Last time, our heroes, Ash and Misty, encountered Leaf, another trainer from Pallet Town. Ash, with his Froakie, battled Leaf and her Dratini and the battle resulted in a tie. Also, a fierce Pidgeotto joined Ash's team as he proudly marches into Pewter City, ready for his first official gym match.
"Pewter City! We're finally here, Pikachu!" Ash announced from atop a hill, with Pikachu on his shoulder.
Misty swatted away at some branches, finally emerging from the forest. "It's about time. I don't know what I will do if I run into another Bug-type; that Caterpie was so gross!" she huffed.
Ash clinched his fist as determination filled his eyes. "This is it. Winning 8 Gym Badges is how I'll get into the Indigo League!" he exclaimed. As the trainer stepped forward, he quickly stumbled down the hill, forgetting where he stood.
An older man wearing a red toboggan and a dirty t-shirt and jeans calmly sat on a boulder where Ash fell. "You plan on beating Brock? I wouldn't be so sure of yourself. Brock is no pushover." the man said.
Ash sprang up, "Neither am I!" he shot back.
"If only his battling was as good as his talk," Misty chuckled. "I'm Misty, by the way."
"The name is Flint." The man pointed just ahead of him into the small town. "Brock's Gym is the large stone building up ahead, you can't miss it."
"Huh. Your first gym battle. Ya know, if you're really nice to me, I'll give you some advice!" Misty said with a condescending tone.
Ash gripped the straps of his backpack and dismissed her offer, looking ahead to Pewter City with confidence. "We're gonna win." he said with a firm smile.
Misty crossed her arms and closed her eyes, "Fine. I'm going shopping, in that case. Good luck, Pokemon Master." she huffed.
The two wooden doors burst open as light overcame the dark gym. Stone walls covered the gym and boulders lay across the dirt battlefield.
"My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and I'm here for a battle!" the trainer called out as his voice echoed in the darkness.
"How many gym badges do you have?" A voice called out. The lights revealed it was Gym Leader Brock.
"I don't have any yet!"
"Very well. We will have a two-on-two battle. Understood?"
Ash grinned as he sat his backpack to the side and grabbed two pokeballs from his belt. "Pikachu. Sit this one out, k?"
"Pika!"
"Battle, begin!" the judge declared.
"Geodude: let's go!"
"Pidgeotto: I choose you!"
"A Flying-type, huh?"
"Pidgeotto is strong! Pidgeotto: GUST!" Pidgeotto flapped it's wings together to form a small whip of wind, Geodude didn't appear to be fazed.
"ROCK THROW!" Brock commanded as Geodude hurled stones at Pidgeotto, who could not avoid the attack.
After a valiant effort, Geodude handily defeated Ash's Pidgeotto. To counter Brock's powerful Rock-types, the trainer selected his Froakie for battle. Froakie was able to use it's speed to avoid Geodude's brute strength; Rock Throw was useless.
"Froakie: use Water Pulse!" Ash commanded.
Froakie launched the water attack and it made impact, knocking Geodude out for the fight. Brock recalled his pokeball and grinned, "We're just getting started." he said. "Onix! Let's go!" The Gym Leader shouted as he summoned his gigantic rock snake Pokemon, who's head almost touched the gym ceiling.
"Wow. It's so big..." Ash said as he glanced up in awe.
"Onix: Tackle!" Onix launched itself at the small Water-type. Froakie jumped up and avoided the attack.
"Froakie: Water Pulse!" Froakie did as commanded and shot the attack at Onix, doing significant damage.
"Onix: Bind!" The colossal Rock/ground-type wrapped it's big, long rock body around Froakie, who became immobilized.
"Froakie!" Ash snarled.
Onix continued it's relentless constriction around Froakie, who could barely move. All Ash could do was watch in angst as his Pokemon struggled to fight back. "Challenger: You can't win. Will you forfeit?" Brock called out.
"Froakie..." Ash mumbled under his breath as he continued to watch.
"Frooo!" Froakie cried out as it used all of the strength it could assemble, but it was useless.
"I've got it! Froakie: Use Lick!" the trainer from Pallet Town exclaimed.
Froakie extended it's tongue out and hit Onix, disrupting its continuing attack. While Onix attempted to shake off the attack and regain strength, Ash saw an opportunity and took it. "Froakie: Use your frubbles to stick to Onix's tail!" he commanded.
Froakie took the suds around it's neck and threw them at Onix's tail, severely inhibiting its motion due to the sticky substance of the frubbles. Brock was astounded at the sheer strategy his young opponent was able to come up with during what appeared to be the final moments of the battle.
"Now, Froakie: Finish it off with Water Pulse!" Ash commanded with resounding confidence.
Froakie summoned a pulsating ball of water and threw it at Onix, knocking the massive Pokemon down in defeat.
Upon closer inspection, the judge made his final call, "Onix is unable to battle! Therefore, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is the winner of the Pewter City Gym battle, and will receive his Boulder Badge!"
Ash, Pikachu and Froakie all jumped around the gym in celebration. "WE DID IT! MY FIRST BADGE!"
"PIKA!"
"FROO!"
Misty, who had secretly entered the Gym, observed from an upstairs balcony view, "He actually won." she under her breath.
Brock sighed and recalled his Onix before finally allowing a slight smile as he watched Ash celebrate with his Pokemon.
Ash walked down the dirt roads leading out of Pewter City, holding his Boulder Badge up in the orange sunset light as he gazed into it. Brock, the Pewter Gym Leader, followed closely behind.
"Hey, Ash. Are you sure it's OK if I come along with you on your journey?" Brock asked.
"Of course; the more the merrier! I think everyone deserves to leave home and follow their dreams!"
Brock smiled and nodded. "The way you command your Pokemon is exceptional. If I can gather my skills as a breeder like you have as a trainer, we're in for one memorable journey!"
Ash nodded. "Sure thing!"
"But, uh... What about that girl following us?"
Ash closed his eyes and rested his joined hands behind his head as he calmly continued walking. "Beats me. She must like me or something." he responded arrogantly.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Misty shot back as she picked up speed. "Let's try to lose her!" Ash jokingly told Pikachu as he took off down the road in front of him.
And with that, Ash, Bock and Misty made their way into the rocky mountains of Route 3.
Elsewhere, in a two-story house on the outskirts of Vermilion City, a young trainer prepares to start her journey...
The morning sunlight beamed in through the window of seventeen-year-old Serena Parish's room. Her room was on the second floor of her mother's two story house; there were Pokemon dolls spread all over on dressers and the pink-carpeted floor. Serena is a beautiful blue-eyed, dirty blonde hair young woman, but her morning look certainly wasn't her best with all of the Miltank licks on her head and the snoring power of a Snorlax. The window had been cracked open and a Pidgey flew right in and landed on top of Serena's head, still covered by the comforter. Pidgey pecked Serena only to be swatted away by her.
"Why did you have to wake me up like that!?" she screamed as she attempted and failed to grasp Pidgey, who safely made its way out of the window. "Mom! Why can't you let me sleep?!" she shouted in anger as she plopped back on her bed.
The Pidgey that awoke Serena flew into the downstairs window and landed just above the sink to be greeted with a pat on the head from Serena's mother, Grace. "Thank you, Pidgey. Today is the first day of Serena's journey, she knows better than to sleep all day on a day like this. Pidgey cooed as Grace patted it with one hand and tended to dirty dishes with the other.
Serena sprang up out of bed and stretched. She opened the window and gazed outside into the warm, sunny weather. "Today is the first day of the rest of my life!" she said as the light wind slightly lifted her hair.
Meanwhile, far away in the Alola region...
Lillie and Hau both occupied her room in her large mansion that stood tall on an estate owned by her mother. Lillie sat at a desk near the window while Hau lied down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, tossing a ball up and down.
"So, let me get this straight.." Hau said, breaking the silence.
"Yes?" Lillie inquired, without taking her eyes off of her work.
"You were trying to get to the Altar of the Moone the other day to learn more out about Lunala and Solgaleo?"
"Yup."
"Because you think they're linked to the wormholes?"
"Correct."
"The wormholes are connected to the Ultra Beasts, right?"
"That's right."
"And while on your way there, you get attacked by Spearow, and a figure on the bridge gives you that Cosmog?"
"Yes."
"Was the figure...a person?"
"Can't say. Someone could be on to my investigation, so they followed me. The question is, why give me a Cosmog?"
"Hmmm..." Hau stopped throwing the ball so he could think.
"My father is traveling to the Kanto region. The news is claiming the purpose of his travels is to discuss wormholes with Professor Oak, but I don't buy it. Both of my parents have been studying this field for some time. They wouldn't be so loose with top secret info... Hau: come to the Kanto region with me!"
"Wait, wha?" Hau asked with a goofy yet curious expression.
Lillie looked at him and firmly nodded. "I think he was the one on that bridge. He is the one who gave me Cosmog. If he's following me and going to the Kanto region, he is hiding something. And it is directly related to the Ultra Beasts and wormholes! Yes! We're going to the Kanto region!"
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