Hi again! Thanks for reading! I don't own Pokemon, so enjoy!

Chapter 6: Boulderbadge Showdown

Angelina walked down a hill, being careful not to trip on any of the rocks and stones. She was greeted by the evening sights and sounds of Pewter City as the sun was setting, and couldn't believe it was slightly bigger than Viridian City. She sighed in relief when walking into the Pokemon Center; looking forward to healing her Pokemon, a hot meal, and a good nights' sleep.

The following morning, Angelina took a quick shower and changed into clean clothes, then retrieved her Pokemon after a hearty breakfast and sets off in search for the Pewter Gym.

"Well, this is it," Angelina said, standing in front of a large building made of wood and stones. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the large double doors and stepped inside, she nearly ran into a statue because of the darkness.

"Who goes there?" A deep, cold voice called out.

Angelina whirled around just as the lights turned on. Seeing a figure sitting on the ground on the other side of the room. "I'm Angelina Murakami from Pallet Town, and I'd like to battle you the Boulder Badge!" her strong voice replied.

"My names' Brock, the gym leader of this city. I accept your challenge."

Angelina thought Brock was handsome and a little intimitating. He looked a year older than her; with spiky dark brown hair, deeply tanned skin, and black squinty eyes. He wore baggy brown pants, a bright green vest, black and white sneakers, and an orange short-sleeved baggy t-shirt.

"We will battle with two Pokémon each," Brock said, standing up as he snapped his fingers.

Angelina had to step back a bit as two fields of rocky terrain appeared from the sides of the room to meet together. She nodded in comprehension.

"Geodude, go!" Brock yelled as he threw his Pokéball; calling out a boulder-like Pokemon with rock arms.

Angelina picked her Pokéball and threw it into the air, using her usual quick motion. "I choose you, Forest!"

"Bulba!" the seed-bulb Pokemon proclaimed.

"I suppose Grass-types are not that bad of a choice," Brock drawled, "Of course, that would also mean that you knew I would use Rock Pokémon. Your Pokemon's grass attacks won't help you here that much."

Angelina's eyes narrowed, "My Bulbasaur can take whatever you can dish out!" she challenged, bravely.

"Careless mistakes may get your Pokémon killed," Brock said, his face unreadable. "You'll regret your choice – or did your Pokémon choose itself for you?"

Angelina narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. "Let's get this started! Forest, Petal Dance!"

"Geodude, Tackle!"

Both Pokémon lunged at each other. Bulbasaur released a bunch of pink flower petals while Geodude charged through the petals and plowed into Bulbasaur, pushing him back several feet.

"Good start, Geodude! Another Tackle!" Brock ordered.

An unfamiliar feeling surged through Angelina – pure, blind panic.

"Forest, dodge!" Angelina yelled desperately. She had to get Bulbasaur back on equal footing with Geodude. Bulbasaur jumped out of the way just in time.

"Don't let up, Geodude! Keep attacking, they can't run forever!"

Again Geodude lunged at Bulbasaur. The grass Pokémon leapt out of the way just in time, but all the shots were very near misses.

On a lucky shot, Geodude slammed Bulbasaur hard into one of the rocks on the field.

Angelina couldn't stand it. "Bulbasaur, Return!" she commanded, holding the Pokéball out. A red beam of light shot from the Pokéball and hit Bulbasaur.

"Not bad for a beginner." Brock commented. "How long have you had that Bulbasaur?"

"A couple days ago, but I've been a Pokemon trainer for two years," Angelina replied, smirking as Brock looked surprised. She plucked another Pokéball off her belt and enlarged it, then threw it onto the field, "Spritz, let's go!" and appeared was a blue mouse with long rabbit-like ears and a blue ball on the end of it's black zigzagged tail.

"Ah, a Water Pokémon," Brock drawled. "Perhaps you know what you're doing after all."

"Well duh, I'm smarter than you actually think I am when it comes to Pokemon!" Angelina smirked. "Spritz, Water Gun!"

Azumarill heaved in a deep breath and a stream of water shot out of her mouth. Geodude was hit squarely in his face. Brock had to duck as his Pokémon flew across the room, smashing against the far wall of the gym.

"Ha!" Angelina said as the unconscious Geodude was recalled.

"Don't think this match is over yet! Your Water Pokémon won't save you this time!" Brock said with even more intimidation in his voice and tossed out his next Pokéball. "Go, Onix!"

Angelina's eyes widened as the large rock-snake appeared onto the field. She had to fight this on her knowledge, gut and instinct alone. "All right, Spritz! Wait for Onix to make the first move, get ready to dodge!"

"Bad idea! Onix, Tackle!"

"Spritz, NOW!"

Azumarill stood her ground. Onix lunged and the Water Pokémon leapt into the air as the Rock Pokemon came crashing down.

"All right, Spritz! Use Water Gun!"

Azumarill aimed down from up in the air and shot a jet of water at Onix, soaking it. Onix – being as big as it was – still wasn't knocked out.

"We're not done yet! Onix, Rock Throw!" Brock ordered.

Onix clambered to its' full height and started scooping some of the rocky field its' tail. It pelted rocks at Azumarill who was desperately starting to dodge it.

Angelina's shoulder tensed. Suddenly, she remembered something her friend, Marcus Trainum, had told her earlier. He was a Pokemon trainer before dragged into Team Rocket; he was sharing his experience with Angelina, as she was "oh-so-willing" to learn.

-"When it comes to battling, you must be relaxed. You and your Pokémon will always have this sort of bond. It grows stronger the more time you spend together. If you're tense, your Pokémon will know and will be tense, too. So you have to learn how to relax."-

Angelina blinked, she took a few deep breaths. "Relax, Spritz, you're doing great – we haven't lost yet!" she shouted encouragingly, "Remember what I said about not dancing during battle – forget that. Dance away, baby!"

Azumarill gave Angelina a quick glance while dodging a particularly large boulder. Angelina nodded. The Water Pokémon smiled as another rock missed her and started bouncing, she flipped happily, and in doing so, gracefully avoided the oncoming rocks.

"All right, Spritz! When you see an opening, try a Water Gun!"

"Azu-marill-Azu-Marill!" the Pokémon chanted as she danced, nodding to indicate that she'd heard the command.

Suddenly, Angelina saw it. "Spritz, NOW!"

"Azuma-RIIIIIILLLLLLL!" the Pokémon yelled, shooting a strong jet of water from her mouth.

The stream hit Onix under its' chin, the force causing the Pokémon to buck upwards and keel over back, hitting its' head on the side wall. The Rock Pokemon twitched but didn't get up.

"Onix, Return!" Brock ordered, re-calling his Pokémon.

Angelina was frozen as realization sunk in; they'd done it, they've won. "Spritz, we WON!" she laughed as the Water Pokémon leapt into her embrace. She squeezed Azumarill affectionately before holding her in the air at arm's length. "You were great! You really came through!"

"You both did." Brock said, walking across the battlefield. "And I'm happy to present you with the Boulder Badge, proof that you have defeated me." He stretched out his hand and a small gray stone-shaped badge rested in his palm.

Angelina accepted it gratefully. "Wow! We did it, Spritz!" she smiled, tucking the badge into her skirt-pocket.

"You did it together." Brock corrected, "You worked as a team and prevailed. As for Bulbasaur; well, nothing is ever easy."

"I'll have to work on that," Angelina admitted, blushing slightly. "Thanks again, Brock." She said as she turned to leave the gym.

"Were you planning to leave after healing your Pokemon?" Brock asked.

"I was going to sleep too before I continue my journey." Angelina replied, then her stomache growled lightly which made her look embarassed. "And get something to eat."

Brock chuckled. "Would like to have dinner with me at my house? Say around seven?"

"Well if you can cook, then I'd love to." Angelina said as she was leaving the building.

Later than evening, Angelina arrived back at the Pewter City Gym after healing her Pokemon. She was carrying her backpack and didn't know where Brock's house was located and found the gym leader in a battle with Ash. She decides to stay and watch from the balcony.

"Onix, Tackle Attack!" Brock yelled.

Pikachu dodges Onix just in time, but in the ensuing shaking and quaking of the ground, fails to avoid the massive Rock-Pokemon's tail from slipping around it's pudgy little body and lifting it up off of the ground.

"Onix, Bind Attack now!" Brock ordered, and the massive snake begins to squeeze.

"Pikachu!" cries Ash in a panic, "Thundershock!"

Pikachu unleashed its electric intensity, but still locked in Onix's Bind; the rock-Pokemon is unharmed.

"You haven't raised it very well," chides Brock, arms folded under his chest, "Such a weak electric attack can't hurt Onix."

"Chuuu," Pikachu cries in pain.

"Pikachu! RETURN!" Ash yelled, calling Pikachu back into it's Pokeball, but Pikachu is still trapped in Onix's bind.

"It's... it's being blocked, I... I can't bring it back," Ash gasped, watching in horror as Pikachu is being squeezed. "CUT IT OUT!" he screamed.

"Do you surrender?" Brock asked.

Ash hesitates a moment, then sighs in defeat, "Yeah," he picks up his injured Pikachu and leaves the gym.

Angelina jumps down from the cat-walk and walked over to Brock as he recalled his Onix.

"I saw you observing the match." Brock said. "Ash has a lot to learn about Pokemon and Gym battles."

Angelina narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Oh sure, and I didn't get this kind of treatment when I battled you."

"Well, that's because you have two years' experience under your belt." Brock grinned, he chuckled as the girl blushed. "You knew that Rock-types were weak against Water and Grass types."

"And I beat them without breaking a sweat, even though they were weak." Angelina smirked. She followed Brock out of the gym and over to a two level modest house where she wasn introduced to Brock's nine brothers and sisters. She played with them until they had to get ready for bed. Dinner consisted of tossed salad and breadsticks with spaghetti in meat-sauce. Angelina wondered about Brock's parents, and he explained how his father left to train Pokémon and his mother passed away. She felt terrible that he was unable to become the world's best Pokémon breeder; being reminded of her own mother's tragic death.

"I better go now, I have to fulfill my dream of becoming a Pokemon Master." Angelina said, refusing Brock's offer to stay overnight.

Brock seemed shocked, but then relaxed. "Sure, I know that you'll make an excellent Pokemon trainer."

"Thanks," Angelina smiled, then waved goodbye and walks back to the Pokemon Center.

§To Be Continued§

*Angelina defeats the Pewter City Gym Leader Brock with her Bulbasaur and Azumarill, thus earning the Boulder Badge.
*Brock offers dinner to Angelina before she leaves on her journey; Angelina meets his nine brothers and sisters.
*Angelina watches Ash lose his first gym battle; she also prepares to leave.
*This chapter is based off of half the episode "Showdown In Pewter City"

Thanks for reading, leave a review if you want, and I will update the next chapter (or part two of the Boulder Badge battle) ASAP!