Not All Arrogance (A Gary Oak Love Story) Part 5~Problems in Pewter
((Joyful Note: What, another one? I'm on a role of editing. Yay. Also, I never noticed until I got that review, but Amy is pretty accident prone... huh. I wonder if that keeps up in later parts))
After spending the night in the Pokémon center, Amy and Gary were heading for the Pewter gym. Amy was checking the guidebook for maps of Pewter to find it.
"Hey Gary, they have a museum here, its pretty famous apparently, we have to check that out!" Amy said pointing it out on the map.
"We're here to battle not to look at some old bones!" Gary said scowling.
"I didn't say now, it can wait till after the gym battles but if we're going across the country I want to see the sites! What's the point otherwise?" Amy said putting away the book and crossing her arms.
"The point is to get stronger! The point is to win and become the best! What do you mean what's the point?!" Gary snapped throwing his hands into the air and staring at Amy. When she didn't respond he hmphed and looked away, crossing his arms as well. Amy sighed.
"Look, if you don't want to come, you don't have to, but I am. Sorry Gary." Amy said with a shrug. Then she smiled as the gym came into view. "Hey Gary..."
"What?" Gary said giving her a sideways glance.
"First one to the gym is the first one to get a badge." she grinned and raced away.
"HEY!" Gary yelled and ran after her. They ran down the street, dodging pedestrians, fast and Amy was Gary was catching up.
"No pant way pant are pant you pant pant BEATING ME!" Gary said breathing hard as he gained on her.
"Wanna bet?" Amy laughed as she skated around a woman pushing a baby carriage and slammed head on into a guy with spiked black hair, squinty eyes and a green vest. Both of them fell to the ground.
"Ha! I'm going to win now!" Gary yelled trying to run past her but Amy stuck out her foot and tripped him, sending him careening over.
"What the-? AMY! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!" Gary yelled trying to get back up.
"Yeah, so?" Amy said shrugging and getting to her feet. She offered the guy she had knocked down a hand. "Sorry about that, can I help you up?" she said with a small smile.
The boy looked up and her and broke out into a huge grin and took her hand in both his own "Help me up? Of course you can help me up! And while you're at it, maybe you could help me fill the hole in my heart!"
Amy stared at him. "Excuse me?"
Gary's eyes flashed and he grabbed Amy's other hand and pulled her away from the guy who was still on the ground. "Come on Amy, we have gym battles to win!" Gary said starting to march off. The guy got up on his feet and laughed. Gary glared back "What's so funny?"
"Oh, I'm the leader of the gym, so I don't think you'll be able to battle very well without me... whoa that reminds me! I have to get to the museum!" he said looking suddenly embarrassed.
"Why? What's wrong at the museum?" Amy asked cocking her head to one side in curiosity.
"Nothing, but I'm supposed to open the new exhibit of moon stones! I'm late!" the man said before running off. Gary and Amy watched him go a moment before Gary started going after him.
"Where are you going?" Amy ran up and grabbed Gary's shoulder.
"To see the moon stones! Have you got any idea how rare those are? You wanted to see the museum didn't you?" Gary said with a smirk before shaking Amy's hand and running off again.
"YES BUT I DONT SEE WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT-" Amy yelled after him. Seeing that he wasn't slowing down Amy sighed "moon stones. Okay whatever" she said as she ran after him.
*****
Not all too long later they had gotten into the Pewter museum and were in the crowd around the new museum exhibit entrance. The gym leader was standing next to the museum curator. She was talking about how all the donators to the museum had done their part and at last a new exhibit could be opened. She then turned over her microphone to the gym leader who she introduced as Brock.
"Well lovely ladies and gentlemen, I just want to say what an honour it is to be the one to present this exhibit to you. I was on the team that went up to Mount Moon to get these moonstones, and I hope you'll enjoy them! So... enjoy!" Brock cut the tape in front of the new moonstone room and the crowd excitedly filed inside. Oohs and aahs filled the air as the people viewed the sparkling rocks.
"So, you came to check out the moonstones too? What's your name by the way?" Brock said spying Amy. Gary had run off with the crowd.
"Oh, yeah, they're really beautiful. My name's Amy, and my... my travel partner is Gary." Amy nodded towards Gary who was looking at the stones with great interest.
"Yeah, I know they're beautiful. They're heavy too though, for their size. I'll show you, here," Brock went over to a case and pulled out a key from his pocket. He opened the case and took out a small moonstone from the display and handed it to Amy. It was only the size of her palm but it must have weighed 5 pounds.
"Wow, you're right, that is heavy." Amy said weighing it in her hand "You went to Mount Moon to get these right? How'd you get them all down, there's a lot here."
Brock laughed "Well I didn't do it alone, and my Pokémon helped."
"Oh really? What kind of Pokémon do you have?" Amy asked handing Brock back the moonstone.
"You'll see when we battle won't you, and you can keep this," Brock said handing it back to her.
"But, its the museum's..." Amy said hesitating to take it from him.
"Yes, but I'm allowed to take a few for myself too, since I found them all, you may need it some time." Brock said taking Amy's hand and placing the stone in it.
"Well, okay then, thank you!" Amy said smiling as she slipped it into her pocket.
"Right, but, don't tell anyone about this, or they'll all want one, okay?" Brock said smiling and Amy nodded.
"I won't, this is really nice of you," Amy smiled.
"Well its not every day I get to meet a girl as pretty as you."
Amy blushed hard "Um..."
"So Amy, and Brock was it? You ready to battle yet?" Gary said striding up with his hands in his pockets.
"Oh, sure, let's just head back to the gym, but I have to make a stop at home first" Brock said smiling and heading out the door. Amy nodded and followed.
"I'll be out in a sec okay?" Gary said looking at something Amy couldn't see behind the doorframe. Shrugging, she hurried after Brock. About 30 seconds later Gary ran up behind them and fell into stride. He seemed to be thinking about something.
"What's up?" Amy asked him.
"I just... never mind, it fine." Gary said and grinned awkwardly before looking away.
'Alright then...' Amy thought to herself and shrugged.
*****
Brock stopped in front of a 2 story house next to a construction site. "You can come in if you want, just don't expect too much, I haven't had a chance to clean today." Brock said opening the front door. He was immediately dog piled by 10 little kids.
"BROCK'S HOME!"
"YAY!"
"SUSIE TOOK MY TEDDY BEAR MAKE HER GIVE IT BACK!"
"IT WAS MY BEAR TO START WITH! YOU STOLE IT MONTHS AGO!"
"BWOK I'M HUNGWEY!!!"
"Guys, guys settle down! I'd like you to meet Gary and Amy, they're going to be next opponents at the gym, but first, I didn't forget it was spaghetti day!" Brock said smiling and the kids all cheered. "Care to stay for lunch?" Brock said and the kids ran for the kitchen.
"Sure, I love spaghetti!" Amy said and followed Brock to the kitchen, with Gary grumbling about wasting time behind her. The pasta was amazing, and Amy took 2nd and 3rd helpings of it.
"Wow, Brock you are an amazing cook, right Avion?" Amy said happily to her Spearow, who was perched on her shoulder and was eating the noodles as well. Isis and Socrates were eating from bowls on the floor. Slasher and Sting were sampling some of Brock's Pokémon food for bug and rodent Pokémon. They seemed to be enjoying it.
"Spearow!" Avion said waving its wings. Amy noticed the tiny Pokémon was raising its bound wing to the same level as the free one.
"Hey Avion... I think your wing's healed!" Amy said and took the Pokémon in her hands, carefully unwrapping the bandages. The bird Pokémon flexed its wings and flapped them. He darted into the air and started zooming around the room, squawking happily, to the happy shouts and laughter of the kids around the table. Gary wasn't paying much attention it seemed though. At last however, they finished their meal and were putting away the dishes.
"Well, thanks Brock, that was great, so are we ready for that gym battle now? I can't wait to see if you battle as well as you cook!" Amy said with a laugh.
"He'd better, or it won't be any fun at all!" Gary said with a smirk and standing.
"Yay! Can we watch Brock? Can we please?"
"Yeah can we pleeeeeeease?" Brock's sibling stared up at him with puppy-dog expressions on their faces.
"Well... only if it's alright with the challengers." Brock said glancing at Amy and Gary.
"Oh sure why not?" Amy said as they turned their puppy-dog eyes on her.
"Sure, why not? If I'm going to beat you, why not have an audience?" Gary said shrugging.
"YAY!" Brock's siblings yelled in unison.
*****
A while later they had at last all trooped to the gym. Amy had never seen a gym before, and was amazed by how big it was to start with. She took notice as well to how well themed it all was. All the training equipment and terrain was just right for Brock's rock Pokémon. That gave him an advantage of course, but Amy was up for a challenge. Gary seemed geared up too, if a little distracted, although Amy didn't know why. She wasn't totally sure if she cared either.
"So, which of you am I battling first?" Brock asked taking his place across the gym floor from them.
"Ladies first!" Amy said pushing Gary aside and pulling out Isis' Pokeball.
"You're no lady, I'll soften him up for ya though! I can take a challenge!" Gary said pushing back and pulling out Socrates' ball.
"ROCK PAPER SCISSORS!" Amy yelled and they did. Amy got rock, Gary got scissors.
"No fair! You cheated!" Gary snapped crossing his arms.
"I did not!"
"You were a second faster then me!"
"That would mean YOU cheated idiot!"
"What? No I..." Gary seemed to be thinking about it.
"If I was faster then you could of seen what I was doing and could have thrown the right sign to stop me." Amy explained shaking her head in disbelief.
"Well... then... oh just battle!" Gary said throwing his hands in the air and stomping over to the sidelines.
"Thank you, I will." Amy said and then turned to face Brock. The judge stood at the halfway point on the field.
"This will be a one on one Pokémon battle." the judge announced "There will be no time limit. GO!" he shouted and Brock threw his ball.
"GEODUDE! GO!"
"ISIS! LET'S WIN THIS!" Amy threw her ball as well. The boulder and fox Pokémon faced each other on the arena.
"Isis! Quick Attack!" Amy shouted. Her Pokémon leapt at Geodude, crashing into it. Geodude flew back a bit, but otherwise appeared unphased. Isis on the other hand looked dazed.
'Oh right, it's a rock Pokémon, physical attacks don't have much effect... so now what do I do?' Amy thought to herself as her Eevee got to its feet.
"Geodude! Rock Throw!" Brock yelled. Geodude grabbed the nearest rock on the field (which was made especially to accommodate rock types) and threw it at Isis.
"DODGE IT!" Amy called out, and Isis darted away just in time.
"Um... Agility!" Amy yelled recalling the attack. Eevee began moving quickly about the gym, avoiding Geodude's rocks as it threw them. Amy wished she had studied more of Isis' attacks. She also wished this wasn't her first Pokémon battle. She should have trained beforehand! Now she was going to be humiliated. She thought hard about how she was going to get out of this.
"Geodude! Sandstorm!" Brock's voice rang out. Geodude started to spin wildly, stirring up the sand and silt from the crushed rocks around itself until a great sandstorm was blowing about.
"Isis!" Amy coughed out, shielding her eyes from the torrent.
"Now, tackle attack!" Brock called, and although she couldn't see it, Amy could hear Isis cry out in pain.
"Tackle again!"
"DEFENSE CURL!" Amy shouted and ended up with a mouthful of sand. She spat it out.
"Are you guys okay? I can't see anything!" Gary shouted from somewhere to Amy's right, above the cheers of Brock's brothers and sisters. Amy didn't hear another cry, so she hoped her defence curl had worked.
"Now... quick attack again!" Amy yelled, now sure what else to do. To her shock she heard Geodude cry in pain. The sandstorm let up, and Geodude was nursing quite the bruise while Isis was running around the perimeter of the field. Amy looked closer and saw Isis wasn't running but ROLLING. Like a ball. Shocked, Amy pulled out her Pokedex and aimed it at Isis.
"Roll Out. A Normal move that causes heavy damage when combined with Defence Curl and causes more damage each time it hits the target" the Pokedex stated.
"ALRIGHT!" Amy shrieked grinning widely. "ISIS! ROLL OUT! HIT GEODUDE AGAIN!"
"GEODUDE GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Brock yelled.
"YEAH GET OUT OF THE WAY GEODUDE!" the kids screamed. Geodude tried to avoid her, but Isis still managed to bash its arm, sending the rock Pokémon spinning like a top only to crash into a nearby boulder.
"COME ON! ONE MORE TIME!" Amy cried, Brock looked shocked.
"Geodude NO!" Brock yelled and returned his Pokémon. Isis kept going and slammed into the rock that had been behind Geodude, sending it into a thousand pieces.
"Oh my gosh" Amy whispered "RETURN!" she yelled and red light enveloped the Eevee, sending it back to its ball. Amy sank to her knees. "That could have been Geodude." she said quietly.
"Yes. But it wasn't. I forfeited, so you get the badge. You have to learn to judge how bad your blow will hurt the other Pokémon though, otherwise you could cause a lot of unnecessary pain." Brock said approaching Amy and holding out the badge.
"Thanks, I will." Amy said nodding numbly as she took it and stared at the gleaming grey metal.
"Hey, fine, if you want to give up then just hand her the badge, now let's you and me fight!" Gary said smirking as he took Amy's place. Amy sat on the sideline bench and dug into her bag. She pulled out a red velvet covered box. Opening it carefully she pinned the badge to the soft black silk inside. She stared at it in there for a moment, her eyes sad, then closed the box and pushed it deep inside her bag again. "Alright let's go!" Gary shouted. The judge repeated his words from the previous match and Gary threw his ball containing Socrates onto the field. The little fox Pokémon scratched its ear and then twitched it tail and ears, growling, ready to go at it.
Brock smirked. "ONIX GO!" he shouted and an enormous snake made of rocks erupted from its Pokeball onto the field.
"What the... HEY YOU ONLY USED GEODUDE ON HER!" Gary yelled pointing at Amy.
Amy smirked "I thought you could take a challenge? Here's a challenge, go for it." Amy said eyes bright.
"Well, I, erm..." Gary looked a little freaked out by the enormous Pokémon in front of him.
"Well you didn't think I'd fight with Geodude when it's wiped out like it is did you?" Brock said raising an eyebrow.
Gary growled. "Okay let's do this! Socrates! Roll Out!" Gary yelled. Socrates looked at Gary in confusion."I said Roll Out! If Isis could do it you can too, now do it!" Gary said in frustration.
"Gary! Isis just learned how to use that attack during the battle! Socrates didn't see her, so he wouldn't know!" Amy shouted from the sidelines.
"Well then what am I supposed to do!" Gary yelled back angrily.
"Well... what did I do?" Amy asked raising her eyebrows ad smiling.
"What? I don't know..." Gary said trying to remember.
"ONIX BIND!" Brock yelled. The giant Pokémon curled its tail around Socrates and started to squeeze. The fox Pokémon started squealing loudly. Gary just stared, unsure what to do. Suddenly Socrates' squealing hit a pitch so high that everyone had to cover their ears. Onix roared and let go to bury its head in the sand. Socrates dropped to the ground, hurt, but not too badly.
"What was THAT?!" Gary groaned pulling his fingers from his ears and massaging his temples.
"I know what that was, it was screech, and a loud one, ow!" Amy explained, ears still ringing.
"Yeah okay but that's a defensive move isn't it? That can't help me win!" Gary said clenching his fists still trying to think. Onix pulled its head out of the sand and stared at Socrates, shocked that such a little thing could have such a loud voice.
"ONIX DIG!" Brock yelled and Onix nodded, punching headfirst down into the ground.
"Dang, it could come up anywhere!" Gary muttered, staring around the arena. "Use agility!" Gary shouted. His Pokémon cocked its head and then went scampering about the arena.
'Well that's a moving target anyway, but I don't think it'll be much help, Onix is just too big!' Amy thought as Socrates continued to dart about.
"NOW!" Brock yelled and Onix drove upward, directly beneath its opponent, sending the fox Pokémon into the air.
"QUICK! RUN DOWN ITS BACK!" Gary shouted. Socrates nodded and landed on Onix's head, ran down it, and hopped onto the ground.
"So you prevented the ground impact, but you're still outmatched." Brock said and Onix swept its tail, bashing Socrates into the wall. He slid to the ground, and fainted.
"No way." Gary said as the judge announced that Eevee was unable to battle. Gary let out a scream of frustration and returned his Pokémon in disgust.
"You fought well, you should be proud of yourself!' Brock said solemnly.
"YEAH BUT I DIDN'T WIN!" Gary yelled and started to head for the door.
"Oh boy." Amy said shaking her head and following him. She quickly caught up just as he left the building and grabbed his shoulder. "Gary, its okay. So you lost one, big deal. We could stay here a bit, train harder, and then you can come back and have a re-match." Amy said quietly. Gary's shoulders stiffened.
"Who needs this gym's badge anyway? I bet there are tons of gyms to fight! I can..."
"Take the easy way out? So you need to work at it." Amy said moving in front of Gary to face him. "But I know you can do it. Okay?" Amy said, still in a quiet voice.
Gary stared at her a moment. Then he scowled. "That's easy for you to say! You got the badge!"
"Its like you said, he went easy on me. I shouldn't have let him do that for me and not for you. But I did. It's getting dark, so can we just get something to eat, get some sleep, and tomorrow we can figure something out. We'll put together a killer strategy, and we can teach Socrates Roll Out. How's that sound?" Amy said smiling a bit.
Gary gave her a suspicious look "Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?"
Amy blinked in surprise. "I don't know." she smirked. "Maybe I thought you were too pathetic right now to needle."
"Pathetic? I'M pathetic? What about YOU? YOU may have a gym badge but Brock went easy on you! Guess he didn't think you could take the heat!" Gary said crossing his arms.
Amy smiled "Perhaps. But I still got a badge, easy or no." she laughed.
"Well at least when I beat him I'll have accomplished something! Unlike you who took the EASY way out!" Gary said scowling.
"THERE'S the arrogant jerk I know and poke fun at! Let's go eat. I noticed a pizzeria on the way here from Brock's house." Amy said heading down the walkway to the street.
Gary blinked. "Um, okay." he said following. He must have noticed the bulge in Amy's pocket. "What's in your pocket?" Gary asked pointing to the pocket that held the moonstone.
"Oh, Brock, erm, gave me a moonstone from the exhibit." Amy said blushing and taking it out to show him.
"Hey no fair! Like you could ever catch a Pokémon that would need one of these things!" Gary said snatching it from her.
"Hey give that back!" Amy yelled grabbing for it.
"You got a gym badge!"
"That doesn't mean you can have my moonstone you jerk!" Amy yelled grabbing at it again, this time succeeding in getting hold of it.
"Fine! Then I'll just get my own!" Gary said letting go of it and Amy fell over on her behind.
"Fine! You do that!" Amy groaned in exasperation as she got to her feet.
"I will." Gary said narrowing his eyes.
*****
Later after pizza Amy was sleeping in her bed in their room in the Pokémon center. Amy had claimed top bunk yet again, although Gary didn't complain this time, which was odd. Amy woke up only a half hour after falling asleep to see Gary on the floor dressing in the shadows.
"What are you doing?" Amy asked still half-asleep.
Gary looked up startled. "I'm just... going to get a drink and I don't want the whole center to see my pjs!" Gary said in annoyance, pulling on his shoes and opening the door.
"Okay.." Amy said and yawned, pretending to go back to sleep, but really watched as Gary closed the door. The moment he did she hurried down the ladder, returning the sleeping forms of Isis and Avion as she did so. She looked at Gary's bed. Socrates was gone. If Gary was getting a drink he wouldn't have taken his Pokémon with him. Pulling on her shoes and not bothering to change out of her pjs she edged open the door just as Gary turned the corner at the end of the hall. She ran as quietly as possible after him, poking her head around the corner and watching him head into the lobby and then out the front door.
"Water? I don't think so" Amy muttered and ran across the lobby and out the door.
She shadowed Gary as he jogged down the street for a while until he turned down alley. Amy went down after him, but when she reached the other side she saw the road leading to Brock's house.
'He didn't go looking for a battle NOW did he?' Amy thought confused as she headed for Brock's, just in case. She went up to the dark house hesitantly, wondering if she should try to knock. She was afraid she might wake someone up of she was wrong. Taking a deep breath she rose her hand to knock when suddenly the door opened and Brock ran out and crash into her, sending them both to the ground.
"Who, what? Amy! What are you doing here?!" Brock said getting off of Amy. Amy got to her feet as well.
"I thought Gary came here, he left the Pokémon center and I followed him up to this street but then lost track of him." Amy explained.
"Well he's not here, and I have to get to the museum right away!" Brock said running up to the other end of the street where the museum was.
"Why?" Amy asked sprinting over and running beside him.
"Its being robbed, I just got a call from Officer Jenny, she thought I should know since the silent alarm was tripped in the moon stone exhibit."
Amy flashbacked to Gary saying he'd get his own moonstone. 'No way... he wouldn't...' Amy said her face going white.
They quickly reached the museum and Brock unlocked the front door. The window beside it had been opened. Amy frowned. She didn't like this one bit. They hurried inside, quietly as they could, heard shuffling in the Moonstone display room. They crept up to the light streaming out of it and peered around the corner, the room was lit.
Gary was standing in the middle of the room, Slasher by his side. One of the cases had been broken, and Gary was holding a stone in his hand.
((Joyful Note: Oh snap Gary! Well this is DEFINATELY the last today. Goodnight, I hope you like it so far. Lord knows I'd forgotten how annoying Amy could be. But she was meant to fit into the Pokemon world, so she was bound to be annoying on some level. Oh well))