I'm really getting into this one! The first Gym is in this chapter. How will Red fair against Pewter's powerful Gym Leader?

Red got out of the Viridian Forest before nightfall. Funny, it seemed so much smaller when he wasn't chasing Pikachu everywhere. Red made his way to the Pokémon Center right at the city limits, perhaps there for the passing trainers' convenience. Red decided he would spend the night there. The food and a room were free for one night. Who would pass that up?

Red sent his Bug Pokémon to Oak via PC. He wasn't quite sure how that worked. There was a slot for his Pokéballs next to the computer. When he hit "transfer" the just kind of vanished. Strange…

With that taken care of, Red went to his room and released his Pokémon. Charmander, Pidgey, and Pikachu. Half way there. The Pokémon League rules stated that you could only have six Pokémon with you at a time. Who would be the remainder of his team? Time will surely tell. Red told himself he wouldn't end up like every other Trainer, he wouldn't give up half way like everyone else.

Most people didn't take Pokémon Training seriously, and hardly anyone took on any of the "Gym Leaders" to earn badges. When Red was eating, he overheard a few kids and Bug Catchers comparing their experience at Pewter City's Gym. Most of them got knocked out by the warm-up trainer and didn't even get to the Leader.

Red wouldn't end up like them. He wasn't quitter. On that note Red snapped back to reality by Pidgey, who was picking a fight with Pikachu. Charmander tried to keep them at bay, but in the end, Red had to pull them apart. He sighed. "What do you think, Charmander?" Red asked his partner, "Can we handle three more of these characters?" Charmander thought about it for a while, then just sighed. My thoughts exactly, Red thought.

The next day Red made his way to Pewter Gym. The Gym was a tall, long building with a light brown roof. When Red stepped inside he felt like he had been teleported into a desert. Sand and rock littered the landscape. Time to fire the cleaning lady, Red thought as he stepped forward. A voice stopped him

"Hey kid!" a young kid said. He was hiding behind a pile of boulders. "You're still light-years from facing Brock!" Red rolled his eyes. "You have to go through me to challenge our Gym Leader!"

Red sighed, "Fine." He sent out Pikachu.

"That's your Pokémon?" the young trainer asked, "You don't stand a chance! Go Sandshrew!" When the glow of the Pokéball faded, Red saw a Yellowish-tan armored mammal. It looked a little like an armadillo. "Sandshrew use scratch attack!" Sandshrew leapt at Pikachu, it easily dodged.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack," Red ordered. Pikachu slammed into the foe. "Finish it with Thundershock." The blast of electricity shot at Sandshrew and caught it right in the chest. Sandshrew merely shook off the insult. Red flinched at that. It couldn't be that strong, could it?

"Ground type Pokémon are completely immune to electric attacks, stupid!" the young trainer laughed, "Now Sandshrew, use Dig attack!"

If electricity wouldn't work, Red reasoned, physical attacks were his only option. "Pikachu, wait for Sandshrew to come up, then-"

"Too late!"

Sandshrew burst out of the ground and slammed into Pikachu's chest. Pikachu flew back, but was able to land on its feet.

"Pikachu, Slam!"

Pikachu tackled Sandshrew with all his might. It was too much and Sandshrew collapsed.

"No way!" the kid exclaimed. He recalled Sandshrew.

"Are we done here?" Red asked, "Or are you going to waste any more of my time?"

He scoffed, "Just go." Red started to walk away when the kid spoke up again. "You know, light years are a measure of distance, not time." Red just ignored him.

"So, you're here," a man in his late teens said. He was standing in a flattened rock near the back of the building. He had wild brown hair, a black jacket with two orange stripes below the shoulders and green cargo pants (though not as baggy as Blue's). "I'm Pewter's Gym Leader," he continued. This was Brock. "My rock-hard will power is evident even in my Pokémon. My Pokémon are all rock hard, and have true-grit determination. That's right! All my Pokémon are the rock type!" Red wondered if all the Gym Leaders were this dramatic… "You're still going to challenge me knowing you'll lose? That's the Trainer's honor that compels you to challenge me." Sure thing, Red thought, but can we get on with this? "Fine, then! Show me your best!"

"So if I win I get a badge?" Red asked, "Are there any special rules?"

"The Battle will be two on two," Brock said, "When both of one trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle the match is over."

Red decided not to use Pikachu. The battle with Sandshrew took too much out of him. And Red figured he would have the same problem with Brock's Pokémon. "Pidgey, go." That didn't seem like the best match-up either, but hopefully Pidgey's mobility would give it an advantage against a fighting rock.

"This is my Pokémon!" Brock tossed his Pokéball. Nothing less than a levitating rock with a face and arms appeared. "Let's see if you can crack Geodude…"

"Pidgey, Sand-Attack!"

Pidgey kicked up a veil of sand. Geodude wasn't lost in it for long. It burst from the cloud intent on ramming Pidgey. The attack was dodged with little effort. Pidgey countered with a tackle of its own. It hit Geodude square in the head, but the rock Pokémon didn't even flinch.

"Wha-?"

"I told you my Pokémon are rock hard!" Brock grinned.

The battle dragged on. Every time Geodude tried to tackle Pidgey it kicked up another cloud of sand and side-stepped, then counter with an attack of its own. Finally, Geodude began to tire.

Red smiled, "I got ya'!"

At last Geodude fell, having not laid a finger on Pidgey. Brock called back his Pokémon. "Well done!" he said with a grin, "Few have the skills to push me this far. But now this match is over… Go! Onix!"

An enormous snake made of boulders erupted onto the battle field. It was as tall as the ceiling and had to coil its body to stay fully inside the ring! Red shifted back looking up at the giant. What to do now?

"Onix," Brock growled, "Body Slam!"

The rock snake crashed forward at the small bird. Pidgey tried to dodge, but Onix was much faster. It was over in an instant.

Red became worried for the first time in his short career. Was he going to… Could he lose? He recalled Pidgey and replaced him with Charmander. This was it. He had to win here or…

"Charmander, use Scratch!"

"A weak Normal-Type attack like that won't do a thing against Onix!" Brock laughed. Just before Charmander's claws struck they started to glow, as if they were reflecting the light from the florescent lights overhead. When they hit, Onix flew back and fell to the side. "Wh-was that Metal Claw?"

Red smirked. "It's over!" he said, confidence restored.

"Don't get cocky just yet!" Brock snapped back, "Onix, Rock Tomb!"

Onix got back up and slammed its tail into the ground. The ground near Charmander crashed together around him.

"Use Metal Claw to break the rocks!" Red ordered. Charmander broke free, but was clearly taxed by the heavy blow. "What now? Tch…"

"Onix, again!"

More rocks came crashing toward Charmander. It was able to dodge most, but the effort and the many glancing blows were taking their toll. Now Red could see why people gave up so easily. Against Onix, he felt so helpless. How could anyone win against such a monster? He felt a bead of sweat trail down the side of his face. "Blue's moved on…"

"What was that?" Brock asked.

"Blue's not here. He didn't give up here! So neither! Will! I!" The sweat fell from Red's chin. "Charmander!"

In that moment Charmander's entire body began to glow.

Finally finished! That took far too long. I like it though. More soon (I hope). On a completely unrelated note, there's a poll on one of my other stories on my profile. Check it out if you care to.