Here's the real chapter. Sorry about the lame excuse and the broken promise. Thank you so much if you've been sticking with this story since the beginning.

Chapter 8: Arrival in Pewter City! Get Ready to Rock!

A pleasant stream of sunshine filtered in through the window in Carl's room in the Pewter City Pokemon Center. The light hit him, and he groaned softly. He opened his eyes, sat up, and stretched, his aching muscles screaming in protest.

He looked about the room and noted that the room he was currently residing in was no different than the accommodations back in Viridian City. Apparently he was too tired to notice the similarities when he, Dean, and Nicole checked in last night. Dean and Carl shared a room together while Nicole had next door all to herself. Dean's bed was empty and there was the familiar hiss of hot water in the bathroom so Carl assumed that the older trainer woke up before Carl and decided to take a shower.

All three were dirty and grimy from the Viridian Forest; Carl was in the worst shape. He shuddered from the training exercises from hell he had gone through in the forest. His jeans were tattered, and his red hoodie was completely covered in mud. Wearing only boxer shorts once again, Carl climbed out of his bed, wincing. When he got to the mirror, he recoiled in shock, fascination, and horror.

His eyes were sunken, as if he was starved. His hair was disheveled from either lack of washing or because of the pillows. Scars twisted all over his body like Yakuza tattoos. But Carl was most surprised with the drastic change of his body. His flat stomach was now a cobblestone street. His shoulders were broader, making him stand even more upright, causing his chest to stand out even more. He raised and flexed his arm experimentally, resulting in a very satisfying rise in his bicep. He whistled.

He then began to pose and flex in front of the mirror when the bathroom door opened, revealing Dean in a wifebeater and shorts with a towel over his shoulders. He caught sight of Carl flexing his muscles and stared. Both did not speak and stood frozen. Hair dripping, Dean jabbed his thumb towards the bathroom. "Shower's open,"

xxXxx

Breakfast was quiet as usual; the only change was location, where the three were at a diner. Nicole had tea and a small pastry. Dean licked his lips and went for the works: pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Carl had oatmeal and juice.

Normally he would eat something more substantial like Dean's breakfast, but his appetite was as elusive as Mew itself. He was going to be facing Forrest, the Pewter City gym leader. Having studied all eight of the Kanto gym leaders back at the Viridian Academy, Forrest's battling style was no secret to Carl. He also knew that Forrest's older brother, Brock, along with their father, used to be the leaders. Both brother and father had retired long before so it was up to Forrest to take up the mantle.

However, comparing Forrest to his predecessors, Brock was clearly the strongest. Forrest had recently taken up the post and was still getting the hang of his occupation. That would work to Carl's advantage. But two-thirds of Carl's team were weak against ground and rock Pokemon; Forrest's forte. Firestorm and Blitz would get crushed.

Thankfully, Nicole had foreseen this and proceeded to teach Carl's Charmander and Pikachu steel-type techniques. Mr. Furious would definitely be able to hold his own against one or two rock Pokemon, but what if the Mankey would get tired or get knocked out due to bad luck? It was always better to have a backup plan.

"Your Charmander managed to get the hang of Metal Claw, but keep in mind that the claws are still undeveloped since he's so young so the attack probably won't work sometimes." Nicole said.

"How will I know when the attack does work?" Carl asked.

"Just listen to your opponent's cries of pain."

"And just so you know what to expect," Dean jumped in. "I'll challenge Forrest first."

Carl and Nicole both agreed on this. Dean was powerful enough, and it was a wise, if not very cheap, strategic move for Carl. Forrest's Pokemon would probably be tired when it was Carl's turn.

When breakfast was done and the bill was paid, Dean and Nicole continued to fire tips at Carl, making him all the more nervous and flustered.

"Start out with your Mankey first. Strike hard and fast. Don't give them a chance to return the favor."

"Make sure that your Pokemon don't stand around the entire fight. At this point, they haven't experienced a high-intensity match like this. So they have to be kept on their toes at all times."

"If Mr. Furious gets knocked out, Arceus forbid, then send out your Charmander. He'll last longer than the Pikachu."

"Remember to try to use the environment against your opponent. Look around: there should be something around the arena that can be used to your advantage."

"And if you don't win on your first time," Nicole growled at Carl. "You can forget about dinner and sleeping in the Center until you win."

xxXxx

When the trio arrived at the Pewter Gym, and although the gym itself didn't look much, Carl's knees still shook. The interior of the gym was like a diamond in the rough. The exterior of the gym seemed mainly made out of only rock, but inside, it was well-lit, had a tiled floor, and a medium-sized circular reception desk. The entire lobby was empty except for a woman who was tending to the desk looked up towards the group and smiled broadly.

"Hello! Are you here to challenge the gym leader?"

Why else are we here? Carl thought to himself. Dean grinned and stepped up first.

"That'd be me! And this little rookie here," He pointed to Carl. "Is going right after me. Is that all right?"

"Of course! The gym has more than enough Pokemon here."

Carl felt as if his gut was clenched by an invisible hand. This threw a wrench into his plans. Now he'll have to end up battling enemy Pokemon at full energy, making the battle difficult for him.

"Well then," Carl began. "I guess I should get ready to rock and roll!" He tried to awkwardly crack a smile but no one returned it. Even the receptionist's smile shrank by a few molars.

"Idiot," Nicole muttered.

If you hated this chapter, I don't blame you really. If you hated me, that's quite understandable. Just leave a review indicating why.