Hello everyone, I'm sorry it took so long for me to post a new chapter. I had to deal with school and lots of tests these last four months. I'll try to upload new chapters as often as I can. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon at all.
(Inside the Viridian Forest)
Following the events of Viridian City, Ash, and Pikachu entered the Viridian Forest after catching their first Pokémon together, Ash and Pikachu have entered the Viridian Forest and are now traversing the said forest. Nothing interesting has happened so far, well that was until the duo spotted a Pokémon hiding behind a tree. They approach the tree to get a closer look at the creature. The Pokémon looked like a green caterpillar and Ash was delighted when he figured out what Pokémon it was.
"Let's go! I found a Caterpie!" He pulled out his Pokédex to find out more about this Pokémon.
Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. It releases a stench from its red antennae to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
Seeing his chance to add another Pokémon to his team, Ash quickly took out a Poké Ball and threw it at the confused Pokémon. Caterpie dematerialized and was sucked into the orb. The Poké Ball fell to the ground and started shaking. This time the wobbling lasted longer than the one with Nidoran, probably because he didn't weaken the Caterpie before throwing the ball. Eventually, the Poké Ball stopped shaking, glowed red, and a dinging sound was heard, signifying that the capture attempt was a success. Pikachu ran to the Poké Ball, picked it up, and handed it back to Ash.
"Alright! I caught a new Pokémon!" Ash beamed while giving Pikachu a fist bump. "It seems like with every capture and battle I'm one step closer to being a Pokémon Master."
(Evening in the Viridian Forest)
At night, Ash and his group of Pokémon set up camp for the day. They chatted and got to know each other a little better, even though Ash wasn't able to understand much of what his Pokémon were saying, nonetheless he learned more about their personalities just through their actions. Nidoran was just as expressive as Ash and always tries to play it cool. Caterpie was shy and didn't talk much, which leaves us with Pikachu as the most stubborn one on his team. As soon as Ash fell asleep in his sleeping bag, the three Pokémon were standing on a tree stump and looked up at the sky, staring at the beautiful full moon. Caterpie told them about his dream of becoming a Butterfree one day, which Nidoran could relate to, as he aspired to evolve into a strong Nidoking himself. They both then looked at Pikachu and asked if he wanted to evolve as well, but Pikachu told them that he hadn't given it much thought and was just happy with how things were going right now. The other two supported his decision and all three of them continued to stare at the moon.
(Next morning)
With the sunlight waking them all up, Ash and his team were ready to continue their journey out of this forest until a bird-like Pokémon flew to the ground in front of them. The newcomer flew down because it caught sight of a worm, which it quickly swallowed.
"Isn't that a Pidgeotto?"Ash took out his Pokédex again and scanned the bird.
Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon, and also the evolved form of Pidgey. It flies over its wide territory in search of prey, downing it with its highly developed claws.
"I think today is another lucky day, Pikachu, I need your help with this one," Ash said to his Starter. Afterwards, the rodent placed himself in front of Pidgeotto, gaining the Bird Pokémon's attention."Nidoran and Caterpie, the both of you can stay here with me and watch the battle. Hey, Pidgeotto! We're ready whenever you are!"
Pidgeotto grinned and accepted the challenge. The bird flapped its wings and created a sandstorm that made it difficult for Ash and Pikachu to see.
"It's using Sand Attack Pikachu! Be careful!"
The sandstorm dispersed as he spoke and Pidgeotto was nowhere to be seen. That was until he saw the Bird Pokémon, covered in a white aura and descended at high speed, colliding with Pikachu's back. The Electric Mouse Pokémon hit the ground hard and Pidgeotto grinned with satisfaction.
"This time it used Quick Attack! Pikachu, get up and use Thunder Shock!" Ash ordered.
When Pikachu was able to stand up again, he launched a Thunder Shock attack right away towards Pidgeotto, electrocuting the bird. Pidgeotto fell to the ground in defeat.
"Well, that was easy. Oh, I just remembered. Electric-type attacks are very effective against Flying-type Pokémon," Ash thought that maybe that's why Pidgeotto was taken down so easily. "Anyway, go Pokéball!" Ash threw a Poké Ball at the fallen Pidgeotto, who was absorbed into the sphere. The Poké Ball vibrated a few times before glowing red and making the successful capture noise. "I did it! I caught three Pokémon in just two days." he cheered along with Pikachu, Nidoran, and Caterpie.
"Hahahahaha, that's cute, the twerp thinks he's special just because he caught three measly Pokémon." a feminine voice spoke.
"So, we meet again." a male voice was heard as well. Ash looked in the direction he heard the voices from and was shocked to see some familiar figures.
"Prepare for trouble!"
"Make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth! That's right!"
"No way, not you lunatics again. "Ash said, hoping he wouldn't have to face them again.
"Be quiet twerp, you don't get to speak until we permit you to do so," Jessie sneered. "Besides it's your Pikachu we're after." She and James both pointed at Ash's Pikachu.
"This Pikachu is special, so it's time for you to hand it over," James told the boy in a commanding tone.
"Why don't you find your own Pikachu instead, Ash questioned the Team Rocket agents why they only wanted his Pikachu in particular.
"The only Pikachu we want is this one," Jessie responded.
"We only care about the rarest Pokémon and your Pikachu falls into that category," James explained.
"Then let me inform you that you won't be taking Pikachu away from me!" Ash dismissed the idea of them taking away his Starter Pokémon. Pikachu shared the same sentiment, as he stood in front of his trainer and glared at the Team Rocket trio.
"Pika, pika, chu." Pikachu said defiantly.
"Looks like it's between you and me again, Pikachu," Meowth casually said to his target. "Last time, you may have defeated all of us single-handedly, but this time I'm afraid you'll fall."
At that moment, Jessie's Ekans came out of his Poké Ball and made a loud hissing noise, while glaring at Pikachu.
"Hey, Ekans what's wrong?" Jessie wondered why her Pokémon would interfere like this. Ekans hissed again and continued to glare at Pikachu.
"Ekans." the snake Pokémon said.
"He's saying that he wants a rematch against Pikachu since he wasn't able to fight back last time." Meowth translated for everyone. "He wants to return the favor and prove himself as the superior Pokémon."
"I see." Jessie understood her Pokémon's determination.
"Okay, how about this twerp, let's have a three-on-three battle," James suggested. "It would be boring if I stood here doing nothing, don't you think."
"Fine by me, Nidoran and Caterpie are you both ready?" The two Pokémon nodded and joined Pikachu in what was about to become their battlefield. James released Koffing from his Poké Ball and the Poison Gas Pokémon joined his teammates.
"Pikachu you'll take on Ekans, Caterpie will fight Meowth and that leaves Nidoran to take on Koffing," Ash suggested. They all nodded and assumed their fighting stances. "Okay, I'll start this battle, Pikachu, use Thunder Shock! Caterpie, use String Shot, and Nidoran, use Peck!"
"Meowth and Ekans dodge the attacks!" Jessie ordered.
"You need to dodge as well Koffing!" James instructed his Pokémon to do the same.
Ekans slithered away from the lightning bolt, as did Koffing who avoided the charging Nidoran, but unfortunately for Meowth, he was tied up by the white string that was shot from Caterpie's mouth.
"Get this thing off of me!" Meowth screamed.
"Ekans use Dig!" Jessie interrupted.
The snake burrowed into the ground, leaving Ash and his Pokémon confused.
"I should warn you kid, Dig is a Ground-type move, which means that this move deals extra damage to your Pikachu," Jessie informed.
"Oh, no! Try to avoid the attack Pikachu!" Ash shouted.
"Too late! Ekans, it's time to get revenge on Pikachu !" Jessie declared.
Behind Pikachu, Ekans returned to the surface and slammed his into the rodent's back, sending him sliding across the ground.
"Pikachu! Damn it! Nidoran, use Peck on Koffing and Caterpie, use Tackle on Meowth!" Ash ordered his Pokémon to attack.
This time, Nidoran managed to land a solid hit on Koffing and Caterpie easily tackled Meowth, who was unable to free himself from the white thread.
"Koffing strike back with Smog!" James commanded.
"Meowth! Free yourself by using Fury Swipes!" Jessie directed.
"Ah yes, why didn't I think of that?" Meowth said he was a bit embarrassed that he didn't think to use his claws sooner.
"Smog will surely hurt Caterpie a lot since Poison-type moves are very effective against Bug-types." James declared.
From the holes in his body, Koffing let out a thick dark green fog at Caterpie, who wasn't fast enough to dodge. Luckily for the Worm Pokémon, Nidoran pushed Caterpie out of the way and was swallowed by the mist in his stead. The attack barely did anything to Nidoran due to him being a Poison-type.
"Damn it! Just when we were about to eliminate Caterpie!" James said.
"This is our chance, Nidoran and Caterpie, use Peck and Tackle on Koffing! Pikachu blast Ekans with a Thunder Shock" Ash commanded.
The horn on Nidoran's forehead glowed white and he dashed towards Koffing, with Caterpie following suit. At the same time, Pikachu fired a Thunder Shock at Ekans, hitting the snake with great success. Nidoran and Caterpie caught up to Koffing, who sadly took both of their attacks at the same time.
"Oh, no. Ekans are you alright?" Jessie exclaimed.
"Koffing!" James shouted in worry for his Pokémon.
Koffing was lying on the ground with swirls in his eyes, clearly indicating that he had fainted. Ekans was still standing, but the damage he received from that attack was evident since he was breathing heavily. James recalled his Pokémon and sighed, hoping that Jesse and Meowth can finish this.
"Meowth, use Fury Swipes on Nidoran! Jessie ordered.
"Avoid the attack Nido-" Ash stopped when he discovered Nidoran looking at him with a hopeful look that showed he had a plan ready. Ash didn't know what his Pokémon was up to but he decided to let him handle this.
Meowth was swiping senselessly at Nidoran with his claws, well that was until Meowth's face began to turn purple. He then jumped away from Nidoran and held his face.
"Why do I feel so sick all of a sudden?" Meowth was not feeling well.
"Damn it! Meowth has been poisoned!" Jessie shouted.
"It seems that Nidoran has the Poison Point ability. It would be a bad idea to use a multi-strike Physical move like Fury Swipes." James stated.
"Nice job Nidoran! Finish him off with Poison Sting!" Ash ordered.
Nidoran shot purple darts from his mouth at Meowth. Hit by the purple energy darts, the cat fell onto his back in front of his teammates with swirls in his eyes.
"Ekans! You're the only one left! Take Pikachu down with Bite!" Jessie instructed.
"Pikachu, avoid the attack and use Thunder Shock!" Ash commanded.
Ekans quickly slithered towards Pikachu with his mouth open as he was ready to sink his teeth into his shoulder. However, the rodent had sidestepped to the left, causing Ekans to miss. Pikachu then fired a Thunder Shock from behind, whereas Ekans knew that Pikachu had outplayed him and he knew that he was about to lose this time as well. The powerful lightning bolt sent Ekans crashing into his trainer and they both fell to the ground.
"Jessie!" Both James and Meowth shouted. Happy to have defeated Team Rocket once more, walked over to congratulate his team.
"Awesome work you guys! That was great thinking on your part Nidoran, allowing Meowth to strike you multiple times would mean that your Poison Point ability would be a lot more likely to come into play. Congratulations on beating Ekans once again Pikachu and Caterpie, you sure slowed Meowth down with your String Shot," The Pokémon were content with those words and Pikachu gave him a thumbs up. He then looked at his defeated opponents. "We beat you, so leave us alone!"
"You win this time twerp. to" Jessie said as she stood up and recalled her Pokémon into his Poké Ball.
"But we'll be back to take that Pikachu of yours." James continued, fleeing the scene with his comrades.
"Now I can say for sure that they are weirdos," Ash concluded. Immediately as he turned around to face his Pokémon, Caterpie began to spray silk on himself. At first, thread covered his body and Caterpie changed once the thread had vanished. It had evolved. Ash pulled out his Pokédex to find more information about this new Pokémon.
Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon, and also the evolved form of Caterpie. A steel-hard shell protects its tender body. The Pokémon quietly endures hardships while awaiting evolution.
"Congratulations Metapod! I'm so happy for you!" Ash beamed, as he walked over to pet the newly evolved Pokémon. Nidoran and Pikachu also congratulated Metapod on his evolution. "Alright guys, it's time for us to get moving, I'm feeling eager for our first Gym Battle." His team nodded and so they continued further into the forest.
(Later that day)
Ash and Pikachu continued walking deeper into the Viridian Forest, but are stopped by a boy dressed as a samurai. Ash and the stranger stared at each other in silence. The stranger spoke first.
"Hey! Are you a Pokémon Trainer from Pallet Town by any chance?" the stranger asked.
"Yes, I'm a Pokémon Trainer from Pallet Town," Ash replied.
"Then we have no choice but to fight!" he said while releasing a Pokémon from his Poké Ball. The Pokémon materialized, revealing it to be a bipedal beetle Pokémon with a wide, dull-brown body divided into segments with thin lines. "Meet my Pinsir!" Ash pulled out his Pokédex to identify this new Pokémon.
Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokémon. It grips prey with its pincers until the prey is torn apart. What it can't tear, it tosses far away.
"Okay, I accept your challenge. Pidgeotto, I choose you!" Ash sent out his newest Pokémon to face Pinsir. Earlier today, Ash had introduced himself and his Pokémon to Pidgeotto. With the help of his Pokédex, he discovered that his Pidgeotto was female and knew moves like Quick Attack, Sand Attack, and Gust. Ash had asked the Bird Pokémon if he wanted to help them in their quest to become the very best, to which Pidgeotto chirped happily and instantly warmed up to them. "Pidgeotto, this is our first battle together, but I know we'll win." The bird nodded and stared at her foe.
"You shouldn't say things you don't mean." the stranger said. "Come to think of it, I didn't introduce myself! My name is Samurai and remember it well! Pinsir use Vice Grip!"
"Pidgeotto shut him down with Gust." Ash directed.
Before Pinsir could even begin to move, the Stag Beetle Pokémon was struck by gusts of wind generated by Pidgeotto's high-speed flapping wings. Pinsir took major damage from that attack, but it still managed to find the strength to keep itself standing until Pidgeotto blew off another Gust attack to finish him off. The Pinsir fainted, much to the shock of Samurai. He recalled Pinsir and brought out another Poké Ball from his belt.
"Congratulations on beating my Pinsir! However, you won't beat this next one! Go Metapod!" Samurai yelled as he unveiled his last Pokémon.
"You've got a Metapod as well? Pidgeotto let's leave this one to Metapod." Ash suggested to his loyal bird. She nodded and Ash recalled her back into her Poké Ball. He then brought another Poké Ball and released his Metapod, turning this next battle into a mirror match.
"So, you want to see which Metapod is stronger? We'll just have to see and find out! Metapod, use Harden!" Samurai ordered.
"Metapod, use Tackle!" Ash instructed.
As Samurai's Metapod glowed green for a few seconds, while Ash's Metapod tackled his adversary, driving Samurai's Metapod backward.
"Continue to use Harden Metapod!" Samurai yelled.
"Strike his Metapod repeatedly with Tackle!" Ash commanded.
The Metapod were duking it out with their respective moves, with Samurai's Metapod constantly glowing green and Ash's Metapod persistently using Tackle to damage his foe. Eventually, after nine consecutive tackles, Samurai's Metapod gave up and fell to the ground with swirls in his eyes. What Ash didn't expect next was for his Metapod to evolve once again. His shell opened up, and out came a beautiful purple butterfly creature. Both Ash and Samurai were in awe, with Ash activating his Pokédex to identify the butterfly.
Butterfree, the Butterfly Pokémon, and also the final evolutionary stage of Caterpie. In battle, it flaps its wings at great speed to release highly toxic dust into the air.
"You did it Butterfree! You've finally reached your last stage. I'm so happy for you." Ash stroked his newly evolved butterfly. Samurai walked up to him and smiled.
"Thanks for a great battle kid," he said while offering a handshake. "I fought the other three Pallet Town trainers. Losing to them allowed me to train even harder so I could finally beat the last trainer from Pallet Town, but it looks like I failed and must continue my training."
"I understand, thanks for the match, it was fun." Ash encouraged them and shook his hand.
"Let me show you the way out of Viridian Forest." Samurai offered. Ash agreed and with Pikachu on his shoulder, they both make their way to the exit. After two hours of walking, they finally found their way out as Ash spoke to Samurai one last time.
"Thanks, Samurai! I mean it." Ash expressed his gratitude to his new friend.
"No problem. I hope we meet again someday." Samurai smiled as Ash took his leave towards Pewter City to earn his first Gym Badge.
(Outside Pewter City)
Ash and Pikachu arrive on the outskirts of Pewter City. Buildings came into view causing Ash to run with Pikachu sitting on his shoulder. After running for a minute, he stopped and looked to his left, noticing a man who appeared to be in his forties sitting in front of a tree. The man was a stone seller because there were stones around him with price tags on them. The man looked at Ash and Pikachu and smiled at them.
"You must be Pokémon Trainer, young man." the man confidently stated.
"That's right," Ash confirmed.
"So I take it you're going to challenge Brock?" the man asked, wanting to know if that was the reason Ash came to this town.
"Of course, I will challenge all the Gym Leaders and one day enter the Pokémon League," Ash answered while Pikachu raised his fists in the air sharing his excitement but just as quickly Pikachu let out a tired sigh.
"Your Pokémon must be exhausted from traveling in the Viridian Forest. It would be best to take it to the Pokémon Center." the old man advised. "Let's go, I can show you where it is."
"Thank you!" Ash was grateful for the gesture. "Say, mind telling me your name sir?"
"The name is Flint. I'm afraid I didn't catch your name either." Flint told the young boy.
"My name is Ash."
"Okay Ash, let's get a move on," Flint said as he walked away with Ash slowly trailing behind him.
(Pewter City)
When Ash healed his Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, he was surprised to discover that there was more than one Nurse Joy and that each Nurse Joy was in charge of a Pokémon Center in Kanto. While waiting for his Pokémon to recover, he spoke with Flint about challenging the Gym Leader.
"So, Flint. Can you please tell me where I can find this Brock person? Ash asked trying to figure out where the Gym was located.
"Don't worry, I'll show you where to find the Gym after your Pokémon has finished recovering," Flint replied.
A short time later, Ash retrieved back his fully healed Pikachu from Nurse Joy. Ash was delighted to see Pikachu back at full strength, so he told his Starter about his plan to challenge Brock right away. The Mouse Pokémon understood and was excited about the upcoming battle, so they approached Flint. The man nodded and escorted the duo to the Gym.
As Flint left after reaching Pewter City's Gym, Ash thanked Flint, who in return wished him luck. Feeling confident enough to face Brock, Ash and Pikachu entered the Gym. It was dark inside, so dark that Ash could barely see who was sitting on the stone plinth. The lights were turned on, making it easy for Ash to see the person's features. The man had closed eyes and dark spiky hair and was wearing an orange t-shirt with a lime green cargo vest with four pockets, a dark brown belt with a gold buckle and brown jeans. He also wore blue-grey sneakers with white trim. It was clear to Ash that this guy was Brock, the leader of the Gym.
"What brings you here?" Brock spoke in a bored tone.
"My name is Ash from Pallet Town and I'm here to get my first Gym Badge," Ash told him proudly.
"I see you're a rookie trainer. It makes no difference, you better bring your A game for this one because it's not easy to beat my Rock-types." Brock informed Ash.
"I will be sure to give you a run for your money!" Ash said. Brock snapped his fingers, causing two sides of the battlefield to merge into one single platform littered with rocks and boulders. Ash was a bit surprised by this but remained calm. He walked to the challenger's side of the platform and Brock did the same but he stood on the Leader's side. "I'm ready whenever you are Brock!"
"Is that so? This will be a two on two battle. The first one to lose both of their Pokémon is declared the loser. Is that clear?" Brock explained the rules of the Gym Battle to Ash.
"I'm fine with that! Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash's Pikachu entered the battlefield without complaint.
"You're sending out your Pikachu? I guess it would have worked fine if it weren't for the fact that my Rock-types are also Ground-types." Brock stated warning him of what was coming. Ash was confused and didn't know what he meant. "I might as well show you! Go, Onix!"
Brock's Onix materialized on his side of the battlefield. The Pokémon was composed of a giant chain of gray boulders that becomes smaller towards the tail. The size difference between Pikachu and Onix was massive, but Ash didn't care one bit and activated his Pokédex.
Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon. As it digs through the ground, it absorbs many hard objects. This is what makes its body so solid.
"That Onix looks powerful, but I know we can handle it." Ash was mentally aware of the fact that Onix was a strong Pokémon, but that wasn't enough to make him and Pikachu quiver in fear.
"In a Gym Battle the Trainer has the first move," Brock announced.
"Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu fired a lightning bolt at Onix, who just took the attack. Onix absorbed the attack effortlessly and didn't seem to be bothered by it at all.
"What's going on? Why didn't the attack damage your Onix?" Ash thought out loud, wanting to know why the lightning bolt didn't hurt Onix.
"It's quite simple. If Onix was a pure Rock-type, he could have been damaged by the attack, but since Onix is a Ground-type as well, he remains immune to Electric-type attacks."
"That means Pikachu can't harm your Onix." Ash finally understood what Brock meant before the battle started.
"You're finally catching on, but it's too late for your Pikachu. Onix, use Tackle!" Brock commanded.
Onix hit Pikachu with enough force to send him crashing through a boulder. Onix wrapped his tail around Pikachu and lifted him from the ground.
"Pikachu!" Ash was very worried about Pikachu's well-being.
"Onix, use Bind!" Brock instructed.
Onix still had Pikachu wrapped around his tail and grinned evilly as he began to crush the rodent. Pikachu tried to struggle against the harsh Bind attack from Onix, but Onix's sheer power was too much. Pikachu cried more and more in pain, each cry louder than the last and Ash didn't want to see his Pokémon in such pain.
"Enough, I surrender!" Ash said dejectedly.
"Now you finally understand that Gym Battles cannot be taken for granted," Brock told the boy in an authoritative tone.
As he left the gym, holding Pikachu in his arms, Ash thought about how he suffered his first loss in a Pokémon Battle without being able to put up a fight. The match barely lasted 30 seconds and half of those seconds were Pikachu being tormented by Onix's Bind attack. His thoughts quickly faded when he saw Flint in front of him.
"Come with me, young man." Flint motioned for him to follow. Ash agreed and slowly followed behind the man.
Flint happily welcomed Ash into his home so they could discuss what had happened at the Gym. Ash told him everything from the moment where he first spoke with Brock to the moment he surrendered and left the Gym. Flint sighed, knowing that Ash must be feeling bad right now because a first loss like that is sure to make everyone feel down in the dumps. Taking a sip from his tea, he decided to comfort him by providing him with more information about Brock.
"Listen Ash, Brock is a great Trainer, but he has the potential to be more than just a local Gym Leader."
"Is that so? Then why hasn't he challenged the Pokémon League yet?" Ash asked wanting to know why Brock didn't want want to participate in the Pokémon League challenge. The man didn't answer, but instead, he lead them outside to peer over a hedge into another house. They watch as Brock took care of his younger siblings with cooking and household chores. Ash and Flint left as the sky began to grow dark and Ash thought about what he had seen.
On the way back as they walked through the town under the illuminated lamp posts, Flint explained that Brock had nine brothers and sisters to take care of, which was the same reason the Rock-type Gym Leader couldn't challenge the Pokémon League. Ash asked him about Brock's parents. to which Flint replied by mentioning that Brock's father selfishly left his family to become a Pokémon Trainer and that Brock's mother also left home after falling ill. Ash felt sorry for Brock as Flint finished the story. Just taking care of his younger siblings made him respect Brock as a Gym Leader as well as a person. At the same time, he understood what Flint was trying to tell him, that even the most talented people like Brock could be hampered by unfortunate circumstances. He felt ready to face Brock again, but this time he will defeat him by using strategy.
"Hey, Flint." Ash got the older man to look at him. "Can you help me figure out a strategy for my rematch with Brock?"
"Sure. We could start right now by showing me all your Pokémon." Flint and Ash both stop walking as the older man wanted to look at his team. Ash released the rest of the team from their Poké Balls. "Well look at that, you have a Pidgeotto, Nidoran, and Butterfree. Tell me, does your Nidoran know Double Kick?"
"I'm afraid he hasn't learned that move yet," Ash replied.
"Nidoran is your best option against Brock, as Pikachu is completely ineffective against Brock's Pokémon, while your other two can only deal minimal damage," Flint explained. If we can teach it a Super-effective move against Rock-type Pokémon like Double Kick, it will at least give you a fighting chance. You can not underestimate his Onix, that one might take down Nidoran even if it knows Double Kick."
"So what should we do we do about his Onix?" Ash asked.
"Maybe if you have Butterfree, use Stun Spore, you can limit Onix's movement, but you have to time it right for this strategy to work. Tomorrow morning we will help Nidoran learn Double Kick."
"Sounds good, I can't wait to face Brock again." They continued walking back to Flint's home and discussed their training schedule for tomorrow.
The next morning, Ash trained his Pokémon in front of Flint's house. Flint told him that the surest way for a Pokémon to grow stronger and learn new moves is to battle other Pokémon to enhance their combat abilities. This was a common method for training Pokémon, but Flint assured him that if he continued to train Pokémon like this, he could master other training methods in the future. So there he was standing behind his Nidoran on the opposite side of Pidgeotto. Flint and Pikachu were viewing their training session from the sidelines.
"Pidgeotto! I will be commanding Nidoran, so you will be on your own for this practice battle. Is that okay with you?" Ash asked his Flying-type companion. Pidgeotto tweeted that she was fine with it. "Thanks, Pidgeotto! Let's do it Nidoran, use Poison Sting!"
Nidoran shot several darts from his mouth at Pidgeotto, who immediately sprung into action, rising into the sky and quickly dodging the attack. Pidgeotto then covered herself with a white aura, showing that she was going to come at Nidoran with Quick Attack. With quick speed she descended and easily slammed into Nidoran, dealing damage and knocking him back a bit.
"Nidoran, use Poison Sting again!"
Nidoran opened his mouth again and aimed energy darts at the bird, but this time the Bird Pokémon was too close, meaning she couldn't dodge. The energy darts were powerful enough to send her sliding across the ground.
"I hope Nidoran learns Double Kick soon. I'll be relying on this move to beat Brock!" Ash felt that training Nidoran was necessary for both himself and his Pokémon. "I'm going to prove to Brock that my Pokémon are not beginners!"
Pidgeotto stood up again, finding the strength to leap into the air in preparation for her next attack. Pidgeotto flapped her wings and blew strong gusts of wind toward Nidoran.
"Nidoran! Avoid it and use Poison Sting!"
Nidoran did as he said, he dodged the attack, but instead of firing purple energy darts, he charged at Pidgeotto.
"What are you doing Nidoran!? You were supposed to use Poison Sting!" Ash felt upset that his Pokémon was being selfish for not following his commands, but little did he know that wasn't the case.
As Nidoran began to approach Pidgeotto, he jumped into the air with his legs outstretched, kicked Pidgeotto in the stomach with one leg, then turned around and kicked her with the other leg. Pidgeotto crashed into the ground as Nidoran managed to balance himself in the air and land safely on all fours.
"No way! Nidoran, you've learned Double Kick!" Ash ran to his Pokémon and hugged Nidoran for the achievement. Nidoran liked Ash's gesture and returned the hug. Pidgeotto finally got up and went to her trainer along with Pikachu to congratulate Nidoran.
"Wow! For a Nidoran to learn Double Kick that quickly, you have a one-of-a-kind Pokémon at your disposal," Flint smiled approvingly at the young boy."I take it you're going to challenge Brock again?"
"Only when Nidoran feels ready," Ash looked at his serious-looking Poison-type with a smile. He didn't even have to ask when he saw Nidoran lift his foot and slammed it back hard onto the ground. "Looks like it's showtime then. Watch out Pewter City Gym, I'll earn that Gym Badge this time."
When Ash and Pikachu arrived at the Pewter City Gym, they immediately went inside. The room was dark for a moment, then brightened and once more the duo found Brock sitting on the stone pedestal.
"You came back for another beating I see. What's the point of challenging me again when I crushed your Pokémon with little to no effort yesterday?" Brock found Ash to be impulsive, but the Gym Leader was also slightly amused by him because Ash thought he could beat the strongest trainer in Pewter City.
"Oh yeah, I'm a man on a mission, I won't stop until I get my Gym Badge!" Ash was ready to prove himself to Brock once and for all.
"So be it then, let's see if you can finally learn your lesson this time novice," With a snap of his fingers, the two halves of the battlefield coalesced into a platform littered with rocks and boulders. Brock and Ash took their respective sides of the platform and engaged in a fierce staring contest. "It's a two-on-two Gym Battle, same as last time. Now let's go Geodude!" Brock sent out his first Pokémon, which appeared to be a floating brownish-gray boulder with rocky eyebrows and trapezoidal eyes with brown pupils. His arms were muscular with five-fingered hands.
"Nidoran, I choose you!" Ash dramatically threw his Poké Ball, revealing the first Pokémon he had ever caught. Nidoran was ready to fight as soon as he saw his opponent and Ash decided not to keep him waiting." Get ready Brock! Nidoran, unleash Double Kick on Geodude!"
"Say what?!" Brock didn't expect Ash to use a Super-effective move.
Unfortunately for Brock, Nidoran didn't waste a second in rushing towards Geodude, kicking him on the left side of his with one leg and turning to kick the same spot with his other leg, sending the Rock Pokémon skidding across the ground. Geodude stood up after he finished sliding and glared at Nidoran who gave him an arrogant smile.
"Damn it! You caught me off guard, but trust me when I say that won't happen again. Geodude use Tackle!" Brock ordered.
"Don't let him hit you Nidoran and use Double Kick to knock him out." Ash directed.
As Geodude was closing in on Nidoran, the Poison-type sidestepped the Rock Pokémon and struck him in the back of his head with two consecutive kicks. Geodude was sent crashing into a huge boulder, and this time he couldn't get back up.
"Yes! We did it Nidoran, we took down Brock's Geodude!" Ash exclaimed with glee. Nidoran was also proud of what they had just now accomplished and slammed his foot hard onto the ground, signaling that he was ready for the next battle. Brock returned his Pokémon to his Poké Ball and looked at the ball thoughtfully.
"How is this possible?! It's like I'm facing a different trainer. Yesterday he barely put up a fight, but now he managed to defeat Geodude with little to no effort. Both of his Pokémon have yet to take any damage and I know that Nidoran is one of them, but what could the other one be? You certainly tipped the battle in your favor with that display Ash," Brock knew that Onix was quite strong enough to handle whatever tactics Ash was going to throw at him next, but some shouts from the stands caught his attention.
"You can do it, big brother!" Brock noticed his siblings cheering him on and that brought a smile to his face.
"So Ash, I only have one Pokémon left and he would like to get reacquainted with you. Prepare to show him the true power of our bond Onix!" Brock dramatically threw his Poké Ball, unveiling his Ace Pokémon.
"I need you to rest a bit Nidoran! Return!" Ash called the Poison-type back into his Poké Ball and quickly threw another one to take his place. "Butterfree, I choose you!" Butterfree rose into the air immediately once he had finished materializing, but Brock wasn't happy to see Ash's second Pokémon.
"Why in the world are you letting Butterfree fight Onix? Come on Ash, there is no way Butterfree has what it takes to even tickle him."
"Let's see who does what in the next few minutes," Ash replied knowing that sending Butterfree would be considered an unusual tactic from Brock's point of view. "I know Butterfree can pull it off, we won't lose to him again! We just need to wait for the perfect moment to strike!"
"I don't know what you're doing Ash, but let's see if your strategy works." Brock wanted to get rid of Butterfree as quickly as possible, so he attacked first. "Onix, it's time to Bind Butterfree!"
"Dodge it Butterfree! Then use String Shot to slow him down!"
Onix slithered his way toward the Butterfly Pokémon, intending to wrap his tail around him like he did Pikachu yesterday, but Butterfree refused to be trapped within his tail and managed to avoid the appendage by flying under it. Butterfree was now behind Onix, who wasn't able to prepare himself for what came next. Butterfree shot white string from his mouth at the Rock Snake Pokémon. Butterfree was efficient at this as it barely took him a few seconds to cover the white thread around Onix's body.
"If you think limiting Onix with String Shot is going to help you win this battle, then you've got another thing coming. It won't take long for him to force the thread off. Guess your plan won't amount to anything." Brock smiled with confidence when he saw Ash looking down at the ground, his hat covering his eyes, only for him to drop it when the boy looked at him with a cocky grin forming on his face.
"Sorry to tell you this Brock, the String Shot was only part of the plan." Ash felt that giving Brock a heads-up was the right thing to do.
"What are you on about?!" Brock wondered what Ash was trying to get at exactly. "What could he possibly have up his sleeve now?"
"See for yourself, now Butterfree, seal the deal with Stun Spore!" Ash shouted.
"No way! Onix! Break free from that thread ASAP!" If Brock wasn't worried about Onix being held by String Shot, he certainly was now after hearing Ash call out a move that was sure to swing the match in his favor.
Butterfree heard Ash loud and clear, he flew over to the Rock Snake Pokémon, who was trying to release himself from the thread. When he was directly above Onix, Butterfree took the initiative and flapped his wings, releasing orange powder. Onix finally managed to break free from the thread, but it was too late, the powder had already made contact. Onix's body was now visibly surrounded by sparks of electricity.
"Yes! Great job Butterfree! The plan worked!" Ash was ecstatic over the fact that their plan had paid off and that Brock shouldn't be able to counter him in any way from this point on. "So Brock, do you have anything to say about my strategy?"
"I must admit that your strategy was well thought out." Brock smiled seeing that this boy was doing much better than yesterday. "However, just because you paralyzed Onix doesn't mean that he can't attack. Onix, show him what I mean by using Rock Throw!"
"Huh? But Onix shouldn't be able to do anything when he's paralyzed. That's what happened to an Ekans I battled against." Ash was visibly confused by what Brock was trying to prove.
Onix was trying his best to endure the paralysis and so far he was doing a good job at it. He found the strength to slam his tail into the ground, causing rocks to fly out towards Butterfree, who wasn't prepared for this development and only managed to dodge a few of them until he was struck by a large one causing the Butterfly Pokémon to fall to the ground with swirls in his eyes. Ash quickly returned Butterfree to his Poké Ball and clipped it back onto his belt.
"Great job Onix! You've always been there for big brother!" Brock's siblings were enjoying this battle and they hoped that Brock would come out on top.
"You did well Butterfree, I'm sorry for letting you get hit like that." Ash didn't understand how Onix pulled off Rock Throw, he was hundred percent sure that the paralysis would stop the Rock Snake Pokémon from moving.
"Judging by your confusion, you don't know what paralysis truly means to a Pokémon?" Brock said getting Ash to look at him. "When a Pokémon is paralyzed, it doesn't mean that you've completely limited the Pokémon's movement ability. A paralyzed Pokémon can sometimes endure the paralysis and gather enough strength to pull off a move. In short, Ash, the paralysis effect isn't always guaranteed when I call out a move."
"Now I see, Pokémon Battles are interesting. I have so much to learn. Thank you, Brock!"
"You can thank me by giving it everything you have for this final battle." Brock was feeling excited and enjoyed battling against Ash.
"Let's do it one more time. Nidoran, I choose you!" Ash dramatically threw the Poké Ball, revealing Nidoran once again. Ash glanced at his Pokémon, who was looking determinedly at his giant adversary. "I know you can beat Onix, so we'll give them everything we've got," With his trainer encouraging him more than ever, Nidoran was ready to prove himself worthy to Ash. Ash made eye contact with Brock. "Get ready Brock! Nidoran, start things off with Double Kick!
"Try to dodge it Onix!" Brock hoped that Onix could withstand the paralysis one more time.
Nidoran ran as fast as he could to catch up with Onix. The Rock Snake Pokémon struggled to find the strength to move. Unfortunately for Onix, he was held back by the electrical sparks and took two kicks in a row. Onix pushed back significantly and was shocked to think that a small Pokémon like Nidoran had that much kicking power.
"Onix, pay them back with Rock Throw!"
This time, Onix managed to slam his tail into the ground, directing rocks at Nidoran, who got hit by a few of them, sending him flying onto his back.
"Nidoran! Are you okay?" Ash voiced his concern. Nidoran stood up on all fours, ready to get Onix back for that Rock Throw. "I feel you Nidoran, Double Kick one more time!"
"Stop him in his tracks with Rock Throw!"
Onix slammed his tail, sending two huge rocks flying towards the dashing Poison Pin Pokémon.
"Break those rocks and continue your assault with Double Kick!
Nidoran prepared himself to kick the first rock with a swing of his leg, the force of the kick broke the rock into pieces and then he rotated to kick the second rock with his other leg, breaking that one as well. Nidoran continued to run towards Onix as he got closer and closer he jumped and performed another Double Kick, hitting the struggling Onix twice in the face. Onix cried out in pain and got pushed back further, while Nidoran landed safely on the platform. Onix directed his tail to push Nidoran away from him, however, Nidoran jumped back, avoiding the appendage that smashed the exact spot he jumped from a second before. The Rock Snake Pokémon and Poison Pin Pokémon were glaring at each other, knowing that whoever lands the next move, will take home the victory.
"Nidoran, let's end this with one last Double Kick!" Ash dramatically ordered. "I know you have what it takes to win buddy."
"Onix! End this with Rock Throw!" Brock shouted. "Come on Onix, I know you handle it."
Using everything he had to resist the electrical sparks, Onix slammed his tail into the ground for what he hoped would be the last time. Several rocks were aimed at the charging Nidoran, most of them he managed to dodge but one or two small ones hit him yet he continued to charge. The last rock that flew at him happened to be the largest, causing Nidoran to panic because he couldn't turn and he would surely be knocked out if the rock were to hit him, but Ash called out to him.
"Nidoran! Hop onto that rock and use it as a springboard!"
Nidoran understood what his trainer wanted, so he jumped onto the falling rock and quickly jumped again. Time slowed down for both trainers as they saw what happened next in slow motion. The Rock Snake Pokémon was in shock over the fact that someone as small as Nidoran was about to beat him, he wanted to dodge but he couldn't because the sparks of electricity were too much for him this time and he had to watch as Nidoran struck him in the face with his outstretched leg, causing him to cry out in pain. Nidoran wasn't finished yet, he turned decisively and nailed him with the other leg in the same spot. Onix could no longer bear the pain and slowly fell to the ground, passing out from exhaustion. Everyone stared in disbelief, especially Brock, who immediately knew what Onix being defeated meant. It took a few more moments for Ash to realize that he had just outsmarted and defeated Brock for his right to earn the Boulder Badge.
"I can't believe it, we did it! We beat Brock!" Ash yelled as Pikachu cheered from his shoulder. Nidoran ran to his trainer and tackled him down to the ground. Nidoran was nuzzling his cheek affectionately."We did it guys! We collected our first Gym Badge."
Brock smiled at the trainer who had just beaten him with the help of actual strategy this time. He finally accepted that Ash wasn't the rookie he first thought he was. He then turned his gaze to the stands where his siblings were crying for his loss, but Brock just beamed at them reassuringly. Brock then recalled his most prized Pokémon into his Poké Ball. "You did an awesome job Onix, thank you!" Brock then brought out the Boulder Badge from his pocket and walked over to Ash who was still lying on the ground, laughing and celebrating with his Pokémon. "I guess you proved me wrong Ash, and for that, you've earned my respect," Brock said drawing the young Pokémon Trainer's attention. Ash got up from the ground and looked at him. Brock held out his hand, revealing the Boulder Badge that was resting on his palm. He gestured for Ash to take the Badge and Ash did just that.
"Thank you for a great battle, Brock! Losing yesterday taught me so much more about what it means to be a Pokémon Trainer. I learned from you that sometimes you need to strategize before an important battle and I also gained more insight into the true effects of paralysis. All of this will definitely help me when I challenge the other Gym Leaders."
"You know Ash, I envy you. Don't get me wrong, I like being a Gym Leader, but sometimes I wish that I could also travel on my own journey and one day become a Pokémon Breeder, but I've never gotten an opportunity to do so ever since my deadbeat father walked out on us." Brock explained.
"Don't worry Brock, you go follow your own dreams." A voice startled both Ash and Brock. Ash recognized the voice and looked towards the entrance and saw Flint. The old man walked over to them, taking off his beard and hat. Ash gaped at the man who appeared to be an older version of Brock, but Brock wasn't too happy to see him.
"Why are you here father!?"
"I'm so sorry Brock, I didn't become the great Pokémon Trainer I always wanted to be. I hid from you all out of shame, but I'm here now to help my family. You should go fulfill your dreams and why not join Ash on his journey for that matter." Flint suggested thinking that Ash and Brock would make great traveling companions.
"First of all, will you take care of our family?" Brock asked, wanting to make sure that his father would do what he said, Flint nodded and Brock continued. "Okay, I have a few things to tell you," Brock comically continued to explain to his father how to deal with his younger siblings. Flint was on the verge of losing his mind from writing down every single habit his children had but Brock didn't care and listed all the chores that needed to be done everyday.
(Evening)
"Thank you Ash for letting me come with you." Brock and Ash were walking on the road out of Pewter City under the starry night sky.
"No problem Brock, it's always nice to have somebody to talk to." Ash insisted he was very thankful to have a partner with more experience who could help guide him when they were in trouble.
"We're going to Cerulean City next, right? It's a Water-type Gym so your Pikachu will come in handy with his Electric-type attacks." Brock informed.
"Is that so? What do you think Pikachu? Do you want to show the Cerulean City Gym Leader how we do things?" Ash looked over at the Starter Pokémon sitting on his right shoulder.
"Pika-pika!" Pikachu beamed.
"Guess we're heading off to Cerulean City." With all that said, Ash, Pikachu, and Brock continued venturing towards their next destination.
And that's it for this chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it. In the next chapter, I will be covering Mt. Moon, Cerulean City Gym with Misty as the Gym Leader, the unofficial Gym Battle with AJ, and Pokémon Tech. Ash will also catch a new Pokémon in the next part. Chapter 5 is reserved for the Kanto Starter Trio, which means after that chapter Ash will have a total of 8 Pokémon under his care. That's all for now, see you soon.
Ash's team:
Pikachu (M): Thunder Shock
Nidoran (M): Poison Sting, Peck, Double Kick
Butterfree (M): Tackle, String Shot, Poison Power, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, Harden
Pidgeotto (F): Quick Attack, Gust, Sand Attack
Brock's team:
Geodude (M): Tackle
Onix (M): Tackle, Bind, Rock Throw
Team Rocket's Meowth (M): Scratch, Fury Swipes
James' Team:
Koffing (M): Sludge, Smog, Smokescreen
Jessie's team:
Ekans (M): Bite, Dig, Wrap