Chapter 3

By the time the trees started to make a noticeable turn to large, stationary boulders of the mountainous region ahead, Ash's body was crying out for rest. And it wasn't just simply a 'stop for camp and roll out the sleeping bag' rest. It was more like a 'lay in a comfy bed' rest. Exhaustion weighed down every cell in his body, and he could only imagine what it would be like for his Pokémon. He half-regretted not stopping in Viridian City and heeding the police officer's warning, but granted, it saved him on a little bit of time.

The sun was hanging in the sky when he reached the peak of a hill, and a breath of happy air escaped his lungs as he looked at the scene ahead. Rushing ahead and ignoring the cry of his leg muscles, he stepped up onto a high boulder overlooking a small plateau, and looked in amazement at the city that was sprawled out at the base of the mountain in the distance: Pewter City. He was happy, but felt more relieved than anything, and let out another sigh, this one acting as a reset button as he sat cross-legged on the boulder. "Phew, for a while there, I thought I was gonna be in this forest for the rest of my life," he said to no one in particular. And he wasn't expecting anyone to reply, since there wasn't anyone around. Or so he thought.

"Pewter City is gray. The color of stone. This town has always been famous for stone," a gruff voice below him spoke up.

"Huh, what the..." Ash muttered, peering down at the bottom of the plateau. There, an older man that was weathered and rough-looking wearing an old red beanie sat cross-legged on the ground, his back leaning against the cliff-side. "Who's this old guy?"

"The name's Flint," the man introduced, not bothering to even look up at Ash and only spoke to him by looking straight ahead. "And you're sitting on some of my merchandise, young man."

"Oh, sorry!" the Pallet boy exclaimed, quickly standing up onto his feet, but then what the man said sunk in, and his brown eyes looked at the plateau as he climbed down from the man-made wooden stairs. But there were stones of various sizes on them, and each of them had a price tag crudely written on paper leaning against them. "Uh... you mean, you sell rocks?"

"They're Pewter City souvenirs," Flint corrected, looking up at Ash for the first time, but his eyes were shadowed over by the way his hat was pulled down past his eyebrows. Only peeks of his brown hair hung out past his neck, and most of his face was covered by a beard. "Want to buy some?"

"No thanks! I'm traveling, trying to become a Pokémon Trainer," Ash answered, jabbing a thumb proudly at his chest.

"Well, if you're a Pokémon Trainer, then your Pokémon should be worn out after traveling through the forest," Flint deduced. He wasn't exactly wrong either. "Why don't you follow me; I'll show you to the Pokémon Center." The man stood up, and without waiting for an answer, started to head into town.

"Wow, looks sure are deceiving. He's a nice guy," Ash murmured to himself, but then Flint turned around and held out his white-gloved hand.

"By the way, that'll be a 200-Poké charge for resting on my rock." And at that, Ash fell to the ground.

o 0 o

Ash was extremely thankful for Flint's help. Pewter City was much bigger than Viridian and Pallet, but the older man seemed to know it like the back of his hand. In half the time it would have taken the Pallet boy to find it, they arrived at the Pokémon Center. Placed in the heart of the city, it was certainly hard to miss, as it was several floors tall, towering over the neighboring buildings, and featured a large 'P' on the front of it in between two large Poké Ball structures.

As they walked in through the front glass doors, Ash felt the artificial air conditioners envelop him the moment they shut behind him, and his skin broke out in goosebumps. Flint excused himself to use the bathroom, leaving Ash in the lobby by himself, and he walked right up to the front counter where a nurse with pink hair tied into two curled pigtails at the base of her neck stood behind it. Inputting his information from his Pokédex, she gave him a key for a room to stay in for the night that was free of charge for Pokémon Trainers. But that wasn't what he was concerned about.

"Please, revitalize my Pokémon," he requested, rolling a tray onto the counter. The tray contained six circular indents, which were the perfect size for filling with Poké Balls. The tray in front of him only contained two, of course.

"Sure. Right away, Ash," she agreed, and smiled warmly at him. "I'm Nurse Joy, and it's a pleasure to have you stay at the Pewter City Pokémon Center." Though it was warm and personal, Ash wondered how many times a day she said that. Clutching the tray in her hands, she turned to bring the Poké Balls into the back to receive treatment, but then stopped and looked at him through the corner of her blue eyes. "Have you seen that poster?" Without waiting for an answer, she walked away and disappeared through the door labeled 'EMPLOYEE ONLY'.

Turning around, he looked at the large poster she was referring to against the wall. It was an advertisement for the Pokémon League Regional Championships: the Indigo League. Ash knew all about it, and smiled as he looked upon it. "Pokémon League Regional Championships, all right!" Excited determination clutched his fists together. He knew all about it – in order to compete in the regional championships, he had to defeat Gym Trainers from different towns and get their Badges as proof. The Gym Trainers were suppose to be exceptionally skilled Trainers, meant to test the average Pokémon Trainer. "I'll do it!"

Behind him, a dry laugh broke his thoughts, and he turned around to see Flint walking up to him, a smirk hidden beneath his beard and crossed his arms. "Don't tell me you plan on challenging Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader?"

"Of course I do – as soon as Squirtle and my other Pokémon are better, I'll have no problem," he answered with confidence. "Take me to this 'Brock's' Gym – I'll beat him!" Once again, Flint gave a dry, sarcastic laugh.

"You'll beat him?" Instead of taking him, Flint continued to laugh and left the Pokémon Center, leaving Ash with his eyebrows together and a rage boiling in his chest.

o 0 o

"Ooh, that Flint; tryin' to make a fool out of me..." Ash grumbled angrily into his bowl of rice. If there was anything he missed while being on the road, it was a home-cooked meal. Or... literally anything that did not come out of a package or can. But now, thanks to Flint, he couldn't even enjoy it. He had eaten most of his meal without even tasting it because he had been taking out his anger on his food.

He would show that old man. How hard could this Brock be to beat? Sure, Ash hadn't had much experience in battling, but he had some of the best Pokémon in the world that would do anything for him. With that much determination and drive, they could beat anybody! "I'll beat him all by myself."

As he finished up the last of his food, the waitress came over and brought down a note. Pulling the bowl from his face – ignorant to the specks of rice that dotted his chin and cheek – he looked to see that it was a bill. "Um, excuse me, miss!" he said to her and grabbed her attention. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer."

"Oh, that's nice," she answered, smiling sweetly before turning to walk away.

Ash blinked, but continued. "No, I mean... Isn't this supposed to be for free because I'm a Pokémon Trainer?"

Her customer service mask broke for a split second, showing growing annoyance underneath for just a moment, but then she quickly repaired it and gave him a smile. "Room and board is free. Food costs money. Our center can't run if everything is free!"

o 0 o

Waiting was no fun, and after his much-needed shower and meal, he wasn't sure what else he could do. Sitting in the lobby with his backpack beside him, his eyes wandered over to the line of green video phones. It had been a long time since he had called his mom, and if he knew her at all, she would be worried sick. "I'll call home," he said to himself. Dialing the number he knew by heart, he waited as the phone rung, and then finally, the familiar voice came up audio only.

"Hello, this is the Ketchum residence."

"Hello, Mom?" A loud squeal of excitement came out of the speakers from the other end.

"Oh, hi honey! Is everything okay?" The 'VOICE ONLY' screen which featured a round pink Pokémon disappeared, and his mom appeared on the screen with a wide smile on her face. Her hair was damp and she was in her robes, meaning she had just gotten out of work and taken her shower. "Where are you, Ash?"

"The Pokémon Center in Pewter City."

"You're already in Pewter City?" his mom repeated. "It took your father a month to get there when he started Pokémon training. Oh, he'll be so proud. You're the apple of his eye." She spoke like she was impressed, but he knew that Gary and the others were ahead of him.

"Yeah, a rotten apple."

"Oh Ash, don't get discouraged. You're doing fine!" She gave him a heartwarming grin. "Honey, you're growing up right before my eyes, spreading your wings and soaring like a Spearow!"

"Thanks, Mom, but there are some days I feel more like a fallen Pidgey."

"I won't let you talk about yourself that way!" she snapped, and Ash didn't have to look at the screen to feel her glare through the monitor. "Just be confident! You can do anything that you set your mind to. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"And are you changing your underwear every day?"

"Yes."

"Okay, goodbye, son. I love you." Replacing the angry mask with the same warm smile from when she first answered the phone, she waved.

"Me too, Mom. Bye." And with that, the screen went blank, and he hung up the receiver. She was right, he had to be more confident, and that spoke true about this upcoming Gym battle as well.

After a long while, Nurse Joy called him up to the front counter. When he arrived with his backpack on his back, she slid the tray across the counter, and he smiled when he looked upon the two Poké Balls. "Well Ash, no more waiting. Squirtle and your other Pokémon are all back to normal."

"Oh, that's great!" Ash thanked, and picked up his two Poké Balls – one in each hand. "All right..." Placing them on his belt, he looked back at the Pokémon nurse. "Before you go, could you tell me how to get to the Pewter Gym?"

o 0 o

Nurse Joy's directions were spot on, and walking down the concrete path, it wasn't hard to find the Pewter City Gym. Much like the Pokémon Center, it had its own unique design. The entire structure of the building was made to look like it was comprised of huge gray stones, and in the upper corner, the words 'PEWTER GYM' were carved into the rock. "So this is Pewter Gym? All right then." Excitement and ignorant determination burning in his chest, he walked up to the heavy front doors and pushed them open.

The doors creaked, echoing through the dark building. There was hardly any light, only that produced from the sunlight pouring in from the open doors, but that quickly dissipated when they shut behind him. "Hello!" he called, his voice echoing as much as the doors did as he walked across the marble flooring between the fancy columns on either side of the main entrance.

Walking forward through the darkness, Ash almost wondered if anyone was even here, until finally, another voice spoke up. "Who goes there?" With the voice, a single spotlight turned on in the back of the huge room. Up on a raised platform, a young man sat with his legs crossed. His brown hair was spiky and stood up all around his head, and he looked at him with squinted, hardened eyes. The sudden voice made Ash jump, but he quickly masked this weakness.

"So, you must be Brock!" he deduced. "I'm Ash, from Pallet Town. I challenge you!"

"Is this your first Gym match?" the Gym Leader asked, and Ash hesitated. Was he that easy to read? "A Gym match is different from other battles. This match is for Pokémon League authorization. There are special rules."

"Um, what do you mean by 'special rules'?"

"We will use two Pokémon each," Brock explained as he stood up. "Understood?"

"Oh..." Ash responded. His response must have been seen as novice-like, because Brock followed up with another question.

"How long have you been with your Pokémon?"

"Uh, about a week and a half, I guess..." Ash replied, thinking about how long it had been since he left Pallet Town.

"Yes, I guessed. Your Pokémon are still underdeveloped and untrained. You can't win," he said bluntly. The statement angered Ash, and his eyebrows clashed together in annoyance.

"I'll worry about my Pokémon and you worry about yours, all right?!"

"Suit yourself. As Gym Leader, I have to accept every challenge, so let's just get this over with." He snapped his fingers, and the overhead lights suddenly turned on, giving light to the whole room. It seemed they were standing in a huge room, and on either side of the room were rafters where someone could stand and watch from above. A pair of metal gates were down on either side of the actual room, and a mechanical hum shook the building as they opened up. A pair of artificial platforms made up of different rocks and boulders came out from behind them, and they started to come together. Unfortunately for Ash, he was in the middle of the room, and they were going to take him out at the ankles. Spinning on his heel, he let out a cry and ran to the other side of the huge room, all the while the platforms got closer and closer, and with one final leap, he landed on the marble just in time for them to come together. A sigh of relief left his mouth as he looked out at the newly formed arena, and deduced that this is where he and Brock would be battling.

From his raised platform, Brock jumped down onto the Trainer's box on his side of the arena and retrieved a Poké Ball from his vest, holding it out for Ash to see. "Let the match begin!"

"All right!" Ash said, a smirk appearing on his face as he scrambled up onto his feet. "Okay, Squirtle, I choose you, buddy!" Pulling out Squirtle's Poké Ball, he threw it out onto the arena, and it clattered on the ground before bursting open, releasing the Water-type Pokémon.

"Squirtle!" it cried as the light faded, looking with fierce determination at Brock as it clenched its fists on either side.

Brock's eyebrow twitched, but he didn't hesitate on his choice as he reared his own arm back. "Onix... goooo!" Like Ash's own Poké Ball, the red and white sphere hit the artificial platform, and opened with a huge geyser of light. However, the light seemed to keep growing and growing like a beanstalk, and finally, when it faded, a huge towering Pokémon that was comprised of boulders appeared with a roar that reverberated through the metal structure of the near-empty Gym. Squirtle looked up at its opponent with its mouth hanging open, and Onix gave another roar, which was enough to seal the deal for Squirtle – it didn't want to be a part of this battle.

High-tailing it away from Onix, it climbed up Ash's leg and ducked underneath his jacket, tapping the only other filled Poké Ball on his belt, but Ash snatched up Squirtle by the shell and plucked him from his waist. "Hey, this is your battle, Squirtle, not Pidgey's!" he scolded, and placed Squirtle down on the arena before giving him an ushering push forward. "Go."

"Squirtle Squirt?" The Tiny Turtle Pokémon gave one last questioning utterance, but Ash nodded his head out onto the arena, and the Water-type's shoulders hung defeated as it stepped out where it stood just moments before.

"Onix, Tackle attack!" Brock commanded, beginning the match, and Onix lunged forward with a growl. Squirtle let out a cry, and scrambled out of the way, its feet patting against the rock as it rushed away, and Onix's face smashed into the ground where it stood moments before, kicking up bits of dust and broken stone. The Rock Snake Pokémon pulled back its head, and looked to see where its opponent had run to. Spying Squirtle rushing away, it snaked its tail around to block off Squirtle's destination, and when Ash's Pokémon was trapped, it curled it around the small Water-type before lifting it off the ground.

"Squirt?!"

"Onix, Bind it now!" Lifting its lower body up near its face, Onix let out another reverberating growl before squeezing its tail where it held Squirtle. Its arms were trapped in Onix's body, so it had no chance of pushing itself free, and its eyes shut in pain as it was squeezed tightly.

"Squirtle, try to break free!" Ash called out to his Pokémon, but it was useless.

"You haven't raised it very well," Brock said to him from across the arena with his arms crossed. "If your Squirtle doesn't know any Water moves, it can't hurt Onix." Seeing the hopelessness of the situation, Ash decided to switch out, pulling out Squirtle's Poké Ball and holding it high above his head.

"Squirtle, return!" he cried, and the red recall beam shot out, but it only hit Onix's giant body and bounced off uselessly. He tried a couple more times at different angles, but they all ended the same way. He just couldn't reach Squirtle from his position. "It's being blocked... I can't... I can't bring it back..!" He had never felt more helpless as he did now, and his teeth gritted together as he watched Onix continue to squeeze his Pokémon, its mouth opening in pain but unable to cry out from the lack of oxygen. He closed his eyes, unable to continue seeing his Pokémon's face in pain. "Cut it out!"

"Do you surrender?" the Gym Leader called. Ash felt his breath hitch in his throat, but knew that he had no other choice. A shadow fell over his face, and he looked down at his shoes.

"I-I do..." A bell sounded through the Gym, and Onix placed its lower body on the ground, uncurling its tail to release Squirtle. The Water-type clattered to the floor, looking tired and worn. Running out onto the arena, Ash scooped up his starter Pokémon into his arms, and giving one last look at Brock, he turned his back to the Gym Leader and rushed out the doors, unable to find words to express his pain.

o 0 o

The sky was hues of amber as he stepped out of the Gym and started to walk up the road, but Ash barely noticed. He cradled his Pokémon in his arms, and the sting of defeat was still fresh. What was he thinking, charging in there like that? He couldn't peel his eyes away from Squirtle. Its eyes were closed as it rested, and scratches and scrapes covered its body. It was his fault that Squirtle got this way.

A shadow at his feet grabbed his attention, and he looked up to see Flint standing before him. He couldn't tell if the old man was looking at him because of the shadow over his face, but he could definitely feel him looking at him. For a minute, the two stood there in silence. Ash was waiting for him to tell him he told him so, but instead, Flint simply folded his hands behind his back and turned away. "Come with me," he said, and walked away with Ash following, rushing to keep up.

Flint brought him to the outskirts of Pewter City where Ash had first come in from the forest, and off to the side of it was a small cabin hidden in view by the cliffs and plateaus. It was a perfect spot for hiding, as it was so well hidden that no one would have been able to find it if they weren't looking for it. Even out here, though, with the intent being to hide, there were still signs that advertised rocks for sale, and shelves which displayed some of his 'souvenirs' beside his door.

It was a one-room cabin, with a wood stove in the center for warmth. Flint was kind enough to set out a small blanket for Squirtle to rest in, and told Ash to make himself comfortable while he went off to make tea. Barely a word had been spoken between them – Ash wasn't in the mood for conversation and Flint was already a quiet guy as it was, but he sensed the situation. Kneeling down in front of the wood stove to keep warm, Ash tossed his hat and backpack off to the side, looking sadly down at his Squirtle.

"Everyone loses sometimes. You can't let that get you down," Flint said as he brought down a tray with a teapot and two cups, all of them looking equally as worn as the older man who owned them.

"I know," Ash responded, scrunching his face together. "But I didn't just lose, I stunk! Brock's way better than me. I could never enter a league match if I can't beat him!"

Flint was kneeling on a cushion he had placed for himself, and he sipped from his cup before responding. "Brock is very good. His own talents could take him much further than simply being a local Gym Leader."

"Yeah, but why has he never been in a regional championship himself?"

"He has his reasons..." Flint murmured vaguely, and for the first time since he left Pewter Gym, Ash's eyes pulled away from Squirtle. The older man drank from his tea and drained his cup a little more quickly than he would have liked, and stood up once again. Brushing the dust off himself, he approached the only entrance. "You can leave Squirtle here to rest. It will be safe." This time, it wasn't a request, and Ash quickly placed his hat over his messy black locks before rushing after Flint to keep up.

o 0 o

They found themselves back where they had started, in the city at the Gym, but instead of going inside, Flint took another path around it. The back of the Gym was sectioned off with shrubs and a fence, but the older man climbed up on it to peek over. Mimicking his movements, Ash peered over the shrubs on the tips of his sneakers despite having climbed it. A closed-in back yard led to a residential area in the back of the Gym, and a large screen door gave a look into a dining room and kitchen. There were several children inside, some interacting with their siblings while others were doing their own thing. Each of them were talking all at once, making it hard to determine what they were saying individually, but they all had spiky brown hair and squinted eyes. Aside from the children, there was only one lone adult that was visible, and they were at the sink with their back facing Ash and Flint. Ash couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, as they were wearing a frilly pink apron, and a white handkerchief around their head that covered their hair.

Suddenly, one of the nine children, a girl with her spiky hair in pigtails, went running up to the adult, pulling at their pant-leg and crying loudly. "Ahh, I tore my skirt!" Now, the adult stopped chopping vegetables which was to go in that night's dinner, and turned down to the little girl, a warm smile on his face. And Ash's mouth dropped open to see that it was Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader.

"All right, all right," he soothed her with a soft voice. "I'll sew it up for you." As the girl took off her skirt and handed it to Brock, Ash's eyes flickered over to Flint beside him, but the older man was unmoving as usual, and only looked ahead at the scene as Brock pulled out a sewing kit and began to fix the rip in the bottom of the cloth.

"Is it done yet?" the young girl cried, her tears finally stopped falling as she pushed on Brock's shoulder. But he was patient.

"Just a minute," he murmured. But they never got to see the dress be completed, as Flint climbed down on the fence, having apparently made his point, and Ash followed suit. As they turned on their heel, the older man said nothing as they traveled through the city, the sky now dotting with shimmering stars like diamonds, and their path was lit up by the streetlights that trailed alongside the roads.

"Wow... I sure never thought of Brock like that," Ash muttered, eyes to the ground as he reflected on what he just saw.

"Brock has nine little brothers and sisters to take care of, so he could never leave town for regional championships," Flint explained.

"Doesn't he have a mom or a dad?"

"His good-for-nothing father left the family to become a Pokémon Trainer, and they never heard from him again. Brock's heartbroken mother tried her best to hold things together, but she too went off, leaving Brock to raise the children and the Gym himself. Brock's the only one his little brothers and sisters have left."

Ash's eyes fell to the concrete at his feet and he stuck his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "I better not listen to any more sad stuff. Next time I have a match with Brock, I might not have the heart to beat him." This took Flint by surprised, and he stopped in mid-step.

"B-But you said that- You said you could never win a match with Brock," he stuttered, and Ash whipped around, his eyes burning with determination.

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind about that! If I can power up Squirtle, I'll beat him!" Flint was quiet for a moment, and finally, his gloved fingers found their way to his chin, and curled around it under his beard.

"If that's the case, why don't you follow me one more time."

o 0 o

Going back for his belongings and Squirtle, who was well-rested and back to full health once again, Flint brought them to a field by a dried up river on the outskirts of Pewter near his cabin. It was far enough into the woods that they wouldn't be disturbed, or disturb anyone from the city.

"Squirtle is a Water-type Pokémon," Flint told Ash. "It wouldn't be hard for Squirtle to beat Brock and his Rock-type Pokémon if it just knew a Water-type move. Your inexperience makes it obvious that you haven't battled with it a lot, but I think with a little bit of training, it could learn one really easily."

Ash and Squirtle looked at each other and nodded. It made sense. "Gee, how do you know so much about Pokémon, huh?" Ash questioned, and Flint soon began to stammer.

"Me? Uh, you see, I uh..." His hand found its way to the back of his head and he let out a nervous chuckle. "I just got lucky, I guess! That's it, lucky!"

Retrieving a Poké Ball from his pocket, he tossed it into the air, and beside him, a burst of bright light came out and formed into a large bipedal Pokémon with a spiral drill-like horn on its nose. It was intimidating and let out a growl, but after looking up at Brock's Onix, they were able to keep their cool. "Lucky for you, my Rhydon here knows Water Gun. That's the move that we'll be working on learning tonight. Understood?"

"Right!"

"Squirt!"

Making room for a makeshift battlefield in the grass, Ash and Squirtle stood on one side of the field, their brows pulled down in looks of sheer determination. "Rhydon, show 'em how it's done. Water Gun!" The Drill Pokémon roared and opened its maw, releasing a spiral of water from the back of its throat. The attack hit Squirtle, and knocked it off its feet and into Ash. Both of them fell to the ground, soaked and shivering from the cold night air.

"Okay Squirtle, now you give it a try," Flint stated, his arms crossed behind his Rhydon. Both Pokémon and Trainer picked themselves up, and Ash clenched his fists at Squirtle to give it courage.

"You can do it, Squirtle! I believe in you!" Squirtle nodded, and it clenched its own fists in concentration. Shaking as it tried to summon the water from the depths of its stomach, it finally felt ready and took in a deep breath and let out a puff of air. Nothing came out but air, however, not even a droplet.

"Squirt..."

"It's okay, Squirtle. It's going to take some time," Flint said, and looked at his Rhydon. "Rhydon, again."

"Rhy." Once again, Squirtle and Ash were blown away by Rhydon's Water Gun, and they skidded across the newly-wet grass. Blades of grass clung to Ash's skin uncomfortably as he picked himself up, and pulled Squirtle onto its feet as well. Fearing to get blasted again, Squirtle shook its head of any water droplets that were dripping down, and it tried again, taking in a deep breath and this time, moving its lips into a small 'o' shape. Air came out at first, and then, behind it, a small trickle of water like a drying fountain.

"H-hey! Look!" A laugh escaped Ash's chest as the water produced from Squirtle trickled out and mingled with the water created by Rhydon, and he looked over at Flint, who nodded, but it was impossible to tell if he was smiling beneath his beard.

"Rhydon, again."

"Oh, no..."

o 0 o

The doors to the Pewter Gym were thrown open, and as they hit the end of their hinges, the light of the new day poured in, lighting up the Rock-type Gym. "I'm back!" Ash declared, his voice echoing through the empty garage-like arena. Hearing the loud announcement, Brock stepped forward, his unfeeling mask back on again now that he didn't have his apron on.

"Haven't you learned your lesson yet?" the tanned young man questioned.

"I'm ready for you this time, Brock!" Ash shot back. Brock looked at the fire burning in his eyes, and he smirked.

"We'll see." The overhead lights clicked on, and the battling stage was already put together, and both Trainers took their respective spots on either side of the rocky arena. "Two Poké Balls!" Brock called.

"Got it!"

Unlike the last battle they had, it was Brock to chose his Pokémon first. "I'll start with... Geodude, go!" The red and white sphere hit the dirt and lay on its side for a moment before opening up, releasing a floating rock with a pair of strong-looking arms that clenched into fists at its side.

"Geo, dude!"

Since Brock was starting with a new Pokémon, Ash decided he would as well, and as he plucked the Poké Ball from his belt, he twisted his cap backwards with his free hand. "Pidgey! I choose you!" Geodude's beady eyes watched the Poké Ball bounce onto the ground and burst open, releasing the Tiny Bird Pokémon that took off into the air and looked down at its opponent with a soft coo. As Brock was the first one who chose the first Pokémon, Ash decided to try and get the first attack in. "Go, Pidgey! Gust attack!" Diving down at Geodude, the Normal and Flying Pokémon began to circle around it. Geodude looked unfazed as Pidgey began to spin faster and faster until a brisk wind was picked up. The wind kicked up the loose sand from the arena, and soon Geodude and Pidgey were unseen in the dust tornado that covered the middle of the battlefield. Much to his surprise, he couldn't hear a command from Brock's side, but after a while, the Gust attack faded, and Pidgey was flapping its wings as Geodude floated after it, following and trying to grab it out of the air with its tough-looking hands. The attack didn't seem to work at all, which made Ash's face fall.

"Bad strategy," Brock said with a raised eyebrow as Geodude relentlessly followed Pidgey. "Don't you know Flying Pokémon are weak against Rock-types?"

"Uhhh, I guess I forgot!" It didn't take long for Geodude to get a hold of Pidgey, gripping it by the throat and holding on steadily now that it finally had a hold of it. Rising into the air higher, it threw it down to the ground, and the Flying Pokémon fell onto its back, unable to continue on. "Pidgey, return!" he stated, holding out Pidgey's Poké Ball and recalling it back inside.

"Are you giving up again, Ash?" Brock questioned with his arms crossed as Geodude floated back down in front of its Trainer.

"No way!" the boy from Pallet came back, and replaced Pidgey's Poké Ball with Squirtle's. "Squirtle, I choose you!" The blue Water-type appeared in a flash of light, and Brock's face didn't show the hesitation he showed the last time Ash sent out his Squirtle.

"The Squirtle again. I feel sorry for it; being raised by such a weak Pokémon Trainer." The comment didn't sting at all, and Ash only clenched his fists as he looked out at Geodude.

"Squirtle, now's our chance to show him how weak we are!"

"Squirt... TLE!" The Water-type drew in a deep breath, throwing its head back before letting out a powerful stream of water. The attack startled both Brock and his Geodude, and Geodude's mouth hung open before the water enveloped it completely. When the attack stopped, Geodude was covered in water, and let out a sigh before falling to the ground with a crash.

Behind his Pokémon, Brock's mouth hung open slightly from the sudden Water-type attack, but pulled himself together and held out his Pokémon's Poké Ball. "Return, Geodude!" Once the Pokémon was safely inside its Poké Ball, Brock pressed the center button to make it smaller. "It looks like you trained it better," he commented, replacing it with another ball. "But still, it's no match for... Onix! Go!" Like the previous day, the Poké Ball burst open in midair, and released a waterfall of bright light that seemed to almost hit the ceiling, finally forming into the massive Rock-type and it let out a roar.

Squirtle looked up, scared, remembering the way that Onix had almost squeezed the life out of it, and fear colored its red eyes. It seemed that Onix remembered Squirtle as well, and without a command, it reached its tail out and quickly snatched up the Tiny Turtle Pokémon once again. Squirtle began to panic, shaking its body back and forth to try and break free of Onix's attack, but Onix began to squeeze. "Oh!" Ash cried, eyes widening from the repeat of what happened yesterday. But this time, they could do something. "Squirtle, give it a Water Gun!" Twisting its head to face Onix best it could, Squirtle let out a gurgle sound and sprayed Onix with water. The Rock Snake Pokémon flinched back and let out a loud roar that almost made Ash have to cover his ears as the water soaked it, but it still held onto Squirtle. "Hang in there, Squirtle! It's working!"

"Onix, Bind it!" Brock encouraged his Pokémon, knowing they could beat it if Onix just held on longer. But finally, Onix could not hold out any longer, and its tail loosened just enough for Squirtle to slip out, and jump onto the ground below once again.

"Great job, Squirtle! Now, go! Again!" Ash commanded. Jumping into the air, Squirtle let out another blast of water, hitting Onix in the face. The Rock and Ground Pokémon threw its head back and let out a loud, echoing cry. When Squirtle landed on the ground, it stopped its attack, and Onix swayed with its head back before finally falling to the side, crashing onto the arena and crushing the rocks below with an earthshaking crash.

"Onix!" Brock moaned. Hearing his cry, his Onix slowly began to get up. Despite being soaked and darkened from water, it was still determined to fight for its Trainer. Ash looked on at the scene, and raised his hand over his head.

"Squirtle, finish it off!" Suddenly, he could feel his whole body weighed down, being pulled from his arms and legs, and even his neck as if gravity was trying to push him into the earth. Closing his eyes, he froze in place. "My conscience is holding me back! I can't bring myself to beat Brock! I'm imaging his little brothers and sisters stopping me from beating the one person they love!" But suddenly, he heard a voice.

"You leave Onix alone!" Opening his eyes, he saw that he wasn't imagining it. Each of Brock's siblings had swarmed the battlefield and were clinging to his limbs, weighing him down. The one kid who had spoke was hanging with his fingers locked behind Ash's neck, and inches away from his face. "My brother worked hard to raise him, you big bully!"

"Believe me, kid, I'm no bully," Ash argued back lightly.

"Stop it! Get off, all of you!" Brock scolded, walking out onto the battlefield. "This is an official match, and we're going to finish it no matter what."

"But Brock, we know that you love your Pokémon so much!" one of his sisters, a girl with braids hanging in front of her shoulders by Ash's own shoulder pleaded.

"That's why we can't watch Onix suffer from another attack!" a boy that looked like Brock with lighter skin at the girl's opposite continued as he hung from Ash's raised arm.

"That is why I have told you not to come in here during official matches! It is my duty as Gym Leader to test Trainers for the League, and that unfortunately means that my Pokémon are going to get hurt sometimes. This is no exception." His harsh words made them all flinch, and it was clear that he wasn't normally harsh on them. The two youngest ones began to sniffle, hinting they were just about to cry.

The second oldest, the one who was just a little bit under Ash's age who was clinging to his leg, was the first to peel himself back. "He's right," the young boy, his hair slightly longer than Brock's, said. "It's an insult to Brock's training and the Gym if we stop a challenger from earning his Gym Badge, no matter how much we care." Murmurs of disappointment and sadness came from each of them, but slowly, like a cicada shedding its skin, the children released their grips on Ash, and slowly scampered off to the side of the arena. Ash looked on with his eyebrows drooping and a frown cast on his face, but Brock's voice brought him back.

"Sorry for the interruption," he apologized. "It won't happen again. Are you ready to continue this match?"

"Yes!" Ash answered with a nod, casting away his feelings. In the time that Brock's siblings had jumped on him, Onix had pulled itself off the ground, and was now looking down at Squirtle. It was breathing heavily, and looked to be struggling to stay conscious.

"Good! Onix, Tackle attack!" Brock ordered. Onix roared, and reared back like a snake getting ready to strike, and lunged forward. In a much more calm way, thanks to training with Flint and his Rhydon, Squirtle was able to dodge much more gracefully than the day before by jumping out of the way this time, and Onix crashed into the ground.

"Squirtle! Finish it off!" Ash called, pointing forward. Knowing exactly how his Trainer was going to command him, Squirtle took in a deep breath while still in midair. The two were perfectly in sync. "Water Gun!"

"Squirtle!" his Pokémon cried, and released a spiral of water from the back of its throat. The water hit Onix, and the Rock Snake Pokémon let out one last cry of pain before being knocked back and crashing to the ground. This time, Onix did not get back up. The previous bell that rung yesterday for Ash's defeat, this time rang again, but this time in his favor. The boy had won his first Gym Battle.

"We did it..." Ash muttered, blinking in disbelief. But as Squirtle turned around to face him, a wide smile stretching across his blue face, Ash mimicked his Pokémon, and this time he said it with confidence. "We did it! We won our first Gym match!" As Brock recalled Onix back into its Poké Ball, Squirtle rushed forward, and Ash knelt down, waiting for the Water-type with open arms before embracing it tightly against his chest. "All that training paid off! You did great, Squirtle. I'm sorry if I was too hard on you."

"Squirtle squirt," the turtle Pokémon answered with a shake of its head. Rocks crunching brought the pair back to reality, and Brock walked forward. A stone cold look was on his face, but after a moment of silence passed, it slowly melted, and a small smile curled the corners of his mouth.

"Ash, this is yours," he said, holding out his hand. In the palm of it was a small, octagon-shaped badge, painted silver that shined in the artificial light above.

"A Badge... for defeating a Gym Trainer..."

"You earned it. You beat me in battle, and in being kind to all Pokémon." Ash hesitated, unsure of what Brock meant. "To tell you the truth, I get more pleasure from raising Pokémon than from making them battle. I don't care about being a great Pokémon Trainer. I want to become the world's best Breeder, but I can't leave here because I have to look after my brothers and sisters." Brock's smile didn't fade, but took on a slightly saddened tone for a split second as he looked at his siblings at the side of the arena.

"Ash, I want you to take this and fulfill my dream," Brock continued, holding out the Badge closer to Ash. "Will you do that for me?"

"I will!" Ash nodded. "And I'll do my best to deserve this, too!" Grabbing the Badge from Brock, the two locked eyes for a moment as he clutched it in between his index finger and thumb. But then, another voice spoke up.

"Brock, you go follow your own dreams." The new voice grabbed everyone's attention, and they all looked to see Flint walking down from the upstairs rafters. He had snuck in and was watching the Gym battle the entire time.

"Flint!" Ash exclaimed, and much to his surprise, the older man reached up, and pulled the beard from his face, as well as pulling the red beanie from his head, revealing graying brown hair and squinted eyes just like Brock's.

"My father..." Brock muttered, and Ash gasped, looking at the resemblance between the two.

"You mean, you're the good-for-nothing father who left home and never came back?!" he questioned, repeating the same phrase that Flint had used the night before.

"That's right, it was me," he answered, his face shadowed with shame. "I couldn't become the great Pokémon Trainer I wanted to and because I was such a failure I was too embarrassed and ashamed to go back to my family."

"But why did you help me instead of Brock?"

"You reminded me of myself," Flint answered, approaching the pair. "You didn't seem to have a chance." Ash's head hung at the insult. Turning back to Brock, he gave his oldest son a look of resolve. "It's time I started taking care of my family. You go fulfill your dreams, and mine."

Brock was silent for a moment as he looked at his father's face, and his face was unreadable. The tension was uncomfortable. And finally, he spoke up. "First... there are some things I have to tell you."

"After all these years, I understand how you must feel about me, so I want you to get everything off your chest." Though Flint said this metaphorically, Brock reached into the inside pocket of the green vest he wore, and brought something out, quickly putting it into the hands of his father.

"Here." Flint held it up, and let out a confused look as he saw that it was a sewing needle linked with a spool of white thread.

"Ah..."

"Suzy always rips her dresses, so you better learn how to sew. And Timmy only eats cold spaghetti for breakfast. Tommy likes corn flakes for dinner-"

"Slow down, slow down! I can't write that fast!" Flint exclaimed, producing a small notepad and attempting to make notes.

"Cindy sleepwalks so you have to tie a bell on her wrist. The twins never want to take a bath, so you have to..."

o 0 o

"Hey Ash, are you sure it's okay if I go with you on your Pokémon journey?" Brock asked, as they left Pewter City to their backs and started heading in the direction of Mt. Moon.

"Sure I'm sure!" the boy from Pallet responded, his smile visible through the moonlight illuminating the night sky above. "The more the merrier. And it's good to have someone to talk with."

"Thanks. It's great to finally take my first steps towards becoming a Pokémon Breeder. And I suppose you'll want to go to the next Gym. Which is right on the other side of Mt. Moon."

"Then that's exactly where we'll be heading!" Ash stated, pumping his fist in the air. As he did, he saw the reflection of the Boulder Badge that he had pinned to the inside of his jacket twinkle in the starlight. The thought of earning another to pin beside it excited him, and burned a new fire of determination through him. With a cheer, he took off into a run down the dirt path, receiving a gasp of shock from Brock.

"Hey! Wait up, Ash!"

-end-

Ash:

Party:

Squirtle (Poké Ball)

Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun

Pidgey (Poké Ball)

Moves: Gust, Sand-Attack, Whirlwind

Badges:

Boulder Badge

Brock:

Onix (Poké Ball)

Moves: Tackle, Bind

Geodude (Poké Ball)

Moves: Seismic Toss