his arms, appeared to be worried about the injuries. He weakly smiled. "Thanks, Charmander. You put up a good fight."
Charmander appeared to have turned its head into his chest. If Serena didn't know any better, she would say that it was crying having lost a battle. Not its fault. Frank was just better this time around.
"Rest for now," Ash continued, returning his Pokémon to the ball.
Frank returned Onix before meeting with Ash in the middle. "Young man, I'm sorry but you can't possibly beat the Pewter City Gym nor any Gym for that matter. Not with that team you have nor any surprise moves you have up your sleeve."
Serena frowned and dug her foot into the floor. Talk about poor sportsmanship or curtesy to a paying customer. What gave him the right to judge Ash's ability to beat a Gym Leader?
"What makes you say that?" Ash gritted his teeth. "You only battled against one of my Pokémon that had a disadvantage."
The Chef scoffed. "This could have been a one-on-five and you still would have lost. The Gym Challenge isn't for children who think it's fun and games to make a quick buck. It's a serious competition that tests a Trainer's bond with their Pokémon. Until you start taking your training seriously, you will never beat a Gym Leader."
Part of the crowded roared in agreement. The rest of the crowd had their apprehension considering the legacy.
Serena wanted to stand up for her friend but noticed that he lowered his cap in anger. She rushed onto the field and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here."
He lowered his head, sighing. Turning around, he returned his Pokémon except for Pikachu and headed to the front with Lola to pay for our food. Serena followed his lead out the door.
Her best friend had his hands in his pockets, sloughing, and walked a few paces ahead of Serena.
"PikaPi…" Pikachu somberly said from his shoulder, probably worried that he had been silent since beginning the walk.
Ash lightly petted it, pretending everything was okay when the words that Frank uttered had deeply hurt him in some way. Was it a pride thing or was this something else?
Serena didn't know what to do or say. Sure, she had seen him lose to Gary plenty of times, but this loss was different. He didn't have the determination to train and come back tomorrow night to prove Frank wrong. It was if the person she knows was no longer inside. What happened to never give up until it's over?
Upon arriving at the Pokémon Center, he handed Charmander to Nurse Joy. Then he wandered off to the back where a battlefield was located. He sat at one of the benches while looking upward towards the sky. He soon lowered his head, probably realizing he was no longer in Pallet Town where he could see the stars.
The honey-blonde watched from afar with her hands close to her heart. She wanted to help, but couldn't find the right thing to say.
Eevee licked her face. "Vee?"
Serena ignored Eevee's attempt for attention.
The Evolution Pokémon hopped down from her shoulder and sent a flurry of star-bolts into the air that grabbed her attention. In its mouth, it bit into one of the bolts as it was a cookie.
"Eevee, you're a genius!" Serena's eyes widened, picking up her Pokémon to kiss its cheek, and heading off to the kitchen area.
The aspiring Pokémon Master stared at the dirt ground as a gentle breeze swept through the area. All he could think about was the battle he had horribly made a mess out of. First, he sent out a Charmander with hardly any training he had done with it. Second, he realized why Charmander had been so determined.
It must have felt the need to prove its worth on Ash's team after the heartbreak it went through with Damian. To it, winning a battle would immediately prove its worth. How could he have been blind to Charmander's first goal?
Images of Charmander turning its head in shame made his heart race. His hands grasping his knees with all of his strength.
Pikachu tapped his body many times before looking upward from the ground. It tried to cheer Ash up with a variety of silly faces, but none of them was very effective. The Electric Mouse crossed its paws and launched an electric attack that zapped Ash.
"AHH!" Ash fell to the ground from the jolt and looked at Pikachu who had no remorse for the pain it just caused. "What was that for?"
His little buddy threw some punches. "Pika. Pika. Pikachu!" Then it swung its tail.
The young man felt a sense of determination coming from Pikachu. He guessed that it wasn't happy with Frank's words either and wanted to prove him wrong as much as he did. "You're right Pikachu. We're not giving up just because some chef thinks I'm trash. Let's work together with our friends and prove him and the rest of those doubters wrong!"
"Pikachu!" It cheered. Suddenly, its cheeks sparked that even surprised Pikachu. It began running across the field.
Ash followed his little buddy until he noticed another Pikachu hiding behind a bush. Instead of a straight lightning bolt for a tail, it had a heart-shaped end. It also had a pink bow tied around one of its ears.
"Pika?" His Pikachu asked.
"Pika. Pika." The female Pikachu ran out of the bush with its paws pressed against its mouth.
Ash kneeled next to it, believing it belonged to another person. "Are you lost?"
"Pikachu!" A woman called out. She had blue hair that was shoulder length with a darker blue headband. She wore a blue collared shirt with an orange necktie, a dark blue vest, and a green skirt. She locked eyes with Ash and rushed over to him. "There you are!"
Ash rose while rubbing his neck. "Is this your Pikachu?"
"Yes," she answered. "Thank you so much for finding it." She turned to her Pikachu and placing her hands beside her hips. "I've been worried sick about you. Don't go running off like that while I talk to some people! You could have gotten lost!"
"Cha," her Pikachu replied while nuzzling at her leg in a pleading attempt for forgiveness. Then it pointed towards Ash's Pikachu.
The woman sighed before looking at Ash. "Your name is Dash right?"
That was a new one for him, but he didn't know why she knew him. "Uh, it's actually Ash."
She leaned in with her hands behind her back. "Oh? I could have sworn that was your name considering how handsome you look."
"Why thanks," he laughed. "Um… you're…" He tried to think of a compliment that wasn't super basic. "…really pleasant-looking um…"
"Silly me, I forgot to introduce myself." She placed a hand over her chest. "I'm Miette and that's sweet of you. You already met my Pikachu. Between you and me, I think my Pikachu must have liked your Pikachu since the Battle Buffet."
The two Pikachus chased one another.
"So you were also at the Battle Buffet, huh?" He laughed nervously. "I guess you must have seen my horrible battle against Frank then."
She swatted the air. "For what it's worth, I think that Frank character was way out of line. Talk about rude to one of his customers and how can he judge you on your training after one battle. A battle with a type-disadvantage if I may add. Your Charmander almost beat that Onix too."
Ash blinked several times. "You really think so?"
"Of course! That Onix took a beating to build up Rage. Regardless of the end result, the damage still takes a toll. If Charmander had a little left in its gas tank or evaded it, who knows what could have happened. You still had a fighting chance at that point."
He never considered that possibility and grinned. Though, he couldn't take hypotheticals into his mistakes. He had to learn from them if he had any shot at the Regional League. "Maybe." Nonetheless, he appreciated the words of encouragement.
Thud.
Looking back at the entrance, he noticed Serena standing there with her mouth wide open. On the floor was a basket. Eevee jumped off her shoulder and dashed across the field where it bashed against Miette's Pikachu and then casting Attract upon his Pikachu.
Miette's Pikachu attempted to zap Eevee when Pikachu's stepped in the way to absorb the blow. Not willing to give up, it cast its own Attract on Pikachu.
Eevee wasn't having any of it and cast Attract right back. The two went back on forth on how Pikachu was infatuated with.
"Pikachu, knock it off this instance!" Miette scolded. "Whose Eevee is this anyway?"
Ash ignored what was happening and heading over to his friend's side, spooked by her appearance. It was if she had seen a Gengar. "Is something wrong?"
Serena slowly blinked and crotched to the ground to pick up the basket. "Uh, yes. I'm fine…I was just surprised by Eevee's sudden burst of energy." She presented the basket filled with star-shaped cookies. "Uh…Ta-da! I made these for you."
"Whoa," Ash said in amazement. "I didn't know you could make cookies into stars."
His best friend giggled. "I made them that way because you looked like you wanted to look at the stars so here are some stars."
He looked at her with some admiration. He quickly grabbed a piece and ate it whole. "These are great! Thanks so much."
Miette marched her way in between them with her hands beside her hips. "I take it that's your Eevee who is terrorizing Ash's Pikachu's heart? You should really teach it some manners and the true meaning of love!"
Serena frowned. "Excuse me? Who do you think you are trying to tell me how to raise my Pokémon?"
"Uh, Serena this Miette." Ash got in between them. "Her Pikachu was lost but managed to recognize Pikachu from the Battle Buffet." He faced Miette. "Miette, this is Serena, my best friend."
The honey-blonde blinked. "Wait a minute, you're the winner of the Pewter City Pokémon Contest."
"That's right!" Miette pounded her chest. "My Pikachu helped me get past the performance stage while my Meowistic helped me win in the finals."
Ash scratched his head, trying to remember which region they're commonly found. "That means…"
"She's from the Kalos region," Serena beat him to the punch while folding her arms.
Miette nodded while looking at Serena. "That's where I'm from. Judging on your fashion choices, I would say you're from there as well."
"When I was young, I lived there for a time," Serena answered. "For the past eleven years, I have been living in Pallet Town of the Kanto Region."
"That's where I'm from too," Ash laughed. "You two have quite a bit in common. Both from the Kalos region and Coordinators as well."
"Why kind of Coordinator are you?" Miette asked.
Serena closed her eyes. "Rookie…I just got my Contest Pass today and planning on making my debut in Cerulean City."
"Funny," Miette laughed. "That's the next one I'm part taking in as well only I'm a Seasoned Coordinator. I participated unwisely in the Kalos Circuit when Aria was still stealing people's hearts. I want to meet her one day in a Contest and surpass her."
"That sounds like an amazing goal to have," Ash remarked. "Surpassing an idol or role model. Haha. I suppose I'm no different since I'm doing the Gym Challenge."
Serena cleared her throat. "Aria's my idol too. Maybe one day I will meet her in a Contest, but for now, I'm participating because Eevee is invested."
Miette flicked her hair over her shoulder. "You're not going to make it far with that reasoning."
"And what's wrong with having a little fun? Especially when it comes to Eevee's happiness?"
"Nothing," Miette shrugged her shoulders. "No one will take you seriously, including me."
Serena stomped her foot. "I'll show you!"
Miette raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why don't you prove it?" She pointed at Serena. "I challenge you to a battle!"
"A battle?" Serena blinked.
"You might sound like a Coordinator but you certainly don't act like one," Miette rolled her eyes. "Let's see if you're all talk or maybe you have some skills."
Ash was interested to see how Serena handled herself in battle. She only participated in the annual camp competition with some success. Usually, she would get knocked out by Gary or Ash in the second rounds.
"Show her what you can do," he courage.
His best friend nodded in agreement.
Both ladies took their positions in Trainer Boxes with Ash acting as the judge. Eevee and Miette's Pikachu were on the battlefield.
"This is a one-on-one match between Miette and Serena," Ash declared. "Begin!"
Serena made the first move. "Quick Attack!"
"Quick Attack as well!" Miette shouted.
Both Pokémon zigged and zagged across the battlefield, colliding in the middle.
What appeared to be an even match turned out to be part of Miette's plan. Pikachu curled up in a ball and rolled on top of Eevee's back.
"Thunder Shock!" Miette ordered.
Pikachu zapped Eevee and started to perform a dance routine involving hopping on Eevee's back and flicking its tail against Eevee's face.
Ash was impressed with Miette's usage of the physique as it was another way to exhaust an opposing Pokémon. He wondered if Pikachu was willing to dance.
"Bite!" Serena commanded.
Eevee bit into Pikachu's tail and managed to toss it off of it.
"Swift!" Serena followed up.
Eevee unleashed a flurry of star-bolts at Pikachu.
"Dig into Thunder Punch!" Miette countered.
Pikachu took a few hits before digging underground. Moments later, it popped underneath where Eevee was standing and uppercut the Evolution Pokémon. At the end of its attack, it performed several twirls before landing on the ground.
"Swift!" Serena yelled.
Eevee tossed and turned before wagging its tail to have it rain star-bolts.
Ash smiled at the pretty sight of shooting stars. He didn't know if Serena did it on purpose, but aside from the cookies, he was able to see the stars.
"Quick Attack into Electroweb!" Miette stated.
Pikachu danced in the shower of shooting stars to get closer to Eevee and launching an electrifying web.
The web encapsulated Eevee, shocking it on its way down.
"Eevee!" Serena shouted.
Ash frowned at her friend. "Eevee is unable to battle which means Miette and her Pikachu are the winners!"
Serena coddled Eevee in her arms, lips quivered, and eyes looked at the ground. "I'm sorry, Eevee. I should have battled other people in these past days with you and our team."
"If you thought Contests were only just the performance stage, then you'll have a rude awakening in the battle stage," Miette shook her head. "It takes serious coordination and time to develop those habits and skills."
Ash nodded slowly while patting Serena on the shoulder. "Cheer up, what did you expect when battling a Season Coordinator? Once you start battling some more, you'll eventually catch up and be able to beat her."
The honey-blonde looked up while guiding her hair back. "Then I guess you'll have to step up your game as well because I'll work hard to surpass you too."
Ash liked the sound of that. He faced Miette and looked at his Pikachu. "Hey, think you can show me some of your moves with Pikachu? I would like to adopt some of it into my battling style."
Miette smiled. "Sure thing, Ash. If you wanted, I can be your training partner until you challenge the Gym."
He appreciated the gesture as the PA system called for his name. He ran off to the front desk to retrieve his Charmander before returning to the battlefield to release all of his Pokémon.
The young man felt a variety of emotions. Charmander felt sad and looked to the ground. Pidgeotto was angry and flapped its wings into the air, generating a breeze. Butterfree was concerned and did a light dance around him. Nidoran dug its foot into the ground while Pikachu snapped out of the last Attract spell.
"First, I want to congratulate Charmander for its bravery and hard-fought battle." Ash clapped while his Pokémon cheered."
Charmander's eyes widened as it looked around at its friends. It looked like it wanted to cry.
"We can't always win, but we won't let losing get in our way to greatness," Ash continued. "Obviously we have a lot of work we need to do in terms of training. Let's prove the doubters wrong and win our first Badge!"
His Pokémon roared in agreement, all except for Charmander.
It looked to the ground, still sad. "Charmander…"
Ash kneeled before it with his Pokémon crowding around him. "Win or lose, I'll never abandon you or any of my Pokémon." The Lizard Pokémon looked upwards at his eyes. "We're a family. Now and forever!"
Charmander hugged his leg with a stream of tears falling down its face. Soon after, Pikachu joined in around his chest. Butterfree and Pidgeotto used their wings to hug Ash from his shoulders with Nidoran lightly rubbing against his other leg.
Ash hugged it all out with his Pokémon before standing. "Alright, time for some special training!"
Serena stared in awe at the stadium of the Pewter City Gym, a rectangular building with several statues of different rock-type Pokémon littered around it. Ash led the way in with Miette following close behind along with her.
Despite having plans originally to head to Cerulean City, Miette decided to stay to cheer on Ash much to Serena's dismay. The honey-blonde supposed it was only fitting considering all of the training Miette helped with Ash. All Serena had to show for was pages of notes of his Pokémon's strengths, weaknesses, and strategies.
They headed towards the counter where Ash presented his phone.
The clerk typed away at their keyboard before turning to the challenger. "You're all set. Head to the locker room on the right. Unless one of these ladies is your coach, I'm afraid this is where you'll have to part ways. Good luck and I can't wait to see your match."
Ash sheepishly laughed. "Thanks." He turned towards his friends. "I suppose I'll meet you around here after my match."
"Good luck!" Miette said. "Prove the doubters all wrong!"
Serena couldn't believe Miette beat her to the punch again. "You'll be amazing out there, I just know it."
Ash headed off to the locker room with Pikachu by his side. She couldn't blame the poor thing. Between Eevee and Miette's Pikachu, it hardly had any time to itself.
Serena and Miette paid for the entry fee to the stadium. Luckily for them, it was early enough that they were still cheap at 10 Pokédollars and hardly anyone was at the stadium considering different kinds of jobs.
They headed off to the left and roamed around until they found the perfect type of seating with a clear horizontal view of the field. Across from their seating was a scoreboard with Brock Harrison filling one half of the screen and the challenger with the other. In between matches, they would show a couple of replays and a list of the next competitor.
It did not take long before the crowd started to talk about Ash.
"Am I missing something here?" Miette asked.
Serena found it odd that Miette didn't recognize Ash's last name. She thought everyone in the world would have heard of the legendary Red. "Do you not know that Ash is the son of a legendary Trainer?"
Miette shook her head. "That explains a whole lot. Pretty awful that people only see him as a byproduct of his father then. If only they got to see the man he truly is."
Serena couldn't help but agree with her. Eevee climbed onto Serena's head, probably to get a better view of the field.
The honey-blonde rooted for Brock to win his matches and he sported a 5-3 record prior to Ash being next in line. Surprisingly to everyone in the stadium, a staff member handed him a pair of flags and he stepped onto the middle of the rocky field.
"Our next challenger comes from Pallet Town and son of the one and only Red Ketchum!" The announcer hyped up the crowd. "Let's give a warm welcome to the Rookie Trainer, Ash Ketchum!"
The crowd clapped as Ash walked onto the field. He paused for a moment before stepping onto the trainer box. Did he know what was going on?
Brock sported a silver jacket with his badge emblem on the back with spiky hair. "Welcome, Ash. I'm Brock Harrison, Gym Leader of Pewter City, but you probably already know that. I'm honored to see you chose my Gym to be your first stop on the way to the Pokémon League. However, I'll have to disappoint you, but I will not be your opponent today!"
Serena tilted her head. As far as she understood, Brock was the Gym Leader. Didn't he have to face Ash by rule?
"It's my honor to introduce you to my newly appointed Gym Leader in Training, Forrest Harrison!" Brock gestured towards the opposing trainer box.
Walking out of the trainer tunnel was the man that they saw at the Battle Buffet. He waved to the crowd of people with them cheering loudly.
"Gym Leader in Training?" Serena asked.
"How have you been friends with Ash this long and know nothing of the Pokémon League?" Miette slapped her forehead. "Everyone knows that a Trainee is a person who eventually takes over the Gym. They usually take on trainers with a certain amount of badges or rank so the Gym Leader doesn't have to play down to the competition."
Serena frowned as Miette had a point. The Pokémon League was super important to Ash and Gary. Maybe she should have paid more attention when they were younger. "Does this mean Ash is against inferior competition?"
"Not really," Miette replied. "In order to be a Trainee, one has to be of a Challenger rank I believe. That means either they participated in the Regional League and had a top 16 finish or won many minor competitions and battles. Ash should still be on his toes considering Forrest's battling style might be different from Brock's."
Brock assumed the judge's position. "As rule by the Pokémon League, Forrest will take on Ash due to he's a Rookie Trainer with zero badges. This will be a two-on-two single-elimination match with no time limit. Only the challenger may make substitutions. With that being said, Forrest, please select your first Pokémon!"
Forrest had a big grin on his face while holding out a Pokéball. "I'm honored that my first opponent is you, Ash. Let's make this a battle to remember!" He tossed out the Pokéball. "Rockruff, roll out!"
Appearing on the field was a quadruped, canine Pokémon. It was primarily light brown with a darker brown muzzle, paws, and ear tips. It has large blue eyes, button ears, a short muzzle with a triangular pink nose, and a short tuft of fur on each cheek. Around its neck was a ruff of grayish-white fur stubbed with dark brown pebbles. The dark brown markings on its paws extend to a thin point on each wrist and ankle. It had a grayish-white tail that curls tightly over its back and was covered in fluffy fur.
Serena scanned it with her Pokédex as it was unfamiliar to her. Rockruff, the Puppy Pokémon. It's considered to be a good Pokémon for beginners because of its friendliness, but its disposition grows rougher as it grows up.
It was so cute wagging its tail and performing some backflips. Serena wanted to pet it so badly! She quickly shook her head of those thoughts as she needed to root for Ash!
Ash checked it with his Pokédex as well before answering his opponent. "I wouldn't have it any other way! Nidoran, I choose you!"
Nidoran appeared, digging its foot into the ground.
Brock did one final check with both trainers before raising both of his arms. "Battle begin!"
Forrest snapped his fingers. "Let's start with Rock Tomb!"
"Run in for a Horn Attack!" Ash commanded.
Rockruff barked and conjured rocks that swirled around it before being launched towards the running Nidoran.
The Poison Pin Pokémon juked left and right until a rock landed in front of it. When it tried running around it, another rock blocked its path. Soon, it was surrounded and one rock slamming on it.
Serena grasped her knees and bit her lips. Not a good start for her best friend.
Nidoran shrugged off the rubble.
"You okay?" Ash asked with it nodding in response. "Then Poison Sting!"
"Iron Defense!" Forrest countered.
Poisonous Needles soared across the field from Nidoran's mouth.
The Puppy Pokémon stood still while encasing its rocky fur in a metallic coating. The Poison Sting bounced off of its body as if they were having little effect.
"Tackle into Bite!" Forrest followed up.
"Focus Energy!" Ash ordered.
Rockruff dashed across the field and used one of the rock formations to springboard itself into the air.
Nidoran watched intently as its opponent closed the distance.
Serena held her breath, wondering why Nidoran wasn't moving a muscle.
"Double Kick!" Ash shouted.
Nidoran pivoted off its front legs and kicked Rockruff against the head as it was about to land.
The Puppy Pokémon sailed across the field and slammed into a rock formation. It managed to stand on its own power, panting.
Serena winced as that gotta hurt. It seemed as though Miette had a similar reaction along with the crowd.
Forrest laughed. "Not bad, Ash. Using the time that Rockruff needed to reach Nidoran to increase the chance of a potential critical hit. Then the timing of the attack was perfect for a beautiful Double Kick. Too bad Rockruff can take a hit."
Ash adjusted his hat. "That Rock Tomb luring me into a close-quarter fight wasn't a bad way to start, but it'll take a whole lot more than rocks filling the field to slow us down!"
"In that case, let's speed up our tempo!" Forrest pointed out towards the field. "Rock Polish into Tackle!"
Rockruff cleared the dirt from its fur and bolted.
"Poison Sting!" Ash shouted.
Nidoran fired a barrage of Poison Sting in the direction of Rockruff.
The Puppy Pokémon tanked the attack and bashed Nidoran upward.
"Bite!" Forrest followed up.
Rockruff managed to bite onto Nidoran's leg and slammed it to the ground.
Serena covered her mouth as a dust cloud enveloped part of the field. Forrest had used a similar strategy that her Nidoran did against the Beedrill. Could Nidoran even continue?
"We're not done yet!" Ash somehow answered her. "Horn Attack into Double Kick!"
The dust settled with Nidoran lunging forward with its horn causing Rockruff to back away. That separation gave Nidoran enough room to kick the Puppy Pokémon twice with its back legs.
Rockruff slid against the rocky terrain and fell to the ground.
Brock raised the red flag. "Rockruff is unable to battle!"
The crowd instantly booed Ash, probably wanting the puppy to win. Serena couldn't blame them and was glad they eventually cheered. Ash was off to a great start.
"Just one more to go," Miette giggled. "Looks like all of our training had paid off."
Serena pouted while looking at Miette. Ash deserved all of the credit along with his Nidoran. "It's not over yet so let's hold off on any celebration."
"Relax," she replied. "Gym Leaders and their Trainee must use certain teams to test their opponents. Considering Ash is in the lead and Forrest is using a rookie-level team, Ash should have this in the bag."
For his sake, Serena hoped that she was right.
Forrest returned his Pokémon with a frown. He looked at his Pokéball with his eyes closed before taking out his second. "You trained your Nidoran well. Not only was its timing perfect but withstood Rockruff's best combination of moves."
"Thanks," Ash laughed. "Rockruff wasn't bad either with its agility and making use of the terrain."
"Let's see if your Nidoran can stand up to the next challenge!" Forrest threw out his next Pokémon. "Rhyhorn, rock on!"
The Spikes Pokémon made an appearance. From what Serena could tell, it was the same one from the restaurant. It dug its foot into the ground.
"Able to continue?" Ash asked his Nidoran.
Nidoran responded by digging its foot into the ground.
"Then I'm sticking with you!"
Brock checked both sides once again. "Battle begin!"
"We're going to make it two-for-two!" Ash declared. "Poison Sting!"
"Rock Blast!" Forrest countered.
Nidoran launched a Poison Sting only to be negated by flying boulders. The Poison Pin Pokémon started to run behind rock formations to avoid being hit.
"Take Down!" Forrest commanded.
Rhyhorn had impressive speed as it bulldozed across the field.
"Double Kick!" Ash shouted.
As Rhyhorn was about to smack Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pokémon jumped in a tight ball into the air.
Forrest smirked. "I thought you might do that." He pointed at Nidoran. "Smack Down into Stomp!"
Rhyhorn stood on its back legs to grab Nidoran by the horn with its mouth and slammed the Poison Pin Pokémon to the ground. Following up, it stomped its foot and didn't lift its leg.
On the scoreboard, an image of Nidoran struggling to move appeared.
Serena closed her eyes, unable to bear the sight but peaked with one to see what Ash was going to do.
"Return!" Ash aimed his Pokéball. The red beam bounced off Rhyhorn several times. He looked to the ground with his hand visibly shaking. "Nidoran had enough!"
Brock raised the green flag. "The challenger has declared his Pokémon unable to battle!"
The crowd appeared to be stun as everyone appeared to be talking amongst themselves. Some had to audacity to boo Ash for his decision with parts of the crowd soon joining in.
Ash returned his Pokémon while lowering his cap.
"This is horrible," Miette stated. "I know that Ash is the son of a legend but people didn't need to be rude about it. I doubt Nidoran was able to continue much further anyways. Why are they acting this way?"
Serena took Eevee off her head and held it tightly in her arms. "Maybe it's because our friend, Gary managed to beat Brock with only his Squirtle. Considering Forrest is a Trainee, they might have been expecting Ash to do the same."
Miette furrowed her brows. "That was with a type-advantage verse Ash having none." She stood up. "Come on Ash! You can do it!"
Not wanting to be out staged, Serena stood up too. "Don't listen to the crowd, Ash! Remember your training!"
Ash didn't react whatsoever. They were being drowned out by the booing. That didn't stop Serena from shouting with all of her might, hoping that her words could reach him.
AN: I hoped you enjoyed the first part and Serena's first battle that's not with Ash. Let me know some of your thoughts.
Questions You Might Have
Q: What is a Seasoned Coordinator?
One who hasn't won a Grand Festival but has experience in Contests.
Q: Why is Ash facing off against Forrest instead of Brock?
I honestly don't know what I could have done to have made it interesting so I decided Forrest was going to fit well considering in a Japan special for DP, he did become a Gym Leader.
Q: Does every Gym Leader have a Trainee?
No. Typically you'll see one if there's a story specific reason and most people who are retiring have one or family.
