Chapter 4: First Gym Battle! The Descendant of Brock Slate
Ashura awakened early in the morning as usual, noticing that he can see again, but the slashes from Persian were still healing on his face. Ashura also saw that his left arm was still broken, but it didn't bother him. Ashura fixed his clothes and headed down to a nearby steam, cleaning his face. Then he found some berries growing by the campsite and picked some, and laid them next to Misty Jr.'s tent. He then checked inside, seeing her sleeping in her sleeping-bag and the pokemon sleeping next to her. Ashura decided to wait and meditate until they woke up. Soon enough, Pikachu stumbled out, rubbing its eyes. Ashura however, still sat there, oblivious that Pikachu woke up.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu jumped onto Ashura, startling him out of his meditation, and began running around. Misty and her pokemon woke up to all the commotion happening outside her tent and came out.
"Good morning…" Misty Jr. yawned and recalled her Squirtle and Poliwag.
"Pack up. We're heading for Pewter." Ashura put out the almost burnt-out fire, and then waited by the route going through the Viridian Forest.
"All right…" Misty Jr. aimlessly stumbled to her tent, but something bumped into her face. She opened her eyes and saw a Weedle staring straight at her.
"AHHHH!" Ashura and Pikachu heard the scream that frightened all the birds in the forest. They ran to her and saw Misty hiding in her tent, fussing around and the tent fell apart. She then jumped out, sending the Weedle across the sky.
"What happened?" Ashura asked her.
"…bugs…bugs…" Misty Jr. trembled and fell over. Ashura and Pikachu shook their heads in embarrassment. Misty Jr. soon recovered and packed her things into her small backpack and they took to the road. After hours of walking, they arrived at Pewter City.
"Wow! I've never seen so many people." Ashura and Pikachu stared in awe at the crowds going around.
"Well, it used to be different. Before my friend's grandfather and grandmother opened the breeding salon in Pewter, the streets were loosely packed and not many people lived here." Misty Jr. explained, but Ashura and Pikachu completely zoned out on her. Misty Jr. grew very angry and pulled out the mallet, but right before the mallet was out of her backpack, they were gone. Misty Jr. then saw them running down the streets, stopping at the many buildings; she sighed and ran off after them. Ashura soon came upon a crowd surrounding a pokemon battle and jostled his way to the front.
"Go Bulbasaur! Finish it off with Vine Whip!" One trainer with black hair, black T-shirt, and green shorts commanded and defeated the opposing Rattata.
"No Rattata!" The other trainer called out and returned the fainted pokemon. He gave an angry growl at the other victorious trainer laughing boastfully.
"Ashura!" Misty Jr. called out from behind the crowd and pushed her way to the front. "God, you are hard to keep up with." Misty panted.
"Well, look at what we have here!" The victorious trainer said and walked up to her. "It's been a long time Misty."
"Hello…Tommy Sketchit…" Misty Jr. angrily said. "Yes, it has been awhile."
"Hey, it looks like you have a boyfriend." Tommy boastfully laughed.
"He's not my boyfriend! What are you doing here anyways?" Misty argued back.
"I should be asking you the same question. You can't be here for a gym battle." Tommy gloated.
"And what if I am!" Misty started steaming.
"Hey, don't get all boiled up. It's just that, there's no way you can win, especially with your past performances, cry baby runt!"
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!" Misty Jr. let out her angry fumes.
"I said, CRY BABY RUNT!" Tommy spat in her face.
"THAT'S IT! Let's battle and see who the better one is!" Misty pulled out her pokeball and called out Poliwag.
"You really expect to win? You never won a pokemon battle in your life!" Tommy laughed in her face and called out Nidorino.
"What? How can you have an evolved pokemon already?" Misty Jr. shouted out astonished.
"That's what happens when you're the top graduate in pokemon elementary school! And how many pokemon do you have, cry baby runt, only three or even two? I have more than ten already." Tommy smirked.
"That doesn't matter! Poliwag Doubleslap!" Poliwag whacked its tail at Nidorino, but hit its poison point. Poliwag backed off and acted weakened.
"That's has always been you're style Misty, running straight into battle without analyzing you're opponent's pokemon, but you never really knew much about pokemon anyways. Now your Poliwag will pay the price! Nidorino Fury Attack!" Tommy called out and Nidorino rapidly attacked Poliwag with its horn. Poliwag fell, but weakly got up.
"Don't give up Poliwag! Water Gun!" Poliwag only fired a trickle of water, that didn't even reach Nidorino.
"You should know when to give up, like you always do. Your Poliwag is poisoned and is slowly losing its ability to continue. Nidorino! Finish it off with Poison Sting!" Nidorino reared back and fired many needles at Poliwag, defeating it.
"Poliwag, return. Go Squirtle!" Misty Jr. called out and Squirtle appeared.
"So, you'll battle with your starter. Nidorino return. I'll let my starter battle as well. Go Bulbasaur!" Tommy called out his grass-type starter. Right at the beginning Bulbasaur and Squirtle were staring each other down.
"Squirtle! Tackle!" Misty Jr. ordered and Squirtle ran up to Bulbasaur.
"Same mistake runt! Bulbasaur Leech Seed!" Tommy ordered and Bulbasaur fired a seed from its bulb. The seed hit Squirtle and wrapped it in its health-sucking vines. Misty just stood there, trembling.
"You're giving up? This is embarrassing, Bulbasaur! Finish this battle with Vine Whip!" Bulbasaur nodded and launched two vine ropes at Squirtle and whipped Squirtle into Ashura, but Ashura caught it with his right arm. Misty just bent over, crying at her lost to her rival.
"There you go again! CRY BABY RUNT! You'll always be zero, just like your grades. LOSER!" Those words from Tommy just broke through Misty Jr.'s heart. Misty burst waterfalls from her eyes.
"Okay THAT'S IT!" Ashura stepped in and returned Squirtle. "You're the type of person who my grandfather warned me about! No one deserves to be treated like that! I'll battle you myself!" Ashura walked up and looked down on Tommy.
"Fine! What pokemon will you use?" Tommy held his head higher to reach Ashura's height.
"I said I'll battle you MYSELF! I mean ME! Even with this broken arm." Ashura stepped onto the battlefield. Misty Jr. lifted her head, pleading no. The crowd surrounding them just gasped and grew larger.
"You can't be serious! I won't battle you!" Tommy announced.
"What's the matter? Scared?" Ashura held out his right hand, and moved his finger, signaling him to come on.
"You cocky asshole! I'll battle with bulbasaur." Tommy called out his starter again, ready for a second match.
"Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!" Bulbasaur launched its vines at Ashura, but Ashura just disappeared right before the hit. Tommy and Bulbasaur looked around, but found no trace of him. Then they looked up and saw Ashura, high in the sky, crashing down on Bulbasaur, defeating it.
"Im…Impossible…" Tommy just trembled as he saw his pokemon fainted from one hit from a human!
"Who's the cocky asshole now? Whatever that means." Ashura pointed his finger at him, shaking it side to side in disappointment. Pikachu ran up onto his shoulder and shook his finger and well.
"You'll pay Misty! You and your boyfriend will pay!" Tommy called his bulbasaur and ran off.
"That takes care of that. You okay?" Ashura and Pikachu walked up to Misty Jr. and she got up and nodded.
"Hey! Misty!" Another boy ran up to them as the crowd dissipated. He had brown spiky hair, lined eyes, light brown skin, green hiker vest, brown shirt and orange pants.
"Hey…Bryan…" Misty weakly said.
"Who's your new friend? You don't look so good." Her twelve-year old friend Bryan asked her.
"Who are you?" Ashura stepped in front of her, and Pikachu jumped into of them, ready to shock.
"Take it easy! Since when did Misty have an overprotective boyfriend?" Bryan stepped back a bit.
"He's not my BOYFRIEND!" Misty Jr. pulled out her mallet and whacked Bryan in the head.
"Glad I'm fast enough to dodge that." Ashura's sweat dropped as he witnessed the intensity of her mallet.
Misty Jr. carried the unconscious Bryan to his home, the Pewter city Gym! Ashura and Pikachu just stared at the big, stony yet somewhat familiar building. Misty Jr. had to snap them back to earth and they went inside. Then, a man dressed in a business suit came up to him.
"Good to see you again Ms. Waterflower." The businessman said.
"Hey Mr. Smith! I'm just bringing Bryan back in again." Misty Jr. smiled.
"Good, Bryan has a lot of work to do. There's a whole line of customers waiting for the Breeding Salon Shop to open and Bryan needs to be there for the rush. You may go around back to the house and rest there. If you're looking for a gym battle, then you'll have to wait for tomorrow. Today is too busy." Mr. Smith woke up Bryan and sent him to the Breeding Salon next to the Gym. Bryan sighed and followed orders. Mr. Smith led Ashura, Pikachu, and Misty Jr. to Bryan's home behind the gym.
"Wow this place is nice. It even has working light bulbs." Ashura and Pikachu began playing with lamb near the door.
"Bryan's place is only average. Have you seen electricity before? Besides from your pokemon, but you act like you lived in a cave for eleven years." Misty Jr. dismissed Mr. Smith and sighed.
"Pikachu and I lived in a run-down cottage for eleven years! At least it's not a cave! How do you Misty those two guys earlier?" Ashura asked her.
"Well, Tommy Sketchit is Professor Tracey's grandson and Bryan is the gym leader of this city. Our families have a very close relationship because of this one guy, but I can't remember who. All three of us and another girl from a different region went to Pokemon elementary school together. Tommy got the highest grades, and I got the worst. I always lost pokemon battles and the other students made fun of me, calling me names. Only Bryan and the other girl consoled me." Misty Jr. started to cry again recollecting those memories.
"Suck it up Misty!" Ashura harshly said. "At least you had other people around you!"
"What are you talking about? You probably have tons of friends with those battling skills of yours!" Misty Jr. shouted back at him.
"There you go again! What does this word, friend, mean anyways?" Ashura argued back.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot you didn't know what it meant. It means a special bond that individuals have in which they help and care for each other, like you and your Pikachu." Misty Jr. explained, but Ashura and Pikachu stood there, contemplating on this idea.
"I wasn't out to make friends." Ashura thought in his head. "Pikachu and I were just to get the badges and learn of our origin. I can't believe I let this happen!" Ashura grabbed his hair and ran out the door. Pikachu followed him and Misty Jr. as well. Ashura soon stopped near the pokemon center.
"Ashura, what happened?" Misty Jr. asked him.
"It's just this friend concept. Pikachu and I weren't meant to make friends on our journey, just to get the badges." Ashura explained.
"You can't just make friends. Friends come along when you help and care for other people."
"Then I guess Pikachu and I won't help or care for anyone else any longer, that includes you! Pikachu let's go and train." Ashura told Pikachu. Pikachu looked solemnly at Misty Jr., drooping its head and ears. Then it stood up and shook his head.
"What! Let's go Pikachu." Ashura signaled, but Pikachu still disobeyed. "I never had to scold you before, but Pikachu go now! I order you!" Ashura yelled out Pikachu for the very first time ever. Pikachu submitted and walked over to Ashura.
"That's no way to treat your pokemon!" Misty Jr. pulled out her mallet and swung it at Ashura, but Ashura caught it and threw it aside.
"Don't test me!" Ashura pointed at her and Ashura and Pikachu walked away.
"Fine, be that way! Stubborn fool!" Misty Jr. stomped off into the pokemon center to heal her two pokemon, and then over heard a conversation in the back.
"So you can get that Ashura kid for me? That's great." A familiar voice said. Misty Jr. then saw a gun in the shadows and ran off after Ashura. She found Ashura and Pikachu training vigorously in a meadow surrounded by trees, a perfect area for a target.
"Ashura! Quick! Get out of here!" Misty shouted at him, but he ignored it. Then he saw a red laser pointing towards Misty Jr. Ashura, by instinct, ran as fast as he could and knocked her away, but got shot in the right arm. Pikachu ran up to examine Ashura and saw the bloody opening. Pikachu then pulled out the bullet from Ashura's arm, causing him to shirk in pain.
"Great, now both my arms are useless, all for that person. Why did I do a stupid thing like that?" Ashura mumbled and weakly got up onto his knees.
"HA HA HA! Remember us kid?" Ashura looked around and saw Team Sky-Rocket, holding laser guided guns.
"This time, we won't miss." Allan said and aimed straight at Ashura. Pikachu jumped in front and put up an electrical barrier around him and Misty Jr.
"Pikachu, show no mercy. RAIJENGEKI!" Ashura called out and the sky then darkened with thunderclouds. Lightning the zapped across the skies and energized Pikachu. Pikachu then fired the enormous energy beam at them, disintegrating Team Sky-Rocket and whatever was in its path. Ashura then blacked out from the blood loss. Ashura woke up on a bed in the pokemon center with Pikachu waiting by his side.
"Good job Pikachu. My arms can't move though." Ashura tried to get up, but failed.
"Hey, are you okay?" Bryan and Misty Jr. asked him.
"Not exactly alright, but fine. Hey, I'm sorry for yelling at you Misty. I'm just not used to the concept of friends." Ashura said.
"That's kind of depressing, not having friends." Brock said in a sympathetic voice.
"Don't be. Who needs friends anyhow? They'll just get you hurt, like me. I can't move either of my arms." Ashura tugged himself up and stood up. "So, when can we battle, gym leader Bryan?"
"I can't believe you would expect a gym battle after what you just said!" Misty Jr. said, fleeing in tears.
"What did I say?" Ashura and Pikachu, but Pikachu shook its head.
"Let me handle this." Bryan told him and went after her. Ashura shrugged it off and went with Pikachu for a bite to eat.
Misty Jr. continued to run and found a quiet park to cry out on a bench. Misty's pokemon, Squirtle and Poliwag, then popped out, sensing a problem and saw their trainer crying on a bench. They sat by their master's leg and nudged it, asking what's wrong? Misty Jr. shook her head and petted their heads. Soon, Bryan caught up with her.
"Hey, why did you run?" Bryan asked her.
"I just can't believe that I actually thought I made a friend on my own, especially with that stubborn, inconsiderate, brainless idiot." Misty Jr. angrily crossed her arms.
"You can't just say that to people on first impressions. Sure I only met him today, but I can tell he's a nice person. He just can't express it. Does he have some type of rocky past?" Bryan asked.
"Well, I remember him saying about living alone for eleven years, all alone…" Misty Jr. then smacked herself on the forehead, realizing that she can't expect a person to be openly accepting after eleven years of seclusion.
"See, that proves my point. You can't judge a book by its cover. Now, I think I can make this day better by a gym battle with you."
"Really?" Misty Jr. went all bright-eyed at him.
"Yes, but have you been wondering why your pokemon and I haven't sat on that bench yet?" Bryan asked and her pokemon pointed to a sign next to her, saying wet paint. Misty Jr. immediately got up and checked her back, covered with wet, white paint.
"Before the battle, mind if I change?" Misty Jr. laughed sarcastically a bit. Bryan nodded and they went back to the Pewter Gym, with Mr. Smith as the referee. Bryan and Misty Jr. got onto the rocky, mountainous battlefield and Mr. Smith began the two pokemon battle.
"Go Bronsly!" Bryan called out the odd looking, tree-stump like pokemon with three green spheres popping out from a twig-like arm popping from the tiny pokemon's head.
"I never have seen that pokemon better, but it's still a rock type. Go Poliwag!" Misty Jr. called out her tadpole pokemon and started off with a water gun, but Bronsly dodged it.
"Good, use Tackle!" Bryan ordered and Bronsly hit Poliwag with its rock-hard body and knocked it into a wall. Poliwag got up and returned to the battlefield.
"Poliwag! Hypnosis!" Misty commanded and the swirl on Poliwag's belly began spinning. Bronsly slowly and drowsy fell asleep. Poliwag then finished it with a water gun attack.
"Darn, Bronsly return. Go Larvitar!" Bryan called out his second rock pokemon.
"Good, he decided not to use his strongest pokemon yet." Misty felt a bit relieved, but failed to realize that Poliwag with just hit with an attack.
"Misty! Keep your head in the game! Larvitar, use Hidden Power!" White spheres then appeared around Larvitar and spun around. Then, the rocks on the field then lifted in midair and flew at Poliwag, defeating it.
"Good job, return. Go Squirtle!" Misty Jr. called out her second pokemon.
"Squirtle! Bubble!" Misty Jr. ordered and bubbles launched at Larvitar, but Larvitar then disappeared.
"Larvitar! Attack now!" Bryan ordered and Larvitar popped out of the ground behind Squirtle and smashed it, then returned underground.
"This isn't good." Misty Jr. thought. "Larvitar keeps on using Dig, and Squirtle can't hit it."
"Larvitar! Again!" Larvitar then popped out several times and attack Squirtle and returned underground."
"Squirtle Withdraw!" Misty Jr. ordered and Squirtle went into its shell. Larvitar then popped out in front of an open hole in the shell and got blasted with water. Squirtle began a water shotgun and rapidly fired at Larvitar, and eventually, Larvitar fell.
"This battle is over! The winner is Misty from Cerulean City!" Mr. Smith announced and pointed a green flag at her.
"Good job! Here's your Boulder Badge Misty." Bryan walked over and handed the prize to her. Then they heard some small clapping and saw Pikachu clapping by the door with Ashura.
"That was a great battle. Misty, I'm sorry again for whatever I did." Ashura apologized.
"No need, but I think you also came here for a gym battle." Misty Jr. said and both Bryan and Ashura nodded, and took to their places on the previous battlefield.
"Go! Geodude!" Bryan called out his third rock pokemon.
"Pikachu we can take it." Ashura nodded and Pikachu jumped onto the battlefield.
"An electric pokemon? Don't you have any others? Pikachu isn't a good choice." Bryan advised.
"I don't have or need any other pokemon, just Pikachu. I have no intention on catching any other pokemon." Ashura said.
"All right, Geodude! Rock Throw!" Geodude then lifted up over Pikachu and smashed down, creating lots of smoke. When the smoke cleared, Pikachu was no where in sight.
"Good, Pikachu! Quick Attack!" Pikachu, in a blink of an eye, reappeared and hit Geodude, knocking it out.
"What! How can such a small pokemon pack so much power?" Bryan said astonished. He returned Geodude and called out his strongest, Onix. The rock snake pokemon roared as it gigantically slammed on the field.
"We have faced this kind of pokemon before Pikachu." Ashura reassured. "Just don't get intimidated and use RAIJENGEKI!" The gym lights then flickered and storm clouds outside gathered, sending electricity through the lights of the gym. Pikachu then absorbed the electricity, shaking the walls of the gym and the rocks on the battlefield shattered and lifted in midair.
"What…attack…is…this? This is no ordinary Pikachu or trainer." Bryan thought, trembling all over, even Onix looked in fear at the little mouse, staring electrifyingly frighteningly at it. Pikachu and Ashura then shouted and launched the energy beam at Onix, taking it out with one hit.
"This battle is over! The winner is Ashura from…uh…" Mr. Smith announced.
"That was too easy." Ashura said and Pikachu jumped up to him. "Glad we didn't have to use full power, or you'll be in an electrical coma again. Sorry about that." Ashura said, but Pikachu shook its head.
"Wow, I hate to say it, but that was the worst and best battle I have ever fought in. You and your Pikachu are exceptionally rock solid."
Bryan congratulated and pinned the badge to him. Then, the amulet on Ashura's neck began glowing. More visions then passed before Ashura. He saw the boy with looked like him battling on the exact same battlefield with another trainer that looked like Bryan, except different clothing. There was an Onix and a Pikachu on the battlefield. Water was sprinkling from the ceiling and Onix groaning for pain. Pikachu then launched an electrical attack and the vision turned bright white. Ashura then snapped back to reality.
"Hey, you alright?" Bryan waved his hand in front of Ashura and so did Pikachu on Ashura's shoulders.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Pikachu, we're leaving for the next city." Ashura said and walked up to the doors, but Bryan and Misty Jr. stopped him.
"You can't go out there! Especially with both arms broken." Misty Jr. warned him.
"Hmmm…maybe you're right." Ashura and Pikachu nodded. Bryan led them back into his house and showed them their own guest rooms. Misty Jr. went into hers to change. Ashura remained outside to train some more before the day was gone, even with both arms broken. After a bit, Misty Jr. found Ashura and Pikachu still sweating and training hard at running around the gym.
"How long have you been running?" Misty Jr. asked them.
"About, well, since the sun was high in the sky." Ashura told her while jogging in place.
"But, it's almost sundown already, and you and Pikachu really stink. Take a bath." Misty Jr. said, plugging her nose.
"Ok, where's the river?" Ashura asked her.
"River?" Misty asked confusedly. "What for?"
"To take a bath. Why? Where else do you take one?"
"Are you a caveman? You take a bath in the restroom."
"Bathroom, oh that thing. My old bathroom broke down years ago at home. I have been using the river ever since." Ashura grinned, but only making Misty Jr. pale. "Okay, I take a bath, but where do I wash my clothes?"
"The laundry machine. Do you know how to use it?" Misty Jr. asked him.
"Yeah, my grandpa's old laundry machine still somewhat worked, but was enough." Ashura then walked into the house.
"What a peculiar boy…" Misty Jr. thought. After Ashura was finished, Pikachu took his turn. After they cleaned themselves and clothes, they went to sleep in the guest room. Ashura and Pikachu haven't felt the comfort of a bed in such a long time that they instantly fell asleep.
To be Continued…
How did you like this chapter? It took me a while to do this. Continue with those ideas for later chapters.