Josh stalked out of Mt. Moon thinking there could be no worse end to his day until he was thrown off balance by a hooting, screeching, Pokemon pawing at his bag and tumbling with Josh down the hill that leads to Cerulean City.

Josh landed on his face, his eyes stinging from the dirt that was smushed against his face and spat out a mouthful of chewed-up grass he had somehow managed to inhale. Josh reached into his bag, with the wild Pokemon that was attacking him still chanting and pawing at him, hardly caring which Pokeball he picked as he threw it out. The flap of wings was all the information he needed.

"Hermes, get this thing off me, Tackle!"

Instead, the hooting was joined by aggressive squawking and Josh found himself being pecked and scratched by his own Pokemon. Josh shielded his face as best he could with one arm while he scrambled for his last remaining Pokemon after the battle he had just lost in Mt. Moon.

"Pan, Vine Whip!"

Josh could only listen as his Pokeball snapped open and his Bulbasaur promptly gave both Pokemon attacking him a resounding thwack. At last, Josh lowered his arm and saw both his Pidgey and a wild Mankey lying unconscious on the ground in front of him. He almost considered giving both of them a good kick; but instead simply brought out two Pokeballs, one for Hermes and one for his new 'friend'.

Josh returned Hermes, and threw the other Pokeball at the Fighting-type, watching as the ball hit the Monkey square in its flat nose and hardly shook once inside the ball.

Josh heard laughter as he bent down and picked up the Pokeball, he turned to see two men in karate gis with black belts nearly doubled over as they laughed. Josh looked around, but he was the only one here. And he was surrounded by dirt and kicked up grass. And he was covered in it as well.

Josh felt his face redden and he slapped at his clothes to try and dislodge the filth, but only really succeeded in smearing it around.

The two karatekas jogged down the hill they were standing on and approached Josh.

"You could've at least helped me," Josh grumbled.

"We're sorry for laughing, kid," the shorter one said, "we see Trainers come through here all the time, and they always look a little worse for wear coming out of Mt. Moon, but we've never seen someone step in it the way you just did right when they get out."

The other karateka wiped his eye from the last few chuckles, "Here, take this as an apology, of sorts."

The taller one handed him a disc, and Josh knew enough this time to take it and turn it over to reveal the text, "TM01 - MEGA PUNCH".

"Now that you've got a Fighting-type," the shorter one said, "you can make great use of that move."

"I might wait until it learns not to attack you before I teach it to him, though," the taller one said, "that Pidgey too, you gotta get them in line."

Josh looked down at his freshly filled Pokeball. There was nothing he could say against that.

#

Josh had never been to Cerulean City before, but he knew where the Center and Gym were thanks to it being Ash's hometown. It really was as beautiful as they say, the roads and sidewalks were lined with flowers, the lake was vast, shimmering, and the exact color that gave the city its name. The Nugget Bridge naturally attracted attention as soon as you laid eyes on it, it looked like a massive highway made of gold stretching across the lake, lined with archways on either side. The lighthouse from Route 25 could also be seen all the way on the other side of the city.

But as with Pewter City before, Josh ignored the sights and made straight for the Pokemon Center, as he was down to exactly one Pokemon in battling shape and was in no mood to get dragged into another scuffle. Josh's eye was drawn, however briefly, to the entrance to Cerulean Cave; and with it the vague memory that Jake had been turned away every time he attempted to go inside. Only the strongest Trainers in Kanto were allowed inside, Jake had told him, and even with seven Badges, Jake was not one of the lucky few.

Josh again tried in vain to shake out the dirt and grass stock to his clothes, but only earned a few side-eyed glances from the Nurse and other Trainers in the Center for his efforts. So instead, Josh read up on his newly caught Mankey in the Pokedex. Josh rolled his eyes at the words "extremely quick to anger". No kidding.

Afterwards, Josh walked back out to the outskirts of the city, on the ridge that overlooked the entrance to the Cave. Josh gathered up all his used Pokeballs in his arms and threw them forward, each one releasing their contents at once.

The Mankey took one look at Josh and lept for him.

"Pan, hold him down," Josh commanded.

Pan caught the Mankey's with his vines, wrapping them under each of his arms and slamming him into the ground, face down. The Mankey writhed and hooted for several minutes before finally giving up.

Josh stepped forward, looking down at the defeated ball of fur.

"Annoying, right?" he said, "not being to move, or do what you want to do?"

The Mankey glared at Josh, but nodded.

"Look, I don't know if I entered your 'territory' or something, but I just had a really rough day, and I'm sure you're having one too," Josh said, "but if I did something that annoyed you, I'm sorry. And if you promise not to attack me anymore, I promise I'll let you take your anger out on something else, cool?"

The Mankey continued staring daggers into Josh, but again nodded.

Pan loosened its grip on the Mankey, and all the Pokemon stood at attention, looking towards their Trainer.

"We need some serious training," Josh said, as he looked them over. The sheer size of Ash's Nidoking and the Pokemon the Rocket Grunts had used was still fresh in his mind. His Pokemon looked tiny by comparison, none of them even reached his waist, and he was barely 13 years old. "This next Gym is Water-type, so you're gonna be my go-to for this one as well, Pan. Hermes, I'll say it again: I'm sorry I let you get hit in that last battle. I promise, I'll never use you like that again."

Pan withdrew his vines and nodded. Hermes squawked and looked away. Good enough, I guess, Josh thought to himself, for now, maybe he'll forgive me for real with time.

Josh withdrew his team and headed for the Gym.

Josh had heard about the Cerulean Gym from Ash, and it was essentially one giant pool with various floating platforms arranged into a figure 8. Josh walked around the pool and approached a group of swimmers, in swimsuits and hair caps, all clamoring around the famous tomboy herself.

Misty was hard to miss, with her messy ginger hair tied into a side ponytail, and was surrounded by her apprentices. Almost every Gym also offered training programs as well accepting challengers, and Josh knew that Ash had almost tried to become a trainee under Misty herself, before her family moved to Pallet Town. But Misty didn't look anything like how Josh imagined, frantically swiping and tapping on her phone while barely acknowledging the Trainers around her.

Josh heard fragments of the clamor as he finally made to the other side of the pool.

"Some kind of break-in—"

"Weird footprints, a person's but also some kind of Pokemon—"

"Definitely not from around here—"

"The police asked for you—"

Misty tapped away on her phone, pushed the button on the side, and looked up. Immediately, her face soured as she locked eyes with Josh.

"Oh, no, no way!" she said, pointing at Josh.

Josh stopped in his tracks, eyes wide as Misty pointed.

"I— I just wanted to— I'm from Pallet Town and—"

"Oh, that's just perfect!" Misty scoffed, crossing her arms, "I am maxed out on Pallet Town challengers for today. I'm busy, got it? I have to track down some punk punching holes through people's houses, I don't have time to battle every one of you small town newbies. Come back later — don't even start, out!"

#

Josh supposed that it made sense that Misty reminded him of Ash. She was a city girl, and they didn't even stop long enough for you to talk. All he wanted was a chance, was that so much to ask? How was it possible that Ryan had already been here? Had he won his challenge against Misty?

The doors to the Cerulean Gym hissed open behind Josh. He turned, and saw a swimmer, still dripping from the pool she had no doubt just swam through. She was tall, and wearing a simple blue two-piece swimsuit identical to Misty's.

"I just wanted to apologize to you on Misty's behalf," she said.

Without the yelling, Josh realized he still could only stare at the girl in front of him, the way she balanced on one leg and put her hand on her hip.

"Um… that's okay," he finally said, trying to look her in the eye.

"We just had a serious break-in and the family is pretty spooked," she said, "this kind of thing never happens here, and if it's who we think it is… well, it's a serious thing, you know? So Misty has to handle it. But give me your number, and I promise I'll let you know as soon as Misty is taking challengers again, okay?"

Josh fumbled with his bag and handed over his phone. The girl raised her eyebrow as she flipped it open, but then began to type into it.

"My name's Yukari," she said, without looking up, "text me your name so I know it's you."

"Okay," Josh said as he took his phone back.

"Do you know Ryan Oak, by chance?"

"Yeah," Josh said, "was he here earlier?"

"A few hours ago," Yukari said, then crossed her arms, "he's good, but a real jerk."

"Yeah," Josh said, scratching the back of his head, "he's always been like that."

Yukari laughed, and Josh felt his cheeks redden.

"Well," she said, "don't come in here with his attitude, and Misty'll take it easy on you."

Yukari winked, the turned and went back inside.

#

With Misty on pause, I guess it's back to training, then, Josh thought to himself. Again, Ash's stories about Cerulean City came to mind, and Josh silently thanked her for them. According to Ash, the best place to train in Cerulean was the Nugget Bridge, which was essentially a non-stop battle fest at all times of the day. Ash had told him that she would spend entire afternoons there after school, watching the Trainers battle it out, cause disturbances, block traffic, and sometimes get so rowdy that Misty herself had to come by and break up the fighting herself with some of her most powerful Pokemon.

"That must've been so awesome to see!" Josh had said, barely swallowing the sandwich he had been eating at lunchtime.

"Oh, it always was," Ash said, "that's why Misty is my favorite Gym Leader! She's awesome, I wanna be just like her."

"No wonder you got that haircut," Ryan said with a smug grin, "no one likes girls with short hair, Ashley."

"It's Ash, and I don't care if boys like it," she said, with a scowl, "Misty doesn't dress like a Barbie, and that's why she's the best swimmer and the best Trainer. All the more to like about her."

The three of them had eaten lunch together for the first time that day. More than once, Josh had suggested they offer her a seat at their table, it seemed sad that she always ate alone. And finally, Ryan had agreed, after hearing she was from Cerulean.

"Whatever," Ryan said, leaning back and crossing his arms behind his head, "when I get to her, I'll show her I'm not some Nugget Bridge chump."

Josh smiled as he remembered that day. He had been so happy he had gotten to hear about a Gym Leader from someone who really saw one in action. Ash had turned out to be much more interesting than he had ever thought. And hopefully, Josh thought to himself, Misty knocked Ryan down a peg today, it would be perfect to throw that in his face.

As expected, the Nugget Bridge was full of Pokemon and Trainers, in pairs of two, battling it out all along the bridge. Josh sent out Hermes and went to work.

Josh's first battle against a Bug Catcher was easy, Hermes made short work out of his Venonat and Beedrill. Next, against a Jr. Trainer, Hermes knocked out his Mankey with one Gust, and Josh's Geodude took care of his Growlithe. Next, a pair of local Trainer School girls. Josh's Geodude took care of the first girl's Pidgey, and Hermes took out her Oddish. Finally, Josh sent in Pan against the second girl.

"Let's go, Psyduck!" she said, as she sent out her Pokeball.

Pan stood at the ready, but the Psyduck immediately turned, looked out over the water, and fell back onto its back.

"Um, is your Psyduck okay?" Josh asked.

"Ugh, he always does this!" the girl said, stomping her foot, "Psyduck! Come on! This is a battle!"

The Psyduck only quacked, holding its head in its hands.

"We can stop, if you want," Josh offered.

"No!" the girl said, "If Misty hears about this, she'll never take me in as a Trainer. You have to attack, then my Psyduck will get it."

"Okay…" Josh said, looking down at the Psyduck. This hardly seems fair. "Pan, use Vine Whip."

Even Pan's vine seemed hesitant as it reached up, and swung forward, striking the Psyduck on the side and sending it sliding back towards its Trainer.

"Come on, Psyduck, Confusion!"

The Psyduck only quacked in response. The girl facepalmed.

"We're doomed," she mumbled.

"Well," Josh said, "hit it again, Pan, Vine Whip!"

Suddenly, the Psyduck quacked again, but this time its eyes flashed a brilliant pink glow, just for a moment, then it shut its eyes… and fell asleep. Josh and the girl looked at each other.

"Pan? What are you waiting for?" Josh asked.

Pan turned around and looked back at Josh and growled helplessly.

"Psyduck! Are you kidding me? Wake up!"

"Well," said an all-too-familiar voice behind Josh, "this really looks like some high-level battling going on here."

Josh turned. There he was, Ryan Oak, hands on his hips and as smug as ever.

"What are you doing here?" Josh asked, grinning, "Trying to train up again after losing to Misty?"

Josh looked down at Ryan's belt. Only four Pokemon, perfect.

"Losing? Me?" Ryan said incredulously, exaggeratedly stepping back as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing, "You wish, Josh. I beat her easy, I didn't even need Vulcan to do it."

"You mean, you couldn't pick a Pokemon from the Professor that has a type-advantage."

"Tomayto, tomahto," Ryan said with a wave of his hand, "I beat her, easily, and I came here because I knew I recognized you and your useless Bulbasaur just as I was getting ready to leave."

Pan growled and stamped his feet as Ryan released his Charmeleon. Vulcan now stood almost as tall as Ryan himself, its face seemed more hardened, more mature, but it also grinned with a confidence almost identical to his Trainer.

"Wait — he evolved?!" Josh gaped.

"Uh, yeah, just cuz I didn't use him against Misty doesn't mean I stopped training him. So you ready for a rematch or are you two just gonna stand there and gawk at our awesomeness?" Ryan said.

Josh looked down at his Bulbasaur, but he could see doubt in Pan's eyes.

Josh withdrew Pan, and brought out his Geodude.

"Not gonna make it easy for you, like last time," Josh said, "let's do this — Rock Throw!"

Vulcan moved back and forth between the rocks the Geodude hurled at it, but eventually one caught the Charmeleon dead in the face and knocked it back. Josh fist pumped, and now noticed the crowd of Trainers that had gathered around the two. A few of them pointed at Ryan and murmured to each other.

"Get up, Vulcan, Metal Claw!"

Vulcan sprang onto his legs like an acrobat, his right claw glowing with silvery light, and dashed at Geodude. The Rock-type brought its hands up to defend itself, but Vulcan jumped and brought down its claw to the top of its face. Josh could see the rock on his Geodude's head crack and crumble under the force, and knew his Geodude was out for the count. Josh withdrew his Geodude.

"Nice, right? Just a little something we picked up when he evolved," Ryan said.

Josh bit back a retort as he frantically tried to think of a plan. If Ryan's best Pokemon was evolved, no one single Pokemon of his could beat this thing. In that case…

"Go, Zubat, Supersonic!"

Josh's Zubat sprang forth from its Pokeball and screeched, the sound was so loud that all the Trainers in the vicinity plugged their eyes and shut their eyes in pain. Just as Josh opened his eyes back up, he saw nothing but a massive cloud of black smoke.

"Now return, Vulcan!"

The crowd around them gasped. Josh grimaced as heard the sound of Ryan's Pokemon returning. Smokescreen, his starter really has a move for everything.

"Zubat, use Leech Life!"

"Hyper Fang!"

Just as the Zubat moved forward into the smoke, a blur of purple fur flew out of it and into the air. A Rattata, its fangs engorged and glowing, caught Josh's Flying-type midair and bite down on its body. The Zubat screeched and struggled to flap its wings, but the weight of the two Pokemon together was too much and both of them landed hard on the bridge between the two Trainers.

"Zubat, Leech Life!"

"Now, use Bite!"

The Zubat and Rattata tussled on the ground, but the Rattata had four legs and the Zubat had none — it wasn't much of a contest. The Rattata planted its legs firmly on the Poison-type's body and bite down until the Zubat finally quieted and went limp.

"Return, Zubat," Josh said with a dejected sigh. Even his unevolved Pokemon are strong. "Go, Mankey!"

"Rattata, come back," Ryan said, "let's go, Nidorina!"

Josh groaned, another evolved 'mon? But the Mankey didn't hesitate, charging straight for the Poison-type with a Karate Chop, nailing it right on the top of its head, slamming it into the ground.

"No, Mankey, use Mega Punch!"

"Eager little thing, huh? Nidorina, Double Kick!"

The Nidorina shook off the pain and charged forward, jumping and landing on the Mankey's face just as the Fighting-type enlarged its fist with a pale glow and punched it out of the air. The Nidorina and Mankey were each knocked away.

"Use as many Pokemon as you can," Ryan said, "but it won't save you from me. Nidorina, finish this, Poison Sting!"

"Mega Punch!"

The Fighting-type ran forward, but the Nidorina planted its feet and opened its mouth, sanding dozens of purple-tinged needles forward which landed in the Mankey's face. Josh marveled at Mankey's subbornness as it simply screamed in pain without breaking step, punching the Nidorina in the mouth and finally ending its barrage. The Nidorina rolled onto its back, defeated.

"Yes!" Josh said, "See, Ryan? It's still an even match."

"Yeah," Ryan said, "you might wanna look again."

Josh looked down. His Mankey was also lying face-up, dozens of poisoned needles still lodged into its face and the hands that Mankey had used to Karate Chop and Punch the Nidorina. Poisoned, no doubt.

"Come out, Hermes!"

"Nidorina, return. Let's go, Sandshrew!"

"Hermes, use Gust!"

"Defense Curl, quick!"

Hermes brought its wings together and sent forward a blast of wind, but Ryan's Sandshrew rolled forward, tucking itself into its body and forming a perfect sphere with its body, and the wind simply pushed it backwards along the bridge harmlessly.

"Quick Attack, Hermes!"

"Use Poison Sting!"

Hermes tucked its wings and dove, then brought its wings back out just as it was going to hit the ground and flew forward with lightning speed, slamming into the Sandshrew just as it uncurled from its defensive stance. The Sandshrew growled in pain, but shook it off, and opened its mouth and launched the familiar poisoned needles just as the Nidorina had.

"Dodge it, Hermes, don't get poisoned!"

The Pidgey tried to veer off, but it was too close after the Quick Attack, and only succeeded in letting the Poison Sting land on its wings and back instead of its face. Hermes squawked in pain, but stayed airborne.

"You okay, Hermes?"

Hermes flew away, then turned back towards Josh, moving back in a long arc to avoid the Sandshrew. It chirped, and glared at the Sandshrew.

"You can still beat him, Hermes, Quick Attack!"

"She's a girl, idiot," Ryan said, earning a flew laughs from the crowd, "now use Scratch!"

Hermes dove and flew forward again, hitting the Sandshrew and pushing it backwards. But as with before, the Sandshrew dug its feet into the bridge to keep from being pushed back, and slashed the Pidgey across the face. The two Pokemon squawked and growled in pain, but the Sandshrew eventually fell over and went limp.

"Yes!" Josh cried out, "Awesome job, Hermes!"

The crowd stirred. Several of the Trainers watching were now pointing at Josh and talking among each other.

"Return, Sandshrew," Ryan said, "Vulcan, let's get this over with!"

Together, Josh thought to himself, that's the only way we beat this one.

"Sand-Attack!"

"Ember!"

Hermes flapped its wings, sending sand, twigs, and debris from all the damage to the bridge from the constant battling forward, but Vulcan spat a tongue of flame at the Flying-type that still caught it in the chest. Hermes screeched, and fell down onto the bridge, defeated.

"Return, Hermes," Josh said, holding it to his chest once his Flying-type was home, "you did great, thank you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Ryan said, "you beat two of my newest Pokemon, whoop-dee-doo, send out your useless Bulbasaur and let's finish this already."

"He's not useless!" Josh snapped, "let's show him, Pan, Vine Whip!"

"Ember!"

Pan only yelped in panic and lept to the side, barely dodging the fire thrown at it.

"Pan, what's wrong?"

The Bulbasaur looked at Josh with eyes wide with panic, and yelped again.

"Ember, again!"

"You have to do something, Pan! Tackle!"

This Ember hit its mark, and the Bulbasaur screeched in pain, but instead of charging forward, it planted its feet and lifted its hind legs, aiming the bulb on top of its back forward. A strange powder sprang forth from the tip of its bulb, which glittered with purple light as it flew through the air, and landed on Vulcan's face. The Fire-type reared back and yelped, coughing violently.

"Pan, what was that?"

"Vulcan, get up, come on!"

"Nevermind, just attack, quickly!"

Pan charged forward and rammed into Vulcan as he continued growling and coughing.

"Vulcan, just use Ember, now!"

The Fire-type had been thrown back from the latest Tackle, but he shook his head to steady himself, then spat out another Ember, hitting Pan in the face. The Grass-type writhed in pain, backing away helplessly as the fire burned its face, and finally collapsed.

The crowd cheered, Josh saw that many of them had their phones out as he withdrew his last Pokemon. Ryan wasted no time.

"That is two-and-oh between me and Josh, here," he said to the crowd, flashing his smug grin, "my rival is good, but not that good."

Josh hung his head and resisted the urge to scream as he heard the multitude of voices from the crowd.

"How many badges do you have?"

"Have you beaten Misty?"

"How long have you been training?"

"You're the best Trainer I've ever seen!"

Josh looked for somewhere to leave, but the crowd had them surrounded. All he could do was listen to the crowd praise Ryan while he gloated. Finally, Ryan took his last bow — literally — and began to walk away, the crowd parting before him.

"By the way," Ryan called out, without looking back, "your Bulbasaur couldn't use Vine Whip because it was Disabled by that Psyduck. Try and pay more attention next time, idiot."

Josh clenched his fists, he could feel tears coming, but one voice in the crowd caught his attention.

"That was a great battle."

Josh looked up. It was the girl with the Psyduck, she held her Pokeball in her hands sheepishly, and had a pained smile on her face.

"My name's Ali, Cerulean City Trainer School. I'm really sorry my Psyduck did that," she said, "I didn't even know he knew that move, honest."

"It's okay," Josh lied. There's no way I'm crying in front of a girl. "Anyway, I have to go. Bye."

Josh grabbed the straps of his bag tightly as he power-walked away, back to the Pokemon Center, back to heal his broken team, and back to square one. Training, he repeated in his mind, I need more training, or I'll never beat him.